Lax Uterosacral Ligament and Urge Urinary Incontinence: MRI Findings in Symptomatic Patients Versus Healthy Volunteers.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The objective was to explore the association between urge urinary incontinence (UUI) and lax uterosacral ligaments (USL) using MRI.

Methods: Sixty-seven female participants were recruited prospectively: 41 continent volunteers (control group) and 26 patients with UUI. Static proton density- and T2-weighted turbo spin echo sequences of MR images were used.

Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS): observational case series findings on MR defecography.

Objective: Radiological findings in solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) are well described for evacuation proctography (EP) but sparse for magnetic resonance defecography (MRD). In order to rectify this, we describe the spectrum of MRD findings in patients with histologically proven SRUS.

Materials And Methods: MRD from twenty-eight patients (18 female; 10 males) with histologically confirmed SRUS were identified.

Variability in utilization and techniques of pelvic floor imaging: findings of the SAR pelvic floor dysfunction disease-focused panel.

Pelvic floor disorders are common and can negatively impact quality of life. Imaging of patients with pelvic floor disorders has been extremely heterogeneous between institutions due in part to variations in clinical expectations, technical considerations, and radiologist experience. In order to assess variations in utilization and technique of pelvic floor imaging across practices, the society of abdominal radiology (SAR) disease-focused panel on pelvic floor dysfunction developed and administered an online survey to radiologists including the SAR membership.

Integrated MR Analytical Approach and Reporting of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction: Current Implications and New Horizons.

Reporting MR imaging of pelvic floor dysfunction can be made easy if radiologists understand the aim of each MR sequence and what to report in each set of MR images. For an MR imaging report that is critical in decision making for patient management, it is of paramount importance to the radiologist to know what to look for and where to look for it. This article presents a new term, integrated MR analytical approach.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Female Pelvic Floor: Anatomy Overview, Indications, and Imaging Protocols.

This article reviews different approaches for describing pelvic floor anatomy; "Classic 3-Compartment Approach", "Active and Passive Conceptual Approach" and "Multilayered System Approach". However, these approaches cannot explain pathogenesis of various dysfunctions. "Functional 3-Part Pelvic Supporting Systems Approach" a new, more function-based classification of the pelvic floor support system is introduced in which all structures that contribute to same function are grouped under 1 system.

Multimodality imaging of pelvic floor anatomy.

The pelvic floor is composed of a network of muscles, ligaments, and fasciae, which provide active and passive support for the pelvic organs. Impairment of these pelvic floor elements can result in a variety of functional abnormalities and single or multicompartment organ prolapse. Knowledge of normal pelvic floor anatomy can aid the radiologist in understanding the complex nature of pelvic floor dysfunction and is important for comprehensive image interpretation.

MR defecography technique: recommendations of the society of abdominal radiology's disease-focused panel on pelvic floor imaging.

Purpose: To develop recommendations for magnetic resonance (MR) defecography technique based on consensus of expert radiologists on the disease-focused panel of the Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR).

Methods: An extensive questionnaire was sent to a group of 20 experts from the disease-focused panel of the SAR. The questionnaire encompassed details of technique and MRI protocol used for evaluating pelvic floor disorders.

Imaging and clinical assessment of functional defecatory disorders with emphasis on defecography.

Functional defecation disorders (FDD) encompass causes of constipation associated with anorectal dysfunction, which include dyssynergia or inadequate defecatory propulsion. FDD are frequently encountered in clinical practice and may affect up to 33-50% of patients with chronic constipation. The etiology of FDD is unclear, however, it has been defined as an acquired, but subliminal behavioral disorder.

Changing dietary n-6:n-3 ratio using different oil sources affects performance, behavior, cytokines mRNA expression and meat fatty acid profile of broiler chickens.

Typical formulated broiler diets are deficient in n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) due to widening n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio which could greatly affect performance, immune system of birds and, more importantly, meat quality. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of modifying dietary n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio from plant and animal oil sources on performance, behavior, cytokine mRNA expression, antioxidative status and meat fatty acid profile of broiler chickens. Birds ( = 420) were fed 7 diets enriched with different dietary oil sources and ratios as follows: sunflower oil in control diet (C); fish oil (FO); 1:1 ratio of sunflower oil to FO (C1FO1); 3:1 ratio of sunflower oil to fish oil (C3FO1); linseed oil (LO); 1:1 ratio of sunflower oil to linseed oil (C1LO1); 3:1 ratio of sunflower oil to linseed oil (C3LO1), resulting in dietary n-6:n-3 ratios of approximately 40:1, 1.

Magnetic resonance imaging of pelvic floor dysfunction - joint recommendations of the ESUR and ESGAR Pelvic Floor Working Group.

Objective: To develop recommendations that can be used as guidance for standardized approach regarding indications, patient preparation, sequences acquisition, interpretation and reporting of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for diagnosis and grading of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD).

Methods: The technique included critical literature between 1993 and 2013 and expert consensus about MRI protocols by the pelvic floor-imaging working group of the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) and the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR) from one Egyptian and seven European institutions. Data collection and analysis were achieved in 5 consecutive steps.

Commentary on "MRI and CT of sacrocolpopexy".

Objective: The purpose of this commentary is to highlight several aspects of two main perspectives on sacrocolpopexy: surgical-which includes selection of a route for reconstructive surgery, types of surgical meshes available, advantages and disadvantages of each type of mesh, and the associated postoperative complication-and radiologic, that is, the role of imaging in improving outcome.

Conclusion: As new modalities and techniques related to sacrocolpopexy are developed, concepts of form and function change. With advances in imaging modalities, especially MRI and CT, and the postprocessing options available, the radiologist's role should extend beyond reporting imaging findings to sharing in the choice of the initial treatment plan.

Activation of B cells by antigens on follicular dendritic cells.

A need for antigen-processing and presentation to B cells is not widely appreciated. However, cross-linking of multiple B cell receptors (BCRs) by T-independent antigens delivers a potent signal that induces antibody responses. Such BCR cross-linking also occurs in germinal centers where follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) present multimerized antigens as periodically arranged antigen-antibody complexes (ICs).

ADAM10 is essential for Notch2-dependent marginal zone B cell development and CD23 cleavage in vivo.

The proteolytic activity of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) regulates cell-fate decisions in Drosophila and mouse embryos. However, in utero lethality of ADAM10(-/-) mice has prevented examination of ADAM10 cleavage events in lymphocytes. To investigate their role in B cell development, we generated B cell-specific ADAM10 knockout mice.

IL-6 produced by immune complex-activated follicular dendritic cells promotes germinal center reactions, IgG responses and somatic hypermutation.

Reports that follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) produce IL-6 prompted the hypotheses that immune complexes (ICs) induce FDCs to produce IL-6 and that FDC-IL-6 promotes germinal center (GC) reactions, somatic hypermutation (SHM) and IgG production. FDCs were activated in vitro by addition of ICs and FDC-IL-6 production was determined. Wild-type (WT) and IL-6 knockout (KO) mice, as well as chimeras with WT and IL-6 KO cells, were immunized with (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)-acetyl (NP)-chicken gamma globulin (CGG) and used to study anti-(4-hydroxy-3-iodo-5-nitrophenyl) acetyl (NIP) responses, GC formation and SHM in the VH186.

T-independent antibody responses to T-dependent antigens: a novel follicular dendritic cell-dependent activity.

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) periodically arrange membrane-bound immune complexes (ICs) of T-dependent Ags 200-500A apart, and in addition to Ag, they provide B cells with costimulatory signals. This prompted the hypothesis that Ag in FDC-ICs can simultaneously cross-link multiple BCRs and induce T cell-independent (TI) B cell activation. TI responses are characterized by rapid IgM production.

Pelvic floor dysfunction: assessment with combined analysis of static and dynamic MR imaging findings.

Purpose: To prospectively analyze static and dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) images simultaneously to determine whether stress urinary incontinence (SUI), pelvic organ prolapse (POP), and anal incontinence are associated with specific pelvic floor abnormalities.

Materials And Methods: This study had institutional review board approval, and informed consent was obtained from all participants. There were 59 women: 15 nulliparous study control women (mean age, 25.

Anatomy of the urethral supporting ligaments defined by dissection, histology, and MRI of female cadavers and MRI of healthy nulliparous women.

Objective: There has been no uniformity of opinion concerning the structures supporting the female urethra. Therefore, the aims of this prospective study were to define precisely the female urethral support structures at cadaveric anatomic dissection and histologic examination and to determine which of these structures can be detected on MRI of cadaveric specimens and of healthy volunteers.

Subjects And Methods: Dissection of seven formalin-preserved cadavers (age at death, 25-50 years; no parity history available) was performed by a professor of anatomy to explore the anatomy of the urethral supporting ligaments and was followed by MRI of the cadaveric specimens with ligamentous markers in place and then by histologic analysis of the dissected ligaments.

TLR4 on follicular dendritic cells: an activation pathway that promotes accessory activity.

Microbial molecular patterns engage TLRs and activate dendritic cells and other accessory cells. Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) exist in resting and activated states, but are activated in germinal centers, where they provide accessory function. We reasoned that FDCs might express TLRs and that engagement might activate FDCs by up-regulating molecules important for accessory activity.