Explore the vast range of titles available.

The mpox outbreak of 2022–2023 represented a new global health challenge and recognition of mpox as a sexually transmitted disease. The majority of cases were reported in men who have sex with men (MSM), but women are also susceptible, especially during pregnancy. We evaluated the reproductive tracts of a subset of macaques from a large rechallenge study of mpox infection with virus from the 2022 outbreak and identified intraabdominal mpox replication associated with endometriosis. Mpox virus (MPXV) was found not only in skin, but in the cervix, the uterus, and periovarian endometriotic lesions of the affected macaque. Mpox replication preferentially targeted vimentin-positive poorly differentiated endometriotic stromal tissue and infiltrating macrophages in the reproductive tract. Mpox tropism for stromal cells and macrophages has broad implications for mpox pathogenesis and associated clinical syndromes. In addition, women with endometriosis may be at heightened risk for adverse outcomes associated with mpox infection. The rhesus macaque provides rare insight into this disease and the potential complications of mpox infection in the context of genitourinary tract disease.

Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEV) hold non-invasive RNA biomarkers for genitourinary tract diseases. However, missing knowledge about reference genes and effects of preanalytical choices hinder biomarker studies. We aimed to assess how preanalytical variables (urine storage temperature, isolation workflow) affect diabetic kidney disease (DKD)—linked miRNAs or kidney—linked miRNAs and mRNAs (kidney-RNAs) in uEV isolates and to discover stable reference mRNAs across diverse uEV datasets. We studied nine raw and normalized sequencing datasets including healthy controls and individuals with prostate cancer or type 1 diabetes with or without albuminuria. We focused on kidney-RNAs reviewing literature for DKD-linked miRNAs from kidney tissue, cell culture and uEV/urine experiments. RNAs were analyzed by expression heatmaps, hierarchical clustering and selecting stable mRNAs with normalized counts (>200) and minimal coefficient of variation. Kidney-RNAs were decreased after urine storage at −20 °C vs. −80 °C. Isolation workflows captured kidney-RNAs with different efficiencies. Ultracentrifugation captured DKD -linked miRNAs that separated healthy and diabetic macroalbuminuria groups. Eleven mRNAs were stably expressed across the datasets. Hence, pre-analytical choices had variable effects on kidney-RNAs—analyzing kidney-RNAs complemented global correlation, which could fade differences in some relevant RNAs. Replicating prior DKD-marker results and discovery of candidate reference mRNAs encourages further uEV biomarker studies.

The authors present 14 cases from the film interpretation session of the 11th annual meeting of the European Society of Urogenital Radiology presented in September, 2004. The cases demonstrate the imaging findings, differential diagnoses, and clinical relevance of a wide variety of genitourinary tract diseases. The cases include examples of benign and malignant urinary tract neoplasms, inflammatory processes, vascular diseases, traumatic injuries, and congenital anomalies.

Acute pyelonephritis (but not cystitis or “asymptomatic” bacteriuria) due to Escherichia coli induces serum antibodies to 0- but rarely to K-antigens, especially not to the most common antigen, Kl. Locally produced secretory IgA and IgG antibodies to 0- and K-antigens appear in urine during most infections. The E. coli in urine of patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria are different from those in patients with acute pyelonephritis and cystitis and undergo continuous changes, presumably caused by the local antibody response. The E. coli become less virulent and are less able to attach to uroepithelial cells than E. coli causing acute symptomatic infections. Antibodies in urine prevent epithelial adherence. Parenteral and intravesicular injections of killed bacteria can protect against ascending pyelonephritis in rats. A few K-antigens dominate among E. coli that cause urinary tract infections. Vaccination of problem cases is a possibility because of the protective nature of K-antibodies. The mechanism of renal scarring that appears in some patients with urinary tract infections is unknown. Autoantibodies to the Tamm-Horsfall protein that increase after acute pyelonephritis or the cross-reactions noted between certain E. coli and antigens on the kidney may be involved.

Interactions of Neisseria gonorrhoeae with nonleukocytic eucaryotic cells including tissue culture cells (either primary or continuous lines), human sperm, and buccal mucosal cells appear to be influenced primarily by the presence or absence of pili on the bacteria. In this context, piliation enhances attachment to or association of microorganisms with the eucaryotic cells. Pili, on the other hand, appear to reduce interaction of N. gonorrhoeae with mouse peritoneal macrophages. Other groups have demonstrated that pili reduce phagocytosis of gonococci by neutrophils, but in our studies this affect is secondary to that dependent on “leukocyte-association” factor. The presence of such a factor is correlated with a particular protein found by polyacrylamide electrophoresis. Adherence among N. gonorrhoeae varies and results in colony forms of different coloration or aggregation characteristics. These different coloration forms correlate with the protein patterns of gonococci as found in polyacrylamide electrophoresis and also with the susceptibility of gonococci to killing by trypsin.

Some of the antigens that are capable of producing strain-related immunity to gonococcal infection in the guinea pig are located on the outer membrane of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This finding has been demonstrated by immunization of guinea pigs with isolated outer membranes from two different strains of N. gonorrhoeae prior to challenge. Isolated principal outer membrane protein complex proved a better protective immunogen than purified pili from the same strain of N. gonorrhoeae. Principal outer membrane protein appears to react in antibody-complement-mediated killing of gonococci, whereas antibodies to pili are only weakly bactericidal. Pili-mediated attachment of N. gonorrhoeae to human cells is inhibited by antibodies to pili, and maximal inhibition occurs when antibodies are directed at pili antigenically identical to the pili mediating the attachment.

•Probiotics are beneficial microbes that play an important role in human health and disease.•The health benefits of probiotics are due to interactions between the gastrointestinal tract, the immune system, and the neuro system.•Prebiotics mainly consist of saccharides that promote the growth of beneficial microbes.•Pro- and prebiotics have emerged as safe and viable options for various therapeutic strategies. Probiotics and their food sources, prebiotics, are known to have qualities that help with gastrointestinal issues along with overall improvement in health and well-being. Pro- and prebiotics play a key role in neuroimmune processes. Their beneficial effects on health are linked to interactions of the gastrointestinal tract, immune system, and neurologic systems. The interaction between the microflora–gut–brain axis has a profound effect on brain function, thereby influencing the overall well-being of an individual. Nutritionists, researchers, regulatory bodies (World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization), pharmaceutical, and food manufacturers are currently engaged in enhancing the potential of nutrition in health maintenance and disease prevention. Nutrition has the potential to increase psychological well-being and could be used much as are psychiatric drugs. Probiotics and prebiotics have evolved as promising therapeutic techniques to treat several disease conditions associated with the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this review was to provide useful information about the use of probiotics and prebiotics in mitigation of various diseases such as COVID-19, congenital heart disease, diarrhea, inflammatory bowel disease, hypertension, genitourinary tract infection, colon cancer, immune system defense, mineral absorption, allergic disorders, and atopic dermatitis. [Display omitted]