Predisposition to cortical neurodegenerative changes in brains of hypertension prone rats.

Background: Substantial evidence suggests that hypertension is a significant risk factor for cognitive decline. However, it is unclear whether the genetic predisposition to hypertension is also associated with cellular dysfunction that promotes neurodegeneration.

Methods: Changes in blood pressure were evaluated following dietary salt-loading or administration of a regular diet in Sabra Normotensive (SBN/y) and Sabra Hypertension-prone rats (SBH/y).

Healthcare Provider's Culture and Its Impact on End-Of-Life Discussions.

To examine the openness to communication in end-of-life care of three major ethno-cultural groups of healthcare providers (HCPs) (in Israel: Israeli Arabs (Arabs), Israeli Jews (Sabras), and Immigrants from the Soviet Union (Russians). An anonymized set of three questionnaires was distributed among 240 physicians and nurses (HCPs) from the three ethno-cultural groups, yielding a response rate of 91% (and 82% when including hospital division). Sabra ethno-cultural group was more open to communicating about and relating to end-of-life with terminally ill patients.

New Cortical Neurodegenerative Pathways in the Hypertensive Rat Brain.

Hypertension is a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases. We hypothesized that chronic hypertension underlies neurodegeneration. In this study, we examined the expression of brain cortical proteins involved in homeostasis, apoptosis, and brain functions in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats.

[DYNAMIC CHANGES OF D-DIMER FOLLOWING STROKE].

Aims: To find the correlation between plasma D-dimer levels after stroke with different etiologies, severity of the stroke and to uncover whether plasma D-dimer levels may be used as a prognostic factor of stroke complication.

Background: D-dimer is a product of fibrin degradation and it is elevated in systemic vascular events. The association between plasma D-dimer levels and stroke remain uncertain.

Phospholipase A2-activating protein is associated with a novel form of leukoencephalopathy.

Leukoencephalopathies are a group of white matter disorders related to abnormal formation, maintenance, and turnover of myelin in the central nervous system. These disorders of the brain are categorized according to neuroradiological and pathophysiological criteria. Herein, we have identified a unique form of leukoencephalopathy in seven patients presenting at ages 2 to 4 months with progressive microcephaly, spastic quadriparesis, and global developmental delay.

Cognitive Function of Patients with Crohn's Disease is Associated with Intestinal Disease Activity.

Background: Systemic inflammation and nutritional deficiencies are characteristics of Crohn's disease (CD) and have been suggested to influence cognitive performance. This study assessed cognitive function in patients with CD.

Methods: Participants were adult patients with CD arriving at routine follow-up.

A novel XPD mutation in a compound heterozygote; the mutation in the second allele is present in three homozygous patients with mild sun sensitivity.

The XPD protein plays a pivotal role in basal transcription and in nucleotide excision repair (NER) as one of the ten known components of the transcription factor TFIIH. Mutations in XPD can result in the DNA repair-deficient diseases xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), trichothiodystrophy (TTD), cerebro-oculo-facial-skeletal syndrome, and in combined phenotypes such as XP/Cockayne syndrome and XP/TTD. We describe here an 18-year-old individual with mild sun sensitivity, no neurological abnormalities and no tumors, who carries a p.

A founder mutation in Vps37A causes autosomal recessive complex hereditary spastic paraparesis.

Background: Members of two seemingly unrelated kindreds of Arab Moslem origin presented with pronounced early onset spastic paraparesis of upper and lower limbs, mild intellectual disability, kyphosis, pectus carinatum and hypertrichosis.

Methods: The authors performed neurological and developmental examinations on the affected individuals. The authors conducted whole genome linkage and haplotype analyses, followed by sequencing of candidate genes; RNA and protein expression studies; and finally proof of principle investigations on knockdown morpholino oligonucleotide injected zebrafish.

Chronic diarrhea and juvenile cataracts: think cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis and treat.

Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis is an autosomal recessive disease of bile acid synthesis caused by 27-hydroxylase deficiency. Treatment with chenodeoxycholic acid normalizes cholestanol concentrations and abrogates progression of the disease. We present 4 patients with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis within 1 family who were treated with chenodeoxycholic acid for 14 years.

[Guideliness for the management of stroke--2008 invasive measures for prevention of ischemic stroke].

Stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Israel and the main cause for neurological disability among adults. Continued efforts for its prevention and treatment began a long time ago and currently persist. During the last decade, these efforts have resulted in a number of significant breakthroughs.

[Guidelines for the management of stroke--2007 prevention of ischemic stroke--general approach and medical treatment].

Stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Israel, the third most common cause of death and the main cause for neurological disability among adults. During the last decade several significant breakthroughs have occurred in the management of stroke and consequently several new guidelines and consensus statements from Europe and North America have been published. The new data necessitate a reappraisal of our approach to the management of stroke as well as to its primary prevention.

A new scale for assessing patients with vertebrobasilar stroke-the Israeli Vertebrobasilar Stroke Scale (IVBSS): inter-rater reliability and concurrent validity.

Objectives: Most of existing stroke scoring systems have limited ability to evaluate patients with cerebrovascular events in the vertebrobasilar territory. We devised a new scale, the Israeli Vertebrobasilar Stroke Scale (IVBSS) in order to directly and more accurately assess clinical deficits of patients with vertebrobasilar stroke. The present study measured the reliability and validity of the IVBSS.

[Guidelines for the management of acute stroke--2005].

Stroke is a major cause for morbidity and mortality in Israel, the third most common cause of death and the main cause for neurological disability among adults. Several significant breakthroughs occurred over recent years in the management of stroke, and acute stroke has increasingly been recognized as a medical emergency--a "brain attack" comparable to a "heart attack". Several new scientific publications, guidelines and consensus statements from Europe and North America necessitate a paradigm shift in the management of acute stroke.

Treatment review and update for myasthenia gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is the best understood autoimmune disease, with well-characterized humoral and cellular effector mechanisms. It is not surprising, therefore, that immunotherapies play a key role in the management of MG. Significant progress has been made over the last few decades in the treatment of patients with MG, and the number of effective avenues of therapy continue to increase.

Thromboembolic prophylaxis in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation: utilization patterns, efficacy, and complications in a long-term follow-up of community patients.

Objectives: To define the incidence, contemporary utilization patterns, efficacy, and complications of thromboembolic prophylactic treatment in patients with chronic (CAF) and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

Background: Although recent randomized trials with antithrombotic therapy in nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation (AF) patients emphasized the benefits of warfarin in preventing stroke, warfarin treatment is still far from optimal.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 506 patients with nonrheumatic PAF or CAF from 23 clinics in the north of Israel, including an interview with the patients' family physician.

Effect of erythropoietin therapy on polyneuropathy in predialytic patients.

Background: Peripheral neuropathy commonly develops in patients with advanced chronic renal failure. The uremic neuropathy is often subclinical and detectable only by electrophysiological studies. Receptors to erythropoietin (EPO) have been described on non-hematopoietic cells including neuronal cells.