Challenges, applications and future of wireless sensors in Internet of Things: a review

The addition of massive machine type communication (mMTC) as a category of Fifth Generation (5G) of mobile communication, have increased the popularity of Internet of Things (IoT). The sensors are one of the critical component of any IoT device. Although the sensors posses a well-known historical existence, but their integration in wireless technologies and increased demand in IoT applications have increased their importance and the challenges in terms of design, integration, etc. This survey presents a holistic (historical as well as architectural) overview of wireless sensor (WS) nodes, providing a classical definition, in-depth analysis of different modules involved in the design of a WS node, and the ways in which they can be used to measure a system performance. Using the definition and analysis of a WS node, a more comprehensive classification of WS nodes is provided. Moreover, the need to form a wireless sensor network (WSN), their deployment, and communication protocols is explained. The applications of WS nodes in various use cases have been discussed. Additionally, an overlook of challenges and constraints that these WS nodes face in various environments and during the manufacturing process, are discussed. Their main existing developments which are expected to augment the WS nodes, to meet the requirements of the emerging systems, are also presented

Knowledge, Perception and Attitude of Community Pharmacists towards Generic Medicines in Karachi, Pakistan: A Qualitative Insight

Purpose: In an era of escalating healthcare costs and ageing population, there is a need for costeffective measures. This study was aimed to investigate the knowledge, perception and attitude of community pharmacists towards generic medicines. Methods: A  qualitative methodology was adopted. Snowball sampling technique was used to identify eight community pharmacists. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the pharmacists until the point of saturation was obtained. The interviews, which were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim, were evaluated by thematic content analysis and further verified by other authors’ analyses. Results: Thematic content analysis identified three major themes: knowledge of generic medicines,perception towards generic medicines, and attitude towards generic medicines. All the pharmacist  showed good understanding and positive perception towards generic medicines. Mixed responses were observed regarding dispensing of locally manufactured medicines. Low cost was cited as the major determinant in dispensing locally manufactured generics. Conclusion: The current study showed good knowledge and perception towards generic medicines among community pharmacists in Karachi, Pakistan. It also highlighted mixed attitudes towards generic medicine dispensing. A 24-hour mandatory presence of professionally qualified pharmacists in community pharmacies can boost the confidence of doctors in pharmacists and enhance generic substitution.Keywords:   Community pharmacist, Generic Medicine, Pakistan, Qualitative methodolog

Integrating Enterprise Decision-Making Modules into Undergraduate Management and Industrial Engineering Curricula

This paper describes a framework we have developed for teaching enterprise decision-making using Enterprise Decision-Making Modules linked together through a common case scenario. Each module is situated in an organizational process, e.g., the supply chain and order fulfillment process, and involves students in hands-on decision-making using an Enterprise System (ES) to provide an integrated, process-oriented, data-rich environment typical of modern organizations. Our framework differs from other approaches to integrating ES into curricula because it is designed to teach students to work in an integrated process-oriented environment without changing to an integrated process-oriented curriculum and because it introduces decision-making modules across management and engineering curricula while minimizing the ES knowledge required of faculty and the classroom time devoted to ES skills. The paper also describes our Oracle-based technical infrastructure, the project plan and management, as well as our methods for assessing student learning. It reports results from our successful pilot study testing the feasibility of this approach with two decision-making modules in two classes, and also describes Phase 2 of the project, currently underway, which involves additional faculty and modules and tests student understanding of working in an integrated, data-rich environment

Patterns of cancer cell sphere formation in primary cultures of human oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma and neck nodes

YesRecently a sub-population of cells with stem cell characteristics, reported to be associated with initiation, growth, spread and recurrence, has been identified in several solid tumors including oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). The aim of our pilot study was to isolate CD44+ cancer stem cells from primary cultures of OTSCC and neck node Level I (node-I) biopsies, grow cell spheres and observe their characteristics in primary cultures. Parallel cultures of hyperplastic lesions of tongue (non-cancer) were set up as a control. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect CD44/CD24 expression and magnetic activated cell sorting to isolate CD44+ cell populations followed by primary cell culturing. Both OTSCC and node-I biopsies produced floating spheres in suspension, however those grown in hyperplastic and node-I primary cultures did not exhibit self-renewal properties. Lymph node metastatic OTSCC, express higher CD44/CD24 levels, produce cancer cell spheres in larger number and rapidly (24 hours) compared to node negative OTSCC (1 week) and non-cancer specimens (3 weeks). In addition, metastatic OTSCC have the capacity for proliferation for up to three generations in primary culture. This in vitro system will be used to study cancer stem cell behavior, therapeutic drug screening and optimization of radiation dose for elimination of resistant cancer cells.SKMCH&RC, Yorkshire Cancer Researc

Antidepressant, analgesic activity and SAR studies of substituted benzimidazoles

Purpose. Benzimidazole class of compound is found to have diverse biological properties. From the literature study, it is observed that depression is a severe mental disease affecting a huge population and pain is affecting about 20% of world population. In continuation of our previous research work, we selected benzimidazole pharmacophore to further explore its pharmacological activities. Methods. Forced swim test and Thermal stimulus test were used to assess the antidepressant and analgesic activity of synthesized benzimidazole analogs. Results. The antidepressant activity results showed that compound 3j was found most potent having Mean ± SEM value 21.6 ± 0.8 for treated group. Furthermore, in the analgesic test, 3b, 3j, and 3o showed Mean ± SEM values; 1.8 ± 0.10, 2.3 ± 0.10 and 2.2 ± 0.10, respectively. The study results suggested that these compounds could be explored further for the development of better antidepressant and analgesic agents. Conclusion. From the present study, it may be concluded that these active benzimidazole derivatives have been found to possess potential antidepressant and analgesic activit

Conventional CT and PET/CT imaging in the evaluation and management of subsolid pulmonary nodules: an overview of the literature and author recommendations

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Spatial planning and systems thinking tools for climate risk reduction : a case study of the Andaman Coast, Thailand

The impact of climate change and related hazards such as floods, heatwaves, and sea level rise on human lives, cities, and their hinterlands depends not only on the nature of the hazard, but also on urban development, adaptation, and other socioeconomic processes that determine vulnerability and exposure. Spatial planning can reduce climate risk not just by influencing the exposure, but also by addressing social vulnerability. This requires that relevant information is available to planners and that plans are implemented and coordinated between sectors. This article is based on a research project in Thailand, particularly on the results of multi-sectoral workshops in the case study region of the Andaman Coast in southern Thailand, and draws upon climate risk, spatial planning, and systems thinking discourses. The article formulates recommendations for planning in the context of Thailand that are relevant for other rapidly growing and urbanizing regions. Among other conclusions, it suggests that systems thinking approaches and cross-sectoral strategies are ways to grasp the interdependencies between and within climate risk and spatial development challenges.Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Gmb