Environmental DNA to track endangered Gobiobotia naktongensis: Assessment of distribution and habitat requirements.

Because of their noninvasive nature and high detection sensitivity, eDNA-based aquatic ecosystem surveys are useful for monitoring rare, elusive indicator species. Advancements in statistical techniques have expanded their use beyond simple population tracking to predict potential habitats based on the environmental conditions of sites detected eDNA. This study used species-specific molecular marker and targeted qPCR techniques to assess the distribution and habitat requirements of the endangered Gobiobotia naktongensis, a flagship fish species in Korean sandy river systems with increased public interest related to habitat restoration evaluations associated with dam construction.

Ineffectiveness of 6,2',4'-trimethoxyflavone in mitigating cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury after post-reperfusion administration in rats.

Background: Pharmacological inhibition of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation after ischemia alleviates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury.

Purpose: To investigate whether AhR antagonist administration after reperfusion was also effective in attenuating cerebral IR injury.

Material And Methods: A total of 24 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the sham-operated group (no IR), control group (IR), and 6,2',4'-trimethoxyflavone (TMF) group (IR + TMF administration), with 10 rats assigned to each group.

Comparison of the Pharmacokinetics of Gadolinium-Based and Iron Oxide-Based Contrast Agents inside the Lymphatic Structure using Magnetic Resonance Lymphangiography.

Purpose: Gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agents are primarily used for contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance lymphangiography (MRL). However, overcoming venous contamination issues remains challenging. This study aims to assess the MRL efficacy of the newly developed iron-based contrast agent (INV-001) that is specially designed to mitigate venous contamination issues.

Is aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonism after ischemia effective in alleviating acute hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats?

Aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhRs) have been reported to be important mediators of ischemic injury in the brain. Furthermore, the pharmacological inhibition of AhR activation after ischemia has been shown to attenuate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Here, we investigated whether AhR antagonist administration after ischemia was also effective in ameliorating hepatic IR injury.

Preclinical Long-term Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study of Silymarin Liver-protective Effects.

Background And Aims: Efficacy evaluations with preclinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are uncommon, but MRI in the preclinical phase of drug development provides information that is useful for longitudinal monitoring. The study aim was to monitor the protective effectiveness of silymarin with multiparameter MRI and biomarkers in a thioacetamide (TAA)-induced model of liver injury in rats. Correlation analysis was conducted to assess compare the monitoring of liver function by MRI and biomarkers.

Application of Next-Generation Sequencing for the Determination of the Bacterial Community in the Gut Contents of Brackish Copepod Species (, , and ).

The gut bacterial communities of copepods can affect metabolic processes, and consequently, their activity can be related to the release of organic substances to the environment. Hence, they are important for organic matter cycling in marine coast food webs. However, information regarding the variation in gut bacterial communities based on copepod species and environmental variations is limited.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonism before reperfusion attenuates cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) antagonism can mitigate cellular damage associated with cerebral ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study investigated the neuroprotective effects of AhR antagonist administration before reperfusion in a rat stroke model and influence of the timing of AhR antagonist administration on its neuroprotective effects. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at baseline, immediately after, and 3, 8, and 24 h after ischaemia in the sham, control (I/R injury), TMF10 (trimethoxyflavone [TMF] administered 10 min post-ischaemia), and TMF50 (TMF administered 50 min post-ischaemia) groups.

Magnetic Resonance Colonography Enables the Efficacy Assessment of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in an Orthotopic Colorectal Cancer Mouse Model.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become an effective therapeutic option for colorectal cancer and studies on these drugs have therefore increased greatly. Efficacy assessments of ICIs in preclinical orthotopic colorectal cancer using MRI have not been reported however due to the difficulties in conducting colorectal imaging. The purpose of this present study was to investigate the feasibility of using magnetic resonance colonography (MRC) to evaluate the efficacy of an ICI, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, in an orthotopic colorectal cancer mouse model.

Decrease in fat de novo synthesis and chemokine ligand expression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease caused by inhibition of mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase.

Background And Aim: Receptor-interacting serine/threonine kinase 3 and mixed lineage kinase domain-like pseudokinase (MLKL) have gained attention as apoptosis alternate cell death signaling molecules. We aimed to evaluate the role of MLKL in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Methods: Hepatic tissue MLKL expression was compared between NAFLD patients and healthy controls.

Cerebral mapping of glutamate using chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging in a rat model of stress-induced sleep disturbance at 7.0T.

Background: Glutamate chemical exchange saturation transfer (GluCEST) imaging has been widely used in brain psychiatric disorders. Glutamate signal changes may help to evaluate the sleep-related disorders, and could be useful in diagnosis.

Purpose: To evaluate signal changes in the hippocampus and cortex of a rat model of stress-induced sleep disturbance using GluCEST.

Feasibility and Stability of Liver Biopsy before Treatment for Preclinical Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Studies.

Background: The heterogeneity of histological findings in preclinical diet-induced nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) animal models is highly challenging. Here, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and stability of repeated liver biopsy in NAFLD animal models.

Methods: Heterogeneity of diet-induced NAFLD was evaluated at different time points in 52 high-fat diet (HFD), 35 methionine choline-deficiency diet (MCD), and 166 western diet (WD) induced NAFLD mice.

Mismatched effects of receptor interacting protein kinase-3 on hepatic steatosis and inflammation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Aim: To validate the effects of receptor interacting protein kinase-3 (RIP3) deletion in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and to clarify the mechanism of action.

Methods: Wild-type (WT) and RIP3 knockout (KO) mice were fed normal chow and high fat (HF) diets for 12 wk. The body weight was assessed once weekly.

The Use of Foxa2-Overexpressing Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells in a Scaffold System Attenuates Acute Liver Injury.

Background/aims: For the clinical application of stem cell therapy, functional enhancement is needed to increase the survival rate and the engraftment rate. The purpose of this study was to investigate functional enhancement of the paracrine effect using stem cells and hepatocyte-like cells and to minimize stem cell homing by using a scaffold system in a liver disease model.

Methods: A microporator was used to overexpress Foxa2 in adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs), which were cultured in a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffold.

Effect of Stem Cell Treatment on Acute Liver Failure Model Using Scaffold.

Background: Injecting MSCs via blood vessel is most commonly used method, which has a major drawback of safety. The aim of our study was to evaluate efficacy using scaffold-loaded MSCs in acute liver failure model.

Method: Acute liver failure was induced in mice using thioacetamide (TAA) (200 mg/kg, i.

Granulocyte colony stimulating factor treatment in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: beyond marrow cell mobilization.

Protective effects of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in acute liver injury via marrow cell mobilization have been reported in several studies. But exact mode of action and optimal protocol of G-CSF has been still doubt in chronic disease. Here we investigated mode of action and optimization of G-CSF as a treatment for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Does necroptosis have a crucial role in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury?

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated protective effects of anti-receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP1), a key necroptosis molecule. However, it is uncertain whether necroptosis has a crucial role in hepatic IR injury. Therefore, we evaluated the role of necroptosis in hepatic IR injury.