Showing papers by "University of Udine published in 2021"

Population Properties of Compact Objects from the Second LIGO-Virgo Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog

Abstract: We report on the population of 47 compact binary mergers detected with a false-alarm rate of 0.01 are dynamically assembled. Third, we estimate merger rates, finding RBBH = 23.9-+8.614.3 Gpc-3 yr-1 for BBHs and RBNS = 320-+240490 Gpc-3 yr-1 for binary neutron stars. We find that the BBH rate likely increases with redshift (85% credibility) but not faster than the star formation rate (86% credibility). Additionally, we examine recent exceptional events in the context of our population models, finding that the asymmetric masses of GW190412 and the high component masses of GW190521 are consistent with our models, but the low secondary mass of GW190814 makes it an outlier.

Observation of Gravitational Waves from Two Neutron Star–Black Hole Coalescences

Abstract: We report the observation of gravitational waves from two compact binary coalescences in LIGO’s and Virgo’s third observing run with properties consistent with neutron star–black hole (NSBH) binaries. The two events are named GW200105_162426 and GW200115_042309, abbreviated as GW200105 and GW200115; the first was observed by LIGO Livingston and Virgo and the second by all three LIGO–Virgo detectors. The source of GW200105 has component masses 8.9−1.5+1.2 and 1.9−0.2+0.3M⊙ , whereas the source of GW200115 has component masses 5.7−2.1+1.8 and 1.5−0.3+0.7M⊙ (all measurements quoted at the 90% credible level). The probability that the secondary’s mass is below the maximal mass of a neutron star is 89%–96% and 87%–98%, respectively, for GW200105 and GW200115, with the ranges arising from different astrophysical assumptions. The source luminosity distances are 280−110+110 and 300−100+150Mpc , respectively. The magnitude of the primary spin of GW200105 is less than 0.23 at the 90% credible level, and its orientation is unconstrained. For GW200115, the primary spin has a negative spin projection onto the orbital angular momentum at 88% probability. We are unable to constrain the spin or tidal deformation of the secondary component for either event. We infer an NSBH merger rate density of 45−33+75Gpc−3yr−1 when assuming that GW200105 and GW200115 are representative of the NSBH population or 130−69+112Gpc−3yr−1 under the assumption of a broader distribution of component masses.

Quantum ESPRESSO toward the exascale.

Abstract: Quantum ESPRESSO is an open-source distribution of computer codes for quantum-mechanical materials modeling, based on density-functional theory, pseudopotentials, and plane waves, and renowned for its performance on a wide range of hardware architectures, from laptops to massively parallel computers, as well as for the breadth of its applications. In this paper we present a motivation and brief review of the ongoing effort to port Quantum ESPRESSO onto heterogeneous architectures based on hardware accelerators, which will overcome the energy constraints that are currently hindering the way towards exascale computing.

Impact of sedentarism due to the COVID-19 home confinement on neuromuscular, cardiovascular and metabolic health: Physiological and pathophysiological implications and recommendations for physical and nutritional countermeasures.

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health crisis as entire populations have been asked to self-isolate and live in home-confinement for several weeks to months, which in itself represents a physiological challenge with significant health risks. This paper describes the impact of sedentarism on the human body at the level of the muscular, cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine and nervous systems and is based on evidence from several models of inactivity, including bed rest, unilateral limb suspension, and step-reduction. Data form these studies show that muscle wasting occurs rapidly, being detectable within two days of inactivity. This loss of muscle mass is associated with fibre denervation, neuromuscular junction damage and upregulation of protein breakdown, but is mostly explained by the suppression of muscle protein synthesis. Inactivity also affects glucose homeostasis as just few days of step reduction or bed rest, reduce insulin sensitivity, principally in muscle. Additionally, aerobic capacity is impaired at all levels of the O2 cascade, from the cardiovascular system, including peripheral circulation, to skeletal muscle oxidative function. Positive energy balance during physical inactivity is associated with fat deposition, associated with systemic inflammation and activation of antioxidant defences, exacerbating muscle loss. Importantly, these deleterious effects of inactivity can be diminished by routine exercise practice, but the exercise dose-response relationship is currently unknown. Nevertheless, low to medium-intensity high volume resistive exercise, easily implementable in home-settings, will have positive effects, particularly if combined with a 15-25% reduction in daily energy intake. This combined regimen seems ideal for preserving neuromuscular, metabolic and cardiovascular health.Highlights This paper describes the impact of sedentarism, caused by the COVID-19 home confinement on the neuromuscular, cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine systems.Just few days of sedentary lifestyle are sufficient to induce muscle loss, neuromuscular junction damage and fibre denervation, insulin resistance, decreased aerobic capacity, fat deposition and low-grade systemic inflammation.Regular low/medium intensity high volume exercise, together with a 15-25% reduction in caloric intake are recommended for preserving neuromuscular, cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine health.

Upper limits on the isotropic gravitational-wave background from Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo’s third observing run

Abstract: We report results of a search for an isotropic gravitational-wave background (GWB) using data from Advanced LIGO’s and Advanced Virgo’s third observing run (O3) combined with upper limits from the earlier O1 and O2 runs. Unlike in previous observing runs in the advanced detector era, we include Virgo in the search for the GWB. The results of the search are consistent with uncorrelated noise, and therefore we place upper limits on the strength of the GWB. We find that the dimensionless energy density Ω GW ≤ 5.8 × 10 − 9 at the 95% credible level for a flat (frequency-independent) GWB, using a prior which is uniform in the log of the strength of the GWB, with 99% of the sensitivity coming from the band 20–76.6 Hz; Ω GW ( f ) ≤ 3.4 × 10 − 9 at 25 Hz for a power-law GWB with a spectral index of 2 / 3 (consistent with expectations for compact binary coalescences), in the band 20–90.6 Hz; and Ω GW ( f ) ≤ 3.9 × 10 − 10 at 25 Hz for a spectral index of 3, in the band 20–291.6 Hz. These upper limits improve over our previous results by a factor of 6.0 for a flat GWB, 8.8 for a spectral index of 2 / 3 , and 13.1 for a spectral index of 3. We also search for a GWB arising from scalar and vector modes, which are predicted by alternative theories of gravity; we do not find evidence of these, and place upper limits on the strength of GWBs with these polarizations. We demonstrate that there is no evidence of correlated noise of magnetic origin by performing a Bayesian analysis that allows for the presence of both a GWB and an effective magnetic background arising from geophysical Schumann resonances. We compare our upper limits to a fiducial model for the GWB from the merger of compact binaries, updating the model to use the most recent data-driven population inference from the systems detected during O3a. Finally, we combine our results with observations of individual mergers and show that, at design sensitivity, this joint approach may yield stronger constraints on the merger rate of binary black holes at z ≳ 2 than can be achieved with individually resolved mergers alone.

Modeling vaccination rollouts, SARS-CoV-2 variants and the requirement for non-pharmaceutical interventions in Italy.

Abstract: Despite progress in clinical care for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)1, population-wide interventions are still crucial to manage the pandemic, which has been aggravated by the emergence of new, highly transmissible variants. In this study, we combined the SIDARTHE model2, which predicts the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infections, with a new data-based model that projects new cases onto casualties and healthcare system costs. Based on the Italian case study, we outline several scenarios: mass vaccination campaigns with different paces, different transmission rates due to new variants and different enforced countermeasures, including the alternation of opening and closure phases. Our results demonstrate that non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have a higher effect on the epidemic evolution than vaccination alone, advocating for the need to keep NPIs in place during the first phase of the vaccination campaign. Our model predicts that, from April 2021 to January 2022, in a scenario with no vaccine rollout and weak NPIs ([Formula: see text] = 1.27), as many as 298,000 deaths associated with COVID-19 could occur. However, fast vaccination rollouts could reduce mortality to as few as 51,000 deaths. Implementation of restrictive NPIs ([Formula: see text] = 0.9) could reduce COVID-19 deaths to 30,000 without vaccinating the population and to 18,000 with a fast rollout of vaccines. We also show that, if intermittent open-close strategies are adopted, implementing a closing phase first could reduce deaths (from 47,000 to 27,000 with slow vaccine rollout) and healthcare system costs, without substantive aggravation of socioeconomic losses.

Jet energy scale and resolution measured in proton-proton collisions at s =13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract: Jet energy scale and resolution measurements with their associated uncertainties are reported for jets using 36-81 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data with a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Jets are reconstructed using two different input types: topo-clusters formed from energy deposits in calorimeter cells, as well as an algorithmic combination of charged-particle tracks with those topo-clusters, referred to as the ATLAS particle-flow reconstruction method. The anti-$k_t$ jet algorithm with radius parameter $R=0.4$ is the primary jet definition used for both jet types. Jets are initially calibrated using a sequence of simulation-based corrections. Next, several $\textit{in situ}$ techniques are employed to correct for differences between data and simulation and to measure the resolution of jets. The systematic uncertainties in the jet energy scale for central jets ($|\eta| 2.5$ TeV). The relative jet energy resolution is measured and ranges from ($24 \pm 1.5$)% at 20 GeV to ($6 \pm 0.5$)% at 300 GeV.

Measurement of the anomalous precession frequency of the muon in the Fermilab Muon g-2 experiment

Abstract: The Muon g-2 Experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) has measured the muon anomalous precession frequency $\omega_a$ to an uncertainty of 434 parts per billion (ppb), statistical, and 56 ppb, systematic, with data collected in four storage ring configurations during its first physics run in 2018. When combined with a precision measurement of the magnetic field of the experiment's muon storage ring, the precession frequency measurement determines a muon magnetic anomaly of $a_{\mu}({\rm FNAL}) = 116\,592\,040(54) \times 10^{-11}$ (0.46 ppm). This article describes the multiple techniques employed in the reconstruction, analysis and fitting of the data to measure the precession frequency. It also presents the averaging of the results from the eleven separate determinations of \omega_a, and the systematic uncertainties on the result.

Online-Learning due to COVID-19 Improved Mental Health Among Medical Students.

Abstract: In reference to the announcement of the pandemic of the new coronavirus 2019-(nCoV), all educational institutions in the Republic of Kazakhstan have switched to online learning (OL). The purpose of this study was to investigate the mental state of the medical students switching to OL in comparison with the mental state of the students who had traditional learning (TL). A repeated questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students ranging from 1st year to 5th year at Astana Medical University in the 2019–2020 academic year. The first study was conducted during the TL (October–November 2019, N = 619), and the second study was conducted during the OL period (April 2020, N = 798). Burnout syndrome, depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms, and satisfaction with academic performance have been studied. The findings revealed that prevalence of the burnout syndrome, depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms decreased after transitioning from TL to OL. However, during the OL period, the prevalence of colleague-related burnout increased, which tells us about the negative impact of OL on students’ communication and interpersonal relationships. The most common depression and anxiety symptoms, dissatisfaction with academic performance were among students who indicated a decrease in academic performance during OL. Students who lived alone during the quarantine were more prone to depression during OL. In conclusion, during the quarantine period after the transition from TL to OL, the mental health state of medical students improved, despite the severe conditions of the pandemic.

Lung ultrasound for the early diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia: an international multicenter study.

Abstract: To analyze the application of a lung ultrasound (LUS)-based diagnostic approach to patients suspected of COVID-19, combining the LUS likelihood of COVID-19 pneumonia with patient’s symptoms and clinical history. This is an international multicenter observational study in 20 US and European hospitals. Patients suspected of COVID-19 were tested with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) swab test and had an LUS examination. We identified three clinical phenotypes based on pre-existing chronic diseases (mixed phenotype), and on the presence (severe phenotype) or absence (mild phenotype) of signs and/or symptoms of respiratory failure at presentation. We defined the LUS likelihood of COVID-19 pneumonia according to four different patterns: high (HighLUS), intermediate (IntLUS), alternative (AltLUS), and low (LowLUS) probability. The combination of patterns and phenotypes with RT-PCR results was described and analyzed. We studied 1462 patients, classified in mild (n = 400), severe (n = 727), and mixed (n = 335) phenotypes. HighLUS and IntLUS showed an overall sensitivity of 90.2% (95% CI 88.23–91.97%) in identifying patients with positive RT-PCR, with higher values in the mixed (94.7%) and severe phenotype (97.1%), and even higher in those patients with objective respiratory failure (99.3%). The HighLUS showed a specificity of 88.8% (CI 85.55–91.65%) that was higher in the mild phenotype (94.4%; CI 90.0–97.0%). At multivariate analysis, the HighLUS was a strong independent predictor of RT-PCR positivity (odds ratio 4.2, confidence interval 2.6–6.7, p < 0.0001). Combining LUS patterns of probability with clinical phenotypes at presentation can rapidly identify those patients with or without COVID-19 pneumonia at bedside. This approach could support and expedite patients’ management during a pandemic surge.

VT-ADL: A Vision Transformer Network for Image Anomaly Detection and Localization

Abstract: We present a transformer-based image anomaly detection and localization network. Our proposed model is a combination of a reconstruction-based approach and patch embedding. The use of transformer networks helps preserving the spatial information of the embedded patches, which is later processed by a Gaussian mixture density network to localize the anomalous areas. In addition, we also publish BTAD, a real-world industrial anomaly dataset. Our results are compared with other state-of-the-art algorithms using publicly available datasets like MNIST and MVTec.

Muon reconstruction and identification efficiency in ATLAS using the full Run 2 pp collision data set at √ s = 13 TeV

Abstract: This article documents the muon reconstruction and identification efficiency obtained by the ATLAS experiment for 139 $$\hbox {fb}^{-1}$$ fb - 1 of pp collision data at $$\sqrt{s}=13$$ s = 13 TeV collected between 2015 and 2018 during Run 2 of the LHC. The increased instantaneous luminosity delivered by the LHC over this period required a reoptimisation of the criteria for the identification of prompt muons. Improved and newly developed algorithms were deployed to preserve high muon identification efficiency with a low misidentification rate and good momentum resolution. The availability of large samples of $$Z\rightarrow \mu \mu $$ Z → μ μ and $$J/\psi \rightarrow \mu \mu $$ J / ψ → μ μ decays, and the minimisation of systematic uncertainties, allows the efficiencies of criteria for muon identification, primary vertex association, and isolation to be measured with an accuracy at the per-mille level in the bulk of the phase space, and up to the percent level in complex kinematic configurations. Excellent performance is achieved over a range of transverse momenta from 3 GeV to several hundred GeV, and across the full muon detector acceptance of $$|\eta |<2.7$$ | η | < 2.7 .

The Weyl BMS group and Einstein’s equations

Abstract: We propose an extension of the BMS group, which we refer to as Weyl BMS or BMSW for short, that includes super-translations, local Weyl rescalings and arbitrary diffeomorphisms of the 2d sphere metric. After generalizing the Barnich-Troessaert bracket, we show that the Noether charges of the BMSW group provide a centerless representation of the BMSW Lie algebra at every cross section of null infinity. This result is tantamount to proving that the flux-balance laws for the Noether charges imply the validity of the asymptotic Einstein’s equations at null infinity. The extension requires a holographic renormalization procedure, which we construct without any dependence on background fields. The renormalized phase space of null infinity reveals new pairs of conjugate variables. Finally, we show that BMSW group elements label the gravitational vacua.

Ceftazidime-avibactam use for KPC-Kp infections: a retrospective observational multicenter study

Abstract: BACKGROUND A growing body of observational evidence supports the value of ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) in managing infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed observational data on use and outcomes of CAZ-AVI therapy for infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) strains. Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify variables independently associated with 30-day mortality. Results were adjusted for propensity score for receipt of CAZ-AVI combination regimens versus CAZ-AVI monotherapy. RESULTS The cohort comprised 577 adults with bloodstream infections (n = 391) or nonbacteremic infections involving mainly the urinary tract, lower respiratory tract, and intra-abdominal structures. All received treatment with CAZ-AVI alone (n = 165) or with ≥1 other active antimicrobials (n = 412). The all-cause mortality rate 30 days after infection onset was 25% (146/577). There was no significant difference in mortality between patients managed with CAZ-AVI alone and those treated with combination regimens (26.1% vs 25.0%, P = .79). In multivariate analysis, mortality was positively associated with presence at infection onset of septic shock (P = .002), neutropenia (P < .001), or an INCREMENT score ≥8 (P = .01); with lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) (P = .04); and with CAZ-AVI dose adjustment for renal function (P = .01). Mortality was negatively associated with CAZ-AVI administration by prolonged infusion (P = .006). All associations remained significant after propensity score adjustment. CONCLUSIONS CAZ-AVI is an important option for treating serious KPC-Kp infections, even when used alone. Further study is needed to explore the drug's seemingly more limited efficacy in LRTIs and potential survival benefits of prolonging CAZ-AVI infusions to ≥3 hours.

Catalytic activity of metals in heterogeneous Fenton-like oxidation of wastewater contaminants: a review

Abstract: Innovations in water technology are needed to solve challenges of climate change, resource shortages, emerging contaminants, urbanization, sustainable development and demographic changes. In particular, conventional techniques of wastewater treatment are limited by the presence of poorly biodegradable organic matter. Alternatively, recent Fenton, Fenton-like and hybrid processes appear successful for cleaning of different types of liquid wastewaters. Here, we review the application of metallic catalyst-H2O2 systems in the heterogeneous Fenton process. Each metallic catalyst-H2O2 system has unique redox properties due to metal oxidation state. Solution pH is a major influencing factor. Catalysts made of iron and cerium form stable complexes with oxidation products and H2O2, thus resulting in reduced activities. Copper forms transitory complexes with oxidation products, but copper catalytic activity is restored during the reaction. Silver and manganese do not form complexes. The catalyst performance for degradation and mineralization decreases in the order: manganese, copper, iron, silver, cerium, yet the easiness of practical application decreases in the order: copper, manganese, iron, silver, cerium.

Neurologic Adverse Events of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Systematic Review.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE To define the clinical characteristics, management, and outcome of neurologic immune-related adverse events (n-irAEs) of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). METHODS Systematic review of the literature following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. RESULTS A total of 694 articles were identified. Two hundred fifty-six articles, with 428 individual patients, met the inclusion criteria. Reports regarding neuromuscular disorders (319/428, 75%) were more frequent than those on CNS disorders (109/428, 25%). The most common n-irAEs reports were myositis (136/428, 32%), Guillain-Barre syndrome and other peripheral neuropathies (94/428, 22%), myasthenic syndromes (58/428, 14%), encephalitis (56/428, 13%), cranial neuropathies (31/428, 7%), meningitis (13/428, 3%), CNS demyelinating diseases (8/428, 2%), and myelitis (7/428, 2%). Other CNS disorders were detected in 25/428 (6%) patients. Compared with the whole sample, myasthenic syndromes were significantly more Ab positive (33/56, 59%; p < 0.001). Anti-programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 was more frequent in myasthenic syndromes (50/58, 86%; p = 0.005) and less common in meningitis (2/13, 15%; p < 0.001) and cranial neuropathies (13/31, 42%; p = 0.005). Anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 ICIs were more frequent in meningitis (8/13, 62%; p < 0.001) and less common in encephalitis (2/56, 4%; p = 0.009) and myositis (12/136, 9%; p = 0.01). Combination of different ICIs was more frequent in cranial neuropathies (12/31, 39%; p = 0.005). Melanoma was more frequent in patients with peripheral neuropathies (64/94, 68%; p = 0.003) and less common in encephalitis (19/56, 34%; p = 0.001). The highest mortality rate was reached in myasthenic syndromes (28%). CONCLUSION Considering the increasing use of ICI therapy in the forthcoming future, this information can be valuable in assisting neurologists and oncologists in early n-irAEs diagnosis and treatment.

Sensitivity of the Cherenkov Telescope Array to a dark matter signal from the Galactic centre

Abstract: We provide an updated assessment of the power of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) to search for thermally produced dark matter at the TeV scale, via the associated gamma-ray signal from pair-annihilating dark matter particles in the region around the Galactic centre. We find that CTA will open a new window of discovery potential, significantly extending the range of robustly testable models given a standard cuspy profile of the dark matter density distribution. Importantly, even for a cored profile, the projected sensitivity of CTA will be sufficient to probe various well-motivated models of thermally produced dark matter at the TeV scale. This is due to CTA's unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolutions, and the planned observational strategy. The survey of the inner Galaxy will cover a much larger region than corresponding previous observational campaigns with imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. CTA will map with unprecedented precision the large-scale diffuse emission in high-energy gamma rays, constituting a background for dark matter searches for which we adopt state-of-the-art models based on current data. Throughout our analysis, we use up-to-date event reconstruction Monte Carlo tools developed by the CTA consortium, and pay special attention to quantifying the level of instrumental systematic uncertainties, as well as background template systematic errors, required to probe thermally produced dark matter at these energies.

Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase 2 study of bemarituzumab combined with modified FOLFOX6 (mFOLFOX6) in first-line (1L) treatment of advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (FIGHT).

Abstract: 160Background: Bemarituzumab (bema), a first-in-class humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody, selectively binds to FGFR2b, inhibits ligand binding and mediates antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxi...

COVID-19 in Heart Transplant Recipients: A Multicenter Analysis of the Northern Italian Outbreak.

Abstract: Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the clinical course and outcomes of all heart transplant recipients affected by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) who were followed at the leading heart transplant centers of Northern Italy. Background The worldwide severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for public health, demanding exceptional efforts for the successful management and treatment of affected patients. Heart transplant patients represent a unique cohort of chronically immunosuppressed subjects in which SARS-CoV-2 may stimulate an unpredictable clinical course of infection. Methods Since February 2020, we enrolled all 47 cases (79% male) in a first cohort of patients, with a mean age of 61.8 ± 14.5 years, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, out of 2,676 heart transplant recipients alive before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic at 7 heart transplant centers in Northern Italy. Results To date, 38 patients required hospitalization while 9 remained self-home quarantined and 14 died. Compared to the general population, prevalence (18 vs. 7 cases per 1,000) and related case fatality rate (29.7% vs. 15.4%) in heart transplant recipients were doubled. Univariable analysis showed older age (p = 0.002), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.040), extracardiac arteriopathy (p = 0.040), previous PCI (p = 0.040), CAV score (p = 0.039), lower GFR (p = 0.004), and higher NYHA functional classes (p = 0.023) were all significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. During the follow-up two patients died and a third patient has prolonged viral-shedding alternating positive and negative swabs. Since July 1st, 2020, we had 6 new patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, 5 patients asymptomatic were self-quarantined, while 1 is still hospitalized for pneumonia. A standard therapy was maintained for all, except for the hospitalized patient. Conclusions The prevalence and mortality of SARS-CoV-2 should spur clinicians to immediately refer heart transplant recipients suspected as having SARS-CoV2 infection to centers specializing in the care of this vulnerable population.

Extended corner symmetry, charge bracket and Einstein's equations

Abstract: We develop the covariant phase space formalism allowing for non-vanishing flux, anomalies, and field dependence in the vector field generators. We construct a charge bracket that generalizes the one introduced by Barnich and Troessaert and includes contributions from the Lagrangian and its anomaly. This bracket is uniquely determined by the choice of Lagrangian representative of the theory. We then extend the notion of corner symmetry algebra to include the surface translation symmetries and prove that the charge bracket provides a canonical representation of the extended corner symmetry algebra. This representation property is shown to be equivalent to the projection of the gravitational equations of motion on the corner, providing us with an encoding of the bulk dynamics in a locally holographic manner.

Real-life experience on effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis

Abstract: Background: Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting the alpha subunit of IL-4 was recently approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in adult patients. Objective: To assess dupilumab effectiveness and safety in adults with moderate-to-severe AD in a real-life Italian multicentre retrospective cohort. Methods: Adult moderate-to-severe AD patients, referring to 39 Italian centers, received dupilumab in the context of a national patient access program. Disease assessment was performed at baseline, after 4 and 16 weeks of treatment using Eczema-Area-and-Severity-Index (EASI) score, itch and sleep numerical-rating-score (itch-NRS, sleep-NRS) and Dermatology-Life-Quality-Index (DLQI). Results: A total of 109 (71 M/38F) patients was studied. There was a significant reduction in EASI score, itch-NRS, sleep-NRS and DLQI from baseline to week 4 and a further significant decline to week 16. EASI 50, EASI75 and EASI90 were achieved by 59.6%, 28.4% and 9.3% of patients at 4 weeks and by 87.2%, 60.6% and 32.4% of them at 16 weeks, respectively. Adverse events were experienced by 19.2% (21/109) of the patients and they were all mild in intensity, being conjunctivitis the most common side effect. Conclusions: Dupilumab significantly improved disease severity, pruritus, sleep loss and quality of life with an acceptable safety profile.

Constraints on Cosmic Strings Using Data from the Third Advanced LIGO–Virgo Observing Run

Abstract: We search for gravitational-wave signals produced by cosmic strings in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo full O3 dataset Search results are presented for gravitational waves produced by cosmic string loop features such as cusps, kinks, and, for the first time, kink-kink collisions A template-based search for short-duration transient signals does not yield a detection We also use the stochastic gravitational-wave background energy density upper limits derived from the O3 data to constrain the cosmic string tension Gμ as a function of the number of kinks, or the number of cusps, for two cosmic string loop distribution models Additionally, we develop and test a third model that interpolates between these two models Our results improve upon the previous LIGO-Virgo constraints on Gμ by 1 to 2 orders of magnitude depending on the model that is tested In particular, for the one-loop distribution model, we set the most competitive constraints to date: Gμ≲4×10^{-15} In the case of cosmic strings formed at the end of inflation in the context of grand unified theories, these results challenge simple inflationary models