Jay W. Marks – 1 May 1988 – The goal of this study was to identify the structural and compositional features of human gallstones that influence in vitro gallstone dissolution in the cholesterol solvent monooctanoin. Gallstones were obtained from 86 consecutive patients who had at least three morphologically similar stones. One stone from each patient was dissolved in ethanol/ether to determine cholesterol and matrix composition. The remaining two matched stones were dissolved in either monoctanoin plus ethanol (n = 86) or monooctanoin plus 2‐mercaptoethanol (n = 86).

Stephanos J. Hadziyannis – 1 May 1988 – A controlled trial of lymphoblastoid interferon versus no therapy in patients positive for HBsAg, HBeAg and DNA polymerase activity with separate randomisation for sexual preference and histology is underway. Thirty‐two patients have been followed for a minimum period of 6 months of whom 15 have been randomised to receive interferon thrice weekly for 6 months after a 5‐day induction phase.

Ulrich Spengler, Gerd R. Pape, Robert M. Hoffmann, Judith P. Johnson, Josef Eisenburg, Gustav Paumgartner, Gert Riethmüller – 1 May 1988 – To study the expression of MHC Class II subregion gene products on biliary epithelial cells in primary biliary cirrhosis, frozen sections from liver biopsies of 15 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were studied immunohistochemically using HLA‐D subregion specific monoclonal antibodies L243 (HLA‐DR), Leu10 (HLA‐DQ) and B7/21 (HLA‐DP).

Pere Ginès, Wladimiro Jiménez, Vicente Arroyo, Miquel Navasa, Clara López, Llúcia Titó, Antoni Serra, Jaime Bosch, Ginès Sanz, Francisca Rivera, Joan Rodés – 1 May 1988 – The aim of this study was to determine the plasma levels, cardiac release and splanchnic extraction of atrial natriuretic factor in cirrhosis with ascites. The plasma concentration of immunoreactive atrial natriuretic factor in samples obtained from an antecubital vein was measured in 18 healthy volunteers and in 35 cirrhotics with ascites.

David S. Zimmon – 1 May 1988 – Original Gianturco expandable stents and their modifications were used to create an experimental intra‐hepatic portacaval anastomosis (EIPCA) in 30 young domestic swine without portal hypertension. The study focused on the design of a suitable stent, the technique of its application, the the evaluation of short‐term patency of the EIPCA. A stent with a 2.5‐cm‐long body and wire skirts on both ends was most suitable for EIPCA creation.

M. Lombard, W. Vogel, A. Bomford, R. Williams, R. Sciot, J. J. Van Den Ord, V. J. Desmet, G. Gerken, M. Manns, G. Ramadori, K.‐H. Meyer zum Büschenfelde, I. Ghadiminejad, H. Baum, Şinasi Özsoylu – 1 May 1988

Martin Hoerner, Ursula J. Behrens, Theresa M. Worner, Ileen Blacksberg, Lawrence F. Braly, Fenton Schaffner, Charles S. Lieber – 1 May 1988 – We recently presented preliminary data indicating the presence of antibodies against acetaldehyde adducts in sera of over 70% of alcoholic patients. To assess the respective roles of liver disease and alcohol consumption as well as the specificity of this immune response, 141 patients in various stages of alcoholic and nonalcoholic liver diseases were tested by a hemagglutination assay.

Rolf Joeres, Hartwig Klinker, Hermann Heusler, Johannes Epping, Walter Zilly, Ernst Richter – 1 May 1988 – The effect of smoking on caffeine elimination was measured in 7 healthy volunteers and in 18 smoking and in 30 nonsmoking patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis following oral application of 366 mg caffeine. In an intraindividual experiment in smoking healthy probands, caffeine clearance decreased from 118 ± 33 to 77 ± 22 ml per min (p < 0.05) after abstaining cigarette smoking for 3 weeks.

Jacques Metzger, Srinath P. Dore, Bernhard H. Lauterburg – 1 May 1988 – Oxygen‐derived free radicals might play a role in the injury produced by reperfusion of ischemic organs. Since the generation of reactive oxygen species results in an increased formation of glutathione disulfide, we have attempted to document an oxidant stress during reperfusion of ischemic liver by following the hepatic production of glutathione disulfide in vivo and in the perfused rat liver.

Frieder Berr, Frans Stellaard, Alwin Goetz, Claus Hammer, Gustav Paumgartner – 1 May 1988 – The mechanism of ethinylestradiol‐induced biliary secretion of excess cholesterol, a potential causative factor of cholesterol gallstones, is not yet known. It might be related to altered bile acid metabolism, since the rate of cholesterol and phospholipid secreted into bile is thought to be influenced by the hydrophobicity of the bile acid species secreted.