title: Web-based ecosystem software for virtual crossmatching in transplant programs.
abstract: The compatibilities between donors and recipients are extremely important for evaluating the immunological risks of transplants. One challenge faced by data analysis tools is the transformation of complex data into simple, intuitive, and important information that can be used to resolve contemporary problems. To address this challenge, we developed the EpViX software to perform epitope reactivity analyses and automated epitope virtual crossmatching. EpViX is a facilitator of medical decision-making regarding the identification of the best donor for a high-immunologic risk recipient. The objective of this work is to describe the computational architecture of the EpViX ecosystem (http://www.epvix.com.br).
  
  
  
  EpViX is a freeware on the web that was developed in the Ruby language. EpViX can be accessed from different platforms, e.g., PCs, tablets, and smartphones. It consists of an ecosystem of tools that are capable of integrating all of the stakeholders who are involved in a transplant process with a deceased donor.
  
  
  
  We successfully developed a program that allows people to work collaboratively and effectively during the donation process by accurately predicting negative crossmatches, saving time and other resources.
  
  
  
  EpViX represents a significant breakthrough for the organ transplant process and may meet the current needs of transplant programs because it increases the chances of the allocation of low-immunologic risk donors to highly sensitized recipients and assures greater equity among the recipients on a waiting list. EpViX was duly verified and tested in terms of data security. Moreover, usability tests demonstrated that EpViX is an intuitive and easy-to-use tool.
authors.affiliation: Distance Education Centre, Federal University of Piaui, Rua Olavo Bilac - Bairro Centro, CEP: 64280001 Teresina, Piaui, Brazil. Electronic address: keyllaurtiga@ufpi.edu.br.
authors.forename: Keylla S U
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Aita
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil; Health Sciences Centre, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil.
authors.forename: Semiramis J H
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Monte
authors.affiliation: Computation Department, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil; Department of Biology, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adalberto S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mário S C
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Marroquim
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio Gilberto B
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Immunogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil; Computation Department, Federal University of Piaui, Teresina, Piaui, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Claudio D M
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Sousa
mesh_terms: D006650:Histocompatibility Testing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D063731:Mobile Applications; D016377:Organ Transplantation; D011381:Programming Languages
keywords: Decision-making; Epitope reactivity analyses; HLA epitopes; Virtual crossmatch; Web-based software