Francesco M. Cetta – 1 May 1986 – Findings in two patients having brown pigment bile stones, recurrent 18 and 36 months after cholecystectomy, are reported. Present data suggest that bile infection precedes rather than follows the formation of brown stones. The present data are part of a prospective study of 600 consecutive patients who underwent operation for gallstones and in whom clinical and laboratory findings, intra‐ and postoperative bile culture and bile pH were related to the analysis of stone composition by X‐ray diffractometry and infrared spectroscopy.

Yang‐Te Tsai, Chii‐Shyan Lay, Kwok‐Hung Lai, Wai‐Wah Ng, Yeong‐Shyan Yeh, Jiin‐Yu Wang, Teun‐Tzong Chiang, Shou‐Dong Lee, Benjamin N. Chiang, Kwang‐Juei Lo – 1 May 1986 – Thirty‐nine patients admitted during a 16‐month period for acute bleeding from varices confirmed by emergency endoscopy were randomized to receive either continuous intravenous infusions of vasopressin alone (0.66 units per min) (Group I: 19 patients) or vasopressin plus sublingual nitroglycerin (0.6 mg every 30 min for 6 hr) (Group II: 20 patients).

Shou‐Dong Lee, Kwang‐Juei Lo, Jaw‐Ching Wu, Yang‐Te Tsai, Jiin‐Yu Wang, Ling‐Pai Ting, Myron J. Tong – 1 May 1986 – Sera from 108 HBsAg carrier mothers at delivery and their respective offspring at birth and at 6 months of age were examined for hepatitis B virus DNA by the dot‐blot hybridization technique. Hepatitis B virus DNA was detected in 83% of 88 carrier mothers who were HBeAg positive, and in 10% of 20 carrier mothers who were HBeAg negative.

Leo Ranek – 1 May 1986 – We studied susceptibility to halothane hepatitis with an in vitro test that detects cell damage from electrophilic drug intermediates. Metabolites of phenytoin were generated by incubation of phenytoin with rat hepatic microsomes in the presence of the epoxide hydrolase inhibitor 1,1,1‐trichloropropene oxide (TCPO), which prevents the further metabolism of phenytoin to an inert metabolite.

William F. Bosron, Ting‐Kai Li – 1 May 1986 – It is now widely accepted that the various pharmacologic and addictive consequences of alcohol consumption are related to the tissue concentration of ethanol or its metabolic products. The oxidative metabolism of ethanol in liver is principally catalyzed by alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Both of these enzymes exist in multiple molecular forms, and genetic models have been proposed to account for the multiplicity of isoenzymes.

Valentin Cuervas‐Mons, A. Julio Martinez, Andrew Dekker, Thomas E. Starzl, David H. Van Thiel – 1 May 1986 – One hundred twenty‐nine adult patients who received an orthotopic liver transplantation and survived at least 24 hr after surgery were evaluated. During the period of follow‐up, 48 of the 129 patients (37%) died. Only 40 of these 48 patients died at our institution and were included in this study.

W. Graham, E. Cooksley, Robin A. Bradbear, William Robinson, Mark Harrison, June W. Halliday, Lawrie W. Powell, Han‐Seung Ng, Chen‐Siang Seah, Kunio Okuda, Peter J. Scheuer, Sheila Sherlock – 1 May 1986 – Sixty‐nine patients with chronic active hepatitis without cirrhosis were studied to define the prognostic implications of bridging necrosis of various types. There were 19 patients without bridging necrosis compared with 50 patients with bridging necrosis. The two groups did not differ significantly at presentation in age, sex, clinical or laboratory features.

Adrian Reuben – 1 May 1986

J. Michael Henderson, Mark A. Codner, Bettye Hollins, Michael H. Kutner, Alfred H. Merrill – 1 May 1986 – This study established the fasting plasma and urine profiles of vitamin B6 in cirrhotics and assessed the response to an oral dose of pyridoxine. High‐performance liquid chromatography was used to measure all vitameric coenzymatic and degradatory forms.

Chi‐Woon Kong, Chii‐Shyan Lay, Yang‐Te Tsai, Ching‐Lan Yeh, Kwok‐Hung Lai, Shou‐Dong Lee, Kwang‐Juei Lo, Benjamin N. Chiang – 1 May 1986 – Wedged hepatic venous pressure, free hepatic venous pressure and cardiac index were measured before and 1 hr after i.v. administration as well as 1 month and 3 months after chronic oral administration of verapamil in 10 patients with HBsAg‐positive cirrhosis.