Reinforcement larning in gaming

Mestrado em IPB-ESTGA inteligência artificial em videojogos é uma área de investigação de longa data. É um conceito importante em muitos jogos e estuda como utilizar tecnologias de IA para alcançar o desempenho a nível humano durante o jogo. No entanto, quando se trata de IA e videojogos, a Reinforcement Learning tem de ser mencionada. RL define os agentes que enfrentam os problemas que aprendem a tomar boas decisões apenas através da acção e observação. Este projecto centra-se na integração de um algoritmo de Machine Learning chamado Reinforcement Learning no desenvolvimento de um videojogo do género Tower Defense. O projeto foi desenvolvido pelo motor Unity3D que incorpora um agente que utiliza a técnica RL para simular o comportamento de um jogador humano e continuar a melhorá-lo, com base em experiências de jogo anteriores, até ser totalmente optimizado com uma pontuação imbatível pelo jogador médio. O agente irá imitar o comportamento de um humano, comprando, actualizando e colocando torres enquanto obtém a pontuação mais alta, utilizando o menor número de moedas. Além disso, o relatório irá também rever vários conceitos de Aprendizagem Automática, incluindo o Processo de Decisão de Markov e o Q-Learning.Artificial intelligence in video games is a longstanding research area. It is a major concept in a lot of games and it studies how to use AI technologies to achieve human-level performance when playing games. However, when it comes to AI and video games, Reinforcement Learning has to be mentioned. RL defines the problem-facing agents that learn to make good decisions through action and observation alone. This project focuses on integrating a Machine Learning algorithm called Reinforcement Learning in the development of a video game of the Tower Defense genre developed by the Unity3D engine that incorporates an agent that uses the RL technique to simulate the behavior of a human player and keep on improving it, based on previous game experiences, until it’s fully optimized with a score unbeatable by the average player. The agent will imitate the behavior of a human, buying, upgrading, and placing towers while getting the highest score by using the lowest number of currencies. Moreover, the report will also review several Machine Learning concepts, including Markov-Decision Process and Q-Learning

The ΠΑΡΑΝΥΜΦΟΣ in Ancient Greece and Byzantium: A Study on the Role and Prosopography

Σε βασικά εγχειρίδια όπως το  Oxford Classical Dictionary  και το Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium δεν συναντάται λήμμα σχετικό με τον παράνυμφο.  Αυτή η παράλειψη δεν πρέπει να θεωρηθεί ότι δηλώνει πως ο ρόλος του παρανύμφου δεν ήταν σημαντικός τόσο για την αρχαία, όσο και για την βυζαντινή κοινωνία.Την σημασία του παρανύμφου τόσο στην αρχαιότητα, όσο και στο Βυζάντιο επιχειρεί να καταδείξει η παρούσα μελέτη no abstract available in Englis

The ΠΑΡΑΝΥΜΦΟΣ in Ancient Greece and Byzantium: A Study on the Role and Prosopography

Σε βασικά εγχειρίδια όπως το  Oxford Classical Dictionary  και το Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium δεν συναντάται λήμμα σχετικό με τον παράνυμφο.  Αυτή η παράλειψη δεν πρέπει να θεωρηθεί ότι δηλώνει πως ο ρόλος του παρανύμφου δεν ήταν σημαντικός τόσο για την αρχαία, όσο και για την βυζαντινή κοινωνία.Την σημασία του παρανύμφου τόσο στην αρχαιότητα, όσο και στο Βυζάντιο επιχειρεί να καταδείξει η παρούσα μελέτη no abstract available in Englis

Risk factors of progression of chronic kidney disease patients under conservative treatment

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is recognized as a major health problem affecting approximately 13% of the US population. Early identification and treatment of risk factors of progression of chronic kidney disease can provide marked benefits later in the term of delaying progression to renal replacement therapy.Methods: The medical chart for 92 CKD patients on regular follow up in low clearance clinic with GFR below 20 ml/min were retrospectively reviewed annually for 4 years regular follow up period. The following variables were recorded for each patient: non-modifiable variables (Age, sex, nationality, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, smoking status, causes of kidney disease, diabetes status, hepatitis status, medication used (like ACEi/ARBs and Sodium bicarbonate) and modifiable variables which includes: Serum albumin, potassium level, serum bicarbonate level, level of proteinuria, rate of GFR decline (Delta GFR) /year, total cholesterol level and hemoglobin level. Then they were divided into 2 groups according to the endpoint during the follow up period. Group 1 include patients did not start dialysis yet and group 2 which include patients who started dialysis during their regular follow up period.Results: There is no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding Age , sex, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and Body Mass Index( BMI), serum albumin and haemoglobin levels (p 0.295, 0.317, 0.220, 0.181,0.805, 0.884 and 0.451 respectively). There is no statistically a difference between the two groups regarding serum potassium level and serum total cholesterol level (p 0.515 and 0.517 respectively). Diabetic patients started dialysis earlier than non-diabetics with statistically significant difference between the two groups (p 0.029). The patients who weren’t taking ACEi or ARBs started dialysis earlier than those who were taking (p 0.005), while there was no significant differences between the two groups regarding sodium bicarbonate intake (p 0.256). Low sodium bicarbonate level and severity of proteinuria are of significantly important risk factors for progression of CKD disease (p 0.006 and 0.029 respectively).Conclusions: The most important risk factors for rapid progression are presence of diabetes, severity of proteinuria and low serum bicarbonate level in advanced stages of chronic kidney disease. Early recognition of these risk factors and their correction may retard the progression of CKD, which will delay the need for renal replacement therapy. In addition, ACEI or ARBs intake are almost renoprotective and may delay the rapid progression of chronic kidney disease especially in proteinuric patients.

Knowledge and Practice of PHC Physicians toward the Detection and Management of Hypertension and Other CVD Risk Factors in Egypt

Aim. To assess the knowledge and practice of PHC physicians toward the detection and management of hypertension (HTN) and other CVD risk factors. Methods. A cross-sectional study of all primary health care physicians of the FHU of three rural districts of Egypt was conducted. Each physician was subjected to a prevalidated interview questionnaire on the WHO-CVD risk management package for low and medium resources, and a checklist of observation of daily practices. Results. Hypertension was a priority problem in about two-thirds (62.9%) of physicians, yet only 19% have guidelines for HTN patients. Clinical history recording system for HNT was available for 50% of physicians. Levels of knowledge varied with regard to definition of HTN (61.3%, fair), procedures for BP measurement (43.5%, poor), indications for referral (43.5%, poor), patient counseling (61.3%, fair), patient treatment (59.8%, fair). Availability of clinical history recording system for HNT was a significant predictor for physician's level of knowledge (P = 0.001). Overall level of practice was fair (68.5%). Conclusion. PHC physicians have unsatisfactory knowledge and practice on hypertension. There is a need of more continuing medical education. Local and international manuals, workshops, and seminars on how to make use of these guidelines would improve doctors' performance

Evaluation of hepatitis B vaccine responsiveness in ‎hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients

Background: Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection is considered as a major cause of liver ‎cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) are a risk group for HBV infection. The vaccine of hepatitis B has ‎been recommended for prevention of HBV infection in ESRD patient ‎especially on renal replacement therapy.  Methods: Eighty seven patients with ESRD on peritoneal ‎dialysis and hemodialysis requiring primary hepatitis B vaccination were ‎enrolled in the study. Each of them received 40 µg of recombinant hepatitis B ‎vaccine in a four-dose schedule. Antibody response was determined by the ‎levels of antibodies to the hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) after last ‎doses of the vaccination schedule.  Results: We observed three response patterns to the ‎immunizations in all patients after vaccination, the nonresponders (24.7%) ‎never reached the minimum protective titer of 10 mIU/mL, the poor responders (18.5%) had titers between 10 and 100 mIU/mL, and the good responders (56.8%) had antibody titers above 100 mIU/mL. Despite a reduction in anti-‎HBs over time, the good responders did not become unprotected during the ‎observation period, especially those participants who had titers above 1000 ‎mIU/mL after the initial immunization.  Conclusions: We concluded that the immune ‎response of the HBV vaccine was reduced in the HD and PD patients, which ‎need yearly re-evaluation of seroconversion with booster doses of HBV ‎vaccination if needed‎.

Calli Essential Oils Synergize with Lawsone against Multidrug Resistant Pathogens.

The fast development of multi-drug resistant (MDR) organisms increasingly threatens global health and well-being. Plant natural products have been known for centuries as alternative medicines that can possess pharmacological characteristics, including antimicrobial activities. The antimicrobial activities of essential oil (Calli oil) extracted from the Calligonum comosum plant by hydro-steam distillation was tested either alone or when combined with lawsone, a henna plant naphthoquinone, against MDR microbes. Lawsone showed significant antimicrobial activities against MDR pathogens in the range of 200-300 µg/mL. Furthermore, Calli oil showed significant antimicrobial activities against MDR bacteria in the range of 180-200 µg/mL, Candida at 220-240 µg/mL and spore-forming Rhizopus fungus at 250 µg/mL. Calli oil's inhibition effect on Rhizopus, the major cause of the lethal infection mucormycosis, stands for 72 h, followed by an extended irreversible white sporulation effect. The combination of Calli oil with lawsone enhanced the antimicrobial activities of each individual alone by at least three-fold, while incorporation of both natural products in a liposome reduced their toxicity by four- to eight-fold, while maintaining the augmented efficacy of the combination treatment. We map the antimicrobial activity of Calli oil to its major component, a benzaldehyde derivative. The findings from this study demonstrate that formulations containing essential oils have the potential in the future to overcome antimicrobial resistance

Reduced glomerular filtration rate as a predictor of coronary artery disease events in elderly patients

Background: Chronic kidney disease is independently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in high-risk populations according to several studies. However, findings from community-based population studies are insufficient. We studied the relationship between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) events in patients attending Zagazig University Hospital, Sharqiya governorate, Egypt.Methods: A total of 800 subjects aged ≥ 60 years admitted to Internal Medicine Department or attended medicine outpatient clinic were included in this study. Careful history and full clinical examinations were done to assess the risk factors of CAD. Serum creatinine, lipid profile and serum glucose were measured. Estimated eGFR was evaluated by creatinine based MDRD formula. According to eGFR, patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 and Group 2 with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m (between 40 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m).Results: 410 patients were found to have eGFR P 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, while 390 patients were found to have eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. eGFR was lower in patients with CAD (62 ± 13 mL/min/1.73 m2) in comparison with patients without CAD (76 ± 11 mL/min/1.73 m2) (P  ≤ 0.001). Older age, hypertension, Diabetes and Low HDL are highly significant risk factors for CAD in those patients (P 0.001).Conclusions: Reduced eGFR is a significant risk factor for CAD events in older patients. Monitoring of eGFR may have a pivotal role in early detection and management of CAD in those types of patients.Keywords: Coronary artery disease; Glomerular filtration rate; Elderl

Capability of the Invasive Tree Prosopis glandulosa Torr. to Remediate Soil Treated with Sewage Sludge

Sewage sludge improves agricultural soil and plant growth, but there are hazards associated with its use, including high metal(loid) contents. An experimental study was conducted under greenhouse conditions to examine the effects of sewage sludge on growth of the invasive tree Prosopis glandulosa, as well as to determine its phytoremediation capacity. Plants were established and grown for seven months along a gradient of sewage sludge content. Plant traits, soil properties, and plant and soil concentrations of N, P, K, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Co, As, and Fe were recorded. The addition of sewage sludge led to a significant decrease in soil pH, and Ni, Co, and As concentrations, as well as an increase in soil organic matter and the concentrations of N, P, Cu, Zn, and Cr. Increasing sewage sludge content in the growth medium raised the total uptake of most metals by P. glandulosa plants due to higher biomass accumulation (taller plants with more leaves) and higher metal concentrations in the plant tissues. P. glandulosa concentrated more Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe in its below-ground biomass (BGB) than in its above-ground biomass (AGB). P. glandulosa concentrated Ni, Co, and As in both BGB and AGB. P. glandulosa has potential as a biotool for the phytoremediation of sewage sludges and sewage-amended soils in arid and semi-arid environments, with a potential accumulation capability for As in plant leaves