Distributionally Robust Optimization: A Review

The concepts of risk-aversion, chance-constrained optimization, and robust optimization have developed significantly over the last decade. Statistical learning community has also witnessed a rapid theoretical and applied growth by relying on these concepts. A modeling framework, called distributionally robust optimization (DRO), has recently received significant attention in both the operations research and statistical learning communities. This paper surveys main concepts and contributions to DRO, and its relationships with robust optimization, risk-aversion, chance-constrained optimization, and function regularization

Mixed-model Sequencing with Stochastic Failures: A Case Study for Automobile Industry

In the automotive industry, the sequence of vehicles to be produced is determined ahead of the production day. However, there are some vehicles, failed vehicles, that cannot be produced due to some reasons such as material shortage or paint failure. These vehicles are pulled out of the sequence, and the vehicles in the succeeding positions are moved forward, potentially resulting in challenges for logistics or other scheduling concerns. This paper proposes a two-stage stochastic program for the mixed-model sequencing (MMS) problem with stochastic product failures, and provides improvements to the second-stage problem. To tackle the exponential number of scenarios, we employ the sample average approximation approach and two solution methodologies. On one hand, we develop an L-shaped decomposition-based algorithm, where the computational experiments show its superiority over solving the deterministic equivalent formulation with an off-the-shelf solver. Moreover, we provide a tabu search algorithm in addition to a greedy heuristic to tackle case study instances inspired by our car manufacturer partner. Numerical experiments show that the proposed solution methodologies generate high quality solutions by utilizing a sample of scenarios. Particularly, a robust sequence that is generated by considering car failures can decrease the expected work overload by more than 20\% for both small- and large-sized instances.Comment: 30 pages, 9 figure

Determination of CagA EPIYA motif in Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from patients with digestive disorder

This study was conducted to identify patterns of cagA EPIYA motifs in H. pylori strains isolated from patients with gastrointestinal diseases in Hospitals of Shahrekord, and investigate the association between these biomarkers and clinical outcomes of gastrointestinal diseases due to H. pylori. In this study, 253 patients with gastrointestinal diseases were studied within 1395-1396. Histopathological investigations and urease test showed that 207 isolates were H. pylori-positive. Then, screening using a molecular technique, PCR, confirmed that 159 isolates had cagA. Finally, the pattern and prevalence of the motifs were determined by PCR and identified a number of motifs were sequenced. Results of this study showed that the pattern of motifs was as follows: ABC (140 isolates) (93/7%), ABCC (6 isolates) (3/77%), ABCCC (4 isolates) (2/5%), AB (7 isolates) (4/4%), AC (1 isolate) (0/6%), and BC (1 isolate) (0/6%). Sequencing results showed the presence of changed EPIYA motif in some isolates. CM motif sequence was also seen in all isolates. In this study, no significant association was seen between the prevalence rate of different patterns and clinical symptoms (p = 0.71). There is a slight association between the presence of ABC motifs and the type of digestive disorder (p = 0.056). Results indicated that ABC was the most frequently seen pattern however, in such that positive cases of ABC motifs were more common in gastritis. All isolates had kinase phosphorylation region, and the observed pattern in this region was a generally western type (ABC). Keywords:Microbiology; Immunology; Genetics; Molecular biology; Cancer research; Diet; Public health; Gastrointestinal system; Infectious disease; Helicobacter pylori; CagA motif; EPIYA; Gastric cance

Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering

This publication is the Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering from July 6-8, 2022. The EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering brings together international experts working on the interface between advanced computing and modern engineering challenges. Many engineering tasks require open-world resolution of challenges such as supporting multi-actor collaboration, coping with approximate models, providing effective engineer-computer interaction, search in multi-dimensional solution spaces, accommodating uncertainty, including specialist domain knowledge, performing sensor-data interpretation and dealing with incomplete knowledge. While results from computer science provide much initial support for resolution, adaptation is unavoidable and most importantly, feedback from addressing engineering challenges drives fundamental computer-science research. Competence and knowledge transfer goes both ways. &nbsp

Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering

This publication is the Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering from July 6-8, 2022. The EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering brings together international experts working on the interface between advanced computing and modern engineering challenges. Many engineering tasks require open-world resolution of challenges such as supporting multi-actor collaboration, coping with approximate models, providing effective engineer-computer interaction, search in multi-dimensional solution spaces, accommodating uncertainty, including specialist domain knowledge, performing sensor-data interpretation and dealing with incomplete knowledge. While results from computer science provide much initial support for resolution, adaptation is unavoidable and most importantly, feedback from addressing engineering challenges drives fundamental computer-science research. Competence and knowledge transfer goes both ways. &nbsp

Cell death pathways and viruses : role of microRNAs

Abstract: Viral infections lead to the death of more than a million people each year around the world, both directly and indirectly. Viruses interfere with many cell functions, particularly critical pathways for cell death, by affecting various intracellular mediators. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a major example of these mediators because they are involved in many (if not most) cellular mechanisms. Virus-regulated miRNAs have been implicated in three cell death pathways, namely, apoptosis, autophagy, and anoikis. Several molecules (e.g., BECN1 and B cell lymphoma 2 [BCL2] family members) are involved in both apoptosis and autophagy, while activation of anoikis leads to cell death similar to apoptosis. These mechanistic similarities suggest that common regulators, including some miRNAs (e.g., miR- 21 and miR-192), are involved in different cell death pathways. Because the balance between cell proliferation and cell death is pivotal to the homeostasis of the human body, miRNAs that regulate cell death pathways have drawn much attention from researchers. miR-21 is regulated by several viruses and can affect both apoptosis and anoikis via modulating various targets, such as PDCD4, PTEN, interleukin (IL)-12, Maspin, and Fas-L. miR-34 can be downregulated by viral infection and has different effects on apoptosis, depending on the type of virus and/or host cell. The present review summarizes the existing knowledge on virus-regulated miRNAs involved in the modulation of cell death pathways. Understanding the mechanisms for virus-mediated regulation of cell death pathways could provide valuable information to improve the diagnosis and treatment of many viral diseases

The prevalence of polymorphisms of thiopurine smethyltransferase gene In Iranian alopecia areata patients

Azathioprine therapy was recently used to treat dermatologic conditions such as alopecia areata (AA). Previous reports showed that thiopurine s-methyltransferase (TPMT) activities in human red blood cell are associated with a polymorphism in this gene. Therefore, patients carrying mutant allele of TPMT may show severe myelosuppression when they are treated with standard doses of Azathioprine drugs. This study aimed to evaluate the TPMT gene amongst alopecia areata patients and healthy adult in Iranian populations. TPMT gene polymorphisms were investigated in 1285 Iranian healthy adult blood donors and 632 patients with Alopecia Areata Universalis (AU). Tetra Arms PCR, Real-Time PCR and Sequencing were used to evaluate the presence of allele-specific polymorphisms of TPMT gene (TPMT *2(c.238 GC,), TPMT *3A (c.460 GA and c.719 AG), TPMT *3B (c.460 GA), and TPMT *3C (c.719 AG). Results were shown that the TPMT*2 allele is associated with a low enzymatic activity that was detected in 22.51% (863 in 1917) of Iranian individuals. Heterozygous genotypes were in 827 (43.14%) subjects (232 AA and 595 healthy), and homozygous genotypes were in 18 (0.94%) individuals (3 AA and 15 healthy). The normal allele (wild-type) was found in 55.92% of the studied individuals (20.70% AA and 35.21% healthy). According to a higher frequency of TPMT polymorphism in Iranian population in comparison with other population, determination of TPMT genotype in may have the clinical benefit to thiopurine dosage selection and treat patients as well