The Development and Atomic Structure of Zinc Oxide Crystals Grown within Polymers from Vapor Phase Precursors.

Sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS), also known as vapor phase infiltration (VPI), is a quickly expanding technique that allows growth of inorganic materials within polymers from vapor phase precursors. With an increasing materials library, which encompasses numerous organometallic precursors and polymer chemistries, and an expanding application space, the importance of understanding the mechanisms that govern SIS growth is ever increasing. In this work, we studied the growth of polycrystalline ZnO clusters and particles in three representative polymers: poly(methyl methacrylate), SU-8, and polymethacrolein using vapor phase diethyl zinc and water. Utilizing two atomic resolution methods, high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we probed the evolution of ZnO nanocrystals size and crystallinity level inside the polymers with advancing cycles─from early nucleation and growth after a single cycle, through the formation of nanometric particles within the films, and to the coalescence of the particles upon polymer removal and thermal treatment. Through in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and microgravimetry, we highlight the important role of water molecules throughout the process and the polymers' hygroscopic level that leads to the observed differences in growth patterns between the polymers, in terms of particle size, dispersity, and the evolution of crystalline order. These insights expand our understanding of crystalline materials growth within polymers and enable rational design of hybrid materials and polymer-templated inorganic nanostructures.

The Active Tumor Vaccination in Combination With CDK4/6 Inhibitor Treatment: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Current standard treatment for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) involves cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors with endocrine therapy, showing potential in enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. CASE REPORT: This report details a clinical case of MBC where palbociclib was co-administered with letrozole. The integration of allogeneic tumor vaccination to this treatment led to heightened interferon-γ production, expansion of CD8+ and NK cell populations, and positive delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions, indicating successful development of anti-tumor immunity. The induced production of interferon-γ by tumor vaccination was associated with manageable modulation of sensitivity to palbociclib-letrozole therapy. Administration of the BioNTech/Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine compromised the anti-tumor immune response by reducing cytotoxic cell populations and increasing immunosuppressive cytokine production. The patient undergoing combined treatment achieved a progressive-free survival of 42 months. CONCLUSION: Incorporating active tumor vaccination with CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy presents a feasible approach for metastatic breast cancer. The precise regulation of the microenvironment emerges as a crucial factor and warrants careful consideration.

Clinical and genetic characteristics of carriers of the TP53 c.541C > T, p.Arg181Cys pathogenic variant causing hereditary cancer in patients of Arab-Muslim descent.

TP53 pathogenic variants cause Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS), with some variants causing an attenuated phenotype. Herein, we describe the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of carriers of NM_000546.6 (TP53): c.541C > T, (p.Arg181Cys) treated at Hadassah Medical Center. We retrospectively examined our genetic databases to identify all carriers of TP53 p.Arg181Cys. We reached out to carriers and their relatives and collected clinical and demographic data, lifestyle factors, carcinogenic exposures as well as additional blood samples for genetic testing and whole exome sequencing. Between 2005 and 2022 a total of 2875 cancer patients underwent genetic testing using genetic panels, whole exome sequencing or targeted TP53 assays. A total of 30 cancer patients, all of Arab-Muslim descent, were found to be carriers of TP53 p.Arg181Cys, the majority from Jerusalem and Hebron, two of which were homozygous for the variant. Carriers were from 24 distinct families of them, 15 families (62.5%) met updated Chompret criteria for LFS. Median age of diagnosis was 35 years-old (range 1-69) with cancers characteristic of LFS (16 Breast cancer; 6 primary CNS tumors; 3 sarcomas) including 4 children with choroid plexus carcinoma, medulloblastoma, or glioblastoma. A total of 21 healthy carriers of TP53 p.Arg181Cys were identified at a median age of 39 years-old (range 2-54)-19 relatives and 2 additional pediatric non-cancer patients, in which the finding was incidental. We report a shared haplotype of 350kb among carriers, limited co-morbidities and low BMI in both cancer patients and healthy carriers. There were no demographic factors or carcinogenic exposures unique to carriers who developed malignancy. Upon exome analysis no other known pathogenic variants in cancer predisposing genes were identified. TP53 p.Arg181Cys is a founder pathogenic variant predominant to the Arab-Muslim population in Jerusalem and Hebron, causing attenuated-LFS. We suggest strict surveillance in established carriers and encourage referral to genetic testing for all cancer patients of Arab-Muslim descent in this region with LFS-associated malignancies as well as family members of established carriers.

The functional role of Nudt2 in human triple negative breast cancer.

The main known function of Nudix hydrolase 2 (Nudt2) is to hydrolyze the secondary messenger diadenosine 5', 5'''-p1, p4-tetraphosphate (Ap4A). In this study we examined the role of Nudt2 in breast carcinoma through its expression in human invasive ductal carcinoma tissues, and its functions in human triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. A significantly higher expression of Nudt2 was observed in human invasive ductal carcinoma tissues compared to that in normal breast tissue. Knockdown of Nudt2 in TNBC cell lines resulted in a significant reduction in cellular proliferation via the Ki67 marker, accompanied by G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest, in the migration and invasion of these cells and in tumorigenicity and anchorage-independent growth. It can therefore be concluded that Nudt2 plays a significant role in promoting TNBC growth.

A POT1 Founder Variant Associated with Early Onset Recurrent Melanoma and Various Solid Malignancies.

POT1 (Protection of Telomeres 1) is a key component of the six-membered shelterin complex that plays a critical role in telomere protection and length regulation. Germline variants in the POT1 gene have been implicated in predisposition to cancer, primarily to melanoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We report the identification of POT1 p.(I78T), previously ranked with conflicting interpretations of pathogenicity, as a founder pathogenic variant among Ashkenazi Jews (AJs) and describe its unique clinical landscape. A directed database search was conducted for individuals referred for genetic counselling from 2018 to 2023. Demographic, clinical, genetic, and pathological data were collected and analyzed. Eleven carriers, 25 to 67 years old, from ten apparently unrelated families were identified. Carriers had a total of 30 primary malignancies (range 1-6); nine carriers (82%) had recurrent melanoma between the ages of 25 and 63 years, three carriers (27%) had desmoid tumors, three (27%) had papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and five women (63% of female carriers) had breast cancer between the ages of 44 and 67 years. Additional tumors included CLL; sarcomas; endocrine tumors; prostate, urinary, and colorectal cancers; and colonic polyps. A review of a local exome database yielded an allelic frequency of the variant of 0.06% among all ethnicities and of 0.25% in AJs. A shared haplotype was found in all carriers tested. POT1 p.(I78T) is a founder disease-causing variant associated with early-onset melanoma and additional various solid malignancies with a high tumor burden. We advocate testing for this variant in high-risk patients of AJ descent. The inclusion of POT1 in germline panels for various types of cancer is warranted.

Building Semipermeable Films One Monomer at a Time: Structural Advantages via Molecular Layer Deposition vs Interfacial Polymerization.

Molecular layer deposition (MLD) provides the opportunity to perform condensation polymerization one vaporized monomer at a time for the creation of precise, selective nanofilms for desalination membranes. Here, we compare the structure, chemistry, and morphology of two types of commercial interfacial polymerzation (IP) membranes with lab-made MLD films. M-phenylenediamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) produced a cross-linked, aromatic polyamide often used in reverse osmosis membranes at MLD growth rates of 2.9 Å/cycle at 115 °C. Likewise, piperazine (PIP) and TMC formed polypiperazine amide, a common selective layer in nanofiltration membranes, with MLD growth rates of 1.5 Å/cycle at 115 °C. Ellipsometry and X-ray reflectivity results suggest that the surface of the MLD films is comprised of polymer segments roughly two monomers in length, which are connected at one end to the cross-linked bulk layer. As a result of this structure as well as the triple-functionality of TMC, MPD-TMC had a temperature window of stable growth rate from 115 to 150 °C, which is unlike any non-cross-linked MLD chemistries reported in the literature. Compared to IP films, corresponding MLD films were denser and morphologically conformal, which suggests a reduction in void volumes; this explains the high degree of salt rejection and reduced flux previously observed for exceptionally thin MPD-TMC MLD membranes. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy, MLD PIP-TMC films evidenced a completely cross-linked internal structure, which lacked amine and carboxyl groups, pointing to a hydrophobic bulk structure, ideal for optimized water flux. Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering showed broad features in each polyamide with d-spacings of 5.0 Å in PIP-TMC compared to that of 3.8 Å in MPD-TMC. While MLD and IP films were structurally identical to PIP-TMC, MPD-TMC IP films had a structure that may have been altered by post-treatment compared to MLD films. These results provide foundational insights into the MLD process, structure-performance relationships, and membrane fabrication.

Short report: Plasma based biomarkers detect radiation induced brain injury in cancer patients treated for brain metastasis: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy has an important role in the treatment of brain metastases but carries risk of short and/or long-term toxicity, termed radiation-induced brain injury (RBI). As the diagnosis of RBI is crucial for correct patient management, there is an unmet need for reliable biomarkers for RBI. The aim of this proof-of concept study is to determine the utility of brain-derived circulating free DNA (BncfDNA), identified by specific methylation patterns for neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes, as biomarkers brain injury induced by radiotherapy. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with brain metastases were monitored clinically and radiologically before, during and after brain radiotherapy, and blood for BncfDNA analysis (98 samples) was concurrently collected. Sixteen patients were treated with whole brain radiotherapy and eight patients with stereotactic radiosurgery. RESULTS: During follow-up nine RBI events were detected, and all correlated with significant increase in BncfDNA levels compared to baseline. Additionally, resolution of RBI correlated with a decrease in BncfDNA. Changes in BncfDNA were independent of tumor response. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated BncfDNA levels reflects brain cell injury incurred by radiotherapy. further research is needed to establish BncfDNA as a novel plasma-based biomarker for brain injury induced by radiotherapy.

Valproic acid reprograms the metabolic aberration of cisplatin treatment via ALDH modulation in triple-negative breast cancer cells.

We recently demonstrated that the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid (VPA) reprograms the cisplatin-induced metabolome of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells, including a shift in hexose levels. Accordingly, here, we tested the hypothesis that VPA alters glucose metabolism in correlation with cisplatin sensitivity. Two TNBC cell lines, MDA-MB-231 (a cisplatin-resistant line) and MDA-MB-436 (a cisplatin-sensitive line), were analyzed. The glycolysis and oxidative metabolism were measured using the Glycolysis Stress Test kit. The expression of aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs), enzymes linked to drug resistance, was investigated by Western blot and real-time PCR analyses. We additionally studied the influence of ALDH inhibition by disulfiram on the viability of MDA-MB-231 cells and on a TNBC patient-derived organoid system. Cisplatin treatment reduced the extracellular acidification rate in MDA-MB-436 cells but not MDA-MB-231 cells, whereas VPA addition increased the extracellular acidification rate in both cell lines. VPA further reduced the oxygen consumption rate of cisplatin-treated MDA-MB-436 cells, which correlated with cell cycle alterations. However, in MDA-MB-231 cells, the cell cycle distribution did not change between cisplatin/VPA-cisplatin treatments. In both cell lines, VPA increased the expression of ALDH isoform and ALDH1A1 expression. However, only in MDA-MB-231 cells, VPA synergized with cisplatin to augment this effect. Disulfiram sensitized the cells to the cytotoxic effects of the VPA-cisplatin combination. Furthermore, the disulfiram-VPA-chemotherapy combination was most effective in TNBC organoids. Our results show that ALDH overexpression may act as one mechanism of cellular resistance to VPA in TNBC and that its inhibition may enhance the therapeutic efficacy of VPA-chemotherapeutic drug combinations.

Clinical Characteristics, Response to Platinum-Based Chemotherapy and Poly (Adenosine Phosphate-Ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors in Advanced Lung Cancer Patients Harboring BRCA Mutations.

The oncogenic role and clinical relevance of BRCA mutations in NSCLC remain unclear. We aim to evaluate the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with NSCLC harboring BRCA mutations treated at Hadassah Medical Center (HMC). We retrospectively assessed all patients with advanced NSCLC who underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) and were found to have pathogenic somatic BRCA mutations (p-BRCA). We compared clinical outcomes in NSCLC patients with wild-type BRCA (wt-BRCA) matched by age, stage, gender, smoking, PDL-1 and driver mutations. Between 2015 and 2022, we evaluated 598 patients with advanced NSCLC using NGS and found 26 patients with p-BRCA, of whom 17 (65.4%) were carriers of germline BRCA variants and represented 1% of all BRCA carriers HMC. The median age of diagnosis was 67 years old (40-78), 13 patients (50%) had a history of smoking and 9 patients (34.6%) had additional driver mutations (EGFR, ALK, BRAF, MET or ERBB2). Objective response rate and median progression-free survival (PFS) for first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in the p-BRCA group compared to wt-BRCA controls were 72.2% and 16 months (CI 95%, 5-22), compared to 47.4% and 7 months (CI 95%, 5-9), respectively, and HR for PFS was 0.41 (CI 95%, 0.17-0.97). Six patients in the p-BRCA group were treated with advanced-line poly (adenosine-phosphate-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi), with a durable response observed in four patients (66%). In this cohort, patients with NSCLC harboring p-BRCA exhibit high-sensitivity PARPi and a prolonged response to platinum, suggesting some oncogenic role for BRCA mutations in NSCLC. The results support further prospective trials of the treatment of NSCLC harboring p-BRCA with PARPi.

A clinical evaluation of an ex vivo organ culture system to predict patient response to cancer therapy.

Introduction: Ex vivo organ cultures (EVOC) were recently optimized to sustain cancer tissue for 5 days with its complete microenvironment. We examined the ability of an EVOC platform to predict patient response to cancer therapy. Methods: A multicenter, prospective, single-arm observational trial. Samples were obtained from patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor and from core needle biopsies of patients with metastatic cancer. The tumors were cut into 250 µM slices and cultured within 24 h, then incubated for 96 h with vehicle or intended to treat drug. The cultures were then fixed and stained to analyze their morphology and cell viability. Each EVOC was given a score based on cell viability, level of damage, and Ki67 proliferation, and the scores were correlated with the patients' clinical response assessed by pathology or Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST). Results: The cancer tissue and microenvironment, including endothelial and immune cells, were preserved at high viability with continued cell division for 5 days, demonstrating active cell signaling dynamics. A total of 34 cancer samples were tested by the platform and were correlated with clinical results. A higher EVOC score was correlated with better clinical response. The EVOC system showed a predictive specificity of 77.7% (7/9, 95% CI 0.4-0.97) and a sensitivity of 96% (24/25, 95% CI 0.80-0.99). Conclusion: EVOC cultured for 5 days showed high sensitivity and specificity for predicting clinical response to therapy among patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer and other solid tumors.

Mesostructured Materials with Controllable Long-Range Orientational Ordering and Anisotropic Properties.

Inorganic-organic mesophase materials provide a wide range of tunable properties, which are often highly dependent on their nano-, micro-, or meso-scale compositions and structures. Among these are macroscopic orientational order and corresponding anisotropic material properties, the adjustability of which are difficult to achieve. This is due to the complicated transient and coupled transport, chemical reaction, and surface processes that occur during material syntheses. By understanding such processes, general criteria are established and used to prepare diverse mesostructured materials with highly aligned channels with uniform nanometer dimensions and controllable directionalities over macroscopic dimensions and thicknesses. This is achieved by using a micropatterned semipermeable poly(dimethylsiloxane) stamp to manage the rates, directions, and surfaces at which self-assembling phases nucleate and the directions that they grow. This enables mesostructured surfactant-directed silica and titania composites, including with functional guest species, and mesoporous carbons to be prepared with high degrees of hexagonal order, as well as controllable orthogonal macroscopic orientational order. The resulting materials exhibit novel anisotropic properties, as demonstrated by the example of direction-dependent photocurrent generation, and are promising for enhancing the functionality of inorganic-organic nanocomposite materials in separations, catalysis, and energy conversion applications.

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte transfusion in a patient with treatment refractory triple negative breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive form of breast cancer that is treated with chemotherapy. Recently, programmed death 1 (PD1) inhibition, as well as antibody-drug conjugates, have been added to the available treatment regimen, yet metastatic disease is fatal. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) has been well described in melanoma, but less data is available on other solid malignancies. CASE: Herein, we present a case of a 31-year-old patient diagnosed with Breast Cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) positive, TNBC. The patient's disease rapidly progressed while under standard treatment protocols. As a result, additional genetic testing of the tumor was carried out and revealed loss of BRCA1 heterozygosity, a double Tumor Protein 53 (TP53) mutation, and MYC amplification. Due to resistance to conventional therapy, an experimental approach was attempted using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in November 2021 at Hadassah University Medical Center. While receiving this treatment, the patient exhibited a reported subjective clinical improvement including a month spent out of the hospital. However, the final result, presumably due to Interleukin 2 (IL-2) toxicity, was the patient's passing. CONCLUSION: This case is unique and peculiar regarding the treatment modality chosen, due to the extremely refractory disease the patient suffered from. After standard therapies rapidly failed, adoptive cell therapy was attempted with the infusion of TILs. This treatment has been shown effective in melanoma, however, there is an extreme paucity of data on other solid tumors, including TNBC. Although the patient ultimately demised presumably due to treatment side effects, brief clinical benefit was apparent. Further studies are warranted.

Mechanical Behavior of Hybrid Thin Films Fabricated by Sequential Infiltration Synthesis in Water-Rich Environment.

Sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) is an emerging technique for fabricating hybrid organic-inorganic materials with nanoscale precision and controlled properties. Central to SIS implementation in applications such as membranes, sensors, and functional coatings is the mechanical properties of hybrid materials in water-rich environments. This work studies the nanocomposite morphology and its effect on the mechanical behavior of SIS-based hybrid thin films of AlOx-PMMA under aqueous environments. Water-supported tensile measurements reveal an unfamiliar behavior dependent on the AlOx content, where the modulus decreases after a single SIS cycle and increases with additional cycles. In contrast, the yield stress constantly decreases as the AlOx content increases. A comparison between water uptake measurements indicates that AlOx induces water uptake from the aqueous environment, implying a "nanoeffect" stemming from AlOx-water interactions. We discuss the two mechanisms that govern the modulus of the hybrid films: softening due to increased water absorption and stiffening as the AlOx volume fraction increases. The decrease in the yield stress with SIS cycles is associated with the limited mobility and extensibility of polymer chains caused by the growth of AlOx clusters. Our study highlights the significance of developing hybrid materials to withstand aqueous or humid conditions which are crucial to their performance and durability.

Rapid Classification of Sarcomas Using Methylation Fingerprint: A Pilot Study.

Sarcoma classification is challenging and can lead to treatment delays. Previous studies used DNA aberrations and machine-learning classifiers based on methylation profiles for diagnosis. We aimed to classify sarcomas by analyzing methylation signatures obtained from low-coverage whole-genome sequencing, which also identifies copy-number alterations. DNA was extracted from 23 suspected sarcoma samples and sequenced on an Oxford Nanopore sequencer. The methylation-based classifier, applied in the nanoDx pipeline, was customized using a reference set based on processed Illumina-based methylation data. Classification analysis utilized the Random Forest algorithm and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding, while copy-number alterations were detected using a designated R package. Out of the 23 samples encompassing a restricted range of sarcoma types, 20 were successfully sequenced, but two did not contain tumor tissue, according to the pathologist. Among the 18 tumor samples, 14 were classified as reported in the pathology results. Four classifications were discordant with the pathological report, with one compatible and three showing discrepancies. Improving tissue handling, DNA extraction methods, and detecting point mutations and translocations could enhance accuracy. We envision that rapid, accurate, point-of-care sarcoma classification using nanopore sequencing could be achieved through additional validation in a diverse tumor cohort and the integration of methylation-based classification and other DNA aberrations.

Evaluation of European-based polygenic risk score for breast cancer in Ashkenazi Jewish women in Israel.

BACKGROUND: Polygenic risk score (PRS), calculated based on genome-wide association studies (GWASs), can improve breast cancer (BC) risk assessment. To date, most BC GWASs have been performed in individuals of European (EUR) ancestry, and the generalisation of EUR-based PRS to other populations is a major challenge. In this study, we examined the performance of EUR-based BC PRS models in Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) women. METHODS: We generated PRSs based on data on EUR women from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). We tested the performance of the PRSs in a cohort of 2161 AJ women from Israel (1437 cases and 724 controls) from BCAC (BCAC cohort from Israel (BCAC-IL)). In addition, we tested the performance of these EUR-based BC PRSs, as well as the established 313-SNP EUR BC PRS, in an independent cohort of 181 AJ women from Hadassah Medical Center (HMC) in Israel. RESULTS: In the BCAC-IL cohort, the highest OR per 1 SD was 1.56 (±0.09). The OR for AJ women at the top 10% of the PRS distribution compared with the middle quintile was 2.10 (±0.24). In the HMC cohort, the OR per 1 SD of the EUR-based PRS that performed best in the BCAC-IL cohort was 1.58±0.27. The OR per 1 SD of the commonly used 313-SNP BC PRS was 1.64 (±0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Extant EUR GWAS data can be used for generating PRSs that identify AJ women with markedly elevated risk of BC and therefore hold promise for improving BC risk assessment in AJ women.

Preventing skin toxicities induced by EGFR inhibitors by topically blocking drug-receptor interactions.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors are used to treat many advanced-stage epithelial cancers but induce severe skin toxicities in most treated patients. These side effects lead to a deterioration in the quality of life of the patients and compromise the anticancer treatment. Current treatment strategies for these skin toxicities focus on symptom reduction rather than preventing the initial trigger that causes the toxicity. In this study, we developed a compound and method for treating "on-target" skin toxicity by blocking the drug at the site of toxicity without reducing the systemic dose reaching the tumor. We first screened for small molecules that effectively blocked the binding of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies to EGFR and identified a potential candidate, SDT-011. In silico docking predicted that SDT-011 interacted with the same residues on EGFR found to be important for the binding of EGFR inhibitors cetuximab and panitumumab. Binding of SDT-011 to EGFR reduced the binding affinity of cetuximab to EGFR and could reactivate EGFR signaling in keratinocyte cell lines, ex vivo cetuximab-treated whole human skin, and A431-injected mice. Specific small molecules were topically applied and were delivered via a slow-release system derived from biodegradable nanoparticles that penetrate the hair follicles and sebaceous glands, within which EGFR is highly expressed. Our approach has the potential to reduce skin toxicity caused by EGFR inhibitors.

Revealing the 3D Structure of Block Copolymers with Electron Microscopy: Current Status and Future Directions.

Block copolymers (BCPs) are considered model systems for understanding and utilizing self-assembly in soft matter. Their tunable nanometric structure and composition enable comprehensive studies of self-assembly processes as well as make them relevant materials in diverse applications. A key step in developing and controlling BCP nanostructures is a full understanding of their three-dimensional (3D) structure and how this structure is affected by the BCP chemistry, confinement, boundary conditions, and the self-assembly evolution and dynamics. Electron microscopy (EM) is a leading method in BCP 3D characterization owing to its high resolution in imaging nanosized structures. Here we discuss the two main 3D EM methods: namely, transmission EM tomography and slice and view scanning EM tomography. We present each method's principles, examine their strengths and weaknesses, and discuss ways researchers have devised to overcome some of the challenges in BCP 3D characterization with EM- from specimen preparation to imaging radiation-sensitive materials. Importantly, we review current and new cutting-edge EM methods such as direct electron detectors, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy of soft matter, high temporal rate imaging, and single-particle analysis that have great potential for expanding the BCP understanding through EM in the future.

Atomic layer deposition enables multi-modal three-dimensional electron microscopy of isoporous membranes.

Block copolymers (BCPs) are promising materials for water purification. They enable the fabrication of integral asymmetric isoporous membranes with high permeability and good selectivity. Commonly, the characterization of such hierarchical structures is performed by conventional electron microscopy (EM) means, namely scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM, respectively). However, due to the inherent lack of contrast between BCP domains, external contrast agents are required to achieve informative, high-resolution imaging. In addition, such EM techniques are typically limited to a certain cross-section or surface morphology only. In this paper, we harness the selective growth of AlOx in the pore-forming domains of BCPs to create an internal and stable contrast difference between the blocks. This in turn allowed us to perform advanced three-dimensional characterization of the membranes with focused ion beam (FIB)-SEM and TEM tomography, providing an understanding of the 3D structure and properties such as 3D geometry of the pores, 3D tortuosity, and 3D permeability. This 3D characterization also provides better correlations between the membrane structure and its performance. Such knowledge can allow better design and fine-tuning of BCP membranes and other membranes for their applications.

Distinct breast cancer phenotypes in BRCA 1/2 carriers based on ER status.

PURPOSE: BRCA1/2 genes are the two main genes associated with hereditary breast cancers (BC). In the present study, we explore clinical and molecular characteristics of BRCA-associated BC in relation to estrogen receptor (ER) status. METHODS: Three BC databases (DB) were evaluated: (i) Hadassah oncogenetics (n = 4826); (ii) METABRIC (n = 1980), and (iii) Nick-Zainal (n = 560). We evaluated age at diagnosis in BRCA positive (BP) and BRCA negative (BN) patients, and tested for mutational signature differences in cohort iii. mRNA differential expression analysis (DEA) and pathway analysis were performed in cohort ii. RESULTS: Age at diagnosis was lower in BP vs. BN tumors in all cohorts in the ER- group, and only in cohort i for the ER + group. Signature 3 was universal in BP BC, whereas several signatures were associated with ER status. Pathway analysis was performed between BP&BN, and was significant only in ER- tumors: the major activated pathways involved cancer-related processes and were highly significant. The most significant pathway was estrogen-mediated S-phase entry and the most activated upstream regulator was ERBB2. CONCLUSION: Signature 3 was universal for all BP BC, while other signatures were associated with ER status. ER + BP& BN show similar genomic characteristics, ER- BP differed markedly from BN. This suggests that the initial carcinogenic process is universal for all BRCA carriers, but further insults lead to the development of two genomically distinct subtypes ER- and ER + . This may shed light on possible mechanisms involved in BP and carry preventive and therapeutic implications.