Bladder carcinoma is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract. Approximately 75-85% of patients with bladder cancer present with a disease that is confined to the mucosa (stage Ta, carcinoma in situ) or submucosa (stage T1). These categories are grouped as nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Although the management of NMIBC tumours has significantly improved during the past few years, it remains difficult to predict the heterogeneous outcome of such tumours, especially if high-grade NMIBC is present. Transurethral resection is the initial treatment of choice for NMIBC. However, the high rates of recurrence and significant risk of progression in higher-grade tumours mandate additional therapy with intravesical agents. We discuss the role of various intravesical agents currently in use, including the immunomodulating agent bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and chemotherapeutic agents. We also discuss the current guidelines and the role of these therapeutic agents in the context of higher-grade Ta and T1 tumours. Beyond the epidemiology, this article focuses on the risk factors, classification and diagnosis, the prediction of recurrence and progression in NMIBC, and the treatments advocated for this invasive disease.

ABSTRACT:The solubility and diffusivity of ethylene in semicrystalline polyethylene were experimentally measured using a magnetic suspension microbalance. The sorption measurements were carried out at temperatures up to 80°C and pressures up to 66 atm. The experimentally measured solubilities were found to decrease with increasing temperature and increased with ethylene pressure in good agreement with the predictions of the Sanchez-Lacombe latticefluid model. The diffusivity of ethylene in semicrystalline polyethylene films was estimated from the reduced sorption curves using the half-time method. The experimentally determined diffusivities were compared with theoretical values predicted by a new molecular hybrid model, which combines the characteristic features of the Pace-Datyner diffusion model with those of the Kulkarni-Stern free-volume model. The ethylene diffusion coefficient was found to increase with temperature and/or the ethylene-sorbed concentration.

Purpose: Micro-ultrasound is a novel high resolution ultrasound technology aiming to improve prostate imaging and, consequently, the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. Micro-ultrasoundeguided prostate biopsy may present comparable detection rates to the standard of care multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted prostate biopsy for the diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer. We aimed to compare the detection rate of micro-ultrasound vs multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted prostate biopsy for prostate cancer diagnosis. Materials and Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies comparing micro-ultrasoundeguided prostate biopsy to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted prostate biopsy as a reference standard test (PROSPERO ID: CRD42020198326). Records were identified by searching in PubMedÒ, ScopusÒ and Cochrane Library databases, as well as in potential sources of gray literature until November 30th, 2020. Results: We included 18 studies in the qualitative and 13 in the quantitative synthesis. In the quantitative synthesis, 1,125 participants received micro-ultrasoundeguided followed by multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted and systematic prostate biopsy. Micro-ultrasound and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted prostate biopsies displayed similar detection rates across all prostate cancer grades. The pooled detection ratio for International Society of Urological Pathology Grade Group !2 prostate cancer was 1.05 (95% CI 0.93e1.19, I 2 [0%), 1.25 (95% CI 0.95e1.64, I 2 [0%) for Grade Group !3 and 0.94 (95% CI 0.73e1.22, I 2 [0%) for clinically insignificant (Grade Group 1) prostate cancer. The overall detection ratio for prostate cancer was 0.99 (95% CI 0.89e1.11, I 2 [0%). Conclusions: Micro-ultrasoundeguided prostate biopsy provides comparable detection rates for prostate cancer diagnosis with the multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-guided prostate biopsy. Therefore, it could be considered as an attractive alternative to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-targeted prostate biopsy. Nevertheless, high quality randomized trials are warranted to corroborate our findings.

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This paper examines the strain-dependent dynamic properties (G/G O -logc-DT curves) of dry and saturated sand-recycled rubber mixtures in a range of shearing strain amplitudes from (5 Â 10 À4 ) % to (6 Â 10 À1 ) % using a fixed-free torsional resonant column device. The effect of the rubber content on the pore water pressure buildup and volumetric threshold strain c v t of saturated mixtures, as well as the effect of specimens' geometry on the experimental data, are also presented and discussed. Based on a comprehensive set of experimental results, a modified hyperbolic model, frequently used in practice, has been proposed. An increase in the rubber content leads to a more linear shape of the G/G O -logc and DT-logc curves and a reduction in the pore water pressure buildup. Damping is expressed in terms of DT-DT O , which eliminates the effect of the rubber content and the mean confining pressure. The final aim is to propose appropriate design G/G O -logc-DT curves for sand-rubber mixtures currently used in practice.