Eric Bercoff, Christian Bataille, Alexandre E. Pariente, Dominique Valla, Brigitte Delhotal, Didier Lebrec – 1 May 1984 – Fourteen patients with cirrhosis and bleeding esophageal varices were treated with propranolol. The dose of propranolol was determined by decreasing the resting heart rate by 25% 12 hr after an oral dose of propranolol which was given twice a day. Significant decreases in the hepatic venous pressure gradient and cardiac output after 1 month of propranolol administration was observed.

Didier Lebrec, Thierry Poynard, Jacques Bernuau, Eric Bercoff, Olivier Nouel, Jean‐Pierre Capron, Raoul Poupon, Michel Bouvry, Bernard Rueff, Jean‐Pierre Benhamou – 1 May 1984 – We have previously reported the results of a controlled trial showing that continuous oral administration of propranolol reduced the risk of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis; only part of our patients had been followed for 1 year. This controlled trial was continued for an additional year; accordingly, all of our patients have now been followed for at least 2 years.

Carlo H. Tamburro, Laszlo Mark, Hans Popper – 1 May 1984 – Focal hepatocellular hyperplasia and focal mixed (hepatocytes and sinusoidal cells) hyperplasia are early histological alterations indicative of vinyl monomer exposure. To evaluate their uses in screening chemical workers, 93 liver biopsy specimens from 78 persons were examined in double‐blind duplicative fashion. Forty‐eight specimens were from exposed chemical workers, 35 of them having liver biopsy(ies) for hepatic test abnormalities and 13 for nonliver‐related reasons.

Masahiro Asaka, Tamotsu Miyazaki, F. Blaine Hollinger, Elliot Alpert – 1 May 1984 – A solid‐phase, noncompetitive radioimmunoassay has been developed for aldolase B in human serum and tissues. Aldolase B was purified from human liver, and specific antisera to purified aldolase B were obtained from chickens. Specific antihuman aldolase B IgG was purified by affinity chromatography. Disposable polypropylene plates were coated with affinity purified specific IgG antibody and used for radioimmunoassay with 125I‐specific IgG antibody to aldolase B.

Lola M. Reid, Douglas M. Jefferson – 1 May 1984

Harold O. Conn – 1 May 1984

Geoffry Kent – 1 May 1984

Charles S. Davidson – 1 May 1984

D. Paul Cleland, T. Carl Bartholomew, Barbara H. Billing – 1 May 1984 – The effect of bile duct ligation for 5 days on the hepatic transport of sulfated and nonsulfated bile acids was studied. Tracer doses of radioactive bile acids [3H]taurochenodeoxycholate‐3‐sulfate [3H]chenodeoxycholate‐3‐sulfate, [3H]taurochenodeoxycholic acid and [14C]taurocholic acid were injected 90 min after relief of obstruction when the plasma total bile acid concentration had reverted to normal.

Kwesi N. Tsiquaye, Tim J. Harrison, Bernard Portmann, Shanlian Hu, Arie J. Zuckerman – 1 May 1984 – Two hepatitis B virus carrier chimpanzees which were superinfected with hepatitis A virus developed acute hepatitis followed by the production of antibodies to hepatitis A virus. The Southern blot technique employed to monitor liver hepatitis B virus DNA revealed that the amount of viral DNA in both animals was significantly reduced during the acute phase of hepatitis A infection. The levels of plasma hepatitis B DNA polymerase activity were also reduced in one chimpanzee.