Visualization of Verilog Digital Systems Models

Abstract-Nowadays the digital systems design is almost exclusively realized using hardware description languages (HDL). Verilog belongs to the HDLs that are the most widespread especially in the United States. However, the textual HDL representation of structural model is less understandable compared the schematic one. Therefore a transformation of the structural HDL description into its graphical schematic representation is a useful function for hardware designers. In this paper the HDL Visualizator is described that was designed and implemented to support this function for Verilog structural models. The paper addresses several problems of visualization process and their possible solutions. The design and implementation of visualization tool that is able to display the schematic view as well as the simulation results of structural Verilog model is also presented. I. INTRODUCTION In the process of complex digital systems design hardware description languages (HDLs) have an irrecoverable role. They provide designers the possibility to describe the hardware behavior and structure on the various abstraction levels. However, the structural description in HDL form is often unreadable for the persons not familiar with this kind of design. In these situations the tools for graphical visualization of HDL structural description are very useful. There are several applications, design tools or development environments that are capable of graphical visualization of a design structure. This possibility is usually only one of many other functions available in the expensive and often too complex solutions for certain group of users, e.g. students or beginners in HDL design. There are very few, if any at all, easy-to-use and affordable applications offering HDL models visualization especially when they are written in Verilog. Our aim was to overcome this gap. The problem of digital system Verilog structural description visualization is the main subject of this paper. The paper covers application design, its implementation and testing results

Modulation of metabolic activity of phagocytes by antihistamines

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of H1-antihistamines of the 1st generation (antazoline, bromadryl, brompheniramine, dithiaden, cyclizine, chlorcyclizine, chlorpheniramine, clemastine) and the 2nd generation (acrivastine, ketotifen, and loratadine) on the respiratory burst of phagocytes. Reactive oxygen species generation in neutrophils isolated from rat blood was measured using luminol-enhanced chemiluminescence. Changes in nitrite formation and iNOS protein expression by RAW 264.7 macrophages were analysed using Griess reaction and Western blotting. The antioxidative properties of drugs in cell-free systems were detected spectrophotometrically, luminometrically, fluorimetrically, and amperometrically. The majority of the H1-antihistamines tested (bromadryl, brompheniramine, chlorcyclizine, chlorpheniramine, clemastine, dithiaden, and ketotifen) exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on the chemiluminescence activity of phagocytes. H1-antihistamines did not show significant scavenging properties against superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical, thus this could not contribute to the inhibition of chemiluminescence. H1-antihistamines had a different ability to modulate nitric oxide production by LPS-stimulated macrophages. Bromadryl, clemastine, and dithiaden were the most effective since they inhibited iNOS expression, which was followed by a significant reduction in nitrite levels. H1-antihistamines had no scavenging activity against nitric oxide. It can be concluded that the effects observed in the H1-antihistamines tested are not mediated exclusively via H1-receptor pathway or by direct antioxidative properties. Based on our results, antihistamines not interfering with the microbicidal mechanisms of leukocytes (antazoline, acrivastine and cyclizine) could be used preferentially in infections. Other antihistamines should be used, under pathological conditions accompanied by the overproduction of reactive oxygen species

Effects of reactive oxygen species and neutrophils on endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat thoracic aorta

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in different metabolic processes including the respiratory burst of neutrophils accompanying local inflammation. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP)-activated neutrophils, isolated from the guinea pig peritoneal cavity, on isolated rings of a large (conduit) artery, the rat thoracic aorta. FMLP-activated neutrophils enhanced the basal tension increased by α1-adrenergic stimulation. In phenylephrine-precontracted aortae, they elicited marked contraction, while in noradrenaline-precontracted rat aortal rings they caused a biphasic response (contraction-relaxation). To eliminate interaction of activated neutrophils with catecholamines, in the subsequent experiments the basal tension was increased by KCl-induced depolarization. Activated neutrophils evoked a low-amplitude biphasic response (relaxation-contraction) on the KCl-induced contraction. Not only the acetylcholine- and A23187-induced relaxations but also the catalase sensitive hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) elicited contractions were endothelium-dependent. Even though the acetylcholine-induced relaxation was changed by activated neutrophils and by the ROS studied, their effects differed significantly, yet none of them did eliminate fully the endothelium-dependent acetylcholine relaxation. The effect of activated neutrophils resembled the effect of superoxide anion radical (O2 •–) produced by xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO) and differed from the inhibitory effects of Fe2SO4/H2O2-produced hydroxyl radical (•OH) and H2O2. Thus O2 •– produced either by activated neutrophils or X/XO affected much less the endothelium-dependent acetylcholine-activated relaxation mechanisms than did •OH and H2O2. In the large (conduit) artery, the effects of activated neutrophils and various ROS (O2 •–, •OH and H2O2) seem to be more dependent on muscle tension than on endothelial mechanisms

Pharmacological regulation of neutrophil activity and apoptosis: Contribution to new strategy for modulation of inflammatory processes

Novel strategies of antiinflammatory therapy are based upon pharmacological agents capable to enhance the resolution – i.e. the termination of the beneficial inflammation before it may turn into an adverse chronic stage. In contrast to the current therapy, which antagonises the formation of proinflammatory mediators, the “proresolving” therapy promotes natural antiinflammatory processes. It is likely that several drugs and phytochemicals would act in this way, but this point has not been investigated and thus might be totally overlooked. In this paper, effects of curcumin (diferuloylmethane) were analysed, considering the ability of this natural compound to affect resolution of inflammation through modulation of its important inputs – activity and apoptosis of neutrophils. The presented data indicate that, besides its well-known ability to suppress mechanisms engaged at the onset and progression of inflammation, curcumin could support resolution of inflammation through decreased activity and enhanced apoptosis of neutrophils. This substance decreased the formation of oxidants in neutrophils, both under in vitro conditions and after oral administration to arthritic rats. Moreover, curcumin accelerated spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils, as indicated by increased externalisation of phosphatidylserine, by intercalation of propidium iodide and by enhanced activity of the executioner caspase-3

همبستگی عزت نفس با پیشرفت تحصیلی در دانشجویان دانشکده‌ی پرستاری و مامایی زنجان 1388

زمینه و هدف: یکی از بزرگترین معضلات آموزشی، افت تحصیلی دانشجویان است. بنابراین توجه به بهداشت روانی و پیشرفت تحصیلی این گروه اهمیت به‌سزایی دارد. پاره‌ای از مطالعات بیانگر ارتباط مستقیم بین عزت نفس و پیشرفت تحصیلی است، لیکن بعضی از صاحب نظران رابطه‌ی مستقیم این دو را مورد تردید قرار داده‌اند. این پژوهش با هدف تعیین همبستگی عزت نفس با پیشرفت تحصیلی دانشجویان دانشکده‌ی پرستاری و مامایی زنجان انجام شده است. روش بررسی: این پژوهش یک مطالعه‌ی همبستگی بود، کلیه‌ی دانشجویان دانشکده‌ی پرستاری و مامایی زنجان که حداقل دو نیم‌سال سابقه‌ی تحصیلی داشتند، (182 نفر) در مطالعه شرکت کردند. ابزار جمع‌آوری اطلاعات پرسش‌نامه بود. پرسش‌نامه از دو بخش شامل: ویژگی‌های فردی و تحصیلی واحدهای پژوهش و آزمون 58 سوالی عزت نفس کوپراسمیت تشکیل شده بود. یافته‌ها: ضریب همبستگی پیرسون رابطه‌ی معنی‌داری بین عزت نفس و پیشرفت تحصیلی دانشجویان نشان داد (31/0= r ). ولی عزت نفس با سن و جنسیت ارتباط آماری معنی‌داری نداشت (05/0 P ). نتیجه‌گیری: با توجه به وجود همبستگی مثبت بین عزت نفس و پیشرفت تحصیلی دانشجویان، به نظر می‌رسد استفاده از روش‌های تقویت عزت نفس می‌تواند در جلوگیری از افت تحصیلی دانشجویان نقش داشته باشد