Climate warming and the decline of Taxus airborne pollen in urban pollen rain (Emilia Romagna, northern Italy).

Woody plant performance in a changing global environment has always been at the centre of palaeoenvironmental and long-term climate reconstructions carried out by means of pollen analysis. In Mediterranean regions, Taxus constitutes the highest percentage in past pollen diagrams from cold or cool periods, and therefore it is generally considered a good index to infer climate features from past records. However, a comparison of these inferences with the true current trends in pollen production has not been attemped until now. This study reports the decline of airborne pollen of Taxus observed in Emilia Romagna, a region of northern Italy, during the period 1990-2007. Phenological observations on four male specimens and microscopic examination of fresh pollen were made in order to check Taxus flowering time and pollen morphology. Airborne pollen was monitored through continuous sampling with a Hirst volumetric sampler. In the 18-year long period of investigation, Taxus pollen production has decreased, while total woody pollen abundance in air has increased. The trend of the Taxus pollen season shows a delay at the beginning, a shortening of the pollen period, and an advance of the end of the pollen season. This was interpreted as a response to climate warming. In particular, Taxus follows the behaviour of winter-flowering plants, and therefore earlier pollination is favoured at low autumn temperatures, while late pollination occurs more often, most likely after warm autumn temperatures.

[Interpretation of experimental data in the presence of accidental perturbations: characterization of the bladder]. / Interpretazione di dati sperimentali in presenza di perturbazioni accidentali: la caratterizzazione della vescica.

Some tests are subject to the influence of a special kind of "irreducible" effects which do not satisfy the Central Limit Theorem of statistics, even though they show no systematic character or tendency. These effects especially present when physiological experiments are concerned "in vivo". In such the lack of specific methods to reduce these effects brings about the necessity of special case in minimizing the loss of information. Contained in the experimental data as well as the accumulation of useless information. Recent work has suggested the extensive use of several indexes derived from combination of available variables and their respective mathematic correlation. The information obtained by following this methodology has the character of "working hypothesis" so it needs many favorable confirmation to assess its reliability. It is convenient to analyze a large number of relations in order to emphasize the concordant effects and discord the others. In order to obtain some preliminary indication of the reliability of this procedure we have analyzed some CMG curves in prostatic and non-prostatic subject. The final slope of the curves (urge point) t = dP/dVr has been adapted as an index of the "elasticity" of the bladder; it was compared with the filling volume, the muscular volume and their ratio, i.e. with a geometric index of the bladder shape. The correlation show that the index t can, to some extent significantly represent the mechanical behaviour of the bladder in its physiological condition or when there is a partial obstruction of urine deflection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Description and results of a simplified procedure for intraoperative electron radiotherapy]. / Descrizione e risultati di una procedura semplificata di radioterapia intraoperatoria con elettroni.

In San Raffaele Institute a simplified procedure for intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) was developed. An applicator system of "guide-containers" was used to facilitate the use of IORT (with electron beam) with different treatment fields. Application of this technique was studied; no IORT related complications was observed in phase I and clinical good results are reported.

Surgery of aggressive idiopathic proctocolitis and principles of rectal preservation.

During 1969-1985 seventy-one patients with aggressive idiopathic disease of the large intestine (i.e. ulcerative and Crohn's proctocolitis) were treated by colectomy and ileorectal anastomosis (IRA). In sixty-two of them proctitis was associated with colitis and required topical preparation of the rectum. The use of an antiphlogistic drug (6-methylprednisolone or betamethasone) in saline solution by daily enemas was followed by proctitis regression and permitted a safe IRA. After the surgical procedure the rectal treatment with the same drugs in smaller doses continued, so as to prevent long-term side effects. In some patients the steroid was replaced periodically by sulphasalazine per os or by 5-ASA per rectum in a daily maintenance dosage. This rectal care for unlimitated time has proved able to prevent recurrences of proctitis, while the epithelial recovery with regression of dysplasia gives protection against the risk of cancer.

[Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis. Medical or surgical treatment]. / Colite ulcerosa e colite di Crohn. Terapia medica o chirurgica?

Colectomy with ileorectal anastomosis was performed in 47 patients affected by ulcerative colitis and Crohn's colitis. These two forms of "aggressive idiopathic colitis" present the same problems of therapy from both the pharmacological and the surgical point of view. The topical employment of antiphlogistic steroids and sulphasalazine by daily retention enemas caused a regression of proctitis and allowed a safe ileorectal anastomosis. After the surgical procedure a protective treatment of the rectal mucosa was prosecuted with minimal dosages of the same antiphlogistic drug by daily minienemas. Betametasone in aqueous solution have proved, among the antiphlogistic steroids, to be very suitable for a topical action without side-effects in the long time. The association of topical treatment and surgery is particularly indicated for those patients who cannot recover with medical therapy alone, as it enables them to recover and return to a normal life. The opportunity for colectomy is so much greater as it is possible, as a rule, to spare the rectum and protect the ileorectal anastomosis by means of a topical therapy without limitations of time. Therefore the surgical indication should not be delayed whenever the medical treatment by systemic administration of steroids, sulphasalazine and immunosuppressors is unable to prevent the evolution of aggressive idiopathic colitis to a chronic and seriously invalidating disease.