1 May 1984

Oscar W. Portman, Manfred Alexander, Charles E. Cornelius, Jayanta Roy Chowdhury, Namita Roy Chowdhury, Irwin M. Arias – 1 May 1984 – Bolivian squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) have fasting unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia (males: 2.0 ± 0.14; females: 3.0 ± 0.26 mg per dl) which resembles that of humans with Gilbert's syndrome. Closely related Brazilian squirrel monkeys have fasting levels (males: 0.29 ± 0.045; females: 0.36 ± 0.073 mg per dl) similar to normal people. The purpose of this study was to identify the underlying mechanisms and the nutritional factors involved.

Dale C. Snover, Charles A. Horwitz – 1 May 1984 – Six liver biopsies from previously healthy adult patients with cytomegalovirus (CMV) mononucleosis were studied by routine light microscopy and by the immunoperoxidase technique for CMV antigen. Light microscopical findings consisting of a mononuclear portal and sinusoidal infiltrate, increased hepatocellular mitotic activity and minimal hepatocellular necrosis were consistently found. Less common features were granuloma formation and bile duct epithelial damage.

Bruno Clement, Christiane Guguen‐Guillouzo, Jean‐Pierre Campion, Denise Glaise, Michel Bourel, Andre Guillouzo – 1 May 1984 – High yields of viable human hepatocytes were obtained by enzymatic perfusion of the left hepatic lobe of kidney donors and cultured alone or with an epithelial cell line derived from rat liver. In conventional cultures, human hepatocytes did not survive more than 2 to 3 weeks and by Day 8 decreased their ability to secrete albumin. When co‐cultured, they survived for more than 2 months and secreted high levels of albumin even in a serum‐free medium.

Lawrence S. Friedman, David L. Gang, Stephen E. Hedberg, Kurt J. Isselbacher – 1 May 1984 – We report the case of a 28‐year‐old woman with a history of oral contraceptive use and the simultaneous occurrence of histologically proven hepatic adenoma and focal nodular hyperplasia. A review of the literature discloses that the simultaneous occurrence of these hepatic lesions is a rare event. Epidemiologic evidence suggests that hepatic adenomas are etiologically related to oral contraceptive use, whereas focal nodular hyperplasia does not seem to be caused by these agents.

Robert H. Gray, Felix A. La De Iglesia – 1 May 1984 – Peroxisome proliferation, a well‐documented subcellular reaction which follows the administration of hypolipidemic agents, has been well studied in rodents. However, quantitative studies of this phenomenon in other species of laboratory animals are not readily available even though these species are commonly used as predictors of tolerance or safety in humans.

Annalena Figus, Hubert E. Blum, Girish N. Vyas, Stefano De Virgilis, Antonio Cao, Marco Lippi, Eliana Lai, Angelo Balestrieri – 1 May 1984 – The presence of serological markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and of hepatocellular HBV DNA were investigated in 19 HBsAg‐negative patients with clinically and histologically significant chronic liver disease. Four cases negative for antibodies to HBsAg (anti‐HBs), to the core antigen (anti‐HBc), and to the e antigen (anti‐HBe) were classified as non‐A, non‐B hepatitis.

Malka Lewittes, Beatrix Tuchweber, Andree Weber, Claude C. Roy, Ibrahim M. Yousef – 1 May 1984 – Although immaturity of the liver and synthesis of monohydroxy bile acids have been implicated as pathogenic factors in neonatal cholestasis, there is no direct evidence to show that these bile acids induce cholestasis in the newborn. In the present investigation, we compared the effects of lithocholic acid (LCA) injection on bile flow in suckling (2‐week‐old) and adult (12‐week‐old) guinea pigs.

Bruce A. Runyon, John C. Hoefs – 1 May 1984 – A review of patients with bacterial peritonitis and ascites revealed six patients with gastrointestinal tract perforation into their ascitic fluid and 33 episodes of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in 32 patients. Signs and symptoms were not helpful in differentiating the two groups; however, ascitic fluid analysis was found to be useful. All patients with perforation peritonitis fulfilled at least two of the following criteria: ascitic fluid total protein ± 1 gm per dl, glucose < 50 mg per dl and lactate dehydrogenase ± 225 mU per ml.

George Papaevangelou, Nicolaos Tassopoulos, Anastasia Roumeliotou‐Karayannis, Clive Richardson – 1 May 1984 – The etiology of fulminant viral hepatitis was determined in 65 consecutive cases among 1,814 (3.58%) adults with acute viral hepatitis who were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Hospital of Athens from May, 1981 to August, 1983. Radioimmunoassays were used to detect hepatitis B virus, hepatitis A virus and δ‐agent markers. Enzyme immunoassay was used to detect anti‐HBc IgM.