Mitochondrial Complex I Subunits are Altered in Rats with Neonatal Ventral Hippocampal Damage but not in Rats Exposed to Oxygen Restriction at Neonatal Age

Several independent lines of evidence suggest mitochondrial dysfunction in schizophrenia in brain and periphery, including mitochondrial hypoplasia, dysfunction of the oxidative phosphorylation system, and altered mitochondrial-related gene expression. In an attempt to decipher whether mitochondrial complex I abnormality in schizophrenia is a core pathophysiological process or is attributable to medication, we studied two animal models of schizophrenia related to the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of this disorder. Protein levels of complex I subunits, 24, 51, and 75 kDa, were assessed in neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion rat model and in rats exposed to hypoxia at a neonatal age. In the prefrontal cortex, a major anatomical substrate of schizophrenia, neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion induced a significant prepubertal increase and postpubertal decrease in all three subunits of complex I as compared to sham-treated rats, while no change was observed in the cingulate cortex. Neonatal exposure to hypoxia did not affect protein levels of any of the three subunits in the prefrontal cortex. An age-dependent increase in the expression of complex I subunits was observed, which was distorted in the prefrontal cortex by the neonatal ventral hippocampal lesion. Complex I alterations in schizophrenia-related neurodevelopmental rat models appear to be brain region and animal model dependent. The results of this study support previous findings suggesting abnormal complex I expression as a pathological characteristic of schizophrenia rather than an effect of medication.     

Are cognitive–behavioral interventions effective in reducing occupational stress among nurses?

Despite the growing evidence regarding the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral interventions in reducing occupational stress, very few studies have examined its effectiveness among nurses. This study investigated the impact of a cognitive–behavioral (CB) course on the nurses' well-being. The study compared the sense of coherence (SOC), perceived stress (PSS), and mood states of 20 nurses who had participated in the CB course to that of 16 control participants using a pre–post test design. At baseline (t1), no significant differences were found between the two groups in SOC, PSS, and mood states. The effects within each group controlling for t1 were examined by analysis of covariance. At t2, a significant increase in SOC and the mood state of vigor and a significant decrease in PSS and fatigue were found only among participants in the CB course. The results are discussed in relation to the conceptual framework of stress and coping theory.     

Valproic acid hypersensitivity and desensitization

Rash, a hypersensitivity reaction, is a common cause of withdrawal from an effective antiepileptic drug (AED) in patients with epilepsy. We present a case of successful desensitization to valproic acid in a 12‐year‐old male with childhood absence epilepsy and a hypersensitivity reaction, whose epilepsy did not respond to other AEDs. Desensitization is a practical therapeutic solution for patients who develop a non‐life‐threatening hypersensitivity reaction to an AED for which there may be no substitute.     

Secondary enuresis and urological manifestations in children with ataxia telangiectasia

Background

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is a neurodegenerative cerebellar disorder, caused by mutations in the ATM gene, involved in DNA repair. Radiosensitivity, progressive ataxia, immune deficiency and malignancies, are well known symptoms, but urological manifestations are scarcely described.

A study of familial resemblance for two cognitive psychometric tests by permutation analyses

The recently expanded structured exploratory data analysis (SEDA) methodology is applied to two psychometric test scores of Caucasian and Japanese families who participated in the Hawaii Family Study of Cognition. Our analyses focused on the Raven progressive matrices (PM) test, which assesses deductive reasoning aptitude, and the Thurstone vocabulary (VOC) test, which bears on verbal facility. Both tests revealed pronounced spouse closeness and parent-child similarity. The degree of closeness of a child to the midparental value tends to be stronger than the corresponding level of closeness of a child to each separate parent. In addition, sex asymmetries in our assessments of parent-child closeness appeared, which also differ between the two ethnic groups. Deductive reasoning abilities of daughters were relatively closer to those of their parents in the Americans of Japanese ancestry (AJA) group than in the Americans of European ancestry (AEA) group. The opposite ordering was realized with respect to parent-son closeness measures. In terms of verbal aptitudes, measures of parent-offspring closeness were stronger in the AJA group compared to the AEA group, for both sons and daughters. Possible interpretations related to cultural and behavioral covariates in the populations studied are given.This work was supported by NHLBI Grants HL29447-02, HL30856-01, and GM10452-18.     

Family history of cardiovascular disease does not predict risk-reducing behavior.

BACKGROUND: Family history is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially in the younger population. These individuals, being closely related to young symptomatic patients, are anticipated to have a high rate of risk factors but also to control them aggressively. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between family history of cardiovascular disease and risk factors that control as well as reduce risk-reducing behavior among young, healthy adults. DESIGN AND METHODS: Demographic, clinical and lifestyle parameters of career service personnel of the Israeli Defense Forces, who were checked at the staff periodic examination center, were evaluated. Behavioral and clinical parameters of participants, with and without cardiovascular family history, were compared. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 41,099 patients (36,236 men and 4863 women). Of those, 3802 men and 628 women with a family history of cardiovascular disease were identified. Male individuals had a higher rate of treatable risk factors like, obesity (P<0.0005), high blood pressure (P<0.0005), high plasma glucose (P<0.0005) and dyslipidemia (P<0.0005) than individuals without a family history. Among the women, the rate of these risk factors was higher than in the control groups but was statistically significant only for obesity, high blood pressure and high glucose levels. Risk-reducing behavior like regular physical activity and nonsmoking status in both the sexes did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSION: Members of the young population with a family history of cardiovascular disease is easily identified but remains largely uncontrolled. Special attention and continued education are required to modify their behavioral and medical parameters.