Comparison of Severe Maternal Morbidities Associated With Delivery During Periods of Circulation of Specific SARS-CoV-2 Variants.

Importance: Infection with SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, is associated with adverse maternal outcomes. While it is known that severity of COVID-19 varies by viral strain, the extent to which this variation is reflected in adverse maternal outcomes, including nonpulmonary maternal outcomes, is not well characterized.

Objective: To evaluate the associations of SARS-CoV-2 infection with severe maternal morbidities (SMM) in pregnant patients delivering during 4 pandemic periods characterized by predominant viral strains.

Management of Diabetes in Long-term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities: A Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association.

Diabetes is more common in older adults, has a high prevalence in long-term care (LTC) facilities, and is associated with significant disease burden and higher cost. The heterogeneity of this population with regard to comorbidities and overall health status is critical to establishing personalized goals and treatments for diabetes. The risk of hypoglycemia is the most important factor in determining glycemic goals due to the catastrophic consequences in this population.

Renal interstitial Ca(2+).

Renal interstitial fluid Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](isf)) was measured in anesthetized Wistar rats by using in situ microdialysis. During perfusion of 20 cm of the proximal small intestine with Ca(2+)-free buffer, renal [Ca(2+)](isf) was 1.63 +/- 0.

Interstitial Ca2+ undergoes dynamic changes sufficient to stimulate nerve-dependent Ca2+-induced relaxation.

We recently described a perivascular sensory nerve-linked dilator system that can be activated by interstitial Ca2+ (Ca2+isf). The present study tested the hypothesis that Ca2+isf in the rat duodenal submucosa varies through a range that is sufficient to activate this pathway. An in situ microdialysis method was used to estimate Ca2+isf.

Effect of chronic sensory denervation on Ca(2+)-induced relaxation of isolated mesenteric resistance arteries.

We recently reported that Ca(2+)-induced relaxation could be linked to a Ca2+ receptor (CaR) present in perivascular nerves. The present study assessed the effect of chronic sensory denervation on Ca(2+)-induced relaxation. Mesenteric resistance arteries were isolated from rats treated as neonates with capsaicin (50 mg/kg), vehicle, or saline.

Perivascular sensory nerve Ca2+ receptor and Ca2+-induced relaxation of isolated arteries.

The present study tested two hypotheses: (1) that a receptor for extracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+ receptor [CaR]) is located in the perivascular sensory nerve system and (2) that activation of this receptor by physiological concentrations of extracellular Ca2+ results in the release of vasodilator substance that mediates Ca2+-induced relaxation. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using primers derived from rat kidney CaR cDNA sequence showed that mRNA encoding a CaR is present in dorsal root ganglia but not the mesenteric resistance artery. Western blot analysis using monoclonal anti-CaR showed that a 140-kD protein that comigrates with the parathyroid CaR is present in both the dorsal root ganglia and intact mesenteric resistance artery.

Effect of heartworm infection on in vitro contractile responses of canine pulmonary artery and vein.

Objective: To test the effect of heartworm infection on agonist-induced constriction of canine pulmonary artery and vein in vitro.

Procedure: Cumulative concentration-response relations to norepinephrine, serotonin, histamine, prostaglandin F2 alpha, and the thromboxane A2 analog U-44069 were determined, using isolated rings of pulmonary artery and vein from control and heartworm-infected dogs. To determine the role of endothelial cells in histamine constriction, some rings were denuded of endothelial cells in both artery and vein.

Dirofilaria immitis: heartworm infection alters pulmonary artery endothelial cell behavior.

The pathogenesis of filariasis has generally been attributed to either physical presence of the adult parasites or the host's immune response to the parasites. However, the spectrum of filariasis cannot be entirely explained by these causes, and other mechanisms must be operative. It is now evident that factors released by filarial parasites likely contribute to the pathogenesis of filarial diseases.

Brugia pahangi-induced contractility of bovine mesenteric lymphatics studied in vitro: a role for filarial factors in the development of lymphedema?

Products generated by filarial nematodes depress vascular reactivity by mechanisms involving endothelial cells. We hypothesized that comparable filarial-induced alterations might occur in lymph vessels. Experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that spontaneous contractions of bovine mesenteric lymphatics studied in vitro are altered by the filarial parasite Brugia pahangi.

Effect of heartworm infection on fade of norepinephrine-induced constriction in canine pulmonary vein.

Objective: To test the possible role of endothelial cells in mediating fade of norepinephrine-induced constriction and the effect of heartworm infection on these responses.

Design: Rings of pulmonary vein from control and heartworm-infected dogs were constricted with norepinephrine (10(-5.5)M) and followed over 65 minutes.

Dirofilaria immitis: depression of endothelium-dependent relaxation of canine femoral artery seen in vivo does not persist in vitro.

In heartworm-infected dogs, circulating filarial factors appear to be responsible for the seasonal depression of endothelium-dependent responses seen in the in vivo femoral artery. The effect of heartworm infection on vascular responses of the femoral artery in vitro, when the vessel is not constantly exposed to circulating factors, is unknown. Experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that in vivo exposure to circulating filarial factors leads to changes in the magnitude and mechanism of endothelium-dependent relaxation that are demonstrable in vitro.