WindCline: Sloping wind tunnel for characterizing flame behavior under variable inclines and wind conditions.

Developing accurate computational models of wildfire dynamics is increasingly important due to the substantial and expanding negative impacts of wildfire events on human health, infrastructure, and the environment. Wildfire spread and emissions depend on a number of factors, including fuel type, environmental conditions (moisture, wind speed, etc.), and terrain/location.

Oncological Adequacy of Laparoscopic Surgery for Bulky Gastric Cancer: Results of a Western Single-Center Series.

Background: Gastric cancer is increasing worldwide and one million new cases were estimated globally in 2020. Use of the laparoscopic approach is increasing especially for subtotal gastrectomy. However, to date, solid data on locally advanced bulky tumors are lacking.

Comparison of laparoscopic versus open simple nephrectomy in patients with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis: A singlecenter analysis of outcomes and predictors of surgical approaches and complications.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of open simple nephrectomy and laparoscopic simple nephrectomy in patients with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) in a single-institutional retrospective study and to identify predictive factors of surgical approaches and complications.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 67 consecutive patients with a histopathological diagnosis of XGP who underwent either open simple nephrectomy (ON) or laparoscopic simple nephrectomy (LN) from January 2014 to April 2020. The primary endpoint was the evaluation of perioperative outcomes and complications.

Mutual Effects of Single and Combined CFTR Modulators and Bacterial Infection in Cystic Fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators improve clinical outcomes with varied efficacies in patients with CF. However, the mutual effects of CFTR modulators and bacterial adaptation, together with antibiotic regimens, can influence clinical outcomes. We evaluated the effects of ivacaftor (IVA), lumacaftor (LUM), tezacaftor, elexacaftor, and a three-modulator combination of elexacaftor, tezacaftor, and ivacaftor (ETI), alone or combined with antibiotics, on sequential CF isolates.

Four dilation techniques in percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a single-institute comparative analysis.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare four renal access techniques in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).

Methods: A total of 437 patients who underwent PCNL at our center from January 2015 to December 2019 were included in the analysis. Telescopic metallic coaxial dilation (TMD) was used in 146 patients, single step balloon dilation (BD) in 98 patients, one-shot dilation with 30F Amplatz (OS 30F) in 106 patients, and one-shot dilation with 16F Amplatz (OS 16F) in 87 patients.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reduces mortality in patients with Fournier's Gangrene. Results from a multi-institutional observational study.

Background: Evidence about the clinical benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) in patients with Fournier's Gangrene (FG) is controversial and inconclusive. We aimed to compare the mortality related to FG between patients undergoing surgical debridement and/or standard antibiotic therapy alone or in combination with HBOT.

Methods: We performed a retrospective multi-institutional observational case-control study.

Identification of Novel Biomarkers of Homologous Recombination Defect in DNA Repair to Predict Sensitivity of Prostate Cancer Cells to PARP-Inhibitors.

One of the most common malignancies in men is prostate cancer, for which androgen deprivation is the standard therapy. However, prostate cancer cells become insensitive to anti-androgen treatment and proceed to a castration-resistant state with limited therapeutic options. Therefore, besides the androgen deprivation approach, novel biomarkers are urgently required for specific targeting in this deadly disease.

New combinatorial strategies to improve the PARP inhibitors efficacy in the urothelial bladder Cancer treatment.

Background: Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed for the treatment of metastatic Urothelial Bladder Cancer. DNA damaging repair (DDR) targeting has been introduced in cinical trials for bladder cancer patients that carry alterations in homologous DNA repair genes, letting to envisage susceptibility to the Poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]) ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors.

Main Body: PARP inhibition, by amplifying the DNA damage, augments the mutational burden and promotes the immune priming of the tumor by increasing the neoantigen exposure and determining upregulation of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression.

CCDC6 and USP7 expression levels suggest novel treatment options in high-grade urothelial bladder cancer.

Background: The muscle invasive form of urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) is a deadly disease. Currently, the therapeutic approach of UBC is mostly based on surgery and standard chemotherapy. Biomarkers to establish appropriate drugs usage are missing.

Gastro 2013 APDW/WCOG Shanghai working party report: chronic diarrhea: definition, classification, diagnosis.

Diarrhea is best defined as passage of loose stools often with more frequent bowel movements. For clinical purposes, the Bristol Stool Form Scale works well to distinguish stool form and to identify loose stools. Laboratory testing of stool consistency has lagged behind.

Multicentre study on the efficacy and tolerability of an extract of Serenoa repens in patients with chronic benign prostate conditions associated with inflammation.

Introduction: Chronic benign prostate diseases are very common and certainly feature significantly in urological practice.The treatment of chronic benign prostate diseases is a common problem in clinical practice: few studies have been conducted in routine clinical practice to evaluate the efficacy of the treatments for this clinical condition. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon) in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with chronic benign prostate diseases with associated inflammation, also taking into consideration the influence of treatment on sexual function and, therefore, on patients' quality of life.

A comparison of hexaminolevulinate (Hexvix(®)) fluorescence cystoscopy and white-light cystoscopy for detection of bladder cancer: results of the HeRo observational study.

Background: To date, no study has presented results of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) cystoscopy compared with white-light cystoscopy (WLC) in daily practice. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of hexylaminolevulinate hydrochloride (Hexvix(®)) PDD cystoscopy compared with standard WLC used in daily practice.

Methods: An observational, open-label, comparative, controlled (within patient), multicenter study was carried out on 96 consecutive patients with suspected or confirmed bladder cancer.

Th17 cells: interactions with predisposing factors in the immunopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory state of the GI tract of unknown etiology. Classically, tissue injury in IBD is thought to be primarily mediated by Th1 cells in Crohn's disease or Th2 cells in ulcerative colitis. The discoveries of new subsets of T-helper cells, especially Th17 cells, have revolutionized our understanding of the disease immunopathology.

Awareness about clostridium difficile infection among internal medicine residents in the United States.

Aim: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is the leading infective cause of antibiotic associated diarrhea. The principal objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and awareness of internal medicine (IM) residents regarding the epidemiology, clinical recognition, diagnosis and management of CDI.

Methods: A 20-question survey was distributed to 90 IM residents in all three years of their post graduate training in a university-based program.

Infectious colitis.

Purpose Of Review: The incidence of gastrointestinal infections continues to increase and infectious colitis contributes to significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. The purpose of this review is to highlight the recent advances in knowledge of pathogens causing infectious colitis. We describe the various pathogens and specifically focus on enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7, Salmonella, Shigella, Campylobacter, and Entamoeba histolytica infections, and their impact on long-term effects, including postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

PCA3: a new tool to diagnose prostate cancer (PCa) and a guidance in biopsy decisions. Preliminary report of the UrOP study.

Objectives: PCA3 is a prostate specific non-coding mRNA that is significantly overexpressed in prostate cancer tissue. Urinary PCA3 levels have been associated with prostate cancer grade suggesting a significant role in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. We measured urinary PCA3 score in 925 subjects from several areas of Italy assessing in 114 the association of urinary PCA3 score with the results of prostate biopsy.

Thinking beyond the colon-small bowel involvement in clostridium difficile infection.

Small intestinal Clostridium difficile seems to be increasing in incidence. The spectrum of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has definitely expanded with small bowel involvement. They are more frequently reported in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who have undergone total colectomy or patients with Ileal anal pouch anastomosis.

Mechanisms of infectious diarrhea.

Infectious diarrhea is an important public health problem worldwide. Research has provided new insights into the mechanisms of diarrhea caused by various pathogens that are classified as noninflammatory, inflammatory or invasive. These three groups of organisms cause two diarrheal syndromes--noninflammatory diarrhea and inflammatory diarrhea.

Heat-stable enterotoxin of Escherichia coli (STa) can stimulate duodenal HCO3(-) secretion via a novel GC-C- and CFTR-independent pathway.

The heat-stable enterotoxin of Escherichia coli (STa) is a potent stimulant of intestinal chloride and bicarbonate secretion. Guanylyl cyclase C (GC-C) has been shown to be the primary receptor involved in mediating this response. However, numerous studies have suggested the existence of an alternative STa-binding receptor.

Guanylin and E. coli heat-stable enterotoxin induce chloride secretion through direct interaction with basolateral compartment of rat and human colonic cells.

We previously detected specific binding activity of Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin (ST), the guanylin exogenous ligand, in rat colonic basolateral membranes. Because guanylin circulates in the bloodstream, we tested the hypothesis that it modulates intestinal ion transport by acting on the serosal side of intestinal cells. The effects of the mucosal and serosal addition of ST and guanylin on ion transport were investigated in the rat proximal colon and in Caco-2 cells in Ussing chambers, by monitoring short-circuit current (Isc).

Lack of guanylyl cyclase C, the receptor for Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxin, results in reduced polyp formation and increased apoptosis in the multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min) mouse model.

Guanylyl cyclase C (GC-C), a transmembrane receptor for bacterial heat-stable enterotoxin and the mammalian peptides guanylin and uroguanylin, mediates intestinal ion secretion and affects intestinal cell growth via cyclic GMP signaling. In intestinal tumors, GC-C expression is maintained while guanylin and uroguanylin expression is lost, suggesting a role for GC-C activation in tumor formation or growth. We show by in situ hybridization that GC-C expression is retained in adenomas from multiple intestinal neoplasia (Apc(Min/+)) mice.

Histological alterations in cavernous tissue after radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: Radical prostatectomy often results in erectile dysfunction because of lesions to the erectile nerves. In this study we evaluated histomorphological alterations in cavernous smooth muscle and collagen content after radical prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 19 patients between 57 and 69 years old with prostate adenocarcinoma and normal erectile function, as reported and validated by RigiScan (UroHealth Systems, Laguna Niguel, California) testing, underwent corpora cavernosa biopsy in the operating room before radical prostatectomy, and 2 and 12 months after surgery.

Clinical application of polymerase chain reaction to diagnose Clostridium difficile in hospitalized patients with diarrhea.

Background & Aims: Clostridium difficile is a common cause of diarrhea in hospitalized patients and is associated with significant morbidity and cost. The current diagnostic standard, enzyme immunoassay (EIA), has low sensitivity, leading to duplicate testing and empiric treatment. We sought to show the usefulness and potential cost effectiveness of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of toxin B gene for diagnosis of C.

Guanylin and uroguanylin induce natriuresis in mice lacking guanylyl cyclase-C receptor.

Background: Guanylin (GN) and uroguanylin (UGN) are intestinally derived peptide hormones that are similar in structure and activity to the diarrhea-causing Escherichia coli heat-stable enterotoxins (STa). These secretagogues have been shown to affect fluid, Na+, K+, and Cl- transport in both the intestine and kidney, presumably by intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-dependent signal transduction. However, the in vivo consequences of GN, UGN, and STa on renal function and their mechanism of action have yet to be rigorously tested.