Optimistic NAUTILUS navigator for multiobjective optimization with costly function evaluations

We introduce novel concepts to solve multiobjective optimization problems involving (computationally) expensive function evaluations and propose a new interactive method called O-NAUTILUS. It combines ideas of trade-off free search and navigation (where a decision maker sees changes in objective function values in real time) and extends the NAUTILUS Navigator method to surrogate-assisted optimization. Importantly, it utilizes uncertainty quantification from surrogate models like Kriging or properties like Lipschitz continuity to approximate a so-called optimistic Pareto optimal set. This enables the decision maker to search in unexplored parts of the Pareto optimal set and requires a small amount of expensive function evaluations. We share the implementation of O-NAUTILUS as open source code. Thanks to its graphical user interface, a decision maker can see in real time how the preferences provided affect the direction of the search. We demonstrate the potential and benefits of O-NAUTILUS with a problem related to the design of vehicles.

Two-Layer Reversible Data Hiding for VQ-Compressed Images Based on De-Clustering and Indicator-Free Search-Order Coding

During transmission of digital images, secret messages can be embedded using data hiding techniques. Such techniques can transfer private secrets without drawing the attention of eavesdroppers. To reduce the amount of transmitted data, image compression methods are widely applied. Hiding secret data in compressed images is a hot issue recently. In this paper, we apply the de-clustering concept and the indicator-free search-order coding (IFSOC) technique to hide information into vector quantization (VQ) compressed images. Experimental results show that the proposed two-layer reversible data hiding scheme for IFSOC-encoded VQ index table can hide a large amount of secret data among state-of-the-art methods with a relatively lower bit rate and high security.

DEVELOPING A SELF-PACED COURSE MODULE IN INFORMATION-FINDING AND LITERACY SKILLS FOR COURSEBASED MASTERS' STUDENTS

Academic librarians in Canada often teach information research skills and information literacy tostudents, including engineering students, via class presentations. These skills include knowledge of the diverse technical information sources available, the use of specialised databases and free search tools, and assessing and properly citing information; they are important in graduate studies and in engineering practise. Course-based masters’ students are a growing demographic in engineering, however their particular needs have not as often been targeted by librarians. In this project, we developed a graded asynchronous course module in these skills, for a new course in professional skills for M.Eng. students. It uses text, images, videos, short assignments and quizzes to follow thegeneral research and writing process for a technical report, marking a significant increase in the contact time for these skills. To date the unit has been taught twice, to over 200 students, with overall feedback being positive. We plan to continue its development and make it openlyavailable.

Assessment and diagnosis of insomnia for clinical and research practice: a scoping review protocol

Insomnia is one of the leading sleep disorders, affecting different age groups, influencing individual’s ability to perform daily life activities, and ultimately diminishing their quality of life. This scoping review aims to identify instruments applied for the diagnosis of insomnia in clinical and research settings to support the nursing process and the decision-making. This review is based on the scope review framework proposed by Peters et al. (2020). The research strategy outlined aims to find studies published in the CINAHL (EBSCOhost) electronic database, Scopus, PubMed and WoS Portals. Grey literature will be accessed through free search via Google and Google Scholar, CAPES Thesis Repository, the Organizations Sleep Brazilian Association and World Sleep Society. This scope review is expected to assist nurses in the clinical reasoning process for identifying Nursing Diagnosis “insomnia”. In addition to the contribution to the research area, a proposal to include an insomnia assessment instrument(s) as diagnostic indicators in the NANDA-I taxonomy is planned. It should be noted the low volume of publications of scope review protocols. This protocol has been registered with the Open Science Framework under DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/8MRPG.

Creation and Use of Online Gateway for School Libraries from Free Web 2.0 Tools

The school library is challenged to remain relevant in the 21st century learning environment. With young learners always consulting Google and other free search engines for subject assignment and other information needs and with the underwhelming quality of much web-based information, the school library must find an interesting and effective way to deliver authoritative and relevant information services through online tools. However, effective information services online are most often hosted from subscribed or paid Web 2.0 sites. These online services are capable of interactivity among learners and flexibility for individual schools’ administrative concerns. However, the ability to afford these services is frequently beyond the financial capability of schools from developing countries. The researcher explored the possibility of creating a school library website that serves as a pathfinder to online resources and electronically delivers other library-based school services using free Web 2.0 tools.

Values and Regulations of Journalism as Viewed by Crimean Media Workers

Crimean journalists’ professional community has been working in a specific context during the recent six years. The journalists have had to adapt to the new political, legal and socio-cultural realia. Besides, they have had to work under the international sanctions imposed on the Crimea. Due to the increased attention of Russian society to the region, the community of Crimean journalists has successfully assimilated into Russian media landscape. However, its problems and characteristics, particularly, their vision of professional values and legal regulations, still remain unstudied. The purpose of the article is to study Crimean media workers’ perception of social functions of journalism, its ethical norms and legal regulations, and freedom as a basic category and value. The study required conducting a survey that involved 95 journalists from 56 editorial offices in 20 locations in the Crimea. The respondents demonstrate a clear understanding of values and regulations of their profession and view informing the public about the events in the Crimean region as the key journalists’ role. They are convinced, in this relation, that the most important ethical principle is their audience’s right for true information. The respondents also consider Russian legal regulations a key pre-requisite for their professional freedom – free search for and distribution of information. The author infers that Crimean journalists have enough freedom to perform their professional functions.

Medically unexplained symptoms in children: an experimental investigation of the impact of internet searching on parental responses

Background: Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are symptoms for which no medical cause can be identified. For children and adolescents, symptoms can be maintained through parental responses. Aims: The present study investigated the impact that internet searching of symptoms has on parental responses to MUS. Method: One hundred and twenty-seven adult participants read a vignette in which they were asked to imagine they were a parent of a young person with MUS and completed visual analogue scales (VAS) reporting their beliefs, emotions and behavioural intentions about the MUS. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of three conditions: searching reputable websites for further information about the symptoms (n = 47), free search of any websites for further information about the symptoms (n = 38) or a control condition (n = 42) during which participants spent 10 minutes doing their usual behaviour on the internet, for example checking email and social media. Participants then completed the VAS for a second time. Results: Searching reputable websites led to a significantly greater decrease in behaviour VAS scores compared with the free search condition [F (1,123) = 11.374, p < .001], indicating that participants were less likely to seek a second opinion and to advise the child to avoid usual activities. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that internet searching reputable sites for information regarding physical symptoms can be positive and it may therefore be advisable for health professionals meeting children with MUS to provide the family with information links to reputable sources.

Replication of 15 loci involved in human plasma protein N-glycosylation in 4802 samples from four cohorts

Human protein glycosylation is a complex process, and its in vivo regulation is poorly understood. Changes in glycosylation patterns are associated with many human diseases and conditions. Understanding the biological determinants of protein glycome provides a basis for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) allow to study biology via a hypothesis-free search of loci and genetic variants associated with a trait of interest. Sixteen loci were identified by three previous GWAS of human plasma proteome N-glycosylation. However, the possibility that some of these loci are false positives needs to be eliminated by replication studies, which have been limited so far. Here, we use the largest set of samples so far (4802 individuals) to replicate the previously identified loci. For all but one locus, the expected replication power exceeded 95%. Of the 16 loci reported previously, 15 were replicated in our study. For the remaining locus (near the KREMEN1 gene), the replication power was low, and hence, replication results were inconclusive. The very high replication rate highlights the general robustness of the GWAS findings as well as the high standards adopted by the community that studies genetic regulation of protein glycosylation. The 15 replicated loci present a good target for further functional studies. Among these, eight loci contain genes encoding glycosyltransferases: MGAT5, B3GAT1, FUT8, FUT6, ST6GAL1, B4GALT1, ST3GAL4 and MGAT3. The remaining seven loci offer starting points for further functional follow-up investigation into molecules and mechanisms that regulate human protein N-glycosylation in vivo.

ProtyQuant: Comparing Label-Free Shotgun Proteomics Datasets Using Accumulated Peptide Probabilities

<p>Comparing multiple label-free shotgun proteomics datasets requires various data processing and formatting steps, including peptide-spectrum matching, protein inference, and quantification. Finally, the compilation of results files into a format that allows for downstream analyses. ProtyQuant performs protein inference and quantification calculations, and combines the results of individual datasets into plain text tables. These are lightweight, human-readable, and easy to import into databases or statistical software. ProtyQuant reads validated pepXML from proteomic workflows such as the Trans-Proteomic Pipeline (TPP), which makes it compatible with many commercial and free search engines. For protein inference and quantification, a modified version of the PIPQ program (He et al. 2016) was integrated. In contrast to simple spectral-counting, PIPQ sums up peptide probabilities. For assigning peptides to proteins, three algorithms are available: Multiple Counting, Equal Division, and Linear Programming. The accumulated peptide probabilities (app) are used for both tasks, protein probability estimation, and quantification. ProtyQuant was tested using a reference dataset for label-free shotgun proteomics, obtained from different concentrations of 48 human UPS proteins spiked into yeast lysate. Compared to ProteinProphet, ProtyQuant detected up to 126 (15%) more proteins in the mixture, applying an equal false positive rate (FPR). Using the app values for label-free quantification showed suitable sensitivity and linearity. Strikingly, the app values represent a realistic measure of ‘Protein Presence,’ an integral concept of protein probability and quantity. ProtyQuant provides a graphical user interface (GUI) and scripts for console-based processing. It is available (GNU GLP v3) for Windows, Linux, and Docker from <a href="https://bitbucket.org/lababi/protyquant/">https://bitbucket.org/lababi/protyquant/</a>.</p>