Metal imidazolato complexes: synthesis, characterization, and X-ray powder diffraction studies of group 10 coordination polymers.

Binary metal imidazolates of the group 10 metals have been prepared and typically found amorphous. However, the intermediacy of a number of (poly)crystalline species during their formation has been evidenced; their selective preparation and characterization, by chemical, spectroscopic, and thermal methods and their structure solution by the ab initio X-ray powder diffraction technique lead to the discovery of new interesting structural features, such as those of polymeric Ni(Him)(2)(im)(CH(3)COO) (Him = imidazole) and of the hydrogen-bonded polymers of general Pd(x)Pt(1-x)(Him)(2)(im)(2) formula (x = 0, 0.5, 1). The latter are built upon 2D frameworks of (pseudo)square meshes, which, in the pure Pd derivative, form an entangled structure based upon interpenetrating 2D layers, coupled in pairs. The different structures are discussed in terms of different conformations of the new "im-H-im" ligand, which acts as monoanionic exobidentate fragment, similar to im, pyrazolate (pz), "pz-H-pz", and pyrimidin-2-olate.

[Demography and cause of death in a Local Health Unit in Lombardy]. / Demografia e cause di morte in una U.S.S.L. della Lombardia.

We studied demography from 1980 to 1987 and death causes in the population of the USSL 12 of LombardY in 1986-1987. The USSL includes 63,255 inhabitants on a surface of 60 km2. BIRTH and mortality rates. We collected data about births, deaths, immigration and emigration in every municipality of USSL 12 from 1980 to 1987. In those years the birth rates was constant about 10% and mortality rate was about 8%. We did not find significant phenomena of migration. The fertility rate in 1987 shows two peaks: the first at the age of 26-27 years, the second at the age of 31 years. Population distribution in age classes. We compared the population distribution in 1971 to the distribution in 1981. We found a decrease of 20% in population under 20 and an increase of 24% in population over 65 years. These increase is higher in females (relative increase of 62%) then in males (relative increase of 28%). Ages and death causes. The death age average in 1986-1987 is 67 years for males and 73 years for females. Under 65 years the more frequent and important death causes are neoplastic diseases (breast, lungs, alimentary tract), cardiovascular diseases, traffic accidents. We registered only 6% of deaths under 40 years of age.

[Potable water in Local Health Area 12 from 1980 to 1987]. / Le acque potabili nella USSL 12 dal 1980 al 1987.

This research work deals with the problem of the pollution of both public and industrial water supplies in a local health authority area (U.S.S.L.) in Lombardy. This is an area of approximately 120 square kilometres which, for the most part, does not as yet have a public sewage system purification plant. As a result, almost all effluent enters the local watercourses which have developed physico-chemical characteristics similar to those of sewage, thus creating very serious health risks for the inhabitants of the area. Our study deals especially with the hydrological characteristics of the area which possesses two water-tables, one above the other. The lower of these two water-tables has a particularly large supply in the source areas of the rivers. Following this our study presents data concerning the wells in the area, their position, methods of excavation, depth, stratigraphy and capacity of water-supply. Since 1980, all wells have had regular four-monthly or six-monthly microbiological and chemical tests. Special attention has been paid to the levels of ammonia, nitric and nitrous acid, pH, sulphates, electrical conductivity, chlorides, chromium and chlorate solvents. During 1986-87, one investigation was carried out on the presence of Cu, Pb, Ni, F, Cd, Al, hydrocarbons and tensioactive substances. The main pollutants were discovered to be chlorohydrocarbons and nitrates. The chlorohydrocarbons come from textile factories and metallurgical and mechanical industries which discharge these substances into the drainage system either as the result of accidents of because or inadequate depuration. The source of the nitrates is, for the most part, domestic although a small proportion is also due to agriculture. As a result of the discovery of this pollution of the water-tables, a programme of preventive checks has been introduced for all the industries which use chlorate solvents. The purpose of these checks is to identify the methods of use and of disposal of these substances. A more satisfactory discharge of industrial effluent has been achieved by at least some of the firms in the area with a consequent reduction both in illegal discharge and in pollution of the water-tables.

Adverse reactions to measles vaccine.

Adverse reactions to measles vaccine observed in children vaccinated between September, 1981 and May, 1983 in a Socio Sanitary Local Unit of Lombardy were studied. The adverse reactions more frequently reported by the parents were cough (18%), rash (12%), fever (9%), coryza (6%) and conjunctivitis (6%). Beginning September, 1982 a case-control study was started matching each vaccine with an unvaccinated child of the same age and sex. Statistically significant differences between vaccinated and controls have been observed only for rash and fever but not for the other symptoms. During the study febrile convulsions with spontaneous recovery and without sequelae have been observed in two vaccinated children.