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Biomedical subjects

G Elias

Publications and source records attributed to G Elias.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Developmental changes in the incidence and likelihood of simultaneous talk during the first two years: a question of function.

Global tendencies for the relative absence of covocalization (simultaneous talk) have been identified in both conversations between adult partners and conversations between mothers and their infants; in each case, the alternating mode in which one partner speaks at a time is predominant. The present investigation examined the timing of the partner's talk in mother-infant engagements over infant age to determine whether: (a) variations occur in the incidence of the alternating mode; and (b) variations occur in the extent to which the alternating mode predominates. Conversations involving a total of 48 mothers and their infants aged from 0;3 to 2;0 were investigated at each of eight infant ages (0;3, 0;6, 0;9, 1;0, 1;3, 1;6, 1;9 and 2;0). The results indicated that, within a global tendency for the relative absence of covocalization, there was: (a) a curvilinear tendency for the incidence of covocalization to decrease over the first 18 months, and then to increase; and (b) a linear tendency for the extent to which the alternating mode predominates to increase over age. These changes are interpreted as reflecting the facilitative effects of covocalization in the case of young preverbal infants, and the need for the alternating, turn-taking pattern to predominate as mutual comprehension becomes possible in conversations between mothers and their older infants.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Antipyretic effect of indomethacin vs aspirin in fever of tumor origin].

Fever is frequently a symptom in patients suffering from cancer and in most cases it is related to infections or complications of the treatment. Some cancers can also be the direct cause of fever. A total of 28 episodes of fever in 8 patients with cancer were studied. The diagnoses were: 3 patients with lung cancer, 1 patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia, 1 patient with kidney cancer, 2 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and 1 patient with Hodgkin's disease. Were included cancer diagnosed patients of any age and sex, with three or more episodes of fever of more than 37.5 C (with a case of 38.5 C or more) after having eliminated any infectious etiology or fever caused by drugs. Were not excluded any patients who had received whole blood or blood derivative transfusions, chemotherapy or antibiotic treatment up to 48 hs before the fever peak. The patients were given intramuscularly 500 mg of aspirin or 50 mg of indomethacin. The first response in the temperature curve was evaluated while checking the axillary temperature six hours after drug administration and 48 hs later if the fever persisted. The patients who were given aspirin at first, were then given indomethacin and vice versa, using the same criteria to evaluate the response. In patients treated with indomethacin the temperature diminished quickly and completely (Fig. 1), unlike the effect achieved with the use of aspirin (Fig. 2). All patients treated with indomethacin also showed a remarkable clinical improvement which was not observed when aspirin was used.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aspirin↗
PubMed1992

Local and global aspects of temporal patterning in the conversations of adults.

A randomization procedure was used to examine local and global aspects of patterning in the conversations of 25 pairs of students. This procedure involved reorganizing the binary events constituting the partners' individual records, and then combining these events to produce randomized dyadic records of each conversation. Comparisons between the observed and randomized records indicated an overall tendency in all dyads to avoid covocalization (simultaneous talk). Notwithstanding this overall tendency, there were gender-related differences between groups; dyads containing female participants tended to covocalize more frequently, and for longer durations, than male-male dyads. There was also a tendency for participants to respond promptly to the talk of their partners. We interpret these results as indicating that systematic variation in the use of covocalization may occur at local levels within the constraints set by information-processing requirements at global levels.

Communication↗
PubMed1991

A protocol for the safe administration of debrisoquine in biochemical epidemiologic research protocols for hospitalized patients.

The genetically determined ability to metabolize the antihypertensive drug debrisoquine has been proposed as a genetic risk factor for primary carcinomas of the lung. To test this hypothesis, the metabolism of the drug was evaluated in a case control study. The subjects were characterized by their ability to metabolize debrisoquine after receiving a test dose of the drug followed by the collection of an 8-hour urine sample. They were classified by laboratory analysis into one of the following three groups: extensive, intermediate, and poor metabolizers. Poor metabolizers comprise 10% of the population and are unable to hydroxylate the drug. This group was expected to be at highest risk for deleterious effects from this medication. A protocol was created that included patient education and blood pressure monitoring to administer this medication safely to a group of patients with cancer who were already compromised. Although poor metabolizers showed a small decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, no significant hypotensive episodes or clinical sequelae were observed in any of the groups. These data suggest that debrisoquine can be administered safely in a controlled clinical setting and will be useful for the characterization of lung cancer patients in biochemical epidemiology studies.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1991

[Hydatid cyst of the right ventricle].

A 35 years old women has had palpitations for the last six months on auscultation she has a mid systolic clic. The echocardiogram shows a typical aspect of right ventricular hydatid cyst. The right and left catheterization confirms the diagnosis. A thoracic scan is done to rule out other localisations. The patient is successfully operated. The authors emphasized the importance of an echocardiogram in a visceral or secondary localisation of echinococcosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Oxygen radical scavenging activity of phenylbutenones and their correlation with antiinflammatory activity.

A number of ring substituted(E)-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-ones including dehydrozingerone were studied for their oxygen radical scavenging properties. They scavenged superoxide and hydroxyl radicals to an appreciable extent. Good correlation (r = 0.87) was obtained between superoxide scavenging and antiinflammatory activity. The correlation was not significant with the hydroxyl scavenging activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Carboplatin (CBDCA) and radiotherapy for stage IV carcinoma of the head and neck: a phase I-II study.

The prognosis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SQC) of the head and neck (H&N) depends on the primary site and anatomical extent of the disease. Recurrence rates after conventional surgery (S) and/or radiotherapy (RT) remain low for localized tumors, whereas in advanced loco-regional disease they occur in over 60% of all cases. Several combinations of treatment modalities have been attempted in order to improve local control in Stages III and IV. Unfortunately, the recurrence rate remains high with added morbidity when conventional surgery is combined with pre or post-operative radiotherapy. Induction chemotherapy (CT) with Cisplatinum and Bleomycin has resulted in severe toxicities when combined with radiotherapy. To evaluate the toxicity of Carboplatin (CBDCA), a second generation platinum analog, when given simultaneously with conventional doses of radiotherapy, 26 patients with Stage IV SQC of the head and neck were treated at the University of Maryland Medical Systems. There were 23 males and 3 females; median age was 59 years and median Karnofski performance status was 60. Twenty patients had received no prior therapy; six had surgical exploration and excision with measurable residual disease. Anatomically, six patients had tumors of the oral cavity, twelve in the pharynx, one in the nasopharynx, four in the larynx, one in the hypopharynx, one in the maxillary antrum, and one was an unknown primary. These patients were treated as out-patients with weekly injections of Carboplatin. The dose was escalated: two patients received 60 mg/M2, seven received 75 mg/M2, thirteen were treated with 100 mg/M2, and four with 400 mg/M2. The radiotherapy was given daily with conventional fractions of 180 cGy and total tumor doses of 60-75 Gy. Toxicities were mainly hematological with median nadirs decreasing with increasing doses of Carboplatin. Mucositis was seen in over 80% of the patients, but interestingly enough, it has never been more severe than that observed with radiotherapy alone. So far, there has not been any kidney, ear, or neurotoxicities. Of 25 evaluable patients, 19 (76%) responded with 13 (52%) showing complete response. The overall median survival time is 266+ days (324+ for responders and 179+ for non-responders). The follow-up is still short, 10-14 months, but 9 of 13 patients with complete response have not yet progressed.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1989

Timing in mother-infant communications: a comment on Murray & Trevarthen (1986)

Murray & Trevarthen (1986) experimentally manipulated the behaviours of mothers and infants in an attempt to determine who is responsible for the fine temporal patterning during vocal engagements. In the present note it is argued that the measures of content and style of maternal talk used by Murray and Trevarthen do not directly indicate the ways in which the behaviours of the partners are combined on a moment-to-moment basis.

Female↗
PubMed1988

Aspects of structure and content of maternal talk with infants.

Content of maternal talk in six mother-infant dyads was used to determine whether mothers timed their talk to infants as they would when conversing with an adult. Results indicated that maternal talk of an informative nature (Type 1 acts) tended to follow a brief intervening interval of silence, while maternal talk containing little or no information (Type 2 acts) tended to occur when the mothers "talked with" (covocalized with) their infants. In addition, there was a significant trend for the overall proportion of Type 1 acts to increase over infant age. These findings support the view that, during mother-infant engagements, mothers behave like sophisticated conversational partners.

Child Language↗
PubMed1986

Maternal control of co-vocalization and inter-speaker silences in mother-infant vocal engagements.

Co-vocalizations and inter-speaker silences were used to investigate the vocal engagements of six mother-infant dyads. Observed records of vocal behaviours were compared with records in which the vocal behaviours were randomized. The results indicated that there were significantly fewer co-vocalizations in observed than in randomized records; that the durations of inter-speaker silences following infant vocalization were significantly shorter in observed than in randomized records; and that the durations of inter-speaker silences following maternal vocalization were significantly longer in observed than in randomized records. These findings were interpreted as being consistent with the view that mothers attempt to engage their infants in turn-taking encounters, and that descriptions of such engagements in terms of conversational metaphors may be misleading in this regard.

Female↗
PubMed1977

The curfew bill as it relates to the juvenile and his family.

Curfew laws have been instituted in cities across the United States in an attempt to control the rise in juvenile crime. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of a curfew law for Baltimore City based on interviews with city officals and concludes that the law in its present form will not bring about any significant change in the rate of delinquency. Alternative are suggested that might better get to the source of the problem. These include more youth and family counseling services, rehabilitative facilities, work study programs and shelter areas.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Hemodynamic findings in Friedreich's ataxia.

Thirteen patients with classical Friedreich's ataxia underwent cardiac catheterization with recordings of retrograde cardiac pressures, measurements of cardiac output and calculation of the left ventricular volumes and mass. The cardiomyopathy in Friedreich's ataxia falls into the hypertrophic group of cardiomyopathies with decreased compliance of ventricular myocardium, varying degrees of concentric and asymmetric hypertrophy and outflow tract obstruction. Although there is no clear parallel between the degree of abnormal hemodynamic findings and the degree of neurological impairment, severely handicapped patients may present a diffusely hypertrophied and hypokinetic left ventricular myocardium.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Cardiac angiographic findings in Friedreich's ataxia.

Angiograms of 12 patients with typical Friedreich's ataxia were analyzed. The results corroborate previous reports and justify the conclusion that the cardiomyopathy is of the hypertrophic type. In 10 of 12 cases, the hypertrophy is concentric, and non obstructive. Less frequently (2 cases), this hypertrophy is accompanied by diffuse hypokinesis and depressed ejection fraction.

Angiocardiography↗