Treatment Patterns and Clinical Outcomes Among Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer Harboring Homologous Recombination Repair Mutations.

BACKGROUND: There is currently limited literature assessing the real-world treatment patterns and clinical outcomes of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and homologous recombination repair (HRR) mutations. METHODS: Medical charts were abstracted for mCRPC patients with ≥ 1 of 12 HRR somatic gene alterations treated at US oncology centers participating in the American Association for Cancer Research Project Genomics Evidence Neoplasia Information Exchange. Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes were assessed from the initiation of first-line or later (1L+) mCRPC therapy received on or after July 1, 2014. RESULTS: Among 138 patients included in the study, the most common somatic HRR mutations were CDK12 (47.8%), BRCA2 (22.5%), and ATM (21.0%). Novel hormonal therapy and taxane chemotherapy were most commonly used in 1L; taxane use increased in later lines. Median overall survival (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 36.3 (30.7-47.8) months from initiation of 1L therapy and decreased for subsequent lines. Similarly, there was a trend of decreasing progression-free survival and prostate-specific antigen response from 1L to 4L+ therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment patterns identified in this study were similar to those among patients with mCRPC regardless of tumor HRR mutation status in the literature.

Progression of lower and higher-order aberrations: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of near-work on lower and higher-order aberrations, and its progression over a 9-month period during the school year. METHODS: Data from 24 young-adult myopic eyes, and 24 non-myopic eyes were used in this investigation. The lower-order aberrations, coma, spherical aberration (SA), and total root mean square (RMS) of higher order aberrations (total HOA) were measured using an open-field iTrace aberrometer, at both the initial baseline evaluation, and then at the follow-up visits over a 9-month period. Pupil size of 4 mm was used for the aberration measurements. RESULTS: The group mean (SD) of the subjects (mean age: 23.6 +/- 3.4 years) at the initial and follow-up visit was 0.47D (0.47D) and 0.31D (0.41D), in the non-myopes and -3.58D (2.08D) and -3.86D (2.14D) in the myopes, respectively. Significant increases in myopic refraction were observed. The group mean (SD) total HOA at the initial and final visit was 0.12 (0.08) and 0.11 (0.06) microns, in the non-myopes, and 0.15 (0.08) and 0.15 (0.08) microns, in the myopes, respectively. The group mean RMS of the coma at the initial and final visit was 0.06 (0.04) and 0.07 (0.05), in the non-myopes, and 0.08 (0.06) and 0.09 (0.06) microns, in the myopes, respectively. The group mean SA of the subjects at the initial and last visit was 0.04 (0.04) and 0.03 (0.03), in the non-myopes, and 0.04 (0.04) and 0.04 (0.04) microns, in the myopes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant difference in myopic refraction, over the 9-month assessment period. However, no significant difference in total HOA, SA, and coma between the initial and follow-up visits in both the myopes and the non-myopes was observed.

InAs/GaAsSb quantum dot solar cells.

The hybrid structure of GaAs/GaAsSb quantum well (QW)/InAs quantum dots solar cells (QDSCs) is analyzed using power-dependent and temperature-dependent photoluminescence. We demonstrate that placing the GaAsSb QW beneath the QDs forms type-II characteristics that initiate at 12% Sb composition. Current density-voltage measurements demonstrate a decrease in power efficiency with increasing Sb composition. This could be attributed to increased valence band potential in the GaAsSb QW that subsequently limits hole transportation in the QD region. To reduce the confinement energy barrier, a 2 nm GaAs wall is inserted between GaAsSb QW and InAs QDs, leading to a 23% improvement in power efficiency for QDSCs.