Synthesis of Artificial Coating Images and Parameter Data Sets in Electrode Manufacturing

Driven by continuous cost pressure and increasing market requirements, the optimisation of the lithium-ion battery production is focus of attention. In order to save time and costs, machine learning (ML) represent a promising tool. ML methods are able to analyse highly complex correlations and abstract data sets. But a considerable amount of training data is needed. Since data is not always available to the required extent, approaches for synthesising artificial data were investigated. In this study, the quality and corresponding measurement parameters in electrode production were assessed and selected. Based on this selection, coating trials have been conducted and the corresponding data set collected. The data set forms the basis for synthesis of artificial coating images and parameters. The selection and design of the synthesis models was divided into two sub-steps. First, the synthesis of artificial coating images was investigated. This was followed by the consideration of a procedure for the synthesis of structured data sets. A promising method for data synthesis of (coating) images are Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN). The basic idea of GANs is to oppose two models: a discriminator and a generator. The generator generates artificial data samples that match the input of the training dataset. Afterwards those data samples (both input and artificial data) are introduced to the discriminator. The discriminator's function is to identify whether the data presented originates from the training dataset or whether it is a counterfeit (artificial data) of the generator. The requirements for the synthesis of tabular data sets correspond in principle to those for a multivariate regression analysis. The combination of the models resulted in a method that allows the prediction of the corresponding measured quality values for arbitrarily selected process parameters, as well as the visualisation of the associated coating result in the form of an artificial image

Injectable Hybrid Hydrogels, with Cell-Responsive Degradation, for Tumor Resection

Biocompatible soft materials have recently found applications in interventional endoscopy to facilitate resection of mucosal tumors. When neoplastic lesions are in organs that can be easily damaged by perforation, such as stomach, intestine, and esophagus, the formation of a submucosal fluid cushion (SFC) is needed to lift the tumor from the underlying muscle during the resection of neoplasias. Such procedure is called endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We describe an injectable, biodegradable, hybrid hydrogel able to form a SFC and to facilitate ESD. The hydrogel, based on polyamidoamines, contains breakable silica nanocapsules covalently bound to its network and able to release biomolecules. To promote degradation, the hydrogel is composed of cleavable disulfide moieties that are reduced by the cells through secretion of glutathione. The same stimulus triggers the breaking of the silica nanocapsules; therefore, the entire hybrid material can be completely degraded and its decomposition depends entirely on the presence of cells. Interestingly, the hydrogel precursor solution showed rapid gelation when injected in vivo and afforded a long-lasting high mucosal elevation, keeping the cushion volume constant during the dissection. This novel material can provide a solution to ESD limitations and promote healing of tissues after surgery

Focal Spot, Summer 1992

https://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/focal_spot_archives/1061/thumbnail.jp

Prevalence of haptic feedback in robot-mediated surgery : a systematic review of literature

© 2017 Springer-Verlag. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Journal of Robotic Surgery. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11701-017-0763-4With the successful uptake and inclusion of robotic systems in minimally invasive surgery and with the increasing application of robotic surgery (RS) in numerous surgical specialities worldwide, there is now a need to develop and enhance the technology further. One such improvement is the implementation and amalgamation of haptic feedback technology into RS which will permit the operating surgeon on the console to receive haptic information on the type of tissue being operated on. The main advantage of using this is to allow the operating surgeon to feel and control the amount of force applied to different tissues during surgery thus minimising the risk of tissue damage due to both the direct and indirect effects of excessive tissue force or tension being applied during RS. We performed a two-rater systematic review to identify the latest developments and potential avenues of improving technology in the application and implementation of haptic feedback technology to the operating surgeon on the console during RS. This review provides a summary of technological enhancements in RS, considering different stages of work, from proof of concept to cadaver tissue testing, surgery in animals, and finally real implementation in surgical practice. We identify that at the time of this review, while there is a unanimous agreement regarding need for haptic and tactile feedback, there are no solutions or products available that address this need. There is a scope and need for new developments in haptic augmentation for robot-mediated surgery with the aim of improving patient care and robotic surgical technology further.Peer reviewe

New Techniques in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

As result of progress, endoscopy has became more complex, using more sophisticated devices and has claimed a special form. In this moment, the gastroenterologist performing endoscopy has to be an expert in macroscopic view of the lesions in the gut, with good skills for using standard endoscopes, with good experience in ultrasound (for performing endoscopic ultrasound), with pathology experience for confocal examination. It is compulsory to get experience and to have patience and attention for the follow-up of thousands of images transmitted during capsule endoscopy or to have knowledge in physics necessary for autofluorescence imaging endoscopy. Therefore, the idea of an endoscopist has changed. Examinations mentioned need a special formation, a superior level of instruction, accessible to those who have already gained enough experience in basic diagnostic endoscopy. This is the reason for what these new issues of endoscopy are presented in this book of New techniques in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

Assessment of histopathological methods of evaluating response to neoadjuvant therapy in oesophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma

Upper gastrointestinal tract (GIT) cancers usually receive neoadjuvant therapy prior to surgery. The histological assessment of this response and if this can be predicted on the pre-treatment biopsy are the subject of this thesis. The first study assessed the inter- and intra-observer variation amongst pathologists in evaluating the degree of regression using the Mandard scoring system. The results showed that the reproducibility of this system was only fair to moderate in both cases of inter- and intra-observer testing. The second study examined the levels of expression of selected tumour markers before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. These included markers monitoring apoptosis (p53 and bcl-2), proliferation (Ki-67), angio- and lymphangio-genesis (VEGF, CD-31 and LYVE-1). The levels of expression in these markers were measured in the pre-treatment biopsies, to monitor if they could predict the response to neoadjuvant therapy. It was found that when the panel of chosen markers being used together, delivered a much higher power of prediction rather than adopting only one marker, where the collective power of prediction was 80.6%, whereas individually, the power of prediction ranged between 24.6% (VEGF) and 60.7% (Ki-67). The third study explored the use of digital image analysis in assessing the response to neoadjuvant therapy. It was found that while this technique paralleled the Mandard scoring system, it delivered a more objective and reproducible assessment. On the basis of these results I suggest that image analysis should be used to assess tumour regression especially in the context of clinical trials. In this retrospective study it has been shown that the pre-treatment biopsy can predict the degree of regression

Management of Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide. More than 50% of the patients have advanced disease at diagnosis and in this case the disease has a poor outcome. The staging of gastric cancers is based on endoscopic ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, in addition to the laparoscopic staging. Many improvements in the surgical techniques have been seen in the last decade. Laparoscopic surgery is an emerging approach which offers important advantages: less blood loss, reduced postoperative pain, accelerated recovery, early return to normal bowel function and reduced hospital stay. D1 lymphadenectomy, with a goal of examining 15 or greater lymph nodes is a standard. D2 dissection is considered as a standard in several institutions especially in eastern Asia. Perioperative chemotherapy and adjuvant concurrent radiochemotherapy are recognized as standards treatments. Palliative chemotherapy is the mainstay treatment of advanced stages of the disease (metastatic and non-operable tumors). Despite these treatment advances, the prognosis of gastric cancer remains poor with a 5-year survival ranging from 10 to 15% in all stages combined

Positron emission tomography for staging of oesophageal and gastroesophageal malignancy.

Positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) was prospectively investigated as a means of detecting metastatic disease in patients with oesophageal tumours and compared with computerized tomography (CT), with the surgical findings as a gold standard. Twenty-six patients with a malignant tumour of the oesophagus or gastroesophageal junction underwent CT and PET of the chest and the abdomen. Seven patients underwent laparoscopy to establish resectability. Fifteen patients underwent laparotomy without prior laparoscopy. Four patients did not undergo surgery. The primary tumour was visualized in 81% of patients with CT and in 96% with PET. Neither CT nor PET were suited to assess the extent of wall invasion. Surgically assessed nodal status corresponded in 62% with CT and in 90% with PET. Distant metastases were found in five patients with CT and in eight with PET. The diagnostic accuracy of CT in determining resectability was 65% and for PET 88%. For CT and PET together this was 92%. The present study indicates that FDG-PET can be of importance for staging patients with oesophageal tumours. PET has a higher sensitivity for nodal and distant metastases and a higher accuracy for determining respectability than CT. PET and CT together would have decreased ill-advised surgery by 90%