Fox-H Densities and Completely Monotone Generalized Wright Functions

Due to their flexibility, Fox-H functions are widely studied and applied to many research topics, such as astrophysics, statistical mechanics, and probability. Well-known special cases of Fox-H functions, such as Mittag-Leffler and Wright functions, find a wide application in the theory of stochastic processes, anomalous diffusions and non-Gaussian analysis. In this paper, we focus on certain explicit assumptions that allow us to use the Fox-H functions as densities. We then provide a subfamily of the latter, called Fox-H densities with all moments finite, and give their Laplace transforms as entire generalized Wright functions. The class of random variables with these densities is proven to possess a monoid structure. We present eight subclasses of special cases of such densities (together with their Laplace transforms) that are particularly relevant in applications, thanks to their probabilistic interpretation. To analyze the existence conditions of Fox-H functions as well as their sign, we derive asymptotic results and their analytic extension

NRF2 Antioxidant Response and Interferon‐Stimulated Genes Are Differentially Expressed in SARS‐CoV‐ 2‐Positive Young Subjects

Background: Several respiratory viruses, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome‐Coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), suppress nuclear factor‐E2‐related factor‐2 (NRF2) antioxidant response, generating oxidative stress conditions to its advantage. NRF2 has also been reported to regulate the innate immune response through the inhibition of the interferon (IFN) pathway. However, its modulation in younger individuals and its correlation with the IFN response remain to be elucidated. Methods: The NRF2 and redox‐related genes expression was examined in nasopharyngeal swabs from children attending the pediatric hospital for SARS‐CoV‐2 molecular testing. Expression levels were analyzed by stratifying the population according to the SARS‐CoV‐2 positivity, age, or the presence of symptoms. The results were correlated with Types I and III IFN genes and IFN‐stimulated genes (ISGs). Results: We found that NRF2 expression was markedly diminished in positive patients compared to negative. Moreover, it correlated with higher expression of IFNα2 and IFNλ3, as well as ISG15 and ISG56. Interestingly, symptomatic patients with anosmia/ageusia showed pronounced expression of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease1/redox factor 1 (APE1), together with Type I IFNs, ISG56, and the inflammasome component NLRP3. Conclusion: The results indicate an interdependence between NRF2 antioxidant pathway and IFN‐mediated response during SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in young subjects

The interplay of epistemic trust, defensive mechanisms, interpersonal problems, and symptomatology: an empirical investigation

Epistemic trust has emerged as a promising construct in understanding psycho(patho)logical functioning. However, its interplay with other dimensions that may contribute to developing specific symptom patterns remains underexplored. This study sought to investigate how epistemic trust, mistrust, and credulity relate to relational difficulties, defense mechanisms, and psychological symptoms to enrich the comprehension of their impact on mental health. A sample of 385 Italian individuals (60 % females and 40 % males, Mage = 28.2, SDage = 9.6, 18–65 years) completed an online survey including self-report questionnaires: Epistemic Trust, Mistrust, and Credulity Questionnaire, Defense Mechanisms Rating Scale-Self-Report-30, Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-32, and Brief Symptom Inventory. Results showed that epistemic disruptions were associated with severe interpersonal problems, more primitive defense mechanisms, and greater levels of psychopathology. Moreover, epistemic mistrust and lower defensive functioning strongly predicted higher levels of symptomatology, underscoring their detrimental effect on processes underlying mental health. These findings highlight the critical role of epistemic disruptions as risk factors for psychological distress, offering vital insights into the dynamic mechanisms underpinning mental health, as well as implications for intervention protocols and clinical practice

Contextual differences, contrasting trends? Sustainable development, economic performances, and divergence in land resource depletion

Spatial convergence of ecological/environmental processes has attracted an increasing interest of geo-economic disciplines and social science at large. In this perspective, a quantitative assessment of convergence (or divergence) in specific variables across space is particularly challenging in a context of global change and may contribute to delineate and clarify both linear and more complex processes of natural resource depletion and their underlying factors. In this contribution, we reviewed the theoretical notion of “convergence” in environmental processes, discussing the role of geographical scales as reflective of political, economic, and territorial heterogeneities. Convergence processes have been also disentangled according to the specific background context, and the most relevant implications for policy implementation have been finally discussed. In line with the empirical studies testing for convergence in economic and social variables, our contribution indicates that an “ecological convergence” analysis requires an integrated, multidisciplinary approach aimed at a thorough understanding of socio-environmental systems’ complexity

Multiple isolated spinal aneurysms – A rare condition with uncertain treatment strategies: A case report and literature review

Purpose: Isolated spinal aneurysms (iSAs) are rare, with an uncertain natural history and no established treatment guidelines. Multiple iSAs are even more uncommon, complicating treatment decisions. Methods: This study reports a case of a ruptured radiculo-pial artery aneurysm in a patient with multiple iSAs, treated with surgical excision, assisted by intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM). Further, we review and analyze all previously reported cases of multiple iSAs. Results: A 67-year-old woman with spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage and spinal cord compression due to a ruptured radiculo-pial artery aneurysm was treated surgically. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) showed three spinal aneurysms. Intraoperative indocyanine green video-angiography (ICG-VA) revealed an aneurysm contributing to the left posterior spinal artery. The aneurysm was excised after proximal inflow occlusion under IONM. The other aneurysms spontaneously regressed, and the patient had a good functional outcome. Through a systematic literature review, we analyzed 13 multiple iSAs including our case, involving 34 aneurysms in total. Conclusions: There is no standardized treatment approach for multiple iSAs. These aneurysms are often fusiform and clustered in contiguous metameric regions. They can be classified into flow-related and wall-weakening aneurysms. Surgery offers definitive treatment for ruptured iSAs and relieves spinal cord compression. Due to the common fusiform shape, parent vessel sacrifice may be necessary, and should include IONM and ICG-VA to minimize complications. Conservative treatment is viable as spontaneous regression often occurs

Random power and friends: hybrid Bayesian-frequentist approaches in clinical trials design

Expected values may fail in representing the distributions they summarize. This thesis investigates how this issue affects the evaluation of the design of an experiment, especially in clinical trials, when a hybrid Bayesian-frequentist approach is employed. We focus on the probability of success (PoS) of a test, which is originally (but not uniquely) defined as the expected value of the random power, ie the traditional power function of a test with respect to a design prior assigned to the parameter under scrutiny. We review and compare alternative definitions of PoS, we investigate the distributions they summarize (the random power and friends), and we provide a decision-theoretic look at the problem which leads to a unifying, uncontroversial quantification of success. We then go beyond clinical trials and hypothesis testing, and we study the Bayes risk as a synthesis of the random risk function in the point and set estimation classes of problems. Results, discussions and comparisons are supported by theoretical results and accompanied by biomedical examples and applications

Risultati chirurgici delle Malformazioni Cavernose del tronco encefalico: l'Impatto della struttura capsulare nei cavernomi del tronco

Risultati Chirurgici delle Malformazioni Cavernose del Tronco Encefalico: L'Impatto della Struttura Capsulare nei Cavernomi del Tronco Le malformazioni cavernose cerebrali (CCMs), note anche come cavernomi, angiomi e emangiomi cavernosi, sono malformazioni vascolari angiograficamente occulte a basso flusso, con un diametro variabile da pochi millimetri a oltre 1 cm. A differenza di altre malformazioni vascolari, le CCM sono composte esclusivamente da spazi vascolari sinusoidali (caverne), le cui pareti sono costituite da un singolo strato di endotelio, senza elastina o muscolatura liscia. Questo studio si concentra sulle malformazioni cavernose del sistema nervoso centrale localizzate a livello del tronco encefalico (Brainstem cavernous malformations (BSCMs). Le malformazioni cavernose (CCMs) possono essere riscontrate in tutto il sistema nervoso centrale, ma la loro localizzazione nel tronco encefalico è relativamente rara. Tuttavia, a causa dell'elevata densità di strutture anatomiche vitali in questa regione, le emorragie sintomatiche sono più frequenti e causano disabilità più gravi rispetto alla controparte sovratentoriale. L'intervento chirurgico deve essere preso in considerazione in pazienti selezionati, sulla base di fattori quali la posizione, le dimensioni della lesione, il numero di emorragie sintomatiche e lo stato neurologico complessivo. L'escissione dei cavernomi profondi nel ponte, mesencefalo e bulbo richiede una precisa individuazione delle "zone di accesso sicuro" o “Safe Entry Zone”, per evitare danni ai fasci neuronali principali e ridurre la morbidità associata alla rimozione chirurgica di queste lesioni. In questo contesto, la comprensione del tipo di lesione e dei suoi aspetti macroscopici mediante studi di risonanza magnetica si rivela utile per i chirurghi nella pianificazione delle strategie operative. La nostra esperienza clinica ha rivelato che alcune resezioni dei BSCM si presentano più agevoli di altre, in particolare grazie alla presenza di una solida "capsula" attorno alla lesione. Tali cavernomi possono essere rimossi con minori complicazioni per il chirurgo, evitando manovre che comportino un possibile rischio di danno al tronco encefalico. Pertanto, la possibilità di riconoscere questa caratteristica pre operatoriamente potrebbe influenzare in modo significativo l’esito finale dell’intervento. Il presente studio raccoglie e analizza una serie di casi di 55 pazienti operati da un singolo chirurgo presso il Dipartimento di Neurochirurgia dell’ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda di Milano. L’obiettivo è valutare se i pazienti con cavernomi “capsulati” del tronco encefalico abbiano ottenuto risultati chirurgici migliori rispetto a quelli con cavernomi “non capsulati”. Attraverso l'analisi dei dati raccolti lo studio mira a correlare le caratteristiche cliniche e radiologiche dei cavernomi capsulati con i risultati chirurgici, offrendo spunti che potrebbero perfezionare le strategie preoperatorie. Ulteriori ricerche potrebbero ampliare questi spunti e affinare i sistemi di classificazione e gli approcci chirurgici per queste lesioni complesse

Indigenous Peacebuilding and Environmental Restorative Justice

This chapter explores the interconnection between Indigenous peoples peacebuilding processes and environmental restorative justice. Environmental restorative justice challenges anthropological conceptualization of peacebuilding processes by considering how the environment can be considered a victim of conflicts and specific harms of colonialism, land expropriation and large-scale environmental degradation alongside human individuals and communities. The chapter will argue how Indigenous cosmovision can inform non-anthropocentric peacebuilding processes by virtue of the consideration of other-than-human notion of victimhood and an orientation towards healing and environmental restoration

Irreversibility and nonequilibrium properties in dynamical models for turbulence and geophysical systems

Nonequilibrium phenomena display such diverse phenomenological properties that cannot be treated in a unified manner. Some of them, especially those of geophysical origin, are described by a large number of variables following complex dynamical laws, thus the need of simplified models is strongly felt. In this Thesis we aim at investigating nonequilibrium properties of two nonlinear dynamical models inspired by geophysical flows, the Lorenz96 model and the Sabra shell model, using effective tools from nonequilibrium statistical physics, namely asymmetric time correlations and response functions. We show that both indicators are able to detect the presence or absence of time irreversibility, visualize effectively the statistical fluxes where present, and ultimately provide an alternative perspective on the transport properties characterizing both systems, whether they are in- or out-of- equilibrium (namely with zero or non-zero forcing and damping, respectively)

miR-449a/miR-340 reprogram cell identity and metabolism in fusion-negative rhabdomyosarcoma

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma, arises in skeletal muscle and remains in an undifferentiated state due to transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators. Among its subtypes, fusion-negative RMS (FN-RMS) accounts for the majority of diagnoses in the pediatric population. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that modulate cell identity via post-transcriptional regulation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs). In this study, we identify miRNAs impacting FN-RMS cell identity, revealing miR-449a and miR-340 as major regulators of the cell cycle and p53 signaling. Through miR-eCLIP technology, we demonstrate that miR-449a and miR-340 directly target transcripts involved in glycolysis and mitochondrial pyruvate transport, inhibiting the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) complex. Pharmacological MPC inhibition induces a similar metabolic shift, reducing metastatic potential and leading to cell cycle exit. Overall, miR-449 and miR-340 orchestrate FN-RMS cell identity, positioning MPC inhibition as a strategy to shift FN-RMS cells toward a non-tumorigenic, quiescent state