UNASSIGNED: This study was planned to evaluate triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for assessing body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) (reference) and to predict fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM) in patients with cirrhosis.
UNASSIGNED: FM and FFM were assessed by using DEXA and BIA. Skin-fold calliper was used for measuring TSFT, and MAMC was calculated. Bland-Altman plot was used to determine agreement and linear regression analysis for obtaining equations to predict FM and FFM.
UNASSIGNED: Patients with cirrhosis (n = 302, 241 male, age 43.7 ± 12.0 years) were included. Bland-Altman plot showed very good agreement between BIA and DEXA for the estimation of FM and FFM. Majority of patients were within the limit of agreement: FM (98%) and FFM (96.4%). BIA shows a positive correlation with DEXA:FM (r = 0.73, P ≤ 0.001) and FFM (r = 0.86, P ≤ 0.001). DEXA (FM and FFM) shows a positive correlation with TSFT (r = 0.69, P ≤ 0.01) and MAMC (r = 0.61, P ≤ 0.01). The mean difference between the observed and predicted value of FM and FFM by BIA in the developmental set was 0.01 and 0.05, respectively; whereas in the validation set, it was -0.13 and 0.86, respectively. The mean difference between the observed and predicted value of TSFT and MAMC in the developmental set was 0.43 and 0.07; whereas, in the validation set, it was 0.16 and 0.48, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: Anthropometry (TSFT and MAMC) and BIA are simple and easy to use and can be a substitute of DEXA for FM and FFM assessment in routine clinical settings in patients with cirrhosis.

Major challenges for cancer treatment are how to effectively eliminate primary tumor and sufficiently induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) to provoke a robust immune response for metastasis control. Here, a self-assembled cascade bioreactor was developed to improve cancer treatment with enhanced tumor penetration and synergistic therapy of starvation, chemodynamic (CDT) and photothermal therapy. Ultrasmall FeS-GOx nanodots were synthesized with glucose oxidase (GOx) as template and induced by paclitaxel (PTX) to form self-assembling FeS-GOx@PTX (FGP) via hydrophobic interaction. After accumulated at tumor sites, FGP disassembles to smaller FeS-GOx for enhanced deep tumor penetration. GOx maintains high enzymatic activity to catalyze glucose with assistant of oxygen to generate hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as starvation therapy. Fenton reaction involving the regenerated H2O2 in turn produced more hydroxyl radicals for enhanced CDT. Following near-infrared laser at 808 nm, FGPs displayed pronounced tumor inhibition in vitro and in vivo by the combination therapy. The consequent increased exposure to calreticulin amplified ICD and promoted dendritic cells maturation. In combination with anti-CTLA4 checkpoint blockade, FGP can absolutely eliminate primary tumor and avidly inhibit distant tumors due to the enhanced intratumoral infiltration of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Our work presents a promising strategy for primary tumor and metastasis inhibition.

Cisplatin (CP) is a potent anti-cancer drug widely used against solid tumors. However, it exhibits pronounced adverse effects including hepatotoxicity. Several strategies were attempted to prevent CP hepatotoxicity but were not found suitable for therapeutic application. Nigella sativa has been shown to prevent/reduce the progression of certain type of cardiovascular, kidney and liver diseases. Present study investigates whether N. sativa oil (NSO) can prevent CP induced hepatotoxic effects. Rats were divided into four groups viz. control, CP, NSO and CPNSO. Animals in CPNSO and NSO group were administered NSO (2 ml/kg bwt, orally) with or without single hepatotoxic dose of CP (6 mg/kg bwt, i.p.) respectively. CP hepatotoxicity was recorded by increased serum ALT and AST activities. CP treatment caused oxidant/antioxidant imbalances as reflected by increased lipid peroxidation and decreased enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants. Furthermore, the activities of various carbohydrate metabolism and membrane enzymes were altered by CP treatment. In contrast, NSO administration to CP treated rats, markedly ameliorated the CP elicited deleterious alterations in liver. Histopathological observations showed extensive liver damage in CP treated animals while greatly reduced tissue injury in CPNSO group. In conclusion, NSO appears to protect CP induced hepatotoxicity by improving energy metabolism and strengthening antioxidant defense mechanism.

Wilson disease is caused by the accumulation of copper in the liver, brain or other organs, due to the mutation in ATP7B gene, which encodes protein that helps in excretion of copper in the bile canaliculus. Clinical presentation varies from asymptomatic elevation of transaminases to cirrhosis with decompensation. Hepatocellular carcinoma is a known complication of cirrhosis, but a rare occurrence in Wilson disease. We present a case of neurological Wilson disease, who later developed decompensated cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in developed as well as in developing countries. Its prevalence continues to rise currently affecting approximately 20-30% of adults and 10% of children in the United States. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease represents a wide spectrum of conditions ranging from fatty liver, which in general follows a benign non-progressive clinical course, to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a more serious form of NAFLD that may progress to cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for evaluating the degree of hepatic necroinflammation and fibrosis; however, several non-invasive investigations, such as serum biomarkers, have been developed to establish the diagnosis and also to evaluate treatment response. There has been a substantial development of non-invasive risk scores, biomarker panels, and radiological modalities to identify at risk patients with NAFLD without recourse to liver biopsy on a routine basis. Examples include combination of serum markers like NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS), BARD score, fibrometer, FIB4, and non-invasive tools like fibroscan which assess fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. Other markers of fibrosis that have been evaluated include high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, plasma pentraxin 3, interleukin-6, and cytokeratin-18. This review focuses on the methods currently available in daily clinical practice in hepatology and touches briefly on the potential future markers under investigation.