Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Natale

Publications and source records attributed to M Natale.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Blunting by chronic phosphatidylserine administration of the stress-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy men.

The effect of chronic administration of phosphatidylserine derived from brain cortex on the neuroendocrine responses to physical stress has been examined in a placebo-controlled study in 9 healthy men. Phosphatidylserine 800 mg/d for 10 days significantly blunted the ACTH and cortisol responses to physical exercise (P = 0.003 and P = 0.03, respectively), without affecting the rise in plasma GH and PRL. Physical exercise significantly increased the plasma lactate concentration both after placebo and phosphatidylserine. The results suggest that chronic oral administration of phosphatidylserine may counteract stress-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in man.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

[Hypertensive pneumocephalus, postoperative complication of chronic subdural hematomas].

The authors report 3 cases of subdural tension pneumocephalus developed after surgery for subdural chronic hematomas. The mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of this complication are discussed; the importance of the computed tomography in the assessment of the subdural tension pneumocephalus is stressed. Surgery is always indicated in cases of increased tension of the air collection and generally resolves the neurological deficits.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Postoperative lumbar discitis].

The authors report our experience on 19 cases of discitis developed after operations for herniated lumbar disc. Because of the negativity of the neuroradiological studies in the acute stage, the recognition of the typical syndrome (severe back pain, spasm of the paravertebral lumbar muscles, limited spinal motility, fever) beginning 3-30 days post-operatively and the study of some laboratory tests (elevated Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and midly to moderately elevated white blood cells (WBC) are very important for diagnosis. The first radiographic findings (disc space narrowing, ecc.) are detectable only 4 to 6 weeks after the first symptoms; other X-ray findings are not seen post-operatively before 6 months-2 years. The CT-scan is diagnostic of discitis only when the following three specific signs are present: a) anterior paravertebral soft tissue swelling with obliteration of paravertebral fat planes; b) fragmentation or erosion of vertebral end plates; c) paravertebral fluid collection (abscess). In our experience a period of immobilization of the spine with a plaster body jackets and the use of adequate antibiotic therapy are the more effective treatment. Undoubtedly the discits are the results of an infection that must be prevented adhering to the aseptic principles not only during surgery but also during the procedures performed in the radiology suite.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Foreign immigration in Italy: levels, characteristics, and prospects].

"After a careful scrutiny of direct and indirect sources on immigration, the author presents a weighed estimate of foreign presence in Italy disaggregated at the regional level. The estimate is based on the analysis of several sources and on a number of plausible hypotheses which can be drawn from them.... The article highlights the importance of information on those immigrants 'regularized' on the basis of law no. 943 of 1986. From the analysis, carried out separately for two components (working permits and unemployment registrations), it clearly [demonstrates] the way in which non EEC foreign labour enters the Italian economic system and how it is heavily influenced by the weakness of the market in the Southern regions." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Demography↗
PubMed1987

Cavernous sinus meningiomas.

Analysing 12 cases of cavernous sinus meningiomas the authors conclude that: the clinical history is characteristic; CT scan has proved to be more sensitive than carotid angiography in detecting small lesions. However in large lesions the vascular supply pattern is the only feature that exactly identifies the site of the lesion. Both angiography and CT scan allow a near definitive diagnosis of meningioma; because of their location it is almost always impossible to remove these tumours completely. Actually the best treatment is a piecemeal subtotal microsurgical removal via a subtemporal approach. Radiotherapy is indicated for partially resected lesions. On the basis of the revision of the anatomy of this region and looking forward to a widespread use of the Cavitron in neurosurgery, a more radical approach to this lesion is foreseen.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Hemispheric asymmetries in processing emotional expressions.

Three experiments are reported on visual field asymmetries in the perception of emotional expressions on the face. In experiment I full faces expressing six different emotions were presented unilaterally for exposure durations, allowing the subject to judge whether the facial expression was positive or negative. Right-handed subjects judged all expressions except happiness as more negative when presented in the left visual field (LVF). This effect was smaller for left-handers and was absent in left-handers who use the non-inverted writing posture. In experiment II subjects were presented with happy, sad and "mixed" chimeric faces, projected to each visual field, for durations allowing only the detection of the existence of a face. LVF presentations produced greater differential rating of emotional valence for the three types of stimuli. In experiment III chimeric faces containing happy and sad expressions were presented unilaterally for durations allowing the subject to perceive the existence of two expressions on the face. The subjects were required to decide whether the mood expressed in the face was predominantly negative or positive. RVF presentations resulted in a bias toward positive judgments. These results indicate right hemispheric superiority for the perception and processing of emotional valence and a left hemispheric perceptual bias toward positive aspects of emotional stimuli.

Cerebral Cortex↗
PubMed1979

The effect of psychotomimetics on therapist--patient matching of speech "rhythms".

This study examined the effects of lysergic acid (LSD) and dextroamphetamine (DA) on therapist--patient matching of speech rhythms (mean phrase period) in psychotherapy. LSD, DA, and placebo (PL) were administered repeatedly over a 1 1/2-year period to seven patients in a randomized double-blind design. The second, fourth, and sixth encounters with LSD, DA, and PL were analyzed. These therapy dialogues were processed by an on--off detector of speech which computed probabilities of vocalizing when already talking (T), when listening (L), and when pausing (P) for therapist and patient, respectively. The mean phrase period for the therapist and the patient was calculated from the vocalization probabilities (T, P). The results show that both LSD and DA significantly enhance therapist-patient matching of mean phrase period in the earliest (second) session, an effect that disappears for both drugs, but later for DA (sixth session) than for LSD (fourth session). At no time was this effect observed in PL sessions, nor was the matching a simple function of a therapist--patient convergence of the components (T, P) of the mean phrase period.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Vocal interruptions in dyadic communication as a function of speech and social anxiety.

Interruptions have been defined as a breach of the "turn-taking" contract in interpersonal communication. The relation between a speaker's personality and his or her propensity to interrupt was examined in 30-min unstructured conversations for 36 dyads (12 male, 12 female, and 12 mixed sex). The following predictions were made: (a) Interruptive behavior is inversely related to speech anxiety and positively related to confidence as a speaker; (b) interruptive behavior is inversely related to social anxiety (avoidance-distress; fear of negative evaluation). A stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed, controlling for the systematic effects of sex, the conversational partner's personality and amount of speech, and the speaker's use of back-channel responses. These hypotheses were confirmed for rate of total interruptions and rate of successful interruptions, for percentage of successful interruptions, and for mean duration of interruptions; the results withstood cross-validation analysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Delta 9-tetrahydrocannibinol: acute efects on defensive and primary-process language.

This study examined the effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannibinol (THC) on defensive, primary-process, and secondary-process language. Four male volunteers provided 5-minute monologues in three conditions: Round 1,placebo; Round 2, 15 mg THC; Round 3, recovery. THC was found to attenuate defensive language behavior (retractors, qualifiers, direct references) and to increase the use of secondary-process (intellectualizing) vocabulary.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

The relationship of defensive language behavior in patient monologues to the course of psychoanalysis.

Examined the relationship of the time-course of psychoanalysis to progressive alteration of defensive language behavior in 7 patients. Spontaneous 5-minute monologues were recorded over 1 1/2 years of three-times-a-week individual psychotherapy. Weintraub and Aronson's (1962) formal measures of defensive language were used: nonpersonal references, negators, qualifiers, retractors, explaining expressions of feeling, and evaluators. The magnitude of defensive speech displayed by a patient was able to predict significantly the duration of psychoanalysis undergone by that patient in 4 of 7 cases.

Affect↗