Performance Analysis of Hierarchical Routing Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks

This work focusses on analyzing the optimization strategies of routing protocols with respect to energy utilization of sensor nodes in Wireless Sensor Network (WSNs). Different routing mechanisms have been proposed to address energy optimization problem in sensor nodes. Clustering mechanism is one of the popular WSNs routing mechanisms. In this paper, we first address energy limitation constraints with respect to maximizing network life time using linear programming formulation technique. To check the efficiency of different clustering scheme against modeled constraints, we select four cluster based routing protocols; Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH), Threshold Sensitive Energy Efficient sensor Network (TEEN), Stable Election Protocol (SEP), and Distributed Energy Efficient Clustering (DEEC). To validate our mathematical framework, we perform analytical simulations in MATLAB by choosing number of alive nodes, number of dead nodes, number of packets and number of CHs, as performance metrics.Comment: NGWMN with 7th IEEE International Conference on Broadband and Wireless Computing, Communication and Applications (BWCCA 2012), Victoria, Canada, 201

Emerging viral respiratory tract infections—environmental risk factors and transmission

This article is made available for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.The past decade has seen the emergence of several novel viruses that cause respiratory tract infections in human beings, including Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia, an H7N9 influenza A virus in eastern China, a swine-like influenza H3N2 variant virus in the USA, and a human adenovirus 14p1 also in the USA. MERS-CoV and H7N9 viruses are still a major worldwide public health concern. The pathogenesis and mode of transmission of MERS-CoV and H7N9 influenza A virus are poorly understood, making it more difficult to implement intervention and preventive measures. A united and coordinated global response is needed to tackle emerging viruses that can cause fatal respiratory tract infections and to fill major gaps in the understanding of the epidemiology and transmission dynamics of these viruses

Pomegranate juice protects kidneys from Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity

Background: Cisplatin is a potent anti-cancer agent used successfully in treatment of cancers of solid organs, but it has a high rate of nephrotoxicity. Objective: The present study was designed to study Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and the nephroprotective property of pomegranate juice. Materials and Methods: The experiment was performed on 36 Iraqi white male domestic rabbits. Rabbits were divided into three groups; control group (received neither pomegranate juice, no Cisplatin), Cisplatin group (received Cisplatin only), and pomegranate group (received pomegranate juice and Cisplatin). Results: Cisplatin group showed marked reduction of renal function manifested by high levels of blood urea, serum creatinine, and low level of serum albumin.Raised levels of oxidative stress markers and severe renal parenchymal damage by histopathology.While, pomegranate group showed almost normal renal function tests and normal levels of oxidative stress markers, and normal renal parenchymal histopathology. Conclusion: Cisplatin in a highly nephrotoxic drug, and Pomegranate juice has a nephroprotective activity against Cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity

Strategic analysis of the obstetric and gynaecological internship in Sudan

Background: The high expectations of the increasingly questioning society lays a great burden on the first line treating doctors in Sudan. This is particularly true in the obstetrics and gynaecology departments. The impact of training of the house-officer in surgical departments was not studied before in Sudan.The aim: To evaluate the gains in knowledge and skills of house-officers in the obstetrics and gynaecology departments as reflected by their activities and their opinions.Methodology: A prospective cohort carried in the period from May 2011 through June 2011. The data was collected from 200 house-officers. Their activities and duties as formulated by their seniors and supervisors and gains in knowledge and skills were noted.Results: All house-officers participated actively in the clinical diagnosis (history, physical examination and relevant investigations) and management of cases of antepartum and postpartum haemorrhages. Of them 186(93%) had duties not more than twice a week. However, 121(60.5%) shared training opportunities in units having seven or less peers. Also, 109(54.5%) had regular seminars and tutorials. In practice, 165(82.5%) performed evacuations, 158(79%) participated in normal deliveries, and 110(55%) were assisted in performing caesarean sections.Conclusion: The overall performance of house-officers in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology in Sudan is good. However, standards of training need to revisited to fill gabs in training if these young doctors are to be dispatched to rural hospital immediately after the internshipperiod.Key words: Internship, preregistration medical graduates duties, house-officers, obstetrics and gynaecology, medical education, and medical responsibility

The Effect of Combined Oral Contraceptive Pills on Factor VII Activity and D-dimer Level in Healthy and Obese Women

Background: The combined pill includes a combination of an estrogen and a progestin. Users of these pills have an increased risk of developing thrombotic disorders compared to the non-users. Obesity is an independent risk factor for venous thromboembolism. Obesity with oral contraceptive use increases the risk of thrombosis furthermore. Objectives: To assess the effects of these pills in obese and healthy non-obese women on factor VII activity and D-dimer level. Also to compare the thrombophilic effects of combined pills in women with control group of normal healthy non-users women. Patients and Methods: This study was started on November 2014 and completed on March 2015, and included 50 females attended at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. They were using contraceptive pills (Microgynon® ED Fe) for at least 3 months. Females were divided into 2 equal groups; the non-obese group and the obese group. As well 25 non-obese age-matched non-pregnant females not on contraception or taking any hormonal therapy were recruited as a control. The hemostatic parameters done for them included the prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, factor VII, D-dimer level, and platelet count. Results: There were significant reductions in prothrombin time in both the non-obese and obese groups compared to the control (P= 0.014 and 0.020, respectively). The correlations between the duration of pills use and clotting times both showed insignificant differences in the study groups. The factor VII activity in the non-obese and obese groups were significantly higher than that of the control (P= 0.041 and 0.001, respectively). There were also significant increase in D-dimer levels in the non-obese and obese groups compared to the control (P= 0.029 and 0.038, respectively). The platelet count was significantly increased only in the obese group compared to the control (P = 0.027). Conclusion: The use of the combined oral contraceptive pills (Microgynon® ED Fe) is associated with significant increase in factor VII activity and the level of D-dimer that may lead to enhanced procoagulant activity. Therefore, females should be properly assessed and monitored before starting using the pills and while on them

Relationship of Pruritus with Biochemical and Haematological Parameters in Haemodialysis Patients (A Single Center Study).

Background: Pruritus often constitutes a major problem for patients with end stage renal disease. The pathophysiological mechanism of chronic kidney disease -associated pruritus is poorly defined. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of uremic pruritus in dialysis patients and their correlation with the laboratory and clinical parameters in some Iraqi patients with chronic renal disease. Patients & methods: This analytic, descriptive, cross-sectional study was performed on 103 patients on haemodialysis. Blood urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone were determined. Complete blood count was also performed. Results: Of the 103 patients included in the study the, 79 patients (76.7%) had pruritus of whom, 27 (34.1%) had mild pruritus, 30 (38%) had moderate and 22 (27.9%) had severe pruritus. No significant association (p> 0.05) was found between pruritus and each of age and haemodialysis duration. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cells, neutrophils, eoisinophils, basophils mean values among patients who had no pruritus, mild, moderate and severe pruritus. A significant positive correlation (p > 0.05) was found between severity of pruritus in pruritic patients and each of age, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Conclusion: Our study showed that age, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels had a significant positive correlation with the severity of pruritus in pruritic patients

A quantitative proteomic approach to identify significantly altered protein networks in the serum of patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM)

Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare and progressive cystic lung condition affecting approximately 3.4-7.5/million women, with an average lag time between symptom onset and diagnosis of upwards of 4 years. The aim of this work was to identify altered proteins in LAM serum which may be potential biomarkers of disease. Serum from LAM patient volunteers and healthy control volunteers were pooled and analysis carried out using quantitative 4-plex iTRAQ technology. Differentially expressed proteins were validated using ELISAs and pathway analysis was carried out using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Fourteen proteins were differentially expressed in LAM serum compared to control serum (p<0.05). Further screening validated the observed differences in extracellular matrix remodelling proteins including fibronectin (30% decrease in LAM, p = 0.03), von Willebrand Factor (40% reduction in LAM, p = 0.03) and Kallikrein III (25% increase in LAM, p = 0.03). Pathway networks elucidated the relationships between the ECM and cell trafficking in LAM. This study was the first to highlight an imbalance in networks important for remodelling in LAM, providing a set of novel potential biomarkers. These understandings may lead to a new effective treatment for LAM in the future. © 2014 Banville et al

Constraint Logic Programming for Hedges: A Semantic Reconstruction

Abstract. We describe the semantics of CLP(H): constraint logic programming over hedges. Hedges are finite sequences of unranked terms, built over variadic function symbols and three kinds of variables: for terms, for hedges, and for function symbols. Constraints involve equations between unranked terms and atoms for regular hedge language membership. We give algebraic semantics of CLP(H) programs, define a sound, terminating, and incomplete constraint solver, and describe some fragments of constraints for which the solver returns a complete set of solutions.

Applying spatial reasoning to topographical data with a grounded geographical ontology

Grounding an ontology upon geographical data has been pro- posed as a method of handling the vagueness in the domain more effectively. In order to do this, we require methods of reasoning about the spatial relations between the regions within the data. This stage can be computationally expensive, as we require information on the location of points in relation to each other. This paper illustrates how using knowledge about regions allows us to reduce the computation required in an efficient and easy to understand manner. Further, we show how this system can be implemented in co-ordination with segmented data to reason abou