5-ASA Suppositories in Hemorrhoidal Disease

Forty patients with active hemorrhoidal disease were entered into this double-blind trial, 20 of whom were randomized to treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) (500 mg) suppositories. Clinical and sigmoidoscopic assessment was carried out before the start of the trial and after two weeks of treatment. At the end of the study, 5-ASA suppositories showed results superior to those of placebo for all parameters evaluated (P<0.01). There were no adverse events reported related to the use of suppositories. 5-ASA suppositories are a valid therapeutic approach for hemorrhoidal disease as it reduces the intensity of all symptoms and significantly decreases congestion of the hemorrhoidal plexus

Out-of-plane behavior of one-way spanning unreinforced masonry walls

An analytical model is developed to describe the out-of-plane response of one-way spanning unreinforced masonry (URM) walls by investigating the effects of various parameters. Horizontal crack height, masonry compressive strength, and diaphragm support stiffness properties are assumed as variables, and sensitivity analyses are performed to study the influence of these parameters on the cracked wall characteristic behavior. The parametric studies show that crack height significantly influences wall stability by affecting both the instability displacement and the wall lateral resistance. The reduction in cracked wall lateral resistance and in the instability displacement caused by finite masonry compressive strength is shown to be significantly amplified by the applied overburden. A study using the typical configuration of flexible diaphragms and URM walls indicates that the wall top support flexibility does not significantly influence cracked wall out-of-plane response. An existing simplified wall behavioral model is improved, and a procedure is proposed for calculation of the wall out-of-plane response envelope.Hossein Derakhshan; Michael C. Griffith; and Jason M. Ingha

The relationship between heritability and smoking habits in Crohn&apos;s disease

OBJECTIVE: In Crohn's disease (CD), the relationship between genetic predisposition and smoking has not been well defined. The aim of this study was to compare the smoking habits at the time of the diagnosis of CD patients having familial occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with those of some control groups. METHODS: In a multicenter study, 136 CD patients with a relative with IBD, 272 healthy controls matched for sex and age, 500 CD patients without familial occurrence of IBD, and 84 ulcerative colitis patients (UC) with familial occurrence of IBD were personally interviewed about their smoking habits. In addition, data for 35 healthy siblings of patients with familial CD were collected by interviewing the patients' relatives. RESULTS: The prevalence of smokers was found significantly higher in CD patients with a family history for IBD than in healthy controls and in familial UC patients (OR 2.28 CI 1.5-3.48 and OR 5.81 CI 3.15-10.75, respectively). No significant difference was found either in the percentage of smokers or in the number of cigarettes smoked per day between familial and sporadic CD patients. Among all siblings of CD patients, 72% of affected siblings and 34% of healthy siblings were smokers, concordant with their relatives. CONCLUSIONS: In CD patients with familial occurrence of IBD, the percentage of smokers is elevated. It is possible that in a genetically predisposed population, smoking could be an important environmental factor in determining CD or expressing this disease instead of UC

5-ASA Suppositories in Hemorrhoidal Disease

Forty patients with active hemorrhoidal disease were entered into this double-blind trial, 20 of whom were randomized to treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) (500 mg) suppositories. Clinical and sigmoidoscopic assessment was carried out before the start of the trial and after two weeks of treatment. At the end of the study, 5-ASA suppositories showed results superior to those of placebo for all parameters evaluated (P<0.01). There were no adverse events reported related to the use of suppositories. 5-ASA suppositories are a valid therapeutic approach for hemorrhoidal disease as it reduces the intensity of all symptoms and significantly decreases congestion of the hemorrhoidal plexus

Progetto di restauro, consolidamento e miglioramento sismico del Duomo di Pienza

Il presente articolo \ue8 volto a descrivere il processo progettuale che ha portato alla definizione dell\u2019intervento di restauro, consolidamento e miglioramento sismico del Duomo di Pienza (SI), redatto su incarico del Ministero dei Beni e delle Attivit\ue0 Culturali e del Turismo - Direzione Regionale per i Beni Culturali e Paesaggistici della Toscana. Per una corretta definizione degli interventi di miglioramento sismico di un edificio esistente, assume particolare importanza il percorso di conoscenza del manufatto: per il Duomo di Pienza tale percorso inizia con la sua costruzione nel 1459 in quanto, gi\ue0 durante le fasi di realizzazione, iniziarono a manifestarsi i primi effetti dei dissesti che ancora oggi sono presenti nella zona absidale. Contestualmente al manifestarsi delle prime lesioni iniziarono, infatti, studi approfonditi per determinare le cause e definire interventi di ripristino e consolidamento. L\u2019intervento progettato, che riguarda la copertura della zona absidale, \ue8 stato definito tenendo in considerazione le criticit\ue0 strutturali che caratterizzano il Duomo ed in particolare il dissesto legato al cedimento gravitativo profondo della zona absidale. La filosofia progettuale adottata individua tre distinte aree di intervento, ciascuna caratterizzata da un diverso criterio di definizione delle opere e di controllo del dissesto in atto