Exploration of Big Data in Procurement - Benefits and Challenges

Emergence of Big Data had positive implications in various industries and businesses. Big Data analytics provides the ability to harness massive amount of data for decision making purposes. One of the important use case of Big Data analytics is in supply chain management. Increased visibility, enhanced bargaining position in negotiations, better risk management and informed decision making are examples of benefits gained from Big Data analytics in supply chain. Although there are advances in analytics application throughout supply chain management, sourcing applications are lagging behind other functions of supply chain. The purpose of this study is to analyse use cases of exploiting Big Data for purchasing and supply purposes, in order to help companies having more visibility over the supply market. Data collection in this study was carried out through the use of semi-structured interviews which then were coded and categorized for comparison. The results pointed out that big data aids in identifying new suppliers. Additionally, having transparency over n-tier suppliers for managing risks were important for companies. Most of the companies are using descriptive analytics. However, they expected to have predictive analytics to become aware of market situation and gain better position in negotiations. Furthermore, this research showed that to prevent supply disruptions, the Big Data analytics should send timely warnings to managers. The main expectations from Big Data analytics are gaining transparency, automation of data collection and analysis, prediction, availability of new data sources, more efficient KPIs and better representation of data. The main hurdle in Big Data initiative is unintegrated and non-homogenous internal data

Viscous Heating Effects on Heat Transfer Characteristics of an Explosive Fluid in a Converging Pipe

Viscous dissipation is the production of heat due to the slip of fluid layers and can raise the temperature of the fluid that is affected by high shear stresses. This raise of temperature in fluids with explosive properties can cause the explosion during the processing. The present paper investigates the temperature distribution of an explosive fluid beside the wall of a converging tube. This study has been done by using the computational fluid dynamics and OpenFOAM software. The studied cases contain the fluid with two viscosities (50 and 500 kg/m × s) and two inlet conditions (constant and developed velocity profile). The results of this study show that at the end of a converging pipe, duo to the viscous dissipation effects, the temperature rise for high viscosity fluid is more intensive and this is a dangerous fact for high viscosity explosive fluids discharging. Also, it has been considered that the constant inlet velocity is safer in comparison with the developed profile, as the slope of temperature rise is less

Comparison of pre-emptive analgesic effect of rectal ketamine and caudal bupivacaine in pediatric lower abdominal surgery

Introduction: Ketamine is a medication that suppresses the central nervous system and can be used as an analgesic. The aim of this study is to compare the post-operative pain reduction of rectal ketamine and caudal bupivacaine in pediatric lower abdominal surgery.Materials and Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was performed on 68 children aged 1-7 years whom were allocated into two groups of 34 patients. The first Group received rectal ketamine (2mg/kg), and the second received 0.75mg/kg caudal bupivacaine (0.125%). Mean pain intensity and hemodynamic variables were recorded 2,6,12 and 24 hours following lower abdominal surgery in children. Pain was assessed using FLACC (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability) Scale.Results: There were no significant difference in terms of pain intensity between admission and discharge from recovery (p>0.05). Patients who received ketamine endured less pain than bupivacaine 2, 6, and 12 hours following surgery (p<0.05). Mean extubation time and duration of recovery stay was significantly shorter in the ketamine group.Conclusion: Rectal ketamine was associated with more effective pain control and shorter recovery stay, when compared to caudal bupivacaine in lower abdominal pediatric surgery

An investigation on the helminth parasites of Caspian turtle (Mauremys caspica) with a taxonomic note on recovered Falcaustra Lane, 1915 (Nematoda: Kathlaniidae) and Spiroxys Schneider, 1866 species (Nematoda: Gnathostomatidae)

In this study, the digestive tracts of the Caspian turtles (Mauremys caspica) were investigated for the presence of helminth infections. Specimens of roundworms were recovered from the large intestine and stomach of the Caspian turtles. The morphologic measures revealed the infection with nematodes of the genus Falcaustra and Spiroxys. However, some differences were found in the collected Falcaustra specimens compared to the previous descriptions. In parallel, samples were analyzed by sequencing of the ribosomal gene targets. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the Falcaustra species as members of superfamily Cosmocercoidea were grouped with some members of Ascaridoidea and Spiruroidea. Despite the significant morphologic differences, Spiroxys species formed a sister group with ascaroid and cosmocercoid roundworms. Therefore, our molecular findings revealed that the taxonomic position of both nematodes need be revised

Molecular Identification of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Species in the Northcentral Iranian Province of Alborz: Is There a New Focus on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Province?

Background: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an endemic infection in the Middle East, including Iran that is also spreading to new foci. We aimed to determine the leishmaniasis species causing CL in Alborz province. Methods: Overall, out of 55-suspected CL patients referred to health centers in Alborz Province, north central Iran in 2019, 40 patients had positive smear for CL based on optical microscopy. The internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified by PCR. Leishmania species were identified by PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) using BshF I (Hae III) enzyme. Results: Out of the 40 positive patients with CL, 34 cases (85%) had been caused by Leishmania (L) major and six (15%) by L. tropica. Fifteen patients had no history of traveling to the disease endemic areas, of which nine were Iranians. Skin lesions and scars caused by CL were mostly observed on the hands and face. Moreover, more than two skin lesions were observed in 22 cases (55%), all of which were infected with L. major. A single skin ulcer was seen in 18 (45%) of the CL patients. Conclusion:  Climate change, reduced rainfall, and demographic changes such as migration into Alborz Province and the increasing marginalization of the population and their entry to settle in new areas might have caused natural transmission of both L. tropica and L. major in this province

Manganese-Induced Nephrotoxicity Is Mediated through Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Impairment

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element that is incorporated in various metabolic pathways and enzyme structures. On the other hand, a range of adverse effects has been described in association with Mn overexposure. Mn is a well-known neurotoxic agent in mammals. Renal injury is another adverse effect associated with Mn intoxication. No precise mechanism for Mn nephrotoxicity has been identified so far. The current study was designed to evaluate the potential mechanisms of Mn-induced renal injury. Rats were treated with Mn (20 and 40 mg/mL, respectively, in drinking water) for 30 consecutive days. Markers of oxidative stress, as well as several mitochondrial indices, were assessed in the kidney tissue. Renal injury was evident in Mn-treated animals, as judged by a significant increase in serum BUN and creatinine. Moreover, urinalysis revealed a significant increase in urine glucose, phosphate, and protein in Mn-treated rats. Kidney histopathological alterations, including tubular atrophy, interstitial inflammation, and necrosis, were also detected in Mn-treated animals. Biomarkers of oxidative stress, including an increment in reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation, and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), were detected in Mn-treated groups. On the other hand, kidney glutathione (GSH) stores and total antioxidant capacity were depleted in Mn groups. Mn exposure was associated with significant mitochondrial depolarization, decreased mitochondrial dehydrogenases activity, mitochondrial permeabilization, and depletion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content. These data highlight oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairment as potential mechanisms involved in Mn-induced renal injury

Analysis of the concept of "document" from the perspective of the tradition of documentation and neo-documentation

The Documentation Movement was formed in Europe in the late nineteenth century by the leadership of Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine, with the primary goal of establishing international mechanisms for organizing information and knowledge through which all kinds of documents could be collected, organized, and accessible. One of the characteristics of this historical event was the increasingly theoretical treatment of the concept of document as a discourse concept in the field of information. This approach has been revived in recent years under the name of neo-documentation. The purpose of this work is to analyze the conceptual dimensions of "document" from the perspective of the documentation literature and especially neo-documentation. In the field of documentaion literature, the theories of Paul Otlet and Suzanne Briet are emphasized, and in the field of neo-documentation literature, the theories of Lund, Buckland, Irvine-Smith, and Hjorland are emphasized. The research is basic in terms of purpose and conceptual analysis in terms of method and data collection. Also in this research, conceptual analysis has been used with the aim of "concept interpretation" and as far as possible to gain a more accurate understanding of the studied concept. The results showed that former review research on the subject had recognized two general approaches to conceptualizing document, namely, the "document-as-object approach" (inspired by positivism and with emphasis on the objectivity component) and "document-as-medium approach" (inspired by the hermeneutic tradition). The present study identifies three other approaches and adds to this categorization which include: the "integrated approach" (with a comprehensive emphasis on the physical, mental, and social aspects of the document), the " document-as-agent approach" (with emphasis on the concept of agency), and the "Hjorland's intradisciplinary approach" (with emphasis on the concept of context, reference to the tradition of documentation, and the bibliographic paradigm). In addition, researchers have proposed adding a new dimension to the integrated approach. Researchers believe that because of the importance of the "power" and "discourse" components in relation to knowledge, information, and documents, adding a "power relations dimension" to Lund's integrated approach could lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the document from a variety of technical, Social, intellectual-content, as well as discourse perspective

Association between metabolic syndrome and prevalent skin diseases : A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSThe authors would like to express their gratitude to the authorities ofRasool Akram Medical Complex Clinical Research DevelopmentCenter (RCRDC) for their technical and editorial assistance.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Imaging techniques for ocular neoplasia

Background: Novel ocular imaging modalities have greatly impacted the diagnosis and management of different types of ocular neoplasia. In this narrative review, we summarize the practical features of popular and novel imaging modalities for ocular tumors. Methods: Four databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, were searched from January 1, 2000 to August 31, 2022. Articles reporting different imaging modalities for diagnosing or monitoring treatment responses of ocular tumors were extracted using various combinations of the following keywords: ocular neoplasia, positron emission tomography or PET, single-photon emission computed tomography or SPECT, optical coherence tomography or OCT, OCT angiography or OCTA, computed tomography or CT, ultrasonography or US, ultrasound biomicroscopy or UBM, and magnetic resonance imaging or MRI. Results: Various ocular imaging modalities had different accuracies as adjunctive tools for detecting or managing ocular tumors. Anterior ultra-high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) could be used to evaluate images with < 5-µm resolution. OCT angiography provided deeper insight into retinal vascular changes associated with the malignant transformation of choroidal melanoma. OCT in children altered the diagnosis of suspicious retinoblastoma in 3% of the cases and treatment plan in 11% of the cases. While positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) allowed the detection of metastatic lesions of choroidal melanoma by full-body scanning, single-photon emission CT was more sensitive compared to PET in detecting choroidal melanoma. Ultrasound biomicroscopy, with an accuracy exceeding 92.5%, could detect retinal calcification in lesions measuring 2–3 mm. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) had better contrast compared to ultrasound biomicroscopy and higher sensitivity compared to CT in detecting post-laminar optic nerve invasion. However, MRI had a lower spatial resolution compared to OCT. Further development of imaging modalities and their application in drug development would improve the treatment of ocular tumors. Conclusions: Although diagnosing ocular tumors depend on clinical characteristics, innovations in ocular imaging have enabled early diagnosis and timely, appropriate management of ocular neoplasia, which are conducive to favorable visual outcomes and increased life expectancy. Further systematic reviews and meta-analyses of primary studies focusing on a specific imaging modality in ocular neoplasia could precisely determine the diagnostic accuracy of each imaging modality to better guide eye practitioners with efficient diagnostic or therapeutic approaches for these sight- or life-threatening entities. Imaging modalities may play a major role in drug development in the future