Biomedical subjects

E Alberts

Publications and source records attributed to E Alberts.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Heart rate variability and sustained attention in ADHD children.

The major goal of the current study was to investigate the association between continuous performance tests (CPTs) and the heart rate variability (HRV) of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children. The HRV, specifically the 0.10-Hz component, may be considered to be a psychophysiological index of effort allocation (motivation): The less effort the subject allocates, the greater the 0.10-Hz component. Results indicated that, compared to controls, ADHD subjects had a greater 0.10-Hz component, which was associated with poor test performance over time. Thus, using a psychophysiological measure, we were able to confirm the clinical concept of ADHD from a motivational perspective.

Attention↗

PubMed1992

Observations of hyperactive behaviour during vigilance.

A sustained attention deficit implies a deficit originating in the course of a task. A series of studies previously indicated that task inefficiency in hyperactive children is independent of task duration. The present study shows that differences in body activity between hyperactive and control children are also independent of task duration. However, the groups did differ in visual behaviour, i.e. hyperactive children did look away from the task more frequently as time proceeds. This visual behaviour did not interfere with task accuracy. It is argued that the results indicate that hyperactive children may have prevented a further deterioration of task efficiency over time through self stimulation.

Arousal↗

PubMed1989

The caffeine contents of non-alcoholic beverages.

The caffeine content of a number of non-alcoholic beverages was determined using HPLC. It was found that Diet Coke had a greater caffeine content than Coke (4.15 compared with 3.13 mg/fl oz), Tab is virtually caffeine free, and Lucozade, sold as a tonic, contains more caffeine than any of the other carbonated beverages tested (5.17 mg/fl oz). The pure instant coffee tested contained much more caffeine than the coffee/chicory mixtures (12.61 compared with 3.18 mg/fl oz). The caffeine content of Ceylon tea blends increases with the time the tea is allowed to draw (from about 8 mg/fl oz after 1 min to about 12 mg/fl oz after 20 min). Tea that has been allowed to draw for 20 min has a caffeine content similar to that of pure coffee.

Beverages↗

PubMed1988

Solubility changes on mixing short- and long-acting insulin preparations.

The loss of solubility of short-acting insulins when mixed in a ratio of 1:1 with intermediate-acting insulins in vitro was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Insulin preparations (porcine and human) from three different manufacturers were tested and various times of mixing (0-24 h) were investigated. The loss of solubility with mixtures of human insulins and with mixtures of porcine Velosulin (Nordisk) and Insulatard (Nordisk) was small at all the times used. A mixture of porcine Actrapid MC (Novo) and Monotard MC (Novo) led to a 60-95% loss of the soluble component, depending on the duration of mixing. The greater the time the greater the loss. These in vitro data indicate that short-acting insulins may lose solubility when mixed with long- or intermediate-acting ones. This phenomenon could be clinically relevant when patients are changed from mixtures of monocomponent to human insulins.

Drug Combinations↗

PubMed1983

Mother-infant dialogue in the first days of life: an observational study during breast-feeding.

The temporal organization of the behaviour of children at risk can exhibit inconsistencies which may impair their adaptation. Seven mother-newborn pairs, selected for neurological and obstetric optimality of the babies, were observed during 2 breast-feedings (2nd after birth and 6th to 9th after birth). During pauses between sucking bouts the behaviours of the two partners were strongly coupled, even in the earlier feedings, which was not the case during sucking bouts themselves. Pauses which contained tactile behaviour were shorter in later feedings than in earlier ones, in contrast to both pauses without tactile behaviour and to bouts. The possible functional relevance of emerging temporal relations between partners' behaviours during breast-feeding is discussed.

Adult↗