Cooperating runtime systems in LiPS

Performing computation using networks of workstations is increasingly becoming an alternative to using a supercomputer. This approach is motivated by the vast quantities of unused idle-time available in workstation networks. Unlike comptuting o a tighty coupled parallel computer, where a fixed number of processor nodes is used within a computation, the number of usable nodes in a workstation network is constantly changing over time. Additionally, workstations are more frequently subject to outages, e.g. due to reboots. The question arises how applications, adapting smoothly to this environment, should be realized. LiPS is a system for distributed computing using idle-cycles in networks for workstations. This system is ints version 2.3 is currently used at the Universität des Saarlandes in Saarbrücken, Germany to perform computationally intensive applications in the field of cryptography on a net of approximately 250 workstations and should be enhanced to work within an environment of more than 1000 machines all over the world within the next years. In this paper we present the runtime systems of LiPS along with performance measurements taken with the current LiPS development version 2.4

Lipoprotein-Konzentrationen im Blutserum gesunder und kranker Kühe und Kälber

Die Lipoproteindiagnostik ist in der Humanmedizin ein wichtiger Bestandteil zur Abklärung von Herz-Kreislauf-Krankheiten in Verbindung mit Fettstoffwechselstörungen. In der Buiatrik fehlen systematische Untersuchungen sowohl zu Referenzwerten als auch zur Pa-thophysiologie der Lipoproteine (LP) einschließlich einer möglichen diagnostischen Nutzung. Ziele der vorliegenden Untersuchung waren die Ermittlung von LP-Referenzwerten bei kli-nisch gesunden Milchkühen (Geburts- und Laktationseinfluß) und klinisch gesunden weibli-chen Kälbern (Alterseinfluß), die Bestimmung von LP-Konzentrationen bei häufigen Erkran-kungen von Kühen und Kälbern sowie die Überprüfung der Übereinstimmung von mittels Elektrophorese bzw. Ultrazentrifugation ermittelten LP-Konzentrationen. Die LP wurden mit dem Elektrophorese-System RAPIDOPHOR unter Verwendung von LIPIDOPHOR All in 12 (IMMUNO AG, Wien) bei 216 Milchkühen (98 klinisch gesunde, 5 davon im peripartalen Zeitraum sowie 118 kranke) und 47 weiblichen Kälbern (21 klinisch gesunde und 26 kranke) bestimmt. Zusätzlich wurden weitere Parameter des Fett-, Energie-, Eiweiß- sowie Mineralstoffwechsels mit dem Laborautomaten HITACHI 704 ermittelt. Beim Vergleich der mittels Ultrazentrifugation und Elektrophorese bestimmten LP-Konzen-trationen konnten keine signifikanten Unterschiede festgestellt werden. Der Einfluß der Geburt auf die LP-Konzentrationen wurde bei fünf klinisch gesunden Kühen im Zeitraum einen Tag ante partum bis fünf Tage post partum (p.p.) geprüft. Die LP-Konzen-trationen wiesen, mit Ausnahme einer am vierten Tag p.p. (Medianwert x = 54 mg/dl) gegen-über dem Tag vor der Geburt (x = 64 mg/dl) signifikant (p  0,05) erniedrigten -LP-Konzentration, keine signifikanten Konzentrationsunterschiede zwischen den einzelnen Ent-nahmezeitpunkten auf. Bei klinisch gesunden laktierenden Kühen (Gruppe I: 1-5 Tage p.p., n = 25; Gruppe II: 6-39 Tage p.p., n = 20; Gruppe III: 40-100 Tage p.p., n = 40; Gruppe IV: > 100 Tage p.p., n = 8) stieg im Verlaufe der Laktation die Gesamt-LP-Konzentration von 252 mg/dl auf 765 mg/dl (jeweils x) an. Dieser Konzentrationsanstieg wurde hauptsächlich von den - und -LP getra-gen, deren Konzentrationen (jeweils x) in Gruppe I bei 188 mg/dl bzw. 61 mg/dl, in Gruppe II bei 393 mg/dl bzw. 112 mg/dl, in Gruppe III bei 476 mg/dl bzw. 102 mg/dl und in Gruppe IV bei 647 mg/dl bzw. 100 mg/dl lagen. Die Medianwerte für die prä--LP-Konzentrationen betrugen 3 mg/dl in Gruppe I, 10 mg/dl in Gruppe II, 8 mg/dl in Gruppe III und 19 mg/dl in Gruppe IV. Diese vom Laktationsstadium abhängigen Referenzwerte wurden der Ermittlung von Abweichungen bei kranken Kühen des entsprechenden Laktationsabschnitts zugrunde gelegt. Postnatal (p.n.) zeigten die klinisch gesunden weiblichen Kälber (Gruppe I: 1-2 Tage p.n., n = 5; Gruppe II: 3-8 Tage p.n., n = 5; Gruppe III: 36-59 Tage p.n., n = 6; Gruppe IV: 60-90 Tage p.n., n = 5) eine Abnahme der Gesamt-LP-Konzentration von 507 mg/dl auf 318 mg/dl (jeweils x). Diese Konzentrationsabnahme betraf hauptsächlich die - und prä--LP, deren Medianwerte in Gruppe I bei 368 mg/dl bzw. 67 mg/dl, in Gruppe II bei 345 mg/dl bzw. 71 mg/dl, in Gruppe III bei 190 mg/dl bzw. 60 mg/dl und in Gruppe IV bei 219 mg/dl bzw. 23 mg/dl lagen. Die -LP-Konzentrationen (jeweils x) betrugen 72 mg/dl in Gruppe I, 82 mg/dl in Gruppe II, 64 mg/dl in Gruppe III und 76 mg/dl in Gruppe IV. Diese Referenz-werte wurden ebenfalls der Ermittlung von Abweichungen bei kranken Kälbern der entspre-chenden Altersgruppe zugrunde gelegt. Kühe zeigten bei Erkrankungsbeginn nachfolgende Abweichungen der LP-Konzentrationen: Die -LP wiesen lediglich bei Endometritiden (Gruppe II: x = 252 mg/dl, n = 7) eine signifi-kante Konzentrationsabnahme auf, waren aber bei Mastitiden (Gruppe I: x = 344 mg/dl, n = 5) und Erkrankungen des Bewegungsapparates (Gruppe I: x = 409 mg/dl, n = 5) signifikant er-höht. Bei Erkrankungen des Atmungs- (Gruppe IV: x = 3 mg/dl, n = 5) und Bewegungsap-parates (Gruppe II: x = 2 mg/dl, n = 5; Gruppe III: x = 3 mg/dl, n = 6) bestanden signifikante Abnahmen der prä--LP-Konzentrationen, während bei Gebärparese (Gruppe I: x = 4 mg/dl, n = 4), Endometritiden (Gruppe III: x = 25 mg/dl, n = 5) und Erkrankungen des Atmungsap-parates (Gruppe I: x = 5 mg/dl, n = 4) signifikante Zunahmen derselben beobachtet wurden. Bei Erkrankungen des Bewegungsapparates (Gruppe I: x = 23 mg/dl, n = 5; Gruppe II: x = 28 mg/dl, n = 5), Mastitiden (Gruppe II: x = 29 mg/dl, n = 5; Gruppe III: x = 57 mg/dl, n = 5) und Diarrhoe (Gruppe II: x = 43 mg/dl, n = 15) waren signifikante Abnahmen der -LP-Konzentration typisch, während Endometritiden (Gruppe III: x = 147 mg/dl, n = 5) mit einer Zunahme derselben verbunden waren. Bei Vorliegen einer Dislocatio abomasi ad sinistram (Gruppe II, n = 11) zeigten die - und -LP-Konzentrationen sowohl präoperativ (-LP: x = 190 mg/dl, -LP: x = 29 mg/dl ) als auch am ersten (-LP: x = 219 mg/dl, -LP: x = 18 mg/dl ) und dritten (-LP: x = 166 mg/dl, -LP: x = 2 mg/dl ) postoperativen Tag signifikante Abnahmen gegenüber klinisch gesunden Kühen. Im Falle von Dislocatio abomasi ad dextram (Gruppe II, n = 6) waren präoperativ (-LP: x = 316 mg/dl, -LP: x = 63 mg/dl) gleichfalls signifikante Abnahmen der - und -LP-Kon-zentrationen charakteristisch, die sich am ersten (-LP: x = 224 mg/dl, -LP: x = 35 mg/dl) und dritten (-LP: x = 224 mg/dl, -LP: x = 47 mg/dl) postoperativen Tag weiter verstärkten. Bei beiden Verlagerungsformen konnten keine signifikanten Veränderungen der prä--LP-Konzentrationen gegenüber klinisch gesunden Kontrolltieren nachgewiesen werden. Kälber beider Altersgruppen (I: n = 5, II: n = 6) wiesen in der Anfangsphase von Erkran-kungen des Verdauungsapparates signifikante Konzentrationsabnahmen aller LP-Fraktionen auf (Gruppe I: -LP: x = 153 mg/dl, prä--LP: x = 16 mg/dl, -LP: x = 20 mg/dl; Gruppe II: -LP: x = 178 mg/dl, prä--LP: x = 5 mg/dl, -LP: x = 28 mg/dl). Erkrankungen des At-mungsapparates zeichneten sich am Anfang lediglich durch eine signifikante Abnahme der prä--LP-Konzentration in Gruppe III (x = 24 mg/dl, n = 5) sowie eine Zunahme der -LP-Konzentration in Gruppe IV (x = 95 mg/dl, n = 11) aus. Die Ergebnisse der vorliegenden Untersuchungen zeigten, daß bei der Bewertung von LP-Konzentrationen Altersabhängigkeit sowie Laktationseinfluß zu beachten sind. Erkrankungen mit stärkerer Lipomobilisation (Dislocatio abomasi) zeichneten sich durch signifikante Kon-zentrationsabnahmen der - und -LP aus. Die gleichzeitige Kontrolle von weiteren klinisch-chemischen Parametern im Blutserum ließ erkennen, daß die beobachteten Veränderungen der Konzentration der LP-Fraktionen auf eine Beeinflussung der intestinalen und / oder hepati-schen LP-Synthese im Gefolge von Energiemangel nach eingeschränkter Futteraufnahme und / oder gestörter Nährstoffresorption sowie auf eine hierdurch ausgelöste Schädigung der Leberfunktion zurückzuführen sind.Lipoprotein (lp) diagnostics in human medicine play an important role especially in the diagnostics of cardiovascular diseases in association with disorders in the lipid metabolism. Systematic investigations both into reference values and pathophysiology of lp and into their diagnostic benefit are missing in buiatrics. The aims of this research were the determination of reference values for clinical healthy dairy cows (influence of lactation and parturition) and clinical healthy female calves (influence of age), the checkup of the behaviour of lp concen-tration in sick cows and calves and the comparison of the methods of lp determination by \u84electrophoresis\u93 and \u84ultracentrifugation.\u93 The lp were determinated with the electrophoresis-system RAPIDOPHOR and LIPIDOPHOR All in 12 (IMMUNO AG, Vienna) on 216 dairy cows (98 clinical healthy, 5 of them during the peripartal period and 118 sick ones) and 47 female calves (21 clinical healthy and 26 sick ones). Further parameters of the lipid, energy, protein and mineral me-tabolism were established with the laboratory equipment HITACHI 704. When the methods of lp determination \u84electrophoresis\u93 and \u84ultracentrifugation\u93 were com-pared, the determined concentrations of lp didnŽt show any significant differences. To take a closer look at the lp in clinical healthy cows (n = 5) during the peripartal period, blood samples were taken one day before parturition and on the following five days postpar-tum (p.p.). The lp didnŽt show any significant differences at the individual times blood was taken during the peripartal period, except for the -lp on the fourth day p.p. (median value x = 54 mg/dl) when their concentration was significantly (p  0,05) lower than one day before parturition (x = 64 mg/dl). On clinical healthy dairy cows (group I: 1-5 days p.p., n = 25; group II: 6-39 days p.p., n = 20; group III: 40-100 days p.p., n = 40; group IV: > 100 days p.p., n = 8) a rise in the total lp con-centration from 252 mg/dl to 765 mg/dl (x respectively) could be noted. This rise was mainly due to - and -lp (group I: -lp: x = 188 mg/dl, -lp: x = 61 mg/dl; group II: -lp: x = 393 mg/dl, -lp: x = 112 mg/dl; group III: -lp: x = 476 mg/dl, -lp: x = 102 mg/dl; group IV: -lp: x = 647 mg/dl, -lp: x = 100 mg/dl). The pre--lp concentration (x respectively) during the course of lactation were 3 mg/dl in group I, 10 mg/dl in group II, 8 mg/dl in group III and 19 mg/dl in group IV. These reference values were taken as a basis for the establishment of the deviations which could be seen on sick cows during the same period of lactation. The clinical healthy female calves examined were divided into four groups as well: group I: 1-2 days postnatal (p.n.) (n =5), group II: 3-8 days p.n. (n = 5), group III: 36-59 days p.n. (n = 6) and group IV: 60-90 days p.n. (n = 5). These showed a decrease in the total lp con-centration from 507 mg/dl to 318 mg/dl (x respectively). This decrease was mainly due to - (group I: x = 368 mg/dl, group II: x = 345 mg/dl, group III: x = 190 mg/dl, group IV: x = 219 mg/dl) and pre--lp (group I: x = 67 mg/dl, group II: x = 71 mg/dl, group III: x = 60 mg/dl, group IV: x = 23 mg/dl). Following -lp concentration could be found: group I: x = 72 mg/dl, group II: x = 82 mg/dl, group III: x = 64 mg/dl, group IV: x = 76 mg/dl. These reference values were also taken as a basis for the establishment of the deviations which could be seen on sick calves of the same age group. The following deviations of the lp concentration could be seen in cows at the beginning of their illness: The -lp showed a sigificant drop in their concentration only with endometritis (group II: x = 252 mg/dl, n = 7), otherwise they were significantly increased with mastitis (group I: x = 344 mg/dl, n = 5) and diseases of the locomotion system (group I: x = 409 mg/dl, n = 5). Concerning the pre--lp, a significant drop in concentration could be proved with res-piratory diseases (group IV: x = 3 mg/dl, n = 5) and diseases of the locomotion system (group II: x = 2 mg/dl, n = 5; group III: x = mg/dl, n = 6) whereas the concentration increased signifi-cantly with milk fever (group I: x = 4 mg/dl, n = 4), endometritis (group III: x = 25 mg/dl, n = 5) and respiratory diseases (group I: x = 5 mg/dl, n = 4). The -lp showed a significant drop in their concentration with diseases of the locomotion system (group I: x = 23 mg/dl, n = 5; group II: x = 28 mg/dl, n = 5), masitits (group II: x = 29 mg/dl, n = 5; group III: x = 57 mg/dl, n = 5) and diarrhea (group II: x = 43 mg/dl, n = 15) while their concentration increased significantly with endometritis (group III: x = 147 mg/dl, n = 5). With left abomasal displacement (group II, n = 11), a significant drop in the concentration of - and -lp as compared to clinical healthy cows existed preoperatively (-lp: x = 190 mg/dl, -lp: x = 29 mg/dl) as well as at the first (-lp: x = 219 mg/dl, -lp: x = 18 mg/dl) and third (-lp: x = 166 mg/dl, -lp: x = 2 mg/dl) postoperative day. With right abomasal displacement (group II, n = 6), a significant drop in the concentration of - and -lp could be recorded pre-operatively as well \u96 the concentration continued to drop until the third postoperative day (preoperative: -lp: x = 316 mg/dl, -lp: x = 63 mg/dl; first postoperative day: -lp: x = 224 mg/dl, -lp: x = 35 mg/dl; third postoperative day: -lp: x = 224 mg/dl, -lp: x = 47 mg/dl). With both forms of abomasal displacement no significant changes in the pre--lp concentration as compared to clinical healthy control animals could be proved. Calves of both age groups (I: n = 5, II: n = 6) with initial stage diarrhea showed significant reductions of all fractions of lp (group I: -lp: x = 153 mg/dl, pre--lp: x = 16 mg/dl, -lp: x = 20 mg/dl; group II: -lp: x = 178 mg/dl, pre--lp: x = 5 mg/dl, -lp: x = 28 mg/dl). With the beginning of respiratory diseases, only the pre--lp concentration in animals of group III (x = 24 mg/dl, n = 5) showed a significant drop and the -lp concentration in calves of group IV (x = 95 mg/dl, n = 11) increased significantly. The results of these investigations have shown that the influence of age and lactation have to be taken into account for the evaluation of lp concentration. Diseases with more intense lipid mobilisation (dislocatio abomasi) are characterized by significantly decreased - and -lp concentration. The concurrent control of other clinical chemical parameters in the blood serum suggested that the observed changes in concentration of each lp fraction are due to the influence on the intestinal and / or hepatical synthesis because of energy deficiency after reduced intake of feed and / or malresorption of nutrients and - as a result of this - due to the damaged function of the liver

Software fault-tolerant distributed applications in LiPS

This paper illustrates how software fault-tolerant distributed applications are implemented within LIPS version 2.4, a system for distributed computing using idle-cycles in networks of workstations. The LIPS system [SR92, SR93,STea94,Set95,SF96,ST96,SL97,Set97] employs the tuple space programming paradigm, as originally used in the LINDA programming language. Applications implemented using this paradigm easily adapt to changes in availability as they occur in workstation networks. In LIPS, applications are enabled to terminate successfully in spite of failing nodes by periodically writing checkpoints, freezing the state of a computational process, and keeping track of messages exchanged between checkpoints in a message log. The message log is kept within the tuple space machine implementing the tuple space and replayed if an application process recovers. This assumes deterministic behavior of the application process but allows independent checkpoint generation and alleviates the need for application-wide synchronization in order to generate sets of consistent checkpoints

Subjektive Krankheitstheorien, Krankheitsbewältigung und Lebensqualität onkologischer Patienten

Subjektive Krankheitstheorien können als kognitive Konstruktionen über das Wesen, mögliche Ursachen und die Behandlung einer Erkrankung verstanden werden. Sie stehen dabei neben Bewältigungsstrategien und gesundheitsbezogener Lebensqualität (Leventhal, Meyer & Nerenz, 1980) auch in wechselseitiger Verbindung mit den sozialen Ressourcen Betroffener (Alpers et al., 2003). In den letzen Jahren entstand im deutschsprachigen Raum eine Vielzahl von krebsspezifischen Internetforen, die den Patienten einerseits informationelle und andererseits emotionale Unterstützung bereitstellen, deren Inanspruchnahme kann dabei zu einer Erhöhung der Lebensqualität führen (Cline, 1999). Die als Online-Befragung durchgeführte Studie untersucht die Bedeutung von subjektiven Krankheitstheorien für Bewältigungsverhalten und Lebensqualität Betroffener; zusätzlich zum Internet-Nutzungsverhalten onkologischer Patienten im Kontext gesundheitlicher Belange wurden deren Einstellungen bezüglich Online Health Care erhoben. Neben soziodemographischen Frageelementen kamen folgende Messinstrumente zum Einsatz: Der IPQ Illness Perception Questionnaire (Weinman et. al, 1996) zur Erfassung der subjektiven Krankheitstheorien, der FKV-LIS Freiburger Fragebogen zur Krankheitsverarbeitung (Muthny, 1989), der SF-12 Fragebogen zum allgemeinen Gesundheitszustand (Bullinger & Kirchberger, 1998) sowie die ATOHC Attitudes towards Online Health Care (LaCoursiere, 2001b), welche Einstellungen zur gesundheitsbezogenen Internetnutzung abbildete. Die Ergebnisse der Arbeit bestätigen das von Leventhal et al. (1980) postulierte Mediatormodell; mediiert durch depressive Verarbeitung (FKV-LIS) steht hohe Krankheitsidentität (IPQ) mit niedrigen Lebensqualitätswerten (SF-12) in Zusammenhang. Ein Einfluss gesundheitsbezogener Internetnutzung auf den Gesundheitszustand wurde seitens der Untersuchungsteilnehmer nicht wahrgenommen, hierfür kann eventuell das bestätigte gering ausgeprägte Vertrauen in Informationen (ATOHC) verantwortlich gemacht werden.Cognitive constructions concerning nature, possible causes and the treatment of an illness can be summarized as illness representations, which communicate with coping strategies, healthrelated quality of life (Leventhal, Meyer & Nerenz, 1980) and social resources as well (Alpers et al., 2003). Over recent years, a multiplicity of cancer-specific Internet platforms, which offer a range of informational and emotional support, developed. In this context, taking part in those platforms can lead to an increase of health-related quality of life (Cline, 1999). The main purpose of this online research was to examine the meaning of illness representations for coping with illness and the outcome variable “quality of life”; additionally, the cancer patients were asked to point out their specific health-related Internet use and attitudes towards online health care. Beside a sociodemographic complex of questions the following measuring instruments were used: The IPQ Illness Perception Questionnaire (Weinman et. al, 1996) measuring illness representations, the FKV-LIS Freiburger Fragebogen zur Krankheitsverarbeitung (Muthny, 1989) examining coping strategies, the SF-12 Fragebogen zum Gesundheitszustand (Bullinger & Kirchberger, 1998) measuring health-related quality of life, and the ATOHC Attitudes towards online Health Care (LaCoursiere, 2001b), which illustrated attitudes to health-related Internet use. The findings confirm the postulated Common sense Model of Illness Representations (Leventhal et al., 1980); mediated by depressive coping (FKV-LIS), a high disease identity (IPQ) is associated with low quality of life scores (SF-12). Participants did not perceive an influence of health-related Internet use on their state of both physical and psychological health, for which the confirmed sparse confidence in information (ATOHC) can be seen as a possible cause

El transplante renal bajo la óptica de los niños que llevan la insuficiencia renal crónica en el tratamiento dialítico: estudio del caso

INTRODUCTION: To understand implications of the chronic disease for the child and his/her family it must be consider that the chronic disease can not be cured and that this cure may turn into a dangerous myth, involving the child s development process. AIM: To understand the meaning that renal transplantation has for those children in dyalitic treatment and to know their expectations regarding this treatment. METHOD: This is a qualitative study using as an investigation method a Case Study and the Mayeroff s philosophical referential. The techniques used to collect data were semi-structured interviews and the subject was the Design-Story. 15 children who gave their consent to take part of this research, with ages ranging from 6 to 16 years were interviewed and submitted to a dialytic and hemodialytic treatment. RESULTS: Four categories emerged from the semi-structured questions and after using the content analysis technique according to categories: building the knowledge on transplantation; searching to understand the wait for transplant; creating expectation on the transition; being in contact with frustration. Based on the design-story we had a category: unveiling feelings by means of the draw. In this study, we will show the results regarding the semi-structures questions emerged from the individual s speech. CONCLUSION: This study allowed us to understand that children realize the renal transplant as the only possibility to have their lives back to normal.RESUMEN INTRODUCCIÓN: Para comprender cuales son las implicaciones de la enfermedad crónica para el niño y sus familiares és necessário partir del presupuesto de que la enfermedad crónica no puede ser curada y que la cura deseada puede se transformarse en un mito peligroso, que puede comprometer todo el proceso de desarrolo del niño. OBJETIVOS: Compreender el significado del transplante renal para los niños en tratamiento dialítico y conocer sus expectativas en relación a este tratamiento. MÉTODO: Estudio cualitativo, utilizando el Estudio de Caso y las ideas de Mayeroff como refrencial teórico-filisófico. Las técnicas utilizadas para lel acopio de datos fueron la entrevista semiestructurado y el Diseño-Historia con tema. Fueron entrevistados 15 niños en tratamiento dialítico y hemodialítico, con edades entre 6 y 16 años que consintieron en participar del estudio. RESULTADOS: Del análises de contenido emergieron cuatro categorías: constituyendo el conocomiento sobre el transplante; buscando entender la espera del transplante; creando expectativas de cambios; en contacto con la frustración. Del diseño-historia con tema, la categoría: desvelando los sentimientos a través del diseño. En este artículo presentaremos un recorte de la disertación conteniendo los resultados referentes a las cuestiones semiestructuradas emergidas de las hablas de los sujetos. CONCLUSIÓN: El estudio posibilitó comprender que los niños perciben la realización del transplante renal como la única posibilidad de volver a tener una vida normal.INTRODUÇÃO: Para compreender quais são as implicações da doença crônica para a criança e seus familiares é necessário partir-se da premissa de que a doença crônica não pode ser curada e que a cura almejada pode se transformar em mito perigoso, que compromete todo o processo de desenvolvimento da criança. OBJETIVOS: Compreender o significado do transplante renal para crianças em tratamento dialítico e conhecer suas expectativas em relação a este tratamento. MÉTODO: Estudo qualitativo, utilizando o Estudo de Caso como método de investigação e os pressupostos de Mayeroff como referencial teórico-filosófico. Para coleta de dados foram utilizadas as técnicas de entrevista semi-estruturada e o Desenho-Estória com tema. Foram entrevistadas 15 crianças em tratamento dialítico e hemodialítico, com idades entre 6 e 16 anos que consentiram em participar do estudo RESULTADO: Da análise de conteúdo emergiram quatro categorias: Construindo o conhecimento sobre o transplante; Buscando entender a espera pelo transplante; Criando expectativas de mudanças; Em contato com a frustração. E do desenho-estória com tema a categoria: Desvelando os sentimentos através do desenho. Neste artigo apresentaremos os resultados referentes às questões semi-estruturadas que emergiram das falas dos sujeitos. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo possibilitou compreender que as crianças percebem a realização do transplante renal como a única possibilidade de voltarem a vivenciar uma vida normal.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Hospital São Paulo Serviço de Nefrologia PediátricaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Enfermagem Disciplina de Enfermagem PediátricaUNIFESP, Hospital São Paulo Serviço de Nefrologia PediátricaUNIFESP, Depto. de Enfermagem Disciplina de Enfermagem PediátricaSciEL

Towards long term monitoring of electrodermal activity in daily life

Manic depression, also known as bipolar disorder, is a common and severe form of mental disorder. The European research project MONARCA aims at developing and validating mobile technologies for multi-parametric, long term monitoring of physiological and behavioral information relevant to bipolar disorder. One aspect of MONARCA is to investigate the long term monitoring of Electrodermal activity (EDA) to support the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder patients. EDA is known as an indicator of the emotional state and the stress level of a person. To realize a long-term monitoring of the EDA, the integration of the sensor system in the shoe or sock is a promising approach. This paper presents a first step towards such a sensor system. In a feasibility study including 8 subjects, we investigate the correlation between EDA measurements at the fingers, which is the most established sensing site, with measurements of the EDA at the feet. The results indicate that 88% of the evoked skin conductance responses (SCRs) occur at both sensing sites. When using an action movie as psychophysiologically activating stimulus, we have found weaker reactivity in the foot than in the hand EDA. The results also suggest that the influence of moderate physical activity on EDA measurements is low and has a similar effect for both recording sites. This suggests that the foot recording location is suitable for recordings in daily life even in the presence of moderate movemen