Real-time scheduling for energy harvesting sensor nodes

Energy harvesting has recently emerged as a feasible option to increase the operating time of sensor networks. If each node of the network, however, is powered by a fluctuating energy source, common power management solutions have to be reconceived. This holds in particular if real-time responsiveness of a given application has to be guaranteed. Task scheduling at the single nodes should account for the properties of the energy source, capacity of the energy storage as well as deadlines of the single tasks. We show that conventional scheduling algorithms (like e.g. EDF) are not suitable for this scenario. Based on this motivation, we have constructed optimal scheduling algorithms that jointly handle constraints from both energy and time domain. Further we present an admittance test that decides for arbitrary task sets, whether they can be scheduled without deadline violations. To this end, we introduce the concept of energy variability characterization curves (EVCC) which nicely captures the dynamics of various energy sources. Simulation results show that our algorithms allow significant reductions of the battery size compared to Earliest Deadline First scheduling.

Interaction between radiation and drug damage in mammalian cells. II. The effect of actinomycin-D on the repair of the sublethal radiation damage in plateau phase cells

The effect of actinomycin-D (AMD) on radiation damage repair was studied in plateau phase V79 Chinese hamster cells. Sublethal radiation damage repair, as demonstrated by survival fluctuations following two x-ray exposures separted by time, was observed in our plateau phase cells. Plateau phase cells exposed to 0.01-0.04 mug/ml AMD (a nontoxic regimen to 8 hours) between x-ray exposures were less able to repair sublethal damage. If plateau phase cells were plated at low dilutions into fresh medium (conditions for resuming exponential growth) immediately after the first x-ray dose, and exposed to 0.01--0.04 mug/ml AMD until the second dose, inhibition of sublethal damage repair and additional cell killing were observed particularly at 0.04 mug/ml AMD. It is suggested that radiation-drug damage interactions should be studied in plateau phase cells and in cells resuming exponential growth after plateau phase (possibly analogous to "recruitment"), as well as in exponential phase cultures.     

Effects of hypothalamic temperature changes on the sweat rate in Macaca mulatta

The concept of cardiac reconditioning centers for the prevention and rehabilitation of coronary patients has been tremendously successful in Germany over the past 20 years. At least 40 such centers are located throughout the country. Physicians, nurses, and physical therapists work closely together in the various facets of the rehabilitation process. The financial backing for these facilities is primarily through governmental and regional insurance companies, whose officials are apparently convinced that in the long run supporting preventive measures is financially sound. Objective data supporting their convictions come from studies such as that of Brusis, who showed that such as that of 1,500 employees was diminished by nearly 70 percent during a two-year period after cardiac reconditioning, as compared to a similar time period before the rehabilitation experience. Subjective benefits, which are extremely difficult to quantitate in meaningful terms, were nonetheless expressed by nearly all the patients with whom I conversed. Perhaps they have experienced the same feelings that Mark Twain did when he observed that "all frets and worries and chafings sank to sleep in the presence of the benignant serenity of the Alps; the Great Spirit of the Mountains breathed his own peace upon their hurt minds and sore hearts and healed them."     

The emotional aftermath of adoption

Adopted children are emotionally vulnerable. Adoptive parents must cope with more complex problems than biologic parents. The family physician can provide valuable counseling. Preadoption counseling focuses on motivation and ambivalence. After adoption, however, serious, sometimes predictable, issues arise, such as: how and when to tell the child he is adopted; the child's search for knowledge; the problem of subsequent divorce; the birth of a natural sibling, and the involvement of other family members. New concepts include "open adoption" and "single parent adoption."     

ArcFVS: An integration of a Geographic Information System and Forest Vegetation Simulator

This paper presents the design and implementation of an integrated application program called ArcFVS that links the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS) and a Geographic Information System (GIS) to realize spatial selection of input files and graphic display of modeling output. Data for testing and running the model came from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Database and were also collected in field surveys in north-central Indiana. ArcFVS 1.0 is designed using the ArcGIS software from the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) and the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming environment to manipulate ESRI’s ArcObjects. The resulting product offers custom functions as commands in a new menu or as tools on a new toolbar. They are used to: select spatially or by attribute the forest plots to be projected by FVS, create the FVS input files for the selected plots and display in a geospatial environment different types of FVS output (text output files, tables with variables of interest and visualization image files). Advantages of ArcFVS 1.0 include the new GIS capabilities, enhanced format translation functions and the standardized programming environment.     

Integrated optical pH sensor using replicated chirped grating coupler sensor chips

Integrated optical sensor chips suitable for high-resolution pH measurements are presented. The pH-sensitive swelling of a polymer membrane is detected by refractometry using a compact multi-channel sensor module. The signal transduction is achieved by means of chirped grating couplers which allow simple yet high functionality sensor modules to be built. The experiments have been performed with high sensitivity replicated polycarbonate TiO₂ waveguide sensor chips coated with an ultrathin photopatterned hydrogel membrane having functional groups which reversibly change from the neutral state to a charged state upon acidification. A resolution δpH <±1.1×10⁻⁴ in terms of the pH (at pH 7.5) has been obtained in a dual-channel module with size 10×10×10 cm³.     

Child-centered game development (CCGD): developing games with children at school

Children represent an increasingly relevant target group of the game industry. Nevertheless, they are rarely involved in development processes. This article introduces child-centered game development (CCGD) approaches for the game design within the context of the school. Therefore, suitable HCI approaches from user-centered and participatory design as well as educational principles and approaches were used as a foundation. The CCGD approaches illustrate how to guide the involvement and participation of children aged 10–14 years in school classes within the development process of games. Approaches for the analysis, conceptualization, and design phases were developed and applied.