Clinicoradiological profile of interstitial lung diseases at a tertiary care center in Northern India: An eight-year study

Background and objectivesInterstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are a varied group of disorders that have been clubbed together due to some common attributes. The data is abundant from the developed world. However, the developing countries have gradually amassed the knowledge of these disorders and epidemiological data is still missing. We aimed to profile the ILD patients at our center.MethodsAll ILD patients above the age of 14 years were included in the study. A detailed history, examination, exercise capacity assessment, pulmonary function test and relevant serological investigations were done. Tissue was obtained wherever possible. Diagnosis was made after discussion from concerned specialists.ResultsAmong the total 884 subjects recruited, 54% were females with a mean age of 53 years. Most were residents of rural areas. Reticulations and traction bronchiectasis was seen in most subjects. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis was present in 35.9% and connective-tissue disease related ILD (CTD-ILD) in 30.9%.ConclusionMost common ILDs at our center are hypersensitivity pneumonitis and CTD-ILD. Reticulations and traction bronchiectasis are the most common findings on HRCT thorax.     

电磁辐射对生物体损伤的研究进展

电磁波目前广泛应用于无线通信、军事、医疗等领域,与此同时,电磁辐射的生物效应和对健康的影响也愈来愈受人们的重视。电磁辐射可引起机体多系统、多脏器的损伤,本文就电磁辐射的损伤机制及其对大脑、心脏、眼睛和血液等重要器官系统影响的研究进展作一综述。     

Development of Diagnostic Reference Levels Using a Real-Time Radiation Dose Monitoring System at a Cardiovascular Center in Korea

Digital cardiovascular angiography accounts for a major portion of the radiation dose among the examinations performed at cardiovascular centres. However, dose-related information is neither monitored nor recorded systemically. This report concerns the construction of a radiation dose monitoring system based on digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) data and its use at the cardiovascular centre of the University Hospitals in Korea. The dose information was analysed according to DICOM standards for a series of procedures, and the formulation of diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) at our cardiovascular centre represents the first of its kind in Korea. We determined a dose area product (DAP) DRL for coronary angiography of 75.6 Gy cm² and a fluoroscopic time DRL of 318.0 s. The DAP DRL for percutaneous transluminal coronary intervention was 213.3 Gy cm², and the DRL for fluoroscopic time was 1207.5 s.     

Addition of a topoisomerase I inhibitor to trimodality therapy [cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II)/heat/radiation] in a murine tumor

The cytotoxicity of the topoisomerase I inhibitors, camptothecin and topotecan, toward exponentially growing EMT-6 murine mammary carcinoma cells under various conditions of oxygenation, pH and temperature was assessed. Under normal pH (pH 7.40) conditions both camptothecin and topotecan were more cytotoxic toward normally oxygenated cells. Both agents were more cytotoxic under acidic pH (pH 6.45) and the differential in cytotoxicity due to the cellular oxygenation level disappeared. Neither camptothecin nor topotecan was enhanced in cytotoxicity by hyperthermia (42°C or 43°C, 60 min) during drug exposure. Both camptothecin and topotecan killed increasing numbers of FSaIIC tumor cells with increasing dose of the drugs in vivo in a log/linear manner. Local hyperthermia (43°C, 30 min) increased the tumor cell killing of the drugs but decreased the toxicity of these agents to the bone marrow granulocyte/macrophage-colony-forming units. Topotecan was a more effective modulator of cisplatin than was camptothecin, as determined by FSaIIC tumor cell survival assay and by FSaIIC tumor growth delay. Although both camptothecin and topotecan were effective additions to a treatment regimen including cisplatin and daily fractionated radiation (5×3Gy), neither of these topoisomerase I inhibitors increased the tumor growth delay produced by the trimodality regimen of cisplatin/hyperthermia/radiation.Abbreviations Cisplatin cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) - GM-CFU granulocyte-macrophage progenitor colony-forming unit This work was supported by NCI grants RO1-47379 and RO1-50174     

Environmental carcinogens and mutational pathways in atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is associated with DNA damage in both circulating and vessel-wall cells and DNA adducts derived from exposure to environmental mutagens are abundant in atherosclerotic vessels. Environmental chemical carcinogens identified as risk factor for atherosclerosis include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (benzo(a)pyrene, dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, beta-naphthoflavone, pyrene, 3-methylcolanthrene), arsenic, cadmium, 1,3-butadiene, cigarette smoke. Accordingly, polymorphisms of genes encoding for phase I/II metabolic reaction and DNA repair are risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, although their role is negligible as compared to other risk factors. The pathogenic relevance of mutation-related molecular damage in atherosclerosis has been demonstrated in experimental animal models involving the exposure to chemical mutagens. The relevance of mutation-related events in worsening atherosclerosis prognosis has been demonstrated in human clinical studies mainly as referred to mitochondrial DNA damage. Atherosclerosis is characterized by the occurrence of high level of oxidative damage in blood vessel resulting from both endogenous and exogenous sources. Mitochondrial damage is a main endogenous source of oxidative stress whose accumulation causes activation of intrinsic apoptosis through BIRC2 inhibition and cell loss contributing to plaque development and instability. Environmental physical mutagens, including ionizing radiation, are a risk factor for atherosclerosis even at the low exposure dose occurring in case of occupational exposure or the high exposure doses occurring during radiotherapy. Conversely, the role of exciting UV radiation in atherosclerosis is still uncertain.This review summarizes the experimental and clinical evidence supporting the pathogenic role of mutation-related pathway in atherosclerosis examining the underlying molecular mechanisms.     

水源放射性污染智能防护系统的研制与应用

目的:研制一种核医学水源放射性污染智能防护系统,以有效控制民用放射性污水的排放,减少公共环境污染。方法:根据国家有关水源放射性管理规定对放射性废水的处理标准,应用计算机技术和电离辐射传感技术,自主研制一种智能化的放射性水源污染防护系统。结果:该系统无需人工干预,可实时防护放射性水污染,保障排放的废水放射性浓度<3.7×102Bq/L。结论:水源放射性污染智能防护系统可实现放射性废水排放的智能化和自动化,保证所排放废水的放射性浓度水平符合国家标准要求。     

Transbronchial Cryobiopsy for Miliary Tuberculosis Mimicking Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis

Miliary tuberculosis is a potentially lethal type of tuberculosis that results from the hematogenous dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli. We herein describe the case of a 34-year-old man that presented with a one-month history of cough and fever, while his sputum smear results were negative. Chest computed tomography revealed bilateral centrilobular ground-glass opacification (GGO), suggestive of hypersensitivity pneumonitis; thus, bronchoscopy was performed. Cryobiopsy specimens revealed necrotic granulomas. A re-examination of sputum after bronchoscopy identified Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and miliary tuberculosis was diagnosed. A cryobiopsy might be useful for diagnosing miliary tuberculosis pathologically, particularly when miliary nodules may be masked by GGO.     

还原型谷胱甘肽减轻NSCLC放射性肺损伤的临床观察

目的　观察还原型谷胱甘肽对减轻 NSCL C患者放射性肺损伤的作用。方法　 174例 NSCL C患者随机分为治疗组和对照组。治疗组放疗同时加用还原型谷胱甘肽 ;对照组单纯放疗。结果　 174例患者全部完成放疗计划 ,有效率 (CR+PR)治疗组为 89.7% ;对照组为 92 .0 %。急性放射性肺炎和肺纤维化的发生率治疗组为 9.2 %和 36 .8% ,对照组为 2 1.8%和 5 4 .0 % (P<0 .0 5 )。结论　还原型谷胱甘肽可以减轻 NSCL C患者放射性肺损伤     

Large differences in education and training of radiographers in Europe and Central Asia: Results from an IAEA coordinated study

IntroductionEducation and training of radiographers is known to be diverse between countries and regions. Under an IAEA project, this work collected data on radiographer education for the Europe and Central Asia region with a particular focus on radiation protection gaps and potential actions.MethodsFollowing piloting, an electronic questionnaire was distributed to all national counterparts for the IAEA Technial Coopearation (TC) Europe region (n = 33 countries) and nominated national representatives. Contacts were additionally invited to a virtual workshop to discuss and rank common problems in education and training of radiographers and to propose potential solutions.ResultsResponses were received from 31 countries, including 14 from the European Union. Just over half of countries reported radiographer education being in higher education with 71% having program durations more than 3 years (range: 1 month-4 years). Programs included a spectrum of both clinical training and radiation protection hours with ten-fold variations noted across the region. Inclusion of core radiation protection topics within curricula varied similarly, as did radiographers’ clinical involvement in both justification and optimisation between countries. Workshop participants identified five common training problems, namely education availability, lack of standardisation, radiation protection course quality, teamwork problems and lack of equipment.ConclusionRadiographer education in the IAEA Europe region is heterogeneous with substantial differences in duration and quality of training programs between countries, which likely impact on quality of patient care delivered. Common problems have been identified and potential solutions proposed to focus quality improvement initiatives.Implications for practiceRadiographer education and training is diverse throughout the IAEA TC Europe region, with likely impacts on radiation protection practices applied. Clinical involvement of radiographers in justification and optimisation differs, potentially limiting adherence to radiation protection principles.