A Double-Blind Controlled Comparison of the Therapeutic Effects of Low and High Energy Electroconvulsive Therapies

1982 ◽  
Vol 141 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley Robin ◽  
Sanath De Tissera
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Therapeutic Outcome ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Sinusoidal Wave ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Energy Currents

SummaryPatients were randomly allocated to treatment with either low energy pulses, high energy pulses, or high energy sinusoidal wave ECT and, despite the induction of convulsions of similar duration, were found to respond at different rates and to a different degree, depending on whether low or high energy currents were used. It is suggested that the quantity of current, as well as the induction of a convulsion, is relevant to therapeutic outcome with ECT. A reexamination of previous work shows that this is not necessarily inconsistent with these findings, which also explain the contradictory results in recent controlled trials of ECT.

Memory Test Performance Under Three Different Waveforms of ECT for Depression

1984 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 370-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric W. Warren ◽  
David H. Groome
Keyword(s):  
Test Performance ◽  
Marked Improvement ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Sine Wave ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Nonverbal Memory ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Energy Pulse

SummaryThirty-eight patients suffering from severe depression were given a course of ECT (Electroconvulsive therapy) in one of three waveforms. These were high-energy sine wave (HS), high-energy pulse (HP), and low-energy pulse (LP). Patients were assigned to one of these treatments on a double-blind basis. The patients were given a battery of memory tests before ECT commenced, after three treatments, at the termination of treatment, and two weeks after the last treatment. The marked improvement in both verbal and nonverbal memory scores was attributed to the lifting of depression. No significant differences were found between the memory scores of the three treatment groups at any point during the treatment period.

scholarly journals High versus low energy administration in the early phase of acute pancreatitis (GOULASH trial): protocol of a multicentre randomised double-blind clinical trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. e015874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katalin Márta ◽  
Anikó N Szabó ◽  
Dániel Pécsi ◽  
Péter Varjú ◽  
Judit Bajor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Pancreatitis ◽  
Hospital Admission ◽  
Early Phase ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Atp Depletion ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Intravenous Glucose ◽  
Ductal Cells

IntroductionAcute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disease with no specific treatment. Mitochondrial injury followed by ATP depletion in both acinar and ductal cells is a recently discovered early event in its pathogenesis. Importantly, preclinical research has shown that intracellular ATP delivery restores the physiological function of the cells and protects from cell injury, suggesting that restoration of energy levels in the pancreas is therapeutically beneficial. Despite several high quality experimental observations in this area, no randomised trials have been conducted to date to address the requirements for energy intake in the early phase of AP.Methods/designThis is a randomised controlled two-arm double-blind multicentre trial. Patients with AP will be randomly assigned to groups A (30 kcal/kg/day energy administration starting within 24 hours of hospital admission) or B (low energy administration during the first 72 hours of hospital admission). Energy will be delivered by nasoenteric tube feeding with additional intravenous glucose supplementation or total parenteral nutrition if necessary. A combination of multiorgan failure for more than 48 hours and mortality is defined as the primary endpoint, whereas several secondary endpoints such as length of hospitalisation or pain will be determined to elucidate more detailed differences between the groups. The general feasibility, safety and quality checks required for high quality evidence will be adhered to.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the relevant organisation, the Scientific and Research Ethics Committee of the Hungarian Medical Research Council (55961-2/2016/EKU). This study will provide evidence as to whether early high energy nutritional support is beneficial in the clinical management of AP. The results of this trial will be published in an open access way and disseminated among medical doctors.Trial registrationThe trial has been registered at the ISRCTN (ISRTCN 63827758).

The Methodology of Controlled Trials of Acupuncture

1989 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
C A Vincent
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Specific Effect ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Placebo Control ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Control Procedure ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Trial Methodology ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Single Blind

The double-blind controlled trial methodology cannot be straightforwardly applied to trials of acupuncture. The double-blind condition, where the clinician is ignorant of the treatment allocation, cannot be sensibly maintained in trials of acupuncture or other physical treatments. The definition of an appropriate control group is also a difficult matter. The great majority of controlled trials of acupuncture so far conducted are seriously flawed by the use of a placebo control that itself has therapeutic effects. Recently more appropriate control groups have been developed, notably mock TENS, which is inert, and minimal acupuncture, which has only a very slight specific effect. As trials can only be single blind, if is especially important to monitor the adequacy of the control procedure, to ensure that it is perceived as being as effective as the true treatment. It is suggested that this can be achieved by assessing the: credibility of the two treatment procedures. Controlled trials of acupuncture should therefore be single blind, and employ a control condition that has no more than minimal specific effects, but is nevertheless seen as a credible, bona fide treatment by patients.

The Effect of Desmopressin on Reducing Blood Loss in Cardiac Surgery – A Meta-Analysis of Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trials

1995 ◽  
Vol 74 (04) ◽  
pp. 1064-1070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Cattaneo ◽  
Alan S Harris ◽  
Ulf Strömberg ◽  
Pier Mannuccio Mannucci
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Blood Loss ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Postoperative Blood Loss ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Double Blind Placebo ◽  
Transfusion Requirements ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Excessive Blood Loss

SummaryThe effect of desmopressin (DDAVP) on reducing postoperative blood loss after cardiac surgery has been studied in several randomized clinical trials, with conflicting outcomes. Since most trials had insufficient statistical power to detect true differences in blood loss, we performed a meta-analysis of data from relevant studies. Seventeen randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were analyzed, which included 1171 patients undergoing cardiac surgery for various indications; 579 of them were treated with desmopressin and 592 with placebo. Efficacy parameters were blood loss volumes and transfusion requirements. Desmopressin significantly reduced postoperative blood loss by 9%, but had no statistically significant effect on transfusion requirements. A subanalysis revealed that desmopressin had no protective effects in trials in which the mean blood loss in placebo-treated patients fell in the lower and middle thirds of distribution of blood losses (687-1108 ml/24 h). In contrast, in trials in which the mean blood loss in placebo-treated patients fell in the upper third of distribution (>1109 ml/24 h), desmopressin significantly decreased postoperative blood loss by 34%. Insufficient data were available to perform a sub-analysis on transfusion requirements. Therefore, desmopressin significantly reduces blood loss only in cardiac operations which induce excessive blood loss. Further studies are called to validate the results of this meta-analysis and to identify predictors of excessive blood loss after cardiac surgery.

Low energy vs. high energy depositional settings and related sedimentary bodies in early Senenian rudist bearing carbonate shelves (central-southern Italy)

2001 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Carannante ◽  
A. Laviano ◽  
D. Ruberti ◽  
Lucia Simone ◽  
G. Sirna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Italy ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Depositional Settings

Comparing Intradermal Sterile Water with Intravenous Morphine in Reducing Pain in Patients with Renal Colic: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-82
Author(s):  
Javad Mozafari ◽  
Mohammadreza Maleki Verki ◽  
Fatemeh Tirandaz ◽  
Reza Mahjouri
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trial ◽  
Renal Colic ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Sterile Water ◽  
Morphine Group ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Water Group ◽  
Intravenous Morphine ◽  
Painful Area

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of intradermal administration of sterile water compared to intravenous morphine on patients with renal colic. Methods: This double-blind, randomized clinical trial study was conducted in 2017 to compare the therapeutic effects of intradermal sterile water with those of intravenous morphine on patients with renal colic presenting to the emergency departments (ED) of Imam Khomeini and Golestan Hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran. The first group received 0.5 ml of intradermal sterile water, and the second group 0.1mg/kg of intravenous morphine plus 0.5 ml of intradermal sterile water in the most painful area or the center of the painful area in the flank. The pain severity was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and the medication side-effects were recorded at the beginning of the study and minutes 15, 30,45 and 60. Result: A total of 94 patients were studied in two groups. The mean severity of pain was 2.97 ± 1.51 in the sterile water group and 2.34 ± 1.89 in the morphine group at minute 30 (P=0.042), 2.58 ± 1.43 in the sterile water group and 1 ± 1.23 in the morphine group at minute 45 (p<0.001), and 1.89 ± 1.7 in the sterile water group and 0.52 ± 0.79 in the morphine group at minute 60 (p<0.001). Conclusion: Morphine reduces pain faster and more effectively than intradermal sterile water; nevertheless, treatment with intradermal sterile water can be used as an appropriate surrogate or adjunct therapy for pain control, particularly in special patients or in case of medication scarcity.

Transportation: Fuel Energies

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Rez
Keyword(s):  
Energy Density ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
High Energy Density ◽  
Nuclear Fuels ◽  
Liquid Hydrocarbons ◽  
Transportation Fuel ◽  
Journey Time

Transportation efficiency can be measured in terms of the energy needed to move a person or a tonne of freight over a given distance. For passengers, journey time is important, so an equally useful measure is the product of the energy used and the time taken for the journey. Transportation requires storage of energy. Rechargeable systems such as batteries have very low energy densities as compared to fossil fuels. The highest energy densities come from nuclear fuels, although, because of shielding requirements, these are not practical for most forms of transportation. Liquid hydrocarbons represent a nice compromise between high energy density and ease of use.

scholarly journals Low-Energy Electron Damage to Condensed-Phase DNA and Its Constituents

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 7879
Author(s):  
Yingxia Gao ◽  
Yi Zheng ◽  
Léon Sanche
Keyword(s):  
Condensed Phase ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Dna Lesions ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Strand Breaks ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Wide Range

The complex physical and chemical reactions between the large number of low-energy (0–30 eV) electrons (LEEs) released by high energy radiation interacting with genetic material can lead to the formation of various DNA lesions such as crosslinks, single strand breaks, base modifications, and cleavage, as well as double strand breaks and other cluster damages. When crosslinks and cluster damages cannot be repaired by the cell, they can cause genetic loss of information, mutations, apoptosis, and promote genomic instability. Through the efforts of many research groups in the past two decades, the study of the interaction between LEEs and DNA under different experimental conditions has unveiled some of the main mechanisms responsible for these damages. In the present review, we focus on experimental investigations in the condensed phase that range from fundamental DNA constituents to oligonucleotides, synthetic duplex DNA, and bacterial (i.e., plasmid) DNA. These targets were irradiated either with LEEs from a monoenergetic-electron or photoelectron source, as sub-monolayer, monolayer, or multilayer films and within clusters or water solutions. Each type of experiment is briefly described, and the observed DNA damages are reported, along with the proposed mechanisms. Defining the role of LEEs within the sequence of events leading to radiobiological lesions contributes to our understanding of the action of radiation on living organisms, over a wide range of initial radiation energies. Applications of the interaction of LEEs with DNA to radiotherapy are briefly summarized.

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