N Aiba, M J McGarvey, J Waters, S J Hadziyannis, H C Thomas, P Karayiannis – 30 December 2003 – The cellular localization of the precore/core and core proteins was studied by immunofluorescence following transfection of 143 thymidine kinase‐negative (TK‐) and Hep‐G2 cells with expression constructs containing wild‐type (hepatitis B e antigen [HBeAg]‐positive) and precore mutant (HBeAg‐negative) sequences. Precore/core constructs with the wild‐type phenotype result in strong nuclear staining, while, in contrast, constructs expressing core antigen alone have strong cytoplasmic staining.

K N Oppong, H Al‐Mardini, M Thick, C O Record – 30 December 2003 – Latent or sub‐clinical hepatic encephalopathy is a recognized complication of cirrhosis and is thought to represent one end of the spectrum of neuropsychiatric impairment, which occurrs as a result of portal‐systemic shunting. We studied the psychometric, analyzed electroencephalography (EEG), and venous blood ammonia responses to an oral glutamine challenge in 17 patients with cirrhosis and in 4 normal controls.

V Paradis, A Laurent, J Flejou, M Vidaud, P Bedossa – 30 December 2003 – Focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver is a benign tumor commonly considered as a reactive disorder related to a pre‐existing vascular malformation. However, the pathogenesis of this lesion has been recently discussed. To determine whether FNH is a polyclonal or a clonal lesion, we investigated the inactivation pattern of the X chromosome, using molecular genetic analysis of the DNA methylation pattern at a polymorphic site on the human androgen receptor gene (HUMARA).

M Dijkstra, F Kuipers, G J van den Berg, R Havinga, R J Vonk – 30 December 2003 – The biliary pathway represents the major excretory route for copper (Cu). It has been suggested that glutathione (GSH) plays a role in this process. However, biliary secretion of endogenous Cu is unaffected in canalicular multispecific organic anion transporter (cmoat)/multi‐drug resistance protein (mrp2)‐deficient GY/TR‐ rats, which is a mutant rat strain expressing defective canalicular adenosine triphosphate (ATP)‐dependent GSH‐conjugate transport and which is unable to secrete GSH into bile.

P C Adams, M L Campion, G Gandon, J LeGall, V David, A M Jouanolle – 30 December 2003 – A candidate gene (HFE) has been described for hereditary hemochromatosis on chromosome 6. The study of well‐defined atypical hemochromatosis families using genetic markers may increase our understanding of the sensitivity and the specificity of genotyping in hemochromatosis. One hundred and thirteen Canadian families with genetic hemochromatosis were surveyed to find atypical families as possible examples of people with genetic recombinations.

P A Bonis, J P Ioannidis, J C Cappelleri, M M Kaplan, J Lau – 30 December 2003 – The current goal of interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C is to normalize alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and to eradicate detectable viral RNA. Many patients do not achieve this objective during treatment, and most do not sustain these outcomes after interferon is discontinued. However, biochemical or virological responses to interferon may not reflect accurately the histological consequences of therapy.

30 December 2003

E Takeuchi, Y Nimura, M Nagino, Y Kurumiya, A Maeda, J Kamiya, S Kondo, M Kanai, M Miyachi, K Uesaka, S Yoshida – 30 December 2003 – We measured the concentration of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in bile obtained from patients after hepatectomy. The HGF concentrations in the bile samples were quantified using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). By immunoblotting, using a monoclonal antibody raised against the HGF α‐subunit, the bile HGF, which was purified on a Heparin‐Sepharose column, showed a band of the same size as the recombinant HGF α‐subunit (69 kd).

J Raoul, D Guyader, J Bretagne, J Heautot, R Duvauferrier, P Bourguet, D Bekhechi, Y M Deugnier, M Gosselin – 30 December 2003 – Intra‐arterial injection of radioactive Lipiodol has shown promising results in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and portal obstruction. The aim of this prospective, randomized trial was to compare the efficacy and tolerance of 131I‐labeled Lipiodol and chemoembolization for the treatment of patients with HCC.

R Sherstha, C McKinley, P Russ, A Scherzinger, T Bronner, R Showalter, G T Everson – 30 December 2003 – The goal of this study was to determine whether use of postmenopausal estrogen (Premarin®, Wyeth‐Ayerst, Philadelphia, PA) in women with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) increases liver, hepatic cyst, or kidney volume. We also determined whether clinical symptoms correlated with the volume of either the liver or kidneys. Eight women off estrogen (control, C) and 11 others on estrogen (Premarin®, E) were studied basally and after 1 year.