scholarly journals Molecular imaging in nuclear cardiology: Pathways to individual precision medicine

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 2195-2201
Author(s):  
A. Glasenapp ◽  
A. Hess ◽  
J. T. Thackeray

AbstractGrowth of molecular imaging bears potential to transform nuclear cardiology from a primarily diagnostic method to a precision medicine tool. Molecular targets amenable for imaging and therapeutic intervention are particularly promising to facilitate risk stratification, patient selection and exquisite guidance of novel therapies, and interrogation of systems-based interorgan communication. Non-invasive visualization of pathobiology provides valuable insights into the progression of disease and response to treatment. Specifically, inflammation, fibrosis, and neurohormonal signaling, central to the progression of cardiovascular disease and emerging therapeutic strategies, have been investigated by molecular imaging. As the number of radioligands grows, careful investigation of the binding properties and added-value of imaging should be prioritized to identify high-potential probes and facilitate translation to clinical applications. In this review, we discuss the current state of molecular imaging in cardiovascular medicine, and the challenges and opportunities ahead for cardiovascular molecular imaging to navigate the path from diagnosis to prognosis to personalized medicine.

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (23) ◽  
pp. 5984
Author(s):  
Camilo A. Ruiz-Bedoya ◽  
Oren Gordon ◽  
Filipa Mota ◽  
Sudhanshu Abhishek ◽  
Elizabeth W. Tucker ◽  
...  

Diabetic foot infections (DFIs) are a common, complex, and costly medical problem with increasing prevalence. Diagnosing DFIs is a clinical challenge due to the poor specificity of the available methods to accurately determine the presence of infection in these patients. However, failure to perform an opportune diagnosis and provide optimal antibiotic therapy can lead to higher morbidity for the patient, unnecessary amputations, and increased healthcare costs. Novel developments in bacteria-specific molecular imaging can provide a non-invasive assessment of the infection site to support diagnosis, determine the extension and location of the infection, guide the selection of antibiotics, and monitor the response to treatment. This is a review of recent research in molecular imaging of infections in the context of DFI. We summarize different clinical and preclinical methods and the translational implications aimed to improve the care of patients with DFI.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodora Katsila ◽  
Dimitrios Kardamakis

Background: Malignant gliomas constitute a complex disease phenotype that demands optimum decisionmaking. Despite being the most common type of primary brain tumors, gliomas are highly heterogeneous when their pathophysiology and response to treatment are considered. Such inter-individual variability also renders differential and early diagnosis extremely difficult. Recent evidence highlight that the gene-environment interplay becomes of fundamental importance in oncogenesis and progression of gliomas. Objective: To unmask key features of the gliomas disease phenotype and map the inter-individual variability of patients, we explore genotype-to-phenotype associations. Emphasis is put on microRNAs as they regulate gene expression, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of gliomas and may serve as theranostics, empowering non-invasive strategies (circulating free or in exosomes). Method: We mined text and omic datasets (as of 2019) and conducted a mixed-method content analysis. A novel framework was developed to meet the aims of our analysis, interrogating data in terms of content and context. We relied on literature data from PubMed/Medline and Scopus, as they are considered the largest abstract and citation databases of peer-reviewed literature. To avoid selection biases, both publicly available and private texts have been assessed. Both percent agreement and Cohen's kappa statistic have been calculated to avoid biases by SAS macro MAGREE with multicategorical ratings. Results: Gliomas serve as a paradigm for multifaceted datasets, despite data sparsity and scarcity. miRNAs and miRNAbased therapeutics are ready for prime time. Exosomal miRNAs empower non-invasive strategies, surpassing circulating free miRNAs, when accuracy and precision are considered. Conclusion: miRNAs holds promise as theranostics.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 879
Author(s):  
Robert D. Crapnell ◽  
Ascanio Tridente ◽  
Craig E. Banks ◽  
Nina C. Dempsey-Hibbert

Lactate is widely measured in critically ill patients as a robust indicator of patient deterioration and response to treatment. Plasma concentrations represent a balance between lactate production and clearance. Analysis has typically been performed with the aim of detecting tissue hypoxia. However, there is a diverse range of processes unrelated to increased anaerobic metabolism that result in the accumulation of lactate, complicating clinical interpretation. Further, lactate levels can change rapidly over short spaces of time, and even subtle changes can reflect a profound change in the patient’s condition. Hence, there is a significant need for frequent lactate monitoring in critical care. Lactate monitoring is commonplace in sports performance monitoring, given the elevation of lactate during anaerobic exercise. The desire to continuously monitor lactate in athletes has led to the development of various technological approaches for non-invasive, continuous lactate measurements. This review aims firstly to reflect on the potential benefits of non-invasive continuous monitoring technology within the critical care setting. Secondly, we review the current devices used to measure lactate non-invasively outside of this setting and consider the challenges that must be overcome to allow for the translation of this technology into intensive care medicine. This review will be of interest to those developing continuous monitoring sensors, opening up a new field of research.


Author(s):  
Ashley Ghiaseddin ◽  
Lan B Hoang Minh ◽  
Michalina Janiszewska ◽  
David Shin ◽  
Wolfgang Wick ◽  
...  

Abstract Despite therapeutic advances for other malignancies, gliomas remain challenging solid tumors to treat. Complete surgical resection is nearly impossible due to gliomas’ diffuse infiltrative nature, and treatment is hampered by restricted access to the tumors due to limited transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Recent advances in genomic studies and next-generation sequencing techniques have led to a better understanding of gliomas and identification of potential aberrant signaling pathways. Targeting the specific genomic abnormalities via novel molecular therapies has opened a new avenue in the management of gliomas, with encouraging results in preclinical studies and early clinical trials. However, molecular characterization of gliomas revealed the significant heterogeneity, which poses a challenge for targeted therapeutic approaches. In this context, leading neuro-oncology researchers and clinicians, industry innovators, and patient advocates convened at the inaugural annual Remission Summit held in Orlando, FL in February 2019 to discuss the latest advances in immunotherapy and precision medicine approaches for the treatment of adult and pediatric brain tumors and outline the unanswered questions, challenges, and opportunities that lay ahead for advancing the duration and quality of life for patients with brain tumors. Here, we provide historical context for precision medicine in other cancers, present emerging approaches for gliomas, discuss their limitations, and outline the steps necessary for future success. We focus on the advances in small molecule targeted therapy, as the use of immunotherapy as an emerging precision medicine modality for glioma treatment has recently been reviewed by our colleagues


Cells ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicoletta Nuzziello ◽  
Loredana Ciaccia ◽  
Maria Liguori

Novel insights in the development of a precision medicine approach for treating the neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are provided by emerging advances in the field of pharmacoepigenomics. In this context, microRNAs (miRNAs) have been extensively studied because of their implication in several disorders related to the central nervous system, as well as for their potential role as biomarkers of diagnosis, prognosis, and response to treatment. Recent studies in the field of neurodegeneration reported evidence that drug response and efficacy can be modulated by miRNA-mediated mechanisms. In fact, miRNAs seem to regulate the expression of pharmacology target genes, while approved (conventional and non-conventional) therapies can restore altered miRNAs observed in NDDs. The knowledge of miRNA pharmacoepigenomics may offers new clues to develop more effective treatments by providing novel insights into interindividual variability in drug disposition and response. Recently, the therapeutic potential of miRNAs is gaining increasing attention, and miRNA-based drugs (for cancer) have been under observation in clinical trials. However, the effective use of miRNAs as therapeutic target still needs to be investigated. Here, we report a brief review of representative studies in which miRNAs related to therapeutic effects have been investigated in NDDs, providing exciting potential prospects of miRNAs in pharmacoepigenomics and translational medicine.


2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (11) ◽  
pp. 950-951 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent I. Fox ◽  
Bill G. Felkey

While not necessarily a new idea, precision medicine has recently gained traction as the future of health care. The potential benefits are almost difficult to believe, while the challenges are multifaceted. We provide an overview of the current state of precision medicine.


Critical Care ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Seymour ◽  
Hernando Gomez ◽  
Chung-Chou H. Chang ◽  
Gilles Clermont ◽  
John A. Kellum ◽  
...  

Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 421
Author(s):  
Luis Vicente Gayosso-Gómez ◽  
Blanca Ortiz-Quintero

The identification of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in peripheral blood and other body fluids has led to considerable research interest in investigating their potential clinical application as non-invasive biomarkers of cancer, including lung cancer, the deadliest malignancy worldwide. Several studies have found that alterations in the levels of miRNAs in circulation are able to discriminate lung cancer patients from healthy individuals (diagnosis) and are associated with patient outcome (prognosis) and treatment response (prediction). Increasing evidence indicates that circulating miRNAs may function as mediators of cell-to-cell communication, affecting biological processes associated with tumor initiation and progression. This review is focused on the most recent studies that provide evidence of the potential value of circulating miRNAs in blood and other body fluids as non-invasive biomarkers of lung cancer in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, and response to treatment. The status of their potential clinical application in lung cancer is also discussed, and relevant clinical trials were sought and are described. Because of the relevance of their biological characteristics and potential value as biomarkers, this review provides an overview of the canonical biogenesis, release mechanisms, and biological role of miRNAs in lung cancer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Thomas Alan Woolman ◽  
Philip Lee

There are significant challenges and opportunities facing the economies of the United States in the coming decades of the 21st century that are being driven by elements of technological unemployment. Deep learning systems, an advanced form of machine learning that is often referred to as artificial intelligence, is presently reshaping many aspects of traditional digital communication technology employment, primarily network system administration and network security system design and maintenance. This paper provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art developments associated with deep learning and artificial intelligence and the ongoing revolutions that this technology is having not only on the field of digital communication systems but also related technology fields. This paper will also explore issues and concerns related to past technological unemployment challenges, as well as opportunities that may be present as a result of these ongoing technological upheavals.


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