Odor Intensity Shift Keying (OISK) and Channel Capacity of Odor-based Molecular Communications in Internet of Everything

Molecular communication is a new, active area of research that has created a paradigm shift in the way a communication system is perceived. An artificial molecular communication network is created using biological molecules for encoding, transmitting and decoding the symbols to convey information. In addition to typical biological molecules, we are also exploring other classes of molecules that possess unique distinctive features which can be potentially exploited for establishing reliable communications. Odor molecules are one such class of molecules which possess several distinctive features such as Intensity, Headonic tone which provides a basis to convey the information in an olfactory communication system. In our work, we investigate the ICT (information and communication theory) perspective of the olfactory communications by evaluating the channel capacity of an odor molecular communication (OMC) system with the help of a novel modulation scheme viz. odor intensity shift keying (OISK), where information is being conveyed from the intensity level of an odor. Furthermore, we also analyse the effects of critical parameters like temperature and noise on the achievable channel capacity to provide an insight about the resilience of the proposed OMC system towards any such anomaly faced by it

Dying from cardiac tamponade

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To determine the causes of cardiac tamponade (CT), focussing especially on haemopericardium (HP), as a terminal mode of death, within a 430,000 rural English population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Our hospital mortuary register and, all postmortem reports between 1995 and 2004 inclusive, were interrogated for patients dying of CT or HP. The causes of CT/HP and selected morphological characteristics were then determined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>14,368 postmortems were performed in this period: of these, 461 patients died of CT. Three cases were due to non-haemorrhagic pericardial effusion. HP accounted for the remaining 458 cases of which, five were post-traumatic, 311 followed rupture of an acute myocardial infarction (RAMI), 138 after intra-pericardial rupture of dissecting ascending aortic aneurysms (RD3A) and four were due to miscellaneous causes.</p> <p>HP was more commonly due to RAMI. Men tended to die from RAMI or RD3A earlier than women. RAMI or RD3A were commoner in men <70 yrs, but more frequent in women after this.</p> <p>Two thirds of RAMI were associated with coronary artery thrombosis. Anterior free wall rupture was commonest overall, and in women, but posterior free wall rupture was commoner in men.</p> <p>The volume of intrapericardial blood in RAMI (mean = 440 ml) and RD3A (mean = 498 ml) varied between 150 and 1000 ml: intrapericardial blood volume was greater in men than in women dying from either RAMI or RD3A.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>At postmortem, CT is most often related to HP, attributable to either RAMI or intrapericardial RD3A. Post-traumatic and other causes of CT are infrequent.</p

Tissue Penetration of Bipolar Electrosurgery at Different Power Settings

Introduction: Bipolar electro-surgery is used in all disciplines of surgery to aid in haemostasis. Although common sense dictates tissue penetration will be effected by power settings, no formal evaluation of this effect has been made. We performed an experiment to accurately measure the tissue penetration of bipolar diathermy at different strengths. Materials and Methods: Laboratory study using a porcine liver model. Different wattages (10–40 W) of bipolar electro-surgery were applied to deceased porcine liver, with and without fascial covering for a fixed duration. The tissue penetration was measured with a light microscope in two planes, horizontal and perpendicular. The data was compared with a Spearman Rank correlation coefficient calculation. Results: For both fascia and non fascia covered liver there was a statistically significant correlation between increasing power and superficial spread of tissue penetration (Non fascia rho=0.3604, p =0.05) (Fascia rho=0.893, p =0.0068). No such correlation was noted between burn depth and wattage (Non fascia rho=-0.75, p =0.93) (Fascia rho = 0.714, p = 0.0713). There was a statistically significant correlation between the diameter and depth of tissue penetration for fascia covered tissue (rho 0.893, p = 0.0068) but not for non fascia covered tissue (rho 0.3604, p =0.42). Discussion: There is a clear relationship between the power setting of electro surgery and superficial spread of tissue damage however the effects of power setting and deep tissue penetration are not so clear. Interestingly, maximum tissue effects were not encountered at the higher power settings but between 20 and 30 W

Cancer risk in persons with HIV/AIDS in India: a review and future directions for research

Background India has a large and evolving HIV epidemic. Little is known about cancer risk in Indian persons with HIV/AIDS (PHA) but risk is thought to be low. Methods To describe the state of knowledge about cancer patterns in Indian PHA, we reviewed reports from the international and Indian literature. Results As elsewhere, non-Hodgkin lymphomas dominate the profile of recognized cancers, with immunoblastic/large cell diffuse lymphoma being the most common type. Hodgkin lymphoma is proportionally increased, perhaps because survival with AIDS is truncated by fatal infections. In contrast, Kaposi sarcoma is rare, in association with an apparently low prevalence of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. If confirmed, the reasons for the low prevalence need to be understood. Cervical, anal, vulva/vaginal and penile cancers all appear to be increased in PHA, based on limited data. The association may be confounded by sexual behaviors that transmit both HIV and human papillomavirus. Head and neck tumor incidence may also be increased, an important concern since these tumors are among the most common in India. Based on limited evidence, the increase is at buccal/palatal sites, which are associated with tobacco and betel nut chewing rather than human papillomavirus. Conclusion With improving care of HIV and better management of infections, especially tuberculosis, the longer survival of PHA in India will likely increase the importance of cancer as a clinical problem in India. With the population's geographic and social diversity, India presents unique research opportunities that can be embedded in programs targeting HIV/AIDS and other public health priorities

Use of cytology fluid samples for predictive biomarker testing in lung cancer patients

OBJECTIVE: To provide a method of directly using cytology fluid samples for predictive biomarker testing in lung cancer patients and to determine the efficacy of a variety of fluid sample types. METHOD: A review of our in-house data from a range of cytology samples including endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) fine-needle aspirate (FNA) needle washings (NW) and serous effusions tested on the Biocartis Idylla platform. All fluid samples were originally tested using Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: Using our method for fluid samples all of our cytology samples tested for epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) yielded valid results on this platform and all variant cases identified. The data showed serous fluids provided the best quality DNA, and variant genotype reports were obtained within 150 minutes. CONCLUSION: Cytology fluid samples can be used for predictive biomarker testing for lung cancer patients to provide in-house results with all fluids providing good-quality DNA.Published version, accepted version (12 month embargo)RD&E staff can access the full-text of this article by clicking on the 'Additional Link' above and logging in with NHS OpenAthens if prompted

Use of the Idylla EGFR Mutation Test for Variant Detection in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Samples.

OBJECTIVES: Stratified management of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) through epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) variant analysis has become standard clinical practice. The Idylla system is a fully compliant European in vitro diagnostics device, a fully automated platform designed to rapidly genotype formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples. This retrospective study aims to validate the Idylla EGFR Mutation Test for use with extracted DNA from known NSCLC samples. METHODS: In this study, 20 µL of archival extracted DNA was placed directly inside the Idylla EGFR assay single-use cartridge. Idylla results were compared with the original Sanger sequencing reference method. RESULTS: The Idylla EGFR Mutation Test yielded valid results for all samples tested, confirming the variants identified by the reference method that lay within the Idylla target range. No false-positive cases were noted with the Idylla assay. Variant genotype reports were obtained within 150 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: The Idylla EGFR assay is sensitive for extracted DNA and can be reliably applied to cytologic specimens, enabling its implementation as an ancillary first-line test for patients with NSCLC.RD&E staff can access the full-text of this article by clicking on the 'Additional Link' above and logging in with NHS OpenAthens if prompted.Published version, accepted version, submitted versio

From haematuria to nephroureterectomy via urine cytology-A case study

Published version, accepted version (12 month embargo)RD&E staff can access the full-text of this article by clicking on the 'Additional Link' above and logging in with NHS OpenAthens if prompted