Robot performs delicate eye surgery on six patients

May 10, 2017

London, May 10: A robot has been used to successfully perform a delicate eye surgery on six patients in a world- first trial which shows that robotic procedures can be more accurate than the trained human hand.

EyeSurgeryIn the trial, researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK performed the membrane-removal surgery on 12 patients. Six of those patients underwent the traditional procedure, and six underwent the new robotic technique.

Researchers found that those patients in the robot group experienced significantly fewer hemorrhages and less damage to the retina. The robot acts like a mechanical hand with seven independent motors that can make movements as precise as one micron, researchers said.

It operates inside the eye through a single hole less than one millimetre in diameter and goes in and out of the eye through this same hole during various steps of the procedure. However, the surgeon is in control, using a joystick and touch screen to manoeuvre the robot hand while monitoring movements through the operating microscope.

"The robotic technology is very exciting, and the ability to operate under the retina safely will represent a huge advance in developing genetic and stem cell treatments for retinal disease," Robert E MacLaren, professor at the University of Oxford was quoted as saying by 'Live Science'.

"We have demonstrated safety in a delicate operation. The system can provide high precision at 10 microns in all three primary directions, which is about 10 times more precise than what a surgeon can do," said Marc de Smet from University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands, who helped design the robot.

The team first used the system on a 70-year-old priest from UK, in September las year. Upon the success of that surgery, they conducted a study on 11 more patients in a randomised clinical trial, hoping to measure the robotic system's accuracy compared to the human hand.

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Agencies
July 11,2020

Citing the current dismal aviation scenario, Air India is terminating the services of trainee cabin crew and cabin crew by withdrawing the offer of employment of those who were under training.

As per sources, the new crew and trainee pilots might reduce contracts from five years to one year. Sources said Air India is terminating 1,200 crew and employees who are more than 55-yr-old including 190 trainee pilots.

In a letter reviewed by IANS, Air India has informed an applicant who had been selected as cabin crew in August 2019 subject to successful completion of training.

"On behalf of Air India we would like to thank you for the interest shown by you in joining our organization. However, in view of the current aviation scenario, it would not be possible for Air India to impart any further training to you for engaging your services," the company said.

"In view of the above reasons, which are beyond the control of the company, it has been decided to discontinue your training arrangements and dispense with the offer of engagement with immediate effect. The bank guarantee furnished by you at the time of joining is returned herewith," Air India told the cabin crew.

"Once again on behalf of Air India we thank you for your cooperation and trust that you will appreciate the circumstances under which we are constrained to discontinue the training arrangements," the carrier said.

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Agencies
July 2,2020

Paris, Jul 2: Several interacting exoplanets have already been spotted by satellites. But a new breakthrough has been achieved with, for the first time, the detection directly from the ground of an extrasolar system of this type.

An international collaboration including CNRS researchers has discovered an unusual planetary system, dubbed WASP-148, using the French instrument SOPHIE at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (CNRS/Aix-Marseille Universite).

The scientists analysed the star's motion and concluded that it hosted two planets, WASP-148b and WASP-148c. The observations showed that the two planets were strongly interacting, which was confirmed from other data.

Whereas the first planet, WASP-148b, orbits its star in nearly nine days, the second one, WASP-148c, takes four times longer. This ratio between the orbital periods implies that the WASP-148 system is close to resonance, meaning that there is enhanced gravitational interaction between the two planets. And it turns out that the astronomers did indeed detect variations in the orbital periods of the planets.

While a single planet, uninfluenced by a second one, would move with a constant period, WASP-148b and WASP-148c undergo acceleration and deceleration that provides evidence of their interaction.

The study will shortly be published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

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Agencies
February 26,2020

Unnao, Feb 26: Ever heard of someone wishing a 'bright future' for the dead? In a bizarre incident in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, a village head issued a death certificate with the wish for an elderly man who had died last month.

The incident took place in the Sirwariya village in Asoha block where an elderly person Laxmi Shankar died after a prolonged illness on January 22.

His son went to the village head Babulal and requested him to issue a death certificate that he needed for some financial transactions.

Babulal not only issued the death certificate, but also 'wished' 'a bright future for the deceased' on the document.

The village head wrote in the death certificate -- "Main inke ujjwal bhavishya ki kaamna karta hoon (I wish him a bright future)."

The letter went viral on the social media on Monday after which the village head apologised for the error and issued a new death certificate.

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