Feedback based real-time MAC (RT-MAC) protocol for data packet streaming in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are generally used for event driven monitoring or periodic reporting. Once a triggering event happens, it needs to be reported in real-time as a continuous stream for some duration. In order to address such communication requirements, this thesis introduces a soft Real-Time MAC (RT-MAC) protocol for real-time data packet streaming in wireless sensor networks. RT-MAC eliminates contention for a wireless medium by introducing a feedback control packet, called Clear Channel (CC). As a result, RT-MAC has a consistent and predictable data transmission pattern that provides end-to-end delay guarantees. Additionally, RT-MAC has a lower end-to-end delay than other real-time WSN MAC protocols for two reasons: (1) it maximizes spatial channel reuse by avoiding the false blocking problem caused by request-to-send (RTS) and clear-to-send (CTS) exchanges in wireless MAC protocols (2) it reduces contention duration of control packets to facilitate faster data packet transfer. Thus, RT-MAC facilitates periodic data packet deliveries as well as alarming event reporting. RT-MAC operates both with and without duty cycle mode (sleep/wakeup schedule for sensor nodes). Duty cycle mode of RT-MAC is useful in situations where energy conservation is one of the goals along with real-time requirements. RT-MAC is well suited for multi-hop communication with a large number of hops. RT-MAC protocol supports single-stream communication between a randomly selected source and sink node pair as well as multi-stream communication among different source and sink node pairs. This thesis provides the lower and upper end-to-end delay bounds for data packets transfer in normal mode of operation of RT-MAC protocol. We used state diagram analysis to show the in-depth functioning of RT-MAC protocol. This thesis also presents Markov analysis of RT-MAC that shows the behavior of the protocol in fault scenarios. Extensive simulation results are also presented in this thesis. These results show significant improvement in delay, packet throughput performance, and uniformity in packet transmission pattern at a cost of a very small increase in energy consumption as compared to other real-time MAC protocols such as VTS and general purpose MAC protocols such as S-MAC and T-MAC

Factors affecting Osseointegration: A Literature Review

The purpose of this literature review is to collect the published data concerning factors affecting osseointegration. Popularity and large demand of dental implant makes this study essential because success of dental implant is directly related to the principle of osseointegration, a process of implant-bone interaction that finally leads to bone-implant anchorage.To identify relevant literature an electronic search was performed using term osseointegration and dental implant on PubMed central. Titles and abstracts were screened andarticles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected for full text reading. Review of selected articles enabled us to enlist various factors which have significant effects on osseointegration either by enhancing or inhibiting it. Based on the review literature, it is concluded that there are factors which when considered may increase osseointegrationwhich in turn will increase success of dental implant and some factors play an inhibiting role for bone-implant contact

Origin of biological information: Inherent occurrence of intron-rich split genes, coding for complex extant proteins, within pre-biotic random genetic sequences

The origin of biological information is an unexplained phenomenon. Prior research in resolving the origin of proteins, based on the assumption that the first genes were contiguous prokaryotic sequences has not succeeded. Rather, it has been established that contiguous protein-coding genes do not exist in practically any amount of random genetic sequences. We found that complex eukaryotic proteins could be inherently encoded in split genes that could exist by chance within mere micrograms to milligrams of random DNA. Using protein amino acid sequence variability, codon degeneracy, and stringent exon-length restriction, we demonstrate that split genes for proteins of extant eukaryotes occur extensively in random genetic sequences. The results provide evidence that an abundance of split genes encoding advanced proteins in a small amount of prebiotic genetic material could have ignited the evolution of the eukaryotic genome

Aldehydes: magnificent acyl equivalents for direct acylation

From the viewpoint of meeting the current green chemistry challenges in chemical synthesis, there is a need to disseminate how the cocktail of acylation and activation can play a pivotal role in affording bioactive acylated products comprising substituted ketone motifs in fewer reaction steps, with higher atom-economy and improved selectivity. In recent years, a significant number of articles employing the title compounds “aldehydes” as magnificent acylation surrogates which are less toxic and widely applicable have been published. This review sheds light on the compounds use for selective acylation of arene, heteroarene and alkyl (sp3, sp2 and sp) C–H bonds by proficient utilization of the C–H activation strategy. Critical insights into selective acylation of diverse moieties for the synthesis of bioactive compounds are presented in this review that will enable academic and industrial researchers to understand the mechanistic aspects involved and fruitfully employ these strategies in designing novel molecules

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of Arylpiperazine-based novel Phthalimides: active inducers of testicular germ cell apoptosis

Understanding of apoptosis or programmed cell death has provided the basis for novel therapeutics that has resulted in rationally designed anticancer strategies. Recently, inducers of apoptosis have been used in cancer therapy. In this work, we describe the role of chiral phthalimides functionalized with piperazines as potential apoptotic inducers. The listed twenty phthalimides were assessed for their in vitro apoptotic activity against testicular germ cells. All phthalimides showed a significant apoptotic response (∼39 to ∼68%). TUNEL assay and acridine orange fluorescence staining were carried out to investigate the molecular mechanisms responsible for the cell death. Phthalimides exhibited substantial apoptotic induction following the intrinsic pathway mechanism. Studies advocated that the apoptotic induction was mediated through caspase-9, caspase-3, JNK MAP kinase and tumor suppressor p53, which was accompanied by DNA fragmentation and nuclear condensation. Besides, the best five phthalimides regarding apoptotic action were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic effects against CAL-72 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Compounds showed efficient killing of cancer cells. This discovery of functionalized phthalimides as apoptotic inducers would be highly valuable in understanding the mechanism of apoptosis at the molecular level and opens up new possibilities for therapeutic strategies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Synthesis of macromolecular systems via lipase catalyzed biocatalytic reactions: applications and future perspectives

Enzymes, being remarkable catalysts, are capable of accepting a wide range of complex molecules as substrates and catalyze a variety of reactions with a high degree of chemo-, stereo- and regioselectivity in most of the reactions. Biocatalysis can be used in both simple and complex chemical transformations without the need for tedious protection and deprotection chemistry that is very common in traditional organic synthesis. This current review highlights the applicability of one class of biocatalysts viz. ‘‘lipases’’ in synthetic transformations, the resolution of pharmaceutically important small molecules including polyphenols, amides, nucleosides and their precursors, the development of macromolecular systems (and their applications as drug/gene carriers), flame retardants, polymeric antioxidants and nanocrystalline solar cells, etc

Chemoenzymatic synthesis, nanotization and anti- aspergillus activity of optically enriched fluconazole analogues

Despite recent advances in diagnostic and therapeutic advances in antifungal research, aspergillosis still remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. One strategy to address this problem is to enhance the activity spectrum of known antifungals, and we now report the first successful application of Candida antarctica lipase (CAL) for the preparation of optically enriched fluconazole analogs. Anti-Aspergillus activity was observed for an optically enriched derivative, (-)-S-2-(2’ ,4’ -difluorophenyl)-1-hexyl-amino-3-(1‴,2‴,4‴) triazol-1‴-yl-propan-2-ol, which exhibits MIC values of 15.6 μg/mL and 7.8 μg/disc in microbroth dilution and disc diffusion assays, respectively. This compound is tolerated by mammalian erythrocytes and cell lines (A549 and U87) at concentrations of up to 1000 μg/mL. When incorporated into dextran nanoparticles, the novel, optically enriched fluconazole analog exhibited improved antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus (MIC = 1.63 μg/mL). These results not only demonstrate the ability of biocatalytic approaches to yield novel, optically enriched fluconazole derivatives but also suggest that enantiomerically pure fluconazole derivatives, and their nanotised counterparts, exhibiting anti-Aspergillus activity may have reduced toxicity

Soil conservation issues in India

Despite years of study and substantial investment in remediation and prevention, soil erosion continues to be a major environmental problem with regard to land use in India and elsewhere around the world. Furthermore, changing climate and/or weather patterns are exacerbating the problem. Our objective was to review past and current soil conservation programmes in India to better understand how production-, environmental-, social-, economic- and policy-related issues have affected soil and water conservation and the incentives needed to address the most critical problems. We found that to achieve success in soil and water conservation policies, institutions and operations must be co-ordinated using a holistic approach. Watershed programmes have been shown to be one of the most effective strategies for bringing socio-economic change to different parts of India. Within both dryland and rainfed areas, watershed management has quietly revolutionized agriculture by aligning various sectors through technological soil and water conservation interventions and land-use diversification. Significant results associated with various watershed-scale soil and water conservation programmes and interventions that were effective for reducing land degradation and improving productivity in different parts of the country are discussed

Impact of Family Participatory Care on Neonates- A Non Randomised Interventional Study

Introduction: Family Participatory Care (FPC) is a unique concept which involves parents in caregiving to their admitted babies. It helps in defining the family's role in clinical care delivery to newborns along with doctors and nurses. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is the ideal area for FPC to take place because of the unique and vulnerable nature of the mother-neonate relationship as neonates that are admitted, face immense trials from their first day of life. Aim: To know the effect of FPC on outcome of admitted neonates, analyse the impact of this model on breastfeeding rate and to compare the rate of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) being given to neonates at follow-up. Materials and Methods: It was a non randomised interventional study done from August 2020 to April 2021, in the NICU at Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha, Hisar, Haryana, India. Two hundred neonates, who were sequentially admitted and later discharged, were taken into account, out of which, first 100 were taken as controls and next 100 were taken in the intervention group. Routine treatment and care were given to all the admitted neonates. In addition to this, parents of the study group of newborns were given education through four audio-visual sessions, comprising hygiene measures for entry into nursery, correct method of breastfeeding, KMC and then care at home after discharge. Follow-up was done after one week of discharge and at six weeks of age. Outcome measures were breastfeeding rate and KMC rate which were compared between two groups, at discharge and at follow-up of six weeks of age. Results: The mean birth weight of neonates, mean gestational age and the socioeconomic status were comparable in both the groups. Mean duration of hospital stay was 7.13 (±4.95) days in study group and 8.06 (±5.40) days in control group (p=0.206). Mean weight at discharge and that at six weeks was comparable in both groups. However, the average weight gain per day was significantly higher (25.61 g) in the study group than the control group (18.92 g). At discharge, 92 babies in the control group and 87 in the study group were given exclusive breastfeeding or expressed breast milk with spoon feeding. At six weeks follow-up, this number was 91 in the study group and 70 in the control group (p=0.001). KMC was given to all the neonates at discharge who had birth weight less than two kg. Among them, at the time of follow-up, 33/36 in the case group and 5/37 in the control group were receiving KMC (p-value 0.001). Conclusion: FPC is feasible and effective model in terms of better neonatal outcome