Imaging of Inflammation in Spinal Cord Injury: Novel Insights on the Usage of PFC-Based Contrast Agents

Labeling of macrophages with perfluorocarbon (PFC)-based compounds allows the visualization of inflammatory processes by 19F-magnetic resonance imaging (19F-MRI), due to the absence of endogenous background. Even if PFC-labeling of monocytes/macrophages has been largely investigated and used, information is lacking about the impact of these agents over the polarization towards one of their cell subsets and on the best way to image them. In the present work, a PFC-based nanoemulsion was developed to monitor the course of inflammation in a model of spinal cord injury (SCI), a pathology in which the understanding of immunological events is of utmost importance to select the optimal therapeutic strategies. The effects of PFC over macrophage polarization were studied in vitro, on cultured macrophages, and in vivo, in a mouse SCI model, by testing and comparing various cell tracking protocols, including single and multiple administrations, the use of MRI or Point Resolved Spectroscopy (PRESS), and application of pre-saturation of Kupffer cells. The blood half-life of nanoemulsion was also investigated by 19F Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS). In vitro and in vivo results indicate the occurrence of a switch towards the M2 (anti-inflammatory) phenotype, suggesting a possible theranostic function of these nanoparticles. The comparative work presented here allows the reader to select the most appropriate protocol according to the research objectives (quantitative data acquisition, visual monitoring of macrophage recruitment, theranostic purpose, rapid MRI acquisition, etc.). Finally, the method developed here to determine the blood half-life of the PFC nanoemulsion can be extended to other fluorinated compounds

Approaching the Gut and Nasal Microbiota in Parkinson’s Disease in the Era of the Seed Amplification Assays

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder often associated with pre-motor symptoms involving both gastrointestinal and olfactory tissues. PD patients frequently suffer from hyposmia, hyposalivation, dysphagia and gastrointestinal dysfunctions. During the last few years it has been speculated that microbial agents could play a crucial role in PD. In particular, alterations of the microbiota composition (dysbiosis) might contribute to the formation of misfolded α-synuclein, which is believed to be the leading cause of PD. However, while several findings confirmed that there might be an important link between intestinal microbiota alterations and PD onset, little is known about the potential contribution of the nasal microbiota. Here, we describe the latest findings on this topic by considering that more than 80% of patients with PD develop remarkable olfactory deficits in their prodromal disease stage. Therefore, the nasal microbiota might contribute to PD, eventually boosting the gut microbiota in promoting disease onset. Finally, we present the applications of the seed amplification assays to the study of the gut and olfactory mucosa of PD patients, and how they could be exploited to investigate whether pathogenic bacteria present in the gut and the nose might promote α-synuclein misfolding and aggregation

Italian pediatric nutrition survey

Introduction the prevalence of malnutrition in children and its impact on clinical outcomes is underrecognized by clinicians in Italy as well as worldwide. A novel definition of pediatric malnutrition has been recently proposed by a working group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.), based on the correlation between illness and the use of zscores of anthropometric measurements. Aim to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition and related nutritional support among hospitalized children in Italy, in a nationwide survey performed in a single day (16/4/2015). Methods an open access website (http://nday.biomedia.net) was used to collected data from 73 hospitals and 101 wards in 14 Italian regions (1994 patients). Anonymous information was collected on hospitals' characteristics, patient's anthropometry, admission diagnosis, presence of chronic diseases and use of nutritional support: oral nutritional supplements (ONS), enteral nutrition (EN) or parenteral nutrition (PN). Z-scores of anthropometric measurements, calculated with Epi Info 7.1.5, defined nutritional status: wasting was identified by BMI or Weight-for-Length z-score (<−1 mild, <−2 moderate, <−3 severe), stunting by Height-for-Age Z-score <−2. WHO 2006 and CDC 2000 growth charts were used respectively for children younger and older than 2 years old. Results 1790 complete records were obtained for hospitalized patients aged 0–20 years, with median age 6.16 (0.1–20 years and 53.3% males). 52.9% were aged 0–6 years and 58.8% of children suffered from chronic diseases. Wasting was detected in 28.7% of the total sample with higher occurrence observed in age ranges 0–6 and 14–20 years, while 17.3% of patients showed stunting; surprisingly almost 27% of them were aged 0–2. A ranking of the admission diagnosis with the highest rate of malnutrition was complied. The prevalence of wasting was significantly (p < 0.005) higher amongst children with chronic diseases (34.1% vs. 27.1%); stunting prevalence tripled in patients with chronic disease (24.5% vs. 8.3%). Only 23.5% of malnourished children (17%, 25.6% and 36.7%, respectively mild, moderate and severe malnutrition) received nutritional support: 11.7% received oral nutrition supplements (ONS, modular or complete), 11.5% enteral nutrition (EN, 6.4% via nasogastric tube, 5.1% via gastrostomy) and 6.8 % received parenteral nutrition (PN); in some patients a combination of two. Nutritional support is more commonly used among stunting patients, 39.5% of children under treatment. Conclusion Malnutrition of any grade was observed in nearly 1/3 and stunting in 17% of the reported hospitalized children, and it is likely to be underrecognized as the nutritional support reached only a small part of the malnourished children

Italian pediatric nutrition survey

Introduction the prevalence of malnutrition in children and its impact on clinical outcomes is underrecognized by clinicians in Italy as well as worldwide. A novel definition of pediatric malnutrition has been recently proposed by a working group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.), based on the correlation between illness and the use of zscores of anthropometric measurements. Aim to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition and related nutritional support among hospitalized children in Italy, in a nationwide survey performed in a single day (16/4/2015). Methods an open access website (http://nday.biomedia.net) was used to collected data from 73 hospitals and 101 wards in 14 Italian regions (1994 patients). Anonymous information was collected on hospitals' characteristics, patient's anthropometry, admission diagnosis, presence of chronic diseases and use of nutritional support: oral nutritional supplements (ONS), enteral nutrition (EN) or parenteral nutrition (PN). Z-scores of anthropometric measurements, calculated with Epi Info 7.1.5, defined nutritional status: wasting was identified by BMI or Weight-for-Length z-score (<â\u88\u921 mild, <â\u88\u922 moderate, <â\u88\u923 severe), stunting by Height-for-Age Z-score <â\u88\u922. WHO 2006 and CDC 2000 growth charts were used respectively for children younger and older than 2 years old. Results 1790 complete records were obtained for hospitalized patients aged 0â\u80\u9320 years, with median age 6.16 (0.1â\u80\u9320 years and 53.3% males). 52.9% were aged 0â\u80\u936 years and 58.8% of children suffered from chronic diseases. Wasting was detected in 28.7% of the total sample with higher occurrence observed in age ranges 0â\u80\u936 and 14â\u80\u9320 years, while 17.3% of patients showed stunting; surprisingly almost 27% of them were aged 0â\u80\u932. A ranking of the admission diagnosis with the highest rate of malnutrition was complied. The prevalence of wasting was significantly (p < 0.005) higher amongst children with chronic diseases (34.1% vs. 27.1%); stunting prevalence tripled in patients with chronic disease (24.5% vs. 8.3%). Only 23.5% of malnourished children (17%, 25.6% and 36.7%, respectively mild, moderate and severe malnutrition) received nutritional support: 11.7% received oral nutrition supplements (ONS, modular or complete), 11.5% enteral nutrition (EN, 6.4% via nasogastric tube, 5.1% via gastrostomy) and 6.8 % received parenteral nutrition (PN); in some patients a combination of two. Nutritional support is more commonly used among stunting patients, 39.5% of children under treatment. Conclusion Malnutrition of any grade was observed in nearly 1/3 and stunting in 17% of the reported hospitalized children, and it is likely to be underrecognized as the nutritional support reached only a small part of the malnourished children