With the widespread application of microwave technology in communication and medical fields, concerns regarding its biosafety, particularly the effects on the central nervous system, have increased. The brain is considered a sensitive target organ for microwave radiation; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying microwave-induced cognitive impairment remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 4.3 GHz microwave radiation at different power densities on spatial learning and memory in mice, and to identify key molecular changes in the hippocampus associated with cognitive impairment. Mice (male, C57BL/6N) were exposed to 4.3 GHz microwave radiation at power densities of 10 or 30 mW/cm2 for 30 min. Spatial learning and memory abilities were assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM). The hippocampal structure was assessed by HE staining at multiple time points following microwave exposure. Integrated RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) and 4D-data-independent acquisition (4D-DIA) analyses of the hippocampus were performed at 6 h after microwave exposure, and differentially expressed molecules were selected and validated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). The 4.3 GHz microwave exposure significantly prolonged escape latency in the MWM, indicating impaired spatial learning or navigation ability. Histological examination revealed transient neuronal damage in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions. Multi-omics analysis and subsequent validation revealed molecular alterations. Following microwave radiation, the expression of synaptic plasticity-related genes Arc and Ebf3 was significantly upregulated. At the protein level, significant downregulation was observed for Protein sidekick-2 and IQGAP1, while WNK3 was significantly upregulated. In summary, 4.3 GHz microwave exposure impaired spatial learning or navigation ability, accompanied by structural damage in the hippocampus and molecular alterations in synaptic plasticity-related pathways. Arc, Ebf3, Protein sidekick-2, WNK3, and IQGAP1 might serve as candidate molecules for understanding and mitigating microwave-induced cognitive deficits.
This study investigated the effects of microwave puffing-induced soy protein structural modification on the dynamic changes in physicochemical properties and umami formation during soybean paste fermentation. The results indicated that optimal microwave puffing (400 W, 90 s) disrupts protein non-covalent bonds, depolymerizes protein aggregates, exposes the internal hydrophobic groups to enhance surface hydrophobicity, forms a loose porous structure, and creates favorable conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis during soybean paste fermentation. Conversely, excessive treatment (400 W, >90 s) induced protein re-aggregation and inhibited proteolysis, as confirmed by SEM. Furthermore, microwave puffing (400 W, 90 s) promoted Aspergillus oryzae growth and protease activity, and significantly improved physicochemical properties of soybean paste, including lower pH and higher contents of total acid (5.8%), amino acid nitrogen (11.8%), small peptides (13.3%), and reducing sugars (14.95%) (p < 0.05), plus a brighter, redder color. LC-MS/MS revealed microwave puffing (400 W, 90 s) reshaped the peptide profile of soybean paste, increasing the relative abundance of the umami amino acids (Glu, Asp) and sweet amino acid (Ala) and decreasing proportions of the bitter amino acids in the peptides. Sensory and electronic tongue analyses confirmed enhanced umami and weaker bitterness and saltiness. These findings demonstrate that microwave puffing (400 W, 90 s) effectively improves the quality and flavor characteristics of soybean paste, providing technical support for high-quality fermented soybean products.
Axillary Lymph Nodes (ALNs) can be affected by breast cancer, and the number of affected ALNs is a determinant factor in breast cancer staging. Microwave imaging (MWI) has emerged as a promising technique for ALN assessment, addressing limitations in conventional imaging modalities. This study investigates, for the first time, the classification of ALNs and axillary regions from microwave signals, without image reconstruction. Classification is performed considering realistic morphological characteristics of ALNs reported in the literature and is based solely on geometric differences, which differ from targets previously explored in microwave-based classification studies. Eighty ALN numerical models were mathematically generated based on state-of-the-art anatomical descriptions. Microwave signals were simulated for three scenarios of different complexity, involving one and two ALNs, representing healthy and metastasised conditions. The methodology evaluated multiple combinations of signal types, feature extraction methods, and classifiers, including scenarios with multiple targets, reflecting clinically relevant axillary conditions and limited angular views inherent to axillary imaging. Classification accuracy reached 95% for single-ALN scenarios using kNN, while more complex two-ALN cases achieved accuracies up to 83.3% using SVM. These results demonstrate the potential of microwave signal-based classification to differentiate healthy and metastasised ALNs and axillary regions, supporting future integration with MWI image interpretation.
Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery for symptomatic benign thyroid nodules, but most outcome data originates from East Asian centres, and evidence from European and Middle Eastern populations is limited. We evaluated the 12-month volumetric response, safety and subgroup outcomes of microwave ablation in a Turkish cohort. In this single-centre retrospective cohort, 180 consecutive patients with cytologically benign thyroid nodules and complete follow-up underwent ultrasound-guided microwave ablation between January 2019 and May 2025. Thyroid nodule volume was measured by ultrasound at baseline and at 3, 6 and 12 months; volume reduction rate was the primary outcome. Change over time was assessed with repeated-measures analysis of variance (volume) and the Friedman test (volume reduction rate). Mean volume of benign thyroid nodules fell from 10.29 ± 4.15 to 2.86 ± 1.23 cm3 (F = 999.7, p < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.848). The median volume reduction rate rose from 40.9% at 3 months to 62.5% at 6 months and 72.6% at 12 months (p < 0.001). All patients reached ⩾50% volume reduction rate by 6 months, and 65.6% reached ⩾70% by 12 months. Outcomes were independent of sex and baseline volume. No major complications occurred, and 80.6% reported complete symptom resolution. Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation achieved substantial and safe 12-month volume reduction in benign thyroid nodules, supporting it as a viable alternative to thyroidectomy in carefully selected patients.
Rubusoside is the major sweet bioactive compound in Rubus chingii var. suavissimus (S.K.Lee) L.T.Lu, characterized by high sweetness, low caloric value, and favorable safety, with potential applications as a natural sweeteners and in functional foods. However, efficient green extraction technologies and their mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. Here, a microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent (DES) system was developed for rubusoside recovery. The ternary DES composed of choline chloride, 1,2-propylene glycol, and 1,3-butanediol (1:2:2) showed the best performance and outperformed microwave-assisted water extraction. Response surface methodology identified optimal conditions of 33% moisture content, a liquid-solid ratio of 21 mL/g, 6 min, and 320 W, yielding 7.89 ± 0.25% rubusoside. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, electrostatic potential, atoms-in-molecules theory, and independent gradient modelling based on Hirshfeld partition analyses revealed significant non-covalent interactions between the ternary DES and rubusoside. Scanning electron microscopy showed that DES and microwave treatment synergistically disrupted plant tissues and enhanced mass transfer. LX-28 macroporous resin enabled rubusoside separation, and the recovered DES retained stable performance after five reuse cycles. These results demonstrate a green, efficient, and recyclable strategy driven by cooperative hydrogen bonding and van der Waals interactions between the ternary DES and the rubusoside glycosyl moiety, together with DES-microwave-induced tissue disruption and mass-transfer enhancement.
Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nanoalumina (nano-Al2O3) have each been studied separately in asphalt binders, but whether their combined thermal gain translates into microwave-induced healing at the mixture scale remains unestablished. This study aimed to evaluate, through a multiscale approach, their combined incorporation into a polymeric asphalt binder modified with 4% styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), focusing on mechanical performance and microwave-induced healing. Binders with 0 to 6% hybrid nanomaterial (50:50) were characterized structurally, chemically, rheologically, and thermally, and mixtures were evaluated for rutting, four-point bending fatigue, and microwave heating and healing. A content of 2.3% was selected from rheological and thermal criteria. At this content, the mixture heating rate rose from 0.18 to 0.41 °C/s (127.8%) and rut depth decreased by 22.1%. The nanomodified binder reduced the top-to-bottom Jnr3.2 gradient from over 250% to 56-59%, indicating improved storage compatibility rather than complete stability. Fatigue life at 250 μm/m decreased by 53.7%. Despite this, healing increased by 9.6% in dynamic modulus recovery and 61.9% in fatigue healing index. Overall, hybrid nanomodification improved resistance to permanent deformation and microwave-induced healing, clarifying their combined effect, although the fatigue penalty requires further investigation.
This study investigates the processing temperature characteristics and etching behavior of fused silica using an atmospheric pressure microwave plasma jet. The temperature distribution within the processing region was measured in real time via infrared thermography. The effects of microwave input power, argon flow rate, and CF4 flow rate on the processing temperature were systematically examined using a single-factor approach. Experimental results reveal a strong positive correlation between the plasma temperature and microwave power. The temperature initially rises and then declines with increasing argon flow, peaking at 3 slm, while it increases and eventually stabilizes with higher CF4 flow. Fixed-point etching demonstrates that the etching rate increases with rising processing temperature. Furthermore, heat accumulation during prolonged dwell time leads to a nonlinear increase in the removal rate. This effect can be effectively mitigated by employing a multi-segment processing strategy, enabling more stable and controllable material removal. The effectiveness of this processing method has also been verified on a fused quartz sub-mirror.
Complex perovskite oxides with mixed cation occupancy are important class of functional materials, offering tunability for microwave dielectric properties, ferroelectricity, and magnetism. In despite of their significant utility, the correlation between different hierarchical levels of cation ordering, ranging from macroscopic domains to atomic-scale clusters, remains elusive, impeding optimization and rational design of high-performance ceramics. Here, a comprehensive multiscale characterization route is established to quantify ordering in a model 1:2 B-site-ordered microwave dielectric system, Ba[(Co0.6- x /2Zn0.4- x /2Mgx)1/3Nb2/3]O3. By integrating multiscale characterization techniques, the evolution of ordering is tracked from the micrometer to the sub-angstrom level. Significant lattice strain is observed within the ordered domains, which is strongly correlated with the specific arrangement of B-site cations. The concentration of oxygen vacancies increases with increasing annealing temperature. Local chemical fluctuations, specifically the compositional variability of multiple cations and Mg disorder, are also identified. Collectively, these three factors disrupt the translational symmetry of the lattice. They act as exceptionally strong phonon scattering centers that significantly shorten the phonon lifetime, ultimately affecting the performance. This work provides a possible path for future optimization and design of dielectric properties through manipulating chemical ordering, point defects, and lattice strain within ordered domains in complex perovskite microwave dielectric ceramics systems.
The aim of this study was to optimize ultrasonic-microwave cooperative extraction (UMCE) conditions for flavonoids from Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) and to evaluate the antioxidant activities of the purified flavonoid compounds. Using a Box-Behnken design for the experimental study, the influence of each variable on yield was determined, and the optimal conditions for the extraction of these compounds were discovered. The optimal parameters for maximum yield were determined to be 160 W ultrasonic power, 630 W microwave power, 68 °C temperature, 40 min, 57% ethanol and 1:20 ratio of solid to liquid. The primary flavonoids present were hesperidin (13.99 mg/g), nobiletin (4.02 mg/g) and tangeretin (3.80 mg/g). The antioxidant test results showed that hesperidin had greater antioxidant activity than both nobiletin and tangeretin. Based on the results of this study, ultrasonic-microwave cooperative extraction was shown to be an effective approach for enhancing flavonoid recovery from CRP. These findings provide useful insights into the extraction and antioxidant properties of CRP flavonoids and may contribute to the future development of value-added applications of CRP resources.
Lignite-derived activated carbon (L-AC) was fabricated via a microwave-assisted KOH activation process using a low-rank Mae Moh lignite and explored its potential as an adsorbent solid for post-combustion CO2 capture. Optimization of the KOH ratio, microwave irradiation power, and activation time gave rise to a product with a BET surface area of 1349 m2 g-1 and total pore volume of 0.78 cm3 g-1, which represented 165 times and 78 times enhancement compared with that of the initial lignite, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images proved the formation of a hierarchical macropore-mesopore-micropore structure, whereas Raman (ID/IG = 1.83) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses revealed a graphitic-like structure rich in defects with the existence of C=O and C-O-C functional groups involved in the Lewis acid-base interaction between L-AC and CO2 molecules. Dynamic fixed-bed breakthrough tests performed at temperatures of 298, 328, and 353 K under post-combustion relevant conditions (CO2 concentration: 15%, pressure: 1 atm) yielded CO2 equilibrium uptake capacities of 47.34, 34.37, and 21.34 mg g-1, respectively, with outstanding cyclic stability achieved after six consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles of temperature swing adsorption-desorption at 393 K. Among the seven nonlinear kinetic models, the Avrami, FL-PFO, and general-order models exhibited the highest fitting accuracy (R2 = 0.9994-0.9998), suggesting that CO2 adsorption onto L-AC proceeds through heterogeneous, multi-stage adsorption kinetics. A Weber-Morris intra-particle diffusion analysis identified a three-stage sequential transport mechanism in which mesopore diffusion constitutes the primary rate-limiting step. Thermodynamic parameters confirmed spontaneous (ΔG° = -24.20 to -26.87 kJ mol-1), exothermic (ΔH° = -9.42 kJ mol-1), and entropy-assisted adsorption (ΔS° = +49.93 J mol-1 K-1) consistent with a physisorption mechanism, corroborated by a low activation energy of 9.11 kJ mol-1. These findings demonstrate the viability of low-rank lignite as a low-cost precursor for the scalable synthesis of high-performance carbonaceous CO2 adsorbents for post-combustion capture applications.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation (MWA) are established local therapies for early-stage and selected intermediate-stage HCC, but their efficacy is limited by heat-sink-related underheating, uncertain margin delineation, and post-ablation microenvironmental remodeling that favors residual disease and recurrence. This review summarizes nanotechnology-assisted strategies designed to improve RFA/MWA for HCC. We focus on nanoplatforms that enhance energy deposition, support image-guided margin assessment, and modulate post-ablation immune and metabolic responses, while critically appraising clinical feasibility, safety, and translational barriers. Nanomaterials can improve thermal sensitization by increasing local energy absorption, heat retention, cavitation, vascular occlusion, or microwave coupling, thereby reducing incomplete ablation. Imaging-enabled platforms based on magnetic resonance, computed tomography, ultrasound, fluorescence, or positron emission tomography can help identify residual viable tumor and define ablation margins. Immunomodulatory platforms further amplify immunogenic cell death, antigen capture, stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling, checkpoint blockade, myeloid reprogramming, metabolic remodeling, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition suppression, potentially converting transient local inflammation into more durable antitumor immunity. Nanotechnology should be viewed as a functional enhancer of RFA/MWA rather than an independent ablation modality. Translation requires procedure-compatible and image-guided delivery, integration with transarterial chemoembolization or immunotherapy, biomarker-based patient selection, standardized margin-assessment endpoints, recurrence-free survival outcomes, and rigorous safety/manufacturing evaluation.
Corn gluten meal (CGM) is an underutilized byproduct with rigid structure, which limits efficient peptide release during enzymatic hydrolysis. While microwave pretreatment can disrupt the rigid CGM matrix and enhance peptide release, this study investigated how downstream gastrointestinal modification and transport behavior ultimately influence the functional fate of the enzymatically liberated peptide sequences. Enzymatic hydrolysis of microwave-pretreated CGM led to a 3.3-fold increase in peptide yield while maintaining angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity at a level comparable to that of the untreated CGM hydrolysate. From this digest, the purified peptide DVPSADAPAAAV (DV-12) exhibited potent in vitro ACE inhibition (IC₅₀ = 57 μM). Simulated gastrointestinal digestion partially hydrolyzed DV-12 to DVPSADAPAAA (DA-11), a minor structural modification that was overestimated by in silico digestion models yet resulted in a substantial reduction in ACE-inhibitory potency. Kinetic analysis and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that this truncation fundamentally altered peptide-ACE interactions: DV-12 (Kᵢ = 8 μM) maintained more stable coordination near the ACE Zn2+ catalytic center, whereas DA-11 displayed substantially weaker binding (Kᵢ = 1.06 mM). In Caco-2 monolayers, both peptides crossed the epithelial barrier at low rates, with apparent permeability coefficients of 9.96 × 10-8 and 8.23 × 10-8 cm·s-1 for DV-12 and DA-11, respectively, while unabsorbed peptide fractions, particularly DV-12, concurrently reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species. These findings demonstrated that increasing peptide yield alone does not guarantee preserved downstream functionality, as subtle structural modifications occurring during digestion and transport toward absorption could markedly alter peptide bioactivity and should therefore be considered in the development of functional food ingredients.
The conversion of waste textiles into valuable products is an effective route to mitigate low-value solid waste accumulation and recover energy. In this work, nickel and potassium were introduced into textile waste via an impregnation method, and their roles in microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis were investigated with a focus on hydrogen production. The results show that co-loading 1 wt.% Ni and 0.4 wt.% K significantly enhances gas formation, with a total gas yield of 67.47% and a hydrogen yield of 52.57 mmol/g. Hydrogen production was markedly improved compared with the untreated textiles, the physical mixing methods, and the conventional pyrolysis. Structural characterization by XRD and SEM mapping confirmed that K addition effectively suppressed the agglomeration of Ni species. FTIR analysis suggests that a synergistic catalytic effect between K and Ni promotes the conversion of macromolecular components into smaller gaseous products. The improved hydrogen production can be associated with the combined effect of enhanced Ni dispersion and promoted decomposition reactions. This work provides new insights into the design of alkali-promoted Ni catalysts for efficient hydrogen production from textile waste under microwave pyrolysis conditions.
Superconducting resonators integrated with germanium (Ge) quantum wells (QWs) offer a promising platform for hybrid quantum devices. Yet, in the most common heterostructure architectures, they have so far been limited by sizable photon losses. Here, we report the fabrication and characterization of microwave resonators patterned in the aluminum (Al) thin film of an in-situ grown superconductor/semiconductor hybrid heterostructure (HS). The semiconductor part of this hybrid HS is grown on a commercial Ge substrate. We consistently achieve internal quality factors Q i > 1000, surpassing previous results on Ge QW heterostructures grown using the concept of a virtual Ge substrate on silicon (Si) substrates. We reach Q i ≈ 49,000 at single-photon occupation and a plateau of Q i ≈ 20,000 at sub-one photon, an order of magnitude larger than any previously reported value of resonators on Ge QW structures at low power. We further characterize the thin Al film forming the resonator, extracting its kinetic inductance and superconducting gap, and studying its magnetic field dependence. Notably, the resonance remains well-defined up to in-plane magnetic fields of 850 mT. A hysteresis emerges in the out-of-plane magnetic field dependence, for both the resonance frequency and the quality factor, indicating an interesting interplay between vortex-and quasiparticle loss mechanisms.
A derivatization-free method for the simultaneous quantification of seven monosaccharides, including the labile sialic acid, in human serum was developed using microwave-assisted trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) hydrolysis coupled with high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD). Single-factor experiments and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) identified optimal hydrolysis conditions of 105 °C, 30 min, and 1.37 M TFA. These parameters achieved efficient release of fucose, galactosamine, glucosamine, galactose, glucose, and mannose while limiting loss of the labile sialic acid. The method was characterized on 10 μL fasting serum using a CarboPac PA10 column (30 °C) with a sodium acetate/sodium hydroxide gradient and quadruple-potential PAD waveform. Reproducibility was good (peak-area RSD < 5%, n = 4). Chromatographic separation resolved all seven monosaccharides, with near-baseline resolution and partial co-elution among galactose, glucose, and mannose. Proof-of-concept application to a clinical stroke cohort (47 acute ischaemic stroke [AIS], 50 intracerebral haemorrhage [ICH], and 51 matched healthy controls) confirmed distinct monosaccharide profiles: sialic acid and fucose were elevated in both AIS and ICH relative to healthy controls but disproportionately greater in AIS, while galactose, mannose, and glucosamine were elevated in both stroke subtypes. Serum mannose correlated with MRI-defined infarct volume (R2 = 0.543, P = 0.003), and retrospective analysis of 70 conventional laboratory tests confirmed that none differentiated AIS from ICH. This micro-volume, high-throughput platform overcomes longstanding limitations of existing glycan analysis methods and provides a promising basis for clinical chemistry and biomarker studies and a substrate for downstream multivariate glycomic analyses.
Microwave ablation (MWA) has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to surgery for selected patients with low-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). While thyroid autoimmunity is frequently observed in PTC, the impact of preoperative thyroid autoantibodies (TAb) on post-ablation absorption kinetics remains unclear. This retrospective study included 150 patients with PTC who underwent MWA between December 2019 and December 2024 with a median follow-up of 18 months (range: 6-54 months). Patients were categorized according to preoperative thyroid autoantibody status. Volume reduction rate, complete absorption rate, tumor recurrence rate, incidence of new nodules, and thyroid function were evaluated during follow-up. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to assess factors associated with time to complete absorption. During follow-up, ablation zone volume gradually decreased in all patients, but absorption was significantly slower in TAb-positive patients. The TAb-positive group exhibited a longer median time to complete absorption than the TAb-negative group (median: 30 vs. 19 months; log-rank p = 0.01). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that preoperative thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) positivity, but not thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) positivity, was significantly associated with delayed absorption. TgAb positivity remained independently associated in multivariate Cox analysis (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.27; 95% confidence interval: 0.09-0.78; p = 0.015). No malignant recurrence occurred. TPOAb-positive patients showed a higher incidence of newly detected benign nodules. Thyroid function remained stable throughout follow-up. Preoperative TgAb positivity is associated with delayed absorption of the ablation zone after MWA for PTC without compromising treatment completeness.
Microwave (MW)-assisted catalytic pyrolysis offers a promising pathway for efficient plastic upcycling. This work develops an integrated modeling framework combining dynamic data reconciliation, a temperature-dependent rate model, and a yield model to represent the time-varying production rate of components in MW-assisted LDPE pyrolysis conducted in a batch reactor. An Arrhenius-type rate model with a temperature-dependent reaction order is developed. A biexponential correlation is proposed for the yield of gaseous products that enables to capture the evolving product formation behavior during conversion. In the yield correlation, one term is used to represent the initial increase in yield, reflecting the rapid formation of intermediate or primary products at the early stages of the reaction when a larger fraction of the reactant remains available. As conversion progresses, the influence of this term gradually diminishes. The other term accounts for the subsequent decrease in the predicted yield, representing secondary reactions such as further cracking or coke formation that reduce the concentration of certain products at higher conversion. The model is found to accurately represent reconciled experimental flow rate profiles from an in-house MW-assisted catalytic batch reactor for major products, including ethylene, ethane, 1-butene, and benzene, across 250-350 °C. Ethylene remains the dominant product but decreases from about 41.95% at 250 °C to 30.14% at 350 °C, while heavier products increase significantly, with 1-butene rising to nearly 8.37% and benzene reaching 2.17% at intermediate temperatures. The model shows that the ethylene production rate can be maximized at around 270 °C. The models developed in this work can be utilized for process optimization, reactor design and scale-up of microwave-assisted plastic conversion technologies, and economic analysis.
Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, aggressive pediatric malignancy, and optimal management remains challenging because most patients present with metastatic disease, and evidence guiding multimodal treatment is limited. We retrospectively reviewed 11 children with DSRCT treated at our institution between 2000 and 2023. Demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment modalities-including neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical resection, and intraoperative microwave ablation (MWA)-and outcomes were analyzed. Tumor burden was assessed using the Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI), and survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The median age at diagnosis was 11.6 years (male-to-female ratio, 2.6:1). Primary tumors were abdominopelvic (45.5%), pelvic (36.4%), or abdominal (18.2%). Lymphadenopathy occurred in 91% of patients, and 55% had extranodal metastases, predominantly hepatic. After chemotherapy, all patients underwent surgery: complete resection (R0) in 3, partial excision in 8, and intraoperative MWA for liver metastases in 2. The median follow-up was 26 months. The 5-year overall and event-free survival rates were 47% and 30%, respectively, and R0 resection was strongly associated with disease-free survival. Aggressive surgical cytoreduction remains central to improving outcomes in pediatric DSRCT. Intraoperative MWA may be a safe adjunct for selected patients with hepatic metastases. PCI appears useful for quantifying tumor burden, although validation in larger cohorts is warranted.
To evaluate whether adjunctive citrus flavonoids are associated with improved venous haemodynamics and short-term outcomes after endovenous microwave ablation (EMA) for great saphenous vein varicosis (GSVV) in a retrospective cohort. This single-centre retrospective cohort study included 254 patients with GSVV treated between January 2022 and July 2025. Patients were grouped according to the actual treatment received: EMA alone (n=126) or EMA plus micronised purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF; n=128). In the combination group, MPFF was administered at 1000 mg twice daily (2000 mg/day) for 2 weeks; this was twice the usual approved dose for venolymphatic insufficiency. The primary outcome was overall clinical response at 2 weeks. Secondary outcomes included Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), Aberdeen Varicose Vein Questionnaire (AVVQ), Chronic Venous Insufficiency Questionnaire (CIVIQ), venous haemodynamic parameters, exploratory endothelial biomarkers (endothelin-1, nitric oxide, and circulating endothelial cells), treatment-related adverse events, and 6-month ultrasound findings. Compared with EMA alone, adjunctive MPFF was associated with a higher overall clinical response and greater improvements in VCSS, AVVQ, and CIVIQ scores (all P<0.05). Mean and peak venous flow velocities improved more in the combination group (P<0.05). The combination group also showed lower endothelin-1 and circulating endothelial cell levels and higher nitric oxide levels after treatment (P<0.05). Recorded adverse events did not differ significantly between groups (P>0.05). At 6 months, the combination group showed a higher rate of complete occlusion and less residual reflux (P<0.05). In this retrospective cohort, adjunctive citrus flavonoids after EMA were associated with better early symptom scores, venous haemodynamic indices, and endothelial biomarker profiles without a detected increase in recorded adverse events. Because the study was observational and used a non-standard MPFF dose, these findings should be interpreted as associations rather than evidence of causality, proof of safety, or support for the 2000 mg/day regimen. Prospective randomised trials using approved dosing are needed for confirmation.
In this study, AA7068 aluminum matrix composites reinforced with TiB2/TiC were fabricated via mechanical alloying and microwave sintering to investigate the influence of reinforcement content and sintering temperature on microstructure, mechanical properties, and dry sliding wear. Mechanical alloying refined powders, reducing D50 from 51.5 µm (AA) to 22.5 µm (AC9) and enhancing dispersion and retention of TiB2/TiC particles. XRD confirmed α-Al as the dominant matrix phase, preserved TiB2 and TiC phases, and limited MgAl2O4/ZnAl2O4 spinel formation. Crystallite refinement and increased lattice microstrain were observed with the addition of reinforcement. Microhardness increased with reinforcement content and sintering temperature, reaching 122.2 HV0.05 in AC9-2. At the same time, the highest compressive strength was observed in AC6-2 (431.05 MPa), indicating that optimal load-bearing depends on densification and interfacial integrity rather than hardness alone. AC9-2 exhibited the best wear resistance, with a cumulative specific wear rate of 2.723 × 10-4 mm3/Nm over 1000 m. SEM-EDS analysis revealed oxide-rich tribolayers, mechanically mixed layers, TiB2/TiC fragments, and Fe-rich third-body debris, indicating wear is predominantly hardness-controlled but strongly influenced by microstructural factors. Overall, TiB2/TiC hybrid reinforcement improves AA7068 wear resistance through combined hard-particle load-bearing, reduced penetration, tribolayer stability, and third-body effects, offering insight for high-performance hybrid aluminum composites.