Search results for " viability"
showing 10 items of 124 documents
The Credit Cooperative System in Spain
2016
Like other European countries, Spain has a long tradition of cooperative banks. Although some credit unions existed previously, essentially they date from the early twentieth century, originating as institutions founded by medium and small-sized farmers to improve their access to banking services. However, they occupied a marginal position in the financial system until the legislative reforms of the 1970s. During the two last decades of the twentieth century, Spanish cooperative banks suffered a deep crisis, two changes in their organizational model and the shock of transformation and innovation in the financial system. Currently, the sector is made up of 65 small institutions with a relati…
Assessing the feasibility of cogeneration retrofit and district heating/cooling networks in small Italian islands
2017
Sustainability of energy supply strategies in small islands has been emerging as a severe issue, due to the large margins for improvement and rationalization of the most frequently adopted solutions. In most of the European islands, large amounts of heat are wasted by the operation of engine-based power plants; conversely, heat is produced by boilers (supplied by liquid fuels) or by electric equipment for a number of different uses, like domestic hot water production or space heating in winter. In this paper a techno-economic analysis is proposed to assess the feasibility of CHP-retrofit of the existing power plants and the possible utilization of the recovered heat to supply, via a distric…
Promotion of polygeneration for buildings applications through sector- and user-oriented “high efficiency CHP” eligibility criteria
2014
Abstract The eligibility criteria adopted to assess polygeneration plants as “highly efficient” can play a determinant role in favouring or discouraging the market growth of polygeneration systems, especially for buildings applications where economic viability is often more difficult to achieve. Based on the current European framework, in this paper the opportunity to adopt sector- and user-oriented criteria is discussed. After having identified three buildings with different uses (a large hotel, a hospital and an office building), the optimal lay-out and operation strategy of a polygeneration plant serving each building is determined; then, ex-post processing of economic and energetic resu…
Anaemia in advanced chronic fasciolosis
2008
Abstract The association between fasciolosis-induced anaemia and related factors has been quantified in a rodent model. Haematological parameters were analysed in Wistar rats at 20 and 60 weeks post-infection (p.i.). Pigment stones and bile specimens were collected. Serum IgG1, IgG2a and IgE were determined in rat serum samples. Cytokine levels have been correlated with haematological parameters. The screening for gastrointestinal bleeding was carried out. Bacteriological bile cultures revealed viable bacteria in 53.8% of specimens at 60 weeks p.i. The results show that the type of anaemia in fasciolosis might be considered a biomarker of the chronicity period of the disease, changing from …
Microbial inactivation and evaluation of furan formation in high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) treated vegetable-based infant food.
2017
Abstract The inactivation of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria as well as the formation of food processing contaminants (e.g. acrylamide, furan, etc.) in infant foods is of utmost importance for industry, consumers as well as regulatory bodies. In this study, the potential of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) for microorganism inactivation including total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMA) and total yeasts and molds (TYM) at equivalent processing conditions, as well as its effects on furan formation in vegetable-based infant food was evaluated. The process parameters evaluated were combinations of pressures (200, 300, and 400 MPa), temperatures (25, 35, and 45 °C), and treatment times (5, 10, a…
Inactivation of dried spores of Bacillus subtilis 168 by a treatment combining high temperature and pressure
2019
International audience; Specific treatments combining high temperatures of up to 150 °C and moderate pressure of up to 0.6 MPa have been applied to Bacillus subtilis 168 spores conditioned at different aw levels (between 0.10 and 0.70) corresponding to different residual water contents within the spore core. The spores were treated as a dry powder in a pressurized nitrogen environment or in water/glycerol solutions.These thermodynamic conditions were intended to prevent any water evaporation from the spore core during time/temperature treatments.Our results clearly show that retaining liquid water in the core by applying pressure during the treatment resulted in greater spore destruction (b…
Oxidative stress tolerance, adenylate cyclase, and autophagy are key players in the chronological life span of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during winema…
2012
Most grape juice fermentation takes place when yeast cells are in a nondividing state called the stationary phase. Under such circumstances, we aimed to identify the genetic determinants controlling longevity, known as the chronological life span. We identified commercial strains with both short (EC1118) and long (CSM) life spans in laboratory growth medium and compared them under diverse conditions. Strain CSM shows better tolerance to stresses, including oxidative stress, in the stationary phase. This is reflected during winemaking, when this strain has an increased maximum life span. Compared to EC1118, CSM overexpresses a mitochondrial rhodanese gene-like gene, RDL2, whose deletion lead…
Patient Segmentation Based on Patient Loyalty
2018
The present study aims to perform a segmentation of patients based on their loyalty behaviour. The analysis focuses on Valencia, a region in Spain that features a capitated financing and free-elective framework; such a framework is particularly suitable for this type of study because patient loyalty directly affects the system’s budget and economic viability. Using secondary data from the regional health council, the study focuses on relationships of influence and latent segmentation in answering seven research questions. The two-pronged statistical analysis is designed to analyse relationships of influence, on the one hand, and latent segmentation, on the other. Significant differences we…
Estimation of Microbial Viability Using Flow Cytometry.
2020
For microorganisms in particular, viability is a term that is difficult to define and a state consequently difficult to measure. The traditional (and gold standard) usage equates viability and culturability (i.e., the ability to multiply) but the process of determining culturability is often too slow. Flow cytometry provides the opportunity to make rapid and quantitative measurements of dye uptake in large numbers of cells and we can therefore exploit the flow cytometric approach to evaluate so-called viability stains and to develop protocols for more routine assessments of microbial viability. This article provides a commentary and several protocols have been included to ensure that users …
Apoptosis and cell growth arrest in A375 human melanoma cells by diorganotin(IV) and triorganotin(IV) complexes of [meso-Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porp…
2011
In previous studies we have demonstrated that two derivatives of meso-Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine (TPPS), (Bu2Sn)2TPPS and (Bu3Sn)4TPPS, cause apoptotic death of A375 melanoma cells and, at lower concentrations, arrest of cell proliferation. In the present study, we examined if the manganese metal inside the porphyrin cavity could improve the efficacy of this class of compounds. Thus, [meso- Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine]Mn(III)Cl (=MnTPPS) derivatives, namely (Me2Sn)2MnTPPS, (Bu2Sn)2MnTPPS, (Me3Sn)4MnTPPS and (Bu3Sn)4MnTPPS, were tested on the A375 human melanoma cell line. A cytotoxicity assay showed that (Bu2Sn)2MnTPPS and (Bu3Sn)4MnTPPS were highly cytotoxic by inducing apoptosi…