OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to compare the characteristics of psychiatric inpatients in mental health related facilities and community mental health services-utilizing patients by diverse factors in Korea. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent via mail to 140 standard mental health centers from October to December of 2008. 64 facilities responded and data of 461 mentally disabled who are registered at and utilize the services of these mental health centers were analyzed. T-test and cross-analysis were performed to determine the differences in the averages of the variables and the discrepancy in ratios, respectively. RESULTS: Differences between long-term psychiatric inpatients and community mental health services-utilizing patients were seen in characteristics such as gender, age, type of medical coverage, family support systems, diagnosis, age of onset, duration of hospitalization, community-dwelling period, and clinical symptoms and functions. It was significantly short in length of stay in facilities in users of community mental health services with comparison to institutionalized patients. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that invigoration of community mental health services is an alternative that can help deter long-term hospitalization.
Age of Onset ; Community Mental Health Services* ; Diagnosis ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Korea* ; Length of Stay ; Mental Health* ; Mentally Disabled Persons ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was carried out to clarify the histological characteristics of the interface of the corneal stroma and Descemet's membrane of the human eye. METHODS: Nighteen donor eyes without corneal pathology were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The Descemet's membrane including the corneal endothelium was cheked for scanning electron microscopy. The junctional characteristics of the posterior corneal stroma and Descemet's membrane was examined by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: The scanning electron microscopy showed that collagen sheet faced each other at the right angle near the Descemet's membrane and penetrated the Descemet's membrane with the irregular arrangement. The transmission electron microscopy showed that the electron-dense collagen filaments extended to the posterior stroma from Descemet's membrane. The arrangement of electron-dense collagen filaments paralleled with the arrangement of the collagen fibrils of the posterior stroma. CONCLUSIONS: The interface of the corneal stroma and Descemet's membrane was composed of two-typed extracellular materials without the intercellular specificatons.
Collagen ; Corneal Stroma* ; Descemet Membrane* ; Endothelium, Corneal ; Humans ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Pathology ; Tissue Donors

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlated factors that may influence the length of stay in mental health related facilities. METHODS: We chose 2253 patients with mental illness using a stratified multi-stage cluster sampling from 48 psychiatric hospitals, twelve psychiatric clinics, five psychiatric welfare facilities, and five mental rehabilitation facilities. The investigation involved psychiatrists, psychology practitioners, and social workers, and lasted from August 1, 2008 to November 15, 2008. Assessment and investigation of diverse factors was performed using one-way analysis of variance in order to examine their influence on length of stay. RESULTS: Factors showing significant correlation with length of stay included the types of mental health related facilities, age, marital status, socioeconomic status, type of medical security, familial support, type of admission, diagnosis, age of onset of the illness, number of admissions, severity of psychiatric symptoms, daily living and social function, GAF score, prominent thought/perception disability, memory/orientation disturbance, odd behavior/prominent regression, personal hygiene, communication/personal relationship, management of money, and public transportation/facility utilization. CONCLUSION: Findings of this study suggest that the type of mental health related facilities and the type of medical security are the most significant factors showing correlation with length of stay.
Age of Onset ; Hospitals, Psychiatric ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Length of Stay ; Marital Status ; Mental Health ; Psychiatry ; Social Class ; Social Workers

No abstract available.
Humans ; Pericardial Effusion*

BACKGROUND: Outpatient surgery has recently grown at a substantial rate. The development and use of short acting anesthetic and analgesic agents have played a major role in the growth of outpatient surgery. This study was designed to evaluate the intraoperative hemodynamic responses and recovery characteristics, using propofol or isoflurane to maintain the anesthesia. METHODS: A total number of 30, ASA physical status I-II patients scheduled for outpatient surgery, all of whom were to undergo excision of breast mass. The patients were randomly allocated to receive either total intravenous anesthesia with propofol, or inhalation anesthesia with isoflurane after induction of anesthesia with propofol. All patients were ventilated via a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) using a mixture of oxygen and air so that the FiO2 would be 0.4. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in hemodynamic changes during anesthesia in recovery time, or in complications between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that both methods provide reasonably rapid and reliable recovery from anesthesia and are equally acceptable to the patients.
Ambulatory Surgical Procedures* ; Analgesics ; Anesthesia* ; Anesthesia, Inhalation ; Anesthesia, Intravenous ; Breast ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Isoflurane ; Laryngeal Masks ; Outpatients* ; Oxygen ; Propofol*

BACKGROUND: Fluoxetine, a widely used antidepressant drug, has been described as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. In addition to its antidepressant action it has been demonstrated to be effective in alleviating pain associated with various diseases. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons are primary sensory neurons and transmit peripheral information to central nervous system. Two types of sodium channels are expressed in DRG neurons based on their sensitivity to tetrodotoxin. They are involved in the generation and conduction of nociception. The effects of fluoxetine on sodium currents in DRG neurons were examined to elucidate the analgesic mechanism of the drug. METHODS: DRG neurons wereacutely dissociated from rats (2~6 days postnatal) by enzymatic digestion. The whole-cell configuration of patch clamp technique was used to record tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) and tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) sodium currents. RESULTS: Fluoxetine inhibited TTX-S and TTX-R sodium currents with Kd values of 60 microM and 59 microM, respectively, at the holding potential of -80 mV. For both types of sodium channels the steady-state inactivation curves were shifted in the hyperpolarizing direction and the conductance-voltage relationship curves were shifted in the depolarizing direction by fluoxetine. These effects combined together would greatly reduce the neuronal excitability. CONCLUSIONS: The blockade of sodium currents in sensory neurons is considered as a possible mechanism for the analgesic action of fluoxetine.
Animals ; Central Nervous System ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Digestion ; Fluoxetine* ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Neurons ; Nociception ; Rats* ; Sensory Receptor Cells* ; Serotonin ; Sodium Channels ; Sodium* ; Tetrodotoxin

PURPOSE: This study was performed to investigate the cellular characteristics of the secondary pupillary membrane. METHODS: The secondary pupillary membrane was removed from the anterior lens surface during cataract extraction from 2 patients with cataract associated with uveitis. Specimen from one patient was stained with hematoxylin-eosin with flat preparation method. Specimen from the other patient cultured for 1 and 2 weeks was observed with transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: The flat preparation showed the neovascular membrane with pigment-laden cells. The cultured cells consisted of the well preserved vascular components which had the vascular endothelial cells and pericyte and pigment-laden cells lined by basement membrane on first week of culture. The iris pigment epithelial cell which contained the pigment granules within cytoplasm and lined by basement membrane were observed on second week of culture. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the secondary pupillary membrane consists of vascular membrane and pigment epithelial cell of iris which is a major component of secondary pupillary membrane and secrets extracellular matrix.
Basement Membrane ; Cataract ; Cataract Extraction ; Cells, Cultured ; Cytoplasm ; Endothelial Cells ; Epithelial Cells ; Extracellular Matrix ; Humans ; Iris ; Membranes* ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Pericytes ; Uveitis

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been suggested to be contributory factors in complications of diabetes mellitus. In the present study, we investigated the generation of superoxide, the lipid peroxide level measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, the vasorelaxation of isolated thoracic aorta and the iNOS expression in kidney of streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control, ascorbate (400 mg/kg rat weight daily in drinking water), diabetic (single dose of 50 mg of STZ/kg i.p.) and diabetic simultaneously fed with ascorbate for 12 wk. Rats in groups were studied at tri-weekly intervals (0 to 12 wk). Diabetic rats were evaluated periodically with changes of plasma glucose levels and body weight. The ascorbate supplimentation attenuated the development of hyperglycemia and weight loss induced by STZ injection in rats. In the present experimental condition, the ascorbate supplimentation had no significant effect on plasma glucose levels and changes in body weight of normal rate. The superoxide generation, formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance and iNOS expression in kidney were significantly increased in STZ-treated rats that were decreased by ascorbate supplimentation. The ascorbate supplimentation had no effect on vasorelaxation of isolated thoracic aorta. These results indicate that ascorbate supplimentation may exert an inhibitory effect on STZ-induced oxidative tissue damage through protection of pancreatic islet cells by scavanging reactive oxygen species. The ascorbate supplimentation may possibly attenuate the renal complication of diabetes mellitus.
Animals ; Aorta, Thoracic ; Blood Glucose ; Body Weight ; Diabetes Complications ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Drinking ; Hyperglycemia ; Islets of Langerhans ; Kidney* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Streptozocin* ; Superoxides ; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances ; Vasodilation ; Weight Loss

The present study investigated the stimulatory effects of iron (or ascorbate) on cyclosporine-induced kidney mitochondrial damage. Damaging effect of 50 muM cyclosporine plus 20 muM Fe2+ on mitochondrial lipids and proteins of rat kidney and hyaluronic acid was greater than the summation of oxidizing action of each compound alone, except sulfhydryl oxidation. Cyclosporine and 100 muM ascorbate showed an enhanced damaging effect on lipids but not on proteins. The peroxidative action of cyclosporine on lipids was enhanced with increasing concentrations of Fe2+. Ferric ion (20 muM) also interacted with cyclosporine to stimulate lipid peroxidation. Damaging action of cyclosporine on mitochondrial lipids was enhanced by ascorbate (100 muM and 1 mM). Iron chelators, DTPA and EDTA, attenuated carbonyl formation induced by cyclosporine plus ascorbate. Cyclosporine (100 muM) and 50 muM Fe2+ (or 100 muM ascorbate) synergistically stimulated degradation of 2- alpha deoxyribose. Cyclosporine (1 to 100 muM) reduced ferric ion in a dose dependent manner, which is much less than ascorbate action. Addition of Fe2+ caused a change in absorbance spectrum of cyclosporine in 230~350 nm of wavelengths. The results show that cyclosporine plus iron (or ascorbate) exerts an enhanced damaging effect on kidney mitochondria. Iron and ascorbate appear to promote the nephrotoxicity induced by cyclosporine.
Animals ; Chelating Agents ; Cyclosporine ; Deoxyribose ; Edetic Acid ; Hyaluronic Acid ; Iron* ; Kidney* ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Mitochondria* ; Pentetic Acid ; Rats

Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome means perihepatitis consisting of liver capsule inflammation without parenchymal damage associated with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). The incidence of this syndrome in PID is reported to be 15-30%. It produces right upper quadrant pain from acute inflammatory reaction between liver capsule and adjacent peritoneum in acute phase, and later forms characteristic violin-string adhesions. Recently, it is suggested that marked hepatic subcapsular enhancement at arterial phase in contrast-enhanced CT has diagnostic value, but diagnostic laparoscopy is used as definitive diagnostic method in Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome. We have experienced one case of Fitz-Hugh-Curtis syndrome in women with right upper quadrant pain, which was diagnosed by CT imaging and was not improved by appropriate antibiotic therapy. In diagnostic laparoscopic examination, we have found direct adhesion between liver capsule and anterior abdominal wall and experienced improvement in symptoms after adhesiolysis. So, we report this case with the brief review of the literatures.
Abdominal Wall* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; Laparoscopy ; Liver* ; Pelvic Inflammatory Disease ; Peritoneum ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed