Does climate impact inflatable penile prosthesis infection (IPP) risk? Assessment of temperature and dew point on IPP infections.

BACKGROUND: Variations in climate have been associated with a greater risk of surgical site infections, urinary tract infections, and changes in the skin microbiome; however, limited data exist on the impact of climate on inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) infections. AIM: We sought to evaluate the impact of climate on the risk of IPP infections in a large international, multicenter cohort. METHODS: We performed a multi-institutional, retrospective study of patients undergoing IPP surgery. We then evaluated whether the month or season, during which surgery was performed, affected device infections. Implant infections were defined as infections requiring device explantation. A univariate logistic regression analysis was undertaken. OUTCOMES: Our primary outcome was implant infection. RESULTS: A total of 5289 patients with a mean age of 62.2 ± 10.8 years received IPP placement. There was a fairly even distribution of implants performed in each season. A total of 103 (1.9%) infections were recorded. There were 32 (31.1%) IPP infections in patients who underwent surgery in the summer, followed by 28 (27.2%) in the winter, 26 (25.2%) in the spring, and 17 (16.5%) in the fall. No statistically significant differences were recorded in terms of season (P = .19) and month (P = .29). The mean daily temperature (P = .43), dew point (P = .43), and humidity (P = .92) at the time of IPP placement was not associated with infection. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings provide reassurance to prosthetic urologists that infection reduction strategies do not need to be tailored to local climate. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Climate data were not directly recorded for each hospital, but rather based on the monthly averages in the city where the surgery was performed. CONCLUSION: The climate at time of IPP placement and time of year of surgery is not associated with IPP infection risk.

Single Dilation in Primary Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Placement Is Associated With Fewer Corporal Complications Than Sequential Dilation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the difference in outcomes between single dilation (SingD) and sequential dilation (SeqD) in primary penile implantation, hypothesizing that patients who undergo SeqD had higher rates of noninfectious complications. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective study of men undergoing primary inflatable penile prosthesis placement. Intraoperative complications and postoperative noninfectious outcomes were assessed between the two groups. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify predictors of complications. RESULTS: A total of 3293 patients met inclusion criteria. After matching, there were 379 patients who underwent SingD and 379 patients who underwent SeqD. There was no significant difference in intraoperative complications between patients who underwent SingD vs SeqD, nor was there any difference in cylinder length (20 cm with interquartile range [IQR] 18-21 cm vs 20 cm with IQR 18-20 cm respectively, P = .4). On multivariable analysis, SeqD (OR 5.23 with IQR 2.74-10, P < .001) and older age (OR 1.04 with IQR 1.01-1.06, P = .007) were predictive of postoperative noninfectious complications. There was no significant difference in intraoperative complications between patients who underwent SingD vs SeqD, nor was there any difference in cylinder length. SeqD and older age were predictive of postoperative noninfectious complications. CONCLUSION: During inflatable penile prosthesis placement in the uncomplicated patient without fibrosis, SingD is a safe technique to utilize during implantation that will minimize postoperative adverse events, and promote device longevity without loss of cylinder length.

Delayed placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis is associated with a high complication rate in men with a history of ischemic priapism.

BACKGROUND: Corporal fibrosis is known to result from prolonged priapism; however, the impact of the timing of penile prosthesis placement after priapism on complication rates is poorly understood. AIM: We sought to evaluate the impact of timing of inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) placement on complications in men with a history of ischemic priapism. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of patients with a history of priapism undergoing IPP placement by 10 experienced implantation surgeons. We defined early placement as ≤6 months from priapism to IPP. We identified a 1:1 propensity-matched group of men without a history of priapism and compared complication rates between men who had early placement, late placement, and no history of priapism. OUTCOMES: Our primary outcome was postoperative noninfectious complications, and secondary outcomes included intraoperative complications and postoperative infection. RESULTS: A total of 124 men were included in the study with a mean age of 50.3 ± 12.7 years. A total of 62 had a history of priapism and 62 were matched control subjects. The median duration of priapism was 37 (range, 3-168) hours and the median time from ischemic priapism to IPP placement was 15 months (range, 3 days to 23 years). Fifteen (24%) men underwent early (≤6 months) IPP placement at a median time of 2 months (range, 3 days to 6 months) following the ischemic priapism event. The remaining 47 (76%) underwent placement >6 months following priapism at a median time of 31.5 months (range, 7 months to 23 years). The complication rate in the delayed placement group was 40.5% compared with 0% in the early placement group and control group. Cylinder-related complications such as migration or leak accounted for 8 (57%) of 14 of the postoperative noninfectious complications. Full-sized cylinders were used in all patients who had a cylinder related complication. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Priapism patients should be referred to prosthetic experts early to decrease complication rates in those needing an IPP. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This is a multicenter study from experienced prosthetic urologists but is limited by the retrospective nature and small number of patients in the early placement group. CONCLUSION: IPP complication rates are high in men with a history of ischemic priapism, especially when implantation is delayed beyond 6 months.

Surviving While Black: Systemic Racism and Psychological Resilience.

This autobiographical essay traces my personal journey from grandson of a slave to a cultural psychologist examining racism. My journey includes growing up in a small Ohio town, training in social psychology, and an academic career that was launched with the publication of Prejudice and Racism in 1972. I weave my personal experiences with my analytical approach to racism that incorporates individual, institutional, and cultural factors that combine to explain systemic racism. The racism analysis is balanced by a narrative of mechanisms that confer resilience and psychological well-being on Black people as they navigate the obstacles of systemic racism. I also explore diversity as a form of psychological and behavioral competence required to live effectively in a diverse world. I conclude that these aspects of human relations can be better understood and addressed with advancement of diversity science.

AUA-recommended Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Primary Penile Implantation Results in a Higher, Not Lower, Risk for Postoperative Infection: A Multicenter Analysis.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to determine if the AUA-recommended prophylaxis (vancomycin + gentamicin alone) for primary inflatable penile prosthesis surgery is associated with a higher infection risk than nonstandard regimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective study of patients undergoing primary inflatable penile prosthesis surgery. Patients were divided into those receiving vancomycin + gentamicin alone and those receiving any other regimen. A Cox proportional-hazards model was constructed adjusted for major predictors. A subgroup analysis to identify the appropriate dosage of gentamicin was also performed. RESULTS: A total of 4,161 patients underwent primary inflatable penile prosthesis placement (2,411 received vancomycin + gentamicin alone and 1,750 received other regimens). The infection rate was similar between groups, 1% vs 1.2% for standard vs nonstandard prophylaxis. In the multivariable analysis, vancomycin + gentamicin (HR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4 to 5.4, P = .004) and diabetes (HR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.03 to 3.4, P = .04) were significantly associated with a higher risk of infection. Antifungals (HR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.19, P < .001) were associated with lower risk of infection. There was no statistically significant difference in infection rate between weight-based gentamicin compared to 80 mg gentamicin (HR: 2.9, 95% CI: 0.83 to 10, P = .1). CONCLUSIONS: Vancomycin + gentamicin alone for antibiotic prophylaxis for primary inflatable penile prosthesis surgery is associated with a higher infection risk than nonstandard antibiotic regimens while antifungal use is associated with lower infection risk. A critical review of the recommended antimicrobial prophylactic regimens is needed. Prospective research is needed to further elucidate best practices in inflatable penile prosthesis antimicrobial prophylaxis.

New findings regarding the influence of assistants on surgical outcomes in penile prosthesis implantation.

Penile prosthesis implantation is the definitive treatment for refractory erectile dysfunction, yet exposure to this procedure during training of urology residents is often limited. To assess the effects of resident participation in penile prosthesis surgery, we compared surgical outcomes in a retrospective case series of 253 penile prosthesis surgeries by a single surgeon at the same institution between 2017 and 2020 with the assistance of either a registered nurse first assistant (RNFA) or a resident. Pertinent patient characteristics and surgical complications including device complications, surgical site infection, postoperative bleeding, iatrogenic injury, cardiovascular events, pulmonary events, and urinary retention were documented. Measured outcomes included operative time, Emergency Room (ER) visits, unplanned postoperative visits, pain medication refills, and surgical complications. Compared to RFNAs, resident-assisted penile prosthesis surgery was associated with significant increase in mean operative time (71.4 min vs. 87.9 min, p < 0.01) and postoperative ER visits (3.0% vs. 10.6%, p = 0.03) but not surgical complications (19.7% vs. 20.8%, OR 1.03, 95% CI [0.46 -2.30]) or other measured outcomes. Compared to a dedicated RFNA, Resident assistance increased operative time by approximately 17 min, but did not increase post-operative surgical complications, supporting the notion that resident assistance in these procedures may be appropriate as an integral part of training.

Justice meets social scienceViral Justice Ruha Benjamin Princeton University Press, 2022. 392 pp.A More Just Future Dolly Chugh Atria Books, 2022. 224 pp.

A pair of authors urge readers to confront society's shortcomings and build a better future.

Development of a Hemostatic Urinary Catheter for Transurethral Prostatic Surgical Applications.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a novel transurethral hemostatic catheter device with an integrated chitosan endoluminal hemostatic dressing (CEHD). Development and implementation of this technology may help address bleeding following surgery such as transurethral resection of prostate (TURP). Bleeding remains the most common complication following TURP, leading to increased morbidity and hospitalization. METHODS: Investigation of hemostasis, delivery, safety and efficacy of the CEHD device is conducted using Female Yorkshire swine (N = 23). Hemostatic efficacy of the CEHD (N = 12) is investigated against a control of gauze (N = 12) in a splenic injury model (3 swine). The delivery, safety, and efficacy of the CEHD device (N = 10) are investigated against Foley-catheter control (N = 10) for 7 days using a swine bladder-neck-injury model. RESULTS: In the splenic injury study, 9/12 CEHD dressings successfully achieved hemostasis within 150 seconds (mean 83 seconds) vs success of 6/12 (mean 150 seconds) for gauze (P = .04). In the 7-day study, the CEHD was successfully deployed in 10/10 animals and all dressings were tolerated without histologic or clinical adverse effect. Hemostasis of the CEHD device was found to be noninferior to control catheters. Noninferiority is attributed to low bleeding rates in the swine bladder neck injury model. CONCLUSION: This investigation successfully demonstrated the feasibility of transurethral deployment of the CEHD in vivo. Routine use of safe and slowly dissolvable CEHDs could reduce the rate of complications and hospitalizations associated with bleeding and blood loss in TURP procedures. Further investigation is warranted.

The Impact of Work Status and Age in Choosing Type of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

INTRODUCTION: The PReferences for Open Versus Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (PROVE-AAA) trial aimed to determine the efficacy of a validated decision aid to enable better alignment between patient preference and their ultimate repair. We sought to determine the key factors influencing the decision-making of veterans for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (EVAR) or open surgical repair (OSR). METHODS: A total of 235 veterans in the PROVE-AAA trial were asked their information sources regarding repairs, employment status, and preferred intervention. Answers were coded and analyzed using conventional content analysis to generate nonoverlapping themes, then stratified by employment status. RESULTS: Forty-two patients (17.8% of enrollees) provided their source of information for OSR prior to using a decision aid. 81% of retired veterans were greater than 70 y old, while 58% of nonretired veterans were greater than 70 (P = 0.003). The most common information source was from a vascular surgeon/professional or unspecified MD/other health professionals (51.4%), while sources from outside this group made up the remaining 48.5%. The most preferred procedure was EVAR. However, nonretired individuals were more likely to prefer OSR. These data on information source and preferred procedure were similar in patients who provided their source for EVAR. CONCLUSIONS: Veterans in the PROVE-AAA study were more likely to be retired and more likely to rely on information from an unspecified MD/other health professionals for EVAR. Although both retired and nonretired veterans preferred EVAR the most, nonretired veterans were more likely to prefer OSR despite being younger.

Prevascularized hydrogels with mature vascular networks promote the regeneration of critical-size calvarial bone defects in vivo.

Adequate vascularization of scaffolds is a prerequisite for successful repair and regeneration of lost and damaged tissues. It has been suggested that the maturity of engineered vascular capillaries, which is largely determined by the presence of functional perivascular mural cells (or pericytes), plays a vital role in maintaining vessel integrity during tissue repair and regeneration. Here, we investigated the role of pericyte-supported-engineered capillaries in regenerating bone in a critical-size rat calvarial defect model. Prior to implantation, human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs) were cocultured in a collagen hydrogel to induce endothelial cell morphogenesis into microcapillaries and hBMSC differentiation into pericytes. Upon implantation into the calvarial bone defects (8 mm), the prevascularized hydrogels showed better bone formation than either untreated controls or defects treated with autologous bone grafts (positive control). Bone formation parameters such as bone volume, coverage area, and vascularity were significantly better in the prevascularized hydrogel group than in the autologous bone group. Our results demonstrate that tissue constructs engineered with pericyte-supported vascular capillaries may approximate the regenerative capacity of autologous bone, despite the absence of osteoinductive or vasculogenic growth factors.

3D Printing of Microgel-Loaded Modular Microcages as Instructive Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering.

Biomaterial scaffolds have served as the foundation of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, scaffold systems are often difficult to scale in size or shape in order to fit defect-specific dimensions, and thus provide only limited spatiotemporal control of therapeutic delivery and host tissue responses. Here, a lithography-based 3D printing strategy is used to fabricate a novel miniaturized modular microcage scaffold system, which can be assembled and scaled manually with ease. Scalability is based on an intuitive concept of stacking modules, like conventional toy interlocking plastic blocks, allowing for literally thousands of potential geometric configurations, and without the need for specialized equipment. Moreover, the modular hollow-microcage design allows each unit to be loaded with biologic cargo of different compositions, thus enabling controllable and easy patterning of therapeutics within the material in 3D. In summary, the concept of miniaturized microcage designs with such straight-forward assembly and scalability, as well as controllable loading properties, is a flexible platform that can be extended to a wide range of materials for improved biological performance.

Rapid fabrication of vascularized and innervated cell-laden bone models with biomimetic intrafibrillar collagen mineralization.

Bone tissue, by definition, is an organic-inorganic nanocomposite, where metabolically active cells are embedded within a matrix that is heavily calcified on the nanoscale. Currently, there are no strategies that replicate these definitive characteristics of bone tissue. Here we describe a biomimetic approach where a supersaturated calcium and phosphate medium is used in combination with a non-collagenous protein analog to direct the deposition of nanoscale apatite, both in the intra- and extrafibrillar spaces of collagen embedded with osteoprogenitor, vascular, and neural cells. This process enables engineering of bone models replicating the key hallmarks of the bone cellular and extracellular microenvironment, including its protein-guided biomineralization, nanostructure, vasculature, innervation, inherent osteoinductive properties (without exogenous supplements), and cell-homing effects on bone-targeting diseases, such as prostate cancer. Ultimately, this approach enables fabrication of bone-like tissue models with high levels of biomimicry that may have broad implications for disease modeling, drug discovery, and regenerative engineering.

Doing Diversity: Creating Spaces, Opportunities, and Change.

I briefly describe my work on race and racism, and the psychology of diversity. Two key aims have been expanding graduate training for students of color and expanding the focus of scientific theorizing, research, and applications in psychology. I argue that history is important for understanding race-related conflict and progress and that cultural context is both a source of obstacles to inclusion (cultural racism) and an important asset in resisting and coping with these obstacles (resilience). I describe ways in which my career represents "doing diversity." Specifically, I have (a) helped diversify psychological science through a Minority Fellowship Program that provided PhD training opportunities for more than 1,500 students of color, (b) contributed to understanding psychological issues by spearheading psychological science publications on HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and abortion; (c) contributed to national conversations and understanding of race by advising the U.S. Department of Defense on assessments of racial and ethnic discrimination in the military and President Clinton's Race Initiative; and (d) helped conceive and create an institute of world-class scholarship on race (DuBois Institute for African American Research) at Harvard University. I conclude by discussing challenges I faced, what I might have done differently, and how my work was meaningful in my career and life.

Multipotent Adult Progenitor Cells, but Not Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinase-3, Increase Tissue Sparing and Reduce Urological Complications following Spinal Cord Injury.

Following spinal cord injury (SCI), inflammation amplifies damage beyond the initial insult, providing an opportunity for targeted treatments. An ideal protective therapy would reduce both edema within the lesion area and the activation/infiltration of detrimental immune cells. Previous investigations demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous injection of multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPC®) to modulate immune response following SCI, leading to significant improvements in tissue sparing, locomotor and urological functions. Separate studies have demonstrated that tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP3) reduces blood-brain barrier permeability following traumatic brain injury in a mouse model, leading to improved functional recovery. This study examined whether TIMP3, delivered alone or in concert with MAPC cells, improves functional recovery from a contusion SCI in a rat model. The results suggest that intravenous delivery of MAPC cell therapy 1 day following acute SCI significantly improves tissue sparing and impacts functional recovery. TIMP3 treatment provided no significant benefit, and further, when co-administered with MAPC cells, it abrogated the therapeutic effects of MAPC cell therapy. Importantly, this study demonstrated for the first time that acute treatment of SCI with MAPC cells can significantly reduce the incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI) and the use of antibiotics for UTI treatment.

E151 (sym15), a pleiotropic mutant of pea (Pisum sativum L.), displays low nodule number, enhanced mycorrhizae, delayed lateral root emergence, and high root cytokinin levels.

In legumes, the formation of rhizobial and mycorrhizal root symbioses is a highly regulated process which requires close communication between plant and microorganism. Plant mutants that have difficulties establishing symbioses are valuable tools for unravelling the mechanisms by which these symbioses are formed and regulated. Here E151, a mutant of Pisum sativum cv. Sparkle, was examined to characterize its root growth and symbiotic defects. The symbioses in terms of colonization intensity, functionality of micro-symbionts, and organ dominance were compared between the mutant and wild type. The endogenous cytokinin (CK) and abscisic acid (ABA) levels and the effect of the exogenous application of these two hormones were determined. E151 was found to be a low and delayed nodulator, exhibiting defects in both the epidermal and cortical programmes though a few mature and functional nodules develop. Mycorrhizal colonization of E151 was intensified, although the fungal functionality was impaired. Furthermore, E151 displayed an altered lateral root (LR) phenotype compared with that of the wild type whereby LR emergence is initially delayed but eventually overcome. No differences in ABA levels were found between the mutant and the wild type, but non-inoculated E151 exhibited significantly high CK levels. It is hypothesized that CK plays an essential role in differentially mediating the entry of the two micro-symbionts into the cortex; whereas it would inhibit the entry of the rhizobia in that tissue, it would promote that of the fungus. E151 is a developmental mutant which may prove to be a useful tool in further understanding the role of hormones in the regulation of beneficial root symbioses.

Adaptive disengagement buffers self-esteem from negative social feedback.

The degree to which self-esteem hinges on feedback in a domain is known as a contingency of self-worth, or engagement. Although previous research has conceptualized engagement as stable, it would be advantageous for individuals to dynamically regulate engagement. The current research examined whether the tendency to disengage from negative feedback accounts for variability in self-esteem. We created the Adaptive Disengagement Scale (ADS) to capture individual differences in the tendency to disengage self-esteem from negative outcomes. Results demonstrated that the ADS is reliable and valid (Studies 1 and 2). Furthermore, in response to negative social feedback, higher scores on the ADS predicted greater state self-esteem (Study 3), and this relationship was mediated by disengagement (Study 4). These findings demonstrate that adaptive disengagement protects self-esteem from negative outcomes and that the ADS is a valid measure of individual differences in the implementation of this process.

Self-enhancement influences medial frontal cortex alpha power to social rejection feedback.

Although previous research has demonstrated that individuals are motivated to self-enhance, the neurocognitive mechanisms and temporal dynamics of self-enhancement are poorly understood. The current research examined whether self-enhancing motivations affect the perceptual processing of social feedback. Participants who varied in self-enhancement motivations received accept and reject feedback while EEG was recorded. Following this task, we measured perceptions of feedback by asking participants to estimate the number of times they were rejected. Source localization and time-frequency analyses revealed that alpha power in the medial frontal cortex (MFC) completely mediated the relationship between self-enhancement motivations and rejection estimates. Specifically, greater self-enhancement motivations predicted decreased MFC alpha power to reject compared to accept feedback, which predicted decreased rejection estimates. These findings suggest that self-enhancement motivations decrease perception of social rejection by influencing how the MFC processes social feedback.

Succeeding in the face of stereotype threat: the adaptive role of engagement regulation.

Two experiments examined Engagement Regulation, the systematic increase or decrease of self-esteem engagement in a domain following positive or negative outcomes, respectively. We hypothesized that, under threat, more positive outcomes increase engagement, and greater engagement augments the influence of subsequent outcomes on self-esteem and performance. Female participants completed an initial math test, received bogus feedback, and then completed a second test. Results indicated that more positive feedback evoked greater engagement and that this relationship was strongest under stereotype threat (Study 1). Under stereotype threat, engagement interacted with subsequent feedback, such that greater engagement to positive feedback increased performance, but greater engagement to negative feedback decreased self-esteem and performance (Study 2). Together, these findings suggest that Engagement Regulation facilitates self-esteem maintenance and positive performance under stereotype threat.