Blood Pressure in Pregnancy and Hypertension 10-14 Years After Delivery.

We examined the association between blood pressure (BP) in the early third trimester and hypertension 10-14 years after delivery per American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommendations. We conducted a secondary analysis using the prospective HAPO FUS (Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Follow-up Study) in patients without a chronic hypertension diagnosis. The exposure and outcome were systolic and diastolic BP measured in the early third trimester and 10-14 years after delivery, respectively.

Blood Pressure Monitoring and Knowledge in the First Year after a Hypertensive Disorder of Pregnancy.

In the first year postpartum, hypertension is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly for those with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs). Given that timely recognition of hypertension is key to reducing short- and long-term cardiovascular risk, we assessed knowledge of when to seek medical attention for blood pressure (BP) elevations and rates of BP measurement in the first year postpartum. This was a secondary analysis of a cohort of 405 primiparas who enrolled in a randomized trial during pregnancy.

Cholesterol, Triglyceride, and Glucose Levels Across Birth Cohorts in the US.

Importance: Population mean levels of total cholesterol and fasting triglycerides have decreased substantially in the US in recent decades, but improvements in cardiometabolic health may have slowed among younger cohorts. Conversely, prevalence of diabetes (types 1 and 2) and obesity has increased, especially among adults younger than 65 years. It is unclear how trends in cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels have changed across different birth cohorts and whether adverse trends in obesity are associated with these patterns.

Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the External Auditory Canal With Extension Into the Middle Ear and Mastoid.

Myoepithelial carcinoma is a rare disease of the head and neck, with only a handful of cases reported occurring within the external auditory canal, middle ear, and mastoid. The patient discussed is a 67-year-old male with a prior history of a bilateral tympanomastoidectomy for cholesteatoma and a prior history of left parotidectomy and adjuvant radiation for pleomorphic sarcoma. Three years after the parotidectomy, the patient presented with contralateral ear fullness.

Virtual stimulation of the interictal EEG network localizes the EZ as a measure of cortical excitability.

For patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, successful localization and surgical treatment of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) can bring seizure freedom. However, surgical success rates vary widely because there are currently no clinically validated biomarkers of the EZ. Highly epileptogenic regions often display increased levels of cortical excitability, which can be probed using single-pulse electrical stimulation (SPES), where brief pulses of electrical current are delivered to brain tissue.

Antihypertensive medication prescription dispensation among pregnant women in the United States: A cohort study.

Importance: Hypertension is increasingly common in pregnancy capable individuals, yet there is limited data on antihypertensive medication dispensation in peripartum individuals.

Objective: To describe antihypertensive medication dispensation from preconception through the first year postpartum.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective cohort study used the Truven Health Market Scan administrative data from 2008 to 2014 to identify women in the United States with commercial or government health insurance, aged 15-54, free from heart disease, who experienced a pregnancy and filled at least 1 prescription for an antihypertensive medication between 3 months prior to conception and 12 months after the end of the pregnancy.

Neutron and X-ray Scattering Characterization of Silica Nanoparticle-Stabilized Polymer Hybrid Latex Particles.

A robust route to produce poly(methyl methacrylate) (pMMA) hybrid latex particles (radius ∼250 nm) that are selectively "armored" with silica nanoparticles (radius 12.5 nm) through addition of vinyltriethoxysilane was previously shown ( 2018, 528, 289-300).Depending on synthesis conditions, the extent of nanoparticle attachment could be varied; however, the mechanism behind this attachment during latex growth remained unclear.

Bioactive polymer composite scaffolds fabricated from 3D printed negative molds enable bone formation and vascularization.

Scaffolds for bone defect treatment should ideally support vascularization and promote bone formation, to facilitate the translation into biomedical device applications. This study presents a novel approach utilizing 3D-printed water-dissolvable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) sacrificial molds to engineer polymerized High Internal Phase Emulsion (polyHIPE) scaffolds with microchannels and distinct multiscale porosity. Two sacrificial mold variants (250 µm and 500 µm) were generated using fused deposition modeling, filled with HIPE, and subsequently dissolved to create polyHIPE scaffolds containing microchannels.

Photo-Cross-linked Gelatin Methacryloyl Hydrogels Enable the Growth of Primary Human Endometrial Stromal Cells and Epithelial Gland Organoids.

three-dimensional (3D) models are better able to replicate the complexity of real organs and tissues than 2D monolayer models. The human endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus, undergoes complex changes during the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. These changes occur in response to steroid hormone fluctuations and elicit crosstalk between the epithelial and stromal cell compartments, and dysregulations are associated with a variety of pregnancy disorders.

Open Access: Opening or Closing Doors for Junior Faculty?

The Open Access movement has transformed the landscape of medical publishing. Federal regulations regarding Open Access have expanded in the USA, and journals have adapted by offering a variety of Open Access models that range widely in cost and accessibility. For junior faculty with little to no funding, navigating this ever-changing landscape while simultaneously balancing the pressures of publication and promotion may present a particular challenge.

Creation of Grooved Tissue Engineering Scaffolds from Architectured Multilayer Polymer Composites by a Tuneable One-Step Degradation Process.

The surface properties of biomaterials interact directly with biological systems, influencing cellular responses, tissue integration, and biocompatibility. Surface topography plays a critical role in cardiac tissue engineering by affecting electrical conductivity, cardiomyocyte alignment, and contractile function. Current methods for controlling surface properties and topography in cardiac tissue engineering scaffolds are limited, expensive, and lack precision.

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Enrollment and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Among Nulliparous Individuals.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between changes in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) enrollment during pregnancy from 2016 to 2019 and rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes in U.S. counties in 2019.

Comparing in-clinic versus telehealth for vestibular physical therapy.

Background: Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) is a commonly employed treatment method for disorders of dizziness and imbalance. Access to a clinic for rehabilitation appointments can be challenging for a person experiencing dizziness. Telehealth may offer a comparable alternative to clinic-based VR for some patients.

An Enhanced Postpartum Transition Program to Primary Care.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are risk factors for future cardiovascular disease, yet few individuals receive postpartum care with primary care clinicians (PCP). To facilitate transitions of care to PCPs and improve cardiovascular health monitoring within the first 13 months postpartum, we developed and piloted an enhanced postpartum referral pathway for patients with GDM or HDP. Eligible patients included those who received perinatal care at a large, urban, academic medical center, experienced GDM or HDP during their most recent pregnancy, and lacked an existing PCP.

Predictors of success after in vitro fertilization.

The last few decades have witnessed a rise in the global uptake of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. To ensure optimal use of this technology, it is important for patients and clinicians to have access to tools that can provide accurate estimates of treatment success and understand the contribution of key clinical and laboratory parameters that influence the chance of conception after IVF treatment. The focus of this review was to identify key predictors of IVF treatment success and assess their impact in terms of live birth rates.

An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis of Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2018.

Background: Although cardiovascular disease mortality rates in the United States declined from the 1970s to 2010s, they have now plateaued. The independent effects of age, period, and birth year (cohort) on cardiovascular disease mortality have not previously been defined.

Methods: We used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research to examine the effects of age, period, and cohort on cardiovascular disease mortality among individuals aged 20-84 years from 1999 to 2018, prior to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Permanent ocular remodeling in the setting of chronic hypotony after trabeculectomy: A case report.

Purpose: Trabeculectomy surgery is a commonly performed procedure for treatment of glaucoma. While the goal is to lower intraocular pressure, over-filtration may cause hypotony with ocular structural changes and vision loss.

Observations: A 53-year-old woman with primary open-angle glaucoma was referred to our service for further evaluation.