Model-based trajectory tracking of a compliant continuum robot.

Compliant mechanisms, especially continuum robots, are becoming integral to advancements in minimally invasive surgery due to their ability to autonomously navigate natural pathways, significantly reducing collision severity. A major challenge lies in developing an effective control strategy to accurately reflect their behavior for enhanced operational precision. This study examines the trajectory tracking capabilities of a tendon-driven continuum robot at its tip.

Determination of in vitro stability of routine haematinics tests using EFLM standards and the CRESS checklist.

Background: Laboratories should be aware of the stability of the analytes they are testing in order to avoid incorrect reporting and patient management. Stability studies are difficult to interpret and reproduce, with little guidance on how to determine appropriate clinical cut off values. Here we describe a standardised approach to determining stability for routine haematinics tests using published EFLM guidelines.

The influence of warm-up duration on simulated rugby league interchange match performance.

The study was conducted to understand the effects of a short (10 min) and a long (30 min) duration warm-up on subsequent readiness to exercise and movement during simulated rugby league match play. Using a randomised cross-over design, 13 male rugby players (age: 23.6 ± 4.

Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis of Human Milk from Mothers of Preterm Infants.

The application of metabolomics in neonatology offers an approach to investigate the complex relationship between nutrition and infant health. Characterization of the metabolome of human milk enables an investigation into nutrients that affect the neonatal metabolism and identification of dietary interventions for infants at risk of diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). In this study, we aimed to identify differences in the metabolome of breast milk of 48 mothers with preterm infants with NEC and non-NEC healthy controls.

Advancing peptide siRNA-carrier designs through L/D-amino acid stereochemical modifications to enhance gene silencing.

The 599 peptide has been previously shown to effectively deliver small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to cancer cells, inducing targeted-oncogene silencing, with a consequent inhibition of tumor growth. Although effective, this study was undertaken to advance the 599 peptide siRNA-carrier design through L/D-amino acid stereochemical modifications. Consequently, 599 was modified to generate eight different peptide variants, incorporating either different stereochemical patterns of L/D-amino acids or a specific D-amino acid substitution.

Monomeric C-Reactive Protein in Serum With Markedly Elevated CRP Levels Shares Common Calcium-Dependent Ligand Binding Properties With an Dissociated Form of C-Reactive Protein.

A monomeric form of C-reactive protein (CRP) which precipitates with cell wall pneumococcal C polysaccharide (CWPS) and retains the ability to reversibly bind to its ligand phosphocholine has been produced through urea-induced dissociation at an optimized concentration of 3 M urea over a 10 weeks period. Dissociated samples were purified via size exclusion chromatography and characterized by western blot, phosphocholine affinity chromatography and CWPS precipitation. Human serum samples from patients with raised CRP levels (>100 mg/L as determined by the clinical laboratory assay) were purified by affinity and size exclusion chromatography and analyzed ( = 40) to determine whether circulating monomeric CRP could be detected .

Has Sliding-Clip Renorrhaphy Eliminated the Need for Collecting System Repair During Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy?

Objective: We evaluated whether single-layer renorrhaphy (SLR) without collecting system (CS) closure is sufficient following robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN).

Patients And Methods: One hundred fifty consecutive patients underwent RAPN by a single surgeon and were prospectively labeled with regard to CS entry during surgery. Patients with CS entry were subdivided into two groups: those with classical renorrhaphy (CR) (i.

Assessment of Perioperative Variables That Predict the Need for Surgical Drains Following Robotic Partial Nephrectomy Utilizing Quantitative Drain Creatinine Analysis.

Objective: To utilize body fluid creatinine analysis to determine which patients will require a surgical drain following robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN).

Materials And Methods: One hundred fifty consecutive RAPN performed by a single surgeon were reviewed. Postoperative day (POD) 1 drain creatinine was compared to serum creatinine to calculate the drain to serum creatinine ratio (D/S ratio).

Comparison of OnabotulinumtoxinA Intradetrusor Injection Needle Performance with Modern Flexible Cystoscopes.

Introduction: Intradetrusor injection of onabotulinumtoxinA (BTX-A) can be performed with rigid or flexible cystoscopy. The primary aim of this study was to analyze irrigant flow rate and total angle of deflection for the intradetrusor injection needles used for flexible cystoscopic injection of BTX-A to see if any needle provided a technical advantage.

Methods: Three commercially available intradetrusor injection needles were evaluated using two modern flexible cystourethroscopes.

Ocular hypotensive effect of the Rho kinase inhibitor AR-12286 in patients with glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Purpose: To evaluate the ocular hypotensive efficacy of 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.

Use of structure-based design to discover a potent, selective, in vivo active phosphodiesterase 10A inhibitor lead series for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Utilizing structure-based virtual library design and scoring, a novel chimeric series of phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitors was discovered by synergizing binding site interactions and ADME properties of two chemotypes. Virtual libraries were docked and scored for potential binding ability, followed by visual inspection to prioritize analogs for parallel and directed synthesis. The process yielded highly potent and selective compounds such as 16.

Identification of a brain penetrant PDE9A inhibitor utilizing prospective design and chemical enablement as a rapid lead optimization strategy.

By use of chemical enablement and prospective design, a novel series of selective, brain penetrant PDE9A inhibitors have been identified that are capable of producing in vivo elevations of brain cGMP.

A patient preference comparison of Azarga (brinzolamide/timolol fixed combination) vs Cosopt (dorzolamide/timolol fixed combination) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Purpose: To determine patient preference of and ocular discomfort with fixed combination brinzolamide/timolol compared with fixed combination dorzolamide/timolol.

Methods: In a prospective, double-masked, randomized, active-controlled, crossover, multicenter study, patients received 1 drop of brinzolamide/timolol and dorzolamide/timolol in both eyes on consecutive days in random order. Ocular discomfort was rated 1 minute after instillation of each medication, and preference was noted on Day 2.

A comparison of dorzolamide/timolol-fixed combination versus bimatoprost in patients with open-angle glaucoma who are poorly controlled on latanoprost.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) efficacy and safety of dorzolamide/timolol in fixed combination (DTFC) versus bimatoprost in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients poorly controlled (> or =21 mmHg) on latanoprost.

Methods: This was a prospective, double-masked, randomized, controlled, cross-over evaluation. After a 6-week wash-out period, the patients then returned for baseline diurnal curve testing every 2 h (8 AM to 8 PM).

Discovery of a series of 6,7-dimethoxy-4-pyrrolidylquinazoline PDE10A inhibitors.

A papaverine based pharmacophore model for PDE10A inhibition was generated via SBDD and used to design a library of 4-amino-6,7-dimethoxyquinazolines. From this library emerged an aryl ether pyrrolidyl 6,7-dimethoxyquinazoline series that became the focal point for additional modeling, X-ray, and synthetic efforts toward increasing PDE10A inhibitory potency and selectivity versus PDE3A/B. These efforts culminated in the discovery of 29, a potent and selective brain penetrable inhibitor of PDE10A.

A 3-month clinical trial comparing the IOP-lowering efficacy of bimatoprost and latanoprost in patients with normal-tension glaucoma.

This multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trial was undertaken to compare the intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering efficacy and safety of topical bimatoprost 0.03% with that of latanoprost 0.005% for the treatment of patients with normal-tension glaucoma.

Genetic deletion of the striatum-enriched phosphodiesterase PDE10A: evidence for altered striatal function.

PDE10A is a newly identified phosphodiesterase that is highly expressed by the medium spiny projection neurons of the striatum. In order to investigate the physiological role of PDE10A in the central nervous system, PDE10A knockout mice (PDE10A(-/-)) were characterized both behaviorally and neurochemically. PDE10A(-/-) mice showed decreased exploratory activity and a significant delay in the acquisition of conditioned avoidance behavior when compared to wild-type (PDE10A(+/+)) mice.

Chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes exposed to the anticholinesterase pesticide isofenphos with mechanisms of leukemogenesis.

Human lymphocytes were exposed to the leukemogenic pesticide isofenphos (IFP) to investigate its effects on chromosomal DNA and cholinergic homeostasis using cholinesterase activity as a marker. Isolated peripheral lymphocytes were administered concentrations of IFP ranging from 0.1 ng/ml to 10 microg/ml.

Immunohistochemical localization of PDE10A in the rat brain.

PDE10A is a newly identified cAMP/cGMP phosphodiesterase for which mRNA is highly expressed in the mammalian striatum. In the present study, PDE10A protein and mRNA expression throughout the rat brain were determined, using a monoclonal antibody (24F3.F11) for Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses and an antisense riboprobe for in situ hybridization.

Bimatoprost 0.03% versus travoprost 0.004% in black Americans with glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

This randomized, investigator-masked, multicenter, parallel-design trial compared the IOP-lowering efficacy of bimatoprost 0.03% and travoprost 0.004% in African Americans with glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Activation mechanism of the CO sensor CooA. Mutational and resonance Raman spectroscopic studies.

CooA is a CO-dependent heme protein transcription factor of the bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. CO binding to its heme causes CooA to bind DNA and activate expression of genes for CO metabolism. To understand the nature of CO activation, several CooA mutational variants have been studied by resonance Raman spectroscopy, in vivo activity measurements, and DNA binding assays.

Increased periocular pigmentation with ocular hypotensive lipid use in African Americans.

Purpose: To report increased eyelid pigmentation as an adverse side effect associated with topical ocular hypotensive lipids in African Americans.

Design: Interventional case series.

Methods: Two African-American patients with open-angle glaucoma are described in whom increased eyelid pigmentation developed 1 month to 5 months after beginning treatment with either latanoprost or bimatoprost.

Efficacy of bimatoprost in glaucoma and ocular hypertension unresponsive to latanoprost.

This open-label, monocular, two-phase trial was conducted to determine whether bimatoprost is effective in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension not responsive to latanoprost. After a 4-week washout of any ocular hypotensive agents, patients with IOP between 22 and 34 mm Hg (n=51) instilled latanoprost in one eye and were evaluated at weeks 4 and 8 (phase 1). Patients with an IOP reduction no more than 3 mm Hg at both visits were considered nonresponders to latanoprost and were switched to bimatoprost for 8 weeks (n=21) (phase 2).