  The synthesis model for the cosmic X-ray background (XRB) -based on the
integrated emission of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs)- is complemented with new
observational results. We adopt the most recent estimates of the AGN X-ray
luminosity function and evolution. We adopt the column density distribution of
type 2 AGNs observed in the local Universe, instead of describing it as a set
of free parameters. We maintain the standard assumptions that type 2 AGNs have
the same luminosity function -apart from a constant factor- and the same
evolution of type 1s, and that the spectral shapes of both types are
independent of redshift. We explore various parametrizations of the data, and
in all cases we find that the XRB can be fitted, but the number density ratio
of type 2s to type 1s must be higher than the local value, and/or the hard
X-ray counts in the 2-10 keV band and the preliminary BeppoSAX counts in the
5-10 keV band are underestimated at a level of a few sigma. These results
consistently suggest that type 2 AGNs could undergo a faster evolution than
type 1s, or other sources with hard X-ray spectra might contribute to the XRB
at intermediate or high redshifts.
