In a Contemporary OB/GYN video interview, Elinor Sullivan, Ph.D., discusses her recent study that maternal diet during the third trimester may be associated with a higher risk for mental health disorders in offspring. She says, “We found this very compelling, because we’ve now targeted a specific part of the diet. We recognize it’s really difficult to change one’s entire diet, but perhaps by targeting a specific area, such as the glycemic index, or carbohydrate source that you're consuming, individuals may be able to make that small dietary change and thus optimize the development of their child.”

Yifan Jian, Ph.D., discusses challenges in retinal imaging and the future of high-speed, high-resolution ophthalmic imaging. He says, “In research, we will continue pushing for higher resolution and better contrast mechanisms, such as oxygen saturation mapping. Thoughtful optical design will be critical to push the limits of what OCT can reveal.”

OPB-Radio cites OHSU research testing how to artificially induce a hibernation state by reducing the amount of oxygen cells need to survive, which may buy valuable time for people having strokes or heart attacks.

Regarding a bill that would ban flavored tobacco products in an effort to curb teen vaping, Astha Mittal, M.D., tells KOIN-TV, “I would see these 15-year-olds and 16-year-olds in the hospital because they’ve injured their lungs smoking one vape. It’s like smoking 100 cigarettes and that can be really injurious, really quickly.”

Eric Herman, M.D., speaks with AAFP News about the fight against long COVID-19. Herman says, “The best way to prevent long COVID is to prevent COVID. Anything you can do to prevent COVID prevents long COVID. We also know that people that get multiple COVID infections are more likely to develop long COVID. Someone who's had one COVID infection is less likely to get long COVID compared to somebody that's had three or four or five or six acute episodes of COVID.”

Family members have stepped up with a second life-saving kidney donation for an Oregon woman who had surgery at OHSU.

OHSU patient Susan Posner is recovering after receiving a life-saving gift from her nephew. She got his kidney decades after her brother donated one of his.

Both transplant surgeries happened at OHSU Hospital in Portland.

OHSU researchers have discovered that maternal diet during pregnancy, specifically during the third trimester, may be associated with a higher risk for mental health disorders in offspring. Elizabeth Wood, Ph.D., says, “These findings highlight opportunities to enhance nutrition during pregnancy and improve offspring outcomes by providing specific dietary targets and timepoints that can make a difference in infant behavioral health. They also further emphasize the critical importance of policies and systems that support access, affordability and education around consuming healthy diets during pregnancy.”

Aluko Hope is a professor in the Department of Medicine, a pulmonologist, critical care doctor and the medical director of what is now called the Critical and Acute Illness Recovery and Engagement Program (CAIRE) Jen Arnold is a lead nurse with the program.