Betsy T. Kren, Cecilia M.P. Rodrigues, Kenneth D.R. Setchell, Clifford J. Steer – 30 December 2003 – Liver regeneration after two thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) is an orchestrated hyperplastic growth process requiring coordinated expression of many genes. The synchronous progression of 95% of the remnant hepatocytes through the cell cycle provides an in vivo model for examining the influence of bile acids on the molecular regulation of hepatocyte replication and growth.

Marina Berenguer, José M. Rayón, Martín Prieto, Victoria Aguilera, David Nicolás, Vicente Ortiz, Domingo Carrasco, Rafael López‐Andujar, José Mir, Joaquín Berenguer – 30 December 2003 – Controversy exists about the usefulness of yearly protocol liver biopsies after liver transplantation, mainly among patients with normal transaminase levels.

James F. Trotter, Michael E. Wachs, Thomas E. Trouillot, Thomas Bak, Marcelo Kugelmas, Igal Kam, Gregory Everson – 30 December 2003 – Since its approval as an immunosuppressive agent in renal transplantation, sirolimus (RAPA) recently has been used in the primary immunosuppression regimen at several liver transplant centers. One of the major side effects of RAPA is hypercholesterolemia, which is reported in up to 44% of patients. We describe our experience in 57 primary liver transplant recipients treated with RAPA and either cyclosporine A (CSA) or tacrolimus (TAC).

Etsuko Hashimoto, Masahiko Shimada, Sanshirou Noguchi, Makiko Taniai, Katsutoshi Tokushige, Naoaki Hayashi, Ken Takasaki, Syouhei Fuchinoue, Jurgen Ludwig – 30 December 2003 – We describe the recurrence of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in recipients of living liver transplants. We are not aware of similar previous reports. Because most donors for living liver transplantation (LLT) are blood relatives with close HLA matches, the recurrence of PBC in transplant recipients might offer additional insights in the pathogenesis of the condition.

Zakiyah Kadry, Eberhard L. Renner, Pierre‐Alain Clavien – 30 December 2003 – Ethical and practical issues relating to liver allocation have been discussed in many countries. Several governments, including the United States, have attempted over the past few years to impose new legislation, which has resulted in virulent debates among individual centers, organ procurement agencies, states, and various groups of interest. This report discusses the current ongoing legislative process in Switzerland. In 1999, the people of Switzerland voted to develop transplant legislation.

James J. Pomposelli, Elizabeth A. Pomfret, David L. Burns, Ann Lally, Andrea Sorcini, Fredric D. Gordon, W. David Lewis, Roger Jenkins – 30 December 2003 – Life‐threatening hypophosphatemia (phosphorus < 1.0 mg/dL) has been reported only once after liver resection for tumor and was associated with a significant increase in postoperative complications. Hypophosphatemia is associated with reversible cardiac dysfunction, hypoventilation, and impaired immunity.

Yasuhiko Sugawara, Koichi Mizuta, Hideo Kawarasaki, Tadatoshi Takayama, Hiroshi Imamura, Masatoshi Makuuchi – 30 December 2003 – The influence of HLA compatibility on acute rejection in cadaveric liver transplantation is not clearly defined, and that in living related liver transplantation (LRLT) has only been poorly examined. Few studies have focused solely on a pediatric population. Fifty‐eight cases of pediatric LRLT were analyzed. Patient and graft survival rates and postoperative complications were assessed.

Nelson Fausto – 30 December 2003

Byers W. Shaw – 30 December 2003

Mitsugi Shimoda, Douglas G. Farmer, Steven D. Colquhoun, Michael Rosove, R. Mark Ghobrial, Hasan Yersiz, Pauline Chen, Ronald W. Busuttil – 30 December 2003 – Cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) is a biliary malignancy that frequently presents in advanced unresectable stages. The role of liver transplantation (LT) as a surgical modality is unclear. The goal of this study is to evaluate outcomes of patients with CCC undergoing LT. A retrospective analysis of all patients undergoing LT was undertaken. Only those patients with the pathological diagnosis of CCC were included on the study.