Search results for " agent"
showing 10 items of 7765 documents
Simulation Goals and Metrics Identification
2016
Agent-Based Modeling and Simulation (ABMS) is a very useful means for producing high quality models during simulation studies. When ABMS is part of a methodological ap- proach it becomes important to have a method for identifying the objectives of the simulation study in a disciplined fashion. In this work we propose a set of guidelines for properly capturing and representing the goals of the simulations and the metrics, allowing and evaluating the achievement of a simulation objective. We take inspiration from the goal-question-metric approach and with the aid of a specific problem formalization we are able to derive the right questions for relating simulation goals and metrics.
Opinion Dynamics and Stubbornness via Multi-Population Mean-Field Games
2016
This paper studies opinion dynamics for a set of heterogeneous populations of individuals pursuing two conflicting goals: to seek consensus and to be coherent with their initial opinions. The multi-population game under investigation is characterized by (i) rational agents who behave strategically, (ii) heterogeneous populations, and (iii) opinions evolving in response to local interactions. The main contribution of this paper is to encompass all of these aspects under the unified framework of mean-field game theory. We show that, assuming initial Gaussian density functions and affine control policies, the Fokker---Planck---Kolmogorov equation preserves Gaussianity over time. This fact is t…
Intelligent agents for feature modelling in computer aided design
2017
Abstract CAD modelling can be referred to as the process of generating an integrated multiple view model as a representation of multiple views of engineering design. In many situations, a change in the model of one view may conflict with the models of other views. In such situations, the model of some views needs to be adapted in order to make all models consistent. Thus, CAD models should be capable of adapting themselves to new situations. Recently, agent based technologies have been considered in order to increase both knowledge level and intelligence of real and virtual objects. The contribution of this paper consists in introducing the intelligent agents in intelligent CAD modelling. T…
Crowd-Averse Robust Mean-Field Games: Approximation via State Space Extension
2016
We consider a population of dynamic agents, also referred to as players. The state of each player evolves according to a linear stochastic differential equation driven by a Brownian motion and under the influence of a control and an adversarial disturbance. Every player minimizes a cost functional which involves quadratic terms on state and control plus a cross-coupling mean-field term measuring the congestion resulting from the collective behavior, which motivates the term “crowd-averse.” Motivations for this model are analyzed and discussed in three main contexts: a stock market application, a production engineering example, and a dynamic demand management problem in power systems. For th…
Investigation of Isoindolo[2,1-a] quinoxaline-6-imines as Topoisomerase I Inhibitors with Molecular Modeling Methods
2017
Background: Isoindolo[2,1-alpha] quinoxalines constitute an important class of compounds which demonstrated potent antiproliferative activity against different human tumor cell lines and topoisomerase I inhibitors. In particular, their water soluble imine or iminium salts recently synthesized showed potent growth inhibitory effect on NCI-60 tumor cell line panel and biological studies performed on the most active compounds demonstrated that they cause DNA damage via topoisomerase I poisoning. Objective: Herein, we investigate with molecular modeling methods, the common features responsible for topoisomerase I inhibition of the water-soluble isoindolo[2,1-alpha] quinoxalin-6-imines, by compa…
Effect of in-office bleaching gels with calcium or fluoride on color, roughness, and enamel microhardness
2019
Background Commercial bleaching gels with remineralizing agents were developed to reduce the adverse effects of dental bleaching. The present study evaluated the effects on teeth of in-office bleaching gels containing 35-40% hydrogen peroxide (HP) with Calcium (Ca) or Fluoride (F). Material and methods Bovine enamel/dentin blocks (4x4x2.5 mm) were randomly divided into the following groups (n=12): no treatment (control); 35% HP (Whiteness HP, FGM); 35% HP with Ca (Whiteness HP Blue, FGM); 40% HP with F (Opalescence Boost, Ultradent). The specimens were analyzed for color (ΔL*, Δa*, Δb*, and ΔE), roughness (Ra), and Knoop microhardness (KHN). The color and KHN data were submitted to ANOVA an…
Constitutive activation of MexT by amino acid substitutions results in MexEF-OprN overproduction in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
2018
ABSTRACT When overproduced, the multidrug efflux system MexEF-OprN increases the resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to fluoroquinolones, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim. In this work, we demonstrate that gain-of-function mutations in the regulatory gene mexT result in oligomerization of the LysR regulator MexT, constitutive upregulation of the efflux pump, and increased resistance in clinical isolates.
Antiinflammatory Therapy with Canakinumab for Atherosclerotic Disease
2017
Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, …
2,3-Dihydrobenzofuran privileged structures as new bioinspired lead compounds for the design of mPGES-1 inhibitors
2016
International audience; 2,3-Dihydrobenzofurans are proposed as privileged structures and used as chemical platform to design small compound libraries. By combining molecular docking calculations and experimental verification of biochemical interference, we selected some potential inhibitors of microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase (mPGES)-1. Starting from low affinity natural product 1, by our combined approach we identified the compounds 19 and 20 with biological activity in the low micromolar range. Our data suggest that the 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran derivatives might be suitable bioinspired lead compounds for development of new generation mPGES-1 inhibitors with increased affinity.
Antitumor effect of oncolytic virus and paclitaxel encapsulated in extracellular vesicles for lung cancer treatment
2018
Standard of care for cancer is commonly a combination of surgery with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. However, in some advanced cancer patients this approach might still remaininefficient and may cause many side effects, including severe complications and even death. Oncolytic viruses exhibit different anti-cancer mechanisms compared with conventional therapies, allowing the possibility for improved effect in cancer therapy. Chemotherapeutics combined with oncolytic viruses exhibit stronger cytotoxic responses and oncolysis. Here, we have investigated the systemic delivery of the oncolytic adenovirus and paclitaxel encapsulated in extracellular vesicles (EV) formulation that, in vitro, s…