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Biomedical subjects

M Modan

Publications and source records attributed to M Modan.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

A more reliable index of sunscreen protection, based on life table analysis of individual sun protection factors.

The efficacy indices of two representative sunscreen preparations were determined using life table analysis of individual sun protection factors (SPF), obtained by exposing a group of subjects to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) doses from 4 to 20 multiples of the control minimal erythema dose (MED). The ultimate efficacy index is expressed as the UVR dose under which a selected percentage of the population is safely protected by a sunscreen. This method takes into account several sources of bias in the current test procedure, in particular the considerable variability in individual responses. It also takes into account subjects in whom the MED of the protected skin is either higher or lower than the range of challenge doses to which they were exposed, thereby increasing the effective sample size. This method provides a more precise and comprehensive index of sunscreen protection, and enables statistical comparison of different preparations, or of the effect of other factors on their efficacy.

Actuarial Analysis

Survival and prognostic factors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The survival of 137 consecutive chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, diagnosed between 1960 and 1982 and followed up at the Hematology Clinic of the Chaim Sheba Center, was correlated with demographic, clinical and laboratory data. The median survival time of the whole group was 104 months. Older age, hepatomegaly, anemia, thrombocytopenia and increased percent of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood at diagnosis were all associated with shorter survival. On the other hand, splenomegaly or lymph node enlargement did not influence survival. When divided according to both Rai's and the International Workshop staging systems, the survival of our patients seemed to be better than that reported in most previously published series of similar patients. We assume that this is related to a conservative approach to the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients in this center.

Adult

Amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein levels and fetal chromosomal abnormalities.

406 midtrimester amniotic fluid samples were examined for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and fetal karyotyping. 44 cases with Down syndrome, 12 with Klinefelter syndrome and 14 with other chromosomal abnormalities were diagnosed. The AFP levels were below the median value for the normal pregnancies in 38 of the 44 Down syndrome-affected fetuses. The mean AFP value was significantly lower (p less than 0.0001) in this group. No such difference was found for fetuses affected by Klinefelter syndrome or other chromosomal aberrations. Almost all of the values for the Down syndrome-affected fetuses were, however, within the normal range, thereby precluding the possibility of using this measurement as an alternative to fetal karyotyping as a screening test for Down syndrome.

Amniotic Fluid

ATP content in human semen and sperm quality.

Five semen characteristics (count, motility, normal forms, bovine cervical mucus penetration, and ATP) were evaluated in patients attending the infertility clinic. Multiple regression analysis indicated that the only characteristic independently affecting ATP concentration was sperm count, whereas motility and percent normal forms had no additional contribution to ATP level. Penetration into bovine cervical mucus did not depend on ATP levels. Comparison of semen characteristics in the same group between patients who have impregnated their wives and those who have not indicated that with respect to count, motility, morphology, and ATP the only sperm characteristic independently predicting fertility was motility. ATP measurements have limited value in the evaluation of semen quality.

Adenosine Triphosphate

Hyperinsulinemia--a link between glucose intolerance, obesity, hypertension, dyslipoproteinemia, elevated serum uric acid and internal cation imbalance.

A representative sample (n = 1211) of the Jewish population in Israel age 40-70 (excluding known diabetics), underwent a glucose tolerance test. Insulin response was found to be independently and positively associated with the GOH conditions--glucose intolerance (p less than 0.001), obesity (p less than 0.001), and hypertension (p less than 0.01) and with elevated serum uric acid (p less than 0.001) after accounting for the effects of sex, age, serum creatinine and use of antihypertensive medications. In a representative subgroup of 542 individuals, total VLDL and LDL fractions were estimated by standardized values (based on the reference group--individuals free of the GOH conditions), of their cholesterol and triglyceride components. Hyperinsulinemia was characterized by jointly elevated VLDL and LDL with reduced HDL. The risk ratio for this pattern (adjusted for the effects of age, sex, smoking and presence of any of the GOH conditions) was 3.4 (p less than 0.001). There was no further association of this disturbed lipoprotein profile with the GOH conditions. Cation concentrations were determined in a stratified subsample (n = 89) of the study group. The subsample comprised 30 individuals in the reference group, and 59 representing each of the seven possible combinations of abnormal glucose tolerance, obesity and hypertension (GOH group). Rate of cation imbalance defined as presence of at least one of three cation concentration--red blood cell sodium greater than or equal to 7.0 mEq/l, red blood cell potassium less than 92.5 mEd/l or plasma potassium greater than or equal to 4.5 mEq/l was 88.1% in the GOH, compared to 40.0% in the reference group (p greater than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Drinking, micturition habits, and urine concentration as potential risk factors in urinary bladder cancer.

Investigation of micturition and drinking habits in urban (n = 475) and rural (n = 156) working populations demonstrated less frequent micturition, decreased fluid intake, and a higher urine concentration in the urban as compared to the rural group. All these differences were significant (P less than .01) by multivariate analysis, adjusting for age and sex differences. Drinking and micturition habits were similar in both sexes, but urine concentration was significantly lower in females (P less than .01) in both the urban and rural groups. Incidence of bladder cancer is reportedly higher in urban versus rural populations and in males versus females, the differences being apparently unaccountable for by differences in smoking, an important risk factor for bladder cancer. Our findings of greater urine concentration and less frequent micturition (which augments urine contact with bladder epithelium) in high-risk groups for bladder cancer are consistent with the "urogenous contact hypothesis." This hypothesis associates the etiology of bladder cancer with prolonged exposure to urine, on the basis of studies indicating carcinogenicity of urine. Further studies should indicate whether frequent drinking and urination are effective preventive measures against bladder cancer.

Adult

Colchicine in the prevention and treatment of the amyloidosis of familial Mediterranean fever.

To determine whether colchicine prevents or ameliorates amyloidosis in patients with familial Mediterranean fever, we followed 1070 patients with the latter disease for 4 to 11 years after they were advised to take colchicine to prevent febrile attacks. Overall, at the end of the study, the prevalence of nephropathy was one third of that in a study conducted before colchicine was used to treat familial Mediterranean fever. Among 960 patients who initially had no evidence of amyloidosis, proteinuria appeared in 4 who adhered to the prophylactic schedule and in 16 of 54 who admitted non-compliance. Life-table analysis showed that the cumulative rate of proteinuria was 1.7 percent (90 percent confidence limits, 0.0 and 11.3 percent) after 11 years in the compliant patients and 48.9 percent (18.8 and 79.0 percent) after 9 years in the noncompliant patients (P less than 0.0001). A total of 110 patients had overt nephropathy when they started to take colchicine. Among 86 patients who had proteinuria but not the nephrotic syndrome, proteinuria resolved in 5 and stabilized in 68 (for more than eight years in 40). Renal function deteriorated in 13 of the patients with proteinuria and in all of the 24 patients with the nephrotic syndrome or uremia. We conclude that colchicine prevented amyloidosis in our high-risk population and that it can prevent additional deterioration of renal function in patients with amyloidosis who have proteinuria but not the nephrotic syndrome.

Actuarial Analysis

Effect of past and concurrent body mass index on prevalence of glucose intolerance and type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes and on insulin response. The Israel study of glucose intolerance, obesity and hypertension.

A representative sample (n = 2140) of the Israeli Jewish population aged 40-70 (excluding known diabetic patients), whose body mass index had been measured 10 years earlier, underwent an oral glucose tolerance test and redetermination of body mass index. Irrespective of weight changes, high concurrent and high past body mass index values (greater than or equal to 27) were associated with similarly increased rates of glucose intolerance as compared with body mass index values less than 27 at both time-points (rate ratio 1.76, 90% confidence limits 1.56-1.99). Glucose intolerance here includes borderline and impaired tolerance as well as Type 2 diabetes. The rate of Type 2 diabetes increased only with increasing past body mass index, while concurrent body mass index had no effect [rate ratios: 2.36 (1.48-3.75) and 1.99 (1.48-2.68) respectively for the medium-(23-26.9) versus-low (less than 23) and high- (greater than or equal to 27) versus-medium past body-mass-index categories]. Weight reduction was associated with only slightly reduced rate of glucose intolerance and had no effect on the rate of diabetes. Mean sum insulin (summed 1 and 2 h levels, mU/l) increased significantly with increasing concurrent body mass index (123, 150 and 190 in the low, medium and high categories) with no effect of past body mass index. It also increased significantly (p less than 0.001) in all concurrent body mass index categories from normal tolerance through borderline to impaired tolerance, and decreased significantly (p less than 0.001) in diabetes relative to impaired tolerance, although it remained above normal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

A comparison of low- and high-dose cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy as initial postoperative treatment in advanced ovarian adenocarcinoma.

Cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin, and cisplatin were given as the initial postoperative treatment to 35 patients with Stages II through IV ovarian cancer of epithelial origin during two time periods. During the first period the dose of cisplatin was 60 mg/m2 and during the second period it was 120 mg/m2, while the dose of cyclophosphamide and Adriamycin remained unchanged. No differences with regard to survival, progression-free interval, rate, and outcome of second-look laparotomy between 18 consecutive patients who received the low-dose and 17 consecutive patients who received the high-dose cisplatin were observed. The complication rate was significantly higher in the high-dose treatment group. Low-dose cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy seems therefore to be the preferable initial postoperative treatment.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols

Abdominopelvic irradiation for stage II-IV ovarian carcinoma patients with limited or no residual disease at second-look laparotomy after completion of cisplatinum-based combination chemotherapy.

Abdominopelvic irradiation was given to 18 stage II-IV ovarian carcinoma patients who completed cisplatinum-based combination chemotherapy, were in complete clinical remission, and who underwent second-look laparotomy. The survival as well as the progression-free interval (PFI) was significantly longer in patients with a negative second-look laparotomy than in those with limited residual disease at this operation. Abdominopelvic irradiation was not effective in patients with limited residual disease at second-look laparotomy (3 year survival--34.3% and median PFI from second-look laparotomy--4.8 months). Even in patients with a negative second-look laparotomy the median PFI was only 13 months from this operation and the 3-year survival was 87.5%. The results were similar to other comparable series in which no treatment was administered to patients with a negative second-look laparotomy.

Adult

An epidemiological study of lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) in amateur male players.

Our epidemiological study investigated lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) among 150 nonprofessional male tennis players (75% of the players approached consecutively) interviewed and examined physically at four local tennis clubs. The interview and examination covered over sixty possible risk factors, including demographic data, playing habits, anatomical measurements and racket characteristics. The "average" painfree player is 38 years old, has played tennis 11 years, and plays 5.5 hours a week, usually with a racket whose head area is 570 cm2. The "average" tennis elbow sufferer is a 45-year-old player who has been playing 16 years and has played 8 hours weekly before onset of pain with a racket whose head area is 613 cm2. Multivariate analysis indicated that number of playing years has no independent effect beyond its association with age. Playing hours per week, current age and age at pain onset have independent significant effects on number of pain episodes (0-7). Weekly number of playing hours is the best predictor of pain category (none, one or more currently or in the past).

Adult

Peripheral nerve injection injury: an experimental pilot study of treatment modalities.

The accidental injection of various drugs into peripheral nerves has serious medical complications and medicolegal implications. The most neurotoxic substances of II agents tested in a previous study were penicillin G, diazepam, and chlorpromazine. The appropriate management of such an injury has not been well-established. In an attempt to define the proper treatment in accidental peripheral nerve injection, an experimental study was carried out, in which 70 sciatic nerves of rats were injected intrafascicularly with penicillin G and treated by neurolysis, neurolysis and Celestone irrigation (betamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid), and neurolysis and saline irrigation. The degree of damage was evaluated histologically after two weeks. Statistical analysis of the results showed that neurolysis performed at 24 hours after the injury lessened the damage to the peripheral nerve. No additional improvement was found when, in addition to neurolysis, the nerves were irrigated with Celestone or saline solutions.

Animals

Effect of blood contamination on the fluorescence polarization value of amniotic fluid lamellar bodies.

Estimation of fetal lung maturity by examination of amniotic fluid samples is unreliable in the presence of blood. Centrifugation of amniotic fluid at 10,000 X g separates the surfactant-containing lamellar bodies from contaminants, such as serum lipids. The influence of serum contamination of amniotic fluid was evaluated using the fluorescence polarization technique for determination of fetal lung maturity. Addition of serum changed the amniotic fluid P value of both the amniotic fluid and the lamellar body pellets in the direction of the P value of serum. After centrifugation at 10,000 X g, there was no significant difference in the P value of the pre- and postcontamination samples, demonstrating that centrifugation resulted in the removal of pulmonary nonrelevant lipids in contaminated amniotic fluid specimens. In 24 patients in whom the amniotic fluid sample was blood stained, the P value on the lamellar body pellet compared favorably to that obtained from noncontaminated samples.

Amniotic Fluid

Immunologic and biochemical characterization of homozygous and heterozygous Glanzmann thrombasthenia in the Iraqi-Jewish and Arab populations of Israel: comparison of techniques for carrier detection.

To define biochemically and immunologically the platelet defect in Iraqi-Jews and Arabs with Glanzmann thrombasthenia in Israel, we tested the platelets of 32 thrombasthenics and 37 obligate carriers from 19 families with affected members. Thrombasthenic platelets were devoid of glycoprotein IIb (GPIIb) as judged by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and devoid of the GPIIb/IIIa complex as judged by radio-electroimmunoassay. Binding of a murine monoclonal antibody directed at GPIIb and/or GPIIIa to intact thrombasthenic platelets averaged less than 2% of the control value. Evaluation of the number of molecules of antibody bound per platelet permitted discrimination between controls and obligate carriers with a high degree of accuracy (sensitivity = 91.9%, specificity = 92.3%). Obligate carriers could also be discriminated from controls by determining the ratio of GPIIb to GPIb by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by quantifying the GPIIb/IIIa complex by radio-electroimmunoassay. These studies indicate that the thrombasthenics in Israel have the severe form of the disease (type I) and that the platelets of heterozygotes have significantly reduced amounts of both total and surface-exposed GPIIb and/or GPIIIa.

Adolescent

Primary infertility in women exposed to diethylstilboestrol in utero.

In a selected group of 40 women who had been exposed to diethylstilboestrol in utero, 18 conceived without difficulty and 22 had primary infertility. Among those with primary infertility there was a significantly higher rate of anatomical structural defects and a greater tendency for menstrual disorders than in those without infertility. Thirteen (59%) of the women with primary infertility conceived, most after treatment with ovulation stimulating drugs. Spontaneous abortion and tubal pregnancy were frequent (47% and 10% respectively) and similar in both fertility groups. Of 13 infertile women examined, 4 (31%) had mild hyperprolactinemia--a hithero unreported finding for such women.

Abortion, Spontaneous

Does complete revascularization by the conventional method truly provide the best possible results? Analysis of results and comparison with revascularization of infarct-prone segments (systematic segmental myocardial revascularization): the Sheba Study.

Myocardial revascularization is usually considered "complete" if all stenosed major coronaries are bypassed. Attempts were made to compare the results of this method with an approach by which each of the following five left ventricular infarct-prone segments is revascularized if ischemic: anteroseptal, anterolateral, posterosuperior, posteroinferior, and diaphragmatic. Two subsets of patients were studied. A total of 366 patients (Group A) who underwent aortacoronary bypass operations from 1980 to 1982 were followed up for a mean of 16.3 (6 to 43) months and were retrospectively divided into two groups: Group A1 (120 patients) had incomplete segmental revascularization (mean of 3.4 grafts per patient) and Group A2 (246 patients) had complete segmental revascularization (4.0 grafts per patient) (p less than 0.0001). Groups A1 and A2 were identical in all clinical and angiographic parameters: unstable angina, 60%; previous myocardial infarction, 70%; left main stenosis, 10%; and ejection fraction less than 30%, 2%. Overall operative mortality was 2.3%. Results in Groups A1 and A2, respectively, were as follows: operative mortality, 5.8% versus 0.8% (p less than 0.005); perioperative myocardial infarction, 6.9% versus 0.8% (p less than 0.0005); 35 month survival rate, 93.3% versus 97.9% (p less than 0.02); total freedom from symptoms, 54.1% versus 68.3% (p less than 0.025). In addition, 151 patients operated on in 1984 (Group B) were studied prospectively with regard to operative mortality and perioperative myocardial infarction, and the results were identical to those in Group A. Compared to conventional complete revascularization, complete segmental revascularization provides better results.

Adult

Determination of fetal lung maturity by fluorescence polarization of the amniotic fluid lamellar bodies.

High-speed centrifugation of amniotic fluid enables separation of surfactant-containing lamellar bodies. Fifty-three amniotic fluid samples from pregnancies of 28 to 39 weeks' gestation were examined for fetal lung maturity by measuring fluorescence polarization (P). For each sample the P value was determined at 37C on both the whole amniotic fluid and on the surfactant-containing lamellar bodies obtained by centrifugation at 10,000 X g. A close linear correlation (r = 0.80) was found between the P value of the amniotic fluid samples and that of the lamellar bodies. There was no difference in the specificity for discrimination of hyaline membrane disease cases by both methods (93.5%) with 95% confidence limits of 82.1 to 98.6%. Because high-speed centrifugation enables the selective sedimentation of pulmonary surfactant, determination of the lamellar body P value may offer a practical solution for the estimation of fetal lung maturity in amniotic fluid samples contaminated with blood.

Amniotic Fluid