Lung cancer in Israel, 1962–1982 I. Jews and Arabs

The magnitude and dynamics of lung cancer incidence in Jews and Arabs in Israel between the years 1962 and 1982 were studied. In general, age-standardized incidence rates increased consistently between the years 1962 and 1976 among Jewish (24% increase) and Arab (39%) males, and to a lesser degree among Jewish females (15%). Arab females had the highest (77%) increase. From 1977 to 1982 a general decrease in incidence rates, which was largest among Arab males (19%) and females (15%), was noted. Rates among Jewish males are currently 26% higher than among Arab males, and are 162% higher among Jewish females than in Arab females. Lung cancer rates in both males and females in Istrael (Jews and Arabs) are lower than in most developed countries in the world. Among the possible reasons are differences in the population risk factors profile, availability of health care and the level of diagnosis and ascertainment of cases.     

古代日耳曼和阿拉伯律法与唐律中法医学内容的比较

本文详细介绍了古代日耳曼和阿拉伯律法中与法医学有关的内容及其对法医学发生发展的影响。认为以赎罪金代替原始的血亲复仇法是日耳曼法的一个进步；两法对非致命损伤的赔偿规定都取得了令人瞩目的成就。本文还就大致同时代的唐律对杀人及伤害案件的有关规定，比较了东西方法规的异同，探讨了差别的原因。     

Variability of the Schirmer tear test values in a normal Arab population

Background: As in many parts of the world, the Schirmer tear test is the main test used by optometrists in Saudi Arabia for assessing adequacy of tear production. Variability of the test has been reported in different ethnic groups but not in Arabs. This paper looks at the mean and repeatability of the values obtained by the Schirmer test in a normal Arab population Method: The test was performed on the right eyes of 23 young adult Saudi male subjects at five visits over two weeks. Result: Results showed that for each subject the test values were not repeatable, varying widely over the period of evaluation. The mean value was estimated at 10.6 mm and the 95 per cent confidence limits were 7.9 and 13.3 mm. It was also established that the greater the amount of tears, the greater the variability. Conclusion: This study supports the claim that the Schirmer test is not repeatable and hence is unreliable. Therefore, caution should be exercised in employing it for clinical diagnosis. (Clin Exp Optom 1995; 78: 5: 190–193)     

A common variant association study reveals novel susceptibility loci for low HDL‐cholesterol levels in ethnic Arabs

The genetic susceptibility to acquiring low high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (LHDLC) levels is not completely elucidated yet. In this study, we performed a common variant association study for harboring this trait in ethnic Arabs. We employed the Affymetrix high‐density Axiom Genome‐Wide ASI Array (Asian population) providing a coverage of 598,000 single nucleotide variations (SNPs) to genotype 5495 individuals in a two‐phase study involving discovery and validation sets of experiments. The rs1800775 [1.31 (1.22–1.42); p = 3.41E‐12] in the CETP gene and rs359027 [1.26 (1.16–1.36); p = 2.55E‐08] in the LMCD1 gene were significantly associated with LHDLC levels. Furthermore, rs3104435 [1.26 (1.15–1.38); p = 1.19E‐06] at the MATN1 locus, rs9835344 [1.16 (1.08–1.26); p = 8.75E‐06] in the CNTN6 gene, rs1559997 [1.3 (1.14–1.47); p = 9.48E‐06] in the SDS gene and rs1670273 [1.2 (1.1–1.31); p = 4.81E‐06] in the DMN/SYNM gene exhibited suggestive association with the disorder. Seven other variants including rs1147169 in the PLCL1 gene, rs10248618 in the DNAH11, rs476155 in the GLIS3, rs7024300 in the ABCA1, intergenic rs10836699, rs11603691 in P2RX3 and rs750134 in CORO1C gene exhibited borderline protective properties. Validation and joint meta‐analysis resulted in rs1800775, rs3104435 and rs359027 retaining their predisposing properties, while rs10836699 and rs11603691 showed protective properties. Our data show several predisposing variants across the genome for LHDLC levels in ethnic Arabs.     

Quality of life among parents of children with autistic disorder: A sample from the Arab world

BackgroundA growing body of research has sought to examine issues associated with the Quality of Life (QoL) of parents of children with Autistic Disorder. However, no studies have examined the QoL of Arab parents whose parenting experience is expected to be substantially different from that of their western counterparts. Therefore, the purposes of this study were: (1) to examine differences in the QoL between fathers and mothers of children with Autistic Disorder in a sample from an Arab country, and (2) to examine the psychosocial correlates of the QoL of Arab parents of children with Autistic Disorder.MethodsSelf-administered questionnaires on parents’ QoL, stress, coping strategies, and demographic characteristics were completed by 184 parents of children with Autistic Disorder. The participants were recruited using the convenience sampling design.ResultsFathers and mothers of children with Autistic Disorder showed no significant differences in their physical, psychological, social, and environmental health. Further, both parents showed almost similar bivariate correlations between the reported QoL levels and their parenting stress, coping strategies, and demographic characteristics.ConclusionThis is the first study to examine the QoL of parents of children with Autistic Disorder in the Arab world and, in doing so, it highlighted the distinct lack of research in this area. The QoL of Arab parents of children with Autistic Disorder crosses lines with their stress levels, coping strategies, demographic characteristics, and to some extent their cultural context.     

Trends in the frequencies of consanguineous marriages in the Israeli Arab community

To assess the trends in the frequency of consanguineous marriages in the Israeli Arab population in the last 40 years, we conducted a two-part study. For the first part, we re-analyzed data from a nationwide study carried out in 1992, and for the second part, we undertook a new survey in 1998 in four locations: Taibe, Tira, Kalansuwa and Kafr Bara. Data regarding the frequency of consanguineous marriage in these four locations for the years 1961-1985 was extracted from the original survey, and for the years 1986-1998, from new questionnaires. The frequency of consanguineous marriage was highest in the period 1961 1965 (50.6%), but by the period 1981-1985 it had decreased to 40.6%. Over the whole time span of the 1992 study, a significant decrease was observed between the periods 1961-1975 and 1976-1985 (p < 0.0001). In the four-location study, there was a significant decrease in the frequency of consanguineous marriage from 52.9%, in the period 1961-1970 to 32.8% in the period 1991-1998 (p = 0.0006). We conclude that the custom of consanguineous marriage in the studied population is still extremely high, and preventive measures should be taken to decrease its frequency and associated complications.     

Isoniazid acetylation phenotyping in Saudi Arabs

AIMS: The present study is designed to investigate the acetylator status in Saudi Arabs. METHODS: Isoniazid (INH) acetylation phenotyping was studied in 136 Saudi Arabs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, using a single plasma sample taken 3 h post-INH oral dose of 200 mg. Metabolic ratio (MR) of plasma acetyl-INH (Ac-INH) to INH was used to determine the acetylation phenotype. RESULTS: The MR had a bimodal distribution with an antimode of 1.0. The frequency distribution of slow acetylators (MR < 1.0) was 94.9% (n = 129). Using Hardy-Weinberg Law, the gene frequency (q) of the recessive allele determining slow acetylator phenotype was found to be 0.97. CONCLUSION: INH phenotyping suggests a high frequency of slow acetylators among Saudi Arabs. There was no association between the MR of plasma Ac-INH/INH and age or gender.     

A model of mother–child adjustment in Arab Muslim immigrants to the US

We examined the mother–child adjustment and child behavior problems in Arab Muslim immigrant families residing in the U.S.A. The sample of 635 mother–child dyads was comprised of mothers who emigrated from 1989 or later and had at least one early adolescent child between the ages of 11 and 15 years old who was also willing to participate. Arabic speaking research assistants collected the data from the mothers and children using established measures of maternal and child stressors, coping, and social support; maternal distress; parent–child relationship; and child behavior problems. A structural equation model (SEM) was specified a priori with 17 predicted pathways. With a few exceptions, the final SEM model was highly consistent with the proposed model and had a good fit to the data. The model accounted for 67% of the variance in child behavior problems. Child stressors, mother–child relationship, and maternal stressors were the causal variables that contributed the most to child behavior problems. The model also accounted for 27% of the variance in mother–child relationship. Child active coping, child gender, mother's education, and maternal distress were all predictive of the mother–child relationship. Mother–child relationship also mediated the effects of maternal distress and child active coping on child behavior problems. These findings indicate that immigrant mothers contribute greatly to adolescent adjustment, both as a source of risk and protection. These findings also suggest that intervening with immigrant mothers to reduce their stress and strengthening the parent–child relationship are two important areas for promoting adolescent adjustment.