MODULATION AWARE CONNECTION ADMISSION CONTROL AND UPLINK SCHEDULING ALGORITHM FOR WIMAX NETWORKS

Mobile WiMAX standard defines air interface for mobile broadband wireless access (BWA) systems and aimed to provide high data rate with seamless mobility while maintaining the quality of service (QoS). However, QoS of real-time applications depends on the link quality, which necessitate the channel-aware connection admission control (CAC) and scheduling schemes. In this paper Modulation aware CAC scheme and base station (BS) uplink scheduling algorithm are proposed to improve the system capacity and QoS performance respectively. The proposed CAC scheme aims to increase the admission of higher priority real time services by degrading the bandwidth of admitted lower priority connections on the basis of their channel status without deteriorating their QoS performance much. The performances of proposed algorithms are evaluated through simulation by considering the metrics like throughput, delay and number of connections admitted

Soil Reinforcement Using Coconut Shell Ash: A Case Study of Indian Soil

Soil stabilization can be achieved by increasing the density of the soil or by adding admixtures and then applying mechanical work to compact it, is a more economical solution for improving the performance of problematic soils, by enhancing their cementation, and reducing their sensitivity to moisture. Conventionally, cement, lime and fly ash have been used in stabilizing weak soils for construction purposes in order to provide a firm bases for all types of paved areas, to improve foundation conditions, and as a lining for trenches and staked earthwork. In order to make deficient soils useful and meet geotechnical engineering design requirements researchers have focused more on the use of potentially cost effective materials that are locally available from industrial and agricultural waste in order to improve the properties of deficient soils. The present work is aimed at assessing the impact of coconut shell ash on the stabilization of poor soil. For this sand and loamy sand textured soils were considered. This work mainly focused experimental study on the effect of coconut shell ash to increase strength of the soil. Different tests were conducted on soil with varying percentage of coconut shell ash. From the obtained results, it was observed that addition of 0.4% to 0.8% of coconut shell ash showed maximum improvement of dry density and optimum moisture content and also angle of internal friction and cohesion. Therefore coconut shell ash could be used as one of the best waste materials for soil reinforcement under the study area which falls under the district of South Goa in the Taluka of Salcete in India

Prescribing pattern of drugs in alcohol dependence in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Alcohol dependence is one of the more serious public health issues in the world. It not only affects health but is also a social and economic burden. Pharmacotherapy is the main stay of treatment along with behavioural therapy for alcohol addiction. The present study was done to analyse the prescribing pattern of drugs used in alcohol dependence.Methods: The present study is a retrospective study which was carried out in the Department of Psychiatry, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bengaluru from March 2016 to August 2016. Demographic, disease and treatment details were collected and entered in the case proformas. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: A total of 125 prescriptions were analyzed. The most common age group was between 30-60 years with a male predominance (95.2%). 72% of patients were treated for alcohol dependence whereas 28% who had other co morbidities like psychosis and depression were treated appropriately. The most commonly prescribed drugs were Vitamins (74.4%), Benzodiazepines (BZDs) (56.8%), anti-craving drugs (52%), antipsychotics (20%) and anti-depressant drugs (8%). Lorazepam (45.6%) and Baclofen (46.1%) were the most common drugs prescribed among BZDs and Anti-craving drugs respectively. For affective disorders Olanzapine (36%) was the commonest drug prescribed.Conclusions: This study reveals that alcohol dependence is accompanied by other co-morbidities like psychosis, depression and anxiety. Combined therapy of Vitamins, BZDs, Anti-craving drugs along with Antipsychotic or Antidepressant drugs have been prescribed to the patients. Newer anti-craving drugs like Baclofen, Acamprosate and Naltrexone have also been prescribed

A study of health profile and effects of ambient air pollution among auto drivers of Bangalore city

Background: Auto drivers battle several occupational health hazards due to increasing pollution and unhealthy lifestyle. Improper diet and sleeping habits coupled with smoking, tobacco and alcohol use make them prone to respiratory and cardiovascular health hazards. Objectives: To assess the health status and quality of life (QoL) among auto drivers in Bangalore city and to study the association of selected parameters with respiratory and cardiac morbidities. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 450 auto drivers were given a questionnaire and they were distributed according to age, education, body mass index, smoking, tobacco and/or alcohol consumption. The QoL was assessed by World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF) and peak expiratory flow, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels for each participant were recorded. The association between two categorical variables was determined by Chi-square test and p?0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The association of number of years of driving with prevalence of chronic morbidity (p=0.005), hypertension (p=0.008), diabetes (p<0.001), and heart disease (p=0.04) were significant. QoL for physical and environmental domain were 16.11±0.28 and 12.48±0.06, respectively. Conclusion: A proportional increase in the risk of respiratory and cardiac morbidities with increasing number of driving years was observed among auto drivers

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

Investigating The Prevalence and Management of Pain and Discomfort Associated with Prosthodontic Appliances

Background: This study investigates the prevalence and management of pain and discomfort associated with prosthodontic appliances, including dentures, crowns, bridges, and dental implants, among a diverse sample of 500 participants. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted, collecting data on demographic characteristics, prevalence, and severity of pain and discomfort, and management strategies. Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests and logistic regression, was used to explore associations. Results: Dentures had the highest prevalence of pain and discomfort (45%), followed by crowns (30%), bridges (22%), and dental implants (18%). Mean severity scores were highest for dental implants (4.5), followed by dentures (5.2), bridges (4.1), and crowns (3.8). Demographics, including age, gender, education level, and socioeconomic status, influenced these experiences. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for individualized care and patient education, especially for procedures associated with higher discomfort levels. It underscores the importance of considering patient expectations and tailoring treatment recommendations. Further research should explore factors contributing to pain and discomfort and the effectiveness of management strategies

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