Unusually high levels of blood alcohol?

A consecutive three-month study of alcohol-intoxicated patients admitted to the casualty ward showed 24 patients with an initial serum alcohol concentration above 110 millimols/liter. Eight patitents were excluded because of insufficient data. Eight of the remaining 16 patients showed surprisingly slight depression of the central nervous system (CNS).     

Circular Languages

In this paper we investigate two purely syntactical notions ofcircularity, which we call ``self-application' and ``self-inclusion.' Alanguage containing self-application allows linguistic items to beapplied to themselves. In a language allowing for self-inclusion thereare expressions which include themselves as a proper part. We introduceaxiomatic systems of syntax which include identity criteria andexistence axioms for such expressions. The consistency of these axiomsystems will be shown by providing a variety of different models –these models being our circular languages. Finally we will show what apossible semantics for these circular languages could look like.     

Consumers' ability to discriminate aflatoxin-contaminated Brazil nuts

The objectives of the study were to investigate the extent to which consumers can separate nuts with a high content of aflatoxin from sound nuts, and whether sorting results can be improved by information or whether they are affected by certain factors. A test panel consisting of 100 subjects was asked to crack 300 g Brazil nuts and to sort the nuts into those they considered edible and inedible. The test showed that consumers can, on current behaviour, discriminate aflatoxin-contaminated Brazil nuts to a significant extent. The median and the 95th percentile of the total concentrations of aflatoxins (B₁, B₂, G₁, G₂) in the samples before sorting were 1.4 and 557 µg kg^-1, respectively, and in the edible fractions after sorting 0.4 and 56 µg kg^-1, respectively. Given that levels of aflatoxins before sorting exceed either 2 µg aflatoxin B₁ kg^-1 or totally 4 µg aflatoxins kg^-1, there was no effect of aflatoxin concentrations before sorting on the probability of exceeding these thresholds in the edible fraction. This means that similar sorting results were obtained for samples with aflatoxin levels exceeding either of the two thresholds, irrespective of if the thresholds were exceeded with a few µg kg^-1 or up to more than 1000 µg kg^-1. None of the tested factors (such as sex, age, level of education, ethnic background or knowledge of mycotoxins) had any effects on the probability of exceeding either of the two aflatoxin thresholds.     

The Effect of Metallic Co-Coating Thickness on Ferritic Stainless Steels Intended for Use as Interconnect Material in Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

The effect of metallic Co-coating thickness on ferritic stainless steels is investigated. This material is suggested to be used as interconnect material in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. Uncoated, 200-, 600-, 1000-, and 1500-nm Co-coated Sanergy HT is isothermally exposed for up to 500 h in air at 650 °C. Mass gain is recorded to follow oxidation kinetics, and area-specific resistance (ASR) measurements are conducted on samples exposed for 168 and 500 h. The microstructure of the thermally grown oxide scales is characterized utilizing scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis on broad ion beam-milled cross sections. A clear increase in ASR as a function of Co-coating thickness is observed. However, the increase in ASR, as an effect of a thicker Co-coating, is correlated with thicker (Cr,Fe)₂O₃ scales formed on these materials and not to an increase in Co spinel top layer thickness.     

Living Systems: Designing Growth in Baubotanik

Baubotanik – the construction method that uses living plants for load bearing in architectural structures – provides a surprising ability to anticipate the latent convergence of non-living and living systems in architecture. Through interdisciplinary research by architects, engineers and biologists it aims to synthesise architectural qualities, constructive requirements and biological properties in living structures. In this article, Ferdinand Ludwig, Hannes Schwertfeger and Oliver Storz of the Baubotanik research group at the Institute for Architectural Theory and Design (IGMA) at the University of Stuttgart explain how living and non-living building elements can be designed to develop into vegetal-technical compound structures. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mycotoxin contamination of cereal grain commodities in relation to climate in North West Europe

This study aimed to investigate mycotoxin contamination of cereal grain commodities for feed and food production in North Western Europe during the last two decades, including trends over time and co-occurrence between toxins, and to assess possible effects of climate on the presence of mycotoxins. For these aims, analytical results related to mycotoxin contamination of cereal grain commodities, collected in the course of national monitoring programmes in Finland, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands during a 20-year period, were gathered. Historical observational weather data, including daily relative humidity, rainfall and temperature, were obtained from each of these four countries. In total 6382 records, referring to individual sample results for mycotoxin concentrations (one or more toxins) in cereal grains were available. Most records referred to wheat, barley, maize and oats. The most frequently analysed mycotoxins were deoxynivalenol, 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin and zearalenone. Deoxynivalenol had the highest overall incidence of 46%, and was mainly found in wheat, maize and oats. Mycotoxins that showed co-occurrence were: deoxynivalenol and 3-acetyl-deoxynivalenol in oats; deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in maize and wheat; and T-2 toxin and HT-2 toxin in oats. The presence of both deoxynivalenol and zearalenone in wheat increased with higher temperatures, relative humidity and rainfall during cultivation, but the presence of nivalenol was negatively associated with most of these climatic factors. The same holds for both nivalenol and deoxynivalenol in oats. This implies that climatic conditions that are conducive for one toxin may have a decreasing effect on the other. The presence of HT-2 toxin in oats showed a slight decreasing trends over time, but significant trends for other toxins showed an increasing presence during the last two decades. It is therefore useful to continue monitoring of mycotoxins. Obtained results can be used for development of predictive models for presence of mycotoxins in cereal grains.     

Combining participatory,qualitative and quantitative methods for impact assessment of food value chains into an integrated framework

An impact assessment of food-securing upgrading strategies (UPS) can be performed to assess actual and potential UPS effects at the local level. We developed an assessment framework that integrates the main components of the food value chain (FVC), including natural resources, food production, processing, marketing, and consumption. The framework provides a generic template in which different impact assessment approaches can be complementarily integrated and was tested for a case study in Tanzania. The framework employs a structured sequence of steps: (1) context analysis and the development of UPS, (2) the selection and application of assessment approaches and (3) the establishment of food security criteria and UPS effects. To illustrate the flexibility and use of the framework, the inputs of three different impact assessment approaches were considered. First, data from a household survey was applied to provide baseline information at the local level. Second, scientific knowledge was employed to systematically assess the selected UPS. Third, local stakeholder knowledge was considered to identify the local food security constraints and preferences and provide assessments of potential UPS effects. The Framework for Participatory Impact Assessment (FoPIA) approach was utilized to conduct local focus group discussions, and the Scaling Up Assessment Tool for Food Security (ScalA-FS) was employed to gather scientific knowledge about specific UPS impacts. Based on the preliminary results from the framework testing, diverse stakeholder participation was found to be essential for considering local preferences and to engage stakeholders in the assessment process, whereas scientific knowledge and monitoring data were needed to complement the “local picture” with more quantifiable results. The strengths and shortcomings of the framework are discussed.     

Characterization of ten H2 producing cyanobacteria isolated from the Baltic Sea and Finnish lakes

The genetic background and activities of the enzymes involved in H₂ production were investigated from ten distinct H₂ producing cyanobacteria, revealed by a recent screening. All strains are N₂-fixing, filamentous and heterocystous. Southern hybridization revealed that the tested strains possess the genes encoding the conventional nitrogenase (nifHDK1), and lack the alternative nitrogenases. The high H₂ production rate of these strains was shown not to be dependent on the presence of highly active nitrogenase or bidirectional hydrogenase enzymes. Moreover, most of the strains possessed a highly active uptake hydrogenase enzyme. We also examined the structure of the nif and hup operons encoding nitrogenase and uptake hydrogenase enzymes in the Calothrix 336/3 strain, the best H₂ producer in the screening. We concluded that the ability of the cyanobacteria to produce high levels of H₂ is not directly linked to the maximum capacities of the enzymes involved in H₂ production.