AC Cycle Research Articles

Study on the combined characteristics of UHF and optical signals induced by partial discharge at spacer surface in GIS

In this study, to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of the detection of surface partial discharge (PD) in gas insulation switchgears (GISs), a combination of ultra-high frequency (UHF) and optical methods is proposed based on an integrated sensor. The PD triggered by a fixed metal needle defect attached to the spacer is detected from PD inception to flashover in a real GIS. The characteristics of UHF and optical signals under different applied voltages are compared and analysed in terms of PD waveform, Phase Resolved Partial Discharge (PRPD) pattern, PD count and amplitude. The results show that the surface discharge process can be precisely divided into three stages according to the combined characteristics of the UHF and optical signals. The comparison of the two detection methods shows that the optical method can detect the weak avalanche PD under low voltage while UHF cannot, so it can detect more PDs than UHF method in an AC cycle. In addition, with the deterioration of solid insulation material, the amplitude of the optical signal increases significantly while the amplitude of the UHF signal only increases slightly.

Microscopic mechanism of thermomagnetic instabilities in type-II superconducting thin films under AC magnetic fields

Thermomagnetic instability is one of the significant challenges for the application of superconducting devices. In this paper, the microscopic mechanism of thermomagnetic instability in superconducting films subjected to a transient AC magnetic field is numerically investigated by coupling the generalized time dependent Ginzburg–Landau equations and the heat diffusion equation. The influences of magnetic field ramp rate, ambient temperature, and nanometer-sized artificial pinning on the vortex matter are considered in our simulations. It has been found that vortex alignment and repulsion play significant roles in the branching of the penetration trajectories of the magnetic flux. Under fast ramping magnetic fields, the increase in the temperature and instability in the vortex matter are more significant. However, the rising temperature and jump size in the magnetization weaken as the ambient temperature increases. Pronounced hysteresis in the vortex dynamics has been found in the film subjected to AC magnetic fields. As the AC cycle proceeds, the vortex penetration process gets more unstable. We have also found that the nanometer sized pinning strongly modulates the penetration of vortices and the vortex matter is highly correlated with the lattice structure of the pinning sites. Our results provide new insights into vortex dynamics and give a mesoscopic understanding on the channeling and branching in the vortex penetration paths in superconductors under AC magnetic fields.

Enhancement of DC/AC resistive switching performance in AlOx memristor by two-technique bilayer approach

In this work, we enhance the DC/AC resistive switching performance in AlOx memristors by using a two-technique bilayer approach. Compared to the single-layer memristors (W/AlOx or Al2O3/Pt), the dual-layer memristor (W/AlOx/AlOy/Pt) shows high uniformity in DC cycling (σ/μ < 0.12), large memory window in AC cycling (>100), fast switching speed (20 ns), high endurance (107 cycles), and high-temperature stability (104 s at 125 °C). These performance enhancements are attributed to the localization of the conductive region after using a dual layer with different defect concentrations. Moreover, the W/AlOx/AlOy/Pt memristor exhibits stable III-bit multilevel storage capability by varying the amplitude of negative pulses. Our results provide an effective strategy to develop high-performance memristors for future memory and computing applications.

Sewage Sludge ZnCl2-Activated Carbon Intercalated MgFe-LDH Nanocomposites: Insight of the Sorption Mechanism of Improved Removal of Phenol from Water.

This work reports the synthesis of new layered double hydroxide (LDH) composites using sewage-based ZnCl2-activated carbon (AC) intercalated with MgFe (AC-MgFe-LDH) and an evaluation of their adsorptive performance for phenol removal from water. The effect of the AC loading on the final properties of synthesized composites was investigated via various characterization techniques. The results showed efficient decoration at 0.1–0.25 g AC loading within the layers of AC–MgFe composites LDH, which was reflected in the higher surface area (233.75 m2/g) and surface functionalities (OH, NO3, C-O-C, and MMO) yielding a significant improvement of the phenol removal efficiency. However, at higher contents, AC loading led to the breakage of the LDH structure and agglomeration, as indicated by the deterioration in the textural and structural properties. The isotherm and kinetic data were well fitted by the Langmuir and pseudo-second-order model, respectively, with a maximum obtained monolayer adsorption capacity of 138.69 mg/g. The thermodynamics results demonstrated that phenol adsorption is an endothermic process. The sorption mechanism of phenol molecules on the AC–MgFe composite was governed by chemical bonding with OH, C=O, and MMO groups and pore diffusion via π–π interactions. Superior phenol removal with excellent recyclability up to five cycles of the new AC–MgFe composite suggested its use as a potential adsorbent for effective phenol removal from water and wastewater streams.

Abstract P2-11-01: Immune response following neoadjuvant ribociclib plus letrozole versus chemotherapy in PAM50 Luminal B early breast cancer: A correlative analysis of the SOLTI-1402 CORALLEEN phase 2 randomized trial

Abstract Background: CDK4/6 inhibitors increase tumor immunogenicity in preclinical models of breast cancer and several trials combining CDK4/6 inhibitors and anti-PD1/PDL1 therapies are underway. However, immune response data in tumor samples from patients (pts) treated with CDK4/6 inhibitors are scarce. Here, we present exploratory results of the CORALLEEN trial, which evaluated the efficacy of ribociclib and endocrine therapy in patients with high-risk Luminal B disease (Gavilá et al. submitted to SABCS 2019). Methods: CORALLEEN is a randomized exploratory study in postmenopausal women with operable stage I-III breast cancer, hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2-negative and Luminal B by Prosigna®. Pts were randomized 1:1 to receive either 6 cycles of ribociclib (600mg; 3-weeks-on/1-week-off) plus daily letrozole (R+L) or chemotherapy (CHT): 4 cycles of AC followed by 12 doses of weekly paclitaxel. The primary endpoint is the rate of PAM50 Risk of Relapse (ROR)-low disease at surgery in each arm. Baseline and surgical specimens were also collected for stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) determination and gene expression analysis. Expression of 770 genes and 31 biological signatures were determined using the Breast360TM panel (nCounter). In order to identify genes whose expression correlated with TIL, a significance of microarrays (SAM) quantitative analysis was used with a false discovery rate (FDR) <5%. Finally, interaction tests between each variable and tumor ROR response (i.e. relative decrease in ROR score) according to type of therapy were explored in logistic regression models. Results: From July-2017 to Nov-2018, 198 pts were screened and 106 (54%) pts with Luminal B disease were recruited. baseline characteristics were: mean age 64, mean tumor size 3.8 cm, N+ (39%), mean Ki67 33.2%; 86.8% of pts were ROR-high. A total of 95 pts (90%) were included in this analysis (46 pts in the CHT arm and 49 in the R+L arm). At baseline, 21.7% and 32.7% of pts in the CHT and R+L arms had ≥10% of TILs, respectively. Compared to baseline, no significant change patterns in TILs expression were observed. In the CHT arm, 32.6%, 28.3 % and 39.1% of tumors increased, decreased or did not show any change in TILs. In the R+L arm, 30.6%, 44.9% and 24.5% of tumors increased, decreased or did not show any change in TILs. At surgery, 15.2% of pts in the CHT arm and 26.5% of pts in the R+L arm had ≥10% of TILs. Moreover, 5 of the 13 pts (38.5%) with ≥10% of TILs at surgery following R+L had TILs < 10% at baseline. In both arms, high expression of immune-related genes and signatures tracking CD8 T-cells (i.e. CD8A, PD1, LAG3 and CD8T-cell signature) were found associated with high TILs (FDR<5%). when immune response was evaluated based on tumor ROR response (as a continuous variable), high TILs at surgery were associated with better response to CHT but not to R+L (interaction P=0.03). In the CHT arm, mean % of TILs at surgery in low and high ROR responders (defined as <50% or ≥50% relative decrease in ROR score) were 4.2% and 11.2%, respectively. In the R+L arm, mean % of TILs at surgery in low and high ROR responders were 16.2% and 6.1%, respectively. Similar results were found with genes/signatures such as CD8A mRNA (interaction P=0.03), CD8 T-cell signature (interaction P=0.04), Tumor Inflammation Signature (interaction P=0.04) and GZMA mRNA (Granzyme A, interaction P=0.02). Conclusions: An increase in TILs following 24-weeks of R+L occurs in ~30% of pts with high-risk Luminal B tumors, regardless of tumor ROR response. These findings suggest that immune checkpoint blockade might be an interesting strategy to explore in patients with a low ROR response after R+L. Citation Format: Nuria Chic, Blanca González Farré, Laia Paré, Tomás Pascual, Cristina Saura, Cristina Hernando, Montserrat Muñoz, Pedro Fernandez, Patricia Galván, Xavier González Farré, Mafalda Oliveira, Miguel Gil Gil, Pamela Céliz, Eva Ciruelos, Patricia Villagrasa, Joaquín Gavilá, Aleix Prat. Immune response following neoadjuvant ribociclib plus letrozole versus chemotherapy in PAM50 Luminal B early breast cancer: A correlative analysis of the SOLTI-1402 CORALLEEN phase 2 randomized trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-11-01.

Abstract GS2-06: Primary results of SOLTI-1402/CORALLEEN phase 2 trial of neoadjuvant ribociclib plus letrozole versus chemotherapy in PAM50 Luminal B early breast cancer: An open-label, multicenter, two-arm, randomized study

Abstract Background: Different approaches for treatment de-escalation are being investigated; however, the current ongoing phase III adjuvant trials with CDK4/6 inhibitors are not addressing the question if these drugs can replace multi-agent chemotherapy in high-risk early breast cancer. Here, we present the primary results of the CORALLEEN phase 2 trial, which evaluates the efficacy of ribociclib plus endocrine therapy (ET) as neoadjuvant treatment in patients with high-risk Luminal B disease. Methods: CORALLEEN is a parallel, multicenter, two-arm, randomized exploratory study in postmenopausal women with primary operable hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative breast cancer, Luminal B by Prosigna®. Other eligibility criteria include stage I-III operable breast cancer and ECOG 0-1. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive either six 28-days cycles of ribociclib (600mg; 3-weeks-on/1-week-off) plus daily letrozole (2.5mg) or chemotherapy (CT): 4 cycles of AC (doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 every 21 days) followed by weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) during 12 weeks. Baseline, Day 15 on-treatment, and surgical specimens were collected for molecular characterization and evaluation of response. The primary endpoint is the rate of PAM50 Risk of Relapse (ROR)-low disease at surgery in each arm. PAM50 ROR score integrates gene expression data, tumor size, and nodal status to define a low-risk group in the adjuvant setting (i.e. >90% distant relapse-free survival at 10 years). ROR-low was defined using the standard cutpoints as <40 points if pathologically node-negative (at surgery) and <15 points if 1-3 positive nodes (at surgery). The trial was designed to estimate the rate of ROR-low disease at surgery in each arm without a formal comparison. A total of 47 evaluable patients per arm and an expected ROR-low rate of 25%, would allow a precision of the estimate between 11.5% and 12.4%. Secondary endpoints included safety, intrinsic subtype at surgery, residual cancer burden (RCB), and Preoperative Endocrine Prognostic Index (PEPI). Results: From July 2017 to November 2018, 198 patients were screened with Prosigna® across 21 sites in Spain. From these, 106 (54%) patients with Luminal B disease were recruited, and 96 (90.6%) completed treatment as planned. Main baseline patient characteristics were similar between both treatment arms: mean age 64, mean tumor size 3.8 cm, N+ 39%, mean Ki67 33.2%, and mean ROR score 72.9 (86.8% were ROR-high). A total of 101 (95.3%) surgical samples were analyzed. ROR-low rates at surgery in the ribociclib+ET and CT arms were 48% (95%CI 33.7-62.6) and 47.1% (95%CI 32.9-61.5), respectively. Intrinsic subtype conversion to Luminal A at surgery occurred in 88% of patients in the ribociclib+ET arm and in 84.3% in the CT arm. The rates of RCB0/1 and PEPI 0 in the ribociclib+ET arm were 8% (95%CI 2.2-19.2) and 24% (95%CI 13.1-38.2), respectively. The rates of RCB0/1 and PEPI 0 in the CT arm were 11.8% (95%CI 4.4-23.9) and 17.6% (95%CI 8.4-30.9). Grade 3-4 toxicities were observed in 54.9% of the patients in the ribociclib+ET arm and 69.2% in the CT arm. Additional correlative molecular analyses will be presented. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant ribociclib and letrozole in high-risk Luminal B breast cancer achieves similar rates of ROR-low disease at surgery as multi-agent chemotherapy. Future studies in high-risk early breast cancer evaluating the survival outcomes and quality of life of this combination in the absence of cytotoxic therapy are justified. Citation Format: Joaquín Gavilá, Cristina Saura, Tomás Pascual, Cristina Hernando, Montserrat Muñoz, Laia Paré, Blanca González Farré, Pedro Fernandez, Patricia Galván, Xavier González Farré, Mafalda Oliveira, Miguel Gil Gil, Miriam Arumi, Neus Ferrer Tur, Alvaro Montaño, Yan Izarzugaza, Antonio Llombart Cussac, Raquel Bratos, Santiago González, Eduardo Martínez, Sergio Hoyos, Beatriz Rojas, Juan Antonio Virizuela, Vanesa Ortega, Rafael López, Pamela Céliz, Eva Ciruelos, Patricia Villagrasa, Aleix Prat. Primary results of SOLTI-1402/CORALLEEN phase 2 trial of neoadjuvant ribociclib plus letrozole versus chemotherapy in PAM50 Luminal B early breast cancer: An open-label, multicenter, two-arm, randomized study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS2-06.

Abstract P2-12-09: Randomized study to determine the efficacy of Olanzapine for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in Chinese breast cancer patients (PTS)

Abstract Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy improves outcomes of pts with early breast cancer, but CINV have been regarded as two of the most disturbing side effects, affecting their quality of life (QoL). In this study, the primary objective was to compare the efficacy of olanzapine in addition to the standard aprepitant-based antiemetic regimen for CINV in pts receiving the 1st cycle of adjuvant AC chemotherapy (adriamycin 60mg/m2 and cyclophosphamide 600mg/m2). The secondary objective was to compare the tolerability and efficacy of such regimen in the 4 cycles of AC. Methods: This is a prospective single center, randomized study. Eligible pts had early stage breast cancer of Chinese ethnicity; they were chemotherapy- naive and treated with adjuvant AC chemotherapy. Antiemetic regimen for all studied population included aprepitant, ondansetron and dexamethasone; patients were randomly allocated to Olanzapine (with olanzapine) or Standard (without olanzapine) arms. Individual patient filled in self-reported diary and visual analogue scale for nausea from which information on nausea, vomiting and use of rescue medication were collected; outcomes were compared during acute phase (0-24 hrs), delay (24-120 hrs) and overall time-frame (0-120 hrs) from initiation of AC. QoL was assessed by Functional Living Index-Emesis (FLIE). Results: 120 pts were randomized. For CINV in Cycle 1 AC, outcomes of Olanzapine vs Standard arms were: complete response (acute phase 70.0 vs 51.7%, p=0.0397; delay phase 75.0 vs 45.0%, p=0.0008; overall time-frame 65.0 vs 38.3%, p=0.0035), complete protection (acute phase 70.0 vs 50.0%, p=0.0253; delay phase 71.7 vs 40.0%, p=0.0005; overall 61.7 vs 36.7%, p=0.0062), total control (acute phase 65.0 vs 41.7%, p=0.0104; delay phase 60.0 vs 31.7%, p=0.0018; overall 51.7 vs 26.7%, p=0.0050), ‘no vomiting’ (acute phase 73.3 vs 51.7%, p=0.0142; delay phase 76.7 vs 48.3%, p=0.0013; overall 68.3 vs 40.0%, p=0.0018), ‘no significant nausea’ (acute phase 95.0 vs 75.0%, p=0.0017; delay phase 91.7 vs 65.0%, p=0.0004; overall 91.7 vs 63.3%, p=0.0002),‘no nausea’ (acute phase 76.7 vs 53.3%, p=0.0074; delay phase 65.0 vs 35.0%, p=0.0010; overall 58.3 vs 33.3%, p=0.0060), and need of rescue medication (acute phase 3.3 vs 11.7%, p=0.0654; delay phase 6.7 vs 21.7%, p=0.0133; overall 8.3 vs 23.3%, p=0.0244). Assessment of FLIE on Day 6 after Cycle 1 AC between the Olanzapine vs Standard arms revealed better QOL mean scores for nausea domain (p<0.0001), vomiting domain (p=0.0682) and total scores (p<0.0001). During assessment of multiple cycles, Olanzapine arm was associated with significantly higher rates of complete response in cycle 3 (delay phase and overall time-frame) and cycle 4 (delay phase) as well as total control in cycle 4 (delay phase). Both treatments were generally well tolerated; apart from nausea and vomiting, there was no significant difference in adverse events between the two arms. Conclusions: In this prospective study of Chinese women with breast cancer, the addition of olanzapine to standard antiemetic regimen increases the control of CINV and improves the QoL of pts during AC chemotherapy. Funding: Madam Diana Hon Fun Kong Donation for Cancer Research. Citation Format: Winnie Yeo, Thomas KH Lau, Vicky TC Chan, Li Leung, Dong Lai, Elizabeth Pang, Maggie Cheung, Ashley Wong, Winnie MT Soo, Vanessa TY Yeung, Teresa Tse, Eva WM Yeung, Daisy CM Lam, Kenneth CW Wong, David R Johnson, Kim PK Ng, Herbert Loong, Joyce TY Ng, Florence Mok, Mimi KM Lee, Darren MC Poon, Yvonne SH Yau, Macy Tong, Joyce JS Suen, Frankie KF Mo. Randomized study to determine the efficacy of Olanzapine for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in Chinese breast cancer patients (PTS) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-12-09.

Abstract P5-13-03: An efficacy and safety trial of preoperative chemo-endocrine therapy in Luminal B-like (HER2-negative) breast cancer

Abstract Background: The St.Gallen consensus guideline recommends the sequential administration chemotherapy followed by endocrine therapy as postoperative therapy for the higher risk of ER-positive breast cancer patients based on results of a single study. In metastatic settings, however, several trials conducted in the 1980s' demonstrated that tumor response rates were higher when chemotherapy and tamoxifen was concomitantly administered than when chemotherapy and tamoxifen administered were given sequentially. In the preoperative settings, pathological complete response (pCR) rate can be used as a surrogate marker to predict event-free survival or overall survival in Luminal B-like (HER2-negative) breast cancer. We, therefore, designed a prospective randomized safety and efficacy trial in order to test a hypothesis that the concomitant administration of an aromatase inhibitor and chemotherapy improves pathological complete response (pCR) rate than chemotherapy alone in the preoperative setting. Trial design: This two-arm randomized clinical trial enrolled operable breast cancer patients with Luminal B-like (HER2-negative) subtype. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive preoperative chemotherapy alone or preoperative chemotherapy concurrent with endocrine therapy for 24 weeks before surgery. Chemotherapy consisted of 12 cycles of weekly paclitaxel followed by 4 cycles of every 3-week AC. Endocrine therapy consisted of anastrozole for postmenopausal patients or anastrozole plus leuprorelin for premenopausal patients. Eligibility criteria: 1)Female patients with operable and histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer; 2)HER2-negative; 3)Either ER-positive or PgR-positive; 4)Either Ki67-LI>=14% and NG>=2 or NG=3 regardless of Ki67-LI. Endpoints: Primary endpoint is the pCR rate. Secondary endpoints are the clinical response rate (RECIST), the breast-conserving surgery rate, the adverse events, and HRQOL. Results: Between March 2012 and August 2017, 70 patients were randomly assigned to chemotherapy group (n=34) or chemo-endocrine therapy group (n=36). pCR rates were 8.8 % and 2.7 % in the chemotherapy and the chemo-endocrine group, respectively (P = 0.319). Similarly, clinical complete response rates were 5.9 % and 5.6 % in the chemotherapy and the chemo-endocrine group, respectively (P = 0.745). There were no clear differences in treatment-related side effects and HRQOL between interventions. Conclusion: The concomitant administration of endocrine therapy and chemotherapy in Luminal B-like breast cancer patients is similar to chemotherapy alone in pCR rate and clinical response in the preoperative setting. Citation Format: Roichi Matsunuma, Toru Watanabe, Yasuo Hozumi, Kei Koizumi, Yasushi Ito, Hirofumi Fujita, Hiroyuki Ogura, Keigo Goto, Hiroki Mori, Noriko Sawai, Norihiko Shiiya. An efficacy and safety trial of preoperative chemo-endocrine therapy in Luminal B-like (HER2-negative) breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-13-03.

Electrochemical Study of Functional Additives for Li-Ion Batteries

In the battery industry, the performance of lithium-ion batteries operating at a high voltage is enhanced by utilizing functional additives in electrolytes to achieve higher energy densities and longer lifetimes. These additives chemically stabilize the electrolyte and aid in the formation of a stable cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI). In this paper, the investigation of oxidative potentials of more than 100 additives, using density functional theory calculations to determine the best candidates for CEI formation, is reported. The method was validated by comparing the calculated oxidation potentials and the experimental data obtained using linear sweep voltammetry based on the evaluation of 18 candidates. Further electrochemical studies (AC impedance and cycling stability) on six selected additives were conducted. Among the tested additives, the addition of quinacridone at 0.03% weight concentration resulted in the formation of a less resistive surface film on the cathode in Li/Ni0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 coin cells. Moreover, the capacity retention in Gr/Ni0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O coin cells increased from 62% to 77% after 200 cycles at 1C and approximately 4.4 V. The derived results suggest that the combination of the oxidation potential prediction with impedance study could be used as a powerful tool to properly and efficiently select CEI-forming additive candidates for improved battery performance.

Fast Steady-State Analysis in Time-Stepping Finite Element Simulation of Induction Motors Based on Virtual Blocked Rotor Techniques

Induction motor time-stepping finite-element analysis requires a lengthy transient response time to build up the complete steady-state magnetic field distribution in both stator and rotor. Various methods to speed up the convergence of the time-stepping finite-element (TS-FE modeling are investigated in this article. A so-called “virtual blocked rotor” technique is developed by using an eddy-current solver in the frequency domain to approximate the initial conditions, including the frozen permeabilities, potentials/energies, the stator winding and rotor bar currents, etc. Then, these well-prepared initial conditions are imported into the transient TS-FE time-domain solver (model). Significant reduction of the length of the transient response to reach convergence is accomplished. In addition, the promise of this method lies in its use in future large-scale design optimization studies. In order to further reduce the computational burden, a “virtual blocked rotor” concept/method in the TS-FE time-domain solution is also developed, which effectively reduces the required number of ac cycles and central processing unit real time to reach steady state.

Phase 2 study of perioperative chemotherapy with SOX and surgery for stage III colorectal cancer (SOS3 study)

This phase 2 study evaluated the safety and efficacy of perioperative chemotherapy with S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) for stage III colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients with stage III CRC received surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC; SOX 4 cycles) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC; SOX 4 cycles). The primary endpoints were response rate and safety. We enrolled 30 patients. Their median age was 62 years (range: 43–87 years); 53% were women. They received a median of 4 cycles (range: 1–4) of NAC and a median 4 cycles (range: 0–4) of AC. Five patients interrupted NAC treatment because of toxicity (grade 3 diarrhoea [n = 1], grade 3 ileus [n = 1], and grade 3–4 thrombocytopenia [n = 3]). Patients’ responses were complete responses: n = 2 (6.6%), partial responses: n = 21 (70%), stable disease: n = 6 (20.0%), and progressive disease: n = 1 (3.3%; response rate: 73.3%). Curative resection was performed in 29 patients. No patients showed anastomotic leakage. Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival were 83.3% and 76.7%, respectively (median follow-up time: 48 months). NAC using SOX regimen is safe and effective, and may lead to reduced local recurrence and distant metastasis. Long-term outcomes are awaited to evaluate further the efficacy of this strategy (UMIN000006790).

The effect of the voltage waveform on performance of dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator

Improving the performance of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (DBDPA) is required to further its practical use. In this study, the effects on DBDPA performance by the AC voltage waveform are experimentally investigated. For this purpose, we performed thrust measurements, consumption power measurements, and body force analysis using particle-image-velocimetry. Observations obtained using the basic symmetric waveforms yielded that changing the voltage gradient (dV/dt) like a sinusoidal waveform is effective to produce a strong body force with low consumption power. Therefore, we firstly propose the waveforms systematically composed of combinations of steep and gradual voltage slopes. In the investigation about proposed waveforms, we found that the negative steep-gradual voltage profile is effective for strong thrust induction, that is, the steep slope results in strong body force generation by a strong discharge, and the gradual slope maintains that body force. On the other hand, the effective positive-going voltage profile is different depending on the negative voltage profile. The positive steep-gradual profile works to induce body force with the same mechanism as the negative one, while the gradual-steep profile maintains the body force generated in the last negative-going voltage period and enhances the body force generated in the forthcoming negative-going voltage period. However, a positive-going voltage period itself generates only a weak body force independent from the voltage profiles. From the investigation, we found that a combination of the steep-gradual profile in both the negative- and positive-going voltage periods provides the strongest thrust generation. In addition, we further optimized the voltage waveform by changing the proportion of the negative-going voltage period in one AC cycle. We found that a waveform with a 70% negative-going voltage period achieves more than 40% stronger thrust and 20% higher efficiency than those of the sinusoidal waveform. Also, the waveform with an 80% negative-going voltage period yields over 35% stronger thrust with the highest efficiency, 25% higher than the sinusoidal waveform.

Effect of AC and switching impulse superimposed voltage on PD characteristics in SF6 gas

Partial discharge (PD) in gas insulated switchgear (GIS) has been studied extensively under AC voltage or transient voltage applied alone. However, the transient voltage in an actual system is superimposed on the AC operating voltage, which has rarely been studied. In this paper, the effect of AC and switching impulse superimposed voltage on PD characteristics was studied in SF6 gas. A test platform of generating superimposed voltage with controllable phase was used to study free particle and floating potential defect models. When the AC voltage was 90 and 110% of PD inception voltage (PDIV), the standard switching impulse with amplitude of about twice the PDIV was superimposed on different phases of the AC voltage. When the AC voltage is below the PDIV, results show that PDs of free particle defect model can be initiated when switching impulse is superimposed on 45 and 90° of AC. The PDs in the subsequent cycles of AC reignited into a self-sustaining discharge. For the floating potential defect, PDs have a marked difference duration, which is initiated by switching impulse in different phase. However, there is no change in PDs in each model when the AC voltage is above the PDIV.

Few-layered MoSe2 ultrathin nanosheets as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

In this study, ultrathin MoSe2 (Mo–MoSe2) was prepared by a jet cavitation process. XRD, SEM, TEM and AFM were carried out to study the crystal structure, surface morphology and lateral size distribution of bare MoSe2 and Mo–MoSe2. The corresponding electrochemical measurements, including charge/discharge tests, cyclic voltammetry as well as AC menace and cycle life tests of bare MoSe2 and Mo–MoSe2 are also carried out. The results indicate that the reversible capacity of bare MoSe2 and Mo–MoSe2 are 453 mAh g−1 and 496 mAh g−1, respectively. The rate capability tests show that the charge and discharge capacities of Mo–MoSe2 under 5C and 10C are 381 mAh g−1 and 325 mAh g−1, respectively, which was much higher than those of pristine one for 163 mAh g−1 and 129 mAh g−1. The above results indicate that Mo–MoSe2 demonstrate excellent reversible capacity, stable cycle life and good rate capability. These results indicate that the as-synthesized few-layered MoSe2 is a potential candidate for lithium ion battery applications.

Abstract 1409: Characterization of the LAR subtype triple negative breast cancer population

Abstract Background: The LAR subtype of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) was defined using the Vanderbilt genomic signature in cell lines. The characteristics of this population remain unclear. Methods: We collected the clinicopathological, molecular and imaging characteristics of the LAR population who were enrolled in the ARTEMIS trial, a prospective trial to treat women with TNBC to receive neoadjuvant anthracycline therapy followed by experimental arms based on biomarker versus taxane. The ultrasonography-based response assessment was performed at baseline, after 2 and 4 cycles of anthracycline chemotherapy. The Vanderbilt genomic signature was used to classify the TNBC into the basal-like 1, basal-like 2, immunomodulatory, mesenchymal, mesenchymal stem-like and luminal androgen receptor (LAR) subtypes. The clinical data for this analysis included age, race, menopausal status, TNM stage and BRCA mutation status. Pathological and molecular characteristics included histologic subtype, nuclear grade, Ki67, vimentin expression, androgen receptor (AR) immunohistochemical (IHC) nuclear staining, stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) percentage and residual cancer burden (RCB) at surgery. Results: Total 28 patients with the LAR signature were analyzed. The characteristics are showed in the table: AgeRaceno. (%)Clinical Stageno. (%)AR IHC StainingBRCA Mutationno. (%)Median (yr)55White19 (68)IA1 (4)Median (%)52No mutation16 (57)Distribution(%)no. (%)Asian3 (11)IIA6 (21)Distribution (%)no(%)Mutation present018-402 (7)Black2 (7)IIB10 (36)<259 (32)VUS1 (4)41-6012 (43)Hispanic3 (11)IIIA6 (21)25-505 (18)Test not indicated6 (21)>6014 (50)American Indian1 (3)IIIB051-751 (3,5)Unknown5 (18)IIIC5 (18)76-10012 (43)Not available1 (3,5)Menopauseno. (%)Histologic subtypeno. (%)Ki67Stromal TILno. (%)Vimentin expressionno. (%)Postmenopausal23 (82)IDC24 (87)Median (%)40<5%10 (36)< 1%24 (85)Perimenopausal2 (7)ILC2 (7)Distribution (%)no. (%)5% - <50 %16 (57)≥1%3 (11)Premenopausal3 (11)Apocrine Carcinoma1 (3)<205 (18)≥50%1 (3,5)N/A1 (4)Metaplastic carcinoma1 (3)≥2013 (46)N/A1 (3,5)N/A10 (36)T stageno. (%)Lymph node involvementno. (%)Nuclear gradeno. (%)Tumor reduction (%)no. (%)RCBno(%)T1c3 (11)Yes22 (79)11 (4)≥ 7012 (43)pCR-111 (39)T213 (46)No6 (21)26 (21)< 7014 (50)2-315 (54)T311 (39)321 (75)N/A2 (7)N/A2 (7)T41 (4)Experimental armno. (%)Enzalutamide8 (29)Atezolizumab4 (14)None16 (57) Relevant characteristics are: median age of 55 years, 82% postmenopausal, 89% breast tumor size > 2cm, 79% with lymph node involvement, no BRCA mutation detected, 75% nuclear grade III, 46% with Ki67 ≥ 20%, median AR IHC staining of 52%, 85% vimentin expression of <1%, 93% had stromal TIL <50%, 39% RCB 0-1 and 54% RCB 2-3. We found that 43% had ≥ 70% reduction in size after 4 cycles of AC. Univariate and multivariate analysis using characteristics did not reveal contributing factor to the RCB. Conclusion: The LAR subgroup harbors unique characteristics that require further confirmation in larger cohorts. Citation Format: James Crespo, Seth Sahil, Elizabeth Ravenberg, Lei Huo, Kenneth Hess, Lumarie Santiago, Beatriz Adrada, Gaiane Rauch, Damodaran Senthil, Rashmi Murthy, Jennifer Litton, Debu Tripathy, Naoto Ueno, Stacy Moulder, Bora Lim. Characterization of the LAR subtype triple negative breast cancer population [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1409.

On the origin of skin burns and neuromuscular electrical stimulation as a consequence of electrosurgical procedures

DC burns and undesirable electrostimulation are problems related to electrosurgical procedures. Although some causes of these problems are known, the prime mechanism of its energy generation during electrosurgeries is not. DC burns occur in the patient’s skin in the area where the passive conductive plate is placed, especially in the presence of coupling gel and electrical DC components, while electrostimulation needs low-frequency components, both of them supposedly non-existent in electrosurgical procedures. This work investigates in detail some processes in the sparking gap that lead to the generation of electrosurgical asymmetries that explain these problems. The experiments were carried out in DC, studying the onset of spark that illustrates the asymmetries noted in AC cycles. As a replacement for organic tissue, we used chayote (Sechium edule) and pork (Sus scrofa domesticus). The electrical sparks do not occur equally in both directions considered between active electrode and passive metal plate, introducing electrical asymmetries. Asymmetries were quantified in discharges between metal electrodes with different geometries and between metal electrodes and organic tissue. For small gaps, the relative air humidity influences the breakdown voltage without eliminating the asymmetry. By studying the DC electrosurgical spark, it was possible to quantify the electrical asymmetries and qualify their causes. Since the asymmetry is the cause of undesirable DC burns and neuromuscular electrostimulation, and the conformity process does not take into account the sparking phenomena, the certification process at this class of equipment must change.

Evaluation of predictive biomarkers for AR therapy and to identify the LAR subtype of TNBC.

595 Background: Androgen-receptor-like (LAR) triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype identified using Vanderbilt’s molecular signature. LAR subtype has the lowest pCR rate for NACT among all TNBC subtypes (10% vs. 28% for TNBC in general). We launched a clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of enzalutamide and paclitaxel (ZT) in improving this poor chemo. response in the neoadjuvant setting for pts with anthracycline-refractory, androgen receptor (AR)+ TNBC (NCT02689427). However, we do not yet have a robust predictive biomarker to detect an activated AR pathway and have not seen a robust correlation between molecular LAR subtype and AR IHC staining intensity. Methods: Molecular profiling and immunohistochemical analysis of key biomarkers (LAR, Ki67, and vimentin) was performed for all pts enrolled in A Randomized triple negative breast cancer enrolling Trial to Confirm Molecular Profiling Improves Survival (ARTEMIS; NCT02276443). Patients receive 4 cycles of AC, followed by an experimental arm or standard taxane, tailored using nuclear IHC staining. IHC staining of ≥30% AR+ was used as a threshold for selection for enzalutamide combination arm. We evaluated the concordance between LAR-subtype using molecular profiling vs % AR+ cells via IHC. Results: As part of the clinical trial, tumors with ≥30% AR+ cells were classified as LAR. In addition, we used RNA profiling to assign Vanderbilt subtype scores, resulting in classification of 15 tumors as LAR+. We observed a significant correlation (r=0.75) between LAR score and %AR+ cells, with 13 of 15 LAR tumors having ≥30% AR+ cells. Among patients with high % of AR+ tumor cells, 11 received enzalutamide, with 43% (3/7) having responses (pCR or RCB-I). Conclusions: Comparison on numerical scores for Vanderbilt subtype and IHC scores suggests ≥30% AR+ IHC staining as the threshold (ppv=0.65, npv=0.98, Table) to identify the molecular LAR subtype. We observed a trend where response rate was higher in patients with ≥ AR+ IHC scores treated with enzalutamide; however, these results need confirmation in a larger cohort of patients. Clinical trial information: NCT02689427, NCT02276443. [Table: see text]

Modelling virtual oscillator‐controlled microgrids

Virtual oscillator control (VOC) is an emerging non-linear technique to control the terminal voltage of inverters in ac micro-grids. This study compares two small-signal models of VOC, obtained from average VOC dynamics over one ac cycle. The first model from previous literature is based on the approximation of real and reactive power in the average dynamics by the corresponding instantaneous values of power. The second model proposed in this study, in contrast to the first, approximates the average power by filtered power from a second-order low-pass filter. The two models are evaluated by eigenvalue and participation analyses. Simulations and experimental results are used to verify the models, by observing transient responses of a three-phase inverter subject to a step change in the load. The proposed linearised model can tracks transients of the output voltage and current more accurately than the existing technique both in the simulations and experimental tests. The proposed linearised VOC model enables a more precise small-signal stability and transient analysis of the average VOC dynamics. In conclusion, this improvement benefits stability studies when system parameters are changed or load disturbances are added to virtual oscillator-controlled inverter-based micro-grids.

Abstract OT3-02-05: CORALLEEN: A phase 2 clinical trial of chemotherapy or letrozole plus ribociclib as neoadjuvant treatment for postmenopausal patients with luminal B/HER2-negative breast cancer

Abstract Background: Dysregulation of cyclin D-CDK4/6-Rb pathway is associated with endocrine resistance in hormone receptor–positive (HR+) breast cancer. Recently, a CDK4/6 inhibitor has shown unprecedented efficacy in metastatic disease, leading to its regulatory approval. Several others are currently in clinical development for the management of HR+ breast cancer in the early and advanced settings. However, it is vital to gain insights into the molecular and biological effects of this class of agents and could identify patients who can benefit the most, delaying or avoiding the use of chemotherapy.The neoadjuvant setting provides an ideal scenario to carry out these investigations. Hence, we propose to conduct an exploratory study to evaluate the biological effects and the efficacy of ribociclib in patients with primary luminal B tumors. We hypothesize that the combination of ribociclib plus letrozole may offer clinical benefit in the preoperative setting. Methods: This is a parallel, multicenter, two-arm, randomized exploratory study in postmenopausal women with primary operable HR+/HER2-negative Luminal B breast cancer designed to evaluate the clinical benefit of ribociclib plus letrozole. Eligibility includes stage I-III operable breast cancer, Luminal B by PAM50, ECOG 0-1. They will be randomized 1:1 to receive either six 28-days cycles of ribociclib (600mg; 3-weeks-on/1-week-off) plus daily letrozole (2.5mg) or chemotherapy: four cycles of AC (doxorubicin 60 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2 every 21 days) followed by weekly paclitaxel during 12 weeks. Baseline, Day 15 on-treatment, and surgical specimens will be collected for molecular characterization and evaluation of response (decrease in Ki67, change to ROR low disease) The primary endpoint is the rate of Residual Cancer Burden (RCB) per MD Anderson Cancer Center procedures. A rate of RCB 0 and 1 score at surgery, with a rank between 20% to 25% with 47 evaluable patients by group of treatment will offer a precision between 11.5% and 12.4%, respectively (95%CI). Ninety-four patients will be enrolled in 21 sites across Spain. The trial was activated in July 2017. As of June 2018, 78 patients have been recruited. Citation Format: Gavila J, Saura C, Oliveira M, Ciruelos E, Gonzalez X, de la Peña L, Bermejo de las Heras B, Muñoz M, Fernandez P, Villagrasa P, Ortega V, Lopez R, Celiz P, Pascual T, Prat A. CORALLEEN: A phase 2 clinical trial of chemotherapy or letrozole plus ribociclib as neoadjuvant treatment for postmenopausal patients with luminal B/HER2-negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT3-02-05.

Abstract P1-15-16: Pathological complete response rates with the addition of carboplatin to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a cohort of real–world patients with triple negative breast cancer

Abstract Objectives: Addition of carboplatin to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains controversial. There are several randomized trials showing that carboplatin increases the likelihood of achieving pathological complete response (pCR) in TNBC. Patients with TNBC who achieve pCR has been shown to have better disease-free and overall survival. The aim of this study was to asses the impact of adding carboplatin to standard NACT in TNBC in terms of pCR rates and toxicity. Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 252 consecutive patients with primary TNBC who were submitted to neoadjuvant chemotherapy between 2013 and 2018, in a single center, were selected. Patients with biopsy-confirmed TNBC, previously untreated, with clinical stages I-III were included (n=179). Clinical pathological features, pathological response, treatment protocol, and toxicities were analyzed and considered for statistical analysis. Eighty patients treated from 2013 to 2015 received doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide once every 3 weeks (AC) for four cycles, followed by 12 weeks (wP) or every 3 weeks (P) paclitaxel(AC-T group). Ninety-nine patients, treated from 2015 to 2018 had four cycles of AC followed by wP plus weekly carboplatin (Cb) area under curve (AUC) 1.5-2.0 (AC-TCb group). Pathologic response was determined locally, and pCR was defined as the absence of residual invasive disease with or without ductal carcinoma in situ in the breast and axilla. Results: Data from 179 patients were included in the analysis (AC-T: n=80; AC-TCb: n=99). Patients in AC-TCb group had a median age of 51.7 years vs. 47.4 years in AC-T group, p=0.01. In AC-TCb group 61.6% of patients were postmenopausal vs 43.7% in AC-T group, p=0.03. The distribution of clinical stage in groups AC-TCb and AC-T were as follows: stage I 6.0% vs 0%; stage II 42.4% vs 43.7%; stage III 51.6% vs 56.3%, respectively (p=0.02). In AC-TCbgroup, 34 patients (35.0%) had pCR in comparison to 20 patients (25.0%) on AC-T group (p=0.22). Pathological stage distribution in groups AC-TCb and AC-T were: stage I 24.7% vs 33.7%; stage II 23.7% vs 26.3%; stage III 16.4% vs 15%, respectively (p=0.42). More than 85.0% of patients in AC-TCb group received at least 9 weeks of carboplatin and less than 20.0% required dose reduction due to toxicity.Conclusions: An improved pathological complete response for TNBC patients submitted to standard NACT plus carboplatin was observed. The results are in accordance with previous studies demonstrating that the addition of carboplatin to NACT improves pCR rate in TNBC with a favorable risk to benefit profile. Therefore carboplatin might be a potential component of NACT and should be considered in this context. Distribution of patients with TNBC submitted to NACT with AC-T and AC-TCb according clinical–pathological characteristicsClinical pathological characteristicsAC-T n= 80AC-TCb n=99pMenopausal 0.03yes3561 no4538 Clinical stage 0.02I06 II3542 III4551 Histologic type 0.25IDC8096 others03 Histologic grade 0.86101 22932 35164 Pathological stage 0.42O2034 I2724 II2123 III1216 pCR 0.22yes2034 no6063 Citation Format: Ramalho S, Natal RdA, Cardoso Filho C, Xavier MB, da Silva AER, Silva LR, Vasconcelos V, Reinert T, Coelho GP, Silva GRdP, dos Santos CC. Pathological complete response rates with the addition of carboplatin to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in a cohort of real–world patients with triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-15-16.