Challenges, experiences, and potential supports for East and Southeast Asian mothers in the workforce: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the challenges faced by Asian working mothers with a focus on re-entry to the workplace. In addition, we highlight potential supports that retain women in the workforce. DESIGN: A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations and registered with PROSPERO database (CRD42022341130). METHODS: Three independent reviewers were involved in the study selection to screen the search results sequentially by title, abstract, and full text using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of each article was assessed via the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool. RESULTS: We analysed a total of 36 studies conducted across different regions: 30 from the East and 6 from Southeast Asia. Among these studies, 20 were quantitative in nature, 15 were qualitative, and one intervention. The 36 studies cover five themes: 1) policies, 2) external support sources, 3) external pressure, 4) breastfeeding and 5) health status. Within each theme the same factor can have a positive or negative impact on the mother depending on her having a pro-career or pro-family mindset. Companies can take various initiatives to support working mothers, such as providing facilities for expressing breast milk at the workplace, educating staff to promote breastfeeding and accommodate childcare needs, and extending maternity leaves. However, there is a lack of literature that directly addresses the barriers and concrete support available to working mothers in Asia, beyond the scope of breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings underscore several obstacles that can impede a woman's seamless return to work. Pro-family and pro-career mothers have differing needs that cannot be addressed at the same time. There is a lack of comprehensive understanding regarding effective strategies or interventions that can support a positive reintegration into the workforce.

Superficial and Invasive Spread of High-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion and Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report.

We present a case of extensive spread of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL)/cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 (CIN3) with foci of invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a premenopausal woman. Superficial spread of CIN3 and cervical SCC to the endometrium and/or fallopian tubes is rare, especially in countries with cervical cancer screening programs. Our case occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have been a major contributing factor to delayed detection and, consequently extensive spread.

Paediatric Laryngeal Synovial Sarcoma: Dilemmas and Decision-Making.

Primary laryngeal synovial sarcoma is a rare head and neck cancer. We describe a case of synovial sarcoma of the larynx in a previously well 9-year-old boy with a one-month history of a progressively enlarging neck lump. He was referred to our institution after incomplete surgical excision of the then undifferentiated neck mass. A partial laryngectomy including wide local excision of the residual mass was performed. An ipsilateral level I-III neck dissection was also performed concurrently. Clear re-excision margins were achieved. The neck nodes were all negative for metastatic disease. Adjuvant local radiotherapy treatment was administered to reduce the probability of local recurrence. Four years following treatment completion, the patient remains in remission with no signs of treatment-related morbidity. A review of the published literature on laryngeal synovial sarcoma was undertaken. This case represents the youngest patient to be diagnosed with the condition. Surgical excision represents the mainstay of treatment of laryngeal synovial sarcoma. At more common sites of disease, adjuvant radiotherapy has been associated with lower rates of recurrence. However, there is the potential for significant morbidity from irradiating the neck of a paediatric patient. This case report explores the challenges in treating young patients with aggressive head and neck cancers when faced with little available evidence to guide decision-making.

The first Australian uterus transplantation procedure: A result of a long-term Australian-Swedish research collaboration.

AIMS: The aim is to report the results of Australia's first uterus transplantation (UTx). METHODS: Following long-standing collaboration between the Swedish and Australian teams, Human Research Ethics approval was obtained to perform six UTx procedures in a collaborative multi-site research study (Western Sydney Local District Health 2019/ETH13038), including Royal Hospital for Women, Prince of Wales Hospital, and Westmead Hospital in New Souh Wales. Surgeries were approved in both the live donor (LD) and deceased donor models in collaboration with the inaugural Swedish UTx team. RESULTS: This is the first UTx procedure to occur in Australia, involving a mother donating her uterus to her daughter. The total operative time for the donor was 9 h 54 min. Concurrently, recipient surgery was synchronised to minimise graft ischaemic time, and the total operative time for the recipient was 6 h 12 min. Surgery was by laparotomy in the LD and recipient. The total warm ischaemic time of the graft was 1 h 53 min, and the cold ischaemic time was 2 h 17 min (total ischaemic time 4 h 10 min). The patient's first menstruation occurred 33 days after the UTx procedure. CONCLUSION: Twenty-five years of Swedish and Australian collaboration has led to Australia's first successfully performed UTx surgery at The Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia.

The Role of Sonic Hedgehog in Human Holoprosencephaly and Short-Rib Polydactyly Syndromes.

The Hedgehog (HH) signalling pathway is one of the major pathways controlling cell differentiation and proliferation during human development. This pathway is complex, with HH function influenced by inhibitors, promotors, interactions with other signalling pathways, and non-genetic and cellular factors. Many aspects of this pathway are not yet clarified. The main features of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signalling are discussed in relation to its function in human development. The possible role of SHH will be considered using examples of holoprosencephaly and short-rib polydactyly (SRP) syndromes. In these syndromes, there is wide variability in phenotype even with the same genetic mutation, so that other factors must influence the outcome. SHH mutations were the first identified genetic causes of holoprosencephaly, but many other genes and environmental factors can cause malformations in the holoprosencephaly spectrum. Many patients with SRP have genetic defects affecting primary cilia, structures found on most mammalian cells which are thought to be necessary for canonical HH signal transduction. Although SHH signalling is affected in both these genetic conditions, there is little overlap in phenotype. Possible explanations will be canvassed, using data from published human and animal studies. Implications for the understanding of SHH signalling in humans will be discussed.

Laryngeal Synovial Sarcoma: A Systematic Review of the Last 40 Years of Reported Cases.

Primary laryngeal synovial sarcoma is an extremely rare tumor predominantly affecting young adults. There are currently no well-defined guidelines to direct investigation and management, and treatment is largely based on what is known for synovial sarcoma of the upper and lower limbs. This PROSPERO-registered study aims to review the diagnostic methods, treatment regimens, and survival outcomes for patients with synovial sarcoma of the larynx. A systematic search of databases Medline, Embase, SCOPUS, and Web of Science was undertaken in December 2017. The literature search identified 1031 potentially relevant studies, and after the deletion of duplicates and excluded papers, 98 full-text articles were screened. A total of 39 cases were reviewed from 32 studies in the data extraction. The average age at the time of laryngeal synovial sarcoma diagnosis was 32 years (range, 11-79 years). In all cases (n = 39), patients underwent wide surgical excision, with 20 patients requiring a partial or total laryngectomy. A total of 18 patients received adjuvant and 3 received neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Chemotherapy was used in 10 cases, with ifosfamide the most frequently used agent. There was considerable variability in the order and combinations of the abovementioned treatments. No clinicopathologic factors or treatment regimens were associated with improved overall survival or lower rate of recurrence. There is a paucity of literature and heterogeneity in clinical approaches to this highly aggressive sarcoma. Reporting of cases must be standardized and formal guidelines must be established to guide clinical management.

Alectinib is effective, safe and tolerable in an adolescent with stage IVB ALK-rearranged adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors such as crizotinib and alectinib have been shown to have significant activity in ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). There are no data for alectinib's safety or efficacy in younger patients, though it is superior to crizotinib in adult trials. We present a 14-year old girl diagnosed with stage IV-B ALK-positive adenocarcinoma of the lung after presenting with cough and fever. She was commenced on alectinib at adult dose and has had sustained complete metabolic remission for 9 months. She is the youngest patient with lung adenocarcinoma to be treated with alectinib.

Adenocarcinoma of the Lung in Childhood and Adolescence: A Systematic Review.

Primary lung cancer is extremely rare in children. It often presents with metastatic disease and carries a poor prognosis. Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of bronchogenic carcinoma in children and adults. Our aim was to systematically review the presenting features, approach to diagnosis and management, as well as the outcomes of primary pediatric adenocarcinoma of the lung. This systematic review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO. The following databases were searched: Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus for English language cases of primary pediatric adenocarcinoma of the lung. Forty-eight studies were included, comprising 62 patients with adenocarcinoma and 21 cases of adenocarcinoma in situ. Presenting features were nonspecific, with cough and dyspnea the main symptoms at diagnosis. The majority of patients with adenocarcinoma had metastatic disease at diagnosis. Surgery was the most common form of management. More than half the patients with adenocarcinoma had died at final follow-up, whereas 5 of 21 with adenocarcinoma in situ died. Medical management did not improve outcomes, except for two ALK receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK)-rearranged adenocarcinomas that responded to ALK inhibitor therapy alone. Primary pediatric adenocarcinoma of the lung is a rare entity which often presents with metastatic disease and portends a poor prognosis. Surgery is associated with disease-free status, although new agents such as ALK-inhibitors are able to prolong life without surgical management.

A Mutation Outside the Dimerization Domain Causing Atypical STING-Associated Vasculopathy With Onset in Infancy.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the gene encoding stimulator of interferon genes (STING) underlie a type I interferon (IFN) associated disease, STING-associated vasculopathy with onset in infancy (SAVI). Patients suffer cutaneous vasculopathy and interstitial lung disease, but are not known to suffer life-threatening infection. CASE: We describe a child who presented with Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in early life, from which he recovered. He went on to suffer failure to thrive, developmental delay, livedo reticularis, and vesicular rash, but without cutaneous vasculitis, and with normal C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rates. At 3 years of age, he developed life-threatening pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed using the Illumina HiSeqX10 platform and the Seave platform was used for bioinformatic analysis. mRNA expression of IFN-stimulated genes and inflammatory cytokines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Luciferase assay was used to model IFNß and NF-κB activity in vitro. RESULTS: WGS revealed a de novo mutation p.Arg284Ser in STING at an amino acid previously associated with SAVI. Although this mutation did not fall in the dimerization domain (DD), mRNA analysis revealed constitutive IFN-gene activation consistent with an interferonopathy, which correlated to STING activation in vitro. The patient was treated with corticosteroids and the JAK inhibitor Ruxolitinib, resulting in a rapid improvement of pulmonary hypertension, general well-being, and resolution of the IFN gene signature. However, he did go on to evolve a nasal septal erosion suggesting incomplete control of disease. CONCLUSION: This case provides molecular evidence to support the p.Arg284Ser variant in STING exerting pathogenicity through a gain-of-function mechanism. The lack of cutaneous vasculitis or elevated systemic inflammatory markers, and the occurrence of an opportunistic infection are notable, and raise the possibility that variants outside the STING DD may potentially manifest with an atypical SAVI phenotype. Nevertheless, there was an objective clinical improvement in response to JAK inhibition.

Lung and liver growth and retinoic acid status in human fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

BACKGROUND: Abnormal retinoic acid (RA) signalling is considered a major cause of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in infants born with CDH. Experimental studies in animals have found that RA signalling is involved in lung and liver development, but animal models of CDH do not directly correlate with CDH in human fetuses. This study investigated if RA status is also linked to lung and liver growth in human fetuses with CDH. STUDY DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) in autopsy human fetal liver tissue were identified using cRBP-1 immunohistochemistry and the numbers of HSC manually counted. In mammals, RA is principally stored in HSC complexed to cRBP-1 and therefore cRBP-1+ HSC numbers were used as an indicator of fetal RA status. The number of HSCs was correlated with liver and lung weights, calculated relative to either normal biometric values or fetal body weight. RESULTS: The number of cRBP-1+ HSCs correlated with lung weight contralateral to the side of the diaphragmatic hernia (r=0.82, p=0.025) and combined lung weight (r=0.78, p=0.039) but not with ipsilateral lung weight (r=0.43, p=0.33), in fetuses with right and left CDH and a case of giant omphalocoele. Liver growth was influenced by contact with diaphragm but not significantly correlated with cRBP-1 expression (r=0.52, p=0.056). CONCLUSION: Fetal RA stores, reflected in the number of cRBP-1+ HSCs, influence lung growth as well as diaphragm development in human fetuses with CDH. Contact with diaphragm influenced liver growth.

Antenatal gastrointestinal anomalies in neonates subsequently found to have alveolar capillary dysplasia.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD) is a rare condition with variable presentation and clinical course. Clinicians should consider this diagnosis in neonates presenting with nonlethal congenital gastrointestinal malformation, a period of well-being after birth then unremitting hypoxemia and refractory pulmonary hypertension. Lung biopsy and FOXF1 gene testing may help in diagnosis.

Neuronal deficiency of ARV1 causes an autosomal recessive epileptic encephalopathy.

We report an individual who presented with severe neurodevelopmental delay and an intractable infantile-onset seizure disorder. Exome sequencing identified a homozygous single nucleotide change that abolishes a splice donor site in the ARV1 gene (c.294 + 1G > A homozygous). This variant completely prevented splicing in minigene assays, and resulted in exon skipping and an in-frame deletion of 40 amino acids in primary human fibroblasts (NP_073623.1: p.(Lys59_Asn98del). The p.(Lys59_Asn98del) and previously reported p.(Gly189Arg) ARV1 variants were evaluated for protein expression and function. The p.(Gly189Arg) variant partially rescued the temperature-dependent growth defect in arv1Δ yeast, while p.(Lys59-Asn98del) completely failed to rescue at restrictive temperature. In contrast to wild type human ARV1, neither variant expressed detectable levels of protein in mammalian cells. Mice with a neuronal deletion of Arv1 recapitulated the human phenotype, exhibiting seizures and a severe survival defect in adulthood. Our data support ARV1 deficiency as a cause of autosomal recessive epileptic encephalopathy.

Mechanism of pancreatic and liver malformations in human fetuses with short-rib polydactyly syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The short-rib polydactyly (SRP) syndromes are rare skeletal dysplasias caused by abnormalities in primary cilia, sometimes associated with visceral malformations. METHODS: The pathogenesis of ductal plate malformation (DPM) varies in different syndromes and has not been investigated in SRP. We have studied liver development in five SRP fetuses and pancreatic development in one SRP fetus, with genetically confirmed mutations in cilia related genes, with and without DPMs, using the immunoperoxidase technique, and compared these to other syndromes with DPM. RESULTS: Acetylated tubulin expression was abnormal in DPM in SRP, Meckel syndrome, and autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD), confirming ciliary anomalies. SDF-1 was abnormally expressed in SRP and two of three cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) but not ARPKD or Meckel. Increased density of quiescent hepatic stellate cells was seen in SRP, Meckel, one of three cases of ARPKD, and two of three cases of ADPKD with aberrant hepatocyte expression of keratin 19 in SRP and ADPKD. Immunophenotypic abnormalities were present even in fetal liver without fully developed DPMs. The SRP case with DPM and pancreatic malformations showed abnormalities in the pancreatic head (influenced by mesenchyme from the septum transversum, similar to liver) but not pancreatic body (influenced by mesenchyme adjacent to the notochord). CONCLUSION: In SRP, there are differentiation defects of hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and liver mesenchyme and, in rare cases, pancreatic mesenchymal anomalies. The morphological changes were subtle in early gestation but immunophenotypic abnormalities were present. Mesenchymal-epithelial interactions may contribute to the malformations. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:549-562, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The development of hepatic stellate cells in normal and abnormal human fetuses - an immunohistochemical study.

The precise embryological origin and development of hepatic stellate cells is not established. Animal studies and observations on human fetuses suggest that they derive from posterior mesodermal cells that migrate via the septum transversum and developing diaphragm to form submesothelial cells beneath the liver capsule, which give rise to mesenchymal cells including hepatic stellate cells. However, it is unclear if these are similar to hepatic stellate cells in adults or if this is the only source of stellate cells. We have studied hepatic stellate cells by immunohistochemistry, in developing human liver from autopsies of fetuses with and without malformations and growth restriction, using cellular Retinol Binding Protein-1 (cRBP-1), Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), and α-Smooth Muscle Actin (αSMA) antibodies, to identify factors that influence their development. We found that hepatic stellate cells expressing cRBP-1 are present from the end of the first trimester of gestation and reduce in density throughout gestation. They appear abnormally formed and variably reduced in number in fetuses with abnormal mesothelial Wilms Tumor 1 (WT1) function, diaphragmatic hernia and in ectopic liver nodules without mesothelium. Stellate cells showed similarities to intravascular cells and their presence in a fetus with diaphragm agenesis suggests they may be derived from circulating stem cells. Our observations suggest circulating stem cells as well as mesothelium can give rise to hepatic stellate cells, and that they require normal mesothelial function for their development.

Case Report: Fetal Bilateral Diaphragmatic Agenesis, Ectopic Liver and Abnormal Pancreas.

Congenital bilateral diaphragm agenesis is a very rare condition. We describe limited (abdomen only) autopsy findings of a case of bilateral diaphragm agenesis in a 27-week male fetus with unusual findings of fibrosis of the pancreatic head and ectopic liver nodules in a mass at the upper abdomen that may represent a possible diaphragm anlage. We have correlated our observations with data from experimental and embryological studies to suggest possible mechanisms for the malformations that were present and their implications for our understanding of pancreas, liver and diaphragm development in the human fetus.

Abnormal WT1 expression in human fetuses with bilateral renal agenesis and cardiac malformations.

BACKGROUND: Bilateral renal agenesis has multiple etiologies. Animal models have provided useful information on possible causes of this condition, but its etiology in humans is less clear. We recently described autopsy findings of two human fetuses with bilateral renal agenesis and abnormal expression of WT1 (Wilms tumor 1) in liver mesothelium. METHODS: We have identified 14 additional fetuses with bilateral renal agenesis from autopsies performed in our institution over the past 10 years and subjected archival liver biopsy specimens from these cases to immunohistochemistry for WT1, as well as α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and desmin to assess liver mesenchymal abnormalities. RESULTS: Six of seven fetuses with combined bilateral renal agenesis and cardiac anomalies showed abnormalities of WT1 expression in liver mesothelial cells, which was not seen in other fetuses with bilateral renal agenesis. Except in one case, the fetuses with renal agenesis and cardiac defects also showed liver mesenchymal anomalies (assessed by increased α-SMA expression), which was not present in other renal agenesis fetuses. CONCLUSIONS: WT1 is widely expressed in mesothelial cells during development, and we hypothesized that some of the defects are caused by abnormal function of mesenchyme derived from mesothelial cells, similar to the mesothelium-derived defects proposed in animal models. The methods we used are available to many laboratories and can be applied to archival paraffin tissue blocks. We suggest that future similar studies could help to expand the understanding of renal agenesis in humans and could help to subclassify this condition. This would be useful in patient management and counseling.

Possible role of WT1 in a human fetus with evolving bronchial atresia, pulmonary malformation and renal agenesis.

The association of peripheral bronchial atresia and congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) has recently been recognised, but the pathology of the lesions evolving together has not been described. We present autopsy findings in a 20 week fetus showing areas of peripheral bronchial destruction and airway malformation consistent with developing CPAM in the right lung supporting a causal relationship between these lesions. This fetus also had congenital heart defect, bilateral renal agenesis and syndactyly. We identified another fetus from our autopsy files, with bilateral renal agenesis, similar right sided pulmonary malformation and cardiac defects. Similar bilateral renal agenesis and defects of the heart and lungs are found in wt1(-/-) mice and we have investigated the expression of WT1 in these fetuses. We hypothesise that the cardiac, liver, renal and possibly lung lesions in these two cases may arise due to mesenchymal defects consequent to WT1 misexpression and discuss evidence for this from the scientific literature. We used immunoperoxidase stains to analyse WT1 expression in autopsy hepatic tissue in both fetuses. We also investigated the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of activated hepatic stellate cells/myofibroblasts, and desmin in hepatic mesenchyme and compare these findings with control fetuses, without congenital malformations. We found reduced WT1 expression in hepatic mesothelium in both fetuses with malformations. There was also increased expression of α-SMA in liver perisinusoidal cells, as seen in the wt1(-/-) mouse model. We therefore propose that abnormality of WT1 signalling may be an underlying factor, as WT1 is expressed in coelomic lining cells from which mesenchyme is derived in many organs.