Cephalic ganglia transcriptomics of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana (Blattodea: Blattidae).

The American cockroach Periplaneta americana (L.) (Blattodea, Blattidae) has been a model organism for biochemical and physiological study for almost a century, however, its use does not benefit from the genetic tools found in key model species such as Drosophila melanogaster. To facilitate the use of the cockroach as a model system in neuroscience and to serve as a foundation for functional and translational experimentation, a transcriptome of the cephalic ganglia was assembled and annotated, and differential expression profiles between these ganglia were assessed.

Timing of BNT162b2 vaccine prior to COVID-19 infection, influence disease severity in patients with hematologic malignancies: Results from a cohort study.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose challenges to the treatment of hemato-oncology patients. Emergence of COVID-19 variants, availability of vaccine boosters and antiviral treatments could impact their outcome. We retrospectively studied patients with hematologic malignancies and confirmed COVID-19 during the Omicron outbreak.

Acupuncture in the Treatment of Panitumumab Skin Toxicity: A Case Report.

Background: Inflammatory skin rash resulting from treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors may cause physical and mental disabling to patients treated for their oncologic condition and may, in some cases, lead to the cessation of biological treatment.

Case Report: In this case report, acupuncture treatment was provided to a patient with metastatic colorectal carcinoma who developed skin toxicity from panitumumab including rash, itching, and skin inflammation. Itching, infection, and inflammation symptoms improved significantly following acupuncture, subsequently relapsed following treatment cessation, and improved once again following reintroduction of acupuncture.

Treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acupuncture during hospitalization: a three-arm double-blinded randomized sham-controlled trial.

Background: Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are a healthcare burden. Acupuncture improves dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but, to the best of our knowledge, has not been tested in AECOPD. Here, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of true acupuncture added to standard of care (SOC), as compared with both sham procedure plus SOC and SOC only, for the treatment of AECOPD among inpatients.

Richter Transformation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Update in the Era of Novel Agents.

Richter transformation (RT) is a poorly understood complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with a dismal prognosis. It is associated with a switch in histopathology and biology, generally with a transformation of the original CLL clone to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) or less frequently to Hodgkin's variant of Richter transformation (HVRT). It occurs in 2-10% of CLL patients, with an incidence rate of 0.

The impact of COVID-19 on patients with hematological malignancies: the mixed-method analysis of an Israeli national survey.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic required reevaluation of the therapeutic approach and added emotional stress for patients with hematological malignancies at high risk of contracting the virus. We aimed to evaluate how it affected such patients during the second lockdown in Israel.

Methods: This national survey included Hebrew-speaking patients with hematological malignancy.

Acupuncture Treatment of Delirium in Older Adults Hospitalized in Internal Medicine Departments: An Open-Label Pragmatic Randomized-Controlled Trial.

Background: Acupuncture seems to improve cognitive function in experimental models and to reduce agitation in dementia. The addition of acupuncture to standard-of-care (SOC) may improve clinical outcomes related to delirium in hospitalized older adults.

Methods: This pragmatic open-label randomized-controlled trial evaluated 81 older adults hospitalized in an internal medicine ward and diagnosed with delirium.

Improving the international prognostic index score using peripheral blood counts: Results of a large multicenter study involving 520 patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

The main purpose of this study was to assess whether it is possible to improve the prognostic impact of international prognostic index (IPI) score by combining it with peripheral blood counts. Thus, we evaluated the prognostic power of lymphocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte counts in 520 patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP, confirming that these parameters have a strong impact on overall survival (OS). Using revised IPI (R-IPI), 44% of patients were categorized as poor-risk and showed an OS at 5 years of 46%.

The effectiveness of foot reflexology in reducing anxiety and duration of labor in primiparas: An open-label randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: Reflexology alleviates anxiety and may shorten the duration of labor. We evaluated the effect of reflexology on anxiety level and duration of labor in primiparas with moderate-to-severe anxiety.

Materials And Methods: In this open-label randomized-controlled trial, primiparas with moderate-to-severe anxiety were randomized into one of two groups: addition of reflexology to usual care, or usual care only.

Primary peg-filgrastim prophylaxis versus filgrastim given "on demand" for neutropenia during therapy with cladribine for hairy cell leukemia.

Background: Major advances in the treatment of patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) have been made following the introduction of purine analogues. The major significant short-term toxicity of cladribine therapy are neutropenia and neutropenic fever (NF) which may be life-threatening.

Aim: In this retrospective study, we compared the incidence and duration of neutropenia and hospitalization in patients with HCL treated with cladribine followed by peg-filgrastim as primary prophylaxis versus daily filgrastim given "on demand" according to absolute neutrophil count (ANC).

The study protocol for a randomized, controlled trial of acupuncture versus a sham procedure versus standard care alone for the treatment of delirium in acutely hospitalized older adults with a medical illness.

Background: Many hospitalized older adults experience delirium, but treatment options are limited. Acupuncture has been shown to improve cognitive function and reduce agitation in dementia. We hypothesize that acupuncture, when compared with a sham intervention, will reduce the duration and severity of delirium, normalize delirium biomarkers, and improve clinical outcomes related to delirium in acutely hospitalized older adults with a medical illness.

The prognostic role of end of treatment FDG-PET-CT in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma can be improved by considering it with absolute monocyte count at diagnosis.

It is well established that some patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and the negative end of treatment PET-CT (EOT-PET-CT) will relapse, while a proportion with positive uptake can still obtain long-term EFS. We reviewed data of 200 consecutive, previously untreated patients with DLBCL recorded in Italy and Israel between 2007 and 2015. We found that patients with negative EOT-PET-CT with AMC > 630/mmc have a 3-years EFS of 72%, compared to those with AMC ≤ 630/mmc that have an EFS of 84%.

Postoperative analgesia by adding acupuncture to conventional therapy, a non-randomized controlled trial.

Background Postoperative pain is common in patients hospitalized in surgical departments, yet it is currently not sufficiently controlled by analgesics. Acupuncture, a complementary medical practice, has been evaluated for its benefits in postoperative pain with heterogeneous results. We tested the feasibility of a controlled study comparing the postoperative analgesic effect of acupuncture together with standard-of-care to standard-of-care only.

The Frequency and Prognostic Value of Neutrophilia in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Background/aim: In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) has generally been reported to be within normal limits and leukocytosis is due to absolute lymphocytosis. However, other cell types such as neutrophils and monocytes may also exceed the normal range in this disorder. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the frequency and prognostic value of neutrophilia defined as an ANC>7×10/l and monocytosis- an absolute monocyte count (AMC)>1×10/l in 113 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

First, keep it safe: Integration of a complementary medicine service within a hospital.

Objectives: This paper sought to explore risk/safety considerations associated with the integration of a complementary medicine (CM) service within a public academic medical centre in Israel.

Methods: We reviewed various sources pertaining to the CM service (interviews with CM staff, patients' electronic charts, service guidelines, correspondence with hospital administration) and conducted a thematic analysis to evaluate safety-related incidents during the 7 years of operation. In addition, we systematically assessed the charts for reports of treatment-associated adverse effects, which were documented in an obligatory field on treatment reports.

Hierarchical Involvement of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells and Monocytes Expressing Latency-Associated Peptide in Plasma Cell Dyscrasias.

Objective: Plasma cell dyscrasias (PCDs) are disorders of plasma cells having in common the production of a monoclonal M-protein. They include a spectrum of conditions that may represent a natural progression of the same disease from monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance to asymptomatic and symptomatic multiple myeloma, plasma cell leukemia, and Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. In PCDs, the immune system is actively suppressed through the secretion of suppressive factors and the recruitment of immune suppressive subpopulations.

Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenia and Subsequent Aplastic Anemia Associated with Apparent Epstein-Barr Virus Infection.

Acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (AAT), a rare entity characterized by severe thrombocytopenia and the absence of megakaryocytes in the bone marrow, may mimic or precede the diagnosis of aplastic anemia (AA). Here, we describe a patient who presented with apparent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated immune thrombocytopenia resistant to several lines of therapies, which was in fact a form of AAT with some features of AA. He eventually responded to therapy with eltrombopag, cyclosporine A (CSA), and antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and recovered completely.

Complementary medicine for treatment of agitation and delirium in older persons: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.

Background: Agitation and delirium frequently occur in cognitively impaired older people. We conducted a systematic review with narrative synthesis of the literature aiming to assess effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities to address these conditions.

Methods: Following preliminary search, we included 40 original researches on CAM treatment of delirium and agitation in older persons.

Perioperative Risks of Dietary and Herbal Supplements.

Background: Patients undergoing surgery often use Dietary and Herbal Supplements (DHS). We explored the risk of DHS-drug interactions in the perioperative setting.

Methods: In this cross-sectional prospective study, participants hospitalized for surgery completed a questionnaire regarding DHS use.

Adverse events associated with interactions with dietary and herbal supplements among inpatients.

Aims: Dietary and herbal supplements (DHS) are commonly used among inpatients and may cause interactions with drugs or other DHS. This study explored whether adverse events were actually associated with such interactions and examined specific characteristics among inpatient DHS users prone to such adverse events.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 947 patients hospitalized in 12 departments of a tertiary academic medical centre in Haifa, Israel.