On the Maximum Achievable Rates in Wireless Multicast Networks

A wireless multicast network with a stringent decoding delay constraint and a minimum required multicast data rate is characterized. Assuming the channel state information is available only at the receiver sides, and a single antenna system, the optimal expected rate achievable by a random user in the network is derived in terms of the minimum multicast requirement in two scenarios: hard coverage constraint and soft coverage constraint. In the first case, the minimum multicast requirement is expressed by multicast outage capacity while in the second case, the expected multicast rate should satisfy the minimum requirements. Also, the optimum power allocation in an infinite layer superposition code, achieving the highest expected typical rate, is derived subject to the coverage constraints. For the MISO case, a suboptimal coding scheme is proposed, which is shown to be asymptotically optimal, when the number of transmit antennas grows at least logarithmically with the number of users in the network

On the Capacity of Wireless Multicast Networks

A wireless multicast network with a stringent decoding delay constraint and a minimum required multicast data rate is characterized. Assuming the channel state information is available only at the receiver side, and a single antenna system, the optimal expected rate achievable by a random user in the network is derived in terms of the minimum multicast requirement in two scenarios: hard coverage constraint and soft coverage constraint. In the first case, the minimum multicast requirement is expressed by multicast outage capacity while in the second case, the expected multicast rate should satisfy the minimum requirements. Also, the optimum power allocation in an infinite layer superposition code, achieving the highest expected typical rate, is derived. For the MISO case, a suboptimal coding scheme is proposed, which is shown to be asymptotically optimal, when the number of transmit antennas grows at least logarithmically with the number of users in the network

MULTI-OBJECTIVE INVENTORY AND ROUTING MODEL FOR A MULTI-PRODUCT AND MULTI-PERIOD PROBLEM OF VETERINARY DRUGS

In this study, a multi-objective, multi-product, and multi-period inventory management and routing model was designed for perishable products with a focus on veterinary drugs. The proposed model is a four-objective model to achieve a balance between the costs of drug distribution. The first and second objective functions are related to inventory management, covering inventory costs and demand forecast error, respectively. The third and fourth objective functions involve routing to minimize the transportation costs and greenhouse gas emissions, respectively. Data on three types of drugs were collected for 25 periods (weeks) from one drug distribution center and nine pharmacies in Iran. Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II was employed to find a satisfactory solution. The meta-heuristic method was combined with a Multi-layer Perceptron artificial neural network algorithm to forecast the demand. The model was implemented in MATLAB software. The results show the ability of the proposed model and algorithm to find high-quality solutions

COVID-19 in pediatrics: The current knowledge and practice

International audienceIntroduction: SARS-CoV-2 is the novel coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome and could afflict individuals from all walks of life. Children are usually asymptomatic or represent non-specific mild to moderate symptoms; therefore, they often remain undiagnosed and could be potential reservoirs and silent carriers of the virus. Despite the global attention to COVID-19 and its importance in public health, some clinical and paraclinical aspects of this disease in children are still unclear. Thus, we conducted a comprehensive systematic review of available literature to reflect on the current knowledge and practice of the disease among children. Methods: This study was a systematic review of current evidence conducted in October 2020. We performed a systematic search using the keywords in online databases. The investigation adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist to ensure the reliability and validity of extracted literature and results. Results: We selected and reviewed 23 most related studies out of 1744 identified paper in an initial online search based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the present review; of whom, 13 were original research studies, and 10 were a letter to the editors, commentaries, viewpoints, consensus statements, and perspectives. Although due to the origin of the current pandemic, China was the country with the most publications (14 articles), data from several countries have beenincluded in this review. Conclusion: COVID-19 can also affect children and cause systemic disease with several internal organ involvements. However, the prevalence, severity, and diversity of the symptoms in children are less than in adults. Cough and fever appear to be some of the most common symptoms, followed by other symptoms such as gastrointestinal manifestations. Comorbidities increase the risk of severe COVID-19 in children, and those without underlying conditions are very unlikely to suffer from severe disease. Mental health issues such as anxiety and depression due to the isolated situation caused by pandemics are common findings in children of early ages and should be seriously considered in current practice

Adolescent transport and unintentional injuries: a systematic analysis using the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Globally, transport and unintentional injuries persist as leading preventable causes of mortality and morbidity for adolescents. We sought to report comprehensive trends in injury-related mortality and morbidity for adolescents aged 10-24 years during the past three decades. Methods Using the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2019 Study, we analysed mortality and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributed to transport and unintentional injuries for adolescents in 204 countries. Burden is reported in absolute numbers and age-standardised rates per 100 000 population by sex, age group (10-14, 15-19, and 20-24 years), and sociodemographic index (SDI) with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). We report percentage changes in deaths and DALYs between 1990 and 2019. Findings In 2019, 369 061 deaths (of which 214337 [58%] were transport related) and 31.1 million DALYs (of which 16.2 million [52%] were transport related) among adolescents aged 10-24 years were caused by transport and unintentional injuries combined. If compared with other causes, transport and unintentional injuries combined accounted for 25% of deaths and 14% of DALYs in 2019, and showed little improvement from 1990 when such injuries accounted for 26% of adolescent deaths and 17% of adolescent DALYs. Throughout adolescence, transport and unintentional injury fatality rates increased by age group. The unintentional injury burden was higher among males than females for all injury types, except for injuries related to fire, heat, and hot substances, or to adverse effects of medical treatment. From 1990 to 2019, global mortality rates declined by 34.4% (from 17.5 to 11.5 per 100 000) for transport injuries, and by 47.7% (from 15.9 to 8.3 per 100000) for unintentional injuries. However, in low-SDI nations the absolute number of deaths increased (by 80.5% to 42 774 for transport injuries and by 39.4% to 31 961 for unintentional injuries). In the high-SDI quintile in 2010-19, the rate per 100 000 of transport injury DALYs was reduced by 16.7%, from 838 in 2010 to 699 in 2019. This was a substantially slower pace of reduction compared with the 48.5% reduction between 1990 and 2010, from 1626 per 100 000 in 1990 to 838 per 100 000 in 2010. Between 2010 and 2019, the rate of unintentional injury DALYs per 100 000 also remained largely unchanged in high-SDI countries (555 in 2010 vs 554 in 2019; 0.2% reduction). The number and rate of adolescent deaths and DALYs owing to environmental heat and cold exposure increased for the high-SDI quintile during 2010-19. Interpretation As other causes of mortality are addressed, inadequate progress in reducing transport and unintentional injury mortality as a proportion of adolescent deaths becomes apparent. The relative shift in the burden of injury from high-SDI countries to low and low-middle-SDI countries necessitates focused action, including global donor, government, and industry investment in injury prevention. The persisting burden of DALYs related to transport and unintentional injuries indicates a need to prioritise innovative measures for the primary prevention of adolescent injury