[Hydrocele]. / Hydrozele.

The hydrocele is overall a rare condition in urology. A differentiation between primary and secondary hydrocele is essential for further treatment. A primary hydrocele with a patent vaginal process tends to spontaneously regress in the first 2 years of life in newborns. If treatment is necessary, open as well as laparoscopic methods are available with good results. The treatment of scrotal pathologies, especially secondary hydrocele, often poses a challenge in the clinical practice. Despite the benign nature, supposedly simple surgical techniques and good chances of healing, postoperative complications are frequent. In comparison to open surgery, sclerotherapy provides a good alternative for the treatment of secondary hydrocele.

A metabolite sensor subunit of the Atg1/ULK complex regulates selective autophagy.

Cells convert complex metabolic information into stress-adapted autophagy responses. Canonically, multilayered protein kinase networks converge on the conserved Atg1/ULK kinase complex (AKC) to induce non-selective and selective forms of autophagy in response to metabolic changes. Here we show that, upon phosphate starvation, the metabolite sensor Pho81 interacts with the adaptor subunit Atg11 at the AKC via an Atg11/FIP200 interaction motif to modulate pexophagy by virtue of its conserved phospho-metabolite sensing SPX domain. Notably, core AKC components Atg13 and Atg17 are dispensable for phosphate starvation-induced autophagy revealing significant compositional and functional plasticity of the AKC. Our data indicate that, instead of functioning as a selective autophagy receptor, Pho81 compensates for partially inactive Atg13 by promoting Atg11 phosphorylation by Atg1 critical for pexophagy during phosphate starvation. Our work shows Atg11/FIP200 adaptor subunits bind not only selective autophagy receptors but also modulator subunits that convey metabolic information directly to the AKC for autophagy regulation.

[Update on ureteral reconstruction 2024]. / Update Harnleiterrekonstruktion 2024.

Ureteral strictures can occur along the entire course of the ureter and have many different causes. Factors involved in the development include, among other things, congenital anomalies, iatrogenic injuries during endoscopic as well as open or minimally invasive visceral surgical, gynecological, and urological procedures as well as prior radiation therapy. Planning treatment for ureteral strictures requires a detailed assessment of stricture and patient characteristics. Given the various options for ureteral reconstruction, various methods must be considered for each patient. Short-segment proximal strictures and strictures at the pyeloureteral junction are typically surgically managed with Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty. End-to-end anastomosis can be performed for short-segment proximal and middle ureteral strictures. Distal strictures are treated with ureteroneocystostomy and are often combined with a Boari and/or Psoas Hitch flap. Particularly, the treatment of long-segment strictures in the proximal and middle ureter remain a surgical challenge. The use of bowel interposition is an established treatment option for this, offering good functional results but also potential associated complications. Robot-assisted surgery is increasingly becoming a minimally invasive treatment alternative to reduce hospital stays and optimize postoperative recovery. However, open surgical ureteral reconstruction remains an established procedure, especially after multiple previous abdominal operations.

[Skin manifestations of the external male genitals]. / Hauterscheinungen des männlichen Genitals.

The urological examination includes the inspection of the external male genitals. Harmless normal variants, such as heterotopic sebaceous glands and pearly penile papules must be differentiated from malignant and infectious manifestations. Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus is a frequent connective tissue disease that can lead to functional impairments and an associated high level of suffering for those affected. Both conservative and invasive treatment options are available. Sexually transmitted diseases, such as syphilis, are gaining increasing importance in routine clinical and daily practice due to the increasing incidence in recent years. An early diagnosis and treatment of malignant neoplasms, such as Queyrat's erythroplasia can be carried out by routine inspection of the genital skin.

[Processing of medical products in the urological practice]. / Aufbereitung von Medizinprodukten in der urologischen Praxis.

The reprocessing of medical products is an important topic both in urological practices and in hospitals. The complexity is caused by the increasing variety of medical instruments and also by the increasing demands on the legally required quality of the reprocessing. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) have published recommendations for the processing of MD and last updated them in 2012. This article summarizes the legal framework for the reprocessing of medical devices, how medical devices are categorized before the appropriate procedure for reprocessing can be selected and the various steps in the reprocessing. A special focus is placed on medical products that are typically found in urological practices or outpatient departments and are processed there. Furthermore, the necessity of validating the processing method and the required training (expertise) of the personnel are discussed.

[New treatment concepts for colonic injury after percutaneous nephrolithotomy]. / Neues Therapiekonzept der Darmverletzung nach perkutaner Nephrolitholapaxie.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has become the gold standard for the treatment of large kidney stones > 2 cm and stones in the lower calyces > 1.5 cm. Despite the miniaturization of instruments and the greater expertise of urologists, serious complications can still occur. One of the most dangerous complications is intestinal perforation. Current database analyses report colonic injury in 0.3-0.8% of all cases. These injuries can be treated with either conservative management with long-term drainage and parenteral nutrition, or an exploratory laparotomy with primary closure or creation of a colostomy becomes necessary. We present the case of a 53-year-old woman who underwent left-sided PCNL for a single kidney stone. After removal of the nephrostomy, feces leaked from the puncture channel. After literature research and an interdisciplinary case presentation, the decision was made in favor of an undescribed therapy concept for colon injury after PCNL. After taking laxatives, a colonoscopy was performed. The entry and exit points of the puncture were identified and were both treated with an OTSC® clip (InMedi, Langenhagen, Germany). Immediately after the intervention stool leakage via the puncture channel stopped and the patient was allowed to eat normally. A control sonography on the third day revealed minimal fluid retention in the retroperitoneum which did not require treatment. The patient was then discharged symptom-free.

Sustainable micropollutant bioremediation via stormwater biofiltration system.

Waters contaminated with micropollutants are of environmental and public health concern globally. Stormwater is a significant source of anthropogenic micropollutants to receiving waters. Hence, sustainable stormwater remediation is needed to reduce contamination of waterways. Yet designing sustainable bioremediation solutions, including those targeted to remove micropollutants, is a major scientific challenge. This study aimed to adapt the design of stormwater biofiltration systems, to improve the removal of micropollutants and understand the role of the micropollutant-degrading bacteria in this bioremediation process. We investigated the atrazine removal performance of a prototype biofiltration system, in which the filter media was supplemented with Granulated Activated Carbon (GAC). The prototype biofiltration system completely removed atrazine to below detectable limits, significantly exceeding the GAC's adsorption capacity alone, suggesting other biological processes were present. We showed that atrazine degradation capacity, measured by the kinetics of the trzN gene abundance, was accelerated in the prototype system compared to the standard system (which had no added GAC; 0.8 vs. 0.37 week-1, respectively). Notably, this high level of atrazine removal did not come at the expense of the removal performance of other typical stormwater macropollutants (e.g., nutrients, suspended solids). The prototype biofiltration system showed a proof-of-concept of sustaining microbial remediation of a model micropollutant alongside stormwater macropollutants, which could be used to reduce impacts on receiving waterways and protect our ecosystems and human health.

The effect of missing data and imputation on the detection of bias in cognitive testing using differential item functioning methods.

BACKGROUND: Item response theory (IRT) methods for addressing differential item functioning (DIF) can detect group differences in responses to individual items (e.g., bias). IRT and DIF-detection methods have been used increasingly often to identify bias in cognitive test performance by characteristics (DIF grouping variables) such as hearing impairment, race, and educational attainment. Previous analyses have not considered the effect of missing data on inferences, although levels of missing cognitive data can be substantial in epidemiologic studies. METHODS: We used data from Visit 6 (2016-2017) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (N = 3,580) to explicate the effect of artificially imposed missing data patterns and imputation on DIF detection. RESULTS: When missing data was imposed among individuals in a specific DIF group but was unrelated to cognitive test performance, there was no systematic error. However, when missing data was related to cognitive test performance and DIF group membership, there was systematic error in DIF detection. Given this missing data pattern, the median DIF detection error associated with 10%, 30%, and 50% missingness was -0.03, -0.08, and -0.14 standard deviation (SD) units without imputation, but this decreased to -0.02, -0.04, and -0.08 SD units with multiple imputation. CONCLUSIONS: Incorrect inferences in DIF testing have downstream consequences for the use of cognitive tests in research. It is therefore crucial to consider the effect and reasons behind missing data when evaluating bias in cognitive testing.

[Safety and efficacy of en bloc vs. conventional transurethral resection of bladder tumors: a meta-analysis and systematic review]. / Sicherheit und Effizienz der en bloc vs. konventionellen transurethralen Resektion von Blasentumoren: eine Metaanalyse und systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: En bloc tumor resection of bladder tumors (ERBT) is a novel alternative procedure to conventional resection of bladder tumor (cTURBT), which might help to address common problems of the standard method, such as inadequate detrusor muscle in specimens, high re-resection rates and high recurrence rates. OBJECTIVE: To analyze current data on ERBT in efficacy and safety compared to cTURBT. DATA SOURCES: PubMed. STUDY SELECTION: Two independent authors identified trials based on keywords and inclusion criteria. A third author was consulted in case of discrepancies. Screening keywords: ERBT, en bloc transurethral resection of bladder tumor, TURBT en bloc. A meta-analysis of 13 studies was performed. The effect size was estimated based on odds ratios and mean differences including their corresponding two-sided 95% confidence intervals. DATA SYNTHESIS: The analyzed studies comprised a homogenous collective in terms of tumor size, tumor multiplicity and tumor stage. Operation time did not significantly differ between the methods. Differences were observed in hospitalization and catheterization time in favor of ERBT. Reported complications did not show clear differences. There was significantly more detrusor muscle in the specimens in the ERBT group. No significant differences were found in recurrence up to 2 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: ERBT is a safe alternative to conventional TURBT with promising features regarding effective resection of detrusor muscle. More standardized data on recurrence rates, different resection modalities and resection margin results are needed.

[Transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT)]. / Transurethrale Resektion von Blasentumoren (TUR-B).

Transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) is the standard of care for the diagnostics and primary treatment of bladder tumors. These are removed by fragmentation using loop diathermy. The resection area is coagulated for hemostasis. An important aspect is always a complete resection with an adequate amount of detrusor muscle in the specimen. Postoperative intravesical instillation of single-shot chemotherapy has been proven to reduce recurrence rates. Methods for improved tumor visualization (particularly photodynamic diagnostics) are used to enhance tumor detection rates particularly in multifocal tumors or carcinoma in situ (CIS). Thus, recurrence and progression rates can be reduced. Depending on the histological examination of the TURBT specimen, follow-up treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder tumors are adjuvant instillation treatment using chemotherapy or Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), second look TURBT and early cystectomy or for muscle invasive bladder tumors, radical cystectomy or (oncologically subordinate) trimodal treatment with renewed TURBT, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are indicated. Possible complications of TURBT include bleeding with bladder tamponade, extraperitoneal or intraperitoneal bladder perforation and infections of the urogenital tract.

Long term study of motivational and cognitive effects of low-intensity focused ultrasound neuromodulation in the dorsal striatum of nonhuman primates.

Noninvasive brain stimulation using transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) has many potential applications as a research and clinical tool, including incorporation into neural prosthetics for cognitive rehabilitation. To develop this technology, it is necessary to evaluate the safety and efficacy of FUS neuromodulation for specific brain targets and cognitive functions. It is also important to test whether repeated long-term application of FUS to deep brain targets improves or degrades behavioral and cognitive function. To this end, we investigated the effects of FUS in the dorsal striatum of nonhuman primates (NHP) performing a visual-motor decision-making task for small or large rewards. Over the course of 2 years, we performed 129 and 147 FUS applications, respectively, in two NHP. FUS (0.5 MHz @ 0.2-0.8 MPa) was applied to the putamen and caudate in both hemispheres to evaluate the effects on movement accuracy, motivation, decision accuracy, and response time. Sonicating the caudate or the putamen unilaterally resulted in modest but statistically significant improvements in motivation and decision accuracy, but at the cost of slower reaction times. The effects were dose (i.e., FUS pressure) and reward dependent. There was no effect on reaching accuracy, nor was there long-term behavioral impairment or neurological trauma evident on T1-weighted, T2-weighted, or susceptibility-weighted MRI scans. Sonication also resulted in significant changes in resting state functional connectivity between the caudate and multiple cortical regions. The results indicate that applying FUS to the dorsal striatum can positively impact the motivational and cognitive aspects of decision making. The capability of FUS to improve motivation and cognition in NHPs points to its therapeutic potential in treating a wide variety of human neural diseases, and warrants further development as a novel technique for non-invasive deep brain stimulation.

Assessing Bias in Cognitive Testing for Older Adults with Sensory Impairment: An Analysis of Differential Item Functioning in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study on Aging (BLSA) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS).

OBJECTIVES: Vision and hearing impairments affect 55% of people aged 60+ years and are associated with lower cognitive test performance; however, tests rely on vision, hearing, or both. We hypothesized that scores on tests that depend on vision or hearing are different among those with vision or hearing impairments, respectively, controlling for underlying cognition. METHODS: Leveraging cross-sectional data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS), we used item response theory to test for differential item functioning (DIF) by vision impairment (better eye presenting visual acuity worse than 20/40) and hearing impairment (better ear .5-4 kHz pure-tone average > 25 decibels). RESULTS: We identified DIF by vision impairment for tests whose administrations do not rely on vision [e.g., Delayed Word Recall both in ARIC-NCS: .50 logit difference between impaired and unimpaired (p = .04) and in BLSA: .62 logits (p = .02)] and DIF by hearing impairment for tests whose administrations do not rely on hearing [Digit Symbol Substitution test in BLSA: 1.25 logits (p = .001) and Incidental Learning test in ARIC-NCS: .35 logits (p = .001)]. However, no individuals had differences between unadjusted and DIF-adjusted measures of greater than the standard error of measurement. CONCLUSIONS: DIF by sensory impairment in cognitive tests was independent of administration characteristics, which could indicate that elevated cognitive load among persons with sensory impairment plays a larger role in test performance than previously acknowledged. While these results were unexpected, neither of these samples are nationally representative and each has unique selection factors; thus, replication is critical.

Reasons to go for thulium-based anatomical endoscopic enucleation of the prostate.

PURPOSE: To summarize the current evidence and the reasons to go for thulium-based anatomical endoscopic enucleation of the prostate (AEEP). METHODS: This review discusses the available literature on thulium-based AEEP. RESULTS: Thulium lasers operate at a wavelength between 1940 and 2013 nm. This wavelength, which has a low penetration depth in water, allows to perform smooth cuts in the prostatic tissue and allows urologists to perform various procedures: resection, vaporization, enucleation, or vapoenucleation of the prostate. Depending on the type of thulium laser, it can be used either in a continuous, or pulsed mode. CONCLUSION: In recent years, an increasing amount of evidence has described the thulium laser as a minimally invasive and size-independent treatment option for benign prostatic enlargement with excellent long-term results.

Recent evidence for anatomic endoscopic enucleation of the prostate (AEEP) in patients with benign prostatic obstruction on antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Due to demographic changes in today's society, the number of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is increasing. Similarly, the proportion of patients with cardiovascular risk factors undergoing antiplatelet (AP) or anticoagulation (AC) therapy is growing as well. METHODS: This review discusses the current literature on various techniques used for anatomic endoscopic enucleation of the prostate (AEEP) in patients on AC/AP therapy. RESULTS: The large number of energy sources used for AEEP makes it difficult to compare them. Overall, fewer bleeding-associated complications arise in patients under AP compared to AC or bridging therapy with low molecular weight heparin. However, perioperatively both AP and AC therapy lead to a higher risk of bleeding complications compared to patients not taking anticoagulants. CONCLUSIONS: The literature shows that AEEP is possible and efficacious in patients under AC/AP therapy, with only slight differences compared to patients not taking AC/AP drugs, on a short and long-term basis. Nevertheless, the sparse data, the retrospective nature of many studies and the inclusion of prostate sizes between 50 and 110 ml only, make it difficult to come to strong conclusions.

Rectal perforation after aquablation of the prostate: lessons learned the hard way.

INTRODUCTION: Transurethral resection of the prostate and open prostatectomy have been the standard of care for the surgical treatment of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) over decades. New emerging techniques for the surgical management of BPO have been currently introduced, but might be associated with new, unusual complications. METHODS: We herewith report on two patients with a rectal perforation after aquablation treatment of BPO. RESULTS: In the first case, the diagnosis was made 2 days after the aquablation procedure due to unspecific postoperative symptoms. A complex combined open/endoscopic repair of the defect was carried out thereafter. As a consequence, a rectoscopy was routinely performed since then following each aquablation procedure. In the second case, intraoperative rectoscopy after uneventful aquablation revealed the rectal perforation. The perforation was clipped immediately with an over the scope-clip by colonoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: These two cases of a rectal perforation after aquablation of the prostate demonstrate an unusual complication and its complex management. Diagnostic delay complicates its treatment. Therefore, immediate rectoscopy should be performed routinely after the aquablation procedure.

[Malignant epithelioid angiomyolipoma of the kidney: a rare case]. / Malignes epitheloides Angiomyolipom der Niere: ein seltener Fall.

Epitheloide angiomyolipoma (EAML) is a very rare type of benign mesenchymal angiomyolipoma. In contrast to classical angiomylipoma, lymph node metastases, local recurrence and distant metastases occur in one third of patients with EAML. We report the case of a 49-year-old patient with a large recurrence of EAML of the left kidney. According to the literature, this is the first case of a malignant EAML with local recurrence in Germany.

[Upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinoma]. / Urothelkarzinom des oberen Harntrakts.

Upper urinary tract urothelial cell carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare entity. The incidence in Germany is approximately 2/100,000 with a ratio between women and men of 1:2.5. Most clinical signs are nonspecific, which is why early diagnosis is rarely successful. Computed tomography urography in combination with diagnostic ureterorenoscopy is currently the gold standard in the diagnostics of UTUC. Regarding surgical treatment, radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with resection of a bladder cuff remains the method of choice, although the radical approach is developing towards laparoscopic/robotic or endourological procedures with preservation of kidney tissue. Due to the high recurrence rate (22-47%) of urothelial carcinoma inside the bladder, close follow-up after RNU is mandatory.

Simulations of the Water Food Energy Nexus for policy driven intervention.

Water-Food-Energy (WFE) resources exert mutual influences upon each other and thus cannot be managed separately. Information on household WFE expenditures addresses knowledge that distinguishes between geospatial districts' social welfare. Social welfare and investment in districts' WFE resources are interconnected. District (node) product of WFE normalized expenditures (Volume) is considered as a representative WFE Nexus holistic quantity. This Volume is assumed to be a function of residents' knowledge of welfare level across districts. We prove that the Volume rate conforms to Boltzmann entropy, and this is the premise of our hypothesis for directed information from high to low welfare between network nodes. Welfare mass (WM) represents the district's Volume combined with its income and population density. This WM is used as input into a model balancing between all domain nodes that allows policymakers to simulate the effects of potential quantifiable policy decisions targeted to individual districts at a domain level while also considering influences between districts. Based on existing historic data, the established tool exemplifies its potential by providing outcomes for Israel districts showing the influence of imposing different temporal allocation/deallocation actions as managerial regulations to prescribed districts. It is found that districts with a high WM do not suffer when a defund is applied, but districts that have a low WM gain from subsidies.

[A (new) revolution in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia? Aqua-ablation and prostate embolization]. / (Wieder) eine Revolution in der Therapie des benignen Prostatasyndroms? Aquaablation und Prostataembolisation.

Surgical treatment of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) is one of the most common procedures in urology. Numerous alternative methods have been developed in recent years to overcome the potential limitations of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) while providing comparable effectiveness and less morbidity. In a randomized study with a currently available follow-up of 3 years, the Aquabeam® system has shown comparable functional results with a lower rate of adverse events compared to TURP. Sufficient functional results were also found in a cohort study in patients with prostate volumes up to 150 ml. However, the rate of transfusions raises the question of optimal coagulation. Further cohort studies with short-term follow-up confirmed the results of the randomized studies. Prostate artery embolization (PAE) has been compared to TURP in several randomized trials. In randomized studies, the reduction of BPO-associated symptoms after PAE is only slightly inferior to that after TURP. In contrast, the improvement of functional parameters after embolization is inferior to that after TURP. This is primarily due to the inferior desobstruction. In addition, long-term results from randomized studies are lacking, so that no final assessment has yet been possible with regard to the durability of the desobstruction. In summary, both Aquabeam® and PAE are potential alternatives to standard methods, which-in case of adequate patient selection-can supplement the operative armamentarium in the wider concept of an individualized therapy of BPO.