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Objectives: Psychic perceptions are at the core of psychotherapeutic processes and modifiable by certain psychopharmacologic agents including antidepressants and cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors like acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). Methods: We analyzed the medical records of 208 participants, and used the weekly mean dosages and the number of weeks in therapy to predict ward experience (Stationserfahrungsbogen) and symptom burden (symptom-check list 90-R) by means of linear regression analyses and four repeated measures. Results: Time predicted symptom relief. ASA signified a more favorable ward experience and a trend towards less suffering. Antidepressants did not predict symptom burden or ward experience, except for amitriptyline's inverse relationship with process perception. Discussion: Regarding process perception and therapy outcome, amitriptyline might have unfavorable effects at dose reductions, whereas COX-inhibition could be beneficial at higher dosages. Similar findings have already been described with regard to COX-inhibition in depression and schizophrenia.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to record the living conditions, lifestyle variables and health status in a part of the population of Saxony and to examine statistical relationships between the three categories. The interview by post took place from March 1993 to August 1994. The sample consisted of 602 participants, i.e. a return of 52.3%. The survey proved conditionally representative for the population of Saxony. Statistical methods used were Chi2 test, H test, Spearman correlation and multiple regression procedures. Males and females showed clear differences in their lifestyles and in the state of health. It was found that the lifestyle was associated with age. The following variables were significantly associated with the subjective health status: sex, daily routine, number of negative life events, utilisation of preventive measures, contentment, age, and domicile. Significant connections were found between the objective health status (number of chronic diseases) and the variables: utilisation of preventive measures, number of negative life events, employment, daily routine, smoking, alcohol consumption, contentment, and age. In the statistical relationship the primary health status had the most distinct influence on the lifestyle and this covered the influence of lifestyle on health status.

We conducted a specific table analysis on mortality causes that was mainly oriented on the lines of the chapters of ICD-9 to explore the average life expectancy for the population in Saxony particularly since 1988. The drop in average life expectancy of males observed since 1990 can be fully explained only for those around 18 years of age by "accidents" as the cause of death. Between 30 and 55 years of age there were additional losses of average life expectancy via the mortality causes "diseases of the digestive tract", "neoplasms" and "psychiatric diseases". The significance of neoplasms and of psychiatric diseases is receeding in respect of the average life expectancy. In 1991 there was an increase in the incidence of suicide in the age bracket around 51 years in males. Seen on an overall scale across all age brackets the development of the suicide rate has increased average life expectancy. Significant average life expectancy increase developed in the range of death causes due to embryonic or congenital damage as well as cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the respiratory system and infectious diseases. As far as the female population is concerned, only accidents and diseases of the digestive tract had a negative effect on average life expectancy in 1990 and 1991 whereas the negative effect exercised by the mortality cause "neoplasms" is systematically flattening out. There are excessive gains in life expectancy in respect of cardiovascular diseases, clearly in the range of embryonal and congenital diseases and remarkably in respect of suicide. How many of these specific differentiations of causes of death are due to changes in coding, has not yet been assessed. Leaving aside the unnatural causes of death these figures point to a marked influence of improved medical care on average life expectancy.

When analysing an intensified mortality table of the population in Saxony (which is situated in central Germany) it became evident that by 1994 in contrast to 1988 there has been an overall positive development in respect of median life expectancy, but it also transpired that this development presented a highly differentiated pattern with regard to age-specific parameters among both the female and male populations. As far as the female population was concerned, social progress resulted in a systematic improvement of survival possibilities in childhood and at an advanced age. In the male population there were two age brackets (around the 18th year of life and between 32 and 50 years of age) where the survival probabilities had still not re-attained the 1988 level. In the pensioners' age bracket (starting around the 63rd year of age) the overall mortality rate did not attain a lower level compared to 1988. We are at present preparing an analysis of this life expectancy pattern with special reference to the causes of death.

Lipid emulsions prolong the rejection of allogeneic rat heart grafts in relation to their n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio. Because of the predominance of n-6 fatty acids soybean oil, which is clinically applied, shows an immunosuppressive effect. An n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio of 1 to 2 proved to be immunoneutral. Intravenous fat emulsions with an impaired n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio reduce cytokine release, infiltration and proliferation of immunocompetent cells. Lipids rich in n-3 fatty acids additionally reduce the release of the potent vasoconstrictor thromboxane A3 and increase the synthesis of leukotriene B5, which unlike leukotriene B4 does not activate polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Based on our results, the production of a clinically applicable lipid emulsion with a n-3 to n-6 fatty acid ratio of 1 to 2 can be recommended for the optimal parenteral nutrition of ICU patients with a markedly reduced immune system.

Basing on the population figures and deaths between 1980 to 1994, we calculated mortality tables for the Grman province (or "Free State", as 1st is called) of Saxony. The method for calculating the period mortality tables according to Becker, Zeuner based on the year of dying, was modified for small parent populations (correction of baby mortality according to Rahts, smoothing algorithm). The influence exercised by baby mortality and migration on life expectancy is shown. Estimated errors of the model are calculated for the first time (maximum absolute deviation for eo scatter, 95% confidence interval for eo). Presentation of different lifespan data proves that the positive trend of the life prolongation process is continuing. For example, the life expectancy of male newborn increased during the observation period by 1.94 years (from 69.38 to 71.31 years), that of female newborn by 3.50 years (from 75.2 to 78.62). Women increased their lead in life expectancy against men by 1.56 years (from 5.75 to 7.31 years). The reduction in baby morality and in the standardised mortality rate are other favourable factors. These figures dropped during the observation period from M: 12.0 on 7.0 and from F: 8.9 on 4.8, respectively from M: 14.4 on 1.0 and F: 13.3 on 12.7 per 1000 of the population.

The article presents different mathematical algorithms intending to quantify the "potential years of life lost" based on life table models, and on real age-structured populations, respectively. Applying these algorithms to accident and cardiovascular mortality data from Berlin (West) demonstrates their individual and specific relevance.

The article gives algorithms to calculate mean ages at death for specific causes, based on life table models. Parameters of interest are death due to a specific cause, dying after the "elimination" of the specific cause, or the transition into a "new" structure of mortality when a specific cause of death vanishes. The setbacks of widely used calculations are discussed in this context. These different approaches are demonstrated by means of data pertaining to accident and cardiovascular mortality of the male population of Berlin (West). The estimated impact on life expectancy varies according to both the mathematical model and the specific cause of death: differences are negligible in mortality due to accidents, whereas the results differ considerably in cardiovascular causes of death. The algorithm suggested allows to constrain the calculations to specific age groups. Topics such as "avoidable death" and "health objectives" have to be aware of these different methods.

Background: In the heterotopic rat heart allotransplant model we have previously shown that intravenous fat emulsions are to a various extent immunosuppressive or immunoneutral, dependent on their n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio. Safflower oil (n-3: n-6 = 1:370), fish oil (7.6:1) and soybean oil (1:6.5) prolonged the transplant survival time to 13.3, 12.3 and 10.4 days compared to 6.7 days (oil control group; 1.2.1) and 7.8 days (saline control group) (p < 0.01), respectively. This study presents a correlation of graft survival to immunohistological, cell biological and biochemical parameters., Materials and Methods: 20% emulsions of safflower oil, fish oil, soybean oil and a 1:1 mixture of safflower and fish oil (oil control group) were continuously infused (9 g fat/kg body weight/day; n = 10 each group) after transplantation. Subpopulations of infiltrating and circulating immunocompetent cells and leukotriene B4 and B5 release of circulating mononuclear cells were analyzed (on the 4th postoperative day)., Results: In the 2 groups with the highest prolongation of graft survival the number of infiltrating cells was reduced by up to 40% and the peripheral blood mononuclear cell interleukin-6 release by up to 45%. Beyond that, circulating T cells were reduced in the fish oil group. Leukotriene B4 was released in all groups to the same extent, leukotriene B5 exclusively in the fish oil group., Conclusions: Intravenous fat emulsions show a varying immunomodulatory effect in dependence of the n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio. Both n-6 and n-3 fatty acids, if applied as main fatty acid source, exert immunosuppressive effects by a diminished infiltration and mobilisation of immunocompetent cells. Soybean oil with a more balanced n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio than safflower oil is significantly less immunosuppressive than safflower oil, and fat emulsions with a n-3/n-6 fatty acid ratio of 1:2 are immunologically neutral.

The formal mathematical steps of direct and indirect standardisation are deduced and it is pointed out that standardisation is an analytical concept for processing data within the framework of structurised populations to enable correct interpretation of these data in a manner modified according to specific problems. In particular, this concept is not confined to transforming age-structured mortality data of a population to the age distribution of the members of a larger population by means of a rule of three. Standardisation is in fact a model of the macrolevel (population). It makes no demands on the modalities of structuring. The structure selected as standard is arbitrarily set. With time series, standardisation usually modifies only the levels of the figures and not the frequencies. The results of standardisation are in every case valid only if the standard is also stated. A rule of thumb is: In retrospective analysis it is meaningful to standardise on the structure at the beginning or end of the time series; in extrapolations standardisation should be performed on the last structure that had been determined, whereas for comparisons a median structure should be standardised. The standardisation approach can be used in case of weighted arithmetic, geometric or harmonic means. Before effecting standardisation, the type of connection between the employed data should be examined. The examples of concepts of direct standardisation refer to cardiovascular and accident mortality in West Berlin from 1963 to 1991, whereas those of indirect standardisation are based on the accident mortality in West Berlin in 1987 structured according to city districts.

Following a long-term decline, death rates due to infectious diseases in West-Berlin men have dramatically increased since 1983. The Berlin mortality statistics introduced AIDS as a specific cause of death only in 1989. However, opportunistic infections, a negligible quantity until 1983, and pointing to AIDS as the underlying cause, show a steep increase in the mid and late eighties. In terms of Potential Years of Life Lost, AIDS-related mortality amounts to 8 percent of total mortality in West-Berlin men in 1989/1990.

The evolution of the agespecific fertility by its dependence of the order of life-births is analysed in this paper. These terms are further calculated on the basis of life-tables. It became evident that the behavior of reproduction of women of the GDR 1968-1973 is well described by the evolution of the structure of birth-order. It is calculated, that about 5% of all women at the age of fourteen participate the reproduction of the population up to the age of forty five. The trend to 1 respectively 2 children a women was increasely carried in the years 1972/1973 so that we have a real loss by life-births.

It is widely accepted that increased nasal resistance plays a major role in habitual mouth breathing. We investigated oronasal air flow distribution during voluntary mouth breathing in subjects without nasal obstruction. To determine whether nasal air flow contributes to total inspiratory flow, we administered 100% O2 by a nasal mask while the lips were kept apart by a mouth piece. Expired O2 concentrations measured at the mouth were a sensitive indicator of nasal admixture during inspiration. Theoretical considerations predict that mixed expired pO2 from two consecutive steady state periods should allow calculation of nasal admixture. Measurements made on 22 healthy volunteers revealed a very variable degree of nasal contribution to inspiratory air flow (mean +/- SD, 25 +/- 15%, range 3-70%). There was no correlation between this proportion and anthropometric data, smoking habits, nasal resistance, or presence of rhinitis. We suggest that changes in the position of the soft palate, tongue, and/or pharyngeal wall associated with respiration are mainly responsible for the within and between subject variation observed in this study. This explanation is consistent with recent experimental findings on the pharyngeal dilating muscles.

Birth-weight-distributiones of life-borns in the GDR in 1973 show differences in all parameters as in sex of children as in professional qualification of women at the time of confinement. The results indicate the necessity to take norms of birth-weight as changeable in time and locality. It is necessary to actualize these norms continuously.

27 subjects with healthy lungs received during conscious mouth breathing of room air simultaneously also nasally applied O2. The mean O2 concentration of the expiratory air at the mouth was a measure for the effective inspiratory oxygen concentration. Application through a nasal mask at 4 l/min O2 flow proved only slightly superior to the airtight nose frame (25.2 vs 23.6 per cent by volume O2), whereas the highest concentration was achieved by mask and reservoir (35.3 vol.%; 2P less than 0.001). The five habitual mouth breathers of the subject group did not show any O2 uptake through the nose in any of the experiments, the mean nasal share of the inspiration being calculated at 2.5% against 25% for the other subjects (2P less than 0.001). The interindividual differences proved independent of nose resistance and are ascribed to changing active positioning of the soft palate. This mechanism must be taken into consideration when assessing the arterial blood gases in oronasal respiration.

Estimating probabilities of age-specific events both in demography and in epidemiology (force of mortality, force of morbidity) will contain additional errors if the frequency of the respective events is influenced by net migration and if migration is not taken into consideration when estimating these events. The terms used in including migration into estimating the respective rates are refined terms. The influence of migration on age-specific events is demonstrated by age-specific mortality and the life expectancy computed on the basis of age-specific mortality rates for the GDR in 1984. The results demonstrate that the life expectancy of the population of Berlin will be underestimated by 0.28 years if migration processes are not taken into consideration.

In a 5,5% sample of the lifeborns in the GDR in 1974 the distribution of the rate of prematures by uniquebirthes is evaluated for child bearing age, birth-order and age and order at the same time. The sample points a minimum in the group of the 2nd order and age between 25 and 30. Undependently of this result the distribution of the rate of prematures by twins is evaluated for the order of birthes and borns and for child bearing age. The influence of the twins on these distributions is discussed. Modifications of the human reproduction as a result of the decontrol of abortion in 1972 are discussed in its consequences of the rate of prematures. In consequence of the decontrol of abortion an ascent of the rate of prematures would be expected without patronize the risk for premature directly.

On the basis of the model for the evaluation of mass attendance, described in (2), a first survey is given on the epidemiology of malignant neoplasms (sum of all diagnoses 140-209 ICD, 8. Rev.) from 1962 to 1972. The development of prevalence in male and female populations is about the same (a clear increase during 1967 and 1969). In spite of a lower incidence of care by women than by men, the mass attendence of women is clearly greater than of men, because the prognosis for women is better than for men. The 5-years-survival rates are for women about 38% and for men only 14%. The cancer prevalence in the GDR (population about 17 Mio.) is nearly 400000, supposed that medical care for cancer patients ends only by death of the patient. An analysis of single diagnosis is not given in this paper.

By means of a combination of two methods known in demography - life table and estimates for intercensal years - probabilities of prevalence of cancer patients and duration of disease from onset to death are calculated. Starting-points are the incidence know by cancerregistration and death certificates. The results of the model are compared with the results of a special point prevalence counting. Both methods gave about the same results.

Based on a model described earlier, the time trend of incidence, mortality, prevalence, duration of medical care and 5-years survival rate is calculated for the following malignant neoplasms of female population in the G.D.R.: breast, uterine cervix , corpus uteri and chorionephithelioma (combined), and rectum (ICD 8th, revision Nos. 174, 180, 181/182, 154). Calculated rates agree quite well with published observations. The results support the assumption that care of cancer patients could be improved between 1962 and 1972. Some suggestions for further development of cancer control are discussed.

A record was taken 1973 of 22,466 single and 3,287 multiple live births, with premature deliveries being subdivided by age, birth order, coverture, and vocational backgrounds of the mothers concerned. The distributions thus established have produced evidence to the effect that all the above factors may have an impact upon premature delivery. Yet, multiple births were found to distort the distributions of all parameters used. --- Reference is made to possible interpretations of such studies in terms of large-scale trends, resources, risk hypotheses, and clusters, with examples being proposed for the latter.