Percutaneous renal mass biopsy: historical perspective,current status,and future considerations

Introduction: Percutaneous renal mass biopsy has evolved over the last decade with improvements on previous pitfalls including low tissue yield, high non-diagnostic rates, and complications. As understanding of tumor biology and natural history of renal cortical neoplasms has improved, percutaneous renal mass biopsy is poised to have an expanding role in an area characterized by individualized management and refined risk stratification.

Areas covered: This review summarizes the evolution of renal mass biopsy to its current state with respect to outcomes, indications, and clinical guidelines.

Expert opinion: With improved understanding of differential biological potential of renal cortical neoplasms combined with technical improvements in diagnostic yield and accuracy, utilization of renal mass biopsy is becoming an important adjunct to patient care in a broad range of clinical scenarios, including active surveillance, thermal ablation, and use of primary systemic therapy in localized and advanced settings.     

经络艾灸防治乳腺癌根治术后患侧上肢水肿的效果评价

目的观察循经艾灸预防乳腺癌患者根治术后上肢水肿的效果。方法采用便利抽样法选取乳腺外科乳腺癌根治术的患者150例,随机分为对照组和观察组,每组75例。对照组行常规护理,观察组在对照组基础上在手术侧上肢循经艾灸。于术前1 d、术后第14天和术后1个月,测量两组患者患侧上肢水肿程度。结果观察组术后患侧上肢水肿发生率低于对照组(P<0.05)。结论术后循经艾灸可有效预防乳腺癌根治术后患侧上肢水肿,提高患者舒适度。     

A modality-specific somatosensory evoked potential test protocol for clinical evaluation: A feasibility study

ObjectiveWe aimed to establish an objective neurophysiological test protocol that can be used to assess the somatosensory nervous system.MethodsIn order to assess most fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system, repetitive stimuli of seven different modalities (touch, vibration, pinprick, cold, contact heat, laser, and warmth) were synchronized with the electroencephalogram (EEG) and applied on the cheek and dorsum of the hand and dorsum of the foot in 21 healthy subjects and three polyneuropathy (PNP) patients. Latencies and amplitudes of the modalities were assessed and compared. Patients received quantitative sensory testing (QST) as reference.ResultsWe found reproducible evoked potentials recordings for touch, vibration, pinprick, contact-heat, and laser stimuli. The recording of warm-evoked potentials was challenging in young healthy subjects and not applicable in patients. Latencies were shortest within Aβ-fiber-mediated signals and longest within C-fibers. The test protocol detected function loss within the Aβ-fiber and Aδ-fiber-range in PNP patients. This function loss corresponded with QST findings.ConclusionIn this pilot study, we developed a neurophysiological test protocol that can specifically assess most of the somatosensory modalities. Despite technical challenges, initial patient data appear promising regarding a possible future clinical application.SignificanceEstablished and custom-made stimulators were combined to assess different fiber subtypes of the somatosensory nervous system using modality-specific evoked potentials.     

Temperature-controlled power modulation compensates for heterogeneous nanoparticle distributions: a computational optimization analysis for magnetic hyperthermia

Purpose: To study, with computational models, the utility of power modulation to reduce tissue temperature heterogeneity for variable nanoparticle distributions in magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia.

Methods: Tumour and surrounding tissue were modeled by elliptical two- and three-dimensional computational phantoms having six different nanoparticle distributions. Nanoparticles were modeled as point heat sources having amplitude-dependent loss power. The total number of nanoparticles was fixed, and their spatial distribution and heat output were varied. Heat transfer was computed by solving the Pennes’ bioheat equation using finite element methods (FEM) with temperature-dependent blood perfusion. Local temperature was regulated using a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. Tissue temperature, thermal dose and tissue damage were calculated. The required minimum thermal dose delivered to the tumor was kept constant, and heating power was adjusted for comparison of both the heating methods.

Results: Modulated power heating produced lower and more homogeneous temperature distributions than did constant power heating for all studied nanoparticle distributions. For a concentrated nanoparticle distribution, located off-center within the tumor, the maximum temperatures inside the tumor were 16% lower for modulated power heating when compared to constant power heating. This resulted in less damage to surrounding normal tissue. Modulated power heating reached target thermal doses up to nine-fold more rapidly when compared to constant power heating.

Conclusions: Controlling the temperature at the tumor-healthy tissue boundary by modulating the heating power of magnetic nanoparticles demonstrably compensates for a variable nanoparticle distribution to deliver effective treatment.     

《针灸大成》关于气海穴临床应用的文献研究

目的:通过检索《针灸大成》中与气海穴治疗作用相关的文献条文,总结气海穴在治疗各系统疾病中运用频次较高的疾病及其配穴规律,为临床针灸对气海穴的使用提供理论支持。方法:以《中华医典》(第五版)中《针灸大成》作为文献检索来源,将气海穴及气海穴的别称“脖胦”“下肓”“丹田”“肓之原”“肓原”“下言”和“气泽”为检索词,用计算机检索工具及人工检索相结合的方法检索符合要求的文献条文,通过建立本研究的数据库,频次分析、条形统计图比较分析等方法,总结出气海穴在治疗各系统疾病中的运用频次及其配穴规律。结果:在《针灸大成》所涉及的条文中,气海穴尤善治疗内科疾病,在治疗内科疾病中排名前3位的是脾胃系病症、气血津液疾病、肾系病症和妇科疾病,气海穴配穴习惯为上下配穴法,同名经配穴法,以及前后配穴法,其中主要为前后配穴法和同名经配穴法。结论:气海穴《针灸大成》中单穴应用占比最高,而在气海穴众多配穴中,运用了本经配穴法、上下配穴法、前后配穴法,配穴归经主要来自任脉和足太阳膀胱经。同名经配穴法,同气相求,可增加疗效;与气海穴配伍较多的足太阳膀胱经以背腧穴为主,此为前后配穴法,亦称腹背阴阳配穴法,腹部为阴,腰背为阳,前后配穴法可起到“从阳引阴”亦可“从阴引阳”的作用,以达到调节阴阳,调和脏法,调畅经络的目的。     

至阳八阵穴隔附子饼灸治疗糖尿病胃轻瘫临床研究

目的观察至阳八阵穴隔附子饼灸治疗脾胃气虚型糖尿病胃轻瘫的疗效及对胃泌素(GAS)、胃动素(MTL)和血管活性肠肽(VIP)水平的影响。方法86例脾胃气虚型糖尿病胃轻瘫患者随机分为对照组和治疗组,每组43例。治疗组给予至阳八阵穴隔附子饼灸;对照组口服枸橼酸莫沙必利片。治疗12周后观察胃轻瘫主要症状指数量表症状积分改善情况、胃排空率及血清GAS、MTL、VIP水平。结果治疗组治疗后在胃轻瘫主要症状指数量表症状积分及胃排空率方面明显高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组治疗后血清GAS、MTL水平明显高于对照组,血清VIP水平明显低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗组总有效率为90.7%,明显高于对照组的72.1%(P<0.05)。结论采用至阳八阵穴隔附子饼灸能快速促进糖尿病胃轻瘫患者胃功能的恢复,改善症状和体征,其作用机制可能与升高患者血清GAS和MTL水平,降低VIP水平有关。     

有关医院空调水系统若干问题的探讨

主要阐述空调水系统利用平衡阀调节系统阻力,保持系统水力稳定;利用软启动器实施水泵的平滑软启动;压差旁通阀的作用及选型安装;系统管道热膨胀等问题。     

80例健康青年分别经针刺或艾灸肺俞穴后的肺功能变化

目的：探讨针刺与艾灸肺俞穴对健康人肺功能的影响。方法：我们选择了20－22岁健康男性80例，随机分为针刺组和艾灸组各40例，于针刺，艾灸前和针刺，艾灸后10min测试用力肺活量（FVC），用力呼气量（FEV1．0），最大呼气中段流速（MMF），最大呼气流量（PEFR），75％，50％，25％肺活量时的最大呼气流速（V75，V50，V25），结果：显示经针刺和艾灸肺俞穴后2组FVC，FFV1．0均显著增加，P＜0．05，2组间比较针刺组FVC明显高于艾灸组，P＜0．05，而且艾灸组MMF，V25亦显著降低P＜0．05，结论：健康人经针刺和艾灸肺俞穴后均可使大气道阻力减少，肺容量增加，提示一定量的艾燃烧后的烟雾可使健康人肺功能受到影响，使肺的小气道收缩，出现阻塞性改变。     

艾灸对30例健康人甲皱微循环及血液流变学的影响

目的：探讨艾灸对健康人甲皱微循环及血液流变学的影响。方法：选择健康学员及武警战士各30例，年龄20－22岁，应用江苏协达公司生产的XDM－1型微循环电脑检测仪及北京世帝科学仪器公司生产的LG－R－80血液粘度计，LG－B－190型红细胞变形／聚集测试仪。固定专人操作，分别于艾灸前及艾灸后，测试甲皱微循环及血液流变学各项指标的变化。结果：艾灸八邪及三阴交穴后，甲皱微循环各项指标均有明显变化，经统计学处理，红细胞聚集程度、血流速度、流态积分、管周积分均有显著性差异（P＜0．05），其余各项指标虽有不同程度的改变，但无统计学意义（P＞0．05）；血液流变学各项指标亦有明显变化，经统计学处理，全血低切相对粘度、全血低切还原粘度、红细胞刚性指数、红细胞聚集指数及血浆纤维蛋白原都有非常显著性差异（P＜0．01），全血高切相对粘度有显著性差异（P＜0．05），其余各项指标虽有不同程度的改变，但无统计学意义（P＞0．05）。结论：艾灸八邪及三阴交穴后可明显改善红细胞聚集程度，降低血液粘度，加快血流速度，降低外周血管阻力。     

体外短波热疗联合前列腺灸及哈乐治疗非细菌性前列腺炎和前列腺痛疗效观察

目的 探讨慢性非细菌性前列腺炎（CNP）和前列腺痛（PD）的治疗方法。方法 应用体外短波热疗联合前列腺灸及α1A-肾上腺素能受体阻滞剂哈乐治疗CNP和PD患者26例，疗程8周。观察治疗前后前列腺炎症状评分（CPSI）与最大尿流率（MFR）变化。结果 有效率为80．8％。治疗前后CPSI和MFR均有显著改善（P〈0．05）。结论 体外短波热疗联合前列腺灸及哈乐治疗CNP和PD安全有效。