BER Evaluation of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) under various Modulation Techniques

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) has recently received a lot of attention as an effective technique to remove all inter-symbol interference (ISI) caused by multipath fading. OFDM is a promising future technology for wired/wireless communications. This paper gives a theoretical overview of OFDM, application and its advantages/disadvantages. The performance of the developed system is investigated in terms of Bit Error Rate. DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.150518

Phentermine and topiramate combination for chronic weight management: a review

Obesity is a major public health concern and one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide. It has manifold adverse health consequences, potentially involving all major organ systems thus leading to a reduced life expectancy. The long-term successful management of obesity remains a herculean task and invariably requires a multifaceted approach including lifestyle and behavioral modification, increased physical activity, and adjunctive pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery. However, effective pharmacological options are limited because of the previous history of several failed agents as well as the fact that presently available agents are few, and utilized only as monotherapy. The recent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the fixed drug combination of phentermine and extended release topiramate marks the first FDA approved combination pharmacotherapeutic agent for obesity. This review details the various pharmacological aspects of the use of phentermine and topiramate combination along with the results of clinical trials done so far and also the present role of this combination in the management of obesity. Beyond the significant improvement in weight, the findings from various clinical trials also show improvement in metabolic and glycemic parameters, blood pressure, and lipid profile suggesting its added utility in cardiovascular risk modification. The acceptability of this combination would usher in a new era in the pharmacotherapy of obesity that utilizes combination therapy to improve efficacy, enhance synergism and concurrently minimize the risk of adverse effects. As with any newly marketed drug, there may be yet-unknown benefits and risks associated with this combination, which would be known only after its long-term use

Dimethyl fumarate: a novel drug for multiple sclerosis

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is a novel oral immunomodulatory and neuroprotective drug that was approved by FDA for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The initial use of DMF was for the treatment of psoriasis where its long-term use was safe and efficacious, and it also got German approval for the same. It was found that the anti-inflammatory actions of DMF contributed to its efficacy in psoriasis. This anti-inflammatory action of DMF created interest using DMF in other auto-immune or inflammatory diseases, including MS. DMF acts by decreasing production and release of inflammatory molecules. DMF also activates the nuclear factor-erythroid 2 related factor pathway which induces the transcription of various genes, including anti-oxidative ones, reduces oxidative neuronal death and helps maintain myelin integrity. Thus, DMF acts via two pathways: by down-regulating oxidative stress and corresponding cellular injury, as well as by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines. DMF is an orally administered, enteric-coated microtablet preparation. There was a 44-53% reduction in annualized relapse rate with the use of DMF in patients with relapsing form of MS. The most common adverse reactions reported are flushing, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea, which are more prominent during initial treatment and usually decrease over time. No serious adverse events were seen during the phase II and III trials, including no increased risk of opportunistic infections or cancer. DMF seems to approach the ideal combination of safety, efficacy and well-tolerability to other approved oral therapies for MS

Electrochemical studies on zirconium phosphoborate based heterogeneous membranes

Electrode potential measurements have been applied to study electrical characteristics like transport numbers, permselectivity & fixed charged density of zirconium phosphoborate ion exchange membranes. The potential measurements were made across the cation exchange membrane maintained at 27±0.1 °C, using halide and nitrate salts of alkali and alkaline earth metals as electrolytes. The membrane potentials, transport numbers and permselectivity values increase with increase in average concentration from 0.0055 M to 0.0495 M for 1:1 and 1:2 electrolytes. With the increase in concentration of the electrolyte, the number of counter ions interacting with the membrane surface increases leading to enhanced Donnan exclusion responsible for the increase of transport numbers. Fixed charge density of the membrane (X) for 1:2 electrolytes is higher in magnitude than for 1:1 electrolytes indicating that the cation exchange is taking place as hydrated species. This hypothesis is supported by higher transport numbers for alkaline earth metal ions than alkali metal ions throughout the range of concentration

A prospective observational study to assess compliance and factors influencing compliance with antiepileptic drugs among patients with epilepsy

Background: The primary treatment for epilepsy is Antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. Non-compliance to AEDs can result in break-through seizure, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, fractures, head injuries and increased mortality. Thus, compliance to AEDs is crucial to be studied. Objective is to study compliance and factors influencing compliance with AEDs among patients with epilepsy.Methods: This observational study was conducted in 105 patients with epilepsy on AED therapy in community in Ludhiana (Punjab) after approval from Institutional Ethics Committee. Demographic data and drug history was collected. Monthly follow up for 6 months was done by paying home visits and data regarding type, dose, frequency of administration of AED was recorded on a semi-structured performa. Pill count was done by recording number of pills dispensed and number of pills remaining with patient. Response to Morisky’s Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS) was also recorded. Results were correlated with patient demographics, type, frequency and number of AEDs.Results: Out of 105 patients, 65 were males and 40 were females. Fifty-four patients were non-compliant with both pill-count and MMAS. Non-compliance was high in first month and decreased gradually. Poly-therapy, lower socio-economic status and multiple dosing regimens were most commonly associated with non-compliance.Conclusions: Under-dosing was more common among non-compliers, which explains the high reporting of forgetfulness to take medicine in MMAS. Both pill count and MMAS are effective non-invasive tools to study compliance

Real time Adaptive Approach for Hidden Targets Shape Identification using through Wall Imaging System

In Through-wall Imaging (TWI) system, shape-based identification of the hidden target behind the wall made of any dielectric material like brick, cement, concrete, dry plywood, plastic and Teflon, etc. is one of the most challenging tasks. However, it is very important to understand that the performance of TWI systems is limited by the presence of clutter due to the wall and also transmitted frequency range. Therefore, the quality of obtained image is blurred and very difficult to identify the shape of targets. In the present paper, a shape-based image identification technique with the help of a neural network and curve-fitting approach is proposed to overcome the limitation of existing techniques. A real time experimental analysis of TWI has been carried out using the TWI radar system to collect and process the data, with and without targets. The collected data is trained by a neural network for shape identification of targets behind the wall in any orientation and then threshold by a curve-fitting method for smoothing the background. The neural network has been used to train the noisy data i.e. raw data and noise free data i.e. pre-processed data. The shape of hidden targets is identified by using the curve fitting method with the help of trained neural network data and real time data. The results obtained by the developed technique are promising for target identification at any orientation

Role of therapeutic drug monitoring of azathioprine and thiopurine methyltransferase enzyme status in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Indian scenario

Inflammatory bowel disease is mainly caused by dysragulated immune system. Inflammatory bowel disease incidences are rising in Asian countries with difficulty in their diagnosis and managements. There is rising the incidences and prevalence rate in India. Inflammatory bowel disease has two major subtypes Ulcerative colitis and chron’s disease. In ulcerative colitis inflammation occurs in lower part of large intestine that extend from anal verge to proximal colon while in case of chron’s disease there is transmural inflammation of gastrointestinal tract. This review is to provide comprehensive review focused on the current status of therapeutic drug monitoring of azathioprine metabolites in patients of inflammatory bowel disease

Mucinous Tubular and Spindle Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (MTSC-RCC) with an Unusual Presentation in a Child

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell renal cell carcinoma (MTSC-RCC) is a rare but favorable variant of renal cell carcinoma, predominantly found in adults. Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice. We are reporting an intriguing case of bilateral MTSC-RCC in a 13-year-old-boy with rapid disease progression, leading to metastatic disease and subsequent demise of the child