Objective To investigate the causes of success or failure of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery(NOTES)in animals.Methods Data were collected from animal studies of NOTES carried out between August 2007 and September 2009.The studies were divided into acute phase and survival phase.In the studies,simple NOTES and laparoscopic-assisted NOTES were performed on female miniswines or adult mongrel dogs.Diagnostic abdominal exploration,liver biopsy,cholecystectomy,tubal ligation,oophorectomy,gastrojejunal anastomosis,and splenectomy were made in the animals.The intra-and post-operative complications and technical difficulties were recorded during the procedures.Results Totally 37 miniswines and 16 mongrel dogs were enrolled in the studies of NOTES procedures(91 procedures),including 22 acute experiments and 31 survival experiments.Simple NOTES was conducted through the transgastric route in 25 cases,transcolonic route in 8 cases,and combinations of transgastric and transcolonic routes in 16 cases,and combinations of transgastric and transvaginal routes in 6.In Laparoscopic-assisted cases,36 animals were treated via the transgastric route by traditional(26 cases)or single-port transumbilical laparoscopy(10 cases).Diagnostic exploration was carried out in 33 cases,liver biopsy was done in 11 cases,tubal ligation was made in 11,and oophorectomy was performed on 6;the procedures were all completed in these cases showing a success rate of 100%.Cholecystectomy was completed in 27 cases with a success rate of 44.4%(12/27).One case of splenectomy,and two cases of gastrojejunal anastomosis failed.The totally complication rate in the studies were 39.6%(21/53).The complications included perforation(8 cases),organ injury(5 cases),bleeding(4 cases),infection(3 cases)and pneumoperitoneum with hypertonia(1 case).Conclusions NOTES is feasible,safe and effective in diagnostic abdominal exploration and simple abdominal surgeries,but does not suit difficult abdominal surgeries.By using laparoscopy,the technique may be further developed and used in the future.

Thioesterase catalyzes the hydrolysis of acyl-ACP and saturated fatty acyl chain. It plays a key role in the accumulation of medium chain fatty acids in vivo. In this study, to construct an engineering strain to produce MCFAs, the Arabidopsis acyl-ACP thioesterase gene AtFatA was amplified by PCR from cDNA of arabidopsis and double digested by EcoR I/Xba I, then linked to the plasmid digested with same enzymes to get the recombinant plasmid pPICZaA-AtFatA. We transformed the gene into Pichia pastoris GS115 by electroporation and screened positive colonies by YPD medium with Zeocin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) results showed that the recombinant enzyme had a molecular of 45 kDa band which was consistent with the predicted molecular mass and we constructed the expression system of gene AtFatA in fungus for the first time. Under shake-flask conditions, Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer-computer results indicated that recombinant strain produced 51% more extracellular free MCFAs than the wild and its yield reached 28.7% of all extracellular fatty acids. This figure is 10% higher than the control group. The result provides a new way to produce MCFAs.
Arabidopsis ; genetics ; Arabidopsis Proteins ; biosynthesis ; DNA, Complementary ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Electroporation ; Pichia ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recombinant Proteins ; biosynthesis ; Thiolester Hydrolases ; biosynthesis ; Transformation, Genetic

Objective To investigate the feasibility and safety of trans-gastric route combined with trans-colonic or trans-vaginal route endoscopic salpingectomy and liver biopsy, as methods of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). Methods Endoscopic salpingectomy and liver biopsy were per-formed in 4 female porcine models, in 2 of which the procedure was achieved via trans-gastric and trans-co-Ionic route (Group A), while in other 2 was via trans-gastric and trans-vaginal route (Group B). The ani-mals were sacrificed after the procedure and the related complications were observed. Results Abdominal cavity exploration, salpingectomy and liver biopsy could be performed successfully through two combined routes. Perforation of adjacent colon was found in 1 animal with the trans-colonic route NOTES. Conclusion NOTES via trans-gastric and trans-colonic routes or via trans-gastric and trans-vaginal for salpingectomy and liver biopsy are both feasible, while trans-vaginal route seems to be safer than trans-colunic route.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided iodine-125 seed implantation to treat dysphagia in patients with advanced esophageal cancer.Methods:Data of 4 patients with dysphagia of advanced esophageal cancer who received EUS-guided iodine-125 seed implantation in Chinese PLA General Hospital between December 2017 and November 2018 were collected in the retrospective study. The evaluation contents included technical success rate of seed implantation, complication, dysphagia grade, tumor size and other follow-up results.Results:Four patients successfully completed EUS-guided iodine-125 seed implantation. No haemorrhage, chest pain, fever, cough or other postoperative complications were reported. Three months after treatment, dysphagia grade reduced from Ⅱ-Ⅳ to 0-Ⅰ, and the tumor size in all patients showed a decrease. After 12-23 months of follow-up, 3 patients were alive, and 1 died due to advance of the cancer.Conclusion:EUS-guided iodine-125 seed implantation is a safe and effective palliative treatment method for dysphagia in patients with advanced esophageal cancer.

Objective To evaluate the feasibility and safety of the robot - assisted system YunSRobot for remote manipulation endoscopy. Methods When the master of YunSRobot was installed in the gastroenterology office in Chinese PLA General Hospital, the robot slave and upper gastrointestinal simulation model (Takahashi Lm103,Japan) were installed at the same time in the State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation. Three physicians were trained to operate the master robotics and performed gastroscopy on the simulation model based on network cloud. Each physician performed 3 procedures of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) by YunSRobot using traditional manual endoscopy, on-site operating mode, and remote manipulation mode, respectively. The operating time, lumenal anatomic exposure,man-machine interaction and other parameters were recorded. Results The number of standard pictures obtained by traditional manual endoscopy group, on-site operating group and remote manipulation group were 39.9±0.3, 39.8±0.4, 39.9±0.3, respectively. The images of all five lesions could be obtained by each operation. The operating time in the duodenum of remote group was longer than that of on-site group, with average time (78.2±16.0)s vs. (68.9±15.8)s (P=0.021) respectively. As to the operating time on other parts or total time, all three groups were comparable. Although there was a mean delay of (572.1±48.5) ms in remote operation group, the operation was still smooth. However, compared with on-site group, the percentage of clear view time in the duodenum was significantly shortened in remote group: [(77.8±8.2)% vs. (83.9 ± 6.4)% , P=0.024]. Statistically significant difference was detected in percentage of clear view time neither in other sites, nor was in the total operating time between two groups. The operating time in each part of remote group was obviously longer than that of manual group as followings, pharyngeal (27.3±4.2) s vs. (9.2±1.3)s (P<0.001), esophageal (29.7±6.4)s vs. (19.3±1.6)s (P=0.004), stomach (56.7±17.0)s vs. (40.3±7.0)s (P=0.003), pylorus (20.2±5.5)s vs. (9.3±1.3)s (P<0.001), duodenum (78.2±16.0)s vs. (29.3±5.6)s (P<0.001). Thus the total operating time was also longer in remote group as (559.0±87.2)s vs. (253.1±16.6)s (P<0.001). The respective time in pharynx, esophagus, stomach, pylorus, duodenum, or the overall time was all longer in remote group than that in manual group. Conclusions The soft endoscopy robot YunSRobot has satisfactory safety and stability. Remote upper gastrointestinal endoscopy can be completed based on common network and an endoscope simulation model with smooth operation. The inspection time by YunSRobot robot per part and the overall time are longer than those of manual operation on site, still, remote operating time meets the standard of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical effect of autologous nanofat combined with pearl fat transplantation in comprehensive improvement of lacrimal groove depression.Methods:Seventy-eight patients (age ranges from 28 to 56 years, with average 38 years) who desired for lacrimal groove improvement were involved in this study from Jan. 2019 to Jun. 2020 in the Department of Plastic Surgery in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Primary fat tissue was obtained and purified by liposuction. Nanofat and pearl fat were prepared and injected into lacrimal groove area in different layers and multiple points evenly to ameliorate depression. Visual analogue scoring (VAS) was used for evaluating injection pain. Dark eye circles, faint lines on lower eyelid, color spots and lacrimal groove depression between pre-operation pictures and post-operation pictures of 1 year follow-up were evaluated by patients＇ satisfaction scores.Results:All 78 patients revealed mild swelling and disappeared in 3 to 4 days. Injection areas were stable in 3 months. All patients appeared no complications such as infection, hematoma, fat liquefaction, local induration and so on. Among 78 patients, 2 patients showed ecchymosis after surgery which disappeared in 10 days, and 1 patient showed uneven appearance which disappeared after timely treatment. After 1 year of follow-up, the average satisfaction score of improvement was 8.9±0.5, which showed satisfied post-operative effect.Conclusions:Autologous nanofat combined with pearl fat transplantation has high feasibility, short operation time, which could achieve good effect of facial rejuvenation with high patients＇ satisfaction. In this case, this technique is worthy of clinical promotion.

Cancer cachexia is a multi-organ syndrome and closely related to changes in signal communication between organs, which is mediated by cancer cachexia factors. Cancer cachexia factors, being the general name of inflammatory factors, circulating proteins, metabolites, and microRNA secreted by tumor or host cells, play a role in secretory or other organs and mediate complex signal communication between organs during cancer cachexia. Cancer cachexia factors are also a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment. The pathogenesis of cachexia is unclear and no clear effective treatment is available. Thus, the treatment of cancer cachexia from the perspective of the tumor ecosystem rather than from the perspective of a single molecule and a single organ is urgently needed. From the point of signal communication between organs mediated by cancer cachexia factors, finding a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer cachexia is of great significance to improve the level of diagnosis and treatment. This review begins with cancer cachexia factors released during the interaction between tumor and host cells, and provides a comprehensive summary of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment for cancer cachexia, along with a particular sight on multi-organ signal communication mediated by cancer cachexia factors. This summary aims to deepen medical community's understanding of cancer cachexia and may conduce to the discovery of new diagnostic and therapeutic targets for cancer cachexia.
Humans ; Cachexia/pathology* ; Ecosystem ; Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Syndrome ; Muscle, Skeletal/pathology*

Objective:To investigate the clinical effect of facial depression correction by using free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap and human acellular dermal matrix.Methods:Nineteen facial depression patients (3 males and 16 females), age ranges from 16 to 56 years (average age: 29.1±10.37 years), caused by different reasons were selected in this research from Jan. 2008 to Dec. 2020. In the stage I operation, anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap was designed according to facial depression area and harvested to fill in the depression with vascular anastomosis; In the stage II operation, the human acellular dermal matrix was used to fill in the remained depression edge according to facial subunit.Results:All free anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap survived well. All patients revealed fascial subunit tissue atrophy of different degree in infraorbital, nasolabial sulcus and temporal areas which were repaired by using cellular dermal matrix and obtained satisfying effect during 1 to 8 years of follow-up with no obvious rejection. 18 of 19 patients showed flap hypertrophy and corrected by liposuction. All patients recovered well after 1 to 8 years of follow-up.Conclusions:Humana cellular dermal matrix could make up the limitations of treating fascial depression deformity when using anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap. The combination method of above approaches could obtain satisfying clinical effect, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Trehalase is widely used in industrial fermentation, food, medicine and other fields. There is a lack of industrial varieties of trehalase with excellent performance in China. Moreover, the applied research on trehalase was not well conducted. In this study, a strain of Pectobacterium cypripedii was screened from nature, and the gene PCTre encoding an acidic trehalase was cloned and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). The highest enzyme activity reached 4130 U/mL after fermenting in a 5 L fermenter for 28 h. The enzymatic properties study showed that PCTre hydrolyzed trehalose specifically. The optimum pH and temperature were 5.5 and 35 ℃, respectively. 80% of the enzyme activity was retained after being treated at pH 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 for 8 h, showing good acid tolerance. Moreover, it has good tolerance to organic solvents, 60% enzyme activity was retained after being treated with 20% (V/V) ethanol solution for 24 h. Furthermore, trehalose could be completely hydrolyzed within 16 h in a simulated fermentation system containing 20% (V/V) ethanol and 7.5% trehalose, with 500 U/L PCTre added. This indicated a good application potential for industrial ethanol fermentation.
Trehalase/metabolism* ; Trehalose/metabolism* ; Escherichia coli/metabolism* ; Ethanol/metabolism* ; Cloning, Molecular

Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) is the most common disabling complication of diabetes. Emerging evidence has linked the pathogenesis of DNP to the aberrant sprouting of sensory axons into the epidermal area; however, the underlying molecular events remain poorly understood. Here we found that an axon guidance molecule, Netrin-3 (Ntn-3), was expressed in the sensory neurons of mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), and downregulation of Ntn-3 expression was highly correlated with the severity of DNP in a diabetic mouse model. Genetic ablation of Ntn-3 increased the intra-epidermal sprouting of sensory axons and worsened the DNP in diabetic mice. In contrast, the elevation of Ntn-3 levels in DRGs significantly inhibited the intra-epidermal axon sprouting and alleviated DNP in diabetic mice. In conclusion, our studies identified Ntn-3 as an important regulator of DNP pathogenesis by gating the aberrant sprouting of sensory axons, indicating that Ntn-3 is a potential druggable target for DNP treatment.
Mice ; Animals ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism* ; Axons/physiology* ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Sensory Receptor Cells/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism*