All Publications

  • Current Trends in Artificial Intelligence Application for Endourology and Robotic Surgery. The Urologic clinics of North America Chang, T. C., Seufert, C., Eminaga, O., Shkolyar, E., Hu, J. C., Liao, J. C. 2021; 48 (1): 151–60

    Abstract

    With the advent of electronic medical records and digitalization of health care over the past 2decades, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as an enabling tool to manage complex datasets and deliver streamlined data-driven patient care. AI algorithms have the ability to extract meaningful signal from complex datasets through an iterative process akin to human learning. Through advancements over the past decade in deep learning, AI-driven innovations have accelerated applications in health care. Herein, the authors explore the development of these emerging AI technologies, focusing on the application of AI to endourology and robotic surgery.

    View details for DOI 10.1016/j.ucl.2020.09.004

    View details for PubMedID 33218590

  • Do improvements in upper extremity motor function affect changes in bladder management after spinal cord injury? Seufert, C., Zlatev, D., Shem, K., Kreydin, E., Elliott, C. WILEY. 2020: S163

    View details for Web of Science ID 000519661200198

  • Profile of metabolic and infectious stone-formers in a contemporary PCNL cohort CANADIAN JOURNAL OF UROLOGY King, B. J., Seufert, C. J., Okhunov, Z., Khater, N., Baldwin, D. D., Callas, P. W., Sternberg, K. M. 2017; 24 (1): 8641-8645

    Abstract

    To identify factors associated with stone composition in patients undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL).A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent PCNL at two academic institutions between 2002 and 2014. Stone composition, stone characteristics based on non-contrast computer tomography (NCCT), patient demographics, and the S.T.O.N.E nephrolithometry scores were compared. Stones were characterized as either infection or metabolic. Metabolic stones were classified as calcium phosphate-containing and all others.A total of 192 renal units underwent PCNL. Retrieved stones were found to be 75% (144) metabolic and 25% (48) infection by stone analysis. Of the metabolic stones, 51% (73) were phosphate-containing calculi. Overall, infection stones were found to have a significantly higher S.T.O.N.E nephrolithometry score than metabolic stones (9.2 versus 8.1, p < 0.001). Average Hounsfield units (HU) were significantly lower in infection stones (765 versus 899, p < 0.05). Sixty-three percent of patients with infection stones were female as compared to 46% of patients with metabolic stones. Patients with phosphate-containing stones in the metabolic group were significantly more likely to be female (56% versus 35%, p < 0.01), younger (mean 49 versus 60 years of age, p < 0.02), and have lower BMI's (30 versus 32, p < 0.02) compared with other metabolic stones.Patient demographics including age, sex and BMI differ between patients with phosphate and non-phosphate containing metabolic stones. Higher S.T.O.N.E nephrolithometry scores were found in infection stones. These findings may serve as useful tools in the identification of stone compositions that are being seen more frequently in large and complicated stones undergoing PCNL.

    View details for Web of Science ID 000395356100006

    View details for PubMedID 28263129

  • Elevated HERV-K mRNA expression in PBMC is associated with a prostate cancer diagnosis particularly in older men and smokers CARCINOGENESIS Wallace, T. A., Downey, R. F., Seufert, C. J., Schetter, A., Dorsey, T. H., Johnson, C. A., Goldman, R., Loffredo, C. A., Yan, P., Sullivan, F. J., Giles, F. J., Wang-Johanning, F., Ambs, S., Glynn, S. A. 2014; 35 (9): 2074-2083

    Abstract

    Aberrant expression of subgroup k human endogenous retroviruses (HERV-K) has been observed in prostate cancer. This subgroup is unique because it encodes sequences in the human genome containing open reading frames for near intact retroviruses. We hypothesized that HERV-K reactivation could serve as a non-invasive early disease detection marker for prostate cancer. We evaluated HERV-K gag messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in blood samples of African-American and European-American men using a case-control design via quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, we examined HERV-K envelope protein expression in prostate tumors by immunohistochemistry. HERV-K envelope protein was commonly upregulated in prostate tumors, but more so in tumors of African-American than European-American patients (61% versus 40%, P < 0.01). Examining HERV-K gag expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 294 cases and 135 healthy men, we found that the abundance of HERV-K gag message was significantly higher in cases than controls and was associated with increased plasma interferon-γ. Men with gag expression in the highest quartile had >12-fold increased odds {odds ratio = 12.87 [95% confidence interval 6.3-26.25]} of being diagnosed with prostate cancer than those in the lowest quartile. Moreover, our results showed that HERV-K expression may perform better as a disease biomarker in older than younger men (whereas the sensitivity of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing decreases with age) and in men with a smoking history compared with never smokers. Combining non-invasive HERV-K testing with PSA testing may improve the efficacy of prostate cancer detection specifically among older men and smokers who tend to develop a more aggressive disease.

    View details for DOI 10.1093/carcin/bgu114

    View details for Web of Science ID 000345829200021

    View details for PubMedID 24858205

    View details for PubMedCentralID PMC4146419