Enumeration of Hypermaps of a Given Genus

This paper addresses the enumeration of rooted and unrooted hypermaps of a given genus. For rooted hypermaps the enumeration method consists of considering the more general family of multirooted hypermaps, in which darts other than the root dart are distinguished. We give functional equations for the generating series counting multirooted hypermaps of a given genus by number of darts, vertices, edges, faces and the degrees of the vertices containing the distinguished darts. We solve these equations to get parametric expressions of the generating functions of rooted hypermaps of low genus. We also count unrooted hypermaps of given genus by number of darts, vertices, hyperedges and faces.Comment: 42 page

Synthetic cathinones related fatalities: an update

Synthetic cathinones, more commonly known as "bath salts", are synthetic drugs chemically related to cathinone, a psychostimulant found in the khat plant. They are the first most consumed products among new psychoactive substances, which cause psychostimulant and hallucinogenic effects determining a number of fatalities worldwide.  In this paper, we have systematically reviewed cases of synthetic cathinones-related fatalities analytically confirmed, which have occurred in the last few years.OBJECTIVE: Synthetic cathinones, more commonly known as “bath salts”, are synthetic drugs chemically related to cathinone, a psychostimulant found in the khat plant. They are the first most consumed products among new psychoactive substances, which cause psychostimulant and hallucinogenic effects determining a number of fatalities worldwide. In this paper, we have systematically reviewed cases of synthetic cathinones-related fatalities analytically confirmed, which have occurred in the last few years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant scientific articles were identified in Medline, Cochrane Central, Scopus, Web of Science and Institutional/ government websites up to November 2017 using the following keywords: synthetic cathinones, mephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone, MDPV, methylone, ethylone, buthylone, fatal intoxication, fatalities and death. RESULTS: In total, 20 citations met the criteria for inclusion, representing several fatal cases with analytically confirmed synthetic cathinones in biological sample/s of the deceased. The death was attributed to hyperthermia, hypertension, cardiac arrest and more in general to the classic serotonin syndrome. Only rarely did the concentration of the parent drug causing fatality overcome the value of 1 mg/L in post-mortem biological fluids. CONCLUSIONS: Abuse of synthetic cathinones still represents a serious public health issue. Systematic clinical studies on both the animal and human model are lacking; therefore, the only available data are from the users who experience the possible hazardous consequences. Analytical methodologies for the identification of parent compounds and eventual metabolites both in ante-mortem and post-mortem cases need to be developed and validated. Analytical data should be shared through different communication platforms with the aim of stopping this serious health threat for drug users

Suitability of miRNA assessment in postmortem interval estimation

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to explore recent pieces of evidence focused on the use of miRNAs for PMI estimation both in humans and animal experiments, with particular interest on the best miRNAs to use as reference/target markers in different tissues or biological fluids. MiRNAs are innovative biomarkers used in clinical and research field: they appear very attractive, being introduced in forensic research scenarios even for PMI estimation.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from PubMed and Scopus were analyzed from January 2013 to August 2020. Based on inclusion/exclusion criteria, high-quality articles have been selected to become the subject of this review.RESULTS: A total of 737 papers were found but, after titles/abstracts screening for inclusion criteria and a full-text careful selection, 33 papers were deeply studied. After the exclusion of 19 papers, 15 articles remained. Eight papers dealt with animals (mice/rats), two both with animals and humans (for method validation previously built), while 5 exclusively with humans. Myocardium (6/15) and brain (6/15) were the most studied tissues. respectively in mice/rats and humans. PMI considered was up to 7.5 days in mouse studies and less than 3 days in human models.CONCLUSIONS: Because of their significant stability in both early and long PMI, miRNAs are the cleverest reference markers to be used. Temperature and environmental conditions influence mostly mRNA, while miRNAs are less susceptible to them. The best miRNA to choose depends on its tissue specificity, i.e., miR-9 and miR-125 in brain or miR-1 and miR-133 in skeletal muscle/heart

Infinite index extensions of local nets and defects

Subfactor theory provides a tool to analyze and construct extensions of Quantum Field Theories, once the latter are formulated as local nets of von Neumann algebras. We generalize some of the results of [LR95] to the case of extensions with infinite Jones index. This case naturally arises in physics, the canonical examples are given by global gauge theories with respect to a compact (non-finite) group of internal symmetries. Building on the works of Izumi, Longo, Popa [ILP98] and Fidaleo, Isola [FI99], we consider generalized Q-systems (of intertwiners) for a semidiscrete inclusion of properly infinite von Neumann algebras, which generalize ordinary Q-systems introduced by Longo [Lon94] to the infinite index case. We characterize inclusions which admit generalized Q-systems of intertwiners and define a braided product among the latter, hence we construct examples of QFTs with defects (phase boundaries) of infinite index, extending the family of boundaries in the grasp of [BKLR16].Comment: 50 page

Enabling Network Slicing Across a Disaggregated Optical Transport Network

We propose and implement a network virtualization architecture for open optical (partially) disaggregated networks, based on a device hypervisor and OpenConfig and OpenROADM data models, in support of 5G network slicing over interconnected NFVI-PoPs

Comparative electrochemical behavior of Prussian blue analogues as a host electrode for rare earth element recovery

In this paper, electrodeposited films belonging to the Prussian Blue Analogues (PBAs) family, namely, nickel-hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) and copper-hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF), were employed as a host material for rare earth elements (REE), and the reported insertion/release study reveals a recovery capability for such valuable metals. The ion insertion/release was accomplished by adopting an electrochemically-driven process. A reversible intercalation was observed while considering both heavy and ligth rare earth elements. The amount of REEs inserted/released over the process and its kinetic evolution during the process were also studied by a chemometric approach. For CuHCF, it was seen that the intercalation of heavy rare earth elements occurs easily respect to the light ones, suggesting a possible selectivity among these ions

ONOS-Controlled Disaggregated Optical Networks

State-of-art, potentials and limitations of the ONOS controller applied to disaggregated optical networks are reported. Focus is on the on-going ODTN project. Results of experimental demonstrations are reported to prove the feasibility of proposed approach

Anomalous Angular Dependence of the Dynamic Structure Factor near Bragg Reflections: Graphite

The electron energy-loss function of graphite is studied for momentum transfers q beyond the first Brillouin zone. We find that near Bragg reflections the spectra can change drastically for very small variations in q. The effect is investigated by means of first principle calculations in the random phase approximation and confirmed by inelastic x-ray scattering measurements of the dynamic structure factor S(q,\omega). We demonstrate that this effect is governed by crystal local field effects and the stacking of graphite. It is traced back to a strong coupling between excitations at small and large momentum transfers