Coherent QED, Giant Resonances and (e+e−)(e^{+}e^{-}) Pairs in High Energy Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

We show that the coherent oscillations of the e.m. field induced by the collective quantum fluctuations of the nuclear matter field associated with the giant resonances, with frequencies $\omega_{A}\simeq 78A^{-{1/3}}$ MeV, give rise to a significant $(e^+e^-)$ pair production in high energy Heavy Ion collisions. The approximate parameterless calculation of such yield is in good agreement with recent experimental observations.Comment: 27 pages, 13 figure

Favorable therapeutic response with an antiretroviral salvage regimen in an HIV-1-positive subject infected with a CRF11-cpx virus

HIV drug resistance still represents a crucial problem in antiretroviral therapy. We report a case of a naive patient, harboring a CRF11-cpx virus, which showed drug resistance mutations in the reverse transcriptase. Drug resistance genotyping test was performed for pol (protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase) and V3 regions. The initial clinical parameters results showed a 4 logs level of HIV-RNA (12,090 cp/mL) and a very low CD4+ cell count (35 cells/\ub5L). We designed an initial HAART regimen including 3TC+ABC+DRV/r. The virus resulted highly resistant to all NRTIs and NNRTIs except to ABC, TDF, and EFV and susceptible to all PIs and INIs. A salvage regimen including RAL+DRV/r was started. Ten months after, the immuno-virological status shows CD4+ 142/\ub5L and HIV-RNA <37 cp/mL. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of a treatment combination that includes RAL+DRV/r in a patient infected with a complex X4-tropic CRF11-cpx virus

Chagas disease knocks on our door : A cross-sectional study among Latin American immigrants in Milan, Italy

Objectives: We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for Chagas disease (CD) in Latin American immigrants and to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests. Moreover, we offered to all positive subjects a complete free-of-charge clinical/instrumental evaluation as well as benznidazole treatment in order to stage the disease and verify drug tolerability. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of CD among Latin Americans living in Milan and its metropolitan area was conducted between July 2013 and July 2014. Blood samples were tested for serologic evidence of CD together with a questionnaire covering demographic and clinical-epidemiological information. Results: Forty-eight (9.6%) of the 501 tested subjects were conclusively diagnosed as having CD. The highest prevalence of CD was among those from Bolivia (43/169, 25.4%) and El Salvador (4/68, 5.9%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)] 1.05, p =0.004), a Bolivian origin (aOR 8.80; p =0.003), being born in the department of Santa Cruz (aOR 3.72, p =0.047), having lived in mud houses (aOR 2.68; p =0.019), and having an affected relative (aOR 12.77, p =0.001) were independently associated with CD. The ARCHITECT Chagas test showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99.8%). Twenty-nine of the subjects with CD (60.4%) underwent disease staging, 10 of whom (35.7%) showed cardiac and/or digestive involvement. Benznidazole treatment was associated with high frequency of adverse reactions (19/27, 70.4%) and permanent discontinuation (8/27, 29.6%). Conclusions: CD is highly prevalent among Bolivians and Salvadorans living in Milan. Regions with a large Latin American immigrant population should implement programmes of active detection and treatment