On the nonlinear Brascamp-Lieb inequality

We prove a nonlinear variant of the general Brascamp-Lieb inequality. Instances of this inequality are quite prevalent in analysis, and we illustrate this with substantial applications in harmonic analysis and partial differential equations. Our proof consists of running an efficient, or "tight", induction on scales argument, which uses the existence of gaussian near-extremisers to the underlying linear Brascamp-Lieb inequality (Lieb's theorem) in a fundamental way. A key ingredient is an effective version of Lieb's theorem, which we establish via a careful analysis of near-minimisers of weighted sums of exponential functions.Comment: 29 pages. This article subsumes the results of arXiv:1801.05214. To appear in the Duke Mathematical Journa

AzeR, a transcriptional regulator that responds to azelaic acid in Pseudomonas nitroreducens

This is the final version. Available on open access from the Microbiology Society via the DOI in this recordAzelaic acid is a dicarboxylic acid that has recently been shown to play a role in plant-bacteria signalling and also occurs naturally in several cereals. Several bacteria have been reported to be able to utilize azelaic acid as a unique source of carbon and energy, including Pseudomonas nitroreducens. In this study, we utilize P. nitroreducens as a model organism to study bacterial degradation of and response to azelaic acid. We report genetic evidence of azelaic acid degradation and the identification of a transcriptional regulator that responds to azelaic acid in P. nitroreducens DSM 9128. Three mutants possessing transposons in genes of an acyl-CoA ligase, an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and an isocitrate lyase display a deficient ability in growing in azelaic acid. Studies on transcriptional regulation of these genes resulted in the identification of an IclR family repressor that we designated as AzeR, which specifically responds to azelaic acid. A bioinformatics survey reveals that AzeR is confined to a few proteobacterial genera that are likely to be able to degrade and utilize azelaic acid as the sole source of carbon and energy

Struggling with COVID-19 in Adult Inborn Errors of Immunity Patients: A Case Series of Combination Therapy and Multiple Lines of Therapy for Selected Patients

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 infection is now a part of the everyday lives of immunocompromised patients, but the choice of treatment and the time of viral clearance can often be complex, exposing patients to possible complications. The role of the available antiviral and monoclonal therapies is a matter of debate, as are their effectiveness and potential related adverse effects. To date, in the literature, the amount of data on the use of combination therapies and on the multiple lines of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy available to the general population and especially to inborn error of immunity (IEI) patients is small. Methods: Here, we report a case series of five adult IEI patients managed as inpatients at three Italian IEI referral centers (Rome, Treviso, and Cagliari) treated with combination therapy or multiple therapeutic lines for SARS-CoV-2 infection, such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antivirals, convalescent plasma (CP), mAbs plus antiviral, and CP combined with antiviral. Results: This study may support the use of combination therapy against SARS-CoV-2 in complicated IEI patients with predominant antibody deficiency and impaired vaccine response

Formulation, pilot-scale preparation, physicochemical characterization and digestibility of a lentil protein-based model infant formula powder

Background: Infant formula is a human milk substitute for consumption during the first months of life. The protein component of such products is generally of dairy origin. Alternative sources of protein, such as those of plant origin, are of interest due to dairy allergies, intolerances, and ethical and environmental considerations. Lentils have high levels of protein (20–30%) with a good amino acid profile and functional properties. In this study, a model lentil protein-based formula (LF), in powder format, was produced and compared to two commercial plant-based infant formulae (i.e., soy; SF and rice; RF) in terms of physicochemical properties and digestibility. Results: The macronutrient composition was similar between all the samples; however, RF and SF had larger volume-weighted mean particle diameters (D[4,3] of 121–134 ∼m) than LF (31.9 ∼m), which was confirmed using scanning electron and confocal laser microscopy. The larger particle sizes of the commercial powders were attributed to their agglomeration during the drying process. Regarding functional properties, the LF showed higher D[4,3] values (17.8 ∼m) after 18 h reconstitution in water, compared with the SF and RF (5.82 and 4.55 ∼m, respectively), which could be partially attributed to hydrophobic protein–protein interactions. Regarding viscosity at 95 °C and physical stability, LF was more stable than RF. The digestibility analysis showed LF to have similar values (P <0.05) to the standard SF. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that, from the nutritional and physicochemical perspectives, lentil proteins represent a good alternative to other sources of plant proteins (e.g., soy and rice) in infant nutritional products

Is the dynamics of open quantum systems always linear?

We study the influence of the preparation of an open quantum system on its reduced time evolution. In contrast to the frequently considered case of an initial preparation where the total density matrix factorizes into a product of a system density matrix and a bath density matrix the time evolution generally is no longer governed by a linear map nor is this map affine. Put differently, the evolution is truly nonlinear and cannot be cast into the form of a linear map plus a term that is independent of the initial density matrix of the open quantum system. As a consequence, the inhomogeneity that emerges in formally exact generalized master equations is in fact a nonlinear term that vanishes for a factorizing initial state. The general results are elucidated with the example of two interacting spins prepared at thermal equilibrium with one spin subjected to an external field. The second spin represents the environment. The field allows the preparation of mixed density matrices of the first spin that can be represented as a convex combination of two limiting pure states, i.e. the preparable reduced density matrices make up a convex set. Moreover, the map from these reduced density matrices onto the corresponding density matrices of the total system is affine only for vanishing coupling between the spins. In general, the set of the accessible total density matrices is nonconvex.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, minor changes to improve readability, discussion on Mori's linear regime and references adde

Lichen Planus and hepatitis C virus : a multicentre study of patients with oral lesions and systematic review

BACKGROUND: An association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and lichen planus (LP) has been investigated, but results have been inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between LP and HCV seropositivity. Methods In a cross-sectional study we tested the sera of 303 consecutive newly diagnosed patients with histologically proven LP referred to three Italian centres for the presence of anti-HCV IgG. A comparable control group was also tested. Next, in a systematic review, studies were identified by searching different databases in April 2004. Inclusion criteria were: (i) analytical study design; (ii) clinical and histological diagnosis of LP; and (iii) serological test for anti-HCV antibodies as main outcome. The risk of bias was assessed on the basis of characteristics of the study group, appropriateness of the control group and study design. Pooled data were analysed by calculating odds ratios (ORs), using a random effects model. RESULTS: In the cross-sectional study, nearly one in five (19.1%) of the LP group was HCV positive, while a much lower prevalence of infection was found in the control group (3.2%) [OR 7.08; 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.43-14.58]. The systematic review yielded 25 relevant studies, six of which had a low risk of bias. There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of HCV-seropositive subjects among patients with LP, compared with controls (OR 4.80; 95% CI 3.25-7.09). Following subgroup analyses, the variability of HCV prevalence in patients with LP seemed to depend on geographical area, but not on age. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-HCV circulating antibodies are more common in patients with LP than in controls, although such an association may not be significant in some geographical areas

A beacon in the dark: COVID-19 course in CVID patients from two European countries: Different approaches, similar outcomes

Background: CVID patients present an increased risk of prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection and re-infection and a higher COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality compared to the general population. Since 2021, different therapeutic and prophylactic strategies have been employed in vulnerable groups (vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies and antivirals). The impact of treatments over the last 2 years has not been explored in international studies considering the emergence of viral variants and different management between countries. Methods: A multicenter retrospective/prospective real-life study comparing the prevalence and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection between a CVID cohort from four Italian Centers (IT-C) and one cohort from the Netherlands (NL-C), recruiting 773 patients. Results: 329 of 773 CVID patients were found positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 1st, 2020 and September 1st 2022. The proportion of CVID patients infected was comparable in both national sub-cohorts. During all waves, chronic lung disease, “complicated” phenotype, chronic immunosuppressive treatment and cardiovascular comorbidities impacted on hospitalization, whereas risk factors for mortality were older age, chronic lung disease, and bacterial superinfections. IT-C patients were significantly more often treated, both with antivirals and mAbs, than NL-C patients. Outpatient treatment, available only in Italy, started from the Delta wave. Despite this, no significant difference was found for COVID-19 severity between the two cohorts. However, pooling together specific SARS-CoV-2 outpatient treatments (mAbs and antivirals), we found a significant effect on the risk of hospitalization starting from Delta wave. Vaccination with ≥ 3 doses shortened RT-PCR positivity, with an additional effect only in patients receiving antivirals. Conclusions: The two sub-cohorts had similar COVID-19 outcomes despite different treatment approaches. This points out that specific treatment should now be reserved for selected subgroups of CVID patients, based on pre-existing conditions

Desenvolvimento e Aplicação do CDA Introdução aos Estudos Virtuais

O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de mostrar o processo de desenvolvimento de um construto digital de aprendizagem criado pelo Laboratório de Objetos de Aprendizagem da Universidade Feevale. O artigo introduz autores que sustentam o uso de jogos digitais na educação e que serviram para embasar a metodologia utilizada na criação e validação do construto. Os resultados foram obtidos através da aplicação do projeto em um grupo de 101 estudantes dos cursos a distância da própria instituição

The impact of strabismus on quality of life in adults with and without diplopia: a systematic review

Strabismus affects approximately 4% of the adult population and can cause substantial physical disturbance and changes to appearance. This article aims to examine the impact of strabismus in adults both with and without diplopia, focusing primarily on quality of life (QoL). We highlight the value of measuring QoL, assess the ways in which it can be measured, and the impact the disease, diplopia, and surgery have on the patient. QoL differs for strabismus patients based on their diplopia status. Patients with diplopia tend to have more concerns relating to functional QoL, whereas patients without diplopia have primarily psychosocial concerns. Two diplopia-specific questionnaires have been designed to assess QoL and the perceived severity of symptoms. Further research is needed to identify the variables which influence QoL so that appropriate support can be given to all patients with strabismus to improve their QoL