Seeing Double: Levels of Processing Can Cause False Memory.

Ordinarily, deeper levels of processing in a study session increase the accuracy of later remembering. We modified the standard levels-of-processing procedure by presenting items either once or twice in the study phase, each item being the subject of a semantic, phonemic, or graphemic question. At test, the subjects judged the frequency with which each word had occurred in the study phase. Deeper processing during encoding increased accuracy in judging twice-presented items. However, it also caused an illusion of repetition for items presented only once. The result underlines the importance of thinking of remembering as a process of evaluation and inference, rather than simple retrieval. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The life cycle impact of refurbishment packages on residential buildings with different initial thermal conditions

Existing buildings constitute a large portion of the UK’s housing stock. Refurbishment of existing buildings can, therefore, have an important role in achieving the UK government’s CO₂ reduction targets. While building regulations and rating frameworks mainly focus on the improvements of the operational performance of buildings, Life Cycle Analysis is considered to be a more appropriate framework to account for long–term CO₂ savings. This study evaluates a range of retrofit approaches (simple, medium, and deep), in terms of Life Cycle Carbon Footprint applied on a terraced house—one of the most common housing archetypes in London. The initial state of the original building has also been examined assuming three initial states (never refurbished, refurbished in compliance with the 1976 and with the 2000 building regulations). Results showed that for all initial state scenarios, deep retrofit achieved the lowest life cycle carbon emissions, in absolute figures, compared to the simple and medium retrofits. Simple retrofit packages, on the other hand, achieved quick and significant improvements, especially in buildings with poor initial thermal conditions. The study also indicated that retrofit packages applied on highly efficient building fabrics result in longer carbon payback time periods. The study recommends establishing a ‘staggered’ retrofitting approach, which pushes for ‘older building first’ and ‘simple retrofit packages first’, as these gain quick CO₂ savings. Deep retrofit packages and treatment of relatively new buildings should be implemented at a later stage, to push buildings further to Zero–Carbon target.

     

Algorithm and Parallel Implementation of Particle Filtering and its Use in Waveform-Agile Sensing

Sequential Monte Carlo particle filters (PFs) are useful for estimating nonlinear non-Gaussian dynamic system parameters. As these algorithms are recursive, their real-time implementation can be computationally complex. In this paper, we analyze the bottlenecks in existing parallel PF algorithms, and propose a new approach that integrates parallel PFs with independent Metropolis–Hastings (PPF-IMH) resampling algorithms to improve root mean-squared estimation error (RMSE) performance. We implement the new PPF-IMH algorithm on a Xilinx Virtex-5 field programmable gate array (FPGA) platform. For a one-dimensional problem with 1,000 particles, the PPF-IMH architecture with four processing elements uses less than 5% of a Virtex-5 FPGA’s resource and takes 5.85 μs for one iteration. We also incorporate waveform-agile tracking techniques into the PPF-IMH algorithm. We demonstrate a significant performance improvement when the waveform is adaptively designed at each time step with 6.84 μs FPGA processing time per iteration.     

Specific detection of viable Listeria monocytogenes in Spanish wastewater treatment plants by Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and PCR

Listeria monocytogenes detection in wastewater can be difficult because of the large amount of background microbiota and the presence of viable but non-culturable forms in this environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate a Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) assay combined with Direct Viable Count (DVC) method for detecting viable L. monocytogenes in wastewater samples, as an alternative to conventional culture methods. 16S rRNA sequence data were used to design a specific oligonucleotide probe. In order to assess the suitability of the method, the assays were performed on naturally (n = 87) and artificially (n = 14) contaminated samples and results were compared to those obtained with the isolation of cells on selective media and with a PCR method. The detection limit of FISH and PCR assays was 10⁴ cells/mL without enrichment and 10 cells/mL after enrichment. A total of 47 samples, including 3 samples from effluent sites, yielded FISH positive results for L. monocytogenes. Using DVC-FISH technique, the presence of viable L. monocytogenes cells was detected in 23 out of these 47 FISH positive wastewater samples. PCR and culture methods yielded 27 and 23 positive results, respectively. According to these results, FISH technique has the potential to be used as a sensitive method for the detection and enumeration of L. monocytogenes in environmental wastewater samples.     

Triacylglycerol Species of Less Common Edible Vegetable Oils

Chromatographic and spectroscopic methods used for the detection and quantification of triacylglycerol (TAG) species present in less common edible vegetable oils (almond, hazelnut, pumpkin seed, safflower, sesame, walnut, and wheatgerm oils) are reviewed. For these oils, as well as for thistle oil and high-oleic sunflower oil, for which no data exist on their TAG composition, both high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) chromatographic plus spectrometric techniques have also been performed. Triacylglycerol comparison of the data found in the literature is also presented. Five fatty acyl moieties (palmitoyl-, stearoyl-, oleoyl-, linoleoyl-, and linolenoyl-) are found to mainly contribute to the formation of TAG species of the aforementioned edible vegetable oils, whereas six more (palmitoleoyl-, arachidoyl-, gadoleoyl-, heptadecenoyl-, margaroyl-, and erucoyl-) are reported as minors. Only 19 to 33 TAG make up the mass of these oils. These TAG are also found in most common edible oils, thus indicating a “uniformity” in the minor and main TAG composition of edible vegetable oils. Trioleoyl-glycerol predominates in almond (13.3-48.6%), hazelnut (35.3-57.9%), and high oleic sunflower (44.2% and 52.9%) oils, trilinoleoyl-glycerol in safflower (40.1-49.7%), thistle (36.9% and 46.0%), walnut (25.9-38.1%), and wheatgerm (15.7-33.0%) oils. Sesame and pumpkin seed oils are rich in dioleoyl-linoleoyl-glycerol (5.9-17.5%, 9.5% and 18.6%, respectively) and oleoyl-dilinoleoyl-glycerol (8.0-18.7% and 12.8-21.1%, respectively).     

Microflora of the sour dough of wheat flour bread IX. Biochemical characteristics and baking performance of wheat doughs elaborated with mixtures of pure microorganisms

Summary Changes in mono- and disaccharides and acetic and lactic acid production of six different straight doughs elaborated with combinations of pure strains of yeastsSaccharomyces cerevisiae andCandida boidinii and lactic acid bacteriaLactobacillus plantarum andStreptococcus sp have been investigated, as well as the baking quality of the resulting breads. The type and proportion of the fermentative microorganisms were found to influence the biochemical activity of the doughs. The sugar levels after mixing reached different proportions, depending on the type of sugar and the type of microorganisms used. After proofing, the glucose and fructose content of the doughs decreased to 0.01%–0.02% db and maltose decreased to 0.45%–0.11 % db. Acetic and lactic acids underwent variable changes during fermentation, depending on the type of dough. Lactic acid showed higher levels than acetic acid. Bread made from these doughs had different sensory characteristics, texture, edibility and overall acceptance, as well as different lactic and acetic acid contents, depending on the mixture of microorganisms inoculated.

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Biochemische Merkmale und Leistungsfahigkeit der mit Mischungen reiner Mikroorganismen hergestellten Weizenbackteige

Zusammenfassung Die Forschungsaufgabe befaßte sich mit den Veranderungen der Mono- und Disaccharide, mit der Entstehung von Essig- und Milchsaure in sechs Teigen, die mit Kombinationen reiner HefekulturenSaccharomyces cerevisiae undCandida boidinii und MilchsäurebakterienLactobacillus plantarum undStreptococcus sp hergestellt waren und mit den sich daraus ergebenden Qualitätsmerkmalen der Brote. Die Art und Anteile der Mikroorganismen übten einen entscheidenden Einfluß auf die biochemische Aktivität der Teige aus. Nach dem Knetvorgang konnten unterschiedliche Gehalte gemäß der eingesetzten Saccharide und Mikroorganismen festgestellt werden. Der Glucose- und Fructoseanteil der fermentierten Teige verringerte sich auf 0,01–0,02% t. g., der Maltoseanteil auf 0,45-0,11% t.g. In den einzelnen Teigen veranderten sich wahrend der Garung die Essig-und Milchsauregehalte unterschiedlich. Bei der Milchsaure konnte eine grbBere Zunahme und somit höhere Endgehalte als bei der Essigsaure festgestellt werden. Die mit diesen Teigen hergestellten Brote erreichten verschiedene Textureigenschaften (Weichheit der Krume) und sensorische Merkmale, insbesondere Kaufahigkeit und Geschmack Bowie einen, entsprechend der Mikroorganismenmischung, höheren oder geringeren Milch- und Essigsäuregehalt.

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Presented at the 8th International Cereal and Bread Congress, Lausanne, Switzerland, June 1988.

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This paper is a part of a doctoral thesis     

Characterization of synthetic hydrocalumite-type [Ca2Al(OH)6]NO3·mH2O: Effect of the calcination temperature

A lamellar hydrocalumite-type [Ca₂Al(OH)₆]NO₃·mH₂O, (HC), was synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), surface area, pore size measurements, CO₂-Thermal Programmed Desorption, and later tested as catalysts in the double bond isomerization of 1-butene. The layered structure of HC collapses above 523 K yielding an amorphous material at 573 K which upon calcination at 873–973 K transforms into a mixture of CaO and mayenite Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃. The calcination temperature has a marked effect in the formation of basic sites. Thus for example, HC calcined at 1073 K shows 90% of strong basic sites (CO₂ desorption at 1023 K) while they are absent in HC calcined at 573–673 K. HC calcined at 973 K shows high catalytic activity (74% conversion) in the isomerization of 1-butene without any appreciable deactivation after 4 h on stream.     

Viability assessment of lactic acid bacteria in commercial dairy products stored at 4 °C using LIVE/DEAD® BacLightTM staining and conventional plate counts

The viability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from commercial fermented milks was studied during storage at 4 °C. The enumeration of total viable bacteria was assessed using fluorescence microscopy. Plate counting on selective media was used to enumerate LAB. Using LIVE/DEAD® BacLight^TM viability staining, it was observed that bacterial counts decreased gradually after expiry dates, the number of viable bacteria remaining above 10⁶ bacteria g^?1 for all of the products. Viable cell counts estimated by plating onto selective media were lower than those obtained by direct microscopic counting. The viability of LAB contained in acid products decreased during their storage period at 4 °C. All products contain viable LAB ranging from 10⁸ to 10⁹ bacteria g^?1 and could be considered as probiotic, given that the recommended minimum number of probiotic bacteria in such food products is approximately 10⁷ bacteria mL^?1 product. The number of bifidobacteria in commercial fermented milks declared to contain bifidobacteria varied from 10⁴ to 10⁷ bacteria mL^?1. This study confirms the usefulness of fluorescent techniques for a rapid and accurate evaluation of bacterial viability in probiotic products.