Enabling Technologies for Co-Robotic Translational Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging

Among many medical imaging modalities, medical ultrasound possesses its unique advantages of non-ionizing, real-time, and non-invasive properties. With its safeness, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness, ultrasound imaging has been used in a wide variety of diagnostic applications. Photoacoustic imaging is a hybrid imaging modality merging light and ultrasound, and reveals the tissue metabolism and molecular distribution with the utilization of endo- and exogenous contrast agents. With the emergence of photoacoustic imaging, ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging can comprehensively depict not only anatomical but also functional information of biological tissue. To broaden the impact of translational ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging, this dissertation focuses on the development of enabling technologies and the exploration of associated applications. The goals of these technologies are; (1) Enabling Technologies for Translational Photoacoustic Imaging. We investigated the potential of maximizing the access to translational photoacoustic imaging using a clinical ultrasound scanner and a low-cost light source, instead of widely used customized data acquisition system and expensive high power laser. (2) Co-robotic Ultrasound and Photoacoustic Imaging. We introduced a co-robotic paradigm to make ultrasound/photoacoustic imaging more comprehensive and capable of imaging deeper with higher resolution and wider field-of-view.(3) Advancements on Translational Photoacoustic Imaging. We explored the new use of translational photoacoustic imaging for molecular-based cancer detection and the sensing of neurotransmitter activity in the brain. Together, these parts explore the feasibility of co-robotic translational ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging

Haichong Zhang: Robotic Lung Ultrasound for Triage of COVID-19 Patients in a Resource-Limited Environment

This presentation was made by Haichong (Kai) Zhang, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The presentation’s title is: “Robotic Lung Ultrasound for Triage of COVID-19 Patients in a Resource-Limited Environment.” Funded by NIH Office of the Director. -- Every month, the COVID Information Commons Team (along with the Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub) brings together a group of researchers studying wide-ranging aspects of the current pandemic, to share their research and answer questions from our community. The events showcase scientists' ongoing efforts in the fight against COVID-19, including opportunities for collaboration

Haichong (Kai) Zhang: Ultrasonido Pulmonar Robótico para Triaje de Pacientes COVID-19 en un Entorno de Recursos Limitados

Descripción de esta presentación: Esta presentación fue hecha por Haichong (Kai) Zhang, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. El título de la presentación es: "Ultrasonido Pulmonar Robótico para Triaje de Pacientes COVID-19 en un Entorno de Recursos Limitados." Financiado por la Oficina del Director de los NIH. - Descripción de los seminarios web del CIC: Cada mes, el equipo del Centro de Información de COVID (junto con el Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub) reúne a un grupo de investigadores que estudian diversos aspectos de la pandemia actual, para compartir sus investigaciones y responder preguntas de nuestra comunidad. Los eventos muestran los esfuerzos continuos de los científicos en la lucha contra el COVID-19, incluyendo oportunidades de colaboración

Feasibility of Robot-Assisted Ultrasound Imaging with Force Feedback for Assessment of Thyroid Diseases

Medical ultrasound is extensively used to define tissue textures and to characterize lesions, and it is the modality of choice for detection and follow-up assessment of thyroid diseases. Classical medical ultrasound procedures are performed manually by an occupational operator with a hand-held ultrasound probe. These procedures require high physical and cognitive burden and yield clinical results that are highly operator-dependent, therefore frequently diminishing trust in ultrasound imaging data accuracy in repetitive assessment. A robotic ultrasound procedure, on the other hand, is an emerging paradigm integrating a robotic arm with an ultrasound probe. It achieves an automated or semi-automated ultrasound scanning by controlling the scanning trajectory, region of interest, and the contact force. Therefore, the scanning becomes more informative and comparable in subsequent examinations over a long-time span. In this work, we present a technique for allowing operators to reproduce reliably comparable ultrasound images with the combination of predefined trajectory execution and real-time force feedback control. The platform utilized features a 7-axis robotic arm capable of 6-DoF force-torque sensing and a linear-array ultrasound probe. The measured forces and torques affecting the probe are used to adaptively modify the predefined trajectory during autonomously performed examinations and probe-phantom interaction force accuracy is evaluated. In parallel, by processing and combining ultrasound B-Mode images with probe spatial information, structural features can be extracted from the scanning volume through a 3D scan. The validation was performed on a tissue-mimicking phantom containing thyroid features, and we successfully demonstrated high image registration accuracy between multiple trials

Downregulation of TLR4 by miR-181a Provides Negative Feedback Regulation to Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a progressive clinical disease with a high mortality rate, and characterized by an excessive uncontrolled inflammatory response. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in various human inflammatory diseases, and have been recognized as important regulators of inflammation. However, the regulatory mechanisms mediated by miRNAs involved in Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in ALI remain hazy. In this study, we found that miR-181a expression in the lung tissues of ALI mice and LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages is dramatically reduced. We also show that over-expression of miR-181a significantly decreased the production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, whereas inhibition of miR-181a reversed this decrease. Moreover, miR-181a inhibits NF-κB activation and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by targeting TLR4 expression. We further verify that miR-181a suppresses TLR4 expression by binding directly to the 3′-UTR of TLR4. Therefore, we provide the first evidence for the negative regulation of miR-181a in LPS-induced inflammation via the suppression of ROS generation and TLR4-NF-κB pathway

The Potential Therapeutic Role of miR-223 in Bovine Endometritis by Targeting the NLRP3 Inflammasome

Bovine endometritis affects milk production and reproductive performance in dairy cows and causes serious economic loss. The underlying molecular mechanisms or signaling pathways of bovine endometritis remain unclear. In this study, we attempted to determine the expression mechanism of mir-223 in endometritis of dairy cows and evaluate its potential therapeutic value. We first confirmed that there was an increased level of miR-223 in endometritis, and then, an LPS-induced bovine endometrial epithelial cell (BEND) line was used to mimic the inflammatory model in vitro. Our data showed that activation of NF-κB promoted the transcription of miR-223, thus inhibiting activation of the inflammatory mediator NLRP3 and its mediation of IL-1β production to protect against inflammatory damage. Meanwhile, in vivo studies showed that inhibition of mir-223 resulted in an enhanced pathology of mice during LPS-induced endometritis, while overexpression of mir-223 attenuated the inflammatory conditions in the uterus. In summary, our study highlights that miR-223 serves both to constrain the level of NLRP3 activation and to act as a protective factor in the inflammatory response and thus provides a future novel therapeutic modality for active flares in cow endometritis and other inflammatory diseases