Images obtained by the Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System (OSIRIS) cameras onboard the Rosetta spacecraft reveal that asteroid 21 Lutetia has a complex geology and one of the highest asteroid densities measured so far, 3.4 ± 0.3 grams per cubic centimeter. The north pole region is covered by a thick layer of regolith, which is seen to flow in major landslides associated with albedo variation. Its geologically complex surface, ancient surface age, and high density suggest that Lutetia is most likely a primordial planetesimal. This contrasts with smaller asteroids visited by previous spacecraft, which are probably shattered bodies, fragments of larger parents, or reaccumulated rubble piles.

The European Space Agency's Rosetta mission encountered the main-belt asteroid (2867) Steins while on its way to rendezvous with comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Images taken with the OSIRIS (optical, spectroscopic, and infrared remote()imaging system) cameras on board Rosetta show that Steins is an oblate body with an effective spherical diameter of 5.3 kilometers. Its surface does not show color variations. The morphology of Steins is dominated by linear faults and a large 2.1-kilometer-diameter crater near its south pole. Crater counts reveal a distinct lack of small craters. Steins is not solid rock but a rubble pile and has a conical appearance that is probably the result of reshaping due to Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack (YORP) spin-up. The OSIRIS images constitute direct evidence for the YORP effect on a main-belt asteroid.

An asteroid has been found in a highly inclined path co-orbiting the sun with Neptune. Its discovery may help resolve how such asteroids are captured by planets and the dynamics and evolution of the outer solar system.

OBJECTIVE: We compared the effectiveness of a new continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device (neonatal helmet CPAP) with a conventional nasal CPAP system in preterm neonates needing continuous distending pressure. DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized, physiological, cross-over study in a tertiary referral, neonatal intensive care unit in a university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Twenty very low birth weight infants with a postnatal age greater than 24 h who were receiving nasal CPAP for apnea and/or mild respiratory distress were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: CPAP delivered by neonatal helmet CPAP and nasal CPAP in random order for two subsequent 90-min periods. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Were continuously measured the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) score, oxygen requirements, respiratory rate, heart rate, oxygen saturation, transcutaneous PO(2)(tcPO(2)) and PCO(2)(tcPCO(2)), blood pressure, and desaturations. NIPS scores were significantly lower when the infants were on the neonatal helmet CPAP than when they were on nasal CPAP (0.26+/-0.07 vs. 0.63+/-0.12). The other studied parameters did not differ between the two CPAP modes. The number of desaturations was reduced during the neonatal helmet CPAP treatment (18 vs. 32), although this difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: In this short-term physiological study the neonatal helmet CPAP appears to be as good as the golden standard for managing preterm infants needing continuous distending pressure, with enhanced tolerability. Further evaluation in a randomized clinical trial is needed to confirm these findings.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the feasibility of a mission to Mars using the Integrated Propulsion Systems (IPS) which means to couple Nuclear-MPD-ISPU propulsion systems. In particular both mission analysis and propulsion aspects are analyzed together with technological aspects. Identifying possible mission scenarios will lead to the study of possible strategies for Mars Exploration and also of methods for reducing cost. As regard to IPS, the coupling between Nuclear Propulsion (Rubbia's engine) and Superconductive MPD propulsion is considered for the Earth-Mars trajectories: major emphasis is given to the advantages of such a system. The In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) concerns on-Mars operations; In Situ Propellant Utilization (ISPU) is foreseen particularly for LOX-CH4 engines for Mars Ascent Vehicles and this possibility is analyzed from a technological point of view. Tether Systems are also considered during interplanetary trajectories and as space elevators on Mars orbit. Finally strategic considerations associated to this mission are considered also.

Peripartal maternal apprehension and anxiety are associated with abnormal labour, dystocia and higher rates of fetal and maternal morbidity. Since colostral beta-endorphin (beta-EP) concentrations are twofold higher than circulating levels, we hypothesised that substantial maternal emotional distress in puerperium might induce consistent changes in colostral beta endorphin galactopoiesis. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the effects of postpartum maternal anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Y form, Spielberger CD, Palo Alto, CA, USA, 1983) on colostral milk beta-EP levels (beta-endorphin 125I RIA, INCSTAR Corporation-Stillwater, Minnesota, USA) in a population of healthy lactating mothers, on the fourth postpartum discharge day, 14 after at term vaginal delivery, 14 after premature (> or = 34 <37 gestational weeks) vaginal delivery, and 14 after elective cesarean section. The colostral milk beta-EP concentrations of mothers who vaginally delivered at term or prematurely were significantly higher on the fourth postpartum day (6.0+/-0.5 and 6.6+/-0.7 vs. 4.3+/-0.4 pmol/l, respectively; P <0.05) than colostral levels of mothers who underwent caesarean section. At the same time, while trait anxiety levels (T, age corrected values) were unaffected by route and mode of delivery, in mothers presenting increased colostral milk beta-EP galactopoiesis after vaginal delivery there was a statistically significant negative correlation (r-0.40; P <0.03) between colostral milk beta-EP concentrations and trait anxiety levels. These data indicate that the labour pain and the vaginal delivery process play a central role in increasing colostral opioid availability for the breastfed neonate; peripartal maternal anxiety is a negative psychobiological determinant in opioid galactopoiesis, and possibly in the postnatal development of several related biological functions of growing infants.

Leukemoid reaction in low-birth-weight (LBW) infants is a rare, recently documented phenomenon, implicated in the sequence of multiorgan inflammatory diseases of preterm infants. The aim of the present paper is to establish whether a neonatal leukemoid reaction is related to bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) development in LBW infants. The design was a case-controlled, retrospective study of all premature infants (born </=31 weeks' gestation) admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) over a period of 3 years, from January 1998 to December 2000. The infants who developed BPD formed the study group, while the remainder without pulmonary sequelae, matched for gestational age formed the control group. Leukemoid reaction was considered a white blood cell (WBC) count >40,000/mm 3. The relation between BPD occurrence and WBC counts was studied by Bayesian analysis, dividing WBC counts in 5 progressive bands of 10,000 WBC/mm 3, starting from <10,000 to >40,000/mm 3. Five of 50 BPD infants studied demonstrated WBC counts >40,000/mm 3, with an incidence of 10%, while no control preterm infants presented neonatal leukemoid reaction; the estimated number difference is statistically significant ( p <0.001). There was no other significant association demonstrated between maternal or neonatal variables and leukemoid reaction, including chorioamnionitis, sepsis, and the use of antenatal steroids. Our findings provide further data for the identification of prematures exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines in utero; the injury responsible for BPD in a subset of prematures may begin with a transient leukemoid reaction.

BACKGROUND: The source and regulatory mechanisms that elevate beta-endorphin (beta-EP) approximately twofold higher than circulating plasma levels in the colostrum of lactating mothers are still unknown, and no studies have examined beta-EP availability previously during maturation phases of human milk. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether concentrations of beta-EP vary over time between colostrum, transitional, and mature breast-milk and to evaluate whether this depends on the method of delivery. METHODS: Mothers of healthy full-term and pre-term newborn infants who planned to breast-feed their newborn infants were considered for this study. They were consecutively recruited in one of 3 groups of 14, according to delivery method: group 1, vaginal delivery at term (gestational age 40.2 +/- 0.3 weeks; birth weight, 3.48 +/- 0.09 kg); group 2, preterm vaginal delivery (gestational age, 35.6 +/- 0.3 weeks; birth weight, 2.49 +/- 0.08 kg); and group 3, at-term elective cesarean section (gestational age, 39.0 +/- 0.3 weeks; birth weight, 3.32 +/- 0.14 kg). Three consecutive breast milk samples were obtained on the fourth day after birth, before each mother's discharge, and thereafter on the 10th and 30th postpartum days, close to expression of the colostrum, transitional, and mature milk production phases, respectively, to test beta-EP concentrations (beta-Endorphin 125I RIA; INCSTAR Corporation, Stillwater, MN). Data are presented as mean +/- standard deviation. Statistical comparison of beta-EP concentration among the three lactating mother groups was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test. In addition, to test the hypothesis of a trend toward smaller values with time of beta-EP, the authors computed within each mother group a P value per trend (Kruskal-Wallis test) of beta-EP concentration averages on the 4th, 10th, and 30th days, respectively. Student's t test for independent samples was used for the analysis of the other data. The 0.05 significance level was used in the statistical analysis. All computations were made by computer. RESULTS: Colostrum beta-EP concentrations on the fourth postpartum day of group 1 and group 2 mothers who were delivered of a neonate vaginally, at term, or prematurely were significantly higher (P < 0.01) than colostrum levels of group 3 mothers who underwent cesarean section. Group 2 mothers who were delivered of a neonate vaginally and prematurely presented the highest beta-EP concentrations (P < 0.05), lasting until the transitional milk phase (10th day). No significant differences were found across all 3 groups of lactating mothers in mature milk (30th day) beta-EP concentrations. In addition, the beta-EP trend toward smaller values with time within each of the three groups on days 4, 10, and 30 was statistically significant (P < 0.01 per trend). CONCLUSIONS: It is hypothesized that elevated beta-EP concentrations in colostrum and transitional milk of mothers who were vaginally delivered of infants may contribute to postnatal fetal adaptation, to overcoming birth stress of natural labor and delivery, and at the same time to the postnatal development of several related biologic functions of breast-fed infants.

Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were measured in 26 premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)(group 1), and in 24 premature controls, matched for gestational age and birth weight (group 2). Blood samples were taken serially on 3, 10, 20, 30 and 60 postpartum days. Group 1 and group 2 premature infants showed statistically higher LDH activities on the 3rd postpartum day. These differences disappeared later and LDH activities progressively decreased with time in both premature groups. Mean AST values of group 1 and group 2 premature infants were also significantly higher on the 3rd postpartum day. Subsequently, in all groups, AST showed a postpartal decrease, and a stabilization from the 10th day of life until the 2nd postnatal month. Mean ALT values were instead, comparable on the 3rd postnatal day and subsequently increased, although not significantly. Like the AST, gamma-GT of group 1 and group 2 premature infants were slightly more elevated on the 3rd postpartum day. The subsequent decrease was however transitory, and at 1 and 2 postnatal months a noticeable, significant progressive increase in mean values was found. It is concluded that serum ALT, AST, LDH and gamma-GT measurement of sick premature infants within the first 2 months of life are not significantly altered by the occurrence of BPD.

To determine the effect of prolonged dexamethasone therapy on oxygen-dependency clinical phase of prematures with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, we examined a consecutive group of 27 infants (birth weight,< 1500 g and gestational age,< 32 weeks), who remained with a static or deteriorating oxygen-dependency after weaning from the respirator [pre-treatment FiO2, mean +/- SEM over three days (31 +/- 2)%, range (27-73)%]. Twenty five out of 27 infants were weaned from supplemental oxygen during the 42-day steroid treatment period, with a mean (+/- SEM) duration of oxygen supplementation of 16 +/- 4 days. The distribution of the ratios of successive post-treatment FiO2 values with respect to pre-treatment FiO2 shows, on average, a progressive reduction with time. The percentage of the FiO2 decrease is statistically significant at a level of 2 and 3 SD after 3 days and 7 days, respectively and the average FiO2 fall, as function of time, follows an exponential law. It follows that the time spent in oxygen for a single patient may be determined, accounting for the individual severity of pre-treatment FiO2.