Photoemission and photoionization time delays and rates.

Ionization and, in particular, ionization through the interaction with light play an important role in fundamental processes in physics, chemistry, and biology. In recent years, we have seen tremendous advances in our ability to measure the dynamics of photo-induced ionization in various systems in the gas, liquid, or solid phase. In this review, we will define the parameters used for quantifying these dynamics. We give a brief overview of some of the most important ionization processes and how to resolve the associated time delays and rates. With regard to time delays, we ask the question: how long does it take to remove an electron from an atom, molecule, or solid? With regard to rates, we ask the question: how many electrons are emitted in a given unit of time? We present state-of-the-art results on ionization and photoemission time delays and rates. Our review starts with the simplest physical systems: the attosecond dynamics of single-photon and tunnel ionization of atoms in the gas phase. We then extend the discussion to molecular gases and ionization of liquid targets. Finally, we present the measurements of ionization delays in femto- and attosecond photoemission from the solid-vacuum interface.

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance for prediction of response after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: preliminary results of a monoinstitutional prospective study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for assessment of treatment response in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) 8 weeks after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 28 patients with LARC underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to and 8 weeks after CRT. Tumor volume (TV) was calculated on T2-weighted MRI scans as well as the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was calculated using Echo-planar DWI-sequences. All data were correlated to surgical results and histopathologic tumor regression grade (TRG), according to Mandard's classification. Post-treatment difference ADC (%ΔADC) and TV (%ΔTV) changes at 8 weeks were compared complete response (CR; TRG1) and non-complete response tumors (non-CR; TRG2-5). RESULTS: The mean % ADC increase of CR group was significantly higher compared to non-CR group (77.2 ± 54.63% vs. 36.0 ± 29.44%; p = 0.05). Conversely, the mean % TV reduction did not significantly differ in CR group from non-CR group (73.7% vs. 63.77%; p = 0.21). Accordingly, the diagnostic accuracy of the mean % ADC increase to discriminate CR from non-CR group was significantly higher than that of the mean % TV reduction (0.913 vs. 0.658; p = 0.022). No correlation was found between mean % TV reduction and TRG (rho = 0.22; p = 0.3037), whereas a negative correlation between mean % ADC increase and TRG was recorded (r = -0.69; p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The mean % ADC increase appears to be a reliable tool to differentiate CR from non-CR after CRT in patients with LARC.

[Laparoscopic deroofing of non parasitic posterolateral liver cyst. Technical considerations]. / Fenestrazione laparoscopica di cisti non parassitaria posterolaterale del fegato. Considerazioni tecniche.

Laparoscopic deroofing of the solitary non parasitic cysts of the liver is a safe and effective procedure. This technique allows a wide access for surgical treatment of cysts localized in segments II, III, IVb, V, and VIII of the liver. On the contrary, the posterior segments, VI and VII, and the segment IVa, are difficult to approach laparoscopically. This report describes a laparoscopic technique used in treating 3 cases of symptomatic solitary cysts of the posterior segments of the liver. The patients were placed in the left lateral position. The fenestration treatment was easy and the mobilization of the right hepatic lobe was not required. At one year follow-up, neither postoperative complications nor recurring episodes were observed.

[Splenectomy for hematologic disease. Mini-invasive versus traditional technique]. / La splenectomia per malattie ematologiche. Tecnica mininvasiva e tradizionale.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the safety, efficacy and clinical benefits of laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) to open splenectomy (OS) in patients with hematologic disorders. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: prospective study; SETTING: II Department of Surgery, Santa Maria Nuova Hospital, Reggio Emilia and III Department of Surgery, Santo Spirito Hospital Pescara; PATIENTS: 48 consecutive adult patients underwent splenectomy; 30 patients under-went LS and 18 OS. Perioperative characteristics, outcomes, complications and costs were comparatively analyzed. RESULTS: Mean age was 35.3 years in the LS group, and 40.8 in the OS group. Mean spleen size was 11.7 cm in the LS group and 15.2 cm in the OS group. Accessory spleens were found in 5 patients in the LS group and in 4 patients in the OS group; 4 conversions to laparotomy occurred in the LS group. A total of 4 complications occurred in 3 patients of the LS; 9 complications occurred in 5 patients of OS group. Mean surgical time was 141.5 minutes for LS and 89.7 minutes for OS (p<0.005). Mean postsurgical stay was 5.8 days in the LS group and 8.5 days in the OS group (p<0.005). Response rates were similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: LS is comparable to OS in terms of efficacy and safety and it is associated with a shorter hospital stay. LS should become the technique of choice for treatment of intractable benign hematologic disease.

[Laparoscopy: access with open versus closed technique]. / Laparoscopia: accesso con metodo aperto verso chiuso.

Pneumoperitoneum in diagnostic or therapeutic laparoscopy can be achieved by an open or a closed technique. The authors, on the basis of their experience, compare both techniques, concluding that open method is safer, because of the lack of major complications observed in the closed method and with only few minor complications.

Head and neck non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.

74 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in the head and neck were studied and 21 out of 74 (28.4%) had a primary extranodal location. The most commonly affected lymph nodes were the lateral cervical (48%); the extranodal NHL occurred most frequently in Waldeyer's ring (19%) and orbit (5.4%). Overall 10-year survival was 55.2% with a median survival of 42 months, and survival was higher in extranodal (67.3%) than in nodal locations (51.9%). No statistically significant difference between the survival of high-grade and low-grade tumours was observed. There was, on the contrary, a correlation between stage of the disease and survival of the patients. Most cases were B-cell lymphomas (91.8%). Nodal NHL presented at diagnosis in an advanced stage in a higher percentage (71.2%) than extranodal (48%). High-grade tumours seemed to affect mainly young people.

[Perforated endometriosis of the sigmoid. Report of a case]. / Endometriosi del sigma perforata. A proposito di un caso.

The term endometriosis means the presence in an ectopic site of normal functioning endometrial tissue, the ectopic endometrial tissue, as the normal uterine mucosa, undergo hormonal stimulation and follow the proliferative and functional changes along the menstrual course; this evolution, characterize the clinical story of patients affected by endometriosis. Endometriosis is considered to be one of the most common gynecologic disorders, occurring in about 10% of women in fertile age. An involvement of adjacent organs such as the pelvic colon and rectum by endometriosis is not uncommon and may cause symptoms difficult to distinguish from malignant or inflammatory disease located in the pelvic region. The purpose of the following case report is to elucidate certain diagnostic and therapeutic problems of a disease concerning both the surgeon and gynecologists. Our case concerns a 44 year old patient with two children and a negative previous clinical gynecological history; the patients reports the occurrence in the last two years of alterations of colic evacuation consisting in a period of constipation lasting 5-7 days. The patient reached us in emergency with a sub-occlusive state that has lasted for 5 days, in the last 12 hours the appearance of a violent trafictive pain referred to the lower abdomen configure the clinical picture of a acute abdomen. The patient underwent surgery and the laparotomy demonstrated the presence of a perforated tumours located at the recto-sigmoid junction. We proceed to perform an Hartman's resection and a right ovariectomy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Choledochoduodenostomy in the treatment of benign disease of the common bile duct: evaluation of long-term results]. / La coledoco-duodenostomia nel trattamento della malattia benigna della via biliare principale: valutazione dei risultati a distanza.

The Authors report their experience in the treatment of 36 patients managed by side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy for common bile duct disease and followed for a period of five years. The main indication to surgery was a choledochal dilatation more than 1.5 cm. The surgical technique consisted in a single layer side-to-side choledochoduodenostomy with absorbable suture according to Roessner. There was no operative mortality and few post surgical complications (six patients, 15.78%) were registered; 25 patients (69.45%) were completely asymptomatic at five years, while in six cases (16.66%) significant symptoms were observed. In one case a biliary gastropathy with no metaplasia was documented.