Martin C. Carey – 1 September 1984 – This report describes a rigorous physical‐chemical approach to determine the solubilities of unconjugated bilirubin in model bile systems. In the absence of calcium ions, metastable and equilibrium solubilities can be obtained by acidimetric (HC1) titration of excess unconjugated bilirubin in aqueous solutions of simple and mixed conjugated bile salt micelles. The experiments must be performed with degassed water under argon, in dim light and at constant temperature and ionic strength.

Tse Wen Chang, Esteban Celis, Richard W. Miller, Vincent R. Zurawski, Patrick C. Kung – 1 September 1984 – Lymphocytes isolated from recipients of hepatitis B vaccine were studied for their immune response to HBsAg in vitro. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMs) from 70 to 80% of 40 vaccinees yielded proliferative indices larger than 2 after 5 to 7 days incubation with HBsAg. This in vitro proliferative response could be augmented by incubating the cells with HBsAg and supernatants of activated T cells for 2 weeks or longer.

Kenneth Holt, Michael Bennett, Mario Chojkier – 1 September 1984 – The mechanisms responsible for the increased hepatic collagen deposition in alcoholic cirrhosis remain unknown. The question of whether ethanol or acetaldehyde has a direct effect on collagen and noncollagen protein production was investigated in human fibroblasts with no detectable activity of alcohol dehydrogenase to distinguish the effects of these metabolites. To eliminate environmental factors, protein production by confluent human skin, fetal and hepatic fibroblasts was studied after three passages.

Georg Karlaganis, Jan SjÖVall – 1 September 1984

Norman B. Javitt – 1 September 1984

Martin C. Carey – 1 September 1984 – The hydrophilic‐hydrophobic balance of bile salt monomers can be readily quantified by their elution sequence during reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. Such studies have demonstrated that subtle variations in bile salt structure have profound effects on the hydrophilic‐hydrophobic balance of this important family of detergent‐like molecules. The common trihydroxy bile salt, cholate, is more hydrophilic than dihydroxy bile salts with alpha‐oriented OH groups.

Alan F. Hofmann – 1 September 1984

G. Donald Whedon, Alan F. Hofmann – 1 September 1984

Kurt A. Black, Viravan Virayotha, Thomas R. Tephly – 1 September 1984 – The exhalation of 14CO2 after the administration of [dimethylamino‐14C]aminopyrine to an organism is assumed to reflect the demethylation of aminopyrine by hepatic mixed‐function oxidase activity. The formaldehyde formed as a result of the demethylation of aminopyrine is then sequentially oxidized to formic acid and CO2.

Henry W. Kao, Mary Ashcavai, Allan G. Redeker – 1 September 1984 – Hepatitis A IgM antibody (IgM anti‐HAV), detected by commercially available solid‐phase radioimmunoassay, is an accepted marker of acute viral hepatitis A infection. However, persistence of this serological marker far beyond the acute illness and immediate convalescent period has been reported. To determine the persistence of IgM anti‐HAV following clinically manifest acute hepatitis A infection, 59 patients with this diagnosis were followed prospectively until this marker disappeared or persisted for greater than 60 days.