High resolution melting analysis for quantitative detection of bovine milk in pure water buffalo mozzarella and other buffalo dairy products

Identification of buffalo dairy products has become an important issue to ascertain product quality, consumer rights and absence of food-borne allergic reactions. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by a high resolution melting (HRM) analysis was developed and applied for species specific detection of bovine milk in nine different commercial buffalo dairy products. A specific buffalo 12S rRNA and a bovine d-loop primer pair, targeting the mitochondrial genome, were employed in a duplex PCR assay. The analysis developed was found capable of identifying the presence of bovine milk down to 1% in commercial buffalo milk products and also of quantifying the ratio of bovine into buffalo milk. HRM was proven to be a fast and accurate technique for a routine authentication testing of mozzarella and other buffalo milk products.     

Monitoring Charge Exchange in P3HT-Nanotube Composites Using Optical and Electrical Characterisation

Charge exchange at the bulk heterojunctions of composites made by mixing single wall nanotubes (SWNTs) and polymers show potential for use in optoelectronic devices such as solar cells and optical sensors. The density/total area of these heterojunctions is expected to increase with increasing SWNT concentration but the efficiency of solar cell peaks at low SWNT concentrations. Most researchers use current–voltage measurements to determine the evolution of the SWNT percolation network and optical absorption measurements to monitor the spectral response of the composites. However, these methods do not provide a detailed account of carrier transport at the concentrations of interest; i.e., near or below the percolation threshold. In this article, we show that capacitance–voltage (C–V) response of (metal)-(oxide)-(semiconducting composite) devices can be used to fill this gap in studying bulk heterojunctions. In an approach where we combine optical absorption methods with C–V measurements we can acquire a unified optoelectronic response from P3HT-SWNT composites. This methodology can become an important tool for optoelectronic device optimization.     

Dynamic response of reinforced masonry columns in classical monuments

From the mechanical point of view, the particularity of masonry structures stems from the fact that the structural system is hard to be modeled by the classical Continuum Mechanics approach. The problem gets more complicated when imperfections, such as cracks are present. An example of a single multi-drum column, with fractured drums, is studied herein, using the Distinct Element Method (DEM). The purpose of the research is the investigation of the impact of the fractures to the overall stability of the structure. The 3D DEM numerical results are explained on the basis of simple 2D analytical considerations. The shear and normal crack deformation is monitored and the minimum required strength of the crack interface is quantified. An experimental program of direct shear tests is set in order to estimate the strength of the marble–cement interface. The experimental values are compared to the minimum required from the numerical analysis.     

Expression of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in resting and activated bovine neutrophils

Changes in urokinase-plasminogen activator (u-PA) and u-PA receptor (u-PAR) expression at the protein and mRNA level in resting neutrophils and in neutrophils activated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) were examined. Low amounts of u-PA were found intracellularly or membrane-bound in resting neutrophils. However, incubation of resting neutrophils with purified exogenous u-PA (10 IU/ml) revealed extensive binding of u-PA to cell membranes. Excess amino-terminal fragment of the u-PA molecule, a proteolytically inactive fragment of u-PA (amino acids 1-135) blocked binding of exogenous u-PA to the cell membrane. These results, collectively, indicate that the binding of u-PA is specific and that resting neutrophils have unoccupied u-PA receptors on their cell membrane. Addition of PMA led to an increase (P < 0.01) in total cell-associated, membrane-bound u-PA activity and u-PA mRNA expression by bovine neutrophils. In contrast. PMA increased u-PAR mRNA levels but this was accompanied by a decrease (2.5-fold; P < 0.01) in free, unoccupied u-PA binding sites. No significant effects on total cell-associated or membrane-bound u-PA were found when neutrophils were treated with 4-phorbol 12,13 didecanoate, a phorbol ester that does not activate protein kinase C (PKC). Furthermore, addition of 1-(5-isoquinolinesylphonyl)-2-methlylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7), a potent PKC inhibitor, blocked the effect of PMA on total cell-associated u-PA activity. Thus, PKC plays a role in the modulation of u-PA and u-PAR by PMA in bovine neutrophils.     

Exploring Coevolutionary Relations by Alterations in Fitness Function: Experiments with Simulated Robots

This paper focuses on various coevolutionary robotic experiments where all parameters except for the fitness function remain the same. Initially an attempt to categorize coevolutionary experiments is made and subsequently three experiments of competitive coevolution (hunt, battle and mating) are presented. The experiment concerning implicit competition of two species (mating) is given special attention as it shows emergence of compromise and collaboration through a competitive environment. The co-evolution progress monitoring is evaluated through fitness graphs, CIAO and Hamming maps and the results are interpreted for each experimental setup. The paper concludes that despite the alteration of fitness functions, several evasion–pursuit elements emerge. Furthermore, conciliatory strategies can emerge in implicit competitional cases.     

A faster parameterized algorithm for set packing

We present an efficient parameterized algorithm for the (k,t)-set packing problem, in which we are looking for a collection of k disjoint sets whose union consists of t elements. The complexity of the algorithm is O(²O(t)nNlogN). For the special case of sets of bounded size, this improves the O(k(ck)n) algorithm of Jia et al. [J. Algorithms 50 (1) (2004) 106].     

Efficient sensitivity computations in 3D air quality models

The prediction of ground level ozone for air quality monitoring and assessment is simulated through an integrated system of gridded models (meteorological, photochemical), where the atmosphere is represented with a three-dimensional grid that may include thousands of grid cells. The continuity equation solved by the Photochemical Air Quality Model (PAQM) reproduces the atmospheric processes (dynamical, physical, chemical and radiative), such as moving and mixing air parcels from one grid cell to another, calculating chemical reactions, injecting new emissions. The whole modeling procedure includes several sources of uncertainty, especially in the large data sets that describe the status of the domain (boundary conditions, emissions, chemical reaction rates and several others). The robustness of the photochemical simulation is addressed in this work through the deterministic approach of sensitivity analysis. The automatic differentiation tool ADIFOR is applied on the 3D PAQM CAMx and augments its Fortran 77 code by introducing new lines of code that additionally calculate, in only one run, the gradient of the solution vector with respect to its input parameters. The applicability of the approach is evaluated through a sensitivity study of the modeled concentrations to perturbations at the boundary conditions and the emissions, for three essentially dissimilar European Metropolises of the Auto-Oil II programme (Athens, Milan, and London).     

Occlusion Culling Algorithms: A Comprehensive Survey

In this paper, occlusion culling techniques that appeared in the last decade are reviewed. Occlusion culling techniques are responsible for reducing the polygons rendered by the graphics hardware with the target of achieving real-time rendering. The various techniques are discussed in detail and a synopsis table with their main characteristics is given.