Event-specific analytical methods for six genetically modified maize events using visual and real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification

Currently 138 genetically modified (GM) maize events have been authorized for commercial cultivation, comprising more than 65 per cent stacked events. With the increase in number of GM maize events globally, cost- and time-efficient diagnostics with on-site applicability are required to check for authorized GM events. Six GM maize events, namely, Bt11, GA21, MON810, MON89034, NK603 and TC1507, also present in 89 stacked events, are being widely commercialized in more than 17 countries. Visual and real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays targeting these six GM maize events are being reported in the present study. Specificity of the developed LAMP assays was confirmed using fourteen commercialized GM maize events. Limit of detection of visual and real-time LAMP assays targeting Bt11, GA21, MON810, MON89034 and TC1507, was up to 0.01%, detecting 8 target copies, and for NK603 event-specific assays, was up to 0.1% detecting 73 target copies. Practical applicability of developed LAMP assays was verified using a set of five stacked GM maize events, namely, Bt11 × GA21, MON89034 × NK603, MON89034 × NK603 × TC1507, TC1507 × NK603 and TC1507 × MON810; and six powdered maize samples of proficiency testing. The reported LAMP assays can be efficiently employed for screening for presence of selected GM maize events in single or stacked form.     

Multi-criteria optimization of a district cogeneration plant integrating a solid oxide fuel cell–gas turbine combined cycle,heat pumps and chillers

A simultaneous optimization of the design and operation of a district heating, cooling and power generation plant supplying a small stock of residential buildings has been undertaken with regards to cost and CO₂ emissions. The simulation of the plant considers a superstructure including a solid oxide fuel cell–gas turbine combined cycle, a compression heat pump, a compression chiller and/or an absorption chiller and an additional gas boiler. The Pareto-frontier obtained as the global solution of the optimization problem delivers the minimal CO₂ emission rates, achievable with the technology considered for a given accepted investment, or respectively the minimal cost associated with a given emission abatement commitment.     

The colour fastness of optionally aftertreated direct dyes on cotton during washing in an activated oxygen bleach-containing detergent

This study uses previously proposed spectrophotometric pass/fail criteria for the assessment of oxidative-bleach fading of cellulosic dyes on cotton during repeated washing. A high level of correlation (88%) has been obtained between the fading exhibited by optionally aftertreated direct dyes in the UK-TO test and that after 20 domestic machine washes in the presence of a detergent containing an oxidative-bleach system. The correlation, and ultimate utility of the test method, is further improved when preceded by an ISO 105 C06/C2S wash fastness test to screen out dyes having a low intrinsic fastness to washing.     

Parallel Image Reconstruction in Real-Time Ultrasound Process Tomography for Two-phased Flow Measurements

This paper investigates different parallel-processing architectures as a means of achieving real-time ultrasound tomographic imaging capability. The real-time numerical image reconstruction is implemented by a parallel processor network and DSP controlled data acquisition electronics. The parallel imaging technique developed for the present work has been shown to be capable of achieving the necessary real-time image generation rate (100 frames per second on a 100 × 100 image array for software image reconstruction) and an average update frequency of 30 frames per second when acquiring data from the hardware. The parallel image processing algorithm which combines geometric and algorithmic parallelism aiming at optimizing the parallel efficiency of the processors of the array has been implemented and verified. The experimental imaging results generated by the parallel imaging system are presented and the dynamic performance of the parallel system are discussed.     

Hydrogen evolution and entry in palladium at high current density

The kinetics of hydrogen evolution and entry into palladium membranes has been studied at high current densities using the electrochemical permeation technique. A two stage permeation transient was observed corresponding to diffusion in the α phase and mixed α + β phase, respectively. At low current densities the hydrogen evolution reaction exhibited a rate determining step of proton discharge followed by absorption of the adsorbed intermediate into the palladium lattice. At high current densities, after conversion of the surface layer to the β phase, a large increase in the recombination flux was observed with a concomitant decrease in the hydrogen entry flux. Since the composition of the entry surface was time dependent at constant charging current, the hydrogen evolution kinetics at the entry surface also exhibited a time dependence.     

Using immersive virtual reality to remotely examine performance differences between dominant and non-dominant hands

Virtual Reality - Circle drawing may be a useful task to study upper-limb function in patient populations. However, previous studies rely on expensive and bulky robotics to measure performance. For...