Dynamic RSVP protocol

RSVP is a resource reservation setup protocol that can be used by a host to request specific QoS for multicast multimedia flows on the Internet. Multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) architecture also needs RSVP. The fact that the resolutions of the display system used in different receiver nodes might have different, multi-resolution characteristics is supported in the MPEG-4 standard, and the EZW compression algorithm can cease decoding at any point in the bitstream. However, RSVP does not provide a more flexible mechanism. In this article we propose an extension of RSVP to provide the needed mechanism, coined dynamic RSVP (DRSVP), to dynamically adjust reserved resources on nodes without much effort. It provides different video resolutions to different receiver nodes with different needed reserved resources. Therefore, it does not waste precious Internet resources to transmit unnecessary multimedia packets.     

Reinjection experiment at the matsukawa vapor-dominated geothermal field: Increase in steam production and secondary heat recovery from the reservoir

A reinjection experiment has been conducted in an attempt to sustain reservoir pressure and steam production and to extract remaining heat energy in the superheated reservoir in the Matsukawa vapor-dominated geothermal field. This experiment was undertaken because the increase in superheat of produced steam and the decline of steam production are the current major issues for stable operation of the power plant. Almost all the reinjected fluid into well MR 1 was recovered from well M5, and the steam production of well M5 has increased by approximately 67%.     

Renal R2 chemoreceptor activity is attenuated after back heating in the rat

The aim of the present study was to determine the afferent connections of the nucleus accumbens in snakes, in particular its catecholaminergic input. For that purpose, in vitro and in vivo applications of retrograde tracers in the nucleus accumbens of Elaphe guttata were combined with tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry. Both techniques revealed telencephalic inputs to the nucleus accumbens originating from the diagonal band of Broca, ventral pallidum, amygdaloid complex, and dorsal cortex. Major diencephalic inputs arise from the dorsomedial thalamic nucleus and the hypothalamus. In the brainstem, a few retrogradely labeled cells were observed in the raphe nucleus and the locus coeruleus. Considerably more cells were found in the midbrain tegmentum. Within the confines of the locus coeruleus and, in particular, the midbrain tegmentum, retrogradely labeled cells stained also for TH suggesting that those areas constitute the major catecholaminergic input to the nucleus accumbens of snakes. The experimental approach used in the present study, in particular the in vitro technique, seems to be very suited for studying the development of basal ganglia organization of reptiles in the near future.     

Modeling of acute spinal cord injury in the rat: neuroprotection and enhanced recovery with methylprednisolone, U-74006F and YM-14673

We used a new injury device that produces consistent spinal cord contusion injuries (T8) in rats to compare the behavioral and histologic effects of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS) administration, the clinical standard of therapy after acute spinal cord injury (ASCI), with the 21-aminosteroid, U-74006F (U74), and the TRH analogue, YM-14673 (YM), at different trauma doses. Three sequential experiments were conducted: Experiment 1. U74 (3.0/1.5/1.5 mg/kg; 10/5/5 mg/kg; 30/15/15 mg/kg), MPSS (30/15/15 mg/kg), or vehicle were administered intravenously (i.v.) at 5 min, 2 and 6 h after the injury (n = 8/group). U74 (10/5/5 mg/kg) and MPSS animals scored better than controls (Days 8-43) in open field walking (OFW); no other differences were seen between groups. Experiment 2. Dose-response evaluation of MPSS determined more effective doses. Groups (n = 16) receiving 30/30/30/30 mg/kg and 60/60/60/60 mg/kg i.v. at 5 min and 2, 4, and 6 h after the injury had better OFW scores than controls (Days 8-29; Day 29). Both groups performed better than controls (Days 8-29) on inclined plane (IP); 30 mg/kg animals scored higher on Day 29. Percentage tissue spared (%TS) at the lesion center was greater for 60 mg/kg animals (23.4%) than controls (17.3%). Experiment 3. Compounds were administered as in experiment 2 (n = 15/group); MPSS (60/30/30/30 mg/kg) and YM (1/1/1/1 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg/day ip) were most effective. YM and MPSS combination produced no additive effects. YM animals scored better than MPSS and control animals in OFW (Days 8-29) and better than controls on IP (Days 8-29; Day 29) and grid walking (Day 29). MPSS animals scored better than controls on IP (Days 8-29). YM and MPSS groups had greater %TS than controls. This series of experiments demonstrates the utility of this injury model and simple behavioral measures for preclinical assessment of pharmacologic agents. Under these experimental conditions, U74 demonstrated equivalent efficacy to MPSS, and YM demonstrated greater efficacy than MPSS in the treatment of ASCI.