Peter Schauder – 1 November 1988 – The effects of branched‐chain α‐ketoacids on flux through and activity state of the branched‐chain α‐ketoacid dehydrogenase complex were studied in hepatocytes prepared from chow‐fed, starved, and low‐protein‐diet‐fed rats. Very low concentrations of α‐ketoisocaproate caused a dramatic stimulation (50% activation at 20 μM) of α‐ketoisovalerate decarboxylation in hepatocytes from low‐protein‐fed rats. α‐Keto‐β‐methylvalerate was also effective, but less so than α‐ketoisocaproate.

Yolanta Kruszynska, Nicholas Williams, Michael Perry, Philip Home – 1 November 1988 – We have examined the hypothesis that insulin insensitivity in hepatic cirrhosis is related to abnormalities of glycogen deposition and skeletal muscle enzyme activities. Otherwise well patients with biopsy‐proven hepatic cirrhosis secondary to previous excess alcohol intake were studied.

Keith D. Lindor, Russell H. Wiesner, E. Rolland Dickson, Henry A. Homburger – 1 November 1988 – Blastogenesis of autoreactive T lymphocytes in the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction has been shown to be decreased in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, but the mechanisms underlying this abnormality are not known.

1 November 1988

Giacomo Laffi, Fabio Cominelli, Marco Ruggiero, Sandra Fedi, Vincenzo P. Chiarugi, Giorgio La Villa, Massimo Pinzani, Paolo Gentilini – 1 November 1988 – Hemorrhagic disorders are common in patients with liver cirrhosis and result from several factors including impaired platelet function. We evaluated platelet aggregation and arachidonic acid metabolism in response to standard agonists in platelet‐rich plasma from 12 cirrhotic patients with mild impairment of liver function (Child A), 12 patients with severe liver dysfunction (Child B and C) and 12 healthy subjects.

Carol A. Sattler, Norimasa Sawada, Gerald L. Sattler, Henry C. Pitot – 1 November 1988 – Primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes in a serum‐free medium were observed by time lapse cinematography to proceed through mitotis and cytokinesis. An ultrastructural study of these cultures is presented with electron micrographs of each stage of mitosis and cytokinesis. The cultured hepatocytes begin to enter prophase about 48 hr after plating and proceed through mitosis in approximately 70 min not including cytokinesis.

Gilles Pomier‐Layrargues, Pierre‐Michel Huet, Claire Infante‐Rivard, Jean‐Pierre Villeneuve, Denis Marleau, Lester Duguay, Serge Tanguay, Pierre Lavoie – 1 November 1988 – The objective of this study was to assess the prognostic value of spontaneous portosystemic shunting and liver function for survival and spontaneous hepatic encephalopathy after end‐to‐side portacaval shunt in cirrhotic patients. One hundred ninety‐eight patients with variceal hemorrhage as shown by endoscopy were evaluated.

Samuel S. Lee, Richard Moreau, Antoine Hadengue, Raimondo Cerini, Abraham Koshy, Didier Lebrec – 1 November 1988 – To delineate the circulatory effects of glucagon in cirrhosis, we infused two moderately supraphysiological doses of this hormone into 19 patients with cirrhosis and determined hemodynamic responses. Patients were divided into a group with good liver function (Pugh Class A, n = 8) and poorer function (Pugh Class B and C, n = 11). All patients received glucagon at 10 ng per kg per min for 20 min, then 20 ng per kg per min for a further 20 min.

Carmen Cabrero, Antonio Martin Duce, Pablo Ortiz, Susana Alemany, Jose M. Mato – 1 November 1988 – We have measured the activity of S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine synthetase, the ratio between the high‐ and low‐molecular‐weight forms of this enzyme and the concentration of S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine in liver biopsies from a group of controls (n = 6) and in six cirrhotics (five posthepatitic and one alcoholic). The total activity of S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine synthetase was markedly reduced in cirrhosis (37.5% of that found in the control group).

Howard L. Berman – 1 November 1988