Identification of barramundi (Lates calcarifer) and tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) fillets by DNA- and protein-analytical methods

Fish and fillet of barramundi (Lates calcarifer) and tilapia (Oreochromis species) obtained from wholesale and retail trade were assigned to species by sequencing of PCR products. Two segments (358 and 464 bp) of the cytochrome b gene (cytb) were amplified using universal primers. The amplicons gave characteristic patterns in SSCP-analysis (single strand conformation polymorphism) suitable for differentiation of Lates calcarifer from Lates niloticus and Lateolabrax japonicus. Intra-specific variation of sequences and SSCP patterns were observed for barramundi. In case of tilapia species, it was found to be difficult to identify samples by BLAST due to the high similarity of cytb sequences of O. niloticus, O. mossambicus, O. aureus and Sarotherodon galileus. Four different patterns of single strand DNA (ssDNA) were obtained by SSCP analysis of the 464 bp amplicon of tilapia. Different patterns of ssDNA matched to variations in sequences. Protein profiles obtained by IEF (isoelectric focusing) of water-soluble proteins from raw fillet were found to be suitable for rapid differentiation of Lates calcarifer from Lateolabrax japonicus, but the three different Oreochromis species expressed only minor differences in protein patterns. The patterns of the tilapia and barramundi species showed a number of acidic, heat-stable proteins, presumably representing parvalbumin.     

碳化铬/Ni3Al复合堆焊层组织及摩擦磨损分析

采用光学显微镜、扫描电镜、电子探针及X射线衍射分析钨极氩弧堆焊碳化铬增强Ni3Al基复合堆焊层的组织结构,并采用销盘式干摩擦磨损试验机对堆焊层与活塞环用蠕墨铸铁材料的干摩擦磨损性能进行试验比较.结果表明,复合堆焊层内形成Ni3Al金属间化合物基体,其中弥散分布有大量细小的块状和条状碳化物硬质相Cr3C2和Cr7C3;焊接时焊丝中Cr3C2颗粒溶解析出,重新析出的碳化铬颗粒中包含Fe和Ni元素,碳化铬颗粒与Ni3Al基体形成良好的冶金结合;弥散分布的碳化铬颗粒和Ni3Al基体固溶强化的Cr元素决定了堆焊层具有较高的硬度.室温条件下,复合堆焊层具有优异的耐干摩擦磨损性能,其摩擦系数为0.23,远低于活塞环蠕墨铸铁的0.39;磨损率仅为蠕墨铸铁材料的43%.     

Environmental toxicology and risk assessment of pharmaceuticals from hospital wastewater

In this paper, we evaluated the ecotoxicological potential of the 100 pharmaceuticals expected to occur in highest quantities in the wastewater of a general hospital and a psychiatric center in Switzerland. We related the toxicity data to predicted concentrations in different wastewater streams to assess the overall risk potential for different scenarios, including conventional biological pretreatment in the hospital and urine source separation. The concentrations in wastewater were estimated with pharmaceutical usage information provided by the hospitals and literature data on human excretion into feces and urine. Environmental concentrations in the effluents of the exposure scenarios were predicted by estimating dilution in sewers and with literature data on elimination during wastewater treatment. Effect assessment was performed using quantitative structure-activity relationships because experimental ecotoxicity data were only available for less than 20% of the 100 pharmaceuticals with expected highest loads. As many pharmaceuticals are acids or bases, a correction for the speciation was implemented in the toxicity prediction model.The lists of Top-100 pharmaceuticals were distinctly different between the two hospital types with only 37 pharmaceuticals overlapping in both datasets. 31 Pharmaceuticals in the general hospital and 42 pharmaceuticals in the psychiatric center had a risk quotient above 0.01 and thus contributed to the mixture risk quotient. However, together they constituted only 14% (hospital) and 30% (psychiatry) of the load of pharmaceuticals. Hence, medical consumption data alone are insufficient predictors of environmental risk. The risk quotients were dominated by amiodarone, ritonavir, clotrimazole, and diclofenac. Only diclofenac is well researched in ecotoxicology, while amiodarone, ritonavir, and clotrimazole have no or very limited experimental fate or toxicity data available. The presented computational analysis thus helps setting priorities for further testing.Separate treatment of hospital wastewater would reduce the pharmaceutical load of wastewater treatment plants, and the risk from the newly identified priority pharmaceuticals. However, because high-risk pharmaceuticals are excreted mainly with feces, urine source separation is not a viable option for reducing the risk potential from hospital wastewater, while a sorption step could be beneficial.     

Examining the impact of off-task multi-tasking with technology on real-time classroom learning

The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of multi-tasking with digital technologies while attempting to learn from real-time classroom lectures in a university setting. Four digitally-based multi-tasking activities (texting using a cell-phone, emailing, MSN messaging and Facebook™) were compared to 3 control groups (paper-and-pencil note-taking, word-processing note-taking and a natural use of technology condition) over three consecutive lectures. Comparisons indicated that participants in the Facebook™ and MSN conditions performed more poorly than those in the paper-and-pencil use control. Follow-up analyses were required to accommodate the substantial number of students who failed to comply with the limited use of technology specified by their assigned conditions. These analyses indicated that participants who did not use any technologies in the lectures outperformed students who used some form of technology. Consistent with the cognitive bottleneck theory of attention (Welford, 1967) and contrary to popular beliefs, attempting to attend to lectures and engage digital technologies for off-task activities can have a detrimental impact on learning.     

The impact of paper prototyping on card sorting: A case study

Combining the techniques of paper prototyping and card sorting into a single session has the benefits of helping users to understand a new technology on the one hand, and of gaining insight into the users’ mental models of that technology on the other hand. However, acquainting users with a new technology via a paper prototype might affect their mental models, as assessed with the card sorting technique. The aim of this paper was to explore the possibility of combining the two techniques in a single research session. Thirty-seven users participated in a study concerning a payment system based on Near Field Communication (NFC). Eight group sessions were organized, including both a paper prototyping exercise and a card sorting exercise. The order of the exercises was alternated. The findings of this case study seem to suggest that the paper prototyping exercise resulted into deeper insights into the participants’ mental models resulting from the card sorting exercise. At the same time, paper prototyping seemed to prevent participants to come up with new names for their card sorting categories.     

When do online shoppers appreciate security enhancement efforts? Effects of financial risk and security level on evaluations of customer authentication

As the popularity of online shopping grows, concerns about identity theft and fraud are increasing. While stronger customer authentication procedures may provide greater protection and thus benefit customers and retailers, security is often traded off against convenience. To provide insight into this security-convenience trade-off in customer authentication, we experimentally investigated how levels of authentication security and financial risk factors affect perception and evaluation of authentication systems in two contexts: security questions (Experiment 1) and card security codes (Experiment 2). Experiment 1, which examined the effects of security level and product price as a financial risk factor, showed that authentication procedures based on higher-level security tended to be perceived as significantly less convenient and more frustrating. Interestingly, participants rated the higher-level security system (i.e., asking more demanding challenge questions) as less convenient and more frustrating when the amount involved in the transactions was higher. Experiment 2, which introduced consumer liability for fraudulent activities as an additional financial risk factor, showed that participants gave more positive ratings of the higher-level security system under full liability than under zero liability. Taken together, the present research suggests that patterns of security-convenience trade-offs reflecting consumers’ perception and appreciation of authentication technologies may vary depending on the characteristics of financial risk factors involved in the transaction process.     

Comparison of natural and recombinant forms of the major fish allergen parvalbumin from cod and carp

Allergic reaction following fish consumption can trigger life-threatening reactions in predisposed individuals. Parvalbumins from different species have been identified as the major fish allergens. There are two distinct phylogenetic lineages of parvalbumins, alpha and beta. Most allergic reactions are caused by beta-parvalbumins. We cloned and expressed cDNAs encoding cod (Gadus morhua) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) beta-parvalbumins and purified natural cod beta-parvalbumin. CD spectra of the purified proteins showed that their overall secondary structure contents were very similar. No differences in thermal stability were monitored in the calcium-bound or calcium-depleted form of natural cod parvalbumin. IgE reactivity was assessed using 26 sera of fish allergic patients from Spain, The Netherlands, and Greece in immunoblot and ELISA experiments. Twenty-five of the 26 patients with IgE reactivity to native and recombinant cod parvalbumin also reacted to the recombinant carp parvalbumin. IgE inhibition assays were performed using cod and carp extracts and purified recombinant parvalbumin of cod and carp. High crossreactivity among cod and carp parvalbumins was observed in immunoblots as well as in fluid phase assays. Natural and recombinant parvalbumins gave comparable results when performing various in vitro diagnostic assays.     

Innovative Anwendungen der Plasmatechnik

Plasma processes can be found in various application areas. Plasmas are used for coating and cleaning of workpieces, for etching of microelectronic structures, for finishing of textiles, for welding and generating of radiation. The fields of application increase permanently due to a better understanding of the processes and new plasma sources.     

An Integrated Approach Reveals DNA Damage and Proteotoxic Stress as Main Effects of Proton Radiation in S. cerevisiae

Proton radiotherapy (PRT) has the potential to reduce the normal tissue toxicity associated with conventional photon-based radiotherapy (X-ray therapy, XRT) because the active dose can be more directly targeted to a tumor. Although this dosimetric advantage of PRT is well known, the molecular mechanisms affected by PRT remain largely elusive. Here, we combined the molecular toolbox of the eukaryotic model Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a systems biology approach to investigate the physiological effects of PRT compared to XRT. Our data show that the DNA damage response and protein stress response are the major molecular mechanisms activated after both PRT and XRT. However, RNA-Seq revealed that PRT treatment evoked a stronger activation of genes involved in the response to proteotoxic stress, highlighting the molecular differences between PRT and XRT. Moreover, inhibition of the proteasome resulted in decreased survival in combination with PRT compared to XRT, not only further confirming that protons induced a stronger proteotoxic stress response, but also hinting at the potential of using proteasome inhibitors in combination with proton radiotherapy in clinical settings.