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Background: Better exposition is important for lymph node dissection in the suprapancreatic region and lesser curvature region of the stomach, and digestive tract reconstruction, especially without excellent assistants., Patients and Methods: We developed a new laparoscopic retraction method with the use of two internal retractors (TIRs) punctured along with suture. Clinicopathological data, surgical data, and postoperative outcomes were assessed., Results: Of the 143 patients included, 51 underwent surgery with the double-sling suture method and 92 underwent surgery with the TIRs method. Laparoscopic radical gastrectomy was successfully performed in all patients. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics or preoperative data in the 2 groups. The operative time was significantly shorter in the TIR group, but the amount of bleeding did not differ. No retraction-related complications both in clipped tissue and liver occurred in all patients., Conclusions: Our new retraction technique provided an optimal surgical field and make surgery lower requirements for assistants., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to examine the effect of venetoclax coupled with azacytidine in treating older adults with relapsed and refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The clinical data of 10 senior patients with AML over 65 years old who were treated with venetoclax and azacytidine, including six patients with R/R AML, were retrospectively evaluated. This study comprised seven males and three females with a median age of 71 years. Five patients had at least one relapse, and one patient did not achieve remission after four cycles of azacytidine monotherapy, considering it resistant. AML with myelodysplasia-related changes was found in four cases. One of the 10 patients died early after 1-13 cycles of venetoclax plus azacytidine treatment due to a protracted period of neutropenia and severe lung infection induced by medications. Six of the remaining nine patients, including six R/R patients, achieved a complete remission (CR) or a CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi). After two cycles of therapy, one patient did not react. Neutropenia lasted an average of 10.5 (6-15) days in all patients, with the most severe cases occurring in the second and third weeks of therapy. Three patients who tested positive for the TP53 gene mutation had the following outcomes: One relapsed patient has been in progression-free remission (PFS) for the past 24 months, whereas another has been in full remission but relapsed 2 months later. Another patient experienced complete remission in myelology for 4 months, but the variable allele fraction (VAF) value steadily rose, suggesting that the illness was on the verge of progressing. IDH2 gene alterations were found in three of four patients who obtained maintained CR for more than 18 months following recurrence. Venetoclax in combination with azacytidine is a successful and well-tolerated therapy for R/R AML in the elderly. Venetoclax and azacytidine may help patients with TP53 mutations and reduce VAF. The IDH2 mutation might be a good predictor of veneclax sensitivity. A notable adverse response in the treatment phase of the regimen is severe infection induced by neutropenia., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose.

Abuse-related trauma remains a global health issue. However, there is paucity in nationwide reports. We aim to estimate the incidence of abuse-related trauma forward medical care and identify its characteristics and clinical course in Taiwan. Patients with trauma between 2005 and 2007 that occurred 3 months before or after a diagnosis of abuse were identified from a randomly sampled nationwide longitudinal health insurance database of 1 million beneficiaries. The patients' demographic data, injury pattern, and medical resource utilization were measured, stratified by age and sex, and compared using chi-square test. Risk factors of next trauma event were identified using Cox regression analysis. Ninety-three patients (65 females) were identified (mean age, 20.6 ± 16.3 years), including 61.3% under 18 years of age. For the first trauma event, 68 patients (73.1%) visited the emergency room, 63 (67.7%) received intervention, and 14 (15.1%) needed hospital care. Seven (7.5%), all less than 11 years old, had intracranial hemorrhage and required intensive care. Thirty-three (35.5%) left with complications or sequelae, or required rehabilitation, but all survived. Of the 34 victims of sexual abuse, 32 were aged less than 18 years. Men received more mood stabilizers or antipsychotics (50.0% vs 10.7%, P = 0.030) and reeducative psychotherapy (25.0% vs 0, P = 0.044). Risk factors for a next trauma event were injury involving the extremities (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.27 [2.45-11.33]) and use of antibiotics (HR: 4.21 [1.45-12.24]) on the first trauma event. Abuse-related trauma has heterogeneous presentations among subgroups. Clinicians should be alert in providing timely diagnosis and individualized intervention., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest.

We aim to determine the incidence of malignancy after liver transplantation (LT) compared to general population. The records of patients who received LTs at our center from October 1989 and November 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of cancer in the patients was compared to general population using the data from the Taiwan Cancer Registry. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A total of 444 patients were included. Malignancy was found in 46 (28 de novo and 19 recurrent malignancies) patients (10.4%) with the median follow up of 4.2±4.2 years. The median time of cancer occurrence after transplant was 1.2±1.9 years (range, 0.2-9.1 years). Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder was the most frequent de novo malignancy (57.1% [16/28]). The cumulative incidence rates of all malignancies were 5.1%, 10.4%, 12.8%, 15.8%, and 15.8% at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. The cumulative incidence rates of de novo malignancies were 3.4%, 5.97%, 7.7%, 10.9%, and 10.9 % at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 years. Compared to general population, transplant recipients had significantly higher incidence of all de novo cancers (SIR: 3.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.17-4.72), hematologic (SIR: 58.4; 95% CI, 33.3-94.8), and bladder (SIR: 10.2, 95% CI: 1.1-36.7) cancers. The estimated mean survivals after transplantation in cancer-free, de novo cancer, and recurrent cancer patients were 17.7±0.5, 11.3±1.2, and 3.6±0.6 years, respectively. There is a significantly increased risk of malignancies after LT in the Taiwanese population.

Insufficient data are available regarding the validation of long-term survival in patients with T2 (solitary tumor with microvascular invasion [MVI] or multiple tumors, none >5 cm) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after primary hepatectomy. We aim to evaluate the survival and relevant risk factors for T2 HCC patients. Between 2001 and 2007, 312 T2 HCC patients who underwent primary hepatectomy were included. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using Cox proportional hazard model with adjusted independent prognostic factors. The 1, 3, and 5-year overall survival rates of patients with MVI were 85.7%, 68.7%, and 64.8%, respectively; these were inferior to the rates in patients without MVI, which were 93.0%, 89.3%, and 73.7%, respectively (P = 0.037). Within the with-MVI group, the survival rate of patients with tumor sizes ≥ 5 cm was inferior to that of patients with tumors <5 cm (overall, P = 0.01; recurrence-free, P < 0.0001). For patients with the largest tumors in the <5-cm group, those without MVI tended to have a higher probability of recurrence for 2 years after resection (P = 0.088) but a similar overall survival rate relative to those with MVI (P = 0.31). The crude metastasis-free survival was higher in the without-MVI group than in the with-MVI group (P = 0.012). The T2 HCC category comprised heterogeneous patients with differences in survival rates. Extrahepatic recurrence occurred more frequently in patients with MVI than in those without MVI. These results provide evidence for an updated definition of T2 HCC.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is uncommon but fatal. Current management is based mostly on clinical experience. We aimed to investigate the incidence, etiology, outcomes, and prognostic factors of ALF in Taiwan. Patients with the admission diagnosis of ALF between January 2005 and September 2007 were identified from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database of Taiwan. ALF was further confirmed by disease severity based on laboratory orders, prescriptions, and duration of hospital stay, and acute onset without prior liver disease. Prognostic factors were identified using Cox regression analysis. During the study period, 218 eligible cases were identified from 28,078 potential eligible ALF patients. The incidence was 80.2 per million person-years in average and increased with age. The mean age was 57.9 ± 17.1 years and median survival was 171 days. The most common etiologies were viral (45.4%, mainly hepatitis B virus) and followed by alcohol/toxin (33.0%). Independent prognostic factors included alcohol consumption (hazard ratio, HR, 1.67 [1.01-2.77]), malignancy (HR 2.90 [1.92-4.37]), frequency of checkups per week for total bilirubin (HR 1.57 [1.40-1.76]), sepsis (HR 1.85 [1.20-2.85]), and the use of hemodialysis/hemofiltration (HR 2.12 [1.15-3.9]) and proton pump inhibitor (HR 0.94 [0.90-0.98]). Among the 130 patients who survived ≥90 days, 66 (50.8%) were complicated by liver cirrhosis. Eight (3.7%) were referred for liver transplantation evaluation, but only 1 received transplantation and survived. ALF in Taiwan is mainly due to viral infection. Patients with malignancy and alcohol exposure have worst prognosis. The use of proton pump inhibitor is associated with improved survival. Half of the ALF survivors have liver cirrhosis.

Adenosine A2a receptor (A2aR) is believed to play a role in a number of physiological responses and pathological conditions. Our group has shown previously that A2aR-activated astrocytes occurred following oxygen-glucose deprivation. However, the relationship between A2aR and neurotrophins is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the effect of A2aR on glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) expression in rat brain astrocyte-2 (RBA-2) cells by quantitative PCR and western blot. We established a stable A2aR-overexpressing cell line and found that A2aR induced GDNF expression both at mRNA and protein levels. A2aR-selective antagonist Sch58261 decreased GDNF expression in a dose-dependent manner with increased activation of Stat3. The Stat3 inhibitor reversed the effect of Sch58261 on GDNF expression. Therefore, these data indicate that A2aR induces GDNF expression by the Stat3 pathway, which provides a new insight into the function of A2aR in cerebral ischemia and neuroprotection.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor plays a crucial role in developmental plasticity. Evidence shows that neonatal exposure to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists impairs cognition in adult rats. This study investigated whether neonatal MK-801 treatment would produce long-term and age-specific effects on working memory and sensorimotor gating in adolescent and adult female rats. After treatment with MK-801 at postnatal days (PND) 5-14, female rats exhibited slightly impaired working memory during adolescence (PND: 35-42). In contrast, working memory was remarkably disrupted in adult (PND: 63-70) female rats. However, prepulse inhibition and startle amplitudes were not significantly affected at both ages. These findings indicate that neonatal MK-801 elicits working memory deficits, especially in the postpuberty female rats.

Objective: De novo hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is defined as infection occurring in HBV surface antigen (HBsAg)-negative patients who become HbsAg positive after organ transplantation. We assessed the incidence and risk factors of de novo HBV infection in pediatric liver transplant recipients., Patients and Methods: From 1996 to 2006, 71 Taiwanese children with non-HBV-related liver diseases underwent orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) at the National Taiwan University Hospital. All of the surviving recipients were tested regularly for liver function, serum levels of immunosuppressant, HBsAg, titers of antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs), antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). HBV vaccination histories and the anti-HBs titers before OLT were recorded. No regular prophylaxis was given., Results: Fifty-nine patients (33 girls and 26 boys) were followed up for a median of 4.4 years (range 1.0-10.0). Of those, 36 (61.0%) received allografts from anti-HBc-positive and HBsAg-negative donors. De novo HBV infection was found in 9 (15.3%) patients after OLT, 8 of whom received allografts from HBsAg-negative and anti-HBc-positive donors. Forty-eight (81.4%) patients received 3 or more doses of HBV vaccine before OLT. Pre-OLT anti-HBs titers were available for 49 recipients. Of the 9 de novo HBV-infected recipients, 8 had anti-HBs titers <200 mIU/mL. No graft loss or fulminant hepatitis was noted., Conclusions: In the absence of adequate prophylaxis, the incidence of de novo HBV infection in pediatric OLT recipients is 15.3%. An anti-HBs titer of >200 mIU/mL before OLT may be sufficient to prevent de novo HBV infection in HBsAg-negative recipients.

Background: A hepatitis B virus (HBV) universal vaccination program for infants was implemented for 24 years in Taiwan. Most of the children who received organ transplantation were primarily vaccinated before transplantation. This study investigated the efficacy of HBV vaccination and booster responses in children after liver transplantation (LT)., Methods: Totally 31 children were enrolled. They were clinically stable for more than 1 year after LT. Twenty of them kept a titer of antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) more than 10 mIU/mL and received no booster, while 11 received one booster because their anti-HBs titers were less than 10 mIU/mL. Cellular immunity was checked by enzyme-linked immunospot assay with interferon-gamma surrogated for T-helper 1 cells and interleukin-5 for T-helper 2 before and after booster vaccine., Results: One of the non-boosters had de novo HBV infection after LT and recovered to be anti-HBs positive. The first booster restored an adequate titer in 64% (7/11) of those with anti-HBs titer less than 10 mIU/mL after LT. The four patients who failed the first booster responded well to the second dose. After the booster, the mononuclear cells of all 11 had more than one spot-forming cell for interferon-gamma or interleukin-5. Transplanted girls maintained a higher antibody titer than boys., Conclusion: Primary HBV vaccination or the booster dose(s) of HBV vaccine could provide adequate humoral and cellular immunity in children with LT.

Objective: Serous cystadenomas of the pancreas are being increasingly identified as the advancement of the diagnostic abdominal imaging. However, the optimal timing of surgical intervention for this disease remains controversial., Methods: A total of 44 patients presenting with serous cystadenoma of the pancreas from 1981 to 2006 were identified. The patients were divided into 3 groups, nonoperated, operated without correct preoperative diagnosis, and operated with correct preoperative diagnosis. The tumor characteristics, preoperative symptoms, operative procedures, morbidity, mortality, tumor recurrences, and postoperative life quality are compared., Results: Nine patients did not receive operation because of high surgical risks or no presenting symptoms. Fourteen patients received operation under correct preoperative diagnosis, and 21 patients received operation under incorrect preoperative diagnosis. In the group with correct preoperative diagnosis, the average tumor size was 5.4 cm, 5 patients had preoperative symptoms, and 4 patients received limited resection. In the group without correct preoperative diagnosis, the average tumor size was 4 cm, 11 patients had preoperative symptoms, and 3 patients underwent limited resection. All patients are satisfied with the quality of life postoperatively. No patients have tumor recurrences during follow-ups., Conclusions: Unless the diagnosis of serous cystadenoma is certain, all cystic tumors should be resected if operative risks are acceptable. The procedures should be as limited as possible if no evidence of malignancy is noted preoperatively.

Objective: To compare disease recurrence and survival among patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection or percutaneous ethanol injection therapy, 2 treatments that have not been evaluated with a prospective study., Methods: A total of 76 patients were randomly assigned to 2 groups based on treatment; all had one or 2 tumors with diameter

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term benefits of the aggressive treatments with resection or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)., Summary Background Data: Primary HCC is one of the most fatal malignancies in Taiwan. The result of resection for HCC remains unsatisfactory, primarily due to the high recurrence rate. To improve surgical results, recurrent HCC must be treated with aggressive resection or TACE., Methods: The authors evaluated the results of repeated hepatic resection among 25 patients with recurrent HCC and of TACE among 12 patients with resectable recurrent HCC. The outcomes of an additional 64 patients with unresectable recurrent HCC were also evaluated., Results: During the follow-up period from 2-112 months, 52% (13/25) of patients receiving repeat resection (group 1) were alive, whereas 42% (5/12) of patients receiving TACE (group 2) were alive. No perioperative deaths within 30 days after surgery occurred in the repeated resection group. The cumulative survival rates at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years after the first operation were 92%, 84%, 71.6%, and 65.1% in group 1 and 83.3%, 75%, 75%, and 22.5% in group 2. The survival rates at 6 months and at 1, 2, and 3 years after recurrence were 92%, 72%, 64%, and 44.8% in group 1 and 83.3%, 75%, 66.7%, and 48% in group 2. The survival of patients with unresectable recurrent HCC was much worse: 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year survival after surgery was 57.8%, 29.8%, 15.5%, and 0%; and 6-month and 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival after recurrence was 46.5%, 29.2%, 12.5% and 7.8%., Conclusions: More aggressive treatment with repeated hepatic resection can prolong survival time after recurrence of HCC in selected patients. However, TACE can also achieve good results although it is not thought of as curative.