Johnson Y. N. Lau – 1 September 1994 – Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of posttransfusion and community‐acquired hepatitis, and a majority of individuals infected with this virus will subsequently develop chronic hepatitis. Characterization of the host immune response to this infection is an important first step that should facilitate the development of immunomodulatory agents and vaccines. Cellular immune responses, especially those mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), are important in the control of many viral diseases.

Rolf Gebhardt, Jürg Reichen – 1 September 1994 – Cirrhosis induced in rats by carbon tetrachloride was used to study alterations in the activities and lobular distribution of carbamoylphosphate synthetase and glutamine synthetase. Specific activity of carbamoylphosphate synthetase in cirrhotic subjects was decreased to 70% of controls. Staining was homogeneous within micronodular areas, but varied from area to area and generally showed a decreased intensity.

Susumu Takano, Yoshimi Ito, Osamu Yokosuka, Masao Ohto, Katsuo Uchiumi, Katsutaro Hirota, Masao Omata – 1 September 1994 – The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on liver function tests and on bile acid metabolism was investigated in a multi‐center randomized controlled dose study for chronic hepatitis C. Twenty, 18 and 19 patients were administered 150, 600 and 900 mg/day, respectively of ursodeoxycholic acid every day for 16 wk. Serum liver parameters and bile acid composition in the treatment groups were compared with 17 control patients.

1 September 1994

Antonio Francavilla, Michio Hagiya, Kendrick A. Porter, Lorenzo Polimeno, Izumi Ihara, Thomas E. Starzl – 1 September 1994

Mark G. Swain – 1 September 1994 – Endogenous opioids, including methionine enkephalin, have been implicated in the control of adrenocorticotrophic hormone release by acting through mu‐opiate receptors in the hypothalamus. Recently, alterations in the central opioid system have been postulated to occur in cholestasis.

Hiroyuki Yamashita, Kenneth D. R. Setchell – 1 September 1994 – Significant amounts of oxo and sulfated bile acids are excreted in the urine of patients with cholestatic liver diseases, but these bile acid species are found only in traces in bile. Several possible explanations for this finding include poor canalicular secretion, rapid biotransformation by oxidoreduction and extrahepatic sulfation of oxo bile acids.

Frank Iber – 1 September 1994

T. Jake Liang, M. Sawkat Anwer – 1 September 1994 – A high incidence of community‐acquired hepatitis C virus infection that can lead to the progressive development of chronic active hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and primary hepatocellular carcinoma occurs throughout the world. A vaccine to control the spread of this agent that represents a major cause of chronic liver disease is therefore needed.

Jordi Bruix, Antoni Castells, Xavier Montanyà, Xavier Calvet, Concepció Brü, Carmen Ayuso, Lluís Jover, Laura García, Ramon Vilana, Loreto Boix, Joan Rodés – 1 September 1994 – Our uncontrolled phase II study was aimed at assessing the efficacy of transarterial embolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and to determine the parameters associated with a favorable response to treatment, improved survival or both. Fifty consecutive patients (25 corresponding to Okuda's stage I and 25 to stage II) with hepatocellular carcinoma (41 being multinodular or massive) were included.