Dirk Lebrecht, Yetlanezi A. Vargas‐Infante, Bernhard Setzer, Janbernd Kirschner, Ulrich A. Walker – 22 December 2006 – Zalcitabine is an antiretroviral nucleoside analogue that exhibits long‐term toxicity to hepatocytes by interfering with the replication of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Uridine antagonizes this effect in vitro. In the present study we investigate the mechanisms of zalcitabine‐induced hepatotoxicity in mice and explore therapeutic outcomes with oral uridine supplementation.

Patrick Bertolino, Lauren E. Holz – 22 December 2006

Scott L. Friedman, Don C. Rockey, D. Montgomery Bissell – 22 December 2006 – The third American Associated for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD)–sponsored Single Topic Conference on hepatic fibrosis was held in June 2006. The conference was both international, with 6 countries represented, and cross‐disciplinary, linking the basic molecular and cellular biology of fibrogenic cells to clinical trial design for emerging antifibrotic therapies.

Gregory J. Dore – 22 December 2006

Rajeshwar P. Mookerjee, Mohammed Malaki, Nathan A. Davies, Stephen J. Hodges, R. Neil Dalton, Charles Turner, Sambit Sen, Roger Williams, James Leiper, Patrick Vallance, Rajiv Jalan – 22 December 2006 – Previous studies suggest reduced hepatic endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity contributes to increased intrahepatic resistance. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, undergoes hepatic metabolism via dimethylarginine‐dimethylamino‐hydrolase, and is derived by the action of protein‐arginine‐methyltransferases.

Silvano Fasolato, Paolo Angeli, Lucia Dallagnese, Giulio Maresio, Erika Zola, Elena Mazza, Freddy Salinas, Silvio Donà, Stefano Fagiuoli, Antonietta Sticca, Giacomo Zanus, Umberto Cillo, Ilaria Frasson, Carla Destro, Angelo Gatta – 22 December 2006 – The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence and clinical course of renal failure that was induced by the various types of bacterial infections in patients with cirrhosis and ascites.

Hari S. Conjeevaram, David E. Kleiner, Jay E. Everhart, Jay H. Hoofnagle, Steven Zacks, Nezam H. Afdhal, Abdus S. Wahed – 22 December 2006 – Hepatic steatosis is common in chronic hepatitis C and has been linked to concurrent obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, disease severity, and poor response to therapy. Racial differences in rates of obesity and diabetes may contribute to racial differences in hepatic steatosis and treatment response.

Amedeo Lonardo, Paola Loria, Marco Bertolotti, Nicola Carulli – 22 December 2006

Karl E. Anderson – 22 December 2006

Adam C. Straub, Donna B. Stolz, Mark A. Ross, Araceli Hernández‐Zavala, Nicole V. Soucy, Linda R. Klei, Aaron Barchowsky – 22 December 2006 – Trivalent arsenic [As(III)] is a well‐known environmental toxicant that causes a wide range of organ‐specific diseases and cancers. In the human liver, As(III) promotes vascular remodeling, portal fibrosis, and hypertension, but the pathogenesis of these As(III)‐induced vascular changes is unknown.