Immune status against diphtheria among immigrants from the former USSR who arrived in Israel during 1990-1991

Large outbreaks of diphtheria occurred recently in the former USSR. Between 1989 and 1994, a total of about 600,000 Soviet immigrants arrived in Israel. The immune status against diphtheria in a sample of 992 men aged 17-49 and 195 women aged 17-19, who arrived in Israel during 1990-91, was studied in order to evaluate the need for vaccination. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and diphtheria antitoxin antibody levels were measured by means of ELISA. At age 17-19, the prevalence of antitoxin antibody levels below the protective level of 0.01 IU/ml was 4.8% in the men and 2.1% in the women. Among the men, the percentage lacking protection declined from 4.8% at age 17-19 years to 1.6% at age 20-24, and increased to 18.2% at age 35-49. In the oldest group, the prevalence of those lacking protection was considerably higher than for the general Israeli population. In the multivariate analysis, age, mother's education and republic of origin were significantly associated with the absence of protection. Immigrants from the former USSR appear to be more susceptible to diphtheria, thus increasing the possibility of clinical disease, and it is recommended that they receive booster doses of diphtheria toxoid.

Molecular cloning and tissue distribution of a putative member of the rat opioid receptor gene family that is not a mu, delta or kappa opioid receptor type

A novel G protein-coupled receptor was cloned by PCR and homology screening. Its deduced amino acid sequence is 47% identical overall to the mu, delta and kappa opioid receptors and 64% identical in the putative transmembrane domains. When transiently expressed in COS-7 cells this receptor did not bind any of the typical mu, delta or kappa opioid receptor ligands with high affinity. In situ hybridization analysis revealed that LC132 mRNA is highly expressed in several rat brain areas, including the cerebral cortex, thalamus, subfornical organ, habenula, hypothalamus, central gray, dorsal raphe, locus coeruleus and the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Based on this distribution and its high homology with the mu, delta and kappa opioid receptors, it is proposed that LC132 is a new member of the opioid receptor family that is involved in analgesia and the perception of pain.

1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine inhibits diacylglycerol kinase in WEHI-3B cells

The effects of 1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (ET-16-OCH3-GPC) and its metabolite 1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycerol (AMG) on the activity of diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) in WEHI-3B cells were investigated. Treatment of WEHI-3B cells with 200 nM 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) for 5 min leads to the activation of cytosolic DGK without significant effect on microsomal DGK. When these cells were first exposed to 50 microM ET-16-OCH3-GPC for 30 min prior to activation with TPA, the activity of DGK was inhibited by about 70%, as measured by the ability of enzyme to form [32P]phosphatidic acid ([32P]PA). Addition of either ET-16-OCH3-GPC or AMG to the preparation of enzyme in vitro also inhibited 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol (DG) phosphorylation in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP. The IC50 value for inhibition of cytosolic DGK by ET-16-OCH3-GPC and AMG were about 8.5 and 15 microM, respectively. ET-16-OCH3-GPC also inhibited the ability of guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiophosphate) (GTP-gamma S) to activate DGK in vitro. The potency of ET-16-OCH3-GPC at 10 microM in inhibiting DGK was greater than that of sphingosine at 50 microM, but less than that of R59022 (a specific DGK inhibitor) at 10 microM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of physical activity on concentration among junior high-school students

The level and quality of concentration were tested before and after each lesson in one class session. Two of the four classes participated in physical education activities, and the other two studied science. Each subject matter was studied the beginning and at the end of the school day. The research design was 2 x 2 x 2 factorial (two subject matters, two times of the school day, and as a repeated measure two times of test for each group at the beginning and end of each lesson). The level and the quality of concentration found at the end of each lesson were significantly higher than at the beginning. The subject matters did not influence concentration. It may be concluded that the time of day was the main influence on concentration, so teachers' claims against physical education activity lessons can be rejected. The increase in concentration toward the end of the lesson implies the need for careful lesson planning or even the consideration of increasing duration of lessons.

A comparative study of Japanese and British BCG vaccine strains in newborn infants

A prospective study on the British and Japanese BCG vaccines in newborn infants was carried out in which 317 and 285 infants were randomly allocated and vaccinated with the British and Japanese BCG vaccines, respectively. Four follow-up examinations were carried out with an average of 98% of the study cohort attending all sessions. About half the infants did not produce any visible response at the end of the first week. All, by the end of the third month, had characteristic BCG scars with an average diameter of 4.6 mm. A Mantoux test was carried out at six months. A mean skin induration of 7.2 mm (SD 5.3 mm) was recorded. Significantly higher proportions of infants given Japanese BCG were found to be tuberculin convertors (74.7%) when compared to those given British BCG (51.4%). Breast-feeding practices and the mothers' tuberculin status did not influence markedly their infants response to tuberculin.

Questions regarding the sequential neural generator theory of the somatosensory evoked potential raised by digital filtering

Digital bandpass filtering (300-2500 Hz) designed for zero phase shift was applied to somato-sensory evoked potentials recorded with cephalic bipolar montages. Four consistent negative and corresponding positive peaks with latencies of about 16, 18, 19, and 20 msec were elicited with median nerve stimulation. Peroneal nerve stimulation also elicited 4 reproducible negative-positive peaks having latencies of about 24, 26, 28, and 30 msec. Interpeak latencies measured 1.3 +/- 0.2 msec and 1.8 +/- 0.25 msec for median and peroneal elicited SEPs respectively. Because cephalic bipolar recordings cancel most far-field potentials, multiple generators cannot account for all the additional components seen. It is hypothesized that some of the high frequency components recorded are due to activity in recurrent intrathalamic neuronal networks.

Immunization of female rabbits against testosterone stimulates testosterone accumulation by isolated ovarian follicles

Ovarian follicles isolated from female rabbits after active immunization against testosterone-3-oxime bovine serum albumin produced more testosterone than similar follicles from controls.

Screening of human brain tumors for SV40-related T antigen

A series of 39 human brain tumors has been screened for the presence or absence of SV40-related T antigen by the direct and indirect immunoperoxidase methods. Two tumors of ependymal origin (malignant ependymoma, choroid plexus papilloma) revealed markedly positive nuclear staining for T antigen both in vivo and in vitro. The relationship of these tumors to their experimental counterparts inducible by recent human papovavirus isolates is discussed.

Psychiatric status of the marihuana user

This paper is concerned with the psychiatric evaluation of 81 volunteers in a marihuana project.

The psychiatric status has been evaluated in a standard manner and the drug history, both prescribed and non-prescribed, has been determined.

A method of classification of the non-adverse and adverse drug effects is suggested. Observations are made with respect to the subjective responses of the volunteers in regard to their drug intake, and these are compared to the hard data obtained in the neurophysiological and neuropsychological parts of the study and from fifteen key papers reviewed. The serious lack of precise methodological design and the need for more accurate information with respect to placebo effects, suggestibility and the social set in the area of marihuana use are noted.