This volume is composed of chapters that review important fundamental aspects of HCV biology and disease pathogenesis including, for example, the discovery and identification of the HCV genome, early virus-cell interactions including identification of various cellular receptors, HCV gene expression studied using the HCV replicon system, identification and characterization of HCV structural- and non-structural HCV proteins, HCV replication in cultured cells, and host factors involved in viral replication. This volume also contains chapters dealing with immunity to HCV infection and pathogenesis. This is particularly important in understanding hepatitis C because HCV infection alone is not cell lytic. Mechanisms underlying the persistent nature of HCV infection are also discussed in these chapters. Many of the authors published articles that were listed among the "top 10 papers" published in the 24 years since HCV was discovered in 1989. Their citations are above 1,000 (Web of Science). The authors describe the background and significance of their contributions to the field in the context of findings from other research groups.

This volume serves as a reference for the dissemination of advances made in the study of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV). Hepatitis B Virus: Methods and Protocols details protocols and techniques ranging from cell culture studies to in vivo and clinical immunology. The chapters in this book discuss treatments of in vitro infection systems, analysis and quantification of cccDNA and its mutations; in vitro polymerase activity assays; cellular trafficking of core proteins; intracellular calcium metabolism; detection, cloning, and sequencing of HBV markers; and new strategies aimed at exploiting new mechanisms for drug discovery. The book also covers classical methods for resolution of extracellular viral particles by native gel electrophoresis, and methods for detecting HBV antigens in drug discovery. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and comprehensive, Hepatitis B Virus: Methods and Protocols is a valuable tool for researchers to use toward their advanced studies in HBV.

HBV is most prevalent viral infection worldwide. Recent advances in HBV virology epidemiology and management are of utmost importance particularly during this time when HCV is taking the front row in discussion and research. However, there's an increased interest in management of HBV in special populations, which is covered in this issue. The authors also explore drugs in the pipeline as well as new approaches for achieving long-term viral suppression and possibly cure.

Alcohol abuse remains a significant problem world-wide. The most commonly affected organ remains the liver with a risk of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) which can range from asymptomatic to alcoholic hepatitis to alcoholic cirrhosis. In 2010, alcohol-attributable cirrhosis was responsible for 0.9% of all global deaths. Given the sheer magnitude of alcohol abuse and alcoholic liver disease, an update on this topic is pertinent and relevant. This issue will focus on a variety of topics including alcoholism, the pathogenesis of ALD, the spectrum of ALD, the pathology of ALD, and the long-term management of patients with ALD. Alcoholic hepatitis is a particular type of ALD with a high mortality. This issue will explore the syndrome of alcoholic hepatitis, its prognostic markers, and the available therapies. Because alcohol intake can influence so many other conditions of the liver (especially hepatitis C), articles in this issue will also explore the impact of alcohol abuse on other liver conditions. In addition, several other topics such as nutritional therapy for ALD, ALD and liver cancer, and ALD and infection risk will be explored. Also, even though it is quite controversial, we will also explore liver transplant as a therapy for alcoholic liver disease including alcoholic hepatitis.

This issue of Critical Care Clinics focuses on Hepatology and Critical Care. Articles include: Acute on Chronic and Decompensated Chronic Liver Failure, Hepatic Encephalopathy, Respiratory Complication in Liver Disease, GI Issues in Liver Disease, Bridging the Patient with Liver Disease to Transplant or Recovery, Infections in Liver Disease, Kidney Injury in Liver Disease, The Liver in Critical Illness, Hematological Issues in Liver Disease, Pharmacological Issues in Liver Disease and more!

Due to the current obesity epidemic, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is prevalent in a significant portion of the United States patient population. It is being increasingly recognized that NAFLD affects both adults and children and can progress to end stage liver disease with resultant cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, several extrahepatic conditions may be linked to NAFLD including cardiovascular disease, insulin requiring and type 2 diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, colonic adenomas, hyperuricemia, vitamin D deficiency, hyperferritinemia, pancreatic steatosis, hypothyroidism, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Therapies for NAFLD are evolving rapidly. This issue will analyze patient demographics, risk factors, pathophysiology, patient presentation, and treatments for NAFLD.

This issue of Surgical Clinics of North America, guest edited by Dr. Clifford Cho, is devoted to Technical Aspects of Oncological Hepatic Surgery. He has assembled expert authors to review the following topics: Determination of Resectability; Radiographic Characterization of Hepatic Tumors; Chemotherapy-associated Hepatotoxicity; Preoperative Assessment and Optimization of the Future Liver Remnant; Anatomy of Hepatic Resectional Surgery; Resection of Gallbladder Carcinoma; Resection of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma; Technical Aspects of Orthotopic Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Hemostasis and Hepatic Surgery; Minimally Invasive Hepatic Surgery; Hepatic Tumor Ablation; Hepatic Transarterial Therapies; Hepatic Perfusion Therapy; Hepatic Artery Infusional Chemotherapy; Ex vivo Hepatic Surgery, and more!

This issue of Surgical Oncology Clinics of North America, guest edited by Nipun Merchant, MD, is devoted to Pancreatic Neoplasms. Dr. Merchant has assembled expert authors to review the following topics: Molecular and Genetic Basis of Pancreatic Carcinogenesis: Which Concepts May Be Clinically Relevant?; Role Of EUS and ERCP In The Clinical Assessment Of Pancreatic Neoplasms; Optimal Imaging Modalities For The Diagnosis and Staging Of Periampullary Lesions; Advances in the Surgical Management of Resectable and Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer; Minimally Invasive Approaches to Pancreatic Surgery; Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer; Palliative Management of Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer; Spectrum and Classification of Cystic Lesions of the Pancreas; Therapeutic Approach to Cystic Neoplasms of the Pancreas; Clinical Presentation and Management of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors; State-of-the-Art Imaging of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors; Surgical Approaches to Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors; and Medical Management of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors: Current and Future Therapy.

This book will provide current understandings about two ubiquitously expressed metabotropic GPCRs, G-coupled purinoreceptor type 2 (P2Y) and Takeda G-protein-coupled bile acid receptor 5 (TGR5). G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest family of proteins implicated in majority of cellular responses. The two receptor sub-families play a central role in many physiological functions as well as in many pathological conditions. This book offers up-to-date information on the physiological functions, signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms of P2Y and TGR5 receptors. In addition, this book provides a comprehensive overview about the abnormalities of P2Y/TGR5 receptors and their contribution in the development and progression of pathological conditions. It also covers the currently available natural, chemical and pharmacological agents targeting these two receptor families and their therapeutic implications in P2Y and TGR5 associated disorders. This book is a valuable source for beginners and researchers to follow the rapidly progressing field of these two GPCR subfamily members.

There are over 180 million people with chronic HCV infection worldwide with between 2.7 and 3.9 million in the United States. Hepatitis C most significantly affects Asia and Africa, with rates up to 15% in countries such as Egypt and up to 30% in certain regions such as Punjab, Pakistan. Hepatitis C places a significant burden on the public health infrastructure, as it remains the leading cause of chronic liver disease, accounting for 50-75% of primary liver cancers and is responsible for 30% of all liver transplantations. It is estimated to have cost the United States $5.5 billion in 1997, comparable to the national cost of asthma, $5.8 billion in 1994.This number is only expected to grow as the current HCV population ages, increasing overall rates of compensated cirrhosis/end-stage liver disease. The evolution of directly acting anti-virals has ushered in a new era for chronic hepatitis C. Ongoing drug development strategy has involved targeting several replication steps of the virus and the hope is to see all oral therapies by late 2014 or early 2015. Thus we are at an exciting cross roads with regard to new information and challenges with HCV: rising disease burden with associated high costs, the challenges globally and in multiple patient populations, and the impending availability of effective and well tolerated treatments. Therefore there is a need to commission an exclusive issue of GCNA for HCV.

Clinical information about Hepatitis C is quickly outdated, so Dr. Poordad has assembled expert authors to provide state-of-the-art clinjcal reviews for hepatologists. This issue is uniquely organized to present articles based on therapeutic regimens for certain types of patients: Regimens for the Treatment-Naive Patient; Regimens for Treatment of the Interferon-Failure Patient; Regimens for DAA Failure Patients; Regimens for the Cirrhotic Patient; Regimens for the Peri-Transplant Patient; Regimens for the HIV-Co-Infected Patient; and Next-generation Regimens: The Future of HCV Therapy. This presentation will be very clinically relevant for the practicing hepatologist.

Dr. Reuben provides a timely update to the topic of HCC, which was last covered in 2011. The highly respected authors in his issue address advances in imaging for diagnosis, surgical resection and liver transplantation, and local and systemic therapy. The breadth of the topic is covered, with articles devoted to histopathology, classification and staging, and screening and detection.

Dr. Brown provides a timely upate on the clinical diagnosis and management of Hepatic Encephalopathy. His issue addresses current hot topics including Role of NH4 in Pathogenesis of Hepatic Encephalopathy; How to diagnose and manage HE in fulminant hepatic failure; New methods of Brain Imaging and testing (eg PET) and Hepatic Encephalopathy; Management New agents for HE (focus on NH4 lowering drugs used in UCD); Legal responsibility of MD when he diagnoses HE; Diets in Encephalopathy; and Neurological manifestations of HE.

The field of hepatobiliary diseases has advanced enormously in the past 3 decades. The incorporation of new diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in clinical hepatology as well as liver transplantation has exponentially grown and specialty fields have emerged within the liver disease arena. Interventional procedures play a critical role in the management of patients with hepatobiliary diseases as they offer diagnostic and definite treatment options for an array of conditions. Interventions include those that directly measure portal pressure, perform transjugular liver biopsy and place transjugular intrahepatic portsosystemic shunts as therapy for complications of portal hypertension. Other commonly performed intervention is digestive and hepatobiliary endoscopy which offers not only diagnostic but also therapeutic choices in various areas such as portal hypertension and hepatobiliary disease. Endoscopy plays a fundamental role in the management of patients with almost all types of liver disease. Additionally, both the fields of hepatology and endoscopy have become very specialized and thus a thorough knowledge of the indications, findings, therapeutic possibilities and complications that arise from endoscopic interventions is a must for the practicing clinician. The rising incidence of liver cancer has also placed radiofrequency ablation and chemoembolization of liver lesions at the forefront of interventional therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma. Finally the management of acute liver failure has certainly evolved with new therapeutic options such as liver assist devices that can help manage these patients in the intensive care unit. This issue of Clinics in Liver Disease devoted to Interventional Hepatology is a timely and unique one. The Guest Editors have assembled an outstanding group of experts in several fields that can provide practitioners with state of the art and evidence based articles that help manage patients with hepatobiliary disease.

Dr. Flamm has invited a group of distinguished hepatologists to provide insight into the assessment of a variety of scenarios where clinical judgment based on experience and published literature is an invaluable addition to the care of individual patients. Articles included in the issue address the following topics: Evaluation and Management of Portal Vein Thrombosis, Liver Disease in the HIV patient, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Evaluation of Renal Insufficiency in the Cirrhotic Patient, Contemporary Management of Autoimmune Hepatitis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Overlap Syndromes, Ins and Outs of Liver Imaging for the Gastroenterologist, Contemporary Assessment of Hepatic Fibrosis, A Primer on Liver Transplantation Immunosuppressive Agents for the Gastroenterologist, Evaluation of Jaundice in the Hospitalized Patient, Liver Disease in the Adolescent, Evaluation and Management of Hemochromatosis and How and When to Administer Hepatitis A and B Virus Vaccinations. These are all common contemporary reasons for consultations for Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists and this issue will address the issues in a pragmatic way.

This volume looks at the liver's epithelial cells-hepatocytes and cholangiocytes-and their progenitors. This book is divided into five parts: isolation of progenitor cells; characterization of liver progenitors in vivo; generation of hepatocytes, cholangiocytes, and their progenitors; reconstitution of liver tissue structures; and liver injury models. The chapters in this book cover topics such as expansion of bipotential liver stem/progenitor cells (LPCs) from fetal and neonatal liver; identifying progenitor cells involved in liver regeneration in vivo; methods for generating hepatocytes and cholangiocytes from multiple cellular sources; 3D tissue structures ex vivo; and resolving hepatic fibrosis by bone marrow transplantation. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Hepatic Stem Cells: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource to help researchers understand the current theories used to study hepatic stem/progenitor cells, and aid them in performing experiments related to liver biology and pathophysiology.

Autoimmune Liver Diseases summarizes the recent high-impact research and clinical findings obtained in Japan in the study and treatment of autoimmune liver diseases. Although these disorders are relatively rare, they are recognized as an important group of refractory liver diseases, the most common of which are autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The book therefore comprises two major sections, one dealing with AIH, the other with PBC. AIH in Japanese patients creates a unique disease population, as its clinical features are different from those of Western patients resulting from the different genetic background of the two patient populations. Also, mouse models of neonatal thymectomy-PD-1 knockout mice, clinical analyses of acute hepatitis-like manifestations, and research findings on IgG4-related autoimmune hepatitis have been reported in Japan and are included in this book. A disease-susceptibility gene specific to Japanese PBC patients has also recently been discovered. Because of the relatively homogeneous population of Japan, analyses conducted with Japanese PBC patients have yielded findings that are highly relevant to the pathogenesis of the disease. Furthermore, new pathological staging criteria, anti-gp210 antibodies and the basis they provide for improved accuracy of prognosis, treatment with bezafibrate, and the outcomes of living-donor liver transplantation are also presented here. This volume therefore serves as a useful resource not only for hepatologists, but also for researchers, clinical residents, and medical students both in Japan and in other countries.

Internationally renowned experts present topics related to obesity, nutrition, and liver disease in this issue. In the first article, the epidemiology of obesity and its association with liver disease are covered. The following two articles focus on the roles that visceral adipose tissue and microbiota potentially play in the pathogenesis of obesity-related liver disease. The next article focuses on the hepatic pathology seen in patients with obesity-related liver disease and those with malnutrition. The next five articles are focused on NAFLD and provide in-depth data on the natural history and treatment strategies for patients with NAFLD. The next six articles deal with the impact of obesity on other liver diseases and on special populations including children and liver-transplant recipients. The final article provides the most updated information regarding genomics and genetic targets that may provide better prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers and more personalized treatment targets for patients with NAFLD. Cutting-edge information in this issue will help readers gain better understanding of the natural history and pathogenesis of primary and secondary liver diseases associated with obesity. As the information about obesity-related liver disease expands, clinicians will be able to provide more targeted therapeutic options for these patients and develop more accurate diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers.