Paul Calès, Max Pierre‐Nicolas, Antonio Guell, Jean‐Louis Mauroux, Anne Franco‐Sempe, Jean‐Pierre Vinel, Gilles Geraud, Jean‐Pierre Pascal – 1 March 1989 – Since it has been suggested that propranolol could lead to hepatic encephalopathy, we undertook a study to assess the effects of propranolol on cerebral blood flow and cerebral functions. Sixteen patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and large esophageal varices and without major hepatic dysfunction (Child‐Pugh score <14) or previous hepatic encephalopathy were randomized to receive either propranolol or placebo.

Chia‐Ming Chu, Yun‐Fan Liaw, Chia C. Pao, Miau‐Ju Huang – 1 March 1989 – To study the etiology of acute hepatitis superimposed upon previously unrecognized asymptomatic HBsAg carriers, paired sera were collected in acute and convalescence phases for measurement of HBeAg, anti‐HBe, hepatitis B virus DNA and anti‐delta from 76 adult patients with acute hepatitis who were HBsAg positive but IgM anti‐HBc negative or positive only at low titer. None of them were IgM anti‐hepatitis A virus positive on admission.

Thomas D. Boyer – 1 March 1989

Ryan J. Huxtable – 1 March 1989 – Hepatic veno‐occlusive disease is the most frequent cause of hepatic vein obstruction in children. Only the small and medium veins are involved. The initial vascular lesion is endothelial edema, followed by phlebosclerosis and occlusion of the small vessels, leading to secondary necrosis of liver cells, progressive fibrosis, and ultimately cirrhosis. The disease was first recognized in Jamaica in 1954, and subsequently reported from other parts of the world.

Morris Sherman, Tim J. Harrison – 1 March 1989

Antoon F. M. Moorman, Jacqueline L. M. Vermeulen, Robert Charles, Wouter H. Lamers – 1 March 1989 – Immunohistochemical analysis of human liver (8 to 94 years) shows a compartmentation of ammonia‐metabolizing enzymes across the acinus. The highest concentration of carbamoylphosphate synthetase (ammonia) is found in the parenchymal cells around the terminal portal venules. Glutamine synthetase is found in a small pericentral compartment two to three cells thick.

Massimo Colombo, Roberto de Franchis, Maurizio Tommasini, Angelo Sangiovanni, Nicola Dioguardi – 1 March 1989 – To assess the efficacy of β‐blockers in preventing rebleeding in selected cirrhotic patients and to compare the tolerance, safety and patient compliance of a selective and a nonselective β‐blocker, 94 patients were randomly assigned to propranolol (32 patients), atenolol (32 patients) or placebo (30 patients). Randomization was made at least 15 days after the bleeding episode.

Brent E. Korba, Frances V. Wells, Betty Baldwin, Paul J. Cote, Bud C. Tennant, Hans Popper, John L. Gerin – 1 March 1989 – During long‐term studies of the natural history of woodchuck hepatitis virus infection, five cases of histologically confirmed, primary hepatocellular carcinoma were observed in a total of 92 woodchucks which had recovered, by analysis of viral serologic markers (WHsAG−, anti‐WHc+, anti‐WHs+), from experimental acute woodchuck hepatitis virus infections 20 to 30 months prior to the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Kevin D. Mullen, Arthur J. McCullough – 1 March 1989

Norman A. Mazer – 1 March 1989 – We have developed a simple method to quantitate cholesterol nucleation promoting activity in bile. The method makes use of the fact that gallbladder bile of cholesterol gallstone patients contains potent nucleation promoting activity. Gallbladder bile samples were serially diluted, routinely from 1/25 to 1/6,400. The diluted samples were mixed with a supersaturated model bile and the nucleation time (NT) of the mixtures was determined.