Optimizing a combination of local cost functions on discrete variables is a central problem in many formalisms such as in probabilistic networks, maximum satisfiability, weighted CSP or factor graphs. Recent results have shown that maintaining a form of local consistency in a Branch and Bound search provides bounds that are strong enough to solve many practical instances. In this paper, we intr...

The cutting stock problem with binary patterns (0-1 CSP) is a variant of CSP that usually appears as a relaxation of 2D and 3D packing problems. We present an exact method, based on an arc-flow formulation with side constraints, for solving 0-1 CSP by simply representing all the patterns in a very compact graph. Gilmore-Gomory’s column generation approach is usually used to compute strong lower...

Advances in modern biotechnology arc being increasingly applied to product development for improved hcalthcarc. agricultural outputs and environment. The biotechnology industry has become a multi-bi lli on dollar industry. The extensive usc of recombinant DNA (rONA ) technology in industry, oft en entail s release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the environment. There is a global ...

For an infeasible network flow system with supplies and demands, we consider the problem of finding a minimum irreducible infeasible subsystem cover, i.e., a smallest set of constraints that must be dropped to obtain a feasible system. The special cases of covers which only contain flow balance constraints (node cover) or only flow bounds (arc cover) are investigated as well. We show strong NP-...

In this paper, we study two types of strong subgraph packing problems in digraphs, including internally disjoint problem and arc-disjoint problem. These can be viewed as generalizations the famous Steiner tree are closely related to arc decomposition We first prove NP-completeness for restricted symmetric digraphs Eulerian digraphs. Then get inapproximability results Finally digraph composition...

For a digraph D, let λ(D) be the arc-strong-connectivity of D. For an integer k > 0, a simple digraph Dwith |V (D)| ≥ k + 1 is k-maximal if every subdigraph H of D satisfies λ(H) ≤ k but for adding new arc to D results in a subdigraph H ′ with λ(H ) ≥ k + 1. We prove that if D is a simple k-maximal digraph on n > k + 1 ≥ 2 vertices, then |A(D)| ≥ n 2  + (n − 1)k +  n k + 2   1 + 2k −  k +...

We report on the design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization of a novel two layer anti-reflective coating (ARC) based on a plasmonic metamaterial and a dielectric. Promoted by the strong material dispersion of the plasmonic metamaterial, our novel concept (called hybrid ARC) combines two possible arrangements for layers in an anti-reflection coating into a single structure; albeit at ...

The cutting stock problem with binary patterns (0-1 CSP) is a variant of CSP that usually appears as a relaxation of 2D and 3D packing problems. We present an exact method, based on an arc-flow formulation with side constraints, for solving 0-1 CSP by simply representing all the patterns in a very compact graph. Gilmore-Gomory’s column generation approach is usually used to compute strong lower...

Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of the hypothalamus and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of the brainstem play important roles in suppressing food intake and maintaining energy homeostasis. Previous tract-tracing studies have revealed the axonal connection patterns of these two brain areas, but the intermingling of POMC neurons with other neuron types has made i...

We present ISOCAM images (1.5 arcsec resolution), in the Br line and in the continuum at 4 m, of the starburst nuclear region in the nearby galaxy M83. The starburst is found to lie: a) along arc joining the 2 m sources at S and SW of the nucleus to the NW 10 m peak, a possible indication of a propagating star formation; b) at the nucleus itself and at a bridge, linking the arc to the nucleus, ...