Telfer B. Reynolds – 1 July 1991 – In a double‐blind randomized trial, the hemodynamic events following the administration of propranolol (n = 51) or a placebo (n = 51) were prospectively studied in cirrhotic patients with esophageal varices. The hepatic venous pressure gradient, heart rate, and variceal size were determined at the baseline and 3, 12, and 24 months after the beginning of therapy. Baseline values were similar in both groups.

Pei‐Jer Chen, Meei‐Hua Lin, Su‐Jen Tu, Ding‐Shinn Chen – 1 July 1991 – To clone and characterize hepatitis C virus strains present in Taiwan, RNA was extracted from liver tissue collected from a patient during the acute phase of posttransfusion non‐A, non‐B hepatitis. RNA was then subjected to complementary DNA synthesis and the polymerase chain reaction, using primers derived from the original nucleotide sequence of the United States hepatitis C virus strain.

Corinne Vons, Jean‐Paul Pegorier, Jean Girard, Claude Kohl, Marie‐Agnès Ivanov, Dominique Franco – 1 June 1991 – The effects of pancreatic hormones and cyclic AMP on long‐chain fatty‐acid metabolism were investigated in human hepatocytes isolated from 12 liver biopsy specimens and cultured for 4 days in an insulin‐free medium. Glucagon (10−6 mol/L) increased endogenous ketone body production by 150%. This resulted from alterations in the partition of long‐chain fatty acids from esterification toward oxidation.

Domenico Alvaro, Mario Angelico, Alfredo Cantafora, Eugenio Gaudio, Claudia Gandin, Maria Teresa Santini, Roberta Masella, Livo Capocaccia – 1 June 1991 – The intravenous administration of dimethylethanolamine in the rat promotes a selective enrichment of liver membranes with polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines. The effect of dimethylethanolamine pretreatment on cholestasis induced by estradiol 17β‐D‐glucuronide, a potent cholestatic agent, was assessed in this study. Dimethylethanolamine, dissolved in sodium‐taurocholate was infused intravenously (0.3 mg/kg/min) for 15 hr.

Mercedes Ruiz‐Moreno, Maria José Rua, Josefina Molina, Gloria Moraleda, Alberto Moreno, Jaime García‐aguado, Vicente Carréño – 1 June 1991 – Thirty‐six children with chronic hepatitis B were entered into a randomized controlled trial of recombinant human interferon‐α All patients had hepatitis B virus DNA and increased levels of aminotransferases in serum for at least 1 yr. Twelve children received 10 MU of interferon‐α 2b/m2 body surface area three times a week (group I); 12 children received 5 MU/m2 under the same conditions (group II); and 12 children served as controls (group III).

Damrong Ratanasavanh, Philippe Beaune, Fabrice Morel, Jean‐Pierre Flinois, F. Peter Guengerich, Andre Guillouzo – 1 June 1991 – We have used immunohistochemical, immunoblotting and messenger RNA blotting approaches to study the distribution and quantitation of three cytochrome P‐450 enzymes, namely P‐450 IA2, P‐450 IIC and P‐450 IIIA and, for comparison, epoxide hydrolase and NADPH‐cytochrome P‐450 reductase in human liver.

Serge Fratté, Jean‐Louis Gendrault, Anne‐Marie Steffan, André Kirn – 1 June 1991 – University of Wisconsin solution greatly lengthens the time liver storage is possible compared with all previous solutions used. To test whether this improvement is related to better preservation of the endothelial cell, which is thought to be the most vulnerable cell type in cold storage, we compared time‐related ultrastructural changes in rat livers stored in this solution or in Euro‐Collins solution. Rat livers were harvested after combined arterial and portal perfusion with the cold‐storage solution.

Thierry Coche, Xavier Deroubaix, Eric Depiereux, Ernest Feytmans – 1 June 1991 – We used compartmental modeling to describe taurocholate transport by isolated rat liver cells in suspension. Cells are preincubated in the presence of unlabeled taurocholate. When a steady‐state for taurocholate is reached, radiolabeled taurocholate is added to the medium and its exchange kinetics between the medium and the cells are followed over time. Because the studies are performed under steady‐state conditions, the kinetics can be described by linear compartmental models.

Hyman Zimmerman – 1 June 1991

James Neuberger – 1 June 1991 – The new immunosuppressive drug FK 506 was used from the outset with low doses of prednisone to treat 120 recipients of primary liver grafts and 20 more patients undergoing liver retransplantation. The patient survival rate after 2 to 8 months in the primary liver transplantation series is 93.3%, with original graft survival of 87.5%. Of the 20 patients in the hepatic retransplant series, 17 (85%) are living. Almost all of the surviving patients have good liver function.