MINLP basado en el Proceso Analítico Jerárquico para simplificar problemas de optimización multiobjetivo

Los problemas multiobjetivo (MO) conducen a un conjunto de soluciones eficientes (Pareto) a partir de las cuales se debe identificar aquella que mejor se adapte a las necesidades/preferencias del analista. El conjunto de Pareto de un dado problema contiene virtualmente infinitas soluciones, por lo que generar un subconjunto representativo de éstas podría requerir un gran esfuerzo computacional. En este trabajo se presenta un método basado en el Proceso Analítico Jerárquico (AHP) para abordar un problema MO mediante la introducción de factores de ponderación adecuados. Estos factores son generados mediante una formulación no lineal mixta entera (MINLP). Así, el problema multidimensional se transforma en uno de función-objetivo única, cuya resolución refleja las preferencias de los “expertos” con el máximo grado de consistencia posible, sin tener que explorar el conjunto completo de Pareto. Las capacidades de este enfoque se ilustran mediante el diseño de una cadena de suministros de bioetanol con criterios económicos y ambientales.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

MINLP basado en el Proceso Analítico Jerárquico para simplificar problemas de optimización multiobjetivo

Los problemas multiobjetivo (MO) conducen a un conjunto de soluciones eficientes (Pareto) a partir de las cuales se debe identificar aquella que mejor se adapte a las necesidades/preferencias del analista. El conjunto de Pareto de un dado problema contiene virtualmente infinitas soluciones, por lo que generar un subconjunto representativo de éstas podría requerir un gran esfuerzo computacional. En este trabajo se presenta un método basado en el Proceso Analítico Jerárquico (AHP) para abordar un problema MO mediante la introducción de factores de ponderación adecuados. Estos factores son generados mediante una formulación no lineal mixta entera (MINLP). Así, el problema multidimensional se transforma en uno de función-objetivo única, cuya resolución refleja las preferencias de los “expertos” con el máximo grado de consistencia posible, sin tener que explorar el conjunto completo de Pareto. Las capacidades de este enfoque se ilustran mediante el diseño de una cadena de suministros de bioetanol con criterios económicos y ambientales.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Use of sonic tomography to detect and quantify wood decay in living trees.

Premise of the studyField methodology and image analysis protocols using acoustic tomography were developed and evaluated as a tool to estimate the amount of internal decay and damage of living trees, with special attention to tropical rainforest trees with irregular trunk shapes.Methods and resultsLiving trunks of a diversity of tree species in tropical rainforests in the Republic of Panama were scanned using an Argus Electronic PiCUS 3 Sonic Tomograph and evaluated for the amount and patterns of internal decay. A protocol using ImageJ analysis software was used to quantify the proportions of intact and compromised wood. The protocols provide replicable estimates of internal decay and cavities for trees of varying shapes, wood density, and bark thickness.ConclusionsSonic tomography, coupled with image analysis, provides an efficient, noninvasive approach to evaluate decay patterns and structural integrity of even irregularly shaped living trees

Suborbital Flight: An Affordable and Feasible Option for Mexican Aerospace Development

Suborbital flights are a low-cost option for universities. To perform suborbital missions, it is necessary to design, plan, test, verify, and validate each and every one of the subsystems that integrate the payload without leaving the Earth. In Mexico, some experiments have been carried out since the 1990s to test communication systems in case of disaster and emergency. The Mexican Service Gondola (CSM) from 2015 to date has made suborbital flights in conjunction with the National Polytechnic Institute and the group of Protective Coatings Resistant to Thermal Changes and Cosmic Radiation (CRTCR) to test communication systems and glass-ceramic coatings. Suborbital flights are a great opportunity to explore the national territory and test new communication systems, structures, and materials

Treatment effect of switching from intravenous to subcutaneous C1-inhibitor for prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks: COMPACT subgroup findings

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A comprehensive promoter landscape identifies a novel promoter for CD133 in restricted tissues, cancers, and stem cells

PROM1 is the gene encoding prominin-1 or CD133, an important cell surface marker for the isolation of both normal and cancer stem cells. PROM1 transcripts initiate at a range of transcription start sites (TSS) associated with distinct tissue and cancer expression profiles. Using high resolution Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) sequencing we characterize TSS utilization across a broad range of normal and developmental tissues. We identify a novel proximal promoter (P6) within CD133+ melanoma cell lines and stem cells. Additional exon array sampling finds P6 to be active in populations enriched for mesenchyme, neural stem cells and within CD133+ enriched Ewing sarcomas. The P6 promoter is enriched with respect to previously characterized PROM1 promoters for a HMGI/Y (HMGA1) family transcription factor binding site motif and exhibits different epigenetic modifications relative to the canonical promoter region of PROM1

Human iPSC-hepatocyte modeling of alpha-1 antitrypsin heterozygosity reveals metabolic dysregulation and cellular heterogeneity

Individuals homozygous for the “Z” mutation in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency are known to be at increased risk for liver disease. It has also become clear that some degree of risk is similarly conferred by the heterozygous state. A lack of model systems that recapitulate heterozygosity in human hepatocytes has limited the ability to study the impact of a single Z alpha-1 antitrypsin (ZAAT) allele on hepatocyte biology. Here, we describe the derivation of syngeneic induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) engineered to determine the effects of ZAAT heterozygosity in iPSC-hepatocytes (iHeps). We find that heterozygous MZ iHeps exhibit an intermediate disease phenotype and share with ZZ iHeps alterations in AAT protein processing and downstream perturbations including altered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondrial morphology, reduced mitochondrial respiration, and branch-specific activation of the unfolded protein response in cell subpopulations. Our model of MZ heterozygosity thus provides evidence that a single Z allele is sufficient to disrupt hepatocyte homeostatic function.This work was supported by an Alpha-1 Foundation John W. Walsh Translational Research Award (to J.E.K.); a CJ Martin Early Career Fellowship from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (to R.B.W.); NIH grant R01HL095993 (to D.N.K.); and NIH grants R01DK101501 (to A.A.W.) and R01DK117940 (to A.N.H. and A.A.W.). iPSC distribution and disease modeling is supported by NIH grants U01TR001810 (to D.N.K. and A.A.W.) and N0175N92020C00005 (to D.N.K.); and by The Alpha-1 Project (TAP), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Alpha-1 Foundation (to D.N.K. and A.A.W.)

Determinants of host susceptibility to murine respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease identify a role for the innate immunity scavenger receptor MARCO gene in human infants

AbstractBackgroundRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the global leading cause of lower respiratory tract infection in infants. Nearly 30% of all infected infants develop severe disease including bronchiolitis, but susceptibility mechanisms remain unclear.MethodsWe infected a panel of 30 inbred strains of mice with RSV and measured changes in lung disease parameters 1 and 5days post-infection and they were used in genome-wide association (GWA) studies to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and susceptibility gene candidates.FindingsGWA identified QTLs for RSV disease phenotypes, and the innate immunity scavenger receptor Marco was a candidate susceptibility gene; targeted deletion of Marco worsened murine RSV disease. We characterized a human MARCO promoter SNP that caused loss of gene expression, increased in vitro cellular response to RSV infection, and associated with increased risk of disease severity in two independent populations of children infected with RSV.InterpretationTranslational integration of a genetic animal model and in vitro human studies identified a role for MARCO in human RSV disease severity. Because no RSV vaccines are approved for clinical use, genetic studies have implications for diagnosing individuals who are at risk for severe RSV disease, and disease prevention strategies (e.g. RSV antibodies)

Consensus on treatment goals in hereditary angioedema : a global Delphi initiative

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, life-threatening genetic disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of subcutaneous or submucosal angioedema. The ultimate goals of treatment for HAE remain ill-defined. Objectives: The aim of this Delphi process was to define the goals of HAE treatment and to examine which factors should be considered when assessing disease control and normalization of the patient's life. Methods: The Delphi panel comprised 23 participants who were selected based on involvement with scientific research on HAE or coauthorship of the most recent update and revision of the World Allergy Organization/European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology guideline on HAE. The process comprised 3 rounds of voting. The final round aimed to aggregate the opinions of the expert panel and to achieve consensus. Results: Two direct consensus questions were posed in round 2, based on the responses received in round 1, and the panel agreed that the goals of treatment are to achieve total control of the disease and to normalize the patient's life. For the third round of voting, 21 statements were considered, with the participants reaching consensus on 18. It is clear from the wide-ranging consensus statements that the burdens of disease and treatment should be considered when assessing disease control and normalization of patients’ lives. Conclusions: The ultimate goal for HAE treatment is to achieve no angioedema attacks. The availability of improved treatments and disease management over the last decade now makes complete control of HAE a realistic possibility for most patients