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Biomedical subjects

D Giacomo

Publications and source records attributed to D Giacomo.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Biochemical and behavioral characterization of a novel cholinergic agonist, SR 95639.

Selective M1 cholinergic agonists may be useful in treating dementias due to cholinergic hypofunction. SR 95639 has recently been described as such a compound. We found the compound to have affinity for M1 sites (Ki = 2.1 microM) which was approximately 3-fold higher than its affinity for M2 sites. Functional partial agonism was suggested by an inconsistent increase in phosphoinositide (PI) turnover in rat hippocampal slices, combined with blockade of carbachol-stimulated PI turnover. In vivo M2-mediated effects were absent. Scopolamine-induced hyperactivity was attenuated by SR 95639 and scopolamine-impaired inhibitory avoidance and radial maze performance were improved. The compound appears to be a weakly selective M1 partial agonist with potential advantages over existing compounds.

Animals

Toward a generative theory of the therapeutic field.

In the various models of family therapy, family systems are described as being patterned and programmed in their operations and development. The regularities and patterns found in family life are believed to be the expression of a program that determines the behavior of the family system and each of its members. Therapists holding this view will use "programming methods" in order to map family phenomena, and therapeutic work will consist of disrupting the problematic sequences in a deterministic way. However, if we take into consideration the impossibility of always linking inputs and outputs and the inability to evaluate consistently the behaviors in a system, problems associated with indeterminancy appear. Under such conditions, it may be impossible for therapists to formulate programs of family functioning. Therefore, we have operationalized a set of methodological principles that can be applied in such conditions. In this article we present the theoretical and practical implications for the field of therapy of "nonprogramming methods." A videotaped session is analyzed in order to show the application of the nonprogramming methods in clinical practice.

Adolescent

Systemic practice.

In this paper we propose to develop a methodology, based on a set of isomorphic patterns of practice, for studying the operational competencies of systemic therapists. By attending to the therapists' actions at the level of practice, we have identified unifying principles that run across the different models of systemic family therapy. This is a pattern of action that we call "systemic practice." In order to show the application of this methodology in the art of practice, we have analyzed excerpts from two videotaped sessions.

Adolescent