An Effective Branch and Bound Algorithm for Minimax Linear Fractional Programming

An effective branch and bound algorithm is proposed for globally solving minimax linear fractional programming problem (MLFP). In this algorithm, the lower bounds are computed during the branch and bound search by solving a sequence of linear relaxation programming problems (LRP) of the problem (MLFP), which can be derived by using a new linear relaxation bounding technique, and which can be effectively solved by the simplex method. The proposed branch and bound algorithm is convergent to the global optimal solution of the problem (MLFP) through the successive refinement of the feasible region and solutions of a series of the LRP. Numerical results for several test problems are reported to show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm

1-[4-(2-Chloro­eth­oxy)-2-hy­droxy­phen­yl]ethanone

In the title compound, C10H11ClO3, obtained by the reaction of 2,4-dihy­droxy­acetophenone, potassium carbonate and 1-bromo-2-chloro­ethane, an intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs

A Case Study on Idiopathic Orbital Pseudotumor: Surgery and Steroid Treatment

This is a case study of five isolated orbital nerve inflammatory pseudotumor cases presenting with protrusion and visual acuity of the right eye. Optic disk edema was observed by ophthalmoscopy. Plain and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to examine the orbital fat and enlargement of the right optic nerve sheath along with orbital magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic test. The visual acuity (VA) of all the admitted patients was 1.5/20. All the patients reported attacks of retrobulbar pain and severe headache at fairly regular intervals. The patients on clinical examination were found to have protrusion, reduced visual acuity of the right eye with an ipsilateral afferent pupillary defect. There was no motility of the right eye and the exophthalmos of the right part was 27 mm. On examination, patients were diagnosed to have idiopathic orbital inflammation and received steroid therapy for 6 months. Thereafter, patients received surgical treatment to remove the superior wall of the orbit followed by cortisone therapy for a further 6 months. The follow-up examination of the patients for one year revealed a gradual improvement in the vision of all the patients. The VA of the right eye for all the patients was 6/20, and the exophthalmos was now around 19 mm. Thus, a dramatic response to surgery and steroid treatment was observed in all the patients.Keywords: Orbital fat, Visual acuity, Optic disk edema, Optic nerve, Cortisone therap

The inevitable role of El Ni~no: a fresh insight into the oil market

This paper explores the time-varying interaction between El Ni~no phenomenon and the oil market by applying the wavelet analysis. Few studies have explored the time-varying interrelationship between El Ni~no phenomenon and oil price (also the prices of petroleum products) by considering the time and frequency domains, and this paper will fill the above gaps. The empirical results reveal that El Ni~no index (NINO) which reflects the strength of El Ni~no phenomenon has a negative influence on oil price (OP) in the long run, but this view does not hold in the short and medium terms. These results are not consistent with the intertemporal capital asset pricing model (ICAPM), which indicates that there is a positive influence from NINO to OP. In turn, OP positively affects NINO in the medium term. Through comparing the five petroleum products, we can conclude that heating oil price (HOP) is the most relevant to NINO, while gasoline price (GOP) and diesel fuel price (DOP) have relatively weak relationships with it. Understanding the interactions between El Ni~no phenomenon and the oil market can provide insights for the investors, oil enterprises and related authorities

PREPARATION OF MACROPOROUS TIO2 BY STARCH MICROSPHERES TEMPLATE WITH ASSISTANCE OF SUPERCRITICAL CO2

In this work a green route is reported to prepare a TiO2 macroporous network using corn starch microspheres flake as a bio-template. The starch microspheres prepared by emulsion technology were used as a template into which precursor tetrabutyl titanate (TBOT) was permeated using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as a forceful carrier or infiltration media, resulting in the formation of an organic/inorganic hybrid material; then the coated template was gelled and dried during the scCO2-coating and the depressurization processes, followed by removal of the template by calcination at 700°C; finally, TiO2 inverse-opals-like material reversely replicating the starch microspheres template was obtained. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen sorption measurements, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated that the products were the inverse replicas from their templates. The obtained TiO2 inverse opals-like material showed a wide dispersion of pore sizes from mesopores to macropores – a few nanometers to several micrometers –with the BET surface area up to 103 m2/g, and a predominantly anatase crystalline phase. In addition, the wall thickness of the macropores varied with tunable pressure for closed cells or open-cell foams. So this facile and environmentally friendly process for the preparation of high-surface area, thermally-stable, metal-oxide catalysts and supports by a starch microsphere templating approach may have widespread potential applications in catalysis, absorbents, photoelectric materials, and so on

Comprehensive Evaluation of Wild \u3cem\u3eElymus\u3c/em\u3e L. Germplasm in Inner Mongolia

Grassland degradation is increasing in severity and is an important global issue in the 21st century. Increasing research is being conducted on how to solve these problems (Niu and Jiang 2004). Restoration and revegetation of degraded grassland and the establishment of artificial pastures are important in addressing degradation. Successful restoration requires the identification of species and seed sources that are adapted to the ecological conditions of the restoration site. Elymus L. is a large genus that contains about 150 species distributed across a wide range of ecological sites across temperate and subtropical regions of the world (Dewey 1984; Love 1984). There are at least 12 species in China (Guo 1987). Elymus includes many economically important forage grasses as well as species that possess useful genes for disease resistance, stress tolerance and adaptation, which can potentially be transferred to cereal crops through gene introgression. Species within Elymus have the potential for playing an important role in artificial pasture construction, grassland and animal husbandry development and ecological restoration. However, research is lacking on Chinese Elymus species, which can provide critical information for selecting suitable Elymus varieties and extending their use in China

Effects of Fatty Acid Treatments on the Dexamethasone-Induced Intramuscular Lipid Accumulation in Chickens

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoid has an important effect on lipid metabolism in muscles, and the type of fatty acid likely affects mitochondrial utilization. Therefore, we hypothesize that the different fatty acid types treatment may affect the glucocorticoid induction of intramuscular lipid accumulation. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on fatty acid metabolism and storage in skeletal muscle of broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) was investigated with and without fatty acid treatments. Male Arbor Acres chickens (31 d old) were treated with either palmitic acid (PA) or oleic acid (OA) for 7 days, followed by DEX administration for 3 days (35-37 d old). The DEX-induced lipid uptake and oxidation imbalance, which was estimated by increased fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1) expression and decreased carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1 activity, contributed to skeletal muscle lipid accumulation. More sensitive than glycolytic muscle, the oxidative muscle in DEX-treated chickens showed a decrease in the AMP to ATP ratio, a decrease in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) alpha phosphorylation and its activity, as well as an increase in the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and ribosomal p70S6 kinase, without Akt activation. DEX-stimulated lipid deposition was augmented by PA, but alleviated by OA, in response to pathways that were regulated differently, including AMPK, mTOR and FATP1. CONCLUSIONS: DEX-induced intramuscular lipid accumulation was aggravated by SFA but alleviated by unsaturated fatty acid. The suppressed AMPK and augmented mTOR signaling pathways were involved in glucocortcoid-mediated enhanced intramuscular fat accumulation

Knowledge of and attitudes towards erosive tooth wear among students of two Chinese universities

Background: To assess the knowledge of and attitudes towards erosive tooth wear among dental, medical, and non-medical university students of two Chinese universities. Methods: A questionnaire containing 15 questions on knowledge of erosive tooth wear and 10 questions on attitudes towards erosive tooth wear was designed, and its psychometric properties (reliability and validity) were analysed in a pilot study (n = 120 students). The following 3 groups of university students (n = 635) were recruited based on a convenience sampling technique and were distributed the questionnaire via an online survey system: Dental students (DSs), medical students (MSs), and non-medical students (NSs). Differences in the scores between groups and genders were analysed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between the knowledge and attitude scores (P < 0.05). Results: The questionnaire was found to be reliable, valid and reproducible. A total of 435 students participated in this study (response rate: 69.6%). The knowledge score of the DSs (11.5 ± 3.4) was significantly higher than those of the NSs (5.5 ± 4.0) and MSs (6.1 ± 4.0) (P < 0.001). The attitude score of the DSs (45.2 ± 6.5) was significantly higher than those of the NSs (41.1 ± 6.9) and MSs (41.8 ± 6.4) (P < 0.001). The majority of DSs expressed attitudes that were more accurate and positive than those expressed by the other 2 groups. The attitude score was positively correlated with the knowledge score (r = 0.237, P < 0.001). Conclusions: Dental students had more accurate knowledge of and more positive attitudes towards erosive tooth wear than medical and non-medical students. In this population, a positive correlation was established between knowledge of and attitudes towards erosive tooth wear