Dogs (Canis familiaris) learn their owners via observation in a manipulation task.

Eighty-seven pet dogs (Canis familiaris) were involved in an experiment in which they had to solve a task to obtain a ball. After witnessing a full demonstration by their owner (10 times pushing the handle of the box, which released a ball), most dogs preferred to touch the handle sooner and more frequently in comparison with other parts of the box, and they used the handle to get the ball. In contrast dogs in 3 control groups developed their own respective methods. The lack of emergence of the ball and playing after the demonstration did not affect the learning performance strongly. This suggests that in dogs the outcome of a demonstration plays only a restricted role in the manifestation of social learning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Metamodeling live sequence charts for code generation

This article presents a metamodeling study for Live Sequence Charts (LSCs) and Message Sequence Charts (MSCs) with an emphasis on code generation. The article discusses specifically the following points: the approach to building a metamodel for MSCs and LSCs, a metamodel extension from MSC to LSC, support for model-based code generation, and finally action model and domain-specific data model integration. The metamodel is formulated in metaGME, the metamodel language for the Generic Modeling Environment.

Model‐based code generation for HLA federates

This paper addresses the problem of automated code generation for a High Level Architecture compliant federate application given its behavior model. The behavior model is a part of the architectural model of a federation that the federate can participate in. The federate behavior model is based on Live Sequence Charts, adopted as the behavioral specification formalism in the Federation Architecture Metamodel (FAMM). FAMM serves as a formal language for describing federation architectures. An objective is to help the testing of federation architecture by means of its prototype implementation early in the development lifecycle. A further objective is to help developers construct complete federate applications that are well modularized. The approach to achieve these objectives is aspect‐oriented in that the generated code, which handles the federate's interactions with a federation execution, serves as the base code, where the computation logic is to be weaved as an aspect. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Comparative Study of the Use of Visual Communicative Signals in Interactions Between Dogs (Canis familiaris) and Humans and Cats (Felis catus) and Humans.

Dogs' (Canis familiaris) and cats' (Felis catus) interspecific communicative behavior toward humans was investigated. In Experiment 1, the ability of dogs and cats to use human pointing gestures in an object-choice task was compared using 4 types of pointing cues differing in distance between the signaled object and the end of the fingertip and in visibility duration of the given signal. Using these gestures, both dogs and cats were able to find the hidden food; there was no significant difference in their performance. In Experiment 2, the hidden food was made inaccessible to the subjects to determine whether they could indicate the place of the hidden food to a naive owner. Cats lacked some components of attention-getting behavior compared with dogs. The results suggest that individual familiarization with pointing gestures ensures high-level performance in the presence of such gestures; however, species-specific differences could cause differences in signaling toward the human. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental and numerical assessment of the improvement of the load-carrying capacities of butterfly-shaped coupling components in composite structures

This study was designed to analyze the load-carrying capacities of composite structures connected face-to-face by a butterfly coupling component experimentally and numerically without adhesive. The results of the experimental studies were supported with numerical analysis. In addition, the butterfly coupling component was developed geometrically with a view to the results of the numerical and experimental studies. The change in the load-carrying capacity of the improved butterfly coupling components was analyzed numerically and experimentally to obtain new results. Half-specimens and butterfly-shaped lock components were cut with a water jet machine. Experiments and analyses were conducted to analyze the effects of coupling geometry parameters, such as the ratio of the butterfly end width to the specimen width (w/b), the ratio of the butterfly middle width to the butterfly end width (x/w), and the ratio of the butterfly half height to the specimen width (y/b). It was intended to determine the damage in the butterfly before any damage to the composite structure and to increase the service-life span of the composite structure with the repair of the butterfly lock. As a result of this study, it was determined that the geometrical fixed ratios (w/b) and (x/w) were 0.4 and 0.2 at 0.4 of (y/b) according to the experimental and numerical studies with basic and modified models.     

On the Minimal Distance of Binary Self-Dual Cyclic Codes

In this paper, an explicit construction of binary self-dual cyclic codes of length n going to infinity with a minimal distance at least half the square root of n is presented. The same idea is also used to construct more general binary cyclic codes with a large minimal distance. Finally, in the special case of self-dual cyclic codes, a simplified version of a proof by Conway and Sloane is given, showing an upper bound for the distance of binary self-dual codes.     

Tamoxifen derivatives for delivery of the antitumoral (DACH)Pt group: selective synthesis by McMurry coupling,and biochemical behaviour

The goal of our study was to potentiate the effects of the ((R,R)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane)-platinum(II) fragment [(DACH)Pt], known for its cytotoxic properties, either with tamoxifen (Tam), the most widely used antiestrogen in the treatment of hormone-dependent breast cancers, or with its active metabolite hydroxytamoxifen (hydroxy-Tam). We coupled Tam or hydroxy-Tam derivatives bearing a malonato group at the para position of the beta aromatic ring with the (DACH)Pt fragment. The malonato-Tam and malonato-hydroxy-Tam compounds were prepared through McMurry coupling of the appropriate ketones. The presence of the malonate group resulted in a pronounced stereospecificity in the reaction, since malonato-Tam was obtained only as the Z isomer, while malonato-hydroxy-Tam was obtained as an 80/20 E/Z mixture. Attribution of the isomeric structures was achieved by 2D NMR spectroscopy. The platinum complexes (DACH)Pt-malonato-Tam and (DACH)Pt-malonato-hydroxy-Tam were then prepared by coupling the barium salts derived from the malonato-Tam and malonato-hydroxy-Tam with the nitrate derived from (DACH)PtCl(2). Study of the biochemical properties of these two platinum complexes showed that, while the hydroxy-Tam complex is satisfactorily recognized by the estrogen receptor (relative binding affinity, RBA=6.4 %), the Tam complex is less well recognized (RBA=0.5 %). The effects of these complexes on two hormone-dependent breast cancer cell lines (MCF7 and MVLN) were studied in vitro. Both complexes showed an antiproliferative effect on MCF7 cells, and an antiestrogenic effect on MVLN cells. The observed effects appear to be essentially antihormonal, since incorporation of the (DACH)Pt fragment into the tamoxifen skeleton did not cause an increase in the cytotoxicity of the complexes.     

Roasting-Related Changes in Oxidative Stability and Antioxidant Capacity of Apricot Kernel Oil

Apricot kernels were roasted for various lengths of time (0–30 min) at 180 °C and changes in the oxidative stability, antioxidant capacity, color, as well as the level of tocopherols and fatty acids of the apricot kernel oil (AKO) were monitored. While the level of tocopherols decreased, the oxidative stability and antioxidant capacity of AKO increased with roasting, probably due to the formation of antioxidative Maillard reaction products (MRPs) during the roasting. Medium roasted samples (15–20 min) were found to be more resistant to oxidative deterioration. The oil from the 30-min roasted sample was more susceptible to oxidation compared to the oil from the 20-min roasted sample in most of the stability tests. Relatively shorter roasting periods (5–10 min) also led to a decrease in oxidative stability in comparison to the unroasted sample. Brownish color and antiradical activity increased with roasting and the highest values were measured in the 30 min roasted sample.     

Elastic-plastic thermal stress analysis of an aluminum composite disc under parabolic thermal load distribution

An elastic-plastic thermal stress analysis was carried out on an orthotropic aluminum metal matrix composite disc with a hole by using an analytical solution. The thermal load distribution was chosen to vary parabolically from inner surface to outer surface. An aluminum composite disc reinforced curvilinearly by steel fibers was produced under hydraulic press. The mechanical properties of the composite disc were obtained from experiments by using strain gauges. A computer program was developed to calculate the thermal stresses under a parabolic temperature from inner surface to outer surface. The material was assumed to be non-linear hardening. The elastic-plastic solution was performed for the plastic region expanded around the inner surface by an analytical method. The magnitude of the tangential stress component for elastic and elastic-plastic was higher than the magnitude of the radial stress component. Besides, the tangential stress component was compressive on the inner surface and tensile on the outer surface. The magnitude of the tangential residual stress component was the highest on the inner surface of the composite disc. The plastic region began at the inner surface of disc. This paper was recommended for publication in revised form by Associate Editor Joo Ho Choi Gürkan Altan is a Research Assistant of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pamukkale, Denizli, Turkey. Gürkan Altan received the B.E. degree (1999) in mechanical engineering from Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, and the M.S. degree (2004) in mechanical engineering from Pamukkale University, Denizli. Gürkan Altan is interested in production and applications of composite materials. Currently he is involved in the development and application of joints of composite structures.