Near-field-driven thermal phonon lasing.

The extreme electromagnetic near-field environment of nanoplasmonic resonators and metamaterials can give rise to unprecedented electromagnetic heating effects, enabling large and manipulable temperature gradients on the order of 10-10 K/nm. In this Letter, by interfacing traditional semiconductor quantum dots with industry-grade plasmonic transducer technology, we demonstrate that the near-field-induced thermal gradient can facilitate the requisite population inversion for coherent phonon amplification and lasing at the nanoscale. Our detailed analysis uncovers both the characteristics and parameter sensitivity of inversion and relaxation oscillations in the system, thereby unveiling hitherto unexplored opportunities for leveraging plasmonic near-field effects in the context of quantum thermodynamics and phononics.

Monitoring Breast Cancer Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Using Probability Maps Derived from Quantitative Ultrasound Parametric Images.

Objective: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is widely used in the treatment of breast cancer. However, to date, there are no fully reliable, non-invasive methods for monitoring NAC. In this article, we propose a new method for classifying NAC-responsive and unresponsive tumors using quantitative ultrasound.

Assessment of breast cancer response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on ultrasound backscattering envelope statistics.

Purpose: Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is used in breast cancer before tumor surgery to reduce the size of the tumor and the risk of spreading. Monitoring the effects of NAC is important because in a number of cases the response to therapy is poor and requires a change in treatment. A new method that uses quantitative ultrasound to assess tumor response to NAC has been presented.

Quantitative Assessment of the Echogenicity of a Breast Tumor Predicts the Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

The aim of the study was to improve monitoring the treatment response in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). The IRB approved this prospective study. Ultrasound examinations were performed prior to treatment and 7 days after four consecutive NAC cycles.