Samuel S. Lee, Richard Moreau, Antoine Hadengue, Raimondo Cerini, Abraham Koshy, Didier Lebrec – 1 November 1988 – To delineate the circulatory effects of glucagon in cirrhosis, we infused two moderately supraphysiological doses of this hormone into 19 patients with cirrhosis and determined hemodynamic responses. Patients were divided into a group with good liver function (Pugh Class A, n = 8) and poorer function (Pugh Class B and C, n = 11). All patients received glucagon at 10 ng per kg per min for 20 min, then 20 ng per kg per min for a further 20 min.

Carmen Cabrero, Antonio Martin Duce, Pablo Ortiz, Susana Alemany, Jose M. Mato – 1 November 1988 – We have measured the activity of S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine synthetase, the ratio between the high‐ and low‐molecular‐weight forms of this enzyme and the concentration of S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine in liver biopsies from a group of controls (n = 6) and in six cirrhotics (five posthepatitic and one alcoholic). The total activity of S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine synthetase was markedly reduced in cirrhosis (37.5% of that found in the control group).

Howard L. Berman – 1 November 1988

M. Wayne Flye – 1 November 1988 – Patent distal splenorenal shunts (Warren shunt) have been reported to cause decreases in the portal perfusion pressure and the total hepatic blood flow. Such hemodynamic alterations could have adverse effects on the transplanted liver. The experience with hepatic replacement in four patients with patent Warren shunts is reported. Operative findings were phlebosclerotic portal veins of small size and diminished portal blood flows.

Gregory T. Everson, Ann Scherzinger, Nancy Berger‐Leff, Juerg Reichen, Dennis Lezotte, Michael Manco‐Johnson, Patricia Gabow – 1 November 1988 – Polycystic liver disease is a common manifestation of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. However, factors that regulate hepatic cystogenesis have not been defined, and the effect of cyst formation on hepatic parenchymal mass has not been studied.

Tse‐Ling Fong, Sugantha Govindarajan, Boontar Valinluck, Allan G. Redeker – 1 November 1988 – Two reports have shown hepatitis B virus DNA in serum and liver tissue in alcoholic liver disease with negative serum HBsAg, suggesting a pathogenetic role for hepatitis B virus. We studied hepatitis B virus DNA in serum and liver from three groups of alcoholic patients; (Group 1) 50 patients without liver disease, (Group 2) 108 patients with alcoholic liver disease and (Group 3) five patients with alcoholic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Kenneth K. Wang, Albert J. Czaja – 1 November 1988 – To determine the frequency of hepatocellular cancer in corticosteroid‐treated severe autoimmune chronic active hepatitis and to identify risk factors for its development, 124 patients who were selected by uniform criteria, treated comparably and followed systematically for 111 ± 6 months were evaluated. Hepatocellular cancer was diagnosed in three patients (2%) after 66, 99 and 174 months of observation, respectively. The incidence of hepatocellular cancer was 1 per 350 patient‐years of follow‐up.

Peter Van Der Sluijs, Ineke Braakman, Dirk K. F. Meijer, Geny M. M. Groothuis – 1 November 1988 – Desialylated glycoprotein is rapidly cleared from plasma by a receptor‐mediated endocytic mechanism located on hepatocytes. We studied the hepatic acinar distribution of this asialoglycoprotein transport system with the ligand 125I‐asialoorosomucoid using rat liver perfused in either antegrade or retrograde direction in combination with quantitative light microscopic autoradiography. Grain distribution along the acinus appeared dependent on the perfusion direction.

Andrzej S. Tarnawski, I. James Sarfeh, Jerzy Stachura, Andrew Hajduczek, Hai X. Bui, Wojciech Dabros, Hella Gergely – 1 November 1988 – Compared with normotensive mucosa, the portal hypertensive gastric mucosa has increased susceptibility to injury by noxious agents such as alcohol and aspirin, but the mechanism of this phenomenon is unclear.

Peter R. Gibson, Gilles Pomier‐Layrargues – 1 November 1988