Clinical application of insect-based diet in canine allergic dermatitis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of the short-term application of insect-based diet in canine allergic dermatitis. Total 19 atopic dogs with concurrent cutaneous adverse food reactions were enrolled and classified into 3 groups. The treatment group (n = 7) was fed insect-based diet, the positive control group (n = 6) was fed salmon-based diet, and the negative control group (n = 6) was fed commercial or homemade diet for 12 weeks. The degree of skin lesions was evaluated based on canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI-4). Additionally, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and pruritus visual analog scale were evaluated. All indices were evaluated every 4 weeks after the initial administration of hypoallergenic diets. In the treatment group, significant decrease in the CADESI-4 score was observed at 8 weeks compared to the baseline score (p = 0.031). There were significant differences in the CADESI-4 score between the groups at 8 weeks (p = 0.008), 12 weeks (p = 0.012), and TEWL at 12 weeks (p = 0.022). This preliminary result demonstrates the potential hypoallergenicity of an insect-based diet through features that diminish cutaneous lesions and skin barrier dysfunction.

Levels of Sodium and Zinc Concentration in Febrile Convulsion / 대한소아신경학회지

PURPOSE: A febrile convulsion is a common event during childhood, its pathogenesis is not clear. But there are some hypotheses including electrolyte imbalance, neurotransmitter and metabolic change. Hyponatremia has been thought to decrease the threshold for febrile convulsion and low cerebrospinal zinc level induced by fever or infections causes low cerebrospinal gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) which is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter. We therefore carried out a prospective study to investigate whether there is an association with serum sodium levels, CSF zinc concentration and febrile convulsions. METHODS: Blood and CSF samples for sodium and zinc were taken from 37 children at Pusan Saint Benedict Hospital due to febrile illness from March 1998 to December 1998. They were divided into three groups: 11 with fever but without convulsions(Group I), 15 with aseptic(viral) meningitis(Group II), and 11 with febrile convulsions(Group III). The results were analyzed by Wilcoxon 2 Sample Test. RESULTS: The means of serum sodium, Zn level and CSF Na, Zn level in the febrile convulsion group were not significantly lower than in other groups(for serum Na : group I 143.09+/-2.84mmol/L, group II 141.60+/-2.49mmol/L, group III 142.54+/-1.80mmol/L; for CSF Na : group I 138.72+/-5.53mmol/L, group II 139.64+/-4.64mmol/L, group III 138.82+/-2.25mmol/L; for serum Zn : group I 90.38+/-9.09micro gram/L, group II 90.28+/-13.64micro gram/L, group III 97.16+/-14.54micro gram/L; for CSF Zn : group I 41.61+/-13.30micro gram/L, group II 45.80+/-12.66micro gram/L, group III 41.04+/-11.17micro gram/L). There was no statistically significant difference in serum sodium and CSF zinc between the three groups of children. CONCLUSION: There is no evidence in this study, that hyponatremia may increase the susceptability to febrile convulsion or that zinc deprivation may play a role in the pathogenesis of febrile convulsion in previous study. So, more study of pathophysiology of febrile convulsion is needed.

A Case of Glaucomatocyclitic Crises

A case, 25-year-old male student who is thought to have been suffered from glaucomatocyclitic crises in the left eye, is presented. Authors have followed this patient for about one and a half years. During the time, 10 times of recurrent unilateral attacks of ocular hypertension have been noted with assoicated mild iridocyclitis. An attempt was made to evaluate the clinical pictures and review the literatures.

Electro-Oculographic Studies in Rabbits Treated by Retino-Toxic Agents

The influence of sodium iodate and sodium iodoacetate on the standing potential of rabbits' eyes were investigated with the use of electro-oculography. The electro-oculogram was recorded 1, 3, 5, 24 hours and 5 days after the administrations of the drugs. In order to measure the potential changes induced by illumination, animals were maintained in the dark for 30 minutes and thereafter in the light(illumination 500 lux) for another 30 minutes, during which records were taken every two minutes. In normal eyes, the potential decreased during dark adaptation, and its maximum decrease(about 35%) was attained about 24 minutes. When the eye was exposed to illumination, potential increased, the maximum increase (30%) occurred at 18 minutes. Light peak-dark trough ratio was over 1.4 in all eyes and 1.6 on the average. When the dark-adapted retina was illuminated, EOG amplitude showed a rapid, transient rise followed by a slight fall, with the subsequent light rise. After administration of sodium iodate(20mg./kg.) fall of potential during dark adaptation and rise during light adaptation decreased in its magnitude, accompanied by shortening of dark trough time and light peak time. The light peak-dark trough ratio showed moderate diminution (between 1.2 and 1.3). At the beginning of light adaptation, potential fell transiently followed by continuous slow rise. In eyes treated by sodium iodoacetate (20mg./kg.) potential alterations due to illumination diminished as in eyes treated with sodium iodate. The base-value remained almost unchanged. From these observation, it became clear that the standing potential originated mainly from pigment epithelium, and that the presence of intact visual cells was responsible for alterations induced by level of illumination.

Eye Department, National Medical Center, Korea

A series of 135 cases of pterygium observed at the Eye Dept. in the National Medical Center from April 1963 to May 1966, were treated with thio-tepa after the surgical removal and were studied clinically in regard to the incidence of the recurrence. Among the total series, only one case showed no response to the thio-tepa instillation and the recurrence persisted. There was a case of allergic response to the thio-tepa, which has not been found in any reports known. No serious local or systemic toxcity or any sequelae such as corneal damages, defective vision or the interference with wound healing could be observed.

Pigmentary degeneration of the retina and hearing disturbance

1. Audiometiric examination for 14 cases of retinal pigmentary degeneration revealed a case of conductive deafness, and 4 cases of perceptive hearing disturbances. 2. There were no complaints of subjective hearing disturbances among the cases of perceptive hearing impairments. 3. All the cases of perceptive hearing loss were thought to be due to cochlear lesion according to tone decay tests. 4. There were no cases accompanied by systemic or neuropsychiatric disorders among the 14 cases of retinal pegmentary degeneration. 5. It has been emphasized that pigmentery degeneration of the retina is frequently associated with perceptive hearing disturbances. Genetical and etiological discussions were tried for this association.