Marie‐Noëlle Brunelle, Anne‐Carole Jacquard, Christian Pichoud, David Durantel, Sandra Carrouée‐Durantel, Jean‐Pierre Villeneuve, Christian Trépo, Fabien Zoulim – 24 May 2005 – Mutations within the hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase gene conferring drug‐resistance are selected during prolonged lamivudine (3TC) or adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) treatment. Because there is no other approved drug against HBV, treatments with 3TC or ADV are used either sequentially or in addition, depending on treatment response or failure.

Adrian Reuben – 24 May 2005

Nina Singh, Cheryl Wannstedt, Lois Keyes, Marilyn M. Wagener, Thomas V. Cacciarelli – 24 May 2005 – A vast majority of the transplant recipients are cytomegalovirus (CMV)‐seropositive (R+). We sought to assess variables predictive of CMV infection, specifically in R+ liver transplant recipients. Study patients comprised 182 consecutive liver transplant recipients who survived at least 14 days after transplantation. Surveillance testing was used to detect CMV infection.

Yunfang Wang, Xue Nan, Yanhua Li, Rui Zhang, Wen Yue, Fang Yan, Xuetao Pei – 24 May 2005 – Several studies have indicated that adult stem cells derived from bone marrow (BM) and cord blood (CB) can differentiate into hepatocyte‐like cells. This ability is important for the treatment of hepatic diseases with BM or CB as a potential approach. However, methods are still being developed for the efficient induction of stem cell differentiation and expansion to get enough cells to be useful.

24 May 2005

Eveline Boucher, Harvey J. Turner, Patrick Bourguet, Jean‐Luc Raoul – 24 May 2005

Yanli Gu, Olaf Dirsch, Uta Dahmen, Yuan Ji, Qing He, Haidong Chi, Christoph Erich Broelsch – 24 May 2005 – The aim of this study was to assess the impact of donor gender on small‐for‐size (SFS) liver transplantation in male recipients using a rat model. Adult female or male Lewis rats were used as donors and male Lewis rats as recipients. Size‐matched (SM) and SFS liver grafts from either male or female donors were transplanted into male recipients.

Marek J. Mazur, Raymond L. Heilman – 24 May 2005 – Acute renal failure (ARF) is associated with high mortality. Presently, no specific therapy for ARF exists. Therefore, early detection of ARF is critical to prevent its progression. However, serum creatinine, the standard marker to detect ARF, demonstrates major limitations. We prospectively evaluated whether serum cystatin C detected ARF earlier than serum creatinine. In 85 patients at high risk to develop ARF, serum creatinine and cystatin C were determined daily.

Santiago J. Muñoz – 24 May 2005

Oren Shibolet, Mina Rowe, Rifaat Safadi, Izhar Levy, Gideon Zamir, Ahmed Eid, Yoel Donchin, Yaron Ilan, Daniel Shouval – 24 May 2005 – The Israeli population does not meet its transplantation organ needs. Therefore, liver transplantation (LTX) candidates are sometimes transported to centers abroad. We aimed to assess the demographic and clinical issues concerning this policy. Records of all candidates transported (2000–2004) were retrospectively reviewed. Data included etiology, disease severity, outcome, distances traveled and destinations, and medical complication arising en route.