Review for 10.1186/s12876-018-0842-7 (2018)

Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Taurocholic acid is an active promoting factor, not just a biomarker of progression of liver 
cirrhosis: evidence from a human metabolomic study and in vitro experiments  
 
Version: 0 Date: 17 Apr 2018  
 
Reviewer: Quadri Alabi  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
Reviewer report  
Title: Taurocholic acid is an active promoting factor more than a biomarker of progression in 
liver cirrhosis: evidence from human metaolome study and in vitro experiment.  
Topic: There is typographical error in the introduction session. Actually am not satisfy with the 
topic. The au thors should recast the topic. E.g. change metaolome to metabolome and "factor 
more than a" should be recast.  
Abstract: In the methods part, authors should state clearly or explain in brief, the clinical data 
they are referring to. Also, they should be abl e to mention the in vitro study as well for clarity. 
Because abstract session is the summary of the work and mere reading it, pointed out significant 
finding of the study without even looking at the whole manuscript. Authors should add the cell 
culture (HS C line LX -2). 
Introduction: some major editorial, stylistic and typographical errors have been identified in this 
session authors should take note of this effect and make a significant correction.  
* Hetorenal should be hepatorenal  
* Metaolome ----metabolome  
They should recast this statement "One systemic analysis estimates that global death attributed to 
liver cirrhosis is over 1 million in 2010 [3]" for clarity.  
Methods: serum was collected from thirty two patients with liver cirrhosis and 27 normal 
volunte ers from March 2015 to 2016, approximately a year. Authors should explain how the 
serum was collected from the individual patients and volunteers. They can't obtained serum 
without collecting venous blood.  
Secondly, why collecting serum from the participan ts from a period of one year? how and when 
the blood was collected? Or the authors did a series of blood collection for a period of one year?  
Line 39 Target bile acid detection  
Authors should explain in details how the Sera of their patients was tested for  bile acid.  
 
Statistical analysis  
Change metaolome to metabolome. Check this error across the whole manuscript.  
 
Discussion:  
Chlestasis should be corrected  
Line 17 -19: Authors should add reference to this statement "Bile acid is an important component 
of bile and cholestasis can cause serum bile acid elevation.  
These statement should be recast and must be cited "So researchers postulate that bile acid might 
be associated with progression of liver cirrhosis, and have diagnostic value in classification of 
stages of liver cirrhosis".  
 
Conclusion:  
Authors should check typographical error  
Line 26: Thorough should be through.  
All abbreviated words must be written in the abbreviation session of the manuscript  
Are the methods appropriate and well de scribed?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the conclusions drawn adequately  supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
  
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical review is recommended, p lease 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:  
 
Not suitable for publication unless exten sively edited  
 
Declaration of competing interests  
Please complete a declaration of competing interests, considering the following questions:  
 
1. Have you in the past five years received reimbursements, fees, funding, or salary from an  
organisation that may i n 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 in 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, funding, 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 included  
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 an Open Access C reative 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