Real-time and accurate temperature monitoring during microwave hyperthermia (MH) remains a critical challenge for ensuring treatment efficacy and patient safety. This study presents a novel approach to simulate real MH and precisely determine the temperature of the target region within biological tissues using a temporal-informed neural network. We conducted MH experiments on 30 sets of phantoms and 10 sets of ex vivo pork tissues. We proposed a novel perspective: the evolving tissue responses to continuous electromagnetic radiation stimulation are a joint evolution in temporal and spatial dimensions. Our model leverages TimesNet to extract periodic features and Cloblock to capture global information relevance in two-dimensional periodic vectors from ultrasound images. By assimilating more ultrasound temporal data, our model improves temperature-estimation accuracy. In the temperature range 25-65 °C, our neural network achieved temperature-estimation root mean squared errors of approximately 0.886 °C and 0.419 °C for fresh ex vivo pork tissue and phantoms, respectively. The proposed temporal-informed neural network has a modest parameter count, rendering it suitable for deployment on ultrasound mobile devices. Furthermore, it achieves temperature accuracy close to that prescribed by clinical standards, making it effective for non-destructive temperature monitoring during MH of biological tissues.

BACKGROUND: In China, both percutaneous microwave/radiofrequency ablation liver partition plus portal vein embolization (PALPP) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus portal vein embolization (PVE) have been utilized in planned hepatectomy. However, there is a lack of comparative studies on the effectiveness of these two techniques for cases with insufficient future liver remnant (FLR).
METHODS: Patients were categorized into either the PALPP group or the TACE + PVE group. Clinical data, including FLR growth rate, complications, secondary resection rate, and overall survival rate, were compared and analyzed for both groups retrospectively.
RESULTS: Between December 2014 and October 2021, a total of 29 patients underwent TACE + PVE (n = 12) and PALPP (n = 17). In the TACE + PVE group, 7 patients successfully underwent two-stage hepatectomy, while in the PALPP group, 13 patients underwent the procedure (two-stage resection rate: 58.3% vs. 76.5%, P = 0.42). There were no significant differences in postoperative complications of one-stage procedures (11.8% vs. 8.3%, P > 0.05) and second-stage resection complication (0% vs. 46.2%, P = 0.05) between the TACE + PVE and PALPP groups. However, the PALPP group demonstrated a shorter time to FLR volume growth for second-stage resection (18.5 days vs. 66 days, P = 0.001) and KGR (58.5 ml/week vs. 7.7 ml/week, P = 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Compared with TACE + PVE, PALPP results in a more significant increase in FLR volume and a higher rate of two-stage resection without increasing postoperative complications.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of thermal ablation in treating solitary low-risk T2N0M0 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and compare the outcomes of microwave ablation (MWA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA).
METHODS: This retrospective, single center study involved 34 patients (age: 40.0 ± 13.9 years; 28 female) who had low-risk T2N0M0 PTC with a maximum diameter >2 cm and ≤4 cm and underwent MWA (n = 15) or RFA (n = 19) from November 2016 to April 2023. The primary outcomes were the cumulative rate of disease progression and delayed surgery rates. In contrast, the secondary outcomes included changes in tumor size, cumulative rate of complete tumor disappearance, and complication rates.
RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 18.0 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 9.0-40.0 months). At 12 months, the median volume reduction rate of the ablation zone was 74.2% (IQR: 53.7%-86.0%). Disease progression was noted in two patients within 1 year, including one patient with local tumor progression post-RFA and one with a new tumor post-MWA, resulting in a constant cumulative disease progression rate of 8.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0%-19.8%) throughout the remaining follow-up period. Both patients were subsequently treated with additional ablation and did not require surgery. The cumulative rates of complete tumor disappearance at 1, 3, and 5 years were 4.0% (95% CI: 0%-11.4%), 26.8% (95% CI: 2.7%-44.9%), and 51.2% (95% CI: 0%-79.1%), respectively. No significant differences were observed in the disease progression (P = 0.829) or complete tumor disappearance (P = 0.633) rates between the MWA and RFA groups. Complications occurred in 14.7% (5/34) of patients presenting with transient hoarseness. RFA had a higher but not statistically significant complication rate than MWA did (21.1% [4/19] vs. 6.7% [1/15]; P = 0.355).
CONCLUSIONS: Both MWA and RFA demonstrated promising short-term outcomes in terms of efficacy and safety in treating solitary low-risk T2N0M0 PTC, with no significant differences.

BACKGROUND: Axillary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis are common clinical diseases, affecting the patients\' work and life. Negative-pressure suction-curettage is the most popular treatment now, but challenged by a new microwave-based therapy (MiraDry). We intend to compare the safety and efficiency of the 2 treatments.
METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 39 female patients with both primary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis was conducted. Seventeen patients were treated with MiraDry, and 22 underwent negative-pressure suction-curettage. The postoperative follow-up program included sweat and odor assessments, satisfaction measurement, safety evaluation, and recurrence assessment at different time points until 12 months.
RESULTS: Both treatments showed a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in HDSS score and odor level at 6 and 12 months compared with the baseline. No significant difference in relative reduction was observed between the 2 groups. The satisfaction score of the microwave-based therapy group was higher than that of the negative-pressure suction-curettage group, but no statistical difference was found. The difference in the recurrence rate and complication rate between the groups did not reach significance.
CONCLUSIONS: Microwave-based therapy is a noninvasive treatment with durable effects, low risks, shorter downtime, good appearance, and high satisfaction for axillary hyperhidrosis and bromhidrosis.

The poor extractability and digestibility of jack beans restrict their application in food systems. Thermal treatment could be a processing tool to disrupt the compact conformation of the plant matrix and inactivate inherent antinutrients. Therefore, this research investigated the impact of conventional heat-aided (HA-) and microwave-aided (MA-) extraction treatments on the structure, functional properties, and digestibility of jack bean protein concentrate (JBPC) under varying extraction pH. The novelty brought by the present study is establishing the thermal treatment/extraction pH combinations for improving techno-functionalities and digestibility of JBPC. Heat (50 °C for 1 h) and sequential microwave power (400 W, 600 W, and 800 W for 5 min) at three extraction pH (9.0, 10.0, and 11.0) were studied. Upon increasing extraction pH, a significant decrease in the protein content, and β-Sheet structure was observed, in the order of pH 11.0 > 10.0 > 9.0. JBPC extracted using HA treatments displayed the highest contents of surface hydrophobicity (90.02) and sulfhydryl groups. In functional properties, MA-extracted JBPC under 400 W showed significantly improved solubility (93.45 %), emulsifying activity index (45.23 m2/g), and foaming capacity (141.70 %) when compared to other thermal treatments. The degree of hydrolysis result revealed that MA treatment improved the JBPC in vitro digestibility at a low power level of 400 W. These findings suggest that MA extraction treatment can improve the functional and nutritional properties of JBPC regardless of the extraction pH, and thus, expand the potential application in food systems.

Cell dielectric property measurement holds significant potential for application in cell detection and diagnosis due to its label-free and noninvasive nature. In this study, we developed a biosensor designed to measure the permittivity of liquid samples, particularly cell suspensions at the nanoliter scale, utilizing microwave and millimeter wave coplanar waveguides in conjunction with a microchannel. This biosensor facilitates the measurement of scattering parameters within a frequency domain ranging from 1 GHz to 110 GHz. The obtained scattering parameters are then converted into dielectric constants using specific algorithms. A cell capture structure within the microchannel ensures that cell suspensions remain stable within the measurement zone. The feasibility of this biosensor was confirmed by comparison with a commercial Keysight probe. We measured the dielectric constants of three different cell suspensions (HepG2, A549, MCF-7) using our biosensor. We also counted the number of cells captured in multiple measurements for each cell type and compared the corresponding changes in permittivity. The results indicated that the real part of the permittivity of HepG2 cells is 0.2-0.8 lower than that of the other two cell types. The difference between A549 and MCF-7 was relatively minor, only 0.2-0.4. The fluctuations in the dielectric spectrum caused by changes in cell numbers during measurements were smaller than the differences observed between different cell types. Thus, the sensor is suitable for measuring cell suspensions and can be utilized for label-free, noninvasive studies in identifying biological cell suspensions.

UNASSIGNED: To explore the feasibility and safety of a microwave ablation (MWA) strategy involving intraductal chilled saline perfusion (ICSP) via percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage (PTCD) combined with ultrasound-magnetic resonance (US-MR) fusion imaging for liver tumors proximal to the hilar bile ducts (HBDs).
UNASSIGNED: Patients with liver tumors proximal to the HBDs (≤5 mm) who underwent MWA at our hospital between June 2020 and April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The strategy of US-MR fusion imaging combined with PTCD-ICSP was used to assist the MWA procedures. The technical success, technique efficacy, local tumor progression, intrahepatic distant recurrence and complications were recorded and analyzed.
UNASSIGNED: In total, 12 patients with 12 liver tumors were retrospectively enrolled in this study. US-MR fusion imaging was utilized in all patients, and PTCD-ICSP assistance was successfully used for 4 nodules abutting HBDs (0 mm). The rates of technical success, technique efficacy, local tumor progression and intrahepatic distant recurrence were 91.7%, 83.3%, 0% and 8.3%, respectively. The major complication of biliary infection occurred in only one patient who had previously undergone left hemihepatectomy and bile-intestinal anastomosis.
UNASSIGNED: MWA for liver tumors proximal to HBDs assisted by US-MR fusion imaging combined with PTCD-ICSP was feasible and safe. This strategy made MWA of liver tumors abutting HBDs possible.

Although numerous ambient ionization mass spectroscopy technologies have been developed over the past 20 years to address diverse analytical circumstances, a single-ion source technique that can handle all analyte types is still lacking. Here, a wide-energy programmable microwave plasma-ionization mass spectrometry (WPMPI-MS) system is presented, through which MS analysis can achieve high coverage of substances with various characteristics by digitally regulating the microwave energy. In addition, ionization energy can be rapidly scanned using programmable waveforms, enabling the simultaneous detection of biomolecules, heavy metals, non-polar molecules, etc., in seconds. WPMPI-MS performs well in analyzing real samples, rapidly analyzing nine toxicological standards in one drop of serum, and demonstrating good quantification and liquid chromatography coupling capability. The WPMPI-MS has also been used to detect soil extracts, solid pharmaceuticals, and landfill leachate, further demonstrating its robust analytical capabilities for real samples. The prospective uses of the technology in biological and chemical analysis are extensive, and it is anticipated to emerge as a viable alternative to commercially available ion sources.

Tetracycline (TC) is extensively utilized in livestock breeding, aquaculture, and medical industry. TC residues seriously harm food security, the environment, and human health. There is an urgent need to exploit a highly efficient and sensitive testing method to monitor TC residue levels in aquatic environments. In this study, graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots (g-CNQDs) were successfully synthesized by a one-step microwave-assisted method using citric acid and urea as precursors. The as-prepared g-CNQDs with size of 1.25-3.75 nm exhibited bright yellow fluorescence at 523 nm when excited at 397 nm. Interestingly, this characteristic fluorescence emission of g-CNQDs could be selectively and efficiently quenched by TC. Based on this phenomenon, for TC detection was successfully explored and applied in real water samples. Wide linear scope of 7-100 μM, low detection limit (LOD) of 0.48 μM, satisfactory recovery of 97.77%-103.4%, and good relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.05-5.87% were obtained. Mechanism investigations revealed that the static quenching and the inner filter effect (IFE) were responsible for this fluorescence quenching between g-CNQDs and TC. This work not only provided a facile approach for g-CNQDs synthesis but also constructed a g-CNQDs-based fluorescent sensor platform for the highly sensitive and selective detection of TC in aquatic environments.

Co-pyrolysis with low-sulfur biomass is expected to improve the yield and quality of bio-fuels, without the usage of calcium-based desulfurizer. Sulfur transformation during microwave fluidized-bed co-pyrolysis between terrestrial and marine biomass (Ascophyllum, AS; Rice straw, RS) was investigated. Sulfur release was promoted during biomass co-pyrolysis, but it was inhibited during pyrolysis between AS and low-sulfur char. Thermal cracking of biomass was promoted during co-pyrolysis between biomass, accelerating the combination of H atoms and -SH radicals. Introduction of low-sulfur bio-char (CA) inhibited the generation of bio-char and the release of sulfur. Released sulfur was captured by -OH/C = C functional groups on bio-char through dehydration reactions/addition reactions, forming mercaptan in bio-char. Furthermore, introduction of microwave and bio-char promoted the cyclization and aromatization reaction, converting mercaptan to thiophene and improving the thermal stability of solid sulfur, and thus increasing in-situ sulfur fixation rate.