112 research outputs found
SEX-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN THE PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF MAJOR DEPRESSION - ARE WOMEN AND MEN TREATED DIFFERENTLY?
Background: In the last decade, sex-related medicine has become an increasingly important area of research as insights in this
field can improve treatment strategies and recovery. The aim of this study was to investigate sex-related differences in the
prescription and kinds of psychopharmacological treatment in individuals with unipolar affective disorder.
Subjects and methods: Data collected on 388 patients attending a psychiatric rehabilitation clinic (194 females, 194 males,
mean age 52.3 years, standard deviation 7.8 years), who were matched by age and severity of depression, were analyzed. Depression
severity and information on drug type and quantity were assessed at the beginning of the rehabilitation program and compared
between women and men.
Results: A significant difference between females and males was found in the frequency of prescribing bupropion (females:
3.61%, males: 12.89%; p=0.001) and mirtazapine (females: 5.15%, males: 13.40%; p=0.005). In terms of polypharmacy, the results
showed that over 53% of the patients were taking two or more psychotropic substances as a long-term therapy and that 34% of them
were taking three to five different substances. No sex-related differences were found concerning the number of psychotropic drugs
taken by the patients.
Conclusion: The higher frequency of prescriptions for bupropion and mirtazapine in men might be explained by the adverse
drug reactions of the drugs (e.g., fewer sexually adverse drug reactions, weight gain) and a known interaction with oral
contraception. It remains unclear whether these aspects are taken into consideration for each patient in terms of their special needs
and conditions or whether it is a decision based on the patient’s sex. Given a similar severity of depression, men and women are
prescribed a similar number of psychotropic substances. However, the high number of psychotropic drugs prescribed on average
should be noted. Well-trained healthcare professionals should focus on regularly assessing and optimizing treatment regimens
THE OUTCOME OF PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION TREATMENT DEPENDS ON AFFECTIVE STATE AT THE TIME OF ADMISSION
Background: In Austria, new approaches of rehabilitation programs focus on the prevention of mental illness and offer
treatment not only for acute psychiatric patients, but also for those who are at risk of developing a mental disorder or have
recovered from one.The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a psychiatric rehabilitation program on individuals with
different mood states.
Subjects and methods: 600 patients with a history of affective disorder were tested at the time of admission to an Austrian
inpatient psychiatric rehabilitation center. Data of extreme groups - patients who were depressed (n=59; BDI-II <9 and HAMD <8)
or euthymic (n=59; BDI 19) at the time of therapy start - were analyzed. The participants completed the Maslach
Burnout Inventory - General Survey, the Symptom Checklist - Revised and the Stress Coping Questionnaire at the beginning and the
end of the 6-weeks rehabilitation program.
Results: After 6 weeks, both groups showed significantly less psychiatric symptoms (BDI-II, HAMD, SCL-90, and negative coping
strategies (SVF). Importantly, work-related stress symptoms (“burnout” symptoms) improved significantly in the euthymic group.
Conclusions: Euthymic patients seem to be able to focus on work-related stress symptoms including reduced emotional
exhaustion through treatment, while currently depressed patients primarily benefit by an improvement in general psychiatric
symptomatology. The results indicate the crucial role of mood state validated with standardized psychological questionnaires BDI-II
and HAMD at time of admission to such programs. These findings could have implications on treatment decisions for psychiatric
patients and assist in making a forecast concerning ability to recover and treatment prognosis
Combined fit to the spectrum and composition data measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory including magnetic horizon effects
The measurements by the Pierre Auger Observatory of the energy spectrum and mass composition of cosmic rays can be interpreted assuming the presence of two extragalactic source populations, one dominating the flux at energies above a few EeV and the other below. To fit the data ignoring magnetic field effects, the high-energy population needs to accelerate a mixture of nuclei with very hard spectra, at odds with the approximate E shape expected from diffusive shock acceleration. The presence of turbulent extragalactic magnetic fields in the region between the closest sources and the Earth can significantly modify the observed CR spectrum with respect to that emitted by the sources, reducing the flux of low-rigidity particles that reach the Earth. We here take into account this magnetic horizon effect in the combined fit of the spectrum and shower depth distributions, exploring the possibility that a spectrum for the high-energy population sources with a shape closer to E be able to explain the observations
Measuring the muon content of inclined air showers using AERA and the water-Cherenkov detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory
Studies of the mass composition of cosmic rays and proton-proton interaction cross-sections at ultra-high energies with the Pierre Auger Observatory
In this work, we present an estimate of the cosmic-ray mass composition from the distributions of the depth of the shower maximum (Xmax) measured by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We discuss the sensitivity of the mass composition measurements to the uncertainties in the properties of the hadronic interactions, particularly in the predictions of the particle interaction cross-sections. For this purpose, we adjust the fractions of cosmic-ray mass groups to fit the data with Xmax distributions from air shower simulations. We modify the proton-proton cross-sections at ultra-high energies, and the corresponding air shower simulations with rescaled nucleus-air cross-sections are obtained via Glauber theory. We compare the energy-dependent composition of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays obtained for the different extrapolations of the proton-proton cross-sections from low-energy accelerator data
Study of downward Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory
The surface detector (SD) of the Pierre Auger Observatory, consisting of 1660 water-Cherenkov detectors (WCDs), covers 3000 km2 in the Argentinian pampa. Thanks to the high efficiency of WCDs in detecting gamma rays, it represents a unique instrument for studying downward Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) over a large area. Peculiar events, likely related to downward TGFs, were detected at the Auger Observatory. Their experimental signature and time evolution are very different from those of a shower produced by an ultrahigh-energy cosmic ray. They happen in coincidence with low thunderclouds and lightning, and their large deposited energy at the ground is compatible with that of a standard downward TGF with the source a few kilometers above the ground. A new trigger algorithm to increase the TGF-like event statistics was installed in the whole array. The study of the performance of the new trigger system during the lightning season is ongoing and will provide a handle to develop improved algorithms to implement in the Auger upgraded electronic boards. The available data sample, even if small, can give important clues about the TGF production models, in particular, the shape of WCD signals. Moreover, the SD allows us to observe more than one point in the TGF beam, providing information on the emission angle
The dynamic range of the upgraded surface-detector stations of AugerPrime
The detection of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays by means of giant detector arrays is often limited by the saturation of the recorded signals near the impact point of the shower core at the ground, where the particle density dramatically increases. The saturation affects in particular the highest energy events, worsening the systematic uncertainties in the reconstruction of the shower characteristics. The upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory, called AugerPrime, includes the installation of an 1-inch Small PhotoMultiplier Tube (SPMT) inside each water-Cherenkov station (WCD) of the surface detector array. The SPMT allows an unambiguous measurement of signals down to about 250m from the shower core, thus reducing the number of events featuring a saturated station to a negligible level. In addition, a 3.8m2 plastic scintillator (Scintillator Surface Detector, SSD) is installed on top of each WCD. The SSD is designed to match the WCD (with SPMT) dynamic range, providing a complementary measurement of the shower components up to the highest energies. In this work, the design and performances of the upgraded AugerPrime surface-detector stations in the extended dynamic range are described, highlighting the accuracy of the measurements. A first analysis employing the unsaturated signals in the event reconstruction is also presented
Radio Interferometry applied to air showers recorded by the Auger Engineering Radio Array
A new radio interferometric technique was recently developed that takes into account time lags caused by the three-dimensional dependency of the refractive index in the atmosphere. It enables us to track the extensive air shower while it propagates through the atmosphere. Using this technique, properties of the air shower can be estimated, like the depth of maximum and the axis of propagation. In order to apply this method, strict constraints on the time-synchronisation between radio antennas in an array must be satisfied. In this contribution, we show that the Auger Engineering Radio Array can meet these timing criteria by operating a time reference beacon. We will show how this enables us to reconstruct air shower properties using the radio interferometric technique
Mass Composition from 3 EeV to 100 EeV using the Depth of the Maximum of Air-Shower Profiles Estimated with Deep Learning using Surface Detector Data of the Pierre Auger Observatory
- …