Parameterized Compilation Lower Bounds for Restricted CNF-formulas

We show unconditional parameterized lower bounds in the area of knowledge compilation, more specifically on the size of circuits in decomposable negation normal form (DNNF) that encode CNF-formulas restricted by several graph width measures. In particular, we show that - there are CNF formulas of size $n$ and modular incidence treewidth $k$ whose smallest DNNF-encoding has size $n^{\Omega(k)}$, and - there are CNF formulas of size $n$ and incidence neighborhood diversity $k$ whose smallest DNNF-encoding has size $n^{\Omega(\sqrt{k})}$. These results complement recent upper bounds for compiling CNF into DNNF and strengthen---quantitatively and qualitatively---known conditional low\-er bounds for cliquewidth. Moreover, they show that, unlike for many graph problems, the parameters considered here behave significantly differently from treewidth

Psychology and hereditary angioedema: A systematic review

Background: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is caused by mutations in the C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) gene Serpin Family G Member 1(SERPING1), which results in either the decreased synthesis of normal C1-INH (C1-INH–HAE type I) or expression of unfunctional C1-INH (C1-INH–HAE type II). In recent studies, emotional stress was reported by patients as the most common trigger factor for C1-INH–HAE attacks. Moreover, patients reported considerable distress over the significant variability and uncertainty with which the disease manifests, in addition to the impact of physical symptoms on their overall quality of life. Objective: We did a systematic review of the literature to shed light on the advancements made in the study of how stress and psychological processes impact C1-INH–HAE. Methods: All of the articles on C1-INH–HAE were analyzed up to December 2019. Both medical data bases and psychological data bases were examined. The keywords (KWs) used for searching the medical and psychological data bases were the following: “hereditary angioedema,” “psychology,” “stress,” “anxiety,” and “depression.” Results: Of a total of 2549 articles on C1-INH–HAE, 113 articles were retrieved from the literature search by using the related KWs. Twenty-one of these articles were retrieved, examined, and classified. Conclusion: Although the literature confirmed that stress may induce various physical diseases, it also warned against making simplistic statements about its incidence that did not take into account the complexity and multicausality of factors that contribute to C1-INH–HAE expression

A Heuristic Approach to Analysis of the Genetic Susceptibility Profile in Patients Affected by Airway Allergies

Allergic respiratory diseases such as asthma might be considered multifactorial diseases, having a complex pathogenesis that involves environmental factors and the activation of a large set of immune response pathways and mechanisms. In addition, variations in genetic background seem to play a central role. The method developed for the analysis of the complexities, as association rule mining, nowadays may be applied to different research areas including genetic and biological complexities such as atopic airway diseases to identify complex genetic or biological markers and enlighten new diagnostic and therapeutic targets. A total of 308 allergic patients and 205 controls were typed for 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cytokine and receptors genes involved in type 1 and type 2 inflammatory response (IL-4 rs2243250 C/T, IL-4R rs1801275A/G, IL-6 rs1800795 G/C, IL-10 rs1800872 A/C and rs1800896 A/G, IL-10RB rs2834167A/G, IL-13 rs1800925 C/T, IL-18 rs187238G/C, IFNγ rs 24030561A/T and IFNγR2 rs2834213G/A), the rs2228137C/T of CD23 receptor gene and rs577912C/T and rs564481C/T of Klotho genes, using KASPar SNP genotyping method. Clinical and laboratory data of patients were analyzed by formal statistic tools and by a data-mining technique—market basket analysis—selecting a minimum threshold of 90% of rule confidence. Formal statistical analyses show that IL-6 rs1800795GG, IL-10RB rs2834167G positive genotypes, IL-13 rs1800925CC, CD23 rs2228137TT Klotho rs564481TT, might be risk factors for allergy. Applying the association rule methodology, we identify 10 genotype combination patterns associated with susceptibility to allergies. Together these data necessitate being confirmed in further studies, indicating that the heuristic approach might be a straightforward and useful tool to find predictive and diagnostic molecular patterns that might be also considered potential therapeutic targets in allergy

Nailfold videocapillaroscopy findings in bradykinin-mediated angioedema

Background: Hereditary angioedema with C1-inhibitor deficiency (C1-INH-HAE) and acquired angioedema related to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (ACEI-AAE) are types of bradykinin-mediated angioedema without wheals characterized by recurrent swelling episodes. Recent evidence suggests that a state of “vascular preconditioning” predisposes individuals to attacks, although no data are available on possible structural alterations of the vessels. Objective: This study aims to compare the features of nailfold capillaries to highlight possible structural anomalies between patients affected by C1-INH-HAE and controls and between patients with ACEI-AAE and hypertensive controls. Methods: We used nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) to assess the following: apical, internal, and external diameter; loop length; intercapillary distance; and capillary density, distribution, and morphology. Plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) A, VEGF-C, angiopoietin (Ang) 1, and Ang2 were also measured. Results: Compared with healthy controls (n=28), C1-INH-HAE patients (n = 34) were characterized by significant structural alterations of the capillaries, such as greater intercapillary distance (216 vs 190 µm), increased apical, internal, and external diameter (28 vs 22 µm; 22 vs 20 µm; and 81 vs 65 µm, respectively), decreased density (4 vs 5 capillaries/mm2), more irregular capillary distribution, and more tortuous morphology. Apical diameter was enlarged in patients with ≥12 attacks per year. In ACEI-AAE patients, NVC showed no alterations with respect to hypertensive controls. NVC performed in 2 C1-INH-HAE patients during attacks showed no changes compared with the remission phase. Conclusions: We detected major structural capillary alterations in C1-INH-HAE patients, thus confirming the involvement of microcirculation in the pathogenesis of angioedema

Episodic angioedema with hypereosinophilia (Gleich’s syndrome): A case report and extensive review of the literature

Episodic angioedema with eosinophilia (EAE) (Gleich’s syndrome) is a rare disease charac-terized by hypereosinophilia (up to 95 × 109 cells/L), recurrent episodes of angioedema, urticaria, weight gain, and fever, that occur at periodical intervals (usually every 3–4 weeks). The exact etiology of EAE is still unclear, but both eosinophils and abnormalities of cytokines homeostasis seem to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of the disease. In particular, the cyclic elevation of serum interleukin-5 before the increase in eosinophil count has been reported. Herein, we performed a broad literature review and report the case of a thirty-two-year-old woman with a two-year history of cyclic angioedema attacks, urticaria, periodic weight gain, and severe hypereosinophilia, diagnosed with EAE and treated with oral corticosteroids. Describing the most relevant clinical features of EAE reported so far in the literature, we aim to provide physicians with some useful tools to help them deal with this disease. In addition, we aim to raise awareness about this rare condition in which approved diagnostic classification criteria are currently missing

Polydimensional Structure and Psychosocial Functions of the Direct Address in TV Series

Traditionally, in media studies research, the direct address or aside, i.e., a construction in which a speaker communicates a message directly to the audience breaking the continuity of the narrative flow, has been investigated mainly for its dramaturgical function. The present study aims to consider the direct address as a research object of the social psychology of communication to increase our understanding of this technique by going beyond the analysis of its dramaturgical function. In particular, the direct address will be examined through an integrated approach based on argumentative and conversational tools to highlight its less known polydimensional structure, i.e., diegetic and extra-diegetic dimensions and their interactions, and psychosocial functions, i.e., connecting the characters among each other within the show as well as with the audience. This objective will be achieved by analyzing two different direct addresses from the American TV series House of Cards. The analysis showed that the direct address performs its dramaturgical function by impacting both diegetic and extradiegetic levels. In the first case, as considered in previous studies, these plans are activated in parallel, aiming to build what we have defined as the “strategic subjectivity” of the character who employs this technique. Instead, in the second case—which comprises two direct addresses produced by two different characters—this technique involves the creation of what we will call “platforms of intersubjectivity.” In this occurrence, the dramaturgical action establishes a “bridge” between the diegetic and extradiegetic plans that act synergistically. In conclusion, the present study shows how an integrated approach based on argumentative and conversational tools of analysis permits to enlarge the traditional media studies perspective, highlighting the less investigated polydimensional structure and analyzing the psychosocial functions of the direct address, here considered as a research object of the social psychology of communication examined in its diegetic and extra-diegetic dimensions. The integration of the pragma-dialectical approach to argumentation with the interlocutory logic theory has brought to light a new modality of use of the direct address that can be termed “intersubjective aside,” a type of aside that can be added to the three already known, i.e., aside ad spectatores, monological aside, and dialogical aside

The effect of the presence of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in the environment of prostatic adenocarcinoma in the prognosis of local recurrences in patients with prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy

Оn 268 patients with prostate cancer (PC) with clinical stage T1c-T2cN0M0, the conjugation between the presence of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) of various degrees in the environment of prostate adenocarci-noma with the timing of recurrence of prostate cancer was assessed. All pa-tients underwent radical prostatectomy (RPE). Within two years after RPE, the presence or absence of biochemical recurrence (BR) was monitored every 3 months in the patients. It was found that in the group with isolated PC 2 years after the operation, BR were observed in 12,5% of patients, with a combina-tion of PC + PIN2 in 26% and a combination of PC + PIN-1 in 15,2%. The strength of the conjugation between the simultaneous detection of pancreatic adenocarcinoma along with the PIN-2 in the peritumoral zone and the devel-opment of BR after RPE was statistically significant and average. The frequen-cy of verification of local recurrence of PC with the simultaneous combination of two predictors - detection of BR in the first two years after RPE and the presence of PIN2 in the operating biopsy in the peritumoral zone was high and amounted to 92%.Ha 268 больных раком предстательной железы (РПЖ) с клинической стадией T1c-T2cNQM0 была проведена оценка сопряжения между наличием простатической интраэпителиальной неоплазии (ПИН) разной степени в окружении аденокарциномы предстательной железы (ПЖ) со сроками рецидивирования РПЖ. Всем больным была выполнена радикальная простатэктомия (РПЭ). В течение двух лет после РПЭ у больных каждые три месяца контролировалось наличие или отсутствие биохимического рецидива (БР). Установлено, что в группе с изолированным РПЖ за 2 года после операции БР наблюдали в 12,5% пациентов, при сочетании РПЖ+ПИН2 в 26% и при сочетании РПЖ+ПИН-1 в 15,2%. Сила сопряжения между одновременным выявлением аденокарциномы ПЖ наряду с ПИН-2 в перитуморальной зоне и развитием БР после РПЭ являлась статистически значимой и средней. Частота верификации местного рецидива РПЖ при сочетании одновременно двух предикторов - выявлении БР в первые два года после РПЭ и наличии ПИН2 в операционном биоптате в перитуморальной зоне была высокой и составляла 92%

Diagnostic informativeness of determination of PCA3 gene expression in urine sediment and exosomes in patients with prostate cancer

The diagnostic and prognostic significance of the PCA3 gene expression in urine sediment and exosomes was evaluated in 148 patients with prostate cancer (PC) with a clinical stage T1c-T2cN0M0. Radical prostatectomy (RPE) was performed in all patients. For two years after RPE in patients every three months, the presence or absence of biochemical relapse (BR) was monitored. It was established that the expression level of the PCA3 gene in urine exosomes in prostate cancer patients with subsequent biochemical recurrence was significantly lower compared to the favorable course of the disease (p=0,01), and the association with PSA concentration in the blood and expression of transcription factors in the tumor tissue of operating biopsies and homeobox proteins closer. It was concluded that the assessment of the expression of the PCA3 gene in urine exosomes is informative for predicting the development of BR in the next 2 years after RPE.Ha 148 больных раком предстательной железы (РПЖ) с клинической стадией T1c-T2cN0M0 была проведена оценка диагностической и прогностической значимости уровня экспрессии гена РСАЗ в осадке и экзосомах мочи. Всем больным была выполнена радикальная простатэктомия (РПЭ). В течение двух лет после РПЭ у больных каждые три месяца контролировалось наличие или отсутствие биохимического рецидива (БР). Установлено, что уровень экспрессии гена РСАЗ в экзосомах мочи у больных РПЖ при последующем биохимическом рецидивировании по сравнению с благоприятным течением заболевания был достоверно ниже (р=0,01), а связь с концентрацией ПСА в крови, экспрессией в опухолевой ткани операционных биоптатов транскрипционных факторов и гомеобоксных белков теснее. Сделано заключение, что оценка экспрессии гена РСАЗ в экзосомах мочи информативна для прогноза развития БР в ближайшие 2 года после РПЭ