Some researchers have speculated that the prostatic microbiome is involved in the development of prostate cancer (PCa) but there is no consensus on certain microbiota in the prostatic tissue of PCa vs. healthy controls. This systematic review aims to investigate and compare the microbiome of PCa and healthy tissue to determine the microbial association with the pathogenesis of PCa. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus databases. Articles were screened by two independent and blinded reviewers. Literature that compared the prostatic tissue microbiome of patients with PCa with benign controls was included. We found that PCa may be associated with increased Propionibacterium acnes, the herpesviridae and papillomaviridae families, and Mycoplasma genitalium, but definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from the existing data. Challenges include the difficulty of obtaining uncontaminated tissue samples and securing tissue from healthy controls. As a result, methods are varied with many studies using cancerous and “healthy” tissue from the same prostate. The organisms chosen for each study were also highly variable, making it difficult to compare studies. These issues have led to lower confidence in our results. Overall, further work is warranted to better understand the implications of the prostatic microbiome in the pathogenesis of PCa.

Bowel dysfunction remains a prominent priority in the rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). However, our understanding of the factors that influence bowel-related quality of life (QoL) in this population remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the potential role of resilience, defined as an individual's capacity to cope with and adapt to adversity, as a predictor of bowel-related QoL among the patients with SCI. A cohort of adult patients with SCI who received bowel and bladder care at an outpatient clinic within a large rehabilitation hospital was identified through a prospectively collected database. Resilience was measured using the Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Resilience Short Form, whereas bowel QoL was assessed using the Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Quality of Life (IBS-QoL) questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were employed to identify predictors of bowel-related QoL. The examined variables included age, gender, level and completeness of injury, time since injury, hand function, resilience, and the severity of bowel dysfunction as measured using the Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction Score (NBDS). A total of 73 patients participated in this study, with a mean age of 44.01 ± 13.43 years and comprising mostly men ( n = 57, 78%). The results revealed a significant correlation between resilience scores and the total score of IBS-QoL ( ρ = -0.47, p < 0.0001). The multivariate analysis demonstrated that both resilience and the severity of bowel dysfunction were significant independent predictors of bowel-related QoL, with resilience demonstrating a stronger association. Overall, this study elucidates the importance of resilience in shaping patients' perceptions of their bowel health within the SCI population. In addition to the more expected determinants of bowel-related QoL, such as the severity of bowel dysfunction, resilience emerged as a notable factor. Accordingly, integrating interventions that enhance resilience within bowel rehabilitation programs may yield improvements in patients' perceived bowel health beyond the benefits achievable through bowel function enhancement alone.

The incidence of non-fatal gunshot wounds has significantly increased in the past decade. The current guidelines lack clarity in treatment of bullet wounds to the hand and wrist. An 18-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a gunshot wound to the hand/wrist resulting in an open fracture. The entrance wound was clean without visible bone. No neurovascular damage was reported. The wound was irrigated with saline, and a sterile dressing and splint was applied in the emergency department. The patient was discharged the same day with oral antibiotics and an appointment with an orthopedic hand specialist. Three days after the injury, the patient was taken to surgery to treat a fracture of the radius and lunate. No internal fixation was required. The fracture and bullet fragments were removed, and the patient was discharged on the same day. The patient recovered to a full range of motion and no infection was acquired throughout treatment and healing. The current guidelines for the treatment and management of nonfatal gunshot wounds to the hand and wrist are inconsistent resulting in unnecessary admittance to the hospital. Our paper provides a template for future cases allowing for outpatient treatment.

Purpose of Review: Neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) is a condition characterized by bladder or urinary sphincter control issues due to neurologic dysregulation. NLUTD commonly causes symptoms like urinary incontinence and retention that impact both urinary health and quality of life. Current NLUTD treatment primarily manages symptoms, as restorative interventions are limited by a lack of diagnostic approaches to understand its underlying neurologic mechanisms. Neuroimaging may help identify neurologic pathways associated with bladder control, providing insights into functional and structural neural changes in NLUTD. This report reviews current neuroimaging modalities and their efficacy in detecting NLUTD. Recent Findings: Evaluated modalities include functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, functional ultrasonography, electrocorticography, and deep brain stimulation. Each modality’s unique characteristics, such as resolution and invasiveness, shape its application in studying neurologic mechanisms of NLUTD. Collectively, they reveal a consistent finding: reduced brain activation in circuits related to bladder voiding and storage in patients with NLUTD. Summary: By examining each method’s mechanism, effectiveness, advantages, and limitations, we aim to aid clinicians and researchers in selecting the best techniques for exploring the mechanisms of NLUTD and developing restorative treatments.