PD-L1-Positive High-Grade Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients Respond Better to Standard Neoadjuvant Treatment-A Retrospective Study of PD-L1 Expression in Relation to Different Clinicopathological Parameters.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is typically a high-grade breast cancer with poorest clinical outcome despite available treatment modalities with chemo-, immuno- and radiotherapy. The status of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a prognostic factor closely related to programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expressed on T lymphocytes modulating antitumor immunity. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are showing promising results in a subset of breast cancer patients in both neo- and adjuvant settings. Pathologic complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant treatment was found to be associated with better prognosis. We analyzed the prognostic and predictive significance of PD-L1 (SP142 assay) immunohistochemical expression on TNBC patients' samples as illustrated by pCR with regard to its relation to treatment regimen, stage, BRCA mutational status and outcome. Furthermore, we analyzed a few other clinicopathological parameters such as age, TILs and proliferation index. The study highlighted a positive role of PD-L1 evaluation for personalized pCR probability assessment. Although considerable research was made on comparison of PD-L1 level in TNBC with different patient parameters, to our best knowledge, the relation of PD-L1 status to pCR while taking treatment regimen and stage into consideration was so far not investigated

Factors predisposing to non-tuberculous mycobacterial lung disease in the patients with respiratory isolates of non-tuberculous mycobacteria.

Introduction: An increasing incidence rate of respiratory isolates of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) has been noted recentlyin most European countries as well as in the US. Despite many publications, there is no consensus concerning the importance ofdifferent factors in promoting NTM lung disease (NTMLD).The aim of the present retrospective study was to analyse patients with positive NTM respiratory isolates in search of factorspredisposing to NTMLD. Material and methods: 73 patients, 23 males, 50 females, median age 62.2 years, in whom NTM have been cultured fromrespiratory specimen (sputum and/or bronchial washings), in the period 2010–2015, entered the study. Results: NTMLD (according to ATS/IDSA) has been recognised in 36 patients, airways colonisation by NTM — in 37 patients. NTMLDwas diagnosed more often in the patients infected with M. kansasii, M. abscessus and M. avium/M. intracellulare comparing to thoseinfected with M. xenopi, M. gordonae and M. fortuitum (p < 0.0001). The proportion of females to males was significantly higher inthe NTMLD group comparing to the colonisation group (p < 0.007). Previous tuberculosis or mycobacteriosis were noted significantlymore frequently in the group of patients with NTMLD comparing to the colonisation group (28% vs 8%, p = 0.038). Univariate regressionanalysis revealed M. kansasii, female gender, and previous tuberculosis or mycobacteriosis as significant predictors of NTMLD. Conclusions: The risk factors of NTMLD recognition in the presented group of patients were the following: female gender,M. kansasii isolation, as well as past tuberculosis or mycobacteriosis

Pulmonary actinomycosis complicated by fistula of the chest wall

Actinomycosis is a rare disease caused by Actinomyces spp. The clinical and radiological picture of the disease is uncharacter-istic, which delays the diagnosis and can lead to complications. We present a case of pulmonary actinomycosis complicated by a chest wall fistula in a 43-year-old man with advanced tooth decay. The patient was admitted to our Department due to a chest wall fistula with bloody discharge. A few months earlier, he was treated with antibiotics for pneumonia. Since then, weakness, exertional dyspnoea, and weight loss had been observed. On admission, increased inflammatory markers were found in laboratory tests. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed right-sided encapsulated pleural fluid collection containing gas bubbles, pleural thickening, anterior thoracic wall soft tissues thickening and subcutaneous fat stranding. CT suggested an empyema or a breast either pleural malignancy. The picture suggested a breast or pleural tumour to differentiate with an empyema. Videothoracoscopy was performed, the histological examination of the collected samples revealed granulation tissue and bacterial colony of a morphology corresponding to Actinomyces spp. Pulmonary actinomycosis was diagnosed. Antibiotic therapy according to the guidelines was initiated and dental treatment was recommended. Healing of the fistula and significant regression of lesions in the right lung were achieved. Although it is a rare disease, actinomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any chronic infiltrative lung lesions

Czynniki predysponujące do rozwoju mykobakteriozy płuc u chorych z obecnością prątków niegruźliczych w materiałach z dróg oddechowych

WSTĘP: W ostatnich latach w większości krajów Europy i w Stanach Zjednoczonych jest notowany wzrost częstości zakażeń układu oddechowego prątkami niegruźliczymi. Nie ma jednak zgodności opinii na temat wpływu różnych czynników na rozwój mykobakteriozy płuc w tej grupie chorych. Celem niniejszej pracy retrospektywnej było poszukiwanie czynników ryzyka mykobakteriozy płuc, w grupie chorych, u których wyhodowano prątki niegruźlicze z dróg oddechowych. MATERIAŁ I METODY: Badaną grupę stanowiło 73 chorych, 23 mężczyzn i 50 kobiet, mediana wieku wyniosła 62,2 roku, z dodatnimi wynikami posiewów plwociny/wydzieliny oskrzelowej w kierunku prątków niegruźliczych, uzyskanymi w latach 2010–2015. WYNIKI: Mykobakteriozę płuc (według American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America) rozpoznano u 36 chorych, kolonizację dróg oddechowych — w 37 przypadkach. Mykobakteriozę rozpoznawano istotnie częściej u chorych zakażonych M. kansasii, M. abscessus i M. avium/M. intracellulare w porównaniu z chorymi zakażonymi M. xenopi, M. gordonae i M. fortuitum (p &lt; 0,0001). Wśród chorych na mykobakteriozę, w porównaniu z grupą z kolonizacją prątkami niegruźliczymi, było istotnie więcej kobiet niż mężczyzn (p &lt; 0,007) oraz więcej chorych z wywiadem przebytej gruźlicy płuc lub mykobakteriozy (odpowiednio 28% i 8%, p = 0,038). Wykazano, że zakażenie M. kansasii, płeć żeńska oraz przebyta gruźlica lub mykobakterioza były istotnymi czynnikami predykcyjnymi aktualnego rozpoznania mykobakteriozy płuc. WNIOSEK: W badanej grupie chorych ryzyko zachorowania na mykobakteriozę było istotnie większe u kobiet, osób zakażonych M. kansasii oraz z przebytą gruźlicą lub mykobakteriozą płuc w przeszłości.WSTĘP: W ostatnich latach w większości krajów Europy i w Stanach Zjednoczonych jest notowany wzrost częstości zakażeń układu oddechowego prątkami niegruźliczymi. Nie ma jednak zgodności opinii na temat wpływu różnych czynników na rozwój mykobakteriozy płuc w tej grupie chorych. Celem niniejszej pracy retrospektywnej było poszukiwanie czynników ryzyka mykobakteriozy płuc, w grupie chorych, u których wyhodowano prątki niegruźlicze z dróg oddechowych. MATERIAŁ I METODY: Badaną grupę stanowiło 73 chorych, 23 mężczyzn i 50 kobiet, mediana wieku wyniosła 62,2 roku, z dodatnimi wynikami posiewów plwociny/wydzieliny oskrzelowej w kierunku prątków niegruźliczych, uzyskanymi w latach 2010–2015. WYNIKI: Mykobakteriozę płuc (według American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America) rozpoznano u 36 chorych, kolonizację dróg oddechowych — w 37 przypadkach. Mykobakteriozę rozpoznawano istotnie częściej u chorych zakażonych M. kansasii, M. abscessus i M. avium/M. intracellulare w porównaniu z chorymi zakażonymi M. xenopi, M. gordonae i M. fortuitum (p < 0,0001). Wśród chorych na mykobakteriozę, w porównaniu z grupą z kolonizacją prątkami niegruźliczymi, było istotnie więcej kobiet niż mężczyzn (p < 0,007) oraz więcej chorych z wywiadem przebytej gruźlicy płuc lub mykobakteriozy (odpowiednio 28% i 8%, p = 0,038). Wykazano, że zakażenie M. kansasii, płeć żeńska oraz przebyta gruźlica lub mykobakterioza były istotnymi czynnikami predykcyjnymi aktualnego rozpoznania mykobakteriozy płuc. WNIOSEK: W badanej grupie chorych ryzyko zachorowania na mykobakteriozę było istotnie większe u kobiet, osób zakażonych M. kansasii oraz z przebytą gruźlicą lub mykobakteriozą płuc w przeszłości

The Magic of Optics—An Overview of Recent Advanced Terahertz Diffractive Optical Elements

Diffractive optical elements are well known for being not only flat but also lightweight, and are characterised by low attenuation. In different spectral ranges, they provide better efficiency than commonly used refractive lenses. An overview of the recently invented terahertz optical structures based on diffraction design is presented. The basic concepts of structure design together with various functioning of such elements are described. The methods for structure optimization are analysed and the new approach of using neural network is shown. The paper illustrates the variety of structures created by diffractive design and highlights optimization methods. Each structure has a particular complex transmittance that corresponds to the designed phase map. This precise control over the incident radiation phase changes is limited to the design wavelength. However, there are many ways to overcome this inconvenience allowing for broadband functioning

The Role of LARP Game Master in Relation to the Henry Mintzberg's Managerial Roles Theory

Słowo LARP jest akronimem, którego rozwinięcie brzmi Live Action Role Playing. Można je zdefiniować, między innymi, jako narracyjną grę fabularną rozgrywaną na żywo albo po prostu teatralną grę fabularną. Mistrz Gry jest z kolei osobą prowadzącą rozgrywkę LARP-u. Ponadto, Mistrz Gry nierzadko przygotowuje i organizuje całą grę, co wymaga od niego pewnych zdolności kierowniczych. W związku z tym, autorka niniejszej pracy stawia przed sobą pytanie, co i w jaki sposób łączy postać Mistrza Gry z rolą menedżera. Próbę odpowiedzi na nie podjęto poprzez przeprowadzenie wywiadów z Mistrzami Gry oraz wykorzystanie koncepcji ról kierowniczych Henry’ego Mintzberga.The word LARP is an acronym standing for Live Action Role Playing. The activity may be defined, among other things, as a live role-playing game or a theatrical narration performed live. The Game Master is the person in charge of conduction the gameplay. In addition, often the Game Master's task is to prepare and organize the whole gameplay, which requires some leadership and managerial skills. Accordingly, the author of this dissertation poses a question whether there may be a functional connection between the role of the Game Master and that of a manager. She attempts to provide some answers to the question by interviewing several game masters on the basis of Henry Mintzberg's theory of managerial roles

Sub-Terahertz Computer Generated Hologram with Two Image Planes

An advanced optical structure such as a synthetic hologram (also called a computer-generated hologram) is designed for sub-terahertz radiation. The detailed design process is carried out using the ping-pong method, which is based on the modified iterative Gerchberg&#8315;Saxton algorithm. The novelty lies in designing and manufacturing a single hologram structure creating two different images at two distances. The hologram area is small in relation to the wavelength used (the largest hologram dimension is equivalent to around 57 wavelengths). Thus, it consists of a small amount of coded information, but despite this fact, the reconstruction is successful. Moreover, one of the reconstructed images is larger than the hologram area. Good accordance between numerical simulations and experimental evaluation was obtained

Study of thin, achromatic diffractive structures to focus terahertz radiation on a detector

Thin and lightweight achromatic focusing elements with F-number close to 1 are desirable in many practical applications. We present the idea to use diffractive structures designed to work for the substantially increased THz frequency range. The paper analyses mono- and multi-focal lenses forming point-like foci as well as axicon and light sword optical elements focusing THz radiation into line segments located along the optical axis. We consider diffractive elements in a form of the first and the second order kinoforms having various thicknesses. Designed and fabricated elements were numerically and experimentally examined to verify their achromatic functioning. We present point spread functions (XY scans) and 2D energy maps (XZ scans) for different THz frequencies. Moreover, a diagram of chromatic aberration is created by registering energy distribution along the optical axis for different frequencies. The distance corresponding to the highest energy is chosen for each frequency. Therefore, we can compare broadband working of designed structures. The spherical lens coded as kinoform of the second order provides the best broadband functioning, however it is two times thicker than structures providing extended depth of focus (light sword and axicon) working with slightly smaller efficiency but being much thinner

Terahertz Shielding Properties of Carbon Black Based Polymer Nanocomposites

The majority of industry using high-speed communication systems is shifting towards higher frequencies, namely the terahertz range, to meet demands of more effective data transfer. Due to the rising number of devices working in terahertz range, effective shielding of electromagnetic interference (EMI) is required, and thus the need for novel shielding materials to reduce the electromagnetic pollution. Here, we show a study on optical and electrical properties of a series of ethylene co-butyl acrylate/carbon black (EBA/CB) composites with various CB loading. We investigate the transmittance, reflectance, shielding efficiency, absorption coefficient, refractive index and complex dielectric permittivity of the fabricated composites. Finally, we report a material that exhibits superior shielding efficiency (SE)—80 dB at 0.9 THz (14.44 vol% CB loading, 1 mm thick)—which is one of the highest SE values among non-metallic composite materials reported in the literature thus far. Importantly, 99% of the incoming radiation is absorbed by the material, significantly increasing its applicability. The absorption coefficient (α) reaches ~100 cm−1 for the samples with highest CB loading. The EBA/CB composites can be used as lightweight and flexible shielding packaging materials for electronics, as passive terahertz absorbers or as radiation shields for stealth applications