CoMem: collaborative memory management for real-time operation within reactive sensor/actor networks

Increasing complexity and modularity of today??s WSAN applications impose demanding challenges on the system design. This especially affects real-time operation, resource sharing and dynamic memory management. Preemptive task systems are one way to retain good reactivity within dynamic environments. Yet, since memory is often too rare for static assignment, this rapidly leads to severe compositional problems among tasks with interfering and even varying requirements. We present our novel CoMem approach for maintaining high reactivity and efficient memory usage in such systems. With respect to task priorities and the typically limited resources of sensor nodes, we facilitate compositional software design by providing independently developed tasks with runtime information for yet collaborative and self-reflective memory sharing. Thereby, we require no special hardware-support like MMUs but operate entirely software-based.     

How Many Selves in Emotion Experience? Reply to Dalgleish and Power (2004).

T. Dalgleish and M. J. Power (see record 2004-15929-012) suggest that J. A. Lambie and A. J. Marcel's (2002) article implicitly presents a unitary view of self in emotion experience and propose that certain clinical phenomena require multiple selves. This reply summarizes Lambie and Marcel's usages of the term self and examines both Dalgleish and Power's gloss of these and their own usages. This indicates that their own central usage of the term misrepresents Lambie and Marcel and is itself an improper usage. More important, examination of the phenomena claimed to require multiple selves suggests that they do not and that Dalgleish and Power may have misread the relevant clinical literature. Finally, Lambie and Marcel's own conception of dissociative phenomena and multiple selves are outlined, and alternative approaches are sketched. In discussing the usages of the term self and interpretation of cognitive and affective disorders, this reply attempts to clarify certain confusions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dynamic hinting: Collaborative real-time resource management for reactive embedded systems

The increasing complexity of today’s reactive embedded applications can rapidly result in reduced real-time capabilities of the underlying hard and software. As an example for this paper we’ll refer to the specific and growing demands on the severely resource constrained sensor nodes in sensor/actuator networks (SANet). While preemptive operating systems are one way to retain acceptable reactivity within highly dynamic environments, their concurrency paradigm commonly leads to severe resource management problems, caused by the coexistence of tasks with interfering and even varying requirements. To counteract these problems, we present the novel Dynamic Hinting approach for maintaining good reactivity in typically resource constrained sensor/actuator systems by efficient combination of preemptive task scheduling and collaborative resource allocation. With respect to task priorities, our technique significantly improves classical methods for handling priority inversions (and deadlocks where required) under both short- and long-term resource allocations. Furthermore, we facilitate compositional software design by providing independently developed tasks with runtime information for yet collaborative and reflective resource sharing – e.g. by means of time-utility-functions. In many cases this even allows to reduce blocking delays as otherwise imposed by bounded priority inversion.     

Chronic-Antibiotics Induced Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis Rescues Memory Impairment and Reduces β-Amyloid Aggregation in a Preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease Model

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multifactorial pathology characterized by β-amyloid (Aβ) deposits, Tau hyperphosphorylation, neuroinflammatory response, and cognitive deficit. Changes in the bacterial gut microbiota (BGM) have been reported as a possible etiological factor of AD. We assessed in offspring (F1) 3xTg, the effect of BGM dysbiosisdysbiosis in mothers (F0) at gestation and F1 from lactation up to the age of 5 months on Aβ and Tau levels in the hippocampus, as well as on spatial memory at the early symptomatic stage of AD. We found that BGM dysbiosisdysbiosis with antibiotics (Abx) treatment in F0 was vertically transferred to their F1 3xTg mice, as observed on postnatal day (PD) 30 and 150. On PD150, we observed a delay in spatial memory impairment and Aβ deposits, but not in Tau and pTau protein in the hippocampus at the early symptomatic stage of AD. These effects are correlated with relative abundance of bacteria and alpha diversity, and are specific to bacterial consortia. Our results suggest that this specific BGM could reduce neuroinflammatory responses related to cerebral amyloidosis and cognitive deficit and activate metabolic pathways associated with the biosynthesis of triggering or protective molecules for AD.     

Relations between anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance, and fear reactivity to bodily sensations to coping and conformity marijuana use motives among young adult marijuana users.

The present investigation examines anxiety sensitivity, distress tolerance, and fear reactivity to bodily sensations in relation to Coping and Conformity marijuana use motives among a sample of young adult marijuana users (n = 135; 46.7% women; Mage = 20.45, SD = 5.0). After controlling for current marijuana use frequency (past 30 days), daily cigarette smoking rate, average volume of alcohol used over the past year, negative affectivity, and other marijuana use motives, anxiety sensitivity was significantly and uniquely associated with Coping and Conformity motives for marijuana use. Distress tolerance evidenced significant and unique incremental relations to Coping motives, whereas fear reactivity to bodily sensations was unrelated to any marijuana use motive. These results provide novel information related to the role of emotional sensitivity and tolerance factors as they pertain to specific types of motives for marijuana use among young adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Troubleshooting in geoelectrical prospecting using real‐coded genetic algorithm with chromosomal extrapolation

This work presents a genetic operator developed from mathematical methods of curve extrapolation applied in solving problems in geoelectrical prospection. This operator will assist the production of fitter individuals in the population of a genetic algorithm in which inherent patterns of the best individuals of each generation are recognized. The proposed operator in conjunction with a real‐coded genetic algorithm is compared to five alternative optimization techniques known and used in the application to problems in geoelectrical prospection. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vernacular architecture: questions of comfort and practicability

A paradoxical situation exists where vernacular building traditions are in a state of decline and are being replaced by modern counterparts, but they are repeatedly cited in the academic literature as exemplary models of environmental practice. This paradox is examined through research on whether vernacular passive cooling systems in the hot and dry climates of present-day Iran are practicable for the provision of comfortable indoor temperatures. Investigating their technical thermal performance as well as user perceptions and behaviour, positive and negative attributes of the cooling systems are identified. If conclusions about the long-term viability of vernacular buildings are to be drawn, then social, cultural, economic and environmental attributes need to be taken into consideration. Despite rather widespread and persistent assumptions, vernacular building traditions are not necessarily able to survive and the choices made by local people regarding the continuation or abandonment of specific traditions are influenced by a variety of cultural and practical factors. This substantiates the necessity of an integrated and holistic approach that engages with these variables in order to acquire a better understanding of the conditions for the survival of vernacular traditions.

Le fait que les traditions architecturales vernaculaires se trouvent dans un état de déclin et sont remplacées par leurs équivalents modernes, alors même qu'elles sont citées à maintes reprises dans la littérature universitaire comme des modèles exemplaires de pratique environnementale, constitue une situation paradoxale. Ce paradoxe est étudié au travers de recherches visant à déterminer si les systèmes de refroidissement passif vernaculaires sous les climats chauds et secs de l'Iran d'aujourd'hui peuvent être mis en pratique pour assurer des températures intérieures confortables. L’étude de leurs performances thermiques techniques aussi bien que des perceptions et du comportement des utilisateurs permet d'identifier les attributs positifs et négatifs des systèmes de refroidissement. S'il faut tirer des conclusions concernant la viabilité à long terme des bâtiments vernaculaires, il est alors nécessaire de prendre en considération les attributs sociaux, culturels, économiques et environnementaux. En dépit de présomptions plutôt répandues et tenaces, les traditions architecturales vernaculaires ne sont pas nécessairement capables de survivre et les choix opérés par les populations locales quant à la poursuite ou l'abandon de traditions spécifiques sont influencés par divers facteurs culturels et pratiques. Ceci confirme la nécessité d'une approche intégrée et holistique qui, par ces variables, incite à acquérir une meilleure compréhension des conditions propres à assurer la survie des traditions vernaculaires.

Mots clés: confort adaptatif, performances des bâtiments, attentes, traditions locales, occupants, refroidissement passif, architecture vernaculaire, Iran     

Structure–Activity Relationships of JMV4463, a Vectorized Cathepsin D Inhibitor with Antiproliferative Properties: The Unique Role of the AMPA‐Based Vector

Cathepsin D (CathD) is overexpressed and secreted by several solid tumors and stimulates their growth, the mechanism of which is still not understood. In this context, the pepstatin bioconjugate JMV4463 [Ac‐arg‐O₂Oc‐(Val)₃‐Sta‐Ala‐Sta‐(AMPA)₄‐NH₂; O₂Oc=8‐amino‐3,6‐dioxaoctanoyl, Sta=statine, AMPA=ortho‐aminomethylphenylacetyl], containing a new kind of cell‐penetrating vector, was previously shown to exhibit potent antiproliferative effects in vitro and to delay the onset of tumors in vivo. In this study, we performed a structure–activity relationship analysis to evaluate the significance of the inhibitor and vector moieties of JMV4463. By modifying both statine residues of pepstatin we found that the antiproliferative activity is correlated with CathD inhibition, supporting a major role of the catalytic activity of intracellular CathD in cancer cell proliferation. Replacing the vector composed of four AMPA units with other vectors was found to abolish cytotoxicity, although all of the conjugates enabled pepstatin transport into cells. In addition, the AMPA₄ vector must be localized at the C terminus of the bioconjugate. The unexpected importance of the vector structure and position for cytotoxic action suggests that AMPA₄ enables pepstatin to inhibit the proteolysis of critical CathD substrates involved in cell proliferation via a unique mechanism of action.     

Effect of pH,co-monomer content,and surfactant structure on the swelling behavior of microgel-azobenzene-containing surfactant complex

The contraction/swelling transition of anionic PNIPAM-co-AAA particles can be manipulated by light using interactions with cationic azobenzene-containing surfactant. In this study the influence of pH-buffers and their concentrations, the charge density (AAA content) in microgel particles as well as the spacer length of the surfactant on the complex formation between the microgel and surfactant is investigated. It is shown that the presence of pH buffer can lead to complete blocking of the interactions in such complexes and the resulting microgel contraction/swelling response. There is a clear competition between the buffer ions and the surfactant molecules interacting with microgel particles. When working in pure water solutions with fixed concentration (charge density) of microgel, the contraction/swelling of the particles is controlled only by relative concentration (charge ratio) of the surfactant and AAA groups of the microgel. Furthermore, the particle contraction is more efficient for shorter spacer length of the surfactant. The onset point of the contraction process is not affected by the surfactant hydrophobicity. This work provides new insight into the interaction between microgel particles and photo-sensitive surfactants, which offers high potential in new sensor systems.