On homogeneous CR manifolds and their CR algebras

In this paper we show some results on homogeneous CR manifolds, proved by introducing their associated CR algebras. In particular, we give different notions of nondegeneracy (generalizing the usual notion for the Levi form) which correspond to geometrical properties for the corresponding manifolds. We also give distinguished equivariant CR fibrations for homogeneous CR manifolds. In the second part of the paper we apply these results to minimal orbits for the action of a real form of a semisimple Lie group \^G on a flag manifold \^G/Q.Comment: 14 pages. AMS-LaTeX v2: minor revisio

Impact of communicative and informative strategies on influenza vaccination adherence and absenteeism from work of health care professionals working at the university hospital of palermo, Italy: A quasi-experimental field trial on twelve influenza seasons

Every year, about 20% of health care workers (HCWs) acquire influenza, continuing to work and encouraging virus spreading. Influenza vaccination coverage rates and absenteeism from work among HCWs of the University Hospital (UH) of Palermo were analyzed before and after the implementation of several initiatives in order to increase HCWs’ awareness about influenza vaccination. Vaccines administration within hospital units, dedicated web pages on social media and on the UH of Palermo institutional web site, and mandatory compilation of a dissent form for those HCWs who refused vaccination were carried out during the last four influenza seasons. After the introduction of these strategies, influenza vaccination coverage went up from 5.2% (2014/2015 season) to 37.2% (2018/2019 season) (p<0.001), and mean age of vaccinated HCWs significantly decreased from 48.1 years (95% CI: 45.7–50.5) to 35.9 years (95% CI: 35.0–36.8). A reduction of working days lost due to acute sickness among HCWs of the UH of Palermo was observed. Fear of adverse reactions and not considering themselves as a high-risk group for contracting influenza were the main reasons reported by HCWs that refused vaccination. Strategies undertaken at the UH of Palermo allowed a significant increase in vaccination adherence and a significant reduction of absenteeism from work

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Quantum Computing Using Liquid Crystal Solvents

Liquid crystals offer several advantages as solvents for molecules used for nuclear magnetic resonance quantum computing (NMRQC). The dipolar coupling between nuclear spins manifest in the NMR spectra of molecules oriented by a liquid crystal permits a significant increase in clock frequency, while short spin-lattice relaxation times permit fast recycling of algorithms, and save time in calibration and signal-enhancement experiments. Furthermore, the use of liquid crystal solvents offers scalability in the form of an expanded library of spin-bearing molecules suitable for NMRQC. These ideas are demonstrated with the successful execution of a 2-qubit Grover search using a molecule ($^{13}$C$^{1}$HCl$_3$) oriented in a liquid crystal and a clock speed eight times greater than in an isotropic solvent. Perhaps more importantly, five times as many logic operations can be executed within the coherence time using the liquid crystal solvent.Comment: Minor changes. Published in Appl. Phys. Lett. v.75, no.22, 29 Nov 1999, p.3563-356

Low Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid (500–730 Kda) Injections in Tendinopathies—A Narrative Review

Tendinopathies are common causes of pain and disability in general population and athletes. Conservative treatment is largely preferred, and eccentric exercise or other modalities of therapeutic exercises are recommended. However, this approach requests several weeks of consecutive treatment and could be discouraging. In the last years, injections of different formulations were evaluated to accelerate functional recovery in combination with usual therapy. Hyaluronic acid (HA) preparations were proposed, in particular LMW-HA (500-730 kDa) for its unique molecular characteristics in favored extracellular matrix homeostasis and tenocyte viability. The purpose of our review is to evaluate the state-of-the-art about the role of 500-730 kDa in tendinopathies considering both preclinical and clinical findings and encourage further research on this emerging topic

L’ESPERIENZA DELLA SICILIA QUALE REGIONE CAPOFILA NELLA INTRODUZIONE DELLA VACCINAZIONE UNIVERSALE CONTRO I ROTAVIRUS

La gastroenterite da rotavirus (GARV) rappresenta uno dei principali bisogni assistenziali durante l’età pediatrica. Purtroppo, in Italia, in assenza di notifica obbligatoria e di specifici sistemi di sorveglianza, le uniche valutazioni epidemiologiche disponibili sulle GARV sono rese possibili dall’analisi delle ospedalizzazioni. Il presente lavoro ha avuto l’obiettivo di valutare le ospedalizzazioni per GARV e per intussuscezione, avvenute in Sicilia in soggetti di età compresa tra 0 e 60 mesi, negli anni 2003-2012 (periodo prevaccinale) e 2013 (anno di introduzione della vaccinazione antirotavirus). Nel periodo in esame si sono osservate 9.886 ospedalizzazioni per GARV con una media annua di 899 casi. La maggior parte dei ricoveri (62,3%) è stata registrata nella fascia di età compresa tra 0 e 2 anni con una progressiva riduzione negli anni di vita successivi. Durante il 2013 si è osservata una copertura vaccinale regionale attestatasi tra il 30 ed il 40% per la prima dose ed il 25-35% per la seconda dose. Nello stesso anno si è assistito ad una riduzione dei casi di GARV di circa il 38,9% nei soggetti di età 0-5 anni (931 casi/anno nel 2003-2012 vs. 569 nel 2013) e superiore al 50% nella fascia di età 0-11 mesi (277 casi/anno nel 2003-2012 vs. 137 nel 2013). Diversamente, nel 2013 il numero di ospedalizzazioni per intussuscezione in soggetti di età compresa tra 0 ed 11 mesi si è mantenuta in linea con quanto osservato in epoca prevaccinale (15 casi nel 2013 vs. 15,4 casi/anno osservati in media tra 2003 e 2012). I dati presentati evidenziano l’importante peso assistenziale che le GARV hanno annualmente in Sicilia e supportano l’efficacia della vaccinazione nella riduzione significativa dei casi di ospedalizzazione per GARV in assenza di incrementi di rischio di intussuscezione

EUROMEDITERRANEAN BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL: THE RENEWED MANUSCRIPT LAYOUT AND WEB RENDERING FORESHADOW FURTHER JOURNAL IMPROVEMENT

In January 2006, a new journal, Capsula Eburnea, was born into the Italian scientific publishing scene with the initial goal of creating, at the same time, \u201can open scientific forum and a blog\u201d, based on the premise that \u201cin medicine, nothing should be considered stable, immutable or unsusceptible to critical review at any time, by any scientist\u201d. The Editorial Team progressively sought to improve the quality of the manuscripts published, introducing the requirement for all articles to be written in English, and changed the Journal\u2019s name to EuroMediterranean Biomedical Journal in 2012. Over the last five years, approximately 125 articles by young doctors (including original articles, reviews, commentaries, notes, and abstract books) have been published. The editorial board are confident that the new publishing layout and the renewed web-portal of the journal, introduced in this editorial, represent an essential upgrade after over 10 years of editorial activity, and that these improvements will be appreciated by our authors and, especially, our readers

Covid-19 vaccine: A survey of hesitancy in patients with celiac disease

(1) Background: COVID-19 vaccination campaigns offer the best hope of controlling the pandemic. However, the fast production of COVID-19 vaccines has caused concern among the general public regarding their safety and efficacy. In particular, patients with chronic illnesses, such as celiac disease (CD), may be more fearful. Information on vaccine hesitancy plays a pivotal role in the development of an efficient vaccination campaign. In our study, we aimed to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Italian CD patients. (2) Methods: an anonymous questionnaire was sent to CD patients followed at our tertiary referral center for CD in Milan, Italy. Patients were defined as willing, hesitant and refusing. We evaluated the reasons for hesitancy/refusal and the possible determinants, calculating crude and adjusted odds ratios [AdjORs] with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]. (3) Results: the questionnaire was sent to 346 patients with a response rate of 29.8%. Twenty-six (25.2%) of the 103 respondents were hesitant, with a total refusal rate of 4.8%. The main reason was fear of adverse events related to vaccination (68.2%). Among hesitant patients, 23% declared that their opinion was influenced by their CD. The determinants positively influencing willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 were adherence to a GFD, perception of good knowledge about COVID-19 and its vaccines, and a positive attitude to previous vaccines (AdjOR 12.71, 95% CI 1.82–88.58, AdjOR 6.50, 95% CI 1.44–29.22, AdjOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.11–4.34, respectively). (4) Conclusions: CD patients should be vaccinated against COVID-19 and a specific campaign to address the determinants of hesitancy should be developed

Anti-Angiogenic and Anti-Cancer Effects by Targeting the Protein Kinase G Type-Iα (PKG-Iα) Signaling Pathway and its Downstream Effects on Expression of Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins, C-IAP1, Livin and Survivin

Ovarian cancer is often difficult to treat because of the development of resistance to many of the currently-used therapeutic agents (i.e. chemoresistance). The progression and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer can involve tumor angiogenesis, the development of new blood vessels bringing more blood and nutrients to the growing tumor. Tumor angiogenesis also involves the vascular endothelium-induced stimulation of cancer cell growth (1) and the higher expression levels of certain “cell survival proteins”, such as the Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs, including c-IAP1, Livin and Survivin), which are expressed in both the proliferating cancer cells (2, 3) and the vascular endothelial cells involved in tumor angiogenesis (4)