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The development of diplexers for ECRH has been pursued at a number of institutes because of their attractive variety of applications: Power combination, non-mechanical, electrically controlled switching (of combined beams) between launchers with tens of kHz, and discrimination of low-power ECE signals from high-power ECRH is feasible. In a first part, this paper reports on plasma experiments with a ring resonator (Mk IIa) at ASDEX Upgrade. Commissioning experiments on fast switching between two launchers for synchronous stabilization of neoclassical tearing modes, as well as in-line ECE measurements have been performed, and experimental issues and first results are discussed. A clear influence of the switching phase on the amplitude of the 3/2 NTM mode was measured, complete stabilization could, however, not be demonstrated yet mainly due to imperfect resonator control. Concepts for improved tracking of the diplexers to the gyrotron frequency are presented. In a second part, the design of diplexers with ring resonators matched to HE11 fields is briefly discussed; these devices can be connected to corrugated waveguides without any mode converters. A compact version (MQ IV) is under investigation, which is compatible with the ITER ECRH system (170 GHz, 63.5 mm waveguide, vacuum tight casing), with the final goal of high-power tests at the 170 GHz gyrotron facility at JAEA in Naka, Japan. First low-power test results are presented.

Characteristics of ring resonator diplexers for high-power ECRH are briefly reviewed. Commissioning experiments performed on ASDEX Upgrade with the diplexer Mk IIa are presented, which demonstrate slow and fast switching of the power between two launchers, and thus the capability for efficient suppression of neoclassical tearing modes and simultaneous central heating of the plasma. The development of the compact diplexer Mk IIIb is discussed, and test results are presented. Finally, an evacuated design for 170 GHz is shown.

A CW capable inline electron cyclotron emission (ECE) separation system for feedback control, featuring oversized corrugated waveguides, is commissioned on ASDEX upgrade (AUG). The system is based on a combination of a polarization independent, non-resonant, Mach-Zehnder diplexer equipped with dielectric plate beam splitters [2, 3] employed as corrugated oversized waveguide filter, and a resonant Fast Directional Switch, FADIS [4, 5, 6, 7] as ECE/ECCD separation system. This paper presents an overview of the system, the low power characterisation tests and first high power commissioning on AUG.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate a software-based measurement tool of computed tomography imaging to assess torsional alignment of the lower limb-usually used for patients with posttraumatic deformities and patellofemoral issues-and compare these measurements with manual measurements of two experienced raters., Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of 58 lower limbs (47 patients, 20 men and 27 women) aged between 19 and 97 years. Inclusion criteria were the clinical indication for torsion measurement of the lower limb. Legs with incomplete imaging and age less than 18 years were excluded. Femoral and tibial torsion were measured separately. Torsional alignment was assessed software-based at two time points by two raters. Rater one additionally assessed manual-based measurement at two time points. The software used was mediCAD 3D Knee Version 2.5.33 (Hectec). Subsequently, intra- and inter-rater reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Validity testing was performed by means of precision, concordance correlation coefficient according to Lin (ccc) and Pearson correlation coefficient., Results: High intra-rater reliability for software-based as well as manual-based evaluation of torsional alignment was found for the tibia as well as the femur (ICC ranging between 0.870 and 0.993). Inter-rater reliability also showed highly significant results of both manual and software-based measurements (ICC ranging between 0.851 and 0.993). For almost all comparisons (except the tibia left), software-based measurements showed higher ICC scores above 0.9, and, therefore, classified as 'excellent reliability'. For validity testing, correlation coefficients and precision showed very good correspondence of the measurements (all values > 0.9), without systematic deviations., Conclusions: Software-based measurement of torsional alignment according to the measurement method developed by H.-A. Waidelich proved to be a reliable and valid technique. Especially for inexperienced surgeons, software-based measurement, therefore, might improve confidence in reliable medical decisions in diagnostics and treatment., Level of Evidence: Level III., (© 2024 The Author(s). Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.)

Background: Efficacy of treatment after failure of check point inhibitors (ICI) therapy remains ill-defined in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC)., Objective: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of cabozantinib after failure of ICI-based therapies., Design, Setting and Participants: Patients with mRCC who concluded cabozantinib treatment directly after an ICI-based therapy were eligible. Data was collected retrospectively from participating sites in Germany., Interventions: Cabozantinib was administered as a standard of care., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Adverse events (AE) were reported according to CTCAE v5.0. Objective response rate according to RECIST 1.1 and Progression Free Survival (PFS) were collected from medical records. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meyer-plots were utilized., Results and Limitations: About 56 eligible patients (71.4% male) with median age of 66 years and clear cell histology in 66.1% (n = 37) were analyzed. 87.5% (n = 49) had ≥ 2 previous lines. IMDC risk was intermediate or poor in 17 patients (30.4%) and missing in 66.1%. 20 patients (35.7%) started with 60 mg. 55.4% (n = 31) required dose reductions, 26.8% (n = 15) treatment delays and 1.8% (n = 1) treatment discontinuation. Partial response was reported in 10.7% (n = 6), stable and progressive disease were reported in 19.6% (n = 11) and in 12.5% (n = 7). 32 patients were not evaluable (57.1%). Median treatment duration was 6.1 months. Treatment related AE were reported in 76.8% (n = 43) and 19.6% (n = 11) had grade 3-5. Fatigue (26.8%), diarrhea (26.8%) and hand-foot-syndrome (25.0%) were the 3 most frequent AEs of any grade and causality. SAE were reported in 21.4% (n = 12), 2 were fatal. Major limitation was the retrospective data capture in our study., Conclusions: Cabozantinib followed directly after ICI-based therapy was safe and feasible. No new safety signals were reported. A lower starting dose was frequently utilized in this real-world cohort, which was associated with a favorable tolerability profile. Our data supports the use of cabozantinib after ICI treatment., Competing Interests: Disclosure VG: Compensated lectures: AstraZeneca, Astellas, BMS, EISAI, Ipsen, Janssen-Cilag, Merck, MSD, Pfizer, ONO Pharmaceutical, Novartis/AAA. Advisory Board: Apogepha, BMS; EISAI, EUSA Pharm, Cureteq, Debiopharm, Gilead, Janssen-Cilag, Merck, MSD, Pfizer, Novartis, Oncorena, PCI Biotech. Research Grant: AstraZeneca, BMS, MSD, Ipsen, Pfizer. Travel support: AstraZeneca, Ipsen, Merck, Janssen, Pfizer MB: RR: Advisory Board: Apogepha,Ipsen, Merck .Pfizer Travel support: Janssen, Pfizer GN: compensated lectures: Roche Pharma, MEDAC, Pfizer, BMS, AstraZeneca, Merck, Janssen-Cilag, Astellas; Advisory Boards: Roche Pharma, Sanofi, BMS, Merck Serono, Pfizer, MEDAC, Ipsen, Janssen, Travel support:Roche Pharma, Pfizer, Merck, Janssen, maunscript writing: Pfizer, BMS, Merck MJS: Compensated lectures: Astellas, Apogepha, Bayer, BMS, EISAI, Hexal, Ipsen, Merck, Pfizer, Medac, MSD, Janssen-Cilag. Advisory board: BMS, Gilead, Ipsen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, MSD, Janssen-Cilag. Congress: Apogepha, Janssen-Cilag, Ipsen, Pfizer. Research Grants: Gilead, Ipsen, Janssen-Cilag, AstraZeneca, QED, MSD. FA: none, MM: none, MC: none, MOZ: none AW: Compensated lectures: AIO, BMS, Gilead, Janssen, Lilly, iOMEDICO Advisory Board: BMS;Gilead, Lilly Merck, MSD, Pfizer,Janssen Research Grant: AIO, iOMEDICO AH: none JC: none CD: Compensated lectures from Janssen-Cilag, Ipsen. Advisory Board: Janssen-Cilag, Ipsen. Travel support: Janssen-Cilag, Ipsen and Bayer HT: none, MS: none, DS: none PI: Compensated lectures: AstraZeneca, BMS, EISAI, Merck, MSD, Pfizer, Novartis/AAA. Advisory Board: Apogepha, BMS; EISAI, EUSA Pharm, Gilead, Ipsen, Merck, MSD, Pfizer, Novartis, Oncorena, PCI Biotech. Research Grant: AstraZeneca, BMS, MSD, Ipsen, Pfizer. Travel support: AstraZeneca, Ipsen, Merck, Pfizer, (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)