Determination of geographical origin of distillers dried grains and solubles using isotope ratio mass spectrometry

In recent years distillers dried grains and solubles (DDGS), co-products of the bio-ethanol and beverages industries, have become globally traded commodity for the animal feed sector. As such it is becoming increasingly important to be able to trace the geographical origin of commodities in case of a contamination incident or authenticity issue arise. In this study, 137 DDGS samples from a range of different geographical origins (China, USA, Canada and European Union) were collected and analyzed. Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) was used to analyze the DDGS for ²H/¹H, ¹³C/¹²C, ¹⁵N/¹⁴N, ¹⁸O/¹⁶O and ³⁴S/³²S isotope ratios which can vary depending on geographical origin and processing. Univariate and multivariate statistical techniques were employed to investigate the feasibility of using the IRMS data to determine botanical and geographical origin of the DDGS. The results indicated that this commodity could be differentiated according to their place of origin by the analysis of stable isotopes of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen but not with sulfur. By adding data to the models produced in this study, potentially an isotope databank could be set up for traceability procedures for DDGS, similar to the one established already for wine which will help in feed and food security issues arising worldwide.

METAMORPHOSE VI – the Virtual Institute for artificial electromagnetic materials and metamaterials: Origin, mission, and activities

In this paper, we outline the background, mission, and activities of the Virtual Institute for Artificial Electromagnetic Materials and Metamaterials (METAMORPHOSE VI). This international association, founded in the framework of the FP-6 Network of Excellence METAMORPHOSE, aims at promoting and developing research, training, and dissemination activities in the emerging and highly dynamic field of advanced electromagnetic materials and metamaterials at both European and International levels. More than 300 researchers are currently associated with the METAMORPHOSE VI which networks them together in a learnt society. After a brief description of the association and its mission, we present an overview of the activities developed by the METAMORPHOSE VI, with a particular emphasis on the coordination of the European Doctoral Program on Metamaterials (EUPROMETA) and the organization of the International Congress on Advanced Electromagnetic Materials in Microwaves and Optics – metamaterials congress.

The PREDICTS database: a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts

Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species' threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project - and avert - future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups - including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems - http://www.predicts.org.uk). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015.

Atlas of European Historiography: The Making of a Profession, 1800-2005 (Writing the Nation)

The collection of the data for this volume formed part of the work of the European Science Foundation project on Writing National Histories. I was a member of the Research Team (1) which produced the volume. I also wrote two contributions for the Atlas. I collected the data and wrote the section on academic historians in Ireland. I also wrote a synthesis of the data on academic women historians in Europe, 1815-2005.

Arenedicarboximide Building Blocks for Fluorescent Photoinduced Electron Transfer pH Sensors Applicable with Different Media and Communication Wavelengths

N-(aminoalkyl)-4-chloronaphthalene-
1,8-dicarboximides 1, N-
(aminoalkyl)-4-acetamidonaphthalene-
1,8-dicarboximides 3 and N,N'-bis(aminoalkyl)-
perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxydiimides
4 show good fluorescent off ±
on switching in aqueous alcoholic solution
with protons as required for fluorescent
PET sensor design. The excitation
wavelengths lie in the ultraviolet
(lmaxˆ345 and 351 nm) for 1 and 3 and
in the blue-green (lmaxˆ528, 492 and
461 nm) for 4; the emission wavelengths
lie in the violet (lmaxˆ408 nm) for 1, in
the blue (lmaxˆ474 nm) for 3 and in the
yellow-orange (lmaxˆ543 and 583 nm)
for 4. Compound 4b shows substantial
fluorescence enhancement with protons
when immobilized in a poly(vinylchloride)
matrix, provided that 2-nitrophenyloctyl
ether plasticizer and potassium
tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate additive
are present to prevent dye crystallization
and to facilitate proton diffusion
into the membrane, respectively.

Highlights from Faraday discussion 170: Challenges and opportunities of modern mechanochemistry, Montreal, Canada, 2014

The Faraday Discussion Mechanochemistry: From Functional Solids to Single Molecules which took place 21-23 May 2014 in Montreal, Canada, brought together a diversity of academic and industrial researchers, experimentalists and theoreticians, students, as well as experienced researchers, to discuss the changing face of mechanochemistry, an area with a long history and deep connections to manufacturing, that is currently undergoing vigorous renaissance and rapid expansion in a number of areas, including supramolecular chemistry, smart polymers, metal-organic frameworks, pharmaceutical materials, catalytic organic synthesis, as well as mineral and biomass processing and nanoparticle synthesis.

3D FEM simulation of helical milling hole process for titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V

As an emerging hole-machining methodology, helical milling process has become increasingly popular in aeromaterials manufacturing research, especially in areas of aircraft structural parts, dies, and molds manufacturing. Helical milling process is highly demanding due to its complex tool geometry and the progressive material failure on the workpiece. This paper outlines the development of a 3D finite element model for helical milling hole of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V using commercial FE code ABAQUS/Explicit. The proposed model simulates the helical milling hole process by taking into account the damage initiation and evolution in the workpiece material. A contact model at the interface between end-mill bit and workpiece has been established and the process parameters specified. Furthermore, a simulation procedure is proposed to simulate different cutting processes with the same failure parameters. With this finite element model, a series of FEAs for machined titanium alloy have been carried out and results compared with laboratory experimental data. The effects of machining parameters on helical milling have been elucidated, and the capability and advantage of FE simulation on helical milling process have been well presented.

The PREDICTS database: a global database of how local terrestrial biodiversity responds to human impacts

Biodiversity continues to decline in the face of increasing anthropogenic pressures such as habitat destruction, exploitation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Existing global databases of species’ threat status or population time series are dominated by charismatic species. The collation of datasets with broad taxonomic and biogeographic extents, and that support computation of a range of biodiversity indicators, is necessary to enable better understanding of historical declines and to project – and avert – future declines. We describe and assess a new database of more than 1.6 million samples from 78 countries representing over 28,000 species, collated from existing spatial comparisons of local-scale biodiversity exposed to different intensities and types of anthropogenic pressures, from terrestrial sites around the world. The database contains measurements taken in 208 (of 814) ecoregions, 13 (of 14) biomes, 25 (of 35) biodiversity hotspots and 16 (of 17) megadiverse countries. The database contains more than 1% of the total number of all species described, and more than 1% of the described species within many taxonomic groups – including flowering plants, gymnosperms, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, beetles, lepidopterans and hymenopterans. The dataset, which is still being added to, is therefore already considerably larger and more representative than those used by previous quantitative models of biodiversity trends and responses. The database is being assembled as part of the PREDICTS project (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems – www.predicts.org.uk). We make site-level summary data available alongside this article. The full database will be publicly available in 2015.

Genetic evidence fails to discriminate between Macroramphosus gracilis Lowe 1839 and Macroramphosus scolopax Linnaeus 1758 in Portuguese waters

Fish belonging to the genus Macroramphosus are distributed throughout the Atlantic, Indian and PaciWc oceans. Some authors consider this genus monotypic, Macroramphosus scolopax being the only valid species. Other authors consider (based on several morphological and ecological characters) that another species (Macroramphosus gracilis) exists and occurs frequently in sympatry with the Wrst one. Intermediate forms are also reported in literature. In this paper, using the mitochondrial control region and the nuclear Wrst S7 intron markers, we failed to Wnd genetic diVerences between individuals considered to belong to both species as well as the intermediate forms. Our results suggest that in the northeastern Atlantic, Macroramphosus is represented by a single species, M. scolopax, with diVerent morphotypes interbreeding in the sampling areas.

A Misericórdia de Faro

Esta dissertação aborda o conjunto Hospital/Igreja da Misericórdia de Faro, desde os seus antecedentes mais remotos até 1815, data da conclusão do citado hospital. Procura-se fazer uma história da evolução do Hospital e Igreja, num conjunto lógico e indissociável, sem nunca esquecer o enquadramento temporal da forma construtiva.

Schwache Basis : Ergebnisse aus Zugscherversuch wenig aussagekräftig beim Dimensionieren von Klebverbindungen

Der Zugscherversuch ist die am häufigsten angewandte Prüftechnik für Klebverbindungen. Die dabei ermittelte Klebfestigkeit ist jedoch eine wenig aussagefähige Größe. In keinem Fall kann sie als Werkstoffkennwert den Klebstoff charakterisieren. Als Ausgangsgröße für Berechnungen bei der Dimensionierung von Klebverbindungen ist das Ergebnis des Zugscherversuchs deshalb nicht geeignet.