SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Automatism”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Image analysis of argyrophil nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in oestrogen-induced rat anterior pituitary hyperplasia: comparison of automatized (LUCIA M) and non-automatized evaluation.

Argyrophil nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) were morphometrically evaluated in rat anterior pituitaries of control and oestrogenized rats using an automatized (LUCIA M--Laboratory Universal Computer Image Analysis Micro) and a non-automatized approaches to investigate not only the sensitivity and effectiveness of the automatized procedure but also the morphology of AgNORs in oestrogen-induced rat anterior pituitary hyperplasia. In the experimental oestrogen-induced rat anterior pituitary hyperplasia, the image analysis system LUCIA M was compared to a non-automatized morphometric procedure and proved to be very efficient and yielded analogical results. The AgNOR morphology in the oestrogenized pituitaries was characterized by an increase of the total AgNOR area and clustering of AgNORs in the large nucleoli.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Automatic access of lexical information in Broca's aphasics: against the automaticity hypothesis.

A number of recent articles have claimed that the language comprehension impairments of so-called agrammatic patients can be characterized as being due to problems with the automatic access of semantic and/or syntactic information from the lexicon. We describe three experiments, all using tasks which probe the immediate and automatic access of lexical information and compare the performance of agrammatic patients with that of an anomic and a fluent patient. We find no evidence in support of the automaticity hypothesis as an explanatory account of the language deficits of agrammatic aphasics. Further, we argue that current research does not lend itself to a single-explanation account of agrammatic comprehension problems, and that in-depth analyses of individual patients are more likely to be fruitful in terms of understanding the nature of comprehension deficits.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Development and validation of a measure of children's automatic thoughts: the children's automatic thoughts scale.

The aim of this study was to describe the history, factor structure and psychometric properties of the Children's Automatic Thoughts Scale (CATS). The CATS is a self-report measure designed to assess a wide range of negative self-statements in children and adolescents. The results of confirmatory factor analyses supported four distinct but strongly correlated factors relating to automatic thoughts on physical threat, social threat, personal failure and hostility. The internal consistency of the total score and subscales was high and test-retest reliability at 1 and 3 months was acceptable. The CATS effectively discriminated between control children and adolescents, and clinically anxious, depressed, or behavior disorder children and adolescents, and showed good discriminant validity across clinical subgroups on the subscales. Results suggest that the CATS is a promising instrument in the assessment of a range of negative automatic thoughts across both internalizing and externalizing problems in young people.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Doing without deliberation: automatism, automaticity, and moral accountability.

Actions performed in a state of automatism are not subject to moral evaluation, while automatic actions often are. Is the asymmetry between automatistic and automatic actions justified? In order to answer this question we need a model of moral accountability that does justice to our intuitions about a range of modes of agency, both pathological and non-pathological. Our aim in this paper is to lay the groundwork for the development of such a model.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Automatism re-visited: post-traumatic automatism as a defence to a serious criminal charge.

A case is described of a policeman who assaulted the man he was arresting after receiving a concussive blow to the head. The defence argued he was suffering from post-traumatic automatism and after juries were unable to agree a verdict in two trials he was acquitted. Aspects of post-traumatic automatism in English law are described and theories of the neurology of concussion and aggressive behaviour are discussed. Guidelines are proposed for the evaluation of cases of post-traumatic automatism.

Automatism↗

PubMed1991

Anesthetics and automaticity in latent pacemaker fibers. II. Effects of halothane and epinephrine or norepinephrine on automaticity of dominant and subsidiary atrial pacemakers in the canine heart.

Knowledge of anesthetic effects on the automaticity of dominant and subsidiary cardiac pacemakers is fundamental to an understanding of mechanisms of arrhythmia during anesthesia, as well as to the management of patients with sinus node dysfunction or atrioventricular (AV) conduction block. Among potential pacemakers of the heart are subsidiary atrial pacemakers (SAP), which are located outside the classic sinoatrial (SA) node region but still within the right atrium. SAP have a higher inherent rate of automaticity than AV junctional pacemakers, may contribute to a multicentric atrial pacemaker complex, and can control the rhythm of the heart when the SA node is absent or inhibited. How halothane, epinephrine (E), or norepinephrine (NE), alone or in combination, would affect the relation between the automaticity of the SA node and SAP was tested using an isolated, perfused canine right atrial preparation (n = 78). This preparation was perfused via the SA node artery with Krebs' solution (36.0 +/- 0.5 degrees C) equilibrated with 97% oxygen-3% carbon dioxide. Delivered concentrations of halothane of 1 or 2% corresponded to measured perfusate concentrations of 0.50 +/- 0.02 or 0.80 +/- 0.04 mM in experiments with E (n = 24) and 0.45 +/- 0.02 or 0.75 +/- 0.04 mM in experiments with NE (n = 54). E or NE perfusate concentrations were 1, 2, and 5 micrograms/l or 2, 5, and 10 micrograms/l, respectively. To determine the site of earliest activation (SEA), extracellular recordings were made from the SA node region and distal sites (approximately 1, 2, and 3 cm) along the sulcus terminalis, the previously reported locations of SAP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Anesthetics and automaticity of dominant and latent atrial pacemakers in chronically instrumented dogs. III. Automaticity after sinoatrial node excision.

BACKGROUND: Management of patients with sinus node dysfunction must consider the stability of subsidiary pacemakers during anesthesia and treatment with antimuscarinic or sympathomimetic drugs. Baroreflex regulation of atrial pacemaker function is known to contribute to the interactions between inhalation anesthetics and catecholamines. Sinoatrial (SA) node excision can be a model for intrinsic SA node dysfunction. Subsidiary atrial pacemakers are expected to emerge after SA node excision, but they may respond differently to humoral and neural modulation. Isolated and combined effects of epinephrine and methylatropine should help characterize subsidiary pacemaker function during anesthesia with halothane, isoflurane, and enflurane. METHODS: In eight dogs, SA nodes were excised and epicardial electrodes implanted at the atrial appendages, the His bundle, and along the sulcus terminalis. Spontaneous pacemaker automaticity and subsidiary atrial pacemaker recovery time were measured in the conscious state, in the presence of methylatropine, with 1 and 2 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 epinephrine and during 1.25 and 2 MAC halothane, isoflurane, and enflurane. RESULTS: After SA node excision, a stable and regular subsidiary atrial pacemaker rhythm emerged. Each anesthetic prolonged subsidiary atrial pacemaker recovery times. This prolongation was greater in the presence of methylatropine. Without methylatropine, isoflurane and enflurane, but not halothane, further enhanced the baroreflex-mediated negative chronotropic effects of epinephrine, whereas with methylatropine, each anesthetic reduced the direct positive chronotropic effects of epinephrine. CONCLUSIONS: Halothane, isoflurane, and enflurane have significant depressant effects on the spontaneous and epinephrine-altered automaticity of subsidiary atrial pacemakers. Depression of subsidiary atrial pacemaker automaticity was most apparent in dogs with muscarinic blockade.

Anesthetics↗

PubMed1995

Blood pressure self-measurement in the elderly: differences between automatic and semi-automatic systems.

Arterial hypertension is the most common cardiovascular risk factor in the elderly. Its clinical control emphasises the problem of the systems used for monitoring: clinical measurement by the physician, home self-monitoring, ambulatory monitoring, etc. In particular, in the elderly population, the self-monitoring of blood pressure can present further problems associated with their situation. In our study we evaluated, in an elderly population, the differences in the self-recording of blood pressure with automatic and semi-automatic equipment using a mercury sphygmomanometer by a physician as a 'gold standard' control. We studied 28 elderly subjects using a rigid protocol for the self-measurement of their blood pressure. Our results show that automatic equipment is significantly more precise and easier to use than semiautomatic equipment in home self-measurement of blood pressure in elderly people.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Possible automatic cell classification of bone marrow aspirate using the CELL-DYN 4000 automatic blood cell analyzer.

In clinical hematology, the demand for bone marrow aspiration testing is increasing. However, conventional automatic blood cell analyzers cannot completely analyze erythroblasts, and evaluation has mainly been performed by visual examination (the microscopic method). Using the CELL-DYN 4000 automatic blood cell analyzer (CD4000) (Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL), specific recognition and classification of erythroblasts by DNA staining is possible. In the present study, using bone marrow blood collected from normal subjects and patients with hematological malignancy, we classified cells by the microscopic method and with the CD4000, and compared the results. Good correlations were found for total nucleated cell count (TNCC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, erythroblasts, and the myeloid series to erythroid series (M/E) ratio. It is possible to detect blasts that emerge in patients with hematological malignancy using the blast flag system installed on the CD4000. Since all of the items can be analyzed in about 80 sec with the CD4000, cells in bone marrow aspirates can be classified faster with this apparatus than by the microscopic method. Therefore, analysis of bone marrow aspirates with this apparatus appears to be very useful not only for laboratory testing but also for clinical screening.

Bone Marrow↗

PubMed2005

A study comparing the usability of fully automatic versus semi-automatic defibrillation by untrained nursing students.

INTRODUCTION: Current international guidelines prefer the use of semi-automatic external defibrillators (SAEDs) over fully automatic external defibrillators (FAEDs). However, there is a lack of evidence supporting this recommendation. We conducted a study of usability with nursing students comparing the FAED version against the SAED version of the Lifepak CR Plus AED (Medtronic, Redmond, USA). We hypothesized that FAED use would limit the number of operator-device interactions, thereby increasing compliance by the rescuer, safety and speed. METHODS: Sixty-two untrained first year nursing students were randomized to use the FAED or the SAED in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. During analysis and delivery of three shocks, the AED guided the user with six voice prompts per shock (18 voice prompts per student). Their performance with regard to efficacy and safety was assessed using video recording. RESULTS: All rescuers except for two were able to attach electrodes and deliver a series of three shocks. During rhythm analysis by the device, FAED users made 30/372 (8%) errors against 62/360 (17%) errors for SAED users (P < 0.001). During shock delivery, FAED users made 0/186 errors against 12/180 (7%) for SAED users (P < 0.001). FAED use eliminated long time intervals between the first to the third shock (range 47-49s for FAED versus 41-90s for SAED). CONCLUSION: Despite a lack of BLS skills and AED training, the majority of students demonstrated safe and effective use of the AED. The use of the FAED version of the CR Plus resulted in increased compliance with the protocol and reduced variability in time to deliver three shocks. Further research is needed to confirm these findings in other groups of first responders.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

[Implanted automatic defibrillator after ventricular fibrillation treated with semi-automatic defibrillation].

We report two cases of out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation treated without delay, with basic life support practiced by the witness, followed by a successful defibrillation by paramedics with a semi-automatic defibrillator. In the subsequent month, a cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted. In one patient, a ventricular tachycardia occurring 10 months later and a ventricular fibrillation 9 months later in the other respectively, were successfully reversed by the implanted defibrillator. These two cases illustrate the value of the "survival chain" concept (undelayed alert, basic life support by witness, early defibrillation by paramedics with a semi-automatic defibrillator, advanced life support by a physician) as well as the benefit of the implanted cardioverter-defibrillator.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Quality control of automatically defined cancer cases by the automated registration system of the Venetian Tumour Registry. Quality control of cancer cases automatically registered.

BACKGROUND: In the Venetian Tumour Registry a substantial quota of cases (55%) is accepted using an algorithm that automatically evaluates diagnostic evidence: this study aims at assessing the reliability of the information produced in this way. METHODS: A reabstraction study was conducted, which put a stratified sample of 1539 automatically accepted cases through a double-blind manual revision. RESULTS: A significantly higher proportion of prevalent cases were found among breast, prostate and larynx cancer cases without microscopic confirmation, while there is a clear strong inverse relationship between the number of concordant diagnostic sources and the proportions of discordant diagnoses: cases based only on a single cytology record are particularly unreliable. A small number of multiple cancers are not detected because of one of the rules applied. CONCLUSION: The overall proportion of incorrect decisions is not high and similar to those reported by other registries, but errors are correlated to the diagnostic evidence pattern. As a further check, we decided to revise clinical cases for the three sites mentioned manually, in order to reduce the numbers proportion of both prevalent cases, and all cytology-based diagnoses, so as to reduce the number of 'false positives'. Coverage of hospital discharge source has been extended in order to decrease the proportion of cases based only on pathology records.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1975

Comparison of intravenous oxytocin and prostaglandin E2 for induction of labour using automatic and non-automatic infusion techniques.

A double blind trial of prostaglandin E2 and oxytocin given by intravenous infusion after amniotomy for induction of labour in 100 primigravidae with unfavourable induction features is reported. No clear-cut advantage of either drug emerged although PGE2 was perhaps superior when the cervix was highly unfavourable. Prostaglandin E2 appeared to produce less deleterious effects on the fetus but was associated with a higher incidence of maternal side effects. The automatic Cardiff Infusion apparatus was found to be a safe means of PGE2 infusion and to have advantages over the use of non-automatic techniques both for PGE2 and for oxytocin infusion.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Italian experience with AutoCapture in conjunction with a membrane lead. Pacesetter Automatic Control of Energy and Membrane Automatic Threshold Evaluation (Pacemate) Study Group.

AutoCapture is a programmable feature of the Pacesetter Microny SR + 2425T VVIR pacemaker, which provides for the automatic capture verification, increase in output in the presence of noncapture and threshold searching, with adjustment of output settings. The effectiveness of this unit in conjunction with the Membrane models 1400T and 1401T bipolar endocardial leads was studied in 54 patients followed at 19 Italian Centers. The patients were randomized at the time of implantation to receive either the model 1400T or the 1401T lead. The electrodes in these leads are covered by a Nafion membrane, which was either impregnated (model 1400T) or not-impregnated (model 1401T) with steroid. This paper reports the data collected over the first six weeks postimplantation. The results of the automatic capture function was compared to the capture threshold measured using the Vario technique at the time of predischarge evaluations, and weeks 1,2, and 6 of postimplant follow-up. The reliability and effectiveness of the pulse generator-lead system allowed for consistent pacing at very low outputs and safety preserved at a programmed output only 0.3 V above the capture threshold.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Is automatic mode switching effective for atrial arrhythmias occurring at different rates? A study of the efficacy of automatic mode and rate switching to simulated atrial arrhythmias by chest wall stimulation.

Automatic mode switching (AMS) is a useful means to avoid rapid ventricular response during atrial fibrillation (AF), but AMS cannot occur if the detected atrial rate during AF is below the mode switching criteria. This may be the result of antiarrhythmic medications, or when the atrial events fall within the atrial blanking period, or if the atrial amplitudes during AF are too small to be sensed. We hypothesize that the addition of an automatic rate switching (ARS) algorithm may complement AMS response during AF with different detected atrial rates. We studied the Marathon DDDR pacemaker (Model 294-09, Intermedics Inc.) with the AMS and ARS algorithms that are independently programmable but can also operate in combination. AF sensed above the AMS rate (160 beats/min) will lead to VDIR pacing, whereas AF below AMS rate will be tracked at an interim rate as dictate by the ARS, at a ventricular response that is 20 beats/min above the sensor indicated rate. Atrial tachyarrhythmias were simulated by chest wall stimulation (CWS). CWS was applied to 33 patients (16 men, 17 women, mean age 69 +/- 11 years) with a Marathon DDDR pacemaker using an external pacer to simulate AF occurring at two rate levels: above the AMS rate (programmed at 160 beats/min) at 180 beats/min and below the AMS rate at 120 beats/min. The maximum, minimum, and mean ventricular rates during CWS in DDDR mode with AMS alone, ARS alone, and their combination were compared. During CWS at 120 beats/min, the AMS plus ARS setting showed a mean ventricular rate of 79 +/- 3 beats/min and 124 +/- 14 beats/min in the AMS setting alone (P < 0.01). With CWS at 180 beats/min, the mean ventricular rate in the AMS plus ARS setting compared to the AMS setting alone was not significantly different. However, the variation in ventricular pacing rate was 7 +/- 14 beats/min in the AMS plus ARS setting and 40 +/- 42 beats/min in the AMS setting (P < 0.05). In conclusion, AMS is effective for simulated atrial tachyarrhythmias sensed above the AMS rate. Combined AMS with ARS is useful to handle simulated atrial tachyarrhythmia at a slower rate and to avoid rate fluctuation during AMS. There is also a possibility that this can be applied to the naturally occurring atrial tachyarrhythmias.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Automaticity and cognitive anatomy: is word recognition "automatic"?

Recent progress in neural imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography and dense-array recording of event-related potentials has greatly increased the capacity for in vivo measurement of cognitively relevant processing activity within the human brain. Data from these neural imaging technologies can be combined with behavioral data from standard chronometric techniques to enhance computational modeling of human cognition. Applications of neural data to issues of attention and automaticity are illustrated in the domain of visual word recognition, addressing the question "Is word recognition automatic?"

Animals↗

PubMed1989

[Combination use of an automatic anti-tachycardia pacemaker and an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in sustained recurrent ventricular tachycardia resistant to drugs].

We used the combination of an antitachycardia automatic ventricular pacemaker with the automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator in two patients with sustained, recurrent, drug-resistant ventricular tachycardias in whom a surgical ablation was not indicated. The indications for the combined use of the two systems were the possibility to control: a) the ventricular tachycardias with ventricular programmed stimulation; b) the arrhythmias which might eventually degenerate into ventricular flutter or fibrillation (as a result of anti-tachycardia pacing) with the defibrillator. To avoid any possible interference between the two systems we used the following protocol: a) endocardial bipolar pacing; b) the sensing electrodes of the defibrillator were placed as far as possible from the endocardial one; c) a suitable programming of the pacemaker output; d) a careful selection of the anti-tachycardia pacing programme (burst rate inferior to the cut-off rate of the cardioverter-defibrillator and/or a duration of the burst pacing inferior to the arrhythmia sensing time of the defibrillator); e) use of cardioverter-defibrillators with a high cut-off rate. We never observed, during the follow-up (11 and 4 months, respectively), interference between the two systems. Both patients had ventricular tachycardia recurrences (51 and 3 episodes, respectively). The arrhythmias were correctly detected and interrupted by the pacemaker without the intervention of the defibrillator. These data confirm the feasibility of the combined use of the two systems in patients with ventricular tachycardias and, in selected cases, this approach is preferable. The anti-tachycardia pacemaker counteracts some limitations of the defibrillators available at present. It offers a protection against bradyarrhythmias and allows a more precise storage of arrhythmic events. The anti-tachycardia pacemaker often controls ventricular tachycardias without the intervention of the defibrillator, thus giving the same a longer life-span and allowing patients to avoid the shock.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Anesthetics and automaticity in latent pacemaker fibers. IV. Effects of isoflurane and epinephrine or norepinephrine on automaticity of dominant and subsidiary atrial pacemakers in the canine heart.

BACKGROUND: Anesthesia and surgery may be associated with atrioventricular junctional or ventricular rhythm disturbances. These may be caused by alteration of automaticity of primary and subsidiary pacemakers. METHODS: The direct effects of isoflurane, alone or in combination with epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE), as well as single effects of E and NE, were examined on automaticity of primary and subsidiary atrial pacemakers (SAP) using a perfused canine right atrial preparation (n = 29). Preparations were perfused with oxygenated Krebs' solution at a constant perfusion pressure of 87 mmHg and a temperature of 36.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C. Delivered concentrations of isoflurane of 1.4 and 2.8% corresponded to measured perfusate concentrations of 315 +/- 7 and 617 +/- 16 microM in experiments with E (n = 14), and 316 +/- 10 and 610 +/- 26 microM in experiments with NE (n = 15). Epinephrine or NE perfusate concentrations were 2 and 5 micrograms/l or 5 and 10 micrograms/l, respectively. To determine the site of earliest activation, extracellular recordings were made from the SA node region and distal sites (approximately 1, 2, and 3 cm) along the sulcus terminalis, the previously reported locations of SAP. Sites of earliest activation shifts from SA node to SAP were scored 1, 2, or 3 depending on the distance from the control pacemaker. The summed shift scores (magnitude score) were normalized by dividing by the total number of preparations for each experimental condition. RESULTS: Exposure to isoflurane, NE, or E alone did not produce a significant increase in the incidence of pacemaker shifts or normalized pacemaker shift scores. Only the high dose of E significantly increased the incidence of pacemaker shifts and normalized shift scores. Dysrhythmogenic potential of E and NE tended to be greater after earlier exposure to isoflurane. Every combination of isoflurane with E or NE produced a significant increase in the incidence of pacemaker shifts and normalized shift scores. CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that isoflurane with E or NE acts synergistically to increase dysrhythmic potential in the arterial tissue.

Animals↗