Therese Bittermann, George Makar, David Goldberg – 16 August 2012 – In 2005, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) adopted the Share 15 policy to improve organ allocation by facilitating transplantation for local and regional patients with Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores of 15 or higher. There has been concern that the lack of standardization in the use of exception points is potentially diminishing the benefits of this policy.

Oliver von Kampen, Stephan Buch, Michael Nothnagel, Lorena Azocar, Hector Molina, Mario Brosch, Wiebke Erhart, Witigo von Schönfels, Jan Egberts, Marcus Seeger, Alexander Arlt, Tobias Balschun, Andre Franke, Markus M. Lerch, Julia Mayerle, Wolfgang Kratzer, Bernhard O.

Juan C. Garcia‐Valdecasas – 16 August 2012 – Key Points

Nicholas Fidelman, Aliya Qayyum – 16 August 2012

Jérôme Boursier, Jean‐Pierre Zarski, Victor de Ledinghen, Marie‐Christine Rousselet, Nathalie Sturm, Brigitte Lebail, Isabelle Fouchard‐Hubert, Yves Gallois, Frédéric Oberti, Sandrine Bertrais, Paul Calès, the Multicentric Group from ANRS/HC/EP23 FIBROSTAR Studies – 16 August 2012 – Liver stiffness evaluation (LSE) is usually considered as reliable when it fulfills all the following criteria: ≥10 valid measurements, ≥60% success rate, and interquartile range / median ratio (IQR/M) ≤0.30. However, such reliable LSE have never been shown to be more accurate than unreliable LSE.

Nadine Graubardt, René Fahrner, Markus Trochsler, Adrian Keogh, Karin Breu, Cynthia Furer, Deborah Stroka, Simon C. Robson, Emma Slack, Daniel Candinas, Guido Beldi – 16 August 2012 – Nucleotides, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), are released by cellular injury, bind to purinergic receptors expressed on hepatic parenchymal and nonparenchymal cells, and modulate cellular crosstalk. Liver resection and resulting cellular stress initiate such purinergic signaling responses between hepatocytes and innate immune cells, which regulate and ultimately drive liver regeneration.

Terence N. Bukong, Wei Hou, Karen Kodys, Gyongyi Szabo – 16 August 2012 – Alcohol use and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection synergize to cause liver damage, and microRNA‐122 (miR‐122) appears to play a key role in this process. Argonaute 2 (Ago2), a key component of the RNA‐induced silencing complex (RISC), has been shown to be important in modulating miR‐122 function during HCV infection. However, GW182, a critical component of processing bodies (GW bodies) that is recruited by Ago2 to target messenger RNA (mRNA), has not been assessed in HCV infection.

Ralf Bahde, Sorabh Kapoor, Sriram Bandi, Kuldeep K. Bhargava, Christopher J. Palestro, Sanjeev Gupta – 16 August 2012 – To optimize strategies for liver‐directed cell therapy, prevention of initial transplanted cell losses is particularly important for subsequent liver repopulation. After cell transplantation in hepatic sinusoids, perturbations in hepatic microcirculation along with changes in various liver cell types are among the earliest changes.

Kun Wu, Jin Ding, Cheng Chen, Wen Sun, Bei‐Fang Ning, Wen Wen, Lei Huang, Tao Han, Wen Yang, Chao Wang, Zhong Li, Meng‐Chao Wu, Gen‐Sheng Feng, Wei‐Fen Xie, Hong‐Yang Wang – 16 August 2012 – Liver cirrhosis is a predominant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism underlying the progression from cirrhosis to HCC remains unclear. Herein we report the concurrent increase of liver progenitor cells (LPCs) and transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)‐induced rat hepatocarcinogenesis and cirrhotic livers of HCC patients.

Dahee Choi, Kyoung‐Jin Oh, Seung‐Hoi Koo – 13 August 2012