The Hidden Information State model: A practical framework for POMDP-based spoken dialogue management

This paper explains how Partially Observable Markov Decision Processes (POMDPs) can provide a principled mathematical framework for modelling the inherent uncertainty in spoken dialogue systems. It briefly summarises the basic mathematics and explains why exact optimisation is intractable. It then describes in some detail a form of approximation called the Hidden Information State model which does scale and which can be used to build practical systems. A prototype HIS system for the tourist information domain is evaluated and compared with a baseline MDP system using both user simulations and a live user trial. The results give strong support to the central contention that the POMDP-based framework is both a tractable and powerful approach to building more robust spoken dialogue systems.     

Mobilisation of healthy donors with lenograstim and transplantation of HLA-genoidentical blood progenitors in 54 patients with hematological malignancies: a pilot study

Blood cell transplantation (BCT) is now common practice in the autologous setting. We performed a pilot study of allogeneic BCT, collected after the priming of an HLA-identical sibling with a glycosylated rhu-G-CSF (lenograstim) (10 microg/kg). Fifty-four patients were included (38 +/- 11; M/F = 33/21; CML (n = 17), AML (n = 14), ALL (n = 15); MDS (n = 8)). Transplant procedures were standard (TBI regimen = 47 (87%); MTX-CsA: n = 37; CsA-PDN: n = 17). No serious adverse events were reported in donors. A median of 11 (3.5-29.1) x 10(6)/kg CD34+ cells, 332 (33-820) x 10(6)/kg CD3+ cells were collected. Four patients did not engraft (early death: n = 2; graft failure: n = 2). Fifty-one patients initially recovered 0.5 x 10(9)/l ANC and 25 x 10(9)/l platelets at 15 (10-30) and 13 (9-188) days. 29/51 and 29/38 experienced grade > or =2 acute and chronic GVHD. With a median follow-up of 25 months (18-36), relapse rate is 16% +/- 8, survival and DFS probabilities are similar (50% +/- 13). A better outcome is documented for patients under 45 years and in the early phase of the disease (n = 28), with an identical survival and DFS of 71% +/- 13. In conclusion, lenograstim is a potent rhu-G-CSF for mobilisation of allogeneic hematopoietic progenitors. Two-year follow-up indicates good haematological recovery but some concerns about graft failure and chronic GVHD have arisen deserving prospective evaluation.     

Accounting for self-selected drinking goals in the assessment of treatment outcome.

Many treatment outcome studies are abstinence-based and rely on achieved abstinence as an indicator of success, making the implicit assumption that participants have an abstinence goal. However, it is often the case that participants self-select controlled drinking goals, even in the context of an abstinence-based treatment. The current study explored the use of an outcome variable, percent weeks meeting goal (PWMG), which takes into account individual goal choice at baseline. The sample consisted of 57 women who participated in a cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment for alcohol dependence and were followed for 18 months after baseline. Twenty-two (39%) women self-selected controlled drinking goals, and 35 (61%) self-selected an abstinence goal at baseline. A repeated measures analysis of variance with PWMG as the dependent variable revealed that both goal groups were equally successful in meeting their goals during the 6-month treatment period. After treatment, participants with a goal of abstinence had more PWMG than did participants with a self-selected controlled drinking goal, but the difference was significant at a trend level. The two goal groups did not differ in outcome when the authors compared them using more traditional measures of outcome, percent days abstinent and percent heavy drinking days. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Heat capacity studies of ThP and UP0.5As0.5 solid solution. Reanalyzing UP data

The specific heats of ThP and the solid solution UP_0.5As_0.5 have been measured in the temperature range 5–300 K. While ThP has a regularC _p (T) behavior, the mixed compound exhibits several low-temperature anomalies. An analysis of the experimental data for UP_0.5As_0.5 and reanalysis of previously published heat capacity results for UP have been performed. The temperature dependence of the magnetic entropy, which at 300 K reaches a value close toR ln 4 for both species, confirms the U³⁺ state for uranium atoms in these compounds. The value of the electronic heat capacity coefficient _p in the paramagnetic state has also been extracted from the experimental data. It is far smaller than the respective low-temperature value (0).     

Review of the Existing Translational Pharmacokinetics Modeling Approaches Specific to Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs) to Support the First-In-Human (FIH) Dose Selection

The interest in therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) has continuously growing in several diseases. However, their pharmacokinetics (PK) is complex due to their target-mediated drug disposition (TMDD) profiles which can induce a non-linear PK. This point is particularly challenging during the pre-clinical and translational development of a new mAb. This article reviews and describes the existing PK modeling approaches used to translate the mAbs PK from animal to human for intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) administration routes. Several approaches are presented, from the most empirical models to full physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models, with a focus on the population PK methods (compartmental and minimal PBPK models). They include the translational approaches for the linear part of the PK and the TMDD mechanism of mAbs. The objective of this article is to provide an up-to-date overview and future perspectives of the translational PK approaches for mAbs during a model-informed drug development (MIDD), since the field of PK modeling has gained recently significant interest for guiding mAbs drug development.     

Reparametrization of the BKW Equation of State for the Triazoles and Comparison of the Detonation Properties of HMX,TNMA and NTO by means of Ab-Initio and Semiempirical Calculations

For some years, the research and the new composition development to low vulnerability make the many object works. In the perspective to realize new explosive formulation candidates to EIDS and more effective, the oxynitrotriazole(ONTA or NTO) is an interesting substance. Among melt cast formulations, the composition AFX-644, developed by the US Air Force⁽¹⁾, is considered as EIDS(Extremely Insensitive Detonating Substances) but its performances are too low. One of the possibilities to improve these formulations is to estimate detonation characteristics of these new substances by calculation codes so as to decrease the number of experimental tests and therefore to reduce the cost price. This paper describes the result of the reparametrization studies on the Becker-Kistiakowsky-Wilson(BKW) equation of state for the triazoles. The new set of BKW parameters(α=0.5; β=0.18; κ=11.8; θ=1850) give realistic values for the detonation properties and the predicted ab-initio F. BKW, semiempirical Kamlet and the experimental detonation celerities are in good agreement for each set of parameters for the Nitroaromatics, Nitramines and Triazoles.     

Theoretical insights and experimental characterization of $$\hbox {HfO}_2$$-based OxRRAMs operation

The intensive research in resistive random access memories (RRAM) field has brought in significant improvements in the performance, optimization and reliability of the devices as well as more understanding on their operation. This was made possible through the combination of different tools starting from material engineering to device characterization, modeling and simulations. In this review, we bring an overview of our recent work on RRAM through experimental characterization and first-principles calculations. We explore the effects of metal electrodes on the switching performance and conductive filament (CF) stability of \(\hbox {HfO}_2\) oxide-based RRAM (OxRRAM). With the insight gained from the experimental data, we employ first-principles calculations to have a better microscopic understanding on OxRRAM operation. We show that CF stability and device operating voltages strongly depend on the electrode material. Ti being an electrode material of high interest, we investigate the type of \(\hbox {Ti/HfO}_2\) interface that may be formed and propose a probable composition. We also study the formation and migration of extended Frenkel-pair (EFP) defect in \(\hbox {HfO}_2\) which we consider to be the prototype defect responsible for OxRRAM degradation leading to CF formation. This EFP emission occurs through a cascading migration of O atoms inside \(\hbox {HfO}_2\) lattice. Based on EFP formation and diffusion, we present a simplified CF formation model. Finally, we study low resistance data retention failure in OxRRAM through \(\hbox {HfO}_2\), \(\hbox {Hf}_{1x}\hbox {Al}_{2x}\hbox {O}_{2+x}\) (HfAlO) and \(\hbox {Hf}_{1-x}\hbox {Ti}_{x}\hbox {O}_{2}\) (HfTiO) type of cells. We link its origin to the lateral diffusion of oxygen vacancies at the constriction/tip of the conductive filament in \(\hbox {HfO}_2\)-based RRAM.     

Similitude between the NGD function and filter gain behaviours

This paper deals with the similitude between the behaviours of linear filter gain and negative group delay (NGD) function. The transposition method of low‐pass/high‐pass, low‐pass/band‐pass and low‐pass/band‐stop NGD circuits is established. To the best of the author knowledge, it acts as the first paper devoted on the NGD function generalized theory. The introduced transform relationships simplify the synthesis of any NGD circuits from simple elementary low‐pass NGD topologies. Families of innovative NGD topologies are identified. To verify the relevance of the concept proposed, frequency‐ and time‐domain analysis results from realistic proofs of concept demonstrating the feasibility of developed NGD transforms were performed. Thanks to the NGD phenomenon, the possibility of the ultra‐wideband pulse signals propagating in time‐advance is verified. Finally, potential applications of NGD circuits are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tessellation of Chiral‐Nematic Cellulose Nanocrystal Films by Microtemplating

In biological architectures, material properties are optimized by the hierarchical structuring of components with a multiscaled order, from the nano‐ to the macroscales. Such designs enable, for instance, programmed yield points that maximize toughness. However, research efforts in biomimetic materials have focused on the assembly of nano‐ or macrostructures individually. In this study, high strength cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), assembled into chiral‐nematically ordered structures, are tiled into a higher level, macro‐sized, architecture by topographical templating. As templates, two meshed architectures with distinct feature sizes are evaluated, and the optomechanical properties of the resulting films are compared to featureless, flat, CNC films. Controlling capillary stresses arising during CNC assembly is shown to enable control over the orientation of the chiral‐nematic director across the topography of the template. Tuning the specific reflections and multiscaled fracture propagation is demonstrated for the microtemplated CNC films. The latter phenomenon contributed to enhancing the toughness of the material through a high tortuosity of fracture propagation in all (x, y, z) directions. The presented findings are expected to pave the way towards the incorporation of current research in cellular metamaterials with the research focusing on the generation of nanoscaled biomimetic constructs.     

Interpretation of the VENUS VIP-BWR program with APOLLO2.8 reference and optimized MOC schemes for 8 × 8 UO2 and MOX BWR assemblies

The interpretation of the VIP-BWR program conducted in the CEN·SCK Mol VENUS critical facility (Belgium), has been performed with the new APOLLO2.8 product and its CEA2005V4.1 library based on the JEFF3.1.1 file. Both reference SHEM-MOC (281groups without equivalence) and Optimized BWR 26G (26 groups with equivalence) schemes are used for UO₂ and MOX BWR assembly calculations. The VIP-BWR program was aimed to provide an experimental database for BWR neutronics tools in mixed Gd poisoned configurations with 8 × 8 UO₂ and MOX assemblies. The experimental conditions are relatively representative of actual industrial BWR core characteristics, at least in terms of void fraction. Measured pin-by-pin power distributions enable to exact valuable information at various interfaces. For fresh (UO₂/UO₂–Gd) and recycled UO₂ (UO₂ only) cores loadings, the information is given through the “UO₂” core. In the case of partial MOX loadings (UO₂/MOX interface), the power distributions are available through the “T-MOX” core. All critical sizes are predicted within 1 with SHEM-MOC reference calculation scheme. For UO₂ core, the (C–E) on k_eff are (95 ± 266) pcm and (203 ± 266) pcm for SHEM-MOC and Optimized scheme respectively. For MOX core, the results are (87 ± 214) pcm and (283 ± 214) pcm. The uncertainties take into account both measurement uncertainties and technological uncertainties such as enrichment, clad thicknesses, grid pitch or fuel densities.