Harefuah
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Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common interstitial lung disease (ILD) characterized by exertional dyspnea, hypoxemia and exercise intolerance. The pathophysiology of IPF usually presents restrictive physiology of lung volume and impaired gas exchange. Most of the research which supports the effectiveness of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) comes from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients' studies. ⋯ Nevertheless, PR guidelines for IPF patients have not yet been established. This review presents the current existing data on the effectiveness of PR programs in IPF patients. Large and well controlled trials are needed for the establishment of clinical guidelines of PR in IPF patients.
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Omalizumab is a humanized monoclonal anti-IgE for the treatment of moderate to severe allergic asthma. Although the treatment has been available for several years, there are some concerns about its safety and efficacy. ⋯ Data indicates that the high efficacy of add-on Omalizumab in patients with moderate to severe allergic asthma is accompanied by an acceptable safety profile.
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Head trauma represents a serious medical and socio-economical problem owing to its related morbidity and mortality. One of its serious complications is traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (TICH). There is evidence that TICH has a tendency to expand, especially during the first hours following injury. Aspirin has a central role in preventing thromboembolic complications in atherosclerotic conditions. This effect is mediated through the inhibition of platelet activity. There is a theoretical concern that treatment prior to the head injury with aspirin may expand the size of TICH. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of platelet transfusion on the extent of TICH expansion among patients treated with aspirin. ⋯ From this study it appears that platelet transfusion within 36 hours post injury for patients with TICH who were treated with aspirin prior to the head injury does not reduce the rate or extent of hemorrhagic expansion. However, owing to the limitations of the present study, this conclusion should be considered with caution. We recommend evaluating this issue in a prospective, randomized, multi-center study.
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Strikes in general represent a solution based on a form of coercion. Historically, the striker caused direct damage to his employer, who was responsible for the perceived unfair treatment of the employee. In the case of strikes in the public sector, the employer is generally not harmed, but innocent citizens suffer in order to pressure the government agencies, a questionable practice from an ethical viewpoint. ⋯ They cause suffering and death to innocent citizens. They violate the ethical codes to which physicians have committed themselves as professionals, and they seriously impair the trust of the public in physicians. Better and more ethical ways to provide fair compensation for physicians must be employed, perhaps like those used for judges and members of the IDF.
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Recently, a new Law, named the "derivative law" (first addition, schedule drug change--2010), was accepted in the Israeli parliament. It will mean that dangerous substances that are closely related structurally to a drug that is listed in the dangerous drugs ordinance will automatically enter the dangerous drugs ordinance. The dangerous drugs that were sold in kiosks were related to 4 major groups: Amphetamines, methamphetamines, cathinone and methcathinone. ⋯ In an urgent meeting of the multi-ministry committee on psychotropic substances held in December 2010 in the Israel Anti-Drug Authority, it was decided to recommend to the Minister of Health to insert an inclusive group of "synthetic cannabinoids" into the control drug list in Israel. On April 5, 2011, after receiving the approval of the health and welfare committee in the Israeli parliament, the dangerous drugs ordinance (new version)--5732-1973 was amended with the addition of an inclusive group of "synthetic cannabinoids". These include: JWH-018, JWH-133, JWH-073, CP 47, 497, CP 55, 940, HU-331, HU-210, HU-211, HU-250.