Phase Angle Is an Independent Predictor of 6-Month Mortality in Patients With Decompensated Cirrhosis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the nutrition status through phase angle (PA) and its association with mortality in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed with hospitalized decompensated cirrhotic patients. Nutrition status was assessed by PA, bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA), and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) within 72 hours of hospital admission.

Dietary interventions, intestinal microenvironment, and obesity: a systematic review.

Context: Obesity has been linked to the intestinal microenvironment. Diet plays an important role in obesity and has been associated with microbiota.

Objective: This systematic review sought to evaluate the scientific evidence on the effect of dietary modification, including supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics, on microbiota diversity in obesity.

Pre-transplant ALBI Grade 3 Is Associated with Increased Mortality After Liver Transplantation.

Background: Although MELD score is a reliable tool for estimating mortality in the waiting list, criteria for preoperative prediction of survival after liver transplantation (LT) are lacking. ALBI score was validated as a prognostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization, hepatic resection, and sorafenib treatment but not for LT outcomes yet. This study aimed to evaluate ALBI score as a prognostic factor in LT.

Lactobacillus rhamnosusGG reduces hepatic fibrosis in a model of chronic liver disease in rats.

Background: The intestinal dysbiosis is common in chronic liver disease and can induce to inflammatory responses and mediate the collagen deposition in the liver.

Aim: To evaluate the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for the treatment of liver fibrosis in a model of chronic cholestatic liver disease in rats.

Methods: Male adult Wistar rats (n = 29) were submitted to common bile duct ligation (BDL groups) or manipulation of common bile duct without ligation (Ctrl groups).

Obesity associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus is linked to decreased PC1/3 mRNA expression in the Jejunum.

Background: Bariatric surgery is the most effective therapeutic option for obesity and its complications, especially in type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the messenger RNA (mRNA) gene expression of proglucagon, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3), and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) in jejunum cells of the morbidly obese (OB) non type 2 diabetes mellitus (NDM2) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), to determine the molecular basis of incretin secretion after bariatric surgery.

Methods: Samples of jejunal mucosa were obtained from 20 NDM2 patients: removal of a section of the jejunum about 60 cm distal to the ligament of Treitz and 18 T2DM patients: removal of a section of the jejunum about 100 cm distal to the ligament of Treitz.

Impairment of short term memory in rats with hepatic encephalopathy due to bile duct ligation.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) arises from acute or chronic liver diseases and leads to cognitive deficits. Different animal models for the study of HE have demonstrated learning and memory impairment and a number of neurotransmitter systems have been proposed to be involved in this. Recently, it was described that bile duct-ligated (BDL) rats exhibited altered spatio-temporal locomotor and exploratory activities and biosynthesis of neurotransmitter GABA in brain cortices.

Parallel down-regulation of FOXO1, PPARγ and adiponectin mRNA expression in visceral adipose tissue of class III obese individuals.

Objective: Adipose tissue is responsible for secretion of several cytokines that mediate systemic effects on obesity and insulin resistance. Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) are metabolically different and have differences in their gene expression profile. Our study evaluated the expression of adiponectin, FOXO1, PPARγ, and SIRT1 in VAT and SAT of non-obese and class III obese subjects.

Blood collection for biochemical analysis in adult zebrafish.

The zebrafish has been used as an animal model for studies of several human diseases. It can serve as a powerful preclinical platform for studies of molecular events and therapeutic strategies as well as for evaluating the physiological mechanisms of some pathologies. There are relatively few publications related to adult zebrafish physiology of organs and systems, which may lead researchers to infer that the basic techniques needed to allow the exploration of zebrafish systems are lacking.

The effect of taurine on hepatic steatosis induced by thioacetamide in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most prevalent forms of chronic liver disease in the Western world. Taurine is a conditionally essential amino acid in humans that may be a promising therapy for treating this disease.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of taurine on hepatic steatosis induced by thioacetamide in Danio rerio.

Resveratrol upregulated SIRT1, FOXO1, and adiponectin and downregulated PPARγ1-3 mRNA expression in human visceral adipocytes.

Background: The SIRT1 enzyme is involved in adipose tissue (AT) lipolysis. FOXO1 is a protein that plays a significant role in regulating metabolism. Adiponectin is an adipokine, secreted by the AT, which has been considered to have an antiobesity function.

SIRT1 transcription is decreased in visceral adipose tissue of morbidly obese patients with severe hepatic steatosis.

Background: Visceral adipose tissue is known to release greater amounts of adipokines and free fatty acids into the portal vein, being one of the most predictive factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Our study has the purpose to evaluate sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), adiponectin, Forkhead/winged helix (FOXO1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)gamma1-3, and PPARbeta/delta mRNA expression in morbidly obese patients in three different lipid depots: visceral (VAT), subcutaneous (SAT), and retroperitoneal (RAT). Recent studies suggest that SIRT1, a NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase, protects rats from NAFLD.

Low plasma zinc concentrations in pediatric patients with cirrhosis.

Objective: To determine plasma zinc concentrations in children and adolescents with cirrhosis and to investigate the association between these results and dietary zinc intake, anthropometric data, and severity of liver disease.

Methods: Plasma zinc concentration was assessed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 30 children and adolescents with cirrhosis (105.0+/-60.