67P/C-G inner coma dust properties from 2.2 au inbound to 2.0 auoutbound to the Sun

GIADA (Grain Impact Analyzer and Dust Accumulator) on-board the Rosetta space probe is designed to measure the momentum, mass and speed of individual dust particles escaping the nucleus of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (hereafter 67P). From 2014 August to 2016 June, Rosetta escorted comet 67P during its journey around the Sun. Here, we focus on GIADA data taken between 2015 January and 2016 February which included 67P's perihelion passage. To better understand cometary activity and more specifically the presence of dust structures in cometary comae, we mapped the spatial distribution of dust density in 67P's coma. In this manner, we could track the evolution of high-density regions of coma dust and their connections with nucleus illumination conditions, namely tracking 67P's seasons. We also studied the link between dust particle speeds and their masses with respect to heliocentric distance, i.e. the level of cometary activity. This allowed us to derive a global and a local correlation of the dust particles' speed distribution with respect to the H2O production rate. © 2016 The Authors.Peer Reviewe

Surgical management of female pelvic organ prolapse with and without urinary incontinence

The study reports a single center experience with surgical management of female pelvic organ prolapse (POP) with and without urinary incontinence. Between January 2006 and July 2016, 93 consecutive patients with anterior and/or apical symptomatic POP underwent abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASC) or laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) or pubovaginal cystocele sling (PCS); 25 patients had concomitant stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Subjective outcome was assessed by the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (short form) (PFIQ-7) investigating bladder, bowel and vaginal functions, sexual activity, and daily life. Objective outcomes included the POP anatomic correction by Baden Walker HWS classification, urinary tract infection (UTI) rates, urge urinary incontinence (UUI), and SUI rates. Data were prospectively collected. Forty-three patients underwent PCS, 29 ASC, and 21 LSC. Mean follow-up was 54.88±33.1, 28.89±23.5, and 16.8±11.3 months for PCS, ASC, and LSC, respectively. POP recurrence occurred in 10.5%, 7.5%, and 0% while de novo (ie, in untreated compartment/s) POP occurred in 15.8%, 7.4%, and 4.8% of patients who have undergone PCS, ASC, and LSC, respectively. Kaplan-Meier estimates of POP-free survival showed no difference among the 3 procedures. All procedures significantly reduced PFIQ-7 scores improving quality of life and the rates of recurrent UTIs and concomitant UUI. PCS cured all cases with concomitant SUI; de novo SUI occurred only in 7.4% and 4.8% of patients who have undergone ASC and LSC, respectively. Mean surgical time was significantly shorter for PCS compared to ASC and LSC (P=.0001), and for ASC compared to LSC (P=.004); there was no difference in postoperative pain and hospital stay. Compared to ASC/LSC, PCS involved a higher rate (27.9% vs 6%; P=.01) of minor complications, mainly transient urinary retention, and a lower rate (0% vs 8%; P=.06) of complications requiring surgery. In this single center experience, PCS was not only provided similar subjective and objective results than ASC and LSC but also able to correct concomitant SUI without causing de novo SUI and was safer than other 2 techniques, in female POP repair

Cystocele repair by autologous rectus fascia graft: The pubovaginal cystocele sling

Purpose The autologous rectus fascia pubovaginal sling has been a safe and effective means of correcting stress urinary incontinence. We tested the feasibility of using a larger graft to correct cystocele with or without stress urinary incontinence. Materials and Methods Between January 2006 and October 2010, 30 patients with symptomatic cystocele underwent the pubovaginal cystocele sling procedure, including 14 with and 16 without concomitant stress urinary incontinence. The technique is a modification of the standard pubovaginal sling procedure. A large trapezoidal (major base 6 cm, minor base 4 cm and height 5 cm) rectus fascia graft is used with 4 instead of 2 sutures to suspend the graft corners. The 2 sutures at the level of the mid urethra are tied above the rectus muscles in a tension-free manner while the 2 sutures at the level of the cervical fold are tied with tension. Data on anatomical outcomes (Baden-Walker classification), functional outcomes (PFIQ-7), post-void residual urine volume and urinary tract infection were prospectively collected. Results At a mean followup of 62.6 months (range 46 to 98) there was no recurrence in the anterior compartment. There was 1 recurrence involving the apical and posterior compartments. All patients reported a statistically significant improvement in PFIQ-7 score. When present preoperatively, post-void residual urine volume, urinary tract infection and stress urinary incontinence ceased in all cases. The only complication was donor site wound dehiscence without fascial involvement. Conclusions The autologous pubovaginal cystocele sling seems to be a safe, effective technique to correct cystocele with or without stress urinary incontinence

Surface parameters from seviri observations through a kalman filter approach: Application and evaluation of the scheme to the southern Italy

Geostationary satellites are capable to resolve the diurnal cycle by providing time sequence of observations with a very high temporal resolution. A Kalman filter methodology was developed to exploit such time continuity in order to simultaneously retrieve surface temperature and emissivity from SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager) data. The methodology has been applied and tested over a geographic region in the Southern Italy characterized by different surface features: arid, cultivated, vegetated and urban areas, and sea water. The objective is to implement a real-time continuous monitoring of surface parameters, which could be used for the various purposes of tourism and agronomy, land surveillance, natural hazards and risk assessment analysis. Retrieval of surface parameters has been performed for the whole year 2013 and the results have been compared to other similar satellite observations such as those derived from AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) and MODIS (Moderate Reso-lution Imaging Spectroradiometer). Comparisons with ECMWF (European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecasts) analyses for sea surface are provided as well

Porous Waste Glass for Lead Removal in Packed Bed Columns and Reuse in Cement Conglomerates

A porous waste glass (RWPG = recycled waste porous glass) was used in wastewater treatments for the removal of lead ions from single, binary, and ternary metal solutions (with cadmium and nickel ions). Experiments were performed in columns (30 cm3, 10 g) filled with 0.5–1 mm beads till complete glass exhaustion (breakthrough). In the case of single and binary solutions, the columns were percolated at 0.2 Lh1 (2 mg Me+2 L1); in the case of ternary solutions, the columns were percolated at 0.15–0.4 Lh1 (2 mg Me2+ L1) and with 2–5 mg Me2+ L1 influent concentration (0.2 Lh1). Lead ions were removed mainly by ion exchange and also by adsorption. From a kinetic point of view, the rate controlling step of the process was the interdiffusion of the lead ions in the Nernst stationary liquid film around the sorbent. The uptake of the metals and the glass selectivity were confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. After lead retention process, glass beads were reused as lightweight aggregates for thermal insulating and environmental safe mortars

Zero-pressure balloons trajectory prediction: Duster flight simulations

International audienc

Long-Term Results of Combined Tunica Albuginea Plication and Penile Prosthesis Implantation for Severe Penile Curvature and Erectile Dysfunction

Penile prosthesis implantation is the recommended treatment in patients with penile curvature and severe erectile dysfunction (ED) not responding to pharmacotherapy. Most patients with mild-to-moderate curvature can expect cylinder insertion to correct both ED and penile curvature. In patients with severe curvature and in those with persistent curvature after corporeal dilation and prosthesis placement, intraoperative penile “modelling” over the inflated prosthesis has been introduced as an effective treatment. We report for the first time the long-term results of a patient treated with combined penile plication and placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis