University of Duisburg-Essen

About: University of Duisburg-Essen is a education organization based out in Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 16072 authors who have published 39972 publications receiving 1109199 citations.

Nivolumab versus standard, single-agent therapy of investigator's choice in recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (CheckMate 141): health-related quality-of-life results from a randomised, phase 3 trial

Abstract: Summary Background Patients with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck have few treatment options and poor prognosis. Nivolumab significantly improved survival of this patient population when compared with standard single-agent therapy of investigator's choice in Checkmate 141; here we report the effect of nivolumab on patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Methods CheckMate 141 was a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial in patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who progressed within 6 months after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks (n=240) or investigator's choice (n=121) of methotrexate (40–60 mg/m 2 of body surface area), docetaxel (30–40 mg/m 2 ), or cetuximab (250 mg/m 2 after a loading dose of 400 mg/m 2 ) until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. On Jan 26, 2016, the independent data monitoring committee reviewed the data at the planned interim analysis and declared overall survival superiority for nivolumab over investigator's choice therapy (primary endpoint; described previously). The protocol was amended to allow patients in the investigator's choice group to cross over to nivolumab. All patients not on active therapy are being followed for survival. As an exploratory endpoint, PROs were assessed at baseline, week 9, and every 6 weeks thereafter using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire–Core 30 (QLQ-C30), the EORTC head and neck cancer-specific module (EORTC QLQ-H&N35), and the three-level European Quality of Life–5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire. Differences within and between treatment groups in PROs were analysed by ANCOVA among patients with baseline and at least one other assessment. All randomised patients were included in the time to clinically meaningful deterioration analyses. Median time to clinically meaningful deterioration was analysed by Kaplan-Meier methods. CheckMate 141 was registered with ClinicalTrials.org, number NCT02105636. Findings Patients were enrolled between May 29, 2014, and July 31, 2015, and subsequently 361 patients were randomly assigned to receive nivolumab (n=240) or investigator's choice (n=121). Among them, 129 patients (93 in the nivolumab group and 36 in the investigator's choice group) completed any of the PRO questionnaires at baseline and at least one other assessment. Treatment with nivolumab resulted in adjusted mean changes from baseline to week 15 ranging from −2·1 to 5·4 across functional and symptom domains measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30, with no domains indicating clinically meaningful deterioration. By contrast, eight (53%) of the 15 domains in the investigator's choice group showed clinically meaningful deterioration (10 points or more) at week 15 (change from baseline range, −24·5 to 2·4). Similarly, on the EORTC QLQ-H&N35, clinically meaningful worsening at week 15 was seen in no domains in the nivolumab group and eight (44%) of 18 domains in the investigator's choice group. Patients in the nivolumab group had a clinically meaningful improvement (according to a difference of 7 points or greater) in adjusted mean change from baseline to week 15 on the EQ-5D visual analogue scale, in contrast to a clinically meaningful deterioration in the investigator's choice group (7·3 vs −7·8). Differences between groups were significant and clinically meaningful at weeks 9 and 15 in favour of nivolumab for role functioning, social functioning, fatigue, dyspnoea, and appetite loss on the EORTC QLQ-C30 and pain and sensory problems on the EORTC QLQ-H&N35. Median time to deterioration was significantly longer with nivolumab versus investigator's choice for 13 (37%) of 35 domains assessed across the three questionnaires. Interpretation In this exploratory analysis of CheckMate 141, nivolumab stabilised symptoms and functioning from baseline to weeks 9 and 15, whereas investigator's choice led to clinically meaningful deterioration. Nivolumab delayed time to deterioration of patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes compared with single-agent therapy of investigator's choice in patients with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. In view of the major unmet need in this population and the importance of maintaining or improving quality of life for patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, these data support nivolumab as a new standard-of-care option in this setting. Funding Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Optoelectronic Properties of (CH3NH3)3Sb2I9 Thin Films for Photovoltaic Applications

Abstract: We present solution-based fabrication and characterization of the lead-free perovskite-related methylammonium antimony iodide (CH3NH3)3Sb2I9 compound. By photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS), we determined a peak absorption coefficient α ≈ 105 cm–1 and an optical band gap of 2.14 eV for amorphous films of (CH3NH3)3Sb2I9. Compared to the related Bi compound, the Sb-perovskite shows no exciton peak in its absorption spectrum. The photoluminescence emission (PL) is observed at 1.58 eV, and the Urbach tail energy of this amorphous compound is Eu = 62 meV, indicating a substantial amount of energetic disorder. We fabricate a planar heterojunction solar cell with a (CH3NH3)3Sb2I9 absorber layer that yields a power conversion efficiency of η ≈ 0.5%, already featuring a decent fill factor (FF) of 55% and open-circuit voltage of 890 mV but low photocurrent densities. The result of this basic study on (CH3NH3)3Sb2I9 shows that this compound is a possible starting point for further research into Sb-based lead-...

Mutations in a new gene, encoding a zinc-finger protein, cause tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type I.

Abstract: Mutations in a new gene, encoding a zinc-finger protein, cause tricho-rhino-phalangeal syndrome type I

The 2016 oxide electronic materials and oxide interfaces roadmap

Abstract: Oxide electronic materials provide a plethora of possible applications and offer ample opportunity for scientists to probe into some of the exciting and intriguing phenomena exhibited by oxide systems and oxide interfaces. In addition to the already diverse spectrum of properties, the nanoscale form of oxides provides a new dimension of hitherto unknown phenomena due to the increased surface-to-volume ratio. Oxide electronic materials are becoming increasingly important in a wide range of applications including transparent electronics, optoelectronics, magnetoelectronics, photonics, spintronics, thermoelectrics, piezoelectrics, power harvesting, hydrogen storage and environmental waste management. Synthesis and fabrication of these materials, as well as processing into particular device structures to suit a specific application is still a challenge. Further, characterization of these materials to understand the tunability of their properties and the novel properties that evolve due to their nanostructured nature is another facet of the challenge. The research related to the oxide electronic field is at an impressionable stage, and this has motivated us to contribute with a roadmap on 'oxide electronic materials and oxide interfaces'. This roadmap envisages the potential applications of oxide materials in cutting edge technologies and focuses on the necessary advances required to implement these materials, including both conventional and novel techniques for the synthesis, characterization, processing and fabrication of nanostructured oxides and oxide-based devices. The contents of this roadmap will highlight the functional and correlated properties of oxides in bulk, nano, thin film, multilayer and heterostructure forms, as well as the theoretical considerations behind both present and future applications in many technologically important areas as pointed out by Venkatesan. The contributions in this roadmap span several thematic groups which are represented by the following authors: novel field effect transistors and bipolar devices by Fortunato, Grundmann, Boschker, Rao, and Rogers; energy conversion and saving by Zaban, Weidenkaff, and Murakami; new opportunities of photonics by Fompeyrine, and Zuniga-Perez; multiferroic materials including novel phenomena by Ramesh, Spaldin, Mertig, Lorenz, Srinivasan, and Prellier; and concepts for topological oxide electronics by Kawasaki, Pentcheva, and Gegenwart. Finally, Miletto Granozio presents the European action 'towards oxide-based electronics' which develops an oxide electronics roadmap with emphasis on future nonvolatile memories and the required technologies. In summary, we do hope that this oxide roadmap appears as an interesting up-to-date snapshot on one of the most exciting and active areas of solid state physics, materials science, and chemistry, which even after many years of very successful development shows in short intervals novel insights and achievements.

Prognostic Value of Tubular Proteinuria and Enzymuria in Nonoliguric Acute Tubular Necrosis

Abstract: Background: Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) has high mortality, especially in patients who require renal replacement therapy (RRT). We prospectively studied the diagnostic accuracy of the urinary excretion of low-molecular-weight proteins and enzymes as predictors of a need for RRT in ATN. Methods: In 73 consecutive patients with initially nonoliguric ATN, we measured urinary excretion of α1- and β2-microglobulin, cystatin C, retinol-binding protein, α-glutathione S -transferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and N -acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase early in the course of ATN. Results: Twenty-six patients (36%) required RRT a median of 4 (interquartile range, 2–6) days after detection of proteinuria and enzymuria. Patients who required RRT had higher urinary cystatin C and α1-microglobulin [median (interquartile range), 1.7 (1.2–4.1) and 34.5 (26.6–45.1) g/mol of creatinine] than patients who did not require RRT [0.1 (0.02–0.5) and 8.0 (5.0–17.5) g/mol of creatinine]. Urinary excretion of cystatin C and α1-microglobulin had the highest diagnostic accuracies in identifying patients requiring RRT as indicated by the largest areas under the ROC curves: 0.92 (95% confidence interval, 0.86–0.96) and 0.86 (0.78–0.92), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity were 92% (95% confidence interval, 83–96%) and 83% (73–90%), respectively, for urinary cystatin C >1 g/mol of creatinine, and 88% (78–93%) and 81% (70–88%) for urinary α1-microglobulin >20 g/mol of creatinine. Conclusion: In nonoliguric ATN, increased urinary excretion of cystatin C and α1-microglobulin may predict an unfavorable outcome, as reflected by the requirement for RRT.