Anup Ramachandran, Ramamoorthy Prabhu, Simmy Thomas, Jayasree Basivi Reddy, Anna Pulimood, Kunissery A. Balasubramanian – 30 December 2003 – Cirrhosis is associated with altered gastrointestinal function, and bacterial translocation from the gut plays an important role in the etiology of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) seen in this condition. Although alterations in gut motility and intestinal permeability are recognized in cirrhosis, the intestinal damage at the cellular and subcellular levels is not well understood.

Rafael Bañares, Agustín Albillos, Diego Rincón, Sonia Alonso, Mónica González, Luis Ruiz‐del‐Arbol, Magdalena Salcedo, Luis‐Miguel Molinero – 30 December 2003 – Endoscopic therapy, involving either injection sclerosis or band ligation, is considered the intervention of first choice for acute variceal bleeding (AVB). Pharmacologic agents have also been shown to be highly effective in the control of the bleeding episode.

Tanja Bauer, Klaus Weinberger, Wolfgang Jilg – 30 December 2003 – Several naturally occurring variants of immunogenic T cell epitopes were identified within the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The effect of these variants on the cellular immune response was studied in individuals vaccinated against HBV. Class‐II restricted T‐cell responses of 30 vaccinees were analyzed after stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with 4 synthetic peptides representing the 4 T‐cell epitopes of HBsAg known as of yet.

Elwyn Elias, Liver Failure, Liver Disease – 30 December 2003

Martin I. Prince, Amanda Chetwynd, Peter Diggle, Mikala Jarner, Jane V. Metcalf, Oliver F. W. James – 30 December 2003 – The incidence of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) varies widely between regions. However, little is known about variation within regions and the degree to which this may reflect environmental risk factors. The aim of this study was to describe the spatial distribution of cases of PBC in a defined region of Northeast England over a defined period, and to assess the magnitude of any departure from random spatial distribution.

Anna Ludovica Fracanzani, Larry Burdick, Mauro Borzio, Massimo Roncalli, Nicola Bonelli, Franco Borzio, Alessandra Maraschi, Gemino Fiorelli, Silvia Fargion – 30 December 2003 – Hepatocellular carcinogenesis in cirrhosis is a multistage process that includes large regenerative nodules, dysplastic nodules, and hepatocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to establish whether contrast‐enhanced Doppler ultrasonography (US) is able to distinguish between early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and small nonmalignant nodules in cirrhosis.

Andrew Pascoe, Paul Kerlin, Dianne Jones – 30 December 2003

Fabien Zoulim, Christian Trépo – 30 December 2003

Arun J. Sanyal – 30 December 2003

Thierry Poynard, John McHutchison, Gary L. Davis, Rafael Esteban‐Mur, Zachary Goodman, Pierre Bedossa, Janice Albrecht – 30 December 2003 – The extent of liver fibrosis is an important prognostic factor in patients infected with hepatitis C virus. Administration of a combination of interferon and ribavirin produces a superior viral clearance response rate than interferon alone. The effect of this combination regimen on hepatic fibrosis has not been established.