Philippe Marteau, Olivier Chazouiléres, Anne Myara, Raymond Jian, Jean‐Claude Rambaud, Raoul Poupon – 1 November 1990 – The effect of long‐term administration of ursodeoxycholic acid on the ileal absorption of endogenous bile acids was determined using the tauro 23 (75Se) selena‐25 homotaurocholic acid test in a controlled double‐blind study involving healthy subjects (n = 15). Subjects received placebo or 13 to 15 mg/kg/day ursodeoxycholic acid for 5 wk.

Ieharu Hishinuma, Jun‐Ichi Nagakawa, Kazuo Hirota, Kaname Miyamoto, Kazuo Tsukidate, Takashi Yamanaka, Kou‐Ichi Katayama, Isao Yamatsu – 1 November 1990 – Intravenous injection of lipopolysaccharide and D‐galactosamine, at doses of 0.2 μg/kg and 800 mg/kg, respectively, elicited massive hepatic necrosis within 24 hr in C3H/HeN mice. The plasma L‐alanine aminotransferase (ALT, E.C. 2.6.1.2) or L‐aspartate aminotransferase (AST, E.C. 2.6.1.1) activities at this point reached more than 2,000 IU/L.

Jiřina Martínková, Josef Bulas, Vladimír Krejčí, Miroslav Hartman, Ivan Tilšer, Petr Hůlek – 1 November 1990 – We have studied the action of a series of vasoactive and antispasmodic agents on the intrahepatic vasoconstriction induced by adrenaline in the isolated perfused liver of rabbits. The arterial and portal venous resistance, oxygen consumption, liver weight and bile flow were investigated.

Yao Zhiqiang, Yang Weisong, Zhang Wenbin, Chen Yong, Yang Fengyi – 1 November 1990 – Current support or replacement therapies for fulminant acute hepatic failure are frequently very disappointing. In this study, human hepatic stimulator substance—a liver‐specific growth factor—was partially purified from human fetal liver cells and characterized by its biological effects. Almost 70‐fold protein content was purified with an approximately 80‐fold increase in specific growth stimulator activity.

Linda J. Scully, David Brown, Chris Lloyd, Ruvan Shein, Howard C. Thomas – 1 November 1990 – Lymphoblastoid interferon is effective therapy in some but not all patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. To assess whether immunological parameters were predictive of response to interferon therapy, we determined the human leukocyte antigen type, CD4/CD8 ratio, natural killer cell activity, IgM anti‐HBc antibody levels and concanavalin A—induced lymphocyte proliferative response in 30 patients before treatment.

Kai O. Lindros, Yuan Cai, Kai E. Penttilä – 1 November 1990 – The ethanol‐inducible form of cytochrome P‐450 (IIE1) is expressed and induced by ethanol, predominantly in the centrilobular region. Because this isoenzyme has a particularly high capacity to convert carbon tetrachloride and several other hepatotoxins into reactive intermediates, its role in producing damage was studied by comparing the effect of carbon tetrachloride exposure on hepatocytes isolated from either the periportal or the perivenous region by digitonin‐collagenase perfusion.

1 November 1990

Cihan Yurdaydin, Heide Hörtnagl, Petra Steindl, Christof Zimmermann, Christian Pifl, Ernst A. Singer, Erich Roth, Peter Ferenci – 1 October 1990 – Functional changes of various neurotransmitter systems have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. In this study the role of brain monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems in hepatic encephalopathy was investigated in rats with thioacetamide‐induced acute liver failure.

Fergus D. Davison, Elizabeth A. Fagan, Bernard Portmann, Roger Williams – 1 October 1990 – One patient with the fibrolamellar variant of hepatocellular carcinoma was found to be seropositive for HBsAg and anti‐HBe. DNA from tumor and nontumor areas of the liver was examined by molecular hybridization for hepatitis B virus DNA sequences. Undigested DNA from the tumor gave a high‐molecular‐weight smear, and restriction‐enzyme analysis indicated a single instance of integration. Nontumor liver tissue was analyzed from three separate areas.

1 October 1990