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Biomedical subjects

D R Owen

Publications and source records attributed to D R Owen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Thirty-year secular trends in the cognitive abilities of Danish male school-leavers at a high educational level.

A nationally representative sample of Danish males finishing school in 1989, or shortly before, with a studentereksamen (the highest qualification in the Danish school system) was found to score generally lower on a battery of four cognitive tests than a comparable sample of Danish males who had taken the same tests shortly after finishing school in the late 1950s or early 1960s. This decline appears attributable to the increasing proportions of students who obtain the studentereksamen and is quite compatible with an overall increase in test scores, also found in our data, for the general population over the same time period. For those who obtain the studentereksamen, the decline has been most marked in a test of verbal analogies. It has been smaller for tests of logical and spatial reasoning, and scores on a test of numerical ability have actually improved over the 30 years. This differential pattern may be the result of both student changes and curricular changes within Danish schools.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Mood alteration with yoga and swimming: aerobic exercise may not be necessary.

The mood benefits of Hatha yoga and swimming, two activities that differ greatly in aerobic training benefits, were examined. College students (N = 87) in two swimming classes, a yoga class, and a lecture-control class completed mood and personality inventories before and after class on three occasions. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that both yoga participants (n = 22) and swimmers (n = 37) reported greater decreases in scores on Anget, Confusion, Tension, and Depression than did the control students (n = 28). The consistent mood benefits of yoga supported our earlier observation that the exercise need not be aerobic to be associated with mood enhancement. However, underlying and causal mechanisms remain uncertain. Among the men, the acute decreases in Tension, Fatigue, and Anger after yoga were significantly greater than those after swimming. Yoga may be even more beneficial than swimming for men who personally select to participate. The women reported fairly similar mood benefits after swimming and yoga. It seems that aerobic exercise may not be necessary to facilitate the mood benefits. Also, students with greater mood changes attended class more regularly than those who reported fewer psychological benefits. Maximizing the immediate psychological benefits of exercise might be one way to encourage adults to be physically active.

Affect↗
PubMed1991

Intelligence and educational level in adult males at the extremes of stature.

Stature and intellectual ability are commonly found to correlate positively (r approximately 0.2). In this study we have assessed whether this relationship holds true at the extremes of stature in adults. From a representative study population of 76,111 young Danish men, we defined an extremely short group as those below the 2d percentile (less than or equal to 163 cm) and an extremely tall group as those above the 98th percentile (greater than or equal to 191 cm). The short group had intelligence test scores and educational levels lying at approximately two-thirds of a standard deviation below the overall means. The tall group had means lying approximately one-half standard deviation above the overall means. These deviations are to a large degree in agreement with the observed overall correlations of height with intelligence test scores (r = 0.244) and with educational level (r = 0.264). Both groups, however, appear to score somewhat below the levels expected from a purely linear relationship. For the short group there appear to be local factors that are particularly detrimental to intellectual ability. For the tall group corresponding local factors are relatively independent of intellectual ability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Sex chromosome anomalies, hormones, and sexuality.

Behavioral investigation of men with sex chromosome anomalies has been primarily limited to the study of institutionalized individuals or patient groups. A double-blind controlled investigation of XYY and XXY men found in a birth cohort of 4591 tall men born in Copenhagen gathered sexual information and assessed the role of hormonal determinants on sexual behavior. There were significant differences in several sexual dimensions and in gender role between XYY men and their controls and XXY men and their controls as well as between XYY and XXY men. Although both proband groups differed from each other and from their controls in pituitary gonadal function, there was no evidence that adult hormonal levels mediate the effect of sex chromosome anomalies on male sexuality.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Sex chromosome anomalies, hormones, and aggressivity.

This double-blind, controlled study of XYY and XXY men found in a birth cohort of 4,591 tall men born in Copenhagen assessed evidence of delinquent and aggressive behavior and explored the role of hormonal determinants in the behavioral and psychological differences noted among groups. Information from social records, a structured psychological interview, and projective tests did not support the notion that men with sex chromosome anomalies are particularly violent or aggressive. Hormonally, XYY men had significantly higher concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) than matched control groups. In contrast, XXY men had higher levels of LH, FSH, and prolactin, but low concentrations of testosterone. There was a significantly positive relation among all subjects as well as XY controls alone between plasma testosterone level and evidence of criminal convictions. A proportionate increase in testosterone levels was noted when subjects were divided into nondelinquents, delinquents without violent convictions, and delinquents with violent convictions. The relation between testosterone level and criminal behavior was not reflected in measures of aggression derived from the psychological interview and projective tests. There was no specific evidence that testosterone is a mediating factor in the criminal behavior of XYY men.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Grafted synthetic sorbents for enhanced removal of toxic chemical agents from plasma.

A series of porous polymeric sorbents and activated carbon were used to remove diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) from human plasma and normal saline. The sorptive capacities of the commercially available sorbents Amberlite XAD-4, XAD-2, XN1010, and XE348, and Calgon 400 were determined. Butyl- and palmityl-grafted XAD-4 were prepared with graft efficiencies of 32 and 6%, respectively, and tested for sorptive capacities. DIMP removal efficiencies were compared to dialysis with a 1.8 m2 Cordis-Dow hollow fiber artificial kidneY (HFAK). Butyl-grafted XAD-4 and active carbon outperformed the other sorbents in removing DIMP from both saline and plasma. An order of magnitude reduction in removal ability was noted for all the adsorbents when the mobile media was plasma. Pronounced plasma precipitation was elicited by activated carbon, an effect not observed with any of the polymeric resins tested. The removal efficiencies on a 18.0 g basis of XAD-4, butyl-grafted XAD-4, and active carbon were comparable to that of the HFAK used in this study. These sorbents, however, possess a macroscopic surface area of approximately 0.1 m2, an order of magnitude lower than that of the HFAK. This reduction in contact area is believed to reduce substantially the possibility of undesirable molecular and cellular effects.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed1983

Mood alteration with swimming--swimmers really do "feel better".

This study illustrated the relationship between swimming, an aerobic activity, and mood. One hundred college students, voluntarily enrolled in beginning or intermediate swimming classes or in lecture-control classes, completed the POMS before and after class. Results of a 5-way ANOVA confirmed that, as predicted, swimmers reported significantly less tension, depression, anger, confusion, and more vigor after exercising than before. Both novice and intermediate swimmers changed significantly more than did controls on all scales except fatigue, while none of the controls' pre-, post-instruction mood changes were significant. The results have implications, similar to those with running, for use in psychotherapy. Despite different social connotations of exercise for women and men, there were no gender differences in the amount of mood change associated with swimming. However, in direct contradiction of existing literature, the women reported significantly less tension-anxiety, depression, anger, and confusion than the men.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Cardiac functioning and blood pressure of 47,XYY and 47,XXY men in a double-blind, double-matched population survey.

This paper reports the electrocardiogram measures and blood pressure of 12 men with 47,XYY, 14 men with 47,XXY, and 52 matched controls with 46,XY. The abnormal karyotypes were identified in a systematic population search for XYY and XXY men. The subjects and their matched controls were examined in a double-blind fashion. Electrocardiogram measures of 47,XYY and 47,XXY men were found to differ from those of 46,XY controls. The XYYs had longer P-R intervals, shorter QRS complexes, and nonsignificantly longer R-R intervals than their matched controls. The XXYs showed longer R-R intervals and trends for for prolonged P-R intervals and shorter QRS complexes when compared with their controls. Trends toward increased within-group variability in the XYY and XXY groups were observed in five of six variance tests, suggesting that the sex chromosome aneuploids have a cardiac condition anomaly. Blood pressure measures of 47,XYY and 47,XXY men were found not to differ from those of 46,XY men. None of the measures revealed a significant difference between the XYYs and the XXYs.

Blood Pressure↗