Anna S. F. Lok, Ching‐Lung Lai, Pui‐Chee Wu – 1 July 1988 – Of 1,801 Chinese subjects, age 1 to 90 years, screened for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody (HBsAg, anti‐HBs) and antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti‐HBc), 214 (11.9%) had an isolated, positive anti‐HBc result; anti‐HBc was reproducibly present in the initial sera in only 66% and persisted after an interval of 2 weeks to 3 months in only 73%. There was a strong correlation between the rates of reproducibility and persistence of isolated anti‐HBc and the initial anti‐HBc titers.

Bruno Clément, Pierre‐Yves Rescan, Georges Baffet, Olivier Loréal, Dominique Lehry, Jean‐Pierre Campion, André Guillouzo – 1 July 1988 – Previous studies have shown that laminin is present in basement membranes in normal liver but failed to identify cellular sources. We have investigated the extracellular and intracellular distribution of laminin in normal rat and human liver, in fibrotic human liver and in primary hepatocyte cultures from both species by light and electron microscopy using the indirect immunoperoxidase technique.

Francisco Lozano, Albert Parés, Luis Borche, Montserrat Plana, Teresa Gallart, Joan Rodés, Jordi Vives – 1 July 1988 – An antinuclear immunofluorescence pattern displaying a thin ring confined to the nuclear envelope was assessed in sera from 38 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis and in sera from a control group of 277 patients with other antinuclear antibody‐positive diseases. This rim‐like antinuclear reactivity was present in sera from 20 primary biliary cirrhosis patients (52.6%) but in only two patients from the control group (0.7%) (p < 0.001).

Anthony J. Demetris, Bernd H. Markus, Carlos Esquivel, David H. Van Thiel, Susan Saidman, Robert Gordon, Leonard Makowka, Gregory D. Sysyn, Thomas E. Starzl – 1 July 1988 – A retrospective histopathologic review of all pathologic specimens from 394 adult liver transplant patients was undertaken with clinical correlation to determine if primary biliary cirrhosis has affected the posttrans‐plant course compared to all other indications for liver transplantation and if recurrent primary biliary cirrhosis has occurred after liver transplantation.

Robert A. Levine – 1 July 1988 – 16,16 Dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2), a known cytoprotective agent, was examined for its ability to alter the course of fulminant hepatitis in an experimental model of fulminant viral hepatitis, murine hepatitis virus type 3 (MHV‐3). Fully susceptible BALB/cJ mice, infected with 100 50% lethal doses (LD50) of MHV‐3 developed histologic and biochemical evidence of fulminant hepatitis, as evidenced by massive hepatic necrosis with hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis, and a markedly elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (mean, 1,402 ± 619 IU/liter).

Mark A. Kane – 1 July 1988 – In 1983, a comprehensive programme was introduced to halt the spread of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and to reduce mortality from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Alaskan Natives, in whom the incidence of HBV infection was high. This programme includes: serological screening of all Alaskan Natives; immunization of susceptible persons, including all newborn babies, with hepatitis B vaccine; and testing HBsAg‐positive carriers twice a year for α‐fetoprotein (AFP) to detect HCC at an early stage.

Paul H. Edelstein, Bruce A. Runyon – 1 July 1988

Cho‐Il Kim, Maria Anna Leo, Nancy Lowe, Charles S. Lieber – 1 July 1988 – To study possible mechanisms whereby vitamin A and ethanol may affect liver plasma membranes, rats were fed liquid diets containing either 6 international units of vitamin A per kcal or 5 times more, with or without ethanol (36% of total energy as isocaloric substitution for carbohydrate).

Mario Chojkier, Kip D. Lyche, Michael Filip – 1 July 1988 – We have shown, using the proline:ornithine dual label method, that in normal rats, hepatocytes contribute in vivo about 80 to 90% of the newly synthesized hepatic collagen. In order to quantify the contribution of hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells to collagen synthesis in vivo in hepatic fibrogenesis, rats with CCl4‐induced liver fibrosis were given [53H]proline and [14C]ornithine intraperitoneally.

Laurence J. Wood, Denise Massie, Allan J. McLean, Francis J. Dudley – 1 July 1988 – Renal sodium handling, assessed by the response to acute saline loading, was investigated in 14 well‐compensated, nonascitic alcoholic cirrhotics and six normal controls. Urinary sodium excretion in cirrhotic patients (199 ± 141 μmoles per min) was significantly lower than in controls (387 ± 104 μmoles per min; p < 0.01) at 3 hr postinfusion. In contrast to controls, renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate did not increase in the cirrhotics in response to acute saline loading.