Israelite Research Articles

Theological Matricide in the Ancient Israelite Religion and Commentary on the Book of Lamentations

The essay considers the possibility that the Book of Lamentations contains passages lamenting the theological matricide that the ancient religion of Israel and the life of faith and worship have undergone. Despite the fact that archaeological findings, and biblical descriptions, point to the presence of a divine mother figure at the core of the religion and worship of the ancient people of Israel, the violent expulsion of this mother from the people’s life of faith and worship from the outset, as described in the Bible itself, has not been thoroughly investigated in terms of its spiritual-existential implications. This essay argues that what is described in Lamentations 1 may not only originate from the nation’s grief, the sense of chaos, and the destruction of the temple and the city, but also from the existential emotional violent separation from the Mother-Goddess, from the nation’s life of faith and worship, and the disaster that followed this disconnect and separation.

MAKNA MUSIK GEREJA DALAM ALKITAB

The crisis in the presence of God is that the congregation does not experience an encounter with the Lord Jesus, so the feelings of the congregation are ordinary. Entering the church to hear music but not entering the presence of God means that the congregation does not enjoy or feel anything just as ordinary singing. And coming home to church felt the same way. The Meaning of Church Music in the Bible. The purpose of this paper is to describe the theological meaning of church music in the Bible. By analyzing the text in accordance with the principles of exegesis, to get the meaning contained in the context of the meaning of church music in the Bible. The result of the analysis is that the Bible itself has proven the power of music and the message of God's word as the power to build the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. Messages and advice originating from God's word have always been a solution in generating faith and understanding in facing life from the past until now. Meanwhile, music that has developed into modern times with motivational messages that are also motivational. Description of the Meaning of Church Music in the Bible consists of: First, Church Music That Presents the Presence of God. Spiritually, church music is a gateway into God's presence. Spiritual praise is a way or action to glorify, exalt, and glorify God. This is the basis of a believer's life to praise God. Second, Church Music That Brings In Worship. Church music as an introduction to worship, worship is not intended for humans, but is primarily aimed at the Lord Jesus. Third, Church Music That Brings Repentance. Church music can be a tool to influence human behavior so church music can be a tool to achieve change, namely church music that brings repentance. Fourth, Church Music That Brings Joy. Church music as a means to express joy through the faith or religious beliefs of believers individually or together.

Dental and maxillofacial injuries associated with domestic violence against women in Israel: A report for 2011-2021.

The WHO, in its 2002 report, indicated the dramatic worldwide increase in the incidence of intentional injuries affecting people of all ages and both sexes, but especially children, women, and the elderly. The aim of this study was to analyze dental and maxillofacial injuries associated with domestic violence against women in Israel between the years 2011-2021. This was a retrospective cohort study based on data from the Israeli National Trauma Registry (INTR). The INTR provides comprehensive data on hospitalized patients from all six Level I trauma centers (TC) and 15 of the 20 Level II TCs in Israel. Women, ages 14 and older, injured and hospitalized due to domestic violence between 2011 and 2021 were identified. Between 2011 and 2021, there were 1818 cases of women ages 14 + that were hospitalized due to violence, excluding terror, occupational trauma, and attempted suicide. Out of these injuries, 753 cases were attributed to domestic violence, 537 were defined as non-domestic violence and 528 were a result of a brawl/fight. Of the domestic violence cases, 5% (38) exhibited maxillofacial injuries compared to the non-domestic violence cases where 6.2% (33) exhibited maxillofacial injuries and the brawl group where 5.7% (30) exhibited maxillofacial injuries. The most injured areas in domestic violence cases were the maxilla followed by the zygomatic bone and the mandible. Almost half of the domestic violence cases (47.7%) required surgical intervention during their hospitalization. The spouse was the perpetrator responsible for the domestic violence in the majority of the cases. Dental professionals might be able, in some cases, to identify and report domestic violence signs and thus, better understanding of the specific characteristics of domestic violence related to traumatic injuries is important.

Cancer Incidence and Survival Among Patients Following an Acute Coronary Syndrome

To examine the role of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in subsequent cancer incidence and survival, 2 cohorts of patients hospitalized with ACS were matched 1:1 by gender and age (±3years) to cardiovascular disease (CVD)-free patients from 2 cycles of the Israeli National Health and Nutrition Surveys. Data on all-cause mortality were retrieved from national registries. Cancer incidence with death treated as a competing event, overall survival, and mortality risk associated with incident cancer as a time-dependent variable were compared between the groups. Our cohort included 2,040 cancer-free matched pairs (mean age of 60±14years, 42.5% women). Despite higher rates of smokers and patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus, 10-year cumulative cancer incidence was significantly lower in the ACS group compared with CVD-free group (8.0% vs 11.4%, p=0.02). This decreased risk was more pronounced in women than men (pinteraction=0.05). Although being free of CVD meant a significant (p<0.001) survival advantage in the general cohort, this advantage faded once a cancer diagnosis was made (p=0.80). After adjustment for sociodemographic and clinical covariates, the hazard ratios for mortality associated with a cancer diagnosis were 2.96 (95% confidence interval: 2.36 to 3.71) in the ACS group versus 6.41 (95% confidence interval: 4.96 to 8.28) in the CVD-free group (Pinteraction<0.001). In conclusion, in this matched cohort, ACS was associated with a lower risk of cancer and mitigated the excess risk of mortality associated with cancer incidence.

The importance of gynecological examination in adolescent girls and adult women with Prader-Willi syndrome.

Current published guidelines for routine care of women with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) do not include recommendations for gynecologic examinations. We describe our experience with gynecological examinations in women with PWS and offer recommendations for routine health care for these patients. Data were collected on all 41 PWS females ages ≥12 year, followed in our national Israeli multidisciplinary clinic between the years 2011 and 2022. Menstrual data and findings on external gynecological examination, including evaluation of the vulva and hymen were recorded at yearly visits. During the gynecological evaluation the topic of sexual education was discussed. Pelvic ultrasound, specifically for antral follicular count, was performed for those visiting the clinic during 2020-2022. Blood samples for luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol were obtained routinely and DEXA scans for bone density were done when indicated. Of the 41 women, (median age at start of follow-up 17 years, range [12.3-39], BMI 30.4 kg/m2 [IQR 23.5-37.1]), 39 women agreed to external gynecological examination. Eleven women (27%) had spontaneous menses, with menarche at the age of 14 to as late as 31 years. The hymen was intact in all except one. Poor hygiene was observed in eight women, three women with vulvovaginitis, and five with irritated vulva related to poor hygiene. Gynecological ultrasound was performed in 27 women. In 22, endometrial thickness was less than 5 mm. The median antral follicular count (AFC) was 6 (<10th percentile for age). No correlation between AFC and menstruation or BMI was found. Mean FSH level was 5.7 ± 3.6 IU, LH was 2.29 ± 2.23, and estradiol was 128 ± 76 pmol/L. Data on DEXA measurements were available in 25 women aged 16-39. Median spine T score was -1.3 (range between 0.5 and -3.7), and hip T score was -1.2 (range between 0.8 and -3.3). A negative correlation was found between endometrial thickness and the presence of osteopenia or osteoporosis (r = -0.5, p = 0.013). Despite our recommendations, only eight of 14 women agreed to hormonal treatment or contraception. One woman who received treatment had a thromboembolic event. Routine health care for women with PWS should include gynecological examinations. The gynecological evaluation should include external genital examination, assessment of hygiene, obtaining a blood sample for hormone levels, and documenting a history of sexual experience or sexual abuse. Hormonal treatment or contraception should be offered when appropriate.

Polemic over the Rejection of the Presence of the Israeli National Team which Led to the Cancellation of Indonesia as the Host of the U-20 World Cup

Football is one of the biggest sports in the world, until now it has become a very large industry and involves a lot of money, including the large salaries of players in work agreements, and Indonesia is no exception. This phenomenon attracts attention not only for sponsors in terms of business, but for political actors as well as part of the political media for them. Football for some political elites is considered as a medium or a tool for them to communicate with audiences in the electoral politics sphere. This is done by conveying political information through a popular medium for many people, namely football. In this way, it can be understood that football also has its own spirit in the process of political constellation in Indonesia. The rapid development of football has made this sport a source as well as a tool to achieve certain goals. The goals can vary, ranging from the acquisition of capital capital to power, existence and ideologicalization. The goals desired through football were carried out by propaganda techniques that made it possible to achieve a desired goal. In essence, football and politics are two things that are identical but not the same. These two things are two battles to fight over something that has high intrinsic value. The rejection of the presence of the Israeli national team in the U-20 World Cup which led to the cancellation of Indonesia as the host led to various legal polemics and involved complex legal aspects. In this journal, we will discuss aspects of civil law using applicable laws in Indonesia regarding the cancellation.

An Increased Risk for Ischemic Stroke in the Short-Term Period following COVID-19 Infection: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Introduction: The association disclosed between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and ischemic stroke (IS) raises concern. The exact risk periods, which were not consistent between studies, require further investigation. Methods: We linked two national databases: the COVID-19 database and the Israeli National Stroke Registry. The self-controlled case series method was used to estimate the association between COVID-19 infection and a first IS. The study population included all Israeli residents who had both a first IS event and a first COVID-19 diagnosis during 2020. The date of the PCR test served to define the day of exposure, and the 28 days following it were categorized into three risk periods: days 1–7, 8–14, and 15–28. A relative incidence (RI) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was calculated based on the incidence rate of events in a post-exposure period, compared to the incidence rate in a control period. Results: From January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, 308,015 Israelis aged 18+ were diagnosed with COVID-19 and 9,535 were diagnosed with a first IS. Linking the two databases, 555 persons had both diagnoses during 2020. The mean age of the study population was 71.5 ± 13.7, 55.1% were males, 77.8% had hypertension, 73.7% had hyperlipidemia, 51.9% had diabetes, and 28.5% had ischemic heart disease. Comparing the risk period and the control period, we found a very similar distribution of the cardiovascular risk factors. The risk for an acute IS was 3.3-fold higher in the first week following COVID-19 diagnosis, compared with a control period (RI = 3.3; 95% CI: 2.3–4.6). The RI among males (RI = 4.5; 95% CI: 2.9–6.8) was 2.2-fold higher compared to females. The increased risk did not last beyond the first week following exposure. Conclusion: Physicians should be aware of the elevated risk for IS among patients experiencing COVID-19, particularly among men with high burden of cardiovascular risk factors.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STYLISTIC DEVICES IN THE GERMAN TRANSLATIONS OF THE BOOK OF ECCLESIASTS

The article presents a comparative analysis of stylistic devices in the German translations of the "Books of Ecclesiastes", which is a text of the Old Testament, typical of biblical didactic and prophetic books, and whose purpose is to encourage people to think about the meaning of life. The book raises the issues of transience and futility of human existence especially acutely. The relevance of the study lies in the comparison of modern German translations of the book of Ecclesiastes with the aim of demonstrating translation trends and different approaches to the reproduction of artistic means in these translations. The research material consists of translations of the book of Ecclesiastes from different years, made by translators from the ancient Hebrew language into German. The article examines the stylistic means of the biblical text and their reproduction in modern translations, compares and comments on some problematic fragments of the book of Ecclesiastes, the translation of which, despite a large number of scientific works, still needs clarification. Particular attention is paid to fragments of the text, the interpretation of which has a double meaning. The research material allows analysing the diachronic trends in the translation of the book of Ecclesiastes and drawing conclusions about the possibility and purpose of reproduction by the translator’s content and means of artistic imagery in translations of different years. According to the conducted analysis, the authors came to the conclusion that, despite centuries of discussion, an attempt to make a single universal translation of the book of Ecclesiastes is impossible. From a methodological point of view, we should emphasize that in recent years there has been a negative trend toward a recipient-oriented understanding of the text, which, in turn, pushes the translator to omit stylistic devices and form a translation of the holy book that is more understandable for today, which unfortunately leads to the loss of artistic stylistics of the archaic poetic text.

ПЕРВЫЙ МАНИФЕСТ АМЕРИКАНСКОГО АНГЛОИЗРАИЛИЗМА – ПРЕДВЫБОРНАЯ ПРОПОВЕДЬ ЭЗРЫ СТАЙЛЗА (1783 г.)

The article examines the ideology of Anglo-Israelism in the 1783 sermon «The United States has risen to glory and honor» by the American Congregationalist priest and scientist Ezra Stiles (1727-1795). The analysis of the political, religious, historical and philosophical ideas contained in it is carried out. It is shown that, despite the protection of constitutional rights and religious freedom, the author of the sermon defended the monarchy and was a supporter of the rule of an elected elite, an elected «democratic aristocracy». It seems that the principles of conservative Christianity advocated by Stiles were combined with support for the concept of «a City upon a Hill» in 1630, i.e. ideas about the God-chosen Puritans – the first settlers, who created the New Jerusalem or Zion in America. The author supported the pseudo-historical theory of the origin of ethnic groups. In the United States, he saw a «new Israel», chosen by God, called to command the conquered and subordinate «Canaanites» – the American aborigines. Europeans were considered descendants of the Biblical patriarch Japheth, which corresponded to the existing Christian tradition. In the Indians of the New World, related to the peoples of Siberia, he saw the descendants of representatives of the tribes, expelled by the ancient Israelites after the conquest of Palestine, described in the Bible and scattered throughout the world. In his opinion, the continued mass migration from Europe to America will lead to the decline of the Old World. Immigration will give a new impetus to the development, effective development and economic prosperity of the American continent, where the number of people of European origin will increase significantly. In the future, according to Stiles, there will allegedly be an extinction of races other than Caucasians (Indians and African Americans). Such ideas served as the rationale for American exceptionalism, Western-centrism, Eurocentrism and territorial expansion of the United States.

Impact of intensified prevention measures on rates of hospital-acquired bloodstream infection in medical-surgical intensive care units, Israel, 2011 to 2019.

BackgroundCentral line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is among the most common preventable infectious complications in patients in intensive care units (ICU). In 2011, the Israel National Center for Infection Control initiated a nationwide CLABSI prevention programme.AimTo evaluate the impact of different components of the programme on CLABSI and non-CLABSI rates in medical-surgical ICUs.MethodsWe included data collected from all 29 medical-surgical ICUs in Israel from November 2011 to December 2019. The study period was divided into three phases: I (baseline, initial CLABSI prevention guidelines introduced, initial feedback on rates provided), II (initial guidelines widely implemented, surveillance undertaken, feedback continued) and III (after implementation of additional prevention measures). Interrupted time series analysis was used to compare CLABSI and non-CLABSI rates during the three phases.ResultsThe pooled mean (SD) incidence of CLABSI per 1,000 central line-days dropped from 7.4 (0.38) in phase I to 2.1 (0.13) in phase III (p<0.001). The incidence rate ratio (IRR) was 0.63 (95% CI: 0.51-0.79) between phases I and II, and 0.78 (95% CI: 0.59-1.02) between phases II and III. The pooled mean (SD) incidence of non-CLABSI per 1,000 patient-days declined from 5.3 (0.24) in phase I to 3.4 (0.13) in phase III (p<0.001).ConclusionNational CLABSI prevention guidelines, surveillance and feedback resulted in significant reductions in CLABSI and non-CLABSI rates. In the wake of further interventions, significant reduction was achieved in ICUs reporting improvement in the uptake of additional prevention measures.

Associations of Adolescence Exposure to Industrial Air Pollution with Cancer in Young Adults.

There is substantial public concern about the health risks of proximity to petrochemical industries. In the Haifa Bay Area (HBA), which contains Israel's densest industrial area, these concerns have been strengthened by elevated cancer mortality rates since the late 1960s. We studied the association between adolescent exposure to industrial air pollution in the HBA and adult-onset cancer. This is a historical cohort study. The study population comprised 2,187,317 subjects, using the Israeli medical corps data linked to the Israel National Cancer Registry with follow-up of up to 45 years. Exposure assessments were estimated by a spatial kriging interpolation model of SO2, serving as a marker for the dispersion of air pollution emitted from the complex during the study period. We found increased crude (HR = 1.23, 95%CI= 1.17 to 1.29) and adjusted (HR = 1.16, 95%CI = 1.10 to 1.21) risk of cancer with increased exposure to air pollution in HBA. The associations remained robust in analyses stratified by decade and socio-economic status. We found evidence of monotonically increased risk in five of 13 cancer categories (leukemia, melanoma, female breast, central nervous system, and thyroid tumors). Our findings strengthen the hypothesis that this exposure posed a carcinogenic risk during the study period.

“We Are the Homeowners”: Sacred Textuality and the Social Structure of Jewish Religious Nationalism in Israel and the West Bank

This article offers an anthropological look at sacred textuality by exploring the social and theological structure of Jewish religious nationalism in Israel and the West Bank. It argues that the study of sacred texts serves as a medium through which Jewish religious Zionists articulate what it means to return to an ancestral homeland. It demonstrates how the study of these sacred texts is implicated in the cultivation of two different structural modes through which religious Zionists relate to ideas of homecoming. On one side, homecoming rests in a revolutionary force of intellectual insight; on the other, it is expressed through the mystical and mysterious force of prophecy. In a broader sense, this article critiques the reticence of anthropologists to engage seriously with the broader theological ideas that are expressed through a textual medium that can be so much a part of the everyday experiences of individuals living in text-based societies.

An outbreak of severe coagulopathy in northern Israel among users of illicit synthetic cannabinoids adulterated with brodifacoum

Introduction Adulteration of illicit drugs is a well-known phenomenon that may expose consumers to unexpected adverse effects. We report a large outbreak of severe coagulopathy in northern Israel during nine months in 2021–2022 among users of synthetic cannabinoids adulterated with a long-acting anticoagulant, brodifacoum. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study based on data extracted from the Israeli National Poison Information Center database and from electronic medical patient records at three participating hospitals. Confiscated drug samples and blood samples obtained at admission in a subgroup of patients were tested for the presence of long-acting anticoagulants. Results We identified 98 patients affected by the outbreak. All patients had a prolonged international normalized ratio on admission, and in 69%, the blood was non-coagulating. For patients treated in the three participating centers (n = 72), the presenting complaint was overt bleeding in 79% of patients, most commonly in the urinary (53%) and gastrointestinal tracts (50%). The most severe complications were intracranial bleeding (4%), hemothorax (3%), pericardial bleeding (1%), and four patients died. Brodifacoum was detected in all available blood samples (median concentration 207 µg/L, interquartile range 112–349 μg/L, range 45–1,118 µg/L), and the drug samples contained both brodifacoum and the synthetic cannabinoid ADB-BUTINACA. All patients were treated with high-dose phytomenadione (vitamin K1) and additionally by packed red blood cell transfusions, fresh frozen plasma, and/or 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate when indicated. The most frequent phytomenadione (vitamin K1) dose regimen was initially 20 mg intravenously every eight hours, and at discharge, 20 mg orally three times daily. Conclusions Outbreaks of severe coagulopathies in users of synthetic cannabinoids adulterated with a long-acting anticoagulant continue to erupt in different regions of the world. Rapid recognition of an outbreak requires a high index of suspicion when confronting young, otherwise healthy subjects with otherwise unexplained severe coagulopathy.

Is access to adjuvant treatments prioritized over therapies for metastatic cancer? The Israeli experience.

e18599 Background: The Israeli National Insurance Law determines a uniform benefits package ('the Health Basket') for all residents. A public committee advises each year on which new medications should be added to the Health Basket, subject to the fixed annum budget allocated by the government for this purpose. The clinical benefit of the proposed health technologies is the committee's prime consideration; however, the committee also considers the professional medical societies' prioritizations, the expected budget impact, and other social and ethical aspects. Towards the annual discussions for 2023, 63 new indications for 41 cancer drugs were proposed for the annual update. Of those, 8 were for novel neo-adjuvant/ adjuvant indications, all given high priority ranks by the Israeli Oncologists Society based on the significant disease-free survival (DFS) figures from the phase III clinical trials. Varying the adjuvant treatment practice patterns based solely on DFS figures without available overall survival (OS) data has been in much debate recently between global key opinion leaders. We, therefore, aimed to evaluate whether the Israeli decision-makers have de-facto accepted the attitude of prioritizing budgets for adjuvant/neo-adjuvant therapies as the Israeli Oncologists Society recommended. Methods: We collected data on all cancer therapies proposed for inclusion in the 2023 Health Basket update; drug name, indication, treatment setting (curative intent vs. metastatic disease therapy), ESMO-MCBS grade, and whether or not accepted for reimbursement. All data were extracted from the official Israeli Ministry of Health website publications and press releases. Results: 20% of the allocated budget for updating the National Health basket for 2023 was provided to treat solid tumor cancers. 7 out of the 8 candidate therapies in the neo-adjuvant/adjuvant settings received reimbursement approval (88%) vs. 11 out of 55 therapies for advanced/ metastatic stages of disease (20%). 13 of the 16 candidate metastatic disease therapies that had a high ESMO-MCBS score (4 or 5) were not approved for reimbursement in the 2023 annual committee discussions. Conclusions: Our retrospective evaluation of the Israeli reimbursement prioritization process reveals that decision-makers have accepted the approach of prioritizing potentially curative adjuvant therapies over treatments for patients with incurable cancer. In an era of prosperity of adjuvant therapies in a range of tumor types, concerns might arise regarding restrictions on access to novel therapies for metastatic cancer, even those with proven benefits of significantly improving patients' OS and quality of life. Future analysis should determine the impact of this trend adopted by decision-makers in Israel on disease progression and overall survival in the real-world setting.

The National Israel Brain Repository: Characterizing those who sign and do not sign intent to autopsy

AbstractBackgroundCollection of postmortem human brain and spinal cords for research is invaluable, especially in neurodegeneration, since human clinicopathologic data may lead to better understanding their pathophysiology and to new therapeutic targets. The National Israel Brain Repository was established in 2018 and began recruiting donors from two large‐scale community‐based studies of individuals at high dementia risk: older adults with type 2 diabetes (Israel Diabetes and Cognitive Decline study‐IDCD) and middle‐aged offspring of AD patients (The Israel Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention‐ IRAP).We compared sociodemographic, cardiovascular (CVRFs)and cognitive characteristics of individuals who agreed and did not agree to sign intent to autopsy (ITA)MethodIn the IDCD, of the 750 active participants, we approached 636. Of them, 196 (31%) agreed to sign ITA.IRAP has 480 active participants of whom 395 were approached and of them 176 (45%) agreed to sign ITA. All participants are from the Maccabi Health Services, providing CVRF data since 1998. Using t‐test we compared the groups on sociodemographic and CVRFs. For IDCD, which averages 36‐months cognitive follow ups, mixed regression models adjusting for age, sex and education tested whether signing ITA predicted cognitive trajectories. For IRAP, whose follow‐ups have only recently begun, we used linear regressions adjusting for the same covariates, compared cognitive functioning between those the two groupsResultIn the IRAP sample, participants who signed ITA did not differ from those who did not sign on any of the characteristics except for HbA1c (Table 1). In the IDCD sample, those who signed ITA had higher education, creatinine, and BMI and better motor function (hand grip and 3‐meter walk). Finally, those who signed ITA had a slower rate of decline in episodic memory (Estimate = 0.002, SE = 0.001, p = 0.05)ConclusionOur results suggest that middle‐aged adults at high AD risk willing to donate their brains to science do not differ in sociodemographic or CVRFs from those who do not wish to be organ donors. In contrast, older adults at high dementia risk due to T2D who signed ITA are more educated, have better motor function and a slower rate of cognitive decline suggesting a selection bias towards better health.Development of strategies to diminish this selection bias are warranted.

Componential Analysis of the Lexeme דֶברֶ (‘plague’) in Ancient Hebrew

The research is part of the compositional analysis started some time ago in the Florentine University. It is based on the application of Coseriu's theories on functional languages within Hebrew lexicographic research. In the corpus of ancient Hebrew (consisting of the inscriptions, the MT and the Qumranic epigraphic material) various functional languages characterized by chronological, dialect, sociological, and stylistic homogeneity have been identified. The research, in the first phase, comments on the occurrences of the דֶברֶ lexeme within the various functional languages in order to offer grammatical and semantic information on the lexeme itself. Subsequently, in the results, he proposes the inclusion in the overall search of the 'dimension' identified for the דֶברֶ lexeme. The reconstruction of the meanings of דֶברֶ will be given by the identification of the distinctive features, meaning by meaning the result of the complementary interaction of semantic features.

Association of Nationwide Water Fluoridation, changes in dental care legislation, and caries-related treatment needs: A 9-year record-based cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThe implementation of Nationwide Water Fluoridation in Israel in 2002 led to a significant reduction in caries among children. However, this practice was discontinued in 2014 due to a change in legislation. In 2010, as part of the Israeli National Health Insurance Law, free dental care for children under 10 years of age was legislated. This policy was gradually extended to include adolescents under 18 years of age in 2018. We examined the association between these efforts and changes in the caries-related treatment needs of young adults over the course of two decades. MethodsThis cross-sectional study analyzed data on the need for dental restorations, root canal therapy, and extractions that were retrieved from dental records of 34,450 soldiers recruited into military service between 2012 and 2021. These data were cross-matched with the subjects' year of birth to determine whether the implementation of water fluoridation, dental care legislation, or both were associated with changes in the need for and provision of dental care. Sociodemographic data, including sex, age, socioeconomic cluster (SEC), intellectual capability score (ICS), body mass index, and place of birth, were also extracted. ResultsA multivariate generalized linear model (GLM) revealed that male sex, older age, low ICS, and low SEC were significant predictors for greater caries-related treatment needs (P < 0.001). Our findings indicated that subjects exposed to fluoridated water during their childhood had significantly lower rates of caries-related treatment, regardless of access to free dental care. ConclusionMandatory water fluoridation was associated with significantly lower caries-related treatment needs while national dental health legislation providing free dental care to children and adolescents was not. Therefore, we suggest that water fluoridation should be continued to maintain the observed reduction in treatment needs. Clinical significanceOur findings provide support for the effectiveness of water fluoridation in preventing caries, whereas the impact of free dental care programs focused on clinical intervention remains to be determined.

The epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with young-onset genetic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

ABSTRACT Objectives The onset of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is usually around the age of 60, but younger patients have been described as well. Our study characterizes the demographic and clinical features of young-onset CJD patients. Methods The CJD Israeli National Database was reviewed, and the patients were divided into groups of young (<40-year-old) (Y|) and older disease onset (>40-year-old) (O). Each group was further divided into sporadic (sCJD) and genetic (gCJD) patients. Clinical and demographic parameters were compared between the groups Results The study included 731 patients (Y- 18 patients, O- 713 patients). MRI showed classical features more often in the older population (O-76.9%, Y-36%, p = 0.006). Rapidly progressive dementia as a presenting feature was more common in the older group (O = 58%, Y = 27.7%, p = 0.019) whereas cerebellar onset (gait instability, dysarthria) was more common in the younger group (O = 6.7%, Y = 27.7%, p = 0.036)). Among gCJD patients, rapidly progressive dementia was commonly seen in older patients (O = 54%, Y = 21% p = 0.008) whereas cerebellar symptoms were seen in young patients (O = 7%, Y = 30% p = 0.01) Typical MRI findings were seen in 37% of young people compared to 87% of older patients (p = 0.002). No significant differences were between young and older patients in the sCJD group. Conclusion Young-onset gCJD patients have unique disease features including less typical brain MRI changes, a lower prevalence of dementia, and a higher prevalence of cerebellar signs at disease onset.

Severe trauma in Germany and Israel: are we speaking the same language? A trauma registry comparison.

Trauma registries are a crucial component of trauma systems, as they could be utilized to perform a benchmarking of quality of care and enable research in a critical but important area of health care. The aim of this study is to compare the performance of two national trauma systems: Germany (TraumaRegister DGU®, TR-DGU) and Israel (Israeli National Trauma Registry, INTR). The present study was a retrospective analysis of data from the described above trauma registries in Israel and Germany. Adult patients from both registries treated during 2015-2019 with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16 points were included. Patient demographics, type, distribution, mechanism, and severity of injury, treatment delivered and length of stay (LOS) in the ICU and in the hospital were included in the analysis. Data were available from 12,585 Israeli patients and 55,660 German patients. Age and sex distribution were comparable, and road traffic collisions were the most prevalent cause of injuries. The ISS of German patients was higher (ISS 24 vs. 20), more patients were treated on an intensive care unit (92 vs. 32%), and mortality was higher (19.4 vs. 9.5%) as well. Despite similar inclusion criteria (ISS ≥ 16), remarkable differences between the two national datasets were observed. Most probably, this was caused by different recruitment strategies of both registries, like trauma team activation and need for intensive care in TR-DGU. More detailed analyses are needed to uncover similarities and differences of both trauma systems.

Severe Trauma in Germany and Israel– Are We Speaking the Same Language? A Trauma Registry Comparison

Introduction:Trauma registries are a crucial component of trauma systems, as they could be utilized to perform a benchmarking of quality of care and enable research in a critical but important area of health care. The aim of this study is to compare the performance of two national trauma systems: Germany (TraumaRegister DGU ®,TR-DGU) and Israel (Israeli National Trauma Registry,INTR) in a retrospective analysis.Method:Patients from both registries treated during 2015-2019 with an Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16 points were included. Patient demographics, pre-hospital care, hospital treatment, and outcome were compared.Results:Data were available from 12,585 Israeli patients and 55,660 German patients. Age and sex distribution were comparable, and road traffic accidents were the most prevalent cause of injuries. The ISS of German patients was higher (ISS 24 versus 20), more patients were treated in an intensive care unit (92% versus 32%), and mortality was higher(19.4% versus 9.5%) as well.Conclusion:Despite similar inclusion criteria (ISS ≥ 16), remarkable differences between the two national datasets were observed. Most likely, this was caused by different recruitment strategies of both registries like trauma team activation and the need for intensive care in TR- DGU. More detailed analyses are needed to uncover similarities and differences between both trauma systems.