Breaking Electroweak Symmetry Strongly

The problem of electroweak symmetry breaking is reviewed with discussion of future relevant experimentation at LHC and $e^+e^-$ linear colliders. The possibility of strong electroweak symmetry breaking is examined in more detail, using the BESS (Breaking Electroweak Symmetry Strongly) model as a basis for the discussion. The formal constructions are briefly presented and the possible expectations at future colliders are summarized.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX, UGVA-DPT 1994/04-846. To appear in the Memorial Volume for Professor Robert Marshak, edited by E.C.G. Sudarshan, World Scientific Publishing Compan

Effective Lagrangian for Heavy and Light Mesons: Semileptonic Decays

We introduce an effective lagrangian including negative and positive parity heavy mesons containing a heavy quark, light pseudoscalars, and light vector resonances, with their allowed interactions, using heavy quark spin-flavour symmetry, chiral symmetry, and the hidden symmetry approach for light vector resonances. On the basis of such a lagrangian, by considering the allowed weak currents and by including the contributions from the nearest unitarity poles we calculate the form factors for semileptonic decays of $B$ and $D$ mesons into light pseudoscalars and light vector resonances. The available data, together with some additional assumptions, allow for a set of predictions in the different semileptonic channels, which can be compared with those following {}from different approaches. A discussion of non-dominant terms in our approach, which attempts at including a rather complete dynamics, will however have to wait till more abundant data become available.Comment: LaTeX (style article), 19 pages, UGVA-DPT 1992/11-790, BARI-TH/92-12

Model-independent limits on four-fermion contact interactions at LC with polarization

Fermion compositeness, and other types of new physics that can be described by the exchange of very massive particles, can manifest themselves as the result of an effective four-fermion contact interaction. In the case of the processes $e^+e^-\to \mu^+\mu^-,\tau^+\tau^-,\bar{b}b$ and $\bar{c}c$ at future $e^+e^-$ colliders with $\sqrt{s}=0.5-1$ TeV, we examine the sensitivity to four-fermion contact interactions of two new integrated observables, $\sigma_+$ and $\sigma_-$, conveniently defined for such kind of analysis. We find that, if longitudinal polarization of the electron beam were available, these observables would offer the opportunity to separate the helicity cross sections and, in this way, to derive model-independent bounds on the relevant parameters.Comment: 13 pages, LaTe

Application of an innovative model for the risk management of covid-19 in a multinational manufacturing company

The COVID-19 incidence in 61 manufacturing plants in Europe (EU), North America (NA) and Latin-America (LATAM) was compared with the incidence observed in the countries where the plants are located in order to evaluate the application of an innovative model for COVID-19 risk management. Firstly, a network of local and global teams was created, including an external university occupational physician team for scientific support. In July 2020, global prevention guidelines for the homogenous management of the pandemic were applied, replacing different site or regional procedures. A tool for COVID-19 monitoring was implemented to investigate the relationship between the incidence rates inside and outside the plants. In the period of May–November 2020, 565 confirmed cases (EU 330, NA 141, LATAM 94) were observed among 20,646 workers with different jobs and tasks, and in the last two months 85% EU and 70% NA cases were recorded. Only in 10% of cases was a possible internal origin of the contagion not excluded. In the EU and NA, unlike LATAM, the COVID-19 incidence rates inside the sites punctually followed the rising trend outside. In conclusion, the model, combining a global approach with the local application of the measures, maintains the sustainability in the manufacturing industry

Blocking CD248 molecules in perivascular stromal cells of patients with systemic sclerosis strongly inhibits their differentiation toward myofibroblasts and proliferation: A new potential target for antifibrotic therapy

Background: Fibrosis may be considered the hallmark of systemic sclerosis (SSc), the end stage triggered by different pathological events. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) are profibrotic molecules modulating myofibroblast differentiation and proliferation, respectively. There is evidence linking CD248 with these two molecules, both highly expressed in patients with SSc, and suggesting that CD248 may be a therapeutic target for several diseases. The aim of this work was to evaluate the expression of CD248 in SSc skin and its ability to modulate SSc fibrotic process. Methods: After ethical approval was obtained, skin biopsies were collected from 20 patients with SSc and 10 healthy control subjects (HC). CD248 expression was investigated in the skin, as well as in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) treated with TGF-β or PDGF-BB, by immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting. Finally, in SSc-MSCs, the CD248 gene was silenced by siRNA. Results: Increased expression of CD248 was found in endothelial cells and perivascular stromal cells of SSc skin. In SSc-MSCs, the levels of CD248 and α-smooth muscle actin expression were significantly higher than in HC-MSCs. In both SSc- and HC-MSCs, PDGF-BB induced increased expression of Ki-67 when compared with untreated cells but was unable to modulate CD248 levels. After CD248 silencing, both TGF-β and PDGF-BB signaling were inhibited in SSc-MSCs. Conclusions: CD248 overexpression may play an important role in the fibrotic process by modulating the molecular target, leading to perivascular cells differentiation toward myofibroblasts and interfering with its expression, and thus might open a new therapeutic strategy to inhibit myofibroblast generation during SSc

Yttrium doped Barium cerate and Zirconate heterostructures: deposition and electrochemical characterization

Epitaxial heterostructures consisting of an yttrium doped barium cerate (BCY) layer sandwiched between two yttrium doped barium zirconate (BZY) thin layers have been deposited on insulating (001) MgO substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The first BZY layer was aimed at improving the lattice match with the MgO substrate, the second at protecting the BCY layer. Ionic conductivity has been studied in the 300 – 600°C temperature range as a function of the BCY thickness. Due to the absence of blocking grain boundaries, heterostructures showed a conductivity larger than that of BCY pellets sintered under optimized conditions

La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3-δ thin films for IT-SOFCs: Microstructure and transport properties correlation.

Highly textured La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O3 (LSGM) films with columnar structure were grown by pulsed laser deposition on (001) NdGaO3 and SrTiO3 buffered (001) MgO substrates. Combined analysis of the films structure and morphology and EIS measurements showed that the transport properties are mainly limited by perpendicular grain boundaries effects. Increasing the film thickness, columnar nanosized grains tend to coalesce leading to a decrease of grain boundary concentration, hence to enhanced conductivity

Hospitalisation for COPD in Puglia: the role of hospital discharge database to estimate prevalence and incidence

Background and aim. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), although largely preventable, is a great health burden in all the countries worldwide. Statistics of morbidity and mortality of COPD show the need for correct management of the disease. Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Diseases (DRG 88) are in 9th place for discharge in in-patient hospital admission. It is necessary to establish specific indicators which are efficacious and relevant for the patient, the doctor and the health manager. This study will analyse the information in respect of hospital admissions (Hospital discharge database) in Puglia for the period 2000-2005. Methods. The analysis was carried out utilising the Puglia Region hospital patient discharge database, selecting those patients with admission for chronic respiratory disease as principal or secondary diagnosis. Results. Chronic respiratory diseases are more frequent in males and in people over 45 years old with frequency increasing with age. Geographical distribution shows that there are greater rates of hospitalisation in big cities and in the neighbourhood of industrial areas. Although the trend over time is slight. A higher percentage of re-admission has been found for patients with COPD, and the interval between the two admissions occurs within one or two months; the diagnosis at the second admission is the same as for the first. 10.6% of discharge forms report one diagnosis, especially in patients older than 65 years of age. Little could be said about diagnostic procedures because these are not reported on the discharge form. Conclusion. Hospitalisation data confirms expectations regarding age and sex of patients. The high hospitalisation rates indicate that in-patients care still remains the only viable treatment for COPD and other chronic respiratory diseases. The high number of exacerbations reflect the absence of out-patients service or community care, and the same diagnosis in more than one episode shows the lack of efficiency of health services and disease management. This data is necessary to understand disease distribution and the modification of disease management in order to reduce health care costs, to increase efficacy in disease control and to limit repeated exacerbation and so to obtain the maximum benefit for the patients