Computer-Assisted Cohort Identification in Practice

The standard approach to expert-in-the-loop machine learning is active learning, where, repeatedly, an expert is asked to annotate one or more records and the machine finds a classifier that respects all annotations made until that point. We propose an alternative approach, IQRef , in which the expert iteratively designs a classifier and the machine helps him or her to determine how well it is performing and, importantly, when to stop, by reporting statistics on a fixed, hold-out sample of annotated records. We justify our approach based on prior work giving a theoretical model of how to re-use hold-out data. We compare the two approaches in the context of identifying a cohort of EHRs and examine their strengths and weaknesses through a case study arising from an optometric research problem. We conclude that both approaches are complementary, and we recommend that they both be employed in conjunction to address the problem of cohort identification in health research.

Positive Psychotherapy as a Means of Research and Development of Emotional Intelligence in the Course of Individual’s Life Fulfillment

The purpose of this article is to present a psychological hermeneutic triangulation model of emotional intelligence in the course of individual’s life fulfillment. In this context, the methodological framework and psychotechnical tools of positive psychotherapy contribute to the explication of the axiological potential of the emotional intelligence in three modes of realization: internal, external and integrative through the bodily sensation and emotional competence and understanding, interpretation and hermeneutic circle mechanisms. Application of positive psychotherapy at the empirical stage of the study has resulted in a training program for the development of emotional intelligence in the areas of individual’s life fulfillment relevant for the participants, as well as through individual consultations. The article presents evidence of the effectiveness of a prolonged formative experiment on the development of emotional intelligence by means of positive psychotherapy, which helped verify the author’s theoretical model. Keywords: emotional intelligence, positive psychotherapy, training, bodily sensation, emotional competence, mode of individual’s life fulfillment

Understanding Reward Dysfunction in Bipolar Affective Disorder through Behavioural, Cognitive and Neurobiological Changes

Bipolar disorder, like many neuropsychiatric conditions, can be studied from a number of perspectives; from observation of behaviour, to study of cognitive dysfunction, through to changes at the molecular and genetic level. A consequence of this way of working is that there is inadequate communication between different levels of analysis, such that insufficient thought is given to whether a theoretical model derived from behavioural work fits with neurobiological data, and vice versa. Such limitations represent a key limiting factor in successful translation. Therefore, this paper takes a dominant theoretical model of bipolar disorder, based on that by Gray (1994) and developed by Alloy et al., (2015) as a basis to propose that the foundational pathology in bipolar is reward hypersensitivity, and to review how recent diverse neurobiological, cognitive and behavioural findings fit with this understanding. Executive Function deficits, partially derived from heritable structural changes are suggested as a foundation through which reward hypersensitivity develops to disorder, and CANA1C polymorphism-induced hyperactivity, further serves to drive the system towards reward seeking goals, through interaction with dopaminergic systems. This action is supplemented by a genetic predisposition for cognitive regulatory dysfunction, leading to improper modulation of emotive and reward networks. Specifically, deficits in top-down limbic modulation leads to behaviours disproportionally driven by limbic and reward circuitry; this pathology strengths over time through use. This therefore eventually results in substantial regional disconnect, reflected in epigenetic changes to neurotransmitters and observable histological changes.

The security of the BLT signature scheme with practical implementation issues

Abstract—KSI infrastructure is a time-stamping and server-based signature solution deployed in Estonia to provide the integrity and timing information of data. With the goal of providing a personal signature that does not depend on the long-term secrecy of signing keys, Buldas et al. have proposed a BLT scheme that is based on the KSI infrastructure. Although Buldas et al. have shown that the (modified) BLT scheme is secure in the theoretical model, the fact that its practical implementation does not follow that description. In this paper, we will evaluate and provide two attack scenarios if the BLT schema is implemented in such a way, and then propose a solution to that problem. Tóm tắt—Hạ tầng KSI là một giải pháp chữ ký dựa trên máy chủ chứa thông tin thời gian được thử nghiệm triển khai ở Estonia để cung cấp tính toàn vẹn và thông tin về thời gian của dữ liệu.Với mục tiêu tạo ra một chữ ký số cá nhân mà không phụ thuộc vào tính bí mật lâu dài của các khóa ký, Buldas và các cộng sự đã đề xuất lược đồ BLT dựa trên nền của hạ tầng KSI. Mặc dù, Buldas và các cộng sự đã chỉ ra rằng lược đồ BLT (sửa đổi) là an toàn trong mô hình lý thuyết, nhưng triển khai thực tế của lược đồ này không hoàn toàn tuân theo mô tả đó. Trong bài báo này, chúng tôi sẽ đánh giá và đưa ra hai kịch bản tấn công nếu lược đồ BLT được triển khai như vậy, và sau đó đề xuất một giải pháp cho vấn đề đó.

DNA methylation meta-analysis confirms the division of the genome into two functional groups

Based on a meta-analysis of human genome methylation data, we tested a theoretical model in which aging is explained by the redistribution of limited resources in cells between two main tasks of the organism: its self-sustenance based on the function of the housekeeping gene group (HG) and functional differentiation, provided by the (IntG) integrative gene group. A meta-analysis of methylation of 100 genes, 50 in the HG group and 50 in IntG, showed significant differences ( p<0.0001) between our groups in the level of absolute methylation values of genes bodies and its promoters. We showed a reliable decrease of absolute methylation values in IntG with rising age in contrast to HG, where this level remained constant. The one-sided decrease in methylation in the IntG group is indirectly confirmed by the dispersion data analysis, which also decreased in the genes of this group. The imbalance between HG and IntG in methylation levels suggests that this IntG-shift is a side effect of the ontogenesis grownup program and the main cause of aging. The theoretical model of functional genome division also suggests the leading role of slow dividing and post mitotic cells in triggering and implementing the aging process.