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Background and Objectives In the last years, prepectoral breast reconstruction has increased its popularity, becoming a standard reconstructive technique by preserving pectoralis major anatomy and functionality. Nevertheless, the lack of solid and extensive data negatively impacts on surgeons’ correct information about postoperative complication rates and proper patient selection. This study aims to collect the largest evidence on this procedure. Methods A multicentre retrospective audit, promoted by the Barcelona Hospital, collected the experience of 30 centers on prepectoral breast reconstruction with Braxon ADM. The study had the scientific support of INPECS and IIB societies which provided the online database Clinapsis. Results A total of 1450 procedures were retrospectively collected in a 6‐year period. Mean age 52.4 years, BMI 23.9, follow‐up 22.7 months. Reconstruction was carried out after a tumor in 77.1% of the cases, 20.1% had prophylactic surgery, 2.8% had revisions. Diabetes, smoke, and immunosuppression had an influence on complications occurrence, as well as implant weight. Capsular contracture was associated with postoperative radiotherapy, but the overall rate was low (2.1%). Complications led to implant loss in 6.5% of the cases. Conclusions The international Braxon Audit Group multicentre data collection represents a milestone in the field of breast reconstruction, extensively improving the knowledge on this procedure.

Eigenschaften: Wir berichten über die ersten frühen Ergebnisse der europäischen Multicenterstudie für die muskelsparende Brustrekonstruktion mittels der azellulären dermalen Matrix (ADM) Braxon® für eine komplette Bedeckung der Silikonprothese. Methoden: Die Studie[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 46. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft der Plastischen, Rekonstruktiven und Ästhetischen Chirurgen (DGPRÄC), 20. Jahrestagung der Vereinigung der Deutschen Ästhetisch-Plastischen Chirurgen (VDÄPC)

An integrated stratigraphic approach has been adopted to define the 3D hydrostratigraphic regional frame- work of the fresh-water aquifers of the Savigliano and Alessandria Basins, in southern Piedmont. In the present work, the Aquifer Groups represents the "fun- damental" hydrostratigraphic units, since they physically cor- respond to synthems, that have been recognized both in the subsurface and outcrops. Each Aquifer Group is characterized by Hydrogeologic Units (HU) defined on the basis of lithofacies associations that display homogeneous hydrogeologic properties (e.g. per- meability ratio, storage coefficient). Four main typologies of Hydrogeologic Units have been distinguished, on the basis of their hydrogeologic characteristics: HU I) unconfined aquifers, HU II) multi-layered "discontinuous" aquifers, HU III) multi-layered "continuous" aquifers, HU IV) aquitards/aquicludes. It has been assumed in this work that, due to its peculiar stratigraphic architecture (i.e. internal stratal organization) each Aquifer Group has a distinctive response to the regional groundwater flow system. In this sense, each main type of Hydrogeologic Unit will present a peculiar and distinctive in- stance in each single Acquifer Goup. Consequently, the Aquifers Groups can be subdivided into lower rank hydros- tratigraphic units, here defined as "Synthemic Hydrogeologic Units". These units, although encompassed in the four main typologies of Hydrogeologic Units, do inherit the peculiar architectural properties of the Aquifer Group they belong to. In this sense, each main type of Hydrogeologic Unit will present its own instance within the different Aquifer Groups. Following these criteria, nineteen Synthemic Hydrogeologic Units, grouped into seven Aquifer Groups were recognized within the Savigliano and Alessandria Basins. The reconstruction of the hydrostratigraphic model al- lowed to portray, for the first time, the geometry and archi-tecture of the Aquifer Groups of the whole upper Messin- ian-Quaternary successions in southern Piedmont and to re- construct the regional distribution and characteristics of potentially exploitable aquifers. Moreover, the use of stratigraphic constraints (i.e. distri- bution of depositional systems and lithofacies associations) led to the reconstruction of the geometry of the fresh-salt water interface, also in those areas with scarce well data, and to better estimate the maximum thickness of deep fresh- aquifers that, up to date, are still unexploited. The hydrostratigraphic reconstruction here proposed constitutes a forward step with respect to the previous knowledge on Piedmont subsurface hydrogeology, and cast the bases for future development of water exploitation and water flow modeling.

Asbestos has been widely used on ships as an insulating material due to its fire-resistant and sound-absorbent properties. It was therefore deemed appropriate to measure the concentrations of airborne asbestos fibres on two ferries in regular service on the Civitavecchia-Golfo Aranci route. Decontamination work had been carried out on these vessels in order to remove, as far as possible, or to confine asbestos. Between 1994 and 1998, the Ultrastructures Laboratory of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità analysed 123 samples via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with elementary dispersion X spectroscopy (EDXS). The results showed that in 98.4% of the samples concentrations in the air were below 2 fibres/litre, which is the value set by Ministerial Decree of 6/9/94 for buildings to qualify for effective decontamination status. Concentrations above this value, between 2 and 10 fibres/litre, were found in one ferry engine room, where workers were not continuously present since a remote control box was installed there. The results show that there is no environmental dispersion of asbestos fibres in usual navigation conditions; the situation is comparable to that in buildings where asbestos-containing safety materials have been used and that are subject to period checks in accordance with the guidelines included in Ministerial Decree of 6/9/94. Legislation is deemed necessary to make law 257/92 applicable to naval vessels in order to define univocal criteria for risk evaluation, checking, maintenance and custody procedures of asbestos-insulated vessels, and procedures for each job on board involving handling or removal of asbestos-containing material.