Cooperative Coevolution for Non-Separable Large-Scale Black-Box Optimization: Convergence Analyses and Distributed Accelerations

Given the ubiquity of non-separable optimization problems in real worlds, in this paper we analyze and extend the large-scale version of the well-known cooperative coevolution (CC), a divide-and-conquer optimization framework, on non-separable functions. First, we reveal empirical reasons of why decomposition-based methods are preferred or not in practice on some non-separable large-scale problems, which have not been clearly pointed out in many previous CC papers. Then, we formalize CC to a continuous game model via simplification, but without losing its essential property. Different from previous evolutionary game theory for CC, our new model provides a much simpler but useful viewpoint to analyze its convergence, since only the pure Nash equilibrium concept is needed and more general fitness landscapes can be explicitly considered. Based on convergence analyses, we propose a hierarchical decomposition strategy for better generalization, as for any decomposition there is a risk of getting trapped into a suboptimal Nash equilibrium. Finally, we use powerful distributed computing to accelerate it under the multi-level learning framework, which combines the fine-tuning ability from decomposition with the invariance property of CMA-ES. Experiments on a set of high-dimensional functions validate both its search performance and scalability (w.r.t. CPU cores) on a clustering computing platform with 400 CPU cores

Congestive Heart Failure Exhibited Higher BMI With Lower Energy Intake and Lower Physical Activity Level: Data From the National Health and Examination Nutrition Survey

Background: Despite that nutritional deficiency existed in congestive heart failure (CHF), there is a large amount of CHF patients suffering from obesity. This study aimed to identify the differences for increased BMI or obesity in CHF patients.Methods: This cross-sectional study included adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2016. Differences were compared between CHF participants vs. non-CHF participants, and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 vs. BMI < 30 kg/m2 CHF participants.Results: CHF participants were with higher BMI, lower energy and macronutrient intake, lower physical activity level and longer rest time, and lower hematocrit and hemoglobin level (all P < 0.05) than non-CHF participants. The prevalence of BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 in participants with CHF was 53.48%. There was no significant difference observed in energy and macronutrient intake between CHF participants with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 or <30 kg/m2. The water intake (P = 0.032), sedentary time (P = 0.002), and hematocrit (P = 0.028) were significantly different between CHF with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and with <30 kg/m2.Conclusion: Compared with non-CHF participants, CHF participants exhibited higher BMI with lower energy and macronutrient intake, lower physical activity level, longer rest time, and hemodilution with lower hematocrit and hemoglobin level. Among CHF participants with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, higher sedentary time and hematocrit were observed

Pathogenesis, Prevention and Control of Coffee Black Fruit Disease (Fusarium solani)

Coffee black fruit disease causes great harm to the yield and quality of coffee. Multiple factors, such as climate factors, insect pests, pathogen infection, physiological disorders, improper planting density, etc., can cause coffee black fruit disease, which can be categorized into three types: pathogen infection type, physiological disorder type and insect pest type. Through the analysis of pathogenesis, the prevention and control methods and techniques of the disease corresponding to different types are put forward

Changes in anterior chamber volume after implantation of posterior chamber phakic intraocular lens in high myopia

Abstract Background The present study aimed to assess changes in, and the factors that influence, anterior chamber volume (ACV) after implantable contact lens (ICL) implantation in high myopia eyes using a Pentacam. Methods The study sampled 26 high myopia patients (45 eyes) who were treated with ICL implantation. These patients were followed for an average of 4.28 months postoperatively. ACV was measured with a Pentacam preoperatively and at 3 months postoperatively. The data were analyzed by paired samples Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) model adjusting within-patient intereye correlations in addition to Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation tests were performed to determine associations. Results The mean ACV was 198.33 ± 33.08 mm3 before surgery and 118.65 ± 17.70 mm3 after surgery. A significant decrease of 79.68 mm3 (40.18%) (Z = 5.841, P <  0.001) was detected. Positive correlations were found between ACV changes and ICL central vault (r = 0.528, P <  0.001) and preoperative anterior chamber depth (ACD) (r = 0.665, P <  0.001). There were positive correlations between postoperative ACV and postoperative anterior chamber angle (ACA) at 3:00 o’clock (r = 0.448, P = 0.002) and at 9:00 o’clock (r = 0.405, P = 0.006). GEE regression model showed that postoperative ACV significantly positively correlated with preoperative ACV (P = 0.002), ACD (P = 0.002) and horizontal ACA (P = 0.005) and negatively correlated with ICL central vault (P <  0.001). Conclusion Complementary to vault and ACD, ACV is a sensitive parameter with certain value of preoperative assessment and postoperative monitoring in ICL implantation

EVOAC-HP: An Efficient and Verifiable Outsourced Access Control Scheme with Hidden Policy

As medical data become increasingly important in healthcare, it is crucial to have proper access control mechanisms, ensuring that sensitive data are only accessible to authorized users while maintaining privacy and security. Ciphertext-Policy Attribute-Based Encryption (CP-ABE) is an attractive access control solution that can offer effective, fine-grained and secure medical data sharing, but it has two major drawbacks: Firstly, decryption is computationally expensive for resource-limited data users, especially when the access policy has many attributes, limiting its use in large-scale data-sharing scenarios. Secondly, existing schemes are based on data users’ attributes, which can potentially reveal sensitive information about the users, especially in healthcare data sharing, where strong privacy and security are essential. To address these issues, we designed an improved CP-ABE scheme that provides efficient and verifiable outsourced access control with fully hidden policy named EVOAC-HP. In this paper, we utilize the attribute bloom filter to achieve policy hiding without revealing user privacy. For the purpose of alleviating the decryption burden for data users, we also adopt the technique of outsourced decryption to outsource the heavy computation overhead to the cloud service provider (CSP) with strong computing and storage capabilities, while the transformed ciphertext results can be verified by the data user. Finally, with rigorous security and reliable performance analysis, we demonstrate that EVOAC-HP is both practical and effective with robust privacy protection

Influential Factors in Transportation and Mechanical Properties of Aeolian Sand-Based Cemented Filling Material

Given that normal filling technology generally cannot be used for mining in the western part of China, as it has only a few sources for filling gangue, the feasibility of instead using cemented filling materials with aeolian sand as the aggregate is discussed in this study. We used laboratory tests to study how the fly ash (FA) content, cement content, lime&#8315;slag (LS) content, and concentration influence the transportation and mechanical properties of aeolian-sand-based cemented filling material. The internal microstructures and distributions of the elements in filled objects for curing times of 3 and 7 days are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The experimental results show that: (i) the bleeding rate and slump of the filling-material slurry decrease gradually as the fly ash content, cement content, lime&#8315;slag content, and concentration increase, (ii) while the mechanical properties of the filled object increase. The optimal proportions for the aeolian sand-based cemented filling material include a concentration of 76%, a fly ash content of 47.5%, a cement content of 12.5%, a lime&#8315;slag content of 5%, and an aeolian sand content of 35%. The SEM observations show that the needle/rod-like ettringite (AFt) and amorphous and flocculent tobermorite (C-S-H) gel are the main early hydration products of a filled object with the above specific proportions. After increasing the curing time from 3 to 7 days, the AFt content decreases gradually, while the C-S-H content and the compactness increase

GeneChip analysis of signaling pathways effected by nickel{

The carcinogenicity of nickel compounds has been shown in numerous epidemiological and animal studies. Carcinogenesis is generally considered as a multistep accumulation of genetic alterations. Nickel, however, being highly carcinogenic is only a weak mutagen. We hypothesize that nickel may act by modulating signaling pathways, and subsequently by reprogramming transcription factors. Insoluble nickel is considered to be more carcinogenic than soluble. In this study using GeneChip technology we compared changes in gene expression caused by soluble and insoluble nickel compounds. We found that both soluble and insoluble nickel compounds induce similar signaling pathways following 20 h of in vitro exposure. For example, both nickel compounds activated a number of transcription factors including hypoxia-inducible factor I (HIF-1) and p53. The induction of these important transcription factors exerts potent selective pressure leading to cell transformation. The obtained data are in agreement with our previous observations that acute nickel exposure activates HIF-1 and p53 transcription factors and in nickel-transformed cells, the ratio of HIF-I activity to p53 activity was shifted towards high HIF-I activity. The activation of the same signaling pathways by soluble and insoluble nickel compounds suggested that both nickel compounds have similar carcinogenic potential in vitro. Aim of investigation Nickel (Ni) and several of its compounds are used in various industrial applications. Workers in the nickel-related industry are exposed to this metal mainly by inhalation, and varying toxic manifestations affecting the respiratory system have been noted (for recent reviews see refs. 1 and 2). The high carcinogenic activity of nickel (Ni) compounds in epidemiological studies, as well as, in numerous animal studies has been reported and reviewed. 3-5 A high incidence of lung and nasal cancer in humans was attributed to exposure of workers to dust containing Ni particles and to exposure to different soluble Ni compounds. 7 Nickel compounds are not strong mutagens in many test systems from bacteria to human cells

A Hierarchical Modeling Paradigm for Multi-Fidelity Simulation of Mega Container Terminals

10.1109/SII.2017.8279220IEEE/SICE International Symposium on System Integration (SII)2018-January247-25