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We have carried out a large-scale investigation of the metallicity and kinematics for a number of LMC and SMC star clusters using Caiitriplet spectra obtained at theVLT. Our sample includes 28 LMC and 16 SMC clusters, covering a wide range of ages and spatial extent of the host galaxy. We determine mean cluster velocities to about 2 km s−1and metallicities to 0.05 dex (random error), from about 7 members per cluster. Herein we present the main results for this study for the cluster metallicity distributions, metallicity gradients, age-metallicity relations and kinematics.

We present CCD BVI photometry for the southern open cluster NGC 2489 and its surrounding field. The sample consists of 2182 stars measured in an area of 13.6 × 13.6 arcmin2, extending down to V ∼ 21.5. These data are supplemented with CORAVEL radial-velocity observations for seven red giant candidates. A cluster angular radius of 6.7 ± 0.6 arcmin, equivalent to 3.5 ± 0.3 pc, is estimated from star counts carried out inside and outside the cluster region. The comparison of the cluster colour–magnitude diagrams with isochrones of the Padova group yields E(B − V) = 0.30 ± 0.05, E(V − I) = 0.40 ± 0.05 and V − MV = 12.20 ± 0.25 for log t = 8.70 (t = 500+130 −100 Myr) and Z = 0.019. NGC 2489 is then located at 1.8 ± 0.3 kpc from the Sun and 25 pc below the Galactic plane. The analysis of the kinematical data allowed us to confirm cluster membership for six red giants, one of them being a spectroscopic binary. A mean radial velocity of 38.13 ± 0.33 km s−1 was derived for the cluster red giants. The properties of a sample of open clusters aligned along the line of sight of NGC 2489 are examined. Fil: Piatti, Andres Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentina Fil: Claria Olmedo, Juan Jose. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Mermilliod, Jean Claude. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina Fil: Parisi, Maria Celeste. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Ahumada, Andrea Veronica. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

We obtained spectra of red giants in 15 Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) clusters in the region of the CaII lines with FORS2 on the Very Large Telescope (VLT). We determined the mean metallicity and radial velocity with mean errors of 0.05 dex and 2.6 km/s, respectively, from a mean of 6.5 members per cluster. One cluster (B113) was too young for a reliable metallicity determination and was excluded from the sample. We combined the sample studied here with 15 clusters previously studied by us using the same technique, and with 7 clusters whose metallicities determined by other authors are on a scale similar to ours. This compilation of 36 clusters is the largest SMC cluster sample currently available with accurate and homogeneously determined metallicities. We found a high probability that the metallicity distribution is bimodal, with potential peaks at -1.1 and -0.8 dex. Our data show no strong evidence of a metallicity gradient in the SMC clusters, somewhat at odds with recent evidence from CaT spectra of a large sample of field stars Dobbie et al. (2014). This may be revealing possible differences in the chemical history of clusters and field stars. Our clusters show a significant dispersion of metallicities, whatever age is considered, which could be reflecting the lack of a unique AMR in this galaxy. None of the chemical evolution models currently available in the literature satisfactorily represents the global chemical enrichment processes of SMC clusters., Comment: 49 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in AJ

Integrated spectroscopy of a sample of 17 blue concentrated Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) clusters is presented and its spectral evolution studied. The spectra span the range ~3600-6800A with a resolution of ~14A FWHM, being used to determine cluster ages and, in connection with their spatial distribution, to explore the LMC structure and cluster formation history. Cluster reddening values were estimated by interpolation, using the available extinction maps. We used two methods to derive cluster ages: (i) template matching, in which line strengths and continuum distribution of the cluster spectra were compared and matched to those of template clusters with known astrophysical properties, and (ii) equivalent width (EW) method, in which new age/metallicity calibrations were used together with diagnostic diagrams involving the sum of EWs of selected spectral lines (KCaII, G band (CH), MgI, Hdelta, Hgamma and Hbeta). The derived cluster ages range from 40Myr (NGC2130 and SL237) to 300Myr (NGC1932 and SL709), a good agreement between the results of the two methods being obtained. Combining the present sample with additional ones indicates that cluster deprojected distances from the LMC center are related to age in the sense that inner clusters tend to be younger. Spectral libraries of star clusters are useful datasets for spectral classifications and extraction of parameter information for target star clusters and galaxies. The present cluster sample complements previous ones, in an effort to gather a spectral library with several clusters per age bin., 13 pages, 22 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A

Background: Monitoring of the microcirculation may add additional information in terms of improving the adequacy of hemodialysis (HD) for patients. Withdrawal of liquid and complement activation during a HD session reduces the external pressure on the microcirculation and leads to an increased dilatation of the peripheral capillaries. The purposes of this study were to assess the effect of a single HD or hemodiafiltration session on the thenar microcirculation in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with or without diabetes, investigate the possible relationship between changes in the microcirculation and adequacy of dialysis (including Kt/V and parameters indicating secondary hyperparathyroidism), and compare microcirculation measurements obtained from patients with ESRD and those from healthy controls. Methods: This pilot prospective observational study including eleven patients with ESRD on maintenance HD (nine men of mean age 73±10.5 years, ten [91%] with hypertension), nine patients with ESRD on maintenance hemodiafiltration (six men of mean age 65.5±13.2 years, five [55.5%] with diabetes and four [44.5%] with hypertension), and eight healthy volunteers. Two paired microcirculation assessments were recorded for each HD patient before and after a dialysis session. Near infrared spectroscopy and the vascular occlusion test were used to assess the microcirculation, and blood work samples were collected before and after dialysis when the pump slowed down. Results: Patients with ESRD showed an increase in thenar cell metabolism at rest after a 4-hour HD session, and changes in cell metabolism correlated with the Kt/V of the session. Pre-dialysis tissue oxygen saturation over the 4-hour HD session correlated with pre-dialysis serum calcium and parathyroid hormones. Vascular reactivity was lower in ESRD patients receiving HD or hemodiafiltration than in healthy controls. Conclusion: Improvement in skeletal muscle microcirculation noted after a HD session was related to adequacy of dialysis. Evaluation of the microcirculation may provide additional information for management of patients on HD and identify novel targets for treatment. These preliminary findings need to be tested using a larger data set. © 2015 Pipili et al.

The re-structuring of the exhibition halls of the Capitoline Museums offered the opportunity to develop a conservation-restoration project on the bronze statue of the Capitoline She-Wolf, which dates from the V century BC. The project took into consideration not only the preservation aspects but also the potential to gather further historical knowledge about this famous bronze artefact. This paper deals mainly with surface alteration and deposition products and presents research that compares information collected through a documentation survey with the results of scientific examinations carried out on samples collected from the statue’s surface. The survey showed that the She-Wolf was exposed for a long time in an outdoor environment before being exhibited in the Museum. Optical microscopy of cross sections, SEM-EDX, FTIR, as well as Py-GC-MS, has been used to characterise the composition of both the inorganic and organic surface components. The chemical composition of the bronze patina reflects stratigrafically the exposition history of the statue and its characterisation has been of the utmost importance in the interdisciplinary decision-making process relating to the conservation methodologies and procedures to be adopted. In particular, in order to recover the archaeological surface, a thick layer of natural organic substances (drying oils, waxes) applied during previous maintenance treatments which gave the bronze surface a dark brown appearance, have been removed.

We present color–magnitude diagrams in theVandIbands for 15 star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC)based on data taken with the Very Large Telescope (VLT, Chile). We selected these clusters from our previouswork, wherein we derived cluster radial velocities and metallicities from calcium II infrared triplet (CaT) spectraalso taken with the VLT. We discovered that the ages of six of our clusters have been appreciably underestimatedby previous studies, which used comparatively small telescopes, graphically illustrating the need for large aperturesto obtain reliable ages of old and intermediate-age SMC star clusters. In particular, three of these clusters, L4, L6,and L110, turn out to be among the oldest SMC clusters known, with ages of 7.9±1.1, 8.7±1.2, and 7.6±1.0 Gyr, respectively, helping to fill a possible “SMC cluster age gap.” Using the current ages and metallicities fromParisi et al., we analyze the age distribution, age gradient, and age–metallicity relation (AMR) of a sample of SMCclusters measured homogeneously. There is a suggestion of bimodality in the age distribution but it does not showa constant slope for the first 4 Gyr, and we find no evidence for an age gradient. Due to the improved ages of ourcluster sample, we find that our AMR is now better represented in the intermediate/old period than we had derivedin Parisi et al., where we simply took ages available in the literature. Additionally, clusters younger than∼4Gyrnow show better agreement with the bursting model of Pagel & Tautvaiˇsien ̇e, but we confirm that this model isnot a good representation of the AMR during the intermediate/old period. A more complicated model is needed toexplain the SMC chemical evolution in that period. Fil: Parisi, Maria Celeste. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina Fil: Geisler, Doug. Universidad de Concepción; Chile Fil: Carraro, G.. European Southern Observatory. Santiago de Chile; Chile Fil: Claria Olmedo, Juan Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina Fil: Costa, E. Universidad de Chile; Chile Fil: Grocholski, A.J.. State University of Louisiana; Estados Unidos Fil: Sarajedini, A.. University of Florida; Estados Unidos Fil: Leiton, R.. Universidad de Concepción; Chile Fil: Piatti, Andres Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina

We describe the public ESO near-IR variability survey (VVV) scanning the Milky Way bulge and an adjacent section of the mid-plane where star formation activity is high. The survey will take 1929 hours of observations with the 4-metre VISTA telescope during five years (2010-2014), covering ~10^9 point sources across an area of 520 deg^2, including 33 known globular clusters and ~350 open clusters. The final product will be a deep near-IR atlas in five passbands (0.9-2.5 microns) and a catalogue of more than 10^6 variable point sources. Unlike single-epoch surveys that, in most cases, only produce 2-D maps, the VVV variable star survey will enable the construction of a 3-D map of the surveyed region using well-understood distance indicators such as RR Lyrae stars, and Cepheids. It will yield important information on the ages of the populations. The observations will be combined with data from MACHO, OGLE, EROS, VST, Spitzer, HST, Chandra, INTEGRAL, WISE, Fermi LAT, XMM-Newton, GAIA and ALMA for a complete understanding of the variable sources in the inner Milky Way. This public survey will provide data available to the whole community and therefore will enable further studies of the history of the Milky Way, its globular cluster evolution, and the population census of the Galactic Bulge and center, as well as the investigations of the star forming regions in the disk. The combined variable star catalogues will have important implications for theoretical investigations of pulsation properties of stars., accepted for publication in New Astronomy

We have obtained metallicities of ~ 360 red giant stars distributed in 15 Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) fields from near-infrared spectra covering the CaII triplet lines using the VLT + FORS2. The errors of the derived [Fe/H] values range from 0.09 to 0.35 dex per star, with a mean of 0.17 dex. The metallicity distribution of the whole sample shows a mean value of [Fe/H] = -1.00 +- 0.02, with a dispersion of 0.32 +- 0.01, in agreement with global mean [Fe/H] values found in previous studies. We find no evidence of a metallicity gradient in the SMC. In fact, on analysing the metallicity distribution of each field, we derived mean values of [Fe/H] = -0.99 +- 0.08 and [Fe/H] = -1.02 +- 0.07 for fields located closer and farther than 4 deg. from the center of the galaxy, respectively. In addition, there is a clear tendency for the field stars to be more metal-poor than the corresponding cluster they surround, independent of their positions in the galaxy and of the clusters' age. We argue that this most likely stems from the field stars being somewhat older and therefore somewhat more metal-poor than most of our clusters., Comment: 38 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for publication in AJ

We have obtained near-infrared spectra covering the Ca II triplet lines for a number of stars associated with 16 SMC clusters using the VLT + FORS2. These data compose the largest available sample of SMC clusters with spectroscopically derived abundances and velocities. Our clusters span a wide range of ages and provide good areal coverage of the galaxy. Cluster members are selected using a combination of their positions relative to the cluster center as well as their abundances and radial velocities. We determine mean cluster velocities to typically 2.7 km/s and metallicities to 0.05 dex (random errors), from an average of 6.4 members per cluster. (continued in paper), Comment: 68 pages, 15 figures, Accepted to AJ Reason for the replacement: section 7 and fig. 9 have been modified according referee suggestions

In a system of systems (SoS) consisting of heterogeneous independently operable systems, effective communication among the systems is essential. These independent systems need to understand each other through effective communication in or order for them to establish a SoS. Thus, there is a need for a common language which wraps the data that is sent and received from a system within a SoS. This paper presents and extends the application of extensible markup language (XML) to represent data communicated among systems without underlying differences in hardware/software of the individual systems. Moreover, since the operation of each system is asynchronous in nature, the entire SoS can be considered as an event driven system. This paper extends an XML based SoS simulation framework to simulate a robust threat detection and integration problem. The DEVSJAVA software is used as the discrete event simulator. Finally, XML based encapsulation is created in the DEVSJAVA environment to create the common language for the heterogeneous systems in a SoS.

To determine whether a program of post-discharge rehabilitation at home for patients operated for brain tumor was associated with functional gain and improvement in Quality of Life (QoL). One hundred and twenty-one patients affected by malignant brain tumor were enrolled in a program of post-discharge home care including neurorehabilitation. Functional outcome was evaluated with Barthel Index (BI) and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) measured before and after rehabilitation. The impact of rehabilitation on quality of life was evaluated with a quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30-BM 20).Barthel Index improved in 47 (39%) patients, was stable in 20 (16%) and worsened in 54 (44%). Only 54 patients completed the QoL questionnaire before and after treatment. After three months of rehabilitation, 72% of patients were found to have an improvement in at least one domain score compared with their baseline QoL scores. Rehabilitation at home in brain tumor patients was associated with significant functional gain measured both with BI and KPS. The benefit of rehabilitation may influence patient's perception of quality of life.

Heterozygous familial hypercholesteremia type II is a recessive autonomic disease with a population incidence

We present new CORAVEL radial-velocity observations and photoelectric photometry in the UBV and DDO systems for a sample of potential members of the red-giant branches of NGC 6192, NGC 6208 and NGC 6268, three open clusters projected close to the Galactic center direction. We also examine the properties of a sample of 42 inner disk open clusters projected towards almost the same direction as the three clusters. Methods. Cluster members and red field giants were discriminated by using the CORAVEL radial-velocity data and by applying two photometric criteria. Interstellar reddening and metal content of the clusters were derived from combined BV and DDO data. Results. Cluster membership for five red giants in NGC 6192, three in NGC 6208 and three in NGC 6268 has been confirmed by the analysis of the photometric and kinematic data. Photometric membership probabilities show very good agreement with those obtained from CORAVEL radial velocities. Three new spectroscopic binaries were discovered among the red giants of NGC 6192 and NGC 6208. Mean radial velocities and E(B − V) colour excesses were derived. Conclusions. The overall metallicities were found to be nearly solar for NGC 6208 and above solar for NGC 6192 and NGC 6268. Most of the clusters located closer than 2 kpc from the Sun in the considered direction are slightly more reddened than the absorption resulting from the Baade’s window absorption law. Fil: Claria Olmedo, Juan Jose. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Mermilliod, J. C.. Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne; Suiza Fil: Piatti, Andres Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciónes Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio. - Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio; Argentina Fil: Parisi, Maria Celeste. Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. Observatorio Astronomico de Cordoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina

The paper proposes an energy saving motion control strategy suitable for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) working in environments cluttered with unpredictable obstacles like civil buildings. The strategy has been tested on the PARIDE mobile robot developed at the Robotics Laboratory of the Department of Computer Science, University of Pavia (Italy).

High-fiber diet supplementation is commonly used in IBS, although it poses several management problems. Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) has shown beneficial effects in animal and human studies, but its potential role in IBS symptom relief has not been evaluated yet. We investigated PHGG in IBS patients and compared it to a wheat bran diet. Abdominal pain, bowel habits, and subjective overall rating were longitudinally evaluated in 188 adult IBS patients (139 women and 49 men) for 12 weeks. Patients were classified as having diarrhea-predominant, constipation-predominant, or changeable bowel habits and were randomly assigned to groups receiving fiber (30 g/day of wheat bran) or PHGG (5 g/day). After four weeks, patients were allowed to switch group, depending on their subjective evaluation of their symptoms. Significantly more patients switched from fiber to PHGG (49.9%) than from PHGG to fiber (10.9%) at four weeks. Per protocol analysis showed that both fiber and PHGG were effective in improving pain and bowel habits, but no difference was found between the two groups. Conversely, intention-to-treat analysis showed a significantly greater success in the PHGG group (60%) than in the fiber group (40%). Moreover, significantly more patients in the PHGG group reported a greater subjective improvement than those in the Fiber group. In conclusion, improvements in core IBS symptoms (abdominal pain and bowel habits) were observed with both bran and PHGG, but the latter was better tolerated and preferred by patients, revealing a higher probability of success than bran and a lower probability of patients abandoning the prescribed regimen, suggesting that it can increase the benefits deriving from fiber intake in IBS, making it a valid option to consider for high-fiber diet supplementation.

We compute the transverse effective charges for several compound semiconductors by using the empirical tight-binding model and the Berry-phase approach. We compare different parametrizations showing that a suitable tuning of the scaling laws for the radial part of the hopping parameters provides a fairly good prediction of the effective charges even with the minimal sp3 basis set. In contrast new and refined parametrizations that reproduce very well the dispersion of the conduction band at equilibrium by including d and/or s* polarization orbitals may underestimate the effective charges. We suggest that the root of such a discrepancy may rest with the difficulty of determining the scaling laws for polarization orbital. ©2000 The American Physical Society.

Antecedentes y objetivos La exposicion a una presencia aumentada de proteinas autologas, se ha puesto en relacion, entre otros factores, con el desarrollo de auto-anticuerpos. La proteina MICAse expresa de forma abundante en los enterocitos de pacientes celiacos, en respuesta a los efectos toxicos del gluten. El objetivo del presente trabajo ha sido el investigar si la positividad de los anticuerpos anti-MICA en pacientes con enfermedad celiaca (EC), se relaciona con la presencia de enfermedades autoinmunes (EAI). Metodos Se estudiaron los sueros procedentes de 323 pacientes con EC en el momento del diagnostico, procedentes de tres centros diferentes (dos espanoles y uno italiano) y de 100 sujetos control sanos, para evaluar la presencia y especificidad de los anticuerpos anti-MICA determinados por el metodo de la Luciferasa. Delos pacientes con EC, en 223 se obtuvo una segunda muestra, al cabo de un ano de estar con dieta sin gluten (DSG), para valorar su respuesta. En todos los pacientes se realizaron biopsias duodenales, anticuerpos anti-transglutaminasa o anti-endomisio y tipaje genetico de los marcadores conocidos de susceptibilidad al gluten, al momento del diagnostico. Resultados Los anticuerpos anti-MICA se detectaron en el 42% de los pacientes con EC y unicamente en el 3% de los controles sanos (p Conclusiones Encontramos que la presencia de autoanticuerpos anti-MICA, ademas de un largo periodo de exposicion al gluten especialmente en adultos, es un factor importante que de forma independiente, influye de forma importante en el desarrollo y aparicion de EAI, especialmente en ninos.

Backgrounds in psychodynamic group psychotherapy it is used to divide patients in different groups with direct access and/or after preliminary individual sessions. Since 2003 our research group started a new method. Aim of this study was to assess the value of this new methodology. Material and methods we use: psychodynamic approach, 10–14 patients, open access for pathology, age, sex, starting and ending. Therapy begins with individual sessions. Therapy deals with symptoms, intra-psychic conflicts, and private issues. Meanwhile psychiatrist develops relational capacity of the patient, allowing him to enter group therapy. We continue, at the same time, with individual and group therapy, for a time different for each case. Then therapy continues in the group only, until its ends. The duration of the three steps is variable, but the total amount of time of the therapeutic approach is reduced by half in 10 years. Results Efficiency of this method is divided in three points. 1) Advantages for the single patient in the group: improvement of patient privacy; decrease of transferal resistance, acting-out and drop-out; economic advantages. 2) Advantages for group dynamics: decrease of aggressive behavior and interpersonal conflicts, improving of climate group; attenuation of hierarchal levels among patients, manipulation, fabrication, selfpity, narcissism. 3) Advantages for psychiatrist: continuous monitoring of the new patient or ‘difficult’ or risky patients with decrease of countertrasfert issues. Conclusions This methodology is an effective alternative to the usual group therapy. It allows a thorough and solid approach to the patient, offering a larger possibility of patient recovery.

Most instance of drug-induced renal disease are probably due to direct toxicity; the most common immunologically mediated lesion of the kidney due to drugs appears to be interstitial nephritis-fever, skin rash, eosinophilia, eosinophiluria frequently accompany the renal symptoms. One case we report due to ceftriaxone; the disease subsided completely when the treatment with the drug has been stopped.

The role of etiology, pathogenesis and clinical symptoms in children with Atopic Dermatitis is evaluated. Eighteen patients with elimination diet were treated, without cow milk and egg, and with pharmacologic treatment (ketotiphene and cro molyn sodium) for two months. Dietary therapy and treatment however result in a large reduction in clinical symptoms in children affected with Atopic Dermatitis.

Fibrin glue has been shown to be effective in establishing hemostasis, enhancing adhesion among tissues, and stimulating tissue repair. At our institution, experience with Tissucol has been acquired mainly in three fields: conservative surgery of the uterus and/or ovaries, surgery for relief of stress incontinence, and gynecologic oncology surgery. In order to evaluate the effect of fibrin glue application on myometrial and perimetrial hematoma formation and on postoperative adhesions in 24 patients undergoing multiple myomectomy, the injection of Tissucol by Duploject on each suture line was part of the reconstruction, by layers, of the uterus. Echography was performed in all patients 10 and 30 days after surgery. Evaluation of adhesions has so far been possible in nine patients during cesarean section or laparoscopy. Comparison with historical controls collected since 1987 indicates significant reduction of febrile morbidity and formation of hematomas and adhesions. Fifty-two patients affected by first to second degree cystocele and genuine stress incontinence, proved by clinical, radiological, and urodynamic investigation, were scheduled for a Burch’s colposuspension. In order to evaluate the effect of enhancing adhesiveness and fibrosis on the cure rate of stress incontinence, 18 randomly assigned patients received fibrin glue associated with the surgical procedure. Just before tying sutures suspending the vagina to Cooper’s ligament, Tissucol with a low thrombin concentration (4 IU/ml) was applied, with the spray set over the paravaginal fascia. The vagina was elevated towards the corresponding ligament by the surgeon’s fingers and pressure was maintained for 5 min; tamponade of the vagina was performed until the next morning. Despite more favorable clinical, radiological, and urodynamic findings in the fibrin glue treated group, no differences were found in the cure rate of genuine stress incontinence at a 2 year follow-up. In order to prevent hematomas, prolonged lymphorrhea, and lymphoceles in ten patients treated by enlarged hysterectomy (Piver type II–III) and pelvic para-aortic lymphadenectomy for endometrial or cervical cancer, the retroperitoneal field was sprayed with Tissucol (thrombin 500 IU/ml), usually 5 ml for each side of the pelvis. Comparison with historical controls demonstrated significant advantages in terms of hematoma formation, quantity and duration of pelvic drains, need for postoperative blood transfusion, plasma administration and febrile morbidity. No lymphocele had become apparent by the 1 year follow-up CT scan. Based on these data, a randomized controlled trial is currently going on.

A new device may be used in intensive care to measure the cardiac output (CO) by arterial pulse pressure waveform analysis, but few studies have evaluated the reliability of this method and the correlation with other methods of CO determination. The aims of this study were to evaluate the CO obtained using the Flow Trac™ Vigileo™ and the correlation with CO obtained by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).

The general solution of the differential equation for a vertex mass insertion which is manifestly regular at zero external momenta is given. The large-momentum behaviour of the solution and its analyticity properties in the coupling constant are discussed. Very different results are found for superrenormalizable, renormalizable and nonrenormalizable theories. (7 refs).

In 1983 the Italian Society for Nondestrutive Testings, conside ring the large problems of diagnostics connected with restoration of works of art, sponsored the first International Conference on NDT applied to works of art. Perugia 1988 the 2nd International Conference for NDT applied to works of art has demonstrated the high level of NDT technology reached in this field and wide range of methods employed. New methods of NDT and new techniques have been discussed by national and international experts.

A group of 600 IUD users aged 26 to 35 were studied. 440 women were married; 434 were pluriparae and 166 nulliparae. 24 (5.5%) had undergone cesarean section, and 266 (44.3%) had had induced abortion. 23% of single women had opted for voluntary termination of pregnancy, while 72% had previous experience with IUDs or oral contraceptives. 273 (45.5%) relied on behavioral methods of contraception, 33 (5.5%) used the diaphragm, 279 (46.5%) used pills, 124 (20.6%) used condoms (50.6%) used ML-250 IUD, 144 (24%) used Progestasert, 87 (14.5%) used Gravigard, 42 (7%) used Minigravigard, 18 (3%) used Nova-T, 4 (0.6%) used Anticon, and 1 (0.1%) relied on No-Gravid. The IUD was removed prematurely in 119 cases, 339 were removed at the end of usefulness, dropout occurred in 51 cases, and expulsions in 14 cases. IUD failure was registered in 103 cases corresponding to 21.8% of the total. Bleeding caused 31 instances, 22 were due to dislocation, there were 15 intra -uterine pregnancies, 14 expulsions, 11 cases of pelvic pain, 4 cases of pelvic inflammatory disease, 3 cases of extrauterine pregnancy, and 3 other failures of IUDs. 31% of failures occurred in the 31-35 age group, and 40% of nulliparous women had IUD experience, but only 22.8% had a positive experience. 83.9% of those who used progesterone-containing pills had success with them, only 16.1% failed. Pluriparae over 30 used Progestasert most successfully. Nulliparous women did not represent the ideal candidates for IUD use, previous positive experience was an important element of success, while less important factors were age and abortion history.

Being that the last few years have seen a greater demand for pregnancy interruption after the 1st triemster, the authors describe the methods most ofter used, while specifying their validity and the possiblity of complications. A critical analysis is offered as a conclusion. (author's modified)

RU-486 is a steroid with antiprogestational action synthesized by the French firm Roussel-Ulcaf in 1980. When given in the middle of the menstrual cycle before the peak of luteinizing hormone (LH), it can inhibit ovulation by interfering with the function of the hypothalamus- hypophysis-corpus luteum-endometrium axis. A single dose of RU-486 in the late luteal phase induced uterine bleeding in all cases according to research done by Yen. A single 600 mg im dose of this agent was most effective for inducing abortion. There were positive results up tot he 41st day of amenorrhea in 85-90% of cases, but after the 7th weeks, this percentage declined, dropping to 60% by the 10th week. Advanced pregnancy increased the risk of incomplete expulsion of the conceptus, thus it is advisable to administer RU-486 in combination with a low-dose prostaglandin. Ru-486 is effective in advanced phases of pregnancy; it induces rapid expulsion with minor blood loss or side effects. Uterine bleeding starts 2-3 days after administration, lasting 11.6 + or - 5.8 days, and blood loss exceeds the normal rate in only 3.6% of cases. In 18% of patients, a significant decrease of hemoglobin occurred, but curettage or transfusion was never needed. Increased doses given for a long time produced nausea and asthenia. Possible teratogenic effects in cases of failure await to be investigated. RU-486 could be used for contraception, based on its ability to inhibit ovulation; for post- coital contraception; for regulation of menstruation; and for dilatation of the cervix.

The authors carried out testing on the progesterone--releasing IUD and the results obtained on 120 women (14 nulliparous and 106 multiparous) are similar to those obtained withother devices. Some characteristics appear to be of a positive nature (low incidence of metrrorhagia, dysmenorrhea, and pelvic pain). The occurrence of 2 ectopic pregnancies out of 5 seems to suggest more caution in prescribing it, especially for the nulliparous woman. (author's modified)

It is estimated that at the current rate of growth the world's population will reach 8.5 billion by the year 2025 and 10-11 billion by the end of the 21st century. 90% of this population increase would occur in developing countries, where only 38% of couples used contraceptives during 1980-81 compared to 68% in developed countries. About 300 million couples in the Third World do not use contraceptives, although they do not want more children. Some of these contraceptives include natural steroids, such as progesterone and 17 beta-estradiol that is used for treatment of menopause (1-2 mg daily po). Medroxyprogesterone acetate and norethisterone enanthate depot injections have long-acting properties with low failure rates (3.6% + 0.7 pregnancies/100 women years) if given every 3 months, amenorrhea may occur. RU-486, substance with antiprogesterone activity, inhibits hormonal metabolism during ovulation in a dose of 100 mg/day, just like norgestimate. HRP 102 consists of 50 mg norethisterone enanthate and 5 mg estradiol valerate and cycloprovera contains 25 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate with 5 mg of estradiol cypionate. Both of these agents are effective contraceptives for 2 months. Norplant is implanted subcutaneously in capsule forms. It releases levonorgestrel/LNG for 6-7 years, and in a study of 992 women 2.6 pregnancies occurred for 100 women in the course of 5 years. Vaginal suppositories can release 20 mg/day LNG, or 5-10 mg progesterone/day, and they are considered ideal for nursing mothers. The IUD has been used by 60 million women, however, pelvic inflammatory disease may be associated with its use. Sulprostone and RU-486 (mifepristone) are post ovulatory agents with effectiveness of up to 90 day. Female sterilization has problems of reversibility, male sterilization is less accepted, and other male endocrine approaches producing azoospermia are in the testing phase. The ideal contraceptive with properties of wide acceptability, reversibility, and effectiveness is yet to come.