A Diversity-Aware Memetic Algorithm for the Linear Ordering Problem: Improving Best-Known Solutions for Standard Benchmarks

The Linear Ordering Problem (LOP) is a very popular NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem with many practical applications that may require the use of large instances. The Linear Ordering Library (LOLIB) gathers a set of standard benchmarks widely used in the validation of solvers for the LOP. Among them, the xLOLIB2 collects some of the largest and most challenging instances in current literature. In this work, we present new best-known solutions for each of the 200 complex instances that comprises xLOLIB2. Moreover, the proposal devised in this research is able to achieve all current best-known solutions in the rest of instances of LOLIB and improve them in other 93 cases out of 485, meaning that important advances in terms of quality and robustness are attained. This important advance in the field of the LOP has been possible thanks to the development of a novel Memetic Algorithm (MA) that was designed by taking into account some of the weaknesses of state-of-the-art LOP solvers. One of the keys to success is that the novel proposal allows for a gradual shift from exploration to exploitation, which is done by taking into account the stopping criterion and elapsed period of execution to alter the internal decisions taken by the optimizer. The novel diversity-aware proposal is called the Memetic Algorithm with Explicit Diversity Management (MA-EDM) and extensive comparisons against state-of-the-art techniques provide insights into the reasons for the superiority of MA-EDM.

Stem cell therapy in vascular diseases

Despite scientific advances, vascular diseases are responsible for one third of deaths. Understanding the biology of stem cells and cell therapy can mean an important advance in reducing this mortality.

Tilapia skin: technological advance in the treatment of burns?

Introduction: Burn is one of the greatest aggressions the body can suffer. The approach varies according to the degree of the burn, since the use of chlorhexidine, silver sulfadiazine, debridement of necrotic tissue, biosynthetic dressings and artificial skins. However, these latter two have high costs, so several studies have emerged with the objective of seeking more viable options, such as the use of Nile Tilapia skin in burns, due to its healing properties. That said, the present article has as a guide question: Is this new method, in fact, a technological advance as important for the treatment of burned patients as it appears to be? Objective: To analyze the use of Nile Tilapia skin in patients with burn injuries, as well as to compare with other pre-established techniques. Methods: This is an integrative bibliographic review with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through PubMed databases and Virtual Health Library (VHL), from 2015 to 2020. Results: The articles indicate a good prognosis to the use of Nile Tilapia skin in relation to the other options in force for the treatment of burns, with a significant advantage in reducing the number of dressings required, for better adhesion to the wound. Moreover, it presents microscopic characteristics similar to human skin, such as high tensile strength and breakage extension, reducing reepithelialization time and pain intensity, as well as reducing treatment costs. Conclusion: In view of the findings of the literature reported in the present review, it is concluded that studies with nile tilapia skin proves to be a revolutionary modality with benefits in the treatment of patients with superficial and deep skin lesions. Therefore, the researchers concluded, answering the guide question, that the new method is, yes, an important advance in the field of burn treatment, because it's employability is confirmed, besides demonstrating an advantage over some of the main preexisting alternatives.

Normative Political Theory and Global Migration Governance

Based on the main contributions of normative political theory on global justice and migration ethics, this article assesses the global Compacts on refugees and migration, approved by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018. The set of conclusions indicates that the Compacts constitute an important advance in global moral and political projects and commitments. However, the application of their predicted terms can bring about problems, distortions, and impasses in the sharing of responsibilities.

Equipment-free detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Variants of Concern using Cas13

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the recent rise and widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOCs), have demonstrated the need for ubiquitous nucleic acid testing outside of centralized clinical laboratories. Here, we develop SHINEv2, a Cas13-based nucleic acid diagnostic that combines quick and ambient temperature sample processing and lyophilized reagents to greatly simplify the test procedure and assay distribution. We benchmarked a SHINEv2 assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection against state-of-the-art antigen-capture tests using 96 patient samples, demonstrating 50-fold greater sensitivity and 100% specificity. We designed SHINEv2 assays for discriminating the Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta VOCs, which can be read out visually using lateral flow technology. We further demonstrate that our assays can be performed without any equipment in less than 90 minutes. SHINEv2 represents an important advance towards rapid nucleic acid tests that can be performed in any location.

Strategic Policies for a Sustainable World

Based on the strategic needs of countries around the world, we propose some strategic policies that reflect the global needs of white spaces of innovation and establish territories of innovation for ecosystems, and a very important advance for human kind in social innovation. The reality for clean technology and an inclusive capitalism on the base of the pyramid is a real need in a world with more than 4 billion living with less than $4 USD per day. Energy Use and Water Use demand the possibility of the existence of the humanity, because we have decades expended resources, for example the scarcity of water in Australia or the excess of crypto currency in Malta, only define a world with differences that maybe the technology but in our words the clean technology can get in the interconnected need with people of the poverty world.

The intramolecular allostery of GRB2 governing its interaction with SOS1 is modulated by phosphotyrosine ligands

Growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2) is a trivalent adaptor protein and a key element in signal transduction. It interacts via its flanking nSH3 and cSH3 domains with the proline-rich domain (PRD) of the RAS activator SOS1 and via its central SH2 domain with phosphorylated tyrosine residues of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs; e.g., HER2). The elucidation of structural organization and mechanistic insights into GRB2 interactions, however, remain challenging due to their inherent flexibility. This study represents an important advance in our mechanistic understanding of how GRB2 links RTKs to SOS1. Accordingly, it can be proposed that (1) HER2 pYP-bound SH2 potentiates GRB2 SH3 domain interactions with SOS1 (an allosteric mechanism); (2) the SH2 domain blocks cSH3,enabling nSH3 to bind SOS1 first before cSH3 follows (an avidity-based mechanism); and (3) the allosteric behavior of cSH3 to other domains appears to be unidirectional, although there is an allosteric effect between the SH2 and SH3 domains.

Non-Occupational Exposure to Pesticides: Experimental Approaches and Analytical Techniques (from 2019)

Background: Pesticide residues are a threat to the health of the global population, not only to farmers, applicators, and other pesticide professionals. Humans are exposed through various routes such as food, skin, and inhalation. This study summarizes the different methods to assess and/or estimate human exposure to pesticide residues of the global population. Methods: A systematic search was carried out on Scopus and web of science databases of studies on human exposure to pesticide residues since 2019. Results: The methods to estimate human health risk can be categorized as direct (determining the exposure through specific biomarkers in human matrices) or indirect (determining the levels in the environment and food and estimating the occurrence). The role that analytical techniques play was analyzed. In both cases, the application of generic solvent extraction and solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up, followed by liquid or gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, is decisive. Advances within the analytical techniques have played an unquestionable role. Conclusions: All these studies have contributed to an important advance in the knowledge of analytical techniques for the detection of pesticide levels and the subsequent assessment of nonoccupational human exposure.

Speckle pattern optimization for DIC technologies

This paper contains the relation between speckle pattern and Digital Image Correlation (DIC). The most important advance in experimental mechanics has been DIC since the strain gage. The deformation (strain) of an object can be visualized by DIC. Among all scientific fields, the DIC Technologies have seen a dynamic increase. The relationship between the paint and the sample - as the patterns mediate the deformation to the cameras - has been the most important technological issue. In this article the method developed for the detection of isolated particles in alloys is used to characterize the spots, which help the best speckle pattern has determined.

Analysis of growth and physicochemical changes in apple cv. Anna in a high-altitude tropical climate

The objective of this research was to carry out an analysis of growth and physicochemical changes in cv. Anna apple in the Colombian high-altitude tropics using on the accumulation of growing degree days (GDD). Fruit samplings were taken every 15 days after anthesis (DAA) until harvest at 100 DAA (892.37 GDD). The dry and fresh weight and the equatorial and polar diameters followed a simple sigmoidal pattern. This was confirmed with the behavior of the growth rates. The equatorial and polar diameters increased drastically between 455.39 and 589.32 GDD (45 and 60 DAA), while the weight did not, indicating that the void spaces increased in the pulp during this period. The respiratory rate had the highest value (61.93±6.79 mg CO2 kg-1 h-1) at 159.61 GDD (15 DAA) and then decreased continuously until harvest. The firmness increased from 159.61 to 455.39 GDD and, then continuously decreased, at harvest, it was 38.38±3.48 N. The total soluble solids increased and had an ending value of 8.58±0.37ºBrix. The total titratable acidity increased from 159.61 to 319.79 GDD (30 DAA), and then decreased until the end of the study with an acidity of 0.71±0.03%. The color index increased linearly as a function of development, but the values were <0 at harvest. These results are an important advance for knowledge on the behavior of apple cv. Anna under high-altitude tropical conditions.