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A study was conducted to examine how recent advances in telecommunications and information technology have led to real-time monitoring of processes by buyers located across the globe. A game-theoretic model of the dynamics of the buyer-supplier interaction is constructed. This model explains why the production of complex processes are monitored less by buyers.

Ranking functions play a substantial role in the performance of information retrieval (IR) systems and search engines. Although there are many ranking functions available in the IR literature, various empirical evaluation studies show that ranking functions do hot perform consistently well across different contexts (queries, collections, users). Moreover, it is often difficult and very expensive for human beings to design optimal ranking functions that work well in all these contexts. In this paper, we propose a novel ranking function discovery framework based on Genetic Programming and show through various experiments how this new framework helps automate the ranking function design/discovery process. Keywords: Information retrieval; Ranking function; Genetic algorithms: Genetic programming; Text mining

A set of order-based fitness functions based on utility theory were designed and tested on genetic programming-based learning, using a large Web corpus. Results show that performance improvement is greatly affected by design of fitness functions.

Search engines are essential for finding information on the World Wide Web. We conducted a study to see how effective eight search engines are. Expert searchers sought information on the Web for users who had legitimate needs for information, and these users assessed the relevance of the information retrieved. We calculated traditional information retrieval measures of recall and precision at varying numbers of retrieved documents and used these as the bases for statistical comparisons of retrieval effectiveness among the eight search engines. We also calculated the likelihood that a document retrieved by one search engine was retrieved by other search engines as well.

Background/Objectives: Recent evidence suggests nonconstant nature of dispersion in adult women’s body mass index (BMI) across sociodemographic groups. The overall variances in BMI and height are also shown to have substantially changed over time. We modeled complex variation in adults’ anthropometry—BMI and height—by wealth and education, and assessed their differences over time in India. Subjects/Methods: Data from a total of 768,130 women and 180,691 men from the Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 2006 and 2016 were used for the analysis. The average association between wealth and education with anthropometry was assessed from linear regression models assuming constant variance. Individual heterogeneity was modeled to obtain separate variances in anthropometry for each wealth quintile and education level. All analyses were stratified by survey year and sex. Results: On average, the positive socioeconomic gradient in adult’s BMI and height persisted over time with slight attenuation. The residual variance in BMI ranged from 10.1 to 14.9 (7.2–11.3) by education level and 6.1 to 17.4 (5.0–13.0) by household wealth for women (men) in 2006, and they increased over time for the lower socioeconomic groups but remained the same or decreased for the higher socioeconomic groups. No significant pattern was observed for variation in height for both genders. Conclusions: We found potential reversal in the socioeconomic patterning in BMI variability in India as suggested by the increasing dispersion among the least educated and poorest populations. For a comprehensive understanding of nutrition transition in developing countries, it is necessary to assess the changes in means and variances of anthropometry in tandem.

Rivaroxaban an oral direct Xa inhibitor has recently been approved for VTE prophylaxis. It doesn’t require monitoring but in special circumstances like bleeds a monitoring tool will be useful. Also, it is prudent to know its effect on various routine coagulation tests. Currently, there is no commercially available method for monitoring of Rivaroxaban. Aim: We conducted an In house- in-vitro analysis to (a)determine the effects of rivaroxaban locally on a range of commercially available coagulation assays, lupus anticoaugulant, factor VIII level, thrombin generation time and (b) measure it by two anti-Xa assays. Materials: Rivaroxaban (Xeralto) tablet, strength-10 mg. Plasma samples: Citrated normal human platelet poor plasma procured and freezed at −70 degree centigrade, Baxter sterile water.The tablet was dissolved over 72 hours in a litre of sterile water to make 10 ug/ml of solution. Despite stirring a fine particulate compound remained which settled on standing. Samples were vortexed prior to each assay. This stock solution was used to spike citrated normal human platelet-poor plasma (PPP) at increasing concentrations of rivaroxaban from 0.1,0.2, 0.3, 0.4, upto 0.5 ug/ml to see the effect on the following tests and to determine rivaroxaban concentration by two 1.anti-Xa methods. All method were run using standard protocols taken from manufacturers’ instructions.Anti-Xa assay:a) BIOPHEN DiXaI kit for 2-stage chromogenic assay of Direct Xa inhibitors; Ref 221030 b) Rotachrome using 1:2 dilution and further using 1:10 and 1:20 dilutions; catalogue Number-00612.2.PT & INR (STAGO neoplastin CI Plus MNPT-13.2 s, ISI-1.30 s).3.aPTT (Triniclot aPTT reagent)4.LAC-dRVVT screening and confirm (STAGO).5.Factor VIII assay (Siemens- Factor VIII deficient plasma)6. TT (STAGO-Thrombin)7. Factor VIII assay- Helena SARP.8.TGT: Thrombinoscope 5 picomolar TF and standard CAT method.Values described for Xarelto/ Rivaroxaban on patients with thromboprophylaxis in orthopedic surgery are usually of about 0.1–0.2 ug /ml in plasma.Result & Discussion: Concentration dependent prolongation of PT was observed. We used a single reagent (STAGO neoplastin CI Plus) which was sensitive at 0.1ug/ml concentration. Samama et al found that the results of PT were variable with reagent and not corrected by conversion to INR.We found that aPTT at lower concentrations of Rivaroxaban was not significantly different. Hillarp et al used five different reagents and found a reagent dependent dose response of APTT to rivaroxaban.The effect on Thrombin Time was non concentration dependent with no prolongation of TT at lower levels.There was fall in FVIII level in concentration dependent manner with 35% fall at 0.5ug/ml. We did not come across any literature till date about FVIII levels in Rivaroxaban therapy and our conclusion emphasises the importance of drug history.The LAC by DRVVT test showed positive result at the lowest concentration with an ILR of 1.23 and a dose dependent prolongation of clotting time. Thus making thrombophilia screening difficult.Thrombin generation time showed dose dependent effect on all parameters with almost complete suppression of thrombin generation. The initiation and propagation phase of TGT was affected at the lowest concentration (Green et al).The two anti-Xa tests used for measuring the concentration of Rivaroxaban in spiked plasma showed that Biophen DiXAI method has a broad range of sensitivity (0.1–0.5ug/ml) with calibration curve almost identical to that of manufacturer’s with an excellent R value through out.The Rotachrome method at the standard 1:2 dilution was unable to measure concentration beyond 0.2ug/ml and at 1:20 dilution could only measure upto 0.4ug/ml. Thus, this method needs modification to determine a broad range of concentration.There was a variable result with 0.5ug/ml concentration of Rivaroxaban despite repeated vortex with unclear cause. This could be due to instability or settling of non-dissolved particles of the sample.The calibration curves were linear throughout with an acceptable R-value but there was a progressive drop in assay over a period of time.Anti-Xa assay with Biophen DiXAI method is a promising candidate for measurement of concentration of Rivaroxaban in special circumstances. Our findings show a trend towards prolongation of global clotting assays. The tablet is not stable as a calibrator.Pathak: BIOPHEN-DIXAI: Research Funding. McRae:BIOPHEN-DIXAI: Research Funding.