Kenji Fjuiwara, Sumiko Nagoshi, Akihiko Ohno, Keiichi Hirata, Yasuhiko Ohta, Satoshi Mochida, Tomoaki Tomiya, Kanji Higashio, Kiyoshi Kurokawa – 1 December 1993 – Human hepatocyte growth factor stimulates DNA synthesis by cultured rat hepatocytes. When human hepatocyte growth factor prepared from the culture medium of human embryonic lung fibroblasts was intravenously injected into normal rats and rats after 70% hepatectomy, it was detected in hepatocytes but not in nonparenchymal cells isolated 30 min after injection.

Ivor J. Benjamin – 1 December 1993

Jorge J. Gumucio – 1 December 1993

Nelson Fausto – 1 December 1993 – In previous studies hepatocytes undergoing cell death by apoptosis but not normal hepatocytes in rat liver showed immunostaining for transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1). Staining was much stronger with antibodies recognizing the pro‐region of TGF‐β1 than the mature peptide itself. Therefore we investigated the ability of both forms of TGF‐β1 to induce apoptosis in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes. Mature TGF‐β1 induced rounding up of the cells and fragmentation into multiple vesicles.

Robert K. Ockner – 1 December 1993

Frederick J. Suchy – 1 November 1993

1 November 1993

Kwang Hyub Han, F. Blaine Hollinger, Christine A. Noonan, Harvey Solomon, Goran B. G. Klintmalm, Robert M. Genta, Boris Yoffe – 1 November 1993 – To gain new insights into the pathogenesis of hepatitis B virus–induced chronic liver disease, we have used nonisotopic in situ detection methods for the simultaneous analysis of hepatitis B virus DNA and antigens at the single‐cell level.

Kazunori Aoki, Kenichi Takayasu, Toshinobu Kawano, Yukio Muramatsu, Noriyuki Moriyama, Fumihiko Wakao, Junji Yamamoto, Kazuaki Shimada, Tadatoshi Takayama, Tomoo Kosuge, Susumu Yamasaki, Michiie Sakamoto, Setsuo Hirohashi – 1 November 1993 – Clinicoradiological features were studied in 20 patients with 22 mass lesions of combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinomas and findings of computed tomography in 12 of these patients with 14 hepatocellular carcinoma–cholangiocarcinomas. Five of these patients also had single overt hepatocellular carcinomas.

Roberto de Franchis, Paolo G. Arcidiacono, Luca Carpinelli, Bruno Andreoni, Lorenzo Cestari, Sergio Brunati, Alessandro Zambelli, Giorgio Battaglia, Pier M. Mannucci – 1 November 1993 – 1‐Deamino‐8‐D‐arginine vasopressin (DDAVP, desmopressin), a synthetic analog of the antidiuretic hormone L‐arginine vasopressin, improves hemostasis parameters in cirrhotic patients. Hence its use in combination with a vasoactive drug such as terlipressin might improve the performance of this drug in controlling variceal bleeding.