Most studies of idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) have primarily studied mortality. In order to clarify the detailed outcome and prognostic markers in idiopathic NSIP, the clinical course with initial radiological and clinical features was analysed.The clinical course of 83 patients who were classified with idiopathic NSIP (72 fibrotic, 11 cellular; 27 males and 56 females; mean¡SD age 54.4¡10.1 yrs) was retrospectively analysed.In fibrotic NSIP, 16 (22%) patients died of NSIP-related causes with a median (range) follow-up of 53 (0.3-181) months. Despite the favourable survival (5-yr 74%), patients with fibrotic NSIP were frequently hospitalised with recurrence rate of 36%. Reduced forced vital capacity at 12 months was a predictor of mortality. On follow-up, lung function was improved or stable in ,80% of the patients. The extent of consolidation and ground-glass opacity on initial highresolution computed tomography correlated significantly with serial changes of lung function, and the presence of honeycombing was a predictor of poor prognosis. During follow-up, eight (10%) patients developed collagen vascular disease.In conclusion, the overall prognosis of fibrotic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia was good; however, there were significant recurrences despite initial improvement and a subset of the patients did not respond to therapy. Some patients developed collagen vascular diseases at a later date.

Mucosally adherent Escherichia coli is frequently observed in intestinal surface of patients with colorectal cancer, but rarely in healthy control. Particularly, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is known to be closely associated with colorectal carcinogenesis in human. In this study, one consequence of EPEC infection in human intestinal cancer cells was induction of macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1), which is a multifunctional cytokine with biological activities involved in cancer cell growth, differentiation and migration. The present investigation assessed the involvement of MIC-1 protein in EPEC infection-mediated cancer cell survival. The challenge with EPEC induced cancer cell detachment via cytoskeleton rearrangement, which was positively associated with induced MIC-1 expression. Moreover, MIC-1 also mediated RhoA GTPase-linked survival of the detached cancer cells. Blocking of MIC-1 or RhoA activity increased cellular apoptosis of the detached cancer cells. In terms of signaling pathway, MIC-1 triggered transforming growth factorβ-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), which enhanced expression of RhoA GTPase. We conclude that EPEC enhances MIC-1 gene expression in the human intestinal cancer cells, which can be associated with enhanced tumor cell resistance to anchorage-dependent tumor cell death via enhanced TAK1 and RhoA GTPase.

Radiation exposure from diagnostic medical imaging has increased in Korea. Radiological societies play a key role in radiation safety issues in Korea, including guidelines, accreditation, advocacy, scientific activity, and education. Any medical radiation exposure must be justified, and examinations using ionising radiation must be optimised. Education of referring physicians and radiologists is also important for justification. Medical physicists and radiographers have an important role to play in quality management and optimisation. Regulations are essential to control medical radiation exposure. Therefore, national organisations have made a significant effort to regulate and monitor medical radiation exposure using guidelines, accreditation, and even the law. Medical radiation exposure must be controlled, and this could be achieved by continuous interest from health professionals and organisations.

Plasma cell granulomas, inflammatory pseudotumours and myofibroblastomas are synonymous with characteristic plasma cell infiltration in various body organs including the pancreas, liver, retroperitoneum and mediastinal structures causing idiopathic fibrosclerosis. Recently, a new concept has arisen regarding the relationship between immunoglobulin (Ig)G4-positive cell infiltration and idiopathic systemic fibrosclerosis. We report two cases showing IgG4-positive cell infiltration in the lung presenting as lung nodules with or without extrapulmonary manifestations.