Estimation of Strawberry Canopy Volume in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle RGB Imagery Using an Object Detection-Based Convolutional Neural Network.

Estimating canopy volumes of strawberry plants can be useful for predicting yields and establishing advanced management plans. Therefore, this study evaluated the spatial variability of strawberry canopy volumes using a ResNet50V2-based convolutional neural network (CNN) model trained with RGB images acquired through manual unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights equipped with a digital color camera. A preprocessing method based on the You Only Look Once v8 Nano (YOLOv8n) object detection model was applied to correct image distortions influenced by fluctuating flight altitude under a manual maneuver.

Utilizing High-Resolution Imaging and Artificial Intelligence for Accurate Leaf Wetness Detection for the Strawberry Advisory System (SAS).

In strawberry cultivation, precise disease management is crucial for maximizing yields and reducing unnecessary fungicide use. Traditional methods for measuring leaf wetness duration (LWD), a critical factor in assessing the risk of fungal diseases such as botrytis fruit rot and anthracnose, have been reliant on sensors with known limitations in accuracy and reliability and difficulties with calibrating. To overcome these limitations, this study introduced an innovative algorithm for leaf wetness detection systems employing high-resolution imaging and deep learning technologies, including convolutional neural networks (CNNs).

Distinct Characteristics and Changes in Liver Function of Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Treated with Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab for More Than 1 Year.

Purpose: Since 2020, atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (Ate/Bev) has been the standard first-line therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but long-term treatment studies are limited. This study evaluated the clinical characteristics and effects of Ate/Bev for over 1 year.

Materials And Methods: This study included patients with unresectable HCC treated with first-line Ate/Bev between May 2020 and April 2022.

Clinicopathological Differences between Right and Left Colorectal Cancer by Sex.

: Until now, studies on colorectal cancer (CRC) have focused on clinicopathological characteristics based on location without considering sex differences. However, as men and women have fundamentally different physiological characteristics, research results in the clinical field are limited. We aimed to elucidate the differences in the clinicopathological characteristics between right-sided CRC (RCC) and left-sided CRC (LCC) according to sex.

A Method to Reduce Tension Differences in Pull/Push Manipulation for a Robot in Fluorescence Emission-Guided Surgical Microscopy.

Motivation: A fluorescence emission-guided microscope used to monitor the outcome of cancer removal surgery is highly effective when employing a manipulator to motorize and switch the observation direction. It is necessary to minimize the alignment of looper tension between the stands for pull/push to change the direction of the manipulator and reduce the error rate caused by tension differences. This paper presents a method to minimize the error rate of looper tension between the stands.

Malignant triton tumor in the abdominal wall: A case report.

Background: Malignant triton tumors (MTTs) comprise a subgroup of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) that exhibits rhabdomyosarcomatous differentiation and follow an aggressive course. MTTs are primarily located along peripheral nerves. Cases of MTTs in the abdominal wall have not been reported.

Thyroid Dysfunction after Atezolizumab and Bevacizumab Is Associated with Favorable Outcomes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Introduction: Atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Ate/Bev) combination has become the new first-line systemic therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although several studies reported thyroid dysfunction after treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, the clinical and immunological significance of thyroid dysfunction in patients treated with Ate/Bev has not been comprehensively addressed. We aimed to comprehensively evaluate the clinical and immunological implications of thyroid dysfunction in unresectable HCC patients treated with Ate/Bev.

Design of a Miniature Observation Robot for Light Emitting Diode Irradiation and Indocyanine Green Fluorescence-emission Guided Lymph Node Monitoring in Operating Rooms.

Motivation: Typical surgical microscopes used for fluorescence-based lymph node detection experience limitations such as weight and restricted adjustability of the integrated light emitting diode (LED) and camera. This restricts the capture of detailed images of specific regions within the lesion.

Research Goal: This study proposes a miniature observation robot design that offers adjustable working distance (WD) and rotational radius, along with zoom-in/zoom-out functionality.

PB101, a VEGF- and PlGF-targeting decoy protein, enhances antitumor immunity and suppresses tumor progression and metastasis.

Antiangiogenic therapy is a recognized method for countering the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) and improving anti-tumor immunity. PB101 is a glycosylated decoy receptor that binds to VEGF-A and PlGF with high affinity, based on the VEGFR1 backbone. Here, we elucidated PB101-induced remodeling of tumor angiogenesis and immunity, which enhances anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade.

Systemic Delivery of a STING Agonist-Loaded Positively Charged Liposome Selectively Targets Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Suppresses Tumor Angiogenesis.

Although stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonists has shown great promise in preclinical studies, the clinical development of STING agonist therapy is challenged by its limited systemic delivery. Here, positively charged fusogenic liposomes loaded with a STING agonist (PoSTING) are designed for systemic delivery and to preferentially target the tumor microenvironment. When PoSTING is administered intravenously, it selectively targets not only tumor cells but also immune and tumor endothelial cells (ECs).

High levels of baseline serum IL-10 are associated with reduced clinical benefit from first-line immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) became a standard treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, clinically valid biomarkers of therapeutic outcome are lacking. We investigated the role of interleukin-10 (IL-10) as a predictive biomarker for first-line ICI therapy in patients with advanced RCC.

Can Triclosan-Coated Sutures Reduce the Incidence of Surgical Site Infections and Intra-Abdominal Infection: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common nosocomial infections suffered by surgical patients. They increase medical costs and prolong hospital stay. With respect to gastrointestinal surgery, SSIs are reported to have an incidence of up to 30%, and they frequently cause morbidity.

A multiplexed siRNA screen identifies key kinase signaling networks of brain glia.

The dynamic behaviors of brain glial cells in various neuroinflammatory conditions and neurological disorders have been reported; however, little is known about the underlying intracellular signaling pathways. Here, we developed a multiplexed kinome-wide siRNA screen to identify the kinases regulating several inflammatory phenotypes of mouse glial cells in culture, including inflammatory activation, migration, and phagocytosis of glia. Subsequent proof-of-concept experiments involving genetic and pharmacological inhibitions indicated the importance of T-cell receptor signaling components in microglial activation and a metabolic shift from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation in astrocyte migration.

High serum IL-6 correlates with reduced clinical benefit of atezolizumab and bevacizumab in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: We elucidated the clinical and immunologic implications of serum IL-6 levels in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with atezolizumab and bevacizumab (Ate/Bev).

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 165 patients with unresectable HCC (discovery cohort: 84 patients from three centres; validation cohort: 81 patients from one centre). Baseline blood samples were analysed using a flow cytometric bead array.

High Serum Levels of IL-6 Predict Poor Responses in Patients Treated with Pembrolizumab plus Axitinib for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney malignancy worldwide with Pembrolizumab and axitinib treatment (Pembro/Axi) amongst the most effective first-line immunotherapies for advanced RCC. However, it remains difficult to predict treatment response and early resistance. Therefore, we evaluated whether baseline serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) could be a predictive biomarker.

Imaging and Deep Learning Based Approach to Leaf Wetness Detection in Strawberry.

The Strawberry Advisory System (SAS) is a tool developed to help Florida strawberry growers determine the risk of common fungal diseases and the need for fungicide applications. Leaf wetness duration (LWD) is one of the important parameters in SAS disease risk modeling. By accurately measuring the LWD, disease risk can be better assessed, leading to less fungicide use and more economic benefits to the farmers.

Autophagy Dysfunction in a Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Model.

Background: The relationship between autophagy and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) has been highlighted in few reports. Using an animal model, the authors investigated the relationship between autophagy and DPN, focused particularly on changes in autophagy in Schwann cells.

Methods: The ultrastructural features of DPN mice were evaluated in vivo using transmission electron microscopy.

Association of High Levels of Antidrug Antibodies Against Atezolizumab With Clinical Outcomes and T-Cell Responses in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Importance: Administration of atezolizumab could be immunogenic and induce undesirable antidrug antibody (ADA) responses. This may interfere with atezolizumab-mediated actions, affecting drug clearance and serum concentration or inducing antibody neutralization.

Objective: To determine the clinical and immunological associations of highly elevated ADA levels with clinical outcomes after atezolizumab/bevacizumab (Atezo/Bev) treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Clip-Detector Using a Neodymium Magnet to Locate Malignant Tumors during Laparoscopic Surgery.

During laparoscopic surgery for colorectal or gastric cancers, locating the tumor for excision is difficult owing to it being obscured by mucous membranes. Therefore, a clip can be installed around the tumor, which can be located using a sensor. Most of the clip-detectors developed thus far can only detect tumors in either the colon or stomach and require a wire to connect the clip and detector.

Deep 3D attention CLSTM U-Net based automated liver segmentation and volumetry for the liver transplantation in abdominal CT volumes.

In living-donor liver transplantation, the safety of the donor is critical. In addition, accurately measuring the liver volume is significant as the amount that can be resected from living donors is limited. In this paper, we propose an automated segmentation and volume estimation method for the liver in computed tomography imaging based on a deep learning-based segmentation network.

Mutational Characterization of Colorectal Cancer from Korean Patients with Targeted Sequencing.

Effective treatment of colorectal cancer could benefit from understanding molecular characteristics including mutation profiles of important genes. This study aimed to explore the molecular characteristics of colorectal cancer based on next generation sequencing. The mutational characteristics by targeted next generation sequencing in 172 colorectal tumor samples from Korean patients were evaluated to explore their associations with clinical features.