Gary L. Davis, John B. Wong, John G. McHutchison, Michael P. Manns, Joann Harvey, Janice Albrecht – 30 December 2003 – Interferon‐based regimens for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C have become increasingly effective and are able to eradicate virus in more than one half of cases. Early identification of patients who will not respond is desirable because treatment might be stopped, thereby avoiding the expense and inconvenience of unnecessary therapy.

Javier Inserte, Antonia Perelló, Luis Agulló, Marisol Ruiz‐Meana, Klaus‐Dieter Schlüter, Noelia Escalona, Mariona Graupera, Jaume Bosch, David Garcia‐Dorado – 30 December 2003 – Portal hypertension induces neuroendocrine activation and a hyperkinetic circulation state. This study investigated the consequences of portal hypertension on heart structure and function. Intrahepatic portal hypertension was induced in male Sprague‐Dawley rats by chronic bile duct ligation (CBDL).

Alex Blindenbacher, Xueya Wang, Igor Langer, Rocco Savino, Luigi Terracciano, Markus H. Heim – 30 December 2003 – The response to partial hepatectomy (PH) is impaired in interleukin 6 (IL‐6)‐deficient mice. IL‐6 is well known for its role in the induction of the acute phase (AP) response, and the impairment of this response after surgery and hepatectomy could explain the defective hepatocyte regeneration. In addition, it was proposed that IL‐6 has an important role in stimulating the reentry of quiescent cells into the cell cycle within the first 2 to 4 hours after PH.

Pietro Lampertico, Massimo Colombo – 30 December 2003

Jordan Feld, Jia‐yee Lee, Stephen Locarnini – 30 December 2003

Luis Ruiz‐del‐Arbol, Jesús Urman, Javier Fernández, Mónica González, Miguel Navasa, Alberto Monescillo, Agustín Albillos, Wladimiro Jiménez, Vicente Arroyo – 30 December 2003 – Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is frequently associated with renal failure. This study assessed if systemic and hepatic hemodynamics are also affected by this condition.

Swati Joshi‐Barve, Shirish S. Barve, Waseem Butt, Jon Klein, Craig J. McClain – 30 December 2003 – Breakdown of cellular proteins is a highly regulated process, and the ubiquitin‐proteasome pathway is the major proteolytic system in the cell. It regulates the levels of numerous proteins that control gene expression and cell division, as well as responses to stress and inflammation. Recent studies have reported abnormalities in proteasome function in alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

Frederik Nevens, Tania Roskams, Hans Van Vlierberghe, Yves Horsmans, Dirk Sprengers, Ann Elewaut, Valeer Desmet, Geert Leroux‐Roels, Emmanuel Quinaux, Erik Depla, Stephanie Dincq, Christine Vander Stichele, Geert Maertens, Frank Hulstaert – 30 December 2003 – New treatments are needed for chronic hepatitis C patients in whom viral clearance cannot be achieved. Thirty‐five chronic hepatitis C patients (genotype 1) were randomized to receive 20 μg of recombinant HCV E1 (E1) (n = 26) or placebo (n = 9) intramuscularly at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24.

Gordon Jung‐Hyuk Park, Peter Harry Katelaris, D. Brian Jones, Francis Seow, David George Le Couteur, Meng Chong Ngu – 30 December 2003 – The properties of caffeine render it an ideal substrate for a quantitative test of liver function. The aim of this study was to determine whether the caffeine breath test (CBT) using orally administered 13C‐caffeine correlates reliably with plasma caffeine clearance and reflects varying degrees of liver dysfunction. The CBT was performed in 25 healthy controls; 20 subjects with noncirrhotic, chronic hepatitis B or C; and 20 subjects with cirrhosis.

Olaf R. F. Mook, Wilma M. Frederiks, Cornelis J. F. Van Noorden – 30 December 2003