Aim of the studyPresents our experience in reconstruction of postsurgical defects with use of temporal muscle flap.Material and methodsIn the years 1996–2010 we treated 10 patients with malignant neoplasms of maxillo-facial region. Following tumor removal the fascia-muscle flaps of temporal muscle were used for reconstruction. Temporal muscle flaps were applied in 5 cases for reconstructing the defect of eye socket tissue after extensive resections and in the other 5 patients was used for reconstructing the defect of palate following maxillary resections.ResultsAll the flaps of temporal muscle that were used for reconstructing eye sockets incorporated with no local reaction. In one case of flap applied into the oral cavity for tightly separate from nasal, partial necrosis of flap's edge and oro-nasal fistula occurred.ConclusionsFascia-muscular flap of temporal muscle is a simple, easy and effective method of tissue reconstruction in maxillo-facial region following extensive oncologic procedures.

Round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas 1814) has become a significant component in the diet of piscivorous fish from the Pomeranian Bay (Bornholm Basin, Baltic Sea). Proper identification of fish species in the diet of predators is significant in biological studies of fish and other aquatic animal species, and, with regard to N. melanostomus, it is important to the knowledge of trophic web structures in areas this species has invaded. A total of 142 individuals of N. melanostomus, measuring 16-174 mm standard length, were examined. Seventy-two fishes were caught during monitoring surveys in fishing grounds, whereas 70 were found in the stomachs of European perch Perca fluviatilis, pike-perch Sander lucioperca and Baltic cod Gadus morhua. The objective of the present study was to analyse the sagittal otoliths to identify variations in outer shape with increases in fish length; expand and correct descriptions of the sagitta, lapillus and asteriscus otoliths; and evaluate the relationships among otolith dimensions and fish standard length. The otoliths were described morphologically. The analysis of the outer shape of sagittal otoliths using Fourier analysis and multivariate statistics exhibited great phenotypic variability that was associated with fish length, including within pairs in individuals and/or among individuals in length classes. In addition, the asterisci and lapilli of N. melanostomus from selected specimens, which were described for the first time with regard to fish length, were found to be less variable compared to sagittal otoliths. This study presents the first analysis of intrapopulation phenotypic plasticity of N. melanostomus sagittal otolith morphology as it is linked to fish size.

Pleomorphic adenoma, also known as tumor mixtus, is one of the most common types of benign neoplasm of the salivary gland, which presents as a slow growing, painless tumor. Major salivary glands are the typical localization of this neoplasm. It rarely undergoes malignant transformation, however may recur locally post resection. In this study, we present the results of a retrospective analysis of 104 patients treated at the Clinical Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Clinic of Otolaryngology and Laryngologic Oncology of the Military Institute of Medicine between 2004 and 2015 due to pleomorphic adenoma. The study confirmed the parotid gland as the most common location of tumor mixtus. In some cases, the large size of the tumor and its location were the cause of life-threatening complications.

Most publications on the influence of environmental factors on macroinvertebrate communities focus on large rivers, whereas relatively few examine small watercourses in agricultural areas, which, due to their size and pressure from intensive agricultural production, are much more susceptible to the effects of unfavourable environmental conditions or anthropopressure. The aim of our study was to compare the biodiversity of macrozoobenthos assemblages and to determine the effects of physicochemical and hydrological conditions on their abundance and density in 10 small rivers in agricultural areas located in northwest (53°23′ N 15°14′ E) and central (52°11′ N 20°48′ E) Poland. In total, 105 taxa were recorded, with the majority being euryoecious. Among the assessed physicochemical parameters, oxygenation was found to affect the density and number of taxa; another important factor was the content of nitrate nitrogen. Sensitivity to changes in water temperature was observed in some macrozoobenthos taxa (especially Decapoda). Of the examined hydrological parameters, the greatest effects were exerted by speed, flow, and depth.

Mussel shells are often found in archaeological excavations and can provide information useful for ecological reconstruction and assessment of anthropogenic impact on waters. In this study, two sample groups of swollen river mussel (Unio tumidus) which occurred during the Early Middle Ages (EMS) and currently (MS) in the Oder river estuary (Baltic basin) were compared. Allometric shell growth, morphological characteristics of the shell (length, width, height and thickness), age structure and growth of mussels were analysed using the von Bertalanffy equation. All three types of allometric growth (isometry and both positive and negative allometry) were observed in the studied mussels. In both groups, typical values of shell length, width, height and thickness were recorded. However, higher values of these morphological characteristics were recorded in the EMS group. Moreover, the EMS group, compared with the MS group of U. tumidus, was characterised by a higher longevity (12 and 10 years, respectively) and asymmetric length (L∞) (93.09 and 83.23 mm, respectively). Both groups of mussels had a similar growth rate (k). Larger shell sizes in the EMS group were probably caused by differential preservation and/or differential archaeological recovery, and resulted from differences in the age structure, especially higher mortality rate amongst individuals older than 6 years in the MS group.