One loop Standard Model corrections to flavor diagonal fermion-graviton vertices

We extend a previous analysis of flavor-changing fermion-graviton vertices, by adding the one-loop SM corrections to the flavor diagonal fermion-graviton interactions. Explicit analytical expressions taking into account fermion masses for the on-shell form factors are computed and presented. The infrared safety of the fermion-graviton vertices against radiative corrections of soft photons and gluons is proved, by extending the ordinary infrared cancellation mechanism between real and virtual emissions to the gravity case. These results can be easily generalized to fermion couplings with massive gravitons, graviscalar, and dilaton fields, with potential phenomenological implications to new physics scenarios with low gravity scale.Comment: 30 pages, 11 figures, revised final version, to appear on Phys. Rev.

No NAT'd User left Behind: Fingerprinting Users behind NAT from NetFlow Records alone

It is generally recognized that the traffic generated by an individual connected to a network acts as his biometric signature. Several tools exploit this fact to fingerprint and monitor users. Often, though, these tools assume to access the entire traffic, including IP addresses and payloads. This is not feasible on the grounds that both performance and privacy would be negatively affected. In reality, most ISPs convert user traffic into NetFlow records for a concise representation that does not include, for instance, any payloads. More importantly, large and distributed networks are usually NAT'd, thus a few IP addresses may be associated to thousands of users. We devised a new fingerprinting framework that overcomes these hurdles. Our system is able to analyze a huge amount of network traffic represented as NetFlows, with the intent to track people. It does so by accurately inferring when users are connected to the network and which IP addresses they are using, even though thousands of users are hidden behind NAT. Our prototype implementation was deployed and tested within an existing large metropolitan WiFi network serving about 200,000 users, with an average load of more than 1,000 users simultaneously connected behind 2 NAT'd IP addresses only. Our solution turned out to be very effective, with an accuracy greater than 90%. We also devised new tools and refined existing ones that may be applied to other contexts related to NetFlow analysis

Malaria in children of Tshimbulu (Western Kasai, Democratic Republic of the Congo): epidemiological data and accuracy of diagnostic assays applied in a limited resource setting

BACKGROUND: The literature data on malaria in Western Kasai, DRC, are limited and inadequate. A recent molecular survey there has detected Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae as mixed infections with Plasmodium falciparum. In Tshimbulu, Western Kasai, during a humanitarian initiative designed to provide children with free preventive screening and to reduce the local high malaria death rate, accurate species identification was performed, in order to collect unambiguous epidemiological data and to evaluate the reliability of locally applied diagnostics. METHODS: Finger pricks provided fresh blood for microscopic analysis (MA), for rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and for molecular diagnostics (MD). MA and RDT were first performed by the local team and then a re-interpretation of the results (on the same slides and on RDT's taken pictures) was conducted in Italy, where MD were performed. RESULTS: The analysis was conducted on 306 children; RDT found 80.9 % as P. falciparum-positive (37.4 % as two-band positive, P. falciparum single infection). MA identified a further four children as positive to P. falciparum and six co-infections with P. ovale. The second RDT evaluation confirmed a similar infection rate (78.2 %) but interpreted as two-band positive a significantly higher share of tests (56.8 %). MA confirmed 80.0 % of the children as malaria positive and, in addition to P. falciparum, identified P. malariae (13.8 %), P. vivax (3.4 %) and P. ovale (2.4 %), and detected Babesia microti in 19 smears. MD confirmed all of the species found (Babesia microti included), classified as mono-infection with P. falciparum a rate of spots comparable to MA revision, and identified all P. ovale as Plasmodium ovale wallikeri. The RDT used locally proved 93.1 % sensitive and 92.1 % specific for P. falciparum. CONCLUSIONS: The malaria prevalence among the children and the presence of four Plasmodium species, highlighted in this study, identified a sanitary issue which proved to be more alarming than expected, as it was worsened by the unpredictable presence of P. vivax and Babesia microti (never before reported in DRC). Each diagnostic tool showed its point of weakness. Therefore, the most correct approach is by the combined use of different, locally available, diagnostic tools

Management of Symptomatic Venous Aneurysm

Venous aneurysms (VAs) have been described in quite of all the major veins. They represent uncommon events but often life-threatening because of pulmonary or paradoxical embolism. We describe our twelve patients' series with acute pulmonary emboli due to venous aneurysm thrombosis. Our experience underlines the importance of a multilevel case-by-case approach and the immediate venous lower limbs duplex scan evaluation in pulmonary embolism events. Our data confirm that anticoagulant alone is not effective in preventing pulmonary embolism. We believe that all the VAs of the deep venous system of the extremities should be treated with surgery as well as symptomatic superficial venous aneurysm. A simple excision can significantly improve symptoms and prevent pulmonary embolism

Image-based estimation of myocardial acceleration using TDFFD: a phantom study

International audienceIn this paper, we propose to estimate myocardial acceleration using a temporal di↵eomorphic free-form deformation (TDFFD) algorithm. The use of TDFFD has the advantage of providing B-spline parameterized velocities, thus temporally smooth, which is an asset for the computation of acceleration. The method is tested on 3D+t echocar-diographic sequences from a realistic physical heart phantom, in which ground truth displacement is known in some regions. Peak endocardial acceleration (PEA) error was 20.4%, the main hypothesis for error being the low temporal resolution of the sequences. The allure of the acceleration profile was reasonably preserved. Our method suggests a non-invasive technique to measure cardiac acceleration that may be used to improve the monitoring of cardiac mechanics and consecutive therapy planning

Mass Corrections to Flavor-Changing Fermion-Graviton Vertices in the Standard Model

In a previous study, the flavor-changing fermion-graviton interactions have been analyzed in the framework of the standard model, where analytical results for the relevant form factors were obtained at the leading order in the external fermion masses. These interactions arise at one-loop level by the charged electroweak corrections to the fermion-graviton vertex, when the off-diagonal flavor transitions in the corresponding charged weak currents are taken into account. Due to the conservation of the energy-momentum tensor, the corresponding form factors turn out to be finite and gauge invariant when external fermions are on-shell. Here we extend this previous analysis by including the exact dependence on the external fermion masses. Complete analytical results are provided for all the relevant form factors to the flavor-changing fermion-graviton transitions.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figure

Chromosomal alterations in atherosclerotic plaques

Alterations of chromosomes 7 and 11 have been involved in the progression of atherosclerosis. Twenty-three carotid endarterectomy specimens were studied for the presence of alterations in chromosomes 7 and 11, and fibroblastic growth factor-3 (FGF-3) gene amplification. Besides classic histological stainings, immunophenotyping of cellular and vascular components and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed. At the caps, unstable plaques (n = 18) showed inflammatory infiltration of macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and T-lymphocytes. Specifically in these regions, the FISH showed varying percentages of trisomy (15/18) and tetrasomy (8/15) of chromosome 7. In four cases polisomy 7 was noted in some nuclei. Monosomy of chromosome 11 and gene amplification of FGF-3 gene was observed. The FISH of the five stable plaques and normal arterial walls showed no chromosome alterations; furthermore, chromosome 3, which is not involved in atherosclerotic progression, presented a normal ploidy of smooth muscle cells in stable and unstable plaques and normal arterial walls. In conclusion, chromosome 7 and 11 alterations and FGF-3 gene amplification are components of unstable plaques, and might contribute to the evolution of stable plaques into complicated plaques.Fil: Matturri, Luigi. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Cazzullo, Alessandra. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Turconi, Paola. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Lavezzi, Anna Maria. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Vandone, Pier Luigi. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Gabrielli, Livio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Fernández Alonso, Graciela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; ArgentinaFil: Grana, Daniel Rodolfo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Milei, Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; Argentin

2300. Neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy: a follow-up and serological study

Abstract Background To evaluate the early and late clinical outcomes of neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy, the dynamics of maternal IgG trans placental transfer and its persistence during the first month of life. Methods Prospective study enrolling neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy at IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Bologna, Italy, between April 2020 and September 2021. Neonates born to women with infection onset before 2 weeks prior to delivery were enrolled in a 12-month follow-up, including clinical and laboratory evaluations, cranial ultrasound, fundoscopy evaluation. Quantitative IgG to S1/S2 subunits of spike protein were assessed in mother-neonate dyads within 48 hours post-delivery and during follow-up until negative. Transplacental IgG transfer ratio was assessed in relation to the type and trimester of maternal infection. Results One hundred and forty-five neonates were included. the rate of preterm delivery was similar between women with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection (6.2% versus 8.7%, P=0.53). No clinical, laboratory, cerebral and fundoscopy abnormalities were detected at birth or during follow-up, through 11 months (range 8–12). MedianIgG level at birth was not different between neonates born to asymptomatic or symptomatic mothers (18.5 AU/mL, IQR 12–49, versus 31.5 AU/mL, IQR 15–71, P=0.07) nor in relation to the trimester of maternal infection (Table 1), even though mothers with third trimester infections had higher IgG level at birth. Transplacental transfer ratio was higher following second trimester maternal infections and was the lowest following third trimester infections (Table 1). Maternally derived IgG were rapidly weaned, with most infants (115/140, 82%) seronegative by 4 months of age. Conclusion Early and later outcomes of infants born to SARS-CoV-2 infected mothers were favorable. IgG trans placental transfer was higher following second trimester maternal infections, which could be relevant to inform studies on appropriate vaccination strategies aimed at neonatal protection. Maternally derived IgG are rapidly weaned in the first months of life. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Altered intracellular ATP production by activated CD4+ T-cells in very preterm infants

Background. The neonatal immune system is not fully developed at birth; newborns have adequate lymphocytes counts but these cells lack function. Objective. To assess the activity of T-cells and the influence of the main perinatal factors in very preterm infants (birth weight < 1500 g). Design. Blood samples from 59 preterm infants (21/59 were dizygotic twins) were collected at birth and at 30 days of life to measure CD4+ T-cell activity using the ImmuKnow\u2122 assay. Fifteen healthy adults were included as a control group. Results. CD4+ T-cell activity was lower in VLBW infants compared with adults (p<0.001). Twins showed lower immune activity compared to singletons (p=0.005). Infants born vaginally showed higher CD4+ T-cell activity compared to those born by C-section (p=0.031); infants born after prolonged Premature Rupture of Membranes (pPROM) showed higher CD4+ T-cell activity at birth (p=0.002) compared to infants born without pPROM. Low CD4+ T-cell activity at birth is associated with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in the first week of life (p=0.049). Conclusions. Preterm infants show a lack in CD4+ T-cell activity at birth. Perinatal factors such as intrauterine inflammation, mode of delivery, and zygosity can influence the adaptive immune activation capacity at birth and can contribute to exposing these infants to serious complications such as NEC