Performance assessment of antenna array for an unmanned air vehicle

In this paper, the performance of Linear Antenna Array Element (LAAE) has been evaluated at the Base Station (BS) with a different number of elements for Unmanned Air Vehicle UAV application. The Switched Beam (SB) and Phase Array (PA) have been used as a steering beam mechanism. The beam steering tracker is based on the GPS points of the UAV and the BS. In addition, the Misalignment angle has been analyzed for SB and PA corresponding to the maximum speed of the UAV. The compression between SB and PA in term of Bit Error Rate (BER) vs. Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) and BER vs. Misalignment angle have been examined by using Matlab. The results show that the PA has better performance than SB in both terms under Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channel with an interference signal. When the number of the elements is eight provides longer distance than four by the factor (1.5 in SB case and 2 in PA case) and wider Misalignment angle range than twelve by factor (2 in SW case and 3 in PA case). Therefore, it is becoming a useful option for many applications

Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Based on Intelligent System

التهاب المفاصل الروماتويدي  يؤثر على كثير من الناس مستهدفا المفاصل وخاصة المفاصل الصغيرة، ويستهدف جميع الأعمار حيث هو أكثر شيوعا في النساء. هذا المرض له العديد من الأعراض مشابهة لأمراض أخرى. لذلك، فمن الصعب جدا كشفه. كما أن أدوات التشخيص معقدة وغير اقتصادية. في هذا البحث، شبكة الذكاء الاصطناعي استخدمت لتشخيص والكشف المبكر عن التهاب المفاصل الروماتويدي وفقا للمعايير التي وضعتها الكلية الأمريكية للروماتيزم. أفضل أداء يحدث مع الحد الأدنى لعدد الخلايا العصبية المطلوبة عندما يكون عدد الخلايا العصبية هو 6. بحيث، فإن الأداء يساوي 10-10×3.8968. عند تقليل عدد الخلايا العصبية إلى 5 أو زيادة إلى 8، والنتيجة هي 0.0041 و  10-10×1.0611 ,على التوالي. مع ذلك، يمكن اعتبار جميع النتائج مقبولة و أن أفضل خيار لهذه التصاميم سيكون 6 خلايا عصبية من جانب التعقيد والدقة.The Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) affects many people targeting their joints, especially small joints, and it targets all ages which it is more common in women. This disease has many symptoms similar to other diseases. Therefore, it is very hard to detect. Also, the diagnostic tools are complex and uneconomical. In this paper, artificial intelligence network used for diagnosis and early detection of RA in accordance with criteria developed by the American College of Rheumatology. The best performance occurs with the minimum number of neurons required when the number of neurons is 6. So that, the performance is equal to 3.8968x1010-.  When reducing the number of neurons to 5 or increasing to 8, the result is  0.0041 and 1.0611×10-10, respectively. However, all results can be consider acceptable and indicate that the best choice from this structure will be 6 neurons in the form of complexity and accuracy

Problems of Electronic Commerce Applications in a Developing Country: A Descriptive Case Study of the Banking Industry of Oman

ABSTRACT Internet banking is a relatively new area and there are several issues, which have been generally untouched and are therefore open to further investigation, especially in the developing countries. Hence, this study is a step in this direction. This research has been focused on investigating to identify and highlight the main potential factors or impediments that are currently inhibiting the incorporation or adoption of Electronic Commerce (EC) applications expansion in the Omani banking sector. Data, obtained for the first time, were collected using semi-structured interviews and a survey questionnaire as well as by reviewing some bank documents. The study explores the slow uptake of EC application in the banking industry. The objectives of the research, therefore, were to identify factors enabling or inhibiting the successful adoption and use of ecommerce applications within the banking industry of Oman. The results provide a pragmatic picture of the adoption of EC applications in the country's core financial sector domain. One of its main findings is that security and privacy issues were found to be a serious inhibiting factor. Other factors such as power relationships (as conflict between managers can often emerge during the process of IS/IT adoption). Banks adopting and implementing Internet banking services and applications face several management and social problems and challenges. Although the research context is quite specific, it is believed that the findings are of relevance to other industries and other developing countries

Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis Based on Artificial Intelligence System

مرض التهاب القولون التقرحي هو تهيج في القولون الذي يرتبط في كثير من الأحيان مع العدوى ونقص المناعة. يكون جدار القولون للشخص مصاب بالالتهاب دائمًا أكثر سماكة من المعتاد. قد يكون مرض التهاب القولون التقرحي مهدد للحياة ويؤدي إلى الموت إذا لم يتم اكتشافه مبكرًا. الاكتشاف المبكر لهذا المرض مهم للغاية لبدء العلاج المناسب. في هذا البحث، تم تقديم شبكة العصبية الاصطناعية للكشف عن مرض التهاب القولون التقرحي وفقًا لمجموعة البيانات النظرية التي تم إنشاؤها بواسطة المعايير. تم تدريب الشبكة باستخدام خوارزمية Levenberg-Marquardt. أفضل اداء للشبكة كان حيث نسبة الخطأ تساوي 1.9947×10-24   للنظام الذي عدد خلاياه العصبية = 4.Ulcerative colitis (UC) disease is irritation of the colon that is frequently related to infection and immune compromise. The wall of the colon with inflammation is always thicker than normal. UC may be life-threatening and lead to death if not detected early. Early detection of this disease is very important to initiate appropriate treatment. In this paper, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) applied to detect the UC according to a theoretical dataset generated by the criteria of UC. The Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm has trained the single hidden layer ANN. The best behaviour is equal to 1.9947×10-24for the system which the number of neurons =4

Communities in university mathematics

This paper concerns communities of learners and teachers that are formed, develop and interact in university mathematics environments through the theoretical lens of Communities of Practice. From this perspective, learning is described as a process of participation and reification in a community in which individuals belong and form their identity through engagement, imagination and alignment. In addition, when inquiry is considered as a fundamental mode of participation, through critical alignment, the community becomes a Community of Inquiry. We discuss these theoretical underpinnings with examples of their application in research in university mathematics education and, in more detail, in two Research Cases which focus on mathematics students' and teachers' perspectives on proof and on engineering students' conceptual understanding of mathematics. The paper concludes with a critical reflection on the theorising of the role of communities in university level teaching and learning and a consideration of ways forward for future research

Can we (control) Engineer the degree learning process?

This paper investigates how control theory could be applied to learning processes in engineering education. The initial point for the analysis is White’s Double Loop learning model of human automation control modified for the education process where a set of governing principals is chosen, probably by the course designer. After initial training the student decides unknowingly on a mental map or model. After observing how the real world is behaving, a strategy to achieve the governing variables is chosen and a set of actions chosen. This may not be a conscious operation, it maybe completely instinctive. These actions will cause some consequences but not until a certain time delay. The current model is compared with the work of Hollenbeck on goal setting, Nelson’s model of self-regulation and that of Abdulwahed, Nagy and Blanchard at Loughborough who investigated control methods applied to the learning process

Fostering creativity among the vulnerable groups: a case of teenage pregnancy

Creative thinking skills are one of the most appreciated tools of leading in various domains of human life. Although most studies focus more on certain vital sectors like innovation and industry, the creative thinking skill can be considered an effective tool to be utilized in other social subjective fields that concerns focus more on the wellbeing of people by helping to solve their personal and social problems. This research aims to share a field experience of teaching creative thinking skills for 36 vulnerable young women that reside in Raudhatus Sakina Center (RSC). By adopting the Islamic framework and concept of human nature, creative thinking and creativity, the trainers were able to interact more effectively with the participants and extend the relevance of creative thinking tools to the circle of their spiritual states, feelings, mental mods, and their social relations. To create confidence and learning interest among the participants, the trainers have used various mediums like stories, Islamic calligraphy, Torrence test, and the cultural context. According to responses of the participants to the question “did program benefit you in building up your confidence and readiness to address the problems you are facing in a more positive way”, the training that lasted for 12 weeks (2hr. each week) has significantly helped them not only in learning problem-solving skills but also to develop a positive perspective in looking to the problems and the overall meaning of life

An algorithm to enhance elliptic curves scalar multiplication combining MBNR with point halving

Elliptic curves (EC) scalar multiplication over some finite fields, is an attractive research area, and it has been paid much attention by re- searchers in the recent years. Researchs still in progress to improve the imple- mentation of elliptic curves cryptography (ECC) and reducing its complexity. Elliptic curve point-halving algorithm proposed in [10], later double-base (DB) chain [3], and step multi-base representation (SMBR) [17] are among the ef- ficient techniques used in this field. The presented paper proposes a new algorithm combining SMBR and point halving. We extend the work done by [13], which combined DB chain with point halving technique. The experiment results show that our contribution can enhance EC scalar multiplication

Global wealth disparities drive adherence to COVID-safe pathways in head and neck cancer surgery

Peer reviewe

Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks