Needle biopsy of renal allografts: comparison of two techniques

Two techniques for renal allograft biopsy were retrospectively evaluated to compare relative safety and efficacy. After ultrasound (US) localization of the kidney and biopsy with a hand-held 14-gauge cutting needle, an adequate specimen was obtained in 74 of 77 cases (96%). Major complications occurred in six of these 77 cases (8%). One hundred four biopsies were performed by using a smaller 18-gauge cutting needle with a spring-loaded biopsy "gun" and real-time US guidance. With this newer technique, specimens adequate for diagnosis were obtained in 99 biopsies (95%). There was a single major complication with this technique (1%). The 18-gauge needle with real-time US guidance yields comparably adequate specimens with a lower frequency of complications.     

Central nervous system high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging: effect of increasing spatial resolution on resolving power

Resolving power is a useful measure of the magnetic resonance (MR) imager-determined ability to discriminate subtle disease. Optimizing the resolving power produces the best MR images. The resolving power improves with higher spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio, and object contrast. Resolving power degrades with increased patient motion, which can be associated with prolonged imaging times. High and low object contrast 0.35-T MR images of the central nervous system are compared at different levels of spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratios. In systems that have a marginal signal-to-noise ratio, the resolving power can actually decrease when higher spatial resolution is used due to further lowering of signal-to-noise ratio and to increased motion resulting from longer imaging times. This decreases the conspicuity of small, low contrast lesions.     

Intrahepatic bile duct and portal vein anatomy revisited

Seventeen normal cadaver livers were studied to assess the anatomic relationship of bile ducts to portal veins. The common bile duct, main portal vein, and hepatic artery were cannulated and injected with air, dilute contrast medium, and mineral oil, respectively. The livers were placed in anatomic position and examined with computed tomography. In the lateral segment of the left hepatic lobe, the bile ducts were anterior to the portal vein in seven cases, posterior in seven, and tortuous (ie, both anterior and posterior) in three. In the medial segment of the left lobe, the bile ducts were anterior in four cases, posterior in four, tortuous in three, and not seen in six. In the right lobe, the bile ducts were anterior in nine cases, posterior in five, tortuous in one, and not seen in two. In the porta hepatis, the bile ducts were anterior in ten cases, posterior in one, tortuous in five, and not seen in one. Histologic findings confirmed the anterior and posterior location of the bile ducts relative to the portal veins. These findings contradict the commonly held view of intrahepatic bile ducts being anterior to the portal vein and are clinically significant for techniques such as bile duct drainage.     

Comparison between superficial femoral artery stenting and bypass surgery in severe lower-limb ischaemia: a retrospective study

Symptomatic superficial femoral artery (SFA) disease presenting either with severe claudication or critical limb ischaemia is treated with bypass surgery and traditionally has been the ‘goldstandard’ procedure. Surgical bypass using autogenous vein or prosthetic grafts as a conduit is well accepted and there are comparable patencies and limb salvage rates with either conduit.1There have been considerable advances in the last two decades in percutaneous endovascular technology for the treatment of SFA disease. The techniques that have been developed include percutaneous balloon angioplasty and stenting, with variable results.2,3 Despite having three different options, namely surgical bypass, balloon angioplasty and stenting, none is superior to the other.Although the five-year primary patency rate of femoropopliteal above-the-knee bypass with autogenous saphenous vein is 70%, this method of treatment is invasive with long incisions in the lower extremities and a peri-operative complication rate of 12%.4 Vascular surgeons have become more experienced with catheter-based technology and due to the minimal invasiveness of the procedure, both patients and vascular surgeons are increasingly attracted to endovascular procedures. Mwipatayi et al.5 and Nguyen et al.6 found stenting resulted in equivalent outcomes when compared to balloon angioplasty alone, but Laird et al.7 found that self-expanding nitinol stents were associated with better angiographic results and improved patency compared with balloon angioplasty alone.Randomised, controlled trials comparing bypass surgery and balloon angioplasty alone generally showed similar outcomes in terms of amputation-free survival but in the short term, surgery was more expensive than angioplasty.8 Another study comparing surgical bypass with balloon angioplasty and stenting showed better primary patency for the stent group (67%) than the bypass group (49%) and there were higher re-intervention rates in the bypass group.9Since there are conflicting data in the literature regarding the success of different methods of treatment of SFA disease and there is a lack of consensus guidelines on the optimum management of SFA disease, the aim of this study was to compare the results of stenting and surgical bypass in the local environment with regard to limb salvage rates in patients with severe leg ischaemia.     

Determination of Chemical Antioxidants and Phenolic Compounds in the Brazilian Mushroom Agaricus sylvaticus

Agaricus sylvaticus mushroom has been widely studied because of its high nutritional value and medicinal properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential of both alcoholic and aqueous extracts of Agaricus sylvaticus and quantify their total polyphenol content. The antioxidant activity was performed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging capacity and total polyphenol content was assessed by colorimetric method. Observation also noted the great antioxidant potential of aqueous, alcoholic and ethereal extracts (14.6%, 75.6% and 14.6%, respectively) of the Agaricus sylvaticus mushroom, highlighting the alcoholic extract, which demonstrates the extraordinary benefits of this mushroom in the diet, since antioxidants prevent premature ageing and various types of cancer.     

Clinical pharmacology as a cornerstone of orphan drug development

A recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee meeting highlighted the potential of clinical pharmacology to overcome challenges in orphan drug development.     

前列腺癌患者调强放疗计划中不同算法计算结果分析

目的 分析前列腺癌患者调强放疗计划设计时PBC和AAA算法计算得到的剂量学参数差异。方法 对13例术后接受调强放射治疗的前列腺癌患者进行调强放疗计划设计时,分别用Eclipse Version 8.10治疗计划系统提供的PBC和AAA算法进行剂量计算并用二维电离室矩阵进行验证测量,比较两种算法获得的HI、CI、PTV_DP、PTV_mean、直肠和膀胱V₅₀等参数差异,并将二维电离室矩阵测量的剂量分布与两种算法的计算结果分别进行比较获得γ通过率、单次照射时的及DD_mean等参数差异。结果 两种算法得到的靶区HI、CI、PTV_DP、PTV_mean平均相差分别为0.003、0.004、2.2%、10 cGy,直肠和膀胱V₅₀值平均差异分别为0.3%和1.3%。γ通过率、DD_max及DD_mean平均差异分别为0.9%、1.2%(2.4 cGy)和0.85%(1.7 cGy)。两种算法所获得的剂量学参数差异不大。结论 对前列腺癌患者进行调强放疗计划设计时,PBC和AAA两种算法均可使用。     

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??OBJECTIVE To evaluate retrospectively the clinical application of apatinib in a hospital. METHODS The medical records including apatinib were collected during April 2015 to March 2016. Then, the rationality and safety of drug use were evaluated. RESULTS The 84 patients used apatinib during this time, while 15.48% (15 patients) conformed to the approved indications. The major adverse reactions were gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension, skin disorders and myelosuppression. CONCLUSION Irrational use of apatinib such as off-label use, inadequate usage and dosage exists in clinic. Clinicians should pay close attention to the rationality of apatinib, and clinical pharmacists can improve the safety and effectiveness of therapeutic drugs by taking this as the breakthrough point.