Noise recovery for L\'evy-driven CARMA processes and high-frequency behaviour of approximating Riemann sums

We consider high-frequency sampled continuous-time autoregressive moving average (CARMA) models driven by finite-variance zero-mean L\'evy processes. An L^2-consistent estimator for the increments of the driving L\'evy process without order selection in advance is proposed if the CARMA model is invertible. In the second part we analyse the high-frequency behaviour of approximating Riemann sum processes, which represent a natural way to simulate continuous-time moving average processes on a discrete grid. We shall compare their autocovariance structure with the one of sampled CARMA processes, where the rule of integration plays a crucial role. Moreover, new insight into the kernel estimation procedure of Brockwell et al. (2012a) is given.Comment: 26 pages, 2 figure

Does the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold change over time in focal dystonia?

BACKGROUND: The somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) is defined as the shortest interval at which an individual recognizes two stimuli as asynchronous. Some evidence suggests that STDT depends on cortical inhibitory interneurons in the basal ganglia and in primary somatosensory cortex. Several studies have reported that the STDT in patients with dystonia is abnormal. No longitudinal studies have yet investigated whether STDT values in different forms of focal dystonia change during the course of the disease. METHODS: We designed a follow-up study on 25 patients with dystonia (15 with blepharospasm and 10 with cervical dystonia) who were tested twice: upon enrolment and 8 years later. STDT values from dystonic patients at the baseline were also compared with those from a group of 30 age-matched healthy subjects. RESULTS: Our findings show that the abnormally high STDT values observed in patients with focal dystonia remained unchanged at the 8-year follow-up assessment whereas disease severity worsened. CONCLUSIONS: Our observation that STDT abnormalities in dystonia remain unmodified during the course of the disease suggests that the altered activity of inhibitory interneurons-either at cortical or at subcortical level-responsible for the increased STDT does not deteriorate as the disease progresses

High frequency sampling of a continuous-time ARMA process

Continuous-time autoregressive moving average (CARMA) processes have recently been used widely in the modeling of non-uniformly spaced data and as a tool for dealing with high-frequency data of the form $Y_{n\Delta}, n=0,1,2,...$, where $\Delta$ is small and positive. Such data occur in many fields of application, particularly in finance and the study of turbulence. This paper is concerned with the characteristics of the process (Y_{n\Delta})_{n\in\bbz}, when $\Delta$ is small and the underlying continuous-time process (Y_t)_{t\in\bbr} is a specified CARMA process.Comment: 13 pages, submitte

From green innovations in oligopeptide to oligonucleotide sustainable synthesis: differences and synergies in TIDES chemistry

The growing market for therapeutic peptides and oligonucleotides (TIDES) draws attention towards their manufacture, aiming at efficient and sustainable productive processes in view of the predicted massive application of these molecules in several therapeutic areas in the near future. A comparative assessment of the principal innovations in the synthesis of these molecules is described herein, with a major focus on solid-phase synthesis (SPS), describing particularly the less-explored field of solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis (SPOS). A head-to-head analysis of SPS techniques applied to peptides and oligonucleotides was performed, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of these iterative synthetic approaches. The green innovations introduced in solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), namely reduction or replacement with greener alternatives of solvents and reagents, and implementations in purification techniques, were reviewed and projected to potential targets and sustainable practices in modern SPOS, including their application in P(v) chemistry for the synthesis of stereopure oligonucleotides. By a comparative analysis, the key elements for the development of overall green procedures for oligonucleotide manufacturing were emphasized. In addition, due to the intrinsically more sustainable profile of liquid-phase synthetic techniques (LPS), recent advancements in the field reported for both TIDES were analyzed to prove the industrial interest in the manufacturing of these classes of molecules, underlining the importance of investment and modernization in the development of stronger and greener synthetic pathways

A Worldwide Overview of the Wellness Economy Market: The Technogym and Peloton Case Studies

A stressful and unbalanced lifestyle leadsto a marked decrease in wellbeing levels from a different point of view. The generation of baby boomers and generation X have suffered more and more from this modern style. Today, generation Y (Millennials) seems to be much more interested and sensitive in this field. They also proactively seek to find an adequate solution by investing one of the most precious personal assets which is their free time. Considering the growing demand for well-being, the wellness economy is becoming more and more popular. It is a market of about $ 4.5 trillion dollars, divided into well-defined segments or macro-areas market, steadily growing from 2015 onwards. The boundaries are difficult to define today due to its numerous cross-growth opportunities. After a wide description of the wellness economy, this paper focuses on introducing the role of connected fitness to analyze its component and dynamics. Using a case study methodology, supported by a SWOT analysis, two of the most relevant players in this market were analyzed based on strengths, weakness, and future developments. The results show a situation where the two competitors are balanced and have a clear strategy for their expansion, even though they cannot count on all customer groups

Reversible Supramolecular Noncovalent Self-Assembly Determines the Optical Properties and the Formation of Melanin-like Nanoparticles

The role of noncovalent supramolecular self-assembly in the formation of melanin-like NP, as well as the nature of the electronic transition at the basis of their unique optical properties, is strongly debated. Here we demonstrate that, during the first stage of formation of synthetic melanin, polydopamine (PDA), a small fraction of the molecular precursor dopamine (DA) is oxidized to quinone (Q) and a simple supramolecular charge-transfer (CT) adduct is formed thanks to the electron donor and electron acceptor properties of DA and Q, respectively. This adduct, also detectable by HPLC-MS, presents the broad absorption band in the red-NIR region typical of melanin-like materials. Importantly, its disaggregation upon dilution can be easily detected since it leads to the disappearance of the CT band, indicating the reversibility of the process. Moreover, the stability constant K of the CT adduct could be obtained using a simple association model