STereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation (STAR): the Standardized Treatment and Outcome Platform for Stereotactic Therapy Of Re-entrant tachycardia by a Multidisciplinary consortium (STOPSTORM.eu) and review of current patterns of STAR practice in Europe

The EU Horizon 2020 Framework-funded Standardized Treatment and Outcome Platform for Stereotactic Therapy Of Re-entrant tachycardia by a Multidisciplinary (STOPSTORM) consortium has been established as a large research network for investigating STereotactic Arrhythmia Radioablation (STAR) for ventricular tachycardia (VT). The aim is to provide a pooled treatment database to evaluate patterns of practice and outcomes of STAR and finally to harmonize STAR within Europe. The consortium comprises 31 clinical and research institutions. The project is divided into nine work packages (WPs): (i) observational cohort; (ii) standardization and harmonization of target delineation; (iii) harmonized prospective cohort; (iv) quality assurance (QA); (v) analysis and evaluation; (vi, ix) ethics and regulations; and (vii, viii) project coordination and dissemination. To provide a review of current clinical STAR practice in Europe, a comprehensive questionnaire was performed at project start. The STOPSTORM Institutions' experience in VT catheter ablation (83% ≥ 20 ann.) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (59% > 200 ann.) was adequate, and 84 STAR treatments were performed until project launch, while 8/22 centres already recruited VT patients in national clinical trials. The majority currently base their target definition on mapping during VT (96%) and/or pace mapping (75%), reduced voltage areas (63%), or late ventricular potentials (75%) during sinus rhythm. The majority currently apply a single-fraction dose of 25 Gy while planning techniques and dose prescription methods vary greatly. The current clinical STAR practice in the STOPSTORM consortium highlights potential areas of optimization and harmonization for substrate mapping, target delineation, motion management, dosimetry, and QA, which will be addressed in the various WPs

In vitro assay of the biological activity of bisphosphonates

Nowadays, the use of bisphosphonates are the gold standard of treatment of bone diseases. Due to the high utility of these compounds, scientists still search for better and better structures, with a variety of substituents at carbon’s atom and create new libraries or improve methods of their synthesis. To determine the potential effect of newly discovered bisphosphonates, for example antiosteoporotic activity, there are in vitro tests which allow to determine the half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of cells. This paper describes in detail the methodology for test the biological activity of bisphosphonates. Shows the results of biological activity for synthesized bisphosphonates in relation to the commercial-incadronate and zoledronate

Internet and Social Media as a Source of Information About Plastic Surgery: Comparison Between Public and Private Sector, A 2-center Study

Background:. The popularity of social media among plastic surgeons and patients has increased in the last years. We conducted this study to explore the differences in patients’ social media habits between public and private aesthetic plastic surgery practice. Methods:. A 2-cohort study was conducted in aesthetic plastic surgery clinic and public department of plastic and surgery by surveying consecutive first-time patients. Results:. Two hundred patients completed a 18-question survey at a private aesthetic plastic surgery clinic. The questionnaire was also filled by 113 patients at a public plastic surgery department. Facebook was the most popular social media platform in both groups. Word of mouth from other patients and the clinic’s website were the most-valued source of information about the surgeon and surgical procedure for patients of both studied groups. Patients from the aesthetic group were mainly women from small towns; they were significantly younger and better educated and used Instagram more frequently than patients from public group. The aesthetic group patients focused significantly more often on the surgeon’s credentials and on before and after photographs. They appreciated social media as a source of information for patients significantly more than public group patients who stated that social media were the worst source of information. Conclusions:. Word of mouth from other patients remains the most-valued source of information about plastic surgery. However, proper use of social media and building online image in a professional manner can provide attract more patients to the aesthetic plastic surgery practice

Comparison of Methods in Studies of Cell Death Mechanisms

While studying the influence of ionizing radiation or certain chemical agents on cells, it is crucial to not only determine cytotoxicity, but also to follow cell death mechanisms. There are different methods to screen processes of cell death and still very important question remains unanswered about differences in results that could be caused by various experimental steps in procedures. Based on literature review two protocols of cell death determination were compared. First protocol regarded collecting cells floating in medium before trypsinization and following centrifugation of them. In the second protocol floating cells were discarded and attached ones were stained and fixed. In all experiments three different untreated cell lines (A172, DU145 as cancer cell lines and in comparison, fibroblasts (FB CCL 110), as a non- cancerous cell line) were used to test applied protocols. Cells were cultured and death processes were examined at different time points up to 120 h. Compared protocols showed statistically significant differences, especially in terms of necrosis, which was higher when included floating cells from culture medium and then centrifuging them. Therefore, presented results show importance of choosing a valid experimental procedure in case of evaluating cells viability and types of cell death pathways quantitatively