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The authors describe 4 recently observed cases of retroperitoneal hematoma from spontaneous rupture of renal neoplasia. The aim of this report is to underline the problems concerning the pathogenesis, diagnosis, staging and therapy.

GRB061007 is the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) to be detected by Swift and is accompanied by an exceptionally luminous afterglow that had a V-band magnitude, Comment: Accepted by MNRAS, 11 pages, 3 figures

We present ultraviolet, optical, and infrared photometry of the afterglow of the X-ray flash XRF 050416A taken between approximately 100 seconds and 36 days after the burst. We find an intrinsic spectral slope between 1930 and 22,200 Angstrom of beta = -1.14 +/- 0.20 and a decay rate of alpha = -0.86 +/- 0.15. There is no evidence for a change in the decay rate between approximately 0.7 and 4.7 days after the burst. Our data implies that there is no spectral break between the optical and X-ray bands between 0.7 and 4.7 days after the burst, and is consistent with the cooling break being redward of the K_s band (22,200 Angstrom) at 0.7 days. The combined ultraviolet/optical/infrared spectral energy distribution shows no evidence for a significant amount of extinction in the host galaxy along the line of sight to XRF 050416A. Our data suggest that the extragalactic extinction along the line of sight to the burst is only approximately A_V = 0.2 mag, which is significantly less than the extinction expected from the hydrogen column density inferred from $X$-ray observations of XRF 050416A assuming a dust-to-gas ratio similar to what is found for the Milky Way. The observed extinction, however, is consistent with the dust-to-gas ratio seen in the Small Magellanic Cloud. We suggest that XRF 050416A may have a two-component jet similar to what has been proposed for GRB 030329. If this is the case the lack of an observed jet break between 0.7 and 42 days is an illusion due to emission from the wide jet dominating the afterglow after approximately 1.5 days., 22 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX, AASTeX 5.2 Minor changes made in response to the referee's report

We report the first detection of an optical afterglow of a GRB (060108) that would have been classified as 'dark' in the absence of deep, rapid ground-based optical imaging with the 2-m robotic Faulkes Telesscope (FTN). Our multiwavelength analysis reveals an X-ray light curve typical of many Swift long GRBs (3-segments plus flare). Its optical afterglow, however, was already fainter than the detection limit of the UVOT within 100s of the burst. Optical imaging in BVRi' filters with the FTN began 2.75 minutes after the burst and resulted in the detection of the optical afterglow at 5.3 minutes, with a UKIRT K-band identification at ~45 mins. R and i'-band light curves are consistent with a single power law decay in flux, F(t) prop t^-a where a=0.43+/-0.08, or a 2-segment light curve with a steep decay a_1, 12 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRAS; replaces incorrect paper version previously posted

We present the X-ray afterglow catalog of BeppoSAX from the launch of the satellite to the end of the mission. Thirty-three X-ray afterglows were securely identified based on their fading behavior out of 39 observations. We have extracted the continuum parameters (decay index, spectral index, flux, absorption) for all available afterglows. We point out a possible correlation between the X-ray afterglow luminosity and the energy emitted during the prompt $\gamma$-ray event. We do not detect a significant jet signature within the afterglows, implying a lower limit on the beaming angle, neither a standard energy release when X-ray fluxes are corrected for beaming. Our data support the hypothesis that the burst should be surrounded by an interstellar medium rather than a wind environment, and that this environment should be dense. This may be explained by a termination shock located near the burst progenitor. We finally point out that some dark bursts may be explained by an intrinsic faintness of the event, while others may be strongly absorbed., Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures. Article submitted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics

We present a catalog of X‐ray afterglows observed by BeppoSAX, XMM‐Newton and Chandra. We put constraints on the burst environment and geometry. We observe a temporal evolution of these constraints, by comparing the fast BeppoSAX and XMM‐Newton follow‐up and the late Chandra observations. We do not observe strong discrepancies when comparing the BeppoSAX sample to the XMM‐Newton one and to some SWIFT bursts selected to be observed at late time.

Very early observations with the Swift satellite of gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows reveal that the optical component is not detected in a large number of cases. This is in contrast to the bright optical flashes previously discovered in some GRBs (e.g. GRB 990123 and GRB 021211). Comparisons of the X-ray afterglow flux to the optical afterglow flux and prompt gamma-ray fluence is used to quantify the seemingly deficient optical, and in some cases X-ray, light at these early epochs. This comparison reveals that some of these bursts appear to have higher than normal gamma-ray efficiencies. We discuss possible mechanisms and their feasibility for explaining the apparent lack of early optical emission. The mechanisms considered include: foreground extinction, circumburst absorption, Ly-alpha blanketing and absorption due to high redshift, low density environments, rapid temporal decay, and intrinsic weakness of the reverse shock. Of these, foreground extinction, circumburst absorption, and high redshift provide the best explanations for most of the non-detections in our sample. There is tentative evidence of suppression of the strong reverse shock emission. This could be because of a Poynting-flux-dominated flow or a pure non-relativistic hydrodynamical reverse shock., 22 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ

We present observations of GRB 050318 by the Ultra-Violet and Optical Telescope (UVOT) on-board the Swift observatory. The data are the first detections of a Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) afterglow decay by the UVOT instrument, launched specifically to open a new window on these transient sources. We showcase UVOTs ability to provide multi-color photometry and the advantages of combining UVOT data with simultaneous and contemporaneous observations from the high-energy detectors on the Swift spacecraft. Multiple filters covering 1,800-6,000 Angstroms reveal a red source with spectral slope steeper than the simultaneous X-ray continuum. Spectral fits indicate that the UVOT colors are consistent with dust extinction by systems at z = 1.2037 and z = 1.4436, redshifts where absorption systems have been pre-identified. However, the data can be most-easily reproduced with models containing a foreground system of neutral gas redshifted by z = 2.8 +/- 0.3. For both of the above scenarios, spectral and decay slopes are, for the most part, consistent with fireball expansion into a uniform medium, provided a cooling break occurs between the energy ranges of the UVOT and Swifts X-ray instrumentation., 15 pages, 4 figures, ApJ Letters, in press

The Ultraviolet and Optical telescope (UVOT) on board the SWIFT observatory, plays an important part in the quest to understand gamma-ray bursts. As its name suggests, the UVOT obtains ultraviolet and optical data at high time resolution, with 7 broad band filters and 2 low resolution grisms. This paper forms the second of a pair of papers presenting the initial on-board calibration of the UVOT. The first one (Part 1) deals with distortion, large and small scale sensitivity variations and the telescope point spread function. In this paper we cover the following topics: the photometry of the broadband filters including colour transformations and linearity; the wavelength calibration and sensitivities of the grisms; time resolution and red leak.

The Ultraviolet and Optical telescope (UVOT) is one of the three instruments on board of the SWIFT observatory. UVOT is on the cutting edge of our ability to observe and eventually help scientists to understand gamma-ray bursts. As any space-based telescope it requires both pre-flight and on-orbit calibrations. This paper is the first of a pair of papers presenting the initial on-board calibration of the UVOT. In particular, we'll discuss distortion, large and small scale sensitivity variations and the telescope point spread function.

The UVOT telescope on the Swift observatory has detected optical afterglow emission from GRB 050319. The flux declines with a power law slope of alpha = -0.57 between the start of observations some 230 seconds after the burst onset (90s after the burst trigger) until it faded below the sensitivity threshold of the instrument after ~5 x 10^4s. There is no evidence for the rapidly declining component in the early light curve that is seen at the same time in the X-ray band. The afterglow is not detected in UVOT shortward of the B-band, suggesting a redshift of about 3.5. The optical V-band emission lies on the extension of the X-ray spectrum, with an optical to X-ray slope of beta = -0.8. The relatively flat decay rate of the burst suggests that the central engine continues to inject energy into the fireball for as long as a few x 10^4s after the burst., Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, accepted by ApJ

We present the XMM-Newton observation of GRB 040106. From the X-ray spectral index and temporal decay, we argue that the afterglow is consistent with a fireball expanding in a wind environment. A constant density environment is excluded by the data. This is one of the very few cases in which this conclusion can be drawn., Letter accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics. 4 pages, 3 B&W figures

GRB 020410 is by far the longest gamma-ray burst (with a duration of about 1600 s) to have been followed up from the X-ray through the radio regime. Afterglow emission was detected in X-rays and at optical wavelengths while no emission was detected at 8 GHz brighter than 120 microJy. The decaying X-ray afterglow, back extrapolated to 11 hr after the burst, had a flux of 7.9 10^-12 cgs (2-10 keV); the brightest detected so far. No direct redshift determination is available yet for this GRB, but according to the empirical relationship between the peak energy in the \nu F_\nu spectrum and the isotropic energy output, z is constrained in the range 0.9-1.5. The reconstructed optical afterglow light curve implies at least two breaks in the simple power-law decay. This may be related to emergence of a SN, or refreshment of the external shock by a variation in the circumstellar medium. By comparing the backward extrapolation of the 2-10 keV afterglow decay it is shown that the long duration of the prompt emission is not related to an early onset of afterglow emission, but must be related to prolonged activity of the ``central engine''., Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures; submitted to A&A

We studied the X-ray and optical absorption properties of 13 Gamma Ray Burst (GRB) afterglows observed by BeppoSAX. We found that X-ray absorption in addition to the Galactic one along the line of sight is highly statistically significant in the two cases with the best statistics (probability >99.9%). In three other cases the presence of X-ray absorption is marginally significant (probability 97%). Measured rest frame equivalent hydrogen column densities NH range from 0.1 to 10.0 x 10^22 cm-2 (at 90% confidence level) assuming a solar metal abundance. X-ray absorption may be common, although the quality of present data does not allow us to reach a firm conclusion. The rest frame NH derived from XMM and Chandra data as quoted in the literature are in good agreement with the BeppoSAX estimates. For the same GRB afterglow sample we evaluated the rest frame visual extinction AVr. We fitted the optical-NIR afterglow photometry with a power law model corrected by four different extinction curves. By comparing X-ray absorptions and optical extinction, we found that if a Galactic-like dust grain size distribution is assumed, a dust to gas ratio lower than the one observed in the Galaxy is required by the data. A dust to gas ratio 1/10 than the Galactic one, has been tested using the Small Magellanic Cloud extinction curve, which produces inconsistent results. Alternative scenarios to explain simultaneously the optical and X-ray data involve dust with grain size distributions biased toward large grains. Possible mechanisms that can bring to such a grain size distribution are discussed., 53 pages, 13 figures, ApJ in press, June 2004

The Authors describe a case of urachal adenocarcinoma. The patient was a 36-year-old man who had already undergone segmentai (cupula) cystectomy at another hospital. The result of the histological test was: urachal adenocarcinoma. Afterwards a C.T. scan was taken which was negative. Then the patient had a cystoscopy with biopsy (negative) in our hospital, and underwent a new segmentai cystectomy releasing the urachus. The result of the second histological test was urachal adenocarcinoma. The Authors underline the rareness of this pathology, and the importance of total or segmentai cystectomy for treatment of the above.

A risk-based statistical approach has been carried out to assess voltage stability limits in the South Eastern part of France's subsystem and to construct new operating rules to avoid voltage collapse. The possibility of taking a large number of power system states as well as the uncertainties of the models into account enables us to assess accurately and robustly the stability limits of the system. This has lead Electricite de France and National Grid Company to develop the ASSESS tool to performs this kind of study. After this statistical study, a probabilistic refinement introducing probabilities of power system states has been carried out to validate the rules. Bayesian Belief Networks proved to be helpful for the evaluation of a power system state probability, because of their ability to model the uncertainties and dependencies of variables.

A 45-day-old patient was admitted with dyspnea, hepatomegaly, tachycardia, holosystolic murmur in the precordial region, and continuous murmur at the right hypochondrium. Four cutaneous angiomas were noted. Instrumental examinations revealed congestive heart failure and multiple focal lesions in the liver with typical features of hemangiomas. The therapy with subcutaneous interferon-alfa-2a (IFN- &#102 ) was administered for 12 months with progressive regression of cutaneous hemangiomas, liver lesions, and cardiological alterations. IFN- &#102 therapy was effective without any significant adverse effects.

This paper presents how a risk based statistical approach has been carried out to assess voltage stability limits in the French Riviera subsystem and to construct new operating rules to avoid voltage collapse. The possibility of taking into account a large number of network situations as well as the uncertainties of the models enables us to assess accurately and robustly the stability limits of the system. The statistical methods allow one to find simple expressions of these limits and so to forecast when contingencies may lead with a high probability to a collapse. By including the criterion obtained in operating rules, Electricite de France has improved its knowledge of the stability limits and so, has been able to operate closer to these limits and to save a significant amount of money by re-dispatching the power plants in a cheaper way.

As most countries in the world have difficulties in building new transmission lines, the amount of energy transmitted through the existing EHV networks increases with the consumption level. This tendency is strongly reinforced with deregulation of electric markets. Therefore power systems have to be exploited closer to their limits. As a result, system stability becomes harder to control, which raises significant reliability problems. Major incidents affecting the power supply to a large number of customers are rare but may occur. The deregulation of electric markets also creates new uncertainties on data needed for dynamic studies, and a new hypothesis has to be taken into account. In this context, it becomes more and more important for Electricite de France to be able to justify and to optimise the cost of the measures that have to be taken to insure the security of the power system. Electricite de France intends to develop its methods and tools used in the security assessment domain. This report presents new trends for security studies: the introduction of a statistical approach in our security studies, first step towards of a probabilistic approach. Our perspectives are to develop the use of these kind of dynamic studies with a statistical approach, to new application cases and to create a new general tool based on our statistical approach. We are also working on a probabilistic approach in order to integrate the weight of incidents, situations etc. to this kind of study.

We have examined the complete set of X-ray afterglow observations of dark and optically bright gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) performed by BeppoSAX through 2001 February. X-ray afterglows are detected in ~90% of the cases. We do not find significant differences in the X-ray spectral shape, in particular no increased X-ray absorption in GRBs without optical transient (dark GRBs) compared to GRBs with optical transient (OTGRBs). Rather, we find that the 1.6-10 keV flux of OTGRBs is on average about 5 times larger than that of the dark GRBs. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov test shows that this difference is significant at 99.8% probability. Under the assumption that dark and OTGRBs have similar spectra, this could suggest that the first are uncaught in the optical band because they are just faint sources. In order to test this hypothesis, we have determined the optical-to-X-ray flux ratios of the sample. OTGRBs show a remarkably narrow distribution of flux ratios, which corresponds to an average optical-to-X-ray spectral index = 0.794 ? 0.054. We find that, while 75% of dark GRBs have flux ratio upper limits still consistent with those of OT GRBs, the remaining 25% are 4-10 times weaker in optical than in X-rays. The significance of this result is ?2.6 ?. If this subpopulation of dark GRBs were constituted by objects assimilable to OTGRBs, they should have shown optical fluxes higher than upper limits actually found. We discuss the possible causes of their behavior, including a possible occurrence in high-density clouds or origin at very high redshift and a connection with ancient, Population III stars.

Background Overweight at the time of EBC diagnosis has been linked frequently to poorer survival in most studies and some evidence suggests that women who gain weight after breast cancer diagnosis are at increased risk of cancer recurrence and death. Most previous studies on this topic have relied on retrospective chart reviews. The aim of this prospective, observational, single-center study is to determine whether weight at diagnosis and weight gain after EBC treatment are predictive of BC recurrence. Methods From August 1997 to March 2012, the study included a total of 520 EBC patients (stage I-IIIa). We assessed weight and body mass index (BMI = kg/m2) at baseline (≤ 1 month after surgery) and 24 months after completion of treatment (chemotherapy ± radiotherapy). The chi square test (X2) was conducted to determine if a significant correlation exists between BC recurrence and 3 categories of BMI at diagnosis (lean weight: BMI 25) and BC recurrence and weight changes after EBC treatment (loss of 2 kg/m2). Results Median age was 55 years (range 28-81); 58% of patients were postmenopausal, stage I-II in 89%; ER + /PGR+ in 69%; ER-/PGR- in 20%; HER2+ in 20%; 72% underwent conservative surgery + radiotherapy; 57% received chemotherapy (CT) and 78% received endocrine therapy alone or after CT. Median BMI at diagnosis was 26.8, after treatment 27.7. After a median follow up of 13 years 194 patients recurred. Statistical analysis is reported in table 1. Table: 248O Body Mass Index At diagnosis Changes after BC treatment 25-30 kg/m2 >30 kg/m2 Loss >1 kg/m2 Loss Gain Gain >2 kg/m2 No of patients 179 184 157 64 32 185 145 Recurrences 72 73 49 20 15 63 76 p 0.17 0.34 0.0008 Conclusions Our findings show that EBC patients gain weight after treatment. A significant correlation was found between weight gain after EBC treatment and recurrence, suggesting that women who gain weight after breast cancer diagnosis may be at increased risk of poor outcomes. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

This paper presents how a statistical approach has been carried out to construct new operating rules to avoid voltage collapse in the French Riviera subsystem. The possibility of taking into account a large number of network situations as well as the uncertainties of the models enables us to assess accurately and robustly the stability limits of the system. The statistical methods allow one to find simple expressions of these limits and so to forecast when contingencies may lead with a high probability to a collapse. By including the criterion obtained in operating rules, EDF has improved its knowledge of the stability limits and so, has been able to operate closer to these limits and to save a significant amount of money by re-dispatching the power plants in a cheaper way.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of MAGPI's procedure in children who had a meatal regression after hypospadias repair. Patients and methods Twenty-one children affected by post-hypospadias repair meatal regression underwent a modified MAGPI repair between January 1992 and January 1999: the patients, aged between 3 and 12 years (mean 5.9), had previously undergone hypospadias repair according to the techniques of Duplay (11 patients), Mathieu (2 patients), Snodgrass (5 patients) or the onlay buccal mucosa graft (3 patients). The outcome of the procedure was evaluated in terms of urinary stream and cosmetic appearance. Results The results were good in 18 patients, fair in 2, unchanged in 1. Conclusions MAGPI's repair has proven to be very effective as a secondary procedure in meatal regression after hypospadias correction, with minimal morbidity and a highly successful outcome in terms of satisfactory functionality and cosmetic appearance, and the recovery of gaps as large as 9 mm.

Fecal incontinence, with or without persistent constipation is often underestimated in children affected by spina bifida. Medullar lesions to the L-S metameres result in a slowing of rectal and/or rectal-sigmoid motility, loss of anal or rectal sensation, deranged external anal sphincter function, altered motility of the anal levator muscles, and loss of motor coordination of the internal sphincter. We conducted an electromyographic and electromanometric evaluation of the anorectal tract in a group of children affected by myelomeningocele (MMC) in an attempt to evaluate the degree of functional damage and to provide appropriate treatment.Anorectal manometry was conducted in 83 children affected by MMC (2-16 yrs, mean age: 8.4 yrs); surface electromyography was also performed in 37 of these children. We thus evaluated overall sphincter pressure, the inhibitory anal reflex, the rectal sphincteric reflex and rectal motility during stimulation and at rest. Recording perfusion catheters (0.1 ml/sec) were placed at rectal and anal level; rectal stimulation was conducted with an endorectal balloon.In all patients there was a reduction in overall sphincter pressure (15-25 mmHg; n.v. 45+/-25 mmHg) and the functional length of the anal canal (1-1.8 cm) compared with age matched controls. The inhibitory anal reflex was normal in all patients, although its amplitude, duration and sensitivity were not constant. Similar findings were obtained for the rectal-sphincteric reflex. The rectal sigmoid motility results were difficult to interpret: sudden, fast and high pressure waves of peristaltic progression were followed by prolonged pauses. No correlation was found between urodynamic and anorectal manometric data. Treatment consisted in daily emptying of the rectum so as to avoid fecal retention. Fifteen patients, who presented prolapse and sphincteric hypotonia (/=10 mmHg), underwent cerclage by 2/0 prolene, with sustained good RESULTS.While evaluation parameters of the neuropathic bladder are well standardised, data on the neuropathic rectum are contradictory. Moreover, the results of functional examination are not always an aid to treatment strategy. Therefore, further studies are required to establish an appropriate diagnostic-therapeutic protocol.

To determine objectively, using uroflowmetry, the functional results of the tubularized-incised plate urethroplasty to repair midshaft-proximal hypospadias.Twenty-one patients (mean age 4 years, mean follow-up 1.8 years) were selected from those undergoing surgery between January 1996 and January 1998 at our institution. All patients had midshaft-proximal hypospadias and were treated using the Snodgrass technique. Patients were included if they were able to void volitionally and had no fistula. The flow pattern, maximum (Qmax) and mean flow rate (Qave) were measured; the results were expressed as percentiles and compared with published values from normal children. The Qmax and Qave were considered normal if25th percentile, as equivocally obstructed when in the 5-25th percentile and obstructed if5th percentile.Fourteen patients were considered normal, four as equivocally obstructed and three as obstructed. Of the second group, one patient had a urethral diverticulum at the native meatus (confirmed by voiding cysto-urethrography) and the remaining three patients had meatal stenosis that responded to dilatation, with normal flow in two and improvement in the other. Of the obstructed group, one patient responded to dilatation and two underwent meatoplasty.The tubularized-incised plate repair provides satisfactory functional results for midshaft-proximal hypospadias; uroflowmetry is an important noninvasive tool to evaluate this technique. A long-term follow-up is needed to confirm these results.

Ventriculo-peritoneal shunts (VPS) are the most frequent operative procedures used to treat hydrocephalic children. Abdominal complications of VPS are now a rare event; however, their frequency varies from 5% to 47% according to reports. Anything that causes an obstruction or impediment of the VP derivation system will lead to intracranial hypertension, which requires immediate surgery. From 1985 to 1995 at the Division of Pediatric Surgery of the Federico II University of Naples, ten laparoscopies were performed in ten children with VPS complications. Cerebrospinal fluid pseudocysts were found in four infants. There was one case of abdominal wall perforation by the tip of the catheter at the umbilical level, two bowel obstructions, and one catheter was lost in the abdominal cavity. Finally, two children had malfunctioning of the peritoneal limb of the catheter. The laparoscopic technique was curative in all ten cases, thus avoiding a conventional laparotomy and the consequent risk of adhesions, which could cause further complications.

A retrospective study has been carried out on the last 20 consecutive patients operated for gastro-oesophageal reflux to compare the results of the traditional operation with those using the laparoscopic approach.In ten cases, the operation was performed with an open traditional approach and in the other 10 cases using laparoscopy. The mean age of the patients was 7 years and their mean weight was 20 kg. There were 11 girls and 9 boys. We used a 360 degrees Nissen fundoplication in the patients operated on via laparotomy and a Nissen-Rossetti fundoplication in patients operated on via laparoscopy.Mean operating time was 65 minutes for traditional surgery and 100 minutes for laparoscopy. There were two complications: 1 case of oesophageal perforation in a child affected by endo-brachyoesophagus with peri-oesophagitis, operated using the laparoscopic technique, and one case of wound infection in a child operated with the open technique. The hospital stay was remarkably shorter and less painful for the children operated on laparoscopically. At 13-month mean follow-up, all 20 patients are alive and present no reflux symptoms.Our results demonstrate that laparoscopic surgery is a valid alternative to the traditional surgical approach for the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux.

GRB 100418A is a long gamma-ray burst (GRB) at redshift z = 0.6235 discovered with the Swift Gamma-ray Burst Explorer with unusual optical and X-ray light curves. After an initial short-lived, rapid decline in X-rays, the optical and X-ray light curves observed with Swift are approximately flat or rising slightly out to at least similar to 7 x 10(3) s after the trigger, peak at similar to 5 x 10(4) s, and then follow an approximately power-law decay. Such a long optical plateau and late peaking is rarely seen in GRB afterglows. Observations with Rapid Eye Mount during a gap in the Swift coverage indicate a bright optical flare at similar to 2.5 x 10(4) s. The long plateau phase of the afterglow is interpreted using either a model with continuous injection of energy into the forward shock of the burst or a model in which the jet of the burst is viewed off-axis. In both models the isotropic kinetic energy in the late afterglow after the plateau phase is >= 10(2) times the 10(51) erg of the prompt isotropic gamma-ray energy release. The energy injection model is favored because the off-axis jet model would require the intrinsic T-90 for the GRB jet viewed on-axis to be very short, similar to 10 ms, and the intrinsic isotropic gamma-ray energy release and the true jet energy to be much higher than the typical values of known short GRBs. The non-detection of a jet break up to t similar to 2 x 10(6) s indicates a jet half-opening angle of at least similar to 14 degrees, and a relatively high-collimation-corrected jet energy of E-jet >= 10(52) erg.

A case of ectopic ureter in a cystic seminal vesicle associated to a microkidney is presented. The diagnosis was established by history, physical examination, CT and direct contrastography by perineal access. Treatment consisted of excision of the cystic seminal vesicle with the ectopic ureter and dysplasic kidney.

e20002 Background: Bevacizumab (BV) is a monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with a reportedly acceptable safety profile and some antitumor activity also in pediat...

Nature 453, 469–474 (2008) In this Article, the surname of co-author G. Bryngelson was mis-spelled as G. Byrngelson.

The authors report their experience in 10 cases of giant calculosis of the bladder. Their formation secondary to obstructive cervico-urethral pathology is highlighted and treatment of the latter remains of prime importance.

The authors have followed the course of the immunological cellular and humoral parameters in 12 patients in the Intensive Care Unit at the University Polyclinic of Messina having grave infections of the respiratory apparatus, for which an antibiotic therapy with azlocillin, semisynthetic penicillin was carried out; all this with the aim of pointing out any possible interferences with the already precarious immune system in such patients. The results obtained seem to exclude any immunodepressing activity by the molecule.

Exposure to drugs during pregnancy can alter functional development of the vascular system. The present investigation was carried out in order to evaluate the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to Ca2+-antagonist (diltiazem, verapamil, and nimodipine) drugs on the development of rat vasomotor reactivity. Studies were carried out on pregnant female albino rats exposed from the first day of pregnancy until weaning to diltiazem and verapamil (6 and 24 mg/kg in their drinking water ad libitum) and nimodipine (3 and 12 mg/kg in their food ad libitum). After weaning, pups were exposed until the 60th day of age to the same treatment as their mothers were. Afterwards, pups from the 60th to 90th day of age were fed with a normal diet. In 30-, 60-, and 90-day-old conscious and anaesthetized pups, we evaluated the following: 1) systolic arterial blood pressure; 2) vasomotor responses elicited by various agents: L-noradrenaline (0.1, 1, and 5 micrograms/kg IV), L-isoprenaline (0.01, 0.1, and 1 micrograms/kg IV), and acetylcholine (0.01, 0.1, and 1 micrograms/kg IV) and by sinus-carotid baroreceptor stimulation; and 3) catecholamine, acetylcholinesterase, and adenosinase plasma levels. Prenatal and postnatal exposure to Ca2+-antagonist drugs significantly (P less than .05) decreased the pressor response to sinus-carotid baroreceptor stimulation and to L-noradrenaline and increased the hypotensive responses to L-isoprenaline and acetylcholine. Moreover, this type of treatment, although it induced a significant (P less than .05) decrease of catecholamine plasma levels, did not modify the acetylcholinesterase and adenosinase plasma levels in 30- and 60-day-old rats. On the 90th day of age, the evaluated parameters were not different from those of control rats. Our results showed that exposure to Ca2+ antagonists during pregnancy and the postnatal period may alter the functional development of rat vasomotor reactivity.