Ureteral stricture in renal allografts is one of the common postoperative complications in kidney transplant recipients. Due to short ureter in renal allografts, endovascular treatment should be adopted before reconstruction surgery to avoid irreversible injury. Alleviating renal allograft injury, easing obstruction or establishing drainage channel are the key measures to treat ureteral stricture. In endovascular treatment, balloon dilatation and internal incision yield high recurrence rate, and long-term indwelling of self-expanding metallic ureteral stents may be a better option. Compared with traditional stents, metallic stents may maintain urinary tract patency for a long time and mitigate the irritation of lower urinary tract symptoms,with different indications and efficacy. Although all metallic stents may be displaced and occluded, it still plays a positive role in the treatment of ureteral stricture in renal allografts. In this article, the application of self-expanding metallic ureteral stent in ureteral stricture of renal allografts was mainly illustrated, aiming to provide reference for optimizing the treatment of ureteral stricture in renal allografts.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter-related infections are important risk factors for catheter loss and peritonitis. 2023 International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis (ISPD) catheter-related infection recommendations have revised and clarified definitions and classifications of exit site infection and tunnel infection, such as cause-specific catheter-related infection, culture-negative catheter-related infection, refractory catheter-related infection, and infection- related catheter removal. A new target for the exit site infection rate should not exceed 0.40 episodes per year at risk. The recommendation about topical antibiotic cream or ointment to catheter exit site has been downgraded. New recommendations for exit site infection include clarified suggestion of exit site dressing cover and revised topical antibacterial agents as well as antibiotics treatment duration. In addition to catheter removal and reinsertion, new salvage options for catheter are suggested. The paper outlines the updated main content of the guide.

Animals ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Antibodies, Neutralizing ; Macaca mulatta ; COVID-19/prevention & control* ; Antibodies, Viral ; Vaccines

2-Hydroxybutyric acid (2-HBA) is an important intermediate for synthesizing biodegradable materials and various medicines. Chemically synthesized racemized 2-HBA requires deracemization to obtain optically pure enantiomers for industrial application. In this study, we designed a cascade biosynthesis system in Escherichia coli BL21 by coexpressing L-threonine deaminase (TD), NAD-dependent L-lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and formate dehydrogenase (FDH) for production of optically pure (S)-2-HBA from bulk chemical L-threonine (L-Thr). To coordinate the production rate and the consumption rate of the intermediate 2-oxobutyric acid in the multi-enzyme cascade catalytic reactions, we explored promoter engineering to regulate the expression levels of TD and FDH, and developed a recombinant strain P21285FDH-T7V7827 with a tunable system to achieve a coordinated multi-enzyme expression. The recombinant strain P21285FDH-T7V7827 was able to efficiently produce (S)-2-HBA with the highest titer of 143 g/L and a molar yield of 97% achieved within 16 hours. This titer was approximately 1.83 times than that of the highest yield reported to date, showing great potential for industrial application. Our results indicated that constructing a multi-enzyme-coordinated expression system in a single cell significantly contributed to the biosynthesis of hydroxyl acids.
Escherichia coli/genetics* ; Formate Dehydrogenases ; Hydroxybutyrates ; Threonine Dehydratase

Objective: To investigate clinical characteristics and treatment of phytophotodermatitis due to ingesting Chenopodium album. Methods: This study included 11 patients with phytophotodermatitis caused by ingesting Chenopodium album collected from Department of Dermatology, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University from 2013 to 2017. The patients′ general information, clinical manifestations, laboratory test results, treatment and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. Results: All the 11 patients were female, and their age ranged from 45 to 62 years. They all had a history of ingesting Chenopodium album and exposing to sunlight within 1 - 2 days prior to the disease onset. Clinical manifestations included symmetrically distributed, painful and pruritic, nonpitting, swelling erythema on the face and back of both hands and at sunexposed sites of forearms, with a tense and bright surface. Increased white blood cell counts were observed in 6 patients, and increased eosinophil counts in 1. All of the 11 patients were treated with systemic methylprednisolone, loratadine, ebastine, spironolactone, furosemide and omeprazole as well as topical agents, 2 also received human immunoglobulin treatment, and 3 were also treated with oral ibuprofen and codeine for painful lesions. Ten patients received obvious improvement and were discharged after 7 - 10 days of treatment, and no pigmentation or scars were observed after 1-year follow-up. Skin necrosis occurred on the back of both hands in 1 patient after 7-day treatment, and scars remained in the patient after follow-up of half a year. Conclusions Chenopodium album-induced phytophotodermatitis commonly manifests as swelling erythema on the exposed body sites. After confirmed diagnosis, Chenopodium album ingestation and sunlight exposure should be avoided, and timely antianaphylactic treatment should be considered to effectively control the disease.

To explore whether transumbilical endoscopic surgery (TUES) can effectively and safely elucidate the causes of ascites of unknown origin.
 Methods: A total of 23 consecutive patients with ascites of unknown origin who undertook TUES procedures in the Department of Gastroenterology of The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between January 2014 and January 2016 were retrospectively investigated. Clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations and findings from radiological examinations and endoscopic investigations were noted before the procedure. Conditions of the abdominal cavity under endoscope, final diagnosis and outcome of patients were carefully recorded.
 Results: TUES procedure was successfully performed in all 23 patients with an operation time of (58.2±13.9) min. Twenty-two patients were undertaken biopsy on the nodules or masses that found in the abdominal cavity. Definite diagnoses were established in the overwhelming majority of patients (22/23). The most common causes of ascites for the 23 cases was tuberculosis (8 cases), followed by peritoneal carcinomatosis (6 cases), and pseudomyxoma peritonei (5 cases). Operation-related complications, such as postoperative bleeding, perforation, peritonitis, intraabdominal chronic abscesses, were not observed, except one case showed a transient moderate fever in 24 hours after operation. No mortality related to TUES occurred. We concluded that TUES was a feasible, economic and minimally invasive approach to access the peritoneal cavity.
 Conclusion: TUES combinated with biopsy can effectively elucidate the causes of ascites of unknown origin.
Ascites ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Operative Time ; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To observe the effectiveness and safety of Kang′ai injection combined with docetaxel or gemcitabine chemotherapy in treatment of elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Methods A multi-center,randomized and parallel control study was carried out in 150 elderly patients with ad-vanced NSCLC treated in 3 hospitals during the period from June 2013 to August 2014.The patients were randomly divided into platinum-based group(platinum-based doublet chemotherapy)and Kang′ai group(Kang′ai injection combined with single agent chemotherapy). The clinical efficacy,quality of life and adverse reactions were ob-served and compared between the two groups. Results There was no significant difference in the disease control rate between the two groups group(79.66% vs 81.82%)(χ2=0.101,P=0.751)while the effective rate of Kang′ai group was significantly higher than that of platinum-based group(30.51% vs 14.29%)(χ2=5.240,P=0.022). The effective rate of clinical symptom relief in Kang′ai group after treatment was significantly higher than that in platinum-based group(69.49% vs 48.05%)(χ2=6.278,P=0.012),and the increase rate of PS score in Kang′ai group after the treatment was also significantly higher than that in platinum-based group(18.64% vs 3.90%)(χ2=7.868,P=0.005).There was no significant difference in quality of life between two groups(P>0.05).The quali-ty of life score of Kang′ai group was significantly higher than that of platinum-based group at the second course of treatment(P<0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions in Kang′ai group was significantly lower than that in the platinum-based group(47.46% vs 71.42%)(χ2= 8.070,P < 0.05). Conclusion Kang′ai injection combined with single agent chemotherapy can effectively relieve clinical symptoms and reduce the tumor size in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC,with high safety.

Objective To investigate the role of TLR4/NF-κB signal pathway in pathogenesis of brain inju-ry during deep hypothermia circulatory arrest(DHCA). Methods BV2 microglia cells were subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R),in vitro model for DHCA. The BV2 were randomly divided into the control group(C group)and the experimental group(O group). BV2 viability was determined by CCK-8 assay. TLR4 and its downstream signaling molecules ,MyD88 and phosphorylated NF-κB (p-p65) expressions were detected by Western blotting. TLR4 mRNA expression in BV2 microglial cells were determined by RT-PCR. Level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in culture medium was detected by ELASA. Results Compared with the group C,BV2 microglia cell viability in experiment group was obviously weaker(P<0.05). Expressions of TLR4,MyD88 and phosphorylated NF-κB(p-p65)from the experiment group increased remarkedly than those from the group C (P < 0.05). TLR4 mRNA level was higher significantly in the group O than in the group C (P < 0.01). Production of IL-6 and TNF-α in the group O were up-regulated apparently compared to the group C(P<0.01). Conclusion TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway contributed to activation of BV2 microglia cells treated by OGD/Reoxygenation ,which was probably the exactly way that involved in pathogenesis of brain injury during deep hypothermia circulatory arrest.

As a member of T-box family,Tbx3 (T-box3) is widely expressed in multiple organs and involves in the development of breast,limb,heart,eye,lung and pancreas during embryonic development stage.Moreover,Tbx3 plays an important role in maintaining the embryonic stem cells.Recent studies show that Tbx3 can work as a transcription factor to participate in the initiation and progression of tumor by epithelialmesenchymal transition,induction tumor stemness and methylation.A better understanding of Tbx3 will provide new insights into genetic diagnosis and targeted treatment of tumor.

Objective To investigate a reliable and easy assessment method for swallowing function by evaluating objectively the recovery process of swallowing function in patients six months after supracricoid partial laryngectomy.Methods The swallowing function of patients who underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy was evaluated six months after operation in Nanfang Hospital of Southern Medical University between January 2013 and February 2014 with two methods,the modified barium swallow (MBS) and fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES),combined with modified penetration aspiration scale (MPAS).Furthermore,the feasibility,reliability and accuracy of these two methods were compared.Results Eleven patients were enrolled.MPAS equals score 1 for solid food,semiliquid food,and liquid food was defined as a criteria of normal swallowing function.By MBS evaluation,the numbers of patients with normal swallowing function were two cases at day 16-30 postoperation,two cases at day 31-45 postoperation,five cases at day 46-90 postoperation,and six cases at day 91-180 postoperation,respectively.By FEES evaluation,the above numbers were three cases,four cases,six cases and eight cases,respectively.When the aspiration was minimal and ejected completely and MPAS was less than or equal to score 4 for solid food,semiliquid food,and liquid food,the gastric tube could be removed.According to this standard,the gastric tube was removed in all cases,and the mean time was (21.7 ± 9.8) days.A good correlation was obtained between these two methods when evaluating solid and semiliquid food,and the Kappa values were 0.802 and 0.844,respectively.However,a little agreement was obtained between these two methods when evaluating liquid food,and the Kappa value was 0.529.Conclusions Patients who underwent supracricoid partial laryngectomy could restore good swallowing function in six months after the operation.Both the MBS and FEES are valuable procedures for evaluating objectively the swallowing function in patients after supracricoid partial laryngectomy.The FEES is much better than MBS,because FEES is a simple operation performed alone by otolaryngologists with no radiation.