Maternal Exercise Mediates Hepatic Metabolic Programming via Activation of AMPK-PGC1α Axis in the Offspring of Obese Mothers.

Maternal obesity is associated with an increased risk of hepatic metabolic dysfunction for both mother and offspring and targeted interventions to address this growing metabolic disease burden are urgently needed. This study investigates whether maternal exercise (ME) could reverse the detrimental effects of hepatic metabolic dysfunction in obese dams and their offspring while focusing on the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), representing a key regulator of hepatic metabolism. In a mouse model of maternal western-style-diet (WSD)-induced obesity, we established an exercise intervention of voluntary wheel-running before and during pregnancy and analyzed its effects on hepatic energy metabolism during developmental organ programming.

Diarrhea as a Clinical Challenge: General Practitioner Approach.

Background: Diarrhea is defined as the passage of loose stools and increase in stool frequency, weight, or volume. Diarrhea is an important health issue since it accounts for 2.5 million deaths in the world each year.

Abnormal Liver Blood Tests: Hepatologist Approach.

Background: Available data suggest that the prevalence of chronic liver disease (CLD) and primary liver cancer is rising in Europe and represents a major public health problem. Predictions are showing that these trends will continue to rise in the upcoming years.

Summary: Alcohol-related liver disease, nonalcohol fatty liver disease, and viral hepatitis B and hepatitis C are the leading causes of liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer in Europe.

Abnormal Liver Blood Tests: Primary Care Approach.

Background: According to recent epidemiological data, annual deaths due to liver disease have increased dramatically, while predictions show that trends will continue to rise in the upcoming years.

Summary: Abnormal liver blood tests are one of the most common challenges encountered in the primary care setting. The prevalence of mildly elevated transaminase levels is around 10-20% in the general population.

Chronic Abdominal Pain: Gastroenterologist Approach.

Background: Abdominal pain is a common symptom of gastroenterology examination. Chronic abdominal pain is present for >3 months.

Summary: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases encountered by both gastroenterologists and general practitioners.

Anemia as a Problem: GEH Approach.

Background: Anemia is present in almost 5% of adults worldwide and accompanies clinical findings in many diseases. Diseases of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and liver are a common cause of anemia, so patients with anemia are often referred to a gastroenterologist.

Summary: Anemia could be caused by various factors such as chronic bleeding, malabsorption, or chronic inflammation.

Evaluation of malignant effusions using MR-based T1 mapping.

Our aim was to investigate the diagnostic yield of rapid T1-mapping for the differentiation of malignant and non-malignant effusions in an ex-vivo set up. T1-mapping was performed with a fast modified Look-Locker inversion-recovery (MOLLI) acquisition and a combined turbo spin-echo and inversion-recovery sequence (TMIX) as reference. A total of 13 titrated albumin-solutions as well as 48 samples (29 ascites/pleural effusions from patients with malignancy; 19 from patients without malignancy) were examined.

Chicago Classification Update (v4.0): Technical review on diagnostic criteria for distal esophageal spasm.

Distal esophageal spasm (DES) is defined as a manometric pattern of at least 20% of premature contractions in a context of normal esophago-gastric junction relaxation in a patient with dysphagia or non-cardiac chest pain. The definition of premature contraction requires the measurement of the distal latency and identification of the contractile deceleration point (CDP). The CDP can be difficult to localize, and alternative methods are proposed.

An overview of hepatocellular carcinoma with atypical enhancement pattern: spectrum of magnetic resonance imaging findings with pathologic correlation.

Background: In the setting of cirrhotic liver, the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is straightforward when typical imaging findings consisting of arterial hypervascularity followed by portal-venous washout are present in nodules larger than 1 cm. However, due to the complexity of hepatocarcinogenesis, not all HCCs present with typical vascular behaviour. Atypical forms such as hypervascular HCC without washout, isovascular or even hypovascular HCC can pose diagnostic dilemmas.

Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma of the liver: A case report.

Background: Low grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is a rare and benign mesenchymal tumor with indolent course, most commonly found in young or middle-aged men. The majority of the LGFMSs are located in the trunk and deep soft tissue of the lower extremities. They appear as well circumscribed, although not encapsulated, which often leads to incomplete surgical resection.

Hypopituitarism in Wilson's disease resolved after copper-chelating therapy.

Summary: Wilson's disease (WD) is a rare disorder of copper metabolism usually presenting with variable liver damage and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Here we report a 39-year-old Taiwanese female with late manifestation of WD presenting with gonadotroph, thyreotroph and corticotroph hypopituitarism. Molecular genetic testing revealed compound heterozygosity for two mutations in exons 12 and 14 (c.

HIV DNA reservoir and elevated PD-1 expression of CD4 T-cell subsets particularly persist in the terminal ileum of HIV-positive patients despite cART.

Objectives: Despite its importance as an HIV anatomic sanctuary, little is known about the characteristics of the HIV reservoir in the terminal ileum (TI). In blood, the immune checkpoint inhibitor programmed-death-1 (PD-1) has been linked to the HIV reservoir and T-cell immune dysfunction. We thus evaluated PD-1 expression and cell-associated HIV DNA in memory CD4 T-cell subsets from TI, peripheral blood (PB) and rectum (RE) of untreated and treated HIV-positive patients to identify associations between PD-1 and HIV reservoir in other sites.

Pentoxifylline with metformin treatment improves biochemical parameters in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background: The progression of the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is multifactorial, and there is still a lack of approved medications for its treatment. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of combined treatment with Pentoxifylline and Metformin on biochemical parameters in patients with Nash. Setting: Outpatient hepatology clinic.

Relationship between coffee consumption, sleep duration and smoking status with elastographic parameters of liver steatosis and fibrosis; controlled attenuation parameter and liver stiffness measurements.

Aim: our aim was to explore the association between life habits and the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurements (LSM) as the surrogate markers of liver steatosis and fibrosis in a large cohort of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.

Methods: In this prospective, cross-sectional study we had analysed 1998 patients with diagnosed NAFLD. Sleeping duration was categorised in three groups: short (S) (<6 hours), moderate (M) (6-8 hours) and long (L) (>8 hours) sleep duration.

European Registry on management (Hp-EuReg): patterns and trends in first-line empirical eradication prescription and outcomes of 5 years and 21 533 patients.

Objective: The best approach for management remains unclear. An audit process is essential to ensure clinical practice is aligned with best standards of care.

Design: International multicentre prospective non-interventional registry starting in 2013 aimed to evaluate the decisions and outcomes in management by European gastroenterologists.

Antiplatelet agents'-ticagrelol and eptifibatide-safety in experimental colitis in mice.

Background/aims: To evaluate the side effects of two antiplatelet agents - ticagrelor and eptifibatide - in mice with experimentally-induced inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods And Material: This study was designed as a controlled, animal, drug safety investigation. C57Bl/6 mice were used to establish the ulcerative colitis model by exposure to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and divided into three experimental groups: eptifibatide-treated (150 µg/day intraperitoneally; n = 10), ticagrelol-treated (1 mg/day via gastric tube; n = 10), and DSS-control (plain drinking water; n = 10).

The Effects of Inhalation Aromatherapy Using Lavender Essential Oil on Postoperative Pain of Inguinal Hernia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: One of the main problems after inguinal hernia surgery is postoperative pain. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aromatherapy with lavender oil inhalation on postoperative pain after inguinal hernia surgery.

Design: A randomized controlled design was used.

Perineural invasion as a prognostic factor in patients with stage I-III rectal cancer - 5-year follow up.

Background: Rectal cancer (RC) is one of the most common diagnosed cancers, and one of the major causes of cancer-related death nowadays. Majority of the current guidelines rely on TNM classification regarding therapy regiments, however recent studies suggest that additional histopathological findings could affect the disease course.

Aim: To determine whether perineural invasion alone or in combination with lymphovascular invasion have an effect on 5-years overall survival (OS) of RC patients.

Pretreatment resistance mutations and treatment outcomes in adults living with HIV-1: a cohort study in urban Malawi.

Background: Pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR) among antiretroviral drug-naïve people living with HIV (PLHIV) represents an important indicator for the risk of treatment failure and the spread of drug resistant HIV variants. We assessed the prevalence of PDR and treatment outcomes among adults living with HIV-1 in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Methods: We selected 200 participants at random from the Lighthouse Tenofovir Cohort Study (LighTen).

Not all world leaders use Twitter in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: impact of the way of Angela Merkel on psychological distress, behaviour and risk perception.

At a time of growing governmental restrictions and 'physical distancing' in order to decelerate the spread of COVID-19, psychological challenges are increasing. Social media plays an important role in maintaining social contact as well as exerting political influence. World leaders use it not only to keep citizens informed but also to boost morale and manage people's fears.

Correlation of Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO-2) with Endoscopic and Histological Features in Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease Patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in consecutive newly diagnosed patients with inflammatory bowel disease in a tertiary care referral center. The initial evaluation included patient-reported outcome for stool frequency subscore and rectal bleeding. Endoscopic activity was determined using the Mayo scoring system for ulcerative colitis and the Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's disease.

Exploring inflammatory and apoptotic signatures in distinct Crohn's disease phenotypes: Way towards molecular stratification of patients and targeted therapy.

Background: Crohn's disease (CD) is chronic inflammatory bowel disease with different phenotypic characteristics influencing disease prognosis and therapeutic strategies. The aim of this pilot study was to analyze selected inflammatory and apoptotic markers in non-inflamed and inflamed samples of ileal mucosa of non-stricturing/non-penetrating (NS/NP) and stricturing (S) CD mucosal phenotypes in order to characterize their distinct profiles.

Methods: From twenty CD patients (9 NS/NP, 11 S) paired non-inflamed and inflamed ileal biopsies were collected and used for analysis of cytokine (TNF and IL6) and apoptotic (Bcl2, Bax, Fas and FasL) genes' expression levels by real-time PCR, while NFκB transcriptional potency was assessed by electromobility gel shift assay.