Gerd Otto, Sascha Herber, Michael Heise, Ansgar W. Lohse, Christian Mönch, Fernando Bittinger, Maria Hoppe‐Lotichius, Marcus Schuchmann, Anja Victor, Michael Pitton – 6 July 2006 – Criteria to select patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for liver transplantation (LT) are based on tumor size and number of nodules rather than on tumor biology. The present study was undertaken to assess the role of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in selecting patients with tumors suitable for LT.

Jose A. Carrión, Miquel Navasa, Jaume Bosch, Miquel Bruguera, Rosa Gilabert, Xavier Forns – 5 July 2006 – Recurrence of hepatitis C after liver transplantation (LT) is the main cause of graft loss and retransplantation. Frequent liver biopsies are essential to follow‐up hepatitis C virus (HCV)–induced liver damage. However, liver biopsy is an invasive and expensive procedure. We evaluated prospectively the diagnostic accuracy of noninvasive measurement of liver stiffness (by transient elastography) to assess the severity of hepatitis C recurrence after LT.

T. Jake Liang – 23 June 2006

Andrea De Gasperi, Francesco Baudo – 23 June 2006

James R. Burton, Hugo R. Rosen – 23 June 2006

Masanori Ikeda, Ken‐ichi Abe, Masashi Yamada, Hiromichi Dansako, Kazuhito Naka, Nobuyuki Kato – 23 June 2006 – We recently developed a genome‐length hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA replication system (OR6) with luciferase as a reporter. The OR6 assay system has enabled prompt and precise quantification of HCV RNA replication. Pegylated interferon (IFN) and ribavirin combination therapy is the world standard for chronic hepatitis C, but its effectiveness is limited to about 55% of patients. Newer therapeutic approaches are needed.

Simona Urbani, Barbara Amadei, Paola Fisicaro, Daniela Tola, Alessandra Orlandini, Luca Sacchelli, Cristina Mori, Gabriele Missale, Carlo Ferrari – 23 June 2006 – A timely, efficient, and coordinated activation of both CD4 and CD8 T cell subsets following HCV infection is believed to be essential for HCV control. However, to what extent a failure of the individual T cell subsets can contribute to the high propensity of HCV to persist is still largely undefined.

George V. Mazariegos, Kyle A. Soltys, Geoffrey J. Bond, Robert H. Squires, Rakesh Sindhi – 23 June 2006

Neal R. Barshes, Ian W. Udell, Timothy C. Lee, Christine A. O'Mahony, Saul J. Karpen, Beth A. Carter, John A. Goss – 23 June 2006 – Although rare in the pediatric population, the natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence in pediatric patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for end‐stage liver disease secondary to HCV has not been well described. We performed an analysis of all 67 pediatric patients (<17 years old) who have undergone OLT for HCV in the United States between 1/1988 and 6/2005. The 67 pediatric patients received a total of 83 OLTs for HCV.

23 June 2006