Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Horseshoe Kidney and Preoperative Superselective Renal Artery Embolization: A Case Report

Only rarely is renal cell carcinoma encountered in a horseshoe kidney. This is a case report on renal cell carcinoma in a horseshoe kidney, in which superselective renal artery embolization was performed preoperatively. CT and digital subtraction angiography revealed a horseshoe kidney with a 3-cm tumor in the left side. Superselective renal artery embolization of the tumor was performed as a prerequisite procedure for the organ-preserving surgery of simple enucleation. Preoperative superselective renal artery embolization can be an effective tool to facilitate organ-preserving surgery in a horseshoe kidney.     

Arterial versus total blood volume changes during neural activity-induced cerebral blood flow change: implication for BOLD fMRI.

Quantifying both arterial cerebral blood volume (CBV(a)) changes and total cerebral blood volume (CBV(t)) changes during neural activation can provide critical information about vascular control mechanisms, and help to identify the origins of neurovascular responses in conventional blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cerebral blood flow (CBF), CBV(a), and CBV(t) were quantified by MRI at 9.4 T in isoflurane-anesthetized rats during 15-s duration forepaw stimulation. Cerebral blood flow and CBV(a) were simultaneously determined by modulation of tissue and vessel signals using arterial spin labeling, while CBV(t) was measured with a susceptibility-based contrast agent. Baseline versus stimulation values in a region centered over the somatosensory cortex were: CBF=150+/-18 versus 182+/-20 mL/100 g/min, CBV(a)=0.83+/-0.21 versus 1.17+/-0.30 mL/100 g, CBV(t)=3.10+/-0.55 versus 3.41+/-0.61 mL/100 g, and CBV(a)/CBV(t)=0.27+/-0.05 versus 0.34+/-0.06 (n=7, mean+/-s.d.). Neural activity-induced absolute changes in CBV(a) and CBV(t) are statistically equivalent and independent of the spatial extent of regional analysis. Under our conditions, increased CBV(t) during neural activation originates mainly from arterial rather than venous blood volume changes, and therefore a critical implication is that venous blood volume changes may be negligible in BOLD fMRI.     

医技人员血源性疾病感染情况调查

医务人员的医院内感染逐渐被人们所关注，其中血源性疾病的感染更应引起大家的重视。为了了解医务人员中医师、检验人员的医院感染发生情况，笔者对某中心医院的医师和检验人员的2002年度体检结果进行了统计分析，现报告如下。     

Pycnogenol® as an Adjunct in the Management of Childhood Asthma

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study involving 60 subjects, aged 6-18 years old, was conducted over a period of 3 months to determine the effect of Pycnogenol® (a proprietary mixture of water-soluble bioflavonoids extracted from French maritime pine) on mild-to-moderate asthma. After baseline evaluation, subjects were randomized into two groups to receive either Pycnogenol® or placebo. Subjects were instructed to record their peak expiratory flow with an Assess® Peak Flow Meter each evening. At the same time, symptoms, daily use of rescue inhalers (albuterol), and any changes in oral medications were also recorded. Urine samples were obtained from the subjects at the end of the run-in period, and at 1-, 2-, and 3-month visits. Urinary leukotriene C₄/D₄/E₄ was measured by an enzyme immunoassay. Compared with subjects taking placebo, the group who took Pycnogenol® had significantly more improvement in pulmonary functions and asthma symptoms. The Pycnogenol® group was able to reduce or discontinue their use of rescue inhalers more often than the placebo group. There was also a significant reduction of urinary leukotrienes in the Pycnogenol® group. The results of this study demonstrate the efficacy of Pycnogenol® as an adjunct in the management of mild-to-moderate childhood asthma.     

手助腹腔镜肝部分切除术治疗原发性肝癌

目的 探讨手助腹腔镜肝部分切除术治疗原发性肝癌的方法和应用价值。方法 经临床筛选的第Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅵ段或边缘型的原发性肝癌6例，在腹腔镜辅助下．应用手助器、超声刀、切割器等特殊器械进行腹腔镜下肝癌切除术。结果 6例患者均成功完成手术，包括肝Ⅱ、Ⅲ段切除，Ⅵ段切除及非规则性肝段切除术，手术时间80～130min，术后住院6～9d，手术出血150～700ml，无中转开腹手术，无并发症。术后随访6～15个月，2例分别于手术后3和4个月肝内复发，其余4例随访至今无复发。结论 在经过临床选择的病例中，手助腹腔镜下作肝部分切除术治疗原发性肝癌是安全、可行的手术方式。     

磨损微粒诱导的局部生物学反应

人工髋关节置换失败的主要原因是假体的无菌性松动。研究表明 ,这和假体长期磨损产生的微粒作用于周围的巨噬细胞而诱发的生物学反应有关。磨损微粒激活假体周围组织细胞释放前炎症介质 ,诱导破骨细胞的活化和分化 ,引发假体周围的骨溶解。充分地认识这个过程 ,对减少人工关节无菌性松动 ,延长假体使用寿命具有重要意义。     

Localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow using new stimulator for the inching test.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of the TenElectrodes, a new stimulator for inching test, in the diagnosis and localization of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE). METHODS: Sixty-two ulnar nerves in 40 control subjects and 24 ulnar nerves in 23 patients with typical symptoms and signs of UNE were studied. The inching test of ulnar motor nerve using TenElectrodes was done along 8 cm across the elbow in the extended position. RESULTS: In the inching test of the control group, the mean segmental latency difference was 0.19+/-0.08 ms. Maximal latency difference over a 1 cm segment did not exceed 0.40 ms in any of the controls but exceeded 0.5 ms or more in all clinical UNE patients. In all UNE patients, the lesion sites were identified by the inching test using TenElectrodes: the retroepicondylar groove (54.2%), the humeroulnar arcade (29.2%), and dual compression (16.6%). CONCLUSIONS: TenElectrodes is a useful stimulator for the inching test in the diagnosis of UNE. The precise localization of compression was possible in all patients with UNE and the most common site was the retroepicondylar groove.     

Retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis from olfactory neuroblastoma: a report of two cases

Olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare, malignant neoplasm arising from the olfactory epithelium. It has an aggressive biological behavior that is characterized by local recurrence, atypical distant metastasis, and poor long-term prognosis. The incidence of cervical lymph node metastasis in olfactory neuroblastoma is variable, and treatment modalities are controversial. Moreover, few reports have been published concerning retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis from olfactory neuroblastoma. We present two cases of olfactory neuroblastoma with retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis. In addition, we provided a review of the current literature regarding olfactory neuroblastoma and retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis from olfactory neuroblastoma.