AeDEn: An adaptive framework for dynamic distribution over mobile environments

Mobile computing is a domain in great expansion. Wireless networks (gsm, satellite, etc) and Portable Information Appliances pias (laptops, PDAs, cellular phones, etc) are developing very rapidly. More and more mobile users would like to execute their applications with the same quality of service as on their desktop station, whatever their needs in memory and computing power. Using such applications in a mobile environment raises new challenges. Some of these applications are extremely costly in system and network resources, whereas pias resources are poor and wireless networks offer a very variable quality of connection. In this paper we propose an adaptive and dynamic distribution of applications on the local environment to overcome the poorness of available resources on pias, and to reduce and regulate variability effects. Moreover, due to the variety of distribution policies, we propose a framework providing adaptive distribution policies.     

The structuring of legal knowledge in LOIS

Legal information retrieval is in need of the provision of legal knowledge for the improvement of search strategies. For this purpose, the LOIS project is concerned with the construction of a multilingual WordNet for cross-lingual information retrieval in the legal domain. In this article, we set out how a hybrid approach, featuring lexically and legally grounded conceptual representations, can fit the cross-lingual information retrieval needs of both legal professionals and laymen     

Offset and gain calibration circuit for MIM-ISFET devices

A programmable calibration circuit for sensors is proposed in this paper. It carries out gain and offset compensation by adding or subtracting appropriate correction factors to the transfer function of each sensor. Digital programmability makes it possible to automate calibration, paving the way for batch calibration. The circuit was designed for a specific sensor structure, a MIM-ISFET, which was modeled in HSpice. The proposed scheme reduces the offset and gain error due to process variations of both the sensor and the readout circuit. Offset error is reduced from 123 to 20 mV and gain error is reduced from 10.6 to 6.4 mV/pH. Relative error is reduced in the whole sensing range from 13 to 4 %. The circuit was designed in a 0.18 μm standard CMOS process, occupies an area of 115 × 100 μm² and consumes 2.3 mW.     

Prior knowledge: The effects of natural category size on memory for implicitly encoded concepts.

Studying a familiar word activates its associates, and these associates affect the likelihood of recalling the studied word in a cued recall task. These experiments examined variables that normally affect memory for the studied word to determine if they have similar effects on memory for the word's associates. Memory for associates was tested by cued recall (Experiments 1–3) or by recognition (Experiments 4–5), with the number and strength of the associates varied in all experiments. In different experiments, test instructions (direct–indirect), distractor tasks, lag, and amount of practice were manipulated. Provided that subjects were not distracted prior to test, the probability of recalling associates of the studied word decreased with the number of associates activated and with their strength under all conditions. The strength of the associates but not their number affected recognition. In general, variables that affected recall and recognition of studied words had parallel effects on their associates. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A design process enabling adaptation in pervasive heterogeneous contexts

In the next decades, the growth in population aging will cause important problems to most industrialized countries. To tackle this issue, Ambient Assistive Living (AAL) systems can reinforce the well-being of elderly people, by providing emergency, autonomy enhancement, and comfort services. These services will postpone the need of a medicalized environment and will allow the elderly to stay longer at home. However, each elderly has specific needs and a deployment environment of such services is likely unique. Furthermore, the needs evolve over time, and so does the deployment environment of the system. In this paper, we propose the use of a model-based development method, the adaptive medium approach, to enable dynamic adaptation of AAL systems. We also propose improvements to make it more suited to the AAL domain, such as considering heterogeneity and a composition model. The paper includes an evaluation of the prototype implementing the approach, and a comparison with related work.     

Antioxidant effects of protein hydrolysates in the reaction with glucose

Maillard reaction products (MRP) obtained by reaction between glucose and protein hydrolysates from casein and fish were investigated. The influence of parameters such as reaction time and glucose concentration was studied. The antioxidative activity of MRP was determined by using the β-carotene/linoleate model and the 1,1-diphenyl-2-pricrylhydrazyl method. All experiments showed that the antioxidative effect was improved by 20–30% when the hydrolysates were reached with glucose. A dramatic increase in antiradical efficiency of the MRP (up to 75%) was also observed. The study of the chromatographic profiles obtained before and after the Maillard reaction found changes in absorbance at 280 nm, indicating molecular rearrangements that could be involved in the improvement of the antioxidative and free radical-scavenging activities.     

Semantic facilitation with pictures and words.

The present experiments explored the role of processing level and strategic factors in cross-form (word–picture and picture–word) and within-form (picture–picture and word–word) semantic facilitation. Previous studies have produced mixed results. The findings presented in this article indicate that semantic facilitation depends on the task and on the subjects' strategies. When the task required semantic processing of both picture and word targets (e.g., category verification), equivalent facilitation was obtained across all modality combinations. When the task required name processing (e.g., name verification, naming), facilitation was obtained for the picture targets. In contrast, with word targets, facilitation was obtained only when the situation emphasized semantic processing. The results are consistent with models that propose a common semantic representation for both picture and words but that also include assumptions regarding differential order of access to semantic and phonemic features for these stimulus modalities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)