The serotonin has been known to play important roles in pathology of the mood disorders. We summerize the evidences of serotonin in pathology of the mood disorders in a view of neuroanatomical and neurochemical aspects. Nowaday, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs)may be practically the first line of antidepressants with traditional tricyclic antidepressants(TCAs. Authors review the role of serotonin in the treatment of the mood disorders, in a view of the general considerations in selecting antidepressants, pharmacology, therapeutic, indications, side effects, doses of medication, drug-discontinuation syndrome, drug-to-drug interactions, and special therapeutic situations.
Antidepressive Agents ; Mood Disorders* ; Pathology* ; Pharmacology ; Serotonin*

No abstract available.
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone*

Candida albicans is the most common cause of infectious esophagitis and usually is an opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients. Dysphagia and odynophagia are the usual presenting complaints and, importantly, oral lesions are absent in 50 percent of patients. The role of gastrointestinal endoscopy in diagnosing fungal infections of the esophagus is primary. It is the most definitive and often the only method of detecting esophageal candidiasis. Accurate endoscopic diagnosis by biopsy or brushing leads to the initiation nf effective therapy. We have experienced a case of esophageal candidiasis in an 11-year-old girl who was immunologically normal and whose main symptoms were epigastric abdominal pain and nausea for 4 months. The endoscopic and pathologic findings of esophageal candidiasis were presented.
Abdominal Pain* ; Biopsy ; Candida albicans ; Candidiasis* ; Child* ; Deglutition Disorders ; Diagnosis ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal ; Esophagitis ; Esophagus* ; Female ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Intestines* ; Nausea ; Opportunistic Infections ; Stomach*

To investigate if excimer laser ablation of the corneal stroma affect the Barrier function of the corneal endothelial cells and to establish the depth Of excimer laser ablation that will not impair endothelial barrier.
Corneal Stroma ; Endothelial Cells ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Permeability*

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the effects of lidocaine patch application to decrease pain and fear during blood sugar testing in elderly patients with DM. METHODS: The participants were 56 elderly patients admitted to J geriatric hospital in G city, Korea. Of the elderly patient, 27 were assigned to the experimental group and 29 to the control group. Participants in the experimental group applied a lidocaine patch on the fingertip for 30 minutes before a blood sugar test. The control group applied a plaster on the fingertip. Pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale and fear using the Procedure Behaviour Check List. The results were compared using paired t-test and t-test. RESULTS: The scores for pain and fear were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The lidocaine patch was found to be an effective local anesthetic to relieve pain and fear during blood sugar test in elderly patients with DM without any severe adverse events.
Aged* ; Blood Glucose* ; Humans ; Korea ; Lidocaine*

BACKGROUND: Doxylamine succinate(DS) is an antihistamine commonly used as an over-the-counter medication to relieve insomnia and frequently involved in overdoses. Its overdoses are dominated by anticholinergic effect. Recently it was revealed that DS had a direct effect on muscle, while its exact mechanism is not clear yet. We evaluated the patients with rhabdomyolysis induced by DS overdose for patients disposition based upon clinical decision, especially by creatinine phosphokinase(CPK). METHODS: We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of patients admitted by DS overdose from Jan. 1998 to Oct. 1999. Seventy and nine cases of DS overdose were evaluated with respect to age and sex distribution, amount ingested, clinical symptomatology, time from ingestion to visit, pattern of CPK, amount of bicarbonate used as therapy, complication and prognosis, especially in patients complicated rhabdomyolysis. RESULTS: Rhabdomyolysis, diagnosed as more than 1,000I. U/L of CPK, has been noted in 25(31.6%) of 79 cases of DS overdose visited to our emergency department(ED). In patients diagnosed rhabdomyolysis, the number of man was 10 cases(40%) and the number aged between 20 and 40 years was 22 cases(88%). The average time from DS ingestion to ED visit was 459 minutes. The amount of DS ingested was 500-5,000mg(mean, 1,980mg). 13(52%) cases ingested less than 2,250mg of DS. The initial levels of CPK(range, 48-14900I. U/L; normal range, 26-200I. U/L) after admitting to our emergency department were normal in 15 cases(60%) of rhabdomyolysis patients. The range of peak CPK levels after ingestion was 607 to 412,500I. U/L(mean, 33,550I. U/L). Its peak time was 6 to 96 hours(mean, 28.96 hours). In 14 cases(67%) of 21 visiting within 24 hours after ingestion, peak time of CPK ranged 12 to 24 hours after ingestion. The amount of bicarbonate used as therapy of rhabdomyolysis ranged 100 to 2,740mEq(mean, 656mEq) and all patients was discharged after improvement without other complication including acute renal failure. CONCLUSIONS : Although patients ingested less than 2,250mg of DS, emergency physicians should observe them more than 24 hours after DS ingestion with CPK follow-up after gastric irrigation and charcoal administration.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Charcoal ; Creatinine ; Doxylamine* ; Eating ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastric Lavage ; Humans ; Medical Records ; Prognosis ; Reference Values ; Retrospective Studies ; Rhabdomyolysis* ; Sex Distribution ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders ; Succinic Acid*

Genes encoding sequence-specific DNA binding proteins have been isolated by screening cDNA libraries constructed in rgt11 expression vector with recognition site DNAs. We isolated a rgt11 recombinant human cDNA clone, designated to C2, using a DNA probe consisted of heptamer of the perfect palindrome (PP; GGGGATTCCCC) of enhancer A (Enh A) of HLA dass I promoter. Sequencing analysis showed that this clone contained a partial cDNA homologous to NF-kB2. Lysogenic E. coli containing the C2 was generated and crude cell extract was prepared. Immunoblot using anti-B-galactosidase antibody showed that this lysogenic E. coli expressed B-galactosidase fusion protein. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and DNase I footprinting assay were done using crude cell extract and their patterns were compared with nuclear protein extracted from an EBV transformed B lymphoblastoid cell line (BLCL). EMSA showed that crude cell extract prepared from E. coli lysogen speci5cally bound to the PP of Enh A region of HLA class I gene. DNase I footprinting assay showed that the binding sequence of this recombinant B-galactosidase fusion protein was identical to that of nuclear protein extracted from a BLCL. Our data indicate that a Agt11 recombinant cDNA clone was isolated from a human cDNA library using the PP of Enh A of the HLA class I promoter and this clone encoded a B-galactosidase fusion protein capable of binding to the PP and belongs to a NF-xB subunit.
Cell Line ; Clone Cells ; Deoxyribonuclease I ; DNA ; DNA, Complementary* ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay ; Gene Library ; Genes, MHC Class I ; Herpesvirus 4, Human ; Humans* ; Mass Screening ; Nuclear Proteins

Subcutaneous emphysema is a complication of the pneumoperitoneum necessary to perform laparoscopy and will be seen more often as laparoscopic techniques are applied to a growing number of intraabdominal procedures. We report a case of subcutaneous emphysema and hypercarbia without pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which was treated by multiple puncture with 18G needle on emphysematous site. The suspected cause is inadvertent subcutaneous insufflation of carbon dioxide through the trocar sites by increased intra-abdominal pressure for the establishment of pneumoperitoneum. Immediate recognition, evaluation, and treatment of subcutaneous emphysema is necessary since this can be life-threatening complication.
Carbon Dioxide ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Insufflation ; Laparoscopy ; Mediastinal Emphysema ; Needles ; Pneumoperitoneum ; Pneumothorax ; Punctures ; Subcutaneous Emphysema* ; Surgical Instruments

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of foot reflexology on sleep, depression and skin temperature of the female elderly at home. METHODS: This research used the non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 45 elders residing at home: 23 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group. The experimental group received 30-minute foot reflexology 8 times for 2 weeks. The results were analyzed using chi2 test, t-test with the SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. RESULTS: The results showed that foot reflexology was significantly effective in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. However, the temperature of both palms was not statistically significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. Therefore, it is recommended to use foot reflexology as a complementary nursing intervention for elderly women at home in community.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Female* ; Foot* ; Humans ; Massage* ; Nursing ; Skin Temperature* ; Skin*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of foot reflexology on sleep, depression and skin temperature of the female elderly at home. METHODS: This research used the non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 45 elders residing at home: 23 in the experimental group and 22 in the control group. The experimental group received 30-minute foot reflexology 8 times for 2 weeks. The results were analyzed using chi2 test, t-test with the SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. RESULTS: The results showed that foot reflexology was significantly effective in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. However, the temperature of both palms was not statistically significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicated that foot reflexology is an effective nursing intervention in improving the quality of sleep, reducing depression, and raising the temperature of both feet. Therefore, it is recommended to use foot reflexology as a complementary nursing intervention for elderly women at home in community.
Aged* ; Depression* ; Female* ; Foot* ; Humans ; Massage* ; Nursing ; Skin Temperature* ; Skin*