Review the challenges of using big data in the supply chain

The increasing growth of computer networks and Internet-based technologies, followed by the growth of data and information required by their users and consumers, has led to the emergence of new concepts in this field. Big data is one of these concepts that has been considered by researchers in various fields of business in recent years. When looking at it from the outside, it is fair to assume that the more data a company or organization has, the better, because the company in question will have a larger amount of data for mining, and as a result their data will be more accurate. However, this is not always the case, because learning how to effectively manage Big Data has become a very challenging task for many businesses around the world. Working with big data involves collecting data from information sources, exploring and analyzing them, modeling them based on the desired features, and providing data security measures. For this reason, this paper examines the challenges of working with big data and the big data revolution in general and big data mining in the business supply chain as fundamental business processes

Improving the reporting of death and investigating the role of probiotics in mucositis and infections in children with cancer

This thesis examines the classification of death, and the use of probiotics to reduce and prevent infection-related mortality in children diagnosed with cancers. It comprises of three main parts. The first part describes a study that validated a consensus-based definition of treatment-related mortality (TRM) and cause-of-death attribution system. This took place in a single institution in Leeds, the UK outside the centre it was initially developed (Toronto, Canada). Two consultants and two clinical research associates independently classified deaths as TRM or “not treatment-related” according to an algorithm. When TRM occurred, reviewers applied the cause-of-death attribution system, and inter-relater reliability was then assessed. This study demonstrated that the classification and cause of death attribution systems can be implemented in different health care settings, but that further research is required for patients receiving palliative care. The second part of this thesis describes a systematic review and meta-analysis that investigated the efficacy and safety of probiotics in people with cancer. Probiotics appear safe to deliver and may reduce the incidence of diarrhoea and duration of fever, but, heterogeneity, unclear bias, and a lack of paediatric participants demonstrated uncertainty in these findings. Findings from this systematic review were used to develop a randomised-controlled feasibility study. The third part reports the first study undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of undertaking an randomised-controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the use of probiotics (Symprove) to prevent or reduce mucositis and infection in children with cancers in the UK. Evaluation suggested that a RCT is feasible, but further considerations are needed to address significant barriers to recruitment and adherence to the capture of data that were identified. Findings from this study have been used to develop a parallel biological sub-study that can be undertaken in a future RCT

Examining Dimensions and Components and Application of Supply Chain Financing (In Chain Stores)

Purpose: Supply Chain Finance (SCF) is a new approach in financing the working capital of economic enterprises, which can ultimately lead to economic growth and financial stability through efficient and smooth allocation of financial resources, improving financial risk management and increasing financial inclusion. Supply chain financing which runs parallel to the flow of goods and information, is common to all financing networks, and therefore it is important to understand its dimensions. The financing chain provides the cash flow needed to ensure the doors are kept open, the lights are on, employees are paid, and products are produced and shipped. Methodology: To achieve this goal, SCF uses principles that have been effective in supply chain management (SCM) for decades. The core of this financing chain is to create an optimization plan that can simultaneously control all supply chain financial processes. Findings: According to these cases, in this paper, considering the importance of managing the financial flow along the chain and using the principles and basics of research in the method of fact-finding and case study, an effort was made by examining the characteristics, dimensions and components of financing in the supply chain. As well as practical experiences in this field, a conceptual framework for the effective use of the financial flow management system as well as its principles and foundations should be provided. Originality/Value: In this paper, we will examine dimensions and components and application of supply chain financing (in chain stores)

COMPARISON OF THREE DIFFERENT EOU TECHNIQUES FOR FIFTH−GENERATION MM−W WIRELESS NETWORKS

Fifth−generation (5G) and millimeter−waves (MM−W) hold tremendous promise to provide opportunities torevolutionize education, healthcare, business, and agriculture.Nevertheless, the generation of MM−W in the electrical−domain is infeasible due to the bandwidth limitation of electronic componentsand radio frequency (RF) interference. The capability to generate MM−W in the optical−domain can provide transportation ofMM−W with low loss from switching center to remote base stations. The present paper is focusing on electro−opticalup−conversion (EOU) techniques for optical generation and transmission of 60−GHz MM−W signal. A comparative study iscarried out between three different EOU techniques: frequency−quadrupling, frequency sextupling and frequency−octotupling. The comparative study aims at showing the strengths and weaknesses of three EOU techniques and evaluatingeach technique in terms of electrical spurious suppression ratio (ESSR), as well as in terms of the influence of non−ideal phaseshifting. The performance of the three EOU techniques after transmission over optical fiber is evaluated by eye pattern test. Theresults of the simulation confirm that the frequency−quadrupling outperforms frequency− sextupling and frequency− octotuplingtechniques

Plasma D-Dimer Value Corrected with Some Physiological and Inflammatory Markers (C-Reactive Protein and Ferritin) in Iraqi Patients with COVID-19 Infection

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic it has been observed that patients have elevated plasma levels of D-dimer and some inflammatory markers (ferritin, interleukine 6, C-reactive protein (CRP) or fibrinogen). Some studies point to the existence of a certain correlation between those markers and D-dimer. CRP is a protein discovered in the 1930s by Tillett and Francis and is an acute phase reactant. It is a pentameric protein which is synthesized by the liver under the action of cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6). D-dimers are multiple peptide fragments produced as a result of degradation of crosslinked fibrin, mediated by plasmin. A total of 60 patients were recruited and categorized into :1- group1 (controls), 2- group 2 (COVID-19 patients). 5 ml of blood was obtained from each patient by vein puncture, using 5 ml disposable syringes, then centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 10 minutes to collect the serum.  D- dimer, C-reactive protein were measured by using (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany). At the same time, the Ferritin was assessed by using a miniVIDAS analyzer for the fluorescent enzymatic detection of β2-microglobulin (β2M) using the technique. Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA) (BioMerieux). Our results showed that there was a non- significant difference in the P-values between control and patients males and females. The Mean ± SE of age in control group was 45.90 ± 3.34, while the Mean ± SE of age in patients was 45.35 ± 2.52. There was a non- significant difference between the two groups, the Mean ± SE of CRP in control group was 5.04 ±0.81, while the Mean ± SE of CRP in COVID-19 patients was 37.16 ±3.24, there was a highly Significant differences between them (P≤0.01). The CRP of COVID-19 patients were compared with those of control patients, the results shows significant increased CRP in covid-19 patients group as a compression with the control group, the findings of the study is similar to Jacob Lentner, etal findings. In response to infections, the liver synthesizes significant quantities of acute-phase proteins (APPs), such as CRP. This acute inflammatory protein is a highly sensitive biomarker for inflammation, tissue damage, and infection. It has been shown that CRP levels are correlated with levels of inflammation. CRP levels can promote phagocytosis and activate the complement system. In other words, CRP binds to microorganisms and promotes their removal through phagocytosis. D-dimers are one of the fragments produced when plasmin cleaves fibrin to break down clots. Our study showed that the serum D-dimer concentrations in patients significantly higher than those in control group which is similar to Mamta Soni, etal, 2020 findings. Elevated D-dimer levels have emerged as a consistent finding in severely ill COVID-19 patients, Multiple studies have identified an association between higher D-dimer levels and an increased risk of mortality in the COVID-19 patient population. Ferritin is an iron-storing protein; its serum level reflects the normal iron level and helps the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. Circulation ferritin level increases during viral infections and can be a marker of viral replication. Our study showed a significant increase in ferritin level in covid-19 patients group compared to control group, which consider similar to [] results. Although the exact cause for elevated ferritin in COVID-19 infection is unknown, it could be influenced by cytokine release or cellular damage that results in the leakage of intracellular ferritin. It has been previously shown that ferritin is a direct indicator of cellular damage suggestive of an association between organ damage and ferritin production. This could later cause cell death, known as ferroptosis. It is suggested that inflammation associated with sepsis could alter iron metabolism and deficiency to facilitate the immune system, which could be an early sign of COVID

A miniaturization of the UWB monopole antenna for wireless baseband transmission

In this paper, a novel Monopole patch antenna with dimension 22*20*1.6 mm3 is presented to enhance the bandwidth and minimize the size of the antenna. The power divider and etched a slot on the ground plane are significant improvements in the proposed antenna. Based on this approach, the ultra-wideband antenna for 2.4 GHz to 9.6 GHz frequency band is a significant improvement. The flat gain from -5dB to 2.3dB over the frequency band of operation, which is provided to transmit and receive the output line code from Rapid Signal Flux Quantum (RSFQ) chip directly without modulation techniques (WBT) by these antennas between two different environments (4K-300k). The nearly radiation patterns of the presented antenna are bidirectional at E-plane and omnidirectional at H-plane

Machine-Learning-Based LOS Detection for 5G Signals with Applications in Airport Environments

The operational costs of the advanced Air Traffic Management (ATM) solutions are often prohibitive in low- and medium-sized airports. Therefore, new and complementary solutions are currently under research in order to take advantage of existing infrastructure and offer low-cost alternatives. The 5G signals are particularly attractive in an ATM context due to their promising potential in wireless positioning and sensing via Time-of-Arrival (ToA) and Angle-of-Arrival (AoA) algorithms. However, ToA and AoA methods are known to be highly sensitive to the presence of multipath and Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) scenarios. Yet, LOS detection in the context of 5G signals has been poorly addressed in the literature so far, to the best of the Authors’ knowledge. This paper focuses on LOS/NLOS detection methods for 5G signals by using both statistical/model-driven and data-driven/machine learning (ML) approaches and three challenging channel model classes widely used in 5G: namely Tapped Delay Line (TDL), Clustered Delay Line (CDL) and Winner II channel models. We show that, with simulated data, the ML-based detection can reach between 80% and 98% detection accuracy for TDL, CDL and Winner II channel models and that TDL is the most challenging in terms of LOS detection capabilities, as its richness of features is the lowest compared to CDL and Winner II channels. We also validate the findings through in-lab measurements with 5G signals and Yagi and 3D-vector antenna and show that measurement-based detection probabilities can reach 99–100% with a sufficient amount of training data and XGBoost or Random Forest classifiers.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Use of 5G and mmWave radar for positioning, sensing, and line-of-sight detection in airport areas

acceptedVersionPeer reviewe

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Influence of Ali Al -Gharbi Earthquake on Braced Excavation in Silty Clay Soil (Numerical Study)

The design of the braced excavation system is one of the important and necessary matters for the implementation of various projects. The braced excavation system is used to support excavations in temporary projects, so there are shortcomings in the study of this aspect, although sometimes there are many projects that take long periods of time especially the projects of underground tunnels and high buildings. This was the main reason for the study. Therefore, the possibility of exposing the drilling system to earthquakes is great, especially in seismically active areas. If the drilling system is exposed to an earthquake, it can cause great human and material losses, so it must be designed against earthquakes so that ensure complete collapse and failure does not occur. This study aims to investigate the behavior of braced excavations under the influence of the Ali Al-Gharbi earthquake in both x- and y- directions. A numerical study is carried out on braced excavation system of (14×6) m and depth 9m using software Plaxis 3D. The braced excavation system consists of three type of bracing system with three levels of strut and wales connected with sheet pile wall to support sides of excavation and prevent them from collapsing. The results of study showed that the horizontal displacement of braced excavation system is (100-155) % more than vertical displacement (settlement) with seismic time when system is subjected to Ali Al-Gharbi earthquake in both directions with the other factors remaining constant. The stiffness of sheet pile wall also play an important role increases and decreases lateral displacement in both direction. Also, the results showed that the movement of of braced excavation system depends on several factors like as type of soil, time acceleration and the direction of earthquake. Settlement of Ali Al-Gharbi earthquake in Y- direction is 13% more than in X-direction.