The role of neoadjuvant systemic therapy for high grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma: Results from the upper tract collaborative network (UCAN).

Introduction: Utilization of neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NAT) prior to radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is inconsistent, and optimal patient selection for NAT is unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical benefit of NAT in high grade UTUC undergoing RNU.

Materials And Methods: The UTUC Collaborative Network (UCAN) identified patients who underwent RNU for high grade UTUC between 2000 and 2022.

In-field prostate cancer recurrence following radical prostatectomy and salvage radiation.

Objective: To define the natural history, patterns of recurrence and treatment modalities for local prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence following radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiation therapy (RT), and to investigate factors that could predict metastasis-free survival (MFS) in this unique patient population.

Methods: We queried a prospectively maintained PCa registry to identify men developing in-field recurrence (IFR) following RP and RT from 2008 to 2021 at a single institution. IFR was defined as biopsy-proven recurrent PCa or the presence of persistent positron emission tomography-avid lesions in the prior radiation field without evidence of metastasis.

Predictors of poor pre-operative patient reported outcome measures in elective foot and ankle surgery: Analysis of 1217 patients.

Aims: Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) have become the de facto measure of success in orthopaedic publications. It has been established that preoperatively collected patient reported outcomes correlate with post-operative outcome. The aim of our research is to identify which factors predict poor pre-operative scores using the most commonly used PROMs.

Predictive Value of Computed Tomography Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to radical cystectomy (RC) remains standard treatment for select patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Although computed tomography (CT) is often obtained prior to RC, its ability to predict pathologic response is poorly characterized.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the predictive value of CT in assessing disease burden after NAC.

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 4 Deficiency Increases Tumorigenesis in a Murine Model of Bladder Cancer.

Pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK4) is a mitochondrial isozyme in the PDK family (PDK1-4) partially responsible for phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). Phosphorylation of PDH is thought to result in a pro-proliferative shift in metabolism that sustains growth of cancer cells. Previous data from our lab indicate the pan-PDK inhibitor dichloroacetate (DCA) or acute genetic knockdown of PDK4 blocks proliferation of bladder cancer (BCa) cells.

Role of MIF1/MIF2/CD74 interactions in bladder cancer.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF1) is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in inflammation and cancer. Genetic knockout of Mif1 in the validated N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN) model of bladder cancer (BCa) resulted in stage arrest at non-muscle-invasive disease in prior studies. Small-molecule inhibition of MIF1 reduced cancer-associated outcomes, but it did not fully recapitulate genetic models.

Bladder cancer, inflammageing and microbiomes.

Ageing is correlated with elevated bladder cancer incidence, morbidity and mortality. Advanced age is also associated with elevated markers of chronic inflammation and perturbations in gut and urinary tract microbiota. One reason for the increased incidence and mortality of bladder cancer in the elderly might be that age-associated changes in multiple microbiomes induce systemic metabolic changes that contribute to immune dysregulation with potentially tumorigenic effects.

Longitudinal study of stool-associated microbial taxa in sibling pairs with and without autism spectrum disorder.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Recently, gut dysbiosis has emerged as a powerful contributor to ASD symptoms. In this study, we recruited over 100 age-matched sibling pairs (between 2 and 8 years old) where one had an Autism ASD diagnosis and the other was developing typically (TD) (432 samples total).

Utilization of MOSES Modulated Pulse Mode Results in Improved Efficiency in Holmium:YAG Laser Ablation of the Prostate.

Objective: To determine if MOSES technology improves efficiency and short-term outcomes in holmium laser ablation of the prostate (HoLAP).

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent HoLAP between August 2016 and November 2019 was conducted. All procedures before and after the implementation of MOSES technology at our institution were evaluated.

Effects of two pre-workout supplements on concentric and eccentric force production during lower body resistance exercise in males and females: a counterbalanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Pre-workout supplements purportedly enhance feelings of energy, reduce fatigue and improve exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the performance effects of caffeinated and non-caffeinated multi-ingredient pre-workout supplements.

Methods: In a counterbalanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, eccentric and concentric force production during lower body resistance exercise on a mechanized squat device were assessed after supplement ingestion.

From endogenous to exogenous pattern formation: Invasive plant species changes the spatial distribution of a native ant.

Invasive species are a significant threat to global biodiversity, but our understanding of how invasive species impact native communities across space and time remains limited. Based on observations in an old field in Southeast Michigan spanning 35 years, our study documents significant impacts of habitat change, likely driven by the invasion of the shrub, Elaeagnus umbellata, on the nest distribution patterns and population demographics of a native ant species, Formica obscuripes. Landcover change in aerial photographs indicates that E.