Wai‐Kay Seto, Danny Ka‐Ho Wong, James Fung, Fung‐Yu Huang, Ching‐Lung Lai, Man‐Fung Yuen – 6 March 2013 – The profile and clinical significance of serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) levels during long‐term nucleoside analogue (NA) therapy in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is undetermined. From 1994 to 2002, 322 Chinese CHB patients were started on lamivudine in our center. Patients were recruited if they were continuously treated with lamivudine for at least 10 years and maintained favorable virologic responses throughout therapy (HBV DNA <2,000 IU/mL).

Ruizhi Wang, Na Zhao, Siwen Li, Jian‐Hong Fang, Mei‐Xian Chen, Jine Yang, Wei‐Hua Jia, Yunfei Yuan, Shi‐Mei Zhuang – 6 March 2013 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by active angiogenesis and metastasis, which account for rapid recurrence and poor survival. There is frequent down‐regulation of miR‐195 expression in HCC tissues. In this study, the role of miR‐195 in HCC angiogenesis and metastasis was investigated with in vitro capillary tube formation and transwell assays, in vivo orthotopic xenograft mouse models, and human HCC specimens.

Alessio Aghemo, Raffaele De Francesco – 6 March 2013 – Most direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) that are being developed as therapy against hepatitis C virus target the NS3/4A protease, the NS5A protein, and the NS5B polymerase. The latter enzyme offers different target sites: the catalytic domain for nucleos(t)ide analogues as well as a number of allosteric sites for nonnucleos(t)ide inhibitors. Two NS3/4A protease inhibitors have been approved recently, and more than 40 new NS3/4A, NS5A, or NS5B inhibitors are in development.

Jens U. Marquardt, Peter R. Galle – 6 March 2013

Alessio Aghemo, Raffaele De Francesco – 6 March 2013 – Most direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) that are being developed as therapy against hepatitis C virus target the NS3/4A protease, the NS5A protein, and the NS5B polymerase. The latter enzyme offers different target sites: the catalytic domain for nucleos(t)ide analogues as well as a number of allosteric sites for nonnucleos(t)ide inhibitors. Two NS3/4A protease inhibitors have been approved recently, and more than 40 new NS3/4A, NS5A, or NS5B inhibitors are in development.

Karine Lacombe, Anders Boyd, Fabien Lavocat, Christian Pichoud, Joel Gozlan, Patrick Miailhes, Caroline Lascoux‐Combe, Guy Vernet, Pierre‐Marie Girard, Fabien Zoulim – 6 March 2013 – Anti–hepatitis B virus (HBV) nucleos(t)ides analogs (NA) exert selective pressures on polymerase (pol) and surface (S) genes, inducing treatment resistance and increasing the risk of vaccine escape mutants. The rate of emergence for these mutations is largely unknown in patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HBV undergoing dual‐active therapy.

Charles Miller, Martin L. Smith, Masato Fujiki, Teresa Diago Uso, Cristiano Quintini – 6 March 2013 – Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is associated with a low but finite and well‐documented risk of donor morbidity and mortality, so organizations and individuals involved in this activity must accept the fact that a donor death is a question of when and not if.

Tércio Genzini, Alisson Paulino Trevizol, Eduardo Tomohissa Yamashita, Huda Maria Noujaim, Regina Gomes Santos, Marilia Tavares Campos Oliveira Gaboardi, Leonardo Toledo Mota, Juan Raphael Brañez Pereira, Leonardo Ogawa Oliveira, Marcelo Perosa – 6 March 2013

Greg C. G. Hugenholtz, Jelle Adelmeijer, Joost C. M. Meijers, Robert J. Porte, R. Todd Stravitz, Ton Lisman – 6 March 2013 – Emerging evidence supports the concept of a rebalanced hemostatic state in liver disease as a result of a commensurate decline in prohemostatic and antihemostatic drivers. In the present study, we assessed levels and functionality of the platelet‐adhesive protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) and its cleaving protease ADAMTS13 in the plasma of patients with acute liver injury and acute liver failure (ALI/ALF).

Laura Capitaine, Kristof Thys, Kristof Assche, Sigrid Sterckx, Guido Pennings – 5 March 2013 – For many patients, living donor liver transplantation represents their only hope of receiving a lifesaving graft. In certain (albeit rare) cases, a minor will be the only suitable donor. Living liver donation by minors has been reported in several countries. In the academic literature and professional guidelines, little attention is paid to the development of an ethical framework for this practice. The focus is frequently limited to the donation of regenerative tissues and kidneys.