Impact of pretransplant rifaximin therapy on early post–liver transplant infections

Jamak Modaresi Esfeh, Ibrahim A. Hanouneh, Christine E. Koval, Christopher Kovacs, Deepan S. Dalal, Kianoush Ansari‐Gilani, Bradley D. Confer, Bijan Eghtesad, Nizar N. Zein, K. V. Narayanan Menon – 3 February 2014 – Bacterial and fungal infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation (LT). The role of intestinal decontamination in the prevention of post‐LT infections is controversial. Rifaximin is widely used for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy. The effect of rifaximin on post‐LT infections is unknown.

Bland embolization versus chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma before transplantation

Michael D. Kluger, Karim J. Halazun, Ryan T. Barroso, Alyson N. Fox, Sonja K. Olsen, David C. Madoff, Abby B. Siegel, Joshua L. Weintraub, Jonathan Sussman, Robert S. Brown, Daniel Cherqui, Jean C. Emond – 3 February 2014 – There is conflicting literature regarding the superiority of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) versus bland transarterial embolization (TAE), and this has not been well studied before transplantation. Twenty‐five TAE patients were matched in a 1:2 ratio with TACE patients by the initial radiographic tumor size and number in a retrospective, case‐controlled study.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 deficiency ameliorates alcoholic fatty liver but worsens liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice

Hyo‐Jung Kwon, Young‐Suk Won, Ogyi Park, Binxia Chang, Michael J. Duryee, Geoffrey E. Thiele, Akiko Matsumoto, Surendra Singh, Mohamed A. Abdelmegeed, Byoung‐Joon Song, Toshihiro Kawamoto, Vasilis Vasiliou, Geoffrey M. Thiele, Bin Gao – 3 February 2014 – Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is the major enzyme that metabolizes acetaldehyde produced from alcohol metabolism. Approximately 40‐50% of East Asians carry an inactive ALDH2 gene and exhibit acetaldehyde accumulation after alcohol consumption.

Long noncoding RNA in liver diseases

Kenji Takahashi, Irene Yan, Hiroaki Haga, Tushar Patel – 3 February 2014 – The identification of the presence of large RNA transcripts that do not code for proteins but that may have biological functions has provided an important new perspective in gene regulation. These long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are being increasingly recognized to contribute to many biological processes through diverse mechanisms. The roles of these emerging genes are being recognized across kingdoms.

Gene expression signature for biliary atresia and a role for interleukin‐8 in pathogenesis of experimental disease

Kazuhiko Bessho, Reena Mourya, Pranavkumar Shivakumar, Stephanie Walters, John C. Magee, Marepalli Rao, Anil G. Jegga, Jorge A. Bezerra – 3 February 2014 – Biliary atresia (BA) is a progressive fibroinflammatory obstruction of extrahepatic bile ducts that presents as neonatal cholestasis. Due to the overlap in clinical, biochemical, and histological features with other causes of cholestasis, the diagnosis requires an intraoperative cholangiogram. Thus, we determined whether diseased livers express a gene expression signature unique to BA.

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