Improving the energy efficiency for the WBSN bottleneck zone based on random linear network coding

The reduction of energy consumption and the successful delivery of data are important for the Wireless Body Sensor Network (WBSN). Many studies have been proposed to improve energy efficiency, but most of them have not focussed on the biosensor nodes in the WBSN bottleneck zone. Energy consumption is a critical issue in WBSNs, as the nodes that are placed next to the sink node consume more energy. All biomedical packets are aggregated through these nodes forming a bottleneck zone. This paper proposes a novel mathematical model for body area network (BAN) topology to explain the deployment and connection between biosensor nodes, simple relay nodes, network coding relay nodes and the sink node. Therefore, this paper is dedicated to researching both the energy saving and delivery of data if there is a failure in one of the links of the transmission, which relates to the proposed Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC) model in the WBSN. Using a novel mathematical model for a WBSN, it is apparent that energy consumption is reduced and data delivery achieved with the proposed mechanism. This paper details the stages of the research work

Treaty Override: The False Conflict Between Whitney and Cook

This Article explores the conditions under which a U.S. statute over¬rides an earlier self-executing treaty. Focusing on the often blurred distinction between three types of statute-treaty relationships—reconcilable inconsistencies, textual repugnancies, and conflicts—the Article concludes that, contrary to a common view, there is no contra¬diction between the 1888 Supreme Court decision in Whitney v. Rob¬ertson, stating that in the event of a conflict between a statute and a treaty the later-in-time provision always controls, and the Court’s 1933 decision in Cook v. United States, holding that a later-in-time statute does not override an earlier treaty without a clear expression of con¬gressional intent to override. The Article explains that Cook merely finds no conflict to which Whitney’s later-in-time rule might apply: Together, the two decisions harmoniously stand for the proposition that while typically a later-in-time treaty overrides an earlier repug¬nant statute, a later-in-time statute overrides an earlier repugnant treaty only if Congress has clearly expressed its intent to override or if not overriding the treaty would render the statute a nullity. Though the Court did not say as much, Cook’s approach is an application of the canon of construction favoring a specific provision over a general one. Reconceptualized this way, Cook cannot be said to give general pri¬macy to treaties over statutes

Plasma macrophage-derived chemokine (CCL22) and its receptor CCR4 on peripheral blood T lymphocytes of asthmatic children

Background: The macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22) acts on CC chemokine receptor-4 (CCR4) to direct trafficking and recruitment of T helper-2 (TH2) cells into sites of allergic inflammation. It was previously found overexpressed in lesional samples from adult asthmatics. Objective: This study is aimed to investigate the participation of CCR4/MDC axis in the development of TH2-dominated allergen-induced childhood asthma in relation to disease activity, attack severity, and response to therapy, and to outline its value in differentiating atopic asthma from infection-associated airway reactivity. Methods: Proportion of CCR4-expressing peripheral blood T lymphocytes (CCR4+PBTL%) were purified and quantitated by negative selection from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by flow cytometry, and the concentration of MDC in plasma was measured by ELISA in 32 children with atopic asthma (during exacerbation and remission), as well as in 12 children with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI), and 20 healthy children serving as controls. Results: The mean plasma MDC level (925±471.5 pg/ml) and CCR4+PBTL% (55.3±23.6%) were significantly higher in asthmatic children during acute attacks in comparison to children with ALRTI (109±27.3 pg/ml and 27.6±7.5%) and healthy controls (99.6±25.6 pg/ml and 24.2±4.1%). Both values decreased significantly after subsidence of attacks (502±284.3 pg/ml and 32.5±10.5%) although remained higher than the other 2 groups which were actually comparable in terms of MDC and CCR4%. MDC and CCR4% values were higher among children with acute severe than mild or moderate asthma exacerbations, and in persistent than intermittent cases during stability. Positive correlations could be elicited between both markers during exacerbation or stability, and between the exacerbation level of each and its corresponding value during remission. Corticosteroid-treated patients had the highest expression of both markers when relation to therapy was studied. Conclusion: Our findings reinforce the concept that up regulation of CCR4/MDC axis is implicated in the pathogenesis of pediatric atopic asthma and may represent a useful biomarker of monitoring allergic inflammation and response to therapy. Neutralization and manipulation of CCR4-expressing T cells, as well as MDC antagonism, may represent an adjuvant in the treatment of severe allergic disorders.Keywords: MDC; CCR4; T-lymphocytes; flowcytometry; asthma; childrenEgypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2005; 3(1): 20-3

Serum mucosa-associated epithelial chemokine (MEC/CCL28) in atopic dermatitis: a specific marker for severity

Background: Mucosa-associated epithelial chemokine (MEC; CCL28) is considered pivotal in mediating migration of CCR3 and CCR10-expressing skin-homing memory CLA+ T cells. CCL28 is selectively and continuously expressed by epidermal keratinocytes, but highly upregulated in inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis (AD). Objective: This controlled longitudinal study was designed to evaluate the expression of CCL28 serum levels in childhood AD and bronchial asthma (BA), and its possible relations to disease severity and activity. Methods: Serum CCL28 levels were measured in 36 children with AD, 23 with BA, and 14 who had both conditions as well as in 21 healthy age and sex-matched subjects serving as controls. Sixteen patients in the AD group were followed up and re-sampled for serum CCL28 after clinical remission. Serum CCL28 levels were correlated with some AD disease activity and severity variables. Results: Serum CCL28 levels in AD whether during flare (median = 1530; mean ± SD = 1590.4 ± 724.3 pg/ml) or quiescence (median = 1477, mean ± SD = 1575.2 ± 522.1 pg/ml) were significantly higher than the healthy children values (median = 301; mean ± SD = 189.6 ± 92.8 pg/ml). However, the levels during flare and quiescence were statistically comparable. The serum levels in BA (median = 340; mean ± SD = 201.6 ± 109.5 pg/ml) were significantly lower than the AD group and comparable to the healthy control values. Serum CCL28 levels in severe AD were significantly higher as compared to mild and moderate cases and correlated positively to the calculated severity scores (LSS and SCORAD). CCL28 levels during exacerbation of AD could be positively correlated to the corresponding values during remission, the peripheral absolute eosinophil counts and serum lactate dehydrogenase levels. Serum CCL28 did not vary with the serum total IgE values in AD. Conclusion: Our data reinforce the concept that CCL28 might share in the pathogenesis of AD probably through selective migration and infiltration of effector/memory Th2 cells into the skin. It may also represent an objective prognostic marker for disease severity. Further studies may pave way for CCL28 antagonism among the adjuvant therapeutic strategies.Keywords: Mucosa-associated epithelial chemokine, CCL28, allergic diseases, atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthmaEgypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2005; 3(2): 64-7

Frequent use of paracetamol and risk of allergic disease among women in an Ethiopian population

Introduction The hypothesis that paracetamol might increase the risk of asthma and other allergic diseases have gained support from a range of independent studies. However, in studies based in developed countries, the possibility that paracetamol and asthma are associated through aspirin avoidance is difficult to exclude. Objectives To explore this hypothesis among women in a developing country, where we have previously reported aspirin avoidance to be rare. Methods In 2005/6 a population based cohort of 1065 pregnant women was established in Butajira, Ethiopia and baseline demographic data collected. At 3 years post birth, an interview-based questionnaire administered to 945 (94%) of these women collected data on asthma, eczema, and hay fever in the past 12 month, frequency of paracetamol use and potential confounders. Allergen skin tests to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and cockroach were also performed. The independent effects of paracetamol use on allergic outcomes were determined using multiple logistic regression analysis. Findings The prevalence of asthma, eczema and hay fever was 1.7%, 0.9% and 3.8% respectively; of any one of these conditions 5.5%, and of allergen sensitization 7.8%. Paracetamol use in the past month was reported by 29%, and associations of borderline significance were seen for eczema (adjusted OR (95% CI) = 8.51 (1.68 to 43.19) for 1–3 tablets and 2.19 (0.36 to 13.38) for ≥4 tablets, compared to no tablets in the past month; overall p = 0.055) and for ‘any allergic condition’ (adjusted OR (95% CI) = 2.73 (1.22 to 6.11) for 1–3 tablets and 1.35 (0.67 to 2.70) for ≥4 tablets compared to 0 in the past month; overall p = 0.071). Conclusions This study provides further cross-sectional evidence that paracetamol use increases the risk of allergic disease

Processed meat consumption and Lung function: modification by antioxidants and smoking

This article has supplementary material available from www.erj.ersjournals.com: This study was supported by the Medical Research Council, UK. H. Okubo was supported in part by fellowship of the Astellas Foundation for Research on Metabolic Disorders, Japan and the Naito Memorial Grant for Research Abroad from the Naito Foundation, Japan

Intra-parotid facial nerve schwannoma: case report of a rare entity

Intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma was first reported by Ibarz in 1927. The frequency of intra-parotid schwannomas range from 0.2% to 1.5%. Facial nerve schwannoma can occur at any point along its course from the cerebello-pontine angle to its peripheral branches. Its typical presentation is a slow growing, painless mass mimicking a pleomorphic adenoma. Because of its low prevalence and very few clinical and radiological signs associated with it, pre-operative diagnosis of intraparotid facial nerve schwannoma is generally difficult. There is great potential of misdiagnosis and mismanagement when detected intra-operatively with the worst consequences of facial nerve palsy. In this case a 58 years old male had a parotid mass with a prolonged history of sixteen years with sudden increase in size. Preoperative work up of imaging modalities and fine needle aspiration cytology was not conclusive. Intraoperatively mass couldn’t be separated from the facial nerve, so total parotidectomy for the tumor with transection of facial nerve was done resulting in postoperative facial nerve paralysis. The diagnosis of schwannoma was offered only after histopathological examination. Parotid nerve schwannomas are extremely rare and routine investigations are not very helpful in diagnosis. Whenever a facial nerve is seen involved by a clinically benign appearing lesion, intraparotid schwannoma should be thought of as a diagnostic possibility to avoid radical surgery and prevent complications like facial nerve palsy.

Elevated serum KL-6 in pediatric asthma exacerbation: a proof of alveolar injury

Background: Asthma is one of the most popular chronic diseases in children. It is defined as a complicated inflammatory disorder in which the patient suffers from chronic and persistent inflammation of the airways. The sialylated glycoprotein Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6), one of the lung epithelium-specific proteins, has been recognized as a significant biomarker which directly associates with interstitial lung disease (ILD) pathogenesis, indicating the extent of damage and regeneration of type II pneumocytes. Objective: the aim of this study is to investigate the degree of alveolar damage in asthmatic children with acute exacerbation as reflected by serum KL-6 levels. Methods: This cross-sectional controlled study included 50 patients with acute asthma exacerbation diagnosed as per the GINA guidelines definition and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy children as controls. Spirometry was done for all participants. Serum KL-6 level was estimated by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), and total serum IgE level was measured via the electrochemiluminescence technology. Results: The asthma patients included 35 (70%) males and 15 (30%) females with mean age of 10.76 ±1.9 years. Forty-seven patients (94%) had a positive family history of bronchial asthma and 32 (64%) had other atopic manifestations The mean serum KL-6 level in patients was more than double the mean level of the control group (115.79 vs 55.64). No significant relation was observed between KL-6 serum level and age, family history of asthma, seasonal variation, or atopic manifestation among the cases. Serum total IgE levels were significantly higher in cases compared to controls (P<0.05). Conclusion: Serum KL-6 levels in pediatric asthma patients may be a useful diagnostic tool for detecting and monitoring the severity of airway inflammation. The use of serum KL-6 alone may help to differentiate between asthmatic patients in exacerbation and healthy controls