Availability-Guaranteed Service Function Chain Provisioning with Optional Shared Backups

The dynamic provisioning of Service Function Chain (SFC) using Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) is a challenging problem, especially for availability-constrained services. The provisioning of backup resources is often used to ensure that availability requirements are fulfilled. However, the assignment of backup resources should be carefully designed to avoid resource inefficiencies as much as possible.This paper proposes the Optional Backup with Shared Path and Shared Function (OBSPSF) strategy, which aims at improving resource efficiency while fulfilling the availability requirements of SFC requests. The strategy uses optional backup provisioning to ensure that backup resources are assigned only when strictly needed (i.e., when the SFC alone does not meet the availability constraint). Moreover, OBSPSF encourages backup sharing (among both connectivity and backup VNFs) to reduce the backup resource overhead. Results show that the strategy can accommodate orders-of-magnitude more services than benchmark heuristics from the literature

ENRAIZAMENTO DE MINIESTACAS E PRODUTIVIDADE DE MINICEPAS DE CEDRO AUSTRALIANO MANEJADAS EM CANALET 5ES E TUBETES

The planted forest stands aim to supply the growing demand for wood, especially for the sawing and veneer industries, that exclusively used wood from native forests. The Australian cedar ( Toona ciliata ) belongs to the family Meliaceae, is the species of interest for this sector. Studies with the Australian cedar propagation have carried out in latest years, mainly involving the use of mini-cuttings due to the need for high quality cuttings. The objectives of this paper were to evaluate the rooting and the productive capacity of Australian cedar mini-strains, managed in lifted seedbeds and 180 cm3 plastic tubes systems. So, two mini-clone gardens were set up. The mini-strains of both gardens were grown from cut-off seedlings originated from seeds. Successive collections of sprouts were carried out to get the mini-cuttings. Afterwards, they remained in the rooting area under intermittent mist. Thirty days later the rooting characteristics of the cuttings originated from both mini-gardens were evaluated. The period of permanence of the cuttings in the gardens was seven-month long. During this period, six collections from the lifted seedbed and four from the plastic tubes were carried out. The mini-strains in the two systems showed 100 % of survival rate. At the end of this seven-month period, an increasing tendency of the average number of mini-cutting was found out in both systems. Those from the lifted seedbed showed more productivity than those ones from the tubes. The plants from the mini-cuttings of the tube showed higher number and length of adventitious roots at the end rooting stage.Os povoamentos florestais plantados buscam atender \ue0 demanda crescente por madeira, principalmente, para as ind\ufastrias de serraria e de lamina\ue7\ue3o, que utilizavam madeira exclusivamente de matas nativas. O cedro australiano ( Toona ciliata ), pertencente \ue0 fam\uedlia Meliaceae, \ue9 uma das esp\ue9cies de interesse desse setor. Pela necessidade cada vez maior por mudas de alta qualidade, estudos sobre propaga\ue7\ue3o de cedro australiano t\ueam sido realizados nos \ufaltimos anos, principalmente envolvendo o uso da miniestaquia. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar o enraizamento e a capacidade produtiva das minicepas de cedro australiano, manejadas em sistemas de canalet\uf5es e em tubetes de 180 cm3. Assim, estabeleceram-se dois minijardins de minicepas formadas a partir de mudas recepadas, produzidas por sementes. Nestes dois sistemas, foram realizadas coletas sucessivas de brota\ue7\uf5es para confec\ue7\ue3o de miniestacas, que permaneceram por 30 dias no setor de enraizamento, em c\ue2mara com nebuliza\ue7\ue3o intermitente. Ap\uf3s este per\uedodo, foram avaliadas as caracter\uedsticas do enraizamento das mudas originadas nos dois sistemas de minijardins testados, que foram conduzidos por sete meses e, durante este per\uedodo, foram realizadas seis coletas no minijardim de canalet\ue3o e quatro, no de tubetes. As minicepas dos dois sistemas apresentam 100 % de sobreviv\ueancia. Ao final do per\uedodo observou-se tend\ueancia no aumento do n\ufamero m\ue9dio de miniestacas em ambos os sistemas. As minicepas do sistema de minijardim em canalet\ue3o s\ue3o mais produtivas que as do sistema conduzido em tubetes. As mudas originadas de miniestacas do sistema de tubetes apresentam maior n\ufamero e comprimento de ra\uedzes advent\uedcias na expedi\ue7\ue3o do setor de enraizamento

Morphometric characterization of fruits and seeds and the effect of the temperature on germination of Parkia pendula (Willd.) Benth. ex Walp

Parkia pendula (Willd.) Benth. ex Walp., \ue9 uma esp\ue9cie arb\uf3rea, caracter\uedstica dos est\ue1dios iniciais da sucess\ue3o, de ocorr\ueancia natural no Brasil. Pertence \ue0 fam\uedlia Fabaceae, com grande potencial na recupera\ue7\ue3o de \ue1reas degradadas. O presente trabalho foi conduzido no Centro de Ci\ueancias Agr\ue1rias da Universidade Federal de Alagoas, objetivando a caracteriza\ue7\ue3o morfom\ue9trica de frutos e sementes dessa esp\ue9cie, bem como identificar a melhor temperatura para uso em testes de germina\ue7\ue3o. O fruto \ue9 do tipo legume, deiscente, polisp\ue9rmico, contendo em m\ue9dia 16 sementes por unidade. Estas apresentam formato elipsoidal, embri\ue3o axial, com 10,1 mm de comprimento, 4,9 mm de largura por 3,1mm de espessura. As temperaturas de 25 e 30oC proporcionaram as maiores porcentagem e velocidade de germina\ue7\ue3o, enquanto que a temperatura de 15oC e acima de 35\ubaC influenciaram negativamente a germinabilidade das sementes.Parkia pendula (Willd.) Benth. ex Walp. is a tree species, characteristic of the initial phases of succession, of natural occurrence in Brazil. It belongs to the Mimosaceae family, with great potential in the recovery of degraded areas. The present work aims to characterize fruits and seeds morphometrically as well to identify the best temperature for use in germination test. The fruit is a type of legume, dehiscent, polispermic, with 16 seeds, approximately, per unit. The seeds present ellipsoidal format, axial embryo, with 10,1 mm of length, 4,9 mm of width and 3,1 mm of thickness. The temperatures of 25\ubaC and 30\ubaC provided them larger germinability, while the temperature of 15\ubaC and above 35\ubaC influenced these characteristics negatively

Evaluating kinetic and physiological features of rCHO-K1 cells cultured on microcarriers for production of a recombinant metalloprotease/disintegrin

We present kinetic and physiological data regarding the culturing of rCHO-K1 cells on various microcarriers, to evaluate the potential of this culture strategy for mass production of these cells and expression of a recombinant disintegrin. Cultures were performed in 500 mL spinner flasks in DMEM culture medium with 10% v/v fetal calf serum, gently shaken at 37\ub0C, pH 7.4, in a 10% v/v CO2 atmosphere. The following values were obtained, respectively, for the adhesion time-constant Ka (h) and specific growth rate \u3bcmax (d-1) on each microcarrier: Cytodex 1 (0.91, 0.45), Cultispher S (0.28, 0.34), Immobasil FS (0.85, 0.52) and Pronectin F (5.12, 0.67). Metabolic characteristics showed some variation among the cultures with the four microcarriers, the most significant being the higher production of ammonia with microcarriers coated with adhesive molecules (Cultispher S and Pronectin F) relative to the uncoated carriers (Cytodex 1 and Immobasil FS). Experiments where the DMEM medium was gradually replaced by the serum-free medium (CHO-SFM-II) revealed important advantages over media containing serum, not only for assay purposes, but also for purification of the disintegrin. Altogether these results demonstrate that cultures on microcarriers, especially on Pronectin F, show good potential for larger scale cultures of rCHO-K1 cell

A next-generation liquid xenon observatory for dark matter and neutrino physics

The nature of dark matter and properties of neutrinos are among the most pressing issues in contemporary particle physics. The dual-phase xenon time-projection chamber is the leading technology to cover the available parameter space for weakly interacting massive particles, while featuring extensive sensitivity to many alternative dark matter candidates. These detectors can also study neutrinos through neutrinoless double-beta decay and through a variety of astrophysical sources. A next-generation xenon-based detector will therefore be a true multi-purpose observatory to significantly advance particle physics, nuclear physics, astrophysics, solar physics, and cosmology. This review article presents the science cases for such a detector

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). METHODS/DESIGN: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH2O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure 6430 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. DISCUSSION: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration metho

The defensive strike of five species of lanceheads of the genus Bothrops (Viperidae)

We studied the defensive strike of one species of each of five recognized lineages within the genus Bothrops, namely, B. alternatus, B. jararaca, B. jararacussu, B. moojeni and B. pauloensis. The defensive strike of the studied species was in general similar to that of Crotalus viridis and C. atrox, but some important differences were observed. Bothrops alternatus and B. pauloensis struck preferentially from a tight body posture, whereas B. jararaca and B. moojeni from a loose body posture. Defensive strikes were either true or false (during the latter, the mouth remains closed or partially open). Almost all strikes were successful; only on a few occasions snakes missed their target (flawed strikes). Strike variables were very conservative among the five species, especially strike distance and height, and one possible explanation may be related to constraints imposed on strike variables as a way of increasing strike accuracy

Storage in cerrado soil and germination of Psychotria vellosiana (Rubiaceae) seeds

The regeneration of plant communities from seed depends, to a large extent, on the capacity of the seed remaining viable in the soil. The viability and germination of artificially buried Psychotria vellosiana seeds in cerrado soil were studied, with the purpose of discovering some physio-ecological aspects of dispersed seeds and evaluating their potential to constitute a soil seed bank. Seed samples were placed in nylon envelopes and buried in the soil of a Cerrado reserve at two different depths and sites. Buried seeds were retrieved periodically and tested for germination along with dry-stored seeds. In general, there was a reduction in seed germination with storage time, both in soil and dry stored conditions, and in some assays exhumed seeds germinated faster than dry stored ones. In general the soil storage favoured seed viability of ungerminated seeds as compared to dry stored ones, with the seeds remaining partially viable after 10 months of storage. The lack of germination of viable seeds suggests that seeds showed true dormancy and/or required an extended time to germinate. It was observed that some seeds had germinated while buried and such in situ germination tended to increase with rainfall. The water availability in the soil might be a limiting factor for successful germination of P. vellosiana in the field, and the seeds may constitute a persistent soil seed bank in the cerrado as dispersed seeds remain viable in the soil until the following period of seed dispersal