Highlights der ASCO Jahrestagung 2018 zur Immuntherapie von Kopf-Hals-Tumoren

Background. Immunotherapeutic strategies are becoming increasinglymore important for head and neck cancer and numerous clinical trials were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2018. Objective. In this review the most interesting clinical trials and trial results for immunotherapy of head and neck cancer are summarized. Material and methods. All abstracts and presentations on immunotherapy of head and neck cancer at the annual meeting of the ASCO 2018 were screened to select the most interesting trials for a more detailed analysis. Results. For head and neck cancer, practice changing phase III trial results were missing, but several noteworthy new strategies and trial results for immunotherapy were presented. Neoadjuvant immunotherapy trials, results concerning immunotherapy in old age, prognostic implications of immune-mediated adverse events and new immunotherapy combinations are summarized in this article. Conclusion. The role of immunotherapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer is markedly increasing. Many pioneering trials are currently ongoing, in the phase of data analysis or in planning

Estimating geological CO2 storage security to deliver on climate mitigation

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) can help nations meet their Paris CO2 reduction commitments cost-effectively. However, lack of confidence in geologic CO2 storage security remains a barrier to CCS implementation. Here we present a numerical program that calculates CO2 storage security and leakage to the atmosphere over 10,000 years. This combines quantitative estimates of geological subsurface CO2 retention, and of surface CO2 leakage. We calculate that realistically well-regulated storage in regions with moderate well densities has a 50% probability that leakage remains below 0.0008% per year, with over 98% of the injected CO2 retained in the subsurface over 10,000 years. An unrealistic scenario, where CO2 storage is inadequately regulated, estimates that more than 78% will be retained over 10,000 years. Our modelling results suggest that geological storage of CO2 can be a secure climate change mitigation option, but we note that long-term behaviour of CO2 in the subsurface remains a key uncertainty

Mineralogical and geochemical analysis of Fe-phases in drill-cores from the Triassic Stuttgart Formation at Ketzin CO₂ storage site before CO₂ arrival

Reactive iron (Fe) oxides and sheet silicate-bound Fe in reservoir rocks may affect the subsurface storage of CO2 through several processes by changing the capacity to buffer the acidification by CO2 and the permeability of the reservoir rock: (1) the reduction of three-valent Fe in anoxic environments can lead to an increase in pH, (2) under sulphidic conditions, Fe may drive sulphur cycling and lead to the formation of pyrite, and (3) the leaching of Fe from sheet silicates may affect silicate diagenesis. In order to evaluate the importance of Fe-reduction on the CO2 reservoir, we analysed the Fe geochemistry in drill-cores from the Triassic Stuttgart Formation (Schilfsandstein) recovered from the monitoring well at the CO2 test injection site near Ketzin, Germany. The reservoir rock is a porous, poorly to moderately cohesive fluvial sandstone containing up to 2–4 wt% reactive Fe. Based on a sequential extraction, most Fe falls into the dithionite-extractable Fe-fraction and Fe bound to sheet silicates, whereby some Fe in the dithionite-extractable Fe-fraction may have been leached from illite and smectite. Illite and smectite were detected in core samples by X-ray diffraction and confirmed as the main Fe-containing mineral phases by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Chlorite is also present, but likely does not contribute much to the high amount of Fe in the silicate-bound fraction. The organic carbon content of the reservoir rock is extremely low (<0.3 wt%), thus likely limiting microbial Fe-reduction or sulphate reduction despite relatively high concentrations of reactive Fe-mineral phases in the reservoir rock and sulphate in the reservoir fluid. Both processes could, however, be fuelled by organic matter that is mobilized by the flow of supercritical CO2 or introduced with the drilling fluid. Over long time periods, a potential way of liberating additional reactive Fe could occur through weathering of silicates due to acidification by CO2

Gut microbiome composition is linked to whole grain-induced immunological improvements

The involvement of the gut microbiota in metabolic disorders, and the ability of whole grains to affect both host metabolism and gut microbial ecology, suggest that some benefits of whole grains are mediated through their effects on the gut microbiome. Nutritional studies that assess the effect of whole grains on both the gut microbiome and human physiology are needed. We conducted a randomized cross-over trial with four-week treatments in which 28 healthy humans consumed a daily dose of 60 g of whole-grain barley (WGB), brown rice (BR), or an equal mixture of the two (BR+WGB), and characterized their impact on fecal microbial ecology and blood markers of inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism. All treatments increased microbial diversity, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, and the abundance of the genus Blautia in fecal samples. The inclusion of WGB enriched the genera Roseburia, Bifidobacterium and Dialister, and the species Eubacterium rectale, Roseburia faecis and Roseburia intestinalis. Whole grains, and especially the BR+WGB treatment, reduced plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and peak postprandial glucose. Shifts in the abundance of Eubacterium rectale were associated with changes in the glucose and insulin postprandial response. Interestingly, subjects with greater improvements in IL-6 levels harbored significantly higher proportions of Dialister and lower abundance of Coriobacteriaceae. In conclusion, this study revealed that a short-term intake of whole grains induced compositional alterations of the gut microbiota that coincided with improvements in host physiological measures related to metabolic dysfunctions in humans

Riesenzellgranulom der Mandibula

Einleitung: Das Riesenzellgranulom ist eine sehr selten auftretende benigne Raumforderung und macht ungefähr 7% der Tumoren in der Mandibula und Maxilla aus. Die Ätiologie des Riesenzellgranuloms, welches der Gruppe der Riesenzelltumoren angehört, ist unbekannt.Falldarstellung: Ein 38-jähriger männlicher Patient stellte sich mit einer größenprogredienten Raumforderung links präaurikulär vor. Diese palpierte sich derb und hatte eine Größe von 4x5 cm. Sonographisch zeigte sich eine echogemischte, mäßig perfundierte Raumforderung. Die Feinnadelpunktion ergab mehrkernige Riesenzellen sowie einzelne Komplexe aus verstärkt hyperchromatischen Zellkernen. Es erfolgte die laterale Parotidektomie sowie eine Exzision des Riesenzelltumors der Mandibula links. Intraoperativ imponierte eine schlecht abgrenzbare Raumforderung, welche bis an die Capsula articularis heranreichte.Ergebnisse: In der histologischen Aufarbeitung fand sich ein bräunlich-gelblich lobuliertes Weichgewebe mit Anteilen einer riesenzellhaltigen Läsion, spindelzelligen Zellen, herdförmiger Matrixbildung und zahlreichen Hämosiderinpigmentablagerungen. Dies spricht für ein zentrales Riesenzellgranulom. Es bestand kein Anhalt für Malignität.Schlussfolgerung: Das Riesenzellgranulom tritt häufig bei jungen Menschen auf, mit einem Peak in der dritten Lebensdekade. Bei Zugehörigkeit zur Gruppe der Riesenzelltumoren kommen differentialdiagnostisch ein synovialer Riesenzelltumor, ein brauner Tumor bei Hyperparathyreoidismus, Cherubismus, eine aneurysmatische Knochenzyste sowie ein Osteosarkom infrage.Therapeutisch steht die operative Sanierung im Vordergrund. Regelmäßige klinische Kontrollen werden, aufgrund der hohen Rezidivrate, empfohlen.Der Erstautor gibt keinen Interessenkonflikt an