Global Cement Industry: Competitive and Institutional Dimensions

The cement industry is a capital intensive, energy consuming, and vital industry for sustaining infrastructure of nations. The international cement market –while constituting a small share of world industry output—has been growing at an increasing rate relative to local production in recent years. Attempts to protect the environment in developed countries –especially Europe—have caused cement production plants to shift to countries with less stringent environmental regulations. Along with continually rising real prices, this has created a concerning pattern on economic efficiency and environmental compliance. This paper attempts to critically analyze the forces affecting pricing and production of cement from two perspectives. Porter’s five forces serve as our tool to analyze the competitive forces that move the industry from a market economy standpoint. On the other hand, the institutional economics framework serves to explain how governments and policymakers influence the structure and production distribution in the global market. Our findings suggest that the cement industry does not follow expected patterns of a market economy model. Additionally, it does not fully behave along the institutional economics paradigm. Hence, neither perspective explains the pricing or nature of the market on its own. Combining market forces within an institutional setting provides a more clear understanding of price dynamics and industry performance. We find that local regulation alone is insufficient to ensure market efficiency due to weak institutional governance in developing countries aligned with private business interests of global cement firms. Moreover, the global impact of local environmental non-compliance generates economic spillover effects that cannot be corrected by market forces alone. Due to asymmetries in governance and structure, this paper recommends the establishment of an independent international regulatory body for the cement industry that serves to provide sustainable industry development guidelines within a global context.Keywords: cement – global industry– institutional economics – Porter competition – market niche

The effect of third gulf war on the efficiency of Arabian and east African seaports.

On March 19, 2003, the American and the British forces began the Third Persian Gulf War, a conflict which may become popularly known as " 3rd Gulf War" or the "Second Iraq War". The Gulf War was disastrous for the region Arab finances and economy in particular the maritime transport sector. In this paper, we used DEA, a new non-parametric linear programming method to estimate the efficiency of seaport production function for a group of 22 seaports situated in Middle East and East Africa. The aim of our study is to analyze the efficiency of 22 seaports for the period of 2000-2005. The result of this study shows that the Gulf War has massively contributed to the deterioration of seaport efficiency in the region.Middle East, East African, Seaports, DEA, Gulf War, Efficiency.

The Extent of Arbitration's Preference and Independence over the Judicial System in Disputes Resolution Selection: A Re-Evaluation for Developing Judiciary and Arbitration Systems

The arbitration system is considered to be the most effective and efficient way of dispute resolution than the judicial litigation system. This opinion is based on several reasons such as time speed, confidentiality, flexibility, and so forth. Therefore, arbitration is considered to be able to present preference and independence in dispute resolution. However, this assumption needs to be assessed scientifically in accordance with existing realities. Hence, this article is to compare between the arbitration and other litigation systems in terms of their advantages and disadvantages. It found that arbitration was present in response to the weaknesses of the rigid justice system and its lack of creativity in creating mechanisms for disputes between disputing parties. Despite the fact, the arbitration system, in some cases, does not have independence precisely because of its flexibility, confidentiality and lack of supervision. Thus this article confirms that the actual arbitration system does not have preferences and independence that far exceeds the general litigation justice system. In other words, the advantages of the arbitration system do not exceed that of the general justice system except for its flexibility in handling unique disputes.Keywords: Arbitration system – Judicial system – needs of developing for resolving the disputes

Fa‘āliyah Ta‘zīz Dawr al-Qānūn li Taṭwīr Qiṭā‘ al-Ḥalāl wa Taḥwīl Mukhrajātihi ilā Sūq al-‘Amal

Ḥalāl concept correlation with the industry and trade has shown a new matter leads to discovering other sciences to find the scientific basis for the Islamic principle that governs these matters, especially in the natural and economic sciences, but the different philosophy between Islamic science and those sciences led to the dichotomy of research between the laboratories and jurisprudence groups. In spite of the high value of the output of both of them, but they are unable to translate it and linked it with the labor market, here where the researcher has felt the law role importance and its ability to coordinate these efforts and codify them as a reference in the ḥalāl standard application and settlement of its disputes, which show the law-science creativity  in ḥalāl sector, by pointing the legalization importance and its direct connection with the rights and duties of those connected with the ḥalāl sector

General Metasurface Synthesis Based on Susceptibility Tensors

A general method, based on susceptibility tensors, is proposed for the synthesis of metasurfaces transforming arbitrary incident waves into arbitrary reflected and transmitted waves. The proposed method exhibits two advantages: 1)it is inherently vectorial, and therefore better suited for full vectorial (beyond paraxial) electromagnetic problems, 2) it provides closed-form solutions, and is therefore extremely fast. Incidentally, the method reveals that a metasurface is fundamentally capable to transform up to four independent wave triplets (incident, reflected and refracted waves). In addition, the paper provides the closed-form expressions relating the synthesized susceptibilities and the scattering parameters simulated within periodic boundary conditions, which allows one to design the scattering particles realizing the desired susceptibilities. The versatility of the method is illustrated by examples of metasurfaces achieving the following transformations: generalized refraction, reciprocal and non-reciprocal polarization rotation, Bessel vortex beam generation, and orbital angular momentum multiplexing

Polymorphic hydroxylation of debrisquine in man

Imperial Users onl

Leveraging Resources on Anonymous Mobile Edge Nodes

Smart devices have become an essential component in the life of mankind. The quick rise of smartphones, IoTs, and wearable devices enabled applications that were not possible few years ago, e.g., health monitoring and online banking. Meanwhile, smart sensing laid the infrastructure for smart homes and smart cities. The intrusive nature of smart devices granted access to huge amounts of raw data. Researchers seized the moment with complex algorithms and data models to process the data over the cloud and extract as much information as possible. However, the pace and amount of data generation, in addition to, networking protocols transmitting data to cloud servers failed short in touching more than 20% of what was generated on the edge of the network. On the other hand, smart devices carry a large set of resources, e.g., CPU, memory, and camera, that sit idle most of the time. Studies showed that for plenty of the time resources are either idle, e.g., sleeping and eating, or underutilized, e.g. inertial sensors during phone calls. These findings articulate a problem in processing large data sets, while having idle resources in the close proximity. In this dissertation, we propose harvesting underutilized edge resources then use them in processing the huge data generated, and currently wasted, through applications running at the edge of the network. We propose flipping the concept of cloud computing, instead of sending massive amounts of data for processing over the cloud, we distribute lightweight applications to process data on users\u27 smart devices. We envision this approach to enhance the network\u27s bandwidth, grant access to larger datasets, provide low latency responses, and more importantly involve up-to-date user\u27s contextual information in processing. However, such benefits come with a set of challenges: How to locate suitable resources? How to match resources with data providers? How to inform resources what to do? and When? How to orchestrate applications\u27 execution on multiple devices? and How to communicate between devices on the edge? Communication between devices at the edge has different parameters in terms of device mobility, topology, and data rate. Standard protocols, e.g., Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, were not designed for edge computing, hence, does not offer a perfect match. Edge computing requires a lightweight protocol that provides quick device discovery, decent data rate, and multicasting to devices in the proximity. Bluetooth features wide acceptance within the IoT community, however, the low data rate and unicast communication limits its use on the edge. Despite being the most suitable communication protocol for edge computing and unlike other protocols, Bluetooth has a closed source code that blocks lower layer in front of all forms of research study, enhancement, and customization. Hence, we offer an open source version of Bluetooth and then customize it for edge computing applications. In this dissertation, we propose Leveraging Resources on Anonymous Mobile Edge Nodes (LAMEN), a three-tier framework where edge devices are clustered by proximities. On having an application to execute, LAMEN clusters discover and allocate resources, share application\u27s executable with resources, and estimate incentives for each participating resource. In a cluster, a single head node, i.e., mediator, is responsible for resource discovery and allocation. Mediators orchestrate cluster resources and present them as a virtually large homogeneous resource. For example, two devices each offering either a camera or a speaker are presented outside the cluster as a single device with both camera and speaker, this can be extended to any combination of resources. Then, mediator handles applications\u27 distribution within a cluster as needed. Also, we provide a communication protocol that is customizable to the edge environment and application\u27s need. Pushing lightweight applications that end devices can execute over their locally generated data have the following benefits: First, avoid sharing user data with cloud server, which is a privacy concern for many of them; Second, introduce mediators as a local cloud controller closer to the edge; Third, hide the user\u27s identity behind mediators; and Finally, enhance bandwidth utilization by keeping raw data at the edge and transmitting processed information. Our evaluation shows an optimized resource lookup and application assignment schemes. In addition to, scalability in handling networks with large number of devices. In order to overcome the communication challenges, we provide an open source communication protocol that we customize for edge computing applications, however, it can be used beyond the scope of LAMEN. Finally, we present three applications to show how LAMEN enables various application domains on the edge of the network. In summary, we propose a framework to orchestrate underutilized resources at the edge of the network towards processing data that are generated in their proximity. Using the approaches explained later in the dissertation, we show how LAMEN enhances the performance of applications and enables a new set of applications that were not feasible

Acute kidney injury after ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement surgery with moderate hypothermia, circulatory arrest and cardiopulmonary bypass

The correlation between deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and their effect on renal function is still not clear enough. Renal failure after surgical replacement of ascending aorta in DHCA und CPB in patients due to aneurysm or calcification represents nowadays a major concern. This major study focused on the impact of DHCA and CPB on renal function in those patients. In the presented retrospective cohort study, the database for Kiel University clinic was searched for patients with aortic arch and aortic ascending replacement surgeries with HCA and CPB techniques. Between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2017. 1359 patients were found in our database with different causes for those operations such as ascending aortic and aortic arch -aneurysm, -dissections or -calcifications, who were operated upon. The patient records were abstracted, and the data were entered into a database and then revised for accuracy by randomly checking chart data with data on the computer. Pre- and postoperative renal function are observed and documented. Acute kidney injury (AKI) was classified according to the current ‘Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes’ (KDIGO} Guidelines. The potential correlation of the length of DHCA-CPBT and worsening renal function was evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation. The data obtained from our analysis outlined the predictive role of longer moderate HCA and CPB times a for AKI. The complex multifactorial pathophysiology plays an underlying prognostic role regarding the outcome for this life-threatening complication and requires more focused clinical trials to illustrate the contradicting results from the previous analyses regarding the causing pathophysiology. In addition to that we found out that the incidence of AKI after ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement surgery using moderate HCA and CPB is approximately 15 %. And those patients with Postopertaitve AKI have an increase in the mortaliy rate by more than 6 times and 3 times longer ICU sta

The Qur\u27an as the Only Constitutive Source of Islamic Law

In The Problem of Dealing with the Prophet’s Sunnah (originally in Arabic), Al-\u27Alwani proposes a comprehensive and coherent concept of Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah based on the linguistic, Qur\u27anic and Prophetic usages of the term Sunnah, and argues that a prophet’s saying, action or approval is authentic if evidently rooted in the Qur\u27an, not only narrated in a correct, honest and accurate way. Al-\u27Alwani stresses the Prophet’s humanness and contends that the Qur\u27an proves his fallibility in his ijtihad and corrects it if it was not in full conformity with the Qur\u27an. Hence, the Qur\u27an’s authority over the Sunnah. Al-\u27Alwani links the authentic legislative Sunnah to the Qur\u27an and denies that one source can abrogate the other because there can be no contradiction between them. He argues that the authentic legislative Sunnah constitutes no laws; rather, it only illustrates the Prophet’s interpretation and implementation of the laws already constituted in the Qur\u27an. Hence, Al-\u27Alwani’s argument that the Qur\u27an is the only constitutive source of Islamic law. He asserts that the Qur\u27an contains all laws explicitly or implicitly, and the Sunnah is its application. Al-\u27Alwani sends a clear message in this book, that is, the unity of Muslim Ummah can be reestablished only through the recognition of the Qur\u27an’s role in life, and the Prophet’s role in implementing it