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Objective: To evaluate the effect of conservative therapeutic interventions in adult patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and associated otologic symptoms., Methods: An electronic search across six databases and grey literature was conducted. Studies were assessed for risk of bias, a random-effects meta-analysis, and the certainty of the evidence was evaluated using the GRADE tool., Results: Eighteen studies were included in the final synthesis. Otologic symptoms significantly decreased following intervention compared to baseline [OR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.04 - 0.23, I² = 56%], reflecting an approximately 11-fold reduction in symptom likelihood of otologic symptoms after conservative treatment. Of the studies, eight had a low risk of bias, five had moderate, and four had high risk, with evidence certainty rated as very low., Conclusion: Conservative therapeutic interventions for TMD appear to reduce otologic symptoms. However, the certainty of the current evidence is limited, warranting further research to establish more definitive conclusions..

Objectives: We aimed to compare whether: (1) social media use (SMU) would induce a similar state of mental fatigue compared to the Modified Stroop task (MST); (2) the SMU and the MST would affect neuroelectric responses; and (3) sport-specific visuomotor performance in the taekwondo (TKD) athletes was impaired by mental fatigue., Methods: Fifteen TKD athletes underwent a 60-min Modified Stroop Task (MST), engaged in SMU, or watched a documentary (CON) in a randomized order. Pre and post-each conditions they responded to a Stroop task (ST) while the event-related potentials (ERP) were measured. The Visual Analogue Scale for mental tiredness (VAS-MT) was used to measure subjective feelings of mental fatigue Then, the athletes completed TKD-specific visuomotor tests., Results: The VAS-MT response increases progressively in the MST condition (p < 0.001). The response time of ST was slower in the MST than in SMU (p = 0.04). The accuracy dropped in MST comparing pre- and post-manipulation (p < 0.001) and was lower than post-CON (p = 0.005). The peak amplitude for N200 ERP was higher post-than pre for all conditions (p < 0.001) on the Fz channel. N200 amplitude was higher on CON than MST on post-manipulation (p = 0.02). The amplitude increased significantly from pre-to post in the CON condition (p = 0.009) on the Cz channel. There was no difference in visuomotor performance among conditions (all ps > 0.05)., Conclusion: Prolonged performance of the MST, but not SMU, induces a state of mental fatigue. Neuroelectric and cognitive responses were impaired by mental fatigue induced by MST, but the visuomotor performance remained unaffected by any condition., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) expressed on neutrophils regulate their mobilization from the bone marrow into the blood, their half-live in the circulation, and their pro- and anti-inflammatory activities during inflammation. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with systemic inflammatory responses, and neutrophilia is a hallmark of CKD onset and progression. Nonetheless, the role of neutrophils in CKD is currently unclear., Methods: Blood and renal tissue were collected from non-dialysis CKD (grade 3 - 5) patients to evaluate GPCR neutrophil expressions and functions in CKD development., Results: CKD patients presented a higher blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), which was inversely correlated with the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). A higher frequency of neutrophils expressing the senescent GPCR receptor (CXCR4) and activation markers (CD18 + CD11b + CD62L + ) was detected in CKD patients. Moreover, CKD neutrophils expressed higher amounts of GPCR formyl peptide receptors (FPR) 1 and 2, known as neutrophil pro- and anti-inflammatory receptors, respectively. Cytoskeletal organization, migration, and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by CKD neutrophils were impaired in response to the FPR1 agonist (fMLP), despite the higher expression of FPR1. In addition, CKD neutrophils presented enhanced intracellular, but reduced membrane expression of the protein Annexin A1 (AnxA1), and an impaired ability to secrete it into the extracellular compartment. Secreted and phosphorylated AnxA1 is a recognized ligand of FPR2, pivotal in anti-inflammatory and efferocytosis effects. CKD renal tissue presented a low number of neutrophils, which were AnxA1 + ., Conclusion: Together, these data highlight that CKD neutrophils overexpress GPCRs, which may contribute to an unbalanced aging process in the circulation, migration into inflamed tissues, and efferocytosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Scharf, Sandri, Rizzetto, Xavier, Grosso, Correia-Silva, Farsky, Gil and Farsky.)

The IgG response against SARS-CoV-2 infection can persist for over six months (long response; LR). However, among 30% of those infected, the duration can be as short as three months or less (short response; SR). The present study assembled serological data on the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG response duration of two previous studies and integrated these results with the plasmatic cytokine levels and genetic profile of 10 immune-relevant SNPs that were also previously published, along with the plasmatic total IgG, IgA, and IgM levels, allowing for the genetic, clinical, immunological, and epidemiological aspects of the post-COVID-19 IgG response duration to be understood. The SR was associated with previous mild acute COVID-19 and with an SNP (rs2228145) in IL6R related to low gene expression. Additionally, among the SR subgroup, no statistically significant Spearman correlations were observed between the plasma levels of IL-17A and the Th17 regulatory cytokines IFN-γ (rs = 0.2399; p = 0.1043), IL-4 (rs = 0.0273; p = 0.8554), and IL-2 (rs = 0.2204; p = 0.1365), while among the LR subgroup, weaker but statistically significant Spearman correlations were observed between the plasma levels of IL-17A and IFN-γ (rs = 0.3873; p = 0.0016), IL-4 (rs = 0.2671; p = 0.0328), and IL-2 (rs = 0.3959; p = 0.0012). These results suggest that the Th17 response mediated by the IL-6 pathway has a role in the prolonged IgG response to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Background: Stone nomogram by Micali et al., able topredict treatment failure of shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) in the management of single 1-2 cm renal stones, was developed on 2605 patients and showed a high predictive accuracy, with an area under ROC curve of 0.793 at internal validation. The aim of the present study is to externally validate the model to assess whether it displayed a satisfactory predictive performance if applied to different populations., Methods: External validation was retrospectively performed on 3025 patients who underwent an active stone treatment from December 2010 to June 2021 in 26 centers from four countries (Italy, USA, Spain, Argentina). Collected variables included: age, gender, previous renal surgery, preoperative urine culture, hydronephrosis, stone side, site, density, skin-to-stone distance. Treatment failure was the defined outcome (residual fragments >4 mm at three months CT-scan)., Results: Model discrimination in external validation datasets showed an area under ROC curve of 0.66 (95% 0.59-0.68) with adequate calibration. The retrospective fashion of the study and the lack of generalizability of the tool towards populations from Asia, Africa or Oceania represent limitations of the current analysis., Conclusions: According to the current findings, Micali's nomogram can be used for treatment prediction after SWL, RIRS and PNL; however, a lower discrimination performance than the one at internal validation should be acknowledged, reflecting geographical, temporal and domain limitation of external validation studies. Further prospective evaluation is required to refine and improve the nomogram findings and to validate its clinical value.

This study evaluated the effect of pharmacological inhibition of galectin 3 (Gal-3) with modified citrus pectin (MCP) on the heart and kidney in a model of cisplatin-induced acute toxicity. Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 6/group): SHAM, which received sterile saline intraperitoneally (i.p.) for three days; CIS, which received cisplatin i.p. (10 mg/kg/day) for three days; MCP, which received MCP orally (100 mg/kg/day) for seven days, followed by sterile saline i.p. for three days; MCP+CIS, which received MCP orally for seven days followed by cisplatin i.p. for three days. The blood, heart, and kidneys were collected six hours after the last treatment. MCP treatment did not change Gal-3 protein levels in the blood and heart, but it did reduce them in the kidneys of the MCP groups compared to the SHAM group. While no morphological changes were evident in the cardiac tissue, increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and deregulation of the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system were observed in the heart homogenates of the MCP+CIS group. Cisplatin administration caused acute tubular degeneration in the kidneys; the MCP+CIS group also showed increased MDA levels. In conclusion, MCP therapy in the acute model of cisplatin-induced toxicity increases oxidative stress in cardiac and renal tissues. Further investigations are needed to determine the beneficial and harmful roles of Gal-3 in the cardiorenal system since it can act differently in acute and chronic diseases/conditions., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sleep disorders are common among patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). This study aimed to assess the perceptions of sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and stress reported by ICU patients and the relationships between these perceptions and patient variables., Methods: This cross-sectional study used consecutive non-probabilistic sampling to select participants. All patients admitted for more than 72 hours of ICU hospitalization at a Portuguese hospital between March and June 2020 were asked to complete the "Richard Campbell Sleep Questionnaire" and "Anxiety, depression, and Stress Assessment Questionnaire." The resulting data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, Student t-tests for independent samples, and analysis of variance. The significance level for rejecting the null hypothesis was set to α ≤0.05., Results: A total of 52 patients admitted to the ICU for at least 72 hours was recruited. The mean age of the participants was 64 years (standard deviation, 14.6); 32 (61.5%) of the participants were male. Approximately 19% had psychiatric disorders. The prevalence of self-reported poor sleep was higher in women (t[50]=2,147, P=0.037) and in participants with psychiatric problems, although this difference was not statistically significant (t[50]=-0.777, P=0.441). Those who reported having sleep disorders before hospitalization had a worse perception of their sleep., Conclusions: Sleep quality perception was worse in female ICU patients, those with psychiatric disorders, and those with sleep alterations before hospitalization. Implementing early interventions and designing nonpharmacological techniques to improve sleep quality of ICU patients is essential.

The cGAS-STING pathway appears to contribute to dysregulated inflammation during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); however, inflammatory factors related to long COVID are still being investigated. In the present study, we evaluated the association of cGAS and STING gene expression levels and plasma IFN-α, TNF-α and IL-6 levels with COVID-19 severity in acute infection and long COVID, based on analysis of blood samples from 148 individuals, 87 with acute COVID-19 and 61 in the post-COVID-19 period. Quantification of gene expression was performed by real-time PCR, and cytokine levels were quantified by ELISA and flow cytometry. In acute COVID-19, cGAS, STING, IFN-α, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels were higher in patients with severe disease than in those with nonsevere manifestations (p < 0.05). Long COVID was associated with elevated cGAS, STING and IFN-α levels (p < 0.05). Activation of the cGAS-STING pathway may contribute to an intense systemic inflammatory state in severe COVID-19 and, after infection resolution, induce an autoinflammatory disease in some tissues, resulting in long COVID., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To identify the latest advances in suction devices and evaluate their effect in Retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and ureteroscopy for stones., Basic Procedures: A systematic literature search was performed on 4th January 2023 using Scopus, PubMed, and EMBASE. Only English papers were included; both pediatric and adult studies were accepted. Duplicate studies, case reports, letters to the editor, and meeting abstracts were excluded., Main Findings: Twenty-one papers were selected. Several methods have been proposed for suction use in RIRS, such as through the ureteral access sheath or directly to the scope. Artificial intelligence can also regulate this system, monitoring pressure and perfusion flow values. All the proposed techniques showed satisfactory perioperative results for operative time, stone-free rate (SFR), and residual fragments. Moreover, the reduction of intrarenal pressure (induced by aspiration) was also associated with a lower infection rate. Even the studies that considered kidney stones with a diameter of 20 mm or higher reported higher SFR and reduced postoperative complications. However, the lack of well-defined settings for suction pressure and fluid flow prevents the standardization of the procedure., Conclusion: Aspiration device in the surgical treatment of urinary stones favours a higher SFR, reducing infectious complications, as supported by the included studies. RIRS with a suction system provided to be a natural successor to the traditional technique, regulating intrarenal pressure and aspirating fine dust., (Copyright © 2023 AEU. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Context: Controversy exists regarding the therapeutic benefit of suction use during percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL)., Objective: To review and highlight the options available in the use of suction for PCNL, and to discuss their strengths and limitations., Evidence Acquisition: A systematic literature search was performed using Scopus, EMBASE, and PubMed. Thirty four studies were included. There was one ex vivo study. Among clinical studies, 24 used a vacuum/suctioning sheath and nine a handpiece suction device/direct-in-scope suction. The suction technique was employed in standard, mini-PCNL, supermini-PCNL, and enhanced supermini‑PCNL techniques., Evidence Synthesis: Handpiece suction devices demonstrated better safety and efficiency in treating large stones than nonsuction PCNL and in a much shorter time. Trilogy and ShockPulse-SE were equally effective, safe, and versatile for standard PCNL and mini-PCNL. The heavier handpiece makes Trilogy less ergonomically friendly. Laser suction handpiece devices can potentiate laser lithotripsy by allowing for better laser control with simultaneous suction of small fragments and dust. Integrated suction-based sheaths are available in reusable and disposable forms for mini-PCNL only. Mini-PCNL with suction reported superior outcomes for operative time and stone-free rate to mini-PCNL. This also helped minimize infectious complications by a combination of intrarenal pressure reduction and faster aspiration of irrigation fluid reducing the risk of sepsis, enhance intraoperative vision, and improve lithotripsy efficiency, which makes it a very attractive evolution for PCNL., Conclusions: Suction devices in PCNL are reforming the way PCNL is being done. Adding suction to mini-PCNL reduces infectious complications and improves the stone-free rate. Our review shows that despite the limited evidence, suction techniques appear to improve PCNL outcomes., Patient Summary: In this review, we looked at the intra- and perioperative outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL) with the addition of suction. With better stone fragmentation and fewer postoperative infections, this technology is very useful particularly for mini-PCNL., (Copyright © 2023 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we tested the taxonomic validation of red snappers species (Southern red snapper Lutjanus purpureus; Silk snapper L. vivanus; Blackfin snapper L. buccanella; and Pacific red snapper L. peru) based on comparative analysis, using four methods for species delimitation. These methods were based on either genetic similarity or phylogenetic trees inferred from two mitochondrial (Cytochrome b and D-loop) and two nuclear (Myostatin and S7 introns) markers. On one hand, the genetic results corroborated the presence of four red snapper species, confirming their taxonomic validation despite their remarkable morphological similarity. On the other hand, few incongruencies in the species delimitation methods were observed according to the phylogenetic reconstruction method (maximum likelihood or Bayesian inference) when using. Based on the phylogenetic results, L. buccanella should represent a more ancient lineage in relation to the clade that encompasses L. purpureus, L. peru and L. vivanus. The single-locus phylogenetic analysis based on Cytb recovered each the red snapper species as a well-supported clade. Overall, this study provided a DNA-based validation of the traditional morphological taxonomy of red snappers.

Most eukaryotic proteins are N-terminally acetylated, but the functional impact on a global scale has remained obscure. Using genome-wide CRISPR knockout screens in human cells, we reveal a strong genetic dependency between a major N-terminal acetyltransferase and specific ubiquitin ligases. Biochemical analyses uncover that both the ubiquitin ligase complex UBR4-KCMF1 and the acetyltransferase NatC recognize proteins bearing an unacetylated N-terminal methionine followed by a hydrophobic residue. NatC KO-induced protein degradation and phenotypes are reversed by UBR knockdown, demonstrating the central cellular role of this interplay. We reveal that loss of Drosophila NatC is associated with male sterility, reduced longevity, and age-dependent loss of motility due to developmental muscle defects. Remarkably, muscle-specific overexpression of UbcE2M, one of the proteins targeted for NatC KO-mediated degradation, suppresses defects of NatC deletion. In conclusion, NatC-mediated N-terminal acetylation acts as a protective mechanism against protein degradation, which is relevant for increased longevity and motility., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

The impact of the Antarctic Ozone Hole Influence over Southern Brazil in October 2015 was analyzed using daily mean data of the Total Column Ozone (TCO), Ultraviolet Index (UVI) and Radiative Cloud Fraction (RCF) from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument satellite instrument. Vertical profiles and fields of ozone content and Potential Vorticity available from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast reanalysis, air masses backward trajectories from the HYbrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model and channel 3 water vapor images from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite GOES-13 were also analyzed. The five identified events showed an -7.4±2.3% average TCO reduction, leading to an +16.6±54.6% UVI increase even with a predominance of partly cloudy days. Other impacts were observed in the ozone profiles, where the most significant anomalies occurred from 650 K reaching 1.2 ppmv at the 850 K level. In the ozone fields at 700 K, the presence of a polar origin tongue was observed causing negatives anomalies between -0.2 and 0.4 ppmv in a transient system format forced with eastward-traveling Rossby waves passing through the Southern of Brazil and Uruguay.

Objectives: Previously, we presented the effectiveness of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 half-dose (HD) immunization for preventing new COVID-19 cases. Here, we evaluated the administration of an HD of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 in the primary immunization protocol (up to two doses) in reducing moderate and severe cases, hospitalizations, and deaths when compared to the administration of full doses (FD) after a long-term follow-up., Methods: We evaluated data from 29,469 participants between January 2021 and November 2022 who received an HD or FD vaccine and crossed this information with their medical records to identify those who developed moderate or severe cases. All participants were classified into four groups according to their immunization status and followed 500 days after the last vaccine administration., Results: The propensity-score matching analysis indicates that the administration of the two HDs of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 was equivalent to the use of two FDs to reduce moderate and severe COVID-19 cases. The relative risk of being infected and developing moderate or severe conditions after the administration of at least one HD or FD was similar 150 or 500 days after the administration of the immunizers., Conclusion: Administering two HDs can be used safely as a cost-effective alternative to the primary immunization protocol., Competing Interests: The authors have no competing interests to declare., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Objective: To analyze the internal consistency of the Voice Handicap Index (VHI) for evaluating the vocal handicap of individuals with dysphonia., Methods: This is a systematic review. Studies with a cross-sectional design and including a population of individuals with dysphonia, which validated the VHI and analyzed its internal consistency, were included. The following electronic databases were searched: Cochrane Library, EMBASE, LILACS, and PubMed, including Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. A manual search was performed in gray literature through the Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações and ProQuest Dissertation & Theses. In addition, the list of references of studies selected in the electronic search was mapped, and an expert in the area was consulted. Two reviewers blindly and independently conducted the selection, data extraction, and analysis of the risk of bias, the certainty of the evidence, and good psychometric measures. A meta-analysis was performed with a random effects model using the JAMOVI 2.3.2 software., Results: Forty-nine studies were analyzed. In risk of bias assessment, the studies were classified as having inadequate structural validity and very good internal consistency. The analysis of good psychometric properties indicated indeterminate structural validity and insufficient internal consistency. The overall value of Cronbach's alpha was estimated at 0.94, thus suggesting a very good internal consistency. However, there was high heterogeneity. The level of certainty of the evidence was too low for internal consistency., Conclusion: The VHI proved to be a consistent and reliable patient-reported outcome measure to evaluate voice handicap in individuals with dysphonia; however, studies are heterogeneous, and the certainty of evidence is very low., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mitotic chromatin is largely assumed incompatible with transcription due to changes in the transcription machinery and chromosome architecture. However, the mechanisms of mitotic transcriptional inactivation and their interplay with chromosome assembly remain largely unknown. By monitoring ongoing transcription in Drosophila early embryos, we reveal that eviction of nascent mRNAs from mitotic chromatin occurs after substantial chromosome compaction and is not promoted by condensin I. Instead, we show that the timely removal of transcripts from mitotic chromatin is driven by the SNF2 helicase-like protein Lodestar (Lds), identified here as a modulator of sister chromatid cohesion defects. In addition to the eviction of nascent transcripts, we uncover that Lds cooperates with Topoisomerase 2 to ensure efficient sister chromatid resolution and mitotic fidelity. We conclude that the removal of nascent transcripts upon mitotic entry is not a passive consequence of cell cycle progression and/or chromosome compaction but occurs via dedicated mechanisms with functional parallelisms to sister chromatid resolution., (© 2023 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY NC ND 4.0 license.)

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of signs and symptoms related to temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and orofacial pain in patients with indication for orthognathic surgery., Methods: The search was carried out in seven electronic databases and gray literature. Studies that evaluated the frequency of signs and symptoms related to TMD and orofacial pain were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal tool. A meta-analysis of proportions with a random effect model was performed and the GRADE tool judged the certainty of evidence., Results: After searching the databases, 1859 references were retrieved, 18 of which were selected for synthesis. The prevalence of individuals with at least one TMD symptom was 51% [CI95% = 44-58%], and 44% of the subjects had temporomandibular joint click/crepitus [CI95% = 37-52%]. Additionally, 28% exhibited symptoms related to muscle disorders [CI95% = 22-35%], 34% had disc displacement with or without reduction [CI95% = 25-44%], and 24% had inflammatory joint disorders [CI95% = 13-36%]. The prevalence of headache was 26% [CI95% = 8-51%]. The certainty of evidence was considered very low., Conclusion: Approximately 1 in 2 patients with dentofacial deformity presents some sign and symptom related to TMD. Myofascial pain and headache may be present in approximately a quarter of patients with dentofacial deformity., Clinical Relevance: A multidisciplinary treatment is necessary for these patients, involving a professional with expertise in the management of TMD., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Aims: Evaluate the role of galectin-3 in the liver using an acute model of cisplatin-induced toxicity., Material and Methods: Modified citrus pectin (MCP) treatment was used to inhibit galectin-3. Rats were distributed into four groups: SHAM, CIS, MCP and MCP + CIS. On days 1-7, animals were treated by oral gavage with 100 mg/kg/day of MCP (MCP and MCP + CIS groups). On days 8, 9 and 10, animals received intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg/day of cisplatin (CIS and MCP + CIS groups) or saline (SHAM and MCP groups)., Key Findings: Cisplatin administration caused a marked increase in hepatic leukocyte influx and liver degeneration, and promoted reactive oxygen species production and STAT3 activation in hepatocytes. Plasma levels of cytokines (IL-6, IL-10), and hepatic toxicity biomarkers (hepatic arginase 1, α-glutathione S-transferase, sorbitol dehydrogenase) were also elevated. Decreased galectin-3 levels in the livers of animals in the MCP + CIS group were also associated with increased hepatic levels of malondialdehyde and mitochondrial respiratory complex I. Animals in the MCP + CIS group also exhibited increased plasma levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and aspartate transaminase 1. Furthermore, MCP therapy efficiently antagonized hepatic galectin-9 in liver, but not galectin-1, the latter of which was increased., Significance: Reduction of the endogenous levels of galectin-3 in hepatocytes favors the process of cell death and increases oxidative stress in the acute model of cisplatin-induced toxicity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) occurs in up to 10% of pelvic fractures. There is mixed evidence supporting early endoscopic urethral realignment (EUR) over suprapubic tube (SPT) placement and delayed urethroplasty. Some studies show decreased urethral obstruction with EUR, while others show few differences. We hypothesized that EUR would reduce the rate of urethral obstruction after PFUI., Methods: Twenty-six US medical centers contributed patients following either an EUR or SPT protocol from 2015 to 2020. If retrograde cystoscopic catheter placement failed, patients were included and underwent either EUR or SPT placement based on their institution's assigned treatment arm. Endoscopic urethral realignment involved simultaneous antegrade/retrograde cystoscopy to place a catheter across the urethral injury. The primary endpoint was development of urethral obstruction. Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the relationship between PFUI management and development of urethral obstruction., Results: There were 106 patients with PFUI; 69 (65%) had complete urethral disruption and failure of catheter placement with retrograde cystoscopy. Of the 69 patients, there were 37 (54%) and 32 (46%) in the EUR and SPT arms, respectively. Mean age was 37.0 years (SD, 16.3 years) years, and mean follow-up was 463 days (SD, 280 days) from injury. In the EUR arm, 36 patients (97%) developed urethral obstruction compared with 30 patients (94%) in the SPT arm ( p = 0.471). Urethroplasty was performed in 31 (87%) and 29 patients (91%) in the EUR and SPT arms, respectively ( p = 0.784)., Conclusion: In this prospective multi-institutional study of PFUI, EUR was not associated with a lower rate of urethral obstruction or need for urethroplasty when compared with SPT placement. Given the potential risk of EUR worsening injuries, clinicians should consider SPT placement as initial treatment for PFUI when simple retrograde cystoscopy is not successful in placement of a urethral catheter., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level III., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bacteriophages are ubiquitous organisms that can be specific to one or multiple strains of hosts, in addition to being the most abundant entities on the planet. It is estimated that they exceed ten times the total number of bacteria. They are classified as temperate, which means that phages can integrate their genome into the host genome, originating a prophage that replicates with the host cell and may confer immunity against infection by the same type of phage; and lytics, those with greater biotechnological interest and are viruses that lyse the host cell at the end of its reproductive cycle. When lysogenic, they are capable of disseminating bacterial antibiotic resistance genes through horizontal gene transfer. When professionally lytic-that is, obligately lytic and not recently descended from a temperate ancestor-they become allies in bacterial control in ecological imbalance scenarios; these viruses have a biofilm-reducing capacity. Phage therapy has also been advocated by the scientific community, given the uniqueness of issues related to the control of microorganisms and biofilm production when compared to other commonly used techniques. The advantages of using bacteriophages appear as a viable and promising alternative. This review will provide updates on the landscape of phage applications for the biocontrol of pathogens in industrial settings and healthcare.

Several inflammatory molecules have been suggested as biomarkers of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Galectin-3 (Gal-3), which has been shown to have a protective role in corneal injury by promoting epithelial cells adhesion and migration to the extracellular matrix, is also highly expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of patients with AMD. This study evaluated the role of Gal-3 in an in vitro model of UVA-induced RPE damage, as a proof-of-concept. ARPE-19 cells (human RPE cell line), were incubated with Gal-3 at 0.5-2.5 µg/mL concentrations prior to UVA irradiation for 15, 30, and 45 min, which resulted in accumulated doses of 2.5, 5, and 7.5 J/cm 2 , respectively. After 24 h incubation, MTT and LDH assays, immunofluorescence, and ELISA were performed. UVA irradiation for 15, 30, and 45 min proved to reduce viability in 83%, 46%, and 11%, respectively. Based on the latter results, we chose the intermediate dose (5-J/cm 2 ) for further analysis. Pretreatment with Gal-3 at concentrations > 1.5 µg/mL showed to increase the viability of UVA-irradiated cells (~ 75%) compared to untreated cells (64%). Increased levels of cleaved caspase 3, a marker of cell death, were detected in the ARPE cells after UVA irradiation with or without addition of exogenous Gal-3. The inhibitory effect of Gal-3 on UVA-induced cell damage was characterized by decreased ROS levels and increased p38 activation, as detected by fluorescence analysis. In conclusion, our study suggests a photoprotective effect of Gal-3 on RPE by reducing oxidative stress and increasing p38 activation., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to European Photochemistry Association, European Society for Photobiology.)

Introduction: Radiomics in uro-oncology is a rapidly evolving science proving to be a novel approach for optimizing the analysis of massive data from medical images to provide auxiliary guidance in clinical issues. This scoping review aimed to identify key aspects wherein radiomics can potentially improve the accuracy of diagnosis, staging, and grading of renal and bladder cancer., Material and Methods: A literature search was performed in June 2022 using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Controlled Register of Trials. Studies were included if radiomics were compared with radiological reports only., Results: Twenty-two papers were included, 4 were pertinent to bladder cancer, and 18 to renal cancer. Radiomics outperforms the visual assessment by radiologists in contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) to predict muscle invasion but are equivalent to CT reporting by radiologists in predicting lymph node metastasis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics outperforms radiological reporting for lymph node metastasis. Radiomics perform better than radiologists reporting the probability of renal cell carcinoma, improving interreader concordance and performance. Radiomics also helps to determine differences in types of renal pathology and between malignant lesions from their benign counterparts. Radiomics can be helpful to establish a model for differentiating low-grade from high-grade clear cell renal cancer with high accuracy just from contrast-enhanced CT scans., Conclusions: Our review shows that radiomic models outperform individual reports by radiologists by their ability to incorporate many more complex radiological features., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright by Polish Urological Association.)

Objective: To determine patient outcomes across a range of pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) severity. PFUI is a devastating consequence of a pelvic fracture. No study has stratified PFUI outcomes based on severity of the urethral distraction injury., Methods: Adult male patients with blunt-trauma-related PFUI were followed prospectively for a minimum of six months at 27 US medical centers from 2015-2020. Patients underwent retrograde cystourethroscopy and retrograde urethrography to determine injury severity and were categorized into three groups: (1) major urethral distraction, (2) minor urethral distraction, and (3) partial urethral injury. Major distraction vs minor distraction was determined by the ability to pass a cystoscope retrograde into the bladder. Simple statistics summarized differences between groups. Multi-variable analyses determined odds ratios for obstruction and urethroplasty controlling for urethral injury type, age, and Injury Severity Score., Results: There were 99 patients included, 72(72%) patients had major, 13(13%) had minor, and 14(14%) had partial urethral injuries. The rate of urethral obstruction differed in patients with major (95.8%), minor (84.6%), and partial injuries (50%) (P < 0.001). Urethroplasty was performed in 90% of major, 66.7% of minor, and 35.7% of partial injuries (P < 0.001)., Conclusion: In PFUI, a spectrum of severity exists that influences outcomes. While major and minor distraction injuries are associated with a higher risk of developing urethral obstruction and need for urethroplasty, up to 50% of partial PFUI will result in obstruction, and as such need to be closely followed., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, vaccination has been the core strategy to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in humans. This paper analyzes the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on hospitalizations and deaths in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. We analyzed data from 23,516 hospitalized COVID-19 patients diagnosed between April 2020 and August 2021. We excluded the data from patients hospitalized through direct occupancy, unknown outcomes, and unconfirmed COVID-19 cases, resulting in data from 12,635 patients cross-referenced with the immunization status during hospitalization. Our results indicated that administering at least one dose of the immunizers was sufficient to significantly reduce the occurrence of moderate and severe COVID-19 cases among patients under 59 years. Considering the partially or fully immunized patients, the mean age is similar between the analyzed groups, despite the occurrence of comorbidities and higher than that observed among not immunized patients. Thus, immunized patients present lower Unified Score for Prioritization (USP) levels when diagnosed with COVID-19. Our data suggest that COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduced the hospitalization and death of elderly patients (60+ years) after administration of at least one dose. Comorbidities do not change the mean age of moderate/severe COVID-19 cases and the days required for the hospitalization of these patients.

Hippocampus is the brain area where aluminum (Al) accumulates in abundance and is widely associated with learning and memory. In the present study, we evaluate behavioral, tissue, and proteomic changes in the hippocampus of Wistar rats caused by exposure to doses that mimic human consumption of aluminum chloride (AlCl 3 ) in urban areas. For this, male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: Control (distilled water) and AlCl 3 (8.3 mg/kg/day), both groups were exposed orally for 60 days. After the Al exposure protocol, cognitive functions were assessed by the Water maze test, followed by a collection for analysis of the global proteomic profile of the hippocampus by mass spectrometry. Aside from proteomic analysis, we performed a histological analysis of the hippocampus, to the determination of cell body density by cresyl violet staining in Cornu Ammonis fields (CA) 1 and 3, and hilus regions. Our results indicated that exposure to low doses of aluminum chloride triggered a decreased cognitive performance in learning and memory, being associated with the deregulation of proteins expression, mainly those related to the regulation of the cytoskeleton, cellular metabolism, mitochondrial activity, redox regulation, nervous system regulation, and synaptic signaling, reduced cell body density in CA1, CA3, and hilus.

The synaptonemal complex (SC) is a proteinaceous scaffold that is assembled between paired homologous chromosomes during the onset of meiosis. Timely expression of SC coding genes is essential for SC assembly and successful meiosis. However, SC components have an intrinsic tendency to self-organize into abnormal repetitive structures, which are not assembled between the paired homologs and whose formation is potentially deleterious for meiosis and gametogenesis. This creates an interesting conundrum, where SC genes need to be robustly expressed during meiosis, but their expression must be carefully regulated to prevent the formation of anomalous SC structures. In this manuscript, we show that the Polycomb group protein Sfmbt, the Drosophila ortholog of human MBTD1 and L3MBTL2, is required to avoid excessive expression of SC genes during prophase I. Although SC assembly is normal after Sfmbt depletion, SC disassembly is abnormal with the formation of multiple synaptonemal complexes (polycomplexes) within the oocyte. Overexpression of the SC gene corona and depletion of other Polycomb group proteins are similarly associated with polycomplex formation during SC disassembly. These polycomplexes are highly dynamic and have a well-defined periodic structure. Further confirming the importance of Sfmbt, germ line depletion of this protein is associated with significant metaphase I defects and a reduction in female fertility. Since transcription of SC genes mostly occurs during early prophase I, our results suggest a role of Sfmbt and other Polycomb group proteins in downregulating the expression of these and other early prophase I genes during later stages of meiosis.

Fish parasite communities can be directly influenced by characteristics of host species. However, little is known about the host-parasite relationships in commercially important fish of the southeastern Atlantic. To address this knowledge gap, a comparative analysis of the parasite communities of three sympatric Clupeiformes was conducted. Cetengraulis edentulus (Engraulidae), Opisthonema oglinum (Clupeidae) and Sardinella brasiliensis (Clupeidae) were collected from an estuarine lagoon near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Prevalence, abundance and aggregation were estimated for infrapopulations; richness, diversity, evenness and dominance for infracommunities. The three component communities were compared using both quantitative and qualitative components. Canonical discriminant analysis was used to determine if a host population could be characterised by the component community of its parasites. Multivariate models revealed that host species, a proxy for diet and phylogenetic relationships, was the main factor influencing the composition of parasite infracommunities. Diet was found to be the main factor shaping the communities of endoparasites, in which digeneans were dominant and best indicator of host population. Ectoparasites (copepods, isopods and monogeneans) displayed strong host-specificity with some species restricted to a single host population. The similarity of the component communities of the two clupeid populations demonstrated the influence of host phylogeny. Parasite infracommunities exhibited low diversity and high dominance, with many taxa restricted to a single host species (specialists) and few occurring in more than one (generalists). Host phylogeny and by extension, diet, morphology and coevolution with parasites appear to be important factors in determining the host-parasite relationships of clupeiform fish in the southeastern Atlantic., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study evaluated the anatomical factors that influence the virtual planning of zygomatic implants by using cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) scans. CBCT scans of 268 edentulous patients were transferred to specialized implant planning software for the following measurements: maxillo-sinus concavity size (small, medium, and large), zygoma width, implant insertion angle, implant length, and implant apical anchorage. Concavity sizes found were as follows: 34.95% small, 52.30% medium, and 7.35% large. The mean insertion angle was 43.2 degrees, and the average implant apical anchorage was 9.1 mm. The most frequent implant length was 40 mm. Significant differences were found when the different types of concavities in relation to the installation angle, the distance of the apical portion of the implant in contact with the zygomatic bone, and the lateral-lateral thickness of the zygomatic bone were compared (P < .001). Medium-sized maxillary sinus concavity presented greater apical anchorage of the implant (9.7 mm) and was the most frequent type (52.30%). The zygomatic bone is a viable site for zygomatic fixtures, and the use of specialized implant planning software is an important tool to achieve predictable outcomes for zygomatic implants and allows good visualization of the relation between implants and anatomical structures.

The pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis (Ps) overlaps, particularly the activation of the immune response and tissue damage. Here, we evaluated galectin (Gal)-1 and Gal-3 levels, which are beta-galactoside-binding proteins with immunomodulatory functions and examined their effects on human keratinocytes stimulated with either interleukin (IL)-4 or IL-17A. Skin biopsies from AD, Ps, and control patients were evaluated using histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Six studies containing publicly available transcriptome data were individually analyzed using the GEO2R tool to detect Gal-1 and Gal-3 mRNA levels. In vitro, IL-4- or IL-17A-stimulated keratinocytes were treated with or without Gal-1 or Gal-3 to evaluate cytokine release and migration. Our findings showed different patterns of expression for Gal-1 and Gal-3 in AD and Ps skins. Densitometric analysis in skin samples showed a marked increase in the protein Gal-1 levels in Ps epidermis and in both AD and Ps dermis compared to controls. Protein and mRNA Gal-3 levels were downregulated in AD and Ps lesional skin compared with the control samples. In vitro, both galectins addition abrogated the release of IL-8 and RANTES in IL-17-stimulated keratinocytes after 24 h, whereas IL-6 release was downregulated by Gal-3 and Gal-1 in IL-4- and IL-17-stimulated cells, respectively. Administration of both galectins also increased the rate of keratinocyte migration under IL-4 or IL-17 stimulation conditions compared with untreated cells. Altogether, the immunoregulatory and migration effects of Gal-1 and Gal-3 on keratinocytes under inflammatory microenvironment make them interesting targets for future therapies in cutaneous diseases., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The Floc and Sink technique promotes, through the application of coagulants and clays, the removal of phosphorus and algal biomass from the water column by flocculation and sedimentation. Although it is a promising technique for mitigating harmful cyanobacterial blooms, little is known about the impacts on other phytoplankton species as well as it is not known how species with mechanisms of resistance to sedimentation respond to the application of these products. In this study, a laboratory experiment was carried out with water from a eutrophic reservoir to assess the impact of applying aluminum-based coagulants, aluminum sulfate and polyaluminium chloride, and chitosan, alone and combined with lanthanum modified bentonite and natural bentonite on the phytoplankton community, in a functional approach based on morphology (Morphology-Based Functional Groups - MBFG, Kruk et al., 2010 and Reynolds et al., 2014), with an emphasis on the characteristics that provide resistance to sedimentation. We tested two hypotheses: phytoplankton species with adaptive mechanisms that provide buoyancy to cells are more resistant to the removal from the water column by coagulants and clays; and coagulants based on metals and modified clays are more efficient in sedimentation of microalgal cells compared to natural products, regardless of the presence of an adaptive mechanism of resistance to sedimentation. Our results showed that aluminum sulfate and polyaluminium chloride alone or combined with lanthanum modified bentonite and natural bentonite effectively sedimented the cells, regardless of the presence of buoyancy mechanisms. In contrast, the natural coagulant chitosan alone or combined with lanthanum modified bentonite and natural bentonite removed only those species that were small-celled or small colonial without specialized structures or with the presence of spines, arms and siliceous exoskeleton. In the case of species with aerotopes and flagella, the removal was not effective and still caused an increase in algal biomass due to the formation of suspended cell aggregates on the surface of the water column of the experimental units. Therefore, we concluded that the Floc and Sink technique has an impact on the phytoplankton community because it removes from the water column species that are not the target of coagulants and clays, but that are considered important sources of energy in freshwater trophic webs. This result differs according to the type of product used as well as it is related to the morphological adaptations that favor the buoyancy of cells in the water column. Species with aerotopes and flagella are more resistant to sedimentation and may make the use of products applied in the Floc and Sink technique unfeasible. Nevertheless, these results represent only an immediate effect of the technique on the phytoplankton community, thus requiring a longer time scale evaluation to determine the algae that can effectively recover water column. Therefore, we also emphasize that algae of nutritional value can recover over time and make the long-term application of the technique acceptable., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Predictions of more frequent and intense toxic cyanobacterial blooms in the future arise due to the synergistic effects of eutrophication combined with climate change. Thus, the intensification of dry conditions in arid and semiarid areas promotes a reduction in the water level of aquatic ecosystems and favors the growth of cyanobacteria. Among these conditions, there is a lack of consensus on the role of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P) limitation, particularly when cyanobacterial communities are dominated by N-fixing taxa. The present study evaluated the effects of water volume reduction on cyanobacterial abundance and heterocyst production in semiarid tropical reservoirs during a period of prolonged drought. Physicochemical variables and the phytoplankton community were analyzed, and a structural equation model was built to identify the variables that explain the heterocystous cyanobacteria and heterocysts. The reduction in water volume increased the cyanobacterial biomass due to the increase in the biomass of heterocystous filamentous cyanobacteria associated with higher production of heterocysts. Heterocysts were correlated with an increase in the trophic status, low light availability and high salinity maintained under the lower volume conditions. In addition, contrary to expectations, heterocysts were not correlated with the N:P ratio, which suggests that in the tropics, N fixation does not necessarily occur when the N:P ratio is low, and N is limiting. These results indicate the potential for dominance of heterocystous filamentous cyanobacteria in future climate change scenarios, and therefore, we recommend that bloom mitigation strategies prioritize the reduction of N and P associated with the control of variables that favor heterocystous filamentous (i.e., light and salinity). We also recommend including cyanotoxin analysis in the relationship with lowering the water level to determine whether cell-bound toxin production and the associated risk to aquatic biota and humans are increased in the dry period., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Delineate retrospectively and prospectively the incidence and characteristics of transient ST-segment elevation during transseptal puncture., Methods: The study retrospectively evaluated 307 patients from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2017, and prospectively evaluated 231 patients from January 1, 2018, to July 31, 2019., Results: The presence of ST-segment elevation was significantly higher in the prospective sample than in the retrospective sample (5.2% vs. 1.3%, p < 0.05). Between the two groups, there was no significant difference in age, sex, comorbidities, left atrial volume index, and the etiology of atrial fibrillation among patients with ST-segment alteration. In all patients, the ST-segment elevation was observed in the inferior wall derivations, except for one patient with ST elevation in lead I, AVL, V1-V4 during the septal puncture, associated with sinus bradycardia and reversed hypotension with intravenous fluids. Comparative analysis of the systolic and diastolic arterial pressure and the minimum heart rate during the phenomenon demonstrated more severity in the retrospectively evaluated population than in the prospective population. There was a significant association between the occurrence of ST-segment elevation > 2 mm and the presence of symptoms. In these patients, coronary angiography showed no alterations. Atropine was administered to one patient who presented with junctional bradycardia after the puncture. This medication reversed the situation., Conclusion: ST-segment elevation is a short-term phenomenon that can occur during transseptal catheterization without clinically evident symptoms. The catheter ablation procedure can be safely concluded despite the occurrence of the phenomenon., (© 2021. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Introduction: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. In 2016, it was declared an epidemic in Brazil due to its high morbidity and mortality rates, mainly in cases of maternal syphilis (MS) and congenital syphilis (CS) with unfavorable outcomes. This paper aimed to mathematically describe the relationship between MS and CS cases reported in Brazil over the interval from 2010 to 2020, considering the likelihood of diagnosis and effective and timely maternal treatment during prenatal care, thus supporting the decision-making and coordination of syphilis response efforts., Methods: The model used in this paper was based on stochastic Petri net (SPN) theory. Three different regressions, including linear, polynomial, and logistic regression, were used to obtain the weights of an SPN model. To validate the model, we ran 100 independent simulations for each probability of an untreated MS case leading to CS case (PUMLC) and performed a statistical t-test to reinforce the results reported herein., Results: According to our analysis, the model for predicting congenital syphilis cases consistently achieved an average accuracy of 93% or more for all tested probabilities of an untreated MS case leading to CS case., Conclusions: The SPN approach proved to be suitable for explaining the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN) dataset using the range of 75-95% for the probability of an untreated MS case leading to a CS case (PUMLC). In addition, the model's predictive power can help plan actions to fight against the disease., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Formyl peptide receptors (Fprs) are a G-protein-coupled receptor family mainly expressed on leukocytes. The activation of Fpr1 and Fpr2 triggers a cascade of signaling events, leading to leukocyte migration, cytokine release, and increased phagocytosis. In this study, we evaluate the effects of the Fpr1 and Fpr2 agonists Ac 9-12 and WKYMV, respectively, in carrageenan-induced acute peritonitis and LPS-stimulated macrophages. Peritonitis was induced in male C57BL/6 mice through the intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL of 3% carrageenan solution or saline (control). Pre-treatments with Ac 9-12 and WKYMV reduced leukocyte influx to the peritoneal cavity, particularly neutrophils and monocytes, and the release of IL-1β. The addition of the Fpr2 antagonist WRW4 reversed only the anti-inflammatory actions of WKYMV. In vitro, the administration of Boc2 and WRW4 reversed the effects of Ac 9-12 and WKYMV, respectively, in the production of IL-6 by LPS-stimulated macrophages. These biological effects of peptides were differently regulated by ERK and p38 signaling pathways. Lipidomic analysis evidenced that Ac 9-12 and WKYMV altered the intracellular lipid profile of LPS-stimulated macrophages, revealing an increased concentration of several glycerophospholipids, suggesting regulation of inflammatory pathways triggered by LPS. Overall, our data indicate the therapeutic potential of Ac 9-12 and WKYMV via Fpr1 or Fpr2-activation in the inflammatory response and macrophage activation.

Introduction: Lithotripsy during retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) can be achieved either by fragmentation and extraction or dusting with spontaneous passage. We aimed to perform a systematic review on the safety and stone-free rate after RIRS by comparing the techniques of dusting vs fragmentation/extraction., Material and Methods: This review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement. The inverse variance of the mean difference and 95% Confidence Interval (CI), Categorical variables were assessed using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel Method with the random effect model and reported as Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% CI. Statistical significance was set at p <0.05., Results: There were 1141 patients included in 10 studies. Stone size was up to 2.5 cm All studies used holmium laser for lithotripsy. Meta-analysis showed no significant difference in surgical time (MD -5.39 minutes 95% CI -13.92-2.31, p = 0.16), postoperative length of stay (MD -0.19 days 95% CI -0.60 - -0.22, p=0.36), overall complications (OR 0.98 95% CI 0.58-1.66, p = 0.95), hematuria (OR 1.01 95% CI 0.30-3.42, p = 0.99), postoperative fever (OR 0.70 95% CI 0.41-1.19, p = 0.19) and sepsis (OR 1.03 95% CI 0.10-10.35, p = 0.98), immediate (OR 0.40 95% CI 0.13-1.24, p = 0.11) and overall stone-free rate (OR 0.76 95% CI 0.43-1.32, p = 0.33), and retreatment rate (OR 1.35 95% CI 0.57-3.20, p = 0.49) between the groups., Conclusions: This systematic review infers that urologists can safely use either option of fragmentation and basket extraction or dusting without extraction to achieve similar outcomes as both techniques are similar for efficacy and safety., Competing Interests: Rodrigo Donalisio da Silva is a consultant for Lumenis. Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh had honorarium/lecture for: Astellas, Boston Scientific, Combat Medical, Ferring, Ipsen, Janssen, Olympus, Sanofy. Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh is a consultant for: Astellas, Combat Medical, Ferring, Janssen, MRI PRO. Jeremy Yuen-Chun Teoh had research grant from: Baxter, Janssen, Storz, Olympus, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme. The remaining authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright by Polish Urological Association.)

Mosquito surveillance is an essential component of mosquito control and mosquito traps are a universally employed tool to monitor adult populations. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the new modular Biogents BG-Pro mosquito trap (BGP) and compare its performance to 4 widely used traps for adult mosquitoes: the BG-Sentinel (BGS), the BG Mosquitaire (BGM), the CDC miniature light trap (CDC), and the encephalitis vector survey trap (EVS). One semi-field and 9 field Latin square trials were performed in 7 countries. Results showed that the collection performance of the BGP was equivalent to or exceeded that of the BGS, BGM, CDC, and EVS traps in head-to-head comparisons. The BGP uses 35% less power than the CDC and 75% less than the BGS and BGM. This lower power consumption allows it to run at 5 V for 2 days using a small lightweight 10,000-mAh rechargeable power bank. The BG-Pro is an excellent alternative for the surveillance of mosquito species that are usually monitored with BG-Sentinel, CDC, or EVS traps., (Copyright © 2021 by The American Mosquito Control Association, Inc.)

Objective: To understand the preference and role of 'hybrid' urological meetings compared to face-to-face and online meetings during and after COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary outcome was finding out the most preferable webinar setting., Methods: An online global survey was done between June 06 and July 05, 2020, using SurveyMonkey. The target participants were urology healthcare providers. The survey was disseminated via mailing lists and the Twitter platform., Results: A total of 526 urology providers from 56 countries responded to the survey and it was completed by 73.3%. Participants' overall experience was better in a face-to-face meeting, followed by a hybrid and webinar only meeting. While opportunities for networking was identified as high in face-to-face meeting, online webinars were more cost effective, and learning opportunity and reach of audience was higher for hybrid meetings. For online webinar format, Zoom platform was used by 73% and majority (69%) saw it on their laptop or desktop. The preference was for a 1-hour webinar in the evenings with 3-5 speakers. Urology residents rated face-to-face meetings to have better cost-effectiveness when compared to consultants. Post COVID-19, more than half of all respondents would prefer hybrid meetings compared to the other formats., Conclusion: While there will be a place for face-to-face meetings, COVID-19 situation has led to a preference towards hybrid meetings which is ideal for a global reach in the future. It is plausible that most urological associations will move towards a hybrid model for their meetings., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

We report the use of bacteriophages for control of Salmonella Enteritidis in poultry production. Phage was isolated by the double-agar plate assay from agricultural waste samples, and one isolate, named SM1, was selected and propagated for application in poultry litter. Two experimental protocols were tested: single treatment and repeated treatment (re-application of phage SM1 after 6 h and 12 h). Each treatment cycle involved 25 g of poultry litter placed in plastic boxes and contaminated with 10 5 Colony Forming Units mL -1 (CFU mL -1 ) of S. Enteritidis, in independent duplicates. The contaminated litter was treated with 10 6 Plaque Forming Units mL -1 (PFU mL -1 ) of SM1 phage by dripping. Repeated application of phage SM1 reduced Salmonella counts by over 99.9%; the phage persisted in poultry litter for over 35 days. This study illustrates the application of SM1 treatment as a promising technology for bacterial control in production matrices that could allow safe and sustainable use of agricultural waste products as biofertilizers.

Background: To describe our experience with outpatient transperineal biopsy (TPB) without antibiotics compared to transrectal biopsy (TRB) with antibiotics and bowel preparation. The literature elicits comparable cancer detection, time, and cost between the two. As antibiotic resistance increases, antimicrobial stewardship is imperative., Methods: In our retrospective review, we compared the TPB to TRB in our institution for outpatient prostate biopsies with local anesthesia from June 1st, 2017 to June 1st, 2019. Patients had negative urinalysis on day of procedure. Patients presenting with symptoms concerning for UTI followed by positive urine culture were determined to have a UTI., Results: Two hundred twenty-two patients met inclusion criteria. Age, race, BMI, pre-procedure PSA, history of UTI, BPH or other GU history were similar between both groups. Two TPB patients (1.8%) had post-procedure UTI; one received oral antibiotics and one received a dose of intravenous and subsequent oral antibiotics. There were no sepsis events or admissions. Six TRB patients (5.4%) had post-procedure UTI; five received oral antibiotics, and one received intravenous antibiotics and required admission for sepsis. One TPB patient (0.9%) had post-procedure retention and required catheterization, while four TRB patients (3.6%) had retention requiring catheterization. No significant difference noted in cancer detection between the two groups., Conclusion: Outpatient TPB without antibiotic prophylaxis/bowel prep is comparable to TRB in regard to safety and cancer detection. TPB without antibiotics had a lower infection and retention rate than TRB with antibiotics. Efforts to reduce antibiotic resistance should be implemented into daily practice. Future multi-institutional studies can provide further evidence for guideline changes., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

A need exists for further research elucidating the benefits of environmentally safe photoprotective agents against ultraviolet (UV) exposure, and plant extracts represent a human-friendly alternative formulation. This study was designed to evaluate the potential use of Bellis perennis extract (BPE), from the Asteraceae family, known as the common daisy or the English daisy, in cosmeceuticals as a photoprotective factor, using an in vitro model of UVA-induced keratinocyte damage. Human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT cell line) were incubated with BPE at 0.01, 0.1, or 1% in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM), and after 15 min they were submitted to UVA radiation at 5, 10, and 15 J/cm 2 doses, respectively. For comparative purposes, Polypodium leucotomos extract (PLE), known as the fern, was used as a positive control in assessing the photoprotective effect. After 24 h of UVA exposure, cell viability (MTT and LDH assays), levels of cleaved caspase-3, cyclooxygenase-2, IL-6, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant enzyme (catalase, SOD, and glutathione peroxidase) activity were determined. UVA radiation at 5, 10, and 15 J/cm 2 doses reduced cell viability to 63%, 43%, and 23%, respectively; we selected 10 J/cm 2 for our purposes. After 24 h of UVA exposure, treatment with 1% BPE and 1% PLE significantly recovered cell viability (p < 0.05). Furthermore, treatment was associated with lower cleaved caspase-3 and ROS levels, higher catalase activity, and lower IL-6 levels in the treated UVA keratinocytes compared with the untreated UVA group (p < 0.01). Our results demonstrate photoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of BPE in skin keratinocytes and support its use as a bioactive agent in cosmetic formulations to prevent skin damage caused by exposure to the UV light., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Galectin-9 (Gal-9) is a beta-galactoside-binding protein with a variety of biological functions related to immune response. However, in allergic diseases, its mechanism of action is not fully understood. This study evaluates the expression pattern of Gal-9 in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced experimental atopic dermatitis (AD) in mice, as well as its effect on human keratinocytes. The skin of OVA-immunized BALB/c mice was challenged with drops containing OVA on days 11, 14-18, and 21-24. HaCaT cells were cultured in the following experimental conditions: control (growth medium only) or stimulated with TNF-α/IFN-γ, or IL-4, or IL-17 with or without Gal-9 treatment. AD was characterized by increased levels of Gal-9 in mouse and human skin, especially in the epidermis, and with a marked influx of Gal-9 positive eosinophils and mast cells compared to the control group. Gal-9 showed an immunomodulatory effect on keratinocytes by decreasing the release of IL-6 by IL-4-stimulated keratinocytes or increasing the IL-6 and RANTES levels by IL-17- or TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated cells, respectively. Under IL-17, Gal-9 treatment also altered the proliferation rate of cells. Overall, increased levels of Gal-9 in AD skin contribute to the control of inflammatory response and the proliferative process of keratinocytes, suggesting this lectin as a relevant therapeutic target.