bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Agent-Oriented, Workflow-Based Mobile Framework for Implementing Interoperable Healthcare Information Systems
Authors: Koufi V. , Malamateniou F. , Vassilacopoulos G.
Published: November 2017

Healthcare is an increasingly collaborative enterprise involving many individuals and organizations that coordinate their efforts toward promoting quality and efficient delivery of healthcare. To these ends, today, more than any other point in time, increased reliance is being placed on interoperability among healthcare information systems (HIS) which have been developed as monolithic, stand-alone systems without significant interfaces between them. Enabling heterogeneous HIS to interact within a Service-oriented architecture (SOA), such as a Web Services architecture, can help healthcare organizations to consistently deliver sustainable business value, with increased agility and cost effectiveness, in line with changing business needs. However, in the context of a SOA approach, issues of semantic interoperability still remain unresolved while new challenges arise regarding web service interoperability. This paper presents a mediation framework which provides a uniform interface to the underlying HIS and is accessible via Android-enabled devices. The proposed framework is based on the agent paradigm for both healthcare process management and management of interactions among the participating systems. The healthcare processes and all interactions involved in each process are described according to the workflow metaphor.
E-Health in Australia and Germany
Authors: Zwicker Manuel , Seitz Juergen , Wickramasinghe Nilmini
Published: November 2017

This chapter focuses on two specific e-health solutions, the PCEHR in Australia and the German EHC. National e-health solutions are being developed by most if not all OECD countries, but few studies compare and contrast these solutions to uncover the true benefits and critical success criteria. The chapter provides an assessment of these two solutions, the possibility for any lessons learnt with regard to designing and implementing successful and appropriate e-health solutions, as well as understanding the major barriers and facilitators that must be addressed. Finally, ANT is used to provide a rich lens to investigate the key issues in these respective e-health solutions.
Health Apps by Design
Authors: Chindalo Pannel , Karim Arsalan , Brahmbhatt Ronak , Saha Nishita , Keshavjee Karim
Published: November 2017

The mobile health (mhealth) app market continues to grow rapidly. However, with the exception of fitness apps and a few isolated cases, most mhealth apps have not gained traction. The barriers preventing patients and care providers from using these apps include: for patients, information that contradicts health care provider advice, manual data entry procedures and poor fit with their treatment plan; for providers, distrust in unknown apps, lack of congruence with workflow, inability to integrate app data into their medical record system and challenges to analyze and visualize information effectively. In this article, the authors build upon previous work to define design requirements for quality mhealth apps and a framework for patient engagement to propose a new reference architecture for the next generation of healthcare mobile apps that increase the likelihood of being useful for and used by patients and health care providers alike.
Interoperability in Healthcare
Authors: Cardoso Luciana , Marins Fernando , Quintas César , Portela Filipe , Santos Manuel , Abelha António , Machado José
Published: November 2017

With the advancement of technology, patient information has been being computerized in order to facilitate the work of healthcare professionals and improve the quality of healthcare delivery. However, there are many heterogeneous information systems that need to communicate, sharing information and making it available when and where it is needed. To respond to this requirement the Agency for Integration, Diffusion, and Archiving of medical information (AIDA) was created, a multi-agent and service-based platform that ensures interoperability among healthcare information systems. In order to improve the performance of the platform, beyond the SWOT analysis performed, a system to prevent failures that may occur in the platform database and also in machines where the agents are executed was created. The system has been implemented in the Centro Hospitalar do Porto (one of the major Portuguese hospitals), and it is now possible to define critical workload periods of AIDA, improving high availability and load balancing. This is explored in this chapter.
RFID-Enabled Healthcare
Authors: Manzoor Amir
Published: November 2017

RFID is a new technology that is quickly gaining ground in healthcare industry. RFID is being used in many areas of healthcare from asset tracking to patient care to access control. The objective of this article is to provide an extensive survey of existing literature to identify various applications of RFID in healthcare and ascertain how healthcare industry can gain long-term benefits of RFID technology. Findings indicate that RFID is being used in variety of healthcare applications. Findings indicate that effective use of RFID in healthcare requires various enablers, most important of which is the government support to use of RFID in healthcare. There also exist ethical/cultural issues related to RFID implementation that require close collaboration among RFID products manufactures and healthcare providers. This article also provides several recommendations for healthcare industry in order gain competitive advantage from the use of RFID technology.
Healthcare Services Delivery in India
Authors: Paninchukunnath Ajith
Published: November 2017

This chapter deals with innovation in healthcare services. Addressing the healthcare needs of consumers in the lower middle and lower class of Indian society demands innovative approaches. Child and maternal health demands special focus as the infant mortality rate of India is higher than the world average as well as the Asia-Pacific average. After giving a brief description about the need for innovation, healthcare innovation, and secondary care hospitals, the chapter introduces the reader to an innovative secondary healthcare service provider in India. The innovative approach adopted by this organization is making maternal and child care more affordable while maintaining good quality. Service innovations can provide value for money as well as value for many.
Effect of Mobile Phone SMS on M-Health
Authors: Shareef Mahmud Akhter , Ahmed Jashim Uddin , Kumar Vinod , Kumar Uma
Published: November 2017

This chapter is engaged in identifying consumer perceptions regarding short message service (SMS) of the mobile phone as an alternative service delivery channel for Mobile-health (M-health) and studying the cultural impact of this change. In this connection, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model was used as the theoretical base to perceive consumer perceptions about M-health. The authors have performed an empirical study of diabetic patients in Bangladesh and Canada. Path analysis was conducted on the results of both samples. Analysis results confirmed that the UTAUT model fits quite nicely in predicting consumer perceptions of M-health-driven mobile technology. It also acknowledged that differences in cultural traits have an impact on consumer behavior.
Telemedicine in Low Resource Settings
Authors: Ndlovu Kagiso , Mauco Kabelo Leonard , Littman-Quinn Ryan
Published: November 2017

Telemedicine is a means to support health-care provision utilizing information and communication technology (ICT) tools and telecommunication services. This chapter focuses on telemedicine practices in low resource settings, referencing key telemedicine initiatives in Botswana. Telemedicine is highly practiced in the developed world, and recently there is an increasing interest in the developing world. Current literature suggests telemedicine as an important tool for improving healthcare delivery for low resource settings. Hence the authors' interest in exploring the current status of telemedicine practices with reference to telemedicine projects from low resource settings such as Botswana. The chapter reveals that telemedicine in such settings is mainly implemented through mobile phones, also known as mobile health (mHealth). In this chapter, the authors discuss factors influencing successful implementation of telemedicine solutions in Botswana. Furthermore, the chapter discusses telemedicine implementation challenges in each of the projects and presents possible mitigation strategies. The chapter concludes by affirming the feasibility of successfully practicing telemedicine in low resource settings; notwithstanding challenges such as lack of legal and eHealth frameworks in most developing countries.
The Applications of Simulation Modeling in Emergency Departments
Authors: Oueida Soraia , Kadry Seifedine , Abichar Pierre , Ionescu Sorin
Published: November 2017

A recent study carried out an empirical investigation of the quality of healthcare delivered to adults and found out that only 54.9±0.6% adult received recommended care. Huge variation in the quality of care depends on patient's condition. In fact, the literature on healthcare is laden with articles like these that emphasize on the importance of the systems view of healthcare problems. Healthcare is a very vast and complex system where different departments interact with each other in order to deliver a certain service to arriving patients. Emergency departments (EDs) are the busiest units of healthcare. Existing problems and their cascading effect will be highlighted by a literature review of a bunch of researches. The purpose of this work is to study, in specific, the emergency department of a hospital with the existing problems and how simulation modeling can interfere in order to solve these problems, increase patient satisfaction and reduce cost. Simulation has emerged as a popular decision support in the domains of manufacturing and services industries.
Why Do Patients Protest? Collective Action Processes in People With Chronic Illnesses
Authors: Mazzoni Davide , Alberici Augusta Isabella
Published: November 2017

Despite the relevance of the topic, an exhaustive psychosocial reflection on the processes that may facilitate patients' protest is still missing. The chapter provides a theoretical and empirical overview of psychosocial pathways for patients' collective action. Five core factors are reviewed: perceived injustice, group efficacy, group identification, moral convictions and social embeddedness. Each of them provides a different explanation of collective action processes and is examined for its potential impact among patients. The chapter closes suggesting some core elements for a theoretical explanation of patients' collective action and its relationship with patient engagement. Practical and theoretical implications of patients' collective action are discussed to identify new directions for future research and interventions.
Human Interaction in the Use of Health Information Systems
Authors: Shaanika Irja N.
Published: November 2017

In developing countries, Health Information Systems (HISs) are increasingly used to enable and support both clinical and administrative processes for healthcare services. The use of the HISs in developing countries' healthcare centres is influenced and impacted by humans' interactions which manifests from culture and traditions. Due to the diverse nature of culture and traditions, it is near impossible to have single formula in addressing the patients' needs. As a result, the aim to improve quality of healthcare through HISs is challenged, and many stakeholders do not seem to understand the problem. The challenge continues to significantly contribute to poor service delivery, as the need for healthcare services increases. This study focused on the interaction between the healthcare professionals and the HISs, to understand how and why the challenges of using the ICT systems exist. This includes examining the implication, and how the challenges impact the recipients of healthcare services.
Unobtrusive Smart Environments for Independent Living and the Role of Mixed Methods in Elderly Healthcare Delivery
Authors: Astaras Alexander , Lewy Hadas , James Christopher , Katasonov Artem , Ruschin Detlef , Bamidis Panagiotis D.
Published: November 2017

In this chapter the authors describe a novel approach to healthcare delivery for the elderly as adopted by USEFIL, a research project which uses unobtrusive, multi-parametric sensor data collection to support seniors. The system is based on everyday devices such as an in-mirror camera, smart TV, wrist-mountable personal communicator and a tablet computer strategically distributed around the house. It exploits sensor data fusion, intelligent decision support for carers, remote alerting, secure data communications and storage. A combined quantitative and qualitative knowledgebase was established and analysed, target groups were established among elderly prospective users and scenarios were built around each group. Use cases have been prioritised according to quantitative functional and non-functional criteria. Our research findings suggest that an unobtrusive system such as USEFIL could potentially make a significant difference in the quality of life of elderly people, improve the focus of provided healthcare and support their daily independent living activities.
E-Healthcare Disparities Across Cultures
Authors: Biswas Seema , Mazuz Keren , Mendes Rui Amaral
Published: November 2017

As e-healthcare becomes a reality for healthcare service provision across the world, challenges in acceptance, implementation, usage and effectiveness have begun to emerge. The infrastructure, readiness and literacy levels required for the effective delivery of e-healthcare services may be prohibitive in providing access to those most in need. As research brings to light the real effectiveness of e-healthcare programmes across the globe, this paper explores how e-healthcare has been implemented worldwide and how populations have been served by an innovation in Information Technology and healthcare that has sought to bring health services to remote areas, improve access to healthcare and narrow the divide between healthcare providers and patients. While notable achievements have seen real time clinical data captured and medical records digitalised, the very determinants responsible for actual health and social disparities are equally responsible for disparities is access to e-healthcare.
Big Data and Healthcare
Authors: Moahi Kgomotso H.
Published: November 2017

Big data and its application to healthcare has captured the world's imagination because of the ability of data analysts to combine huge disparate datasets and be able to produce trends, patterns and predictions. This ability lends itself to the quest to improve healthcare in terms of quality as well as cost. This chapter explores what big data is and how it can be applied to health care and medicine. To do this, the first sections address the question of what big data and data analytics are and what they encompass. An exploration of the potential benefits of big data is provided, with examples of applications, most of which are from the more developed nations of the United States and Europe. The chapter then considers what might be possible from implementing big data in low resource countries, with some examples of what already pertains. It looks at the challenges of implementing big data in health care in both developed and low resource countries.
Smart Medication Management, Current Technologies, and Future Directions
Authors: Rokni Seyed Ali , Ghasemzadeh Hassan , Hezarjaribi Niloofar
Published: November 2017

Medication non-adherence is a major healthcare challenge with irreversible consequences in terms of healthcare costs and quality of care. While recent years have seen some effort in developing sensor-based technologies to detect medication adherence and provide interventions, the community lacks a comprehensive study on the clinical utility, reliability, and effectiveness of such medication intake monitoring solutions. Furthermore, many opportunities inspired machine learning algorithms have largely remained unexplored. In an effort to highlight these knowledge gaps, in this paper, we take an interdisciplinary approach to (1) review and compare existing engineering products for medication intake monitoring; (2) discuss clinical applications where such technologies have demonstrated to be effective; (3) explore research gaps and shed light on unmet needs and future research opportunities in the area of medication management from both clinical and technology development points of view. The results of this paper may open several new avenues in the area of technology-based medication.
Presidential Rhetoric and News Rhetoric
Authors: Du Ying Roselyn
Published: November 2017

This study examines the role of U.S. presidents as a news source in the media agenda shaping process. DICTION text-analysis software was used to analyze transcripts of U.S. presidents' state of the union addresses and related news coverage from 1981 to 2007. DICTION software calculated scores for five major dimensions of content in the addresses and related news stories. Results revealed that the addresses and related news coverage contained dissimilar rhetoric, suggesting that, overall, the presidents had little influence on independent media outlets in that regard.
Microblogging and the News
Authors: Wallsten Kevin
Published: November 2017

A particularly important question that has yet to be addressed about microblogging is the extent to which tweeting from politicians influences the traditional media's news coverage. This chapter seeks to address this oversight by tracking print, broadcast, and online news mentions of tweets from political elites during the five-and-a-half years since microblogging started. Consistent with previous research into “new media” effects and journalistic sourcing patterns, the authors find that although reporters, pundits, and bloggers are increasingly incorporating tweets into their news discussions, the group of Twitterers who are consistently quoted is small and drawn almost exclusively from the ranks of nationally recognizable political leaders. In addition to contributing to the emerging literature on Twitter, the analysis presented here suggests a new way of conceptualizing influence on the site. Rather than focusing strictly on Twitter-centric measures of message diffusion, the findings of this chapter suggest that researchers should begin to consider the ways that tweets can shape political discourse by spreading beyond the fairly narrow world of microblogging.
Occupy Rhetoric
Authors: Vie Stephanie , Carter Daniel , Meyr Jessica
Published: November 2017

By examining three major digital activist events—the Arab Spring, the indignados movement, and Occupy Wall Street—the authors illustrate that digital activism motivates and facilitates real offline behaviors beyond slacktivism by reviewing successful strategies and outcomes that were part of each movement. Moreover, in examining the issue of slacktivism, the authors demonstrate that slacktivism is not always digital, and that the power of weak ties has demonstrable effects in protester behavior and coordination. Finally, the rhetorical situations and exigencies of these major digital activist events are examined; this is an area ripe for more direct analysis and commentary. Understanding the rhetorical situations and exigencies involved in successful digital activist events allows researchers and practitioners a better understanding of integrated approaches to public involvement using social media.
Determinants of Social Media Impact in Local Government
Authors: Sharif Mohd Hisham Mohd , Troshani Indrit , Davidson Robyn
Published: November 2017

Limited attention has been directed towards understanding the impact of social media in the public sector, particularly in local government organisations. Although social media offer substantial benefits and opportunities to local government, research into the impact of social media remains scant. To address this gap, the authors draw on the technology, organisation, and environment (TOE) framework and propose a model of the determinants of social media impact in local government. The model is tested with data collected via a survey with 173 Australian local government organisations using social media. Data were analysed using the partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The results indicate that TOE factors including perceived benefits, perceived security risks, compatibility, and degree of formalisation are important predictors of social media impact in local government.
Persuasive Communication From a Military Force to Local Civilians
Authors: Bergier Jean-Yves , Faucher Colette
Published: November 2017

Here is presented a model of message processing using one of the leading paradigms in social psychology of persuasion as main theoretical framework: the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). Adapting this dual process theory to military context and actions and more specifically psychological operations in asymmetric conflicts allows developing a model taking into account many message characteristics as well as specific factors such as local culture of the audience. It focuses on measuring capacity and motivation of the agents to determine the effect of message sending on attitudes through a detailed cognitive treatment.
Evaluating Social Media
Authors: Hassan Shahizan , Shiratuddin Norshuhada , Hashim Nor Laily , Li Feng
Published: November 2017

Despite the widespread adoption and popularity of social media, research on measuring the quantifiable impact of popular social media platforms remains scarce. To this end, this study attempts to investigate how the influence of social media can be assessed in quantitative terms. The main objective is to develop a new assessment model able to integrate a broad range of criteria such as likes, subscribers, comments, posts, shares, and links. The authors extend previous assessment models focused on individual platforms such as blogs and propose a Social Media Influence Assessment model (SMIA). The process of model development—criteria, dimensions, and formula—and its validation are discussed. The results indicate that social media's influence can be measured in a structured, quantifiable manner by utilising a set of nine criteria grouped into three dimensions: recognition, activity generation, and credibility.
A Discourse on Mass Media and Society
Authors: Anozie Nneoma A.
Published: November 2017

Mass media and society, a popular concept in media studies, has constituted much discourse due to roles media play in society and perceived effects that can result thereof. This chapter is inspired by the term ‘medicalization of the society' whereby ailments are regarded as medical issues and subjected to medical diagnosis and treatment, regardless of their true causes. Similarly, the violence, moral decadence and ethno-religious crises witnessed in the society are largely ascribed to the media. This chapter examined the said effects of mass media with society's social systems, cultures and values, with a view to finding a relationship. It argues that these societal makeups especially ones as formidable as Africa's also affect largely members' conducts and reactions to media contents. However, it advocates children's news segment, adherence to media ethics, and use of media programmes to enhance learning, proper socialization, abolishment of negative cultures, media literacy among others.
Trust Evaluation Strategy for Single Sign-on Solution in Cloud
Authors: Chen Guangxuan , Ding Liping , Du Jin , Zhou Guomin , Qin Panke , Chen Guangxiao , Liu Qiang
Published: November 2017

In order to solve the security problems like single point failure, maliciously access or even destruction of the authorizing node that was caused by the lack of knowledge of trust evaluation of interactional nodes, this article proposes a trust evaluation strategy for single sign-on solutions in the cloud. The strategy improved the D-S evidence theory to verify the security of the peer nodes in cloud, including the calculation, combination and transfer of the direct trust and recommended trust. This solved the security problems brought on by evidence conflicts in trust combination and provides security insurance for single sign-on solutions in the cloud.
CVSS
Authors: Zhou Lei , Yan Wei Qi , Shu Yun , Yu Jian
Published: November 2017

A large amount of surveillance videos and images need sufficient storage. In this article, an architecture of cloud-based surveillance systems and its modules will be designed, the Cloud-based Visual Surveillance System (CVSS) will be implemented on a private cloud using a Virtual Machine (VM). The users are able to link their cameras to the CVSS system so that the goal of this design can be achieved. The authors' CVSS system is able to push notification messages of captured videos to receivers, and their users could receive a surveillance video along with its events. The CVSS system fully makes use of the merits of cloud computing, which make it more advanced as stated in the evaluation section of this article. The contributions of this article are to be implemented in the CVSS system with: (1) video stream input, (2) intelligent visual surveillance, (3) real-time video transcoding and storage, (4) message pushing and media streaming output.
Implementing Eco-Innovation by Utilizing the Internet to Enhance Firm's Marketing Performance
Authors: Aryanto Vincent Didiek Wiet , Wismantoro Yohan , Widyatmoko Karis
Published: November 2017

The aim of this study is to explore a proposition of eco-innovation internet-based approach to bridge the gap between market orientation and marketing performance of the batik SMEs in Indonesia. Batik is an Indonesian art of waxed hand painting on the textile by utilizing of natural dyes. The 250 questionnaires were distributed among the SMEs actors; however, 189 out of 250 questionnaires were valid to be further processed. This research has provided some empirical evidence that the approach of e-eco-innovation has a significant impact on marketing performance. Furthermore, market orientation also has a significant impact on both marketing performance and e-eco-innovation. Therefore, the adoption of ICT (Internet & Communication Technology) and eco-innovation may contribute not only to the body of knowledge of green marketing but also for the practice of green marketing amongst SMEs in developing countries.
Mining Customer Shopping Behavior
Authors: Yeh Hsiao-ping , Chang Tsung-Sheng
Published: November 2017

Mining customer shopping data is able for business managers to understand and predict customer behavior. However, most practices are focusing on the purchasing goods, i.e. basket analysis. This article collects customer shopping data by observation to systematically discover customer shopping pattern incorporating with customer's purchasing decision time. With Apriori algorithm and the proposed customer purchasing decision pattern examining principle, customer purchase behaviors of with decision attitudes are revealed. This article gets insights at decomposing support and confidence values of an association rule. With the proposed encoding method, decision attitudes on goods in the association rule can be interpreted.
Measuring Security
Authors: Jaiswal Shruti , Gupta Daya
Published: November 2017

The researchers have been focusing on embedding security from the early phases of software development lifecycle. They have researched and innovated a field of Security Engineering where security concerns are embedded during requirement, design, and testing phases of software development. Efforts were made in developing methods, methodologies, and tools to handle security issues. Various methods are present in the literature for eliciting, analyzing and prioritizing the security requirements. During the design phase based on prioritized requirements, environment parameters and attribute a suitable security algorithm mainly cryptography algorithms are identified. Then a question arises how to test the effectiveness of chosen algorithm? Therefore, as an answer to the issue in this paper, a process for Security Testing is presented that evaluates the selected security algorithms. Evaluation is done by generating the test scenarios for functionalities using sequence diagram representing the threats at vulnerable points. Then, checking the mitigation of potential threats at identified vulnerable points. A security index is generated which shows the effectiveness of deployed/ chosen security algorithm. The process ends with the generation of a test report depicting the testing summary. For a clear understanding of the process, the proposal is illustrated with a case study of the cloud storage as a service model.
Users' Acceptance of Online Literature Databases in a Thai University
Authors: Chaiyasoonthorn Wornchanok , Suksa-ngiam Watanyoo
Published: November 2017

Online literature databases are important for higher education and research organizations since they represent a vast collection of academic literature that researchers can utilize and review previous research conducted so far. The study aims to test a theory explaining what drive research students adopt online academic literature databases. Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (Venkatesh, Thong, & Xu, 2012) is a new theory in Information Systems that should be tested in a different circumstance. The study surveyed 614 respondents in a Thai university. The data are analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results show that behavioral intention and facilitating conditions did not influence use behavior where as other paths suggested by UTAUT2 are still significant. However, only gender moderates the path from facilitating conditions to behavioral intention. The order moderators did not moderate the path suggested by the theory.
Research and Implementation of a Modern Agricultural Greenhouse Cultivation System Based on Internet of Things
Authors: Lin Shouying , Li Shuyuan , Feng Qijie , Zou Tengyue
Published: November 2017

With development of internet and information technology, the traditional agricultural production cannot meet people's demand. The IoT (Internet of Things) technology is now taking this opportunity to modernize agriculture especially the greenhouse planting industry. This paper proposed a novel intelligent greenhouse cultivation system which not only liberate the farmers' labor force but also break constraints on disastrous weather shock, pest outbreak and other undesirable environment limitations. This system have been put into practice in southeastern China, including four functional parts, which are environmental parameters collection, data transmission, information processing, and data regulation and feedback control. These useful data acquired from IoT sensors were utilized to evaluate plant growth and predict the amount of liquid fertilizer to minimize waste of resources. Besides, a reliable PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) was adopted to enhance resistance to interference. Meanwhile, remote computers were adopted as a monitoring center to guarantee the flexibility of whole control system.
A Dynamic and Adaptable Service Composition Architecture in the Cloud Based on a Multi-Agent System
Authors: Merizig Abdelhak , Kazar Okba , Lopez-Sanchez Maite
Published: November 2017

Nowadays, service composition is one of the major problems in the Cloud due to the exceptional growth in the number of services deployed by providers. Recently, atomic services have been found to be unable to deal with all client requirements. Traditional service composition gives the clients a composite service without non-functional parameters. To respond to both functional and non-functional parameters, we need a service composition. Since web services cannot communicate with each other or participate dynamically to handle changes service parameters in service composition, this issue has led us to use a dynamic entity represented by an agent based on dynamic architecture. This work proposes an agent-based architecture with a new cooperation protocol that can offer an automatic and adaptable service composition by providing a composite service with the maximum quality of service. The implementation of this model has been provided in order to evaluate the authors' system. The obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of their proposed system.
Optimal Strategy in Queueing Systems in Emergency Department
Authors: Hui Zeng , Ruiling Tian , Yupeng Liu , Yumei Hou
Published: November 2017

The authors' study a noncooperative game problem for queueing control in emergency department (ED). One of the challenges to emergency department (ED) is the control of the urgent patients and the non-urgent patients. The urgent patient which is the primary customer, can be considered as the service interruption in a queueing system. The service interruptions occur frequently and can incur significant delays for the non-urgent patients. Therefore, a non-urgent patient needs to decide whether to join the queue or leave. The scenario is modeled as an M/M/1 queueing game with server interruption where each patient wants to optimize his benefit. It is shown that the individually optimal strategy for joining the queue is characterized by a threshold of queue length. The socially optimal threshold of queue length is also obtained. To bridge the gap between the individually and socially optimal strategies, a pricing mechanism is proposed to toll the service of each non-urgent patient, thus equalizing the two optimal strategies.
Analysis of Single Buffer Random Polling System With State-Dependent Input Process and Server/Station Breakdowns
Authors: Lee Thomas Y.S.
Published: November 2017

Models and analytical techniques are developed to evaluate the performance of two variations of single buffers (conventional and buffer relaxation system) multiple queues system. In the conventional system, each queue can have at most one customer at any time and newly arriving customers find the buffer full are lost. In the buffer relaxation system, the queue being served may have two customers, while each of the other queues may have at most one customer. Thomas Y.S. Lee developed a state-dependent non-linear model of uncertainty for analyzing a random polling system with server breakdown/repair, multi-phase service, correlated input processes, and single buffers. The state-dependent non-linear model of uncertainty introduced in this paper allows us to incorporate correlated arrival processes where the customer arrival rate depends on the location of the server and/or the server's mode of operation into the polling model. The author allows the possibility that the server is unreliable. Specifically, when the server visits a queue, Lee assumes that the system is subject to two types of failures: queue-dependent, and general. General failures are observed upon server arrival at a queue. But there are two possibilities that a queue-dependent breakdown (if occurs) can be observed; (i) is observed immediately when it occurs and (ii) is observed only at the end of the current service. In both cases, a repair process is initiated immediately after the queue-dependent breakdown is observed. The author's model allows the possibility of the server breakdowns/repair process to be non-stationary in the number of breakdowns/repairs to reflect that breakdowns/repairs or customer processing may be progressively easier or harder, or that they follow a more general learning curve. Thomas Y.S. Lee will show that his model encompasses a variety of examples. He was able to perform both transient and steady state analysis. The steady state analysis allows us to compute several performance measures including the average customer waiting time, loss probability, throughput and mean cycle time.
ASIF Approach to Solve the Green Traveling Salesman Problem
Authors: Sabry Ahmed Haroun , Benhra Jamal , Bacha Abdelkabir
Published: November 2017

The present article describes a contribution to solve transportation problems with green constraints. The aim is to solve an urban traveling salesman problem where the objective function is the total emitted CO2. We start by adapting ASIF approach for calculating CO2 emissions to the urban logistics problem. Then, we solve it using ant colony optimization metaheuristic. The problem formulation and solving will both work under a web-based mapping platform. The selected problem is a real-world NP-hard transportation problem in the city of Casablanca.
Rapid and Rigorous IL-17A Production by a Distinct Subpopulation of Effector Memory T Lymphocytes Constitutes a Novel Mechanism of Toxic Shock Syndrome Immunopathology
Authors: Szabo Peter A. , Goswami Ankur , Mazzuca Delfina M. , Kim Kyoungok , O’Gorman David B. , Hess David A. , Welch Ian D. , Young Howard A. , Singh Bhagirath , McCormick John K. , Haeryfar S. M. Mansour
Published: November 2017

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is caused by staphylococcal and streptococcal superantigens (SAgs) that provoke a swift hyperinflammatory response typified by a cytokine storm. The precipitous decline in the host’s clinical status and the lack of targeted therapies for TSS emphasize the need to identify key players of the storm’s initial wave. Using a humanized mouse model of TSS and human cells, we herein demonstrate that SAgs elicit in vitro and in vivo IL-17A responses within hours. SAg-triggered human IL-17A production was characterized by remarkably high mRNA stability for this cytokine. A distinct subpopulation of CD4+ effector memory T (TEM) cells that secrete IL-17A, but not IFN-γ, was responsible for early IL-17A production. We found mouse “TEM-17” cells to be enriched within the intestinal epithelium and among lamina propria lymphocytes. Furthermore, interfering with IL-17A receptor signaling in human PBMCs attenuated the expression of numerous inflammatory mediators implicated in the TSS-associated cytokine storm. IL-17A receptor blockade also abrogated the secondary effect of SAg-stimulated PBMCs on human dermal fibroblasts as judged by C/EBP δ expression. Finally, the early IL-17A response to SAgs was pathogenic because in vivo neutralization of IL-17A in humanized mice ameliorated hepatic and intestinal damage and reduced mortality. Together, our findings identify CD4+ TEM cells as a key effector of TSS and reveal a novel role for IL-17A in TSS immunopathogenesis. Our work thus elucidates a pathogenic, as opposed to protective, role for IL-17A during Gram-positive bacterial infections. Accordingly, the IL-17–IL-17R axis may provide an attractive target for the management of SAg-mediated illnesses.
Local TNFR1 Signaling Licenses Murine Neutrophils for Increased TLR-Dependent Cytokine and Eicosanoid Production
Authors: Deguine Jacques , Wei Jessica , Barbalat Roman , Gronert Karsten , Barton Gregory M.
Published: November 2017

Neutrophils are generally the first immune cells recruited during the development of sterile or microbial inflammation. As these cells express many innate immune receptors with the potential to directly recognize microbial or endogenous signals, we set out to assess whether their functions are locally influenced by the signals present at the onset of inflammation. Using a mouse model of peritonitis, we demonstrate that neutrophils elicited in the presence of C-type lectin receptor ligands have an increased ability to produce cytokines, chemokines, and lipid mediators in response to subsequent TLR stimulation. Importantly, we found that licensing of cytokine production was mediated by paracrine TNF-α-TNFR1 signaling rather than direct ligand sensing, suggesting a form of quorum sensing among neutrophils. Mechanistically, licensing was largely imparted by changes in the posttranscriptional regulation of inflammatory cytokines, whereas production of IL-10 was regulated at the transcriptional level. Altogether, our data suggest that neutrophils rapidly adapt their functions to the local inflammatory milieu. These phenotypic changes may promote rapid neutrophil recruitment in the presence of pathogens but limit inflammation in their absence.
Dependence of Glomerulonephritis Induction on Novel Intraglomerular Alternatively Activated Bone Marrow–Derived Macrophages and Mac-1 and PD-L1 in Lupus-Prone NZM2328 Mice
Authors: Sung Sun-sang J. , Ge Yan , Dai Chao , Wang Hongyang , Fu Shu Man , Sharma Rahul , Hahn Young S. , Yu Jing , Le Thu H. , Okusa Mark D. , Bolton Warren K. , Lawler Jessica R.
Published: November 2017

Glomerular damage mediated by glomerulus-infiltrating myeloid-derived cells is a key pathogenic event in lupus nephritis (LN), but the process is poorly understood. Confocal microscopy of kidney sections and flow cytometry analysis of glomerular cells from magnetic bead–purified glomeruli have identified glomerulus-infiltrating leukocyte populations in NZM2328 (NZM) lupus-prone mice with spontaneous chronic glomerulonephritis (GN) and anti–glomerular basement membrane-induced nephritis. The occurrence of a major glomerulus-infiltrating CD11b+F4/80−I-A− macrophage population exhibiting the markers programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), Mac-2, and macrophage mannose receptor (CD206) and producing Klf4, Il10, Retnla, Tnf, and Il6 mRNA, which are known to be expressed by alternatively activated (M2b) macrophages, correlated with proteinuria status. In NZM mice with spontaneous LN, glomerular macrophage infiltration is predominant. CD11b+F4/80−I-A− intraglomerular macrophages and polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) are important in inducing GN, as anti-CD11b and –ICAM-1 mAb inhibited both proteinuria and macrophage and PMN infiltration. The predominant and high expression of PD-L1 by CD11b+F4/80−I-A− glomerular macrophages in kidneys of mice with GN and the inhibition of proteinuria by anti–PD-L1 mAb supported the pathogenic role of these macrophages but not the PD-L1− PMN in GN development and in inducing podocyte damage. In NZM mice with spontaneous chronic GN and severe proteinuria, few glomerulus-infiltrating PMN were found, leaving macrophages and, to a less extent, dendritic cells as the major infiltrating leukocytes. Taken together, these data support the important pathogenic effect of CD11b+F4/80−I-A− M2b-like glomerulus-infiltrating macrophages in LN and reinforce macrophages as a promising target for GN treatment.
Essential Neuroscience in Immunology
Authors: Chavan Sangeeta S. , Tracey Kevin J.
Published: November 2017

The field of immunology is principally focused on the molecular mechanisms by which hematopoietic cells initiate and maintain innate and adaptive immunity. That cornerstone of attention has been expanded by recent discoveries that neuronal signals occupy a critical regulatory niche in immunity. The discovery is that neuronal circuits operating reflexively regulate innate and adaptive immunity. One particularly well-characterized circuit regulating innate immunity, the inflammatory reflex, is dependent upon action potentials transmitted to the reticuloendothelial system via the vagus and splenic nerves. This field has grown significantly with the identification of several other reflexes regulating discrete immune functions. As outlined in this review, the delineation of these mechanisms revealed a new understanding of immunity, enabled a first-in-class clinical trial using bioelectronic devices to inhibit cytokines and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis patients, and provided a mosaic view of immunity as the integration of hematopoietic and neural responses to infection and injury.
Two Strikes and You’re Out? The Pathogenic Interplay of Coinhibitor Deficiency and Lymphopenia-Induced Proliferation
Authors: Ellestad Kristofor K. , Anderson Colin C.
Published: November 2017

Lymphopenia-induced proliferation (LIP) occurs when resources for T cell survival in a host are in excess. LIP has been associated with the development of inflammatory disease in situations where an additional disease-predisposing cofactor is present during LIP. This has led to the view of LIP-driven autoimmunity as a two hit model; however, not all cofactors have equal ability to precipitate autoimmunity and we have recently shown that in some circumstances, such as the absence of the coinhibitory molecule PD-1, additional hits are required. Herein we review factors controlling LIP, including coinhibitory molecules and other attenuators of TCR signaling, with a focus on their contribution to LIP-driven autoimmunity. Rather than viewing LIP-associated autoimmunity as an n-hit model, we suggest a more quantitative view of lymphopenia with respect to the factors that promote LIP as a tool to predict autoimmune potential and to inform tumor immunotherapy approaches.
An Infectious Disease–Associated Il12b Polymorphism Regulates IL-12/23 p40 Transcription Involving Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1
Authors: Zhao Quanju , Du Qinglin , Wei Fang , Xie Jianping , Ma Xiaojing
Published: November 2017

IL-12 and IL-23 are important host defense factors produced by APCs against certain intracellular and extracellular pathogens. Their dysregulation has also been implicated in several autoimmune diseases. The nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of Il12b (rs41292470 consisting of the long or short allele) encoding the shared subunit of IL-12 and IL-23, p40, has been reported to associate with susceptibility to infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders. How these genetic variants impact Il12b expression at the molecular level was unclear. We established an Il12b promoter-luciferase reporter system containing the long or short allele driving the reporter gene expression and found that the long allele (infection-resistant) displayed ∼2-fold higher transcriptional activity than the short allele (infection-susceptible), associated with a selective and differential nuclear binding activity to the two alleles in activated macrophages. DNA pull-down assays coupled with mass spectrometry analyses identified the specific DNA binding activity as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1). Small hairpin RNA–mediated knockdown of the endogenous PARP-1 expression resulted in reduced p40 mRNA expression and Il12b promoter activity. Bone marrow–derived macrophages from PARP-1–deficient mice had decreased p40 expression at both mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, selective PARP-1 inhibitors resulted in impaired production of IL-12p40 and IL-23 in bone–marrow derived macrophages and PBMCs. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that PARP-1 could bind specifically to Il12b in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Our study opens the way for further elucidating the molecular mechanism whereby allele-specific immune responses to foreign and self-antigens mediated by IL-12/IL-23 are controlled in an individually variable manner.