Pregnancy outcomes in in vitro fertilization in 17-alpha-hydroxylase deficiency.

Since the first case of 17-alpha-hydroxylase-deficiency (17-OHD) was described in 1966, a number of cases have been reported with a clinical picture of hypertension, hypokalemia, and hypogonadism. Infertility is a major concern for some of these individuals. This mini-review aims to detail the components of this disorder that affect fertility and focus on the recent acceleration in the success of achieving live births, as well as highlight the unsuccessful attempts. The data supporting successful live births remains limited, but existing evidence suggests that in vitro fertilization can be used in conjunction with hormone replacement therapy and steroid suppression to achieve live birth in patients with infertility from 17-OHD.

A Rare Case Report of Acute Neurologic Sequelae in a Young Primigravida With Recent COVID Pneumonia.

Post-infectious neurological sequelae, particularly in the pediatric population, are a rarely observed and under-explored complication of COVID-19. Few case reports exist detailing severe neurological sequelae following acute infection with COVID-19, such as encephalopathy, stroke, and coma. This case report details the diagnosis and treatment of a 16-year-old primigravida with no past medical history who presented to the emergency department with rhythmic tremors, urinary incontinence, and generalized weakness two weeks following initial COVID-19 diagnosis with admission for pneumonia and sepsis. Vital signs were remarkable for tachycardia and normotension. Shortly following admission, she experienced generalized tonic-clonic seizure activity. Neurologic evaluation was remarkable for electroencephalogram with frontally predominant generalized periodic discharges and magnetic resonance imaging of the head showing bilateral parafalcine restricted diffusion. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis and magnetic resonance imaging of the spine were unremarkable. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome and an anterior cerebral artery stroke. Throughout the patient's recovery, she demonstrated incoherent, delirious, and disinhibited behavior that resolved within several days. She was ultimately discharged to a skilled rehabilitation facility with follow-up in a neurology clinic.

Too Close for Comfort? Attitudes of Gynecologic Oncologists Toward Caring for Dying Patients.

PURPOSE: To assess gynecologic oncologists' attitudes relating to palliative care referrals among advanced cancer patients. METHODS: Gynecologic oncologists were surveyed using validated measures to assess stigmatizing attitudes toward palliative care, anticipated stigma of palliative care, acceptance of palliative care, and willingness to refer to palliative care. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Analysis was performed using linear regression. RESULTS: 1200 physicians received the survey and 108 (9%) completed it. Most were female (69.4%) and white (82.4%). Most practiced in academics (64.8%) in urban environments (71.3%). Respondents did not have anticipated stigma surrounding palliative care referral (mean score 1.89, range 1-7, higher score indicating more stigma), were accepting of palliative care (mean score 1.45, range 1-7, higher score indicating less acceptance), and were willing to refer patients to palliative care (mean score 5.75, range 1-7, higher score indicating more willingness to refer). Linear regression demonstrated females had less anticipated stigma surrounding palliative care (B = -.213, P = .04) and higher acceptance of palliative care (B = -.244, P = .01). Most surveyed derived satisfaction from work with advanced cancer patients (83%). Nineteen percent were depressed by managing advanced cancer patients. One fourth felt emotionally burned out by dealing with too many deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Most gynecologic oncologists did not exhibit stigma surrounding palliative care and derive satisfaction from their work. Some gynecologic oncologists experience depression and burnout related to their profession. This close connection with patients as they transition to the end of life may take a toll on providers.

Biomimetic cellular vectors for enhancing drug delivery to the lungs.

Despite recent advances in drug delivery, the targeted treatment of unhealthy cells or tissues continues to remain a priority. In cancer (much like other pathologies), delivery vectors are designed to exploit physical and biological features of unhealthy tissues that are not always homogenous across the disease. In some cases, shifting the target from unhealthy tissues to the whole organ can represent an advantage. Specifically, the natural organ-specific retention of nanotherapeutics following intravenous administration as seen in the lung, liver, and spleen can be strategically exploited to enhance drug delivery. Herein, we outline the development of a cell-based delivery system using macrophages as a delivery vehicle. When loaded with a chemotherapeutic payload (i.e., doxorubicin), these cellular vectors (CELVEC) were shown to provide continued release within the lung. This study provides proof-of-concept evidence of an alternative class of biomimetic delivery vectors that capitalize on cell size to provide therapeutic advantages for pulmonary treatments.

Antibody-mediated inhibition of Nogo-A signaling promotes neurite growth in PC-12 cells.

The use of a monoclonal antibody to block the neurite outgrowth inhibitor Nogo-A has been of great interest for promoting axonal recovery as a treatment for spinal cord injury. While several cellular and non-cellular assays have been developed to quantify the bioactive effects of Nogo-A signaling, demand still exists for the development of a reliable approach to characterize the effectiveness of the anti-Nogo-A antibody. In this study, we developed and validated a novel cell-based approach to facilitate the biological quantification of a Nogo-A antibody using PC-12 cells as an in vitro neuronal cell model. Changes in the mRNA levels of the neuronal differentiation markers, growth-associated protein 43 and neurofilament light-polypeptide, suggest that activation of the Nogo-A pathway suppresses axonal growth and dendrite formation in the tested cell line. We found that application of anti-Nogo-A monoclonal antibody can significantly enhance the neuronal maturity of PC-12 cells by blocking the Nogo-A inhibitory effects, providing enhanced effects on neural maturity at the molecular level. No adverse effects were observed on cell viability.