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Biomedical subjects

N Zelnik

Publications and source records attributed to N Zelnik.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Is eye cosmetic a source of lead poisoning?

Kohl is a lead-containing eye cosmetic applied to many infants in Israel and in other countries in the Middle East. Seven samples of kohl used in our region contained 17.3%-79.5% lead. We assessed 24 kohl users and 30 non-kohl users, aged 6-16 months, for blood lead, zinc protoporphyrin, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), serum iron and calcium. Blood lead levels were significantly higher in the infants to whom kohl was applied (11.2 vs. 4.3 micrograms/dl, P less than 0.001) and were greater than 20 micrograms/dl in three of them. In the non-kohl users, blood lead levels were significantly higher in infants whose mothers used kohl (5.2 vs. 2.8 micrograms/dl, P less than 0.02). No significant differences were found in the other parameters. The kohl-using infants were significantly shorter at 3-5 weeks of age (P less than 0.005) but not at the time of the study. No significant differences were found in weight and head circumference at birth or at the time of the study between kohl-using infants and controls. Regression analysis showed that among the analyzed variables the infant's blood lead level was related only to the use of kohl. We conclude that application of kohl to the infant's or mother's eyes is associated with a significant increase in the infant's blood lead levels and in the minority of cases with asymptomatic lead poisoning.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1991

High dose intravenous gamma-globulin in intractable epilepsy of childhood.

Eight children aged between 1.3 and 13 years suffering from epilepsy refractory to conventional anticonvulsive therapy were treated with high dose intravenous gamma globulin (200 mg/kg, 3 times per week, repeated after 3 weeks). Immunological studies after therapy showed normal results. In four children, clinical and EEG findings markedly improved. In one other case a partial response was noted. No improvement was observed in the remaining three cases. We confirm that although the mechanism is still obscure, high doses of i.v. gammaglobulin may have a beneficial effect in a significant number of children with intractable epilepsy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Multiple sclerosis in black children.

Six cases of childhood multiple sclerosis (MS) are presented. All patients (three boys and three girls) were black and came from the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. Age at onset of the disease ranged from 8 to 17 years. Although motor deficits, optic neuritis, and ataxia were similar to those previously reported in pediatric patients, mental symptoms were more prominent and the course more intractable. The pattern of disease was characterized by a high frequency of relapses, with short remission and rapid progression. Within 1 to 7 years, one patient had died, one became severely handicapped, and three were steroid dependent with recurrent relapses. Our findings suggest that MS, though uncommon, exists also in black children. In the cases presented, the clinical course seems to be more malignant than previously reported.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Prolactin and cortisol levels in various paroxysmal disorders in childhood.

The hormonal response of the anterior pituitary to various epileptic and nonepileptic events in children was studied. Postictal serum prolactin and cortisol levels were measured in 17 children with epilepsy, 23 with febrile seizures, and 10 with syncope or breath-holding spells. The levels were compared with those of 30 children with nonspecific fever, and 23 afebrile children served as control subjects. Significantly higher (P less than .01) prolactin levels (26.5 +/- 3.3 ng/mL, mean +/- SEM) were found in the epileptic group, compared with levels in children with febrile seizures (13.2 +/- 1.0 ng/mL), fever (11.2 +/- 0.9 ng/mL), syncope (7.3 +/- 0.9 ng/mL), and the control group (7.9 +/- 0.6 ng/mL). In contrast, serum cortisol levels were nonspecifically elevated in the epileptics and patients with febrile seizures or fever only. These findings suggest that elevated prolactin levels may be found after epileptic seizures and much less after febrile seizures, but not after breath-holding spells or syncopal events. Cortisol secretion appears to be nonselectively triggered by all stressful events, such as epileptic and febrile seizures, and fever. Elevated prolactin levels (greater than 15 ng/mL) associated with seizures may help in differentiating epileptic from febrile seizures or syncope.

Child↗
PubMed1990

Autonomic seizures in an infant: unusual cutaneous and cardiac manifestations.

An eight-month-old infant developed autonomic seizures, manifested by skin reaction (harlequin-like syndrome) and paroxysmal bradycardia. Interictal EEG showed multifocal spikes, 24-hour EEG/ECG monitoring disclosed episodes of cerebral decremental response associated with cardiac nodal rhythm. Head CT and other laboratory tests were normal. Despite excellent seizure control with carbamazepine, the child has moderate psychomotor retardation.

Anticonvulsants↗
PubMed1989

[Organic aciduria in Canavan disease].

3 male and 2 female infants with Canavan disease proven in some by brain biopsy, whose symptoms appeared within the first 4 months of life, are presented. Urinary organic acids were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. All excreted large amounts of N-acetylaspartic acid, probably secondary to decreased activity of its hydrolase. The pathogenetic mechanism is not well understood. Analysis of urinary organic acids can replace brain biopsy in the diagnosis of this condition, and the diagnosis can now be made prenatally.

Acids↗
PubMed1988

Impaired autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) in patients with ataxia-telangiectasia and their family members.

We used the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) to test T cell function in four patients with Ataxia-telangiectasia (AT), in 11 first-degree relatives and in 20 controls. There was a marked reduction of AMLR in the patients and in three relatives compared to the age-matched controls. In the AT patients the defect in AMLR was intrinsic to the CD4 subpopulation, since exogenous IL-2 did not improve the response of isolated CD4 cells. In contrast to normal controls, pre-incubation of autologous B cells with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) did not enhance the reduced AMLR in the AT patients and the three first-degree relatives. We conclude that in both patients with AT and in some of their family members there is an intrinsic defect in CD4 T cells. This defect leads to diminished reactivity to EBV infected autologous B cells, and may explain in part the high incidence of malignancies observed in such families.

Ataxia Telangiectasia↗
PubMed1987

Naltrexone decreases self-injurious behavior.

The effect of naltrexone (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mg/kg) on the frequency of self-injurious behavior (SIB) was investigated in three male adolescents. The frequency of total SIB was reduced significantly in all three subjects; dose-dependent decreases (at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg/kg) in SIB frequency were observed in the two mentally retarded subjects. These data suggest a role for opioid peptides in SIB.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

[3H]GBR-12935 binding to the dopamine transporter is decreased in the caudate nucleus in Parkinson's disease.

The specific binding of [3H]GBR-12935 to membranes prepared from human caudate nucleus is saturable (Bmax 1.36 +/- 0.18 pmol/mg protein), sodium dependent and of high affinity (KD 2.34 +/- 0.18 nM). Freezing of tissue from rat brain, or refrigeration followed by freezing, results in a small but significant (less than or equal to 20%) decrease in specific [3H]GBR-12935 binding when compared to the binding observed in fresh (nonfrozen) tissue, and this decrease may account, in part, for the differences in specific binding between rat and human brain membranes. Despite small differences in binding site density between fresh and frozen tissue there is a good correlation (r = 0.98; p less than 0.01) between the potencies of a series of drugs in displacing specific [3H]GBR-12935 binding to human caudate membranes and rat striatum as well as in inhibiting dopamine uptake in rat striatal synaptosomes (r = 0.96; p less than 0.01). The specific binding of [3H]GBR-12935 to membranes prepared from the caudate nuclei of patients with Parkinson's disease is decreased compared to membranes prepared from age- and sex-matched controls. These data suggest that [3H]GBR-12935 binds in a sodium-dependent fashion to the dopamine transport complex in human brain and that specific binding is decreased by a pathological degeneration of dopaminergic neurons to the caudate nucleus.

Caudate Nucleus↗
PubMed1985

Association of posttraumatic spinal arachnoid cyst and syringomyelia.

A patient developed a painful progressive paraparesis following trauma. Metrizamide myelography revealed an arachnoid cyst. A delayed metrizamide computed tomography scan of the area confirmed the cyst and demonstrated a syrinx at that level that was not appreciated on the myelogram. The association of these two lesions after trauma are perhaps more common than appreciated and the importance of a computed tomography scan of the abnormal area on myelography is emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neurologic complications in pediatric solid tumors.

The cases of 61 children, consecutively diagnosed during 1986-1990 as having malignant solid tumors (but excluding those with brain tumors and lymphoproliferative diseases), were reviewed. Neurologic complications occurred in 19 (31%), most often in association with neuroblastomas and sarcomas. Complications observed in order of frequency were: brain metastases in 6 children, spinal cord compression in 5, peripheral or cranial neuropathies in 4, and seizures in the remaining 4. Early recognition of neurologic compromise and rapid initiation of treatment are mandatory in order to prevent permanent disability.

Adolescent↗