Twelve decades of using radium in the treatment of deeper localised cancers

The end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century marked a period of fundamental discoveries in the physics of ionising radiation (X radiation and radioactivity). Isolating radium, a highly radioactive element, immediately opened the way to its application for medical therapeutic purposes. It turned out that the sources of ionising radiation are very effective for changes localised on the skin and at small depths under the skin but not for lesions at greater depths. Interestingly, the inventor of the modern telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, was the first to come up with the idea of placing radium sources in glass tubes and placing them directly in the pathologically changed tissues of the patients to be treated (at greater depths). That period marked the beginning of a highly successful era in radium therapy, involving the use of capsules and needles filled with radium, which eventually led to the development of modern brachytherapy. Unfortunately, for several decades people believed in the universally therapeutic properties of radium, so that (fortunately in smaller quantities) it was added to water, food, hygiene products, etc

Two Stage Minimally Invasive Method with Locking Plate Application on Distal Tibia Fractures - Our Experience

INTRODUCTION: In the past distal tibia fractures, including intraarticular fractures, frequently led to poor functional outcomes. The Ruedi-Allgower four steps open method, and later the Patterson and Sirkin recommendations for delayed operative treatment has made a drastic advancement in the treatment of these fractures. The two-stage minimally-invasive protocol using locking plate fixation proved a historical turning point, improving functional results to the highest levels compared to all other methods.AIM: To present the superior results of the two-stage minimally-invasive method using locking plate fixation, making this a historic step forward in treating distal tibia fractures.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study, collecting data from Traumatology-Clinic in the 2014-2016 periods, available for nine-month follow-up. Twenty-three patients were finally included in the study.RESULTS: In analysing the data collected, we focused our attention on the final functional outcomes as indicated by dorsiflexion nine months after injury and also according to the AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale. Results were excellent with no or minimal consequences. Where complications were present, these were benign and did not require further surgery.CONCLUSION: We believe this modern method for the treatment of distal tibia fractures should be applied routinely and considered as the gold standard in this domain

IMPACT OF THE SKILLS OF LEADERS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE IN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

Every science has three pillars: to write, to analyze the phenomena and to use the acquired knowledge to predict future states of behavior and performance. The scientific justification of such research is unquestionable because it is under-explored and underdefined, however there exists proven scientific knowledge of the role of leadership skills as a factor in addressing business change in SMEs. The main objective of the work is to determine whether the skills of leaders are key factors in the leading position of SMEs, i.e. to investigate and critically assess the level of business changes in the SME. The practical objective of the study was to use the results of the research to design a model that would contribute to a better concept of leadership. The final goal is to complement the established scientific knowledge on achievements of theoretical pursuit and to attempt to set leadership as a catalyst of developmental changes in SMEs. Therefore it is necessary to more accurately determine which agents of change are related to the reality that is being investigated, as well as to understand and anticipate all the possible negative effects of these changes on the overall effectiveness or performance. The scientific and social objective of this paper is to set forth a scientific description of the impact of leadership skills with the aim of improving the work and operations of SMEs, improving the effectiveness of SMEs, concurrently following the same model as in highly developed countries – those which have long used techniques of leadership in the cultivation of leaders

Analyze of effects of modified EFQM model

The paper represents research analyzes of the mutual influence of variables of leadership, people, strategies and partnership over resources through modified EFQM excellence model. The analysis of mutual influence of variables in the first level of impact EFQM model has been carried out. The results of this research can be applied in real conditions to improve business of organizations through raising awareness of the existence and the importance of the mutual influence of variables of leadership, people, strategies and partnership and resources, that can be called the basic tools of success of a business organization

Evolution of ABA signalling pathways

Abscisic acid (ABA) signalling first appears in the land plant lineage, regulating responses to dehydration in early-diverging plants and becoming integrated into a range of functions associated with stress-responses in vascular plants. ABA signalling is mediated by a perception-transduction-response pathway comprising “Pyrabactin Resistant/Pyrabactin Resistant-Like/Regulatory Component of ABA Response” (PYR/PYL/RCAR) receptors, PP2C protein phosphatases and “SNF1-Related Protein Kinase 2” (SnRK2) protein kinases that activate effectors through protein phosphorylation by the SnRK2 kinases. Components of the core pathway (phosphatases, kinases and transcription factors) are found in all groups of streptophytes, from aquatic charophyte algae through to angiosperms, and the conserved functions of these components can be demonstrated by cross-species genetic complementation using the model species Physcomitrella patens (P. patens: moss) and Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana: angiosperm). ABA-receptor-like proteins were recently identified in algal species within the Zygnematophyceae, sister group to the land plants, although receptor function of these proteins has not yet been determined. Algal and bryophyte species share an additional component lost from vascular plants—the “ABA Non-Responsive/ABA Responsive Kinase/Constitutive Triple-Response-1-Like” (ANR/ARK/CTR1L) protein kinase required for the acquisition of desiccation tolerance in mosses. It is proposed that the evolution of a functional ABA receptor in an aeroterrestrial algal species enabled its establishment on land. Co-option of ABA to regulate an ancestral cellular signalling pathway required for the acquisition of desiccation tolerance—a key survival trait—accompanied by gains and losses of gene family members encoding components of ABA signalling then enabled modulation of dehydration stress responses in parallel with the evolution of anatomical complexity, allowing land plants to compete more effectively for resources in their new environment

A review of the international early recommendations for departments organization and cancer management priorities during the global COVID-19 pandemic: applicability in low- and middle-income countries

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new virus that has never been identified in humans before. COVID-19 caused at the time of writing of this article, 2.5 million cases of infections in 193 countries with 165,000 deaths, including two-third in Europe. In this context, Oncology Departments of the affected countries had to adapt quickly their health system care and establish new organizations and priorities. Thus, numerous recommendations and therapeutic options have been reported to optimize therapy delivery to patients with chronic disease and cancer. Obviously, while these cancer care recommendations are immediately applicable in Europe, they may not be applicable in certain emerging and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In this review, we aimed to summarize these international guidelines in accordance with cancer types, making a synthesis for daily practice to protect patients, staff and tailor anti-cancer therapy delivery taking into account patients/tumour criteria and tools availability. Thus, we will discuss their applicability in the LMICs with different organizations, limited means and different constraints

AROME-ESO Oncology Consensus Conference: access to cancer care innovations in countries with limited resources. Association of Radiotherapy and Oncology of the Mediterranean Area (AROME-Paris) and European School of Oncology (ESO - Milan)

Purpose: Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Its incidence is still increasing, particularly in developing countries. Recent progresses further strengthen the differences between low/middle and high-income countries. This situation calls for joint action to reduce inequities in cancer outcomes among the patients. The Association of Radiotherapy and Oncology of the Mediterranean Area (AROME) and the European School of Oncology (ESO), have initiated joint conferences devoted to access to innovations in oncology in the Mediterranean area. The heterogeneity of the economic, political and cultural situations of the different participating countries, offers the opportunity to develop consensus conference