Food poisoning potential of Bacillus cereus strains from Norwegian dairies

Characteristics concerning diarrhoeal potential were investigated in B. cereus dairy strains. The thirty-nine strains, isolated from whipping cream, were tested for cytotoxicity after culturing at human body temperature as well as 25 degrees C and 32 degrees C. At 37 degrees C, none of the strains were highly cytotoxic. This observation suggests that those strains should be considered to pose a minor risk with regard to diarrhoeal food poisoning. However, some strains were moderately or highly cytotoxic when grown at 25 degrees C and 32 degrees C. While the majority of the strains were able to grow at refrigeration temperatures, only four B. weihenstephanensis strains were identified among them when subjected to discriminative PCR assays and growth temperatures which delimit this species.     

Protein lactosylation in UHT milk during storage measured by Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry and quantification of furosine

The initial stage of the Maillard reaction, protein lactosylation, occurs during heat treatment of milk and continues during subsequent storage. We compared the initial lactosylation as well as the rate of lactosylation of milk proteins during storage in UHT milk subjected to direct or indirect heat treatment using liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with electrospray injection mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). Furosine content was used as an overall marker to allow for a quantitative correlation of lactosylation measured by LC‐ESI‐MS in the UHT milks. Protein lactosylation increased during the storage period of 6 months at 20 °C. Both the initial extent and the rate of lactosylation positively correlated with the number of lysine residues in the different proteins. An exponential or linear correlation with furosine concentration could be established for major and minor lactosylated proteins, respectively.     

Comparison of methodologies for externality assessment

The production of energy causes different kinds of damage to the environment depending on the specific type of technology used in producing a given energy supply. The common term that expresses the costs of these environmental damages is externalities. These costs are not included in the cost and price structure faced by the producer and the consumer. During the last few years, external costs related to power production technologies have been calculated making use of different methodologies. The external costs may turn out to be very different for the same fuel cycle depending on the methodology that has been used to assess the externalities. The article will focus on some of the most important reasons for differences in the numbers. To illustrate the importance of knowing the exact data and assumptions used, two studies using the same approach and with integrated computer models are compared. The models are based on the same concept with air dispersion modules and dose–response functions for the calculation of impacts. Although the models are comparable, the resulting external costs turn out to differ with a factor of five in the two studies for the same power plant due to different assumptions, different dose–response functions used and different impacts included in the studies. In the paper the most important differences to be aware of will be illustrated.     

Multidisciplinary in-depth investigations of head-on and left-turn road collisions

To enhance traffic safety, a multidisciplinary Road Accident Investigation Team was established in Denmark for a 2-year trial period. The objective was to conduct in-depth investigations of specific types of accidents, and to identify effective preventive measures. The team consisted of a road engineer, a vehicle inspector, a police superintendent, a psychologist and a physician. Seventeen serious head-on collisions as well as 17 left-turn collisions were analysed. In collecting data, police reports were supplemented by the team's investigation of accident sites and vehicles involved, and interviews were carried out with the involved road users and witnesses. The drivers, to whom the accident factors were primarily related in the head-on collisions, were characterised by their conscious risk-taking behaviour. They were all males; several of them were under age 40 and had earlier traffic and/or drug convictions. The main accident factors were excessive speed, drunk driving and driving under the influence of illegal drugs. In the left-turn accidents, the most common accident factors were attention errors, and it was also noted that elderly drivers ( > 74) were over-represented. The synergy effect of working as a multidisciplinary team proved fruitful. It resulted in a more precise knowledge of the road accident circumstances and of contributing factors leading up to the accidents. Due to the great demand on resources, only a limited number of accidents could be analysed, but the results provide a basis for further and more targeted research.     

Planning in the New York city police department—Politics and process

Criminal Justice Planning has been under increasing criticism in the last few years. Most recently, in the House and Senate Hearings which preceded the enactment of the Justice Systems Improvement Act of 1979, the requirement for comprehensive planning was considered by many to be ineffectual at best and a cumbersome burden at worst. By reexamining the planning process we may be able to gain some insight into the use, misuse, and potential of planning as an organizational tool and reassess what can be realistically expected. Through a case study of the way in which the NYCPD implemented and practiced formal planning in the three decades from 1948 to 1978, three problems can be identified. It has been very difficult to operationally define the term planning which has resulted in confusion, conflict, and criticism. There is an inherent conflict between the organization's survival needs and its rational planning processes. ‘Rational’ plans may not take account of changes in the political environment or may be distorted or subverted when implemented by field personnel. It appears that an unexpectedly long time may be necessary for fundamental systemic changes to be accepted in an organization. This means that in a ‘results oriented’ organization, where a plan is expected to ‘be successful’ in one to three years, plans may be discarded before they have been allowed sufficient time to develop. In addition to examining these issues, the study identifies and describes the various phases in the life cycle of the planning unit.     

Irradiation creep in non-fissile metals and alloys

The principal methods used in measuring irradiation creep in non-fissile metals and alloys are described and the limitations of the techniques emphasised. The theoretical models of irradiation creep are surveyed and the experimental data on thermal and fast reactor core component materials, such as zirconium alloys and austenitic steels, are reviewed. In particular, the effects of compositional and metallurgical variables and irradiation parameters (temperature, dose and dose rate) on the magnitudes of the irradiation creep are assessed. Finally, the additional theoretical studies required to further the understanding of the phenomenon and the experimental work necessary for optimising the design and operation of thermal and fast reactors are summarised.     

Fatigue Behavior of RC Beams Strengthened with GFRP Sheets

The objective of the presented study is to examine the effects of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite rehabilitation systems on the fatigue performance of reinforced concrete beams. Experiments were conducted on beams with and without GFRP composite sheets on their tensile surfaces. The specimens were 152 × 152 × 1,321 mm reinforced concrete beams with enough transverse reinforcement to avoid shear failure. The results of this study indicate that the fatigue life of reinforced concrete beams with the given geometry, subjected to the same cycling load, can be significantly extended through the use of externally bonded GFRP composite sheets. An interesting finding is that, although the fiber strengthening system increases the fatigue life of the beams, the failure mechanism, fatigue of the steel reinforcement, remains the same in both strengthened and nonstrengthened beams. Thus, it is possible to predict the fatigue life of a cyclically loaded beam using existing fatigue models.