Acceptability of genetically modified cheese presented as real product alternative

European consumers, in general, have negative attitudes towards the use of gene technology in food production. The objective of this study was to examine whether taste and health benefits influence the acceptability of genetically modified (gm) products when they are presented as real product alternatives. Consumers in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden (n=738) assessed two cheeses: one was labelled as genetically modified (preferred in an earlier product test) and the other as conventional (neutral in an earlier product test). A smaller control group received two cheeses with blind codes. Labelling decreased consumers' intentions to buy the originally preferred gm-labelled cheese, but still the intentions were at the same level with the conventionally labelled option. Participants chose two gm cheeses out of five possible when given the option to take cheese home after tasting. Intentions to buy gm cheese could best be explained by respondents' attitudes towards gene technology and perceived taste benefits. General health interest was also a reinforcer of intentions for gm cheese with reduced fat content.     

Damage and strain in pseudomorphic vs relaxed GexSi1−x layers on Si(100) generated by Si ion irradiation

We compare both the strain and damage that 100 keV Si irradiation at room temperature introduces in pseudomorphic and relaxed Ge_xSi_1−x films grown on Si(100) substrates. The ion range is such that the Si/Ge_xSi_1−x interface is not significantly damaged. The amount of damage produced in pseudomorphic and relaxed Ge_xSi_1−x layers of similar x for irradiation doses up to 2.5 × 10¹⁴ Si/cm² is the same, which proves that a pre-existing uniform strain does not noticeably affect the irradiation-induced damage. However, the irradiation-induced strain does depend on the pre-existing strain of the samples. Possible interpretations are discussed. On leave from Inst. voor Kern en Stralingsfysika, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium.     

Towards hybrid Triple Helix indicators: A study of university-related patents and a survey of academic inventors

This paper presents work directed at capturing the entrepreneurial and collaborative activity of university researchers. The Triple Helix points to the emergence of the entrepreneurial university as well as to an increasing overlay of activities in universities, industry and government. This study explores ways in which patent-based metrics could be utilized in a Triple Helix context, and how hybrid indicators could be developed by combining patent with survey data. More specifically, it aims to develop indicators that connect technological inventiveness of university researchers to both funding organizations and users, as well as to entrepreneurial activities by academics. The paper develops a simplified model of the innovation process to benchmark the relevance of the indicators to the Triple Helix. An analysis of Finnish academic patents illustrates that patent data can already provide useful indicators but, on its own, cannot provide information about how academic patents are interconnected with government or industry through funding or utilization links. An exclusive analysis of patents can point to patent concentrations on certain universities, to inventors and assignees, or to potential gaps in translating applied science into industrial technology. However, the patent data had to be combined with an inventor survey in order to relate academic patents more to their Triple Helix environment. The survey indicated that most patented academic inventions are connected to (often publicly funded) scientific research by the inventors and tend to be utilized in large firms rather than in start-up companies founded by academic entrepreneurs.     

Modeling of microwave-excited gas discharges

Content This paper is dealing with the power density versus electric field characteristic of microwave-excited discharges on the example of typical CO₂ laser gas discharges.The fundamentals of the method are a simple electric equivalent circuit for the excitation structure and the assumption of a fixed reduced electric field intensity within the plasma. This operating field is enforced by the plasma under stationary conditions and can be calculated using an electron balance under consideration of the non-Maxwellian electron energy distribution function. The calculations turn out that c.w. excitation with microwaves is involved with considerable plasma power densities. In the case of the CO₂ laser this requires special discharge channel designs for effective gas cooling. Besides a discussion of the plasma characteristic, measurements taken from a microwave applicator are presented and compared to the calculations.

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Modellierung mikrowellenangeregter Gasentladungen

Übersicht Der Artikel behandelt die Berechnung der Feldstärke-Leistungsdichte-Kennlinie mikrowellenangeregter Gasentladungen am Beispiel von Entladungen in typischen CO₂-Lasergasgemischen. Das Berechnungsverfahren beruht auf einem einfachen, auf die meisten Anregungsstrukturen anwendbaren elektrischen Ersatzschaltbild und der Tatsache einer vom Plasma erzwungenen stationären Brennfeldstärke. Letztere wird über eine Elektronenbilanz unter Berücksichtigung der nicht Maxwell'schen Elektronen-Energieverteilung ermittelt. Es zeigt sich, daß bei einer CW-Anregung mit Mikrowellen hohe Mindestleistungsdichten im Plasma auftreten, wodurch beispielsweise im Fall des CO₂-Lasers kein Laserbetrieb ohne sehr effektive Maßnahmen zur Gaskühlung möglich ist.Neben einer Diskussion der Plasmakennlinie werden Vergleichsmessungen an einer konkreten Anregungsstruktur vorgestellt.

     

Formation of droplets on Si surfaces bombarded by In from a capillary type liquid metal ion source

Droplet formation on Si surfaces bombarded by 10 keV beams from a liquid metal indium ion source has been observed. It has been verified that excess indium is transported in the ion beam, probably in the form of charged droplets. SIMS, SEM and RBS techniques have been used to study the distribution of droplets at the surface. At the specified ion source operating conditions, equilibrium droplet coverage is of the order of 25%. Individual droplets have an average diameter of 0.35 ωm and an average height of 2.2 nm. At a bombardment current density of 0.1 mA cm^?2, equilibrium coverage is reached in about 1 s.     

On the Mechanism of Palladium(0)-Catalyzed Reactions of Allylic Substrates with Nucleophiles. Origin of the Loss of Stereospecificity

The mechanism of the loss of stereospecificity in palladium-catalyzed nucleophilic substitution of allylic substrates has been investigated. Eight substrates (cis and trans isomers of 1a-d) and two nucleophiles (Et₂NH and NaCH(SO₂Ph)₂) were studied. In the animation reactions two pathways are responsible for the formation of anomalous inversion product, viz., isomerization of the starting material (path B, Scheme 2) and isomerization of the π-allyl intermediate via displacement of palladium by Pd(0) (path C, Scheme 2), the latter of which predominates. In the alkylation the results indicate that loss of stereospecificity is caused only by path C. The use of a more reactive substrate increased the stereospecificity of the reaction and suppressed the isomerization pathway. An analysis of the kinetics is consistent with the hypothesis that path C is the major pathway for the stereochemical loss.     

Simulation des dichteabhängigen Stofftransportes im Grundwasser und Verifizierung am Beispiel der Saltpool-Experimente

Kurzfassung Die Saltpool-Experimente von OSWALD (1998) und OSWALD & KINZELBACH (2004), im Jahre 1998 an der ETH Zürich ausgeführt, sind exzellente Benchmark-Tests für numerische Simulationsprogramme der dichtevariablen Strömung. Zahlreiche Autoren haben Ergebnisse dazu veröffentlicht. Die kritischen Probleme hierbei sind sowohl die zu dicke Übergangszone von hoher Konzentration an der Sohle der Versuchsbox zum Süßwasser am Top der Box in der Injektionsphase und in der Ruhephase als auch die extrem langen Rechenzeiten.Die Untersuchungen von HÄFNER & BOY (2003a) wurden fortgeführt mit dem erweiterten Code MODCALIF-MST (MODular Flow and CALIbration with Front Limitation algorithm—Multi Species and Temperature). Insbesondere werden Methoden zur Rechenzeitbeschleunigung diskutiert und verifiziert. Durch Nutzung eines algebraischen Multigrid- Gleichungslösers konnte die Rechenzeit um den Faktor 4 verringert werden. Zur Prüfung der Leistungsfähigkeit von MODCALIF-MST wurden die Saltpool Experimente, case 1 und case 2, nachsimuliert und Gitterkonvergenzstudien sowie eine Modellkalibrierung durchgeführt.

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Simulation of density-dependent solute transport in groundwater and verification with saltpool experiments

Abstract The Saltpool experiments by OSWALD (1998) and OSWALD & KINZELBACH (2004), carried out in 1998 at the ETH Zurich, are an excellent benchmark test for numerical simulation programmes of the variable-density flow. Numerous authors published results on this subject. Here, critical problems are the thick transition zones from high concentration at the bottom to fresh water at the top of the box in the injection phase and the rest phase (phases 1–2) as well as the extremely long computing time.We have continued the investigations by HÄFNER & BOY (2003a) with the extended code MODCALIF-MST (MODular Flow and CALIbration with Front Limitation algorithm—Multi Species and Temperature) in double porosity porous media. Especially, the methods for code acceleration are discussed and verified. By incorporating the algebraic multigrid package as linear equation solver, computing times could be reduced by a factor of about 4. Simulations, a grid convergence study and a model calibration were carried out for the experiments case 1 and case 2 with MODCALIF.

     

Influence of BaO on Pd/Al2O3-based catalysts in C2H4 and CO oxidation as well as in NO reduction

In this study, Pd/Al₂O₃ and Pd/BaO/Al₂O₃ metallic monoliths were used to investigate the effect of BaO in C₂H₄ and CO oxidation as well as in NO reduction. A FT-IR gas analyser was used to study the activity of the catalysts. Several activity experiments carried out with dissimilar feedstreams revealed that BaO enhances CO and C₂H₄ oxidation as well as NO reduction reactions in rich conditions. This effect is due to BaO, which causes a decrease in the ethene poisoning of palladium. In lean conditions BaO is present in the form of Ba(OH)₂ which reacts with oxidised NO releasing water. Therefore, NO was stored during the lean reaction.