Paul Kuo

..Many of these proteins have not been previously associated with OPN. CONCLUSION: We conclude that secreted OPN regulates multiple signaling pathways critical for local tumor progression...

..To determine the incidence of potentially fraudulent (or "ghost") publications in applications to a general surgery residency program...

..The objective of our study was to determine whether such an association exists for pediatric liver transplantation...

..He/she should also be assigned advocates who constantly promote the donor's best interest. Failure to adhere to strict donor evaluation protocols and standardized operative techniques could result in disastrous consequences...

..The purpose of our study was to conduct a longitudinal analysis of the early clinical outcomes and health care resource utilization for liver transplantation in the United States...

..To assess clinical safety of a low central venous pressure (CVP) fluid management strategy in patients undergoing liver transplantation...

..This study demonstrates that RNA interference stably reduces CT26 tumor expression of OPN and significantly attenuates CT26 colon cancer metastasis by diminishing tumor cell motility and invasiveness...

..In the present investigation, we sought to evaluate the role of innate immune activation through TLR4, in either donor or recipient, upon the development of renal allograft rejection...

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..The etiology was inadvertent thermal injury of the ureteroneocystostomy incurred during the procedure. After attempted percutaneous management, definitive open repair resulted in a return of allograft function to baseline...

..We wanted to determine whether current levels of fellowship training in hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery will be sufficient to meet demand for HPB procedures in 2020...

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..Furthermore, to our knowledge, no study has been published examining whether individual surgeon volume is associated with outcomes in liver transplantation...

..To determine if use of Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores to elective resections accurately predicts short-term morbidity or mortality...

..The goal of our study was to determine the temporal trends in provider volume for liver resection procedures...

..Our study compared the renal allograft survival of patients with AHR treated with plasmapheresis (PP) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) with allograft survival in patients with acute cellular rejection (ACR)...

..No viable tumor was identified in the explanted liver. This case establishes that long-term complications associated with PSC and biliary-enteric surgery such as CCA may become apparent in new grafts post-transplant...

..In conclusion, these data show the wide range of practice patterns with the use of status 2A, and these findings suggest that certain patient groups might have received preference in the previous liver transplant allocation system...

..Existing racial and insurance-based disparities in the utilization of high-volume surgical care will persist or become even more pronounced without active intervention from health care policymakers...

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..We examined the distribution of FFM personality traits among surgery residents compared with medicine residents, medical students, and community norms...

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..The article also describes the use of corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, sirolimus, and antimetabolites...

..These results provide new insight into the transcriptional regulation of OPN as a key mediator of metastatic behavior in malignancy...

..In order to decrease these barriers, we have developed a Web-based application, Duke Surgery Research Central (DSRC), to monitor and streamline the regulatory research process...

..Enhanced expression of OPN in this setting is associated with increased in vitro cell adhesion and invasion. These data suggest that NO enhances HCC expression of OPN and, as a result, conveys a metastatic phenotype...

..Although established for metastatic colorectal (CR) and neuroendocrine (NE) malignancies, the role of partial hepatectomy in management of metastases from other primaries (NCRNE) is not well-defined...

..Our results suggest that tumor-derived OPN may enhance tumor survival by down regulating expression of NO in the local microenvironment. This is one mechanism by which OPN may potentiate cancer survival and progression...

..The converse findings were noted in HepG2 cells. Overall, our results suggest that EF1A1 regulation of OPN mRNA stability is actin dependent. EF1A1 has not been previously identified as a regulatory factor in OPN expression in cancer...

..Ets-1 and Runx2 are critical transcriptional regulators of OPN expression in CT26 colorectal cancer cells. Suppression of these transcription factors results in significant down-regulation of the OPN metastasis protein...

..This may contribute to the mechanism by which OPN enhances metastatic behavior in hepatocellular cancer cells...

..To compare the results of transjugular liver biopsy in patients who have undergone liver transplantation via an inline versus a "piggyback" hepatic venous surgical anastomosis...

..To determine whether academic surgeons are satisfied with their salaries, and if they are willing to forego some compensation to support departmental academic endeavors...

..MicroRNAs (miRNAs) may be responsible for variant OPN expression, interrupting translation by binding OPN messenger RNA (mRNA) in 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs)...

..The molecular mechanisms that determine expression of OPN in HCC, however, are unknown. In this study, we examine differential OPN expression in the 2 HCC cell lines: HepG2 and Hep3B...

..We investigated the in vivo relevance of our findings in a cecal ligation and puncture model...

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..However, the molecular mechanisms that define the role of OPN in tumor progression and metastasis are incompletely understood...

..These results are unique and may suggest new therapies to re-establish loco-regional control of cancers...

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..CCO enzyme activity was also significantly decreased by OPN. Our results indicate that OPN inhibits CCOI expression as the result of a novel CD44-dependent transcriptional regulatory mechanism of the mitochondrial H strand...

..In 4T1 murine mammary cancer cells, we conclude that OPN mediates metastatic behavior, in part, through upregulation of MMP-2 and uPA protein expression...

..In this paper, advances in transplant immunology are reviewed and their potential relevance to achieving the "Holy Grail" of transplantation are discussed...

..Close monitoring of patients in the period following liver transplantation is crucial, as prompt diagnosis and early intervention directly affects the patient's chances of survival...

..Finally, biomarkers, proteomic, and antioxidant therapies will be discussed as areas for future therapeutic interventions...

..Our findings suggest that LPS induced S-nitrosylation of hnRNP inhibits its activity as a constitutive repressor of the OPN promoter and results in enhanced OPN expression...

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..CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that OPN increases plasma membrane CD44 expression and cell adhesion by binding to its alphavbeta3-integrin receptor. We conclude that OPN may promote tumor metastatic behavior by CD44 expression...

..Our results indicate that HNF-4alpha is the transcription factor that mediates redox regulation of hepatocyte iNOS gene transcription...

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..This interaction between osteopontin peptide and cyclophilin C has not been previously described but assigns a heretofore unknown function for the thrombin-cleaved osteopontin COOH-terminal fragment...

..We conclude that simplifying access to services can benefit academic surgical practices. Sustaining this level of productivity will continue to prove challenging...

..We hypothesized that acetylation of the Stat1 regulates interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) mediated macrophage expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)...

..This has not been previously described for the hnRNP proteins. Our results represent a unique transcriptional regulatory mechanism which involves interplay between members of the hnRNP protein family...

..While the ubiquitous nature of NO argues for some degrees of commonality, S-nitrosylation of unique proteins specific to endotoxin stimulated macrophages suggests regulatory mechanisms for which NO is necessary, but not sufficient...

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..Osteopontin (OPN) mediates cancer metastasis. Mechanisms regulating OPN expression in human colorectal cancer are unknown. Using SW480 colon adenocarcinoma cells, we hypothesized that transcription determines OPN expression...

..CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that OR is a viable approach to schedule resident work hours. This technique is sufficiently robust to accommodate changes in resident numbers, service requirements, and service and hospital rotations...

..S. This research examines the regulation of a major player in the breakdown of normal bodily functions following major infection and injury. If successful, our studies may result in prevention of this breakdown. ..

..It is our goal to capitalize upon the scientific opportunities and resources available through Duke University by training future leaders in the biology of injury and inflammation. ..

..Our studies will define a novel and, as yet, poorly described redox-dependent signal transduction pathway which regulates iNOS as an antioxidant mechanism in hepatocytes. ..

..Initial studies will focus upon the p300 transcriptional co-activator/HAT protein. Given the novel and high risk nature of this experimental venture, we believe the R21 funding mechanism to be particularly relevant. ..

..Our studies will define OPN production as a unique and as yet, poorly characterized, NO- dependent transcriptional pathway which inhibits iNOS expression in the setting of endotoxemia. ..