A. Mieke Jonker, Freke W. J. Dijkhuis, Machiel J. Hardonk, Peter Moerkerk, Joop Ten Kate, Joris Grond – 1 March 1994 – Multiple injections of D‐galactosamine induce liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in rats. The purpose of this immunopathological study was to correlate inflammation and hepatic extracellular matrix remodeling after repeated administration of galactosamine. Rats were given 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 140 intraperitoneal injections of D‐galactosamine (500 mg/kg body wt, three times weekly). Controls received injections of saline solution.

Jehyuk Lee, Linda Greenbaum, Barbara A. Haber, Deborah Nagle, Victoria Lee, Vashti Miles, Kenneth L. Mohn, Maja Bucan, Rebecca Taub – 1 March 1994 – Insulin‐like growth factor–binding protein‐1s are important modulators of the insulin‐like growth factors that may have both positive and negative effects on the ability of insulin‐like growth factors to stimulate cell growth. The IGFBP‐1 gene is one of the most highly induced immediate‐early genes after partial hepatectomy.

Renée E. Poupon, Beverley Balkau, Jérôme Guéchot, François Heintzmann – 1 March 1994 – The aim of this study was to define factors predictive of the onset of the terminal phase, defined by hyperbilirubinemia or the occurrence of a severe clinical complication, in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis treated with ursodeoxycholic acid. The 97 primary biliary cirrhosis patients in this study participated in a 2‐yr clinical trial.

Antonello Pietrangelo, Rossana Gualdi, Giovanna Casalgrandi, Albert Geerts, Pieter de Bleser, Giuliana Montosi, Ezio Ventura – 1 March 1994 – In recent years, identifying the hepatic cell type responsible for collagen synthesis in experimental models of postnecrotic or inflammatory fibrosis has been the subject of active investigation. In primary iron overload states, however, hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis occur without accompanying necroinflammatory phenomena.

Carole Oddoux, Gerd Grieninger – 1 March 1994 – In all vertebrate species studied, the complex, disulfide‐linked structure of fibrinogen is essentially the same: a hexamer assembled from three different subunits (Aα, Bß,γ)2. This study utilized species differences in fibrinogen subunit monomer pools to address the question of how these surplus subunit pools may affect the assembly process. We used a chicken model system in which Bß and γ‐subunits are present in excess, in contrast to the Aα and γ‐subunit surplus found in human model systems.

Masahiko Morita, Yoshifumi Watanabe, Toshihiro Akaike – 1 February 1994 – We investigated the effect of inflammatory cytokines on the intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 expression on primary cultured murine hepatocytes. Tumor necrosis factor‐α, interferon‐γ and interleukin‐1α up‐regulated the intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 expression on hepatocytes in a dose‐dependent fashion; however, interleukin‐6 did not. On the basis of kinetic analysis, the expression level reached a peak 24 hr after stimulation, and both cycloheximide and actinomycin D inhibited the expression.

Lawrence A. Saperstein, Randy L. Jirtle, Marwan Farouk, Hugh J. Thompson, Kyung S. Chung, William C. Meyers – 1 February 1994 – These studies investigate the role of transforming growth factor‐β1, a potent inhibitor of epithelial cell proliferation and stimulator of extracellular matrix biosynthesis, during intrahepatic bile duct hyperplasia and biliary fibrosis. These pathogenic responses were induced in rats by common bile duct ligation. Bile duct cell replication, measured by the bromodeoxyuridine labeling index, was significantly increased 24 hr after common bile duct ligation.

Neven Ljubičic̀, Ante Bilic̀, Branko Kopjar – 1 February 1994 – Ascitic fluid opsonic activity and ascitic fluid C3 concentrations are important protective factors against spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. This randomized controlled study was performed to compare the effect of diuretic administration alone vs. single large‐volume therapeutic paracentesis followed by administration of diuretics on ascitic fluid opsonic activity and on ascites and serum immunoglobulin and complement concentrations in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and tense ascites.

Ehoud Shmueli, Murray Stewart, K. George, M. M. Alberti, Christopher O. Record – 1 February 1994 – Cirrhosis is characterized by paradoxical growth hormone secretion in response to glucose and insulin infusion. To ascertain whether this abnormality contributes to insulin resistance, euglycemic hyperinsulinemic glucose clamps were performed on six patients with cirrhosis and six normal control subjects.

Florence Wong, Peter Liu, Sheldon Tobe, Gilles Morali, Laurence Blendis – 1 February 1994 – In patients with cirrhosis a diminished effective central arterial blood volume associated with systemic arterial vasodilatation has been proposed as the mechanism that initiates renal sodium retention. Furthermore, total central blood volume has recently been reported as reduced in cirrhosis, and the controversy over the stimulus for sodium retention in cirrhosis remains.