1) Reinfection or superinfection with a different virus from the

1). Reinfection or superinfection with a different virus from the same subtype (e.g., 1a-1a) was designated when the nucleotide divergence was above the minimum value plus 3× SD (6.0%) for viruses within each subtype (range, 2.4%-13.4%; mean ± SD, 8.7% ± 1.2%) (Fig. 1). Sequence divergence of viruses from different subtypes (e.g.,

1a-1b) ranged from 20.1% to 28.2% (mean ± SD, 23.4% ± 1.0%) and of viruses from different genotypes (e.g., 1a-3a) ranged from 28.9% to 39.0%; (mean ± SD, 32.6% ± 1.5%) (Fig. 1). The estimated duration of mixed infection was calculated using the midpoint between the initial mixed incident infection time point and the subsequent resolution to a single HCV strain. The estimated time

to infection with a second virus following a primary infection was calculated as the interval between incident HCV detection and initial detection of the Selleck Inhibitor Library multiple infection (mixed superinfection, reinfection, or strain switch). The incidence of multiple infection was calculated as the person-years rate of new infections with all subjects contributing follow-up time from initial incident HCV detection and censored at last HCV RNA time point. Subjects were not censored at detection of multiple infection, because further cases of multiple infection within individual subjects were possible. Analysis of the first 488 previously anti-HCV antibody–seronegative Adriamycin manufacturer subjects enrolled in the HITS cohort indicated that the population was predominantly male (65%), with high rates of prior medchemexpress imprisonment (72%) and longstanding injection drug use (mean 8.5 years). During a mean follow-up of 38 ± 33 weeks, a total of 90 incident HCV infections were detected, including 87 (96.7%) subjects with detectable HCV RNA sequences at initial infection. Of these 87 subjects, 48 completed at least one further longitudinal time point following detection of incident HCV infection (Fig. 2). Eighty-seven incident HCV infection cases who had viral sequences available were analyzed for

multiple infection, with an average of 16 ± 28 weeks since the last undetectable HCV RNA sample (range, 0-127 weeks). Nine of 87 (10.3%) subjects were designated as incident cases of mixed infection, because two distinct HCV strains were detected at the first HCV RNA–detectable time point (Figs. 2 and 3). These observed mixed incident infections included 1a-3a (n = 4), 1a-2a (n = 2), 2a-3a (n = 1), 1b-2b (n = 1), and 3a-3a (11.0% divergence) (n = 1) (Fig. 3A). Core and/or E1/HVR1 sequences were generated for all follow-up time points available for 48 of 87 subjects (mean sampling interval, 26 ± 29 weeks) (two time points, n = 18; three time points, n = 10; four time points, n = 12; five or more time points, n = 8). Fifteen of the 48 subjects became infected with a new HCV strain during follow-up (cumulative prevalence of subsequent infection, 31.3%) (Figs. 2 and 3).

Their work

provides a molecular explanation for the deran

Their work

provides a molecular explanation for the derangements associated with hepatocyte IR by demonstrating that PKCε ASO restores insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2) phosphorylation and protein-serine-threonine kinase activity.63 A more recent study by the same group64 developed this line of research further by demonstrating that hepatic diaglycerol content in cytoplasmic lipid droplets, which was strongly associated with activation of hepatic PKCε activity, was the best predictor of IR, being responsible for 64% of the variability in insulin sensitivity. Gupta et al. recently published the effect of exendin-4, Adriamycin a glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analog as promoting insulin-sensitizing effects by way of PKCζ.65 Finally, FFA, which are causally linked to the development of steatosis, have been recognized

as inductors of IR via activation of protein kinases.66,67 Although requiring further study, this line of research underscores the importance of fatty liver as a precursor lesion to the development of systemic IR accounting for the finding that NAFLD individuals are twice as likely to develop T2D as those without NAFLD.5 Clearly, the mechanisms leading from hepatic X-396 mouse steatosis to long-lasting IR and, in predisposed individuals, to T2D are critical. Lipotoxicity remains key to the pathogenesis of T2D.1 Stated otherwise, the presence of long-standing IR per se is not sufficient to lead to full-blown T2D in the absence of β-cell failure. Therefore, morphological evidence of fatty changes in the pancreas could be a 上海皓元 better marker of pancreatic lipotoxicity.

Recent studies suggest that steatosis of the pancreas is visible through endoscopic ultrasound. Interestingly, risk factors for “fatty pancreas” tend to overlap with those for fatty liver68,69 suggesting a shared pathogenesis in lipotoxicity, the ectopic, extra-adipose tissue storage of lipids eventually conducive to tissue damage and organ dysfunction. Assessment of mediators of IR is of critical importance: Fetuin-A and IL-6 could be such mediators. Fetuin-A, a protein secreted by the liver and associated with the development of IR in animals and with fatty liver in humans, has been proposed as one such mediator. Stefan et al.70 in a large prospective case cohort – EPIC-Potsdam study –observed fetuin-A to be an independent predictor of T2D. IL-6 – a major pro-inflammatory cytokine, the expression of which is increased in experimental NAFLD, resulting in systemic IR – could be another mediator. Wieckowska et al. reported that the expression of IL-6 in the hepatocytes, which is selectively induced by saturated FFA, is positively correlated with hepatic inflammatory fibrotic changes and systemic.

To date, a few cellular markers have been identified that correla

To date, a few cellular markers have been identified that correlate well with the pathology of this disease and serve as good prognostic markers.16 Our results indicate that MTA1 is a permissive host factor for O. viverrini infection, and pathological changes in the liver prompted us to investigate whether MTA1 could be a potential CHIR-99021 in vitro diagnostic marker for liver fluke-induced CCA. To address this notion, we used a TMA approach involving immunohistochemical analysis of MTA1. The TMA was comprised of (n

= 305) liver tissue cores from confirmed O. viverrini–induced CCA cases.16, 17 In these samples, MTA1 expression was found to be high in hyperplastic bile ducts (P ≤ 0.01) when compared with levels in normal bile ducts (Fig. 6A). Overall, 80% of tissue cores stained positive for MTA1 (Table 1). In general, MTA1 was predominantly localized (≈64%) in the nucleus of most tissue cores (Fig. 6B, top panel). However, it was not uncommon to observe MTA1′s localization in the nucleus and cytoplasm of ≈15% of samples (Fig 6B,

middle panel). Interestingly, we also found evidence of the cytoplasmic localization of MTA1 in a small number (≈1%) of samples (Fig. 6B, bottom panel). Furthermore, active stromal fibroblasts in the tumor tissue also showed MTA1 expression (Fig. 6C), raising the possibility of MTA1 involvement in stroma–tumor interactions. Epidemiological findings have long associated infection with the liver fluke O. viverrini and CCA, an aggressive tumor arising in the biliary epithelium of the bile duct.14 Infection with O. viverrini Midostaurin leads to pathological changes in the biliary tree and the liver.12 Despite the significance of host–parasite interactions, little is known about the nature

of host factors that support successful infection and maintenance of the liver fluke. However, it can be expected that O. viverrini worms exploit host factors for establishment, development, and successful parasitism at large. Based on the recently established role of MTA1 in oncogenesis and inflammation,24-29 we explored previously unknown links between parasitism by O. viverrini and this coregulator using an Mta1 null mouse model of infection23 MCE公司 and a TMA of liver fluke–induced human tumor specimens.16 MTA1, is a master coregulator of putative target genes with roles in several cellular processes.28, 35 Overexpression of MTA1 has been associated with a variety of cancers, and previous investigations have established a distinct role for MTA1 in mediating inflammatory responses.24-28 We hypothesized that parasitic helminths use similar host-regulatory factors such as MTA1 for successful infection. We tested this hypothesis by infecting age-matched Mta1+/+ and Mta1−/− mice with metacercariae, the infective stage of O. viverrini.

By contrast, when asked to vote on whether GERD may cause dental

By contrast, when asked to vote on whether GERD may cause dental erosions, only 42% of physicians strongly agreed that such an association existed in adults, and just 12.5% strongly agreed for children, respectively in two global consensus reports. Part of this divergence between the perceptions of physicians and the findings of research publications may reflect a general lack of oral health education during medical training, and cursory oral examinations being made under less-than-ideal conditions. Adequate salivary secretions are essential

for the protection of the teeth and the oropharyngeal and esophageal mucosa. The quantity and quality of the saliva require monitoring as many drugs, including several of the proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), can cause hyposalivation. In addition, PPIs do not always result in adequate acid suppression. selleck products Therefore, collaboration between physicians and dentists is strongly advocated to prevent or ameliorate possible adverse oral effects from both endogenous and exogenous acids, and to promote adequate saliva production in patients with GERD. There is relatively little information in general medical and gastroenterology literature Apoptosis Compound Library clinical trial regarding tooth erosion that may be associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This association is commonly observed

by dentists, but is given very cursory mention or omitted entirely when describing extra-esophageal MCE (supra-esophageal) manifestations of GERD.1–7 When 44 medical experts and family

physicians from 18 countries voted in the World Congress of Gastroenterology presentation in Montreal on the statement that “The prevalence of dental erosions, especially on the lingual and palatal tooth surfaces, is increased in patients with GERD” (Extra-esophageal Syndromes: Established Associations, Statement #48), the result was a high-grade consensus agreement of 96%.8 However, only 42% of the consensus votes “agreed strongly” with the above statement, 35% “agreed with minor reservations,” and 19% “agreed with major reservations.” Just three selected clinical studies were quoted to support the statement.9–11 Subsequently, when eight pediatric gastroenterologists using a revision of the original Montreal presentation protocol voted on the statement that “GERD may cause dental erosions in pediatric patients” (Extraesophgeal Syndromes: Definite Associations, Statement #53), the result was a low-grade consensus agreement of 100%.12 But, only 12.5% of the votes “agreed strongly,” 37.5% “agreed moderately,” and 50% “just agreed.” One systematic review article13 and four other selected clinical articles14–17 were quoted to support the above statement.

[16] Nash and colleagues recommend a three-phase process to furth

[16] Nash and colleagues recommend a three-phase process to further answer this important question, which sequentially involves pilot testing, then efficacy testing, and finally effectiveness testing.[16] As roughly one third of non-pharmacological studies compare an intervention to no treatment SAR245409 solubility dmso or to a wait-list control,[13, 17] future studies with comparisons

to alternative active treatments are needed,[18] allowing different non-pharmacological interventions to be compared against each other and providing insights into potential mechanisms of action. More specifically, we need to understand which techniques are most effective for specific types of patients and headache disorders (ie, moderator variables) (Q1A),[19] as well as the treatment components that account for the response (ie, mediator variables).[20] Many

evidence-based behavioral and mind/body interventions require a significant commitment to out-of-session time from patients, and identification of the optimal selleck screening library “dose” of treatment thus is essential (Q2). In order to recommend these interventions for clinical use, we need to better understand how frequently these interventions should be practiced, for how long, and over what period of time in order to maximize clinical benefit and minimize patient burden. For example, are classes lasting 2 hours once a week more or less beneficial than a daily 15-min practice session? Once a patient learns a technique, does it need to be continually practiced to maintain benefit and if so, for how often and how long? Numerous trials of evidence-based behavioral interventions

have demonstrated benefits that last for months or even up to 5-7 years after the intervention ends.2,11,14,21-23 It is unclear, however, whether the persistent benefit results from the initial teaching or continued regular practice. Many of the mind/body intervention trials 上海皓元 have not included long follow-up periods,[7, 8] and this remains an important issue for future research on these interventions. Many trials have demonstrated that a minimal-therapist-contact intervention can provide similar clinical benefit compared to a more intensive clinic-based intensive treatment.24-31 Although additional studies are needed to better characterize the efficacy of limited contact mind/body interventions in headache, these approaches hold promise as ways to increase adherence, reduce costs, and improve treatment accessibility in resource-limited or remote areas.

In drug rechallenge series, most subjects exhibited hepatocellula

In drug rechallenge series, most subjects exhibited hepatocellular injury, jaundice, and/or hepatitis symptoms.1, 2, 4 Antibiotics, antiretrovirals, azathioprine, H2 antagonists, and 5-HT3 antagonists were the most frequently implicated medications in rechallenge injury. Most drug rechallenges were inadvertent. Most rechallenge events occur more rapidly than primary injury: 40 days to rechallenge injury versus 93 days for primary injury in prospective studies,4 and liver injury appearing within 1 week of rechallenge in nearly half of patients in a retrospective

series (and within hours in 2 of 88 patients, exhibiting predominantly immunoallergic injury).2 Although C646 mw most patients had jaundice or hepatitis symptoms with the initial or rechallenge liver injury, asymptomatic

liver chemistry elevations were reported in >50% of patients upon rechallenge, and jaundice or hepatitis symptoms were reported less commonly on rechallenge than the initial liver event in a retrospective Venetoclax ic50 series.2 Positive rechallenge events were observed over a broad age range (6 months to 83 years) and at generally similar rates in both sexes.2, 4 Many drugs with positive or fatal rechallenge are associated with mitochondrial impairment, hypersensitivity, or immunoallergic injury, hepatocellular injury, reactive metabolites, and high dose. Rechallenge data for seven drugs are outlined in Table 1. Halothane rechallenge is associated with the highest fatality rate, approaching 50% in two case series when rechallenge occurred within 1

month of anesthesia complicated by halothane-associated jaundice.3 Females and obese subjects exhibit an increased susceptibility to injury.28 Postulated mechanisms of halothane liver injury include both immunoallergic injury/hypersensitivity and mitochondrial impairment. Halothane is oxidized to a trifluoroacetyl halide, which forms protein adducts,24, 28 and it forms a free radical in hypoxic conditions.29 Fatal halothane rechallenge is widely attributed to immunomediated liver injury with rapid injury with rechallenge, associated fever, eosinophilia, anti-CYP2E1, anti–liver-kidney-microsomal and adduct antibodies,24, 28 and association with HLA A-11.29 Halothane also causes mitochondrial impairment, due to inhibition of complex I and II,30 as well as fatty acid and pyruvate oxidation in nonclinical studies.31 medchemexpress Therefore, halothane’s high fatality rate on rechallenge appears related to its combined mitochondrial impairment and immunoallergic injury, most frequently observed with rechallenge occurring within 1 month of initial injury. Tacrine, a cholinesterase inhibitor for Alzheimer’s disease, is associated with a 33% positive rechallenge rate. Asymptomatic liver injury is commonly observed with initial tacrine treatment, with 6% of subjects exhibiting ALT exceeding 10× ULN and 25% of subjects with ALT exceeding 3× ULN in controlled clinical trials.

Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online vers

Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article. “
“Apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), an adaptor protein for inflammasome receptors, is essential for inducing caspase-1 activation and the consequent secretion of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), which is associated with local inflammation during liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). However, little is known about the mechanisms by which the ASC/caspase-1/IL-1β axis exerts its function in hepatic IRI. This study was designed to explore the functional roles

and molecular mechanisms of ASC/caspase-1/IL-1β signaling in the regulation of inflammatory responses in vitro and in vivo. With a partial lobar liver warm ischemia (90 minutes) model, ASC-deficient and wild-type mice (C57BL/6) were sacrificed at 6 hours of reperfusion. Separate animal cohorts were treated Roscovitine price with an anti–IL-1β antibody or control immunoglobulin G (10 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally).

We found that ASC deficiency inhibited caspase-1/IL-1β signaling and led to protection selleck chemicals llc against liver ischemia/reperfusion (IR) damage, local enhancement of antiapoptotic functions, and down-regulation of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)–mediated, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)–driven inflammation. Interestingly, the treatment of ASC-deficient mice with recombinant HMGB1 re-created liver IRI. Moreover, neutralization of IL-1β ameliorated the hepatocellular damage by inhibiting nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/cyclooxygenase 2 signaling in IR-stressed livers. In parallel in vitro studies, the knockout of ASC in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow–derived macrophages

depressed HMGB1 上海皓元 activity via the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and led to the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB and ultimately the depression of proinflammatory cytokine programs. Conclusion: ASC-mediated caspase-1/IL-1β signaling promotes HMGB1 to produce a TLR4-dependent inflammatory phenotype and leads to hepatocellular injury. Hence, ASC/caspase-1/IL-1β signaling mediates the inflammatory response by triggering HMGB1 induction in hepatic IRI. Our findings provide a rationale for a novel therapeutic strategy for managing liver injury due to IR. (HEPATOLOGY 2013) Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) in the liver remains a major complication of hemorrhagic shock, liver resection, and transplantation.1 Despite improved preservation and surgical techniques, IRI resulting from donor organ retrieval, cold storage, and warm ischemia during surgery often leads to primary organ nonfunction, predisposes patients to chronic rejection, and contributes to the acute shortage of donor organs available for transplantation. Liver IRI represents an exogenous, antigen-independent inflammatory process that includes Kupffer cell/neutrophil activation and cytokine release followed by hepatocyte and sinusoidal endothelial cell death.

Results were presented as fold induction, normalized to hypoxanth

Results were presented as fold induction, normalized to hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, which was selected as the most stable reference gene as described.14 Hygromycin phosphotransferase was used as a transfection marker, encoded within the pCB7-ATP8B1 construct. U2OS cells were grown on coverslips and co-transfected with pCB7-ATP8B1 and pcDNA3-CDC50A using polyethylenimine. After 2 days, cells were fixed using

paraformaldehyde and ATP8B1 and the ER-marker protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) or CDC50A were visualized using rabbit Selleckchem XL765 anti-VSV-G and Cy3 coupled secondary antibody together with mouse anti-PDI and AlexaFluor 488–coupled secondary antibody or FITC-conjugated mouse anti-V5. Images were acquired using a LSM710 Meta confocal microscope (Carl Zeiss, Jena, Germany). Two days after transfection, U2OS cells were washed with phosphate-buffered

saline supplemented with 0.5 mM CaCl2 and 1.0 mM MgCl2 (PBS-CM), and proteins present at the cell surface were biotinylated using sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin and solubilized as described.15 Biotinylated proteins were precipitated for 2 hours using neutravidin-coupled beads (Pierce) and analyzed by immunoblot analyses. Cytosolic proteins were undetectable in the precipitated fraction, and no precipitated protein was detected when sulfo-NHS-SS-biotin was omitted, demonstrating the specificity of the procedure. All figures represent at least three independent experiments. Protein expression was measured by densitometry using ImageJ (http://rsbweb.nih.gov/ij/). Background intensity was subtracted HIF inhibitor and values were compared using Mann-Whitney after testing for overall significance using the Kruskal-Wallis test (P < 0.05 was considered significant). Data are provided as mean ± standard deviation (SD). To study the effect of cholestasis-associated mutations in ATP8B1 on 上海皓元医药股份有限公司 protein expression, HEK293T cells were cotransfected with CDC50A and ATP8B1 wild-type (WT) and mutants. ATP8B1 WT protein was readily detectable at approximately 140 kDa, and endogenous expression in HEK293T cells was very low. The protein expression of ATP8B1 mutations G308V,

D454G, D554N, I661T, G1040R, and R1164X was significantly reduced, whereas the p.L127P mutation did not affect ATP8B1 expression levels (Fig. 1B). Identical results were obtained using U2OS cells, strongly suggesting cell type independence, and data of both cell types are averaged in Fig. 1C. ATP8B1 R1164X migrated faster than ATP8B1 WT, in agreement with the absence of the carboxyl-terminus (Fig. 1B), and also exhibited reduced expression. In contrast, the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of all mutants with reduced protein expression was unaffected (Fig. 1D). Protein expression of ATP8B1 WT, I661T, and G1040R was increased 1.1-fold to 2-fold upon treatment with the proteasomal inhibitors MG132 or epoxomycin (Fig. 2A). ATP8B1 mutants with lowest protein expression in control conditions, i.e., p.G308V, p. D454G, p.D554N, and p.

Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-period crosso

Two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 4-period crossover, multi-attack, multi-center, outpatient studies of moderate to severe adult migraineurs were conducted to compare S/NS with placebo. Participants recorded outcome assessments in a diary during the 24 hours following study medication. Analyses were conducted on the intent-to-treat population who treated at least 1 attack. Statistical significance between treatment groups used analysis of variance repeated measures models and the intent-to-treat

population. There were no corrections for multiplicity. Almost half (48.5%) of migraineurs treated with S/NS returned to normal functioning at 2 hours and 73.3% at 4 hours postdose, compared with 28.7% (2 hours) and 43.3% (4 hours) of placebo-treated attacks. Total productivity loss over the 24 hours postdose

was significantly reduced selleck kinase inhibitor STI571 concentration following S/NS treatment (2.5 hours on average) compared with placebo (4.0 hours). Sumatriptan/naproxen treatment resulted in significantly higher medication satisfaction scores on the efficacy, functionality, and total efficacy subscales compared with placebo in all attacks in both studies. Sumatriptan/naproxen treatment also provided significantly greater ease of use in 7 of the 8 attacks. Although tolerability was high in both treatment groups (over 90%), the placebo group was significantly less bothered by side effects in 6 of 8 attacks. Results from these 2 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-attack, crossover studies demonstrated the rapid and consistent restoration of patients’ functioning, the consistent reduction in productivity loss, and high satisfaction ratings from patients treating multiple medchemexpress migraine attacks with S/NS using an early intervention approach. “
“While nausea is a defining feature of migraine, the association of nausea with other headache features and its influence on the burden of migraine have not been quantified. Population-based data were used to elucidate the relative frequency and burden of migraine-associated nausea in persons with migraine. Participants with episodic migraine who completed the 2009 American Migraine

Prevalence and Prevention survey rated their headache-related nausea as occurring none of the time, rarely,

11 In this study we found an increase of serum BAs in NASH as com

11 In this study we found an increase of serum BAs in NASH as compared to less severe stages of NAFLD, which is inversely correlated with serum adiponectin levels in obese ICG-001 cell line patients who underwent bariatric surgery. In NASH, serum adiponectin levels are decreased and hepatic expression of the adiponectin receptor 2 (ApoR2) is compensatory up-regulated. Repression of Cyp7A1 and NTCP by SHP appears impaired in this cohort and free fatty acid (FFA) treatment of hepatoma cells mimics these effects in

vitro. ABCB11/BSEP: ATP-binding cassette, subfamily B member 11, bile salt export pump; BMI: body mass index; CD95/Fas: apoptosis-inducing cell surface receptor (advanced nomenclature: TNF superfamily receptor 6); CYP7A1: cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase; FFA: free (nonesterified) fatty acids; FXR: farnesoid X receptor; HSC: hepatic stellate cell; M30: cytokeratin-18 fragment epitope exposed upon cleavage by caspases; NAFL: nonalcoholic fatty liver; NAFLD: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NAS, NAFLD activity score; NASH: nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; NTCP: high-affinity Na+/taurocholate cotransporter; qRT-PCR: quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction;

SHP: small heterodimer partner; TGF-β: transforming growth factor β. In all, 113 patients suffering from morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 40kg/m2) undergoing bariatric surgery were enrolled in the study (Table 1). Individuals aged <18 or >65 or with liver injuries Selleck Romidepsin and pathologies (infectious disease with hepatitis B virus [HBV], hepatitis C virus [HCV], or human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]), history of organ transplantation, history of malignancy within the past 5 years, excessive alcohol consumption indicating alcoholic liver disease (>20 g/day in males or >10 g/day in females) or drug abuse, autoimmunity, genetic disorders, and therapy with immunosuppressive or cytotoxic

agents were excluded. Indication for performance of bariatric surgery was made by the surgeon, a dietician, and the primary physician according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines (BMI >40 kg/m2 or ≥35 kg/m2, plus comorbidities) and patients had to prove unsuccessful attempts to lose weight by lifestyle modification, diet, and exercise. Wedge liver biopsies were taken medchemexpress at the time of bariatric surgery. The control group consisting of 10 healthy volunteers whose blood samples were taken had an average BMI of 22.4 ± 2.46 kg/m2 (Table 1). Control samples of liver specimens were obtained from liver transplantation donors (n = 7). We furthermore assessed serum markers of NAFLD and adiponectin levels from a cohort of 39 moderately obese (BMI of 29.6 ± 1.15 kg/m2) patients with the established diagnosis of NAFLD. The study protocol conformed to the ethical guidelines of the 1975 Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee (Institutional Review Board) of the University Hospital Essen.