Determinants of clinical response to empirical antibiotic treatment in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial and fungal infections-Results from the ICA "Global Study" (EABCIR-Global Study).

Background: The administration of an appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment is essential in cirrhosis and severe bacterial infections. We aimed to investigate the predictors of clinical response of empirical antibiotic treatment in a prospective cohort of patients with cirrhosis and bacterial and fungal infections included in the International Club of Ascites "Global Study."

Methods: Patients hospitalized with cirrhosis and bacterial/fungal infection were prospectively enrolled at 46 centers.

Regulation of the cellular redox state and the expression of DNA methyltransferase-1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with Graves' disease.

Background: Graves' disease is an autoimmune disorder characterised by excessive production of thyroid hormones, which induces increased cellular metabolism in most tissues and increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of this work was to analyse the effect of ROS on cell viability and the expression of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) and DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT-1) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients with newly diagnosed Graves' disease or treated with methimazole.

Patients And Methods: For this study, women patients with newly diagnosed Graves' disease (n=18), treated with methimazole (n=6) and healthy subjects (n=15) were recruited.

Determining the Likelihood Ratio From Perceptual Attributes of Voice.

Purpose: To provide voice experts with a method for determining the likelihood ratio (LR) from the perceptual evaluation of distinctive voice attribute scores. The proposed method aims to obtain the similarity and typicality judgments made by forensic voice experts (FVEs) during the comparison of attributes in voice pairs.

Method: It is based on the scoring method for LR calculation.

Clinical features and evolution of bacterial infection-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Background & Aims: Bacterial infections can trigger the development of organ failure(s) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Geographic variations in bacteriology and clinical practice could lead to worldwide differences in ACLF epidemiology, phenotypes and associated outcomes. Herein, we aimed to evaluate regional differences in bacterial infection-related ACLF in patients with cirrhosis admitted to hospital.