Lens Group Research Articles

7-M/130-Mbps LED-to-LED Underwater Wireless Optical Communication Based on Arrays of Series-Connected LEDs and a Coaxial Lens Group

In this paper, the arrays consist of series-connected monochromatic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are proposed as the transmitter and receiver to implement an LED-to-LED underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) system. An array of green LEDs is used as the transmitter to enhance the emitted optical power, and the high-frequency attenuation of the LEDs is compensated by a pre-equalization circuit. Red LEDs are connected in series, forming an array as the detector to extend the bandwidth of the receiver. Furthermore, a lens group for homogenizing and focusing the light spot is designed to increase optical power-density at the plane of detector, thus significantly enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the captured signal. The proposed array with 3 series-connected red LEDs can increase the data rate by 22.2 % compared with a single red LED. An LED-to-LED UWOC system with a data rate of 130 Mbps over a 7-m underwater channel is realized with a BER lower than the forward error correction (FEC) threshold of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$3.8\times 10^{-3}$</tex-math></inline-formula> . To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the series-connected LEDs as the detector, combining with a lens group for homogenization and focusing, are applied in an LED-to-LED UWOC system, which achieve the highest rate-distance product among the reported LED detection-based wireless optical communication (WOC) systems.

The effect of corneal power distribution on axial elongation in children using three different orthokeratology lens designs

PurposeTo investigate the correlation between spatial corneal power distribution and one-year axial length (AL) elongation using three ortho-k lens designs by a unified mathematical method. MethodsA total of 137 subjects were included: 42 with Euclid lenses, 28 with DRL lenses, and 67 with CRT lenses. AL elongation, Xmax, Ymax and power exponent were compared among the three groups. One-year relative corneal refractive power change (RCRPC) was calculated by a polynomial function and a monomial function. Factors including age, baseline spherical equivalent refractive error (SER), Xmax, Ymax and power exponent was tested against one-year AL growth in a stepwise multiple linear regression model. ResultsThe power exponent (F = 7.29, P = 0.0012) and Xmax (F = 62.88, P < 0.0001) of the DRL group was significantly smaller than that of the other two lens groups. Ymax was not significantly different among three lens groups (F = 1.18, P = 0.31). The one-year AL elongation of the DRL group (0.09 ± 0.14 mm) was significantly slower than that of the Euclid group (0.26 ± 0.14 mm, P = 0.002) and CRT group (0.32 ± 0.18 mm, P < 0.0001). AL elongation was significantly correlated with Xmax (standardized β = 0.196, P = 0.003), power exponent (standardized β = 0.644, P < 0.001), and age (standardized β = -0.263, P < 0.001), with R2 being 0.608. ConclusionA smaller and more aspheric treatment zone may be beneficial for reducing axial elongation in children undergoing ortho-k treatment, regardless of their baseline myopic refractive error.

Spherical lens aberration minimization method for short-range free-space light transmission

Spherical aberrations of lenses lead to increased spot radii on the focal plane. Several methods, such as optimizing thickness and radii or building lens groups, are known to minimize these spherical aberrations. Here, an innovative method for spherical aberration minimization is introduced; it can be used for short-range free-space optical communication systems, such as unit power afocal relay trains, lens waveguides, and periodic lens systems. This spherical aberration compensation principle is based on the combination of two identical spherical convex lenses at an optimal distance. Due to the higher refractive power for rays with an larger axis distance, rays from the outer area of the first lens intersect the inner area of the second lens, and vice versa. With this setup, the radial refractive power deviation of the two lenses compensate each other. Analytic calculations and numerical simulations are done to confirm this behavior, and measurements using two symmetric spherical lenses with polymer optical fibers as light feed confirm the calculations. Simulations and measurements show a very good matching behavior except for an unknown systematic error. At a lens distance of 300 mm, the optical attenuation decreased by ∼2 dB compared with a very small lens distance. This leads to the conclusion that this proposed spherical aberration minimization method works as theoretically predicted.

The protective effect of pomegranate peel aqueous extract on selenite-induced cataract in rats.

The present study was performed to evaluate the preventive effect of pomegranate peel extract on sodium-induced cataract in rats. Sprague-Dawley suckling male rats were divided into four groups: group C: rats received no treatment, group P: rats received pomegranate peel aqueous extract (PPE) orally, group Se: rats received an injection of sodium selenite, group Se + P: rats received PPE and sodium selenite concomitantly. After 4 weeks, rats were sacrificed, and their lenses were homogenized and evaluated for biochemical parameters and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In the Se group, developed cataract with significant lens opacity was observed. Other changes in enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, oxidative parameters, solubility of proteins, in NO and Ca levels and the electrophoresis pattern of proteins were observed in lenses of the Se group compared to control groups. After the preventive administration of PPE, most of these parameters were normalized due to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the extract. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Cataract is one of the leading causes of vision impairment among the elderly, and surgery is the major therapeutic step taken to cure it. However, surgery has its limitations and complications. Therefore, prevention of cataract development, especially in high-risk individuals, can be better than cure. Pomegranate peel extract has a high potential to prevent cataract in these people.

Myopia control with dual-focus soft contact lenses during the first year of measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study compared refractive and axial length (AL) changes in children wearing dual-focus soft contact lenses for myopia control (MiSight®) with myopic children wearing spectacles one year from the start of lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. This retrospective, descriptive, parallel-group, observational study reviewed the charts of 11 children who began treatment for myopia control with dual-focus soft contact lenses for myopia control (MiSight®) in March 2020 and 11 matched spectacle-wearing controls. The mean increase in spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and AL from the beginning of the lockdown and up to 1 year later were compared. The parents of the children were asked about the average time spent on near work, contact lens wearing time both during and after the strict confinement and whether they had discontinued contact lens wear during lockdown. During this first year of preventive COVID-19 measures (March 2020-March 2021), for the contact lens group the average SER and AL increased -0.14 ± 0.09D and 0.13 ± 0.05 mm, respectively. For the spectacle wearers, the corresponding increases were -0.54 ± 0.16D and 0.25 ± 0.08 mm, respectively. A significant difference was found between the groups for both SER (p < 0.001) and AL (p < 0.05). The average time spent outdoors was restricted for both groups during lockdown and increased after. However, statistically significant changes in the time spent outdoors during and after lockdown were only found for the spectacle group (p < 0.05; t-test), whereas this change was not significant for the contact lens group (p=0.08). Over the observed time period, dual-focus soft contact lenses for myopia control were effective despite the decreased time spent outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fast testing of partial camera lenses based on a liquid crystal spatial light modulator.

Today, there are strict requirements for the quality inspection of mobile phone cameras, as the design tolerance is getting critically tighter. In order to avoid unnecessary disposal of lens components when testing and assembling the complete cameras, testing the quality of each single lens group in advance before the final assembly is effective. However, as part of a whole camera, a single lens group cannot generate a sharp image independently; it needs to be combined with other elements in the testing system and assembled precisely. In order to address this challenge, we propose a fast testing method based on spatial light modulators (SLMs). By taking advantage of the programmable feature of the SLM, the assembly misalignments caused by fixing the lens group to be tested into the testing system are dynamically scanned and compensated at a fast speed. A design criterion of the phase map pattern to be loaded on the SLM is also verified by simulation and is applied on the testing system. In this way, the proposed method significantly reduces the positioning requirement of the lens under test, and thus improves efficiency. The passed yield of tested lens groups reaches 92.6%.

Protective Effects of Piceatannol against Selenite-Induced Cataract and Oxidative Damage in Rats

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of piceatannol (PIC) on selenite-induced cataracts in Sprague-Dawley rats and explore its therapeutic effects as an antioxidant. Methods Thirty-two eight-day-old rat pups were randomly divided into four groups, with eight pups in each of them. Group 1, as the control group, was injected with the same amount of saline, while Groups 2–4 were administered with sodium selenite (3.46 mg/kg) subcutaneously into the neck on postpartum day 10 for cataract induction. Without further treatment, Group 2 served as the control model, while Groups 3 and 4 (low- and high-dose PIC-treated) had intraperitoneal piceatannol from day 8 to day 17 at doses of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg, respectively. On postpartum day 17, after the last injection, the rat pups were examined for cataract grade by slit lamp, and the lenses of every group were isolated for oxidative damage indicators and further analysis. SRA01/04 cells were exposed to 600 μM H2O2 for 24 hours with or without pretreatment with 10μМ piceatannol. Cell viability was tested by CCK-8 assay and cell apoptosis was evaluated by AnnexinV-PE/7AAD assay. Results This study determined that compared with the model group, the degree of lens opacity was significantly reduced in PIC-treated groups. The histopathological damage of the lenses in the PIC-treated groups improved compared to the model group. There were fewer signs of lesions, such as vacuoles and atrophy. The biochemical results indicated that malondialdehyde (MDA) content of the PIC-treated groups were downregulated and the antioxidant enzyme activities (GSH and catalase) and antioxidant status (SOD) were upregulated compared with the model group. In vitro, piceatannol significantly restored cell viability and cell apoptosis under H2O2 injury. Conclusion Pretreatment with piceatannol may achieve a protective effect on cataract development through upregulating antioxidant enzyme activity.

Design method for zoom systems based on tunable lenses

It is well known that tunable lenses, with refractive power that can be varied, e.g., by changing the curvature of a membrane, can replace the motion of lens groups in zoom systems. Similar to classical zoom systems, the performance of these systems is heavily influenced by the fundamental first-order layout. Moreover, the first-order layout sets the most important requirements for the employed tunable lenses. In this contribution, we present a method for the analysis of a large number of possible first-order solutions for typical requirements and for the selection of the most promising layouts. The first-order solution space is mapped, allowing the layouts to be automatically filtered and plotted depending on pre-defined characteristics. Ray tracing of the marginal and chief rays combined with the traditional thin lens aberration theory provide efficient estimations of the expected installation space requirements and performance for each first-order layout. Using an example, we demonstrate good agreement between these estimations and the corresponding real lens layout, optimized by commercial raytracing software. The presented design method for zoom systems based on tunable lenses is compared with similar approaches for classical zoom lenses.

Idarubicin-Loaded DEB-TACE plus Lenvatinib versus Lenvatinib for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A propensity score-matching analysis.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib and idarubicin-loaded drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (IDADEB-TACE) in primary advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This retrospective study included patients with primary advanced HCC who received either lenvatinib monotherapy or lenvatinib plus IDADEB-TACE as first-line treatment from September 2019 to September 2020 at three institutes. Overall survival (OS), time to progression (TTP), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events were compared. Propensity score-matching was used to reduce the influence of confounding factors on the outcomes. The study reviewed 118 patients who received lenvatinib plus IDADEB-TACE (LIDA group) and 182 who received lenvatinib alone (LEN group). After propensity score-matching, 78 pairs of patients remained. Compared to patients in the LEN group, those in the LIDA group had better post-treatment ORR (57.7% vs. 25.6%, p < 0.001, respectively), median OS and TTP (15.7 vs. 11.3 months, hazard ratio [HR]=0.50, p < 0.001; 8.0 vs. 5.0 months, HR=0.60, p=0.003, respectively), 6- and 12-month OS rates (88.5% vs. 71.4%; 67.6% vs. 43.4%, respectively), and progression-free rates at 6 and 12 months (60.3% vs. 42.3%; 21.1% vs. 10.3%, respectively). Vascular invasion, α-fetoprotein level, and treatment type were independent OS predictors, and vascular invasion and treatment type were independent TTP predictors. Incidences of nausea/vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, and increased ALT/AST were higher in the LIDA group than in the LEN group. Lenvatinib plus IDADEB-TACE is well-tolerated and more effective than lenvatinib monotherapy in patients with advanced HCC.

Tannic Acid-Modified Silver Nanoparticles in Conjunction with Contact Lens Solutions Are Useful for Progress against the Adhesion of Acanthamoeba spp. to Contact Lenses.

Acanthamoeba spp. are amphizoic amoebae that are widely distributed in the environment and capable of entering the human body. They can cause pathogenic effects in different tissues and organs, including Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK), which may result in a loss of visual acuity and blindness. The diagnostics, treatment, and prevention of AK are still challenging. More than 90% of AK cases are related to the irresponsible wearing of contact lenses. However, even proper lens care does not sufficiently protect against this eye disease, as amoebae have been also found in contact lens solutions and contact lens storage containers. The adhesion of the amoebae to the contact lens surface is the first step in developing this eye infection. To limit the incidence of AK, it is important to enhance the anti-adhesive activity of the most popular contact lens solutions. Currently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used as modern antimicrobial agents. Their effectiveness against Acanthamoeba spp., especially with the addition of plant metabolites, such as tannic acid, has been confirmed. Here, we present the results of our further studies on the anti-adhesion potential of tannic acid-modified silver nanoparticles (AgTANPs) in combination with selected contact lens solutions against Acanthamoeba spp. on four groups of contact lenses. The obtained results showed an increased anti-adhesion activity of contact lens solutions in conjunction with AgTANPs with a limited cytotoxicity effect compared to contact lens solutions acting alone. This may provide a benefit in improving the prevention of amoebae eye infections. However, there is still a need for further studies on different pathogenic strains of Acanthamoeba in order to assess the adhesion of the cysts to the contact lens surface and to reveal a more comprehensive picture of the activity of AgTANPs and contact lens solutions.

Method for minimizing lens breathing with one moving group.

Lens breathing in movie cameras is the change in the overall content of a scene while bringing subjects located at different depths into focus. This paper presents a method for minimizing lens breathing or changing angular field-of-view while maintaining perspective by moving only one lens group. To maintain perspective, the stop is placed in a fixed position where no elements between the scene and the stop can move, thus fixing the entrance pupil in one location relative to the object fields. The result is perspective invariance while refocusing the lens. Using paraxial optics, we solve for the moving group's position to focus on every object position and eliminate breathing between the minimum and maximum object distances. We investigate the solution space for optical systems with two positive groups or a positive and a negative group (i.e., retrofocus and telephoto systems). We explain how to apply this paraxial solution to existing systems to minimize breathing. The results for two systems altered using this method are presented. Breathing improved by two orders of magnitude in both cases, and performance specifications were still met when compared to the initial systems.

Overcoming the error of optical power measurement caused by the curvature radius.

In traditional focimeter measurements, the lens cannot completely coincide with the diaphragm owing to the change of radius, resulting in an increase in the power measurement error with an increase in the lens power. We proposed a method, using the SVM machine learning algorithm, to restore the measurement of the focimeter, using a lens power data set obtained from lens features, obtained through an automatic acquisition system. Total up to 83 groups of single focus lenses with refractive indices of 1.56 and 1.60, ranging from -10 m-1 to + 8 m-1 every 0.25 m-1 and -10.5 m-1 to -15 m-1 every 0.5 m-1, were used for lens image acquisition. The experimental results show that the ten-fold average F1 score of the classification under this method is 100%. The test lens power can be accurately identified and the measurement error can be overcome.

Comparison of atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib in terms of efficacy and safety as primary systemic chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and lenvatinib have each shown efficacy as primary systemic chemotherapies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in clinical trials. However, comparative trials of these two treatments have not been conducted. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic outcomes of these two treatments. This prospectively registered multicenter study analyzed 272 patients with HCC who received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab (the Atezo+Beva group; n=90) or lenvatinib (the Len group; n=182) as primary systemic chemotherapy. After propensity score matching (PSM), 66 patients were assigned to each group. After PSM, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in the Atezo+Beva group than in the Len group (8.8 vs. 5.2months; p=0.012). No significant differences were noted between the two groups in terms of median overall survival (not reached vs. 20.6months; p=0.577), objective response rates (43.8% vs. 52.4%; p=0.330), and disease control rates (76.6% vs. 82.5%; p=0.404). The percentage of patients with modified albumin-bilirubin grades of one or 2a was maintained during treatment in the Atezo+Beva group but decreased over time in the Len group. The rate of discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs) was lower in the Atezo+Beva group than in the Len group (12.1% vs. 28.8%; p=0.018). Atezolizumab plus bevacizumab showed prolonged PFS, maintained hepatic reserve, and had lower rates of severe AEs compared with that on using lenvatinib as primary systemic chemotherapy for HCC.

Comparison of Two Main Orthokeratology Lens Designs in Efficacy and Safety for Myopia Control.

PurposeThis study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of corneal refractive therapy (CRT) lenses and vision shaping treatment (VST) lenses for myopia control in children.MethodsMedical records of 1,001 children (2,002 eyes) who had been fitted with orthokeratology lenses for over 1.5 years were retrospectively reviewed. We collected the clinical data of four types of orthokeratology (OK) lenses available: one CRT lens (brand: CRT) and three VST lenses (brands: Euclid, Alpha, and Hiline) over 1.5 years. Results were compared and analyzed using a one-way ANOVA and Pearson's chi-square test.ResultsAxial length elongation in the CRT lens group was 0.13 ± 0.02 mm faster than that in the Euclid lens, 0.1 ± 0.02 mm faster in the Alpha lens, and 0.08 ± 0.02 mm faster in the Hiline lens over the 1.5-year period (all P < 0.05). Among the subjects, 37.3% of them using the CRT lens experienced more than 1 D of refractive growth, compared with 20.2–30.8% of subjects wearing the three groups of VST lenses (all P < 0.05). A lower incidence of total adverse events was found with the CRT lenses compared with the VST lenses (P < 0.05), especially corneal staining. No difference was found in axial length elongation, refraction growth, and incidence of adverse events among the three types of VST lenses (all P > 0.05).ConclusionsCompared with the VST lenses, CRT lenses demonstrated a weaker effect on myopia control but with a better safety profile. Different types of VST lenses had similar efficacy and safety in the context of controlling myopia progression.

The Safety Profile of FDA-Approved Epithelium-Off Corneal Cross-Linking in a US Community-Based Healthcare System.

PurposeTo determine the occurrence of early post-operative complications following FDA-approved epithelium-off corneal cross-linking in the United States.Materials and MethodsThis multicenter, retrospective cohort study identified patients who underwent epithelium-off (epi-off) corneal cross-linking (CXL) for keratoconus and post-refractive keratectasia within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare system between 2016 and 2018. Post-operative complications including delayed epithelial healing, infection, and loss of visual acuity were recorded.ResultsThe study included 878 eyes of 654 patients. The mean age was 27±9.4 years (range 7–71). Five hundred ninety-nine patients (91.6%) had keratoconus while 55 had post-refractive corneal ectasia (8.4%). Forty-seven eyes had prolonged follow-up because of the occurrence of complications in the early post-operative period. The respective rates of delayed epithelial healing, and keratitis were 3.9% (95% CI 2.7–5.3%), and 1.5% (95% CI 0.8–2.5%). Four approaches for management of delayed epithelial healing were compared; epithelium healing duration was the longest in the repeat bandage contact lens (BCL) group (23.8 days) and the shortest in the antibiotic ointment group (14.3 days), with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the healing time between these 2 groups.ConclusionThe concern for early clinical complications after epi-off CXL often leads to delayed CXL intervention and further keratoconus progression with increased economic burdens. A large retrospective review of 878 eyes found that FDA-approved epi-off CXL protocol appears to be safe with low occurrence rates of early post-operative complications. The recommended management for delayed epithelial healing is using antibiotic ophthalmic ointment.

Gems of the Galaxy Zoos—A Wide-ranging Hubble Space Telescope Gap-filler Program*

Abstract We describe the Gems of the Galaxy Zoos (Zoo Gems) project, a gap-filler project using short windows in the Hubble Space Telescope's schedule. As with previous snapshot programs, targets are taken from a pool based on position; we combine objects selected by volunteers in both the Galaxy Zoo and Radio Galaxy Zoo citizen-science projects. Zoo Gems uses exposures with the Advanced Camera for Surveys to address a broad range of topics in galaxy morphology, interstellar-medium content, host galaxies of active galactic nuclei, and galaxy evolution. Science cases include studying galaxy interactions, backlit dust in galaxies, post-starburst systems, rings and peculiar spiral patterns, outliers from the usual color–morphology relation, Green Pea compact starburst systems, double radio sources with spiral host galaxies, and extended emission-line regions around active galactic nuclei. For many of these science categories, final selection of targets from a larger list used public input via a voting process. Highlights to date include the prevalence of tightly wound spiral structure in blue, apparently early-type galaxies, a nearly complete Einstein ring from a group lens, redder components at lower surface brightness surrounding compact Green Pea starbursts, and high-probability examples of spiral galaxies hosting large double radio sources.

Height measurement of microbumps using a white-light triangulation method.

As the electronic interconnection between chips, microbumps are crucial components in advanced packaging for the demand of better performance and higher packaging density. The height and coplanarity of microbumps are critical to ensure the reliability of connections. The poor uniformity in bump height will lead to disconnect or insufficient contact, which will directly result in the failure of the chip's function and a lower yield rate. In this paper, we proposed a height measurement method of microbumps using white-light triangulation combined with geometrical characteristics of bumps. A linear light projection module composed of a lens group and LED light source was set up as well as a high-quality imaging module consisting of a CCD camera and microscope objective group. The projection and imaging model of microbumps illuminated by the light plane at different positions during the scanning process was analyzed. The microbump height is computed from a simple formula based on the geometry of the specimen and the system configuration. The measurement results are compared with that obtained from a commercial optical profiler, and the measurement uncertainty is analyzed in detail.

Premium Monovision versus Bilateral Myopic Monovision, Hybrid Monovision and Bilateral Trifocal Implantation: A Comparative Study.

PurposeContemporary monovision techniques use premium intraocular lenses (IOLs), either in both eyes or at least in the non-dominant one. Primary objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of premium monovision (implantation of the trifocal diffractive Panoptix IOL in the non-dominant eye and the bifocal hybrid refractive-diffractive Restor IOL in the dominant eye), against bilateral myopic monovision (implantation of the monofocal SN60WF IOL targeting −0.50 D in the dominant eye and −1.25 D myopia in the non-dominant one), hybrid monovision (implantation of Panoptix in the non-dominant eye and SN60WF in the dominant eye) and bilateral trifocal implantation (with bilateral Panoptix implantation).MethodsThis is a prospective, comparative, clinic-based trial. Cataract patients populated four study groups: Monovision Group (MoG), Multifocal Lens Group (MfG), Hybrid Monovision Group (HmG) and Premium Monovision Group (PmG). Binocular Uncorrected Distance Visual Acuity (UDVA), Uncorrected Reading Acuity and Critical Print Size at 60cm (UIRA, UICPS) and at 40cm (UNRA, UNCPS), contrast sensitivity, vision-related functional impairment, dysphotopsia symptoms and spectacle dependence were evaluated 6 months following the operation of the second eye. A mathematical model was constructed, which calculated the relative efficacy of each surgical intervention.ResultsA total of 120 participants were recruited and populated equally the study groups. Significant improvement of preoperative UDVA was observed in all study groups. No significant differences could be detected in postoperative UDVA and UIRA (p = 0.24) among study groups, while significant differences were noticed in UICPS (p = 0.04), UNRA (p = 0.02) and UNCPS (p = 0.01). Dysphotopic phenomena (glare and shadows) were significantly more in the MfG arm followed by the PmG group (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively), while perceived difficulty and spectacle independence rates were significantly better in PmG group. PmG presented the best overall relative efficacy.ConclusionAll surgical techniques present satisfactory outcomes. Premium monovision seems to demonstrate the best outcomes.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04618380. Registered 05 November 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04618380.

Lenvatinib combined with transarterial chemoembolization as first-line treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: A phase 3, multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

380 Background: LAUNCH is a multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group phase 3 trial, aiming to assess the efficacy and safety of lenvatinib plus TACE compared with lenvatinib alone as first-line therapy in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Patients with advanced HCC were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either lenvatinib plus TACE (LEN-TACE group) or lenvatinib alone (LEN group). Randomized stratification factors include: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score (0 vs. 1), tumor thrombus (presence vs. absence), body weight (&lt;60 vs. ≥60kg) and site. In both Len group and LEN-TACE group, patients received oral lenvatinib after randomization within 3 days. The initial dose is 12 mg/day for patients weighing ≥ 60 kg, and 8 mg/day for patients weighing &lt; 60 kg. TACE was started one day after initial lenvatinib in LEN-TACE group and then performed on-demand according to the condition of the tumor and liver function. The primary endpoint were overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR, the proportion of patients with complete response or partial response according to mRECIST), and adverse events. The deadline for interim analysis of data is September 20, 2021. Results: Overall, 338 patients from 12 hospital in China were randomly assigned to receive either lenvatinib plus TACE (n = 170) or lenvatinib (n = 168). The median follow-up duration was 18.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.7-23.1 months) in the LEN-TACE group and 17.0 months (95% CI 14.2-19.8 months) in the LEN group. The median OS was 17.8 months (95% CI 16.1–19.5) for the lenvatinib-TACE group and 11.5 months (95% CI 10.3–12.7) for the lenvatinib group (stratified hazard ratio [HR] for death = 0.45, 95% CI 0.33–0.61, P&lt;0.001). The median PFS was significantly longer in the LEN-TACE group than in the LEN group (10.6 vs. 6.4 months, HR[hazard ratio]=0.43, P&lt;0.001). Lenvatinib plus TACE improved ORR compared to lenvatinib alone (54.1% vs. 25.0, P&lt;0.001). The following grade 3–4 AEs were more frequently in the lenvatinib-TACE group than in the lenvatinib group: ALT increased (30 [17.6%] vs. 2 [1.2%], P&lt;0.001), AST increased (39 [22.9%] vs. 3 [1.8%], P&lt;0.001), hyperbilirubinemia (16 [9.4%] vs. 5 [3.0%], P=0.014). Conclusions: In conclusion, this trial showed that the combination of lenvatinib plus TACE can improve clinical outcomes and may be the new first-line treatment for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical trial information: NCT03905967.

Potential continuous zooming scheme based on high-power broadband laser

Continuous zooming is efficient in mitigating the cross-beam energy transfer effect and improving implosion hydrodynamic efficiency in the application of inertial confinement fusion. In this paper, a novel continuous zooming scheme is proposed, based on the chromatic aberration effect of the lens groups to gradually reduce the size of the focal spot at the target position by focusing the broadband laser pulse. This scheme is simulated theoretically on the Shenguang-II upgrade (SG-II UP) facility, and the results show that the focal spot size is positive and linear for the beam wavelength. When the fundamental wave bandwidth was 5 nm, the focal spot radius was reduced by 15.21% without changing the geometric parameters of the SG-II upgrade, and the focal spot radius was reduced by 27.73% after optimization. In addition, the conversion efficiency is compensated for in the harmonic converter. This paper supports a new perspective for the realization of high-power laser zooming.