Large-scale Input Research Articles

Output Initiated Fair Scheduling Algorithm for Large-Scale Input Buffered Switches

Output Initiated Fair Scheduling Algorithm for Large-Scale Input Buffered Switches

Performance assessment of retrospective meteorological inputs for use in air quality modeling during TexAQS 2006

To achieve more accurate meteorological inputs than was used in the daily forecast for studying the TexAQS 2006 air quality, retrospective simulations were conducted using objective analysis and 3D/surface analysis nudging with surface and upper observations. Model ozone using the assimilated meteorological fields with improved wind fields shows better agreement with the observation compared to the forecasting results. In the post-frontal conditions, important factors for ozone modeling in terms of wind patterns are the weak easterlies in the morning for bringing in industrial emissions to the city and the subsequent clockwise turning of the wind direction induced by the Coriolis force superimposing the sea breeze, which keeps pollutants in the urban area. Objective analysis and nudging employed in the retrospective simulation minimize the wind bias but are not able to compensate for the general flow pattern biases inherited from large scale inputs. By using an alternative analyses data for initializing the meteorological simulation, the model can re-produce the flow pattern and generate the ozone peak location closer to the reality. The inaccurate simulation of precipitation and cloudiness cause over-prediction of ozone occasionally. Since there are limitations in the meteorological model to simulate precipitation and cloudiness in the fine scale domain (less than 4-km grid), the satellite-based cloud is an alternative way to provide necessary inputs for the retrospective study of air quality.

공간 지역성과 PTAS를 활용한 대형 GOSST의 효과적 구성

GOSST의 생성은 NP-Complete 영역에 속하므로, 이 문제를 위한 휴리스틱들은, 다수의 입력 노드에 대해서 많은 시간과 계산을 요구한다. 본 논문에서는 가중치를 가지는 많은 입력 노드에 대해, 공간 지역성을 반영한 PTAS를 적용하여 GOSST를 효과적으로 구성하는 방법을 제안한다. 최대 가중치가 100인 40,000개의 입력 노드에 대하여 16개의 단위 영역으로 설계된 공간 지역성 PTAS GOSST는, 가중치 최소 신장 트리를 이용한 방법과 비교하여 연결비용은 약 4.00%, 실행시간은 89.26%를 절감할 수 있었으며, PTAS를 이용하지 않은 근사 GOSST 방법(SGOSST)에 비해서 연결비용은 0.03% 증가했으나, 실행시간은 96.39% 감소시켰다. 따라서 제안된 공간 지역성 PTAS GOSST 방법은 수많은 가중치 입력 노드들을 최소비용으로 신속히 연결하려는 다양한 응용에 잘 적용될 수 있을 것이다. As the problem of GOSST building belongs to NP compete domain, heuristics for the problem ask for immense amount execution time and computations in large scale inputs. In this paper, we propose an efficient mechanism for GOSST construction using space locality PTAS. For 40,000 input nodes with maximum weight 100, the proposed space locality PTAS GOSST with 16 unit areas can reduce about 4.00% of connection cost and 89.26% of execution time less than weighted minimum spanning tree method. Though the proposed method increases 0.03% of connection cost more, but cuts down 96.39% of execution time less than approximate GOSST method (SGOSST) without PTAS. Therefore the proposed space locality PTAS GOSST mechanism can work moderately well to many useful applications where a greate number of weighted inputs should be connected in short time with approximate minimum connection cost.

Rethinking Agricultural Input Subsidy Programmes in Developing Countries.

Recent years have seen a resurgent interest in large scale input subsidies, and particularly fertilizer subsidies, in agricultural development and food security policies in Africa. Very high global grain prices in the first part of 2008 appeared to make such subsidies even more attractive, but this was complicated by even more dramatic rises in fertilizer prices. Global grain and fertiliser prices have subsequently fallen back, but high grain prices persist in many domestic markets, and future prices are very uncertain.This paper considers the roles of input subsidy programmes in poor rural economies in Africa in these difficult times. It begins with a brief review of historical changes in experience with and views of input subsidies, and of the factors behind resurgent interest in input subsidy programmes, particularly with a new generation of so called ‘smart subsidies’. It then describes how particular features of smart subsidies demand a rethinking of some aspects of economic analysis of the benefits of subsidies implemented in different ways and contexts. This provides the foundation for a conceptual framework for considering the key issues affecting the performance of subsidy programmes in discussion of recent experience of specific input subsidy programmes.The final part of the paper considers how current grain and fertiliser prices, and uncertainty regarding future prices, impacts on subsidy programmes, and asks what roles input subsidy programmes may have under different price regimes in different contexts in the future, and what critical factors will determine their performance.

Salinity changes in the North West Pacific Ocean during the late Pliocene/early Quaternary from 2.73 Ma to 2.52 Ma

Recent research has increasingly advocated a role for the North Pacific Ocean in modulating global climatic changes over both the last glacial cycle and further back into the geological record. Here a diatom δ 18O record is presented from Ocean Drilling Program Site 882 over the Pliocene/Quaternary boundary from 2.73 Ma to 2.52 Ma (MIS G6–MIS 99). Large changes in δ 18O diatom of c. 4‰ from 2.73 Ma onwards are documented to occur on a timeframe broadly coinciding with glacial–interglacial cycles. These changes are primarily attributed to large scale inputs of meltwater from glacials surrounding the North Pacific Basin and the Bering Sea. Despite these inputs and associated change in surface water salinity, on the basis of existing opal and U k 37 temperature data and new modelled water column densities, no evidence exists to suggests a removal of the halocline stratification or a resumption of the high productivity system similar to that which prevailed prior to 2.73 Ma. The permanence of the halocline suggests that the region played a key role in driving global climatic changes over the early glacial–interglacial cycles that followed the onset of major Northern Hemisphere Glaciation by inhibiting deep water upwelling and ventilation of CO 2 to the atmosphere.

Timing of crust formation and recycling in accretionary orogens: Insights learned from the western margin of South America

Abstract Accretionary orogens are considered major sites of formation of juvenile continental crust. In the central and southern Andes this is contradicted by two observations: siliciclastic fills of Paleozoic basins in the central Andean segment of the accretionary Terra Australis Orogen consist almost exclusively of shales and mature sandstones; and magmatic rocks connected to the Famatinian (Ordovician) and Late Paleozoic magmatic arcs are predominantly felsic and characterized by significant crustal contamination and strongly unradiogenic Nd isotope compositions. Evidence of juvenile crustal additions is scarce. We present laser ablation (LA)-ICPMS U–Pb ages and LA-MC-ICPMS Hf isotope data of detrital zircons from seven Devonian to Permian turbidite sandstones incorporated into a Late Paleozoic accretionary wedge at the western margin of Gondwana in northern Chile. The combination with Nd whole-rock isotope data permits us to trace the evolution of the South American continental crust through several Proterozoic and Paleozoic orogenic cycles. The analyzed detrital zircon spectra reflect all Proterozoic orogenic cycles representing the step-wise evolution of the accretionary SW Amazonia Orogenic System between 2.0 and 0.9 Ga, followed by the Terra Australis Orogen between 0.9 and 0.25 Ga. The zircon populations are characterized by two prominent maxima reflecting input from Sunsas (Grenville) age magmatic rocks (1.2–0.9 Ga) and from the Ordovician to Silurian Famatinian magmatic arc (0.52–0.42 Ga). Grains of Devonian age are scarce or absent from the analyzed zircon populations. The Hf isotopic compositions of selected dated zircons at the time of their crystallization (eHf(T); T = 3.3–0.25 Ga) vary between − 18 and + 11. All sandstones have a significant juvenile component; between 20 and 50% of the zircons from each sedimentary rock have positive eHf(T) and can be considered juvenile. The majority of the juvenile grains have Hf-depleted mantle model ages (Hf TDM) between 1.55 and 0.8 Ga, the time of the Rondonia–San Ignacio and Sunsas orogenic events on the Amazonia craton. The corresponding whole-rock eNd(T) values fot these same rocks are between − 8 and − 3 indicating a mixture of older evolved and juvenile sources. Nd-depleted mantle model ages (Nd TDM⁎) are between 1.5 and 1.2 Ga and coincide broadly with the zircon Hf model ages. Our data indicate that the Paleo- and Mesoproterozoic SW Amazonia Orogenic System, and the subsequent Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic Terra Australis Orogen in the region of the central and southern Andes, developed following two markedly different patterns of accretionary orogenic crustal evolution. The SW Amazonia Orogenic System developed by southwestward growth over approximately 1.1 Ga through a combination of accretion of juvenile material and crustal recycling typical of the extensional or retreating mode of accretionary orogens. In contrast, the central Andean segment of the Terra Australis Orogen evolved from 0.9 to 0.25 Ga in the compressional or advancing mode in a relatively fixed position without the accretion of oceanic crustal units or large scale input of juvenile material to the orogenic crust. Here, recycling mainly of Mesoproterozoic continental crust has been the dominant process of crustal evolution.

PLecDom: a program for identification and analysis of plant lectin domains

PLecDom is a program for detection of Plant Lectin Domains in a polypeptide or EST sequence, followed by a classification of the identified domains into known families. The web server is a collection of plant lectin domain families represented by alignments and profile Hidden Markov Models. PLecDom was developed after a rigorous analysis of evolutionary relationships between available sequences of lectin domains with known specificities. Users can test their sequences for potential lectin domains, catalog the identified domains into broad substrate classes, estimate the extent of divergence of new domains with existing homologs, extract domain boundaries and examine flanking sequences for further analysis. The high prediction accuracy of PLecDom combined with the ease with which it handles large scale input, enabled us to apply the program to protein and EST data from 48 plant genome-sequencing projects in various stages of completion. Our results represent a significant enrichment of the currently annotated plant lectins, and highlight potential targets for biochemical characterization. The search algorithm requires input in fasta format and is designed to process simultaneous connection requests from multiple users, such that huge sets of input sequences can be scanned in a matter of seconds. PLecDom is available at http://www.nipgr.res.in/plecdom.html.

Virtual Retina: A biological retina model and simulator, with contrast gain control

We propose a new retina simulation software, called Virtual Retina, which transforms a video into spike trains. Our goal is twofold: Allow large scale simulations (up to 100,000 neurons) in reasonable processing times and keep a strong biological plausibility, taking into account implementation constraints. The underlying model includes a linear model of filtering in the Outer Plexiform Layer, a shunting feedback at the level of bipolar cells accounting for rapid contrast gain control, and a spike generation process modeling ganglion cells. We prove the pertinence of our software by reproducing several experimental measurements from single ganglion cells such as cat X and Y cells. This software will be an evolutionary tool for neuroscientists that need realistic large-scale input spike trains in subsequent treatments, and for educational purposes.

Practical Algorithms and Lower Bounds for Similarity Search in Massive Graphs

To exploit the similarity information hidden in the hyperlink structure of the Web, this paper introduces algorithms scalable to graphs with billions of vertices on a distributed architecture. The similarity of multistep neighborhoods of vertices are numerically evaluated by similarity functions including SimRank, a recursive refinement of cocitation, and PSimRank, a novel variant with better theoretical characteristics. Our methods are presented in a general framework of Monte Carlo similarity search algorithms that precompute an index database of random fingerprints, and at query time, similarities are estimated from the fingerprints. We justify our approximation method by asymptotic worst-case lower bounds: we show that there is a significant gap between exact and approximate approaches, and suggest that the exact computation, in general, is infeasible for large-scale inputs. We were the first to evaluate SimRank on real Web data. On the Stanford WebBase graph of 80M pages the quality of the methods increased significantly in each refinement step until step four

A mechanism for transforming buoyant North Chinese cratonic lithosphere to a denser equivalent for delamination

Abstract Two models have been proposed to explain lithospheric thinning of North Chinese cratonic lithosphere: (1) thermal erosion or/and chemical metasomatism, causing the lower part of the lithospheric mantle to be transformed into asthenosphere, a mechanism that implies thinning of relatively buoyant lithosphere; (2) the delamination of lithospheric mantle, in whole or part, along with the lowermost crust, as an effect of their increased densities relative to the underlying asthenosphere. This paper explores possible mechanisms whereby buoyant cratonic lithosphere might be transformed into a denser equivalent susceptible to delamination by the convecting asthenosphere. The Yanshan mobile belt in Eastern China developed in response to a combination of subduction and collision. Its apparent ‘counterclockwise’ P – T – t metamorphic evolution suggests that underplated basaltic magma may have heated and, in turn, weakened the cool, rigid crust, allowing for compressional deformation and crustal thickening. Based on three independent lines of evidence (compressional deformation, the record of igneous activity, and lower crustal xenoliths) the thickness of continental crust is estimated to be about 50–65 km. Along with petrological and geochemical studies, thermal modelling shows that large-scale input of asthenospheric basaltic magma leads to granitoid partial melts in the lower crust, and the dominance of high-pressure eclogitic products following orogenic thickening may be necessary for eventual delamination to occur.

Axial current reversal promotes synchronous correlation between dendritic membrane potentials during large-scale synaptic input

Axial current reversal promotes synchronous correlation between dendritic membrane potentials during large-scale synaptic input

A role for fast rhythmic bursting neurons in cortical gamma oscillations in vitro.

Basic cellular and network mechanisms underlying gamma frequency oscillations (30-80 Hz) have been well characterized in the hippocampus and associated structures. In these regions, gamma rhythms are seen as an emergent property of networks of principal cells and fast-spiking interneurons. In contrast, in the neocortex a number of elegant studies have shown that specific types of principal neuron exist that are capable of generating powerful gamma frequency outputs on the basis of their intrinsic conductances alone. These fast rhythmic bursting (FRB) neurons (sometimes referred to as "chattering" cells) are activated by sensory stimuli and generate multiple action potentials per gamma period. Here, we demonstrate that FRB neurons may function by providing a large-scale input to an axon plexus consisting of gap-junctionally connected axons from both FRB neurons and their anatomically similar counterparts regular spiking neurons. The resulting network gamma oscillation shares all of the properties of gamma oscillations generated in the hippocampus but with the additional critical dependence on multiple spiking in FRB cells.

Provenance derived from the geochemistry of late Paleozoic–early Mesozoic mudrocks of the Pyeongan Supergroup, Korea

Late Carboniferous–Early Triassic Pyeongan Supergroup, Korea, was deposited in paralic to nonmarine environments developed disconformably on a lower Paleozoic platformal sequence. Pyeongan Supergroup mudrocks show progressive upsection changes in major, trace, and rare earth element compositions. Mudrocks in the lower and middle parts of the Pyeongan Supergroup are strongly depleted in CaO and Na2O, while those in the upper part are enriched in these elements. In parallel with CaO and Na2O, the ratio of K2O/Al2O3 in the lower and middle sections is less than 0.3, while uppermost strata are enriched in K2O having K2O/Al2O3 ratios greater than 0.3. The index of compositional variability, a measure of compositional maturity, is less than 0.6 in the lower to middle section, whereas in the uppermost strata it is greater than 0.7. Similar trends are reflected in A–CN–K space. Compared to PAAS mudrocks of the Pyeongan Supergroup (except for those in uppermost units), they are depleted in Mn, Ca, and Na and are slightly depleted in Mg and P. Contrasting major oxide trends between the lower and middle parts of the Pyeongan and the uppermost units are due to decreasing proportions of clay minerals and a concomitant increase in the proportion of nonclay silicate minerals due to increasing input of first-cycle detritus. Excursions marked by increases in MgO, Na2O, and CaO reflect large-scale input of nonclay first-cycle minerals from crystalline source rocks due to large-scale basement uplift. Incompatible elements are generally enriched in mudrocks of the Pyeongan Supergroup relative to PAAS, while transition metals (Co, Ni, Cr, and V) are progressively depleted in younger parts of the section. Total rare earth element concentrations are higher than PAAS, but chondrite-normalized patterns display the typical LREE-enriched pattern of PAAS. Eu anomalies for most mudrocks are close to that of PAAS. The youngest mudrocks in the Pyeongan Supergroup have the most negative values. These trends can be explained by a sedimentary system dominated by detritus derived from recycled highly weathered granitic materials in the lower to middle Pyeongan section, with an increased proportion of less weathered detritus derived from fractionated granitic materials in uppermost strata. Such an interpretation is consistent with the results of studies on coarse-grained sediments of the Pyeongan Supergroup.

Environmental challenges associated with needed increases in global nitrogen fixation

Human-induced input of fixed nitrogen (N) into the earth biosphere, primarily through combustion of fossil fuels, crop biological N-fixation and N-fertilizer use, has provided many human benefits. These benefits have not come, however, without significant cost. According to data compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, synthetic N fertilizer input into global agricultural systems increased from by approximately 430% (∼19 to ∼82 Tg N) from 1965 to 1998. During this period, global grain production, human population and global fossil fuel consumption increased about 250%, 190% and 240%, respectively. Although fuel consumption increased faster than population growth globally, land used to produce grain decreased from 0.2 to 0.12 ha/person over this 30-yr period. Grain production, however, increased 16%/person. Agricultural production increase has come through the use of new crop varieties which respond to increased N-fertilization, pesticide use, irrigation and mechanization. Even though agricultural production has increased dramatically, fertilizer N use efficiency remains relatively low. Globally fertilizer N use efficiency was approximately 50% in 1996. Since fertilizer N is not used efficiently in most parts of the world, N use in excess of crop potential utilization leads to losses to the environment through volatilization and leaching. These N losses result in N fertilization of pristine terrestrial and aquatic systems through NHx and NOydeposition and contribute to global greenhouse gases through N2O production and local elevated ozone concentrations due to NOx emission. Inefficient use of N and energy is exacerbated by the global inequity of use distribution. Some areas don't have enough while others use too much. Additionally, dietary patterns of food consumption which tend to be more inefficient, i.e. cereal-based diets compared to animal-based diets, are changing in global terms. The resulting increasing inefficiencies in N utilization in food production and in energy use lead to large-scale input of N into down wind and down stream terrestrial and aquatic systems. Increasing N-use-efficiency remains a clear goal by which to maintain food production while decreasing excessive N use and unwanted distribution in the environment.

Numerical Simulation of Wind Farm Influence on Wind Flow

A boundary-layer meso-γ-model was used for calculation of wind and turbulence characteristics inside a wind farm. The study demonstrates the ability of the model to describe wind and turbulence fields in more detail than climatological analysis only. Velocity deficit at the hub height of the wind turbine and standard deviation components inside the wind farm were calculated for various environmental situations which are constructed as combinations of the large scale input parameters of the model with surface and landscape characteristics. The load effects on the wind turbine were parameterised, and the calculated wind profiles inside the wind farm were compared with measurements. The results of 3-dimensional and 2-dimensional versions of the model were compared.

Wind flow deformation inside the wind farm

Abstract The boundary-layer meso-γ-model was used for calculating of wind and turbulence characteristics inside the wind farm. The study demonstrates the ability of the model to describe wind and turbulence fields in more detail than climatological analysis only. Velocity deficit at the hubheight of the wind turbine and standard deviation components inside the wind farm were calculated for various environmental situations which are constructed as combinations of the large scale input parameters of the model with surface and landscape characteristics. The load effects on the wind turbine were parameterized, and the calculated wind profiles inside the wind farm were compared with measurements.

The influence of sediment recycling and basement composition on evolution of mudrock chemistry in the southwestern United States

This paper reports systematic changes in mudrock composition through time on a single continental crustal block. The changes reflect both sediment recycling processes and changes through time in the composition of crystalline material being added to the sedimentary system and are related to tectonic evolution as the block matures from a series of accreted arc terranes to a stable craton.The major and trace element distributions reflect different aspects of the provenance of the mudrocks in this study. Major elements record sediment recycling processes as well as changing proportions of sedimentary and first-cycle source rocks. With the exceptions of K2O (which tends to increase), and SiO2 and Al2O3 (which show no trend), most major oxides tend to decline in relative abundance in younger mudrocks. Patterns shown by the Index of Compositional Variability ([Fe2O3 + K2O + Na2O + CaO + MgO + MnO + TiO2]/Al2O3) and by K2O/Al2O3 indicate that the major oxide trends are due to decreasing proportions of nonclay silicate minerals and a concomitant increase in the proportion of clay minerals, probably due to decreasing input of first cycle detritus coupled with recycling of sedimentary material. Excursions from progressive trends, marked by increases in MgO, K2O, and CaO, reflect episodes of large-scale input of nonclay first-cycle minerals from crystalline source rocks due to large-scale basement uplift.The chemistry of low-solubility trace elements, in contrast, is not sensitive to recycling effects and reflects the composition of first-cycle input. Incompatible elements are progressively enriched relative to compatible elements in younger mudrocks, and values for chondrite normalised rare earths elements also increase. In addition, the Eu anomaly becomes systematically more negative in younger samples. These trends cannot be explained by diagenetic or weathering processes, and, therefore, indicate that the proportion of fractionated granitic first-cycle detritus being added to the sedimentary system becomes greater with time.These results confirm the importance of tectonic setting in controlling mudrock chemistry, and also demonstrate that there is a dynamic relationship between the tectonic evolution of a continental block and the composition of its sedimentary mantle.

Robot Manipulator Control Using Fuzzy Gaussian Potential Neural Networks

This paper describes the complete flexible design of a fuzzy gaussian potential neural network (FGPNN) having the ability to learn expert control rules of fuzzy controller. The proposed structure consists of gaussian potential function (GPF) which is utilized in the antecedent as the membership function, and the flexible bipolar sigmoid function (FBSF) is utilized in the conclusion part. The GPF enables a reduction in the number of labelings in the antecedent, and the FBSF leads to a reduction in the learning load in the conclusion and captures the linearity and/or nonlinearity of the system in the conclusion. The proposed construction reduces the complexity to a simple design in the antecedent, especially for large-scale inputs, thus shortening the time for learning with learning sigmoid function parameters (SFPs) in the conclusion part only. Finally, the simulations of two-link manipulator will be provided for both the conventional and proposed FGPNN controller in order to evaluate the newly designed controller.

Atmospheric Input of Inorganic Nitrogen to Delaware Bay

The coastal waters of the mid-Atlantic region of the United States receive inputs of atmospheric pollutants as a consequence of being located downwind from major industrial and urban emissions. These inputs are potentially the largest received by any marine area of the country. Of current interest is the atmospheric input of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN = NO3−+NH4+). We have conducted a first-order examination of the magnitude of atmospheric DIN deposition relative to other large-scale inputs for Delaware Bay, a partially urbanized mid-Atlantic coastal plain estuary. The following loading terms: direct atmospheric deposition, indirect atmospheric loading, urban point discharges, fluvial input, benthic flux, and salt marsh export were evaluated. On an annual basis, municipal-industrial effluents provide a dominant source (ca. 40%) of the DIN inputs to the estuary. Total (wet plus dry) atmospheric deposition accounts for about 15% of the total annual DIN inputs. However, during summer, which is characterized by low river-flow and seasonally maximum atmospheric loading, this figure increases to around 25%. Although atmospheric input can satisfy only a fraction of the primary production demands, this summer flux may represent an ecologically important source of external DIN, half of which is directly deposited to surface photic zones where it is readily available for biological uptake.

A quality of care evaluation measure for emergency medical service systems

This paper presents the development and validation of an emergency medical service (EMS) systems quality of care evaluation measure. The System Input Severity Measure consists of a set of single and multiple injury survival rates that would be expected to occur in an EMS system classified as providing "baseline" advanced life support services. These expected survival rates were developed by a nationwide panel of emergency medicine experts through the use of the Delphi group opinion surveying technique. Validation of the System Input Severity Measure was a twofold process. First, reliability of the results of the Delphi surveying process was validated by comparing the resultant expected survival rates with Illinois Trauma Registry data. Second, the applicability of the measure was validated using data collected in EMS systems generally recognized to be providing exceptional (either superior or inferior) emergency patient care. It was recognized that the development of a comprehensive, large-scale System Input Severity Measure through the use of the Delphi technique alone is impractical. Consequently, a functional relationship between single and multiple injury survival rates was also developed. It appeared that when employed in conjunction with data developed from the Delphi technique, such an approach would make practicable the development of a comprehensive System Input Severity Measure.