Revised Estimates of Dimension and Exercise Variance Components in Assessment Center Postexercise Dimension Ratings.

The authors reanalyzed assessment center (AC) multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices containing correlations among postexercise dimension ratings (PEDRs) reported by F. Lievens and J. M. Conway (2001). Unlike F. Lievens and J. M. Conway, who used a correlated dimension-correlated uniqueness model, we used a different set of confirmatory-factor-analysis-based models (1-dimension-correlated Exercise and 1-dimension-correlated uniqueness models) to estimate dimension and exercise variance components in AC PEDRs. Results of reanalyses suggest that, consistent with previous narrative reviews, exercise variance components dominate over dimension variance components after all. Implications for AC construct validity and possible redirections of research on the validity of ACs are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An integrated system to remote monitor and control anaerobic wastewater treatment plants through the internet.

The TELEMAC project brings new methodologies from the Information and Science Technologies field to the world of water treatment. TELEMAC offers an advanced remote management system which adapts to most of the anaerobic wastewater treatment plants that do not benefit from a local expert in wastewater treatment. The TELEMAC system takes advantage of new sensors to better monitor the process dynamics and to run automatic controllers that stabilise the treatment plant, meet the depollution requirements and provide a biogas quality suitable for cogeneration. If the automatic system detects a failure which cannot be solved automatically or locally by a technician, then an expert from the TELEMAC Control Centre is contacted via the internet and manages the problem.     

Evaluation of Digitally Encoded Layer‐by‐layer Coated Microparticles as Cell Carriers

To obtain more biologically relevant data there is a growing interest in the use of living cells for assaying the biological activity of unknown chemical compounds. Density ‘multiplex’ cell‐based assays, where different cell types are mixed in one well and simultaneously investigated upon exposure to a certain compound are beginning to emerge. To be able to identify the cells they should be attached to microscopic carriers that are encoded. This paper investigates how digitally encoded microparticles can be loaded with cells while keeping the digital code in the microcarriers readable. It turns out that coating the surface of the encoded microcarriers with polyelectrolytes using the layer‐by‐layer (LbL) approach provides the microcarriers with a ‘highly functional’ surface. The polyelectrolyte layer allows the growth of the cells, allows the orientation of the cell loaded microcarriers in a magnetic field, and does not hamper the reading of the code. It has further been shown that the cells growing on the polyelectrolyte layer can become transduced by adenoviral particles hosted by the polyelectrolyte layer. It is concluded that the digitally encoded microparticles are promising materials for use in biomedical and pharmaceutical in‐vitro research where cells are used as tools.     

Study of the potential valorisation of heavy metal contaminated biomass via phytoremediation by fast pyrolysis: Part II: Characterisation of the liquid and gaseous fraction as a function of the temperature

Fast pyrolysis of heavy metal contaminated birch (CMB), resulting from phytoremediation, is investigated. The effect of the pyrolysis temperature (673, 773, 873 K) on the composition and evolution of the bio-oil/tar fraction and the gas fraction has been studied. The knowledge of the composition of the gaseous and liquid pyrolysis fractions, as a function of the pyrolysis temperature, affects directly future applications and valorisation of the pyrolysis products and are indispensable for making and selecting the proper thermal conditions for their optimal use. In view of the future valorisation of this heavy metal contaminated biomass, the pyrolysis temperature is imperative, because some of the heavy metals can volatilize at temperatures generally used for the co-combustion or fast pyrolysis of biomass.     

The Pupal Parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae Is Attracted to the Same Yeast Volatiles as Its Adult Host

Journal of Chemical Ecology - There is increasing evidence that microorganisms, particularly fungi and bacteria, emit volatile compounds that mediate the foraging behaviour of insects and therefore...     

Recovery in multilayer optical networks

The integration of different network technologies into a multilayer network, as in Internet-based networks carried by optical transport networks (OTNs), creates new opportunities but also challenges with respect to network survivability. In different network layers, recovery mechanisms that are active can be exploited jointly to reach a more efficient or faster recovery from failures. This interworking is also indispensable in order to overcome the variety of failure scenarios that can occur in the multilayer-network environment. A well-considered coordination between the different layers and their recovery mechanisms is crucial in order to attain high performance recovery. This paper provides an overview of multilayer recovery issues and solutions in an Internet protocol (IP)-over-optical-network environment, which is illustrated by quantitative case studies.     

Nuclear DNA barcodes for cod identification in mildly-treated and processed food products

Gadoids are a group of fish with historical importance in the fishing industry. The high demand for cod is one of the reasons why cod products are often mislabelled, and numerous observations have been made on the replacement of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) by cheaper species or its illegal capture in contravention of fish quotas. Fish species identification is traditionally based on morphological features, but this may be difficult in case of heat-treated or processed products, or where the species look similar, as in the Gadoid group. DNA-based approaches (using either nuclear or mitochondrial DNA) are most commonly used in this case, due to their high specificity and to the high resilience of the target molecules to food processing techniques. In this article, we identified, using an automated screening approach, novel barcode regions and their associated primers in the nuclear genome, to be used for the efficient identification of Gadoids. The barcode regions were tested on official and commercial samples, raw or mildly treated products, like frozen, or salted, as well as pre-cooked complex mixtures and processed samples, using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique. The method proposed could complement existing fish identification strategies in establishing an efficient framework to detect and prevent frauds along the food chain.     

Resonance and nonresonant laser ionization of sputtered uranium atoms from thin films and single microparticles: evaluation of a combined system for particle trace analysis

The resonance and nonresonant laser ionization of uranium atoms sputtered from thin metal films and individual micrometer-size uranium oxide particles, respectively, was studied to evaluate a new setup for the analysis of actinide-containing micrometer-size particles. Experiments using nonresonant (193-nm) ionization of atoms and molecules sputtered from micrometer-size uranium oxide particles have shown that the uranium detection efficiencies for sputtered neutral atoms are approximately 2 orders of magnitude higher than for secondary ions. In uranium particles of 0.5-microm diameter, 6 x 10(6) atoms of 235U were easily detected and the isotopic ratio of 235U/238U = 0.0048 +/- 4.6% is in excellent agreement with the certified value. The use of two-color, two-step resonance ionization of the sputtered neutral uranium atoms from thin films was investigated. Several excitation schemes were tested, and a significant population of several low-lying metastable states after ion sputtering was observed. Autoionizing states for double-resonant ionization were determined, and the high selectivity of ionization schemes involving these autoionizing states was illustrated by comparing the flight-time distributions of different sputtered species obtained both by resonance and nonresonant multiphoton (355-nm) laser postionization. Ideally, the options for resonance as well as nonresonant ionization would be combined in a single setup, to obtain a large gain in sensitivity and selectivity. Thus, information about the main components as well as specific isotopic information of a trace element could be obtained from the same single particle.     

SYBR®Green qPCR screening methods for the presence of “35S promoter” and “NOS terminator” elements in food and feed products

The Cauliflower Mosaic Virus “35S promotor” (p35S) and the Agrobacterium “Nopaline Synthase” terminator (tNOS) are the most represented generic recombinant elements in commercial genetically modified crops to date. A set of four new SYBR^®Green qPCR methods targeting the “p35S” and “tNOS” core elements have been developed. These qPCR methods generate short amplicons of 147 and 75 bp for the “p35S” element and 172 and 69 bp for the “tNOS” element. Single target plasmids containing these amplicons were constructed and allow determining the nominal melting temperature (T _m value) of each amplicon. The four methods are specific for their respective targets, and moreover, three of them are highly sensitive (up to 1–2 copies detectable) at a PCR efficiency ranging between 95 and 100%. The latter methods can detect their respective targets at 0.1% (w/w) gDNA levels and are suitable for detecting low levels of genetically modified materials containing the “p35S” and/or “tNOS” elements.