Universal representations in cardiovascular ECG assessment: A self-supervised learning approach.

Background: The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is an established modality for cardiovascular assessment. While deep learning algorithms have shown promising results for analyzing ECG data, the limited availability of labeled datasets hinders broader applications. Self-supervised learning can learn meaningful representations from the unlabeled data and transfer the knowledge to downstream tasks.

One-Year Mortality Risk Stratification in Patients Hospitalized for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: Construction of TSOC-HFrEF Risk Scoring Model.

Background: Most previous risk prediction models in patients hospitalized for heart failure (HF) are derived from populations in Western countries, and it is unclear whether these models are applicable to Asian populations. This study aimed to construct a risk score system for predicting one-year mortality risk in Asian patients and to compare the applicability of this risk score system with the 3C-HF score system.

Methods: We used the population in the Taiwan Society of Cardiology-Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction (TSOC-HFrEF) registry, which is a prospective cohort of patients admitted for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) in Taiwan.

Severe Hepatitis Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence via NF-κB Pathway-Mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition after Resection.

Purpose: Surgical resection is considered as a curative treatment modality for hepatocellular carcinoma; however, the incidence of postoperative tumor recurrence is high, leading to worse patient survival. Persistent hepatitis (inflammation) is one of the risk factors of tumor recurrence after surgical resection. The aim of this study is to investigate the underlying mechanisms linking liver inflammation to hepatocellular carcinoma progression.

Bortezomib is effective to treat acute humoral rejection after liver transplantation.

Introduction: Acute humoral rejection (AHR), a rare complication in orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), responds poorly to conventional therapies. Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, has been shown to be effective in treating plasma cell-derived tumors and acute rejection episodes after renal transplantation. Herein, we have reported our clinical experience with bortezomib as a novel approach to treat AHR after OLT.

The risk factors to predict acute rejection in liver transplantation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors for an acute cellular rejection episode (ARE) among adult liver transplant (OLT) patients.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 110 consecutive patients who underwent OLT between May 2007 and December 2010. The diagnosis of ARE was based upon clinical and biochemical data; liver biopsy was only performed when clinical presentation was equivocal.

Encapsulation is a significant prognostic factor for better outcome in large hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of tumor encapsulation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on long-term survival.

Methods: A retrospective review of 1,240 patients who underwent hepatectomy from January 1993 to June 2005 was conducted. There were 891 patients with tumor encapsulation (EC type) and 349 patients without tumor encapsulation (NC type).

The impact of CD4+ CD25+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common liver cancer. Therapeutic results are usually unsatisfactory because liver tumors recur often. Immunologic factors may be related to the recurrence of HCC; however, this possibility is mentioned only rarely.

Evaluation of the new AJCC staging system for resectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system (TNM-7) for patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Partial hepatectomies performed for 879 patients from 1993 to 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathological factors, surgical outcome, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were analyzed to evaluate the predictive value of the TNM-7 staging system.

Prognostic effect of steatosis on hepatocellular carcinoma patients after liver resection.

Aims: Overweight/obesity is currently a common health issue that may cause many diseases, even malignancies. The influence of steatosis on long-term results of surgical treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well known. The aim of this study is to analyze the results of hepatectomy for HCC patients with steatosis.

Duodenal duplication cyst: a rare cause of geriatric gastrointestinal bleeding.

Duodenal duplication cysts are rare congenital anomalies usually found in children, but rare cases, often presenting with pancreatitis, have been reported in adults. We report the case of a duodenal duplication cyst in an 81-year-old man who presented with gastrointestinal bleeding. Despite endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography, duodenal duplication was not diagnosed until exploratory laparotomy was performed to remove the lesion.

Right hepatectomy by the anterior method with liver hanging versus conventional approach for large hepatocellular carcinomas.

Background: The aim was to compare short-term results of right hepatectomy using the anterior approach (AA) and liver hanging manoeuvre with the conventional approach (CA) for large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: This was a retrospective review of 71 consecutive patients with HCC at least 5 cm in diameter who underwent curative right hepatectomy using either the AA with the liver hanging manoeuvre (33) or the CA (38) between January 2004 and December 2008. Clinical data, operative results and survival outcomes were analysed.

A short-term preemptive treatment for cytomegalovirus infection in seropositive patients after liver transplantation.

Background/purpose: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a challenge following liver transplantation. Preemptive treatment is an effective strategy for CMV infection. However, how long preemptive treatment should be applied is not defined.

Indicators and outcome of liver transplantation in acute liver decompensation after flares of hepatitis B.

Non-cirrhotic patients having acute liver decompensation in flares of hepatitis B can recover spontaneously or die without liver transplantation. Criteria for identifying patients in need of liver transplantation are lacking. Fifty-one non-cirrhotic patients having acute liver decompensation in flares of hepatitis B were retrospectively reviewed.

Flexible and individualized treatment to achieve sustained viral response for recurrent hepatitis C in liver transplant recipients.

Hepatitis C recurrence after liver transplantation is universal and is a major cause of long-term graft failure. Improving the effectiveness of recurrent hepatitis C treatment is extremely important. We studied 35 anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive patients who underwent liver transplantation.

Application of cryopreserved vein grafts as a conduit between the coronary vein and liver graft to reconstruct portal flow in adult living liver transplantation.

Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation is an alternative to donation from a deceased individual, and can help relieve the shortage of liver donations available for adult patients in Asian countries. When transplant candidates have thrombosis and deterioration of the portal vein, living donor liver transplantation is relatively contraindicated because portal veins in the grafts are short and vein grafts may not be available to reconstruct the portal vein. From June 2003 to May 2007, 82 adult living donor liver transplantations were performed at Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital.

Suspect the donor with potential infection in the adult deceased donor liver transplantation.

Introduction: Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for end-stage liver disease. However, the shortage of donors is still the major problem in most Asian countries. Using extended donor criteria may maximize the deceased donor pool, but some high-risk donors may show adverse recipient outcomes due to preexisting infection.

Human chorionic gonadotropin-induced ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome is associated with up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor.

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a life-threatening complication occurring in stimulated ovarian cycles, arises from treatment with gonadotropin for induction of follicular maturation in infertile women. Clinical characteristics of OHSS include ascites and pleural effusion induced by increased vascular permeability, where vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was suspected to be the culprit. To test whether the effects of human CG (hCG) on the pathogenesis of OHSS were mediated through the VEGF produced by luteinized granulosa cells, we measured estradiol, VEGF, IGF-II levels in serum, and follicular fluid and analyzed their mRNA expression in luteinized granulosa cells obtained from 101 women (58 with OHSS and 43 controls) who underwent in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.