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Premessa generale alla raccolta degli Atti della Giornata di studi sulle edizioni del Settecento nella Biblioteca dell'Università Cattolica di Milano, General introduction to the collection of the Proceedings of the Study Day on eighteenth-century editions in the Library of the Catholic University of Milan

Item does not contain fulltext, OBJECTIVES: New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive work-up, the underlying etiology remains unknown in 50% of affected individuals. Mitochondrial disorders represent rare causes of NORSE. Biallelic variants in FASTKD2 were reported as a cause of infantile encephalomyopathy with refractory epilepsy. CASE DESCRIPTION: In the study, we report a previously healthy 14-year-old with a new, homozygous FASTKD2 variant presenting with NORSE. Following a seizure-free period of 7 years, he experienced another super-refractory SE and subsequently developed drug-resistant focal epilepsy, mild myopathy, optic atrophy, and discrete psychomotor slowing. Structural MRI at the time of NORSE showed right temporo-parieto-occipital FLAIR hyperintensity and diffusion restriction, with extensive right hemispheric atrophy at the age of 22 years. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel homozygous loss of function variant [c.(1072C>T);(1072C>T)] [p.(Arg358Ter);(Arg358Ter)] in FASTKD2 (NM_001136193), resulting in a premature termination codon in the protein-coding region and loss of function of FASTKD2. Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in muscle and skin fibroblasts was unremarkable. CONCLUSION: This is the first case of a normally developed adolescent with a new homozygous loss of function variant in FASTKD2, manifesting with NORSE. The phenotypical spectrum of FASTKD2-related mitochondrial disease is heterogeneous, ranging from recurrent status epilepticus and refractory focal epilepsy in an adolescent with normal cognitive development to severe forms of infantile mitochondrial encephalopathy. Although mitochondrial diseases are rare causes of NORSE, clinical features such as young age at onset and multi-system involvement should trigger genetic testing. Early diagnosis is essential for counseling and treatment considerations.

Contains fulltext : 291339.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access), OBJECTIVES: New-onset refractory status epilepticus (NORSE) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite extensive work-up, the underlying etiology remains unknown in 50% of affected individuals. Mitochondrial disorders represent rare causes of NORSE. Biallelic variants in FASTKD2 were reported as a cause of infantile encephalomyopathy with refractory epilepsy. CASE DESCRIPTION: In the study, we report a previously healthy 14-year-old with a new, homozygous FASTKD2 variant presenting with NORSE. Following a seizure-free period of 7 years, he experienced another super-refractory SE and subsequently developed drug-resistant focal epilepsy, mild myopathy, optic atrophy, and discrete psychomotor slowing. Structural MRI at the time of NORSE showed right temporo-parieto-occipital FLAIR hyperintensity and diffusion restriction, with extensive right hemispheric atrophy at the age of 22 years. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel homozygous loss of function variant [c.(1072C>T);(1072C>T)] [p.(Arg358Ter);(Arg358Ter)] in FASTKD2 (NM_001136193), resulting in a premature termination codon in the protein-coding region and loss of function of FASTKD2. Oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) in muscle and skin fibroblasts was unremarkable. CONCLUSION: This is the first case of a normally developed adolescent with a new homozygous loss of function variant in FASTKD2, manifesting with NORSE. The phenotypical spectrum of FASTKD2-related mitochondrial disease is heterogeneous, ranging from recurrent status epilepticus and refractory focal epilepsy in an adolescent with normal cognitive development to severe forms of infantile mitochondrial encephalopathy. Although mitochondrial diseases are rare causes of NORSE, clinical features such as young age at onset and multi-system involvement should trigger genetic testing. Early diagnosis is essential for counseling and treatment considerations.

La Biblioteca della Sede di Milano dell’Università Cattolica conserva un consistente patrimonio di volumi antichi, tra cui circa tremila pubblicati nel XVII secolo, oggetto di un ampio processo di rischedatura in itinere che prevede accanto a una compiuta descrizione bibliografica anche puntuali indicazioni sulle specificità dell’esemplare. A queste raccolte si aggiunge la Biblioteca di Storia delle scienze “Carlo Viganò” della sede bresciana, forte di oltre diecimila opere fra antiche e moderne. Questa vasta “base dati” ha costituito il campo di esercizio che ha condotto alcuni studiosi dell’Ateneo a proporre riflessioni puntuali sull’editoria e la storia culturale secentesca. L’incontro si è svolto nel contesto della Giornata di studi dedicata a Eraldo Bellini, al cui nome e al cui lavoro sulla letteratura del Seicento questo volume – il primo di una collana dedicata alle collezioni speciali della Biblioteca dell’Università Cattolica – è idealmente dedicato.

Breve premessa al volume che raccoglie gli Atti della Giornata di studi dedicata ai libri del Seicento nella Biblioteca dell'Università Cattolica di Milano, svoltasi il 20 febbraio 2020

Background: Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is currently the gold standard technique for living donor nephrectomy. It is usually a straightforward operation, however, in some instances it can unexpectedly turn into a technically difficult procedure. There are no objective criteria for predicting the potential difficulty of LDN. Our aim was to validate the efficacy of a newly developed scoring system (LAPDOCTORLAParoscopic DOnor nephreCTomy scORe) for preoperative assessment of the potential technical difficulty of LDN. Materials and methods: We developed a score based on 11 parameters that in a previous pilot analysis on 78 living donors showed a significant correlation with the difficulty of the operation as perceived by the operating surgeon (BMI, male sex, abdominal girth at the umbilicus, on the 9th rib and on the anterior iliac spine, thickness of anterior and posterior perirenal fat, density of anterior perirenal fat and at the superior and inferior pole, periumbilical fat density). Each operation was graded according to the score as standard, moderately difficult, very difficult. In the present analysis we attempted the preliminary internal validation of LAPDOCTOR in 20 prospective LDNs. The scores obtained with LAPDOCTOR were blindly compared with the difficulty grades assigned by the operating surgeon. Results: LAPDOCTOR showed a correspondence of 66.6% with the surgeon’s grading and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.65 (standard 55.5% vs 44.4%, moderately difficult 33.3 % vs 44.4%, very difficult 11.1% vs 11.1%) with a standard deviation of 0.5 for standard and moderately difficult interventions and 0 for the very difficult cases. Conclusions: LAPDOCTOR is a very promising tool which could predict LDN difficulty and might help the surgeon in making a better evaluation of the operative risk of a living donor. These results are currently undergoing further validation in a prospective national multicentric study.

On the basis of the main studies and of the primary sources (as the Diary of the Augustinian friar B.N. Zucchi), in the present essay is examined the historical event of the little town of Crema, a dominion of the Venetian Republic from 1449 till 1797, during the first half of the 18th century, dramatically touched by the Wars of Succession. Crema, small military garrison of secondary rank, keeps, as the dominant Venetian Government, an armed neutrality, among the powerful belligerent neighbours (Hapsburgs, Bourbon, Savoy). On the social-political plan a patrician oligarchy, jealous of its privileges, dominates a population accustomed (and resigned) to the recurring food lacks and to the slow and cyclic rhythms of the religious and agricultural life, except rare moments of high tension as the popular tumults in 1750, crushed by the government by three sentences to death.

Background: Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) is currently the gold standard technique for living donor nephrectomy. It is usually a straightforward operation, however, in some instances it can unexpectedly turn into a technically difficult procedure. There are no objective criteria for predicting the potential difficulty of LDN. Our aim was to validate the efficacy of a newly developed scoring system (LAPDOCTORLAParoscopic DOnor nephreCTomy scORe) for preoperative assessment of the potential technical difficulty of LDN. Materials and methods: We developed a score based on 11 parameters that in a previous pilot analysis on 78 living donors showed a significant correlation with the difficulty of the operation as perceived by the operating surgeon (BMI, male sex, abdominal girth at the umbilicus, on the 9th rib and on the anterior iliac spine, thickness of anterior and posterior perirenal fat, density of anterior perirenal fat and at the superior and inferior pole, periumbilical fat density). Each operation was graded according to the score as standard, moderately difficult, very difficult. In the present analysis we attempted the preliminary internal validation of LAPDOCTOR in 20 prospective LDNs. The scores obtained with LAPDOCTOR were blindly compared with the difficulty grades assigned by the operating surgeon. Results: LAPDOCTOR showed a correspondence of 66.6% with the surgeon’s grading and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.65 (standard 55.5% vs 44.4%, moderately difficult 33.3 % vs 44.4%, very difficult 11.1% vs 11.1%) with a standard deviation of 0.5 for standard and moderately difficult interventions and 0 for the very difficult cases. Conclusions: LAPDOCTOR is a very promising tool which could predict LDN difficulty and might help the surgeon in making a better evaluation of the operative risk of a living donor. These results are currently undergoing further validation in a prospective national multicentric study.

This study compared the diagnostic value of Whole-Body Ultra Low-Dose computed tomography (WBULDCT) with that of Spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (SMRI) in identification of spinal bone marrow involvement in patients with Multiple Myeloma (MM). Thirty-five patients with histologically proven MM underwent WBULDCT and dedicated SMRI. Unenhanced WBULDCT was performed on a 256-slice scanner, with 120 kV and 40 mAs. SMRI was performed on a 1·5T magnet, with T1-turbo spin echo and T2-short tau inversion recovery sequences on sagittal plane. WBULDCT was compared with SMRI in terms of lesion detection, pattern and bone marrow involvement. The overall concordance between WBULDCT and SMRI in lesion detection was 76·7%, detecting (25/35) or excluding (8/35) involvement of the axial skeleton, while in 2/35 patients WBULDCT and SMRI were discordant in terms of axial skeleton involvement. The concordance in spinal distribution of lesions was 61·6% on cervical, 71·5% on dorsal, 86·4% on lumbar and 94·4% on sacral, while for the pattern of disease, it was 56·1% for the focal and 88·7% for the combined pattern. Cohen's kappa index was 0·85 (P < 0·001) assessing an excellent agreement. WBULDCT represents a useful diagnostic tool in the detection of spinal involvement of MM patients, offering detailed information about extra-axial involvement, which could be potentially missed with dedicated SMRI.

In a randomized, phase 3 study, superior complete/near-complete response (CR/nCR) rates and extended progression-free survival were demonstrated with bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone (VTD) versus thalidomide-dexamethasone (TD) as induction therapy before, and consolidation after, double autologous stem cell transplantation for newly diagnosed myeloma patients (intention-to-treat analysis; VTD, n = 236; TD, n = 238). This per-protocol analysis (VTD, n = 160; TD, n = 161) specifically assessed the efficacy and safety of consolidation with VTD or TD. Before starting consolidation, CR/nCR rates were not significantly different in the VTD (63.1%) and TD arms (54.7%). After consolidation, CR (60.6% vs 46.6%) and CR/nCR (73.1% vs 60.9%) rates were significantly higher for VTD-treated versus TD-treated patients. VTD consolidation significantly increased CR and CR/nCR rates, but TD did not (McNemar test). With a median follow-up of 30.4 months from start of consolidation, 3-year progression-free survival was significantly longer for the VTD group (60% vs 48% for TD). Grade 2 or 3 peripheral neuropathy (8.1% vs 2.4%) was more frequent with VTD (grade 3, 0.6%) versus TD consolidation. The superior efficacy of VTD versus TD as induction was retained despite readministration as consolidation therapy after double autologous transplantation. VTD consolidation therapy significantly contributed to improved clinical outcomes observed for patients randomly assigned to the VTD arm of the study. The study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01134484.

Consolidation radiotherapy (cRT) in patients with stage I/II diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the Waldeyer's ring (WR-DLBCL) in complete remission (CR) after induction chemotherapy (CHT) is often associated with relevant acute and chronic toxicity, and its impact on survival remains to be defined. A total of 184 patients in CR after anthracycline-based chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed: 62 underwent CHT alone (CHT group), while 122 (66%) patients were referred to cRT (CHT + RT group). After a median follow-up of 54 months, 36 patients (20%) experienced relapse: 19% in the CHT group and 20% in the CHT + RT group. At the time of analysis 47 (76%) CHT patients and 97 (80%) CHT + RT patients were alive. Five-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and lymphoma-specific survival (LSS) were 80%, 74% and 86%, respectively. Five-year OS was significantly prolonged in the CHT + RT group, while DFS and LSS were similar between groups. This discrepancy was attributed to a high percentage of deaths due to unrelated causes in CHT patients. cRT does not prolong LSS in patients with early-stage WR-DLBCL in CR after anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. An international confirmatory trial is warranted.

Purpose: To assess the role of whole-body low-dose computed tomography (WBLDCT) in the diagnosisand staging of patients with suspicion of multiple myeloma (MM).Materials and methods: A total of 138 patients (76 male and 62 female; mean age 63.5 years, range 50-81years), with early MM, underwent WBLDCT protocol study, performed on 16-slice scanner (Brilliance,Philips Medical System, Eindhoven, The Netherlands): tube voltage 120 kV; tube current time product40 mAs. Diagnosis of osteolytic lesions was performed on the basis of axial and multiplanar reformattedimages, whereas the assessment of spinal misalignment and fracture was done by using multiplanarreformatted images. The overall dose delivered to each patient was 4.2 mSv. Every patient gave personalinformed consent, as required by our institution guidelines.Results: The diagnosis was established either by histopathology or imaging follow-up (size increase ofover a period time). In all 138 patients, image resolution was diagnostic, enabling correct classification ofmultiple myeloma patients. WBLDCT showed a total of 328 pathologic bone findings in 81/138 patients.CT scanning resulted in complete evaluation of the bone lesions in these areas of the skeleton: skull (42),humerus (15), femur (20), ribs (7), scapulae (13), pelvis (35), clavicle (13), sternum (10), cervical (39),dorsal (65), lombar (48) and sacral rachis (21). In 40/81 bone involvement detected by CT was the onlyCRAB criterion present. Furthermore, WBLDCT demonstrated pleuro-pulmonary lesions in 20 patients(11 infective, 9 as MM localizations) and 1 renal neoplasia.Conclusion: WBLDCT, detecting bone marrow localizations and demonstrating extra-osseous findings,with a fast scanning time and high resolution images, is a reliable imaging-based tool for a propermanagement of MM patients.

The impact of different treatment modalities and prognostic factors on the clinical course of primary thyroid diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (PTDLBCL) is still the subject of research. This study was conducted to clarify these clinical aspects of this disorder. The clinical parameters of 48 patients with PTDLBCL at time of diagnosis were comparable to those of previous studies. Patients underwent either radiotherapy (RT) ±° surgery (SX), chemotherapy (CHT) alone or in combination with local treatments (RT or SX), or SX followed by CHT and RT. A 90% complete remission (CR) rate was observed among patients who underwent combined treatment modalities (CTM), compared to 76% among the others. The 5-year progression-free survival differed significantly between both groups (p = 0.028). Poor performance status and advanced age correlated with decreased survival. PTDLBCL is a curable disease prevalent in elderly patients. Combined treatment modalities were able to induce an elevated rate of CR, improving long-term survival in younger patients. However, the outcome in elderly patients still remains unsatisfactory. © 2011 Informa UK, Ltd.

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We investigated a series of bortezomib-treated patients and correlated the course of bortezomib-induced peripheral neurotoxicity with the presence or absence of peripheral neuropathy at baseline. Forty-eight patients were examined with the total neuropathy score reduced version (TNSr), visual analogue score (VAS) for pain, and nerve conduction studies at baseline and after two and four cycles of chemotherapy. Twenty-three patients had a baseline TNSr = 0-2, and 25 patients had a baseline TNSr >2 (median = 6, range 3-13). The course of bortezomib-induced peripheral neurotoxicity was generally more severe in those patients with the highest baseline TNSr. However, among those subjects with a normal baseline TNSr, two patients developed a clinically relevant peripheral neuropathy with a marked increase in TNSr as early as after two cycles of bortezomib treatment (TNSr = 10 and 15, respectively), while after four cycles, three other patients with normal baseline TNSr had a TNSr of 11, 12, and 13. VAS reporting confirmed that painful neuropathy is frequent after bortezomib administration. Our results indicate that the course of bortezomib-induced peripheral neurotoxicity can be severe in subjects with normal neurological examination at baseline, and therefore, careful monitoring during treatment is suggested in these patients.

BACKGROUND: Capsule enteroscopy is considered the gold standard for evaluating patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. The costs of capsule enteroscopy examination, however, make it uncertain whether the clinically relevant diagnostic gain is also associated with cost savings. AIM: To evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of capsule enteroscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: Retrospective study was carried out in nine Italian gastroenterology units from 2003 to 2005. Data on 369 consecutive patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding were collected. The diagnostic yield of capsule enteroscopy vs. other imaging procedures was evaluated as a measure of efficacy. The values of Diagnosis Related Group 175 (€1884.00 for obscure-occult bleeding and €2141.00 for obscure-overt bleeding) were calculated as measures of economic outcomes in the cost analysis. RESULTS: Obscure and occult gastrointestinal bleeding was recorded in 177 patients (48%) with a mean duration of anemia history of 17.6±20.7 months. Among patients, 60.9% had had at least one hospital admission, 21.2% at least two, and 1.2% of obscure bleeders up to nine admissions. Overall, 58.4% of patients had positive findings with capsule enteroscopy compared with 28.0% with other imaging procedures (P<0.001). The mean cost of a positive diagnosis with capsule enteroscopy was €2090.76 and that of other procedures was €3828.83 with a mean cost saving of €1738.07 (P<0.001) for one positive diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Capsule enteroscopy is a cost-saving approach in the evaluation of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

BACKGROUND: Capsule enteroscopy is considered the gold standard for evaluating patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. The costs of capsule enteroscopy examination, however, make it uncertain whether the clinically relevant diagnostic gain is also associated with cost savings. AIM: To evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of capsule enteroscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. METHODS: Retrospective study was carried out in nine Italian gastroenterology units from 2003 to 2005. Data on 369 consecutive patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding were collected. The diagnostic yield of capsule enteroscopy vs. other imaging procedures was evaluated as a measure of efficacy. The values of Diagnosis Related Group 175 (€1884.00 for obscure-occult bleeding and €2141.00 for obscure-overt bleeding) were calculated as measures of economic outcomes in the cost analysis. RESULTS: Obscure and occult gastrointestinal bleeding was recorded in 177 patients (48%) with a mean duration of anemia history of 17.6±20.7 months. Among patients, 60.9% had had at least one hospital admission, 21.2% at least two, and 1.2% of obscure bleeders up to nine admissions. Overall, 58.4% of patients had positive findings with capsule enteroscopy compared with 28.0% with other imaging procedures (P<0.001). The mean cost of a positive diagnosis with capsule enteroscopy was €2090.76 and that of other procedures was €3828.83 with a mean cost saving of €1738.07 (P<0.001) for one positive diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Capsule enteroscopy is a cost-saving approach in the evaluation of patients with obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

We investigated the effects of a single s.c. injection of peg-filgrastim in 32 patients with multiple myeloma who underwent autologous stem cell transplantation (AuSCT) as first line treatment. For comparison, 32 myeloma patients with similar characteristics and receiving standard daily administration of filgrastim were matched. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences between peg-filgrastim and filgrastim in terms of tolerability, marrow recovery, severity of neutropenia, incidence and duration of febrile neutropenia, documented infections and transfusions. However, some favourable trends or effects in favour of peg-filgrastim were observed. This was confirmed by a review of the published papers about this topic.

This study was performed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), with the aim of performing preemptive therapy in patients with antigenemia. Starting from 2001, 171 consecutive ASCTs were performed in 136 patients; 102 of these patients were seropositive for CMV at the onset of hematological disease. In all these patients, a CMV pp65 antigenemia assay was determined weekly, starting from the day when the absolute neutrophil count went above 500/microL, and until day 60 after ASCT; subsequently, antigenemia was determined only when a CMV infection was suspected. Among the 136 transplanted patients, 40 (29.4%) presented a positive antigenemia; all of them were seropositive for CMV before ASCT; and no cases of primary infection were seen. The incidence of CMV infection in the seropositive population was 40/102 (39.3%); 6 patients (5 with multiple myeloma and 1 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) who received 2 ASCTs developed CMV infections after both transplantations, so that positive antigenemia developed after 46/171 (26.9%) transplantations. First positive antigenemia presented a median of 32 days (range 7-57) after stem cell reinfusion. The median antigenemia level at the first appearance was 2/200,000 (range 1-1000). No significant prognostic factors could be shown. Enteritis was present in 5 patients; 2 of them also had fever, and 1 of them also had thrombocytopenia. In 5 patients fever without any other clinical signs or symptoms was present; 30 patients were asymptomatic. Fourteen patients were treated with anti-CMV drugs. CMV reactivation was successfully treated in all patients, and no patient died from CMV disease.

Goal of work: We compared the efficacy of ceftriaxone (CA regimen) and piperacillin-tazobactam (PTA regimen) in association with amikacin in the treatment of febrile episodes in severely neutropenic hematological patients. Patients and methods: A total of 252 febrile episodes in 224 patients were randomized. Main results: The CA regimen was effective in 62/122 evaluable episodes (50.8%), and the PTA regimen was effective in 64/121 (52.9%; P > 0.2). Median time to failure was 4 and 5 ays (P > 0.1). Further infections developed in 21/122 episodes (17.2%) with the CA regimen and in 12/121 (9.9%) with the PTA regimen (P=0.06). The overall mortality at the end of the febrile episode was 11/243 (4.5%); seven deaths were considered to be related to infection. Conclusions: Patients treated with piperacillin-tazobactam and amikacin tended to become afebrile sooner and to suffer a lower rate of further infections, even though our data did not show any statistically significant differences between the two groups.

Doxorubicin cardiotoxicity is one of the most serious side effects of the cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone chemotherapy, regimen, especially among elderly patients. In the CEOP regimen, epirubicin was substituted for doxorubicin to reduce cardiotoxicity.

High-dose therapy is an effective standard treatment for multiple myeloma patients. Evidence that intermediate-dose therapy improves survival is limited. At diagnosis, about 70% of patients are older than 65. Intermediate-dose regimen is very well tolerated in older patients. In a multicenter study, 194 patients were randomized to receive at diagnosis either conventional chemotherapy (6 courses of oral melphalan and prednisone [MP]) or intermediate-dose therapy (2 courses of melphalan at 100 mg/m(2) [MEL100]) with stem cell support. Response rate was higher after MEL100. Near-complete remission (nCR) was 6% after MP and 25% after MEL100 (P = .0002). At 3 years, MEL100 increased event-free survival (EFS) from 16% to 37% and overall survival (OS) from 62% to 77% (P < .001). Similar results were observed in patients aged 65 to 70: nCR was 8% after MP and 25% after MEL100 (P = .05); at 3 years, MEL100 improved EFS from 18% to 31% (P = .01) and OS from 58% to 73% (P = .01). Patients aged 65 to 70 had a median OS of 37.2 months (MP) versus 58 months (MEL100). Intermediate-dose melphalan improves response rate, EFS, and OS in myeloma patients, specifically in those aged 65 to 70. It constitutes a more effective first-line regimen than standard treatment for elderly patients.

This volume is the report of the Conference on Thermodynamics and National Energy Problems which was held at Airlie House, Warrenton, Va, 10-12 June 1974, and attended by about 110 scientists and engineers from universities, industry and government, The purpose of the Conference was to arrive at both the needs for thermodynamic data in a developed program to achieve national energy selfsufficiency, and the capability of thermodynamicists to meet those needs. To achieve this purpose, most of the time of the Conference was spent in four parallel panel discussion sessions, on coal, fossil fuels other than coal, nuclear energy, geothermal energy; and solar energy and energy storage. The report includes a summary of each panel's recommendations and reasons for them, an overview summary, texts of prepared presentation, and all pertinent discussion.

The nuclear spin lattice relaxation rate is measured in the temperature range 130 to 300 C, and is found to be expressed by the relation 1/T sub 1 = (1.98 + 0/0082T) x 1000/sec. The two terms are attributable respectively to the quadrupole interaction and the magnetic hyperfine coupling. The latter is expected to be linear in the absolute temperature, and its magnitude a corresponds to the expected Korringa value. A model is constructed on the basis of fluctuations about a quasi-bcc lattice, and values of the rms field gradient (q sub E = 8.5 x 10 to the 24th power/cu cm) are related to the correlation times (tau sub c = 1.6 x 10 to the -13th power sec) for self diffusion and the related step lengths (delta r = 0.38 A) and the breadth of the x-ray diffraction peaks. (Author)