Davide Festi, Sandra Sottili, Antonio Colecchia, Adolfo Attili, Giuseppe Mazzella, Enrico Roda, Ferdinando Romano, MICOL Research Group – 30 December 2003 – Despite the many efforts to delineate the clinical manifestations of gallbladder disease, the precise symptom complex associated with gallstones is still a matter of debate, and even the existence of gallstone‐specific symptoms has been questioned. We carried out a large population‐based cross‐sectional study (MICOL) to identify symptoms significantly related to gallstones.

Takeshi Murakami, Nobuyuki Enomoto, Masayuki Kurosaki, Namiki Izumi, Fumiaki Marumo, Chifumi Sato – 30 December 2003 – An association has been reported between mutations in the amino acid residues 2209‐2248 of the nonstructural protein 5A (NS5A) gene (interferon‐sensitivity determining region [ISDR]) and interferon efficacy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐1b infection. This relationship was analyzed in chronic HCV‐2 infection. Forty patients with HCV‐2a and 35 with HCV‐2b were treated with interferon alfa for 6 months with a total dose of 468 to 860 million units.

Fabio Marra, Maria Cristina Arrighi, Marilena Fazi, Alessandra Caligiuri, Massimo Pinzani, Roberto G. Romanelli, Eva Efsen, Giacomo Laffi, Paolo Gentilini – 30 December 2003 – Upon liver injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSC) show increased proliferation, motility, and extracellular matrix (ECM) production. The extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK) control different functions in a cell‐specific manner. In this study, we evaluated the role of ERK activation in cultured HSC stimulated with platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) and after induction of liver injuryin vivo.

Natalia Nieto, Scott L. Friedman, Patricia Greenwel, Arthur I. Cederbaum – 30 December 2003 – Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are a major source of extracellular matrix, which, during fibrogenesis, undergo a process of “activation” characterized by increased proliferation and collagen synthesis. Oxidative stress can stimulate HSC proliferation and collagen synthesisin vitro. Cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) is an effective producer of reactive oxygen species.

Michel P. Cooreman, Mark H. van Roosmalen, René te Morsche, Cécile M. G. Sünnen, Esther M. E. Schoondermark‐van de Ven, Jan B. M. J. Jansen, Guido N. J. Tytgat, Pauline L. M. de Wit, Wilma P. Paulij – 30 December 2003 – The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) “a” domain harbors major B‐cell epitopes. Viruses with mutations in this region emerge after vaccination or during hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIg) prophylaxis. A strain with G145R replacement has been almost invariably isolated as a major escape mutant.

Yves Benhamou, Marie Bochet, Vincent Thibault, Vincent Di Martino, Eric Caumes, François Bricaire, Pierre Opolon, Christine Katlama, Thierry Poynard – 30 December 2003 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) resistance to lamivudine has not been extensively documented in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐infected patients. We studied the long‐term incidence of HBV resistance to lamivudine in HIV‐positive patients. Sixty‐six HIV‐HBV–coinfected patients were studied while receiving lamivudine (150 mg twice daily) as a part of antiretroviral therapy.

Harvey J. Alter – 30 December 2003

T Tojimbara, W N Wicomb, R Garcia‐Kennedy, W Burns, M Hayashi, G Collins, C O Esquivel – 30 December 2003 – Background: We evaluated the effect of warm (37 degrees C) versus cold (4 degrees C) solutions as the initial flush for liver preservation from non‐heart beating donors in rats. Methods: An initial flush was performed just before donor hepatectomy with cold or warm University of Wisconsin solution (UW), UW without hydroxyethyl starch, sodium lactobionate sucrose solution, or lactated Ringer's solution as the control group.

J S Plotkin, J F Buell, M J Njoku, S Wilson, P C Kuo, S T Bartlett, C Howell, L B Johnson – 30 December 2003 – Dapsone, a sulfone antibiotic, has been increasingly used in solid‐organ transplant recipients for the primary prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, especially in patients with documented sulfa allergy. A known side effect of dapsone therapy, however, is methemoglobinemia, a condition leading to impaired tissue oxygen delivery.

E Ejlersen, P Sode, C Skak, A Rasmussen, K Espersen, P Kirkegaard, N H Secher – 30 December 2003 – Inferior vena cava (IVC) clamping during liver transplantation causes venous congestion in the splanchnic and IVC beds. A venovenous bypass relieves congestion and improves cardiac output (CO), but the bypass flow required for adequate drainage of the vascular beds is controversial. In this study we evaluated the bypass flow necessary to compensate for the IVC clamping. Lower body impedance (BI) is inversely related to tissue fluid content and was used to reflect congestion.