Jari E. Kaikkonen, Peter Würtz, Emmi Suomela, Miia Lehtovirta, Antti J. Kangas, Antti Jula, Vera Mikkilä, Jorma S.A. Viikari, Markus Juonala, Tapani Rönnemaa, Nina Hutri‐Kähönen, Mika Kähönen, Terho Lehtimäki, Pasi Soininen, Mika Ala‐Korpela, Olli T. Raitakari – 24 October 2016 – Nonalcoholic fatty liver is associated with obesity‐related metabolic disturbances, but little is known about the metabolic perturbations preceding fatty liver disease.

Feng Su, Pamela K. Green, Kristin Berry, George N. Ioannou – 24 October 2016 – Black race and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with lower rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) to interferon‐based treatments for chronic hepatitis C virus infection, whereas Asian race was associated with higher SVR rates compared to white patients. We aimed to describe the association between race/ethnicity and effectiveness of new direct‐acting antiviral regimens in the Veterans Affairs health care system nationally.

Moreshwar S. Desai, Bhoomika Mathur, Zeena Eblimit, Hernan Vasquez, Heinrich Taegtmeyer, Saul J. Karpen, Daniel J. Penny, David D. Moore, Sayeepriyadarshini Anakk – 24 October 2016 – Cardiac dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis is strongly associated with increased serum bile acid concentrations. Here we show that excess bile acids decrease fatty acid oxidation in cardiomyocytes and can cause heart dysfunction, a cardiac syndrome that we term cholecardia.

Qian Sun, Patricia Loughran, Richard Shapiro, Indira H. Shrivastava, Daniel J. Antoine, Tunliang Li, Zhengzheng Yan, Jie Fan, Timothy R. Billiar, Melanie J. Scott – 24 October 2016 – Sterile liver inflammation, such as liver ischemia‐reperfusion, hemorrhagic shock after trauma, and drug‐induced liver injury, is initiated and regulated by endogenous mediators including DNA and reactive oxygen species.

Shizhong Ke, Shuzhen Chen, Zihui Dong, Christopher S. Hong, Qi Zhang, Liang Tang, Pinghua Yang, Jian Zhai, Hexin Yan, Feng Shen, Zhengping Zhuang, Wen Wen, Hongyang Wang – 24 October 2016 – Erythrocytosis is a common paraneoplastic syndrome associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. Although increased erythropoietin (EPO) is found in these patients, the clinical significance and molecular mechanisms underlying this observation are unclear.

José Alcaraz‐Quiles, Esther Titos, Mireia Casulleras, Marco Pavesi, Cristina López‐Vicario, Bibiana Rius, Aritz Lopategi, Andrea Gottardi, Ivo Graziadei, Henning Gronbaek, Pere Ginès, Mauro Bernardi, Vicente Arroyo, Joan Clària – 24 October 2016 – Acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) in cirrhosis is an increasingly recognized syndrome characterized by acute decompensation, organ failure(s) and high short‐term mortality. Recent findings suggest that an overexuberant systemic inflammation plays a primary role in ACLF progression.

Nina Kimer, Julie Steen Pedersen, Troels Malte Busk, Lise Lotte Gluud, Lise Hobolth, Aleksander Krag, Søren Møller, Flemming Bendtsen, Copenhagen Rifaximin (CoRif) Study Group – 24 October 2016 – Decompensated cirrhosis is characterized by disturbed systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics. Bacterial translocation from the gut is considered the key driver in this process. Intestinal decontamination with rifaximin may improve hemodynamics.

Anika Wranke, Beatriz Calle Serrano, Benjamin Heidrich, Janina Kirschner, Birgit Bremer, Patrick Lehmann, Svenja Hardtke, Katja Deterding, Kerstin Port, Max Westphal, Michael P. Manns, Markus Cornberg, Heiner Wedemeyer – 22 October 2016 – Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is the most severe form of viral hepatitis. Pegylated interferon alfa (PEG‐IFNα) is effective in only 25%‐30% of patients and is associated with frequent side effects. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical long‐term outcome of hepatitis delta in relation to different antiviral treatment strategies.

Adam C. Labonte, Sun‐Sang J. Sung, Lucas T. Jennelle, Aditya P. Dandekar, Young S. Hahn – 22 October 2016 – The liver maintains an immunologically tolerant environment as a result of continuous exposure to food and bacterial constituents from the digestive tract. Hepatotropic pathogens can take advantage of this niche and establish lifelong chronic infections causing hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Macrophages (Mϕ) play a critical role in regulation of immune responses to hepatic infection and regeneration of tissue.

Juri Bergmann, Miryam Müller, Niklas Baumann, Manuel Reichert, Carola Heneweer, Julia Bolik, Karsten Lücke, Sabine Gruber, Antonella Carambia, Susanne Boretius, Ivo Leuschner, Thomas Becker, Björn Rabe, Johannes Herkel, F. Thomas Wunderlich, Hans‐Willi Mittrücker, Stefan Rose‐John, Dirk Schmidt‐Arras – 22 October 2016 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent tumors worldwide with rising incidence. The inflammatory cytokine, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), is a critical mediator of HCC development.