Shun‐Ichi Okada, Yoshihirc Akahane, Hiroshi Suzuki, Hiroaki Okamoto, Shunji Mishiro – 1 September 1992 – We investigated amino acid heterogeneity in the variable regions of the E2/NS1 viral protein in interferon‐responsive and interferon‐nonresponsive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. The study assessed whether any particular heterogeneity pattern(s) could be useful in predicting responsiveness to interferon treatment.

Anthony J. Demetris, Kenjiro Nakamura, Atsuhito Yagihashi, Yuichi Iwaki, Shunichi Takaya, Grace G. Hartman, Noriko Murase, Oscar Bronsther, Rafael Manez, John J. Fung, Shunzaburo Iwatsuki, Thomas E. Starzl – 1 September 1992 – Twenty‐six adult patients with preformed IgG donor lymphocytotoxic antibodies received primary liver allografts under FK 506 immunosuppression. The effect of the crossmatch‐positive state on early graft function and on the immunopathological and histopathological findings was compared with that of 52 crossmatch‐negative control recipients.

América Giménez, Joan Caballería, Albert Parés, Silvia Alié, Ramón Deulofeu, Hernán Andreu, Joan Rodés – 1 September 1992 – The effects of dietary zinc on hepatic collagen and prolyl hydroxylase activity in normal and alcoholic rats has been investigated in four groups of pair‐fed male Wistar rats given either liquid ethanol or a control diet for 12 wk. Each group of pair‐fed animals received a diet with a different zinc concentration (standard diet, 7.6 mg/L; low‐zinc diet, 3.4 mg/L; zinc‐supplemented diet, 76 mg/L; and zincextrasupplemented, 300 mg/L.

Zvi Ackerman, Boontar Valinluck, John G. McHutchison, Allan G. Redeker, Sugantha Govindarajan – 1 September 1992 – Forty‐six patients with chronic hepatitis delta virus infection were followed between 6 and 116 mo (mean = 32.8 mo; median = 24 mo). Nineteen patients (41%) demonstrated clinical courses with episodes of biochemical reactivation (ALT levels ≥ 10 times baseline values [group A]). Twenty‐seven patients (59%) had stable clinical courses without biochemical reactivation (group B). Patients in group A were younger than those in group B (30.5 vs.

Josep Llach, Antoni Rimola, Miquel Navasa, Pere Ginès, Joan M. Salmerón, Angels Ginès, Vicente Arroyo, Joan Rodés – 1 September 1992 – To investigate the long‐term probability of the appearance of the first episode of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in cirrhosis with ascites and to identify predictors of this complication, we closely followed throughout their illness 127 patients consecutively admitted to our unit for the treatment of an episode of ascites without prior spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (follow‐up period: 21 ± 22 mo).

José Antonio Girón, Melchor Alvarez‐Mon, José Luis Menéndez‐Caro, Luis Abreu, Agustín Albillos, Luis Manzano, Alberto Durántez – 1 September 1992 – Immunoglobulin secretion by B lymphocytes is a complex process in which lymphokines secreted by T lymphocytes play an important regulatory role. Increased serum levels of IgA and IgG have been characteristically detected in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. We have studied the functional alterations of T and B lymphocytes implicated in the physiopathology of this common immunoglobulin abnormality.

Colin N. A. Palmer, Philip J. Coates, Susan E. Davies, Elizabeth A. Shephard, Ian R. Phillips – 1 September 1992 – The localization of the expression of several cytochrome P‐450 genes in normal and diseased human liver was investigated by in situ hybridization of formalin‐fixed, paraffin wax–embedded archival tissue samples with 35S‐labeled antisense RNA probes.

Alexander L. Gerbes, Rochus Witthaut, Veit Gülberg, Gaétan Thibault, Manfred Bilzer, Dieter Jüngst – 1 September 1992 – Mesenteric, hepatic and splanchnic extraction of C‐terminal and N‐terminal atrial natriuretic factor was investigated in male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Plasma concentrations (mean ± S.E.M.) of C‐terminal atrial natriuretic factor were 55.0 ± 6.1 fmol/ml, 31.2 ± 4.0 fmol/ml and 23.5 ± 3.3 fmol/ml (n = 12) in the abdominal aorta, the portal vein and the hepatic vein, respectively.

Timothy R. Morgan, Charles L. Mendenhall – 1 September 1992 – This prospective study compared the effects of tube‐fed nutrition with those of a regular diet in alcoholic liver disease. The high prevalence of malnutrition in patients with alcoholic liver disease requires clarification of the benefits of aggressive nutritional support. Patients were randomly assigned a regular diet without or with tube‐fed supplementation, delivering 1.5 g/kg protein and 167 kJ/kg daily.

Francloise Lunel, Nisen Abuaf, Lionel Frangeul, Patrick Grippon, Michèle Perrin, Yann Le Coz, Dominique Valla, Eric Borotto, Anne‐Marie Yamamoto, Jean‐Marie Huraux, Pierre Opolon, Jean‐Claude Homberg – 1 September 1992 – Recent studies have shown that hepatitis C virus antibodies are present in a large proportion of patients with autoimmune hepatitis type 2. We have studied 83 patients with liver/kidney microsome antibody‐positive type 1 hepatitis.