Yi‐Cheng Chen, Chia‐Ming Chu, Yun‐Fan Liaw – 25 January 2010 – Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in chronic hepatitis B virus infection confers a favorable prognosis, but untoward outcomes may develop in some patients. The impact of the age of HBeAg seroconversion on prognosis is not clearly known. HBeAg‐positive patients with biopsy‐proven chronic hepatitis B were followed up long‐term. Follow‐up studies included liver biochemistry, alpha‐fetoprotein, and ultrasonography every 3 to 6 months or more frequently if clinically indicated.

David B. Rein, Sarah B. Lesesne, Ann O'Fallon, Cindy M. Weinbaum – 25 January 2010 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) testing to identify chronic hepatitis B virus infection for foreign‐born persons from countries or regions with HBsAg prevalence of ≥2%. However, limited data exist to indicate which countries meet this definition. To address this data gap, we estimated the HBsAg prevalence among refugees entering the United States between 2006 and 2008.

Zubin M. Bamboat, Vinod P. Balachandran, Lee M. Ocuin, Hebroon Obaid, George Plitas, Ronald P. DeMatteo – 25 January 2010 – Endogenous ligands such as high‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and nucleic acids are released by dying cells and bind Toll‐like receptors (TLRs). Because TLR9 sits at the interface of microbial and sterile inflammation by detecting both bacterial and endogenous DNA, we investigated its role in a model of segmental liver ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury.

Nicolas Lanthier, Yves Horsmans, Isabelle A. Leclercq – 25 January 2010

Antonio Mazzocca, Emilia Fransvea, Francesco Dituri, Luigi Lupo, Salvatore Antonaci, Gianluigi Giannelli – 25 January 2010 – Tumor–stroma interactions in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are of key importance to tumor progression. In this study, we show that HCC invasive cells produce high levels of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and generate tumors with a high stromal component in a xenograft model. A transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) receptor inhibitor, LY2109761, inhibited the synthesis and release of CTGF, as well as reducing the stromal component of the tumors.

Savino Bruno, Mitchell L. Shiffman, Stuart K. Roberts, Edward J. Gane, Diethelm Messinger, Stephanos J. Hadziyannis, Patrick Marcellin – 25 January 2010 – The objective of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of peginterferon alfa‐2a (40KD)/ribavirin in patients with advanced fibrosis. Data from 341 genotype 1/4 patients (99 with bridging fibrosis/cirrhosis) treated for 48 weeks and 1547 genotype 2/3 patients (380 with bridging fibrosis/cirrhosis) treated for 16 or 24 weeks enrolled in three randomized international studies were analyzed.

Eugene Bolotin, Hailing Liao, Tuong Chi Ta, Chuhu Yang, Wendy Hwang‐Verslues, Jane R. Evans, Tao Jiang, Frances M. Sladek – 25 January 2010 – Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is essential for liver function and is linked to several diseases including diabetes, hemophilia, atherosclerosis, and hepatitis. Although many DNA response elements and target genes have been identified for HNF4α, the complete repertoire of binding sites and target genes in the human genome is unknown.

Jian Shi, Wenyu Shao, Dongchang Yang, Liang Zhao, Lei Deng, Xuehao Wang, Beicheng Sun – 25 January 2010 – Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is very important in transplant surgery.

Anna Alisi, Nadia Panera, Valerio Nobili – 25 January 2010

Klaus H. Kaestner – 25 January 2010