The challenge of scoring radiation-induced lung toxicity.

Aims: The increasing use of curative radiation treatment in lung cancer mandates accurate assessment of late lung toxicity. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (RTOG/EORTC) scoring schema combines clinical symptoms and radiological changes and may be confusing. Some have used a scoring scale modified from the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (NCI-CTC) version 2 scale based on symptoms only.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa quorum sensing molecule N-(3 oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone disrupts epithelial barrier integrity of Caco-2 cells.

Acyl-homoserine lactone (HSL) quorum sensing molecules play an important role in regulation of virulence gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, we show that 3O-C(12)-HSL can disrupt barrier integrity in human epithelial Caco-2 cells as evidenced by decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), increased paracellular flux, reduction in the expression and distribution of ZO-1 and occludin, and reorganization of F-actin. P.

Suspected aortic dissection and other aortic disorders: multi-detector row CT in 373 cases in the emergency setting.

Purpose: To retrospectively review the authors' experience with multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) for detection of aortic dissection in the emergency setting.

Materials And Methods: The investigation was institutional review board approved, did not require informed patient consent, and was HIPAA compliant. In 373 clinical evaluations in the emergency setting, 365 patients suspected of having aortic dissection and/or other aortic disorders underwent multidetector CT.

Tobacco use among Iranian men, women and adolescents.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the self-reported and serum cotinine based prevalence rates of smoking among Iranian men, women and adolescents. The study was carried out on 2626 men and women aged 19 years and above and 836 high school students aged 14-18 years, randomly selected from different clusters and schools in Isfahan. The WHO smoking standard questionnaire was completed for all samples and serum cotinine level was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography in 10% and 20% of the original adult and adolescent samples, respectively.

Disruption of epithelial barrier integrity by Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium requires geranylgeranylated proteins.

Epithelial cells that line the human intestinal mucosa constitute the initial sites of host invasion by bacterial pathogens. A number of bacteria, such as Salmonella and Yersinia spp., have been shown to disrupt the integrity of the epithelial barrier, although little is known about the mechanisms underlying that effect.

NSP4 enterotoxin of rotavirus induces paracellular leakage in polarized epithelial cells.

The nonstructural NSP4 protein of rotavirus has been described as the first viral enterotoxin. In this study we have examined the effect of NSP4 on polarized epithelial cells (MDCK-1) grown on permeable filters. Apical but not basolateral administration of NSP4 was found to cause a reduction in the transepithelial electrical resistance, redistribution of filamentous actin, and an increase in paracellular passage of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran.

New imaging techniques for the evaluation of gastrointestinal diseases.

This article provides an overview of recently developed, noninvasive imaging modalities for the evaluation of gastrointestinal disease processes. The advent of spiral computed tomography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and conventional magnetic resonance imaging has facilitated the noninvasive assessment of pancreaticobiliary disease. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography provides projectional images of the biliary tree and pancreatic duct, similar to those achieved by direct cholangiography, without the need to administer contrast medium.

Apically exposed, tight junction-associated beta1-integrins allow binding and YopE-mediated perturbation of epithelial barriers by wild-type Yersinia bacteria.

Using polarized epithelial cells, primarily MDCK-1, we assessed the mode of binding and effects on epithelial cell structure and permeability of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis yadA-deficient mutants. Initially, all bacteria except the invasin-deficient (inv) mutant adhered apically to the tight junction areas. These contact points of adjacent cells displayed beta1-integrins together with tight junction-associated ZO-1 and occludin proteins.

The prevalence of coronary artery disease in an urban population in Isfahan, Iran.

Objective: Cardiovascular diseases, especially coronary artery disease (CAD), are responsible for the highest mortality rate in Iran. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of CAD in an urban sample in Isfahan by the Minnesota code of a 12-lead resting electrocardiogram (ECG), the Rose questionnaire on chest pain and a self-reported previous medical history.

Methods And Results: Among the target sample of 6,470 men and women aged 35-79 years who were randomly selected from 80 random clusters in Isfahan, 5,773 subjects (about 90%) have participated.

Uterine adenomyosis: endovaginal US and MR imaging features with histopathologic correlation.

Uterine adenomyosis is a common gynecologic condition that is characterized by the presence of heterotopic endometrial glands and stroma in the myometrium with adjacent smooth muscle hyperplasia. The histopathologic features of adenomyosis are varied and contribute to its imaging appearance. The accompanying smooth muscle hyperplasia produces the typical gross appearance of adenomyosis and corresponds to areas of decreased echogenicity at endovaginal ultrasonography (US) and areas of decreased signal intensity at magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

Uterine adenomyosis: current concepts in imaging.

This article reviews the clinical findings, histopathological features, and treatment options of uterine adenomyosis and relates them to the role of the radiologist in evaluating patients with this disease. Knowledge of the histopathology of this disease is essential to understanding the range of imaging findings encountered in patients with uterine adenomyosis. In addition, the imaging features and accuracy of noninvasive diagnostic modalities that have proven useful in diagnosing adenomyosis will be discussed.

Imaging features of adenomyosis.

This review focuses on non-invasive imaging techniques that have proven useful in diagnosing adenomyosis, including hysterosalpingography, transabdominal and endovaginal ultrasound, as well as magnetic resonance imaging. An understanding of the histopathological features of this disease is crucial when attempting to interpret the associated imaging findings. The muscular hyperplasia accompanying the heterotopic endometrial tissue actually produces the typical gross appearance of adenomyosis and corresponds to areas of decreased echogenicity or signal intensity on ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging respectively.

Choledocholithiasis: evaluation of MR cholangiography for diagnosis.

Purpose: To evaluate the test performance of magnetic resonance (MR) cholangiography for help in diagnosing choledocholithiasis.

Materials And Methods: Fast spin-echo MR cholangiography was performed by using a torso multicoil array in 110 patients suspected of having bile duct obstruction. Axial and coronal images were reviewed by two observers who were blinded to results of direct cholangiography and final diagnoses.

YopK of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis controls translocation of Yop effectors across the eukaryotic cell membrane.

Introduction of anti-host factors into eukaryotic cells by extracellular bacteria is a strategy evolved by several Gram-negative pathogens. In these pathogens, the transport of virulence proteins across the bacterial membranes is governed by closely related type III secretion systems. For pathogenic Yersinia, the protein transport across the eukaryotic cell membrane occurs by a polarized mechanism requiring two secreted proteins, YopB and YopD.