9 research outputs found
Non-perturbative \lambda\Phi^4 in D=1+1: an example of the constructive quantum field theory approach in a schematic way
During the '70, several relativistic quantum field theory models in
and also in have been constructed in a non-perturbative way. That was
done in the so-called {\it constructive quantum field theory} approach, whose
main results have been obtained by a clever use of Euclidean functional
methods. Although in the construction of a single model there are several
technical steps, some of them involving long proofs, the constructive quantum
field theory approach contains conceptual insights about relativistic quantum
field theory that deserved to be known and which are accessible without
entering in technical details. The purpose of this note is to illustrate such
insights by providing an oversimplified schematic exposition of the simple case
of (with ) in . Because of the absence of
ultraviolet divergences in its perturbative version, this simple example
-although does not capture all the difficulties in the constructive quantum
field theory approach- allows to stress those difficulties inherent to the
non-perturbative definition. We have made an effort in order to avoid several
of the long technical intermediate steps without missing the main ideas and
making contact with the usual language of the perturbative approach.Comment: 63 pages. Typos correcte
Pin-Pointing the Key Hubs in the IFN-γ Pathway Responding to SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) may be potential adjuvant immunotherapy for COVID-19 patients. In this work, we assessed gene expression profiles associated with the IFN-γ pathway in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Employing a case-control study from SARS-CoV-2-positive and -negative patients, we identified IFN-γ-associated pathways to be enriched in positive patients. Bioinformatics analyses showed upregulation of MAP2K6, CBL, RUNX3, STAT1, and JAK2 in COVID-19-positive vs. -negative patients. A positive correlation was observed between STAT1/JAK2, which varied alongside the patient’s viral load. Expression of MX1, MX2, ISG15, and OAS1 (four well-known IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs)) displayed upregulation in COVID-19-positive vs. -negative patients. Integrative analyses showcased higher levels of ISGs, which were associated with increased viral load and STAT1/JAK2 expression. Confirmation of ISGs up-regulation was performed in vitro using the A549 lung cell line treated with Poly (I:C), a synthetic analog of viral double-stranded RNA; and in different pulmonary human cell lines and ferret tracheal biopsies infected with SARS-CoV-2. A pre-clinical murine model of Coronavirus infection confirmed findings displaying increased ISGs in the liver and lungs from infected mice. Altogether, these results demonstrate the role of IFN-γ and ISGs in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, highlighting alternative druggable targets that can boost the host response