Parametrised Complexity of Model Checking and Satisfiability in Propositional Dependence Logic

In this paper, we initiate a systematic study of the parametrised complexity in the field of Dependence Logics which finds its origin in the Dependence Logic of V\"a\"an\"anen from 2007. We study a propositional variant of this logic (PDL) and investigate a variety of parametrisations with respect to the central decision problems. The model checking problem (MC) of PDL is NP-complete. The subject of this research is to identify a list of parametrisations (formula-size, treewidth, treedepth, team-size, number of variables) under which MC becomes fixed-parameter tractable. Furthermore, we show that the number of disjunctions or the arity of dependence atoms (dep-arity) as a parameter both yield a paraNP-completeness result. Then, we consider the satisfiability problem (SAT) showing a different picture: under team-size, or dep-arity SAT is paraNP-complete whereas under all other mentioned parameters the problem is in FPT. Finally, we introduce a variant of the satisfiability problem, asking for teams of a given size, and show for this problem an almost complete picture.Comment: Update includes refined result

Escherichia coli specific secretory IgA and cytokines in human milk from mothers of different ethnic groups resident in northern Italy.

Breast milk supplies many bioactive components. Neonates protection from pathogenic bacteria is mainly attributable to secretory IgA antibodies present in human milk in an amount depending on previous antigenic exposure. To bring new details into the field of immunological memory in secretory immunity, we evaluated the production of s-IgA specific for E. coli (E. coli s-IgA), and of proinflammatory (IL-6 and IL-8) or anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in the milk of mothers of different ethnic groups exposed in the past to poor conditions, but nowadays living in Italy in adequate conditions. Mothers from Italy, Africa, Asia and Eastern European Countries were included in the study. Anti- E. coli s-IgA, IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 were determined by ELISA. Breast milk of all the foreign mothers presented higher levels of E. coli s-IgA than Italians, and for Asian and African mothers were significative (p=0.031 and p=0.015, respectively). Milk from women of Eastern European Countries revealed the highest IL-8 levels (p=0.026), while milk from Asian women presented the greatest concentration of IL-6 (p=0.04); however, the Africans reported the lowest concentrations of IL-10 (p=0.045). Since all the mothers had been living in Italy for some time, we believe that the presence of high levels of E. coli s-IgA, supported by high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine, is part of a persisting immunological secretory memory

Linear and non linear measures of pupil size as a function of hypnotizability

Higher arousal and cortical excitability have been observed in high hypnotizable individuals (highs) with respect to low hypnotizables (lows), which may be due to differences in the activation of ascending activating systems. The present study investigated the possible hypnotizability-related difference in the cortical noradrenergic tone sustained by the activity of the Locus Coeruleus which is strongly related to pupil size. This was measured during relaxation in three groups of participants—highs (N = 15), lows (N = 15) and medium hypnotizable individuals (mediums, N = 11)—in the time and frequency domains and through the Recurrence Quantification Analysis. ECG and Skin Conductace (SC) were monitored to extract autonomic indices of relaxation (heart interbeats intervals, parasympathetic component of heart rate variability (RMSSD) and tonic SC (MeanTonicSC). Most variables indicated that participants relaxed throughout the session. Pupil features did not show significant differences between highs, mediums and lows, except for the spectral Band Median Frequency which was higher in mediums than in lows and highs at the beginning, but not at the end of the session.Thus, the present findings of pupil size cannot account for the differences in arousal and motor cortex excitability observed between highs and lows in resting conditions

Undefinability in Inquisitive Logic with Tensor

Logics based on team semantics, such as inquisitive logic and dependence logic, are not closed under uniform substitution. This leads to an interesting separation between expressive power and definability: it may be that an operator O can be added to a language without a gain in expressive power, yet O is not definable in that language. For instance, even though propositional inquisitive logic and propositional dependence logic have the same expressive power, inquisitive disjunction and implication are not definable in propositional dependence logic. A question that has been open for some time in this area is whether the tensor disjunction used in propositional dependence logic is definable in inquisitive logic. We settle this question in the negative. In fact, we show that extending the logical repertoire of inquisitive logic by means of tensor disjunction leads to an independent set of connectives; that is, no connective in the resulting logic is definable in terms of the others.Peer reviewe

Hybrid injectable platforms for the in situ delivery of therapeutic ions from mesoporous glasses

Copper-containing bioactive glasses (Cu-MBGs) are attracting increasing interest as multifunctional agents for hard and soft tissue healing due to the ability of released copper ions to stimulate osteogenesis as well as angiogenesis and to impart anti-bacterial properties. The conjugation of these nanomaterials with a vehicle phase based on thermosensitive hydrogels represents an effective strategy to design non-invasive injectable devices for the in situ delivery of therapeutic ions from MBGs. In this contribution, Cu-containing MBGs were prepared by an aerosol-assisted spray-drying method (MBG_Cu 2%_SD) in the form of microspheres (surface area of ca 220m2 g−1) and through a sol-gel synthesis (MBG_Cu 2% _SG) in the form of spheroidal nanoparticles (surface area above 700m2 g−1). Both Cu-containing samples were able to release copper ions, although with different rates and percentage release. MBG_Cu 2%_SG released the total incorporated amount of Cu ions with a faster kinetics compared to MBG_Cu 2%_SD, that released approximately the 60% of copper. Cu-MBGs were incorporated with a final concentration of 20 mg/mL into a thermosensitive sol-gel system consisting of a novel amphiphilic poly(ether urethane) based on a commercialy available Poloxamer 407 (P407), with improved gelation ability, mechanical strength and stability in aqueous solution with respect to native P407. Cu-MBG-loaded hydrogels were characterised in terms of sol-to-gel transition temperature and time, injectability and stability in aqueous environment at 37 °C. The hybrid formulations showed fast gelation in physiological conditions (1 mL underwent complete sol-to-gel transition within 3–5 min at 37 °C) and injectability in a wide range of temperatures (5–37 °C) through different needles (inner diameter in the range 0.6–1.6 mm)

DLP 3D printing meets lignocellulosic biopolymers: Carboxymethyl cellulose inks for 3D biocompatible hydrogels

The development of new bio-based inks is a stringent request for the expansion of additive manufacturing towards the development of 3D-printed biocompatible hydrogels. Herein, methacrylated carboxymethyl cellulose (M-CMC) is investigated as a bio-based photocurable ink for digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. CMC is chemically modified using methacrylic anhydride. Successful methacrylation is confirmed by 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Aqueous formulations based on M-CMC/lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) photoinitiator and M-CMC/Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM)/LAP show high photoreactivity upon UV irradiation as confirmed by photorheology and FTIR. The same formulations can be easily 3D-printed through a DLP apparatus to produce 3D shaped hydrogels with excellent swelling ability and mechanical properties. Envisaging the application of the hydrogels in the biomedical field, cytotoxicity is also evaluated. The light-induced printing of cellulose-based hydrogels represents a significant step forward in the production of new DLP inks suitable for biomedical applications

Alternating block copolymer-based nanoparticles as tools to modulate the loading of multiple chemotherapeutics and imaging probes

Abstract Cancer therapy often relies on the combined action of different molecules to overcome drug resistance and enhance patient outcome. Combined strategies relying on molecules with different pharmacokinetics often fail due to the lack of concomitant tumor accumulation and, thus, to the loss of synergistic effect. Due to their ability to enhance treatment efficiency, improve drug pharmacokinetics, and reduce adverse effects, polymer nanoparticles (PNPs) have been widely investigated as co-delivery vehicles for cancer therapies. However, co-encapsulation of different drugs and probes in PNPs requires a flexible polymer platform and a tailored particle design, in which both the bulk and surface properties of the carriers are carefully controlled. In this work, we propose a core-shell PNP design based on a polyurethane (PUR) core and a phospholipid external surface. The modulation of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the PUR core enhanced the encapsulation of two chemotherapeutics with dramatically different water solubility (Doxorubicin hydrochloride, DOXO and Docetaxel, DCTXL) and of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for MRI imaging. The outer shell remained unchanged among the platforms, resulting in un-modified cellular uptake and in vivo biodistribution. We demonstrate that the choice of PUR core allowed a high entrapment efficiency of all drugs, superior or comparable to previously reported results, and that higher core hydrophilicity enhances the loading efficiency of the hydrophilic DOXO and the MRI contrast effect. Moreover, we show that changing the PUR core did not alter the surface properties of the carriers, since all particles showed a similar behavior in terms of cell internalization and in vivo biodistribution. We also show that PUR PNPs have high passive tumor accumulation and that they can efficient co-deliver the two drugs to the tumor, reaching an 11-fold higher DOXO/DCTXL ratio in tumor as compared to free drugs. Statement of Significance Exploiting the synergistic action of multiple chemotherapeutics is a promising strategy to improve the outcome of cancer patients, as different agents can simultaneously engage different features of tumor cells and/or their microenvironment. Unfortunately, the choice is limited to drugs with similar pharmacokinetics that can concomitantly accumulate in tumors. To expand the spectrum of agents that can be delivered in combination, we propose a multi-compartmental core-shell nanoparticles approach, in which the core is made of biomaterials with high affinity for drugs of different physical properties. We successfully co-encapsulated Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Docetaxel, and contrast agents and achieved a significantly higher concomitant accumulation in tumor versus free drugs, demonstrating that nanoparticles can improve synergistic cancer chemotherapy