After years of organizing people's lives, Dana Korey of Del Mar had more than enough evidence that some people needed a system of keeping track of important documents like health records, medical insurance and power of attorney.

"We do total home makeovers," said Korey of her Away With Clutter business, "and we find passports in a box in the garage, insurance forms in a box in the kids' closet, and Social Security cards in with boxes that were moved five years ago. You really need to have an informational repository for all that scattered information."

Thus the Just In Case system was born -- a fill-in-the-blank guide that contains space for vital documents, important medical information and financial records. The idea is that once you enter the information into the templates, you'll have all your important facts in a grab-and-go format just in case of illness, fire, death, natural disaster or any other emergency situation.

The system comes in either a downloadable version ($19.95) or a sturdy three-ringed binder with a template CD ($39.95). Visit http://www.justincase.cc/ or call (858) 481-9191.

"It's not just about a big disaster," Korey said, "but this is for people who are organizationally challenged. We put together a checklist that can teach them what they need to have."

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Carmel Valley author Carol Sveilich is looking for participants to feature in a new book that focuses on people whose lives are challenged by clinical depression, anxiety disorders, phobias, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome, postpartum depression, seasonal affective disorder and many others. If you or someone you know lives with one of these easily concealed mood disorders and would like to be interviewed for this project, contact the author at writefaceforward@yahoo.com.

Sveilich also wrote "Just Fine: Unmasking Concealed Chronic Illness and Pain," in which she profiled 55 people who live with difficult-to-manage chronic illnesses, but who appear to be healthy.

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Two studies at UCSD Medical Center are looking for volunteers.

In the first, researchers will ascertain whether prolonged use of the antibiotic clarithromycin (trade name: Biaxin) can ease the symptoms of asthma. According to an earlier study, nearly 60 percent of those who experience uncontrolled asthma symptoms are not aware that they have a chronic airway infection.

Researchers theorize that a low-level respiratory infection may cause inflammation that doesn't respond to typical asthma treatment.

"We think this infection may cause a persistent release of chemicals in the airway that can thicken the airway and make the airway muscle more sensitive," explained Dr. Stephen Wasserman, one of the principal investigators at the UCSD site. "This may lead to chronic breathing difficulties and more frequent asthma attacks."

All study-related care and medications are free, and volunteers are compensated financially. The study is sponsored by the Asthma Clinical Research Network of the National Institutes of Health/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Enrollment continues until spring 2007. Call (888) UCSD-AIR (827-3247) or visit http://medicine.ucsd.edu/dgim/ctchome.htm.

In the second study, researchers are testing whether an EEG-based technology that monitors brain activity can successfully predict the likelihood of responding to a specific anti-depressant medication.

Called the BRITE trial (Biomarkers for Rapid Identification of Treatment Efficacy in Major Depression), it will assess the association between drug treatment outcome and brain function in patients with major depression.

Earlier studies suggest that changes in neuron activity in certain regions of the brain are related to depression. Changes in brain response to drug treatment also produce alterations -- or biomarkers -- that can be detected by a new EEG-based technology. Electrodes are placed on a patient's forehead and earlobes to measure brain responses that appear within seven days, and sometimes as early as 48 hours, after starting antidepressant treatment.

This is important because patients often must take drugs for six to eight weeks before knowing if the drug is effective.

Participants must be between 18 years and 75 years and have symptoms of depression. Participation lasts 13 weeks,and volunteers receive free medication and care, and are compensated for time and travel. Call (619) 725-3583.

E'Louise Ondash of Vista is a registered nurse. Contact her at elo3@cox.net.