Role and Utility of Mixed Reality Technology in Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy: Outcomes of a Prospective RCT Using an Indigenously Developed Software

OBJECTIVE: To develop a software for mixed reality (MR) anatomical model creation and study its intraoperative clinical utility to facilitate laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After institutional review board approval, 47 patients were prospectively randomized for LPN into two groups: the control group (24 patients) underwent operation with an intraoperative ultrasound (US) control and the experimental group (23 patients) with smart glasses HoloLens 2 (Microsoft, Seattle, WA, USA). Our team has developed an open-source software package called “HLOIA,” utilization of which allowed to create and use during surgery the MR anatomical model of the kidney with its vascular pedicle and tumor. The study period extended from June 2020 to February 2021 where demographic, perioperative, and pathological data were collected for all qualifying patients. The objective was to assess the utility of a MR model during LPN and through a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, completed by the surgeon, immediately after LPN. Patient characteristics were tested using the chi-square test for categorical variables and Student's t-test or Mann–Whitney test for continuous variables. RESULTS: Comparison of the variables between the groups revealed statistically significant differences only in the following parameters: the time for renal pedicle exposure and the time from the renal pedicle to the detection of tumor localization (p < 0.001), which were in favor of the experimental group. The surgeon's impression of the utility of the MR model by the proposed questionnaire demonstrated high scores in all statements. CONCLUSIONS: Developed open-source software “HLOIA” allowed to create the mixed reality anatomical model by operating urologist which is when used with smart glasses has shown improvement in terms of time for renal pedicle exposure and time for renal tumor identification without compromising safety

Physical properties of Ce3-xTe4 below room temperature

The physical properties of polycrystalline Ce3-xTe4 were investigated by measurements of the thermoelectric properties, Hall coefficient, heat capacity, and magnetization. The fully-filled, metallic x=0 compound displays a soft ferromagnetic transition near 4K, and analysis of the corresponding heat capacity anomaly suggests a doublet ground state for Ce^{3+}. The transition is suppressed to below 2K in the insulating x=0.33 composition, revealing that magnetic order in Ce3-xTe4 is driven by an RKKY-type interaction. The thermoelectric properties trend with composition as expected from simple electron counting, and the transport properties in Ce3Te4 are observed to be similar to those in La3Te4. Trends in the low temperature thermal conductivity data reveal that the phonons are efficiently scattered by electrons, while all compositions examined have a lattice thermal conductivity near 1.2W/m/K at 200K.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Study of Potato Tuber Motion on the Elevator with a Separation Intensifier

Introduction. When harvesting potatoes from the waterlogged soils, the gaps between the elevator bars become clogged, the soil separation efficiency decreases while damage to potato tubers and yield loss increases. In this study, the authors propose a potato harvester intensifier in the paddle conveyor form to improve the separation quality for specific conditions. It is located under the carrying run of the main elevator apron. Aim of the Study. The aim of the study is theoretical justification of the potato harvester paddle intensifier for separating potato tubers from waterlogged soils in order to reduce damage to potatoes during harvesting. Materials and Methods. There was analyzed the work of the separation intensifier with a paddle conveyor located under the carrying side of the potato harvester main elevator with flexible flat blades moving towards the main elevator apron. The intensifier paddle, installed under the elevator carrying side, must act as a pusher when potato tubers stick and fall into the gap between the elevator bars in harvesting potatoes from waterlogged soils. Results. The analysis of potato tuber motion relative to the bar has showed that under the specified parameters and conditions the pitch of blades equal to 210 mm provides the falling of the ball clod from the bar and blade on the conveyor belt without impact. In order to avoid the friction of potato tubers and impurities with bars, the distance between the intensifier conveyor belt and bars must exceed the gap between bars. When the distance between the conveyor belt and bar is equal to 30 mm, the blade pitch is determined to within 1 per cent by the speed of a blade moving relative to the bar. Discussion and Conclusion. The conducted theoretical studies of the blade intensifier of potato harvester separation on overwatered soils revealed its high efficiency, which is confirmed by the results of field experiments

Platelet-rich plasma: application for interstitial cystitis and erectile dysfunction

Up-to-date, the platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatment method is actively used in many fields of medicine. In traumatology, PRP is used to treat bone and cartilage defects, ligamentous apparatus. In combustiology for the healing of burns, in surgery ¾ trophic ulcers. There is evidence of the feasibility of using PRP in some dermatological diseases, as well as in dental practice. For urology, the method is new and is just beginning to be studied. The article discusses the methods of treatment of interstitial cystitis (IC) and erectile dysfunction (ED) using PRP. During the review, we relied on existing data on the effectiveness of intravesical injections of PRP in the treatment of IC, as well as on the successful treatment of ED with activated, nonactivated PRP and PRP augmented phosphodiesterasetype 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors

Comparative analysis of unilateral and bilateral flexible ureterorenoscopy: a cohort multicentre study

Introduction. Flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) with laser lithotripsy is the «gold standard» for minimally invasive treatment in patients with kidney stones less than 20 mm. Currently, there are no objective data on the efficacy and safety of bilateral interventions.Objective. To study the results of bilateral flexible URS (B-fURS) versus unilateral flexible URS (U-fURS).Materials &amp; methods. Eighty patients prospectively enrolled in the study from July 2022 to December 2022 and was divided into 2 groups. Group 1 (n = 40) underwent U-fURS and Group 2 (n = 40) underwent B-fURS. A single stone up to 20 mm or multiple small calyx stones was an indication for the operation. The baseline values were comparable between the groups, but in the B-fURS group a 39.0% higher incidence (p &gt; 0.002) of multiple stones and a 28.0% higher incidence (p &gt; 0.001) of stones in the lower pole. Previous interventions were also more frequent in Group 1 (B-fURS) patients.Results. Stone-free rate did not differ (p &gt; 0.9) between the groups and was 95.0% and 97.5%, respectively. No serious complications (p &gt; 0.9) of Clavien III–V were observed in both groups.Conclusion. Bilateral flexible ureteroscopy is a safe and effective option for patients with bilateral kidney stones, allowing removal of stones in one anesthesia on both sides

Nomenclatural standards and genetic passports of potato cultivars bred at the Leningrad Research Institute for Agriculture “Belogorka”

In the present paper, the potato cultivars bred at the Leningrad Research Institute for Agriculture “Belogorka”, were taken as an example for demonstrating the results of elaboration of methodological approaches that are currently developed at the N.I. Vavilov Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR) for the preparing of nomenclatural standards and their genotyping. In 2018, joint research of VIR scientists and breeders from the Leningrad Research Institute for Agriculture “Belogorka” began in the field of preparing nomenclatural standards for potato cultivars bred at this institute. Nomenclatural standards were prepared according to the ‘International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants’. Plant material for herbarium specimens was collected in the experimental field of the “Belogorka” Institute in 2018 by cultivar authors and handed over to the VIR Herbarium of cultivated plants, their wild relatives and weeds (WIR). The plant material included stems with inflorescences and later - tubers of 21 cultivars which were bred at the “Belogorka” Institute. Two precultivars undergoing State variety testing and three breeding clones were also included in this study. Just before herbarium preparation, the obtained plant material was photographed, plant morphological characters described, and the results compared with the description given in such official documents as the “Cultivar Questionnaireˮ and “Description of selection achievementˮ. The nomenclatural standards of 21 cultivars registered in the VIR Herbarium Database and transferred for conservation to the VIR herbarium, are published in this paper. Before herbarium preparation, the plant material was sampled for DNA extraction and subsequent genotyping and molecular screening. The genetic passports include information about the polymorphism of 10 chromosome-specific microsatellite loci, as well as the data on the presence/absence of diagnostic fragments of 12 markers of the 11 R-genes conferring resistance to diseases and pests, and for some cultivars – the information about their cytoplasm type. These genetic passports are valuable not only because different types of DNA markers were used in their preparing (SSR, SCAR and CAPS markers of the R genes; markers specific to different loci of the nuclear and organelle genomes), but first of all because of the material itself, as the DNA samples were isolated from the plants with the assigned status of nomenclatural standard for each particular cultivar. Based on the genetic passports data, trueness to type of the “Belogorka” cultivar samples obtained from various sources was verified

Urinary pH: its regulation and relevance in urolithiasis metaphylaxis

Urolithiasis is a common multifactorial disease characterized by a high recurrence rate. This review is devoted to the urine pH as one of the main factors determining its lithogenic properties. It affects the excretion of lithogenic substances and stone formation inhibitors, the solubility, and the crystallization of substances involved in stone formation. The urine pH significantly affects the solubility of uric acid in urine, which decreases at a pH &lt; 5.5. This explains the high incidence of uric acid concretions in patients with metabolic syndrome. Their insulin resistance leads to a decrease in the excretion of ammonium ions in the proximal tubules, leading to persistent urine acidification. The activity of many transport processes involved in the processing of calcium, citrates and phosphates is sensitive to changes in systemic or local pH. The data on the effect of urine pH on the solubility of calcium oxalate remain contradictory. At the same time, there is no doubt about the determining role of urine pH in the excretion of citrate, the most important stone formation inhibitor. The alkaline urine pH promotes the formation of concretions containing calcium phosphates. In conditions of constantly elevated urine pH in patients with persistent urease-producing urinary tract infection, a rapid growth of "infectious" concretions occurs. The review summarizes information on the causes of the decrease and increase in the urine pH, as well as the possibilities of medicinal and non-medicinal methods of modifying the urine pH during the prevention of stone formation recurrence

Burst wave lithotripsy – the new evolution stage of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy

Urolithiasis is currently one of the most urgent problems in the world. Every eleventh worldwide inhabitant suffers from this disease. Previously, the only way to get rid of kidney stones and the urinary tract was open surgery, which was characterized by high trauma. Over the past decades, the development of technologies has made a significant contribution to the development of new methods of urolithiasis treatment. One of these methods is extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). The first lithotripter Dornier HM-1 was produced in 1980. Subsequent models have got many changes, both in terms of ergonomics and power. The researchers noticed that the efficiency of stone crushing in the Dornier HM-1 lithotripter was higher than in newer models since the lower power provided the less intensive formation of cavitation bubbles that prevent the effective transit of subsequent waves through the stone. Nowadays, a new method of remote stone crushing is being developed based on low-amplitude high-frequency technology combined with ultrasonic propulsion, which is the main difference from traditional shock-wave lithotripters. The new technology of stone crushing is called «burst wave lithotripsy» (BWL). Currently, the data have been obtained that this method is more effective in terms of crushing quality and less traumatic

Расчет шага почвообрабатывающей фрезы с зубцеобразной формой

The high energy intensity associated with rotary tillage of soil serves as a deterrent for its widespread use. Rotary tillers are used in cases when there are no alternatives as to the soil quality, especially when machining hard and sod-covered soils. The authors have described new modernized rotary tillers of a serrated type and considered the optimal location of knives relative to the drum. (Research purpose) To determine the relationships for calculating the pitch of a serrated-type rotary tiller for soil preparation before potato planting. (Materials and methods) The authors have noted that currently, there are no methods for selecting the main parameters and operation modes of serrated-type rotary tillers. The research has proved that a new approach is required for selecting the working surface profile of the rotary tiller knife in order to reduce the energy consumption of tillage and improve its quality. The authors have used mathematical and graphical calculations to determine the optimal pitch of the tiller foot. (Results and discussion) The paper presents an expression for determining the amount of soil loosening during the operation of rotary tillers. It has been calculated that an increase in the tillage depth from 0.10 to 0.15 meters results in an increase in the pitch of a tiller foot from 0.04 to 0.06 meters and the optimal value is 0.05 meters. For approximate engineering calculations, it has been assumed that the optimal parameter of a foot pitch is 0.25-0.45 of the knife loading value. (Conclusions) It has been found that the number of knives in one section and the operating width of a knife do not affect the optimal tooth pitch. It has been determined that this indicator linearly depends on the depth of tillage: as it increases by 0.05 meters, the optimal foot step increases by 0.025 meters. It has been shown that as the working speed of the rotary tiller increases, specific energy consumption required for the treatment of a furrow slice decreases, and the efficiency of soil tillage improves.Высокая энергоемкость фрезерования почв служит сдерживающим фактором их широкого применения. Фрезы применяют в тех случаях, когда нет альтернативы по качеству обработки, особенно тяжелых и задернелых почв. Показали, что модернизированные почвообрабатывающие фрезы имеют зубцеобразную форму. Рассмотрели вопросы оптимального расположения ножей относительно барабана. (Цель исследований) Получить зависимости для расчета шага зубцеобразной фрезы почвообрабатывающей машины для предпосадочной обработки почвы перед посадкой картофеля. (Материалы и методы) Отметили отсутствие методик при выборе основных параметров и режимов работы почвообрабатывающих фрез с зубцеобразной формой. Подтвердили необходимость нового подхода в выборе профиля рабочей поверхности ножа фрезы с целью уменьшения энергоемкости фрезерования и улучшения качества обработки. Использовали математические и графические расчеты для определения оптимального шага ступни. (Результаты и обсуждение) Представили выражение для определения объема рыхления почвы при работе почвообрабатывающих фрез. Рассчитали, что с увеличением глубины обработки почвы от 0,10 до 0,15 метра шаг ступни повышается с 0,04 до 0,06 метра и оптимально составляет 0,05 метра. Для ориентировочных инженерных расчетов приняли, что оптимальный  параметр шага ступни равен 0,25-0,45 от значения подачи на нож. (Выводы) Установили, что количество ножей в одной секции и ширина захвата ножа не влияют на величину оптимального шага зубьев. Определили, что этот показатель линейно зависит от глубины обработки почвы: с ее увеличением на 0,05 метра оптимальный шаг ступни возрастает на 0,025 метра. Показали, что с увеличением рабочей скорости фрезы уменьшаются удельные затраты энергии на обработку пласта, а эффективность обработки почвы улучшается