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Objective: In this study, we aim to investigate the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted kidney transplantation (RAKT) in children by reporting our initial experience. Methods: Using the Da Vinci robotic system, we performed a successful RAKT on a 12-year-old child who had been on hemodialysis for 27 months. Results: The total operative time for the RAKT procedure was 245 min. The vascular anastomosis took 41 min, while the ureterovesical anastomosis lasted 18 min. The estimated blood loss during the surgery was 100.0 ml. Following the removal of the arterial and venous clamp, the kidney was well perfused, and no perioperative complications were observed. Conclusion: This study presents the first pediatric RAKT in China, proving the safety and feasibility of the robotassisted technique for children awaiting kidney transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) in the Yangtze River raises great concern in ecotoxicological research since large amounts of pollutants enter the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) water bodies after TGD impoundment. In this work, effect-directed analysis (EDA), combining effect assessment, fractionation procedure, and target and nontarget analyses, was used to characterize aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists in sediments of the TGR. Priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing four to five aromatic rings were found to contribute significantly to the overall observed effects in the area of Chongqing. The relatively high potency fractions in the Kaixian area were characterized by PAHs and methylated derivatives thereof and heterocyclic polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) such as dinaphthofurans. Benzothiazole and derivatives were identified as possible AhR agonists in the Kaixian area based on nontarget liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). To our knowledge, this study is the first one applying the EDA approach and identifying potential AhR agonists in TGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid hormone is essential for the development of humans. However, some synthetic chemicals with thyroid disrupting potentials are detectable in drinking water. This study investigated the presence of thyroid active chemicals and their toxicity potential in drinking water from five cities in eastern China by use of an in vitro CV-1 cell-based reporter gene assay. Waters were examined from several phases of drinking water processing, including source water, finished water from waterworks, tap water, and boiled tap water. To identify the responsible compounds, concentrations and toxic equivalents of a list of phthalate esters were quantitatively determined. None of the extracts exhibited thyroid receptor (TR) agonist activity. Most of the water samples exhibited TR antagonistic activities. None of the boiled water displayed the TR antagonistic activity. Dibutyl phthalate accounted for 84.0-98.1% of the antagonist equivalents in water sources, while diisobutyl phthalate, di-n-octyl phthalate and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate also contributed. Approximately 90% of phthalate esters and TR antagonistic activities were removable by waterworks treatment processes, including filtration, coagulation, aerobic biodegradation, chlorination, and ozonation. Boiling water effectively removed phthalate esters from tap water. Thus, this process was recommended to local residents to reduce certain potential thyroid related risks through drinking water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mutations of the glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene have reportedly been associated with Parkinson disease (PD) in various ethnic populations such as Singaporean, Japanese, Formosan, Canadian, American, Portuguese, Greek, Brazilian, British, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, southern and southwestern Chinese. The purpose of this study is to determine in central China whether or not the reported GBA mutations remain associated with PD. Methods: In this project, we conducted a controlled study in a cohort of 208 central Chinese PD patients and 298 controls for three known GBA mutations (L444P, N370S and R120W). Results: Our data reveals a significantly higher frequency of L444P mutation in GBA gene of PD cases (3.4%) compared with the controls (0.3%) (P = 0.007, OR = 10.34, 95% CI = 1.26 - 84.71). Specifically, the frequency of L444P mutation was higher in the late onset PD (LOPD) cases compared with that in control subjects. The N370S and R120W mutations were detected in neither the PD group nor the control subjects. Conclusions: Our observations demonstrated that the GBA L444P mutation confers genetic risk for PD, especially LOPD, among the population in the central China area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geologic and geomorphologic evidence from the Shaluli Mountain indicates that the planation surface that formed in the Late Tertiary disintegrated during the Late Pliocene-Early Quaternary. At the same time, rift basins appeared on some parts of the planation surface, and began to accumulate fluvial-lacustrine sediment. These are interpreted as being the response of this region to Phase-A of the Qingzang Tectonic Movement. After this, the Shaluli Mountain continued to rise in several pulses. Faulting and incision by some large tributaries of the Jinsha and Yalong Rivers resulted in several rift river valleys and the earliest terraces. Generally, the planation surface in this region had been uplifted to about 3500–3700 m a.s.l. no later than 550–600 ka BP, after the Kunlun­Huanghe Tectonic Movement, and coupled with global glacial climate, and resulted in the earliest glaciation recognized so far in the Hengduan Mountains. At the same time, loess was deposited in the Ganzi area of the northern Shaluli Mountain. During the last glacial period, the Shaluli Mountain approached its present altitude and developed several large ice caps, such as the Daocheng Ice Cap and Xinlong Ice Cap, as well as several huge valley glaciers. These paleoglaciers produced some of the most spectacular glacial topography on the Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]