Semi-Automated Extraction of Lens Fragments via a Surgical Robot Using Semantic Segmentation of OCT Images with Deep Learning - Experimental Results in Animal Model.

The overarching goal of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to guide a robotic system to extract lens fragments from pig eyes. A convolutional neural network (CNN) was developed to semantically segment four intraocular structures (lens material, capsule, cornea, and iris) from OCT images. The neural network was trained on images from ten pig eyes, validated on images from eight different eyes, and tested on images from another ten eyes.

Automatic needle tracking using Mask R-CNN for MRI-guided percutaneous interventions.

Purpose: Accurate needle tracking provides essential information for MRI-guided percutaneous interventions. Passive needle tracking using MR images is challenged by variations of the needle-induced signal void feature in different situations. This work aimed to develop an automatic needle tracking algorithm for MRI-guided interventions based on the Mask Region Proposal-Based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN).

Free-Breathing Volumetric Liver and Proton Density Fat Fraction Quantification in Pediatric Patients Using Stack-of-Radial MRI With Self-Gating Motion Compensation.

Background: Stack-of-radial multiecho gradient-echo MRI is promising for free-breathing liver quantification and may benefit children.

Purpose: To validate stack-of-radial MRI with self-gating motion compensation in phantoms, and to evaluate it in children.

Study Type: Prospective.

Semiautomated optical coherence tomography-guided robotic surgery for porcine lens removal.

Purpose: To evaluate semiautomated surgical lens extraction procedures using the optical coherence tomography (OCT)-integrated Intraocular Robotic Interventional Surgical System.

Setting: Stein Eye Institute and Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.

Design: Experimental study.

MRI-guided targeted needle placement during motion using hydrostatic actuators.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has unique advantages for guiding interventions, but the narrow space is a major challenge. This study evaluates the feasibility of a remote-controlled hydrostatic actuator system for MRI-guided targeted needle placement.

Methods: The effects of the hydrostatic actuator system on MR image quality were evaluated.

A robotic system for telementoring and training in laparoscopic surgery.

A laparoscopic surgical training system, the LapaRobot, is introduced. The system is composed of an expert station and a trainee station connected through the Internet. Embedded actuators allow the trainee station to be driven by an expert surgeon so that a trainee learns proper technique through physical feedback.

Respiratory Motion Prediction Using Fusion-Based Multi-Rate Kalman Filtering and Real-Time Golden-Angle Radial MRI.

Objective: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide guidance for interventions in organs affected by respiration (e.g., liver).

Intraocular robotic interventional surgical system (IRISS): Semi-automated OCT-guided cataract removal.

Background: With the development of laser-assisted platforms, the outcomes of cataract surgery have been improved by automating several procedures. The cataract-extraction step continues to be manually performed, but due to deficiencies in sensing capabilities, surgical complications such as posterior capsule rupture and incomplete cataract removal remain.

Methods: An optical coherence tomography (OCT) system is integrated into our intraocular robotic interventional surgical system (IRISS) robot.

Inhibition of PKC-Induced COX-2 and IL-8 Expression in Human Breast Cancer Cells by Glucosamine.

Breast cancer is a common cancer leading to many deaths among females. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) are two highly expressed inflammatory mediators to be induced by the protein kinase C (PKC) signaling via various inflammatory stimuli and both contribute significantly to cancer metastasis/progression. Glucosamine has been shown to act as an anti-inflammation molecule.

Downregulation of SUN2, a novel tumor suppressor, mediates miR-221/222-induced malignancy in central nervous system embryonal tumors.

Embryonal tumors of the central nervous system represent a highly malignant tumor group of medulloblastoma (MB), atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) and primitive neuroectodermal tumor that frequently afflict children. AT/RT is often misdiagnosed as MB/primitive neuroectodermal tumor but with higher recurrence and lower survival rates. Pathogenesis of AT/RT is largely unknown.

Physicochemical and biological properties of biomimetic mineralo-protein nanoparticles formed spontaneously in biological fluids.

Recent studies indicate that mineral nanoparticles (NPs) form spontaneously in human body fluids. These biological NPs represent mineral precursors that are associated with ectopic calcifications seen in various human diseases. However, the parameters that control the formation of mineral NPs and their possible effects on human cells remain poorly understood.

Intact INI1 gene region with paradoxical loss of protein expression in AT/RT: implications for a possible novel mechanism associated with absence of INI1 protein immunoreactivity.

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a highly malignant central nervous system tumor often misdiagnosed as some other type of pediatric embryonal tumor, such as medulloblastoma (MB). Distinguishing AT/RT from primitive neuroectodermal tumor/MB is of clinical significance, as the reported survival rate of patients with AT/RT is much lower than that of patients with average-risk primitive neuroectodermal tumor/MB. The diagnosis of AT/RT currently relies primarily on the morphologic assessment and immunostaining of a few known markers, such as the lack of INI1 protein expression.

Serum-derived nanoparticles: de novo generation and growth in vitro, and internalization by mammalian cells in culture.

Aim: While nanoparticles (NPs) have been shown to form spontaneously in body fluids such as serum, the possible implications of these NPs for cell cultures that use supporting media containing serum remain unclear. To understand the de novo formation of NPs, we delineated their growth characteristics, chemical composition and interaction with cells in culture.

Materials & Methods: Serum-derived particles were analyzed using a combination of dynamic light scattering, turbidity measurements, spectroscopic techniques and optical/electron microscopies.

Rana catesbeiana ribonuclease inhibits Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) replication and enhances apoptosis of JEV-infected BHK-21 cells.

Rana catesbeiana ribonuclease (RC-RNase) is a cytotoxic and antitumor RNase isolated from the oocyte yolk granules of the bullfrog R. catesbeiana. Our previous studies have shown that RC-RNase possesses antitumor activity by activating proapoptotic caspases.

Activation of the ERK signal transduction pathway by Epstein-Barr virus immediate-early protein Rta.

BRCA1-associated protein 2 (BRAP2) is known to interact with the kinase suppressor of Ras 1 (KSR1), inhibiting the ERK signal transduction cascade. This study found that an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immediate-early protein, Rta, is a binding partner of BRAP2 in yeast and confirmed the binding in vitro by a glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay and in vivo by co-immunoprecipitation in 293(maxi-EBV) cells. Binding studies also showed that Rta and KSR1 interacted with the C-terminal 202 aa region in BRAP2.

Nonribosomal synthesis of fengycin on an enzyme complex formed by fengycin synthetases.

Fengycin, a lipopeptidic antibiotic, is synthesized nonribosomally by five fengycin synthetases (FenC, FenD, FenE, FenA, and FenB) in Bacillus subtilis F29-3. This work demonstrates that these fengycin synthetases interlock to form a chain, which coils into a 14.5-nm structure.

Post-translational modification of Rta of Epstein-Barr virus by SUMO-1.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) expresses an immediate-early protein, Rta, to activate the transcription of EBV lytic genes and the lytic cycle. This work identifies Ubc9 and PIAS1 as binding partners of Rta in a yeast two-hybrid screen. These bindings are verified by glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay, coimmunoprecipitation, and confocal microscopy.