A novel real-time polymerase chain reaction method for the detection of macadamia nuts in food

A real-time PCR-based method for the detection of macadamia nuts (fruits of Macadamia integrifolia or M. tetraphylla or their hybrids) in food products is described. The method consists of DNA isolation by chaotropic solid phase extraction and subsequent PCR with macadamia-specific primers and a TaqMan fluorescent probe. The primers and the probe were targeted to the gene encoding for vicilin precursor. The method was positive for M. integrifolia and M. tetraphylla and negative for 16 other plant species used in food industry, including peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachio nuts, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, and chestnuts. The DNA-based detection limit of the method was 1.45 pg. Using a series of model samples with defined macadamia nut contents, a practical detection limit of 0.02% (w/w) macadamia nuts was determined. Practical applicability of the PCR method was tested by the analysis of 14 confectionery samples. For all of the samples, results conforming to the labeling were obtained. The presented PCR method is useful for relatively fast, highly selective, and moderately sensitive detection of macadamia nuts in food samples.     

Time–optimal current control with constant switching frequency for STATCOM

In this paper a time–optimal current control algorithm with constant switching frequency for a STATCOM is presented. The method enables a fast transient response of the device limited only by its output voltage rating. The main idea behind the time–optimal current control is to find such control voltage that enables us to reach current reference values in a pre-determined minimal length of time. This control approach utilizes the mathematical model of the STATCOM and computes the exact required output to move the system state to the reference waveform. The algorithm is tested by means of simulations using the STATCOM mathematical model and a detailed model. The performance of the control algorithm is validated for reference current tracking and balanced and unbalanced network voltage sags. Simulations were carried out in PSCAD.     

Microstructure and dislocation density evolutions in MgAlZn alloy processed by severe plastic deformation

Commercial MgAlZn alloy AZ31 was processed by hot extrusion and equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) known as EX-ECAP. Microstructure and defect structure evolution with strain due to ECAP were investigated by TEM, positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), and X-ray diffraction. Significant grain refinement was obtained by EX-ECAP. In the extruded condition relatively low density of dislocations was determined by PAS. Sharp increase of dislocation density occurred during the first two passes of ECAP, followed by the saturation and even a decline manifesting the dynamic recovery at higher strains. XRD line profile analysis confirmed the results of PAS with slightly higher values of dislocation densities in individual conditions. Detailed analysis of contrast factors allows to determine the type of dislocations and to draw conclusions about slip activation and its variations with strain. The influence of microstructure evolution on mechanical properties is discussed.     

Co-deposition and densification of SiC with MgO for biomedical applications

This article focuses on the electrophoretic co-deposition of SiC and MgO, which has not been previously reported. The EPD of SiC has been widely investigated, whilst the EPD of SiC with sintering additives is usually not taken into account since every compound added to the suspension seriously affects the zeta-potential and the conductivity, the two main parameters that should be optimized to achieve a good deposit. We comprehensively observed the effects of the individual compounds on the colloidal behaviour of a suspension suitable for co-deposition to achieve good homogeneity and the highest possible green density. The obtained green densities reached up to 1.92 g/cm³, which correspond to 60% of theoretical density, whilst after sintering in open air at 1350 °C the densities reached 2.33 g/cm³. SEM and TEM analyses revealed that the microstructure is composed of SiC grains embedded in a SiO₂ matrix, whilst XRD confirmed that even though the sintering caused a partial oxidation and the appearance of an amorphous phase, the prevailing crystalline phase is still β-SiC. In the presence of MgO, SiO₂ also appears in the crystalline form as cristobalite.     

Application of corporate social responsibility approach in Bulgaria to support sustainable tourism development

The rapidly developing tourism industry in Bulgaria in the last 15?years, especially at the Black sea coast, contributed to an entire change in the accommodation sector. The growth was due to unseen construction of new accommodation facilities and entire renovation of the existing ones. At the same time the tourism industry suffers from many social problems: lack of staff, shortage of qualified staff especially in the high-star hotels, very high rate of turnover, flow of Bulgarian staff abroad. The bigger mobility of the employees is facilitated by the seasonal character of the industry, knowledge of foreign languages, difference in payments, as well as in the nature of work. Overall, this leads to lost training investments, reduces the incentives for employers to provide training, causes lower quality services in hotels, and finally impacts negatively the competitiveness of the hotel sector in Bulgaria and its sustainable development. The paper presents the practical experience and conclusions from a corporate social responsibility (CSR) assessment in 25 Bulgarian hotels regarding the social issues of the CSR: human resource management, occupational safety and health, human and labour rights, stakeholder and community involvement, customer satisfaction. The most important social problems identified are: deficiency in management skills, deficiency in organised (external) stakeholder dialogue, lack of qualified staff in certain professions, lack of investment in training, high turnover, low motivation, conflicts related to wage levels, overtime, etc. A set of key performance indicators related to social responsibility is suggested and analysed. The benchmarking process is discussed and exemplary benchmarks are quoted. The most frequently proposed measures by the hotel CSR teams to improve the social responsibility in the hotels are reviewed.     

Robustness as a criterion for use of hollow clay masonry units in seismic zones: an attempt to propose the measure

In order to provide adequate seismic behavior of masonry walls, local brittle failure of masonry units in the most stressed zones of structural walls should be prevented. Although robust behavior is required by the code, no specifications are given regarding the criteria to fulfill this requirement. To propose such criteria, a series of 28 masonry walls, built with six different types of hollow clay masonry units, currently available on the market, have been tested by subjecting them to cyclic lateral load at two levels of constant precompression. Besides, the strength characteristics of the units, like compressive strength orthogonal and parallel to the bed joints and tensile and shear strength of the units have been determined by standardized and specifically designed testing procedures. By correlating the parameters of seismic resistance of the walls and strength characteristics of the units, no specific indicator for robustness could have been determined on the basis of the mechanical characteristics of the tested units. It has been found that in all cases the level of precompression, i.e. the ratio between the compressive stresses in the walls and the compressive strength of masonry, represents the governing parameter.     

A Meshless Approach Towards Solution of Macrosegregation Phenomena

The simulation of macrosegregation as a consequence of solidification of a binary Al-4.5%Cu alloy in a 2-dimensional rectangular enclosure is tackled in the present paper. Coupled volume-averaged governing equations for mass, energy, momentum and species transfer are considered. The phase properties are resolved from the Lever solidification rule, the mushy zone is modeled by the Darcy law and the liquid phase is assumed to behave like an incompressible Newtonian fluid. Double diffusive effects in the melt are modeled by the thermal and solutal Boussinesq hypothesis. The physical model is solved by the novel Local Radial Basis Function Collocation Method (LRBFCM). The involved physical relevant fields are represented on overlapping 5-noded sub-domains through collocation by using multiquadrics Radial Basis Functions (RBF). The involved first and second derivatives of the fields are calculated from the respective derivatives of the RBFs. The fields are solved through explicit time stepping. The pressure-velocity coupling is calculated through a local pressure correction scheme. The evolution of the solidification process is presented through temperature, velocity, liquid fraction and species concentration histories in four sampling points. The fully solidified state is analyzed through final macrosegregation map in three vertical and three horizontal cross-sections. The results are compared with the classical Finite Volume Method (FVM). A surprisingly good agreement of the numerical solution of both methods is shown and therefore the results can be used as a reference for future verification studies. The advantages of the represented meshless approach are its simplicity, accuracy, similar coding in 2D and 3D, and straightforward applicability in non-uniform node arrangements. The paper probably for the first time shows an application of a meshless method in such a highly non-linear and multi-physics problem.     

High-Field Magnetization Study of [Cu(pyz)2(HF2)]PF6: An S=\frac{1}{2} Quasi-two-dimensional Heisenberg Magnet

We report on pulsed-field magnetization studies of the quasi-two-dimensional spin system [Cu(pyz)₂(HF₂)]PF₆. The magnetization saturates at $B_{C}^{ab}=37.5$  T and $B_{C}^{c}=33.8$  T for in-plane and out-of-plane orientations of the applied magnetic field, respectively. In addition, the angular dependence of the g-factor studied by electron-spin resonance reveals orbital overlap in the ab plane suggesting a quasi-two-dimensional square-lattice network of Cu spins. It is argued that the high-field behavior is governed by the two-dimensional nature of the spin correlations due to the large anisotropy of the exchange couplings.