User adaptive Web engine : a marketing application in E-commerce

Thesis (M. Eng.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (p. 51).In order to improve the effectiveness of communications in marketing, companies must now find ways to target their marketing campaigns to the right people, and present content in a way that the end user is most comfortable with. Contrary to classical market segmentation, the user adaptive Web engine in this paper segments users based on cognitive and cultural dimensions. To build a Web site that changes based on what the user has clicked on, the system must be capable of figuring out what version to serve, and be able to morph between different versions of the Web site. The engine to achieve this goal has two main components: the presentation engine, and the math engine. I am responsible for building the presentation engine, and to ensure that it interfaces well with the math engine. First, I designed the entire system to make sure that it follows the main principle of software engineering-modularity. Then, I implemented the presentation engine. As part of the research group, I helped create working prototypes for two industry partners. Lastly, 501 participants in a study conducted in Japan evaluated the prototype Web site. Results showed significant positive effects of morphing in terms of user experience, and probability of purchase. This research has made contributions to how morphing Web sites should be built. The highlight of the system design is the novel rules component that allows non-technical users to update the behavior of the Web site.by Shirley S. Fung.M.Eng

MI 48084-5353 (formerly Technical Fellow at General Motors Research), [email protected]. John R. Hauser is the Kirin Professor of Marketing

Abstract Researchers and practitioners devote substantial effort to targeting banner advertisements, but less effort on how to communicate with consumers once targeted. Morphing enables a website to learn (actively and near optimally) which banner advertisements to serve to each cognitive-style segment in order to maximize click-through, brand consideration, and purchase. Cognitive-style segments are identified automatically from consumers' clickstreams. This paper describes the first large-sample random-assignment field-test of banner morphing -over 100,000 consumers viewing over 450,000 banners on CNET.com. On relevant webpages, CNET's click-through rates almost doubled relative to control banners. We supplement the CNET field test with a focused experiment on an automotive information-andrecommendation website. The focused experiment replaces automated learning with a longitudinal design to test the premise of morph-to-segment matching. Banners matched to cognitive styles, as well as the stage of the consumer's buying process and body-type preference, significantly increase click-through rates, brand consideration, and purchase likelihood relative to a control. Together the field and the focused experiments demonstrate that matching cognitive styles provide significant benefits above and beyond more-traditional targeting. Such improved banner effectiveness has strategic implications for allocations among media

MI 48084-5353 (formerly Technical Fellow at General Motors Research), [email protected]. John R. Hauser is the Kirin Professor of Marketing

Abstract Morphing enables a website to learn (actively and near optimally) which banner advertisements to serve to each cognitive-style segment in order to maximize outcome measures such as click-through, brand consideration, or purchase. Consumer segments are identified automatically from consumers' clickstream choices. Morphing works best on high-traffic websites with tens of thousands of visitors because large samples are necessary to reach steady state optimally. This paper describes the first large-sample random-assignment field test of banner morphing -over 100,000 consumers viewing over 450,000 banners on CNET.com. (Previously published morphing evaluations evaluated morphing website characteristics and were based on predictive simulations using only priming-study data.) On relevant webpages, CNET's clickthrough rates almost double relative to control banners. We supplement the CNET field test with a focused experiment on an automotive information-and-recommendation website. The focused experiment replaces automated learning with a longitudinal design which tests the premise of morph-to-segment matching. Banners matched to cognitive styles, as well as the stage of the consumer's buying process and body-type preference, significantly increase click-through rates, brand consideration, and purchase likelihood relative to a control

Effect of Deutetrabenazine on Chorea Among Patients With Huntington Disease A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Deutetrabenazine is a novel molecule containing deuterium, which attenuates CYP2D6 metabolism and increases active metabolite half-lives and may therefore lead to stable systemic exposure while preserving key pharmacological activity. Objective To evaluate efficacy and safety of deutetrabenazine treatment to control chorea associated with Huntington disease. Design, Setting, and Participants Ninety ambulatory adults diagnosed with manifest Huntington disease and a baseline total maximal chorea score of 8 or higher (range, 0-28; lower score indicates less chorea) were enrolled from August 2013 to August 2014 and randomized to receive deutetrabenazine (n = 45) or placebo (n = 45) in a double-blind fashion at 34 Huntington Study Group sites. Interventions Deutetrabenazine or placebo was titrated to optimal dose level over 8 weeks and maintained for 4 weeks, followed by a 1-week washout. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary end point was the total maximal chorea score change from baseline (the average of values from the screening and day-0 visits) to maintenance therapy (the average of values from the week 9 and 12 visits) obtained by in-person visits. This study was designed to detect a 2.7-unit treatment difference in scores. The secondary end points, assessed hierarchically, were the proportion of patients who achieved treatment success on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) and on the Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC), the change in 36-Item Short Form– physical functioning subscale score (SF-36), and the change in the Berg Balance Test. Results Ninety patients with Huntington disease (mean age, 53.7 years; 40 women [44.4%]) were enrolled. In the deutetrabenazine group, the mean total maximal chorea scores improved from 12.1 (95% CI, 11.2-12.9) to 7.7 (95% CI, 6.5-8.9), whereas in the placebo group, scores improved from 13.2 (95% CI, 12.2-14.3) to 11.3 (95% CI, 10.0-12.5); the mean between-group difference was –2.5 units (95% CI, –3.7 to –1.3) (P < .001). Treatment success, as measured by the PGIC, occurred in 23 patients (51%) in the deutetrabenazine group vs 9 (20%) in the placebo group (P = .002). As measured by the CGIC, treatment success occurred in 19 patients (42%) in the deutetrabenazine group vs 6 (13%) in the placebo group (P = .002). In the deutetrabenazine group, the mean SF-36 physical functioning subscale scores decreased from 47.5 (95% CI, 44.3-50.8) to 47.4 (44.3-50.5), whereas in the placebo group, scores decreased from 43.2 (95% CI, 40.2-46.3) to 39.9 (95% CI, 36.2-43.6), for a treatment benefit of 4.3 (95% CI, 0.4 to 8.3) (P = .03). There was no difference between groups (mean difference of 1.0 unit; 95% CI, –0.3 to 2.3; P = .14), for improvement in the Berg Balance Test, which improved by 2.2 units (95% CI, 1.3-3.1) in the deutetrabenazine group and by 1.3 units (95% CI, 0.4-2.2) in the placebo group. Adverse event rates were similar for deutetrabenazine and placebo, including depression, anxiety, and akathisia. Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with chorea associated with Huntington disease, the use of deutetrabenazine compared with placebo resulted in improved motor signs at 12 weeks. Further research is needed to assess the clinical importance of the effect size and to determine longer-term efficacy and safety

Meta-analysis Followed by Replication Identifies Loci in or near CDKN1B, TET3, CD80, DRAM1, and ARID5B as Associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Asians

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a prototype autoimmune disease with a strong genetic involvement and ethnic differences. Susceptibility genes identified so far only explain a small portion of the genetic heritability of SLE, suggesting that many more loci are yet to be uncovered for this disease. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies on SLE in Chinese Han populations and followed up the findings by replication in four additional Asian cohorts with a total of 5,365 cases and 10,054 corresponding controls. We identified genetic variants in or near CDKN1B, TET3, CD80, DRAM1, and ARID5B as associated with the disease. These findings point to potential roles of cell-cycle regulation, autophagy, and DNA demethylation in SLE pathogenesis. For the region involving TET3 and that involving CDKN1B, multiple independent SNPs were identified, highlighting a phenomenon that might partially explain the missing heritability of complex diseases

Global prevalence and genotype distribution of hepatitis C virus infection in 2015 : A modelling study

Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Elsevier LtdBackground The 69th World Health Assembly approved the Global Health Sector Strategy to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection by 2030, which can become a reality with the recent launch of direct acting antiviral therapies. Reliable disease burden estimates are required for national strategies. This analysis estimates the global prevalence of viraemic HCV at the end of 2015, an update of—and expansion on—the 2014 analysis, which reported 80 million (95% CI 64–103) viraemic infections in 2013. Methods We developed country-level disease burden models following a systematic review of HCV prevalence (number of studies, n=6754) and genotype (n=11 342) studies published after 2013. A Delphi process was used to gain country expert consensus and validate inputs. Published estimates alone were used for countries where expert panel meetings could not be scheduled. Global prevalence was estimated using regional averages for countries without data. Findings Models were built for 100 countries, 59 of which were approved by country experts, with the remaining 41 estimated using published data alone. The remaining countries had insufficient data to create a model. The global prevalence of viraemic HCV is estimated to be 1·0% (95% uncertainty interval 0·8–1·1) in 2015, corresponding to 71·1 million (62·5–79·4) viraemic infections. Genotypes 1 and 3 were the most common cause of infections (44% and 25%, respectively). Interpretation The global estimate of viraemic infections is lower than previous estimates, largely due to more recent (lower) prevalence estimates in Africa. Additionally, increased mortality due to liver-related causes and an ageing population may have contributed to a reduction in infections. Funding John C Martin Foundation.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Development of neoplasms in pediatric patients with rheumatic disease exposed to anti-tumor necrosis factor therapies: a single Centre retrospective study

Abstract Background Anti-TNF (Tumor necrosis factor) therapy is effective in treating pediatric patients with refractory rheumatic disease. There is however a concern that anti-TNF usage may increase the risk of malignancy. Reports on specific types of malignancy in this patient population have been emerging over the past decade, but there is a need for additional malignancy reports, as these events are rare. Therefore, a retrospective chart review was performed on the biologic database of pediatric rheumatology patients at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) from 1997 to 2013 for neoplasms, patient demographic information and rheumatologic treatment course. Findings 6/357 (1.68%) rheumatology patients treated with anti-TNF therapy between 1997 and 2013 developed neoplasms. One patient had two malignancies. One patient had a benign neoplasm. Cases were exposed to etanercept, infliximab or both. Neoplasms developed late after anti-TNF exposure (median 5.0 years) and infliximab treatment was associated with a shorter time to malignancy. The neoplasms identified were as follows: 2 renal clear cell carcinoma, 1 pilomatricoma, 1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 1 Ewing’s sarcoma, 1 hepatic T-cell lymphoma, 1 lymphoproliferative disease. Conclusions The malignancy rate at our centre is low, however more than half of the neoplasms identified were rare and unusual in the pediatric population. The 5-year malignancy-free probability for patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treated with biologic therapy was 97% from our database. Long-term screening for rare neoplasms is important as part of the safety monitoring for any pediatric rheumatology patient receiving anti-TNF therapy

Deep lamellar keratoplasty in the treatment of keratoconus

Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, BaselPurposeTo present our experience with a series of patients treated with deep lamellar keratoplasty (DLK) for keratoconus (KC).DesignA single surgeon, prospective, consecutive series.MethodThe study included all patients with KC who underwent DLK between March 1999 and November 2003 at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The parameters evaluated included patients' demographics, pre- and post-operative best corrected visual acuities, post-operative keratometry, and intra- and post-operative complications.ResultsThere were 22 patients (23 eyes); 10 females and 12 males, with a mean age of 35 +/- 13 years (median, 33.5; range, 17-73). The median follow-up period was 13 months (range 7-38). In 89% (16/18) of eyes which underwent DLK, and in which a visual acuity could be obtained, a best corrected visual acuity of at least 6/12 was recorded. There were two episodes of Descemet's membrane perforation (8.7%), in which the procedure was converted to penetrating keratoplasty without complications. One patient developed a double anterior chamber, which resolved spontaneously without consequences.ConclusionThe visual outcomes and complication rates seen in our series are comparable to the recent published literature. Hence DLK can be considered as a suitable alternative to penetrating keratoplasty for the surgical treatment of KC.Nima Pakrou, Shirley Fung, Dinesh Selva, Mark Chehade, Igal Leibovitc