M. Sawkat Anwer – 1 August 1993 – Calcium ionophores such as ionomycin and A23187 are often used to determine the role of intracellular Ca+ + in cellular processes. Ionomycin but not Ca+ +‐mobilizing agonists increases basal intracellular pH in hepatocytes. To explain this difference in effects of agents that increase intracellular Ca+ + concentration, the mechanism of ionomycin‐induced increases in basal intracellular pH in isolated rat hepatocytes was studied.

Jorge A. Bezerra, David P. Witte, Bruce J. Arono, Sandra J. Friezner – 1 August 1993 – We have cloned and characterized the gene and complementary DNA for a new kringle‐containing protein. Although the function of this protein is not known, it has been called hepatocyte growth factor–like protein because it shares the same structural domains as hepatocyte growth factor, with four kringle structures followed by a region homologous to serine proteases.

Yoshinobu Sato, Kazuhiro Tsukada, Yoh Matsumot, Toru Ab – 1 August 1993 – The effects of interferon‐γ and interleukin‐2 on liver regeneration after 70% hepatectomy in rats was studied immunohistologically, with special attention paid to major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression. Liver regeneration 2 days after partial hepatectomy as assessed on the basis of bromodeoxyuridine labeling index revealed that regeneration was inhibited significantly in rats given a single dose of interleukin‐2 or interferon‐γ compared with rats that underwent only partial hepatectomy.

Bruno Sangro, Ignacio Bilbao, Ignacio Herrero, Carmen Corella, Jesus Longo, Oscar Beloqui, Juan Ruiz, Jose M. Zozaya, Jorge Quirog, Jesus Priet – 1 August 1993 – Hypersplenism is of great relevance in the management of cirrhosis because of the widespread use of myelodepressant drugs such as interferon or antineoplastic agents. Because no standard therapy exists for this complication, we have evaluated the efficacy and risks of splenic embolization in the treatment of hypersplenism in cirrhosis.

Ke‐Qin Hu, Chang‐Hong Yu, John M. Vierling – 1 August 1993 – Although detection of hepatitis C virus RNA with polymerase chain reaction has become the standard for diagnosis, extensive application has been thwarted by polymerase chain reaction's labor intensiveness, risk of false‐positive results through contamination and time required for individual assays. To minimize these limitations, we developed and validated a one‐step hepatitis C virus RNA polymerase chain reaction assay.

John Polio, Cornel C. Sieber, Emanuel Lerne, Roberto J. Groszmann – 1 July 1993 – Most studies testing vasoactive agents in portalhypertensive rats have been performed in young animals. To assess age‐related changes in hemodynamic responses to adrenergic stimuli, we examined (a) responsiveness to norepinephrine (0.14 to 12.0 μg ˙ kg−1 ˙ min−1) in young (3‐mo‐old) and aged (9‐mo‐old) sham‐operated and portal‐hypertensive rats and (b) response to propranolol (2 and 10 mg ˙ kg−1 body wt), nitroglycerin (3.6 mg ˙ kg−1 ˙ min−1) or saline solution in aged portal‐hypertensive rats.

Ka‐Sic Ho, Bret A. Lashner, Jean C. Emond, Alfred L. Baker – 1 July 1993 – Prior variceal bleeding may adversely affect the prognosis of orthotopic liver transplantation. We studied this question by evaluating all 175 adult patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation at our institution to determine risk factors associated with mortality after transplantation. Seventy patients demonstrated prior variceal bleeding, and of those, 32 had a course of sclerotherapy. Thirteen also had portal systemic shunts.

Tadashi Iwao, Atsushi Toyonaga, Motoki Ikegami, Kazuhiko Oho, Michihiro Sumino, Hiroshi Harada, Munenori Sakaki, Hiroyuki Shigemori, Toshichika Aoki, Kyuichi Tanikawa – 1 July 1993 – Although congestive gastric mucosal circulation has been suggested in patients with portal‐hypertensive gastropathy, whether it is due to “active” (overflow) or “passive” (stasis) congestion is not known. To answer this question, we assessed regional gastric mucosal blood flow with laser Doppler flowmetry in 57 patients with portal hypertension and 30 controls.

1 July 1993

Florence Lacaille, Khazal Paradis – 1 July 1993 – Ursodeoxycholic acid is an efficient treatment for putatively immune‐mediated liver diseases, but its mechanism of action is unknown. We studied human mononuclear cell proliferation as an in vitro model for cell‐mediated immunity in the presence of ursodeoxycholic acid, its glycoconjugate and tauroconjugate and chenodeoxycholic acid at concentrations of 5, 25 and 50 μmol/L.