Random nonlinear layered structures as sources of photon pairs for quantum-information processing

Random nonlinear layered structures have been found to be a useful source of photon pairs with perfectly indistinguishable un-entangled photons emitted into a very narrow spectral range. Localization of the interacting optical fields typical for random structures gives relatively high photon-pair fluxes. Superposing photon-pair emission quantum paths at different emission angles, several kinds of two-photon states (including states with coincident frequencies) useful in quantum-information processing can easily be generated.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

La calcolosi biliare.

Articolo di review sulla calcolosi biliar

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Neurodegenerative Diseases: New Evidence in Clinical Trials

Un approccio nutrizionale potrebbe essere una strategia promettente per prevenire o rallentare la progressione di malattie neurodegenerative come il morbo di Parkinson e il morbo di Alzheimer, poiché finora non esiste l'eectiveterapia per queste malattie. Gli effetti benefici degli acidi grassi omega-3 sono ora ben consolidati da una pletora di studi attraverso il loro coinvolgimento in molteplici funzioni biochimiche, tra cui la sintesi di mediatori antinfiammatori, fluidità della membrana cellulare, segnalazione intracellulare ed espressione genica. Questa revisione sistematica prenderà in considerazione studi epidemiologici e studi clinici che hanno valutato l'impatto dell'integrazione o dell'assunzione dietetica di acidi grassi polinsaturi omega-3 su malattie neurodegenerative come il morbo di Parkinson e l'Alzheimer. In effetti, il trattamento con acidi grassi omega-3, essendo sicuro e ben tollerato, rappresenta uno strumento prezioso e biologicamente plausibile nella gestione delle malattie neurodegenerative nelle loro fasi iniziali.A nutritional approach could be a promising strategy to prevent or slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, since there is no eectivetherapy for these diseases so far. The beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids are now well established by a plethora of studies through their involvement in multiple biochemical functions, including synthesis of anti-inflammatory mediators, cell membrane fluidity, intracellular signaling, and gene expression. This systematic review will consider epidemiological studies and clinical trials that assessed the impact of supplementation or dietary intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Indeed, treatment with omega-3 fatty acids, being safe and well tolerated, represents a valuable and biologically plausible tool in the management of neurodegenerative diseases in their early stages

The use of stable and radioactive sterol tracers as a tool to investigate cholesterol degradation to bile acids in humans in vivo

Alterations of cholesterol homeostasis represent important risk factors for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Different clinical-experimental approaches have been devised to study the metabolism of cholesterol and particularly the synthesis of bile acids, its main catabolic products. Most evidence in humans has derived from studies utilizing the administration of labeled sterols; these have several advantages over in vitro assay of enzyme activity and expression, requiring an invasive procedure such as a liver biopsy, or the determination of fecal sterols, which is cumbersome and not commonly available. Pioneering evidence with administration of radioactive sterol derivatives has allowed to characterize the alterations of cholesterol metabolism and degradation in different situations, including spontaneous disease conditions, aging, and drug treatment. Along with the classical isotope dilution methodology, other approaches were proposed, among which isotope release following radioactive substrate administration. More recently, stable isotope studies have allowed to overcome radioactivity exposure. Isotope enrichment studies during tracer infusion has allowed to characterize changes in the degradation of cholesterol via the “classical” and the “alternative” pathways of bile acid synthesis. Evidence brought by tracer studies in vivo, summarized here, provides an exceptional tool for the investigation of sterol metabolism, and integrate the studies in vitro on human tissue

Properties of entangled photon pairs generated in one-dimensional nonlinear photonic-band-gap structures

We have developed a rigorous quantum model of spontaneous parametric down-conversion in a nonlinear 1D photonic-band-gap structure based upon expansion of the field into monochromatic plane waves. The model provides a two-photon amplitude of a created photon pair. The spectra of the signal and idler fields, their intensity profiles in the time domain, as well as the coincidence-count interference pattern in a Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer are determined both for cw and pulsed pumping regimes in terms of the two-photon amplitude. A broad range of parameters characterizing the emitted down-converted fields can be used. As an example, a structure composed of 49 layers of GaN/AlN is analyzed as a suitable source of photon pairs having high efficiency.Comment: 14 pages, 23 figure

Local analytic sector subtraction for initial- and final-state radiation at NLO in massless QCD

Within the framework of local analytic sector subtraction, we present the subtraction of next-to-leading-order QCD singularities for processes featuring massless coloured particles in the initial as well as in the final state. The features of the method are explained in detail, including the introduction of an optimisation procedure aiming at improving numerical stability at the cost of no extra analytic complexity. A numerical validation is provided for a variety of processes relevant to lepton as well as hadron colliders. This work constitutes a relevant step in view of the application of our subtraction method to processes involving initial-state radiation at next-to-next-to-leading order in QCD.Comment: 27 pages + appendice

Cohousing for people living with dementia: The Modena experience

AbstractBackgroundSocial isolation, caregiving burden and costs, loss of quality of life related to increasing disability, loss of agency and personhood, are some of the main unmet needs for people with dementia (PwD) and their caregivers. Objective: In order to support people with dementia and their caregivers we implemented a cohousing model. 5 PwD were encouraged to live together. Caregivers were supported in the care according to person centred approach.MethodParticipation in the project (supported by Modena City Council and local Alzheimer association, had been on a voluntary basis. The only exclusion criteria for PwD had been bedridden .Each PwD has his own bedroom with personal belongings and furniture, while the dining and living room are furnished according to prosthetic environment principles. Caregivers turn up in order to both maintain familial environment and reduce global care burden, while formal caregivers, provided by social service and employed by relatives, contribute to PwD care. According to carers expressed needs, voluntaries and an occupational therapist have been engaged to weekly involve PwD in leisure activities and psychosocial intervention. A granted psychologist is available to support Caregivers. A cost analysis, PwD and caregiver quality of life evaluation and caregiving burden were checked. Two control groups of PwD living at home with relatives or family assistant were considered in order to evaluated this cohousing model effectiveness. The first control group was supported by local dementia association. PwD were follow by a memory clinic in cohousing group and in both control groups.ResultA significant cost reduction was found in cohousing group (1879 €/month vs 2502€/month and 2662€/month in control groups). Moreover caregiving burden reduction and an improved PwD and caregivers quality of life were found in cohousing group.ConclusionThis is the first cohousing experience for PwD, in our Country. Relatives improved caregiving experience, reduced financial burden, isolation and time spent for assistance. PwD reduced the risk of institutionalization and improved their quality of life. According to this study results another cohousing experience was open 6 month ago by our community social services

Sofosbuvir-based therapy cures hepatitis C virus infection after prior treatment failures in a patient with concurrent lymphoma

We report on the first well-tolerated and successful use of sofosbuvir-based therapy in a patient in whom chronic infection with hepatitis C had preceded the development of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The patient had previously failed numerous attempts to clear the hepatitis C virus with traditional antiviral schedules. We demonstrate that sofosbuvir-based therapy resulted in cure of hepatitis C in a patient who had relapsed during combination therapy with an NS5A inhibitor, an NS3 protease inhibitor and ribavirin, as well as treatment failures to multiple courses of interferon-based therapy. This report also suggests that eradication of hepatitis C virus may result in the short-term prevention of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma relapse. The findings from our case require further validation in future cohorts of patients

Telomere length elongation after weight loss intervention in obese adults

INTRODUCTION: Telomeres may be considered markers of biological aging, shorter telomere length is associated with some age-related diseases; in several studies short telomere length has also been associated to obesity in adults and adolescents. However the relationship between telomere complex functions and obesity is still not clear. Aim of the study was to assess telomere length (TL) in adults' obese subjects before and after weight loss obtained by placement of bioenteric intragastric balloon (BIB) for 6months. METHODS: We enrolled 42 obese subjects before and after BIB placement as weight loss intervention. Blood samples were collected in order to obtain DNA from leukocyte to measure TL by quantitative PCR. RESULTS: Data were analyzed only in 37 subjects with complete data; all presented important body weight loss (124.06\ub126.7 vs 105.40\ub123.14, p<0.001) and more interesting they presented a significant increase in TL (3.58\ub10.83 vs 5.61\ub13.29, p<0.001). Moreover we observed a significant positive correlation between TL elongation and weight loss (r=0.44, p=0.007) as well as an inverse correlation between TL at baseline and TL elongation (r=-0.35, p=0.03).The predictors of TL elongation were once again weight loss and short TL at baseline (respectively p=0.007 and p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that weight loss is associated to telomere lengthening in a positive correlation: the greater weight loss the greater telomere lengthening; moreover telomere lengthening is more significant in those subjects with shortest telomeres at baseline.Introduction: Telomeres may be considered markers of biological aging, shorter telomere length is associated with some age-related diseases; in several studies short telomere length has also been associated to obesity in adults and adolescents. However the relationship between telomere complex functions and obesity is still not clear. Aim of the study was to assess telomere length (TL) in adults' obese subjects before and after weight loss obtained by placement of bioenteric intragastric balloon (BIB) for 6 months. Methods: We enrolled 42 obese subjects before and after BIB placement as weight loss intervention. Blood samples were collected in order to obtain DNA from leukocyte to measure TL by quantitative PCR. Results: Data were analyzed only in 37 subjects with complete data; all presented important body weight loss (124.06 \ub1 26.7 vs 105.40 \ub1 23.14, p < 0.001) and more interesting they presented a significant increase in TL (3.58 \ub1 0.83 vs 5.61 \ub1 3.29, p < 0.001). Moreover we observed a significant positive correlation between TL elongation and weight loss (r = 0.44, p = 0.007) as well as an inverse correlation between TL at baseline and TL elongation (r = - 0.35, p = 0.03).The predictors of TL elongation were once again weight loss and short TL at baseline (respectively p = 0.007 and p = 0.003). Conclusions: Our study shows that weight loss is associated to telomere lengthening in a positive correlation: the greater weight loss the greater telomere lengthening; moreover telomere lengthening is more significant in those subjects with shortest telomeres at baseline