H. Franklin Herlong, Robert M. Russell, Willis C. Maddrey – 1 July 1981 – Eleven patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were surveyed for evidence of vitamin A and zinc deficiencies. Vitamin A deficiency manifested as a low serum vitamin A concentration and abnormal dark adaptation was present in 9 of the 11 patients. A low serum zinc level was present in four patients who were also vitamin A deficient. All seven patients who received p.o. vitamin A therapy with 25,000 to 50,000 units per day for 4 to 12 weeks achieved normal vitamin A levels.

Rosemary van Hoorn‐Hickman, Del Kahn, Jewel Green, Heather A. Macleod, John Terblanche – 1 July 1981 – An attempt was made to transfer a stimulator substance from the perfusate of partially hepatectomized perfused livers to the portal stump of portacaval‐shunted pig recipients. Blood was either cross‐circulated with recipients during perfusion or was given by exchange tranfusion after 4 hr perfusion. There was an increase in thymidine kinase activity and mitotic indices in biopsies from portacaval‐shunted recipients whether perfusions were performed 2 or 4 days after partial hepatectomy.

Shizuko Takahashi, Edwin Simpser – 1 May 1981 – Mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni represent a model for study of hepatic fibrosis in humans. Production of trypsin‐activatable inactive collagenase and EDTA‐sensitive neutral protease was measured in the culture medium in which granuloma explants or primary cultures were maintained. Collagenase production was maximal in granulomas obtained from liver of mice 8 weeks postinfection and was inhibited by Actinomycin D or cycloheximide, and enhanced by lymphocyte factor(s) or heparin.

George R. Martin, Hynda K. Kleinman – 1 May 1981

Stanley B. Benjamin, Kamal G. Ishak, Hyman J. Zimmerman, Amos Grushka – 1 May 1981 – Phenylbutazone has been reported to produce several forms of hepatic injury. A clinical and histologic review of 23 well‐substantiated cases in conjunction with review of 43 case reports in the literature was undertaken. Utilizing the histologic features and available clinical data, the injury was classified as moderate‐marked hepatocellular injury, minor hepatocellular injury, and other injury. No sexual differences were noted. Most patients had used the drug for less than 6 weeks.

Peter Kryger, Lars R. Mathiesen, Jan Aldershvile, Jens O. Nielsen, The Copenhagen Hepatitis Acuta Programme – 1 May 1981 – To evaluate the clinical implication of IgM antibody against hepatitis B core antigen (anti‐HBc IgM), a consecutive series of 87 patients with acute type B hepatitis and 16 healthy carriers of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were studied by a newly developed reverse ELISA technique.

George H. Scullard, Ljudevit L. Andres, Harry B. Greenberg, Joseph L. Smith, Vinod K. Sawhney, E. Andrew Neal, Anmol S. Mahal, Hans Popper, Thomas C. Merigan, William S. Robinson, Peter B. Gregory – 1 May 1981 – Twelve of 32 patients lost HBeAg and DNA polymerase from their serum after completing antiviral therapy with interferon and/or adenine arabinoside. Three lost serum HBsAg as well. Loss of corresponding viral markers from hepatic tissue was also seen.

Patricia Ponce, Javier Cordero, Marcos Rojkind – 1 May 1981 – Adult rat hepatocytes efficiently attach to intact connective tissue fibers prepared from normal rat liver; this material has been given the name of “biomatrix”. The cells remain alive and differentiated for at least 4 months in culture. The liver biomatrix contains both collagen and noncollagenous glycoproteins. Heretofore, the functions of the different components of the biomatrix in facilitating cell adhesion and promoting survival and differentiation of rat hepatocytes have not been investigated.

Suzanne Lagarde, Elwyn Elias, James B. Wade, James L. Boyer – 1 May 1981 – Freeze fracture analyses of hepatocyte tight junctions reveal interconnecting strands which represent a semipermeable blood‐bile barrier. In epithelia, strand number can be correlated with transepithelial resistance and junctional permeability, but a functional relationship is not always seen. We have devised an analytical method to measure accurately strand number as well as junction depth over a large area of junction.

Hector Orrego, Yedy Israel, Laurence M. Blendis – 1 May 1981