Accelerating Asteroidal Period and Pole Inversion from Multiple Lightcurves Using Parallel Differential Evolution and Cellinoid Shape Model

Determining asteroid properties provides valuable physical insights but inverting them from photometric lightcurves remains computationally intensive.This paper presents a new approach that combines a simplified Cellinoid shape model with the Parallel Differential Evolution(PDE)algorithm to accelerate inversion.The PDE algorithm is more efficient than the Differential Evolution algorithm,achieving an extraordinary speedup of 37.983 with 64 workers on multicore CPUs.The PDE algorithm accurately derives period and pole values from simulated data.The analysis of real asteroid lightcurves validates the method’s reliability:in comparison with results published elsewhere,the PDE algorithm accurately recovers the rotational periods and,given adequate viewing geometries,closely matches the pole orientations.The PDE approach converges to solutions within 20,000 iterations and under one hour,demonstrating its potential for large-scale data analysis.This work provides a promising new tool for unveiling asteroid physical properties by overcoming key computational bottlenecks.

Mesenteric heterotopic pancreas in a pediatric patient: A case report and review of literature

Heterotopic pancreas （HP） is a congenital anomaly defined as pancreatic tissue that has no contact with the orthotopic pancreas and its own duct system and vascular supply. The most common locations of HP are the upper gastrointestinal tract, specifically, the stomach, duodenum, and proximal jejunum. In-volvement of the mesentery is rare. Here, we describe a rare case of mesenteric heterotopic pancreas （MHP） in a 12-year-old girl who presented with acute abdomen. The patient underwent emergency laparotomy, and the mass and adjacent small bowel were resected. Results of the postoperative histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of MHP. Observation of the patient for 12 mo postoperatively showed no evidence of recurrence. Preoperative diagnosis of HP is diffcult, even in a symptomatic patient. Increased awarenessand understanding of the image characteristics of MHP will aid in correct preoperative diagnosis and appropriate patient management.

Application of metagenomics in the human gut microbiome

There are more than 1000 microbial species living in the complex human intestine.The gut microbial community plays an important role in protecting the host against pathogenic microbes,modulating immunity,regulating metabolic processes,and is even regarded as an endocrine organ.However,traditional culture methods are very limited for identifying microbes.With the application of molecular biologic technology in the field of the intestinal microbiome,especially metagenomic sequencing of the next-generation sequencing technology,progress has been made in the study of the human intestinal microbiome.Metagenomics can be used to study intestinal microbiome diversity and dysbiosis,as well as its relationship to health and disease.Moreover,functional metagenomics can identify novel functional genes,microbial pathways,antibiotic resistance genes,functional dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiome,and determine interactions and co-evolution between microbiota and host,though there are still some limitations.Metatranscriptomics,metaproteomics and metabolomics represent enormous complements to the understanding of the human gut microbiome.This review aims to demonstrate that metagenomics can be a powerful tool in studying the human gut microbiome with encouraging prospects.The limitations of metagenomics to be overcome are also discussed.Metatranscriptomics,metaproteomics and metabolomics in relation to the study of the human gut microbiome are also briefly discussed.

Management hepatolithiasis with operative choledochoscopic FREDDY laser lithotripsy combined with or without hepatectomy

BACKGROUND: Hepatolithiasis is very common in East Asia. It is benign in nature, but has a high recurrence rate. It is likely to lead to biliary cirrhosis and increase the risk of cholangiocarcinoma. Hence, the treatment of hepatolithiasis is difficult but vital. In this report, we present a novel approach to manage hepatolithiasis using the choledochoscopic Frequency-Doubled Double pulse Nd:YAG (FREDDY) laser lithotripsy combined with or without hepatectomy. METHODS: Between July 2009 and October 2012, 45 patients underwent choledochoscopic FREDDY laser lithotripsy combined with or without hepatectomy (laser lithotripsy group). Fortyeight patients underwent a traditional operation (traditional method group) from January 2009 to June 2009. Comparative analysis was made of demographic and clinical characteristics of the two groups. RESULTS: The final stone clearance rate of the laser lithotripsy group was 93.3%, whereas that of the traditional method group was 85.4% (P=0.22). In the laser lithotripsy group, 2 patients experienced hemobilia and 3 patients had acute cholangitis. In the traditional method group, 3 patients had intraoperative hemorrhage, 1 patient had bile leakage, 6 patients had acute cholangitis, and 1 patient died of liver failure. Moreover, the operative time in the traditional method group was significantly longer than that in the laser lithotripsy group (P=0.01). The mean hospital stay of the patients in the traditional method group was longer than that in the laser lithotripsy group (9.8 vs8.2 days, P=0.17). Recurrent intrahepatic bile duct stones were not found during the follow-up period in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Operative choledochoscopic FREDDY laser lithotripsy combined with or without hepatectomy may be an effective and safe treatment for hepatolithiasis.

Prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of primary hepatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GIST), which is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the digestive tract, account for 1%-3% of gastrointestinal tumors. Primary stromal tumors outside the gastrointestinal tract are collectively referred to as extra GISTs, and stromal tumors in different regions often have different prognoses. A primary hepatic GIST is a rare tumor with an unknown origin, which may be related to interstitial Cajal-like cells. Although primary hepatic GIST has certain characteristics on imaging, it lacks specific symptoms and signs;thus, the final diagnosis depends on pathological and genetic evidence. This review summarizes all cases of primary hepatic GIST described in the literature and comprehensively analyzes the detailed clinical data of all patients. In terms of treatment, local resection alone or with adjuvant therapy was the prioritized choice to obtain better disease-free survival and longer survival time. For advanced unresectable cases, imatinib mesylate was applied as the first-line chemotherapy agent. Moreover, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization,/by-nc/4.0/Manuscript source: Unsolicited manuscript radiofrequency ablation, and microwave ablation were shown to improve overall survival for selected patients. Liver transplantation was a final treatment option after resistance to chemotherapy developed.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy with portal vein/superior mesenteric vein resection for patients with pancreatic cancer with venous invasion

BACKGROUND： With the development of new surgical tech- niques, pancreaticoduodenectomy （PD） with portal vein or superior mesenteric vein （PV/SMV） resection has been used in the treatment of patients with borderline resectable pan- creatic cancer. However, opinions of surgeons differ in the effectiveness of this surgical technique. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of this approach in patients with pancreatic cancer. METHODS： Follow-up visits and retrospective analysis were carried out of 208 patients with pancreatic cancer who had undergone PD （PD group） and PD combined with PV/SMV resection and reconstruction （PDVR group） from June 2009 to May 2013 at our center. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the clinical features, the difference of survival time and risk factors of venous invasion in pancreatic cancer. Factors relating to postoperative survival time of pancreatic cancer were also investigated. RESULTS： In the PDVR group, which consisted of 42 cases, the 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 70%, 41% and 16%, respective- ly and the median survival time was 20.0 months. Among the 166 patients in the PD group, the 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates were 80%, 52%, and 12%, respectively with the median survival time of 26.0 months. No significant difference in survival time and R0 resection ratio was found between the two groups. Lum- bodorsal pain, tumor with pancreatic capsular invasion and bile duct infiltration were found to be independent risk factors for PV invasion in pancreatic cancer. In addition, non R0 resection,large tumor size （〉2 cm） and poorly differentiated tumor were independent risk factors for survival time in post-PD. CONCLUSIONS： The tumor has a higher chance of venous invasion if preoperative imagings indicate that it juxtaposes with the vessel. Lumbodorsal pain is the chief complaint. Pa- tients with pancreatic cancer associated with PV involvement should receive PDVR for R0 resection when preoperational assessment shows the chance for eradication.

Risk factors of metabolic syndrome after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND： Liver transplantation is a treatment of choice for both acute and chronic liver failure. Accompanied with the increase of long-term survival rates of recipients, metabolic syndrome and its individual components, including obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, have become more frequent post liver transplantation. Here we reviewed the literature concerning the risk factors for the development of metabolic complications in liver recipients.

Central pancreatectomy for pancreatic schwannoma: A case report and literature review

Schwannomas are mesenchymal tumors originating from Schwann cells in peripheral nerve sheaths. Although the tumor can be located in any part of the human body, the most common locations are the head, neck, trunk and extremities. Pancreaticschwannomas are rare. To our knowledge, only 64 cases of pancreatic schwannoma have been reported in the English literature over the past 40 years. In this paper, we present a pancreatic schwannoma in a 59-year-old female. Ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed the tumor located in the pancreatic body; however, accurate diagnosis was hard to obtain preoperatively and a pancreatic cystadenoma was preliminarily considered. During laparotomy, the mass was found in the body of the pancreas. An enlarged gallbladder with multiple stones was also observed. We performed central pancreatectomy, end-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy and cholecystectomy. Notably, central pancreatectomy has been reported in only one case prior to this report. The gross specimen showed a mass with a thin capsule, 1.6 cm × 1.1 cm × 1.1 cm in size. Microscopic examination showed that the tumor was mainly composed of spindle-shaped cells with palisading arrangement and no atypia, which is consistent with a benign tumor. Both hypercellular and hypocellular areas were visible. Immunohistochemical staining revealed strongly positive results for protein S-100. Finally, the tumor was diagnosed as a schwannoma of the pancreatic body. Postoperatively, the patient recovered well and left the hospital 6 d later. During the 53-mo follow-up period, the patient remained well and free of complications.

Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas: A case report

BACKGROUND Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas(SCP) is a rare and aggressive epithelial tumor that has both epithelial and mesenchymal features. It is characterized by sarcomatous elements with evidence of epithelial differentiation. And the term"sarcomatoid carcinoma" is often confused with "carcinosarcoma".CASE SUMMARY We present a case of SCP with lymph node metastasis in a 59-year-old male patient. He had experienced darkening of the urine, scleral icterus, and fatigue for 4 weeks. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass in the pancreatic head, and laboratory tests revealed elevated serum bilirubin levels. The patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy after biliary decompression. Histologically, spindle cells with marked nuclear atypia and brisk mitotic activity arranged in a storiform or fascicular pattern were present in the bulk of the tumor. Immunohistochemical analysis found that the spindle cells exhibited strong diffuse positivity for epithelial markers, indicative of epithelial differentiation. Accordingly, the pathologic diagnosis of the pancreatic neoplasm was SCP.CONCLUSION Although sarcomatoid carcinomas and carcinosarcomas have different pathologic features, both have epithelial origin.

A score model for predicting post-liver transplantation survival in HBV cirrhosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma recipients: a single center 5-year experience

BACKGROUND： The prognostic prediction of liver transplantation（LT） guides the donor organ allocation. However, there is currently no satisfactory model to predict the recipients’ outcome, especially for the patients with HBV cirrhosis-related hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC）. The present study was to develop a quantitative assessment model for predicting the post-LT survival in HBV-related HCC patients.METHODS： Two hundred and thirty-eight LT recipients at the Liver Transplant Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine between 2008 and 2013 were included in this study. Their post-LT prognosis was recorded and multiple risk factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses in Cox regression.RESULTS： The score model was as follows： 0.114×（Child-Pugh score）-0.002×（positive HBV DNA detection time）＋0.647×（number of tumor nodules）＋0.055×（max diameter of tumor nodules）＋0.231×ln AFP＋0.437×（tumor differentiation grade）.The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve of the scoring model for predicting the post-LT survival was 0.887. The cut-off value was 1.27, which was associated with a sensitivity of 72.5% and a specificity of 90.7%, respectively.CONCLUSION： The quantitative score model for predicting post-LT survival proved to be sensitive and specific.

Clinical experience in liver transplantation from an organ transplantation center in China

Objective: To sum up the experience in liver trans- plantation in a period of ten years at a single center. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical re- cords of 120 patients receiving liver transplantation from April 1993 to October 2002. The patients' cli- nical characteristics, surgical techniques, complica- tions and survival were compared in the phases of 1993-1997 (phase Ⅰ), 1999 (phase Ⅱ), and 2000- 2002 (phase Ⅲ). Results: Malignant liver diseases were major indica- tions for liver transplantation in phase Ⅰ(100%) and Ⅱ(53. 3%), but decreased markedly in percentage in phase Ⅲ(34. 0%). When compared with recipi- ents in phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ, the survival of recipients with benign liver diseases in phase Ⅲ was significantly im- proved with the 3-month, 6-month and 1-year sur- vival rates of 85. 7%, 84. 5% and 83. 1%, respec- tively. For patients with malignant liver diseases, the 3-month, 6-month and 1-year survival rates were 87. 4%, 81. 1% and 46. 0%, respectively. The rein- fection rate of hepatitis B virus was 24% 12 months after transplantation. With technical refinements, the incidence of postransplantation vascular compli- cations has significantly decreased from 29. 4% in phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ to 4. 9% in phase Ⅲ. Biliary compli- cations remained one of the major obstacles to long- term survival. No reno-venous bypass was applied in phase Ⅲ, providing a promising outcome. Conclusion: Strict selection of potential recipients, technical refinement, appropriate management of vascular and biliary complications, and prophylaxis of recurrences of hepatitis B and malignant liver dis- eases are important to obtain long-term survival of patients receiving liver transplantation in China.

Hepatocellular carcinoma-derived exosomal miRNA-761 regulates the tumor microenvironment by targeting the SOCS2/JAK2/STAT3 pathway

BACKGROUND:Exosomes and exosomal microRNAs have been implicated in tumor occurrence and metastasis.Our previous study showed that microRNA-761(miR-761)is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)tissues and that its inhibition affects mitochondrial function and inhibits HCC metastasis.The mechanism by which exosomal miR-761 modulates the tumor microenvironment has not been elucidated.METHODS:Exosomal miR-761 was detected in six cell lines.Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)and transwell migration assays were performed to determine the function of exosomal miR-761 in HCC cells.The luciferase reporter assay was used to analyze miR-761 target genes in normal fi broblasts(NFs).The inhibitors AZD1480 and C188-9 were employed to determine the role of the Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(JAK2/STAT3)signaling pathway in the transformation of cancer-associated fi broblasts(CAFs).RESULTS:In this study,we characterized the mechanism by which miR-761 reprogrammed the tumor microenvironment.We found that HCC-derived exosomal miR-761 was taken up by NFs.Moreover,HCC exosomes aff ected the tumor microenvironment by activating NFs via suppressor of cytokine signaling 2(SOCS2)and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.CONCLUSIONS:These results demonstrated that exosomal miR-761 modulated the tumor microenvironment via SOCS2/JAK2/STAT3 pathway-dependent activation of CAFs.Our fi ndings may inspire new strategies for HCC prevention and therapy.

MGMT is down-regulated independently of promoter DNA methylation in rats with all-trans retinoic acidinduced spina bifida aperta

O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase(MGMT), a DNA repair enzyme, has been reported in some congenital malformations, but it is less frequently reported in neural tube defects. This study investigated MGMT mRNA expression and methylation levels in the early embryo and in different embryonic stages, as well as the relationship between MGMT and neural tube defects. Spina bifida aperta was induced in rats by a single intragastric administration of all-trans retinoic acid on embryonic day(E) 10, whereas normal control rats received the same amount of olive oil on the same embryonic day. DNA damage was assessed by detecting γ-H2 A.X in spina bifida aperta rats. Real time-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine mRNA expression of MGMT in normal control and spina bifida aperta rats. In normal controls, the MGMT mRNA expression decreased with increasing embryonic days, and was remarkably reduced from E11 to E14, reaching a minimum at E18. In the spina bifida aperta model, γ-H2 A.X protein expression was increased, and mRNA expression of MGMT was markedly decreased on E14, E16, and E18. Bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction for MGMT promoter methylation demonstrated that almost all CpG sites in the MGMT promoter remained unmethylated in both spina bifida aperta rats and normal controls, and there was no significant difference in methylation level between the two groups on either E14 or E18. Our results show that DNA damage occurs in spina bifida aperta rats. The mRNA expression of MGMT is downregulated, and this downregulation is independent of promoter DNA methylation.

Use of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the fi rst successful combined lung-liver transplantation patient in China

Dear editor,Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)is a modality of extracorporeal life support that allows for temporary support in pulmonary and/or cardiac failure refractory to conventional therapy.[1]ECMO use has been exponentially increasing over the last decade and is now considered a mainstream lifesaving treatment modality in critical care medicine.Many studies report ECMO use in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome refractory to conventional clinical support,in-hospital cardiac arrest,and cardiogenic refractory shock.[1-3]Herein,we report the use of veno-arterial ECMO(VA-ECMO)in the first successful combined lung-liver transplantation(CLLT)patient in China.

Successful treatment of a pancreatic schwannoma by spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy

Schwannomas are neurogenic tumors that arise from the neural sheaths of peripheral nerves. These tumors can be located in any area of the human body; the most common locations are the head, neck, trunk and extremities. Pancreatic schwannomas are very rare. Over the past 40 years, only 67 cases of pancreatic schwannomas have been reported in the English literature. Here we present a case of pancreatic schwannoma in a 62-year-old male. The tumor was revealed by ultrasound and computed tomography in the neck and body of the pancreas. An accurate diagnosis was difficult to obtain preoperatively. The patient consented to the performance of a laparotomy, and the mass was found in the neck and body of the pancreas and successfully treated using a spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy with splenic artery and vein preservation. The procedure has only been reported in one other case of pancreatic schwannoma; here we present the second reported case. Macroscopically, the tumor was well circumscribed, gray-white in color and 3.3 cm x 2.8 cm in size. Microscopically, the tumor cells were spindle-shaped and had a palisading arrangement with no atypia, which are results compatible with a benign tumor. Both hypercellular and hypocellular areas were visible. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were strongly positive for S-100 protein. The tumor was definitively diagnosed as a schwannoma of the pancreatic neck and body. The patient was followed for 72 mo and has been doing well without any complications.

Schwannoma in the hepatoduodenal ligament: A case report and literature review

Schwannomas are mesenchymal neoplasms with low malignant potential that arise from Schwann cells. They can occur almost anywhere, although the most common locations are the head, neck and extremities. Primary benign schwannoma of the hepatoduodenal ligament is rare. To date, only three cases have been reported in the English literature. In the present study, we report a case of hepatoduodenal ligament schwannoma in a 43-year-old male, who was admitted to our hospital because of a abdominal mass found by physical examination. It was hard to determine the definitive location and diagnosis of the mass using ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography. During laparotomy, the mass was found in the hepatoduodenal ligament and close to the cholecystic duct, so we resected the gallbladder and cholecystic duct along with the mass. The gross specimen revealed an 8.5 cm × 5.5 cm × 3.0 cm localized tumor. Microscopic examination showed that the tumor was mainly composed of spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed a strong positive S-100 protein reaction. Finally, the lesion was diagnosed as a benign schwannoma in the hepatoduodenal ligament. However, one month later, the patient was readmitted to our hospital because of skin and sclera jaundice caused by common bile duct stenosis without common bile duct stone or tumor. The patient recovered well after implantation of a common bile duct stent under endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. He was followed up for a period of 17 mo, during which he was well with no complications.

Transplantation Expression of 4-1BB molecule on peripheral blood T cells in liver transplanted patients and its clinical implication

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the gene expression of 4-1BB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and its possible significance in clinical liver transplantation. METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the gene expression of 4-1BB in PBMCs from 22 patients receiving liver transplantation, 13 patients with primary liver carcinoma (PLC), and 12 healthy controls. To determine whether 4-1BB molecule is also expressed on the surface of CD4^+ and CD8^+ T cell, flow cytometry was used to analyse the phenotype of T cell subsets from the blood of liver transplantation patients. RESULTS: 4-1BB mRNA was detected in PBMCs from stable survivors after liver transplantation, but almost not deteeted in PBMCs from PLC patients and healthy controls. Meanwhile, 4-1BB was almost not expressed on the surface of CD4^+ and CD8^+ T cells in healthy controls and PLC patients. A low level of 4-1BB expression, however, was found on the surface of CD4^+ and CD8^+ T cells from the stable survivors after liver transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that although patients are stable after liver transplantation, effector T-cells can also be activated through the signal of 4-1BB molecule and persistent irmmune response to grafts. Blockage of 4-1BB/4-1BBL pathway may benefitially reduce the clinical dosage of immunosuppressive agents and prolong the survival of grafts.

Giant nonfunctional ectopic adrenocortical carcinoma on the anterior abdominal wall: A case report

BACKGROUND Adrenocortical cancer(ACC) is an infrequent and often aggressive malignancy with a very poor prognosis. It can be classified as functional or nonfunctional.Nonfunctional ACC is hampered by the absence of specific signs or symptoms;only abdominal pain with or without incidental adrenal occupation is typically present.CASE SUMMARY We report a rare case of a patient with a 30 cm × 15 cm × 8 cm ectopic ACC on the anterior abdominal wall without organ adhesion. A 77-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of a huge abdominal mass, which, by ultrasonography, had an unclear border with the liver. Computed tomography showed that the mass was not associated with any organ but was adherent to the anterior abdominal wall. The patient underwent tumor resection, and a postoperative pathology examination showed a neuroendocrine tumor, which was diagnosed as ACC. The patient was disease-free at the 9-mo follow up.CONCLUSION The anterior abdominal wall is a rare site of ACC growth.

Model for liver hardness using two-dimensional shear wave elastography,durometer,and preoperative biomarkers

BACKGROUND Post-hepatectomy liver failure(PHLF)increases morbidity and mortality after liver resection for patients with advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis.Preoperative liver stiffness using two-dimensional shear wave elastography(2D-SWE)is widely used to evaluate the degree of fibrosis.However,the 2D-SWE results were not accurate.A durometer measures hardness by quantifying the ability of a material to locally resist the intrusion of hard objects into its surface.However,the durometer score can only be obtained during surgery.To measure correlations among 2D-SWE,palpation by surgeons,and durometermeasured objective liver hardness and to construct a liver hardness regression model.METHODS We enrolled 74 hepatectomy patients with liver hardness in a derivation cohort.Tactile-based liver hardness scores(0-100)were determined through palpation of the liver tissue by surgeons.Additionally,liver hardness was measured using a durometer.Correlation coefficients for durometer-measured hardness and preoperative parameters were calculated.Multiple linear regression models were constructed to select the best predictive durometer scale.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and univariate and multivariate analyses were used to calculate the best model’s prediction of PHLF and risk factors for PHLF,respectively.A separate validation cohort(n=162)was used to evaluate the model.RESULTS The stiffness measured using 2D-SWE and palpation scale had good linear correlation with durometer-measured hardness(Pearson rank correlation coefficient 0.704 and 0.729,respectively,P<0.001).The best model for the durometer scale(hardness scale model)was based on stiffness,hepatitis B virus surface antigen,and albumin level and had an R2 value of 0.580.The area under the ROC for the durometer and hardness scale for PHLF prediction were 0.807(P=0.002)and 0.785(P=0.005),respectively.The optimal cutoff value of the durometer and hardness scale was 27.38(sensitivity=0.900,specificity=0.660)and 27.87(sensitivity=0.700,specificity=0.787),respectively.Patients with a hardness scale score of>27.87 were at a significantly higher risk of PHLF with hazard ratios of 7.835(P=0.015).The model’s PHLF predictive ability was confirmed in the validation cohort.CONCLUSION Liver stiffness assessed by 2D-SWE and palpation correlated well with durometer hardness values.The multiple linear regression model predicted durometer hardness values and PHLF.

Living related liver transplantation for an infant with biliary atresia

Objective: To sum up the preliminary experience in living related liver transplantation (LRLT). Methods: A 9-month-old male infant with biliary atresia (BA) who had undergone an unsuccessful Kasai operation was defined as a candidate for LR- LT. The donor was his 30-year-old mother. Her la- teral lobe of the left liver was transplanted into the infant's body as the graft. The left branches of the portal vein, left hepatic artery and left hepatic vein of the graft were end-to-end anastomosed to the por- tal vein, hepatic artery proper and hepatic vein of the recipient respectively. Biliary drainage was re- established via Roux-en-Y operation. Results: The donor retained her liver function within 2 weeks after the operation. Steroid and FK506 were prescribed in immunosuppressive therapy for the re- cipient. The blood bilirubin level of the infant de- creased to normal 2 weeks after operation. No acute rejection occurred. Biliary leakage in the early peri- od after the transplantation was controlled by drain- age, and E. coli infection was effectively treated with antibiotics. The donor and recipient are in satisfacto- ry condition to the present. Conclusion: LRLT is advisable for children with bili- ary atresia.