Yoshito Wada, Osamu Nakashima, Rumiko Kutami, Osamu Yamamoto, Masamichi Kojiro – 30 December 2003 – We examined the clinicopathologic features of 11 surgically resected hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) less than 3 cm in diameter with marked inflammatory cell infiltration (LHCCs). In comparison with the other 152 HCCs without such an infiltration (controls), there were no significant differences in male/female ratio, age, serum α‐fetoprotein levels, and laboratory and imaging findings.

Kyeong Sook Choi, In Kyoung Lim, John N. Brady, Seong‐Jin Kim – 30 December 2003 – Transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) arrests growth and/or stimulates apoptosis of a variety of cells. The biochemical pathways involved in the apoptotic processes, however, remain poorly defined. TGF‐β1 induces DNA fragmentation together with morphological changes, which are characteristic of apoptosis in the FaO rat hepatoma cell line. Histones were remarkably enriched in lysates of these cells during TGF β1‐induced apoptosis.

Jörg König, Daniel Rost, Yunhai Cui, Dietrich Keppler – 30 December 2003 – Several members of the multidrug resistance protein (MRP) family are expressed in the liver. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–dependent transport of glutathione and glucuronoside conjugates across the hepatocyte canalicular membrane is mediated by the apical MRP isoform, MRP2 (APMRP), also known as canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cMOAT). We have cloned an additional MRP isoform, MRP3, from human liver and localized it to the basolateral membrane domain of hepatocytes.

Jordi Ortiz, Maria Carme Vila, Germán Soriano, Josep Miñana, Jordi Gana, Beatriz Mirelis, Maria Teresa Novella, Susana Coll, Miriam Sàbat, Montserrat Andreu, Guillem Prats, Ricard Solà, Carlos Guarner – 30 December 2003 – Selective intestinal decontamination with norfloxacin is useful to prevent bacterial infections in several groups of cirrhotic patients at high risk of infection. However, the emergence of infections caused by Escherichia coli resistant to quinolones has recently been observed in cirrhotic patients undergoing prophylactic norfloxacin.

Stephanie Locaputo, Terri L. Carrick, Jorge A. Bezerra – 30 December 2003 – Liver gene transcription plays a fundamental role in the hepatic reparative response to injury. However, little is known about the functional relationship of gene expression between diseased and regenerative compartments following a liver injury.

Jan B. Hoek – 30 December 2003

Harry L. Janssen, Guido Gerken, Vicente Carreño, Patrick Marcellin, Nikolai V. Naoumov, Antonio Craxi, Helmer Ring‐Larsen, George Kitis, Jan van Hattum, Richard A. de Vries, Peter P. Michielsen, Fiebo J. ten Kate, Wim C. Hop, Rudolf A. Heijtink, Pieter Honkoop, Solko W. Schalm – 30 December 2003 – Interferon alfa (IFN‐α) is the primary treatment for chronic hepatitis B. The standard duration of IFN‐α therapy is considered 16 weeks; however, the optimal treatment length is still poorly defined.

Alessandro Tagger, Francesco Donato, Maria Lisa Ribero, Giorgio Binelli, Umberto Gelatti, Giuseppe Portera, Alberto Albertini, Michele Fasola, Roberta Chiesa, Giuseppe Nardi – 30 December 2003 – We performed a case‐control study to evaluate the association of a new human DNA virus named TT virus (TTV) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We recruited 174 subjects hospitalized for HCC (84% males; mean age: 64 years) and 118 patients hospitalized for non‐liver diseases in Brescia, northern Italy, as controls (94% males; mean age: 66 years).

Gregory T. Everson, Donald M. Jensen, John R. Craig, Dirk J. van Leeuwen, Vincent G. Bain, Murray N. Ehrinpreis, Donald Albert, Tenshang Joh, Karsten Witt – 30 December 2003 – Chronic hepatitis C patients (472 patients) were treated with consensus interferon (CIFN) or interferon (IFN) alfa‐2b for 6 months in a large multicenter trial. Efficacy was assessed by clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) (<100 copies/mL), normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and histological improvement.

Fritz von Weizsäcker, Josef Köck, Stefan Wieland, Wolf‐Bernhard Offensperger, Hubert E. Blum – 30 December 2003 – Dominant negative (DN) mutants of the hepadnaviral core protein are potent inhibitors of viral replication. We have previously shown that fusion of sequences derived from the duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) polymerase (Pol), DHBV small surface protein (S), bacterial β‐galactosidase (lacZ), or green fluorescent protein (GFP) to the carboxy terminus of the DHBV core protein yields DN mutants that inhibit viral replication at the posttranslational level.