30,971 research outputs found

    New visions for anaphylaxis: an iPAC summary and future trends

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    Anaphylaxis is an increasing emergency in Western countries, especially in children. In the last decade, efforts have been attempted to widely understand anaphylaxis from several angles but at present, there are still numerous issues to be clarified and tackled for its earlier identification. The discrepancies in the operational definitions and diagnostic criteria of anaphylaxis represent one of the most controversial issues in casting light upon its epidemiology. Furthermore, the lack of reliable markers of the disease hampers its diagnosis. Further basic and clinical research is urgently needed to confirm the recent promising results derived from studies on animal models, and to clarify the key role of selected mediators and markers in the different steps of the reaction, in its severity and in the recurrences. The underuse of adrenaline is another important issue, as available data demonstrate physicians' preference for steroids and anti-histamines despite the current lack of evidence of their effectiveness. In the near future, the management of anaphylaxis will be strongly influenced by the development of a stepwise approach, as well as by the creation of a system improving transmission of good quality data between the emergency room, the allergist and the family doctor. This process will certainly be enhanced by the establishment of a network of Centres of Excellence collaborating for high quality research and care and involved in the dissemination of new knowledge at a primary care level. This review will seek to briefly overview our current knowledge and highlight the key questions that need to be addressed in the next decade to improve clinical care to children and will focus on the epidemiology of anaphylaxis, the identification of individuals at risk of anaphylaxis, the special issues related to infants, community management of children at risk of anaphylaxis and school related issue

    One-loop quantum gravity from the N=4 spinning particle

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    We construct a spinning particle that reproduces the propagation of the graviton on those curved backgrounds which solve the Einstein equations, with or without cosmological constant, i.e. Einstein manifolds. It is obtained by modifying the N=4 supersymmetric spinning particle by relaxing the gauging of the full SO(4) R-symmetry group to a parabolic subgroup, and selecting suitable Chern-Simons couplings on the worldline. We test it by computing the correct one-loop divergencies of quantum gravity in D=4

    Scattering Amplitudes of Massive N=2 Gauge Theories in Three Dimensions

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    We study the scattering amplitudes of mass-deformed Chern-Simons theories and Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons theories with N=2 supersymmetry in three dimensions. In particular, we derive the on-shell supersymmetry algebras which underlie the scattering matrices of these theories. We then compute various 3 and 4-point on-shell tree-level amplitudes in these theories. For the mass-deformed Chern-Simons theory, odd-point amplitudes vanish and we find that all of the 4-point amplitudes can be encoded elegantly in superamplitudes. For the Yang-Mills-Chern-Simons theory, we obtain all of the 4-point tree-level amplitudes using a combination of perturbative techniques and algebraic constraints and we comment on difficulties related to computing amplitudes with external gauge fields using Feynman diagrams. Finally, we propose a BCFW recursion relation for mass-deformed theories in three dimensions and discuss the applicability of this proposal to mass-deformed N=2 theories

    Chirality of Gravitational Waves in Chern-Simons f(R)f(R) Gravity Cosmology

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    In this paper we shall consider an axionic Chern-Simons corrected f(R)f(R) gravity theoretical framework, and we shall study the chirality of the generated primordial gravitational waves. Particularly, we shall consider two main axion models, the canonical misalignment axion model and the kinetic axion model, both of which provide an interesting particle phenomenology, in the presence of R2R^2 terms in the inflationary Lagrangian. The axion does not affect significantly the background evolution during the inflationary era, which is solely controlled by R2R^2 gravity. However, the due to the presence of the Chern-Simons term, the tensor perturbations are directly affected, and our aim is to reveal the extent of effects of the Chern-Simons term on the gravitational waves modes, for both the axion models. We aim to produce analytical descriptions of the primordial tensor modes behavior, and thus we solve analytically the evolution equations of the tensor modes, for a nearly de Sitter primordial evolution controlled by the R2R^2 gravity. We focus the analytical study on superhorizon and subhorizon modes. For the misalignment model, we were able to produce analytic solutions for both the subhorizon and superhorizon modes, in which case we found the behavior of the circular polarization function. Our results indicate that the produced tensor spectrum is strongly chiral. For the kinetic axion model though, analytic solutions are obtained only for the superhorizon modes. In order to have a grasp of the behavior of the chirality of the tensor modes, we studied the chirality of the superhorizon modes, however a more complete study is needed, which is impossible to do analytically though.Comment: PRD Accepte

    Erratum to: Effect of moderate red wine intake on cardiac prognosis after recent acute myocardial infarction of subjects with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Diabetic Medicine, (2006), 23, 9, (974-981), 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2006.01886.x)

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    In an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola.In an article by Marfella et al, the author name C. Saron is incorrect and should be listed as C. Sardu. Therefore the correct author list is: R. Marfella, F. Cacciapuoti, M. Siniscalchi, F. C. Sasso, F. Marchese, F. Cinone, E. Musacchio, M. A. Marfella, L. Ruggiero, G. Chiorazzo, D. Liberti, G. Chiorazzo, G. F. Nicoletti, C. Sardu, F. D'Andrea, C. Ammendola, M. Verza and L. Coppola

    Einstein-Chern-Simons equations on the 3-brane world

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    In this article it is studied the 3-brane world in the context of five-dimensional Einstein-Chern-Simons gravity. We started by considering Israel's junction condition for AdS-Chern-Simons gravity. Using the S-expansion procedure, we mapped the AdS-Chern-Simons junction conditions to Einstein-Chern-Simons gravity, allowing us to derive effective four-dimensional Einstein-Chern-Simons field equations

    Higher dimensional abelian Chern-Simons theories and their link invariants

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    40 pagesInternational audienceThe role played by Deligne-Beilinson cohomology in establishing the relation between Chern-Simons theory and link invariants in dimensions higher than three is investigated. Deligne-Beilinson cohomology classes provide a natural abelian Chern-Simons action, non trivial only in dimensions 4l+34l+3, whose parameter kk is quantized. The generalized Wilson (2l+1)(2l+1)-loops are observables of the theory and their charges are quantized. The Chern-Simons action is then used to compute invariants for links of (2l+1)(2l+1)-loops, first on closed (4l+3)(4l+3)-manifolds through a novel geometric computation, then on R4l+3\mathbb{R}^{4l+3} through an unconventional field theoretic computation

    Solitons in low-dimensional sigma models

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    The aim of this thesis is to study topological soliton solutions in classical field theories, called sigma models, on a three-dimensional space. In chapter 1 we review the general field-theoretical framework of classical soliton solutions and exemplify it on the main features of the 0(3) σ-model and the Abehan Higgs model in (2+1) dimensions. In chapter 2 a U(l)-gauged 0(3) σ-model is discussed, where the behaviour of the gauge field is determined by a Chern-Simons term in the action. We find numerical solutions for radially symmetric fields and discuss those of degree one and two. They carry a non-vanishing angular momentum and can be interpreted as classical anyons. A similar model is studied in chapter 3. Here the potential is of Higgs-type and chosen to produce a Bogomol'nyi model where the energy is bounded from below by a linear combination of the topological degree of the matter fields and the local U(l)-charge. Depending on internal parameters, the solutions are solitons or vortices. We study them numerically and prove for a certain range of the matter field's vacuum value that there cannot be a 1-soliton.In chapter 4 we discuss a modified 0(3) σ-model in (3+0) dimensions. The topological stability of the solitons is here imphed by the degree of the map S(^3) → S(^2), which provides a lower boundon the potential energy of the configuration. Numerical solutions are obtained for configurations of azimuthal symmetry and the spectrum of slowly rotating solitons is approximated. Chapter 5 deals with a theory where the fields are maps IR(^2+1) → CP(^2). The Lagrangian includes a potential and a fourth-order term in the field-gradient. We find a family of static analytic solutions of degree one and study the 2-soIiton configuration numerically by using a gradient-flow equation on the moduli space of solutions. We conclude this thesis with a brief summary and give an outlook to open questions

    Giornalismo investigativo, vittime e diritto di cronaca

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    Scopo del presente lavoro è quello di analizzare le caratteristiche e il ruolo del giornalismo investigativo e il suo rapporto con altre discipline, come la sociologia, la criminologia e vittimologia, da un lato, e il diritto, dall’altro lato. Particolare attenzione è posta sul metodo e sulle tecniche usate da chi svolge inchieste giornalistiche, nonché sulla necessità di instaurare una più stretta convergenza, nell’operatività sul campo, tra giornalismo investigativo, diritto e ricerca sociale. Per quanto attiene alla specificità del rapporto tra giornalismo e vittime, l’autore propone una nuova classificazione, a cui si può ricorrere per meglio individuare e studiare i diversi campi di ricerca nel settore. Tale classificazione può anche aiutare il giornalismo investigativo ad operare con un nuovo approccio, che è quello vittimologico. Nella parte finale del saggio, l’autore si sofferma sulle funzioni del “diritto di cronaca”, con specifico riferimento al giornalismo investigativo, alla luce della giurisprudenza italiana (ed, in particolare, C.Cass., Sez. II Civ., sent. n. 16326/2010). Cet article vise à examiner les caractéristiques et le rôle du journalisme d’investigation ainsi que sa relation avec, d’un côté, d’autres disciplines comme la sociologie, la criminologie et la victimologie, et, de l'autre, le droit. Une attention particulière est accordée à la méthode et aux techniques utilisées par le journaliste d’investigation de même que sur la convergence entre journalisme, droit d’investigation et recherche sociale. À propos de la relation entre le journalisme et les victimes, l’auteur suggère une nouvelle classification qui peut être utilisée afin de mieux identifier et étudier les différents domaines de la recherche sur le sujet. Cette classification peut également servir à développer une nouvelle approche de travail pour le journalisme d’investigation, fondée sur la victimologie. Dans la dernière partie de l’article, l’auteur met en évidence les fonctions du « droit de chronique » du journalisme d’investigation, à la lumière des jugements majeurs prononcés par les tribunaux italiens (en particulier, la Cour suprême de Cassation, troisième chambre civile, décision n°16236/2010). This essay analyzes the role and the characteristics of the investigative journalism along with its relationship with other disciplines, as sociology, criminology and victimology on one side, and law on the other side. Special focus is on the method and the techniques used by the investigative journalist and on the convergence between investigative journalism, law and social research. About the relationship between journalism and victims, the author proposes a new classification, which can be used to better identify and study different fields of research. This classification can also help the investigative journalism to work with a new approach, based on victimology. In the final part of the essay, the author focuses on the functions of "the right to report" and the investigative journalism, in the light of the significant judgments pronounced by Italian courts (in particular, Italian Supreme Court of Cassation, 3rd Civil Section, No. 16326/2010)

    Some comments on Chern-Simons gauge theory

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    Following M. F. Atiyah and R. Bott [AB] and E. Witten [W], we consider the space of flat connections on the trivial SU(2) bundle over a surface M, modulo the space of gauge transformations. We describe on this quotient space a natural hermitian line-bundle with connection and prove that if the surface M is now endowed with a complex structure, this line bundle is isomorphic to the determinant bundle. We show heuristically how path-integral quantisation of the Chern-Simons action yields holomorphic sections of this bundle
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