Object localization using a biosonar beam: how opening your mouth improves localization.

Determining the location of a sound source is crucial for survival. Both predators and prey usually produce sound while moving, revealing valuable information about their presence and location. Animals have thus evolved morphological and neural adaptations allowing precise sound localization.

Bone SPECT in management of mandibular condyle hyperplasia. Report of a case and review of literature.

In the present paper we report the case of a 14-year-old girl suffering from condylar hyperplasia and enlargement of ipsilateral jaw body, stressing the importance of bone SPECT in the clinical management of this temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder. Condylar hyperplasia is an uncommon idiopathic monolateral disorder of jaw growth consistent with exuberant or persistent activity of the condyle nucleus finally involving sociopsychological aspects due to facial dysmorphism. Besides facial asymmetry our patient showed prognathism, malocclusion, worsening otalgia and headache.

Hospital-acquired infections in Italy: a region wide prevalence study.

Between October and December 2000, a region-wide prevalence study of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) was conducted in all public hospitals (59 facilities with ca. 16000 beds; 560000 admission yearly) in Piemonte Region, Italy, and in the one hospital of the neighbouring autonomous region of Valle d'Aosta. The study population comprised a total of 9467 patients hospitalized for at least 24 h.

[Diagnostic value of renal scintigraphy in the neonatal period: presentation of some clinical cases].

The valuation of renal function using radiotracers represents an attractive methodology to value most renal and upper urinary tract diseases in newborns. Restrincting damage, lower irradiation and lack of dangerous side-effect are particularly desiderable in newborns. The radiotracers of choice in our studies were Tc-99m-labeled radiopharmaceutical (DTPA and DMSA), because of their favourable dosimetry.

Interleukin-1 stimulates aldosterone secretion: involvement of renin, ACTH, and prostaglandins.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1), a cytokine produced during infection and inflammation, mediates some of the endocrinological alterations that parallel these processes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether human recombinant IL-1 (hrIL-1) affects aldosterone output as well as renin and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) release, two key factors in the regulation of mineralocorticoid secretion. We observed that intravenous administration of hrIL-1 into conscious unrestrained rats elicited a marked and rapid rise in aldosterone plasma levels in a dose-dependent manner.