The natural history of prostatic obstruction for men 40 to 80 years typically reveals reduction of mean PFRs. We observed that removal of the prostate resulted on average with a near doubling of PFRs and decreased PVRs (>50%) by 3 months. After RARP, the average PFR was reset to 25-30 mL/s, and these results were seen across all age, LUTS, and prostate weight groups; the gains remained stable 2 to 4 years after operation.

OBJECTIVE To assist in preoperative counseling by assessing long-term changes in American Urological Association symptom scores (AUAss) and lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS)-related quality of life (QOL) in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). MATERIALS AND METHODS RARP was performed on 666 men by one surgeon from 2002 to 2007 at a single institution. AUAss and QOL were queried preoperatively and at 3, 9, 15, 24–48, 60–84, and 96+ months postoperatively. LUTS subgroups were compared pre-/postsurgery using univariate and multivariate statistics. RESULTS The mean and median follow-up for all responders was 3.0 and 2.4 years. Pad-free continence at 12 months was 89%. A subset of 174 men reported preoperative and long-term responses; average follow-up was 5.8 years (range 4.0–10.3 years). AUAss for all men declined from baseline to 5 years by 3.7 (8.6 to 4.8) whereas QOL/Bother scores decreased by 0.5 (1.7 to 1.2) (all P < .05). Men with baseline mild LUTS remained clinically unchanged with long-term AUAss. Individuals with moderate and severe preoperative LUTS had marked improvements in AUA and QOL scores (all P ≤ .05). CONCLUSION Men with mild LUTS have short-term increases in AUAss but most return to baseline and are stable at 5 years. Benefits were found for men with preoperative moderate and severe LUTS in that 63% had significant QOL improvements and 68% reduced their AUAss to mild LUTS, persisting years after RARP. This study suggests that certain patients with preoperative urinary symptoms and bother may experience improvements in LUTS and associated QOL after RARP.

1. Insect colour patterns serve a wide range of ecological functions and the biotic and abiotic factors mediating colour variation in nature have been well characterised.2. Nonetheless, the majority of studies in this field have focused on adult insects (particularly butterflies). Almost nothing is known about the factors that mediate intra-specific colour variation in juveniles in nature, even though they are often as conspicuously coloured as their adult counterparts.3. Here we show that temperature predicts a small but significant amount of monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar pigment variation in nature. Over a 650,000-km 2 region in Canada and the USA, caterpillars found in warmer locations or lower latitudes had thinner black stripes than those found in colder locations or higher latitudes. Caterpillars have also become less black over the last five years, a result consistent with observed short-term increases in summer temperature in this region. 4. Our study demonstrates that the relationship between temperature and monarch caterpillar pigmentation seen in laboratory settings is also apparent in nature, although with considerable variation. Our study also highlights the utility of online biodiversity repositories such as iNaturalist for characterising pattern and colour variation in nature.

Low-moisture foods such as spices, grains, and seeds constitute an important part of the human diet. Increased consumer concern for food safety and food quality has focused on the decontamination technologies required for low-moisture foods. Cold plasma treatment has been a promising novel technology in the food processing industry due to its advantages in safety, efficiency, versatility, and environmentally friendly nature. It has shown various capabilities on safety and quality control in low-moisture foods. This paper comprehensively reviewed the application of cold plasma in low-moisture foods, including inactivation of microorganisms, degradation of mycotoxins, influences on the quality of low-moisture foods, and promotion of seed germination. Cold plasma can inactivate the pathogenic microorganisms on the surface of low-moisture foods, by generating active species, ultraviolet radiation, and electric fields, which helps to extend the shelf life of foods while having minimal impact on food quality. Cold plasma technology is also an effective approach to detoxify mycotoxin-contaminated low-moisture foods by degrading various mycotoxins. With the manipulation of parameters for cold plasma generation, target functional properties of food products may be obtained. In addition, the application of cold plasma in seed germination is promising and could be of great significance to the global food crisis. This review also suggests that more systematic studies are needed to employ cold plasma in the low-moisture foods industry for selected applications.

After RARP, PFR improved significantly, with the improvement persisting over long-term follow-up. However, men with baseline PFR <10 mL/s had a 20% lower postoperative PFR over 5 years, suggesting permanent damage to the bladder and the need for early treatment to maintain bladder health. There appears to be an association between baseline PFR ≤7 mL/s and adverse pathologic features.