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Biomedical subjects

L Levi

Publications and source records attributed to L Levi.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Neurotraumatological survey in northern Israel. I. Annual and seasonal variations.

A descriptive epidemiological study of neurotraumatology was undertaken over a 4.5-year period at a regional hospital with a referral base of 1,200,000 residents with a single neurosurgical department. The 1,370 patients included in this study were those who required neurosurgical evaluation and treatment. The data base consists of demographic, clinical and radiological features at the time of admission, as well as the hospital course through to discharge. Higher admission rates were noted in spring and summer, although the mechanisms of injury showed variations. Some of the yearly variations can be explained, such as a change in rates of admission of soldiers and Lebanese population. A change from the expected outcome related to the Glasgow Coma Scale in one of the years deserves another quality control study. The main advantage of such a study, apart from the creation of data base, is an online guide for the decision-making process of health facility planning.

Brain Injuries↗
PubMed1989

Neurological aspects of vergence eye movements.

This review of vergence eye movements emphasizes the importance of performing a more rigorous examination of vergence at the bedside. Furthermore, recent experimental studies have better defined the physiological organization of brain-stem neurons that generate immediate premotor vergence commands. We emphasize analogies with the saccadic system and suggest that there are common organizational features of models for the generation of saccadic and of vergence movements. Finally, using the paradigm of spectacle-corrected anisometropia, we have demonstrated a remarkable adaptive capability that assures proper ocular alignment with changes of gaze.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The incidence of multiple meningiomas--do solitary meningiomas exist?

Since the advent of computed tomography (CT) the recognition of the occurrence of multiple intracranial meningiomas (MIM) in the same individual has been on the increase. In our material the incidence of MIM at first assessment of CT films was 20%, with distant multiplicity prevailing over the regional one. This incidence will probably change in the course of time as MIM develop not only concurrently but also consecutively. On the other hand our surgical macroscopic incidence of regional multiplicity alone was 49%. The discrepancy between the CT and surgical findings prompted us to reevaluate the CT studies of 100 consecutive patients. This reevaluation demonstrated: 1. in two cases, small meningiomas were overlooked at first assessment; 2. nineteen cases of solitary globoid meningiomas seemed to be the consequence of the coalescence of adjacent smaller masses. Thus, the CT incidence of MIM increased to 40%, with regional multiplicity prevailing over the distant one. The authors think that the aforesaid findings question the very existence of solitary meningiomas as a pathological entity. They would be the end product of a coalescence of multiple adjacent smaller growths. Accordingly, a more aggressive surgical approach is suggested to include the resection of a generous fringe of dura mater around the main tumour. As this is not always possible, or too risky, a comprehensive complement to surgery like radiotherapy could be given a reasonable randomized trial.

Dura Mater↗
PubMed1987

Decrease of ocular pressure with oral metyrapone. A double-masked crossover trial.

To examine the effect of a decrease in plasma cortisol level on intraocular pressure, 14 subjects with elevated ocular pressure were given oral metyrapone tartrate (an inhibitor of adrenal cortisol biosynthesis) and a placebo in a double-masked, two-period, crossover trial. Ocular pressure and the adrenal response were monitored over a seven-hour period. The decrease in ocular pressure after metyrapone administration was significantly greater than that after placebo. The 14 subjects could be designated as responders or nonresponders by decline of ocular pressure after metyrapone administration compared with response after placebo. The responders could be further differentiated from the nonresponders by a smaller decrease in ocular pressure over time in response to the placebo and by a smaller decrease over time of plasma cortisol level in response to metyrapone. These results provide further evidence that plasma glucocorticoids may play a role in the regulation of ocular pressure.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

Long-term unemployment among women in Sweden.

Vulnerability at long-term unemployment is discussed and the results of a study of the effects of job loss and long-term unemployment among Swedish women are presented. Psychological and physiological data for the unemployed were sampled repeatedly over a two year period. Some of the unemployed were subject to an intervention programme aiming at buffering for the possibly negative effects of unemployment. Health data from matched control groups of employed were gathered over the same period. The results indicate a strong negative stress reaction at the job loss period, followed by a gradual adaptation to the conditions of unemployment as measured by biochemical and physiological health indicators. However, a substantial proportion of the unemployed compared to the employed showed a lower degree of psychological well-being and more severe depressive reactions. Recommendations are given concerning further research approaches on long-term unemployment. Policy implications to reduce vulnerability at long-term unemployment are discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1987

Society, brain and gut--a psychosocial approach to dyspepsia.

Common denominators in the etiology of psychosocially induced ill health--in the gastrointestinal tract and elsewhere--flow from discrepancies between human ability, needs, and expectations on the one hand, and environmental demands, opportunities, and individual perception of these on the other. Pathogenic mechanisms include emotional reactions (anxiety, depression, hypochondria), behavioural reactions (abuse of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco, destructive and self-destructive behaviour, and resistance to prevention, therapy and rehabilitation), and physiological reactions (neuroendocrine and immunological). Through these mechanisms, psychosocial stressors can precipitate ill health, influence well-being, and modify the outcome of health action. Interacting variables (coping, social support) can buffer these effects. One of the targets of such influences is the gastrointestinal tract. Present knowledge concerning socio-psycho-gastrointestinal interrelationships is far from conclusive. Some of its implications for therapeutic approaches to gastrointestinal patients are discussed.

Digestive System↗
PubMed1986

[Granuloma anulare perforans: 2 clinically different forms].

Two different forms of granuloma annulare perforans are described. One form, which particularly affects young people, is characterized by small nodular lesions with central umbilication and a monomorphic clinical picture. These lesions can persist for many years, but spontaneous remission often occurs. The second form affects older patients. The clinical picture is polymorphic, consisting of dull red papules, umbilicated papules, pustular lesions and small atrophic scars. This form is resistant to a variety of therapies and does not heal spontaneously.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Behavioural and endocrine reactions in boys scoring high on Sennton neurotic scale viewing an exciting and partly violent movie and the importance of social support.

Psychoendocrine and behavioural effects elicited by viewing an exciting and partly violent movie were studied in 12-year-old boys (n = 42). The boys were divided into three groups. Group A (n = 13) consisted of boys scoring below the median value on the Sennton neurotic scale for vegetative and anxiety symptoms. Group B (n = 13) consisted of boys scoring above the median value on the Sennton neurotic scale. None of these boys had ever visited a psychiatric treatment centre, and they all came from the same school. A third group, Group C (n = 16), consisted of boys who, at least once, had visited an out-patient clinic at a child psychiatric treatment centre for neurotic problems. These boys attended different schools in the hospital catchment area. Group C had the same mean score on the Sennton neurotic scale as did Group B. By having two groups of boys scoring both high on the Sennton neurotic scale, one of which knew the other boys and one that did not, we were able to study possible effects of social support on psychobiologic reactions in neurotic boys. The boys' reactions to the movie were assessed by: self-ratings; direct observations of the boys by a team of trained child psychologists; and by analysis of urinary output of adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. Group B rated their experience the strongest, viewing the movie, while Groups A and C rated themselves as rather unaffected by it. Group C was rated less verbally active, both during the control and the film periods, than were the other two groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aggression↗
PubMed1985

[Congenital luxation of the hip in a newborn infant after tubal pregnancy (feto-salpynx). Plea for the postural theory of luxation].

The authors report a case of an infant born after a 37-week intra-tubal pregnancy (foeto-salpinx). There were several orthopaedic complications due to malposition: torticollis which will be treated by sternomastoid tenotomy at the age of three, pes valgus with metatarsus varus and congenital dislocation of the right hip. Conservative treatment proved inadequate and required treatment by pelvic osteotomy to correct a severe acetabular dysplasia. A review of the literature reveals that tubal pregnancies resulting in the birth of a mature and living new born are exceptional. From the mechanical point of view, the authors consider that, in this case, two factors combined to produce a congenital dislocation of the hip--excessive pressure exerted on the foetus by the tubal wall and an abnormal position of the foetus favouring the dislocation. The reasons for the ineffectiveness of conservative treatment to correct the severe acetabular dysplasia are discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1984

Work, stress and health.

Work should provide a goal, meaning, content, and structure for life and give the worker identity, self-esteem, companions, friends, and material means. If the fit between the worker and the job is bad, if the worker is unable to control his work condition, if he copes ineffectively and lacks social support, potentially pathogenic reactions occur. These reactions can be cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological. Under some conditions of intensity, frequency and duration, and in the presence or absence of certain interacting variables, these reactions will lead to disease--physical, mental, or both. Research to identify high-risk situations, groups, and reactions for the subsequent interdisciplinary evaluation of therapeutic and/or preventive interventions on a model scale include epidemiologic, observational, and experimental studies, preferably in real life. Examples of such studies are given and additional ones are proposed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1983

An experimental study of social isolation of elderly people: psychoendocrine and metabolic effects.

Psychoendocrine and metabolic effects of social isolation and understimulation in real life were examined in a controlled study of 60 elderly people representative of their age group. Together with the staff and the elderly, a social activation program was formed at a senior citizen apartment building. Half of the elderly were part of this activation program (experimental group). The other half constituted the control group. Blood sampling and psychosocial testing were performed immediately before and after 3 and 6 months of social activation. Social activation increased threefold in the experimental group. Height decreased in the control group compared to the experimental subjects. Plasma levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and estradiol increased significantly in the experimental group over the 6-month period compared to the control group. The most pronounced increase took place during the initial 3 months. Hemoglobin A1c decreased significantly in the experimental group over the 6-month period compared to the control group. In this preliminary study it is concluded that social isolation and understimulation may be associated with a wide range of psychophysiologic effects in elderly people.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

[Gottron's erythroderma congenitalis progressiva symmetrica].

Two patients with erythrokeratoderma are observed, a mother aged 42 and her 16-year-old son. In both cases the dermatosis started on the 40th day after birth and covered slowly and symmetrically the lower and upper limbs as well as the face. The two patients underwent two different treatments: the mother was treated with aromatic retinoid for 8 weeks; the son with PUVA therapy for a total of 63 J/cm2 UVA. With both methods it was possible to obtain good results. However, the results were better with PUVA therapy.

Dermatitis, Exfoliative↗