Roger H. Miller, Shuichi Kaneko, Cathie T. Chung, Rosina Girones, Robert H. Purcell – 1 February 1989 – The genome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a circular DNA molecule approximately 3,200 base pairs (bp) in length. Relative to other double‐stranded DNA viruses capable of independent replication, HBV possesses the smallest genome of any virus known to infect man. Therefore, it is not surprising that HBV utilizes its genetic material economically.

Abraham Koshy, Catherine Girod, Samuel S. Lee, Antoine Hadengue, Raimondo Cerini, Didier Lebrec – 1 February 1989 – The effects of increasing doses of propranolol were studied in awake portal hypertensive rats in order to elucidate the relative effects of the β‐blocker on systemic and splanchnic circulation. Hemodynamic responses to 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg per min infusions of propranolol were compared with placebo in awake rats with portal hypertension due to portal vein stenosis. Heart rate significantly and progressively decreased from 356 ± 13 to 293 ± 10 beats per min (mean ± S.E.).

Geneviève Leray, Yves Deugnier, Anne‐Marie Jouanolle, Dominique Lehry, Jean‐François Bretagne, Jean‐Plerre Campion, Pierre Brissot, André Le Treut – 1 February 1989 – Biochemical characteristics of α‐L‐fucosidase (α–L–fu–coside hydrolase, EC 3.2.1.51) were studied in tumorous and nontumorous human hepatocellular carcinoma (n=14). Five parameters were studied: (i) specific activity, (ii) thermostability, (iii) enzyme affinity for an artificial substrate (Km), (iv) isoenzyme patterns of the glycosi‐dase before and after neuraminidase treatment and (v) pH influence on enzyme activity.

Ava Lobo‐Yeo, Claire McSorley, Barbara M. McFarlane, Giorgina Mieli‐Vergani, Alex P. Mowat, Diego Vergani – 1 February 1989 – A radioimmunometric technique for the detection of autoantibodies to liver membrane antigens has been developed using Alexander cells, a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. After incubation of Alexander cells with serum, antimembrane antibodies were detected by addition of 125I‐labeled Protein A.

Mark Abramovitz, Seishi Ishigaki, Irving Listowsky – 1 February 1989 – Specific cDNA probes were used to determine steady‐state mRNA levels for the multiple glutathione S‐trans‐ferases in primary hepatocyte cultures. In the first 24 hr of culture, gene transcripts for the Ya family decreased sharply, Yb3 disappeared completely, but changes in levels of mRNA for Yb1 and Yb2 were smaller. These results suggest that the isoenzymes are regulated independently.

Barry B. Goldberg – 1 February 1989

Hilary A. Wynne, Lance H. Cope, Elaine Mutch, Michael D. Rawlins, Kenneth W. Woodhouse, Oliver F. W. James – 1 February 1989 – The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aging upon liver volume and apparent liver blood flow in healthy man. Sixty‐five subjects between 24 and 91 years of age were recruited. Liver volume was quantitated by a gray scale B ultrasound scan method. Apparent liver blood flow was determined from the plasma clearance of indocyanine green, based on an assumption of no change in hepatic extraction of the dye with age.

Marie V. St‐Pierre, Andreas J. Schwab, Carl A. Goresky, Wai‐Fong Lee, K. Sandy Pang – 1 February 1989 – The technique of normal and retrograde rat liver perfusion has been widely used to probe zonal differences in drug‐metabolizing activities. The validity of this approach mandates the same tissue spaces being accessed by substrates during both normal and retrograde perfusions. Using the multiple‐indicator dilution technique, we presently examine the extent to which retrograde perfusion alters the spaces accessible to noneliminated references.

Glorgina Mieli‐Vergani, Ava Lobo‐Yeo, Barbara M. McFarlane, Ian G. McFarlane, Alex P. Mowat, Diego Vergani – 1 February 1989 – Children with primary sclerosing cholangitis or autoimmune chronic active hepatitis have similar high levels of immunoglobulin G and non‐organ‐specific autoantibodies and may have similar histological features.

Christopher K. Daniels, Douglas L. Schmucker, Albert L. Jones – 1 February 1989 – In the rat, asialoorosomucoid and rat dimeric immunoglobulin A are both taken up by hepatocytes via receptor‐mediated endocytosis. The fate of these two proteins, however, differs significantly. Rat dimeric IgA is taken up into smooth vesicles, transported to the bile canaliculus and secreted intact into the bile, whereas asialoglycoproteins are internalized via coated vesicles and transported to lysosomes for degradation.