Loneliness and Social Media Use Among Adolescents with Psychiatric Disorders.

Studies have demonstrated that a prolonged feeling of loneliness is a major risk factor for psychopathology among children and adolescents. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between patterns of social media use with loneliness and psychopathology among 65 adolescents who were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and treated at a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Israel. Social capital (online and offline) was negatively associated with loneliness.

Bridging the gap between the emergency department and outpatient care: feasibility of a short-term psychiatric crisis intervention for children and adolescents.

Child and adolescent mental health systems are facing limited resources of available psychosocial interventions, often leading to long waiting lists for acceptance to treatment. We describe the feasibility of a short-term (8-10 sessions) psychological crisis intervention (CI) protocol for children and adolescents aged 8-17 years (n = 30, mean ± standard deviation 12.9 ± 2.

Stimulant Treatment Effect on Anxiety Domains in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With and Without Anxiety Disorders: A 12-Week Open-Label Prospective Study.

The effect of stimulants on anxiety domains has not been systematically studied. We assessed prospectively the impact of stimulant treatment in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on the severity of anxiety domains and on ADHD with comorbid anxiety disorders. Children with ADHD ( = 57, aged 6-15 years) started a stimulant or were switched from one stimulant to another.

Internalizing symptoms impede adolescents' ability to transition from in-person to online mental health services during the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic.

Introduction: Online mental health services were previously found to be effective in many studies. However, this method was not generally used in Israel. By the end of 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic erupted, forcing mental health services to transition to online meetings to maintain the standard of care.

Association among income loss, financial strain and depressive symptoms during COVID-19: Evidence from two longitudinal studies.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has major ramifications for global health and economy, with growing concerns about economic recession and implications for mental health. Here we investigated the associations between pandemic-related income loss with financial strain and mental health trajectories over a 1-month course, in two independent cohorts.

Methods: Two independent studies were conducted in the U.

Neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio and psychosis in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome - Clinical and scientific implications.

Background: Individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) are at risk for having both psychotic and immune disorders, thus, implying a possible link between the two.

Obsessive compulsive symptoms severity among children and adolescents during COVID-19 first wave in Israel‏.

Several current publications have considered persons with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 period, and to require more frequent symptom monitoring. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether OCD exacerbated during the first wave of COVID-19 in children and adolescents. Twenty-nine children and adolescents with OCD were evaluated in the midst of the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel (April-May 2020).

The Feasibility of a Parent Group Treatment for Youth with Anxiety Disorders and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet CBT is insufficiently effective in approximately half of cases in clinical trials and in a substantial number of cases children refuse to participate in CBT sessions altogether. Parent training offers a promising alternative to direct child therapy.

Association among income loss, financial strain and depressive symptoms during COVID-19: evidence from two longitudinal studies.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has major ramifications for global health and the economy, with growing concerns about economic recession and implications for mental health. Here we investigated the associations between COVID-19 pandemic-related income loss with financial strain and mental health trajectories over a 1-month course.

Methods: Two independent studies were conducted in the U.

Preovulatory follicle characteristics and oocyte competence in repeat breeder dairy cows.

The varied and elusive etiology of repeat breeding (RB) in dairy cows necessitates evaluation of oocytes and follicles, which have not previously been assessed together. Accordingly, we evaluated characteristics of preovulatory follicles and the competence of oocytes in control (CTL) and RB cows. The estrous cycles of 35 cows (18 CTL and 17 RB) were synchronized using PGF and estrus detection.

Dietary α-linolenic acid from flaxseed oil improved folliculogenesis and IVF performance in dairy cows, similar to eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids from fish oil.

The objectives of this study were to determine the differential incorporation of various omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) supplemented to dairy cows into ovarian compartments and assess the effects on IVF. Forty-two 256-day pregnant cows were supplemented with encapsulated fats, in treatments designated as i) SFA - saturated fat at 240 and 560 g/day per cow, prepartum and post partum (PP) respectively; ii) FLX - flaxseed oil at 300 and 700 g/day per cow prepartum and PP respectively; and iii) FO - fish oil at 300 and 700 g/day per cow prepartum and PP respectively. Commencing at 60 days in lactation, ovum pickup (OPU) was performed twice weekly (20 sessions; five cows per group) and in vitro maturation and IVF were conducted.

Does the duration of untreated psychosis affect prognosis in schizophrenia?

Clinical Dilemma: 'An 18-year-old patient, who has been suffering from a prolonged psychotic state, is hospitalized for the first time in his life in our department. We diagnose his condition as schizophrenia, and start anti-psychotic medication and supportive psychotherapy. His parents join the psycho-educational group for families in our department.

Angle closure in Caucasians--a pilot, general ophthalmology clinic-based study.

Purpose: To assess the rate of clinically significant angle closure in a predominantly Caucasian, clinic-based population, and consequently find out whether gonioscopy should be included in the routine ophthalmic examination.

Methods: Patients aged ≥40 years with hyperopia ≥1 D were consecutively recruited in a community general ophthalmology clinic. Detailed darkroom gonioscopy was done, and primary angle closure was diagnosed if there was iridotrabecular apposition >180 degrees not secondary to an identifiable ocular disorder.

Effects of dietary fats differing in n-6:n-3 ratio fed to high-yielding dairy cows on fatty acid composition of ovarian compartments, follicular status, and oocyte quality.

The objectives were to determine the incorporation of dietary encapsulated fats differing in n-6:n-3 ratio into milk fat, plasma, and various ovarian compartments and to examine the effects on ovarian follicular status, preovulatory follicle characteristics, and oocyte quality. Twenty-four multiparous Israeli Holstein cows, averaging 114 d in milk, were assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: 1) control (n=7), in which cows were fed a lactating cow diet; 2) E-FLAX (n=8), in which cows were fed a lactating cow diet that consisted of 1kg/d of encapsulated fat (3.8% of dry matter) containing 40.

New trends in gamete's cryopreservation.

We developed new techniques to improve freezing and vitrification of sperm, oocytes and embryos. Our novel freezing technology is based on 'Multi-Thermal-Gradient' (MTG) freezing that is used for sperm. The freezing apparatus has the ability to control ice crystals propagation by changing thermal gradient or the liquid-ice interface velocity which optimizes ice crystals morphology during freezing of cells and tissue.

Signalling pathways induced by protease-activated receptors and integrins in T cells.

Recent characterization of the thrombin receptor indicates that it plays a role in T-cell signalling pathways. However, little is known regarding the signalling events following stimulation of additional members of the protease-activated receptor (PAR) family, i.e.

Identification of the Drosophila melanogaster homologue of the mammalian signal transducer protein, Vav.

Mammalian Vav signal transducer protein couples tyrosine kinase signals with the activation of the Rho/Rac GTPases, thus leading to cell differentiation and/or proliferation. We have isolated and characterized the DroVav gene, the homologue of hVav in Drosophila melanogaster. DroVav encodes a protein (793 residues) whose similarity with hVav is 47% and with hVav2 and hVav3 is 45%.

Factors affecting success of embryo collection and transfer in a transgenic goat program.

During a goat transgenic program that took place in Israel from July 1995 to February 1996, Saanen (n = 343) and Nubian x Damascus (n = 378) crossbred goats of mixed ages were used as donors (n = 433) and recipients (n = 288). The effects of season, age, number of surgical procedures, previous hormonal treatments and ovulation rate on the number of microinjectable embryos collected were studied. Likewise, the effects of these parameters on the pregnancy rate as well as the number of embryos transplanted, endogenous progesterone concentrations and exogenous progesterone supplementation were studied in recipient does.

Multiple genotype analysis and sexing of IVF bovine embryos.

Twenty-one in vitro-fertilized bovine blastocysts were quartered, lysed and subjected to primer elongation preamplification (PEP) procedure, allowing for the analysis of up to 40 genotypes per quarter embryo. The quarter-embryos were sexed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using BRY.1, Bov97M and ZFX/ZFY loci, and then genotyped for k-casein, bovine leukocyte adhesion deficiency (BLAD) and microsatellite D9S1.

Expression of human serum albumin in the milk of transgenic mice.

We have tested the feasibility of producing large quantities of human serum albumin (HSA) in the milk of transgenic livestock by generating transgenic mice as a model system. The sheep beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) 5'-regulatory promoter sequences were used to support expression of BLG or HSA in transgenic mice. Transgenic animals generated from the entire BLG gene including 3, 5.

Conditional conversion of ES cells to skeletal muscle by an exogenous MyoD1 gene.

A variety of differentiated cell types can be converted to skeletal muscle cells following transfection with the myogenic regulatory gene MyoD1. To determine whether multipotent embryonic stem (ES) cells respond similarly, cultures of two ES cell lines were electroporated with a MyoD1 cDNA driven by the beta-actin promoter. All transfected clones, carrying a single copy of the exogenous gene, expressed high levels of MyoD1 mRNA.

The consequences of a constitutive expression of MyoD1 in ES cells and mouse embryos.

A variety of differentiated cell types can be converted to skeletal muscle following transfection with the myogenic regulatory gene MyoD1. To determine whether multipotent embryonic stem (ES) cells respond similarly, cultures of two ES cell lines were electroporated with a MyoD1 cDNA driven by the beta-actin promoter. All transfected clones tested, carrying single copy of the exogenous gene, expressed high levels of MyoD1 mRNA.

Expression of the rat myosin light-chain 2 gene in transgenic mice: stage specificity, developmental regulation, and interrelation with the endogenous gene.

The expression of the rat skeletal myosin light-chain 2 gene in two transgenic strains was tissue specific and stage specific. However, the temporal regulation during development of the transgene was different from that of the endogenous gene. Surprisingly, in one strain, the expression of the transgene was associated with a significant down-regulation of the endogenous gene.