Geoffrey W. McCaughan, Nicholas A. Shackel, Simone I. Strasser, Pamela Dilworth, Patrick Tang – 26 January 2010 – Although 1‐year survival rates following liver transplantation over the last 20 years may have improved, there is doubt about improvement in long‐term survival. We examined survival with and without initial 12‐month mortality in adult liver transplant recipients over a 20‐year period. Patient and allograft survival for 3 different time periods was compared: 1986‐1994 (group 1, n = 547), 1995‐2000 (group 2, n = 735), and 2000‐2005 (group 3, n = 749).

Chung‐Shun Wong, Wei‐Chen Lee, Chang‐Chyi Jenq, Ya‐Chung Tian, Ming‐Yang Chang, Chan‐Yu Lin, Ji‐Tseng Fang, Chih‐Wei Yang, Ming‐Hung Tsai, Hsin‐Chin Shih, Yung‐Chang Chen – 26 January 2010 – Liver transplantation can prolong survival and improve the quality of life of patients with end‐stage liver disease. This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 149 patients who had received liver transplants in a tertiary care university hospital from January 2000 to December 2007. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were recorded.

Michael G. Lenos, Sofia‐Maria Tsaniklidou – 25 January 2010

Stephen A. Harrison – 25 January 2010

Karolina A. Rygiel, Helen Robertson, Joseph D. P. Willet, John G. Brain, Alastair D. Burt, David E. J. Jones, John A. Kirby – 25 January 2010 – Loss of bile duct epithelium is characteristic of early chronic rejection following liver transplantation. Recent studies have suggested that intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells can transform into myofibroblasts. This study examines the induction and molecular regulation of this transition during allograft rejection.

Ting‐Tsung Chang, Ching‐Lung Lai, Seung Kew Yoon, Samuel S. Lee, Henrique Sergio M. Coelho, Flair Jose Carrilho, Fred Poordad, Waldemar Halota, Yves Horsmans, Naoky Tsai, Hui Zhang, Daniel J. Tenney, Ricardo Tamez, Uchenna Iloeje – 25 January 2010 – Sustained virologic suppression is a primary goal of therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB). In study entecavir (ETV)‐022, 48 weeks of entecavir 0.5 mg was superior to lamivudine for virologic suppression for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive CHB. A total of 183 entecavir‐treated patients from ETV‐022 subsequently enrolled in study ETV‐901.

Inge Mannaerts, Nele R. Nuytten, Vera Rogiers, Karin Vanderkerken, Leo A. van Grunsven, Albert Geerts – 25 January 2010 – Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation is a pivotal step in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. The clarification of this transdifferentiation process is therefore important for the development of effective therapies for fibrosis. We analyzed the effect of a histone deacetylase inhibitor, valproic acid (VPA), on mouse HSC transdifferentiation in vitro and in vivo.

Carmen Martínez, Segismundo Galván, Elena Garcia‐Martin, María I. Ramos, Yolanda Gutiérrez‐Martín, José A.G. Agúndez – 25 January 2010 – Association between genetic variations in alcohol‐related enzymes and impaired ethanol biodisposition has not been unambiguously proven, and the effect of many newly described polymorphisms remains to be explored. The aims of this study are to elucidate the influence of genetic factors in alcohol biodisposition and effects.

Gisele N'Kontchou, Michel Beaugrand, Olivier Seror – 25 January 2010

Qiuwei Pan, Herold J. Metselaar, Petra de Ruiter, Jaap Kwekkeboom, Hugo W. Tilanus, Harry L. A. Janssen, Luc J. W. van der Laan – 25 January 2010 – Immunosuppression considerably affects hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence and the outcome of antiviral treatment after liver transplantation. Recent findings have suggested that the calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus (Tac), unlike cyclosporine A (CsA), interferes with the antiviral activity of interferon‐α (IFN‐α) in vitro.