A Centralized Clustering approach for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks consists of hundreds and thousands of micro sensor nodes that monitor a remote environment by data aggregation from individual nodes and transmitting this data to the base station for further processing and inference. The energy of the battery operated nodes is the most vulnerable resource of the WSN, which is depleted at a high rate when information is transmitted, because transmission energy is dependent on the distance of transmission. In a clustering approach, the Cluster Head node looses a significant amount of energy during transmission to base station. So the selection of Cluster Head is very critical. An effective selection protocol should choose Cluster Heads based on the geographical location of node and its remaining energy. In this work a centralized protocol for Cluster Head selection in WSN is discussed, which is run at the base station, thus reducing the nodes' energy consumption and increasing their life-time. The primary idea is implemented using a fuzzy-logic based selection of Cluster Head from among the nodes of network, which is concluded depending on two parameters, the current energy of the node and the distance of the node from the base station. The protocol is named LEACH-C(ED)-Centralized LEACH based on Energy and Distance, and is run periodically at the base station where a new set of cluster heads are selected at every round, thus distributing the energy load in the network and increasing the network lifetime. The simulation results show that the proposed approach is more effective than the existing LEACH-Centralized protocol

Risk factors for maternal mortality among 1.9 million women in nine empowered action group states in India: secondary analysis of Annual Health Survey data.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the risk factors for pregnancy-related death in India's nine Empowered Action Group (EAG) states. DESIGN: Secondary data analysis of the Indian Annual Health Survey (2010-2013). SETTING: Nine states: Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. PARTICIPANTS: 1 989 396 pregnant women. METHODS: Maternal mortality ratio (MMR), overall and for each state, with 95% CI was calculated. Stepwise multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate the association of risk factors with maternal mortality. Area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was used to assess the prediction of the model. OUTCOME MEASURES: MMR adjusted for survey design, adjusted OR (aOR)with 95% CI and C-statistic with 95% CI. RESULTS: MMR calculated for the nine states was 383/100 000 live births (95% CI 346 to 423 per 100 000). Age exhibited a U-shaped association with maternal mortality. Not having a health scheme and belonging to a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe group were significant risk factors for maternal death with aOR of 2.72 (95% CI 2.41 to 3.07), 1.10 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.18) and 1.43 (95% CI 1.31 to 1.56), respectively. Socioeconomic status and rural residence were not associated with maternal mortality after adjusting for access to a healthcare facility. Complications of pregnancy and medical comorbidities were the strongest risk factors for maternal death (aOR 50.2, 95% CI 44.5 to 56.6). Together, the risk factors identified accounted for 89% (95% CI 0.887 to 0.894) of the AUROC. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal mortality in India's EAG states greatly exceeds the national average. The identified risk factors demonstrate the importance of improving the quality of pregnancy care. Notably, the study showed that the risk conferred by poor socioeconomic status could be mitigated by universal access to healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth

MFS transportome of the human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is one of the two largest superfamilies of membrane transporters present ubiquitously in bacteria, archaea, and eukarya and includes members that function as uniporters, symporters or antiporters. We report here the complete transportome of MFS proteins of a human pathogenic yeast <it>Candida albicans</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Computational analysis of <it>C. albicans </it>genome enabled us to identify 95 potential MFS proteins which clustered into 17 families using Saier's Transport Commission (TC) system. Among these SP, DHA1, DHA2 and ACS represented major families consisting of 22, 22, 9 and 16 members, respectively. Family designations in <it>C. albicans </it>were validated by subjecting <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae </it>genome to TC system. Based on the published available genomics/proteomics data, 87 of the putative MFS genes of <it>C. albicans </it>were found to express either at mRNA or protein levels. We checked the expression of the remaining 8 genes by using RT-PCR and observed that they are not expressed under basal growth conditions implying that either these 8 genes are expressed under specific growth conditions or they may be candidates for pseudogenes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The <it>in silico </it>characterisation of MFS transporters in <it>Candida albicans </it>genome revealed a large complement of MFS transporters with most of them showing expression. Considering the clinical relevance of <it>C. albicans </it>and role of MFS members in antifungal resistance and nutrient transport, this analysis would pave way for identifying their physiological relevance.</p

Molecular docking studies of natural and synthetic compounds against human secretory PLA2 in therapeutic intervention of inflammatory diseases and analysis of their pharmacokinetic properties

33-38Literature survey reveals that there are several natural and synthetic anti-inflammatory compounds reported till date. As a therapeutic drug target, PLA2 inhibition is preferred over other anti-inflammatory drug targets. The pro-inflammatory effects of group X sPLA2 are acquired from multiple pathways. This study aims to identify the best anti-inflammatory compound among 22 compounds reported in literature using in silico approach. The compound ligands are subjected to docking against the target protein human sPLA2 [PDB ID: 5G3M] at the active site using AutoDock 4.2.6. Based on the Δ binding free energy and hydrogen bonding interactions, it was observed that ten compounds fit at the active site. Out of these, compound 1 (14-deoxyandrographolide) was selected as the best compound. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties of the ligands are analyzed using pkCSM software available online. Compound 1 exhibited the best conformational fit when compared to the co-crystal inhibitor 4-Benzylbenzamide

Promising drug delivery approaches to treat microbial infections in the vagina: a recent update

An optimal host–microbiota interaction in the human vagina governs the reproductive health status of a woman. The marked depletion in the beneficial Lactobacillus sp. increases the risk of infection with sexually transmitted pathogens, resulting in gynaecological issues. Vaginal infections that are becoming increasingly prevalent, especially among women of reproductive age, require an effective concentration of antimicrobial drugs at the infectious sites for complete disease eradication. Thus, topical treatment is recommended as it allows direct therapeutic action, reduced drug doses and side effects, and self-insertion. However, the alterations in the physiological conditions of the vagina affect the effectiveness of vaginal drug delivery considerably. Conventional vaginal dosage forms are often linked to low retention time in the vagina and discomfort which significantly reduces patient compliance. The lack of optimal prevention and treatment approaches have contributed to the unacceptably high rate of recurrence for vaginal diseases. To combat these limitations, several novel approaches including nano-systems, mucoadhesive polymeric systems, and stimuli-responsive systems have been developed in recent years. This review discusses and summarises the recent research progress of these novel approaches for vaginal drug delivery against various vaginal diseases. An overview of the concept and challenges of vaginal infections, anatomy and physiology of the vagina, and barriers to vaginal drug delivery are also addressed

Advancement on sustained antiviral ocular drug delivery for herpes simplex virus keratitis: recent update on potential investigation

The eyes are the window to the world and the key to communication, but they are vulnerable to multitudes of ailments. More serious than is thought, corneal infection by herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) is a prevalent yet silent cause of blindness in both the paediatric and adult population, especially if immunodeficient. Globally, there are 1.5 million new cases and forty thousand visual impairment cases reported yearly. The Herpetic Eye Disease Study recommends topical antiviral as the front-line therapy for HSV keratitis. Ironically, topical eye solutions undergo rapid nasolacrimal clearance, which necessitates oral drugs but there is a catch of systemic toxicity. The hurdle of antiviral penetration to reach an effective concentration is further complicated by drugs’ poor permeability and complex layers of ocular barriers. In this current review, novel delivery approaches for ocular herpetic infection, including nanocarriers, prodrugs, and peptides are widely investigated, with special focus on advantages, challenges, and recent updates on in situ gelling systems of ocular HSV infections. In general congruence, the novel drug delivery systems play a vital role in prolonging the ocular drug residence time to achieve controlled release of therapeutic agents at the application site, thus allowing superior ocular bioavailability yet fewer systemic side effects. Moreover, in situ gel functions synergistically with nanocarriers, prodrugs, and peptides. The findings support that novel drug delivery systems have potential in ophthalmic drug delivery of antiviral agents, and improve patient convenience when prolonged and chronic topical ocular deliveries are intended

Focused Cardiac Ultrasound to Guide the Diagnosis of Heart Failure in Pregnant Women in India.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac complications are a leading cause of maternal death. Cardiac imaging with echocardiography is important for prompt diagnosis, but it is not available in many low-resource settings. The aim of this study was to determine whether focused cardiac ultrasound performed by trained obstetricians and interpreted remotely by experts can identify cardiac abnormalities in pregnant women in low-resource settings. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 pregnant and postpartum women recruited from 10 hospitals across three states in India. Twenty-two obstetricians were trained in image acquisition using a portable cardiac ultrasound device following a simplified protocol adapted from focus-assessed transthoracic echocardiography protocol. It included parasternal long-axis, parasternal short-axis, and apical four-chamber views on two-dimensional and color Doppler. Independent image interpretation was performed remotely by two experts, in the United Kingdom and India, using a standard semiquantitative assessment protocol. Interrater agreement between the experts was examined using Cohen's κ. Diagnostic accuracy of the method was examined in a subsample for whom both focused and conventional scans were available. RESULTS: Cardiac abnormalities identified using the focused method included valvular abnormalities (27%), rheumatic heart disease (6.6%), derangements in left ventricular size (4.7%) and function (22%), atrial dilatation (19.5%), and pericardial effusion (30%). There was substantial agreement on the cardiac parameters between the two experts, ranging from 93.6% (κ = 0.84) for left ventricular ejection fraction to 100% (κ = 1) for valvular disease. Image quality was graded as good in 79% of parasternal long-axis, 77% of parasternal short-axis and 64% of apical four-chamber views. The chance-corrected κ coefficients indicated fair to moderate agreement (κ = 0.28-0.51) for the image quality parameters. There was good agreement on diagnosis between the focused method and standard echocardiography (78% agreement), compared in 36 participants. CONCLUSIONS: The focused method accurately identified cardiac abnormalities in pregnant women and could be used for screening cardiac problems in obstetric settings

Comparison of proteomic profiles of the venoms of two of the \u27Big Four\u27 snakes of India, the Indian Cobra (Naja naja) andthe common krait (Bungarus caeruleus), and analyses of their toxins

Snake venoms are mixtures of biologically-active proteins and peptides, and several studies have described the characteristics of some of these toxins. However, complete proteomic profiling of the venoms of many snake species has not yet been done. The Indian cobra (Naja naja) and common krait (Bungarus caeruleus) are elapid snake species that are among the ‘Big Four’ responsible for the majority of human snake envenomation cases in India. As understanding the composition and complexity of venoms is necessary for successful treatment of envenomation in humans, we utilized three different proteomic profiling approaches to characterize these venoms: i) one-dimensional SDS-PAGE coupled with in-gel tryptic digestion and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS/MS) of individual protein bands; ii) in-solution tryptic digestion of crude venoms coupled with ESI-LC-MS/MS; and iii) separation by gel-filtration chromatography coupled with tryptic digestion and ESI-LC-MS/MS of separated fractions. From the generated data, 81 and 46 different proteins were identified from N. naja and B. caeruleus venoms, respectively, belonging to fifteen different protein families. Venoms from both species were found to contain a variety of phospholipases A2 and three-finger toxins, whereas relatively higher numbers of snake venom metalloproteinases were found in N. naja compared to B. caeruleus venom. The analyses also identified less represented venom proteins including L-amino acid oxidases, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, 5’-nucleotidases and venom nerve growth factors. Further, Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors, cobra venom factors, phosphodiesterases, vespryns and aminopeptidases were identified in the N. naja venom, while acetylcholinesterases and hyaluronidases were found in the B. caeruleus venom. We further analyzed protein coverage (Lys/Arg rich and poor regions as well as potential glycosylation sites) using in-house software. These studies expand our understanding of the proteomes of the venoms of these two medically-important species

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 315 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE), 1990-2015:a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background Healthy life expectancy (HALE) and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) provide summary measures of health across geographies and time that can inform assessments of epidemiological patterns and health system performance, help to prioritise investments in research and development, and monitor progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aimed to provide updated HALE and DALYs for geographies worldwide and evaluate how disease burden changes with development.Methods We used results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 (GBD 2015) for all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, and non-fatal disease burden to derive HALE and DALYs by sex for 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015. We calculated DALYs by summing years of life lost (YLLs) and years of life lived with disability (YLDs) for each geography, age group, sex, and year. We estimated HALE using the Sullivan method, which draws from age-specific death rates and YLDs per capita. We then assessed how observed levels of DALYs and HALE differed from expected trends calculated with the Socio-demographic Index (SDI), a composite indicator constructed from measures of income per capita, average years of schooling, and total fertility rate.Findings Total global DALYs remained largely unchanged from 1990 to 2015, with decreases in communicable, neonatal, maternal, and nutritional (Group 1) disease DALYs off set by increased DALYs due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Much of this epidemiological transition was caused by changes in population growth and ageing, but it was accelerated by widespread improvements in SDI that also correlated strongly with the increasing importance of NCDs. Both total DALYs and age-standardised DALY rates due to most Group 1 causes significantly decreased by 2015, and although total burden climbed for the majority of NCDs, age-standardised DALY rates due to NCDs declined. Nonetheless, age-standardised DALY rates due to several high-burden NCDs (including osteoarthritis, drug use disorders, depression, diabetes, congenital birth defects, and skin, oral, and sense organ diseases) either increased or remained unchanged, leading to increases in their relative ranking in many geographies. From 2005 to 2015, HALE at birth increased by an average of 2.9 years (95% uncertainty interval 2.9-3.0) for men and 3.5 years (3.4-3.7) for women, while HALE at age 65 years improved by 0.85 years (0.78-0.92) and 1.2 years (1.1-1.3), respectively. Rising SDI was associated with consistently higher HALE and a somewhat smaller proportion of life spent with functional health loss; however, rising SDI was related to increases in total disability. Many countries and territories in central America and eastern sub-Saharan Africa had increasingly lower rates of disease burden than expected given their SDI. At the same time, a subset of geographies recorded a growing gap between observed and expected levels of DALYs, a trend driven mainly by rising burden due to war, interpersonal violence, and various NCDs.Interpretation Health is improving globally, but this means more populations are spending more time with functional health loss, an absolute expansion of morbidity. The proportion of life spent in ill health decreases somewhat with increasing SDI, a relative compression of morbidity, which supports continued efforts to elevate personal income, improve education, and limit fertility. Our analysis of DALYs and HALE and their relationship to SDI represents a robust framework on which to benchmark geography-specific health performance and SDG progress. Country-specific drivers of disease burden, particularly for causes with higher-than-expected DALYs, should inform financial and research investments, prevention efforts, health policies, and health system improvement initiatives for all countries along the development continuum. Copyright (C) The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.</p

Measurement of the top quark forward-backward production asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric and chromomagnetic moments in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV

Abstract The parton-level top quark (t) forward-backward asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric (d̂ t) and chromomagnetic (μ̂ t) moments have been measured using LHC pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected in the CMS detector in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1. The linearized variable AFB(1) is used to approximate the asymmetry. Candidate t t ¯ events decaying to a muon or electron and jets in final states with low and high Lorentz boosts are selected and reconstructed using a fit of the kinematic distributions of the decay products to those expected for t t ¯ final states. The values found for the parameters are AFB(1)=0.048−0.087+0.095(stat)−0.029+0.020(syst),μ̂t=−0.024−0.009+0.013(stat)−0.011+0.016(syst), and a limit is placed on the magnitude of | d̂ t| &lt; 0.03 at 95% confidence level. [Figure not available: see fulltext.