Coherent QED, Giant Resonances and (e+e−)(e^{+}e^{-}) Pairs in High Energy Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions

We show that the coherent oscillations of the e.m. field induced by the collective quantum fluctuations of the nuclear matter field associated with the giant resonances, with frequencies $\omega_{A}\simeq 78A^{-{1/3}}$ MeV, give rise to a significant $(e^+e^-)$ pair production in high energy Heavy Ion collisions. The approximate parameterless calculation of such yield is in good agreement with recent experimental observations.Comment: 27 pages, 13 figure

cytokines in the nasal washes of children with respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis

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Chagas disease knocks on our door : A cross-sectional study among Latin American immigrants in Milan, Italy

Objectives: We aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors for Chagas disease (CD) in Latin American immigrants and to evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic tests. Moreover, we offered to all positive subjects a complete free-of-charge clinical/instrumental evaluation as well as benznidazole treatment in order to stage the disease and verify drug tolerability. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of CD among Latin Americans living in Milan and its metropolitan area was conducted between July 2013 and July 2014. Blood samples were tested for serologic evidence of CD together with a questionnaire covering demographic and clinical-epidemiological information. Results: Forty-eight (9.6%) of the 501 tested subjects were conclusively diagnosed as having CD. The highest prevalence of CD was among those from Bolivia (43/169, 25.4%) and El Salvador (4/68, 5.9%). Older age (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)] 1.05, p =0.004), a Bolivian origin (aOR 8.80; p =0.003), being born in the department of Santa Cruz (aOR 3.72, p =0.047), having lived in mud houses (aOR 2.68; p =0.019), and having an affected relative (aOR 12.77, p =0.001) were independently associated with CD. The ARCHITECT Chagas test showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99.8%). Twenty-nine of the subjects with CD (60.4%) underwent disease staging, 10 of whom (35.7%) showed cardiac and/or digestive involvement. Benznidazole treatment was associated with high frequency of adverse reactions (19/27, 70.4%) and permanent discontinuation (8/27, 29.6%). Conclusions: CD is highly prevalent among Bolivians and Salvadorans living in Milan. Regions with a large Latin American immigrant population should implement programmes of active detection and treatment

Favorable therapeutic response with an antiretroviral salvage regimen in an HIV-1-positive subject infected with a CRF11-cpx virus

HIV drug resistance still represents a crucial problem in antiretroviral therapy. We report a case of a naive patient, harboring a CRF11-cpx virus, which showed drug resistance mutations in the reverse transcriptase. Drug resistance genotyping test was performed for pol (protease, reverse transcriptase, and integrase) and V3 regions. The initial clinical parameters results showed a 4 logs level of HIV-RNA (12,090 cp/mL) and a very low CD4+ cell count (35 cells/\ub5L). We designed an initial HAART regimen including 3TC+ABC+DRV/r. The virus resulted highly resistant to all NRTIs and NNRTIs except to ABC, TDF, and EFV and susceptible to all PIs and INIs. A salvage regimen including RAL+DRV/r was started. Ten months after, the immuno-virological status shows CD4+ 142/\ub5L and HIV-RNA <37 cp/mL. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of a treatment combination that includes RAL+DRV/r in a patient infected with a complex X4-tropic CRF11-cpx virus

Use of Dual-Energy Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Genitourinary Diseases

Since its clinical inception a decade ago, dual-energy computed tomography has expanded the array of computed tomography imaging tools available to the practicing abdominal radiologist. Of note, diagnostic solutions for imaging-based evaluation of genitourinary diseases, foremost kidney calculi and renal tumors characterization, represent the apogee applications of dual-energy computed tomography in abdominal imaging. This article reviews clinical applications of dual-energy computed tomography for the assessment of genitourinary diseases

Diagnostic yield of computed tomography for the identification of coronavirus disease 2019 using repeated reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing or confirmed true-negative state as reference standard: systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis assessing the diagnostic yield of computed tomography (CT) for the identification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) using repeated reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction testing or confirmed true-negative state as reference standard. METHODS: In May 2020, we interrogated the MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios of CT for COVID-19 identification were computed. Cumulative positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value, stratified by disease prevalence, were calculated. RESULTS: Ten articles were included (1332 patients). Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and summary diagnostic odds ratio of CT were 82% [95% confidence interval (CI), 79%-84%], 68% (95% CI, 65%-71%), and 18 (95% CI, 9.8-32.8). The PPV and negative predictive value were 54% (95% CI, 30%-77%) and 94% (95% CI, 88%-99%) at a COVID-19 prevalence lower than 40%, and 80% (95% CI, 62%-91%) and 77% (95% CI, 68%-85%) at a prevalence higher than 40%. CONCLUSION: CT yields higher specificity and PPV, albeit lower sensitivity, than previously reported for the identification of COVID-19

VerSus project: lessons from vernacular heritage for sustainable architecture

International audienceno abstrac