A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitude, and practice toward COVID-19 in solid organ transplant recipients at a transplant center in the United States.

Objectives: Knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) have been widely used during times of pandemic to quantify and locate gaps of care during pandemics. Using this tool, we can identify and target populations who underwent solid organ transplant (SOT) to bolster preventative practices in these patients during COVID-19.

Materials And Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted between June 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 on patients who underwent a liver and/or kidney transplant at Methodist Dallas Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, USA.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Masquerading as Gastroenteritis: A Common but Overlooked Clinical Presentation.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is a tick-borne illness caused by . The classic triad of fever, rash, and a recent tick bite is rarely present at diagnosis. Less known, but more common initial presentations include gastrointestinal symptoms such as anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Functional high-intensity exercise training ameliorates insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk factors in type 2 diabetes.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? Does short-duration, high-intensity exercise training that combines functional aerobic and resistance exercises into training sessions lasting 8-20 min benefit individuals with type 2 diabetes? What is the main finding and its importance? Functional high-intensity training improves insulin sensitivity and reduces cardiometabolic risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes. This type of exercise training may be an effective exercise mode for managing type 2 diabetes. The increase in insulin sensitivity addresses a key defect in type 2 diabetes.

Effect of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on liver mitochondrial dynamics in a rat model of obesity.

Bariatric surgery provides significant and durable improvements in glycemic control and hepatic steatosis, but the underlying mechanisms that drive improvements in these metabolic parameters remain to be fully elucidated. Recently, alterations in mitochondrial morphology have shown a direct link to nutrient adaptations in obesity. Here, we evaluate the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery on markers of liver mitochondrial dynamics in a diet-induced obesity Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model.

A whole-grain diet reduces peripheral insulin resistance and improves glucose kinetics in obese adults: A randomized-controlled trial.

Background: Whole-grain intake is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes but the mechanisms are unclear.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that a WG diet reduces insulin resistance and improves glucose use in individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes compared with an isocaloric-matched refined-grain diet.

Methods: A double-blind, randomized, controlled, crossover trial of 14 moderately obese adults (Age, 38 ± 2 y; BMI, 34.

Functional high-intensity training improves pancreatic β-cell function in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by reductions in β-cell function and insulin secretion on the background of elevated insulin resistance. Aerobic exercise has been shown to improve β-cell function, despite a subset of T2D patients displaying "exercise resistance." Further investigations into the effectiveness of alternate forms of exercise on β-cell function in the T2D patient population are needed.

A Whole-Grain Diet Reduces Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Increased dietary whole-grain intake may protect against cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of whole grains compared with refined grains on body composition, hypertension, and related mediators of CVD in overweight and obese adults.

Methods: We conducted a double-blind, randomized, controlled crossover trial in 40 overweight or obese men and women aged <50 y with no known history of CVD.

Influence of body mass index on the prevalence and progression of dysplasia in Barrett's esophagus: a retrospective analysis (.).

Objective: High body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Our aim was to determine if prevalence of dysplasia in BE varies by BMI and study the effect of BMI on progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or EAC.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients with endoscopic evidence of BE confirmed by presence of intestinal metaplasia on histology from January 2000 to December 2012 at Cleveland Clinic.

Short-term aerobic exercise training improves gut peptide regulation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Obesity-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is now the most common chronic liver disease. Exercise and diet are uniformly prescribed treatments for NAFLD; however, there are limited empirical data on the effects of exercise training on metabolic function in these patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the fasting and glucose-stimulated adaptation of gut peptides to short-term aerobic exercise training in patients with NAFLD.

Clinical spectrum of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.

Background: While non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been well characterised in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), less is known about NAFLD in non-DM patients. We investigated the clinical characteristics of NAFLD patients with and without DM and accuracy of the NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) in these two NAFLD groups.

Methods: Clinical, biochemical and histological variables were evaluated in this prospective cross-sectional study of 503 patients with biopsy proven NAFLD.

The development of a non-invasive model to predict the presence of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an advanced and aggressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which remains difficult to diagnose without a liver biopsy. Hyperferritinemia has increasingly been associated with the presence of NASH. Hence, we sought to explore the relationship between ferritin and NASH and to develop a composite model based on ferritin to predict the presence of NASH.

Age impacts ability of aspartate-alanine aminotransferase ratio to predict advanced fibrosis in nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease.

Background And Aim: While histological differences have been reported between pediatric and adult nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), potential age-related changes in serum transaminases and liver histology remain largely unexplored. Our study sought to investigate the clinical and histological characteristics of NAFLD across age.

Methods: This was a prospective cross-sectional study of 502 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients.

Renin-angiotensin system and fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Therapeutic options are limited for patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). One promising approach is the attenuation of necroinflammation and fibrosis by inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS). We explored whether the risk of fibrosis was associated with the use of commonly used medications in NAFLD patients with hypertension.

Prevalence of celiac disease in cirrhosis and outcome of cirrhosis on a gluten free diet: a prospective study.

Background & Aims: Current consensus suggests CD to be a multi-systemic disease that could affect any organ system including the liver. It remains under-diagnosed in the US and its prevalence and management in cirrhotic patients has not been studied. Our aim was (1) to estimate the prevalence of CD in cirrhosis, (2) to characterize cirrhotic patients with abnormal celiac serology and normal small bowel biopsy and (3) to evaluate the effect of a GFD on the liver.

Fetuin-A is linked to improved glucose tolerance after short-term exercise training in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Fetuin-A is synthesized in the liver and may be associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle-induced weight loss reduces fetuin-A, but the effect of exercise alone is unknown. We determined the effect of short-term exercise training on plasma fetuin-A in 13 (50.

Microscopic colitis: is it a spectrum of inflammatory bowel disease?

Lymphocytic and collagenous colitis are forms of microscopic colitis which typically presents in elderly patients as chronic watery diarrhea. The association between microscopic colitis and inflammatory bowel disease is weak and unclear. Lymphocytic colitis progressing to ulcerative colitis has been previously reported; however there is limited data on ulcerative colitis evolving into microscopic (lymphocytic or collagenous) colitis.

Improved hepatic lipid composition following short-term exercise in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Context: Hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, inflammation, low levels of polyunsaturated lipids, and adiponectin are implicated in the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Objective: We examined the effects of short-term aerobic exercise on these metabolic risk factors.

Design And Participants: Obese individuals (N = 17, 34.

Diagnosis of celiac disease in adults based on serology test results, without small-bowel biopsy.

Background & Aims: Celiac disease is underdiagnosed, with nonspecific symptoms and high morbidity. New diagnostic factors are needed. We aimed to estimate the frequency at which adult patients with positive results from serology tests are referred for small-bowel biopsies and to identify factors that improve the diagnosis of celiac disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and obesity: not all about body mass index.

Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) are typically obese and confounded by the metabolic syndrome. The body mass index (BMI) is often used as a surrogate marker of obesity defined as a BMI >30 λkg/m(2). However, it is now apparent that it is the distribution of body fat (not total fat) that is associated with NAFLD.

Repeat stool testing for Clostridium difficile using enzyme immunoassay in patients with inflammatory bowel disease increases diagnostic yield.

Background: The incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is increasing. CDI is diagnosed by toxin enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) performed on stool samples. An earlier study evaluating EIA in IBD patients with CDI suggested that more than one stool sample be tested to increase diagnostic yield.

The relevance of liver histology to predicting clinically meaningful outcomes in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has emerged as the most prevalent chronic liver disease. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the more severe form of NAFLD, has an increased risk for progression to cirrhosis. The available data suggest increased morbidity and mortality among those patients with advanced histologic severity such as NASH and fibrosis.

Role of ceramides in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a chronic disease with a histological spectrum ranging from steatosis alone, to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The latter is associated with an increased risk for progression to cirrhosis. Ceramides are a lipid species that exert biological effects through cellular proliferation, differentiation, and cell death, and interact with several pathways involved in insulin resistance, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, all of which are linked to NAFLD.

Short-term exercise reduces markers of hepatocyte apoptosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Increased hepatocyte apoptosis is a hallmark of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and contributes to the profibrogenic state responsible for the progression to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Strategies aimed at reducing apoptosis may result in better outcomes for individuals with NAFLD. We therefore examined the effect of a short-term exercise program on markers of apoptosis-plasma cytokeratin 18 (CK18) fragments, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), soluble Fas (sFas), and sFas ligand (sFasL)-in 13 obese individuals with NAFLD [body mass index 35.