P Jouet, A Meyrier, F Mal, P Callard, C Guettier, D Stordeur, J Trinchet, M Beaugrand – 1 November 1996 – When renal lesions are suspected in patients with cirrhosis, clotting disorders often preclude percutaneous renal biopsy. This study was undertaken to determine whether transjugular renal biopsy is possible, safe, and useful in such patients. From 1987 to 1994, 70 patients with cirrhosis and clotting disorders underwent transjugular renal biopsies, providing renal tissue in 55.

T Adachi, S Nakashima, S Saji, T Nakamura, Y Nozawa – 1 November 1996 – Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) activated phospholipase D (PLD) in primary‐cultured rat hepatocytes, as assessed by the formation of phosphatidylbutanol (PBut), a specific and stable product of PLD activity in the presence of 0.3% butanol. PLD hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine to choline and phosphatidic acid (PA), which is further metabolized to diacylglycerol (DG) by PA phosphohydrolase (PAP). In HGF‐stimulated hepatocytes, butanol prevented the formation of PA and DG.

Rahul M. Jindal, N. Harris, Huey M. McDaniel, Glen Lehman, Stuart Sherman – 1 November 1996 – Choledochal cysts have generally been described to communicate with the biliary system. We recently saw three adult patients in whom we could not demonstrate biliary communication between the cyst and the biliary tree, despite a carefully performed endoscopic cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). These cases may represent a variant of type II choledochal cysts.

T Shaw, S S Mok, S A Locarnini – 1 November 1996 – The deoxyguanosine analog penciclovir (PCV; 9‐[4‐hydroxy‐3‐hydroxymethyl‐but‐1‐yl]guanine), has shown potent antiviral activity against herpes viruses and hepadnaviruses. Efficacy against chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been demonstrated in an animal model and in recent clinical trials of famciclovir, the oral form of PCV.

S Zhou, N A Terrault, L Ferrell, J A Hahn, J Y Lau, P Simmonds, J P Roberts, J R Lake, N L Ascher, T L Wright – 1 November 1996 – Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b has been reported to be associated with more severe posttransplantation liver disease than infection with non‐1b genotypes. To address this issue, we evaluated the outcome in 124 patients who underwent liver transplantation for chronic HCV infection. The HCV genotype and/or serotype responsible for infection was determined by four different methods.

A J Czaja, F Cassani, M Cataleta, P Valentini, F B Bianchi – 1 November 1996 – Antibodies to actin have been proposed as diagnostic markers for type 1 autoimmune hepatitis. Our aims were to determine (1) if testing for antibodies to actin is superior to testing for smooth muscle antibodies (SMA); (2) if these antibodies identify patients with distinctive clinical features; and (3) if the production of antibodies to actin is associated with genetic risk factors for autoimmune hepatitis. Sera from 99 patients with type 1 autoimmune hepatitis were tested.

I Kurose, S Miura, H Higuchi, N Watanabe, Y Kamegaya, M Takaishi, K Tomita, D Fukumura, S Kato, H Ishii – 1 November 1996 – Kupffer cells have been implicated in playing an important role in the pathogenesis of endotoxemia‐associated liver injury. The present study was designed to investigate whether Kupffer cell‐derived mediators alter the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation of hepatocytes in the endotoxemic condition. Liver cells were isolated from male Wistar rats.

F Nomura, M Noda, M Miyake, T Nakai – 1 November 1996 – Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐ribosylation is a posttranslational protein modification that, in turn, alters several regulatory proteins in mammalian cells. We demonstrated that long‐term alcohol intake enhanced the ADP‐ribosylation of a 58‐kd protein in rat liver plasma membranes. To assess the biological significance of this phenomenon, we partially purified the 58‐kd acceptor protein from solubilized rat liver homogenates by two sequential preparative high‐pressure liquid chromatographies.

R A Weisiger, D C Rockey – 1 November 1996

K L Lindsay, G L Davis, E R Schiff, H C Bodenheimer, L A Balart, J L Dienstag, R P Perrillo, C H Tamburro, J S Goff, G T Everson, M Silva, W N Katkov, Z Goodman, J Y Lau, G Maertens, J Gogate, B Sanghvi, J Albrecht – 1 November 1996 – To evaluate response rates to 3, 5, or 10 million units (MU) of interferon alfa‐2b, given thrice weekly, and to determine whether higher doses of interferon increase the likelihood or durability of the response, a multicenter, randomized trial was performed at nine academic medical centers in the United States.