Dietary cholesterol drives the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by altering gut microbiota mediated bile acid metabolism in high-fat diet fed mice.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most widespread chronic liver disorder globally. Unraveling the pathogenesis of simple fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has important clinical significance for improving the prognosis of NAFLD. Here, we explored the role of a high-fat diet alone or combined with high cholesterol in causing NASH progression.

Deoxycholic Acid Promotes Pyroptosis in Free Fatty Acid-Induced Steatotic Hepatocytes by Inhibiting PINK1-Mediated Mitophagy.

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the inflammatory subtype of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can lead to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Bile acid levels are correlated with markers of hepatic injury in NASH, suggesting a possible role for bile acids in the progression of NAFLD. Here, we examined the role of deoxycholic acid (DCA) in driving steatotic hepatocytes to pyroptosis, a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death.

Antiaging Potential of Peptides from Underused Marine Bioresources.

Aging is a biological process that occurs under normal conditions and in several chronic degenerative diseases. Bioactive natural peptides have been shown to improve the effects of aging in cell and animal models and in clinical trials. However, few reports delve into the enormous diversity of peptides from marine organisms.

The use of mind mapping in health education in extended care for children with caries.

Objective: To investigate the application of mind mapping-based health education in extended care for children with caries.

Methods: This was a prospective study of 159 eligible children with caries. Participants were randomly assigned to an observation group and a control group, and received extended health education and guidance.

The effects of chronic lead exposure on the liver of female Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica): Histopathological damages, oxidative stress and AMP-activated protein kinase based lipid metabolism disorder.

Lead (Pb) is one of the most toxic metals to human and wildlife. It also had multiple negative influences on birds with physical, neurological and hematological clinical signs. However, the impacts of lead on bird liver lipid metabolism are still unclear.

Chronic lead exposure induces histopathological damage, microbiota dysbiosis and immune disorder in the cecum of female Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica).

Lead (Pb) is one of the most hazardous metals to human and wildlife and it also has multiple negative impacts on birds. However, its influences on bird gut morphology and intestinal microbiota were still unclear. We used female Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) to examine the effects of chronic lead exposure (0, 50 ppm and 1000 ppm) on cecal histology, microbial communities and immune function.

Breeding habitat survey of blackthroat (Luscinia obscura) in Foping nature reserve of Qinling Mountains.

We carried out a primary survey by quadrat sampling to quantify breeding habitat characteristics of blackthroat (Luscnia obscura), a poorly documented and vulnerable bird species, in Foping nature reserve on the central southern Qinling Mountains. Tree layer information was collected in 10 m × 10 m plots, bamboo and shrub layer information was collected in 2 m × 2 m plots, and grass and ground layer information was collected in 1 m × 1 m plots. Our observations showed that blackthroat lives in coniferous forest and coniferous broadleaved forest with dense bamboos at the elevation ranging from 2130 m to 2600 m.

An unstructured phylogeographic pattern with extensive gene flow in an endemic bird of South China: collared Finchbill (Spizixos semitorques).

Recent phylogeographical studies indicated that glacial oscillations played a key role on the phylogeographic pattern of extant species. As most studies have previously been carried out on heavily ice-covered regions, such as in European and North American regions, potential effects of climatic oscillations on species that are distributed on ice-free regions are less known. To address this, we investigated the phylogeographic pattern of an avian species endemic to South China, which was not glaciated during the Pleistocene glaciations.

The survey of H5N1 flu virus in wild birds in 14 Provinces of China from 2004 to 2007.

Background: The highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza emerged in the year 1996 in Asia, and has spread to Europe and Africa recently. At present, effective monitoring and data analysis of H5N1 are not sufficient in Chinese mainland.

Methodology/principal Findings: During the period from April of 2004 to August of 2007, we collected 14,472 wild bird samples covering 56 species of 10 orders in 14 provinces of China and monitored the prevalence of flu virus based on RT-PCR specific for H5N1 subtype.