A VLSI priority packet queue with inheritance and overwrite

Reliable priority-based flow-control is essential for real-time applications involving hard-deadlines. However, the use of first-in-first-out (FIFO) queues in such systems introduces priority inversion resulting in unbounded transmission delays. For this reason, a priority transmission queue is critical for multimedia and mission-critical systems. Yet very few priority queue implementations exist. This paper presents the design of a novel VLSI priority packet queue (PPQ), implemented in 1.2 μm CMOS technology. It achieves fast operation by manipulating its contents in terms of packet segments, rather than individual words. Similar to paged memory, this new segmented architecture greatly reduces implementation cost by reusing segments and avoiding storage area fragmentation. By distributing the computationally intensive priority comparison operation over the access time for an entire segment, the PPQ achieves 96% of the speed of a high-speed packet FIFO. The PPQ can either perform priority inheritance or overwrite lower priority packets to minimize the impact of queue overflow. In addition, it is suitable as a general computer network interface buffer, since it robustly handles asynchronous read and write clocks of greatly disparate frequencies. Our initial implementation achieves well over twice the speed of a nonpipelined approach with minimal additional overhead. Furthermore, scaling this design to larger capacities and more priority levels results in an even greater improvement in speed over conventional approaches     

The 3D model: explaining densification and deformation mechanisms by using 3D parameter plots

The aim of the study was to analyze very differently deforming materials using 3D parameter plots and consequently to gain deeper insights into the densification and deformation process described with the 3D model in order to define an ideal tableting excipient. The excipients used were dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (DCPD), sodium chloride (NaCl), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), xylitol, mannitol, alpha-lactose monohydrate, maltose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC), cellulose acetate (CAC), maize starch, potato starch, pregelatinized starch, and maltodextrine. All of the materials were tableted to graded maximum relative densities (rhorel, max) using an eccentric tableting machine. The data which resulted, namely force, displacement, and time, were analyzed by the application of 3D modeling. Different particle size fractions of DCPD, CAC, and MCC were analyzed in addition. Brittle deforming materials such as DCPD exhibited a completely different 3D parameter plot, with low time plasticity, d, and low pressure plasticity, e, and a strong decrease in omega values when densification increased, in contrast to the plastically deforming MCC, which had much higher d, e, and omega values. e and omega values changed only slightly when densification increased for MCC. NaCl showed less of a decrease in omega values than DCPD did, and the d and e values were between those of MCC and DCPD. The sugar alcohols, xylitol and mannitol, behaved in a similar fashion to sodium chloride. This is also valid for the crystalline sugars, alpha-lactose monohydrate, and maltose. However, the sugars are more brittle than the sugar alcohols. The cellulose derivatives, HPMC, NaCMC, and CAC, are as plastic as MCC, however, their elasticity depends on substitution indicated by lower (more elastic) or higher (less elastic) omega values. The native starches, maize starch and potato starch, are very elastic, and pregelatinized starch and maltodextrine are less elastic and exhibited higher omega values. Deformation behavior as shown in 3D parameter plots depends on particle size for polymers such as CAC and MCC; however, it does not depend on particle size for brittle materials such as DCPD. An ideally deforming tableting excipient should exhibit high e, d, and omega values with a constant ratio of e and omega at increasing densification.     

Independent regulation of cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen expression and cytokine synthesis phenotype during human CD4+ memory T cell differentiation

Although considerable attention has been paid to the development of cytokine synthesis heterogeneity during memory T cell differentiation, little information is available on how this function is coregulated with homing receptor expression. The development of skin-homing, CD4+ memory T cells in the human provides an excellent model for such investigation, since 1) the skin supports both Th1- and Th2-predominant responses in different settings, and 2) the skin-homing capability of human memory T cells correlates with and appears to depend on expression of the skin-selective homing receptor cutaneous lymphocyte-associated Ag (CLA). In this study, we used multiparameter FACS analysis to examine expression of CLA vs IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-2 synthesis capabilities among fresh peripheral blood CD4+ memory T cells, and Th1 vs Th2 memory T cells generated in vitro from purified CD4+ naive precursors by cyclic activation in polarizing culture conditions. Among normal peripheral blood T cells, CLA expression was essentially identical among the IFN-gamma- vs IL-4-producing CD4+ memory subsets, clearly indicating the existence of in vivo mechanisms capable of producing both Th1 vs Th2 skin-homing T cells. In vitro differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells confirmed the independent regulation of CLA and all three cytokines examined, regulation that allowed differential production of IFN-gamma-, IL-4-, and IL-2-producing, CLA+ memory subsets. These studies also 1) demonstrated differences in regulatory factor activity depending on the differentiation status of the responding cell, and 2) revealed CLA expression to be much more rapidly reversible on established memory cells than cytokine synthesis capabilities.     

Opioids and rate of positively reinforced behavior: II. Antagonism by β-funaltrexamine.

Lever pressing by rats (Rattus norvegicus) was maintained under a fixed-ratio 20 schedule of food presentation. Response rate-decreasing effects of the opioid compounds fentanyl, U50,488, butorphanol, and nalorphine were examined alone and in combination with the irreversible, μ-selective opioid antagonist β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA) antagonized the rate-decreasingly effects of both fentanyl and butorphanol. β-FNA was more potent and the duration of antagonism was greater, against butorphanol than against fentanyl. β-FNA also antagonized the effects of the higher nalorphine doses: however, lower doses of nalorphine, which were without effect alone, decreased response rates in the presence of β-FNA. The dose–effect curve for U50,488 was shifted leftward in the presence of β-FNA. These data suggest that, β-FNA may be useful in assessing μ-receptor activity related to the effects of opioids on rate of operant behavior and the efficacy with which opioids produce these effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Superconducting Magnet UCN Trap for Precise Neutron Lifetime Measurements

Finite-element methods along with Monte Carlo simulations were used to design a magnetic storage device for ultracold neutrons (UCN) to measure their lifetime. A setup was determined which should make it possible to confine UCN with negligible losses and detect the protons emerging from β-decay with high efficiency: stacked superconducting solenoids create the magnetic storage field, an electrostatic extraction field inside the storage volume assures high proton collection efficiency. Alongside with the optimization of the magnetic and electrostatic design, the properties of the trap were investigated through extensive Monte Carlo simulation.