Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial to explore the effects of personalized lifestyle advices and tandem skydives on pleasure in anhedonic young adults.

Background: Anhedonia is generally defined as the inability to feel pleasure in response to experiences that are usually enjoyable. Anhedonia is one of the two core symptoms of depression and is a major public health concern. Anhedonia has proven particularly difficult to counteract and predicts poor treatment response generally.

The influence of OKT3 therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence following liver transplantation.

Introduction: Cancer recurrence following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant obstacle in up to 10-20% of recipients. Recent evidence suggests that anti-CD3 antibody (OKT3) therapy may be associated with increased rates of HCC recurrence.

Methods: At the University of Colorado Transplant Center, 173 patients underwent OLT for end-stage liver disease with concomitant HCC between 1997 and 2008.

Hepaticoduodenostomy is an alternative to Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy for biliary reconstruction in live donor liver transplantation.

Introduction: A Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) is usually performed during live donor liver transplantation (LDLT) when a duct-to-duct reconstruction is not possible. However, direct anastomosis of the bile duct to the duodenum (hepaticoduodenostomy [HD]) is an alternative technique for biliary repair that has been previously used for conventional biliary surgery and at our center for cadaveric liver transplant. We provide the first evidence that HD is an alternative technique for biliary reconstruction in LDLT.

Choledochoduodenostomy is a safe alternative to Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy for biliary reconstruction in liver transplantation.

Introduction: Bile duct reconstruction during liver transplantation is usually performed by a duct-to-duct anastomosis or a Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy (CDJ). Direct anastomosis of the bile duct to the duodenum (choledochoduodenostomy-CDD) is another option for biliary reconstruction. This technique has been used with good outcome for the treatment of choledochal cysts, ampullary stenosis, and major bile duct injuries; however, there is little published experience with CDD in liver transplantation.

Sirolimus-based immunosuppression following liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Experience with sirolimus (SRL)-based immunosuppression following orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is rapidly accumulating. In combination with calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), SRL may reduce the incidence of acute rejection and lower overall required drug levels. This study sought to quantify long-term outcome following OLT in patients with cirrhosis and concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were treated with an SRL-based regimen as a primary therapy.