Understanding the reactivity of CoCrMo-implant wear particles

CoCrMo-based metal-on-metal hip implants experienced unexpectedly high failure rates despite the high wear and corrosion resistance of the bulk material. Although they exhibit a lower volumetric wear compared to other implant materials, CoCrMo-based implants produced a significantly larger 'number' of smaller wear particles. CoCrMo is nominally an extremely stable material with high Cr content providing passivity. However, despite the Co:Cr ratio in the original alloy being 2:1; chemical analyses of wear particles from periprosthetic tissue have found the particles to be composed predominately of Cr species, with only trace amounts of Co remaining. Here a correlative spectroscopy and microscopy approach has shown that these particles dissolve via a non-stoichiometric, and geometrically inhomogeneous, mechanism similar to de-alloying. This mechanism is previously unreported for this material and was not apparent in any of the regulatory required tests, suggesting that such tests are insufficiently discriminating

Direct in situ observation of ZnO nucleation and growth via transmission X-ray microscopy

The nucleation and growth of a nanostructure controls its size and morphology, and ultimately its functional properties. Hence it is crucial to investigate growth mechanisms under relevant growth conditions at the nanometer length scale. Here we image the nucleation and growth of electrodeposited ZnO nanostructures in situ, using a transmission X-ray microscope and specially designed electrochemical cell. We show that this imaging technique leads to new insights into the nucleation and growth mechanisms in electrodeposited ZnO including direct, in situ observations of instantaneous versus delayed nucleation

A comparative study of the service quality of the Post Office Savings Bank and the Development Bank of Singapore.

Our study aims to establish the perceived service quality of The Post Office Savings Bank and The Development Bank of Singapore with the use of the SERVQUAL model

Parametric study of URBAN morphology on building solar energy potential in Singapore context

10.1016/j.uclim.2020.100624Urban Climate33100624-10062

Comprehensive feasibility assessment of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) on building surfaces in high-density urban environments

10.1016/j.solener.2021.07.060Solar Energy225734-74

Long-term clinical outcomes of biodegradable polymer drug eluting stents versus second-generation durable polymer drug eluting stents for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

10.1016/j.carrev.2021.04.014Cardiovascular Revascularization Medicin

Combinatorial hypofractionated radiotherapy and pembrolizumab in anaplastic thyroid cancer

Objective: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an aggressive disease associated with poor outcomes and resistance to therapies. Our study aim was to evaluate the activity of a combinatorial regimen of sandwich sequencing of pembrolizumab immunotherapy and hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT). Methods: In this case series, patients with ATC received hypofractionated RT (QUAD-shot) and intravenous pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3–4 weeks. Pembrolizumab was continued until disease progression or up till 24 months. Concurrent lenvatinib treatment was allowed. Primary endpoint was best overall response (BOR) and progression-free survival (PFS). Additionally, we performed immune profiling of circulating T cells in a responder to investigate the immune response to our combinatorial treatment. Results: At median follow-up of 32.6 months (IQR: 26.4–38.8), of a cohort of five patients, BOR was 80%; with two complete responses (CR) and two partial responses (PR). Patients who achieved CR remained disease-free at last follow-up. Median PFS was 7.6 months (IQR: 6.2–NR), and 1-year PFS and overall survival rate was 40% (95% CI: 13.7– 100) for both. Treatment was well-tolerated, with mostly grade 1–2 adverse events. Immune profiling of one partial responder revealed an increase in activated CD4 and CD8 T cells post-QUAD-shot RT, which was further enhanced during the maintenance phase of pembrolizumab. Conclusion: Herein, we report a case series of five patients with ATC, with two long-term survivors who were treated with surgical debulking followed by QUAD-shot RT and pembrolizumab, possibly due to synergy of local and systemic treatments in activating anti-tumour immunogenic cytotoxicity. This regimen warrants further investigation in a larger cohort of patients