Left and Right Pathlengths in Random Binary Trees

We study the difference between the left and right total pathlengths in a random binary tree. The results include exact and asymptotic formulas for moments and an asymptotic distribution that can be expressed in terms of either the Brownian snake or ISE. The proofs are based on computing expectations for a subcritical binary Galton-Watson tree, and studying asymptotics as the Galton-Watson process approaches a critical one.     

Achievement of specificational information usage with true and false feedback in learning a visual relative-mass discrimination task.

Participants' usage of informational variables in learning visual relative-mass discrimination in collisions was tracked by means of PROBIT correlations. Four groups received feedback that was true or accorded with either of three nonspecificational cue variables. A majority in each group adopted the feedback, but several participants defied the false feedback. Unlike in previous research, the fit to data of the relative-mass invariant could not be bettered by post hoc linear combinations of the cues. Discriminability was lower in the use of the invariant. Analytic complexity was rejected as an explanation for discriminability differences. A "smart mechanism" for pickup of the relative-mass invariant was developed as an extension of G. Johansson's (1950/1994) vector model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determination of somatostatin receptor subtype 2 in carcinoid tumors by immunohistochemical investigation with somatostatin receptor subtype 2 antibodies

We have shown previously that expression of mRNA for somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (sst2) detected by in situ hybridization correlates to therapeutic outcome in patients with carcinoid tumors treated with somatostatin analogues. However, in situ hybridization is laborious and not practical in clinical routine work. We have, therefore, developed polyclonal antibodies directed against sst2 that may be used for immunohistochemistry on tissue specimens. The staining is specific and is highly correlated to expression of mRNA for sst2 (P < 0.01) as well as to tracer uptake at somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (P < 0.01). There is also a good correlation to the therapeutic response in carcinoid patients treated with somatostatin analogues (P < 0.05). Of 35 patients with carcinoid tumors included in this investigation, 25 stained positive with the antibodies. Twenty-two of these were investigated by somatostatin receptor scintigraphy and showed tracer uptake in metastases. An additional two patients that did not stain with the antibodies showed pathological uptake of the tracer in metastases, which might indicate binding to somatostatin receptor subtype 5. None of the 10 patients without positive immunostaining responded to somatostatin analogue treatment, whereas patients with a positive stain had a biochemical response or remained stable during treatment. Thus, these antibodies may be used to determine the presence of sst2 in carcinoid tumors and to select patients suitable for somatostatin analogue treatment. The method is easily applicable in clinical practice.     

Analyzing CAD competence with univariate and multivariate learning curve models

Understanding how learning occurs, and what improves or impedes the learning process is of importance to academicians and practitioners; however, empirical research on validating learning curves is sparse. This paper contributes to this line of research by collecting and analyzing CAD (computer-aided design) procedural and cognitive performance data for novice trainees during 16-weeks of training. The declarative performance is measured by time, and the procedural performance by the number of features used to construct a design part. These data were analyzed using declarative or procedural performance separately as predictors (univariate), or a combination of declarative or procedural predictors (multivariate). Furthermore, a method to separate the declarative and procedural components from learning curve data is suggested.     

A new block-based method for copy move forgery detection under image geometric transforms

Copy move forgery detection (CMFD) is one of the most active subtopic in forgery scheme. The methods of CMFD are divided into to block-based method and keypoint-based method in general. Compared with keypoint-based method, block-based method can detect undetectable detail without morphology segmentation. But many block-based methods detect the plain copy-move forgeries only. They have been incompetent to detect the post-processing operations such as various geometrical distortions, and then fail to detect the forgery regions accurately. Therefore, this paper presents an improved block-based efficient method for CMFD. Firstly, after pre-processing, an auxiliary overlapped circular block is presented to divide the forged image into overlapped circular blocks. The local and inner image feature is extracted by the Discrete Radial Harmonic Fourier Moments (DRHFMs) with the overlapped circular block from the suspicious image. Then, the similar feature vectors of blocks are searched by 2 Nearest Neighbors (2NN) test. Euclidean distance and correlation coefficient is employed to filter these features and then remove the false matches. Morphologic operation is employed to delete the isolated pixels. A series of experiments are done to analyze the performance for CMFD. Experimental results show that the new DRHFMs can obtain outstanding performance even under image geometrical distortions.     

A common network flow formulation for several civil engineering problems

This paper discusses a common network flow problem that arises in four areas of civil engineering. The problem is one of identifying arc flows that simultaneously satisfy the circuit and node law constraints for a given network. Applications and computational procedures in the areas of elastic structural analysis, hydraulic network analysis, traffic equilibrium and construction task scheduling are described. The interpretation of decision variables and mathematical functions will vary depending on the application, but the general priblem formulation and solution technique for each application remains essentially unchanged. Analogies between the different applications may enhance the conceptual understanding and intuition of engineers working in each area.     

Bivalent EGFR-Targeting DARPin-MMAE Conjugates

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a validated tumor marker overexpressed in various cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma (SSC) of the head and neck and gliomas. We constructed protein-drug conjugates based on the anti-EGFR Designed Ankyrin Repeat Protein (DARPin) E01, and compared the bivalent DARPin dimer (DD1) and a DARPin-Fc (DFc) to the monomeric DARPin (DM) and the antibody derived scFv425-Fc (scFvFc) in cell culture and a mouse model. The modular conjugation system, which was successfully applied for the preparation of protein-drug and -dye conjugates, uses bio-orthogonal protein-aldehyde generation by the formylglycine-generating enzyme (FGE). The generated carbonyl moiety is addressed by a bifunctional linker with a pyrazolone for a tandem Knoevenagel reaction and an azide for strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC). The latter reaction with a PEGylated linker containing a dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO) for SPAAC and monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) as the toxin provided the stable conjugates DD1-MMAE (drug-antibody ratio, DAR = 2.0) and DFc-MMAE (DAR = 4.0) with sub-nanomolar cytotoxicity against the human squamous carcinoma derived A431 cells. In vivo imaging of Alexa Fluor 647-dye conjugates in A431-xenografted mice bearing subcutaneous tumors as the SCC model revealed unspecific binding of bivalent DARPins to the ubiquitously expressed EGFR. Tumor-targeting was verified 6 h post-injection solely for DD1 and scFvFc. The total of four administrations of 6.5 mg/kg DD1-MMAE or DFc-MMAE twice weekly did not cause any sequela in mice. MMAE conjugates showed no significant anti-tumor efficacy in vivo, but a trend towards increased necrotic areas (p = 0.2213) was observed for the DD1-MMAE (n = 5).     

Parallel flow measurements in microstructures by use of a multifocal 4 x 1 diffractive optical fan-out element

We have developed a multifocal optical fluorescence correlation spectroscopy system for parallel flow analyses. Multifocal excitation was made possible through a 4 x 1 diffractive optical fan-out element, which produces uniform intensity in all four foci. Autocorrelation flow analyses inside a 20 microm x 20 microm square microchannel, with the 4 x 1 fan-out foci perpendicular to the flow direction, made it possible to monitor different flows in all four foci simultaneously. We were able to perform cross-correlation flow analyses by turning the microstructure, thereby having all four foci parallel to the direction of flow. Transport effects of the diffusion as a function of flow and distance could then also be studied.     

Structure-based design of cathepsin K inhibitors containing a benzyloxy-substituted benzoyl peptidomimetic

Peptidomimetic cathepsin K inhibitors have been designed using binding models which were based on the X-ray crystal structure of an amino acid-based, active site-spanning inhibitor complexed with cathepsin K. These inhibitors, which contain a benzyloxybenzoyl group in place of a Cbz-leucine moiety, maintained good inhibitory potency relative to the amino acid-based inhibitor, and the binding models were found to be very predictive of relative inhibitor potency. The binding mode of one of the inhibitors was confirmed by X-ray crystallography, and the crystallographically determined structure is in close qualitative agreement with the initial binding model. These results strengthen the validity of a strategy involving iterative cycles of structure-based design, inhibitor synthesis and evaluation, and crystallographic structure determination for the discovery of peptidomimetic inhibitors.