LoRaWAN communication implementation platforms

A key role in the development of smart Internet of Things (IoT) solutions is played by wireless communication technologies, especially LPWAN (Low-Power Wide-Area Network), which are becoming increasingly popular due to their advantages: long range, low power consumption and the ability to connect multiple edge devices. However, in addition to the advantages of communication and low power consumption, the security of transmitted data is also important. End devices very often have a small amount of memory, which makes it impossible to implement advanced cryptographic algorithms on them. The article analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of solutions based on LPWAN communication and reviews platforms for IoT device communication in the LoRaWAN (LoRa Wide Area Network) standard in terms of configuration complexity. It describes how to configure an experimental LPWAN system being built at the Department of Computer Science and Telecommunications at Poznan University of Technology for research related to smart buildings

Quality of Life and Optimism in Patients with Morphea

Despite extensive knowledge about quality of life of people suffering from dermatological diseases, data on patients with morphea are scarce. The aim of our study was to compare the quality of life of healthy controls and morphea patients, as well as to determine the correlation of this variable with the level of dispositional optimism. The study included 47 patients with morphea and 47 healthy controls, matched for gender and age. Cantril’s Ladder and Life Orientation Test-Revised were used to assess the levels of life satisfaction and dispositional optimism, respectively. LoSSI was used for the objective assessment. The anticipated level of life quality and the level of dispositional optimism were statistically significantly lower in morphea patients (p = 0.032 and p = 0.014, respectively) when compared to controls. There were no differences in the assessment of current (p = 0.168) and past (p = 0.318) levels of life quality. Also, we proved that type of morphea did not differentiate the current (p = 0.175), past (p = 0.620) and future (p = 0.356) assessment of the quality of life. In the group of morphea patients there was a statistically significant correlation between the level of dispositional optimism and current (p = 0.002, r = 0.43), as well as anticipated (p < 0.001, r = 0.57) levels of life quality. Current level of life quality of healthy controls and morphea patients is comparable, whereas the latter anticipate their future life situation to be significantly worse than the former. Higher level of life satisfaction correlates with higher level of optimism

Photodynamic inactivation of Candida albicans with imidazoacridinones : influence of irradiance, photosensitizer uptake and reactive oxygen species generation

The increasing applicability of antifungal treatments, the limited range of available drug classes and the emergence of drug resistance in Candida spp. suggest the need for new treatment options. To explore the applicability of C. albicans photoinactivation, we examined nine structurally different imidazoacridinone derivatives as photosensitizing agents. The most effective derivatives showed a >10(4)-fold reduction of viable cell numbers. The fungicidal action of the three most active compounds was compared at different radiant powers (3.5 to 63 mW/cm2), and this analysis indicated that 7 mW/cm2 was the most efficient. The intracellular accumulation of these compounds in fungal cells correlated with the fungicidal activity of all 9 derivatives. The lack of effect of verapamil, an inhibitor targeting Candida ABC efflux pumps, suggests that these imidazoacridinones are not substrates for ABC transporters. Thus, unlike azoles, a major class of antifungals used against Candida, ABC transporter-mediated resistance is unlikely. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-spin trapping data suggested that the fungicidal light-induced action of these derivatives might depend on the production of superoxide anion. The highest generation rate of superoxide anion was observed for 1330H, 1610H, and 1611. Singlet oxygen production was also detected upon the irradiation of imidazoacridinone derivatives with UV laser light, with a low to moderate yield, depending on the type of compound. Thus, imidazoacridinone derivatives examined in the present study might act via mixed type I/type II photodynamic mechanism. The presented data indicate lack of direct correlation between the structures of studied imidazoacridinones, cell killing ability, and ROS production. However, we showed for the first time that for imidazoacridinones not only intracellular accumulation is necessary prerequisite of lethal photosensitization of C. albicans, but also localization within particular cellular structures. Our findings present IA derivatives as efficient antifungal photosensitizers with a potential to be used in local treatment of Candida infection

Orthographic priming in Braille reading as evidence for task-specific reorganization in the ventral visual cortex of the congenitally blind

The task-specific principle asserts that, following deafness or blindness, the deprived cortex is reorganized in a manner such that the task of a given area is preserved even though its input modality has been switched. Accordingly, tactile reading engages the ventral occipitotemporal cortex (vOT) in the blind in a similar way to regular reading in the sighted. Others, however, show that the vOT of the blind processes spoken sentence structure, which suggests that the task-specific principle might not apply to vOT. The strongest evidence for the vOT's engagement in sighted reading comes from orthographic repetition-suppression studies. Here, congenitally blind adults were tested in an fMRI repetition-suppression paradigm. Results reveal a double dissociation, with tactile orthographic priming in the vOT and auditory priming in general language areas. Reconciling our finding with other evidence, we propose that the vOT in the blind serves multiple functions, one of which, orthographic processing, overlaps with its function in the sighted

Leczenie liszaja twardzinowego w obrębie narządów płciowych u kobiet – przegląd

Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder that belongs to a group of autoimmune connective tissue diseases, localized within the skin and mucous membrane of the anogenital area. In the latter location, the focal atrophy of the mucosa is the most visible sign. Lesions may be accompanied by symptoms such as itching, pain, burning. The disease occurs more often in females. The etiology is not fully understood. Genetic, infectious, hormonal factors and autoimmune mechanisms are taken into consideration. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is important to avoid further complications. This review aims to analyze available literature on the treatment of this disease entity.Liszaj twardzinowy jest przewlekłą chorobą zapalną należącą do grupy autoimmunologicznych chorób tkanki łącznej, lokalizującą się w obrębie skóry, oraz błon śluzowych narządów płciowych. W zakresie tej ostatniej lokalizacji, klinicznie obserwuje się najczęściej występowanie ogniskowego zaniku błony śluzowej. Wykwitom mogą towarzyszyć objawy subiektywne jak świąd, ból, pieczenie. Schorzenie zdecydowanie częściej występuje u płci żeńskiej. Etiologia nie jest do końca poznana. Pod uwagę bierze się rolę czynników genetycznych, autoimmunologicznych, infekcyjnych, hormonalnych. Ważne jest wczesne rozpoznanie choroby i włączenie odpowiedniego leczenia, celem uniknięcia powikłań. W pracy przeprowadzono analizę dostępnego piśmiennictwa dotyczącego leczenia tej jednostki chorobowej

Twin pregnancy with a partial hydatidiform mole and a coexistent live fetus. Diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. A case report and the review of literature

Objectives: We report the case of a twin pregnancy with a partial hydatidiform mole and a coexistent live fetus diagnosedin a 28-year-old primipara at 15 weeks of gestation and discuss the problems associated with the ultrasound diagnosis,histopathological examination of molar tissue samples and treatment.Material and methods: A systematic research of the literature was conducted in PubMed database and Cochrane Library,including case reports and case series. A new case was also discussed. We collected data regarding the patient’s serumhuman chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) level, initial symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.Results: Most of the cases reported in the literature are those of a multiple pregnancy with complete hydatidiformmole (CHM) and a coexistent live fetus. The coexistence of a twin pregnancy with partial hydatidiform mole (PHM)and a live fetus in two separate amniotic sacs is extremely rare as a partial mole usually causes miscarriage of earlypregnancy. Ultrasound is an important diagnostic tool, but the correct diagnosis is made only in 68% of cases.With further histological assessment of molar specimens and biochemical assays, the rates of correct early diagnoses shouldincrease contributing to early therapeutic decisions and fewer adverse events.Conclusions: The diagnosis, management, and monitoring of this condition will remain challenging because of its rarity.Because of that, all cases of a suspected multiple pregnancy with a hydatidiform mole and a coexistent live fetus should bereferred to and managed at a tertiary center which specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of gestational trophoblasticdisease