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Lorlatinib is the only targeted therapy approved in Canada to treat patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumor has progressed despite treatment with second-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), a patient population with high unmet need and lack of publicly reimbursed targeted treatments in Canada. We prospectively examined the real-world effectiveness and impact of lorlatinib on quality-of-life in 59 lorlatinib-treated patients, characterized as: median age of 62.0 years; 47.5% were female; 32.2% had central nervous system metastases; 50.8% had 2+ prior ALK TKI lines; and alectinib was the most common ALK TKI (72.9%) administered before lorlatinib, including 44.1% who received first-line alectinib. With a median follow-up of 15.3 months (IQR: 6.2–19.2), median time-to-treatment discontinuation of lorlatinib was 15.3 months (95% CI: 7.9–not reached), with 54.2% (95% CI: 40.8–65.9%) of patients without treatment discontinuation at 12 months. At baseline, the mean health utility score (HUS) was 0.744 (SD: 0.200). At 3 months, patients receiving lorlatinib demonstrated a 0.069 (95% CI: 0.020–0.118; p = 0.007) average HUS increase over baseline; HUS was maintained at 6 and 12 months. Thus, patients with ALK-positive NSCLC post second-generation ALK TKI remained on lorlatinib for a meaningful duration of time while their quality-of-life was preserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many patients with advanced follicular lymphoma (FL) and marginal zone lymphoma (MZL) relapse after first-line chemotherapy. Objective: To examine healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) and cost, treatment patterns, progression, and survival of patients with FL and MZL who relapse after first-line treatment, in Ontario, Canada. Methods: A retrospective, administrative data study identified patients with relapsed FL and MZL (1 January 2005–31 December 2018). Patients were followed for up to three years post relapse to assess HCRU, healthcare costs, time to next treatment (TTNT), and overall survival (OS), stratified by first- and second-line treatment. Results: The study identified 285 FL and 68 MZL cases who relapsed after first-line treatment. Average duration of first-line treatment was 12.4 and 13.4 months for FL and MZL patients, respectively. Drug (35.9%) and cancer clinic costs (28.1%) were major contributors to higher costs in year 1. Three-year OS was 83.9% after FL and 74.2% after MZL relapse. No statistically significant differences were observed in TTNT and OS between patients with FL who received R-CHOP/R-CVP/BR in the first line only versus both the first- and second- line. A total of 31% of FL and 34% of MZL patients progressed to third-line treatment within three years of initial relapse. Conclusion: Relapsing and remitting nature of FL and MZL in a subset of patients results in substantial burden to patients and the healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal imaging of surfaces with microscale spatial resolution over micro-sized areas remains a challenging and time-consuming task. Surface thermal imaging is a very important characterization tool in mechanical engineering, microelectronics, chemical process engineering, optics, microfluidics, and biochemistry processing, among others. Within the realm of electronic circuits, this technique has significant potential for investigating hot spots, power densities, and monitoring heat distributions in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) platforms. We present a new technique for remote non-invasive, contactless thermal field mapping using synchrotron radiation-based Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy. We demonstrate a spatial resolution better than 10 um over areas on the order of 12,000 um2 measured in a polymeric thin film on top of CaF2 substrates. Thermal images were obtained from infrared spectra of poly(methyl methacrylate) thin films heated with a wire. The temperature dependence of the collected infrared spectra was analyzed via linear regression and machine learning algorithms, namely random forest and k-nearest neighbor algorithms. This approach speeds up signal analysis and allows for the generation of hyperspectral temperature maps. The results here highlight the potential of infrared absorbance to serve as a remote method for the quantitative determination of heat distribution, thermal properties, and the existence of hot spots, with implications in CMOS technologies and other electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical thermal rectification arises from the contact between two dissimilar bulk materials, each with a thermal conductivity (k) with a different temperature dependence. Here, we study thermal rectification in a Si(1−x)Gex alloy with a spatial dependence on the atomic composition. Rectification factors (R = kmax/kmin) of up to 3.41 were found. We also demonstrate the suitability of such an alloy for logic gates using a thermal AND gate as an example by controlling the thermal conductivity profile via the alloy composition. This system is readily extendable to other alloys, since it only depends on the effective thermal conductivity. These thermal devices are inherently advantageous alternatives to their electric counterparts, as they may be able to take advantage of otherwise undesired waste heat in the surroundings. Furthermore, the demonstration of logic operations is a step towards thermal computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substitution of extra virgin olive oil with other edible oils is the primary method for fraud in the olive-oil industry. Developing inexpensive analytical methods for confirming the quality and authenticity of olive oils is a major strategy towards combatting food fraud. Current methods used to detect such adulterations require complicated time- and resource-intensive preparation steps. In this work, a comparative study incorporating Raman and infrared spectroscopies, photoluminescence, and thermal-conductivity measurements of different sets of adulterated olive oils is presented. The potential of each characterization technique to detect traces of adulteration in extra virgin olive oils is evaluated. Concentrations of adulterant on the order of 5% can be detected in the Raman, infrared, and photoluminescence spectra. Small changes in thermal conductivity were also found for varying amounts of adulterants. While each of these techniques may individually be unable to identify impurity adulterants, the combination of these techniques together provides a holistic approach to validate the purity and authenticity of olive oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]