Objective: We sought to determine if the links between and within the default mode network (DMN) and dorsal attention network (DAT) exhibited different conditions according to catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphism in relationship to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Methods: Fifty-seven children with ADHD and 48 healthy controls (HCs) were administered an intelligence test, the Children’s Depression Inventory, the Korean ADHD rating scale, and continuous performance test. Resting-state brain functional MRI scans were obtained, and COMT genotyping was performed to distinguish valine carriers and methionine homozygotes. Results: Compared to controls, children with ADHD showed increased ADHD scale scores, increased visual commission errors, and increased functional connectivity (FC) within the DMN and DAT. Compared to all children with ADHD, children with the methionine homozygote and those who were valine carriers showed increased FC within the DMN and DAT and decreased FC between the DMN and DAT. FC within the DMN was also increased in HC valine carriers compared to HC children with the methionine homozygote, and in children with ADHD who were valine carriers compared to HC valine carriers. Conclusion We observed increased brain connectivity within the DMN and DAT and altered brain connectivity within and between the DMN and DAT associated with COMT polymorphism in children with ADHD.

INTRODUTION: The gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor is an important pharmacological target of alcohol. The phamacological characteristics of the receptor are largely determined by its subunit composition. Compared with all other alpha subtypes, the alpha6- containing receptors are more sensitive to GABA and less sensitive to benzodiazepines. The purpose of this study was to address a role for GABAAalpha6 receptor subunit gene in the development of alcohol dependence. The differential manifestation of alcohol withdrawal symptoms related to GABAAalpha6 polymorphism in patients treating with benzodiazepines was also examined. METHODS: Eighty-seven inpatients with alcohol dependence, and sixty healthy controls were evaluated using CIWA-Ar scale. Each patient was genotyped for GABAAalpha6 subunit. Association between GABAAalpha6 polymorphism and severity of withdrawal symptom were determined. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in GABAAalpha6 receptor genetic type and allelic distribution between the alcohol dependent and control subject. Tremor was more severe in CC than TT type. TT type had higher degree of anxiety, agitation and headache than CC type. The GABAAalpha6 C allele increased the average score of tremor significantly, and T allele increased that of agitation. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that GABAAalpha6 genetic polymorphism was not associated with alcohol dependence and with severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. But in benzodiazepine treated patients, GABAAalpha6 polymorphism and allelic type show the difference in severity of each withdrawal symptom. These differences of severity are partly responsible for the unique pharmacological properties associated with the GABAAalpha6 subunit.
Alcoholism ; Alleles ; Anxiety ; Benzodiazepines ; Dihydroergotamine ; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid ; Headache ; Humans ; Inpatients ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Receptors, GABA ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome* ; Tremor

It is generally agreed that theophylline preparations and steroids should be given intravenously for status asthmaticus. Theophylline can potentially have adverse gastrointestinal effects including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and hematemesis. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients treated with corticosteroids without a past history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding has been reported rarely. But the etiologic significance of the stress of status asthmaticus, administration of theophylline or corticosteroids in the development of ulcer has been open to question. We report a case of 8-year-old boy with status asthmaticus treated with these medications and later found to have a bleeding duodenal ulcer for which emergency surgery was necessary.
Abdominal Pain ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Child ; Duodenal Ulcer ; Emergencies ; Hematemesis ; Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Male ; Nausea ; Status Asthmaticus* ; Steroids* ; Theophylline* ; Ulcer* ; Vomiting

PURPOSE: Madl protein is known to directly repress Myc target genes and antagonize Myc function. Consequently, Madl is considered to function as a tumor suppressor. We undertook this study to investigate the regulatory effect of Madl on cancer progression in human breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed immunohistochemical assay for Madl protein together with Myc in human breast cancer as well as tissues from normal and benign diseases. The protein assay data were evaluated together with clinical and biologic parameters of the patients. RESULTS: Of 66 patients with invasive ductal cancer, Madl expression was detected in 22 patients (33.3%) with breast cancer. Intensity and area of Madl expression significantly decreased in DCIS and invasive cancers, while high levels of Madl expression were persistent in benign breast lesions. Madl expression was significantly reduced in poorly differentiated tumors (p=0.0002). Expression of Madl was not associated with size of the tumors, lymph node status, and stage of the disease. We could not observe any correlation between S-phase and expression status of Myc or Madl. Madl expression was closely linked to differentiation of the cancer cells and inversely correlated with Myc expression (p=0.042). In survival analysis, Madl possessed a prognostic significance in predicting recurrence of the disease but not overall survival after CMF chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: In human breast cancer cells, expression of Madl seems to be downregulated while expression of Myc is amplified. Altered expression of Mad1 may play a role in malignant transformation of human mammary epithelial cells and represent an aggressive phenotype in human breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating ; Drug Therapy ; Epithelial Cells ; Genes, myc ; Humans* ; Lymph Nodes ; Phenotype ; Recurrence

OBJECTIVE: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration to alleviate symptoms of treatment-resistant depression. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of rTMS treatment on alleviating occupational stress by evaluating clinical symptoms and quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG). METHODS: Twenty-four health care workers were randomized to receive 12 sessions of active or sham rTMS delivered to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Each session consisted of 32 trains of 10 Hz repetitive TMS delivered in 5-second trains at 110% of the estimated prefrontal cortex threshold. Before and after the intervention, the Korean version of the occupational stress inventory (K-OSI), Beck's depression inventory (BDI), and Beck's anxiety inventory (BAI) were administered and EEG was performed using a 21-channel digital EEG system. RESULTS: After TMS, the average scores for the affective responses to stressors on the personal strain questionnaire (PSQ) subscale of K-OSI and BDI decreased significantly for the active-TMS group compared to the sham-TMS group. Also, the active-TMS group showed a significantly greater decrease in relative alpha in the F3 electrode and a significantly greater increase in the F4 electrode. CONCLUSION: High-frequency rTMS on the left DLPFC had stress-relieving and mood-elevating effects in health care workers, likely by stimulating the left frontal lobe.
Anxiety ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Depression ; Electrodes ; Electroencephalography ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Pilot Projects* ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation* ; United States Food and Drug Administration

Objective: Most affective neuroscience studies use pictures from the International Affective Picture System or standard facial expressions to elicit emotional experiences. The attention system, including the prefrontal cortex, can mediate emotional regulation in response to stimulation with emotional faces. We hypothesized that emotional experience is associated with brain activity within the neocortex. In addition, modification within the neocortex may be associated with brain activity within the attention system. Methods: Thirty-one healthy adult participants were recruited to be assessed for emotional expression using clinical scales of happiness, sadness, anxiety, and anger as and for emotional experience using brain activity in response to pictures of facial emotional expressions. The attention system was assessed using brain activity in response to the go-no-go task. Results: We found that emotional experience was associated with brain activity within the frontotemporal cortices, while emotional expression was associated with brain activity within the temporal and insular cortices. In addition, the association of brain activity between emotional experiences and expressions of sadness and anxiety was affected by brain activity within the anterior cingulate gyrus in response to the go-no-go task. Conclusion Emotional expression may be associated with brain activity within the temporal cortex, whereas emotional experience may be associated with brain activity within the frontotemporal cortices. In addition, the attention system may interfere with the connection between emotional expression and experience.

OBJECTIVES: In order to improve the life satisfaction, we should be aware of psychological factors associated the life satisfaction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of depression, anxiety, temperament, and character on life satisfaction in college students. METHODS: A total 314 participants completed questionnaires, which included Satisfaction with Life Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-II, Beck Anxiety Inventory, The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised. To evaluate the difference according to social factor, t-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed. To analyze the effect of psychological characteristics on life satisfaction, stepwise multiple regression analysis was used. RESULTS: Life satisfaction was significantly different according to only gender of the social factors. Life satisfaction was positively correlated with self-esteem, self-directedness, and persistence (P). Conversely, depression, anxiety, harm avoidance, and novelty seeking (NS) were negatively correlated. Stepwise multiple regression revealed that depression, self-esteem, P, NS, and self-transcendence were factors affecting life satisfaction in university students. CONCLUSION: This result shows that life satisfaction is influenced by depression, self-esteem, temperament, and character. The findings of this study suggest that to improve the life satisfaction requires not only preventing and treatment of depression but also identifying the psychological characteristics, such as temperament and character.
Anxiety ; Depression ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Temperament

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the suitability of using chitosan, poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) to control the release of chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) from a prototype of controlled release drug device (CRD) for root canal disinfection. Four different prototypes with different formulations were prepared. Group A (n = 12); The device (absorbent paper point) was loaded with CHX as control. Group B (n = 12); same as group A, but the device was coated with chitosan. In Groups C and D, the device was treated in the same way as group A and then coated three times with 5% PMMA (Group C, n = 12), or coated three times with 3% PLGA (Group D, n = 12). The devices were randomly allocated to experimental groups of 12 each. All CRD prototypes were soaked in 3 mL distilled water. The concentrations of CHX were determined using a UV spectrophotometer. The surface characteristics of each prototype were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The result showed that release rate of CHX was the greatest in the non-coated group, followed by the chitosan-coated group, the PLGA-coated group, and the PMMA-coated group (P < 0.05). Pores were observed on the surface of the prototypes that were coated with PLGA and PMMA. When the pore size was smaller, the release rate was lower. This data indicate that polymer coating can control the release rate of CHX from the CRD prototypes.
Chitosan ; Chlorhexidine* ; Dental Pulp Cavity* ; Disinfection* ; Polymers* ; Polymethyl Methacrylate ; Water

OBJECTIVES: Among chemical and non-chemical dependence, internet addiction is one of the most frequent addictive behavior in adolescent. This study was performed to detect certain temperamental and genetic characteristics in adolescent with internet addiction tendency. METHODS: 87 adolescents with internet addiction tendency (AIT) and 78 adolescents without internet addiction tendency (NAIT) were classified by Young's Internet Addiction Test. Cloninger's Temperament Character Inventory and 6 candidate genes of drug addiction (DRD2 TaqI A, DRD4, DAT1, 5-HTTLPR, NET-8, and COMT) polymorphisms were tested between two groups. RESULTS: Novelty Seeking scores (p=0.001) and Harm Avoidance scores (p=0.042) were significantly higher in AIT. The frequency of DRD2-A1/A1 genotype and G allele of NET-8 in AIT was higher than that in NAIT. In AIT, Novelty Seeking scores were significantly different (p=0.011) according to NET-8 genotypes (G/G>G/A>A/A). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that male adolescents with internet addiction tendency have the specific temperament and genetic polymorphisms like chemical dependence.
Adolescent* ; Alleles ; Behavior, Addictive ; Genotype ; Humans ; Internet* ; Male* ; Polymorphism, Genetic* ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Temperament*

with DAT-9 gene allele. And The total score of CIWA-Ar scale in the subject without DAT-9 gene allele was significantly higher than in the subject with DAT-9 gene allele. COMT: The total score of CIWA-Ar scale in heterozygote was significantly higher than in homozygote. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the relationship between specific genetic factors and the withdrawal symptoms of alcohol dependent patients. As the candidate gene of the severity of alcohol withdrawal syndrome, DRD2 Taq1 gene was recommended.
Alcoholism* ; Alleles ; Heterozygote ; Homozygote ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome*