1 September 1984

Steven Gallinger, P. Robert C. Harvey, Steven M. Strasberg – 1 September 1984 – When modern methods of estimating cholesterol saturation in bile were first applied to human bile samples, it seemed that a clear distinction could be made between normal and abnormal biles on the basis of cholesterol saturation. Supersaturation of bile with cholesterol appeared to be the only critical defect required for stone formation. A variety of evidence has now accumulated which indicates that a nucleation defect is also important.

R. Thomas Holzbach – 1 September 1984 – Dilution induces structural alterations (i.e., vesicle formation) in the lipid particles of supersaturated human hepatic bile and in dilute model bile systems of comparable composition. These alterations strikingly increase both the degree and duration of metastable supersaturation. Concentrated normal human gallbladder bile also shows an increased but less striking degree and duration of metastability compared to comparable model biles.

Kenji Kaneda, Narito Kurioka, Shuichi Seki, Kenjiro Wake, Sukeo Yamamoto – 1 September 1984 – This is the first report to document pit cells in the human liver. These cells were identified by characteristic electron‐dense granules and rod‐cored vesicles. The granules of human pit cells were smaller in number and size than those of the rat. In the present case of autoimmune hepatitis, pit cells and conventional agranular lymphocytes migrated into hepatic parenchyma and contacted degenerating and immature hepatocytes.

J. Pinto Correia, M. Martins Alves, P. Alexandrino, J. Silveira – 1 September 1984 – In a randomized controlled trial, the effect of continuous intravenous administration of vasopressin was compared with Sengstaken‐Blakemore balloon tamponade in 37 episodes of bleeding esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis. The majority were Group A and B of Child's classification. Bleeding was controlled in 11 of 17 (65%) patients on vasopressin and in 14 of 20 (70%) patients on tamponade.

Irving Millman, Lenore Southam, Theresa Halbherr, Heidi Simmons, Chong Myung Kang – 1 September 1984 – Sera from 588 woodchucks were assayed for woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) markers using hepatitis B virus (HBV) reagents which have cross‐reactivity with WHV markers. Twenty per cent of these woodchucks, trapped in Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania, had WHsAg; 50% of these had DNA polymerase. There are areas of high and low endemicity within these states. Female woodchucks may have a higher incidence of WHV markers than do males.

1 September 1984

George H. Nancollas – 1 September 1984 – The formation of crystalline components in gallstones is governed by the physical‐chemical factors controlling the crystallizaton of minerals in aqueous systems. The elucidation of the mechanism of these reactions, especially at the low supersaturations of interest in vivo, is facilitated by the use of a constant composition method in which the reactions are studied at supersaturation levels automatically sustained, potentiometrically, during the experiments.

BjÖRn Lindman – 1 September 1984 – Multicomponent self‐diffusion studies provide a general picture of amphiphile self‐association. Both micelles and microemulsions based on bile salts show a lower degree of association coopera‐tivity, lower aggregate charge densities and more extensive hydration than corresponding ionic surfactant systems. Effectively bicontinuous isotropic solutions of the microemulsion type are more easily formed by bile salts than by surfactants.

Kenneth S. Warren – 1 September 1984