Jae‐Hag Lee, Teresa G. Paglieroni, Paul V. Holland, Jerome B. Zeldis – 1 July 1992 – Viral sequence and host immune response were investigated in an unusual, asymptomatic chronic hepatitis B virus carrier (human leukocyte antigen type A24, Bw61, Bw62, Bw6, DRw11, DRw52, DQw7) who was consistently nonreactive for antibody to HBc and had a normal ALT level over a 5‐yr study period. The precore and core region DNA sequences of virus isolated from his serum had seven silent mutations that resulted in no changes in the amino acid sequence of the adr HBsAg subtype.

Leena Ala‐Kokko, Volkmar Günzler, Jan B. Hoek, Emanuel Rubin, Darwin J. Prockop – 1 July 1992 – Liver fibrosis was induced in rats both with carbon tetrachloride and dimethylnitrosamine. Assays were performed on steady‐state levels of messenger RNAs in the liver for several collagens and basement membrane components. The results indicated marked increases in the steady‐state levels of messenger RNA for type I collagen, type III collagen, type IV collagen and the B2 component of laminin.

Wei Liao, Claes‐Henrik Florén – 1 July 1992 – The effects of endotoxins on the uptake and degradation of low‐density lipoproteins in Hep G2, a welldifferentiated human hepatoma cell line, were studied. The results showed that incubation of Hep G2 cells with125I‐labeled low‐density lipoprotein in the presence of endotoxins caused decreased uptake and degradation of125I‐labeled low‐density lipoprotein. The inhibitory effects of endotoxins on the uptake and degradation of125I‐labeled low‐density lipoprotein were dose and time dependent.

Giorgio La Villa, Roberto Giulio Romanelli, Vincenzo Casini Raggi, Cristina Tosti‐Guerra, Maria Laura De Feo, Fabio Marra, Giacomo Laffi, Paolo Geñtilini – 1 July 1992 – Plasma levels of brain natriuretic peptide, a recently identified cardiac hormone with natriuretic activity, were measured in 11 healthy subjects, 13 cirrhotic patients without ascites, 18 nonazotemic cirrhotic patients with ascites and 6 patients with cirrhosis, ascites and functional kidney failure.

Daniel S. Camara – 1 July 1992

Shigeru Yotsumoto, Mineo Kojima, Isao Shoji, Kayoko Yamamoto, Hiroaki Okamoto, Shunji Mishiro – 1 July 1992 – A precore defective variant of hepatitis B virus has been indicated to cause fulminant hepatitis in various instances such as intrahospital outbreaks or motherto‐child transmission of hepatitis B virus.

Gilles A. Morali, Sheldon W. Tobe, Karl L. Skorecki, Laurence M. Blendis – 1 July 1992 – We have previously shown that unresponsiveness to atrial natriuretic factor is a marker of the severity of ascites. The tubular mechanisms are unknown, but it seems that increased reabsorption of sodium proximal to the main site of action of atrial natriuretic factor (i.e., the inner medullary collecting duct) plays an important role. We attempted to decrease the proximal reabsorption of sodium with mannitol in patients unresponsive to atrial natriuretic factor.

Dieter H. Meyer, Nora Krull, Kevin L. Dreher, Axel M. Gressner – 1 July 1992 – The expression of genes encoding the core proteins of the novel small chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycans decorin and biglycan was studied in the livers of normal rats and in liver tissue during fibrogenesis induced by prolonged bile‐duct ligation and thioacetamide poisoning. The cell types responsible for the expression of these transcripts and some key regulatory factors were identified. Both biglycan and decorin messenger RNAs were detected in normal liver tissue.

Carol Ann Toth, Dr.Peter Thomas – 1 July 1992

Donald A. Antonioli – 1 July 1992