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High‐Performance Flexible Near‐Infrared Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes with a Heterogeneous Alloy Semitransparent Electrode
ABSTRACT Flexible near‐infrared (NIR) organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) face efficiency challenges due to low photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) in NIR emitters, governed by the energy gap law. Accelerating radiative transitions via the Purcell effect in optical microcavities offers a solution, but conventional flexible semitransparent electrodes struggle to balance microcavity‐enhanced PLQY and light outcoupling efficiency (OCE). We address this with a micro‐structured magnesium‐bismuth (Mg‐Bi) alloy electrode offering 40% broadband transmittance (400–1600 nm) and conductivity (29.3 Ω ◻ −1 ). The alloy's low real permittivity supports less confined surface plasmon polariton and, with a capping layer, yields 60% NIR transmittance in an organic‐to‐air optical configuration. This design achieves 42.3% OCE and elevates the PLQY of a 704 nm NIR emitter to 71.8%, enabling flexible NIR‐OLEDs with a record 24.3% external quantum efficiency. The synergy of optical engineering and conductive microstructures establishes a universal strategy for high‐efficiency flexible NIR optoelectronics.
Scalable Growth of Quasi‐1D TiS <sub>3</sub> Nanoribbons for High‐Temperature Flexible Strain Sensor
ABSTRACT Quasi‐one‐dimensional (quasi‐1D) van der Waals MX 3 transition metal trichalcogenides (TMTCs), have emerged as a compelling material platform due to their unique quantum confinement effects and anisotropic properties. Nevertheless, the narrow growth window and extreme sensitivity to growth parameters make it challenging to synthesize TMTCs via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Herein, we demonstrate an ethanol‐assisted CVD method for the scalable growth of TiS 3 nanoribbons. This approach utilizes the combination of ethanol with TiCl 4 and S powder to form a Ti source precursor, enabling the high yields of TiS 3 nanoribbons with a thickness as low as 10 nm and lengths on the micrometer scale (140±30 µm, aspect ratio of approximately 260). Moreover, the nanoribbons exhibit epitaxial vertical alignment on substrates, facilitating the versatile transfer to arbitrary target substrates. The single TiS 3 nanoribbon exhibits high conductivity (σ 293 K = 3.1 × 10 4 S/m) from 80 to 593 K. Flexible strain sensors based on TiS 3 nanoribbon networks demonstrate a high gauge factor of 135.3, a wide strain detection range (40–7400 με), and strong tolerance to temperatures up to 773 K. This strategy provides a unique pathway for synthesis of TMTCs, providing essential material support for the development of high‐performance flexible electronic devices.
SWOG S1823/CCTG GCC-01 secondary use of data: North American patterns of care in clinical stage I germ cell tumours.
622 Background: Clinical stage I (CSI) testicular germ cell neoplasms (tGCN) represent the most frequent disease presentation and are highly curable. While active surveillance (AS) is increasingly favored as initial management, practice heterogeneity persists. The SWOG/CCTG S1823/GCC-001 trial is a prospective, non-interventional cohort study evaluating microRNA 371a-3p as a diagnostic biomarker in germ cell tumors. We hereby present a pre-planned secondary analysis of this dataset to characterize real-world treatment patterns and baseline characteristics of CSI tGCN across North America. Methods: We included patients from S1823 with pathologically confirmed CSI tGCN (seminoma or nonseminoma). Patients with metastatic disease, marker-positive status post-orchiectomy, or recurrent disease were excluded. Demographic, pathologic, and intended management data were extracted from case report forms and institutional source documents, as intended per pre-planned secondary use of data provisions. Results: Among 706 patients with CSI tGCN (428 seminoma, 278 nonseminoma), median age was higher in seminoma (38.7±10.7 years) than nonseminoma (32.4±9.4). There was a high prevalence of overweight or obese habitus (36.0% and 32.2%, respectively). AS was the most commonly selected management strategy: 92.1% in seminoma and 79.9% in nonseminoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy was used more often in nonseminoma (16.2%) than seminoma (6.3%), typically one cycle of BEP or carboplatin respectively. Radiation was nearly absent (<1%). Across both histology groups, adjuvant chemotherapy was prescribed more frequently in U.S. centers than in Canada (seminoma: 8.4% vs 0.8%; nonseminoma: 19.2% vs 5.1%). Conclusions: AS is the predominant management strategy for CSI tGCN across North America, with limited use of adjuvant therapy. However, treatment patterns vary by histology and geography, with notably higher adjuvant chemotherapy use in the U.S. compared to Canada. These findings illustrate evolving practices and highlight the utility of large prospective registries to assess real-world care. Full S1823 trial analysis may further inform risk-adapted strategies in CSI tGCN. Clinical characteristics and management recommendations for CSI seminoma and nonseminoma patients enrolled on S1823. Clinical Characteristics Histology Race/Ethnicity White/Non-White/Hispanic pT stage pT1/pT2 Institution LAPS/NCOPR/Other Age (mean) BMI Sem 428 (60.6%)Non-sem 278 (39.4%) 79.2%/20.8%/16.1% 446 (63.2%)/ 250 (35.4%) 18%/38%/42% 36.2 Underwt. 1.1%Normal 30.4%Over Wt. 36.0%Obese 32.1% Planned Management Active surveillance Chemo Radiation Surgery Yes 616 (87.3%) BEP X1 41 (5.8%)Carbo X1 19 (2.7%)Carbo X2 6 (0.8%) Yes 2 (0.3%) Yes 18 (2.5%) Sem= seminoma; Non-sem= nonseminoma; BMI= body mass index; BEP= Bleomycin, Etoposide, Cisplatin; Carbo= Carboplatin.
Prostate cancer: Correlating the clinical phenotype to the genotype.
376 Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common malignant tumor for men in Israel. There are known inherited pathogenic variants (PVs) in DNA repair genes that are linked to PC. Risk factors for hereditary PC include aggressive PC, a family history of PC, and/or other malignancies such as breast and ovarian cancer or colorectal and uterine cancer. Our main goal is to understand the impact of inherited PVs on the clinical characteristics of PC. This is to enable early detection, prediction of the course of the disease and response to treatment. Methods: This is a multidisciplinary multicenter study including urology, oncology and genetics departments enrolls PC patients from all ethnicities and stages during their clinic visit. Blood is taken and a family cancer history questionnaire is completed. Germline DNA is processed using exome slice technology targeting the following genes: BRCA2, BRCA1, CHEK2, ATM, PALB2, MLH1, MSH2/EPCAM, MSH6, PMS2, HOXB13, TP53, NBN, ATR, BRIP1, FANCA, GEN1, RAD51C, RAD51D, ABRAXAS1, MRE11. These genes are analyzed for PVs according to the "ACMG/AMP interpreting sequence variant guidelines". Results are returned to the patient and the recruiting physician. Results: Among 440 enrolled patients, 219 have completed germline genotyping analysis with the remainder under evaluation. Of these 207 (94%) are non-PV carriers and 12 (6%) carry PVs (see table). PVs included BRCA1/BRCA2 (n=1), BRCA2 (n=3), CHEK2 (n=2), MSH2+CHEK2 (n=1) and single cases of the following genes: BRCA1, TP53, ATR, FANCA and ABRAXAS1. PV carriers had higher proportions of metastatic disease at diagnosis (p=0.0015) and ISUP grade 4-5 (p=0.006). There is a significant increase in BRCA PVs both in metastatic disease and the ISUP grade 4-5. Conclusions: Early detection and favorable tumor biology are associated with curative treatment options. Those diagnosed in late stages or with high-risk characteristics have fewer curative treatment options available. Germline PVs are significantly higher in patients with late-stage disease, aggressive behavior and familial risk. Knowledge of PVs status may inform surveillance strategies for early detection. There exists a challenge in discovering PV male carriers due to the lack of germline testing in this group. Lastly, we are continuing our analysis of the genetic data to determine its link to high risk, aggressive and familial PC. Clinical phenotype and genotype. TotalN (%) Non-PV carriersN (%) PV germline carriersN (%) p-value* PV BRCA*** carriersN (%) p-value* Genetic results 219 207 (94) 12 (6) 5 Age at diagnosis Median(1,3 quartile) 71 (65,76) 70(65,76) 75(68,80) ns** 76(72,80) ns** Stage at diagnosis local or N+ 192 (88) 185 (89) 7 (58) 2 (40) Metastatic 27 (12) 22 (11) 5 (41) 0.0015 3 (60) 0.0007 ISUP 1-3 137 (63) 134 (65) 3 (25) 1 (20) 4-5 82 (37) 73 (35) 9 (75) 0.006 4 (80) *p-values are provided using Chi-square. **ns, not significant. **Double mutation counted as one.
Long-term clinical outcomes and genomic predictors of PSMA-PET/CT-guided cytoreductive progression-directed therapy in patients with oligoprogressive castration-resistant prostate cancer.
190 Background: The long-term effect of cytoreductive progression-directed therapy (PDT) based on prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA-PET/CT) in oligoprogressive castrate-resistant prostate cancer (opCRPC) remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes of PSMA-PET/CT-guided PDT and identify the genomic predictors associated with clinical effect in opCRPC. Methods: This study included 87 consecutive opCRPC patients who received PDT to the lesions identified by PSMA-PET/CT. Among them, 81 patients underwent targeted next-generation sequencing to characterize genomic alterations. Progression-free survival (PFS), local failure-free survival (LFFS), and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and potential predictors were assessed through Cox proportional hazards regression. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response was also evaluated. Results: Median follow-up was 56 months. PSA decline was observed in 83 cases (95.4%), with 77 cases (88.5%) achieving a PSA 50 response and 58 cases (66.6%) achieving a PSA 90 response. The median PFS was 14 months. The median LFFS and median OS were not reached. The rates for 5-year PFS, LFFS and OS were 27%, 66% and 62%, respectively. High-risk alterations (HRA) were defined as any pathogenic alteration in AR, TP53, RB1, or PTEN. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that PDT coverage and HRA signature were independent predictors of PFS, LFFS, and OS. Conclusions: The cytoreductive PDT to opCRPC lesions detected by PSMA-PET/CT had encouraging PSA responses and favorable long-term outcomes in opCRPC patients. Complete coverage PDT and the absence of HRA signature were significantly associated with improved PFS, LFFS, and OS following PSMA-PET/CT-guided PDT. These findings highlight the potential value of integrating genomic signatures with PSMA-PET/CT-guided treatment.
V-set immunoregulatory receptor as a novel molecular target for genitourinary cancers.
515 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) target immune receptors on the cell surface of T lymphocytes to enhance the immune response to cancer, and have been reported to be less toxic and more long-lasting than conventional chemotherapy. Representative immune checkpoint molecules include PD-1 and CTLA-4, and therapeutic drugs targeting these receptors have been effectively used for patients with metastatic melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer. Recent studies have identified novel immune checkpoint molecules, and VSIR is one of them. VSIR (V-set immunoregulatory receptor) is a single-pass transmembrane protein known to be expressed in immune cells such as T cells and macrophages, and is supposed to reduce the activity of immune cells by binding to VSIG3 expressed by tumor cells. There have been several reports of VSIR in tumor tissues, including renal cancer, but the expression and function of VSIR in renal cancer cells themselves have not been examined in detail. Methods: We employed molecular and cellular biological technologies to obtain protein expression signature of siVSIR-treated genital and renal cancer cells. Results: Suppression of VSIR expression significantly reduced cell viability, and Western blot revealed that suppression of VSIR expression attenuated pAKT, pFoxO1, pERK, and pMEK signals. These findings suggest that VSIR is involved in the survival function of tumor cells, and that this function may be maintained by participating in the PI3K-AKT pathway and the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway. We further investigated the role of VSIR in regulation of AKT pathway revealing that suppression of VSIR expression reduced phosphorylation of FoxO1 and induced its nuclear localization. While nuclear FoxO1 induced the expression of p21 and p27 and G1 arrest in siVSIR-treated genital and renal cancer cells. Conclusions: Our results suggested that VSIR was involved in growth signal and cell cycle regulation in genital and renal cancer cells. It is expected that elucidating the detailed molecular mechanisms of immune checkpoint molecules will lead to further development of cancer immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors in the future.
Generative Models for Crystalline Materials
ABSTRACT Understanding structure‐property relationships in materials is fundamental in condensed matter physics and materials science. Over the past few years, machine learning (ML) has emerged as a powerful tool for advancing this understanding and accelerating materials discovery. Early ML approaches primarily focused on constructing and screening large material spaces to identify promising candidates for various applications. More recently, research efforts have increasingly shifted toward generating crystal structures using end‐to‐end generative models. This review analyzes the current state of generative modeling for crystal structure prediction and de novo generation. It examines crystal representations, outlines the generative models used to design crystal structures, and evaluates their respective strengths and limitations. Furthermore, the review highlights experimental considerations for evaluating generated structures and provides recommendations for suitable existing software tools. Emerging topics, such as modeling disorder and defects, integration in advanced characterization, incorporating synthetic feasibility constraints, and model explainability are explored. Ultimately, this work aims to inform both experimental scientists looking to adapt suitable ML models to their specific circumstances and ML specialists seeking to understand the unique challenges related to inverse materials design and discovery.
Solar‐Driven Ultrafast Production of Gram‐Per‐Litre Level Hydrogen Peroxide With 2.74% Solar‐to‐Chemical Efficiency via Synergistic Photothermal Catalysis by W‐Based Amorphous Metal–Organic Polymers
ABSTRACT Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is a critical industrial chemical traditionally produced via the energy‐intensive anthraquinone process. Here, we report a low‐cost (<$0.6/g), hydroxyl‐functionalized metal‐organic polymer (MIL‐2OH‐W) featuring abundant undercoordinated [WO 6 ] 6 − centers for solar‐driven H 2 O 2 production. MIL‐2OH‐W achieves a record production rate of 11.25 mmol·g − 1 ·h − 1 in the first 10 min and becomes saturated to 3 mmol·g − 1 ·h − 1 in 1 h, reaching a concentration of 1.02 g·L − 1 (30 mmol·L − 1 ) with a 2.74% solar‐to‐chemical efficiency under mild conditions (40°C). Mechanistic studies from in ‐ situ transient absorption, in ‐ situ infrared, in ‐ situ electron paramagnetic resonance and density functional theory reveal a synergistic photothermal pathway, where aromatic hydroxyl linkers mimic anthraquinone‐like redox cycling, stabilize radical intermediates, and accelerate oxygen reduction. The catalyst exhibits exceptional stability (>40 days) and scalability, aligning with the United Nations decarbonization goals. This work provides a blueprint for sustainable H 2 O 2 synthesis by integrating photothermal catalysis with waste‐heat utilization.
Comparison of clinicopathological features and prognoses of de-novo metastatic male and female bladder cancer patients.
867 Background: Bladder cancer is a common urological malignancy, but de novo metastatic disease at presentation is relatively uncommon and associated with poor prognosis. Sex-related differences in bladder cancer biology and treatment outcomes have been reported, yet data specifically focusing on de novo metastatic male and female patients remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate clinical and prognostic differences in male and female patients with metastatic bladder cancer at the time of diagnosis. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, including male and female patients diagnosed with de novo metastatic bladder cancer between 2000 and 2021. Demographic, clinicopathological, and treatment variables were compared between genders. Overall survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors. Results: 14,785 patients who met the study criteria were included in the analysis. 82.9% of the patients were over 65 years of age. 69.6% of the patients were male. The most common pathological subtype was transitional cell carcinoma (74.3%). The most common metastatic sites were bone (30.9%), lung (29.1%), and liver (20.6%). The brain metastasis rate was 2.4%. Surgery was performed in 71% of the patients, 18.5% received radiotherapy, and 43.5% received chemotherapy. During the follow-up period, 11,358 (76.8%) patients died from bladder cancer. The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year cancer-specific survival rates were 30.9%, 16.1%, and 11% in women, and 35.6%, 19%, and 13% in men, respectively. Median overall survival was 6 months (95% CI, 5.6-6.3) in women and 7 months (95% CI, 5.7-7.2) in men, and this difference was statistically significant (Log-rank test, p < 0.001). Male and female patients were compared in terms of clinicopathological features, and differences were found in both groups in terms of age (p < 0.001), race (p < 0.001), origin (p < 0.001), and pathological subtype (p < 0.001). There were some differences between the two groups in the treatment approaches and distribution of metastatic foci; surgery (p < 0.001), radiotherapy (p = 0.368), chemotherapy (p < 0.001), bone metastases (p < 0.001), brain metastases (p = 0.804), liver metastases (p = 0.204), and lung metastases (p = 0.046). Conclusions: Female patients with de novo metastatic bladder cancer were older and more frequently of Black race, Spanish-Hispanic-Latino origin. Pathological subtypes other than transitional cell carcinoma were detected more frequently. Older age in females influenced treatment choice. The rate of lung metastases at diagnosis was higher, bone metastases were lower, and the disease had a poorer prognosis than in males.
Efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of reduced vs. full initial dose androgen receptor signaling inhibitors in non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: A multicenter retrospective study.
371 Background: The introduction of novel androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSIs) has significantly transformed the systemic treatment landscape for non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC). However, ARSI therapy is associated with substantial adverse events (AEs) and increased medical costs. Dose reduction may offer a strategy to mitigate AEs and reduce costs, yet the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of reduced-dose ARSIs in nmCRPC remain unclear. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 251 patients with nmCRPC who received ARSI therapy. Patients were categorized into two groups based on the initial ARSI dose: reduced-dose group (n = 46) and full-dose group (n = 205). Prostate-specific antigen progression-free survival (PSA-PFS) and metastasis-free survival (MFS) were compared between groups. Monthly medical costs for first ARSI treatment were also evaluated. Results: The median age at nmCRPC diagnosis was 77 years, with a median follow-up of 46 months. The rates of any PSA response, PSA decline ≥50%, and PSA decline ≥90% were comparable between the full-dose and reduced-dose groups (85% vs. 89%, P = 0.640; 74% vs. 76%, P = 0.785; 46% vs. 35%, P = 0.171, respectively). No significant differences were observed in PSA-PFS ( P = 0.307) or MFS ( P = 0.199) between the groups. After adjusting for confounding variables, reduced initial dose ARSI use was not significantly associated with shorter MFS ( P = 0.984; hazard ratio: 0.992; 95% confidence interval: 0.467–2.107). The incidence of any-grade AEs and grade ≥3 AEs did not differ significantly between the groups (33% vs. 24%, P = 0.171; 3.9% vs. 4.3%, P = 1.000). Monthly medication costs for first ARSI treatment were significantly lower in the reduced-dose group compared to the full-dose group ($998 vs. $1,644, P < 0.001), representing an approximate 40% cost reduction. Conclusions: Reduced-dose ARSI therapy demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to full-dose treatment in patients with nmCRPC, while significantly lowering medication costs. Dose reduction may be a viable strategy to enhance cost-effectiveness without compromising clinical outcomes.
Dissecting the tumor microenvironment of advanced urothelial carcinoma pre and post enfortumab vedotin ± pembrolizumab: A single-cell spatial transcriptomic analysis.
818 Background: The current treatment landscape of metastatic urothelial cancer has recently expanded beyond platinum-based chemotherapy to include antibody-drug conjugates such as enfortumab vedotin and immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab. Nevertheless, treatment resistance and disease progression remain major challenges. Here, we apply single-cell spatial transcriptomics to characterize the locally advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma microenvironment and identify immune neighborhoods predictive of response to enfortumab vedotin ± pembrolizumab. Methods: Thirty-one formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) bladder and metastatic site samples were obtained from ten patients with metastatic urothelial cancer and analyzed using the 10X Genomics Xenium In Situ Single-Cell Spatial Transcriptomics platform. The cohort included both primary bladder tumors and metastatic sites, totaling 27 tumor specimens and 4 matched benign samples. Patients received either singe-agent enfortumab vedotin (n = 9) or combination enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab (n = 1). Three patients achieved a complete clinical response and contributed only pre-treatment samples. Five patients experienced disease progression and contributed both pre- and post-treatment samples. Two additional patients who progressed provided only two post-treatment samples. Data processing and downstream analysis were performed using Seurat v5.0. Results: In total, 419,644 single cells from ten patients passed quality control. In the pretreatment setting, CD4+ FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and CD8+ T cells were detected in significantly higher proportions among immune cells from patients who achieved a complete clinical response compared to nonresponders (p < 0.05). Spatial analysis revealed a distinct immune-enriched niche that was consistently present in responders (p < 0.05). This niche was predominantly composed of CD4+ T cells, CD4+ FOXP3+ regulatory T cells, CD8+ T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. Ligand-receptor analysis demonstrated that this niche was highly enriched for antigen-presenting, costimulatory, and chemokine signaling pathways, indicative of active immune engagement. Cell-cell communication analysis further showed that CD8+ T cells served as the dominant signal senders, whereas dendritic cells and macrophages acted as the primary signal receivers, together defining a myeloid-T cell interactive microenvironment associated with therapeutic response. Conclusions: Spatial single cell-profiling revealed that patients responding to enfortumab vedotin ± pembrolizumab possess a pre-existing immune activated niche enriched in antigen presentation and T-cell co-stimulation.
Implementation of patient reported outcomes as nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer clinical trial endpoints.
722 Background: Nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) represents a highly recurrent malignancy requiring repeated transurethral surgical intervention and intravesical therapies which impact health-related quality of life. Thus, traditional clinical trial endpoints, including recurrence- and progression-free survival, may not fully capture the patient experience. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide a validated framework to measure symptoms, treatment burden, and overall well-being directly from the patient’s perspective. In 2021 the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued guidance on the use of PROs in cancer clinical trials. This study evaluates the frequency at which PROs are incorporated as NMIBC clinical trial endpoints. Methods: Interventional trials limited to patients with NMIBC were queried from clinicaltrials.gov from 1994-2026 (start of trial). Observational studies or those without a discrete intervention were excluded. The incorporation of PROs as primary and secondary endpoints was recorded. PROs were defined as any information about a patient’s health/experience coming directly from the patient without interpretation by a provider/investigator. Categorical variables were analyzed with Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, when applicable, and continuous variables were analyzed with the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Ninety-four clinical trials were included, of which 21 (22%) incorporated PROs. PROs were included in 3% and 20% of trials as primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. The most commonly used PROs include the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-NMIBC24 (incorporated in 48% and 43% of NMIBC trials using PROs, respectively). Trials that incorporated PROs as endpoints included higher median anticipated patient enrollments (166 patients (IQR 461) vs. 46 patients (IQR 101)). PROs were more likely included in randomized controlled trials (62% vs. 41% in non-randomized trials, P = 0.057). There was no difference in funding mechanism (industry-sponsored vs. cooperative group/federally funded) between trials that did and did not incorporate PROs. There was little change in PRO incorporation as trial endpoints over the study period. Conclusions: Despite recent emphasis from the FDA, patient advocacy groups, and the scientific community on the use of PRO measurements to capture the holistic, lived experience of patients on investigational cancer therapeutics, there is limited incorporation of PROs in NMIBC interventional trials. Moving forward, a standardized framework of validated PRO measurements should be incorporated into early clinical trial design.
A Multifunctional Interfacial Dipolar Molecule: Universal Applicability in Efficient Rigid, Flexible, and Large‐Area Perovskite Solar Cells
ABSTRACT A critical performance gap persists between lab‐scale perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and their theoretical efficiency limit, primarily driven by non‐radiative recombination at the electron transport layer/perovskite buried interface. Molecular engineering of this interface is a proven mitigation strategy; however, a major limitation of current modifiers is the lack of multifunctional structural design to achieve bifacial passivation, energy level alignment, and interfacial compatibility simultaneously, which typically restricts further improvements in device efficiency and the expansion of applications to large‐scale and flexible substrates. To address this challenge, we design a multifunctional dipolar molecule, 2‐cyanoethyl phosphate, with three features: a phosphate anchoring group for strong covalent bonding to SnO 2 , a terminal cyano group for effective perovskite defect passivation, and a large intrinsic dipole moment of 5.38 Debye to optimize interfacial energy‐level alignment for superior charge dynamics. This integrated strategy delivers a champion power conversion efficiency of 26.45% (certified at 26.31%) for small‐area rigid PSCs, 23.51% for mini‐modules (30 cm 2 ), and 25.09% for flexible PSCs. Our work establishes a general molecular design principle for universal interfacial modifiers, accelerating the commercialization of PSCs that combine high efficiency, scalability, and flexibility.
Self‐Confinement Effect Enabled by Hollow Carbon Nanoreactor for High‐Performance Li–Cl <sub>2</sub> Battery
Abstract Rechargeable Li─Cl 2 batteries represent a promising high‐energy‐density technology. However, the open‐pore structure of conventional cathode materials poses a fundamental challenge by permitting the uncontrolled diffusion of Cl 2 into the electrolyte, resulting in severe local concentration dilution that plagues rate capability and specific capacity. Herein, a self‐confinement strategy by hollow carbon nanoreactors (HCNRs) is proposed to regulate the local concentration of active Cl 2 species with micropores (≈0.8 nm) on their walls. These micropores act as size‐selective barriers, allowing to block the escape of larger active Cl 2 species (kinetic diameter ≈0.86 nm), and mesopores (30–50 nm) function as nanoreactors that concentrate active Cl 2 species. This design enables the as‐assembled Li─Cl 2 cell to achieve an ultrahigh current density of 100 mA cm −2 during the charge/discharge process and a record‐breaking specific capacity of 8000 mAh g −1 (9 mAh cm −2 ), superior to the reported literature. This hollow nanoreactor design highlights the potential of Li─Cl 2 batteries as high‐power and energy‐dense systems, paving the way for their practical application.
Progression after first-line chemotherapy with normal serum tumor markers (STM) in non-seminomatous germ-cell tumors (NSGCT).
615 Background: Surveillance of patients with NSGCT following first-line chemotherapy typically relies on a combination of STM and imaging. While STM are sensitive, a proportion of relapses occur without STM elevation. We aimed to characterize the incidence of progression with normal STM in patients with NSGCT who had initial elevated STM prior to first-line chemotherapy. Methods: The Indiana University (IU) germ cell tumor database was reviewed for patients with metastatic NSGCT who had elevated tumor markers prior to first-line chemotherapy (AFP >25 ng/mL or β-hCG >5 mIU/mL) and subsequently had disease progression. Patients with radiographic relapse in the absence of STM were classified as “normal STM relapse.” Clinicopathologic variables, sites of relapse, and histology at progression were compared between elevated and normal STM groups at progression using chi-square or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate. Results: A total of 725 patients were eligible. Primary tumor site was testis/retroperitoneal in 88.4% and mediastinal in 11.6%. A total of 82 (11.3%) progressed/relapsed with normal STM. Among the 82 patients who progressed with normal STM, sites of progression were lymph nodes in 60 (73.2%), lungs in 44 (53.7%), brain in 11 (13.4%), liver in 6 (7.3%), and bones in 3 (3.7%). Histologic evaluation at relapse revealed similar rates of viable germ cell tumor between patients with normal STM and elevated STM at progression (20.7% vs. 16.5%, p = 0.349). However, teratoma (40.2% vs. 11.8%, p < 0.001) and malignant transformation of teratoma (14.6% vs. 2.6%, p < 0.001) were significantly more common among patients with normal STM relapse. Conclusions: Among patients with metastatic NSGCT who have elevated STM at diagnosis and progress after first-line chemotherapy, a clinically meaningful subset will have radiographic progression with normal STM distinguished by increased prevalence of teratoma and malignant transformation. These findings underscore the role of routine imaging in addition to STM in post-therapy follow-up of NSGCT. Pathology at Progression STM Normal (n = 82) STM Elevated (n = 643) p-value GCT 17 (27.4%) 106 (53.3%) 0.349 Teratoma 33 (53.2%) 76 (38.2%) <0.001 Malignant Transformation 12 (19.4%) 17 (8.5%) <0.001 No Pathology 20 444
Evaluation of quality of life endpoint planning and reporting in phase III genitourinary oncology randomized controlled trials.
720 Background: Quality-of-life (QoL) endpoints are vital for assessing patient-centered outcomes in genitourinary (GU) cancers, yet their inclusion and reporting remain inconsistent. This study evaluated alignment between prospectively registered QoL plans and published results in contemporary phase III GU randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Phase III GU RCTs published between January 2020 and December 2024 were identified via PubMed. Corresponding ClinicalTrials.gov records were reviewed to determine whether QoL endpoints were prospectively planned. For each trial, published results were examined in primary and secondary manuscripts to assess whether QoL data were reported. Trial characteristics included tumor site, therapy class, funding source, disease setting, study result, and journal impact factor (IF). Additional design and registry variables were explored for associations with QoL reporting. Significant differences in QoL reporting were determined based on Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests. Results: A total of 79 phase III GU RCTs were included; 32 (41%) reported QoL outcomes. Sites included prostate (32, 41%), kidney (26, 33%), and bladder (19, 24%). Industry funding and publication in journals with an IF ≥ 10 occurred in 55 (70%) trials; 46 (61%) had positive results. Of 77 trials with registry data, 45 (58%) prospectively planned QoL assessment, yet 17 (38%) failed to publish results. QoL findings appeared in primary manuscripts for 17 (53%) and in secondary publications for 15 (47%). RCTs with positive results were more likely to report QoL than negative trials (26/46 [57%] vs 5/30 [17%]; p = 0.001). High-impact journals reported QoL more often than lower-impact journals (27/55 [49%] vs 5/24 [21%]; p = 0.019). Reporting did not differ by tumor site, disease setting, therapy class, study design, masking, or geographic scope (all p > 0.05). Industry-funded RCTs showed a trend toward higher reporting rates (26/55 [47%] vs 6/24 [25%]; p = 0.064). Conclusions: QoL outcomes were inconsistently reported in contemporary phase III GU oncology RCTs. Despite prospective planning in over half of the studies, more than one-third failed to publish QoL results. Trials with positive efficacy findings were approximately three times more likely to report QoL outcomes, underscoring the need for improved transparency and adherence to prespecified patient-reported outcome measures and reporting standards.
<i>MTAP</i> loss in penile squamous cell carcinoma (penSCC): A genomic landscape study.
11 Background: Clinically advanced penSCC is a highly aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis, and thus further exploration of genomic profiling is essential in development of targeted therapies. Recent evidence has emerged that novel anti-cancer treatments focused on synthetic lethality mechanisms may have efficacy in patients with clinically advanced malignancies. Methods: Using the FoundationOne CDx assay, 459 clinically advanced penRCC underwent hybrid capture based comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) to identify all classes of genomic alterations (GA). Microsatellite instability status (MSI) and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were determined from the sequencing data. PD-L1 expression was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using the Dako TPS score (0% = negative; 1-49% = low positive and > 50% = high positive). Results: 30 (6.5%) of clinically advanced penSCC featured whole or partial loss (homozygous deletion) of MTAP gene. Of the 30 penSCC with MTAP loss ( MTAP loss+) there were 21 (70.0%) cases with 8/8 MTAP exons lost, 1 (3.3%) with 5/8 MTAP exons lost, 5 (16.7%) with 4/8 MTAP exons lost, 2 (6.6%) with 3/8 MTAP exons lost and 1 (3.3%) with 2/8 MTAP exons lost. The penSCC with MTAP loss+ group was of similar age (median age 64.5 vs 66 years; p < .0001) vs MTAP wild type ( MTAP loss-) group. Genomic ancestry distributions were similar in both groups with European ancestry more frequent in the MTAP loss- group and African ancestry was more frequent in the MTAP loss+ group. APOBEC signature was more frequent in the MTAP loss+ group. A positive HRD signature was uncommon in both groups. The frequency of HPV detection was slightly higher in the MTAPloss- group (26.7% vs 33.3%; NS). Putative biomarkers of immunotherapy response including MSI High status and TMB > 10mutations were uncommon in both groups. At least 1% PD-L1 expression was also similarly high in both groups (85.7% vs 76.7%; NS). CDKN2A (100% vs 39.2%; p < .0001) and CDKN2B (90.0% vs 2.8%; p < .0001) were co-deleted with MTAP in the MTAP loss+ group (Table). Conclusions: MTAP loss was identified in 6.5% of clinically advanced penSCC cases and was frequently associated with complete loss of all 8 exons (70%) of the MTAP gene. While biomarkers linked to immunotherapy response (MSI, TMB, PD-L1) and HPV positivity were comparable between groups, the genomic landscape of MTAP-loss+ penSCC showed notable distinctions from MTAP-loss– cases. Study limitations include its retrospective design, limited clinical annotation, and potential selection or confounding biases. Multi-tumor trials of PRMT5 and MAT2A inhibitors might consider allowing inclusion of patients with MTAP loss and PenSCC. PenSCC MTAP loss+ (N=30) MTAP loss- (N=429) P value CDKN2A 100.0% 39.2% <.0001 CDKN2B 90.0% 2.8% <.0001 EGFR 6.7% 12.1% NS FGFR1 6.7% 1.6% NS FGFR2 6.7% 0.7% NS NFE2L2 20.0% 5.8% 0.085 NOTCH1 26.7% 16.1% NS PIK3CA 33.3% 23.3% NS TP53 60.0% 52.2% NS
Prognostic value and clinical utility of a six-gene signature for aggressive prostate cancer among clinically low or intermediate risk patients.
381 Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is diagnosed in approximately 1.5 million men worldwide each year. Many men have clinically low or intermediate risk PCa and can be managed with active surveillance (AS). However, many men are unnecessarily treated with surgery, radiation or hormone therapy which are associated with reduced quality of life. Molecular biomarkers can provide additional prognostic value to clinical information to help inform and improve patient management. A novel six-gene (FOXM1, MCM3, MTUS1, TTC21B, ALAS1, PPP2CA) signature has been developed and validated as prognostic for multiple outcomes that indicate aggressive PCa. Methods: N = 504 men with clinically low or intermediate risk PCa (Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score of 0 to 5 inclusive) were identified from two cohorts of patients treated with radical prostatectomy in Ireland or Sweden. Expression of the six-gene signature was measured by RT-qPCR and combined with CAPRA scores in a clinically validated algorithm to calculate a continuous Molecular Clinical Risk Score (MCRS). The prognostic value of MCRS was compared with benchmark clinical information; CAPRA score and European Association of Urology (EAU) risk categories. Comparisons for binary outcomes (adverse pathology, high primary Gleason) were based on univariable and bivariable logistic regression models. Comparisons for time-to-event outcomes (biochemical recurrence) were based on univariable and bivariable Cox regression models. Clinical utility of MCRS and benchmark clinical information was assessed using decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: MCRS was more prognostic than clinical benchmarks and added statistically significant independent prognostic value to clinical benchmarks (see table). DCA showed that the net benefit of using MCRS to guide treatment decisions was generally higher than EAU and CAPRA. Conclusions: Among patients who are clinically low or intermediate risk, the six-gene MCRS provides more prognostic value than clinical information, adds statistically significant independent prognostic value to clinical information, and has more clinical utility than clinical information for multiple PCa outcomes. The six-gene signature can inform and improve patient management and lead to better patient outcomes. Adverse pathology High primary Gleason Biochemical recurrence Univariable analysis AUC (95% CI) AUC (95% CI) C index (95% CI) MCRS 0.77(0.73 to 0.82) 0.79(0.75 to 0.84) 0.72(0.66 to 0.78) EAU 0.61(0.56 to 0.66) 0.69(0.65 to 0.74) 0.58(0.51 to 0.65) CAPRA 0.64(0.59 to 0.69) 0.73(0.68 to 0.78) 0.64(0.57 to 0.71) Bivariable analysis Increase in AUC (95% CI) Increase in AUC (95% CI) Increase in C index (95% CI) MCRS (added to EAU) +0.17(0.12 to 0.22) +0.11(0.08 to 0.16) +0.15(0.08 to 0.19) MCRS (added to CAPRA) +0.13(0.09 to 0.19) +0.07(0.04 to 0.11) +0.08(0.04 to 0.14)
Additive‐Free Ionic Polyurethanes with Ultrasensitive Thermo‐Switchable Conductivity and Melting Stability
ABSTRACT Thermally switchable ion‐conductive polymers (TSIPs) show considerable application potential for flexible electronics and information encryption. However, their practical implementation is frequently affected by several inherent limitations, including ion leaching, interfacial instability, and inadequate temperature sensitivity in conductivity switching. To address these issues, a series of ionic polyurethanes featuring covalently grafted ionic groups, rather than small‐molecule additives, is reported here. This rational design not only provides ion transport pathways, but also enables precise temperature‐switchable conductivity by varying the length of crystalline soft segments. The resulting TSIPs exhibit an ultra‐sensitive thermo‐electrical response with a record‐high temperature coefficient of conductivity of up to 30.2%°C − 1 . Modeling of electrode polarization reveals that ion transport at elevated temperatures operates through a dual mechanism: a “swing‐like” segmental motion coupled with dynamic reconstruction of ionic clusters. The dynamic reorganization of ionic clusters promotes efficient charge mobility and provides physical crosslinking networks that ensure mechanical integrity in the melt state. Furthermore, they function as intrinsic fluorophores, producing stable photoluminescence. With the integration of intrinsic fluorescent properties and reversible opaque‐to‐transparent and insulating‐to‐conducting transitions, the polyurethanes developed in this work establish a versatile platform for multimodal anti‐counterfeiting applications.
Bright 2D Polar Perovskite Scintillator with Ultrafast Decay by Suppressing Free Carrier Recombination
ABSTRACT High light yield and ultrafast decay time are highly demanded for scintillators in sensitive, rapid radiation detection and imaging, but both properties can hardly coexist in a scintillator so far. Herein, we report a design principle for spontaneous polarization‐enhanced scintillation in 2D organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites. As anticipated, the (4‐aminomethyl‐1‐cyclohexanecarboxylate) 2 PbBr 4 (APB) perovskite displays high light yield up to 19 660 photons/MeV and a lifetime of 0.90 ns. Combining the experimental and computational results, we demonstrate that enhancement of dielectric screening effect and suppression of free carrier recombination are responsible for the ultrafast decay time and high light yield, respectively. Moreover, the practical applications for fast neutron imaging and flash X‐ray radiography are successfully demonstrated with excellent spatial resolutions of 2.4 and 31 lp/mm, respectively. In addition, the potential for PET technique is verified by shorter CTR values than (Lu x Y 1‐x ) 2 SiO 5 : Ce (LYSO). This work will open up a new avenue for developing high‐performance ultrafast scintillators for practical applications in biomedical and nuclear detection techniques.