[Urinary symptoms and urodynamic findings in argentinian patients with advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP).].

To describe urinary symptoms and urodynamic findings in patients with advanced pelvic organ prolapse. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive and retrospective evaluation with advanced POP referred for urodynamic test before surgical repair between 2015 and 2017 were included. All patients under went a urogynexam, physical examination, uroflow and urodynamics exam.

External validation of the Gleason grade group system in Argentinian patients that underwent surgery for prostate cancer.

Introduction: The aim of this article was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Gleason grade groups (GGG) system on a group of Argentinian patients with prostate cancer (PC) who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP).

Material And Methods: We retrospectively studied 262 patients who underwent RP between 1996 and 2014. To determine the performance and validity of the GGG system, a Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate analysis with Cox proportional method were performed to evaluate biochemical recurrence, distance metastases and specific cancer mortality.

Voiding dynamics in women with urinary incontinence but without voiding symptoms.

Aims: To describe the voiding pattern (VP) of women with urinary incontinence but without voiding symptoms and compare their clinical and urodynamic features between those voiding with and without a measurable detrusor contraction (DET-cont).

Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively built database of female urodynamic studies (UDS). Women with voiding symptoms and having medical history of different factors that could alter the lower urinary tract function were excluded.

Bivalent therapeutic vaccine against HPV16/18 genotypes consisting of a fusion protein between the extra domain A from human fibronectin and HPV16/18 E7 viral antigens.

Background: In vivo targeting of human papillomavirus (HPV) derived antigens to dendritic cells might constitute an efficient immunotherapeutic strategy against cervical cancer. In previous works, we have shown that the extra domain A from murine fibronectin (mEDA) can be used to target antigens to toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expressing dendritic cells and induce strong antigen-specific immune responses. In the present study, we have produced a bivalent therapeutic vaccine candidate consisting of the human EDA (hEDA) fused to E7 proteins from HPV16 and HPV18 (hEDA-HPVE7-16/18) and evaluate its potential as a therapeutic vaccine against cervical cancer.

Voiding symptoms obtained by open versus directed anamnesis as predictors of voiding dysfunction in women.

Objectives: To determine the differences between voiding symptoms obtained by open anamnesis (VS-Open) versus voiding symptoms obtained by directed anamnesis (VSDirected) to predict voiding dysfunction in women.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective study of women with prior anti-incontinence surgery evaluated during 5 years. In a standardized clinical history taking, each patient was asked to answer question number fi ve of the UDI-6 questionnaire ("Do you experience any difficulty emptying your bladder?").

Clinical score predictive of abdominal leak point pressure (ALPP) <60 cm H2O in the urodynamics study of women with stress urinary incontinence.

Objective: The aim of this study was to perform a score predictive of ALPP <60 cm H2O from clinical factors in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Study Design: We performed a descriptive and observational study of women referred for a urodynamic study for stress urinary incontinence. Patients were divided into three groups: ALPP: >90 cm H2O, between 60 and 90 cm H2O and <60 cm H2O.

Evaluation of microvascular invasion as a prognostic factor in the progression of non-metastatic renal cancer.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe the prognostic impact of microvascular invasion (MVI) in patients with non-metastatic renal cell cancer.

Material And Methods: We carried out a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study of patients with non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma who had undergone a radical or partial nephrectomy. Patients were divided according to the presence of MVI.

[Is there a correlation between abdominal leak pressure point, incontinence severity and quality of life in patients with stress urinary incontinence?].

Objectives: To evaluate if there is a correlation between the abdominal leak pressure point (ALPP) of the urodynamic study and several tools to evaluate severity and quality of life associated to stress urine incontinence (SUI).

Methods: Prospective correlation study of women referred to urodynamic study for stress urinary incontinence in Centro Urológico Profesor Bengió between September 2014 and October 2015. Anamnesis, physical examination (where the SUI was demonstrated), ICIQSF urine incontinence questionnaire and incontinence impact questionnaire (IIQ-7) were performed to every patient.

[Comparison of the symptoms of overactive bladder in women with mixed urinary incontinence and idiopathic urge urinary incontinence.].

Introduction: Various authors argued that the voiding urgency component in mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) is different than urge urinary incontinence (UUI). In this last case they suggest that incontinence in MUI could be overdiagnosed in patients with SUI, misunderstanding the leak as UUI.

Objetives: To evaluate clinical and urodynamic characteristics of patients with MUI and pure UUI.

[Impact of tumor diameter on prognosis in patients with renal cancer stage pT3a.].

Objective: To determine the prognostic impact that tumor size has in patients with pathological renal cancer stage pT3a.

Methods: Retrospective, descriptive study evaluating 261 patients diagnosed with renal cancer pathological stage pT1-3aN0M0 between 1995 and 2013. Clinical and pathological characteristics were evaluated in each group.

OAB score: a clinical model that predicts the probability of presenting overactive detrusor in the urodynamic study.

Purpose: To create a predictive model of involuntary detrusor contraction (IDC) to improve the diagnostic accuracy of overactive detrusor (OAD), associating overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms with other clinical parameters in the female population.

Materials And Methods: A total of 727 women were studied retrospectively. In all of them, urodynamic study was conducted for urogynecological causes.

[Is CAPRA-S score a valid tool in our environment to predict biochemical recurrence, metastasis and death after radical prostatectomy?].

Objectives: To perform an external validation of CAPRA-S Score to determine prediction of biochemical recurrence, metastasis and death by PCa after RP in Argentinian population.

Methods: 216 patients were studied. The probability of the score to predict biochemical recurrence after RP was analyzed by the Cox proportional method.

[Predictive score of success adapted to our environment to improve results of extracorporeal lithotripsy].

Objective: To present a predictive tool of success of ESWL adapted to our environment.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, descriptive and analytical study of patients with renal and upper ureteral stones whom underwent ESWL with DUET MAGNA lithotripter between January 2014 and March 2015. We included 114 patients in whom demographics and CT scan characteristics were studied.

T- and B-cell responses to multivalent prime-boost DNA and viral vectored vaccine combinations against hepatitis C virus in non-human primates.

Immune responses against multiple epitopes are required for the prevention of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and the progression to phase I trials of candidates may be guided by comparative immunogenicity studies in non-human primates. Four vectors, DNA, SFV, human serotype 5 adenovirus (HuAd5) and Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) poxvirus, all expressing hepatitis C virus Core, E1, E2 and NS3, were combined in three prime-boost regimen, and their ability to elicit immune responses against HCV antigens in rhesus macaques was explored and compared. All combinations induced specific T-cell immune responses, including high IFN-γ production.

[Evaluation of the empty bladder stress test in supine position as a marker of severity and quality of life in women with stress urinary incontinence].

Objectives: To assess the association between empty bladder stress test and objective and subjective measures of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) severity.

Methods: Prospective, analytic and descriptive study of females with diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence referred for urodynamics study. Every patient underwent medical history (including number of daily pads) and physical examination, ISIQ-SF and short IIQ-7 questionnaires, and full urodynamic study, including the measurment of the abdominal leak pressure point (ALPP).

A fusion protein between streptavidin and the endogenous TLR4 ligand EDA targets biotinylated antigens to dendritic cells and induces T cell responses in vivo.

The development of tools for efficient targeting of antigens to antigen presenting cells is of great importance for vaccine development. We have previously shown that fusion proteins containing antigens fused to the extra domain A from fibronectin (EDA), an endogenous TLR4 ligand, which targets antigens to TLR4-expressing dendritic cells (DC), are highly immunogenic. To facilitate the procedure of joining EDA to any antigen of choice, we have prepared the fusion protein EDAvidin by linking EDA to the N terminus of streptavidin, allowing its conjugation with biotinylated antigens.

The extradomain a of fibronectin enhances the efficacy of lipopolysaccharide defective Salmonella bacterins as vaccines in mice.

The Extradomain A from fibronectin (EDA) has an immunomodulatory role as fusion protein with viral and tumor antigens, but its effect when administered with bacteria has not been assessed. Here, we investigated the adjuvant effect of EDA in mice immunizations against Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Enteritidis (Salmonella Enteritidis). Since lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a major virulence factor and the LPS O-polysaccharide (O-PS) is the immunodominant antigen in serological diagnostic tests, Salmonella mutants lacking O-PS (rough mutants) represent an interesting approach for developing new vaccines and diagnostic tests to differentiate infected and vaccinated animals (DIVA tests).

Combination of a TLR4 ligand and anaphylatoxin C5a for the induction of antigen-specific cytotoxic T cell responses.

The complement system and Toll-like receptors (TLR) are key innate defense systems which might interact synergistically on dendritic cells (DC) to reinforce adaptive immunity. In a previous work, we found that the extra domain A from fibronectin EDA (an endogenous ligand for TLR4) can favour antigen delivery to DC and induce their maturation. Given the potential of anaphylatoxins to cause inflammation and activation of myeloid cells, we hypothesized that a fusion protein between EDA, and anaphylatoxins C3a, C4a or C5a together with an antigen might improve the immunogenicity of the antigen.

The extradomain A of fibronectin (EDA) combined with poly(I:C) enhances the immune response to HIV-1 p24 protein and the protection against recombinant Listeria monocytogenes-Gag infection in the mouse model.

The development of effective vaccines against HIV-1 infection constitutes one of the major challenges in viral immunology. One of the protein candidates in vaccination against this virus is p24, since it is a conserved HIV antigen that has cytotoxic and helper T cell epitopes as well as B cell epitopes that may jointly confer enhanced protection against infection when used in immunization-challenge approaches. In this context, the adjuvant effect of EDA (used as EDAp24 fusion protein) and poly(I:C), as agonists of TLR4 and TLR3, respectively, was assessed in p24 immunizations using a recombinant Listeria monocytogenes HIV-1 Gag proteins (Lm-Gag, where p24 is the major antigen) for challenge in mice.

Eradication of large tumors expressing human papillomavirus E7 protein by therapeutic vaccination with E7 fused to the extra domain a from fibronectin.

Cervical carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. It is well established that chronic infection of the genital tract by various mucosatropic human papillomavirus (HPV) types causes cervical cancer. Cellular immunity to E7 protein from HPV (HPVE7) has been associated with clinical and cytologic resolution of HPV-induced lesions.

Therapeutic effect of a peptide inhibitor of TGF-β on pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary fibrosis encompasses several respiratory diseases characterized by epithelial cell injury, inflammation and fibrosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 is one of the main profibrogenic cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. It induces fibroblast differentiation into myofibroblasts, which produce high levels of collagen and concomitantly loss of lung elasticity and reduction of the respiratory function.

A peptide inhibitor of FOXP3 impairs regulatory T cell activity and improves vaccine efficacy in mice.

Immunosuppressive activity of regulatory T cells (Treg) may contribute to the progression of cancer or infectious diseases by preventing the induction of specific immune responses. Using a phage-displayed random peptide library, we identified a 15-mer synthetic peptide, P60, able to bind to forkhead/winged helix transcription factor 3 (FOXP3), a factor required for development and function of Treg. P60 enters the cells, inhibits FOXP3 nuclear translocation, and reduces its ability to suppress the transcription factors NF-κB and NFAT.

Immunization against hepatitis C virus with a fusion protein containing the extra domain A from fibronectin and the hepatitis C virus NS3 protein.

Background/aims: Vaccination strategies able to induce strong T-cell responses might contribute to eradicate hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We previously demonstrated that fusion of an antigen to the extra domain A from fibronectin (EDA) targets the antigen to TLR4-expressing dendritic cells (DC) and improves its immunogenicity. Here, we studied if fusion of EDA with the non-structural HCV protein NS3 might constitute an effective immunogen against HCV.

Vaccination against hepatitis C virus with dendritic cells transduced with an adenovirus encoding NS3 protein.

Chronic infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) is characterized by the absence of efficient antiviral T-cell responses. Thus, vaccination strategies to induce strong anti-HCV T-cell responses are of paramount importance for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen presenting cells; therefore, immunization with these cells loaded with viral antigens offers a new approach for induction of antiviral immunity.