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Recently, infinite and finite dimensional generalized Hilbert tensors have been introduced. In this paper, the authors further introduce infinite and finite dimensional generalized Cesfiaro tensors as a generaliza- tion of Cesfiaro matrices and discuss the properties of these structured tensors. Next, some upper bounds of Z1-spectral radius of generalized Cesfiaro tensors and generalized Hilbert tensors are given, which improves the existing ones. Finally, we obtain conditions under which a generalized Cesfiaro tensor is column suficient tensor [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Today, it is an inevitable necessity to make use of advanced and efficient technologies in order to increase productivity and gain a better economic status. Among different methods attracted the attention of researchers for enhancement in quantity and quality yield, cold plasma technique as a modern procedure has shown a promising prospects. Despite the importance of using cold plasma in agriculture, studies have focused more on the effect of this technique on reducing microbial load in agricultural products, less on absorption of nutrients in plants. Therefore, the objectives of this experiment were to evaluate the impacts of plasma treatment of corn seeds and plasma activated water (PAW) on growth and concentration of zinc and iron in the shoots of corn. Materials and Methods This research was conducted as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design (CRD) with 3 replications in a research greenhouse in agricultural and natural resources research and education center of Khorasan Razavi. The factors of experiment were three types of seed (control seeds, seeds treated with dry plasma and wet plasma), two kinds of irrigation water (distilled water and PAW) and two levels of foliar spray (without foliar spray and foliar spray with iron and zinc). Required mass of soil, was gathered, air-dried, sieved from 5 mm mesh and weighted in 6 packs. Based on the soil test values the required macro, micronutrients (except for iron and zinc) was calculated and added to the soil, and then the soil samples were moved to the pot. PLASMA BIOTEC Company located in Khorasan Razavi Park of Sciences and Technology, Mashhad, Iran performed plasma treatment of seeds and water. Plasma treated corn seeds were planted on May 18th with a density of 6 seeds in each pot. Plantlets were reduced to 2 plants after germination and establishment and irrigation was continued with desired treatments. Shoots of each pot was cut 8 weeks after sowing, 1 cm above the ground and delivered to the laboratory, where the samples were washed, dried, grounded and the concentration of zinc and iron were measured using the atomic absorption device (Perkin Elmer, 2380) in dry ash digested in 2 N HCl acid. Data were statistically analyzed by SAS statistical software (version 9.4). Comparison of means for the main effects and interactions was performed by Tukey's test at 5 percent confidence interval. Results and Discussion Comparison of means for the interaction effects of water x seed x foliar spray showed that the minimum concentration of iron (147.67 mg/kg) was observed in plants grown from non-treated seeds, not foliar sprayed and irrigated with non-PAW (treatment 1 in Table 7). On the other hand, plants grown from wet plasma treated seeds and received foliar spray showed the highest concentration of iron regardless of irrigation water type (treatments 10 and 12 in Table 7). Comparison of means also shows that iron concentration in plants grown from dry plasma treated seeds had no significant difference with that of non-treated seeds (treatments 1 and 5 or 2 and 6). The mean comparison results for zinc concentrations showed that the minimum value was related to plants grown from non-treated seeds, not foliar sprayed and irrigated with non-PAW (treatment 1 in Table 8). The comparison of the simple effects of the type of seed on the concentration of zinc in shoots (Table 6) showed that wet plasma seeds caused a significant increase in the concentration of zinc. However, comparison of means for the interaction effects of water x seed x foliar spray showed that the effect of plasma treatment on zinc concentration was effective only in treatments that received foliar spray (comparison of treatment 2 with 10 in table 8). Based on these results the highest zinc concentration was observed in plants grown from wet plasma seeds and received foliar spray at the same time (treatment 12 in Table 8). In addition, the comparison of treatment 1 with treatment 4 and treatment 9 with treatment 2 indicates that in order to increase the concentration of zinc in plant, plasma treatment of seeds cannot replace the foliar spray method. Comparison of means for the interaction effects of water x seed x Foliar spray showed that the minimum yield was observed in plants grown from non- treated seeds, irrigated with non-activated water and not sprayed with iron and zinc solution (treatment 1 in Table 9). However, the similar treatment which grown from wet plasma treated seeds (treatment 9), showed significantly higher yield. Dry plasma, without foliar spray and without PAW (treatment 5) had no significant priority over the control. Plants grown from seeds treated with wet plasma and without foliar spray could not significantly show more iron and zinc content over the control, while their shoot yield was higher. Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, it can be inferred that irrigation with PAW and utilizing seeds treated with dry plasma exhibited no significant impact on augmenting zinc and iron content, as well as shoot yield. Conversely, wet plasma treatment, while not yielding significant enhancements in the concentration of iron and zinc within the plant, did result in increased yield. It is crucial to note that the extent of influence exerted by factors such as frequency and duration of seed exposure to plasma conditions on the observed outcomes may vary significantly. Therefore, optimizing methodology and conducting further research in this domain are imperative for a comprehensive understanding of these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Soil pore size distribution curve and using the optimal ranges of the location and shape parameters of this curve can be used to evaluate the soil physical quality. This research was carried out in an area of about 220 hectares of Torogh Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Station, to determine the optimal ranges for soil pore size distribution curve parameters using the soil physical quality index. Different soil textures and the diversity in soil properties are the distinct features of this research station. Materials and Methods Torogh Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Station of Khorasan-Razavi province, with a semiarid climate, is located in south-east of Mashhad city. For the field measurements and laboratory analysis to determine the soil physical properties and indices, 30 points with different soil textures and structures were selected. Intact soil cores (5 cm diameter by 5.3 cm length) and disturbed soil samples were collected from 0-30 cm depth of each point. After the laboratory analysis and field measurements, 35 soil physical properties were measured and calculated. Soil particle size distribution and five size classes of sand particles, soil bulk, and particle density, dry aggregates mean weight diameter (MWD) and stability index (SI), soil moisture release curve (SMRC) parameters, S-index, soil porosity (POR) and air capacity (AC), soil pore size distribution (SPSD) curves, relative field capacity (RFC), plant available water measured in matric pressure heads of 100 and 330 hPa for the field capacity (PAW100 and PAW330), least limiting water range measured in matric pressure heads of 100 and 330 hPa for the field capacity (LLWR100 and LLWR330), integral water capacity (IWC) and integral energy (EI) of different soil water ranges, were the soil physical properties and indices which were determined in this study. Three parameters of modal, median, and mean pore sizes of the SPSD curves were considered as the location (central tendency), and three parameters of standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis of the SPSD curves were considered as the shape parameters. Selection of the most important soil physical characteristics using principal component analysis (PCA) method by JMP software (ver. 9.02), weighting and scoring of the selected characteristics using PCA and scoring functions, respectively, and the summation of multiplied characteristics weights by their scores for each soil sample, were the four steps of calculation of the 0-1 value of soil physical quality index (SPQI). Soil samples were classified into four soil physical quality classes by SPQI values. The soils of the first class with the highest SPQIs (> 0.78) were considered to determine the optimal ranges of SPSD curves location and shape parameters. Results and Discussion The texture of soil samples were loam (40 %), silt loam (23 %), silty clay loam (17 %), clay loam (13 %), and sandy loam (7 %). Soil organic carbon was between 0.26-1.05 (%), and the average soil bulk density was 1.45 (gr.cm-3). The MWD values of studied soil samples were between 0.94-2.88 (mm), an average of 1.93 (mm). The average modal, median, and mean pore sizes as the location parameters of the SPSD curves were 60.3 (سلم), 12.4 سلم)), and سلم) 6.5), respectively. The average of standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis as the shape parameters of the SPSD curves were 71.56 (سلم), - 0.36 and 1.15, respectively. The average modal pore sizes showed that the pores with a size of سلم) 60) had the highest frequency in soil samples. The range of calculated standard deviation of SPSD curves, along with the difference between the minimum and maximum mean pore sizes (سلم 24.6), implied the diversity of pore sizes in the studied soils. The results of PCA showed that the four soil physical properties of PAW330 (0.1-0.2 cm3.cm-3), PORt (0.40-0.51 cm3.cm-3), LLWR100 (0.12-0.22 cm3.cm-3) and SI (0.76-2.61 %) accounted for about 88% of the variance between soil samples and were selected to calculate the SPQIs. The PAW330, PORt, LLWR100, and SI were entered into the calculation of SPQIs with weights of 0.46, 0.31, 0.15, and 0.08, respectively. All the selected physical properties were scored using the scoring function of more is better. The maximum and minimum values of SPQIs for the studied soils were 0.84 and 0.14, respectively. Five soil samples with SPQIs greater than 0.78 were classified as class 1 with the highest physical quality. The ranges between the minimum and maximum values of the SPSD curves, location, and shape parameters of these five soils were proposed as the optimal ranges. In this regard, the ranges of 29-5,)سلم) 92 - سلم(16), and 2- (سلم) 7 were suggested for optimal ranges of modal, median, and mean pore sizes, respectively. The optimal ranges of standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis of the SPSD curves were proposed as 22-81 (0.33-)-(سلم), (- 0.38), and 1.14-1.15, respectively. Conclusion The optimal ranges of SPSD curves location and shape parameters suggested in the literature may probably not apply to a wide range of agricultural soils. They must be evaluated in a more extensive range of land uses, soil management, and soil textures. In this research, the soils with the relatively higher physical quality had larger mean pore size and less SPSD curves standard deviation (less diversity of pore size) than the optimal ranges suggested in the literature. The optimal ranges of SPSD curves location and shape parameters proposed in this research are appropriate for medium to coarse-textured soils of regions with the semiarid climate in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an extension of Perron-Frobenius theory to the higher-rank numerical range of real matrices. We define a new type of the rank-k numerical radius for real matrices, i.e., the sign-real rankk numerical radius, and derive some properties of it. In addition, we extend Issos’ results on the higher-rank numerical range of nonnegative matrices to real matrices. Finally, we give some examples that are used to illustrate our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Soil quality can be considered as a comprehensive index for sustainable land management assessment. Studying the most important soil physical properties and combining them as an index of soil physical quality (SPQI) could be used as an appropriate criteria for evaluating and monitoring soil physical changes. In this regard, this study was conducted to determine the most important soil physical properties and calculate the SPQI of medium to coarse-textured soils of Khorasan-Razavi province. Materials and Methods: Torogh Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Station of Khorasan-Razavi province is located in south-east of Mashhad city (59° 37' 33"-59° 39' 10" E, 36° 12' 31"-36° 13' 56" N). Soil texture variability in this research station is one of its outstanding features. The soil textures are classified into loam, silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam, and sandy loam. More than 90% of agricultural soils in Khorasan-Razavi province are classified in these five texture classes. Using the available data, 30 points with different soil textures and OC contents were selected. The soil samples were collected from 0-30 cm soil depth at each point. Intact soil cores (5 cm diameter by 5.3 cm length) were used for sandbox measurements, and disturbed soil samples were used to determine other properties. Required laboratory analysis and field measurements were conducted using standard methods. In this research, 35 soil physical properties as total data set (TDS) including: soil moisture release curve (SMRC) parameters, particle size distribution and five size classes of sand particles, soil bulk and particle density, dry aggregates mean weight diameter (MWD) and stability index (SI), S-index, soil porosity and air capacity, location and shape parameters of soil pore size distribution (SPSD) curves, relative field capacity (RFC), plant available water measured in matric pressure heads of 100 and 330 hPa for the field capacity (PAW100 and PAW330), least limiting water range measured in matric pressure heads of 100 and 330 hPa for the field capacity (LLWR100 and LLWR330), integral water capacity (IWC) and integral energy (EI) of different soil water ranges were measured and calculated for 30 soil samples. The most important soil physical properties were selected using principal component analysis (PCA) method by JMP (9.02) software. Selected physical properties as minimum data set (MDS) were weighted and scored using PCA results and scoring functions, respectively. In this study, three types of linear scoring functions were used. The soil physical quality index (SPQI) was calculated by two scoring and two weighting methods for each soil sample and the differences between these four SPQIs were tested by sensitivity index. Results and Discussion: Principal component analysis results showed that among 35 soil physical properties (TDS) which were studied at this research, six properties of mean pore diameter (dmean), PAW100, total porosity (PORT), EI LLWR330, SI and PAW330 accounted for about 90% of the variance between soil samples. Weight of the selected properties (MDS) was calculated by the ratio of variation in the data set explained by the PC that contributed the selected property to the total percentage of variation explained by all PCs with eigenvalue > 1. In this research, the parameters of PAW100, total porosity (PORT), SI and PAW330 were scored using scoring function of more is better, EI LLWR330 was scored using scoring function of less is better and dmean was scored using scoring function of optimum by two scoring methods with score ranges of 0.1-1 and 0-1. Considering unweighted and weighted MDS and two ranges of scores, four SPQIs were calculated for each soil sample. The results showed that SPQIs which were calculated by the MDS derived from PCA method and scoring weighted MDS at the range of 0-1, had the highest sensitivity index and could represent the differences between the studied soil samples better than other SPQIs. By this method, maximum and minimum SPQI values for the studied soils were 0.82 and 0.12, respectively. SPQI is a relative comparison criterion to quantify the soil physical quality which could be applied only for the studied soils with specific characteristics. Conclusion: The results of this research showed that minimum data set (MDS) explained about 90% of the variance between soil samples. Combining MDS into a numerical value called soil physical quality index (SPQI) could be used as a physical comparison criterion for the studied soils. From the SPQI based on the MDS indicator method, soil quality was evaluated quantitatively. Soil samples with grade I, II, III, and IV accounted for 10%, 36.7%, 30%, and 23.3% of the soil samples, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a feasible predictor-corrector interior-point method for symmetric cone optimization problem in the large neighbourhood of the central path. The method is generalization of Ai-Zhang's predictor-corrector algorithm to the symmetric cone optimization problem. Starting with a feasible point in given large neighbourhood of the central path, the algorithm still terminates in at most iterations. This matches the best known iteration bound that is usually achieved by short-step methods, thereby, closing the complexity gap between long- and short-step interior-point methods for symmetric cone optimization. The preliminary numerical results on a selected set of NETLIB problems show advantage of the method in comparison with the version of the algorithm that is not based on the predictor-corrector scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a feasible interior-point algorithm for Cartesian horizontal linear complementarity problems in a new large neighbourhood of the central path. The new large neighbourhood is based on the infinity norm, and it is wider than the well-known neighbourhood based on negative infinity pseudonorm as well as the recently introduced large neighbourhood by Liu et al. [A new wide neighborhood primal-dual infeasible-interior-point method for symmetric cone programming. J Optim Theory Appl. 2013;158:796-815] which is based on Frobenius norm. The iterates are calculated by taking the largest possible step along the Nesterov-Todd search directions. Nevertheless, we show that the algorithm is globally convergent with the favourable polynomial iteration bound. Furthermore, the preliminary numerical results indicate that our method preforms quite well and outperforms the large-step Liu et al.'s method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an arc-search infeasible-interior-point method based on the wide neighbourhoodfor linear complementarity problems over symmetric cones with the Cartesian-property (-SCLCP). The algorithm searches the optimizers along the ellipses that approximate the central path. Moreover, we derive the complexity bound of the algorithm which coincides with the currently best known theoretical complexity bounds for the short step path-following algorithm. Some numerical results are provided to demonstrate the computational performance of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper,we propose a new predictor–corrector interior-point method for symmetric cone programming. This algorithm is based on a wide neighbourhood and the Nesterov–Todd direction. We prove that, besides the predictor steps, each corrector step also reduces the duality gap by a rate of, whereris the rank of the associated Euclidean Jordan algebras. In particular, the complexity bound is, whereis a given tolerance. To our knowledge, this is the best complexity result obtained so far for interior-point methods with a wide neighbourhood over symmetric cones. The numerical results show that the proposed algorithm is effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose an infeasible interior-point algorithm for linear complementarity problems. In every iteration, the algorithm constructs an ellipse and searches an $$\varepsilon $$ -approximate solution of the problem along the ellipsoidal approximation of the central path. The theoretical iteration-complexity of the algorithm is derived and the algorithm is proved to be polynomial with the complexity bound $$O\left(n\log \varepsilon ^{-1}\right)$$ which coincides with the best known iteration bound for infeasible interior-point methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a primal-dual interior-point method for semidefinite optimization problems. The algorithm is based on a new class of search directions and the Ai-Zhang's wide neighborhood for monotone linear complementarity problems. The theoretical complexity of the new algorithm is calculated. It is investigated that the proposed algorithm has polynomial iteration complexity $$O(\sqrt{n}L)$$ and coincides with the best known iteration bound for semidefinite optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present a corrector-predictor path-following interior-point algorithm forP∗(κ)-horizontal linear complementarity problem over Cartesian product of symmetric cones, using Euclidean Jordan algebras. This comprehensive problem is a newly introduced problem in the context of interior-point methods. The algorithm takes damped Nesterov-Todd steps in the predictor (affine-scaling) stage while maintaining a certain neighborhood of the central path. Moreover, at each corrector stage, we use only full-Nesterov-Todd steps. Furthermore, we derive the currently best known iteration bound for the algorithm with small updates, namely,, whereris the rank of the associated Euclidean Jordan algebra and𝜀is a prescribed tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a predictor-corrector infeasible-interior-point method for symmetric cone linear complementarity problem (SCLCP) with the Cartesian-property (-SCLCP). This method is based on a wide neighbourhood, which is an even wider neighbourhood than the negative infinity neighbourhood. We show that the iteration-complexity bound of the proposed algorithm for a commutative class of search directions is, whereis the condition number of matrixG,is the handicap of the problem,ris the rank of the associated Euclidean Jordan algebra andis a given tolerance. To our knowledge, this is the best complexity result obtained so far for the wide neighbourhood infeasible-interior-point methods for the Cartesian-SCLCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we propose a feasible interior-point method for convex quadratic programming over symmetric cones. The proposed algorithm relaxes the accuracy requirements in the solution of the Newton equation system, by using an inexact Newton direction. Furthermore, we obtain an acceptable level of error in the inexact algorithm on convex quadratic symmetric cone programming (CQSCP). We also prove that the iteration bound for the feasible short-step method is O(√n log 1 ε), and O(n log 1 ε) for the large-step method which coincide with the currently best known iteration bounds for CQSCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present a new predictor-corrector interior-point method, based on a wide neighborhood of the central path, for linear programming problems. In the corrector step ofthe proposed method, we derive the step size and corrector directions that guarantee that each iteration lies in a wide neighborhood of the central path. We also prove that the algorithm hasiteration complexity, which coincides with the best bound derived for linear programming problems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this paper is to extend the theoretical framework of thehorizontal linear complementarity problem over Cartesian product of symmetric cones (Cartesian-SCHLCP). The concepts of column and row sufficiency are defined for a linear operator on a Euclidean Jordan algebra. Some connections between theproperty of a linear operator on a Euclidean Jordan algebra and itsproperty as well as its column sufficiency are presented. Then these definitions and connections are generalized to a pair of linear operators determining the Cartesian-SCHLCP. It is also demonstrated that the Cartesian-SCHLCP can be equivalent with alinear complementarity problem over Cartesian product of symmetric cones (Cartesian-SCLCP), in a certain sense. Finally, based on some obtained results and using a suitable potential function, the main task of the paper is done, which is to show that the central trajectory of the Cartesian-SCHLCP exists and is unique. Therefore, we open the way for presenting and extending the interior-point methods for the Cartesian-SCHLCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Euclidean Jordan algebra is a commonly used tool in designing interior-point algorithms for symmetric cone programs. In this paper, we present a full Nesterov–Todd (NT) step infeasible interior-point algorithm for horizontal linear complementarity problems over Cartesian product of symmetric cones. Since the algorithm uses only full-NT feasibility and centring steps, it has the advantage that no line searches are needed. The complexity result obtained here for symmetric cones using NT directions coincides with the best bound obtained for horizontal linear complementarity problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contains an infeasible interior-point method for $$P_*(\kappa )$$ horizontal linear complementarity problem based on a kernel function. The kernel function is used to determine the search directions. These search directions differ from the usually used ones in some interior-point methods, and their analysis is more complicated. Main feature of our algorithm is that there is no calculation of the step size, i.e, we use full-Newton steps at each iteration. The algorithm constructs strictly feasible iterates for a sequence of perturbations of the given problem, close to its central path. Two types of full-Newton steps are used, feasibility steps and centering steps. The iteration bound matches the best-known iteration bound for these types of algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a modified version of the infeasible-interior-point algorithm for monotone linear complementary problems introduced by Mansouri et al. (Nonlinear Anal. Real World Appl. 12(2011) 545{561). Each main step of the algorithm consists of a feasibility step and several centering steps. We use a different feasibility step, which targets at the μ+-center. It results a better iteration bound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In [H. Mansouri and C. Roos, Numer. Algorithms 52 (2009) 225-255.], Mansouri and Ross presented a primal-dual infeasible interior-point algorithm with full-Newton steps whose iteration bound coincides with the best known bound for infeasible interior-point methods. Here, we introduce a slightly different algorithm with a different search direction and show that the same complexity result is obtained using a simpler analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper consists of two parts. In the first part we present a new primal-dual feasible interior-point algorithm for solving monotone linear complementarity problems (LCP). Since the algorithm uses only full-Newton steps, it has the advantage that no line-searches are needed. It is proven that the number of iterations of the algorithm is , which coincides with the well-known best iteration bound for LCP. In the second part, we generalize an infeasible interior-point method for linear optimization introduced by Roos (2006)  to LCP. Two types of full-Newton steps are used, feasibility steps and (ordinary) centering steps, respectively. The algorithm starts from strictly feasible iterates of a perturbed problem, on its central path, and feasibility steps find strictly feasible iterates for the next perturbed problem. By using centering steps for the new perturbed problem, we obtain strictly feasible iterates close enough to the central path of the new perturbed problem. The starting point depends on two positive numbers and . The algorithm terminates either by finding an -solution or detecting that the LCP problem has no optimal solution with vanishing duality gap satisfying a condition in terms of and . The iteration bound coincides with the currently best iteration bound for linear complementarity problems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We present several improvements of the full-Newton step infeasible interior-point method for linear optimization introduced by Roos (SIAM J. Optim. 16(4):1110-1136, ). Each main step of the method consists of a feasibility step and several centering steps. We use a more natural feasibility step, which targets the μ-center of the next pair of perturbed problems. As for the centering steps, we apply a sharper quadratic convergence result, which leads to a slightly wider neighborhood for the feasibility steps. Moreover, the analysis is much simplified and the iteration bound is slightly better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Training breast self-examination by peers provides an appropriate situation in order to form proper health behaviors during the adolescence age. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of training breast self-examination by peers and health care personnel on students' knowledge and attitude. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 112 students from two schools of dentistry and management of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences were selected randomly and were allocated in two groups. They were taken a pre-test and two post-tests. Data gathering tool was an assessment test evaluating their knowledge about breast cancer and self-examination and their attitude toward breast self-examination. Four or five students from each class were selected and trained as peer instructors. Students of the first group were trained by peers and the students in the second group were instructed by health care personnel separately using booklet. At the end of educational sessions, the first post-test, and after 6 weeks, the second post-test were taken. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t-test and independent t-test, repeated measure ANOVA, and factor analysis test. Results: There was a significant difference between knowledge and attitude scores of the two groups immediately after education, so that, the mean score of knowledge in the group trained by peers was higher than the one educated by health care personnel. But, no significant difference was observed between the attitude scores of the two groups, 6 weeks after education. Comparing the knowledge and attitude scores, before, immediately after and 6 weeks after education showed a significant difference in each group. Conclusion: The efficacy of training breast self-examination by peers is higher than by health care personnel. It is recommended to employ this educational method more, especially in training self-examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the real-world optimization problems, coefficients of the objective function are not known precisely and can be interpreted as fuzzy numbers. In this paper we define the concepts of optimality for linear programming problems with fuzzy parameters based on those for multiobjective linear programming problems. Then by using the concept of comparison of fuzzy numbers, we transform a linear programming problem with fuzzy parameters to a multiobjective linear programming problem. To this end, we propose several theorems which are used to obtain optimal solutions of linear programming problems with fuzzy parameters. Finally some examples are given for illustrating the proposed method of solving linear programming problem with fuzzy parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyk2 is a multi-domain non-receptor tyrosine kinase that serves dual roles as a signaling enzyme and scaffold. Pyk2 activation involves a multi-stage cascade of conformational rearrangements and protein interactions initiated by autophosphorylation of a linker site. Linker phosphorylation recruits Src kinase, and Src-mediated phosphorylation of the Pyk2 activation loop confers full activation. The regulation and accessibility of the initial Pyk2 autophosphorylation site remains unclear. We employed peptide-binding molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (MINPs) to probe the regulatory conformations controlling Pyk2 activation. MINPs differentiating local structure and phosphorylation state revealed that the Pyk2 autophosphorylation site is protected in the autoinhibited state. Activity profiling of Pyk2 variants implicated FERM and linker residues responsible for constraining the autophosphorylation site. MINPs targeting each Src docking site disrupt the higher-order kinase interactions critical for activation complex maturation. Ultimately, MINPs targeting key regulatory motifs establish a useful toolkit for probing successive activational stages in the higher-order Pyk2 signaling complex., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In situ modification of glycans requires extraordinary molecular recognition of highly complex and subtly different carbohydrates, followed by reactions at precise locations on the substrate. We here report synthetic catalysts that under physiological conditions cleave a predetermined oligosaccharide block such as a branched trimannose or the entire N -glycan of a glycoprotein, while nontargeted glycoproteins stay intact. The method also allows α2-6-sialylated galactosides to be removed preferentially over the α2-3-linked ones from cell surfaces, highlighting the potential of these synthetic glycosidases for glycan editing.

The aggregation of β-amyloid peptides (Aβ), implied in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease, is driven by a complex set of intramolecular and intermolecular interactions involving both hydrophobic and polar residues. The key residues responsible for the forward assembling process may be different from those that should be targeted to disassemble already formed aggregates. Molecularly imprinted nanoparticle (MINP) receptors are reported in this work to strongly and selectively bind specific segments of Aβ 40 . Combined fluorescence spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy indicate that binding residues 21-30 near the loop region is most effective at inhibiting the aggregation of monomeric Aβ 40 , but residues 11-20 that include the internal β strand closer to the N-terminal represent the best target for disaggregating already formed aggregates in the polymerization phase. Once the aggregation proceeds to the saturation phase, binding residues 1-10 has the largest effect on the disaggregation, likely because of the accessibility of these amino acids relative to others to the MINP receptors.

Enzyme-like catalysts by design have been a long sought-after goal of chemists but difficult to realize due to the challenges in the construction of multifunctionalized active sites with accurately positioned catalytic groups for complex substrates. Hydrolysis of cellulose is a key step in biomass utilization and requires multiple enzymes to work in concert to overcome the difficulty associated with hydrolyzing the recalcitrant substrate. We here report methods to construct synthetic versions of these enzymes through covalent molecular imprinting and strategic postmodification of the imprinted sites. The synthetic catalysts cleave a cellulose chain endolytically at multiple positions or exolytically from the nonreducing end by one or three glucose units at a time, all using the dicarboxylic acid motif found in natural cellulases. By mimicking the endocellulase, exocellulase, and β-glucosidase, the synthetic catalysts hydrolyze cellulose in a synergistic manner, with an activity at 90 °C in pH 6.5 buffer more than doubled that of Aspergillus niger cellulase at pH 5 and 37 °C and 44% of that of a commercial cellulase blend (from Novozyme). As robust cross-linked polymeric nanoparticles, the synthetic catalysts showed little changes in activity after preheating at 90 °C for 3 days and could be reused, maintaining 76% of activity after 10 reaction cycles.

Protection/deprotection is a powerful strategy in the total synthesis of complex organic molecules but similar tools are nearly absent in enzymatic reactions. We here report supramolecular protective receptors that outcompete an enzyme in the binding of oligosaccharides. The strong binding inhibits the enzymatic reaction and addition of an even stronger ligand for the receptor releases the substrate. These receptors could be used to control products from the same substrate/enzyme mixture and regulate enzymatic reactions reversibly.

Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) cleave polysaccharides through copper-bound oxyl radicals. We report a synthetic mimic of LPMO that uses micelle-stabilized hydrogen bonds to bind a glycan and two molecularly imprinted hydrophobic pockets to accommodate the alkyl tail of the glycoside and a copper cofactor, respectively. Cleavage of alkyl glycosides and oligosaccharides with hydrogen peroxide occurs at room temperature in aqueous solution, with selectivities for both the glycan and the alkyl aglycon.