scholarly journals The Role of the Immune Response in Brain Metastases: Novel Imaging Biomarkers for Immunotherapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasheed Zakaria ◽  
Mark Radon ◽  
Samantha Mills ◽  
Drew Mitchell ◽  
Carlo Palmieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Brain Metastases ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Imaging Biomarkers ◽  
Post Contrast ◽  
Treatment Paradigm ◽  
Major Clinical Problem

Brain metastases are a major clinical problem, and immunotherapy offers a novel treatment paradigm with the potential to synergize with existing focal therapies like surgery and radiosurgery or even replace them in future. The brain is a unique microenvironment structurally and immunologically. The immune response is likely to be crucial to the adaptation of systemic immune modulating agents against this disease. Imaging is frequently employed in the clinical diagnosis and management of brain metastasis, so it is logical that brain imaging techniques are investigated as a source of biomarkers of the immune response in these tumors. Current imaging techniques in clinical use include structural MRI (post-contrast T1W sequences, T2, and FLAIR), physiological sequences (perfusion- and diffusion-weighted imaging), and molecular imaging (MR spectroscopy and PET). These are reviewed for their application to predicting and measuring the response to immunotherapy in brain metastases.

Epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 46-59
Author(s):  
A.G. Salmanov ◽  
O.M. Verner ◽  
L.F. Slepova
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Laboratory Testing ◽  
Immunocompromised Host ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Healthcare Associated Infections ◽  
Opportunistic Bacteria ◽  
Acinetobacter Spp ◽  
Healthcare Associated ◽  
Major Clinical Problem

Species of the Acinetobacter represent opportunistic bacteria with a growing clinical significance for Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). In this literature review, we focus on the current role of Acinetobacter in infectious pathology and describe taxonomy, pathogenicity, and antibiotic resistance of these bacteria. Pathogenesis and regulation of virulence factors in Acinetobacter spp. are described in detail. The majority of acinetobacterial infections are associated with A. baumannii and occur predominantly in an immunocompromised host. Usually, acinetobacterial  infections  are characterized by local purulent inflammation; in severe cases, meningitis and sepsis may develop. Antibiotic resistance of Acinetobacter is a major clinical problem; therefore we give special attention to laboratory testing of resistance to antibiotics as well as identification of Acinetobacter.

scholarly journals News about the Role of Fluid and Imaging Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 252
Author(s):  
Jacopo Meldolesi
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Imaging Biomarkers ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Specific Proteins ◽  
Great Relevance ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Positive Point

Biomarkers are molecules that are variable in their origin, nature, and mechanism of action; they are of great relevance in biology and also in medicine because of their specific connection with a single or several diseases. Biomarkers are of two types, which in some cases are operative with each other. Fluid biomarkers, started around 2000, are generated in fluid from specific proteins/peptides and miRNAs accumulated within two extracellular fluids, either the central spinal fluid or blood plasma. The switch of these proteins/peptides and miRNAs, from free to segregated within extracellular vesicles, has induced certain advantages including higher levels within fluids and lower operative expenses. Imaging biomarkers, started around 2004, are identified in vivo upon their binding by radiolabeled molecules subsequently revealed in the brain by positron emission tomography and/or other imaging techniques. A positive point for the latter approach is the quantitation of results, but expenses are much higher. At present, both types of biomarker are being extensively employed to study Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, investigated from the presymptomatic to mature stages. In conclusion, biomarkers have revolutionized scientific and medical research and practice. Diagnosis, which is often inadequate when based on medical criteria only, has been recently improved by the multiplicity and specificity of biomarkers. Analogous results have been obtained for prognosis. In contrast, improvement of therapy has been limited or fully absent, especially for Alzheimer’s in which progress has been inadequate. An urgent need at hand is therefore the progress of a new drug trial design together with patient management in clinical practice.

scholarly journals Imaging and Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 3702 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grazia Femminella ◽  
Tony Thayanandan ◽  
Valeria Calsolaro ◽  
Klara Komici ◽  
Giuseppe Rengo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Multimodal Imaging ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Structural Mri ◽  
Imaging Biomarkers ◽  
Significant Burden ◽  
Made In

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and is a significant burden for affected patients, carers, and health systems. Great advances have been made in understanding its pathophysiology, to a point that we are moving from a purely clinical diagnosis to a biological one based on the use of biomarkers. Among those, imaging biomarkers are invaluable in Alzheimer’s, as they provide an in vivo window to the pathological processes occurring in Alzheimer’s brain. While some imaging techniques are still under evaluation in the research setting, some have reached widespread clinical use. In this review, we provide an overview of the most commonly used imaging biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease, from molecular PET imaging to structural MRI, emphasising the concept that multimodal imaging would likely prove to be the optimal tool in the future of Alzheimer’s research and clinical practice.

scholarly journals Downregulation of ALDH5A1 Promotes Tumor Metastasis and Contributes to Poor Prognosis in Ovarian Cancer

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Cao ◽  
Xin Wang ◽  
Rui Li ◽  
Ping Jin ◽  
Hongwei Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Expression Profile ◽  
Poor Prognosis ◽  
Tumor Metastasis ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Primary Site ◽  
Oncomine Database ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Major Clinical Problem

Abstract Background Despite modern therapies, ovarian cancer (OC) remains a major clinical problem with a high risk of mortality. We previously reported that low expression of ALDH5A1 could serve as an indicator for predicting poor prognosis in OC. However, the function of ALDH5A1 in OC progression has not been elucidated yet. Methods We firstly compared ALDH5A1 expression in metastatic tissues to primary site of OC based on the Oncomine database. Then wound healing assay and Transwell assay were utilized to determine the biological role of OC cells transfected with ALDH5A1 siRNA. To unravel the potential mechanism of ALDH5A1 meditating metastasis of OC, the co-expression profile of ALDH5A1 in OC cell lines and OC patients were generated using cBioPortal. Moreover, qRT-PCR and WB analysis were used to detect the expression levels of metastasis-related genes after ALDH5A1 suppression, HPA database was used to confirm the relative expression of ALDH5A1 and MMP in OC patients. In addition, KM survival plots in 578 OC patients from the TCGA database were analyzed. Results We proved lower ALDH5A1 expression in metastatic tissues compared to primary site of OC, and knockdown of ALDH5A1 promoted the malignant behavior of OC cells. Additionally, the co-expression profile of ALDH5A1 was significantly enriched in extracellular matrix (ECM) organization pathway. We further confirmed ALDH5A1 was negatively associated with MMP expression in OC, indicating that ALDH5A1 was closely related to OC metastasis via ECM organization pathway. Finally, KM survival plots revealed that low ALDH5A1 expression contributed to poor OC survival. Conclusions These results suggested a key role of ALDH5A1 in driving the progression of OC and identified ALDH5A1 as a robust therapeutic target of OC.

scholarly journals The role of MET in chemotherapy resistance

Oncogene ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgina E. Wood ◽  
Helen Hockings ◽  
Danielle M. Hilton ◽  
Stéphanie Kermorgant
Keyword(s):  
Receptor Tyrosine Kinase ◽  
Chemotherapy Resistance ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Cytotoxic Chemotherapy ◽  
Resistant Disease ◽  
Met Inhibitor ◽  
Potential Methods ◽  
Major Clinical Problem ◽  
Major Target

AbstractChemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment in the majority of solid and haematological malignancies. Resistance to cytotoxic chemotherapy is a major clinical problem and substantial research is ongoing into potential methods of overcoming this resistance. One major target, the receptor tyrosine kinase MET, has generated increasing interest with multiple clinical trials in progress. Overexpression of MET is frequently observed in a range of different cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Studies have shown that MET promotes resistance to targeted therapies, including those targeting EGFR, BRAF and MEK. More recently, several reports suggest that MET also contributes to cytotoxic chemotherapy resistance. Here we review the preclinical evidence of MET’s role in chemotherapy resistance, the mechanisms by which this resistance is mediated and the translational relevance of MET inhibitor therapy for patients with chemotherapy resistant disease.

scholarly journals Multi-modality assessment and role of left atrial function as an imaging biomarker in cardiovascular disease

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aseel Alfuhied ◽  
Prathap Kanagala ◽  
Gerry P. McCann ◽  
Anvesha Singh
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Clinical Application ◽  
Prognostic Value ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Imaging Biomarker ◽  
Imaging Biomarkers ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
And Function

AbstractThe left atrium (LA) plays a vital role in maintaining normal cardiac function. LA volume and function have been utilised as important imaging biomarkers, with their prognostic value demonstrated in multiple cardiac conditions. More recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of publications utilising LA strain by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. However, little is known about its prognostic value or reproducibility as a technique. In this review, we aim to highlight the conventional and novel imaging techniques available for LA assessment, using echocardiography and CMR, their role as an imaging biomarker in cardiovascular disease, the reproducibility of the techniques and the current limitations to their clinical application. We identify a need for further standardisation of techniques, with establishment of ‘normal’ cut-offs before routine clinical application can be made.

scholarly journals Nurses Journey of Postoperative Pediatric Pain Care: A Qualitative Study Using Participation Observation in Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henny Suzana Mediani ◽  
Ikeu Ikeu Nurhidayah ◽  
Ai Mardhiyah ◽  
Sri Hendrawati
Keyword(s):  
Pain Management ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Analgesic Drugs ◽  
Post Surgery ◽  
Post Operative Pain ◽  
Surgical Ward ◽  
Pain Care ◽  
Major Clinical Problem

BACKGROUND: Unrelieved post-operative pain in children continues to be a major clinical problem, despite advances in pain management in Indonesia. The significance of the study is to address the gap in nurses’ knowledge of pain management may be having. The study aim was to examine nurses post-operative pain care in an Indonesian Hospital. METHODS: A naturalistic, observational qualitative approach was undertaken to observe16 participating nurses who cared for 16 children post-surgery. Each participant was observed continuously during three to four shifts of 5 h each over a 2-month period. Content analysis was performed to interpret the results. RESULTS: We found that, in general, the nurses did not routinely and comprehensively assess the extent to which the children were in pain post-surgery and that they rarely used non-pharmacological interventions. Such these interventions were often conducted by parents. However, the nurses readily provided analgesic drugs as needed to the children, especially during the first 48 h post-operative period. Our findings support those of previous studies that found the role of nurses in pain management is primarily administration of analgesic drugs. Moreover, such pain care did not conform to recommendations based on current evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Post-operative pain care by nurses in a pediatric surgical ward were still un-optimal. These findings increase our knowledge and understanding about the complexities of postoperative pain care of children in Indonesia. Post-operative pain management in pediatric patients could be improved by increasing cooperation among healthcare professionals and parents. Post-operative pain management should be always put as a priority

scholarly journals Foam-Based Bionanocomposite Scaffold for Bone Tissue Engineering

2017 ◽  
Vol 758 ◽  
pp. 145-149
Author(s):  
Fany Quemeneur ◽  
Corine Tourne-Peteilh ◽  
Christophe Drouet ◽  
Agnès Dupret-Bories ◽  
Audrey Tourrette ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tissue Engineering ◽  
Clinical Problem ◽  
3D Scaffold ◽  
Mechanical Reinforcement ◽  
Nucleation Sites ◽  
3D Architecture ◽  
Drug Reservoir ◽  
Large Bone ◽  
Major Clinical Problem

The repair of large bone defects is a major clinical problem for which tissue engineering (association of a biomaterial and cells) constitutes a valuable alternative. In this domain, the architecture and the mechanical properties of the 3D scaffold aimed to support cells is of key importance to succeed in bone reconstruction. In this study, we aim to design and evaluate a bionanocomposite foam-based scaffold, exhibiting all the desired biofunctional attributes of biocompatibility, bioactivity, osteoconduction/induction, combined with potential release properties. To perform this, 2 components have been associated: (i) a biopolymer, pectin, incorporating (ii) calcium phosphate nanoparticules to provide bone apatite nucleation sites, mechanical reinforcement, and to play the role of potential drug reservoir. The goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of obtention of such bionanocomposite by foam-templating, and to study the influence of mineral particules ratio on pectin foam and final scaffold 3D architecture and properties.

scholarly journals Brain metastases: the role of clinical imaging

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie H. A. E. Derks ◽  
Astrid A. M. van der Veldt ◽  
Marion Smits
Keyword(s):  
Brain Metastases ◽  
Tumour Progression ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Endogenous Contrast ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Golden Standard ◽  
New Biomarkers ◽  
The Right

Imaging of brain metastases (BMs) has advanced greatly over the past decade. In this review, we discuss the main challenges that BMs pose in clinical practice, and describe the role of imaging. Firstly, we describe the increased incidence of BMs of different primary tumours and the rationale for screening. A challenge lies in selecting the right patients for screening: not all cancer patients develop BMs in their disease course. Secondly, we discuss the imaging techniques to detect BMs. A 3-dimensional (3D) T1-weighted MRI sequence is the golden standard for BM detection, but additional anatomical (susceptibility weighted imaging, diffusion weighted imaging), functional (perfusion MRI) and metabolic (MR spectroscopy, positron emission tomography) information can help to differentiate from other intracranial aetiologies. Thirdly, we describe the role of imaging before, during, and after treatment of BMs. For surgical resection, imaging is used to select surgical patients, but also to assist intraoperatively (neuronavigation, fluorescence-guided surgery, ultrasound). For treatment planning of stereotactic radiosurgery, MRI is combined with CT. For surveillance after both local and systemic therapies, conventional MRI is used. However, advanced imaging is increasingly performed to distinguish true tumour progression from pseudoprogression. Lastly, future perspectives are discussed, including radiomics, new biomarkers, new endogenous contrast agents and theranostics.

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