APASL Single Topic Conferance

lopment of hepatocellular carcinoma; and recurrence of infections following liver transplantation continue to be challenging issues in today’s world. New research with respect to patients with chronic hepatitis and who do not respond, specifically to the treatments specified in the treatment guidelines, will be presented, and interactive discussions will be held with the world’s opinion leaders on hepatology. At the same time, the similarities and differences (if any) in terms of treatment between the East and the West will be debated. In particular, the steadily increasing trends in cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular cancer rates dependent on the unresponsiveness of the hepatitis C virus, between 2020 and 2030, will be confronted. For this reason, the treatment of compensated and/or decompensated cirrhosis of the liver being unresponsive or partially responsive to previous treatments or those developing dependent on relapses following treatment will continue to be a globally significant health problem. Following the discovery of the Neolithic settlement during excavations in Yenikapı (the ancient port of Theodosius) it is now understood that the origins of Istanbul date back at least 8,500 years. The city of Istanbul was known as Byzantium by the Greeks in 700 BCE; as Constantinople it was the capital of the Roman and Eastern Roman Empires. Following the conquest of the city by the Ottoman Empire in 1453, the city remained the capital of the Ottoman Empire for almost five centuries, and was known to the Turks as Istanbul. Among the most important monuments defining the culture and identity of the city are, the Hippodrome, the Basilica Cistern and the Column of Constantine date, which date from Roman times. Then there is the Galata Tower but by the Genoese, and of course, Haghia Sophia, which still stands as the most important testament to the Byzantine age in the world after 1500 years. Then there are the Ottoman buildings, such as the Topkapı Palace, for centuries the residence of the Ottoman sultans and the administrative center, together with more than 80 museums and 9 other Ottoman palaces. The Sultanahmet Mosque and Süleymaniye Mosque and superb examples of Ottoman religious architecture and the Grand Bazaar and Spice Market (Kapalıçarşı and Mısır Çarşısı), both still going strong today, continue the commercial tradition, for which Istanbul is so famous. Istanbul’s cultural heritage has given the city international importance: in 2010 it was the European Capital of Culture and it is now included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. With its historical and natural beauties, bridges and underwater tunnel connecting the Asian and European continents, Istanbul shines like pearl on the Bosphorus. Its ancient history and five centuries as the capital of the Ottoman Empire mean that alongside its own cultural wealth and culinary diversity, Istanbul embraces the illustrious cuisines of Asia, Europe and Africa. Turkish cuisine, now only second to Chinese in terms of popularity, celebrates its huge range of dishes, amazingly there are more than 400 varieties of dessert alone, and all of them are distinctive and delicious. We would like to conclude by saying how we will be more than pleased to be your host you in Istanbul, offering you the finest Traditional Ottoman Hospitality on the occasion of this scientifically rich program.