Review article: controversies surrounding the use of carvedilol and other beta blockers in the management of portal hypertension and cirrhosis.

Background: Advanced chronic liver disease is an increasing cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the UK. Portal hypertension is the primary driver of decompensation, including the development of ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and variceal haemorrhage. Non-selective beta blockers (NSBB) reduce portal pressure and are well established in the prevention of variceal haemorrhage.

The contribution of gut-brain axis to development of neurological symptoms in COVID-19 recovered patients: A hypothesis and review of literature.

The gut microbiota undergoes significant alterations in response to viral infections, particularly the novel SARS-CoV-2. As impaired gut microbiota can trigger numerous neurological disorders, we suggest that the long-term neurological symptoms of COVID-19 may be related to intestinal microbiota disorders in these patients. Thus, we have gathered available information on how the virus can affect the microbiota of gastrointestinal systems, both in the acute and the recovery phase of the disease, and described several mechanisms through which this gut dysbiosis can lead to long-term neurological disorders, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic fatigue, psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Susceptibility of Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease to COVID-19 Compared with Their Households.

: Immunosuppressive agents used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) could potentially increase the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We aimed to compare COVID-19 frequency in patients with IBD with their households and identify the related risk factors. : Firstly, a multi-centered, observational study on 2110 patients with IBD and 2110 age-matched household members was conducted to compare COVID-19 frequency.

Antioxidative hypoglycemic herbal medicines with in vivo and in vitro activity against C-reactive protein; a systematic review.

Background: Inflammation is a double-edged sword in the pathophysiology of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The global rise in the prevalence of T2DM in one hand, and poor disease control with currently-available treatments on the other hand, along with an increased tendency towards the use of natural products make scientists seek herbal medicines for the management of diabetes and its complications by reducing C-reactive protein (CRP) as an inflammatory marker.

Purpose: To systematically review the literature to identify the efficacy of various medicinal plants with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties considering their effect on CRP in animal models of T2DM.

Salt consumption and mortality risk in cirrhotic patients: results from a cohort study.

Since conducting a long-term randomised clinical trial is not logical and feasible to find the optimum dosage of salt intake in patients with cirrhosis, cohort studies are the best design to assess the long-term effects of dietary salt on the survival of cirrhotic patients. This cohort study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary intake of salt and mortality risk in cirrhotic patients. The present study was designed as a cohort in three referral hospitals in Iran in 2018.

Socio-economic inequality in prevalence of type 2 diabetes among adults in north-west of Iran: a Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition.

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate the socio-economic inequality in prevalence of type 2 diabetes among adults in north-west of Iran.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Ardabil with data from the PERSIAN Cohort Study. Diabetes has been measured by combining self-reported and clinical records.

Medical management of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in patients with MEN 1: case report.

Objectives: Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1) is a rare inherited autosomal dominant disease which manifests itself with at least one clinical scenario before 45 years of age. The value of somatostatin analogue therapy is unknown in the treatment of non-functioning pancreatic tumours and a few studies have been published in this field.

Case Presentation: We report a young patient with MEN-1 with multiple gastric and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors that was treated with the monthly injection of Sandostatin LAR before and After Distal Pancreatectomy and partial gastrectomy.

Eicosanoids in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment - a multicellular, multifaceted progression.

Background And Aims: Eicosanoids, oxidized fatty acids that serve as cell-signaling molecules, have been broadly implicated in tumorigenesis. Here, we aimed to identify eicosanoids associated with pancreatic tumorigenesis and the cell types responsible for their synthesis.

Methods: We profiled normal pancreas and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in mouse models and patient samples using mass spectrometry.

Kidney stones among Iranian adults: Prevalence and socioeconomic inequality assessment in a cohort-based cross-sectional study.

Background And Aims: Kidney stone disease is a crystal concretion formed usually within the kidneys. The worldwide prevalence of kidney stones could be affected by numerous differences in socioeconomic, and environmental factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate kidney stones among Iranian adults aged between 35 and 70 years and the prevalence and evaluation of socioeconomic inequalities.

A novel quantitative computer-assisted drug-induced liver injury causality assessment tool (DILI-CAT).

Background And Aims: We hypothesized that a drug's clinical signature (or phenotype) of liver injury can be assessed and used to quantitatively develop a computer-assisted DILI causality assessment-tool (DILI-CAT). Therefore, we evaluated drug-specific DILI-phenotypes for amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMX/CLA), cefazolin, cyproterone, and Polygonum multiflorum using data from published case series, to develop DILI-CAT scores for each drug.

Methods: Drug specific phenotypes were made up of the following three clinical features: (1) latency, (2) R-value, and (3) AST/ALT ratio.

Gut microbiota profile in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and presumed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background: The main composition of intestinal microbiota in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) patients has not yet been elucidated. In this, case-control study, we identified differences of intestinal microbiota in male patients with NAFLD, presumed NASH, and healthy controls.

Materials And Methods: We compared gut microbial composition of 25 patients with NAFLD, 13 patients with presumed NASH, and 12 healthy controls.

The natural history of patients with compensated cirrhosis and elevated hepatic venous pressure gradient.

Aims: Portal hypertension is a major complication of liver cirrhosis. Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) appears to be one of the best surrogates of clinical outcomes. However, the utility of elevated HVPG in predicting subsequent clinical decompensation is unclear.

β-PIX cooperates with GIT1 to regulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase in sinusoidal endothelial cells.

Previous studies have demonstrated that G protein-coupled receptor kinase interacting-1 protein (GIT1) associates with endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) to regulate nitric oxide production in sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs). Here, we hypothesized that GIT1's tightly associated binding partner, β-PIX (p21-activated kinase-interacting exchange factor β, ARHGEF7) is specifically important in the regulation of eNOS activity. We examined β-PIX expression in normal rat liver by immunohistochemistry and explored β-PIX protein-protein interactions using immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting.

Does Adding a Cardia Biopsy Improve Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia Detection Rate by the Sydney System Protocol?

Background: The Sydney system offers a standard biopsy protocol for detection and follow-up of gastric preneoplastic lesions such as intestinal metaplasia (IM). The highest frequency of cardia-type gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) in Iran has been documented in the north-western part of the country. This study aims to investigate the effect of the addition of mucosal biopsies of gastric cardia to the standard Sydney protocol on the rate of detection of IM in the asymptomatic residents of this high-risk region for proximal gastric cancer.

Pictogram Is a Valid Instrument to Classify At-Risk Adult Population Based on Abdominal Obesity: Results from Pars Cohort Study.

Background: Abdominal obesity is associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction and death events. Thus, obtaining data on the status of abdominal obesity is important in risk factor assessment and prevention of non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the validity of using pictograms to classify abdominal obesity indices (waist circumference [WC], waist-hip ratio [WHR], and waist-height ratio [WHtR]) into normal and at-risk categories and determine the effects of demographic characteristics on this validity.

Association between Sleeping Patterns and Mealtime with Gut Microbiome: A Pilot Study.

Background: Disruptions in sleep related to mealtime may contribute to gut microbial imbalances, and put individuals at higher risk for metabolic diseases. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the relationships between late-night eating habits and sleep quality and duration, with gut microbiota (GM) profiles.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 36 men referred to a clinic were enrolled.

Development and Validation of a Novel 1-year Mortality Risk Score That Includes the Use of Antithrombotic in Patients With Overt Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Goals And Background: We aimed to develop a novel 1-year mortality risk-scoring system that includes use of antithrombotic (AT) drugs and to validate it against other scoring systems in patients with acute gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB).

Study: We developed a risk-scoring system from prospectively collected data on patients admitted with GIB between January 2013 and August 2020, who had at least 1- year of follow-up. Independent predictors of 1-year mortality were determined after adjusting for the following confounders: the age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (divided into 4 groups: CCI-0=0, CCI-1=1 to 3, CCI-2=4 to 6, CCI-3 ≥7), need for blood transfusion, GIB severity, need for endoscopic therapy, and type of AT.

Pre-clinical Studies Identifying Molecular Pathways of Neuroinflammation in Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review.

Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by neuroinflammation, formation of Lewy bodies, and progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. In this review, we summarize evidence obtained by animal studies demonstrating neuroinflammation as one of the central pathogenetic mechanisms of PD. We also focus on the protein factors that initiate the development of PD and other neurodegenerative diseases.