No abstract available.
Constipation*

One of hypothesis is that sleep loss related to a decrease in serotonergic activity plays a significant role in attempted suicide. A growing evidence suggests that central serotonergic activity plays a key role in the etiology of suicide. It has been reported that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), the main metabolite of serotonin, were reduced in suicide attempters. In addition, there is evidence that tryptophan hydroxylase is associated with suicide. The association between sleep and suicide was also suggested by some researchers. Several recent studies have showed the association between sleep disturbance and suicide rates in patients with mental disorders and in a general population. In addition, it has been suggested that serotonin plays a role in maintaining arousal and regulating muscle tone and in regulating some of the phasic events of REM sleep. Especially, it is well-known that 5-HT2 receptors are related to slow wave sleep. In conclusion, it is clear that sleep, serotonin activity, and suicide are linked, although the direction of causation needs clarification. In future, large population-based cohort studies are needed to demonstrate the direction of causation in the relationships between sleep, serotonin activity, and suicide.
Arousal ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Mental Disorders ; Muscles ; Serotonin ; Sleep, REM ; Suicide ; Suicide, Attempted ; Tryptophan Hydroxylase

BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma homocysteine level (tHcy) is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). It has been demonstrated that doses of folate as low as 0.25 mg/d significantly decreased tHcy in healthy, young women. Homozygosity for C-677T polymorphism in the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene seems to be correlated with an elevated tHcy in the situation of low blood folate concentrations. In this study, we evaluated the response of the low dose folate treatment on the tHcy and whether genetic variation of MTHFR gene might influence the response of the folate treatment in korean CAD patients. METHODS: CAD patients (n=3), confirmed by coronary angiography, and controls were analyzed for CAD risk factors including tHcy and MTHFR gene C-677T polymorphism. Patients were treated with daily 0.25mg folate for 4weeks and the level of folate and tHcy was reevaluated. RESULTS: Low dose folate treatment for 4weeks significantly increased folate level (38%, p<0.05), but did not influence tHcy. Patients whose tHcy was decreased with folate replacement (n=1) were characterized by low basal folate level (7.0+/-2.6 vs 9.1+/-2.7 nmol/L, p<0.05) and high basal tHcy (12.6+/-4.4 vs 8.6+/-2.4 micromol/L, p<0.05) compared to the patients whose tHcy was unaffected or increased with folate. tHcy was decreased 11.2% and 12.6% each in patients with high basal tHcy (>10 micromol/L) and low folate level (<7 nmol/L), but increased 7.3% and 4.5% in patients with low tHcy and high folate level (p<0.05, each). MTHFR C-677T polymorphism was not a significant contributing factor for tHcy and for the response to folate treatment. CONCLUSION: Low dose folate treatment can decrease tHcy in CAD patients with low basal folate level and high basal tHcy. C-677T MTHFR gene mutation does not influence the effects of low dose folate treatment on tHcy in Korean CAD patients.
Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Disease* ; Coronary Vessels* ; Female ; Folic Acid* ; Genetic Variation ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) ; Plasma ; Risk Factors

Since Dr. Angell introduced cryopreservation method for tissue preservation in 1980s, it became a preferred method for cardiovascular tissues. Cryopreservation has been proven to provide better cell viavility and clinical result than any other preservation method. The quality of cryopreserved cardiovascular tissue is a very critical point of patients' survival when transplanted. To obtain high quality cryopreserved tissue, each processing methods from harvesting to delivery should be standardized. Various factors, such as range of possible tissues, acceptable ischemic time, temperature during transportation, facility for processing, method of freezing, use of cryoprotectant, method of storage, condition of delivery, and method of thawing for cardiovascular tissues should be standardized. Different standards should be established and applied to different tissues. Various kinds of tissues can be harvested from each living or cadaveric donor. Therefore, it is reasonable to harvest and handle all tissues in one laboratory by one tissue bank. In U.S.A, tissue banks are operated under standardized condition. The American Association of Tissue Banks affords the certification of specialist and tissue banks on very strict conditions, and provides the Food and Drug Administration with consultation in making regulations regarding tissue transplantation. In Korea, tissues have been simply stored in refrigerator since mid 1990s, and cryopreservation method is getting popular. Tissue banking has been started recently and now six major hospitals treat the cardiovascular tissues and are equipped with good facilities. Korean Association of Tissue Banks was established last year and now setting up regulations and standards. In Conclusion, I suggest that the cardiovascular tissue bank should belong to a university hospital till regulations and standards are completed. And then commercial tissue bank will be able to take it over to manage more tissues. The financial state of tissue banking is also an important point to be considered to balance between quality control and easy access to the public. Also the cost of cryopreserved allograft should be covered by medical insurance.
Allografts ; Cadaver ; Certification ; Cryopreservation* ; Freezing ; Humans ; Insurance ; Korea ; Methods ; Quality Control ; Social Control, Formal ; Specialization ; Tissue Banks ; Tissue Donors ; Tissue Preservation ; Tissue Transplantation ; Transplants ; Transportation ; United States Food and Drug Administration

No abstract available.

Dysplastic nodule (DN), which is nodular hepatocellular proliferation of at least 1mm in diameter, is detected most often through radiological and pathological observations in chronic advanced liver diseases. DNs characteristically contain portal tracts and they can be classified into low grade for mild atypia and high grade for at least moderate atypia that is insufficient for the diagnosis of malignancy. DNs are supplied portal venous blood and arterial blood supply. In unpaired arteries, new angiogenesis, shows stepwise increases in the following order of DN low grade, DN high grade, early hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. There are convincing clinicopathological data to support the premise that DNs are considered to be precancerous lesions and early stages of multistep processes of hepatocellular carcinogenesis. Extensive clinicopathological and molecular study can provide a better understanding of the characteristics of DNs and new therapeutic approaches to DNs.
Arteries ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Diagnosis ; Liver Diseases ; Liver*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma*

No abstract available.
Growth and Development* ; Korea* ; Nutritional Status*

No abstract available.
Liver* ; Pathology*