scholarly journals Patterns of Smoking and Alcoholic Addiction in In-Patients with Schizophrenia: Medical and Sociological Study

Psychiatry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 51-62
Author(s):  
T. G. Svetlichnaya ◽  
V. A. Voronov ◽  
E. A. Smirnova

Objective: the comorbidity of schizophrenia and tobacco and alcohol addiction modifies the clinical manifestations of both diseases, impairs compliance, increases the risk of aggressive behavior and contributes to the criminalization of patients. In order to study the characteristics of tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption by patients with schizophrenia, we conducted a medical and sociological study of the specified contingent.Patients and methods: 104 in-patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia admitted to psychiatric hospital were interviewed in February 2020. All patients participating in the study have reached the age of 18. The research program is presented by the “Questionnaire for the study of smoking and alcoholic behavior in patients with mental disorders”. Evaluation of smoking status included K. Fagerström’s test, A. Leonov’s test “Why do I smoke?” To determine the motivation to smoke, smoking index was calculated to determine the risk of developing COPD, and the AUDIT test was used to assess alcohol consumption. Statistical processing of the results of the questionnaire survey was using the SPSS-17 software. The prevalence of smoking among patients with schizophrenia is high (56.8%). Most (86.4%) of them are heavy (66.1%) and hardcore (20.3%) smokers. A high degree of dependence was revealed, the smoking experience averages 27.6 years, and the number of cigarettes smoked per day ranges from 10–20 and even up to 60 pieces. The patients are characterized by early onset of smoking (15.2 years) and the prevalence of high (47.5%) and medium (18.6%) degrees of nicotine addiction. The prevalence of alcohol consumption among patients with schizophrenia is very high (36.5%). Most (73.7%) patients consume alcohol either regularly (31.6%) or habitually (42.1%). Every fifth (21.2%) stopped drinking alcohol due to poor health.Conclusions: high prevalence of smoking and alcoholic addiction in patients with schizophrenia increases the medico–social significance of this comorbidity.

Author(s):  
Vladimir Anatolievich Klimov

Humanity has been familiar with tuberculosis for a long time: the confirmation of this was found during archaeological excavations and the discovery of traces of damage to the remains of people who lived more than 5 thousand years ago. Scientists associate this fact with the high prevalence of mycobacteria among animals, as well as the extreme duration of the disease and the high degree of chronicity of the process. The first descriptions of tuberculous lesions were found in the writings of Hippocrates. The most characteristic symptom of the disease, as in the present days, was considered hemoptysis, and the extreme degree of exhaustion and pulmonary bleeding was quite typical for this category of patients. This disease was initially called consumption, or phthisi. Subsequently, it gave the name to the science that studies various clinical manifestations in the tuberculosis process, their diagnosis and treatment. Today, phthisiology is a clinical discipline that studies the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary forms of tuberculosis, as well as the main approaches to etiotropic and pathogenetic treatment.


Author(s):  
Gérard Bouchard ◽  
Raymond Roy ◽  
Manon Declos ◽  
Jean Mathieu ◽  
Kevork Kouladjian

ABSTRACT:A very high prevalence (approximately 1/475 in 1985) of myotonic dystrophy (Steinert disease) is observed in the Saguenay region, which is located in the north-east part of the Province of Quebec. For various reasons, however, the literature on the subject generally associates a high degree of selective disadvantage with this gene, which seems to contradict the Saguenay data. Using a computerized regional population register, we have reconstituted patients' genealogies and family biographies. We have thus been able to study the origin of the gene and to compare the demographic behavior of patients and controls. On the whole, patients seem to be very little disadvantaged compared to controls, in terms of reproduction as well as of geographical and occupational mobility.


Author(s):  
Cecil E. Hall

The visualization of organic macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, viruses and virus components has reached its high degree of effectiveness owing to refinements and reliability of instruments and to the invention of methods for enhancing the structure of these materials within the electron image. The latter techniques have been most important because what can be seen depends upon the molecular and atomic character of the object as modified which is rarely evident in the pristine material. Structure may thus be displayed by the arts of positive and negative staining, shadow casting, replication and other techniques. Enhancement of contrast, which delineates bounds of isolated macromolecules has been effected progressively over the years as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 by these methods. We now look to the future wondering what other visions are waiting to be seen. The instrument designers will need to exact from the arts of fabrication the performance that theory has prescribed as well as methods for phase and interference contrast with explorations of the potentialities of very high and very low voltages. Chemistry must play an increasingly important part in future progress by providing specific stain molecules of high visibility, substrates of vanishing “noise” level and means for preservation of molecular structures that usually exist in a solvated condition.


2011 ◽  
Vol E94-C (10) ◽  
pp. 1548-1556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takana KAHO ◽  
Yo YAMAGUCHI ◽  
Kazuhiro UEHARA ◽  
Kiyomichi ARAKI

Author(s):  
Bugero N.V. ◽  
Ilyina N.A. ◽  
Aleksandrova S.M.

In addition to the classical pathogens, which are well understood and well identified, new pathogens with the potential to spread epidemiologically are being identified. Some of these little-known organisms are the simplest Blastocystis spp. blastocystostosis. The clinical significance of Blastocystis spp. and its pathogenicity are still under discussion. This parasite belongs to a group of single-celled eukaryotic organisms living in the colon of the human intestine. Blastocystis spp. is known to be found both in people with reduced immune status and in individuals without any clinical manifestation. It has been established that a sufficiently high degree of invasiveness is observed in persons with gastrointestinal tract diseases, dermatosis, allergic reactions, in patients with carriers of the human immunodeficiency virus, etc. Possessing persistence factors, protozoa blastocysts contribute to the inactivation of host defensive mechanisms, providing a stable anthogonistic effect. In recent years, many works have been devoted to the characteristics of the persistent properties of Blastocystis spr., however, individual properties of blastocysts, in particular, anticytokine activity (ACA), have not yet been studied. In this regard, the work studied the anticytokine activity of microorganisms isolated from healthy subjects and patients with gastrointestinal tract diseases. A high prevalence of the studied characteristic in the subjects was shown. The expression of anticytokine activity in the obtained isolates of blastocysts was the highest in the group of persons with gastric ulcer disease, which decreased in the order of duodenal ulcer, chronic cholecystitis, chronic gastritis, etc. The data obtained in this work on the high level of ACA expression in blastocyst isolates obtained from individuals with gastrointestinal diseases as compared with the control group enables to conclude that their exometabolites may influence the local cytokine balance [1], which supports the inflammatory process.


Author(s):  
М.В. ДОВЫДЕНКОВА

Проведена статистическая обработка сформированной базы данных показателей неспецифической резистентности MS «Excel» с целью изучения динамики иммунитета по параметрам бактерицидной, лизоцимной и фагоцитарной активности у крупного рогатого скота черно-пестрой породы разных возрастов. Было установлено, что средние значения показателей лизоцимной и бактерицидной активности у телят в 6 мес были ниже (47,89% и 49,09%, соответственно), чем у животных в 3—4 года (53,75% и 52,81%). Выведено уравнение регрессии, описывающее взаимосвязь между средними показателями фагоцитарной активности и возрастом при высокой степени достоверности (R2=0,90). Изменения лизоцимной и бактерицидной активности в зависимости от возраста были недостоверными (R2=0,58 и R2=0,49, соответственно). Установлена высокая корреляция между бактерицидной и лизоцимной активностью. Отмечена динамика изменения неспецифического иммунитета у коров различных возрастных групп. Создание баз данных и постоянный мониторинг основных показателей естественной резистентности в зависимости от различных факторов (породы, возраста, стадий лактации, кормления, способов содержания), которые влияют на данные показатели, необходимо для оценки физиологического состояния организма животных и их устойчивости к болезням. Statistical processing of the generated MS "Excel" on indicators of non-specific resistance database was carried out with the aim of studying the dynamics of the development of immunity in terms of bactericidal, lysozyme and phagocytic activity in black-and-white cattle of different ages. It was found that the average values of indicators of lysozyme and bactericidal activity in calves at 6 months were lower (47.89% and 49.09%, respectively) than in animals at the age of 3—4 years (53.75% and 52.81%). The equation of regression was derived, it describes the relationship between the average indicators of phagocytic activity and the age with a high degree of reliability (R2=0.90). The changes in lysozyme and bactericidal activity depending on age were dubious (R2=0.58 and R2=0.49, respectively). The high correlation between bactericidal and lysozyme activity was established. It was noticed that the cows of different age groups experienced the dynamics of changes in nonspecific immunity. The creation of databases and constant monitoring of the main indicators of natural resistance, depending on various factors (breed, age, stages of lactation, feeding, methods of keeping) that affect these indicators, is necessary for assessing the physiological state of the animals’ body of and their resistance to diseases.


2012 ◽  
pp. 129-134
Author(s):  
Thi Lan Tran ◽  
Thi Huong Le ◽  
Xuan Ninh Nguyen

Objectives: Assess the nutritional status, worm infection status and some related factors among children aged 12-36 months of Dakrong district, Quang Tri province. Subject and method: A cross sectional study was carried out in 2010, in 680 children aged 12-36 months in 4 communes of Dakrong district, Quang Tri province. Results: The malnutrition rate was 55.0% for underweight, 66.5% for stunting and 16.2% for wasting. The prevalence of malnutrition increases by age group. The prevalence of worm infection was 31.6%, the highest prevalence was belong to Ascaris infection (24.6%), followed by Hookworm and Trichuris (6.5% and 6.2%, respectively). The prevalence of worm infection among children under two is very high (27.0%). The prevalence of worm infection was distributed quite equally between the malnutrition children group and normal children group. Recommendation: Early deworming forchildren from 12 months should be considered as important strategy against the malnutrition of children in Dakrong district, Quang Tri province


Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 144 (2) ◽  
pp. 635-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A Kirby ◽  
Wolfgang Stephan

Abstract We surveyed sequence variation and divergence for the entire 5972-bp transcriptional unit of the white gene in 15 lines of Drosophila melanogaster and one line of D. simulans. We found a very high degree of haplotypic structuring for the polymorphisms in the 3′ half of the gene, as opposed to the polymorphisms in the 5′ half. To determine the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for this pattern, we sequenced a 1612-bp segment of the white gene from an additional 33 lines of D. melanogaster from a European and a North American population. This 1612-bp segment encompasses an 834bp region of the white gene in which the polymorphisms form high frequency haplotypes that cannot be explained by a neutral equilibrium model of molecular evolution. The small number of recombinants in the 834bp region suggests epistatic selection as the cause of the haplotypic structuring, while an investigation of nucleotide diversity supports a directional selection hypothesis. A multi-locus selection model that combines features from both-hypotheses and takes the recent history of D. melanogaster into account may be the best explanation for these data.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-370
Author(s):  
Maria Michou ◽  
Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos ◽  
Christos Lionis ◽  
Vassiliki Costarelli

BACKGROUND: Low Health Literacy (HL) and Nutrition Literacy (NL) are associated with serious negative health outcomes. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate certain lifestyle factors and obesity, in relation to HL and NL. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the urban area of the Attica region, in Greece. The sample consisted of 1281 individuals, aged ≥18 years. HL, NL sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors (physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption,) were assessed. Mann-Whitney U, the Kruskall Wallis, Pearson chi-square tests and multiple linear regression models were used. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis has shown that smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity, were associated with HL levels (–1.573 points for ex-smokers in comparison to smokers, p = 0.035, –1.349 points for alcohol consumers in comparison to non-consumers, p = 0.006 and 1.544 points for physically active individuals to non-active, p = 0.001). With respect to NL levels, it was also not associated with any of these factors. Obesity was not associated with HL and NL levels. CONCLUSIONS: Certain lifestyle factors, including physical activity, are predicting factors of HL levels, in Greek adults. The results contribute to the understanding of the relationship between lifestyle factors and HL and should be taken into account when HL policies are designed.


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