Hideki Yokoo, Tadashi Kondo, Kazuyasu Fujii, Tesshi Yamada, Satoru Todo, Setsuo Hirohashi – 30 August 2004 – Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) has been implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and is considered to be a diagnostic and prognostic tumor marker. Because elevated expression of AFP is associated with many characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma tissues, we hypothesized that multiple proteins may function in a coordinated manner with AFP. To identify such proteins, we performed global protein expression analysis, namely a proteomic study.

Thomas F. Kresina, Leonard B. Seeff, Henry Francis – 30 August 2004 – Treatment regimens for both substance abuse and hepatitis C infection are complex and evolving. New pharmacotherapy for opioid addiction allows for office‐based treatment and, thus, an opportunity for expanded treatment in the context of hepatitis C infection. The current article addresses the newly evolving, complex issues in the medical management of hepatitis C and injection drug use. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;40:516–519.)

Katsumi Yamauchi, Naoko Yamaguchi, Takaji Furukawa, Kazuko Takatsu, Toshimi Nakanishi, Mina Sasaki, Etsuko Isono, Katsutoshi Tokushige, Tatsuji Komatsu, Keiko Shiratori – 30 August 2004 – It has been reported that autoantibodies to hepatocytes are frequently found in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). To elucidate the nature of these hepatocyte‐specific autoantibodies, we attempted to generate a hepatocyte‐specific monoclonal antibody (MoAb) from Epstein‐Barr virus‐transformed peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from a patient with AIH.

Ju‐Seog Lee, In‐Sun Chu, Jeonghoon Heo, Diego F. Calvisi, Zongtang Sun, Tania Roskams, Anne Durnez, Anthony J. Demetris, Snorri S. Thorgeirsson – 30 August 2004 – We analyzed global gene expression patterns of 91 human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) to define the molecular characteristics of the tumors and to test the prognostic value of the expression profiles. Unsupervised classification methods revealed two distinctive subclasses of HCC that are highly associated with patient survival. This association was validated via 5 independent supervised learning methods.

Francesco Salerno, Manuela Merli, Oliviero Riggio, Massimo Cazzaniga, Valentina Valeriano, Massimo Pozzi, Antonio Nicolini, Filippo Salvatori, GIST – 30 August 2004 – The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been shown to be effective in the control of refractory or recidivant ascites. However, the effect of TIPS on survival as compared with that of large‐volume paracentesis plus albumin is uncertain.

Michal R. Pijak, Frantisek Gazdik, Stefan Hrusovsky – 30 August 2004

David Stell, Donal Downey, Paul Marotta, Edward Solano, Anand Khakhar, Douglas Quan, Cam Ghent, Vivian McAlister, William Wall – 30 August 2004 – Doppler ultrasound (DUS) is able to measure parameters of blood flow within vessels of transplanted organs, and vascular complications are associated with abnormal values. We analyzed the findings of 51 consecutive patients who underwent DUS on 2 occasions in the first postoperative week following liver transplantation for cirrhosis to determine the range of values in patients following liver transplantation.

Camino Valentín‐Gamazo, Massimo Malagó, Marc Karliova, Juergen T. Lutz, Andrea Frilling, Silvio Nadalin, Giuliano Testa, Stefan G. Ruehm, Yesim Erim, Andreas Paul, Hauke Lang, Guido Gerken, Christoph E. Broelsch – 30 August 2004 – Adequate selection of donors is a major prerequisite for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Few centers report on the entire number of potential donors considered or rejected for living donation.

Norihiro Kokudo, Yasuhiko Sugawara, Junichi Kaneko, Hiroshi Imamura, Keiji Sano, Masatoshi Makuuchi – 30 August 2004 – The addition of the caudate lobe to a left liver graft is known to increase graft volume by 9% and has been shown to be useful for overcoming borderline graft‐recipient size mismatch in adult living donor liver transplantation. To assure full graft viability and regeneration, all of the feeding vessels for the caudate lobe should be preserved or reconstructed. However, more knowledge is needed about portal vein reconstruction for the caudate lobe.

J. Ignacio Herrero, Jorge Quiroga, Bruno Sangro, Fernando Pardo, Fernando Rotellar, Javier Alvarez‐Cienfuegos, Jesus Prieto – 30 August 2004 – Herpes zoster is the consequence of the reactivation of latent varicella‐zoster infection. Immunosuppression may be a predisposing factor for herpes zoster. We have retrospectively assessed the risk of herpes zoster, the risk factors for its occurrence, and its evolution in a population of 209 consecutive liver transplant recipients. Herpes zoster developed in 25 (12%) of patients.