Curculigo orchioides refers to the dried rhizome of a plant from Amaryllidaceae family and exhibits a variety of pharmacological activities such as anti-osteoporosis， anti-inflammatory， anti-oxidation and immune regulation. However， the current quality control of C. orchioides mainly relies on the determination of a single indicator component （curculigoside）， which makes it difficult to reflect its quality fully. At the same time， factors such as processing methods， harvesting times， and place of origins can also lead to variations in the types and contents of chemical constituents in C. orchioides. Based on the theory of quality markers （Q-markers） for traditional Chinese medicine， a predictive analysis of the Q-markers of C. orchioides was conducted from seven perspectives： plant phylogeny and specificity of chemical constituents， traditional medicinal properties， efficacy， place of origin and harvesting period， processing methods， measurability of chemical constituents， and blood-entry constituents. It is preliminarily speculated that curculigoside， sakakin， orcinol gentiobioside， curculigoside B， curlignan， β-sitosterol， actinidioionoside， 2，6-dimethoxybenzoic acid， curculigoside C， glucosyringic acid， orcinol and stigmasterol are Q-markers of C. orchioides， providing a scientific basis for establishing a comprehensive and systematic quality evaluation system for C. orchioides.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a dual-endoscopic technique combining laparoscopy/robot-assisted laparoscopy with disposable flexible ureteroscopy for intraoperative localization and reconstruction in complex ureteral strictures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 21 patients with complex ureteral strictures(stenosis length ≥2 cm,multiple strictures,or iatrogenic stric-tures,or radiation-induced strictures)treated at Peking University People's Hospital between January 2023 and November 2024.All the patients underwent dual-endoscopic procedures using laparoscopy(n=17)or da Vinci robotic-assisted laparoscopy(n=4)combined with disposable flexible ureterosco-py.Preoperative evaluation included contrast-enhanced CT urography and diuretic renography.Intra-operatively,stricture localization was achieved by synchronizing laparoscopic light sources with uretero-scopic visualization.Surgical positions were optimized:non-split-leg oblique supine position for mid-upper strictures and lithotomy position for mid-lower strictures.Reconstruction strategies(lingual mucosa graft,bladder flap augmentation,or primary anastomosis)were selected based on stricture length and tension.Postoperative outcomes were assessed via symptom resolution,hydronephrosis improvement(ultrasono-graphic renal pelvis diameter),and stent-free patency.Results:The cohort included 10 males and 11 females[mean age(44.1±13.3)years].Etiologies included lithogenic strictures(71.4％,15/21),post-gynecologic surgery injury(4.8％),radiation-induced fibrosis(4.8％),and congenital factors(19.0％).Intraoperative findings revealed discrepancies in stricture localization compared with pre-operative imaging in 52.4％(11/21)of cases,necessitating extended resection or modified reconstruc-tion.Mean stricture length was(4.81±4.33)cm.Postoperative complications included transient urina-ry leakage(1 case)and secondary ureteral obstruction due to stone migration(1 case),both resolved without sequelae.At a mean follow-up of(10.76±6.81)months(range 2-21),hydronephrosis sig-nificantly improved in all the patients(100％efficacy),with no recurrence of strictures or symptom re-currence.Conclusion:The dual-endoscopic technique enhances intraoperative precision in complex ure-teral stricture management by integrating real-time luminal visualization with extraluminal anatomical guidance.This approach minimizes excessive resection of healthy ureter,optimizes reconstruction strate-gies,and reduces postoperative recurrence.The modified positioning protocol further improves ergonomic efficiency,making it a reliable and adaptable option for challenging ureteral pathologies.

Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)is a highly aggressive and prognostically unfavorable subtype.Tertiary lymphoid structure(TLS)within the tumor microenvironment,comprising dendritic cells,B cells,T cells,and other immune cells,modulate the tumor immune response.The heterogeneity of TLS in TNBC,such as density,structural maturity,and molecular expression patterns,affects the tumor immune microenvironment and,consequently,treatment responses and clinical outcomes.Studies indicate a positive correlation between the density and maturity of TLS and the pathological complete response(pCR)of TNBC patients,with TLS enhancing the quantity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and improving anti-tumor immune responses,thereby increasing sensitivity to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.Recent research has found that mature TLS are associated with effective immune responses,becoming significant predictors of treatment response.The combination of TLS with immune checkpoint inhibitors has shown promising prospects.Research demonstrates that promoting the formation or enhancing the functionality of TLS can improve anti-tumor immune effects and enhance treatment outcomes for TNBC patients.Targeting TLS may reduce immune evasion and increase the sensitivity to immunotherapy.However,clinical application of TLS still faces challenges,particularly the impact of their heterogeneity on treatment response.Current assessment methods for TLS are not standardized,lacking a uniform standard and diagnostic system,which limits their widespread application.Future research should focus on resolving these issues by developing standardized assessment tools and further exploring the role of TLS in immune escape and resistance mechanisms.This review aimed to summarize and analyze the existing research progress on TLS in TNBC,in order to provide new ideas for the development of personalized immunotherapy strategies.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a dual-endoscopic technique combining laparoscopy/robot-assisted laparoscopy with disposable flexible ureteroscopy for intraoperative localization and reconstruction in complex ureteral strictures.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 21 patients with complex ureteral strictures(stenosis length ≥2 cm,multiple strictures,or iatrogenic stric-tures,or radiation-induced strictures)treated at Peking University People's Hospital between January 2023 and November 2024.All the patients underwent dual-endoscopic procedures using laparoscopy(n=17)or da Vinci robotic-assisted laparoscopy(n=4)combined with disposable flexible ureterosco-py.Preoperative evaluation included contrast-enhanced CT urography and diuretic renography.Intra-operatively,stricture localization was achieved by synchronizing laparoscopic light sources with uretero-scopic visualization.Surgical positions were optimized:non-split-leg oblique supine position for mid-upper strictures and lithotomy position for mid-lower strictures.Reconstruction strategies(lingual mucosa graft,bladder flap augmentation,or primary anastomosis)were selected based on stricture length and tension.Postoperative outcomes were assessed via symptom resolution,hydronephrosis improvement(ultrasono-graphic renal pelvis diameter),and stent-free patency.Results:The cohort included 10 males and 11 females[mean age(44.1±13.3)years].Etiologies included lithogenic strictures(71.4％,15/21),post-gynecologic surgery injury(4.8％),radiation-induced fibrosis(4.8％),and congenital factors(19.0％).Intraoperative findings revealed discrepancies in stricture localization compared with pre-operative imaging in 52.4％(11/21)of cases,necessitating extended resection or modified reconstruc-tion.Mean stricture length was(4.81±4.33)cm.Postoperative complications included transient urina-ry leakage(1 case)and secondary ureteral obstruction due to stone migration(1 case),both resolved without sequelae.At a mean follow-up of(10.76±6.81)months(range 2-21),hydronephrosis sig-nificantly improved in all the patients(100％efficacy),with no recurrence of strictures or symptom re-currence.Conclusion:The dual-endoscopic technique enhances intraoperative precision in complex ure-teral stricture management by integrating real-time luminal visualization with extraluminal anatomical guidance.This approach minimizes excessive resection of healthy ureter,optimizes reconstruction strate-gies,and reduces postoperative recurrence.The modified positioning protocol further improves ergonomic efficiency,making it a reliable and adaptable option for challenging ureteral pathologies.

Triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC)is a highly aggressive and prognostically unfavorable subtype.Tertiary lymphoid structure(TLS)within the tumor microenvironment,comprising dendritic cells,B cells,T cells,and other immune cells,modulate the tumor immune response.The heterogeneity of TLS in TNBC,such as density,structural maturity,and molecular expression patterns,affects the tumor immune microenvironment and,consequently,treatment responses and clinical outcomes.Studies indicate a positive correlation between the density and maturity of TLS and the pathological complete response(pCR)of TNBC patients,with TLS enhancing the quantity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and improving anti-tumor immune responses,thereby increasing sensitivity to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.Recent research has found that mature TLS are associated with effective immune responses,becoming significant predictors of treatment response.The combination of TLS with immune checkpoint inhibitors has shown promising prospects.Research demonstrates that promoting the formation or enhancing the functionality of TLS can improve anti-tumor immune effects and enhance treatment outcomes for TNBC patients.Targeting TLS may reduce immune evasion and increase the sensitivity to immunotherapy.However,clinical application of TLS still faces challenges,particularly the impact of their heterogeneity on treatment response.Current assessment methods for TLS are not standardized,lacking a uniform standard and diagnostic system,which limits their widespread application.Future research should focus on resolving these issues by developing standardized assessment tools and further exploring the role of TLS in immune escape and resistance mechanisms.This review aimed to summarize and analyze the existing research progress on TLS in TNBC,in order to provide new ideas for the development of personalized immunotherapy strategies.

Pien Tze Huang(PZH),a class-1 nationally protected traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),has been used to treat liver diseases such as hepatitis;however,the effect of PZH on the progression of sepsis is un-known.Here,we reported that PZH attenuated lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced sepsis in mice and reduced LPS-induced production of proinflammatory cytokines in macrophages by inhibiting the acti-vation of mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)signalling.Mechanistically,PZH stimulated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)phosphory-lation to induce the expression of A20,which could inhibit the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling.Knockdown of the bile acid(BA)receptor G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1(TGR5)in macrophages abolished the effects of PZH on STAT3 phosphorylation and A20 induction,as well as the LPS-induced inflammatory response,suggesting that BAs in PZH may mediate its anti-inflammatory effects by acti-vating TGR5.Consistently,deprivation of BAs in PZH by cholestyramine resin reduced the effects of PZH on the expression of phosphorylated-STAT3 and A20,the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signalling,and the production of proinflammatory cytokines,whereas the addition of BAs to cholestyramine resin-treated PZH partially restored the inhibitory effects on the production of proinflammatory cytokines.Overall,our study identifies BAs as the effective components in PZH that activate TGR5-STAT3-A20 signalling to ameliorate LPS-induced sepsis.

Objective:To determine the predictive value of preoperative monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio(MLR) for prognosis in elderly patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) after radical nephroureterectomy(RNU).Methods:A retrospective study was performed on 168 elderly patients who underwent RNU in Beijing Hospital between March 2004 to February 2019.Males accounted for 44.6% (75 patients) and females 55.4%(93 patients) of the patients. Median age at the time of surgery was 73(69-78) years, and 110 (65.5%) patients suffered from hydronephrosis. There were 147 cases(87.5%)with single tumor, and 21 cases(12.5%)with multiple tumors, including 75(46.6%) cases in renal pelvis or pelvi-ureteric junction, and 93(53.4%)cases in ureter. Open RNU was performed in 106(63.1%) patients, and laparoscopic method in 62(32.9%) patients. The optimal cutoff value of MLR was set as 0.22 by using the median.χ 2 test, which was used to detect the association between MLR(≤0.22 vs.>0.22) and clinicopathological variables. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared using the log-rank test. Additional subgroup analyses(low grade vs. high grade) were performed according to pathological grade. Univariate and multivariate analysis by Cox’s proportional hazards model was used to determine the significance of MLR in respect to OS and PFS. Results:The follow-up period ranged from 19.2 to 86.9 months (median 51.9 months). Next, the cohort was divided into 2 groups , including 77 patients with low MLR(≤0.22) and 91 patients with high MLR(>0.22). High MLR was significantly more frequent in male patients(31.2% vs.56.0%), as well as those undergoing laparoscopic surgery (54.5% vs.70.3%)(All P<0.05). Based on a Cox univariate proportional hazards analysis, male gender( HR=1.793, 95% CI 1.003-3.205, P=0.049), presence of lymph node metastasis( HR=6.809, 95% CI 2.124-17.454, P=0.001) and high MLR( HR=2.287, 95% CI 1.259-4.154, P=0.007)were associated with poor OS. Male gender( HR=1.758, 95% CI 1.066-2.902, P=0.027), presence of lymph node metastasis( HR=6.524, 95% CI 2.542-16.748, P<0.001), lymphovascular invasion(LVI) ( HR=2.348, 95% CI 1.139-4.838, P=0.021), high MLR( HR=2.801, 95% CI 1.657-4.735, P<0.001)and PLR( HR=1.663, 95% CI 1.003-2.757, P=0.049) were significantly associated with subsequent PFS. By multivariate analysis, tumor site( HR=2.050, 95% CI 1.079-3.892, P=0.028), lymph node metastasis ( HR=6.641, 95% CI 1.852-23.811, P=0.004) and MLR( HR=2.089, 95% CI 1.062-4.113, P=0.033) were the independent risk factors for OS in elderly patients with UTUC. Tumor side( HR=2.024, 95% CI 1.033-3.965, P=0.040), multifocality ( HR=2.992, 95% CI 1.161-7.713, P=0.023), lymph node metastasis ( HR=6.454, 95% CI 2.026-20.564, P=0.002) and MLR( HR=2.866, 95% CI 1.554-5.284, P=0.001) were associated with PFS.The multivariate analysis of the significant risk factors established a postoperative risk stratification model for OS and PFS. The results showed significant differences among the 3 subgroups of patients with low(0 risk factor), intermediate(1 risk factor), or high risk(2-3 risk factors)(All P<0.05). Conclusion:MLR was an independent risk factor for OS and PFS in elderly patients with UTUC and patients with elevated MLR have worsen prognosis.

Objective:To explore the application value of modified technique of ureter implantation in murine renal transplantation.Methods:Thirty left donor kidneys from BALB/c mice was transplanted into syngeneic mice. Cuff technique was applied for anastomosing kidney artery and vein. The procedure of ureter-bladder anastomoses shifted from implication-fixation-embedding to fixation-implication-embedding. Operative duration, recipient survival rate and complications were recorded.Results:Time for separating vessels, perfusion and excision of donor graft was (25±3) min, (10±6) s for warm ischemia and (25±5) min for cold ischemia. Time for separating recipient vessels was (12±5) min, (7±1) min for arterial anastomosis, (7±1) min for venous anastomosis, (13±2) min for ureter-bladder anastomosis, (5±1) min for right kidney excision and (5±1) min for abdominal closure. Operative duration was(77±3)min. Twenty-six recipients survived over 3 months. The successful operative rate was 86.7%.Conclusions:With a shorter learning curve, modified technique of ureter implantation is easier and faster so as to reduce the postoperative incidence of urinary tract complications during murine renal transplantation.

Objective:To report a rare case of renal injury secondary to Strongyloides stercoralis infection, and investigate common pathological subtypes, pathogenesis and differential diagnosis of Strongyloides stercoralis infection-associated renal injury combined with literature. Methods:The pathological features of renal biopsy were analyzed by immunofloruscence, light microscope and electronic microscope. The pathological changes of digestive tract and pathogen morphology were observed through endoscope and digestive tract biopsy. The correlation between clinical-pathological features and pathological changes of kidney and digestive tract was analized.Results:The 26-year-old male patient presented with nephrotic syndrome. The pathological changes of renal biopsy were consistent with minimal change disease with interstitial focal eosinophil infiltration. Laboratory examination showed that the patient had unexplained eosinophilia and increased IgE level. Hence the patient was treated with glucocorticoid. After 2 months of therapy, proteinuria decreased and turned to negative while the patient developed progressive headache, gastrointestinal bleeding and progressive decrease of hemoglobin. Emergency gastroscopy showed extensive congestion and erosion of the stomach and duodenum. Gastric mucosal biopsy showed a large number of slender "s" shape larvae in the mucosa. The patient also had bilateral lung infection, positive Escherichia coli in cerebrospinal fluid and purplish skin rash around the umbilicus. A serious infection of Strongyloides stercoralis was diagnosed. After antibiotics and anthelmintic treatment, gastrointestinal symptoms and headache disappeared, and no parasite was found in endoscopy. No recurrence of nephrotic syndrome was found during 2 years of follow-up. Conclusions:Strongyloides stercoralis infection might first present with nephrotic syndrome with handful hints of digestive tract combined with eosinophilia and increased IgE levels. Therefore, in epidemic areas or patients with suspicious exposure history, it is necessary to exclude Strongyloides stercoralis infection before immunosuppressive therapy to avoid fatal complications.

Objective:To investigate the effect of maximal androgen blockade(MAB)therapy on serum calcium, phosphorus and other metabolic indices in elderly patients with prostate cancer.Methods:Clinicopathological data of prostate cancer patients treated with MAB in our department from January 2010 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients underwent prostate biopsy for definitive diagnosis.Detailed data on patient's age, body mass index(BMI), previous medical history, treatment plan and peripheral blood indicators before and after endocrine treatment, such as blood calcium, phosphorus, hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol, were collected.Results:Patients had a mean age of(75.5±5.8)years and a mean BMI of(24.6±3.2)kg/m 2.Blood calcium levels exhibited a downward trend after MAB treatment compared pre-treatment[(2.12±0.44)mmol/L vs.(2.17±0.31)mmol/L, t=0.82, P=0.42], but had no significant difference.Serum phosphorus concentrations were higher and the calcium-phosphorus ratio was lower after MAB treatment than before treatment[(1.02±0.26)mmol/L vs.(1.17±0.34)mmol/L, 2.10±0.28 vs.1.88±0.60, t=-4.12 and 3.56, P<0.01]. After MAB treatment, blood fasting glucose[(6.50±1.55)mmol/L vs.(5.34±1.04)mmol/L, t=-7.82, P<0.01], triglycerides[(1.66±1.32)mmol/L vs.(1.22±0.59)mmol/L, t=-3.38, P<0.01]and cholesterol[(4.70±1.08)mmol/L vs.(4.16±0.90)mmol/L, t=-4.72, P<0.01]were elevated, while hemoglobin concentrations[(122.11±20.43)g/L vs.(130.78±23.98)g/L, t=3.98, P<0.01]were decreased compared with pre-treatment levels. Conclusions:MAB therapy can cause varying degrees of metabolic abnormalities in calcium and phosphorus metabolism, hemoglobin concentrations, blood glucose and lipid levels in elderly prostate cancer patients.The above indicators should be closely monitored during treatment, and treatment-related complications should be proactively prevented.