Light Dark Matter and Superfluid He-4 from EFT

We study the response of a He-4 detector to the interaction of sub-GeV dark matter using an effective field theory for the superfluid. We compute the lifetime of the phonon, which agrees with what known from standard techniques, hence providing an important check of the effective field theory. We then study the process of emission of two phonons, and show how its rate is much more suppressed than the phase space expectations; this is a consequence of the conservation of the current associated to the superfluid symmetries.Comment: Talk presented at the TAUP 2019 conference; 4 pages, 2 figure

Transmission dynamics of the ongoing chikungunya outbreak in Central Italy. From coastal areas to the metropolitan city of Rome, summer 2017

A large chikungunya outbreak is ongoing in Italy, with a main cluster in the Anzio coastal municipality. With preliminary epidemiological data, and a transmission model using mosquito abundance and biting rates, we estimated the basic reproduction number R0 at 2.07 (95% credible interval: 1.47–2.59) and the first case importation between 21 May and 18 June 2017. Outbreak risk was higher in coastal/rural sites than urban ones. Novel transmission foci could occur up to mid-November

Spatial and temporal hot spots of Aedes albopictus abundance inside and outside a South European metropolitan area

Aedes albopictus is a tropical invasive species which in the last decades spread worldwide, also colonizing temperate regions of Europe and US, where it has become a public health concern due to its ability to transmit exotic arboviruses, as well as severe nuisance problems due to its aggressive daytime outdoor biting behaviour. While several studies have been carried out in order to predict the potential limits of the species expansions based on eco-climatic parameters, few studies have so far focused on the specific effects of these variables in shaping its micro-geographic abundance and dynamics. The present study investigated eco-climatic factors affecting Ae. albopictus abundance and dynamics in metropolitan and sub-urban/rural sites in Rome (Italy), which was colonized in 1997 and is nowadays one of the most infested metropolitan areas in Southern Europe. To this aim, longitudinal adult monitoring was carried out along a 70 km-transect across and beyond the most urbanized and densely populated metropolitan area. Two fine scale spatiotemporal datasets (one with reference to a 20m circular buffer around sticky traps used to collect mosquitoes and the second to a 300m circular buffer within each sampling site) were exploited to analyze the effect of climatic and socio-environmental variables on Ae. albopictus abundance and dynamics along the transect. Results showed an association between highly anthropized habitats and high adult abundance both in metropolitan and sub-urban/ rural areas, with “small green islands” corresponding to hot spots of abundance in the metropolitan areas only, and a bimodal seasonal dynamics with a second peak of abundance in autumn, due to heavy rains occurring in the preceding weeks in association with permissive temperatures. The results provide useful indications to prioritize public mosquito control measures in temperate urban areas where nuisance, human-mosquito contact and risk of local arbovirus transmission are likely higher, and highlight potential public health risks also after the summer months typically associated with high mosquito densities

Directional detection of light dark matter from three-phonon events in superfluid 4^4He

We present the analysis of a new signature for light dark matter detection with superfluid $^4$He: the emission of three phonons. We show that, in a region of mass below the MeV, the kinematics of this process can offer a way to reconstruct the dark matter interaction vertex, while providing background rejection via coincidence requirements and directionality. We develop all the necessary technology to deal with such an observable, and compute the associated differential distributions.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures. Version published in Physical Review

Retrospective analysis of dog bites in Southern Italy

ABSTRACT: Dog bite is one of the major public health problems involving people worldwide. Although, several studies have investigated this phenomenon in different countries, little information about the incidence of dog bite episodes in Italy is available. We analysed data about dog biting events between 2010 and 2019 provided by the CRIUV, the Regional Reference Centre for Veterinary Urban Hygiene in the largest city of Southern Italy, namely. Naples. We observed severe and profound inconsistencies in the data collection that reveal structural and significant weaknesses of the current data collection system. Given the multifactorial nature of dog bite, we highlight the need to improve the gathering of all the information related to the factors affecting the occurrence of biting episodes for an accurate assessment of the biting phenomenon

A selective cellulose/hemicellulose green solvents extraction from buckwheat chaff

A two-phase extraction process was adopted to obtain cellulose and hemicellulose from buckwheat chaff by using green solvents. We are proposing a combination of propylene carbonate (PC) and ionic liquids (ILs) in a 1:5 ratio. We compared the first-generation ILs 1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride (BdmimCl), and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium acetate (BmimAc) with respect to the tetrabutyl ammonium acetate (TBAAc). The cellulose and hemicellulose were, firstly, extracted into the PC/IL mixture and subsequently precipitated by water addition. All precipitate materials were analysed by FTIR-ATR and TGA, while the organic phase and the supernatant after water addition were analysed by using self-diffusion NMR. The PC green co-solvent was proven to be an exceptional candidate to replace dimethyl sulfoxide. The highest amount of precipitate material after water addition was obtained with PC-BmimAc, while PC-TBAAc was showing the highest cellulose/hemicellulose selectivity. Furthermore, a preferential interaction of the supernatant cellulose residue with PC or acetate was observed by self-diffusion NMR

Deep Control of Linear Oligomerization of Glycerol Using Lanthanum Catalyst on Mesoporous Silica Gel

The valorization of glycerol (1), a waste of biodiesel production of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs), adopting a “green” approach, represents an important goal of sustainable chemistry. While the polymerization of 1 to hyperbranched oligomers is a well-established process, the linear analogues are difficult to obtain. In this context, we explore the reaction without the solvent of heterogeneous hybrid La(III)O-KIT-6 catalyst (2), which is based on lanthanum oxide on mesoporous silica gel, showing a superior linear selectivity compared to most of the analogous catalysts recently reported

Urban Development and Energy Access in Informal Settlements. A Review for Latin America and Africa

Focusing on Latin America and Africa, a review on energy access, efficient energy use, and energy efficiency of the built environment in informal settlements of developing countries is presented, providing information on energy issues such as access, consumption, distribution, services, end use, technologies, and energy efficiency. Information about the main patterns of energy use and consumption in slums is provided, and the main barriers that reduce access to modern (and more efficient) energy sources for dwellers are highlighted. This review also reveals from one side that data on energy, and in particular energy efficiency, are missing or out-dated, as well as data and information on the interaction between energy distribution companies and slums’ dwellers. Further investigations are now in progress in order to fill the gap. In particular, in cooperation with local stakeholders and utilities, workshops and surveys with interviews to people living in slums are being carried out

Peri-Procedural Management of Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) in Transcatheter Miniaturized Leadless Pacemaker Implantation

INTRODUCTION: Data on peri-operative management of direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) during transcatheter pacing leadless system (TPS) implantations remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate a standardized DOAC management regime consisting of interruption of a single dose prior to implantation and reinitiation within 6-24 h; also, patient clinical characteristics associated with this approach were identified. METHOD: Consecutive patients undergoing standard TPS implantation procedures from two Swiss tertiary centers were included. DOAC peri-operative management included the standardized approach (Group 1A) or other approaches (Group 1B). RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety-two pts (mean age 81.4 ± 7.3 years, 66.3% male, left ventricular ejection fraction 55.5 ± 9.6%) underwent TPS implantation. Two hundred and eighty-two pts (71.9%) were under anticoagulation therapy; 192 pts were treated with DOAC; 90 pts were under vitamin-K antagonist. Patients treated with DOAC less often had structural heart disease, diabetes mellitus, and advanced renal failure. The rate of major peri-procedural complications did not differ between groups 1A (n = 115) and 1B (n = 77) (2.6% and 3.8%, p = 0.685). Compared to 1B, 1A patients were implanted with TPS for slow ventricular rate atrial fibrillation (AF) (p = 0.002), in a better overall clinical status, and implanted electively (<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Standardized peri-procedural DOAC management was more often implemented for elective TPS procedures and did not seem to increase bleeding or thromboembolic adverse events

Polydatin Induces Differentiation and Radiation Sensitivity in Human Osteosarcoma Cells and Parallel Secretion through Lipid Metabolite Secretion

Osteosarcoma is a bone cancer characterized by the production of osteoid tissue and immature bone from mesenchymal cells. Osteosarcoma mainly affects long bones (femur is most frequently site) and occur in children and young adults with greater incidence. Here, we investigated the role accomplished by polydatin, a natural antioxidative compound, in promoting osteogenic differentiation alone or after radiation therapy on osteosarcoma cells. In vitro, polydatin significantly induced cell cycle arrest in S-phase and enhanced bone alkaline phosphatase activity. Moreover, the differentiation process was paralleled by the activation of Wnt-β-catenin pathway. In combination with radiotherapy, the pretreatment with polydatin promoted a radiosensitizing effect on osteosarcoma cancer cells as demonstrated by the upregulation of osteogenic markers and reduced clonogenic survival of tumor cells. Additionally, we analyzed, by mass spectrometry, the secretion of sphingolipid, ceramides, and their metabolites in osteosarcoma cells treated with polydatin. Overall, our results demonstrate that polydatin, through the secretion of sphingolipids and ceramide, induced osteogenic differentiation, alone and in the presence of ionizing therapy. Future investigations are needed to validate the use of polydatin in clinical practice as a potentiating agent of radiotherapy-induced anticancer effects