Real-life data of abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide treatment in post-chemotherapy metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in Poland

BackgroundAbiraterone acetate (ABI) and Enzalutamide (ENZA) are second-generation hormone drugs that show breakthrough activity in post-chemotherapy, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The leading oncological and urological guidelines indicate both drugs with the same strong recommendation. There is a lack of randomized trials which compare the efficacy of ABI and ENZA. The current study aimed to compare the effectiveness of the drugs with an analysis of prognostic factors related to those drugs.Patients and methodsThe study included 420 patients with docetaxel (DXL) pretreated mCRPC from seven Polish cancer centers. Patients were treated according to inclusion and exclusion criteria in the Polish national drug program (1000 mg ABI and 10 mg prednisone, n=76.2%; ENZA, 160 mg; n=23.8%). The study retrospectively analyzed the overall survival (OS), time to treatment failure (TTF), PSA 50% decline rate (PSA 50%) and selected clinic-pathological data.ResultsIn the study group, the median OS was 17 months (95% CI: 15.6-18.3). The median OS (26.1 vs. 15.7 mo.; p<0.001), TTF (14.2 vs. 7.6 mo.; p<0.001) and PSA 50% (87.5 vs. 56%; p<0.001) were higher in ENZA than in ABI treatment. Multivariate analysis shows that ENZA treatment and PSA nadir <17.35 ng/mL during or after DXL treatment were related to longer TTF. ENZA treatment, DXL dose ≥750 mg, PSA nadir <17.35 ng/mL during or after DXL treatment was related to longer OS.ConclusionsENZA treatment may be related to more favorable oncological outcomes than ABI treatment in the studied Polish population of patients. A 50% decline in PSA is an indicator of longer TTF and OS. Due to the non-randomized and retrospective nature of the analysis, the current results require prospective validation

REFLECT – Research flight of EURADOS and CRREAT: Intercomparison of various radiation dosimeters onboard aircraft

Aircraft crew are one of the groups of radiation workers which receive the highest annual exposure to ionizing radiation. Validation of computer codes used routinely for calculation of the exposure due to cosmic radiation and the observation of nonpredictable changes in the level of the exposure due to solar energetic particles, requires continuous measurements onboard aircraft. Appropriate calibration of suitable instruments is crucial, however, for the very complex atmospheric radiation field there is no single reference field covering all particles and energies involved. Further intercomparisons of measurements of different instruments under real flight conditions are therefore indispensable. In November 2017, the REFLECT (REsearch FLight of EURADOS and CRREAT) was carried out. With a payload comprising more than 20 different instruments, REFLECT represents the largest campaign of this type ever performed. The instruments flown included those already proven for routine dosimetry onboard aircraft such as the Liulin Si-diode spectrometer and tissue equivalent proportional counters, as well as newly developed detectors and instruments with the potential to be used for onboard aircraft measurements in the future. This flight enabled acquisition of dosimetric data under well-defined conditions onboard aircraft and comparison of new instruments with those routinely used. As expected, dosimeters routinely used for onboard aircraft dosimetry and for verification of calculated doses such as a tissue equivalent proportional counter or a silicon detector device like Liulin agreed reasonable with each other as well as with model calculations. Conventional neutron rem counters underestimated neutron ambient dose equivalent, while extended-range neutron rem counters provided results comparable to routinely used instruments. Although the responses of some instruments, not primarily intended for the use in a very complex mixed radiation field such as onboard aircraft, were as somehow expected to be different, the verification of their suitability was one of the objectives of the REFLECT. This campaign comprised a single short flight. For further testing of instruments, additional flights as well as comparison at appropriate reference fields are envisaged. The REFLECT provided valuable experience and feedback for validation of calculated aviation doses

Rhetoric's techniques used during the run-off polish presidental election in 1990

Niniejsza praca podejmuje temat mechanizmów retorycznych, użytych podczas II tury wyborów prezydenckich w Polsce w 1990 roku. Zdaniem autora pracy wybory te były w najnowszej historii politycznej Polski wydarzeniem o charakterze unikalnym, na co w dużym stopniu miały wpływ użyte przez kandydatów podczas II tury wyborów środki retoryki oraz perswazji. W pracy poddano analizie elementy marketingu politycznego, których użyto w celu promocji kandydatury Stanisława Tymińskiego oraz Lecha Wałęsy. W przeprowadzonej analizie uwzględniono: wizerunki kandydatów podczas ich kampanii wyborczych, sformułowane przez nich przekazy programowe, a także środki retoryki i perswazji, których kandydaci w czasie swoich kampanii użyli.This work is focused on rhetoric's techniques used during run-off polish presidential election in 1990. According to author’s mind, these elections were a unique event in the recent political history of Poland, which was largely caused by rhetoric and persuasion used by the candidates during the run-off that election. In this work author subjected the elements of political marketing used during presidential candidate’s campaigns to analysis. The analysis includes: images of candidates during their election campaigns, their election platforms and used rhetoric and persuasion used by them during their campaigns

Cosmogenic radionuclides in the Antonin meteorite

The Antonin meteorite fell on July 15, 2021 in Wielkopolska Voivodeship. Its fall was recorded by fireball camera network and the meteorite specimen was recovered soon after, during a dedicated search expedition. Main mass of Antonin was provided for scientific research relatively quickly after recovery, thanks to which the studies of cosmogenic radionuclide concentrations were carried out in the g spectrometry laboratory at the National Center for Nuclear Research in Otwock/Świerk. The analyses revealed concentration of 7Be and the traces of the cosmogenic radionuclides of 48V and 51Cr, whose half-lives are in the range of 15–28 days, clearly confirming the relationship of the specimen with the observed fireball. The relatively high concentrations of 58Co, 56Co, 46Sc, 57Co and 54Mn (half-lives of several months) also confirm the recent fall of the specimen. Additionally, collected radionuclide data allow to estimate pre-atmospheric size of the meteoroid. Distribution of 60Co and 26Al indicates a meteoroid chunk with a radius of 20–25 cm. The result of 26Al measurement suggests that the investigated meteorite fragment comes from a rather shallow depth of this meteoroid. In addition, the original mass of the meteoroid from which the Antonin meteorite originated was estimated to be less than 100 kg, most likely 70 kg

Trees – natural monuments in the Suwałki Landscape Park

Celem badań członków Studenckiego Koła Naukowego Leśników Politechniki Białostockiej była aktualizacja informacji o drzewach uznanych za pomniki przyrody na terenie Suwalskiego Parku Krajobrazowego. Zakres prac obejmował również określenie ich stanu ochrony oraz ukazanie możliwości wykorzystania tych okazów jako atrakcji turystycznych. Wyniki badań wykazały, że drzewa ustanowione jako pomniki przyrody są w niektórych przypadkach trudne do odnalezienia w terenie. Popularność pomnikowych drzew jako obiektów turystycznych jest zróżnicowana. Drzewa jako elementy naturalnego krajobrazu wśród bogactwa zasobów przyrodniczych mogą stać się podstawą rozwoju turystyki edukacyjnej. Wydaje się jednak, że mogą one stanowić uzupełnienie rozbudowanego produktu turystycznego na tego typu obszarach.The aim of the research was to update information and inventory of trees recognized as natural monuments in the Suwałki Landscape Park. The scope of work also included determining their protection status. The research results showed that trees considered as natural monuments are in some cases difficult to find, often they do not have signs. However, they are the potential to use them as tourist attractions, especially in the areas of land-scape parks. An important issue is the distinction of specimens and objects that stand out among other natural creations

Research on BNCT in Poland and in the world

Przy Reaktorze MARIA w Narodowym Centrum Badań Jądrowych (NCBJ) powstaje stanowisko do badań nad terapią borowo-neutronową (BNCT). Terapia polega na napromienianiu nowotworu wiązką neutronów o odpowiednich parametrach po uprzednim podaniu pacjentowi związku boru, który w wyniku określonych mechanizmów gromadzi się głównie w komórkach rakowych. W wyniku reakcji 10B(n,α)7Li emitowane są cząstki jonizujące powodujące zniszczenie tylko tych komórek, w których zgromadzony jest bor [1]. Badania kliniczne prowadzone na świecie potwierdzają skuteczność metody, otwierając nowe perspektywy dla jej zastosowania w terapii konwencjonalnej.The stand for research on Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) at the MARIA Reactor at the National Centre for Nuclear Research is being created. The therapy consists of irradiation of the tumour with a neutron beam with specific parameters after prior administration of the boron compound to the patient, which accumulates mainly in cancer cells as a result of specific mechanisms. As a result of 10B(n,α)7Li reaction, ionising particles are emitted and destroy only those cells, in which boron is accumulated. Clinical trials conducted in the world show relatively high efficiency of BNCT, opening new perspectives for its use in conventional therapy

Evaluation of qualitative and quantitative data of Y-90 imaging in SPECT/CT and PET/CT phantom studies.

IntroductionWe aimed to assess the feasibility of SPECT and PET Y-90 imaging, and to compare these modalities by visualizing hot and cold foci in phantoms for varying isotope concentrations.Materials and methodsThe data was acquired from the Jaszczak and NEMA phantoms. In the Jaszczak phantom Y-90 concentrations of 0.1 MBq/ml and 0.2 MBq/ml were used, while higher concentrations, up to 1.0 MBq/ml, were simulated by acquisition time extension with respect to the standard clinical protocol of 30 sec/projection for SPECT and 30 min/bed position for PET imaging. For NEMA phantom, the hot foci had concentrations of about 4 MB/ml and the background 0.1 or 0.0 MBq/ml. All of the acquired data was analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitative assessment was conducted by six observers asked to identify the number of visible cold or hot foci. Inter-observer agreement was assessed. Quantitative analysis included calculations of contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and comparisons with the qualitative results.ResultsFor SPECT data up to two cold foci were discernible, while for PET four foci were visible. We have shown that CNR (with Rose criterion) is a good measure of foci visibility for both modalities. We also found good concordance of qualitative results for the Jaszczak phantom studies between the observers (corresponding Krippendorf's alpha coefficients of 0.76 to 0.84). In the NEMA phantom without background activity all foci were visible in SPECT/CT images. With isotope in the background, 5 of 6 spheres were discernible (CNR of 3.0 for the smallest foci). For PET studies all hot spheres were visible, regardless of the background activity.ConclusionsPET Y-90 imaging provided better results than Bremsstrahlung based SPECT imaging. This indicates that PET/CT might become the method of choice in Y-90 post radioembolization imaging for visualisation of both necrotic and hot lesions in the liver

CNR values calculated for the cold and hot lesions in the liver in PET/CT imaging.

The solid lines represent the border values depending on the Rose criterion (middle line at 3 and supporting ones at 2.5 and 3.5).</p

Geometric mean images composed from the anterior and posterior planar images for acquisitions with a total phantom activity of 1582 and 126 MBq.

Geometric mean images composed from the anterior and posterior planar images for acquisitions with a total phantom activity of 1582 and 126 MBq.</p