RMD-QOSM: The NSIS Quality-of-Service Model for Resource Management in Diffserv

This document describes a Next Steps in Signaling (NSIS) Quality-of- Service (QoS) Model for networks that use the Resource Management in Diffserv (RMD) concept. RMD is a technique for adding admission control and preemption function to Differentiated Services (Diffserv) networks. The RMD QoS Model allows devices external to the RMD network to signal reservation requests to Edge nodes in the RMD network. The RMD Ingress Edge nodes classify the incoming flows into traffic classes and signals resource requests for the corresponding traffic class along the data path to the Egress Edge nodes for each flow. Egress nodes reconstitute the original requests and continue forwarding them along the data path towards the final destination. In addition, RMD defines notification functions to indicate overload situations within the domain to the Edge nodes

Simultaneous effects on parvalbumin-positive interneuron and dopaminergic system development in a transgenic rat model for sporadic schizophrenia

To date, unequivocal neuroanatomical features have been demonstrated neither for sporadic nor for familial schizophrenia. Here, we investigated the neuroanatomical changes in a transgenic rat model for a subset of sporadic chronic mental illness (CMI), which modestly overexpresses human full-length, non-mutant Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia 1 (DISC1), and for which aberrant dopamine homeostasis consistent with some schizophrenia phenotypes has previously been reported. Neuroanatomical analysis revealed a reduced density of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and reduced dopaminergic fibres in the striatum. Parvalbumin-positive interneuron occurrence in the somatosensory cortex was shifted from layers II/III to V/VI, and the number of calbindin-positive interneurons was slightly decreased. Reduced corpus callosum thickness confirmed trend-level observations from in vivo MRI and voxel-wise tensor based morphometry. These neuroanatomical changes help explain functional phenotypes of this animal model, some of which resemble changes observed in human schizophrenia post mortem brain tissues. Our findings also demonstrate how a single molecular factor, DISC1 overexpression or misassembly, can account for a variety of seemingly unrelated morphological phenotypes and thus provides a possible unifying explanation for similar findings observed in sporadic schizophrenia patients. Our anatomical investigation of a defined model for sporadic mental illness enables a clearer definition of neuroanatomical changes associated with subsets of human sporadic schizophrenia

Structures and materials technology issues for reusable launch vehicles

Projected space missions for both civil and defense needs require significant improvements in structures and materials technology for reusable launch vehicles: reductions in structural weight compared to the Space Shuttle Orbiter of up to 25% or more, a possible factor of 5 or more increase in mission life, increases in maximum use temperature of the external surface, reusable containment of cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen, significant reductions in operational costs, and possibly less lead time between technology readiness and initial operational capability. In addition, there is increasing interest in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion for launch and transmospheric vehicles, and such systems require regeneratively cooled structure. The technology issues are addressed, giving brief assessments of the state-of-the-art and proposed activities to meet the technology requirements in a timely manner

Polarization forces in water deduced from single molecule data

Intermolecular polarization interactions in water are determined using a minimal atomic multipole model constructed with distributed polarizabilities. Hydrogen bonding and other properties of water-water interactions are reproduced to fine detail by only three multipoles $\mu_H$, $\mu_O$, and $\theta_O$ and two polarizabilities $\alpha_O$ and $\alpha_H$, which characterize a single water molecule and are deduced from single molecule data.Comment: 4 revtex pages, 3 embedded color PS figure

Magnetic Structure in Fe/Sm-Co Exchange Spring Bilayers with Intermixed Interfaces

The depth profile of the intrinsic magnetic properties in an Fe/Sm-Co bilayer fabricated under nearly optimal spring-magnet conditions was determined by complementary studies of polarized neutron reflectometry and micromagnetic simulations. We found that at the Fe/Sm-Co interface the magnetic properties change gradually at the length scale of 8 nm. In this intermixed interfacial region, the saturation magnetization and magnetic anisotropy are lower and the exchange stiffness is higher than values estimated from the model based on a mixture of Fe and Sm-Co phases. Therefore, the intermixed interface yields superior exchange coupling between the Fe and Sm-Co layers, but at the cost of average magnetization.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures and 1 tabl

Methodological Aspects of Spontaneous Crystalluria Studies in Calcium Stone Formers

Despite nearly a half-century of study, the clinical value of spontaneous crystalluria (Cx) examinations in calcium stone formers (CaSF) is still uncertain. The analytical complexity of urine particle study is largely responsible for this situation. As a result, there is no consensus regarding technical methods in Cx with several techniques for urine sampling and three different instruments currently used for particle study, namely, particle counting (PC), light microscopy (LM) and petrographic microscopy (PM). In this work, we first examined urine sampling and instrument methods regarding their appropriateness for Cx studies. Then we performed a comparative analysis of Cx studies in CaSF. Despite many technical and clinical discrepancies, several studies agree that the frequency of all particles and of the weddellite and whewellite calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystalline phases are increased in CaSF as compared to normal subjects (NS). Particle sizes and aggregation ratio are also often increased. Altogether, these results reinforce the need for an efficient method for Cx studies in these patients. Examining each technique leads us to conclude that most particle parameters can be studied by direct LM observation of freshly voided urine samples, i.e., urine samples without any separation steps. For clinical applications, several examinations should be performed, first to define the specific Cx characteristics in a patient, then for the study of treatment efficiency on Cx control, and finally, during the patient follow-up. Due to Cx variability in each patient, the frequency of Cx examinations during each phase needs to be determined in long-term comparative prospective studies of CaSF

Urinary Calculi: Review of Classification Methods and Correlations with Etiology

Current physical and chemical methods available for urinary stones analysis are critically reviewed. No one method is sufficient to provide all the clinically useful information on the structure and composition of the stones. We show that a combination of refined morphological and structural examination of stone with optical microscopy, complemented by compositional analysis using infrared spectroscopy of the core, cross-section and surface of calculi, provides a precise and reliable method for identifying the structure and crystalline composition, and permits quantification of stone components while being highly cost effective. Using such morphoconstitutional studies leads to a classification of urinary stones in seven distinctive types and twenty-one subtypes among monohydrate (whewellite) and dihydrate (weddellite) calcium oxalates, phosphates, uric acid, urates, protein, and cystine calculi. Furthermore, all of the recognized sub-types exhibit correlations with specific pathophysiologic conditions. We conclude that such morphoconstitutional refined analysis and classification of urinary calculi is of interest to properly identify the type of stone disease and provides clues to etiopathogeny

Microsolvation of heavy halides

The fundamental question of how intermolecular interactions lead to the stabilization of heavy halides (Br−, I−, At−) microsolvated with up to six explicit water molecules is addressed here. An exhaustive exploration of the potential energy surfaces using a random search algorithm followed by optimization of molecular geometries using pseudopotentials and at the full four component relativistic levels of theory, affords a good number of structures with high probabilities of occurrence, highlighting the important role of local minima to reproduce experimentally measured properties. Sequential hydration enthalpies for astatide are reported here for the first time in the scientific literature. Closed shell (ionic, long range) as well as intermediate character interactions (contributions from closed shell and covalent) are at play stabilizing the clusters. The ability of water molecules to either donate or to accept electron density dictates the nature and strength of the corresponding hydrogen bonds in solvation shells. Binding energies and molecular geometries are shown to be more sensitive to electron correlation than to relativistic effects