Measuring and quantifying the effects of pyloric dilatation in patients with delayed emptying of the gastric conduit after Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy using EndoFlip™.

The most common functional challenge after Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy is delayed emptying of the gastric conduit. One of the primary endoscopic treatment strategies is performing a pyloric dilatation. However, the effects of dilation have never been scientifically proven.

Cologne ergonomic measurement for robotic surgery (CEMRobSurg) using the Hugo™ RAS System.

Background: The ergonomic advantages and potential challenges that robotic surgery poses to the well-being of surgeons are mainly unexplored. The most recent surgical robot introduced on the European market is the Hugo™ RAS System by Medtronic. This study aims to evaluate the ergonomic benefits of the Hugo™ RAS System, which is available in our training laboratory, CeMIT (Center for Medical Innovation and Technology Cologne).

A senior surgical resident can safely perform complex esophageal cancer surgery after surgical mentoring program-experience of a European high-volume center.

Previous studies have shown that surgical residents can safely perform a variation of complex abdominal surgeries when provided with adequate training, proper case selection, and appropriate supervision. Their outcomes are equivalent when compared to experienced board-certified surgeons. Our previously published training curriculum for robotic assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy already demonstrated a possible reduction in time to reach proficiency.

Privacy-proof Live Surgery Streaming: Development and Validation of a Low-cost, Real-time Robotic Surgery Anonymization Algorithm.

Objective: Develop a pioneer surgical anonymization algorithm for reliable and accurate real-time removal of out-of-body images validated across various robotic platforms.

Background: The use of surgical video data has become a common practice in enhancing research and training. Video sharing requires complete anonymization, which, in the case of endoscopic surgery, entails the removal of all nonsurgical video frames where the endoscope can record the patient or operating room staff.

Postesophagectomy Diaphragmatic Prolapse after Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy (RAMIE).

Background: Postesophagectomy diaphragmatic prolapse (PDP) is a major complication after esophagectomy with significant mortality and morbidity. However, in the current literature, treatment and outcomes are not evaluated for patients undergoing an Ivor Lewis Robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (IL-RAMIE). The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of PDP after IL-RAMIE.

Concept Graph Neural Networks for Surgical Video Understanding.

Analysis of relations between objects and comprehension of abstract concepts in the surgical video is important in AI-augmented surgery. However, building models that integrate our knowledge and understanding of surgery remains a challenging endeavor. In this paper, we propose a novel way to integrate conceptual knowledge into temporal analysis tasks using temporal concept graph networks.

TEsoNet: knowledge transfer in surgical phase recognition from laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy to the laparoscopic part of Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy.

Background: Surgical phase recognition using computer vision presents an essential requirement for artificial intelligence-assisted analysis of surgical workflow. Its performance is heavily dependent on large amounts of annotated video data, which remain a limited resource, especially concerning highly specialized procedures. Knowledge transfer from common to more complex procedures can promote data efficiency.

Feasibility and Potential of Transcriptomic Analysis Using the NanoString nCounter Technology to Aid the Classification of Rejection in Kidney Transplant Biopsies.

Background: Transcriptome analysis could be an additional diagnostic parameter in diagnosing kidney transplant (KTx) rejection. Here, we assessed feasibility and potential of NanoString nCounter analysis of KTx biopsies to aid the classification of rejection in clinical practice using both the Banff-Human Organ Transplant (B-HOT) panel and a customized antibody-mediated rejection (AMR)-specific NanoString nCounter Elements (Elements) panel. Additionally, we explored the potential for the classification of KTx rejection building and testing a classifier within our dataset.

Time to endoscopic vacuum therapy-lessons learned after > 150 robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomies (RAMIE) at a German high-volume center.

Objective Of The Study: In esophageal surgery, anastomotic leak (AL) remains one of the most severe and critical adverse events after oncological esophagectomy. Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) can be used to treat AL; however, in the current literature, treatment outcomes and reports on how to use this novel technique are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients with an AL after IL RAMIE and to determine whether using EVT as an treatment option is safe and feasible.

Multicentric exploration of tool annotation in robotic surgery: lessons learned when starting a surgical artificial intelligence project.

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) holds tremendous potential to reduce surgical risks and improve surgical assessment. Machine learning, a subfield of AI, can be used to analyze surgical video and imaging data. Manual annotations provide veracity about the desired target features.

[ICG lymph node mapping in cancer surgery of the upper gastrointestinal tract].

The importance of the assessment of the N‑status in gastric carcinoma, tumors of the gastroesophageal junction and esophageal cancer is undisputed; however, there is currently no internationally validated method for lymph node mapping in esophageal and gastric cancer. Near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIR) is an innovative technique from the field of vibrational spectroscopy, which in combination with the fluorescent dye indocyanine green (ICG) enables intraoperative real-time visualization of anatomical structures. The ICG currently has four fields of application in oncological surgery: intraoperative real-time angiography for visualization of perfusion, lymphography for visualization of lymphatic vessels, visualization of solid tumors, and (sentinel) lymph node mapping.

How effective is laparoscopic redo-antireflux surgery?

Background: The failure-rate after primary antireflux surgery ranges from 3 to 30%. Reasons for failures are multifactorial. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the complex reasons for, and management of, failure after antireflux surgery.

The rate of cholangiocarcinoma in Caroli Disease A German multicenter study.

Background: Caroli Disease (CD) and Caroli Syndrome (CS) are rare disorders presenting with dilation of the intrahepatic bile ducts. CD/CS are associated with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). However, the true incidence of CCA is still unclear, although it may serve as an indication for surgery.

Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Inspiratory Capacity During 6-min Walk Test in Patients With COPD: A PROSPECTIVE CONTROLLED STUDY.

Purpose: Purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program on the measured inspiratory capacity (IC) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) while performing a 6-min walk test (6MWT).

Methods: Before and after PR, IC was measured by spirometry both at the beginning and at the end of the 6MWT for 15 patients with COPD in the PR group (PRG) and compared with a similar calisthenics training group (CTG; n = 15). In addition, the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and other lung function tests were recorded and compared.

In Vitro Characterization of Chain Depolymerization Activities of SUMO-Specific Proteases.

SUMO-specific proteases, known as Ulps in baker's yeast and SENPs in humans, have important roles in controlling the dynamics of SUMO-modified proteins. They display distinct modes of action and specificity, in that they may act on the SUMO precursor, mono-sumoylated, and/or polysumoylated proteins, and they might be specific for substrates with certain SUMO paralogs. SUMO chains may be dismantled either by endo or exo mechanisms.

Impact of the D genome and quantitative trait loci on quantitative traits in a spring durum by spring bread wheat cross.

The impact of the D genome and QTL in the A and B genomes on agronomic performance of hexaploid wheat and tetraploid durum was determined using novel recombinant inbred line populations derived from interploid crosses. Genetic differences between common hexaploid (6X) bread wheat (Triticum aestivum, 2n = 6x = 42, genome, AABBDD) and tetraploid (4X) durum wheat (T. turgidum subsp.

In Vitro Studies Reveal a Sequential Mode of Chain Processing by the Yeast SUMO (Small Ubiquitin-related Modifier)-specific Protease Ulp2.

Sumoylation is a post-translational modification essential in most eukaryotes that regulates stability, localization, activity, or interaction of a multitude of proteins. It is a reversible process wherein counteracting ligases and proteases, respectively, mediate the conjugation and deconjugation of SUMO molecules to/from target proteins. Apart from attachment of single SUMO moieties to targets, formation of poly-SUMO chains occurs by the attachment of additional SUMO molecules to lysine residues in the N-terminal extensions of SUMO.

Short-term effects of inhalative tiotropium/formoterol/budenoside versus tiotropium/formoterol in patients with newly diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring surgery for lung cancer: a prospective randomized trial.

Objective: A new diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often made during the evaluation of patients requiring a surgical intervention for lung cancer. Based on initial impaired lung function, these untreated patients are often considered not fit for lung surgery. There is limited information on the short-term effectiveness of preoperative pharmacologic treatment strategies in patients with newly diagnosed COPD before lung surgery.

Direct Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection of Cercospora beticola in Field Soils.

Cercospora beticola, the causal agent of Cercospora leaf spot of sugar beet, survives as pseudostromata in infected sugar beet residues in the soil. Under optimal conditions, overwintering propagules germinate and produce conidia that are dispersed as primary inoculum to initiate infection in sugar beet. We developed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for rapid detection of C.

Watershed nitrogen and mercury geochemical fluxes integrate landscape factors in long-term research watersheds at Acadia National Park, Maine, USA.

This paper is an overview of this special issue devoted to watershed research in Acadia National Park (Acadia NP). The papers address components of an integrated research program on two upland watersheds at Acadia NP, USA (44 degrees 20' N latitude; 68 degrees 15' E longitude). These watersheds were instrumented in 1998 to provide a long-term foundation for regional ecological and watershed research.

Forest vegetation monitoring and foliar chemistry of red spruce and red maple at Acadia National Park in Maine.

The USDA Forest Service Forest Health Monitoring (FHM) program indicators, including forest mensuration, crown condition classification, and damage and mortality indicators were used in the Cadillac Brook and Hadlock Brook watershed forests at Acadia National Park (ANP) along coastal Maine. Cadillac Brook watershed burned in a wildfire in 1947. Hadlock Brook watershed, undisturbed for several centuries, serves as the reference site.