Characterization of the Antigenic Determinants, Glycosylation and Expression of the Major Surface Protein 1a of Anaplasma Marginale

Veterinary Biomedical Science

Theoretical study of the excitation function in the CN + C2H6 hydrogen transfer reaction. Effect of vibrational excitation

To gain insight into the dynamics of the CN + C2H6 gas-phase reaction, quasi-classical trajectory (QCT) calculations were performed on a full-dimensional analytical potential energy surface. This reaction presents very high exothermicity, -22.20 kcal/mol, and it is practically barrierless, with a barrier height of 0.23 kcal/mol, being an early transition state reaction. The V-shape form of the excitation function is characteristic of non-threshold reactions. The pronounced increase observed at lower energies can be attributed to the substantial increase in the impact parameter within this energy regime. Vibrational excitations by one quantum of stretching and bending modes give rise to excitation functions that present a similar V-shaped profile

Kinetic Modeling of Vacuum Gas Oil Hydrotreatment using a Molecular Reconstruction Approach

International audienceVacuum Gas Oils (VGO) are heavy petroleum cuts (boiling points ranging from 350 to 550 ˚C) that can be transformed into valuable fuels (gasolines, diesels) by fluid catalytic cracking or hydrocracking. Prior to these conversion processes, hydrotreating is required in order to eliminate the impurities in VGOs. The hydrotreatment process enables to meet the environmental specifications (total sulfur contents) and to prevent nitrogen poisoning of conversion catalysts. In order to develop a kinetic model based on an accurate VGOs molecular description, innovative analytical tools and molecular reconstruction techniques were used in this work. A lumped model using a Langmuir-Hinshelwood representation was developed for hydrodearomatization, hydrodesulfurization and hydrodenitrogenation of the VGO. This lumped model was successfully applied to the experimental feed pretreatment data and was able to predict evolution of concentration of the aromatics, nitrogen and sulfur species

Cost-utility of a walking programme for moderately depressed, obese, or overweight elderly women in primary care: a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is a considerable public health burden due to physical inactivity, because it is a major independent risk factor for several diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, moderate mood disorders neurotic diseases such as depression, etc.). This study assesses the cost utility of the adding a supervised walking programme to the standard "best primary care" for overweight, moderately obese, or moderately depressed elderly women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One-hundred six participants were randomly assigned to an interventional group (n = 55) or a control group (n = 51). The intervention consisted of an invitation, from a general practitioner, to participate in a 6-month walking-based, supervised exercise program with three 50-minute sessions per week. The main outcome measures were the healthcare costs from the Health System perspective and quality adjusted life years (QALYs) using EuroQol (EQ-5D.)</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the patients invited to participate in the program, 79% were successfully recruited, and 86% of the participants in the exercise group completed the programme. Over 6 months, the mean treatment cost per patient in the exercise group was €41 more than "best care". The mean incremental QALY of intervention was 0.132 (95% CI: 0.104–0.286). Each extra QALY gained by the exercise programme relative to best care cost €311 (95% CI, €143–€394). The cost effectiveness acceptability curves showed a 90% probability that the addition of the walking programme is the best strategy if the ceiling of inversion is €350/QALY.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The invitation strategy and exercise programme resulted in a high rate of participation and is a feasible and cost-effective addition to best care. The programme is a cost-effective resource for helping patients to increase their physical activity, according to the recommendations of general practitioners. Moreover, the present study could help decision makers enhance the preventive role of primary care and optimize health care resources.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>[ISRCTN98931797]</p

Bias and size effects of price-comparison platforms: theory and experimental evidence

We analyze the impact on consumer prices of some information characteristics of price comparison search platforms. An equilibrium model where vendors compete in prices and consumers do not observe prices, but can obtain price information through a search platform, is developed. The model generates several predictions about the impact on the price distribution of: (i) the size of the search platform’s sample, (ii) whether the search platform’s sample is random, and (iii) the number of vendors in the market. The model’s predictions are tested experimentally. The results confirm the predictions about (ii) and (iii), but reject the model’s predictions about (i)

Reinforcement of the Plasmon–phonon Coupling in Α-Quartz Via Deposition of Gold Nanoparticles in Etched Ion Tracks

This study reports a large reinforcement of the plasmon–phonon coupling in alpha quartz achieved through the controlled deposition of gold nanoparticles into nano templates produced through chemical etching of ion tracks. Preferential agglomeration of nanoparticles within the etched ion tracks (nano wells) was observed in Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy images. Raman characterization of quartz substrates with different nanoparticle concentrations revealed a relationship between the plasmon–phonon coupling intensity and nanoparticle concentration. Reinforcement of the plasmon–phonon coupling was observed as an increase in the Raman intensity with increasing concentration of deposited nanoparticles. The intensity initially increased linearly with nanoparticle concentration up to about 4 x 106 nps/µL where a saturation regime was identified. In the saturation regime, a roughly 200-fold increase in the scattering intensity was measured in the first micron of the specimen. At higher nanoparticle concentrations, the Raman intensity decreased exponentially following the Beer–Lambert Law. The reduction in the Raman intensity is attributed to increased laser absorption with increasing nanoparticle layer thickness. Comparatively weak reinforcement of Raman scattering was observed when nanoparticles were deposited on unirradiated and unetched samples, suggesting that the reinforcement of plasmon–phonon coupling may be favored by the anisotropic geometry of the nano wells. In particular, the etched tracks promote nanoparticles agglomeration likely promoting the formation of plasmon hotspots