Abstract: Protein probes and methods for measuring real-time changes in intracellular superoxide formation are provided. The probes include superoxide sensitive variants of yellow fluorescent and green fluorescent proteins. The probes, or nucleic acids encoding the probes, may be delivered to cells or organisms. Changes in the fluorescence of the probes may then be detected using standard real-time fluoroscopy techniques.

Abstract: A system for separating a supply of product portions into batches. The system accumulates a first plurality of said product portions from a first flow path and are weighed in a first weigher. The product portions are directed from the supply along a second flow path when a weight of the of product portions in the first weigher reaches a first predetermined weight. Product portions are accumulated from the second flow path and are weighed in a second weigher. A first batch of product portions is discharged from the first weigher when the weight of the first plurality of product portions is within a first predetermined weight range. A second batch of product portions is discharged from the second weigher when the weight of the second plurality of product portions is within a second predetermined weight range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting sausages squeezes the meat inside the casing by a crimping wheel to move the meat emulsion away from the linking point to provide sufficient casing to close the ends of the proposed links and to prevent bursting of the casing. This is accomplished by passing the unlinked sausage strand over a crimping wheel to crimp the proposed linking points, reshaping the sausage strand at the linking points, and then subsequently cutting the precrimped link points.