Recent Publications

Explores maternal humoral immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the rate of vertical transmission.

(Manal Massalha, Enav Yefet, Orit Rozenberg, Sofia Soltsman, Jamal Hasanein, Tatiana Smolkin, Adi Alter, Yuri Perlitz, Zohar Nachum)

Metastasis accounts for the majority of cancer-related deaths. Despite decades of research, the prevention and suppression of metastasis remain an elusive goal, and to date, only a few metastasis-related genes have been targeted therapeutically. Thus, there is a strong need to find potential genes involved in key driver traits of metastasis and their available drugs. In this study, we identified genes associated with metastasis and repurposable drugs that potentially target them. 

Intracerebral hemorrhages (ICH) characteristics reportedly differ between different ethnic groups. We aimed to compare the characteristics of Jewish and Arab ICH patients in Israel. 

Sex and gender are concepts that are often misunderstood and misused, being utilized in a biased, preconceived, interchangeable way. Sex and gender medicine is generally overlooked, despite the profound impact of sex and gender on health outcomes. The aims of the present rapid systematic literature review were (i) to assess the extent to which sex- and gender-sensitive topics are covered in medical courses; (ii) to assess the need for and willingness toward integrating/incorporating sex and gender medicine into health-related education; (iii) to identify barriers and facilitators of the process of implementation of sex and gender medicine in medical teaching, mentoring, and training; and (iv) to evaluate the effectiveness of interventional projects targeting curriculum building and improvement for future gender-sensitive physicians. 

Unintentional childhood injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Attempts to prevent child home injuries have rarely been implemented in hospital settings which present an important opportunity for intervention. The SHABI ('Keeping our Children Safe; SHomrim Al BetIchut Yeladenu') program recruits at-risk families presenting with child injury to the Emergency Department. Medical/nursing students conduct two home visits and provide safety equipment and guidance. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of SHABI on participating families' home-safety.

pitranscriptomic changes in RNA catalyzed by the RNA-editing enzyme ADAR1 play an essential role in the regulation of diverse molecular and cellular processes, both under physiological conditions and in disease states, including cancer. Yet, despite a growing body of evidence pointing to ADAR1 as a potential therapeutic target, the mechanisms regulating its cellular abundance and activity, particularly of its constitutively expressed and ubiquitous form, ADAR1p110, are poorly understood. Here, we report the HECT-type E3 ubiquitin ligase SMURF2 as a pivotal regulator of ADAR1p110. 

(Praveen Koganti, Venkata Narasimha Kadali, Dhanoop Manikoth Ayyathan, Andrea Emanuelli, Gal Levy-Cohen, Michael Blank)

Determining COVID19 status is important for global epidemiology and individual-level vaccination decision-making. SARS CoV-2 Infection can generally only be detected during a 7-10 days period using PCR or rapid antigen testing, and infection specific anti nucleocapsid IgG assays are not universally available. We determined whether SARS-CoV-2 anti spike (anti-S) IgG levels could discriminate between vaccination and past infection when interpreted alongside vaccination timing.

Compares the rates of post-operative radiotherapy between two methods of lymph nodes assessment during surgical staging for endometrial cancer (EC).

Swallowing disorders are frequently reported esophageal symptoms and represent a common cause for referrals to gastroenterology consultations. Esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM) is considered the gold standard modality for the evaluation of esophageal peristalsis and esophageal sphincter. The standard protocol of HRM includes water swallows only, that may not assess appropriately esophageal function and symptoms. Hence, we investigated the diagnostic yield of combining solid food swallows (SFS) to standard HRM.

As of July 2021, there has been more than 185 million documented cases of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infections and more than 4 million deaths globally. Despite more than 90% of documented cases being classified as "recovered" from SARS-CoV-2 infection, a proportion of patients reported a wide variety of persisting symptoms after the initial onset or acute phase of the infection, often referred to as "Long Covid". As data on the symptomatology of post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infection gradually becomes available, there is an urgent need to organise and synthesise the data in order to define what constitutes Long Covid and assist with its management in clinical and community settings.

CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is a regulator of chromatin organization and has direct effects on gene transcription. Mutations in CTCF have been identified in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. There are wide range of behaviors associated with these mutations, including intellectual disabilities, changes in temperament, and autism. Previous mice-model studies have identified roles for CTCF in excitatory neurons in specific behaviors, particularly in regards to learning and memory. However, the role of CTCF in inhibitory neurons is less well defined. 

Describes the extent of prisoner/detainee cuffing and characterize cuffing methods.

Cranioplasty is commonly performed to treat craniosynostosis. A rare postsurgical complication is massive brain swelling with elevated intracranial pressure. This commonly presents with mydriasis, coma, and seizures; radiologic findings include cerebral edema, parenchymal hemorrhages, and ischemic changes.The authors describe a 9-year-old boy who developed massive brain swelling following reduction cranioplasty for secondary turricephaly.

KRAS mutations, which are the main cause of the pathogenesis of lethal pancreatic adenocarcinomas, impair the functioning of the GTPase subunit, thus rendering it constitutively active and signaling intracellular pathways that end with cell transformation. In the present study, the AsPC-1 cell line, which has a G12D-mutated KRAS gene sequence, was utilized as a cellular model to test peptide nucleic acid-based antisense technology. 

Biomolecular interactions play versatile roles in numerous cellular processes by regulating and coordinating functionally relevant biological events. Biomolecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, fatty acids, nucleic acids, and enzymes are fundamental building blocks of living beings; they assemble into complex networks in biosystems to synchronize a myriad of life events. Proteins typically utilize complex interactome networks to carry out their functions; hence it is mandatory to evaluate such interactions to unravel their importance in cells at both cellular and organism levels. Toward this goal, we introduce a rapidly emerging technology, field-effect biosensing (FEB), to determine specific biomolecular interactions. FEB is a benchtop, label-free, and reliable biomolecular detection technique to determine specific interactions and uses high-quality electronic-based biosensors.