X-ray fluoroscopic images are commonly employed in orthopedic surgery. However, surgeons often struggle to accurately perceive the three-dimensional (3D) shape of the target area when working with two-dimensional (2D) X-ray images. Addressing this challenge, a team of researchers from the University of Tsukuba has developed a technology capable of automatically and precisely overlaying 3D computed tomography (CT) data onto intraoperative X-ray fluoroscopic images.
Tsukuba, Japan—The X-ray fluoroscopy machine is a medical device frequently used in orthopedic surgery. Despite its imaging capabilities, physicians heavily rely on their experience and knowledge to align the 3D shape of the target area using the 2D X-ray image. If X-ray images captured during surgery could be superimposed onto a pre-surgical 3D model (CT model) obtained from a CT scan, it would alleviate the cognitive load associated with visualizing the 3D shape from the 2D image, enabling surgeons to focus more on the surgical procedure. To achieve this goal, the superimposition of the X-ray image and CT model data should “work seamlessly, even when focusing on a specific body part (local image),” and the process should to be “fully automated.” In this study, researchers met these criteria by employing a convolutional neural network capable of regressing the spatial coordinates of X-ray images. By incorporating correspondence formulation with deep learning techniques, they achieved highly accurate superimposition for local X-ray images.
The efficacy of this technique was verified using a dataset that included CT data and X-ray images of the pelvis. The superimposition of X-ray images and CT data yielded an error of 3.79 mm (with a standard deviation of 1.67 mm) for simulated X-ray images and 9.65 mm (with a standard deviation of 4.07 mm) for actual X-ray images. In the case of actual X-ray images, the superimposition of the X-ray image and CT data produced an error of 9.65 mm (with a standard deviation of 4.07 mm).
### This work was partially supported by a grant from JSPS KAKENHI grant number JP23K08618.
Original Paper
Title of original paper:
X-Ray to CT Rigid Registration Using Scene Coordinate Regression
Journal:
The 26th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI 2023)
Division of Computational Informatics, Center for Computational Sciences (CCS), University of Tsukuba invites a full-time (non-tenured) faculty position as described below.
[Title] Assistant professor with a fixed-term appointment
[Research field] Database, data engineering, and big data technology
[Content of work] The Database Group, Division of Computational Informatics, Center for Computational Sciences (CCS), University of Tsukuba, has been conducting a research project entitled “A Verifiable Data Ecosystem” as a part of JST CREST “Society 5.0 System Software” area. In this project, we study and develop a verifiable data ecosystem that supports data and its reliability/lineage and makes it possible to verify arbitrary data for system software in Society 5.0 in a collaboration of six research groups in five universities in Japan.
We invite applications from database and data engineering researchers, including big data and data mining, who are interested in doing research and development about the techniques for metadata management, including reliability and lineage, in this project. Note that this position is dedicated for research, and teaching is not required in principle.
[Starting date] As soon as possible after a hiring decision is made (negotiable).
[Terms of employment] Full-time, possible to renew annually on March 31 until 2027, upon evaluation of the progress. The annual salary will be determined based on the regulations of the University, taking into account the employee’s career.
[Qualifications] An applicant needs to have a Doctoral Degree or Ph. D at the start of employment.
[Salary] Salary: Annual salary system Annual Salary Range: From Grade 20 (6.48 million JPY) to Grade 23 (7.20 million JPY) The annual salary will be determined based on the candidate’s professional experience, qualifications, and abilities. * For more details about the annual salary system, please refer to the “Regulations on Salaries for Specified Basic Annual Salary Employees at the National University Corporation University of Tsukuba” in the University of Tsukuba’s collection of regulations. (In Japanese) https://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/about/disclosure-ho-kisoku/
[Application materials] Please submit the following documents either to JREC-IN or by e-mail. (1) Curriculum Vitae (with a photograph and email address) (2) List of research activities (The list must be categorized into refereed journals, refereed conferences/workshops, books, other presentations, patents, awards, and competitive research funds. List all authors of co-authored papers/books. For the five major papers (cf. item (6)), it is recommended to denote the impact factor, number of citations, acceptance rate, etc.) (3) Summary of research activities (up to about 1000 words) (4) Research plan after the appointment (up to about 1000 words) (5) Contact information of two references (name, affiliation, and email address) (6) Reprints of five major papers published within the last five years (one may be published earlier than five years.) (7) Self-declaration on specific categories (the prescribed form can be downloaded from https://www.ccs.tsukuba.ac.jp/reqdocuments/ ) (8) Consent for the handling and extraterritorial transfer of personal data in accordance with the EU-General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (*Submit this form only if you are a resident of member countries of the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, the prescribed form can be downloaded from https://www.ccs.tsukuba.ac.jp/reqdocuments/ )
[Selection process] After screening the application documents, qualified applicants will be invited to an online interview in Japanese or English.
[Deadline for application] 23:59 (JST), December 4th, 2023.
[Who to make contact] Prof. Toshiyuki Amagasa Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba Phone: +81-29-853-6497, e-mail: amagasa_AT_cs.tsukuba.ac.jp (Replace “_AT_” by “@”.)
[Where to submit (in case of e-mail submission)] Put the documents (1)-(5)/(7)-(8) in a single encrypted PDF file, and please submit it along with the PDF files of (6) as attachments to an email addressed to: koubo-dcidb _AT_ ccs.tsukuba.ac.jp (Replace “_AT_” by “@”.) Please send the PDF’s password to the email address described in “[Who to make contact]”. – Please write “Application for Assistant Professor Position in Database Group” in the subject. – Please contact “[Who to make contact]” before submission if the file size exceeds 10MB. – Please contact “[Who to make contact]” if you do not receive any response within two days after submission.
[Miscellaneous] 1) The personal information in the application documents will be used solely for selection. After the selection, all the personal information will be properly deleted. 2) The Center for Computational Sciences has been approved as a Joint Collaborative Research Center by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. We promote interdisciplinary computational sciences, including joint use of our supercomputer systems. The University of Tsukuba conducts its personnel selection process in compliance with the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. 3) The University of Tsukuba has established “University of Tsukuba Security Export Control Regulations” based on “Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act”, and conduct strict examination when employing foreign nationals, persons from foreign universities, companies, government agencies, etc., or persons who fall under a specific category.
講演タイトル: Drug Design and Screening to Combat Infectious Diseases and Cancer. 講演者: Thanyada Rungrotmongkol, Department of Biochemistry, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. 日時: 2023年11月17日（金） 10:00-11:00 場所: 計算科学研究センター 会議室B 言語: English
要旨:
Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, imposing a substantial burden on nations across the world, and stands as a prominent cause of both mortality and morbidity. In the field of cancer therapy, Janus kinase (JAK) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been known as promising targets due to their pivotal roles in regulating cancer cell proliferation and survival. Specifically, the approach of targeting hyperactive kinases presents a hopeful path towards reducing cancer-related deaths. In this study, we applied in silico screening techniques to identify potential candidates for anti-cancer drugs, encompassing both natural products and their synthetic counterparts, with a primary focus on JAKs and EGFR tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK). Following this, the selected compounds underwent experimental investigations to evaluate their biochemical effectiveness, ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, and patterns of kinase selectivity. Our research endeavors represent a collective pursuit aimed at not only discovering novel anti-cancer medications but also comprehensively unraveling the intricate details of how these compounds are recognized and interact at the molecular level.
Title: Drug Design and Screening to Combat Infectious Diseases and Cancer. Speaker: Thanyada Rungrotmongkol, Department of Biochemistry, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Date: 17 November 2023 Time: 10:00-11:00 Venue: Center for Computational Sciences, Meeting Room B Language: English
Abstract: Cancer remains a significant global health challenge, imposing a substantial burden on nations across the world, and stands as a prominent cause of both mortality and morbidity. In the field of cancer therapy, Janus kinase (JAK) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been known as promising targets due to their pivotal roles in regulating cancer cell proliferation and survival. Specifically, the approach of targeting hyperactive kinases presents a hopeful path towards reducing cancer-related deaths. In this study, we applied in silico screening techniques to identify potential candidates for anti-cancer drugs, encompassing both natural products and their synthetic counterparts, with a primary focus on JAKs and EGFR tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK). Following this, the selected compounds underwent experimental investigations to evaluate their biochemical effectiveness, ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells, and patterns of kinase selectivity. Our research endeavors represent a collective pursuit aimed at not only discovering novel anti-cancer medications but also comprehensively unraveling the intricate details of how these compounds are recognized and interact at the molecular level.
講演タイトル: Excited-state Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) Molecules for Fluorescent Probes and Imaging Agents. 講演者: Nawee Kungwan, Department of Chemistry, Chiangmai University, Thailand. 日時: 2023年11月10日（金） 10:00-11:00 場所: 計算科学研究センター 会議室A 言語: English
Abstract: Chromophores possessing excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) are of great important in the past decades because of their desirable unique photophysical properties which can be used in various applications ranging from optoelectronic devices such as light emitting diodes and laser dyes, molecular switching to fluorescent probes both in chemical and biological systems. Therefore, the development of new chromophores based on the ESIPT process have been intensively developed using combined experimental approach and theoretical study. The identification of how structural modifications controlling their optical properties driven by ESIPT process and solvent media affecting their fluorescent emission are of great importance. Thus, our group is interested in studying several aspects in terms of electronic properties and ESIPT process through the computational chemistry as an effective tool. Moreover, the systemic study and molecular screening using certain criteria will be carried out to provide the best candidates for applications in fluorescent probes and imaging agents.
Title: Excited-state Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) Molecules for Fluorescent Probes and Imaging Agents. Speaker: Nawee Kungwan, Department of Chemistry, Chiangmai University, Thailand. Date: 10 November 2023 Time: 10:00-11:00 Venue: Center for Computational Sciences, Meeting Room A [QM for matherial] Language: English
Abstract: Chromophores possessing excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) are of great important in the past decades because of their desirable unique photophysical properties which can be used in various applications ranging from optoelectronic devices such as light emitting diodes and laser dyes, molecular switching to fluorescent probes both in chemical and biological systems. Therefore, the development of new chromophores based on the ESIPT process have been intensively developed using combined experimental approach and theoretical study. The identification of how structural modifications controlling their optical properties driven by ESIPT process and solvent media affecting their fluorescent emission are of great importance. Thus, our group is interested in studying several aspects in terms of electronic properties and ESIPT process through the computational chemistry as an effective tool. Moreover, the systemic study and molecular screening using certain criteria will be carried out to provide the best candidates for applications in fluorescent probes and imaging agents.
【題 名】 X-Ray to CT Rigid Registration Using Scene Coordinate Regression 【著者名】 Pragyan Shrestha (University of Tsukuba) , Chun Xie (University of Tsukuba), Hidehiko Shishido (University of Tsukuba), Yuichi Yoshii (Tokyo Medical University), Itaru Kitahara (Universiy of Tsukuba) 【掲載誌】The 26th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention (MICCAI 2023) 【掲載日】 2023年10月1日 【DOI】10.1007/978-3-031-43999-5_74
The process responsible for the origin oflife on Earth from non-living matter remains shrouded in mystery. One of these mysteries is the homochirality characterizing any life form of our planet. Amino acids, the fundamental building blocks of living organisms, can take two mirror-image forms known as optical isomers, L– and D-forms. Nonetheless, despite this symmetry, life on Earth uses exclusively the L-form (L-form enantiomeric excess). The mechanism responsible for the preferential selection of the L-form in amino acids is still not fully understood. A possible explanation, is the photolysis induced by circularly polarized light during galactic evolution before the emergence of life.
Recently, biomolecules including amino acids have been found in meteorites and asteroids, indicating their existence outside planet Earth. On these grounds, it was proposed that these molecules could have arrived on Earth during its early stage through meteorite impacts, contributing to the origin of life on our planet. On the other hand, during the early stages of galaxy formation, strong emissions of Lyman-α radiation, a wavelength of 121.56 nm (10.2 eV) associated with the de-excitation of hydrogen atoms, have been observed. This radiation was conceivably scattered by interstellar dust, resulting in a widespread region of circularly polarized Lyman-α light. However, the generation of an excess of L-amino acids induced by the radiation in the high-energy region including Lyman-α light, has not been completely understood until recently.
In our study, we theoretically investigated the absorption intensity of amino acids for circularly polarized light in the vacuum ultraviolet region (~11 eV), and derived a new formula able to estimate L-enantiomeric excess covering a wide wavelength range. As a result, we found that there is a specific wavelength region, particularly around 10 eV, where multiple amino acids commonly exhibit a high L-enantiomeric excess. This suggests that L-enantiomeric excess can be induced by Lyman-α irradiation. When applied to our Milky Way, we have been able to show that selective photolysis of D-enantiomer amino acids throughout the entire solar system was induced by the Lyman-α irradiation during the early phase of its galactic evolution. This process explains the origin of homochirality of amino acids on Earth. This mechanism provides an important clue for unraveling the mystery of the origin of life and the cosmic origin of biomolecules.
accepted paper
Title: Origin of Homochirality in Amino Acids Induced by Layman-α Irradiation in the Early Stage of the Milky Way
The nearby radio galaxy M87, located 55 million light-years from the Earth and harboring a black hole 6.5 billion times more massive than the Sun, has recently been discovered to exhibit an oscillating jet. This investigation found the jet swinging up and down with an amplitude of about 10 degrees. Through the extensive analysis of data observed from 2000 to 2022 by various international networks of radio telescopes, the research team unveils a recurring 11-year cycle in the precessing motion of the jet base, as predicted by Einstein’s general relativity. This work successfully linked the dynamics of the jet with the central supermassive black hole, offering the evidence for the existence of M87’s black hole spin. The work is published in the current issue of Nature.
Figure 1. Schematic representation of the tilted accretion disk model. The black hole spin axis is assumed to align vertically. The jet direction stands almost perpendicular to the disk plane. The misalignment between the black hole spin axis and disk rotation axis triggers the precession of disk and jet. Credit: Yuzhu Cui et al. (2023), Intouchable Lab@Openverse and Zhejiang Lab.
![[web release]Amino acid homochirality produced in the early stage of the Milky Way by Lyman-α irradiation](https://www.ccs.tsukuba.ac.jp/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/Tsukuba-Astrobiology_fin-825x510.jpg)
