Reducing Power Consumption in Sensor Network Using Sensor MAC Protocol

© ASEE 2009Wireless sensor networks are quickly gaining popularity due to the fact that they are potentially low cost solutions to a variety of real world challenges. Their low cost provides a means to deploy large sensor arrays in a variety of conditions capable of performing both military and civilian tasks. This technology consists of some of the electronic devices which work to run this system successfully and all those have some amount of power consumptions. It is a challenge of maximizing the processing capabilities and energy reserves of Wireless sensor nodes while also securing them against attackers. So, finally we have decided to work on finding out the optimum solution for controlling the power and saving energy. There are number of ways to reduce power consumption and MAC protocol is one of them. So we describe Sensor MAC protocol to reduce power consumption

Counterfeit drugs in India: significance and impact on pharmacovigilance

Counterfeit drugs have emerged as a major global problem. This issue has been brought to the centre of the Indian media due to the death of 15 women attending a sterilization camp in Chhattisgarh. India’s pharmaceutical industry exports drugs worth 15 billion dollars, which means a high prevalence of counterfeiting in India’s drug industry has global repercussions. However, accurate figures on the extent of counterfeit drugs in India are not available. The scientific literature as well as media reports often quotes figures of 10-35%, though studies done by the Indian Government dispute this. Counterfeit drug numbers have been known to be under represented by Governments due to fear of undermining their economy and health systems. On the other hand, rival companies in other countries may have an incentive to over hype India’s counterfeit problem to dent India’s growing status as the leading global supplier of generic medicines. Lack of clear definitions and differences between laws of countries further complicate reporting. A high prevalence of counterfeit drugs has a large impact on both health and economic indicators. Additionally, counterfeit drugs provide significant challenges to Pharmacovigilance programmes. Hence, here we discuss the significance of use of counterfeit drugs in India and challenges faced by Pharmacovigilance due to the extensive use of counterfeit drugs

Trousseau’s sign in orthopedic: a rare sequelae of inadequate postoperative pain management

Background: Pain management in orthopedic is very crucial matter to handle, which is many a times not managed properly and that leads to various medical complications to the patients. Trousseau sign of latent tetany is a medical sign observed in patients with low calcium. This is the first and one of a kind case series describing the development and pathogenesis of Trousseau sign in orthopedics.Methods: This is a case series of 5 patients with lower limb fractures who underwent surgery. All these patients developed Trousseau's sign in immediate postoperative period. All the patients were investigated and were diagnosed with respiratory alkalosis. They were managed with closed bag ventilation which relieved the symptoms.Results: Here we put forward a direct physiological and psychological relation between a low pain threshold and associated hyperventilation with lead to development of Trousseau's sign in our patients. So, next time in postoperative round, if we see patient hyperventilating and complaining about fixed hand’s position, do not start calcium gluconate drip immediately, it may be due to respiratory alkalosis, then closed bag ventilation would be suffice.Conclusions: Trousseau’s sign seen postoperatively in Orthopedics may be commonly due to inadequate pain management rather than altered calcium metabolism.

Adverse drug reaction monitoring on antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus patients in a tertiary care hospital

Background: The aim of current study was to assess the pattern of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in patients receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy.Methods: A prospective, observational study was carried out for duration of 15 months. Clinical and treatment data were collected from patients, who underwent ARV therapy during the study period. CDSCO forms were used to record the ADRs. Causality, severity and preventability were assessed by suitable scales.Result: Out of 216 patients 165 (76%) patients develop ADRs. Total of 274 ADRs were noted among 165 patients (1.66 ADR/patient). Out of them 100 (60.60%) were males and 65 (39.39%) were females. The most common ADR was gastrointestinal disorders (83, 30.29%). The most numbers of ADRs were observed in ZLN (Zidovudine + Lamivudine + Nevirapine) regimen (54%) followed by SLN (Stavudine + Lamivudine + Nevirapine) regimen (26%). According to WHO causality assessment scale most ADRs were possible (236, 86.13%). Hartwig and Siegel severity scale show 243 (88.69%) ADRs were moderate. Schumock and Thornton scale show all, ADRs were “not preventable.”Conclusion: Early detection of drug toxicity helps to treat the patient and modify the drug regimen to minimize toxic effects

Large Differences in Small RNA Composition Between Human Biofluids.

Extracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) and other small RNAs are implicated in cellular communication and may be useful as disease biomarkers. We systematically compared small RNAs in 12 human biofluid types using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). miRNAs and tRNA-derived RNAs (tDRs) accounted for the majority of mapped reads in all biofluids, but the ratio of miRNA to tDR reads varied from 72 in plasma to 0.004 in bile. miRNA levels were highly correlated across all biofluids, but levels of some miRNAs differed markedly between biofluids. tDR populations differed extensively between biofluids. Y RNA fragments were seen in all biofluids and accounted for >10% of reads in blood plasma, serum, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Reads mapping exclusively to Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) were very rare, except in seminal plasma. These results demonstrate extensive differences in small RNAs between human biofluids and provide a useful resource for investigating extracellular RNA biology and developing biomarkers

Carglumic Acid Treatment of a Patient with Recurrent Valproic Acid-induced Hyperammonemia: A Rare Case Report

Valproic acid, first manufactured as an anticonvulsant, is commonly used to treat both neurological and psychiatric conditions. A rare and deadly side effect of this medication is hyperammonemia, presenting as lethargy, confusion, seizure, and, ultimately, coma. In rare circumstances, hyperammonemia can be recurrent and devastating, especially in patients with an underlying N-acetyl glutamate synthase (NAGS) deficiency, as the valproic acid can enhance this enzyme deficiency and inhibit the conversion of ammonia into urea in the liver. For these subtypes of patients, the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has recently approved carglumic acid, a medication that can act as a scavenger by effectively increasing the levels of NAGS, ultimately enhancing the conversion of ammonia to urea. In our case report, we have mentioned a patient with treatment-resistant bipolar disorder, who presented with elevated ammonia levels secondary to valproic acid treatment. Valproic acid was the only drug that was effective in his case, so we initiated therapy to reduce his elevated ammonia levels. After a thorough evaluation, we found the patient had a genetic NAGS deficiency. Carglumic acid was initiated and proved efficacious in our patient

Array atomic force microscopy for real-time multiparametric analysis.

Nanoscale multipoint structure-function analysis is essential for deciphering the complexity of multiscale biological and physical systems. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows nanoscale structure-function imaging in various operating environments and can be integrated seamlessly with disparate probe-based sensing and manipulation technologies. Conventional AFMs only permit sequential single-point analysis; widespread adoption of array AFMs for simultaneous multipoint study is challenging owing to the intrinsic limitations of existing technological approaches. Here, we describe a prototype dispersive optics-based array AFM capable of simultaneously monitoring multiple probe-sample interactions. A single supercontinuum laser beam is utilized to spatially and spectrally map multiple cantilevers, to isolate and record beam deflection from individual cantilevers using distinct wavelength selection. This design provides a remarkably simplified yet effective solution to overcome the optical cross-talk while maintaining subnanometer sensitivity and compatibility with probe-based sensors. We demonstrate the versatility and robustness of our system on parallel multiparametric imaging at multiscale levels ranging from surface morphology to hydrophobicity and electric potential mapping in both air and liquid, mechanical wave propagation in polymeric films, and the dynamics of living cells. This multiparametric, multiscale approach provides opportunities for studying the emergent properties of atomic-scale mechanical and physicochemical interactions in a wide range of physical and biological networks

A Review of the Mechanism of Antagonism of N-methyl-D-aspartate Receptor by Ketamine in Treatment-resistant Depression

The biochemical processes involved in depression go beyond serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor has a major role in the neurophysiology of depression. Ketamine, one of the prototypical NMDA antagonists, works rapidly in controlling depressive symptoms, including acutely suicidal behavior, by just a single injection. Ketamine may rapidly increase the glutamate levels and lead to structural neuronal changes. Increased neuronal dendritic growth may contribute to synaptogenesis and an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), as well as increased levels of BDNF, may increase long-term potentiation and result in an improvement in the symptoms of depression. The mechanisms of ketamine’s proposed effect as an off-label treatment for resistant depression are outlined in this paper

"Sleep disparity" in the population: poor sleep quality is strongly associated with poverty and ethnicity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about the social determinants of sleep attainment. This study examines the relationship of race/ethnicity, socio-economic status (SES) and other factors upon sleep quality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional survey of 9,714 randomly selected subjects was used to explore sleep quality obtained by self-report, in relation to socioeconomic factors including poverty, employment status, and education level. The primary outcome was poor sleep quality. Data were collected by the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significant differences were observed in the outcome for race/ethnicity (African-American and Latino versus White: unadjusted OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.24-2.05 and OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.37-1.98, respectively) and income (below poverty threshold, unadjusted OR = 2.84, 95%CI 2.41-3.35). In multivariable modeling, health indicators significantly influenced sleep quality most prominently in poor individuals. After adjusting for socioeconomic factors (education, employment) and health indicators, the association of income and poor sleep quality diminished, but still persisted in poor Whites while it was no longer significant in poor African-Americans (adjusted OR = 1.95, 95% CI 1.47-2.58 versus OR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.87-1.54, respectively). Post-college education (adjusted OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.31-0.71) protected against poor sleep.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A "sleep disparity" exists in the study population: poor sleep quality is strongly associated with poverty and race. Factors such as employment, education and health status, amongst others, significantly mediated this effect only in poor subjects, suggesting a differential vulnerability to these factors in poor relative to non-poor individuals in the context of sleep quality. Consideration of this could help optimize targeted interventions in certain groups and subsequently reduce the adverse societal effects of poor sleep.</p