197,035 research outputs found
Distributed large-scale graph processing on FPGAs
No full textAbstract Processing large-scale graphs is challenging due to the nature of the computation that causes irregular memory access patterns. Managing such irregular accesses may cause significant performance degradation on both CPUs and GPUs. Thus, recent research trends propose graph processing acceleration with Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA). FPGAs are programmable hardware devices that can be fully customised to perform specific tasks in a highly parallel and efficient manner. However, FPGAs have a limited amount of on-chip memory that cannot fit the entire graph. Due to the limited device memory size, data needs to be repeatedly transferred to and from the FPGA on-chip memory, which makes data transfer time dominate over the computation time. A possible way to overcome the FPGA accelerators’ resource limitation is to engage a multi-FPGA distributed architecture and use an efficient partitioning scheme. Such a scheme aims to increase data locality and minimise communication between different partitions. This work proposes an FPGA processing engine that overlaps, hides and customises all data transfers so that the FPGA accelerator is fully utilised. This engine is integrated into a framework for using FPGA clusters and is able to use an offline partitioning method to facilitate the distribution of large-scale graphs. The proposed framework uses Hadoop at a higher level to map a graph to the underlying hardware platform. The higher layer of computation is responsible for gathering the blocks of data that have been pre-processed and stored on the host’s file system and distribute to a lower layer of computation made of FPGAs. We show how graph partitioning combined with an FPGA architecture will lead to high performance, even when the graph has Millions of vertices and Billions of edges. In the case of the PageRank algorithm, widely used for ranking the importance of nodes in a graph, compared to state-of-the-art CPU and GPU solutions, our implementation is the fastest, achieving a speedup of 13 compared to 8 and 3 respectively. Moreover, in the case of the large-scale graphs, the GPU solution fails due to memory limitations while the CPU solution achieves a speedup of 12 compared to the 26x achieved by our FPGA solution. Other state-of-the-art FPGA solutions are 28 times slower than our proposed solution. When the size of a graph limits the performance of a single FPGA device, our performance model shows that using multi-FPGAs in a distributed system can further improve the performance by about 12x. This highlights our implementation efficiency for large datasets not fitting in the on-chip memory of a hardware device
Peripheral and total parenteral nutritions as strongest risk factors for nosocomial candidemia among elderly patients: a case-control study
No full texteP803
Abstract (eposter session)
Peripheral and total parenteral nutritions as the strongest risk factors for nosocomial candidaemia
among elderly patients: a case-control study
R. Luzzati*, S. Cavinato, G. Granà, M. Giangreco, M. Deiana, S. Centonze, F. Barbone (Trieste, Verona, Udine,
IT)
Objectives: Although the highest rates of nosocomial candidemia occur at the extremes of age spectrum, few
data on elderly patients exist. We investigate characteristics and risk factors for candidemia in such patient
population. Methods: We analyzed all consecutive nosocomial candidemia episodes occurring from January
2008 to June 2011 in an Italian referral hospital. A case-control study to identify risk factors for candidemia
including comorbidities, invasive procedures, and medical therapies was performed. For each case, 2 controls
were randomly selected among other patients admitted to the same hospital, and individually matched by sex,
age, year and month of admission, ward, and duration of hospital admission. The statistical analysis was
conducted according to matched case-control methods. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) was calculated using
multiple conditional logistic regression. Results: We identified 145 episodes of candidemia occurring in 140
patients (67 females, 48%) with a median age of 80 years (IQR 69.0-85.5 years ). The overall incidence of
candidemia was 1.56 episodes per 10,000 patient-days per year. Ninety-three (67%) patients were hospitalized
in internal medicine units, 23 (16%) in surgery units, and 24 (17%) in intensive care units. Candida albicans (80
isolates) accounted for 55% of all candidemia episodes. From the multivariate logistic regression models which
also included terms for matching variables, candidemia remained statistically significantly associated with
duration > 7 days of both total [OR = 23.40; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.81-143.59]and peripheral
parenteral nutrition [OR = 24.82; 95%CI: 6.23-98.82], central vascular catheter [OR = 5.61; 95%CI: 1.32-
23.82], and the following antibiotics for >= 2 days: glicopeptydes [OR = 6.23; 95%CI: 1.88-20.67],
aminoglycosides [OR = 2.75; 95%CI: 0.62-12.19], metronidazole [OR = 2.71; 95%CI: 0.80-9.17], and
antianaerobic betalactams [OR = 2.44; 95%CI: 1.00-5.94]. The 30-day crude mortality was 45.0% in
candidemia cases and 20.7% in controls. Conclusion: Our data show the incidence of candidemia to be high and
elderly patients admitted into internal medicine wards to be especially affected by that infection. The longer
durations of both total and peripheral parenteral nutritions were found to be the strongest risk factors for
candidemia. Prospective studies are warranted to show whether candidemia can be prevented by earlier
application of enteral feeding in elderly patients
The public sector in the Caribbean : issues and reform options
No full textThe public sector's performance in the Caribbean varies, in reducing poverty and in creating an enabling environment for growth. Barbados and the Bahamas have been the high performers, Guyana and the Dominican Republic have been sluggish, and the other Caribbean countries fall in between. In the Caribbean region, the public sector is now the predominant provider of tertiary education and health services (university education and hospital-based curative care), which mainly benefit the nonpoor. Attempts must be made to recover costs from high-income users and use that revenue to improve the quality and quantity (as appropriate) of basic services. Lessons from experience suggest that most Caribbean countries need to encourage the private sector to participate more in providing infrastructure and need to provide a better regulatory framework. The good news: this is already taking place in many countries.Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Public Health Promotion,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Decentralization,Environmental Economics&Policies,Public Sector Economics&Finance,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Poverty Assessment,National Governance,Inequality
Atypical radiological presentation of multiple cystic brain metastases from lung cancer simulating neurocysticercosis
No full textBrain metastases (BMs) are usually characterised by vasogenic oedema and mass effect, but cystic appearance can rarely occur, mimicking parasitosis, such as neurocysticercosis (NCC). A woman in her mid-50s was admitted for dizziness and upper left extremity paresis. Neuroimaging showed multiple cystic lesions consistent with multiple stages of NCC evolution, and empiric albendazole was started, without any clinical improvement. A whole-body CT revealed a pulmonary lesion in the right superior lobe. Pathological analysis from brain specimen demonstrated a clear cell lung carcinoma. The patient gradually worsened and died 4 months after the diagnosis. In conclusion, multiple cystic BMs are an atypical presentation on neuroimaging; in these cases, a meticulous diagnostic workup should be performed, looking for the possible site of malignancy. Even when it is not possible to perform a biopsy from the primitive lesion, as reported in this case, a brain biopsy should be considered
Cost Effectiveness Analysis Of Hyperphosphatemia Treatment With Sevelamer Compared To Calcium Salts
No full textStructural adjustment, ownership transformation, and size in Polish industry
No full textThe authors argue that significant adjustment took place in Polish industry after Poland's 1990 reforms. They analyze data on two- and three-digit manufacturing industries, disaggregated by firm ownership and size. By applying a statistical model to labor productivity growth, they try to disentangle structural determinants of the recovery from cyclical determinants. They contend that structural determinants outweigh cyclical ones. They find that the productive response of state enterprises was markedly different from that of private firms--private firms outperformed state enterprises (just as anecdotal evidence suggested). Size also matters, at least among private firms. Generally, there seem to be increasing returns to scale for private firms, except for very large enterprises (many of which were previously state-owned and may need further restructuring). The fact that size does not appear to matter among public enterprises suggests that several of them have not yet adopted optimal technologies and production processes.Banks&Banking Reform,Municipal Financial Management,Labor Policies,Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Environmental Economics&Policies,Banks&Banking Reform,Municipal Financial Management,Economic Theory&Research,Health Monitoring&Evaluation
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