Detection of genetic modification in cured tobacco leaf: proficiency testing using polymerase chain reaction-based methods

The Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA; Paris, France) "Task Force Genetically Modified Tobacco-Detection Methods" investigated the performance of qualitative and quantitative methods based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection and quantitation of genetically modified (GM) tobacco. In the 4 successful rounds of proficiency testing, the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S RNA promoter (CaMV 35S) and the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase terminator (NOS) were selected as target sequences. Blind-coded reference materials containing from 0.1 to 5.0% and from 0.15 to 4% GM tobacco were used in 2 rounds of qualitative and quantitative PCR, respectively. Eighteen laboratories from 10 countries participated in this study. Considering all methods and 2 rounds, the different laboratories were able to detect GM tobacco at the 0.1% level in 46 out of 58 tests in qualitative assays. The results of the proficiency test indicate that both end point screening and real-time quantitative methods are suitable for the detection of genetically modified organisms in tobacco leaf samples having a GM content of 0.1% or higher. The CORESTA proficiency study represents a first step towards the interlaboratory evaluation of accuracy and precision of PCR-based GM tobacco detection, which may lead to the harmonization of analytical procedures and to the enhancement of comparability of testing results produced by different laboratories.     

Structural and electrical properties of sol–gel grown (1 − x) (ZnO) + (x) (SnO2) (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5) nanocomposites

Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology - Semiconducting oxide nanocomposites of ZnO/SnO2 with different weight ratio, i.e. (i) ZnO:SnO2?=?100:0 (ZnO0), (ii)...     

Dielectric absorption in mixtures of anisole with some primary alcohols at microwave frequency

Dielectric properties of binary mixtures of anisole with methanol (MeOH), 1-propanol (1-PrOH), 1-butanol (1-BuOH) and 1-heptanol (1-HeOH) over an entire concentration range have been studied at a fixed temperature 40°C. The dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss (ε″) of the binary mixtures of polar liquids have been determined at a microwave frequency of 9.1?GHz. The static dielectric permittivity (ε ₀) of the liquid samples was also determined using a precision LCR meter. Determined values of static dielectric permittivity (ε ₀) and dielectric permittivity (ε*) at 9.1?GHz frequency were used to evaluate relaxation time (τ) and high frequency limit dielectric permittivity (ε _∞). Dielectric parameters were interpreted in terms of molecular interaction between the anisole and alcohol molecules.