Parallel-Machine Scheduling Problems with Past-Sequence-Dependent Delivery Times and Aging Maintenance

We consider parallel-machine scheduling problems with past-sequence-dependent (psd) delivery times and aging maintenance. The delivery time is proportional to the waiting time in the system. Each machine has an aging maintenance activity. We develop polynomial algorithms to three versions of the problem to minimize the total absolute deviation of job completion times, the total load, and the total completion time

Acute and subacute toxicity study of Aucklandia lappa Decne seed oil

Purpose: To investigate the acute and subacute toxicity of Aucklandia lappa Decne. seed oil (ALDO) in mice and rats.Methods: A single dose of 10 g ALDO/kg was administered to Kunming mice in an acute oral toxicity experiment. Their weight and feed consumption were recorded for 14 days to observe whether they had symptoms of poisoning and mortality. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were administered 0.89, 1.77 and 3.54 g/kg for 28 days, and symptoms of poisoning and mortality were monitored daily. Body weight, feedconsumption, hematology, serum biochemical parameters, relative organ weight, and histopathology of the experimental and control groups were compared.Results: The acute oral toxicity study revealed that there was no significant difference in the macroscopic results, including mortality, feed consumption and weight growth between the group dosed with 10 g ALDO/kg (p > 0.05) and the control group. In the subacute toxicity test, SD rats had a higher weight growth rate and feed utilization after doses of 0.89 g ALDO/kg (p < 0.01). However, compared with the control group (p > 0.05), there was also no significant difference in biochemical and hematological parameters, relative organ weight, or in macroscopic and histological features of both animal types. The electrolyte concentrations of Na and Cl increased at the doses of 1.77 and 3.54 g/kg (p < 0.01).Conclusion: These results suggest that ALDO is relatively safe when administered orally to rats and provide a theoretical basis for the development of new food resources

Impact of Packaging Materials on the Quality and Predicted Shelf Life of Walnut Oil

In order to investigate the effects of different packaging materials on the quality changes of walnut oil, walnut oil was packaged in open glass beakers, tinplate cans, and glass oil bottles, respectively. The Schaal oven method was used to accelerate the oxidation of oil. The peroxide value, acid value, fatty acid composition and relaxation characteristics were used as evaluation indicators to study the effects of different packaging materials on the oxidative stability and predicted shelf life of walnut oil. When the peroxide value was limited to ≤0.25 g/100 g according to national standards for vegetable oils, the predicted shelf life of walnut oil packed in beakers, tinplate cans, glass oil bottles with added TBHQ, and the blank control were 160, 112, 336 and 64 days, respectively. Throughout the predicted shelf life, the acid values of the walnut oil remained within the range required for grade 2 walnut oil. The order of strength of the oxidation stability of walnut oil with TBHQ added by three packaging materials was glass oil bottle>beaker>tinplate can, and it is recommended to store walnut oil in glass oil bottles for long-term storage

Artesunate potentiates antibiotics by inactivating heme-harbouring bacterial nitric oxide synthase and catalase

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A current challenge of coping with bacterial infection is that bacterial pathogens are becoming less susceptible to or more tolerant of commonly used antibiotics. It is urgent to work out a practical solution to combat the multidrug resistant bacterial pathogens.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Oxidative stress-acclimatized bacteria thrive in rifampicin by generating antibiotic-detoxifying nitric oxide (NO), which can be repressed by artesunate or an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Suppressed bacterial proliferation correlates with mitigated NO production upon the combined treatment of bacteria by artesunate with antibiotics. Detection of the heme-artesunate conjugate and accordingly declined activities of heme-harbouring bacterial NOS and catalase indicates that artesunate renders bacteria susceptible to antibiotics by alkylating the prosthetic heme group of hemo-enzymes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>By compromising NO-mediated protection from antibiotics and triggering harmful hydrogen peroxide burst, artesunate may serve as a promising antibiotic synergist for killing the multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria.</p

The efficacy and safety of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor combined with Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe intraocular injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) demonstrates significant efficacy in inhibiting the formation of ocular neovascularization in neovascular glaucoma (NVG). Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation (AGVI) is extensively employed for the management of diverse glaucoma types.ObjectiveTo further evaluate the efficacy and safety of anti-VEGF combined with AGVI in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma.MethodsA thorough search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted across eight databases: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, SinoMed, and VIP. The search period was set from the inception of each database until March 2, 2024, to identify RCTs investigating the effectiveness and safety of combining AGVI with anti-VEGF therapy for NVG. We used the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool to evaluate the quality of the literature and performed statistical analysis using Stata 15.0 software.ResultsFourteen RCTs were included in this study. Compared with AGVI alone, the combination of anti-VEGF drugs and AGVI can reduce postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) at 1 week [WMD = −4.03, 95% CI (−5.73, −2.34), p &lt; 0.001], 1 month [WMD = −5.39, 95% CI (−7.05, −3.74), p &lt; 0.001], 3 months [WMD = −6.59, 95% CI (−7.85, −5.32), p &lt; 0.001], 6 months [WMD = −4.99, 95% CI (−9.56, −0.43), p = 0.032], and more than 12 months [WMD = −3.86, 95% CI (−6.82, −0.90), p = 0.011], with a higher Effective rate [RR = 1.27, 95% CI (1.18, 1.37), p &lt; 0.001], decreased incidence of postoperative hyphema [RR = 0.24, 95% CI (0.15, 0.39), p &lt; 0.001], reduced use of postoperative antiglaucoma medications [WMD = −0.48, 95% CI (−0.61, −0.35), p &lt; 0.001], and decreased aqueous humor VEGF levels [SMD = −2.84, 95% CI (−4.37, −1.31), p &lt; 0.001].ConclusionIn comparison to AGVI alone, the combination of AGVI with anti-VEGF therapy has better effects in reducing IOP at various time intervals, diminishing postoperative antiglaucoma medication requirements and reducing aqueous humor VEGF levels. Furthermore, it effectively minimizes the incidence of postoperative hyphema. Nevertheless, due to the variability in the quality of the trials included, further high-quality experiments will be required in the future to substantiate this conclusion.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO, identifier CRD42024519862, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42024519862

Genome-Wide and Differential Proteomic Analysis of Hepatitis B Virus and Aflatoxin B1 Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Guangxi, China

Both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure can cause liver damage as well as increase the probability of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To investigate the underlying genetic changes that may influence development of HCC associated with HBV infection and AFB1 exposure, HCC patients were subdivided into 4 groups depending upon HBV and AFB1 exposure status: (HBV(+)/AFB1(+), HBV(+)/AFB1(-), HBV(-)/AFB1(+), HBV(-)/AFB1(-)). Genetic abnormalities and protein expression profiles were analyzed by array-based comparative genomic hybridization and isobaric tagging for quantitation. A total of 573 chromosomal aberrations (CNAs) including 184 increased and 389 decreased were detected in our study population. Twenty-five recurrently altered regions (RARs; chromosomal alterations observed in ≥10 patients) in chromosomes were identified. Loss of 4q13.3-q35.2, 13q12.1-q21.2 and gain of 7q11.2-q35 were observed with a higher frequency in the HBV(+)/AFB1(+), HBV(+)/AFB1(-) and HBV(-)/AFB1(+) groups compared to the HBV(-)/AFB(-) group. Loss of 8p12-p23.2 was associated with high TNM stage tumors (P = 0.038) and was an unfavorable prognostic factor for tumor-free survival (P=0.045). A total of 133 differentially expressed proteins were identified in iTRAQ proteomics analysis, 69 (51.8%) of which mapped within identified RARs. The most common biological processes affected by HBV and AFB1 status in HCC tumorigenesis were detoxification and drug metabolism pathways, antigen processing and anti-apoptosis pathways. Expression of AKR1B10 was increased significantly in the HBV(+)/AFB1(+) and HBV(-)/AFB1(+) groups. A significant correlation between the expression of AKR1B10 mRNA and protein levels as well as AKR1B10 copy number was observed, which suggest that AKR1B10 may play a role in AFB1-related hepatocarcinogenesis. In summary, a number of genetic and gene expression alterations were found to be associated with HBV and AFB1- related HCC. The possible synergistic effects of HBV and AFB1 in hepatocarcinogenesis warrant further investigations