Alexander L. Gerbes – 1 November 1989 – The effects of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) on splanchnic hemodynamics and renal function in portal hypertensive models are described incompletely. Furthermore, ANF‐induced vasodilatation and hypotension may limit the assessment of its own renal physiological effects. We infused ANF (human ANF 102‐126) to anesthetized portal vein‐ligated rats, a model with prehepatic portal hypertension. Arterial pressure was reduced by 17%, but portal pressure was unaffected.

Tateo Kawase, Shinzo Kato, Charles S. Lieber – 1 November 1989 – The effects of chronic ethanol feeding on hepatic lipid peroxidation, ascorbic acid, glutathione and vitamin E levels were investigated in rats fed low or adequate amounts of dietary vitamin E. Hepatic lipid peroxidation was significantly increased after chronic ethanol feeding in rats receiving a low‐vitamin E diet, indicating that dietary vitamin E is an important determinant of hepatic lipid peroxidation induced by chronic ethanol feeding.

Kentaro Yoshioka, Shinichi Kakumu, Motohiro Arao, Yasuhiko Tsutsumi, Masaki Inoue – 1 November 1989 – We investigated the production of tumor necrosis factor α by peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic liver disease and its association with hepatitis activity. Tumor necrosis factor α production was measured with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Michael A. Gerber – 1 November 1989

Mark J. Czaja, Francis R. Weiner, Shizuko Takahashi, Marie‐Adele Giambrone, Peter H. Der Van Meide, Huub Schellekens, Luis Biempica, Mark A. Zern – 1 November 1989 – Since interferons have been shown to affect the synthesis of matrix proteins such as collagen in several in vitro systems, the potential role of γ‐interferon in inhibiting hepatic fibrosis was investigated. Hepatic cells, consisting primarily of hepatocytes, were treated with recombinant γ‐interferon for 24 hr.

Francisco Guarner, John L. Wallace, Wallace K. Macnaughton, Geoffrey C. Ibbotson, Vicente Arroyo, Joan Rodés – 1 November 1989 – Systemic endotoxemia has been observed in patients with acute and chronic liver failure, and bacterial endotoxin is known to increase vascular permeability. We investigated in the normal rat the effects of intraportal endotoxin administration and the possible mediation of these effects by platelet‐activating factor.

Zhuhui Cai, Zhiqing Shi, Morris Sherman, Anthony M. Sun – 1 November 1989 – To determine the in vitro function of microencapsulated hepatocytes, viable hepatocytes were isolated from rats and encapsulated within biocompatible alginatepolylysine membranes for in vitro studies. Urea formation, prothrombin and cholinesterase activity, the incorporation of tritiated leucine into intracellular proteins and the immunolocation of synthesized albumin were monitored in culture.

Mary J. Ruwart, Karen F. Wilkinson, Bob D. Rush, Thomas J. Vidmar, Kenneth M. Peters, Keith S. Henley, Henry D. Appelman, Kiyoung Y. Kim, Detlef Schuppan, Eckert G. Hahn – 1 November 1989 – To determine whether a serum parameter of collagen metabolism, serum procollagen type III peptide, correlated with hepatic collagen in a model of diet‐induced fibrosis, rats were fed a control or cirrhogenic diet for 6 months and treated with either subcutaneous vehicle or the hepatoprotective prostaglandin 16,16‐dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (100 μg per kg) twice daily.

1 November 1989

James P. Nolan – 1 November 1989