Extensi�� de l'entorn SMARD per permetre la depuraci�� d'aplicacions basades en agents m��bils

Un dels principals obstacles per l���adopci�� dels agents m��bils, fins i tot per tasques per les quals s���ha demostrat la seva idone��tat, ��s la dificultat de desenvolupar-los. Aquest projecte aporta solucions per ajudar en aquest proc��s. M��s concretament, per provar agents i observar-ne el seu comportament en un entorn de simulaci��, abans d���executar-los en un escenari real. Hem afegit un depurador i un constructor d���agents m��bils a la interf��cie gr��fica de disseny d���itineraris de l���entorn SMARD. Fent servir afegit aquests nous components, el programador pot dissenyar, construir i fer proves d���un agent m��bil des d���aquesta aplicaci��.

Contribuci�� a la mobilitat inter-plataforma d'agents m��bils: protocol de migraci�� fragmentada

En aquest projecte s���ha dissenyat un protocol de migraci�� d���agents m��bils per a l���arquitectura IPMA basat en l���enviament dels agents fragmentats en diversos missatges FIPA ACL. Aquest s���ha implementat dins el servei de migraci�� JIPMS per a la plataforma JADE. Finalment s���ha dut a terme un conjunt exhaustiu de tests per avaluar-ne el rendiment i comparar-lo amb altres protocols de migraci�� existents.

Desenvolupament d'un component de toler��ncia a fallades per a un sistema d'agents m��bils sobre plataformes lleugeres

A mesura que la complexitat de les tasques dels agents m��bils va creixent, ��s m��s important que aquestes no perdin el treball realitzat. Hem de saber en tot moment que la execuci�� s���est�� desenvolupant favorablement. Aquest projecte tracta d���explicar el proc��s d���elaboraci�� d���un component de toler��ncia a fallades des de la seva idea inicial fins a la seva implementaci��. Analitzarem la situaci�� i dissenyarem una soluci��. Procurarem que el nostre component emmascari la fallada d���un agent, detectant-la i posteriorment recuperant l���execuci�� des d���on s���ha interromput. Tot aix�� procurant seguir la metodologia de disseny d���agents m��bils per a plataformes lleugeres.

Notes on Agents��� Behavioral Rules Under Adaptive Learning and Studies of Monetary Policy

These notes try to clarify some discussions on the formulation of individual intertemporal behavior under adaptive learning in representative agent models. First, we discuss two suggested approaches and related issues in the context of a simple consumption-saving model. Second, we show that the analysis of learning in the NewKeynesian monetary policy model based on ���Euler equations��� provides a consistent and valid approach.

Asset Prices, Business Cycles, and Markov-Perfect Fiscal Policy when Agents are Risk-Sensitive

We study a business cycle model in which a benevolent fiscal authority must determine the optimal provision of government services, while lacking credibility, lump-sum taxes, and the ability to bond finance deficits. Households and the fiscal authority have risk sensitive preferences. We find that outcomes are affected importantly by the household's risk sensitivity, but not by the fiscal authority's. Further, while household risk-sensitivity induces a strong precautionary saving motive, which raises capital and lowers the return on assets, its effects on fluctuations and the business cycle are generally small, although more pronounced for negative shocks. Holding the stochastic steady state constant, increases in household risk-sensitivity lower the risk-free rate and raise the return on equity, increasing the equity premium. Finally, although risk-sensitivity has little effect on the provision of government services, it does cause the fiscal authority to lower the income tax rate. An additional contribution of this paper is to present a method for computing Markov-perfect equilibria in models where private agents and the government are risk-sensitive decisionmakers.

Recent advances in pharmacologic study of natural anticancer agents in China

In this paper a number of anticancer agents of natural origin will be presented. Hydroxycamtothecin (HCPT) was found to produce a strong inhibitory action on a variety of animal tumors. It is also effective for treatment of patients with gastric carcinoma, liver carcinoma, tumor of head and neck or leukemia. Pharmacologic studies showed that it could depress S phase of tumor cells significantly and cause formation of cellular chromatid breaks. By means of alkaline elution and nick translation methods it has been proved that HCPT induced DNA singlo strand breaks remarkably. Homoharringyonine (hhrt) was shown to be effective against acute leukemia. Recent experiments in tumor-bearing mice inidcated that (HHRT) could diminish tumor metastasis. Using molecular hybridization technique it was demonstrated that (HHRT) decreased the content of c-myc RNA in the cytoplasm but not in the nuclei. Lycobetaine (LBT) poddrddrf dytnh inhibitory effects on a number of ascites tumors. In clinical trials it was against ovarian and gastric carcinomas. It is able to intercalate into DNA. Oxalysine (OXL) is a new antibiotic and shown to be effective against tumor metastatis. When used in combination with 5-FU, its anticancer action could be enhanced. Other natural compounds such as indirubin, ��-elemene, irisquinone, oridonine, norcantharidin and PSP have been also found to possess antitumor action.

The research on radioprotective agents in Chinese materia medica

A series of studies has been carried out in the field of traditional medicine for searching radio-protective agents. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, may prescriptions were tested with experimental animals. Some of them could raise the survival rate of dogs irradiated with lethal dose of Pi-rays by 30-40%. Some symptoms of radiation sickness could be improved. More than one thousand kinds of Chinese herbs were screened. Some of them have pronounced radioprotectice activities. A series of bioactive components wee isolated from these herbs. The mechanism of radiation protection were studied. Having the capability of hemopoietic system and immune system may be the characteristics of these Chinese herbs.

Chemical and pharmacological investigation of Solanum species of Brazil: a search for solasodine and other potentially useful therapeutic agents

A systematic search for solasodine, an important staring material for the partial synthesis of steroidal hormones as well as other potentially bioactive constituents of various Solanum species of Brazil has been undertaken. Thus, the fruits of S. paludosum, S. asperum, S. sessiliforum and Solanum sp. were found to contain significant amounts of solasodine. The root bark of S. paludosum which showe durare like activity yelded tomatidenol and another yet unidentified alkaloid responsible for the biological activity. The fruits of S. asperum yelded a new spirosolane alkaloid, solaparnaine. The stem bark of S. pseudo-quina showed convulsive and exitatory activity from which (25S)-isosolafloridine was identified as the active principle. In addition, the latter alkaloid was also found to show antimicrobial activity.

Agents m��bils en situacions d'emerg��ncia: gesti�� din��mica de serveis

Aquest projecte consisteix en el disseny i desenvolupament d'una arquitectura de serveis sota el paradigma dels agents inteligents. El prop��sit d'ADASMI (Architecture for Dynamic Agent Service Management and Interaction) ��s permetre la gesti�� i utilitzaci�� de serveis per altres agents. L'arquitectura s'ha implementat utilitzant la plataforma d'agents de JADE i es pot utilitzar amb qualsevol altra plataforma que compleixi els est��ndards d'IEEE FIPA. A m��s, ��s prou flexible com per adaptar-se en entorns din��mics, com per exemple les xarxes ad-hoc en situacions d'emerg��ncia.

Agents m��bils en situacions d'emerg��ncia: mobilitat d'etiquetes de triatge

En les actuacions de rescat en emerg��ncies amb un gran nombre de v��ctimes, una de les primeres tasques a realitzar pels serveis sanitaris ��s la de triar-les en funci�� del seu estat i la urg��ncia amb que han de ser tractades. En el grup SeNDA es treballa en un sistema d���agents m��bils que automatitza el mecanisme manual de triatge, fent ��s de dispositius electr��nics i una xarxa MANET com a canal de comunicaci��. En aquest projecte es proposa un sistema de gesti�� de mobilitat pels agents que transporten dades de v��ctimes fins al centre de coordinaci��, juntament amb un mecanisme de control d���aquests agents totalment transparent a l���usuari.

Fast screening and confirmation of doping agents by UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS

Introduction: The general strategy to perform anti-doping analysis starts with a screening followed by a confirmatory step when a sample is suspected to be positive. The screening step should be fast, generic and able to highlight any sample that may contain a prohibited substance by avoiding false negative and reducing false positive results. The confirmatory step is a dedicated procedure comprising a selective sample preparation and detection mode. Aim: The purpose of the study is to develop rapid screening and selective confirmatory strategies to detect and identify 103 doping agents in urine. Methods: For the screening, urine samples were simply diluted by a factor 2 with ultra-pure water and directly injected ("dilute and shoot") in the ultrahigh- pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC). The UHPLC separation was performed in two gradients (ESI positive and negative) from 5/95 to 95/5% of MeCN/Water containing 0.1% formic acid. The gradient analysis time is 9 min including 3 min reequilibration. Analytes detection was performed in full scan mode on a quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer by acquiring the exact mass of the protonated (ESI positive) or deprotonated (ESI negative) molecular ion. For the confirmatory analysis, urine samples were extracted on SPE 96-well plate with mixed-mode cation (MCX) for basic and neutral compounds or anion exchange (MAX) sorbents for acidic molecules. The analytes were eluted in 3 min (including 1.5 min reequilibration) with a S1-25 Ann Toxicol Anal. 2009; 21(S1) Abstracts gradient from 5/95 to 95/5% of MeCN/Water containing 0.1% formic acid. Analytes confirmation was performed in MS and MS/MS mode on a QTOF mass spectrometer. Results: In the screening and confirmatory analysis, basic and neutral analytes were analysed in the positive ESI mode, whereas acidic compounds were analysed in the negative mode. The analyte identification was based on retention time (tR) and exact mass measurement. "Dilute and shoot" was used as a generic sample treatment in the screening procedure, but matrix effect (e.g., ion suppression) cannot be avoided. However, the sensitivity was sufficient for all analytes to reach the minimal required performance limit (MRPL) required by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA). To avoid time-consuming confirmatory analysis of false positive samples, a pre-confirmatory step was added. It consists of the sample re-injection, the acquisition of MS/MS spectra and the comparison to reference material. For the confirmatory analysis, urine samples were extracted by SPE allowing a pre-concentration of the analyte. A fast chromatographic separation was developed as a single analyte has to be confirmed. A dedicated QTOF-MS and MS/MS acquisition was performed to acquire within the same run a parallel scanning of two functions. Low collision energy was applied in the first channel to obtain the protonated molecular ion (QTOF-MS), while dedicated collision energy was set in the second channel to obtain fragmented ions (QTOF-MS/MS). Enough identification points were obtained to compare the spectra with reference material and negative urine sample. Finally, the entire process was validated and matrix effects quantified. Conclusion: Thanks to the coupling of UHPLC with the QTOF mass spectrometer, high tR repeatability, sensitivity, mass accuracy and mass resolution over a broad mass range were obtained. The method was sensitive, robust and reliable enough to detect and identify doping agents in urine. Keywords: screening, confirmatory analysis, UHPLC, QTOF, doping agents