Effect of Exposure to Agent Orange on the Risk of Monoclonal Gammopathy and Subsequent Transformation to Multiple Myeloma: A Single-Center Experience From the Veterans Affairs Hospital,Detroit

BackgroundMonoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is an indolent, premalignant plasma cell disorder with the potential of transforming into symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM). There are multiple risk factors that contribute to transformation. Agent Orange (AO) has been linked with multiple malignant and nonmalignant conditions.Patients and MethodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with monoclonal gammopathy who were seen at John D. Dingell Veterans Affairs Medical Center (Detroit, Michigan) between 2005 and 2015 with MGUS, smoldering multiple myeloma, and MM. We explored baseline patient characteristics and explored AO exposure. Dates of diagnosis, dates of progression, and expiration dates were recorded to time to progression and overall survival (OS).ResultsWe identified 211 patients with monoclonal gammopathy; 96% were male and 122 were African American. Eleven patients had reported AO exposure. Cumulative risk of progression in the overall population was 1.4% at 1 year. Risk of transformation in the population exposed to AO was significantly higher with a hazard ratio (HR) of 11.19 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.10-59.47; P = .005). OS was numerically shorter in AO-exposed patients with a median OS of 7 years compared with 11.1 years in those not exposed. However, AO exposure was not associated with OS in multivariable analysis (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.07-3.83; P = .508).ConclusionMonoclonal gammopathy is a premalignant condition with the risk of progressing to MM. Exposure to AO has been implicated in multiple conditions including MM. Our study demonstrates an increased risk of progression in exposed patients.     

天麻素生物合成的研究进展

天麻素是我国名贵中药材天麻中的一种主要活性成分，具有降血压、抗癫痫、抑制肿瘤、保护神经等多方面的药理活性。随着市场对天麻素需求的不断增长以及传统获取方法固有的问题，导致急需新的方法来解决天麻素生产实际中面临的各项困难。生物合成法是一种有别于传统获取法的新方法，已在天麻素获取上取得了较大进展和成果，故现阶段有必要从天麻素生物合成途径、植物转化法和微生物转化法3个方面，对天麻素生物合成进行系统地阐述，从而为进一步改进和完善天麻素生产方法，以满足人们对其不断增长的需求提供有价值的参考。     

生理学教学核心理念变革的探讨

医学教育改革更多的是热衷于授课形式和方法的改革，而忽视了真正能够渗透到教学各方面的教学理念的改革。结合对生理学教学目标的反思和“岗位胜任力”培养的需求，将生理学教学的核心理念总结为四个方面：“三观”要正，帮助学生树立平衡观、辩证观和整体观；“三基”要牢，培养学生掌握基本的知识架构体系、基本的知识获取能力、基本的操作技能；重视学以致用和强化人文素养。上述核心理念在教学实践中得到学生的广泛认可，临床医学专业学生对核心理念的评价明显高于护理专业。下一步教学改革的方向是在教学理念的指导下如何细化授课内容，以适应专业设置越来越细化的现状。     

＊ 补充基金信息（立项部门，项目类型，课题名称，负责人信息）

病机是认识疾病病变的关键，抓住核心病机演变发展的规律，是中医临床诊疗的主旨和核心。病机兼化理论由中国中医科学院胡镜清研究员提出，用以从病机层面理解疑难复杂疾病病证关系和把握其演变规律，在明确疾病基本矛盾的同时，兼顾疾病的复杂性和多变性。文章通过构建新型冠状病毒肺炎病机兼化框架，揭示其病机演化规律，认为新冠肺炎属于“湿毒疫”范畴，湿毒始终是本病的病变核心，初期寒化，进展期热化，恢复期虚化是本病病机的传变方式。知本病之机，可未病先防，知病机传变，可截断扭转，有利于临床上增强对疾病发生发展趋势的预见性。     

营养教育咨询降低质子重离子治疗期间显著体重下降率

目的探讨以指南为依据的肿瘤放疗患者营养教育咨询方案，在降低质子重离子治疗期间显著体重下降发生率方面 的有效性。方法以质子重离子治疗期间的肿瘤放疗患者为研究对象，采用历史对照研究设计，方案实施前以2016年1月至12月 收治的患者为对照组，方案实施后以2018年1月至8月收治的患者为试验组。对照组在方案实施前仍实行原有的常规护理，试验 组给予以指南为依据的营养教育咨询方案。结果本研究共纳入713例肿瘤患者，其中对照组374例，试验组339例，两组平均年 龄为54岁和53岁，45%和49%为头颈部肿瘤患者。放疗期间对照组平均体重下降0.51 kg，平均体重丢失0.75%，显著体重下降 发生率为11.2%（42例）；试验组体重下降0.66 kg，平均体重丢失0.90%，显著体重下降发生率为9.4%（32例）。在控制放疗总剂量、 射线类型、肿瘤部位、同期化疗和性别的混杂因素影响后，试验组显著体重下降的风险下降了34%（OR=0.66，95%CI=0.48~0.91）。 结论以指南为依据的肿瘤放疗患者营养教咨询方案能够帮助改善质子重离子治疗期间的患者营养状态，有效降低显著体重下 降的风险。     

脾脏血管性病变与淋巴瘤CT鉴别诊断

目的 运用CT区分脾脏血管性病变与淋巴瘤。方法 回顾性分析20例经手术、穿刺病理学检查证实的脾脏病变的发病年龄、性别、脾脏指数、病变大小、数目、有无液化、钙化、强化幅度、强化方式等特征,并进行统计学分析。结果 20例脾脏病变中,11例血管性病变(6例海绵状血管瘤,3例窦岸细胞血管瘤,2例硬化性血管瘤样结节性转化),9例淋巴瘤;两组间发病年龄、病变大小、数目、有无液化、钙化等差异无统计学意义;两组间脾脏指数、动脉期强化幅度差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05)。5例海绵状血管瘤呈不均匀性强化,1例呈渐进性填充式强化,2例窦岸细胞血管瘤呈“雀斑征”,1例硬化性血管瘤样结节性转化呈“辐轮征”;9例淋巴瘤实质部分均呈均匀、轻中度强化。结论 脾脏血管性病变与淋巴瘤CT表现不同,CT有助于明确诊断。     

Management of patients suffering from hemorrhagic intracranial metastases: Propositions to help the neurosurgeon in emergency situations based on a literature review

IntroductionBrain metastases are the most common intracranial neoplasm in adult patients, and one of the fearsome complications proves to be intratumoral hemorrhage. The neurosurgical management of patients harboring a bleeding brain metastasis is not fully established and there is still today an ongoing debate on the optimal management of these patients. The aim of this article is to provide the neurosurgeons with practical tools to assist in their decision-making process in the management of BMs.MethodsWe conducted a literature review of the relevant Pubmed, Cochrane, and Google scholar-indexed articles published between 2000 and 2019. The following key words were entered in the Pubmed search engine: [metastasis], [metastases], [brain metastases], [brain metastasis], [hemorrhage], [hematoma], [blood clot], [intracerebral hemorrhage], [intracranial hemorrhage]. The review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA recommendations.ResultsBased on PubMed, Cochrane, and Google scholar, 459 articles were retained, 392 were then removed because of their non-adequacy with the topic and, 9 articles were removed because they were not written in English language. So, 58 articles were analyzed. Radiological evaluation is crucial, but few traps exist. The frequency of overall brain tumor-related with intracranial hematoma is 7.2%, with a higher frequency for secondary tumors. The local recurrence rate after resection of a hemorrhagic metastasis seems to be better probably because of an easier “en bloc” resection thanks to the hematoma. An atypical presentation is reported in up to 4% in patients with chronic or acute subdural hematoma. Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and epidural hematoma are rare. A clear-cut correlation between the incidence of bleeding event in brain mets and prior stereotactic radiosurgery was not established.ConclusionThe current literature pertaining to the neurosurgical management of acute bleeding in brain metastasis is scant and the level of evidence remains low (experts ‘opinions; class C). Herein we suggest a flowchart to assist in dealing with those difficult patients.