Epidemiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome

From 1969 through 1972, a nationwide search for cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is Israel revealed 89 patients. The average annual age-adjusted incidence was 0.75 per 10(5) persons. Overall incidence of the syndrome was similar in Jewish groups of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Arabs had a lower overall incidence than Jews (0.46 per 10(5) persons), perhaps attributable to fewer Arabs at risk in older age groups. Peaks of incidence occurred among individuals over 60 and under 4 years of age when all cases were combined. No clear seasonal or geographic clustering of GBS was evident in Israel during the 4 years of this study. The incidence of GBS in the present study agrees with previous population-based estimates.     

Office Diagnosis of Pheochromocytoma

The hypertension of pheochromocytoma is often characterized by distinctive signs and symptoms. These clinical manifestations and the recent introduction of simple pharmacologic tests make the office diagnosis of even the “silent” pheochromocytoma feasible. Early diagnosis and surgery are mandatory if cardiovascular damage or malignant changes are to be prevented.     

Selective inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 suppresses metastatic disease without affecting primary tumor growth in a murine model of Ewing sarcoma

Background/Purpose

Mammalian target of rapamycin suppression by rapamycin inhibits tumor growth and neovascularization via cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) downregulation with no effect on lung metastases. We hypothesize that combining a selective COX-2 antagonist (celecoxib) with rapamycin would decrease lung metastases.

Methods

Ewing sarcoma cells (SK-NEP-1) were surgically implanted into the left kidney of athymic mice (n = 40). The mice were divided into 4 treatment groups (control, rapamycin only, celecoxib only, and combination) and then killed at 6 weeks. Primary tumors were weighed. Vasculature was examined using lectin angiography and immunohistochemistry, and lung metastases were examined using H&E and CD99 immunostaining. Tumor weight and lung metastases were analyzed.

Results

Mean primary tumor weights were significantly reduced in the rapamycin-treated groups but not in the celecoxib-only group. Lectin angiography and endothelial markers immunostaining showed markedly decreased vascularity in the rapamycin-treated groups but not in the celecoxib-only group. Celecoxib-treated groups showed significantly fewer mice with lung metastases than non-celecoxib-treated groups.

Conclusion

Celecoxib prevents lung metastasis in a murine model of Ewing sarcoma with no effect on tumor size or neovascularization. Cyclooxygenase-2 may represent a future potential target for metastatic disease prevention.     

HIV/AIDS‐related beliefs among Israeli Arab‐Palestinian women

Studies show that women are more vulnerable to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission than men because of biological and sociocultural risk factors. Israeli Arab‐Palestinians are the largest ethnic minority group in Israel. Unofficial data suggest that merely one percent of the tests conducted in Israel to diagnose HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) are conducted by this population and that Israeli Arab‐Palestinians are typically diagnosed late. Arab communities in Israel were found to be predominately patriarchal, characterised by conservative gender roles and structures, and the policing of overt sexual behaviours, particularly those of women. In order to advance our understanding of the HIV/AIDS phenomenon in different sociocultural contexts, as well as to design effective cultural‐sensitive interventions, we must first understand how HIV/AIDS is constructed in different cultural sites. Against this backdrop, this exploratory study examines HIV/AIDS‐related beliefs among non‐infected, Israeli Arab‐Palestinian women. We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 12 women. Thematic content analysis was used in order to analyse the data. Five themes emerged from the analysis, in the first, personal responsibility and blame were assigned to people with HIV/AIDS for their illness. In the second theme, HIV/AIDS was constructed as a sexually transmitted disease, associated with ‘deviant’ sexuality and sexual conduct in the Arab culture. In the third theme, HIV/AIDS was believed to be transmitted by multiple, mostly mistaken, modes of contact. In the fourth theme, people with HIV/AIDS were believed to be subjected to severe negative social responses. In the fifth theme, individuals with HIV/AIDS were depicted as a symbol of physical and psychological malaise. In conclusion, the findings imply that Israeli Arab‐Palestinian women hold negative beliefs concerning people with HIV/AIDS and are misinformed regarding HIV transmission. This suggests a need to design culturally appropriate interventions to address stigma‐related beliefs and misconceptions concerning transmission, among Israeli Arab‐Palestinian women.