Alfredo Marzano, Silvia Gaia, Valeria Ghisetti, Silvia Carenzi, Alberto Premoli, Wilma Debernardi‐Venon, Carlo Alessandria, Alessandro Franchello, Mauro Salizzoni, Mario Rizzetto – 21 March 2005 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after liver transplantation is significantly reduced by prophylaxis with hepatitis B immune globulins (HBIG) or antiviral drugs in nonreplicating patients and by the combination of both drugs in replicating patients. However, the load of HBV DNA, which defines replicating status in patients undergoing liver transplantation, remains unclear.

Shin Hwang, Sung‐Gyu Lee, Sang‐Tae Choi, Deok‐Bog Moon, Tae‐Yong Ha, Young‐Joo ng Lee, Kwang‐Min Park, Ki‐Hun Kim, Chul‐Soo Ahn, Keon‐Kuk Kim, Yeon‐Dae Kim – 21 March 2005 – Hepatic vein anatomy (V4) of the medial segment (S4) has been a matter of concern since introduction of extended right lobe (ERL) graft. To assess risk of hepatic venous congestion (HVC) in ERL donors, we tried to newly classify V4 anatomy. We analyzed V4 anatomy of 328 living donor livers by using 3‐dimensional reconstruction (3‐DR) and volumetry of computed tomography (CT).

Sjoerd de Rave, Bettina E. Hansen, Theo H.N. Groenland, Geert Kazemier, Robert A. de Man, Herold J. Metselaar, Onno T. Terpstra, Hugo W. Tilanus, Jan H.N.M. IJzermans, Solko W. Schalm – 21 March 2005 – Between 1986 and 1990 we performed heterotopic liver transplantation (HLT) in 17 patients with chronic liver disease. In spite of theoretical advantages and favorable short‐term results, we abandoned HLT because of doubts about the long‐term outcome and the improved results of standard orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

Patrycja Jonetzko, Ivo Graziadei, Karin Nachbaur, Wolfgang Vogel, Sabine Pankuweit, Ralf Zwick, Otmar Pachinger, Gerhard Poelzl – 21 March 2005 – Acute myocarditis may result in severe hemodynamic compromise with fatal outcome. Furthermore, recent studies suggest myocarditis as a major cause of sudden unexpected death. A variety of cardiotropic viral, rickettsial, and bacterial infectious agents have been identified to date. Parvovirus B19 (PVB19) is usually benign in childhood, but it may also cause death due to myocarditis.

Dimitrios N. Samonakis, Christos K. Triantos, Ulrich Thalheimer, Alberto Quaglia, Gioacchino Leandro, Rosângela Teixeira, George V. Papatheodoridis, Caroline A. Sabin, Nancy Rolando, Susan Davies, Amar P. Dhillon, Paul Griffiths, Vincent Emery, David W. Patch, Brian R. Davidson, Keith Rolles, Andrew K. Burroughs – 21 March 2005 – In HCV cirrhotic patients after liver transplantation, survival and recurrence of HCV appears to be worsening in recent years. Donor age has been suggested as a cause.

Michael Charlton – 21 March 2005

Shawn J. Pelletier, Douglas E. Schaubel, Jeffrey D. Punch, Robert A. Wolfe, Friedrich K. Port, Robert M. Merion – 21 March 2005 – Retransplantation for liver allograft failure associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been increasing due to nearly universal posttransplant HCV recurrence and has been demonstrated to be associated with poor outcomes. We report on the risk factors for death after retransplantation among liver recipients with HCV.

Henna Rautiainen, Päivi Kärkkäinen, A‐L Karvonen, Heimo Nurmi, Pekka Pikkarainen, Hannu Nuutinen, Martti Färkkilä – 7 March 2005 – Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a safe medical therapy for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), but its effect on liver histology remains uncertain. Budesonide is a glucocorticoid with high receptor activity and high first‐pass metabolism in liver. We evaluated the combination of budesonide and UDCA on liver histology and compared this with UDCA alone in a 3‐year prospective, randomized, open multicenter study.

Takumi Teratani, Hanako Yamamoto, Kazuhiko Aoyagi, Hiroki Sasaki, Akira Asari, Gary Quinn, Hideo Sasaki, Masaaki Terada, Takahiro Ochiya – 1 March 2005 – The molecules responsible for hepatic differentiation from embryonic stem (ES) cells have yet to be elucidated. Here we have identified growth factors that allow direct hepatic fate‐specification from ES cells by using simple adherent monolayer culture conditions.

Florian Graepler, Barbara Verbeek, Tilmann Graeter, Irina Smirnow, Hwai Loong Kong, Detlef Schuppan, Michael Bauer, Reinhard Vonthein, Michael Gregor, Ulrich M. Lauer – 28 February 2005 – Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is regarded as a suitable target for antiangiogenic strategies. However, antiangiogenic agents aimed at single targets can be neutralized by upregulation of other proangiogenic factors. Therefore, combined approaches addressing at least two angiogenic targets should be more effective.