Thermal, vibrational and optical properties of PrLuO interlanthanides from hydrothermally-derived precursors.

PrLuO interlanthanides were prepared at temperatures ranging from 800 °C to 1600 °C using hydrothermally-derived precursors. The chemical reactions observed include the conversion and segregation of Pr(OH) and LuO(OH), respectively, into PrO and LuO cubic oxides below 1200 °C, followed by the production of a mixture of hexagonal P6/mmc and orthorhombic Pnma PrLuO phases at 1400 °C. Phase-pure orthorhombic PrLuO was obtained at 1600 °C, which was corroborated by Raman and micro far-infrared spectroscopic analyses.

Liver dysfunction and fibrosis as predictors of biochemical response to autoimmune hepatitis treatment.

Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a disease that presents itself in various forms, ranging from aminotransferase asymptomatic alteration, acute hepatitis to decompensated cirrhosis. Few studies have evaluated the predictive criteria as a response to treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study examined patients with AIH who were visited in the hepatology clinic of a university hospital between January 2013 and July 2015.

Clinical and laboratory characteristics associated with dyslipidemia and liver steatosis in chronic HBV carriers.

Introduction: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and liver steatosis (LS) are the most common causes of chronic liver disease, and their coexistence is frequently observed in clinical practice. Although metabolic syndrome is the main cause of LS, it has not been associated with HBV infection. The aims of this study were to describe the lipid profile and prevalence of LS among HBV carriers and to identify the characteristics associated with LS in this group.