Impact of tumor burden on survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the standard treatment for recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer (RM-HNC). However, many patients fail to benefit from the treatment. Previous studies have revealed that tumor burden predicts the efficacy of ICIs, but this association remains unclear for RM-HNC. We retrospectively analyzed 94 patients with RM-HNC treated with ICI monotherapy. We estimated the tumor burden using the baseline number of metastatic lesions (BNML) and the baseline sum of the longest diameters of the target lesions (BSLD), and evaluated the association between BNML, BSLD, and standardized uptake value (SUV) and clinical outcomes. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 7.1 and 3.1 months in the low-BNML and high-BNML groups, respectively (p = 0.010). The median PFS was 9.1 and 3.5 months in the low-BSLD and high-BSLD groups, respectively (p = 0.004). Moreover, patients with high SUVmax levels had worse overall survival (OS) and PFS. BNML, BSLD, and SUVmax are useful prognostic factors in patients with RM-HNC treated with ICIs. Imaging examinations before ICI treatment are recommended to predict the efficacy of ICIs. If the tumor burden is high, cytotoxic anticancer agents may be administered concomitantly with or prior to ICI monotherapy.

On the explanation of hysteresis in the adsorption of ammonia on graphitized thermal carbon black.

We present a Monte Carlo simulation and experimental study of ammonia adsorption on graphitized thermal carbon black. Our new molecular model for the adsorbent is composed of basal plane graphene surfaces with ultrafine pores grafted with hydroxyl groups at the junctions between graphene layers. The simulated adsorption isotherms and isosteric heats are in good agreement with the experimental data of Holmes and Beebe, and the simulations reproduce the unusual experimental hysteresis of ammonia adsorption on an open graphite surface for the first time in the literature. The detailed mechanisms of adsorption and desorption, and the origin of hysteresis, are investigated by the microscopic analysis of the adsorbate structures to show that restructuring occurs during adsorption. The main results from this work are: (i) at the triple point, ammonia adsorbs preferentially around the functional groups to form clusters in the ultrafine pores and spills-over onto the basal plane as the loading is increased; followed by a 2D condensation on the graphite surface to form a bilayer adsorbate; (ii) at the boiling point, adsorption occurs on the basal plane due to the increasing importance of thermal fluctuations (an entropic effect); (iii) the isosteric heat is very high at zero loading due to the strong interaction between ammonia and the functional groups, decreases steeply when the functional group is saturated, and eventually reaches the heat of condensation as the fluid-fluid interaction increases.

High resolution N2 adsorption isotherms at 77.4 K and 87.3 K by carbon blacks and activated carbon fibers--analysis of porous texture of activated carbon fibers by αs-method.

The standard α(s)-data of N(2) at 87.3 K by graphitized and nongraphitized carbon black samples (GCB-I and NGCB) (cf.Figs. 3 and 4) have been determined on the basis of the high resolution adsorption isotherms of N(2) at 87.3 K, which were repeatedly measured in the pressure range of p/p(o)=5×10(-8)-0.4. The high resolution adsorption isotherms of N(2) by two kinds of activated carbon fibers (ACF-I and ACF-II) were measured from p/p(o)=10(-7) to p/p(o)=0.995 at 77.4 K and from p/p(o)=10(-7) to p/p(o)=0.4 at 87.3 K. Combination of the adsorption isotherms by ACF-I and ACF-II with the standard α(s)-data by NGCB at 77.4 K and 87.3 K make it possible to construct the high resolution α(s)-plots from very low filling (1%) to complete filling (100%). The high resolution α(s)-plots of N(2) at 77.4 K and 87.3 K were analyzed. On the basis of the analyzed result, the porous textures of ACF-I and ACF-II will be discussed.

Marked adsorption irreversibility of graphitic nanoribbons for CO2 and H2O.

Graphene and graphitic nanoribbons possess different types of carbon hybridizations exhibiting different chemical activity. In particular, the basal plane of the honeycomb lattice of nanoribbons consisting of sp(2)-hybridized carbon atoms is chemically inert. Interestingly, their bare edges could be more reactive as a result of the presence of extra unpaired electrons, and for multilayer graphene nanoribbons, the presence of terraces and ripples could introduce additional chemical activity. In this study, a remarkable irreversibility in adsorption of CO(2) and H(2)O on graphitic nanoribbons was observed at ambient temperature, which is distinctly different from the behavior of nanoporous carbon and carbon blacks. We also noted that N(2) molecules strongly interact with the basal planes at 77 K in comparison with edges. The irreversible adsorptions of both CO(2) and H(2)O are due to the large number of sp(3)-hybridized carbon atoms located at the edges. The observed irreversible adsorptivity of the edge surfaces of graphitic nanoribbons for CO(2) and H(2)O indicates a high potential in the fabrication of novel types of catalysts and highly selective gas sensors.

High resolution N2 adsorption isotherms by graphitized carbon black and nongraphitized carbon black--αs-curves, adsorption enthalpies and entropies.

The high resolution N(2) adsorption isotherms (77.4 K) by graphitized carbon blacks (GCB-I: A(BET)=54.2 m(2) g(-1) and GCB-II: A(BET)=69.4 m(2) g(-1)) and nongraphitized carbon black (NGCB: A(BET)=18.87 m(2) g(-1)) have been measured at p/p°=5×10(-8)-0.99. α(s)-Curve of the N(2) adsorption isotherm by GCB-I is completely overlapped with that by GCB-II in the pressure range of p/p°=5×10(-6)-0.90, but the N(2)α(s)-curve by GCB-I is remarkably different from that by NGCB. The standard N(2)α(s)-data by GCB-I and NGCB have been determined in the range of α(s)=0.002-2.2. On the basis of the N(2) adsorption isotherms at the two temperatures (77.4 K, 87.3 K), the isosteric heat of adsorption (differential adsorption enthalpies), the differential adsorption entropies, and the integral adsorption entropies of N(2) molecules have been evaluated between θ (coverage)=0.05 and θ=1.50. The surface homogeneity/heterogeneity of carbon black samples has been discussed by the N(2) differential adsorption enthalpies. The adsorbed state of N(2) molecules on the carbon black surfaces has been considered by the differential and integral adsorption entropies.

Development of Automatic Adsorption Apparatus for Binary Mixture: Measurement of Individual Adsorption Isotherms of Ethanol and Water from Their Mixed Vapors by Active Carbon Fiber.

The automatic adsorption apparatus has been developed to measure the individual adsorption isotherms of constituent vapor from binary mixed vapor. The present adsorption apparatus consists of a combination of gravimetry and volumetry. The weight increase due to gas adsorption was determined by the magnetic suspension vacuum balance with a sensitivity of 0.01 mg, while the pressure decrease due to adsorption was measured by a high precision pressure gauge with a sensitivity of 0.2 Pa. The adsorption data obtained from both gravimetry and volumetry make it possible to determine the individual isotherms of the constituent vapors without chemical analysis, if the molecular weights of the constituent vapors are significantly different one another. In the later part of this work, the present adsorption apparatus has been applied to measure the individual adsorption isotherms of ethanol and water by active carbon fiber from their mixed vapor. The reliability of the individual isotherms measured by the present apparatus has been considered. The adsorption data obtained in the present work clearly indicate that ethanol molecules are preferentially adsorbed into the micropores of active carbon fiber with a pore width of 0.67 nm. The present adsorption result suggests the possibility of the energy-saving separation of ethanol from the mixed vapors of ethanol and water. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

Porous Texture and Surface Character of Dehydroxylated and Rehydroxylated MCM-41 Mesoporous Silicas-Analysis of Adsorption Isotherms of Nitrogen Gas and Water Vapor.

Four samples of MCM-41 mesoporous silicas whose average pore diameters are 2.4, 2.8, 3.2, and 3.6 nm were prepared using sodium orthosilicate and cationic surfactants of [CH(3)(CH(2))(n)N(CH(3))(3)]X (n=11, 13, 15, 17). These four samples were calcined at 1123 K in vacuo to obtain the dehydroxylated samples, which were further rehydroxylated at 298 K to obtain the rehydroxylated samples. The adsorption isotherms of nitrogen gas (77 K) for the 12 MCM-41 mesoporous silicas are of Type IVc, giving no adsorption hysteresis. On the other hand, the first adsorption isotherms of water vapor (298 K) for the dehydroxylated MCM-41 samples are quite different from those of nitrogen gas, giving the remarkable adsorption hysteresis. The second water isotherms for the rehydroxylated MCM-41 samples are of Type IV, showing slight hysteresis. Using the nitrogen isotherms, the relation between the pore size and carbon chain length of the surfactant has been determined, and the effect of dehydroxylation and rehydroxylation on the porous texture has been examined. Using the first and second water isotherms, the adsorption model of physisorbed waters adsorbed on the surface silanol groups has been proposed. From the pore size distribution curves of nitrogen and water, the presence of constrictions in the cylindrical pores has been predicted. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.