Accurate prediction of biliary atresia with an integrated model using MMP-7 levels and bile acids.

Background: Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare fatal liver disease in children, and the aim of this study was to develop a method to diagnose BA early.

Methods: We determined serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), the results of 13 liver tests, and the levels of 20 bile acids, and integrated computational models were constructed to diagnose BA.

Results: Our findings demonstrated that MMP-7 expression levels, as well as the results of four liver tests and levels of ten bile acids, were significantly different between 86 BA and 59 non-BA patients (P < 0.

Effects of oligomeric grape seed proanthocyanidins on heart, aorta, kidney in DOCA-salt mice: role of oxidative stress.

Growing experimental and clinical data highlights the important roles of increased reactive oxygen species production in cardiovascular remodeling (CR). Oligomeric grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) have been shown to be potent antioxidants and free radical scavengers. Mice were treated with DOCA-salt to induce CR and were given distilled water or oligomeric GSPs for 4 weeks.