A Global Method for a Two-Dimensional Cutting Stock Problem in the Manufacturing Industry

A two-dimensional cutting stock problem (2DCSP) needs to cut a set of given rectangular items from standard-sized rectangular materials with the objective of minimizing the number of materials used. This problem frequently arises in different manufacturing industries such as glass, wood, paper, plastic, etc. However, the current literatures lack a deterministic method for solving the 2DCSP. However, this study proposes a global method to solve the 2DCSP. It aims to reduce the number of binary variables for the proposed model to speed up the solving time and obtain the optimal solution. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to current reference methods for solving the 2DCSP

Lipopolysaccharide-stimulated Leukocytes Contribute to Platelet Aggregative Dysfunction, Which is Attenuated by Catalase in Rats

Endotoxemia causes several hematological dysfunctions, including platelet degranulation or disseminated intravascular coagulation, which lead to thrombotic and hemorrhagic events. Here, we tested the hypothesis that bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated leukocytes contribute to platelet aggregative dysfunction, and this function is attenuated by antioxidants. Plateletrich plasma (PRP) was prepared from whole blood of normal and endotoxemic rats. The ability of platelet aggregation was measured by an aggregometer. LPS (50–100 μg/mL) was incubated with PRP, whole blood and PRP with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) for 30 minutes, 60 minutes and 90 minutes, and platelet aggregation was detected. LPS-induced platelet aggregative dysfunction was undetectable in intact PRP which was isolated from normal whole blood, whereas it was detected in PRP isolated from endotoxemic rats and LPS-treated whole blood. Moreover, the effect of LPS-induced platelet aggregative dysfunction on intact PRP was observed when the PMNs were added. LPS-induced platelet aggregative dysfunction was significantly attenuated by catalase alone and in combination with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, but not by NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester alone. These results indicate that LPS-stimulated PMNs modulate platelet aggregation during LPS treatment and the effects are reversed by antioxidants. PMNs serve as an approach to understand LPS-induced platelet aggregative dysfunction during endotoxemia. During this process, the generation of reactive oxygen species, hydrogen peroxide especially, from LPS-stimulated PMNs could be an important potential factor in LPS-induced platelet aggregative dysfunction. Catalase contributes to the prevention of platelet dysfunction during LPS-induced sepsis

Invasive fungal sinusitis in patients with hematological malignancy: 15 years experience in a single university hospital in Taiwan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Risk factors and outcomes in hematological patients who acquire invasive fungal sinusitis (IFS) are infrequently reported in the modern medical era.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>A retrospective study of hospitalized patients with hematological disease was conducted at National Taiwan University Hospital between January 1995 and December 2009.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Clinical characteristics and outcomes with their associated radiographic and microbiological findings were analyzed. Forty-six patients with IFS and 64 patients with chronic non-invasive sinusitis were enrolled as comparsion. IFS developed more commonly in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and with prolonged neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count less than 500/mm³for more than 10 days) (<it>p </it>< 0.001). <it>Aspergillus flavus </it>was the most common pathogen isolated (44%). Serum <it>Aspergillus </it>galactomannan antigen was elevated in seven of eleven patients (64%) with IFS caused by aspergillosis but negative for all three patients with mucormycosis. Bony erosion and extra-sinus infiltration was found in 15 of 46 (33%) patients on imaging. Overall, 19 of 46 patients (41.3%) died within 6 weeks. Patients with disease subtype of AML (p = 0.044; Odds Ratio [OR], 5.84; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.02-30.56) and refractory leukemia status (p = 0.05; OR, 4.27; 95% CI, 1.003-18.15) had worse prognosis. Multivariate analysis identified surgical debridement as an independent good prognostic factor (p = 0.047) in patients with IFS.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Patients of AML with prolonged neutropenia (> 10 days) had significantly higher risk of IFS. Early introduction of anti-fungal agent and aggressive surgical debridement potentially decrease morbidity and mortality in high risk patients with IFS.</p

HPV infection and p53 inactivation in pterygium

PurposeOur recent report indicated that tumor suppressor gene (p53) mutations and protein aberrant expression were detected in pterygium. Inactivation of p53 by Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 E6 plays a crucial role in cervical tumorigenesis. In this study, we further speculate that p53 inactivation may be linked with HPV infection in pterygium pathogenesis. To investigate the involvement of HPV 16/18 E6 in p53 inactivation in pterygium, the association between HPV 16 or HPV 18 infection, the HPV E6 oncoprotein, and p53 protein expression was analyzed in this study.MethodsHPV 16/18 infection was detected by nested-polymerase chain reaction (nested-PCR), the p53 mutation was detected by direct sequencing, and the p53 and the HPV 16/18 E6 proteins were studied using immunohistochemistry on 129 pterygial specimens and 20 normal conjunctivas.ResultsThe HPV 16/18 was detected in 24% of the pterygium tissues (31 of 129) but not in the normal conjunctiva, and the HPV16/18 E6 oncoprotein was detected in 48.3% of HPV 16/18 DNA-positive pterygium tissues (15 of 31). In addition, p53 protein negative expression in pterygium was correlated with HPV16/18 E6 oncoprotein expression but not with a p53 mutation.ConclusionsHPV 16/18 E6 contributes to HPV-mediated pterygium pathogenesis as it is partly involved in p53 inactivation and is expressed in HPV DNA-positive pterygium

Par-4 Links Dopamine Signaling and Depression

SummaryProstate apoptosis response 4 (Par-4) is a leucine zipper containing protein that plays a role in apoptosis. Although Par-4 is expressed in neurons, its physiological role in the nervous system is unknown. Here we identify Par-4 as a regulatory component in dopamine signaling. Par-4 directly interacts with the dopamine D2 receptor (D2DR) via the calmodulin binding motif in the third cytoplasmic loop. Calmodulin can effectively compete with Par-4 binding in a Ca2+-dependent manner, providing a route for Ca2+-mediated downregulation of D2DR efficacy. To examine the importance of the Par-4/D2DR interaction in dopamine signaling in vivo, we used a mutant mouse lacking the D2DR interaction domain of Par-4, Par-4ΔLZ. Primary neurons from Par-4ΔLZ embryos exhibit an enhanced dopamine-cAMP-CREB signaling pathway, indicating an impairment in dopamine signaling in these cells. Remarkably, Par-4ΔLZ mice display significantly increased depression-like behaviors. Collectively, these results provide evidence that Par-4 constitutes a molecular link between impaired dopamine signaling and depression

APP processing is regulated by cytoplasmic phosphorylation

Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) aggregate in senile plaque is a key characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we show that phosphorylation of amyloid precursor protein (APP) on threonine 668 (P-APP) may play a role in APP metabolism. In AD brains, P-APP accumulates in large vesicular structures in afflicted hippocampal pyramidal neurons that costain with antibodies against endosome markers and the β-secretase, BACE1. Western blot analysis reveals increased levels of T668-phosphorylated APP COOH-terminal fragments in hippocampal lysates from many AD but not control subjects. Importantly, P-APP cofractionates with endosome markers and BACE1 in an iodixanol gradient and displays extensive colocalization with BACE1 in rat primary cortical neurons. Furthermore, APP COOH-terminal fragments generated by BACE1 are preferentially phosphorylated on T668 verses those produced by α-secretase. The production of Aβ is significantly reduced when phosphorylation of T668 is either abolished by mutation or inhibited by T668 kinase inhibitors. Together, these results suggest that T668 phosphorylation may facilitate the BACE1 cleavage of APP to increase Aβ generation

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis disease in adult patients with hematological malignancies

BACKGROUND: Diseases caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) among adult patients with hematological malignancies have rarely been investigated. METHODS: Adult patients with hematological malignancies at National Taiwan University Hospital between 1996 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with positive serology for HIV were excluded. TB disease is diagnosed by positive culture(s) in the presence of compatible symptoms and signs. The demographics, laboratory and, microbiological features, were analyzed in the context of clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Fifty-three of 2984 patients (1.78%) were diagnosed with TB disease. The estimated incidence was 120 per 100,000 adult patients with hematological malignancies. Patients with acute myeloid leukemia had a significantly higher incidence of TB disease than other subtypes of hematological malignancies (2.87% vs. 1.21%, p = 0.002, odds ratio, 2.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.39-4.41). Thirty-eight patients (72%) with non-disseminated pulmonary TB disease presented typically with mediastinal lymphadenopathy (53%), pleural effusion (47%) and fibrocalcific lesions (43%) on chest imaging. The 15 (28%) patients with extra-pulmonary disease had lower rates of defervescence within 72 h of empirical antimicrobial therapy (13% vs 45%, p = 0.03) and a higher 30-day in-hospital mortality (20% vs. 0%, p = 0.004) compared to those with disease confined to the lungs. CONCLUSIONS: TB disease is not uncommon among patients with hematological malignancies in Taiwan. Patients who received a diagnosis of extra-pulmonary TB suffered higher mortality than those with pulmonary TB alone. Clinicians should consider TB in the differential diagnoses of prolonged fever in patients with hematological malignancies, particularly in regions of high endemicity

Associations of obesity and malnutrition with cardiac remodeling and cardiovascular outcomes in Asian adults:A cohort study

BackgroundObesity, a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and heart failure (HF), is associated with adverse cardiac remodeling in the general population. Little is known about how nutritional status modifies the relationship between obesity and outcomes. We aimed to investigate the association of obesity and nutritional status with clinical characteristics, echocardiographic changes, and clinical outcomes in the general community.Methods and findingsWe examined 5,300 consecutive asymptomatic Asian participants who were prospectively recruited in a cardiovascular health screening program (mean age 49.6 ± 11.4 years, 64.8% male) between June 2009 to December 2012. Clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were described in participants, stratified by combined subgroups of obesity and nutritional status. Obesity was indexed by body mass index (BMI) (low, ≤25 kg/m2 [lean]; high, >25 kg/m2 [obese]) (WHO-recommended Asian cutoffs). Nutritional status was defined primarily by serum albumin (SA) concentration (low, ConclusionsIn our cohort study among asymptomatic community-based adults in Taiwan, we found that obese individuals with poor nutritional status have the highest comorbidity burden, the most adverse cardiac remodeling, and the least favorable composite outcome

A delta-doped quantum well system with additional modulation doping

A delta-doped quantum well with additional modulation doping may have potential applications. Utilizing such a hybrid system, it is possible to experimentally realize an extremely high two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) density without suffering inter-electronic-subband scattering. In this article, the authors report on transport measurements on a delta-doped quantum well system with extra modulation doping. We have observed a 0-10 direct insulator-quantum Hall (I-QH) transition where the numbers 0 and 10 correspond to the insulator and Landau level filling factor ν = 10 QH state, respectively. In situ titled-magnetic field measurements reveal that the observed direct I-QH transition depends on the magnetic component perpendicular to the quantum well, and the electron system within this structure is 2D in nature. Furthermore, transport measurements on the 2DEG of this study show that carrier density, resistance and mobility are approximately temperature (T)-independent over a wide range of T. Such results could be an advantage for applications in T-insensitive devices

AMiBA Wideband Analog Correlator

A wideband analog correlator has been constructed for the Yuan-Tseh Lee Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy. Lag correlators using analog multipliers provide large bandwidth and moderate frequency resolution. Broadband IF distribution, backend signal processing and control are described. Operating conditions for optimum sensitivity and linearity are discussed. From observations, a large effective bandwidth of around 10 GHz has been shown to provide sufficient sensitivity for detecting cosmic microwave background variations.Comment: 28 pages, 23 figures, ApJ in press