Search

Network-on-Chip (NoC) has been unfolded as a superior alternative for integrating a considerably greater extent of cores on a single chip. Recently, multi-core systems have become prevalent because of the increased processing demands for high-performance embedded applications. Application mapping techniques play a significant role in enhancing the extensive performance of such complex multi-core platforms. Developing and implementing efficient application mapping techniques are required for system design to meet the demand of such complicated multi-core systems. The paper primarily focuses on dynamic application mapping techniques, classifying them into a number of subcategories. It highlights such approaches and techniques that aim to enhance the performance of the NoC-based systems by optimizing them in terms of communication cost, latency, energy consumption, power, execution, and computational time. Future challenges, trends, and simulation tools have also been spotlighted.

Multiprocessor System-On-Chip (MPSoCs) with Networks-on-Chip (NoCs) has been proposed to address the communication challenges in modern dynamic applications. One of the key aspects of design exploration in NoC-based MPSoC is application mapping, which is critical for the parallel execution of multiple applications. However, mapping for dynamic workloads becomes challenging due to the unpredictable arrival times of applications and the availability of resources. In this work, we propose a hybrid task mapping approach, HyDra, that combines design-time mapping and efficient runtime remapping to reduce communication and energy costs. The proposed approach generates multiple application mappings during the design phase by minimizing latency, energy, and communication costs. The diverse mapping possibilities produced at design time consider multiple performance metrics. However, we cannot predict the arrival time of applications and the availability of resources at design time. To further optimize the MPSoC performance, our dynamic mapping phase re-configures the design time mappings based on the runtime availability of resources and applications. The simulation results show that HyDra reduces communication costs by 14% while using 15% less energy for small and large NoCs compared to state-of-the-art task mapping techniques. Furthermore, our approach provides an average of 19% reduction in end-to-end latency for applications. Our hybrid task allocation and scheduling approach effectively addresses communication issues in NoC-based MPSoCs for dynamic workloads. HyDra achieves improved performance by combining design-time and runtime mapping, providing a promising solution for future MPSoC design.

Network-on-chip (NoC) is evolving as a better substitute for incorporating a large number of cores on a single system-on-chip (SoC). The dependency on multi-core systems to accomplish the high-performance constraints of composite embedded applications is on the rise. This leads to the realization of efficient mapping approaches for such complex applications. The significance of efficient application mapping approaches has increased ever since the embedded applications have become more complex and performance-oriented. This paper presents the detailed comparative analysis and categorization of application mapping approaches with current trends in NoC design implementation. These approaches target to improve the performance of the whole system by optimizing communication cost, energy, power consumption, and latency. Apart from the categorization of the discussed approaches, comparison of communication cost, power, energy, and latency of the NoC system carried out on real applications like VOPD and MPEG4. Moreover, the best technique identified in each category based on the evaluation of performance results.

Mapping application task graphs on intellectual property (IP) cores into network-on-chip (NoC) is a non-deterministic polynomial-time hard problem. The evolution of network performance mainly depends on an effective and efficient mapping technique and the optimization of performance and cost metrics. These metrics mainly include power, reliability, area, thermal distribution and delay. A state-of-the-art mapping technique for NoC is introduced with the name of sailfish optimization algorithm (SFOA). The proposed algorithm minimizes the power dissipation of NoC via an empirical base applying a shared k-nearest neighbor clustering approach, and it gives quicker mapping over six considered standard benchmarks. The experimental results indicate that the proposed techniques outperform other existing nature-inspired metaheuristic approaches, especially in large application task graphs.

The current study aims to establish that emojis are graphic equivalents for prosodic features in natural speech. The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of communication urged to investigate emojis, used as a strategy to achieve visual prosody in computer-mediated communication (CMC). The study adopts mixed- methodology and computer-mediated-discourse analysis (CMDA) that focuses on manipulation of grammatical rules to create typographic impression to achieve prosody. Data is collected from 300 WhatsApp and Facebook users using an instrument—questionnaire. Data has been analyzed in two ways: descriptive analysis of chats and quantitative analysis getting frequencies of the emojis. The study arguably provides: (i) syntactic variants of the use of emojis: emoji aspect, ellipsis, embedding, embedded, bare, partial bare, beside words, repetition of emoji and repetition of emoji encoded utterance, (ii) variant manifestations of emojis displaying emotions at scalar level, and (iii) basic emotions: anger, joy, sarcasm, fear and neutral displayed via emojis’ varying manifestations; laughter, pouting face, non-emotion emojis representing objects and human faces. The overall findings predict that the observed construction is encoded with different placements of emojis and emojis are displaying diverse manifestations to exhibit prosodic features in CMC such as intonation, rhythm, duration, pause and stress. These prosodic features of emojis manifest aggression, love, hate, sadness and joy. The study hopes to augment the knowledge in the field of CMC and motivates the future researchers to conduct further studies in graphic switching and social implementation of CMC.

Objective To assess the regional cerebral perfusion changes in patients with major depressive illness, with or without suicidal behavior by 99mTc-HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT. Methods 99mTc HMPAO brain SPECT was performed in 40 subjects including 10 controls in Group A. There were 30 patients with major depression meeting the DSMIV criteria scoring >17 on the Hamilton Rating Scale. The patients were subclassified into groups B and C. Group B included 16 patients suffering from major depression. Group C included 14 patients with major depression and attempted suicide or who had moderate to severe suicidal risk as assessed by Intent Score Scale. Semiquantitative assessment of cerebral perfusion was perfromed through a brain quantification software program. The cortex-to-cerebellum ratios were calculated in 16 ROIs drawn on coronal section in all the patients. Results The scintigraphic evaluation of the cerebral perfusion in the Group B (nonsuicidal) showed significant hypoperfusion in the prefrontal (p<0.001), orbitofrontal (p<0.01), frontal motor (p<0.01) and the temporal lobes (p<0.01). In the Group C (suicidal), significant hypoperfusion was noticed in the prefrontal (p<0.001), orbitofrontal (p<0.01) and frontal motor areas (p<0.001). The temporal lobe showed hyperperfusion (p< 0.001). Conclusion In major depressive illness, the prefrontal, the orbitofrontal and the frontal motor areas, are markedly hypoperfused. In severe depression not associated with any suicidal behavior, there is hypoperfusion in the temporal lobes, whereas the temporal lobes are hyperperfused in suicidal behavior, with the degree of hyperperfusion related to the severity of the suicidal behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To assess the regional cerebral perfusion changes in patients with major depressive illness, with or without suicidal behavior by 99mTc-HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT. Methods 99mTc-HMPAO brain SPECT was performed in 40 subjects including 10 controls in Group A. There were 30 patients with major depression meeting the DSM-IV criteria scoring >17 on the Hamilton Rating Scale. The patients were subclassified into groups B and C. Group B included 16 patients suffering from major depression. Group C included 14 patients with major depression and attempted suicide or who had moderate to severe suicidal risk as assessed by Intent Score Scale. Semiquantitative assessment of cerebral perfusion was perfromed through a brain quantification software program. The cortextocerebellum ratios were calculated in 16 ROIs drawn on coronal section in all the patients. Results The scintigraphic evaluation of the cerebral perfusion in the Group B (nonsuicidal) showed significant hypoperfusion in the prefrontal (p<0.001), orbitofrontal (p<0.01), frontal motor (p<0.01) and the temporal lobes (p<0.01). In the Group C (suicidal), significant hypoperfusion was noticed in the prefrontal (p<0.001), orbitofrontal (p<0.01) and frontal motor areas (p<0.001). The temporal lobe showed hyperperfusion (p< 0.001). Conclusion In major depressive illness, the prefrontal, the orbitofrontal and the frontal motor areas, are markedly hypoperfused. In severe depression not associated with any suicidal behavior, there is hypoperfusion in the temporal lobes, whereas the temporal lobes are hyperperfused in suicidal behavior, with the degree of hyperperfusion related to the severity of the suicidal behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the spectrum of malignant lymphomas in our set up, according to the WHO classification., Methods: All the cases diagnosed as malignant lymphoma, during the year 2005, were retrieved from the institution based tumour registry record and classified according to WHO criteria depending on the immunohistochemical results of a panel of lymphoma markers., Results: The male to female ratio was 2.5:1 for almost all types of malignant lymphomas. The age range was 3 to 80 years. The frequency of Hodgkin's lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma and lymphoblastic lymphoma were higher amongst the children, whereas follicular lymphomas, mantle cell lymphoma and CLL/SLL were more frequently reported in 5th, 6th and 7th decades. Of the total cases 62% were nodal and 38% extranodal (majority in the GI tract). Non Hodgkin's lymphoma was more (73%) frequent than Hodgkin's disease. Mixed cellularity and nodular sclerosis were the main histological variants of Hodgkin's disease., Conclusions: Immunohistochemistry is not very frequently used in our set up and also at very few other centres. Therefore, its application should be encouraged to raise the quality of data on lymphoid neoplasms and contribute to their control.

A LeVeen peritoneo-venous shunt is placed for intractable ascites. Determination of obstruction site in the shunt tube is a difficult problem. We describe a simple nuclear medicine method using 111MBq (3mCi) of Technetium-99m labeled macro-aggregated albumin injected intraperitoneally.

Background: The lupus anticoagulant (LA) belongs to family of immunoglobulins, most commonly an IgG isotype. These antibodies have been identified most frequently in association with thromboembolic events, recurrent fetal loss and thrombocytopenia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presenting clinical and pathological features in patients LA positive presenting at AFIP Rawalpindi over the period of Jan 1993 to Nov 2000., Material/methods: Retrospective analysis of patients presenting with positive LA was carried out., Results: 1583 suspected cases were screened for LA including 1370 females and 213 males. 1024 cases presented with history of recurrent abortions, 292 with thrombosis, 152 with thrombotic strokes before the age of 45 years, 52 with thrombocytopenia and 63 with miscellaneous disorders. Out of 1024 patients tested for recurrent abortions, 130 (13%) females were positive for lupus anticoagulant. Ten (6.5%) of 152 patients presenting with strokes were found positive. Out of 292 cases presenting with thrombosis 17 (5.9%) were found positive., Conclusions: The lupus anticoagulant prevalence in Pakistani patients with recurrent fetal loss, stroke and thrombosis is statistically significant. Clinicians should be made aware of association of LA with various diseases. The successful management of these patients depends upon close liaison with obstetricians, physicians and haematologists.

Background: Deferiprone (DFP,L1) is a bidentate oral iron chelator which binds to iron in a 3:1 ratio. It has the potential advantage of reduced cost and increased compliance. We conducted a study in order to determine the efficacy and adverse effects of DFP in Pakistani thalassaemic patients., Methods: A group of 26 thalassaemic patients entered the study during the period Jan 1999 to Aug 2002. DFP supplied by Lipomed, Switzerland was given at a daily dose of 75 mg/kg/day (range 50-75 mg/kg/day). After giving informed written consent all the patients were subjected to clinical examination and investigations for monitoring the response. Blood complete picture, liver function tests, blood urea & creatinine, antinuclear factor antibodies (ANF) were tested in all cases before starting DFP treatment., Results: The patients ages ranged from 11 to 27 years, 16 were male and 10 were female. Initial serum ferritin level ranged from 3100-8800 microg/l, mean serum ferritin level was 7129 +/- 1467 microg/l (95% CI 6536 - 7721 microg/l). ECG and Echocardiography was performed in all cases and in 11 cases Cardiac Multigated acquisition (MUGA) Scan was also performed and six patients with impaired left ventricular function were identified. Four patients were lost to follow up and one patient died due to cardiomyopathy. Among the remaining 21 patients serum ferritin levels dropped to 1900 microg/l to 5600 microg/l with mean level of 4288 microg/l (95%CI 3874 - 4702 microg/l), SD 911 microg/l. Significance of difference was (p < 0.001) by Paired samples 't' test. Six patients had gastrointestinal symptoms along with two having arthropathy. ANF positivity was not detected in any patient while on DFP treatment. Similarly, agranulocytosis was not detected in any patient., Conclusion: Mean serum ferritin level estimated at the start of trial was 7129 microg/l. This shows that Pakistani thalassaemic patients are quite iron overloaded due to socioeconomic reasons that are peculiar to our setup. In this study DFP was well tolerated and caused fewer side effects. It had much better patient compliance and was effective in lowering serum ferritin level in previously most poorly chelated patients.

Objective: To note the frequency of anti thyroglobulin autoantibodies (ATG) and its clinical importance in 25 follow-up cases of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC)., Design: A case control study., Place and Duration of Study: The total duration of study was one year (September 2000 to August 2001). Majority of the patients included were the routine follow-up cases at IRNUM, Peshawar. However, few of the cases were also included from NORI, Islamabad and AFIP, Rawalpindi., Subjects and Methods: All the patients who had undergone sub-total or total thyroidectomy followed by I-131 ablation therapy were selected for this study. Thyroglobulin (Tg) and ATG were measured using immunometric assay technique with reference range of non-detectable to 40 IU/L. Patients with serum Tg level 10 ng/mL were included in group-1 (n=15) and all the remaining (n=10) in group-2., Results: Overall, 11 patients showed ATG titer above the pre-defined threshold level. In group-1 patients, 8 had positive anti-Tg antibodies in their sera while in group-2, it was positive in only 3 cases. Risk of relapsing metastatic/recurrent disease in association with ATG was calculated which showed that patients with positive ATG have almost seven-fold increased risk of having recurrent/metastatic disease than those who do not., Conclusion: Samples for s-Tg measurements must also be evaluated for ATG status because more than one-third of these patients have positive ATG titer in their sera. Although in the presence of positive ATG, the risk of concurrent metastatic/recurrent thyroid disease is increased but still more studies are required to support its significance.