Luís Ruíz‐del‐Árbol, Linette Achécar, Regina Serradilla, Miguel Á. Rodríguez‐Gandía, Miguel Rivero, Elena Garrido, José J. Natcher – 23 May 2013 – We investigated left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) and its relationship with circulatory function and prognosis in cirrhosis with portal hypertension and normal creatinine. Conventional and tissue Doppler (TDI) echocardiography, systemic and hepatic hemodynamics, and the activity of endogenous vasoactive systems (AEVS) were measured prospectively in 80 patients.

Guanhua Xie, Gamze Karaca, Marzena Swiderska‐Syn, Gregory A. Michelotti, Leandi Krüger, Yuping Chen, Richard T. Premont, Steve S. Choi, Anna Mae Diehl – 23 May 2013 – Liver repair involves phenotypic changes in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and reactivation of morphogenic signaling pathways that modulate epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal/mesenchymal‐to‐epithelial transitions, such as Notch and Hedgehog (Hh). Hh stimulates HSCs to become myofibroblasts (MFs).

Jacquelyn J. Maher – 23 May 2013

An Verrijken, Sven Francque, Ilse Mertens, Janne Prawitt, Sandrine Caron, Guy Hubens, Eric Marck, Bart Staels, Peter Michielsen, Luc Van Gaal – 23 May 2013 – An independent role of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the development of cardiovascular disease has been suggested, probably mediated through increased levels of prothrombotic factors. Therefore, we examined whether NAFLD is linked to a prothrombotic state, independently of metabolic risk factors in a large single‐center cohort of overweight/obese patients.

George N. Ioannou – 23 May 2013

Yongyin Li, Shiwu Ma, Libo Tang, Yun Li, Wei Wang, Xuan Huang, Qintao Lai, Mingxia Zhang, Jian Sun, Chris Kafai Li, William G.H. Abbott, Nikolai V. Naoumov, Yu Zhang, Jinlin Hou – 22 May 2013 – Given the clinical significance of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, it is critical to elucidate the mechanisms regulating this process.

Harald Farnik, Jörg Bojunga, Annemarie Berger, Regina Allwinn, Oliver Waidmann, Bernd Kronenberger, Oliver T. Keppler, Stefan Zeuzem, Christoph Sarrazin, Christian M. Lange – 22 May 2013 – Vitamin D is an important immune modulator that plays an emerging role in inflammatory and metabolic liver diseases, including infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). In contrast, the relationship between vitamin D metabolism and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is less well characterized.

Joy X. Jiang, Xiangling Chen, Hiroo Fukada, Nobuko Serizawa, Sridevi Devaraj, Natalie J. Török – 22 May 2013 – Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) accumulate in patients with diabetes, yet the link between AGEs and inflammatory and fibrogenic activity in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has not been explored. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α)‐converting enzyme (TACE) is at the center of inflammatory processes.

Frank DiPaola, Pranavkumar Shivakumar, Janet Pfister, Stephanie Walters, Gregg Sabla, Jorge A. Bezerra – 22 May 2013 – Peribiliary glands (PBGs) are clusters of epithelial cells residing in the submucosal compartment of extrahepatic bile ducts (EHBDs). Though their function is largely undefined, they may represent a stem cell niche. Here, we hypothesized that PBGs are populated by mature and undifferentiated cells capable of proliferation in pathological states.

Adrian Reuben – 22 May 2013