Search

The score functions are often used to rank the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IVIFSs) in multiattribute decision making (MADM). The purpose of this paper is to develop an information-based score function of the IVIFS and apply it to MADM. Considering the information amount, the reliability, the certainty information, and the relative closeness degree, we propose an information-based score function of the IVIFS. Comparing the information-based score function with existing ranking methods, we find that the information-based score function can overcome the drawbacks of the existing ranking methods and can rank the IVIFSs well. Three illustrative examples of MADM with linear programming are examined to demonstrate the applicability and feasibility of the information-based score function. It is shown that the information-based score function is well defined and can be applied to MADM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to propose the novel generalized exponential intuitionistic fuzzy entropy (GIFE) and generalized exponential interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy entropy (GIVIFE) with interval area. First, we propose a novel GIFE. Then we compare the new GIFE with the existing intuitionistic fuzzy entropy (IFE) measures. Second, we define the interval area and the new axioms for the interval valued intuitionistic fuzzy entropy (IVIFE). Third, according to the newly defined axioms for the IVIFE, we use the interval area to construct the new GIVIFE. Finally, the advantages of the new generalized entropy measures are compared with the existing IVIFE measures by some examples. The two novel generalized exponential entropy measures can distinguish the special cases well. We have the conclusion that the two novel generalized entropy measures are reasonable and more flexible than the existing entropy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Acupuncture & Tuina Science is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A robust airfoil optimization platform is constructed based on the modified particle swarm optimization method (i.e., the second-order oscillating particle swarm method), which consists of an efficient optimization algorithm, a precise aerodynamic analysis program, a high accuracy surrogate model, and a classical airfoil parametric method. There are two improvements for the modified particle swarm method compared with the standard particle swarm method. First, the particle velocity is represented by the combination of the particle position and the variation of position, which makes the particle swarm algorithm a second-order precision method with respect to the particle position. Second, for the sake of adding diversity to the swarm and enlarging the parameter searching domain to improve the global convergence performance of the algorithm, an oscillating term is introduced to the update formula of the particle velocity. At last, taking two airfoils as examples, the aerodynamic shapes are optimized on this optimization platform. It is shown from the optimization results that the aerodynamic characteristic of the airfoils is greatly improved in a broad design range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author obtains sharp gradient estimates for the heat kernels in two kinds of higher dimensional Heisenberg groups — the non-isotropic Heisenberg group and the Heisenberg type group ℍ n,m. The method used here relies on the positive property of the Bakry-Émery curvature Γ2 on the radial functions and some associated semigroup technics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) nanofibers embedding Ag nanoparticles (5–18 nm) have been prepared successfully by electrospinning at room temperature. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform IR spectra (FTIR), and Raman scattering were used to characterize the structure and properties of Ag nanoparticle-embedded PVA and PVP nanofibers before and after heat treatment at different temperature. The antibacterial activity of Ag nanoparticle-embedded PVP nanofibers after heat treatment was also tested, which indicated that the biological activity of yeast cells was effectively inhibited by these Ag nanoparticle-embedded PVP nanofibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAim:To investigate the synergistic effects of SG235-TRAIL, a novel oncolytic adenovirus expressing tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and homoharringtonine (HHT) in human leukemia cell lines.Methods:The combined effect of SG235-TRAIL and HHT was assessed using a crystal violet assay and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, followed by combination index analysis. Cell apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry combined with fluorescein-isothiocyanate-Annexin V staining. The activation of caspase pathway and the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, TRAIL, and E1A were examined using Western blotting.Results:HHT synergized the cytotoxicity of SG235-TRAIL against leukemia cell lines Kasumi-1, KG-1, HL-60, and U937, concomitantly with increased apoptosis and enhanced activity of caspase-3 and -9. The combination therapy resulted in significantly lower levels of Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and Bid compared to treatment of cells with either HHT or SG235-TRAIL alone, suggesting that HHT sensitizes leukemia cells to SG235-TRAIL virus through alteration of anti-apoptotic signaling elements. Importantly, HHT combined with SG235-TRAIL did not show significant cytotoxicity to normal human mononuclear cells and mesenchymal stem cells.Conclusion:Combining oncolytic adenovirus SG235-TRAIL and HHT synergistically enhances cytotoxicity in leukemia cells in vitro, suggesting that the combination therapy could represent a rational approach for the treatment of leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new synchronous fluorescence method was developed for the rapid determination of Cu2+ with functional CdS nanoparticles as a probe, based on the fluorescence quenching of functional CdS. The synchronous fluorescence peak is located at 304 nm, scanning with excitation and emission wavelengths of 255 and 460 nm (Δ λ = λem ‑ λex = 205 nm), respectively. Under optimum conditions, a linear relationship was found between the relative synchronous fluorescence intensity and the concentration of Cu2+ in the range 0.09 to 27.0 μg L−1. The limit of detection was 3.2 ng L−1. Compared with other general fluorescent methods for the determination of Cu2+, the proposed method had a wider linear range and improved sensitivity. The quenching mechanism has also been discussed. Moreover, analytical application of the method was successfully demonstrated by analysis water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a memetic algorithm based on differential evolution (DE), named MODEMA, is proposed for multi-objective job shop scheduling problems (MJSSPs). To balance the exploration and exploitation abilities, both DE-based global search and an adaptive local search are designed and applied simultaneously in the proposed MODEMA. Firstly, a smallest-order-value (SOV) rule is presented to convert the continuous values of individuals (real vectors) in DE to job permutations. Secondly, after the exploration based on DE, several neighborhoods are used in a local search and an adaptive Meta-Lamarckian strategy is employed to dynamically decide which neighborhood should be selected to stress exploitation in each generation. In addition, a solution set is used in MODEMA to hold and update the obtained nondominated solutions. Simulation results and comparisons with Ishibuchi and Murata’s multi-objective genetic local search (IMMOGLS) show the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed MODEMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy-based refinement of low-resolution protein structure models to atomic-level accuracy is a major challenge for computational structural biology. Here we describe a new approach to refining protein structure models that focuses sampling in regions most likely to contain errors while allowing the whole structure to relax in a physically realistic all-atom force field. In applications to models produced using nuclear magnetic resonance data and to comparative models based on distant structural homologues, the method can significantly improve the accuracy of the structures in terms of both the backbone conformations and the placement of core side chains. Furthermore, the resulting models satisfy a particularly stringent test: they provide significantly better solutions to the X-ray crystallographic phase problem in molecular replacement trials. Finally, we show that all-atom refinement can produce de novo protein structure predictions that reach the high accuracy required for molecular replacement without any experimental phase information and in the absence of templates suitable for molecular replacement from the Protein Data Bank. These results suggest that the combination of high-resolution structure prediction with state-of-the-art phasing tools may be unexpectedly powerful in phasing crystallographic data for which molecular replacement is hindered by the absence of sufficiently accurate previous models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: Recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a frequent event. This study evaluated the effect of postoperative interferon α (IFN α) treatment on recurrence and survival in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC. Method: Two hundred and thirty six patients were randomized after resection into IFN α treatment (5 mu i.m. tiw for 18 months) and control groups. Treatment was terminated if recurrence was diagnosed, and recurrence was managed the same way in both groups. Statistical analysis was based on the method of intent-to-treat. Results: The two groups were comparable in all clinicopathological parameters. The median overall survival was 63.8 months in the treatment group and 38.8 months in the control group ( P=0.0003); the median disease-free survival period was 31.2 versus 17.7 months ( P=0.142). Fever, leucocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia were adverse effects in the treatment group, but were mostly manageable. Conclusions: IFN α treatment improved the overall survival of patients with HBV-related HCC after curative resection, probably by postponing recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor cells avoid immune recognition by subverting the ability of the immune system to mount an inflammatory response that generates cytotoxic effector cells. This can be achieved through cytokine production by the tumor itself. Our objective was to determine the cytokine profile of neuroblastoma (NB) lesions in tumor vaccine models. We found that the murine NB cell line, Neuro2a, secretes macrophage migration inhibitory factor, MIF, a multifunctional cytokine with the potential to block effective immune responses to a tumor. Patient-derived NB cell lines were also found to produce MIF. MIF production by NB was documented at the level of RNA by RNAse protection, soluble cytokine production by ELISA, and in a macrophage migration assay. Our studies also confirmed reports of IL-6 production by human NB cell lines. NB culture-derived MIF was also shown to activate tumor cell migration. This supports the hypothesis that MIF is a tumor-derived cytokine that may play a role in NB aggressiveness and evasion of immune recognition. Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor that discusses pure red cell aplasia in a chronic granulocyte leukemia patient while on imatinib treatment is presented.