Certification of Gaussian Boson Sampling via graphs feature vectors and kernels

Gaussian Boson Sampling (GBS) is a non-universal model for quantum computing inspired by the original formulation of the Boson Sampling (BS) problem. Nowadays, it represents a paradigmatic quantum platform to reach the quantum advantage regime in a specific computational model. Indeed, thanks to the implementation in photonics-based processors, the latest GBS experiments have reached a level of complexity where the quantum apparatus has solved the task faster than currently up-to-date classical strategies. In addition, recent studies have identified possible applications beyond the inherent sampling task. In particular, a direct connection between photon counting of a genuine GBS device and the number of perfect matchings in a graph has been established. In this work, we propose to exploit such a connection to benchmark GBS experiments. We interpret the properties of the feature vectors of the graph encoded in the device as a signature of correct sampling from the true input state. Within this framework, two approaches are presented. The first method exploits the distributions of graph feature vectors and classification via neural networks. The second approach investigates the distributions of graph kernels. Our results provide a novel approach to the actual need for tailored algorithms to benchmark large-scale Gaussian Boson Samplers

Six-Month Synbio® Administration Affects Nutritional and Inflammatory Parameters of Older Adults Included in the PROBIOSENIOR Project

The physiological changes associated with ageing contribute to the incidence of diseases, morbidity, and mortality. For modern society, it is essential to find solutions to improve elderly people’s health and quality of life. Among promising strategies, the PROBIOSENIOR project proposed a daily six-month supplementation with new probiotic functional foods and nutraceuticals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the modulating effects of the probiotic diet on inflammatory markers and nutritional status. Ninety-seven elderly volunteers were randomly assigned to either a placebo-diet group or a probiotic-diet group (SYNBIO®). Faeces, urine, and blood samples were collected before and after the supplementation to determine serum cytokines, biogenic amines, and inflammation markers. Comparing the results obtained before and after the intervention, probiotic supplementations significantly decreased the TNF- circulating levels and significantly increased those of IGF-1. Biogenic-amine levels showed high variability, with significant variation only for histamine that decreased after the probiotic supplementation. The supplementation influenced the serum concentration of some crucial cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, and MIP-1 ) that significantly decreased in the probiotic group. In addition, the Mini Nutritional Assessment questionnaire revealed that the probiotic-supplemented group had a significant improvement in nutritional status. In conclusion, the PROBIOSENIOR project demonstrated how SYNBIO® supplementation may positively influence some nutritional and inflammatory parameters in the elderly

Contributi per una flora vascolare di Toscana. XII (739-812)

Vengono presentate nuove località e/o conferme relative a 74 taxa specifici e sottospecifici di piante vascolari della flora vascolare to- scana, appartenenti a 69 generi e 28 famiglie: Bunium, Trinia (Apia- ceae), Nerium (Apocynaceae), Lemna (Araceae), Artemisia, Bidens, Centaurea, Crupina, Gazania, Hieracium, Rhagadiolus, Symphyotri- chum, Tagetes, Tripleurospermum (Asteraceae), Impatiens (Balsami- naceae), Anredera (Basellaceae), Cynoglottis, Phacelia (Boraginaceae), Cardamine, Diplotaxis, Hornungia (Brassicaceae), Campanula, Lobe- lia (Campanulaceae), Cerastium, Dianthus, Polycarpon, Spergularia, Stellaria (Caryophyllaceae), Commelina (Commelinaceae), Fallopia (Convolvulaceae), Sempervivum (Crassulaceae), Dryopteris (Dryopte- ridaceae), Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae), Lathyrus, Medicago, Ononis, Trigonella (Fabaceae), Geranium (Geraniaceae), Lycopus, Stachys (Lamiaceae), Malva (Malvaceae), Anacamptis, Cephalanthera, Epi- pactis, Orchis (Orchidaceae), Linaria (Plantaginaceae), Ceratochloa, Eragrostis, Festuca, Gastridium, Hyparrhenia, Molineriella, Phalaris, Phyllostachys, Setaria, Sporobolus, Stipellula (Poaceae), Anogramma (Pteridaceae), Anemonoides, Ranunculus (Ranunculaceae), Reseda (Resedaceae), Alchemilla, Kerria, Pyracantha, Rosa, Rubus (Rosa- ceae), Galium, Valantia (Rubiaceae), Thesium (Santalaceae). Infine, viene discusso lo status di conservazione delle entità e gli eventuali vincoli di protezione dei biotopi segnalati

Reply: Interaction between inherited thrombophilia and HIV infection: fact or fancy?

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Possible Role of Interleukin-31/33 Axis in Imatinib Mesylate-Associated Skin Toxicity

Imatinib mesylate is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKi) designed to target c-ABL and BCR-ABL, approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Adverse cutaneous reactions induced by imatinib are frequent, generally moderate, and dose-dependent. The aim of this work was to investigate the possible contribution of interleukin (IL)-33 and IL-31, cytokines involved in disorders associated with itching, in the pathogenesis of pruritus in a patient undergoing imatinib mesylate treatment. His IL-31 and IL-33 serum levels were significantly higher than in the control group (respectively 96.6 pg/mL vs. 7.623±7.681 pg/mL and 27.566 pg/mL vs. 6.170±7.060 pg/mL). In light of these findings, imatinib mesylate-related symptoms of dermatologic toxicities might be related to the release of IL-31 and IL-33. In particular, it is supposable that TKi usage could cause keratinocyte injury, the release of IL-33, and the consequent interaction with its receptor on mast cells that induces the secretion of several factors capable of causing skin manifestations, including IL-31, a known pruritus-inducing cytokine. This report, to the best of our knowledge, is the first work describing the possible involvement of the IL-31/IL-33 axis in the pathogenesis of skin side effects related to imatinib mesylate treatment

Adherence to and early adverse events of COVID-19 vaccine in a cohort of 600 Italian breastfeeding and pregnant physicians

Pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBW) have been excluded from COVID-19 vaccine registry and the majority of post-marketing trials, despite the recognized increased risk of severe infections and complications. The lack of efficacy and safety data prevented the formulation of specific indications/guidelines for vaccination and could have also contributed to increased vaccine hesitancy (VH) in PBW. The aim of this cross-sectional study is to assess the rate and predictors of VH, and early adverse events (AEFI) following COVID-19 vaccine in PBW with a cross-sectional study. In January 2021, a purposely designed questionnaire was administered to 600 PBW part of a Facebook group of physicians, immunized with two doses of Comirnaty®. Thirty-eight (29%) pregnant women and 13 (2.8%) breastfeeders were hesitant. The only statistically significant negative predictor of COVID-19 VH appeared to be having had the flu shot in 2020/2021 (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.13–0.97; p = .044). Approximately 27% of PBW reported hesitancy toward the 2020/2021 season influenza vaccine. Among the vaccinated subjects, 51.6% of pregnant and 75.2% of breastfeeding women reported at least one symptom after the first, and 82.4% and 81.6%, respectively, after the second dose. Nausea/vomiting, fatigue, headache and arthralgia/myalgia were the most common symptoms; dizziness, shivering, syncope and limb paresthesia were rarely reported. Among infants of breastfeeding mothers, six experienced fever, five rash and four moderate and self-limiting diarrhea. Preliminary data on mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in PBW and in their infants are reassuring since AEFI, although frequent, are typically mild and similar to those occurring in the general population, and in PBW after other vaccines. Larger studies with longer follow-up after vaccination are strongly recommended to develop recommendations in these patients

A comparison of NCEP-ATPIII and IDF metabolic syndrome definitions with relation to metabolic syndrome-associated sexual dysfunction

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, often associated with erectile dysfunction (ED) and hypogonadism. Recently, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) proposed a substantial revision of the National Cholesterol Education Program-Third Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATPIII) MetS criteria, essentially lowering the diagnostic cutoff values. Aim: To investigate the associations between these two recently proposed definitions of MetS with the relative risk of arteriogenic ED and hypogonadism in a large cohort of patients with male sexual dysfunction. Methods: A consecutive series of 1086 patients with sexual dysfunction (mean age 51.9 ± 12.8 years) was studied. Main Outcome Measures: Several hormonal, biochemical, and instrumental (penile Doppler ultrasound) parameters were studied, along with ANDROTEST, a 12-item validated structured interview, specifically designed for the screening hypogonadism in a sexual dysfunction population. In particular, a score >8 is predictive of low testosterone (<10.4 nmol/L) with a sensitivity and specificity of about 70%. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 32.0% and 44.7% according to NCEP-ATPIII and IDF criteria, respectively. After adjustment for confounding factors, only NCEP-ATPIII was significantly associated with dynamic prostaglandin E1-stimulated penile flow (Vpmax, B = -7.7 ± 3.8; P < 0.05). Patients with MetS defined according to both criteria reported lower total and free testosterone levels, higher prevalence of hypogonadism, and higher ANDROTEST score. However, when IDF, but not NCEP-ATPIII, criteria were fulfilled, the prevalence of hypogonadism was significantly lower than that observed in patients fulfilling both criteria (15.6% vs. 34.8%, respectively; P < 0.00001). Conversely, patients fulfilling NCEP-ATPIII, but not IDF, criteria did not show a significant different prevalence of hypogonadism than those positive for both sets of criteria (30.8% vs. 34.8%; P = NS). Conclusions: In patients with ED, NCEP-ATPIII criteria seem to be a better predictor of hypogonadism and impaired penile blood flow than IDF ones. © 2007 International Society for Sexual Medicine.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Psychobiologic Correlates of the Metabolic Syndrome and Associated Sexual Dysfunction

Objectives: The association of low testosterone level and erectile dysfunction (ED) with metabolic syndrome (MS) is receiving increasing attention. The present study determined the psychobiologic characteristics of sexual dysfunction (SD) associated with MS (as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program's Adult Treatment Panel III criteria) in a series of 803 consecutive male outpatients. Methods: Several hormonal, biochemical, and instrumental (penile Doppler ultrasound [PDU]) parameters were studied, along with general psychopathology scores (Middlesex Hospital Questionnaire modified [MHQ]). The Structured Interview on Erectile Dysfunction (SIEDY) was also applied. Results: Among the 236 patients (29.4%) diagnosed as having a MS, 96.5% reported ED, 39.6% hypoactive sexual desire (HSD), 22.7% premature ejaculation, and 4.8% delayed ejaculation. Patients with MS were characterised by greater subjective (as assessed by SIEDY) and objective (as assessed by PDU) ED and by greater somatised anxiety than the rest of the sample. The prevalence of overt hypogonadism (total testosterone <8 nM) was significantly higher in patients with MS. Among MS components, waist circumference and hyperglycaemia were the best predictors of hypogonadism. Hypogonadal patients with MS showed higher gonadotropin and lower free testosterone levels, suggesting a primary hypogonadism. Among patients with MS, hypogonadism was present in 11.9% and 3.8% in the rest of the sample (p < 0.0001) and was associated with typical hypogonadism-related symptoms, such as hypoactive sexual desire, low frequency of sexual intercourse, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Our data suggest that MS is associated with a more severe ED and induces somatisation. Furthermore, MS is associated with a higher prevalence of hypogonadism in patients with SD. The presence of hypogonadism can further exacerbate the MS-associated sexual dysfunction, adding the typical hypogonadism-related symptoms (including HSD, 66.7%). Recognising MS associated with hypogonadism is important for both sexual and general health and its serious potential associated risks. © 2006 European Association of Urology.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Structural Study of a Eutectic Solvent Reveals Hydrophobic Segregation and Lack of Hydrogen Bonding between the Components

An in-depth study of the hydrophobic eutectic solvent formed by butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and L-menthol (MEN) in a 1:3 molar ratio has been carried out using an integrated approach that combines differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The obtained data have been step-by-step compared to those collected on the eutectic formed by 3,5-di-tert-butyltoluene (TBT) and MEN in the same molar ratio, where TBT is analogous to the BHT without the hydroxyl group. The DSC characterization showed comparable results between the two systems, evidencing that the hydroxyl group of the BHT has little or no impact on the thermal behavior of the BHT:MEN eutectic. Both the FTIR and MD results agree in finding that no hydrogen bond (H-bond) interactions are played by the BHT because of the high steric hindrance suffered by its hydroxyl group so that the only established H-bonds are those between MEN molecules. The incompatibility between the components in terms of H-bonds formation results in hydrophobic segregation promoting the MEN-MEN interactions, which are even more intense than in the pure compound. The three-dimensional arrangement between the components showed a remarkable degree of structural order among the alkyl functional groups, suggesting that the apolar-apolar attraction might be the driving force of the eutectic formation. This picture is translated into the establishment of an intermediate-range organization in solution, as evidenced by the SWAXS data. The overall impact of this study is that of pushing a little bit further the definition of these eutectics, indicated until now as extensively H-bonded systems