Complex renal calculi remain to be a challenge for the treating urologist due to sheer bulk and the technicalities involved.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL)remains the treatment modality of choice in dealing with th...Complex renal calculi remain to be a challenge for the treating urologist due to sheer bulk and the technicalities involved.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL)remains the treatment modality of choice in dealing with these large and complex stones.The limiting factor in their treatment continues to be the need for using additional tracts or the use of flexible nephroscopy for complete stone clearance.This systematic review focuses on the need for multi-tract PCNL for complex renal calculi.The literature review was performed using PubMed database using the keywords“multiple tract PCNL”or“multiperc”.We identified original articles published on the usage of multiple tracts for stone clearance in renal calculi between January 2000 to October 2018,and the search was restricted to available literature in English language only.Ten studies with n>20 were included for the final analysis.We analyzed the technical efficacy with respect to the number of tracts and stages that were required for stone clearance,outcomes and complications,especially,procedural bleeding and post-procedure infective complications of multiple-tract PCNL for large burden renal stones.Multiperc is found to be safe,feasible and effective for the management of large burden complex renal calculi with respect to stone clearance and morbidity associated with the procedure.It is cost effective and complete stone clearance as a single procedure is higher in comparison to flexible ureteroscopy and shockwave lithotripsy.展开更多
AIM： To evaluate plasma levels of nitrite/nitrate （NOx）, soluble Pas （spas） antigen, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in patients with compensated and acute decompensated cirrhosi...AIM： To evaluate plasma levels of nitrite/nitrate （NOx）, soluble Pas （spas） antigen, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in patients with compensated and acute decompensated cirrhosis and to evaluate mediators causing acute decompensation in liver cirrhosis, METHODS： This prospective study was conducted in the medical intensive care unit of an academic tertiary center, Fifty-five patients with acute decompensation （gastrointestinal hemorrhage, encephalopathy, hydropic decompensation） and twenty-five patients with compensated liver drrhosis were included, Blood samples were taken for analyses of spas, Nox, IL-6, TNF-α, Liver enzymes and kidney functions were also tested, RESULTS： In patients with acute decompensation, plasma spas levels were higher than in non-decompensated patients （15305 ± 4646 vs 12458± 4322 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05）. This was also true for the subgroup of patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis （P 〈 0.05）. The other mediators were not different and none of the parameters predicted survival, except for ALT （alanine-aminotransferase）. In patients with portal-hypertension-induced acute hemorrhage, NOx levels were significantly lower than in patients with other forms of decompensation （70.8 ± 48.3 vs 112.9 ± 74.9 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05）. When NOx levels were normalized to creatinine levels, the difference disappeared. IL-6, TNF-α and spas were not different between bleeders and non-bleeders. In decompensated patients spas, IL-6 and NOx levels correlated positively with creatinine levels, while IL-6 levels were dependent on Child class. CONCLUSION： In acute decompensated cirrhotic patients sPas is increased, suggesting a role of apoptosis in this process and patients with acute bleeding have lower NOx levels, However, in this acute complex clinical situation, kidney function seems to have a predominant influence on mediator levels,展开更多
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease have normal life expectancy and, due to modern immunosuppressive therapies, also a normal quality of life. Since mostly young people are affected, their social behaviour suits ...Patients with inflammatory bowel disease have normal life expectancy and, due to modern immunosuppressive therapies, also a normal quality of life. Since mostly young people are affected, their social behaviour suits this environment. Alcohol binging is an increasingly disturbing factor among young people. We describe a patient with Crohn's disease, treated with azathioprine, who developed peliosis hepatis after three epsiodes of alcohol binging. Liver toxicity was not observed previously during the course of the treatment. Azathioprine-induced peliosis hepatis is thought to be idiosyncratic in humans. From animal studies, however, it is clear that hepatic depletion of glutathione leads to azathioprine toxicity to the sinusoidal endothelial cells. Damage of these cells causes peliosis hepatis. Since alcohol binging leads to hepatic glutathione depletion, we conclude that in our patient the episodes of binging have reduced liver gluathione content and therefore this has increased azathioprine toxicity causing peliosis hepatis. The problem of alcohol binging has not yet been addressed in IBD patients undertaking immunosuppressive therapy. This should be reviewed in future considerations regarding patients advice.展开更多
In order to study omithopter flight and to improve a dynamic model of flapping propulsion, a series 0f tests are conducted on a flapping-wing blimp. The blimp is designed and constructed from mylar plastic and balsa w...In order to study omithopter flight and to improve a dynamic model of flapping propulsion, a series 0f tests are conducted on a flapping-wing blimp. The blimp is designed and constructed from mylar plastic and balsa wood as a test platform for aerodynamics and flight dynamics. The blimp, 2.3 meters long and 420 gram mass, is propelled by its flapping wings. Due to buoyancy the wings have no lift requirement so that the distinction between lift and propulsion can be analyzed in a flight platform at low flight speeds. The blimp is tested using a Vicon motion tracking system and various initial conditions are tested including accelerating flight from standstill, decelerating from an initial speed higher than its steady state, and from its steady-state speed but disturbed in pitch angle. Test results are used to estimate parameters in a coupled quasi-steady aerodynamics/Newtonian flight dynamics model. This model is then analyzed using Floquet theory to determine local dynamic modes and stability. It is concluded that the dynamic model adequately describes the vehicle＇s nonlinear behavior near the steady-state velocity and that the vehicle＇s linearized modes are akin to those of a fixed-wing aircraft.展开更多
文摘Complex renal calculi remain to be a challenge for the treating urologist due to sheer bulk and the technicalities involved.Percutaneous nephrolithotomy(PCNL)remains the treatment modality of choice in dealing with these large and complex stones.The limiting factor in their treatment continues to be the need for using additional tracts or the use of flexible nephroscopy for complete stone clearance.This systematic review focuses on the need for multi-tract PCNL for complex renal calculi.The literature review was performed using PubMed database using the keywords“multiple tract PCNL”or“multiperc”.We identified original articles published on the usage of multiple tracts for stone clearance in renal calculi between January 2000 to October 2018,and the search was restricted to available literature in English language only.Ten studies with n>20 were included for the final analysis.We analyzed the technical efficacy with respect to the number of tracts and stages that were required for stone clearance,outcomes and complications,especially,procedural bleeding and post-procedure infective complications of multiple-tract PCNL for large burden renal stones.Multiperc is found to be safe,feasible and effective for the management of large burden complex renal calculi with respect to stone clearance and morbidity associated with the procedure.It is cost effective and complete stone clearance as a single procedure is higher in comparison to flexible ureteroscopy and shockwave lithotripsy.
文摘AIM： To evaluate plasma levels of nitrite/nitrate （NOx）, soluble Pas （spas） antigen, tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in patients with compensated and acute decompensated cirrhosis and to evaluate mediators causing acute decompensation in liver cirrhosis, METHODS： This prospective study was conducted in the medical intensive care unit of an academic tertiary center, Fifty-five patients with acute decompensation （gastrointestinal hemorrhage, encephalopathy, hydropic decompensation） and twenty-five patients with compensated liver drrhosis were included, Blood samples were taken for analyses of spas, Nox, IL-6, TNF-α, Liver enzymes and kidney functions were also tested, RESULTS： In patients with acute decompensation, plasma spas levels were higher than in non-decompensated patients （15305 ± 4646 vs 12458± 4322 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05）. This was also true for the subgroup of patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis （P 〈 0.05）. The other mediators were not different and none of the parameters predicted survival, except for ALT （alanine-aminotransferase）. In patients with portal-hypertension-induced acute hemorrhage, NOx levels were significantly lower than in patients with other forms of decompensation （70.8 ± 48.3 vs 112.9 ± 74.9 pg/mL, P 〈 0.05）. When NOx levels were normalized to creatinine levels, the difference disappeared. IL-6, TNF-α and spas were not different between bleeders and non-bleeders. In decompensated patients spas, IL-6 and NOx levels correlated positively with creatinine levels, while IL-6 levels were dependent on Child class. CONCLUSION： In acute decompensated cirrhotic patients sPas is increased, suggesting a role of apoptosis in this process and patients with acute bleeding have lower NOx levels, However, in this acute complex clinical situation, kidney function seems to have a predominant influence on mediator levels,
文摘Patients with inflammatory bowel disease have normal life expectancy and, due to modern immunosuppressive therapies, also a normal quality of life. Since mostly young people are affected, their social behaviour suits this environment. Alcohol binging is an increasingly disturbing factor among young people. We describe a patient with Crohn's disease, treated with azathioprine, who developed peliosis hepatis after three epsiodes of alcohol binging. Liver toxicity was not observed previously during the course of the treatment. Azathioprine-induced peliosis hepatis is thought to be idiosyncratic in humans. From animal studies, however, it is clear that hepatic depletion of glutathione leads to azathioprine toxicity to the sinusoidal endothelial cells. Damage of these cells causes peliosis hepatis. Since alcohol binging leads to hepatic glutathione depletion, we conclude that in our patient the episodes of binging have reduced liver gluathione content and therefore this has increased azathioprine toxicity causing peliosis hepatis. The problem of alcohol binging has not yet been addressed in IBD patients undertaking immunosuppressive therapy. This should be reviewed in future considerations regarding patients advice.
文摘In order to study omithopter flight and to improve a dynamic model of flapping propulsion, a series 0f tests are conducted on a flapping-wing blimp. The blimp is designed and constructed from mylar plastic and balsa wood as a test platform for aerodynamics and flight dynamics. The blimp, 2.3 meters long and 420 gram mass, is propelled by its flapping wings. Due to buoyancy the wings have no lift requirement so that the distinction between lift and propulsion can be analyzed in a flight platform at low flight speeds. The blimp is tested using a Vicon motion tracking system and various initial conditions are tested including accelerating flight from standstill, decelerating from an initial speed higher than its steady state, and from its steady-state speed but disturbed in pitch angle. Test results are used to estimate parameters in a coupled quasi-steady aerodynamics/Newtonian flight dynamics model. This model is then analyzed using Floquet theory to determine local dynamic modes and stability. It is concluded that the dynamic model adequately describes the vehicle＇s nonlinear behavior near the steady-state velocity and that the vehicle＇s linearized modes are akin to those of a fixed-wing aircraft.
