Groupoid Quantales: a non \'etale setting

It is well known that if G is an \'etale topological groupoid then its topology can be recovered as the sup-lattice generated by G-sets, i.e. by the images of local bisections. This topology has a natural structure of unital involutive quantale. We present the analogous construction for any non \'etale groupoid with sober unit space G_0. We associate a canonical unital involutive quantale with any inverse semigroup of G-sets which is also a sheaf over G_0. We introduce axiomatically the class of quantales so obtained, and revert the construction mentioned above by proving a representability theorem for this class of quantales, under a natural spatiality condition

Evaluation of HIV-DNA and inflammatory markers in HIV-infected individuals with different viral load patterns

Abstract Background: Persistent residual viremia (RV) and low grade inflammation and immune activation have been associated with non-AIDS defining events. The impact of persistent RV and HIV-DNA load on immune activation/ inflammation remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to gain new insights into the relation between viremia, markers of inflammation and HIV-DNA levels. Methods: Three hundred and twenty-one HIV-infected patients were studied. A retrospective analysis of viremia values, prospectively collected for 48 months, was performed. Patients were separated into three groups: 113 TND (Target Not Detected, patients with sustained undetectable viremia); 113 RV (Residual Viremia, patients who had at least three detectable viral load (VL) values <37 copies/ml); 95 LLV (Low Level Viremia, patients with at least two VL values >37 but <200 copies/ml). HIV-DNA, TNF-α, IL-6 and sCD14 were analyzed. Results: HIV-DNA, sCD14 and TNF-α were significantly lower in the TND group than in the RV and LLV groups. In addition, RV patients showed lower levels of HIV-DNA and sCD14 than LLV individuals. HIV-DNA load was not related to markers of inflammation. The ordinal logistic analysis showed that two independent variables were significantly associated with VL pattern: sCD14, HIV-DNA. In addition NRTIs plus NNRTIs and NRTIs plus PIs were negatively associated to VL pattern compared to INI-containing regimen. Conclusions: Persistent undetectable viremia was associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers and HIVDNA. However, the lack of normalization of these biomarkers in the TND group and the fact that HIV-DNA load was not associated with inflammation strongly suggest that other mechanisms play a major role in maintaining inflammation over time

«Dietro è la casa, davanti a noi il mondo»: da UNIMARC a MARC21 all’Università di Milano-Bicocca

A library management system is the hub of all library activities, from cataloging, to acquisitions, to circulation, and the lack of an ERM (Electronic Resource Module) takes a heavy toll on day-to-day work. On the other hand, the choice of a new LSP (Library Service Platform) may present both advantages and challenges, such as switching to a different cataloging format. In 2021, the Milano-Bicocca University Library chose to adopt the Worldshare Management Services (WMS) LSP by OCLC, which meant facing a migration from a different management system, and also from UNIMARC to MARC21. The aim of this article is to share the pivotal decisions and moments in this transition from a cataloger’s point of view: in particular, it focuses on moving from a local to a shared environment, and on the ways the new format influenced cataloging choices.Il sistema gestionale è il fulcro di tutte le attività di una biblioteca, dalla catalogazione alle acquisizioni alla circolazione, e la mancanza di un modulo per gestire le risorse elettroniche penalizza le attività quotidiane. La scelta di una nuova piattaforma integrata, però, può comportare sia vantaggi che sfide, tra cui il passaggio a un nuovo formato di catalogazione. Nel 2021, la Biblioteca di Ateneo dell’Università di Milano-Bicocca ha scelto di adottare il gestionale Worldshare Management Services (WMS) di OCLC, affiancando al cambio di software il passaggio da UNIMARC a MARC21. L’articolo vuole condividere le scelte e gli aspetti cruciali della transizione, soprattutto da un punto di vista catalografico: in particolare, si sofferma sul passaggio da un ambiente locale a uno condiviso, e sull’influenza che il nuovo formato adottato ha avuto sulle scelte catalografiche

Bayesian Modeling for Differential Cryptanalysis of Block Ciphers: a DES instance

Encryption algorithms based on block ciphers are among the most widely adopted solutions for providing information security. Over the years, a variety of methods have been proposed to evaluate the robustness of these algorithms to different types of security attacks. One of the most effective analysis techniques is differential cryptanalysis, whose aim is to study how variations in the input propagate on the output. In this work we address the modeling of differential attacks to block cipher algorithms by defining a Bayesian framework that allows a probabilistic estimation of the secret key. In order to prove the validity of the proposed approach, we present as case study a differential attack to the Data Encryption Standard (DES) which, despite being one of the methods that has been most thoroughly analyzed, is still of great interest to the scientific community since its vulnerabilities may have implications on other ciphers

Quality of colonoscopy in an organised colorectal cancer screening programme with immunochemical faecal occult blood test. The EQuIPE study (Evaluating Quality Indicators of the Performance of Endoscopy)

OBJECTIVES: To assess variation in the main colonoscopy quality indicators in organised colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programmes based on faecal immunochemical test (FIT). DESIGN: Data from a case-series of colonoscopies of FIT-positive subjects were provided by 44 Italian CRC screening programmes. Data on screening history, endoscopic procedure and histology results, and additional information on the endoscopy centre and the endoscopists were collected. The adenoma detection rate (ADR) and caecal intubation rate (CIR) were assessed for the whole population and the individual endoscopists. To explore variation in the quality indicators, multilevel analyses were performed according to patient/centre/endoscopist characteristics. RESULTS: We analysed 75 569 (mean age: 61.3 years; men: 57%) colonoscopies for positive FIT performed by 479 endoscopists in 79 centres. ADR ranged from 13.5% to 75% among endoscopists (mean: 44.8%). ADR was associated with gastroenterology specialty (OR: 0.87 for others, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.96) and, at the endoscopy centre level, with the routine use of sedation (OR: 0.80 if occasional (600 colonoscopies; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.04) and, at the endoscopy centre level, screening-dedicated sessions (OR: 2.18; 95% CI 1.24 to 3.83) and higher rates of sedation (OR: 0.47 if occasional; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: The quality of colonoscopy was affected by patient-related, endoscopist-related and centre-related characteristics. Policies addressing organisational issues should improve the quality of colonoscopy in our programme and similar programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions

Successful pregnancy and disease outcomes in a NMOSD patient treated with tocilizumab

Abstract Background Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune relapsing disease involving the central nervous system with predominant inflammatory attack of optic nerves, spinal cord and area postrema, often leading to severe disability. Women with NMOSD typically experience adverse pregnancy outcomes and high relapse rates during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Case report Herein we present a case of pregnancy in a young NMOSD woman treated with tocilizumab. The course of her pregnancy was clinically unremarkable and treatment whit Tocilizumab was well tolerated. Conclusions This case raises the possibility that the modulation of immune system by inhibitors of the IL-6 pathway could a promising therapeutic option for pregnancy in NMOSD patient