Wei‐Li Hu, Paul A. Chindemi, Erwin Regoeczi – 1 October 1992 – The single oligosaccharide attachment in rat transferrin exhibits marked structural microheterogeneity. In this study we examined whether all microheterogeneous forms of rat transferrin found in plasma are derived from a single organ, such as the liver. To this end we analyzed the glycans of rat transferrin synthesized by the isolated perfused rat liver by a method established earlier for rat transferrin isolated from rat plasma.

Chris J. Dickinson – 1 October 1992 – An outbreak of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) provided the opportunity to examine the duration of HAV excretion in infants and the mechanisms by which HAV epidemics are propagated in NICUs. The outbreak affected 13 NICU infants (20%), 22 NICU nurses (24%), 8 other staff caring for NICU infants, and 4 household contacts; 2 seropositive infants (primary cases) received blood transfusions from a donor with HAV infection.

Michael W. Fried, Julia C. Korenman, Adrian M. Di Bisceglie, Yoon Park, Jeanne G. Waggoner, Hiroaki Mitsuya, Neil R. Hartman, Robert Yarchoan, Samuel Broder, Jay H. Hoofnagle – 1 October 1992 – The nucleoside analog 2′,3′‐dideoxyinosine, currently being used to treat patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, has been shown to inhibit viral replication in certain cell culture systems of hepatitis B virus and the duck model of chronic hepatitis B infection. We studied the effect of dideoxyinosine on viral replication in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Mercedes Ruiz‐Moreno, Maria José Rua, Inmaculada Castillo, Maria Dolores García‐Novo, Maravillas Santos, Sonia Navas, Vicente Carreño – 1 October 1992 – Twelve children with chronic non‐A, non‐B hepatitis were entered in a pilot trial of recombinant interferon‐α. Although all the children had hepatitis C virus RNA in serum, only five had antibodies against this virus. Children received 3 MU/m2 body surface area interferon‐α 3 times/wk for 6 mo; they were followed for 24 mo, including the therapy period.

Frieder Berr, Joseph Holl, Dieter Jüngst, Sven Fischer, Werner O. Richter, Bernd Seifferth, Gustav Paumgartner – 1 October 1992 – Because fatty acid composition of biliary phospholipids influences cholesterol secretion into bile, we investigated whether replacement of n‐1 monounsaturated or n‐6 polyunsaturated fatty acids with n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in biliary phosphatidylcholines reduces supersaturation with cholesterol and prevents precipitation of cholesterol crystals in bile of gallstone patients.

Jean‐François Dufour, Peter Gehr, Jürg Reichen – 1 October 1992 – To investigate the potential role of lysosomes in cirrhosis, we analyzed the activity of lysosomal enzymes in rats exposed long‐term to phenobarbital and carbon tetrachloride. The activity of lysosomal enzymes was markedly increased in the homogenate of cirrhotic livers (e.g., arylsulfatase 9 ± S.D.2 vs. 16 ± 6 nmoles · min−1 · mg−1 in control rats and cirrhotic rats, respectively; p < 0.001). The corresponding plasma levels were also increased (7 ± 1 vs.

José Eduardo de Salles Roselino, Orlando de Castro‐e‐silva, Reginaldo Ceneviva – 1 October 1992 – Previous studies indicated a role for ischemia in the metabolic changes induced by cholestasis. Liver pyruvate kinase is a key enzyme for the concurrent control of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis. In this experiment the control of pyruvate kinase activity was investigated in cholestatic rats. Pyruvate kinase kinetics changed from a sigmoidal type in sham‐operated rats to a hyperbolic type in obstructed rats.

Brendan J. R. Whittle, Salvador Moncada – 1 October 1992

1 October 1992

Massimo Puoti, Antonella Zonaro, Antonella Ravaggi, Maria Grazia Marin, Filippo Castelnuovo, Elisabetta Cariani – 1 October 1992 – Hepatitis C virus RNA, anti—hepatitis C virus immune response and biochemical markers of liver injury were investigated in 17 patients with acute non‐A, non‐B hepatitis. At the first observation, 1 to 3 wk from the clinical onset, all patients had hepatitis C virus RNA in their serum, and most (15 of 17) were positive for second‐generation anti—hepatitis C virus enzyme immunoassay. Follow‐up serum samples were available for 10 patients.