State of the Art: The Microbiome in Bladder Cancer.

This review assesses the current understanding of the relationship between the human microbiome and BCa. Recognizing how the microbiome affects the tumor microenvironment provides valuable insights into cancer biology, potentially uncovering interactions that could be leveraged to develop innovative therapeutic approaches. By clarifying these intricate microbial-tumor dynamics, novel targets for microbiome-based interventions can be identified, ultimately improving treatment effectiveness and patient outcomes.

Differential effects of macrophage subtype-specific cytokines on fibroblast proliferation and endothelial cell function in co-culture system.

Macrophages are involved in several critical activities associated with tissue repair and regeneration. Current approaches in regenerative medicine are focusing on leveraging the innate immune response to accelerate tissue regeneration and improve long-term healing outcomes. Of particular interest in this regard are the currently known, four main M2 macrophage subtypes: M2, M2, M2, M2 (M2 → M2).

Current Trends and Challenges of Microbiome Research in Bladder Cancer.

Purpose Of The Review: Microbiome research has provided valuable insights into the associations between microbial communities and bladder cancer. However, this field faces significant challenges that hinder the interpretation, generalization, and translation of findings into clinical practice. This review aims to elucidate these challenges and highlight the importance of addressing them for the advancement of microbiome research in bladder cancer.

Dexamethasone eluting polydopaminated polycaprolactone-poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid for treatment of tracheal stenosis.

Tracheal stenosis is commonly caused by injury, resulting in inflammation and fibrosis. Inhibiting inflammation and promoting epithelization can reduce recurrence after initial successful treatment of tracheal stenosis. Steroids play an important role in tracheal stenosis management.

Genomic Risk Factors for Urethral Stricture: A Systematic Review and Gene Network Analysis.

Objective: To identify genes that may play a role in urethral stricture and summarize the results of studies that have documented variations in gene expression among individuals with urethral stricture compared to healthy individuals.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Cochrane, Ovid, Web of Science, and PubMed, limiting the results to articles published between January 1, 2000 and January 30, 2023. Only studies comparing the difference in gene expression between individuals with urethral stricture and healthy individuals utilizing molecular techniques to measure gene expression in blood, urine, or tissue samples were included in this systematic review.

Recurrent urinary tract infection genetic risk: a systematic review and gene network analysis.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The development of recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) is not completely understood. This review is aimed at investigating the connection between genetics and rUTIs and summarizing the results of studies that have documented variations in gene expression among individuals with rUTIs compared with healthy individuals.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Cochrane, Ovid, and PubMed, limiting the results to articles published between 1 January 2000, and 5 July 2022.

Female sexual function evaluation and intraoperative vaginal reconstruction in bladder cancer.

RC significantly negatively impacts sexual function (SF) in both men and women. While significant research resources have been allocated to examine the deleterious effects of post prostatectomy erectile dysfunction, little attention has been directed towards female sexual function and organ preservation post cystectomy. These academic shortcomings often result in poor provider awareness and inadequate preoperative assessment.

Targeting bladder cancer: A sex sensitive perspective in mutations and outcomes.

The incidence of bladder cancer (BC) is more common in males, however, the clinical outcome for females tends to be more unfavorable, as demonstrated by a 21% increase in mortality compared to males within two years of diagnosis. While it was previously believed that the differences in outcome were solely the result of differences in sex chromosomes and hormones, it is now acknowledged that a more intricate interplay of factors is at play. By acquiring a more comprehensive understanding of these sex-specific effects, future efforts in precision medicine can be customized to an individual's biological sex.

Twitter Footprint and the Match in the COVID-19 Era: Understanding the Relationship between Applicant Online Activity and Residency Match Success.

Introduction: The dramatic reduction of clinical and research activities within medical and surgical departments during COVID-19, coupled with the inability of medical students to engage in research, away rotations and academic meetings, have all posed important implications on residency match.

Methods: Using Twitter application programming interface available data, 83,000 program-specific and 28,500 candidate-specific tweets were extracted for the analysis. Applicants to urology residency were identified as matched vs unmatched based on 3-level identification and verification.

Global Meta-analysis of Urine Microbiome: Colonization of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-degrading Bacteria Among Bladder Cancer Patients.

Background: The application of next-generation sequencing techniques has enabled characterization of urinary tract microbiome. Although many studies have demonstrated associations between the human microbiome and bladder cancer (BC), these have not always reported consistent results, thereby necessitating cross-study comparisons. Thus, the fundamental questions remain how we can utilize this knowledge.

Surgical Outcomes at a Single Institution of Infrapubic Insertion of Malleable Penile Prosthesis in Transmen.

Objective: To describe our technique for the infrapubic approach for malleable penile prosthesis (MPP) insertion after phalloplasty in transgender men and review surgical outcomes.

Methods: The infrapubic prosthesis insertion technique involves a horizontal incision anterior to the pubic symphysis, allowing dissection of the neophallus tract and anchor site on the pubic symphysis. Surgical outcomes by a single surgeon using a Spectra or Genesis MPP between October 2017 and May 2022 were retrospectively reviewed.

Characterization of Changes in Penile Microbiome Following Pediatric Circumcision.

Background: While microbiome and host regulation contribute independently to many disease states, it is unclear how circumcision in pediatric population influences subsequent changes in penile microbiome.

Objective: Our study aims to analyze jointly paired taxonomic profiles and assess pathways implicated in inflammation, barrier protection, and energy metabolism.

Design, Setting, And Participants: We analyzed 11 paired samples, periurethral collection, before and after circumcision, to generate microbiome and mycobiome profiling.

Human Gut Mycobiome and Fungal Community Interaction: The Unknown Musketeer in the Chemotherapy Response Status in Bladder Cancer.

Background: Until recently, the properties of microbiome and mycobiome in humans and its relevance to disease have largely been unexplored. While the interest of microbiome and malignancy over the past few years have burgeoned with advent of new technologies, no research describing the composition of mycobiome in bladder cancer has been done. Deciphering of the metagenome and its aggregate genetic information can be used to understand the functional properties and relationships between the bacteria, fungi, and cancer.

Role of cytoreductive surgery in the era of immunotherapy.

Purpose Of Review: The benefit of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) was first called into question in the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) era. It remains undefined in the context of the recent development and approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and level one evidence supporting the rapid adoption of dual ICI and combination ICI + TKI therapeutic approaches for mRCC. Our objective is to synthesize the available contemporary data regarding the safety, feasibility, and oncologic outcomes with CN for mRCC in the age of immunotherapy as well as to highlight trials in progress that will address this key knowledge gap.

A systematic review of underlying genetic factors associated with ureteropelvic junction obstruction in stenotic human tissue.

Objective: Genetic factors are implicated in the development of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). The aims of this study were: 1) condense and examine the existing data in studies containing information regarding differential gene expression in tissues from patients with UPJO and 2) investigate associations between genetic markers and their related pathways.

Materials And Methods: A systematic review of studies published between January 2000 and September 2021 was conducted using the following databases: Ovid/Medline, PubMed, Wiley Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Scopus.

A preliminary evaluation of in vivo response to a filament-wound macroporous collagen midurethral sling in an ovine model.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) impacts ~1/3 of women over age 50. Negative publicity around PP meshes used in pelvic prolapse repair drives the need for identifying alternative biomaterials for SUI repair. Our study evaluated in vivo response to collagen sling implanted in an ovine model.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell Delivery via Topographically Tenoinductive Collagen Biotextile Enhances Regeneration of Segmental Tendon Defects.

Background: Successful management of massive rotator cuff (RC) tendon tears represents a treatment challenge because of the limited intrinsic healing capacity of native tendons and the risk of repair failure. Biologic augmentation of massive RC tears utilizing scaffolds-capable of regenerating bulk tendon tissue to achieve a mechanically functional repair-represents an area of increasing clinical interest.

Purpose: To investigate the histological and biomechanical outcomes after the use of a novel biologic scaffold fabricated from woven electrochemically aligned collagen (ELAC) threads as a suture-holding, fully load-bearing, defect-bridging scaffold with or without mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) compared with direct repair in the treatment of critically sized RC defects using a rabbit model.

Comparison of Morphological and Histological Characteristics of Human and Sheep: Sheep as a Potential Model for Testing Midurethral Slings in vivo.

Introduction: The sheep was evaluated as a potential model for preclinical evaluation of urethral slings in vivo based on: (1) anatomical measurements of the sheep vagina and (2) histological tissue integration and host response to polypropylene (PP) slings.

Methods: Eight female, multiparous sheep were utilized. Three of 8 animals underwent surgery mimicking human tension-free vaginal tape protocols for midurethral slings and were euthanized at 6 months.

Delivery of M0, M1, and M2 Macrophage Subtypes via Genipin-Cross-Linked Collagen Biotextile.

Developing strategies to regulate the immune response poses significant challenges with respect to the clinical translation of tissue-engineered scaffolds. Prominent advancements have been made relating to macrophage-based therapies and biomaterials. Macrophages exhibit the potential to influence healing trajectory, and predominance of particular subtypes during early onset of healing influences repair outcomes.

Gene network profiling in muscle-invasive bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Determining meta-analysis of transcriptional profiling of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) through Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets has not been investigated. This study aims to define gene expression profiles in MIBC and to identify potential candidate genes and pathways.

Objectives: To review and evaluate gene expression studies in MIBC through publicly available RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and microarray data in order to identify potential prognostic and therapeutic targets for MIBC.

Female Sexual Function Following Radical Cystectomy in Bladder Cancer.

Introduction: A clear and well-documented gender bias exists in the evaluation of sexual outcomes for women undergoing urologic surgery. Due to the anatomic template of anterior exenteration, women are commonly left with side effects that include sexual dysfunction and the perpetuated effects of surgical menopause.

Objectives: To present evaluation and treatment recommendations for female sexual dysfunction treatment and evaluation, in addition to surgical templates during radical cystectomy (RC).