Norman M. Kneteman, Amy J. Weiner, John O'Connell, Marc Collett, Tiejun Gao, Lea Aukerman, Rosemary Kovelsky, Zhi‐Jie Ni, Ahmad Hashash, Janine Kline, Belinda Hsi, Daniel Schiller, Donna Douglas, D Lorne J Tyrrell, David F. Mercer – 25 May 2006 – Compounds with in vitro anti‐hepatitis C virus (HCV) activity are often advanced directly into clinical trials with limited or no in vivo efficacy data. This limits prediction of clinical efficacy of compounds in the HCV drug pipeline, and may expose human subjects to unnecessary treatment effects.

Jeremy Cobbold, Adrian Lim, Marzena Wylezinska, Cliona Cunningham, Mary Crossey, Howard Thomas, Nayna Patel, Jane Cox, Simon Taylor‐Robinson – 25 May 2006

Michael R. Charlton, Paul J. Pockros, Stephen A. Harrison – 25 May 2006 – Obesity and the metabolic syndrome have hepatic manifestations, including steatosis and progression of fibrosis. In individuals with chronic hepatitis C, obesity is associated with inflammation, insulin resistance, steatosis, progression of fibrosis, and nonresponse to treatment with interferon or peginterferon alpha and ribavirin. Patients with both hepatitis C and obesity‐related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are at greater risk for more advanced liver disease.

Rodrigo Jover, Regina Rodrigo, Vicente Felipo, Ricardo Insausti, Javier Sáez‐Valero, M. Salud García‐Ayllón, Isabel Suárez, Asunción Candela, Antonio Compañ, Angel Esteban, Omar Cauli, Eva Ausó, Erika Rodríguez, Ana Gutiérrez, Eva Girona, Slaven Erceg, Pere Berbel, Miguel Pérez‐Mateo – 25 May 2006 – Studies of the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy are hampered by the lack of a satisfactory animal model. We examined the neurological features of rats after bile duct ligation fed a hyperammonemic diet (BDL+HD).

Dirk J. van Leeuwen, James L. Bernat – 25 May 2006 – Advances in molecular genetics challenge the hepatology community to understand and implement genetic knowledge. Despite excitement about the potential benefits of new genetic information, concerns have been raised about the inappropriate use of genetic testing, clinicians' incorrect ordering and misinterpretation of test results, and discrimination in employment and insurability based on tests results.

Adrian Reuben – 25 May 2006

Elwyn Elias – 25 May 2006

Hartmut Jaeschke – 25 May 2006

Xinhua Fang, Mirjam B. Zeisel, Jochen Wilpert, Bettina Gissler, Robert Thimme, Clemens Kreutz, Thomas Maiwald, Jens Timmer, Winfried V. Kern, Johannes Donauer, Marcel Geyer, Gerd Walz, Erik Depla, Fritz von Weizsäcker, Hubert E. Blum, Thomas F. Baumert – 25 May 2006 – Initiation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is mediated by docking of the viral envelope to the hepatocyte cell surface membrane followed by entry of the virus into the host cell.

Nguyen L. Toan, Le H. Song, Peter G. Kremsner, Dinh N. Duy, Vu Q. Binh, Bernd Koeberlein, Stefan Kaiser, Reinhard Kandolf, Joseph Torresi, C.‐Thomas Bock – 25 May 2006 – Eight genotypes (A‐H) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) have been identified. However, the impact of different genotypes on the clinical course of hepatitis B infection remains controversial. We investigated the frequency and clinical outcome of HBV genotypes and genotype mixtures in HBV‐infected patients from Vietnam, Europe, and Africa.