Carolin Erika Schriever, Dieter Jüngst – 1 April 1989 – Rapid aggregation of cholesterol‐phospholipid vesicles in gallbladder bile seems to be the first event in the production of cholesterol crystals, a prerequisite for cholesterol gallstone formation. We examined the amount of these vesicles in 33 human gallbladder biles in relation to biliary lipid composition and to the presence of cholesterol crystals. Biliary microscopy detected cholesterol crystals in all 19 biles from patients with cholesterol gallstones but in none of 14 biles from patients with pigment stones.

Christof Zimmermann, Peter Ferenci, Christian Pifl, Cihan Yurdaydin, Josef Ebner, Hans Lassmann, Erich Roth, Heide Hörtnagl – 1 April 1989 – An imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory amino acid‐ergic neurotransmission has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. For further evaluation of this hypothesis, several parameters of amino acid‐ergic neurotransmission were studied in rats with acute liver failure induced by the administration of 300 mg per kg thioacetamide by gavage on two consecutive days.

Christian D. H. Oakland, Rosemary Hickman, John Terblanche – 1 April 1989 – The aminopyrine breath test has been performed on Day 1 and Day 7 in pigs following experimental liver allografting. The results show that at 24 hr after surgery there was a significant reduction in liver function in all animals as measured by the elimination rate constant of 14CO2 in the breath. This was very profound in the group that died within 5 days (0.09 ± 0.01 hr−1) and was significantly different from the group that survived (0.16 ± 0.01 hr−1).

Hiroshi Takahashi, Mehmet Ozturk, Byron Wilson, Atsuhiko Maki, Kazue Ozawa, Mitsuru Koizumi, Keigo Endo, William Strauss, Daniel Shouval, Jack Wands – 1 April 1989 – We are investigating the antigenic changes on the cell surface of human hepatocytes that distinguish the normal from the transformed phenotype using monoclonal antibodies. In vivo expression of antigens has been directly assessed by in situ radioimmunohistology.

Teresa L. Wright – 1 April 1989 – We present evidence that normal hepatocytes can be specifically protected from galactosamine toxicity in vitro by targeting an antagonist to these cells via receptor‐mediated endocytosis.

I‐Shyan Sheen, Yun‐Fan Liaw – 1 April 1989 – To investigate the prevalence and incidence of cholecystolithiasis in hepatitis B surface antigen‐positive chronic liver diseases, a prospective study using hepatobiliary ultrasonography was conducted in 933 “healthy” persons and four groups of HBsAg‐positive patients: 226 asymptomatic carriers, 73 patients with chronic active hepatitis, 77 patients with early liver cirrhosis and 124 patients with advanced liver cirrhosis. Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or alcoholism were excluded.

Ronald J. Sokol – 1 April 1989

Josef E. Fischer – 1 April 1989

Charles M. A. Bijleveld, Roel J. Vonk, Folkert Kuipers, Rick Havinga, John Fernandes – 1 April 1989 – Two brothers with benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis were studied over a period of 6 years. During this period, 11 episodes of cholestasis were observed, with a mean duration of 2.6 months (range: 2 weeks to 6 months). Once, both brothers developed cholestasis simultaneously. There was a prevalence for episodes of cholestasis in wintertime.

Ann M. Kools, James G. Straka, Hazel D. Hill, Dorothy I. Whitmer, Ralph T. Holman, Joseph R. Bloomer – 1 April 1989 – Ferrochelatase is an enzyme bound to the inner mitochondrial membrane, which is important in heme biosynthesis. Activity of purified ferrochelatase is affected by the presence of certain fatty acids. In the present study, we examined whether the activity of ferrochelatase is altered by dietary manipulation of the composition of mitochondrial membrane phospholipid fatty acylgroups.