Effect of pelvic floor fascial mobilization on pelvic floor dysfunction in multiparous pregnant women - A randomized pilot study.

Background: Pelvic floor fascial mobilization (PFFM) is an innovative intravaginal and/or intrarectal manual therapy technique developed to treat pelvic distress by improving fascial gliding and muscle function.

Aim: The effect of PFFM on pelvic floor distress during pregnancy was compared to conventional pelvic floor muscle training.

Methods: A pilot prospective randomized clinical trial.

What really makes residents tick or burn out? Insights from a National survey.

Background: To examine the satisfaction rates and burnout feelings amongst residents physicians in different specialties and to examine associated affecting factors.

Method: Clalit Health Services (CHS) is the largest health maintenance provider in Israel. A survey was designed by an interdisciplinary team with questions addressing residency and the balance between residency and personal life, as well as the balance between residency and personal life, and was sent to all residents of CHS via personal email from March to May 2022.

Placenta Accreta Spectrum: Risk Factors for Unplanned Immediate Hysterectomy in Planned Uterine Preservation Surgery.

Objective:  Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is a term used to describe trophoblast invasion into the uterine wall. The condition can be FATAL: at labor due to a lack of spontaneous separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, leading to severe hemorrhage. In this study, we aim to evaluate preoperative risk factors for unplanned immediate hysterectomy in PAS uterine-preserving surgeries.

Intravenous immunoglobulin as a therapy for autoimmune conditions.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is a medical preparation used as replacement therapy for patients with immunodeficiencies. Over time, IVIg's anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects have been recognized, which have led to the approval of this therapy in the treatment of various pathologies, such as Kawasaki disease, immune thrombocytopenia, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. There are numerous studies in the literature regarding the off-label use of IVIg in the treatment of autoimmune diseases (e.

Shorter vs. standard-duration antibiotic therapy for nocardiosis: a multi-center retrospective cohort study.

Purpose: The prolonged treatment recommended for nocardiosis does not rely on strong evidence. Consequently, some clinicians opt shorter therapy in certain circumstances. We assessed the effectiveness of shorter therapy.

2q13 Distal Microdeletion: Considering Evidence for an Emerging Syndrome Versus Susceptibility Locus: Twenty-Five New Cases and Review of the Literature.

This study investigates distal 2q13 microdeletion, presenting the largest cohort to date, including prenatal cases, alongside a comprehensive literature review. A retrospective analysis was conducted on distal 2q13 microdeletions from clinical charts and laboratory reports. The cohort was divided into "clinically indicated" and "not-clinically indicated" groups based on the reason for chromosomal microarray testing.

Acupuncture therapy in autoimmune diseases: A narrative review.

We provide a narrative review of experimental and clinical evidence for the effect of acupuncture in autoimmune diseases, based on randomized controlled studies, systematic review and meta-analyses, published between the years 2000-2023. Acupuncture in experimental models of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis (UC) downregulated inflammatory cytokine expression, increased IL-10 expression, improved Treg cell differentiation, and also modulated macrophage polarization in RA and UC models. The anti-inflammatory effect of acupuncture in autoimmune disorders has been demonstrated to involve vagal-adrenal and cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathways.

The association between physical trauma and autoimmune articular and dermatological disorders.

Objective: This review investigates the association between physical trauma and the onset and progression of various inflammatory diseases, including psoriatic arthritis (PsA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthropathies (SpA), and Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF). In addition, we will refer to the linkage between physical injury and skin manifestations in patients with psoriasis, sarcoidosis and systemic sclerosis. The aim is to summarize the current evidence and explore the potential mechanisms through which trauma may affect these conditions.

Establishing piperacillin-tazobactam susceptibility in ceftriaxone non-susceptible Enterobacterales: comparing disk diffusion, Etest, and VITEK 2 automated minimal inhibitory concentration measurements vs. broth microdilution.

Objectives: Post-hoc analyses of the MERINO trial highlight the uncertainty associated with establishing piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ) susceptibility in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales. Herein, we compare the concordance of susceptibility for PTZ among the VITEK 2, disc diffusion, and Etest with broth microdilution (BMD) as the reference standard.

Methods: Ninety-four consecutive ceftriaxone non-susceptible Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae bloodstream isolates were identified from patients at three hospitals in Montréal, Québec.

Physician Preferences in Using Novel Digital Devices for the Management of Atrial Fibrillation-A DAS-CAM III Survey.

Aim: A recent European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) practical guide provides guidance on the use of novel digital devices for heart rhythm analysis using either electrocardiogram (ECG) or photoplethysmography (PPG) technology for the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF). This survey assesses physicians' preferences to use digital devices in patients with possible AF and their impact on clinical decision-making.

Methods And Results: Participants of the DAS-CAM III initiated and distributed an online survey assessing physician preferences in using digital devices for the management of AF in different clinical scenarios.

The Impact of Emicizumab Prophylaxis on Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits Among Hemophilia A Patients Is Age Related.

Introduction: Hemophilia A (HA) therapy poses a significant healthcare burden. In recent years, emicizumab has been approved for prophylaxis. The current study explores the impact of transitioning to emicizumab on emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in pediatric and adult HA patients.

Collaborative Outcomes Study on Health and Functioning During Infection Times (COH-FIT): Global and Risk-Group Stratified Course of Well-Being and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Adolescents.

Objective: To identify the COVID-19 pandemic impact on well-being/mental health, coping strategies, and risk factors in adolescents worldwide.

Method: This study was based on an anonymous online multi-national/multi-language survey in the general population (representative/weighted non-representative samples, 14-17 years of age), measuring change in well-being (World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index [WHO-5]/range = 0-100) and psychopathology (validated composite P-score/range = 0-100), WHO-5 <50 and <29, pre- vs during COVID-19 pandemic (April 26, 2020-June 26, 2022). Coping strategies and 9 a priori- defined individual/cumulative risk factors were measured.

Extremely dense breasts: A comprehensive review of increased cancer risk and supplementary screening methods.

Women with extremely dense breasts account for approximately 10% of the screening population and face an increased lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. At the same time, the sensitivity of mammography, the first-line screening modality, is significantly reduced in this breast density group, owing to the masking effect of the abundant fibroglandular tissue. Consequently, this population has garnered increasing scientific attention due to the unique diagnostic challenge they present.

Prophylactic vs preemptive strategy for the prevention of CMV disease in solid organ transplant recipients: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Strategies for CMV prevention include universal prophylaxis or preemptive approach. We aimed to evaluate the optimal approach.

STARD7 maintains intestinal epithelial mitochondria architecture, barrier integrity, and protection from colitis.

Susceptibility to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC) is linked with loss of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and mitochondria dysfunction. Steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein-related lipid transfer (START) domain-containing protein 7 (STARD7) is a phosphatidylcholine-specific (PC-specific) lipid transfer protein that transports PC from the ER to the mitochondria, facilitating mitochondria membrane stabilization and respiration function. The aim of this study was to define the contribution of STARD7 in the regulation of the intestinal epithelial mitochondrial function and susceptibility to colitis.

Simultaneous determination of cytosolic aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities by LC-MS/MS.

In recent years, pathogenic variants in ARS genes, encoding aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), have been associated with human disease. Patients harbouring pathogenic variants in ARS genes have clinical signs partly unique to certain aaRSs defects, partly overlapping between the different aaRSs defects. Diagnosis relies mostly on genetics and remains challenging, often requiring functional validation of new ARS variants.

Artificial intelligence meets the world experts; updates and novel therapies in autoimmunity - The 14th international congress on autoimmunity 2024 (AUTO14), Ljubljana.

The bi-annual international congress on autoimmunity is a huge opportunity for the medical community to discuss the latest updates in the field. During the 14th congress 2024 (AUTO14) in Ljubljana, artificial intelligence (AI) occupied special attention due to its recent and ongoing unequivocal role in various medical fields including autoimmunity. For instance, through a challenging debate between world-experts and the most popular AI bot used (ChatGPT), several clinical cases including a case of vasculitis were discussed in the plenary sessions.

Bronchoalveolar lavage cytokine-based risk stratification of clinically-stable lung transplant recipients with undefined rejection: Further insights from a follow-up investigation.

Background: Surveillance bronchoscopies with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and transbronchial biopsies (TBB) are primarily used to detect acute cellular rejection (ACR) or infection in lung transplant (LTx) recipients. We previously identified a BAL protein signature associated with chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) or death/retransplant in patients with stable minimal (grade A1) ACR. This present study aimed to determine whether similar BAL biomarkers predict outcomes in stable patients when ACR grade is undetermined.

[INTUSSUSCEPTION IN CHILDREN - GUIDELINES FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT].

Ileocolic intussusception is the most common cause of acute intestinal obstruction in infancy. Without rapid diagnosis and intervention, as well as collaboration among physicians from multiple disciplines, the patient's condition can deteriorate significantly, leading to ischemia and bowel necrosis. This position paper is the work of a committee of the Israel Pediatric Association, the Israel Pediatric Surgery Association, the Israel Radiological Association (Pediatric Imaging Section), and the Israel Association of Emergency Medicine (Pediatric Emergency Medicine Section) with the aim of establishing guidelines and thereby improving the treatment of children.

[CANCER SURVIVORS - QUESTIONS, CONSIDERATIONS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS].

Objectives: To describe and evaluate the gaps in cancer survivors' treatment in Israel and suggest possible methods of meeting their needs.

Methods: This narrative review explores cancer survivors' unmet needs and global methodologies aiming at meeting them within various health systems.

Results: Cancer survivorship has become a topic of great interest in the past few years.

[INTEGRATING SEX AND GENDER DIFFERENCES/GENDER MEDICINE INTO THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE CURRICULUM].

In recent decades, the recognition of the importance of sex, gender and their interrelationship for health research and for the practice of medicine has grown. Accordingly, the move to include gender medicine in medical school curricula has gained momentum in many countries. This article reviews the challenges of integrating this subject into medical school curricula and details the recent initiative to mainstream gender medicine into the six-year curriculum of the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School in Jerusalem, Israel.