Neural network models for solving the maximum flow problem

In this paper, two new neural network models for solving the maximum flow problem are presented. The maximum flow problem in networks is formulated as a special type of linear programming problem and it is solved by appropriately defined neural networks. The nonlinear neural networks are able to generate optimal solution for maximum flow problem. We solve neural network models by one of the numerical method. Finally, some numerical examples are provided for the sake of illustration

The effect of 12 weeks Anethum graveolens (dill) on metabolic markers in patients with metabolic syndrome; A randomized double blind controlled trial

Background: The clustering of metabolic abnormalities defined as metabolic syndrome is now both a public health and a clinical problem .While interest in herbal medicine has greatly increased, lack of human evidence to support efficacies shown in animals does exist. This clinical trial study designed to investigate whether herbal medicine, Anethum graveolens (dill) extract, could improve metabolic components in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial using a parallel design was conducted. 24 subjects who had metabolic syndrome diagnostic criteria (update of ATP III) were randomly assigned to either dill extract (n = 12) or placebo (n = 12) for 3 months. Results: Across lipid component of metabolic syndrome, no significant differences in triglyceride (TG) concentration and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were seen between the two groups. However TG improved significantly from baseline (257.0 vs. 201.5p = 0.01) with dill treatment but such a significant effect was not observed in placebo group. Moreover, no significant differences in waist circumference, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar were seen between two groups after 3 months follow up period. Conclusion: In this small clinical trial in patients with metabolic syndrome, 12 weeks of dill extract treatment had a beneficial effect in terms of reducing TG from baseline. However dill treatment was not associated with a significant improvement in metabolic syndrome related markers compared to control group. Larger studies might be required to prove the efficacy and safety of long-Term administration of dill to resolve metabolic syndrome components. © 2012 Mansouri et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Using case formulation for prediction of the therapeutic alliance in treatment for borderline personality disorder.

Case formulation is a central tool for psychotherapists, which helps them tailor psychotherapy to the individual patient, particularly for treatments for complex and multilayered clinical problems, such as personality disorders (Kramer, 2019). Case formulation methodologies are still underutilized in psychotherapy research in the prediction of therapy processes. The present study included N = 60 patients with borderline personality disorder undergoing a brief treatment using an individualized treatment component (n = 31), as compared with a standard brief treatment (n = 29; Kramer et al., 2014). For each patient (in both groups as post hoc analysis based on videos), we performed a Plan analysis case formulation (Caspar, 2019): the idiographic information from the formulation was translated into quantitative scores (on a Likert-type scale) assessing patient's interactional agreeableness (vs. antagonism; Zufferey et al., 2019). We modeled the session-by-session predictions of the progression of the therapeutic alliance-rated by the patient and the therapist-over the course of treatment, as a function of interactional agreeableness, the individualization of treatment, as well as their interaction with the session number. Patients with high levels of agreeableness have a significant increase in their alliance assessment over time. Treatment based on the case formulation predicted session-by-session increase of the therapeutic alliance as rated by the therapists. This study was the first to explore intra- and interindividual dynamics of the therapeutic alliance in relationship with idiographic information extracted from case formulations. The results may help understand relationship struggles at the beginning of therapy for complex clinical problems, such as borderline personality disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Novel 5-oxo-hexahydroquinoline derivatives: design, synthesis, in vitro P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug resistance reversal profile and molecular dynamics simulation study

Overexpression of the efflux pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is one of the important mechanisms of multidrug resistance (MDR) in many tumor cells. In this study, 26 novel 5-oxo-hexahydroquinoline derivatives containing different nitrophenyl moieties at C-4 and various carboxamide substituents at C-3 were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their ability to inhibit P-gp by measuring the amount of rhodamine 123 (Rh123) accumulation in uterine sarcoma cells that overexpress P-gp (MES-SA/Dx5) using flow cytometry. The effect of compounds with highest MDR reversal activities was further evaluated by measuring the alterations of MES-SA/Dx5 cells' sensitivity to doxorubicin (DXR) using MTT assay. The results of both biological assays indicated that compounds bearing 2-nitrophenyl at C-4 position and compounds with 4-chlorophenyl carboxamide at C-3 demonstrated the highest activities in resistant cells, while they were devoid of any effect in parental nonresistant MES-SA cells. One of the active derivatives, 5c, significantly increased intracellular Rh123 at 100 mu M, and it also significantly reduced the IC50 of DXR by 70.1% and 88.7% at 10 and 25 mu M, respectively, in MES-SA/Dx5 cells. The toxicity of synthesized compounds against HEK293 as a noncancer cell line was also investigated. All tested derivatives except for 2c compound showed no cytotoxicity. A molecular dynamics simulation study was also performed to investigate the possible binding site of 5c in complex with human P-gp, which showed that this compound formed 11 average H-bonds with Ser909, Thr911, Arg547, Arg543 and Ser474 residues of P-gp. A good agreement was found between the results of the computational and experimental studies. The findings of this study show that some 5-oxo-hexahydroquinoline derivatives could serve as promising candidates for the discovery of new agents for P-gp-mediated MDR reversal

Trophic level, food preference and feeding ecology of Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766), in Hormuzgan Province waters (northern Persian Gulf and Oman Sea)

This study examined the ecological factors associated with feeding in Rachycentron canadum (cobia) in the waters of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. Seasonally variation of stomach condition of cobia male, females, pooled and size wise were analyzed. In general, 577 cobia were collected (340 males, 237 females) (20–161 cm Total length) from Sept. 2014 to Sept. 2015 by the Ferdows-1 survey ship and from the landing areas in Bandar Abbas harbor seasonally. Our results provide the first estimates of trophic level (Tr.L) (4.32±0.76, mean±Se), consumption per biomass (Q/B) (6.13), and aspect ratio of the caudal fin (ARc.f) (3.1) for R. canadum in the Hormuzgan Province. We also found that bony fish made up more than 80 percent of the relative importance of particular prey (IRI %), indicating R. canadum primarily preys on these species. The immature group (20–40 cm, T.L), tended to feed on Penaeidae family, small crabs, and mollusks. Hierarchical clustering revealed that the frequencies of different types of prey could be applied to categorize the length classes into three levels. The result of this study revealed that the immature group and the 20-40 cm length class tended to feed on Penaeidae family, crabs, and mollusks. Also, we found that males generally fed more than females in all seasons and that R. canadum had an average dietary intake. The findings of this study can be used to prepare a food formulation for cobia that resembles the native diet

In vitro propagation and whole plant regeneration from callus in Datura (Datura stramonium. L)

Leaf explants and mature embryos of Datura were separately cultured in MS basal medium supplemented with 30 g/l sucrose, 8 g/l agar and different combination of 2,4,D (at three levels, 0, 1 and 2 mg/l) and kinetin (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/l). The formed calli were transferred to regeneration media supplemented with BAP alone (at three levels, 1, 2 and 3 mg/l) or in combination with NAA (at four levels, 0, 0.02, 0.2 and 1 mg/l). The regenerated shoots were rooted in media containing IBA at three levels (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/l). The media containing 2 mg/l 2,4-D + 0.5 mg/l kinetin and 2 mg/l of 2,4-D alone were found to be the best treatments for callus induction from leaf and embryo explants, respectively. Moreover, the media containing 3 mg/l BAP + 1 mg/l NAA and 2 mg/l BAP + 1 mg/l NAA were found to be the best hormonal treatments to shoot regeneration from calli of leaf and embryo explants, respectively.Also 0.5 mg/l IBA was found to be the best treatment for rooting of regenerated shoots.Key words: Datura, leaf explants, embryo explants, calli

Accurate Closed-Form Real-Time EGN Model Formula Leveraging Machine-Learning over 8500 Thoroughly Randomized Full C-Band Systems

We derived an approximate non-linear interference (NLI) closed-form model (CFM), capable of handling a very broad range of optical WDM system scenarios. We tested the CFM over 8500 randomized C-band WDM systems, of which 6250 were fully-loaded and 2250 were partially loaded. The systems had highly diversified channel formats, symbol rates, fibers, as well as other parameters. We improved the CFM accuracy by augmenting the formula with simple machine-learning factors, optimized by leveraging the system test-set. We further improved the CFM by adding a term which models special situations where NLI has high self-coherence. In the end, we obtained a very good match with the results found using the numerically-integrated Enhanced GN-model (or EGN-model). We also checked the CFM accuracy by comparing its predictions with full-C-Band split-step simulations of 300 randomized systems. The combined high accuracy and very fast computation time (milliseconds) of the CFM potentially make it an effective tool for real-time physical-layer-aware optical network management and control