Tracing prostate cancer - the evolution of PET-CT applications.

Background: The study aimed to overview radiopharmaceuticals used for the nuclear medicine (NM) imaging of prostate cancer (Pca) since the first mentions in the literature up to recent reports, with the special focus on positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) radiotracers.

Materials And Methods: We found over 3500 articles discussing the role of PET-CT in Pca patients' management published within 1990-2023. We summarized the past and present interests of the Authors when the Pca diagnostic imaging and the use of radiotracers in Pca diagnosis are considered.

The screening accuracy of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to detect perinatal depression with and without the self-harm item in pregnant and postpartum women.

Background: This study aims to examine whether the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), excluding the self-harm item (EPDS-9), performs as effectively as the full EPDS in identifying depression among perinatal women.

Methods: A total of 3571 pregnant women and 3850 postpartum women participated in this observational study. Participants who scored ≥ 9 on the EPDS underwent further diagnostic evaluations by a clinical psychologist and/or psychiatrist.

The contribution of environmental pollutants to the risk of autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review of case-control studies.

Exposure to environmental pollutants, such as metals, pesticides, and air pollutants during early life, is a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Our systematic review aimed to select and summarize more recent case-control studies that examined the association between prenatal and early postnatal exposure to environmental pollutants and NDDs. We searched five databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Ovid), screened 2261 records, and included 24 eligible case-control studies.

Phenotypical and biochemical characterization of tomato plants treated with triacontanol.

Biostimulants are heterogeneous products designed to support plant development and to improve the yield and quality of crops. Here, we focused on the effects of triacontanol, a promising biostimulant found in cuticle waxes, on tomato growth and productivity. We examined various phenological traits related to vegetative growth, flowering and fruit yield, the metabolic profile of fruits, and the response of triacontanol-treated plants to salt stress.

An Italian Survey and Focus Groups on Fibromyalgia Impairment: Impact on Work and Possible Reasonable Accommodations.

Fibromyalgia symptoms affect the sufferers' working life; however, through reasonable accommodations in workplaces, they can continue to work satisfactorily. There are no Italian studies on factors that facilitate or hinder fibromyalgia-affected people's working life. Our objective was to explore, in a pre-pandemic setting, the quality of working life of fibromyalgia sufferers and reasonable accommodations to improve it.

Prevalence of anxiety and depression risk during the prepartum period in the different groups of women and responses from the Italian National Health Service.

Background: Specific screening for anxiety and depression in pregnant women is important to identify those at risk and to provide timely intervention. The aims of the study were: 1) to compare the risk of anxiety and depression in four groups of pregnant women belonging to four types of healthcare centers distinguished by the level of risk: at low-risk; at high-risk for an obstetric reason; at high-risk for fetal anomalies; at high-risk for psychiatric conditions and 2) to identify the response that the National Health Service offers to women positively screened for anxiety and depression.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2801 pregnant women, cared for by National Health Service, divided into four groups: 1) low-risk pregnancy (N.

Multicenter Evaluation of the Feasibility of Clinical Implementation of SPECT Myocardial Blood Flow Measurement: Intersite Variability and Imaging Time.

Background: Single-center studies have shown that single photon emission computed tomography myocardial blood flow (MBF) measurement is accurate compared with MBF measured with microspheres in a porcine model, positron emission tomography, and angiography. Clinical implementation requires consistency across multiple sites. The study goal is to determine the intersite processing repeatability of single photon emission computed tomography MBF and the additional camera time required.

PET/CT and Conventional Imaging for the Assessment of Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Background: Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a rare neoplasm, and the role of both conventional imaging (CI) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) for its assessment has not been clearly evaluated and demonstrated. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the diagnostic performances of these imaging modalities in this setting.

Methods: A wide literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was made to find relevant published articles about the role of CI and PET/CT for the evaluation of NEPC.

14-3-3 Proteins and the Plasma Membrane H-ATPase Are Involved in Maize () Magnetic Induction.

The geomagnetic field (GMF) is a natural component of the biosphere, and, during evolution, all organisms experienced its presence while some evolved the ability to perceive magnetic fields (MF). We studied the response of 14-3-3 proteins and the plasma membrane (PM) proton pump H-ATPase to reduced GMF values by lowering the GMF intensity to a near-null magnetic field (NNMF). Seedling morphology, H-ATPase activity and content, 14-3-3 protein content, binding to PM and phosphorylation, gene expression, and ROS quantification were assessed in maize () dark-grown seedlings.

EANM procedural recommendations for managing the paediatric patient in diagnostic nuclear medicine.

Purpose: The manuscript aims to characterize the principles of best practice in performing nuclear medicine procedures in paediatric patients. The paper describes all necessary technical skills that should be developed by the healthcare professionals to ensure the best possible care in paediatric patients, as it is particularly challenging due to psychological and physical conditions of children.

Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature review to establish the most relevant elements of nuclear medicine studies in paediatric patients.

Role of splenic and bone marrow uptake at F-FDG PET/CT for the assessment of large vessels vasculitis and the influence of glucocorticoids therapy on their values.

Introduction: To assess the relationship between splenic and bone marrow (BM) uptake with the presence of large vessel vasculitis (LVV) at F-FDG PET/CT and to evaluate the influence of glucocorticoid (GC) therapy on these uptakes.

Methods: One hundred and one subjects with LVV and F-FDG PET/CT were included in the study. Clinical features, including blood samples and duration of GC therapy, were collected.

Application of radiomics and machine learning to thyroid diseases in nuclear medicine: a systematic review.

Background: In the last years growing evidences on the role of radiomics and machine learning (ML) applied to different nuclear medicine imaging modalities for the assessment of thyroid diseases are starting to emerge. The aim of this systematic review was therefore to analyze the diagnostic performances of these technologies in this setting.

Methods: A wide literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science databases was made in order to find relevant published articles about the role of radiomics or ML on nuclear medicine imaging for the evaluation of different thyroid diseases.

Epidemiology of perinatal depression in Italy: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: This review aims to synthesise the studies that have estimated the prevalence of perinatal depression in Italy, summarising the results of the existing literature based on their quality.

Materials And Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in four major databases, and a random effect meta-analysis was performed to achieve the pooled variance of perinatal depression.

Results: The pooled prepartum risk of depression prevalence was 20.

The Salt Tolerance-Related Protein (STRP) Is a Positive Regulator of the Response to Salt Stress in .

Salt stress is a major abiotic stress limiting plant survival and crop productivity. Plant adaptation to salt stress involves complex responses, including changes in gene expression, regulation of hormone signaling, and production of stress-responsive proteins. The Salt Tolerance-Related Protein (STRP) has been recently characterized as a Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA)-like, intrinsically disordered protein involved in plant responses to cold stress.

Clinical and organizational impact of the use of different cardiac troponin assays for the diagnosis of myocardial infarction without persistent elevation of the ST segment at presentation (NSTEMI) in 12 Italian emergency departments (EDs): the TROCAR study.

The management of acute chest pain is one of the challenges for emergency departments (EDs) worldwide. This study aims to provide insights into clinical and organizational aspects related to the use of different cardiac troponin tests for the diagnosis of NSTEMI. A prospective observational study was conducted among 12 Italian EDs.

Age-Related Variations of Genetic and Environmental Contributions to the Covariation of Fear, Distress and Externalizing Symptoms: A Twin Study in Childhood and Adolescence.

The frequency with which Internalizing and Externalizing symptoms co-occur suggests that, behind both domains, there may be a common susceptibility represented by a general psychopathology factor. However, it's still unclear whether this common susceptibility is affected by age-related variations. Internalizing (i.

Role of Radiomics Features and Machine Learning for the Histological Classification of Stage I and Stage II NSCLC at [F]FDG PET/CT: A Comparison between Two PET/CT Scanners.

The aim of this study was to compare two different PET/CT tomographs for the evaluation of the role of radiomics features (RaF) and machine learning (ML) in the prediction of the histological classification of stage I and II non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at baseline [F]FDG PET/CT. A total of 227 patients were retrospectively included and, after volumetric segmentation, RaF were extracted. All of the features were tested for significant differences between the two scanners and considering both the scanners together, and their performances in predicting the histology of NSCLC were analyzed by testing of different ML approaches: Logistic Regressor (LR), k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Decision Tree (DT) and Random Forest (RF).

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women's Perinatal Mental Health: Preliminary Data on the Risk of Perinatal Depression/Anxiety from a National Survey in Italy.

Increasing evidence suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety and depression during the perinatal period increased. The aim of the study is to estimate the prevalence of risk for both maternal depression and anxiety among women attending 18 healthcare centres in Italy during the SARS-COV-2 pandemic and to investigate the psychosocial risks and protective factors associated. It was divided into a retrospective phase (2019, 2020, and the first nine months of 2021) and a prospective phase (which began in November 2021 and it is still ongoing), which screened 12,479 and 2349 women, respectively, for a total of 14,828 women in the perinatal period.

Relationship between Baseline [F]FDG PET/CT Semiquantitative Parameters and BRCA Mutational Status and Their Prognostic Role in Patients with Invasive Ductal Breast Carcinoma.

Aim: To assess the relationship between [F]FDG PET/CT, breast cancer gene (BRCA) status, and their prognostic role in patients with ductal breast cancer (DBC).

Methods: Forty-one women were included. PET/CT semiquantitative parameters such as standardized uptake value (SUV) body weight max (SUVmax), SUV body weight mean (SUVmean), SUV lean body mass (SUVlbm), SUV body surface area (SUVbsa), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), ratio SUVmax/blood-pool (S-BP), and ratio SUVmax/liver (S-L) were also extracted.

A Brief Depression Screening Tool for Perinatal Clinical Practice: The Performance of the PHQ-2 Compared with the PHQ-9.

Introduction: There is ongoing interest in using brief screening instruments to identify perinatal depression in clinical practice. One ultra-brief screening instrument for depression is the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), but thus far its accuracy in perinatal clinical practice has been barely researched. In the present study, we aimed to assess the screening accuracy of the PHQ-2 against the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in a large sample of perinatal women.

Correlation between brain glucose metabolism (F-FDG) and cerebral blood flow with amyloid tracers (F-Florbetapir) in clinical routine: Preliminary evidences.

Objective: This study compared the performance of F-Florbetapir PET/CT early acquisitions to F-FDG PET/CT.

Methods: We included 12 patients who underwent F-FDG PET/CT and a dual-time F-Florbetapir PET/CT (1-6 min early-scan and 50 min late-scan). PET/CT were analyzed visually by three nuclear medicine physicians with different experience using a four-point scale (0 = no reduction, 1 = slight, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe reduction) for F-Florbetapir early-phase and F-FDG images in 10 cortical regions (bilateral frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, posterior cingulate/precuneus), and F-Florbetapir late-phase in the same cortical regions using a three-point scale (0 = normal, 1 = abnormal with minor plaques, 2 = abnormal with major plaques).

The limited screening accuracy of the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 in detecting depression among perinatal women in Italy.

Background: The PHQ-2 was recently recommended by the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement as a form of initial perinatal screening, followed by the EPDS only for women with positive PHQ-2 score. However, the accuracy of the PHQ-2 in perinatal clinical practice has been barely researched, to date. In the present study, we aim to assess the accuracy of the PHQ-2 against the EPDS in a large sample of perinatal women.

Role of F-FDG PET/CT Radiomics Features in the Differential Diagnosis of Solitary Pulmonary Nodules: Diagnostic Accuracy and Comparison between Two Different PET/CT Scanners.

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the ability of 18 fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT (F-FDG-PET/CT) metrics and radiomics features (RFs) in predicting the final diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN). We retrospectively recruited 202 patients who underwent a F-FDG-PET/CT before any treatment in two PET scanners. After volumetric segmentation of each lung nodule, 8 PET metrics and 42 RFs were extracted.