Critical exponents and equation of state of the three-dimensional Heisenberg universality class

We improve the theoretical estimates of the critical exponents for the three-dimensional Heisenberg universality class. We find gamma=1.3960(9), nu=0.7112(5), eta=0.0375(5), alpha=-0.1336(15), beta=0.3689(3), and delta=4.783(3). We consider an improved lattice phi^4 Hamiltonian with suppressed leading scaling corrections. Our results are obtained by combining Monte Carlo simulations based on finite-size scaling methods and high-temperature expansions. The critical exponents are computed from high-temperature expansions specialized to the phi^4 improved model. By the same technique we determine the coefficients of the small-magnetization expansion of the equation of state. This expansion is extended analytically by means of approximate parametric representations, obtaining the equation of state in the whole critical region. We also determine a number of universal amplitude ratios.Comment: 40 pages, final version. In publication in Phys. Rev.

Clinical features and therapeutic management of patients admitted to Italian acute hospital psychiatric units: the PERSEO (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The PERSEO study (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) is a naturalistic, observational clinical survey in Italian acute hospital psychiatric units, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura; in English, the psychiatric service for diagnosis and management). The aims of this paper are: (i) to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients, including sociodemographic features, risk factors, life habits and psychiatric diagnoses; and (ii) to assess the clinical management, subjective wellbeing and attitudes toward medications.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 62 SPDCs distributed throughout Italy participated in the study and 2521 patients were enrolled over the 5-month study period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Almost half of patients (46%) showed an aggressive behaviour at admission to ward, but they engaged more commonly in verbal aggression (38%), than in aggression toward other people (20%). A total of 78% of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis at admission, most frequently schizophrenia (36%), followed by depression (16%) and personality disorders (14%), and no relevant changes in the diagnoses pattern were observed during hospital stay. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed drugs, regardless of diagnosis, at all time points. Overall, up to 83% of patients were treated with neuroleptic drugs and up to 27% received more than one neuroleptic either during hospital stay or at discharge. Atypical and conventional antipsychotics were equally prescribed for schizophrenia (59 vs 65% during stay and 59 vs 60% at discharge), while atypical drugs were preferred in schizoaffective psychoses (72 vs 49% during stay and 70 vs 46% at discharge) and depression (41 vs 32% during stay and 44 vs 25% at discharge). Atypical neuroleptics were slightly preferred to conventional ones at hospital discharge (52 vs 44%). Polypharmacy was in general widely used. Patient attitudes toward medications were on average positive and self-reported compliance increased during hospital stay.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results confirm the widespread use of antipsychotics and the increasing trend in atypical drugs prescription, in both psychiatric in- and outpatients.</p

Discovery and characterization of a novel humanized anti-IL-15 antibody and its relevance for the treatment of refractory celiac disease and eosinophilic esophagitis.

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a critical regulator of immune responses, especially at mucosal interfaces within the gastro-intestinal tract. Here, we describe the discovery and characterization of a humanized antibody to IL-15. Data from its epitope and mode of action, cell biology and primate pharmacology, as well as translational studies in human samples and in vivo proof-of-concept experiments in mouse models demonstrate the therapeutic potential of this new antibody targeting IL-15 for refractory celiac disease and eosinophilic esophagitis

A cellular automata model to investigate immune cell-tumor cell interactions in growing tumors in two spatial dimensions

We develop a hybrid cellular automata model to describe the effect of the immune system and chemokines on a growing tumor. The hybrid cellular automata model consists of partial differential equations to model chemokine concentrations, and discrete cellular automata to model cell–cell interactions and changes. The computational implementation overlays these two components on the same spatial region. We present representative simulations of the model and show that increasing the number of immature dendritic cells (DCs) in the domain causes a decrease in the number of tumor cells. This result strongly supports the hypothesis that DCs can be used as a cancer treatment. Furthermore, we also use the hybrid cellular automata model to investigate the growth of a tumor in a number of computational “cancer patients.” Using these virtual patients, the model can explain that increasing the number of DCs in the domain causes longer “survival.” Not surprisingly, the model also reflects the fact that the parameter related to tumor division rate plays an important role in tumor metastasis

The gastric cardia in gastro-oesophageal disease

Background—There have been conflicting reports concerning the use of cardia biopsies in screening patients for gastro-oesophageal disease. Aim—To define the histopathological changes in the gastric cardia of patients with and without gastro-oesophageal disease. Methods—Topographically mapped gastric biopsy specimens were obtained from patients with gastro-oesophageal disease and from controls. Biopsies were scored on a visual analogue scale of 0 to 5 for Helicobacter pylori, intestinal metaplasia, pancreatic metaplasia, foveolar hyperplasia, and active inflammation. The presence or absence of cardiac glands was recorded. Results—Sixty five patients with gastro-oesophageal disease and 71 controls were examined. Intestinal metaplasia was present in cardia biopsies of 10 patients with gastro-oesophageal disease and 11 controls. Only two patients with gastro-oesophageal disease and intestinal metaplasia in the cardia had no evidence of exposure to H pylori. Intestinal metaplasia was not found in the cardia of those with long segment Barrett's oesophagus. Carditis was strongly associated with active H pylori infection (p = 0.000) and resolved after treatment of the infection. A negative association was present between gastro-oesophageal disease and the presence of cardiac glands in cardiac biopsies (p = 0.003). Pancreatic metaplasia was found in 15 of 65 and foveolar hyperplasia in 19 of 65 cases but neither was related to gastro-oesophageal disease. Conclusion—Intestinal metaplasia in the cardia is uncommon in gastro-oesophageal disease in the absence of H pylori infection. With chronic H pylori infection the junction between the cardia and corpus expands in a cardia–corpal direction. Key Words: Barrett's oesophagus • gastro-oesophageal disease • cardia • Helicobacter pylor