Review for 10.1186/s12876-016-0534-0 (2016)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
 
Title: Cirrhosis related functionality characteristic of the fecal microbiota as revealed by a  
metaproteomic approach  
 
 
Version: 0 Date: 23 Mar 2016  
 
 
Reviewer: Victor Medina Lopez  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
There are quite interesting methods used for determining the metapr oteomics in this research, the 
subject is interesting, but there are mayor flaws both in the methods and statistical analysis that is 
not stated in any of the pages I could read. You have to start from the title defining the 
population that is being studie d, then research center and quite some other basic research 
methodology that is pending in this paper. This is a very small sample, you should describe why 
is this happening, then the selection criteria is all wrong. Please get some help with the english 
that is a little bit poor since the begining. As a final recomendation please adress how are you 
controlling the diet of this patients, and how this may change the results on your analysis.  
 
 
 
Are the methods appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
No 
 
Are you able to assess any st atistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I recommend additional statistical review  
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Needs some language corrections before being published  
 
 
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five y ears received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the publication of this  
manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
2. Do you hold any stocks or shares in an organisation that may i n any way gain or lose  
financially from the publication of this manuscript, either now or in the future?  
 
3. Do you hold or are you currently applying for any patents relating to the content of the  
manuscript?  
 
4. Have you received reimbursements, fees, fund ing, or salary from an organization that 
holds  or has applied for patents relating to the content of the manuscript?  
 
5. Do you have any other financial competing interests?  
 
6. Do you have any non -financial competing interests in relation to this paper?  
 
If you can answer no to all of the above, write 'I declare that I have no competing interests' 
below.  If your reply is yes to any, please give details below.  
 
I declare that I have no competing interests  
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal. I understand that my name will be incl uded  
on my report to the authors and, if the manuscript is accepted for publication, my named report  
including any attachments I upload will be posted on the website along with the authors'  
responses. I agree for my report to be made available under a n Ope n Access Creative Commons  
CC-BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ). I understand that any comments  
which I do not wish to be included in my named report can be included as confidential comments  
to the editors, which will not be published . 
 
I agree to the open peer review policy of the journal