CUDA-for-clusters: a system for efficient execution of CUDA kernels on multi-core clusters

Rapid advancements in multi-core processor architectures coupled with low-cost, low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnects have made clusters of multi-core machines a common computing resource. Unfortunately, writing good parallel programs that efficiently utilize all the resources in such a cluster is still a major challenge. Various programming languages have been proposed as a solution to this problem, but are yet to be adopted widely to run performance-critical code mainly due to the relatively immature software framework and the effort involved in re-writing existing code in the new language. In this paper, we motivate and describe our initial study in exploring CUDA as a programming language for a cluster of multi-cores. We develop CUDA-For-Clusters (CFC), a framework that transparently orchestrates execution of CUDA kernels on a cluster of multi-core machines. The well-structured nature of a CUDA kernel, the growing popularity, support and stability of the CUDA software stack collectively make CUDA a good candidate to be considered as a programming language for a cluster. CFC uses a mixture of source-to-source compiler transformations, a work distribution runtime and a light-weight software distributed shared memory to manage parallel executions. Initial results on running several standard CUDA benchmark programs achieve impressive speedups of up to 7.5X on a cluster with 8 nodes, thereby opening up an interesting direction of research for further investigation.

Engineered spin-valve type magnetoresistance in Fe3O4-CoFe2O4 core-shell nanoparticles

Naturally occurring spin-valve-type magnetoresistance (SVMR), recently observed in Sr2FeMoO6 samples, suggests the possibility of decoupling the maximal resistance from the coercivity of the sample. Here we present the evidence that SVMR can be engineered in specifically designed and fabricated core-shell nanoparticle systems, realized here in terms of soft magnetic Fe3O4 as the core and hard magnetic insulator CoFe2O4 as the shell materials. We show that this provides a magnetically switchable tunnel barrier that controls the magnetoresistance of the system, instead of the magnetic properties of the magnetic grain material, Fe3O4, and thus establishing the feasibility of engineered SVMR structures. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

Multi-port network modeling of stub loaded Microstrip ring antenna for dual-band operations

A square ring microstrip antenna can be modified for dual-band operations by appropriately attaching an open ended stub. The input impedance of this antenna is analyzed here using multi-port network modeling (MNM) approach. The coupled feed is included by defining additional terms in the model. A prototype antenna is fabricated and tested to validate these computations.

Hard-core bosons in a zig-zag optical superlattice

We study a system of hard-core bosons at half-filling in a one-dimensional optical superlattice. The bosons are allowed to hop to nearest-and next-nearest-neighbor sites. We obtain the ground-state phase diagram as a function of microscopic parameters using the finite-size density-matrix renormalization-group method. Depending on the sign of the next-nearest-neighbor hopping and the strength of the superlattice potential the system exhibits three different phases, namely the bond-order (BO) solid, the superlattice induced Mott insulator (SLMI), and the superfluid (SF) phase. When the signs of both hopping amplitudes are the same (the unfrustratedase), the system undergoes a transition from the SF to the SLMI at a nonzero value of the superlattice potential. On the other hand, when the two amplitudes differ in sign (the frustrated case), the SF is unstable to switching on a superlattice potential and also exists only up to a finite value of the next-nearest-neighbor hopping. This part of the phase diagram is dominated by the BO phase which breaks translation symmetry spontaneously even in the absence of the superlattice potential and can thus be characterized by a bond-order parameter. The transition from BO to SLMI appears to be first order.

Controlling Light Absorption in Charge-Separating Core/Shell Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Semiconductor nanocrystals of different formulations have been extensively studied for use in thin-film photovoltaics. Materials used in such devices need to satisfy the stringent requirement of having large absorption cross sections. Hence, type-II semiconductor nanocrystals that are generally considered to be poor light absorbers have largely been ignored. In this article, we show that type-II semiconductor nanocrystals can be tailored to match the light-absorption abilities of other types of nanostructures as well as bulk semiconductors. We synthesize type-II ZnTe/CdS core/shell nanocrystals. This material is found to exhibit a tunable band gap as well as absorption cross sections that are comparable to (die. This result has significant implications for thin-film photovoltaics, where the use of type-II nanocrystals instead of pure semiconductors can improve charge separation while also providing a much needed handle to regulate device composition.

The exploration of Kemp's triacid (KTA) as the core for the synthesis of 3-fold symmetric 2(3)-cyclophane, 2(2)-cyclophane and novel linker directed designs

For the first time, two units of KTA have been linked to three units of cyst-di-OMe. The reaction is noteworthy since it involves the formation of six amide bonds leading to a three-fold symmetric 23-cyclophane (3) harboring a cluster of three S-S bridges. The major product is a di-imide (4), arising from the interaction of a cystine NH with a neighbouring activated ester. A third reaction of tethering KTA with a single cyst-di-OMe unit afforded the flexible compound 6 and, with benzidine, the novel linker directed 7 with orthogonally disposed anchor modules.

Efficient Dendrimer-DNA Complexation and Gene Delivery Vector Properties of Nitrogen-Core Poly(propyl ether imine) Dendrimer in Mammalian Cells

Dendrimers as vectors for gene delivery were established, primarily by utilizing few prominent dendrimer types so far. We report herein studies of DNA complexation efficacies and gene delivery vector properties of a nitrogen-core poly(propyl ether imine) (PETIM) dendrimer, constituted with 22 tertiary amine internal branches and 24 primary amines at the periphery. The interaction of the dendrimer with pEGFPDNA was evaluated through UV-vis, circular dichroism (CD) spectral studies, ethidium bromide fluorescence emission quenching, thermal melting, and gel retardation assays, from which most changes to DNA structure during complexation was found to occur at a weight ratio of dendrimer:DNA similar to 2:1. The zeta potential measurements further confirmed this stoichiometry at electroneutrality. The structure of a DNA oligomer upon dendrimer complexation was simulated through molecular modeling and the simulation showed that the dendrimer enfolded DNA oligomer along both major and minor grooves, without causing DNA deformation, in 1:1 and 2:1 dendrimer-to-DNA complexes. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies on dendrimer-pEGFP DNA complex showed an increase in the average z-height as a result of dendrimers decorating the DNA, without causing a distortion of the DNA structure. Cytotoxicity studies involving five different mammalian cell lines, using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide] (MTT) assay, reveal the dendrimer toxicity profile (IC50) values of similar to 400-1000 mu g mL(-1), depending on the cell line tested. Quantitative estimation, using luciferase assay, showed that the gene transfection was at least 100 times higher when compared to poly(ethylene imine) branched polymer, having similar number of cationic sites as the dendrimer. The present study establishes the physicochemical behavior of new nitrogen-core PETIM dendrimer-DNA complexes, their lower toxicities, and efficient gene delivery vector properties.

Sliding mode control based terminal impact angle constrained guidance laws using dual sliding surfaces

In this paper, sliding mode control theory based guidance laws to intercept non-maneuvering targets at a desired impact angle are presented. The desired impact angle, defined in terms of a desired line-of-sight (LOS) angle, is achieved by selecting the missile's lateral acceleration (latax) to enforce sliding mode on a sliding surface based on this LOS angle. As will be shown, this guidance law does not ensure interception for all states of the missile and the target during the engagement. Hence, to satisfy the requirement of interception at the desired impact angle, a second sliding surface is designed and a switching logic, based on the conditions necessary for interception, is presented that allows the latax to switch between enforcing sliding mode on one of these surfaces so that the target can be intercepted at the desired impact angle. The guidance laws are designed using non-linear engagement dynamics.

Compact in-plane dual-axis spring-steel accelerometer

Presented in this paper is an improvement over a spring-steel dual-axis accelerometer that we had reported earlier.The fabrication process (which entails wire-cut electro discharge machining of easily accessible and inexpensive spring-steelfoil) and the sensing of the displacement (which is done using off-the-shelf Hall-effect sensors) remain the same. Theimprovements reported here are twofold: (i) the footprint of the packaged accelerometer is reduced from 80 mm square to 40mm square, and (ii) almost perfect de-coupling and symmetry are achieved between the two in-plane axes of the packageddevice as opposed to the previous embodiment where this was not the case. Good linearity with about 40 mV/g was measuredalong both the in-plane axes over a range of 0.1 to 1 g. The first two natural frequencies of the devices are at 30 Hz and 100Hz, respectively, as per the experiment. The highlights of this work are cost-effective processing, easy integration of the Hall-effect sensing capability on a customised printed circuit board, and inexpensive packaging without overly compromising eitherthe overall size or the sensitivity of the accelerometer. Through this work, we have reaffirmed the practicability of spring-steelaccelerometers towards the eventual goal of making it compete with micro machined silicon accelerometers in terms of sizeand performance. The cost is likely to be much lower for the spring-steel accelerometers than that of silicon accelerometers, especially when the volume of production is low and the sensor is to be used as a single packaged unit.

Triarylborane-dipyrromethane conjugates bearing dual receptor sites: the synthesis and evaluation of the anion binding site preference

The synthesis and optical properties of four new triarylborane-dipyrromethane (TAB-DPM) conjugates (3a-d) containing dual binding sites (hydrogen bond donor and Lewis acid) have been reported. The new compounds exhibit a selective fluorogenic response towards the F-ion. The NMR titrations show that the anions bind to the TAB-DPM conjugates via the Lewis acidic triarylborane centre in preference to the hydrogen bond donor (dipyrromethane) units.

Tripodal Bile Acid Architectures Based on a Triarylphosphine Oxide Core Obtained by Copper-Catalysed 1,3]-Dipolar Cycloaddition: Synthesis and Preliminary Aggregation Studies

We report the synthesis and aggregation behaviour of new water-soluble, bile acid derived tripodal architectures based on a core derived from triphenylphosphine oxide. We employed the well-established copper-catalysed 1,3]-dipolar cycloaddition (CuAAC) for the construction of these tripodal molecules. The aggregation behaviour of these molecules in aqueous media was studied by different analytical methods such as dye solubilisation, dynamic light scattering, NMR and AFM. These molecular architectures also offer an additional advantage in aiding understanding of the influence of the nature of the bile acid backbone and of the configuration at the steroid C-3 position in these architectures; to the best of our knowledge this has not been reported in the literature. The unique gelation properties of the -derivatives were explained through molecular modelling studies and the mechanical behaviour of these gels was studied by rheology experiments.

Enantioselective synthesis of macrolactone core of the natural product Sch725674

An enantioselective synthesis of the macrolactone core of natural product Sch725674 was accomplished from furfural. Key reactions in assembly of the macrolactone are the use of furan as a but-2-ene-dione equivalent and ring closing metathesis. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supersolid in a one-dimensional model of hard-core bosons

We study a system of hard-core boson on a one-dimensional lattice with frustrated next-nearest-neighbor hopping and nearest-neighbor interaction. At half filling, for equal magnitude of nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor hopping, the ground state of this system exhibits a first-order phase transition from a bond-ordered solid to a charge-density-wave solid as a function of the nearest- neighbor interaction. Moving away from half filling we investigate the system at incommensurate densities, where we find a supersolid phase which has concurrent off-diagonal long-range order and density-wave order which is unusual in a system of hard-core bosons in one dimension. Using the finite-size density-matrix renormalization group method, we obtain the complete phase diagram for this model.

Designing one dimensional Co-Ni/Co3O4-NiO core/shell nano-heterostructure electrodes for high-performance pseudocapacitor

A high-performance supercapacitor electrode based on unique 1D Co-Ni/Co3O4-NiO core/shell nano-heterostructures is designed and fabricated. The nano-heterostructures exhibit high specific capacitance (2013 F g(-1) at 2.5 A g(-1)), high energy and power density (23Wh kg(-1) and 5.5kW kg(-1), at the discharge current density of 20.8 A g(-1)), good capacitance retention and long cyclicality. The remarkable electrochemical property of the large surface area nano-heterostructures is demonstrated based on the effective nano-architectural design of the electrode with the coexistence of the two highly redox active materials at the surface supported by highly conducting metal alloy channel at the core for faster charge transport. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

Dynamical localization in a chain of hard core bosons under periodic driving

We study the dynamics of a one-dimensional lattice model of hard core bosons which is initially in a superfluid phase with a current being induced by applying a twist at the boundary. Subsequently, the twist is removed, and the system is subjected to periodic delta-function kicks in the staggered on-site potential. We present analytical expressions for the current and work done in the limit of an infinite number of kicks. Using these, we show that the current (work done) exhibits a number of dips (peaks) as a function of the driving frequency and eventually saturates to zero (a finite value) in the limit of large frequency. The vanishing of the current (and the saturation of the work done) can be attributed to a dynamic localization of the hard core bosons occurring as a consequence of the periodic driving. Remarkably, we show that for some specific values of the driving amplitude, the localization occurs for any value of the driving frequency. Moreover, starting from a half-filled lattice of hard core bosons with the particles localized in the central region, we show that the spreading of the particles occurs in a light-cone-like region with a group velocity that vanishes when the system is dynamically localized.