A method and medium for the electrical detection of Listeria spp. from food

The development of a liquid medium for the detection of Listeria spp. by capacitance monitoring of food samples previously enriched in UVM 1 broth is described. Rapid growth of Listeria monocytogenes was shown to occur in liquid media with selectivity based on antibiotics found in Oxford agar. The final capacitance medium contained higher concentrations of the Oxford selective agents than Oxford agar and did not require the esculin/ferric ammonium citrate reaction to be observed. The medium relied upon the ability of Listeria spp. to induce a greater than 30% change in capacitance within 30 h. When run in parallel with the Listeria spp. test samples of a large food company, the method gave far fewer false-positive results than Fraser broth

A new capacitance medium for presumptive detection of Listeria spp. from cheese samples

The paper presents a new medium and a method for the rapid presumptive detection of Listeria spp. in cheese samples by electrical capacitance changes. The Bactometer based capacitance broth (LED medium) required a 30% change in signal within 30 h to identify presumptive positive results. Of 32 cheese samples tested, 10 were found to contain Listeria spp. using a Fraser broth screening method and 12 using the LED medium and method. The LED method also gave 16 fewer (total = 1) false presumptive positive results. Results show the LED method to be superior to Fraser broth in regard to both the number of false presumptive positive and confirmed false negative results detected. The method appears to be suitable as a reliable rapid screen for the presence of Listeria spp. in cheese

Importance of molecular cell biology investigations in human medicine in the story of the Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome

Ranged among laminopathies, Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome is a syndrome that involves premature aging, leading usually to death at the age between 10 to 14 years predominatly due to a myocardial infarction or a stroke. In the lecture I shall overview the importance of molecular cell biology investigations that led to the discovery of the basic mechanism standing behind this rare syndrome. The genetic basis in most cases is a mutation at the nucleotide position 1824 of the lamin A gene. At this position, cytosine is substituted for thymine so that a cryptic splice site within the precursor mRNA for lamin A is generated. This results in a production of abnormal lamin A, termed progerin, its presence in cells having a deleterious dominant effect. Depending on the cell type and tissue, progerin induces a pleiotropy of defects that vary in different tissues. The present endeavour how to challenge this terrible disease will be also mentioned

Balance-of-plant options for the Heat-Pipe Power System

The Heat-Pipe Power System (HPS) is a near-term, low-cost space fission power system with the potential for utilizing various option for balance-of-plant options. The following options have been studied: a low-power thermoelectric design (14-kWe output), a small Brayton cycle system (60--75 kWe), and a large Brayton cycle system (250 kWe). These systems were analyzed on a preliminary basis, including mass, volume, and structure calculations. These analyses have shown that the HPS system can provide power outputs from 10--250 kWe with specific powers of {approximately} 14 W/kg for a 14-kWe model to {approximately} 100 W/kg for a 250-kWe model. The system designs considered in this study utilize a common component base to permit easy expansion and development