Isospin Mixing in ^{80}Zr: From Finite to Zero Temperature.

The isospin mixing was deduced in the compound nucleus ^{80}Zr at an excitation energy of E^{*}=54  MeV from the γ decay of the giant dipole resonance. The reaction ^{40}Ca+^{40}Ca at E_{beam}=136  MeV was used to form the compound nucleus in the isospin I=0 channel, while the reaction ^{37}Cl+^{44}Ca at E_{beam}=95  MeV was used as the reference reaction. The γ rays were detected with the AGATA demonstrator array coupled with LaBr_{3}:Ce detectors.

Isospin character of low-lying pygmy dipole states in 208Pb via inelastic scattering of 17O ions.

The properties of pygmy dipole states in 208Pb were investigated using the 208Pb(17O, 17O'γ) reaction at 340 MeV and measuring the γ decay with high resolution with the AGATA demonstrator array. Cross sections and angular distributions of the emitted γ rays and of the scattered particles were measured. The results are compared with (γ, γ') and (p, p') data.

Evidence for the dipole nature of the low-energy γ enhancement in 56Fe.

The γ-ray strength function of 56Fe has been measured from proton-γ coincidences for excitation energies up to ≈11  MeV. The low-energy enhancement in the γ-ray strength function, which was first discovered in the (3He,αγ)56Fe reaction, is confirmed with the (p,p'γ)56Fe experiment reported here. Angular distributions of the γ rays give for the first time evidence that the enhancement is dominated by dipole transitions.

Assessment of vulnerability measures and their effect on survival in a real-life population of multiple myeloma patients registered at Marche Region Multiple Myeloma Registry.

Unlabelled: Multiple myeloma (MM) therapy should be tailored according to patient characteristics although we do not know which ones to use. By studying the characteristics of 266 real-life patients, we found performance status (PS) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) as factors affecting survival of MM patients regardless of their disease characteristics. This study might help to select patients for tailoring therapy in clinical practice.

Structural evolution in the neutron-rich nuclei ¹⁰⁶Zr and ¹⁰⁸Zr.

The low-lying states in ¹⁰⁶Zr and ¹⁰⁸Zr have been investigated by means of β-γ and isomer spectroscopy at the radioactive isotope beam factory (RIBF), respectively. A new isomer with a half-life of 620 ± 150 ns has been identified in ¹⁰⁸Zr. For the sequence of even-even Zr isotopes, the excitation energies of the first 2⁺ states reach a minimum at N = 64 and gradually increase as the neutron number increases up to N = 68, suggesting a deformed subshell closure at N = 64.

Frequency of human papillomavirus infection and genotype distribution among women with known cytological diagnosis in a Southern Italian region.

Introduction: In the Puglia region (South Italy) about 200 new hospitalizations for cervical cancer are registered every year. The study investigated the frequency of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the genotype distribution of HPV in a sample of women with known cytology attending the outpatient clinics of four Gynecological Departments of the University of Bari over a four-year period (2005-2008).

Methods: Cervical samples from 1,168 women were analyzed for the presence of HPV-DNA through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in L1 region and reverse hybridization.

Thalidomide, dexamethasone, Doxil and Velcade (ThaDD-V) followed by consolidation/maintenance therapy in patients with relapsed-refractory multiple myeloma.

In newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), three/four-drug combinations as induction therapy seem to be more effective compared with two-drug associations in terms of response rate and duration of remission. Moreover, there is an emergent body of evidences that consolidation/maintenance therapy improves the quality of response and remission duration. However, the impact of these strategies in relapsed/refractory MM (r-rMM) is still unknown.

β-decay half-lives of very neutron-rich Kr to Tc isotopes on the boundary of the r-process path: an indication of fast r-matter flow.

The β-decay half-lives of 38 neutron-rich isotopes from (36)Kr to (43)Tc have been measured; the half-lives of (100)Kr, (103-105)Sr, (106-108)Y, (108-110)Zr, (111,112)Nb, (112-115)Mo, and (116,117)Tc are reported here. The results when compared with previous standard models indicate an overestimation in the predicted half-lives by a factor of 2 or more in the A≈110 region. A revised model based on the second generation gross theory of β decay better predicts the measured half-lives and suggests a more rapid flow of the rapid neutron-capture process (r-matter flow) through this region than previously predicted.

Infectious complications in patients with multiple myeloma treated with new drug combinations containing thalidomide.

The literature provides scant data concerning infectious complications and their effect on the outcome of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) treated with new drug combinations. Despite no substantial myelotoxic effect, thalidomide increases the risk of severe infections in patients with MM. We studied 202 patients who received regimens containing thalidomide in order to assess the time, type, outcome, and factors affecting development of severe infections, role of antibiotic prophylaxis, and effect of severe infections on final outcome.

Melphalan, prednisone, and thalidomide versus thalidomide, dexamethasone, and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin regimen in very elderly patients with multiple myeloma: a case-match study.

The outcome of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) aged over 75 years remains poor, and the best therapeutic approach has still to be defined. We compared the response, toxicity, and outcome of 34 very elderly patients with MM receiving thalidomide, dexamethasone, and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (ThaDD) to those of 34 patients matched for age, International Staging System (ISS), and creatinine who received melphalan, prednisone, thalidomide (MPT). ThaDD resulted in a significantly higher response: > or =PR (87.

Search for the pygmy dipole resonance in 68Ni at 600 MeV/nucleon.

The gamma decay from Coulomb excitation of 68Ni at 600 MeV/nucleon on a Au target was measured using the RISING setup at the fragment separator of GSI. The 68Ni beam was produced by a fragmentation reaction of 86Kr at 900 MeV/nucleon on a 9Be target and selected by the fragment separator. The gamma rays produced at the Au target were measured with HPGe detectors at forward angles and with BaF2 scintillators at backward angles.

Probing the order-to-chaos region in superdeformed 151Tb and 196Pb nuclei with continuum gamma transitions.

The gamma decay associated with the warm rotation of the superdeformed nuclei 151Tb and 196Pb has been measured with the EUROBALL IV array. Several independent quantities provide a stringent test of the population and decay dynamics in the superdeformed well. A Monte Carlo simulation of the gamma decay based on microscopic calculations gives remarkable agreement with the data only assuming a large enhancement of the B(E1) strength for 1-2 MeV gamma rays, which may be related to the evidence for octupole vibrations in both mass regions.

Interplay between single-particle and collective effects in the odd-A Cu isotopes beyond N=40.

Collective properties of the low-lying levels in the odd-A 67-73Cu were investigated by Coulomb excitation with radioactive beams. The beams were produced at ISOLDE and postaccelerated by REX-ISOLDE up to 2.99 MeV/u.

Giant dipole resonance in the hot and thermalized 132Ce nucleus: damping of collective modes at finite temperature.

The gamma decay of the giant dipole resonance (GDR) in the 132Ce compound nucleus with temperature up to approximately 4 MeV has been measured, using the reaction 64Ni + 68Zn at E(beam) = 300, 400, and 500 MeV. The gamma and charged particles measured in coincidence with recoils are consistent with a fully equilibrated compound nucleus emission. The GDR width, obtained with the statistical model analysis, is found to increase almost linearly with temperature.

Compound and rotational damping in warm deformed rare-earth nuclei.

The gamma decay in the quasicontinuum from selected configurations of the rotational nucleus 163Er has been measured with the EUROBALL array. A new analysis technique has allowed for the first time to directly measure the compound and rotational damping widths Gamma (micro) and Gamma (rot). Values of Gamma (micro) approximately 20 keV and Gamma (rot) approximately 200 keV are obtained in the spin region I approximately 30-40 variant Planck's over 2pi, in good agreement with microscopic cranked shell model calculations.

An epidemiological survey of vulvovaginal candidiasis in Italy.

Eight Italian hospital or University gynecology clinics participated in a prospective survey of patients with culture-confirmed symptomatic vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) (October 1999 to March 2001). Of 1138 patients recruited in the study, 931 were evaluable. A recent history of VVC was documented in 43.

[The role of vaginal pH. Importance of its normalization in the prevention of recurrent vaginitis].

Background: A sample of 100 women was clinically examined for a very various vulvovaginal symptomatology and an individual diagnosis of vulvovaginitis of different aetiology was established.

Methods: All women were treated with antibiotic and/or antimycotic drugs on the basis of individual diagnosis. Sixty women had only this treatment, while 40 women had also a supplementary treatment with a cleanser emulsion characterized by physiologic pH value and an antiseptic activity due to a vegetable extract (Saugella Attiva, Lab.

Transabdominal sonohysterography, transvaginal sonography, and hysteroscopy in the evaluation of submucous myomas.

Objective: To assess the usefulness of transabdominal sonohysterography in the diagnosis and evaluation of submucous myomas.

Methods: Fifty-two premenopausal women hospitalized for hysterectomy for benign gynecologic indications underwent preoperative conventional transvaginal sonography, transabdominal sonohysterography, and hysteroscopy. The results of the three techniques in terms of diagnosis, size, intracavitary growth, and location of the submucous myomas were compared with those revealed by direct inspection of the surgical specimens.

Sonohysterography versus hysteroscopy in the diagnosis of endouterine polyps.

The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the usefulness of abdominal and vaginal sonohysterography (SHG; considered both singly and in combination) for the diagnosis of uterine polyps. Fifty fertile women hospitalized for hysterectomy for benign gynecologic indications were enrolled. Main outcome measures were preoperative conventional vaginosonography, transabdominal and vaginal SHG, hysteroscopy and histologic evaluation of the surgical specimen.

Clinical evaluation of an oral contraceptive containing Ethinyl-Oestradiol (30 mcg) and Gestoden (75 mcg).

At the Family Planning Center AIECS in Bari, 383 women have been treated for 6 cycles with an estroprogestinic combination containing Ethinyl-Oestradiol (30 mcg) and Gestoden (75 mcg). We evaluated the following parameters: contraceptive efficacy, cycle control, side effects and acceptability. At the end of the treatment, 346 women (90.