Geoffrey W. McCaughan, Jenean Spencer, David Koorey, Scott Bowden, Angeline Bartholomeusz, Margaret Littlejohn, Deborah Verran, Albert K.K. Chui, A.G. Ross Sheil, Robert M. Jones, Stephen A. Locarnini, Peter W. Angus – 30 December 2003 – Recurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation. Recently, antiviral therapy, such as lamivudine, has become available for prophylaxis against HBV reactivation posttransplantation and for the treatment of HBV recurrent disease.

E. Jenny Heathcote, Julie Stone, Karen Cauch‐Dudek, Raoul Poupon, Olivier Chazouilleres, Keith D. Lindor, Jan Petz, E. Rolland Dickson, Reneé E. Poupon – 30 December 2003 – As ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) delays the need for transplantation, this could result in patients with more comorbid disease, therefore more likely to have a worse outcome posttransplantation. The aim of this study is to compare posttransplantation outcome in patients who received UDCA versus placebo who subsequently required a liver transplant.

Kent G. Benner – 30 December 2003

Cynthia A. Bradham, Peter Schemmer, Robert F. Stachlewitz, Ronald G. Thurman, David A. Brenner – 30 December 2003 – Reperfusion after liver transplantation results in the induction of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNFα) as well as activation of the stress‐associated signaling proteins, c‐JunN‐terminal kinase (JNK), activating protein‐1 (AP‐1), and nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB).

Abd El El‐Desoky, Alexander Seifalian, Mark Cope, David Delpy, Brian Davidson – 30 December 2003 – Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a novel method for the measurement of tissue oxygenation and may have a role in monitoring liver oxygenation and viability. The aim of this study is to validate the application of NIRS for monitoring hepatic tissue oxygenation. Large Landrace pigs (n = 12) underwent laparotomy and liver exposure. Total hepatic blood flow (THBF) was measured by the Transonic Medical Flowmeter system.

Laura W. Lamps, Kelly Carson, Anne L. Bradley, C. Wright Pinson, Joyce E. Johnson, Alice C. Coogan, Ellen B. Hunter, Pierre A. Clavien, Mary Kay Washington – 30 December 2003 – Cirrhosis and portal hypertension may be associated with pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary dysfunction. However, morphological pulmonary vascular lesions in patients with cirrhosis have not been well characterized morphometrically.

Alison L. Doughty, Dorothy M. Painter, Geoffrey W. McCaughan – 30 December 2003 – Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigens in liver tissue provides important diagnostic and pathological information. Limited studies have been performed on tissue taken after liver transplantation for HCV. In this study, serial post–liver transplantation biopsy tissue from patients with recurrent HCV was tested, with particular interest in patients showing severe cholestatic hepatitis. HCV‐related antigens were detected using the commercial monoclonal antibody, Tordji‐22.

Christine Meyers, Lewis Low, Larry Kaufman, George Druger, Linda L. Wong, – 30 December 2003 – Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is characterized by hypoxia, orthodeoxia, and platypnea, associated with severe chronic liver disease. Liver transplantation is generally viewed as the only curative treatment for this syndrome, but it may be complicated by prolonged hypoxia after the procedure. We report on a 58‐year‐old female patient with alcoholic cirrhosis and HPS who underwent liver transplantation.

I.D.M. van Mourik, H. Vilca Melendez, M. Thomson, G. Mieli‐Vergani, N. Heaton, D.A. Kelly – 30 December 2003 – Cyclosporine (Sandimmune) is an effective immunosuppressive drug but may be poorly absorbed in the early postoperative period after liver transplantation, exposing the recipient to an increased risk for rejection. Neoral is a new oral formulation of cyclosporine that uses a mixture of surfactant, lipophilic, and hydrophilic solvents to permit microemulsification that leads to potentially better absorption.

Laurel R. Fisher, Keith S. Henley – 30 December 2003