Publications by authors named "Mershon J"

Background: OpenAI's ChatGPT is a large language model-based artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot that can be used to answer unique, user-generated questions without direct training on specific content. Large language models have significant potential in urologic education. We reviewed the primary data surrounding the use of large language models in urology.

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Context: Despite a high prevalence of neurogenic bladder (NGB) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), clinicians are unable to predict long-term bladder outcomes due to variable phenotypes of bladder dysfunction. This study investigates if early bladder events, infections, and spinal cord injury characteristics during rehabilitation admission affect bladder outcomes one year after SCI.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with SCI admitted to a tertiary rehabilitation center between 1 January 2016 and 1 January 2020.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study focuses on a half-day simulation and didactic program designed to enhance second-year medical students' exposure to urology, addressing the lack of early specialty-specific training.
  • - Fifty-seven medical students participated, with a significant increase in their knowledge about urology and urologic procedures, reporting a 37% gain post-curriculum.
  • - The program was well-received, as 80% of participants expressed interest in surgical specialties, and many recommended the experience to peers, highlighting its effectiveness in early medical education.
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Purpose: To compare the oncological and renal function outcomes for patients receiving microwave ablation (MWA) in tumors < 3 and 3-4 cm.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database identified patients with < 3 or 3-4 cm renal cancers undergoing MWA. Radiographic follow-up occurred at approximately 6 months post-procedure and annually thereafter.

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The phenomenon of reduced athletic performance following sustained, intense training (Overtraining Syndrome, and OTS) was first recognized more than 90 years ago. Although hundreds of scientific publications have focused on OTS, a definitive diagnosis, reliable biomarkers, and effective treatments remain unknown. The present review considers existing models of OTS, acknowledges the individualized and sport-specific nature of signs/symptoms, describes potential interacting predisposing factors, and proposes that OTS will be most effectively characterized and evaluated via the underlying complex biological systems.

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Background: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by neutrophilic inflammation in the airways. Leukotriene B4 (LTB) is a neutrophil chemoattractant and has been implicated in CF pathogenesis. Acebilustat, a novel, synthetic, small-molecule leukotriene A4 hydrolase inhibitor, reduces LTB production.

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Background: Plasmodium knowlesi is now the major cause of human malaria in Malaysia, complicating malaria control efforts that must attend to the elimination of multiple Plasmodium species. Recent advances in the cultivation of P. knowlesi erythrocytic-stage parasites in vitro, transformation with exogenous DNA, and infection of mosquitoes with gametocytes from culture have opened up studies of this pathogen without the need for resource-intensive and costly non-human primate (NHP) models.

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Recurrent male anterior urethral stricture disease is a complex surgical challenge that should be managed by reconstructive urologists with experience in stricture management. Diagnosis of recurrence requires both anatomic narrowing and patient symptoms identified on validated questionnaires, with limited role for intervention in asymptomatic treatment "failures". Endoscopic management has a very specific role in recurrence, and the choice of technique for urethroplasty depends on pre-operative urethrography and cystoscopy.

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Introduction: Thermal ablation is increasingly utilized as a management strategy for small renal masses (<4 cm). Partial nephrectomy is recognized as the gold standard; thermal ablation has been reserved for older patients with comorbidities due to concern for local tumor recurrence. As long-term data regarding the safety and efficacy of ablative techniques accumulate with encouraging results, clinicians are widening the utility in select patient populations.

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Unlike the case in Asia and Latin America, infections are rare in sub-Saharan Africa due to the absence of the Duffy blood group antigen (Duffy antigen), the only known erythrocyte receptor for the merozoite invasion ligand, Duffy binding protein 1 (DBP1). However, infections have been documented in Duffy-negative individuals throughout Africa, suggesting that may use ligands other than DBP1 to invade Duffy-negative erythrocytes through other receptors. To identify potential ligands, we compared parasite gene expression in and monkey erythrocytes infected with Salvador I (Sal I).

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Concerns about malaria parasite resistance to treatment with artemisinin drugs (ARTs) have grown with findings of prolonged parasite clearance s (>5 h) and their association with mutations in Kelch-propeller protein K13. Here, we describe a laboratory cross of K13 C580Y mutant with C580 wild-type parasites to investigate ART response phenotypes in vitro and in vivo. After genotyping >400 isolated progeny, we evaluated 20 recombinants in vitro: IC measurements of dihydroartemisinin were at similar low nanomolar levels for C580Y- and C580-type progeny (mean ratio, 1.

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Inflammation causes irreparable damage in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. Despite high standards of care and the advent of new therapies, inflammation continues to cause significant loss of lung function and morbidity. Acebilustat is a once-daily, oral molecule with anti-inflammatory activity through the inhibition of LTA4 hydrolase and modulation of LTB4.

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In vitro studies of sexual blood stages of the most fatal malaria species, Plasmodium falciparum, have revealed key processes by which gametocytes develop and transmit infection from humans to anopheline mosquitoes. However, most malaria cases outside sub-Saharan Africa are caused by other Plasmodium spp., frequently Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi, a zoonotic parasite of macaque monkeys.

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A filamentous bacteriophage, designated ϕRs551, was isolated and purified from the quarantine and select agent phytopathogen Ralstonia solanacearum race 3 biovar 2 strain UW551 (phylotype IIB sequevar 1) grown under normal culture conditions. Electron microscopy suggested that ϕRs551 is a member of the family Inoviridae, and is about 1200 nm long and 7 nm wide. ϕRs551 has a genome of 7929 nucleotides containing 14 open reading frames, and is the first isolated virion that contains a resolvase (ORF13) and putative type-2 phage repressor (ORF14).

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Background: Tamoxifen and raloxifene reduce the risk of breast cancer in women at elevated risk of disease, but the duration of the effect is unknown. We assessed the effectiveness of selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) on breast cancer incidence.

Methods: We did a meta-analysis with individual participant data from nine prevention trials comparing four selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs; tamoxifen, raloxifene, arzoxifene, and lasofoxifene) with placebo, or in one study with tamoxifen.

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Background: Tibia shaft fractures (TSF) are common for men and women and cause substantial morbidity, healthcare use, and costs. The impact of nonunions on healthcare use and costs is poorly described. Our goal was to investigate patient characteristics and healthcare use and costs associated with TSF in patients with and without nonunion.

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The ability of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis to regulate their cytoplasmic pH is well studied in cell suspensions but is poorly understood in individual adherent cells and biofilms. We observed the cytoplasmic pH of individual cells using ratiometric pHluorin. A standard curve equating the fluorescence ratio with pH was obtained by perfusion at a range of external pH 5.

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Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the utilization of mammography and bone mineral density (BMD) screenings and factors associated with compliance according to the recommended clinical practice guidelines.

Methods: Mammography and BMD were assessed using employer's administrative claims data for eligible women identified between January 2004 and December 2006. Women were categorized into five cohorts based on mammography- and BMD-recommended screening guidelines.

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Objective: This study evaluated the characteristics of postmenopausal women who initiated on raloxifene, bisphosphonates, and calcitonin, specifically evaluating the use of breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedures prior to initiation of therapy.

Research Design And Methods: Women 50 years and older with at least one claim for raloxifene (RLX), bisphosphonates (BIS), or calcitonin (CT) in 2005 or 2006 and continuous enrollment (with consecutive gaps in enrollment of no more than 1 month) from January 2004 to December 2007 were identified in a large national commercial and Medicare claims database. Treatment-naïve postmenopausal women initiating on raloxifene, bisphosphonates, and calcitonin were compared in terms of breast cancer screening or diagnostic procedures (i.

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Background: Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis had a 66% relative risk reduction for invasive breast cancer over 8 years of raloxifene therapy in the randomized, placebo-controlled 4-year MORE (Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation) trial and the CORE (Continuing Outcomes Relevant to Evista) trial, a 4-year follow-up to MORE.

Patients And Methods: The first post hoc analysis examined the effects of raloxifene on the cumulative incidence of invasive breast cancer on a yearly basis. Another analysis compared the incidence of invasive breast cancer in 3967 patients who continued raloxifene for 8 years (RLX-C, n = 2280), discontinued raloxifene after 4 years in MORE (RLX-D, n = 401), or took placebo (n = 1286) for a mean 2.

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Objective And Methods: In this article, we provide an interdisciplinary concise review of the effects of raloxifene on breast, bone, and reproductive organs, as well as the adverse events that may be associated with its use.

Results: Raloxifene has been shown to prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women (PMW) with low bone mass and prevent vertebral fractures in those with osteoporosis/low bone mass; it has not been shown to reduce the risk of nonvertebral fractures. Raloxifene reduces the risk of invasive breast cancer in PMW with osteoporosis or at high risk of breast cancer.

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Background: In the Raloxifene Use for The Heart trial, 10 101 postmenopausal women with coronary heart disease (CHD) or multiple CHD risk factors were randomly assigned to 60 mg/d raloxifene or to placebo and followed for a median of 5.6 years. Raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, was found to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer and vertebral fractures but not the risk of cardiovascular events.

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Objective: To evaluate the relationship between bone mass and risk of breast cancer and to determine the effect of raloxifene therapy on breast cancer incidence in women categorized by bone mass into low bone mass and osteoporosis subgroups.

Design: In this post hoc analysis, data were analyzed from the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation (MORE) trial, enrolling postmenopausal women with low bone mass (N = 7705), and the Continuing Outcomes Relevant to Evista (CORE) trial, a follow-up to MORE enrolling 4011 MORE participants. Total follow-up was for up to 8 years.

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Aim: To determine the contribution of bone mineral density (BMD) to breast cancer risk relative to other established breast cancer risk factors in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Methods: Data for this analysis comprised those collected from women randomized to placebo in the MORE and CORE trials (N = 2,576). Risk factors measured at baseline included age, family history of breast cancer, estradiol level, body mass index, prior hormone therapy, BMD and vertebral fracture status.

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