bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainable Consumption: Analysis of Consumers’ Perceptions about Using Private Brands in Food Retail
Authors: Boboc Dan , Ariciu Adrian , Ion Raluca
Published: July 2015

Private brands are representing an important vector for retailers, helping them to build sustainable relationships with their customers. Usually, private brands are perceived as products differentiated by lower prices. The purpose of this research is to identify consumers’ trust level in private brands used in food retail and their perceptions about the quality of retailers’ own products. The research question is: What are consumers’ perceptions about using private brands in food retail? Pursuing this question, a survey based on a questionnaire was carried out. Research findings showed that the main reason why people buy private brands’ products is lower price rather than high quality. The interviews showed that the typical private brand user is male, aged between 45 and 65 years old, with middle-level income, and employees with secondary education. These results are useful for retailers in their efforts to decide strategies for their private brands and for building consumers’ trust. The findings are useful for food producers as well, because they should reconsider their marketing strategies in order to adapt themselves to the continuous growth of retailers’ private brands.
Calculating Puerto Rico’s Ecological Footprint (1970–2010) Using Freely Available Data
Authors: Hopton Matthew , Berland Adam
Published: July 2015

Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA) is appealing as a metric of sustainability because it is straightforward in theory and easy to conceptualize. However, EFA is difficult to implement because it requires extensive data. A simplified approach to EFA that requires fewer data can serve as a perfunctory analysis allowing researchers to examine a system with relatively little cost and effort. We examined whether a simplified approach using freely available data could be applied to Puerto Rico, a densely populated island with limited land resources. Forty-one years of data were assembled to compute the ecological footprint from 1970 to 2010. According to EFA, individuals in Puerto Rico were moving toward sustainability over time, as the per capita ecological footprint decreased from 3.69 ha per capita (ha/ca) in 1970 to 3.05 ha/ca in 2010. However, due to population growth, the population’s footprint rose from 1.00 × 107 ha in 1970 to 1.14 × 107 ha in 2010, indicating Puerto Rico as a whole was moving away from sustainability. Our findings demonstrate the promise for conducting EFA using a simplified approach with freely available data, and we discuss potential limitations on data quality and availability that should be addressed to further improve the science.
Optimized exosome isolation protocol for cell culture supernatant and human plasma
Authors: Lobb Richard J. , Becker Melanie , Wen Wen Shu , Wong Christina S. F. , Wiegmans Adrian P. , Leimgruber Antoine , Möller Andreas
Published: July 2015

Extracellular vesicles represent a rich source of novel biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of disease. However, there is currently limited information elucidating the most efficient methods for obtaining high yields of pure exosomes, a subset of extracellular vesicles, from cell culture supernatant and complex biological fluids such as plasma. To this end, we comprehensively characterize a variety of exosome isolation protocols for their efficiency, yield and purity of isolated exosomes. Repeated ultracentrifugation steps can reduce the quality of exosome preparations leading to lower exosome yield. We show that concentration of cell culture conditioned media using ultrafiltration devices results in increased vesicle isolation when compared to traditional ultracentrifugation protocols. However, our data on using conditioned media isolated from the Non‐Small‐Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) SK‐MES‐1 cell line demonstrates that the choice of concentrating device can greatly impact the yield of isolated exosomes. We find that centrifuge‐based concentrating methods are more appropriate than pressure‐driven concentrating devices and allow the rapid isolation of exosomes from both NSCLC cell culture conditioned media and complex biological fluids. In fact to date, no protocol detailing exosome isolation utilizing current commercial methods from both cells and patient samples has been described. Utilizing tunable resistive pulse sensing and protein analysis, we provide a comparative analysis of 4 exosome isolation techniques, indicating their efficacy and preparation purity. Our results demonstrate that current precipitation protocols for the isolation of exosomes from cell culture conditioned media and plasma provide the least pure preparations of exosomes, whereas size exclusion isolation is comparable to density gradient purification of exosomes. We have identified current shortcomings in common extracellular vesicle isolation methods and provide a potential standardized method that is effective, reproducible and can be utilized for various starting materials. We believe this method will have extensive application in the growing field of extracellular vesicle research.
Qu'est-ce que l'exotisme ?
Authors: Staszak Jean-François
Published: July 2015

Abstract : A place or a thing is not exotic because ofits own characteristics but rather because of somebody who sees and describes it that way. The paper presents exotization as a process involved in the geographical production of otherness, specific to the European and colonial context. The Occidental ambiguous fascination for the exotic does not apply to anyfaraway country : the attribution of this "privilege " takes place within the political and cultural history of colonization. The exotization process implies the objectification and the commoditization of the Other, reduced to a stereotyped role in apicturesque show. To be de-exotized, the exotic Other has to become an alter ego.
Politiques littéraires du voyage : les Boulevards des Maréchaux de Tillinac et de Rolin (Paris)
Authors: Zanghi Filippo
Published: July 2015

Résumé : Deux expériences littéraires, quasiment simultanées, ont été menées sur " les Maréchaux", les boulevards extérieurs parisiens, autour de l’an 2000. Cette coïncidence temporelle et spatiale est précieuse : elle permet de mesurer les écueils et les apports liés à une faculté de " voir la ville", aujourd’hui largement partagée, mais dont les écrivains sont les détenteurs historiques. En interrogeant la dimension sociale de ces voyages de proximité, c’est-à-dire la relation d’altérité que cette pratique institue avec les hommes qui sont dans la ville, une politique peut être mise au jour, et la précarité d’un horizon commun.
Indexical Tenses in Intensional Complements: Implications from Albanian
Authors: Smirnova Anastasia
Published: July 2015

No abstract.
On the Intensifier 'propre' ('own') in French: a Counterpart of '-même' ('-self') in Possessive DPs?
Authors: Charnavel Isabelle
Published: July 2015

No abstract.
Quantifed possessives and direct compositionality
Authors: Francez Itamar
Published: July 2015

No abstract.
Restrictions on the Meaning of Determiners: Typological Generalisations and Learnability
Authors: Hunter Tim , Lidz Jeffrey , Wellwood Alexis , Conroy Anastasia
Published: July 2015

No abstract.
Semantics of Slavic anaphoric possessive determiners
Authors: Zuber Richard
Published: July 2015

No abstract.
Evidence-based Recommendations for the Management of Comorbidities in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriasis, and Psoriatic Arthritis: Expert Opinion of the Canadian Dermatology-Rheumatology Comorbidity Initiative
Authors: Roubille Camille , Richer Vincent , Starnino Tara , McCourt Collette , McFarlane Alexandra , Fleming Patrick , Siu Stephanie , Kraft John , Lynde Charles , Pope Janet , Gulliver Wayne , Keeling Stephanie , Dutz Jan , Bessette Louis , Bissonnette Robert , Haraoui Boulos
Published: July 2015

Objective.

Comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer, osteoporosis, and depression are often underrecognized in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), or psoriasis (PsO). Recommendations may improve identification and treatment of comorbidities. The Canadian Dermatology-Rheumatology Comorbidity Initiative reviewed the literature to develop practical evidence-based recommendations for management of comorbidities in patients with RA, PsA, and PsO.

Methods.

Eight main topics regarding comorbidities in RA, PsA, and PsO were developed. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (1960–12/2012), together with abstracts from major rheumatology and dermatology congresses (2010–2012), were searched for relevant publications. Selected articles were analyzed and metaanalyses performed whenever possible. A meeting including rheumatologists, dermatologists, trainees/fellows, and invited experts was held to develop consensus-based recommendations using a Delphi process with prespecified cutoff agreement. Level of agreement was measured using a 10-point Likert scale (1 = no agreement, 10 = full agreement) and the potential effect of recommendations on daily clinical practice was considered. Grade of recommendation (ranging from A to D) was determined according to the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine evidence levels.

Results.

A total of 17,575 articles were identified, of which 407 were reviewed. Recommendations were synthesized into 19 final recommendations ranging mainly from grade C to D, and relating to a large spectrum of comorbidities observed in clinical practice: CVD, obesity, osteoporosis, depression, infections, and cancer. Level of agreement ranged from 80.9% to 95.8%.

Conclusion.

These practical evidence-based recommendations can guide management of comorbidities in patients with RA, PsA, and PsO and optimize outcomes.
Genetic Variants of the NLRP3 Inflammasome Are Associated with Stroke in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Kastbom Alf , Ärlestig Lisbeth , Rantapää-Dahlqvist Solbritt
Published: July 2015

Objective.

Inflammasomes are intracellular protein complexes important for the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Studies have suggested that the NLRP3 inflammasome influences both the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and development of atherosclerosis. Therefore, we investigated whether functional genetic variants related to the NLRP3 inflammasome influence the risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) in patients with RA.

Methods.

The incidence of CVD was assessed in 522 patients with established RA by a retrospective survey of medical records in combination with a 6-year prospective followup. NLRP3-Q705K and CARD8-C10X genotypes were analyzed in relation to CVD by logistic regression, adjusting for traditional risk factors, antirheumatic treatment, and age at the onset of RA.

Results.

Carriage of the NLRP3-Q705K minor allele was associated with an increased risk of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA; OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.0–4.1, p = 0.05), while CARD8-C10X was not associated with any type of CV event. Patients with ≥ 1 variant allele in both polymorphisms had an increased risk of CVD when compared with patients without variant alleles present in both polymorphisms (adjusted OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.42–6.54, p = 0.004). Stratification showed that this risk was confined to stroke/TIA (adjusted OR 5.09, 95% CI 2.27–11.44, p < 0.0001) and not to myocardial infarction (MI)/angina pectoris (adjusted OR 1.58, 95% CI 0.67–3.73). Risk estimates were consistently higher among female patients.

Conclusion.

Genetic variants of the NLRP3 inflammasome influence the risk of stroke/TIA, but not of MI/angina pectoris in Swedish patients with established RA.
Miscarriage and Stillbirth in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Wallenius Marianne , Salvesen Kjell Å. , Daltveit Anne K. , Skomsvoll Johan F.
Published: July 2015

Objective.

To examine the risk of pregnancy loss in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods.

Cumulative numbers of early miscarriages (before gestational Week 12), late miscarriages (weeks 12–22), and stillbirths reported to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway in the period 1999–2009.

Results.

There were 1578 women with RA and 411,130 reference women included in the study. Relative risks of early and late miscarriage in women with RA versus references were 1.2 (95% CI 1.1–1.3) and 1.4 (95% CI 1.1–1.7), respectively. There was no difference in stillbirth.

Conclusion.

The risk of miscarriage was slightly higher among women with RA than in references.
INTEGRATION OF MULTIPLE CLASSIFIERS FOR COMPUTERIZED DETECTION OF LUNG NODULES IN CT
Authors: Suárez-Cuenca Jorge Juan , Guo Wei , Li Qiang
Published: July 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of various classifier combination methods for improving the performance of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for pulmonary nodule detection in computed tomography (CT). We employed 85 CT scans with 110 nodules in the publicly available Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) dataset. We first applied our CAD scheme trained previously to the LIDC cases for identifying initial nodule candidates, and extracting 18 features for each nodule candidate. We used eight individual classifiers for false positives (FPs) reduction, including linear discriminant analysis (LDA), quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA), Naïve Bayes, simple logistic, artificial neural network (ANN) and support vector machines (SVMs) with three different kernels. Five classifier combination methods were then employed to integrate the outputs of the eight individual classifiers for improving detection performance. The five combination methods included two supervised (a likelihood ratio (LR) method and a probability method based on the output scores of the eight individual classifiers) and three unsupervised ones (the sum, the product and the majority voting of the output scores from the eight individual classifiers). Leave-one-case-out approach was employed to train and test individual classifiers and supervised combination methods. At a sensitivity of 80%, the numbers of FPs per CT scan for the eight individual classifiers were 6.1 for LDA, 19.9 for QDA, 10.8 for Naïve Bayes, 8.4 for simple logistic, 8.6 for ANN, 23.7 for SVM-dot, 17.0 for SVM-poly, and 23.4 for SVM-anova; the numbers of FPs per CT scan for the five combination methods were 3.3 for the majority voting method, 5.0 for the sum, 4.6 for the product, 65.7 for the LR and 3.9 for the probability method. Compared to the best individual classifier, the majority voting method reduced 45% of FPs at 80% sensitivity. The performance of our CAD can be improved by combining multiple classifiers. The majority voting method achieved higher performance levels than other combination methods and all individual classifiers.
Health and Wellness
Authors: Cooper Malcolm
Published: July 2015

This book identifies a range of issues and emerging trends in relation to medical tourism in the 21st Century. One basic issue is the relationship between medical tourism and the wider concept of health and wellness as a framework for living in the present, and another is determination of the extent to which concepts of health and wellness act as a background for medical tourism and the way in which it is constructed and/or practiced. There is no doubt that wellness tourism is a fundamental part of the wider range of treatments now afforded the medical tourist in addition to the medical procedures themselves, and health is of course the condition that all tourists and the members of a host community aspire to. This chapter examines health and wellness tourism as a necessary part of medical treatment for many patients, as one of the reasons why medical tourism has become popular, and its importance as a background to medical tourism.
Medical Tourism or ‘Medical Examination and Treatment Abroad'
Authors: Uchida Yasuo
Published: July 2015

Medical care has traditionally been supported within a framework of public welfare within national borders. However, it has recently expanded beyond this, reflecting the globalization of medicine and the private health care insurance business. Medical tourism is not an appropriate description, because those who travel are mostly patients, not tourists looking for leisure. Medical tourism is more properly termed ‘travel for medical examination and treatment abroad', or ‘international patient business', from a supply-side economics point of view. This chapter considers the emerging international medical tourism niche market from the economic angle. First, it reviews the nature of transnational treatment based on the quality and costs of services. Second, the regulatory framework is examined. Private healthcare services are often considered as a competitive market. However, how to monitor and assure the quality/safety of private healthcare abroad is a crucial issue, as much as price and delivery of services.
Dive with the Sharks
Authors: Fernando Yudi , Khei Lee Hwee
Published: July 2015

Diving with sharks involves heart-thumping moments. Once nerves are under control and the lesson has been learnt, the situation seems easy. The analogy of diving with sharks can also be used for the medical tourism supply chain. The importance of the contribution of medical tourism to the business entities in the healthcare industry, and to the economics of healthcare is often noted. Yet, what factors make the medical tourism supply chain itself a winning business strategy are just as often unknown. In this chapter analysis of the medical tourism supply chain is undertaken, based on a specific pattern of analytical categories derived from a typical literature search process. The numbers of articles published in peer-reviewed journals on particular keywords and factors impinging on the medical tourism supply chain have been systematically analysed. The chapter suggests that four issues in the medical tourism supply chain require further investigation.
The Ethics of Medical Tourism
Authors: Ghotbi Nader
Published: July 2015

Medical tourism is rapidly growing. There are various reasons for this form of travel; from having life-saving surgery, receiving organ transplants and other vital operations, to therapeutic massage, using hot spas, and cosmetic surgery, and from receiving assistance with infertility to assisted suicide services at particular destinations. Some forms of medical tourism have strong ethical issues attached to them, but there are also ethical issues that may apply to almost all cases, and these can be discussed in a general way. This chapter discusses fundamental definitions of the concepts and general ethical issues in medical tourism, and then explains in more detail some of the moral issues in medical tourism that need to be examined from an ethical standpoint. The chapter establishes common ground for discussion based on broadly accepted principles that can be used almost universally as general guidelines for ethical decision-making in medical tourism activities.
Reproductive Medicine and Medical Tourism
Authors: Utsunomiya Takafumi
Published: July 2015

Reproductive medicine is practiced in a distinctive environment. This environment is shaped by the rapid pace of medical advancement, and the fact that reproductive medical tourism tends to involve third parties. There are many unresolved problems and a need for guidelines to advance proper medical practice. There are also differences in historical, political, religious, and social environments in the destinations involved in reproductive medical tourism. These generate problems relating to the rights and welfare of both patients and children. This chapter discusses these and other problems concerning differences in legal regimes, and discrepancies between the treatment received in the destination country and that provided after returning home. Most significantly, the problems are accompanied by a failure to acknowledge the paramount importance of the rights not only of patients, but also of unborn children. To engage in reproductive medical tourism without regard for these rights is not permissible.
The Dark Side of Medical Tourism?
Authors: Cooper Malcolm , Hieda Mayumi
Published: July 2015

There are 4 principles that should govern the response of the healthcare system in its treatment of individual medical problems. These may be summarized as: 1. medical care should be accessible to all; 2. the principle of patient autonomy should govern decision-making; 3. medical treatment should be recognized as being part of cultural behavior; and, 4. the medical profession should support the benefit of the patient. However, the combination of these with the rising cost of healthcare and the impact of globalization, has led to a dark side for medical tourism. In this situation, both patients and physicians are faced with ethical, human security and sustainability issues. This chapter examines 3 major issues in medical tourism: end of life choice, trafficking in human bodies and body parts, and organ transplants. In the healthcare systems of many countries, these issues can also involve criminal activities.
Potentials and Prospects of Medical Tourism in Chennai, India
Authors: Thilakavathy Muthukumar
Published: July 2015

Medical tourism or as it is often called, Health Tourism or Medical Travel, has emerged as million-billion dollar industry. Medical tourism is the practice of traveling outside one's home town to access medical treatment. The concept of Medical Tourism in India refers to visit by overseas patients for medical treatment and relaxation. Medical tourists choose India as their favourite destination because of the key opportunities in Indian healthcare sector in the form of efficient infrastructures and technology. The health insurance market and National medical systems here are well developed, which is convenient for visitors from the West and the Middle East. They also find the hospital expenses very affordable. The Tamil Nadu region is proud of possessing India's best medical facilities (Allopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and so on). Chennai leads in the Indian health care sector and is considered the Health Capital of India, and suitable subject for this Chapter on medical tourism in India.
Gamification Impact on Customer Relationship Development in Virtual Environment
Authors: Gatautis Rimantas , Medziausiene Audrone
Published: July 2015

The chapter analyzes gamification conception presenting different perspective towards gamification. Game elements, game mechanics and game dynamics are discussed within the chapter as a main component gamification. Customer relations development stages are presented analyzing acquisition, retention and enchantment stages. The proposed conceptual model describes game elements impact on customer relations development and perceived value. The proposed model empirical validation results in Lithuania market are discussed.
The Effects of Fan Personality on Participation in Social Media Based Brand Community
Authors: Balapour Ali , Khanlari Amir
Published: July 2015

Facebook as the greatest social network has offered a new marketing tools for companies, agencies, organizations and even people like celebrities. We are witnessing a growing trend in emergence of online brand communities both in and out of social media. However, one of the important aspects that needs to be magnified is how brand's fans participate in their favorite brand pages? This study tries to answer questions like this. We introduce new variables which should be counted in the 3M model of personality in order to stimulate brand fans to participate on the brand page more than before. Entertainment, monetary and normative incentives are introduced as potential variables which affect situational traits of participants. Finally, we advise brand managers to not forget about entertainment mixed with promotions or representation of products over their online brand community; entertainment along with monetary and normative incentives can motivate fans to participate.
The Effects of Social Media-Based Brand Communities on Brand Loyalty and Brand Equity
Authors: Khanlari Amir , Rezaei Faezeh , Mira Seyed Abolghasem
Published: July 2015

Nowadays, the concept of brand community is tied with media. So, the new concept of social media based brand community without constraint of geography is built. In this chapter, we investigate the effects of social media based brand community on elements of the customer centric model, brand loyalty and brand equity through its antecedents (i.e., brand loyalty, brand trust, perceived quality, brand awareness/ association). An online survey with 170 users of brand community of Cinere Company on Facebook was conducted and path analysis technique was applied for data analysis. The results show that brand community of Cinere on social media has positive effects on all elements of the customer centric model. customer/ other customer and customer/ brand relationships have positive effects on brand loyalty with mediating role of brand trust; and loyalty, perceived quality, brand awareness/association have positive effects on brand equity. Interestingly, brand trust contributes only indirectly to brand equity. Finally, implications for practice and future research opportunities are discussed.
Using Social Media to Influence CRM and Loyalty
Authors: Keshvari Rozita Shahbaz
Published: July 2015

This chapter explores the influence of social media in Customer Relationship Management that leads to Customer loyalty. The social media in restaurant is recognized as an essential component of the customer satisfaction and therefore it is a cornerstone of the success of CRM and customer loyalty through social media nowadays. The purpose of this chapter is to investigate how Restaurant industry can harness the power of social media by utilizing CRM that leads to Customer loyalty. The problem is approached applying both the restaurants perspective and the customer perspective. The recent explosion in social media usage, combined with the transformation of the consumer into a “consume' activist”, has permanently changed the relationship between a restaurant and its customers. There were two interviews conducted for 384 restaurants collected and analyzed for the research. The results proved that Social media can be an excellent channel for building long-lasting customer relationships in restaurants.
Approaches to Evidence-Based Management and Decision-Making in Healthcare Organizations
Authors: Al Saleem Nouf , Sheikh Mohamud
Published: July 2015

Decision-making is an essential process that everyone takes upon at all times. Healthcare managers make decisions to ensure serving high quality of patient care, reduce costs and allocate resources. Evidence based decision making in healthcare has recently received a lot of attention by all health care stakeholders including clinicians, researchers, managers and policy makers. However, it is more adapted by clinicians and researchers than managers and policy makers. Evidence-Based science began to develop in the early 90s and was later named “Evidence Based Medicine” after its methods have been applied in health-related fields. Yet, Evidence Based Management still showing a slow progress in terms of its application in decision-making in practice worldwide. This chapter seeks to examine the key aspects of decision-making in the health care settings. It further seeks to provide key examples of decision-making and ways to seek evidence, types of evidence, and approaches to making evidence-based decisions.
Antimicrobial Consumption and Multidrug Resistant Organisms in Intensive Care Units
Authors: Jabri Fouad Farouk
Published: July 2015

Improper antimicrobial use and bacterial resistance can affect an entire community, threaten public health and create economic burdens and ecological consequences on societies. This chapter discusses the importance of counteracting this public health issue. In Saudi Arabia, the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents is of particular concern. The prescribing of broad-spectrum antimicrobials in hospital settings is not highly restricted, and antimicrobials are available over the counters in pharmacies. This unwise use provides a scenario for the emergence of bacterial resistance and subsequent public health concerns. In addition, there is a lack of representative epidemiological research on antimicrobial consumption and quantitative data linking consumption to the incidence of resistance. This chapter illustrates that the implementation and the success of the strategies that monitor and control antimicrobial consumption depend on the availability of information about the extent and patterns of antimicrobial consumption. It demonstrates the potentials and recommendations on obtaining antimicrobial consumption data using defined daily dose as a unit of measurement in Saudi hospital settings.
Information Systems in Healthcare with a Special Focus on Developing Countries
Authors: Abugabah Ahed , Afarraj Osama , Sansogni Louis
Published: July 2015

Information Systems offer tremendous opportunities to improve healthcare services. Thus far, they have a proven track record as a way to improve the quality of services, and work processes effectiveness. However, Health Information Systems can be inappropriately specified, having functional errors, being unreliable, and not user friendly. Such breakdowns may affect working processes and decisions of healthcare providers, resulting in potential harm to patients. This chapter will elaborate a number of important issues/problems related to Information Systems in healthcare with the aim of providing a deeper contextual insight into their application in healthcare and offer advice on the factors that should be considered when designing and evaluating them. The chapter aims at providing a literature review of Information Systems in healthcare and highlight the challenges Information Systems face in this domain by providing a significant review of Information System theory in healthcare.
Interactive Visualizations as “Decision Support Tools” in Developing Nations
Authors: Ola Oluwakemi , Buchel Olga , Sedig Kamran
Published: July 2015

The impact of vector-borne diseases on developing nations is significant. Currently, the uncertainty of disease dynamics, volatility of human-environment interactions, and competing objectives coupled with the nature of applicable data present obstacles to stakeholders charged with developing preventive, control, and treatment measures. As a result, notwithstanding numerous measures, vector-borne diseases persist and impede the growth of developing nations. Therefore, computational tools that can address these obstacles and serve as decision support tools to stakeholders are much needed. This chapter is meant to draw attention to interactive visualization tools that allow stakeholders to control the flow of information, manipulate visual representations, and perform analytical tasks. Through a discussion of the vector-borne disease situation and interactive visualization tools, the case for integrating these tools into public health practice in developing nations is made.
Node and Hub Data Gathering Architectures for Healthcare Applications based on IEEE 802.15.6 Standard
Authors: Ben Elhadj Hadda , Chaari Lamia , Boudjit Saadi , Kamoun Lotfi
Published: July 2015

In this paper, the authors present a Node Management Entity (NME) and a Hub Management Entity (HME) architectures based on the Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) standard. The proposed HME and NME combine cross and modular design architecture to ensure network reliability and enhance the WBAN Quality of Service (QoS). Furthermore, the authors propose an Adaptive Two-hop Routing protocol, termed ATR, a simple but yet efficient algorithm to provide reliable data dissemination in WBANs. The proposed ATR is evaluated under layered architecture and NME and HME entities. Simulation results show that both entities perform well 802.15.6 standard and WBAN QoS requirements than layered architecture.
Component-Based Decision Trees
Authors: Kašćelan Ljiljana , Kašćelan Vladimir
Published: July 2015

Popular decision tree (DT) algorithms such as ID3, C4.5, CART, CHAID and QUEST may have different results using same data set. They consist of components which have similar functionalities. These components implemented on different ways and they have different performance. The best way to get an optimal DT for a data set is one that use component-based design, which enables user to intelligently select in advance implemented components well suited to specific data set. In this article the authors proposed component-based design of the optimal DT for classification of securities account holders. Research results showed that the optimal algorithm is not one of the original DT algorithms. This fact confirms that the component design provided algorithms with better performance than the original ones. Also, the authors found how the specificities of the data influence the DT components performance. Obtained results of classification can be useful to the future investors in the Montenegrin capital market.
Model Predictive Control of a Forecasting Production System with Deteriorating Items
Authors: Mezghiche Abdelhak , Moulaï Mustapha , Tadj Lotfi
Published: July 2015

The authors consider in this paper an integrated forecasting production system of the tracking type. The demand rate during a certain period depends on the demand rate of the previous period. Also, the demand rate depends on the inventory level. Items on the shelves are subject to deterioration. Using a model predictive control approach, the authors obtain the optimal production rate, the optimal inventory level, the optimal demand rate, and the optimal objective function value, explicitly in terms of the system parameters. A numerical example is presented.
Using Multicriteria Futuristic Fuzzy Decision Hierarchy in SWOT Analysis
Authors: Singh Sunil Pratap , Chauhan Manoj Kumar , Singh Preetvanti
Published: July 2015

In this paper, a quantitative multicriteria futuristic fuzzy decision hierarchy (MFFDH)-based SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis has been carried out to determine priorities among significant factors related to tourism's internal and external environment. In MFFDH model, the fuzzy logic is combined with analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to overcome the uncertainty in decision making process. The utilization of MFFDH with SWOT yields analytically determined priorities for the factors included in SWOT analysis and makes them more commensurable. The hybrid method has been applied in connection with a case study on tourism industry in Agra (India) and result indicates that the factors related to tourism's internal environment (strengths and weaknesses) are relatively more important than external factors (opportunities and threats). In addition, strengths group turned out to have the highest priorities while threats group have the lowest priorities.
Reducing Risk through Segmentation, Permutations, Time and Space Exposure, Inverse States, and Separation
Authors: Todinov Michael
Published: July 2015

The paper features a number of new generic principles for reducing technical risk with a very wide application area. Permutations of interchangeable components/operations in a system can reduce significantly the risk of system failure at no extra cost. Reducing the time of exposure and the space of exposure can also reduce risk significantly. Technical risk can be reduced effectively by introducing inverse states countering negative effects during service. The application of this principle in logistic supply networks leads to a significant reduction of the risk of congestion and delays. The associated reduction of transportation costs and environmental pollution has the potential to save billions of dollars to the world economy. Separation is a risk-reduction principle which is very efficient in the cases of separating functions to be carried out by different components and for blocking out a common cause. Segmentation is a generic principle for risk reduction which is particularly efficient in reducing the load distribution, vulnerability to a single failure, the hazard potential and damage escalation.
Risk Analysis Using Earned Value
Authors: Denas Scheljert
Published: July 2015

Control and feedback in complex and sensitive systems with different resources and properties in uncertainty conditions are one of the significant challenges for project managers. Therefore, in this paper an integrated model with quantitative and qualitative approach based on Earned value management and risk analysis methods proposed to decrease deviations in time and cost estimation at complete (EAC(t) & EAC). Using the proposed performance indexes based on risk scores obtained by non-parametric resampling technique, namely bootstrap, calculating more accurate estimations of final cost and duration at lower and upper band with various confidence levels will be possible. Finally, an illustrative case study presented demonstrating the proposed model can be efficiently applied through real case software projects.
Complex and Dynamical Social Network Analysis as a Tool to Support a Sustainable Organizational Design and Management Process
Authors: Drago Carlo , Sellitto Giovanni Paolo
Published: July 2015

In the Viable System Approach, the firm and its environment form a complex system, modelled as a network of networks. This paper explores how some tools coming from the research on Complex Networks are applicable to the firm and its environment in the context of Business Development Plan. A brief survey of the main concepts underlying the Viable System Approach (VSA) and of the very last results attained in the Complex Network Theory (CNT) is presented, focusing on the results regarding the dynamical processes on Complex Networks. Some correspondence between the main entities in the two frameworks will be derived, to highlight the possible contribution of CNT to the government and the management of the firm as a Viable System. This paper doesn't expect to be exhaustive because of the topic complexity and the still ongoing research's work. In the business case, the Social Network Analysis tools are applied into the business reengineering process.
Cutting Edge: A Natural Antisense Transcript, AS-IL1α, Controls Inducible Transcription of the Proinflammatory Cytokine IL-1α
Authors: Chan Jennie , Atianand Maninjay , Jiang Zhaozhao , Carpenter Susan , Aiello Daniel , Elling Roland , Fitzgerald Katherine A. , Caffrey Daniel R.
Published: July 2015

Natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are a class of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are complementary to other protein-coding genes. Although thousands of NATs are encoded by mammalian genomes, their functions in innate immunity are unknown. In this study, we identified and characterized a novel NAT, AS-IL1α, which is partially complementary to IL-1α. Similar to IL-1α, AS-IL1α is expressed at low levels in resting macrophages and is induced following infection with Listeria monocytogenes or stimulation with TLR ligands (Pam3CSK4, LPS, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid). Inducible expression of IL-1α mRNA and protein were significantly reduced in macrophages expressing shRNA that target AS-IL1α. AS-IL1α is located in the nucleus and did not alter the stability of IL-1α mRNA. Instead, AS-IL1α was required for the recruitment of RNA polymerase II to the IL-1α promoter. In summary, our studies identify AS-IL1α as an important regulator of IL-1α transcription during the innate immune response.
Identification of Teleost Skin CD8α+ Dendritic-like Cells, Representing a Potential Common Ancestor for Mammalian Cross-Presenting Dendritic Cells
Authors: Granja Aitor G. , Leal Esther , Pignatelli Jaime , Castro Rosario , Abós Beatriz , Kato Goshi , Fischer Uwe , Tafalla Carolina
Published: July 2015

Although fish constitute the most ancient animal group in which an acquired immune system is present, the presence of dendritic cells (DCs) in teleosts has been addressed only briefly, and the identification of a specific DC subset in teleosts remained elusive because of the lack of specific Abs. In mice, DCs expressing CD8α+ in lymphoid tissues have the capacity to cross-present extracellular Ags to T cells through MHC I, similarly to tissue-derived CD103+ DCs and the human CD141+ DC population. In the current study, we identified a large and highly complex subpopulation of leukocytes coexpressing MHC class II and CD8α. This CD8α+ MHC II+ DC-like subpopulation constituted ∼1.2% of the total leukocyte population in the skin, showing phenotypical and functional characteristics of semimature DCs that seem to locally regulate mucosal immunity and tolerance in a species lacking lymph nodes. Furthermore, we identified trout homologs for CD141 and CD103 and demonstrated that, in trout, this skin CD8+ DC-like subpopulation expresses both markers. To our knowledge, these results provide the first evidence of a specific DC-like subtype in nonimmune tissue in teleosts and support the hypothesis of a common origin for all mammalian cross-presenting DCs.
An Excess of the Proinflammatory Cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12 Impairs the Development of the Memory CD8+ T Cell Response to Chlamydia trachomatis
Authors: Zhang Xuqing , Starnbach Michael N.
Published: July 2015

The obligate intracellular bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common cause of bacterial sexually transmitted disease in the United States and the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide. Transfer of cultured Chlamydia-specific CD8+ T cells or vaccination with recombinant virus expressing an MHC I–restricted Chlamydia Ag confers protection, yet surprisingly a protective CD8+ T cell response is not stimulated following natural infection. In this study, we demonstrate that the presence of excess IL-12 and IFN-γ contributes to poor memory CD8+ T cell development during C. trachomatis infection of mice. IL-12 is required for CD8+ T cell expansion but drives effector CD8+ T cells into a short-lived fate, whereas IFN-γ signaling impairs the development of effector memory cells. We show that transient blockade of IL-12 and IFN-γ during priming promotes the development of memory precursor effector CD8+ T cells and increases the number of memory T cells that participate in the recall protection against subsequent infection. Overall, this study identifies key factors shaping memory development of Chlamydia-specific CD8+ T cells that will inform future vaccine development against this and other pathogens.
Differentiation Kinetics of Blood Monocytes and Dendritic Cells in Macaques: Insights to Understanding Human Myeloid Cell Development
Authors: Sugimoto Chie , Hasegawa Atsuhiko , Saito Yohei , Fukuyo Yayoi , Chiu Kevin B. , Cai Yanhui , Breed Matthew W. , Mori Kazuyasu , Roy Chad J. , Lackner Andrew A. , Kim Woong-Ki , Didier Elizabeth S. , Kuroda Marcelo J.
Published: July 2015

Monocyte and dendritic cell (DC) development was evaluated using in vivo BrdU pulse-chase analyses in rhesus macaques, and phenotype analyses of these cells in blood also were assessed by immunostaining and flow cytometry for comparisons among rhesus, cynomolgus, and pigtail macaques, as well as African green monkeys and humans. The nonhuman primate species and humans have three subsets of monocytes, CD14+CD16−, CD14+CD16+, and CD14−CD16+ cells, which correspond to classical, intermediate, and nonclassical monocytes, respectively. In addition, there exist presently two subsets of DC, BDCA-1+ myeloid DC and CD123+ plasmacytoid DC, that were first confirmed in rhesus macaque blood. Following BrdU inoculation, labeled cells first appeared in CD14+CD16− monocytes, then in CD14+CD16+ cells, and finally in CD14−CD16+ cells, thus defining different stages of monocyte maturation. A fraction of the classical CD14+CD16− monocytes gradually expressed CD16+ to become CD16+CD14+ cells and subsequently matured into the nonclassical CD14−CD16+ cell subset. The differentiation kinetics of BDCA-1+ myeloid DC and CD123+ plasmacytoid DC were distinct from the monocyte subsets, indicating differences in their myeloid cell origins. Results from studies utilizing nonhuman primates provide valuable information about the turnover, kinetics, and maturation of the different subsets of monocytes and DC using approaches that cannot readily be performed in humans and support further analyses to continue examining the unique myeloid cell origins that may be applied to address disease pathogenesis mechanisms and intervention strategies in humans.
pVHL Negatively Regulates Antiviral Signaling by Targeting MAVS for Proteasomal Degradation
Authors: Du Juan , Zhang Dawei , Zhang Wei , Ouyang Gang , Wang Jing , Liu Xing , Li Shun , Ji Wei , Liu Wei , Xiao Wuhan
Published: July 2015

The von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) gene is a well-defined tumor suppressor linked to human heredity cancer syndromes. As a component of the VHL-elongin B/C E3 ligase complex, pVHL performs its tumor function by targeting proteins for proteasomal degradation. It is largely unknown whether pVHL functions in antiviral immunity. In this article, we identify that pVHL negatively regulates innate antiviral immunity, which acts mainly by inducing degradation of mitochondrial antiviral-signaling protein (MAVS, also known as Cardif, IPS-1, or VISA). Overexpression of pVHL abrogated the cellular response to viral infection, whereas knockdown of pVHL exerted the opposite effect. pVHL targeted the K420 residue of MAVS to catalyze the formation of K48-linked polyubiquitin chains, leading to proteasomal degradation of MAVS. After viral infection, Mavs levels remained low in wild type zebrafish embryos but became much higher in vhl-deficient (vhl−/−) zebrafish embryos. Higher MAVS levels correlated with a greatly exaggerated antiviral response. In this work, we demonstrate that pVHL exhibits a previously unknown role in innate antiviral immunity.
NK Cell and Ig Interplay in Defense against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1: Epistatic Interaction of CD16A and IgG1 Allotypes of Variable Affinities Modulates Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity and Susceptibility to Clinical Reactivation
Authors: Moraru Manuela , Black Laurel E. , Muntasell Aura , Portero Francisca , López-Botet Miguel , Reyburn Hugh T. , Pandey Janardan P. , Vilches Carlos
Published: July 2015

HSV-1 latently infects most humans, causing a variable clinical picture that depends, in part, on host genetic factors. Both IgG and its cellular FcRs, CD16A and CD32A–C (encoded by FCGR3A and FCGR2A–C, respectively, on chromosome 1), display polymorphisms that could affect their defensive function. Of potential relevance are a FCGR3A dimorphism resulting in CD16A-valine/phenylalanine-158 allotypes with different IgG affinity, variations conditioning NK cell expression of CD32B or CD32C, and IgG1 H chain (IGHG1) and kappa-chain (IGKC) polymorphisms determining allotypes designated G1m and Km. In this study, we assessed the contribution of Ig genetic variations and their interaction with FcR polymorphism to HSV-1 susceptibility, as well as their impact on NK cell–mediated Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). Our results show an epistatic interaction between IGHG1 and FCGR3A such that the higher affinity CD16A-158V/V genotype associates with an asymptomatic course of HSV-1 infection only in homozygotes for G1m3. Furthermore, CD16A-158V and G1m3 allotypes enhanced ADCC against opsonized HSV-1–infected fibroblasts. Conversely, Km allotypes and CD32B or CD32C expression on NK cells did not significantly influence HSV-1 susceptibility or ADCC. NK cells degranulating against immune serum-opsonized HSV-1–infected fibroblasts had heterogeneous phenotypes. Yet, enhanced ADCC was observed among NK cells showing a differentiated, memory-like phenotype (NKG2CbrightNKG2A−CD57+FcRγ−), which expand in response to human CMV. These results extend our knowledge on the importance of immunogenetic polymorphisms and NK cell–Ab interplay in the host response against HSV-1 and point to the relevance of interactions between immune responses elicited during chronic coinfection by multiple herpesviruses.