Can the Newer Model of Breast-Specific Positron Emission Tomography Reduce the "Blind Area"?

: Breast-specific positron emission tomography (PET) provides higher sensitivity and spatial resolution than whole-body PET/CT, but it has a blind area. Mammary glands near the chest wall sometimes present outside the field of view (FOV). A newer, dedicated breast PET (dbPET) model has a cylindrical detector with a larger diameter than previous models, so it is expected to eliminate or reduce blind areas.

Interrater agreement and variability in visual reading of [18F] flutemetamol PET images.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to validate the concordance of visual ratings of [18F] flutemetamol amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) images and to investigate the correlation between the agreement of each rater and the Centiloid (CL) scale.

Methods: A total of 192 participants, clinically classified as cognitively normal (CN) (n = 59), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 65), Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n = 55), or non-AD dementia (n = 13), participated in this study. Three experts conducted visual ratings of the amyloid PET images for all 192 patients, assigning a confidence level to each rating on a three-point scale (certain, probable, or neither).

Japanese expert consensus on the standardization of robot-assisted pelvic lymph node dissection in urological surgery: Extent of pelvic lymph node and surgical technique.

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is important for accurate staging and prognosis of prostate and/or bladder cancer. Several guidelines recommend extended PLND for patients with these cancers. However, the therapeutic benefits of extended PLND are unclear.

Excellent Response to 177Lu-DOTATATE Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy in a Patient with Treatment-Related Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer with Urinary Retention and Rectal Obstruction: A Case Report.

Treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer (tNEPC) occurs after androgen deprivation therapy and has a poor prognosis; however, there are few effective treatments for tNEPC. Therefore, tNEPC management is often challenging. This is a case of a 65-year-old Asian male patient with prostate adenocarcinoma who had metastases at initial presentation.

The Benefits of Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Require at Least Three Cycles.

Background: Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is uncommon. In advanced cases, radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) alone is not curative, and recurrence and metastasis are likely to occur. Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is an evidence-based treatment.

Preoperative risk stratification models after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: A multi-center study.

Objective: We investigated preoperative patient factors associated with prognosis in 263 bladder cancer (BC) patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC). We also developed new risk stratification models for prognosis.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients treated at Tottori University Hospital and affiliated hospitals between January 2010 and December 2019.

Efficacy of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy compared to conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for completely endophytic renal tumor: a multicenter, prospective study.

Background: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy for completely endophytic renal tumors with the reported outcomes of conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy and investigate the transition of renal function after robot-assisted partial nephrectomy.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, open-label trial across 17 academic centers in Japan. Patients with endophytic renal tumors classified as cT1, cN0, cM0 were included and underwent robot-assisted partial nephrectomy.

Initial Experience and Surgical Setup of Robot-Assisted Nephroureterectomy Using the Hugo Robot-Assisted Surgery System.

Robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy (RANU) has emerged as a valid alternative to open or laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in recent years. However, different types of robotic platforms can limit surgical maneuvers in various ways. This study aimed to describe the surgical procedure and demonstrate RANU's technical feasibility and safety using the Hugo robot-assisted surgery (RAS) system.

Effects of perirenal fat thickness on postoperative renal dysfunction in patients who underwent robot-assisted partial nephrectomy for renal tumours.

Background: Despite partial nephrectomy (PN) renal function preservation benefits, postoperative renal dysfunction may occur. Perirenal fat thickness (PFT) is associated with renal dysfunction such as diabetes; however, its role in renal tumour surgery is unclear. This study investigates the role of PFT in renal function after robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN).

Multinational evaluation of genetic diversity indicators for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Under the recently adopted Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, 196 Parties committed to reporting the status of genetic diversity for all species. To facilitate reporting, three genetic diversity indicators were developed, two of which focus on processes contributing to genetic diversity conservation: maintaining genetically distinct populations and ensuring populations are large enough to maintain genetic diversity. The major advantage of these indicators is that they can be estimated with or without DNA-based data.

The HMG-box module in FACT is critical for suppressing epigenetic variegation of heterochromatin in fission yeast.

Chromatin condensation state is the key for retrieving genetic information. High-mobility group protein (HMG) proteins exhibit DNA-binding and bending activities, playing an important role in the regulation of chromatin structure. We have shown that nucleosomes tightly packaged into heterochromatin undergo considerable dynamic histone H2A-H2B maintenance via the direct interaction between HP1/Swi6 and facilitate chromatin transcription (FACT), which is composed of the Spt16/Pob3 heterodimer and Nhp6.

Assessment of the accuracy of biparametric MRI/TRUS fusion-guided biopsy for index tumor evaluation using postoperative pathology specimens.

Background: Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) is widely used for the diagnosis, surveillance, and staging of prostate cancer. However, it has several limitations, including higher costs, longer examination times, and the use of gadolinium-based contrast agents. This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of preoperatively assessed index tumors (ITs) using biparametric MRI (bpMRI)/transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) fusion biopsy compared with radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens.

Supervised Pelvic Floor Muscle Training Improves Sexual Function and Diminishes Sexual Distress in Women with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomised Controlled Study.

This study investigates the impact of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on sexual function and distress in women with multiple sclerosis (MS), a prevalent chronic nervous system disorder associated with sexual dysfunction. This study's primary aim was to assess the effectiveness of PFMT at improving sexual function and alleviating sexual distress in this population. In a randomised controlled trial, 82 women with MS were divided into two groups: Group A (41 women) underwent 12 weeks of PFMT, while Group B (41 women) served as a control group with no intervention.

Standardization of robot-assisted pelvic lymph node dissection-Development of a common understanding of regional anatomy and surgical technique based on cross-disciplinary discussion among colorectal surgery, urology, and gynecology.

Background: Pelvic lymph node dissection is a procedure performed in gastroenterological surgery, urology, and gynecology. However, due to discrepancies in the understanding of pelvic anatomy among these departments, cross-disciplinary discussions have not been easy. Recently, with the rapid spread of robotic surgery, the importance of visual information in understanding pelvic anatomy has become even more significant.

Urethral diverticulum with stone formation in an adult male after hypospadias repair: A case presentation.

Long-term complications of hypospadias surgery can lead to urethral diverticula, causing issues like stone formation, incomplete voiding, and infections. We present a case: a 45-year-old male, who underwent two-stage penile hypospadias repair at age three, now experiencing lower urinary obstruction symptoms. Urethroscopy revealed urethral stenosis and stone formation within the diverticulum.

A Strategic Translational Research System for Drug Discovery in Tottori University.

The probability of successful drug discovery is declining, and research and development costs are increasing. To solve these problems, pharmaceutical companies tend to in-license seeds from venture companies and academia. Therefore, academia's role in drug discovery is extremely important.

Chronic kidney disease and Charlson comorbidity index predict complications after robot-assisted radical cystectomy: A single-center study in Japan.

Objectives: To investigate preoperative patient factors that may predict the occurrence of perioperative complications following robot-assisted radical cystectomy at a single center in Japan.

Methods: From 2013 to 2022, 103 patients underwent RARC at our institution. Complications within 90 days after surgery were assessed using the Clavien-Dindo classification.

Erratum: Search for Cosmic-Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using Recoil Protons at Super-Kamiokande [Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 031802 (2023)].

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.

From Diagnosis to Treatment: Comprehensive Care by Reproductive Urologists in Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Infertility is a global health concern, with male factors playing an especially large role. Unfortunately, however, the contributions made by reproductive urologists in managing male infertility under assisted reproductive technology (ART) often go undervalued. This narrative review highlights the important role played by reproductive urologists in diagnosing and treating male infertility as well as any barriers they face when providing services.

Comparison of perioperative outcomes and complications between intracorporeal, extracorporeal, and hybrid ileal conduit urinary diversion during robot-assisted radical cystectomy: a comparative propensity score-matched analysis from nationwide multi-institutional study in Japan.

Background: To investigate the impact of different urinary diversion (UD) techniques on the peri- and postoperative complications of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with ileal conduit.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 373 patients undergoing RARC with ileal conduit at 11 institutions in Japan between April 2018 and December 2021. Propensity score weighting was performed to adjust for confounding factors such as age, sex, body mass index, performance status, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, previous abdominal surgery, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and preoperative high T stage (≥ cT3) and high N stage (≥ cN1).

Evaluating the Predictive Value of Diagnostic Testicular Biopsy for Sperm Retrieval Outcomes in Men with Non-Obstructive Azoospermia.

Background: Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) presents a challenge in male infertility management. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of diagnostic testicular biopsy (DTB) in predicting sperm retrieval success via therapeutic testicular biopsy (TTB) and to understand the role of systemic inflammation in microdissection testicular sperm extraction (mTESE) outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 50 NOA males who underwent mTESE at the University of Ioannina's Department of Urology from January 2017 to December 2019.

In vivo direct cell-penetrating peptide mediated protein transduction system in Acyrthosiphon pisum.

Objective: The principal delivery method for CRISPR-based genome editing in insects is now based on microinjection into single cells or embryos. The direct protein transduction systems cannot be employed in aphids because oogenesis occurs without apparent vitellogenesis. Given the limited timing of injection into the embryonic stage in oviparous aphids, a protein delivery system from the hemolymph to the germline and embryos would be a useful tool for genome editing.