Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Asian Americans: Perspectives on the Role of Acculturation in Cardiovascular Diseases Health Disparities.

The growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in the United States (US) has disproportionately affected minority populations more than their white counterparts. A population that is often overlooked is the Asian American population, particularly Southeastern Asian immigrants. Despite having relatively favorable socioeconomic indicators compared to the general US population, Asian Americans, specifically Southeast Asian individuals, face a significant burden of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and are considered a high cardiovascular disease risk group.

Adherence to lipid monitoring and its impact on treat intensification of LDL-C lowering therapies at an urban academic medical center.

Background: Lipid monitoring is recommended by treatment guidelines to assess efficacy and adherence to lipid lowering therapy, but the available data is mostly limited to integrated health delivery systems with less diverse populations.

Objective: To determine the proportion of patients that completed appropriate lipid monitoring at an urban academic medical center and whether lipid monitoring is associated with treatment intensification.

Methods: Adults prescribed ≥1 LDL-C lowering therapy and with ≥1 outpatient encounter during 2018 and 2019 were included.

The Use of Regional Catheters in Children Undergoing Repair of Aortic Coarctation.

Objective: The objective was to assess the effectiveness and safety of peripheral regional anesthesia in congenital cardiac surgical patients undergoing thoracotomy for aortic coarctation.

Design: A retrospective chart review of pediatric patients (<18 years) who underwent surgical repair of congenital heart diseases via thoracotomy between September 2013 and July 2018 was done. Among patients who underwent coarctation repair, a propensity score was used to match patients who received a regional catheter (C) versus traditional medical treatment only (M).

Diagnostic accuracy of maxillofacial trauma two-dimensional and three-dimensional computed tomographic scans: comparison of oral surgeons, head and neck surgeons, plastic surgeons, and neuroradiologists.

Background: The authors' objectives were to study differences in diagnostic accuracy between two- and three-dimensional computed tomographic scans and among the specialties of plastic surgery, head and neck surgery, oral surgery, and neuroradiology, since this had not previously been done.

Methods: Four groups of subspecialists completed time-proctored tests of 20 maxillofacial trauma scans with zygomatic arch, zygomatic complex, orbital, Le Fort I, II, III, mandibular and panfacial fractures from five institutions (n = 40). Accuracy of diagnosis and indication for surgery, efficiency, and preference were assessed.

Silk genes support the single origin of orb webs.

The orb web is a spectacular evolutionary innovation that enables spiders to catch flying prey. This elegant, geometric structure is woven with silk fibers that are renowned for their superior mechanical properties. We used silk gland expression libraries to address a long-standing controversy concerning the evolution of the orb-web architecture.