Energy Efficient Schemes for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN)

Conservation of energy is the main design issue in wirelesssensor network (WSN) which is usually available at each node. Althoughdifferent solutions have been introduced for typical wireless networks,cellular networks, MANET, and other short-range wireless local areanetworks, yet they are not often much feasible for a large scale WSN.For this purpose, multiple mobile sink nodes can be deployed to increasethe life of sensor network. The purpose can be achieved by splitting thelife time into equal time interval known as rounds. Similarly, byemploying multiple sink nodes can also make the sensor network moreenergy efficient. Another way to make the sensor network energyefficient is to logically divide the deployment area into static clusters. Byadopting the strategy of static cluster, energy consumption can beminimized. The two major wireless standards used by WSN are 802.15.4and Zigbee [1],[2] .They are low-power protocols. Maximum distance isaround 100m (at 2.4 GHz). However, performance is an issue. In orderto assure the Wireless sensor network (WSN)s survivability and increasethe lifetime of network in such environments, various energy efficiencyschemes have been proposed in the literature. Energy is a valuablecommodity in wireless networks due to the limited battery of the handydevices. The energy problem becomes stiffer in ad-hoc WSN)

Rhizobacterial mediated antimetabolites and their significant effect on human pathogens

Background: The emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria is increasing globally. Therefore, new strategies and exploration of new metabolites are need of the day to combat various diseases.  The aim of the current study is to isolate the rhizobacterial strains from medicinal plants to examine their antibacterial activity against human pathogens.Methods: The total 239 rhizobacterial isolates were screened with agar plug and well diffusion methods, characterized biochemically and identified by Bergey’s manual scheme. In chemical screening, metabolic extracts of rhizobacterial isolates were separated in thin layer chromatography (TLC) and further identified by HPLC. The ability of rhizobacterial strains for optimum metabolite production was checked in vitro under different environmental conditions.Results: Results showed that 31% isolates had antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, E. coccus, E. coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC20737, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Neisseria. Gonorrhea ATCC19424, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus 1, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus 6 and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus 8.  Maximum rhizobacterial strains showed best antibacterial activity at 35ᵒC and at pH7. ST5 strain showed significant results against E. coli ETCC and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus-7 (25mm zone of inhibition). The bands of ST5 and ST2 extracts on a TLC plate were detected at Rf value 4.7 and 4.8 respectively. In HPLC, different peaks at different retention times with maximum peak at 2.90 and 2.92 indicating the production of antimetabolites.Conclusion: These rhizobacterial isolates are valuable inputs in natural consortium to produce specific antibacterial metabolites. Demonstrating the structure and purification of these bioactive compounds may enhance the antimicrobial activities which further can be helpful in development of antibiotics.Keywords: Antibiotics; Rhizobacteria; Antimicrobial agents; MRSA; HPL

The Role of Ownership Concentration and Dividend Policy on Firm Performance: Evidence from an Emerging Market of Pakistan

Purpose- The main aim of this study is to determine the role of ownership concentration and dividend policy on the firm performance of chemical sector firms of Pakistan. Design/Methodology- This research used the secondary data collected from the annual reports of the companies listed at the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE). However, inclusion criteria are the 26 listed firms from 2012 to 2017, giving a total of 156 observations. This study used the Generalized Least Squares Model. Findings- The findings reveal that ownership concentration has a significant positive association with firm financial performance. This stated that larger shareholders could attribute to the alignment of managerial incentives with shareholder interests. They also monitor the team very effectively and efficiently. The dividend policy has a significant positive relationship with ROA. Leverage and tangibility have a significant negative relationship with firm performance. Practical Implications- These results potentially can be relevant for policymakers and academic research as well as also helpful for managers and policymakers

Awareness About Diabetes And Its Complications Among Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract Objective: Awareness of diabetes and its potential complications is crucial for effective management and prevention of long-term health risks. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness and understanding of diabetes and its complications among patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: A cross-sectional study included 200 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus as per the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. Type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes patients were excluded from the study. The duration of the study was 8 months. The patient’s awareness regarding diabetes and its complications was assessed as per the prefixed questionnaire.  Analysis of the data was carried out with SPSS version 28. The Chi-square test was used to investigate the association of awareness of diabetes mellitus with various independent variables variable as age and duration of diabetes. The level of statistical significance was p <0.05. Results: Among the participants, 80 (40%) were male and 120 (60%) were female. A significant portion of patients 73 (36.5%) were never informed about diabetes or its complications. 69 (34%) of patients were never educated about the symptoms of hypoglycemia. 142 (71%) of the patients had a glucometer and 88 (44%) participants had poor follow-up and never checked HbA1C. Moreover, Patients with longer diabetes duration were more likely to visit ophthalmologists at regular intervals (P value 0.023). 111 (56%) never checked their urine for proteinuria and 172 (86%) were aware that diabetes can affect their kidneys. Foot care and awareness of diabetic foot complications were lacking among patients. 48 (24%) examined their feet daily, 66 (33%) never examined their feet, and 73 (36%) were never told about foot care by their doctors. The statistically significant impact of age on patients' knowledge regarding blood sugar levels (P=0.009) and foot care (P=0.013) Conclusion: There is a significant lack of awareness among individuals with diabetes, highlighting the urgent need for educational initiatives. Both the public and private healthcare sectors should take the responsibility of providing awareness programs

Free l-glutamate-induced modulation in oxidative and neurochemical profile contributes to enhancement in locomotor and memory performance in male rats

Glutamate (Glu), the key excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, is considered essential for brain functioning and has a vital role in learning and memory formation. Earlier it was considered as a harmful agent but later found to be useful for many body functions. However, studies regarding the effects of free L-Glu administration on CNS function are limited. Therefore, current experiment is aimed to monitor the neurobiological effects of free L-Glu in male rats. L-Glu was orally administered to rats for 5-weeks and changes in behavioral performance were monitored. Thereafter, brain and hippocampus were collected for oxidative and neurochemical analysis. Results showed that chronic supplementation of free L-Glu enhanced locomotor performance and cognitive function of animals which may be attributed to the improved antioxidant status and cholinergic, monoaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in brain and hippocampus. Current results showed that chronic supplementation of L-Glu affects the animal behaviour and brain functioning via improving the neurochemical and redox system of brain. Free L-Glu could be a useful therapeutic agent to combat neurological disturbances however this requires further targeted studies

Comparative Review on Information and Communication Technology Issues in Education Sector of Developed and Developing Countries: A Case Study About Pakistan

The use of information and communication technology is very beneficial in the education sector because it can enhance the quality of education. However, the implementation of ICT in the education sector of developed and developing countries is a challenging task. This paper explains the comparative study of ICT issues in the education sector of developed and developing countries. In particular, we compare issues between Pakistan and high-tech countries. Our study reveals the fact that the education sector is facing numerous ICT problems that are based on culture, finance, management, infrastructure, lack of training, lack of equipment, teacher’s refusal, and ethical issues. At the end of this paper, various issues faced by the implementation of ICT in the education sector of Pakistan have been categorized into various types, namely, infrastructure, lack of IT professionals, lack of high-speed internet and equipment. Our research is based on five key research questions related to ICT issues. We used a mixed approach where the results of this study can be used as a set of guidelines to help make the learning environment technology-oriented, fast, planned, and productive. Future directions are also given at the end of this paper

Anti-nociceptive effect of gabapentin in mouse models of acute and chronic pain

Purpose: To investigate the anti-nociceptive effect of gabapentin in acute and chronic pain models. Methods: Four mouse models of pain were used in this study. These comprised thermal tests (hot plate and tail immersion tests), and chemical tests (formalin and acetic acid-induced writhing tests). A total of seventy-two (72) albino mice weighing 25 - 40 g (mean weight = 32.5 ± 5.1 g) were used. In each test, the mice were randomly assigned to three sets of 6 mice each: control group, celecoxib group and drug treatment group. Each test was performed at intervals of 30, 60 and 90 min. Results: During the acute phase, there was no significant decrease in foot raising (FR) or licking and biting (L & B) episodes among the groups (p > 0.05). However, these episodes were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the second delayed phase, in the celecoxib and drug-treated groups, when compared with normal control group. Gabapentin significantly (p < 0.05) decreased pain response throughout the course of the thermal tests. The number of writhes within 30 min were significantly reduced in celecoxib and gabapentin-treated animals, compared with negative control group (p < 0.05). Gabapentin produced approximately 60 % protection of writhing, similar to that produced by celecoxib, the standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used (61 %). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the gabapentin is effective against chronic inflammatory pain in mice and therefore can be potentially developed as an effective anti-inflammatory agent for humans

Administration of 5-HT-1B agonist ameliorates pseudodementia induced by depression in rats

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of memory impairment in general population. The serotonin hypothesis provides a target model for the treatment of depression and depression-associated memory loss. 5-HT-1B receptor is suggested as a potential candidate in the pathophysiology of depressive illness. Dysfunction of 5-HT-1B receptors has been observed previously in depressive patients. Zolmitriptan, 5-HT-1B agonist is clinically recommended for the treatment of migraine. However, in present study this drug was tested as a potential treatment for depression and associated memory loss by altering the serotonergic function at receptor level. Rats (n=24) were equally divided into unstressed and stressed groups. Depression was induced by 19 days of restraint stress for 4 h which was followed by forced swim test and pattern separation test to assess depressive symptoms and memory impairment, respectively. The initial sign of depression-associated memory loss involves impaired pattern separation which is regarded as pseudodementia. In this study stressed ratsshowed depression- and pseudodementia-like symptoms. After the induction of depression, rats were treated with zolmitriptan at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg which resulted in a significant attenuation of depression and depression-associated memory impairment. Results are discussed with reference to the modulation of function of 5-HT-1B receptor following the administration of exogenous agonist

Knowledge, attitudes and experiences of self-harm and suicide in low-income and middle-income countries: protocol for a systematic review.

From Europe PMC via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: ppub 2021-06-01, epub 2021-06-22Publication status: PublishedIntroductionOver 800 000 people die due to suicide each year and suicide presents a huge psychological, economic and social burden for individuals, communities and countries as a whole. Low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately affected by suicide. The strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt, and other types of self-harm have been found to be robust predictors of suicidal behaviour. An approach that brings together multiple sectors, including education, labour, business, law, politics and the media is crucial to tackling suicide and self-harm. The WHO highlights that evaluations of the knowledge and attitudes that priority groups, not only healthcare staff, have of mental health and suicidal behaviour are key to suicide prevention strategies. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the knowledge, attitudes and experiences different stakeholders in LMICs have of self-harm and suicide.Methods and analysisMEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, BNI, Social Sciences and Cochrane Library will be searched. Reviewers working independently of each other will screen search results, select studies for inclusion, extract and check extracted data, and rate the quality of the studies using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology and Critical Appraisals Skills Programme checklists. In anticipation of heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis of quantitative studies will be provided and metaethnography will be used to synthesise qualitative studies.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required. A report will be provided for the funding body, and the systematic review will be submitted for publication in a high-impact, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Results will also be disseminated at conferences, seminars, congresses and symposia, and to relevant stakeholders.Prospero registration numberCRD42019135323

Development of AD like symptoms following co-administration of AlCl3 and D-gal in rats: A neurochemical, biochemical and behavioural study

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder associated with neurochemical and neurobehavioural alterations. Aluminium (Al) is considered as a contributing factor in the etiology of several neurodegenerative disorders like AD. D-galactose (D-gal) is a physiological nutrient but over supply induces some neurochemical and biochemical changes that exacerbate natural aging process. In this study, we aimed to develop AD animal model by co-administration of Al and D-gal in rats. Male albino Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with AlCl3 and D-gal at a dose of 150mg/kg and 300mg/kg respectively for one week. After one week rats were subjected to behavioural analysis. After behavioural analysis rats were decapitated to remove their brain. Biochemical and neurochemical analysis were conducted in whole brain. AlCl3+D-gal significantly induced depressive and anxious behaviour in rats. Rats cognitive abilities were also significantly impaired following AlCl3 and D-gal co-administration. AlCl3+D-gal significantly altered antioxidant enzyme activities and biogenic amine levels in whole brain. A marked increase in brain lipid peroxidation and acetylcholinesterase activity was found in test rats. These findings suggest that co-administration of AlCl3 and D-gal for one week could induce AD like symptoms and may be used to develop AD animal model