Optimization of multiplex PCR for the identification of animal species using mitochondrial genes in sausages

Detection of species fraud in meat products is very important in order to protect consumers from undesirable adulteration, as well as for the economic, religious and health aspects. The most important reason for verification of the labeling statements is to detect fraudulent substitution of expensive meat components with other cheaper animals or mislabeling. The aim of this study was to develop a multiplex PCR that could be used in the simultaneous identification of multiple meat species. In this study, ten sausages with a minimum beef content of 55 %, from ten different manufacturing companies, and five samples of cow, chicken, goat, camel and donkey raw meats, for the purpose of positive control, were collected from food markets in Tehran, Iran. Total DNA was extracted from each sausage and the raw meats. Primers were selected in different regions of mitochondrial DNA (12S rRNA, cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunits 2) for identification of meat species. 12S rRNA and NADH dehydrogenase subunits 2 primers generated specific fragments of 183 and 145 bp length, for chicken and donkey, respectively. Three different specific primers were used for amplification of cytochrome b gene in goat, camel and cattle species and amplified species-specific DNA fragments of 157, 200 and 274 bp, respectively. The results proved that half of the specimens were contaminated with chicken meat, and this was greater than the proportion of beef stated on the label, while the other half only had chicken residuals, and no beef content. No contamination was found with goat, donkey or camel meats. These findings showed that molecular methods, such as multiplex PCR, is a potentially reliable, sensitive and accurate assay for the detection of adulterated meat species in mixed meat products.     

A new theoretical approach to cut-pile carpet compression based on elastic-stored bending energy

Carpet is one of the textile structures that are subjected to compressive load in use. In this study, firstly the mechanism of pile deformation in a cut-pile carpet is investigated, and then a theoretical analysis of force and energy of deformation is presented. The elastic-stored bending energy is derived, and the frictional effect due to the sliding pile yarn with its neighbor and frictional bending couple is also considered. Results show that geometrical and mechanical properties of yarn and the applied compressive load affect the total energy of pile deformation. Meanwhile, predicted results are more close to experimental values than those obtained in previous studies.     

Synthesis of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nano‐crosslinked poly(ethylene glycol)‐based hybrid hydrogels for drug delivery and antibacterial activity

The synthesis is reported of novel hybrid hydrogels based on ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid dianhydride and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with octa‐aminopropyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane hydrochloride salt (OA‐POSS) as a nano‐crosslinker under solvent‐free conditions. The molecular weight of PEG was varied between 600 and 1000 Da. The synthesized hydrogels were characterized using various techniques. Further, the swelling behavior and antibacterial activity of the hydrogels and release kinetics of metronidazole (MTZ) as a model drug from them were evaluated. Experimental results demonstrate that hydrogels with tunable properties can be synthesized by varying the PEG molecular weight and type of crosslinker (hybrid or organic). Among the synthesized hybrid hydrogels, that crosslinked by OA‐POSS with long PEG chains (1000 Da) showed the highest swelling degree (2000%), drug encapsulation efficiency (88%) and extent of MTZ release (96%). © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

A survey on indoor RGB-D semantic segmentation: from hand-crafted features to deep convolutional neural networks

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Semantic segmentation is one of the most important tasks in the field of computer vision. It is the main step towards scene understanding. With the advent of...     

Isolation and identification of Aeromonas species from human stools

One thousand and three diarrhoeal stool samples were processed in our laboratory during the period 1996/1997 for the presence of enteric pathogens especially Aeromonas spp., which has emerged as a new agent causing diarrhoea. Ampicillin sheep blood agar was found to be the best medium for the isolation of Aeromonas spp. from stool specimens. Enteric pathogens were found in 200 (20%) stools, of which Aeromonas spp. was the second commonest pathogen isolated amounting to 21% of isolates. This study clearly indicates that Aeromonas spp. must be looked for in every diarrhoeal stool samples, specially in children below 10 years of age. Isolation and identification is cost effective and easy, if the given protocol is observed.     

Development of novel hybrid nanocomposites based on natural biodegradable polymer–montmorillonite/polyaniline: preparation and characterization

The problems with non-degradable materials in different applications have led to an interest in materials based on bionanocomposites. In this study, polymer–montmorillonite nanocomposites based on natural polymers (chitosan, alginate, gelatin and starch) and montmorillonite (MMT) were prepared using solution intercalation method. Then hybrid nanocomposites were synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of polymer–MMT nanocomposites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were employed to characterize the nanocomposites. FT-IR confirmed the successful preparation of hybrid nanocomposites. From the XRD results, intercalation of the MMT platelets in the matrix of polymers was examined. Further investigation by TEM images showed a mixed intercalated and flocculated structure for nanocomposites. Moreover, the TGA results showed improved thermal stability for the nanocomposites. The results presented in this study showed the feasibility of using these hybrid nanocomposites with improved properties in wide range of applications.     

Studying key users’ skills of ERP system through a comprehensive skill measurement model

Given to the significant role of enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) in the current organizations, several studies have been accomplished regarding these systems. The Main reason for the present research is having a small share in enhancement of success rate of ERP systems implementation through an applied study. In this study two purposes are pursued. First, this article intends to determine the most important skills required by key users (Also called power users and super users.) of ERP system as one of the most major members of ERP implementation team. Another purpose is to examine the skills shortages of these users in organizations under study and both of these purposes are obtained based on a comprehensive model. This research includes two major parts. First, based on experts’ opinion, a model is developed to determine and measure required technical, human, and conceptual skills as well as skills shortages of those involved in ERP implementation such as key users. Then, in second part, based on the above model and by means of a field study and studying thirteen Iranian organizations, the desirable amount (Amount of skill that key users expected to have.) and existing amount (Amount of skill that key users have at present.) of skills of key users are measured in each one of the technical, human, and conceptual categories. Then in order to determine and evaluate skill shortages, the difference between these two amounts in each category is examined. In this paper, human and conceptual skills are determined as the most important skills of key users in ERP implementation. Also, results confirm that key users have skills shortages in three kinds of main skills (i.e., technical, human, and conceptual) in the organizations under study. Moreover, key users in large companies suffer more from skills shortages than ones in SMEs.     

Computerized evaluation of water-supply reliability

The application of network reliability to maintenance and rehabilitation of water distribution systems is discussed. An algorithm converts a distribution system into a stochastic network in which arcs represent components with random life, and nodes represent demand points (junctions) between the components. Water supply reliability at a demand point is the reliability of the subnetwork defined by the source and the demand point. A simple reliability measure based on network connectivity is used to compute subnetwork reliability by the method of minimal pathsets or minimal cutsets. The point reliability values at the demand points can be used to draw a reliability surface; that surface offers a new approach to addressing water-supply infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation issues. The methodology is illustrated by analyzing a case-study water system using a specially devised computer program. The proposed algorithm is not necessarily the most efficient, but is certainly the simplest. The reliability measure is based on water availability only, regardless of its quantity or quality