A novel tool to predict lymph node metastasis in patients with prostate cancer based on clinical and Ga-PSMA PET/CT parameters.

Introduction: We sought to develop a model that predicts lymph node invasion (LNI) in patients with intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer incorporating preoperative clinical and Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) parameters.

Methods: A cohort of 413 consecutive patients diagnosed with prostate cancer who underwent Ga- PSMA PET/CT prior to radical prostatectomy from 2015-2020 was used to develop and validate the model. The cohort was split into a learning (70%) and a validation group (30%).

Parental regret following decision for sons to undergo elective post-neonatal circumcision.

Introduction: The reasons for performing a circumcision among males after the neonatal period are usually cultural or medical. We aimed to evaluate parental regret for providing consent and to identify factors associated with such regret.

Methods: Included were the parents of males aged 6 months to 18 years who underwent circumcision under general anesthesia at a single center between 2/2017 and 01/2023.

Transformations in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Surgical Practices: A Longitudinal Study of Trends and Predictions.

Introduction: The workload for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) surgery is expected to rise with an increase in life expectancy and a growing population. Surgical modalities for BPH have evolved, shifting toward minimally invasive transurethral procedures. This study aimed to investigate the trends in BPH surgical procedures across medical centers in Israel.

MRI-based PI-RADS score predicts ISUP upgrading and adverse pathology at radical prostatectomy in men with biopsy ISUP 1 prostate cancer.

Introduction: Most men diagnosed with very-low and low-risk prostate cancer are candidates for active surveillance; however, there is still a misclassification risk. We examined whether PI-RADS category 4 or 5 combined with ISUP 1 on prostate biopsy predicts upgrading and/or adverse pathology at radical prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 127 patients had ISUP 1 cancer on biopsy after multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) and then underwent radical prostatectomy.

Intrauterine insemination timing models-LH can only take you so far.

Research Question: Can an optimal LH threshold algorithm accurately predict timing of ovulation for natural cycle-intrauterine insemination (NC-IUI)?

Design: A retrospective cohort study (2018-2022) including 2467 natural cycles. Ovulation timing for these cycles was determined using a previously developed AI model. Two LH thresholds, low and high, were determined in the LH algorithm.

Megameatus intact prepuce variant reconstruction: Long-term outcomes and comparison to post-circumcision hypospadias repair.

Background: Megameatus intact prepuce (MIP) variant is considered a surgical challenge with associated high complication rates. It is usually diagnosed and corrected only after neonatal circumcision, which is discouraged in non-MIP hypospadias.

Objective: In order to determine whether the features of the MIP variant or the performance of a secondary reconstruction following circumcision comprise the cause of higher complication rates, we now compared the results of post-circumcision MIP hypospadias repair to the results of children who underwent repair of non-MIP hypospadias following neonatal circumcision.

The Age Factor in Postbariatric Body Contouring Surgery Outcome.

Background: Increasing life expectancy will likely lead greater numbers of older patients to seek postbariatric body contouring plastic surgery. The impact of age on body contouring plastic surgery outcome is undetermined.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 317 postbariatric body contouring plastic surgery cases was performed.

Immunomodulation of Murine Chronic DSS-Induced Colitis by Tuftsin-Phosphorylcholine.

Helminths or their products can immunomodulate the host immune system, and this phenomenon may be applied as the basis of new anti-inflammatory treatments. Previously, we have shown the efficacy of tuftsin-phosphorylcholine (TPC), based on a helminth product, in four animal models of autoimmune diseases: arthritis, colitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. We demonstrated that TPC reduced inflammatory process ex vivo in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and in biopsies from giant-cell arteritis.

Helminth-Based Product and the Microbiome of Mice with Lupus.

The hygiene hypothesis claims that the lack of exposure to microorganisms in developed countries correlates with a rise in the incidence of autoimmune diseases. It was also found that helminths are able to modulate the immune response in hosts in order to survive. Consequently, several successful trials using helminths as a treatment for autoimmune patients have been reported.

Helminths-based bi-functional molecule, tuftsin-phosphorylcholine (TPC), ameliorates an established murine arthritis.

A novel small molecule named tuftsin-phosphorylcholine (TPC), which is linked to the biological activity of helminths, was constructed. The current study address the effect of TPC treatment in established collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice and propose TPC bi-functional activity. TPC treatment was initiated when clinical score was 2 to 4.

Tuftsin-phosphorylcholine (TPC) equally effective to methylprednisolone in ameliorating lupus nephritis in a mice model.

The role of helminth treatment in autoimmune diseases is growing constantly. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system autoimmune disease with challenging treatment options. Tuftsin-phosphorylcholine (TPC) is a novel helminth-based compound that modulates the host immune network.

Tuftsin-Phosphorylcholine Maintains Normal Gut Microbiota in Collagen Induced Arthritic Mice.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic autoinflammation of the joints, with a prevalence of about 1% in Western populations. Evidence in recent years has linked RA to changes in the gut microbiota (dysbiosis). Interestingly, helminths have been shown to have therapeutic activity in RA.

Novel therapeutic compound tuftsin-phosphorylcholine attenuates collagen-induced arthritis.

Treatment with helminthes and helminthes ova improved the clinical symptoms of several autoimmune diseases in patients and in animal models. Phosphorylcholine (PC) proved to be the immunomodulatory molecule. We aimed to decipher the tolerogenic potential of tuftsin-PC (TPC), a novel helminth-based compound in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Unraveling the Hygiene Hypothesis of helminthes and autoimmunity: origins, pathophysiology, and clinical applications.

Background: The Hygiene Hypothesis (HH) attributes the dramatic increase in autoimmune and allergic diseases observed in recent decades in Western countries to the reduced exposure to diverse immunoregulatory infectious agents. This theory has since largely been supported by strong epidemiological and experimental evidence.

Discussion: The analysis of these data along with the evolution of the Western world's microbiome enable us to obtain greater insight into microorganisms involved in the HH, as well as their regulatory mechanisms on the immune system.

Successful modulation of murine lupus nephritis with tuftsin-phosphorylcholine.

In areas where helminths infections are common, autoimmune diseases are rare. Treatment with helminths and ova from helminths, improved clinical findings of inflammatory bowel disease, multiple-sclerosis and rheumatoid-arthritis. The immunomodulatory functions of some helminths were attributed to the phosphorylcholine (PC) moiety.

Phosphorylcholine-tuftsin compound prevents development of dextransulfate-sodium-salt induced murine colitis: implications for the treatment of human inflammatory bowel disease.

Improved clinical findings of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) upon treatment with helminthes and their ova were proven in animal models of IBD and in human clinical studies. The immunomodulatory properties of several helminthes were attributed to the phosphorylcholine (PC) molecule. We assessed the therapeutic potential of tuftsin-PC conjugate (TPC) to attenuate murine colitis.

The mechanisms behind helminth's immunomodulation in autoimmunity.

The incidence of autoimmune diseases has risen throughout the last half a century, mostly in the industrialized world. Helminths and their derivatives were found to have a protective role in autoimmunity and inflammatory conditions, as they manipulate the immune network, attenuating the host's cellular and humoral responses. Indeed, various helminth species used in several human and animal models were shown to limit inflammatory activity in a variety of diseases including inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Idiotype-specific intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for therapy of autoimmune diseases.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is used successfully for therapy of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, especially in cases of conventional therapy resistance. Within the broad spectrum of immunomodulatory activities of IVIG in vitro and in vivo, the anti-idiotypic activity, neutralizing the autoimmune disease related idiotypes, is one of the main mechanism. We and others have proven that from the IVIG composition, diverse fractions of autoimmune disease specific IVIG can be affinity purified (sIVIG).