Using texture analyses of contrast enhanced CT to assess hepatic fibrosis.

Purpose: To determine the ability of texture analyses of contrast-enhanced CT images for distinguishing between varying degrees of hepatic fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease using histopathology as the reference standard.

Materials And Methods: Following IRB approval, 83 patients who underwent contrast enhanced 64-MDCT of the abdomen and pelvis in the portal venous phase between 12/2005 and 01/2013 and who had a liver biopsy within 6 months of the CT were included. An in-house developed, MATLAB-based texture analysis program was employed to extract 41 texture features from each of 5 axial segmented volumes of liver.

Combinatorial mRNA binding by AUF1 and Argonaute 2 controls decay of selected target mRNAs.

The RNA-binding protein AUF1 binds AU-rich elements in 3'-untranslated regions to regulate mRNA degradation and/or translation. Many of these mRNAs are predicted microRNA targets as well. An emerging theme in post-transcriptional control of gene expression is that RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs co-regulate mRNAs.

Leadership training for radiologists: a survey of opportunities and participants in MBA and MPH programs by medical students, residents, and current chairpersons.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine opportunities for students and trainees to obtain an MPH or MBA degree during either medical school or radiology residency and to determine the prevalence of such degree possession by chairpersons in radiology.

Methods: All allopathic medical schools in the United States were surveyed to chart the number of MD/MPH and MD/MBA degree programs available to students. Program directors were contacted to assess the number of MPH or MBA courses of study administratively related to their residencies.