Improved survival outcomes in patients with non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholic liver disease following liver transplantation: an analysis of 2002–2012 United Network for Organ Sharing data

There is an increasing trend of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease undergoing liver transplantation in the US. Our study utilized data from the 2002 to 2012 United Network for Organ Sharing registry to evaluate model for end‐stage liver disease era trends in US liver transplantations focused on patients with non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatitis C (HCV), alcoholic liver disease (ALD), and HCC. Survival outcomes were stratified by liver disease etiology and compared across time periods using Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards models. Patients with NASH were more likely to be women, had higher body mass index (BMI), and had higher prevalence of diabetes and cardiac disease. However, overall long‐term survival was significantly higher in patients with NASH and ALD (p < 0.001). Compared to HCV, patients with NASH had significantly higher post‐transplantation survival (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.63–0.77), and lower risk of graft failure (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.69–0.83). Despite having higher BMI and higher prevalence of diabetes and cardiac disease, patients with NASH had better post‐liver transplantation survival compared to patients with HCV or HCC. Patients with ALD also had superior survival outcomes. However, these survival differences were limited to patients without HCC that underwent liver transplantation.     

Predictors of taste acuity in healthy older Europeans

This study aimed to identify factors associated with taste acuity in healthy older European adults aged 55-87 years, employing a factorial independent design to recruit older adults from centres in France, Italy and United Kingdom. Adults aged 70-87 years (N = 387) were recruited in Rome (Italy) (n = 108) and Grenoble (France) (n = 91) and aged 55-70 years in Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) (n = 93) and Clermont-Ferrand (C-F) (France) (n = 95). A signal detection theory (SDT) approach was used for detection threshold assessment of the four basic tastes (salt; sweet; bitter; and, sour). Trial data were converted to R-indices. Diet was assessed by means of four day food diaries. Dietary data were converted using WISP and then reduced, using a principal components analysis, to four components: Component 1 ‘high fat and salt’; Component 2 ‘high vitamins and fibre’; Component 3 ‘high fat and carbohydrate’; and, Component 4 ‘high trace elements’. Socio-demographic information was collected by self report survey. Four separate regression analyses were carried out, one for each of the four basic taste qualities (sweet; sour; bitter; salt). Mean ROC scores for each taste quality were the response variables and age, sex, country, social class and dietary components were predictor variables. The main predictors of taste acuity were age, sex, social class and country, which had differential effects for each taste quality. These data suggest that socio-demographic and cultural factors should be taken into account when considering taste acuity in older people.     

Retinal detachment after extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens

The authors reviewed 3065 consecutive cases of extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber lens implant (ECCE-PC IOL) and found the incidence of retinal detachment to be 1.4% overall (44/3065) and 1.7% in a group of eyes followed for at least 1 year (40/2330). Retrospective analysis of the retinal detachment (RD) group (n = 44) showed the patients to be significantly younger than the overall group (n = 3065) (P less than 0.0001). Comparison with an age-matched group of 302 eyes without RD showed higher rates of RD in males (P = 0.0013) and in eyes with axial eye length (AEL) greater than 25 mm (P less than 0.0001). No significant correlation was found between RD and PC IOL manufacturer, phacoemulsification (PKE), or primary discission. Sixty-four percent of RDs occurred within 1 year of cataract operation. Only 10% occurred more than 2 years later. Visual results in eyes with ultimate anatomic success of RD repair (43 of 44 eyes, averaging 15 months follow-up) are substantially better than previously reported in series with other types of IOLs (96% greater than or equal to 20/40 if the macula was not involved, 75% greater than or equal to 20/40 if the macula was involved).     

Antileukemic activity of lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase-beta inhibitor CT32228 in chronic myelogenous leukemia sensitive and resistant to imatinib.

PURPOSE: Lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT)-beta catalyzes the conversion of lysophosphatidic acid to phosphatidic acid, an essential component of several signaling pathways, including the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Inhibition of LPAAT-beta induces growth arrest and apoptosis in cancer cell lines, implicating LPAAT-beta as a potential drug target in neoplasia. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: In this study, we investigated the effects of CT32228, a specific LPAAT-beta inhibitor, on BCR-ABL-transformed cell lines and primary cells from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. RESULTS: CT32228 had antiproliferative activity against BCR-ABL-positive cell lines in the nanomolar dose range, evidenced by cell cycle arrest in G2-M and induction of apoptosis. Treatment of K562 cells with CT32228 led to inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation, consistent with inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. Importantly, CT32228 was highly active in cell lines resistant to the Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitor imatinib. Combination of CT32228 with imatinib produced additive inhibition of proliferation in cell lines with residual sensitivity toward imatinib. In short-term cultures in the absence of growth factors, CT32228 preferentially inhibited the growth of granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units from chronic myelogenous leukemia patients compared with healthy controls. CONCLUSION: These data establish LPAAT-beta as a potential drug target for the treatment of BCR-ABL-positive leukemias.     

Evaluation of antibacterial,antifungal and modulatory activity of methanol and ethanol extracts of Padina sanctae-crucis

Background

Multi-resistantmicroorganisms such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida tropicalis e Candida krusei are the main causes of microbial infections. Padina sanctae-crucis is a seaweed often used to check the contamination of ecosystems by materials such as heavy metals, but studies of the antimicrobial activity of the same seaweed were not found.

Methods

The tests for the minimum inhibitory concentration and modulation of microbial resistance, with the use of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Padina Sanctae-cruces combined with drugs of the class of aminoglycosides and antifungal were used to evaluate the activity against the cited microorganisms.

Results

Was observed a modulation of antibiotic activity between the natural products and the E. coli and S. aureus strains, indicating a synergism and antagonism respectively.

Conclusions

The results showed a moderate modulatory effect against some microorganisms studied.