In software, hardware, and embedded system domains, debugging is the process of locating and correcting faults in a system. Depending on the context, the various characteristics of debugging induce different challenges and solutions. Post-silicon hardware debugging, for example, needs to address issues such as limited visibility and controllability, while debugging software entails other issues, such as the handling of distributed or non-deterministic computation. The challenges that accompany such issues are the focus of many current research efforts. Solutions for debugging range from interactive tools to highly analytic techniques. We have seen great advances in debugging technologies in recent years, but bugs continue to occur, and debugging still encompasses significant portions of the life-cycles of many systems. The session covered state-of-the-art approaches as well as promising new research directions in both the hardware and software domains.

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The present work proposes the development of a bio-battery composed by an ultrathin monolithic structure of an electrospun cellulose acetate membrane, over which was deposited metallic thin film electrodes by thermal evaporation on both surfaces. The electrochemical characterization of the bio-batteries was performed under simulated body fluids like sweat and blood plasma [salt solution - 0.9% (w/w) NaCl]. Reversible electrochemical reactions were detected through the cellulose acetate structure. Thus, a stable electrochemical behavior was achieved for a bio-battery with silver and aluminum thin films as electrodes. This device exhibits the ability to supply a power density higher than 3μWcm-2.Finally, a bio-battery prototype was tested on a sweated skin, demonstrating the potential of applicability of this bio-device as a micropower source. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

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Transactional Memory [3] (TM) is a new paradigm for concurrency control that brings the concept of transactions, widely known from the Databases community, into the management of data located in main memory. TM delivers a powerful semantics for constraining concurrency and provides the means for the extensive use of the available parallel hardware. TM uses abstractions that promise to ease the development of scalable parallel applications by achieving performances close to fine-grained locking while maintaining the simplicity of coarse-grained locking.

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The universal semi-empirical equation has been commonly used to quantitatively describe the energy dependence of the secondary electron yield (SEY). It is even used as a first reliability test for experimental data. The equation is based on the assumption that the stopping power is constant along the electron trajectory. In this article, we derive a novel analytical expression based on a more advanced model which considers linear stopping power dependence on penetration depth. Although coinciding with the universal equation at low energies, the novel function has lower intensity in the higher energy range. The models were compared with experimental SEY data of different metals, taken from literature, as well as freshly cleaved highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, measured in the frame of this work. It is confirmed that the novel expression better describes the experimental data.

We present a new approach for real-time monitoring of PCR amplification of a specific sequence from the human c-MYC proto-oncogene using a Ta 2O 5 electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) sensor. The response of the fabricated EIS sensor to cycle DNA amplification was evaluated and compared to standard SYBR-green fluorescence incorporation, showing it was possible to detect DNA concentration variations with 30mV/??M sensitivity. The sensor's response was then optimized to follow in real-time the PCR amplification of c-MYC sequence from a genomic DNA sample attaining an amplification profile comparable to that of a standard real-time PCR. Owing to the small size, ease of fabrication and low-cost, the developed Ta 2O 5 sensor may be incorporated onto a microfluidic device and then used for real-time PCR. Our approach may circumvent the practical and economical obstacles posed by current platforms that require an external fluorescence detector difficult to miniaturize and incorporate into a lab-on-chip system. ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

A heterogeneous, versatile nano-magnesia-zirconia or MgO–ZrO2 (MZ) catalyst was prepared by an ultra dilution method. The as-synthesised catalyst was characterized by several analytical techniques such as XRD, particle size analysis, BET surface area, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), FT-IR spectroscopy, SEM (scanning electron microscope), TEM (transmission electron microscope) and XPS (X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy). The surface area is found to be 268 m2 g1. The catalytic activity of MZ was tested for various important organic reactions such as cross-aldol condensation, N-benzyloxycarbonylation of amines, reduction of aromatic nitrocompounds, and synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepines. It has been observed that for all reactions MZ shows a good catalytic activity. All corresponding products were obtained in good to excellent yield under mild conditions. The MgO-ZrO2 catalyst can be prepared from inexpensive precursors, has high surface area, and is reusable and recyclable for all reactions. Introduction In heterogeneous catalysis, mixed metal oxides (MMOs) play a

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This dissertation tries to track the route of power production from photovoltaic sources. A worldwide look into the photovoltaic solar power production is given. The theory behind the PV cell and its application in PV power modules is presented. The DC ? DC power converters usually associated with solar PV panels are showed. The main maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms are also showed. A solar PV system was dimensioned using the theoretical models and the solar PV modules (BS ? 40) available at the Departamento de Engenharia Electrotécnica (DEE). This system was used as a reference for designing a simulator implemented in MatLab?Simulink. This simulator includes all the components needed to test the different MPP tracking algorithms. Those components are: A PV solar module, which can be associated with others to form a solar panel; A Flyback DC ? DC power converter and a classic perturb and observe (P&O) tracking algorithm. A solar power meter that gives values in W?m2 was built in order to validate simulation values of the solar PV modules. Measuring the solar module characteristics (tension ? current) and knowing the solar irradiation at that given time it is possible to check if the simulated values and the measured ones agree. With the data collected in the simulation a new MPP tracking algorithm was presented. This is based in the classic P&O algorithm, but using modules that try to overcome the local maxima problem. It also tries to minimize the control oscillations in the converter?inverter, this is done in order to minimize losses and to maximize power production.

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