Cheng‐Hui Hsiao, Mei‐Hwei Chang, Huey‐Ling Chen, Hung‐Chang Lee, Tzee‐Chung Wu, Chieh‐Chung Lin, Yao‐Jong Yang, An‐Chyi Chen, Mao‐Meng Tiao, Beng‐Huat Lau, Chia‐Hsiang Chu, Ming‐Wei Lai – 20 December 2007 – Biliary atresia is the most common cause of death from liver disease in children. Although the Kasai operation before 60 days of age can significantly improve prognosis, delay in referral and surgery remains a formidable problem worldwide because of difficulties in differentiating it from benign prolonged neonatal jaundice.

ZhengZheng Li, Michael Berk, Thomas M. McIntyre, Gregory J. Gores, Ariel E. Feldstein – 20 December 2007 – Impaired mitochondrial function is largely thought to be a core abnormality responsible for disease progression in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the molecular mechanisms resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction in NAFLD remain poorly understood. This study examined the effects of excessive accumulation of free fatty acids (FFAs) in liver cells on mitochondrial function and the role of the lysosomal‐mitochondrial axis on lipotoxicity.

Heike Varnholt, Uta Drebber, Falko Schulze, Inga Wedemeyer, Peter Schirmacher, Hans‐Peter Dienes, Margarete Odenthal – 19 December 2007 – MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by targeting messenger RNAs (mRNAs) through translational repression or RNA degradation. Many fundamental biological processes are modulated by microRNAs, and an important role for microRNAs in carcinogenesis is emerging.

Christopher M. Schonhoff, Henry Gillin, Cynthia R. L. Webster, M. Sawkat Anwer – 19 December 2007 – Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) stimulates translocation of Na+‐taurocholate (TC) cotransporting polypeptide (Ntcp) and multidrug resistant associated protein 2 (Mrp2) to the plasma membrane.

Katarzyna Furrer, Yinghua Tian, Thomas Pfammatter, Wolfram Jochum, Ashraf Mohammad El‐Badry, Rolf Graf, Pierre‐Alain Clavien – 19 December 2007 – Two strategies are clinically available to induce selective hypertrophy of the liver: portal vein embolization (PVE) and portal vein ligation (PVL). The aim of this study was to compare the impact of PVE and PVL on liver regeneration. Rats were subjected to 70% PVL, 70% PVE, 70% partial hepatectomy (PH) (positive control), or sham operation (negative control).

Matthew Wise, Stephanie Bialek, Lyn Finelli, Beth P. Bell, Frank Sorvillo – 19 December 2007 – The disease burden and mortality from hepatitis C are predicted to increase in the United States as the number of persons with long‐standing chronic infection grows. We analyzed hepatitis C mortality rates derived from US Census and multiple‐cause‐of‐death data for 1995‐2004.

George Plitas, Bryan M. Burt, Jennifer A. Stableford, Hoang M. Nguyen, Alexander P. Welles, Ronald P. DeMatteo – 19 December 2007 – The liver harbors a diversity of cell types that have been reported to stimulate T cells. Although most hepatic dendritic cells are immature, a small population of CD11chigh conventional dendritic cells (cDCs) exists that expresses high levels of costimulatory molecules. We sought to determine the relative contribution of cDCs to cross‐presentation by the liver.

Flavia D. Mendes, W. Ray Kim, Rachel Pedersen, Terry Therneau, Keith D. Lindor – 19 December 2007 – In the past 2 decades, important advances have been made in the treatment of cholestatic liver diseases, including primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Whether these new therapies have had demonstrable impact on mortality on a population‐wide scale has not been evaluated. This study describes the age‐specific and sex‐specific mortality rates from PBC and PSC in the United States between 1980 and 1998, based on the Multiple Cause of Death files.

Narayan Dharel, Naoya Kato, Ryosuke Muroyama, Hiroyoshi Taniguchi, Motoyuki Otsuka, Yue Wang, Amarsanaa Jazag, Run‐Xuan Shao, Jin‐Hai Chang, Mark K. Adler, Takao Kawabe, Masao Omata – 19 December 2007 – Infection by hepatitis C virus (HCV) usually results into chronic hepatitis that can ultimately lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Type 1 interferons (IFN‐α/β) constitute the primary cellular defense against viral infection including HCV.

M. Luz Martínez‐Chantar, Mercedes Vázquez‐Chantada, Usue Ariz, Nuria Martínez, Marta Varela, Zigmund Luka, Antonieta Capdevila, Juan Rodríguez, Ana M. Aransay, Rune Matthiesen, Heping Yang, Diego F. Calvisi, Manel Esteller, Mario Fraga, Shelly C. Lu, Conrad Wagner, José M. Mato – 19 December 2007 – Glycine N‐methyltransferase (GNMT) is the main enzyme responsible for catabolism of excess hepatic S‐adenosylmethionine (SAMe).