FAT: An In-Memory Accelerator with Fast Addition for Ternary Weight Neural Networks

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) demonstrate excellent performance in various applications but have high computational complexity. Quantization is applied to reduce the latency and storage cost of CNNs. Among the quantization methods, Binary and Ternary Weight Networks (BWNs and TWNs) have a unique advantage over 8-bit and 4-bit quantization. They replace the multiplication operations in CNNs with additions, which are favoured on In-Memory-Computing (IMC) devices. IMC acceleration for BWNs has been widely studied. However, though TWNs have higher accuracy and better sparsity than BWNs, IMC acceleration for TWNs has limited research. TWNs on existing IMC devices are inefficient because the sparsity is not well utilized, and the addition operation is not efficient. In this paper, we propose FAT as a novel IMC accelerator for TWNs. First, we propose a Sparse Addition Control Unit, which utilizes the sparsity of TWNs to skip the null operations on zero weights. Second, we propose a fast addition scheme based on the memory Sense Amplifier to avoid the time overhead of both carry propagation and writing back the carry to memory cells. Third, we further propose a Combined-Stationary data mapping to reduce the data movement of activations and weights and increase the parallelism across memory columns. Simulation results show that for addition operations at the Sense Amplifier level, FAT achieves 2.00X speedup, 1.22X power efficiency, and 1.22X area efficiency compared with a State-Of-The-Art IMC accelerator ParaPIM. FAT achieves 10.02X speedup and 12.19X energy efficiency compared with ParaPIM on networks with 80% average sparsity.Comment: 14 page

A CRISPR/Cas12a-assisted rapid detection platform by biosensing the apxIVA of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae is an important respiratory pig pathogen that causes substantial losses in the worldwide swine industry. Chronic or subclinical infection with no apparent clinical symptoms poses a challenge for preventing transmission between herds. Rapid diagnostics is important for the control of epidemic diseases. In this study, we formulated an A. pleuropneumoniae species-specific apxIVA-based CRISPR/Cas12a-assisted rapid detection platform (Card) that combines recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) of target DNA and subsequent Cas12a ssDNase activation. Card has a detection limit of 10 CFUs of A. pleuropneumoniae, and there is no cross-reactivity with other common swine pathogens. The detection process can be completed in 1 h, and there was 100% agreement between the conventional apxIVA-based PCR and Card in detecting A. pleuropneumoniae in lung samples. Microplate fluorescence readout enables high-throughput use in diagnostic laboratories, and naked eye and lateral flow test readouts enable use at the point of care. We conclude that Card is a versatile, rapid, accurate molecular diagnostic platform suitable for use in both laboratory and low-resource settings

Bis(ethyl­enediammonium) tetra­deca­borate

The title compound, 2C2H10N2 2+·B14O20(OH)6 4−, consists of a centrosymmetric tetra­deca­borate anion and two ethyl­enediammonium cations. The anions are inter­connected through strong O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional supra­molecular network with channels along [100], [010], [001] and [111]. The diprotonated cations reside in the channels and inter­act with the inorganic framework by extensive N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

A Lifting Relation from Macroscopic Variables to Mesoscopic Variables in Lattice Boltzmann Method: Derivation, Numerical Assessments and Coupling Computations Validation

In this paper, analytic relations between the macroscopic variables and the mesoscopic variables are derived for lattice Boltzmann methods (LBM). The analytic relations are achieved by two different methods for the exchange from velocity fields of finite-type methods to the single particle distribution functions of LBM. The numerical errors of reconstructing the single particle distribution functions and the non-equilibrium distribution function by macroscopic fields are investigated. Results show that their accuracy is better than the existing ones. The proposed reconstruction operator has been used to implement the coupling computations of LBM and macro-numerical methods of FVM. The lid-driven cavity flow is chosen to carry out the coupling computations based on the numerical strategies of domain decomposition methods (DDM). The numerical results show that the proposed lifting relations are accurate and robust

Non-targeted metabolomics and lipidomics LC-MS data from maternal plasma of 180 healthy pregnant women

BACKGROUND: Metabolomics has the potential to be a powerful and sensitive approach for investigating the low molecular weight metabolite profiles present in maternal fluids and their role in pregnancy. FINDINGS: In this Data Note, LC–MS metabolome, lipidome and carnitine profiling data were collected from 180 healthy pregnant women, representing six time points spanning all three trimesters, and providing sufficient coverage to model the progression of normal pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS: As a relatively large scale, real-world dataset with robust numbers of quality control samples, the data are expected to prove useful for algorithm optimization and development, with the potential to augment studies into abnormal pregnancy. All data and ISA-TAB format enriched metadata are available for download in the MetaboLights and GigaScience databases. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13742-015-0054-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Poly[tetra­aqua-μ4-bromido-di-μ2-bromido-μ2-hydroxido-di-μ3-iso­nicotinato-tetra-μ2-isonicotinato-tetra­copper(I)dithulium(III)]

A new thulium(III)–copper(I) heterometallic coordination polymer, [Cu4Tm2Br3(C6H4NO2)6(OH)(H2O)4]n, has been prepared by a hydro­thermal method. The Tm and both Cu atoms lie on mirror planes. The Tm atom is seven-coordinate with a capped distorted trigonal–prismatic coordination geometry, while the Cu atoms adopt trigonal CuBrN2 and tetra­hedral CuBr3N coordination modes, respectively. The Cu atom in the trigonal coordination environment is disordered over two sites of equal occupancy. The crystal structure is constructed from two distinct units of dimeric [Tm2(μ2-OH(IN)6(H2O)4] cores (IN = isonicotinate) and one-dimensional inorganic [Cu4Br3]n chains, which are linked together, forming heterometallic Cu–halide–lanthanide–organic layers

Poly[tetra­aqua-μ3-benzene-1,2-di­carboxyl­ato-μ3-bromido-penta-μ2-bromido-octa-μ3-isonicotinato-hepta­copper(I)trilanthanum(III)]

A new lanthanum(III)–copper(I) heterometallic coordination polymer, [Cu7La3Br6(C6H4NO2)8(C8H4O4)(H2O)4]n, has been prepared by a hydro­thermal method. Of the three La atoms in the asymmetric unit, two are eight-coordinate with bicapped trigonal–prismatic configurations; the third is nine-coordinated and has a tricapped trigonal–prismatic coordination geometry. Of the seven Cu atoms, two are two-coordinate with CuBrN and CuN2 ligand sets, three have trigonal configurations, viz. CuBrN2, CuBr2N and CuBr3, while the remaining two adopt distorted tetra­hedral CuBr3N geometries. In the crystal structure, adjacent La centers are linked by isonicotinate (IN−) and benzene-1,2-dicarboxyl­ate ligands to form a two-dimensional La–carboxyl­ate layer in the ab plane. These layers are further inter­connected with each other by bridging [Cu(IN)2] motifs, leading to an unusual three-dimensional heterometallic Cu–halide–lanthanide–organic framework, with the inorganic [Cu6Br6]n chains located in the resulting channels. Two Cu atoms are disordered over two positions, both with site occupancy factors of 0.80 and 0.20. O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding between water molecules and carboxylate O atoms helps to consolidate the crystal packing

Risk assessment of failure during transitioning from in-centre to home haemodialysis

Background: Introducing a de-novo home haemodialysis (HHD) program often raises safety concerns as errors could potentially lead to serious adverse events. Despite the complexity of performing haemodialysis at home without the supervision of healthcare staff, HHD has a good safety record. We aim to pre-emptively identify and reduce the risks to our new HHD program by risk assessment and using failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to identify potential defects in the design and planning of HHD. Methods: We performed a general risk assessment of failure during transitioning from in-centre to HHD with a failure mode and effects analysis focused on the highest areas of failure. We collaborated with key team members from a well-established HHD program and one HHD patient. Risk assessment was conducted separately and then through video conference meetings for joint deliberation. We listed all key processes, sub-processes, step and then identified failure mode by scoring based on risk priority numbers. Solutions were then designed to eliminate and mitigate risk. Results: Transitioning to HHD was found to have the highest risk of failure with 3 main processes and 34 steps. We identified a total of 59 areas with potential failures. The median and mean risk priority number (RPN) scores from failure mode effect analysis were 5 and 38, with the highest RPN related to vascular access at 256. As many failure modes with high RPN scores were related to vascular access, we focussed on FMEA by identifying the risk mitigation strategies and possible solutions in all 9 areas in access-related medical emergencies in a bundled- approach. We discussed, the risk reduction areas of setting up HHD and how to address incidents that occurred and those not preventable. Conclusions: We developed a safety framework for a de-novo HHD program by performing FMEA in high-risk areas. The involvement of two teams with different clinical experience for HHD allowed us to successfully pre-emptively identify risks and develop solutions

Steroid-associated hip joint collapse in bipedal emus

In this study we established a bipedal animal model of steroid-associated hip joint collapse in emus for testing potential treatment protocols to be developed for prevention of steroid-associated joint collapse in preclinical settings. Five adult male emus were treated with a steroid-associated osteonecrosis (SAON) induction protocol using combination of pulsed lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and methylprednisolone (MPS). Additional three emus were used as normal control. Post-induction, emu gait was observed, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed, and blood was collected for routine examination, including testing blood coagulation and lipid metabolism. Emus were sacrificed at week 24 post-induction, bilateral femora were collected for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histological analysis. Asymmetric limping gait and abnormal MRI signals were found in steroid-treated emus. SAON was found in all emus with a joint collapse incidence of 70%. The percentage of neutrophils (Neut %) and parameters on lipid metabolism significantly increased after induction. Micro-CT revealed structure deterioration of subchondral trabecular bone. Histomorphometry showed larger fat cell fraction and size, thinning of subchondral plate and cartilage layer, smaller osteoblast perimeter percentage and less blood vessels distributed at collapsed region in SAON group as compared with the normal controls. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed poor mineral matrix and more osteo-lacunae outline in the collapsed region in SAON group. The combination of pulsed LPS and MPS developed in the current study was safe and effective to induce SAON and deterioration of subchondral bone in bipedal emus with subsequent femoral head collapse, a typical clinical feature observed in patients under pulsed steroid treatment. In conclusion, bipedal emus could be used as an effective preclinical experimental model to evaluate potential treatment protocols to be developed for prevention of ON-induced hip joint collapse in patients