Nutrition
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To determine the possible utility of pomegranate extract in the management or prevention of Clostridium difficile infections or colonization. ⋯ Pomegranate extract may be a useful contributor to the management and prevention of C. difficile disease or colonization.
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Several metabolic pathways may be associated with obesity development and may be differentially modulated by dietary constituents. The aim of this study was to access the adipocyte metabolic pathways that lead to lipid accumulation in fat cells of mice fed a high-carbohydrate or high-fat diet. ⋯ The HC diet induces constitutive expression of lipogenic transcription factors during fasting, whereas the HF diet decreases lipolysis in adipocytes. Both pathways may contribute to increase fat stores and maintain an obese state.
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Liver fibrosis and subsequent cirrhosis is a major cause of death worldwide, but few effective antifibrotic therapies are reported. Whey-hydrolyzed peptide (WHP), a major peptide component of bovine milk, exerts anti-inflammatory effects in experimental models. A WHP-enriched diet is widely used for immunomodulating diets (IMD) in clinical fields. However, the effects of WHP on liver fibrosis remain unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the antifibrotic effects of WHP in a rat cirrhosis model. ⋯ A WHP-enriched IMD effectively prevented progression of DMN-induced liver fibrosis in rats via a direct hepatocyte-protective effect and an antioxidant effect through glutathione synthesis.