Location and extent of cavernous transformation of the portal vein dictates different visceral side revascularization in Meso-Rex bypass.

BACKGROUND: As an emerging standard of care for portal vein cavernous transformation (PVCT), Meso-Rex bypass (MRB) has been complicated and variated. The study aim was to propose a new classification of PVCT to guide MRB operations. METHODS: Demographic data, the extent of extrahepatic PVCT, surgical methods for visceral side revascularization, intraoperative blood loss, operating time, changes in visceral venous pressure before and after MRB, postoperative complications and the condition of bypass vessels after MRB were extracted retrospectively from the medical records of 19 patients. RESULTS: The median age of the patients (13 males and 6 females) was 32.5 years, while two patients were underage. Causes of PVCT can be summarized as follows: thrombophilia such as dysfunction of antithrombin III or proteins C; secondary to abdominal surgeries; secondary to abdominal infection or traumatic intestinal obstruction, and unknown causes. Intraoperatively, the median operation time was 9.5 h (7-13 h), and the intraoperative blood loss was 300 mL (100-1,600 mL). Ten cases used autologous blood vessels while 10 used allogeneic blood vessels. The vascular anastomosis was divided into the following types according to the site and approach: Type (T) 1-PV pedicel type, T2-confluence type, T3-major visceral vascular type; and T4-collateral visceral vascular type. Furthermore, the visceral venous pressure before and after MRB dropped significantly from 36 cmH2O (28-44) to 24.5 cmH2O (15-31) (P < 0.01). Postoperatively, one patient had delayed wound healing, two developed biochemical pancreatic fistulae, one experienced lymphatic leakage, the former caused by heat damage of the pancreatic tissues, the latter by cutting lymphatic vessels in the mesentery or removing the local lymph nodes during the process of separating the superior mesenteric vein, and one was re-operated on for an intervening intestinal fistulae. Postoperative enhanced CT scans revealed a significant improvement in abdominal varix in the patients with patent bypass, and at the 1-year postoperative follow-up, enhanced CT scans of six patients showed that the long axis of the spleen was reduced by ≥ 2 cm. CONCLUSIONS: MRB can effectively reduce visceral venous pressure in patients with PVCT. It is feasible to determine the PVCT type according to the extent of involvement and to choose individualized visceral side revascularization performances.

Comparison of survival benefit between salvage surgery after conversion therapy versus surgery alone for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis: a propensity score analysis.

BACKGROUND: Salvage surgery after conversion therapy with a combination of tyrosine kinase inhibitor and anti-programmed death-1 antibody has shown improved survival benefits in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT). We aimed to compare the survival benefits in a retrospective cohort of patients with HCC with PVTT who underwent salvage surgery after conversion therapy and surgery alone. METHODS: From January 2015 to October 2021, we selected patients diagnosed with HCC with PVTT who underwent liver resection at Chinese PLA General Hospital. The primary endpoint in the comparison of survival benefits between conversion therapy and surgery-alone groups was recurrence-free survival. Propensity score matching was applied to reduce any potential bias in the study. RESULTS: The 6-, 12-, and 24-month recurrence-free survival rates in the conversion and surgery alone groups were 80.3% vs 36.5%, 65.4% vs 29.4%, and 56% vs 21%, respectively. On multivariable Cox regression analyses, conversion therapy significantly reduced HCC-related mortality and HCC recurrence rates compared with surgery alone. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with HCC with PVTT, surgery after conversion therapy is in relationship with increased survival in comparison with surgery alone.

Preparation of esterified biomass waste hydrogels and their removal of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ from aqueous solution.

The treatment of polluted water is a serious environmental problem in the world. Biomass is easily modified and can be prepared into adsorbent materials, which is expected to solve the problem of heavy metal ion adsorption in sewage. In this paper, esterified tobacco straw based hydrogels (ETS-PAA) were synthesized from waste tobacco straw biomass. The structure and thermal stability of these hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, SEM, EDS, XPS and TG. The adsorption of metal ions by the hydrogel was measured by ICP-MS. The effects of initial ion concentration, adsorption time, pH, and temperature on the heavy metal adsorption were investigated. The results showed that ETS-PAA possessed more pores, which led to a better adsorption capacity. The maximum adsorption amounts of Pb2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ were 2.41 mmol·g-1, 1.93 mmol·g-1 and 1.77 mmol·g-1, respectively. Finally, the adsorption mechanism and kinetics were analyzed. The adsorption was mainly accomplished by ion exchange of -COOK on the monomer chain with heavy metal ions, coordination of -OH and -CONH with heavy metal ions and interaction of ester bond, -COOH with heavy metal ions. The adsorption process was in accordance with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Freundlich model. The adsorption process belonged to multilayer chemisorption. This work shows that ETS-PAA was a promising material for the removal of heavy metal pollutants from aqueous solution.

Citric Acid and Poly-glutamic Acid Promote the Phytoextraction of Cadmium and Lead in Solanum nigrum L. Grown in Compound Cd-Pb Contaminated Soils.

Phytoextraction is an efficient strategy for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soil. Chelators can improve the bioavailability of heavy metals and increase phytoextraction efficiency. However, traditional chelators have gradually been replaced due to secondary pollution. In this study, a typical organic acid (citric acid, CA) and a novel biodegradable chelator (poly-glutamic acid, PGA), were investigated using pot experiments to compare the phytoextraction efficiency of Solanum nigrum L. (a Cd (hyper)accumulator) for cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in contaminated soil. The results showed CA and PGA significantly improved plant growth, and total Cd and Pb amounts of S. nigrum, both CA and PGA significantly increased the shoot Cd and Pb concentrations. However, only PGA significantly increased the root Pb concentration. CA and PGA application promoted the bioavailability of Cd and Pb in rhizosphere soils and their translocations from roots to shoots in S. nigrum. Both CA and PGA increased the phytoextraction efficiency of Cd and Pb in S. nigrum plants, and the PGA for Cd and Pb phytoextraction was more effective than CA. Our findings demonstrate that the biodegradable chelator PGA has great potential for enhancing phytoextraction from compound Cd-Pb contaminated soils, suggesting that biodegradable chelator-assisted phytoextraction with (hyper)accumulator is strongly recommended in severely contaminated sites.

Beneficial effects of arbuscular mycorrhizae on Cu detoxification in Mimosa pudica L. grown in Cu-polluted soils.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are known to have beneficial effects on host plants growing on contaminated soils. The present study aimed at investigating the influence of two different AM fungi (Rhizophagus intraradices and Funneliformis mosseae) on the growth of plants and Cu uptake by Mimosa pudica L. grown in polluted soils containing various levels of Cu (Control, 400, 500, or 600 mg kg-l soil) in pot experiments. Mycorrhizal colonisation rates by the two AM fungi decreased markedly with the increasing Cu levels in soils. This inhibition was more pronounced to F. mosseae than R. intraradices, indicating that R. intraradices was more tolerant to Cu than F. mosseae. Compared with non-mycorrhizal plants, R. intraradices inoculation increased plant growth (including shoot height, numbers of compound leaves and leaflets, and dry biomass) and P concentrations in the shoots and roots of M. pudica at all levels of Cu. Meanwhile, F. mosseae displayed a capability of growth promotion to M. pudica much later and lower than R. intraradices. F. mosseae and R. intraradices markedly decreased Cu concentration in shoots at 400-600 mg kg-1 Cu levels. However, R. intraradices was more efficient than F. mosseae in decreasing the shoot Cu concentrations. As for the increasing Cu tolerance by R. intraradices, possibly it was reached though the improvement of phosphorus nutrition and the decline of Cu transport from roots to shoots of M. pudica. R. intraradices showed a good potential for improving medicinal plants growth and declining toxic effects in Cu-contaminated soils.

Preparation of biomass-based hydrogels and their efficient heavy metal removal from aqueous solution.

In this work, a porous tobacco straw-based polyacrylic acid hydrogel STS-PAA with high adsorption performance was prepared by polymerizing pretreated waste tobacco straw (TS) with acrylic acid/potassium acrylate by UV radiation initiation. The adsorption performance of metal ions was investigated. The effects of different temperatures (25°C, 35°C, and 45°C), adsorption times (1-420 min), pH values (2.0-6.0) and initial concentrations (0.25-4.0 mmol L-1) of metal ions on the adsorption amount of heavy metal ions were investigated. The results showed that the hydrogel had a high removal rate of Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ in aqueous solution. The adsorption of Pb2+ was particularly effective. When C0 = 4.0 mmol L-1, pH = 6, the equilibrium adsorption amount of Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ reached 1.49 mmol g-1, 1.02 mmol L-1 and 0.94 mmol g-1, respectively. The chemical structure and morphology of the hydrogels were characterized by FT-IR, EDS, SEM and XPS. The Langmuir model fits well with the adsorption system. The kinetic data suggest the adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ follow the pseudo-first-order model. This indicates that STS-PAA adsorption of three heavy metal ions is monolayer physical adsorption. Thermodynamic analysis shows that the adsorption of Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ by STS-PAA is an endothermic (ΔH>0) entropy increase (ΔS>0) non-spontaneous reaction.

Towards Universal Screening for Postpartum Depression in China: Lessons Learned from a Comprehensive Prevention Programme in Shenzhen.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to assess the real-world efficacy of a universal programme for the prevention of postpartum depression (PPD) in Shenzhen. Given the lack of evidence on routine PPD screening and intervention in China, it sought to provide insights for programme planning and implementation, particularly in relation to achievement of the targets set by the first national guidelines for PPD prevention and treatment. METHODS: Using routine health information system data, the PPD screening, referral and intervention rates for 2015-2019 were calculated and compared to the programmes targets. Trends of variables were tested by using trend χ2. RESULTS: The programme screened 137,761 to 178,857 women for PPD every year with the coverage among all postpartum women increased steadily from 71.1% to 82. 5% (χ2 = 10145.251, p < 0.001). The PPD-positive rate maintained between 4.06% and 4.89%. However, although referral messages were given to an increased percentage of PPD-positive women (χ2 = 1090.908, p < 0.001), the intervention rate (i.e., referral uptake) were far lower than the programme target of 80%. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated high efficacy of Shenzhen's comprehensive PPD prevention programme initiated in 2013. The resultant rise in the screening rate among all postpartum women, together with a high referral rate of those screened positive, have contributed to the city's relatively low PPD prevalence. PPD screening and intervention should be included as part of basic public health services to ensure universal coverage and specific strategies should be adopted to ensure referral uptake.

Efficacy and Safety of Surgical Ligation versus Endovascular Embolization for Type II Congenital Extrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of surgical ligation and endovascular embolization for the treatment of type II congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (CEPS). METHODS: In this retrospective study, 23 patients diagnosed with type II CEPS between March 2011 and April 2019 were divided into either a surgical group (n = 13; 41.5 ± 19.9 years) or the interventional group (n = 10; 44.9 ± 19.7 years). The surgical group underwent laparoscopic surgical ligation of the shunt alone or ligation of the shunt and splenic artery and/or vein. The interventional group underwent endovascular embolization using microcoils, detachable coils, and vascular plug. RESULTS: All 23 patients received a one-step shunt closure, and their clinical symptoms were significantly improved within 3-month postprocedure and without recurrence during follow-up. The serum ammonia levels in both groups decreased after the procedure and dropped to normal level at 6- to 12-month postprocedure. Compared with baseline, the portal vein diameter in interventional group increased significantly at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 36-month postocclusion (P = 0.01 for all). The procedure time was shorter in the interventional group (127.0 ± 43.2 minutes) than the surgical group (219.8 ± 56.7 minutes; P < 0.001). The intraoperative blood loss in the interventional group (32.0 ± 62.5 mL) was less than that in the surgical group (238.5 ± 396.9 mL; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both surgical ligation and endovascular embolization are effective in the treatment of type II CEPS. Endovascular embolization has the advantages of shorter procedure time and less intraoperative blood loss. The ligation of the portosystemic shunt and splenic artery and vein is feasible with apparent safety, and it could avoid a second surgical treatment.

A basic understanding of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt: incidence, mechanism, complications, diagnosis, and treatment.

Extrahepatic portosystemic shunt belongs to a family of rare vascular abnormalities. The clinical importance and manifestations of this vascular abnormality range from asymptomatic cases to liver or metabolic dysfunctions of various degrees. Congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt, also termed as Abernethy malformation, is a very rare congenital vascular malformation in which splenomesenteric blood drains into a systemic vein, bypassing the liver through a complete or partial extrahepatic shunt. So far, limited cases of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt have been reported. In this review, incidence, mechanisms, complications, diagnoses and treatments of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt are described.

Laparoscopic anatomical liver resection guided by real-time indocyanine green fluorescence imaging: experience and lessons learned from the initial series in a single center.

BACKGROUND: Anatomical liver resection is an established procedure for primary hepatic tumors. Laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy has been proven to be technically achievable from S1 to S8 in experienced hands. The indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging technique offers a novel tool of intraoperative visualization in hepatobiliary surgery. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of laparoscopic anatomical liver resection based on segmental staining using real-time ICG fluorescence. METHODS: From December 2015 to October 2017, 36 patients in our institute underwent lap-ALR using real-time ICG fluorescence mapping of the tumor-bearing portal territory. The procedural and perioperative data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: In our case series, we successfully performed the fashion of positive staining mostly in segmentectomy or sub-segmentectomy by individually injecting 5-10 ml of ICG (0.025 mg/ml) into its feeding portal branch guided by intraoperative ultrasound, and the negative staining mainly for sectionectomy, hemihepatectomy and multi-segmentectomy by interrupting the Glissonean pedicle serving the tumor-bearing segments and systemically injecting 1 ml of ICG (2.5 mg/ml). Our total successful rate of staining is 53%. No conversion to laparotomy, Clavien III-IV complication or 90-day mortality occurred. Valuable technical feedback, experience and lessons are learned from this initial practice. CONCLUSIONS: Real-time ICG fluorescence imaging adds much precision to laparoscopic anatomical hepatectomy. The success of segmental staining requires a high proficiency of IOUS and skillful interpretation of preoperative 3D simulation. Decision-making on the fashions of positive and negative staining have been initially recommended. Multi-centered practice and technical modification are necessary to standardize its application.

Regional lymphadenectomy vs. extended lymphadenectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (Relay-HC trial): study protocol for a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic benefits and safety of extended lymphadenectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma remain uncertain. The available evidence is still insufficient concerning its retrospective aspect. The aim of this study is to explore the clinical effect and safety of extended lymphadenectomy compared to regional lymphadenectomy in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: The Relay-HC trial is a prospective, multicenter, and randomized controlled trial. Seven hundred and thirty-four eligible patients with resectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma across 15 tertiary hospitals in China will be randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either regional lymphadenectomy or extended lymphadenectomy. The primary objective is to determine the overall survival after the two approaches. Secondary objectives of the study include the evaluation of perioperative mortality, postoperative complication, and disease-free survival. This study has been approved by the ethics committee of each participating hospital. DISCUSSION: The Relay-HC trial is designed to investigate the prognostic benefits and safety of expanded lymphadenectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Currently, it has never been investigated in a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR), ChiCTR1800015688 . Registered on 15 April 2018.

Effects of positive acceleration (+Gz stress) on liver enzymes, energy metabolism, and liver histology in rats.

BACKGROUND: Exposure to high sustained +Gz (head-to-foot inertial load) is known to have harmful effects on pilots' body in flight. Although clinical data have shown that liver dysfunction occurs in pilots, the precise cause has not been well defined. AIM: To investigate rat liver function changes in response to repeated +Gz exposure. METHODS: Ninety male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a blank control group (BC group, n = 30), a +6 Gz/5 min stress group (6GS group, n = 30), and a +10 Gz/5min stress group (10GS group, n = 30). The 6GS and 10GS groups were exposed to +6 Gz and +10 Gz, respectively, in an animal centrifuge. The onset rate of +Gz was 0.5 G/s. The sustained time at peak +Gz was 5 min for each exposure (for 5 exposures, and 5-min intervals between exposures for a total exposure and non-exposure time of 50 min). We assessed liver injury by measuring the portal venous flow volume, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), liver tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), Na+-K+-ATPase, and changes in liver histology. These parameters were recorded at 0 h, 6 h, and 24 h after repeated +Gz exposures. RESULTS: After repeated +Gz exposures in the 6GS and the 10GS groups, the velocity and flow signal in the portal vein (PV) were significantly decreased as compared to the BC group at 0 h after exposure. Meanwhile, we found that the PV diameter did not change significantly. However, rats in the 6GS group had a much higher portal venous flow volume than the 10GS group at 0 h after exposure. The 6GS group had significantly lower ALT, AST, and MDA values than the 10GS group 0 h and 6 h post exposure. The Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the 6GS group was significantly higher than that in the 10GS group 0 h and 6 h post exposure. Hepatocyte injury, determined pathologically, was significantly lower in the 6GS group than in the 10GS group. CONCLUSION: Repeated +Gz exposures transiently cause hepatocyte injury and affect liver metabolism and morphological structure.

Indocyanine green fluorescence image-guided total laparoscopic living donor right hepatectomy: The first case report from Mainland China.

INTRODUCTION: Total laparoscopic living donor right hepatectomy (TLDRH) is sporadically reported worldwide. Liver transection margin used to be determined by ischemic demarcation or intraoperative ultrasonography. To identify the site of bile duct division relied on preoperative MRCP and intraoperative cholangiography, which is experience demanding. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 34-year-old man volunteered for living donation to his brother who suffered decompensated HBV-related cirrhosis. Right lobe donation without MHV fulfilled the volumetric criteria. After hilum dissection, ICG was injected into the right portal branch. Right lobe was transected tracing the real-time fluorescence-enhanced borderline and the course of MHV. The right bile duct was transected above the bifurcation that was fluorescently visualized within the parenchyma. The liver graft was retrieved from a pre-made suprapubic incision after simple vascular clamping. The warm ischemia time was 6 min. The recipient procedure was successful with back-table graft venoplasty using cryopreserved iliac artery allografts. The donor recovered uneventfully and was discharged from hospital on POD 7. DISCUSSION: The operative time, blood loss and postoperative course of donor is comparable to those undergoing ordinary laparoscopic right hepatectomy in our institute. ICG fluorescence can real-timely visualize the surgical margin and biliary branches of right lobe, which helps preserve every last bit of functional liver volume for the donor and avoid the complicated traditional intraoperative cholangiography. CONCLUSION: TLDRH proves to be achievable in surgical teams confortable with both laparoscopic hepatectomy and LDLT. ICG fluorescence navigation could make the procedure simplified, safer and more accurate. More practice and technical modification are necessary.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor case with a preoperative course of 26 years: A case report and literature review.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumor (PHNET) is an extremely rare liver tumor. Patients often have no clinical symptoms or have only non-specific symptoms, such as abdominal pain and abdominal mass. The clinical manifestations, disease development, treatment methods, and treatment outcomes of PHNET vary greatly among cases. Here we report a case of PHNET with a confirmed 26-year survival before surgery. The patient was a 56-year-old female. A large right hepatic mass was detected when the patient was 30 years old. The tumor could not be removed during exploratory laparotomy, and constriction of the right hepatic artery and biopsy were conducted. Pathological results indicated a diagnosis of benign tumor, but a confirmed diagnosis was not reached. Twenty-six years after the patient had been living with the tumor, she sought treatment again because of tumor progression. After systematic evaluation of the resectability, the tumor was resected. Based on the examination results of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs, intraoperative examination results, pathological findings, and long-term follow-up results, the diagnosis of PHNET was confirmed. This case represents the longest reported survival time for a PHNET patient before removal of the tumor.

CCND1 rs9344 polymorphism is associated with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in Caucasian population.

AIMS: Some studies investigated the association between CCND1 rs9344 polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk. However, the results were inconclusive. Thus, we did a meta-analysis to determine this relationship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant studies were systematically searched using the PubMed, CNKI, and EMBASE databases. The strength of the association was calculated with the odds ratio (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals (Cis). RESULTS: We investigated the association between CCND1 rs9344 polymorphism and HCC risk in the dominant models. The result of this meta-analysis showed that CCND1 rs9344 polymorphism did not significantly associated with HCC risk (OR = 1.09; 95% CI 0.88-1.34). In the stratified analysis by ethnicity, we found that this polymorphism was significantly associated with HCC risk in Caucasians (OR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.05-2.29). However, we did not find any significant association between this polymorphism and HCC risk in Asians (OR = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.71-1.18). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggested that CCND1 rs9344 polymorphism might be associated with the risk of HCC among Caucasians.

Delineation of contaminant plume for an inorganic contaminated site using electrical resistivity tomography: comparison with direct-push technique.

Precise delineation of contaminant plume distribution is essential for effective remediation of contaminated sites. Traditional in situ investigation methods like direct-push (DP) sampling are accurate, but are usually intrusive and costly. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method, as a non-invasive geophysical technique to map spatiotemporal changes in resistivity of the subsurface, is becoming increasingly popular in environmental science. However, the resolution of ERT for delineation of contaminant plumes still remains controversial. In this study, ERT and DP technique were both conducted at a real inorganic contaminated site. The reliability of the ERT method was validated by the direct comparisons of their investigation results that the resistivity acquired by ERT method is in accordance with the total dissolved solid concentration in groundwater and the overall variation of the total iron content in soil obtained by DP technique. After testifying the applicability of ERT method for contaminant identification, the extension of contaminant plume at the study site was revealed by supplementary ERT surveys conducted subsequently in the surrounding area of the contaminant source zone.

Delayed introduction of immunosuppressive regimens in critically ill patients after liver transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The manipulation of immunosuppression therapy remains challenging in patients who develop infectious diseases or multiple organ dysfunction after liver transplantation. We evaluated the outcomes of delayed introduction of immunosuppression in the patients after liver transplantation under immune monitoring with ImmuKnow assay. METHODS: From March 2009 to February 2014, 225 consecutive liver recipients in our institute were included. The delayed administration of immunosuppressive regimens was attempted in 11 liver recipients with multiple severe comorbidities. RESULTS: The median duration of non-immunosuppression was 12 days (range 5-58). Due to the infectious complications, the serial ImmuKnow assay showed a significantly low ATP level of 64±35 ng/mL in the early period after transplantation. With the development of comorbidities, the ImmuKnow value significantly increased. However, the acute allograft rejection developed when a continuous distinct elevation of both ATP and glutamyltranspeptidase levels was detected. The average ATP level measured just before the development of acute rejection was 271±115 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The delayed introduction of immunosuppressive regimens is safe and effective in management of critically ill patients after liver transplantation. The serial ImmuKnow assay could provide a reliable depiction of the dynamics of functional immunity throughout the clinical course of a given patient.

miRNA-346 promotes proliferation, migration and invasion in liver cancer.

Liver cancer primarily accounts for the majority of malignancies of the liver. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs, which are important in tumorigenesis. Abnormal expression of microRNA-346 (miR-346) has been demonstrated in various types of human cancer, however, its expression and potential molecular mechanism in liver cancer remains to be elucidated. Expression levels of miR-346 in liver cancer cell lines were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The effect of miR-346 on proliferation was evaluated by an MTT assay; cell migration and invasion were evaluated by Transwell migration and invasion assays and target protein expression was determined by western blotting. The present study observed that miR-346 was upregulated in liver cancer cell lines. miR-346 overexpression promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in liver cancer cells and conversely, inhibition of miR-346 resulted in the opposite effects. Furthermore, F-Box and leucine rich repeat protein (FBXL)2 was identified as a direct target of miR-346. miR-346 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion of liver cancer via FBXL2. Overall, these findings demonstrated that miR-346 may act as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target against liver cancer in the future.

Traditional surgical planning of liver surgery is modified by 3D interactive quantitative surgical planning approach: a single-center experience with 305 patients.

BACKGROUND: Decision making and surgical planning are to achieve the precise balance of maximal removal of target lesion, maximal sparing of functional liver remnant volume, and minimal surgical invasiveness and therefore, crucial in liver surgery. The aim of this prospective study was to validate the accuracy and predictability of 3D interactive quantitative surgical planning approach (IQSP), and to evaluate the impact of IQSP on traditional surgical plans based on 2D images. METHODS: A total of 305 consecutive patients undergoing hepatectomy were included in this study. Surgical plans were created by traditional 2D approach using picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and 3D approach using IQSP respectively by two groups of physicians who did not know the surgical plans of the other group. The two surgical plans were submitted to the chief surgeon for selection before operation. The specimens were weighed. The two surgical plans were compared and analyzed retrospectively based on the operation results. RESULTS: The two surgical plans were successfully developed in all 305 patients and all the 3D IQSP surgical plans were selected as the final decision. Total 278 patients successfully underwent surgery, including 147 uncomplex hepatectomy and 131 complex hepatectomy. Twenty-seven patients were withdrawn from hepatectomy. In the uncomplex group, the two surgical plans were the same in all 147 patients and no statistically significant difference was found among 2D calculated resection volume (2D-RV), 3D IQSP calculated resection volume (IQSP-RV) and the specimen volume. In the complex group, the two surgical plans were different in 49 patients (49/131, 37.4%). According to the significance of differences, the 49 different patients were classified into three grades. No statistically significant difference was found between IQSP-RV and specimen volume. The coincidence rate of territory analysis of IQSP with operation was 92.1% (93/101) for 101 patients of anatomic hepatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy and predictability of 3D IQSP were validated. Compared with traditional surgical planning, 3D IQSP can provide more quantitative information of anatomic structure. With the assistance of 3D IQSP, traditional surgical plans were modified to be more radical and safe.

The Preliminary Study on Procurement Biliary Convergence from Donors with Complicated Bile Duct Variant in Emergency Right Lobe Living Donor Liver Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of biliary complications after living donor adult liver transplantation (LDALT) is still high due to the bile duct variation and necessity reconstruction of multiple small bile ducts. The current surgical management of the biliary variants is unsatisfactory. We evaluated the role of a new surgical approach in a complicated hilar bile duct variant (Nakamura type IV and Nakamura type II) under emergent right lobe LDALT for high model for end-stage liver disease score patients. METHODS: The common hepatic duct (CHD) and the left hepatic duct (LHD) of the donor were transected in a right-graft including short common trunks with right posterior and anterior bile ducts, whereas the LHD of the donor was anastomosed to the CHD and the common trunks of a right-graft bile duct and the recipient CHD was end-to-end anastomosed. RESULTS: Ten of 13 grafts (Nakamura types II, III, and IV) had two or more biliary orifices after right graft lobectomy; seven patients had biliary complications (53.8%). Later, the surgical innovation was carried out in five donors with variant bile duct (four Nakamura type IV and one type II), and, consequently, no biliary or other complications were observed in donors and recipients during 47-53 months of follow-up; significant differences (P < 0.05) were found when two stages were compared. CONCLUSION: Our initial experience suggests that, in the urgent condition of LDALT when an alternative live donor was unavailable, a surgical innovation of cutting part of the CHD trunks including variant right hepatic ducts in a complicated donor bile duct variant may facilitate biliary reconstruction and reduce long-term biliary complications.