Challenges for the Implementation of Primary Standard Dosimetry in Proton Minibeam Radiation Therapy.

: Spatial fractionation of proton fields as sub-millimeter beamlets to treat cancer has shown better sparing of healthy tissue whilst maintaining the same tumor control. It is critical to ensure primary standard dosimetry is accurate and ready to support the modality's clinical implementation. : This work provided a proof-of-concept, using the National Physical Laboratory's Primary Standard Proton Calorimeter (PSPC) to measure average absorbed dose-to-water in a pMBRT field.

Investigating the impact of the effective point of measurement for plane-parallel ionization chambers in clinical proton beams.

To investigate the impact of the positioning of plane-parallel ionization chambers in proton beams on the calculation of the chamber-specific factorand, hence, the beam quality correction factorkQ,Q0.Monte Carlo simulations were performed to calculate the chamber-specific factorin monoenergetic proton beams for six different plane-parallel ionization chambers while positioning the chambers with a) their reference point and b) their effective point of measurement accounting for the water equivalent thickness of the entrance window.For all ionization chamber models investigated in this study, the difference inbetween both positioning approaches was larger for steeper dose gradients and bigger differences between the geometrical thickness and water-equivalent thickness of the entrance window.

Lean ZSF1 rats in basic research on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: ZSF1 obese rats harbouring two mutant leptin receptor alleles (Lepr and Lepr) develop metabolic syndrome and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), making them a widely used animal model in cardiometabolic research. Studies using ZSF1 rats have contributed significantly to the elucidation of pathophysiological mechanisms underlying HFpEF and therapeutic strategies against this multi-organ syndrome. In contrast, hybrid, lean ZSF1 rats (L-ZSF1) do not develop HFpEF and generally serve as controls, disregarding the possibility that the presence of one mutant Lepr allele might affect left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), diastolic dysfunction and other relevant HFpEF parameters, such as N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and cardiac inflammation, which could increase during disease manifestation.

Socket preservation following tooth extraction: an experimental study comparing β-Tricalcium phosphate and F18 bioglass in rats.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of two third-generation resorbable biomaterials-F18 bioglass and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)-in promoting new bone formation in post-extraction sockets in rats. β-TCP, a synthetic porous ceramic, is well-established in clinical use, while F18 bioglass, a novel silica based bioglass.

Methods: After extraction of the right upper incisor of 45 rats, the sockets were filled either with F18 or β-TCP, or left to naturally fill with a blood clot in control group.

Corrigendum: Algorithms for predicting COVID outcome using ready-to-use laboratorial and clinical data.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.