A Hybrid MAC Protocol with Channel-dependent Optimized Scheduling for Clustered Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks

We propose a novel optimal time slot allocation scheme for clustered underwater acoustic sensor networks that leverages physical (PHY) layer information to minimize the energy consumption due to unnecessary retransmissions thereby improving network lifetime and throughput. To reduce the overhead and the computational complexity, we employ a two-phase approach where: (i) each member node takes a selfish decision on the number of time slots it needs during the next intra-cluster cycle by solving a Markov decision process (MDP), and (ii) the cluster head optimizes the scheduling decision based on the channel quality and an urgency factor. To conserve energy, we use a hybrid medium access scheme, i.e., time division multiple access (TDMA) for the intra-cluster communication phase and carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) for the cluster head-sink communication phase. The proposed MAC protocol is implemented and tested on a real underwater acoustic testbed using SM-75 acoustic modems by Teledyne Benthos. Simulations illustrate an improvement in network lifetime. Additionally, simulations demonstrate that the proposed scheduling scheme with urgency factor achieves a throughput increase of 28 % and improves the reliability by up to 25 % as compared to the scheduling scheme that neither use MDP nor optimization. Furthermore, testbed experiments show an improvement in throughput by up to 10 % along with an improvement in reliability. 1

Controlled pre-post, mixed-methods study to determine the effectiveness of a national delirium clinical care standard to improve the diagnosis and care of patients with delirium in Australian hospitals: a protocol

Introduction Delirium, an acute confusional state, affects up to 29% of acute inpatients aged 65 years and over. The Australian Delirium Clinical Care Standard (the Standard) contains evidence-based, multicomponent interventions, to identify and reduce delirium. This study aims to: (1) conduct a controlled, before-and-after study to assess the clinical effectiveness of the Standard to improve diagnosis and treatment of delirium; (2) conduct a cost-effectiveness study of implementing the Standard and (3) evaluate the implementation process. Methods and analysis The study will use a controlled, preimplementation and postimplementation mixed-methods study design, including: medical record reviews, activity-based costing analysis and interviews with staff, patients and their family members. The study population will comprise patients 65 years and over, admitted to surgical, medical and intensive care wards in four intervention hospitals and one control hospital. The primary clinical outcome will be the incidence of delirium. Secondary outcomes include: length of stay, severity and duration of delirium, inhospital mortality rates, readmission rates and use of psychotropic drugs. Cost-effectiveness will be evaluated through activity-based costing analysis and outcome data, and the implementation process appraised through the qualitative results. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been received for two hospitals. Additional hospitals have been identified and ethics applications will be submitted once the tools in the pilot study have been tested. The results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented to national and international conferences. Results seminars will provide a quality feedback mechanism for staff and health policy bodies.Funding for this research was provided by the NSW Ministry of Health under the NSW Health Early-Mid Career Fellowships Scheme

Interference of artifacts on the detection of vertical radicular fractures on bovine’s teeth with metallic nucleus on cone beam computed tomography

Objectives: To evaluate the interference of artefacts (beamhardening) in the detection of vertical root fractures using the cone beam computed tomography and to measure its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Materials and Methods: 15 inferior incisive bovine roots were used after endodontic treatment and desobturation of 10 mm on each one. They were rehabilitated with a metallic nucleus, and cementation with zinc phosphate was made. The cone beam computed tomography exams were made before (T0) and after (T1) the induction of fractures, which were evaluated by two independent examiners, aimed at evaluating the presence and localization of the dental root fractures, as well as the localization of beamhardening interference in the detection of vertical root fractures, using a Angio Sharpen High 5X5 filter. Results: The presence of beamhardening were detected in 100% of the roots, which were more frequently observed on the middle third of the roots. In both moments of the evaluation (T0 and T1), the localization of beamhardening were proportionally the same as those of local fractures, given a positive diagnoses of fracture even if they didn’t exist. Conclusion: Cone beam computed tomography showed 78% of sensitivity, 63% of specificity and 68% of accuracy, showing that cone beam computed tomography is only an auxiliary method for diagnosis of dental root fractures in teeth treated with metallic nucleus.Objetivos: Avaliar a interferência de artefatos (beamhardening) na detecção de fratura radicular vertical por meio da tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico, bem como a sensibilidade, a especificidade e a acurácia. Materiais e métodos: Foram utilizadas 15 raízes de incisivos inferiores bovinos que, após a realização do tratamento endodôntico e desobturação de 10 mm, foram reabilitadas com núcleo metálico fundido, cuja cimentação foi efetuada com cimento de fosfato de zinco. Os exames de tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico foram realizados antes (T0) e após (T1) a indução das fraturas, as quais foram avaliadas por dois examinadores, a fim de identificar a presença e a localização das fraturas radiculares, bem como a localização do beamhardening e sua interferência na detecção das fraturas radiculares verticais, utilizando o filtro Angio_Sharpen High 5X5. Resultados: O beamhardening foi observado em 100% das raízes e foi visualizado com mais frequência no terço radicular médio. Em ambos os momentos de avaliação (T0 e T1), os locais de beamhardening eram proporcionalmente os mesmos que os locais das fraturas, gerando diagnósticos positivos de fratura mesmo quando elas não existiam. Conclusões: A tomografia computadorizada de feixe cônico apresentou 78% de sensibilidade, 63% de especificidade e 68% de acurácia, demonstrando ser apenas um método auxiliar no diagnóstico de fraturas radiculares em dentes reabilitados com núcleo metálico fundido

Factors Influencing Physical Activity Behavior among Iranian Women with Type 2 Diabetes Using the Extended Theory of Reasoned Action

BackgroundFindings of most studies indicate that the only way to control diabetes and prevent its debilitating effects is through the continuous performance of self-care behaviors. Physical activity is a non-pharmacological method of diabetes treatment and because of its positive effects on diabetic patients, it is being increasingly considered by researchers and practitioners. This study aimed at determining factors influencing physical activity among diabetic women in Iran, using the extended theory of reasoned action in Iran.MethodsA sample of 352 women with type 2 diabetes, referring to a Diabetes Clinic in Khoy, Iran, participated in the study. Appropriate instruments were designed to measure the desired variables (knowledge of diabetes, personal beliefs, subjective norms, perceived self-efficacy, behavioral intention and physical activity behavior). The reliability and validity of the instruments were examined and approved. Statistical analyses of the study were conducted by inferential statistical techniques (independent t-test, correlations and regressions) using the SPSS package.ResultsThe findings of this investigation indicated that among the constructs of the model, self efficacy was the strongest predictor of intentions among women with type 2 diabetes and both directly and indirectly affected physical activity. In addition to self efficacy, diabetic patients' physical activity also was influenced by other variables of the model and sociodemographic factors.ConclusionOur findings suggest that the high ability of the theory of reasoned action extended by self-efficacy in forecasting and explaining physical activity can be a base for educational intervention. Educational interventions based on the proposed model are necessary for improving diabetics' physical activity behavior and controlling disease

West-Life: A Virtual Research Environment for structural biology

The West-Life project (https://about.west-life.eu/)is a Horizon 2020 project funded by the European Commission to provide data processing and data management services for the international community of structural biologists, and in particular to support integrative experimental approaches within the field of structural biology. It has developed enhancements to existing web services for structure solution and analysis, created new pipelines to link these services into more complex higher-level workflows, and added new data management facilities. Through this work it has striven to make the benefits of European e-Infrastructures more accessible to life-science researchers in general and structural biologists in particular

A Low-cost Distributed Networked Localization and Time Synchronization Framework for Underwater Acoustic Testbeds

Localization and time synchronization are both essential services for Internet-connected underwater acoustic testbeds. Although the two are mutually coupled, they are often treated separately. We propose a new low-cost distributed networked localization and time synchronization framework for underwater acoustic sensor network testbeds. The proposal is based on decoupling the two problems and solving first the time synchronization then localization using the same set of messages, i.e. with no additional overhead. A coarse, followed by a fine-grained localization algorithms are adopted to accurately estimate the location of an unknown node. The protocol is robust to noisy range measurements. The proposed scheme is implemented in a testbed based on Teledyne Benthos Telesonar SM-975 underwater modems and tested extensively in Lake LaSalle at the University at Buffalo. Experiments and simulations in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) demonstrate that the proposed scheme can achieve a high accuracy for a given energy budget, i.e. for a given number of message exchanges. I