Megan E. Briggs, Christiane Baker, Robert Hall, J. Michael Gaziano, David Gagnon, Natalie Bzowej, Teresa L. Wright – 30 December 2003 – This study was designed to determine the seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in veterans. Anti‐HCV testing was performed in 1,032 patients and a questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics and potential risk factors was administered. Adjusted prevalence of unique HCV‐positive patients using outpatient services was 17.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 17.2%, 18.2%).

Ming Yin, Erwin Gäbele, Michael D. Wheeler, Henry Connor, Blair U. Bradford, Anna Dikalova, Ivan Rusyn, Ronald Mason, Ronald G. Thurman – 30 December 2003 – Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) and free radicals are produced in early alcohol‐induced liver injury. Recently, pathology caused by alcohol was blocked nearly completely in tumor necrosis factor α receptor 1 (TNF‐R1) knockout mice. With this model, it is now possible to evaluate whether free radicals are directly toxic or act as redox regulators of TNF‐α production.

Michael Schepke, Jörg Heller, Sebastian Paschke, Julia Thomas, Martin Wolff, Markus Neef, Max Malago, Gerhard J. Molderings, Ulrich Spengler, Tilman Sauerbruch – 30 December 2003 – Splanchnic vasodilatation and vascular hyporesponsiveness to vasopressors are characteristic features of patients with cirrhosis. Although the vascular response to different vasopressors has been shown to be attenuated in cirrhosis, alterations on the receptor level are discussed controversially. Thus, impaired postreceptor signaling has been postulated.

Peter Ferenci, Harald Brunner, Karin Nachbaur, Christian Datz, Michael Gschwantler, Harald Hofer, Rudolf Stauber, Franz Hackl, Wolfgang Jessner, Martha Rosenbeiger, Petra Munda‐Steindl, Karin Hegenbarth, Alfred Gangl, Wolfgang Vogel – 30 December 2003 – The initial clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) during interferon‐alfa therapy is dose‐dependent. Therefore, higher initial interferon doses (induction therapy) may improve treatment results. This concept was tested in a prospective, randomized controlled trial.

Stephanos J. Hadziyannis, Dimitrios Vassilopoulos – 30 December 2003

Peter Pediaditakis, Juan Carlos Lopez‐Talavera, Bryon Petersen, Satdarshan P. S. Monga, George K. Michalopoulos – 30 December 2003 – Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a pluripotent growth factor capable of acting as a motogen, a morphogen, and a mitogen. Originally, HGF/SF was found as a blood‐borne mitogen for hepatocytes and has since been determined to be very important in liver repair. Previous studies have established that HGF/SF must be proteolytically cleaved to elicit its effects.

Barbro N. Melgert, Peter Olinga, Judith M.S. Van Der Laan, Betty Weert, Jaejin Cho, Detlef Schuppan, Geny M. M. Groothuis, Dirk K.F. Meijer, Klaas Poelstra – 30 December 2003 – Kupffer cells (KC) play an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory liver diseases leading to fibrosis. Anti‐inflammatory drugs are only effective when administered at high doses that may cause side effects. Therefore, dexamethasone coupled to mannosylated albumin (Dexa5‐Man10‐HSA) was designed by us to selectively deliver this anti‐inflammatory drug to the KC.

Michael D. Young, David L. Schneider, Arie J. Zuckerman, Wei Du, Brian Dickson, Willis C. Maddrey – 30 December 2003 – Present hepatitis B vaccines use multidose prolonged regimens, which even healthcare workers at risk do not always complete. Moreover, when vaccination is completed there remain some who fail to achieve adequate protection. The protection of adults at risk could be improved if there were a more potent vaccine and/or a shorter vaccination regimen available.

Lesley C. Rausch‐Derra, Dylan P. Hartley, Peter J. Meier, Curtis D. Klaassen – 30 December 2003 – The organic anion transporting polypeptides, Oatp1 (Slc21a1) and Oatp2 (Slc21a5), mediate hepatic uptake of cardiac glycosides. Previously, we demonstrated that chemicals that increase cytochrome P450s differentially affect hepatic uptake of cardiac glycosides. We postulated that increased uptake of cardiac glycosides observed after pretreatment of animals with phenobarbital (PB) and pregnenolone‐16α‐carbonitrile (PCN) occurs via increased hepatic expression of Oatp1 and/or Oatp2.

Tushar Patel – 30 December 2003 – Clinical observations suggest a recent increase in intrahepatic biliary tract malignancies. Thus, our aim was to determine recent trends in the epidemiology of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the United States. Reported data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program and the United States Vital Statistics databases were analyzed to determine the incidence, mortality, and survival rates of primary intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.