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The relationship between education and nature – or more generally the outdoors – is quite a long and even heterogeneous one which has gone through pedagogy and education history for a long time. It is a relationship that has been discussed, problematized and experienced by many authors: some illustrious examples, in their diversity, are Rousseau, Fröbel, Baden Powell, Dewey, Latter, Montessori, Pizzigoni, Malaguzzi, Lodi, Ciari, Frabboni, Zavalloni (Guerra, 2015). This list, although arbitrary, immediately confirms a fundamental aspect from our point of view: the relationship between education and nature is not a “new story”, even though today it is being renewed through increased research, reflections and proposals that find more and more space on the national educational scene (Schenetti, Salvaterra & Rossini, 2015; Birbes, 2016; Antonietti & Bertolino, 2017, Iavarone, et al., 2017; Dozza & Cagol, 2018; Farnè, Bertolotti & Terrusi, 2018; Mortari & Silva, 2019; Bortolotti, 2019; Valentini & Donatiello, 2019), but also the international one (Humberstone & Henderson, 2016). In this sense, investigating historical and foundational experiences appears to be interesting in order to better analyse, understand and promote more recent experiences. This contribution aims to offer an analysis of structures, moments and practices of the last century’s first open air schools – with particular reference to the Waldschule of Charlottenburg in 1904 – highlighting their origins, reasons and peculiarities. It is from this starting point that some possible connections with contemporary proposals can be analysed, tracing elements of continuity and discontinuity in order to better investigate the recent phenomenon, to primarily grasp the peculiarities and therefore to problematize forms and methods of action and development.

Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are associated with a wide range of increased risk behaviors and health consequences, they have not been extensively described in all subpopulations. Objective The specific objectives of the study were to describe the prevalence of predefined ACEs among a nationwide sample of men who have sex with men (MSM) and determine associated HIV or sexually transmitted infection (STI) related health outcomes, testing practices, and risk behaviors. Participants and Setting Eligible participants were MSM aged 18 years or older who reported male-male sex in the past 12 months. Methods Data were obtained from the 2015 cycle of the American Men’s Internet Survey, these data were collected between September 2015 and April 2016, and contained questions related to 8 ACE exposure categories. During analyses conducted between September 2017 and April 2018, multiple log-binomial models were fit to assess associations. Results Among 2590 participants, 79.7 % reported exposure to one or more ACE category. Participants exposed to any ACE were more likely to report STI testing (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.07; 95 % confidence interval [95 %–CI]: 1.00, 1.15), illicit substance use (aPR: 1.23, 95 %–CI: 1.05, 1.46), and condomless anal intercourse with another man (aPR: 1.13, 95 %–CI: 1.03, 1.21). Conclusions There is a high overall ACE burden among MSM nationally, with potential influences on key HIV/STI behaviors in later life. ACE exposure should be routinely assessed, prevention is ideal but appropriate measures such as trauma informed care should also be considered for adult MSM accessing HIV and STI-related services.

Background: in lung function laboratories, all instruments are subjected to calibration procedures daily. Strangely, for APAP (which carry many measures of patient ventilation) there are not procedures for calibration, it is not easy to check the behaviour of the machine over the time. Methods: we wanted to test the behaviour of 5 APAP of the same manufacturer and the same model. The 5 machines differed in terms of the amount of hours of service. It was made a test circuit provided three different levels of resistance to the flow generated by the device with and without a controlled leak of a similar magnitude to that of the interfaces normally used. We measured the flow generated by each machine at various nominal pressure levels (range 5-20 cm H2O) Results: the measurements have shown that, for the same nominal pressure, flow decrease with the increase of hours of service of APAP (Fig. 1) Fig. 1 Measured flow resistance realized with pipe of 16 mm in two devices Conclusions: from the results obtained, it can be assumed that in the life of a APAP there may be a different behaviour depending on the operating hours of the device itself. This could lead to obtain titrations not correct (e.g. overestimation of therapeutic pressure) with the risk of compromising the compliance to treatment. Further evaluations will be performed on the devices in order to check the linearity and accuracy of the various components of the system (e.g. the flow sensor).

Schools and protected regions in the Piedmont (Italy): an example of a co-ordinated experiment The research and didactic experiment project “From school to the park” stems from the collaboration between different professions and a long training process followed by each. Co-ordinated by a group of university research scientists, teachers and park wardens from the Piedmont regional Park worked together in eleven locations of the Piedmont with pairs of classes (from primary and secondary schools) from the regional parks and nature reserves. The environmental education and didactic continuity project was experimented in the eleven locations according to a “prototype” which involved welcoming visits shared by the two classes, excursions near the schools and residential field trips in protected areas. The programming phase, which was very long, required the participation of two types of schools as well as the park wardens. The training activity and the subsequent co-ordination of the eleven “territorial units” were carried out by the research group on teaching methods in natural science at the University of Turin. This work required a permanent monitoring of the different phases, a continuous documentation of the initiatives being carried out and verifications in the field. Although the final assessment work is not yet complete, the data obtained to date indicate that this project has contributed to create a dynamic network between educational partners, thanks to the participation of the park authorities and the local authorities of the different communities where the participant schools reside., Le projet de recherche et d’expérimentation didactique “De l’école au Parc” est né de la collaboration entre différentes catégories professionnelles et d’un long processus d’autoformation qu’elles ont suivi Coordonnés par un groupe de recherche universitaire, enseignants et gardiens de parc de la Région du Piémont ont travaillé ensemble dans onze localités du Piémont, avec des couples de classes (école primaire et collège), des Parcs et des Réserves naturels régionaux. Le projet d’éducation à l’environnement et de continuité didactique a été expérimenté dans ces onze localités en suivant un “prototype” qui comportait des visites d’accueil entre les deux classes, des sorties à proximité des écoles, des stages résidentiels dans des zones protégées. La phase de programmation, d'une durée considérable, a demandé la participation d’enseignants des deux types d’écoles ainsi que des gardiens de parc. L’activité de formation et ensuite la coordination des onze “Unités Territoriales” - effectuées par le Groupe de Recherche en Didactique des Sciences Naturelles de l’Université de Turin - ont nécessité un suivi constant des phases de travail, une documentation des initiatives réalisées au fur et à mesure et des vérifications sur le terrain. Bien que le travail d’évaluation finale ne soit pas achevé, les données obtenues jusqu’à présent indiquent que ce projet a contribué à créer un réseau dynamique entre acteurs éducatifs, grâce à l’engagement des autorités des Parcs et des communes où résident les écoles concernées., Institución escolar y zonas protegidas del Piémont (Italia) : el caso particular de una experiencia coordinada El proyecto de investigación y de experimentación didáctico “De la escuela al Parque” nació de la colaboración entre diferentes categorías profesionales y de un largo proceso de auto-formación que le han seguido. Coordinados por un grupo de investigación universitario, docentes y guardianes del parque de la región del Piémont han trabajado juntos, en once localidades del Piémont, con parejas de clases (escuela primaria y colegio), de los Parques y de las Reservas naturales regionales. El proyecto de educación al medio ambiente y de continuidad didáctica ha sido experimentado en esas once localidades, siguiendo un “prototipo” que consistía en visitas de recepción entre las dos clases, salidas en la proximidad de las escuelas, un cursillo residencial en las zonas protegidas. La fase de programación de una duración considerable, implicó la participación de maestros de dos tipos de escuelas así que los vigilantes del parque. La actividad de formación y luego la coordinación de las once “Unidades Territoriales” - efectuadas por el Grupo de Investigación en Didáctica de Ciencias Naturales de la Universidad de Turin - han necesitado una continuidad constante de las fases de trabajo, una documentación de las iniciativas realizadas a medida y las verificaciones en el terreno. Bien que el trabajo de evaluación final no fué terminado, los datos obtenidos hasta el presente indican que ese proyecto ha contribuido a crear una red dinámica entre actores educativos, gracias al empeño de las autoridades de los Parques y de los municipios donde residen los escolares implicados, Perazzone Anna, Camino Elena, Bertolino Fabrizio. Institution scolaire et Zones Protégées du Piémont (Italie) : le cas particulier d'une expérience coordonnée . In: Aster, recherches en didactique des sciences expérimentales, n°29, 1999. L'école et ses partenaires scientifiques. pp. 101-130.

More than 100 different mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene have been identified; virtually all lead to the production of a truncated protein. Clinical details of patients with missense mutations undoubtedly cosegregating with the disease have not been reported and may be relevant in understanding the APC protein function.In one family with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) the APC gene was analyzed by SSCP and sequencing of the aberrant SSCP band.A missense mutation in exon 15 at nucleotide 4921 segregating with the disease was observed. This predicts a tryptophan instead of an arginine at amino acid 1641 of the APC protein. No such mutation was present in 100 control subjects.In this family the colonic manifestations are as expected for classical FAP. However, the occurrence of congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium is unusual, owing to the inconsistency of this manifestation between family members and because congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium is generally absent when mutations are after codon 1387.

The design of a hardware pipelined system to collect, monitor and broadcast the trigger information in the CERN NA48 high-rate experiment is presented. Implementation details for a VME-based prototype are also presented. The solutions adopted to cope with a synchronous-asynchronous pipelined trigger system are discussed. >

Male mating activity of Polistes semenowi, observed in a mountain environment, falls into a series of categories common to P. biglumis bimaculatus, a paper wasp living at high altitude: daily aggregations and territorial behaviour at peculiar non-resource sites, i.e. sunlit stones and slabs in a meadow; a lek-like spatial pattern of territories, characterized by a clear preference for certain sites; sexual behaviour towards conspecific females on habitual perches.

The problem of the inferential analysis of the linear correlation coefficient of normal bivariate populations is tackled, both from the likelihood and Bayesian viewpoints. In particular it is shown how, using pseudo-likelihood (marginal likelihood function and profile likelihood), hypotheses such asH0:ϱ=ϱ0 andH0:ϱx=ϱy can be verified without prohibitive computation effort. The results of marginal and profile likelihood are compared and it is shown that these two methods are virtually equivalent even for small sample sizes. Furthermore, in suitable conditions, the posterior distribution of the coefficient ϱ can be readily obtained, using the exact form or different approximate formulations of the marginal or profile likelihood. Lastly some possible prior distributions of ϱ are illustrated and some explanatory examples are presented.

If we look through the literature concerning the genetic equilibrium of Hardy-Weinberg, hereafter H - We, then we have no difficulty to ascertain that the works which adopt a frequentist point of view are far more numerous than those which are carried out in a Bayesian perspective. A possible explanation for the limited interest shown by subjectivists towards those matters may well be the opinion that standard techniques are largely sufficient.

The NA48 experiment aims to measure direct CP violation in the KL0 decays system with an accuracy of 2×10−4. High performances are required to the trigger and acquisition systems. This paper describes the NA48 Trigger Supervisor, a 40 MHz pipelined hardware system which correlates and processes trigger informations from local trigger sources, searching for interesting patterns. The trigger packet include a timestamp information used by the readout systems to retrieve detector data. The design architecture and functionality during 98 data taking are described.

This paper describes the percentile curves for red blood cell (RBC) count, Hb, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) values of β°-thalassaemia heterozygotes during infancy, childhood and adolescence. Hb values were about 2 g/dl below those of normal controls with a progressive increase with age parallelling the normal developmental trend. The Hb increase with age was due to a progressive rise in the Hb content per cell, the number of RBC remaining nearly constant. MCV and MCH values also increased with age with a pattern parallel to normal control. Because of the high prevalence of α-thalassaemia in the Sardinian population, to which all the subjects investigated belong, the 3rd MCH-MCV percentile curves of normal overlap the 97th curve of β-thalassaemia heterozygotes. The HbA2 levels, however, were always increased as compared to normal. These results confirm in children than screening for heterozygous β-thalassaemia in populations with a high incidence of α and β-thalassaemia by MCV-MCH determination may overlook a sizeable proportion of β-thalassaemia carriers. The knowledge of the extent of variation of RBC indices of β-thalassaemia heterozygotes during infancy, childhood and adolescence, is very useful for the evaluation of a child presenting with a mild microcytic anaemia.

We sought to determine whether the intrinsic pulmonary hypertensive activity of the purported thromboxane A2/prostanoid (TP) receptor antagonist, daltroban, was mediated by TP receptors, using the high efficacy TP receptor agonist, U-46619, and the silent TP receptor antagonist, SQ 29,548. In pentobarbitone-anesthetized, open-chest rats (n = 4-10 per group), non-cumulative injections of U-46619, dose-dependently increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) with an ED50 (geometric mean with 95% confidence limits in parentheses) of 1.4 (1.1-2.3) microg/kg i.v.. Daltroban increased MPAP in a bell-shaped manner, with an apparent ED50 [29 (21-35) microg/kg i.v.] being 21 fold less potent than that of U-46619. The maximal pulmonary hypertensive responses evoked by daltroban represented about half those induced by U-46619 (25.4+/-1.0 vs. 12.7+/-2 mmHg; P < 0.05 between groups). The TP receptor antagonist SQ 29,548 fully antagonized increases in MPAP evoked by equihypertensive doses of U-46619 (1.25 microg/kg) or daltroban (80 microg/kg). Further experiments were carried out to determine whether daltroban antagonized the pulmonary hypertensive responses evoked by the high efficacy agonist, U-46619, or by itself as receptor theory would predict for a partial agonist. Daltroban (10-2500 microg/kg) antagonized, although not fully, U-46619 (20 microg/kg)-evoked pulmonary hypertensive responses, since prominent intrinsic pulmonary hypertensive effects of daltroban were observed in the same range of doses. Furthermore, in contrast to U-46619 (1.25 microg/kg), daltroban (80 microg/kg) failed to evoke a second pulmonary hypertensive response following a previous injection, as would be expected for a partial agonist. Collectively, the results strongly suggest that daltroban behaves as a partial agonist at TP receptors in the pulmonary vascular bed of the rat in vivo.

We explored the putative inhibitory effects of losartan, a potent nonpeptide, AT1 receptor antagonist, against thromboxane A2 (TxA2)/prostanoid (TP) receptor-mediated transcapillary shift of plasma fluid and proteins. The effects of the TP receptor agonist U-46619 (1.25 or 10 microg/kg intravenously) on hematocrit (Hct), albumin extravasation (AE), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were evaluated in anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats. U-46619 dose-dependently increased Hct (by 4.5% +/- 0.7% and 7.5% +/- 1.0% at the low and high dose, respectively; both P < .05 v vehicle-infused group) and decreased MAP (by 7.9% +/- 4.1% and 16.8% +/- 5.7% at the low and high dose, respectively; P = NS and P < .05 v vehicle-infused group, respectively). In these experiments, using a quantitative Evans blue technique, we showed that U-46619 dose-dependently increased AE in kidney, lung, spleen, and testis (by approximately 31%, 172%, 52%, and 57% at the highest dose) but not in adipose tissue, brain, liver, mesentery, and skeletal muscle. In the heart, AE was maximally increased by the low dose of U-46619. The U-46619 (10 microg/kg)-induced increases in Hct and AE and decreases in MAP were blocked by pretreatment with the TP receptor antagonist SQ 29,548 (2.5 mg/kg intravenously + 2.5 mg/kg/h) and the high dose of losartan (40 mg/kg intravenously). The low dose of losartan (10 mg/kg intravenously) did not significantly alter the responses to U-46619 except for the AE, which was reduced in some but not all tissues. Furthermore, the U-46619-induced changes in Hct (+6.3% +/- 1.7%), MAP (-13.9% +/- 8.4%) and AE were not affected in rats pretreated with the converting-enzyme inhibitor enalapril. Thus, selective activation of TP receptors by U-46619 induced plasma fluid and protein exudation; these responses were specifically attenuated by the relatively high dose of losartan, suggesting that this compound acts as a TP receptor antagonist in this experimental model.

Experiments performed in 226 pentobarbitone-anesthetized rabbits were designed to investigate the involvement of thromboxane/prostanoid and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)2A/C receptors during arterial thrombus formation in distinct low- and high-shear rate thrombosis models. Antithrombotic activities of the thromboxane/prostanoid receptor antagonist SQ 29,548 and two chemically distinct 5-HT2A/C receptor antagonists, ritanserin and ketanserin, were assessed first in low-shear rate (approximately 600 sec(-1)) arterial thrombosis, produced by insertion of a silk thread as thrombogenic substrate into the central section of an extracorporeal arteriovenous shunt established between the left carotid artery and the right jugular vein (n = 77), and second in high-shear rate (approximately 40,000 sec(-1)) arterial thrombosis, produced by critical stenosis and local endothelial injury of a carotid artery, characterized by cyclic flow reductions (CFRs) due to recurrent platelet aggregation and subsequent dislodgement of the thrombus (n = 149). Under low shear rate, SQ 29,548 (10-2500 microg/kg plus 10-2500 microg/kg/hr i.v.), but not ritanserin or ketanserin (both at 2500 microg/kg i.v.), dose-dependently inhibited thrombus formation. In contrast, under high shear rate, SQ 29,548 (10-160 microg/kg plus 10-160 microg/kg/hr i.v.) and both ritanserin and ketanserin (both at 10-2500 microg/kg i.v.) dose-dependently reduced CFR frequency, with ID50 values of 35 microg/kg (95% confidence limits, 24-58 microg/kg), 77 microg/kg (95% confidence limits, 40-132 microg/kg) and 89 microg/kg (95% confidence limits, 36-285 microg/kg) i.v., respectively. Furthermore, local infusion of the stable thromboxane A2 analog U-46619 (0.63 microg/kg/min) or 5-HT (20.8 microg/kg/min) proximal to the site of injury and stenosis in rabbits pretreated with either SQ 29,548 (40 microg/kg plus 40 microg/kg/hr i.v.) or ritanserin (160 microg/kg i.v.), respectively, restored CFR frequency to vehicle group levels in animals whose CFR frequency was previously reduced. The inhibitory activity of ketanserin and ritanserin on CFRs could not be attributed to 5-HT1B/D or alpha-1 adrenoceptor antagonist properties or to any hypotensive activity. These results provide firm evidence that thromboxane/prostanoid receptors are involved in arterial thrombosis in rabbits independently of the shear rate, whereas 5-HT2A/C receptors play a major role only in high-shear rate thrombus formation.

Surgery does not cure Crohn's disease, but only its complications, as the recurrence rate that requires a new intervention is 6% per year. The resections performed by the surgeon should be as limited as possible, in order to avoid the consequent malabsorption. The identification of two forms of Crohn's disease, with different aggressiveness, has found that the stricturoplastic is an encouraging way of treatment for those forms with a prevalent stenotic component. A lot of studies have evaluated the relationships between recurrences and resections on margins microscopically free or affected by the disease. The aim of this study was a retrospective verification of the influence of any possible microscopical residue of the disease on the recurrence rate, evaluating whether the two different forms of aggressiveness of the disease (presence of stenosis or fistula) can influence the rate and precocity of the recurrence onset. In 37 patients operated for the first time of ileal or ileocolic resection, the overall recurrence rate was 18.9%; neither the presence of microscopically affected margins nor the presence of fistulas or stenosis has showed to have an influence on the onset of the recurrences. The only data that emerged is a greater precocity of the onset of recurrence in those patients whose disease was characterised by the presence of enteric fistulas. The forms in which fistulas and perforations were evident showed a recurrence rate not significantly higher than that of forms with stenosis only, but the period of time free from the disease was notably longer for the latter. In the end, patients in which typical granulomas were present showed a recurrence rate of just 9%, compared to 23% of patients in which granulomas were absent. MATERIALS AND METHODS. From 1980 through 1992, 61 patients affected by Crohn's disease were operated. There were 39 men and 22 women (mean age: 40.4 years). The mean length of the follow-up was 55.5 months. It was the first operation for 43 patients, while 9 had already undergone surgery in other hospitals; 9 patients showed anorectal complications. The operations performed on the patients for the first time have been ileal resection in the following localizations: duodenum-jejunum 4, jejunum and ileal 34, colic 5; the recurrences treated have been ileal-jejunum in 7 cases and colic in 2. In 2 cases of recurrence a stricturoplastic has been performed. RESULTS. The operative mortality was of 3 patients: 2 due to sepsis for anastomotic dehiscence and 1 to systemic mycosis. Four postoperative fistulas were observed. Recurrence of the disease occurred in 13 patients (26.5%), specifically in 21.4% of the patients operated for the first time and in 57.1% of those that were operated for recurrences. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. In the treatment of Crohn's disease, it is important to identify any possible group with high risk of recurrence in order to undertake an appropriate medical prophylaxis. The results concerning the presence of microscopical disease on the resection margins are today still controversial. Some groups of authors prefer wide resection margins, some others are in favour of restricted resections. Our considerations let us assert that in those patients in which the resections have been performed on margins with microscopic presence of the disease, the interval before the recurrence occurs is not significantly shorter than that of patients with free margins. But the patients suffering from Crohn's disease with fistulae, probably need medical post-operative therapy to delay recurrences onset.

1. We evaluated the effects of daltroban on (i) human platelet shape change and aggregation in vitro, and (ii) mean systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures (MAP and MPAP, respectively) as well as haematocrit, in anaesthetized, open-chest Sprague-Dawley rats, compared with those of a chemically distinct prostanoid thromboxane A2 (TxA2) receptor antagonist, SQ 29,548, and agonist, U-46619. 2. In human platelets in vitro, daltroban (10 nM-100 microM; n = 6 per group) concentration-dependently induced shape change, attaining at 50 microM, a maximum amplitude of 0.83 +/- 0.09 mV representing 46.4 +/- 4.8% of that evoked by U-46619 (1.78 +/- 0.20 mV at 0.2 microM; n = 9); and inhibited U-46619-induced platelet aggregation with an IC50 of 77 (41-161)nM. SQ 29,548 (10 nM-100 microM; n = 6 per group) failed to evoke any platelet shape change, but potently inhibited U-46619-induced platelet aggregation with an IC5010 nM. 3. In anaesthetized rats in vivo, daltroban (10-2500 micrograms kg-1, i.v. infused over 2 min; n = 4-8 per group) produced a bell-shaped dose-response curve for MPAP and haematocrit, and evoked maximal increases of 12.7 +/- 2.1 mmHg and 5.8 +/- 1.5% at 80 micrograms kg-1 (n = 6) and 630 micrograms kg-1 (n = 8), respectively (both P0.05) with ED50s of 20 (16-29) and 217 (129-331) micrograms kg-1, respectively. By comparison, U-46619(0.16-20 microg kg-1, i.v.), induced dose-dependent increases in MPAP and haematocrit (25.4 +/- 1.0 mmHg and 16.1 +/- 2.9% at the highest dose; n = 12, both P0.01), with ED50s of 1.8 (1.3-2.5) and 3.9(3.5- 5.4) microg kg- 1, respectively. Daltroban dose-dependently increased MAP with a maximum amplitude of 42.2 +/- 4.4 mmHg at a dose of 80 microg kg-1 [ED50 = 94 (64-125) microg kg-1], similar to that induced by U-46619 (41.3 +/- 9.6 mmHg) at a dose of 0.63 microg kg-1 [ED50= 0.22 (0.13-0.24) microg kg-1]. SQ 29,548(10-2500 microg kg-1, i.v.; n =4 per group) failed to modify significantly any of these parameters.4. Our results clearly demonstrate that daltroban, in a similar manner to the TxA2 analogue, U-46619,but unlike the TxA2 receptor antagonist, SQ 29,548, exhibits significant intrinsic activity in human platelets in vitro and in the rat vasculature in vivo, possibly through TxA2 receptor activation.

We investigated whether the stable thromboxane A2 (TxA2) analogue U-46619 had any direct effect on extracellular fluid partition. In anesthetized open-chest rats, U-46619 (1.25 and 20 micrograms/kg iv) dose dependently increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure and hematocrit, whereas mean systemic arterial pressure was raised only at the low dose of agonist. The increase in hematocrit (13.2 +/- 2.9% at 20 micrograms/kg; P < 0.05) still occurred in bilaterally nephrectomized rats and in binephrectomized plus splenectomized rats (11.6 +/- 2.7 and 12.2 +/- 4.6%, respectively; both P = NS vs. U-46619 in control rats), corresponding to a calculated decrease in plasma volume of 22.1 +/- 4.5, 19.6 +/- 4.0, and 19.2 +/- 5.8%, respectively. Plasma protein concentration increased less than hematocrit, and the coefficient of reflection was significantly lower in these groups, suggesting protein extravasation. Additional experiments showed that U-46619 (1.25 and 10 micrograms/kg iv) dose dependently increased the vascular leak of albumin mainly in lung, kidneys, and spleen but not in brain, liver, mesentery, and cardiac and skeletal muscles. Pretreatment with the TxA2 receptor antagonist SQ-29,548 (2.5 mg/kg iv bolus plus 2.5 mg.kg-1.h-1 as maintenance) abolished all effects of U-46619, including the increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure, hematocrit, plasma protein concentration, and albumin extravasation and the decrease in mean systemic arterial pressure, plasma volume, and coefficient of reflection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Within the scope of a Swiss national research project, the load carrying behaviour of one hundred Swiss spruce columns was examined. The columns were chosen randomly from different regions of Switzerland and tested under combined axial and lateral loading.

This paper describes the percentile curves for red blood cell (RBC) count, Hb, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) values of beta zero-thalassaemia heterozygotes during infancy, childhood and adolescence. Hb values were about 2 g/dl below those of normal controls with a progressive increase with age paralleling the normal developmental trend. The Hb increase with age was due to a progressive rise in the Hb content per cell, the number of RBC remaining nearly constant. MCV and MCH values also increased with age with a pattern parallel to normal control. Because of the high prevalence of alpha-thalassaemia in the Sardinian population, to which all the subjects investigated belong, the 3rd MCH-MCV percentile curves of normal overlap the 97th curve of beta-thalassaemia heterozygotes. The HbA2 levels, however, were always increased as compared to normal. These results confirm in children than screening for heterozygous beta-thalassaemia in populations with a high incidence of alpha and beta-thalassaemia by MCV-MCH determination may overlook a sizeable proportion of beta-thalassaemia carriers. The knowledge of the extent of variation of RBC indices of beta-thalassaemia heterozygotes during infancy, childhood and adolescence, is very useful for the evaluation of a child presenting with a mild microcytic anaemia.

A physiologic and metabolic assessment was carried out on eight patients six months after total proctocolectomy with ileal reservoir for ulcerative colitis and familial adenomatosis coli. All patients were continent and able to defecate spontaneously, stool frequency ranging from two to five per 24 hours. Anal sphincter resting pressures (35 +/- 14 mmHg) and squeeze pressures (88 +/- 24.2 mmHg) were similar to those of a healthy population, with the exception of one patient's complaint of nocturnal mucous leakage per anus. Biopsies of the ileal mucosa of the reservoirs showed a mild inflammation in seven patients; in one a subtotal villous atrophy (plus glandular pattern) was found. Anthropometric measurements, lymphocyte counts, hemoglobin, albumin, transferrin, iron, B12, and folate were normal in all. In the majority of patients there was no evidence of bacterial overgrowth. Vitamin B12 absorption was reduced slightly in only one patient. Lipid absorption (as judged by the 14C-Triolein breath test) was abnormal in three patients. Fecal clearance of alpha 1 antitrypsin as protein losses index was abnormal in three patients. Bile acid malabsorption was the most important ileal dysfunction observed in the patients.

The quantitative and/or qualitative distribution of liver iron was assessed in 81 transfusion-dependent thalassemia major patients with chronic liver disease (36 with chronic active hepatitis, 23 with chronic persistent hepatitis, 22 with siderosis). Viral marker studies showed only 3 cases with both HBsAg and anti-HBc positivity in the serum, while the others had anti-HBc and anti-HBs or only anti-HBs or no B viral markers. A significantly higher iron overload was found in chronic hepatitis, particularly chronic active hepatitis, than in siderosis. The increased iron overload may be due to less intensive chelation treatment, higher intestinal absorption secondary to lower mean Hb levels, and/or to liver inflammation-dependent iron deposition. The liver iron overload in turn amy facilitate the development or persistence of chronic progressive liver disease.

This study on serum ferritin levels in urinary iron excretion after 12h subcutaneous infusion of desferrioxamine in 10 thalassemia intermedia patients shows that even nontransfusion-dependent patients may have positive iron balance resulting in iron overload from 5 years of age. However, the iron overload found in these patients appears to be much lower than in age matched patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia major. Iron overload increases with advancing age, as shown by increasing serum ferritin levels and desferrioxamine-induced urinary iron elimination. After a six month trial of 12h continuous subcutaneous desferrioxamine administration there was a significant decline in serum ferritin levels. From this study it seems that iron chelation is indicated in thalassemia intermedia patients over 5 years of age in order to prevent iron accumulation. However, the appropriate treatment schedule should be tailored to the individual needs of each patients, established by close monitoring of serum ferritin levels and desferrioxamine-induced urinary iron elimination.

A versatile FASTBUS board that is based on fast digital signal processors (DSPs) and analog-to-digital converters is described. It has been developed for the real-time acquisition and online processing of signals produced in different electromagnetic calorimeters of the DELPHI detector at the LEP (Large Electron Positron) collider. The board contains six TMS32010 DSPs, six piggyback cards for the analog-to-digital conversion, a set of 512-word FIFO memories for data exchange between contiguous DSPs and with external devices and a 16 K*16 random-access memory for data storage, accessible both to the DSPs and to FASTBUS in an asynchronous way, with override privilege granted to the DSPs. >