Head lice in Israeli children: parents' answers to an epidemiological questionnaire

BACKGROUND: The aim was to determine the influence of the socioeconomic status of the family and the hygienic practices in the home on the prevalence of head lice infestation in children. METHODS: The study was carried out by analyzing the answers to a standardized epidemiological questionnaire given to parents of school children aged 4-17 in Bet Shemesh, a medium-sized urban town 25 km from Jerusalem. RESULTS: Of 3,000 questionnaires distributed, 958 (31.9%) were completed and returned. The majority of the children (72.4%) had been previously infested with lice. Half of them had other family members, mainly brothers and sisters, who had been infested in the past with lice. In 97.5% of the families the mother was responsible for examining the children for lice, and for carrying out treatment when infestation was present. An association was found between presence of lice infestation and mother's education, age of child, and frequency of shampooing, combing, and examination for lice. There was no association between infestation rates and mother's country of origin, crowding in the home, and the sharing of combs, brushes, hats, scarves, towels, and clothes. CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence that the incidence of lice infestation depends on the hygienic practices in the home rather than on the socioeconomic status of the family or sharing of personal articles among family members.     

Uses and risks of drainage following elective colon resection. A prospective, randomized and controlled clinical study

The results of a controlled randomized and prospective clinical study including 113 patients from March 1987 until August 1988 showed that prophylactic drainage in elective resection for cancer of the colon was not necessary. 60 patients received a drain, 53 patients were not drained. The drain turned out to be ineffective even concerning its expected function of draining intraabdominal fluid: its diagnostic and therapeutic value failed in clinical practice. The rate of surgical complications--i.e. anastomotic leakage, impaired wound healing and relaparotomy--was significantly higher in the drained group. In elective colon resection the use of a drain as a routine procedure cannot be recommended.     

Serum bone-gla protein after fracture

Serum bone Gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (bone-gla) protein (BGP), a marker of bone formation, was measured in serial blood samples drawn from 14 patients who had fractured at least one of their tibial or femoral diaphyses and from two other patients who had sustained major trauma without fracture but who had been immobilized. A total of 85 samples were taken and analyzed during the first three months after the fractures occurred. Serum BGP significantly increased and positively correlated with the time that had elapsed after the fracture, with an average twofold increase after two months. The fracture site and the duration of immobilization had no influence on the serum BGP levels. Serum BGP levels from the two non-fractured cases increased in the first two weeks with no subsequent consistent trend. These data suggest that serum BGP increases one to two months after a major fracture, possibly as a manifestation of bone repair. Further studies are required to determine the potential clinical value of serum BGP in the management of such patients.     

Cytochrome P450 3A4 Activity in Premenopausal and Postmenopausal Women,Based on 6-β-Hydroxycortisol:Cortisol Ratios

Study Objective . To characterize cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 activity in premenopausal and postmenopausal women by evaluating the urinary 6-β-hydroxycortisokcortisol ratio. Design . Prospective study. Subjects . Thirteen premenopausal and 13 postmenopausal women who were healthy and not receiving drugs known to affect CYP3A4 activity. Interventions . Beginning on day 2 of menses, premenopausal women collected first morning urine samples every other day for a complete menstrual cycle. Postmenopausal women collected first morning urine every other day for 28 days. Measurements and Main Results . Mean weekly 6-β-hydroxycortisol:cortisol ratios did not differ during the phase (week) of the menstrual cycle. Daily ratios did not differ in postmenopausal women. No difference between premenopausal and postmenopausal women was found on comparing overall median ratios. Conclusion . Cytochrome P450 3A4 activity as measured by 6-β-hydroxy cortisol:cortisol ratio did not differ by week of menstrual cycle, suggesting no menstrual cycle-related changes. Menopause does not appear to be associated with differences in CYP3A4 activity, compared with premenopause.     

Food choice in response to computer-generated nutrition information provided about meal selections in workplace restaurants

Aim : The study was designed to determine the effect of computerized nutrition information on consumer food choice in two workplace restaurants, one in which customers had to pay for their lunch and the other providing a free lunch. Methods : Customers entering the restaurants were asked to make selections from the menu on a computer screen. The energy, saturated fatty acids, non-milk extrinsic sugars and non-starch polysaccharide content of the meal selected was displayed graphically in proportion to the dietary reference values. They were given the opportunity to change their selected meal and the composition of all meals was recorded. Results : The nutritional composition of the first meal provoked 16% of customers to make a second selection. The proportion of energy in the first selection had been 31% higher for saturated fatty acids and 23% higher for non-milk extrinsic sugars than the first selection made by people who were satisfied with their first choice. In their second attempt they succeeded in reducing both nutrients to levels similar to those present in the meals selected by people who had been satisfied with their first selection. Customers>> selections for non-starch polysaccharide and energy did not differ between the groups. The main changes made by customers to achieve improved second choices were to omit dishes (44%), add dishes (19%), make changes within a menu category (46%), and make changes from one menu category to another (26%). Conclusion : It was concluded that provision of graphical nutrition information on a computer screen could be used by a subset of the users of both restaurants to enable them to improve their menu selections to a similar composition to that selected by the other people who used the computer system.     

Serotonin-induced increase in cAMP in ganglia isolated from the myenteric plexus of the guinea pig small intestine: Mediation by a novel 5-HT receptor

Serotonin (5-HT) is a mediator (through 5-HT_1P receptors) of slow EPSPs in myenteric ganglia of the small intestine. The effect of 5-HT can be mimicked by elevating cAMP; therefore, we tested the hypothesis that the slow EPSP-like response to 5-HT is cAMP-mediated. Guinea pig gut was enzymatically dissociated; myenteric ganglia remained intact and were collected by filtration. Neurons in the isolated ganglia retained their ability to manifest the slow EPSP-like response to 5-HT. Exposure to 5-HT raised the ganglionic level of cAMP (ED₅₀ 0.3 μM). This effect was not antagonized by the 5-HT_1P antagonist, N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptophyl-5-hydroxytryptophan amide (100.0 μM), or mimicked by the 5-HT_1P agonist, 5-hydroxyindalpine (10.0 μM). Increases in cAMP were also evoked by the 5-HT₁ agonist, 5-carboxyamidotryptamine (10.0 μM), the 5-HT₂ agonist, (±)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI; 1.0–10.0 μM), and by the 5-HT₄ agonists, renzapride (1.0–10.0 μM) and 5-methoxytryptamine (1.0–10.0 μM); however, neither the 5-HT₁/5-HT₂ antagonists, spiperone, methysergide, and methiothepin, nor the 5-HT₄ antagonist, tropisetron (ICS 205–930; 10.0 μM), were able to inhibit the rise in cAMP evoked by these compounds or by 5-HT (0.1–10.0 μM). The 5-HT-evoked elevation of cAMP was antagonized by ketanserin (10.0 μM), which also blocked the effects of 5-methoxytryptamine and DOI, but not those of renzapride. The effective concentration of DOI, however, was higher than that needed for activation of 5-HT₂ receptors, and Northern analysis using a cDNA probe encoding the rat 5-HT₂ receptor failed to reveal the presence of 5-HT₂ mRNA in myenteric ganglia, although it hybridizes with mRNA of the right size in the guinea pig brain. Compounds that failed to change levels of cAMP or to antagonize the action of 5-HT included 8-hydroxy-di-n-propylamino tetralin, R58639, R88226, and sumatriptan. It is concluded that the receptor responsible for the 5-HT-induced rise in cAMP in ganglia isolated from the guinea pig myenteric plexus is not a known subtype of 5-HT receptor. Since the pharmacology of this novel receptor is different from that of the slow EPSP-like response to 5-HT, the receptor probably does not mediate the slow EPSP. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Insights into Mechanisms of Cisplatin Resistance and Potential for Its Clinical Reversal

Cisplatin in combination with other cytotoxic agents is the backbone for a potential cure of testicular germ cell neoplasms and is a critical factor in the substantial activity observed in the treatment of small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, and ovarian germ cell tumors. Resistance to cisplatin at the onset of treatment or at relapse limits its curative potential, however. Laboratory studies using both cells selected for cisplatin resistance by exposure to sublethal concentrations and biopsy specimens from patients' tumors provide insights for the potential mechanisms of resistance. The mechanisms identified in vitro include a complex and wide array of related and unrelated pathways such as alterations in cellular drug transport, enhanced DNA repair dependent and independent of signal transduction pathways, and enhanced intracellular detoxification such as glutathione and metallothionein systems. Studies of these mechanisms have identified a number of agents with known potential for administration to humans and that reverse cisplatin resistance in vitro; for example, reversal of cellular accumulation defects by dipyridamole; inhibition of DNA repair by hydroxyurea, pentoxifylline, and novobiocin; inhibition of the glutathione system by ethacrynic acid and buthionine sulfoximine; and inhibition of signal transduction pathways by cyclosporine, tamoxifen, and calcium channel-blocking agents. Current phase I clinical trials are focusing on the most effective doses and schedules to administer these agents in combination with cisplatin. Initial uncontrolled trials in limited numbers of patients suggest that the addition of modulators of cisplatin has the potential to reverse resistance in patients previously failing therapy. Another promising avenue for circumventing cisplatin resistance is the development of noncross-resistant platinum analogs.