BloodChain: A Blood Donation Network Managed by Blockchain Technologies

Due to the rapid change of population structure, leading to lower birth rates and quick aging rates, the demand for blood supply is increasing significantly. In most countries, blood quality and origin are managed by blood management information systems, such as national authorities. Nevertheless, the traditional system has limitations in this field, such as a lack of detailed blood information, making it challenging to manage blood quality, supply, and demand. Hence, to solve these issues, this paper proposes a blockchain-based system called BloodChain, an improved system to support blood information management, providing more detailed information about blood, such as blood consumption and disposal. BloodChain exploits private blockchain techniques with a limited number of relatively fast and reliable participants, making them suitable for B2B (Business to Business) transactions. In this paper, we also develop a proposed system based on the architecture of Hyperledger Fabric. The evaluation of BloodChain is performed in several scenarios to prove our proposed model’s effectiveness.

VUCA n+1. To the Infinity and Beyond!

Starting from the observation that nowadays, the need to operate in a world described by Horney et al. (2010) as a world characterized by its volatility, uncertainties, complexity, and ambiguity has become more evident than ever, we aim at identifying and reveal the need for a ceaseless VUCA model. During the last decade, the term VUCA has easily migrated in other areas, being transformed into a common expression due to rapid change manifested in the technological, political, financial, and administrative fields (Sarkar, 2016). In this context, we have analyzed the existing VUCA models and proposed the n+1 version of them. Within the current stream of events, including Brexit and especially the COVID-19 pandemic, the way managers addressed the ever-changing business environment has become less efficient in the current disruptive type of period we are facing. Therefore, the VUCA 2.0 model was developed. The model comprising the same acronym is based on the following elements: vision, understanding, courage, and adaptability (George, 2017). But, in the last years, technology has accelerated the VUCA world and, in 2020, the VUCA 3.0 popped out (Day, 2020). As the results of the analysis pointed out, the incredible pace and amplitude of change, together with the associated disruption in the way businesses are managed, call for the constant development of a never-ending VUCA n+1 model. With a wider spread of automatization, cyber systems, and artificial intelligence, a new VUCA model will soon be necessary. This framework invites the reader to think not only about a potential but to a factual infinite sequence of VUCA models.

Decision-Making Taxonomy of DevOps Success Factors Using Preference Ranking Organization Method of Enrichment Evaluation

Due to multitudes factors like rapid change in technology, customer needs, and business trends, the software organizations are facing pressure to deliver quality software on time. To address this concern, the software industry is continually looking the solution to improve processing timeline. Thus, the Development and Operations (DevOps) has gained a wide popularity in recent era, and several organizations are adopting it, to leverage its perceived benefits. However, companies are facing several problems while executing the DevOps practices. The objective of this work is to identify the DevOps success factors that will help in DevOps process improvement. To accomplish this research firstly, a systematic literature review is conducted to identify the factors having positive influence on DevOps. Secondly, success factors were mapped with DevOps principles, i.e., culture, automation, measurement, and sharing. Thirdly, the identified success factors and their mapping were further verified with industry experts via questionnaire survey. In the last step, the PROMETHEE-II method has been adopted to prioritize and investigate logical relationship of success factors concerning their criticality for DevOps process. This study’s outcomes portray the taxonomy of the success factors, which help the experts design the new strategies that are effective for DevOps process improvement.

Insurance payment for artificial intelligence technology: Methods used by a stroke artificial intelligence system and strategies to qualify for the new technology add-on payment

The first ever insurance reimbursement for an artificial intelligence (AI) system, which expedites triage of acute stroke, occurred in 2020 when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) granted approval for a New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP). Key aspects of the AI system that led to its approval by the CMS included its unique mechanism of action, use of robotic process automation, and clear linkage of the system’s output to clinical outcomes. The specific strategies employed encompass a first-case scenario of proving reimbursable value for improved stroke outcomes using AI. Given the rapid change in utilization of AI technology in stroke care, we describe the economic drivers of stroke AI systems in healthcare, focusing on concepts of reimbursement for value added by AI to the stroke care system. This report reviews (1) the successful approach used by the first NTAP-approved AI system, (2) economic variables in insurance reimbursement for AI, and (3) resultant strategies that may be utilized to facilitate qualification for NTAP reimbursement, which may be adopted by other AI systems used in stroke care.

Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka: Application in Education Faculty

The independence policy is a hot topic in the world of education. The premise that learning exists is carried out in the preparation of university graduates, both public and private, to meet the modern-day and rapid change challenges. Independent learning is a notion that aspires to excel from graduates as future leaders with an increasing number of personalities. Independent programs provide students with independence and flexibility to develop their potential through their hobbies and talents. This study will first examine the format of the eight Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka programs (MBKM) featured in the Merdeka Independent Campus Free Book released by the Ministry of Education and Culture's Directorate General Higher Education (Published in 2020). Second, a variant of MBKM that was adopted in the Odd and Even semesters of the 2020/2021 Academic Year at a university in Aceh's Faculty of Teacher Training and Education. The findings indicated that there were eight Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka programs, including the following: 1) student exchange, 2) internship/work experience, 3) teaching in educational institutions, 4) village projects, 5) research, 6) entrepreneurial activities, 7) independent studies, and 8) humanitarian projects. The Faculty of Teacher Training and Education has run a student exchange program with another university, a teaching assistant program in educational institutions, and a program to build villages/thematic lectures for students and lecturers who passed the selection process for a grant program called "Kampus Mengajar."

Adoption of Wearable Technology Devices

With rapid change in technology worldwide, innovative products such as wearable technology devices tend to have an uprising trend. Consumers, however, are not necessarily adaptive in their nature and their perception is shaped by many factors. The aim of this research is to investigate the consumer acceptance of wearable technology devices, specifically smartwatches. The study extends the widely used technology acceptance model with the introduction of new variables. For the purpose of the study, survey data was collected from German and Turkish university students. The overall results provide validation to previous literature while introducing new factors for consumer acceptance of technology products, wearable technology devices, and smartwatches. Importance of this research comes from the innovative and promising nature of the wearable technology devices concept, the lack of work on smartwatches in literature, as well as the cross-cultural nature of the study. The study also has managerial implications for technology companies who chase after growth in their businesses.

Doppler Weather Radar analysis of short term cyclonic storm

On the east coast of India, during South-West monsoon period severe cyclonic storms are very rare and if they are short term cyclones then their prediction becomes very difficult due to rapid change in the intensity of the system. Though synoptic observations failed and satellite observations also cannot give decisive picture about such systems, in that case timely warning can not be issued by the weather agencies. Such a system was formed on 19 September, 2006 at about 250 km South-East of Kolkata (India). Very heavy rainfall associated with the system caused several human casualties and extensive damage to the property. According to news agencies, more than 100 people died and a million people became homeless due to heavy rainfall and strong winds associated with the cyclone during 19 September -21, 2006. At 0600 UTC, Doppler Weather radar (DWR) at Kolkata observed initial signatures of the system like a depression. Subsequently at 0900 UTC the observations indicated that the intensification of the system has taken place to a higher stage of deep depression and at about 1200 UTC clear spiral bands with a circular eye recorded by DWR confirmed for a fully developed severe cyclonic storm. The system weakened in to a deep depression at 1630 UTC after the landfall but again became a cyclonic storm at 2100 UTC of 19 September, 2006. Present study establishes that DWR is very useful for prediction of this short term cyclonic storm, its direction of movement and heavy rainfall associated. The maximum radial winds of the magnitude 32 m/s (64 knots/115 km/h) were also recorded by DWR at an altitude of 2.5 km in the eye wall region of the system. The high wind speed and the well defined structure of the cyclone observed by DWR confirmed that the system was a Severe Cyclonic Storm of T number 3.5. Records are available with surface observatories in the region for strong winds of the order of 110 km/h. This study also revealed that an early warning for strong winds and heavy rainfall could have been issued for development of such a short duration tropical cyclone using DWR data well in advance.

A Paradigm Shift in Higher Education

Game-based learning is widely followed at the school level in India, but the higher education system has been longer in adopting it. The pandemic situation has transformed teaching and learning processes from the traditional to the technical method, which requires a more versatile approach. Because of the rapid change from the offline mode to the online mode in higher education, there is little evidence available on the inefficiency of implementing the traditional system of teacher-centered education on online platforms. There comes a lot of the significance in of adapting technology-based games in order to engage and motivate students throughout their course of study. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the effectiveness of game-based learning strategies over traditional learning methods. Moreover, the results of a cross-sectional study conducted by the authors in South Indian universities at the higher education level is included.