Robotic upper urinary tract reconstruction for ureteral stricture: a single-center series.

The surgical approach of ureteral stricture has changed dramatically over the past 15 years with the rise of robotic upper urinary tract reconstruction. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of all robotic ureteral reconstructions performed at a single academic center for ureteral stricture and to assess the predictive factors of stricture recurrence. The charts of all patients who underwent robot-assisted ureteral reconstruction between 2013 and 2024 at a single academic center were retrospectively reviewed.

Delivering opioid use disorder treatment among American Indian and Alaska Native adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: Facilitators and barriers to care.

Background: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities experienced a disproportionate increase in opioid-related fatal and non-fatal poisonings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to treatment, such as medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), became even more critical, although research among this population is limited. We completed qualitative interviews with substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers (i.

Attribute preferences associated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists/antagonists among women with endometriosis in the United States.

Background: Endometriosis symptoms have multifaceted manifestations, and there are few approved nonsurgical treatment options. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists/antagonists for endometriosis vary on efficacy, safety profile, and out-of-pocket (OOP) cost, among other features.

Objectives: This study quantified the importance that women with endometriosis in the United States (US) placed on pain and non-pain features that differ among these medications.

Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Mental Health Intervention for Adolescent Depression and Anxiety.

The adolescent mental health crisis is compounded by a shortage of mental health services, which mobile health apps may alleviate. We assessed the feasibility and acceptability of the Wysa app (a commercially available app containing cognitive behavioral therapy-based digital modules and an artificial intelligence-based conversational agent) among 13- to 18-year-old adolescents recruited from a primary care clinic in New York City and online from March to June 2022. We assessed adolescent engagement in the Wysa app over a 3-week period.

Global Consensus Statement on the Management of Pregnancy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background & Aims: Pregnancy can be a complex and risk-filled event for women with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). High-quality studies in this population are lacking, with limited data on medications approved to treat IBD during pregnancy. For patients, limited knowledge surrounding pregnancy impacts pregnancy rates, medication adherence, and outcomes.

Critical Assessment of the Recommended Alert Limit Curves for Occupational Heat Exposure.

Background: Occupational heat stress recommendations aim to achieve thermal equilibrium and keep core temperature (T) below 38.0°C. We assessed the recommended alert limit curves when: (1) work-rest ratios are adjusted based on wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production (H) and (2) H is adjusted based on WBGT at a fixed work-rest ratio.

Oncologic Anthropology and the African Diaspora: Twenty-Year Anniversary Report, International Center for the Study of Breast Cancer Subtypes (ICSBCS).

The International Center for the Study of Breast Cancer Subtypes (ICSBCS) has played a vital role in defining and overcoming many inequities that exist in breast cancer treatment and outcome on a global basis through capacity-building programs that improve the management of breast cancer patients across the African diaspora. ICSBCS activities also fill critical gaps in disparities research related to the genetics of ancestry. Over the past 20 years, ICSBCS teams have spearheaded landmark studies documenting the relevance of genetic African ancestry to breast cancer risk, while also improving the quality of care delivered to patients in diverse communities.

Consortium profile: the methylation, imaging and NeuroDevelopment (MIND) consortium.

Epigenetic processes, such as DNA methylation, show potential as biological markers and mechanisms underlying gene-environment interplay in the prediction of mental health and other brain-based phenotypes. However, little is known about how peripheral epigenetic patterns relate to individual differences in the brain itself. An increasingly popular approach to address this is by combining epigenetic and neuroimaging data; yet, research in this area is almost entirely comprised of cross-sectional studies in adults.

Chronic kidney disease and incident cancer risk: an individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: Studies examining the association of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with cancer risk have demonstrated conflicting results.

Methods: This was an individual participant data meta-analysis including 54 international cohorts contributing to the CKD Prognosis Consortium. Included cohorts had data on albuminuria [urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR)], estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), overall and site-specific cancer incidence, and established risk factors for cancer.

Transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for the management of secondary mitral regurgitation - CRT 2025 Beyond the Guidelines.

Secondary mitral regurgitation (SMR) remains a prevalent and challenging complication in patients with heart failure (HF), associated with poor prognosis despite optimal guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) and cardiac resynchronization therapy. Current American and European guidelines recommend GDMT as first-line therapy, with transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) reserved for severe symptomatic SMR patients who remain refractory. However, both guidelines preceded the reporting of pivotal randomized controlled trials (RESHAPE-HF2, MATTERHORN, and EFFORT) and emerging evidence in new clinical scenarios.

Radiomic biomarkers associated with immune checkpoint blockade response for advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has transformed outcomes for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and has impacted the timing and use of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN). As ICB responses vary, we evaluated whether radiographic and radiomic biomarkers were associated with clinical and pathological outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included ICB-treated mRCC patients without upfront CN.

Cancer-specific mortality in secondary bladder cancer after nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Objective: To examine differences in cancer-specific mortality (CSM) in nonmetastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients with vs. without secondary bladder cancer (BCa) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Methods: Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER 2000-2021), T1-T4N0M0 UTUC patients treated with RNU and diagnosed with secondary BCa were identified.

Guidelines for Meta-analyses and Systematic Reviews in Urology.

Our guideline comprises points addressing the conduct and interpretation of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in urology. Application of the guideline would lead to a more considered interpretation of a smaller number of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, and could thus help in translating evidence into better decision-making for doctors and patients.

Predicting Treatment Response in Retinal Vein Occlusions Using Baseline Optical Coherence Tomography Biomarkers: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review examines the prognostic value of baseline optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers in predicting visual acuity (VA) outcomes for eyes with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusions (RVO) treated with anti-VEGF therapies, steroids, laser photocoagulation, or combination treatments. VA predictions at 6, 12, and 24 months post-treatment were assessed using a narrative synthesis approach and vote counting based on effect direction relative to a minimal clinically important difference. Certainty of evidence was evaluated using GRADE guidelines.

Flow cytometry of the myocardium: An end-to-end analysis of adult cardiomyocytes isolated from pig and mouse hearts.

Selective therapeutic targeting of cardiomyocytes (CMs) and non-myocytes (NMs) within the heart is an active field of research. The success of those novel therapeutic strategies is linked to the ability to accurately assess uptake and gene delivery efficiencies in clinically relevant animal models. Nevertheless, quantification at the single cell level remains a significant challenge.

How much Improvement in Patient Reported Outcomes after Isolated Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction is associated with Surgeon-defined Satisfactory Outcomes? A JUPITER study.

Introduction: The extent of change in Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROs) required to meet surgeon-defined satisfactory outcomes after isolated Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction (MPFL-R) has not been reported. The primary aim of the study was to define the threshold value of maximal outcome improvement (MOI) in PROs associated with surgeon-defined satisfactory postoperative outcomes. The secondary aim was to identify the most effective PRO in predicting these outcomes and to evaluate the factors associated with it.

Biopsychosocial and Environmental Factors that Impact Brain-Gut-Microbiome Interactions in Obesity.

Background: Despite significant advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of obesity and influencing factors, its prevalence continues to increase at an alarming rate. Social determinants of health (SDOH) encompass a broad range of psychosocial and environmental factors, including economic stability, education, access to healthcare, social support, isolation, neighborhood disadvantage, discrimination, early life adversity, and stress, all of which have been recognized to significantly increase the risk of obesity.

Aim: This review aims to elucidate the intricate relationship between SDOH and biological mechanisms related to the brain-gut-microbiome (BGM) system that lead to altered eating behaviors and obesity.

Career Mentoring Options for Pharmacy Faculty and Staff Navigating the Three Phases of Cancer Survivorship.

Cancer rates are on the rise and new treatments are helping people live longer with cancer, yet the questions remains: when does one consider themselves a cancer survivor and what direction does one's career need to take when diagnosed with cancer? This commentary explores how mentoring can support working individuals, such as pharmacy faculty and staff, across the three distinct phases of cancer survivorship, (1) the acute phase including testing, diagnosis, staging, and treatment; (2) the post-treatment survival phase; and (3) the permanent phase of disease-free survival. While career mentoring programs may exist for pharmacy faculty and staff across various pharmacy practice settings, there is a notable lack of structured mentoring programs available for those faculty and staff navigating a cancer diagnosis, especially as mentoring needs shift throughout these three cancer survivorship phases. Thoughtful mentoring and support can significantly enhance the personal and professional quality of life for individuals with cancer.

Biochemical characterization of a flavodiiron protein from bird parasite Histomonas meleagridis: superoxide as a reaction intermediate.

Histomonas meleagridis is a parasitic protozoan which causes histomoniasis (blackhead disease) in a wide range of birds, including domesticated chickens and turkeys, representing a significant health problem in avian veterinary medicine. Despite being classified as an anaerobic parasite, H. meleagridis can survive transient exposure to oxygen while little is known about the mechanisms that allow this organism to cope with exposure to varying oxygen levels.