Long‐Term Follow‐Up of Serum N‐Terminal Propeptide of Collagen Type III Levels in Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

Kurt Weigand, Pierre‐Yves Zaugg, Alain Frei, Arthur Zimmermann – 1 September 1984 – To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic significance of the N‐terminal propeptide of collagen Type III (Col 1–3) in chronic liver disease, the peptide level was measured in the serum of 4 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, 5 with chronic persistent hepatitis, 12 with chronic active hepatitis, and 1 with autoimmune hepatitis, for a period of 2 to 10 years and compared with liver function and histology.

Ultrastructural Liver Pathology in Patients with Minimal Liver Disease and α1‐Antitrypsin Deficiency: A Comparison Between Heterozygous and Homozygous Patients

Rolf Hultcrantz, Silva Mengarelli – 1 September 1984 – A light and electron microscopic investigation of liver tissue from three homozygous (Pi‐type ZZ) and three heterozygous (Pi‐type MZ) α1‐antitrypsin deficiency patients is presented. All had slightly elevated levels of serum amino transferases as the only signs of liver damage. Light microscopical investigation showed minor periportal fibrosis and periodic acid‐Schiff‐positive globules in the homozygous patients, but no specific findings besides fatty changes were seen in the heterozygous patients.

Urea Synthesis After Protein Feeding Reflects Hepatic Mass in Rats

Thomas G. Brewer, William R. Berry, John W. Harmon, Strothers H. Walker, Michael A. Dunn – 1 September 1984 – Urea synthesis is an exclusive biosynthetic function of the liver. Since the exact relationship between urea synthesis in vivo and functional liver mass remains unclear, we established an animal model using oral protein loading and measurement of resultant urea synthesis in rats. We studied rats subjected to sham operation, 40% hepatectomy, 66% hepatectomy, portacaval shunt and CC14‐induced cirrhosis.

Long‐Term Sequelae of Non‐A, Non‐B Hepatitis in Experimentally Infected Chimpanzees

Kenneth H. Burk, Gordon R. Dreesman, Guy A. Cabral, Robert L. Peters – 1 September 1984 – We have observed the development of long‐term sequelae in four cases of experimentally induced non‐A, non‐B (NANB) hepatitis in chimpanzees. These sequelae were characterized by the following manifestations: nonprotection against challenge with autologous infectious plasma following acute disease and subtle histopathological alterations typical of long‐lasting viral hepatitis. These manifestations were observed in animals infected with either of two human inocula.

Liquid Crystalline Phase Formation by Cholesterol in Aqueous Fatty Acid Salt Solutions

Joseph B. Bogardus – 1 September 1984 – The interaction of cholesterol with fatty acid salt solutions was investigated as a potential method for gallstone dissolution. In the presence of sodium oleate or laurate, crystalline cholesterol was rapidly converted into a lamellar liquid crystalline phase. Analysis of the mesophase showed that it contained approximately equimolar amounts of the lipid components, although water was the major constituent.

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