Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to P Philippe.
An analysis of familial liability to infant mortality is presented. Heritability estimates for three periods of the demographic evolution of an isolated population (Isle-aux-Coudres, Quebec) are provided. Average heritability is on the order of 27%. This is interpreted as being partly due to sibs common environment and partly to dominance variance effects of genes. The real additive variance of the familial liability might well be nil.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A prospective study of the mother's longevity and of her completed family size has been conducted on the basis of historical demographic records. We show that 1 to 5 pregnancies is associated with the greatest longevity in weakly inbred women and 11 pregnancies is associated with greatest longevity in more inbred women. Taking into account maternal inbreeding, completely sterile women and those who had a large number of pregnancies have an equal mean longevity. It is suggested that repeated pregnancies produce a cumulative hormonal effect, the distribution of which, following family size, should be bell-shaped.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Among the thrombotic events associated with a circulating anticoagulant of the antiprothrombinase type, myocardial infarction is exceptionally reported, which justifies the presentation of two cases. In both patients, myocardial necrosis occurred some time after the antiprothrombinase was discovered, and there was nothing special in its clinical features. No obvious atherosclerotic lesion and no image suggestive of vasculitis were found at coronary arteriography, which suggested that the antiprothrombinase played a predominant role in the genesis of infarction. Relationships between antiprothrombinase, arterial thrombosis (particularly of the coronary arteries) and the presence or absence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are discussed. As observed in thrombosis of other arteries, it is not certain that the presence of SLE constitutes an additional risk factor, except in cases with unquestionable vasculitis or if the treatment of SLE requires prolonged corticosteroid therapy. On the other hand, the appearance of an antibody directed against phospholipids is not necessarily related to the presence of SLE; in fact, this antibody itself might be a risk factor of myocardial infarction, as has recently been suggested.
Classically, researchers considered monozygotic twinning (MZT) a random phenomenon. This paper tests the hypothesis with the aid of nonlinear dynamics techniques. The latter can tell true randomness from chance-like variation. Chaos, the endpoint of the threshold state of a nonlinear deterministic system, can mimic constrained randomness. From a practical standpoint, recognizing chaos in a time series data set means that the paradigmatic multifactorial model of causation is essentially ruled out. Specifically, time series of MZ, DZ, and single maternities were analysed. First, spectral analysis was used to uncover periodicities embedded in the series. Second, a singular value decomposition was undertaken to reduce noise from the series. Third, phase space attractors were drawn up that describe the 'asymptotic' trajectory of the system at any time. Results suggested that DZ, MZ, and single maternities shared a similar 32-year periodicity. Owing to two interwoven similar periodicities, the single-maternity cycle kinetics proved to be faster than that of DZ's. The MZ series was the only one to display secondary interacting harmonics, thus eliciting a rather unusual trajectory in the bidimensional phase space. The MZ time points were not spread in a haphazard fashion; on the contrary, a fine structure was present that did not reduce to a limit cycle such as the one characterizing the DZ- or the single-maternity trajectory. It was concluded that a complex nonlinear dynamic underlies MZ twinning. Therefore, calling for extrinsic causes to account for what appears to be random variation overtime would be pointless. MZ twinning should rather be traced to a limited number of intrinsic and deterministic interacting system components. The most likely candidates are presented and discussed.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
This study was undertaken to identify factors predicting stroke inpatient rehabilitation length of stay in an acute inpatient rehabilitation program, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy. A cohort of 152 patients suffering from stroke (76 women and 76 men) voluntarily participated in this study. They were recruited from a general hospital in which they had received physical rehabilitation. The functional status of patients was observed by a physiotherapist, using the Functional Independence Measure(SM). The functional status was observed on patient admission to rehabilitation and at 1 wk from admission. Post-stroke biologic characteristics, including physical, neuropsychological, and clinical characteristics, as well as sociodemographic characteristics were also collected. A path analysis, using successive multiple linear regressions, was adopted to predict length of stay in rehabilitation. Significant predictors of length of stay were age, functional status at 1 wk post-rehabilitation admission, perceptual status, and balance status. These predictors accounted for 43.6% of the total variance in the rehabilitation length of stay. Indirect predictors of length of stay were identified as the following: functional status at admission, rehabilitation program, motor status, communication problems, and medical complications. Functional, biologic, and sociodemographic characteristics should be considered simultaneously in the prediction of length of stay as well as for the better understanding of the stroke rehabilitation process.