3D printing of micro-nano devices and their applications.

In recent years, the utilization of 3D printing technology in micro and nano device manufacturing has garnered significant attention. Advancements in 3D printing have enabled achieving sub-micron level precision. Unlike conventional micro-machining techniques, 3D printing offers versatility in material selection, such as polymers.

Cumulative sum analysis for evaluating learning curve of endoscopic lateral neck dissection.

Objectives: Endoscopic lateral neck dissection (LND) can be a scarless procedure if a surgeon has performed a sufficient number of operations to become skilled at the techniques involved. Here, we examine the learning curve for a surgeon who performed 53 endoscopic LND procedures via chest approach.

Methods: Surgical outcomes for 53 patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent endoscopic LND via chest approach between February 2017 and November 2022 were retrospectively reviewed.

Dielectric metasurface-assisted cavity ring-down spectroscopy for thin-film circular dichroism analysis.

Chiral molecules show differences in their chemical and optical properties due to the different spatial arrangements of the atoms in the two enantiomers. A common way to optically differentiate them is to detect the disparity in the absorption of light by the two enantiomers, absorption circular dichroism (CD). However, the CD of typical molecules is very small, limiting the sensitivity of chiroptical analysis based on CD.

Impact of Plasmonic and Dielectric Substrates on the Whispering-Gallery Modes in Self-Assembled Fluorescent Semiconductor Polymer Microspheres.

In this work, the impact of metallic and dielectric conducting substrates, gold and indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass, on the whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of semiconductor π-conjugated polymer microspheres is investigated. Hyperspectral mapping was performed to obtain the excitation-position-dependent emission spectra of the microspheres. Substrate-dependent quenching of WGMs sensitive to mode polarization was observed and explained.

Enhancing on/off ratio of a dielectric-loaded plasmonic logic gate with an amplitude modulator.

Plasmonic waveguides allow focusing, guiding, and manipulating light at the nanoscale and promise the miniaturization of functional optical nanocircuits. Dielectric-loaded plasmonic (DLP) waveguides and logic gates have drawn attention because of their relatively low loss, easy fabrication, and good compatibility with gain and active tunable materials. However, the rather low on/off ratio of DLP logic gates remains the main challenge.

A novel hybrid approach for "Scarless" (at the neck) lateral neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma: A case series and literature review.

Lateral neck dissection (LND) is a necessary treatment for thyroid cancer with lateral lymph node metastasis. However, the defect created during open surgery leaves a visible scar on the neck. With advancements in surgical technology, many robotic and endoscopic surgical techniques have been reported as alternatives to open surgery.

Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy by Vestibular Approach for Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma with Tumor Size ≥2 cm.

The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been developed for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) treatment with satisfactory results. However, there were few malignant thyroid nodules ≥2 cm in previous studies of TOETVA. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the results of treatment by TOETVA for PTC with tumor size ≥2 cm.

Safety and feasibility of the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach with neuroprotection techniques for papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the trans-oral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach (TOETVA) with neuroprotection techniques for the surgical management of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Methods: Patients with PTC who underwent TOETVA between December 2016 and July 2020 were included in this study, and their relevant clinical characteristics, operational details, and surgical outcomes were reviewed and extracted from their medical records for further analysis.

Results: A total of 75 patients successfully underwent TOETVA with zero conversions.

Endoscopic thyroidectomy via the combined trans-oral and chest approach for cT1-2N1bM0 papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Recent years there have been witnessed considerable advances in endoscopic selective lateral neck dissection (LND). However, dissection of lymph nodes at level IV and level VI via the chest approach is inherently challenging. In this study, we used combined trans-oral and chest approach for endoscopic thyroidectomy in patients with cT1-2N1bM0 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Extremely confined gap plasmon modes: when nonlocality matters.

Historically, the field of plasmonics has been relying on the framework of classical electrodynamics, with the local-response approximation of material response being applied even when dealing with nanoscale metallic structures. However, when the confinement of electromagnetic radiation approaches atomic scales, mesoscopic effects are anticipated to become observable, e.g.

Spectral interference contrast based non-contact photoacoustic microscopy realized by SDOCT.

We introduce a method to extract the photoacoustic (PA) signal from a contrast reduction of the interference spectrum acquired by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT). This all-optical detection is achieved in a noncontact manner directly on the water surface covered on the sample by using its specular reflection. During SDOCT exposure, the phase of the interference spectrum keeps shaking according to the water surface vibration induced by PA excitation.

Qin's seven steps for endoscopic selective lateral neck dissection via the chest approach in patients with papillary thyroid cancer: experience of 35 cases.

Background: Endoscopic thyroidectomy is widely performed as it does not result in neck scar. However, there is a paucity of reports pertaining to completely endoscopic lateral neck dissection (LND). In this study, we introduce our step-wise approach for performing endoscopic selective LND via the chest-breast approach.

Robust Angular Anisotropy of Circularly Polarized Luminescence from a Single Twisted-Bipolar Polymeric Microsphere.

It has long been surmised that the circular polarization of luminescence (CPL) emitted by a chiral molecule or a molecular assembly should vary with the direction in which the photon is emitted. Despite its potential utility, this anisotropic CPL has not yet been demonstrated at the level of single molecules or supramolecular assemblies. Here we show that conjugated polymers bearing chiral side chains self-assemble into solid microspheres with a twisted bipolar interior, which are formed via liquid-liquid phase separation and subsequent condensation into a cholesteric lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophase.

Plasmonic elliptical nanoholes for chiroptical analysis and enantioselective optical trapping.

A simple yet effective achiral platform using elliptical nanoholes for chiroptical analysis is demonstrated. Under linearly polarized excitation, an elliptical nanohole in a thin gold film can generate a localized chiral optical field for chiroptical analysis and simultaneously serve as a near-field optical trap to capture dielectric and plasmonic nanospheres. In particular, the trapping potential is enantioselective for dielectric nanospheres, i.

The use of acupuncture for advanced cancer care: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aim: To assess the up-to-date evidence of acupuncture for the management of cancer-related and cancer treatment-related outcomes among people with advanced cancer.

Design: Systematic review with meta-analyses involving multidimensional outcomes.

Methods: The protocol of this systematic review has been registered in PROSPERO with the registration number CRD42020212982.

Generation of optical chirality patterns with plane waves, evanescent waves and surface plasmon waves.

We systematically investigate the generation of optical chirality patterns by applying the superposition of two waves in three scenarios, namely free-space plane waves, evanescent waves of totally reflected light at dielectric interface and propagating surface plasmon waves on a metallic surface. In each scenario, the general analytical solution of the optical chirality pattern is derived for different polarization states and propagating directions of the two waves. The analytical solutions are verified by numerical simulations.