Chromosomal evolution of Escherichia coli for the efficient production of lycopene.

BACKGROUND: Plasmid-based overexpression of genes has been the principal strategy for metabolic engineering. However, for biotechnological applications, plasmid-based expression systems are not suitable because of genetic instability, and the requirement for constant selective pressure to ensure plasmid maintenance. RESULTS: To overcome these drawbacks, we constructed an Escherichia coli lycopene production strain that does not carry a plasmid or an antibiotic marker. This was achieved using triclosan-induced chromosomal evolution, a high gene copy expression system. The engineered strain demonstrated high genetic stability in the absence of the selective agent during fermentation. The replacement of native appY promoter with a T5 promoter, and the deletion of the iclR gene in E. coli CBW 12241 further improved lycopene production. The resulting strain, E. coli CBW 12241(ΔiclR, PT5-appY), produced lycopene at 33.43 mg per gram of dry cell weight. CONCLUSIONS: A lycopene hyper-producer E. coli strain that does not carry a plasmid or antibiotic marker was constructed using triclosan-induced chromosomal evolution. The methods detailed in this study can be used to engineer E. coli to produce other metabolites.

Two new dammarane monodesmosides from Centella asiatica.

Two new dammarane monodesmosides centellosides A (1) and B (2), and two new natural products ginsenosides Mc (10) and Y (11), together with 11 known compounds (3-9 and 12-15) reported for the first time from this genus, were isolated from the whole plants of Centella asiatica. All structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques and chemical methods, and compared with literature values. All the isolated compounds were evaluated in vitro for cytotoxicity.

Pre-cesarean prophylactic balloon placement in the internal iliac artery to prevent postpartum hemorrhage among women with pernicious placenta previa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pre-cesarean prophylactic balloon placement (PBP) in the internal iliac artery among women with pernicious placenta previa. METHODS: The present retrospective study included women with pernicious placenta previa who underwent cesarean delivery at Shanghai Renji Hospital, Shanghai, China, between March 1, 2011, and June 30, 2017. Data were compared between patients who did and did not undergo PBP. RESULTS: Among 42 patients included, 20 underwent PBP and 22 did not. Mean ± SD estimated blood loss was 2900.00 ± 2352.21 mL in the PBP group, and 4549.77 ± 2366.67 mL in the non-PBP group (P=0.025). The amount of transfused red blood cells was 8.40 ± 7.14 U and 13.00 ± 7.93 U (P=0.018), respectively. No patients in the PBP group developed postoperative disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, compared with 3 (14%) in the non-PBP group (P=0.087). In the PBP and non-PBP groups, the hospital stay duration was 7.40 ± 3.07 and 8.68 ± 2.58 days (P=0.029), and there were 1 and 7 patients who had obstetric hysterectomies (P=0.027), respectively. Two patients experienced PBP-related adverse events, including thrombosis and re-bleeding. There were no deaths. CONCLUSION: Pre-cesarean PBP in the internal iliac artery was a safe and effective treatment that could reduce the incidence of both postpartum hemorrhage and hysterectomy among women with pernicious placenta previa.

Vascular complications following prophylactic balloon occlusion of the internal iliac arteries resolved by successful interventional thrombolysis in a patient with morbidly adherent placenta.

The increasing incidence of morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) is placing women at a higher risk of life-threatening massive hemorrhage. The involvement of interventional radiology to manage this complex condition by performing prophylactic iliac artery balloon occlusion has been reported recently. However, the effectiveness and safety of this technique have not been fully determined. Here we report the case of a 25-year-old woman with placenta increta with preemptive bilateral internal iliac artery balloons who had external iliac artery thrombosis detected by computed tomography angiography (CTA) 72 h post cesarean section. A digital subtraction angiogram (DSA) and intra-arterial thrombolysis were instantly performed followed by supplementary conservative treatments, leading to a desirable resolution of thrombus without sequela. This is the first report of vascular complications with successful interventional thrombolysis in this setting. Our experience suggests that prophylactic iliac artery balloon occlusion should be used cautiously in cases of MAP and consideration given to minimizing vascular complications given the hypercoagulable state of pregnancy.

[Effect of extract of ginkgo bilboa leaf on early diabetic nephropathy].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of extract of Ginkgo bilboa leaf (EGB) on renal lesions of early diabetic nephropathy (DN). METHODS: Sixty-eight patients with early DN were randomly divided into two groups, the control group (34 patients) and the treated group (34 patients). Patients in both groups received conventional therapy, while additional 9.6 mg EGB was orally taken by patients in the treated group, three times per day. The therapeutic course for both groups was three months. Indexes such as urinary microalbumin (mALB), alpha1-microglobulin (alpha1-MG), immunoglobulin (IgG), transferrin (TF), retinal binding protein (RBP) and N-acety-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) before and after treatment between the two groups were compared respectively. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, mALB, alpha1-MG, IgG, TF, RBP and NAG obviously decreased with significant difference in the treated group after treatment (P < 0.05). However, no significant decrease in the above-mentioned indexes in the control group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: EGB has the protective action on early DN.

Qualitative Analysis of Diagnostic Value of 24-h Proteinuria for Preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is a serious idiopathic disease posing a threat to both mothers and fetuses' lives during pregnancy, whose main diagnostic criteria include hypertension with proteinuria. However, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) updated the diagnostic criteria for PE and reduced the diagnostic value of proteinuria for patients with PE. Qualitative analysis of the diagnostic value of 24-h proteinuria for patients with PE in China was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic criteria value in the latest ACOG guideline. METHODS: Complete clinical data of 65 patients with hypertensive disorder in pregnancy (HDP) were collected. All patients were delivered to and hospitalized in Renji Hospital. Adverse outcome was defined in case of the emergence of any serious complication for a mother or the fetus. A retrospective study was conducted according to ACOG guideline, to analyze the relationship between each diagnostic criteria of ACOG guideline and maternal and perinatal outcomes. Spearman correlation test was used to detect the association between each diagnostic criterion, its corresponding value, and the adverse pregnancy outcome. Logistic regression was performed to verify the result of Spearman correlation test. RESULTS: Of 65 HDP patients, the percentage of adverse pregnancy outcome was 63.1%. Adverse pregnancy outcomes constitute diversification. There were 55 cases with 24-h proteinuria value ≥0.3 g, of which the adverse outcome rate was 74.5%. While adverse pregnancy outcomes did not appear in the rest 10 HDP patients with proteinuria <0.3 g/24 h. The statistic difference was significant (P = 0.000). However, no significant difference was found in other criteria groups (impaired liver function: P = 0.417; renal insufficiency: P = 0.194; thrombocytopenia: P = 0.079; and cerebral or visual symptoms: P = 0.296). The correlation coefficient between 24-h proteinuria ≥0.3 g and adverse pregnancy outcomes was 0.557 (P < 0.005). Impaired liver function (P = 0.180), renal insufficiency (P = 0.077) and cerebral or visual symptoms (P = 0.118) were not related to adverse outcomes. The 24-h proteinuria value (HDP: r = 0.685; PE: r = 0.521), liver enzyme value (HDP: r = 0.519; PE: r = 0.501), and creatinine value (HDP: r = 0.511; PE: r = 0.398) were associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes both in PE and HDP, and the corresponding logistic regression equation can be produced. CONCLUSIONS: The 24-h proteinuria value is still an important diagnostic criterion for PE, and deletion of 24-h proteinuria value from diagnostic criteria for severe PE was not recommended. The diagnostic criteria in ACOG guideline need to be verified in Chinese women.