On the potential of phonetic analysis to distinguish between people with epilepsy and non-epileptic seizures

A body of research has shown that there are linguistic differences in the way people with epilepsy talk about their seizures when compared to those with non-epileptic seizures. We extend this line of research by presenting the results of a phonetic analysis comparing speech samples from people with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy (7 patients), to those with a confirmed diagnosis of non-epileptic seizures (8 patients). Variables considered include features of pitch, intensity, duration and pausing in their responses to questions from a neurologist during medical history-taking. We find only limited evidence of differences between the two diagnostic groups (epilepsy vs. non-epileptic seizures). We discuss possible reasons for this lack of evidence

Decrease in maximum consumption of oxygen after blockage of beta-andrenergic receptors

VO2 max, maximum oxygen uptake, has been measured in 4 normal young men, before and after beta-adrenergic blockade (0.5 to 5 mg Pindolol by mouth). Pindolol induces bradycardia and reduces VO2 max. A statistically significant positive correlation appears between posology of Pindolol and bradycardia, this posology and reduction of VO2 max, and finally between bradycardia and reduction of VO2 max. These correlations indicate that the reduction of VO2 max is best explained by a circulatory limitation of oxygen supply to active muscles

Relation between immunogenicity and differentiation of metastasis in an experimental murine melanoma

The graft into the footpad of Jackson mice of B16 melanoma cells which are only slightly pigmented, induces the simultaneous appearance of achromatic and well-pigmented metastatics. We have analysed histologically both types of metastases from the 8th to the 20th day after the resection of the primary tumor. The percentages of mitoses are higher in the achromatic metastases than in the pigmented ones. Both are infiltrated by lymphocytes and by a small number of macrophages and polymorphonuclears. A statistical analysis demonstrates however that the percentage of lymphocytes is not related to the importance of the metastase pigmentation. The discussion is devoted to the relations between the infiltration by lymphocytes, the immunogenicity and the differentiation of the tumor