Recent Publications
The landcape of Helicobacter pylori-mediated DNA breaks links bacterial genotoxicity to its oncogenic potential (Genome Med . )
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a significant risk factor for gastric cancer (GC) development. A growing body of evidence suggests a causal link between infection with H. pylori and increased DNA breakage in the host cells. While several mechanisms have been proposed for this damage, their relative impact on the overall bacterial genotoxicity is unknown. Moreover, the link between the formation of DNA damage following infection and the emergence of cancerous structural variants (SV) in the genome of infected cells remained unexplored.
(Hadas Sibony-Benyamini, Rose Jbara, Tania Shubash Napso, Layan Abu-Rahmoun, Daniel Vizenblit, Michal Easton-Mor, Shira Perez, Tamar Leshem, Avi Peretz, Yaakov Maman)
Khalaf Kridin: Synergistic activity of dispersin B and benzoyl peroxide against Cutibacterium acnes/Staphylococcus epidermidis dual-species biofilms (PLoS One .)
Cutibacterium acnes plays a key role in the development of acne vulgaris, with biofilm formation contributing to its persistence and resistance to antimicrobial treatments. A critical component of C. acnes biofilms is poly-N-acetylglucosamine (PNAG), an exopolysaccharide that facilitates both biofilm stability and biocide resistance. This study evaluated the efficacy of the PNAG-degrading enzyme dispersin B in enhancing the susceptibility of C. acnes biofilms to benzoyl peroxide (BP), a common anti-acne agent.
Wisam Abboud, Amir Mari: Esophageal Intelligence: Implementing Artificial Intelligence Into the Diagnostics of Esophageal Motility and Impedance pH Monitoring (Neurogastroenterol Motil .)
Esophageal motility disorders (EMDs) encompass a range of functional abnormalities, including achalasia, ineffective esophageal motility (IEM), esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO), and distal esophageal spasm (DES). Diagnostic modalities like high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM), Functional Lumen Imaging Probe (FLIP), and impedance analysis are invaluable but often limited by interpretive variability and the need for expert analysis. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in addressing these challenges. This manuscript explores the integration of AI in EMD diagnostics, showcasing its ability to enhance diagnostic accuracy, optimize workflows, and standardize interpretation across centers.
Amir Mari: Trainees' Exposure to the Field of Neurogastroenterology and Motility in Internal Medicine and General Surgery Residency Programs (Neurogastroenterol Motil . )
The disorders of neurogastroenterology and motility (NGM) are common, yet studies have shown that medical students have a relative lack of knowledge and confidence in this field, which may lead to poorer patient outcomes. We sought to evaluate whether this is also true of residents during the next stage of medical training.
Avi Benov: Finger thoracostomy: Significant risks and unproven benefits in prehospital settings (Transfusion .)
Trauma is a leading cause of preventable death, with a significant portion of trauma deaths occurring in the prehospital setting. Interventions such as chest drainage may play a critical role in managing life-threatening conditions but face challenges due to poorly defined indications and reliance on anecdotal evidence rather than rigorous studies. Among chest drainage techniques, finger thoracostomy (FT) is a well-described, but controversial, method for decompressing the pleural cavity in emergencies like tension pneumothorax or hemothorax. Despite its simplicity and minimal equipment requirements, FT carries risks, including bleeding, infection, organ injury, temporary effects, and procedural failure. This study examines eight FT procedures performed by Israel Defense Forces providers during the 2023-2024 "Swords of Iron" War in Gaza.
D Krupik: Adverse events among early caregivers' COVID-19 vaccination correlated inversely with intention to vaccinate their children (Vaccine .)
Vaccine hesitancy increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated if manifestation of adverse events when caregivers received their vaccine was associated with their willingness to vaccinate their children.
Khalaf Kridin, Keren Lyakhovitsky, Adi Ben Arie: Clarifying the association between bullous pemphigoid and hematologic malignancies: a population-based cohort and case-control study (Arch Dermatol Res)
Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune blistering disease, primarily affecting older adults. The disease has a significant comorbidity burden, including associations with neurological, psychiatric, and hematological disorders. However, the potential link between BP and hematologic malignancies (HMs) remains debated, with previous studies yielding conflicting results. Some suggest a bidirectional association, while others report no significant link. To clarify this association, we conducted a large-scale, population-based study using Clalit Health Services (CHS) data (2000–2018).
Karin Ben Zaken, Rivka Bouhnik, Naama Omer, Naamah Bloch, Abraham O Samson: Polyoxometalates bind multiple targets involved in Alzheimer's disease (J Biol Inorg Chem .)
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by brain aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and Tau tangles. Despite extensive research, effective therapy for AD remains elusive. Polyoxometalates (POMs), a class of inorganic compounds with diverse chemical structures and properties, are emerging as potential candidates for AD treatment due to their ability to target key molecular players implicated in disease pathogenesis, such as Aβ, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyryl acetylcholinesterase (BChE). Here, we use molecular docking to predict the binding pose and affinities of POMs to 10 top targets associated with AD.
Avi Benov: Blast injury and chronic psychiatric disability in military personnel: Exploring the association beyond posttraumatic stress disorder (J Psychiatr Res .)
Blast injuries are common among military personnel, yet their long-term psychiatric consequences, beyond posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), remain underexplored. This study investigates the association between blast injuries and non-PTSD psychiatric conditions, including psychotic, neurocognitive, mood, anxiety, adjustment and personality disorders resulting in functional impairment.
Shoshana R Rath: Metabolic syndrome in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors: recommendations for surveillance from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group (Eur J Endocrinol .)
Survivors of childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer have an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS describes the clustering of cardiovascular risk factors including overweight or obesity, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, and hyperlipidaemia. While associated cardiovascular sequelae can be serious, MetS is preventable, manageable and potentially reversible with the appropriate pharmacological and/or behavioral interventions. To optimise health outcomes in CAYA cancer survivors, international, harmonised surveillance recommendations are essential.
Ram Harari, Dmitriy Getselter, Evan Elliott: The psychedelic psilocybin and light exposure have similar and synergistic effects on gene expression patterns in the visual cortex (Mol Brain . )
Psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in specific hallucinogenic mushrooms, is known to induce changes in visual perception and experience in humans. However, there is little knowledge of the molecular mechanisms through which psilocybin affects vision-associated regions in the brain, such as the visual cortex. The current study determined both psilocybin-induced and experience-dependent changes (exposure to light) in visual cortex gene expression in mice.
Rotem Kahalon: Defensive Responses to Masculinity Threat: The Role of Precarious Manhood in Reactions to the Male Contraceptive Pill (Health Commun . )
This study examines how men evaluate a potentially masculinity-threatening message about the availability of a male birth control pill, framed as being released in the near versus distant future.
Afif Nakhleh, Naim Shehadeh: Clinical and biochemical profile of individuals with renal glucosuria: A matched cohort study (Diabetes Obes Metab .)
Aims: To compare the clinical and biochemical characteristics of individuals with renal glucosuria to matched controls.
Farah Amir, Mari Amir: Advancing Competency Assessments in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Training (J Gastroenterol Hepatol .)
The authors deserve praise for their insightful and valuable work in developing and validating the Capsule Endoscopy Training Assessment (CETA). This study represents a timely and necessary advancement in capsule endoscopy (CE) training, effectively addressing the dual need for robust evaluation in both small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) and colon capsule endoscopy (CCE). Their structured approach is commendable, and the thoroughness of their validation process adds substantial credibility to CETA's potential application.