Simultaneous detection of allergenic fish,cephalopods and shellfish in food by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification

People suffering from food allergy rely on correct food labelling as the ingestion of minimal amounts of the respective allergen can trigger severe allergenic reactions. Probes for the detection of DNA from allergenic fish, shellfish and cephalopod species in food using multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification were developed. The specificity and the sensitivity of the detection system were investigated. The limit of detection was 20 mg kg^?1 for scallop, fish and bivalve species and 100 mg kg^?1 for cephalopod, gastropod and crustacean species using self-prepared sushi spiked with the analytes in different concentration levels. The analysis of 10 commercial food samples demonstrates the applicability of the developed method and its suitability for food quality control. Therefore, the method can be used to monitor the compliance with labelling rules regarding food allergens.     

Approximate calculation of fatigue crack growth

For small scale yielding and plane strain conditions a method for calculating the propagation rate of fatigue cracks in work-hardening materials is described. It is assumed that a characteristic plastic displacement near the crack tip is equal to the crack propagation during each load cycle. The calculation is carried out for crack opening mode III, and the result is then transformed to crack opening mode I. The comparison of the calculated crack rates with measured values yields encouraging agreement. In most cases the measured crack rates are higher than the calculated ones. The reasons for this behaviour are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird eine Methode zur Berechnung der Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeit von Ermüdungsrissen in Werkstoffen mit Verfestigung für Kleinbereichsfließen und ebene Dehnung beschrieben. Dabei wird angenommen, daß eine charakteristische plastische Verschiebung an der Rißspitze gleich dem Rißfortschritt je Lastwechsel ist. Die Rechnung wird für den Rißöffnungsmodus III durchgeführt und das Resultat auf Modus I übertragen. Der Vergleich der berechneten Rißgeschwindigkeiten mit den Meßwerten ergibt eine gute Übereinstimmung, wobei die tatsächlichen Rißgeschwindigkeiten im allgemeinen höher als die berechneten liegen. Die Gründe für dieses Verhalten werden diskutiert.

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Résumé On décrit une méthode de calcul de la vitesse de propagations des fissures de fatigue dans des matériaux sensibles à l'écrouissage, pour des conditions d'état plan de déformation et des déformations plastiques réduites. On suppose l'éxistence d'un déplacement caractéristique dans le domaine plastique au voisinage de l'extrémité de la fissure, égal à la propagation de la fissure lors de chaque cycle de charge. On procède au calcul pour le mode III d'ouverture de fissure, et les résultats sont ensuite transposé au mode I.Un accord encourageant a été constaté entre les calculs de vitesses de propagation et les résultats de mesures expérimentales.Dans la plupart des cas, ces dernières donnent cependant des vitesses de propagation plus élevées, et les raisons d'un tel comportement font l'objet d'une discussion.

     

Individual differences in working memory capacity predict retrieval-induced forgetting.

Selectively retrieving a subset of previously studied information enhances memory for the retrieved information but causes forgetting of related, nonretrieved information. Such retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) has often been attributed to inhibitory executive-control processes that supposedly suppress the nonretrieved items' memory representation. Here, we examined the role of working memory capacity (WMC) in young adults' RIF. WMC was assessed by means of the operation span task. Results revealed a positive relationship between WMC and RIF, with high-WMC individuals showing more RIF than low-WMC individuals. In contrast, individuals showed enhanced memory for retrieved information regardless of WMC. The results are consistent with previous individual-differences work that suggests a close link between WMC and inhibitory efficiency. In particular, the finding supports the inhibitory executive-control account of RIF. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Flash and Breakdown: Thermal Runaway and Dielectric Breakdown as Competing Mechanisms During Flash Sintering of Barium Titanate

Herein, hot-spot generation in bulk barium titanate samples is investigated during controlled current ramping at various rates using in situ dilatometry. The incubation of the flash event is separated from dielectric breakdown at high current densities, which has previously been attributed to cause flash incubation in barium titanate. The lower boundary of the onset temperature of the flash event in barium titanate is investigated through conventional flash experiments at high electric fields. Despite incubating through thermal runaway, the lower boundary does not coincide with the Debye temperature of barium titanate.