Association between 3D membranous urethral parameters and urinary continence recovery after RARP.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the urinary continence (UC) recovery after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) relates to the membranous urethral length (MUL) and the membranous urethral complex volume (MUV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 120 patients who underwent RARP were enrolled according to the different times of UC recovery and examined using prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before surgery. The membranous urethral (MU) parameters were measured using the three-Dimensional (3D) model reconstructed by holographic technology, such as total MUV (tMUV), exposed MUV (eMUV), full MUL (fMUL) and exposed MUL (eMUL). Statistical software SPSS 26.0 was used to analyze the data and compare the MU parameters and baseline data in different groups. RESULTS: Patients with larger tMUV (p = 0.038), eMUV (p = 0.003), longer fMUL (p = 0.025), eMUL (p = 0.044) had better UC after removal of the catheter, and eMUV (OR = 1.002, 95%CI = 1.001-1.004, p = 0.004) was a predictor; the patients with younger age (p = 0.021), lower VPSS score (p = 0.004) and larger eMUV (p = 0.012) and longer eMUL (p = 0.049) had better UC recovery one month after RARP while eMUV (OR = 1.002, 95% CI = 1.000-1.003, p = 0.008) and VPSS score (OR = 0.886, 95% CI = 0.806-0.973, p = 0.011) were independent risk factors; The patients with younger age (p = 0.018), larger tMUV (p = 0.029), eMUV (p = 0.016) had better UC recovery three months after RARP. eMUV (OR = 1.002, 95% CI = 1.000-1.004, p = 0.042) and age (OR = 0.904, 95% CI = 0.818-0.998, p = 0.046) were independent risk factors. CONCLUSION: This clinical study shows that patients with larger MUV and longer MUL can return to UC earlier after surgery. Among that, eMUV is a better predictor.

Using Learner Reviews to Inform Instructional Video Design in MOOCs.

Videos are arguably the most important and frequently used instructional resource in massive open online courses (MOOCs). Recent research has explored learners' perceptions and preferences regarding MOOC instructional videos. However, these studies are often limited to a small number of specific courses, and few grounded theory studies have been undertaken to investigate this topic. In the present study, a multiple-coder research methodology was adopted to analyze 4534 learner reviews of MOOCs in 14 categories. The study aimed to identify key characteristics associated with learners' favorable perceptions of MOOC videos, types of supplemental or in-video resources learners perceive helpful to support MOOC video use, and video production features learners value. Results revealed that (a) "organized", "detailed", "comprehensible", "interesting", and "practical" were the top five important characteristics associated with learners' favorable perceptions of MOOC videos; (b) learners perceived "presentation slides", "reading materials", "post-video assessments", "embedded questions", and "case studies" as helpful resources to support their utilization of MOOC videos; and (c) learners found "duration" a more salient production feature than "editing", "resolution", "subtitles", "music", or "voice". The findings present implications for MOOC video design and foundations for future research avenues.

A review of eye tracking research on video-based learning.

Eye tracking technology is increasingly used to understand individuals' non-conscious, moment-to-moment processes during video-based learning. This review evaluated 44 eye tracking studies on video-based learning conducted between 2010 and 2021. Specifically, the review sought to uncover how the utilisation of eye tracking technology has advanced understandings of the mechanisms underlying effective video-based learning and what type of caution should be exercised when interpreting the findings of these studies. Four important findings emerged from the analysis: (1) not all the studies explained the mechanisms underlying effective video-based learning through employing eye tracking technology, and few studies disentangled the complex relationship between eye tracking metrics and cognitive activities these metrics represent; (2) emotional factors potentially serve to explain the processes that facilitate video-based learning, but few studies captured learners' emotional processes or evaluated their affective gains; (3) ecological validity should be improved for eye tracking research on video-based learning through methods such as using eye tracking systems that have high tolerance for head movements, allowing learners to take control of the pacing of the video, and communicating the learning objectives of the video to participants; and (4) boundary conditions, including personal (e.g. age, prior knowledge) and environmental factors (e.g. the topic of videos, type of knowledge), must be considered when interpreting research findings. The findings of this review inspire a number of propositions for designing and interpreting eye tracking research on video-based learning.

NEAT1/MALAT1/XIST/PKD--Hsa-Mir-101-3p--DLGAP5 Axis as a Novel Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker Associated With Immune Cell Infiltration in Bladder Cancer.

Background: The clinical value of the biomarkers of bladder cancer (BC) is limited due to their low sensitivity or specificity. As a biomarker, DLG associated protein 5 (DLGAP5) is a potential cell cycle regulator in cancer cell carcinogenesis. However, its functional part in BC remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to identify DLGAP5 expression in BC and its potential diagnostic and prognostic values. Eventually, it predicts the possible RNA regulatory pathways of BC. Methods: Data on DLGAP5 expression levels in BC and normal bladder tissues were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC), Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and the univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis determined the diagnostic and prognostic values of DLGAP5 in BC patients. Finally, the StarBase predicted the target RNAs and constructed networks using Cytoscape. Results: DLGAP5 expression was significantly upregulated in BC tissue, verified by the TCGA (p < 0.001), GSE3167, GSE7476, and GSE65635 datasets (p < 0.01). BC patients with increased DLGAP5 had poor overall survival (OS) (p = 0.01), disease specific survival (DSS) (p = 0.006) and progress free interval (DFI) (p = 0.007). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.913. The multivariate Cox analysis identified that lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.007) and DLGAP5 (p = 0.002) were independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: Increased DLGAP5 expression was closely associated with a poor prognosis in BC patients. In this case, DLGAP5 might be a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for BC. DLGAP5 expression might be regulated by NEAT1/MALAT1/XIST/PKD--Hsa-mir-101-3p pathways.

Baseline urine pH is related to effective urine alkalization by short-term alkaline water supplementation: data from a self-controlled study in healthy Chinese volunteers following a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature.

Background: The outcomes of urine alkalization with alkaline water supplementation vary greatly across studies and therefore remain inconclusive, probably arising from differences in study design, ethnic group, and source of alkaline water, which needs further clarification. With a systematic review of literature, followed by an empirical observation among healthy Chinese volunteers, we aimed to investigate the outcomes of urine alkalization with alkaline water vs. daily drinking water, and whether these outcomes are intersected by certain factors such as gender and body mass index (BMI). Methods: We conducted a literature search of related studies on alkaline water supplementation and urine pH using the PubMed, Embase, Medline and Cochrane Library databases. The publication bias was assessed with inverted funnel plotting. Chi-square-based Q-test and I2-statistic test were used to examine the data heterogeneity. The studies were evaluated for quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool or Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The meta-analysis was followed by a study in healthy volunteers. As per protocol, all subjects remained on regular drinking water for one week and were switched to alkaline water for the next week. Urine pH was measured thrice daily and averaged. The mean urine pH values in the first and second weeks were compared for all subjects. Alkalization gains in urine pH (AGU-pH) was computed to determine the outcome of alkaline water supplementation in relation to baseline urine pH. Results: Our systematic review of literature yielded limited data about the effect of alkaline water on urine pH. Despite an increase in urine pH after supplementation of alkaline water as indicated by the random-effect model, a high heterogeneity across the included studies (I2=94%, P<0.001) precluded a robust determination. In our volunteer study, alkaline water led to elevation of urine pH from baseline in 84.9% of all subjects or by BMI stratification. Effective urine alkalization was noted in males but not in females. Subjects who presented effective urine alkalization had significantly lower baseline urine pH compared with those who did not (5.94±0.27 vs. 6.22±0.22, P=0.0016). The negative correlation between AGU-pH and baseline urine pH (r=-0.236, P=0.044) and receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis suggested that subjects with more "acidic" urine, particularly those with a baseline urine pH ≤6.0 (maximum Youden index =1.548, cut-off =5.977), could show more pronounced outcome of urine alkalization from oral alkaline water. Conclusions: Our meta-analysis and human subjects study revealed that alkaline water supplementation may be useful for urine alkalization, particularly in individuals with a lower urine pH. The outcomes seem not significantly pronounced in females, although more efforts warranted for validation. Short-term use of alkaline water is well-tolerated and not associated with over-alkalization of the urine.