J. Genesca, R. Jardi, M. Buti, L. Vives, S. Prat, J. I. Esteban, R. Esteban, J. Guardia – 1 May 1987 – To evaluate the effect of hepatitis delta virus on the level of replication of hepatitis B virus and to assess the clinical significance that such an effect might have on the final outcome of the infection, the serological profile of hepatitis B virus DNA was investigated in 153 patients with acute or chronic hepatitis B virus infection with or without associated delta infection.

Eike Walter, Hubert E. Blum, Wolf‐Bernhard Offensperger, Christine Zeschnigk, Silke Offensperger, Wolfgang Gerok – 1 May 1987 – Factors determining the sensitivity and specificity of the spot‐blot hybridization technique for the detection of hepatitis B virus DNA in serum were systematically investigated. Methods for pretreatment of serum samples, mode of application of the samples to the transfer membranes, blot treatment and hybridization conditions were all found to affect the sensitivity of the assay.

Warren D. Lo, Steven R. Ennis, Gary W. Goldstein, David L. McNeely, A. Lorris Betz – 1 May 1987 – The role of changes in blood‐brain barrier permeability in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy remains uncertain. To test the hypothesis that brain microvessel permeability is nonselectively increased in hepatic encephalopathy we measured the blood‐brain barrier permeability‐surface area product in rats with acute liver failure induced by intraperitoneal injection of galactosamine.

Josep Terés, Josep M. Bordas, Dolores Bravo, Josep Visa, Luis Grande, Juan Carlos Garcia‐Valdecasas, Cristóbal Pera, Joan Rodés – 1 May 1987 – One hundred and twelve consecutive Child Class A and B cirrhotic patients were included in a prospective controlled trial aimed at investigating the efficacy and safety of endoscopic sclerotherapy vs. distal splenorenal shunt in the elective treatment of hemorrhage from esophagogastric varices. Fifty‐seven patients were randomly allocated to splenorenal shunt and 55 to endoscopic sclerotherapy.

David G. Oelberg, William P. Dubinsky, Jeffrey W. Sackman, Leslie B. Wang, Eugene W. Adcock, Roger Lester – 1 March 1987 – At high concentrations, bile salts induce hemolysis by comicellization of lipid components of the cell membrane. However, bile salts are also associated with hemolysis at lower concentrations by mechanisms which have not been characterized.

Syoji Kuroki, Erwin H. Mosbach, Richard J. Stenger, Bertram I. Cohen, Charles K. McSherry – 1 March 1987 – The metabolism and effect on biliary lipids of a new bile acid analog, 7‐methyl‐deoxycholic acid, were studied and compared with those of deoxycholic acid in the hamster. 14C‐Labeled 7‐methyl‐deoxycholic acid and deoxycholic acid were administered intravenously or intraduodenally to bile fistula hamsters at 1.0 or 4.0 μmoles per min·kg, and hepatic bile was analyzed for radioactive metabolites and biliary lipid outputs.

B. A. Runyon – 1 March 1987

Robert L. Carithers – 1 March 1987

Keith S. Henley – 1 March 1987

J. P. Colombo – 1 March 1987 – Portacaval shunt (PCS) operations were performed on male inbred SD rats. The activity of liver γ‐glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) increased a few days after the operation and remained high after several months. However, the activity was only present in periportal areas of liver lobules and was mainly restricted to the endothelial lining cells of periportal blood vessels. Phenobarbital sodium (CAS: 57–03–7) administration did not change the distribution of GGT.