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Control of the formation of liquid crystalline Ia 3̄ d gyroid phases and their nanostructures is critical to advance materials chemistry based on the structural feature of three-dimensional helical networks. Here, we present that introducing methyl side-group(s) and slight non-symmetry into aryloyl-hydrazine-based molecules is unexpectedly crucial for their formation and can be a new design strategy through tuning intermolecular interactions: the two chemical modifications in the core portion of the chain-core-chain type molecules effectively lower and extend the Ia 3̄ d phase temperature ranges with the increased twist angle between neighboring molecules along the network. The detailed analyses of the aggregation structure revealed the change in the core assembly mode from the double-layered core mode of the mother molecule (without methyl groups) to the single-layered core mode. Such changes are explained in terms of modified intermolecular interactions in those phases employing quantum chemical calculations.

Background: The applicability of ultra-hypofractionated (ultra-HF) whole-breast irradiation (WBI) remains unknown in Japanese women. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this approach among Japanese women and report the results of an interim analysis performed to assess acute adverse events (AEs) and determine whether it was safe to continue this study., Methods: We enrolled Japanese women with invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ who had undergone breast-conserving surgery, were aged ≥ 40 years, had pathological stages of Tis-T3 N0-N1, and had negative surgical margins. Ultra-HF-WBI was delivered at 26 Gy in five fractions over one week. When the number of enrolled patients reached 28, patient registration was paused for three months. The endpoint of the interim analysis was the proportion of acute AEs of grade ≥ 2 (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0) within three months., Results: Of the 28 patients enrolled from seven institutes, 26 received ultra-HF-WBI, and 2 were excluded due to postoperative infections. No AEs of grade ≥ 3 occurred. One patient (4%) experienced grade 2 radiation dermatitis, and 18 (69%) had grade 1 radiation dermatitis. The other acute grade 1 AEs experienced were skin hyperpigmentation (n = 10, 38%); breast pain (n = 4, 15%); superficial soft tissue fibrosis (n = 3, 12%); and fatigue (n = 1, 4%). No other acute AEs of grade ≥ 2 were detected., Conclusions: Acute AEs following ultra-HF-WBI were within acceptable limits among Japanese women, indicating that the continuation of the study was appropriate., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A chemodivergent synthesis of polycyclic aromatic diarylamines and carbazoles was established by employing thermally or photochemically controlled processes using KO t Bu/1,10-phenanthroline. The synthetic processes involved the dephosphinylation of 9-amino-10-(phosphinyl)phenanthrenes, which were obtained through a regioselective palladium-catalyzed direct [4 + 2] benzannulation of phosphinyl ynamines with 2-iodobiphenyls. When the dephosphinylation was conducted under heating conditions (∼100 °C), it proceeded to yield 9-aminophenanthrene. However, when the reaction was performed under the illumination of purple light (LEDs, λ max = ca. 390 nm), KO t Bu/1,10-phenanthroline promoted single-electron-transfer-triggered dephosphinylation followed by cyclization, producing the corresponding π-expanded carbazoles. We successfully synthesized a highly π-expanded dicarbazole through a dual dephosphinylative cyclization. Additionally, we present the optical properties of a series of amino compounds produced through the dephosphinylative processes.

Background: Few studies have reported reliable prognostic factors for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Therefore, we investigated prognostic factors in patients treated with ICIs for unresectable or metastatic RCC., Methods: We included 43 patients who received ICI treatment for RCC between January 2018 and October 2021. Blood samples were drawn before treatment, and 73 soluble factors in the plasma were analyzed using a bead-based multiplex assay. We examined factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and immune-related adverse events (irAE) using the Chi-squared test, Kaplan-Meier method, and the COX proportional hazards model., Results: Patients exhibited a median PFS and OS of 212 and 783 days, respectively. Significant differences in both PFS and OS were observed for MMP1 (PFS, p < 0.001; OS, p = 0.003), IL-1β (PFS, p = 0.021; OS, p = 0.008), sTNFR-1 (PFS, p = 0.017; OS, p = 0.005), and IL-6 (PFS, p = 0.004; OS, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed significant differences in PFS for MMP1 (hazard ratio [HR] 5.305, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.648-17.082; p = 0.005) and OS for IL-6 (HR 23.876, 95% CI, 3.426-166.386; p = 0.001). Moreover, 26 patients experienced irAE, leading to ICI discontinuation or withdrawal. MMP1 was significantly associated with irAE (p = 0.039)., Conclusion: MMP1 may be associated with severe irAE, and MMP1, IL-1β, sTNFR-1, and IL-6 could serve as prognostic factors in unresectable or metastatic RCC treated with ICIs. MMP1 and IL-6 were independent predictors of PFS and OS, respectively. Thus, inhibiting these soluble factors may be promising for enhancing antitumor responses in patients with RCC treated with ICIs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A 35-year-old man was diagnosed with stage IIIC non-seminoma with paralysis of the lower half of his body due to 8th thoracic spine metastasis. The patient received bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) therapy. On day 4 of the second course of BEP, the patient developed a fever and was diagnosed with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). COVID-19 was suspected to worsen because of cancer and chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression. However, the benefits of continuing BEP therapy outweighed these risks. After obtaining fully informed consent, BEP therapy was continued from day 5, while sotrovimab (anti-COVID-19 drug) was administered. The second course of BEP was completed without worsening severe COVID-19 or bleomycin-induced lung injury. The patient completed four courses of BEP, with normalization of tumor markers, partial response on imaging, and improvement in lower body paralysis. In this case, we successfully treated a patient with testicular germ cell tumor with chemotherapy while having COVID-19 without treatment delay. During the COVID-19 pandemic, concomitant chemotherapy and COVID-19 treatment are warranted because delaying treatment will decrease the efficacy of highly curative diseases such as germ cell tumors., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Purpose: The UK-FAST-Forward study showed that ultra-hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation (ultra-HF-WBI) involving five fractions of 26 Gy radiation over 1 week was not inferior to HF-WBI. However, it is not used in Japan due to safety concerns. In April 2022, we commenced a multi-institutional, single-arm, phase II trial. Our aim is to confirm the safety of ultra-HF-WBI after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for breast cancer in Japanese women., Method: We plan to enroll 98 patients from 13 institutions. The primary endpoint is the proportion of late adverse events of grades ≥2 within 3 years., Discussion: We believe that this highly promising clinical study can positively impact the Japanese guidelines for breast cancer treatment. The results will help us decide whether or not ultra-HF-WBI can be used as a more convenient alternative to WBI., Registration Number and Date: This trial was registered in the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000047080) on March 4, 2022., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permission@oup.com.)