Jun Wu, Mengji Lu, Zhongji Meng, Martin Trippler, Ruth Broering, Agnes Szczeponek, Frank Krux, Ulf Dittmer, Michael Roggendorf, Guido Gerken, Joerg F. Schlaak – 28 November 2007 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most frequent causes of chronic liver disease worldwide. Because recent studies have suggested that Toll‐like receptor (TLR)‐based therapies may be a promising approach in the treatment of HBV infection, we studied the role of the local innate immune system of the liver as a possible mediator of this effect.

James D. Perkins – 28 November 2007 – The outflow venovenous anastomosis represent a crucial aspect during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) with inferior vena cava (IVC) preservation. The modified Belghiti liver hanging maneuver applied to the last phase of hepatectomy, lifting the liver, provides a better exposure of the suprahepatic region and allows easier orthogonal clamping of the three suprahepatic veins with a minimal portion of IVC occlusion.

Scott D. Boyd, Fabien Stenard, Donald K.K. Lee, Lawrence T. Goodnough, Carlos O. Esquivel, Magali J. Fontaine – 28 November 2007 – Transfusion therapy of liver transplant patients remains a challenge. High volumes of intraoperative blood transfusion have been shown to increase the risk of poor graft or patient survival. We conducted a retrospective study of 209 consecutive liver transplant cases at our institution. Only patients receiving their first liver transplant, with no other simultaneous organ transplants, were included.

Peter Ferenci, Ludwig Kramer – 28 November 2007

Carlo Bergamini, Concetta Sgarra, Paolo Trerotoli, Luigi Lupo, Amalia Azzariti, Salvatore Antonaci, Gianluigi Giannelli – 28 November 2007 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) growth severely affects prognosis. Ki‐67, a known marker of cell proliferation, is a negative prognostic factor in HCC. Growth factors such as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) induce HCC cell proliferation but do not explain the great heterogeneity of HCC growth. Laminin‐5 (Ln‐5) is an extracellular matrix protein (ECM) present in the tissue microenvironment of HCC.

Dorry L. Segev, Warren R. Maley, Christopher E. Simpkins, Jayme E. Locke, Geoffrey C. Nguyen, Robert A. Montgomery, Paul J. Thuluvath – 28 November 2007 – Elderly liver donors (ELDs) represent a possible expansion of the donor pool, although there is great reluctance to use ELDs because of reports that increasing donor age predicts graft loss and patient death. The goal of this study was to identify a subgroup of recipients who would be least affected by increased donor age and thus best suited to receive grafts from ELDs.

Kazuaki Inoue, Tsunamasa Watanabe, Makoto Yoshiba, Michinori Kohara – 28 November 2007

David Van der Poorten, Dianna T. Kenny, Tony Butler, Jacob George – 28 November 2007 – Little is known about the health and behavior of adolescent offenders as they relate to abnormalities of liver biochemistry and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A large study of male juvenile offenders was undertaken that allowed a re‐evaluation of the normal limits of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), associations with elevated ALT, and HCV antibody positivity.

Duygu Dee Harrison‐Findik, Elizabeth Klein, Callie Crist, John Evans, Nikolai Timchenko, John Gollan – 28 November 2007 – Alcohol reduces and iron increases liver hepcidin synthesis. This study investigates the interaction of alcohol and iron in the regulation of hepcidin messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in animal models. Mice were administered 10% ethanol for 7 days after an iron‐overloaded diet. Rats were administered regular or ethanol‐Lieber De Carli diets for 7 weeks with or without carbonyl iron. Hfe−/− mice were used as a model for genetic iron overload.

Anne‐Kathrin Peyer, Diana Jung, Markus Beer, Carmela Gnerre, Adrian Keogh, Deborah Stroka, Mihaela Zavolan, Urs‐A. Meyer – 28 November 2007 – Aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) is the rate‐limiting enzyme of heme synthesis in the liver and is highly regulated to adapt to the metabolic demand of the hepatocyte. In the present study, we describe human hepatic ALAS1 as a new direct target of the bile acid–activated nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR).