Spatial stochastic resonance in one-dimensional Ising systems.

The one-dimensional Ising model is analytically studied in a spatially periodic and oscillatory external magnetic field using the transfer-matrix method. For low enough magnetic field intensities the correlation between the external magnetic field and the response in magnetization presents a maximum for a given temperature. The phenomenon can be interpreted as a resonance phenomenon induced by the stochastic heat bath. This "spatial stochastic resonance" is realized in the equilibrium state and not as a dynamical response to the external time-periodic driving.

Psychiatric morbidity among patients attending medical outpatient department.

Patients attending the General Medical Out-patient department of a public hospital were selected randomly and screened by a physician and a psychiatrist independently. The data on 258 patients reveal an overall psychiatric morbidity of 36% consisting of 24% pure psychiatric illnesses and 12% with associated organic problems. Females are found to be suffering from psychiatric illnesses to a statistically significantly greater extent as compared to males. Symptoms related to the head and the central nervous system, psychological symptoms and sleep disturbances are significantly more in the psychiatrically ill group. Functional patients have on an average more presenting complaints as compared to the "organic" i.e. physically ill patient (2.73 against 1.96). Other relevant findings are discussed in comparison with other studies.

Value of the general health questionnaire in detecting psychiatric morbidity in a general hospital out-patient population.

On administering the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) in English, Gujarati and Marathi, to 500 non-acutely ill adult patients selected randomly from a General Hospital Out-patient Department, it was found that 57% scored high (12 and above), indicating the possibility of psychiatric morbidity in this group. On subjecting 50 of these patients to blind psychiatric evaluation a misclassification rate of 30% was observed with respect to the G. H. Q. 96% of the psychiatrically ill scored high on GHQ, 37% of those scoring high on G. H. Q. were psychiatrically normal. If this misclassification rate is lowered by suitable modifications such as reducing items pertaining to Group A of the G. H. Q., then this test will be very useful as a simple tool to detect psychiatric morbidity.

Lithium in aggression.

Aggression is psychological and social menace. The safety of the patient as well as other members of the society is jeopardised due to severe acts of aggression. Hence control of aggressive behaviour gets a priority over various other symptoms. Various treatment modalities have been tried to control the act of aggression. We carried out this study to find out antiaggressive effect of lithium carbonate. Twenty resistant patients of varied psychiatric diagnosis showing aggressive behaviour completed this six weeks outdoor trial. They were started on lithium after initial assessment and were called once a week for evaluation with their relatives for total period of six weeks. Their lithium dose w,s adjusted and they were assessed on an aggression scale. We found clinical improvement in seventy percent of our cases. Our conclusion was that lithium has a definite role in controlling aggression.

Clobazam versus diazepam--a double-blind study in anxiety neurosis.

Clobazam, a new antianxiety compound, was compared in a double-blind study with diazepam in 40 neurotic outpatients. Twenty-three patients completed the trial under clobazam conditions while 17 patients completed the trial under diazepam conditions. The trial was conducted for a period of four weeks of active drug administration followed by a one-week period of placebo administration. Clobazam was administered in three divided doses of 30 to 40 mg/day, while diazepam was administered in three divided doses of 15 to 20 mg/day, following a fixed dosage schedule. No significant differences were noted between the two treatment conditions during the drug trial period. The patients on clobazam maintained greater improvement during the placebo trial period for the variables "somatic anxiety" and "nights of sleep disturbance." Simultaneous motor coordination tests (hand steadiness test) showed greater improvement on clobazam throughout the trial period in patients with an initial error score greater than 50 points. This difference was significant during the second week of the trial.