Allan Cooper – 1 December 1994 – The atherogenic macromolecule lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has resisted in vivo analyses partly because it is found in a limited number of experimental animals. Although transgenic mice expressing human apolipoprotein (a) [apo(a)] have previously been described, they failed to assemble Lp(a) particles because of the inability of human apo(a) to associate with mouse apolipoprotein B (apoB). We isolated a 90‐kilobase P1 phagemid containing the human apoB gene and with this DNA generated 13 lines of transgenic mice of which 11 expressed human apoB.

Daniel Martinez‐Fong, Jerald E. Mullersman, Anthony F. Purchio, Juan Armendariz‐Borunda, Antonio Martinez‐Hernandez M.D. – 1 December 1994 – The basic approach in targeted gene delivery relies on the formation of a complex between a vector and a molecule that will be selectively internalized by the target cells. In the case of hepatocytes, asialoglycoproteins are convenient targeting molecules because of the high affinity and avidity of the hepatocyte galactose receptor.

Stephan Krähenbühl, Sven Fischer, Christine Talos, Professor Jürg Reichen – 1 December 1994 – The effect of ursodeoxycholate and tauroursodeoxycholate on the toxicity of lipophilic bile acids (chenodeoxycholate and lithocholate) on the function of the electron transport chain was investigated in isolated rat liver mitochondria. At a concentration of 30 μmol/L, both chenodeoxycholate and lithocholate reduced state 3 oxidation rates and respiratory control ratios of L‐glutamate, succinate and duroquinol.

Bruno Christ Phd., Annegret Nath, Peter C. Heinrich, Kurt Jungermann – 1 December 1994 – The influence of recombinant human interleukin‐6, the major mediator of the inflammatory response in liver, on the glucagon‐ and insulin‐dependent induction of the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and glucokinase gene, respectively, was monitored on the level of gene transcription, mRNA abundance and enzyme activity in cultured rat hepatocytes.

Antonio Follo, Jose María Llovet, Miquel Navasa, Ramón Planas, Xavier Forns, Anna Francitorra, Antoni Rimola, Miguel Angel Gassull, Vicente Arroyo, Joan Rodés – 1 December 1994 – Although spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is considered a precipitating factor of renal impairment in cirrhosis, no study specifically addressing this problem has been reported. This study was aimed at assessing the incidence, clinical course, predictive factors and prognosis of renal impairment in cirrhotic patients with peritonitis.

Darius Moradpour, Josef Altorfer, Renata Flury, Peter Greminger, Christa Meyenberger, Res Jost, Martin Schmid – 1 December 1994 – We describe a 33‐yr‐old pregnant woman in whom a primary biliary cirrhosis—like syndrome developed after 2 wk of chlorpromazine therapy. The clinical course was characterized by severe jaundice lasting 22 mo, intense pruritus, fever, steatorrhea, high alkaline phosphatase levels and hypercholesterolemia.

Masayuki Ohta, Makoto Hashizume Hidefumi Higashi, Kiichiro Ueno, Morimasa Tomikawa, Fumiaki Kishihara, Hirofumi Kawanaka, Kazuo Tanoue, Keizo Sugimachi – 1 December 1994 – Controversy exists as to the nature of gastric perfusion in portal‐hypertensive gastropathy. To investigate portal hemodynamics and gastric mucosal perfusion in cirrhotic patients with and without portalhypertensive gastropathy, we subjected 56 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension to portal vein catheterization, pneumatic pressure sensor technique, duplex sonography and laser Doppler flowmetry.

Masayuki Matsumura, Yasuro Niwa, Naoya Kato, Yutaka Komatsu, Shuichiro Shiina, Takao Kawabe, Takeo Kawase, Hiroshi Toyoshima, Masashi Ihori, Yasushi Shiratori, Masao Omata – 1 December 1994 – We attempted to detect circulating hepatocellular carcinoma by demonstrating hepatocyte‐associated mRNA in the nuclear cell component of peripheral blood using nested reverse transcription—polymerase chain reaction because of the extremely small number of tumor cells in the circulation.

Michael A. Klein – 1 December 1994

Robert Canning – 1 December 1994