Screening of Synergic Interactions of Anti-Angiogenic and Anti-Tumor Compounds

Solid cancers have several common characteristics that Hanahan & Weinberg named as the hallmarks of cancer. Angiogenesis is an essential hallmark of cancer because tumor cells need oxygen and nutrients delivered by the vascular system. In fact, tumor growth and metastasis are angiogenesis dependent, and microvascular endothelial cells recruited by tumors have become an important target in cancer therapy. Combinations of drugs with different modes of action may lead to enhanced antitumor and antiangiogenic effects without injuring the host. The combined use of two drugs may sometimes produce enhanced, unchanged or diminished effects in comparison with their individual effects. These three different types of behaviour of the interacting drugs are called synergy, additive/indifferent and antagonistic effects. In the present work, we analyze 105 paired combinations of 15 compounds, some described by our research group as potent antiangiogenic compounds, and others currently used in clinical therapy. Our results show synergistic effects of several paired combinations using the MTT assay. [Our experimental work is supported by grants BIO2014-56092-R (MINECO and FEDER), P12-CTS-1507 (Andalusian Government and FEDER) and funds from group BIO-267 (Andalusian Government). The "CIBER de Enfermedades Raras" is an initiative from the ISCIII (Spain)].This communication has the support of a travel grant "Universidad de Málaga.Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech".Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Defeasible logic programming: language definition, operational semantics, and parallelism

This thesis defines Defeasible Logic Programming and provides a concrete specification of this new language through its operational semantics. Defeasible Logic Programming, or DeLP for short, has been defined based on the Logic Programming paradigm and considering features of recent developments in the area of Defeasible Argumentation. DeLP relates and improves many aspects of the areas of Logic Programming, Defeasible Argumentation, Intelligent Agents, and Parallel Logic ProgrammingFacultad de Informátic

Defeasible logic programming: language definition, operational semantics, and parallelism

This thesis defines Defeasible Logic Programming and provides a concrete specification of this new language through its operational semantics. Defeasible Logic Programming, or DeLP for short, has been defined based on the Logic Programming paradigm and considering features of recent developments in the area of Defeasible Argumentation. DeLP relates and improves many aspects of the areas of Logic Programming, Defeasible Argumentation, Intelligent Agents, and Parallel Logic ProgrammingFacultad de Informátic

Could negotiation among agents be regarded as an argumentative process?

The building of an intelligent agent has become the main concern of Artificial intelligence (Al). Unfortunately, this enterprise proved to be unattainable, in particular given the complexity involved with the formal definition of intelligence. To overcome this problem, several researchers suggested the notion of rational agents as a substitute for the notion of intelligent agent. Consequently, mainstream Al nowadays strives for defining what a rational agent is.Eje: Aspectos teóricos de inteligencia artificialRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Context independent properties in deliberation protocols

Multiagent systems provide a natural, intuitive model for a wide array of real world problems, where possibly heterogeneous components strive towards a common goal. Under the multiagent approach, these components can be implemented as independent agents. This ample flexibility has swayed a number of developers into adopting this scheme when dealing with industrial scale problems. On many of these systems, one can observe an striking phenomenon: the system as a whole is able to reach objectives beyond the individual capabilities of its members. For instance, suppose there are two roommates, and depict a large desk heavy enough to make changing its location an impossible task for either of them. However, the desk can be easily moved if they agree to coordinate their effort. This simple example underscores the important role of the interaction among agents in these systems. This interaction, when conducted in an orderly fashion, increases the potential of the system as a whole.Eje: Inteligencia artificial distribuida, aspectos teóricos de la inteligencia artificial y teoría de computaciónRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

An abstract machine for the execution of DeLP programs

Defeasible Logic Programming (DeLP) is a knowledge representation and reasoning formalism that by combining Logic Programming with Defeasible Argumentation is able to represent incomplete and potentially contradictory information. Within the field of Logic Programming, most of the implementations of Prolog and its variants are based on an abstract machine defined by D. Warren (nowadays known as WAM, standing for Warren’s Abstract Machine), that sits between the program and the actual hardware executing it. This separation of concerns allows the developer to focus mainly on the aspects related to the language being implemented, and not on the distinctive characteristics of the available hardware. In this paper we summarize how an abstract machine can also help in the context of DeLP, exploring the points of contact between WAM and a particular abstract machine defined for this theory called JAM.Eje: V - Workshop de agentes y sistemas inteligentesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Dynamical systems applied to consciousness and brain rhythms in a neural network

This thesis applies the great advances of modern dynamical systems theory (DST) to consciousness. Consciousness, or subjective experience, is faced here in two different ways: from the global dynamics of the human brain and from the integrated information theory (IIT), one of the currently most prestigious theories on consciousness. Before that, a study of a numerical simulation of a network of individual neurons justifies the use of the Lotka-Volterra model for neurons assemblies in both applications. All these proposals are developed following this scheme: • First, summarizing the structure, methods and goal of the thesis. • Second, introducing a general background in neuroscience and the global dynamics of the human brain to better understand those applications. • Third, conducting a study of a numerically simulated network of neurons. This network, which displays brain rhythms, can be employed, among other objectives, to justify the use of the Lotka-Volterra model for applications. • Fourth, summarizing concepts from the mathematical DST such as the global attractor and its informational structure, in addition to its particularization to a Lotka-Volterra system. • Fifth, introducing the new mathematical concepts of model transform and instantaneous parameters that allow the application of simple mathematical models such as Lotka-Volterra to complex empirical systems as the human brain. • Sixth, using the model transform, and specifically the Lotka-Volterra transform, to calculate global attractors and informational structures in global dynamics of the human brain. • Seventh, knowing the probably most prestigious theory on consciousness, the IIT developed by G. Tononi. • Eighth, using informational structures to develop a continuous version of IIT. And ninth, establishing some final conclusions and commenting on new open questions from this work. These nine points of this scheme correspond to the nine chapters of this thesis

Design and implementation of a FIPA based agent communication model for a logic programming framework

In this paper we consider the design of an agent communication model based on the FIPA Architecture and FIPA Interaction Protocols. Our goal is to allow the agents to reach each other by their characteristics and to exchange messages using a standard Agent Communication Language. We propose the design and implementation of a framework as an extension of Prolog, following the spirit of Logic Programming. In our framework, the agents are allowed to register themselves in MASs in order to allow other agents to locate them easily. The agents may search for agents having specific characteristics, or providing determined services in order to interact with them.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Primitives for building interaction protocols

In this paper we propose a set of protocol primitives for the implementation of interaction protocols in Multi-agent systems. These primitives are based on the performatives most frequently used for agent interaction, and provide an abstract way of achieving conversations between agents, facilitating the creation of both standard or domain dependent interaction protocols. The proposed primitives automatically handle the exchange of messages needed to achieve the expected behavior of the interactions. Thus, the agent developer avoids the burden of implementing message processing and also the creation of messages corresponding to specifics agent communication languages. Examples of specific applications for the proposed primitives will be given.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI