Designing amino acid sequences to fold with good hydrophobic cores

We present two methods for designing amino acid sequences ofproteins that will fold to have good hydrophobic cores. Giventhe coordinates of the desired target protein or polymer structure,the methods generate sequences of hydrophobic (H) and polar(P) monomers that are intended to fold to these structures.One method designs hydrophobic inside, polar outside; the otherminimizes an energy function in a sequence evolution process.The sequences generated by these methods agree at the levelof 60–80% of the sequence positions in 20 proteins inthe Protein Data Bank. A major challenge in protein design isto create sequences that can fold uniquely, i.e. to a singleconformation rather than to many. While an earlier lattice-basedsequence evolution method was shown not to design unique folders,our method generates unique folders in lattice model tests.These methods may also be useful in designing other types offoldable polymer not based on amino acids     

SIMOP: Efficient reactive distillation optimization using stochastic optimizers

A methodology to improve the efficiency of stochastic methods applied to the optimization of chemical processes with a large number of equality constraints is presented. The methodology is based on two steps: (a) the optimization of the simulation step, which involves the optimum choice of design variables and subsystems to be simultaneously solved; (b) the optimization of the nonlinear programming (NLP) problem using stochastic methods. For the first step a flexible tool (SIMOP) is used, whereby different numerical procedures can be easily obtained, taking into account the problem formulation and specific characteristics, the need for specific initialization schemes and the efficient solution of systems of nonlinear equations. This methodology was applied to the optimization of a reactive distillation process for the production of ethylene glycol. Due to the complexity of the mathematical model, several different numerical procedures were generated, and their influence on the computational burden and on the reliability and accuracy of the optimization to reach the global optimum were studied. The results obtained suggest that in addition to the choice of design variables, the structure of subsystems associated to numerical procedures has a considerable impact on the performance of the optimizers.     

Enhanced user performance in an image gallery application with a mobile autostereoscopic touch display

In this study, we explored how stereoscopic depth affects performance and user experience in a mobile device with an autostereoscopic touch display. Participants conducted a visual search task with an image gallery application on three layouts with different depth ranges. The task completion times were recorded, and the participants were asked to rate their experiences. The results revealed that the image search times were facilitated by a mild depth effect and that too great a depth slowed search times and decreased user-experience ratings.     

Revisiting the two-stage choice model: an empirical study of consumer choice on brand website visits

In consumer choice behaviour literature, a two-stage choice model serves as a base theory where choice behaviour is decomposed into a consideration stage plus a choice stage. Yet, this default model has been increasingly challenged by the ‘limited consumer search’ school of thought because consumers do not necessarily review all products in a choice set before making decisions, but frequently draw on external information as mental short cuts. Methodologically, the choice behaviour in stage 1 has traditionally been latent because data that directly observe how consumers form their consideration sets by eliminating alternatives are lacking. This study continues the ‘limited consumer search’ line of reasoning and proposes an aided non-compensatory process in choice stage 1, where consumers reduce brand website alternatives by using online ratings to arrive at a consideration set. We use observed Web analytics data to unveil the stage 1 choice process and also the transition from stage 1 to stage 2, which is in need of further research based on extant literature. Lastly, we cross-validate our model with two types of websites (i.e. search vs. experience/credence) and find our model is contingent on the type of website content, where consumers’ inclination to use online ratings for decision-making varies.     

Prediction of DNA-binding regulatory proteins in bacteriophage T7

The high-resolution structure of several specific DNA-bindingproteins have been determined, and they display a common structuralmotif which mediates their binding to DNA. This motif consistsof two -helices connected by a sharp turn, and its amino acidsequence has several distinguishing features. A computer searchof the proteins coded by the genome of bacteriophage T7 hasbeen performed in an attempt to identify those proteins thatpotentially contain this motif. Eight proteins were found tohave regions similar to that of the motif. Of these, three arerelatively small, have no known function and are good candidatesfor being DNA-binding regulatory proteins. The methods describeduse commonly available computer programs and databases, andare therefore easy to implement.     

基于Nutch与元搜索引擎技术的高校网络舆情监测系统研究

针对高校网络舆情监测工作的不足,结合高校舆情信息的传播特点,提出了在校园网范围内基于Nutch搜索引擎技术进行信息检索,在互联网上采用元搜索引擎技术获取相关信息的舆情监测系统构建方案。采用关键词特征库匹配方式自动进行网络舆情监测,及时准确地发现网络舆情信息;探讨了高校对于网络舆情的监测、分析、引导和反馈等环节的处理方法,从而形成完善的应对机制。     

动态适应布谷鸟搜索算法

介绍一种新的生物启发算法—–布谷鸟搜索(CS)及其相关的L′evy飞行搜索机制.为了进一步提高算法的适应性,将反馈引入算法框架,建立了CS算法参数的闭环控制系统.将Rechenberg的1/5法则作为进化的评价指标,引入学习因子平衡种群的多样性和集中性,提出动态适应布谷鸟算法(DACS).最后,通过数值实验验证了所提出算法的有效性.     

轨迹空间中基于特征符号搜索算法的非刚体三维运动重建研究

现有研究一般是在正交约束条件下采用最小二乘法来求解三维运动轨迹基重建问题,然而这些算法的性能容易受噪声影响,产生不适定性。为此,通过利用离散线性的方法为三维运动搜索最优轨迹基系数和三维结构,建立了一种基于特征符号搜索算法的三维运动轨迹基重建方法。利用该方法,对一系列单目图像序列进行了重建实验研究,结果表明所提出的方法是可行的,并提高了重建算法的准确性。     

基于Voronoi图的连续反向最近邻查询

为解决动态环境中移动点的连续反向最近邻查询问题,将连续反向最近邻查询分为单色和双色2种情况进行研究。利用移动点Voronoi图,分别给出单色连续反向最近邻查询算法、双色连续反向最近邻查询算法以及相关定理,对算法正确性和可终止性进行证明,分析算法时间复杂性。按照移动点Voronoi图的拓扑结构是否改变分为2种情况,分析每种情况下候选所在区域的变化,在变化区域内进行Voronoi图的重构,得到对应的解决方法。在多数情况下,该算法只需生成局部移动点的Voronoi图即可找到结果,减小了连续反向最近邻查询的代价。     

A multiobjective hybrid ant colony optimization approach applied to the assignment and scheduling problem

The assignment and scheduling problem is inherently multiobjective. It generally involves multiple conflicting objectives and large and highly complex search spaces. The problem allows the determination of an efficient allocation of a set of limited and shared resources to perform tasks, and an efficient arrangement scheme of a set of tasks over time, while fulfilling spatiotemporal constraints. The main objective is to minimize the project makespan as well as the total cost. Finding a good approximation set is the result of trade‐offs between diversity of solutions and convergence toward the Pareto‐optimal front. It is difficult to achieve such a balance with NP‐hard problems. In this respect, and in order to efficiently explore the search space, a hybrid bidirectional ant‐based approach is proposed in this paper, which is an improvement of a bi‐colony ant‐based approach. Its main characteristic is that it combines a solution construction developed for a more complicated problem with a Pareto‐guided local search engine.