Realization and characterization of a 2-photon 4-qubit linear cluster state

We report on the experimental realization of a 4-qubit linear cluster state via two photons entangled both in polarization and linear momentum. This state was investigated by performing tomographic measurements and by evaluating an entanglement witness. By use of this state we carried out a novel nonlocality proof, the so-called ``stronger two observer all versus nothing'' test of quantum nonlocality.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Affilare le armi. Dall’antica Roma ai social

Some common Italian sayings are rooted in similar expressions used in the Latin texts: these are mostly lexicalized metaphors originating from the use of conceptual images. This is the case of «sharpening your weapons»: this saying, which has established itself above all on the media and in the language of politics and sport since the 1960s, recalls some military metaphors applied to the context of classical oratory. The study of its origins says a lot about the dynamics of communication established in contemporary society

Il ritratto del bellus homo in Mart. 3, 63: realismo e retorica

Gli artifici della retorica sembrano lontani dal realismo della poesia di Marziale. Al contrario, un’attenta analisi degli epigrammi mostra come il meccanismo comico e la vivezza descrittiva che li caratterizzano siano debitori di molti procedimenti espressivi illustrati dai manuali tecnici. Infatti, lo studio del mordace ritratto di un dandy (il bellus homo di 3,63) rivela in filigrana la rielaborazione di un esercizio di scrittura diffuso nelle scuole. Ne scaturisce una nuova possibile chiave di lettura del brillante epigramma.Il semble que les artifices de la rhétorique soient étrangers au réalisme de la poésie de Martial. Au contraire, l’analyse des épigrammes montre comment le mécanisme comique et la vivacité de la description résultent des procédés d’écriture qui ont été illustrés par les artes rhetoricae. En fait, l’étude d’un tableau qui représente un dandy (bellus homo) révèle une élaboration textuelle très habile, qui joue sur la structure d’un exercice scolaire, la description des caractères (éthopée). Cela permet de donner à l’épigramme une nouvelle interprétation.It seems likely that Martial intended to write a realistic poetry far from rhetorical artificialities. On the contrary, by analyzing the epigrams, one can show how the comic mechanisms and the vivid descriptions are the result of the rules illustrated by the artes rhetoricae. The depiction picture of a dandy (bellus homo) shows a very clever textual elaboration based upon a school exercise, the ethopoiea. This may shed a new light on the meaning of this epigram

Physical activity scale for the elderly: translation, cultural adaptation, and validation of the Italian version

Objective. The aim of the study was to translate and culturally adapt the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly into Italian (PASE-I) and to evaluate its psychometric properties in the Italian older adults healthy population. Methods. For translation and cultural adaptation, the "Translation and Cultural Adaptation of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measures" guidelines have been followed. Participants included healthy individuals between 55 and 75 years old. The reliability and validity were assessed following the "Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Status Measurement Instruments" checklist. To evaluate internal consistency and test-retest reliability, Cronbach's α and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) were, respectively, calculated. The Berg Balance Score (BBS) and the PASE-I were administered together, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated for validity. Results. All the PASE-I items were identical or similar to the original version. The scale was administered twice within a week to 94 Italian healthy older people. The mean PASE-I score in this study was 159±77.88. Cronbach's α was 0.815 (p < 0.01) and ICC was 0.977 (p < 0.01). The correlation with the BBS was 0.817 (p < 0.01). Conclusions. The PASE-I showed positive results for reliability and validity. This scale will be of great use to clinicians and researchers in evaluating and managing physical activities in the Italian older adults population

Recurrence following anastomotic leakage after surgery for carcinoma of the distal esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Esophageal cancer is the ninth most common cancer. The only potentially curative treatment is surgical resection, which unfortunately is still associated with major complications, the most important being anastomotic leakage, currently with an overall rate of up to 26% morbidity. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the relationship between anastomotic leakage and recurrence of disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was systematically performed. Seven out of 312 articles dated between 2009 and 2018 fulfilled the selection for a total of 5,433 patients. RESULTS: The frequency of anastomotic leakage ranged from 7.2 to 11.2%. Patients affected by anastomotic leakage had a recurrence rate of 9-56%. CONCLUSION: Closer follow-up or even more aggressive oncological therapy should be considered for patients affected by anastomotic leakage after surgery for carcinoma of the distal esophagus and gastroesophageal junction

Management of duodenal stump fistula after gastrectomy for gastric cancer: systematic review

AIM: To identify the most effective treatment of duodenal stump fistula (DSF) after gastrectomy for gastric cancer. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CILEA Archive, BMJ Clinical Evidence and UpToDate databases were analyzed. Three hundred eighty-eight manuscripts were retrieved and analyzed and thirteen studies published between 1988 and 2014 were finally selected according to the inclusion criteria, for a total of 145 cases of DSF, which represented our group of study. Only patients with DSF after gastrectomy for malignancy were selected. Data about patients' characteristics, type of treatment, short and long-term outcomes were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: In the 13 studies different types of treatment were proposed: conservative approach, surgical approach, percutaneous approach and endoscopic approach (3 cases). The overall mortality rate was 11.7% for the entire cohort. The more frequent complications were sepsis, abscesses, peritonitis, bleeding, pneumonia and multi-organ failure. Conservative approach was performed in 6 studies for a total of 79 patients, in patients with stable general condition, often associated with percutaneous approach. A complete resolution of the leakage was achieved in 92.3% of these patients, with a healing time ranging from 17 to 71 d. Surgical approach included duodenostomy, duodeno-jejunostomy, pancreatoduodenectomy and the use of rectus muscle flap. In-hospital stay of patients who underwent relaparotomy ranged from 1 to 1035 d. The percutaneous approach included drainage of abscesses or duodenostomy (32 cases) and percutaneous biliary diversion (13 cases). The median healing time in this group was 43 d. CONCLUSION: Conservative approach is the treatment of choice, eventually associated with percutaneus drainage. Surgical approach should be reserved for severe cases or when conservative approaches fail

A single experience in the conduction of clinical trial during COronaVIrusDisease-2019 pandemic

Aim: From the start of the pandemic, several aspects of healthcare policies changed, not least the clinical trials management from recruiting capabilities to the protocol compliance in terms of schedule of procedures, follow-up visits, staff constraints and monitoring. This study aims to assess the impact of the COronaVIrusDisease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the conduction of clinical trials at the site of clinical oncology, Ancona (Italy), to identify the strengths and weaknesses upfront the past emergency, and to select better strategies for future similar situations. Methods: Data from February to July of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021 were collected and three practical parameters of the trial unit were investigated: milestones, performance, and impact. Results: The trials mean numbers were 18, 24, and 23, in 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively. The pre-Site Initiation Visit (PRE-SIV) rate grew from 66.6% in 2019 to 95.5% in 2021 with a deflection in 2020. Protocol deviations were 40 in the period February-July 2019, in the same period of 2020 the number of deviations increased due to COVID related ones, then there was a significant total decrease in February-July 2021. In 2020 and 2021, all the investigator meetings were online. Conclusions: The growing number of remote Site Initiation Visit (SIV) and meetings over the last 3 years suggests the feasibility of the on-line processes. The significant reduction in protocol deviations during 2021 is probably due to an under check of data during a pandemic. But that is also a possible key indicator of the coping strategy made out by clinical oncology to guarantee the continuity of care in clinical trials and to offer new opportunities of cancer care in a bad scenario such as a pandemic one

Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of digital technologies in mental health systems: a qualitative systematic review to inform a policy framework

Background: Despite the potential for improved population mental health and wellbeing, the integration of mental health digital interventions has been difficult to achieve. In this qualitative systematic review, we aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to the implementation of digital technologies in mental healthcare systems, and map these to an implementation framework to inform policy development. Methods: We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for primary research articles published between January 2010 and 2022. Studies were considered eligible if they reported barriers and/or facilitators to the integration of any digital mental healthcare technologies. Data were extracted using EPPI-Reviewer Web and analysed thematically via inductive and deductive cycles. Results: Of 12,525 references identified initially, 81 studies were included in the final analysis. Barriers and facilitators were grouped within an implementation (evidence-practice gap) framework across six domains, organised by four levels of mental healthcare systems. Broadly, implementation was hindered by the perception of digital technologies as impersonal tools that add additional burden of care onto both providers and patients, and change relational power asymmetries; an absence of resources; and regulatory complexities that impede access to universal coverage. Facilitators included person-cantered approaches that consider patients’ intersectional features e.g., gender, class, disability, illness severity; evidence-based training for providers; collaboration among colleagues; appropriate investment in human and financial resources; and policy reforms that tackle universal access to digital health. Conclusion: It is important to consider the complex and interrelated nature of barriers across different domains and levels of the mental health system. To facilitate the equitable, sustainable, and long-term digital transition of mental health systems, policymakers should consider a systemic approach to collaboration between public and private sectors to inform evidence-based planning and strengthen mental health systems. Protocol registration: The protocol is registered on PROSPERO, CRD42021276838

“En-Solex”: A Novel Solar Exoskeleton for the Energy-efficiency Retrofitting of Existing Buildings

The energy retrofitting of the existing building stock is one of the current challenging strategic objectives on the way to the European target of climate neutrality by 2050. According to the Renovation Wave plan, around 35 million existing buildings need to be upgraded to the highest energy efficiency level by 2030, and innovative technological solutions are required to achieve this ambitious goal. This paper proposes a novel solar exoskeleton for the energy and architectural retrofitting of existing buildings, called En-Solex. The system, which consists of an external steel frame that wraps around buildings like a double skin, combines passive solar gain control (shading and greening) with high-efficiency active solar systems (PV panels) optimised for integration into existing building facades. The energy-saving potential of the system with different façade configurations is evaluated on a multi-family residential building located in a Mediterranean climate. The dynamic energy simulations show that the proposed solution can reduce the energy demand for space heating and cooling by 33.4% and 25.5% respectively. The En-Solex system integration combined with generator replacement results in a maximum heating and cooling reduction equal to 80.7% and 59.6% respectively. The surplus of electricity generated, thanks to the integration of RES, can lead to a net plus target, with the building exceeding its average annual electricity demand

The Impact of Hyaluronic Acid on Tendon Physiology and Its Clinical Application in Tendinopathies

The physical-chemical, structural, hydrodynamic, and biological properties of hyaluronic acid within tendons are still poorly investigated. Medical history and clinical applications of hyaluronic acid for tendinopathies are still debated. In general, the properties of hyaluronic acid depend on several factors including molecular weight. Several preclinical and clinical experiences show a good efficacy and safety profile of hyaluronic acid, despite the absence of consensus in the literature regarding the classification according to molecular weight. In in vitro and preclinical studies, hyaluronic acid has shown physical-chemical properties, such as biocompatibility, mucoadhesivity, hygroscopicity, and viscoelasticity, useful to contribute to tendon healing. Additionally, in clinical studies, hyaluronic acid has been used with promising results in different tendinopathies. In this narrative review, findings encourage the clinical application of HA in tendinopathies such as rotator cuff, epicondylitis, Achilles, and patellar tendinopathy