Modeling Service Interaction Networks

Service systems rely on internal interactions of service provider agents and the external interactions with customers in the design and delivery of services. Careful analysis and modeling of such interactions are essential to the design of effective service systems. This research focuses on service interaction networks in the context of the design and delivery of information technology (IT)-centric services. We develop and test a model of service interaction network effectiveness and investigate the effects of some of its structural properties on the effectiveness of service systems. We empirically analyze the validity of the model by using data from SourceForge.net and develop and test a set of specific hypotheses. The results indicate that network centrality and the network density have negative impacts whereas network size has positive influence on on service systems effectiveness

Cu(OAc)2 as a green promoter for one-pot synthesis of 2-amino-4,6-diarylpyridine- 3-carbonitrile as antibacterial agents

The extensive use of antimicrobial drugs and their resistance against bacterial infections have led to discover new antimicrobial compounds. In this study, we wish to report, one-pot synthesis of 2-amino-3-cyanopyridine derivatives (1a-14a). These compounds were synthesized in the presence of Cu(OAc)2 as a highly effective heterogeneous acid catalyst. Here we evaluated the antimicrobial activities of these compounds against different species of microorganisms including gram positive and gram negative bacteria as well as fungi. Standard antimicrobial methods include disc diffusion and Broth microdilution method according to the protocol of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI). Synthesis of 2-amino-3-cyanopyridine derivatives were done via reaction of aromatic aldehydes, acetophenone derivatives, malononitrile and ammonium acetate in the presence of Cu(OAc)2 under reflux condition. The results show compound 2-amino-6-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-phenylnicotinonitrile (10a) had the best antimicrobial efficacy toward C. albicans, E. faecalis, P. aeroginosa and E. coli. In conclusion, comparing the structure and activity of the compounds (10a), this compound with the presence of Cl residue at para-position of phenyl ring improves the antibacterial and antifungal activity.   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2020, 34(1), 149-156. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v34i1.1

Online and Offline Evaluation in Search Clarification

The effectiveness of clarification question models in engaging users within search systems is currently constrained, casting doubt on their overall usefulness. To improve the performance of these models, it is crucial to employ assessment approaches that encompass both real-time feedback from users (online evaluation) and the characteristics of clarification questions evaluated through human assessment (offline evaluation). However, the relationship between online and offline evaluations has been debated in information retrieval. This study aims to investigate how this discordance holds in search clarification. We use user engagement as ground truth and employ several offline labels to investigate to what extent the offline ranked lists of clarification resemble the ideal ranked lists based on online user engagement.Comment: 27 page

Exometabolome characterization of high cell density culture perfusion and optimization of the cell specific perfusion rate

High cell density perfusion has the potential to generate intensified processes. A target for such perfusion process can be to maintain a steady state culture around 100 x 106 cells/mL. A challenge for the development of these processes is to minimize the medium consumption, to reduce the costs associated with this raw material and with the harvest processing. This is particularly true for processes at densities such as 100 x 106 cells/mL for which several reactor volumes per day are typically necessary. We have shown that cell specific perfusion rate (CSPR) is an approach, which has proven to enable densities of CHO cells above 200 x 106 cells/mL. To appreciate the impact of the cell density on the metabolic landscape in an antibody producing CHO cell perfusion culture using CSPR, multivariate data analysis of extracellular metabolomic data generated by high-resolution liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) was carried on. We observed that the extracellular metabolic profile was by far more stable in perfusion mode than in fed-batch mode, despite a significantly larger range of cell densities in the former case. There was a strong correlation between the composition of the exometabolome and the viable cell density between 8 and 207 x 106 cells/mL. The cell specific glutamine consumption rate as well as, to some extent, the cell specific glucose consumption rate were only correlated with the composition of the exometabolome when the viable cell density was above 127 x 106 cells/mL. No correlations between the exometabolome and the cell specific productions of lactate, ammonia or antibody were observed. These results show that the metabolism of the cells was very stable at densities lower than 127 x 106 cells/mL. Above this density, the metabolic footprint analysis revealed variations of the cellular metabolism: in particular modifications associated with the glutathione metabolism were observed. We addressed the CSPR minimization by sequentially varying the cell density and/or the perfusion rate in a culture stabilized around 30 x 106 cells/mL by cell bleeds. In our system, we observed that the cell specific antibody production rate was independent of the CSPR below 52 pL/cell/day and positively correlated with this parameter above this value. Furthermore, the cell specific glucose consumption and lactate production rates increased with the CSPR. Interestingly, during the CSPR optimization, we showed that increasing the cell density was not systematically equivalent to reducing the perfusion rate despite the fact that the CSPR is equal to the ratio of the perfusion rate by the cell density. This was due to a substrate threshold determining the occurrence of different glucose consumption kinetics

[99mTc]MIBI scintigraphy in a patient with thyroid follicular neoplasm: a case report and review of literature

[99mTc]MIBI thyroid scintigraphy is a useful tool to differentiate benign from malignant thyroid nodules. This report aims to show the diagnostic performance of [99mTc]MIBI scintigraphy used in an 83-year-old woman who had a thyroidectomy about 7 years ago. She had a mass of thyroid which was very large, non-homogenous and painless. [99mTc]MIBI scintigraphy could be a pre-surgical method to investigate the follicular nodules and predicting the malignant form of thyroid nodules. Also, it will provide tissue information for [99mTc]MIBI images in thyroid lesions

Tc-99m]MIBI scintigraphy in a patient with thyroid follicular neoplasm: a case report and review of literature

Tc-99m]MIBI thyroid scintigraphy is a useful tool to differentiate benign from malignant thyroid nodules. This report aims to show the diagnostic performance of Tc-99m]MIBI scintigraphy used in an 83-year-old woman who had a thyroidectomy about 7 years ago. She had a mass of thyroid which was very large, non-homogenous and painless. Tc-99m]MIBI scintigraphy could be a pre-surgical method to investigate the follicular nodules and predicting the malignant form of thyroid nodules. Also, it will provide tissue information for Tc-99m]MIBI images in thyroid lesions

The Effectiveness of Peace Education on Students' Academic Competence and Positive Orientation Towards School

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of peace education, academic competence and positive orientation of students towards school in a quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest design considering the control group and one-month followup. Its statistical population was female students of the first year of high school in the 19th district of Tehran (5901 people) who were studying in the schools of this region in the academic year 1399-1398. Sample size:40 students of different levels of education in the first year of high school are interested in cooperating in the study and have been selected by purposive sampling method. Data collection tools were ACES DePerna & Eliot (1999) Academic Competency Assessment Questionnaire Abolmaali & Aahmadi (2017) Positive Orientation Questionnaire.After performing the pre-test, the experimental group received peace training in 8 sessions of 90 minutes in 8 consecutive weeks and the control group did not receive any training in this field. For data analysis,the method of analysis of variance was measured.Repeatedly used.The results showed that peace education had a positive effect on the development of students 'academic competence in the components (academic skills and academic empowerment) and students' positive orientation in the component of attitudes toward classmates and this effect remained stable after the followup phase (P <0.01). The results of this study indicate the need to learn how to live together.Peace education, by influencing the skills of academic enablers as well as creating a positive attitude towards classmates,promotes academic competence and improves relationships between students in the school

Benefits of Zataria multiflora Boiss in Experimental Model of Mouse Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition of the intestine with unknown etiology involving multiple immune, genetic and environmental factors. We were interested to examine the effect of total extract from Zataria multiflora Boiss, a folk medicinal plant on prevention and treatment of experimental IBD. Z. multiflora was administered (400, 600, 900 p.p.m.) through drinking water to IBD mice induced by intrarectal administration of acetic acid. Prednisolone was used as the standard drug for comparison. Biochemical, macroscopic and microscopic examinations of colon were performed. Biochemical evaluation of inflamed colon was done using assay of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration as indicators of free radical activity and cell lipid peroxidation. The activity of MPO and lipid peroxidation products (TBARS) increased in acetic acid-treated groups while recovered by pretreatment of animals with Z. multiflora (400–900 p.p.m.) and prednisolone. Z. multiflora (600 and 900 p.p.m.) and prednisolone-treated groups showed significantly lower score values of macroscopic and microscopic characters when compared with the acetic acid-treated group. The beneficial effect of Z. multiflora (900 p.p.m.) was comparable with that of prednisolone. The antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potentials of Z. multiflora might be the mechanisms by which this herbal extract protects animals against experimentally induced IBD. Proper clinical investigation should be carried out to confirm the activity in human

Drinking water resources criteria in emergencies and disasters:A systematic literature review

Background: Disasters occur unexpectedly each year, killing thousands around the world. Millions are directly under the influence of the outcomes of these events and their survival depends on the immediate state and international aid. This supports should be obtained in early hours after disasters. The main important need after disasters is safe water supply, which along with providing shelter, medicine, and nutrition, is vital to prevent diseases. So, immediate actions are needed to replace suitable drinking water resources for affected people. Methods: This study was conducted in 2019 using Web of Science, PupMed, Springer, Scopus, Embase databases (from 2000 to 31 September 2019). The PRISMA guideline was used to compile the study. All articles included in this study were original articles, short communications, letters to editor, editorials, systematic reviews, and articles presented at conferences and international congresses on the main topic of the study. Only English full-text articles were included in this study. Results: According to the results, water resources supply in disasters and emergencies criteria were classified into 4 main and 30 sub-criteria. The main criteria include environmental, economic, technology performance, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of water resources, which have 4, 2, 12, and 12 sub-criteria, respectively. Conclusion: This study intends to assist disaster service officials and decision makers and supervisors to plan for drinking water supply from area water resources, before the disaster and based on the history and geographical characteristics of the area, to take actions and meet the drinking water needs of the region. Keywords: Disaster, Emergency, Drinking water, Criteri

Synthesis, antifungal activity and docking study of 2-amino-4Hbenzochromene-3-carbonitrile derivatives

Pathogenic fungi are associated with diseases ranging from simple dermatosis to life-threatening infections, particularly in immunocompromised patients. During the past two decades, resistance to established antifungal drugs has increased dramatically and has made it crucial to identify novel antimicrobial compounds. Here, we selected 12 new compounds of 2-amino-4H-benzochromene-3-carbonitrile drivetives (C1- C12) for synthesis by using nano-TiCl4.SiO2 as efficient and green catalyst, then nine of synthetic compounds were evaluated against different species of fungi, positive gram and negative gram of bacteria. Standard and clinical strains of antibiotics sensitive and resistant fungi and bacteria were cultured in appropriate media. Biological activity of the 2-amino-4H-benzochromene-3-carbonitrile derivatives against fungi and bacteries were estimated by the broth micro-dilution method as recommended by clinical and laboratory standard institute (CLSI). In addition minimal fangicidal and bactericial concenteration of the compounds were also determined. Considering our results showed that compound 2-amino-4-(4-methyl benzoate)-4H-benzo[f]chromen-3-carbonitrile (C9) had the most antifungal activity against Aspergillus clavatus, Candida glabarata, Candida dubliniensis, Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis at concentrations ranging from 8 to �128 mg/ mL. Also compounds 2-amino-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4H-benzo[f]chromen-3-carbonitrile (C4) and 2- amino-4-(4-isopropylphenyl)-4H-benzo[f]chromen-3-carbonitrile (C3) had significant inhibitory activities against Epidermophyton floccosum following 2-amino-4-(4-methylbenzoate)-4H-benzo[f]chromen- 3-carbonitrile (C9), respectively. Docking simulation was performed to insert compounds C3, C4 and C9 in to CYP51 active site to determine the probable binding model