Mauro Bernardi, Paolo Caraceni, Roberta J. Navickis, Mahlon M. Wilkes – 16 November 2011 – Albumin infusion reduces the incidence of postparacentesis circulatory dysfunction among patients with cirrhosis and tense ascites, as compared with no treatment. Treatment alternatives to albumin, such as artificial colloids and vasoconstrictors, have been widely investigated. The aim of this meta‐analysis was to determine whether morbidity and mortality differ between patients receiving albumin versus alternative treatments.

Yoshihide Yamanashi, Tappei Takada, Jun‐Ichi Shoda, Hiroshi Suzuki – 16 November 2011 – The hepatic expression of Niemann‐Pick C1‐like 1 (NPC1L1), which is a key molecule in intestinal cholesterol absorption, is high in humans. In addition to NPC1L1, Niemann‐Pick C2 (NPC2), a secretory cholesterol‐binding protein involved in intracellular cholesterol trafficking and the stimulation of biliary cholesterol secretion, is also expressed in the liver. In this study, we examined the molecular interaction and functional association between NPC1L1 and NPC2.

Tsuyoshi Ishikawa, Valentina M. Factor, Jens U. Marquardt, Chiara Raggi, Daekwan Seo, Mitsuteru Kitade, Elizabeth A. Conner, Snorri S. Thorgeirsson – 16 November 2011 – Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c‐Met supports a pleiotrophic signal transduction pathway that controls stem cell homeostasis. Here, we directly addressed the role of c‐Met in stem‐cell–mediated liver regeneration by utilizing mice harboring c‐met floxed alleles and Alb‐Cre or Mx1‐Cre transgenes.

Patrick R. Harrington, Wen Zeng, Lisa K. Naeger – 16 November 2011 – Boceprevir‐ and telaprevir‐based treatments for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection use specific response‐guided therapy (RGT) guidelines. Eligibility for shortened treatment duration is based on achieving undetectable HCV RNA early during treatment. It is unclear whether a detected HCV RNA level that is below the assay lower limit of quantitation (detectable/BLOQ) is comparable to an undetectable HCV RNA level for RGT decision making.

Melissa D. Yang, Yi‐Ming Chiang, Reiichi Higashiyama, Kinji Asahina, Derek A. Mann, Jelena Mann, Clay C.C. Wang, Hidekazu Tsukamoto – 16 November 2011 – Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) undergo myofibroblastic transdifferentiation (activation) to participate in liver fibrosis and identification of molecular targets for this cell fate regulation is essential for development of efficacious therapeutic modalities for the disease. Peroxisomal proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is required for differentiation of HSCs and its epigenetic repression underlies HSC activation.

Zora Teltschik, Reiner Wiest, Julia Beisner, Sabine Nuding, Claudia Hofmann, Juergen Schoelmerich, Charles L. Bevins, Eduard F. Stange, Jan Wehkamp – 16 November 2011 – Liver cirrhosis is associated with bacterial translocation (BT) and endotoxemia. Most translocating bacteria belong to the common intestinal microbiota, suggesting a breakdown of intestinal barrier function. We hypothesized that diminished mucosal antimicrobial host defense could predispose to BT.

Jeremie Guedj, Harel Dahari, Emi Shudo, Patrick Smith, Alan S. Perelson – 16 November 2011 – Mericitabine (RG7128) is a nucleoside polymerase inhibitor (NPI), which requires intracellular uptake and phosphorylation to two active triphosphates. Mathematical modeling has provided important insights for characterizing hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA decline and estimating in vivo effectiveness of antiviral agents; however, it has not been used to characterize viral kinetics with NPIs.

Christian M. Lange, Zoltan Kutalik, Kenichi Morikawa, Stéphanie Bibert, Andreas Cerny, Günter Dollenmaier, Jean‐François Dufour, Tilman J. Gerlach, Markus H. Heim, Raffaele Malinverni, Beat Müllhaupt, Francesco Negro, Darius Moradpour, Pierre‐Yves Bochud, the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study Group – 16 November 2011 – Elevated serum ferritin levels may reflect a systemic inflammatory state as well as increased iron storage, both of which may contribute to an unfavorable outcome of chronic hepatitis C (CHC).

Massimo Iavarone, Angelo Sangiovanni – 16 November 2011

Nieves Embade, David Fernández‐Ramos, Marta Varela‐Rey, Naiara Beraza, Marcella Sini, Virginia Gutiérrez de Juan, Ashwin Woodhoo, Nuria Martínez‐López, Begoña Rodríguez‐Iruretagoyena, Francisco Javier Bustamante, Ana Belén de la Hoz, Arkaitz Carracedo, Dimitris P. Xirodimas, Manuel S. Rodríguez, Shelly C. Lu, José M. Mato, María L. Martínez‐Chantar – 16 November 2011 – Hu antigen R (HuR) is a central RNA‐binding protein regulating cell dedifferentiation, proliferation, and survival, which are well‐established hallmarks of cancer.