D Oguey, L L Dumenco, R H Pierce, N Fausto – 1 November 1996 – Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with the development of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One of the HBV genes, HBx, may have transforming potential, but this issue is still the subject of controversy. One of the major difficulties in addressing this question is the lack of a suitable in vitro model. We used a nontransformed, differentiated murine hepatocyte cell line (AML12) to transfect the HBx gene and examine its transforming capabilities.

Nancy L. Ascher – 1 November 1996 – To determine the role of the terminal α‐galactosyl residue in the endothelial damage mediated by human xenoreactive natural antibodies (IgM and IgG), we treated porcine endothelial cells in culture with green coffee bean α‐galactosidase. A practically complete removal of terminal α‐Gal residues (as evaluated by flow cytometry with Bandeiraea simplicifolia isolectin B4) and concomitant exposure of N‐acetyllactosamine were obtained without altering cell viability.

Udo Kaisers, Ulf Neumann, Ralf Kuhlen, Matthias Sprenger, Peter Neuhaus, Rolf Rossaint – 1 November 1996 – Our objective was to determine the effects of vasodilatory treatment with epoprostenol (PGI2) and nitroglycerin (NTG) on systemic oxygen delivery index (DO2) and hepatic venous oxygen saturation (SvhO2) after liver transplantation. This prospective study used repeated‐measures design. Fifteen adult patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were enrolled.

J A Bezerra, W F Balistreri – 1 November 1996

M E de Vera, Y M Kim, H R Wong, Q Wang, T R Billiar, D A Geller – 1 November 1996 – During sepsis or inflammation, the liver expresses various protective phenotypes such as the acute phase response or the heat shock response (HSR). Inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2) is also expressed in the liver in these conditions and may protect the liver under some circumstances and promote injury in others. We have previously reported that the acute phase response and NOS2 expression are differentially regulated, though both can be expressed simultaneously.

D A Samarasinghe, G C Farrell – 1 November 1996 – The role of individual cell types in hepatic hypoxia‐reoxygenation (reperfusion) injury has not been completely defined. We therefore examined the effects of hypoxia and hypoxia‐reoxygenation on the viability of rat hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, and sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) in primary culture and whether direct exposure to hypoxia followed by reoxygenation activated Kupffer cells. Cultures of hepatocytes (purity > 99%), Kupffer cells (97%), and endothelial cells (> 93%) were established as single‐cell types and as cocultures.

K Mizuno, M Hoshino, T Hayakawa, H Yamada, T Nakazawa, T Inagaki, T Takeuchi, M Kunimatsu – 1 November 1996 – A neutrophil chemotactic factor N‐formyl‐methionyl‐leucyl‐phenylalanine (fMLP), produced by Escherichia coli under conditions of intestinal inflammation, is reported to circulate enterohepatically in the presence of experimental colitis, but its effect on bile secretion is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effect of fMLP on bile secretion in a single‐pass isolated perfused rat liver system.

K Maezono, K Mawatari, K Kajiwara, A Shinkai, T Maki – 1 November 1996 – The effect of high‐dose alanine on survival and liver function in rats with acute liver failure caused by a lethal dose of D‐galactosamine (D‐gal) was studied. Greater than 90% of control animals died within 5 days after D‐gal injection, but alanine significantly decreased mortality, even when treatment was started at 12 hours after D‐gal injection. Alanyl‐glutamine had a slight effect, but glucose produced no improvement.

T Tsubono, S Todo, N Jabbour, A Mizoe, V Warty, A J Demetris, T E Starzl – 1 November 1996 – Objective: To determine its predictive capability on graft quality and resultant clinical outcome, the indocyanine green (ICG) elimination test was performed by a spectrophotometric method and a noninvasive finger‐piece method with 50 orthotopic liver transplantations. Background: Early detection of poor‐functioning hepatic grafts is one of the most important issues in liver transplantation, but no reliable methods exist.

G Laffi, A Lagi, M Cipriani, G Barletta, L Bernardi, L Fattorini, L Melani, D Riccardi, G Bandinelli, M Mannelli, G La Villa, P Gentilini – 1 November 1996 – The autonomic regulation of cardiovascular function was evaluated in 15 cirrhotic patients with ascites and in 13 healthy subjects by the autoregressive power spectral analysis (PSA) of the intervals between adjacent R waves of the electrocardiogram (RR) interval and arterial pressure variability.