Forceless spontaneous delamination of high-aspect ratio fluorohectorite into monolayer nanosheets in chloroform.

One-dimensional dissolution of a layered compound in a nonpolar organic solvent is reported for the first time. A high-aspect ratio fluorohectorite modified with a cationic surfactant (dioctadecyldimethylammonium) showed spontaneous delamination into monolayer nanosheets in chloroform.

Prognostic value of deep learning-derived body composition in advanced pancreatic cancer-a retrospective multicenter study.

Background: Despite the prognostic relevance of cachexia in pancreatic cancer, individual body composition has not been routinely integrated into treatment planning. In this multicenter study, we investigated the prognostic value of sarcopenia and myosteatosis automatically extracted from routine computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical imaging data of 601 patients from three German cancer centers.

[Shaping approaches to standardization of oropharynx mucous membrane assessment of immunological parameters].

Unlabelled: Basis of acute pharyngitis pathogenesis is an inflammatory process at the entrance gate of the infection. Therefore, local immunity study proves to be the most informative. Difficulty in making that type of assessment is lack of generally accepted reference values and biological sampling techniques.

Impact of encorafenib on survival of patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer in a real-world setting.

Purpose: Patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) have a dismal prognosis. The best strategies in these patients remain elusive. Against this background, we report the clinical course of patients with BRAF-mutant mCRC to retrieve the best treatment strategy.

Smaller panel, similar results: genomic profiling and molecularly informed therapy in pancreatic cancer.

Background: Pancreatic cancer has a dismal prognosis. One reason is resistance to cytotoxic drugs. Molecularly matched therapies might overcome this resistance but the best approach to identify those patients who may benefit is unknown.

Clinical Outcome and Treatment Sequences of Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Treated with Contemporary Chemotherapy Protocols.

Introduction: Systemic therapy is firmly established in patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Clinical efficacy is still modest and options are limited. Combination therapy protocols such as FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (Gem/NP) define standard-of-care.

A Phase II Study of Nab-Paclitaxel and Gemcitabine as First-Line Therapy in Patients with Cholangiocarcinoma Ineligible for Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy (NACHO).

Introduction: Gemcitabine and cisplatin is the standard first-line systemic treatment in patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). However, a substantial number of patients do not qualify for cisplatin due to comorbidities or poor performance status. The phase II pilot study NACHO evaluated the efficacy of nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m2) and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2) given on days 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks as first-line therapy in patients with advanced CCA ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Deep learning-based assessment of body composition and liver tumour burden for survival modelling in advanced colorectal cancer.

Background: Personalized therapy planning remains a significant challenge in advanced colorectal cancer care, despite extensive research on prognostic and predictive markers. A strong correlation of sarcopenia or overall body composition and survival has been described. Here, we explore whether automated assessment of body composition and liver metastases from standard of care CT images can add to clinical parameters in personalized survival risk prognostication.

A prognostic systemic inflammation score (SIS) in patients with advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Purpose: Systemic-inflammatory response parameters (SIR) are known prognostic markers in different tumour entities, but have not been evaluated in patients with iCCA treated with systemic chemotherapy. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of different SIR markers on the clinical course of patients with advanced iCCA treated at our center.

Methods: SIR markers were retrospectively evaluated in 219 patients with iCCA at the West-German-Cancer-Center Essen from 2014 to 2019.

Identification of a new prognostic score for patients with high-grade metastatic GEP-NEN treated with palliative chemotherapy.

Purpose: High-grade gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NEN G3) are rare and heterogeneous malignancies with poor prognosis. Aim of this study was to develop prognosticators identifying those patients that derive the most benefit from currently available systemic therapies.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included 78 patients with metastatic GEP-NEN G3.

Multimodal survival prediction in advanced pancreatic cancer using machine learning.

Background: Existing risk scores appear insufficient to assess the individual survival risk of patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and do not take advantage of the variety of parameters that are collected during clinical care.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we built a random survival forest model from clinical data of 203 patients with advanced PDAC. The parameters were assessed before initiation of systemic treatment and included age, CA19-9, C-reactive protein, metastatic status, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and total serum protein level.

Nematic suspension of a microporous layered silicate obtained by forceless spontaneous delamination via repulsive osmotic swelling for casting high-barrier all-inorganic films.

Exploiting the full potential of layered materials for a broad range of applications requires delamination into functional nanosheets. Delamination via repulsive osmotic swelling is driven by thermodynamics and represents the most gentle route to obtain nematic liquid crystals consisting exclusively of single-layer nanosheets. This mechanism was, however, long limited to very few compounds, including 2:1-type clay minerals, layered titanates, or niobates.

Progranulin mediates immune evasion of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma through regulation of MHCI expression.

Immune evasion is indispensable for cancer initiation and progression, although its underlying mechanisms in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are not fully known. Here, we characterize the function of tumor-derived PGRN in promoting immune evasion in primary PDAC. Tumor- but not macrophage-derived PGRN is associated with poor overall survival in PDAC.

A Versatile and Simple Approach to Electrochemical Colloidal Probes for Direct Force Measurements.

The colloidal probe technique, which is based on micrometer-sized colloidal particles that are attached to the end of a cantilever, revolutionized direct force measurements by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Its major advantages are a defined interaction geometry and a high force sensitivity. Here, we present a versatile and simple approach for preparing spherical electrodes in the micrometer range on an otherwise insulated AFM cantilever.

Combined systemic inflammation score (SIS) correlates with prognosis in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving palliative chemotherapy.

Purpose: The prognosis of patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains dismal. New cytotoxic agents such as nab-paclitaxel and liposomal irinotecan (nal-Iri) have extended the armamentarium of therapeutic options in the last years. Nowadays, sequential therapeutic strategies with moderately toxic chemotherapeutic protocols can be administered to the patients.

Biweekly Cetuximab Plus FOLFOX6 as First-Line Therapy in Patients With RAS Wild-Type Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The CEBIFOX Trial.

Background: The multicenter, single-arm, phase II study CEBIFOX evaluated the efficacy of a biweekly cetuximab administration in combination with FOLFOX6 as first-line therapy in KRAS (exon 2) wild-type (wt) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Patients And Methods: Patients received FOLFOX6 with cetuximab (500 mg/m) every second week. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR), among others secondary endpoints were safety, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and patient-reported outcome (PRO).

Effect of environmental humidity on the ionic transport of poly(ethylene oxide) thin films, investigated by local dielectric spectroscopy.

The effect of humidity on the ionic transport in the amorphous phase of poly(ethylene oxide) thin films has been studied by local dielectric spectroscopy. We explored a controlled humidity range between 15% RH and 50% RH. AFM-based local dielectric imaging allowed the thin film topography and the corresponding dielectric contrast maps to be obtained simultaneously.

Optimization of a German short term percolation test to determine the leaching of granular materials.

Different percolation tests were developed worldwide to characterize the leaching and to evaluate the environmental compatibility of granular materials. The German standard up-flow percolation test has a short testing time and can be used for both coarse and fine-grain materials. Some very fine-grain materials are difficult to percolate.

Impact of RAS mutation subtype on clinical outcome-a cross-entity comparison of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer.

Mutated RAS onco-proteins are key drivers across many cancers. The distribution of somatic RAS mutations varies between cancer entities. Retrospective analyses have associated some RAS mutations with distinct clinical outcomes.

Long-term outcome of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated with sequential chemotherapies before the era of modern combination therapy protocols.

Introduction: Patients (pts) with locally advanced (LAPC) or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) have a dismal prognosis. Recently, new combination chemotherapies such as FOLFIRINOX and nab-paclitaxel/gemcitabine have demonstrated superiority over gemcitabine monotherapy. However, a substantial proportion of pts cannot tolerate these intensive front-line protocols.