Replica casting of the skull base.

A new technique is described of obtaining a replica cast of the human skull base by making an epoxy resin case from a silicone rubber mould of the skull base. The replica provides an accurate and permanent record of the shape and dimensions of the base of the cranial cavity, together with the location and extent of any fractures of the skull. The method gives a good correlation between these characteristics and the type and extent of brain damage.

[Cardiac arrhythmia in relation to the leaflet morphology in subjects with mitral valve prolapse].

Aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias in subjects with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) and redundant leaflets in comparison with subjects with MVP without leaflets redundance. So, 60 subjects (aged 13 to 39 years), were subdivided in 3 groups on the basis of mitral leaflets shape at 2D-echocardiography; a continuous ECG monitoring (24 hours) was also performed. Arrhythmias were more frequent and more severe in the Group III (subjects with MVP and redundant leaflets), in comparison with both Group II (subjects with MVP without leaflets redundance) and Group I (control subjects).

High dose peptichemio in pretreated neuroblastoma.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effect and toxicity of a single course of Peptichemio at high dose (450 mg/sq m) given to children with neuroblastoma resistant to first line treatment or at relapse. A total of 28 children were treated. Seven children showed partial response, 4 minor response, 8 had stable disease, and in 8 the tumor progressed.

Treatment of malignant hypertension with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor.

Malignant hypertension developed in an 18-year-old man whose primary hypertension had been diagnosed by chance. Standing blood pressure was 290/170 mmHg. Tests of renal function revealed high blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels and low levels of both effective renal plasma flow and the glomerular filtration rate.

[Periodontal disease in children].

The authors analyze the most common periodontal diseases in pediatric age. They demonstrate that the control of the bacterial plaque is the determinant element to resolve these diseases.

[Dismorphism. Long face syndrome. Diagnostic and therapeutic considerations].

The Authors consider the main clinical aspects that characterize the Long Face Syndrome. In the more serious cases, where it is the global presence of the several elements which concur to the increase of the vertical facial dimension, it is suitable a precise diagnostic checking to the three-dimensional surgical correction to realize in one time. The Authors, in the treated cases, emphasize, on the one hand, besides the traditional cephalometry, the importance of the counter-party analysis of Enlow and, on the other, they emphasize the use of the present imaging means like CT and MR to the structural evaluation of the dysmorphism in the muscular and skeletal components.

Lecithin: cholesterol-acyltransferase (LCAT) activity in alcoholic liver disease.

The activity of LCAT (the controlling enzyme for cholesterol esterification in plasma) is known to be reduced in alcoholic cirrhosis, while little is known about early stage (liver steatosis) alcoholics. In this study, LCAT activity was assayed by Stokke and Norum's method, before and after a 15-day sobriety period, in liver steatosis and in cirrhosis alcoholics. Before alcohol withdrawal, LCAT activity was depressed in both groups.

Asymptomatic episodes of ischaemia and their relation to heart rate changes in patients with chronic ischaemic heart disease.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic episodes of ischaemia and their relation to heart rate in patients with effort angina pectoris undergoing continuous electrocardiographic monitoring for 24 h. We studied 91 patients with typical history of effort angina and positive stress testing (angina and rectilinear or downsloping ST segment depression more than 1 mm). During electrocardiographic monitoring 81 patients showed symptomatic or asymptomatic ischaemic episodes with ST segment depression, four patients a T wave inversion, while six patients did not show ischaemic episodes.

HBV infection in chronic alcoholics. A survey on 287 cases.

Out of 287 chronic alcoholics, 21 of whom (7.32%) resulted HBsAg positive, 106 were tested for other serum HBV markers. An overall HBV prevalence of 55.

An evaluation of the effects of isosorbide 5-mononitrate in patients with angina on effort using dynamic electrocardiography and echocardiography.

We studied 14 patients, 9 males and 5 females, with an average age of 53.6 +/- 9.2 years, having been suffering from effort angina for over 6 months, with positive ergometer test for angina and ST-segment depression greater than 1 mm.

Hyperprolactinemia and 5-alpha-reductase activity.

A number of experimental data indicate that hyperprolactinemia inhibits the activity of 5-alpha-reductase; however, no information is available about the time required for this enzyme to re-activate after prolactinemia has returned to normal values. In the present study, five normal caucasian men, whose fertility had previously been proven, were given HCG (5000 IU/day by intramuscular route for three days) both in basal conditions and after sulpiride-induced hyperprolactinemia (dosage = 200 mg/day for ten days). In both conditions, the plasma levels of prolactin (PRL), testosterone (T), dihydro-testosterone (DHT), 17-beta-estradiol (E2), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHAS) were monitored during the treatment with HCG and for an additional 24 hrs after HCG discontinuation.

The response of serum and seminal plasma prolactin to bromocriptine in normal men.

The Authors describe their experience with a group of twelve volunteer healthy men in order to evaluate if the bromocriptine inhibition of serum prolactin concentration also modifies seminal plasma PRL values. The results of this study lead us to suppose that PRL in semen could arrive from serum by a filtration process through the prostatovescicular apparatus.