Flavour changing neutral currents and axions

In this work we analyze the signals of axion-like particles (ALPs) in flavour changing neutral currents processes. We adopt an effective field theory approach to parametrize ALP couplings to the electroweak bosonic sector and ALP contribution to FCNC decays is computed at one-loop order. We put constraints on ALP couplings to W boson and fermions stemming from the experimental bounds given by meson decays, assuming a flavour blind ALP-fermion interaction. We perform our analysis in the hypothesis of invisible ALP and we study the interplay between the different couplings, which produces an interesting pattern of destructive/constructive interference.ope

Baryogenesis and Leptogenesis from Supercooled Confinement

We propose a framework of baryogenesis and leptogenesis that relies on a supercooled confining phase transition (PT) in the early universe. The baryon or lepton asymmetry is sourced by decays of hadrons of the strong dynamics after the PT, and it is enhanced compared to the non-confining case, which was the only one explored so far. This widens the energy range of the PT, where the observed baryon asymmetry can be reproduced, down to the electroweak scale. The framework then becomes testable with gravity waves (GW) at LISA and the Einstein Telescope. We then study two explicit realisations: one of leptogenesis from composite sterile neutrinos that realises inverse see-saw; one of baryogenesis from composite scalars that is partly testable by existing colliders and flavour factories.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures, minor revision, accepted for publication in JHE

Dark matter in the Scotogenic model with spontaneous lepton number violation

Scotogenic models constitute an appealing solution to the generation of neutrino masses and to the dark matter mystery. In this work we consider a version of the Scotogenic model that breaks lepton number spontaneously. At this scope, we extend the particle content of the Scotogenic model with an additional singlet scalar which acquires a non-zero vacuum expectation value and breaks a global lepton number symmetry. As a consequence, a massless Goldstone boson, the majoron, appears in the particle spectrum. We discuss how the presence of the majoron modifies the phenomenology, both in flavor and dark matter observables. We focus on the fermionic dark matter candidate and analyze its relic abundance and prospects for both direct and indirect detection.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

Relic Neutrino Background from Cosmic-Ray Reservoirs

We compute the flux of relic neutrino background (R$\nu$B) up-scattered by ultra-high-energy (UHE) cosmic rays (CRs) in clusters that act as CR-reservoirs. The long trapping times of UHECRs make this flux larger than that of R$\nu$B up-scattered by UHECRs on their way to Earth, which we also compute. We find that IceCube excludes R$\nu$B weighted overdensities larger than $10^{10}$ in clusters, and that PUEO, RNO-G, GRAND and IceCube-Gen2 will test values down to $10^{8}$. Our treatment incorporates the momentum transfer dependence of the neutrino-nucleus cross section, deep inelastic scattering, a mixed UHECR composition, and flavour information on the up-scattered R$\nu$B fluxes for both cases of neutrino mass spectrum with normal and inverted ordering, providing new handles to possibly disentangle the up-scattered R$\nu$B from cosmogenic neutrinos.Comment: 5 pages + appendices, 5 figures, 1 tabl

Use of State Sequence Analysis in Pharmacoepidemiology: A Tutorial.

While state sequence analysis (SSA) has been long used in social sciences, its use in pharmacoepidemiology is still in its infancy. Indeed, this technique is relatively easy to use, and its intrinsic visual nature may help investigators to untangle the latent information within prescription data, facilitating the individuation of specific patterns and possible inappropriate use of medications. In this paper, we provide an educational primer of the most important learning concepts and methods of SSA, including measurement of dissimilarities between sequences, the application of clustering methods to identify sequence patterns, the use of complexity measures for sequence patterns, the graphical visualization of sequences, and the use of SSA in predictive models. As a worked example, we present an application of SSA to opioid prescription patterns in patients with non-cancer pain, using real-world data from Italy. We show how SSA allows the identification of patterns in prescriptions in these data that might not be evident using standard statistical approaches and how these patterns are associated with future discontinuation of opioid therapy

Water-rich C-type asteroids as early solar system carbonate factories

Micrometeorites represent a major potential source of volatiles for the early Earth, although often overlooked due to their small sizes and the effects of atmospheric entry. In this study we explore an unusual ~2000 μm, fine-grained unmelted micrometeorite TAM19B-7 derived from a water-rich C-type asteroid. Previous analysis revealed a unique O-isotope composition and intensely aqueously altered geological history. We investigated its carbon isotopic composition using the NanoSIMS and characterized the carbon-bearing carriers using Raman and Near-Infrared spectroscopy. We found that TAM19B-7 has a 13C enriched bulk composition (δ13C = +3 ± 8 ‰), including a domain with 13C depletion (δ13C = −27.1 ‰). Furthermore, a few micro-scale domains show 13C enrichments (δ13C from +12.9 ‰ to +32.7 ‰) suggesting much of the particle’s carbon content was reprocessed into fine-grained carbonates, likely calcite. The heavy bulk C-isotope composition of TAM19B-7 indicates either open system gas loss during aqueous alteration or carbonate formation from isotopically heavy soluble organics. Carbonates have been detected on small body surfaces, including across dwarf planet Ceres, and on the C-type asteroids Bennu and Ryugu. The preservation of both carbonates with 13C enrichments and organic carbon with 13C depletion in TAM19B-7, despite having been flash heated to high temperatures (<1000 °C), demonstrates the importance of cosmic dust as a volatile reservoir

The Role of Uric Acid in Acute and Chronic Coronary Syndromes.

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of the catabolism of endogenous and exogenous purine nucleotides. While its association with articular gout and kidney disease has been known for a long time, new data have demonstrated that UA is also related to cardiovascular (CV) diseases. UA has been identified as a significant determinant of many different outcomes, such as all-cause and CV mortality, and also of CV events (mainly Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) and even strokes). Furthermore, UA has been related to the development of Heart Failure, and to a higher mortality in decompensated patients, as well as to the onset of atrial fibrillation. After a brief introduction on the general role of UA in CV disorders, this review will be focused on UA's relationship with CV outcomes, as well as on the specific features of patients with ACS and Chronic Coronary Syndrome. Finally, two issues which remain open will be discussed: the first is about the identification of a CV UA cut-off value, while the second concerns the possibility that the pharmacological reduction of UA is able to lower the incidence of CV events

Who was buried with Nestor’s Cup? Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the cremated remains from Tomb 168 (second half of the 8th century BCE, Pithekoussai, Ischia Island, Italy)

Cremation 168 from the second half of the 8th century BCE (Pithekoussai’s necropolis, Ischia Island, Italy), better known as the Tomb of Nestor’s Cup, is widely considered as one of the most intriguing discoveries in the Mediterranean Pre-Classic archaeology. A drinking cup, from which the Tomb’s name derives, bears one of the earliest surviving examples of written Greek, representing the oldest Homeric poetry ever recovered. According to previous osteological analyses, the Cup is associated with the cremated remains of a juvenile, aged approximately 10–14 years at death. Since then, a vast body of literature has attempted to explain the unique association between the exceptionality of the grave good complex, the symposiac and erotic evocation of the Nestor’s Cup inscription with the young age of the individual buried with it. This paper reconsiders previous assessments of the remains by combining gross morphology with qualitative histology and histomorphometric analyses of the burnt bone fragments. This work reveals the commingled nature of the bone assemblage, identifying for the first time, more than one human individual mixed with faunal remains. These outcomes dramatically change previous reconstructions of the cremation deposit, rewriting the answer to the question: who was buried with Nestor’s Cup

Dupilumab in the treatment of severe uncontrolled chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP): A multicentric observational Phase IV real-life study (DUPIREAL)

Background Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is associated with significant morbidity and reduced health-related quality of life. Findings from clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of dupilumab in CRSwNP, although real-world evidence is still limited. Methods This Phase IV real-life, observational, multicenter study assessed the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in patients with severe uncontrolled CRSwNP (n = 648) over the first year of treatment. We collected data at baseline and after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of follow-up. We focused on nasal polyps score (NPS), symptoms, and olfactory function. We stratified outcomes by comorbidities, previous surgery, and adherence to intranasal corticosteroids, and examined the success rates based on current guidelines, as well as potential predictors of response at each timepoint. Results We observed a significant decrease in NPS from a median value of 6 (IQR 5–6) at baseline to 1.0 (IQR 0.0–2.0) at 12 months (p &lt; .001), and a significant decrease in Sino-Nasal Outcomes Test-22 (SNOT-22) from a median score of 58 (IQR 49–70) at baseline to 11 (IQR 6–21; p &lt; .001) at 12 months. Sniffin' Sticks scores showed a significant increase over 12 months (p &lt; .001) compared to baseline. The results were unaffected by concomitant diseases, number of previous surgeries, and adherence to topical steroids, except for minor differences in rapidity of action. An excellent-moderate response was observed in 96.9% of patients at 12 months based on EPOS 2020 criteria. Conclusions Our findings from this large-scale real-life study support the effectiveness of dupilumab as an add-on therapy in patients with severe uncontrolled CRSwNP in reducing polyp size and improving the quality of life, severity of symptoms, nasal congestion, and smell

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p &lt; 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p &lt; 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p &lt; 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p &lt; 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p &lt; 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice