Scheduling and reconfiguration of interconnection network switches

Interconnection networks are important parts of modern computing systems, facilitating communication between a system\u27s components. Switches connecting various nodes of an interconnection network serve to move data in the network. The switch\u27s delay and throughput impact the overall performance of the network and thus the system. Scheduling efficient movement of data through a switch and configuring the switch to realize a schedule are the main themes of this research. We consider various interconnection network switches including (i) crossbar-based switches, (ii) circuit-switched tree switches, and (iii) fat-tree switches. For crossbar-based input-queued switches, a recent result established that logarithmic packet delay is possible. However, this result assumes that packet transmission time through the switch is no less than schedule-generation time. We prove that without this assumption (as is the case in practice) packet delay becomes linear. We also report results of simulations that bear out our result for practical switch sizes and indicate that a fast scheduling algorithm reduces not only packet delay but also buffer size. We also propose a fast mesh-of-trees based distributed switch scheduling (maximal-matching based) algorithm that has polylog complexity. A circuit-switched tree (CST) can serve as an interconnect structure for various computing architectures and models such as the self-reconfigurable gate array and the reconfigurable mesh. A CST is a tree structure with source and destination processing elements as leaves and switches as internal nodes. We design several scheduling and configuration algorithms that distributedly partition a given set of communications into non-conflicting subsets and then establish switch settings and paths on the CST corresponding to the communications. A fat-tree is another widely used interconnection structure in many of today\u27s high-performance clusters. We embed a reconfigurable mesh inside a fat-tree switch to generate efficient connections. We present an R-Mesh-based algorithm for a fat-tree switch that creates buses connecting input and output ports corresponding to various communications using that switch

Object oriented 3D dynamic simulation of flow of material through hopper

Development of object oriented 3D dynamic simulation of the particle is considered. This code is based on the soft sphere model dealing with both normal force , tangential force and the friction. The development of such a model and the code is motivated by the need to understand the flow patterns of granular material. The prime effort while developing this code was focused on the data encapsulation and secured access to all the attributes of all physical parameters of the bulk solid, which might be endangered by the random access of the interface of the software. A dynamically bound array based container has been implemented though needs some more work to be done to make it more robust. Data sorting and searching is also focused. Reduction of computation overhead and increase of speed were tried to resolve through established algorithms on searching and sorting. This is of crucial importance in dealing with problems associated with bulk solids flows, which occur in almost all industries and natural geological events

Magnifying Lens Abstraction for Stochastic Games with Discounted and Long-run Average Objectives

Turn-based stochastic games and its important subclass Markov decision processes (MDPs) provide models for systems with both probabilistic and nondeterministic behaviors. We consider turn-based stochastic games with two classical quantitative objectives: discounted-sum and long-run average objectives. The game models and the quantitative objectives are widely used in probabilistic verification, planning, optimal inventory control, network protocol and performance analysis. Games and MDPs that model realistic systems often have very large state spaces, and probabilistic abstraction techniques are necessary to handle the state-space explosion. The commonly used full-abstraction techniques do not yield space-savings for systems that have many states with similar value, but does not necessarily have similar transition structure. A semi-abstraction technique, namely Magnifying-lens abstractions (MLA), that clusters states based on value only, disregarding differences in their transition relation was proposed for qualitative objectives (reachability and safety objectives). In this paper we extend the MLA technique to solve stochastic games with discounted-sum and long-run average objectives. We present the MLA technique based abstraction-refinement algorithm for stochastic games and MDPs with discounted-sum objectives. For long-run average objectives, our solution works for all MDPs and a sub-class of stochastic games where every state has the same value

Freeform Fabrication of Biological Scaffolds by Projection Photopolymerization

This article presents a micro-manufacturing method for direct, projection printing of 3- dimensional (3D) scaffolds for applications in the field of tissue engineering by using a digital micro-mirror-array device (DMD) in a layer-by-layer process. Multi-layered scaffolds are microfabricated using curable materials through an ultraviolet (UV) photopolymerization process. The pre-patterned UV light is projected onto the photocurable polymer solution by creating the “photomask” design with graphic software. Poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), is mixed with a small amount of dye (0.3 wt %) to enhance the fabrication resolution of the scaffold. The DMD fabrication system is equipped with a purging mechanism to prevent the accumulation of oligomer, which could interfere with the feature resolution of previously polymerized layers. The surfaces of the pre-designed, multi-layered scaffold are covalently conjugated with fibronectin for efficient cellular attachment. Our results show that murine marrow-derived progenitor cells successfully attached to fibronectin-modified scaffolds.Mechanical Engineerin

Polyamine modified particles

A particle composition comprising a graft copolymer formed from a biocompatible polymer and a plurality of polyamine moieties, wherein the polyamine moieties are bound to the biocompatible polymer, and a combinatorial delivery polymer comprising a plurality of particles that comprises a graft copolymer of formed from a biocompatible polymer and a plurality of polyamine moieties, wherein the polyamine moieties are bound to the biocompatible polymer, a plurality of nucleic acids electrostatically loaded onto the particles, a plurality of chemokine molecules, and a biodegradable polymer network, in which the loaded particles and chemokine molecules may be entrapped, are disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for treating a subject comprising administering a therapeutically effective dose of a pharmaceutical composition, the pharmaceutical composition comprising a particle composition that comprises a graft copolymer formed from a biocompatible polymer and a plurality of polyamine moieties, wherein the polyamine moieties are bound to the biocompatible polymer.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

Methods for fabricating nano and microparticles for drug delivery

The present invention generally relates to stimuli-responsive drug carriers and methods for making. More specifically, the present invention relates to stimuli-responsive lidded particles that respond to a physiological stimulus and dissolve at a target site inside the body thereby releasing therapeutic agents. The present invention further relates to solid, drug-loaded particles that are made from biodegradable polymers. The present invention further relates to methods for fabricating lidded particles and particles for drug delivery.Board of Regents, University of Texas Syste

RESVERATROL PROTECTS WHOLE BODY HEAT STRESS-INDUCED TESTICULAR DAMAGE IN RAT MODEL

Objective: The local thermoregulation in testis is important for optimum spermatozoa development. Excessive heat hampers this regulation resulting in alteration of normal testicular function. The present investigation confirms the role of free radicals in hyperthermia induced oxidative damage in testis and elucidates the dose-dependent ameliorating effect of resveratrol (RSV) against testicular oxidative damage. The aim of the present investigation is also to observe the role of selective concentration of RSV on heat induced oxidative changes in the damaged tissue. Methods: 48 male Wister rats were exposed to hyperthermic condition for the past 7 days of the total 21 days of experiment. RSV was pre- and co-treated with heat stress daily in a dose-dependent manner (1 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg/kg body weight) for 21days. Results: Reactive oxygen species level was estimated using flow cytometry. Enhancement of hepatotoxicity markers in serum, lipid peroxidation and decreasing antioxidant status in the testis homogenate demonstrated that the oxidative damage in heat exposed tissue. Conclusion: Histological study along with biochemical and molecular assessment of the redox balance of testicular tissue in the present study revealed that RSV significantly ameliorated the heat induced damage in testis. The findings suggest that RSV is an effective antioxidant polyphenolic compound that can protect testis against hyperthermia induced oxidative damage

Functionalized microcarriers for Enhanced CAR T cell manufacturing

Adoptive cell therapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has shown immense promise in treating cancer. In 2017, Novartis and Kite Pharma both acquired FDA approval for their CAR T cell therapies targeted toward B cell malignancies. Despite these successes, manufacturing high-quality T cells at scale has proven challenging. Notably, current processes rely on bead-based expansion and suspension-cell bioreactors, which do not recapitulate the high cell density and robust signaling found in the lymph nodes. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Pro-Oxidant Therapeutic Activities of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles in Colorectal Carcinoma Cells

Given that basal levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are higher in cancer cells, there is a growing school of thought that endorses pro-oxidants as potential chemotherapeutic agents. Intriguingly, cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles can manifest either anti- or pro-oxidant activity as a function of differential pH of various subcellular localizations. In an acidic pH environment, for example, in extracellular milieu of cancer cells, CeO2 would function as a pro-oxidant. Based on this concept, the present study is designed to investigate the pro-oxidant activities of CeO2 in human colorectal carcinoma cell line (HCT 116). For comparison, we have also studied the effect of ceria nanoparticles on human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells. Dose-dependent viability of cancerous as well as normal cells has been assessed by treating them independently with CeO2 nanoparticles of different concentrations (5-100 mu g/mL) in the culture media. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of nanoceria for HCT 116 is found to be 50.48 mu g/mL while that for the HEK 293 cell line is 92.03 mu g/mL. To understand the intricate molecular mechanisms of CeO2-induced cellular apoptosis, a series of experiments have been conducted. The apoptosis-inducing ability of nanoceria has been investigated by Annexin V-FITC staining, caspase 3/9 analysis, cytochrome c release, intracellular ROS analysis, and mitochondrial membrane potential analysis using flow cytometry. Experimental data suggest that CeO2 treatment causes DNA fragmentation through enhanced generation of ROS, which ultimately leads to cellular apoptosis through the p53-dependent mitochondrial signaling pathway

Crinipellis cupreostipes (Marasmiaceae, Agaricales, Basidiomycota): a new distributional record from India

The present study reports Crinipellis cupreostipes (first described from Thailand) as a new record for Indian mycobiota. A phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA ITS shows that C. cupreostipes can be readily distinguished from other morphologically similar species such as Crinipellis nigricaulis var. macrospora. A detailed taxonomic description with illustrations and an artificial key to Crinipellis species previously reported from India and its neighboring countries are provided