Craniomaxillofacial landmarks detection in CT scans with limited labeled data via semi-supervised learning.

Background: Three-dimensional cephalometric analysis is crucial in craniomaxillofacial assessment, with landmarks detection in craniomaxillofacial (CMF) CT scans being a key component. However, creating robust deep learning models for this task typically requires extensive CMF CT datasets annotated by experienced medical professionals, a process that is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Conversely, acquiring large volume of unlabeled CMF CT data is relatively straightforward.

Osmosensor-mediated control of Ca spiking in pollen germination.

Higher plants survive terrestrial water deficiency and fluctuation by arresting cellular activities (dehydration) and resuscitating processes (rehydration). However, how plants monitor water availability during rehydration is unknown. Although increases in hypo-osmolarity-induced cytosolic Ca concentration (HOSCA) have long been postulated to be the mechanism for sensing hypo-osmolarity in rehydration, the molecular basis remains unknown.

Elucidating the association of obstructive sleep apnea with brain structure and cognitive performance.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a pervasive, chronic sleep-related respiratory condition that causes brain structural alterations and cognitive impairments. However, the causal association of OSA with brain morphology and cognitive performance has not been determined.

Methods: We conducted a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal relationship between OSA and a range of neurocognitive characteristics, including brain cortical structure, brain subcortical structure, brain structural change across the lifespan, and cognitive performance.

Automatic craniomaxillofacial landmarks detection in CT images of individuals with dentomaxillofacial deformities by a two-stage deep learning model.

Background: Accurate cephalometric analysis plays a vital role in the diagnosis and subsequent surgical planning in orthognathic and orthodontics treatment. However, manual digitization of anatomical landmarks in computed tomography (CT) is subject to limitations such as low accuracy, poor repeatability and excessive time consumption. Furthermore, the detection of landmarks has more difficulties on individuals with dentomaxillofacial deformities than normal individuals.

Prediction of orthognathic surgery plan from 3D cephalometric analysis via deep learning.

Background: Preoperative planning of orthognathic surgery is indispensable for achieving ideal surgical outcome regarding the occlusion and jaws' position. However, orthognathic surgery planning is sophisticated and highly experience-dependent, which requires comprehensive consideration of facial morphology and occlusal function. This study aimed to investigate a robust and automatic method based on deep learning to predict reposition vectors of jawbones in orthognathic surgery plan.

A virtual surgical prototype system based on gesture recognition for virtual surgical training in maxillofacial surgery.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) technology is an ideal alternative of operation training and surgical teaching. However, virtual surgery is usually carried out using the mouse or data gloves, which affects the authenticity of virtual operation. A virtual surgery system with gesture recognition and real-time image feedback was explored to realize more authentic immersion.

Small extracellular vesicles derived from hypoxic mesenchymal stem cells promote vascularized bone regeneration through the miR-210-3p/EFNA3/PI3K pathway.

Angiogenesis is closely coupled with osteogenesis and has equal importance. Thus, promoting angiogenesis during the bone repair process is vital for ideal bone regeneration. As important mediators of cell-cell communication and biological homeostasis, mesenchymal stem cell-derived small extracellular vesicles (MSC-sEVs) have been proved to be highly involved in bone and vascular regeneration.

Development of a maxillofacial virtual surgical system based on biomechanical parameters of facial soft tissue.

Purpose: Lack of biomechanical force model of soft tissue hinders the development of virtual surgical simulation in maxillofacial surgery. In this study, a physical model of facial soft tissue based on real biomechanical parameters was constructed, and a haptics-enabled virtual surgical system was developed to simulate incision-making process on facial soft tissue and to help maxillofacial surgery training.

Methods: CT data of a 25-year-old female patient were imported into Mimics software to reconstruct 3D models of maxillofacial soft and skeletal tissues.

HIF-1α Regulates Osteogenesis of Periosteum-Derived Stem Cells Under Hypoxia Conditions Modulating POSTN Expression.

Periosteum is indispensable in bone repair and is an important source of skeletal stem cells (SSCs) for endogenous bone regeneration. However, there are only a few studies about SSCs in periosteum. The craniomaxillofacial bone regeneration is done under the hypoxia microenvironment, in which HIF-1α plays an important role.

Challenges and strategies for endothelialization and long-term lumen patency of vascular grafts.

Vascular diseases are the most prevalent cause of ischemic necrosis of tissue and organ, which even result in dysfunction and death. Vascular regeneration or artificial vascular graft, as the conventional treatment modality, has received keen attentions. However, small-diameter (diameter < 4 mm) vascular grafts have a high risk of thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia (IH), which makes long-term lumen patency challengeable.

NAA at a high concentration promotes efficient plant regeneration via direct somatic embryogenesis and SE-mediated transformation system in Ranunculus sceleratus.

The novel methods for efficient plant regeneration via direct somatic embryogenesis (SE) and SE-mediated transformation system under high concentration of NAA in Ranunculus sceleratus were established. On MS media containing a high concentration of NAA (10.0 mg/L) in the dark, all inoculated explants (root, stem and leaf) formed somatic embryos at high frequencies, respectively, 66.