Metabolic Profile of Obeticholic Acid and Endogenous Bile Acids in Rats with Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis.

Obeticholic acid (OCA) is a semisynthetic bile acid (BA) analog and potent farnesoid X receptor agonist approved to treat cholestasis. We evaluated the biodistribution and metabolism of OCA administered to carbon tetrachloride-induced cirrhotic rats. This was to ascertain if plasma and hepatic concentrations of OCA are potentially more harmful than those of endogenous BAs.

Development of a liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous analysis of intact glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in Brassicaceae seeds and functional foods.

A new high pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous determination of glucosinolates, as glucoraphanin and glucoerucin, and the corresponding isothiocyanates, as sulforaphane and erucin, was developed and applied to quantify these compounds in Eruca sativa defatted seed meals and enriched functional foods. The method involved solvent extraction, separation was achieved in gradient mode using water with 0.5% formic acid and acetonitrile with 0.

Gastrolithiasis in prehensile-tailed porcupines (Coendou prehensilis): nine cases and pathogenesis of stone formation.

Gastrolithiasis was diagnosed in nine prehensile-tailed (PT) porcupines (Coendou prehensilis) housed at six zoologic institutions in the United States and Canada. Affected animals were either asymptomatic or had clinical signs, including weight loss, diarrhea, and depression. Abdominal palpation was adequate for diagnosis in all six antemortem cases, and radiographs confirmed a soft tissue density mass effect produced by the concretion.

Antiinflammatory effect of phytosterols in experimental murine colitis model: prevention, induction, remission study.

Phytosterols, besides hypocholesterolemic effect, present anti-inflammatory properties. Little information is available about their efficacy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Therefore, we have evaluated the effect of a mixture of phytosterols on prevention/induction/remission in a murine experimental model of colitis.

Cellular stress marker alteration and inflammatory response in pigs fed with an ochratoxin contaminated diet.

Aim of this study was to characterize the effects of an ochratoxin A (181 ± 34 ng/g) contaminated diet on growth performances, blood parameters, systemic cytokine levels, cell stress markers and reactivity of immune system of weaned pigs. Growth performance was not affected by OTA consumption even if OTA levels increased in plasma, kidney and liver. OTA diminished the protein content in the serum and increased levels of TNF-alpha and IL-10 in plasma.