Case Report: Disseminated Cysticercosis due to Intentional Ingestion of Parasitic Worm Eggs for Weight Loss

A 20-year-old female resident of Beijing intended to consume the eggs of the parasitic worm, Taenia saginata, for weight loss; however, she apparently inadvertently ingested Taenia solium (pork tapeworm) eggs, which resulted in disseminated cysticercosis. Cysticerci developed in the brain, tongue, muscles, liver, peritoneum, and subcutaneous tissues. She was administered oral albendazole and praziquantel. After four 10-day courses of treatment, most of the cysts disappeared and she recovered. After 3 years, the patient remains in good health.

Challenges and Obstacles Faced by Trainee Female Physicians: An Integrative Research on Gender Discrimination, Stress, Depression and Harassment

This study’s purpose is to assess the challenges and obstacles faced by female trainee physicians and suggest solutions that could resolve these issues and improve their performance. The study utilized an observational, analytical, cross-sectional design based on a self-administered open-ended and validated questionnaire which was distributed to 133 recruited female resident trainees of medical units in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The findings of the study revealed that 52% female trainees experienced gender discrimination, mostly (65%) by their superiors, while 40% were regularly harassed. About half (53%) of the interviewees were severely depressed, resulting in their reconsidering their career in medicine. A total of 14% thought of suicide, while four planned to end and five had attempted to end their life. However, only eight (6%) participants officially reported the cases of harassment to the accountable superiors. Half of them felt neglected by the healthcare administration, and one-fourth (24%) were underachieving in their studies and work. The study concluded that work dissatisfaction, limited clinical correspondence, high depression, burnout, stress and drop-out rates—all deriving from common gender discrimination—compose the alarming and complex challenges that female trainee residents in Jeddah of various levels and specialties have to face.

Pregnancy and parental leave among neurosurgeons and neurosurgical trainees

OBJECTIVEDespite recently heightened advocacy efforts relating to pregnancy and family leave policies in multiple surgical specialties, no studies to date have described female neurosurgeons’ experiences with childbearing. The AANS/CNS Section of Women in Neurosurgery created the Women and Pregnancy Task Force to ascertain female neurosurgeons’ experiences with and attitudes toward pregnancy and the role of family leave policies.METHODSA voluntary online 28-question survey examined the pregnancy experiences of female neurosurgeons and perceived barriers to childbearing. The survey was developed and electronically distributed to all members of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons who self-identified as female in February 2016. Responses from female resident physicians, fellows, and current or retired practicing neurosurgeons were analyzed.RESULTSA total of 126 women (20.3%) responded to the survey; 57 participants (49%) already had children, and 39 (33%) planned to do so. Participants overwhelmingly had or planned to have children during the early practice and senior residency years. The most frequent obstacles experienced or anticipated included insufficient time to care for newborns (47% of women with children, 92% of women planning to have children), discrimination by coworkers (31% and 77%, respectively), and inadequate time for completion of board requirements (18% and 51%, respectively). There was substantial variability in family leave policies, and a minority of participants (35%) endorsed the presence of any formal policy at their institution. Respondents described myriad unique challenges associated with pregnancy and family leave.CONCLUSIONSPregnancy and family leave pose significant challenges to the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in neurosurgery. It is thus imperative to promote clear family leave policies for trainees and practitioners, address discrimination surrounding these topics, and encourage forethought and flexibility to tackle obstacles inherent in pregnancy and the early stages of child rearing.

Successful outcome in a perplexing case of Roberts uterus: a rare uterine anomaly! A rare case report with review of literature

Robert uterus is a rare Mullerian development anomaly with very few cases reports available. It presents with triad of morphologic features of - Blind hemi cavity with or without unilateral hematometra, contralateral unicornuate uterine cavity and normal uterine fundus with or without small external indentation. The major difficulty lies in making the diagnosis of Robert’s uterus. All the reported cases of Robert’s uterus have been managed differently according to patient’s complaints. A 25-year-old married female, resident of Agra presented to gynecology OPD of Dr RML Hospital and associated PGIMER in June 2013, with primary infertility and cyclical left sided dysmenorrhoea since menarche. Patient was consulting at her hometown Agra for 2 years and had an USG and MRI pelvis report of Feb. 2013 with her showing unicornuate uterus with rudimentary horn. Infertility investigations were done in our hospital. HSG report was of localized spill on right with left tubal block. Patient was posted for diagnostic hystero-laproscopy which was further followed by laprotomy, after which we could reach to a diagnosis of Robert uterus with non-communicating left cavity and with severe endometriosis. Patient needed a second hysteroscopy for lysis of septum and subsequently conceived with IVF. She delivered a healthy male baby of 2.65 kg by elective LSCS at 37 weeks with associated breech presentation with gestational hypertension with severe IHCP on 20 June 2019. Paediatric surgeons and gynecologists should be aware of this rare atypical obstructive Mullerian malformation and its management to avoid inappropriate management delays in these patients. A timely diagnosis and definite treatment have a great impact on future reproductive and endocrine function.

First Complete Genome Sequences of Dengue Virus Serotype 2 Strains from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu

Isolates of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) were recovered from a female resident of the Solomon Islands in 2016 and another female patient who had traveled from Vanuatu to Australia in 2017. Here, we describe the first complete genome sequences of DENV-2 strains from Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

A resident-nepotistic-tolerant dominance style in wild white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica)?

Dominance relationships imply consistent asymmetries in social relationships. Socioecological models predict that resource distribution determines the mode of competition that animals will face and, ultimately, the nature of their social relationships. Here, we provide the first systematic investigation of dominance style in white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica). Coatis live in cohesive female-resident groups, and have a diet based on clumped (fruits) and dispersed (insects) food items, which are predicted to favour despotic and egalitarian social styles, respectively. Our results revealed moderate linearity and steepness in dominance relationships over time, with variations attributed to stages of reproductive season, rather than presumed variations in food resources. Primary social bonds and coalitions were found to mediate dominance rank. Overall, our results suggest some similarities between coatis and despotic-tolerant primate species, at least under particular ecological circumstances, and we discuss their potential for affording a deeper understanding on the sources of variation in mammal social systems.