A Novel System for Removing Examinee's Exhaled Air Using an Open, Lightweight Non-Sealing Facemask - a Proof-of-Concept Study.

Patients with respiratory infections (e.g., COVID-19, antimicrobial resistant bacteria) discharge pathogens to the environment, exposing healthcare workers and inpatients to deleterious complications.

A novel infrasound and audible machine-learning approach to the diagnosis of COVID-19.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has rapidly spread around the world, causing a global public health and economic crisis. A critical limitation in detecting COVID-19-related pneumonia is that it is often manifested as a "silent pneumonia", pulmonary auscultation that sounds "normal" using a standard stethoscope. Chest computed tomography is the gold standard for detecting COVID-19 pneumonia; however, radiation exposure, availability and cost preclude its utilisation as a screening tool for COVID-19 pneumonia.

A comparison of the power of breathing sounds signals acquired with a smart stethoscope from a cohort of COVID-19 patients at peak disease, and pre-discharge from the hospital.

Objectives: To characterize the frequencies of breathing sounds signals (BS) in COVID-19 patients at peak disease and pre-discharge from hospitalization using a Smart stethoscope.

Methods: Prospective cohort study conducted during the first COVID-19 wave (April-August 2020) in Israel. COVID-19 patients (n = 19) were validated by SARS-Cov-2 PCR test.

Candida Bloodstream Infection, a Dire Complication in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: Three Cases from a Single Center in Northern Israel.

Background: Patients with severe coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) are susceptible to superimposed infections.

Objectives: To describe COVID-19 patients who presented with complications due to Candida bloodstream co-infection (candidemia) and their outcome in a single center in northern Israel (Emek Medical Center) during the second outbreak of COVID-19 in Israel (15 June 2020 to 20 September 2020).

Methods: A retrospective study of COVID-19 patients presenting with candidemia was conducted, including clinical and laboratory data.

Diplopia from abducens nerve paresis as a presenting symptom of COVID-19: a case report and review of literature.

Neurological manifestations of novel coronavirus disease 3019 (COVID-19) remain unclear. We report the case of a 44-year-old febrile man who presented with double vision and headache 2 d after initial symptoms of fatigue, generalized muscle weakness, and loss of appetite. He was subsequently diagnosed with COVID-19 and transient abducens nerve paresis.

Severe hypercalcemia in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-small cell lung carcinoma: A case report.

Rationale: Hypercalcemia is a common finding in patients with advanced-stage cancers. Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia is commonly associated with dismal prognoses, with survival rates of about 3 months. In this paper, we report on a patient with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-small cell lung carcinoma who developed severe hypercalcemia and discuss the diagnosis and treatment of this metabolic complication.

The Hyper-Inflammatory Response in Adults with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia Differs from the Cytokine Storm of Hemophagocytic Syndrome.

In this review we described the values of commonly available HScore laboratory markers in patients with coronavirus-19 (COVID-19)-pneumonia associated cytokine storm syndrome (CPN-CSS) and compared results with those of other forms cytokine storm syndrome (O-CSS) to determine a pattern for CPN-CSS. Twelve CPN-CSS studies and six O-CSS studies were included. CPN-CSS typically obtained a single HScore value (e.

Sodium glucose cotransporter2 inhibitor-possible treatment for patients with diabetes, pulmonary disease and CO retention.

Chronic pulmonary diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obstructive sleep apnea and obesity hypoventilation syndrome are common conditions which share decreased pulmonary ventilation and CO retention. CO is an end-product of metabolism of all body cells. When CO accumulates, it is recommended to consider measures to reduce its endogenous production.

Er:YAG laser vs. sharp debridement in management of chronic wounds: Effects on pain and bacterial load.

Chronic wounds affect roughly 6.5 million patients in the US annually. Current standard of therapy entails weekly sharp debridement.

Beta-blockers in non-surgical patients with type A aortic dissection.

Type A aortic dissection (TAAD) is a catastrophic condition with 24-48% mortality during the first day, if patients are not surgically treated. Due to old age and associated co-morbidities surgeons may be reluctant to operate and patients are administered medical therapy for the end of reducing systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Beta-blockers (BB) are the "medications of choice".

Rare clinical manifestation of community-acquired pneumonia.

A 71-year-old patient was admitted due to fever and persistent (>48 hours) hiccups. History and physical examination were not instructive. Lab tests were not specific, showing an inflammatory response.

A novel system for continuous, real-time monitoring of heart motion signals.

Background: Understanding cardiac mechanics is important for developing cardiac therapies. Current modalities for assessing cardiac mechanics sample patient's heart at specific heart rate, contractility, preload, and afterload. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of a novel system composed of intra-cardiac leads equipped with an inertial module chip (3D accelerometers and 3D gyroscopes) in monitoring continuous heart motion.

Speckle tracking technology for quantifying lung sliding.

Ultrasound (US) is gaining recognition as a useful tool for assessing lung physiology and pathology. Yet, currently the skill of performing lung US is taught by experienced operators to novice ones, mainly by recognizing expected patterns. Recognizing the latter may be difficult and subjective.

Plasmodium transmission blocking activities of Vernonia amygdalina extracts and isolated compounds.

Background: Medicinal plants are a validated source for discovery of new leads and standardized herbal medicines. The aim of this study was to assess the activity of Vernonia amygdalina leaf extracts and isolated compounds against gametocytes and sporogonic stages of Plasmodium berghei and to validate the findings on field isolates of Plasmodium falciparum.

Methods: Aqueous (Ver-H2O) and ethanolic (Ver-EtOH) leaf extracts were tested in vivo for activity against sexual and asexual blood stage P.

Two-slope ascending arm of the early trans-mitral flow velocity Doppler wave in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction.

Trans-mitral flow velocity (TMFV) examination is a standard echocardiographic measure for assessing diastolic function of the heart. Typically, the Doppler signal representing the early rapid filling phase of the left ventricle (LV), termed: E wave, is triangular. The ascending arm of the E wave (EWAA) represents blood accelerating into the LV from the left atrium (LA), whereas the descending arm reflects blood decelerating as the LV fills and resists further filling.

Transition from sinus rhythm to atrial fibrillation - a mechanism inducing or delaying pulmonary congestion and edema.

Cardiogenic pulmonary edema (PEd) is a life-threatening condition where fluid accumulates in the lungs due to increasing hydrostatic pressure building up in the pulmonary vasculature (PV): veins, venules and capillaries. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is accepted as an arrhythmia which triggers and promotes the pathophysiological processes leading to pulmonary congestion and its final expression: PEd. We propose a different view, where AF is actually a physiological solution temporarily protecting from PEd.

Ejection fraction in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction is greater than in healthy controls: a meta-analysis.

Background: Ejection fraction (EF) slightly declines with age in healthy control (HC) subjects. Yet, studies of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) often report EF values which are surprisingly greater than those reported for HC of the same age. The goals of this study were to: (1) compare the EF, at rest, in subjects with HFPEF versus HC, and (2) compare how EF varies with age in HFPEF and HC.