Challenges in computer architecture evaluation

We focus on problems suited to the current evaluation infrastructure. The current limitation and trends in evaluation techniques are troublesome and could noticeably slow the rate of computer system innovation. New research has been recommended to help and make quantitative evaluations of computer systems manageable. We support research in the areas of simulation frameworks, benchmarking methodologies, analytic methods, and validation techniques.     

Hydrogenation of Citral Over a Polymer Fibre Catalyst

A polymer-supported Pd catalyst was investigated in hydrogenation of citral (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal), which is a stereoisomer with an isolated and a conjugated double bond as well as a carbonyl group. The catalyst was a fibrous polymer-supported catalyst modified with functional groups and immobilized metals. A comparison of the polymer-supported catalyst with conventional catalysts was made.     

Attitude towards aggression and creative functioning in patients with breast cancer

Three projective personality tests were used to assess attitude to aggression (The Identification Test), anxiety and defenses (The Meta-Contrast Technique) and creative functioning (The Creative Functioning Test) in 70 patients with breast cancer. Discriminant analyses were applied pro primo to characterize psychologically patients with a better prognosis and patients with a poorer prognosis. A second aim was to characterize psychologically older (postmenopausal) and younger (premenopausal) women. Generally, high scores on the Identification Test indicated maladaptive attitudes towards aggression among all the patients. Patients with a poorer prognosis showed responses that in healthy subjects indicate acknowledgement of aggressive impulses, perhaps suggesting lack of "defenses" against such impulses among those patients. Another way to describe it would be that patients with a better prognosis seem to have (normally nonadaptive) "defenses" against aggressive impulses while those with poorer prognosis have not. Surprisingly, the patients with a better prognosis (but not those with a poorer prognosis) gave responses classified as depression in the Meta-Contrast Technique. Typical of premenopausal patients were responses classified as anxiety as well as reaction formation on the Identification Test. Responses classified as adaptive defenses (isolation) were seen in the Meta-Contrast Technique. A surprising finding was that many of these patients were characterized by high scores on the creativity test. These original statistically significant findings of attitudes towards aggression and creative functioning in breast cancer patients are discussed in relation to the underlying nature of aggression and creativity.     

Accelerating geoscience and engineering system simulations on graphics hardware

Many complex natural systems studied in the geosciences are characterized by simple local-scale interactions that result in complex emergent behavior. Simulations of these systems, often implemented in parallel using standard central processing unit (CPU) clusters, may be better suited to parallel processing environments with large numbers of simple processors. Such an environment is found in graphics processing units (GPUs) on graphics cards.This paper discusses GPU implementations of three example applications from computational fluid dynamics, seismic wave propagation, and rock magnetism. These candidate applications involve important numerical modeling techniques, widely employed in physical system simulations, that are themselves examples of distinct computing classes identified as fundamental to scientific and engineering computing. The presented numerical methods (and respective computing classes they belong to) are: (1) a lattice-Boltzmann code for geofluid dynamics (structured grid class); (2) a spectral-finite-element code for seismic wave propagation simulations (sparse linear algebra class); and (3) a least-squares minimization code for interpreting magnetic force microscopy data (dense linear algebra class). Significant performance increases (between 10× and 30× in most cases) are seen in all three applications, demonstrating the power of GPU implementations for these types of simulations and, more generally, their associated computing classes.     

Determination and analysis of antigenic epitopes of prostate specific antigen (PSA) and human glandular kallikrein 2 (hK2) using synthetic peptides and computer modeling

In comparison with pyeloplasty, endourologic procedures for the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction offer good success rates with less morbidity and a shorter hospitalization; however, studies have found lower success rates and increased complications in patients with crossing vessels. Conventional diagnostic angiography and intravenous urography have both been used to identify crossing vessels at the UPJ; but, a reliable, less invasive, less costly, and simpler preoperative procedure to identify crossing vessels is needed. Helical CT with CT angiography is a promising noninvasive technique for the identification of crossing vessels at the ureteropelvic junction, which can be used for surgical planning of endourologic treatment of UPJ obstruction.     

Cross-layer speculative architecture for end systems and gateways in computer networks with lossy links

The throughput degradation of Transport Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP) networks over lossy links due to the coexistence of congestion losses and link corruption losses is very similar to the degradation of processor performance (i.e., cycle per instruction) due to control hazards in computer design. First, two types of loss events in networks with lossy links are analogous to two possibilities of a branching result in computers (taken vs. not taken). Secondly, both problems result in performance degradations in their applications, i.e., penalties (in clock cycles) in a processor, and throughput degradation (in bits per second) in a TCP/IP network. This has motivated us to apply speculative techniques (i.e., speculating on the outcome of branch predictions), used to overcome control dependencies in a processor, for throughput improvements when lossy links are involved in TCP/IP connections. The objective of this paper is to propose a cross-layer network architecture to improve the network throughput over lossy links. The system consists of protocol-level speculation based algorithms at transport layer, and protocol enhancements at middleware and network layers that provide control and performance parameters to transport layer functions. Simulation results show that, compared with prior research, our proposed system is effective in improving network throughput over lossy links, capable of handling incorrect speculations, fair for other competing flows, backward compatible with legacy networks, and relatively easy to implement.     

Molecular forms of serum prostate-specific antigen. The clinical value of percent free prostate-specific antigen

The concept of measuring the proportions of various forms of PSA in serum, particularly the proportion of free to total PSA, represents a new and exciting method of detecting early curable prostate cancers and avoiding unnecessary prostate biopsies in men who have BPH only. Compared with other methods of improving diagnostic specificity, it does not require transrectal ultrasound for determination of prostate volume, as does the use of PSA density, and it does not require multiple blood sampling over a sufficiently long period, as does PSA velocity. Recent findings suggest determination of the proportion of free to total PSA, rather than that of complexed to total PSA, to be the optimal discriminator between patients with prostate cancer and those with BPH in the PSA reflex range of 2.5 or 3 ng/mL to 10 ng/mL, and to improve the clinical accuracy of the PSA test substantially. If the total PSA value is normal, percent free PSA improves the sensitivity (increases cancer detection) of the PSA test; if the total PSA value is slightly elevated, percent free PSA enhances the specificity (eliminates unnecessary negative prostate biopsies) of the PSA test. Both of these outcomes are clinically desirable in attempting to diagnose early, curable prostate cancers in a cost-effective manner among men who also have varying degrees of BPH. Figure 5 contains a diagnostic algorithm for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancers at a curable stage, employing the concept of percent free PSA. As more is learned about percent free PSA, however, it may be necessary to make modifications in how this concept is used clinically.     

Parasympathetic neuropathy associated with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: As extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is frequently carried out on an outpatient basis, it is crucial to choose an adequate analgesic with less adverse effect. This study evaluated the use of three different intravenous agents: fentanyl, tramadol HCl and tenoxicam in ESWL. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients undergoing lithotripsy were randomly assigned to receive either intravenous fentanyl 1 microgram/kg, tramadol HCl 1.5 mg/kg or tenoxicam 0.3 mg/kg before lithotripsy. Pain intensity was recorded using verbal rating pain scales (VRPS). Cases without adequate analgesia (VRPS > 4) or could not tolerate the pain, additional bolus of fentanyl 25 micrograms were given until adequate analgesia was achieved. Side effects were recorded as well. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among groups in demographic data, VRPS, number of total shock waves, cases with supplementary fentanyl, mean dose of supplementary fentanyl or the incidence of dizziness. However, the incidence of nausea or vomiting was significantly higher in fentanyl and tramadol groups comparing with tenoxicam group (15.0% and 25.0% vs. 0.0%). Oxygen saturation in fentanyl group was also significantly lower than the other two groups (p < 0.01). In addition, VRPS had a significant correlation with voltage intensities (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lithotripsy can be satisfactorily performed by employing fentanyl, tramadol or tenoxicam for analgesia; tenoxicam apparently offers a better analgesic quality with less side effect. Furthermore, the need for stronger analgesia during larger voltage intensity should be tailored to the needs of the individuals.     

Alteration of the hormonal bioactivity of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) as a result of limited proteolysis by prostate-specific antigen

This paper examines why the law concerns itself with euthanasia. The nature of the right to life and its protection in law is explored. Such a right demands legal intervention to prohibit, or at least control, involuntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. Voluntary euthanasia is not a violation of the individual's right to life as such, so on what grounds can law limit autonomy by prohibiting such conduct? It is suggested that, while concepts of sanctity of life still play a part in the legal debate, fears of abuse in any scheme for voluntary euthanasia largely explain the reluctance of many jurisdictions to follow the example of The Netherlands. Finally, the paper asks whether reform and regulation of voluntary euthanasia are as attractive options as they are sometimes portrayed.