• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.3697-3703
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• 2016

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent type of malignant liver tumor and a high impact health problem worldwide. The prevalence of HCC is particularly high in many Asian and African countries. Some HCC patients have no symptoms prior to diagnosis and many of them therefore present at late stage and have a grave prognosis. The well-established causes of HCC are chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection or alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) Staging System remains the most widely used for HCC management guidelines. To date, the treatments for HCC are still very challenging for physicians due to limited resources in many parts of the world, but many options of management have been proposed, including hepatic resection, liver transplantation, ablative therapy, chemoembolization, sorafnib and best supportive care. This review article describes the current evidence-based management of HCC with focus on early to advance stages that impact on patient overall survival.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.1
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• pp.224-229
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• 2022

Biliary cast syndrome is an unusual complication in patients who have previously undergone liver transplantation. It occurs in approximately 5%-18% of such patients. Rare cases of biliary cast syndrome in patients without liver transplants have also been reported. The pathogenesis of biliary cast has not been clearly identified, although etiologic factors including post-transplant bile duct damage, ischemia, biliary infection, and presence of a post-operative biliary drainage tube have been proposed. Here we present a case of biliary cast that developed in a 49-year-old male who underwent a non-liver surgery after endoscopic and percutaneous management of common bile duct stone.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.82-90
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• 2018

Purpose: Survival after liver transplantation (LT) has improved over the years, but infection is still a major complication. We aimed to identify the characteristics of bacterial infections in pediatric LT recipients. Methods: This study is a retrospective review of 189 consecutive children undergoing LT between 2000 and 2015 at a single center. In this study, the incidence of infection was determined for the following periods: within 1 month, between 1-5 months, and between 6-12 months. Patients who underwent liver transplants more than once or multiple organ transplants were excluded. Results: All patients had received postoperative antibiotic for 3 days. Only the maintenance immunosuppression with oral tacrolimus and steroids were performed. As a result, 132 bacterial infections developed in 87 (46.0%) patients (0.70 events per person-year). Bacterial infections occurred most frequently within the first month (n=84, 63.6%) after LT. In the pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus (15.2%), Enterococcus species (15.2%), and Klebsiella species (13.6%) were most common. Regarding the organ infected, bloodstream was most common (n=39, 29.5%), followed by peritoneum (n=28, 21.2%), urinary tract (n=25, 18.9%), and lungs (n=20, 15.2%). We changed prophylactic antibiotics from ampicillin-sulbactam to piperacillin-tazobactam at 2011, October, there were no significant effects in the prevalence of antibiotics resistant bacterial infections. The 1-year mortality was 9.0% (n=17), in which 41.2% (n=7) was attributable to bacterial infection; septicemia (n=4), pneumonia (n=2), and peritonitis (n=1). Conclusions: The incidence and type of bacterial infectious complications after LT in pediatric patients were similar to those of previous studies. Bacterial complications affecting mortality occur within 6 months after transplantation, so proper prophylaxis and treatment in this period may improve the prognosis of LT.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.1067-1072
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical courses and long-term outcomes of children with Allagille syndrome in Korea, and to evaluate the prognostic potentials of identified variables. Methods : We reviewed the clinical manifestations and outcomes of 30 children with Alagille syndrome, investigated from 1984 to 2006 until the end of this study (defined as death or last visit; mean follow-up : 5 years). Results : Cholestasis occurred in 100 percent, cardiovascular abnormalities in 83.3 percent, butterfly vertebrae in 30.0 percent, posterior embryotoxon in 43.3 percent, and a characteristic facial appearance in 100 percent. At study conclusion, of these 30 patients, eight had died (26.7 percent); six related to Alagille syndrome. Five patients died of a liver disease complication. Liver transplantation was carried out in five of the 30 patients (16.7 percent) and one of these died due to hyperacute rejection. At age two, cholestasis improved in 17 of the 30 patients. Those who had severe cholestasis at 2 years of age tended to have a complication, such as liver cirrhosis or liver transplantation, or to have died. Conclusion : Hepatic complications account for the most mortalities in patients with Alagille syndrome. Careful and complete assessments should be made in children who have cholestasis at 2 years of age. Further investigations of more cases are required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.83 no.5
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• pp.1014-1031
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• 2022

The Kasai portoenterostomy is the first-line treatment for the restoration of the flow of bile to the small intestine in patients with biliary atresia. Various complications can occur after Kasai portoenterostomy, including ascending cholangitis, biliary cirrhosis, and portal hypertension. Of these potential complications, ascending cholangitis in the most common. In cases of patients having uncontrolled complications due to progressive liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, or progressive hyperbilirubinemia, liver transplantation is the indicated as treatment plan. Lifelong follow-up, particularly involving imaging studies, is important for the identification of various complications arising from biliary atresia after Kasai portoenterostomy. Additionally, imaging studies play a crucial role in the evaluation of potential liver donors and recipients. US is a key imaging modality utilized in the management of patients who undergo Kasai portoenterostomy, while CT and MRI are imperative to obtaining an accurate diagnosis.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.365-375
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• 2003

Purpose: This study was aimed to investigate the health related quality of life and related factors of organ transplant recipients. Method: The participants were 188 people who had liver(86), kidney(81), or heart(24) transplanted. Data on the demographic characteristics, transplantation-related characteristics, symptom frequency or discomfort measured by Transplant Symptom Frequency and Symptom Distress Scale by Lough et al(l987), and health related quality of life measured by SF-36(version 2) were collected. Result: Overall health related quality of life score was 492.1 for 100scoring and, 344.9 for norm based. Physical functioning showed the highest quality of life score (77.5) and vitality showed the lowest(51.l). The kidney transplanted showed the highest quality of life (504.4) and the heart transplanted showed the lowest(426.7) Quality of life was related with occupation(p=.016) and symtom discomfort(p < .0001). Conclusion: The health related quality of life of transplated patients was lower than the norm of American. Further studies need to be done to identify the norm of Korean and to investigate the effect of releving symptom discomfort on the increasing the health related quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.284-293
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• 2012

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the levels of anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL) among kidney or liver transplant candidates and recipients. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was utilized. The 160 subjects were recruited and assigned to three different conditions: awaiting transplant group; post-transplantation (TPL) group within less than one year of surgery; and post-TPL group with one year and no more than two years post surgery. The levels of anxiety and depression were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The level of quality of life was measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 version 2. Results: The anxiety score was significantly higher in the waiting group compared with the 1~2 years post TPL group. The depression score was significantly higher in the waiting group compared with the post TPL groups. The QOL was significantly lower in the waiting group compared with the post TPL groups. Conclusion: Our results show a high prevalence of anxiety and depression and a marked reduction in the QOL in transplant candidates compared to the recipients. This study indicates that the group waiting for transplants may have unmet needs during that time period. Health professionals should be encouraged to attend to the psychological distress of the transplant candidates in order to improve their quality of life.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.458-468
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• 1992

With the aid of extracorporeal circulation, nine dogs underwent orthotopic cardiopulmonary transplantation after preservation of the donor heart in a hypothermic amino acid[glutamate, aspartate] enriched high potassium extracellular solution, and preservation of the donor lung with hypothermic low potassium dextran solution from June 1990 to May 1991. The mean body weights of dogs were 20kg and the recipients` preoperative hematologic and hemodynamic pictures were within normal range except slightly decreased level of albumin and total protein, which was supposed to be due to malnutrition. The following modifications of the original Stanford technique were emphasized: [1] the posterior mediastinum is dissected as little as possible with meticulous hemostasis; [2] the surgical procedure is kept away from the phrenic and vagus nerves; [3] the tracheal anastomosis may be wrapped with recipient`s pulmonary artery flap or surrouding soft tissues. A combination of Cyclosporine, Azathioprine, corticosteroid was used as perioperative immunosuppressive therapy. Postoperatively all recipients could be weaned from extracorporeal circulation, showing favorable vital signs, but within 24 hours, irreversible congetive heart failure, ascites, arrhythmias developed with a mean survival time 13.6$\pm$6.6[n=9, range=6~26] hours. Hemoglobin and platelet counts were significantly[p<0.05] decreased postoperatively, which is thought to be attributed to blood damage by cardiopulmonary bypass and hemodilution. Postmortem finding included multiple subendocardial patch hemorrhage in both atrial and ventricular cavities, pulmonary and liver congestion, and all tracheal anastomoses were intact. Further consideration about quality control of the animal, infection, rejection, the effect of cardiopulmonary bypass on the experimental animal is required to improve the results.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.79-92
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• 2019

Humanized mice, containing engrafted human cells and tissues, are emerging as an important in vivo platform for studying human diseases. Since the development of Nod scid gamma (NSG) mice bearing mutations in the IL-2 receptor gamma chain, many investigators have used NSG mice engrafted with human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to generate functional human immune systems in vivo, results in high efficacy of human cell engraftment. The development of NSG mice has allowed significant advances to be made in studies on several human diseases, including cancer and graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), and in regenerative medicine. Based on the human HSC transplantation, organ transplantation including thymus and liver in the renal capsule has been performed. Also, immune reconstruction of cells, of the lymphoid as well as myeloid lineages, has been partly accomplished. However, crosstalk between pluripotent stem cell derived therapeutic cells with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mis/matched types and immune CD3 T cells have not been fully addressed. To overcome this hurdle, human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, not mouse MHC molecules, are required to generate functional T cells in a humanized mouse model. Here, we briefly summarize characteristics of the humanized mouse model, focusing on development of CD3 T cells with MHC molecules. We also highlight the necessity of the humanized mouse model for the treatment of various human diseases.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2009

Temporary clamping of the portal triad is a common strategy to minimize bleeding during liver transplantation. Increasing evidences suggests that oxygen derived free radicals and reintroduction of oxygen in ischemic tissue lead to ischemic and reperfusion injury (I/R) and lead to apoptosis and necrosis. Adult Wistar rat subjected to 60 min of partial liver ischemia followed by three hour reperfusion. Eighteen Wister rats were divided into sham-operated control group (I) (n = 6), ischemia and reperfusion group (II) (n = 6), folic acid treated group (1 mg/kg body weight/daily by oral route for 7 days before induced ischemia reperfusion maneuver) (III) (n = 6). Apoptotic and necrotic hepatocytes, mitochondrial antioxidant enzymes were measured. Liver injury was assessed by alanine transaminases (ALT), aspartate transaminases (AST), liver histopathology and electron microscopy. An ischemic and reperfusion hepatocellular injury was indicated by increased serum-ALT, AST, histopathology and electron microscopy studies. Apoptotic and necrotic cells were increased which was revealed by flow cytometry in I/R group. Pre- treatment with folic acid significantly decreased serum -ALT, AST levels, apoptotic and necrotic cells after 1 h ischemia followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Histopathology and TEM studies showed markedly diminished hepatocellular injury in folic acid pretreated rats during the hepatic I/R, which reached a level comparable to saline-treated rat of sham operated group. On the basis of our findings it may be concluded that folic acid afforded significant protection from necrosis and apoptosis in I/R injury.