Yukihiro Sanada, Youichi Kawano, Koichi Mizuta, Satoshi Egami, Makoto Hayashida, Taiichi Wakiya, Takehito Fujiwara, Yasunaru Sakuma, Masanobu Hydo, Manabu Nakata, Yoshikazu Yasuda, Hideo Kawarasaki – 12 January 2010 – Portal vein complications after liver transplantation (LT) are serious complications that can lead to graft liver failure. Although the treatment of interventional radiology (IVR) by means of balloon dilatation for portal vein stenosis (PVS) after LT is an effective method, the high rate of recurrent PVS is an agonizing problem.

Omar Barakat, R. Patrick Wood, Claire F. Ozaki, Victor Ankoma‐Sey, Joseph Galati, Mark Skolkin, Barry Toombs, Mary Round, Warren Moore, Luis Mieles – 12 January 2010 – In selected patients, locoregional therapy (LRT) has been successful in downstaging advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) so that the conventional criteria for liver transplantation (LT) can be met. However, the factors that predict successful treatment are largely unidentified. To determine these factors, we analyzed our experience with multimodal LRT in downstaging advanced HCC before LT in a retrospective cohort study.

Maria Teresa Melgosa, Giovanni L. Ricci, Juan Carlos García‐Pagan, Isabel Blanco, Pilar Escribano, Juan G. Abraldes, Josep Roca, Jaume Bosch, Joan Albert Barberà – 12 January 2010 – Portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) is a serious condition without an established treatment. Drugs used to treat pulmonary hypertension may have detrimental effects on portal hypertension. This study was designed to assess in patients with PoPH the acute effects of inhaled iloprost (iILO) on pulmonary and hepatic hemodynamics and to evaluate the clinical outcome after 12 months of treatment.

Sammy Saab, Benjamin Waterman, Amanda C. Chi, Myron J. Tong – 12 January 2010 – Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) recipients without hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection who receive liver grafts from antibody to hepatitis B core antigen–positive [HBcAb(+)], hepatitis B surface antigen–negative [HBsAg(−)] donors have an increased risk of developing de novo hepatitis B infection.

Aileen E. Marshall, Simon M. Rushbrook, Sarah L. Vowler, Christopher R. Palmer, R. Justin Davies, Paul Gibbs, Susan E. Davies, Nicholas Coleman, Graeme J. M. Alexander – 12 January 2010 – The selection of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma for liver transplantation is currently based on the size and number of tumors to minimize the risk of recurrence. These criteria measure tumor bulk but may not reflect tumor behavior accurately. A biological marker of tumor behavior could aid with patient selection further.

Elizabeth A. Pomfret, Kenneth Washburn, Christoph Wald, Michael A. Nalesnik, David Douglas, Mark Russo, John Roberts, David J. Reich, Myron E. Schwartz, Luis Mieles, Fred T.

Evangelos Cholongitas, Andrew K. Burroughs – 23 December 2009

Jian Zhao, Guobin Wu, Fangfang Bu, Bin Lu, Anmin Liang, Lei Cao, Xin Tong, Xin Lu, Mengchao Wu, Yajun Guo – 23 December 2009 – The ankyrin‐repeat–containing, SH3‐domain–containing, and proline‐rich‐region–containing protein (ASPP) family of proteins regulates apoptosis through interaction with p53 and its family members. This study evaluated the epigenetic regulation of ASPP1 and ASPP2 in hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐positive hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explores the effects of down‐regulation of ASPP1 and ASPP2 on the development of HCC.

Alessandro Vitale, Michael L. Volk, Davide Pastorelli, Sara Lonardi, Fabio Farinati, Patrizia Burra, Paolo Angeli, Umberto Cillo – 23 December 2009 – The role of bridging therapies for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on the waiting list for liver transplantation (LT) remains controversial. There is strong evidence to support the effectiveness of sorafenib in extending the time to progression of HCC.

Yosuke Osawa, Ekihiro Seki, Masayuki Adachi, Atsushi Suetsugu, Hiroyasu Ito, Hisataka Moriwaki, Mitsuru Seishima, Masahito Nagaki – 23 December 2009 – Kupffer cells, resident tissue macrophages of the liver, play a key role in the regulation of hepatic inflammation, hepatocyte death, and fibrosis that characterize liver diseases. However, it is controversial whether Kupffer cells promote or protect from liver injury.