Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial comparing dexamethasone and ursodeoxycholic acid

Anna Glantz, Hanns‐Ulrich Marschall, Frank Lammert, Lars‐Åke Mattsson – 29 November 2005 – Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is characterized by troublesome maternal pruritus, elevated serum bile acids (≥10 μmol/L) and increased fetal risk. Recently we determined a cutoff level of serum bile acids, ≥40 μmol/L, to be associated with impaired fetal outcome. We have now studied the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and dexamethasone on pruritus, biochemical markers of cholestasis, and fetal complication rates in a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial.

A novel system for efficient gene transfer into primary human hepatocytes via cell‐permeable hepatitis B virus–like particle

Boerries Brandenburg, Lars Stockl, Cindy Gutzeit, Martin Roos, Joachim Lupberger, Ruth Schwartlander, Hans Gelderblom, Igor M. Sauer, Peter Hans Hofschneider, Eberhard Hildt – 29 November 2005 – Protein transduction domains (PTDs) have been used to deliver a variety of biologically active cargo across cellular membranes. However the potential of PTDs to mediate transport of nanoparticular structures into the cytoplasm bypassing the endosomal compartment remains unclear.

Alcohol increases tumor necrosis factor α and decreases nuclear factor‐κb to activate hepatic apoptosis in genetically obese mice

Marie‐Anne Robin, Christine Demeilliers, Angéla Sutton, Valérie Paradis, Caroline Maisonneuve, Sylvie Dubois, Odile Poirel, Philippe Lettéron, Dominique Pessayre, Bernard Fromenty – 29 November 2005 – Both obesity and alcohol can cause oxidative stress, cytokine induction, and steatohepatitis. To determine the consequences of their combination, we compared the hepatic effects of moderate ethanol binges in lean and obese ob/ob mice. Mice received water or ethanol (2.5 g/kg) by gastric intubation daily for 4 days, and were killed 2 hours after the last administration.

Accelerated hepatitis C virus kinetics but similar survival rates in recipients of liver grafts from living versus deceased donors

Thomas D. Schiano, Julio A. Gutierrez, Jose L. Walewski, M. Isabel Fiel, Bonnie Cheng, Henry Bodenheimer, Swan N. Thung, Raymond T. Chung, Myron E. Schwartz, Carol Bodian, Andrea D. Branch – 29 November 2005 – This study tested the hypothesis that hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA and core antigen levels rise more rapidly after liver transplantation (LT) in recipients of grafts from living donors (LD) versus deceased donors (DD). Eleven consecutive LD and 15 DD recipients were followed prospectively. Before LT, median HCV RNA levels were similar: 5.42 (LDLT) and 5.07 (DDLT) log10 IU/mL (P = NS).

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