PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Sohrab Mobarhan

Publications and source records attributed to Sohrab Mobarhan.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Coffee: good, bad, or just fun? A critical review of coffee's effects on liver enzymes.

Coffee consumption is a regular part of daily life throughout the world. Research into the effects of coffee on human health is ongoing, but a recent study suggests that coffee and caffeine consumption can reduce the risk of elevated alanine aminotransferase activity in individuals at high risk for liver disease. This review will analyze the results of that study in light of the current literature.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed2005

Antiplatelet agents: current drugs and future trends.

Antiplatelet drugs in clinical use are discussed in terms of their mechanisms of action and the relevancy of that to the physiology of platelets and the pathophysiology of arterial thrombosis. Current clinical usage is outlined in detail for each drug. Experimental antiplatelet drugs also are discussed.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed2004

New support for branched-chain amino acid supplementation in advanced hepatic failure.

Nutritional supplementation with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) has been a topic of considerable debate for more than two decades. Several studies have demonstrated that supplementation with BCAA is associated with improvement of the catabolic state commonly seen in people with cirrhosis, whereas other studies have showed an improvement in portosystemic encephalopathy in patients with liver disease. Some studies have also shown there to be no benefit in BCAA supplementation in advanced cirrhosis. A recent large clinical trial showed that long-term BCAA supplementation may be useful in preventing progressive hepatic failure and improving liver function in some patients.

Amino Acids, Branched-Chain↗
PubMed2004

Central obesity and elevated liver enzymes.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is commonly associated with obesity, a growing epidemic worldwide. A new large, population-based investigation has shown a statistically significant association between central adiposity and elevated liver enzymes. This finding adds to the growing research specifically linking central adiposity, and more specifically, visceral adiposity, with adverse health effects.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2004

A therapeutic approach to wean total parenteral nutrition in the management of short bowel syndrome: three cases using nocturnal enteral rehydration.

Short bowel syndrome is characterized by severe dehydration and malnutrition and requires total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Prolonged TPN has serious complications. Caloric requirements can be met orally but oral fluid replacement is problematic. Noncompliance and an inability to discontinue TPN earlier increase the likelihood of complications. Discontinuation of parenteral support requires an assessment of gastrointestinal anatomy and absorption capacity. Fluids must be replaced independently of feedings because the osmotic gradients decrease fluid absorption. Nocturnal enteral rehydration is an intervention using oral rehydration solutions through percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tubes at night. Patients given nocturnal enteral rehydration discontinued TPN earlier and had improved fluid absorption.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Hypovitaminosis D-induced pain.

Vitamin D deficiency is a problem of considerable magnitude that has reemerged as a major public health issue in the United States and several other developed countries. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in calcium homeostasis in the body. Hypovitaminosis D leads to osteomalacia and increased risk of fractures, especially in the elderly. Preliminary research suggests that vitamin D can prevent certain types of cancer and autoimmune diseases. A recent large study has shown the association between severe hypovitaminosis D and persistent, non-specific musculoskeletal pain, further suggesting that patients with no apparent cause of pain should be assessed and possibly treated for vitamin D deficiency.

Calcium↗
PubMed2003

Finding a place for immunonutrition.

The role of certain nutrients that seem to have pharmacologic effects on immune and inflammatory parameters has been studied over the last two decades. This area of research is called immunonutrition. A recent study administered a combination of immunonutrients perioperatively in well nourished gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing elective surgery. The rate of infectious complications and length of hospital stay was decreased in those receiving immunonutrients compared with patients receiving no nutritional support. The role of the individual components of this immunonutrition and the clinical trials of similar combinations in surgical gastrointestinal cancer patients are reviewed.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2003

A critical interaction: leptin and ghrelin.

Continuing research has increased our understanding of regulatory factors involving appetite, food intake, and energy metabolism. There appears to be a complex interaction among insulin, leptin, and ghrelin. A new study explored these interactions and indicates that leptin may regulate ghrelin levels and affect body weight changes.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Effects of soybean extract on morphology and survival of Caco-2, SW620, and HT-29 cells.

Soybean consumption may be beneficial to prevention of certain human cancers. Low incidence of colon cancer in Asian countries is associated with consumption of soybean products. A limited number of human and animal studies suggested that soybean consumption might prevent colon cancer; other studies did not support this conclusion. Therefore, it is important to understand the biological effects of soybeans on colon cells. In the present study, cultures of Caco-2, SW620, and HT-29 cells were treated with soybean extract, the soluble fraction of a soybean product. The crude extract contains proteins and many soluble components of soybeans. After incubation with soybean extract (1-6%, vol/vol) for 24 h, most Caco-2 cells were found to contain numerous vacuoles within the cytoplasm and to become very flat. Exposure to > 6% soybean extract resulted in cell death and giant vacuoles. Soybean extract (0.25-2%) induced small vacuoles within the cytoplasm of SW620 cells. SW620 cells detached from culture dishes at > 2% soybean extract. Exposure to 0.5-2% soybean extract produced vacuoles within HT-29 cells similar to those observed in SW620 cells. Soybean extract significantly reduced density of Caco-2, SW620, and HT-29 cells. Reducing protein content of soybean extract reduced but did not abolish its effects on colon cells. Purified genistein (12.5 micrograms/ml) was capable of producing morphological changes similar to those observed after treatment of colon cells with soybean extract. Assays using annexin V-propidium iodide demonstrated that treatment of Caco-2 and SW620 cells with soybean extract increased cell death. Membranes of vacuoles in soybean-treated Caco-2 and SW620 cells were labeled with Texas red-conjugated wheat germ agglutinin, a cytological marker for the Golgi apparatus. Exposure to soybean extract enhanced protein levels of Rab6, a small GTP-binding protein that is involved in regulation of membrane traffic of the Golgi apparatus. Data from this study suggest that exposure to soybean extract or isoflavones affects morphology and survival of colon cancer cells and that the response to soybean extract varies depending on the cell lines examined.

Caco-2 Cells↗
PubMed2002

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: pathogenesis and the role of antioxidants.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes a wide spectrum of liver injury ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Whereas simple steatosis has a benign clinical course, steatohepatitis is a recognized cause of progressive liver fibrosis and can develop into cirrhosis. NAFLD and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are the two most common chronic liver diseases in United States general population with a prevalence of 20% and 3%, respectively. Hepatic steatosis is frequently associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hyperlipidemia with insulin resistance as a key pathogenic factor. A two-hit theory best describes the progression from simple steatosis to NASH, fibrosis, or cirrhosis. These two hits consist of the accumulation of excessive hepatic fat primarily owing to insulin resistance, and oxidative stress owing to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mitochondria are the major cellular source of ROS in cases of NASH. Currently, treatment is focused on modifying risk factors such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia. Antioxidants such as vitamin E, N-acetylcysteine, betaine, and others may be beneficial in the treatment of NASH.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2002

The Metabolic Syndrome: where are we and where do we go?

The Metabolic Syndrome, also known as Syndrome X, refers to a constellation of atherosclerotic risk factors, including insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, essential hypertension, and abdominal obesity. We review four major published studies involving animals and humans that may be linked together in a unified hypothesis and justify a comprehensive approach in the treatment of this ever-increasing syndrome.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Mortality in patients with celiac disease.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder triggered by ingestion of gluten-containing foods. Epidemiologic studies dating from the 1950s established its association with gastrointestinal malignancies, particularly small bowel lymphoma. Corrao et al. recently demonstrated that patients with celiac disease are at increased risk of mortality. Further, this risk is directly related to compliance with a gluten-free diet. Continued research is needed regarding the development of malignant complications related to celiac disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Does vitamin C intake slow the progression of gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori-infected populations?

Vitamin C's role in the prevention of disease and malignancy has been studied over the last several decades. Vitamin C intake has been shown to have an inverse relationship with gastric cancer. Recent follow-up studies on high-risk populations suggest that ascorbic acid, the reduced form of vitamin C, protects against gastric cancer, for which H. pylori is a significant risk factor. In populations infected with H. pylori, there is a reduction in gastric juice ascorbic acid concentration. This article reviews the risk factors for gastric cancer and the role of vitamin C in prevention of the disease.

Ascorbic Acid↗