37. Multicenter, randomized study assessing the impact of amifostine on normal tissue radiation tolerance during head and neck cancer radiotherapy

A prospective, randomized multicenter study was conducted to assess the value of amifostine (Ethyol®) as a radioprotectant in head and neck cancer radiotherapy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the addition of daily amifostine (150 mg/m2) on the degree of early (mucositis, dysphagia, xerostomia) and late (mucosal, cutaneous, salivary gland, mandible and spinal cord) radiation reactions. Assessed were also patients’ quality of life, local control and overall survival. Sixty two patients from five Polish institutions were randomly assigned to radiotherapy alone (Arm A – 28 patients) or radiotherapy + amifostine (Arm B – 34 patients). There were 43 men and 19 women. Primary tumor was located in the oral cavity (27 patients), oropharynx (25 patients), nasopharynx (2 patients) and larynx/hypopharynx (8 patients). In 43 patients radiotherapy was used as the sole modality of treatment and 19 patients were irradiated postoperatively. The side effects of amifostine were manageable. In 6 patients amifostine infusion had to be temporarily stopped due to hypotension and in 5 patients its administration was permanently terminated due to hypotension, nausea and vomiting, septicemia or fever and visual disturbances. The early results of the study, focusing on early radiation reactions, will be presented at the conference

Analysis of Behavioural Profile of Hens with the Use of Computer Software

ABSTRACT The aim of the study was to evaluate the emotional reactivity of hens with the use of physical parameters such as movement velocity and position of the selected parts of the body analysed by computer software - Tracker®. 200 Rhode Island White hens kept individually in a laying hen breeding farm were used in the study. The analysis of hens behaviour was performed with the use of Novel Object Test. Afterwards the video clips were analysed to determine behavioural reactivity with the use of Tracker® software by analysis of two control points: the upper part of the head and the peak of the tail. The results suggest that it is possible to use Tracker® software for evaluation of hens behavioural profile and this sort of analysis enables to classify hens to the groups of timid or curious/courageous birds based on the parameters of movement velocity of the upper part of the head and the peak of the tail and on the basis of the ratio between the position of the head and the tail

Investigation of additive incorporation on rheological, microstructural and mechanical properties of 3D printable alkali-activated materials

This study investigates the addition of Poly-vinyl Alcohol (PVA) fibres and attapulgite nanoclay to alkali-activated materials (AAMs) with the aim of enhancing the mechanical performance and optimizing the printability and buildability of AAMs. The fresh properties of six mix formulations, including flowability, slump values, rheology, shape retention, and extrusion window, were evaluated. The best performing mixes, that exhibited optimal fresh properties, were 3D printed, and their mechanical performance, microstructure, and buildability were investigated. The addition of 1 wt.-% attapulgite nanoclay (i.e. A-1) showed the desirable fresh properties required for 3D printing, as well as providing sufficient mechanical reinforcement to the samples. The 3D printed A-1 samples showed an improved flexural and compressive strength by 43% and 20%, respectively, compared to both the casted and printed control mixes. Moreover, microstructure analysis, including SEM, Rapidair measurement, and micro-CT, provided evidence of the compatibility by showing the lowest pores anisotropy and mixture homogeneity, between attapulgite and AAMs.European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 841592

Taxonomic relationships and population differentiation of the south-western Eurasian Zelkova species inferred in leaf morphology

The relict tree species Zelkova abelicea and Z. sicula (Ulmaceae) occur in Crete and Sicily, respec- tively. Zelkova abelicea grows in approximately 40 localities in the mountains of Crete, while Z. sicula has been found in only two stands in Sicily. We compared 25 morphological characters of the leaves of both species and used statistical methods (Tuk- ey’s test, discrimination analysis, principal component analysis, agglomeration) to reveal the differences between these two species, their relation to Z. carpinifolia (the third Zelkova south-west Eurasian species), and between the leaves from different shoot types. Our study represents the first comparative biometric analysis of the three Zelkova species localized in the western edge of the current geographic range of the genus. We found that the species differed from each other both, in terms of leaf form characters and level of leaf variation. Zelkova carpinifolia was clearly differ- ent from Z. abelicea, while the two populations of Z. sicula, SIB and SIA, were more similar to Z. carpinifolia and Z. abelicea, respectively. The latter finding supports the results of recent molecular studies suggesting the hybrid origin of Z. sicula. Zelkova abelicea, Z. sicula and Z. carpinifolia differ each other in the leaf characteristics and level of phenotypic variation