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Objectives: To obtain information about the tobacco use of young people in an informal educational setting. To analyze the profile of the young smoker and the associated social and health factors, and to discover the opinion of tobacco held by smokers and non-smokers. POPULATION AND METHODS An anonymous, self-administered, personal questionnaire was completed by volunteers aged 14 to 26 years old taking part in the activities of 3 youth centers. The questionnaire included items about the subjects' smoking habits, their awareness of the harmful effects of cigarette smoking and knowledge of tobacco cessation techniques. The survey also covered the health and social profile of young smokers., Results: A total of 84 completed questionnaires were received (40 males and 44 females). The mean age of the sample was 18.3 years. Of the total, 15.4% had never smoked, 44% described themselves as smokers, and 16.6% as ex-smokers. Of the smokers, 40% smoked up to 10 cigarettes/day and 60% between 11 and 20. The age of initiation or experimentation was 13.1 years, and that of the onset of regular or daily use, 14.6 years. Only 23.5% of the smokers expressed a desire to stop smoking, and 50% had never tried to quit. Tobacco use was associated with weekend alcohol consumption in 59% of the smokers. None of the respondents were aware of the tobacco cessation aids and therapies available., Conclusions: According to the data collected by way of these questionnaires, a high percentage of the young people who participate in these leisure activities are smokers. They report a very early age of initiation and an accurate understanding of the serious consequences of tobacco use. Their lack of awareness about the available aids for tobacco cessation is a cause for concern, and the number of smokers who expressed a desire to quit was minimal. A disturbing increase in the association between alcohol and tobacco consumption was observed.

Background: The aim of the study is to evaluate the nutritional stats in candidates to radical cystectomy in order to minimize post-operative complications., Methods: The evaluation is carried out on the basis of anthropometric, bio-humoral and immunologic indexes in a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent major urologic surgery during the last two years. Twenty cases of invasive bladder cancer (mean age 71 years) who underwent radical cystectomy have been studied: in 13 cases urinary diversion by Camey II technique, in 7 cases by Bricker technique has been performed. In 5 cases of orthotopic neo-bladder, endovenous parenteral protein sparing nutrition was carried out for 4 days, in the remaining 15 cases glucidic and saline solutions have been administered., Results: In all the 20 evaluated patients post-operative complications have not been observed., Conclusions: On the basis of the data obtained, the conclusion is drawn that patients with bladder cancer are generally not so malnourished to need an artificial feeding regimen. Considering the urinary tract substitution effects on renal function and metabolism, particularly for the role of glucose on proximal and distal tubule the usefulness of administering only glucidic solutions and maintaining a good diuresis is underlined.

Sequence analysis of an 11,628 bp DNA segment from the right arm of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome VII revealed the presence of the 5' end of the RAD2 gene, the MES1 gene and six open reading frames (ORFs) each longer than 300 bp. Four of these ORFs are expressed genes, as indicated by transcript analysis. One of them, YGR261c, which specifies a putative beta-adaptine, corresponds to gene YKS5, which has recently been identified as a suppressor of loss of casein kinase 1 function. The remaining three ORFs are new genes; of these, YGR260w encodes a protein showing similarity to the S. cerevisiae allantoate permease and YGR262c specifies a putative protein kinase.

The sulfatide fluorescent analogue N-lissamine rhodaminyl-(12-aminododecanoyl) cerebroside 3-sulfate was administered in the form of albumin complex to normal human skin fibroblasts and its metabolic fate was investigated. Ceramide, galactosylceramide, glucosylceramide, sphingomyelin and free acid, all containing the fluorophore lissamine rhodamine, have been synthesized as reference standards for the identification of the metabolic products. Ceramide appeared to be the main metabolic product present both in cell extract and medium, followed by galactosylceramide and sphingomyelin. Fluorescence microscopy of cells showed a marked perinuclear fluorescence.

An association of Althesin and Phentanyl succinylcholine is proposed as anaesthetic in patients with Parkinson's disease. This method has two advantages: it does not have an adverse effect on the drugs normally given to such patients, so that the postoperative neurological symptomatology is not altered in any way; its anesthetic effectiveness is allied with case of employment and a wide margin of safety.