Plasma FSTL-1 as a noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for patients with advanced liver fibrosis.

Background And Aims: Reliable novel noninvasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis are urgently needed in clinical practice. We aimed to investigate the accuracy of plasma Follistatin-like protein 1 (FSTL-1) in the diagnosis of advanced liver fibrosis in chronic liver diseases.

Approach And Results: We collected cross-sectional clinical data for a derivation cohort (n = 86) and a validation cohort (n = 431), totaling 517 subjects with liver biopsy.

A nomogram model for predicting advanced liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B: A multicenter study.

Background: Biopsy is the gold standard method for diagnosing liver fibrosis. FibroScan is a non-invasive method of diagnosing liver fibrosis, but it still faces some limitations. This study aimed to establish a nomogram model and identify patients at high risk of advanced liver fibrosis associated with hepatitis B infection.

The imprinted Igf2-Igf2r axis is critical for exosome biogenesis during the early development of bovine placenta.

Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) is essential for cell growth and differentiation and functions through the IGF2 receptor (IGF2R) to regulate embryonic and placental development. Exosomes that are synthesized and released from cells and play important roles in embryogenesis and placental development rely on the IGF2R for sorting and transport. However, the role of the imprinted Igf2-Igr2r axis and exosomes in the co-regulation of early placental development remains unknown.

Optimizing selenium-enriched yeast supplementation in laying hens: Enhancing egg quality, selenium concentration in eggs, antioxidant defense, and liver health.

This study evaluated the effects of selenium-enriched yeast (SY) supplementation at various levels on health and production parameters in laying hens, including egg production, egg quality, selenium (Se) concentrations in eggs, liver health, serum biochemical markers, antioxidant function, and immune responses. A total of 360 Hy-Line Brown hens (28 weeks old) were randomly assigned to four dietary groups with six replicates of 15 birds each, monitored over a 12-week feeding trial after a two-week acclimatization period. The dietary groups included a control (basal diet without selenium) and three SY-supplemented groups with Se levels of 0.

Non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis/idiopathic portal hypertension: APASL recommendations for diagnosis and management.

Since the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) published guidelines on non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis/idiopathic portal hypertension in 2007, there has been a surge in new information, especially with the introduction of the term porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD). Non-cirrhotic intra-hepatic causes of portal hypertension include disorders with a clearly identifiable etiology, such as schistosomiasis, as well as disorders with an unclear etiology such as non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF), also termed idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH). This entity is being increasingly recognized as being associated with systemic disease and drug therapy, especially cancer therapy.

α-Linolenic acid promotes testosterone synthesis by improving mitochondrial function in primary rooster Leydig cells.

Unlabelled: The present study aimed to investigate the direct effects of α-Linolenic acid (ALA) on the in vitro production of testosterone and the expression of key enzymes and proteins related to steroidogenesis in Leydig cells of roosters.

Methods: Purified primary Leydig cells isolated from 65-week-old roosters were purified and treated with different concentrations of ALA treatments: (0 μm/L [control], solvent control group (DMSO), 20 μM/L, 40 μM/L, and 80 μM/L) and cell counting-8 (CCK-8) for cell viability assay, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for the determination of testosterone in cell supernatants, quantitative (real-time) PCR, and analysis of activities of antioxidants catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA), evaluation of mitochondrial membrane potential, pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins/genes Bcl-2, Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) were done respectively.

Results: Our results showed that ALA significantly increased testosterone secretion in primary rooster Leydig cells (P < 0.

Alpha-Linolenic Acid Supplementation Improves Testosterone Production in an Aged Breeder Rooster Model: Role of Mitochondrial Modulation and SIRT1 Activation.

Scope: Aging in males can lead to declines in testosterone production, essential for maintaining male reproductive health.

Methods And Results: To investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) on testosterone production in aged breeder roosters and understand the underlying molecular mechanisms involved. An in vivo model is established to investigate the effects of dietary ALA supplementation on testosterone production in aged breeder roosters, and the Leydig cell culture is used to identify the potential molecular mechanism.

Effect of natural astaxanthin on sperm quality and mitochondrial function of breeder rooster semen cryopreservation.

Cryopreservation causes higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations, leading to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation damaging sperm, and using antioxidants can improve semen quality after freeze-thaw. Natural astaxanthin (ASTA) can be inserted into cell membranes and its antioxidant properties are stronger than other antioxidants. We aimed to investigate the effects of ASTA supplementation in the Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender (BPSE) on post-thaw rooster semen quality and to explore the potential mechanism of rooster semen quality change.

Dietary alpha-linolenic acid supplementation enhances semen quality, antioxidant capacity, and sperm survival in aging breeder roosters.

Aging in breeder roosters is often accompanied by a decline in semen quality, negatively impacting reproductive performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an essential omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on semen quality, antioxidant capacity, and sperm survival in aging breeder roosters. Roosters were divided into 4 groups and fed diets supplemented with 0%, 0.

Supplementing ageing male laying breeders with lycopene alleviates oxidative stress in testis and improves testosterone secretion.

Background: Reproductive performance is a crucial aspect of poultry production and is carefully controlled by endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine factors. This study aimed to investigate the effect of lycopene on testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells of laying breeder roosters, clarify the mechanism of lycopene improving Leydig cells function and promoting testosterone production, and explore the role of related signal transduction pathways in testosterone synthesis.

Results: A total of 96 healthy 55-week-old breeding roosters were randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments.

New clinical insights into the treatment of benign uretero-ileal anastomotic stricture following radical cystectomy and urinary diversion.

Background: Benign uretero-ileal anastomotic stricture (UIAS) is a potentially serious complication that can arise after radical cystectomy (RC) and subsequent urinary diversion. To preserve residual renal function and improve prognosis, it is crucial to derive insights from experience and tailor individualized treatment strategies for different patients.

Patients And Methods: From October 2014 to June 2021, a total of 47 patients with benign UIAS underwent endoscopic management (n = 19) or reimplantation surgery (n = 28).

Establishment of functional trophoblast organoids from trophoblast cells of bovine placenta.

The placenta is an organ that plays a vital role in successful pregnancies, and the failure of early placentation is a significant factor leading to abortion in ruminant species. However, the mechanisms involved in the development and differentiation of bovine placenta remain elusive due to the lack of suitable in vitro placental models. This study aimed to develop an effective method for generating the bovine functional trophoblast organoids by assembling bovine primary trophoblast cells (PBTCs) from the placenta or immortalized bovine placental trophoblast (BTCs) in a 3D culture system in vitro.

Integrating Multi-Omics Data to Identify Key Functional Variants Affecting Feed Efficiency in Large White Boars.

Optimizing feed efficiency through the feed conversion ratio (FCR) is paramount for economic viability and sustainability. In this study, we integrated RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and genome-wide association study (GWAS) data to investigate key functional variants associated with feed efficiency in pigs. Identification of differentially expressed genes in the duodenal and muscle tissues of low- and high-FCR pigs revealed that pathways related to digestion of dietary carbohydrate are responsible for differences in feed efficiency between individuals.

Association between low incidence of TP53 mutations and reduced early relapse rates in Uygur DLBCL.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) demonstrates significant heterogeneity, investigations into the distinctions in clinical and molecular characteristics between Chinese Uygur and Han DLBCL patients remain unexplored. We retrospectively reviewed 279 DLBCL patients (105 Uygur and 174 Han patients), of which 155 patients underwent genetic profiling by NGS. Compared with Han patient, Uygur patients have better clinical prognostic indicators, including a higher proportion of patients with 0-1 extranodal involvement and I/II Ann Arbor staging.

Discovery of FO-4-15, a novel 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivative, ameliorates cognitive impairments in 3×Tg mice by activating the mGluR1/CaMKIIα pathway.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairments. Despite the limited efficacy of current treatments for AD, the 1,2,4-oxadiazole structure has garnered significant attention in medicinal chemistry due to its potential impact on mGluR1 and its association with AD therapy. In this study, a series of novel 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for the neuroprotective effects in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells.