Urology: Research & Recent Publications

Please select a doctor below to view research interests and recent publications.

Research:

Dr. Irwin came to the University of Vermont in 2009 after completing a followship in minimally invasive endourology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He has served as a research assistant in several capacities at UVM, including work in the Departments of Urology and Geriatrics. He has performed studies regarding bladder obstruction and neuroplasticity within the spinal cord and bladder. He also performed research regarding lumbar curvature while with the Vermont Back Research Center at UVM.

Recent Publications:

PUBLICATIONS:

Kershen RT, Azadzoi KM, Siroky, MB:Blood Flow, Pressure, and Compliance in the Male Human Bladder. J. Urol., 168:  121-125, July 2002.

Kershen RT, Yoo JJ, Moreland RB, Krane R.J, Atala A:  Reconstitution of Human Corpus Cavernosum Smooth Muscle in Vitro and in Vivo. Tissue Engineering, 8(3): 515-524, July 2002

Kershen RT, Dmochowski RR, Appell RA:  Beyond Collagen: Injectable Therapies for the Treatment of Female Stress Urinary Incontinence in the New Millennium.  Uro Clin N. America, 29(3), August, 2002.

Kershen RT, Appell RA: De Novo Urge Syndrome and Detrusor Instability after Anti-Incontinence Surgery:  Current Concepts, Evaluation and Treatment. Current Urology Reports. 3(5): 345, 2002.

Kershen RT, Appell RA: Voiding Dysfunction after Anti-Incontinence Surgery in Women. Issues in Incontinence.  Spring/Summer Issue, 1: 2003.

Kershen RT, Kalisvaart J, Appell RA. Functional Brain Imaging and the Bladder: New Insights into Cerebral Control Over Micturition. Current Urology Reports 4(5): 343, October 2003.

Kershen RT, Boone TB.  Peripheral Neuropathies of the Lower Urinary Tract Following Pelvic Surgery and Radiation Therapy. In Corcos and Schick (eds.), Neurogenic Bladders: Adults and Children; Martin-Dunitz, London, 2003.  

Kershen RT, Appell RA. Voiding Dysfunction After Anti-incontinence Surgery: Concepts, Evaluation and Treatment. Contemporary Urology, March 2003.

Kershen RT, Fralick RA, Appell RA.  Injectable Therapies for Incontinence in Women and Men. In Graham (ed.), Glenn’s Urologic Surgery; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2003.

Kershen RT, Hsieh M. Preview of New Drugs for Overactive Bladder and Incontinence: Darifenacin, Solifenacin, Trospium, and Duloxetine. Current Urology Reports, 5:359–367, October, 2004.

Kershen RT, Appell RA.  Minimally Invasive Approaches to Female Urinary Incontinence and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. In Moore, Bishoff, Docimo and Loening (eds.), Textbook of Minimally Invasive Urology; Martin-Dunitz, London, 2005; ISBN 1841841706

Dr. Mingin's research history includes ongoing studies regarding metabolic complications of bladder augmentation. He has been a part of studies involving growth and long-term metabolic complications of bladder augmentations since 2000. He is also part of an ongoing study regarding the cell signaling process in the murine and human Wolffian Duct. He has recently submitted a new study focusing on Wolffian Duct development.

Recent Publications

Mills JN, Petty JK, Hendrickson RJ, Albano EA, Furness PD, Mingin GC, Lovell MA, Harned RK, Koyle MA. Retroperitoneal Neuroblastoma causing urinary obstruction in a 5-month old boy. Oncology 20(2):201-2006, 2006.

Koyle MA, Mills JN, Brant WO, Mingin GC, Furness PD. The Changing Face of Pediatric Testicular Tumors. Grand Rounds In Urology 4(2): 4-6 2005.

Mingin G, Maroni P, Gerharz EW, Woodhouse CR, Baskin LS. Linear Growth After Enterocystoplasty in Children and Adolescents: a review. World J Urology 22 (3): 196-9, 2004.

Mingin G, Nguyen HT, Baskin LS. Abnormal Dimercapto-Succinic Acid Scans Predict an Increased Risk of Breakthrough Infection in Children with Vesicoureteral Reflux. J Urology 172(3): 1075-7, 2004.

Mingin GC, Nguyen HT, Hinds A, Baskin LS. Children with a Febrile Urinary Tract Infection and a Negative Radiological Work-up: Factors predictive of recurrence. Urology 64(3) 562-5 2004.

Dr. Perrapato's recent research includes extensive work in examining the risks and progression of various urologic cancers. He has served as the principal investigator in a study examining the safety of dutasteride in extending the time to progression of low risk, localized prostate cancer in men. Another study in which he was the principal investigator focused on the estimated risk of bladder cancer found at cytoscopy. Other recent research that Dr. Perrapato has led includes an examination of treatment of residual urgency and frequency in men and a safety study involving injections of testosterone undecanoate in hypogonadal men.

     
Dr. Plante’s research interests are in the symptoms and treatments of bladder outlet obstruction. Clinically, he is working on new minimally invasive treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and oversees numerous multicenter genitourinary oncology protocols for the University of Vermont.

The most active area is chemoablation of the prostate, specifically with ethanol. Both basic and clinical evaluation is ongoing under Dr. Plante’s supervision for its use in the treatment of BPH and possibly prostate cancer. Neuroregulation of the lower urinary tract and neuroplasticity associated with bladder outlet obstruction is being evaluated both in murine and mouse models.

PUBLICATIONS:

Plante M, Gross A, Folsom J, Zvara P. Dye Diffusion Properties of Transurethral Intraprostatic Injection. British Journal of Urology, 94:1384-8,2004

Zvara P, Folsom J, Kliment J, Dattilio A, Moravčíková A, Plante M, Vizzard M. Increased expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in bladder afferent cells in the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia after chronic bladder outflow obstruction. Brain Research, 1002:35-42,2004

Grise P, Plante M, Palmer J, Martinez-Sagarra J, Hernandez C, Schettini M, Gonzalez-Martin M, Castińeiras J, Ballanger P, Teillac P, Rolo F, Chicharro J, Baena V, Erdmann J, Mirone V. Evaluation of the Transurethral Ethanol Ablation of the Prostate (TEAP) for Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): A European Multi-center Evaluation. European Journal of Urology, 46: 496-502, 2004

Zvara P, Folsom J, Plante M. Minimally Invasive Therapies for Prostatitis. Current Urology Reports 5:320-6, 2004

DiPaola R, Plante M, Kaufman H, Petrylak D, Israeli R, Lattime E, Manson K, Schuetz T. A Phase I Trial of Pox PSA vaccines (PROSTVAC-VF) with B7-1, ICAM-1, and LFA-3 co-stimulatory molecules (TRICOM) in Patients with Prostate Cancer. Journal of Translational Medicine – in press

Plante M, Marks L, Anderson R, Amling C, Rukstalis D, Badlani G, Getlin L, Vang E. Phase I/II Trial to Examine the Safety of Transurethral Ethanol Ablation of the Prostate for the Treatment of Symptomatic Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (IND #61337). submitted to Journal of Urology.

PUBLICATIONS:

Plante M, Trotter SJ, Jackson TL, Esenler AC, Bunnell Martha, Zvara P:  
Transurethral Prostatic Tissue Ablation Via A Single Needle Delivery
System: Initial Experience with RF Energy Ethanol.  Prostate Cancer
and Prostatic Diseases, 5:1-6, 2002

Plante M, Trotter SJ, Jackson T, Esenler AC, Bunnell M, Zvara P:  Transurethral Intraprostatic Ethanol Injection for Treatment of Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia –An Initial Clinical Experience. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, 5:183-188, 2002.

Trotter SJ: Prostate Cancer.  In Hematology/Oncology Secrets, 3rd  Edition, Philadelphia, Hanley & Belfus, Inc. 2003.

Dr. Zvara’s main research interest is in neuro-urology and lower urinary tract dysfunction. It has been well documented that the micturition reflex changes in response to chronic diseases of the urinary bladder. This “neuroplasticity” has been shown to be associated with bladder overactivity with resultant irritative voiding symptoms. With the aim of contributing to the development of treatments for these debilitating symptoms, the changes in micturition reflex using mouse and rat models of bladder disease are being studied in dr. Zvara's laboratory. This research is being funded by grants from the NIH.

PUBLICATIONS:

Zvara P, Vizzard MA. Exogenous overexpression of nerve growth factor in the urinary bladder produces bladder overactivity and altered micturition circuitry in the lumbosacral spinal cord. BMC Physiol, 28;7:9, 2007.

Braas KM, May V, Zvara P, Nausch B, Kliment J, Dunleavy JD, Nelson MT, Vizzard MA. Role for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide in cystitis-induced plasticity of micturition reflexes. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 290(4):R951, 2006.

Zvara P, Braas KM, May V, Vizzard MA. A role for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) in detrusor hyperreflexia after spinal cord injury (SCI). Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1070:622, 2006.

Benigni F, Baroni E, Zecevic M, Monno A, Camisa B, Zvara P, Streng T, Hedlund P, Colli E, D’Ambrosio D, Redman TL, Vizzard MA, Schroder A, Andersson KE. Oral treatment with vitamin D3 analogue shows anti inflammatory effects in rodent models of interstitial cystitis. BJU Int, 97(3):617, 2006.

Werner ME, Zvara P, Meredith AL, Aldrich RW, Nelson MT. Erectile dysfunction in mice lacking the large-conductance calcium-activated potassium (BK) channel. J Physiol, 567(Pt 2):545, 2005.

Hu V, Zvara P, Datillio A, Redman TL, Allen SJ, Dawbarn D, Stroemner RP, Vizzard MA. Decrease in bladder overactivity with REN 1820 in rats with cyclophosamide induced cystitis. J Urol, 173:1016, 2005.

Plante MK, Gross AL, Folsom JB, Zvara P. Diffusion properties of transurethral intraprostatic injection. BJU Int, 94:1384, 2004.

Zvara P, Folsom JB, Plante MK. Minimally invasive therapies for prostatitis. Curr Urol Rep, 5:320, 2004.

Plante MK, Folsom JB, Zvara P. Prostatic tissue ablation by injection: A literature review. J Urol, 172; 20, 2004.

Zvara P, Folsom JB, Kliment J, Dattilio A, Moravcikova A, Plante MK, Vizzard MA. Increased expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in bladder afferent cells in the lumbosacral dorsal root ganglia after chronic bladder outflow obstruction. Brain Res, 1002: 35, 2004.

Recent Research:

Dr. Zvarova's research interests include a focus on high-voltage-activated R-type Ca2+ channels in lower urinary tract and their role in pathophysiology of overactive bladder.

Normal micturition occurs in response to afferent neural signals from the bladder and requires a complex neural control system that coordinates the activities of a variety of effector organs. At the cellular level, multiple processes, including neurotransmitter receptor activation, intracellular calcium (Ca2+) signaling, and ion channel control of membrane excitability regulate the functional state of individual cells. Disruption of this fine balance can result in bladder dysfunction. Voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels mediate Ca2+ influx in response to membrane potential depolarization and thereby play a crucial role in controlling intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. High-voltage-activated R-type Ca2+ currents are also known to contribute to Ca2+ signals in excitable cells, where they play role in neurotransmitter release and nociception, both of which are believed to be altered with detrusor overactivity. Our work focuses on the R-type Ca2+ channel, Cav2.3 seeking to establish the functional significance of this channel in the urinary bladder, and its role in micturition reflex pathways in healthy animals and animals with detrusor overactivity.

Recent Publications:

Ishiguro M., Morielli A., Zvarova K, Tranmer BI, Penar PL, Wellman GC. Oxyhemoglobin-induced Suppression of Kv Channels in Cerebral Arteries by Enhanced Tyrosine Kinase Activity. Circ Res. 2006 Nov 24; 99(11):1252-60

Varsik P, Mikulecky M, Pechan I, Kucera P, Stofko J, Zvarova K.  The Biochemical Changes During Wallerian Degeneration Induced by Transection and Organophosphorus Compound Administration in experimental animals. Biogen Amines  2006, 20 (1-2): 31-42.

Zvara P, Zvarová K. Overactive Bladder: Etiology, Pathogenesis and Emerging New Treatments. Klin.Urol. 2006; 2 (1): 14-17.

Zvarova K, Vizzard MA. Changes in Galanin-Immunoreactivity in Rat Micturition Reflex Pathways after Cyclophosphamide Induced Cystitis. Cell Tissue Research (2006) 324: 213-224.

Zvarova K, Vizzard MA. Distribution and Fate of Cocaine and Amphetamine Regulated Transcript Peptide (CARTp) Expressing cells in the Rat Urinary Bladder: A Developmental Study. J Comp Neurol. 2005 Jul 15; 489(4): 501-517.

Zvarova K, Dunleavy D, Vizzard MA.Changes in Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase activating Polypeptide (PACAP) Expression in Urinary Bladder Pathways after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Experimental Neurology: Vol 192, Issue 1 (46-59), March 2005.

Zvarova K, Vizzard MA. Changes in Galanin-Immunoreactivity in Rat Lumbosacral Spinal Cord and Dorsal Root Ganglia after Spinal Cord Injury. J Comp Neurol 475: 590-603 (2004).