Maimonides rule redux

We use Maimonides' rule as an instrument for class size in large Israeli samples from 2002–2011. In contrast with Angrist and Lavy (1999), newer estimates show no evidence of class size effects. The new data also reveal enrollment manipulation near Maimonides cutoffs. A modified rule that uses birthdays to impute enrollment circumvents manipulation while still generating precisely estimated zeros. In both old and new data, Maimonides' rule is unrelated to socioeconomic characteristics conditional on a few controls. Enrollment manipulation therefore appears to be innocuous. We briefly discuss possible explanations for the disappearance of Israeli class size effects since the early 1990s

Skin biopsies in acute myeloid leukemia patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy are safe and effect patient management

Abstract There is paucity of data regarding the diagnostic yield and safety of skin biopsies in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), though skin eruptions are common in these patients. We evaluated 216 patients treated in our hemato-oncology unit at a tertiary medical center between 2007 and 2018 and identified 35 patients who underwent 37 skin biopsies. The majority of biopsies were performed during induction treatment for AML (n = 26, 70%), whereas the remainder of biopsies were done prior to induction initiation (n = 8, 22%) or during consolidation chemotherapy (n = 3, 8%). Pathology findings were inconclusive in 13 cases (35%), while diagnostic biopsies were positive for drug eruptions (24%), leukemia cutis (16%), infections (11%), reactive processes (8%) and Sweet syndrome (5.5%). In almost half of cases (16/37) tissue cultures were performed. Of those, only a quarter (4/16) were positive. Histopathology and tissue culture results altered immediate patient care in 3 cases (8%), yet information obtained from biopsies had potential to affect long term patient care in 8 additional cases (21.6%). Although most skin biopsies were performed while patients had severe thrombocytopenia and neutropenia, only one patient had a complication due to the biopsy (fever and local bleeding). With the limitation of a retrospective analysis, our study suggests that skin biopsies in patients treated for AML are relatively safe. Although biopsy results infrequently alter immediate patient management, long term effect on patient care expand the potential diagnostic yield of skin biopsies

Validation of a Novel Assay to Distinguish Bacterial and Viral Infections

Reliably distinguishing bacterial from viral infections is often challenging, leading to antibiotic misuse. A novel assay that integrates measurements of blood-borne host-proteins (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, interferon γ-induced protein-10, and C-reactive protein [CRP]) was developed to assist in differentiation between bacterial and viral disease

Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase Links Ovulation-Induced Inflammation and Serous Carcinogenesis

In recent years, the notion that ovarian carcinoma results from ovulation-induced inflammation of the fallopian tube epithelial cells (FTECs) has gained evidence. However, the mechanistic pathway for this process has not been revealed yet. In the current study, we propose the mutator protein activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) as a link between ovulation-induced inflammation in FTECs and genotoxic damage leading to ovarian carcinogenesis. We show that AID, previously shown to be functional only in B lymphocytes, is expressed in FTECs under physiological conditions, and is induced in vitro upon ovulatory-like stimulation and in vivo in carcinoma-associated FTECs. We also report that AID activity results in epigenetic, genetic and genomic damage in FTECs. Overall, our data provides new insights into the etiology of ovarian carcinogenesis and may set the ground for innovative approaches aimed at prevention and early detection