[The physiology of intrathoracic pressure changes (author's transl)].

The pleural cavity, because of the thin film of fluid between the pleural layers, acts like a capillary space within which capillary forces operate. It is due to these forces that the lungs follow the respiratory movements of the thoracic cage and diaphragm and are kept expanded within the thorax. "Subatmospheric" pressure in the pleural cavity develops only if the capillary space is opened by injury to one of the pleural layers, thus allowing the elastic pull of the thoracic cage and lungs to act on the pleural cavity.

[Lumboscopic renal biopsy (author's transl)].

Renal biopsies with a new "lumboscopic" (half-open) technique were performed in 109 patients. Access to the kidney was gained by a small flank incision and biopsies from the renal cortex were taken under vision through the lumboscope. The biopsies were successful in all cases.