Evidences of spin-temperature in Dynamic Nuclear Polarization: an exact computation of the EPR spectrum

In dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) experiments, the compound is driven out-of-equilibrium by microwave (MW) irradiation of the radical electron spins. Their stationary state has been recently probed via electron double resonance (ELDOR) techniques showing, at low temperature, a broad depolarization of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum under microwave irradiation. In this theoretical manuscript, we develop a numerical method to compute exactly the EPR spectrum in presence of dipolar interactions. Our results reproduce the observed broad depolarisation and provide a microscopic justification for spectral diffusion mechanism. We show the validity of the spin-temperature approach for typical radical concentration used in dissolution DNP protocols. In particular once the interactions are properly taken into account, the spin-temperature is consistent with the non-monotonic behavior of the EPR spectrum with a wide minimum around the irradiated frequency.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures. Title and abstract change

A case report of malignant hypertension in a young woman

8noMalignant hypertension is a condition characterized by severe hypertension and multi-organ ischemic complications. Albeit mortality and renal survival have improved with antihypertensive therapy, progression to end-stage renal disease remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The underlying cause of malignant hypertension, which can be primary or secondary hypertension, is often difficult to identify and this can substantially affect the treatment outcomes, as we report here.openopenMichelli, Andrea; Bernardi, Stella; Grillo, Andrea; Panizon, Emiliano; Rovina, Matteo; Bardelli, Moreno; Carretta, Renzo; Fabris, BrunoMichelli, Andrea; Bernardi, Stella; Grillo, Andrea; Panizon, Emiliano; Rovina, Matteo; Bardelli, Moreno; Carretta, Renzo; Fabris, Brun

Exotic atoms at extremely high magnetic fields: the case of neutron star atmosphere

The presence of exotic states of matter in neutron stars (NSs) is currently an open issue in physics. The appearance of muons, kaons, hyperons, and other exotic particles in the inner regions of the NS, favored by energetic considerations, is considered to be an effective mechanism to soften the equation of state (EoS). In the so-called two-families scenario, the softening of the EoS allows for NSs characterized by very small radii, which become unstable and convert into a quark stars (QSs). In the process of conversion of a NS into a QS material can be ablated by neutrinos from the surface of the star. Not only neutron-rich nuclei, but also more exotic material, such as hypernuclei or deconfined quarks, could be ejected into the atmosphere. In the NS atmosphere, atoms like H, He, and C should exist, and attempts to model the NS thermal emission taking into account their presence, with spectra modified by the extreme magnetic fields, have been done. However, exotic atoms, like muonic hydrogen $(p\,\mu^-)$ or the so-called Sigmium $(\Sigma^+\,e^-)$, could also be present during the conversion process or in its immediate aftermath. At present, analytical expressions of the wave functions and eigenvalues for these atoms have been calculated only for H. In this work, we extend the existing solutions and parametrizations to the exotic atoms $(p\,\mu^-)$ and $(\Sigma^+\,e^-)$, making some predictions on possible transitions. Their detection in the spectra of NS would provide experimental evidence for the existence of hyperons in the interior of these stars.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, proceedings of the "International Conference on Exotic Atoms and Related Topics - EXA2017", Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria, September 11-15, 201

the metabolomic scent of cancer disease progression in soft tissue sarcoma a case report

Background: The purpose of this case report is to describe the potential that metabolomics breath analysis may have in cancer disease monitoring. The advances in mass spectrometry instrumentation allow the accurate real-time analysis of volatile metabolites exhaled in the breath. The application of such non-invasive devices may provide innovative and complementary monitoring of the physio-pathological conditions of cancer patients. Case presentation: A 59-year-old Caucasian woman with spindle cell malignant mesenchymal sarcoma of the presacral region started a first-line therapy with non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and ifosfamide associated with pelvic radiant treatment. After two cycles of chemotherapy plus radiotherapy, a significant pulmonary disease progression was reported. Thus, a second-line therapy with trabectedin was administered. However, after only two cycles of treatment a re-staging computed tomography scan reported further cancer disease progression of the target pulmonary lesions as well as occurrence of new satellite bilateral nodules. Real-time analysis of breath exhaled volatile organic compounds, performed by select ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) during the follow-up of the patient, showed a specific metabolic pattern not observed in the breath of other soft tissue sarcoma patients who achieved clinical benefit from the treatments. Conclusions: This case report revealed the importance of the non-invasive real-time volatile organic compounds breath analysis to distinguish individual specific chemo-resistance phenotypes among soft tissue sarcoma patients. Such observation seems to suggest that breath metabolomics may be particularly useful for monitoring cancer disease progression in soft tissue sarcoma patients where only cost-effective diagnostic tools, such as positron emission tomography and computed tomography, are available

What we have learned for the future about COVID-19 and healthcare management of it?

Background and aim of the work: COVID-19 is a current global pandemic. However, comprehensive global data analyses for its healthcare management are lacking. Methods: In this study we have researched through published scientific articles and international health care guidelines to find out actually about our knowledge for this new pandemic from SARS-CoV-2 and related COVID-19 disease that emerged from December 2019 in China in order to better manage this health emergency. Results: The pathogens represented by microorganisms (bacteria, mycetes or viruses) show their effect after days and are responsible for epidemics/pandemics as dangerous as the greater their possibility of transmission, especially by inhalation, and therefore their infectivity. Conclusions: The appearance of new pathogenic viruses for humans such as the COVID -19, which previously were found only in the animal world occurs through the spillover (is the third documented of an animal coronavirus to humans), it is thought that it could also be the same also for the origin of this virus. Furthermore, the trend of this pandemic in one of the countries most affected by Italy after China was also considered

An Oosterhoff Analysis of the Galactic Bulge Field RR Lyrae stars: Implications On Their Absolute Magnitudes

We present an analysis of the period-$V$-amplitude plane for RR0 Lyrae stars (fundamental mode pulsators) with "normal" light curves in the bulge using the MACHO bulge fields. Although bulge globular clusters have RR Lyraes that divide into two reasonable distinct groups according to the average period of the RR0 Lyraes (Oosterhoff 1939), there is no evidence of a gap between Oosterhoff I and II stars in the bulge field star sample. The majority of the bulge RR0 Lyrae field star population have a difference in period compared to the Oosterhoff I cluster M3 (Delta log P) that is shifted by about 0.02 days with regard to the Milky Way Oosterhoff I population, and the sample includes stars with Delta log P > 0.06 days, a characteristic hardly seen in Milky Way globular clusters. The metal-rich RR0 Lyrae stars in the Galactic bulge sample have Delta log P values on the other side of the spectrum as those in the metal-rich globular clusters NGC 6388 and NGC 6441. We find that the $V$-amplitude for a given period is a function of Delta log P, and not of metal abundance, similar to the result found by Clement & Shelton (1999) for RR Lyrae stars in Milky Way globular clusters. A comparative study of the bulge field stars with similar metallicities but different Oosterhoff types is carried out. Bulge field RR0 Lyrae variables with Delta log P values similar to Oosterhoff II clusters are about 0.2 mag brighter than RR0 Lyrae variables with Delta log P similar to Oosterhoff I clusters. Reliance upon a single absolute magnitude-[Fe/H] relation may be inappropriate when considering populations with different Delta log P.Comment: accepted to AJ, 9 figure

Short-Term Repeatability of Noninvasive Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity Assessment: Comparison between Methods and Devices

BACKGROUND Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is an indirect index of arterial stiffness and an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Consistency of PWV assessment over time is thus an essential feature for its clinical application. However, studies providing a comparative estimate of the reproducibility of PWV across different noninvasive devices are lacking, especially in the elderly and in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. METHODS Aimed at filling this gap, short-term repeatability of PWV, estimated with 6 different devices (Complior Analyse, PulsePen-ETT, PulsePen-ET, SphygmoCor Px/Vx, BPLab, and Mobil-O-Graph), was evaluated in 102 high cardiovascular risk patients hospitalized for suspected coronary artery disease (72 males, 65 ± 13 years). PWV was measured in a single session twice, at 15-minute interval, and its reproducibility was assessed though coefficient of variation (CV), coefficient of repeatability, and intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS The CV of PWV, measured with any of these devices, was <10%. Repeatability was higher with cuff-based methods (BPLab: CV = 5.5% and Mobil-O-Graph: CV = 3.4%) than with devices measuring carotid-femoral PWV (Complior: CV = 8.2%; PulsePen-TT: CV = 8.0%; PulsePen-ETT: CV = 5.8%; and SphygmoCor: CV = 9.5%). In the latter group, PWV repeatability was lower in subjects with higher carotid-femoral PWV. The differences in PWV between repeated measurements, except for the Mobil-O-Graph, did not depend on short-term variations of mean blood pressure or heart rate. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows that the short-term repeatability of PWV measures is good but not homogenous across different devices and at different PWV values. These findings, obtained in patients at high cardiovascular risk, may be relevant when evaluating the prognostic importance of PW