Fears in American, Australian, Chinese, and Nigerian Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Cultural Study

The fears of childhood and adolescence may differ from one cultural context to another. We explored this possibility in 1200 American. Australian. Chinese, and Nigerian children and adolescents between 7 and 17 years of age. Responses to a standard fear survey schedule revealed significant differences in the number, content, pattern, and level of fears. Nigerian children and adolescents endorsed fears at higher levels than American, Australian, or Chinese youth who did not differ from one another. However, differences in the pattern and content of fears for boys and girls of different ages were noted across the countries. Results were interpreted within a cultural context, which suggested that cultures which favor inhibition, compliance, and obedience serve to increase levels of fear. Alternative interpretations are offered and limitations of cross-cultural research are explored.     

Double blind, placebo controlled study of nedocromil sodium in asthma

After a two week baseline, 209 asthmatic children (mean age 10 years, range 6-17) were randomly allocated to receive 4 mg nedocromil sodium (n = 110) or placebo (n = 99) four times daily for 12 weeks in addition to their current treatment. The children completed daily diary cards and visited the clinic at four week intervals. Statistically significant differences in favour of nedocromil sodium were seen for clinician assessment of asthma severity and diary card symptom scores, pulmonary function and inhaled beta 2 bronchodilator use. Total symptom score decreased by 50% from baseline in the nedocromil sodium group and by 9% in the placebo group during the final four weeks. Nedocromil sodium was considered very or moderately effective by 78% of children/parents (placebo 59%) and 73% of clinicians (placebo 50%). Nausea, headache and sleepiness, and dyspnoea led to withdrawal of one child from nedocromil sodium and placebo treatments, respectively. Reports of sore throat and headache were marginally greater with the nedocromil sodium treatment. It is concluded that nedocromil sodium was both effective and safe in the treatment of asthma in children.     

UDP-glucuronosyltransferases

Glucuronidation represents a major pathway which enhances the elimination of many lipophilic xenobiotics and endobiotics to more water-soluble compounds. The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) family catalyzes the glucuronidation of the glycosyl group of a nucleotide sugar to an acceptor compound (aglycone) at a nucleophilic functional group of oxygen (eg, hydroxyl or carboxylic acid groups), nitrogen (eg, amines), sulfur (eg, thiols), and carbon, with the formation of a beta-D-glucuronide product. At this time, over 35 different UGT gene products have been described from several different species. UGTs have been divided into two distinct subfamilies based on sequence identities, UGT1 and UGT2. The UGT1 gene subfamily consists of a number of UGTs that result from alternate splicing of multiple first exons and share common exons 2-5. The substrate specificities of the various isoforms have been examined in cultured cell experiments, and include bilirubin, amines, and planar and bulky phenol. The UGT2 gene family is different in that the UGT2 mRNAs are transcribed from individual genes. The UGT2 subfamily consists of numerous enzymes which catalyze the glucuronidation of a diverse chemical base including steroids, bile acids, and opioids. Until recently, the liver has been the major focus for studying the metabolism of xenobiotics and endobiotics. Several groups have identified extrahepatic tissues that express UGT isoforms including the kidney, gastrointestinal tract and brain. This review discusses the two UGT gene families, substrate specificities, and the recent discoveries of UGTs in extrahepatic tissues.