Amador Schuller, José A. Solis‐Herruzo, Jorge Moscat, J. C. Fernandez‐Checa, Angel M. Municio – 1 July 1986 – The physical properties of cell membranes play an important role in cellular homeostasis. Previous studies with animal models have shown that the hepatocyte membrane fluidity has important effects in cellular function. In order to further investigate the relationship between physical properties of membranes and liver disease, the present study was performed. Twenty‐nine patients with different degrees of liver injury and 10 control individuals were studied.

Roger Williams – 1 July 1986 – The analgesic effect, toxicity and kinetics of oral paracetamol were compared with those of paracetamol + l‐methionine (5:1). The analgesic effect of paracetamol, studied in the Randall‐Selitto test in rats, was not changed by methionine: ED50 was 94.6 mg/kg without methionine and 94.1 mg/kg with it. However, methionine reduced the acute toxicity (LD50) of paracetamol by 50% (p < 0.05) in non‐fasted, fasted and phenobarbital‐pre‐treated mice.

Paul Weber, Judith Brenner, Ernst Stechemesser, Reinhild Klein, Ulrike Weckenmann, Günter Klöppel, Manfred Kirchhof, Volker Fintelmann, Peter A. Berg – 1 July 1986 – A new complement‐fixing antimitochondrial antibody–anti‐M8–was detected in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Anti‐M8 was only found in association with anti‐M2, however, not all anti‐M2 positive patients had anti‐M8.

Mikio Hikata, Katsumi Tachibana, Mitsunobu Imai, Shigeko Naito, Akira Oinuma, Fumio Tsuda, Yuzo Miyakawa, Makoto Mayumi – 1 July 1986 – Solid‐phase radioimmunoassays using monoclonal antibodies were used to assay antibody to hepatitis B core antigen of immunoglobulin A class in terms of polymeric and monomeric forms, as well as of IgA1 and IgA2 subclasses, in the serum of persons infected with hepatitis B virus.

Juan J. Díaz‐Gil, Gonzalo Sánchez, Luis Santamaría, Carolina Trilla, Paloma Esteban, Pedro Escartín – 1 July 1986 – A liver DNA synthesis promoter activity was detected in human plasma from subjects with hepatitis. The assay procedure consisted of intraperitoneal injection into mice of aliquots of plasma, previously chromatographed on Sephadex G‐25. After 24 hr, [3H]thymidine was injected and its incorporation into liver DNA measured.

K. W. O'Connor – 1 July 1986 – A model has been developed for ordering diagnostic tests in jaundiced patients. The system proceeds in two steps: (i) diagnostic hypotheses are calculated for each patient from the results of physical examination and routine biological investigations; (ii) given these hypotheses, the most efficient test (out of 22) for reaching the final diagnosis is selected using four criteria: diagnostic value, risk, financial cost, and time in obtaining the result. This model was tested in 62 patients.

Harold O. Conn – 1 July 1986 – Immersion in water in spas has been practised for centuries and has many proponents. Despite fierce debate about its efficacy there has been little scientific evaluation of the effect of immersion in mineral waters. Eight normal subjects were immersed in Bath spa water for two hours and the renal, haematological, and cardiovascular responses were compared with those in the control periods before and after immersion.

Michael C. Kew, Yumiko Fujita, Hiroshi Takahashi, Ann Coppins, Jack R. Wands – 1 July 1986 – Serum from 221 black patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was tested for HBsAg using a polyclonal radioimmunoassay, and first and second generation monoclonal radioimmunoassays designated M1‐RIA and M2‐RIA. These monoclonal radioimmunoassays have a lower limit of detection of about 55 and 15 pg of HBsAg‐associated epitopes per ml of serum. Correlations were made with other hepatitis B virus serologic markers such as anti‐HBc and anti‐HBs, using polyclonal radioimmunoassays.

Edna Ben‐Porath, Lea Hornstein, Jerome Zeldis, Jacob Nahmias, Mignon Gruia, Batia Bilgoray, Yehudit Satinger – 1 July 1986 – We assessed infection with hepatitis B virus in 357 Ethiopians who immigrated to Israel. Hepatitis B virus infection, as measured by the presence in the serum of HBsAg, anti‐HBs, or anti‐HBc, started at an early age (35% at the age of 1 to 4 years) and reached an overall rate of 98% in individuals over 40 years old. A high rate of HBsAg antigenemia in the young age group (19% at the age of 1 to 8 years) was associated with HBeAg and serum hepatitis B virus DNA.

Jaime Bosch, José M. Bordas, Joaquín Rigau, Carmen Viola, Ricardo Mastai, David Kravetz, Miguel Navasa, Joan Rodés – 1 July 1986 – Measurements of variceal pressure with a noninvasive endoscopic pressure gauge and by direct variceal puncture were performed in 20 cirrhotic patients with portal hypertension in the course of the first session of therapeutic sclerotherapy following an episode of variceal bleeding.