Butyrylcholinesterase level as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a single-center retrospective study

Clinical and Experimental Nephrology - We investigated whether butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was independently related to the overall survival (OS) of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD)....     

Lipid volume fraction in atherosclerotic plaque phantoms classified under saline conditions by multispectral angioscopy at near-infrared wavelengths around 1200 nm

To identify high-risk atherosclerotic lesions, we require detailed information on the stability of atherosclerotic plaques. In this study, we quantitatively classified the lipid volume fractions in atherosclerotic plaque phantoms by a novel angioscope combined with near-infrared multispectral imaging. The multispectral angioscope was operated at peak absorption wavelengths of lipid in vulnerable plaques (1150, 1200, and 1300 nm) and at lower absorption wavelengths of water. The potential of the multispectral angioscope was demonstrated in atherosclerotic plaque phantoms containing 10–60 vol.% lipid and immersed in saline solution. The acquired multispectral data were processed by a spectral angle mapper algorithm, which enhanced the simulated plaque areas. Consequently, we classified the lipid volume fractions into five categories (0–5, 5–15, 15–30, 30–50, and 50–60 vol.%). Multispectral angioscopy at wavelengths around 1200 nm is a powerful tool for quantitatively evaluating the stability of atherosclerotic plaques based on the lipid volume fractions.     

Predictive Ability of the Five-time Chair Stand Test for Postoperative Pneumonia after Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

Annals of Surgical Oncology - The revised sarcopenia guidelines proposed handgrip strength (HGS) and five-time chair stand test (5-CST) as the primary parameters of muscle function. HGS and 5-CST...     

Authors’ Reply: Relevance of Level IIb Neck Dissection in Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

World Journal of Surgery -     

Laparoscope-assisted Hassab's Operation for Esophagogastric Varices After Living Donor Liver Transplantation: A Case Report

This is the first successful report of a laparoscope-assisted Hassab's operation for esophagogastric varices after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). A 35-year-old man underwent LDLT using a right lobe graft as an aid for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in 2005. Follow-up endoscopic and computed tomography (CT) examinations showed esophagogastric varices with splenomegaly in 2009 that increased (esophageal varices [EV]: locus superior [Ls], moderator enlarged, beady varices [F2], medium in number and intermediate between localized and circumferential red color signs [RC2]; gastric varices [GV]: extension from the cardiac orifice to the fornix [Lg-cf], moderator enlarged, beady varices [F2], absent red color signs [RC0]). A portal venous flow to the esophagogastric varices through a large left gastric vein was also confirmed. Preoperative Child-Pugh was grade B and score was 9. Because these esophagogastric varices had a high risk of variceal bleeding, we proceeded with a laparoscope-assisted Hassab's operation. Operative time was 464 minutes. Blood loss was 1660 mL. A graft liver biopsy was also performed and recurrence of PSC was confirmed histologically. It was suggested that portal hypertension and esophagogastric varices were caused by recurrence of PSC. Postoperative complications were massive ascites and enteritis. Both of them were treated successfully. This patient was discharged on postoperative day 43. Follow-up endoscopic study showed improvement in the esophagogastric varices (esophageal varices [EV]: locus superior [Ls], no varicose appearance [F0], absent red color signs [RC0], gastric varices [GV]: adjacent to the cardiac orifice [Lg-c], no varicose appearance [F0], absent red color signs [RC0]) at 6 months after the operation. We also confirmed the improvement of esophagogastric varices by serial examinations of CT.     

A comprehensive gene expression analysis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines as components of a bioartificial liver using a radial flow bioreactor.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The cells constituting a bioartificial liver are crucial for an effective liver support system. We compared global gene expression profiles in a radial flow bioreactor or a monolayer culture of three functional liver cell lines previously established from human hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: The expressions of 60,000 genes of the FLC-4, FLC-5, and FLC-7 cell lines were analyzed by the microarray technique with the Affymetrix GeneChip system. Global gene expression profiles were compared with two-way cluster analysis. Several liver function-related genes were compared between the bioreactor and culture conditions. RESULTS: Cluster analysis revealed that gene expression profiles of bioreactor-grown cells resembled those of the normal liver. Genes related to cellular structure were highly expressed in the bioreactor-grown cells, while genes involved in proliferation or carcinogenesis were suppressed. In the bioreactor-grown cells, some genes for liver functions were expressed at a level similar to that in normal liver, although none of the cell lines expressed the complete set of genes encoding ammonium metabolism or cytochrome P450 species. CONCLUSION: The high-density three-dimensional culture in the radial flow bioreactor prompted differentiation of the cells. These data may be useful for improving the cells by genetic or pharmacological reinforcement and for monitoring bioartificial livers.