Julio Vorobioff, Eduardo Picabea, Marcelo Gamen, Roberto Villavicencio, Juan Bordato, Fernando Bessone, Hugo Tanno, Jorge Palazzi, Hector Sarano, Luisa Pozzoli, Roberto Sanchez, Ricardo Giordano – 1 September 1993 – The long‐term hemodynamic and renal effects of propranolol were compared with those of propranolol plus isosorbide dinitrate in 44 portal‐hypertensive alcoholic cirrhotic patients. Eight control patients, 8 patients receiving propranolol and 14 patients receiving propranolol plus isosorbide dinitrate were hemodynamically evaluated.

Raymond S. Koff – 1 September 1993

Mark Hathaway, David Burnett, Elwyn Elias, David H. Adams – 1 September 1993 – In 35 patients receiving first liver transplants we assessed the chemotactic responsiveness of peripheral blood lymphocytes to bile, the subset composition of the responding population and the ability of peripheral blood lymphocytes to produce chemotactic factors.

Daniel L. B. Hill, Luis S. Marsano, Craig J. McClain – 1 September 1993 – Patients with alcoholic hepatitis often have hepatic polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration and neutrophilia. Interleukin‐8 is a cytokine that stimulates neutrophil chemotaxis and release of lysosomal enzymes. It is made by several types of cells, including fibroblasts, Kupffer cells and hepatocytes. In this study, serial plasma interleukin‐8 concentrations were measured with enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in 40 consecutive patients with moderate‐to‐severe alcoholic hepatitis over a 6‐mo period.

Nora B. Krull, Thomas Zimmermann, Axel M. Gressner – 1 September 1993 – Expression of the proteoglycans biglycan and decorin and of transforming growth factor‐α1 at various stages of liver fibrosis induced experimentally in rats by oral administration of thioacetamide was examined. Using in situ hybridization combined with immunocytochemical staining for cell‐type characteristic markers, we demonstrate spatial and temporal expression patterns specific for each of the genes.

1 September 1993

Ke‐Qin Hu, Chang‐Hong Yu, John M. Vierling – 1 August 1993 – Although detection of hepatitis C virus RNA with polymerase chain reaction has become the standard for diagnosis, extensive application has been thwarted by polymerase chain reaction's labor intensiveness, risk of false‐positive results through contamination and time required for individual assays. To minimize these limitations, we developed and validated a one‐step hepatitis C virus RNA polymerase chain reaction assay.

Bruno Sangro, Ignacio Bilbao, Ignacio Herrero, Carmen Corella, Jesus Longo, Oscar Beloqui, Juan Ruiz, Jose M. Zozaya, Jorge Quirog, Jesus Priet – 1 August 1993 – Hypersplenism is of great relevance in the management of cirrhosis because of the widespread use of myelodepressant drugs such as interferon or antineoplastic agents. Because no standard therapy exists for this complication, we have evaluated the efficacy and risks of splenic embolization in the treatment of hypersplenism in cirrhosis.

Yoshinobu Sato, Kazuhiro Tsukada, Yoh Matsumot, Toru Ab – 1 August 1993 – The effects of interferon‐γ and interleukin‐2 on liver regeneration after 70% hepatectomy in rats was studied immunohistologically, with special attention paid to major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression. Liver regeneration 2 days after partial hepatectomy as assessed on the basis of bromodeoxyuridine labeling index revealed that regeneration was inhibited significantly in rats given a single dose of interleukin‐2 or interferon‐γ compared with rats that underwent only partial hepatectomy.

Jorge A. Bezerra, David P. Witte, Bruce J. Arono, Sandra J. Friezner – 1 August 1993 – We have cloned and characterized the gene and complementary DNA for a new kringle‐containing protein. Although the function of this protein is not known, it has been called hepatocyte growth factor–like protein because it shares the same structural domains as hepatocyte growth factor, with four kringle structures followed by a region homologous to serine proteases.