C Reichel, A Nacke, T Sudhop, G Wienkoop, C Luers, C Hahn, C Pohl, U Spengler, T Sauerbruch – 30 December 2003 – The hepatic metabolism of lidocaine (1 mg/kg intravenously) to its metabolite monoethylglycinexylidide (MEG‐X) is the basis of the standard MEG‐X test. To reduce the lidocaine‐induced side effects, we evaluated the MEG‐X formation after 0.5 and 1 mg/kg lidocaine intravenously in subjects with normal (n = 5) and severely impaired liver function (n = 7) (study I).

J Figueras, E Jaurrieta, C Valls, C Benasco, A Rafecas, X Xiol, J Fabregat, T Casanovas, J Torras, C Baliellas, L Ibanez, P Moreno, L Casais – 30 December 2003 – Cumulative recurrence after surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is very high. Several retrospective analyses have shown that liver transplantation was more effective than resection for patients with HCC at early tumor stages.

F Dubois, J Desenclos, N Mariotte, A Goudeau, The Collaborative Study Group – 30 December 2003 – The aims of this study were the following: (1) to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody (anti‐HCV) in a population‐based survey of French residents not selected for risk factors; (2) to investigate the association between anti‐HCV seropositivity, viremia, the infecting HCV genotype, and the alanine transaminase (ALT) level; and (3) to identify risk factors for HCV infection by a nested case control study within this survey sample.

G K Lau, A S Lok, R H Liang, C L Lai, E K Chiu, Y L Lau, S K Lam – 30 December 2003 – Adoptive immunity transfer has been reported to be effective in clearing chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Two hundred twenty‐six patients who received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) between May 1990 and September 1995 were screened for hepatitis B markers. Twenty‐one patients were hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive before BMT. The median follow‐up period was 20 months (range, 2‐59 months).

M Hou, P A Cahill, S Zhang, E M Redmond, J V Sitzmann – 30 December 2003 – Portal hypertension (PHT) is characterized by splanchnic hyperemia due to a reduction in mesenteric vascular resistance. The reasons for the decreased resistance include an increased responsiveness to a vasodilator substance.

C Sempoux, Y Horsmans, A Geubel, J Fraikin, B E Van Beers, J Gigot, J Lerut, J Rahier – 30 December 2003 – Radiation‐induced liver disease is recorded as a form of veno‐occlusive disease. Its pathogenesis remains unclear even if the initial injury likely occurs in the endothelial cells of central veins. The aim of our study was to investigate liver morphological features in relation to α‐isoform of smooth muscle actin expression in hepatic stellate cells in six patients treated by localized radiotherapy on the biliopancreatic area.

L N Bull, V E Carlton, N L Stricker, S Baharloo, J A DeYoung, N B Freimer, M S Magid, E Kahn, J Markowitz, F J DiCarlo, L McLoughlin, J T Boyle, B B Dahms, P R Faught, J F Fitzgerald, D A Piccoli, C L Witzleben, N C O'Connell, K D Setchell, R M Agostini, S A Kocoshis, J Reyes, A S Knisely – 30 December 2003 – Byler disease (ByD) is an autosomal recessive disorder in which cholestasis of onset in infancy leads to hepatic fibrosis and death.

J E Cardier, E Barberá‐Guillem – 30 December 2003 – In previous work, two anatomically distinct‐liver sinusoid endothelial cells (LEC): LEC‐1 and LEC‐2, have been described. We also reported that extramedullary hepatic hematopoiesis occurs only in close contact with LEC‐1, suggesting that these cells may provide the microenvironment necessary for the maintenance and growth of hematopoietic cells. In the present work, we studied the capacity of LEC‐1 and LEC‐2 to maintain in vitro hematopoiesis. LEC‐1 and LEC‐2 were isolated and cloned from livers of adult mice.

K C Wilhelmsen – 30 December 2003

G A Macdonald, K A Frey, B W Agranoff, S Minoshima, R A Koeppe, D E Kuhl, B L Shulkin, M R Lucey – 30 December 2003 – Increased activation of the central benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) appears to play an important role in hepatic encephalopathy (HE). However, there is controversy regarding whether the density or affinity of BZRs is altered.