Lynn B. Dustin – 30 August 2004 – Immunoglobulin GM and KM allotypes—genetic markers of γ and κ chains, respectively—are associated with immune responsiveness to several infectious pathogens and with survival in certain viral epidemics. We hypothesized that GM and KM allotypes affect the outcome of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. To test this hypothesis, we serologically allotyped 100 persons with well‐documented clearance of HCV infection and 198 matched persistently infected persons.

Luping Guo, Katharine S. Richardson, Lindsay M. Tucker, Mark A. Doll, David W. Hein, Gavin E. Arteel – 30 August 2004 – It has been shown that the renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) plays key roles in the development of fibrosis in numerous organs, including the liver. Other studies have suggested that the RAS also may play roles in diseases of chronic inflammation. However, whether the RAS also can mediate acute inflammation in liver is unclear.

Federico P. Gómez, Graciela Martínez‐Pallí, Joan A. Barberà, Josep Roca, Miquel Navasa, Robert Rodríguez‐Roisin – 30 August 2004 – The mechanism of orthodeoxia (OD), or decreased partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) from supine to upright, a characteristic feature of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), has never been comprehensively elucidated.

Danny Ka‐Ho Wong, Man‐Fung Yuen, HeJun Yuan, Simon Siu‐Man Sum, Chee‐Kin Hui, Jeff Hall, Ching‐Lung Lai – 30 August 2004 – This study examined a signal amplification assay, the Invader assay, for the quantitation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in liver biopsies and sera. DNA was extracted from liver biopsy and serum samples were collected from 16 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)‐positive and 36 antibody‐to‐HBeAg‐positive (anti–HBe‐positive) chronic hepatitis B patients. The amount of total HBV DNA and cccDNA was measured using the Invader assay.

Eric Assenat, Sabine Gerbal‐Chaloin, Dominique Larrey, Jean Saric, Jean‐Michel Fabre, Patrick Maurel, Marie‐José Vilarem, Jean Marc Pascussi – 19 August 2004 – During the inflammatory response, intrahepatic cholestasis and decreased drug metabolism are frequently observed.

Robert S. Egerman, Caroline A. Riely – 13 August 2004

Anna Glantz, Hanns‐Ulrich Marschall, Lars‐Åke Mattsson – 13 August 2004 – Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), characterized by pruritus in the second half of pregnancy, entails an increased risk to the fetus. This study was designed to determine the incidence and fetal complication rates in ICP, and to define groups at increased risk.

Robert S. McCuskey, Yoshiya Ito, Graham R. Robertson, Margaret K. McCuskey, Michael Perry, Geoffrey C. Farrell – 13 August 2004 – In alcoholic steatohepatitis, hepatic microvascular changes have pathogenic significance for hepatocellular function, perisinusoidal fibrosis, and portal hypertension. It is unclear whether similar changes occur in other forms of steatohepatitis. We therefore examined whether hepatic microvascular dysfunction occurs in fibrosing steatohepatitis induced by feeding mice a high‐fat methionine‐ and choline‐deficient (MCD) diet.

Adrian Reuben – 13 August 2004

Bin Gao, Feng Hong, Svetlana Radaeva – 13 August 2004