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Few studies have examined the long-term outcomes and prognostic factors associated with pediatric living living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) using reduced and hyper-reduced left lateral segment grafts. We conducted a retrospective, single-center assessment of the outcomes of this procedure, as well as clinical factors that influenced graft and patient survival. Between September 2000 and December 2009, 49 patients (median age: 7 months, weight: 5.45 kg) underwent LDLT using reduced (partial left lateral segment; n = 5, monosegment; n = 26), or hyper-reduced (reduced monosegment grafts; n = 18) left lateral segment grafts. In all cases, the estimated graft-to-recipient body weight ratio of the left lateral segment was more than 4%, as assessed by preoperative computed tomography volumetry, and therefore further reduction was required. A hepatic artery thrombosis occurred in two patients (4.1%). Portal venous complications occurred in eight patients (16.3%). The overall patient survival rate at 1, 3 and 10 years after LDLT were 83.7%, 81.4% and 78.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that recipient age of less than 2 months and warm ischemic time of more than 40 min affected patient survival. Pediatric LDLT using reduced and hyper-reduced left lateral segment grafts appears to be a feasible option with acceptable graft survival and vascular complication rates.

Water-in-supercritical CO

It is now known that post-transplant graft function after deceased-donor liver transplantation and living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) differ; however, there is no report assessing the relationship between graft function and the development of new-onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation (NODAT). We conducted this study to identify the predictive risk factors for NODAT, including graft function after LDLT. The subjects of this study were 175 adult recipients who underwent LDLT at Kyoto University Hospital between 2006 and 2010, and survived for more than 3 months (median observation period, 1046 days). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year incidences of NODAT after LDLT were 26.1, 32.0, and 33.4%, respectively. Pre-transplant diabetes was associated with poor survival (p = 0.0048), whereas NODAT was not associated with patient survival. In the multivariate analysis, recipient age ≥40, a tacrolimus trough level ≥8 ng/mL 3 months after LDLT, and cholinesterase (ChE)

Encapsulation of highly emissive alkynylpyrenes with permethylated α-cyclodextrin (PM-α-CD) followed by capping reaction yielded alkynylpyrene-based [3]rotaxanes. The [3]rotaxane emitted only blue light of monomeric pyrene under various circumstances such as lipophilic, hydrophilic, and even condensed states and exhibited extremely high stability for UV irradiation. These properties would result because PM-α-CD, like bulletproof glass, protected the alkynylpyrene core from the attack of another excited alkynylpyrene and singlet oxygen generated by the energy transfer from the excited alkynylpyrene.

Chiral conglomerates of domains with opposite handedness have attracted much attention from researchers. We prepared a homologous series of achiral liquid crystal trimers in which two phenylpyrimidine units and one biphenyl unit were connected via flexible methylene spacers. We investigated their phase transition behaviour. Some trimers possessing odd-numbered spacers were found to exhibit a nematic phase and a dark chiral conglomerate phase possessing a layered structure. The chiral characteristics were confirmed by uncrossing the polarizers in opposite directions. The layer spacing detected using X-ray diffraction was about 80% of the molecular length. The structure–property relations indicate that intermolecular interactions cause a conformational change in the trimers possessing flexible odd-numbered methylene spacers to form helical conformers with axial chirality, which might induce chiral segregation and layer deformation to drive the chiral conglomerates.

Few studies have characterized the outcomes and clinical features of patients who undergo liver transplantation (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) due to non-viral causes.We retrospectively analyzed 188 patients with HCC who underwent LT between February 1999 and October 2010. The clinicopathological factors and overall survival rates as well as recurrence rates of 17 patients with non-hepatitis B virus (HBV) and non-hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (NBNC group) and 171 patients with HBV or HCV infection (HBV/ HCV group) were compared.HCC patients in the NBNC group were significantly younger at time of transplant, had higher serum des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin levels, and had larger pathological tumor size when compared with patients in the HBV/ HCV group. Overall survival rates were lower, and recurrence rates were higher in the NBNC group than in the HBV/HCV group. However, both these rates were significantly improved in NBNC patients who met our expanded selection criteria when compared with those that did not meet these criteria.The patients with NBNC HCC had more advanced and biologically aggressive tumors with inferior outcomes when compared with those with HBV/HCV. However, use of appropriate selection criteria for LT yields improved outcomes even in this subgroup of patients.

Liver transplantation (LT) is an effective treatment modality for acute liver failure (ALF). However, no reports have examined a large number of patients who underwent adult living donor LT (LDLT) for ALF.Seventy-four adult patients who underwent LT including 72 LDLT in a single center over a period of 15 years were reviewed.Of 74 cases, there were 17 cases with acute type ALF and 57 cases with subacute type of ALF. Etiologies of hepatitis were hepatitis B virus in 31 cases, drug exposure in 11 cases, autoimmune hepatitis in two cases, and unknown in 30 cases. Patient survival was 65%, 65%, and 61% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The overall survival rates did not differ among patients divided by etiology of ALE (p = 0.693), type of ALE (p 0.745), ABD compatibility (p a, 0.912), total scores for predictive variables (p = 0.975), or graft-to-recipient weight ratio greater or less than 0.8% (p = 0.063). The most frequent cause of death within 1 month aftet LT was infection.LT produces favorable outcomes in adult patients with ALE irrespective of etiology, type of ALE, or pre-transpiant liver conditions.

A previous study (Langmuir2011, 27, 5772) found the fluorinated double-tail sulfogulutarate 8FG(EO)(2) to act as a superefficient solubilizer for water in supercritical CO(2) (W/CO(2)) microemulsions. To explore more economic CO(2)-philic surfactants with high solubilizing power as well as rapid solubilization rates, the effects of fluorocarbon chain length and linking group were examined with sodium 1,5-bis(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoroalkyloxy)-1,5-dioxopentane-2-sulfonates (nFG(EO)(2), fluorocarbon chain length n = 4, 6, 8) and sodium 1,4-bis(1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoroalkyloxy)-1,4-dioxobutane-2-sulfonate (nFS(EO)(2), n = 4, 8). Visual observation and UV-vis spectral measurements with methyl orange as a reporter dye indicated a maximum water-to-surfactant molar ratio (W(0)) in the microemulsions, which was 60-80 for nFG(EO)(2) and 40-50 for nFG(EO)(2). Although it is normally expected that high solubilizing power requires long fluorocarbon surfactant chains, the shortest fluorocarbon 4FG(EO)(2) interestingly achieved the highest W(0) (80) transparent single-phase W/CO(2) microemulsion. In addition, a very rapid solubilization of loaded water into CO(2) was observed for 4FG(EO)(2) even at a high W(0) of ~80.

Cubic and blue phases have attracted a significant amount of attention because of their unusual phase structures with optical isotropy and because of their application to ion transfer in the cubic phase and to electrooptical switching in the blue phase. However, the driving forces for the frustrated liquid-crystalline phases differ from those for a conventional liquid-crystalline phase composed of rod-like molecules. We show that preprogrammed liquid-crystalline supermolecules can stabilize frustrated molecular organization in optically isotropic phases. Competition between steric effects caused by a taper-shaped oligomeric structure and segregation effects attributable to hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon amphiphilicity produces fluctuation of the layer structure, inducing the lamellar-to-cubic phase transition. Cooperation between inherent molecular chirality and the chirality-induced twist conformations of the mesogenic units stabilizes double-twist structures in blue phases. Furthermore, we demonstrate high-transmittance, sub-millisecond responses and hysteresis-free switching in a room temperature amorphous blue phase stabilized by a liquid crystal supermolecule. We present a molecular design of a preprogrammed supermolecule that can stabilize frustrated molecular organization of an isotropic liquid-crystalline phase. The tapered amphiphilic compound exhibited an unusual smectic A to cubic phase transition. The chiral T-shaped compound showed amorphous blue phase III with a temperature range of 25 K. We demonstrate high-transmittance, sub-millisecond response and hysteresis-free switching in room temperature amorphous blue phase stabilized by a designed LC supermolecule.

AIM: Hepatitis B recurrence after liver transplantation can be reduced to less than 10% by combination therapy with lamivudine (LAM) and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylaxis with entecavir (ETV), which has higher efficacy and lower resistance rates than LAM, combined with HBIG in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). METHODS: Twenty-six patients who received ETV plus HBIG (ETV group) after LDLT for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related end-stage liver disease were analyzed by comparing with 63 control patients who had received LAM plus HBIG (LAM group). RESULTS: The survival rates of the patients treated with ETV plus HBIG was 73% after both 1 and 3 years, and there was no statistical difference between the patients in the ETV group and LAM group. No HBV recurrence was detected during the median follow-up period of 25.1 months in the ETV group, whereas the HBV recurrence rate was 4% at 3 years and 6% at 5 years in the LAM group. No patients had adverse effects related to ETV administration. CONCLUSION: ETV combined with HBIG provides effective and safe prophylaxis in preventing hepatitis B recurrence after LDLT.

An outflow obstruction of the hepatic vein is a critical complication after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and occasionally leads to hepatic failure. Here we introduce a simple method for preventing outflow obstructions by patch plasty in adult LDLT. Between September 2001 and May 2010, 468 adult LDLT procedures were performed at Kyoto University Hospital. We harvested each recipient's portal vein (PV) from the extirpated liver for a patch. We intended to re-form several orifices of the hepatic veins into a single, large orifice. The patch was attached to the anterior wall of the re-formed orifice on the bench. After we put in the liver graft, the procedure for the hepatic vein anastomosis to the inferior vena cava was simple enough that the warm ischemia time was reduced. Three of the 468 cases were diagnosed with an outflow obstruction. All 3 cases underwent hepatic vein reconstruction without patch plasty. In contrast, none of the 159 cases that underwent LDLT with patch plasty suffered from an outflow obstruction, regardless of the liver graft type. The procedure for hepatic vein plasty using a patch from the native PV is simple and elegant and results in excellent outcomes. We propose this as the standard procedure for hepatic vein reconstruction in adult LDLT.

We prepared a chiral liquid crystal trimer consisting of three different mesogenic units connected via flexible spacers with different parity. We then investigated its liquid crystalline properties using polarized optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A POM study revealed that the trimer has a phase sequence of isotropic liquid–optically uniaxial smectic A (SmA*)–helical smectic C (SmC*) on cooling. However, XRD measurements revealed a discontinuous decrease in layer spacing occurring at T – TIA* = −4 K in the SmA* phase. Double-peak polarization in the current response and tristable switching were observed in the low-temperature SmA* phase below T = TIA* – 4 °C. In a binary phase diagram of the trimer and its enantiomer, the transition temperature from the low-temperature SmA* phase to the SmC* phase increased continuously with decreasing optical purity. The results indicate that the low-temperature SmA* phase forms an optically uniaxial structure...

Pre-transitional effects have been observed from the study of static dielectric permittivity ( ) and its temperature derivatives ( ) near the isotropic to blue phase-III (I–BPIII) transition in a highly polar T-shaped liquid crystalline material having a stable BPIII phase which persists over a comparatively wide range of temperature (∼8°C). The pre-transitional behavior near I–BPIII transition is found to be very similar to that observed in isotropic–nematic (I–N) transition. Landau–de Genes and Maier–Saupe approaches, used earlier to describe anomalous behavior of eS near the I–N transition, have been implemented to investigate the present pre-transitional behavior near the I–BPIII transition. The value of critical exponent (α) for the I–BPIII transition is found to be close to that of the reported I–N transition. Temperature-dependent behavior of and have also been interpreted in terms of field-induced increments of basic thermodynamic quantities, namely internal energy, entropy, and Helmholtz free energy.

Complications due to infections, including bacteremia, often arise after liver transplantation (LT) and are the most frequent causes of in-hospital death. Hydrolyzed whey peptide (HWP), a protein complex derived from milk, has anti-inflammatory effects. The present study retrospectively analyzes the effects of early enteral nutrition with a new immunomodulating diet (IMD) enriched with HWP in patients after living-donor LT (LDLT). Data from 76 consecutive adult patients who underwent LDLT at our institute between September 2009 and March 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. The new IMD enriched with HWP and a conventional elemental diet were administered enterally to 40 (HWP group) and 36 (control group) patients, respectively, within the first 24 h after surgery. The characteristics of patients and surgical parameters did not differ between the two groups. The incidence of bacteremia was significantly lower in the HWP (15%) than in the control group (47%) (p = 0.002). The in-hospital mortality due to infection was a little lower in the HWP group than in the control group, although there was no statistical difference (p = 0.145). The fasting blood glucose level at postoperative day 7 was significantly lower in the HWP group than in the control group (p = 0.005). The incidence of acute cellular rejection was similar between the two groups (p = 0.858). Early enteral nutrition with the new IMD enriched with HWP can prevent post-transplant bacteremia and post-transplant hyperglycemia without increasing the incidence of acute cellular rejection.

International audience; This study reports unusual behaviour of aqueous phase lamellar aggregates with a new class of hybrid surfactant, CB-B2ES having mesogenic units (6-[4-(4-cyanophenyl)phenyloxy]hexyl) and temperature-sensitive oxyethylated (butoxyethoxyethyl) tails. These tails are poorly miscible and likely to micro-segregate if the surfactant molecules assemble. Lamellar aggregates appear at CB-B2ES concentrations higher than 5 wt% and were found to undergo repeat formation/breakdown periodically at 30 ˚C, with an average domain lifetime of ~ 10 seconds. To investigate effects of the temperature-sensitive oxyethylene units on the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) of the CB-B2ES bilayers, a fluorescence probe 1-pyrene-carboxaldehide was solubilized in the mixtures to sense the micro-environmental polarities. Fluorimetric measurements suggested that the polarity of CB-B2ES bilayers is very similar as for the non-ethoxylated CB-B2ES analogue at high temperatures (≥ 65 ºC). However, for CB-B2ES polarity increased with decreasing temperature, in contrast to the small decrease in polarity observed for analogous non-ethoxylated bilayers. This is consistent with increased hydration of the oxyethylene units in CB-B2ES bilayers at low temperatures. The periodic formation/breakdown and the cooling-induced hydrophilicity of the CB-B2ES lamellar aggregates, did not appear in the non-hybrid and/or non-ethoxylated surfactant systems. Therefore, the combination of two unsymmetrical tails, one containing oxyethylene units and the other cyanobiphenyl terminal tips, must play an important role promote this unusual behaviour.

Recently, we reported that a rod-like molecule, 4-[4-(7-hydroxyheptyloxy)phenyl]-1-(4-hexylphenyl)-2,3-difluorobenzene, exhibited a nematic phase with a layered structure and smectic C phases consisting of three states. We prepared a homologous series of the rod-like molecules in which a 2,3-difluoro-1,4-diphenylbenzene unit and a hydroxyl unit are connected via a flexible methylene spacer. We investigated their physical properties using polarised optical microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Although they showed nematic, smectic A and smectic C phases, the phase structures were found to depend on the flexible spacer length. Those compounds possessing a shorter spacer length than a heptyl unit exhibited bilayered smectic A and smectic C phases, whereas those possessing a longer spacer length than a heptyl unit showed conventional monolayered smectic A and smectic C phases. A nematic phase with a smectic-like layer ordering was observed for the compound poss...

Treatment of Budd–Chiari syndrome consists of medical management, surgical shunt, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), and liver transplantation. Liver transplantation is indicated only when other treatments have failed. A 36-year-old Japanese man underwent living-donor liver transplantation after radiologic intervention procedures. Because of the position of the TIPS stent and the damaged vascular lesion of Budd–Chiari syndrome, a supradiaphragmatic approach was employed to achieve a safe total hepatectomy. Moreover, after resection of damaged portion of the inferior vena cava (IVC), an artificial vascular graft was utilized to fill the IVC gap. The postoperative course was uneventful; no serious complications were experienced within 2 years after liver transplantation. This supradiaphragmatic IVC approach and IVC reconstruction technique emphasized the option of surgical techniques to decrease the operative risk during liver transplantation for Budd–Chiari syndrome.

After preparing a homologous series of tetrameric mesogenic compounds in which two U-shaped molecules were connected via a rigid benzene derivative or a flexible alkyl chain, we investigated their phase transition behaviour using optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction analysis. The compounds possessing an alkyl spacer as the central group exhibited nematic and smectic A phases just as the corresponding U-shaped molecule did. The compound possessing a 1,2-benzene unit as the connecting group showed nematic and smectic A phases, although the compound possessing a 1,3-benzene unit exhibited only an anticlinic smectic C phase. Structure–property relations of the liquid crystalline tetramers are interpreted in terms of preorganised effects of the four mesogenic units.

We have recently reported a binaphthyl liquid crystal exhibiting on cooling a cubic blue phase over a wide temperature range. On heating, however, a chiral nematic phase appeared in place of the blue phase. To elucidate the origin of blue phase stabilisation we have prepared a homologous series of binaphthyl derivatives possessing two 2,3-difluoro-1,4-diphenylbenzene units and have investigated the phase transition behaviour and helical twisting power. A binaphthyl derivative exhibiting the blue phase was found to induce helical twist inversion in a chiral nematic mixture with a host liquid crystal, whereas other compounds without the blue phase induced short helical pitches independently of temperature. The blue phase material is thought to have two possible origins for its twisting power, which are able to stabilise the double-twist structure of the phase.

We investigated the anti-tumor activity and mesogenic properties of 4-cyano-4′-(6-hydroxyhexyloxy)biphenyl (I-CN), 4-methyloxy-4′-(6-hydroxyhexyloxy)biphenyl (I-OMe) and their binary mixtures. The anti-tumor properties of the materials were investigated in A549 human lung cancer cells by assessing cell growth, cell cycle distribution and cell signaling pathways using flow cytometry and Western blot analysis. An equimolar mixture of I-CN (2.5 μM) and I-OMe (2.5 μM) exhibited stronger inhibition of cell proliferation in A549 human lung cancer cells than I-CN or I-OMe. The mixture did not affect cell proliferation against WI-38 normal fibroblasts. Both thermotropic and lyotropic mesogenic properties of the mixture indicate that molecular aggregation between I-CN and I-OMe occurs at a concentration of micromolar order. These results reveal that the supramolecular assembly composed of different molecules plays an important role in the biological activity of liquid-crystalline molecules.

Summary. Approximately 30% of patients who have recurrent hepatitis C after liver transplantation achieve sustained virological response (SVR) by taking a combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. For the remaining non-SVR patients, an effective management treatment has not yet been established. In this study, efficacy of long-term peginterferon maintenance therapy for non-SVR patients was evaluated. Forty patients who had previously received the combination therapy for hepatitis C after living donor liver transplantation were classified into one of the following three groups: the SVR group (n = 11); the non-SVR-IFN group (n = 17), which received low-dose peginterferon maintenance therapy for non-SVR patients; and the non-SVR-Withdrawal group (n = 12), which discontinued the interferon treatment. We then compared histological changes among these three groups after 2 or more years follow-up. Activity grade of liver histology improved or remained stable in patients in the SVR and non-SVR-IFN groups, but deteriorated in half of the patients in the non-SVR-Withdrawal group. Fibrosis improved or remained stable in 10 of 11 SVR patients and in 13 of 17 non-SVR-IFN patients, but deteriorated in all non-SVR-Withdrawal patients. Mean changes in fibrosis stage between pretreatment and final liver biopsy were −0.18, +0.06 and +2.2 in the SVR, non-SVR-IFN and non-SVR-Withdrawal groups, respectively. Fibrosis stage deteriorated to F3 or F4 significantly more rapidly in the non-SVR-Withdrawal group than in the other two groups. In conclusion, continuing long-term maintenance therapy with peginterferon prevented histological progression of hepatitis C in patients who had undergone living donor liver transplantation.

In order to develop an efficient surfactant for a water-in-scCO2 microemulsion (W/scCO2 μE), we synthesized a novel double-tail anionic surfactant, sodium bis(1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl)-2-sulfoglutaconate (8FG(EO)2), and examined the phase behaviour of an 8FG(EO)2/water/CO2 mixture at pressures lower than 400 bar and several water-to-surfactant molar ratios. 8FG(EO)2 yielded a transparent single phase having a higher amount of water than that soluble in pure scCO2, i.e. a W/scCO2 μE phase. Through visual observation and UV-visible absorption spectral measurement, 8FG(EO)2 was interestingly found to microemulsify at least 52 water molecules by one surfactant at 45 °C and pressures higher than 195 bar.

We prepared two series of liquid-crystalline oligomers composed of phenylpyrimidine based mesogenic cores, alkyl spacers and semiperfluorinated alkyl chains in one series and only alkyl chains in the second series. Their physical properties were investigated using optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction measurements. The oligomers possessing a semiperfluorinated alkyl chain show a phase sequence of SmC–SmA–Col when the number of phenylpyrimidine moieties was increased. The compound possessing three phenylpyrimidine cores was found to exhibit monolayer SmA and Col phases. On the other hand, the oligomer composed of an alkyl chain and three phenylpyrimidine cores showed only a nematic phase. We discuss effects of the shape amphiphilicity and the hydrocarbon–fluorocarbon amphiphilicity on phase transition behaviour of the amphiphilic oligomers.

Liquid crystals are the state of matter existing between the liquid and the crystalline phase, and there is a recent surging interest in its biological effects. Our previous study showed that liquid crystal-related compounds (LCRCs), which are precursors of the liquid crystal, enhanced hematopoietic differentiation at a relatively low concentration (Biol Pharm Bull, 32, 2009). However, biological potentials of LCRCs on tumor cells are unclear. In this study, the biological activity of 16 LCRCs to a chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line, K562, was evaluated. As a result, two compounds, 2-(4-butoxyphenyl)-5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)pyrimidine (compound 7) and 2-{4-(4-hexyloxyphenyl)phenyl}-5-hydroxypyrimidine (compound 9) showed marked growth suppression of K562 cells at μM range. These compounds are similar in structure with a core of three aromatic rings including a pyrimidine ring and residues of one alkyl chain and one hydroxide on either side. In addition, only compound 7 induced the activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and apoptosis of K562 cells. The contrasting results between compounds 7 and 9 indicate different mechanisms to suppress the cell proliferation between the two compounds. These results suggest the possibility of LCRCs for application as new antitumor drugs.

Antiferroelectric liquid crystals (AFLCs) composed of low-mass mesogens do not show the nematic (N) phase. Recently, it has been reported that an AFLC containig dimeric molecules may show the N phase. However, it is not obvious why the antiferroelectric SmC (SmCA) and N phases may coexist in the phase sequence of the dimeric LCS. In this study, the molecular alignment structure has been investigated by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). As a result, It is found that dimeric LCs, mPY11OCB (m = 6 and 8), have the same layer spacing between the SmA and SmCA phases, and therefore, the molecular shape is bent even in the SmA phase. The difference between both phases is due to the thermal motion of bent molecules around the molecular axis. Furthermore, it is obvious that in the SmCA phase, the alignment of dimeric LC molecules can be localized in two directions in a cell with rubbed alignment films. Furthermore, we tried to estimate the bent angle of the di...

Dielectric relaxation behavior of a dichiral mesogenic liquid crystal material, viz. (R,S)-FPPY, having anomalous phase sequence has been studied over a wide range of frequency. Measured dielectric spectra show a new relaxation process, in addition to the usual Goldstone mode, in the SmC* phase, which has been assigned to the relaxation process originating from the dichirality of the compound. The overlapping of two molecular modes has been observed in the dielectric spectrum of both isotropic and optically isotropic (IsoX) phases. The present detailed dielectric spectroscopic studies also establish an interesting ferroelectric-like ordering in the unknown SmX* phase.

To prevent small-for-size syndrome in adult-to-adult living donor liver transplantation (A-LDLT), larger grafts (ie, right lobe grafts) have been selected in many transplant centers. However, some centers are investigating the benefits of portal pressure modulation. Five hundred sixty-six A-LDLT procedures using right or left lobe grafts were performed between 1998 and 2008. In 2006, we introduced intentional portal pressure control, and we changed the graft selection criteria to include a graft/recipient weight ratio >0.7% instead of the original value of >0.8%. All recipients were divided into period I (1998-2006, the era of unintentional portal pressure control; n = 432) and period II (2006-2008, the era of intentional portal pressure control; n = 134). The selection of small-for-size grafts increased from 7.8% to 23.9%, and the selection of left lobe grafts increased from 4.9% to 32.1%. Despite the increase in the number of smaller grafts in period II, 1-year patient survival was significantly improved (87.9% versus 76.2%). In 129 recipients in period II, portal pressure was monitored. Patients with a portal pressure or=15 mm Hg (n = 43, 66.3%). The recovery from hyperbilirubinemia and coagulopathy after transplantation was significantly better in patients with a portal pressure

Liquid crystal blue phases have a fluid lattice whose structure is stabilized by cubic defects. Blue phases, which are classified as BPIII, BPII and BPI observed on cooling, exist over a small temperature range (ca. 1 K) between isotropic and chiral nematic phases. Recently, we reported electro-optical switching with a response time of the order of 10−2 s for the BPIII exhibited by a polar chiral T-shaped compound. We describe molecular design of a liquid crystal stabilizing a blue phase III, and discuss electro-optical switching in the blue phase.

Phase behavior was investigated for water/supercritical CO 2 (W/scCO2) microemulsions stabilized with sodium bis(1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl)-2-sulfosuccinate (8FS(EO) 2) mixed with various guest surfactants. Only for the mixtures with fluorocarbon-hydrocarbon hybrid anionic surfactants (FC6-HC n), the maximum water-to-surfactant molar ratio (W0(c)) was larger than that estimated from linear interpolation of the W0(c) values for pure 8FS(EO) 2 and pure guest surfactant. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) measurement for the microemulsion revealed that the mixing of 8FS(EO) 2 with FC6-HC n can prevent a phase transition from the microemulsion to the liquid crystal even in the presence of excess water. It was also found from the measurement of water/scCO 2 interfacial tension that the area occupied per surfactant molecule was markedly increased by the mixing with FC6-HC n. The loose molecular packing, probably due to a microsegregation of 8FS(EO) 2 and FC6-HC n, is consistent with the enhanced stability of the microemulsion upon surfactant mixing.

We prepared a nonsymmetric dimesogenic liquid crystal (1) in which a 2,3-difluoro-1,4-diphenylbenzene unit and a 4-(4-fluorophenyl)benzene unit were connected via a flexible spacer, and investigated the physical properties. For comparison, we also investigated those of the corresponding monomesogenic compounds, 4-(4-hexylphenyl)-1-(4-hexyloxypheny)-2,3-difluorobenzene (2) and 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-hexyloxybenzene (3). Compound 1 exhibited a nematic phase with a wide temperature range, whereas an equimolecular mixture of compounds 2 and 3 showed nematic and smectic A phases. Both compound 1 and the mixture showed a positive dielectric anisotropy of 0.2 at TIN-10 °C in the nematic phase. However, they showed a marked difference in electrooptical response. We discuss the oligomeric effects of compound 1 on the physical properties.

We performed protocol kidney biopsies for the early diagnosis of asymptomatic histopathological acute rejection (AR), commonly defined as subclinical rejection and drug nephrotoxicity. Forty-seven kidney recipients that had asymptomatic and stable kidney function underwent protocol biopsies both one month and one yr after kidney transplantation. The protocol biopsies one month after transplantation revealed borderline change in 13 of 47 cases (27.6%). AR la was observed in eight cases (17.2%) and AR 1b was observed in three cases (6.4%). The AR la and AR 1b groups were treated with methyl prednisolone pulse and deoxyspergualin. Toxic tubulopathy was found in four cases (8.5%). In the cases of nephrotoxicity, cyclosporine or tacrolimus was reduced. The borderline change group was observed without any additional treatment. Every case diagnosed with acute rejection one month after transplantation improved histopathologically one yr after transplantation, and the borderline change group partially remained borderline change and partially improved histopathologically one yr after transplantation. The nephrotoxicity group improved histopathologically one yr after transplantation. In our institution, protocol biopsies one month and one yr after kidney transplantation proved useful in screening for subclinical rejection and toxic tubulopathy and subsequently effective in improving long-term graft survival.

Transition properties of a homologous series of novel S-shaped oligomers on varying the spacer length, core structure and linking group were investigated. All the S-shaped oligomers showed a nematic (N) phase on cooling. Formation of the N phase is interpreted in terms of the length to diameter (L/D) ratio, indicating that intramolecular core-core interaction plays an important role in stabilizing N phases. A non-symmetric S-shaped oligomer possessing cyanobiphenyl and phenylpyrimidine moieties exhibited enantiotropic N and smectic A (SmA) phases. The high stability of the SmA phase results from intermolecular interactions between the unlike mesogenic moieties. We discuss physical properties of the S shaped system that has structure within structure.

An antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) with dimeric molecules which take a bent molecular structure may show the nematic (N) phase. However, it has not been obvious yet why the antiferroelectric chiral SmC (SmC* A ) and N phases may coexist in the phase sequences of the dimeric AFLC. In this study, the molecular alignment structure of both liquid-crystalline phases has been researched in detail with a polarized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). In 8PY11OCB, the directors of both mesogenic moieties are oriented to the rubbing direction due to high thermal motion in the N and SmA phases, that is the molecular shape is almost rod like. In the SmC A phase, a herringbone alignment of the mesogenic moieties appears because the bent molecular structure becomes stable due to lower thermal motion. In the case of OBnCB, we obtain also almost the same results and discussion.

We prepared a homologous series of non-symmetric dimesogenic compounds 1-(4- fluorophenyl)-4-{ω -{4-[4-(4-hexylphenyl)-2,3-difluorophenyl]phenyloxy}alkyloxy} benzene ( I-n ) and investigated the physical properties. For comparison, we also prepared a compound ( II-6 ) possessing a 4-(4-cyanophenyl)benzene unit instead of the 4-(4- fluorophenyl)benzene unit. All the compounds exhibited an enantiotropic nematic phase. When an electric AC field was applied, a striped pattern that was similar to Williams domain appeared in the nematic phases of compounds I-n , whereas such a pattern was not observed in the nematic phase of II-6 . We discuss structure-property correlations of the polar liquid crystal oligomers.

Recently we found that some chiral compounds possessing molecular biaxiality can stabilize an amorphous blue phase III. We introduced a polar group into the chiral T-shaped molecule in order to couple the molecule with an electric field. We prepared some novel T-shaped chiral compounds possessing a 4-cyanobiphenyl moiety and a mesogenic unit with a chiral center. We investigated their phase transition temperatures and induced helical pitches. We discuss structure-property correlations of the newly designed T-shaped chiral oligomers.

We prepared (R)-2, 2′-bis{6-[4-(4-(octyloxycarbonyl)phenyl)phenyloxycarbonyl] hexyloxy}-1, 1′-binaphthyl [(R) -Bi-I(8) ] and the monobiphenyl derivative [(R) -M-I(8) ], and investigated their induced helical senses and pitches in different nematic liquid crystals. With respect to each mixture with 5-heptyl-2-(4-hexyloxypheyl)primidine, a right-handed helix was induced in the mixture with (R)-Bi-I(8) , whereas a left-handed helix was observed in the mixture with (R){-M-I(8)}. On the other hand, a left-handed helix was induced in each mixture with 4-methyloxyphenyl 4-penthlcyclohexane. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of axial chirality and terminal chain length on the twisting power of the binaphthyl derivatives.

Dielectric permittivity–voltage ( e ′– V ) hysteresis behavior of a deformed helix ferroelectric liquid crystal (DHFLC) material viz. MIP0806 has been explained on the basis of electronic equivalent circuit and the Preisach model for ferroelectric capacitors over the broad frequency and temperature ranges. Observed inversion of the e ′– V hysteresis curves above, 230 kHz, is attributed to the high frequency sign change of dielectric biaxiality. The molecular rotation around short axis is accounted for the re-entrant inversion of e ′– V hysteresis behavior at about 6 MHz. For the present DHFLC system, temperature and frequency dependent coercive field has also been observed and analyzed.

A water/supercritical CO 2 microemulsion (W/scCO 2 μE) with a fluorinated double-tail surfactant bis (1H,1H,2Η,2H-heptadecanuorodecyl)-2-sulfosuccinate (8FS(EO) 2 ) was evaluated in terms of its nanoreactor performance for synthesizing semiconductor ultrafine particles of TiΟ 2 , ZnS, and CdS. By the addition of tetraisopropylorthotitanate (TIP) in W/scCO 2 μE, TiO 2 ultrafine particles were successfully synthesized with a spherical shape and sizes of several tens of nanometers, which were similar to those synthesized in W/cyclohexane μE with a typical hydrocarbon double-tail surfactant AOT. Interestingly, in contrast to the μE system, TiO 2 particle syntheses in liquid-crystal-like (LC-like) surfactant precipitant phase yielded a dendritical morphology of TiO 2 . For metal sulfide synthesis, the addition of metal nitrates as precursors in W/scCO 2 μE was found to lower the maximum W 0 value at which W/scCΟ 2 μE can form, which would result from the promoted aggregation and fusion between reverse micelles, i.e., LC formation. After mixing both the W/scCΟ 2 μEs containing metal nitrate and Na 2 S, metal sulfide ultrafine particles were yielded with spherical shape and sizes of several tens of nanometers. These results suggested that W/scCΟ 2 μE with 8FS (EO) 2 may become a valuable nanoreactor when further investigations reveal size-control techniques for the products.

The crystal structure of (S)-1-methylheptyl-4′-{4-octyloxy-2-{11-[4-(5-hexylpyrimidin-2-yl)phenoxy]undecanoyloxy}benzoyloxy}biphenyl-4-carboxylate, which has a relatively wide temperature range of blue phase III on cooling, has been determined. The molecule was found to form a λ-shaped structure. We have prepared a homologous series of the chiral oligomers and investigated effects of structure on appearance of the blue phase. All compounds were found to show a phase sequence of Iso-BP-N*-glass on cooling. The structure-property correlations reveal that (1) chirality does not affect on the Iso-BP transition temperature, (2) increasing chirality destabilizes the N* phase, and (3) the longer spacer lowers the BP-N* transition temperature.

Investigation of chirality in liquid crystals is an exciting area of liquid crystal science. Perhaps frustrated phases induced by chirality are the most interesting phenomena. Blue phase (BP), twist grain boundary (TGB) phase and smectic Q (SmQ) phase have been observed and structure-property correlations investigated. Blue phases are of particular interest because they have a fluid lattice whose structure is stabilized by lattice defects. Appearance of blue phases results from the competition between the chiral twisting force and the tendency of molecules to pack in ways such that they fill space uniformly. Blue phases are believed to consist of double twist cylinders, and are therefore classifiable into three categories depending on the double-twist-cylinder packing structure: blue phase I (BPI), blue phase II (BPII) and blue phase III (BPIII). The BPI packing structure is a body-centered cubic structure; that of BPII is simple cubic structure. On the other hand, theory indicates that BPIII and the isotropic phase have identical symmetry. It can be expected that BPIII consists of double twist cylinders with arbitrary orientation. Usually, blue phases are found in a very narrow temperature range (ca. 1 K) between the isotropic liquid and the chiral nematic (N*) phase of sufficiently short pitch, except in a few cases where a SmA to BP transition has been observed. Electric field effects in blue phases have been investigated. The applied field can engender three distinct transformations: a local reorientation of the molecules, distortion of the lattice (electrostriction), and phase transition to lower symmetry phases. Recently blue phases are recognized to offer the potential for applications as fast light modulators or tunable photonic crystals, but their narrow temperature range is a daunting obstacle to their application. Kikuchi et al. reported polymer-stabilized blue phases for which the temperature range is extended to more than 60 K. They demonstrated fast electro-optical switching for the stabilized BPI. Switching with the speed of 10 s is attributed to the local reorientation of molecules by an electro-optic Kerr effect. The field-induced birefringence arose from the regions between the defect or disclination lines. Coles et al. reported that eutectic mixtures of three homologues of symmetric dimer doped with a small quantity of a highly twisting chiral additive show BPI of a very wide temperature range; moreover, the BPI shows a wide color range of reflected color switching in 10 s by applied electric fields because of electrostriction. On the other hand, an electric-field-induced phase transition in BPI and BPII necessitates higher applied voltages and shows slow switching of more than few seconds. Recently we reported that chiral compounds possessing molecular biaxiality can stabilize BPIII. We report here a fast electric-field-induced phase transition in amorphous BPIII exhibited by a newly designed chiral liquid crystalline molecule. Switching caused by the phase transition between BPIII and N can supply not only a pronounced black state but also a homogeneous bright state. We introduced a polar group into our previously reported chiral T-shaped molecule in order to couple the molecule with an electric field. Figure 1 depicts the molecular structure of the chiral liquid crystal. Its purity was confirmed by elemental analyses. The structure was elucidated using IR and H NMR.

We prepare a series of homologues of novel binaphthyl derivatives, (R)‐2, 2′‐bis{ω‐[4‐(4‐(octyloxycarbonyl)phenyl)phenyloxycabonyl]alkyloxy}‐1, 1′‐binaphthyl [(R)‐Bi‐n], and investigate their induced helical senses and pitches in different host nematic liquid‐crystalline compounds. Pronounced odd–even effects were observed for the induced helical structure in each mixture with 5‐heptyl‐2‐(4‐hexyloxyphenyl)pyrimidine. Temperature‐dependent helical twist inversion was observed for the mixture doped with the odd members, whereas a right‐handed helix was observed for the mixture doped with the even members. On the other hand, a left‐handed helix was induced in each mixture with 4‐methyloxyphenyl 4‐pentylcyclohexane. We discuss the change in sign of the induced pitch in terms of chirality transfer from the binaphthyl derivative to a host nematic liquid crystal.

After preparing a novel amphiphilic liquid crystal hexamer possessing six cyanobiphenyl moieties and a semiperfluorinated alkyl chain, we used optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction to investigate its physical properties. The liquid crystal oligomer, 1, 10-bis{3, 4, 5-tris[6-(4′-cyanobiphenyl-4-yloxy)hexyloxy]benzoyloxy}-1H,1H,10H,10H-heptadecafluorodecane, was found to exhibit a bilayer smectic A to intercalated smectic A transition accompanying a discontinuous decrease in layer spacings. The transition is attributable to a change in its molecular conformation from a folded (or bent) to a linear structure.

The field ( E ) driven ferroelectric–ferroelectric (F + –F − ) transition process in ferroelectric SmC ∗ and antiferroelectric SmC A ∗ phases of liquid crystalline material viz. 4′-octyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate (MOPBIC) has been studied by measuring dielectric permittivity at different polarizing states during the transition. It is observed that, the interaction between E and ferroelectric polarization, in the SmC ∗ , phase governs the F–F transition, whereas in the SmC A ∗ phase, the combination of successive coupling of E with antiferroelectric polarization and dielectric anisotropy is responsible for the same transition. In the SmC A ∗ phase there exists antiferroelectric Goldstone mode in analogy with the ferroelectric Goldstone mode in the SmC ∗ phase.

A novel ionic liquid crystal oligomer, sodium 1,2-bis{6-[4-(4-cyanophenyl)phenyloxy]hexyloxycarbonyl}ethanesulfonate (SBCPHS), was prepared. Its physical properties were investigated by optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction measurements. The compound exhibited two columnar phases, and the columnar-to-columnar phase transition did not accompany an enthalpy change. An optically isotropic phase was induced in a binary mixture with a nematic liquid crystal, 4-cyanophenyl 6-octyloxynapthalene 2-carboxylate. The mesophase formation of the ionic oligomer and its mixture are discussed in terms of microsegregation, excluded volume effect, and antiparallel interactions between cyanobiphenyl moieties.

A novel liquid crystal oligomer, 4‐(4‐cyanophenyl)phenyl 4‐octyloxy‐2‐{7‐{4‐[4‐(4‐hexylphenyl)‐2,3‐difluorophenyl]phenyloxy}heptanoyloxy}benzoate, was prepared and found to exhibit a wide temperature range of a nematic phase in spite of being far from a rod‐like structure. Furthermore, the compound induced blue phases in the mixture with a chiral smectic liquid crystal. The molecular shape and its 2,3‐difluorophenyl unit play a role in stabilizing the blue phases.

Complex dielectric spectroscopy (frequency range 5 Hz–13 MHz) has been used to analyse the frequency, temperature and bias‐field dependences of the molecular dynamics of a very high‐spontaneous‐polarization ferroelectric liquid crystalline material exhibiting SmA, SmC* and unknown SmX smectic phases. Different smectic phase transition temperatures have been observed from the study of the temperature dependence of the dielectric strength and the relaxation frequency. The phase transition temperatures (crystalline to isotropic phases) have also been described very accurately from the temperature‐dependent symmetric and asymmetric shape parameters of the relaxation function and also the dc conductivity. In a planar aligned cell, two symmetric modes (Goldstone mode and domain mode) have been observed in both the SmX and SmC* phases. One asymmetric mode (X‐mode) observed in the SmC* and SmA phases could be related to the interaction of dipoles of the ferroelectric liquid crystals being affected by the surface ...

A homologous series of U‐shaped dimeric liquid crystals in which two mesogenic groups are connected via catechol has been prepared and the effects of terminal alkyl chains, alkyl spacers and core structures on the transition properties investigated by means of optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The phase sequence exhibits a pronounced odd–even effect as the length and parity of the spacers is varied, in which the even members favour the nematic and smectic C phases, whereas the odd members favour the nematic and smectic A phases. We discuss the transition behaviour of the U‐shaped compounds in terms of molecular shape.