Publications by authors named "Elizabeth Zheng"

In the setting of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance, a range of observations can be identified. Often, imaging findings and biochemical results are consistent with the diagnosis of HCC. However, challenges in HCC surveillance can arise in different clinical contexts, particularly when imaging results and tumor biomarkers are discordant.

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Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether indirect revascularization in pediatric patients with moyamoya disease leads to periventricular anastomosis (PVA) regression, which is markedly developed in moyamoya vessels and is regarded as a risk factor for hemorrhage.

Methods: Pediatric patients with moyamoya disease treated with indirect revascularization from 2011 to 2021 were included in this study. Magnetic resonance angiography and arterial spin labeling images acquired before and 1 year after surgery were assessed to obtain a visual scale of postoperative collateral artery formation, moyamoya vessels, PVA, and quantitative values of cerebral blood flow (CBF).

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  • This study focused on patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis B who had small liver lesions (subcentimeter) and aimed to assess the risk of developing primary liver cancer (PLC) over time.
  • Out of 746 patients observed, a majority had only one ultrasound, and only about 28% followed the recommended ultrasound schedule; after 26 months, 42 patients were diagnosed with PLC, indicating a low incidence rate of cancer.
  • Factors like high alpha-fetoprotein levels, low platelet counts, and more severe liver disease (Child-Pugh B) were linked to a higher risk of developing PLC, suggesting that while short follow-up ultrasounds are generally safe, certain patients may need additional
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Aim Of The Study: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a globally prevailing chronic liver condition, refers to a spectrum of disease ranging from bland steatosis to steatohepatitis causing fibrosis without significant alcohol intake. Prominent risk factors (RFs) include obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia. Currently, no established hierarchy exists for the influence of metabolic RFs on NAFLD progression.

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In a population-based case control study of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), we reported a strong positive association between serum levels of Wolff's Group 1 (potentially estrogenic) polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) and risk of TGCT, and the observed associations were similar for both seminoma and non-seminoma. While the observed specific associations between TGCT and Wolff's Group 1 PCBs cannot be easily explained by bias or confounding, a question can still be asked, that is, could the relationship between PCBs and TGCT differ by age at diagnosis? PCBs tend to bioaccumulate, with more heavily chlorinated PCB congeners tending to have longer half-lives. Half-lives of PCB congeners were reported ranging from 4.

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The incidence rate of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) has continuously increased in Western countries over the last several decades. Some epidemiologic studies have reported that the endocrine disrupting polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in serum may be associated with TGCT risk, but the evidence is inconsistent. Our goal was to investigate whether serum levels of PCBs are associated with the increase of TGCT risk.

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The safety and efficacy of tocilizumab for the treatment of severe respiratory symptoms due to COVID-19 remain uncertain, in particular among solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Thus, we evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of 29 hospitalized SOT recipients who received tocilizumab for severe COVID-19, compared to a matched control group who did not. Among a total of 117 total SOT recipients hospitalized with COVID-19, 29 (24.

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  • COVID-19 is linked to acute liver injury (ALI), seen in increased liver enzymes, with this study focusing on its prevalence and risk factors among patients in the U.S.
  • In a study of 3,381 patients, those who tested positive for COVID-19 had significantly higher liver enzyme levels, with 45% experiencing mild liver injury and 6.4% severe liver injury (SLI).
  • Severe ALI is tied to higher inflammatory markers and indicates a worse clinical outcome, with higher rates of ICU admission and mortality in those with SLI compared to milder cases.
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The use of herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) is increasing in the United States and worldwide. Its significant association with liver injury has become a concern, particularly because rates of hepatotoxicity caused by HDS are increasing. There are variety of HDS available, ranging from multi-ingredient substances, to anabolic steroids for bodybuilding purposes, to individual ingredients for purposes of supplementing a diet.

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  • * A case study describes a 16-year-old male whose liver enzyme levels significantly increased after 20 weeks of isotretinoin treatment, but he remained asymptomatic, and levels took 8 months to normalize after stopping the drug.
  • * The patient's liver enzymes remained normal when isotretinoin was reintroduced three years later, suggesting that isotretinoin can be safely used again after liver function has returned to normal.
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  • The study investigates how U.S. hepatology practitioners view and manage the use of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for patients with hepatitis C who also have hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), despite differences in opinions regarding HCC recurrence risks following DAA treatment.
  • Out of 476 surveyed providers, a majority believe that DAAs are beneficial for patients who have successfully been treated for HCC, recommending them for early-stage patients, but less so for those with intermediate or advanced HCC.
  • There is a notable variation in when providers prefer to start DAA therapy after HCC treatments, with many suggesting initiation within three months post-surgery or procedure, while others advocate for
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Introduction: Herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) have been increasingly recognized as a cause for acute liver injury (Navarro et al. Hepatology 60(4):1399-1408, 2014; Bailey et al. J Nutr 141:261-266, 2011).

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Herbal and dietary supplement usage has increased steadily over the past several years in the United States. Among the non-bodybuilding herbal and dietary supplements, weight loss supplements were among the most common type of HDS implicated in liver injury. While drug induced liver injury is rare, its consequences are significant and on the rise.

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The walking paths of male cockroaches, Periplaneta americana, tracking point-source plumes of female pheromone often appear similar in structure to those observed from flying male moths. Flying moths use visual-flow-field feedback of their movements to control steering and speed over the ground and to detect the wind speed and direction while tracking plumes of odors. Walking insects are also known to use flow field cues to steer their trajectories.

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We report a rare case of a foregut duplication cyst of the pancreas containing respiratory epithelium in a healthy adolescent male who presented with recurrent abdominal pain secondary to pancreatitis. The abnormality was revealed on computed tomography performed to evaluate severe abdominal pain radiating to the back. Further imaging (ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging) confirmed that the lesion was a cyst with no apparent pancreatic ductal communication.

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