Online risk scores for pre- and postoperative prediction of early recurrence in hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing conversion liver resection after tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy.

Background: Conversion therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offers the potential for curative resection in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, early recurrence (≤2 years) after conversion liver resection remains a major concern. This study aimed to develop and validate online preoperative and postoperative risk scores to predict early recurrence in patients undergoing conversion liver resection.

Safety and efficacy of laparoscopic portal territory fluorescence navigation-guided anatomical liver resection in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Background: The clinical effectiveness of classic anatomical resection (CAR) of the liver for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been controversial. Laparoscopic Portal Territory fluorescence navigation-guided anatomical liver resection (LPTAR) has been increasingly applied in clinical practice. However, evidence on the safety and efficacy of LPTAR is lacking.

Association of Cholecystectomy With Liver Fibrosis and Cirrhosis Among Adults in the USA: A Population-Based Propensity Score-Matched Study.

Cholecystectomy is the "gold standard" for treating diseases of the gallbladder. In addition, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), liver fibrosis or cirrhosis, are major causes of morbidity and mortality across the world. However, the association between cholecystectomy and these diseases is still unclear.

Laparoscopic duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection: a novel surgical approach for benign or low-grade malignant tumors.

Background: Duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection (DPPHRt) is an accepted alternative surgical procedure for benign or low-grade malignant tumors of the pancreatic head by preserving the duodenum with its intact blood supply from the pancreatic duodenal arterial arcade. This study describes our experience in laparoscopic DPPHRt (LDPPHRt). To our knowledge, this is the first description of this novel minimally invasive operation.

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration with primary closure for management of choledocholithiasis: a retrospective analysis and comparison with conventional T-tube drainage.

Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) had become one of the main options for management of choledocholithiasis. This retrospective comparative study aimed to evaluate on the feasibility and advantages of primary closure versus conventional T-tube drainage of the common bile duct (CBD) after laparoscopic choledochotomy. In this retrospective analysis, 100 patients (47 men and 53 women) with choledocholithiasis who underwent primary closure of the CBD (without T-tube drainage) after LCBDE (Group A) were compared with 92 patients who underwent LCBDE with T-tube drainage (Group B).

Functional distinction of rat liver natural killer cells from spleen natural killer cells under normal and acidic conditions in vitro.

Background: The microenvironment within solid tumors has often been shown to exhibit an acidic extracellular pH. Although the morphologic and functional differences in natural killer (NK) cells of the liver and spleen have been reported previously under physiological conditions, the difference under acidic conditions is still unclear. This study was to investigate the differences in the morphological and functional characteristics between rat liver and spleen NK cells under normal and acidic conditions in vitro.

Anticancer drugs cause release of exosomes with heat shock proteins from human hepatocellular carcinoma cells that elicit effective natural killer cell antitumor responses in vitro.

Failure of immune surveillance related to inadequate host antitumor immune responses has been suggested as a possible cause of the high incidence of recurrence and poor overall survival outcome of hepatocellular carcinoma. The stress-induced heat shock proteins (HSPs) are known to act as endogenous "danger signals" that can improve tumor immunogenicity and induce natural killer (NK) cell responses. Exosome is a novel secretory pathway for HSPs.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy under epidural anesthesia: a retrospective comparison of 100 patients.

There are limited data about laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) under epidural anesthesia. This retrospective comparative study aimed to evaluate on the feasibility and advantages of LC under epidural anesthesia. In this retrospective comparative study, 100 patients (46 men and 54 women) with symptomatic cholelithiasis undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy using epidural anesthesia (EA) were compared with 100 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy using general anesthesia (GA).

Donor liver natural killer cells alleviate liver allograft acute rejection in rats.

Background: Liver enriched natural killer (NK) cells are of high immune activity. However, the function of donor liver NK cells in allogeneic liver transplantation (LTx) remains unclear.

Methods: Ten Gy of whole body gamma-irradiation (WBI) from a 60Co source at 0.

Staging systems for predicting survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after surgery.

Aim: To compare the staging systems for stratifying and predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after partial hepatectomy (PH).

Methods: Clinical data about 438 HCC patients who underwent PH from January 1991 to December 2004 at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Tumor stage was evaluated following the Chinese tumor node metastasis (TNM) and barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) staging systems, respectively.

Differentiation of embryonic stem cells into hepatocytes that coexpress coagulation factors VIII and IX.

Aim: To establish an efficient culture system to support embryonic stem (ES) cell differentiation into hepatocytes that coexpress F-VIII and F-IX.

Methods: Mouse E14 ES cells were cultured in differentiation medium containing sodium butyrate (SB), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and/or bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) to induce the differentiation of endoderm cells and hepatic progenitor cells. Hepatocyte growth factor, oncostatin M, and dexamethasone were then used to induce the maturation of ES cell-derived hepatocytes.

Prognostic factors and outcome of 438 Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent partial hepatectomy in a single center.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic factors and outcome of 438 Chinese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent partial hepatectomy in a single center.

Methods: Clinicopathological data of 438 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent partial hepatectomy at the author's hospital between 1991 and 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. The Kaplan-Meier method was adopted for evaluating survival.

Total laparoscopic liver resection in 78 patients.

Aim: To summarize the clinical experience of laparoscopic hepatectomy at a single center.

Methods: Between November 2003 and March 2009, 78 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 39), metastatic liver carcinoma (n = 10), and benign liver neoplasms (n = 29) underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy in our unit. A retrospective analysis was done on the clinical outcomes of the 78 patients.

[A survey of bile duct injuries sustained during laparoscopic cholecystectomy].

Objective: To summarize the reasons for bile duct injury (BDI) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), and to determine the effect of multiple treatment after BDI.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. The medical records of 110 patients diagnosed with BDI after LC from October 1993 to November 2007, in ten large hospitals in Guangdong of China, were reviewed.

[MicroRNA differential expression profile during differentiation of embryonic stem cells towards hepatocytes induced by sodium butyrate].

Objective: To explore the expression profile of microRNAs during the course of embryonic stem cells differentiation towards hepatocytes induced by sodium butyrate.

Methods: Total RNA was extracted from embryonic stem cells on day 0, 6, and 9 during cell differentiation, and microRNA was isolated from the total RNA. Microarray analysis of microRNA expression was performed to detect the different expression levels of microRNA among the indicated time points (day 0, 6, and 9).

Selective enrichment of hepatocytes from mouse embryonic stem cells with a culture system containing cholestatic serum.

Aim: There is increasing evidence indicating that embryonic stem (ES) cells are capable of differentiating into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro. However, it is necessary to improve the differentiation efficiency so as to promote the clinical application. Here, we report an efficient culture system to support hepatocyte differentiation from ES cells by utilizing cholestatic serum.

[Diagnosis and treatment of primary tumor of small intestine: a report of 58 cases].

Objective: To summarize the pathological classification, clinical symptom and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of primary tumor of small intestine.

Methods: Data of 58 patients with primary tumor of small intestine pathologically confirmed from Oct. 1996 to Oct.

A 26-year clinical observation of splenic auto-transplantation and oesophageal transection anastomosis: a new treatment strategy in patients with portal hypertension.

Background: Surgical treatment options for patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension are complicated. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a new treatment strategy, splenic auto-transplantation and oesophageal transection anastomosis. We report results from clinical observations, splenic immune function and portal dynamics in 274 patients.

[Study of embryonic stem cells induced to express hepatic cell functions in vitro in a pathologic niche containing cholestatic serum].

Objective: To study the role of a pathologic niche inducing mouse embryonic stem cells (ESC) to express hepatic cell functions in vitro.

Methods: Embryoid bodies were developed from 5 to 7 day hanging-drop culture of mouse ESC, and their dissociated cells were planted in three differential systems: nothing added; with 20 ng/ml hepatocyte growth factor (HGF); and 5% rat cholestatic serum plus 20 ng/ml HGF added. Their differentiation was observed with inverted microscopes daily, and their hepatic functions were analyzed against their synthesis of glycogen, triglycerides, albumin, and urea nitrogen, and by their staining of indocyanine green (ICG) and fluorescein diacetate (FDA).