Joan Rodes – 1 June 1990 – The use of paracentesis has recently been reproposed as a safe and effective alternative to diuretics for management of ascites. We have investigated the clinical and biochemical effects of large‐volume paracentesis in 19 cirrhotics with tense ascites, and the relative changes in the hormones involved in sodium and water renal handling. Plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (PA), and arginine vasopressin (AVP) levels and conventional liver and renal function tests were measured before and 1, 2 and 7 days after the paracentesis.

Bernd Krone, Angela Lenz, Klaus‐Hinrich Heermann, Maria Seifer, Lu Xuangyong, Wolfram H. Gerlich – 1 June 1990 – HBsAg is known to bind to human serum albumin polymerized by glutaraldehyde, human serum albumin has been found in preparations of HBsAg by several investigators. However, it is not yet known whether natural human serum albumin binds to hepatitis B virus under physiological conditions. We studied the binding between natural or recombinant HBsAg and monomeric human serum albumin by immunological, biochemical and biophysical methods.

1 June 1990

Jesper Sonne, Per Buch Andreasen, Steffen Loft, Martin Døsing, Frederik Andreasen – 1 June 1990 – The disposition of oral oxazepam was investigated in seven patients with decompensated cirrhosis and encephalopathy and in nine healthy individuals to further examine the hypothesis of preservation of glucuronidation in liver disease. The patients showed a severe reduction in the quantitative liver function as assessed by estimation of the clearance of antipyrine; the median value was 9 ml. min−1 and the range was 6 to 12 ml. min−1.

E. C. Martin – 1 June 1990 – Twenty pigs underwent (a) cystic duct occlusion by means of fluoroscopically guided transcatheter endoluminal bipolar radio‐frequency (RF) electrocoagulation and (b) gallbladder sclerotherapy with one of two different regimens of ethanol and sodium tetradecylsulfate (STS). Serum ethanol levels and hepatic enzyme tests showed no acute toxicity. Postmortem histologic studies showed that the bile ducts beyond the occlusion site remained entirely unaffected in all animals.

Antoni Mas, María Buti, Rafael Esteban, José M. Sánchez‐Tapias, Josep Costa, Rosendo Jardí, Miquel Bruguera, Jaime Guardia, Joan Rodés – 1 June 1990 – Hepatitis B virus DNA and hepatitis D virus RNA, the most sensitive markers of hepatitis B and hepatitis D virus replication, were sought by molecular hybridization with radioactive probes in serial serum samples from 29 consecutive patients with HBsAg‐positive fulminant hepatitis. Nineteen patients had evidence of hepatitis D virus infection, as assessed by the presence in serum of delta antigen, anti‐delta antibodies, or both.

Robert G. Heath – 1 June 1990

Eric Bismuth, Antoine Hadengue, Pascal Hammel, Jean‐Pierre Benhamou – 1 June 1990 – We describe four patients with hepatic vein thrombosis caused by Behçet's disease and review the 17 previously published cases. In addition, we compared these 21 cases of hepatic vein thrombosis to our 24 cases of hepatic vein thrombosis caused by primary myeloproliferative disorders.

Raymond D. Dubois – 1 June 1990

Jaw‐Ching Wu, Shou‐Dong Lee, Sugantha Govindarajan, Hwa‐Chen Lin, Pesus Chou, Yan‐Jenn Wang, Shoou‐Yih Lee, Yang‐Te Tsai, Kwang‐Juei Lo, Ling‐Pai Ting – 1 June 1990 – Multivariate analysis of the risk factors for hepatitis D virus infection among 53 men with acute hepatitis D virus superinfection, 59 men with acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B and 54 asymptomatic male hepatitis B carriers revealed that sexual contact with prostitutes and use of nondisposable needles were the factors significantly associated with hepatitis D virus infection in Taiwan (odds ratio = 5.5, 95% confidence