Biopolymer-Waste Fiber Reinforcement for Earthen Materials: Capillary, Mechanical, Impact, and Abrasion Performance.

The poultry industry, highly prevalent worldwide, generates approximately 7.7 × 10 metric tons of chicken feathers (CFs), which become a major environmental challenge due to their disposal when considered waste or due to their energy transformation consumption when considered by-products. CFs are mainly composed of keratin (approximately 90%), which is one of the most important biopolymers whose inherent characteristics make CFs suitable as biopolymer fibers (BPFs).

Prediction of exposure-driven myelotoxicity of continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil by a semi-physiological pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model in gastrointestinal cancer patients.

Purpose: To describe 5-fluorouracil (5FU) pharmacokinetics, myelotoxicity and respective covariates using a simultaneous nonlinear mixed effect modelling approach.

Methods: Thirty patients with gastrointestinal cancer received 5FU 650 or 1000 mg/m/day as 5-day continuous venous infusion (14 of whom also received cisplatin 20 mg/m/day). 5FU and 5-fluoro-5,6-dihydrouracil (5FUH2) plasma concentrations were described by a pharmacokinetic model using NONMEM.

Low risk of contralateral lymph node recurrence in lateralized head and neck carcinoma after postoperative ipsilateral radiotherapy.

Purpose: The role of postoperative irradiation to contralateral non-involved neck nodes in lateralized carcinoma of the head and neck is not clear. The contralateral neck failure rate in head and neck carcinoma treated postoperatively with ipsilateral neck irradiation only was evaluated.

Methods: Patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, or hypopharynx without midline extension treated between 1990 and 2016 were analyzed.

[Results of a Representative Survey on the Psychosocial Evaluation Before Living Donor Kidney Transplantation in Germany].

Since there is no consensus about how to perform the predonation psychosocial evaluation of living kidney donor candidates, this is conducted differently in German transplant centers. Thus, the goal of the study was to learn more about how psychosocial evaluations are currently conducted in German transplant centers. The psychosocial evaluators of the 38 transplant centers performing kidney transplantations in 2015 were contacted and asked to participate in an anonymous online survey.

(68)Ga-DotaTATE PET-CT followed by Peptide Receptor Radiotherapy in combination with capecitabine in two patients with Merkel Cell Carcinoma.

Herein, we report about two Caucasian patients with the histopathological diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma suffering from extensive lymph node metastases. The extent of the disease was diagnosed by Ga-68-DotaTATE-PET-CT. Both patients had rapid disease progression, one of them despite a three months course of sunitinibe followed by four chemotherapy cycles of cisplatin and etoposide.

Cognitive functioning in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients and its medical correlates: a prospective multicenter study.

Background: Owing to its neurotoxicity, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) carries risks for cognitive impairment. In this multicenter study, we prospectively evaluated cognitive functioning and its medical and demographic correlates in patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT.

Methods: A total of 102 patients were consecutively assessed prior to (T0 ), 100 ± 20 days (T1 ) after, and 12 ± 1 months (T2 ) after HSCT (61% men, 41% acute myeloid leukemia).

Efficacy and toxicity of postoperative temozolomide radiochemotherapy in malignant glioma.

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility, safety and efficacy of daily temozolomide concurrent with postoperative radiotherapy in malignant glioma.

Patients And Methods: From 11/1999 to 03/2003, n = 81 patients aged 15-72 years (median 52 years, Karnofsky score 80-100% in 83%) suffering from primary glioblastoma (n = 47), anaplastic astrocytoma (n = 6), anaplastic oligodendroglioma (n = 16), and recurrent glioma (n = 12) were treated. Patients with primary gliomas received a combination of postoperative radiotherapy (60 Gy/1.