A retrospective study of the prevalence of isolated prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time in the preoperative setting.

Background: Isolated prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) has various causes including inheritable bleeding disorders, and has medical significance as it can lead to the cancelation of surgery. However, even an emergency surgery can be conducted in a patient presenting with severe APTT prolongation, provided careful evaluation and appropriate measures are taken. Hence, the identification of the underlying etiology of the prolonged APTT is crucial.

Robotic systems in interventional oncology: a narrative review of the current status.

Interventional oncology offers minimally invasive treatments for malignant tumors for curative and palliative purposes based on the percutaneous insertion of needles or catheters into the target location under image guidance. Robotic systems have been gaining increasing attention as tools that provide potential advantages for image-guided interventions. Among the robotic systems developed for intervention, those relevant to the oncology field are mainly those for guiding or driving the needles in non-vascular interventional procedures such as biopsy and tumor ablation.

Robotic CT-guided out-of-plane needle insertion: comparison of angle accuracy with manual insertion in phantom and measurement of distance accuracy in animals.

Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy of robotic CT-guided out-of-plane needle insertion in phantom and animal experiments.

Methods: A robotic system (Zerobot), developed at our institution, was used for needle insertion. In the phantom experiment, 12 robotic needle insertions into a phantom at various angles in the XY and YZ planes were performed, and the same insertions were manually performed freehand, as well as guided by a smartphone application (SmartPuncture).

Robotic needle insertion during computed tomography fluoroscopy-guided biopsy: prospective first-in-human feasibility trial.

Introduction: This was a prospective, first-in-human trial to evaluate the feasibility and safety of insertion of biopsy introducer needles with our robot during CT fluoroscopy-guided biopsy in humans.

Materials And Methods: Eligible patients were adults with a lesion ≥ 10 mm in an extremity or the trunk requiring pathological diagnosis with CT fluoroscopy-guided biopsy. Patients in whom at-risk structures were located within 10 mm of the scheduled needle tract were excluded.

Zerobot®: A Remote-controlled Robot for Needle Insertion in CT-guided Interventional Radiology Developed at Okayama University.

Since 2012, we have been developing a remote-controlled robotic system (Zerobot®) for needle insertion during computed tomography (CT)-guided interventional procedures, such as ablation, biopsy, and drainage. The system was designed via a collaboration between the medical and engineering departments at Okayama University, including various risk control features. It consists of a robot with 6 degrees of freedom that is manipulated using an operation interface to perform needle insertions under CT-guidance.

Natural Cytotoxicity Receptors in Decidua Natural Killer Cells of Term Normal Pregnancy.

Aim: To investigate the changes in the maternal immune system at term pregnancy, we studied the expression of natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) and the cytokine production of NK cells in term placenta decidua and peripheral blood.

Methods: Term decidua and peripheral blood were taken from patients undergoing elective cesarean section. The lymphocytes were separated using density gradient centrifugation (DGC) from peripheral blood and were separated from decidua using DGC after enzyme digestion.

Robotic Insertion of Various Ablation Needles Under Computed Tomography Guidance: Accuracy in Animal Experiments.

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of robotic insertion of various ablation needles at various locations under computed tomography (CT) guidance in swine.

Materials And Methods: The robot was used for CT-guided insertion of four ablation needles, namely a single internally cooled radiofrequency ablation (RFA) needle (Cool-tip), a multi-tined expandable RFA needle (LeVeen), a cryoablation needle (IceRod), and an internally cooled microwave ablation needle (Emprint). One author remotely operated the robot with the operation interface in order to orient and insert the needles under CT guidance.

Characterization of human decidual mast cells and establishment of a culture system.

Background: Although rodent decidual mast cells (MCs) reportedly play an important role in implantation and placenta formation, the characterization of human decidual MCs has been not well clarified. The aims of this study were to investigate the distribution and characteristics of MCs in human decidua and to establish a culture system for decidua-derived MCs.

Methods: Decidual tissues were obtained from patients who underwent a legal elective abortion (6th week to 9th week of pregnancy), and decidual MCs were enzymatically dispersed.

Robotically Driven CT-guided Needle Insertion: Preliminary Results in Phantom and Animal Experiments.

Purpose To evaluate the accuracy of the remote-controlled robotic computed tomography (CT)-guided needle insertion in phantom and animal experiments. Materials and Methods In a phantom experiment, 18 robotic and manual insertions each were performed with 19-gauge needles by using CT fluoroscopic guidance for the evaluation of the equivalence of accuracy of insertion between the two groups with a 1.0-mm margin.

Single-site in-bag morcellation achieved via direct puncture of the pneumoperitoneum cap, a cordless electric morcellator, and a 5-mm flexible scope.

Objective: To evaluate a modified single-access method of contained power morcellation performed with a single-access laparoscopic device and a new cordless electric morcellator. The study was a preliminary assessment of the feasibility and safety of the new technique.

Study Design: A single university hospital observational study involving patients who underwent either laparoscopic myomectomy or laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Hemolysis induced by Bacillus cereus sphingomyelinase.

Bacillus cereus sphingomyelinase (Bc-SMase) induces hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes which contain large amounts of sphingomyelin. We investigated the mechanism of this hemolysis in comparison to that induced by Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin. Pertussis toxin, a Gi-specific inhibitor, N-oleoylethernolamine, a ceramidase inhibitor, and dihydrosphingosine, a sphingosine kinase inhibitor, did not inhibit the hemolysis by Bc-SMase, but did inhibit that by alpha-toxin.

Collaborative work on evaluation of ovarian toxicity. 6) Two- or four-week repeated-dose studies and fertility study of cisplatin in female rats.

The main aim of the present study is to determine the optimal administration period of cisplatin with regards to its toxic effects on ovarian morphology in the repeated-dose toxicity study. Cisplatin was administered to female SD rats intraperitoneally once daily at dose levels of 0.25, 0.

The relationship between the metabolism of sphingomyelin species and the hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes induced by Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin.

Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin induces the hemolysis of sheep erythrocytes by activating the metabolism of sphingomyelin (SM) via a GTP binding protein in membranes. alpha-Toxin stimulated the formation of 15-N-nervonoyl sphingosine (C24:1-ceramide), which was identified by positive ion fast atom bombardment-MS and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. C24:1-ceramide stimulated the toxin-induced hemolysis of saponin-pretreated sheep erythrocytes and increased the production of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in the cells, but N-lignoceroyl sphingosine did not.

Signal transduction mechanism involved in Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin-induced superoxide anion generation in rabbit neutrophils.

Clostridium perfringens alpha-toxin induces the generation of superoxide anion (O2(-)) via production of 1,2-diacylglycerol (DG) in rabbit neutrophils. The mechanism of the generation, however, remains poorly understood. Here we report a novel mechanism for the toxin-induced production of O2(-) in rabbit neutrophils.