Interview with Professor Imran Khan, of UC Davis Health

Abdominal aortic aneurysms are a potentially life-threatening condition where the large blood vessel supplying blood to the abdomen and lower body becomes dangerously enlarged. Left untreated, these aneurysms can rupture, often with fatal consequences.

Medical devices called endografts – consisting of a stent and a graft – can be used as internal scaffolds to stabilise the weakened artery walls. However, these devices can lead to problems, which many researchers and clinicians are striving to solve.

Childbirth is a joyous event for parents, but for many mothers, it entails a significant infection risk. Maternal infections can range from mild infections to life-threatening sepsis, which is a leading cause of maternal death worldwide. Recent research led by Professor Waldemar Carlo from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the Global Network for Women’s and Children’s Health Research has revealed a simple solution: a single oral dose of the antibiotic azithromycin administered during labor.

Childbirth is one of the most significant experiences in many people’s lives, and hospitals play a critical role in shaping this experience. In recent years, more attention has focused on how a mother’s satisfaction with hospital care during childbirth impacts both her wellbeing and the broader quality of maternity care. In recent research, Dr. Kim Gregory and her colleagues at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center identified specific elements that improve the hospital birth experience, aiming to give hospitals better tools to support new mothers and their families.

Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to our dental health. For children, ensuring that teeth develop correctly can prevent complications and save years of invasive orthodontic treatment. One issue that often arises in children is impaction of the upper canine teeth, which can fail to erupt properly due to crowding or misalignment. Impacted canines can cause damage to neighbouring teeth, require surgery, and result in years of orthodontic treatments. As such, we need a better understanding of how to prevent this issue.

Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder – or ARFID – is characterised by ongoing eating difficulties that can lead to malnutrition, weight changes, faltering growth in children, reliance on supplements, stress and social difficulties. Some affected individuals struggle to recognise when they are hungry or find eating unenjoyable, while others might avoid certain foods because of their texture, smell, or appearance. Past experiences such as choking or vomiting can also make someone avoid eating. In a recent review, researchers Tanith Archibald and Rachel Bryant-Waugh at the Maudsley Centre for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders provide an overview of our current understanding of ARFID and its implications for clinical practice.