Apolarity, Hessian and Macaulay polynomials

A result by Macaulay states that an Artinian graded Gorenstein ring R of socle dimension one and socle degree b can be realized as the apolar ring of a homogeneous polynomial f of degree b. If R is the Jacobian ring of a smooth hypersurface g=0, then b is just equal to the degree of the Hessian polynomial of g. In this paper we investigate the relationship between f and the Hessian polynomial of g.Comment: 12 pages. Improved exposition, minor correction

Impact of setting of care on pain management in patients with cancer: a multicentre cross-sectional study

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Glueball masses in the large N limit

The lowest-lying glueball masses are computed in SU($N$) gauge theory on a spacetime lattice for constant value of the lattice spacing $a$ and for $N$ ranging from 3 to 8. The lattice spacing is fixed using the deconfinement temperature at temporal extension of the lattice $N_T = 6$. The calculation is conducted employing in each channel a variational ansatz performed on a large basis of operators that includes also torelon and (for the lightest states) scattering trial functions. This basis is constructed using an automatic algorithm that allows us to build operators of any size and shape in any irreducible representation of the cubic group. A good signal is extracted for the ground state and the first excitation in several symmetry channels. It is shown that all the observed states are well described by their large $N$ values, with modest ${\cal O}(1/N^2)$ corrections. In addition spurious states are identified that couple to torelon and scattering operators. As a byproduct of our calculation, the critical couplings for the deconfinement phase transition for N=5 and N=7 and temporal extension of the lattice $N_T=6$ are determined.Comment: 1+36 pages, 22 tables, 21 figures. Typos corrected, conclusions unchanged, matches the published versio

Numerical Portrait of a Relativistic Thin Film BCS Superfluid

We present results of numerical simulations of the 2+1d Nambu - Jona-Lasinio model with a non-zero baryon chemical potential mu including the effects of a diquark source term. Diquark condensates, susceptibilities and masses are measured as functions of source strength j. The results suggest that diquark condensation does not take place in the high density phase mu>mu_c, but rather that the condensate scales non-analytically with j implying a line of critical points and long range phase coherence. Analogies are drawn with the low temperature phase of the 2d XY model. The spectrum of the spin-1/2 sector is also studied yielding the quasiparticle dispersion relation. There is no evidence for a non-zero gap; rather the results are characteristic of a normal Fermi liquid with Fermi velocity less than that of light. We conclude that the high density phase of the model describes a relativistic gapless thin film BCS superfluid.Comment: 37 pages, 16 figure

Spectral- and size-resolved mass absorption efficiency of mineral dust aerosols in the shortwave spectrum: a simulation chamber study

This paper presents new laboratory measurements of the mass absorption efficiency (MAE) between 375 and 850 nm for 12 individual samples of mineral dust from different source areas worldwide and in two size classes: PM10:6 (mass fraction of particles of aerodynamic diameter lower than 10.6 \u3bcm) and PM2:5 (mass fraction of particles of aerodynamic diameter lower than 2.5 \u3bcm). The experiments were performed in the CESAM simulation chamber using mineral dust generated from natural parent soils and included optical and gravimetric analyses. The results show that the MAE values are lower for the PM10:6 mass fraction (range 37\u2013135x10-3 m2 g-1 at 375 nm) than for the PM2:5 (range 95\u2013711x10-3 m2 g-1 at 375 nm) and decrease with increasing wavelength as lambda-AAE, where the \uc5ngstr\uf6m absorption exponent (AAE) averages between 3.3 and 3.5, regardless of size. The size independence of AAE suggests that, for a given size distribution, the oxide fraction, which could ease the application and the validation of climate models that now start to include the representation of the dust composition, as well as for remote sensing of dust absorption in the UV\u2013vis spectral region

Lipids and transaminase elevations in ARV-experienced PLWH switching to a doravirine-based regimen from rilpivirine or other regimens

Background: Doravirine (DOR) is a newly approved antiretroviral belonging to the class of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI), well tolerated and leading to an improved lipid profile in antiretroviral experienced people living with HIV (PLWH). We aimed at evaluating if the lipid-lowering effect is linked to the drug class, using real-life data from the SCOLTA cohort. Methods: We compared the lipid profile modifications in experienced PLWH switching to a DOR-based regimen from rilpivirine or another NNRTI-based regimen or from an integrase strand transferase (INSTI)-based regimen. T0 and T1 were defined as the baseline and 6-month follow-up respectively. Data were collected at baseline and prospectively every six months and changes from baseline were compared using a multivariable linear model. Results: In 107 PLWH, enrolled in the SCOLTA DOR cohort, with undetectable HIV-RNA at baseline, 32.7% switched from RPV-based regimens (DOR1), 29.9% from other NNRTI-including regimens (DOR2) and 37.4% switched from INSTI-including regimens (DOR3). At T1, TC significantly decreased in DOR2 (-15 mg/dL) and DOR3 (-23 mg/dL), and significantly more in DOR3 than in DOR1 (-6 mg/dL) (p = 0.016). HDL-C declined in DOR2 (-2 mg/dL) whereas it increased in DOR1 (+ 3 mg/dL) (p = 0.042) and remained stable in DOR3. LDL-C significantly decreased from baseline in DOR2 (-12 mg/dL) and DOR3 (-22 mg/dL) and was different between DOR1 (-8 mg/dL) and DOR3 (p = 0.022). TC/HDL ratio showed a significant decline in the DOR3 group (-0.45), although similar to DOR1 (-0.23, p = 0.315) and DOR2 (-0.19, p = 0.254). Triglycerides did not noticeably change. ALT significantly decreased in PLWH with a baseline level > 40 UI/mL. Conclusions: PLWH on doravirine treatment showed different trends in blood lipids according to their previous regimen. In PLWH switching from RPV, minimal modifications were seen, whereas in those switching from other NNRTIs and from INSTI-including regimens, we observed an overall improvement in lipid profile, seemingly independent of the “statin effect” of TDF

Height and timing of growth spurt during puberty in young people living with vertically acquired HIV in Europe and Thailand.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe growth during puberty in young people with vertically acquired HIV. DESIGN: Pooled data from 12 paediatric HIV cohorts in Europe and Thailand. METHODS: One thousand and ninety-four children initiating a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or boosted protease inhibitor based regimen aged 1-10 years were included. Super Imposition by Translation And Rotation (SITAR) models described growth from age 8 years using three parameters (average height, timing and shape of the growth spurt), dependent on age and height-for-age z-score (HAZ) (WHO references) at antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. Multivariate regression explored characteristics associated with these three parameters. RESULTS: At ART initiation, median age and HAZ was 6.4 [interquartile range (IQR): 2.8, 9.0] years and -1.2 (IQR: -2.3 to -0.2), respectively. Median follow-up was 9.1 (IQR: 6.9, 11.4) years. In girls, older age and lower HAZ at ART initiation were independently associated with a growth spurt which occurred 0.41 (95% confidence interval 0.20-0.62) years later in children starting ART age 6 to 10 years compared with 1 to 2 years and 1.50 (1.21-1.78) years later in those starting with HAZ less than -3 compared with HAZ at least -1. Later growth spurts in girls resulted in continued height growth into later adolescence. In boys starting ART with HAZ less than -1, growth spurts were later in children starting ART in the oldest age group, but for HAZ at least -1, there was no association with age. Girls and boys who initiated ART with HAZ at least -1 maintained a similar height to the WHO reference mean. CONCLUSION: Stunting at ART initiation was associated with later growth spurts in girls. Children with HAZ at least -1 at ART initiation grew in height at the level expected in HIV negative children of a comparable age

Precise measurements of the properties of the B-1(5721)(0,+) and B-2*(5747)(0,+) states and observation of B-+,B-0 pi(-,+) mass structures

Invariant mass distributions of B+π− and B0π+ combinations are investigated in order to study excited B mesons. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to 3.0 fb−1 of pp collision data, recorded by the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Precise measurements of the masses and widths of the B1(5721)0,+ and B2(5747)0,+ states are reported. Clear enhancements, particularly prominent at high pion transverse momentum, are seen over background in the mass range 5850-6000 MeV in both B+π− and B0π+ combinations. The structures are consistent with the presence of four excited B mesons, labelled BJ (5840)0,+ and BJ (5960)0,+, whose masses and widths are obtained under different hypotheses for their quantum numbers

The management of cancer in the elderly: targeted therapies in oncology

Cancer is universally considered a disease of ageing. Today the management of elderly cancer patients poses many specific problems and it should be revisited in the light of the most recent advances in both diagnosis and treatment of human malignancies. In particular, the potential use of novel therapeutic options, based on therapeutic agents raised against molecular targets (the so called targeted therapy), appears to be promising in this clinical settings especially in view of the limited side-effects. The mainstays of cancer treatment during the twentieth century were surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. However, surgery is not curative in metastatic disease, radiation and chemotherapy are limited by side effects because they can't discriminate between healthy and cancerous cells. When key molecular changes responsible for malignant transformation were identified (e.g. growth factors and their receptors), it was hoped that new targeted agents, by inhibiting cancer-specific pathways, would spare normal cells and thereby offer improved safety benefits and a higher therapeutic index over standard chemotherapeutics. The most common targeted therapies used in clinical practice, i.e. monoclonal antibodies and small molecules, are described

Impact of social determinants on antiretroviral therapy access and outcomes entering the era of universal treatment for people living with HIV in Italy

Background: Social determinants are known to be a driving force of health inequalities, even in high income countries. Aim of our study was to determine if these factors can limit antiretroviral therapy (ART) access, outcome and retention in care of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Italy. Methods: All ART naïve HIV+ patients (pts) of Italian nationality enrolled in the ICONA Cohort from 2002 to 2016 were included. The association of socio-demographic characteristics (age, sex, risk factor for HIV infection, educational level, occupational status and residency area) with time to: ART initiation (from the first positive anti-HIV test), ART regimen discontinuation, and first HIV-RNA < 50 cp/mL, were evaluated by Cox regression analysis, Kaplan Meier method and log-rank test. Results: A total of 8023 HIV+ pts (82% males, median age at first pos anti-HIV test 36 years, IQR: 29-44) were included: 6214 (77.5%) started ART during the study period. Women, people who inject drugs (PWID) and residents in Southern Italy presented the lowest levels of education and the highest rate of unemployment compared to other groups. Females, pts aged > 50 yrs., unemployed vs employed, and people with lower educational levels presented the lowest CD4 count at ART initiation compared to other groups. The overall median time to ART initiation was 0.6 years (yrs) (IQR 0.1-3.7), with a significant decrease over time [2002-2006 = 3.3 yrs. (0.2-9.4); 2007-2011 = 1.0 yrs. (0.1-3.9); 2012-2016 = 0.2 yrs. (0.1-2.1), p < 0.001]. By multivariate analysis, females (p < 0.01) and PWID (p < 0.001), presented a longer time to ART initiation, while older people (p < 0.001), people with higher educational levels (p < 0.001), unemployed (p = 0.02) and students (p < 0.001) were more likely to initiate ART. Moreover, PWID, unemployed vs stable employed, and pts. with lower educational levels showed a lower 1-year probability of achieving HIV-RNA suppression, while females, older patients, men who have sex with men (MSM), unemployed had higher 1-year risk of first-line ART discontinuation. Conclusions: Despite median time to ART start decreased from 2002 to 2016, socio-demographic factors still contribute to disparities in ART initiation, outcome and durability