Lai‐Sze Grace Wong, Boon‐Hun Yong, Karl Kang Young, Lee‐Sung Lau, King‐Lik Cheng, Jeff Siu‐Fan Man, Michael G. Irwin – 25 June 2008 – The aim of the study was to compare the standard technique of cardiac output determination by pulmonary artery catheter thermodilution (PAC‐TD) with a noninvasive ultrasound Doppler monitor (USCOM Pty., Ltd., Coffs Harbour, Australia) in surgery for liver transplantation.

James D. Perkins – 25 June 2008 – Increasing evidence has revealed the importance of cancer stem cells (CSCs) in carcinogenesis. Although liver CSCs have been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, no data have shown the presence of these cells in human settings. The present study was designed to delineate CSCs serially from HCC cell lines, human liver cancer specimens to blood samples, using CD90 as a potential marker. The number of CD90+ cells increased with the tumorigenicity of HCC cell lines.

Amit Singhal, Simon Bramhall, David Mutimer – 25 June 2008

John G. O'Grady – 25 June 2008

Jae Hwi Jang, Koo‐Jeong Kang, Yuna Kang, In‐Seon Lee, Rolf Graf, Pierre‐Alain Clavien – 25 June 2008 – Surgery on cirrhotic livers is fraught with complications, and many surgeons refrain from operating on patients with cirrhosis. Surgical procedures include temporal occlusion of blood flow resulting in ischemia. The mechanisms of protective strategies to prevent ischemic injury in patients with cirrhosis are not fully understood.

Pierluigi Toniutto, Carlo Fabris, Elisa Fumolo, Davide Bitetto, Ezio Fornasiere, Edmondo Falleti, Rachele Rapetti, Rosalba Minisini, Mario Pirisi – 25 June 2008 – Liver transplantation (LT) recipients are at risk for early and delayed adrenal insufficiency for multiple reasons.

Tomoharu Yoshizumi, Akinobu Taketomi, Hideaki Uchiyama, Noboru Harada, Hiroto Kayashima, Yo‐Ichi Yamashita, Yuji Soejima, Mitsuo Shimada, Yoshihiko Maehara – 25 June 2008 – No reliable model for predicting early graft function and patient survival after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) exists. The aim of this study was to establish a new formula for predicting early graft function and prognosis using technetium‐99m galactosyl‐human serum albumin (Tc‐GSA) liver scintigraphy.

Bai‐Chuan Su, Huang‐Ping Yu, Ming‐Wen Yang, Chih‐Chung Lin, Ming‐Chang Kao, Chia‐Hung Chang, Wei‐Chen Lee – 25 June 2008 – The ultrasonic cardiac output monitor (USCOM) is a new Doppler device for noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring. The aim of this prospective nonrandomized study was to test the feasibility, perioperative reliability, and clinical applicability of using USCOM as an alternative to pulmonary artery catheterization in recipients of living donor liver transplantation. Thirteen patients scheduled to receive living donor liver transplants were initially recruited.

Kyung Rae Kim, Gi‐Young Ko, Kyu‐Bo Sung, Hyun‐Ki Yoon, Ji Hoon Shin, Ho‐Young Song, Je‐Ho Ryu, Shin Hwang, Sung‐Gyu Lee, Eunsil Yu – 25 June 2008 – Transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) is an alternative method of pathological diagnosis in patients with an established contraindication to percutaneous biopsy. Between November 2005 and July 2007, 111 TJLBs were attempted in 67 patients and 95 percutaneous liver biopsies (PCLBs) were attempted in 51 patients with living donor liver transplantation suspected of having rejection.

Andre M. De Wolf – 25 June 2008