Throughout history, creature-based content has been a highly valued source of entertainment. With the introduction of evolved virtual creatures (or EVCs) by Karl Sims in 1994, a new source of creature content became available. Despite their immediate appeal, however, EVCs still lag far behind their natural counterparts: Neither their morphology nor their behavior is sufficiently complex. This dissertation presents three contributions to address this problem. First, the ESP system, which combines a human-designed syllabus with encapsulation and conflict-resolution mechanisms, is used to approximately double the state of the art in behavioral complexity for evolved virtual creatures. Second, an extension to ESP is presented that allows full morphological adaptation to continue beyond the initial skill. It produces both a greater variety of solutions and solutions with higher fitness. Third, a muscle-drive system is demonstrated to embody a significant degree of physical intelligence. It increases morphological complexity and reduces demands on the brain, thus freeing resources for more complex behaviors. Together, these contributions bring evolved virtual creatures, in both action and form, a significant step closer to matching the entertainment value of creatures from the real world. / text

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Activated carbon is widely used in the gold processing industry as an adsorbent for the gold cyanide complex, [Au(CN)(subscript)2]. However, many other processing reagents are also adsorbed (termed fouling), which compete with the gold cyanide complex for active sites on the carbon. So far the only way of assessing the amount of fouling due to organic compounds that has adsorbed on the carbon is through the use of thermogravimetry (TG). Unfortunately, thermogravimetry only gives the percentage total of organic fouling agents adsorbed and no information can be obtained on the identity of the individual organic fouling agents. Thus this current work reports the development of analytical methods capable of identifying specific fouling agents.In this thesis the identification of two types of common organic fouling agents adsorbed on activated carbon during gold processing has been established using three thermal analysis techniques, namely thermal desorption-pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-py-GC-MS), thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry (TG-MS), and thermogravimetry-Fourier transform infrared (TG-FTIR) spectroscopy. TD-py-GC-MS was used to identify the individual decomposition gases of each sample. TG-MS and TG-FTIR were used to obtain the decomposition temperatures of the fouling agents, and to identify/monitor the gases evolved as a function of temperature. All analyses were performed in an inert atmosphere.The organic fouling agents studied were xanthates and frothing agents, which are used as flotation reagents. The xanthates studied were sodium ethyl xanthate (SEX), sodium isobutyl xanthate (SiBX), potassium ethyl xanthate (PEX), and potassium amyl xanthate (PAX). The frothing agents studied were polypropylene glycol (PPG), polypropylene glycol methyl ether (PPGME), alpha-terpineol, and methyl isobutyl carbinol (MiBC). The thermal decomposition of ++ / each pure reagent was studied, and then the reagents were individually adsorbed on an activated carbon (Haycarb, -45 mu m) and their thermal decomposition reinvestigated. These pure systems were then compared to the thermal decomposition of activated carbon samples taken from two gold processing plants.Between seven and sixteen gases were identified via TD-py-GC-MS for the decomposition of each xanthate. Common gases and types of gases identified included carbonyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, thiols, alcohols, carbonates, sulfides, disulfides, and carbonothioic acid, O,S, dialkyl esters. The thermogravimetric curve of each xanthate displayed two mass losses. The mass losses and their corresponding temperatures were dependent on the alkyl chain and alkali cation of the xanthate. TG-MS and TG-FTIR showed carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide were the most significant gases evolved from the decomposition of each xanthate.Each xanthate was adsorbed on activated carbon, and its thermal decomposition characteristics reinvestigated. On heating, similar gases were evolved to those detected for the xanthate alone. However, the TG curves displayed three mass losses compared to two with the xanthates not adsorbed on activated carbon. The first mass loss of each sample was attributed to a hydrolysis reaction between water retained in the activated carbon and the xanthate. TG-MS and TG-FTIR analyses showed carbon disulfide and carbonyl sulfide were the most significant gases evolved during the first mass loss and second mass losses respectively, and consequently these gases could be used as indicators of xanthate fouling on plant samples.The TD-Py-GC-MS, TG-MS, and TG-FTIR analyses of the frothing agents showed these compounds mainly boiled with little indication of thermal decomposition. The thermogravimetric curve of each frother displayed one mass loss. Upon reinvestigation of ++ / the frothing agents individually adsorbed on activated carbon, a number of different gases were identified by the TD-py-GC-MS analyses. For all adsorbed frothing agents (except MiBC) these included propanal, 2-ethyl-4-methyl1,3-dioxolane, 3,3-oxybis-2-butanol, and dioxanes. Each TG curve displayed one mass loss due to the decomposition of the frothing agent. The TG-MS and TG-FTIR analyses showed propanal was the most significant gas evolved for the PPG and PPGME. For alpha-terpineol, propene was also a significant gas, although this gas was not detected by TG-FTIR. The TD-py-GC-MS and TG-FTIR analyses of the MiBC showed it mainly boiled off the carbon without significant alteration.Four activated carbon samples were obtained from different parts of the process circuit in the Three Mile Hill plant in Western Australia. Nine to twelve gases were identified by TD-py-GC-MS analysis of each sample. Common gases included butene, 2-methyl-I-butene, and butanol. The TG curve of each sample displayed one mass loss due to the presence of fouling agents. TG-MS analyses showed butene was the most significant gas evolved for this mass loss. TG-FTIR analyses showed that carbonyl sulfide had also evolved during this mass loss. Thus it was concluded from the detection of carbonyl sulfide and its temperature of evolution, that fouling of the activated carbon by a xanthate had occurred.Five activated carbon samples were obtained from the Salsigne plant in France. Nine to fourteen gases were identified by TD-py-GC-MS analysis of each sample. Common gases included cyclopropane, butene, propanal, isobutanol, isoarnyl alcohol, and 2,5 and 2,6-dimethyl dioxene. The TG curve of each sample displayed one mass loss due to the decomposition of fouling agents, in the same temperature region as the Three Mile Hill samples. TG-MS analyses showed cyclopropane was the most significant gas evolved ++ / for this mass loss. TG-FTIR analyses showed that carbonyl sulfide had also evolved during this mass loss. Thus it was concluded from the detection of propanal, carbonyl sulfide, and their temperatures of evolution that fouling of the activated carbon by a xanthate and a frothing agent had occurred respectively.A comparison of the techniques showed that TD-py-GC-MS analysis was essential for unambiguous identification of the complex gas mixture obtained from decomposition of organic fouling agents. Unfortunately TD-py-GC-MS provided no information on mass losses or temperatures of gas evolution. TG-MS permitted the monitoring of evolved gases versus temperature via their molecular ions. However the molecular ion signals were affected by overlapping fragment and/or isotope ion signals. The TG-FTIR was most useful when the evolved gases gave an infrared adsorption that was very characteristic of the molecule, as for the identification of carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide. This work was successful as a combination of the analytical techniques enabled identification of fouling agents adsorbed on plant samples.

Nowadays, plastic waste poses one of the greatest risks to the environment. Plastics affect the environment at all stages of their life cycle. Bioplastics have become widely used as a substitute for conventional plastics, without detailed examination of their behavior in real environmental conditions. As a result, it is assumed that they can accumulate in the environment and the question arose as to how to identify them. The main goal of this thesis is to develop a method based on sample pyrolysis that is suitable for the identification and determination of the amount of PLA microplastics in soil and other solid matrices. Three types of soils and sludge were used for analysis. These matrices were spiked to obtain concentration ranges 0,2% - 5,0%. The pyrolysis resulted in evolution of gases with the signals m/z 29, 43 and 44, witch originated from PLA and are suitable for qualitative and quantitative analysis. Analysis of PLA in sludge was more complicated due to similarity of gases evolved from pure matrices. We tested three approaches based on analysis of signal´s peak areas, intensities and temperatures of gas evolution. While the first approach failed, the last two approaches appeared to be promising for qualitative and quantitative analysis of PLA in the sludge. Several methods suitable for qualitative and quantitative analysis of even very small amounts of PLA in soils and sludge have also been designed/developed. These methods were based on analysis of the composition and dynamics of the released gases and the characterisctic degradation temperatures.

Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit behandelt den Vergleich von QoS- und Mobilitätsmechanismen in der LTE/SAE-Architektur. Nach der Einführung in die LTE/SAE-Architektur wird dargestellt, wie die QoS und die Mobilität im Standard des 3GPP gewährleitet wird. Danach erfolgt eine Untersuchung der Technologien PMIP, Ethernet und MPLS, ob sie sich als Alternativen für die standardisierten Mechanismen eignen. In einem weiteren Kapitel wird ein eigenes Konzept zur QoS- und Mobilitätsverwaltung vorgestellt, und es erfolgen erste Betrachtungen. Abschließend wird ein Ausblick gegeben, wie das vorgestellte eigene Konzept weiter ausgebaut werden könnte.

Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit behandelt den Vergleich von QoS- und Mobilitätsmechanismen in der LTE/SAE-Architektur. Nach der Einführung in die LTE/SAE-Architektur wird dargestellt, wie die QoS und die Mobilität im Standard des 3GPP gewährleitet wird. Danach erfolgt eine Untersuchung der Technologien PMIP, Ethernet und MPLS, ob sie sich als Alternativen für die standardisierten Mechanismen eignen. In einem weiteren Kapitel wird ein eigenes Konzept zur QoS- und Mobilitätsverwaltung vorgestellt, und es erfolgen erste Betrachtungen. Abschließend wird ein Ausblick gegeben, wie das vorgestellte eigene Konzept weiter ausgebaut werden könnte.

This study investigates the morphosyntactic competence of advanced ESL learners and native speakers of English. Using the framework of the Government and Binding approach (Chomsky,1981, 1986), the study tests the predictions made by the evolved Fundamental Difference Hypothesis (Bley-Vroman, 2009), namely that the grammars of advanced L2 learners are unreliable(where reliability means converging to the L2 grammar), non-convergent to the L2 grammar, and characteristic of patches (where patches are extragrammatical principles independent of the normal syntactic processes). The participants of the study were tested on three tasks (timed grammaticality judgment task, a correction task, and a preference task). The findings of the study indicate that the difference between the morphosyntactic competence of the advanced ESL learners and that of native speakers is gradient rather than categorical.

This study investigates the morphosyntactic competence of advanced ESL learners and native speakers of English. Using the framework of the Government and Binding approach (Chomsky,1981, 1986), the study tests the predictions made by the evolved Fundamental Difference Hypothesis (Bley-Vroman, 2009), namely that the grammars of advanced L2 learners are unreliable(where reliability means converging to the L2 grammar), non-convergent to the L2 grammar, and characteristic of patches (where patches are extragrammatical principles independent of the normal syntactic processes). The participants of the study were tested on three tasks (timed grammaticality judgment task, a correction task, and a preference task). The findings of the study indicate that the difference between the morphosyntactic competence of the advanced ESL learners and that of native speakers is gradient rather than categorical.

This study investigated the hypothesis that universal psychological adaptations produce personality variation when individuals differentially face adaptive problems that shifted the cost-benefit tradeoffs of alternative personality strategies in ancestral environments. The current research tested the hypothesis that psychological adaptations calibrate individual differences in neuroticism as a functional response to social exclusion. If psychological adaptations produce neuroticism in response to social exclusion, and heritable components of individuals' social partner value influence their likelihood of being excluded, then individual differences in social partner value should yield heritable differences in neuroticism. Three conceptually distinct sub-studies tested hypotheses derived from this conceptual framework. Sub-study 1 tested the relationship between individuals' mate value, social exclusion, and neuroticism. Individuals' mate value exhibited both a direct effect on neuroticism and an indirect effect through the experience of social exclusion. Sub-study 2 investigated sexual jealousy as a specialized class of neuroticism in response to infidelity. As predicted, individuals' mate value predicted the likelihood of their partners' infidelity and their own mate guarding behavior. Sub-study 3 manipulated the threat of infidelity to test for functional shifts in neuroticism in response to relationship exclusion. Participants read vignettes describing their mates' certain fidelity, uncertain fidelity, and certain infidelity, and wrote what they would think, feel, say, and do in response to each scenario. An independent sample assessed participants' personalities based on these cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses. As predicted, participants' neuroticism tracked relationship exclusion; participants' neuroticism levels increased with infidelity threat. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a universal psychological mechanism adaptively calibrates neuroticism levels in response to relationship exclusion; the certain absence or presence of the adaptive problem of relationship exclusion should deactivate or activate anti-exclusion mechanisms in all individuals. Above this situational effect, under conditions of uncertain infidelity -- in which the threat of infidelity would have ancestrally varied with men's (but not women's) mate value -- men's mate value predicted their neuroticism. Together, these findings support the hypothesis that humans possess psychological adaptations that functionally calibrate neuroticism levels. More broadly, they highlight the heuristic value of an evolutionary adaptationist framework for the study of personality and individual differences. / text

Global large-scale adoption of Bt transgenic crops has provided effective management of key insect pests and have greatly reduced insecticide use. However, some field populations of several insect species have evolved resistance to Bt crops in the field, which threatens the continuing success of Bt crops. The cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa zea) is among the first pest reported to have field-evolved resistance to Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. To determine the current resistance status of the field populations of H. zea and to elucidate the mechanisms of Bt resistance in this pest, I conducted a series of experiments including bioassays of field populations as well as biochemical and molecular comparisons of midgut proteases and putative Cry1Ac receptors between Cry1Ac-susceptible and -resistant strains. Diet incorporation bioassays of six field populations of H. zea collected from Tifton, Georgia USA in 2008 and 2009 indicated that, comparing to LAB-S, a susceptible laboratory strain, all six field populations were significantly resistant to Cry1Ac toxin and one of three field strains was significantly resistant to Cry2Ab toxin. Across the five populations, survival on leaf-discs producing Cry1Ac was positively correlated to the lethal concentration that kills 50% of the population (LC₅₀) for Cry1Ac from diet bioassays. These results support previous findings of field-evolved resistance to Bt crops in H. zea and suggest an overall increase in resistance to Cry1Ac from 2002 to 2009.One of the six field population, which was designed as GA and had 55-fold resistance to Cry1Ac, was further selected with Cry1Ac in the laboratory to generate a more resistant strain, which was designated as GA-R and had 560-fold resistance to Cry1Ac. Total protease activity of the midgut extracts from GA-R and GA strains is significantly lower than that from the susceptible laboratory strain LAB-S. Among the proteases contributing to the total activity, trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like activities of GA-R and GA midgut extracts are significantly lower than that from the susceptible strain, while no difference in elastase-like activity is evident. Decreased proteolytic activity was correlated to the decreased Cry1Ac activation rate of midgut extracts of the GA-R and GA strains. Cytotoxicity assays with H. zea midgut cells show that the product of Cry1Ac protoxin digested with GA-R and GA midgut extracts has significantly lower cytotoxicity when compared with that digested with the susceptible strain midgut extracts. Transcriptional analysis of a limited number of protease genes did not identify specific proteases involved in the decline in Cry1Ac activation in GA-R and GA. These results indicate that the decreased Cry1Ac activation rate by midgut proteases is involved in the field originated Cry1Ac resistance in the H. zea GA-R and GA strains. I also compared the cDNA sequences and expression levels of the putative Cry1Ac receptors cadherin, aminopeptidase 1 (APN1), alkaline phosphatase 2 (ALP2) and ATP-binding cassette subfamily C member 2 (ABCC2) in LAB-S and GA-R. No indels (insertions and deletions) were found in the cDNA sequences of the resistant alleles of the four receptors, relative to those of the susceptible alleles. While there were no amino acid point mutations in the resistant alleles of ALP2 and ABCC2, we found 2 and 14 consistent amino acid point mutations in the resistant alleles of cadherin and APN1, respectively. However, neither cadherin nor APN1 point mutations were genetically linked to Cry1Ac resistance in GA-R. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed no differences in the transcripts of the four receptors between the two strains. Taken together, these results indicate that the four receptors are not involved in Cry1Ac resistance in the GA-R strain of H. zea.