LABEC, the INFN ion beam laboratory of nuclear techniques for environment and cultural heritage.

The LABEC laboratory, the INFN ion beam laboratory of nuclear techniques for environment and cultural heritage, located in the Scientific and Technological Campus of the University of Florence in Sesto Fiorentino, started its operational activities in 2004, after INFN decided in 2001 to provide our applied nuclear physics group with a large laboratory dedicated to applications of accelerator-related analytical techniques, based on a new 3 MV Tandetron accelerator. The new accelerator greatly improved the performance of existing Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) applications (for which we were using since the 1980s an old single-ended Van de Graaff accelerator) and in addition allowed to start a novel activity of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), in particular for 14C dating. Switching between IBA and AMS operation became very easy and fast, which allowed us high flexibility in programming the activities, mainly focused on studies of cultural heritage and atmospheric aerosol composition, but including also applications to biology, geology, material science and forensics, ion implantation, tests of radiation damage to components, detector performance tests and low-energy nuclear physics. This paper describes the facilities presently available in the LABEC laboratory, their technical features and some success stories of recent applications.

[Klippel-Trénaunay-Weber syndrome]. / La sindrome di Klippel-Trénaunay-Weber.

The Authors describe a case of Klippel-Trénaunay Weber Syndrome in a 12 year old girl admitted in the Department of cardio vascular surgery of the "Nuovo Ospedale San Giovanni di Dio"; various flat angiomas were present in her lower limbs from birth, which increased in size with body growth; marble skin, teleangectasica edema were also present. Her lower left limb was asymmetric, no angiomas were present in the internal organs. It is the first case in her family, no minor signs of the syndrome were present in her parents.

[Angiographic and echotomographic comparative evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysm in 15 operated patients]. / Valutazione comparativa angio-ecotomografica in 15 pazienti operati di aneurisma dell'aorta addominale.

The authors report the principle data resulting from the study of 43 patients presenting pulsating abdominal masses: 21 aneurysms of the aorta have been documented, and the comparative results between echography and angiography compared with operatory findings in 15 patients. With echography, reliable diagnostic precision regarding the form and dimensions of the aneurysmatic cavity is possible, and above all, the exclusion or confirmation of the presence of blood clots is allowed. The vascular situation, especially of the principle collateral branches, is better defined by aortography. Echography offers advantages not only in the survey of patients with high operation risk aneurysms, and other pulsating abdominal masses as well, but brings into evidence retroperitoneal fibrosis circumscribing the aneurysm. Last, it is preferable in the follow up of vascular prosthesis after surgery.