Trends in adolescent asthma in Israel

There has been observed a worldwide increase in childhood asthma and this short communication reviews current research on adolescent asthma in Israel. Several studies have found an overall asthma prevalence of 7.8% for Jewish children, 4.9% for Arab children and 3.7% for the total population, while 7.8% was found in Bedouin children in the south of Israel. For the 1980-1997 period for the 5-34 year age group the AMR (asthma mortality rate) per 100,000 was found to be 0.226 with no significant difference between Jews and Arabs. This is a decrease as a result of increase in the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and a better anti-inflammatory treatment.     

Contact lenses for the treatment of pediatric cataracts

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of the caregivers of children with cataracts who were visually rehabilitated with contact lenses. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty-three caregivers of children <8.1 years old treated for unilateral and bilateral cataracts at one pediatric hospital. DESIGN: Survey by questionnaire. INTERVENTION: Primary caregivers were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Caregiver responses to questions assessing background and demographic and clinical information, as well as perceptions, attitudes, levels of compliance, and anxiety with respect to treatment, were reviewed. Caregivers were also asked to choose between aphakic rehabilitation with contact lenses, aphakic glasses, or intraocular lenses, given various hypothetical scenarios differing in regard to their final visual prognosis, risks of treatment complications, and cost. RESULTS: The response rate was 82.9%. Absolute average stress levels for contact lens use were 1.36 +/- 1.79 and 0.79 +/- 1.48 (scale, 0-5) for insertion and removal, respectively, compared with 4.03 +/- 1.64 and 2.40 +/- 1.92 for cataract surgery and patching therapy, respectively. Although average paired initial resistance to treatment (RT) levels for contact lens insertion and removal on a scale of 0 to 3 were high (2.09 +/- 1.15) and moderate (1.63 +/- 1.20), respectively, final RT levels were significantly lower (1.09 +/- 1.14 and 0.66 +/- 1.07, respectively; P < 0.0001). The vast majority of caregivers chose contact lens use in hypothetical scenarios that depicted realistic expectations for other forms of aphakic rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, contact lenses seemed to be well tolerated by most patients, as assessed by caregivers. Although initial resistance to contact lens use is high, this decreases with time. Relative to other events in the treatment of pediatric cataracts, contact lens use is not a major stressor for most caregivers and patients. This study supports the notion that contact lenses should continue to receive serious consideration as a treatment option for pediatric cataracts.     

Ethanol withdrawal seizure susceptibility is associated with upregulation of L- and P-type Ca2+ channel currents in rat inferior colliculus neurons

Calcium currents in the inferior colliculus (IC) are thought to play an important role in ethanol withdrawal hyperexcitability. Here, we report on the modulation of Ca(2+) channel currents in acutely dissociated IC neurons of rats, exhibiting higher incidence of audiogenic seizures when subjected to ethanol withdrawal. Whole cell Ca(2+) channel currents were activated by depolarizing pulses from a holding potential of -90 mV, in 10 mV increments, using barium (Ba(2+)) as the charge carrier. The high threshold voltage-activated (HVA) Ca(2+) channel current density increased significantly in IC neurons following ethanol withdrawal. The gating parameters of HVA Ca(2+) channel currents were only slightly altered, while the fraction of current that did not fully inactivate at positive potentials increased significantly following ethanol withdrawal. Pharmacological dissection of HVA Ca(2+) channel currents suggested that the enhanced current, associated with increased incidence of audiogenic seizures following ethanol withdrawal, was carried by L- and P-type Ca(2+) channels. The upregulation of L- and P-type currents may be responsible for IC neuronal hyperexcitability associated with increased susceptibility to ethanol withdrawal seizures.     

Serum organochlorine levels and history of lactation in Egypt

We conducted a study in Egypt to assess the determinants of organochlorine serum levels among premenopausal women and the risk of premenopausal breast cancer for women with high organochlorine serum levels. We included 69 breast cancer patients and 53 controls consisting of visitors to the hospitals of the cancer patients. We found low levels of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, and beta-hexacholorhexane (beta-HCH) in most subjects. Mean DDE levels were 12.7 +/- 20.3 ppb for cases and 16.6 +/- 30.1 ppb for controls (P = 0.60); beta-HCH levels were 2.1 +/- 3.8 ppb for patients and 2.1 +/- 3.9 ppb for controls (P = 0.71). Interestingly, subjects with low levels had breast fed their children for an average period of 18 months. Women with no lactation history had much higher organochlorine levels than women who breast fed (P = 0.002 for DDE). Younger age, older age at first childbirth, and shorter duration of breast feeding were significant predictors of higher levels of serum DDE levels. Younger age, older age at first childbirth, and higher body mass index were significant predictors of higher beta-HCH levels. This study suggests that organochlorine serum levels in Egyptian women are quite low, but indicates an effect of breast feeding in eliminating organochlorines, which would imply exposure to children. Organochlorine serum level was not a risk factor of breast cancer in this population.     

Enhanced frontal cortex activation in rats by convergent amygdaloid and noxious sensory signals

The modulation of frontal cortical EEG activation to noxious somatosensory (tail pressure) and olfactory (acetone) stimulation by the basal amygdala was examined in urethane-anesthetized rats. Mild tail pressure produced no EEG activation, while acetone (sniffed by freely breathing rats or drawn across the olfactory epithelium in tracheotomized rats) produced a moderate suppression of large-amplitude synchronized EEG patterns. Concurrent, low-intensity 100 Hz stimulation of the basal amygdala permitted EEG activation to tail pressure to occur, and strongly enhanced olfactory-induced cortical activation. These results indicate that excitation of the basal amygdala potentiates frontal cortical responsiveness to aversive sensory events. This may provide a mechanism to facilitate cortical excitability and processing by amygdaloid neuronal activity.