Objective To evaluate the efficacy of retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.Methods A total of 126 patients underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy from November 2002 to June 2006.The operation was performed through 3 lumbar ports.The renal artery and veins were blocked with the Hem-o-lok and then severed;the ureter was severed near the iliac blood vessel.Results A conversion to open surgery was required in 2 patients because of bleeding and in 1 patient because of severe adhesion.The mean operation time was 115 min(range,60~255 min) and the mean blood loss was 112ml(range,20~1000 ml).Blood transfusion was required in 2 patients.Complications occurred in 7 patients(spermatic vein injury in 1 patient,accessory renal artery injury in 1 patient,inferior vena cava injury in 1 patient,hemorrhage of renal artery stump in 1 patient,renal vein injury in 2 patients,and pancreatic tail injury in 1 patient).The patient with inferior vena cava injury was followed for 2 years and no abnormal findings were found.The patient with pancreatic tail leakage was followed for 1 year and no pancreatitis or liquid in the renal fossa was detected.The remaining 5 patients with complications presented no abnormal findings.The mean postoperative hospital stay was 5 days(range,4~8 days).Pathological results included renal clear cell carcinoma in 117 patients,cystic renal cell carcinoma in 3 patients,renal pelvis transitional cell carcinoma in 2 patients,chromophobe carcinoma in 1 patient,hamartoma in 2 patients,and oxyphil cell tumor in 1 patient.One patient developed a liver metastasis 6 months after operation,and died 1 year after operation.The rest of 125 patients were followed for a mean of 27 months(range,1~43 months),and survived without renal fossa or incision metastasis,or distant recurrence.Conclusions Retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is a safe,reliable,and effective technique for renal tumors.

BACKGROUND: Following renal transplantation, native renal pelvic or ureteral tumor occurs not only on one side, but also on both sides simultaneously or continuously.OBJECTIVE: To describe a new procedure in managing native renal pelvic or ureteral tumor, in which, retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was first done followed by transurethral resection of ureteral orifice, and finally the kidney and the complete ureter with a bladder cuff were taken out through a midline abdomen incision, and to validate its feasibility.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A technique modification experiment was performed at the Department of Urinary Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University between July 2004 and March 2006.PARTICIPANTS: Eight patients (7 males and 1 female) with native renal pelvic or ureteral tumor who received laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff resection were included into this study. Of them, 4 cases had bilateral lesions. Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff resection was conducted 12 times totally.METHODS: Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was first done in the lateral decubitus, followed by transurethral resection of the ureteral orifice with resectoscope in the lithotomy position, and finally, an incision was created in the lower midline abdomen to allow dissection of the distal ureter and bladder cuff and intact specimen extraction. Postoperatively, intravesical chemotherapy was routinely performed to prevent tumor recurrence. The patients were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery, and once a year thereafter.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgery time, blood loss volume, pathological report, tumor recurrence time, tumor-free survival time, and complications.RESULTS: The mean surgery time was 3.8 hours (range: 2.5-7 hours). The mean hemorrhage volume was 240 mL (range: 50-1 200 mL). Two cases needed blood transfusion, 600 and 1 000 mL, respectively. Transitional cell carcinoma grade Ⅲ was found in 3 cases, grade Ⅱ in 4 cases, and grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ in 4 cases. In addition, there was 1 case presenting with tumor breaking through the serous membrane of the ureter and 1 case suffering from poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. The tumor recurred locally in one case 6 months after surgery, and the remaining cases all survived in a tumor-free state.CONCLUSION: After renal transplantation, laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff resection through a lower midline abdomen incision is feasible for treatment of native renal pelvic or ureteral tumor, with low tumor recurrence rate and satisfactory excision effects.

Objective To analyze the characteristics and influencing factors of sleep disorders and nocturnal hypoxemia of patients with different degrees of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). Methods Four hundred and twenty-five patients with snoring were scored by Epworth Sleepiness Scale ( ESS), and monitored by polysomnography (PSG). The possible correlations between sleep structure, hypoxia parameters, ESS and clinical features were analyzed and compared in those patients. Results Four hundred and twenty-five patients were divided into 4 groups according to the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). There were 65 primary snoring patients (15.3%) and 360 OSAHS patients (84. 7% ) including 187 patients (44. 0% ) in severe OSAHS group. ESS was increased as aggravation of OSAHS. There were significant statistical differences in ESS among each group. Compared with primary snoring group, sleep efficiency, NREM1 + 2, oxygen desaturation index ( ODI), time with pulse oxygen saturation below 90% (T(SpO2 <90% ) ) were significantly higher in the OSAHS groups, and NREM3 +4, lowest pulse oxygen saturation level ( LSpO2 ) were lower. ESS was correlated positively with AHI (r= 0. 474,P <0. 01 ). They were both correlated positively with ODI, T (SpO2 <90% ) and NREM1 + 2( ESSr =0. 392, 0. 356,0. 194;AHI r = 0. 714, O. 682, 0. 365, all P < 0. 01 ), and correlated negatively with LSpO2, NREM3 + 4 ( ESS r = - 0. 414, - 0. 196; AHI r = - 0. 740, - 0. 385, both P < 0. 01 ). LSpO2, ODI and T (SpO2 < 90% ) were the primary influencing factors. Common clinical presentations and subjective symptoms were presented including daytime sleepiness, impaired memory, fatigue, dry mouth, oppressive wake and morning headache, etc. Percentage of individuals with daytime sleepiness in the severe OSAHS group was 73. 3% (137/187). These had serious impact on the patients' quality of life, leading to difficulty concentrating, poor memory and cognitive impairment. Conclusions Sleep disorders are found in the patients with different degrees of OSAHS. The excessive daytime sleepiness interrelated partly with the structure of sleep, and totally with hypoxia parameters. The more severity the patients have, the more nocturnal hypoxia, sleep disorders and higher ESS are found.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of the objective sleep disturbances in Parkinson' s disease (PD) and the factors related to it.Methods One hundred and one PD patients and 90 age- and sex- matched controls underwent a video-polysomnography.The sleep parameters and its related factors in two groups were analyzed.Results Sleep latency was not statistically different in comparing two groups.PD patients had a higher percentage of non-rapid eye movement( non-REM ) sleep stage 1 and a lower percentage of non-REM sleep stage 2 compared with controls ( 27.9 ± 1 7.8 vs 21.2 ± 11.7,t =3.034,P =0.003 ;47.8 ± 17.4 vs 54.7 + 12.9,t =- 3.043,P =0.003 ).Reduced sleep efficiency,decreased the proportion of slow wave sleep and REM sleep,increased awake time and longer REM sleep latency occurred in PD patients.There were no significant differences of these above parameters.Some sleep parameters in PD patients were correlated with advancing age,the severity of PD,and the degree of depression.The index of periodic leg movements in sleep (PLMSI) of 41 PD patients (40.6％ ) was more than 15.These PD patients didn' t complain corresponding symptoms about their legs.The PLMSI in PD patients were significantly higher than the controls.PLMSI increased with aging in the PD group( r =0.261,P ＜0.01 ).PD patients didn' t suffer significantly lower apnea- hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index.The lowest SPO2 ( L-SPO2 ) increased in the PD group.REM sleep without atonia occurred in 83 patients (82.2％) with PD.Thirty-eight patients (37.6％) were diagnosed with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD).The incidences of REM without atonia and RBD in the PD group were significantly higher than in the control s(0 and 8 patients (8.9％),x2 =42.271,102.480; both P ＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions The sleep parameters in PD patients are changed.For PD patients,there is no difficulty in falling asleep.The PD patients also have sleep structure disorder and difficulty in maintaining sleep.The sleep parameters are correlated with advancing age,the severity of PD,and the degree of depression in PD.PLMS don' t lead to sleep disturbances in PD patients.The blood oxygen saturation don' t decrease severely when PD patients suffer apnea or hypopnea.RBD occur more frequently in PD patients.

L-homophenylalanine (L-HPA) is an important non-natural amino acid that has been used as a key intermediate for the synthesis of Puli drugs for the treatment of hypertension. At present, L-HPA is synthesized using chemical methods, which has the disadvantages of expensive raw materials, tedious steps and serious pollution. Therefore, researchers have conducted in-depth research on the enzymatic production of L-HPA. This review summarizes the research progress on the enzymatic synthesis of L-HPA, including the dehydrogenase process, the transaminase process, the hydantoinase process, and the decarboxylase process, with the hope to facilitate the industrial production of L-HPA.
Amino Acids ; Environmental Pollution ; Industry ; Protein Biosynthesis