Conservative management of broken guidewire: Case reports.

Fractures of coronary guidewires during percutaneous coronary intervention within a coronary vessel lumen are a rare but serious complication. There have been several cases reported in the literature, some managed with surgical intervention, others with medical therapy. We present two prospective cases from our center.

Cerebral contrast retention after difficult cardiac catheterization: Case report.

Background: We report a diagnostic dilemma in a rare case of cerebral contrast retention after difficult cardiac catheterization in an elderly patient loaded with prasugrel.

Summary: Our case report describes a 77-year-old female with history of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia who presented to emergency department complaining of chest pain. Patient was found to have an inferior wall ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Gene expression profiling of liver cancer stem cells by RNA-sequencing.

Background: Accumulating evidence supports that tumor growth and cancer relapse are driven by cancer stem cells. Our previous work has demonstrated the existence of CD90(+) liver cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nevertheless, the characteristics of these cells are still poorly understood.

Hematopoietic chimerism in liver transplantation patients and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in adult human liver.

Unlabelled: Liver transplantation (LT) is a cure for many liver diseases. Blood chimerism of donor origin can develop after LT, which raises the possibility of the existence of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the liver. We characterized the blood chimerism in a large cohort of 249 LT patients and analyzed putative HSPCs in adult human livers.

Prediction of posthepatectomy recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma by circulating cancer stem cells: a prospective study.

Objective: To investigate whether circulating cancer stem cells (CSCs) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can predict its recurrence after hepatectomy.

Background: HCC recurrence frequently occurs within the first year after hepatectomy, probably due to circulating tumor cells that have been shed from the primary tumor before hepatectomy. Because CSCs are more likely to initiate tumor growth than mature cancer cells, a high level of circulating CSCs may be a hint for HCC recurrence.

Enhanced detection of early hepatocellular carcinoma by serum SELDI-TOF proteomic signature combined with alpha-fetoprotein marker.

Background: Biomarkers for accurate diagnosis of early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited in number and clinical validation. We applied SELDI-TOF-MS ProteinChip technology to identify serum profile for distinguishing HCC and liver cirrhosis (LC) and to compare the accuracy of SELDI-TOF-MS profile and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level in HCC diagnosis.

Patients And Methods: Serum samples were obtained from 120 HCC and 120 LC patients for biomarker discovery and validation studies.

An Akt/hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha/platelet-derived growth factor-BB autocrine loop mediates hypoxia-induced chemoresistance in liver cancer cells and tumorigenic hepatic progenitor cells.

Purpose: The goals of the present study were to investigate the mechanism of hypoxia-mediated chemoresistance in liver cancer cells and tumorigenic hepatic progenitor (oval) cells and to determine whether disrupting an Akt/hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha)/platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB autocrine loop can enhance chemotherapeutic efficacy in hypoxia.

Experimental Design: Five hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and two hepatic progenitor cell lines were treated in vitro with cisplatin under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. To generate ischemic hypoxia for tumor cells in vivo, hepatic artery ligation was applied to an orthotopic HCC model.

Systemic inflammatory response after natural orifice translumenal surgery: transvaginal cholecystectomy in a porcine model.

Objective: We analyzed circulating TNF-alpha and IL-6 to determine systemic inflammatory responses associated with transvaginal cholecystectomy in a porcine model.

Methods: Six female pigs were used for a survival study after transvaginal cholecystectomy (NOTES group) using endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) instruments and a single-channel endoscope. Blood was drawn preoperatively and 24 hours and 48 hours postoperatively.

Cardiotrophin-1 enhances regeneration of cirrhotic liver remnant after hepatectomy through promotion of angiogenesis and cell proliferation.

Background/aim: Hepatic resection is not applicable to a certain proportion of hepatocellular carcinoma patients owing to an insufficient liver function reserve. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) on improving the function of CCl(4)-induced cirrhotic liver remnant after major hepatectomy.

Methods: CT-1 was administered to rats after hepatectomy according to different protocols.

Identification of local and circulating cancer stem cells in human liver cancer.

Unlabelled: Increasing evidence has revealed the importance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in carcinogenesis. Although liver CSCs have been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, no data have shown the presence of these cells in human settings. The present study was designed to delineate CSCs serially from HCC cell lines, human liver cancer specimens to blood samples, using CD90 as a potential marker.

Significance of CD90+ cancer stem cells in human liver cancer.

This study characterized cancer stem cells (CSCs) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, tumor specimens, and blood samples. The CD90+ cells, but not the CD90(-) cells, from HCC cell lines displayed tumorigenic capacity. All the tumor specimens and 91.

Artificial neural networks and decision tree model analysis of liver cancer proteomes.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous cancer and usually diagnosed at late advanced tumor stages of high lethality. The present study attempted to obtain a proteome-wide analysis of HCC in comparison with adjacent non-tumor liver tissues, in order to facilitate biomarkers' discovery and to investigate the mechanisms of HCC development. A cohort of 66 Chinese patients with HCC was included for proteomic profiling study by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis.

Galactosamine-induced fulminant liver failure--observation in a porcine model.

Fulminant hepatic failure can only be treated successfully by liver transplantation, which, however, is not always available. To "bridge" the patient with fulminant hepatic failure until a liver graft is available, various forms of liver support devices had been designed but they were not uniformly successful. To prove the efficacy of a liver support device for fulminant hepatic failure, testing in an animal model is necessary.

Induction of long-term liver allograft survival by delayed immunosuppression is dependent on interleukin-10.

This study aims to investigate the potential role of endogenous interleukin (IL)-10 in long-term liver allograft survival induced by delayed immunosuppression (FK506 days 2-7). Liver transplantation was performed by using Dark Agouti and Lewis rats as donors and recipients, respectively. The delayed immunosuppression protocol induced indefinite allograft survival.

Antiinflammatory properties of IL-10 rescue small-for-size liver grafts.

The present study aims to investigate the potential therapeutic role of interleukin-10 (IL-10) in small-for-size liver transplantation. A syngenic rat orthotopic liver transplantation model was performed using either whole or 40% liver volume of Lewis rats as grafts according to the experimental design. IL-10 was given to the 40% grafts right after reperfusion, and also at 24 and 48 hours after transplantation.

Therapeutic potential of cardiotrophin 1 in fulminant hepatic failure: dual roles in antiapoptosis and cell repair.

Hypothesis: Administration of cardiotrophin 1 (CT-1) can treat experimental fulminant hepatic failure (FHF).

Design: Rat model with FHF induced by D-galactosamine (D-gal).

Setting: Fulminant hepatic failure is a rapidly progressive disease that lacks effective nonsurgical treatment.

Significance of the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and platelets in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The present study investigated the significance of the serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and platelets in relation to the clinicopathological features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Localization of the BDNF expression in human HCC tissues was performed by immunohistochemistry. The measurement of soluble BDNF in the serum was performed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

High doses of tyrosine kinase inhibitor PTK787 enhance the efficacy of ischemic hypoxia for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: dual effects on cancer cell and angiogenesis.

The present study aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of combining vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor blockade using tyrosine kinase inhibitor PTK787 with hypoxia for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The in vivo effects of the treatments were determined in a rat orthotopic HCC model, in which hypoxia was generated by hepatic artery ligation (HAL). Compared with HAL alone, PTK787 combined with HAL significantly prolonged the animal survival, reduced the tumor size, induced more tumor tissue necrosis and apoptosis, and down-regulated the expression of von Willebrand factor.

Liver intestine-cadherin (CDH17) haplotype is associated with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. We previously showed that aberrant mRNA splicing of the liver intestine-cadherin gene CDH17 in liver tissues was triggered by the specific constellation of two CDH17 single nucleotide polymorphisms (651T and IVS6+35G). CDH17 aberrant splicing was highly associated with tumor dissemination and shorter survival of HCC patients.

Platelet activation during tumor development, the potential role of BDNF-TrkB autocrine loop.

Platelets are an important place for the storage of angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The present study aims to investigate the interaction between BDNF-TrkB pathway and platelet activation during tumor development. In an orthotopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model, increased levels of serum and plasma BDNF were detected with tumor progression.

Surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry serum protein profiling to identify nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: Diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) at an early disease stage is important for successful treatment and improving the outcome of patients. The use of serum protein profiles and a classification tree algorithm were explored to distinguish NPC from noncancer.

Methods: Serum samples were applied to metal affinity protein chips to generate mass spectra by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS).

Safety limit of large-volume hepatic radiofrequency ablation in a rat model.

Background: Large-volume hepatic radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been used to treat large liver tumors, but its safety limit is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the possible systemic responses of large-volume hepatic RFA and to estimate its safety limit in normal and cirrhotic rats.

Hypothesis: Large-volume hepatic RFA causes a significant systemic inflammatory reaction.

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) is crucial for the survival and pro-inflammatory activity of macrophages.

Our previous studies revealed that macrophages played an important role in linking injury, inflammatory and immune response in small-for-size liver transplantation. However, the molecular basis that promoted macrophage activation was not clear. In the present study, we explored the potential role of allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) in mediating the survival and pro-inflammatory activity of macrophages in a macrophage cell line.

Porcine liver: morphologic characteristics and cell viability at experimental radiofrequency ablation with internally cooled electrodes.

Purpose: To evaluate morphologic characteristics and cell viability of radiofrequency ablation zones in porcine liver.

Materials And Methods: Approval of the study protocol was obtained from the Ethics Committee on Use of Live Animals for Teaching and Research at University of Hong Kong. Internally cooled electrodes were used to produce 120 ablated zones ex vivo and 60 ablated zones in vivo with single electrodes (1-, 2-, and 3-cm exposed lengths) or clustered electrodes (1.