Shuhei Nishiguchi, Tetsuo Kuroki, Tsuneo Yabusako, Shuichi Seki, Kenzo Kobayashi, Takeyuki Monna, Shuzo Otani, Masami Sakurai, Toshio Shikata, Sukeo Yamamoto – 1 December 1991 – The relationship between alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis C virus was studied in 80 patients by searching for hepatitis C virus RNA with the polymerase chain reaction and by measuring hepatitis C virus antibodies.

Peter K. Mays, Robin McAnulty, Geoffrey J. Laurent – 1 December 1991 – Liver collagen levels are determined by a balance between synthesis and degradation, processes known to have rapid rates in growing animals. We report age‐related changes in liver collagen synthesis and degradation rates, as well as protein synthesis rates, in rats at five ages from 1 to 24 mo. Fractional collagen synthesis rates were determined after injection of [14C]proline with a flooding dose of unlabeled proline and its incorporation as hydroxy‐[14C]proline into proteins.

Roger L. Martin, Kenneth F. Ilett, Rodney F. Minchin – 1 December 1991 – Previous studies in which investigators have induced the rate of polyamine uptake in vitro have used either inhibitors of polyamine biosynthesis or growth factors that induce cell proliferation. Recently, however, we have described the induction of putrescine uptake in cultured adult mouse hepatocytes and have shown that uptake is independent of both intracellular polyamine levels and proliferation.

Peter A. Burke – 1 December 1991

Petra Steindl, Andreas Püspök, Wilfred Druml, Peter Ferenci – 1 December 1991 – Hepatic encephalopathy is ameliorated by drugs acting on the central GABAA‐benzodiazepine receptor complex.

Jonathan A. Leighton, Michael K. Bay, Alma L. Maldonado, Steven Schenker, K. Vincent Speeg – 1 December 1991 – Colchicine may have benefit in primary biliary cirrhosis and alcoholic liver disease. It is currently used in patients with impaired liver function, yet little is known about its elimination in such patients. Colchicine clearance in the rat is significantly impaired in various models of liver disease. To study this in human beings, colchicine pharmacokinetics were compared in normal subjects and patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

1 December 1991

1 November 1991

Christopher P. Day, Rumaisa Bashir, Oliver F. W. James, Margaret F. Bassendine, David W. Crabb, Holly R. Thomasson, Ting‐Kai Li, Howard J. Edenberg – 1 November 1991 – Little is known about factors determining individual susceptibility to the physical complications of alcohol abuse but genetically determined differences in ethanol metabolism may be important. The oxidative metabolism of alcohol is catalyzed by alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase.

Martina Sterneck, Russell Wiesner, Nancy Ascher, John Roberts, Linda Ferrell, Jurgen Ludwig, John Lake – 1 November 1991 – We report the first two cases of apparent azathioprine hepatotoxicity occurring after liver transplantation. The two patients exhibited jaundice, elevated serum transaminase activities and histopathological features of sinusoidal congestion and centrilobular hepatocellular degeneration 17 and 61 days after transplantation. After withdrawal of azathioprine, liver test results improved immediately in both patients.