65 research outputs found
On Parallelization of Graph Algorithms, Performance Modelling and Autonomous 3D Printable Object Synthesis
Get PDFThe degree of hardware level parallelism offered by today’s GPU architecture makes it ideal for problem domains with massive inherent parallelism potential, fields such as computer vision, image processing, graph theory and graph computations. We have identified three problem areas for purpose of this research dissertation, under the umbrella of performance improvement by harnessing the power of GPUs for novel applications. The first area is concerned with k-vertex connectivity in graph theory, the second area deals performance evaluation using extended roofline models for GPU parallel applications and finally the third problem area is related to synthesis 3D printable objects from 2D images. In this thesis we examined k-vertex connectivity in undirected graphs, its applications and measure the performance of GPU computations using the CUDA Toolkit. Matthews and Sumner in 1984 presented the conjecture that every 4-connected claw-free graph is Hamiltonian. In the initial paper [1] it was shown that every 3-connected claw-free graph on fewer than 20 vertices is Hamiltonian. Over the years there have been several papers establishing the result for connectivity higher than 4. So, all that remains is the case for 4 connected claw-free graphs conjectured by C. Thomassen [2]. We present a new CUDA based parallel k-vertex connectivity test algorithm to determine the connectivity of any vi given claw-free graph. The parallel algorithm is several orders of magnitude faster when compared to the serial counterpart. It is a major step towards efficiently finding whether the conjecture holds for graphs with connectivity exactly equal to 4. Our parallel algorithm can also be applied to find the value of k (connectedness) for a given graph. It is validated using number of different types of graphs such as complete graphs, complete bipartite graphs, and chorded cycle graphs of sizes ranging from ����,�� , 20 ≤ �� ≤ 300. For GPU architecture we proposed the unified cache aware roofline model which provides better insights by capturing details such as memory transfers between host and device. Unlike traditional roofline models that strictly focused on memory bandwidth and computation performance of either only CPU or GPU. Our model provides more holistic picture of application performance in a single view by capturing computations on CPUs and GPUs along with the data transfers from host to device including theoretical bandwidths of host and device memories. Finally, a novel approach to synthesize 3D printable objects from a single input image source is presented. The algorithm employs probabilistic machine learning based framework along with multiple shapes and depth cues such as manifolds, contours, gradients, and prior knowledge about the shapes to generate a plausible 3D model from a single 2D image. Our algorithm intelligently combines isolated shapes into a single object while retaining their relative positions. It also considers minimal 3D printable area vii and strength while generating watertight mesh object. Consequently, the resultant 3D model is 3D printer compatible; and the actual 3D printed object is sturdy and less prone to breakage. In addition, our scalable algorithm runs in a quadratic time of the size of the image. The preliminary results have demonstrated several different 2D images turned into actual 3D printed objects that are sturdy and aesthetically pleasing
Economic analysis of Pakistan's mango exports towards the European Union
Get PDFMango accounts for the second largest share in Pakistan's fruit exports. Therefore, it is important to investigate its export supply challenges in order to reorient the industry towards being efficient and competitive in the international market. In this study, a firm level evaluation of Pakistan mango industry's export performance for different markets is presented. For a better understanding of the export supply chain, import demand of the mango by the EU market was also analyzed.
In export efficiency evaluation, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) shows that exporters are operating most efficiently in Specialized EU market while exporting least efficiently in the Diversified EU market. This finding reveals that in approaching to high value markets like EU, adopting specialized export practices can enhance exporters' efficiency instead of following the mixed procedures. Overall, independent exporter, GAP certification, large number of varieties, treatment type HWT, procurement timing early, and outsourcing of treatment plant & pack house facility were identified as the major determinants of export efficiency. Furthermore, the results of the profitability analysis confirm the results of export efficiency, as the Specialized EU market turns out to be the most profitable market compared to the other two markets. However, to secure high profit margins, major cost factors which need to be optimized are; purchase & production cost, international freight cost, treatment and packing costs.
By employing the choice modeling technique, the study establishes the counterfactual effects of transport mode choice attributes and their willingness to pay. For EU market, freight charges in air transport mode and loss & damage in sea transport mode are found to be the major challenging factors which need to be addressed for enhancing exporters' competitiveness in this high value market. Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS) and various export indices were used to identify the competitiveness of Pakistan among leading mango exporters in the EU market. It was found that Pakistan has a comparative advantage only over Israel and there is a huge potential for Pakistan to increase mango exports in this market. Optimized freight charges and compliance with sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) requirements can help exporters in enhancing their export competitiveness in European market.
The overall findings of this study has contributed valuable information for decision makers and the mango export industry's stakeholders in designing the appropriate policies to enhance Pakistan mango export efficiency and its competitiveness in the international market
Fear and Future of Cryptocurrency: An Introspection
No full textThere is no doubt that Cryptocurrency is a word that provokes a very strong response these days. On one hand, Team Crypto proclaimers the arena as the next big thing as they speak in blue sky terms about the future of this new form of currency that takes digital shape and is beyond restriction. In direct opposition is Team Tradition that warns of the perils of decentralization and fraud around pure digital currency. Indeed, there was nothing short of a frenzy around trading on the CBOE Bitcoin futures a few days ago, while the day after reports detailed a large digital heist surrounding Ethereum. Doomsday sentiment around this new area of tech convergence with thaof the financial spectrum is plentiful. Just why is there so much fear around the area of cryptocurrency, and what will 2018 mean for this pioneering area, particularly as we move to a general cashless society that is easily driven and adopted by the massive Millennial demographic
اردو کا پہلا نثری رسالہ اور اس کا مصنف
No full textSufis and Saints have played a prominent role in the development of early Urdu prose. They prepared the earliest Urdu texts in booklet form for purposes of preaching. Researchers have not yet reached a consensus on the first prose writing in Urdu. According to Prof. Hamid Hasan Qadri, Syed Ashraf Jahangir Samnan’s Risālah-i Taṣavvuf was the first such book whereas Hakim Shamsullah Qadri regards Sheikh Ainuddin Gunj al-llm as the first prose writer of Urdu. Maulvi Abdul Haq considers Merāj al-ʿᾹshiqī, which is wrongly attributed to Khawaja Banda Nawaz Gesu Daraz as the first Urdu prose writing. A few others have named Shams al-Ushaq as the first writer of ancient Dakkani prose. However, more recent studies indicate Miranji Shams al-Ushaq’s eldest son and Khalifa Shah Burhanuddin Janam Dakkani’s book Kalimat ul-Haqāiq as the first prose writing of the Urdu language
Robust Logic Circuits Design Using SOI Shorted-Gate FinFETs
Get PDFThe scaling of planar Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) technology has reached to its extremity. Double Gate (DG) device was introduced to derive the benefits of scaling gate lengths. Fin-shaped Field Effect Transistors (FinFETs) proved to be the best architecture to realize a double gate structure. In this paper, a static leakage control technique is proposed and a ring-oscillator of five inverters based on shorted gate (SG) FinFETs is simulated using the technique. The basic logic gates like Inverter, 2-input NAND gate, and 2-input NOR gate are simulated using the proposed technique. Leakage power and Power Delay Product (PDP) optimization of 93.46% and 97.78% has been found in 2-input SG FinFET-based proposed NAND gate compared to that of 2-input SG FinFET-based conventional NAND gate.Also, SG FinFET-based proposed 2-input NOR gate shows 98.03% and 98% optimization of leakage power and PDP,respectively compared to the SG FinFET-based conventional 2-input NOR gate. The proposed SG FinFET-based ring-oscillator shows a leakage power and PDP optimization of 62.12% and 35.56%, respectively in comparison to theconventional SG FinFET-based ring-oscillator. The reliability of the proposed circuit is calculated, which came out to be thehighest at 0.7V supply and 16nm process node for a 10% deviation in operating parameters. Also, the process parametervariation of leakage power, delay, and PDP of the proposed circuit came out to be proper and stable thus maintaining thefunctionality of the proposed circuit
Impact of E-Libraries on Youth Development: Evidence from the Punjab E-Library Project in Pakistan
Get PDFThe study aimed to explore the impact of e-libraries on youth development in Punjab, Pakistan. The quantitative research method was adopted to address research questions of the study. A questionnaire using the five domains of Youth Development Index of the Commonwealth was developed to collect the quantitative data from young users (aged between 15-29 years) of four e-libraries developed under the Punjab E-Library Project in Punjab, Pakistan. The findings illustrate that e-libraries had a significant positive impact on youth development in all the five domains. The respondents acknowledged the multidimensionality of the e-libraries on holistic uplift and advancement of youth capabilities in all three aspects of human life i.e., social, economic, and political. The study findings have implications for the government authorities, e-library administration and library professionals in justifying resources, identifying users’ needs with special reference to the youth, and improving resources and services in the e-libraries
Computational Study of Multiterm Time-Fractional Differential Equation Using Cubic B-Spline Finite Element Method
No full textDue to the symmetry feature in nature, fractional differential equations precisely measure and describe biological and physical processes. Multiterm time-fractional order has been introduced to model complex processes in different physical phenomena. This article presents a numerical method based on the cubic B-spline finite element method for the solution of multiterm time-fractional differential equations. The temporal fractional part is defined in the Caputo sense while the B-spline finite element method is employed for space approximation. In addition, the four-point Gauss−Legendre quadrature is applied to evaluate the source term. The stability of the proposed scheme is discussed by the Von Neumann method, which verifies that the scheme is unconditionally stable. L2 and L∞ norms are used to check the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed scheme. Computed results are compared with the exact and available methods in the literature, which show the betterment of the proposed method
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