German evidence- and consensus-based guideline on the management of penile urethritis.

Urethritis is a common condition predominantly caused by sexually transmitted pathogens such as Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Mycoplasma genitalium. It is not possible to differentiate with certainty between pathogens on the basis of clinical characteristics alone. However, empirical antibiotic therapy is often initiated in clinical practice.

Weather-Related Factors and Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) in Cancer Patients: Results from the ExPRO Study.

Objective: The ExPRO (External factors influencing patient reported outcomes of patients with malignant diseases) study explored associations between QoL data and environmental factors on the day of questionnaire completion: mean temperature, sunshine hours, season, and lunar phase.

Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data in the prospective cohort study at two cancer centers in eastern Germany. From December 2020 to December 2021, cancer patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire upon admission.

Development of point-of-care tests for urinary bladder cancer - an historic review and view to future prospectives.

Urine is an attractive biospecimen for noninvasive tests to facilitate bladder tumor diagnostics. Three different point-of-care (POC) tests based on lateral flow immunoassays (LFAs) are currently commercially available: UBC® Rapid Test, BTA stat®, and NMP22 BladderChek. The present review discusses these different tests based on their performance, clinical utility and the nature of the respective analytes.

From Traditional to Cutting-Edge: Transforming Pulmonary Valve Assessment With Advanced Echocardiography Techniques.

The pulmonary valve (PV), although often less emphasized than other heart valves, is crucial for cardiac function and hemodynamics. Historically, the PV has been underrepresented in echocardiographic assessments due to its rare involvement in pathological conditions, particularly in adults. Additionally, the anatomical position of the PV makes it one of the most challenging valves to visualize using conventional echocardiography.

Deep learning-based multiclass segmentation in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Introduction: Radiological scores used to assess the extent of subarachnoid hemorrhage are limited by intrarater and interrater variability and do not utilize all available information from the imaging. Image segmentation enables precise identification and delineation of objects or regions of interest and offers the potential for automatization of score assessments using precise volumetric information. Our study aims to develop a deep learning model that enables automated multiclass segmentation of structures and pathologies relevant for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage outcome prediction.

Metastasis-directed stereotactic radiotherapy in patients with breast cancer: results of an international multicenter cohort study.

Metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) for oligometastatic breast cancer (≤ 5 metastases) has shown little effect in specific scenarios of randomized trials. Therefore, we aimed to assess outcomes after metastasis-directed stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) in various clinical scenarios. We conducted an international retrospective cohort study in thirteen centers including breast cancer patients receiving SRT to any metastatic site.

Smoking cessation and harm reduction: a systematic overview of ongoing, randomized controlled trials.

Background: Smoking remains one of the major public health threats, necessitating substantial scientific and societal interest in further developing and implementing systematic, smoking cessation trials. This review examines ongoing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on smoking cessation and harm reduction, focusing on adherence to German S3 guidelines for tobacco dependence and identifying areas needing further research and neglected aspects in the implementation of treatment guidelines for tobacco dependence.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted on the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, comprising multiple trial registries worldwide, to identify ongoing RCTs focusing on smoking cessation and harm reduction.

PLAP expression is linked to invasive tumor growth in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Purpose: Placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) is a protein with a poorly understood function that is normally only expressed in the placenta. In cancer, PLAP expression is a hallmark of germ cell neoplasms, but it can also occur in urothelial carcinoma. To evaluate the potential clinical significance of PLAP expression in bladder cancer, METHODS: PLAP protein was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in more than 2500 urothelial bladder carcinomas in a tissue microarray format.

Loss of MTAP expression is strongly linked to homozygous 9p21 deletion, unfavorable tumor phenotype, and noninflamed microenvironment in urothelial bladder cancer.

Homozygous 9p21 deletions usually result in a complete loss of S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) expression visualizable by immunohistochemistry (IHC). MTAP deficiency has been proposed as a marker for predicting targeted treatment response. A tissue microarray including 2,710 urothelial bladder carcinomas were analyzed for 9p21 deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization and MTAP expression by IHC.

Performance of Urinary Markers in Patients With Suspicious Cystoscopy During Follow-up of Recurrent Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: BTA Stat, NMP22 BladderChek, UBC Rapid Test, CancerCheck UBC Rapid VISUAL, and Uromonitor in Comparison to Cytology.

Objective: To compare all available rapid tests on a large cohort of recurrent bladder cancer during follow-up in this multicentre-study is the first study. BTA stat, NMP22 BladderChek, UBC Rapid Test CancerCheck UBC rapid VISUAL, and uromonitor are urinary-based rapid tests for bladder cancer detection.

Methods: In total, 187 urine samples were analyzed from patients with suspected recurrent non-muscle invasive urothelial bladder cancer on cystoscopy during follow-up in a real-world assessment.

Revisions after prior stapes surgery: aspects on indication, intraoperative findings and surgical strategies.

Objective: Primary stapes surgery is considered a challenging intervention in ear surgery. Despite an risk of deafness in 0.5-1 percent, this procedure has still a good benefit-risk ratio due to the improvement in hearing and quality of life that is usually achieved.

Immersive collaborative virtual reality for case-based graduate student teaching in thoracic surgery: A piloting study.

Background: In medical education various non-digital teaching methods are established. However, studies have proven that the immersive character of virtual reality (VR) applications positively impact the understanding of spatial relationships.This study outlines the development and pilot testing of a novel system for collaborative, case-based VR teaching, utilizing real-time volume rendered computed tomography (CT) data of thoracic cases among graduate students.

Artificial intelligence in rheumatology: status quo and quo vadis-results of a national survey among German rheumatologists.

Background: The development and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) is remarkable. Its application in all medical disciplines, including rheumatology, is attracting attention. To what extent AI is already used in clinical routine in rheumatology is unknown.

Risk of bacterial colonization by torniquet during arthroscopy of the knee joint.

Purpose: The following study investigated the risk of transmission or spread of potentially pathogenic bacteria via surgical gloves and/or with an elastic bandage to achieve a bloodless surgical site during arthroscopy.

Methods: This was a single-center, prospective study performed at a level-1 trauma center. The included patients were between 18 and 65 years of age and underwent arthroscopy of the knee joint.

Exploring the dynamics of ultrasound training in medical education: current trends, debates, and approaches to didactics and hands-on learning.

Introduction: Medical education, especially in ultrasound training, is undergoing significant changes. This study examines practical issues in ultrasound medical education, emphasizing state-of-the-art teaching methods, their effectiveness, and implementation challenges.

Methods: The study analyzed advancements in ultrasound education, including randomized controlled trials comparing peer-to-peer teaching with traditional faculty-led instruction.

Reduced p63 expression is linked to unfavourable prognosis in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Objective: There is a shortage of established prognostic biomarkers in bladder cancer. One candidate is tumour protein 63 (p63), a transcription factor of the p53 gene family that is expressed in the normal urothelium. Recently proposed RNA expression-based molecular classifiers of bladder cancer identified high p63 expression as a component of a basal/squamous subtype linked to poor patient prognosis.

Reduced brain oxygen response to spreading depolarization predicts worse outcome in ischaemic stroke.

Spreading depolarization (SD) describes a propagating neuronal mass depolarization within the cerebral cortex that represents a mediator of infarct development and strongly stimulates the metabolic rate of O2 consumption. Here, we investigated the influence of Spreading Depolarization (SD) on brain tissue partial pressure of O2 (ptiO2) within the peri-infarct tissue of patients suffering malignant hemispheric stroke (MHS). This prospective observational trial included 25 patients with MHS that underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy followed by subdural placement of electrodes for electrocorticography (ECoG) and neighboring implantation of a ptiO2 probe within the peri-infarcted cortex.

The evaluation of child maltreatment among child abuse evaluation clinics in Berlin, Germany - A multicenter study.

Background: Since child maltreatment can cause severe and lifelong developmental impairment, early evaluation by multidisciplinary child abuse evaluation clinics (CAEC) is recommended. Nevertheless, data on the evaluation outcome is rare to measure and little addressed by existing literature.

Objective: To assess the evaluation outcome clarified (confirmed or excluded abuse or neglect), not clarified (remains indeterminate) of suspected child maltreatment and to find associated predictors related to a respectively high or low clarification rate.

How to deal with the variability of peripheral nerve lesion patterns after inguinal herniotomy? A descriptive approach for a new terminology in clinical practice.

Background: Inguinal hernia is one of the most common visceral surgical conditions in industrialised countries. The aim of the present observational clinical study was to investigate the dermatome patterns after nerve injury following inguinal hernia surgery and to demonstrate the marked individual anatomical and topographical variability of peripheral nerves in the inguinal region.

Methods: 220 patients were followed up for one year after inguinal herniotomy.