Energy Efficiency of a Decode-and-Forward Multiple-Relay Network with Rate Adaptive LDPC Codes.

This paper presents cooperative transmission (CT), where multiple relays are used to achieve array and diversity gains, as an enabling technology for Internet of Things (IoT) networks with hardware-limited devices. We investigate a channel coding aided decode-and-forward (DF) relaying network, considering a two-hop multiple-relay network, where the data transmission between the source and the destination is realized with the help of DF relays. Low density parity check (LDPC) codes are adopted as forward error correction (FEC) codes to encode and decode the data both at the source and relays. We consider both fixed and variable code rates depending upon the quality-of-service (QoS) provisioning such as spectral efficiency and maximum energy efficiency. Furthermore, an optimal power allocation scheme is studied for the cooperative system under the energy efficiency constraint. We present the simulation results of our proposed scheme, compared with conventional methods, which show that if decoupled code rates are used on both hops then a trade-off has to be maintained between system complexity, transmission delay, and bit error rate (BER).

St. John's Wort increases brain serotonin synthesis by inhibiting hepatic tryptophan 2, 3 dioxygenase activity and its gene expression in stressed rats.

We aimed to investigate the effects of herbal St. John's Wort (SJW) on transcriptional regulation of hepatic tryptophan 2, 3 - dioxygenase (TDO) enzyme activity and brain regional serotonin (5-HT) levels in rats exposed to forced swim test (FST). TDO mRNA expression was quantified using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain (RT-PCR) reaction and brain regional indoleamines were determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detector. Behavioral analysis shows significant reduction in immobility time in SJW (500mg/kg/ml) administered rats. It was found that pretreatment of SJW to rats did not prevent stress-induced elevation in plasma corticosterone levels however it increases serotonin synthesis by virtue of inhibiting hepatic TDO enzyme activity and its gene expression, ascertaining the notion that there exists an inverse relationship between hepatic TDO enzyme activity and brain 5-HT. The drug also decreases serotonin turnover in all the brain areas (hypothalamus, hippocampus amygdala) in stressed rats endorsing its monoamine oxidase inhibition property. Inhibition of TDO enzyme activity and its gene expression by the drug provides new insights for the development of therapeutic interventions for stress related mental illnesses.