In this paper, we consider the two-dimensional variable-sized bin packing problem (2DVSBPP) with guillotine constraint. 2DVSBPP is a well-known NP-hard optimization problem which has several real applications. A mixed bin packing algorithm (MixPacking) which combines a heuristic packing algorithm with the Best Fit algorithm is proposed to solve the single bin problem, and then a backtracking al...

OBJECTIVE The study aimed to investigate the association between polymorphism of I-FABP gene and coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS 225 patients with CHD were randomly recruited into the case group, and 196 healthy elderly volunteers were recruited from Medical Examination Center of our hospital as control. General clinical data were collected and plasma TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C levels were me...

Horizontal acquisition of DNA by bacteria dramatically increases genetic diversity and hence successful bacterial colonization of several niches, including the human host. A relevant issue is how this newly acquired DNA interacts and integrates in the regulatory networks of the bacterial cell. The global modulator H-NS targets both core genome and HGT genes and silences gene expression in respo...

Bacterial virulence factors have been increasingly regarded as attractive targets for development of novel antibacterial agents. Virulence inhibitors are less likely to generate bacterial resistance, which makes them superior to traditional antibiotics that target bacterial viability. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, an important food-borne human pathogen, has type III secretion system ...

The nucleoid-associated proteins Hha and YdgT repress the expression of the toxin α-hemolysin. An Escherichia coli mutant lacking these proteins overexpresses the toxin α-hemolysin encoded in the multicopy recombinant plasmid pANN202-312R. Unexpectedly, we could observe that this mutant generated clones that no further produced hemolysin (Hly(-)). Generation of Hly(-) clones was dependent upon ...

A recent study by our laboratory has shown that an increase in intrathoracic temperature activates vagal pulmonary C-fibers. Because these afferents are known to elicit reflex bronchoconstriction upon stimulation, this study was carried out to investigate if an increase in airway temperature within the physiological range alters bronchomotor tone. Adult guinea pigs were anesthetized and mechani...

Categorical logic studies the relation between category theory and logical languages, and provides a very efficient framework in which to treat the syntax and the model theory on an equal footing. For a given theory T formulated in a suitable language, both the theory itself and its models can be viewed as categories with structure, and the fact that the models are models of the theory correspo...

Proteins H-NS and Hha form a nucleoprotein complex that modulates expression of the thermoregulated hly operon of Escherichia coli. We have been able to identify two H-NS binding sites in the hly regulatory region. One of them partially overlaps the promoter region (site II), and the other is located about 2 kbp upstream (site I). In contrast, Hha protein did not show any preference for specifi...