Manuel Tsiang, James F. Rooney, John J. Toole, Craig S. Gibbs – 30 December 2003 – In a recent phase II clinical study, 13 chronic hepatitis B–infected patients treated daily with 30 mg adefovir dipivoxil for 12 weeks displayed a median 4.1‐log10 decrease in plasma hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐DNA levels. The decline of viral load during therapy displayed a biphasic kinetic profile that was modeled to determine the efficacy of inhibition of viral production, as well as kinetic constants for the clearance of free virus and the loss of infected cells.

Lawrence S. Friedman – 30 December 2003

Jeffrey L. Wrana – 30 December 2003

Sherryll L. Michael, Neil R. Pumford, Philip R. Mayeux, Michael R. Niesman, Jack A. Hinson – 30 December 2003 – Hepatotoxic doses of acetaminophen to mice produce not only acetaminophen‐protein adducts in the centrilobular cells of the liver, but nitrotyrosine‐protein adducts in the same cells, the site of the necrosis. Nitration of tyrosine occurs with peroxynitrite, a species formed by reaction of nitric oxide (NO·) with superoxide (O2·−).

Masato Yamamoto, Norio Hayashi, Tetsuo Takehara, Keiji Ueda, Eiji Mita, Tomohide Tatsumi, Yutaka Sasaki, Akinori Kasahara, Masatsugu Hori – 30 December 2003 – Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the major causes of chronic liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we used a single chain antibody (sFv), which is a man‐made antibody with a strong affinity of immunoglobulin, to inhibit HBV replication.

David E. Jones, Jeremy M. Palmer, Stephen J. Yeaman, John A. Kirby, Margaret F. Bassendine – 30 December 2003 – The autoimmune liver disease primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is characterized by autoreactive responses to a highly conserved self‐antigen, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC). We recently reported the development of PBC‐like lesions in SJL mice sensitized with PDC and have named this model disease experimental autoimmune cholangitis (EAC). In the present study, the breakdown of tolerance to PDC has been investigated in animals sensitized for EAC.

Oliver F. James, Raj Bhopal, Denise Howel, Jackie Gray, Alastair D. Burt, Jane V. Metcalf – 30 December 2003 – There is a widespread impression that the number of patients with the autoimmune liver disease primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is increasing, although its incidence and prevalence vary widely.

Toshinori Kamisako, Inka Leier, Yunhai Cui, Jörg König, Ulrike Buchholz, Johanna Hummel‐Eisenbeiss, Dietrich Keppler – 30 December 2003 – The secretion of bilirubin conjugates from hepatocytes into bile represents a decisive step in the prevention of hyperbilirubinemia.

Mark V. Mazziotti, Lauren K. Willis, Robert O. Heuckeroth, Marie C. LaRegina, Paul E. Swanson, Paul A. Overbeek, David H. Perlmutter – 30 December 2003 – Extrahepatic biliary atresia (BA) is a devastating disease of the neonate in which the hepatic and/or common bile duct is obliterated or interrupted. Infants and children with this diagnosis constitute 50% to 60% of the pediatric population that undergoes orthotopic liver transplantation. However, there is still very little known about the etiology and pathogenesis of BA.

Antonietta Cargnel, Guido Gubertini, Carlo Magnani, Simona Bosis, Fulvia Colombo, Mario Clerici – 30 December 2003