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We present in this paper fifteen years' measurements, from March 1991 to September 2005, of stratospheric NO2 vertical columns measured by a SAOZ zenith-sky visible spectrometer. The instrument spent most of its time at Aberystwyth, Wales, with occasional excursions to other locations. The data have been analysed with the WinDOAS analysis program with low-temperature high-resolution NO2 cross-sections and fitting a slit function to each spectrum. Because of a change in detector in May 1998 there is some uncertainty about the relative changes before and after this date, which are partially constrained by the results of an intercomparison exercise. However, the effect of the Mt Pinatubo aerosol cloud is very evident in the data from 1991-94, with a decrease of 10% in NO2 in the summer of 1992 (the SAOZ was located in Lerwick, Scotland during the winter of 1991-92 and observed very low NO2 values but these cannot be directly compared to the Aberystwyth data). To focus more on interannual and long-term variations in NO2, a seasonal variation comprising an annual and semi-annual component was fitted to the morning and evening twilight separately from 1995 to the present. This fit yielded average NO2 columns of 4.08 x 10(15) cm(-2) and 2.68 x 10(15) cm(-2) for the evening and morning twilight, respectively, with a corresponding annual amplitude of +/-2.08 x 10(15) cm(-2) and +/-1.50 x 10(15) cm(-2). Departures from the fitted curve show a trend of 6% per decade, consistent with that reported elsewhere, for the period 1998-2003, but in the past two years a distinct interannual variation of amplitude of approximately 8% has emerged.

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The assessment of changes induced by human activities on Earth atmospheric composition and thus on global climate requires a long-term and regular survey of the stratospheric and tropospheric atmospheric layers. The objective of this paper is to describe the atmospheric observations performed continuously at Reunion Island (55.5 degrees east, 20.8 degrees south) for 15 years. The various instruments contributing to the systematic observations are described as well as the measured parameters, the accuracy and the database. The LiDAR systems give profiles of temperature, aerosols and ozone in the troposphere and stratosphere, probes give profiles of temperature, ozone and relative humidity, radiometers and spectrometers give stratospheric and tropospheric integrated columns of a variety of atmospheric trace gases. Data are included in international networks, and used for satellite validation. Moreover, some scientific activities for which this station offers exceptional opportunities are highlighted, especially air mass exchanges nearby dynamical barriers: (1) On the vertical scale through the tropical tropopause layer (stratosphere-troposphere exchange). (2) On the quasi-horizontal scale across the southern subtropical barrier separating the tropical stratospheric reservoir from mid- and high latitudes.

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A new, light balloonborne UV-visible spectrometer, called SALOMON, is designed to perform nighttime measurements of stratospheric trace-gas species by using the Moon as a light source. The first flight, performed on 31 October 1998 at mid-latitude with a float altitude of 26.7 km, allowed the performance of the pointing system to be checked and vertical profiles of ozone, NO(2), NO(3), and possibly OBrO to be obtained. First the instrument and then the performance of the pointing system and the detector are described. Finally the vertical profiles are compared with other profiles obtained at the same location five years before with the heavier balloonborne spectrometer AMON, which uses a star as the light source.

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Early postoperative use of iv immunoglobulins after septic surgery in infants is reported. As compared to the randomized control group of patients (n = 20), return of C reactive Protein to normal values first occurred in the group receiving IVI (n = 20) p 0.01.

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A spectrophotometer was flown on Spacelab 1 to study various mechanisms of Lyman-alpha emission in the upper atmosphere. The use of absorption cells filled with H(2) and D(2) gases allowed us to discriminate a number of weak Lyman-alpha emissions heretofore masked by the strong H geocoronal emission due to resonance scattering of solar photons. Preliminary results are presented on three topics: the first optical detection of the deuterium Lyman-alpha emission at 110 kilometers, with an intensity of 330 rayleighs indicating an eddy diffusion coefficient of 1.3 x 10(6) square centimeters per second; auroral proton precipitations seen on both the night and the day side; and an emission located above 250 kilometers of altitude, interpreted as the result of charge exchange of magnetospheric protons with geocoronal atoms.

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Following a recent case of adult-type respiratory distress syndrome in a four-year old child, the rare occurrence of this pathology in visceral paediatric surgery is recalled. The few published cases do not allow a comparison of the mortality in paediatric and adult patients. The treatment is discussed, as well as the results of pulmonary function tests performed some time after the acute pulmonary episode.

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The authors are describing a surgical technique to recognize the left recurrent laryngeal nerve during the oesophage atresia surgery. This technique uses for anatomical marks the superior line of the great azygos vein an the oeso-tracheal lateral junction. The dissection is very delicate, and the hight frequency ventilation during anesthesia gives a precious comfort to the surgeon.

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