In this paper we consider a two dimensional strip PACKING problem. The problem consists of PACKING a set of rectangular items in one strip of width W and infinite height. They must be packed without overlapping, parallel to the edge of the strip and we assume that the items are oriented, i.e. they cannot be rotated. To solve this problem, we use three exact methods: a branch and bound method, a dichotomous algorithm and a branch and price method. The three methods were carried out and compared on literature instances.

In textile industry, marker planning is one of the main operations in the cutting fabric stage. Marker PACKING is usually used to maximize cloth exploitation and minimize its waste. In this research, a method is used based on new found meta-heuristic imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) and Bottom-Left-Fill Algorithm (BLF) to achieve optimal marker PACKING. Function of the proposed method was compared with other evolutionary algorithm based marker PACKING methods. The results indicate that the performance of presented method is 6.5% higher than other evolutionary marker PACKING methods.

PACKING is one of the well-known problems in operation research, especially in production planning. The main objective of studying the PACKING problem is to reduce the wastes of cutting through optimization of PACKING of pieces. PACKING is a kind of NP-hard problem that the precise methods are not able to solve it. In this paper, in order to achieve an optimal PACKING of Non-guillotine cutting problems, the meta-heuristic emerging Imperialist Competitive Algorithm was used and the results were compared with the output of the genetic algorithm, which is the typical algorithm in solving PACKING problems. To achieve better solutions, the parameters of all meta-heuristics were calibrated with Taguchi experiment method. The efficacy of the proposed approach was tested on a set of instances, taken from the literature, and the results of the proposed algorithm were tested statistically by ANOVA. The results of this study showed that the meta-heuristic emerging Imperialist Competitive algorithm is more efficient and faster in solving PACKING problems.

We consider a new extension of the bin PACKING problem in which a set of connectivity constraints should be satisfied. An undirected graph with a weight function on the nodes is given. The objective is to pack all the nodes in the minimum number of unit-capacity bins, such that the induced subgraph on the set of nodes packed in each bin is connected. After analyzing some structural properties of the problem, we present a linear time approximation algorithm for this problem when the underlying graph is traceable. We show that the approximation factor of this algorithm is 2 and this factor is tight. Finally, concerning the investigated structural properties, we extend the algorithm for more general graphs. This extended algorithm also has a tight approximation factor of 2.

In a graphG= (V; E), a subset S Í V (G) is said to be an open PACKING setof G if no two vertices of S have a common neighbour inG: The maximum cardinality of an open PACKING set is called the open PACKING numberof G and is denoted by ro (G). This parameter has been studied in [5], [6], [7] and [8]. In this paper, we characterize the graphs G with ro (G) =n - 2, ro (G) =n -w (G) and ro (G) =n - D (G), where n, w (G) and D (G) denote the order, clique number and the maximum degree of G. Also, we discuss the open PACKING number for split graphs.

The main issues in nasal surgery are to stabilize the nose in the good position after surgery and preserve the cartilages and bones in the favorable situation and reduce the risk of deviation recurrence. Also it is necessary to avoid the synechia formation, nasal valve narrowing, hematoma and bleeding. Due to the above mentioned problems and in order to solve and minimize them nasal PACKING, nasal splint and nasal mold have been advised. Patients for whom the nasal PACKING used may faced to some problems like nasopulmonary reflex, intractable pain, sleep disorder, post operation infection and very dangerous complication like toxic shock syndrome. We have two groups of patients and three surgeons (one of the surgeons used post operative nasal PACKING in his patients and the two others surgeons did not).Complications and morbidities were compared in these two groups. Comparing the two groups showed that the rate of complication and morbidities between these two groups were same and the differences were not valuable, except the pain and discomfort post operatively and at the time of its removal. Nasal PACKING has several risks for the patients while its effects are not studied. Septoplasty can be safely performed without postoperative nasal PACKING. Nasal PACKING had no main findings that compensated its usage. Septal suture is one of the procedures that can be used as alternative method to nasal PACKING. Therefore the nasal PACKING after septoplasty should be reserved for the patients with increased risk of bleeding.

Background: During the last decade, increased rates of drug traffic have led the smugglers to use various methods. One of these methods of illicit drug smuggling is body PACKING. Smuggling by intra-abdominal concealment is called "body PACKING". In this research, mortality rate was investigated due to body PACKING in Tehran.Methods: A descriptive study (case series) was designed on all corpses referred to the Forensic Medicine Organization of Tehran between April 1999 - December 2000. Demographic data such as sex, age, marital status, addiction, job, education level, type of opioid and the weight, number of packets, and results of blood and urine morphine tests by thin-layer chromatographic method were investigated. Results: Continental system of law is used in Iran and 0.06% of the referred corpses to Forensic Medicine Organization of Tehran were body packers. There were 12 cases, all of them were men. The mean age of body packers was 43 years (range 20 – 62). The minimum weight of the packets was 20 g and the maximum weight was 1400 g (mean = 501 g). The minimum number of the packets was one and the maximum number of the packets was 48. Twenty five percent of the corps were putrefied and one corpse was mummified. None of the body packers had academic education nor were employed. Nine of them lived in cities. Twenty five percent of them were intravenous addicts. The corpses were found mostly in terminals (17%), roads (58%), and cities (25%). Conclusion: Hospital physicians may neglect this type of gastrointestinal foreign body if they are not aware of the body packer syndrome. Body PACKING should be suspected in anyone with signs of drug-induced toxic effects after a recent arrival on city terminals or when there is no history of recreational drug use.