Progressive bladder remodeling due to bladder outlet obstruction: a systematic review of morphological and molecular evidences in humans.

Background: Bladder outlet obstruction is a common urological condition. We aimed to summarize available evidences about bladder outlet obstruction-induced molecular and morphological alterations occurring in human bladder.

Methods: We performed a literature search up to December 2017 including clinical and preclinical basic research studies on humans.

Biochemical characterization of a novel thermostable β-glucosidase from Dictyoglomus turgidum.

Dtur_0462 gene from the hypertermophilic bacterium Dictyoglomus turgidum, encoding a β-glucosidase, was synthetically produced and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)-RIL. DturβGlu was purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography and its homotetrameric structure was determined by gel filtration. The monomer is composed by 418 amino acidic residues and showed high sequence similarity with Glycoside Hydrolases (GHs) belonging to GH1 family.

Occupational transmission of an Orthopoxvirus infection during an outbreak in a colony of Macaca tonkeana in Lazio Region, Italy, 2015.

Orthopoxviruses spill over from animal reservoirs to accidental hosts, sometimes causing human infections. We describe the surveillance and infection control measures undertaken during an outbreak due to an Orthopoxvirus occurred in January 2015 in a colony of Macaca tonkeana in the province of Rieti, Latio, Italy, which caused a human asymptomatic infection. According to the epidemiological investigation, the human transmission occurred after an unprotected exposure.

Silodosin 8 mg improves benign prostatic obstruction in Caucasian patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic enlargement: results from an explorative clinical study.

Background: To preliminary investigate the effects of silodosin 8 mg once daily on obstruction urodynamic parameters and subjective symptoms in Caucasian patients with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic enlargement.

Methods: We performed a single-center, open-label, single-arm, post-marketing interventional clinical trial. Inclusion criteria were: Caucasian subjects aged ≥50 years waiting to undergo surgery for lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic enlargement, international prostate symptom total score ≥ 13, international prostate symptom-quality of life score ≥ 3, prostate volume ≥ 30 ml, maximum urine flow rate ≤ 15 mL/s, bladder outlet obstruction index > 40.

Inhibition of phosphodiesterases as a strategy to achieve neuroprotection in Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative condition, due to a mutation in the IT15 gene encoding for huntingtin. Currently, disease-modifying therapy is not available for HD, and only symptomatic drugs are administered for the management of symptoms. In the last few years, preclinical and clinical studies have indicated that pharmacological strategies aimed at inhibiting cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDEs) may develop into a novel therapeutic approach in neurodegenerative disorders.

Incidentally discovered pelvic paraganglioma: A case report.

Paragangliomas (PGL) are rare neuroendocrine tumors of the autonomic nervous system originating from paraganglia. Although PGL may arise at any site where physiologic paraganglionic tissue exists, the localization in the small pelvis is extremely rare. PGL may be hormonally active and release surplus catecholamines into the blood or inactive.

A thermophilic enzymatic cocktail for galactomannans degradation.

The full utilization of hemicellulose sugars (pentose and exose) present in lignocellulosic material, is required for an efficient bio-based fuels and chemicals production. Two recombinant thermophilic enzymes, an endo-1,4-β-mannanase from Dictyoglomus turgidum (DturCelB) and an α-galactosidase from Thermus thermophilus (TtGalA), were assayed at 80 °C, to assess their heterosynergystic association on galactomannans degradation, particularly abundant in hemicellulose. The enzymes were tested under various combinations simultaneously and sequentially, in order to estimate the optimal conditions for the release of reducing sugars.

Biochemical characterization of a thermostable endomannanase/endoglucanase from Dictyoglomus turgidum.

Dictyoglomus turgidum is a hyperthermophilic, anaerobic, gram-negative bacterium that shows an array of putative glycoside hydrolases (GHs) encoded by its genome, a feature that makes this microorganism very interesting for biotechnological applications. The aim of this work is the characterization of a hyperthermophilic GH5, Dtur_0671, of D. turgidum, annotated as endoglucanase and herein named DturCelB in agreement to DturCelA, which was previously characterized.

Localization of neuroglobin in the brain of R6/2 mouse model of Huntington's disease.

Neuroglobin (Ngb) is expressed in the central and peripheral nervous system, cerebrospinal fluid, retina, and endocrine tissues where it is involved in binding O and other gasotransmitters. Several studies have highlighted its endogenous neuroprotective function. Huntington's disease (HD), a dominant hereditary disease, is characterized by the gradual loss of neurons in discrete areas of the central nervous system.

Ten-Year Retention Rate of Infliximab in Patients with Behçet's Disease-Related Uveitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the 10-year drug retention rate of infliximab (IFX) in Behçet's disease (BD)-related uveitis, the effect of a concomitant use of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on drug survival and differences according to the lines of biologic treatment.

Methods: Cumulative survival rates were studied using the Kaplan-Meier plot, while the Log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test was used to compare survival curves.

Results: Forty patients (70 eyes) were eligible for analysis.

Role of Phosphodiesterases in Huntington's Disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant rare inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by a wide variety of symptoms encompassing movement, cognition and behaviour. The cause of the disease is a genetic mutation in the huntingtin protein. The mutation leads to an unstable CAG expansion, translated into a polyglutamine domain within the disease protein.

Reasons for switching ART: Comparison of data collected in 2012-2013 and 2014-2015 in Florence, Italy.

Persons living with HIV should remain on antiretroviral therapy (ART) indefinitely; however, a switch in the drug regimen is often necessary. In order to investigate if reasons for switching ART changed over time, we retrospectively analyzed reasons for switching and characteristics of switches among patients at Santa Maria Annunziata Hospital (OSMA), Florence area, Tuscany, Italy, over two periods (November 2012-October 2013 and November 2014-October 2015). The reasons for switching were classified as: simplification; virologic failure; occurrence of co-morbidities; and drug tolerability/toxicity issues.

Impact of Uveitis on Quality of Life: A Prospective Study from a Tertiary Referral Rheumatology-Ophthalmology Collaborative Uveitis Center in Italy.

Background: Non-infectious uveitis (NIU) leads to severe visual impairment, potentially impacting on health-related quality of life (QoL).

Objectives: To investigate the impact of NIU on QoL.

Methods: Eighty NIU patients and 23 healthy controls completed the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF)-36.

Selective Sparing of Striatal Interneurons after Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase 1 Inhibition in the R6/2 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are enzymes that catalyze ADP-ribose units transfer from NAD to their substrate proteins. It has been observed that PARP-1 is able to increase both post-ischemic and excitotoxic neuronal death. In fact, we have previously shown that, INO-1001, a PARP-1 inhibitor, displays a neuroprotective effect in the R6/2 model of Huntington's disease (HD).

Unusual Father-to-Daughter Transmission of Incontinentia Pigmenti Due to Mosaicism in IP Males.

Incontinentia pigmenti (IP; Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man catalog #308300) is an X-linked dominant ectodermal disorder caused by mutations of the inhibitor of κ polypeptide gene enchancer in B cells, kinase γ ()/ nuclear factor κB, essential modulator () gene. Hemizygous loss-of-function (LoF) mutations are lethal in males, thus patients are female, and the disease is always transmitted from an IP-affected mother to her daughter. We present 2 families with father-to-daughter transmission of IP and provide for the first time molecular evidence that the combination of somatic and germ-line mosaicism for loss of function mutations in IP males resulted in the transmission of the disease to a female child.

β adrenergic receptor activation relaxes human corpus cavernosum and penile artery through a hydrogen sulfide/cGMP-dependent mechanism.

Erectile function is a widely accepted indicator of systemic endothelial activity since from a clinical standpoint erectile dysfunction (ED) often precedes cardiovascular events. Recently it has been described a potential role for β adrenoceptor in cardiovascular diseases emphasizing a possible development of new drugs. β adrenoceptor stimulation relaxes human corpus cavernosum (HCC) strips in cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent and endothelium/nitric oxide (NO)-independent manner.

Sexually Transmitted Disease and Male Infertility: A Systematic Review.

Context: Theoretically, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have the potential to disrupt male fertility; however, the topic remains controversial.

Objective: To describe the possible association between STDs and male infertility and to explore possible pathophysiologic mechanisms.

Evidence Acquisition: We performed a systematic literature review in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.

A case of highly aggressive anaplastic seminoma of the testis presenting as fungating scrotal lesion.

Anaplastic seminoma (AS) is an uncommon histological variant of classical seminoma of the testis and account for 5%-15% of cases. It is poorly described in the scientific literature. We present the case of a 50-years-old homeless man presenting with fever, marked left scrotal hardness and a fungating left scrotal lesion.

A rare case of male pelvic squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary origin presenting as perineal abscess and urethral stenosis.

Carcinomas of unknown primary origin (CUP) represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Squamous cell CUP located in the male pelvis are very rare. We describe a case of a locally advanced squamous cell CUP occurring in the male pelvis presenting as perineal abscess and urethral stenosis and diagnosed by means of transperineal needle biopsy.

Systemic Steroid Sparing Effect of Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant in Chronic Noninfectious Uveitic Macular Edema.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness and the systemic corticosteroid sparing effect of a single intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX) implant in patients with chronic noninfectious uveitic macular edema (UME).

Methods: Data from 22 eyes treated with DEX implant for UME related to systemic or ocular-confined noninfectious diseases were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: The mean systemic prednisone (or equivalent) dosage significantly decreased at 3- and 6-month follow-up evaluations compared to baseline (P = 0.

Body mass index and healthcare costs: a systematic literature review of individual participant data studies.

Excess weight is associated with increased total healthcare costs, but it is less well known how the associations between excess weight and costs vary across different types of healthcare service. We reviewed studies using individual participant data to estimate associations between body mass index and healthcare costs, and summarized how annual healthcare costs for overweight (body mass index 25 to <30 kg/m ) and obese (≥30 kg/m ) individuals compared with those for healthy weight individuals (18.5 to <25 kg/m ).

Low-sodium diet induces atherogenesis regardless of lowering blood pressure in hypertensive hyperlipidemic mice.

This study investigated the influence of sodium restriction and antihypertensive drugs on atherogenesis utilizing hypertensive (H) low-density lipoprotein-receptor knockout mice treated or not with losartan (Los) or hydralazine (Hyd) and fed low-sodium (LS) or normal-sodium (NS) chow. Despite reducing the blood pressure (BP) of H-LS mice, the LS diet caused arterial lipid infiltration due to increased plasma total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG). Los and Hyd reduced the BP of H-LS mice, and Los effectively prevented arterial injury, likely by reducing plasma TG and nonesterified fatty acids.

Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Comparative Data on Colposuspensions, Pubovaginal Slings, and Midurethral Tapes in the Surgical Treatment of Female Stress Urinary Incontinence.

Context: Retropubic (RP-TVT) and transobturator miurethral (TO-TVT) midurethral sling (MUS) are popular surgical treatments for female stress urinary incontinence. The long-term efficacy and safety of the procedures is still a topic of intense clinical research and several randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have been published in the last years OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of MUS compared with other surgical treatments for female stress urinary incontinence.

Evidence Acquisition: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was performed using the Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to update our previously published analyses.

The Role of the Hydrogen Sulfide Pathway in Male and Female Urogenital System in Health and Disease.

Significance: The endogenous hydrogen sulfide (HS) pathway produces an array of biological effects that vary depending on the bodily region. In addition, the HS pathway's relevance often changes depending on a healthy or disease state. There is abundant evidence pointing to a key role for this pathway in male and female genito-urinary diseases, suggesting it as a possible target for new therapeutic approaches.