Reduction In Mean Values Research Articles

Stability of Psychiatric Symptoms among Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers in Long-Term Residential Treatment Programs

We examined patterns of changes in psychiatric symptoms among mentally ill chemical abusers (MICAs) in long-term residential treatment. Clients were evaluated with various measures of psychopathology, referred to a therapeutic community (TC) or community residence, and reassessed after 2, 6, and 12 months of treatment with regard to anxiety, depressive symptoms, and psychotic ideation. Reductions in mean values of psychopathology were found only for anxiety and depressive symptoms at the TC during the first 2 months of treatment. However, an examination of changing patterns of symptoms revealed a more complex set of findings. At both programs, a significant number of MICAs showed reductions in psychopathology during treatment, a significant minority exhibited no improvements in psychiatric symptoms, and a few reported new symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychotic ideation. We conclude that the symptoms of the vast majority of MICAs are highly labile during treatment.

Trends in background air pollution parameters over India

The Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network (BAPMoN) data from ten stations in the Indian region for the period 1973–1990, has been used to determine the background trends. Falling pH and increasing turbidity trends have been noticed in all but one of the stations. The post 1982 epoch has witnessed fall in annual mean pH at Vishakhapatnam, Allahabad, Pune and Nagpur though the reduction of mean values are not statistically significant at 5% level of confidence. Frequency distributions of the values of turbidity coefficient B(500 nm) for the epochs 1974–1980, 1981–1985 and 1986–1990 are also presented here. The trend of atmospheric burden is seen to be positive upto the second epoch and stable subsequently. The source identification for chemical constituents of rainwater has been examined by carrying out principal component analysis and using BAPMoN rain chemistry data collected in the entire period of 1974–1988.

Headaches associated with chronic use of analgesics: a therapeutic approach.

We evaluated 102 patients attending the Headache Study Center of the University of Modena who were suffering from chronic daily headache with daily drug intake. Patients underwent either day hospital treatment followed by a standard prophylactic therapy or they started prophylactic therapy immediately. After 30 and 120 days, both the Headache index and the daily drug intake had significantly improved (P < 0.001), and there were no differences in reduction of mean values of the Headache index or daily drug intake with respect to the two treatments, nor with regard to the prophylactic therapy chosen. Twenty-eight percent of patients reverted to daily drug intake after a 4-month follow-up; these patients took barbiturate-containing mixtures in a higher percentage than other drugs, and within the group of relapsing patients the outpatients relapsed to analgesic intake more than the day hospital-treated patients (P < 0.05).

Reduction of Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors in the German Cardiovascular Prevention Study

Background.In six regions of former West Germany, a community-oriented prevention program for coronary heart disease (CHD) was conducted over a 7-year period.Methods.In the intervention regions, CHD prevention activities were performed with special emphasis on healthy nutrition, increased physical activity, and reduction of smoking, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. The impact of these activities on CHD risk factor trends was observed in three independent samples of the intervention regions. Three independent representative samples of the total West German population were used as a reference. Linear regression models with interaction terms to represent the intervention effects were used to test for differences in risk factor trends.Results.In the pooled intervention regions, a net reduction in mean values of systolic (−2.0%) and diastolic (−2.0%) blood pressure, total serum cholesterol (−1.8%), as well as the percentage of smokers (−6.7%) was observed compared with the nationwide trend. From the major CHD risk factors, only body mass index was not influenced in the intervention population.Conclusions.The community-oriented German Cardiovascular Prevention program can effectively be used to reduce CHD risk factors in a broad population.

Growth studies in Jena, Germany: Historical background and secular changes in stature and weight in children 7–14 years

Anthropological investigations have been performed on Jena school children since 1880. The report summarizes the background of the surveys and then considers secular changes in stature and body weight since 1880. The stature of Jena school children shows a major increase over 105 years, ranging from 9.7% to 12.8% in girls and from 9.4% to 14.6% in boys. Changes in estimated growth rates are evident, especially in the preschool ages. Corresponding secular increases in weight between 1880 and 1985 range from 20.7% to 50.4%. Data during and after times of war suggest that females appear to react to changing living conditions more quickly than boys. On the other hand, the smaller variation in the stature of girls suggests more homogeneous and perhaps better buffered growth in girls. Estimated semiannual increments in stature and weight between 1880 and 1985 indicate an increase in the intensity of growth during school age in both sexes and acceleration of the pubertal growth spurt, especially in boys. The average decrease in weight in both sexes between 1932 and 1944 should be emphasized. This is the result of the poor nutritional conditions during the Second World War. Girls show a greater reduction in mean values than boys. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Evaluation of the Antianginal and Anti-Ischemic Efficacy of Slow-Release Isosorbide-5-Mononitrate Capsules, Bupranolol and Their Combination, in Patients with Chronic Stable Angina Pectoris

The effects of slow-release isosorbide-5-mononitrate (IS-5-MN), 25 mg once daily, bupranolol, 50 mg once daily, and their combination on exercise-induced ST-segment depression at comparable work load, maximal work load, exercise capacity, frequency of anginal episodes and sublingual nitroglycerin consumption were studied in 30 patients with chronic stable angina pectoris. The patients were assigned in a randomized, double blind protocol, to either form of monotherapy, for 12 days, and thereafter to combined therapy for 12 days. Exercise stress test was performed before treatment and at 2 and 16 h after drug administration on the first and 12th day of each treatment period. ST-depression at comparative work load at 2 h after dosing was reduced by 49% acutely after administration of IS-5-MN. This effect was not significantly altered after 12 days of treatment and during combined therapy. In those patients treated by bupranolol alone, an effect was observed only after 12 days - a 24% reduction in ST depression. At the 12th day of combined therapy ST-segment depression was reduced by 65%. At 16 h after dosing there was no significant reduction in mean values of ST-segment depression in either groups, but some patients in each group showed a sustained effect for 16 h. Both drugs increased maximal work load and exercise capacity at 2 h after administration. This effect was sustained in the IS-5-MN group also at 16 h after administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Study of induced quantitative variation in hexaploid triticale

A narrow genetic base for important traits that determine plant type, yield and grain type has been the main reason for slow progress in the improvement and development of triticales. Hence, with a view to enlarging the genetic base for different yield attributes, two triticale strains, DTS 141(A) and Beagle were mutagenized with three mutagens. One physical mutagen, γ-rays and two chemical mutagens, EMS and NMU, were used with three does of each. An analysis of induced variation was made in the M 2 generation. Significant increases in genetic variance were observed for the four characters, productive tillers, grains per spike, 100-grain weight and grain yield per plant. This increase was the least in 100-grain weight. There was general reduction of mean values in the populations treated with mutagens. However, increase in 100-grain weight in a few treated ‘Beagle’ groups was observed. Increase in variance indicates that there were mutations with both positive and negative effects. Reduction in mean values might be due to the more frequent occurrence of deleterious mutations.

The Influence of Long‐term Cimetidine as an Adjuvant to Pancreatic Enzyme Therapy in Cystic Fibrosis

Seventeen patients on constant doses of pancreatic enzymes were randomised to receive either cimetidine or placebo for either of two successive six month periods. Nutritional state and maldigestion were assessed at the beginning and end of each period. Reductions in mean values of faecal fat, nitrogen, wet weight, and bile salts of approximately 30% were found on cimetidine therapy. Results showed considerable variation and only the fall in faecal fat was statistically significant. No benefit was demonstrated for height, weight, skinfold thickness, albumin, vitamin A, bone age or Crispin-Norman score.