Analyzing the Bioactivity of a Novel Bone Cement: An In Vitro Study.

Aim: To analyze the effect of bioactive bone cement (BBC) placed in a phosphate buffer saline solution in comparison to mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA).

Methodology: Ten samples each of BBC (group 1) and MTA (group 2) were prepared and stored in a phosphate buffer saline solution. After three days of storage, white precipitates were formed on the surface of the samples.

Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: Innovative Management Strategies.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) complicate 13% to 15% of pregnancies in the United States. Historically marginalized communities are at increased risk, with preeclampsia and eclampsia being the leading cause of death in this population. Pregnant individuals with HDP require more frequent and intensive monitoring throughout the antepartum period outside of routine standard of care prenatal visits.

Ludwig's Angina During Pregnancy-A Case Report.

Pregnancy is accompanied by several physiological changes such as altered salivary flow rate, mucosal immunity and altered microbial flora. This may predispose pregnant women to oral health problems. This could be accentuated by oral health neglect, polypharmacy and a host of other factors, including dietary modification.

Vegetation change detection and recovery assessment based on post-fire satellite imagery using deep learning.

Wildfires are uncontrolled fires fuelled by dry conditions, high winds, and flammable materials that profoundly impact vegetation, leading to significant consequences including noteworthy changes to ecosystems. In this study, we provide a novel methodology to understand and evaluate post-fire effects on vegetation. In regions affected by wildfires, earth-observation data from various satellite sources can be vital in monitoring vegetation and assessing its impact.

Pregnancy-Associated Onset of Adult-Onset Still's Disease.

 This study aims to elucidate the clinical manifestations, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies of adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) during pregnancy, leveraging a case series overview and a detailed case report from our center.  A comprehensive review of 21 published case reports on AOSD diagnosed during pregnancy was conducted, alongside a detailed case report of a patient diagnosed and managed at our center. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing AOSD in pregnant patients, outlines the therapeutic challenges encountered, and discusses the potential complications arising from the disease and its treatment.

Advancing social care integration in health systems with community health workers: an implementation evaluation based in Bronx, New York.

Background: In recent years, health systems have expanded the focus on health equity to include health-related social needs (HRSNs) screening. Community health workers (CHWs) are positioned to address HRSNs by serving as linkages between health systems, social services, and the community. This study describes a health system's 12-month experience integrating CHWs to navigate HRSNs among primary care patients in Bronx County, NY.

A Rare Variant of Zuckerkandl Tubercle: Thyroid Ring.

Unlabelled: Zuckerkandl tubercles are posteromedial projections of normal thyroid gland with relations with important neck structures. In our case, we reported "Thyroid ring", that is a ring configuration of the thyroid gland encasing the trachea and esophagus, without compression symptoms. Ring was formed by the elongated zuckerkandl tubercles, passing through the column between the esophagus and vertebral body and abutting each other at left posterolateral border of esophagus.

Piloting a prenatal care smartphone application and care navigation intervention at a federally qualified health center.

Background: Given that smartphones are widely used among reproductive-age people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, a smartphone application may be a useful supplement to routine prenatal care.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the implementation of a smartphone app that offers patient education, depression screening, social determinants of health screening, and care coordination as an adjunct to routine prenatal care at a federally qualified health center. We further sought to characterize app engagement and the association of app use with pregnancy outcomes.

Chiari III malformation with defect in Liliequist membrane on MR imaging.

The Liliequist membrane is a radiologically neglected structure, with routine evaluation only carried out in pre-operative and post-operative cases of third ventriculostomy. We report two cases of Chiari III malformation in two unrelated females with similar findings on magnetic resonance imaging study including occipital and low cervical encephalocele, hydrocephalus, and segmentation anomalies in cervical spine. Along with these findings, we report a flow void on T2-weighted images observed in both cases across the site of Liliequist membrane between interpeduncular and chiasmatic cistern.

Validation of Linear Range HER2/Estrogen Receptor/Progesterone Receptor IHControls for Daily Quality Assurance.

Objectives: To evaluate a new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared immunohistochemistry (IHC) control (IHControls [Boston Cell Standards]) comprising peptide epitopes for HER2, estrogen receptor (ER), and progesterone receptor (PR) attached to cell-sized microspheres and to compare its performance against conventional tissue controls.

Methods: IHControls and tissue/cell line controls for HER2, ER, and PR were compared side by side daily at 5 clinical IHC laboratories for 1 to 2 months. Separately, the sensitivity of the 2 types of controls was evaluated in simulated IHC assay failure experiments by diluting the primary antibody.

A minimally invasive approach to the infected aorta with novel endovascular use of biocomposite antibiotic material.

We have presented the case of a symptomatic, primarily infected aortic pseudoaneurysm treated with endovascular stent graft exclusion and adjunctive use of a long-acting biocomposite antibiotic material injected directly into the pseudoaneurysm sac. We have described preparation of the biocomposite antibiotic material and the catheter-directed delivery technique in detail. Although the use of long-acting antibiotic materials such as antibiotic beads has been well described when performing open surgery in an infected field, the application of these materials in endovascular procedures has been less certain.

Intramedullary Teratoma of Spine in an Adult Patient.

Spinal teratomas are rare spinal tumors. Most of these present in children. We present the imaging findings of a spinal teratoma that was not symptomatic until adulthood.

Incidence and characteristics of stillbirths before and during the Coronavirus 2019 pandemic.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics of stillbirths during the initial wave of the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and whether or not this differed from the incidence and characteristics of stillbirths that occurred in the pre-pandemic period.

Study Design: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of pregnant individuals who delivered stillbirths during two different time periods: March-September in 2017, 2018, and 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic period) and March-September 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic period).

Results: No difference in the rate of stillbirths was found between the two time periods.

Novel Evidence-Based Labor Induction Algorithm Associated with Increased Vaginal Delivery within 24 Hours.

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether concordance with our proposed labor induction algorithm is associated with an increased rate of vaginal delivery within 24 hours.

Study Design: We conducted a retrospective review of 287 induction of labors (IOLs) at a single urban, tertiary, academic medical center which took place before we created an evidence-based IOL algorithm. We then compared the IOL course to the algorithm to assess for concordance and outcomes.

Serum S100B and NSE Levels Correlate With Infarct Size and Bladder-Bowel Involvement Among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients.

 Stroke is a major global health concern. Due to limited availability of neuroimaging particularly in rural and regional areas in India as well as its limitation, the interest in use of biochemical markers for stroke diagnosis, severity, and prognosis is increasing. Only a handful of studies on stroke biomarkers have been conducted in India.

Attitudes Regarding Pregnancy Among Vascular Surgery Trainees and Program Directors Based on a Survey of Vascular Residents, Vascular Fellows, and the Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery.

We conducted a survey of vascular surgery (VS) trainees and program directors (PDs) to examine differing attitudes regarding pregnancy, starting a family, and work-life balance. A 20 question survey was e-mailed to VS residents (0+5), fellows (5+2) and PDs using Survey Monkey Inc. (San Mateo, California).

Number and quality of randomized controlled trials in obstetrics published in the top general medical and obstetrics and gynecology journals.

Background: There has been an increasing number of randomized controlled trials published in obstetrics and maternal-fetal medicine to reduce biases of treatment effect and to provide insights on the cause-effect of the relationship between treatment and outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to identify obstetrical randomized controlled trials published in top weekly general medical journals and monthly obstetrics and gynecology journals, to assess their quality in reporting and identify factors associated with publication in different journals.

Study Design: The 4 weekly medical journals with the highest 2019 impact factor (New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and The BMJ), the top 4 monthly obstetrics and gynecology journals with obstetrics-related research (American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and the BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology), and the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Maternal-Fetal Medicine were searched for obstetrical randomized controlled trials in the years 2018 to 2020.

Quantitative comparison of PD-L1 IHC assays against NIST standard reference material 1934.

Companion diagnostic immunohistochemistry (IHC) tests are developed and performed without incorporating the tools and principles of laboratory metrology. Basic analytic assay parameters such as lower limit of detection (LOD) and dynamic range are unknown to both assay developers and end users. We solved this problem by developing completely new tools for IHC-calibrators with units of measure traceable to National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1934.