Predictive value of urethral sphincter complex volume for persistent high voiding pressure in female urethral diverticulum patients post-diverticulectomy.

Purpose: This study evaluated the relationship between urethral diverticulum volume (UDv), urethral sphincter complex volume (USCv), clinical and urodynamic characteristics, and surgical outcomes in women with UD.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 53 female patients who underwent diverticulectomy for UD. They were divided into two groups: proximal/middle UD (pmUD, n = 43) and distal UD (dUD, n = 10).

A prospective study using questionnaires and urodynamic assessments to evaluate bladder function and continence changes after robotic assisted radical prostatectomy.

Post-prostatectomy continence status, in addition to lower urinary tract symptoms, is a major concern among patients after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RaRP). In this prospective study, we enrolled patients undergoing RaRP to evaluate subjective urinary symptoms and objective urodynamic parameters before and after surgery. Patients were recruited before RaRP surgery between January 2019 and August 2020.

Molecular characterization of colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and their conjugative mcr-carrying plasmids.

Background: This study aimed to characterize colistin-resistant K. pneumoniae (CoRKp) strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infections and bacteremia between 1999 and 2022 at a tertiary teaching hospital in Taiwan.

Methods: A total of 1966 K.

Intravesical Instillation of Hyaluronic Acid With Epidermal Growth Factor for Restoring Urothelial Denudation and Alleviating Oxidative Stress in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Interstitial Cystitis of Rats.

Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of an intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid (HA) combined with epidermal growth factor (EGF) for the treatment of interstitial cystitis (IC) using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IC animal model.

Methods: A total of 24 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to 4 groups: sham control, IC, HA, and treatment (HA/ EGF) groups. A polyethylene-50 tube was placed inside the bladder of each animal.

Effects of an augmented reality aided system on the placement precision of orthodontic miniscrews: A pilot study.

Background/purpose: Augmented reality (AR) is gaining popularity in medical applications, which may aid clinicians in achieving improved clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the positional and angle errors of orthodontic miniscrew placement by using a self-developed AR aided system.

Materials And Methods: Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and patient printed models were used in in vitro experiments.

Influence of preoperative body mass index on prognosis for patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma treated with radical nephroureterectomy.

Purpose: The impact of body mass index (BMI) on patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) is controversial. Increasing evidence suggests an age-dependent relationship between obesity and outcomes for some solid organ tumors. Herein, we aimed to assess the prognostic value of preoperative BMI in UTUC patients treated with RNU in Taiwan.

Comparative Study Between Behavior Therapy and Behavior Therapy Plus Mirabegron 50 mg in Sexually Active Men With Bothersome Overactive Bladder Symptoms - A Multicenter, Randomized Study.

Purpose: We evaluated the therapeutic effects on overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms and sexual function of behavioral therapy with or without mirabegron in sexually active male patients with OAB. Mirabegron, a selective β3 adrenoceptor agonist for the treatment of OAB, has been shown to induce corpus cavernosum relaxation.

Methods: In this 4-site, randomized controlled trial, 150 sexually active men with OAB were enrolled between June 2020 and May 2022.

Improved super-elastic Ti-Ni alloy wire for treating adult skeletal class III with facial asymmetry: A case report.

Background: Correcting severe skeletal class III malocclusion with facial asymmetry in adults through orthodontic treatment alone is difficult.

Case Summary: In this case report, we describe orthodontic treatment and lower incisor extraction without orthognathic surgery for a 27-year-old man with a transverse discrepancy. The extraction sites were closed using an elastic chain.

Improved super-elastic Ti-Ni alloy wire intrusion arch for skeletal class II malocclusion combined with deep overbite: A case report.

Background: Treatment for deep overbite cases can be difficult. This case report presents some techniques with improved super-elastic Ti-Ni alloy wire (ISW) for deep overbite correction.

Case Summary: A 21-year-old woman had a chief complaint of flaring maxillary teeth.

Antiobesity Effect of LM-141 on High-Fat Diet-Induced Rats through Alleviation of Inflammation and Insulin Resistance.

In this study, we set out to evaluate the antiobesity activities of our newly isolated LM-141 (LPLM141) using a high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rat model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with a HFD with or without low-dosage (2 × 10 CFU/day per rat) or high-dosage (2 × 10 CFU/day per rat) LPLM141 for 14 weeks. The results showed that administration of LPLM141 significantly decreased body weight gain, liver weight, adipose tissue weight, and epididymal white adipocyte size increased by HFD feeding.

Comparison of stone-free rate between percutaneous nephrolithotomy and retrograde intrarenal surgery.

Background: The management of urolithiasis in the kidney has been drastically changed in the era of endourology, mainly consisting of three surgical procedures: extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), and retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS). Since ESWL is usually less invasive via ambulatory clinic routes, this study aimed to examine the stone-free rate (SFR) between PCNL and RIRS.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who had renal stones and were treated with either PCNL or RIRS from June 2016 to June 2018.

Bladder Management Strategies for Urological Complications in Patients with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction, common in patients with chronic spinal cord injury, inevitably results in urological complications. To address neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction after spinal cord injury, proper and adequate bladder management is important in spinal cord injury rehabilitation, with the goal and priorities of the protection of upper urinary tract function, maintaining continence, preserving lower urinary tract function, improvement of SCI patients' quality of life, achieving compatibility with patients' lifestyles, and decreasing urological complications. This concise review aims to help urologists address neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction by focusing on the risks of long-term urological complications and the effects of different bladder management strategies on these complications based on scientifically supported knowledge.

Combining prostate health index and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging may better predict extraprostatic extension after radical prostatectomy.

Background: In patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PCa), preoperative prediction of extraprostatic extension (EPE) can facilitate patient selection for nerve-sparing procedures. Since both multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and prostate health index (PHI) have shown promise for the diagnosis and prognostication of PCa, we investigated whether a combination of mpMRI and PHI evaluations can improve the prediction of EPE after RP.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with PCa and treated with RP were prospectively enrolled between February 2017 and July 2019.

Is Robotic Superior to Laparoscopic Approach for Radical Nephroureterectomy with Bladder Cuff Excision in Treating Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma?

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) has become popular in treating upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and an emerging trend was observed in robotic approaches. Therefore, we compared robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy (RANU) and LNU for the treatment of UTUC. This observational and retrospective case-series study included UTUC patients who underwent LNU or RANU.

The comparison of different BCG strains in the intravesical treatment of non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder-A real-world practice.

Background: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been well recognized as the first-line intravesical therapy for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Oncotice, the Tice strain of BCG, serves as a viable alternative to the Connaught strain owing to the worldwide shortage of the latter. We retrospectively compared these two strains in terms of efficacy and adverse effects (AE) in patients who underwent at least one maintenance course after induction.

Profile diversity of galacto-oligosaccharides from disaccharides to hexasaccharides by porous graphitic carbon liquid chromatography-orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry.

Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are important prebiotic supplements for commercial nutraceutical food. The prebiotic efficacy of functional GOS is dependent on their chemical profile. Screening potential markers aids specifications and quality control of GOS materials.

Video-Urodynamic Characteristics and Predictors of Switching from Botulinum Neurotoxin a Injection to Augmentation Enterocystoplasty in Spinal Cord Injury Patients.

Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT-A) injection and augmentation enterocystoplasty (AE) are alternative and effective management strategies for neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) refractory to pharmacotherapy. A great majority of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) may, however, prefer BoNT-A injections to AE, due to the less invasive characteristics. In this study we evaluated the influence of various video-urodynamic study (VUDS) parameters in SCI patients who continuously received repeat BoNT-A detrusor injections or switched to AE to improve their bladder conditions.

Effectiveness and Safety of Intradetrusor OnabotulinumtoxinA Injection for Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity and Overactive Bladder Patients in Taiwan-A Phase IV Prospective, Interventional, Multiple-Center Study (Restore Study).

We conducted a phase IV, pre/post multi-center study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intradetrusor onabotulinumtoxinA injection in patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO, = 119) or overactive bladder (OAB, = 215). Patients received either 200U (i.e.

Patients with preoperative asymptomatic pyuria are not prone to develop febrile urinary tract infection after ureteroscopic lithotripsy.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the association of asymptomatic pyuria before ureterorenoscopic lithotripsy (URSL) with postoperative febrile urinary tract infection (UTI).

Methods: This observational case-control study identified the patients undergoing URSL for ureteral stones between May 2011 and October 2015. The included patients were classified into two groups: the asymptomatic pyuria group (6-50 white blood cells [WBCs]/high-power field [HPF]) and the non-pyuria group (≤ 5 WBCs/HPF).

Correlations between bladder wall thickness and clinical manifestations in female patients with detrusor underactivity and detrusor overactivity-with-detrusor underactivity.

Background: Among female patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, detrusor underactivity (DU), and detrusor overactivity-with-detrusor underactivity (DO-DU) are two common diagnoses. Here, we investigated the correlations between bladder wall thickness (BWT) and clinical manifestations of the two diagnoses.

Methods: From 2011 to 2016, female patients with DU or DO-DU, diagnosed at our institute, were recruited.

Effect of dialyzer membranes on mortality in uremic patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis: A Nationwide population-based study using the Taiwan Dialysis Registry Data System 2005-2012.

The characteristics in dialyzer are associated with mortality in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving hemodialysis (HD). This study is to investigate the effects of dialyzer membranes on 3-year mortality in ESRD patients. From the long-term nationwide population database.

The Prostate Health Index aids multi-parametric MRI in diagnosing significant prostate cancer.

To evaluate the performance of the Prostate Health Index (PHI) in magnetic resonance imaging-transrectal ultrasound (MRI-TRUS) fusion prostate biopsy for the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). We prospectively enrolled 164 patients with at least one Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) ≥ 3 lesions who underwent MRI-TRUS fusion prostate biopsy. Of the PSA-derived biomarkers, the PHI had the best performance in predicting csPCa (AUC 0.

Predictive factors for disease recurrence in patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with curative surgery.

Background: Few prognostic factors have been proposed for patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This study aimed to investigate the possible predictive factors for disease-free survival (DFS) after curative surgery for RCC stage T3 or higher.

Methods: Patients with locally advanced RCC who underwent cure-intended partial or radical nephrectomy, with or without tumor thrombectomy, at our institution from April 1, 2005 to October 31, 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.