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International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2022Because of their small size and large specific surface area, nanoparticles (NPs) have special properties that are different from bulk materials. In particular, Au/Ag NPs... (Review)
Review
Because of their small size and large specific surface area, nanoparticles (NPs) have special properties that are different from bulk materials. In particular, Au/Ag NPs have been intensively studied for a long time, especially for biomedical applications. Thereafter, they played a significant role in the fields of biology, medical testing, optical imaging, energy and catalysis, MRI contrast agents, tumor diagnosis and treatment, environmental protection, and so on. When synthesizing Au/Ag NPs, the laser ablation and biosynthesis methods are very promising green processes. Therefore, this review focuses on the progress in the laser ablation and biological synthesis processes for Au/Ag NP generation, especially in their fabrication fundamentals and potential applications. First, the fundamentals of the laser ablation method are critically reviewed, including the laser ablation mechanism for Au/Ag NPs and the controlling of their size and shape during fabrication using laser ablation. Second, the fundamentals of the biological method are comprehensively discussed, involving the synthesis principle and the process of controlling the size and shape and preparing Au/Ag NPs using biological methods. Third, the applications in biology, tumor diagnosis and treatment, and other fields are reviewed to demonstrate the potential value of Au/Ag NPs. Finally, a discussion surrounding three aspects (similarity, individuality, and complementarity) of the two green synthesis processes is presented, and the necessary outlook, including the current limitations and challenges, is suggested, which provides a reference for the low-cost and sustainable production of Au/Ag NPs in the future.
Topics: Metal Nanoparticles; Silver; Gold; Catalysis; Laser Therapy
PubMed: 36498986
DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314658 -
Brain Stimulation 2022
Topics: Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; Guilt; Humans; Laser Therapy
PubMed: 34864240
DOI: 10.1016/j.brs.2021.11.020 -
Tree Physiology May 2023
Topics: Isotopes; Climate; Laser Therapy
PubMed: 36807985
DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpad017 -
Brain and Behavior Oct 2023Infantile spasm (IS) is an epileptic encephalopathy with ongoing neurological damage due to seizures and epileptiform abnormalities. Epilepsy surgery is considered for...
OBJECTIVES
Infantile spasm (IS) is an epileptic encephalopathy with ongoing neurological damage due to seizures and epileptiform abnormalities. Epilepsy surgery is considered for children refractory to drug therapy, especially when there is a focal brain lesion. In this study, we investigated the feasibility and efficacy of intraventricular stereotactic electroencephalography (SEEG) and laser ablation for the treatment of IS children with focal brain lesions.
METHODS
We performed the first reported study using ventriculoscopic laser ablation to treat IS. Seven IS children with drug-resistant epilepsy and definite encephalomalacia on brain magnetic resonance imaging scan were included in this study. Ablation was performed after confirmation of epileptiform discharges by SEEG under the surveillance of ventriculoscope.
RESULTS
The median follow-up time for the cohort was 3.1 years and 86% (6/7) of the children had an Engel class ≤III epilepsy at the final follow-up. Five (71%) children had a reduction in seizure medication usage, and the other two were on the same amount as preablation. None of the children experienced serious new neurological deficits. Laser ablation might result in seizure freedom by destroying the local brain network and blocking the spread of abnormal discharges.
CONCLUSIONS
Intraventricular SEEG and laser ablation was feasible and effective for the treatment of IS. Further studies are warranted.
Topics: Child; Humans; Spasms, Infantile; Treatment Outcome; Electroencephalography; Laser Therapy; Epilepsy; Drug Resistant Epilepsy; Seizures; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 37492027
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3184 -
Journal of the American Society For... Mar 2022A Schwarzschild reflective objective with a numerical aperture of 0.3 and working distance of 10 cm was used for laser ablation sampling of tissue for off-line mass...
A Schwarzschild reflective objective with a numerical aperture of 0.3 and working distance of 10 cm was used for laser ablation sampling of tissue for off-line mass spectrometry. The objective focused the laser to a diameter of 5 μm and produced 10 μm ablation spots on thin ink films and tissue sections. Rat brain tissue sections 50 μm thick were ablated in transmission geometry, and the ablated material was captured in a microcentrifuge tube containing solvent. Proteins from ablated tissue sections were quantified with a Bradford assay, which indicated that approximately 300 ng of protein was captured from a 1 mm area of ablated tissue. Areas of tissue ranging from 0.01 to 1 mm were ablated and captured for bottom-up proteomics. Proteins were extracted from the captured tissue and digested for liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis for peptide and protein identification.
Topics: Animals; Brain Chemistry; Chromatography, Liquid; Laser Therapy; Lasers; Proteins; Proteomics; Rats; Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 35104132
DOI: 10.1021/jasms.1c00306 -
Seizure Mar 2022The Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) technique has been used recently for corpus callosotomy in patients with epilepsy, especially atonic seizures (drop...
PURPOSE
The Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) technique has been used recently for corpus callosotomy in patients with epilepsy, especially atonic seizures (drop attacks) and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). However, there is little data on safety and outcomes. Therefore, the authors systematically studied and conducted a pooled analysis with special focus on feasibility, outcomes and complications.
METHODS
A systematic review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. A total of 10 retrospective studies were identified, comprising 58 cases of MRI-guided LITT treatment.
RESULTS
MRI-guided LITT was successfully performed in 57 cases while one case was aborted due to hemorrhage. The average duration of clinical follow-up following LITT callosotomy was 20 months. In the 57 LITT callosotomies, complete seizure freedom and excellent seizure control (Engel I and II) were achieved in 21.1% and 49.1% of patients, respectively. For atonic seizures, the rate of complete freedom and excellent control was 52.5% and 72.5%, respectively. The median length of stay at hospital was 2 days. No death was encountered. Common complications included: fiber-related hemorrhage (8.6%), inaccurate placement (6.9%) followed with transient hemiparesis/hemineglect and supplementary motor area (SMA) syndrome 5.2% each. The rate of disconnection syndrome was 3.4%.
CONCLUSION
MRI-guided LITT for corpus callosotomy is feasible and safe, with low complication rates, short hospitalization and has comparable rates of seizure control to that of classic surgical callosotomy. The majority of patients with atonic seizures achieve complete seizure freedom and excellent control (Engel I and II). The risk for developing disconnection syndrome is low.
Topics: Corpus Callosum; Humans; Laser Therapy; Lennox Gastaut Syndrome; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35245877
DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2022.02.002 -
Technology in Cancer Research &... 2023Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy among women. In the past two decades, new technologies and BC screening have led to the diagnosis of... (Review)
Review
Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy among women. In the past two decades, new technologies and BC screening have led to the diagnosis of smaller and earlier-stage BC (ESBC). Therefore, percutaneous minimally invasive techniques (PMIT) were adopted to treat patients unfit for surgery, women who refuse it, or elderly patients with comorbidities that could make surgery a difficult and life-threatening treatment. The target of PMIT is small-size ESBC with the scope of obtaining similar efficacy as surgery. Minimally invasive treatments are convenient alternatives with promising effectiveness, lower morbidity, less cost, less scarring and pain, and more satisfying cosmetic results. Ablative techniques used in BC are cryoablation, radiofrequency ablation, microwave ablation, high-intensity focused ultrasound (US), and laser ablation. The aim of our study is to discuss the current status of percutaneous management of BC, evaluate the clinical outcomes of PMIT in BC, and analyze future perspectives regarding ablation therapy in BC.
Topics: Humans; Female; Aged; Breast Neoplasms; Cryosurgery; Ablation Techniques; Laser Therapy; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation; Catheter Ablation
PubMed: 36916200
DOI: 10.1177/15330338231157193 -
Epilepsia May 2020This article emphasizes the role of the technological progress in changing the landscape of epilepsy surgery and provides a critical appraisal of robotic applications,... (Review)
Review
This article emphasizes the role of the technological progress in changing the landscape of epilepsy surgery and provides a critical appraisal of robotic applications, laser interstitial thermal therapy, intraoperative imaging, wireless recording, new neuromodulation techniques, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. Specifically, (a) it relativizes the current hype in using robots for stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) to increase the accuracy of depth electrode placement and save operating time; (b) discusses the drawback of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) when it comes to the need for adequate histopathologic specimen and the fact that the concept of stereotactic disconnection is not new; (c) addresses the ratio between the benefits and expenditure of using intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), that is, the high technical and personnel expertise needed that might restrict its use to centers with a high case load, including those unrelated to epilepsy; (d) soberly reviews the advantages, disadvantages, and future potentials of neuromodulation techniques with special emphasis on the differences between closed and open-loop systems; and (e) provides a critical outlook on the clinical implications of focused ultrasound, wireless recording, and multipurpose electrodes that are already on the horizon. This outlook shows that although current ultrasonic systems do have some limitations in delivering the acoustic energy, further advance of this technique may lead to novel treatment paradigms. Furthermore, it highlights that new data streams from multipurpose electrodes and wireless transmission of intracranial recordings will become available soon once some critical developments will be achieved such as electrode fidelity, data processing and storage, heat conduction as well as rechargeable technology. A better understanding of modern epilepsy surgery will help to demystify epilepsy surgery for the patients and the treating physicians and thereby reduce the surgical treatment gap.
Topics: Brain; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation; Humans; Laser Coagulation; Laser Therapy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Interventional; Neuronavigation; Robotic Surgical Procedures; Robotics
PubMed: 32227349
DOI: 10.1111/epi.16489 -
Lakartidningen Aug 2017Invasive fetal therapy Invasive fetal therapy in Sweden consists of fetoscopic interventions to treat twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTS) or twin anemia...
Invasive fetal therapy Invasive fetal therapy in Sweden consists of fetoscopic interventions to treat twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTS) or twin anemia polycytemia sequence (TAPS) in monochorionic twin or triplet pregnancies and for selective reduction in monochorionic twins complicated by discordant anomalies or severe growth retardation in one fetus. Alternative methods, such as intrafetal laser ablation and radio frequency ablation, are also used for selective reduction and rarely to treat fetal tumors. Ultrasound guided intrauterine blood transfusions to treat fetal anemia have been performed for a long time with excellent results. Placement of thoraco-amniotic shunts and vesico-amniotic shunts is indicated in a few cases per year in Sweden. Since these rare interventions were centralized to one national center in 2013, the outcome of the fetal interventions has improved consistently.
Topics: Blood Transfusion, Intrauterine; Catheter Ablation; Female; Fetal Diseases; Fetal Therapies; Fetoscopy; Humans; Laser Therapy; Pregnancy; Ultrasonography, Interventional
PubMed: 28850167
DOI: No ID Found -
Value in Health : the Journal of the... Aug 2018To analyze the cost-effectiveness of current technologies (conservative care [CONS], high-ligation surgery [HL/S], ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy [UGFS],... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
To analyze the cost-effectiveness of current technologies (conservative care [CONS], high-ligation surgery [HL/S], ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy [UGFS], endovenous laser ablation [EVLA], and radiofrequency ablation [RFA]) and emerging technologies (mechanochemical ablation [MOCA] and cyanoacrylate glue occlusion [CAE]) for treatment of varicose veins over 5 years.
METHODS
A Markov decision model was constructed. Effectiveness was measured by re-intervention on the truncal vein, re-treatment of residual varicosities, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) over 5 years. Model inputs were estimated from systematic review, the UK National Health Service unit costs, and manufacturers' list prices. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken.
RESULTS
CONS has the lowest overall cost and quality of life per person over 5 years; HL/S, EVLA, RFA, and MOCA have on average similar costs and effectiveness; and CAE has the highest overall cost but is no more effective than other therapies. The incremental cost per QALY of RFA versus CONS was £5,148/QALY. Time to return to work or normal activities was significantly longer after HL/S than after other procedures.
CONCLUSIONS
At a threshold of £20,000/QALY, RFA was the treatment with highest median rank for net benefit, with MOCA second, EVLA third, HL/S fourth, CAE fifth, and CONS and UGFS sixth. Further evidence on effectiveness and health-related quality of life for MOCA and CAE is needed. At current prices, CAE is not a cost-effective option because it is costlier but has not been shown to be more effective than other options.
Topics: Ablation Techniques; Conservative Treatment; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Elective Surgical Procedures; Humans; Laser Therapy; Markov Chains; Sclerotherapy; Varicose Veins
PubMed: 30098668
DOI: 10.1016/j.jval.2018.01.012