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This article presents a systematic literature review exploring the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) methodologies in project management (PM). Key applications include cost estimation, duration forecasting, and risk assessment, which are critical factors for project success. This review synthesizes findings from 97 peer-reviewed studies published between 2011 and 2024, using the PRISMA methodology to ensure rigor and transparency. AI techniques such as machine learning, deep learning, and hybrid models have exhibited their potential to enhance PM techniques across projects' phases, including planning, execution, and monitoring. Decision trees are created to represent the application of AI methodologies in various PM stages and tasks to facilitate understanding and real-world implementation. Among these are hybrid AI models that enhance risk assessment, duration forecasting, and cost estimation, as well as categorization based on project phases to optimize AI integration. Despite these advancements, there are still gaps in addressing dynamic project environments, validating AI models with real-world data, and expanding research into underexplored phases like project closure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly competitive retail industry pushes retailers to seek strategies like creating atmospheric in-store experiences to boost consumer satisfaction and encourage return visits. Store atmosphere and layout design influence consumer decision-making, perception, and satisfaction. Factors such as building design, customer patterns, merchandise mix, and proximity requirements impact consumer perception and store layout. This article investigates the effect of supermarket chains' layouts on consumer behavior, focusing on atmospheric elements. A Greek field study involving 205 participants assessed perceptions and attitudes toward supermarket layouts and design elements. Results suggest that retail environment characteristics impact emotional reactions, which in turn influence impulse buying behavior. Emphasizing the importance of a superior customer experience throughout the purchasing process, the study identifies key atmospheric elements affecting consumer behavior in supermarkets. The article concludes by discussing implications for retail marketers and suggesting future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2006.09.017 Byline: Evangelos Grigoroudis (a), Charalambos Litos (a), Vassilis A. Moustakis (a)(b), Yannis Politis (a), Loukas Tsironis (a) Keywords: Multiple criteria analysis; Website quality; Customer satisfaction; Benchmarking analysis Abstract: The assessment of website quality is considered as a problem of measuring user satisfaction, in order to analyse user perceptions and preferences. The presented pilot user satisfaction survey concerns the major cellular phone service providers in Greece. The analysis is based on a multicriteria preference disaggregation approach for satisfaction benchmarking analysis and consists of the following parts: (1) the user satisfaction analysis, which concerns the identification of customer preferences and includes the estimation of the relative importance and the demanding level of the different user satisfaction dimensions, and (2) the satisfaction benchmarking analysis, which is mainly focused on the performance evaluation of the competitive organisations against the satisfaction criteria, as well as the identification of the competitive advantages of each company. The results presented in this paper demonstrate how business organisations may locate their position against competition, pinpoint their weak points and determine which website characteristics will improve their global performance. Author Affiliation: (a) Technical University of Crete, Department of Production Engineering and Management, University Campus, 73100 Chania, Greece (b) Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Science and Technology Park of Crete, 71110 Heraklion, Greece

Abstract Background Antibiotic over-prescribing has generally been considered to be common in Greece, however not much is known about current antibiotic use. Findings The aim of this study was to investigate antibiotic prescribing in a well-defined rural population of 159 adults and 99 children over a 12-month period in Crete, Greece. The daily-defined doses (DDD) for 1000 people/day (DID) were 22.1 and 24.2 for children and adults respectively. The overall DID was 23.4, markedly lower than that previously reported for Greece. The use of penicillins was 49.5% of DDD in children and 31.7% in adults. Quinolones represented 2.2% of the total antibiotics (0% in children). Prescriptions of antibiotics were more common during the 3-month period from January to March for both children and adults. Conclusions The findings of this study confirm the seasonal distribution of antibiotics used and the predominance of prescribing for respiratory tract infections. In the area of the study, antibiotic use seems to be lower than that previously reported for Greece, probably as a result of the recently established net of well-trained primary health physicians.

Objective: To describe the development and demonstrate the use of a statistical framework based on statistical quality control (SQC) in order to monitor the performance of operating rooms (ORs).Design: Data related to scheduled surgical operations have been collected from the information system of an existing Greek hospital. The data that contain the anesthesia and operation start and completion times of the operations carried out in the 14 ORs of the hospital are analyzed using control p-charts and hypotheses testing. The results obtained provide crucial information to health-care managers.Setting: A large Greek public hospital.Participants: Real-world data captured on daily basis from January 2015 to November 2017.Intervention: The proportion of the idle time of an OR over its total available time is proposed as an OR key performance index. We present two directions of data monitoring and analysis: one that uses control p-charts and a second based on hypotheses testing. The improved Laney's p΄-chart and the Laney's approach for cross-sectional data are employed in order to overcome overdispersion that affects OR idle time data.Results: The proposed methodology allows hospital management (i) to monitor the percentage of the idle time of an operating room through time and (ii) to identify the ORs that demonstrate exceptionally high or low percentage of idle time at a given period of time.Conclusion: SQC charts are simple, yet powerful tools that may support the hospital management in monitoring OR performance and decision-making. The development of a dedicated management information system that automatically captures the required data and constructs the corresponding control charts would support effectively managerial decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is the state of the practice in these turbulent times to combine different approaches and project management methods into hybrid and adaptive methods according to the specific needs of the project and the project team. The objective of the present work is to investigate this practice by conducting a systematic literature review on project management methods, hybrid agile methods, method tailoring, and innovative processes to tailor methodologies. We applied a systematic analysis of the existent research published during the period 2000 - 2020 following similar approaches of several scholars. 1.121 articles published from 2000 until 2020 were collected after an exhaustive literature search. However, 98 of them were selected for further investigation according to the criteria selected. Results provide key insights and background on agile project management frameworks as well as challenges and best practices implementing an inhouse hybrid agile project management framework. We anticipate the present work to constitute a useful source of information to PM scientists and practitioners. Results identify new dimensions emerging of the synthesis of project management aspects and provide key insights on traditional and agile project management frameworks as well as challenges and best practices implementing an inhouse tailored hybrid agile project management framework. This work contributes to the body of knowledge about the organization, mainly of agile and hybrid approaches. We analyzed the found descriptions thoroughly regarding their characteristics and their organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore the impact of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies on the configuration opportunities of supply chains (SCs) within the digital manufacturing era. To this effect, we first conduct a critical taxonomy of existing research efforts and then propose an integrated decision-making process for the design and management of SCs defined by digital manufacturing technologies. Following, we provide an integrated framework for future SC reconfiguration opportunities arising from the adoption of AM on a supply network setting. Our analysis demonstrates the significant ramifications of AM techniques on SC configuration and sustainability performance as opposed to conventional value networks; however, existing research is evidently limited due to scope related challenges and the inherent complexity at the manufacturing echelon of the respective supply networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to adopt a multiple case-study approach, of three companies, in order to identify the factors affecting Lean Six Sigma (L6σ) implementation in service industry. Design/methodology/approach – Secondary data were collected through companies’ documents, written procedures and quality assurance policies. Primary data were collected through a number of in-depth interviews with managers and quality experts. Findings – The analysis of qualitative data gathered through in-depth interviews with managers in all three cases resulted in the emergence of variety of critical success factors (CSFs) regarding L6σ implementation in service industry. As it can be seen the great majority of the factors have been identified in all three cases. Moreover the analysis shows that there are two categories of factors emerged. Originality/value – This study has four major contributions. First, it provides an intergraded multi-factor framework regarding the implementation of L6σ in service industry. In particular, this study contributes with three more particular factors that influence the implementation of L6σ in services, namely, top-management active involvement, HR support activities, and practices and systems. Second, it focusses on the responses of managers, who play the critical role in the adoption of L6σ. Third, supports and expands current literature on the key success factors of L6σ application. Finally, it provides future ideas to explore and develop more the suggested L6σ framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Supply chain (SC) is a homogeneous and interconnected network of firms which manages supplies, storages and handles material, information, personnel, equipment and final products throughout its length. The SC can be the means by which businesses add value to customers and therefore competitive advantage in the international market. Competitiveness no longer exists among individual members of a SC but between SCs. International literature pointed out, that strategy and competitiveness associated with specific strategic priorities. In this paper will be documented that the priorities as objectives of strategic importance comprise the key areas for the performance of the SC network. To support this, a systematic framework of strategic priorities, will be developed, which will visualize the major SC assessment areas that the SC network should turn its improvement efforts. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 200 high level managers from 71 Greek manufacturing companies covering the whole country using their own SC networks took part in the study. Data analysis were conducted to create a model that describes the strategic priorities which are important, for the competitive advantage of their SC network. Findings – The results revealed seven critical strategic priorities: internal flexibility, production quality, waste reduction, customer focus, sustainability, reduction of production cost and efficiency. This paper analytically explores the strategic practices that seem to influence SC network performance and generates a systematic framework of the critical strategic priorities of the SC network performance. Practical implications – The proposed framework has six major advantages. First the research outcome enables managers to design their SC strategy. Second, proved the great importance of the strategic priorities institutionalization. Third, makes clear to stakeholders which are the SC network performance issues to consider. Fourth, the proposed framework could serve as a suitable formula for assessing the effectiveness and readiness of SC to face the competition. Fifth, it is an effective way of prioritizing the strategic practices as it provides the most important areas on which the firm can base tasks like evaluation, benchmarking and comparison of its SC both as a network and as individual firms. Finally, the proposed framework is an effective way to evaluate the consistency of strategic objectives and actions adopted for the SC. Originality/value – Literature review revealed a very important conclusion. It has been developed a broad discussion concerning issues on strategic practices which are responsible for the competitive advantage of the SC network. However, there has not been a significant effort on integrating all the practices under the spectrum of the SC in order to distinguish the most important of these practices that can lead to competitive advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antibiotic over-prescribing has generally been considered to be common in Greece, however not much is known about current antibiotic use. Findings: The aim of this study was to investigate antibiotic prescribing in a well-defined rural population of 159 adults and 99 children over a 12-month period in Crete, Greece. The daily-defined doses (DDD) for 1000 people/day (DID) were 22.1 and 24.2 for children and adults respectively. The overall DID was 23.4, markedly lower than that previously reported for Greece. The use of penicillins was 49.5% of DDD in children and 31.7% in adults. Quinolones represented 2.2% of the total antibiotics (0% in children). Prescriptions of antibiotics were more common during the 3-month period from January to March for both children and adults. Conclusions: The findings of this study confirm the seasonal distribution of antibiotics used and the predominance of prescribing for respiratory tract infections. In the area of the study, antibiotic use seems to be lower than that previously reported for Greece, probably as a result of the recently established net of well-trained primary health physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workflow management becomes increasingly important in today's information-oriented society. An important research area of workflow management is performance analysis that is driven by the need for improved efficiency of business processes. The study of the performance of a workflow process, as the focus of this paper, requires the estimation of the duration of tasks, which is often unpredictable and nondeterministic. Current research in this field has focused on workflow stochastic Petri nets (PNs)—which are a class of workflow nets with exponential distributed execution times assigned to transitions. In this paper, in order to deal with this uncertainty, we use fuzzy estimators constructed from statistical data to describe time, and we present an analytical method to proceed with the performance evaluation of workflow stochastic PNs based on block reduction. A comparison example is provided to show the benefits of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The platelet integrin receptor α IIb β 3 plays a critical role in thrombosis and haemostasis by mediating interactions between platelets and several ligands, primarily fibrinogen. We have previously shown that the synthetic peptide YMESRADRKLAEVGRVYLFL corresponding to residues 313–332 of α IIb , is a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation and fibrinogen binding to α IIb β 3 , interacting with fibrinogen rather than the receptor. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the biological activities of the above peptide are due to the sequence YMESRADR, which corresponds to residues 313–320. By using new synthetic peptide analogues we investigated the structural characteristics responsible for the biological activity of YMESRADR as well the possible influence of the adjacent amino acids on the peptide's biological potency. According to our results, the synthetic octapeptide YMESRADR, is a potent inhibitor of platelet aggregation and P-selectin expression. Furthermore, YMESRADR inhibits fibrinogen binding but it does not significantly influence the binding of PAC-1 to ADP-activated platelets. The inhibitory potency of YMESRADR was gradually diminished by deleting the YMES sequence from the amino terminus and prolonging the carboxyl terminus of this peptide with the KLAE sequence. Extension of YMESRADR towards the amino terminus with the GAPL sequence (GAPLYMESRADR) does not modify the biological activity of YMESRADR. Furthermore, extension of GAPLYMESRADR at its carboxy terminus with the KLAE sequence (GAPLYMESRADRKLAE) significantly diminished its biological potency. Substitution of E 315 with D significantly enhances antiaggregatory potency and completely abolishes the inhibitory effect on P-selectin expression. Importantly, the D 315 -containing peptides inhibit to a similar extent both fibrinogen and PAC-1 binding to activated α IIb β 3 in contrast to the E 315 -containing peptide which only inhibits fibrinogen binding. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the YMESRADR sequence 313–320 of α IIb , is an important functional region of the insert connecting the β2 and β3 antiparallel β-strands of the W5 blade of the α IIb subunit. Structural changes significantly modify the biological properties of this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a hierarchical framework that supports Web site quality assessment. The framework is composed of a hierarchical structure of criteria and subcriteria and makes use of the analytic hierarchy process to enhance criterion and subcriterion weight value assessment during group assessment. To validate the framework the authors conducted an experiment that revolved assessing the Web sites of the three cellular phone service providers in Greece by 122 users. Results confirmed framework validity and rotated factor analysis supported reduction of the original model to a Web site quality-scoring framework, which involves nine composite quality criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is considered an atherogenic lipoprotein, which is also implicated in thrombosis. Lp(a) binds to platelets and modulates the effects of various platelet agonists. Platelet activating factor (PAF) is a potent platelet agonist degraded and inactivated by PAF-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH), which in plasma is associated with lipoproteins. Lp(a) is enriched in PAF-AH, thus a functional characteristic of this lipoprotein is its capability to hydrolyze and inactivate PAF. In the present study, we investigated the effect of Lp(a) on PAF-induced platelet activation. The potential roles of the apo(a) moiety and especially of the PAF-AH content of Lp(a) on the above effect were also addressed. Methods: Lp(a) was isolated by affinity chromatography from plasma of apparently healthy fasting donors with serum Lp(a) concentrations ≥20 mg/dl. Reduced Lp(a) [Lp(a-)] was prepared by incubation of Lp(a) with dithiothreitol (DTT), whereas inactivation of Lp(a)-associated PAF-AH was performed by incubation of Lp(a) with pefabloc [pefa-Lp(a)]. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or washed platelets were prepared from peripheral venous blood samples of normolipidemic, apparently healthy fasting donors with their serum Lp(a) levels lower than 0.8 mg/dl. The surface expression of the platelet integrin-receptor αIIbβ3 and the fibrinogen binding to the activated αIIbβ3 was studied by flow cytometry. Results: Lp(a), at doses higher than 20 μg/ml, inhibits PAF-induced platelet activation in a dose-dependent manner. Pefa-Lp(a), lacking PAF-AH activity, exhibited a similar to Lp(a) inhibitory effect. Importantly, the Lp(a) inhibitory effect was not influenced by the apo(a) isoform size, whereas Lp(a-) was a more potent inhibitor compared to Lp(a). Similarly to PAF, Lp(a) inhibits platelet aggregation induced by ADP or Calcium ionophore A23187. Lp(a), pefa-Lp(a) or Lp(a-) effectively inhibited PAF- or ADP-induced surface expression of αIIbβ3, the Lp(a-) being more potent compared to Lp(a) or to pefa-Lp(a). Finally, Lp(a) significantly inhibited fibrinogen binding to platelets activated with PAF. Conclusions: Lp(a) inhibits PAF-induced platelet activation in a non-specific manner. The Lp(a)-associated PAF-AH does not play any important role in this effect, whereas the apo(a) moiety of Lp(a) significantly reduces its inhibitory effect. The inhibition of αIIbβ3 activation and fibrinogen binding to the activated platelets may represent the major mechanism by which Lp(a) inhibits PAF-induced platelet aggregation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] plays an important role in atherosclerosis. The biological effects of Lp(a) have been attributed either to apolipoprotein(a) or to its low-density lipoprotein-like particle. Lp(a) contains platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase, an enzyme that exhibits a Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 activity and is complexed to lipoproteins in plasma; thus, it is also referred to as lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2. Substrates for lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 include phospholipids containing oxidatively fragmented residues at the sn-2 position (oxidized phospholipids; OxPLs). OxPLs may play important roles in vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis. Plasma levels of OxPLs present on apolipoprotein B-100 particles (OxPL/apolipoprotein B) are correlated with coronary artery, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease. Furthermore, OxPL/apolipoprotein B levels in plasma are strongly correlated with Lp(a) levels, are preferentially sequestered on Lp(a), and thus are potentially subjected to degradation by the Lp(a)-associated lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2. The present review article focuses specifically on the characteristics of the lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 associated with Lp(a) and discusses the possible role of this enzyme in view of emerging data showing that OxPLs in plasma are preferentially sequestered on Lp(a) and may significantly contribute to the increased atherogenicity of this lipoprotein.

Evidence for the role of lipoprotein(a) (Lp[a]) in atherosclerosis and thrombosis has considerably increased over the past few years. Therefore, Lp(a) is currently classified as an emerging lipid risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High Lp(a) plasma levels carried in particles with small-sized apolipoprotein(a) isoforms are associated with preclinical vascular changes, cardiovascular disease and the mode of presentation of coronary artery disease (acute coronary syndromes). However, randomized clinical trials with an emphasis on agents that specifically lower plasma Lp(a) do not exist. At present, screening for increases in Lp(a) in the general population is not recommended. The measurement of Lp(a) may be of value in individuals with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in patients with high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol plasma levels, since a high Lp(a) concentration in such subjects further increases the risk of coronary heart disease.

The increased risk for ischemic heart disease (IHD) associated with subclinical hypothyroidism (SH) has been partly attributed to dyslipidemia. There is limited information on the effect of SH on lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], which is considered a significant predictor of IHD. Serum Lp(a) levels are predominantly regulated by apolipoprotein [apo(a)] gene polymorphisms. The aim of our study was to evaluate the Lp(a) levels and apo(a) phenotypes in patients with SH compared to healthy controls as well as the influence of levothyroxine substitution therapy on Lp(a) values in relation to the apo(a) isoform size. Lp(a) levels were measured in 69 patients with SH before and after restoration of a euthyroid state and in 83 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Apo(a) isoform size was determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) agarose gel electrophoresis followed by immunoblotting and development via chemiluminescence. Patients with SH exhibited increased Lp(a) levels compared to controls (median value 10.6 mg/dL vs. 6.0 mg/dL, p = 0.003]), but this was not because of differences in the frequencies of apo(a) phenotypes. There was no association between thyrotropin (TSH) and Lp(a) levels in patients with SH. In subjects with either low (LMW; 25 patients and 28 controls) or high (HMW; 44 patients and 55 controls) molecular weight apo(a) isoforms, Lp(a) concentrations were higher in patients than in the control group (median values 26.9 mg/dL vs. 21.8 mg/dL, p = 0.02 for LMW, and 6.0 mg/dL versus 3.3 mg/dL, p < 0.001 for HMW). Levothyroxine treatment resulted in an overall reduction of Lp(a) levels (10.6 mg/dL baseline vs. 8.9 mg/dL posttreatment, p = 0.008]). This effect was mainly evident in patients with LMW apo(a) isoforms associated with high baseline Lp(a) concentrations (median values 26.9 mg/dL vs. 23.2 mg/dL pretreatment and posttreatment, respectively; p = 0.03). In conclusion, even though a causal effect of thyroid dysfunction on Lp(a) was not clearly demonstrated in patients with SH, levothyroxine treatment is beneficial, especially in patients with increased baseline Lp(a) levels and LMW apo(a) isoforms.