Kazushi Sugimoto, Fusao Ikeda, Jason Stadanlick, Frederick A. Nunes, Harvey J. Alter, Kyong‐Mi Chang – 30 December 2003 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has a high propensity for persistence. To better define the immunologic determinants of HCV clearance and persistence, we examined the circulating HCV‐specific T‐cell frequency, repertoire, and cytokine phenotype ex vivo in 24 HCV seropositive subjects (12 chronic, 12 recovered), using 361 overlapping peptides in 36 antigenic pools that span the entire HCV core, NS3‐NS5.

Renxue Wang, Ping Lam, Lin Liu, Dana Forrest, Ibrahim M. Yousef, Diane Mignault, M. James Phillips, Victor Ling – 30 December 2003 – Intrahepatic cholestasis is often associated with impairment of biliary bile acid secretion, a process mediated by the sister of P‐glycoprotein (Spgp or Abcb11) also known as the bile salt export pump (Bsep). In humans, mutations in the Spgp gene are associated with a fatal childhood disease, type 2 progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC2). However in mice, the “knockout” of Spgp only results in mild cholestasis.

Eugene R. Schiff, Ching‐Lung Lai, Stefanos Hadziyannis, Peter Neuhaus, Norah Terrault, Massimo Colombo, Hans L. Tillmann, Didier Samuel, Stefan Zeuzem, Leslie Lilly, Maria Rendina, Jean‐Pierre Villeneuve, Nicole Lama, Craig James, Michael S. Wulfsohn, Hamid Namini, Christopher Westland, Shelly Xiong, Gavin S. Choy, Sally Van Doren, John Fry, Carol L.

Peter J. Scheuer – 30 December 2003

Stefan A. Topp, Gundumi A. Upadhya, Steven M. Strasberg – 30 December 2003 – Leukocyte adhesion on reperfusion is a critical component of cold preservation injury, and involves increased intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1) expression on sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC). This study determined whether ICAM‐1 expression occurs during cold preservation and whether actin disassembly is necessary for ICAM‐1 expression and leukocyte adhesion. ICAM‐1 expression was measured in isolated rat SEC during 8 hours of cold preservation by immunofluorescence techniques.

Alfonso S. Serralta, Francisco C. Orbis, Fernando R. Sanjuan, Angel H. Moya, Rafael López‐Andújar, Eugenia I. Pareja, Juan C. Vila, Manuel B. Juan, Jose P. Mir – 30 December 2003 – Information regarding the outcome of liver grafts from cadaveric donors with genitourinary cancer is scarce. In some cases, the liver has already been implanted when the tumor is detected. What must we do then? Our goal is to evaluate the outcome of recipients of liver allografts from donors with unsuspected early‐stage genitourinary carcinoma.

Chloe L. Thio, David L. Thomas, Mary Carrington – 30 December 2003

Maria R. De Miglio, Maria R. Muroni, Maria M. Simile, Diego F. Calvisi, Paola Tolu, Luca Deiana, Angelo Carru, Gabriella Bonelli, Francesco Feo, Rosa M. Pascale – 30 December 2003 – Molecular mechanisms of basal and D‐amphetamine (AMPH)‐induced apoptosis were studied in rat liver nodules, 12 (N12) and 30 (N30) weeks after initiation, and in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) induced by diethylnitrosamine in rats subjected to resistant hepatocyte model. Basal apoptosis in hematoxylin/eosin– and propidium iodide–stained sections was higher in nodules and HCC than in normal livers.

Michael Bauer, Inge Bauer, Natalie V. Sonin, Nicole Kresge, Rajiv Baveja, Yukihiro Yokoyama, David Harding, Jian X. Zhang, Mark G. Clemens – 30 December 2003 – Endothelins (ET) are important regulators of the hepatic microcirculation that act through different receptor subtypes. We investigated functional significance of ETB receptors in mediating microhemodynamic effects of ETs in normal and endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS])‐primed rat liver. LPS priming (Escherichia coli O26:B6; 1 mg · kg−1) selectively increased ETB mRNA and led to a shift in available receptors to the ETB subtype.

Àngels Escorsell, Josep Maria Bordas, Beatriz Castañeda, Josep Llach, Joan Carles García‐Pagán, Joan Rodés, Jaume Bosch – 30 December 2003 – Noninvasive measurements of variceal pressure adequately reflect the hemodynamic effects of propranolol on portal hypertension. However, the prognostic value of variceal pressure responses during continued propranolol therapy has not been evaluated, and it is unclear whether this may substitute invasive measurements of portal pressure response.