Henk J. Blom, Robert A. F. M. Chamuleau, Jan Rothuizen, Nicolaas E. P. Deutz, Albert Tangerman – 1 April 1990 – The metabolism of methanethiol was studied in rats. Administration of a noncomatogenic dose of methanethiol through inspired air or injection into the upper colon resulted in an elevation of the concentrations of methanethiol mixed disulfides in serum (protein–S–S–CH3 and X–S–S–CH3, × yet unknown) and in urine (X–S–S–CH3. The concentrations of methanethiol mixed disulfides proved to be a relative measure of exposure to methanethiol.

Gregory J. Gores, Brian Herman, John J. Lemasters – 1 April 1990

Lawrie W. Powell, June W. Halliday – 1 April 1990 – Previous studies from this laboratory support the view that increased serum ferritin levels are associated with an increased risk of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC). We have tested this hypothesis in a population of Korean patients with chronic liver disease followed for development of PHC. Serum ferritin levels were measured over time in 249 patients with liver diseases (mostly chronic) followed for 2 to 17 years in Seoul, Korea. Most of the patients were chronically infected with hepatitis B virus.

Hie‐Won L. Hann, Mark W. Stahlhut, Christine L. Hann – 1 April 1990 – To investigate the effects of iron supplementation on hepatoma cell growth, cells from a human hepatoma cell line, PLC/PRF/5, were grown in RPMI 1640 supplemented with 0, 10 and 20 μg/ml of FeSO4 and harvested weekly. At the end of 6 wk culture, cell mass measured 9.6, 14.7 and 13.2 gm, respectively. Amounts of ferritin from these cell masses were 0 (undetectable), 0.89 and 2.27 μg/gm of cells.

Guillermo Silva, Miquel Navasa, Jaime Bosch, Jaime Chesta, M. Pilar Pizcueta, Rosa Casamitjana, Francisca Rivera, Joan Rodes – 1 April 1990 – It has been suggested that glucagon contributes to the pathogenesis of portal hypertension by increasing portal blood flow. This study examined this issue by assessing the hemodynamic effects of a pharmacological dose of glucagon (1 mg, intravenously) in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension (n = 10) and in subjects without significant liver disease (controls = n = 5).

Joanna B. Ready, Kenneth F. Hossack, William G. Rector – 1 April 1990 – The pathogenesis of variceal hemorrhage is not well understood. Portal pressure and gastroesophageal collateral (azygous) blood flow are similar in patients with cirrhosis with or without a history of variceal bleeding. However, acute increases in these parameters in individual patients might predispose them to variceal rupture.

Gregory T. Everson, Merrill Emmett, William R. Brown, Paul Redmond, David Thickman – 1 April 1990 – Hepatic cysts are a frequent manifestation of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, but little is known about their functional characteristics. The goals of our study were to define the composition of hepatic cyst fluid and to determine whether hepatic cysts secrete in response to intravenously administered secretin.

Ulrich Treichel, Thomas Poralla, Georg Hess, Michael Manns, Karl‐Hermann Meyer Zum Büschenfelde – 1 April 1990 – Autoantibodies to the human asialoglycoprotein receptor (anti‐h‐ASGPR) were studied with a solid‐phase ELISA in the sera of 421 patients with inflammatory liver diseases, 288 patients with various other disorders and 31 controls. Anti‐h‐ASGPR were found predominantly in autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (44 of 88, 50%) and were closely related to inflammatory activity.

Francesco Salerno, Salvatore Badalamenti, Pierluigi Incerti, H. A. Koomans, J. J. Beutler, J. Van Hattum – 1 April 1990

1 April 1990