Prevalence and predictors of cirrhosis and portal hypertension in the united states.

Background And Aim: There is paucity of data about the prevalence of cirrhosis and portal hypertension in the US general population.

Methods: We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES 2017-2020) to estimate the prevalence of cirrhosis and clinically significant (CS)-portal hypertension in alcoholic liver disease (ALD), MetALD, viral hepatitis (VH) to include chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C (CHC), and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Cirrhosis was evaluated using liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography or FIB-4 score; CS-portal hypertension was defined via LSM and platelet count or the use of non-selective beta-blockers in the presence of cirrhosis.

Ammonium and nitrate in ice accretions and snow at two Central European montane locations: δN and δ [Formula: see text] isotope ratios, fluxes and sources.

In many countries worldwide, NO emissions currently decrease as a result of pollution control, while NH emissions stagnate or continue to increase. Little is known about horizontal deposition of NO and NH, the oxidation/neutralization products of these primary pollutants. To close the knowledge gap, we studied atmospheric inputs of NO and NH at two mountain-top sites near the Czech-German-Polish borders during winter.

Pivotal Role of the Intracellular Microenvironment in the High Photodynamic Activity of Cationic Phthalocyanines.

To investigate the influence of phthalocyanine aggregation on their photodynamic activity, a series of six cationic water-soluble zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing from four to sixteen 4-((diethylmethylammonium)methyl)phenoxy substituents was synthesized. Depending on their structure, the phthalocyanines have different aggregation behaviors in phosphate buffer solutions ranging from fully assembled to monomeric states. Remarkably, independent of aggregation in buffer, very high photodynamic efficiencies against the tumor cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 in the nanomolar range were found for all investigated phthalocyanine, and the IC(light) varied from 27 to 358 nM (3.

Type 2 diabetes and the minor allele of PNPLA3 consistently identify high-risk metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease.

Background: Association of genetic factors with non-invasive tests (NITs) for MASLD has not been well established.

Methods: Clinical and laboratory data, liver biopsy and/or liver stiffness measurement (LSM) by transient elastography were collected from MASLD patients seen in tertiary care hepatology practices. Minor allele frequency for genomic loci rs641738 (MBOAT7), rs58542926 (TM6SF2), rs738409 (PNPLA3), rs62305723 (HSD1713B) were evaluated for association with high ELF (≥11.

Effect of Compositionally Different Substrates on Elemental Properties of Bay Bolete Mushrooms: Case Study of 34 Essential and Non-essential Elements from Six Areas Affected Differently by Industrial Pollution.

We studied concentrations of 34 essential and non-essential elements in samples of edible Bay Bolete (Imleria badia) mushrooms added by samples of the growing substrate and bioavailable fraction. The samples were collected from six forested sites affected differently by industrial pollution and underlain by compositionally contrasting bedrock: granite, amphibolite, and peridotite. In all cases, mushrooms behaved as a bioconcentrating system for elements such as Ag, K, P, Rb, S, and Se (BCF > 1) being a bioexcluding system for the rest of the elements analyzed (BCF < 1).

Poly(2-Deoxy-2-Methacrylamido-D-Glucose)-Based Complex Conjugates of Colistin, Deferoxamine and Vitamin B12: Synthesis and Biological Evaluation.

Growing resistance to traditional antibiotics poses a global threat to public health. In this regard, modification of known antibiotics, but with limited applications due to side effects, is one of the extremely promising approaches at present. In this study, we proposed the synthesis of novel complex polymeric conjugates of the peptide antibiotic colistin (CT).

Stigma in steatotic liver disease: A survey of patients from Saudi Arabia.

Background: A recent name change of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease was primarily driven by potential stigma associated with the terminology. This stigma can be different between patients and healthcare providers and differ according to geographic regions of the world. Our aim was to better understand stigma and disease burden among patients with NAFLD enrolled in the global survey from Saudi Arabia (SA).

On physical meaning of van't Hoff equation and its applicability in chromatography.

The van't Hoff equation is a widely used tool to study adsorption thermodynamics in chromatography. Recent experimental data and some theoretical arguments questioned the accuracy of thermodynamic characteristics determined by using this equation. The present report addresses these concerns and shows that if certain requirements are satisfied, the van't Hoff analysis provide reliable results.

The impact of stigma on quality of life and liver disease burden among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) face a multifaceted disease burden which includes impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL) and potential stigmatization. We aimed to assess the burden of liver disease in patients with NAFLD and the relationship between experience of stigma and HRQL.

Methods: Members of the Global NASH Council created a survey about disease burden in NAFLD.

Liver Transplantation Profile Among Teenagers in the United States.

Purpose: Indications for liver transplantation (LT) vary across age groups. We identified predictors of outcomes for teenage LT waitlisted candidates and recipients in the United States from 2008 to 2022.

Methods: The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients 2008-2022 provided data (clinical, sociodemographic, indications for LT, outcomes) for all teenagers (13-19 years) waitlisted for LT in the United States.

Chemical Modification of Nanocrystalline Cellulose for Manufacturing of Osteoconductive Composite Materials.

Cellulose is one of the main renewable polymers whose properties are very attractive in many fields, including biomedical applications. The modification of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) opens up the possibility of creating nanomaterials with properties of interest as well as combining them with other biomedical polymers. In this work, we proposed the covalent modification of NCC with amphiphilic polyanions such as modified heparin (Hep) and poly(-glutamic acid) (PGlu).

Validation of a Primary Biliary Cholangitis-Specific Version of Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire: CLDQ-PBC.

Introduction: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease, leading to cirrhosis and impairment of patient-reported outcomes. We aimed to develop a PBC-specific version of the Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) instrument to assess health-related quality of life of patients with PBC.

Methods: From our Liver Database, we included patients with PBC who had CLDQ, clinicolaboratory data, and completed Short Form-36 and The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue.

Clinical and patient-reported outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B and C and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease from real-world practices in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt.

Patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) experience health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) impairments. We assessed and identified predictors of HRQoL and PROs in CLD patients from Saudi Arabia (SA), Turkey and Egypt. Patients enrolled in Global Liver Registry™ with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were included.

Adenosine in Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Function.

At the intestinal front, several lines of defense are in place to resist infection and injury, the mucus layer, gut microbiome and strong epithelial junctions, to name a few. Their collaboration creates a resilient barrier. In intestinal disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), barrier function is compromised, which results in rampant inflammation and tissue injury.

Clinical profiles and mortality rates are similar for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Recently, the term metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has replaced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Concern remains regarding whether the evidence generated under the NAFLD definition can be used for MASLD. We compared the clinical profile and outcomes of NAFLD to MASLD using tertiary care- and population-based data.

SERS probing of fungal HET-s fibrils formed at neutral and acidic pH conditions.

Advances in precision medical diagnostics require accurate and sensitive characterization of pathogens. In particular, health conditions associated with protein misfolding require an identification of proteinaceous amyloid fibrils or their precursors. These pathogenic entities express specific molecular structures, which require ultra-sensitive, molecular-level detection methods.

The impact of hepatitis B and C positive serologies on the outcomes of non-hepatic solid organ transplantation in the United States.

Chronic viral hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) infection could negatively affect outcomes of non-hepatic solid organ transplantations due to the risk of viral reactivation in the presence of immunosuppression. This study aimed to determine post-transplant outcomes in patients with HBV or HCV positivity receiving non-hepatic solid-state organ transplant. Data was collected from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) 2006-2021 for patients (≥18) who received a lung, heart, or kidney single organ transplant in the U.

The changing epidemiology of adult liver transplantation in the United States in 2013-2022: The dominance of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and alcohol-associated liver disease.

Background: The high prevalence of obesity in the United States drives the burden of NASH, recently renamed as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). We assessed the most recent trends in liver transplantation in the United States.

Methods: The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR 2013-2022) was used to select adult (18 years or above) candidates who underwent liver transplant.

Polypeptide-Based Systems: From Synthesis to Application in Drug Delivery.

Synthetic polypeptides are biocompatible and biodegradable macromolecules whose composition and architecture can vary over a wide range. Their unique ability to form secondary structures, as well as different pathways of modification and biofunctionalization due to the diversity of amino acids, provide variation in the physicochemical and biological properties of polypeptide-containing materials. In this review article, we summarize the advances in the synthesis of polypeptides and their copolymers and the application of these systems for drug delivery in the form of (nano)particles or hydrogels.

Global survey of stigma among physicians and patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Background & Aims: Patients with fatty liver disease may experience stigma from the disease or comorbidities. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to understand stigma among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and healthcare providers.

Methods: Members of the Global NASH Council created two surveys about experiences/attitudes toward NAFLD and related diagnostic terms: a 68-item patient and a 41-item provider survey.