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Broad Availability (broad + availability)
Selected AbstractsOpenUH: an optimizing, portable OpenMP compilerCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 18 2007Chunhua Liao Abstract OpenMP has gained wide popularity as an API for parallel programming on shared memory and distributed shared memory platforms. Despite its broad availability, there remains a need for a portable, robust, open source, optimizing OpenMP compiler for C/C++/Fortran 90, especially for teaching and research, for example into its use on new target architectures, such as SMPs with chip multi-threading, as well as learning how to translate for clusters of SMPs. In this paper, we present our efforts to design and implement such an OpenMP compiler on top of Open64, an open source compiler framework, by extending its existing analysis and optimization and adopting a source-to-source translator approach where a native back end is not available. The compilation strategy we have adopted and the corresponding runtime support are described. The OpenMP validation suite is used to determine the correctness of the translation. The compiler's behavior is evaluated using benchmark tests from the EPCC microbenchmarks and the NAS parallel benchmark. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Twelve immunotherapy drugs that could cure cancersIMMUNOLOGICAL REVIEWS, Issue 1 2008Mac' Cheever, Martin A. Summary: Immune T cells can kill cancer cells. Cancer vaccines function by increasing the number of immune T cells. There are exceedingly strict biologic limits imposed on the immune system to prevent excessive T-cell activation and expansion. The same biological restrictions limit cancer vaccines. Immunotherapeutic agents that circumvent the biological restrictions have been invented and formulated, including (i) dendritic cell activators and growth factors, (ii) vaccine adjuvants, (iii) T-cell stimulators and growth factors, (iv) immune checkpoint inhibitors, and (v) agents to neutralize or inhibit suppressive cells, cytokines, and enzymes. Few of these agents are broadly available for the development of effective multiple component regimens. The major problem facing immunotherapy today is a lack of broad availability of agents already in existence. The National Cancer Institute has developed a well-vetted ranked list of agents with high potential to serve as immunotherapeutic drugs. This review focuses on 12 of the agents, all with proven ability to augment T-cell responses. Alone, each has little chance of making substantial inroads into cancer therapy. In combinations dictated by biology, the agents are overwhelmingly likely to have an impact. Future availability of these agents for development of innovative combination cancer therapy regimens will provide a benchmark for the resolve of the national cancer therapy translational research enterprise. [source] Considerations for Development of Surrogate Endpoints for Antifracture Efficacy of New Treatments in Osteoporosis: A Perspective,,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 8 2008Mary L Bouxsein Abstract Because of the broad availability of efficacious osteoporosis therapies, conduct of placebo-controlled trials in subjects at high risk for fracture is becoming increasing difficult. Alternative trial designs include placebo-controlled trials in patients at low risk for fracture or active comparator studies, both of which would require enormous sample sizes and associated financial resources. Another more attractive alternative is to develop and validate surrogate endpoints for fracture. In this perspective, we review the concept of surrogate endpoints as it has been developed in other fields of medicine and discuss how it could be applied in clinical trials of osteoporosis. We outline a stepwise approach and possible study designs to qualify a biomarker as a surrogate endpoint in osteoporosis and review the existing data for several potential surrogate endpoints to assess their success in meeting the proposed criteria. Finally, we suggest a research agenda needed to advance the development of biomarkers as surrogate endpoints for fracture in osteoporosis trials. To ensure optimal development and best use of biomarkers to accelerate drug development, continuous dialog among the health professionals, industry, and regulators is of paramount importance. [source] Management of Chronic Hepatitis CJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 10 2001APRN-C, Mary Jo Goolsby EdD One purpose of the Clinical Practice Guideline column is to increase the awareness of the broad availability of existing guidelines and recommendations on various health topics. The hepatitis C virus (HCV) currently accounts for 20% to 40% of acute viral hepatitis, 60% to 80% of chronic hepatitis, and 20% to 30% of cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and liver cancer. Nearly four million Americans are currently infected with hepatitis C. Nurse practitioners should be aware of the recommendations regarding the diagnosis, management, and monitoring of the dis ease. This column summarizes the content of two NIH documents regarding the care of patients with hepatitis C: Management of Hepatitis C: NIH Consensus Statement (NIH, 1997) and Chronic Hepatitis C: Current Disease Management (NIDDK, 2000). Readers are encouraged to suggest specific CPGs for future columns or to request that the editor search for and summarize a CPG addressing a common health problem. Readers are also invited to submit a manuscript reviewing CPGs that they find helpful in their area of practice. [source] Affinity reagent resources for human proteome detection: Initiatives and perspectivesPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 16 2007Oda Stoevesandt Abstract Essential to the ambition of characterising fully the human proteome are systematic and comprehensive collections of specific affinity reagents directed against all human proteins, including splice variants and modifications. Although a large number of affinity reagents are available commercially, their quality is often questionable and only a fraction of the proteome is covered. In order for more targets to be examined, there is a need for broad availability of panels of affinity reagents, including binders against proteins of unknown functions. The most familiar affinity reagents are antibodies and their fragments, but engineered forms of protein scaffolds and nucleic acid aptamers with similar diversity and binding properties are becoming viable alternatives. Recent initiatives in Europe and the USA have been established to improve both the availability and quality of reagents for affinity proteomics, with the ultimate aim of creating standardised collections of well-validated binding molecules for proteome analysis. As well as coordinating affinity reagent production through existing resources and technology providers, these projects aim to benchmark key molecular entities, tools, and applications, and establish the bioinformatics framework and databases needed. The benefits of such reagent resources will be seen in basic research, medicine and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. [source] | ||||||||||