226 research outputs found
Antiandrogens as Therapies for COVID-19: A Systematic Review.
In 2019, the breakthrough of the coronavirus 2 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), represented one of the major issues of our recent history. Different drugs have been tested to rapidly find effective anti-viral treatments and, among these, antiandrogens have been suggested to play a role in mediating SARS-CoV-2 infection. Considering the high heterogeneity of studies on this topic, we decided to review the current literature.
We performed a systematic review according to PRISMA guidelines. A search strategy was conducted on PUBMED and Medline. Only original articles published from March 2020 to 31 August 2023 investigating the possible protective role of antiandrogens were included. In vitro or preclinical studies and reports not in the English language were excluded. The main objective was to investigate how antiandrogens may interfere with COVID-19 outcomes.
Among 1755 records, we selected 31 studies, the majority of which consisted of retrospective clinical data collections and of randomized clinical trials during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In conclusion, we can state that antiandrogens do not seem to protect individuals from SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity and, thus, their use should not be encouraged in this field
Neutrino-less Double Beta Decay and Particle Physics
We review the particle physics aspects of neutrino-less double beta decay.
This process can be mediated by light massive Majorana neutrinos (standard
interpretation) or by something else (non-standard interpretations). The
physics potential of both interpretations is summarized and the consequences of
future measurements or improved limits on the half-life of neutrino-less double
beta decay are discussed. We try to cover all proposed alternative realizations
of the decay, including light sterile neutrinos, supersymmetric or left-right
symmetric theories, Majorons, and other exotic possibilities. Ways to
distinguish the mechanisms from one another are discussed. Experimental and
nuclear physics aspects are also briefly touched, alternative processes to
double beta decay are discussed, and an extensive list of references is
provided.Comment: 96 pages, 38 figures. Published versio
Supersymmetric Origin of Neutrino Mass
Supersymmetry with breaking of R-parity provides an attractive way to
generate neutrino masses and lepton mixing angles in accordance to present
neutrino data. We review the main theoretical features of the bilinear R-parity
breaking (BRpV) model, and stress that it is the simplest extension of the
minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) which includes lepton number
violation. We describe how it leads to a successful phenomenological model with
hierarchical neutrino masses. In contrast to seesaw models, the BRpV model can
be probed at future collider experiments, like the Large Hadron Collider or the
Next Linear Collider, since the decay pattern of the lightest supersymmetric
particle provides a direct connection with the lepton mixing angles determined
by neutrino experiments.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures, review for NJP focus issue on neutrino
Models of Neutrino Masses and Mixings
We review theoretical ideas, problems and implications of neutrino masses and
mixing angles. We give a general discussion of schemes with three light
neutrinos. Several specific examples are analyzed in some detail, particularly
those that can be embedded into grand unified theories.Comment: 44 pages, 2 figures, version accepted for publication on the Focus
Issue on 'Neutrino Physics' edited by F.Halzen, M.Lindner and A. Suzuki, to
be published in New Journal of Physics
The transcription factor EB (TFEB) sensitizes the heart to chronic pressure overload
The transcription factor EB (TFEB) promotes protein degradation by the autophagy and lysosomal pathway (ALP) and overexpression of TFEB was suggested for the treatment of ALP-related diseases that often affect the heart. However, TFEB-mediated ALP induction may perturb cardiac stress response. We used adeno-associated viral vectors type 9 (AAV9) to overexpress TFEB (AAV9-Tfeb) or Luciferase-control (AAV9-Luc) in cardiomyocytes of 12-week-old male mice. Mice were subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC, 27G; AAV9-Luc: n = 9; AAV9-Tfeb: n = 14) or sham (AAV9-Luc: n = 9; AAV9-Tfeb: n = 9) surgery for 28 days. Heart morphology, echocardiography, gene expression, and protein levels were monitored. AAV9-Tfeb had no effect on cardiac structure and function in sham animals. TAC resulted in compensated left ventricular hypertrophy in AAV9-Luc mice. AAV9-Tfeb TAC mice showed a reduced LV ejection fraction and increased left ventricular diameters. Morphological, histological, and real-time PCR analyses showed increased heart weights, exaggerated fibrosis, and higher expression of stress markers and remodeling genes in AAV9-Tfeb TAC compared to AAV9-Luc TAC. RNA-sequencing, real-time PCR and Western Blot revealed a stronger ALP activation in the hearts of AAV9-Tfeb TAC mice. Cardiomyocyte-specific TFEB-overexpression promoted ALP gene expression during TAC, which was associated with heart failure. Treatment of ALP-related diseases by overexpression of TFEB warrants careful consideration
Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Conceptual Design Report Volume 2: The Physics Program for DUNE at LBNF
The Physics Program for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) at
the Fermilab Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) is described
Structure formation with strongly interacting neutrinos - implications for the cosmological neutrino mass bound
We investigate a model where neutrinos are strongly coupled to a new, light
scalar field. In this model neutrinos annihilate as soon as they become
non-relativistic in the early universe, and a non-zero neutrino mass has a
marginal effect on the matter power spectrum. However, the angular power
spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) is changed significantly
because the strongly interacting fluid of neutrinos and scalars does not
experience any anisotropic stress. Such models are strongly disfavoured by
current observations. Interestingly, this leads to the conclusion that the
relativistic energy density around the epoch of recombination must be in the
form of very weakly interacting particles. This conclusion is independent of
the specific interaction model.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, minor changes, matches JCAP versio
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering: Terrestrial and astrophysical applications
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CENS) is a process in which neutrinos scatter on a nucleus which acts as a single particle. Though the total cross section is large by neutrino standards, CENS has long proven difficult to detect, since the deposited energy into the nucleus is keV. In 2017, the COHERENT collaboration announced the detection of CENS using a stopped-pion source with CsI detectors, followed up the detection of CENS using an Ar target. The detection of CENS has spawned a flurry of activities in high-energy physics, inspiring new constraints on beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics, and new experimental methods. The CENS process has important implications for not only high-energy physics, but also astrophysics, nuclear physics, and beyond. This whitepaper discusses the scientific importance of CENS, highlighting how present experiments such as COHERENT are informing theory, and also how future experiments will provide a wealth of information across the aforementioned fields of physics
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering: Terrestrial and astrophysical applications
Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CENS) is a process inwhich neutrinos scatter on a nucleus which acts as a single particle. Thoughthe total cross section is large by neutrino standards, CENS has longproven difficult to detect, since the deposited energy into the nucleus is keV. In 2017, the COHERENT collaboration announced the detection ofCENS using a stopped-pion source with CsI detectors, followed up thedetection of CENS using an Ar target. The detection of CENS hasspawned a flurry of activities in high-energy physics, inspiring newconstraints on beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics, and new experimentalmethods. The CENS process has important implications for not onlyhigh-energy physics, but also astrophysics, nuclear physics, and beyond. Thiswhitepaper discusses the scientific importance of CENS, highlighting howpresent experiments such as COHERENT are informing theory, and also how futureexperiments will provide a wealth of information across the aforementionedfields of physics.<br
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