Marcin T. Kortylewski, Andreas Barthel – 7 March 2007 – The transcription factor, signal transducer and activator of transcription‐3 (STAT‐3) contributes to various physiological processes. Here we show that mice with liver‐specific deficiency in STAT‐3, achieved using the Cre‐loxP system, show insulin resistance associated with increased hepatic expression of gluconeogenic genes. Restoration of hepatic STAT‐3 expression in these mice, using adenovirus‐mediated gene transfer, corrected the metabolic abnormalities and the alterations in hepatic expression of gluconeogenic genes.

Snorri S. Thorgeirsson – 7 March 2007 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancerrelated deaths worldwide. Here, we provide evidence that the Forkhead Box (Fox) m1b (Foxm1b or Foxm1) transcription factor is essential for the development of HCC. Conditionally deleted Foxm1b mouse hepatocytes fail to proliferate and are highly resistant to developing HCC in response to a Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/Phenobarbital (PB) liver tumor‐induction protocol.

Volker Bruss – 7 March 2007

Flemming Tofteng, Linda Jorgensen, Bent Adel Hansen, Peter Ott, Jens Kondrup, Fin Stolze Larsen – 7 March 2007 – Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is often complicated by high intracranial pressure (ICP) and fatal brain damage. In this study, we determined if a rise in [glutamate] ec and [lactate] ec preceded surges of high ICP in patients with FHF (median age, 42; range, 20–55 years; 7 women; 3 men) by inserting a microdialysis catheter into the brain‐cortex together with an ICP catheter. The microdialysis catheter was perfused with artificial cerebrospinal‐fluid at a rate of 0.3 μL/min.

Jorge A. Marrero, Robert J. Fontana, Grace L. Su, Hari S. Conjeevaram, Dawn M. Emick, Anna S. Lok – 7 March 2007 – The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States is increasing, but the clinical characteristics of American patients with HCC have not been well described. The aims of this study were to determine the etiology of liver disease and short‐term outcome among HCC patients presenting to a single center in the United States. One hundred five consecutive patients with HCC were studied; mean age was 59 years, 67% were men, and 76% were non‐Hispanic white.

Christophe Bureau, Jean‐Marie Péron, Laurent Alric, Joséphine Morales, Jérǒme Sanchez, Karl Barange, Jean‐Louis Payen, Jean‐Pierre Vinel – 7 March 2007 – We report the results of adapting medical therapy to the monitoring of hemodynamic response in the prevention of a first variceal bleeding or rebleeding in patients with cirrhosis. Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) was measured before and after propranolol was initiated. The patients were considered responders if HVPG decreased below 12 mm Hg or at least 20% as compared with baseline value.

Ngee‐Chih Foo, Byung Y. Ahn, Xiaohong Ma, William Hyun, T. S. Benedict Yen – 7 March 2007 – Fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH) is a rapidly progressive form of viral hepatitis B that occurs in severely immunosuppressed patients. Pathologically, the liver in FCH is characterized by widespread hepatocyte vacuolization and apoptosis, which, in contrast to more common forms of hepatitis B, is only rarely associated with significant inflammation.

Paulette Bioulac‐Sage, Hervé Trillaud, Christophe Laurent, Charles Balabaud, Claude Degott – 7 March 2007

Adrian Reuben – 7 March 2007

Ulrich Bienzle, Matthias Günther, Ruth Neuhaus, Pierre Vandepapeliere, Jens Vollmar, Andreas Lun, Peter Neuhaus – 7 March 2007 – Patients who undergo transplantation for hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related diseases are treated indefinitely with hepatitis B hyperimmunoglobulin (HBIG) to prevent endogenous HBV reinfection of the graft. Active immunization with standard hepatitis B vaccines in these patients has recently been reported with conflicting results.