New Direct Limit on Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Half-Life of

The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso of INFN in Italy is an experiment searching for neutrinoless double beta (0νßß) decay. Its main goal is to investigate this decay in ^{130}Te, but its ton-scale mass and low background make CUORE sensitive to other rare processes as well. In this Letter, we present our first results on the search for 0νßß decay of ^{128}Te, the Te isotope with the second highest natural isotopic abundance. We find no evidence for this decay, and using a Bayesian analysis we set a lower limit on the ^{128}Te 0νßß decay half-life of T_{1/2}>3.6×10^{24} yr (90% CI). This represents the most stringent limit on the half-life of this isotope, improving by over a factor of 30 the previous direct search results, and exceeding those from geochemical experiments for the first time.

Sacral neuromodulation for neurogenic non-obstructive urinary retention in incomplete spinal cord patients: a ten-year follow-up single-centre experience.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the success rate of percutaneous first stage of sacral neuromodulation (SNM) and the efficacy and safety of permanent SNM for incomplete spinal cord lesion (SCL) patients suffering from chronic neurogenic non-obstructive urinary retention (N-NOR). METHOD: From January 2003 to December 2012, 85 individuals underwent the percutaneous first stage of SNM. Subsequently, only responders who reached a concomitant reduction by at least 50% of volume per catheterization and in the number of catheterizations per day comparing their 7-day voiding diaries at baseline underwent permanent SNM. Final follow-up was conducted by April 2013. RESULTS: Thirty-six individuals responded to percutaneous first stage of SNM. Post-surgery urodynamics documented all patients experiencing first sensation of bladder filling. A statistically significant increase in Qmax ml per sec and decrease in post-voiding residual urine per ml were documented. (P<0.01). First sensation of bladder filling at baseline represented a statistically significant parameter for the success of the first stage SNM (P<0.05). Eleven out of 34 patients at follow-ups were 'inconstant responders' because they returned to similar baseline voiding symptoms, but responded again with an implant on the controlateral S3 sacral root. Two failed twice and responded once again after an S4 sacral root implant. All but one failure occurred more than 3 years after the previous implant. Other drawbacks were resolved telemetrically. CONCLUSIONS: Research is needed to increase the success rate of the first stage SNM on incomplete SCL patients with N-NOR. Permanent SNM is highly efficacious in the medium follow-up.

Intravesical electrostimulation versus sacral neuromodulation for incomplete spinal cord patients suffering from neurogenic non-obstructive urinary retention.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of intravesical electrostimulation (IVES) versus sacral neuromodulation (SNM) in patients with incomplete spinal cord lesions (SCL) and neurogenic non-obstructive urinary retention (N-NOR). METHODS: In this retrospective study, 77 N-NOR patients underwent IVES (minimum 28 sessions), then after returning to voiding baseline symptoms, percutaneous first stage of SNM (lasting for minimum 4 weeks). After the two neuromodulation treatments, responders were categorized as patients experiencing both a 50% reduction of volume per catheterization per ml and a 50% reduction in number of catheterizations per day when comparing the 7-day voiding diaries at the end of both procedures to baselines. New urodynamics were performed subsequently. Responders to first stage of SNM underwent permanent SNM. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients responded to neither of the treatments, whereas 29 responded to both IVES and first-stage SNM. No significant statistical differences (P>0.05) were detected in the voiding diaries. Following the two procedures, the first sensation of bladder filling was either maintained or recovered by all responders, whereas the same 11 patients reached a bladder contractility index of >100. The 29 IVES responders lost their clinical benefits in a mean follow-up of 9.6 months. Only 10 out of the 29 patients became nonresponsive to permanent SNM, in a mean follow-up of 54 months. CONCLUSION: A strict correlation in terms of clinical and urodynamic patterns was demonstrated in patients with incomplete SCL and N-NOR, following IVES and first stage of SNM. However, voiding improvement through IVES was short-term when compared with the effects of permanent SNM.

A retrospective study on female urological surgeries over the 10 years following spinal cord lesion.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety over a 10-year period of any urological operations required by female patients with spinal cord lesions (SCLs). METHODS: Retrospective study of urological surgeries from our database performed on females with SCLs from 2001 to 2002. Surgery efficacy for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunctions (N-LUTDs) was evaluated by comparing 7-day voiding diaries pre- and post-surgeries, while individual investigations were done pre- and post-surgery to evaluate urological complications. Drawbacks were assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-eight out of 69 patients underwent one or more urological procedures. Twenty-one out of 42 patients with suprasacral lesions underwent interventions for N-LUTD. The main surgical treatment was endoscopic detrusor infiltration of botulinum-A (Botox 300 UI or Dysport 750 UI) performed 107 times on 15 subjects using aseptic intermittent catheterizations for neurogenic overactive bladder. Mean efficacy duration was 9.2 months. Six females with infrasacral lesions underwent at least one intervention for N-LUTD. Two females in each group underwent tension-free vaginal tape for stress urinary incontinence (SUI), reducing episodes per week of SUI by >90% after 5 years. The most serious urological complication was active vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) in three patients, treated endoscopically with submucosal injection of Macroplastique. No VUR recurrence was detected during a 6-year follow-up. All bladder stones (five cases) and renal calculi (five cases) were treated with endoscopic transurethrally electrohydraulic lithotripsy and extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy, respectively. Overall, no serious drawbacks were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Mini-invasive surgeries were exclusively used to address urological issues in chronic SCL patients.