Novel Clustering Techniques in Wireless Sensor Networks – A Survey

A study of Wireless Sensor Networks has been growing tremendously these days. Wireless Sensor Networks play a major role in various fields ranging from smart homes to health care. WSN’s operate independently in remote places. Because of tiny size of the nodes in such type of networks, they have a limited number of resources in terms of energy and power. Basically, sensor networks can be classified into flat and cluster based Wireless Sensor Networks. But, Clustering based Sensor Networks play a major role in reducing the energy consumption in Wireless Sensor Networks. Clustering also focuses on solving the No.s that arise during transmission of data. Clustering will group nodes into clusters and elects Cluster Heads for all clusters in the network. Then the nodes sense data and send that data to cluster head where the aggregation of data will take place. This paper focuses on various novel clustering techniques that improve the network’s lifetime

Soil bacterial communities of a calcium-supplemented and a reference watershed at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF), New Hampshire, USA

Soil Ca depletion because of acidic deposition-related soil chemistry changes has led to the decline of forest productivity and carbon sequestration in the northeastern USA. In 1999, acidic watershed (WS) 1 at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF), NH, USA was amended with Ca silicate to restore soil Ca pools. In 2006, soil samples were collected from the Ca-amended (WS1) and reference watershed (WS3) for comparison of bacterial community composition between the two watersheds. The sites were about 125 m apart and were known to have similar stream chemistry and tree populations before Ca amendment. Ca-amended soil had higher Ca and P, and lower Al and acidity as compared with the reference soils. Analysis of bacterial populations by PhyloChip revealed that the bacterial community structure in the Ca-amended and the reference soils was significantly different and that the differences were more pronounced in the mineral soils. Overall, the relative abundance of 300 taxa was significantly affected. Numbers of detectable taxa in families such as Acidobacteriaceae, Comamonadaceae, and Pseudomonadaceae were lower in the Ca-amended soils, while Flavobacteriaceae and Geobacteraceae were higher. The other functionally important groups, e.g. ammonia-oxidizing Nitrosomonadaceae, had lower numbers of taxa in the Ca-amended organic soil but higher in the mineral soil

Cross leg flaps: are they relevant in the present era?

Background: Injuries of lower limb due to road traffic accidents are challenging to reconstruct due to paucity of tissues and damage to vasculature. Recurrent trophic ulcers are also difficult to reconstruct due to stigmata of previous surgeries. When local and regional flaps are not available, free flaps become the best option. The success of free flap depends on the presence of healthy recipient vessels and microsurgical expertise. In cases where the free flaps have failed or when there is no available soft tissue for local flaps, cross leg flaps are a method of resurfacing and salvaging the limb.Methods: This Study was done from January 2013 to January 2016 in Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Chennai. 20 patients were included in the study and the flaps used were conventional cross leg and cross leg reverse superficial sural artery flap.Results: All flaps survived. There was one case of wound dehiscence managed by re-insetting, two cases with marginal necrosis which were managed conservatively. One case of partial loss which was managed by STSG and one case of sinus formation due to tuberculosis managed with ATT. Remaining flaps had no complications.Conclusions: Cross leg flaps are still relevant in the present era of microsurgery. They can be the primary choice of reconstruction or as a workhorse when free flaps have failed or other loco regional flaps are already exhausted. Immobilisation and two stage reconstruction are few disadvantages which when weighed against limb salvage are acceptable.

A Prospective Randomised study of Comparision of Hemodynamic Variables in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with Two Different Pneumoperitoneal Pressure using Vigileo Cardiac Output Monitor

BACKGROUND : Laparoscopic surgery produces unique challenges to the anaesthesiologist due to pneumoperitoneum , CO2 insufflation and positioning. Hemodynamic pertubations produced by pneumoperitoneum are like decrease in cardiac out and increase in mean arterial pressure, may not be tolerated by the patients with compromised cardiopulmonary reserve. A minimally invasive cardiac output monitor like Vigileo Flotrac through an arterial line , measures cardiac output from pulse contour analysis, enable us to identify the deleterious effect and thus intervene early. OBJECTIVE : The aim of the study was to compare the hemodynamic changes like cardiac output, stroke volume, stroke volume variations and mean arterial pressure in laparoscopic cholecystectomy using minimally invasive Vigileo FloTrac cardiac output monitor. METHODOLOGY : Sixty patients of ASA PS I of both sex, aged 18 to 60 years were randomized into two groups. In Group A – pneumoperitoneal pressure was set between 10 – 12 mmHg, Group B – pneumoperitoneal pressure was set between 14 – 16 mmHg . Under local anaesthesia, the patients radial artery was cannulated with 20 G arterial catheter and connected to FloTrac sensor of Vigileo monitor. Patient was premedicated with Injection. glycopyrrolate 0.01mg/Kg, 0.02 mg/Kg of midazolam and 2μg/Kg of fentanyl. After preoxygenation patients were induced Injection propofol 2mg/Kg. Endotracheal intubation was facilitated with 0.1 mg/kg of Vecuronium bromide and mechanical ventilation was set with a tidal volume of 8ml -10ml/Kg and respiratory frequency was adjusted to achieve an end tidal CO2 of 35 - 40mm of Hg and airway pressure maintained between18-20cm of H2O. Sevoflurane 1-2./.in a mixture of oxygen (50%) and Nitrous oxide (50%) was used for anaesthetic maintenance. For each Group A&B baseline NIBP-SBP/DBP ,HR, Mean Blood Pressure (MBP), Stroke Volume (SV), Stroke Volume Variation (SVV), Cardiac Output (CO), Cardiac Output Index (CI), End Tidal CO2 (ET CO2) were documented 5 min before & after intubation (B1) to eliminate the bias of intubation response. Baseline registration of variables were obtained immediately before Pneumoperitoneum (B2), which were measured every 5 min after Pneumoperitoneum was initiated. The positional influences on cardiac output, stroke volume, SVV were measured for reverse Trendelenberg and neutral position also recorded. Then one more value after deflation is also recorded. RESULTS : We observed that there is a statistically significant reduction of cardiac output and stroke volume and increase in mean arterial pressure in Group BIntra abdominal pressure of 14 – 16 mmHg compared to Group A – IAP of 10 – 12 mmHg. There is no significant difference observed in SVV and HR in both groups. The primary outcome measure compared between two groups was cardiac output, stroke volume, stroke volume variation. In our study we found that there was significant decrease in SV, CO and CI and increase in MAP, immediately after insufflation of CO2 pneumoperitoneum and more pronounced after reverse Trendelenberg position and it remained so throughout the surgery. All these parameters returned to baseline after deflation of pneumoperitoneum in the supine position. CONCLUSION : A prospective randomized study conducted to compare cardiac output, stroke volume, stroke volume variation with two different pneumoperitoneal pressure, concluded that significant decrease in stroke volume and cardiac output were observed when the intra-abdominal pressure was 14 – 16 mmHg compared to intra-abdominal pressure was 10 – 12 mmHg without differences in stroke volume variation. Hence we conclude that laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be done with a lesser hemodynamic pertubaration in older patients with cardio vascular disease using a lesser intra-abdominal pressure of 10 – 12 mmHg with a minimally invasive cardiac output monitor

A Survey on Network Security

Computer security is one of the most expected factor in the current & future industry. Nowadays computers are available in all places from home to big organization where they are all connected to networks. Hence the risk of data security is high whereas many algorithms are emerging according to the needs of various categories of people. Still we can see the security threats. In this paper I am going to present the threat attacks and the mechanisms that were used to secure data

MORIN PREVENTS ULTRAVIOLET-B RADIATION-INDUCED PHOTOCARCINOGENESIS THROUGH ACTIVATING THROMBOSPONDIN-1 IN THE MOUSE SKIN

 Objective: In this study, we investigated whether morin, a natural flavonoid, could able to inhibit ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced carcinogenesis in the skin of Swiss albino mice.Methods: The mice were exposed to UVB radiation (180 mJ/cm2) on weekly thrice for 30 weeks, and morin was administered intraperitoneal and topical application 1 h before UVB exposure. UVB radiation induces the overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and Bcl-2 genes.Results: Morin significantly prevented UVB-induced activation of COX-2, iNOS, VEGF, TGF-β, and Bcl-2 expression in mouse skin. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP), a novel endogenous factor, inhibits angiogenesis and inflammation.Conclusion: The present study illustrates that the protective effect of morin against UVB-induced carcinogenesis may be modulated through activation of TSP-1 in UVB-exposed Swiss albino mice

Etiological Role of Cytomegalovirus in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Cytomegalovirus is a double stranded DNA virus belonging to herpes virus family. The infection once acquired persistslifelong. The transmission of cytomegalovirus infection from mother to child may occur either in utero or perinatally. The riskof transmission to the fetus as a function of gestation age is uncertain, but infection during early gestation carries a higher riskof severe fetal disease. The incidence of Type 1 diabetes mellitus is rising continuously all over the world and this may be dueto multiple factors. The role of cytomegalovirus in the etiology of diabetes mellitus is controversial. Here, we report a case of35 months female child having Type 1 diabetes mellitus with congenital cytomegalovirus disease

Chronic rheumatic heart disease and congenital heart disease complicating pregnancy: a study of the cardiac events, the maternal and perinatal outcome during 2011-2013 at tertiary care centre

Background: Objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of chronic rheumatic heart disease and congenital heart disease complicating pregnancy, study the maternal and perinatal outcome, and indications for termination of pregnancy.Methods: Preconception counseling, antenatal care by pregnancy heart team as per protocol. One 2nd gravida (G2A1) with 26 weeks gestation, underwent mitral valve replacement during 26th week gestation i/v/o infective endocarditis associated with severe mitral regurgitation.Results: Authors had CRHD: CHD = 29:21, out of 50 cases, the ratio was 1.3:1 in this study. Atrial septal defect (ASD) was the predominant lesion in this study -29% ASD alone and 9% associated with pulmonary artery hypertension. Eisenmenger's syndrome, was associated with ASD in three and VSD in two. Corrected lesions were 24%. In the rheumatic heart disease, mitral stenosis was the predominant lesion and PBMV was done in four (13.7%) cases. In CRHD cases, surgically corrected by prosthetic heart valve were -11 (37.9%). In CRHD total corrected cases, by prosthetic heart valve and percutaneous balloon mitral valvotomy (PBMV) account for 51.7%. One patient had PBMV procedure during 5th month of present pregnancy i/v/o severe mitral stenosis with mitral valve area -0.8 cm2 and another patient had PBMV during her first pregnancy. In this study 42% were in NYHA class I. 14% were in NYHA class IV. CHF was seen in 10%. Termination of pregnancy was necessary in 6 with CHD and 5 with CRHD. There were 39 deliveries with one set of twins. All the babies were alive. Maternal mortality was confirmed in one case with Eisenmenger’s syndrome + HELLP syndrome. Live birth rate was higher in cases with NYHA class I/II than in those with NYHA class III/IV (82.8% versus 66.60%).Conclusions: Management by a pregnancy heart team as per guidelines would reduce mortality

Agricultural Management through Wireless Sensors and Internet of Things

Agriculture plays a significant role in most countries and there is an enoromous need for this industry to become “Smart”. The Industry is now moving towards agricultural modernization by using modern smart technologies to find solutions for effective utilization of scarce resources there by meeting the ever increasing consumtion needs of global population. With the advent of Internet of Things and Digital transformation of rural areas, these technologies can be leveraged to remotely monitor soil moisture, crop growth and take preventive measures to detect crop damages and threats. Utilize artificial intelligence based analytics to quickly analyze operational data combined with 3rd party information, such as weather services, expert advises etc., to provide new insights and improved decision making there by enabling farmers to perform “Smart Agriculture”. Remote management of agricultural activities and their automation using new technologies is the area of focus for this research activity. A solar powered remote management and automation system for agricultural activities through wireless sensors and Internet of Things comprising, a hardware platform based on Raspberry Pi Micro controller configured to connect with a user device and accessed through the internet network. The data collection unit comprises a set of wireless sensors for sensing agricultural activities and collecting data related to agricultural parameters; the base station unit comprising: a data logger; a server; and a software application for processing, collecting, and sending the data to the user device. The user device ex: mobile, tablet etc. can be connected to an internet network, whereby an application platform (mobile-app) installed in the user device facilitates in displaying a list of wireless sensor collected data using Internet of Things and a set of power buttons. This paper is a study and proposal paper which discusses the factors and studies that lead towards this patent pending invention, AGRIPI

Substrate Based Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia Through An Epicardial Approach

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurring late after myocardial infarction is often due to reentry circuit in the peri-infarct zone. The circuit is usually located in the sub-endocardium, though subepicardial substrates are known. Activation mapping during VT to identify target regions for ablation can be difficult if VT is non inducible or poorly tolerated. In the latter, a substrate based approach of mapping during sinus rhythm in conjunction with pace mapping helps to define the reentry circuit and select target sites for ablation in majority of patients with hemodynamically unstable VT. Percutaneous epicardial catheter ablation has been attempted as an approach where ablation by a conventional endocardial access has been unsuccessful. We report a case of post myocardial infarction scar VT which could be successfully ablated with a substrate based approach from the epicardial aspect