Basiliximab induction alone vs a dual ATG-basiliximab approach in first live-donor non-sensitized kidney transplant recipients with low HLA matching.

Background: Individualizing induction therapy based on immunological risk is crucial for optimizing outcomes in kidney transplantation.

Methods: A retrospective analysis included 157 first live-donor non-sensitized kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Within this cohort, 96 individuals exhibited low human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching (5-6 HLA mismatches).

Unveiling factors shaping distress levels over 2.5 years of enduring adversity.

In the face of global adversities such as pandemics, military conflicts, and socio-political unrest, the resilience and well-being of populations can be severely tested. This study examines the fluctuating levels of distress within the Israeli population over a period of 2.5 years, encompassing events like the COVID-19 pandemic and various socio-political and security crises.

Elevated hemoglobin levels in renal transplant recipients with polycystic kidney disease versus other etiologies: exploring mechanisms and implications for outcomes.

Background: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)-related end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) often necessitates transplantation. However, the impact of ADPKD on post-transplant outcomes, specifically hemoglobin levels, remains unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 513 Kidney Transplant Recipients (KTRs), of whom 81 had ESKD due to ADPKD (20 with pre-transplant native nephrectomy and 61 without).

Assessing Health-Related Quality of Life in Non-Directed Versus Directed Kidney Donors: Implications for the Promotion of Non-Directed Donation.

Living kidney donation has increased significantly, but little is known about the post-donation health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of non-directed donors (NDs) vs. directed donors (DDs). We thus examined the outcomes of 112 living kidney donors (82 NDs, 30 DDs).

Do first responders and populations perceive risks similarly? A comparative study of seven countries.

Introduction: Risk perception illustrates the subjective evaluation of individuals concerning the characteristics, severity, and capacity to cope with potential hazards. Risk perception influences attitudes and actions individuals take to protect themselves from future threats. Risk perceptions might change among different stakeholder groups such as society and first responders.

Perceived functional resilience in schools according to key stakeholders.

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Israel and numerous other governments closed schools as a precaution, leading to a sudden shift to online learning. The aim of the current study is to provide foundational insight into the perceived readiness of the school system to withstand future adversities, based on the challenges, complexities, as well as successes in adaptation faced by stakeholders during COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, we assess the perceived levels of functional resilience of the school system among the key stakeholders of the Israeli education system-high school students, parents, teachers, and principals, as well as a composite functional resilience scale.

An innovative tool to assess the functional resilience of a school system: learning from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Preparing the school system for a future crisis requires the ability to examine the effectiveness of schools' functioning during distant learning and their level of preparedness for future crises. Functional resilience (FR) is defined as the ability to maintain vital operational continuity in the face of disturbance. The study objectives included to develop a FR index of schools and to evaluate and validate it.

Combat Injury Profile in Urban Warfare.

Introduction: Combat ground maneuvers consist of various platforms and have several environmental characteristics, influenced by the terrain, the operational mission, and the force's capabilities. This study assesses data on injuries sustained during urban warfare, aiming to evaluate the relationship between injury characteristics, maneuver platform, and personal protective gear on the battlefield.

Materials And Methods: IDF soldiers injured infantry soldiers from the "Cast Lead" and the "Protective Edge" operations in the Gaza Strip (2008-2009 and 2014, respectively) were divided into four groups according to the maneuver platform and the environment: mounted infantry (armored and unarmored vehicle) and dismounted infantry (urban and open area).

Effect of a Concise Educational Program on COVID-19 Vaccination Attitudes.

Vaccination has been recognized as a vital step for containing the COVID-19 outbreak. To ensure the success of immunization efforts as a public health containment measure, a high level of public vaccination compliance is essential. Targeted educational programs can be utilized to improve attitudes toward vaccination and improve the public's uptake of protective measures.

Factors that enhance or impede compliance of the public with governmental regulation of lockdown during COVID-19 in Israel.

Introduction: In the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, compliance to governmental orders is a challenge in the effort to contain the spread of the virus. A cross-sectional study of the Israeli population during the first wave of the outbreak is utilized to elucidate factors that enhance or impede public compliance to the governmental regulation of lockdown and illustrate the practical complexities of staying at home for an elongated time duration.

Methods: A structured questionnaire was utilized to investigate compliance with home isolation, factors that enhance and impede compliance, activities engaged during lockdown, personal resilience, and level of individual distress during the first wave of COVID-19 in Israel.

Does Ethnic Diversity Impact on Risk Perceptions, Preparedness, and Management of Heat Waves?

Detrimental health impacts of heatwaves, including excess mortality, are increasing worldwide. To assess risk perceptions, protective knowledge and behaviors concerning heatwaves in Israel, a study was initiated, comparing attitudes of majority (Jewish) and minority (Arab) populations. A quantitative survey was disseminated through an internet panel, to a representative sample of 556 individuals (79% Jews; 21% Arabs).

From Isolation to Containment: Perceived Fear of Infectivity and Protective Behavioral Changes during the COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign.

In the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, maintenance of protective behavior is a continued challenge in the effort to contain the spread of the virus. A cross-sectional study via an internet questionnaire was utilized to elucidate changes in compliance to protective behavior among the Israeli population ( = 1120), after the beginning of the vaccination campaign. Comparison was made between individuals who were previously infected with the virus, those who received one dose of inoculation with the vaccine, and individuals that were neither infected or vaccinated.

Differences in levels of psychological distress, perceived safety, trust, and efficacy amongst hospital personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic poses significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. A key consideration is the adverse psychological impact on healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to investigate the variable levels of psychological distress, perceived safety, trust, and self- and collective-efficacy during the COVID-19 crisis amongst varied HCWs.

Heatwave-protective knowledge and behaviour among urban populations: a multi-country study in Tunisia, Georgia and Israel.

Background: There is an expected increase in heatwaves globally. As such, it is imperative to have sufficient levels of heatwave-protective knowledge and behaviour in areas regularly affected by heatwaves. Our study assessed this among urban populations in Tunisia, Georgia and Israel.

An assessment of treatment, transport, and refusal incidence in a National EMS's routine work during COVID-19.

Background: COVID-19 created lifestyle changes, and induced a fear of contagion affecting people's decisions regarding seeking medical assistance. Concern surrounding contagion and the pandemic has been found to affect the number and type of medical emergencies to which Emergency Medical Services (EMS) have responded.

Aim: To identify, categorize, and analyze Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national EMS, pre-hospital activities including patients' refusal to hospital transport, during the COVID-19 pandemic crises.

Motorcycle-related head and neck injuries: increased risk among ethnic minorities.

Background: Ethnic disparities have been associated with injury and mortality. The impact of ethnicity on head and neck injury (HNI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), in-hospital mortality and resource utilization following a motorcycle crash (MCC) is undetermined. This study explored the influence of ethnicity in these aspects and the effect of helmet use on HNI and TBI following a MCC.

The Role of Israel's Emergency Medical Services During a Pandemic in the Pre-Exposure Period.

Objective: The scientific literature on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is extensive, but little is written about the role of emergency medical services (EMS). The objective of this study is to describe the role of Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency prehospital medical organization, in the pre-exposure period, before widespread governmental action. These efforts were based on (1) phone diagnosis, dispatch, and transport; and (2) border management checkpoints.

Impact of a Brief Educational Intervention on Knowledge, Perceived Knowledge, Perceived Safety, and Resilience of the Public During COVID-19 Crisis.

Extraordinary and unprecedented public health measures have been implemented to contain the ongoing spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. There is paramount importance of cooperation and population engagement in reducing disease infection rates and relieving an outbreak's burden on society. The civil society's engagement may be achieved through disaster education interventions.

Professional characteristics and work attitudes of hospital nurses who leave compared with those who stay.

Aim: To compare characteristics and attitudes of nurses who resigned and those who remained in two Israeli hospitals and assess the reasons for leaving.

Background: Nurse turnover is a current global problem in health care system, especially given the severe nurse shortages. Retention of nurses requires an understanding of the characteristics of the resigning nurses, their attitudes and their reasons for leaving.

Youth injury and parents' unemployment-the importance of socio-economic status and ethnicity context.

Background: Youth whose parents are unemployed have poorer health and well-being, including more injuries that result in hospitalization. The current study examined the possibility of an association of parents' employment status with youth injury and the interaction of this status with other socio-economic factors and ethnicity.

Methods: We distributed to adolescents aged 11-15 years, in class, the Israel Health Behavior in School-Aged Children Survey.

Impact of dispatcher assisted CPR on ROSC rates: A National Cohort Study.

Introduction: Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of mortality. Bystander CPR is associated with increased OHCA survival rates. Dispatcher assisted CPR (DA-CPR) increases rates of bystander CPR, shockable rhythm prevalence, and improves ROSC rates.

Inequality in in-hospital mortality due to road traffic accident between ethnic populations in specified groups living in the same country.

Background: Road traffic accidents (RTA) are not equally distributed between ethnic groups, disproportionately affecting minorities. In Israel, Arabs are at higher risk of involvement in RTA relative to their proportion in the population. This study aims to compare the risk of in-hospital mortality from RTA between Arabs and Jews in Israel and to identify the factors associated with mortality in each population group.

Maintaining Preparedness to Severe Though Infrequent Threats-Can It Be Done?

A mass casualty incident (MCI) caused by toxicological/chemical materials constitutes a potential though uncommon risk that may cause great devastation. Presentation of casualties exposed to such materials in hospitals, if not immediately identified, may cause secondary contamination resulting in dysfunction of the emergency department. The study examined the impact of a longitudinal evaluation process on the ongoing emergency preparedness of hospitals for toxicological MCIs, over a decade.

The effects of military-wide introduction of advanced tourniquets in the Israel Defense Forces.

Background: Early application of tourniquets has reduced injury death rates. At the end of 2013, the Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps completed a military-wide introduction of the Combat Application Tourniquet as the standard-issued tourniquet. The accompanying clinical practice guideline encouraged combat soldiers and medical teams towards a liberal use of tourniquets for extremity injuries, even when in doubt.