Hepatocyte-specific NR5A2 deficiency induces pyroptosis and exacerbates non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by downregulating ALDH1B1 expression.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a prevalent chronic disease, yet its exact mechanisms and effective treatments remain elusive. Nuclear receptor subfamily 5 group A member 2 (NR5A2), a transcription factor closely associated with cholesterol metabolism in the liver, has been hindered from comprehensive investigation due to the lethality of NR5A2 loss in cell lines and animal models. To elucidate the role of NR5A2 in NASH, we generated hepatocyte-specific knockout mice for Nr5a2 (Nr5a2) and examined their liver morphology across different age groups under a regular diet.

PDCD4 deficiency in hepatocytes exacerbates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis through enhanced MHC class II transactivator expression.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a primary cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, presenting a significant and unmet medical challenge. The necessity to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying NASH is highlighted by the observed decrease in programmed cell death 4 (PDCD4) expression in NASH patients, suggesting that PDCD4 may play a protective role in maintaining liver health. In this study, we identify PDCD4 as a natural inhibitor of NASH development in mice.

LNCHC directly binds and regulates YBX1 stability to ameliorate metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease progression.

Background And Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents the foremost cause of chronic liver disease, yet its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Our group previously discovered a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in rats, termed lncHC and its human counterpart, LNCHC. This study aimed to explore the role of LNCHC in the progression of MASLD.

Can Higher Land Rentals Promote Soil Conservation of Large-Scale Farmers in China?

Based on theoretical analysis, this study empirically analyzes the mediating mechanism of how land rentals work on large-scale farmers to enhance soil conservation with survey data of 425 large-scale farmers in Shandong and Anhui Provinces, the main grain-producing regions of China, and further examines the moderating effect of agricultural extension services. The results show that: (1) The higher the land rentals, the greater the probability that large-scale farmers enhance soil conservation. (2) The mediating effect demonstrates that in a highly market-oriented rural land transfer market in China, the land lease term of large-scale farmers is longer with the increase of land rentals, thus motivating large-scale farmers to engage in soil conservation.

Exploring the Inhibitory Effect of RASFF on China-EU Trade of Rice-Based Products.

Rice-based products exported from China to Europe have repeatedly encountered technical trade barriers. Using panel data from 24 states of the European Union during 2001-2017, this study builds a theoretical model to investigate the impact of implementation, intensity and structure of the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) on China-EU rice-based product trade. The study found that RASFF has a serious inhibitory effect on the trade of traditional rice-based products because of detecting GM ingredients, showing an obvious lag effect, diffusion effect and structure effect.