What is the impact of Information Systems on democracy promotion and the role in decision-making process

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementThis study aims to contribute to a better understanding of modern democracy and how democracy can be shaped by information systems solutions. We discuss the role of information systems and social media in democratic activities and how information systems can be a part of core democratic processes and contribute to finding solutions for some of the problems democracies face today. The main question being: how is democracy fostered by the introduction of information systems and the existing information systems platforms today? Several common problems of democracies will be identified, analyzed and paired with relevant information systems platforms or solutions resulting in a conceptual framework that nations can use to improve their democratic processes. Areas identified as relevant for the study are direct democracy using existing technological solutions, collaborative democracy, which would allow citizens to increase participation in the creation of laws, the allocation of budgets and online voting. Although it might not be possible to provide an exhaustive listing of all existing solution, due to the rapidly evolving nature of the information systems field, several existing solutions already provide interesting opportunities for the improvement of current democratic processes and if there was a wider adoption of these technologies it would improve the participation of citizens and reduce the increasing percentage of alienated citizens that abstain from taking part in the democratic process of their countries

The Nefarious Nexus of Noncoding RNAs in Cancer

The past decade has witnessed enormous progress, which has seen the noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) turn from the so called dark matter RNA to critical functional molecules, influencing most physiological processes in development and disease contexts. Many ncRNAs interact with each other and are part of networks that influence the cell transcriptome and proteome and consequently the outcome of biological processes. The regulatory circuits controlled by ncRNAs have become increasingly more relevant in cancer. Further understanding of these complex network interactions and how ncRNAs are regulated, is paving the way for the identification of better therapeutic strategies in cancer

A STRUCTURAL MODEL DESCRIBE CHINESE TRADESMEN ATTITUDES TOWARDS GREEK STUDENTS CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR

This study tests evaluates 43 Chinese tradesmen opinios describe the main factors that influnce Greek consumers’ behavior. A structural model was constructed to represent the relationship between consumer components. The model was tested for its Convergent and Discriminant Validity. Moreover it was tested for its reliability and construct reliability. The findings from this study may be used by Chinese tradesmen to develop their marketing campains and customers

A Structural Equation Model Describes Factors Affecting Greek Students’ Consumer Behavior

AbstractConsumer ethnocentrism has enormous importance in international management and marketing area. Consumer ethnocentrism is strongly connected with xenophobia, morality and rationality, patriotism nationalism and economic and war animosity elements. CETSCALE (Consumer Ethnocentric Tendencies Scale) (Shimp and Shara, 1987) was developed to evaluate emotional dimension of purchasing imported goods regarding the imp lication to economic animosity, rationality and morality. Patriotism and Nationalism Scale (Kosterman and Feshbach's, 1989) was developed scale to evaluate levels of patriotism. Animosity Scale (Klein et al., 1998) was developed to evaluate levels of animosity, such as general d islike for a country, war and the economic animosity. In the current study, a total of 200 students from the department of Nursery Education of the University of Western Macedonia filled in the three scales. The study proposes a structural equation model which describes factors affecting Greeks students’ consumption punching behavior, such as: xenophobia, morality and rationality in respect of ethnocentrism, patriotism and nationalism and economic and war animosity. In addition it evaluates its construct valid ity by estimating both convergent and discriminant valid ity, while evaluating the internal consistency of the proposed model itself, and estimates how the instrument determines the reasonable relations among the latent factors mentioned above, and how it describes the reasonable results and assigns the quality of data fit within it. The specific model can be used by researchers to evaluate the effect of different aspects of ethnocentrism in the market economy

Evaluating Perception, Expectation of Students/Pre-service Teachers and Service Quality Gap in Greek Tertiary Education

The main plan of the present article is to explore the inter-relationships of foremost constructs related to students/pre-service teachers as Customer Satisfaction regarding ASPETE services. The aim of the article is to assess the ASPETE service quality in a period of financial crisis and unemployment. The article examines the relationship or the gap between perceived and expected quality of service in terms of all its dimensions such as tangibility, reliability, assurance, responsiveness, empathy and accessibility.     Keywords: students/pre-service teachers, satisfaction, ASPETE, quality, service

Pediocins: The bacteriocins of Pediococci. Sources, production, properties and applications

Class IIa bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria are small, cationic proteins with antilisterial activity. Within this class, the pediocins are those bacteriocins that share a highly conserved hydrophilic and charged N-terminal part harboring the consensus sequence -YGNGV- and a more variable hydrophobic and/or amphiphilic C-terminal part. Several pediocins have been isolated and characterized. Despite the structural similarities, their molecular weight varies, as well as their spectrum of antimicrobial activity. They exhibit important technological properties, e.g. thermostability and retaining of activity at a wide pH range, which along with the bactericidal action against Gram-positive food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, make them an important class of biopreservatives. Much new information regarding the pediocins has emerged during the last years. In this review, we summarize and discuss all the available information regarding the sources of pediocins, the characteristics of their biosynthesis and production in fermentation systems, the characteristics of the known pediocin molecules, and their antibacterial action. The advances made by genetic engineering in improving the features of pediocins are also discussed, as well as their perspectives for future applications

The multiple sclerosis drug fingolimod (FTY720) stimulates neuronal gene expression, axonal growth and regeneration

AbstractFingolimod (FTY720) is a new generation oral treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). So far, FTY720 was mainly considered to target trafficking of immune cells but not brain cells such as neurons. Herein, we analyzed FTY720's potential to directly alter neuronal function. In CNS neurons, we identified a FTY720 governed gene expression response. FTY720 upregulated immediate early genes (IEGs) encoding for neuronal activity associated transcription factors such as c-Fos, FosB, Egr1 and Egr2 and induced actin cytoskeleton associated genes (actin isoforms, tropomyosin, calponin). Stimulation of primary neurons with FTY720 enhanced neurite growth and altered growth cone morphology. In accordance, FTY720 enhanced axon regeneration in mice upon facial nerve axotomy. We identified components of a FTY720 engaged signaling cascade including S1P receptors, G12/13G-proteins, RhoA-GTPases and the transcription factors SRF/MRTF.In summary, we uncovered a broader cellular and therapeutic operation mode of FTY720, suggesting beneficial FTY720 effects also on CNS neurons during MS therapy and for treatment of other neurodegenerative diseases requiring neuroprotective and neurorestorative processes