Experimental tests challenge the evidence of a healthy human blood microbiome.

The advent of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has made it possible to investigate microbial communities in various environments, including different sites within the human body. Therefore, the previously established belief of the sterile nature of several body sites, including human blood, has now been challenged. However, metagenomics investigation of areas with an anticipated low microbial biomass may be susceptible to misinterpretation.

A novel algorithm-based risk classification for vascular damage in men with erectile dysfunction.

Background: Penile dynamic color doppler duplex ultrasound (CDDU) is a relevant tool in assessing men with suspected vasculogenic erectile dysfunction (V-ED).

Aim: To investigate (1) factors potentially associated with V-ED to define risk classes useful in predicting V-ED; (2) the response to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5i); and (3) the onset of incident major cardiovascular (CV) events.

Methods: A cohort of men with ED and without known concomitant CVD was grouped into: patients undergoing CDDU (N.

Gut microbiota in very early systemic sclerosis: the first case-control taxonomic and functional characterisation highlighting an altered butyric acid profile.

Objectives: In systemic sclerosis (SSc), gastrointestinal involvement is one of the earliest events. We compared the gut microbiota (GM), its short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and host-derived free fatty acids (FFAs) in patients with very early diagnosis of SSc (VEDOSS) and definite SSc.

Methods: Stool samples of 26 patients with SSc, 18 patients with VEDOSS and 20 healthy controls (HC) were collected.

The Future Exploring of Gut Microbiome-Immunity Interactions: From In Vivo/Vitro Models to In Silico Innovations.

Investigating the complex interactions between microbiota and immunity is crucial for a fruitful understanding progress of human health and disease. This review assesses animal models, next-generation in vitro models, and in silico approaches that are used to decipher the microbiome-immunity axis, evaluating their strengths and limitations. While animal models provide a comprehensive biological context, they also raise ethical and practical concerns.

The Detrimental Effect of Metabolic Syndrome on Long-term Renal Function in Patients Undergoing Elective Partial Nephrectomy for Small Renal Masses.

Background And Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clinical condition associated with higher rates of overall and cardiovascular mortality. There is scarce evidence regarding the impact of MetS on surgical and functional outcomes for patients undergoing partial nephrectomy (PN) for clinically localized small renal masses (SRMs).

Methods: We analyzed data from a prospectively maintained institutional database for 690 patients with cT1a renal cancer undergoing PN between 2000 and 2023 at a tertiary referral center.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Platform for Automating Social Media Posts From Urology Journal Articles: A Cross-Sectional Study and Randomized Assessment.

Purpose: This cross-sectional study assessed a generative artificial intelligence platform to automate the creation of accurate, appropriate, and compelling social media (SoMe) posts from urological journal articles.

Materials And Methods: One hundred SoMe posts from the top 3 journals in urology X (formerly Twitter) profiles were collected from August 2022 to October 2023. A freeware generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) tool was developed to autogenerate SoMe posts, which included title summarization, key findings, pertinent emojis, hashtags, and digital object identifier links to the article.

Transperineal versus Transrectal MRI/TRUS fusion-guided prostate biopsy in a large, ethnically diverse, and multiracial cohort.

Purpose: To compare transperineal (TP) vs transrectal (TR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) fusion-guided prostate biopsy (PBx) in a large, ethnically diverse and multiracial cohort.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent multiparametric (mp) MRI followed by TP or TR TRUS-fusion guided PBx, were identified from a prospective database (IRB #HS-13-00663). All patients underwent mpMRI followed by 12-14 core systematic PBx.

Pulmonary lesion after surgery for renal cancer: progression or new primary?

Purpose: To investigate clinical and radiological differences between kidney metastases to the lung (RCCM +) and metachronous lung cancer (LC) detected during follow-up in patients surgically treated for Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC).

Methods: cM0 surgically-treated RCC who harbored a pulmonary mass during follow-up were retrospectively scrutinized. Univariate logistic regression assessed predictive features for differentiating between LC and RCCM + .

Centralization of care for rare genetic syndromes associated with cancer: improving outcomes and advancing research on VHL disease.

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a rare genetic syndrome caused by a germline pathogenic variant in one VHL allele. Any somatic event disrupting the other allele induces VHL protein (pVHL) loss of function, ultimately leading to patients developing multiple tumours in multiple organs at multiple timepoints, and reducing life expectancy. Treatment of this complex, rare disease is often fragmented, as patients visit specialist clinicians in isolation at different medical centres.

Long-term functional outcomes in patients undergoing radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma and tumor thrombus.

Background: Up to 15% of patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) harbors tumor thrombus (TT). In those cases, radical nephrectomy (RN) and thrombectomy represents the standard of care. We assessed the impact of TT on long-term functional and oncological outcomes in a large contemporary cohort.

Preoperative risk calculator for the probability of completing nephron sparing for kidney cancer.

Purpose: In absence of predictive models, preoperative estimation of the probability of completing partial (PN) relative to radical nephrectomy (RN) is invariably inaccurate and subjective. We aimed to develop an evidence-based model to assess objectively the probability of PN completion based on patients' characteristics, tumor's complexity, urologist expertise and surgical approach.

Design, Setting And Participants: 675 patients treated with PN or RN for cT cN cM renal mass by seven surgeons at one single experienced centre from 2000 to 2019.

Differential Prognostic Value of Extrarenal Involvement in Patients With Non-Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer.

Introduction: A better definition of the prognostic significance of non-metastatic pT3a stage RCC subcategories is crucial to select the best candidate for adjuvant treatment. The aim of the study is to investigate the differential prognosis of extrarenal involvement in patients with non-metastatic pT3a RCC.

Materialsand Methods: From a single institutional prospective database, 451 consecutive patients treated for pT3aN0/NxM0 RCC were selected and stratified according to pT3a subtypes (perirenal fat invasion, sinus fat invasion, segmental/renal vein thrombus, ≥ 2 features).

Risks and benefits of partial nephrectomy performed with limited or with zero ischaemia time.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that longer warm ischaemia time (WIT) might have a marginal impact on renal functional outcomes and might, in fact, reduce haemorrhagic risk intra-operatively.

Patients And Methods: Data from 1140 patients treated with elective partial nephrectomy (PN) for a cT1-2 cN0 cM0 renal mass were prospectively collected. WIT was defined as the duration of clamping of the main renal artery with no refrigeration and was tested as a continuous variable.

The Learning Curve for Radical Nephrectomy for Kidney Cancer: Implications for Surgical Training.

Unlabelled: Although radical nephrectomy (RN) is the most common treatment for kidney cancer, no data on the learning curve for RN are available. In this study we investigated the effect of surgical experience (EXP) on RN outcomes using data for 1184 patients treated with RN for a cT1-3a cN0 cM0 renal mass. EXP was defined as the total number of RNs performed by each surgeon before the patient's operation.

Clinical and Personal Predictors of Helmet-CPAP Use and Failure in Patients Firstly Admitted to Regular Medical Wards with COVID-19-Related Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (hCPAP-f Study).

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19 is substantially different from ARDS caused by other diseases and its treatment is dissimilar and challenging. As many studies showed conflicting results regarding the use of Non-invasive ventilation in COVID-19-associated ARDS, no unquestionable indications by operational guidelines were reported. The aim of this study was to estimate the use and success rate of Helmet (h) Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) in COVID-19-associated ARDS in medical regular wards patients and describe the predictive risk factors for its use and failure.

Circadian Genes Expression Patterns in Disorders Due to Enzyme Deficiencies in the Heme Biosynthetic Pathway.

Heme is a member of the porphyrins family of cyclic tetrapyrroles and influences various cell processes and signalling pathways. Enzyme deficiencies in the heme biosynthetic pathway provoke rare human inherited metabolic diseases called porphyrias. Protein levels and activity of enzymes involved in the heme biosynthetic pathway and especially 5'-Aminolevulinate Synthase 1 are featured by 24-h rhythmic oscillations driven by the biological clock.

How to optimize the use of adjuvant pembrolizumab in renal cell carcinoma: which patients benefit the most?

Purpose: The KEYNOTE-564 trial showed improved disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with high-risk renal cell carcinoma (RCC) receiving adjuvant pembrolizumab as compared to placebo. However, if systematically administered to all high-risk patients, it might lead to the overtreatment in a non-negligible proportion of patient. Therefore, we aimed to determine the optimal candidate for adjuvant pembrolizumab.

Early reduction of estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) predicts poor outcome in acutely ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients firstly admitted to medical regular wards (eGFR-COV19 study).

Background: Analysis of autopsy tissues obtained from patients who died from COVID-19 showed kidney tropism for SARS-COV-2, with COVID-19-related renal dysfunction representing an overlooked problem even in patients lacking previous history of chronic kidney disease. This study aimed to corroborate in a substantial sample of consecutive acutely ill COVID-19 hospitalized patients the efficacy of estimated GFR (eGFR), assessed at hospital admission, to identify acute renal function derangement and the predictive role of its association with in-hospital death and need for mechanical ventilation and admission to intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed charts of 764 patients firstly admitted to regular medical wards (Division of Internal Medicine) for symptomatic COVID-19 between March 6th and May 30th, 2020 and between October 1st, 2020 and March 15th, 2021.