Flexible, wearable pressure sensors offer numerous benefits, including superior sensing capabilities, a lightweight and compact design, and exceptional conformal properties, making them highly sought after in various applications including medical monitoring, human-computer interactions, and electronic skins. Because of their excellent characteristics, such as simple fabrication, low power consumption, and short response time, capacitive pressure sensors have received widespread attention. As a flexible polymer material, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is widely used in the preparation of dielectric layers for capacitive pressure sensors. The Young\'s modulus of the flexible polymer can be effectively decreased through the synergistic application of sacrificial template and laser ablation techniques, thereby improving the functionality of capacitive pressure sensors. In this study, a novel sensor was introduced. Its dielectric layer was developed through a series of processes, including the use of a sacrificial template method using NaCl microparticles and subsequent CO2 laser ablation. This porous PDMS dielectric layer, featuring an array of holes, was then sandwiched between two flexible electrodes to create a capacitive pressure sensor. The sensor demonstrates a sensitivity of 0.694 kPa-1 within the pressure range of 0-1 kPa and can effectively detect pressures ranging from 3 Pa to 200 kPa. The sensor demonstrates stability for up to 500 cycles, with a rapid response time of 96 ms and a recovery time of 118 ms, coupled with a low hysteresis of 6.8%. Furthermore, our testing indicates that the sensor possesses limitless potential for use in detecting human physiological activities and delivering signals.

Objective: This study aims to enhance the precision of implant cavity preparation, addressing a notable challenge in the current state of the field by utilizing femtosecond lasers. Background: The application of femtosecond lasers in implant cavity preparation heralds a noninvasive and efficient technique, characterized by diminished thermal damage and high biocompatibility. Despite these promising attributes, the realization of precise cavity preparation remains a significant challenge in the contemporary domain. Materials and Methods: Our research group devised a specialized femtosecond laser microsurgery robotic system tailored for sophisticated implant cavity preparation. This system facilitated the meticulous analysis of sheep shank bone samples, enabling precise three-dimensional cutting. The analysis included an extensive examination of ablation effects, using a laser scanning microscope and VK Analyzer software. This investigation spanned the phases of laser flux calibration and experimental validation, offering a critical evaluation of the automated preparation process. Results: The study delineated that at the focus position of our custom-made oral clinical femtosecond laser microsurgery robotic system, the laser spot diameter is 75.69 μm, and ascertained the ablation threshold for sheep shank cortical bone to be 1.47 J/cm2. Utilizing low laser flux with minimal ablation craters overlap compromised the sidewall precision of the implant cavity, whereas employing high laser flux with extensive ablation craters overlap resulted in an enlarged ablation angle. At a laser energy setting of 2.2362 J/cm2 and a 50% ablation crater overlap, an implant cavity was successfully crafted featuring a top diameter of 4.41 mm, a bottom diameter of 3.98 mm, and a depth of 3 mm, devoid of any adverse thermal effects such as cracking or carbonization. Conclusions: The oral clinical femtosecond laser microsurgery robotic system can achieve automated and precise implant cavity preparation. This advancement promotes the broader application of femtosecond lasers in the field of orthopedics.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze the efficacy and safety of laser ablation (LA) and microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).
METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 103 patients (109 nodules) who underwent thermal ablation for PTMC between October 2019 and March 2023; 61 underwent LA and 48 underwent MWA. The mean patients\' age was 43.50 ± 12.42 years. After ablation, changes in tumor size at different time points, local recurrence, new lesions, lymph node metastasis, and complications were evaluated and recorded. The feasibility, success rate, and safety of LA and MWA were analyzed.
RESULTS: Complete absence of enhancement on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was observed in all target tumors after ablation. At the last follow-up, the mean volume of the PTMC nodules decreased from 0.09 ± 0.09 to 0.03 ± 0.03 ml (LA group) and from 0.11 ± 0.10 to 0.06 ± 0.08 ml (MWA group) (both, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in volume change between the groups (P (groups): 0.520; P (groups over time): 0.423), indicating similar efficacy between the groups. There was also no significant difference in the volume reduction rate between the groups during follow-up, except for at 3 months (P = 0.023). The complication rates did not differ between the LA group (8.2 %) and MWA group (6.3 %) (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: During the short-term follow-up, ultrasound-guided LA and MWA were effective and safe for PTMC, and there were no significant differences in treatment outcomes between the methods.

UNASSIGNED: To conduct a comparative analysis of the efficacy, safety, and impact on quality of life outcomes between thermal ablation and surgical interventions in patients diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
UNASSIGNED: A prospective study was undertaken, enrolling patients with PTC ≤5mm who underwent radiofrequency ablation (RFA), laser ablation (LA), or surgery, for analysis of efficacy and safety outcomes. The Thyroid Cancer-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire was administered to all patients before treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 162 eligible patients were included in the study. Major complications were not observed in the RFA and LA groups, while five cases were reported in the surgery group, although no statistically significant differences were observed. Minor complications were documented in two, three, and 14 patients in the RFA, LA, and surgery groups, respectively, with no significant variances noted. Surgical duration and hospitalization time were notably shorter in the thermal ablation groups. At the final follow-up, complete disappearance of nodules was seen in 71.4% of cases treated with RFA and 71.0% of cases managed with LA, with no significant disparities between the groups. Both RFA and LA exhibited similar effects on quality of life, with thermal ablation techniques showing better functional outcomes in comparison to surgery. Across all groups, adverse effects were most pronounced at the 3-month post-treatment mark but gradually reverted to baseline levels in the thermal ablation group, contrasting with the surgery group.
UNASSIGNED: For PTC ≤5mm, both RFA and LA exhibited similar cancer control outcomes and superior quality of life on par with surgery, while minimizing complications. These findings underscore the promise of RFA and LA as potential standard treatments for small PTCs, subject to further confirmation in future studies.

This study aimed to design a standardised bronchoscopic holmium laser ablation continuous cryoablation for the treatment of airway stenosis caused by tissue hyperplasia after tracheal intubation and to retrospectively analyse its safety and feasibility. We collected the data of patients who had undergone bronchoscopic holmium laser ablation continuous cryoablation due to airway stenosis caused by tracheal mucosal tissue hyperplasia after tracheal intubation. The patients\' baseline characteristics, ablation effects, surgical complications and other data were analysed. In total, 16 patients were enrolled in this study. On average, airway stenosis occurred 96.00 (interquartile range, 69.75-152.50) days after tracheal intubation and bronchoscopic holmium laser ablation continuous cryoablation took an average of 90.38 minutes (standard deviation: 16.78). After the first continuous cryoablation, 75.0% (12/16) of the patients had complete ablation of hyperplastic tissue, and 25.0% (4/16) had most of the hyperplastic tissue (>50%) removed. Altogether, 18.75% (3/16) and 6.25% (1/16) of the patients had complete ablation of hyperplastic tissue after the second and third cryoablation, respectively. Moreover, one patient (6.25%) had minimal wound bleeding postoperatively, and no other surgical complications occurred. No airway stenosis was found in all enrolled patients during follow-up 1 and 6 months after the last cryoablation. According to the above results of our small sample study indicated that bronchoscopic holmium laser ablation continuous cryoablation seems safe and effective for treating airway stenosis caused by tissue hyperplasia after tracheal intubation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of different thermal ablation and conventional surgery for the treatment of Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma, using a systematic review including traditional pooling and Bayesian network meta-analysis.
METHODS: A comprehensive literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases identified retrospective studies evaluating the tumor volume change after different thermal ablation or conventional surgery. Studies from the date of their inception to January 6, 2024, were included. A review of 4463 potential papers, including a full-text review of 23, identified 10 eligible papers covering a total of 2658 patients for meta-analysis. The tumor volume change over a 12-month follow-up was compared between different thermal ablations. Tumor diameter change, complications, recurrence, operation and hospitalization time were evaluated by network meta-analysis.
RESULTS: Based on the traditional frequentist approach, the overall pooled estimates for the standardized mean difference (SMD) in tumor volume change of radiofrequency ablation (RFA), laser ablation (LA), and microwave ablation (MWA) were 1.38 (95 % credibility interval (CI), 0.62-2.13), 1.94 (95%CI, 0.78-3.10) and 1.38 (95%CI, 1.01-1.75), respectively. Based on the Bayesian network meta-analysis, in examining the surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) ranking, RFA (SUCRA, 76.6), MWA (SUCRA, 66.6), and LA (SUCRA, 39.8) were identified as the three interventions that were associated with the greatest reduction in risk for complications compared with conventional surgery (CS), with RFA (SUCRA, 76.6) being ranked as the highest in safety. MWA, SMD 4.43 [95%CI, 2.68-6.17], RFA SMD 4.24 [95 % CI, 1.66-6.82], and LA SMD 4.24 [95 % CI, 1.48-7.00] were associated with the shorter operation time compared with CS. LA SMD 4.61 [95 % CI, 1.79-7.44] and MWA SMD 3.07 [95 % CI, 1.32-4.83] were associated with the shorter hospitalization time compared with CS, with LA (SUCRA, 86.5) yielding the highest ranking. MWA was associated with a reduced risk for tumor recurrence RR 0.02 [95 % CI, -0.44-0.49], compared with CS.
CONCLUSIONS: We conducted a comprehensive review of the published literature on the effectiveness and safety of different thermal ablation techniques and conventional surgery for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma. Important research gaps persist due to a lack of long-term data and high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

OBJECTIVE: Keloids cannot be effectively treated using monotherapy regimens. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ablation (a novel needle-assisted electrocoagulation technique) combined with pharmacotherapy (corticosteroid and 5-fluorouracil [5-FU] injections) in removing keloids and to investigate the underlying biological mechanisms.
METHODS: The effects of energy consumption and duration of needle-assisted electrocoagulation on the ablation zone were tested in porcine liver tissue, which simulates human skin. The regulatory effects of ablation combined with pharmacotherapy on collagen deposition, cell proliferation, and angiogenesis were analyzed in a keloid-bearing nude mouse model in vivo. In a clinical trial involving six patients with keloids, the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) scores were graded before treatment and 1 month after one cycle of ablation combined with corticosteroid and 5-FU therapy.
RESULTS: Higher energy consumption and longer duration of electrocoagulation resulted in a larger ablation zone and higher surface temperature. Ablation combined with pharmacotherapy significantly reduced keloid volume in nude mice, upregulated MMP-1 and MMP-3, downregulated COL I and COL III, and inhibited angiogenesis and proliferation. This combination also significantly reduced the VSS and POSAS scores in patients with keloids after treatment without any obvious adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that electroablation combined with pharmacotherapy effectively reduces keloid volume by inhibiting collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and cell proliferation. Thus, this novel combination may serve as a safe therapeutic approach for keloid removal.

While nano-crystalline diamond (NCD) is a promising engineering composite material for its unique mechanical properties, achieving the ultrahigh surface quality of NCD-based components through conventional grinding and polishing is challenging due to its exceptional hardness and brittleness. In the present work, we experimentally investigate the nanosecond laser ablation-induced graphitization characteristics of NCD, which provides a critical pretreatment method of NCD for realizing its superlative surface finish. Specifically, systematic experimental investigations of the nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of NCD are carried out, in which the characteristics of graphitization are qualitatively characterized by the Raman spectroscopy detection of the ablated area of the microhole and microgroove. Subsequently, the influence of laser processing parameters on the degree and morphological characteristics of graphitization is evaluated based on experimental data and related interpretation, from which optimized parameters for maximizing the graphitization of NCD are then identified. The findings reported in the current work provide guidance for promoting the machinability of NCD via laser irradiation-induced surface modification.

UNASSIGNED: The majority of patients of lung cancer have already lost the chance of surgery at the time of diagnosis. Percutaneous local thermal ablation is a precise minimally invasive technique and a viable alternative to surgical treatment. Compared with radiofrequency ablation and microwave ablation, percutaneous laser ablation for the treatment of lung tumors is less commonly used and reported, especially for primary lung cancer.
UNASSIGNED: A 63-year-old male patient with mixed pulmonary nodules selected computed tomography-guided electromagnetic navigation system for percutaneous biopsy and laser ablation therapy. The puncture point was determined through Computed tomography scanning, along with the placement of the electromagnetic navigation system locators. After rapid on-site evaluation and pathological examination of the puncture tissue specimen, the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma was confirmed. A 980-nanometer wavelength semiconductor laser fiber was inserted into the appropriate position guided by the electromagnetic navigation system. Subsequently, a power of 7 watt was applied to ablate the tumor for 30 seconds, then pause for 60 seconds before repeating the procedure. Positron emission tomography-Computed tomography examination was performed 1 month after operation, suggesting complete response of the tumor.
UNASSIGNED: Here, we present a case of percutaneous laser ablation treatment for primary lung cancer guided by computed tomography-electromagnetic navigation system. As a more precise, shorter duration, impedance-independent, safe and effective minimally invasive thermal ablation method, it is expected to gain wider application and become a novel alternative for surgical treatment.

Direct, rapid and highly sensitive detection of heavy metals in rice is essential to ensure food safety. In this research, a combination of laser ablation and microwave plasma torch optical emission spectrometry (LA-MPT-OES) was proposed. Based on the optimal observation positions, a high sensitivity and direct determination of Cd, Hg, Pb and Cr in rice were realized. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.97, 0.12, 0.61 and 0.15 μg/kg, respectively, which were reduced by one order of magnitude compared to the optimal observation height. In addition, the LOD was reduced by one to two orders of magnitude compared with the techniques that require sample pre-treatment. Moreover, the results of the Certified Reference Materials and real samples were in agreement with the reference values with a relative error in the range of 0.28% ∼ 14.16%. The results demonstrated that LA-MPT-OES could be a promising tool to detect heavy metals in rice.