Unraveling autophagic imbalances and therapeutic insights in Mecp2-deficient models.

Loss-of-function mutations in MECP2 are associated to Rett syndrome (RTT), a severe neurodevelopmental disease. Mainly working as a transcriptional regulator, MeCP2 absence leads to gene expression perturbations resulting in deficits of synaptic function and neuronal activity. In addition, RTT patients and mouse models suffer from a complex metabolic syndrome, suggesting that related cellular pathways might contribute to neuropathogenesis.

Advantages of the intradermal lymphoscintigraphy.

Lymphoscintigraphy is a nuclear medicine procedure that uses a small quantity of radioactive particles for visualizing the lymphatic system. Traditionally, the radiotracer was injected subcutaneously, but the quality of lymphatic path imaging was scarce due to high background. Intradermal radiotracer injection is considered the modern-day intralymphatic injection.

Concordance between preoperative imaging methods in patients with limb lymphedema undergoing supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenular anastomosis.

Objective: Supermicrosurgical lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) is increasingly being recognized as a first-line treatment of limb lymphedema because it is minimally invasive and highly effective. Lymphoscintigraphy and indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography are the two most commonly performed diagnostic imaging examinations to establish the indication and plan the procedure for patients affected by limb lymphedema. In a small group of patients, the information between these two imaging tools can be discordant, showing different anatomical drainage pathways or the absence of drainage and dermal backflow in one examination and valid drainage pathways in the other.

Rest/Stress Intradermal Lymphoscintigraphy for the Functional Imaging of the Lymphatic System.

Purpose: Lymphoscintigraphy is the criterion-standard method for diagnosing lymphedema, and there is no universally standardized imaging modality. In our center, we use a new approach: rest/stress intradermal lymphoscintigraphy.

Methods: We tested 231 consecutive patients with suspected lymphedema.

Lymphaticovenular Anastomosis for Advanced-Stage Peripheral Lymphedema: Expanding Indication and Introducing the Hand/Foot Sign.

Background: Effective lymphaticovenular anastomosis (LVA) requires identification of functioning lymphatics, which are not always visible with contrast-based imaging in advanced-stage lymphedema patients. Ultrasound (US) allows to identify preoperatively functioning lymphatic vessels even in limbs severely affected by lymphedema. Moreover, in our experience, we observed an interesting clinical sentry in advanced-stage lymphedema patients, the hand/foot sign that is analyzed in this paper.

Advantages of gravity-assisted diuretic renogram: F + 10 (seated position) method.

Introduction: In 1978, O'Reilly introduced the diuretic renogram using the F + 20 method. Initially, the patient was examined in the seated position. A dose of 40 mg furosemide was injected intravenously 20 min following tracer injection and dynamic acquisition was prolonged for 15-20 min.

Radioguided sentinel node biopsy to avoid unnecessary neck dissection in T1-T2N0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma: personal experience with same day protocol.

Purpose: Data from literature show a mean incidence of occult metastases of 33% in early OCSCC. The gold standard for most authors is a selective neck dissection and a routine pathological examination. 60-70% of unnecessary neck dissections with associated morbidity, can be avoided by using SNB.

Intradermal-Stress-Lymphoscintigraphy in Early Detection and Clinical Management of Secondary Lymphedema: A Pictorial Essay.

Stress-lymphoscintigraphy evaluates the effects of exercise on lymph drainage. Results may predict outcomes of complex physical therapy as a first-line lymphedema treatment. Microsurgical approaches are best in patients with lymphangectasia or dermal backflow.

Lymphoscintigraphy for the evaluation of limb lymphatic flow disorders: Report of technical procedural standards from an Italian Nuclear Medicine expert panel.

Lymphoscintigraphy represents the "gold standard" for diagnosis of lymphedema, but an important limitation is the lack of procedural standardization. The aim of this Italian expert panel was to provide a procedural standard for lymphoscintigraphy in the evaluation of lymphatic system disorders. Topic anaesthetic gels containing lidocaine should be avoided.

Diuresis renography in equivocal urinary tract obstruction. A historical perspective.

Obstructive nephropathy may be suspected for the incidental detection of dilated renal collecting system at ultrasonography, CT or MRI. A dilated renal collecting dilation (calyco-pelvis or ureteres) might be related 1) to an anatomical variant of the excretory tract without obstruction and, therefore, without consequence on renal function, or 2) to an obstruction/stenosis of the urinary tract that may cause a damage of kidney function. In the present review we annotated the various methods proposed for Diuresis Renography (DR) used with the purpose to make early diagnosis of obstructive nephropathy.

The EANM practical guidelines for sentinel lymph node localisation in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Sentinel lymph node biopsy is an essential staging tool in patients with clinically localized oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. The harvesting of a sentinel lymph node entails a sequence of procedures with participation of specialists in nuclear medicine, radiology, surgery, and pathology. The aim of this document is to provide guidelines for nuclear medicine physicians performing lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel lymph node detection in patients with early N0 oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.

Compartimental harvesting of dual lymph node flap from the right supraclavicular area for the treatment of lower extremity lymphedema: A case series.

Background: We report our clinical experience of a supraclavicular lymph node flap (LNF) using a novel method of harvesting based on the compartimental lymphatic and vascular anatomy of the right posterior neck triangle, which allows to harvest two independent LNFs from the same donor site.

Patients And Methods: We report a case series of 10 consecutive patients affected by cancer-related lower extremity lymphedema, who underwent compartimental dual LNF transfer from the right supraclavicular area to the affected lower limb, from August 2015 to March 2017. The superficial compartment flap (venous flap along the external jugular vein) was anastomosed in a flow-through fashion along the course of the great saphenous vein in the knee region, whereas the deep compartment flap (transverse cervical artery/vein flap) was anastomosed in an end-to-end fashion to the medial sural artery and comitantes vein.

Nociceptin/Orphanin Fq in inflammation and remodeling of the small airways in experimental model of airway hyperresponsiveness.

It is widely recognized that airway inflammation and remodeling play a key role not only in the central airway but also small airway pathology during asthma. Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), an endogenous peptide, and its receptor N/OFQ peptide (NOP) are involved in airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). We studied a murine model of AHR in order to understand the role of N/OFQ in the inflammation and remodeling of the small airways.

Lung Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Elastase-Induced Damage in an Animal Model of Emphysema.

Pulmonary emphysema is a respiratory condition characterized by alveolar destruction that leads to airflow limitation and reduced lung function. Although with extensive research, the pathophysiology of emphysema is poorly understood and effective treatments are still missing. Evidence suggests that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess the ability to engraft the injured tissues and induce repair via a paracrine effect.

Stress Lymphoscintigraphy for Early Detection and Management of Secondary Limb Lymphedema.

Unlabelled: Cancer treatments with axillary or pelvic lymph nodes dissection and radiation place patients at lifelong risk for the development of secondary lymphedema. Our aim was to evaluate the role of stress lymphoscintigraphy for early detection and management of secondary lymphedema.

Methods: Stress lymphoscintigraphy was performed within 1 year after surgery and the completion of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Lymphatic mapping of the upper limb with lymphedema before lymphatic supermicrosurgery by mirroring of the healthy limb.

Introduction: Supermicrosurgical lymphatic-venous anastomosis (LVA) can improve limbs lymphedema. We describe a technique that we employ for preoperative lymphatic mapping of the upper limb (UL), when indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography shows only dermal backflow (DB) and no lymphatic vessel is detectable.

Patients And Methods: Sixteen patients undergoing LVA for unilateral UL lymphedema, showing "stardust" or "diffuse" DB pattern, were included.

New Role of Adult Lung c-kit Cells in a Mouse Model of Airway Hyperresponsiveness.

Structural changes contribute to airway hyperresponsiveness and airflow obstruction in asthma. Emerging evidence points to the involvement of c-kit cells in lung homeostasis, although their potential role in asthma is unknown. Our aim was to isolate c-kit cells from normal mouse lungs and to test whether these cells can interfere with hallmarks of asthma in an animal model.

The Progressive Advances of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Technique in Head and Neck Cancer.

In this short review, the technical and clinical improvements of the sentinel lymph node biopsy in head and neck cancer are presented.

Intratracheal Administration of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Modulates Tachykinin System, Suppresses Airway Remodeling and Reduces Airway Hyperresponsiveness in an Animal Model.

Background: The need for new options for chronic lung diseases promotes the research on stem cells for lung repair. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can modulate lung inflammation, but the data on cellular processes involved in early airway remodeling and the potential involvement of neuropeptides are scarce.

Objectives: To elucidate the mechanisms by which local administration of MSCs interferes with pathophysiological features of airway hyperresponsiveness in an animal model.

Sentinel Node in Oral Cancer: The Nuclear Medicine Aspects. A Survey from the Sentinel European Node Trial.

Purpose: Nuclear imaging plays a crucial role in lymphatic mapping of oral cancer. This evaluation represents a subanalysis of the original multicenter SENT trial data set, involving 434 patients with T1-T2, N0, and M0 oral squamous cell carcinoma. The impact of acquisition techniques, tracer injection timing relative to surgery, and causes of false-negative rate were assessed.