Recent Publications

The video head impulse test (vHIT) is a new tool in the vestibular tests' arsenal. It is based on the clinical Head Impulse Test, where the integrity of the vestibulo-ocular reflex is tested by high frequency excitation of the semi-circular canals. The vHIT system is composed of an accelerometer measuring the head movements, and a high frequency infra-red camera for eye tracking mounted on a light-weighted goggles. The main measures obtained are the vestibulo-ocular reflex gain - the ratio between the head and eye velocities, and the recording of corrective saccades taking place during the head movement (covered saccades) or following it (overt saccades).

While the bedside head impulse test evaluates the presence of refixation saccades (RS) as a measure of failing vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) the VOR gain calculated by the video head-impulse test (vHIT) is considered the primary measure for semicircular canal function while the role RS is still under evaluation. Aims: To evaluate the benefit of various RS characteristics towards the diagnosis of the left horizontal semicircular function by vHIT.

Genetic etiologies are estimated to account for a large portion of chronic kidney diseases (CKD) in children. However, data are lacking regarding the true prevalence of monogenic etiologies stemming from an unselected population screen of children with advanced CKD.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between gestational diabetes mellitus and infections during pregnancy.

This study aimed to investigate the differences in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) between Jews and Arabs residing in northern Israel, focusing on risk factors, hemorrhage volume, and functional outcome.

COVID-19 vaccination has been associated with reduced risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS); however, several studies have reported cardiovascular complications following vaccination. We aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 vaccination status on the treatment and outcome of ACS patients.

Cohesin mediates the 3-D structure of chromatin and is involved in maintaining genome stability and function. The cohesin core comprises Smc1 and Smc3, elongated-shaped proteins that dimerize through globular domains at their edges, called head and hinge. ATP binding to the Smc heads induces their dimerization and the formation of two active sites, while ATP hydrolysis results in head disengagement. This ATPase cycle is essential for driving cohesin activity. We report on the development of the first cohesin-inhibiting peptide (CIP).

Fatty liver is one aspect of metabolic syndrome. The roles and contributions of fatty liver and visceral fat storage to coronary artery disease (CAD) are not clear. This study measured associations among visceral fat storage, fatty liver, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, and CAD. 

Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is an inherited form of diabetes resulting from a mutation in a single gene. ABCC8-MODY is caused by mutations in the ABCC8 gene, which encodes sulfonylurea receptor 1 (SUR1), a regulatory component of the ATP-sensitive potassium (K_ATP) channel found in beta cells. In ABCC8-MODY, mutations in the ABCC8 gene interfere with insulin secretion in response to glucose. Recent evidence suggests that therapy with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) may be beneficial in ABCC8-MODY. This report presents a successful treatment of a 49-year-old woman diagnosed with ABCC8-MODY using the GLP-1 RA semaglutide. 

The purpose of this research was to explore the mechanistic protective cardiovascular effects of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) in men with erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction and endothelial dysfunction both precede clinical atherosclerosis. Studies have shown that treatment for erectile dysfunction with PDE-5i decreased death, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and revascularization in men with erectile dysfunction who had previous myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular events.

Despite significant advancements in in vitro cardiac modeling approaches, researchers still lack the capacity to obtain in vitro measurements of a key indicator of cardiac function: contractility, or stroke volume under specific loading conditions-defined as the pressures to which the heart is subjected prior to and during contraction. This work puts forward a platform that creates this capability, by providing a means of dynamically controlling loading conditions in vitro. 

Echocardiographic stress tests are often used to evaluate patients who complain of chest pain. However, some patients fail to reach the target heart rate required for the test to be conclusive (usually defined as 85% of the predicted maximal heart rate based on the patient's age) and are often sent for additional imaging tests, such as myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) or cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA). Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of these additional tests in patients who present with chest pain but did not meet the heart rate requirements for a stress test. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of additional imaging tests for patients who experience chest pain during daily activities but are unable to reach the target heart rate currently required for an echocardiographic stress test. 

Hyperglycaemia is associated with alpha cell dysfunction, leading to dysregulated glucagon secretion in type 1 and type 2 diabetes; however, the mechanisms involved are still elusive. The nutrient sensor mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) plays a major role in the maintenance of alpha cell mass and function. We studied the regulation of alpha cell mTORC1 by nutrients and its role in the development of hyperglucagonaemia in diabetes.

Thousands of incarcerated people (individuals who have been imprisoned or detained) are treated in Israeli medical centres each year. The custodial authority during their hospital stay is the local police, the Israel Prison Service (IPS), or the Israeli Army. Positioned at the crossroads of security and human rights, the treatment of these patients almost invariably raises major ethical issues. Shackling during hospital stay is associated with physical, mental, and social effects, which inevitably impair treatment. International guidelines, such as the Mandela Rules, determine that health-care standards should not differ for incarcerated people and, given that most incarcerated patients do not pose a direct threat, unselective shackling is considered a disproportional measure. In this regard, Israeli law states that incarcerated patients should not be shackled, except in selected circumstances for which individual assessment is required (mainly if there is a direct threat of violence or escape). Numerous manuscripts have conceptually addressed the ethical, legal, and medical considerations of shackling of incarcerated patients, but, to our knowledge, quantitative data on the extent and nature of shackling during hospital stays have never been published.

The risk of infections among patients with psoriasis undergoing interleukin (IL)-23 inhibitors (IL-23i) and IL-17 inhibitors (IL-17i) is yet to be exhaustively determined. Objective: To assess the risk of infectious complications in patients with psoriasis managed by IL-23i and IL-17i with tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) as a comparator.