Jonathan L. Brown, William F. Carman, Howard C. Thomas – 1 January 1992 – Although HBV has a circular DNA genome that is partially double stranded, it replicates by means of an RNA intermediate. The process is catalyzed by a translation product of the polymerase open reading frame that has reverse transcriptase activity. The enzyme is found in association with the virion and achieves a high rate of nucleotide misincorporation during transcription because such enzymes lack proofreading activity.

Jorge J. Gumucio, Richard H. Moseley – 1 January 1992 – Previous studies in cultured rat hepatocytes revealed that initial uptake of sulfobromophthalein (BSP) was markedly reduced upon removal of Cl− from the medium. In the present study, unidirectional Cl− gradients were established in short‐term cultured rat hepatocytes and their effect on BSP uptake was determined. These investigations revealed that BSP uptake requires external Cl− and is not stimulated by unidirectional Cl− gradients, suggesting that BSP transport is not coupled to Cl− transport.

Raymond S. Koff – 1 January 1992

1 January 1992

Shinzaburo Noguchi, Yoshito Ohba, Takami Oka – 1 January 1992 – The influence of partial hepatectomy on epidermal growth factor receptor gene expression was studied in mouse liver. Epidermal growth factor receptor binding and epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA levels in the liver showed a rapid peak 8 hr after partial hepatectomy, whereas the sham operation had no effects on these levels. The peak epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA level was approximately threefold higher than preoperative values.

John J. Poterucha, Jorge Rakela, Lawrence Lumeng, Chao‐Hung Lee, Howard F. Taswell, Russell H. Wiesner – 1 January 1992 – Chronic hepatitis frequently occurs after liver transplantation. The role of hepatitis C virus infection in patients after liver transplantation is unknown, although antibodies to HCV are detected in some of these cases. The use of polymerase chain reaction techniques for the detection of hepatitis C virus RNA should improve sensitivity and specificity, particularly in these immunosuppressed patients.

Joaquim Ribeiro, Bernard Nordlinger, François Ballet, Luc Cynober, Colette Coudray‐Lucas, Marielle Baudrimont, Claire Legendre, Roland Delelo, Yves Panis – 1 January 1992 – The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of intrasplenic hepatocellular transplantation on hepatic encephalopathy in an experimental model of chronic liver failure induced by end‐to‐side portacaval shunt in the rat.

Hideki Hagiwara, Norio Hayashi, Eiji Mita, Keiji Ueda, Tetsuo Takehara, Akinori Kasahara, Hideyuki Fusamoto, Takenobu Kamada – 1 January 1992 – We tested serial serum samples for hepatitis C virus RNA from patients undergoing treatment for chronic hepatitis C with interferon‐α using an assay that combined reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction. The subjects studied were 20 patients with chronic hepatitis who had serum antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti‐C100–3).

Pierre J. A. Willemse, Lambert Ausema, Onno T. Terpstra, Eric P. Krenning, Fibo W. J. Ten Kate, Solko W. Schalm – 1 January 1992 – We studied the size of the liver graft and the host liver in six consecutive patients undergoing auxiliary heterotopic liver transplantation for chronic endstage liver disease. In all cases, a liver reduced in size by left lateral hepatectomy was inserted. The sizes of the graft and host liver were estimated by planimetry of two‐dimensional di‐isopropyl iminodiacetic acid scintigrams taken 3, 7, 21, 90 and 180 days after surgery.

Sanjeev Gupta, Jayanta Roy Chowdhury – 1 January 1992