Circadian rhythm period in reaction time to light signals: difference between right- and left-hand side.

The study was designed to test the hypothesis that the prominent rhythm period tau of simple reaction time (SRT) and three-choice reaction time (CRT) to light signals may vary between the dominant (DH) and non-dominant (NDH) hand. Eleven healthy subjects, 8 males (16-74 years, including two left-handed) and 3 females (18-43 years), synchronized with a diurnal activity (approximately 07.00 h to approximately 23.

Time-dependent variations of the skin barrier function in humans: transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum hydration, skin surface pH, and skin temperature.

Although circadian rhythms have been described for many human functions, there are minimal data on circadian rhythms related to skin physiology. This study investigated the circadian rhythmicity of skin variables related to skin barrier function in humans. We measured transepidermal water loss, stratum corneum moisture, skin surface pH, and skin temperature in 16 healthy volunteers (nine men and seven women, aged 23-53 y).

[Epidemiological characteristics of outbreaks of diarrhea and food poisoning in the Israel Defense Forces in the years 1978-1995].

Acute infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and food poisoning are problems of great importance in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). They involve individual and epidemic morbidity, with impairment of health of individual soldiers and in the activities of units. Outbreaks of gastrointestinal infectious diseases must be reported to the IDF army health branch, which conducts epidemiological investigation.

[Smoking habits of young Israeli soldiers].

A random sample of 32,166 soldiers were interviewed (on their day of discharge from the Israeli Defence Forces, between 1980-1995) with regard to smoking habits. Among men, prevalence of current smoking was 46.8%, and among women 32.

Interindividual differences in the flexibility of human temporal organization: pertinence to jet lag and shiftwork.

Interindividual variability in the human temporal structure is seldom taken into account, especially in studies devoted to the effects of shiftwork and jet lag. The understated postulate is that humans can be treated as a pure strain species. This paper reviews some facts and concepts with special reference to interindividual changes in the rhythm period tau and the resulting dyschronism.

Double-blind vaccine-controlled randomised efficacy trial of an investigational Shigella sonnei conjugate vaccine in young adults.

Background: The aim of this double-blind randomised vaccine-controlled trial was to assess the efficacy of a conjugate vaccine composed of Shigella sonnei O-specific polysaccharide bound to Pseudomonas aeruginosa recombinant exoprotein A (S sonnei-rEPA) and of an oral, live-attenuated Escherichia coli/S flexneri 2a (EcSf2a-2) hybrid vaccine among military recruits in Israel at high risk of exposure to Shigella spp. We report here our preliminary findings on the efficacy of S sonnei-rEPA; we have not documented sufficient cases to assess the efficacy of EcSf2a-2.

Methods: Between April, 1993, and August, 1994, male Israeli Military recruits aged 18-22 years were asked to take part in our study.

Two types of growth hormone rhythm in boys with constitutional short stature.

The relationship between temporal and quantitative changes in pulsatile growth hormone (GH) secretion and growth of constitutionally short children (CSS) was studied in 19 prepubertal boys and 4 with early adrenarche aged 7.8 to 14 years. Continuous plasma GH monitoring was performed at 30 minutes intervals during 24 hours.

Rhythmicity of luteinizing hormone secretion expressed in vitro.

In the present study we explored the possibility that the pituitary functions as an autonomous clock and is capable of generating rhythms of luteinizing hormone (LH) release independently of hypothalamic control. Pituitaries from estrous or diestrous day 1 female mice were perifused separately with Medium-199. Effluent samples were collected at 10-min intervals and assayed for LH levels.

Detection of antibodies to Shigella lipopolysaccharide in urine after natural Shigella infection or vaccination.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the possibility of detecting antibodies to Shigella sonnei lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in urine after infection or vaccination. Urinary immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG antibodies and specific IgA secretory protein against S. sonnei LPS were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), after adjustment for urine concentration.

Temperature rhythm of patients with major affective disorders: reduced circadian period length.

The aim of the study was to explore circadian alterations of the temperature rhythm in adults with Major Affective Disorders (DSM III-R:296.xx). The axillary temperature of 56 inpatients was recorded (6-min intervals for at least a 48-h span) when major clinical symptoms occurred and thereafter during the remission.

The pattern of hormonal circadian time structure (acrophase) as an assessor of breast-cancer risk.

Through many hormones are secreted in a pulsatile manner, their secretion pattern can be superimposed by a 24-hour sinusoidal curve. The sinusoidal curve is then characterized by the estimated peak clock time location (acrophase), the adjusted mean (mesor) and the amplitude. When the distribution of the acrophases of 12 hormones was compared among women with regard to their age and to the level of risk of developing breast cancer, statistically significant differences were revealed between distribution patterns of acrophases of women with high (n = 12 and 45 circadian profiles) or low (n = 12 and 41 circadian profiles) risk of developing breast cancer.

Prevalence of genetic versus environmental factors in human female temporal organization: preliminary analysis.

Genetic diversity among ethnic groups is studied by comparing the genetic fingerprint of the examined groups. This index is constructed by aggregating the differential frequencies of various marker characteristics. Recent advances in the study of human biological rhythms may provide new indexes that will complement the genetic profile of a population.

Diurnal rhythm of prostanoid secretion from bone/marrow organ in the rat.

The secretion of prostanoids from an adult diaphysial rat bone organ was assessed throughout a 24 h period at 4 h intervals as well as the 24 h activities of bone alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme and serum corticosterone levels. Femurs were removed from 16 rats at each interval and incubated in the absence or presence of indomethacin (100 micrograms). The levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha), and the stable metabolites of thromboxane and prostacyclin, thromboxane B2 (TxB2), and 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto PGF1 alpha) were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA).

Superactive lipophilic peptides discriminate multiple vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors.

To distinguish vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors in the brain-mediating neurotransmission and neurotrophism, potent VIP analogues were designed. Using a single amino acid substitution and the addition of a fatty acyl moiety, an analogue was devised that exhibited both a 100-fold greater potency than VIP and specificity for a VIP receptor associated with neuronal survival. This VIP agonist increased neuronal survival via a cAMP-independent mechanism.

Drug induced myopia associated with treatment for gynecological problems.

We present three cases of women who developed acute transient myopia caused by drugs for gynecological problems. One patient was treated with disothiazide for premenstrual edema. The second had acute cystitis and was treated by sulphonamide and the third developed myopia coincident with metronidazole treatment for trichomonas vaginalis.

Genetic control of biological rhythms: independent expression of each rhythm parameter.

Biological rhythm whose pattern approaches a sinusoidal curve can be characterized by four parameters: Period, Mesor, Acrophase and Amplitude. Inheritance patterns of these parameters were assessed by monitoring White Blood Cell (WBC) count rhythms of C57BL/6J mice, BALB/c mice and the F1 progeny prior and after injection of Cisplatinum at either 0900, 1500, 2100, or 0300. All untreated mice exhibited similar WBC rhythms while a variety of rhythm phenotypes was revealed among the injected mice.