Energy Aware Heuristic approach for Cluster Head Selection in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks idea is envisioned and defined as self-deployed, error prone, long living inexpensive communication devices that are densely deployed to collect data from physical space. Sensor nodes communicate with each other to detect events depending on the application, to collect and process data, and to transmit the sensed information to the base station by hopping the data from node to node. Major challenge in wireless network is energy consumption, since the sensor devices are deployed on unattended wide areas and replacing their batteries is not very feasible. Therefore, designing energy-aware algorithms becomes a major challenge for extending the lifetime of sensors. The lifetime of the network can be maximized by selecting the most optimal cluster head. In this paper, a heuristic decision making approach is proposed for producing energy-aware clusters with optimal selection of cluster head. This helps to improve the efficiency and accuracy and overcome the drawbacks like getting trapped at a local extreme in the optimization process

Bioactive Natural Medicinal Plants in South Indian Western Ghats and Their Pharmacological Importance

Awareness of traditional knowledge and medicinal plants can play a key role in the utilization and discovery of natural plant resources. Plants became the basis of medicine system throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide mankind with new remedies. Researchers generally agree that natural products from plants and other organisms have been the most consistently successful source for ideas for new drugs. The world health organization estimates that 80% of the population living in the developing countries relies exclusively on traditional medicine for their primary health care. More than half of the world's population still relies entirely on plants for medicines, and plants supply the active ingredients of most traditional medical products. The review shows the south Indian medicinal plant products has been used by people to treat various health ailments

Energy Aware Heuristic Approach for Cluster Head Selection in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks idea is envisioned and defined as self-deployed, error prone, long living inexpensive communication devices that are densely deployed to collect data from physical space. Sensor nodes communicate with each other to detect events depending on the application, to collect and process data, and to transmit the sensed information to the base station by hopping the data from node to node. Major challenge in wireless network is energy consumption, since the sensor devices are deployed on unattended wide areas and replacing their batteries is not very feasible. Therefore, designing energy-aware algorithms becomes a major challenge for extending the lifetime of sensors. The lifetime of the network can be maximized by selecting the most optimal cluster head. In this paper, a heuristic decision making approach is proposed for producing energy-aware clusters with optimal selection of cluster head. This helps to improve the efficiency and accuracy and overcome the drawbacks like getting trapped at a local extreme in the optimization process

Preparation and Evaluation of Nano-vesicles of Brimonidine Tartrate as an Ocular Drug Delivery System

The objective of the present investigation was to design a vesicular formulation of brimonidine tartrate and evaluate its ability to reduce the dosing frequency and improve the therapeutic efficacy of the drug. Nano-vesicles of brimonidine tartrate were prepared by film hydration method. The prepared vesicles were evaluated for photomicroscopic characteristics, entrapment efficiency, in vitro, and ex-in vitro drug release and in vivo intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering activity. The methods employed for preparation of vesicles produced nano vesicles of acceptable shape and size. The in vitro, and ex-in vitro drug release studies showed that there was slow and prolonged release of the drug, which followed zero-order kinetics. The IOP-lowering activity of nano vesicles was determined and compared with that of pure drug solution and showed that the IOP-lowering action of nano-vesicles sustained for a longer period of time. Stability studies revealed that the vesicle formulations were stable at the temperature range of 2-8°C, with no change in shape and drug content. The results of the study indicate that it is possible to develop a safe and physiologically effective topical formulation that is also convenient for patients

SURVEY OF SOME PLANTS IN NAINAMALAI FOOTHILL, EASTERN GHATS, NAMAKKAL

Objectives: This study was designed to document some medicinal plants in Nainamalai foothill.Methods: The plants were collected from different sites of the hill area, identified by their local names with the help of villagers while walking through the vegetation. The photographs of these plant species were taken during the field visits.Results: Plant survey at Ninamalai foothill has documented a total of 124 plants. Among 124 species surveyed, 123 were angiospermic plants and one pteridophytic plant. Analysis of plants showed that the more number of dicotyledons (115 species) belongs to 43 families and 8 monocotyledons are represented in 5 families. Within dicotyledons, 53 species are polypetalae, 34 species are gamopetalae, and 28 monochlamydeae. For each species, botanical name, family, habit, local name, parts used, and medicinal usage are identified and presented. The family-wise analysis showed that the family Amaranthaceae held the dominant position by representing more number of species (13 species). Habit-wise analysis shows that maximum representatives to the plants are from herb (76) community, followed by trees (22), shrubs (17), climbers (6), parasitic shrub and parasitic twinner (1), and fern (1). The absence of epiphytes indicates the loss special habitats due to the degraded status of the hill. Part-wise analysis showed the predominant use of whole plants, followed by leaves, root, seed, bark, fruit, flower, and stem.Conclusion: People of the study area mostly administered phytomedicine orally. A majority of remedies are prepared in the form of extract or juice, followed by powder form, decoction, and freshly collected plant parts. Most of the villagers in the study are poor, and they largely depend on plants for food, medicine, fuel, and other daily necessities

Pregnancy outcome of assisted reproductive technology cycle in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism

CONTEXT: Ovulation induction in patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) is a challenge to the treating physician. The threshold for ovarian response in HH may differ substantially from that of normal patients. To reach that threshold levels of follicle stimulating hormone, in a step-up protocol longer duration of stimulation is required in some cases so as to prevent multiple pregnancy and to eliminate the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. AIM: To evaluate the duration of stimulation, quality of oocytes, and embryo, and the pregnancy outcome in the assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles in patients with HH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over the period of 4 years, we had 14 patients with HH in whom 21 cycles of ovulation induction were done. Of these 7 patients underwent oocyte retrieval and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). We present a retrospective study of these 7 patients who underwent ART to evaluate the duration of stimulation, quality of oocytes and embryo, and the pregnancy outcome. RESULTS: In the study group on ovulation induction with gonadotropins, only one patient had the duration of stimulation of the standard 12 days, the remaining 6 patients took ≥12 days to respond to stimulation (maxium being 54 days). Mean ET in these patients was 8.9 mm. Six patients had >70% good quality MII oocytes. One patient responded poorly and had only 2 good quality MII oocytes (50%). After ICSI procedure, resultant embryos were of grade 1 and 2 in all the patients irrespective of the duration of stimulation. Fertilization rate in these patients was 85% (except in one 50% fertilization rate), and the cumulative pregnancy rate was 68.6%. CONCLUSION: In the patients with HH the quality of oocytes and embryos, and the pregnancy rate is not affected even if the duration of stimulation is prolonged

Isolation and Characterization of Vibrio Pelagius from Marine Tidal Sediment Samples of Thekkurichi South West Coast, Tamilnadu

Aquatic animals differ from terrestrial animals in the level of interaction between the intestinal micro biota and the surrounding environment. The bacteria present in the aquatic environment influence the composition of the gut micro flora. Vibrio pelagius is the most common surface organisms in surface water of the world. The organism originally isolated from marine and fresh water habitats and in association with aquatic animals. The present study the virulence, the biochemical properties of the toxicity such as proteolytic, haemolytic, haemagglutination and lipolytic were performed.  Also V. pelagius had higher proteolytic, haemolytic activity and Haemoagglutination V. pelagius agglutinates 1:16 dilutions. These results reveal that proteases, haemolysins or exotoxins might play foremost role in the pathogenicity of Vibrio pelagius

A novel and innovative blockchain-empowered federated learning approach for secure data sharing in smart city applications.

The very existence of smart cities forms the stepping stone in the evolution of many technological advancements in the future era. While smart cities have already grown in their way, the tremendous amount of data generated from them paves the way for new perspectives of development. This is because security and privacy remain to be the major constraint across smart city applications. Further, smart city applications such as smart homes, smart transportation, and smart healthcare are generating a huge amount of data every day and it is often complex to collect and manage all the data together at a single location. To address these constraints, this paper presents a novel and innovative blockchain-assisted federated learning approach for secure data sharing in IoT Smart Cities. Here, we implement a federated learning approach, where the process of learning is made in a distributed fashion. The use of blockchain in turn adds more security and resilience to smart city applications. The security analysis proves that the proposed approach offers comparatively better performance and remains more resistant to various security threats and vulnerabilities