Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitor-Positron Emission Tomography in Aortitis: Fibroblast pathology in active inflammation and remission.

OBJECTIVES: Epigenetically modified fibroblasts contribute to chronicity in inflammatory diseases. Reasons for the relapsing character of large vessel vasculitis (LVV) remain obscure, including the role of fibroblasts, in part due to limited access to biopsies of involved tissue.68Ga FAPI-46 (FAPI)-PET/CT detects activated fibroblasts in vivo. In this exploratory pilot study, we tested the detection of fibroblast activation in vessel walls using FAPI-PET/CT in LVV with aortitis. METHODS: 8 LVV patients with aortitis and 8 age- and gender-matched controls were included. Distribution of FAPI uptake was evaluated in the aorta and large vessels. FAPI-uptake was compared with MRI inflammatory activity scores. Imaging results were compared with clinical parameters such as serum inflammatory markers, time of remission and medication. RESULTS: Three aortitis patients were clinically active, five in remission. Irrespective of activity, FAPI uptake was significantly enhanced in aortitis compared with controls. Patients in remission had a mean duration of remission of 2.8 years (range 1-4 years), yet significant FAPI uptake in the vessel wall was found.In remitted aortitis, MRI inflammatory scores were close to be negative, while in 4/5 patients visually identifiable FAPI uptake was observed. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot feasibility study shows significant tracer uptake in the aortic walls in LVV. FAPI positivity indicates ongoing fibroblast pathology in clinically remitted LVV.

Microscopic lesions and modulation of gene expression in cervical medulla during BoAHV-1and BoAHV-5 infection: A mini-review.

Bovine herpesvirus (BoAHV) types 1 and 5 are closely-related neurotropic alpha-herpesviruses. BoAHV-1 generally causes respiratory and genital disease but can occasionally cause encephalitis. BoAHV-5 is the causative agent of non suppurative meningoencephalitis in calves. During neuroinvasion, both viruses reach the central and peripheral nervous system. While brain alterations are well-described, the changes that occur in the medulla have not been fully detailed. In this work, we integrated and analyzed the virological findings, the microscopic lesions and the changes that occur in the expression of genes related to the innate immunity, cell cycle and apoptosis in the cervical medulla of calves experimentally-infected with BoAHV-1 and BoAHV-5. This will contribute to the understanding of the differential neuropathogenesis of these alpha-herpesviruses of cattle.

Infection by bovine alphaherpesvirus types 1 and 5 induces IFN-λ3 expression in neuronal-type cells and bovine neural tissues.

Type III interferons (IFNs) are components of the innate immunity, with IFN lambda- (λ)3 having the most potent bioactivity in humans. IFN-λ has a predominant role in epithelial cells. However, antiviral function in certain infections of the central nervous system has also been demonstrated. IFN-λ3 expression in neural tissues of cattle has not been investigated. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze whether an antiviral IFN-λ3 response is mounted after infection with bovine alphaherpesviruses (BoHV-1 and BoHV-5) in vitro, in neuronal-type cells, and in neural tissues from experimentally-infected calves. This study demonstrated that there is a strong IFN-λ3 response early after BoHV-1infection of undifferentiated neuroblastoma cells. During acute BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 infection of calves, low levels of IFN-λ3 expression were detected in the brain, which would favor virus spread within this tissue. Striking differences in the transcriptional levels of IFN-λ3 were observed in trigeminal ganglion, particularly in BoHV-1-acutely- and latently-infected calves. During reactivation, IFN-λ3 expression was down-regulated, which may be a requirement for virus replication and spread. Overall, different patterns of IFN-λ3 expression were detected during BoHV-1 and BoHV-5 infection, particularly during latency.

The role of PSMA radioligands in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate carcinoma.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common tumor in men in the West and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death. The use of PSMA radioligands has represented an important advance both in its diagnosis, through PET molecular imaging, and in its treatment in advanced stages of the disease. This article reviews the contribution of PET studies with PSMA radioligands in initial staging, in tumor detection in biochemical recurrence (elevation of PSA) after treatment with curative intent, and in the more advanced stages of the disease (castration resistant PC or CRPC). The contribution of PSMA radioligand therapy (PSMA-RLT) in CRPC patients who progress to standard therapy is also analyzed.

Diagnostic accuracy of visual analysis versus dual time-point imaging with 18F-FDG PET/CT for the characterization of indeterminate pulmonary nodules with low uptake. / Precisión diagnóstica del análisis visual frente al protocolo de imagen tardía con 18F-FDG PET/TC para la caracterización de nódulos pulmonares indeterminados con baja captación.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of visual analysis and the retention index (RI) with dual-time point 18F-FDG PET/CT for the characterization of indeterminate pulmonary nodules (IPN) with low FDG uptake. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 43 patients (28 men, 64 ± 11 years old, range 36-83 years) referred for IPN characterization with 18F-FDG-PET/CT and maximum standard uptake value ≤ 2.5 at 60 minutes post-injection (SUVmax1). Nodules were analyzed by size, visual score for FDG uptake on standard (OSEM 2,8) and high definition (HD) reconstructions, SUVmax1, SUVmax at 180 minutes post-injection (SUVmax2), and RI was calculated. The definitive diagnosis was based on histopathological confirmation (n = 28) or ≥ 2 years of follow-up. RESULTS: Twenty-four (56%) nodules were malignant. RI ≥ 10% on standard reconstruction detected 18 nodules that would have been considered negative using the standard SUVmax ≥ 2.5 criterion for malignancy. RI ≥ 10% had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 75, 73.7, 78.3, 70, and 74.4%, respectively, while for FDG uptake > liver on HD these were 79.1, 63.2, 73.1, 70.6, and 72.1%, respectively. SUVmax1 ≥ 2, SUVmax2 > 2.5 and FDG uptake > liver on standard reconstruction had a PPV of 100%. FDG uptake > mediastinum on HD had a NPV of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: RI ≥ 10% was the most accurate criterion for malignancy, followed by FDG uptake > liver on HD reconstruction. On standard reconstruction, SUVmax1 ≥2 was highly predictive of malignancy, as well as SUVmax2 > 2.5 and FDG uptake > liver. FDG uptake < mediastinum on HD was highly predictive of benign nodules.

[Trichinosis in children. A report of 8 cases]. / Triquinosis en el niño. Informe de 8 casos.

A comparative study between 8 cases of trichinosis and 16 of typhoid fever is presented in this paper; all of them were attended in the INP during the period from 1970 to 1990. The diagnosis was established under epidemiologic, clinic and laboratory bases. The range of age of these patients was from 10 to 14 years, from low socioeconomic status; half of the cases had history of in take of infested pork meat. The most characteristic symptoms were: fever, myalgia and limitation of muscular movements. Leukocytosis in addition to eosinophilia were found in 7 cases. Correlation with indirect hemagglutination, CIEF positive test for Trichinella spiralis and biopsy of muscle was done. Thiabendozole therapy was utilized for treatment with satisfactory evolution, except in one case that developed progressive and fatal neurologic damage.

[Fascioliasis in children. A study of 10 cases]. / Fasciolosis en los niños. Estudio de 10 casos.

These are the observation found in ten children with fascioliasis diagnosis at the Servicio de Parasitología, of the Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, from 1979 to 1990; six children in scholar age; one prescholar and three teenagers; only one was female. Four of them lined at the State of Mexico; three at Morelos; one at Puebla, another one at Oaxaca and the other one at Mexico City. In nine of the watercress eaten was confirmed. The most important clinic manifestations were: fever, weight lose, paleness, hepatomegaly, hiporexia, right hypochondrium pain and diarrhoea. Diagnosis was established by: counterimmunoelectrophoresis, indirect haemagglutination and there were found eggs by simple sedimentation, Ritchie's method and microscopic study of duodenal sample. Leukocytes counts were between 11,000 and 34,000/mm3. Eosinophils were to 77% with 24,430 totals. Only in three of them haemoglobin was found under 9 g/dL. All of them had hypergammaglobulinemia. In nine patients the alkaline phosphatase was found in higher levels; only in three of them, transaminase, oxalacetic and glutamic piruvic were found in higher levels. The most effective drug in the treatment was dehidroemetine.