One year OSIRHYS IV project synthesis: mechanical behaviour of 700 bar type iv high pressure vessel code qualification.

International audienceIn this paper we present results of the OSIRHYS IV French project which aims to develop andvalidate models and methods for composite high pressure design and optimization withbehavior uncertainties knowledge. Models of the five partners of this project are presentedand burst simulation results are compared for three test temperatures (-40°C, 15°C and85°C)

Transglutaminase-catalyzed preparation of chitosan-ovalbumin films

Microbial transglutaminase was employed as catalyst for preparing chitosan–ovalbumin films. The films showed low solubility at a wide range of pH and underwent to a good enzymatic hydrolysis with trypsin. The degree of swelling was reduced and the mechanical resistance of the chitosan–ovalbumin films increased from 24 to 35MPa after enzymatic treatment with transglutaminase. The barrier efficiency toward water vapour was slightly improved for the films prepared by transglutaminase-mediated cross-linking

Putrescine-polysaccharide conjugate as transglutaminase substrates and their possible use in producing crosslinked films

Putrescine (1,4-diaminobutane) was covalently linked to alginate and low-methoxyl pectin to synthesize new aminated polysaccharides. Both putrescine-pectin and -alginate conjugates, although the latter at higher concentrations, were found to be able to act as effective acyl acceptor transglutaminase substrates in vitro using both dimethylated casein and soy flour proteins as acyl donors. Monodansylcadaverine, a well known acyl acceptor transglutaminase substrate, dose-dependently counteracted the covalent binding of the aminated polysaccharides to the proteins. Putrescine-pectin conjugate was also tested to prepare, in combination with soy flour proteins, edible films in the presence of purified microbial transglutaminase. Characterization of the enzymatically crosslinked films showed a significant decreased water vapor permeability, with respect to the ones obtained with non-aminated pectin in the presence of transglutaminase, as well as improved mechanical properties, such as high extensibility. Possible biotechnological applications of hydrocolloid films containing putrescine-polysaccharide derivatives enzymatically crosslinked to proteins were suggested

Effective quantum volume, fidelity and computational cost of noisy quantum processing experiments

Today's experimental noisy quantum processors can compete with and surpass all known algorithms on state-of-the-art supercomputers for the computational benchmark task of Random Circuit Sampling [1-5]. Additionally, a circuit-based quantum simulation of quantum information scrambling [6], which measures a local observable, has already outperformed standard full wave function simulation algorithms, e.g., exact Schrodinger evolution and Matrix Product States (MPS). However, this experiment has not yet surpassed tensor network contraction for computing the value of the observable. Based on those studies, we provide a unified framework that utilizes the underlying effective circuit volume to explain the tradeoff between the experimentally achievable signal-to-noise ratio for a specific observable, and the corresponding computational cost. We apply this framework to recent quantum processor experiments of Random Circuit Sampling [5], quantum information scrambling [6], and a Floquet circuit unitary [7]. This allows us to reproduce the results of Ref. [7] in less than one second per data point using one GPU.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figure

Chitosan-whey protein edible films produced in the absence or presence of transglutaminase: Analysis of their mechanical and barrier properties

Chitosan-whey protein edible films with different protein concentrations were prepared in the absence or presence of microbial transglutaminase as cross-linking agent. The films prepared in the presence of the enzyme showed low solubility at a wide range of pH, a lower degree of swelling, and good biodegradability following protease treatments. The presence of transglutaminase induced also an enhancement in film mechanical resistance and a reduction in their deformability. Finally, the barrier efficiency toward oxygen and carbon dioxide was found to be markedly improved in the cross-linked films which showed also a lower permeability to water vapor. Some potential practical applications of transglutaminase-treated chitosan-whey protein films are suggested

Worldscope meets Compustat: A Comparison of Financial Databases

With this study we are the first to systematically compare today's two major counterparts as a source of accounting and financial data for researchers: Compustat North America by Standard & Poor's and Worldscope by Thomson Financial. This investigation is conducted for U.S. and partly Canadian data over an extensive period from 1985 to 2003. We examine more than 650 data items available in both databases and address the question of whether or not the decision for one or the other source may have an impact on the outcome of research projects. It is probably commonly assumed that this impact is minor, but it also leaves room to question certain results. We show that the use of both databases should lead to comparable results, but also find that if, e.g. a size bias, is not treated with care the quality of results may differ considerable. Furthermore after 1998 the number of firms covered by Worldscope exceeds the one covered by Compustat by about one fourth

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a lifestyle modification programme in the prevention and treatment of subclinical, mild and moderate depression in primary care: A randomised clinical trial protocol

Introduction Major depression is a highly prevalent pathology that is currently the second most common cause of disease-induced disability in our society. The onset and continuation of depression may be related to a wide variety of biological and psychosocial factors, many of which are linked to different lifestyle aspects. Therefore, health systems must design and implement health promotion and lifestyle modification programmes (LMPs), taking into account personal factors and facilitators. The main objective of this protocol is to analyse the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and cost utility of an LMP and an LMP with information and communication technologies (ICTs) as adjunctive treatment for depression in primary care patients. The secondary objectives are to analyse the clinical effectiveness in the subgroup that presents comorbidity and to analyse the correlation between personal factors on health behaviour and lifestyle patterns. Methods and analysis A randomised, multicenter pragmatic clinical trial with three parallel groups consisting of primary healthcare patients suffering from subclinical, mild or moderate depression. The following interventions will be used: (1) Usual antidepressant treatment with psychological advice and/or psychotropic drugs prescribed by the general practitioner (treatment as usual (TAU)). (2) TAU+LMP. A programme to be imparted in six weekly 90-minute group sessions, intended to improve the following aspects: behavioural activation+daily physical activity+adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern+sleep hygiene+careful exposure to sunlight. (3) TAU+LMP+ICTs: healthy lifestyle recommendations (TAU+LMP)+monitoring using ICTs (a wearable smartwatch). The primary outcome will be the depressive symptomatology and the secondary outcomes will be the quality of life, the use of health and social resources, personal factors on health behaviour, social support, lifestyle patterns and chronic comorbid pathology. Data will be collected before and after the intervention, with 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Aragón (approval number: C.P.-C.I. PI18/286) and the Research Ethics Committee of the Balearic Islands (IB3950/19 PI). Data distribution will be anonymous. Results will be disseminated via conferences and papers published in peer-reviewed, open-access journals. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT03951350)

Multinational Firms, Internal Capital Markets, and the Value of Global Diversification

Over the past 30 years, multinational firms’ investment grew four times faster than worldwide GDP. Yet the evidence on whether global diversification is valuable is inconclusive. This paper uses detailed foreign direct investment (FDI) data for 251 UK multinational firms and 4,676 subsidiaries for the period 1999–2005 to show that multinational firms exhibit, on average, a global diversification premium. I investigate this result and show that the premium is positively related to “winner-picking” transfers in internal capital markets, and more so for better-governed firms. The findings help explain why multinational firms’ investment and global diversification have significantly increased over the past three decades. </jats:p

Recent improvements in the Broadband seismic networks in Portugal

Portugal, in spite of the significant earthquake region, (e.g.: Borges et al., 2001) has been operating a limited number of broadband digital seismic instruments. The older BB seismic station in a systematic and continuous operation on the country is MTE, belonging to GEOFON and locally supported by IM, which is working since 1997. To efficiently carry out the task of develop the Broadband Portuguese seismic network, there is a collaboration between some national institutions, such as Institute of Meteorology (IM), Geophysics Center of Évora University (CGE/UE), Geophysics Center of University of Lisbon (CGUL/IGIDL) and Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), with governmental support from the National Science and Technology Foundation (Rede Nacional de Geofísica, RNG). From this collaboration we expect shortly to assist the emergence of a high quality infrastructure, significant to real-time monitoring the earthquake activity for use by governmental authorities, and of paramount importance to scientific research. The installation of this network is to be carried out in narrow connection with international institutions as GEOFON, EMSC, ROA, ORFEUS, with who we saw to establish collaborations. Data from some stations are already being exported to international data centers, such as DMC and ORFEUS, and will be used for an upcoming prototype of an Early Warning Tsunami System to be developed for Cadiz Gulf coastal area and southwestern coasts of Portugal mainland, within the framework of the NEAREST project. Conclusions While the broadband network is developed they elapse investigation projects that request short period data. Of these projects we highlight the Seismic Tomography of the Continental Lithosphere of Algarve (Portugal) that involve the installation of a Portable seismic network consisting of 30 short- period stations, including a subnet of 7 telemetry stations, in operation since January 200