Bio-Hash Secured Hardware e-Health Record System.

Dual securing strategy for all-hardware e-Health Record System is designed and developed for improved security and reduced Hardware Execution Time (HET). A compact novel Hashed Minutiae Random Fusion (HMRF) logic enables to achieve high irreversibility and increased non-reconstruction capability of the bio-template based Bio-Hash key. AES encryption of the patient's health data during Write mode and decryption during View mode are seamlessly performed through the lively generated key, yielding low HET through optimized slack. On the other hand, biometric controlled key retrieval during Read only mode for a single user access is performed on the pre-scrambled Bio-Hash key, to enable bypassed decryption (direct) of the Patient's health data for self-review. The proposed pseudo cascaded SHA-3 (Secured Hash Algorithm) architecture being the first stage in HMRF, hashes the biometric minutiae of both Patient (P) and Medical Practitioner (MP) with low Latency. Thus, facilitating in further lowering of the HET by reducing the clock count by one. The subsequent Random Compression Logic (RCL) skims the hashed value from 512 to 128 bits along with the help of priority compression logic (PCL) to achieve reduced bits handling thereby lowering the Power budget. Four fusion modes are leveraged to achieve better randomization and non-recoverability. Implementation of this HMRF logic on Virtex-7 (V7) FPGA device has yielded low Area of 4191 slices. Lesser Area of 11.6% is observed for this HMRF module compared to the reported design, excluding level shifter and PCL. Further, low HETs of 8.2/8.3/8.0 ns during Write/View/Read only modes respectively are being noticed. The dynamic Power dissipated for the three modes of operations are found to be 1.418/1.420/0.676 watts respectively.

Caenorhabditis elegans-based in vivo screening of bioactives from marine sponge-associated bacteria against Vibrio alginolyticus.

AIM: To establish Caenorhabditis elegans based in vivo method for screening bioactives from marine sponge associated bacteria (SAB) against Vibrio species. METHODS AND RESULTS: About 256 SAB isolates were screened for their ability to rescue C. elegans infected with Vibrio species. The chloroform extract of the positive isolate was subjected to column fractionation and purity of the active fraction was analysed using HPLC. Further, the components were elucidated using GC/MS. The active fraction was tested for its in vivo rescue activity, antibacterial and anti-QS activity. In vivo colonization reduction and biofilm inhibition efficiency were assessed using GFP-tagged V. alginolyticus using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The ability of the active fraction in modulating expression of V. alginolyticus quorum sensing (QS) regulators luxT and lafK was measured using real-time PCR. The results indicated that the chloroform extract of SAB4.2 displayed significant rescue activity against V. alginolyticus by inhibiting the QS pathway. HPLC analysis of the active fraction revealed a single major peak and GC/MS analysis suggested Pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro-3-(2-methylpropyl) as the major constituent. The potent bacterial isolate was identified as Alcaligenes faecalis. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo screening using C. elegans identified a marine isolate that inhibits the virulence of V. alginolyticus by interrupting the QS pathway. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study provides a C. elegans based in vivo screening method for identifying bioactives from natural resources by overcoming the disadvantages of traditional in vitro plate assays.

Topical phenytoin solution for treating pressure ulcers: a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of topical phenytoin solution in treating pressure ulcers among patients with spinal cord disorders and to evaluate the systemic absorption of topical phenytoin. SETTING: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients with stage 2 pressure ulcers were randomized to receive either phenytoin solution (5 mg/ml) or normal saline dressing on their ulcers once daily for 15 days. Efficacy of the treatment was determined by assessing the reduction in Pressure Ulcer Scores for Healing (PUSH 3.0), ulcer volume and ulcer size as on day 16. Serum phenytoin concentrations were estimated to determine the systemic absorption of topical phenytoin. RESULTS: Statistically insignificant but marginally higher reduction in PUSH 3.0 scores and ulcer size were seen with topical phenytoin treatment. Systemic absorption of topical phenytoin was negligible. No adverse drug events were detected during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Phenytoin solution is a safe topical agent that accelerates healing of pressure ulcers. However, its efficacy is only slightly more than normal saline treatment.