Effect of serialized messaging on web services performance

Message serialization is a format of messaging leveraging Web services to exchange data over the network. Serialized messages are processed at the server and sent as objects over the network to the client to be consumed. While, serialization process minimizes network bandwidth requirement but then incurs overhead at the communicating ends. This research contributes to the study of message exchange using HTTP across communication systems. The research identified the fundamental effect of serializing high-volume messages across network and the sources for the effects at the communication endpoints. The study utilized server - client SOAP Web services to identify the fundamental effect of serialization in the communication endpoints. SOAP messages were exchanged as XML messages over HTTP. Payload sizes (1MB-22MB) for serialized and normal messages were exchanged through the services. The message payload, overhead, and response time were monitored and measured. The overall result indicated that is more beneficial to serialized large payload than smaller one. Generally, the serialization and deserialization cost incurred at individual ends are slightly constant irrespective of the payload size. Also, the serialization and deserialization process is insignificant to the overall transaction as it delay is below 3% of the total overhead

Soap performance enhancement for high volume messaging / Ali Baba Dauda

The emergence of high-volume data exchange like business-to-business and computational sciences that are mission critical and always persist over time have exacted distributed systems and applications to be fast. SOAP is one of the best protocols using XML to exchange message but the XML is too verbose and slows the communication process. To this end, message exchange accumulates overhead and high response time resulting to slow communication and message lost during the transmission. Therefore, reducing the response time and overhead will enhance the communication process. To achieve this aim, LZ77 compression algorithm is modified to encode more symbols. The algorithm is then integrated into two Web services with HTTP and JMS bindings. The HTTP Web service as the benchmark and the JMS as the prototype Web service. For both Web services, the server holds provider, compressor and controller classes and the client contain consumer and decompressor classes. The client invokes the server to establish WSDL contract and communicate via the relevant protocol. Two messages formats, normal and compressed (modified algorithm) with the size ranging 1MB - 22 MB were generated and executed 50 times in both web services. The performance effects of the message formats for the Web services were recorded. The metrics of the Web services used are the payload overhead, server response time, client response time and compression/decompression overhead. The payload overhead, server response time and compression overhead were analyzed at the server side. While client response time and decompression overhead were analyzed at the client side. Average values of the metrics were calculated and the transaction response time is obtained as the sum of response times and the overheads at both endpoints. The metrics were plotted against the message sizes and the effects were analyzed. The findings demonstrated that the compressed JMS binding on SOAP messages recorded low response time and low overhead compared to the compressed HTTP binding. In the compressed HTTP binding, the internal process at the client side regularly claims memory while creating available space for incoming messages resulted in producing of spikes leading to high overhead. Out of the 50 executions for 12 transactions, compressed HTTP binding delivery failed 6 times, and compressed JMS binding failed 2 times. While for the normal HTTP binding delivery failed 5 times, and normal JMS binding failed 2 times. The overall findings observed that with the modified LZ77 algorithm, SOAP over JMS has proven to be better than the SOAP over HTTP. The SOAP (with the modified compression algorithm) over JMS is a good technique for exchanging high volume messages when low response time and guarantee of delivery are needed in the communication

Utilizing modular neural network for prediction of possible emergencies locations within point of interest of Hajj pilgrimage

This paper utilize modular neural network for prediction of possible emergencies locations during hajj pilgrimage. Available location, localization and positioning determination systems become increasingly important for use in day-to-day activities. These systems dwells on various scientific tools which ensure that the systems will provide accurate response to the needed service at the right time. Unfortunately, some tools were faced with drawbacks, either their use was not appropriate or they do not give reliable results, or the results obtained in certain scenario might not be apply to other scenarios. For this reasons, we utilize modular neural network tool to examine the analysis of determining possible emergencies locations within point of Interest of Hajj Pilgrimage in Meccah Saudi Arabia. The prediction results are generated by the use of longitude, latitude and distances as the dataset. Modular neural network takes longitude and latitude as inputs and predict distances within pilgrim’s possible point of interest. The learning systems were trained on the collected data. Experimental investigation demonstrated that modular network produce higher prediction accuracy compaired to other tools. This finding would contribute to the design of add-on applications which will deem to provide location based services for possible emergencies locations

Fistula-in-Ano complicated by Fournier′s gangrene our experience in North-Eastern region of Nigeria

Background: Fistula-in-ano when complicated by Fournier′s gangrene is an unusual finding and always carries high morbidity. This study details our experience in managing 10 cases. Methods of Study: Case files of all patients managed in University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Center of Yola and Gombe from January, 2007 to December, 2011 were retrieved from Medical Record Departments and other Hospital Records. These were analyzed for demographic, clinical and pathological variables, the type of treatment and follow-up. Results: A total of 10 men with a mean age of 50.5 years (35-60) were managed in the period of study. Nearly, 50% of the patients were farmers, 30% businessmen and 20% were civil servant. 7 (70%) of these patients presented with Fournier′s gangrene within 4 weeks of development of fistula-in-ano and the rest within 8 weeks. 4 (40%) of these patients had inadequate drainage of their perianal abscess and 2 (20%) had incision and drainage. Another 4 (40%) had spontaneously rupture of the perianal abscess. 6 (60%) of the fistula-in-ano was submuscular, 30% subcutaneous and 10% were complex or recurrent. Nearly, 20% of patients had fistulotomy and seton application for adequate drainage. Mucosal advancement flap was performed in 5 (50%) and fistulotomy in 3 (30%) patients. Another 30% had fistulotomy and continuing sitz bath. Conclusion: Cryptoglandular infection is an important cause of perianal abscesses and fistula-in-ano and if poorly managed results in Fournier′s gangrene. Early broad spectrum parenteral antibiotic therapy and primary surgical treatment can prevent Fournier′s gangrene

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with paediatric cancer in low-income, middle-income and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, observational cohort study

OBJECTIVES: Paediatric cancer is a leading cause of death for children. Children in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) were four times more likely to die than children in high-income countries (HICs). This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the delivery of healthcare services worldwide, and exacerbated the disparity in paediatric cancer outcomes between LMICs and HICs. DESIGN: A multicentre, international, collaborative cohort study. SETTING: 91 hospitals and cancer centres in 39 countries providing cancer treatment to paediatric patients between March and December 2020. PARTICIPANTS: Patients were included if they were under the age of 18 years, and newly diagnosed with or undergoing active cancer treatment for Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, Wilms' tumour, sarcoma, retinoblastoma, gliomas, medulloblastomas or neuroblastomas, in keeping with the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: All-cause mortality at 30 days and 90 days. RESULTS: 1660 patients were recruited. 219 children had changes to their treatment due to the pandemic. Patients in LMICs were primarily affected (n=182/219, 83.1%). Relative to patients with paediatric cancer in HICs, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 12.1 (95% CI 2.93 to 50.3) and 7.9 (95% CI 3.2 to 19.7) times the odds of death at 30 days and 90 days, respectively, after presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounders, patients with paediatric cancer in LMICs had 15.6 (95% CI 3.7 to 65.8) times the odds of death at 30 days (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected paediatric oncology service provision. It has disproportionately affected patients in LMICs, highlighting and compounding existing disparities in healthcare systems globally that need addressing urgently. However, many patients with paediatric cancer continued to receive their normal standard of care. This speaks to the adaptability and resilience of healthcare systems and healthcare workers globally

Twelve-month observational study of children with cancer in 41 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic

Childhood cancer is a leading cause of death. It is unclear whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted childhood cancer mortality. In this study, we aimed to establish all-cause mortality rates for childhood cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic and determine the factors associated with mortality