Relationship between Cardiopulmonary, Mitochondrial and Autonomic Nervous System Function Improvement after an Individualised Activity Programme upon Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients

Background: The therapeutic effects of exercise from structured activity programmes have recently been questioned; as a result, this study examines the impact of an Individualised Activity Program (IAP) on the relationship with cardiovascular, mitochondrial and fatigue parameters. Methods: Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients were assessed using Chalder Fatigue Questionnaire (CFQ), Fatigue Severity Score (FSS) and the Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS). VO(2)peak, VO(2)submax and heart rate (HR) were assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Mfn1 and Mfn2 levels in plasma were assessed. A Task Force Monitor was used to assess ANS functioning in supine rest and in response to the Head-Up Tilt Test (HUTT). Results: Thirty-four patients completed 16 weeks of the IAP. The CFQ, FSS and FIS scores decreased significantly along with a significant increase in Mfn1 and Mfn2 levels (p = 0.002 and p = 0.00005, respectively). The relationships between VO2 peak and Mfn1 increase in response to IAP (p = 0.03) and between VO2 at anaerobic threshold and ANS response to the HUTT (p = 0.03) were noted. Conclusions: It is concluded that IAP reduces fatigue and improves functional performance along with changes in autonomic and mitochondrial function. However, caution must be applied as exercise was not well tolerated by 51% of patients

EAU-EANM Consensus Statements on the Role of Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in Patients with Prostate Cancer and with Respect to [177Lu]Lu-PSMA Radioligand Therapy

Funding support and role of sponsor: The EAU/EANM PSMA-based imaging and therapy consensus meeting was supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Novartis; Novartis had no influence over the content of the meeting or the publication. Medical writing support was funded by the European Association of Urology Research Foundation. Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge Emily Spieker (Management Assistant, European Association of Urology) for project management. Medical writing support was provided by Angela Corstorphine of Kstorfin Medical Communications (KMC) limited.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Specific detection of Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli strains by using ELISA with bacteriophages as recognition agents

The use of bacteriophages, instead of antibodies, in the ELISA-based detection of bacterial strains was tested. This procedure appeared to be efficient, and specific strains of Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli could be detected. The sensitivity of the assay was about 105 bacterial cells/well (106/ml), which is comparable with or outperforms other ELISA tests detecting intact bacterial cells without an enrichment step. The specificity of the assay depends on the kind of bacteriophage used. We conclude that the use of bacteriophages in the detection and identification of bacteria by an ELISA-based method can be an alternative to the use of specific antibodies. The advantages of the use of bacteriophages are their environmental abundance (and, thus, a possibility to isolate various phages with different specificities) and the availability of methods for obtaining large amounts of phage lysates, which are simple, rapid, cheap, and easy

The joint IAEA, EANM, and SNMMI practical guidance on peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRNT) in neuroendocrine tumours

Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRNT) is a molecularly targeted radiation therapy involving the systemic administration of a radiolabelled peptide designed to target with high affinity and specificity receptors overexpressed on tumours. PRRNT employing the radiotagged somatostatin receptor agonists (90)Y-DOTATOC ([(90)Y-DOTA(0),Tyr(3)]-octreotide) or (177)Lu-DOTATATE ([(177)Lu-DOTA(0),Tyr(3),Thr(8)]-octreotide or [(177)Lu-DOTA(0),Tyr(3)]-octreotate) have been successfully used for the past 15 years to target metastatic or inoperable neuroendocrine tumours expressing the somatostatin receptor subtype 2. Accumulated evidence from clinical experience indicates that these tumours can be subjected to a high absorbed dose which leads to partial or complete objective responses in up to 30 % of treated patients. Survival analyses indicate that patients presenting with high tumour receptor expression at study entry and receiving (177)Lu-DOTATATE or (90)Y-DOTATOC treatment show significantly higher objective responses, leading to longer survival and improved quality of life. Side effects of PRRNT are typically seen in the kidneys and bone marrow. These, however, are usually mild provided adequate protective measures are undertaken. Despite the large body of evidence regarding efficacy and clinical safety, PRRNT is still considered an investigational treatment and its implementation must comply with national legislation, and ethical guidelines concerning human therapeutic investigations. This guidance was formulated based on recent literature and leading experts’ opinions. It covers the rationale, indications and contraindications for PRRNT, assessment of treatment response and patient follow-up. This document is aimed at guiding nuclear medicine specialists in selecting likely candidates to receive PRRNT and to deliver the treatment in a safe and effective manner. This document is largely based on the book published through a joint international effort under the auspices of the Nuclear Medicine Section of the International Atomic Energy Agency

Effects of short- and long-term (-)-deprenyl administration on mRNA for copper, zinc- and manganese-superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in rat brain

The effect of short-term (3 weeks, 2 mg/kg day) and long-term (12 and 20 months, 0.5 mg/kg day) administration of (-)-deprenyl on the mRNA expression of three neuroprotective enzymes in subdivisions of rat basal ganglia was investigated. In situ hybridisation histochemistry with oligodeoxynucleotide probes was used to measure levels of copper, zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD), manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) mRNA. The 3-week administration of (-)-deprenyl caused a significant increase in Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA in the nucleus accumbens (NA) (P<0.05), striatum (CP) (P<0.01), and globus pallidus (GP) (P<0.05), but had no effect on Mn-SOD or GPX mRNA levels throughout basal ganglia. In rats which received (-)-deprenyl for 12 months, there was a significant increase in Mn-SOD mRNA in the NA, CP, GP, and substantia nigra (SN) (all P<0.05); there were no changes in either Cu,Zn-SOD or GPX mRNA. Except for the significant increase in Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA in SN pars compacta (SC) (P<0.05), by 20 months there were almost no differences between (-)-deprenyl-treated and age-matched control animals that had received equivalent injections of saline. We conclude that (-)-deprenyl administration can induce mRNA expression for both forms of SOD, but the effects are variable and not sustained over 20 months