Measurement of Z0 decays to hadrons, and a precise determination of the number of neutrino species

We have made a precise measurement of the cross section for e+e--->Z0-->hadrons with the L3 detector at LEP, covering the range from 88.28 to 95.04 GeV. From a fit to the Z0 mass, total width, and the hadronic cross section to be MZ0=91.160 +/- 0.024 (experiment) +/-0.030(LEP) GeV, [Gamma]Z0=2.539+/-0.054 GeV, and [sigma]h(MZ0)=29.5+/-0.7 nb. We also used the fit to the Z0 peak cross section and the width todetermine [Gamma]invisible=0.548+/-0.029 GeV, which corresponds to 3.29+/-0.17 species of light neutrinos. The possibility of four or more neutrino flavors is thus ruled out at the 4[sigma] confidence level.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28683/3/0000500.pd

A measurement of the Z0 leptonic partial widths and the vector and axial vector coupling constants

We have measured the partial widths of the Z0 into lepton pairs, and the forward-backward charge asymmetry for the process e+e--->[mu]+[mu]- using the L3 detector at LEP. We obtain an average [Gamma]ll of 83.0+/-2.1+/-1.1 MeV.From this result and the asymmetry measurement, we extract the values of the vector and axial vector couplings of the Z0 to leptons: grmv=-0.066-0.027+0.046 and grmA= -0.495-0.007+0.007.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28666/3/0000483.pd

Chronic venous disorders of the leg: epidemiology, outcomes, diagnosis and management. Summary of an evidence-based report of the VEINES task force. Venous Insufficiency Epidemiologic and Economic Studies

BACKGROUND: To critically review the classification, epidemiology, outcomes, diagnosis and treatment of chronic venous disorders of the leg (CVDL), to issue evidence-based recommendations, and to identify areas requiring further research. METHODS: Articles identified by an extensive literature search were scored by members of an international task force. Only those articles with a moderate or strong rating for internal validity were retained. RESULTS: A scoring system weighing CVDL severity according to the probability of ulcer occurrence is proposed. Epidemiological data on the frequency of CVDL and its risk factors are reviewed. The following items are evaluated: costs associated with treatment; clinical outcomes related to CVDL and its treatment; available generic and disease-specific measures of quality of life; diagnostic procedures used to detect venous reflux; and efficacy of available treatments. CONCLUSIONS: CVDL is an important public health problem, based on its prevalence, cost and impact on quality of life. High-priority areas for research on CVDL are identified

Consensus Conference on Sclerotherapy.

Sclerotherapy has been used for a long time now in many European Countries for the treatment of varicose veins of the lower limbs. However, sclerotherapy has often been excluded from the international scientific world and from university hospitals. Therefore, there are stili many controversies concerning the techniques available, the indications, and the results of the treatment. For this reason a scientific committee, nominated by five Departments of Surgery from five different Italian university hospitals (namely Padua, Verona, Milan, Modena, and Rome) proposed the organization of an Dermato/ Surg 1995;21:642-647 and subfascial perforating vein ligation for recurrent venous ulceration. Br J Surg 1993;80:845-8. 37. Raju S, Fredericks R. Venous obstruction: an analysis of one hundred thirty-seven cases with hemodynamic, venographic, and clinical correlations. J Vasc Surg 1991;14:305-13. 38. Kistner RL, Ferris EB, Randhawa G, Kamida C. A method of performing descending venography. J Vasc Surg 1986;4:464-8. 39. Raju S. New approaches to the diagnosis and treatrnent of venous obstruction. J Vasc Surg 1986;4:42-54. 40. Neglen P, Raju S. Detection of outflow obstruction in chronic venous insufficiency. J Vasc Surg 1993;17:583-9. 41. Albrechtsson U, Einarsson E, Eklof B. Femoral vein pressure measurements for evaluation of venous function in patients with postthrombotic iliac veins. Cardiovasc Intervent RadioI1981;4:4350. 42. Perrin M. Chronic venous insufficiency in the lower limbs. Paris, McGraw Hill, 1990. 43. Nicolaides AN, Zukowski AJ. The value of dynamic venous pressure measurements. World J Surg 1986;10:919-24. 44. Welkie JF, Comerota AJ, Katz ML, Aldridge Se, Kerr RP, White JV. Hemodynarnic deterioration in chronic venous disease. J Vasc Surg 1992;16:733-40. 45. Nicolaides AN, Hussein MK, Szendro G, Christopoulos D, Vasdekis S, Clarke H. The relation of venous ulceration with ambulatory venous pressure measurements. J Vasc Surg 1993;17:414-9. International Consensus Conference on sclerotherapy of varicose veins of the lower limbs