Insights on critical energy efficiency approaches in internet-of-things application

Internet-of-things (IoT) is one of the proliferated technologies that result in a larger scale of connection among different computational devices. However, establishing such a connection requires a fault-tolerant routing scheme. The existing routing scheme results in communication but does not address various problems directly linked with energy consumption. Cross layer-based scheme and optimization schemes are frequently used scheme for improving the energy efficiency performance in IoT. Therefore, this paper investigates the approaches where cross-layer-based schemes are used to retain energy efficiencies among resource-constrained devices. The paper discusses the effectivity of the approaches used to optimize network performance in IoT applications. The study outcome of this paper showcase that there are various open-end issues, which is required to be addressed effectively in order to improve the performance of application associated with the IoT system

Strain improvement for the production of antioxidant activity from Bacillus sp. by induced stress

In the present study, water samples were collected from different beaches in Chennai such as Marina beach, Elliott beach, VGP Golden beach and Kovalam beach to evaluate the best source for antioxidants. The bacteria were isolated on Starch Casein Agar media and screened for the antimicrobial activity. Among 11 isolates, 5 isolates showed antimicrobial potential which were further evaluated for the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity. Among 5 isolates, one sample showed significant DPPH scavenging activity with half minimal inhibitory concentration of (IC50)344.754µg/mL. The maximum antioxidant production was observed at pH 7 and at temperature of 37ºC with an IC50 of 188.66µg/mL and 293.76µg/mL respectively. The potent antioxidant producing strain was subjected for mutagenesis. In physical mutagenesis, the organism exposed for UV light for 25 minutes showed maximum antioxidant production with an IC50 of 133.55µg/mL. This mutant strain was then subjected for chemical mutagenesis with the addition of different concentrations of Ethidium bromide such as 10µL, 20µL, 30µL, 40µL and 50µL. The mutant strain obtained with the addition of 20µL Ethidium bromide (EtBr) showed significant antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 325.4µg/mL. The sample was purified by solvent extraction method and was evaluated for antioxidant production. The analyte was subjected to HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis to avince the presence of antioxidants. The ethyl acetate extract showed the total phenolic content of 0.892 mg GAE/g of dry extract. It also showed the total flavonoid content of 0.522mg RE/g of dry extract

Mechanism of haematotoxicity induced by phenylhydrazine: a review

This work was carried out to show the effects of phenylhydrazine (PHZ) induced anaemic condition. Anaemic condition is defined as reduction in red blood cells (RBC) than normal number of red blood cells. The anti-anaemic activity can be studied using the changes in haematological parameters (PCV, RBC & Haemoglobin) influenced by PHZ [(40mg/kg p.o.)] in rats. PHZ, a potent chemical that causes different effects on different tissues at several levels. Administration of PHZ causes haemolytic anaemia, genotoxic effects and rose in iron absorption in spleen, liver and duodenum & causes change in iron metabolism. PHZ acts by activating immune response which triggers phagocytosis and also interfere with the binding of erythropoietin (EPO) receptors and further JAK-STAT pathway. PHZ also causes genotoxic effect by forming single strand DNA damage. In view of lipid peroxidation along with the formation of Thiobarbituric acid (TBA)-reactive malonyldialdehyde, it is recommend that PHZ induces anaemia as an outcome of peroxidation of  RBC membrane lipids and this effect may be a upshot of the autoxidation of the drug and the interaction of membrane lipids and oxygen radical

Isolation, Purification and Biochemical Characterization of CGTase from Bacillus halodurans

A novel Cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (CGTase) producer, Bacillus halodurans was isolated from soil obtained from sugarcane fi elds. CGTase was produced in bulk through submerged batch fermentation in Horikoshi’s Media II. Soluble starch was used as carbon source and a combination of yeast extract and peptone were used as nitrogen source in the media, along with MgSO4.7H2O, K2HPO4 and Na2CO3, as they were found to be ideal for CGTase production. The enzyme was purified through acetone precipitation and starch adsorption methods, which proved to be simple and effi cient methods of purifi cation. Starch adsorption purifi ed sample was found to be homogenous on performing SDS-PAGE and the yield of the method was 49.44% with fold purifi cation of 17.34. The enzyme had appreciable affi nity for starch with a Km of 1.1mM and a turnover number of 10.9s-1 and was found to have an apparent molecular weight of ≈33 KDa. CGTase had two pH optima at pH 7.0 and pH 9.0 and a temperature optimum of 600C. There was no effect of metal-chelating agents on enzyme activity indicating that the enzyme is not a metalloenzyme, however it is a metal-activated enzyme as activity was enhanced by Mn²+. Inhibitory effects of group specific reagents indicate that serine and histidine residues may be involved in enzyme activity. The microorganism isolated grows in a wide range of temperatures, pH and salt concentrations, which are useful attributes in industrial applications requiring versatile organisms. The enzyme isolated also has appreciable activity at higher temperature and pH and is easily purified; making it valuable for use in industry

Cure from the rhizomes: the medicine behind the Indian saffron Curcumin

Indian system of medicine has always focused on cure from the nature. Plant products from the Indian household have been used as medicine to cure myriad of ailments since ancestral times. Curcumin is a polyphenol, an active ingredient found in turmeric. In Southeast Asia, turmeric has been used as a coloring, flavoring and as a therapeutic agent. The use of turmeric to treat ailments dates back to the times of Charaka and Shushrutha. It has been widely used as an antiseptic for cuts, burns, and bruises, and as an antibacterial agent. Modern medicine has begun to understand its importance in recent times. Unfortunately its poor solubility, limited absorption and enhanced metabolism limits its bioavailability for its extended therapeutic use. Integration of nanotechnology in drug design and development has led the way to development of nanocurcumin with improved pharmacological properties. A precise understanding of effective dose, safety, and mechanism of action is required for the rational use of turmeric in the treatment of human diseases. This review focuses on the molecular actions of curcumin and its possibility to be used as a therapeutic agent in conditions affecting oral mucosa

A prospective randomised open labelled comparative study of anti inflammatory effects of topical 5% benzoyl peroxide gel vs topical 4% nicotinamide gel for grade I-II acne in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Acne vulgaris is a dermatological disorder characterised by formation of comedones and inflammatory lesions. The treatment of acne basically involves reduction of lesions. Benzoyl peroxide, in concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 20%, has been used effectively in the treatment of acne for more than 20 years. Nicotinamide/ Niacinamide is a newly-approved anti-acne drug with a potent anti-inflammatory effect. The present study assessed the efficacy of 5% Benzoyl peroxide gel in comparison to 4% Nicotinamide gel for topical treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris.Methods: In this study, the patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris with inflammation were divided into two groups, group I was treated with topical 5% Benzoyl peroxide gel whereas topical Nicotinamide gel was given to the group II. Assessment of efficacy was done by total lesion counting according acne global severity index, the results were compared at the end of 2 weeks and 4 weeks with the baseline values.Results: At the end of this study, it was found that the reduction of inflammatory and total percentage of decrease in counts of lesions from baseline were highly significant in both the groups (p<0.001), between the groups, differences were statistically significant (p<0.001), therefore 5% Benzoyl peroxide gel has better efficacy than 4% Nicotinamide gel.Conclusions: Benzoyl peroxide is more efficacious than 4 % Nicotinamide gel in mild to moderate acne

An analgesic to bridge the gap between Narcotics and NSAIDs: opiorphin

Pain management is an all-time challenge in dentistry. Discontent to pain management is a concern among patients and professionals. Unrelieved pain affects physical and mental well-being contributing to delayed recovery, psychological distress and anxiety. Studies have revealed that chronic pain interferes with normal daily chores of the individual like exercise, sleep, social life and lifestyle. At one end of pain management spectrum are Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) while at the other end are the opioids. These drugs are not without constituent side effects. The quest is for new analgesics with potent and long term analgesia with minimal or no side effects. An analgesic that is intermediate in this spectrum is the need of the hour. Opiorphin is an endogenous peptide isolated from human saliva. Opiorphin produces analgesia, by inhibiting enkephalin (ENK) metabolizing enzymes, thus increasing the half-life of circulating ENKs. Apart from being a potent analgesic it can also be a potential biomarker for various systemic and psychosocial disorders. This review focuses on the pharmacological effects of opiorphin and its potential role as a biomarker in various disease conditions

Urban wastewater for agriculture : farmers’ perspectives from peri-urban Bengaluru

Urbanisation, while offering marketing opportunities, inflicts considerable impacts on ecology, health, and livelihoods in the peri-urban farming areas. The city demands perishable products that need input intensive farming. In parallel, it also discharges domestic sewage and industrial effluents into peri-urban water bodies. The availability of wastewater for irrigation has been a saviour for peri-urban farmers, amidst the many constraints they face. Using nutrient-rich wastewater is also a smart strategy of combining fertiliser application with irrigation. This can balance nutrient flows between the consumption and production hubs. Concomitant and discernible implications of this process on the health of farmers, consumers, and the peri-urban environment, rarely receive needed attention. Even the discourse on sustainable cities seldom conveys the imperative of reducing consumptive use of water to curtail its forward and backward impacts. A participatory assessment using focus group discussions, multi-criteria mapping and a stakeholder workshop was conducted in Byramangala in order to understand the farmers’ perspectives on their future as beneficiaries of wastewater (domestic sewage with industrial effluents) generated in the Vrishabhavathy watershed of Bengaluru city. Farmers were trying hard to adapt to the heavily polluted environment manifested in the restricted choice of crops, lower prices fetched by their produce, health impacts and resultant socio-cultural fallouts. The study also revealed high priority that farmers attach to health imparting attributes of agriculture. Their concerns on the two possible scenarios of wastewater supply were elicited. Farmers’ preference for effectively treated wastewater was found to be overshadowed by its potential diversion for urban use. Despite concerns on water quality, they were keen to continue agriculture and would expect to be informed in advance about any impending diversions. The political-economic ‘eminent domain’ of urbanism excludes the farmer constituency from strategizing freshwater extraction and the disposal of its wastewater. It needs to be confronted with concerted efforts to build institutional capacities for a decentralised wastewater governance, inclusive of downstream farmers, in place of pacifying measures like installing subsidised water purifiers for domestic use. The development and sustainability benefits of such efforts will include reliable farm livelihoods built on regional circular economies along with safe and healthy food and the environment in the urban - peri-urban continuum

Evidence for weak antilocalization-weak localization crossover and metal-insulator transition in CaCu3_{3}Ru4_{4}O12_{12} thin films

Artificial confinement of electrons by tailoring the layer thickness has turned out to be a powerful tool to harness control over competing phases in nano-layers of complex oxides. We investigate the effect of dimensionality on transport properties of $d$-electron based heavy-fermion metal CaCu$_{3}$Ru$_{4}$O$_{12}$. Transport behavior evolves from metallic to localized regime upon reducing thickness and a metal insulator transition is observed below 3 nm film thickness for which sheet resistance crosses $h/e^{2} \sim 25~$k$\Omega$, the quantum resistance in 2D. Magnetotransport study reveals a strong interplay between inelastic and spin-orbit scattering lengths upon reducing thickness, which results in weak antilocalization (WAL) to weak localization (WL) crossover in magnetoconductance.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Small farms around Bangalore : growing money at the cost of food and environment

Urbanisation, along with becoming a universal trend, has also emerged as a significant driver of agricultural transition in the developing world. More and more people from rural parts of India migrate to urban centers in search of non-farm livelihood options and for better living conditions. Urbanisation is closely coupled with transformation of traditional rural economies into modern industrial economies through irreversible land use change. The land remaining under farming is also influenced by urban demand with mixed outcomes in production and livelihoods. India exhibits this reciprocity of urbanisation and farming prominently