Buffer Overflow Management with Class Segregation

We consider a new model for buffer management of network switches with Quality of Service (QoS) requirements. A stream of packets, each attributed with a value representing its Class of Service (CoS), arrives over time at a network switch and demands a further transmission. The switch is equipped with multiple queues of limited capacities, where each queue stores packets of one value only. The objective is to maximize the total value of the transmitted packets (i.e., the weighted throughput). We analyze a natural greedy algorithm, GREEDY, which sends in each time step a packet with the greatest value. For general packet values $(v_1 < \cdots < v_m)$, we show that GREEDY is $(1+r)$-competitive, where $r = \max_{1\le i \le m-1} \{v_i/v_{i+1}\}$. Furthermore, we show a lower bound of $2 - v_m / \sum_{i=1}^m v_i$ on the competitiveness of any deterministic online algorithm. In the special case of two packet values (1 and $\alpha > 1$), GREEDY is shown to be optimal with a competitive ratio of $(\alpha + 2)/(\alpha + 1)$

FORESEEN : a forest and remote sensing exchanges network

The Guiana Shield in South America is one of the largest wild areas in the world. However, this area is currently facing unsustainable logging, poor and often illegal mining practices and agricultural activities. This paper presents a project aiming at: promoting capacity building and training of people from this area in remote sensing; preparing a vegetation map using low resolution data; and develop tools to estimate the impact of human activities on the forest using high resolution satellite imagery. The building of a network of trained experts in remote sensing is devoted to complete these objectives. (Résumé d'auteur

Reaction mechanisms in the 6Li+59Co system

The reactions induced by the weakly bound 6Li projectile interacting with the intermediate mass target 59Co were investigated. Light charged particles singles and $\alpha$-$d$ coincidence measurements were performed at the near barrier energies E_lab = 17.4, 21.5, 25.5 and 29.6 MeV. The main contributions of the different competing mechanisms are discussed. A statistical model analysis, Continuum-Discretized Coupled-Channels calculations and two-body kinematics were used as tools to provide information to disentangle the main components of these mechanisms. A significant contribution of the direct breakup was observed through the difference between the experimental sequential breakup cross section and the CDCC prediction for the non-capture breakup cross section.Comment: 30 pages, 8 figure

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of 3-{3-(s-Aryl and s-Heteroaromatic)acryloyl}-2Hchromen-2-one Derivatives

The exploration of potential utilization of microwaves as an energy source for heterocyclic synthesis was herein investigated using condensation of 3-acetylcoumarin (1) with aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes to afford the corresponding aromatic chalcones (2a–j) and heteroaromatic chalcones (3a–e and 4a–e), respectively, in good to excellent yield within 1–3 min. The chemical structures were confirmed by analytical and spectral data. All the synthesized compounds were screened for their antibacterial activity and 3-{3-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)acryloyl}-2H-chromen-2-one (2i) was discovered to be the most active at minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 7.8 µg/m

Is there a role for melatonin in fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia, characterised by persistent pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance and cognitive dysfunction, is a central sensitivity syndrome that also involves abnormality in peripheral generators and in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. Heterogeneity of clinical expression of fibromyalgia with a multifactorial aetiology has made the development of effective therapeutic strategies challenging. Physiological properties of the neurohormone melatonin appear related to the symptom profile exhibited by patients with fibromyalgia and thus disturbance of it’s production would be compatible with the pathophysiology. Altered levels of melatonin have been observed in patients with fibromyalgia which are associated with lower secretion during dark hours and higher secretion during daytime. However, inconsistencies of available clinical evidence limit conclusion of a relationship between levels of melatonin and symptom profiles in patients with fibromyalgia. Administration of melatonin to patients with fibromyalgia has demonstrated suppression of many symptoms and an improved quality of life consistent with benefit as a therapy for the management of this condition. Further studies with larger samples, however, are required to explore the potential role of melatonin in the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia and determine the optimal dosing regimen of melatonin for the management of fibromyalgia

Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

Phosphoproteomic differences in major depressive disorder postmortem brains indicate effects on synaptic function

There is still a lack in the molecular comprehension of major depressive disorder (MDD) although this condition affects approximately 10% of the world population. Protein phosphorylation is a posttranslational modification that regulates approximately one-third of the human proteins involved in a range of cellular and biological processes such as cellular signaling. Whereas phosphoproteome studies have been carried out extensively in cancer research, few such investigations have been carried out in studies of psychiatric disorders. Here, we present a comparative phosphoproteome analysis of postmortem dorsolateral prefrontal cortex tissues from 24 MDD patients and 12 control donors. Tissue extracts were analyzed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry in a data-independent manner (LC-MSE). Our analyses resulted in the identification of 5,195 phosphopeptides, corresponding to 802 non-redundant proteins. Ninety of these proteins showed differential levels of phosphorylation in tissues from MDD subjects compared to controls, being 20 differentially phosphorylated in at least 2 peptides. The majority of these phosphorylated proteins were associated with synaptic transmission and cellular architecture not only pointing out potential biomarker candidates but mainly shedding light to the comprehension of MDD pathobiology

Facial onset sensory and motor neuronopathy: new cases, cognitive changes and pathophysiology

Purpose of review To improve our clinical understanding of facial onset sensory and motor neuronopathy (FOSMN). Recent findings We identified 29 new cases and 71 literature cases, resulting in a cohort of 100 patients with FOSMN. During follow-up, cognitive and behavioral changes became apparent in 8 patients, suggesting that changes within the spectrum of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) are a part of the natural history of FOSMN. Another new finding was chorea, seen in 6 cases. Despite reports of autoantibodies, there is no consistent evidence to suggest an autoimmune pathogenesis. Four of 6 autopsies had TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP) 43 pathology. Seven cases had genetic mutations associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Summary FOSMN is a rare disease with a highly characteristic onset and pattern of disease progression involving initial sensory disturbances, followed by bulbar weakness with a cranial to caudal spread of pathology. Although not conclusive, the balance of evidence suggests that FOSMN is most likely to be a TDP-43 proteinopathy within the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis–FTD spectrum