Multicenter Analysis of Acquired Undescended Testis and Its Impact on the Timing of Orchidopexy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether late orchidopexy for undescended testis represents delayed treatment of primary undescended testis or later-occurring acquired undescended testis. STUDY DESIGN: We examined boys undergoing orchidopexy for cryptorchidism regarding age at surgery and entity of undescended testis. We characterized differences between primary undescended testis and acquired undescended testis and evaluated the knowledge regarding the diagnosis and management of acquired undescended testis among practicing physicians. We conducted an observational study using a mixed-method multicenter cross-sectional design. A total of 310 consecutive boys undergoing orchidopexy for undescended testis at 6 pediatric medical centers in Germany between April 2016 and June 2018 were investigated regarding testicular position at birth and age at surgery. In addition, a survey on acquired undescended testis management was carried out in 1017 multidisciplinary physicians and final-year medical students. RESULTS: Only 13% of all patients were operated on in their first year of life. Among patients with known previous testicular position (67%), primary undescended testis (n = 103) and acquired undescended testis (n = 104) were equally frequent. More than one-half (56%) of orchidopexies performed after the first year of life were due to acquired undescended testis. Remarkably, only 15% of physicians considered acquired undescended testis as an indication for late surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Acquired undescended testis is more common than previously perceived and accounts for a significant proportion of "late" orchidopexies in patients with undescended testis. Acquired undescended testis needs to be better recognized in clinical practice and screening should continue in older children with previously descended testes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Registry: DRKS00015903.

Caenorhabditis elegans OSM-11 signaling regulates SKN-1/Nrf during embryonic development and adult longevity and stress response.

The Nrf family of transcription factors is critical for stress defense and detoxification. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the Nrf protein ortholog SKN-1 mediates this conserved stress response and promotes longevity. Moreover, SKN-1 is well known for its essential functions during C. elegans embryogenesis. SKN-1 is maternally deployed and initiates a signaling network specifying development of the endoderm and mesoderm. In this study, we identify the conserved Notch ligand OSM-11 as a novel regulator of SKN-1. We find that genetic inactivation of osm-11 re-establishes development of the pharynx and intestine in skn-1 deficient embryos and thereby rescues embryonic lethality associated with loss of skn-1 function. Inactivation of other DSL- and DOS-motif Notch ligands does not prevent skn-1 embryonic lethality. In addition, we show that inactivation of osm-11 in adult worms robustly enhances lifespan and promotes resistance to environmental stress. SKN-1 is required for increased longevity and heat and oxidative stress resistance but not hyperosmotic stress conferred by osm-11. OSM-11 prevents the nuclear accumulation of SKN-1 and represses the transcriptional activation of SKN-1 target genes for cellular detoxification. Our findings indicate that OSM-11 antagonizes SKN-1 during embryonic development and reveal a highly context-specific relationship between OSM-11 and SKN-1 in promoting stress resistance and longevity.

[Shaft fractures of the lower limb in adolescents]. / Frakturen im Schaftbereich der unteren Extremität bei Adoleszenten.

Shaft fractures of the lower extremities are rare during adolescence. Conservative treatment is no longer used for the upper leg and the significance is declining for the lower leg, as only minor axis deviations and malrotations of the shaft are acceptable and conservative therapy is associated with severe impairments in the daily routine; however, conservative treatment is still an option for femoral fractures in children < 3 years of age and for stable fractures of the lower leg. Various osteosynthesis procedures can be used depending on the body weight and epiphyseal maturation. Elastic stable intramedullary nailing is the first choice, followed by solid adolescent femoral or tibial nailing for higher body weights and external fixation for open or multifragmentary fractures. Plate osteosynthesis is an established alternative. Following correct surgical treatment, all fractures have movement and at least partial load-bearing stability and the results are satisfactory. Regular controls are recommended up to the end of the growth period.