Mathematical Models for Estimating the Risk of vCJD Transmission

We present two different simple models for vCJD transmission by blood transfusion. Both models indicate that transfusions alone are unlikely to cause more than a few infections, unless the number of primary cases increases. To improve our models, future work should pursue data collection, empirical estimation of the model parameters, and examination of the underlying assumptions of our frameworks. Further improvements could also include examining susceptibility to vCJD infection by age group and iatrogenic infections introduced through surgical instruments. Regarding the latter, it may be worthwhile to conduct experiments to quantify the transmission of prions from an infected surgical instrument after repeated sterilization procedures

Semiclassical approach to fidelity amplitude

The fidelity amplitude is a quantity of paramount importance in echo type experiments. We use semiclassical theory to study the average fidelity amplitude for quantum chaotic systems under external perturbation. We explain analytically two extreme cases: the random dynamics limit --attained approximately by strongly chaotic systems-- and the random perturbation limit, which shows a Lyapunov decay. Numerical simulations help us bridge the gap between both extreme cases.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures. Version closest to published versio

Quantum phase estimation algorithm in presence of static imperfections

We study numerically the effects of static imperfections and residual couplings between qubits for the quantum phase estimation algorithm with two qubits. We show that the success probability of the algorithm is affected significantly more by static imperfections than by random noise errors in quantum gates. An improvement of the algorithm accuracy can be reached by application of the Pauli-random-error-correction method (PAREC).Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures. Research avilable at http://www.quantware.ups-tlse.fr

Frenkel-Kontorova model with cold trapped ions

We study analytically and numerically the properties of one-dimensional chain of cold ions placed in a periodic potential of optical lattice and global harmonic potential of a trap. In close similarity with the Frenkel-Kontorova model, a transition from sliding to pinned phase takes place with the increase of the optical lattice potential for the density of ions incommensurate with the lattice period. Quantum fluctuations lead to a quantum phase transition and melting of pinned instanton glass phase at large values of dimensional Planck constant. The obtained results are also relevant for a Wigner crystal placed in a periodic potential.Comment: RevTeX, 5 pages, 11 figures, research at http://www.quantware.ups-tlse.f

Development of sandwich and competitive ELISA formats to determine ß-conglycinin: Evaluation of their performance to detect soy in processed food

Two ELISA formats (sandwich and indirect competitive) were developed to quantify ß-conglycinin, a major soy allergen. Their performance was evaluated using three model foods incurred with soy proteins. The sandwich format detects the addition of 0.005% and 0.05% soy proteins in pasteurized sausages and baked bread. However, the competitive format detects only 0.1 and 0.5%, respectively. ß-conglycinin was not detected in sterilized pâtè with any format. An industrial prototype of the sandwich ELISA was in-house validated, showing acceptable results of repeatability, reproducibility and robustness. Model foods spiked with ß-conglycinin after processing showed recoveries between 93.3 and 138.7%. However, in model foods incurred with soy proteins before processing the recovery decreased with the increase of the severity of heat treatment applied. The sandwich format could differentiate most of the retail foods with soy declared or not as ingredient. The ELISA format and processing conditions greatly influence the determination of ß-conglycinin in food

Looking for the Elusive Imine Tautomer of Creatinine: Different States of Aggregation Studied by Quantum Chemistry and Molecular Spectroscopy

New spectroscopic experiments and state-of-the-art quantum-chemical computations of creatinine in different aggregation states unequivocally unveiled a significant tuning of tautomeric equilibrium by the environment: from the exclusive presence of the amine tautomer in the solid state and aqueous solution to a mixture of amine and imine tautomers in the gas phase. Quantum-chemical calculations predict the amine species as the most stable tautomer by about 30 kJ mol−1 in condensed phases. On the contrary, moving to the isolated forms, both Z and E imine isomers become more stable by about 7 kJ mol−1. Since the imine isomers and one amine tautomer are separated by significant energy barriers, all of them should be present in the gas phase. This prediction has indeed been confirmed by high-resolution rotational spectroscopy, which provides the first experimental characterization of the elusive imine tautomer. The interpretation of the complicated hyperfine structure of the rotational spectrum, originated by three 14N nuclei, makes it possible to use the spectral signatures as a sort of fingerprint for each individual tautomer in the complex sample

Noise models for superoperators in the chord representation

We study many-qubit generalizations of quantum noise channels that can be written as an incoherent sum of translations in phase space. Physical description in terms of the spectral properties of the superoperator and the action in phase space are provided. A very natural description of decoherence leading to a preferred basis is achieved with diffusion along a phase space line. The numerical advantages of using the chord representation are illustrated in the case of coarse-graining noise.Comment: 8 pages, 5 .ps figures (RevTeX4). Submitted to Phys. Rev. A. minor changes made, according to referee suggestion

Stability and mechanical evaluation of bovine pericardium cross-linked with polyurethane prepolymer in aqueous medium

The present study investigates the potential use of non-catalyzed water-soluble blocked polyurethane prepolymer (PUP) as a bifunctional cross-linker for collagenous scaffolds. The effect of concentration (5, 10, 15 and 20%), time (4, 6, 12 and 24 h), medium volume (50, 100, 200 and 300%) and pH (7.4, 8.2, 9 and 10) over stability, microstructure and tensile mechanical behavior of acellular pericardial matrix was studied. The cross-linking index increased up to 81% while the denaturation temperature increased up to 12 °C after PUP crosslinking. PUP-treated scaffold resisted the collagenase degradation (0.167 ± 0.14 mmol/g of liberated amine groups vs. 598 ± 60 mmol/g for non-cross-linked matrix). The collagen fiber network was coated with PUP while viscoelastic properties were altered after cross-linking. The treatment of the pericardial scaffold with PUP allows (i) different densities of cross-linking depending of the process parameters and (ii) tensile properties similar to glutaraldehyde method

Subtle Visuomotor deficits and reduced benefit from practice in early treated phenylketonuria

Introduction: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare metabolic disease that causes slight-to-severe neurological symptoms. Slow performance has been observed in PKU but the influence of high-order (i.e., not purely motor) deficits and of temporary variations of the phenylalanine (Phe) level on this slowness has not been fully corroborated as yet. Response speed and the effect of motor practice during the performance of a visuomotor coordination task were measured, in a group of patients with early-treated phenylketonuria (ET PKU). Method: We compared the performance of a group of early-treated PKU patients with ages ranging from 11 to 25 years and a control group of healthy volunteers on a computerized visuomotor task. Participants performed rapid movements towards one of five response buttons, as indicated by a visual stimulus that could appear in five different positions on a computer screen. The results of our visuomotor task were correlated with neurobiological data (Phe levels) and with neuropsychological measures of motor (finger tapping) and executive functions (Stroop task). Results: The ET PKU group showed slower responses than the control group. Furthermore, an absence of a practice effect (i.e., faster response times at the end of the study) was found in the PKU group but not in the control group. Our results also revealed that this absence of practice effect correlated with higher Phe levels on the testing day with respect to the average Phe level of the previous 12 months and, although weakly, with performance on the Stroop task. Conclusions: This pattern of results indicates slower visuomotor performance and a less beneficial effect of practice in ET PKU. The correlations found among our visuomotor measures, the same-day Phe level, and the Stroop test may reflect the negative effects of dopamine reduction in brain areas involved in motor control, selective attention, and learnin