Immediate effects of intravenous clomipramine on sleep and sleep-related secretion in depressed patients

An i.v. challenge dose of clomipramine (12.5 mg) was given to eight outpatients with major depression. The procedure facilitated the examination of all-night sleep and sleep-related neuroendocrine changes (cortisol, growth hormone, and prolactin). In comparison to baseline saline nights, the patients experienced a profound suppression of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep throughout the night with no rebound recovery in the second half of the night. Furthermore, REM-suppressing effects were noted on the following no-drug night. In contrast, little effect on delta wave sleep was found, except for increased consolidation of delta waves within stage 3 and 4 sleep. Delta sleep measures were significantly correlated with levels of cortisol and growth hormone.     

Knowledge of phosphorus compared with other nutrients in maintenance dialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study's objective was to assess knowledge of phosphorus compared with other nutrients in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis (MD). DESIGN: We compared knowledge of phosphorus vs. other nutrients important to the MD diet (potassium, sodium, and protein) in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). We further measured gender, age, education level, and functional health literacy to assess correlations in patient nutrient knowledge. Nutrient knowledge was measured using a 25-item Chronic Kidney Disease Knowledge Assessment Tool for Nutrition (CKDKAT-N), and functional health literacy was measured using the short form of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). SETTING AND PATIENTS: Patients received maintenance outpatient PD or HD at Wisconsin Dialysis, Inc. (Madison, WI). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The main outcome measure was knowledge of phosphorus vs. knowledge of potassium, sodium, and protein. RESULTS: Forty-seven MD patients participated in the study (29 undergoing HD, 18 undergoing PD, 30 males, 17 females, average age of 58.6 (SD, 13.8) years, and average grade level of 1.4 (SD, 2.6) years of post-secondary education). Thirty-five participants had adequate health literacy, 4 had marginal health literacy, and 8 had inadequate health literacy. The CKDKAT-N scores ranged from 6-21 for 25 items, with a mean score of 13 (SD, 2.91). Knowledge of phosphorus compared with knowledge of other nutrients was poor (0.38 vs. 0.72, P = .003). In a comparison of HD vs. PD patient knowledge, both phosphorus (0.37 vs. 0.42, P = .231) and other nutrients (0.69 vs. 0.80, P = .115) were the same. CONCLUSION: Despite regular dietary instruction, patients undergoing MD have a poor knowledge of dietary phosphorus content, compared with knowledge of other nutrients important in chronic kidney disease. Interestingly, there was no difference in nutrition knowledge when comparing PD and HD patients, despite differences in education level and health literacy between groups.     

Regulation of single potassium channels by serotonin in the cell bodies of the tail mechanosensory neurons ofAplysia californica

Sensory neurons in the pleural ganglion ofAplysia mediate the afferent portion of the tail withdrawal reflex. Previous work has shown that in these neurons and in the siphon sensory neurons ofAplysia, serotonin modulates a steady-state non-inactivating potassium current called the S current. Using the technique of patch clamping, we have examined the kinetics of single potassium channels and found that they share the properties of the S potassium channel of the siphon sensory neurons. This channel has an elementary slope conductance of73 ± 9.98pS(x±S.E.M.) and shows Goldman rectification. It is active at the resting potential and does not inactivate with maintained depolarization. Bath application of serotonin in a majority of experiments decreased the functional number of channels in the patch.     

Sexual assault of older women

The clinical records of five men who had sexually assaulted women aged 60 or over were compared to the records of seven men who had sexually assaulted younger victims. Details of childhood adjustment, psychiatric and criminal histories, psychiatric diagnosis, psychological assessment findings, and offence characteristics were examined to determine psychological and social factors specifically associated with the sexual assault of older women. The findings suggest that when victims are older women, the sexual assault is likely to be particularly brutal and largely motivated by anger, a need for power, or sadistic intent. Further, the gratuitous violence involved in the offences and clinical evidence of psychotic features, suggest more severe psychopathological processes in men who sexually assault older women than in those who assault younger victims. Implications for theory and clinical practice are discussed.