Applicability assessment of a real-time PCR assay for the specific detection of bovine,ovine and caprine material in feedstuffs

A TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for specific detection of bovine, ovine and caprine processed animal protein (PAP) in industrial feedstuffs. The method uses species-specific primers and probes targeting short mitochondrial D-loop sequences, and a positive amplification control based on 18S rRNA gene. The applicability of the real-time PCR protocol was assessed through analysis of 126 industrial feed samples that were manufactured to reproduce rendering processes of commercial feeds destined for farmed animals. The assay successfully classified samples as positive or negative according to the ruminant composition, enabling qualitative detection of banned material in feeds at levels as low as 0.1%. Although the method provides quantitative potential, results suggest that the real quantitative capability of the assay is limited by the existing variability in terms of composition and processing treatments of the feeds, which affect the amount and quality of amplifiable DNA.     

化学纤维的发展特点及趋势

从化学纤维的发展历程来说,过去一段时期内其经历了快速发展,并将在未来很长时期内持续这一态势,在这一过程中这类纤维的发展使命已经发生了飞跃,其最新进展不仅保持了化学纤维的可持续性,还带来了性能上的提升。     

Improved diagnosis using enhanced fault dominance

Defect diagnosis can benefit from fault dominance relations to reduce the set of defect candidate sites. This paper presents new fault dominance collapsing operators that further reduce the set of candidates considered during the initial phase of diagnosis. In contrast to existing dominance-based methods which operate on pairs of faults, the proposed method operates on sets of faults. Fault-related entities are generated to guide the diagnosis process. The proposed collapsing operators can be used to accelerate effect-cause diagnosis. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a higher collapsing ratio than existing methods.     

Experimental tile with phase change materials (PCM) for building use

The use of phase change materials (PCM) and their possible architectural integration is a path in the search for optimizing energy efficiency in construction. As part of this path, a pavement has been designed which, in combination with the PCM, serves as a passive thermal conditioning system (new patent n°. ES2333092 A1) [1]. The prototype has been tested experimentally and the results proved that it is a viable constructive solution improving the energy performance of sunny locals.     

玛丽蒂姆会议酒店,柏林,德国

立面、周边环境以及对所在街区的一系列回应,是玛丽蒂姆酒店的设计要点。这个占地约1.2万m2的酒店基地紧邻文化中心（Kulturforum）和著名的文物保护建筑贝壳屋（Shellhaus,建筑师：Emil Fahrenkamp）,且距国家美术馆和波茨坦广场不远。     

Exploring the universality of personality judgments: Evidence from the great transformation (1000 BCE–200 BCE).

We examined whether personality judgments were present in texts of the diverse religious and philosophical traditions that emerged during the Great Transformation, an era spanning roughly 1000 BCE to 200 BCE. Some psychologists have suggested that the tendency of humans to judge personality has evolved; if some ancient societies failed to record personality judgments, it would be evidence against such an evolutionary position. In addition, learning about the prevalence and specifics of ancient personality judgments can help psychologists better understand the prehistory of personality psychology. Eight cultural traditions were studied: two each from China (Confucianism, Taoism), Greece (Classical and Hellenistic philosophy), India (Buddhism, Hinduism), and the Middle East (Judaism, Zoroastrianism). We found evidence that personality judgments were an important aspect of all of these traditions. Not only did people judge one another, but they also offered instructions on how to judge others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

On the formalization and reuse of scientific research

The reuse of scientific knowledge obtained from one investigation in another investigation is basic to the advance of science. Scientific investigations should therefore be recorded in ways that promote the reuse of the knowledge they generate. The use of logical formalisms to describe scientific knowledge has potential advantages in facilitating such reuse. Here, we propose a formal framework for using logical formalisms to promote reuse. We demonstrate the utility of this framework by using it in a worked example from biology: demonstrating cycles of investigation formalization [F] and reuse [R] to generate new knowledge. We first used logic to formally describe a Robot scientist investigation into yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) functional genomics [f₁]. With Robot scientists, unlike human scientists, the production of comprehensive metadata about their investigations is a natural by-product of the way they work. We then demonstrated how this formalism enabled the reuse of the research in investigating yeast phenotypes [r₁ = R(f₁)]. This investigation found that the removal of non-essential enzymes generally resulted in enhanced growth. The phenotype investigation was then formally described using the same logical formalism as the functional genomics investigation [f₂ = F(r₁)]. We then demonstrated how this formalism enabled the reuse of the phenotype investigation to investigate yeast systems-biology modelling [r₂ = R(f₂)]. This investigation found that yeast flux-balance analysis models fail to predict the observed changes in growth. Finally, the systems biology investigation was formalized for reuse in future investigations [f₃ = F(r₂)]. These cycles of reuse are a model for the general reuse of scientific knowledge.     

Comparison of the Determination of Eight Cholesterol Oxides in Dry�CCured Shoulder by GC�CFID, GC�CMS, and GC Tandem Mass Spectrometry

The analysis of eight cholesterol oxidation products: 7α–hydroxycholesterol, 7β–hydroxycholesterol, α–epoxycholesterol, β–epoxycholesterol, 20α–hydroxycholesterol, cholestanetriol, 25–hydroxycholesterol, and 7–ketocholesterol in dry–cured shoulder was carried out. The extraction of lipids was performed by using the Bligh and Dyer method (1959). Interferences were removed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) in two steps with silica and aminipropylsilica SPE columns. The separation of the eight cholesterol oxidation products was done by gas chromatography, and the detection was performed by flame ionization detection (FID) and mass spectrometry (MS). The results obtained from the use of both systems of detection were compared. The results showed that gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was the most suitable technique to obtain reliable quantitative data, and significant differences (p < 0.05) between FID and MS determining 7α–hydroxycholesterol, 20α–hydroxycholesterol, and 25–hydroxycholesterol were observed. For the determination of cholesterol oxidation products, it was necessary to apply gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to increase the sensitivity and to avoid interference from other compounds.