Juan‐Carlos Bandi, Joan Carles García‐Pagán, Angels Escorsell, Erik François, Eduardo Moitinho, Joan Rodés, Jaume Bosch – 30 December 2003 – Physical exercise increases portal pressure (hepatic venous pressure gradient [HVPG]) in patients with cirrhosis. It is unknown if this deleterious effect is associated with changes in gastroesophageal collateral blood flow and if these can be prevented by propranolol administration. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of propranolol on the splanchnic hemodynamic response to exercise in patients with cirrhosis.

Ivo W. Graziadei, Jacob J. Joseph, Russell H. Wiesner, Terry M. Therneau, Kenneth P. Batts, Michael K. Porayko – 30 December 2003 – Controversy exists whether patients who are genetically heterozygous for α1 ‐antitrypsin deficiency (α1 ATD), carrying a single PI*Z allele, are at increased risk of developing chronic liver disease. In these investigations, we determined the prevalence of heterozygous α1 AT phenotypes (PI MZ, PI SZ) in a well‐characterized cohort of patients presenting with chronic liver failure before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT).

Stephen D. Turley, Margrit Schwarz, David K. Spady, John M. Dietschy – 30 December 2003 – These studies were undertaken to determine whether in young adult outbred CD‐1 mice there were any gender‐related differences in basal bile acid metabolism that might be important in determining how males and females in this species responded to a dietary cholesterol challenge. When fed a plain cereal‐based rodent diet without added cholesterol, 3‐month‐old females, compared with age‐matched males, manifested a significantly larger bile acid pool (89.1 vs.

Wilhelm Nolte, Jens Wiltfang, Christian Schindler, Hans Münke, Knut Unterberg, Uta Zumhasch, Hans R. Figulla, Gerald Werner, Heinz Hartmann, Giuliano Ramadori – 30 December 2003 – A prospective study of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) including neuropsychiatric and psychometric evaluation, electroencephalography, and determination of arterial ammonia levels was performed in 55 cirrhotic patients treated consecutively by transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS).

Anne T. Nies, Tobias Cantz, Manuela Brom, Inka Leier, Dietrich Keppler – 30 December 2003 – The polarized rat hepatoma/human fibroblast hybrid cell line, WIF‐B, forms apical vacuoles into which cholephilic substances are secreted. We studied expression, localization, and function of the apical conjugate export pump, Mrp2, in WIF‐B cells.

Martina Sterneck, Tatjana Kalinina, Stephan Günther, Lutz Fischer, Teresa Santantonio, Heiner Greten, Hans Will – 30 December 2003 – Two previous case reports suggest that hepatitis B virus (HBV) core promoter variants with a high replication competence contribute to the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatitis B (FHB). We recently found in HBV genomes from patients with FHB an accumulation of mutations within the core promoter region. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the phenotype of these HBV variants.

Mauro Borzio, Massimo Roncalli, Davide Treré, Massimo Derenzini – 30 December 2003

Ekkehard Schütz, Maria Shipkova, Victor W. Armstrong, Michael Oellerich – 30 December 2003

Paul W. Thimister, Wim P. Hopman, Albert Tangerman, Gerd Rosenbusch, Hans L. Willems, Jan B. Jansen – 30 December 2003 – Bile salts modulate postprandial gallbladder emptying and pancreatic enzyme secretion, possibly by interfering with plasma cholecystokinin (CCK) responses. The regulatory role of bile salts in the absence of nutrients from the gut is poorly understood.

Hitoshi Yoshiji, Shigeki Kuriyama, Junichi Yoshii, Masaharu Yamazaki, Masaji Kikukawa, Hirohisa Tsujinoue, Toshiya Nakatani, Hiroshi Fukui – 30 December 2003 – Angiogenesis is essential for the development of a solid tumor, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HCC is a well‐known hypervascular tumor. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent angiogenic factors. Its role has not been clarified in vivo in HCC development.