Jiun‐Ming Su, Xiang‐Me Lai, Keng‐Hsin Lan, Chung‐Pin Li, Yee Chao, Sang‐Hue Yen, Full‐Young Chang, Shou‐Dong Lee, Wei‐Ping Lee – 27 July 2007 – The X protein of hepatitis B virus (HBx) is essential for transactivation of hepatitis B viral and host cellular genes. It has been specifically implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma; however, the molecular mechanism remains unknown.

Yongzhi Cui, Atsushi Hosui, Rui Sun, Kezhen Shen, Oksana Gavrilova, Weiping Chen, Margaret C. Cam, Bin Gao, Gertraud W. Robinson, Lothar Hennighausen – 27 July 2007 – Growth hormone controls many facets of a cell's biology through the transcription factors Stat5a and Stat5b (Stat5). However, whole body deletion of these genes from the mouse does not provide portentous information on cell‐specific cytokine signaling. To explore liver‐specific functions of Stat5, the entire Stat5 locus was deleted in hepatocytes using Cre‐mediated recombination.

Erik H. C. J. Buster, Bettina E. Hansen, Maria Buti, Jean Delwaide, Claus Niederau, Peter P. Michielsen, Robert Flisiak, Pieter E. Zondervan, Solko W. Schalm, Harry L. A. Janssen, HBV 99‐01 study group – 27 July 2007 – Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with advanced fibrosis are often not considered for treatment with peginterferon (PEG‐IFN) because IFN therapy may precipitate immunological flares, potentially inducing hepatic decompensation.

Ronald J. Sokol, Ross W. Shepherd, Riccardo Superina, Jorge A. Bezerra, Patricia Robuck, Jay H. Hoofnagle – 27 July 2007 – Biliary atresia is the most common cause of end‐stage liver disease in the infant and is the leading pediatric indication for liver transplantation in the United States. Earlier diagnosis (<30‐45 days of life) is associated with improved outcomes following the Kasai portoenterostomy and longer survival with the native liver.

Gavin Wright, Rajiv Jalan – 27 July 2007

Manoj Kumar, Shiv K. Sarin, Barjesh C. Sharma – 27 July 2007

Hongjin Huang, Mitchell L. Shiffman, Scott Friedman, Ramasubbu Venkatesh, Natalie Bzowej, Olivia T. Abar, Charles M. Rowland, Joseph J. Catanese, Diane U. Leong, John J. Sninsky, Thomas J. Layden, Teresa L. Wright, Thomas White, Ramsey C. Cheung – 27 July 2007 – Clinical factors such as age, gender, alcohol use, and age‐at‐infection influence the progression to cirrhosis but cannot accurately predict the risk of developing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). The aim of this study was to develop a predictive signature for cirrhosis in Caucasian patients.

Dirk Nierhoff, Lauretta Levoci, Sigrid Schulte, Tobias Goeser, Leslie E. Rogler, David A. Shafritz – 27 July 2007 – Isolation of hepatic stem cells from the adult liver (AL) has not yet been achieved due to the lack of specific cell surface markers. To identify new surface markers for hepatic stem cells, we analyzed differences in the gene expression profile of embryonic day (ED) 13.5 fetal liver stem/progenitor cells (FLSPC) versus AL by complementary DNA (cDNA) microarray technology.

Ahmed M. Elsharkawy, Derek A. Mann – 27 July 2007 – Nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) is a transcriptional regulator of genes involved in immunity, inflammatory response, cell fate, and function. Recent attention has focused on the pathophysiological role of NF‐κB in the diseased liver. In vivo studies using rodent models of liver disease and cell‐targeted perturbation of NF‐κB activity have revealed complex and multicellular functions in hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma—a process we have termed the “inflammation‐fibrosis‐cancer axis”.

George V. Papatheodoridis, Emanuel K. Manesis, Spilios Manolakopoulos, Athanasios J. Archimandritis – 27 July 2007