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Purpose: Previous studies demonstrated decreased quality of life (QoL) in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) survivors and suggested QoL variability related to time from thyroidectomy and levothyroxine dosage. The aims of this study were to evaluate QoL in thyroidectomized subjects in different levothyroxine states and to evaluate the association between TSH and thyroid hormones and QoL. Methods: Prospective 5-year study enrolling 208 patients thyroidectomized for DTC, studied in one to four times according to levothyroxine dosage: withdrawal (WITHD), complete (C-SUPP) and mild TSH-suppression (M-SUPP), replacement (REPL). Each patient was allowed to participate into the study more than one time. A total of 300 evaluations were collected, consisting of detailed thyroid hormone profile and QoL assessment through the ThyPRO questionnaire. Results: Comparing the four groups, significant differences were found for anxiety, impaired social and daily life and item 12 (overall impact of thyroid disease) domains (p< 0.05). Interestingly, C-SUPP subjects reported the best scores in almost all ThyPRO scales. Significant correlations were found between QoL and pituitary–thyroid axis function, as well as between QoL and gender, being females more affected. At multiple regression analyses fT3 demonstrated to be the best explanatory factor for overall impact of thyroid disease on the patient’s life, followed by gender. Conclusions: TSH-suppressive doses of levothyroxine are more effective in improving QoL in DTC patients after thyroidectomy. These results confirm the urgent need of further studies aimed to define the best treatment of hypothyroidism, effective on well-being and harmless for patients.

The high prompt production cross section of X(3872) at hadron colliders has shown to be very informative about the quark nature of the X, Y, Z states. We present here a number of results on X production in pp(p) collisions obtained with Monte Carlo hadronization methods and illustrate what can be learned from their use to improve our understanding of exotic states. In particular, a comparison between antideuteron and X production cross sections is proposed. Hadronization might be the key to solve the problem of the extra states expected in diquark-antidiquark models which are naturally favored after the recent confirmation of the Z(4430) tetraquark, together with its lower partners Zc(3900) and Z'c(4020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the recent confirmation of the Z+ (4430) resonance with JPG = 1++, we have re-examined the model of S- and P-wave tetraquarks. We propose a "type-II" diquark-antidiquark model which shows to be very effective at producing a simple and comprehensive picture of the JPG = 1++ and 1-- sectors of the recently discovered charged tetraquarks and of the observed Y resonances. The model is still faced with the unresolved difficulty of explaining why some states seem to have incomplete isospin multiplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whether the much-studied X(3872) is an axial or tensor resonance makes an important difference to its interpretation. A recent paper by the BABAR Collaboration [3] raised the viable hypothesis that it might be a Jpc = 2-+ state based on the π+π-π0 spectrum in the X → J/ѱω decays. Furthermore, the Belle Collaboration published the π+π- invariant mass and spin-sensitive angular distributions in X → J/ѱρ decays [2]. Starting from a general parametrization of the decay amplitudes for the axial and tensor quantum numbers of the X, we reanalyze the whole set of available data. The level of agreement of the two spin hypotheses with data is interpreted with a rigorous statistical approach based on Monte Carlo simulations in order to be able to combine all the distributions regardless of their different levels of sensitivity to the spin of the X. Our analysis returns a probability of 5.5% and 0.1% for the agreement with data of the 1++ and 2-+ hypotheses, respectively, once we combine the whole information (angular and mass distributions) from both channels. On the other hand, the separate analysis of J/Ѭρ (angular and mass distributions) and J/ѱω (mass distribution) indicates that the 2-+ assignment is excluded at the 99.9% C.L. by the former case, while the latter excludes at the same level the 1++ hypothesis. There are therefore indications that the two decay modes behave in a different way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrepancy between theory and data in the momentum distribution of slow J/ψ in B decays has been several times addressed as a puzzle. Using the most recent results on exclusive B decays into J/ψ and heavy kaons or exotic mesons and reconsidering the non-relativistic-QCD calculation of the color octet fragmentation component, we show that an improvement in the comparison between data and theory can be obtained. There is still room for a better fit to data, and this may imply that new exotic mesons of the XYZ kind have yet to be discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:Few dinical trials have examined the effects of nitric oxide donors on the human cervix. We address the question of the ultrastructural and clinical effects of topical NO donor on the nonpregnant human cervix.Methods:Twenty patients admitted to the hospital for hysterectomy were randomly assigned to receive either placebo gel or 1% nitroprusside-based gel into the cervical canal. After surgery, a small biopsy of the cervical canal was taken and analyzed by electron microscopy. Vital parameters were monitored after application.Results:In the placebo group, the connective tissue was normal. The collagen fibers wre widely spaced, and no longitudinal collagen bundles were visible. Macrophages, leukocytes, and activated fibroblasts in treated tissues demonstrated a proinflammatory reaction. Adverse effect were reported in a minority of subjects. No significant changes in blood pressure or in nitrite and nitrate levels were reported.Conclusion:In both fertile and postmenopausal women, cervical sodium nitroprusside induced morphologic changes similar to those reported for the ripening process.

The present status of theoretical calculations for signal and background processes relevant to the Higgs boson search at the LHC is reviewed, with special emphasis on recent developments. The issue of Higgs properties determination at the LHC is addressed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The strategies recently developed to study Higgs boson properties at the LHC are reviewed. It is shown how to obtain model-independent determinations of couplings to fermions and gauge bosons by exploiting different production and decay channels. We consider in some detail the case of Weak Boson Fusion Higgs production with H → bb as well as the prospects for the determination of the Higgs self-coupling at the SLHC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Primary dysmenorrhea is a syndrome characterized by painful uterine contractility caused by a hypersecretion of endometrial prostaglandins; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the first choice for its treatment. However, in vivo and in vitro studies have demonstrated that myometrial cells are also targets of the relaxant effects of nitric oxide (NO). The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), an NO donor, in the resolution of primary dysmenorrhea in comparison with diclofenac (DCF). A total of 24 patients with the diagnosis of severe primary dysmenorrhea were studied during two consecutive menstrual cycles. In an open, cross-over, controlled design, patients were randomized to receive either DCF per os or GTN patches the first days of menses, when menstrual cramps became unendurable. In the subsequent cycle the other treatment was used. Patients received up to 3 doses/day of 50 mg DCF or 2.5 mg/24h transdermal GTN for the first 3 days of the cycle, according to their needs. The participants recorded menstrual symptoms and possible side-effects at different times (0, 30, 60, 120 minutes) after the first dose of medication on the first day of the cycle, with both drugs. The difference in pain intensity score (DPI) was the main outcome variable. Both treatments significantly reduced DPI by the 30th minute (GTN, -12.8 ± 17.9; DCF, -18.9 ± 16.6). However, DCF continued to be effective in reducing pelvic pain for two hours, whereas GTN scores remained more or less stable after 30 min and significantly higher than those for DFC (after one hour: GTN, -12.8 ± 17.9; DFC, -18.9 ± 16.6 and after two hours: GTN, -23.7 ± 20.5; DFC, -59.7 ± 17.9, p = 0.0001). Low back pain was also relieved by both drugs. Headache was significantly increased by GTN but not by DCF. Eight patients stopped using GTN because headache - attributed to its use - became intolerable. These findings indicate that GTN has a reduced efficacy and tolerability by comparison with DCF in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of intrapartum vaginal flushings with chlorhexidine compared with ampicillin in preventing group B streptococcus transmission to neonates. Methods: This was a randomized controlled study, including singleton pregnancies delivering vaginally. Rupture of membranes, when present, must not have occurred more than 6 h previously. Women with any gestational complication, with a newborn previously affected by group B streptococcus sepsis or whose cervical dilatation was greater than 5 cm were excluded. A total of 244 group B streptococcus-colonized mothers at term (screened at 36-38 weeks) were randomized to receive either 140 ml chlorhexidine 0.2% by vaginal flushings every 6 h or ampicillin 2 g intravenously every 6 h until delivery. Neonatal swabs were taken at birth, at three different sites (nose, ear and gastric juice). Results: A total of 108 women were treated with ampicillin and 109 with chlorhexidine. Their ages and gestational weeks at delivery were similar in the two groups. Nulliparous women were equally distributed between the two groups (ampicillin, 87%; chlorhexidine, 89%). Clinical data such as birth weight (ampicillin, 3365 ± 390 g; chlorhexidine, 3440 ± 452 g), Apgar scores at 1 min (ampicillin, 8.4 ± 0.9; chlorhexidine, 8.2 ± 1.4) and at 5 min (ampicillin, 9.7 ± 0.6; chlorhexidine, 9.6 ± 1.1) were similar for the two groups, as was the rate of neonatal group B streptococcus colonization (chlorhexidine, 15.6%; ampicillin, 12%). Escherichia coli, on the other hand, was significantly more prevalent in the ampicillin (7.4%) than in the chlorhexidine group (1.8%, p < 0.05). Six neonates were transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit, including two cases of early-onset sepsis (one in each group). Conclusions: In this carefully screened target population, intrapartum vaginal flushings with chlorhexidine in colonized mothers display the same efficacy as ampicillin in preventing vertical transmission of group B streptococcus. Moreover, the rate of neonatal E. coli colonization was reduced by chlorhexidine.

Abstract.: The production of four fermions plus a visible photon in electron–positron collisions is analyzed, with particular emphasis on the LEP2 energy range. The study is based on the calculation of exact matrix elements, including the effect of fermion masses. In the light of the present measurements performed at LEP, triple and quartic anomalous gauge couplings are taken into account. Due to the presence of a visible photon in the final state, particular attention is paid to the treatment of higher-order QED corrections. Explicit results for integrated cross sections and differential distributions are shown and commented on. The features of the Monte Carlo program WRAP, used to perform the calculation and available for experimental analysis, are described.

Abstract.: Four-fermion processes with a particle lost in the beam pipe are studied at LEP to perform precision tests of the electroweak theory. Leading higher-order QED corrections to such processes are analyzed within the framework of the structure function (SF) approach. The energy scale entering the QED SF is determined by inspection of the soft and collinear limit of the radiative corrections to the four-fermion final states, paying particular attention to the process of single-W production. Numerical predictions are shown in realistic situations for LEP experiments and compared with existing results. A Monte Carlo event generator, including exact tree-level matrix elements, vacuum polarization, higher-order leading QED corrections and anomalous trilinear gauge couplings, is presented.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been found to be involved in the processes of cervical ripening. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, cervical softening by an intracervical application of sodium nitroprusside, one of the most clinically potent and effective NO donor agents, was evaluated. A total of 36 primigravid women undergoing pregnancy termination between 9 and 12.5 weeks were enrolled. In one series, 18 patients were randomized to receive intracervically either placebo or 1% nitroprusside gel (5 mg), followed by uterine evacuation 6 h after treatment. In another series, 18 patients received either placebo or 2% nitroprusside gel (10 mg) into the cervical canal followed by uterine evacuation 3 h later. The cervical resistance, i.e. the force required to dilate the cervix from 3 to 10 mm, was the main outcome variable. It was recorded using a force sensing apparatus (dynamometer). Blood pressure was measured. Adverse events were recorded until 2 h after surgery. Women treated with both doses of nitroprusside gel showed values of cervical resistance significantly lower than those treated with placebo gel, at any tested diameter. No differences were found between subjects treated with the two different doses of nitroprusside. No significant consistent changes in blood pressure were induced by either dose of nitroprusside. No headaches were found in subjects treated with the NO donor. This study demonstrates that sodium nitroprusside applied into the cervical canal induces a rapid and significant softening of the cervix, thus reducing the force required to dilate it, compared with placebo-treated subjects. The chemical ripening of the cervix with sodium nitroprusside intracervical gel is an efficacious procedure in first-trimester pregnancy.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on nitric oxide (NO) activity in healthy postmenopausal women.The study group consisted of 22 postmenopausal women (last menses at least 12 months prior to study entry) who were randomized to receive treatment for 2 months with patches that delivered either 50 μg/day of 17β-estradiol or placebo in a cross-over design. Blood samples for measurements of serum citrulline and arginine were collected at the start of the study and at the end of each treatment course. Serum citrulline and arginine were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection.Arginine levels were significantly lower in the ERT group compared to the placebo group, while citrulline levels did not change. The percentage citrulline/arginine ratio was significantly higher in the ERT group (42.9 pm21.6) compared to the placebo group (33.9 pm18.5) (p < 0.01). The citrulline/arginine ratio, both at baseline and during either ERT or placebo administration demonstrated a positive linear correlation with body mass index (BMI). No correlations were found between follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol and insulin levels and BMI. No correlations were found between age, time since menopause and baseline arginine and citrulline levels or the citrulline/arginine ratio.These data indirectly demonstrate that transdermal estradiol replacement in postmenopausal women is able to stimulate NO production through the involvement of endogenous L-arginine. A positive linear correlation was found between BMI and the citrulline/arginine ratio, suggesting an additional protective cardiovascular effect in overweight women.

Objective:This study investigates the biochemical and cardiovascular effects of L-arginine administration in normotensive pregnant women and women with preeclampsia.Methods:The study groups consisted of 12 women with uncomplicated pregnancies and 17 preeclamptic patients, four of whom were on antihypertensive treatment. In both groups, saline infusion was started, followed by 30 g L-arginine administration, and finally more saline. Blood pressure was recorded every 5 minutes and blood samples were collected for measurement of serum citrulline, arginine, and nitrite levels. Amino acid assays were done by using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection.Results:L-Arginine infusion was associated with a significant reduction of blood pressure in both groups, the decrease being greater in the women with preeclampsia. Baseline serum citrulline and arginine levels were not significantly different between the two groups. L-Citrulline levels were significantly increased during infusion of L-arginine, and the increase was significantly lower in the women with preeclampsia. Serum nitrite levels were increased only in controls and not in preeclampsia patients. The total citrulline production stimulated by L-arginine was related inversely to baseline blood pressure values and was unrelated to clinical parameters such as gestational age at delivery, birth weight, and Apgar score.Conclusions:L-arginine load in pregnant women is associated with increased nitric oxide (NO) production and hypotension. Despite a reduced ability to produce NO, patients with preeclampsia may benefit from L-arginine supplementation. Overall, these findings partially support the hypothesis that preeclampsia is characterized by a dysfunction of the L-arginine-NO pathway.

Abstract.: The six-fermion production processes , with all the lepton flavours and , relevant to the study of the intermediate-mass Higgs boson at future linear colliders are analysed. A Monte Carlo program, taking into account the whole set of tree-level scattering amplitudes and the relevant radiative effects, is developed to provide integrated cross-sections and generation of unweighted events. The complete calculation is compared with the available results of real Higgs production, and the opportunities of precision studies with event generation are discussed, demonstrating the relevance of a full six-fermion calculation. Numerical results for integrated cross-sections with various kinematical cuts and including radiative effects are given and commented. In the analysis of event samples, several distributions are studied and found to be sensitive to the presence and to the properties of the Higgs boson.

Protein kinase C isozyme (α, β, δ and zeta) activities have been studied in compensatory cell proliferation at 20 and 24 hours after partial hepatectomy. Chromatographic analysis of PKC isozymes in male rats showed an activation of δ at 20 h after partial hepatectomy and of α, β and zeta at 24 in correspondence with S phase peak. A peculiar sexual dimorphism, which matched sexual differences in DNA synthesis, has been observed. The administration of an excess of choline was able to modulate the protein kinase C isozyme pattern in females in relation to DNA synthesis and c-myc expression. Our data suggest that α, β and zeta PKC positively regulated, while δ negatively controlled the liver compensatory growth after partial hepatectomy.Copyright 1995, 1999 Academic Press, Inc.

The calcium antagonist flunarizine (FLN) was tested for its ability to prevent dixorubicin (DXR)-induced cardiotoxicity in the rat. A cumulative dose of 9.0 mg/kg of DXR was administered i.v. over a period of 1 week. FLN (10 mg/kg/day i.p., 6 days/week) was administered according to two different time schedules, covering respectively the first and last 4 weeks after the beginning of DXR treatment. The two schedules were adopted to assess whether early and/or delayed DXR-induced cardiotoxic effects were affected by FLN.

A new method for the direct ESR detection of free radicals in rat myocardial tissue is described. Isolated rat atria are continuously monitored for heart rate and contractile force; at the end of the experimental period the beating organs are inserted into quartz ESR tubes and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Spectra obtained from these preparations show the presence of very weak radical signals. When ESR spectra are recorded on samples obtained from pools of rat atria pulverized under liquid nitrogen, the radical lines are markedly stronger than those observed for intact organs: contaminating metals are also frequently detected. These findings indicate that crushing or grinding procedures carried out under liquid nitrogen produce artifactual ESR active species. The new method described in the present paper does not involve mechanical interventions and therefore should yield reliable artifact-free results.

Lead nitrate, a potent activator of protein kinase C, is able to induce reversible rat liver hyperplasia. This phenomenon shows sex-related growth differences: liver hyperplasia as well as its regression by apoptosis occurred earlier and was more pronounced in male than in female rats. Dietary choline administration to females causes a shift of growth pattern towards the male values. Analysis of protein kinase C isoenzymes with hydroxylapatite column chromatography at time points crucial for lead-induced liver proliferation in male, female and choline-treated female rats showed a significant down-regulation of β and α PKC activities and a marked activation of epsilon PKC. The fluctuation of these activities could be related to the rates of DNA synthesis. These data suggest that the observed PKC isoenzymes could be involved in the signal transduction pathway leading to lead-induced liver proliferation.

It is shown that a Rarita-Schwinger (spin 3/2) particle in an external electromagnetic field besides exhibiting acausal propagation also violates tree unitarity for semi-classical scattering. This suggests a general connection between acausal propagation and the violation of tree unitarity for high-spin (≥1) fields.

Intravenous infusion of ethanol (EtOH) (up to 0.1 ml kg-1 min-1) does not modify the blood pressure in conscious rabbits. In this range of doses, EtOH brings about an increase of the pressure responses induced by norepinephrine (NE) with respect to values obtained in the absence of EtOH. Similar experiments have been performed on the isolated rat tail artery: EtOH perfusion does not modify the basal tone of the preparation up to 2% concentration, while the contractile response to NE administration is potentiated. The supersensitivity of the arteries to NE induced by EtOH, is a function of EtOH concentration and can be represented by a bell-shaped curve reaching the maximal value at 1% EtOH, whereby concentrations larger than 2% induce an inhibition of NE activity. The present experiments suggest that the potentiation of the contractile effects of NE induced by EtOH might be related to an enhancement of the rate of calcium transport due to the increase in cell membrane plasticity induced by EtOH.

Previous investigations suggest that lanthanum might enter uterine smooth muscle cells and work as intracellular calcium displacing agent. The present investigation had been carried out in order to confirm if lanthanum develops an intracellular effect. Experiments show that lanthanum brings about a marked increase of the intracellular calcium; the comparison of the uptake and of the wash-out curve of 45Ca shows that lanthanum induces a lowering of the rapid phase of 45Ca release from rat uterus, while the uptake of the labelled ion is not modified or is even enhanced. The present data demonstrate that the action of lanthanum in rat uterus is limited to the cell membrane, whose calcium extruding properties are inhibited.

A new model for hot-electron and hot-hole injection is presented. The model has been integrated into a two-dimensional device simulator for the purpose of flash EEPROM programming simulation. The model is demonstrated to be accurate over a range of floating gate voltages, by comparison with measured data from flash EEPROM devices of different gate lengths under different programming conditions.

The present investigation of the cellular distribution of lanthanum was undertaken in order to control the validity of the "Lanthanum method" used for the study of the cell calcium compartments. The presence of lanthanum was evaluated in the isolated guinea-pig heart and its subcellular fractions perfused with a lanthanum-containing Tyrode solution. Lanthanum was determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Under the adopted experimental conditions (30-min incubation in the presence of 12.5 µ lanthanum), lanthanum is carried across the cell membrane and is taken up by subcellular organelles. These results confirm the limited validity of investigations based on of the "Lanthanum method".

The role of ionic derangements in preconditioned hearts (PC) was assessed by measuring pH_i, high-energy phosphates (HEP) and [Mg2+] by 31P NMR. Control (C) Langendorff rat hearts were subjected to 30' ischemia and 30' reflow. PC underwent 4×(2' ischemia + 3' reperfusion) before prolonged ischemia and reflow. In this model, the contractile recovery of PC hearts at the end of reflow (rate-pressure product RPP: 50 ± 12% vs. 5 ± 5% of C, p=0.004) is not related to higher HEP or pH_i levels than in C. [Mg2+]_i increased significantly during ischemia both in C and PC organs; upon reperfusion its level remained significantly high in C (p&lt;0.001), while it regained the normal value in PC hearts. This behavior might improve in turn the SR calcium handling in PC organs, eventually contributing to the contractile recovery.Copyright 1993, 1999 Academic Press

MH1C1 rat hepatoma cells express the α isoenzyme as the only phorbol-ester sensitive isoform of protein kinase C (PKC). In this cell line, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induced a marked, dose-dependent growth inhibition. The administration of the PKC inhibitor staurosporine was able to mimic the effect of the phorbol ester on cell growth in a dose-dependent fashion, whereas the PKC activator arachidonic acid stimulated cell proliferation. Exposure of cells to an antisense oligonucleotide specific for αPKC caused a significant impairment of cell growth. These data suggest that the αPKC activity is required for proliferation of MH1C1 cells.Copyright 1994, 1999 Academic Press, Inc.