From epithelial dysplasia to squamous carcinoma of the head and neck region: evolutive and prognostic histopathological markers.

Ki67 immunoreactivity, p53 expression and apoptotic index were examined in 26 non-malignant lesions of the head and neck region, 22 dysplastic lesions of patients without evidence of head and neck carcinoma during follow-up time, 24 dysplastic lesions of patients who subsequently developed a squamous carcinoma in the same area, and 42 squamous cancer cases. A directly proportional relation between Ki67 immunoreactive pattern, apoptotic index and histological evolution from normal to dysplastic or neoplastic mucosa was evident. As far as p53 protein is concerned, its expression became higher and frequently transmural in neoplastic mucosa.

From epithelial dysplasia to squamous carcinoma in the head and neck region: an epidemiological assessment.

The evolution of 97 cases of epithelial dysplasia in the head and neck region was retrospectively controlled, with a mean follow-up of 30 months. Dysplastic mucosal areas were observed in the oral cavity in 11 cases, in the pharynx (oro- and hypopharynx) in 39 cases and in the larynx (supraglottic and glottic regions) in 47 cases. According to the criteria defined by the WHO the dysplasia was classified as mild, moderate and severe.

High relative risk of a second pulmonary cancer in patients affected by laryngeal cancer: differences by specific site of occurrence and lung cancer histotype.

The frequency of a second primary lung tumor in patients affected by laryngeal cancer has been evaluated on the basis of 128,532 biopsies and 27,753 autopsies carried out from January 1, 1979 through December 31, 1988. Among these cases, 432 laryngeal cancers and 44 synchronous or metachronous pulmonary cancers have been detected (7 during life, 37 at autopsy). The highest risk of developing a lung tumor has been evidenced in patients affected by supraglottic cancer during the first 2 years of follow-up (relative risk [RR]: 32.

[Effectiveness of and tolerance to azithromycin versus roxithromycin in the treatment of patients with acute infections of the upper respiratory tract].

A multicenter open prospective comparative study was carried out during two years enrolling 60 patients with upper respiratory infections. Thirty were treated with single daily 500 mg doses of azithromycin for three days, and 30 received two daily doses of roxithromycin of 150 mg each for seven days. Both treatments were equally well tolerated, and there was no substantial difference concerning clinical recovery.

Audio-phonological and neuropsychological aspects of simultaneous interpretation. Role of auditory shadowing.

Two groups of female interpreter students (3rd year and 4th year) at the School for Interpreters and Translators of the University of Trieste (SIT) underwent a paradigm of complex shadowing. All subjects were polyglots, with Italian as first language (L1) and German, learned after age 10, as second language (L2). In the first part of the experiment, they were asked to listen to and immediately repeat 60 lists of 50 words each in Italian passed through earphones to the right ear (RE) and the same number of words to the left ear (LE).

[Clinical aspects of sudden deafness and vestibulopathy].

Clinical aspects of sudden deafness and sudden vestibular loss. The cases of sudden deafness and/or sudden vestibular loss are 90% idiopathic. Initially they can be overlooked but they can be responsible for an important sensorial impairment.

Reflex "delay" in sensorineural hearing-loss.

Delay of the acoustic reflex is concerning the latency and the rise-time of the response. The magnitude of these parameters is correlated with the stimulus characteristics but it is also modified by the instrumentation. Normative data obtained with commercial instruments demonstrate statistically meaningful differences of latency depending on age groups, ipsi-or contralateral recording, monophasic or biphasic deflection, which is also a normal response in about 12% of ears.

Comparison between central tonal tests and central speech tests in elderly subjects.

A battery of tonal tests investigating the performance of the central auditory pathways (auditory lateralization, temporal order, auditory pattern) has been applied, together with a battery of central speech tests (sensitized speech and synthetic sentences), to a group of 50 subjects aged from 60 to 80 years, affected only with presbycusis. The results demonstrate that the speech tests undergo a considerable reduction of the performance-intensity function with age whereas the tonal tests remain within the values obtained in younger subjects. The topodiagnostic implications of these data are discussed.

Sensitivity of auditory lateralization and temporal order tests to benzodiazepines.

The responses to tests of auditory lateralization and temporal order to the administration of desmethyldiazepam (DMDZ) and of chlorodesmethyldiazepam (Cl-DMDZ) have been investigated. Therapeutic doses of these two benzodiazepines were used. We have tested four groups of 10 healthy normally hearing subjects.

Pathology of the nervous arc of the acoustic reflexes.

A short comment is made on the pathological conditions of the input and efferent arc of the stapedius reflex. The modifications of this reflex during pathological and experimental inpairment of the intermediate portion of the arc, at the brain stem level, in human subjects are analyzed in more detail. The graphic and oscilloscopic records demonstrate a modification of the latency, amplitude and particularly of the speed of onset of the reflex.

Bipolar electric stimulation to elicit and isolated tensor tympani reflex.

A bipolar electrode is described, designed to obtain improved reflex responses from the tensor tympani muscle by electric stimulation of the under surface of the tongue, d.c. generator, 7-9 V d.

Oscilloscopic analysis of the stapedius muscle reflex in brain stem lesions.

An oscilloscopic analysis of several features of the stapedius muscle reflex was carried out in a group of normal subjects and in patients affected by dysfunction at the brain stem level due to a pathologic lesion or temporary reduction by small doses of barbiturates. Under these conditions, the increased latency and reduced amplitude of the reflex, but particularly the reduced velocity and, not infrequently, the step-like pattern of the tracings, are considered to be data of considerable value in disorders of the brain stem structues.

Directional hearing, temporal order and auditory pattern in peripheral and brain stem lesions.

Tests have been applied to the following subjects: (1) 25 normal individuals; (2) the same individuals during temporary impairement of the brain stem by barbiturate (3 mg/kg); (3) 32 patients affected by acute nucleo-reticular vestibular syndrome; (4) 7 patients affected by unilateral Menière's disease, and (5) 1 patient affected by acoustic neuroma with well preserved hearing. Directional hearing was tested by changing the delta i and delta t of two pure tones 400 and 600 Hz) presented through earphones or two fixed loudspeakers placed at +/- 30 degrees from the azimuth and with balanced intensity: temporal order and auditory patterns were tested with the same frequencies by changing the delta t or the order of presentation of the stimuli at fixed intensity. On the basis of the results obtained in the normal subjects, a distinction can be made between the patients affected by brain stem impairment and those affected by Menière's disease.

Modifications of the stapedius muscle reflex under spontaneous and experimental brain-stem impairment.

An oscilloscopic plus a graphic method of recording of the stapedius muscle reflex has revealed peculiar modifications in the latency, threshold, and shape of development of the reflex in cases of brain-stem impairment. Many subjects have been examined who were affected by nucleo-reticular vestibular syndrome, vascular insufficiency, disseminated sclerosis, tumours, etc. and a comparison has also been made in normal subjects and in the same subjects during a temporary impairment of the brain-stem structures following barbiturate administration.

Tympanic muscle reflex elicited by electric stimulation of the tongue in normal and pathological subjects.

A bilateral reflex contraction of the tensor tympani muscle has been obtained in man by electric stimulation of the tongue (1-2 mA). The stimulus is well tolerated and always effective. The advantage is stressed of eliciting a contraction of this muscle without involvement of the stapedius, as occurs with other methods.