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Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) can achieve durable responses in a subset of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (aUC). The use of tumor genomic profiling in clinical practice may help suggest biomarkers to identify patients most likely to benefit from ICI.Methods We undertook a retrospective analysis of patients treated with an ICI for aUC at a large academic medical center. Patient clinical and histopathological variables were collected. Responses to treatment were assessed for all patients with at least one post-baseline scan or clear evidence of clinical progression following treatment start. Genomic profiling information was also collected for patients when available. Associations between patient clinical/genomic characteristics and objective response were assessed by logistic regression; associations between the characteristics and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were examined by Cox regression. Multivariable analyses were performed to identify independent prognostic factors.Results We identified 119 aUC patients treated with an ICI from December 2014 to January 2020. Genomic profiling was available for 78 patients. Overall response rate to ICI was 29%, and median OS (mOS) was 13.4 months. Favorable performance status at the start of therapy was associated with improved OS (HR 0.46, p=0.025) after accounting for other covariates. Similarly, the presence of a TERT promoter mutation was an independent predictor of improved PFS (HR 0.38, p=0.012) and OS (HR 0.32, p=0.037) among patients who had genomic profiling available. Patients with both a favorable performance status and a TERT promoter mutation had a particularly good prognosis with mOS of 21.1 months as compared with 7.5 months in all other patients (p=0.03).Conclusions The presence of a TERT promoter mutation was an independent predictor of improved OS in a cohort of aUC patients treated with an ICI who had genomic data available. Most of the clinical and laboratory variables previously shown to be prognostic in aUC patients treated with chemotherapy did not have prognostic value among patients treated with an ICI. Genomic profiling may provide important prognostic information and affect clinical decision making in this patient population. Validation of these findings in prospective patient cohorts is needed.

In this study, the production of titanium powder via hydrogen reduction of titanium tetrachloride by inductively coupled radio frequency plasma was investigated. While titanium tetrachloride is hard to be reduced by hydrogen thermodynamically, dissociated hydrogen radical which formed from hydrogen gas passing through the plasma can react with titanium tetrachloride to form hydrochloric acid and subsequently produce titanium. The frequency of generator used in this experiment was 13.56 MHz and input power was varied. The characteristics of the powder such as powder size, size distribution, and phases were analyzed with x-ray diffractometer, field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer and transmission electron microscope. The deposited height of titanium powders, after 4 minutes reaction, were 4.004 μm and loosely attached that could be easily collected. The morphology of powders was found to be more spherical with the increase in applied input power. Most of the powders were composed of titanium and oxygen. The average diameter of powders was approximately 200 nm.

Fetal rhabdomyomas are a rare neoplasm composed of immature striated muscle cells that resemble rhabdomesenchymal cells during weeks 6-10 of embryogenesis. This tumor, though well-described in many anatomic locations, is most commonly found in the head and neck region. We report a case that highlights the difficulty in diagnosing a fetal rhabdomyoma in the lacrimal gland of a 56 year old woman. This case report gives an overview of this rare neoplasm, detailing the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment.

This study aimed to investigate the growth characteristics of Sageretia thea and analyze the correlations between soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities in its native habitats. Soil physicochemical properties were characterized by organic matter (0.37–36.43%), available phosphate (57.96–315.90 mg/kg), potassium (0.11–1.17 cmol+kg−1), calcium (1.23–25.97 cmol+kg−1), magnesium (0.43–15.01 cmol+kg−1), sodium (0.04–6.16 cmol+kg−1), and pH (4.68–7.05), indicating slightly acidic to neutral conditions. S. thea exhibited variable growth characteristics across habitats; leaf length and width were largest in Jangnam-ri and Hacka-ri, respectively, whereas Docheong-ri promoted higher fruit growth. The soil microbial community composition was dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria at the phylum level (76.09%) and by Alphaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria_c, and Vicinamibacter_c at the class level (40%). Soil physicochemical properties were significantly correlated with Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi at the phylum level, and all microbial groups except Spartobacteria at the class level. Furthermore, growth characteristics were significantly correlated with all microbial communities except Acidobacteria and Firmicutes at the phylum level, and Acidobacteria, Thermoleophilia, and Rubrobacteria at the class level. These findings provide a foundation for developing efficient cultivation techniques for S. thea based on its soil microbiome and habitat conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structurally flexible organic porous molecular arrays are promising for the development of vapochromic materials with superior detection performance. Exploring the photophysical control of vapochromic materials using these molecular arrays is important for the design of new vapochromic materials. However, difficulties arise in the formation and control of organic porous molecular arrays owing to weak and less‐oriented noncovalent forces and their tendency to arrange into energetically preferred high‐density configurations. Herein, an efficient strategy is presented to control molecular arrays by manipulating the shapes of donor–acceptor–donor system‐based molecular building blocks using positional isomerism and report on the correlation between controlled molecular arrays and vapochromic behavior. Depending on their shape (Z‐shaped, quasi‐Z‐shaped, or linear shape), the building blocks formed different molecular arrays that controlled the intermolecular interactions and void volumes. This led to differences in the final microstructural morphologies. Consequently, they exhibited different vapochromic behaviors, and an in‐depth understanding of the correlation between the molecular arrays and vapochromism/vapofluorochromism is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probabilistic evaluation of the internal pressure capacity before excessive leakage is essential for ensuring preemptive response in case of a severe accident in a prestressed concrete containment vessel (PCCV) subjected to internal pressure in a nuclear power plant. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a fragility analysis to evaluate the probabilistic internal pressure capacity for damage states before excessive leakage. Three damage states were classified, and a finite element (FE) model was developed based on the experimental test results of a 1 : 4 scale PCCV under the overpressurization condition at Sandia National Laboratory. The three damage states were determined as the onset of inelastic behavior (DS1), onset of leakage (DS2), and excessive leakage (DS3). Fragility analysis was performed using a validated FE model to consider uncertainties in material properties and prestressing force. The Latin hypercube sampling method was used to perform uncertainty quantification, and normality tests verified that the samples exhibited normal distributions. The internal pressure capacity variability in DS1 and DS2 was higher than that in DS3. DS1 is the point at which the compressive deformation caused by the prestressing force was converted into tensile deformation because of the increase in the internal pressure, which resulted in tensile concrete cracking. Furthermore, DS2 is the state in which localized damage of the liner occurred and cracks in the concrete spread. Thus, the internal pressure capacity for DS1 and DS2 exhibited high variability because of the uncertainty of the prestressing force and material properties. Moreover, the median capabilities of DS1, DS2, and DS3 were ~1.85, 2.61, and 3.45 times the design pressure, respectively. Therefore, material and structural uncertainties in nuclear power plants should be appropriately considered, and a conservative assessment of the damage state before excessive leakage should be performed for preemptive response in the case of severe accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]