New Mothers' Perceptions of Pressure to Breastfeed
Perceived pressure to breastfeed may be an important psychosocial factor to consider when aiming to improve women's breastfeeding experiences.
KEY FINDINGS: Perceived pressure to breastfeed may be an important psychosocial factor to consider when aiming to improve women's breastfeeding experiences. Reducing perceived pressure may be beneficial for promoting breastfeeding outcomes.
BACKGROUND: Purpose of the study is to develop a measure to quantitatively assess perceived pressure to breastfeed and examine associations between perceived pressure, emotional distress, and the breastfeeding experience and self-efficacy among women with 2- to 6-month-old infants.
DETAILS: A cross-sectional study using an online survey to assess perceived pressure to breastfeed, emotional distress, and the breastfeeding experience and self-efficacy was conducted. Participants were recruited through ResearchMatch, a national online service that matches potential participants to research studies, and online community forums (e.g., Facebook). Women (n = 187) reported themselves and society as the greatest sources of pressure. Pressure to breastfeed was negatively associated with the breastfeeding experience (r = -.34, p < .01) and self-efficacy (r = -.39, p < .01), but not emotional distress. Pressure to breastfeed remained a significant explanatory factor, even when considering demographic covariates, with the final models accounting for 16% and 20% of the variance in the breastfeeding experience and self-efficacy, respectively.
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Copyright © Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Source: Korth, C. X., Keim, S. A., Crerand, C. E. et al. (2022). New Mothers' Perceptions of Pressure to Breastfeed. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing. 2022: 47(3): 160-167. Published: May/June, 2022. DOI: 6307642.
Medical Management and Revascularization for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis
Among patients with high-grade stenosis without recent symptoms, the addition of stenting led to a lower risk of a composite of perioperative stroke or death or ipsilateral stroke within 4 years than intensive medical management alone. Carotid endarterectomy did not lead to a significant benefit.
KEY FINDINGS: Among patients with high-grade stenosis without recent symptoms, the addition of stenting led to a lower risk of a composite of perioperative stroke or death or ipsilateral stroke within 4 years than intensive medical management alone. Carotid endarterectomy did not lead to a significant benefit.
BACKGROUND: Improvements in medical therapy, carotid-artery stenting, and carotid endarterectomy call into question the preferred management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis. Whether adding revascularization to intensive medical management would provide greater benefit than intensive medical management alone is unclear.
DETAILS: Authors conducted two parallel, observer-blinded clinical trials that enrolled patients with high-grade (>=70%) asymptomatic carotid stenosis across 155 centers in five countries. The stenting trial compared intensive medical management alone (medical-therapy group) with carotid-artery stenting plus intensive medical management (stenting group); the endarterectomy trial compared intensive medical management alone (medical-therapy group) with carotid endarterectomy plus intensive medical management (endarterectomy group). The primary outcome was a composite of any stroke or death, assessed from randomization to 44 days, or ipsilateral ischemic stroke, assessed during the remaining follow-up period up to 4 years. A total of 1245 patients underwent randomization in the stenting trial and 1240 in the endarterectomy trial. In the stenting trial, the 4-year incidence of primary-outcome events was 6.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.8 to 8.3) in the medical-therapy group and 2.8% (95% CI, 1.5 to 4.3) in the stenting group (P=0.02 for the absolute difference). In the endarterectomy trial, the 4-year incidence of primary-outcome events was 5.3% (95% CI, 3.3 to 7.4) in the medical-therapy group and 3.7% (95% CI, 2.1 to 5.5) in the endarterectomy group (P=0.24 for the absolute difference). From day 0 to 44, in the stenting trial, no strokes or deaths occurred in the medical-therapy group and seven strokes and one death occurred in the stenting group; in the endarterectomy trial, three strokes occurred in the medical-therapy group and nine strokes occurred in the endarterectomy group.
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Optical Feedback for Safe Automatic Laser Lithotripsy
The developed optical guidance system provides real-time feedback during laser lithotripsy, improving safety and precision by reducing the risk of accidental tissue damage. The proposed technology is expected to enhance outcomes in minimally invasive urological laser procedures.
Summary
Tissue Sensor Implementation in a Clinical System
[Posted 20/Jan/2026]
AUDIENCE: General Surgery, Nephrology, Internal Medicine
KEY FINDINGS: The developed optical guidance system provides real-time feedback during laser lithotripsy, improving safety and precision by reducing the risk of accidental tissue damage. The proposed technology is expected to enhance outcomes in minimally invasive urological laser procedures.
BACKGROUND: Purpose of this study is to develop an optical feedback system compatible with a commercial surgical laser for automatically distinguishing between urinary stones and soft tissues during laser lithotripsy, thereby enhancing procedural safety.
DETAILS: The system, based on diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), was implemented in an engineered clinical theranostic platform. In vivo experiments were conducted to collect and analyze DRS spectra of tissues during laser lithotripsy. Illumination was performed via the endoscope, and detection was performed via the treatment fiber. Classification of urinary stones and soft tissues was performed using machine learning methods, i.e., Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). The system demonstrated high diagnostic performance, with 93% sensitivity for soft tissue identification and 93% specificity for stone detection evaluated by the LDA method. This real-time differentiation effectively minimized unintended laser exposure to non-target tissues.
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Copyright © Wiley Periodicals LLC. All rights reserved.
Source: Korneva, N., Budylin, G., Tseregorodtseva, P., et al. Optical Feedback for Safe Automatic Laser Lithotripsy: Tissue Sensor Implementation in a Clinical System. Lasers Surg. Med.. 2026; 58(1): 38-48. Published: January, 2026. DOI: 10.1002/lsm.70081.
Re-envisioning the Lifespan Approach to Cardiovascular Disease Prevention and Treatment in Women
The anticipated life course of women supports a broadening focus on CVD toward that of lifelong care and emphasize key transitional stages for women - early risk factor onset, pregnancy, menopausal transition, and so on. This review is a call to action to re-envision a health system approach for lifespan prevention, detection, and treatment pathways to reduce CVD risk in women.
KEY FINDINGS:
- Mortality: CVD deaths in women exceed combined deaths from breast and lung diseases.
- Gap in Care: Insufficient sex-specific evidence continues to hinder lifesaving care.
- Call to Action: Transition from episodic care to a lifelong cardiovascular health system for women.
BACKGROUND: Despite the common misconception that respiratory or oncological diseases pose the greatest threat to women, Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) accounts for more female deaths than breast cancer, lung cancer, and chronic lung disease combined, with a comparable mortality to that of men. Historically, both the public and the medical community have underestimated CVD risks in women, leading to diagnostic delays and a scarcity of sex-specific evidence to guide clinical interventions. While advances have been made in the diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of CVD in women, there often remains insufficient evidence to guide effective, lifesaving care of women.
DETAILS: This review of sex-specific and traditional CVD risk and risk-enhancing factors in women identifies areas of knowledge gaps to consider for investigation. A focus on the coronary vasculature reveals physiological differences of clinical relevance which can be interrogated. Inspection of and addressing disadvantage and gender bias in both the medical and lay communities should continue to be addressed. As CVD results from traditional risk factors and emerging risk-enhancing factors, a focus on the detection of preclinical cardiovascular disease may be of particular importance for women. Unique risk markers originate early in pre-menopausal women, as this is considered a healthy period of life. Awareness and implementation of the existing knowledge of sex-specific risk factors and sex-specific thresholds to educate women and physicians are needed. The anticipated life course of women supports a broadening focus on CVD toward that of lifelong care and emphasize key transitional stages for women-early risk factor onset, pregnancy, menopausal transition, and so on. This review is a call to action to re-envision a health system approach for lifespan prevention, detection, and treatment pathways to reduce CVD risk in women.
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Medical Policy Brief: Shift in Universal Hepatitis B Vaccine Recommendation
The ACIP voted 8-3 to end the universal HepB birth dose recommendation. Vaccination at birth is recommended only for infants of mothers who are positive for HepB or have unknown status. Mothers who test negative are advised to consult their healthcare provider to decide the timing of their child's vaccination. A change in the recommendation, if approved by the CDC Director, could affect state policies and private insurance coverage of the vaccine.
KEY FINDINGS:
- Vote Margin: The ACIP voted 8-3 to end the universal HepB birth dose recommendation.
- New Guidance: Vaccination at birth is recommended only for infants of mothers who are positive for HepB or have unknown status.
- Negative Mothers: Mothers who test negative are advised to consult their healthcare provider to decide the timing of their child's vaccination.
- Policy Impact: A change in the recommendation, if approved by the CDC Director, could affect state policies and private insurance coverage of the vaccine.
BACKGROUND: The Hepatitis B (HepB) vaccine has historically been universally recommended for all infants at birth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This policy ensures protection against perinatal transmission and helps reduce the overall disease burden.
DETAILS: The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recently held a vote to reconsider the universal recommendation for the HepB vaccine at birth. The panel voted by a margin of 8-3 to cease the blanket recommendation that all infants receive the vaccine at birth. The new guidance maintains the recommendation only for infants whose mothers test positive for the infection or have unknown status. Mothers who test negative for Hepatitis B would be advised to "talk with their healthcare provider and decide themselves when to vaccinate their child." The discussion involved controversy, including a newly appointed ACIP member without medical training who reportedly argued against the universal birth dose, claiming vaccines had "never tested (the vaccines) appropriately." Dr. Cody Meissner, the sole continuing ACIP member, criticized the proposed change, stating "no rational science [had] been presented" to justify it. The ACIP voted in favor of changing the recommendations. These recommendations must now go to the CDC director for approval. While states ultimately set their own immunization policies, they generally rely on CDC guidelines. A change in ACIP recommendations can also influence insurance coverage, as most private insurers are required to cover recommended vaccines.
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Efficacy and Safety of Time-Restricted Eating in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease
This 16-week RCT compared TRE, CR, and standard of care in patients with MASLD. It effectively reduced steatosis, with similar benefits on weight loss, body composition, and metabolic parameters as CR. TRE is a practical dietary strategy for MASLD and warrants further long-term study. TRE's effectiveness in MASLD remains unclear despite its potential metabolic benefits.
KEY FINDINGS: TRE effectively reduces hepatic steatosis in MASLD, with comparable benefits on weight loss, body composition, and metabolic parameters as CR. This approach may serve as a practical dietary strategy for MASLD management.
BACKGROUND: Time-restricted eating (TRE) may improve weight loss, insulin resistance, and body composition, which are key factors in the pathophysiology of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). However, evidence on the efficacy of TRE in patients with MASLD is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of TRE in patients with overweight or obesity and MASLD.
DETAILS: In this 16-week randomized controlled trial, patients with overweight or obesity and MASLD were randomized into three groups in a 1:1:1 ratio: standard of care (SOC), calorie restriction (CR), and TRE. The primary endpoint was an improvement in hepatic steatosis, measured using MRI-proton density fat fraction. Changes in liver fibrosis, body composition, lipid profiles, glucose homeostasis, and sleep quality were also analyzed. Among the 337 participants randomized, 333 were included in the full analysis set (113 in SOC, 110 in CR, and 110 in TRE). After the 16-week intervention, hepatic steatosis significantly decreased in the TRE group (-25.8%) compared to the SOC group (0.7%, p <0.001), with no significant difference between TRE and CR (-24.7%, p >0.999). The TRE group also showed greater reductions in body weight, waist circumference, and body fat mass compared to the SOC group, while changes were comparable between TRE and CR. Liver stiffness, glucose homeostasis, and sleep quality were similar between the TRE and CR groups. No serious adverse events were reported.
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Copyright © Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Source: Oh, J. H., Yoon, E. L., Park, H., et al. Efficacy and Safety of Time-Restricted Eating in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease. Journal of Hepatology. 2025; 83(6): 1256-1265. Published: December, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2025.06.005.
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