McGill University

About: McGill University is a education organization based out in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 72688 authors who have published 162565 publications receiving 6966523 citations. The organization is also known as: Royal institution of advanced learning & University of McGill College.

Deep Reinforcement Learning That Matters

Abstract: In recent years, significant progress has been made in solving challenging problems across various domains using deep reinforcement learning (RL). Reproducing existing work and accurately judging the improvements offered by novel methods is vital to sustaining this progress. Unfortunately, reproducing results for state-of-the-art deep RL methods is seldom straightforward. In particular, non-determinism in standard benchmark environments, combined with variance intrinsic to the methods, can make reported results tough to interpret. Without significance metrics and tighter standardization of experimental reporting, it is difficult to determine whether improvements over the prior state-of-the-art are meaningful. In this paper, we investigate challenges posed by reproducibility, proper experimental techniques, and reporting procedures. We illustrate the variability in reported metrics and results when comparing against common baselines and suggest guidelines to make future results in deep RL more reproducible. We aim to spur discussion about how to ensure continued progress in the field by minimizing wasted effort stemming from results that are non-reproducible and easily misinterpreted.

The BABAR detector

Abstract: BABAR, the detector for the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric e+e- B Factory operating at the upsilon 4S resonance, was designed to allow comprehensive studies of CP-violation in B-meson decays. Charged particle tracks are measured in a multi-layer silicon vertex tracker surrounded by a cylindrical wire drift chamber. Electromagentic showers from electrons and photons are detected in an array of CsI crystals located just inside the solenoidal coil of a superconducting magnet. Muons and neutral hadrons are identified by arrays of resistive plate chambers inserted into gaps in the steel flux return of the magnet. Charged hadrons are identified by dE/dx measurements in the tracking detectors and in a ring-imaging Cherenkov detector surrounding the drift chamber. The trigger, data acquisition and data-monitoring systems, VME- and network-based, are controlled by custom-designed online software. Details of the layout and performance of the detector components and their associated electronics and software are presented.

Global river hydrography and network routing: baseline data and new approaches to study the world's large river systems

Abstract: Despite significant recent advancements, global hydrological models and their input databases still show limited capabilities in supporting many spatially detailed research questions and integrated assessments, such as required in freshwater ecology or applied water resources management. In order to address these challenges, the scientific community needs to create improved large-scale datasets and more flexible data structures that enable the integration of information across and within spatial scales; develop new and advanced models that support the assessment of longitudinal and lateral hydrological connectivity; and provide an accessible modeling environment for researchers, decision makers, and practitioners. As a contribution, we here present a new modeling framework that integrates hydrographic baseline data at a global scale (enhanced HydroSHEDS layers and coupled datasets) with new modeling tools, specifically a river network routing model (HydroROUT) that is currently under development. The resulting ‘hydro-spatial fabric’ is designed to provide an avenue for advanced hydro-ecological applications at large scales in a consistent and highly versatile way. Preliminary results from case studies to assess human impacts on water quality and the effects of dams on river fragmentation and downstream flow regulation illustrate the potential of this combined data-and-modeling framework to conduct novel research in the fields of aquatic ecology, biogeochemistry, geo-statistical modeling, or pollution and health risk assessments. The global scale outcomes are at a previously unachieved spatial resolution of 500 m and can thus support local planning and decision making in many of the world's large river basins. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Riociguat for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH): A responder analysis from the phase III PATENT-1 study

Abstract: Background In PATENT-1, riociguat significantly improved 6-min walking distance (6MWD) and a range of secondary endpoints, including hemodynamics, NT-proBNP, and WHO functional class (FC), in patients (pts) with PAH. For several of these endpoints, threshold criteria have been defined that correlate with favorable clinical outcome. Aims To investigate the proportion of pts who fulfilled these criteria in PATENT-1. Methods PATENT-1 was a double-blind randomized trial in which pts with PAH received 12 wks’ oral treatment with placebo, an individual titration of riociguat (up to 2.5 mg tid), or a capped titration of riociguat (up to 1.5 mg tid). Increase in 6MWD ≥40 m, 6MWD ≥380 m, cardiac index (CI) ≥2.5 L/min/m2, PVR <500 dyn·s·cm-5, mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) ≥65%, FC I/II, and NT-proBNP <1800 pg/mL were chosen as criteria of a positive response based on studies showing their prognostic relevance at baseline (BL) and after targeted therapy. Results Similar proportions of pts met the selected criteria in the riociguat and placebo groups at baseline. The proportion of pts who met these criteria at Wk 12 was increased in the riociguat group, while it remained unchanged or decreased in the placebo group. View this table: Conclusions Riociguat increased the proportion of pts who fulfilled criteria defining a positive response to therapy.

Anemia as an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with cancer: a systemic, quantitative review.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Anemia is common in cancer patients, although the prevalence is influenced both by the type of malignancy and the choice of treatment. Individual studies have compared the survival of patients with and without anemia and have shown reduced survival times in patients with various malignancies, including carcinoma of the lung, cervix, head and neck, prostate, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. The objective of this study was to systematically review, to summarize, and to obtain an overall estimate of the effect of anemia on survival in patients with malignant disease. METHODS A comprehensive literature review was carried out using the MEDLINE data base and reviewing the reference lists from published studies. Two hundred papers were identified. Of these, 60 papers that reported the survival of cancer patients according to either hemoglobin levels or the presence of anemia were included. Among these papers, 25% related to patients with lung carcinoma, 17% related to patients with head and neck carcinoma, 12% related to patients with multiple myeloma, 10% related to patients with prostate carcinoma, 8% related to patients with cervicouterine carcinoma, 7% related to patients with leukemia, 5% related to patients with lymphoma, and 16% related to patients with other types of malignancies. RESULTS The relative risk of death increased by 19% (95% confidence interval, 10–29%) in anemic patients with lung carcinoma, by 75% (37–123%) in anemic patients with head and neck carcinoma, by 47% (21–78%) in anemic patients with prostate carcinoma, and by 67% (30–113%) in anemic patients with lymphoma. The overall estimate increase in risk was 65% (54–77%). CONCLUSIONS Anemia is associated with shorter survival times for patients with lung carcinoma, cervicouterine carcinoma, head and neck carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Cancer 2001;91:2214–21. © 2001 American Cancer Society.