Role of High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein in Future Cardiovascular Events in Hemodialysis Patients.

Background/aim: The pathogenesis of cardio-vascular disease (CVD) in hemodialysis (HD) patients involves inflammation and oxidative stress. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is an established inflammatory biomarker associated with CVD. Several studies have suggested that the inflammatory biomarker pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) and the oxidative stress-related biomarker soluble lectin-like low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (sLOX-1) are novel biomarkers for CVD in non-HD populations.

Incidence of postoperative cytomegalovirus and BK-polyoma virus infections and graft loss in ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients: a multicenter retrospective study.

Objectives: The current study aimed to examine the incidence of perioperative infections and graft viability in ABO-compatible and ABO-incompatible renal transplant recipients.

Methods: We included 643 living donor renal transplant recipients registered in the Michinoku Renal Transplant Network from 1998 to 2021. Patients were divided into the ABO-compatible and ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation groups.

Impact of timing of rejection episode on cardiovascular events in living donor kidney transplantation: a multicenter retrospective study.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are still highly prevalent after kidney transplantation. However, little is known about the impact of the timing of rejection episodes on cardiovascular disease. The study aimed to analyze the influence of the timing of rejection episodes on cardiovascular events in recipients of living donor kidney transplantation.

Humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine on in ABO blood type incompatible kidney transplant recipients treated with low-dose rituximab.

We aimed to evaluate the humoral response after the second and third doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in ABO blood type incompatible kidney transplant (KT) recipients treated with rituximab. This retrospective study conducted between June 2021 and June 2022 included 131 KT recipients and 154 nontransplant controls who had received mRNA vaccines. We compared the seropositivity (anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibody titer ≥ 0.

Relationship Between Cardiovascular Events and Serum Lipid and Plasma Fatty Acid Profile in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients With Diabetic Mellitus.

Background/aim: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a frequent complication in hemodialysis (HD) patients, especially when the underlying disease is diabetes mellitus (DM). In this study, we investigated cardiovascular events and lipid and fatty acid profile in maintenance HD patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD).

Patients And Methods: The subjects were 123 patients undergoing HD at Oyokyo Kidney Research Institute Hirosaki Hospital, who were considered to have DKD as the underlying cause of dialysis induction.

Association of oxidative stress with erectile dysfunction in community-dwelling men and men on dialysis.

Objectives: To investigate the association between oxidative stress and erectile dysfunction (ED) in community-dwelling men and men on dialysis.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 398 community-dwelling men and 42 men on dialysis. Oxidative stress was assessed using 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG).

Kidney Transplantation in a Patient With Noonan Syndrome: A Case Report.

Noonan syndrome (NS) is a congenital genetic abnormality characterized by short stature, delayed onset of puberty, cardiac malformations, and characteristic external malformations. Congenital chromosomal or genetic abnormalities are sometimes associated with carcinomas. Furthermore, they are difficult to manage perioperatively because of multiple complications and mental retardation.

TMEM2 expression is downregulated as bladder cancer invades the muscle layer.

Cell surface hyaluronidase transmembrane protein 2 (TMEM2), which also serves as a reportedly functions in malignancy of several solid tumors. However, TMEM2 involvement in bladder cancer (BCa) is unknown. Therefore, we investigate potential changes in expression of TMEM2 during BCa invasion and over the course of the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Renal metastasis of ovarian granulosa cell tumor.

Introduction: We would like to present a rare case of metastatic renal tumor.

Case Presentation: A 60-year-old woman presented to our department with a left renal tumor. She underwent a total hysterectomy and right adnexal resection for a stage IA ovarian granulosa cell tumor approximately 15 years ago, followed by left adnexal resection and postoperative chemotherapy with gemcitabine and paclitaxel 6 years ago.

Effect of advanced glycation end products on nocturia or sleep disorders: A longitudinal study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on nocturia and sleep disorders in community-dwelling adults.

Materials And Methods: This longitudinal study evaluated AGEs level, sleep disorders and nocturia frequency in 447 community-dwelling adults between May 2011 and May 2016. Sleep disorders were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score.

The impact of eligibility for maintenance immunotherapy on prognosis in patients with unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

Objectives: To investigate the eligibility for maintenance immunotherapy and its impact on the prognosis of advanced urothelial carcinoma treated with first-line chemotherapy, as the selection biases of the eligible population in the JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial remain unclear.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 213 patients (median age, 71 years) with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with platinum-based first-line chemotherapy between May 2003 and April 2021. The patients were categorized into the following two groups: progressive disease (PD) within four cycles (trial ineligible group) and non-PD within four cycles (trial eligible group).

Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibodies after the second BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in Japanese kidney transplant recipients.

We aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence and investigated factors associated with seropositivity after the second SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination in kidney transplant (KT) recipients. This retrospective study conducted between June and November 2021 included 106 KT recipients and 127 healthy controls who received the second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine at least 7 days before the measurement of antibody titers. The antibody titer against the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein was determined.

Utility of total cell-free DNA levels for surgical damage evaluation in patients with urological surgeries.

The evaluation of surgical damage is challenging because of the lack of specific biomarkers. Total cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels have been reported to increase with external trauma and may be a biomarker for tissue damage. To investigate the utility of perioperative total cfDNA levels in evaluating surgical damage in urological surgeries.

Butyrylcholinesterase level as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a single-center retrospective study.

Background: We investigated whether butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was independently related to the overall survival (OS) of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: Baseline information, serum BChE level, and other laboratory data were collected from 295 patients on MHD in a single HD hospital in 2018. We retrospectively investigated the mortality of these patients after 38 months.

Characteristics of α2,3-sialyl N-glycosylated PSA as a biomarker for clinically significant prostate cancer in men with elevated PSA level.

Background: The presence of glycosylated isoforms of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer (PC) cells is a potential marker of their aggressiveness. We characterized the origin of α2,3-sialylated prostate-specific antigen (S23PSA) by tissue-based sialylation-related gene expression and studied the performance of S23PSA density (S23PSAD) alone and in combination with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer in men with elevated PSA.

Methods: Tissue-based quantification of S23PSA and sialyltransferase and sialidase gene expression was evaluated in 71 radical prostatectomy specimens.

Prognostic significance of total plasma cell-free DNA level and androgen receptor amplification in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the prognostic significance of total cell-free DNA (cfDNA) level and androgen receptor amplification (AR-amp) in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Methods: We retrospectively compared the total cfDNA level and AR-amp in 42 individuals without prostate cancer, 57 patients with localized prostate cancer without androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), 97 patients with castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC) with ADT, and 97 patients with CRPC. The association of these cfDNA biomarkers on disease status and overall survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariable Cox regression analysis.

Tumor vasculature-targeted B delivery by an Annexin A1-binding peptide boosts effects of boron neutron capture therapy.

Background: p-Boronophenylalanine (BPA) is a powerful B drug used in current clinical trials of BNCT. For BNCT to be successful, a high (500 mg/kg) dose of BPA must be administered over a few hours. Here, we report BNCT efficacy after rapid, ultralow-dose administration of either tumor vasculature-specific annexin A1-targeting IFLLWQR (IF7)-conjugated BPA or borocaptate sodium (BSH).

Prognostic significance of the Ki67 index and programmed death-ligand 1 expression after radical cystectomy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Objectives: To investigate the association between Ki67 index and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients after RC.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 262 MIBC patients treated with RC between April 2004 and April 2020. The impact of Ki67 index and PD-L1 expression on prognosis was evaluated by univariate Cox regression analysis.

Long-term chronological changes in urination status of patients who underwent ileal neobladder reconstruction at a single institution.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the long-term chronological changes in urination status of patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) followed by orthotopic ileal neobladder (ONB) reconstruction using the International Prostatic Symptoms Score (IPSS) and the Overactive Bladder Symptoms Score (OABSS).

Methods: This retrospective study focused on patients who underwent RC followed by ONB reconstruction and those who consented for IPSS, quality of life (QOL) based on urinary symptoms (IPSS-QOL), and OABSS assessments in the follow-up period. The patients were divided according to gender into the male group (M-group) and female group (F-group).

Pre-dialysis serum creatinine as an independent predictor of responsiveness to zinc supplementation among patients on hemodialysis.

Background: To investigate whether pre-dialysis level of serum creatinine (SCre) could indicate the responsiveness to zinc supplementation of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the results of our previous randomized study of 91 patients who had been on MHD and received zinc supplementation with either zinc acetate hydrate (ZAH; zinc, 50 mg/day) or polaprezinc (PPZ; zinc, 34 mg/day). A late response to zinc supplementation was defined as a serum zinc level of < 80 μg/dL three months after the study began.

Survey on attitudes toward brain-dead and living donor transplantation in medical students: a cross-sectional study in Japan.

Background: Although a shortage in organ donation is a critical problem in Japan, understanding of and attitude toward organ transplantation in medical students have not been sufficiently reported.

Methods: Between 2013 and 2018, we surveyed 702 medical students in the fifth-year clinical training in our urology department. The survey concerned (1) knowledge of Japanese transplantation law, which was amended in 2010, and (2) whether the respondents had an organ donor card and had agreed to be a brain-dead donor or a living donor in kidney transplantation with specific reasons for their choices.

STone Episode Prediction: Development and validation of the prediction nomogram for urolithiasis.

Objectives: To develop and validate a nomogram predicting the occurrence of a stone episode, given the lack of such predicting risk tools for urolithiasis.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1305 patients with urolithiasis and 2800 community-dwelling individuals who underwent a comprehensive health survey. The STone Episode Prediction nomogram was created based on data from the medical records of 600 patients with urolithiasis and 1300 controls, and was validated using a different population of 705 patients with urolithiasis and 1500 controls.

Impact of the Proportion of Biopsy Positive Core in Predicting Biochemical Recurrence in Patients with Pathological Pt2 and Negative Resection Margin Status after Radical Prostatectomy.

This study aimed to determine the prognostic factors associated with biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with pathological T2 (pT2) prostate cancer (PCa) and negative resection margin (RM) status at a single institution. In this retrospective study, we examined 386 patients who were diagnosed with pT2 PCa with negative RM after RP. The length of the tumor was provided for each biopsy core and the overall percentage of PCa was calculated by a pathologist at our institution.