Couple Relationships In Persons With Schizophrenia: Intimacy, Passion, And Commitment

Couple relationships are a normative, yet crucial, aspect of human existence. They are a need shared by all mankind and thus serve as a powerful rehabilitative and beneficial tool among populations with special needs, including persons with mental illnesses. In the present study, 30 partners with chronic schizophrenia were compared to 20 normative partners regarding three aspects of couple relations - intimacy, commitment, and passion. Additionally, participants were asked to rate these three aspects in both their actual relationship and an ideal relationship. The schizophrenia cohort rated its actual relationships as lower in intimacy, commitment, and passion compared to the normative cohort. Also, disparities between perceptions of the aspects in both actual and ideal relationships were greater for the cohort with schizophrenia. Implications for practitioners are discussed with regard to their work in the couplehood field with persons with serious mental illnesses as well as in consciousness work among the normative community

Correlation between CHA 2

Purpose. To find if CHA2DS2-VASc scale can accurately predict the treatment, prognosis, and outcome for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Patients and methods. A survey of 250,000 patient years was taken, using the records of the Ophthalmology Department at Ziv Medical Center. Data was collected regarding the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), visual field (VF), line of treatment (LOT) of glaucoma, and all the data needed to accurately calculate CHA2DS2-VASc score for each patient. Results. Sixty-seven patients were included in the statistical analysis. The mean age was 72.5 years. The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 3.27 + −1.7. Positive Pearson’s correlation coefficients were found for LOT and CHA2DS2-VASc score, 0.35, and for RNFL grade and CHA2DS2-VASc score, 0.37. The correlation was negative for RNFL width and CHA2DS2-VASc score, −0.35. Conclusions. CHA2DS2-VASc score was shown to be correlated with glaucoma. This correlation was manifested positively by the LOT needed to stop glaucoma progression, with higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores correlated with more aggressive treatment. Since glaucoma is a disease with a progressing nature, it is important to treat patients aggressively on one hand, while offering the most benign treatment as possible on the other hand. Modification of the CHA2DS2-VASc score could achieve an even higher correlation

Burnout in Israeli medical students:a national survey

INTRODUCTION: Professional burnout is characterized by loss of enthusiasm for work, cynicism, and a low sense of personal efficacy. Burnout may adversely affect medical professionalism. Burnout is common in clinicians and varying rates have been reported in medical students. No data exist regarding the prevalence of burnout among Israeli medical students. The aims of this study were to assess the rate of burnout in Israeli medical students and to identify students who were particularly susceptible to burnout. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire design was employed, gathering data from medical students in all years of study across three medical schools. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey (MBI-SS), translated into Hebrew. RESULTS: Of the 2160 students in the participating medical schools, 966 (44.7%) completed MBI-SS and demographic questionnaires. The overall burnout rate was 50.6%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis yielded that female gender, age under 25, advanced year of study, studying at a specific medical school and not being a parent are all significantly correlated with higher levels of burnout. CONCLUSIONS: A high rate of burnout was found. The identification of young women who are not parents during advanced years of studies as being at-risk is important, in order to guide the development of burnout prevention interventions

OCT as a monitoring tool for assessment of the stage and severity of multiple sclerosis

AIM: To identify a link between optical coherence tomography(OCT), length of multiple sclerosis(MS)and the expanded disability status scale(EDSS).METHODS: In a prospective double blind study, 29 patients with a diagnosis of MS were compared with 29 healthy patients, matched by age and sex. All participants underwent an OCT study and neurological EDSS test on the same day.RESULTS: The mean EDSS score was 3.2 in the MS group vs 0.03 in the control group, and the duration of MS was 11.7y. The mean retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness was significantly thinner in those with MS (PCONCLUSION: RNFL is thinner in MS patients than in the general population. MS duration has a direct statistically significant effect on RNFL thickness. There seems to be a tendency of a relationship between RNFL thinning and EDSS. OCT is suggested as a monitoring and evaluation tool of MS patients

Noncompliance with Ocular Hypertensive Treatment in Patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma among the Arab Population in Israel: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Objective. To evaluate the noncompliance treatment rates among primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) Arab patients in Israel and to verify the associated factors for noncompliance. Patients and Methods. A cross-sectional study took place using a questionnaire. Patients were initially interviewed and requested to answer a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed based on a pilot test. Items included information about age, gender, number of prescribed drugs, and multiple reasons for noncompliance with drug therapy. Setting. Ophthalmologic HMO clinics, located in 3 Arab cities in the center of Israel. Participants. 400 Arab participants (197 men, 203 women) undergoing routine clinical care were recruited. Results. General rate of noncompliance, for both genders, was found to be 50%. Factors associated with nonadherence included inadequate knowledge (32%), underestimation of the disease severity (25.5%), and denial 15.5%. Compliance rates were unaffected by gender or number of prescribed drugs. Compliance was significantly higher in younger patients (age 80), 63% and 77%, respectively, (). Conclusion(s). Noncompliance was found to be common among an Arab population in Israel, particularly between the ages of 50 and 80. Educational programs, improving patient-physician relationship, and personalizing treatment could provide means for improved adherence

Prevalence of glaucoma in the Israeli Arab population

We describe the prevalence and treatment of glaucoma in a Muslim Arab population in Israel. Based on the medical records of 15 122 persons, the overall prevalence of glaucoma was 3.9%. Prevalence rates of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) were 3.0% and 0.42%, respectively. Prevalence rates of women were 135% that of men considering all types of glaucoma, 143% for POAG, and 96% for PACG. Prostaglandin analogs and beta blockers, alone or combined with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, were the preferred medications. Of 68 patients who underwent trabeculectomy, 27 (39.7%) required medications, postoperatively, for treatment of glaucoma; following Ex-Press shunt surgery, 3/11 (27.3%) required medications. During the last three years, 16 (1.3%) individuals with POAG were recorded as legally blind as a result of glaucoma

Comparison of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors, laser treatments and a combination of the both for treatment of central retinal vein occlusion

AIM: To compare changes in visual acuity and macular edema in patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) treated with intravitreal injections of bevacizumab, macular grid photocoagulation combined with pan retinal photocoagulation (PRP), or both (bevacizumab+grid+PRP). METHODS: Our study is a retrospective cohort clinical study that examined patients that suffered from ischemic CRVO with macular edema. Study inclusion criteria were ischemic CRVO with macula edema and the availability of complete medical records for at least 12mo after treatment. Excluded were patients with diabetes or any other retinal disease. We reviewed the medical records of patients treated in one ophthalmology department-comparing changes in visual acuity and macular edema in patients treated with intravitreal injections of bevacizumab vs those that were treated with macular grid photocoagulation and PRP or both. The main outcome measures were the differences in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and in macular thickness, as assessed by optical coherence tomography, between the enrollment and the final follow up visits. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients met inclusion criteria. There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups in the mean changes in macular thickness as measured by ocular coherence tomography (131.5±41.2, 108.6±29.2, and 121.1±121.1, P=0.110), or in visual acuity (0.128±0.077, 0.088±0.057, and 0.095±0.065), for intravitreal injections, macular grid photocoagulation+PRP and a combination of the treatments, respectively, P=0.111. The proportions of patients with macular edema after treatment were: 26.1%, 28.6%, and 14.3%, respectively, P=0.499. CONCLUSION: Similar benefit was observed for intravitreal injections, laser photocoagulation, or a combined regimen in the treatment of CRVO. A non-statistically significant trend for reduction in macular edema was observed following combined treatment

High sensitivity and specificity in fetal gender identification in the first trimester, using ultrasound and Noninvasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) in twin pregnancies, a prospective study

Abstract Introduction Determination of the fetal gender in the first trimester is important in twin pregnancy cases of familial X-linked genetic syndromes and helps determine chorionicity. We assessed and compared the accuracy of first-trimester ultrasound scans, and cell-free fetal DNA (CfDNA) in determining fetal gender in the first trimester of twin pregnancies. Methods Women with twin pregnancies were recruited prospectively during the first trimester. Fetal gender was determined using both ultrasound scans and CfDNA screening. Both results were compared to the newborn gender after delivery. Results A total of 113 women with twin pregnancies were enrolled. There was 100% sensitivity and specificity in Y chromosome detection using CfDNA. Gender assignment using ultrasound in any first-trimester scans was 79.7%. Accuracy level increased from 54.2% in CRL 45-54 mm to 87.7% in CRL 55-67 mm and 91.5% in CRL 67-87 mm. Male fetuses had significantly higher chances of a gender assignment error compared to female fetuses, odds ratio = 23.574 (CI 7.346 - 75.656). Conclusions CfDNA is highly sensitive and specific in determining the presence of the Y chromosome in twin pregnancies in the first trimester. Between CRL 55-87 mm, ultrasound scanning offers a highly accurate determination of fetal gender in twin pregnancies

Reduced Placental CD24 in Preterm Preeclampsia Is an Indicator for a Failure of Immune Tolerance

Introduction: CD24 is a mucin-like glycoprotein expressed at the surface of hematopoietic and tumor cells and was recently shown to be expressed in the first trimester placenta. As it was postulated as an immune suppressor, CD24 may contribute to maternal immune tolerance to the growing fetus. Preeclampsia (PE), a major pregnancy complication, is linked to reduced immune tolerance. Here, we explored the expression of CD24 in PE placenta in preterm and term cases. Methods: Placentas were derived from first and early second trimester social terminations (N = 43), and third trimester normal term delivery (N = 67), preterm PE (N = 18), and preterm delivery (PTD) (N = 6). CD24 expression was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blotting. A smaller cohort included 3–5 subjects each of term and early PE, and term and preterm delivery controls analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: A higher expression (2.27-fold) of CD24 mRNA was determined in the normal term delivery compared to first and early second trimester cases. The mRNA of preterm PE cases was only higher by 1.31-fold compared to first and early second trimester, while in the age-matched PTD group had a fold increase of 5.72, four times higher compared to preterm PE. The delta cycle threshold (ΔCt) of CD24 mRNA expression in the preterm PE group was inversely correlated with gestational age (r = 0.737) and fetal size (r = 0.623), while correlation of any other group with these parameters was negligible. Western blot analysis revealed that the presence of CD24 protein in placental lysate of preterm PE was significantly reduced compared to term delivery controls (p = 0.026). In immunohistochemistry, there was a reduction of CD24 staining in villous trophoblast in preterm PE cases compared to gestational age-matched PTD cases (p = 0.042). Staining of PE cases at term was approximately twice higher compared to preterm PE cases (p = 0.025) but not different from normal term delivery controls. Conclusion: While higher CD24 mRNA expression levels were determined for normal term delivery compared to earlier pregnancy stages, this expression level was found to be lower in preterm PE cases, and could be said to be linked to reduced immune tolerance in preeclampsia