Decision-Making Strategies in Business Simulation Environment: A Cultural Approach

Business-simulation games are a new type of study environment for real-time decision-making strategies. This study focuses on a simulated business game called RealGame, which operates as clock-driven in real time. This game is designed as a business process and operations-management learning environment. The purpose of this study, thus, is to analyze decision- making strategies and their relation to participants’ cultural backgrounds. For this purpose, we derive from the literature three different decision-making strategies (vigilant, hyper-vigilant, and passive) and compare how these are related to the decision-making team’s cultural background. Results show that diverse cultures (individualist and collectivist) prefer, to some extent, different decision-making strategies. For academics, these results open up new research areas: to study how certain decision-making strategies emerge in simulation environments. The results also benefit practitioners, as they may be interested in developing a deeper understanding of the behavior in real-time organizational decision-making contexts

An Exploratory Study on Customer Responses to Personalized Banner Messages in the Online Banking Context

In the 21st century the quantity of research on personalization has grown exponentially. New technologies enable efficient interaction with customers, even on one-to-one basis, providing the right content in the right format to the right person at the right time. The latest developments with “big data” analytics promise unprecedented opportunities for personalization, even in real-time. Although the technological advances allow fancy enhancements in personalization, it is imperative that the context-specific customer attitudes towards online personalization are taken into account by businesses. Customers are increasingly aware of their privacy, which improper personalization may intrude. This article presents the results of a two-phase study. Focus group interviews uncovered first the perceptions of bank customers regarding personalized marketing communication on online bank. A subsequent exploratory study investigated the online behaviour of customers, that is, their genuine responses to personalized messages. In this phase, bank customers were shown personalized banner advertisements when they logged in to their bank service. We studied, among others, the click-through rates and navigational behaviour and compared the effectiveness of personalized banners to default banners, and to traditional direct-mail messages. The personalized banners attracted more attention than default banners. In two of the three cases, the actual sales were also higher than in the case of direct-mail promotion. The results offer implications both for research and practice

Roles of human epididymis protein 4, carbohydrate antigen 125, inhibin B and anti-Mullerian hormone in the differential diagnosis and follow-up of ovarian granulosa cell tumors

Objective. Evaluation of circulating tumor markers in ovarian cancer is crucial for optimal patient care. The goal of this study was to verify the most accurate circulating tumor markers for the diagnosis and follow-up of adult-type granulosa cell tumors (AGCT5). Methods. The levels of circulating human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125), together with AGCT markers inhibin B and anti-Mtillerian hormone (AMH), were measured in 135 samples from AGCT patients, 37 epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) patients, and 40 endometrioma (ENDO) patients. The levels were plotted with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) graphs, and the area under the curves (AUC) of the different markers were calculated and compared. Results. HE4 levels were significantly lower in AGCT5 than in EOCs (p <0.0001). CA125 levels were above 35 IU/1 in 25% of AGCT patients and 47.5% of ENDO patients, whereas inhibin B and AMH levels were elevated only in patients with AGCT5. In the AUC comparison analyses, inhibin B alone was sufficient to differentiate AGCT from EOC. In differentiating AGCT from ENDO, inhibin B and AMH performed similarly, and the combination of inhibin B and AMH increased the accuracy compared to either marker alone (sensitivity, 100%; specificity, 93%). Among AGCT patients, inhibin B was the best marker for detecting the presence of AGCT. Conclusions. HE4 and CA125 levels were low in AGCTs, and inhibin B was the most accurate circulating biomarker in distinguishing AGCTs from EOCs and from ENDOs. Inhibin B was also the best single marker for AGCT follow-up. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Integrin trafficking regulated by Rab21 is necessary for cytokinesis

Adherent cells undergo remarkable changes in shape during cell division. However, the functional interplay between cell adhesion turnover and the mitotic machinery is poorly understood. The endo/exocytic trafficking of integrins is regulated by the small GTPase Rab21, which associates with several integrin alpha subunits. Here, we show that targeted trafficking of integrins to and from the cleavage furrow is required for successful cytokinesis, and that this is regulated by Rab21. Rab21 activity, integrin-Rab21 association, and integrin endocytosis are all necessary for normal cytokinesis, which becomes impaired when integrin-mediated adhesion at the cleavage furrow fails. We also describe a chromosomal deletion and loss of Rab21 gene expression in human cancer, which leads to the accumulation of multinucleate cells. Importantly, reintroduction of Rab21 rescued this phenotype. In conclusion, Rab21-regulated integrin trafficking is essential for normal cell division, and its defects may contribute to multinucleation and genomic instability, which are hallmarks of cancer.Adherent cells undergo remarkable changes in shape during cell division. However, the functional interplay between cell adhesion turnover and the mitotic machinery is poorly understood. The endo/exocytic trafficking of integrins is regulated by the small GTPase Rab21, which associates with several integrin alpha subunits. Here, we show that targeted trafficking of integrins to and from the cleavage furrow is required for successful cytokinesis, and that this is regulated by Rab21. Rab21 activity, integrin-Rab21 association, and integrin endocytosis are all necessary for normal cytokinesis, which becomes impaired when integrin-mediated adhesion at the cleavage furrow fails. We also describe a chromosomal deletion and loss of Rab21 gene expression in human cancer, which leads to the accumulation of multinucleate cells. Importantly, reintroduction of Rab21 rescued this phenotype. In conclusion, Rab21-regulated integrin trafficking is essential for normal cell division, and its defects may contribute to multinucleation and genomic instability, which are hallmarks of cancer.Adherent cells undergo remarkable changes in shape during cell division. However, the functional interplay between cell adhesion turnover and the mitotic machinery is poorly understood. The endo/exocytic trafficking of integrins is regulated by the small GTPase Rab21, which associates with several integrin alpha subunits. Here, we show that targeted trafficking of integrins to and from the cleavage furrow is required for successful cytokinesis, and that this is regulated by Rab21. Rab21 activity, integrin-Rab21 association, and integrin endocytosis are all necessary for normal cytokinesis, which becomes impaired when integrin-mediated adhesion at the cleavage furrow fails. We also describe a chromosomal deletion and loss of Rab21 gene expression in human cancer, which leads to the accumulation of multinucleate cells. Importantly, reintroduction of Rab21 rescued this phenotype. In conclusion, Rab21-regulated integrin trafficking is essential for normal cell division, and its defects may contribute to multinucleation and genomic instability, which are hallmarks of cancer.Peer reviewe

Mahdollisuudet Suomelle : Kansliapäälliköiden viestit hallitusvaihdokseen

Mahdollisuudet Suomelle on ministeriöiden kansliapäälliköiden yhteinen virkamiesnäkemys avainkysymyksistä kahdelle seuraavalle hallituskaudelle. Asiakirjassa on tunnistettu keskeisiä haasteita sekä niihin liittyviä ratkaisujen suuntia. Kansliapäälliköiden näkemyksen mukaisesti tulevan kahden vaalikauden hallituksilla on edessään seuraavat viisi toisiinsa kytkeytyvää haastetta, jotka edellyttävät päätöksiä: (1) vihreässä siirtymässä on edettävä nopeasti, (2) julkista taloutta on tasapainotettava merkittävästi ja (3) molemmat näistä on tehtävä oikeudenmukaisesti ja yhdenvertaisuutta edistäen, (4) talouskasvun edellytyksiä on vahvistettava ja (5) Suomen turvallisuus ja kriisinkestävyys vaativat lisätoimia. Asiakirjan keskeisin talouspoliittinen sanoma on se, että talouskasvun edellytyksiä parantavat uudistukset käynnistetään nopeasti, sillä vaikutukset ovat viiveisiä. Samalla aloitetaan julkisen talouden tasapainottaminen. Julkisen talouden tasapainoa tulee tavoitella kahden vaalikauden aikana. Talouskasvua ei tavoitella hinnalla millä hyvänsä, vaan sen sijaan panostetaan vihreään siirtymään. Asiakirjassa esitetään 15 pääviestiä ja niihin liittyviä ratkaisujen suuntia, jotka tarjoavat eväitä vaalikeskusteluihin ja hallitusneuvottelujen pohjaksi. Viestien aihealueet ovat vahvasti keskinäisriippuvaisia ja näin vaativat samanaikaista panostusta tulevilla kahdella vaalikaudella

Novel activities of safe-in-human broad-spectrum antiviral agents

Abstract According to the WHO, there is an urgent need for better control of viral diseases. Re-positioning existing safe-in-human antiviral agents from one viral disease to another could play a pivotal role in this process. Here, we reviewed all approved, investigational and experimental antiviral agents, which are safe in man, and identified 59 compounds that target at least three viral diseases. We tested 55 of these compounds against eight different RNA and DNA viruses. We found novel activities for dalbavancin against echovirus 1, ezetimibe against human immunodeficiency virus 1 and Zika virus, as well as azacitidine, cyclosporine, minocycline, oritavancin and ritonavir against Rift valley fever virus. Thus, the spectrum of antiviral activities of existing antiviral agents could be expanded towards other viral diseases.Peer reviewe

Genome-Wide Association Study of Peripheral Artery Disease

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects >200 million people worldwide and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. We sought to identify genomic variants associated with PAD overall and in the contexts of diabetes and smoking status. Methods: We identified genetic variants associated with PAD and then meta-analyzed with published summary statistics from the Million Veterans Program and UK Biobank to replicate their findings. Next, we ran stratified genome-wide association analysis in ever smokers, never smokers, individuals with diabetes, and individuals with no history of diabetes and corresponding interaction analyses, to identify variants that modify the risk of PAD by diabetic or smoking status. Results: We identified 5 genome-wide significant (P-associationPeer reviewe

ASIC-E4: Interplay of Beta-Amyloid, Synaptic Density and Neuroinflammation in Cognitively Normal Volunteers With Three Levels of Genetic Risk for Late-Onset Alzheimer's Disease - Study Protocol and Baseline Characteristics

Background:& nbsp;Detailed characterization of early pathophysiological changes in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) is necessary to enable development of correctly targeted and timed disease-modifying treatments. ASIC-E4 study ( "Beta-Amyloid, Synaptic loss, Inflammation and Cognition in healthy APOE epsilon 4 carriers ") combines state-of-the-art neuroimaging and fluid-based biomarker measurements to study the early interplay of three key pathological features of AD, i.e., beta-amyloid (A beta) deposition, neuroinflammation and synaptic dysfunction and loss in cognitively normal volunteers with three different levels of genetic (APOE-related) risk for late-onset AD.& nbsp;Objective:& nbsp;Here, our objective is to describe the study design, used protocols and baseline demographics of the ASIC-E4 study.& nbsp;Methods/Design:& nbsp;ASIC-E4 is a prospective observational multimodal imaging study performed in Turku PET Centre in collaboration with University of Gothenburg. Cognitively normal 60-75-year-old-individuals with known APOE epsilon 4/epsilon 4 genotype were recruited via local Auria Biobank (Turku, Finland). Recruitment of the project has been completed in July 2020 and 63 individuals were enrolled to three study groups (Group 1: APOE epsilon 4/epsilon 4, N = 19; Group 2: APOE epsilon 4/epsilon 3, N = 22; Group 3: APOE epsilon 3/epsilon 3, N = 22). At baseline, all participants will undergo positron emission tomography imaging with tracers targeted against A beta deposition (C-11-PIB), activated glia (C-11-PK11195) and synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (C-11-UCB-J), two brain magnetic resonance imaging scans, and extensive cognitive testing. In addition, blood samples are collected for various laboratory measurements and blood biomarker analysis and cerebrospinal fluid samples are collected from a subset of participants based on additional voluntary informed consent. To evaluate the predictive value of the early neuroimaging findings, neuropsychological evaluation and blood biomarker measurements will be repeated after a 4-year follow-up period.& nbsp;Discussion:& nbsp;Results of the ASIC-E4 project will bridge the gap related to limited knowledge of the synaptic and inflammatory changes and their association with each other and A beta in "at-risk " individuals. Thorough in vivo characterization of the biomarker profiles in this population will produce valuable information for diagnostic purposes and future drug development, where the field has already started to look beyond A beta