Mamatha Bhat, Marc Deschenes, Xianming Tan, Myriam Martel, Venkataramana Bhat, Philip Wong, Peter Metrakos, Peter Ghali – 30 March 2012 – Smoking is a common behavior among transplant candidates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of smoking on a range of complications after liver transplantation. We reviewed data about patient demographics and various complications after liver transplantation that were recorded in the McGill University Health Centre liver transplant database over a 14‐year period. χ2 and multivariate analyses were performed.

Bo Kong, Li Wang, John Y.L. Chiang, Youcai Zhang, Curtis D. Klaassen, Grace L. Guo – 29 March 2012 – Activation of farnesoid X receptor (Fxr, Nr1h4) is a major mechanism in suppressing bile‐acid synthesis by reducing the expression levels of genes encoding key bile‐acid synthetic enzymes (e.g., cytochrome P450 [CYP]7A1/Cyp7a1 and CYP8B1/Cyp8b1). FXR‐mediated induction of hepatic small heterodimer partner (SHP/Shp, Nr0b2) and intestinal fibroblast growth factor 15 (Fgf15; FGF19 in humans) has been shown to be responsible for this suppression.

Valerio Nobili, Guido Carpino, Anna Alisi, Antonio Franchitto, Gianfranco Alpini, Rita De Vito, Paolo Onori, Domenico Alvaro, Eugenio Gaudio – 29 March 2012 – Hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) play a major role in liver repair and regeneration. We evaluated HPC involvement in pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (pNAFLD). Thirty biopsies of consecutive children and adolescents with untreated NAFLD (19 with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH] and 11 without NASH) were studied using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence.

John K. O'Connor, James Trotter, Gary L. Davis, Jane Dempster, Goran B. Klintmalm, Robert M. Goldstein – 29 March 2012 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is potentially curable with hepatic resection or transplantation. Few patients are eligible for resection, and many face a long wait for donor organ availability for liver transplantation. Here we report the safety and efficacy of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), the explant pathology findings and survival of patients treated with SBRT as a bridge to transplantation for HCC.

Emily Rothbaum Perito, Sue Rhee, Dave Glidden, John Paul Roberts, Philip Rosenthal – 29 March 2012 – In adult liver transplant recipients, the donor body mass index (dBMI) is associated with posttransplant obesity but not with graft or patient survival. Because of the obesity epidemic in the United States and the already limited supply of liver donors, clarifying whether the dBMI affects pediatric outcomes is important. United Network for Organ Sharing data for pediatric liver transplants in the United States (1990‐2010) were evaluated.

Wellington Andraus, Lucas Nacif, Mauricio Barros, Bernardo Canedo, Luiz Albuquerque – 29 March 2012

Emmanuel Melloul, Dimitri Aristotle Raptis, Christian Eugen Oberkofler, Philipp Dutkowski, Mickael Lesurtel, Pierre‐Alain Clavien – 29 March 2012 – Recently published data show that a large number of candidates for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) actively look for additional information on the Internet because today it represents the main source of information for many of them. However, little is known about the quality of the information on LDLT available on the Internet.

Eric F. Martin, Jonathan Huang, Qun Xiang, John P. Klein, Jasmohan Bajaj, Kia Saeian – 29 March 2012 – Recipients of solitary liver and kidney transplants are living longer, and this increases their risk of long‐term complications such as recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) and drug‐induced nephrotoxicity. These complications may require retransplantation. Since the adoption of the Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease, the number of simultaneous liver‐kidney transplantation (SLK) procedures has increased. However, there are no standardized criteria for organ allocation to SLK candidates.

Seth A. Waits, Bradley N. Reames, Michael J. Englesbe, David D. Lee, Jeffrey D. Punch, Francis D. Pagani, Christopher J. Sonnenday – 29 March 2012

Manal F. Abdelmalek, Mariana Lazo, Alena Horska, Susanne Bonekamp, Edward W. Lipkin, Ashok Balasubramanyam, John P. Bantle, Richard J. Johnson, Anna Mae Diehl, Jeanne M. Clark, and the Fatty Liver Subgroup of the Look AHEAD Research Group – 29 March 2012 – Fructose consumption predicts increased hepatic fibrosis in those with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Because of its ability to lower hepatic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, habitual fructose consumption could result in more hepatic ATP depletion and impaired ATP recovery.