Hideyuki Nomura, Suketo Sou, Hironori Tanimoto, Takashi Nagahama, Yoichi Kimura, Jun Hayashi, Hiromi Ishibashi, Seizaburo Kashiwagi – 26 April 2004 – Acute hepatitis C often progresses to chronic infection. We undertook a randomized controlled trial to determine whether short‐term therapy with interferon (IFN) during acute hepatitis C is effective in preventing the development of chronic hepatitis. Thirty patients with acute hepatitis C were randomized into 1 of 2 treatment groups.

Toshitaka Hoppo, Hideaki Fujii, Tetsuro Hirose, Kentaro Yasuchika, Hisaya Azuma, Shinji Baba, Masato Naito, Takafumi Machimoto, Iwao Ikai – 26 April 2004 – Previously, we reported a system to enrich mouse fetal hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) by forming cell aggregates. In this study, we sorted two cell populations, CD49f+Thy1−CD45− cells (CD49f‐postive cells) and CD49f±Thy1+CD45− cells (Thy1‐positive cells), from the cell aggregates using a flow cytometer.

Emilia Ip, Geoff Farrell, Pauline Hall, Graham Robertson, Isabelle Leclercq – 26 April 2004 – Administration of a methionine and choline deficient (MCD) diet to rodents causes progressive fibrosing steatohepatitis pathologically similar to human metabolic steatohepatitis. We have previously shown that the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α (PPARα) agonist, Wy‐14,643, prevented the development of MCD diet‐induced steatohepatitis. We have now tested whether Wy‐14,643 ameliorates established steatohepatitis and fibrosis.

Abhinav Humar, Khalid Khwaja, Brooke Glessing, Elizabeth Larson, Massimo Asolati, Brenda Durand, John Lake, William D. Payne – 20 April 2004 – On August 21, 1999, Region 7 of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) adopted a policy of regionwide sharing of cadaver livers for UNOS Status 1 recipients. We examined what impact this policy had at our center on their waiting times, waiting list mortality, and outcomes.

Giuliano La Barba, Marco Vivarelli, Rita Golfieri, Maria Rosa Tamè, Mauro Caputo, Fabio Piscaglia, Antonino Cavallari – 20 April 2004

Silvio Balzan, Olivier Farges, Daniele Sommacale, Federica Dondero, Maryléne Plasse, Jacques Belghiti – 20 April 2004 – The split‐liver technique is an important means to alleviating donor shortage. Its development is, at least in part, hindered by the risk of biliary complications, particularly when splitting is performed ex situ. We present a simple technique aimed at improving the identification of the biliary anatomy at the hilar level and the safety of the procedure. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:703–705.)

Teresa Casanovas‐Taltavull, M. Guadalupe Ercilla, Cecilia P. Gonzalez, Elias Gil, Odette Viñas, Concha Cañas, Aurora Casanova, Juan Figueras, Teresa Serrano, Luis A. Casais – 20 April 2004 – Recurrent HCV infection after liver transplantation is universal and sustained clearance of HCV‐RNA rarely occurs. The aim of this study was to characterize cell‐mediated immunity and cytokine production in HCV‐infected patients after liver transplant.

Charalambos Antoniades, Candice Macdonald, Alexander Knisely, Christopher Taylor, Suzanne Norris – 20 April 2004 – Antiretroviral therapy is not uncommonly associated with drug toxicities, and hepatotoxicity occurs in approximately 20% of individuals prescribed antiretroviral therapy. Mitochondrial toxicity causing lactic acidosis is a rare but fatal complication that has been described in some HIV‐infected patients treated with nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Charmaine A. Stewart, Jason Wertheim, Kim Olthoff, Emma E. Furth, Colleen Brensinger, James Markman, Abraham Shaked – 20 April 2004 – Ascites after liver transplantation, although uncommon, presents a serious clinical dilemma. The hemodynamic changes that support the development of ascites before liver transplantation are resolved after transplant; therefore, persistent ascites (PA) after liver transplantation is unexpected and poorly characterized. The aim of this study was to define the clinical factors associated with PA after liver transplantation.

Rainer Lück, Jan Böger, Ernst Kuse, Jürgen Klempnauer, Björn Nashan – 20 April 2004 – It has been demonstrated that achieving therapeutic levels of cyclosporine (CsA) exposure in the first days posttransplant is critical for effective prevention of rejection. In patients receiving oral CsA, it has been shown that C2‐monitoring is superior to trough (trough level [C0]) measurement. Intravenous administration may overcome the problem of CsA absorption dysfunction seen in some patients. Currently, little evidence is available concerning CsA exposure after intravenous application.