Achieved High-Sensitivity Single-Band Ratiometric Optical Thermometry by Manipulating the Intervalence Charge-Transfer Band Position.

Currently, optical thermometry has received widespread attention because of its noncontact and wide temperature range, but most of them are based on the application of dual-band optical ratiometric thermometry, so the development of a single-band ratiometric (SBR) optical thermometry, which is easier to analyze and use, is particularly important. In this work, the position of the intervalence charge-transfer (IVCT) band for Na2Gd2-xLaxTi3O10:Pr3+ (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) was modulated using Gd/La substitution, enhancing the thermal response difference of Pr3+ 1D2 → 3H4 under charge-transfer band (CTB) and IVCT band excitation, thereby achieving high-sensitivity SBR optical thermometry, and the maximum relative sensitivity (Sr-max) reached 2.95% (at 298 K). In addition, this series of phosphors has high-color-purity red emission, indicating that it has potential for multifield applications.

Finotonlimab with chemotherapy in recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer: a randomized phase 3 trial.

Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy regimen has been shown to be effective in recurrent or metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, due to the small number of patients, its efficacy remains controversial in Asian populations, particularly in mainland China. Here a randomized, double-blind phase 3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of finotonlimab (SCT-I10A), a programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody, combined with cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (C5F) for the first-line treatment of R/M HNSCC. Eligible patients (n = 370) were randomly 2:1 assigned to receive finotonlimab plus C5F (n = 247) or placebo plus C5F (n = 123). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). In the finotonlimab plus C5F group, OS was 14.1 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 11.1-16.4), compared with 10.5 months (95% CI 8.1-11.8) in the placebo plus C5F group. The hazard ratio was 0.73 (95% CI 0.57-0.95, P = 0.0165), meeting the predefined superiority criteria for the primary endpoint. Finotonlimab plus C5F showed significant OS superiority compared with C5F alone and acceptable safety profile with R/M HNSCC, supporting its use as a first-line treatment option for R/M HNSCC. These results validate the efficacy and safety of the combination of finotonlimab and C5F in Asian patients with R/M HNSCC. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04146402 .

Establishing subdivisions of M1 stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma based on decision tree classification: A multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To meet the demand for personalized treatment, effective stratification of patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (mNPC) is essential. Hence, our study aimed to establish an M1 subdivision for prognostic prediction and treatment planning in patients with mNPC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 1239 patients with mNPC from three medical centers divided into the synchronous mNPC cohort (smNPC, n = 556) to establish an M1 stage subdivision and the metachronous mNPC cohort (mmNPC, n = 683) to validate this subdivision. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses identified covariates for the decision-tree model, proposing an M1 subdivision. Model performance was evaluated using time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves, Harrell's concordance index, calibration plots, and decision curve analyses. RESULTS: The proposed M1 subdivisions were M1a (≤5 metastatic lesions), M1b (>5 metastatic lesions + absent liver metastases), and M1c (>5 metastatic lesions + existing liver metastases) with median OS of 34, 22, and 13 months, respectively (p < 0.001). This M1 subdivision demonstrated superior discrimination (C-index = 0.698; 3-year AUC = 0.707) and clinical utility over those of existing staging systems. Calibration curves exhibited satisfactory agreement between predictions and actual observations. Internal and mmNPC cohort validation confirmed the robustness. Survival benefits from local metastatic treatment were observed in M1a, while immunotherapy improved survival in patients with M1b and M1c disease. CONCLUSION: This novel M1 staging strategy provides a refined approach for prognostic prediction and treatment planning in patients with mNPC, emphasizing the potential benefits of local and immunotherapeutic interventions based on individualized risk stratification.

Efficacy of metastatic lesion radiotherapy in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of metastatic lesion radiotherapy (MLRT) in patients with metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (mNPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with mNPC from three institutions were included in this study. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to ensure comparability between patient groups. Overall survival (OS) rates were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Prognostic factors were identified using univariate and multivariate Cox hazard analyses. Subgroup analyses were conducted to assess the effects of MLRT on specific patient populations. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 1157 patients with mNPC. Patients who received MLRT had significantly better OS than those who did not, both in the original (28 vs. 21 months) and PSM cohorts (26 vs. 23 months). MLRT was identified as an independent favorable predictor of OS in multivariate analyses, with hazard ratios of 0.67. The subgroup analysis results indicated that radiotherapy effectively treated liver, lung, and bone metastatic lesions, particularly in patients with a limited tumor burden. Higher total radiation doses of MLRT (biologically effective dose (BED) ≥ 56 Gy) were associated with improved OS, while neither radiation technique nor dose fractionation independently influenced prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: MLRT offers survival advantages to patients diagnosed with mNPC. Patients with limited metastatic burden derive the most benefit from MLRT, and the recommended regimen for MLRT is a minimum BED of 56 Gy for optimal outcomes.

Nomogram model of survival prediction for nasopharyngeal carcinoma with lung metastasis: developed from the SEER database and validated externally.

Objective: Distant metastasis occurs in some patients at the first diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the prognosis is poor, and there are significant individual differences. This study established a nomogram model of lung metastasis of NPC as a supplement to TNM staging. Methods: The training cohort is used to build the nomogram model, and the validation cohort is used to evaluate the model. The training cohort of 177 patients is from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Factors affecting overall survival (OS) in patients with lung metastasis of NPC analysis by Cox regression analysis and then a nomogram were established. 122 patients from the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were selected as the external validation cohort. The concordance index (C-index), the area under the curve (AUC), and the calibration curve were used to assess the accuracy of the nomogram and used the decision curve analysis (DCA) curve to measure the clinical benefit capacity of the model. The patients were separated into two groups with different risks, and the "Kaplan-Meier (KM)" survival analysis was used to evaluate the differentiation ability of the model. Results: Age, T-stage, radiation, chemotherapy, and brain metastases can affect the OS in NPC with lung metastasis. A nomogram was developed according to the above five factors. The C-index of the training cohort and the validation cohort were 0.726 (95% CI: 0.692-0.760) and 0.762 (95% CI: 0.733-0.791). The AUC of the nomogram was better than that of the TNM staging. In the training cohort, the nomogram predicted OS AUC values of 0.767, 0.746, and 0.750 at 1, 2, and 3 years, TNM stage of 0.574, 0.596, and 0.640. In the validation cohort, nomogram predictions of OS AUC values of 0.817, 0.857, and 0.791 for 1, 2, and 3 years, TNM stage of 0.575, 0.612, and 0.663. DCA curves suggest that nomogram have better clinical net benefits than TNM staging. The KM survival analysis shows that the nomogram has a reasonable risk stratification ability. Conclusion: This study successfully established a nomogram model of NPC lung metastasis, which can be used as a supplement to TNM staging and provide reference for clinicians.

Sleep disturbance in Angelman syndrome patients.

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by abnormal expression of the maternal ubiquitin protein ligase E3A gene (UBE3A). As one of the most challenging symptoms and important focuses of new treatment, sleep disturbance is reported to occur in 70-80% of patients with AS and has a serious impact on the lives of patients and their families. Although clinical studies and animal model studies have provided some clues, recent research into sleep disorders in the context of AS is still very limited. It is generally accepted that there is an interaction between neurodevelopment and sleep; however, there is no recognized mechanism for sleep disorders in AS patients. Accordingly, there are no aetiologically specific clinical treatments for AS-related sleep disorders. The most common approaches involve ameliorating symptoms through methods such as behavioural therapy and symptomatic pharmacotherapy. In recent years, preclinical and clinical studies on the targeted treatment of AS have emerged. Although precision therapy for restoring the UBE3A level and the function of its signalling pathways is inevitably hindered by many remaining obstacles, this approach has the potential to address AS-related sleep disturbance.

Exploring the multifaceted potential of (R)-ketamine beyond antidepressant applications.

(R, S)- and (S)-ketamine have made significant progress in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and have become a research focus in recent years. However, they both have risks of psychomimetic effects, dissociative effects, and abuse liability, which limit their clinical use. Recent preclinical and clinical studies have shown that (R)-ketamine has a more efficient and lasting antidepressant effect with fewer side effects compared to (R, S)- and (S)-ketamine. However, a recent small-sample randomized controlled trial found that although (R)-ketamine has a lower incidence of adverse reactions in adult TRD treatment, its antidepressant efficacy is not superior to the placebo group, indicating its antidepressant advantage still needs further verification and clarification. Moreover, an increasing body of research suggests that (R)-ketamine might also have significant applications in the prevention and treatment of medical fields or diseases such as cognitive disorders, perioperative anesthesia, ischemic stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, substance use disorders, inflammatory diseases, COVID-19, and organophosphate poisoning. This article briefly reviews the mechanism of action and research on antidepressants related to (R)-ketamine, fully revealing its application potential and development prospects, and providing some references and assistance for subsequent expanded research.

Efficacy and safety of cadonilimab in previously treated recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma(COMPASSION-06): A phase II multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of cadonilimab monotherapy, a first-in-class, bi-specific PD-1/CTLA-4 antibody, in patients with previously treated recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (R/M-NPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II clinical trial enrolled patients with R/M-NPC who had failed first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and second-line single agent or combined chemotherapy, and immunotherapy-naive. Patients received cadonilimab for 6 mg/kg once every 2 weeks (Q2W). The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) in full analysis set (FAS) assessed by investigators according to RECIST v.1.1. The secondary endpoint included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response (DoR), time to response (TTR) and safety. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients were assessed. The median time from first dose to data cutoff was 16.56 (range, 0.8-25.2) months. ORR was 26.1 % (95 %CI:10.2-48.4). The ORR were 44.4 % (95 %CI: 13.7-78.8) and 14.3 % (95 %CI:1.8-42.8) in patients with tumor PD-L1 expression ≥50 % and <50 %, respectively. ORR was achieved in 40.0 % (95 %CI:12.2-73.8) of patients with EBV-DNA level <4000 IU/ml (n = 10) and 15.4 % (95 %CI:1.9-45.4) of those with ≥4000 IU/ml. The median PFS was 3.71 months (95 %CI: 1.84-9.30). respectively. Median OS was not reached, and the 12-month OS rate was 79.7 % (95 % CI:54.5-91.9). Only two patients (8.3 %) experienced Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) with hypothyroidism (30.4 %), rash (21.7 %) and pruritus (21.7 %) being the most prevalent TRAEs. CONCLUSION: Cadonilimab monotherapy demonstrated a promising efficacy and manageable toxicity in patients with previously treated R-M/NPC and provide an efficacious salvage treatment option.

Enhanced thermally stable performance of Pr3+-doped vanadate phosphor by inhibiting the intervalence charge transfer quenching channel.

Praseodymium (Pr3+) ion and the transition metal vanadium (V5+) ion with d0 electronic configuration can form an intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) band, which can function both as a compensatory channel for its red emission and as a quenching channel, thus affecting the luminescence thermal stability of the phosphors. Research studies reveal that the emission of Pr3+ in the YVO4 matrix can be quenched by the IVCT mechanism, thereby limiting the application of phosphors. As such, the present contribution is based on the solid solution replacement strategy to inhibit the constitutent of the IVCT quenching channel and thus improve thermal stability. Therefore, phosphonium (P5+) with a valence state matching V5+ and a similar ion radius was selected for the V/P substitution. It lacks a d0 electron configuration, preventing the formation of an IVCT band with Pr3+ and thereby inhibiting the construction of the quenching channels to enhance thermal stability. While the empirical formula of IVCT indicates a decrease in the IVCT energy level from 3.32438 to 3.06251 eV upon the introduction of P5+, the PLE spectra demonstrate a sharp reduction in IVCT intensity, i.e., weakening of the quenching channel. The thermal stability of the phosphors at different excitation locations was enhanced with the rise of P5+ concentration. When excited at the 3P2 level, the Y0.995PO4:0.5%Pr3+ phosphor demonstrated highly stable red emission from 303 to 523 K, with a luminescence integrated intensity ranging from 95.5% to 105.3% compared to that at 303 K. This research provides a novel approach for inhibiting the IVCT quenching channel and broadens the commercial value of YVO4:Pr3+ phosphor for various applications.

Thermal activation induced charge transfer state absorption redshift realizes strong anti-thermal quenching in Pr3+-activated phosphor.

In our work, a totally anomalous thermal quenching phenomenon of red-shifted and enhanced charge transfer state (CTS) absorption is found for the first time in LiTaO3:xPr3+ phosphors. The crystal structure, luminescent properties and the mechanism of abnormal thermal quenching were investigated in detail.

Effects of sampling time and location on the geographical origin traceability of protected geographical indication (PGI) Hongyuan yak milk: Based on stable isotope ratios.

Hongyuan yak milk is a protected geographical indication (PGI) product of rich nutritional value, which is popular among consumers. Stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA) is an effective way to protect the authenticity of the geographical origin of PGI products, and it is crucial to study the factors affecting stable isotopes. Firstly, we proved that the SIRA could be used to identify the geographical origin of Hongyuan yak milk, and that the identification accuracy in combination with δ13C and δ18O was 100 %. Secondly, we analyzed the effect of sampling selection on the stable isotopes of Hongyuan yak milk in practical applications, which showed that sampling time influenced the δ13C, δ2H, and δ18O, while the sampling locations did not. There were interactions between the effect of sampling time and location on δ2H and δ18O. These results provide a reliable method for identifying PGI products and also provide new guidance on sampling models.

LMNA-related muscular dystrophy involving myoblast proliferation and apoptosis through the FOXO1/GADD45A pathway.

LMNA-related muscular dystrophy is a major disease phenotype causing mortality and morbidity in laminopathies, but its pathogenesis is still unclear. To explore the molecular pathogenesis, a knock-in mouse harbouring the Lmna-W520R mutation was modelled. Morphological and motor functional analyses showed that homozygous mutant mice revealed severe muscular atrophy, profound motor dysfunction, and shortened lifespan, while heterozygotes showed a variant arrangement of muscle bundles and mildly reduced motor capacity. Mechanistically, the FOXO1/GADD45A pathway involving muscle atrophy processes was found to be altered in vitro and in vivo assays. The expression levels of FOXO1 and its downstream regulatory molecule GADD45A significantly increased in atrophic muscle tissue. The elevated expression of FOXO1 was associated with decreased H3K27me3 in its gene promotor region. Overexpression of GADD45A induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of myoblasts in vitro, and it could be partially restored by the FOXO1 inhibitor AS1842856, which also slowed the muscle atrophy process with improved motor function and prolonged survival time of homozygous mutant mice in vivo. Notably, the inhibitor also partly rescued the apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of hiPSC-derived myoblasts harbouring the LMNA-W520R mutation. Together, these data suggest that the activation of the FOXO1/GADD45A pathway contributes to the pathogenesis of LMNA-related muscle atrophy, and it might serve as a potential therapeutic target for laminopathies.

Development of A Nomogram for Progression-free Survival in Patients with Stage II/T3N0 Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma to Explore Different Treatment Modalities.

Purpose To explore the prognostic value of clinical and serological risk factors for progression-free survival (PFS) in stage II and T3N0 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and construct a nomogram based on these factors. Additionally, to investigate the long-term survival and short-term toxic reactions of patients in different risk stratification under different treatment modalities. Methods The patients were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts in a 7:3 ratio. Independent prognostic factors were identified using Cox regression analysis, and a nomogram was constructed by combining these predictive factors with the TNM staging system. The nomogram was then validated in the validation cohort, and patients were classified into different risk groups based on the nomogram. The PFS, overall survival (OS), and acute toxicities were compared among different treatment modalities after balancing baseline characteristics. Results Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that pathological type, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were independent prognostic factors(p<0.05) in this study. The nomogram showed good prognostic accuracy in both the training and validation cohorts (C-index of 0.73 and 0.70, respectively). In the different risk subgroups, there were no statistically significant differences in PFS and OS between radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy groups(p>0.05). The treatment modality of combined chemotherapy was associated with more acute toxic reactions. Conclusion We established and validated a nomogram for predicting PFS in patients with stage II/T3N0 NPC. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) combined with chemotherapy did not provide additional survival benefits for these patients and was associated with more chemotherapy-related side effects.

Regulating Luminescence Thermal Quenching of Praseodymium-Doped Niobo-Tantalate Phosphor through Intervalence Charge Transfer Band Displacement.

Pr3+-related intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) bands are a research hotspot owing to their amelioration in the luminescence thermal quenching of Pr3+-activated phosphors. Here, a typical IVCT band displacement strategy via a topological chemical scheme is reported to optimize the luminescence thermal quenching performance of praseodymium-doped niobo-tantalate. The substitution of Ta5+ ions for Nb5+ ions reduces the valence-weighted average cation optical electronegativity and increases the bond lengths of the activator (Pr3+) to the ligand cations (Nb5+ and Ta5+) via adjusting the crystal structure, leading to an increase in the IVCT energy level position from 3.521 to 4.139 eV. The increase in the IVCT energy level leads to an increase in the number of electrons located in the Pr3+ 3P0 energy level, which compensates for the emission of 1D2 during warming. Especially, the energy gap value of the IVCT band is positively correlated with the thermal quenching activation energy ΔE2. ΔE2 increases, the crossover point rises, and the nonradiative transition decreases, further enhancing the Pr3+ 1D2 emission. At 503 K, the 1D2 emission integral intensity increases from 14 to 224% relative to the 303 K original integral intensity. This IVCT band displacement strategy can be used as a scheme for designing antithermal quenching luminescence materials.

Efficacy of induction chemotherapy in lymph node-positive stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma and identification of beneficiaries based on clinical features: A propensity score matching analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of induction chemotherapy (IC) in lymph node-positive (LN-positive) stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). METHODS: In total, 627 patients with newly diagnosed LN-positive stage III NPC receiving CCRT or IC plus CCRT were included. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Propensity-score matching (PSM) was conducted to balance the intergroup covariates. Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was employed to compare survival curves. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on baseline characteristics. RESULTS: After 1:1 PSM, 414 patients were identified (207 patients per group). Compared with CCRT, IC plus CCRT provided better survival (5-year PFS 88.4% vs. 78.6%, P = 0.01; overall survival [OS] 94.8% vs. 85.3%, P = 0.003; and distant metastasis-free survival [DMFS] 93.1% vs. 85.6%, P = 0.03). The IC beneficial effects on PFS were mainly present in patients with grade 2-3 ENE, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH > 170U/L), and N2 disease. Patients with grade 2 CNN had comparable PFS benefits to those with grade 0-1 CNN. For patients with grade 0-1 ENE combined with LDH ≤ 170U/L, survival between the two groups was similar with 5-year PFS 93.6% vs. 90.4% (P = 0.50), OS 94.2% vs. 93.0% (P = 0.72), and DMFS 98.6% vs. 97.7% (P = 0.98). CONCLUSION: Adding IC before CCRT improved survival in LN-positive stage III NPC patients. Additional IC did not provide better survival for patients with grade 0-1 ENE combined with LDH ≤ 170U/L and could be avoided in this population. CNN may not be a good risk factor for tailoring a personalized treatment plan.

Temporal-spatial distributions of road silt loadings and fugitive road dust emissions in Beijing from 2019 to 2020.

Road silt loading (sL) is an important parameter in the fugitive road dust (FRD) emissions. In this study, the improved Testing Re-entrained Aerosol Kinetic Emissions from Roads (TRAKER) combined with the AP-42 method was firstly developed to quickly measure and estimate the sLs of paved roads in Beijing, China. The annual average sLs in Beijing was 0.59±0.31 g/m2 in 2020, and decreased by 22.4% compared with that in 2019. The seasonal variations of sLs followed the order of spring > winter > summer > autumn in the two years. The seasonal mean road sLs on the same type road in the four seasons presented a decline trend from 2019 to 2020, especially on the Express way, decreasing 47.4%-72.7%. The road sLs on the different type roads in the same season followed the order of Major arterial ∼ Minor arterial ∼ Branch road > Express road, and Township road ∼ Country highway > Provincial highway ∼ National highway. The emission intensities of PM10 and PM2.5 from FRD in Beijing in 2020 were lower than those in 2019. The PM10 and PM2.5 emission intensities at the four planning areas in the two years all presented the order of the capital functional core area > the urban functional expansion area > the urban development new area > the ecological conservation and development area. The annual emissions of PM10 and PM2.5 from FRD in Beijing in 2020 were 74,886 ton and 18,118 ton, respectively, decreasing by ∼33.3% compared with those in 2019.

First-in-human phase I/Ib study of QL1706 (PSB205), a bifunctional PD1/CTLA4 dual blocker, in patients with advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: QL1706 (PSB205) is a single bifunctional MabPair (a novel technical platform) product consisting of two engineered monoclonal antibodies (anti-PD-1 IgG4 and anti-CTLA-4 IgG1), with a shorter elimination half-life (t1/2) for CTLA-4. We report results from a phase I/Ib study of QL1706 in patients with advanced solid tumors who failed standard therapies. METHODS: In the phase I study, QL1706 was administered intravenously once every 3 weeks at one of five doses ranging from 0.3 to 10 mg/kg, and the maximum tolerated dose, recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of QL1706 were investigated. In the phase Ib study, QL1706 was administered at the RP2D intravenously every 3 weeks, and the preliminary efficacies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), cervical cancer (CC), and other solid tumors were evaluated. RESULTS: Between March 2020 and July 2021, 518 patients with advanced solid tumors were enrolled (phase I, n = 99; phase Ib, n = 419). For all patients, the three most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were rash (19.7%), hypothyroidism (13.5%), and pruritus (13.3%). The TRAEs and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) of grade ≥ 3 occurred in 16.0% and 8.1% of patients, respectively. In phase I, 2 of 6 patients in the 10mg/kg group experienced dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) (grade 3 thrombocytopenia and grade 4 immune-mediated nephritis), so the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was reached at 10 mg/kg. The RP2D was determined to be 5 mg/kg based on comprehensive analysis of tolerability, PK/PD, and efficacy. For all patients who received QL1706 at the RP2D, the objective response rate (ORR) and median duration of response were 16.9% (79/468) and 11.7 months (8.3-not reached [NR]), respectively; and the ORRs were 14.0% (17/121) in NSCLC, 24.5% (27/110) in NPC, 27.3% (15/55) in CC, 7.4% (2/27) in colorectal cancer, 23.1% (6/26) in small cell lung cancer. For immunotherapy-naive patients, QL1706 exhibited promising antitumor activities, especially in NSCLC, NPC, and CC, with ORRs of 24.2%, 38.7%, and 28.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: QL1706 was well tolerated and demonstrated promising antitumor activity in solid tumors, especially in NSCLC, NPC, and CC patients. It is currently being evaluated in randomized phase II (NCT05576272, NCT05179317) and phase III (NCT05446883, NCT05487391) trials. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04296994 and NCT05171790.

Individualized number of induction chemotherapy cycles for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients based on early tumor response.

BACKGROUND: The optimal number of cycles of induction chemotherapy (IC) in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC) is unclear. We aimed to combine the tumor response during IC and tumor stage to individualize the number of IC cycles. METHODS: Totally, 498 LANPC patients who received IC plus CCRT between 2014 and 2018 were reviewed. Tumor response during IC was used to stratify patients with different risks. All patients were classified into those who received two cycles of IC and those who were treated with three cycles. Propensity score matching methods were performed to compare the treatment efficiency. RESULTS: After two cycles of IC, 340/498 (68.3%) cases showed complete tumor response (CR)/partial response (PR) and 158 (31.7%) achieved stable disease (SD)/disease progression (PD). Unfavorable responders (SD/PD) exhibited poor survival outcomes. The three-cycle IC regimen was correlated with better OS and PFS than the two-cycle regimen for N2-3 patients in the CR/PR group. However, the use of different IC cycle strategies achieved similar survival outcomes for SD/PD or N0-1 patients. The incidences of acute toxicities were higher in the IC = 3 group. CONCLUSIONS: Tumor response during IC could be a powerful predictor of LANPC and could be used to guide the individualized number of IC cycles. A three-cycle IC regimen seemed to be preferable for N2-3 patients who received CR/PR during IC. However, an additional cycle of IC could not benefit N0-1 or SD/PD patients, and the optimal treatment strategies for these patients require further consideration.

A dynamic nomogram combining tumor stage and magnetic resonance imaging features to predict the response to induction chemotherapy in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To establish an effective dynamic nomogram combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of primary tumor and regional lymph nodes with tumor stage for the pretreatment prediction of induction chemotherapy (IC) response in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LANPC). METHODS: A total of 498 LANPC patients (372 in the training and 126 in the validation cohort) with MRI information were enrolled. All patients were classified as "favorable responders" and "unfavorable responders" according to tumor response to IC. A nomogram for IC response was built based on the results of the logistic regression model. Also, the Cox regression analysis was used to identify the independent prognostic factors of disease-free survival (DFS). RESULTS: After two cycles of IC, 340 patients were classified as "favorable responders" and 158 patients as "unfavorable responders." Calibration curves revealed satisfactory agreement between the predicted and the observed probabilities. The nomogram achieved an AUC of 0.855 (95% CI, 0.781-0.930) for predicting IC response, which outperformed TNM staging (AUC, 0.661; 95% CI 0.565-0.758) and the MRI feature-based model alone (AUC, 0.744; 95% CI 0.650-0.839) in the validation cohort. The nomogram was used to categorize patients into high- and low-response groups. An online dynamic model was built ( https://nomogram-for-icresponse-prediction.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp/ ) to facilitate the application of the nomogram. In the Cox multivariate analysis, clinical stage, tumor necrosis, EBV DNA levels, and cervical lymph node numbers were independently associated with DFS. CONCLUSIONS: The comprehensive nomogram incorporating MRI features and tumor stage could assist physicians in predicting IC response and formulating personalized treatment strategies for LANPC patients. KEY POINTS: • The nomogram can predict IC response in endemic LANPC. • The nomogram combining tumor stage with MRI-based tumor features showed very good predictive performance. • The nomogram was transformed into a web-based dynamic model to optimize clinical application.

MineBL: A Battery-Free Localization Scheme with Binocular Camera for Coal Mine.

Accurate localization in underground coal mining is a challenging technology in coal mine safety production. This paper proposes a low-cost battery-free localization scheme based on depth images, called MineBL. The main idea is to utilize the battery-free low-cost reflective balls as position nodes and realize underground target localization with a series of algorithms. In particular, the paper designs a data enhancement strategy based on small-target reorganization to increase the identification accuracy of tiny position nodes. Moreover, a novel ranging algorithm based on multi-filter cooperative denoising has been proposed, and an optimized weighted centroid location algorithm based on multilateral location errors has been designed to minimize underground localization errors. Many experiments in the indoor laboratories and the underground coal mine laboratories have been conducted, and the experimental results have verified that MineBL has good localization performances, with localization errors less than 30 cm in 95% of cases. Therefore, MineBL has great potential to provide a low-cost and effective solution for precise target localization in complex underground environments.