Yuichi Shinoda, Makoto Suematsu, Yoshiyuki Wakabayashi, Tsuneharu Suzuki, Nobuhito Goda, Shuji Saito, Tokio Yamaguchi, Yuzuru Ishimura – 30 December 2003 – This study aimed to examine the mechanism(s) by which carbon monoxide (CO), a product of heme oxygenase reaction, controls the contractility of bile canaliculus (BC) in hepatocytes. When BCs associated with the couplet cells in cultured rat hepatocyte suspension were observed using time‐lapse video microscopy, they exhibited periodical contractions with a most‐probable interval of 6 minutes under our experimental conditions.

Pierre‐Alain Clavien – 30 December 2003

Margaret Chen, Matti Sällberg, Anders Sönnerborg, Ling Jin, Ashley Birkett, Darrell Peterson, Ola Weiland, David R. Milich – 30 December 2003 – The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural (NS) 3 protein has been shown to possess at least two enzymatic domains. The amino terminal third contains a serine‐protease domain, whereas the carboxy terminal two thirds is comprised of an adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase)/helicase domain. These domains are essential for the maturation of the carboxy‐terminal portion of the HCV polyprotein and catalyze the cap synthesis of the RNA genome.

Bud C. Tennant, Betty H. Baldwin, Lou Ann Graham, Mary A. Ascenzi, William E. Hornbuckle, Peter H. Rowland, Ilia A. Tochkov, Amy E. Yeager, Hollis N. Erb, Joseph M. Colacino, Carlos Lopez, Jeffery A. Engelhardt, Ronald R. Bowsher, Frank C. Richardson, William Lewis, Paul J. Cote, Brent E. Korba, John L. Gerin – 30 December 2003 – Woodchucks were used to study the antiviral activity and toxicity of fialuridine (FIAU; 1,‐2′deoxy‐2′fluoro‐1‐β‐d‐arabinofuranosyl‐5‐iodo‐uracil).

Gaetano Cairo, Lorenza Tacchini, Antonello Pietrangelo – 30 December 2003 – Transferrin receptor (TfR) and ferritin, key proteins of cellular iron metabolism, are coordinately and divergently controlled by cytoplasmic proteins (iron regulatory proteins, IRP‐1 and IRP‐2) that bind to conserved mRNA motifs called iron‐responsive elements (IRE). IRP, in response to specific stimuli (low iron levels, growth and stress signals) are activated and prevent TfR mRNA degradation and ferritin mRNA translation by hindering ferritin mRNA binding to polysomes.

W. Ray Kim, Russell H. Wiesner, Terry M. Therneau, John J. Poterucha, Michael K. Porayko, Roger W. Evans, Goran B. Klintmalm, Jeffrey S. Crippin, Ruud A. Krom, E. Rolland Dickson – 30 December 2003 – In 1989, we reported on the efficacy of liver transplantation in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) by demonstrating that the actual patient survival following transplantation was significantly better than without transplantation as predicted by a mathematical survival model (“Mayo natural history model”).

Karel J. Van Erpecum, Gerard P. Van Berge‐Henegouwen, Erik R.M. Eckhardt, Piero Portincasa, Bert J.M. Van De Heijning, Geesje M. Dallinga‐Thie, Albert K. Groen – 30 December 2003 – Patients with multiple cholesterol gallstones are at increased risk of recurrence after nonsurgical therapy, possibly because of fast biliary cholesterol crystallization. Serum apolipoprotein E4 (apo E4) is a risk factor for primary cholesterol gallstone formation as well as recurrence.

Adolfo Francesco Attili, Emanuele Scafato, Roberto Marchioli, Rosa Maria Marfisi, Davide Festi, The MICOL Group – 30 December 2003 – Fifteen thousand nine hundred ten men and 13,674 women (age, 30‐69 years) were enrolled in an epidemiological survey of the general population, between December 1984 and April 1987. Each participant was submitted to ultrasonography (US) of the gallbladder and completed a food‐frequency questionnaire, covering 38 food items. A common portion size was identified and subjects were asked how often each item was consumed.

Lawrence Serfaty, Hugues Aumaître, Olivier Chazouillères, Anne‐Marie Bonnand, Olivier Rosmorduc, Renée E. Poupon, Raoul Poupon – 30 December 2003 – The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of decompensation (ascites, jaundice, variceal bleeding, and encephalopathy), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and death or liver transplantation in patients with compensated hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐related cirrhosis, taking into account the viral genotype and interferon (IFN) therapy.

Rong‐Nan Chien, Yun‐Fan Liaw, Tse‐Ching Chen, Chau‐Ting Yeh, I.‐Shyan Sheen – 30 December 2003 – Thymosin α1 (Tα) is an immune modifier that has been shown in a pilot study to be effective for chronic hepatitis B; this requires confirmation.