Architectures de contrôleurs ultra-faible consommation pour noeuds de réseau de capteurs sans fil

National audienceCet article traite de la conception d'architectures de contrôle pour les noeuds d'un réseau de capteurs. En utilisant conjointement la spécialisation du matériel pour réduire la consommation dynamique et la coupure d'alimentation pour les phases de veille, nous proposons un paradigme d'architecture original ainsi que son flot de conception fonctionnel depuis des spécifications de haut-niveau (langage C associé à un langage spécifiquement conçu). Nous illustrons les gains apportés par un flot complet de génération de micro-tâches matérielles par rapport à des implantations logicielles classiques ciblant des micro-contrôleurs. En combinant la spécialisation matérielle avec des techniques de réduction de puissance statique (power gating), nous réduisons de façon très significative la puissance globale (et l'énergie) dissipée par le système. Les résultats sur des benchmarks issus du domaine des réseaux de capteurs montrent des gains en énergie allant jusqu'à deux ordres de grandeur par rapport aux meilleurs micro-contrôleurs faible consommation du domaine

Adult laryngeal haemangioma; a rare entity

Laryngeal haemangioma is commonly seen in children. Adult laryngeal haemangiomas are rare and usually involve the supraglottic region. Most common symptom includes dysphagia, dysphonia and shortness of breath. Detailed history, fiberoptic laryngoscopy and computerized scanning may suggest benign nature of the lesion but diagnosis is only confirmed by a biopsy. In comparison to infantile haemangiomas which usually respond to propronolol, the treatment of adult laryngeal haemangiomas is always surgical removal. We present a case report of a supraglottic haemangioma in an adult male, who was treated surgically without any complications

Assessment of salinity tolerance in rice using seedling based morpho-physiological indices

Background: Salinity is among the most damaging abiotic stresses for rice production which limits its growing area. The present research was conducted to evaluate five rice varieties for salinity tolerance at seedling stage.Methods: Experiment was conducted in triplicate and in two sets. One set was grown as a control (non-stress) and other as salt stressed. Salt stress of 15 dS/m was applied to one set of rice seedlings under controlled conditions. Data for different growth related morpho-physiological traits, i.e. germination percentage, root and shoot length, seedling fresh and dry weight, Na+ and K+ uptake were recorded after 15 days of seedling emergence under control as well as salinity condition.Results: Significant differences were observed among the genotypes under both the treatments and interaction of the evaluated traits suggested a significant variability among the rice genotypes under salt stress. NIAB-IRRI-9, Basmati-198 and KSK-133 were proved to be relatively salt tolerant varieties as they showed good performance for the recorded parameters. However, Basmati-385 was observed a salt sensitive variety due to highest reduction in seedling fresh and dry weight along with the maximum Na+ uptake.Conclusion: Based on obtained results, it was concluded that the evaluated morpho-physiological traits were useful to screen rice cultivars for salinity stress. In addition, NIAB-IRRI-9, Basmati-198 and KSK-133 can be used in breeding programs as tolerant check and Basmati-385 can be used as sensitive check

Rising atmospheric temperature impact on wheat and thermotolerance strategies

Temperature across the globe is increasing continuously at the rate of 0.15–0.17 °C per decade since the industrial revolution. It is influencing agricultural crop productivity. Therefore, thermotolerance strategies are needed to have sustainability in crop yield under higher temperature. However, improving thermotolerance in the crop is a challenging task for crop scientists. Therefore, this review work was conducted with the aim of providing information on the wheat response in three research areas, i.e., physiology, breeding, and advances in genetics, which could assist the researchers in improving thermotolerance. The optimum temperature for wheat growth at the heading, anthesis, and grain filling duration is 16 ± 2.3 °C, 23 ± 1.75 °C, and 26 ± 1.53 °C, respectively. The high temperature adversely influences the crop phenology, growth, and development. The pre-anthesis high temperature retards the pollen viability, seed formation, and embryo development. The post-anthesis high temperature declines the starch granules accumulation, stem reserve carbohydrates, and translocation of photosynthates into grains. A high temperature above 40 °C inhibits the photosynthesis by damaging the photosystem-II, electron transport chain, and photosystem-I. Our review work highlighted that genotypes which can maintain a higher accumulation of proline, glycine betaine, expression of heat shock proteins, stay green and antioxidant enzymes activity viz., catalase, peroxidase, super oxide dismutase, and glutathione reductase can tolerate high temperature efficiently through sustaining cellular physiology. Similarly, the pre-anthesis acclimation with heat treatment, inorganic fertilizer such as nitrogen, potassium nitrate and potassium chloride, mulches with rice husk, early sowing, presoaking of a 6.6 mM solution of thiourea, foliar application of 50 ppm dithiothreitol, 10 mg per kg of silicon at heading and zinc ameliorate the crop against the high temperature. Finally, it has been suggested that modern genomics and omics techniques should be used to develop thermotolerance in wheat.Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan | Ref. 1a55b19f0b99ca1

Application of the GPS technology to assess time-location pattern of undergraduate students at a private medical university in Karachi, Pakistan: A pilot study

To compare time-location pattern of undergraduate university students through GPS and diary method, and with level of physical activity, a cross-sectional survey was conducted from September 2012 - May 2013 involving 50 undergraduate students from Aga Khan University. Data were recorded through GPS, diary method, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-L) and accelerometer (ActiGraph). Median self-reported time spent in the indoor-inside the campus, indoor-outside the campus and outdoor environment was 405 (IQR:300-540), 720 (IQR:465-840) and 300 minutes (IQR:180-495) respectively, while 52% of the students were in moderate, 40% vigorous and 8% in mild categories of physical activity. Mean differences in location (GPS versus diary method) were statistically insignificant; indoor residential, -30.2, indoor other, -26.2, outdoor at rest, 45.9 and outdoor travelling, 10.5 minutes. We conclude that students spent most of their time indoors-outside of campus and majority were physically active, while also demonstrating the applicability of GPS and ActiGraph for such studies

Assessing the Determinants of Savings in Pakistan: An Evidence from PSLM 2010-11

The present study aims at investigating the determinants of the savings in Pakistan by using Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) survey data collected by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for the year 2010-11. The Multiple Regression Model is estimated for finding out the household saving determinants. The results reveal that savings have positive relationship with income, livestock, number of earner, while these are negatively related with education, gender of the household head and poverty in Pakistan. The regional level analysis reveals that marginal propensity to save is higher in rural areas as compared to urban counterpart. Among the provinces it is the highest in Punjab and lowest in Sindh. To promote savings among households in Pakistan, policies aiming at increasing income of the people should be formulated and implemented. Other policies include creation of job opportunities and provision of loan for livestock especially for the poor and females

A case of otogenic tetanus.

The authors are presenting our experience of managing an interesting case of a 12-year-old girl who presented to our clinic with otorrhea for 3 months and trismus for 1 week. Examination showed bilateral ear discharge with central perforations in tympanic membranes, palatal paralysis and trismus. Systemic examination revealed only mild stiffness of hand muscles. CT-scan head and neck was done to look for intracranial complications of otitis media. However, it revealed only decreased pneumatisation of mastoid cells. She was admitted in the hospital and started on intravenous and local antibiotics after sending ear swab and blood cultures. But she showed no improvement in 48 h. So on the clinical suspicion (trismus and stiffness of hands) remote possibility of otogenic tetanus was considered and she was given tetanus toxoid and immunoglobulins. She gradually showed improvement in her symptoms. Thereafter, culture from ear discharge was also reported positive for Clostridium tetani