Rank one HCIZ at high temperature: interpolating between classical and free convolutions

We study the rank one Harish-Chandra-Itzykson-Zuber integral in the limit where \frac{N\beta}{2} \to cNβ2→c, called the high-temperature regime and show that it can be used to construct a promising one-parameter interpolation family, with parameter c between the classical and the free convolution. This c-convolution has a simple interpretation in terms of another associated family of distribution indexed by c, called the Markov-Krein transform: the c-convolution of two distributions corresponds to the classical convolution of their Markov-Krein transforms. We derive first cumulant-moment relations, a central limit theorem, a Poisson limit theorem and show several numerical examples of c-convoluted distributions.

Li–Yau inequalities for general non-local diffusion equations via reduction to the heat kernel

We establish a reduction principle to derive Li–Yau inequalities for non-local diffusion problems in a very general framework, which covers both the discrete and continuous setting. Our approach is not based on curvature-dimension inequalities but on heat kernel representations of the solutions and consists in reducing the problem to the heat kernel. As an important application we solve a long-standing open problem by obtaining a Li–Yau inequality for positive solutions u to the fractional (in space) heat equation of the form $$(-\Delta )^{\beta /2}(\log u)\le C/t$$ ( - Δ ) β / 2 ( log u ) ≤ C / t , where $$\beta \in (0,2)$$ β ∈ ( 0 , 2 ) . We also show that this Li–Yau inequality allows to derive a Harnack inequality. We further illustrate our general result with an example in the discrete setting by proving a sharp Li–Yau inequality for diffusion on a complete graph.

Bronquiectasias não-fibrocísticas em área endêmica para tuberculose pulmonar, Belém do Pará - Brasil -2019

Objetivos: Descrever o perfil clínico-epidemiológico de pacientes com bronquiectasia não fibrocística atendidos em ambulatório especializado em Belém-PA, área com altas taxas de tuberculose pulmonar. Método: O estudo avaliou 100 prontuários, incluiu 53, atendidos em 2019, sendo avaliados características sociodemográficas e clínicas. Resultados: mulheres, de procedentes da capital, com início dos sintomas na idade adulta, cuja principal etiologia é pós-tuberculose. Os sintomas mais prevalentes são tosse, expectoração e dispnéia. Radiologicamente o comprometimento difuso e bilateral, e as principais classificações morfológicas: cilíndrico e sacular. As medicações mais utilizadas: beta-2 agonista de longa duração e acetilcisteína. Segundo o escore de gravidade E-FACED, a maioria dos pacientes foram classificados como doença leve. Conclusão: mulheres com antecedente de tuberculose pulmonar, com tosse e expectoração persistentes devem ser investigadas para doença bronquiectásica.

Nutritional Support With Oral Polymeric Formulation Enriched With Transforming Growth Factor beta 2 (TGF-β2) in Allogenic Hematopoietic Stem Cells Transplantation (Allo-hsct): A Prospective Interventional Study

PurposeIn the allogeneic transplant setting (allo-HSCT), the prevalence of malnutrition at admission is usually low, but at discharge, may be 60% or more and it may affect the transplant outcome.The aim of this study was to reduce the incidence of severe malnutrition (PG-SGA C) at day + 28 days from allo-HSCT in patients supported with an oral polymeric formulation enriched with Transforming Growth Factor beta 2 (TGF-β2).MethodsFifty-one patients were consecutively enrolled between March 2020 and June 2021 in this prospective interventional study. As a group of control, we have retrospectively analyzed an observational cohort composed by thirty patients submitted to allo-HSCT from august 2017 and august 2018 in our institution.ResultsThe incidence of severe malnourished patients (PG-SGA C) at + 28 days was significantly lower in the group with an oral nutritional support (ONS) treatment ratio (TR) major than 50% (TR>50%) in comparison to the ones with less than 50% ONS assumption (TR<50%) (13% vs 88.9% P=0.000). Interestingly, cumulative incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) aGVHD was significantly lower in patients assuming 50% or more of the prescribed ONS dose in comparison to those who assumed less than 50% of ONS (0%, vs 29.6%; p=0.005). Pneumonia was more frequent in patients with TR < 50% compared to patients with TR > 50% (48.1 % and 12.5 % respectively)(p=0.006).ConclusionMODULEN-IBD® seems to be a promising ONS to reduce malnutrition in allogeneic stem cell transplantation and should be tested in a randomized controlled prospective trial. MODULEN-IBD® may also have some positive immunological effects on gastrointestinal GVHD and infections that should be explored in larger studies.

COVID-19: pathogen characteristics, natural and adaptive immune response mechanisms, genetic diversity and distribution

COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by a member of the Coronaviridae family, a beta-2 coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-19 pandemic lasting about 19 months has caused serious damage to the health of people on our planet – by the 13 of July 2021, more than 187.9 000 000 patients have been diagnosed and more than 4.0 mln patients died from infection (> 2.0 %). Scientists around the world are actively investigating the critically important molecular-genetic aspects of the biology of the pathogen (genome RNA structure, proteins properties) that are important for understanding the disease mechanisms, as well as the mechanisms of individual and collective immunological protection and vaccines development with non-specific prophylactics.

The ELSA trial: single versus combinatory effects of non-prohibited beta-2 agonists on skeletal muscle metabolism, cardio-pulmonary function and endurance performance—study protocol for a randomized 4-way balanced cross-over trial

Background Asthma and/or airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) are common in elite endurance athletes with a high prevalence rate of beta-2 adrenoreceptor (beta-2) agonists use. Nevertheless, there are data on dose-dependent ergogenic effects of beta-2 agonists suggesting increased muscle strength, endurance and neuromuscular performance. Therefore, most beta-2 agonists belong to the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances and it is tempting to speculate that illegitimate use of beta-2 agonists might be a common practice to boost performance in competitive sports. It is currently unknown whether or not inhaled beta-2 agonists enhance performance by stimulatory effects in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Methods The ELSA trial is a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized, balanced, four-way cross-over study. Study participants (n=24, 12 ♀, 12 ♂) complete four study arms (i.e. periods with treatment A, placebo; B, salbutamol; C, formoterol; D, formoterol + salbutamol) in random order after an initial preliminary testing session. Participants inhale the study medication 20 min before the 10-min time trial (TT; exercise performance test), where participants cycle 10 min at the highest possible workload. Cardiac output is measured continuously. A skeletal muscle biopsy is collected 3 h after the TT. Study endpoints include measures of skeletal muscle expression of nuclear receptors, hormones and cytokine levels, urinary and plasma concentrations of salbutamol and formoterol, circulating cardiac markers, cardiopulmonary function and exercise performance (average power and peak power during the TT). Blood and urine are collected and respiratory testing is performed 24 h post TT. Summary/conclusions This clinical trial evaluates the potential performance-enhancing effects of non-prohibited, not medically indicated inhaled short- and long-acting beta-2 agonists on skeletal muscle gene expression, endocrine regulation, cardiac biomarkers, cardiopulmonary function and acute endurance exercise performance. These data will be used by WADA to adapt the annually published list of prohibited substances (WADA 2021) and will be published in scientific journals. Trial registration The trial is registered at the European Clinical Trials Database (Eudra CT) with the number: 2015-005598-19 as well as at the German register for clinical studies (DRKS number 00010574).