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Disaster, whether manmade or natural, can have a catastrophic impact on a populated area. Sometimes, the disaster is so devastating that it requires a large-scale evacuation. As a result, evacuation plans have become a necessity. The Illinois-Indiana-Wisconsin Regional Catastrophic Planning Team looked to improve their plan and employed A, Kirby, J.E. Dietz, E. Matson, J. Pekny, and C. Wojtalewicz from the Department of Computer and Information Technology, Purdue University, and J. Pekny from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University to do so. This project's goal was to provide data on the optimal staff, materials, space and time resources required to operate a regional hub reception center, a “short-term facility with the goal to process and transport displaced survivors (evacuees) to temporary or permanent shelters following a catastrophic incident” (Bonabeau, 2002).

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are more than 200 million stray dogs worldwide and that every year, 55,000 people die from rabies while another 15 million receive post-exposure treatment to avert the deadly disease (http://www.naiaonline.org, 2011). The International Companion Animal Management Coalition held their 2nd International Conference on Dog Population Management in Istanbul, Turkey March 3-5th, 2015. The Conference aims to promote awareness, discussions and information sharing on Dog Population Management (DPM)). Other primary goals are to provide effective and humane DPM strategies to reduce the incidence of zoonoses, disease of animals which are communicable to humans (http://www.dogpopulationmanagement2015.org/home.html, 2015.

Grapevine leafroll disease (GLRD) threatens the economic sustainability of the grape and wine industry in the United States and around the world. This viral disease reduces yield, delays fruit ripening, and affects wine quality. Shady S. Atallah, Miguel I. Gomez,Jon M. Conrad, and Jan P. Nyrop from the University of New Hampshire published a Plant-level, Spatial, Bioeconomic Model of Plant Disease Difussion and Control: Grapevine Leafroll Disease in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. The project examines the impact of alternative disease control strategies on distributions of bioeconomic outcomes and ranks them based on the vineyard expected net present values (ENPVs). Using simulation modeling them to analyze alternative disease control strategies that would not be possible using classical approaches.

Reminder: AnyLogic North America Published Paper Program AnyLogic's Published Paper Program rewards Universities for using the simulation modeling software for their research projects. Your department will receive 50% off the next year's maintenance for submitting a published paper to AnyLogic North America. Plus we'll share your work with the AnyLogic simulation modeling community. Rules and restrictions apply to safeguard the integrity of the program and your hard work. You can find details, submission instructions and restrictions on the AnyLogic Academic Partnership page. We are eager to read about the complex problems you are solving using AnyLogic software. By ensuring your maintenance with AnyLogic is up to date, you are guaranteed technical support and all version upgrades, and as you know, AnyLogic is constantly improving and enhancing the already superior software, so take advantage of the Published Paper Program today!

Attention all University students and Professors! Want to receive 50% off your AnyLogic yearly maintenance? It’s simple as… 1. Mention AnyLogic as an integral tool used for your research in your published paper. 2. Submit the paper to america@anylogic.com, Attn: Rene Reiter 3. Receive 50% off next year’s maintenance agreement, up to $500

Many people, who are interested in sales forecasting, are familiar with the book Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely. The abstract of the book states: “Dan Ariely refutes the common assumption that we behave in fundamentally rational ways. From drinking coffee to losing weight, from buying a car to choosing a romantic partner, we consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate. Yet these misguided behaviors are neither random nor senseless. They're systematic and predictable—making us predictably irrational.” The irrationality of human decisions is the basis of behavioral economics. Predictably Irrational, and many other books, give many examples which argue the idea of consumer rationality. Businesses are irrational too, as they are guided by human beings.