Ynthia C. Daugherty, Kenneth D. R. Setchell, James E. Heubi, William F. Ballstreri – 1 November 1993 – Identical male twins and their brother, cholestatic from birth, with Δ4‐3‐oxosteroid 5δ‐reductase deficiency, were studied by serial liver biopsy. Spectrometry documented defective primary bile acid synthesis and markedly increased levels of atypical oxo and allo bile acids in urine and serum. Hepatocellular cholestásis and giant‐cell transformation resolved in parallel with clinical and biochemical recovery during oral bile acid administration.

Chiharu Tohyama, Junko Sayato Suzuki, Jack Hemelraad, Noriko Nishimura, Hisao Nishimura – 1 November 1993 – Metallothioneins, a group of cysteine‐rich heavymetal binding proteins, are induced in the regenerating rat liver in response to the stimuli evoked by partial hepatectomy. We have investigated the expression of metallothionein genes and proto‐oncogenes (c‐fos, c‐jun and c‐myc), as well as specific localization of metallothionein in the liver cells after partial hepatectomy. Metallothionein mRNA was detected as early as 3 hr and reached a maximal level by 6 hr.

Marie Lindholm, Anders Eklund – 1 November 1993 – In this investigation we studied the influence of two gastrin fragments, pentagastrin and nonsulfated heptadecagastrin, and two cholecystokinin fragments, sulfated and desulfated cholecystokinin 26–33, on intracellular and secreted triacylglycerol in isolated hepatocyte cultures. Both gastrin fragments inhibited triacylglycerol release in a biphasic manner, exhibiting maximal effect at 0.1 nmol/L (nonsulfated heptadecagastrin) and 0.3 nmol/L (pentagastrin).

Raymond S. Koff – 1 November 1993

Hiroto Kita, Takashi Moriyama, Takashi Kaneko, Ichiro Harase, Masayuki Nomura, Hideaki Miura, Ikuo Nakamura, Yoshio Yazaki, Michio Imawari – 1 November 1993 – Cytotoxic T lymphocytes have been reported to be involved in the immune clearance of virus‐infected cells and in the pathogenesis of viral infection. We studied the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response to the putative nucleocapsid protein of hepatitis C virus in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Alan H. Lockwood, Brian W. Murphy, Kerry Z. Donnelly, Thomas C. Mahl, Sean Perini – 1 November 1993 – Many patients with compensated cirrhosis without overt hepatic encephalopathy have deficits in visualspatial perception, a condition we call minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Five patients with alcohol‐induced cirrhosis and nine control subjects underwent positron‐emission tomographic imaging of the brain with 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose. Patients also underwent neuropsychological and clinical chemistry tests.

Faust Feu, Josep María Bordas, Angelo Luca, Joan Carles García‐Pagán, Angels Escorsell, Jaume Bosch, Joan Rodes – 1 November 1993 – This study investigated the correlation between changes in hepatic hemodynamics and esophageal variceal pressure–measured with a noninvasive, pressure‐sensitive endoscopic gauge–in 37 portal‐hypertensive cirrhotic patients receiving propranolol (0.15 mg/kg, intravenously; n = 21) or placebo (n = 16) under strict double‐blind conditions. Placebo administration had no effect on hepatic venous pressure gradient, azygos blood flow or variceal pressure.

Antoni Castells, Jordi Bruix, Concepció Bru, Josep Fuster, Ramon Vilana, Miquel Navasa, Carmen Ayuso, Loreto Boix, Josep Visa, Joan Rodés – 1 November 1993 – This study was intended to compare the survival rates of two contemporary cohorts of patients with solitary hepatocellular carcinomas ≤ 4 cm subjected to surgical resection (n = 33) or percutaneous ethanol injection (n = 30). Outcomes in a third cohort, 21 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation, were also assessed.

Gerry T. M. Wagenaar, Robert A. F. M. Chamuleau, Jan G. de Haan, Martinus A. W. Maas, Piet A. J. de Boer, Frans Marx, Antoon F. M. Moorman, Wilma M. Frederiks, Wouter H. Lamers – 1 November 1993 – Many enzymes are distributed heterogeneously within the liver lobule. The factors that play a determining role in the establishment and maintenance of these heterogeneous expression patterns have not yet been identified.

Urs A. Boelsterli, Armin Wolf, Christian Göldlin – 1 November 1993 – Cocaine ethyl ester (“cocaethylene”) is a cocaine metabolite formed by hepatic carboxylesterases in the presence of ethanol. In the human liver, this pharmacologically active cocaine analog may reach concentrations similar to those of cocaine.