Hepatitis B surface antigen binds to human serum albumin cross‐linked by transglutaminase

Swan N. Thung, De‐Fa Wang, Thomas M. Fasy, Andrew Hood, Michael A. Gerber – 1 May 1989 – It has been postulated that polymerized human serum albumin may play a role in the infection of hepatocytes by hepatitis B virus, because both the envelope of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg) and hepatocytes exhibit binding activity for human serum albumin after cross‐linking by glutaraldehyde.

Elevated levels of 2′,5′‐oligoadenylate synthetase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum during acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B

Michiko Shindo, Tadao Okuno, Ken Arai, Masayuki Matsumoto, Makoto Takeda, Tatsuro Takino, Yoshihiro Sokawa – 1 May 1989 – We measured 2′,5′‐oligoadenylate synthetase activity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and serum of 14 HBsAg‐ and HBeAg‐positive patients with chronic hepatitis B with or without acute exacerbation.

Hepatic vascular toxicity of dacarbazine (DTIC): Not a rare complication

John C. Marsh – 1 May 1989 – A fatal massive hepatic necrosis with widespread thrombotic occlusion of the small hepatic veins developed in two of 68 patients treated with DTIC for advanced melanoma in a randomized study. Thirteen similar reactions, in patients treated with single‐agent DTIC, are reported in the literature. Several clinical and pathologic features distinguish this DTIC toxicity from Budd‐Chiari syndrome and veno‐occlusive disease (both well‐known types of possibly drug‐related hepatic vascular disease) and make it a distinctive syndrome.

What is the place of laser lithotripsy in the treatment of common bile duct stones?

T. Saurebruch – 1 May 1989 – Endoscopic retrograde laser lithotripsy of common bile duct stones is a new technique which can be carried out through the endoscope without anaesthesia using ordinary endoscopic equipment. In the method described here a flashlamp pulsed Neodymium YAG laser (wave length 1064mm) was used. Light energy was transmitted along a highly flexible quartz fibre with a diameter of 0.2mm. This new technique was used in nine patients with concrements in the common bile duct, which could not be removed with the established endoscopic techniques.

Expression of different members of heat shock protein 70 gene family in liver and hepatomas

Gaetano Cairo, Luisa Schiaffonati, Emilia Rappocciolo, Lorenza Tacchini, Aldo Bernelli‐Zazzera – 1 May 1989 – The levels of expression of some genes of the HSP 70 family have been assessed in rat liver and in a series of transplantable hepatomas with different growth rates, subjected to heat shock in vivo. For this purpose, the mRNAs for the constitutive cognate HSC 73, the heat‐inducible HSP 70 and the glucose‐regulated GRP 78 have been analyzed by: (i) translation in reticulocyte lysates; (ii) hybrid‐selected translation, and (iii) Northern blot analysis.

Cytoskeletal organization and functional changes in monocytes from patients with chronic hepatitis B: Relationship with viral replication

Jesús Prieto, Alberto Castilla, María‐Luisa Subirá, Manuel Serrano, Susana Morte, María‐pilar Civeira – 1 May 1989 – Monocytes play an important role in the initiation and regulation of the antiviral immune response. These cells have a dense framework of intermediate filaments composed of vimentin monomers.

The liver and IgA: Immunological, cell biological and clinical implications

William R. Brown, Thomas M. Kloppel – 1 May 1989 – Secretory immunoglobulin A is the characteristic and predominant immunoglobulin of the mucosal immune system; it participates in immunological protection at the level of mucous membrane surfaces. During the past 10 to 15 years, a great deal of experimental and clinical evidence has shown that the liver is very much involved in the sIgA system.

Sexual behavior in women with nonalcoholic liver disease

Nancy Bach, Fenton Schaffner, Barbara Kapelman – 1 May 1989 – Sexual behavior in women with liver disease was examined in 150 women to determine whether liver disease influenced sexual desire, frequency or performance. The average age of women studied was 53 years (range: 26 to 76 years), and a wide variety of liver diseases were represented. Sexual desire was reduced in 33%. Difficulty in becoming sexually aroused was noted by 18%. Orgasm during intercourse was not experienced by 25%. The frequency of sexual intercourse decreased since onset of disease in 27%.

Serum type III procollagen peptide and laminin (Lam‐P1) detect alcoholic hepatitis in chronic alcohol abusers

Giorgio Annoni, Massimo Colombo, Maria Cristina Cantaluppi, Boutros Khlat, Pietro Lampertico, Marcos Rojkind – 1 May 1989 – The diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis is difficult to establish by conventional clinical and laboratory methods, and a firm diagnosis relies on liver histology. Since there are severe limitations in following patients with repeated liver biopsies, noninvasive procedures are needed to assess the presence of alcoholic hepatitis in chronic alcohol abusers.

Subscribe to