[Organizational appropriateness evaluation of hospital discharges related to DRGs at high risk of inappropriateness in a pediatric observation ward from 2000 to 2004].

The aim of the study is to measure and to describe organizational appropriateness of a Paediatric Temporary Observation Ward in the Emergency Department. We selected hospital discharges related to 43 DRGs at high risk of inappropriateness (DPCM 29/11/2001); we studied the relationship between appropriateness and patient's or discharge characteristics. We also investigated the inappropriateness to find tools for improving ward's efficiency.

The "Telefono Rosso": a service for the prevention of birth defects and for the evaluation of teratogenic risk.

The "Telefono Rosso" ("Red telephone") is a specialized service for preconceptional counselling and teratogenic risk evaluation. In both cases the choice of telephone communication allows to reach a wide basin of users with personalized information. The service finds one of its main reasons in the marked disinformation which exists in this field and in the wrong risk perception shown by a high proportion of users.

Interleukin 2 proliferative response by cord blood mononuclear cells of term and preterm neonates.

The results of previous studies on the proliferative response of resting cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMC) of term neonates to human recombinant interleukin 2 (hrIL-2) are contrasting. Some authors have reported a good and others a poor response. In our study we have obtained a significant reactivity, compared with the response of resting peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of adult subjects, of resting CBMC to varying quantities of hrIL-2 in the absence of any known mitogenic or antigenic stimuli.