Spatulas for operative vaginal birth: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Operative vaginal birth represents an alternative to address problems during the second stage of labor. Obstetricians have access to three different instruments: forceps, vacuum, and spatulas. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the use of spatulas for operative vaginal birth. SEARCH STRATEGY: MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, LILACS, SciELO, ClinicalTrials.gov, and OpenGrey. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized controlled studies and non-randomized controlled studies (NRS) were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Studies were independently assessed for inclusion, data extraction, and risk of bias. MAIN RESULTS: Nine NRS (n = 16  497 women) compared the use of spatulas versus forceps. Low-certainty evidence suggests that spatulas were not different in terms of failed operative vaginal delivery rate (odds ratio [OR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.53-1.52), but may decrease the incidence of birth canal trauma (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.91), birth canal laceration (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.28-0.91), and neonatal soft-tissue injury (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.13-0.29). Six NRS (n = 2992 women) compared the use of spatulas versus vacuum. Low-quality evidence suggests that spatulas may decrease failed operative vaginal delivery rate (OR 0.10, 95% CI 0.04-0.26). There were no apparent differences in other maternal and neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSION: Low-certainty evidence suggests that spatulas could be a safe and effective alternative for operative vaginal birth.

Congenital syphilis with hydrops fetalis: report of four cases in a general referral hospital in Bogota, Colombia between 2016- 2020 / Sífilis congénita con hídrops fetal: reporte de cuatro casos en un hospital general de referencia en Bogotá, Colombia entre 2016- 2020

Objective: To report four cases of hydrops fetalis secondary to congenital syphilis and carry out a review of the literature to answer the question, What is the antibiotic regimen used in cases of gestational syphilis with hydrops fetalis as a complication? Materials and Methods: Four cases of congenital syphilis with hydrops fetalis are presented. Maternal age ranged between 17 and 28 years, gestational age at the time of diagnosis varied between 25 and 30 weeks, and two of the mothers had not initiated prenatal care at that time. Treatment with crystalline penicillin for gestational syphilis was given immediately 6 to 12 weeks before delivery in three cases and partners were prescribed treatment with benzathine penicillin. As for the neonates, two had no active infection or sequelae and one of them was considered to have congenital syphilis based on non-treponemal test titers. In one case, the patient was unable to receive syphilis treatment before delivery and her newborn had signs of active infection. A review of the literature was conducted in the Medline, LILACS and Google Scholar databases using the search terms "hydrops fetalis," "Lues", "syphilis ­ prenatal diagnosis - ultrasound - penicillin ­ treatment". The search included case reports and case series or cohorts of newborns with gestational syphilis and hydrops fetalis. Information regarding treatment in the mothers and in the newborns was extracted. Results: Overall, 119 articles were identified. Of these, 13 met the inclusion criteria, three were discarded because the full text could not be accessed. Ten studies with a total of 16 reported cases of hydrops fetalis secondary to congenital infection were reported. Of these, three presented with severe fetal anemia and required intrauterine transfusion; 5 cases received intrauterine penicillin treatment. In four cases the mother received weekly intramuscular injections of benzathine penicillin for 3 weeks, one received additional intravenous crystalline penicillin for 13 days, while another one received intravenous crystalline penicillin for 14 days. Treatment during gestation was not given in a total of 11 cases; and 6 of the 16 cases (37.5%) resulted in perinatal death. Conclusion: Delays in prenatal care and late diagnosis and treatment of gestational syphilis are important causes of persistent congenital syphilis. Randomized studies are required to identify the best treatment in fetuses with congenital syphilis 30 days before delivery and in fetuses with systemic compromise during the second half of gestation.

Objetivo: realizar un reporte de 4 casos de hídrops fetal secundario a sífilis congénita y hacer una revisión de la literatura para responder la siguiente pregunta: ¿cuál es el esquema antibiótico utilizado en los casos de sífilis gestacional complicada con hídrops fetal? Materiales y métodos: se presentan 4 casos de sífilis congénita con hídrops fetal. La edad materna varió entre 17 y 28 años, la edad gestacional al momento del diagnóstico estuvo entre 25 y 30 semanas, dos de ellas no habían iniciado control prenatal en ese momento. En tres casos se dio tratamiento para sífilis gestacional inmediatamente con penicilina cristalina entre 6 y 12 semanas antes del parto y se formuló tratamiento a la pareja con penicilina benzatínica. Respecto a los recién nacidos, dos de ellos no tenían infección activa o secuelas, se consideró que uno de ellos tenía sífilis congénita por títulos de prueba no treponémica. En uno de los casos, la paciente no alcanza a recibir tratamiento para la sífilis gestacional antes del parto, este recién nacido tenía signos de infección activa. Se hizo una revisión de la literatura en las bases de datos Medline, LILACS y google scholar; los términos de búsqueda fueron los siguientes: "hídrops fetal", "lues", "syphilis ­ prenatal diagnosis- ultrasound - penicilina ­ treatment". Se buscaron reportes y series de casos o cohortes de recién nacidos con sífilis gestacional con hídrops fetalis. Se extrajo información sobre la madre y el recién nacido respecto al tratamiento. Resultados: se identificaron 119 artículos, de estos 13 cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión, tres fueron descartados por no tener acceso al texto completo. Se incluyeron diez estudios de un total de 16 casos reportados con diagnóstico prenatal de hídrops fetal secundarios a infección congénita. De ellos, tres presentaron anemia fetal severa y requirieron transfusión intrauterina; 5 casos recibieron tratamiento intrauterino con penicilina. En cuatro casos la madre recibió penicilina benzatínica intramuscular por 3 semanas, uno recibió además penicilina cristalina endovenosa por 13 días, otro recibió penicilina cristalina endovenosa por 14 días. Un total de 11 casos no recibieron tratamiento durante la gestación; 6 de los 16 casos (37,5%) presentaron muerte perinatal. Conclusión: el retraso en acudir al control prenatal y la tardanza del diagnóstico y tratamiento de la sífilis gestacional son causas importantes de la persistencia de la sífilis congénita. Se requieren estudios aleatorizados para determinar el mejor tratamiento del feto con sífilis congénita en los 30 días previos al parto y del feto con compromiso sistémico durante la segunda mitad de la gestación.

Sífilis congénita con hídrops fetal: reporte de cuatro casos en un hospital general de referencia en Bogotá, Colombia entre 2016- 2020 / Congenital syphilis with hydrops fetalis: report of four cases in a general referral hospital in Bogota, Colombia between 2016- 2020

RESUMEN Objetivo: Realizar un reporte de 4 casos de hídrops fetal secundario a sífilis congénita y hacer una revisión de la literatura para responder la siguiente pregunta: ¿cuál es el esquema antibiótico utilizado en los casos de sífilis gestacional complicada con hídrops fetal? Materiales y métodos: Se presentan 4 casos de sífilis congénita con hídrops fetal. La edad materna varió entre 17 y 28 años, la edad gestacional al momento del diagnóstico estuvo entre 25 y 30 semanas, dos de ellas no habían iniciado control prenatal en ese momento. En tres casos se dio tratamiento para sífilis gestacional inmediatamente con penicilina cristalina entre 6 y 12 semanas antes del parto y se formuló tratamiento a la pareja con penicilina benzatínica. Respecto a los recién nacidos, dos de ellos no tenían infección activa o secuelas, se consideró que uno de ellos tenía sífilis congénita por títulos de prueba no treponémica. En uno de los casos, la paciente no alcanza a recibir tratamiento para la sífilis gestacional antes del parto, este recién nacido tenía signos de infección activa. Se hizo una revisión de la literatura en las bases de datos Medline, LILACS y google scholar; los términos de búsqueda fueron los siguientes: "hídrops fetal", "lues", "syphilis - prenatal diagnosis- ultrasound - penicilina - treatment". Se buscaron reportes y series de casos o cohortes de recién nacidos con sífilis gestacional con hídrops fetalis. Se extrajo información sobre la madre y el recién nacido respecto al tratamiento. Resultados: Se identificaron 119 artículos, de estos 13 cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión, tres fueron descartados por no tener acceso al texto completo. Se incluyeron diez estudios de un total de 16 casos reportados con diagnóstico prenatal de hídrops fetal secundarios a infección congénita. De ellos, tres presentaron anemia fetal severa y requirieron transfusión intrauterina; 5 casos recibieron tratamiento intrauterino con penicilina. En cuatro casos la madre recibió penicilina benzatínica intramuscular por 3 semanas, uno recibió además penicilina cristalina endovenosa por 13 días, otro recibió penicilina cristalina endovenosa por 14 días. Un total de 11 casos no recibieron tratamiento durante la gestación; 6 de los 16 casos (37,5%) presentaron muerte perinatal. Conclusión: El retraso en acudir al control prenatal y la tardanza del diagnóstico y tratamiento de la sífilis gestacional son causas importantes de la persistencia de la sífilis congénita. Se requieren estudios aleatorizados para determinar el mejor tratamiento del feto con sífilis congénita en los 30 días previos al parto y del feto con compromiso sistémico durante la segunda mitad de la gestación.

ABSTRACT Objective: To report four cases of hydrops fetalis secondary to congenital syphilis and carry out a review of the literature to answer the question, What is the antibiotic regimen used in cases of gestational syphilis with hydrops fetalis as a complication? Materials and Methods: Four cases of congenital syphilis with hydrops fetalis are presented. Maternal age ranged between 17 and 28 years, gestational age at the time of diagnosis varied between 25 and 30 weeks, and two of the mothers had not initiated prenatal care at that time. Treatment with crystalline penicillin for gestational syphilis was given immediately 6 to 12 weeks before delivery in three cases and partners were prescribed treatment with benzathine penicillin. As for the neonates, two had no active infection or sequelae and one of them was considered to have congenital syphilis based on non-treponemal test titers. In one case, the patient was unable to receive syphilis treatment before delivery and her newborn had signs of active infection. A review of the literature was conducted in the Medline, LILACS and Google Scholar databases using the search terms "hydrops fetalis," "Lues", "syphilis - prenatal diagnosis - ultrasound - penicillin - treatment". The search included case reports and case series or cohorts of newborns with gestational syphilis and hydrops fetalis. Information regarding treatment in the mothers and in the newborns was extracted. Results: Overall, 119 articles were identified. Of these, 13 met the inclusion criteria, three were discarded because the full text could not be accessed. Ten studies with a total of 16 reported cases of hydrops fetalis secondary to congenital infection were reported. Of these, three presented with severe fetal anemia and required intrauterine transfusion; 5 cases received intrauterine penicillin treatment. In four cases the mother received weekly intramuscular injections of benzathine penicillin for 3 weeks, one received additional intravenous crystalline penicillin for 13 days, while another one received intravenous crystalline penicillin for 14 days. Treatment during gestation was not given in a total of 11 cases; and 6 of the 16 cases (37.5%) resulted in perinatal death. Conclusion: Delays in prenatal care and late diagnosis and treatment of gestational syphilis are important causes of persistent congenital syphilis. Randomized studies are required to identify the best treatment in fetuses with congenital syphilis 30 days before delivery and in fetuses with systemic compromise during the second half of gestation.

Pelvic abscess mistaken for malignant ovarian tumor in a postmenopausal woman. case report

ABSTRACT Introduction: Tubo-ovarian abscesses are rare in postmenopausal women. They have been associated with benign gynecological conditions such as endometriosis, uterine polyp or leiomyoma, and malignant diseases such as endometrial adenocarcinoma, epithelial and non-epithelial malignant ovarian tumors, squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, and adenocarcinoma of the colon. Their presentation represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for clinicians. Case report: A 72-year-old female patient was admitted with a 3-day history of abdominal pain and distension, fever, irritative urinary symptoms and urinary retention. Lab tests on admission showed elevated white blood cells and neutrophils count, and CA-1 25 at 222 U/mL. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a solid retrouterine cystic mass of 15 cm. Suspecting tumor versus tubo-ovarian abscess, a tomography-directed biopsy was performed, finding foul-smelling purulent material. An exploratory laparotomy was performed with intraoperative findings of solid-cystic retrouterine pelvic mass with purulent content, adhesions, and inflammatory involvement of the uterine tubes. Pathology reported ovarian fibroma and tubo-ovarian abscess. The patient evolved satisfactorily in the postoperative period and in the subsequent follow-up appointments. Conclusions: The reported case illustrates how a possibility of ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis can actually be a benign condition (tubo-ovarian abscess) that responds well to medical-surgical treatment. Diagnostic imaging and tumor markers are helpful in differentiating a malignant ovarian disease from a benign process.

RESUMEN Introducción. Los abscesos tubo-ováricos son poco frecuentes en la posmenopausia y se asocian con patologías ginecológicas benignas como endometriosis, pólipo endometrial o leiomioma uterino, y con patologías malignas como adenocarcinoma de endometrio, tumores malignos epiteliales y no epiteliales de ovario, carcinoma escamocelular de cérvix y adenocarcinoma de colon. Su presentación representa un reto diagnóstico y terapéutico para el médico. Presentación del caso. Paciente femenina de 72 años, quien consultó por cuadro clínico de tres días de evolución consistente en dolor y distensión abdominal asociados a fiebre y síntomas urinarios irritativos y retención urinaria. Los exámenes de ingreso mostraron leucocitosis con neutrofilia y CA-125 en 222 U/mL El ultrasonido y la resonancia magnética evidenciaron una masa retrouterina solido-quística de 15 cm. Ante sospecha de tumor versus absceso tubo-ovárico, se realizó biopsia dirigida por tomografía mediante la cual se encontró material purulento fétido. Se practicó laparotomía que confirmó masa pélvica retrouterina sólido-quística con contenido purulento, adherencias y compromiso inflamatorio de las trompas uterinas. El resultado de patología informó fibroma ovárico y absceso tubo-ovárico. La paciente evolucionó de satisfactoriamente en el posoperatorio y en los controles posteriores. Conclusiones. El caso reportado ilustra cómo, en ocasiones, un posible diagnóstico de car-cinomatosis por cáncer de ovario puede ser realmente una patología benigna (absceso tubo-ovárico) que responde bien a un tratamiento médico-quirúrgico. Las imágenes diagnósticas y los marcadores tumorales son de gran ayuda para diferenciar una patología ovárica maligna de un proceso benigno.

High Parental Vaccine Motivation at a Neighborhood-Based Vaccine and Testing Site Serving a Predominantly Latinx Community.

Purpose: To understand vaccine attitudes of Latinx parents highly impacted by COVID-19. Methods: In April 2021, we surveyed parents about their attitudes for COVID-19 vaccination of their children at a community-based outdoor testing/vaccination site serving predominantly low-income Latinx persons in San Francisco. Results: Among 1033 parents (75% Latinx), 92% would "definitely" or "probably" vaccinate their children. Vaccine concerns were higher for younger children and included side effects and impacts on fertility. Doctors and community organizations were noted as trusted sources of information, including among vaccine-concerned parents. Conclusion: Latinx parents accessing neighborhood-based COVID-19 testing/vaccination services are highly motivated to vaccinate their children for COVID-19.

CpG-creating mutations are costly in many human viruses.

Mutations can occur throughout the virus genome and may be beneficial, neutral or deleterious. We are interested in mutations that yield a C next to a G, producing CpG sites. CpG sites are rare in eukaryotic and viral genomes. For the eukaryotes, it is thought that CpG sites are rare because they are prone to mutation when methylated. In viruses, we know less about why CpG sites are rare. A previous study in HIV suggested that CpG-creating transition mutations are more costly than similar non-CpG-creating mutations. To determine if this is the case in other viruses, we analyzed the allele frequencies of CpG-creating and non-CpG-creating mutations across various strains, subtypes, and genes of viruses using existing data obtained from Genbank, HIV Databases, and Virus Pathogen Resource. Our results suggest that CpG sites are indeed costly for most viruses. By understanding the cost of CpG sites, we can obtain further insights into the evolution and adaptation of viruses.

Illuminating Women's Hidden Contribution to Historical Theoretical Population Genetics.

While productivity in academia is measured through authorship, not all scientific contributors have been recognized as authors. We consider nonauthor "acknowledged programmers" (APs), who developed, ran, and sometimes analyzed the results of computer programs. We identified APs in Theoretical Population Biology articles published between 1970 and 1990, finding that APs were disproportionately women (P = 4.0 × 10-10). We note recurrent APs who contributed to several highly-cited manuscripts. The occurrence of APs decreased over time, corresponding to the masculinization of computer programming and the shift of programming responsibilities to individuals credited as authors. We conclude that, while previously overlooked, historically, women have made substantial contributions to computational biology. For a video of this abstract, see: https://vimeo.com/313424402.

Guía de práctica clínica sobre diagnóstico y tratamiento de infección de vías urinarias no complicada en mujeres adquirida en la comunidad / Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of community-acquired uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women

Mediante un proceso de adaptación de guías de práctica clínica se seleccionaron y evaluaron guías de infección de vías urinarias en mujeres premenopáusicas no embarazadas; se identificaron 3 de alta calidad. Con base en las evidencias y las recomendaciones aportadas por estas guías, se realizó un consenso para realizar recomendaciones para personal de salud -médicos, personal de laboratorio y enfermeros- sobre el diagnóstico de las infecciones urinarias -cistitis y pielonefritis-, sus tratamientos y prevención de la recurrencia.

Using a process of adaptation, guidelines for the diagnosis, treament and prevention of urinary tract infection in premenopausal non-pregnant women were chosen and assessed. Three high quality guidelines were identified. Based on the evidence that supported these guidelines and their recommendations, a consensus was made to do recommendations for healthcare workers (physicians, laboratory personnel and nurses) on the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (cystitis and pyelonephritis), their treatment and the prevention of recurrence.