Impact of Bacterial Translocation on Sarcopenia in Patients with Decompensated Cirrhosis.

Advanced liver disease is associated with a persistent inflammatory state, derived from abnormal bacterial translocation from the gut, which may contribute to the development of sarcopenia in cirrhosis. We aim to document the association of chronic inflammation and bacterial translocation with the presence of sarcopenia in cirrhosis. We prospectively followed cirrhotic patients aged 18-70 years with medically refractory ascites at a single tertiary care center in Toronto, Canada.

Bacterial DNA translocation contributes to systemic inflammation and to minor changes in the clinical outcome of liver transplantation.

Bacterial (bact)DNA is an immunogenic product that frequently translocates into the blood in cirrhosis. We evaluated bactDNA clearance in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT) and its association with inflammation and clinically relevant complications. We prospectively included patients consecutively admitted for LT in a one-year follow-up study.

Tie and tag: A study of tie strength and tags for photo sharing.

Tie strength and tags have been separately suggested as possible attributes for photo access controls in Social Network Services. However, an evaluation is missing about the benefits/drawbacks of adding one or both of these attributes to the ones already used in access controls for Social Network Services (groups and individuals). In this paper, we describe an experiment with 48 participants using access controls that include tie strength and tags (separately and simultaneously) together with attributes for groups and individuals.

AIM2 deficiency reduces the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in mice.

Chronic liver inflammation is crucial in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Activation of the inflammasome complex is a key inflammatory process that has been associated with different liver diseases, but its role in HCC development remains largely unexplored. Here we analyzed the impact of different inflammasome components, including absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) and NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), in the development of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC in mice.

Treatment with non-selective beta-blockers affects the systemic inflammatory response to bacterial DNA in patients with cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: The use of non-selective beta-blockers has been associated with lower rates of infection and reduced infection-associated morbidity in patients with cirrhosis. However, it is unknown if these drugs modify the systemic inflammatory response to circulating bacterial DNA.

Methods: Sixty-three patients with cirrhosis were included during an episode of decompensation by ascites.

Norfloxacin is more effective than Rifaximin in avoiding bacterial translocation in an animal model of cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Norfloxacin administration is useful in preventing bacterial infections in cirrhosis but associated to the generation of resistant species. Rifaximin is known to reach high concentrations in the intestinal lumen without generating relevant resistance in the intestinal flora. Our aim was to compare the effect of Norfloxacin and Rifaximin on intestinal flora composition, bacterial translocation and survival in cirrhotic rats.

Antiproliferative Activity of Extracts of subsp. and subsp. .

Various species of the genus have been used in traditional medicine in many countries to treat numerous skin disorders, including cancer. The objective of this work was to assess the anticancer properties of root and leaf extracts from subsp. and subsp.

Concurrent activation of β-adrenergic receptor and blockage of GPR55 disrupts pro-oncogenic signaling in glioma cells.

Activation of β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) and deorphanized GPR55 has been shown to modulate cancer growth in diverse tumor types in vitro and in xenograft models in vivo. (R,R')-4'-methoxy-1-naphthylfenoterol [(R,R')-MNF] is a bivalent compound that agonizes βAR but inhibits GPR55-mediated pro-oncogenic responses. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumorigenic effects of concurrent βAR activation and GPR55 blockade in C6 glioma cells using (R,R')-MNF as a marker ligand.

Toll-like receptor polymorphisms compromise the inflammatory response against bacterial antigen translocation in cirrhosis.

Bacterial translocation is associated with clinically relevant complications in cirrhosis. We evaluated the effect of toll-like receptor polymorphisms in the soluble response against these episodes. Consecutive patients with cirrhosis and ascitic fluid were distributed by TLR2 rs4696480, TLR4 rs4986790, and TLR9 rs187084 single-nucleotide polymorphisms.

The expression and activation of the AIM2 inflammasome correlates with inflammation and disease severity in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Background: Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disorder of the pancreas that is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. The inflammasome pathway has acquired significant relevance in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory disorders, but its role in patients with acute pancreatitis still awaits clarification.

Methods: We performed a prospective study in which 27 patients with acute pancreatitis and 16 healthy controls were included.

Lactulose reduces bacterial DNA translocation, which worsens neurocognitive shape in cirrhotic patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy.

Background & Aims: Minimal hepatic encephalopathy is associated with poor prognosis and mortality in patients with cirrhosis. We aimed at investigating whether bacterial-DNA translocation affects hyperammonaemia and neurocognitive scores in patients with mHE according to the use of lactulose.

Methods: Observational study including 72 mHE cirrhotic patients, as defined by a psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES)<-4 and/or a critical flicker frequency (CFF)<39 Hz.

Selective intestinal decontamination with norfloxacin enhances a regulatory T cell-mediated inflammatory control mechanism in cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Norfloxacin exerts immunomodulatory effects in cirrhosis beyond its bactericidal activity. We aimed at identifying the role of regulatory T (Treg) cells in the norfloxacin mechanism that compensates the inflammatory environment in cirrhosis.

Patients & Methods: Consecutively admitted patients with cirrhosis and ascitic fluid (AF) with: spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), non-infected AF, and norfloxacin as secondary SBP prophylaxis (SID group).

Grade of soluble inflammatory response is mainly affected by circulating bacterial DNA concentrations in cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Patients with decompensated cirrhosis show a marked innate immune response that shows a wide variability. The reasons for this fact have not been previously evaluated. This investigation was undertaken to study factors influencing the immune response intensity in both serum and ascitic fluid in patients with cirrhosis and ascites with presence of bactDNA.

Gut Bacterial DNA Translocation is an Independent Risk Factor of Flare at Short Term in Patients With Crohn's Disease.

Objectives: We aimed at evaluating bacterial DNA (bactDNA) presence in blood of Crohn's disease (CD) patients in remission as an independent risk factor of flare at 6 months.

Methods: This is a prospective, multicenter study on CD patients with Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI)<150. The primary end point was time-to-relapse as evaluated by CDAI>150 in the following 6 months.

Norm Monitoring Under Partial Action Observability.

In the context of using norms for controlling multiagent systems, a vitally important question that has not yet been addressed in the literature is the development of mechanisms for monitoring norm compliance under partial action observability. This paper proposes the reconstruction of unobserved actions to tackle this problem. In particular, we formalize the problem of reconstructing unobserved actions, and propose an information model and algorithms for monitoring norms under partial action observability using two different processes for reconstructing unobserved actions.

Microbiome and bacterial translocation in cirrhosis.

Qualitative and quantitative changes in gut microbiota play a very important role in cirrhosis. Humans harbour around 100 quintillion gut bacteria, thus representing around 10 times more microbial cells than eukaryotic ones. The gastrointestinal tract is the largest surface area in the body and it is subject to constant exposure to these living microorganisms.

Immunomodulating effects of antibiotics used in the prophylaxis of bacterial infections in advanced cirrhosis.

The use of norfloxacin either as primary or secondary prophylaxis of bacterial infections in advanced cirrhosis has improved patient's survival. This may be explained not only due to a significant decrease in the number of infections, but also because of a direct immunomodulatory effect. Selective intestinal decontamination with norfloxacin reduces translocation of either viable bacteria or bacteria-driven products from the intestinal lumen.

Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT7765 induces an M2 anti-inflammatory transition in macrophages from patients with cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Patients with cirrhosis show recurrent access of bacterial products into the bloodstream inducing a multi-altered immunological status leading to relevant complications. We aimed at evaluating Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT7765 effect on the host's macrophage function.

Patients & Methods: Patients with cirrhosis and ascites were included.

Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT7765 promotes a TLR2-dependent anti-inflammatory response in intestinal lymphocytes from mice with cirrhosis.

Background: Intestinal homeostasis plays an important role in bacteria-derived complications in cirrhosis. Intestinal lymphocytes are responsible for immune effector functions and can be modulated by certain probiotics. We evaluate the interaction between Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT7765 and intestinal lymphocytes in mice with cirrhosis.

Anti-TNF-alpha loss of response is associated with a decreased percentage of FoxP3+ T cells and a variant NOD2 genotype in patients with Crohn's disease.

Background: Anti-TNF-α therapies interact with the tolerogenic response in patients with Crohn's disease, modulating inflammation. However, drug levels and the genetic background may affect this interaction.

Methods: Patients with Crohn's disease in remission on biologic monotherapy were enrolled in this study.

Gut microbiota-related complications in cirrhosis.

Gut microbiota plays an important role in cirrhosis. The liver is constantly challenged with commensal bacteria and their products arriving through the portal vein in the so-called gut-liver axis. Bacterial translocation from the intestinal lumen through the intestinal wall and to mesenteric lymph nodes is facilitated by intestinal bacterial overgrowth, impairment in the permeability of the intestinal mucosal barrier, and deficiencies in local host immune defences.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 regulates CD4+ T-cell functions and restrains spontaneous colitis in IL-10-deficient mice.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatases are dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) that dephosphorylate phosphothreonine and phosphotyrosine residues within MAPKs. DUSP6 preferentially dephosphorylates extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) rendering them inactive. Here, we study the role of DUSP6 in CD4(+) T-cell function, differentiation, and inflammatory profile in the colon.

Absent in melanoma 2 triggers a heightened inflammasome response in ascitic fluid macrophages of patients with cirrhosis.

Background & Aims: Inflammation is a common event in the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis. The inflammasome pathway has acquired significant relevance in the pathogenesis of inflammation, but its role in the inflammatory response in patients with decompensated cirrhosis remains unexplored.

Methods: We performed a prospective study in which 44 patients with decompensated cirrhosis and 12 healthy volunteers were included.