Impacts of Denial-of-Service Attack on Energy Efficiency Pulse Coupled Oscillator

The Pulse Coupled Oscillator (PCO) has attracted substantial attention and widely used in wireless sensor networks (WSNs), where it utilizes firefly synchronization to attract mating partners, similar to artificial occurrences that mimic natural phenomena. However, the PCO model might not be applicable for simultaneous transmission and data reception because of energy constraints. Thus, an energy-efficient pulse coupled oscillator (EEPCO) has been proposed, which employs the self-organizing method by combining biologically and non-biologically inspired network systems and has proven to reduce the transmission delay and energy consumption of sensor nodes. However, the EEPCO method has only been experimented in attack-free networks without considering the security elements which may cause malfunctioning and cyber-attacks. This study extended the experiments by testing the method in the presence of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks to investigate the efficiency of EEPCO in attack-based networks. The result shows EEPCO has poor performance in the presence of DoS attacks in terms of data gathering and energy efficiency, which then concludes that the EEPCO is vulnerable in attack-based networks

Snake Bite in Gezira Revision of 63 Envenomed Child

   Sixty three patients admitted to the Gezira National Center of Pediatric Surgery with snake bite were analyzed. All patients were envenomed and the snake was positively identified. In 39 patients (61.9%) the offending snake was (washash) (Echis carinatus) and in 24 patients (38.1%) (Abdafan) (atractaspis microlepidata) was identified. All patients were from rural Gezira where children are actively involved in agriculture and harvesting. The median age group was 9.3 years. Females were equally involved as males. The mean time elapsed since the bite was 56 hours. Quicker arrival at hospital was seen in severe envenomation. Fifty patients had already received native remedies which was observed to increase the local wound complications. Most bites (79%) occurred in the leg .The majority of the bites occurs in the early rainy summer months. All patients presented initially with progressive painful swelling. Local necrosis was observed in seventeen patients (26.9%).  Fourteen patients (22.2%) developed compartment syndrome and three patients (4.76%) developed fingertip gangrene. one patient (1.6%) developed extensive bilateral common iliac vein thrombosis. DIC developed in 21 patients (33.3%). Two patients (3.2%) of theses developed intracranial haemorrhage. Four patients (6.3%) with local necrosis presented few month later with extensive chronic osteomyelitis.Treatment options included cardiovascular support, local wound debridement, fasciotomy and minor amputation. Patients with DIC were managed with fresh frozen plasma, blood transfusion and heparin. Antivenin was not administered to our patients. All patients eventually recovered except one child (1.6%) who succumbed of massive intracerebral haemorrhage. ملخص:  تم تحليل البيانات لثلاث وستين طفلا تم تنويمهم بمركز الجزيرة القومي لجراحة الأطفال في الفترة من مارس 2001م الي ابريل2010م  بعد أن شخصت حالتهم بلدغة ثعبان سام. في كل المرضى تم التعرف على الثعبان, في 39 مريض كان الثعبان اللادغ من نوع و شاش(echis carinatus)  وفي 24 أبو دفان (atractaspis   (micolepidata كل المرضي كانوا أطفالا من أرياف الجزيرة وجميعهم يعمل في الزراعة والحصاد. بلغ متوسط العمر لديهم 9.3 سنة. كانت الإصابة متساوية لدي الذكور والإناث, متوسط الوقت المنصرم منذ اللدغة بالثعبان وحتى ألمجي للمستشفي  كانت 56 ساعة ,لوحظ إن ألمجي الباكر للمستشفي يكون في حالات التسمم الوخيم . المعالجة لهؤلاء المرضي تضمنت مساعدة الجهاز الدوري وانضار الجرح الموضعي و بضع اللفافة وإجراء البتر البسيط ,المرضي اللذين عانوا من التخثر المنتشر داخل الأوعية الدموية تمت معالجتهم بحقن المصورة المتجمدة الطازجة ونقل الدم الطازج واعطا الهبارين. لم يتم استخدام الترياق في أي من المرضي. كل المرضي تماثلوا للشفاء إلا مريضا واحدا توفي بسبب نزف جسيم داخل القحف.   &nbsp

An Experimental Study of the Application of Gravitational Search Algorithm in Solving Route Optimization Problem for Holes Drilling Process

Previously, route planning in holes drilling process has been taken for granted due to its automated process, in nature. But as the interest to make Computer Numerical Control machines more efficient, there have been a steady increase in number of studies for the past decade. Many researchers proposed algorithms that belong into Computational Intelligence, due to their simplicity and ability to obtain optimal result. In this study, an optimization algorithm based on Gravitational Search Algorithm is proposed for solving route optimization in holes drilling process. The proposed approach involves modeling and simulation of Gravitational Search Algorithm. The performance of the algorithm is benchmark with one case study that had been frequently used by previous researchers. The result indicates that the proposed approach performs better than most of the literatures

Primary healthcare policy implementation in the Eastern Mediterranean region: Experiences of six countries

Background: Primary healthcare (PHC) is essential for equitable access and cost-effective healthcare. This makes PHC a key factor in the global strategy for universal health coverage (UHC). Implementing PHC requires an understanding of the health system under prevailing circumstances, but for most countries, no data are available. Objectives: This paper describes and analyses the health systems of Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates, in relation to PHC. Methods: Data were collected during a workshop at the WONCA East Mediterranean Regional Conference in 2017. Academic family physicians (FP) presented their country, using the WONCA framework of 11 PowerPoint slides with queries of the country demographics, main health challenges, and the position of PHC in the health system. Results: All six countries have improved the health of their populations, but currently face challenges of non-communicable diseases, aging populations and increasing costs. Main concerns were a lack of trained FPs in community settings, underuse of prevention and of equitable access to care. Countries differed in the extent to which this had resulted in coherent policy. Conclusion: Priorities were (i) advocacy for community-based PHC to policymakers, including the importance of coordination of healthcare at the community level, and UHC to respond to the needs of populations; (ii) collaboration with universities to include PHC as a core component of every medical curriculum; (iii) collaboration with communities to improve public understanding of PHC; (iv) engagement with the private sector to focus on PHC and UHC

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Training Needs for Staff Members in Educational Colleges in Sudan According to Edwards Deming Criteria’s for Quality : A case Study of Faculty of Education – University of Khartoum

Training Needs for Staff Members in Educational Colleges in Sudan   According to Edwards Deming  Criteria’s for Quality  :  A case Study of Faculty of Education – University of KhartoumAbstract:This study aims to know Faculty of Education Staff Members’ point of view about the role of training in professional development for staff members of Educational colleges in Sudan “Edwards Deming” criteria’s in quality. The research tries to answer the main question: “What are the training needs for professional development for staff members of faculties of Education in Sudan according to”E. Deming» criteria›s in quality as seen by faculty of Education staff members. Seven secondary questions were derived from this main question. The researchers used the analytical descriptive method in this study. for the aim of study the researchers designs a questionnaire of eight points, under each point a list of training needs relying on “E. Deming» criteria›s in quality, The researchers uses first six ones from (14) Deming criterias in quality . The researchers select faculty of education as afield to apply his study (as a case Study) to over generalizes it’s result to other faculties .The Study sample was (70) from faculty of Education staff member (alecturer and above) and those who teach all departments. The study came to thirteen results, the most important ones are: the training and specifying the training needs scientific methodology are important for professional developing for staff members in faculty of Education in Sudan. Also there are important training needs as English language and Educational technologies and other. The study came to fifteen recommendations, the most important ones are: developing quality, it’s civilization and designing it’s criteria›s in educational colleges in Sudan, and benefit from Deming criteria›s in quality for training staff members in professional development after adapting it to Sudan society andthe important of the scientific planning in training staff members in faculties of education in Sudan and saving the funds for that.