Performance Estimation of Improved Cooperative Spectrum Sensing in Cognitive Radio

The applications of wireless communication are growing day by day; utilization of the spectrum is one of the prime challenges. Cognitive radio is the new era of wireless communication and acts as an immerging solution to the problem. It senses, analyzes and, allocates the vacant frequency band to secondary users (cognitive Radios). Energy detection (E.D.) has been accepted as the most suitable spectrum sensing technique due to its lower complexity, simplicity and majorly because of its blind detection.  But the performance of the E.D. is limited by low SNR,  shadowing, and multipath fading, so there is a tradeoff between complexity and performance in this conventional Energy detection technique. In this paper improved version of E.D. –Improved Energy Detection (IED)is used as a significant method for the case of cooperative sensing scenario. The proposed framework is also analyzed and compared for the case of different SNR and decision fusion rules. The Simulation result shows that the proposed framework gives excellent performance compared to conventional energy detection (CED) technique with lower complexity which meets the real-time requirement of cooperative spectrum sensing in wireless communication

Assessing the effectiveness of spinal compared to general anesthesia in scheduled minimally invasive lumbar spine surgeries in a tertiary care hospital in Gujarat, India

Background: Minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) is increasingly preferred over traditional open surgery due to its advantages. Anesthesia choice plays a key role in surgical outcomes. This study compares spinal anesthesia (SA) and general anesthesia (GA) in patients undergoing scheduled MIS for lumbar spine conditions. Methods: This prospective randomized study was conducted in Parul Sevashram Hospital, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, between May 2024 and October 2024. The study included 34 ASA-1 and ASA-2 patients scheduled for one—or two-level MIS, divided into two groups: Group G (GA) and Group S (SA). Preoperative evaluation included demographics, lab tests, and imaging. Intraoperative monitoring covered heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and oxygen saturation. Postoperative assessments included blood loss, satisfaction scores, and complications. Results: Spinal anesthesia (SA) showed better hemodynamic stability, reduced blood loss (67.5±19.8 ml in Group S vs 73.2±14.9 ml in Group G), and higher satisfaction scores. Surgery duration was shorter in the SA group (89.9±8.2 min in Group S vs 94±7.2 min in Group G), with fewer complications. PACU stay was significantly lower in Group S (134±17.2 min) compared to Group G (175±20.4 min). Postoperative analgesic requirement (Inj Butorphanol) was also less in Group S (5 mg vs 14 mg IV). Conclusion: Spinal anesthesia is a safe and effective alternative to general anesthesia for MIS, offering better patient outcomes and satisfaction. This study supports the broader use of spinal anesthesia in suitable candidates to improve perioperative care

Experimental Investigation of Coir Fiber Reinforced Bio-Composite for Automobile Application

In today’s developing era the concern for the prevention of non-biodegradable resources has attracted researchers to develop biodegradable materials based on green principles. The fibers from agriculture waste give good advantages over conventional synthetic fibers such as low cost and density, non-toxicity and waste disposal problems. In this work coir fibers have been used as the reinforcing agent with corn starch and glycerol as the matrix to increase the effectiveness of coir fibers. The coir fibers were obtained from disregarded coconut shells that if not properly processed constitute an environmental hazard. The composites have been fabricated by injection moulding method followed by high speed mixing and twin screw extrusion process. In this experimental study mechanical and physical properties have been evaluated by changing the proportion and length of the coir fiber and matrix material. The tensile, flexural, impact and hardness tests have been performed on newly fabricated green composites. Depending on their specific characteristics, could find a position within the wide scale of domestic and commercial applications and products. Experimental results showed tensile, static and Dynamic properties of the composites are greatly influenced by the increasing percentage of reinforcement, lengths of the fiber and indicate coir can be used as potential reinforcing material for many structural and non-structural automobile applications

A Survey of Language Diversity and Communication in Indian Academic Emergency Departments

Background Communication in the Emergency Department (ED) is particularly important given the acuity of patients and lack of prior medical history. In India, patient care is further complicated by the many spoken languages, the regional differentiation in language and the fact that medical training is primarily delivered in English. Our objective was to document language diversity among clinicians in Indian EDs linked to an international training program and explore issues related to clinician-clinician and clinician-patient communication. Methodology A cross-sectional survey of ED clinicians was conducted from May to July 2017. Survey participants were recruited via convenience sampling by a researcher at 6 ED training sites in Kerala and Karnataka. Doctors were also sent an email link to the survey. ANOVA and binary logistic regression were used to perform subgroup analysis. Results 106 clinicians completed the survey including 42 doctors (9 consultants and 33 residents), 45 nurses and 19 paramedics. On average, clinicians spoke 3. 75 languages. Fluency in the majority language at the hospital was reported by 93% of doctors, 84% of nurses and 95% of paramedics. Fluency in English was reported by 100% of doctors, 71% of nurses and 63% of paramedics. Type of clinician, age, gender, and time in clinical practice did not predict number of languages spoken or fluency in the majority language. Doctors were more likely to report fluency in English, compared to other providers (p \u3c 0. 003). 70% of clinicians reported that they used a non-English language to speak to their fellow providers most of the time. 64% felt that information was lost or changed when English medical knowledge was explained in a different language. 53% reported at least one critical incident over the last year where poor communication played a part. Time constraints, language and differences in medical knowledge were the most frequently identified barriers in these incidents. Conclusions Our study is the first to document language diversity in Indian EDs. Important findings include the common use of non-English language in clinician-clinician communication and the frequent perceived loss of information in clinician-patient communication. The reported rates of critical incidents linked to poor communication are higher than reported in comparable studies and warrant further research and action

IMRT commissioning: multiple institution planning and dosimetry comparisons, a report from AAPM Task Group 119.

AAPM Task Group 119 has produced quantitative confidence limits as baseline expectation values for IMRT commissioning. A set of test cases was developed to assess the overall accuracy of planning and delivery of IMRT treatments. Each test uses contours of targets and avoidance structures drawn within rectangular phantoms. These tests were planned, delivered, measured, and analyzed by nine facilities using a variety of IMRT planning and delivery systems. Each facility had passed the Radiological Physics Center credentialing tests for IMRT. The agreement between the planned and measured doses was determined using ion chamber dosimetry in high and low dose regions, film dosimetry on coronal planes in the phantom with all fields delivered, and planar dosimetry for each field measured perpendicular to the central axis. The planar dose distributions were assessed using gamma criteria of 3%/3 mm. The mean values and standard deviations were used to develop confidence limits for the test results using the concept confidence limit = /mean/ + 1.96sigma. Other facilities can use the test protocol and results as a basis for comparison to this group. Locally derived confidence limits that substantially exceed these baseline values may indicate the need for improved IMRT commissioning

Framework for sustained climate assessment in the United States

Author Posting. © American Meteorological Society, 2019. This article is posted here by permission of American Meteorological Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 100(5), (2019): 897-908, doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-19-0130.1.As states, cities, tribes, and private interests cope with climate damages and seek to increase preparedness and resilience, they will need to navigate myriad choices and options available to them. Making these choices in ways that identify pathways for climate action that support their development objectives will require constructive public dialogue, community participation, and flexible and ongoing access to science- and experience-based knowledge. In 2016, a Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) was convened to recommend how to conduct a sustained National Climate Assessment (NCA) to increase the relevance and usability of assessments for informing action. The FAC was disbanded in 2017, but members and additional experts reconvened to complete the report that is presented here. A key recommendation is establishing a new nonfederal “climate assessment consortium” to increase the role of state/local/tribal government and civil society in assessments. The expanded process would 1) focus on applied problems faced by practitioners, 2) organize sustained partnerships for collaborative learning across similar projects and case studies to identify effective tested practices, and 3) assess and improve knowledge-based methods for project implementation. Specific recommendations include evaluating climate models and data using user-defined metrics; improving benefit–cost assessment and supporting decision-making under uncertainty; and accelerating application of tools and methods such as citizen science, artificial intelligence, indicators, and geospatial analysis. The recommendations are the result of broad consultation and present an ambitious agenda for federal agencies, state/local/tribal jurisdictions, universities and the research sector, professional associations, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, and private-sector firms.This report would not have been possible without the support and participation of numerous organizations and individuals. We thank New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo for announcing in his 2018 State of the State agenda that the IAC would be reconvened. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (Contract ID 123416), Columbia University’s Earth Institute, and the American Meteorological Society provided essential financial support and much more, including sage advice and moral support from John O’Leary, Shara Mohtadi, Steve Cohen, Alex Halliday, Peter deMenocal, Keith Seitter, Paul Higgins, and Bill Hooke. We thank the attendees of a workshop, generously funded by the Kresge Foundation in November of 2017, that laid a foundation for the idea to establish a civil-society-based assessment consortium. During the course of preparing the report, IAC members consulted with individuals too numerous to list here—state, local, and tribal officials; researchers; experts in nongovernmental and community-based organizations; and professionals in engineering, architecture, public health, adaptation, and other areas. We are so grateful for their time and expertise. We thank the members and staff of the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Committee to Advise the U.S. Global Change Research Program for providing individual comments on preliminary recommendations during several discussions in open sessions of their meetings. The following individuals provided detailed comments on an earlier version of this report, which greatly sharpened our thinking and recommendations: John Balbus, Tom Dietz, Phil Duffy, Baruch Fischhoff, Brenda Hoppe, Melissa Kenney, Linda Mearns, Claudia Nierenberg, Kathleen Segerson, Soroosh Sorooshian, Chris Weaver, and Brian Zuckerman. Mary Black provided insightful copy editing of several versions of the report. We also thank four anonymous reviewers for their effort and care in critiquing and improving the report. It is the dedication, thoughtful feedback, expertise, care, and commitment of all these people and more that not only made this report possible, but allow us all to continue to support smart and insightful actions in a changing climate. We are grateful as authors and as global citizens. Author contributions: RM, SA, KB, MB, AC, JD, PF, KJ, AJ, KK, JK, ML, JM, RP, TR, LS, JS, JW, and DZ were members of the IAC and shared in researching, discussing, drafting, and approving the report. BA, JF, AG, LJ, SJ, PK, RK, AM, RM, JN, WS, JS, PT, GY, and RZ contributed to specific sections of the report

Ossification of the medial collateral and lateral collateral ligament of knee in a 19-year-old female

This case report discusses an uncommon presentation of Pellegrini-Stieda syndrome (PSS), characterized by ossification of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee, extending to the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) in a 19-year-old female patient. Typically, PSS involves post-traumatic calcification of the MCL, but this case uniquely presents ossification in both the MCL and LCL, a phenomenon not widely documented. The patient, a young laborer from a lower socio-economic background, developed knee pain and restricted movement following a fall. Diagnostic imaging revealed the unusual ossifications, leading to a diagnosis of PSS. The patient was treated with steroid injections under fluoroscopic guidance, resulting in significant improvement in knee mobility. This report highlights the importance of recognizing atypical presentations of PSS for accurate diagnosis and treatment, emphasizing the need for further research into the underlying mechanisms and optimal management strategies for such cases

Stakeholders\u27 Perceptions of a Hospital Based Emergency Medicine Education & Training Program: A System Change

Background: Emergency Medicine (EM) is a new and developing specialty around the world. In India, one model for capacity building has been the development of partnerships between US academic institutions and private healthcare institutions for implementing post-graduate education and training in EM. Initiated in 2007, programs have grown both in number and scope and have continued to attract new students and partner institutions. This study was undertaken to better understand the impact of EM training programs on hospital systems. Methods: A mixed-methods evaluation was undertaken at 5 program sites across India in the summer of 2016. Two researchers conducted onsite semi-structured interviews with key program stakeholders. Participants included hospital administrators, program directors, hospital consultants, and ancillary staff at each hospital. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and then analyzed using a rapid assessment process. Participants also completed a brief survey. Written surveys were analyzed with univariate analysis. Results: A total of 109 stakeholders were interviewed. Positive impacts were reported among all stakeholders, particularly among administrators, consultants, ancillary staff, and supervising physicians in the ED. 80% of hospital administrators and 90% of direct ED supervisors report improved quality of care particularly among critically ill patients. Some respondents, including 89% of administrators, attributed increased patient volumes at least in part due to the educational program. Of respondents, non-ED consultants were less likely to report improvement in quality during off-service rotations, but 92% reported improved patient care in the hospital related to the program. Positive impacts extended beyond the hospital with many examples of community outreach, layperson education, and improved hospital reputation. Discussion: Evaluation of a changing system of emergency care has proven challenging to study. These data reflect substantial impacts to a hospital and the surrounding system after development of an EM training program, extending beyond the hospital itself to community outreach programs and a wide variety of education and training programs. Further investigation may prove helpful in quantifying the reported improvement in quality and scope of impact

Nanotechnology Based Therapeutic Approach in Alzheimer\u27s

Alzheimer\u27s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that ultimately results from the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. The Alzheimer\u27s disease cannot be prevented or cured at this time, and there is no recognised alternative. The medicinal solutions that are currently available can merely slow down its development. However, nanotechnology has demonstrated its applications in the medical field, and it demonstrates a great deal of promise in the treatment of Alzheimer\u27s disease. In particular, it has shown significant promise in the detection of the condition and the development of an alternative technique to cure it. It is necessary for the medication delivery system to have the capability of penetrating and crossing the blood-brain barrier in order to accomplish this need. On the other hand, greater research is necessary in order to discover and overcome these limitations, which have the potential to improve drug absorption while simultaneously reducing toxicity and adverse effects. Certain nanotechnology-based techniques to treating Alzheimer\u27s disease include regenerative medicine, neuroprotection, and stem cell regeneration. These are just few of the emerging approaches. This article\u27s goal is to take a look at nanotechnology from every angle, including its advantages and disadvantages and how it\u27s helping with neurodegenerative disease research and therapy

Perioperative antibiotics prophylaxis for only 24 hours in orthopaedic surgeries

Background: The objective was to analyse the incidence of surgical site infection in patients undergoing elective orthopaedic surgeries procedure when antibiotics prophylaxis is done for 24 hours only. Methods: Between June 2020 and January 2022, 50 cases of orthopedic trauma as well as soft tissue surgeries, who were given perioperative antibiotics for only 24 hours post-surgery at our institution, were included in the study. All 50 patients who received 24 hours antibiotics only after surgery were compared with those who received the same for longer duration. Statistics calculated on MS excel. Results: Rate of infection in this study was 4% which is comparable to other studies but the rate of infection in the present study in cases of open reduction internal fixation was higher (12%) compared to other studies (2%). Conclusions: 24 hours antibiotics is sufficient in key hole surgeries like closed reduction internal fixation and soft tissue surgery. However, it does not seem to be sufficient in cases of open reduction internal fixation which last for more than 1.5 hours