Towards Optimised FPGA Realisation of Microprogrammed Control Unit Based FIR Filters

Finite impulse response (FIR) filter is one of the most common type of digital filter used in digital signal processing (DSP) applications. An FIR filter is usually realised in hardware using multipliers, adders and registers. Field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) have been widely explored for the hardware realisation of FIR filters using different algorithms and techniques. One such technique that has recently gained considerable attention is the use of microprogrammed control unit (MPCU) in designing FIR filters. In this chapter, we further explore MPCU technique for optimised hardware realisation of digital FIR filter. To evaluate the performance, two different architectures of FIR filter are designed using Wallace tree multiplier. Both the architectures are coded in Verilog hardware description language (HDL). The performance is analysed by evaluating the resource utilisation and timing reports of Virtex-5 FPGA generated by the Synopsys Synplify Pro tool. Based on the implementation results, as compared to conventional design, Wallace tree multiplier using carry skip adder (CSKA) provides optimal digital FIR filter

A prospective study to analyse antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a gram-negative pathogen is commonly associated with nosocomial infections. Infections caused by P. aeruginosa can range from superficial skin infections to fulminant sepsis. Antimicrobial resistance is an area of prime concern in pseudomonal infections. The objective of the study was to evaluate and analyse the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of P. aeruginosa at a tertiary care hospital in South India.Methods: The study was carried out at Kasturba Medical College and Hospital, Manipal, India from January 2011 to December 2011. Ten different types of specimens were collected from patients who were culture positive for Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotic susceptibility was confirmed by disk diffusion technique on Muller-Hinton medium and was performed according to the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) guidelines.Results: Out of 200 samples of P. aeruginosa 69.5% and 30.5% were from male and female patients respectively. Majority of the specimen from which P. aeruginosa was isolated consisted of sputum, pus and urine. Among the antimicrobial drugs tested, organism was most sensitive to carbapenems (77.5%), piperacillin-tazobactam (77%) and cefoperazone-sulbactam (72%). Resistance rates were high for fluoroquinolones (FQs) (43.5%), gentamicin (40.5%), tobramycin (40.5%), ticarcillin-clavulanic acid (39%) and aztreonam (38%) when compared to cefepime (31.5%), ceftazidime (32.5%), netilmicin (34.5%) and amikacin (35%).Conclusions: Carbapenems and piperacillin-tazobactam were the best antipseudomonal agents with highest sensitivity to P. aeruginosa. FQs, gentamicin and tobramycin were the least effective drugs against P. aeruginosa as monotherapy

EVALUATION OF ULTRASONOGRAPHY AS AN ADJUNCT FOR DIAGNOSIS OF DENGUE FEVER AMONG CHILDREN: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the role of ultrasonography (USG) for early diagnosis of clinically suspected dengue fever before it becomes serologically positive and the usefulness of USG in predicting the severity of the disease. Methods: Prospective observational study conducted at a tertiary care hospital from April 2020 to March 2021, 70 cases of clinically suspected dengue within the age group of 6 months to 15 years resenting with fever for less than 5 days underwent whole abdomen and chest ultrasonography. For seropositive cases, ultrasonography findings and their utility in early diagnosis and prediction of disease severity were analyzed along with their correlation to the clinical and laboratory profiles. Results: 75.8% had primary dengue and 24.2% had secondary dengue. 94% of cases demonstrated ultrasonography features suggestive of dengue-like hepatomegaly (81%), ascites (63.8%), splenomegaly (56.9%), gall bladder wall thickness (46.6%), Cholecystitis (44.8%) and Pleural effusion (41.4%). Ascites and pleural effusion correlated well with clinical severity (p<0.05). Ascites also had a significant correlation with increased hematocrit (p=0.040) and thrombocytopenia (p=0). A significant correlation was observed between pleural effusion with decreased platelet count ((p=0.004) and decreased serum sodium levels (p=0.044). Gall bladder wall thickening >5mm correlated well with disease severity. USG showed 94.3% sensitivity, 16.67% specificity, and 81.43% of diagnostic accuracy in the seropositive cases of this study. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is useful not only as an adjuvant for early diagnosis of Dengue fever but also as a marker of disease severity

Antimicrobial, anticancer, and biofilm inhibition studies of highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG): In vitro and in silico analysis

Background: Bacterial infections and cancers may cause various acute or chronic diseases, which have become serious global health issues. This requires suitable alternatives involving novel and efficient materials to replace ineffective existing therapies. In this regard, graphene composites are being continuously explored for a variety of purposes, including biomedical applications, due to their remarkable properties.Methods: Herein, we explore, in-vitro, the different biological properties of highly reduced graphene oxide (HRG), including anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-biofilm properties. Furthermore, to analyze the interactions of graphene with proteins of microbes, in silico docking analysis was also carried out. To do this, HRG was prepared using graphene oxide as a precursor, which was further chemically reduced to obtain the final product. The as-prepared HRG was characterized using different types of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques.Results: The HRG revealed significant cytotoxic ability, using a dose-dependent anti-cell proliferation approach, which substantially killed human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) with IC50 of 29.51 ± 2.68 μg/mL. The HRG demonstrated efficient biological properties, i.e., even at low concentrations, HRG exhibited efficient anti-microbial properties against a variety of microorganisms. Among the different strains, Gram-positive bacteria, such as B. subtilis, MRSA, and S. aureus are more sensitive to HRG compared to Gram-negative bacteria. The bactericidal properties of HRG are almost similar to a commercially available effective antibiotic (ampicillin). To evaluate the efficacy of HRG against bacterial biofilms, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA were applied, and the results were compared with gentamycin and ampicillin, which are commonly applied standard antibiotics. Notably, HRG demonstrated high inhibition (94.23%) against P.aeruginosa, with lower MIC (50 μg/mL) and IC50 (26.53 μg/mL) values, whereas ampicillin and gentamicin showed similar inhibition (90.45% and 91.31% respectively) but much higher MIC and IC50 values.Conclusion: Therefore, these results reveal the excellent biopotential of HRG in different biomedical applications, including cancer therapy; antimicrobial activity, especially anti-biofilm activity; and other biomedicine-based therapies. Based on the molecular docking results of Binding energy, it is predicted that pelB protein and HRG would form the best stable docking complex, and high hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions between the pelB protein and HRG have been revealed. Therefore, we conclude that HRG could be used as an antibiofilm agent against P. aeruginosa infections

Impact of diabetes continuing education on health care professionals’ attitudes towards diabetes care in a Yemeni city

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of a continuing education (CE) program on the attitudes of health care professionals (HCPs) towards diabetes care in Yemen.Methods: A pre- and post-intervention study was carried out in Mukalla City, Hadramout, Yemen and was offered to all physicians, pharmacists, and nurses registered in the Health Office in the Mukalla City. The HCPs were invited to attend a CE program. All participants filled out a questionnaire before the intervention (pre-test) that measured the attitudes of the participants towards diabetes. An interventional program was given in the form of a seminar, and participants were requested to complete the same questionnaire after the seminar.Results: A total of 73 HCPs attended the CE, including 19 pharmacists (26 %), 37 physicians (50.7 %), and 17 (23.3 %) nurses. The pre- and post-intervention changes in the questionnaire responses were significant only for attitude toward the values of blood glucose levels (p = 0.009) and attitude toward autonomy of diabetes patients (p = 0.023).Conclusion: HCPs in Mukalla City have positive attitudes toward diabetes. Physicians were more aware of the sequelae of diabetes than other healthcare professional groups with nurses showing the least understanding. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed upon designing education programs for diabetes specifically tailored for nurses and pharmacists.Keywords: Diabetes, Continuing education, Attitude, Health care professional

Relationship quality in customer-service robot interactions in industry 5.0: An analysis of value recipes

The paper studies the interactions between customers and robots within the framework of Industry 5.0-driven services. Prior studies have explored several factors contributing to the quality of these interactions, with perceived value being a crucial aspect. This study uses value recipes, which refer to specific configurations of how different benefits and costs are weighed up/evaluated, as a theoretical framework to investigate the quality of relationships between customers and service robots. The study aims to shed light on the complex interplay between different value dimensions that shape customers\u27 relationships with robots. To achieve this goal, the authors analyze what value configurations facilitate or impede high-quality relationships between customers and service robots. Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to analyze data from 326 consumers. The data reveal that value recipes comprising positive values (such as relational benefit, novelty, control, personalization, excellence, and convenience) and negative values (about privacy and effort) prove highly effective in augmenting relationship quality. Results also underscore those negative values either in isolation or in conjunction with positive values, do not impede relationship quality. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in presenting new insights into relationship dynamics between customers and service robots in an Industry 5.0 value-driven context. From a practical standpoint, the findings suggest guidelines for successfully infusing the retail landscape with more intelligent service robots

Enhancing Smart Cities with IoT and Cloud Computing: A Study on Integrating Wireless Ad Hoc Networks for Efficient Communication

شهدت المدن الذكية تطورا جوهريا زاد من امكانياتها بشكل كبير .في الواقع ، لقد أتاحت التطورات الحديثة في انترنت الاشياء (IOT) فرصا جديدة من خلال حل عدد  من المشاكل الحرجة والتي ادت الى ابتكار المدن الذكية بالاضافة الى انشاء و حوسبة الخدمات و التطبيقات المتطورة للعديد من  المجاميع المطورة في المدينة . من اجل تعزيز تنمية المدن الذكية بأتجاه التواصل و المشاركة ،تركز هذه الدراسة على التطور في مجال المعلوماتية في ضوء انترنت الاشياء (IOT) و الحوسبة السحابية (CC) .جمعت بيانات انترنت الاشياء والتي تخص المدن الذكية بشكل متجانس . اصبح انترنت الاشياء الذي يسمح بتواصل الاشخاص مع بعضهم ممكنا باستخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي .بناءا على ذلك ،استخدمنا (ARF) في حسابات الذكاء الاصطناعي .للتبسيط ،ننصح باستخدام تخصيص اصول الالة الافتراضية للحوسبة السحابية التكيفية (ACC-VMRA ) .لتاكيد جدواها ،سنفحص و نضاعف كيفية تطبيق تطورات انترنت الاشياء (IOT ) و الحوسبة السحابية (CC) في المدن الذكية.تظهر نتائج التجربة ان حساب التحسين الموصى به اكثر انتاجية من الطرق الاخرى المستخدمة حاليا.Smart cities have recently undergone a fundamental evolution that has greatly increased their potentials. In reality, recent advances in the Internet of Things (IoT) have created new opportunities by solving a number of critical issues that are allowing innovations for smart cities as well as the creation and computerization of cutting-edge services and applications for the many city partners. In order to further the development of smart cities toward compelling sharing and connection, this study will explore the information innovation in smart cities in light of the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing (CC). IoT data is first collected in the context of smart cities. The data that is gathered is uniform. The Internet of Things, which enables gadgets to connect with one another mostly without human involvement, is made possible by AI. In line with this, The Ad Hoc Routing Function (ARF) AI computation is used for multi-rule simplification, the use of Adaptive Cloud Computing Virtual Machine Asset Allotment Technique (ACC-VMRA) is advised. To confirm its viability, the applied developments of IoT and CC in smart cities is examined and duplicated. The experiment results show that the recommended enhancement calculation is more productive than other currently used methods