Exploring IoT in Smart Cities: Practices, Challenges and Way Forward

The rise of Internet of things (IoT) technology has revolutionized urban living, offering immense potential for smart cities in which smart home, smart infrastructure, and smart industry are essential aspects that contribute to the development of intelligent urban ecosystems. The integration of smart home technology raises concerns regarding data privacy and security, while smart infrastructure implementation demands robust networking and interoperability solutions. Simultaneously, deploying IoT in industrial settings faces challenges related to scalability, standardization, and data management. This research paper offers a systematic literature review of published research in the field of IoT in smart cities including 55 relevant primary studies that have been published in reputable journals and conferences. This extensive literature review explores and evaluates various aspects of smart home, smart infrastructure, and smart industry and the challenges like security and privacy, smart sensors, interoperability and standardization. We provide a unified perspective, as we seek to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of smart cities while overcoming security concerns. It then explores their potential for collective integration and impact on the development of smart cities. Furthermore, this study addresses the challenges associated with each component individually and explores their combined impact on enhancing urban efficiency and sustainability. Through a comprehensive analysis of security concerns, this research successfully integrates these IoT components in a unified approach, presenting a holistic framework for building smart cities of the future. Integrating smart home, smart infrastructure, and smart industry, this research highlights the significance of an integrated approach in developing smart cities

Influence of nutrition on the virulence and stability of the insect-pathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae.

Nutrition influenced growth, sporulation, phenotypic stability and virulence of the insect pathogenic fimgus, Metarhizium anisopliae. Virulent conidia were produced on nutrient poor or osmotic stress media, while least virulent conidia were produced on nutrient rich media. Repeated subculturing on nutrient rich media caused further attenuation of virulence, however, attenuation was strain dependant. Several strain independent parameters were identified that could be used to monitor the virulence of M anisopliae conidia during normal production or when developing new inexpensive culture media. Virulent conidia typically had high levels of spore bound Prl, a CN ratio below 5.2:1 and high germination rates. RT-PCR revealed that virulent conidia from insects contained high levels of transcripts of prl A and other pathogenicity-related genes (e.g. ste 1, try 1 and chy 1). Virulent conidia from 1% yeast extract media had higher levels of transcripts of these pathogenicity-related genes than the least virulent conidia from CN 35:1 medium (= SDA), however, levels were significantly lower than those in insect-derived conidia. This study shows for the first time that passaged inoculum is virulent irrespective of the original culture medium or insect host suggesting that starvation conditions, whether in vivo or in vitro, results in de-repression of Prl and that elevated levels of this enzyme enhance fungal virulence. Nutrition also influenced expression of other pathogenicity determinants e.g. adhesive properties of conidia (hydrophobicity, surface charge) and destruxins production, however, inconclusive relationship between these pathogenicity determinants and nutrition was observed. Nutrition also influenced fungal stability independent of strain. Under similar nutritional conditions, V275 produced fewer sectors than V245. Most sectors were sterile and produced significantly lower quantities of pathogenicity determinants. Careful selection of stable strains and manipulation of cultural conditions could be employed to enhance or stabilize virulence of M anisopliae

Peripartum hysterectomy: prospective observational study in a tertiary care centre of north India

Background: Emergency peripartum hysterectomy is a vital surgical procedure performed at the time of vaginal or caesarean delivery or in the immediate postpartum period in cases of intractable postpartum haemorrhage unresponsive to other conservative measures. Such hemorrhage may be due to atonic uterus, uterine trauma, coagulation disorders, abnormal placentation, not treatable by conservative measures. Methods: This study was conducted for a time period of 1.5 years from March 2016 to September 2017, in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, GMC Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. All such patients in our hospital were included in this study. The incidence, risk factors, age, parity, gestational age, indications for performing hystrectomy, pre and post-operative complications were studied. Results: The incidence was 3.2/1000 deliveries. The average age of the patients in our study was 31.18±2.80 years. Most patients were delivered at gestation of 37-38 weeks (61.17%). Among the patients undergoing peripartum hysterectomy 87.38% had caesarean delivery and 12.62% had vaginal delivery. The commonest indication of peripartum hystrectomy in our study was abnormal placentation (67.96%) with accreta accounting for most of these cases (53.40%). Conclusions: The incidence of peripartum hystrectomy in our centre has increased with time, which can be accounted by increase in the rate of caesarean sections over time which has led to the emergence of morbidly adherent placentation as the commonest risk factor for peripartum hysterectomy

Effect of School Library on Students’ Learning Attitude

The purpose of this study is to unfold the perceptions of school teachers about the importance of school libraries in developing academic attitude among students. It is an attempt to know the opinion of teachers, what they perceive about the effect of the sue of libraries. For this purpose, 560 school teachers (male= 280 and female=280) were selected randomly from 70 public sector boys (35) and girls (35) high schools of Lahore district, Pakistan. An opinionnaire consisting of 16 items based on five point Likert Scale was developed and pilot tested on 70 school teachers. The reliability coefficient value was α=0.9154. Finally, the data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics and t-test to compare the means at p<0.05 level of significance. The results indicated that male teachers are more in favor (mean= 66.64) than female teachers (mean= 63.91) about the fact that library has a significant role in developing learning attitude among students. They were selected because the teachers self fulfilling prophecy contributes a lot for the development of the child. Generally this area of consideration is almost neglected in Pakistani research circles. The focus of this study was to explore the facts in a novel way. What sort of differences are there in the opinion of male and female teachers regarding the library were also the questions to be answered in this stud

Medical thoracoscopy- an experience

Background: Medical thoracoscopy is a minimally invasive procedure for diagnosing and treating pleural diseases especially undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. It is cost effective and safe. The diagnostic yield in undiagnosed pleural effusion is excellent.Methods: This prospective observational study was done in Government Chest Disease hospital of Government Medical College, Srinagar during the period between December 2015 to Dec 2016.Thirty undiagnosed pleural effusion patients after thoracocentesis and who fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria’s were included in the study. Medical thoracoscopy using rigid thoracoscope was started for the first time in our hospital and was done in these enrolled patients. Clinical, Thoracoscopic findings and histopathological data of the patients were collected prospectively and analysed.Results: Maximum patients were in the age group of 41-50 years. Most common Thoracoscopic finding was multiple nodules (40%) followed by sago grain infiltration (33.4%). Malignancy was the most common HPE finding of pleural biopsy (46.6%) followed by TB (33.3%). All nodules (13) turned out to be malignant while all sago grain appearance pleura (10) turned out of to be TB. The overall diagnostic yield is 80% as a whole and 96% among patients who had thoracoscopic pleural findings.Conclusions: Medical Thoracoscopy is a safe and easy outpatient procedure and an excellent diagnostic tool for undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion. The diagnostic yield is quite high and complications of procedure are negligible

The evaluation of coated granules to mask the bitter taste of dihydroartemisinin

The purpose of this study was to mask the bitter taste imparted by dihydroartemisinin (DHA) by the use of different coating materials. Trial-1 and trial-2 were conducted to prepare the DHA granules. The granules produced from trial-1 were irregular in shape and smaller in size while the trial-2 granules were more regular and larger in size. The granules obtained from both trials were then coated with two different coating methods, namely A and B, depending upon coating material. The trial-2 granules showed better flow properties than trial-1 granules. In vitro dissolution studies in phosphate buffer at pH 6.8 revealed that granules of trial-2B released only 34% ± 3 DHA in two minutes compared with trial-1A (57% ± 2), trial-1B (48% ± 2) and trial-2A (53% ± 7). The pleasant taste perception (PTP) test also confirmed the taste masking efficacy of trial-2B (P < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the more regular and smooth surface of trial-2B granules. In addition, the differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA) confirmed no interaction between the materials and pure DHA. DHA has shown its characteristic peaks in the x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns which were also prominent in all the granules. In conclusion, the granules obtained from trial-2B displayed considerable decrease in the bitter taste of DHA thereby fulfilling the purpose of this study.O objetivo deste estudo foi o de mascarar o gosto amargo característico da diidroartemisinina (DHA) pelo uso de diferentes materiais de revestimento. Experimento-1 e experimento-2 foram realizados para preparar grânulos de DHA. Os grânulos produzidos pelo experimento-1 mostraram-se irregulares e menores se comparados aos obtidos pelo experimento-2, que foram mais regulares e maiores. Os grânulos obtidos em ambos os experimentos foram, então, revestidos por dois métodos distintos de revestimento, designados como A e B, dependendo do material de revestimento empregado. Os grânulos do experimento-2 mostraram melhor propriedade de fluxo que os obtidos no experimento-1. Estudos de dissolução in vitro em tampão fosfato pH 6,8 revelaram que grânulos do experimento-2B liberaram apenas 34% ± 3 da DHA em dois minutos se comparado com experimento-1A (57% ± 2), experimento-1B (48% ± 2) e experimento-2A (53% ± 7). A Análise Sensorial quanto ao sabor (Pleasant Taste Perception - PTP) também confirmou a eficácia do experimento-2B (

Tuberculosis: an experience at government chest disease hospital

Background: This retrospective study was carried out to find the incidence, clinical profiles and treatment outcome of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients attending the only Chest Disease Hospital in Srinagar.Methods: A retrospective analysis of 613 patients having EPTB and PTB was undertaken from the chest disease hospital of Government Medical College Srinagar. Demographic characteristics, clinical features and treatment outcome were obtained from medical case records of all patients visiting the hospital for a period of two years from May 2016-May 2018.Results: The study comprised of 613 patients, out of which 365% were having pulmonary TB while 35% were having extrapulmonary TB. Majority of patients (44.5%) in TB group were in age group 10-30 while majority of patients (42%) in EPTB group were in age group 51-70. Males were seen more commonly affected. Majority (90%) of patients in EPTB group had pleural effusion. Majority of patients (71%) were smear positive by ZN staining in PTB group. Majority (90%) of PTB patients in smear negative group were BAL negative. In PTB group 8% were treatment failure while in EPTB group 2% were treatment failure. MDR was seen in 4.2% of total tuberculosis patient while XDR was seen in 0.32% of total patients. Out of treatment failure in PTB group MDR was seen in 64% followed by monoresistance to INH in 30% and XDR in 6%. In EPTB group MDR was seen in 100% of treatment failure. All patients with XDR died. Among the MDR patients majority are on treatment while 12% died, another 12% defaulter while 12% completed treatment.Conclusions: Among evaluated tuberculosis patients, maximum had PTB. Pleural tuberculosis was the most common presentation of EPTB. The study shows male preponderance in both groups. Treatment response was excellent with failure rate of 8% in PTB and 2% in EPTB. Most common cause of failure was MDR. XDR was seen in two patients and both of them died

Correlation between Vertical Dimension of Occlusion and Finger Length in Kashmiri Population

Introduction: Measurement of accurate vertical dimension of&nbsp;occlusion (VDO) is of prime importance to the dentist especially&nbsp;a prosthodontist. Though many methods have been proposed&nbsp;in recording VDO in the past but none of them fulfills the criteria&nbsp;of accuracy, reproducibility and ease. This study employs theuse of length of fingers to measure VDO in Kashmiri population.&nbsp;Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 60&nbsp;dentulous subjects which include 30 males and 30 females&nbsp;in the age range of 18 to 25 years. Measurement of VDO and&nbsp;length of fingers was recorded using a digital vernier caliper.&nbsp;Correlation between VDO and length of fingers was studied&nbsp;using Spearman’s coefficient.&nbsp;Result: Vertical dimension of occlusion was found to be almost&nbsp;the length of index finger in males and little finger in females&nbsp;in Kashmiri population.&nbsp;Conclusion: The study revealed that length of index finger is&nbsp;almost equal to VDO in males and length of little finger is almost&nbsp;equal to VDO in females.&nbsp