Search results for: liver markers

Authors: Belgherbi Aicha, Hadjidj Ismahen, Bessaid Abdelhafid

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The interpretation of medical images benefits from anatomical and physiological priors to optimize computer- aided diagnosis applications. Segmentation of liver and liver lesion is regarded as a major primary step in computer aided diagnosis of liver diseases. Precise liver segmentation in abdominal CT images is one of the most important steps for the computer-aided diagnosis of liver pathology. In this papers, a semi- automated method for medical image data is presented for the liver and liver lesion segmentation data using mathematical morphology. Our algorithm is currency in two parts. In the first, we seek to determine the region of interest by applying the morphological filters to extract the liver. The second step consists to detect the liver lesion. In this task; we proposed a new method developed for the semi-automatic segmentation of the liver and hepatic lesions. Our proposed method is based on the anatomical information and mathematical morphology tools used in the image processing field. At first, we try to improve the quality of the original image and image gradient by applying the spatial filter followed by the morphological filters. The second step consists to calculate the internal and external markers of the liver and hepatic lesions. Thereafter we proceed to the liver and hepatic lesions segmentation by the watershed transform controlled by markers. The validation of the developed algorithm is done using several images. Obtained results show the good performances of our proposed algorithm

Keywords: anisotropic diffusion filter, CT images, hepatic lesion segmentation, Liver segmentation, morphological filter, the watershed algorithm

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Authors: Alaa E. El-sisi, Sherin Zakaria

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Rebamipide is an antiulcer drug with unique properties such as anti-inflammatory action. It induces endogenous prostaglandin e2 (PGE2). PGE2 is considered as a potent physiological suppressor of liver fibrosis. Aim of study: This study investigated the effect of rebamipide on hepatic fibrosis. Material and Method: Hepatic fibrosis was induced by intraperitoneal injections (IP) injection of CCl4 (0.45 mL/kg) in corn oil 1:5 twice a week for 4 weeks. Rats were divided into four groups as follow: Group 1 treated with CCL4 only, group 2 and 3 treated with CCL4 and rebamipide 60 mg/kg/day (group2) or 100 mg/kg/day (group3), and the fourth group was considered as control group and treated with vehicles. ALT, AST, and Bilirubin were assayed in serum. Antioxidant markers such as malondialdhyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and fibrotic markers such as hyaluronic acid (HA) and procollagen-III (procol-III) were evaluated in liver tissues. IL-10 as well as PGE2 were also assayed in liver tissues. Pathologic changes in the liver were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Collagen precipitation in liver tissues was visualized using masson trichrom stain. Results: Rebamipide inhibit CCL4 induced increase in ALT and AST significantly (p < 0.05). Rebamipide exerted an antioxidant effect as it inhibits CCL4 induced increased MDA level and decreased SOD activity. Fibrotic markers assay revealed that repamipide (60 or 100 mg/kg/day) decreased the level of procol-III and HA compared to CCl4 (p < 0.05). Oral administration of Rebamipide was associated with a significant increase (p < 0.05) of PGE2 and IL-10. Rebamipide especially at the dose of (100 mg/kg/day) restores liver histology structure and abolish collagen precipitation in liver tissues. Conclusion: Rebamipide retards hepatic fibrosis induced by CCL4 may be through the induction of PGE2 level.

Keywords: fibrotic markers, hepatic fibrosis, PGE2, rebamipide

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Authors: S. H. Atef, N. H. Mahmoud, S. Abdrahman, A. Fattoh

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Background: The aim of the study is to assess the diagnostic value of fibrotest and hyaluronic acid in discriminate between insignificant and significant fibrosis. Also, to find out if these parameters could replace liver biopsy which is currently used for selection of chronic hepatitis C patients eligible for antiviral therapy. Study design: This study was conducted on 52 patients with HCV RNA detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) who had undergone liver biopsy and attending the internal medicine clinic at Ain Shams University Hospital. Liver fibrosis was evaluated according to the METAVIR scoring system on a scale of F0 to F4. Biochemical markers assessed were: alpha-2 macroglobulin (α2-MG), apolipoprotein A1 (Apo-A1), haptoglobin, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TB) and hyaluronic acid (HA). The fibrotest score was computed after adjusting for age and gender. Predictive values and ROC curves were used to assess the accuracy of fibrotest and HA results. Results: For fibrotest, the observed area under curve for the discrimination between minimal or no fibrosis (F0-F1) and significant fibrosis (F2-F4) was 0.6736 for cutoff value 0.19 with sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of 85.7%. For HA, the sensitivity was 89.5% and specificity was 85.7% and area under curve was 0.540 at the best cutoff value 71 mg/dL. Multi-use of both parameters, HA at 71 mg/dL with fibrotest score at 0.22 give a sensitivity 89.5%, specificity 100 and efficacy 92.3% (AUC 0.895). Conclusion: The use of both fibrotest score and HA could be as alternative to biopsy in most patients with chronic hepaitis C putting in consideration some limitations of the proposed markers in evaluating liver fibrosis.

Keywords: fibrotest, liver fibrosis, HCV RNA, biochemical markers

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Authors: M. Gholinjad Kordan, M. Ghasemi, S. Fazelifar

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Aim: liver plays a role in an astounding number of bodily functions: it helps with blood sugar regulation; metabolizes hormones; and traps and breaks down bacteria and toxins. Unfortunately, bodily demands can overwhelm your liver. Massage therapy can help by restoring healthy circulation and speeding the elimination of toxins. Apium graveolens has antioxidant property because of its flavonoid compounds. The purpose of this study was to determine Effect of massage and graveolens consumption on liver markers in women. Methodology: forty non-athlete male students were randomly divided into four groups: 1-control, 2-massage, 3-massage and graveolens and 4-graveolens. Amount of 5cc Blood sampling were obtained pre-test and post-test (after 12 weeks). Subjects received Russian massage for 8 weeks and 3 days a week for 20 minutes. Also, Complementary groups received the capsule supplement of graveolens after eating for twelve weeks and three times a day. Data was analyzed with One way ANOVA and tukey in p < 0/05. Results: Based on research findings, twelve weeks massage and graveolens consumption lead to a significant decrease in enzymes activity of ALT, AST and ALP in sedentary women. Conclusion: Results of This study shows that massage or graveolens consumption and especially combination of both can be used as desirable threpatic method in order to reduce or improve symptoms caused by excess weight, especially the liver damage.

Keywords: massage, graveolens, liver markers, sedentary women

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Authors: Ferjani Hanen, El Arem Amira, Boussema Ayed Imen, Bacha Hassen

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Tacrolimus (TAC), a calcineurin inhibitor, is clinically used as an immunosuppressive agent in the transplant recipient, but its use associated-hepatotoxicity. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), an anti-metabolite, is a potent immunosuppressive drug. MMF is not hepatotoxic and is the most common adjunctive immunosuppressant for TAC. The effects of TAC and MMF combination in the liver is still not well understood. This work aimed to investigate their combined effect against in liver in rats Wistar after 24 h. The oral median lethal doses (LD50) of TAC and MMF alone were evaluated in rats are 240 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg respectively. Oral administration of the MMF at 50 mg/kg to male Wistar intoxicated with TAC at 60 mg/kg, demonstrated a significant protective effect by lowering the levels of hepatic markers enzymes (AST, ALT) in the serum rat. MMF attenuated oxidative stress by restoring the activities of SOD, CAT and by reducing the malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl levels liver. This study provided evidence that MMF protects rat liver from TAC-induced injury and suggests a most combination use for organ transplantation.

Keywords: tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, combination, liver, rat

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Authors: Deepak Nathiya1, Ramesh Roop Rai, Pratima Singh1, Preeti Raj1, Supriya Suman, Balvir Singh Tomar

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Background: Sarcopenia is a catabolic state in liver cirrhosis (LC), accelerated with a breakdown of skeletal muscle to release amino acids which adversely affects survival, health-related quality of life, and response to any underlying disease. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the long-term effect of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementations on parameters associated with improved prognosis in sarcopenic patients with LC, as well as to evaluate its impact on cirrhotic-related events. Methods: We carried out a 24 week, single-center, randomized, open-label, controlled, two cohort parallel-group intervention trial comparing the efficacy of BCAA against lactoalbumin (L-ALB) on 106 sarcopenic liver cirrhotics. The BCAA (intervention) group was treated with 7.2 g BCAA per whereas, the lactoalbumin group was also given 6.3 g of L-Albumin. The primary outcome was to assess the impact of BCAA on parameters of sarcopenia: muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. The secondary outcomes were to study combined survival and maintenance of liver function changes in laboratory and clinical markers in the duration of six months. Results: Treatment with BCAA leads to significant improvement in sarcopenic parameters: muscle strength, muscle function, and muscle mass. The total cirrhotic-related complications and cumulative event-free survival occurred fewer in the BCAA group than in the L-ALB group. Prognostic markers also improved significantly in the study. Conclusion: The current clinical trial demonstrated that long-term BCAAs supplementation improved sarcopenia and prognostic markers in patients with advanced liver cirrhosis.

Keywords: sarcopenia, liver cirrhosis, BCAA, quality of life

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Authors: Feng Zhang, Li Chen, Desong Kong, Xiaoping Zhang, Xiaojing Zhu, Yin Lu, Shizhong Zheng

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Sinusoidal pathological angiogenesis is a novel therapeutic target for liver fibrosis. We demonstrated that curcumin ameliorated fibrotic injury and sinusoidal angiogenesis in rat liver with fibrosis caused by carbon tetrachloride. Curcumin reduced the expression of angiogenic markers in fibrotic liver. Experiments in vitro showed that the viability and vascularization of rat liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) were not impaired by curcumin. Further investigations showed that curcumin inhibited VEGF expression in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) by disrupting PDGF-βR/ERK and mTOR pathways. HSC motility and vascularization were also suppressed by curcumin via blocking PDGF-βR/FAK/RhoA cascade. Gain- or loss-of-function analyses revealed that activation of PPARγ was required for curcumin to inhibit angiogenic properties of HSCs. We concluded that curcumin attenuated sinusoidal angiogenesis in liver fibrosis possibly by targeting HSCs via a PPARγ activation-dependent mechanism. PPARγ could be a target molecule for reducing pathological angiogenesis during liver fibrosis.

Keywords: angiogenesis, hepatic stellate cell, curcumin, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ

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Authors: Mohammad Jamal

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Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most chronic liver diseases, prevalent among people with morbid obesity. NAFLD does not develop clinically significant liver disease, however cirrhosis and liver cancer develop in subset and currently there are no approved therapies for the treatment of NAFLD. The study is aimed to understand the various key genes involved in the mechanism of NAFLD which can be valuable for developing diagnostic and predictive biomarkers based on their histologic stage of liver. The study was conducted on 16 male Sprague Dawley rats. The animals were divided in two groups: control group (n=8) fed on ad libitum normal chow and regular water and the cafeteria group (CAF)) (n=8) fed on high fatty/ carbohydrate diet. The animals received their respective diet from 4 weeks onwards from D.O.B until 25 weeks. Liver was extracted and RT² Profiler PCR Array was used to assess the NAFLD related genes. Histological evaluation was performed using H&E stain in liver tissue sections. Our PCR array results showed that genes involved in anti-inflammatory activity (Ifng, IL10), fatty acid uptake/oxidation (Fabp5), apoptosis (Fas), lipogenesis (Gck and Srebf1), Insulin signalling (Igfbp1) and metabolic pathway (pdk4) were upregulated in the liver of cafeteria fed obese rats. Bloated hepatocytes, displaced nucleus and higher lipid content were seen in the liver of cafeteria fed obese rats. Although Liver biopsies remain the gold standard in evaluating NAFLD, however an approach towards non-invasive markers could be used in understanding the physiology, therapeutic potential, and the targets to combat NAFLD.

Keywords: biomarkers, cafeteria diet, obesity, NAFLD

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Authors: Shiva Rezaei, Seyed Jalal Hosseinimehr, Abbasali Karimpour Malekshah, Mansooreh Mirzaei, Fereshteh Talebpour Amiri, Mehryar Zargari

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Objective(s): Cyclophosphamide (CP), as an antineoplastic drug, is widely used in cancer patients, and liver toxicity is one of its complications. Sinapic acid (SA), as a natural phenylpropanoid, has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Materials and Methods: The purpose of the current study was to determine the protective effect of SA versus CP-induced liver toxicity. In this research, BALB/c mice were treated with SA (5 and 10 mg/kg) orally for one week, and CP (200 mg/kg) was injected on day 3 of the study. Oxidative stress markers, serum liver-specific enzymes, histopathological features, caspase-3, and nuclear factor kappa-B cells were then checked. Results: CP induced hepatotoxicity in mice and showed structural changes in liver tissue. CP significantly increased liver enzymes and lipid peroxidation and decreased glutathione. The immunoreactivity of caspase-3 and nuclear factor kappa-B cells was significantly increased. Administration of SA significantly maintained histochemical parameters and liver function enzymes in mice treated with CP. Immunohistochemical examination showed SA reduced apoptosis and inflammation. Conclusion: The data confirmed that SA with anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities was able to preserve CP-induced liver injury in mice.

Keywords: apoptosis, cyclophosphamide, liver injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, sinapic acid

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Authors: Tatsiana Ihnatovich, Darya Nizheharodava, Mikalai Halabarodzka, Tatsiana Savitskaya, Marina Zafranskaya

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Liver fibrosis is a complex of histological changes resulting from chronic liver disease accompanied by an excessive production and deposition of extracellular matrix components in the hepatic parenchyma. Liver fibrosis is a serious medical and social problem. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) make a significant contribution to the extracellular matrix deposition due to liver injury. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a pronounced anti-inflammatory, regenerative and immunomodulatory effect; they are able to differentiate into hepatocytes and induce apoptosis of activated HSCs that opens the prospect of their use for preventing the excessive fibro-formation and the development of liver cirrhosis. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of MSCs therapy on the expression of fibrogenesis markers genes in liver tissue and HSCs cultures of rats with experimental liver cirrhosis (ELC). Materials and methods: ELC was induced by the common bile duct ligation (CBDL) in female Wistar rats (n = 19) with an average body weight of 250 (220 ÷ 270) g. Animals from the control group (n = 10) were sham-operated. On the 56th day after the CBDL, the rats of the experimental (n = 12) and the control (n = 5) groups received intraportal MSCs in concentration of 1×106 cells/animal (previously obtained from rat’s bone marrow) or saline, respectively. The animals were taken out of the experiment on the 21st day. HSCs were isolated by sequential liver perfusion in situ with following disaggregation, enzymatic treatment and centrifugation of cell suspension on a two-stage density gradient. The expression of collagen type I (Col1a1) and type III (Col3a1), matrix metalloproteinase type 2 (MMP2) and type 9 (MMP9), tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases type 1 (TIMP1), transforming growth factor β type 1 (TGFβ1) and type 3 (TGFβ3) was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 10.0. Results: In ELC rats compared to sham-operated animals, a significant increase of all studied markers expression was observed. The administration of MSCs led to a significant decrease of all detectable markers in the experimental group compared to rats without cell therapy. In ELC rats, an increased MMP9/TIMP1 ratio after cell therapy was also detected. The infusion of MSCs in the sham-operated animals did not lead to any changes. In the HSCs from ELC animals, the expression of Col1a1 and Col3a1 exceeded the similar parameters of the control group (p <0.05) and statistically decreased after the MSCs administration. The correlation between Col3a1 (Rs = 0.51, p <0.05), TGFβ1 (Rs = 0.6, p <0.01), and TGFβ3 (Rs = 0.75, p <0.001) expression in HSCs cultures and liver tissue has been found. Conclusion: Intraportal administration of MSCs to rats with ELC leads to a decreased Col1a1 and Col3a1, MMP2 and MMP9, TIMP1, TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 expression. The correlation between the expression of Col3a1, TGFβ1 and TGFβ3 in liver tissue and in HSCs cultures indicates the involvement of activated HSCs in the fibrogenesis that allows considering HSCs to be the main cell therapy target in ELC.

Keywords: cell therapy, experimental liver cirrhosis, hepatic stellate cells, mesenchymal stem cells

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Authors: Xiao-Jing Zhu, Liang Zhou, Shi-Zhong Zheng

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Various studies have shown that diallyl trisulfide (DATS) can protect the liver injury, and DATS has a strong antioxidant property. The aim of this study is to evaluate the in vivo role of DATS in protecting the liver against injury and fibrogenesis and further explores the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that DATS protected the liver from CCl4-caused injury by suppressing the elevation of ALT and AST activities, and by improving the histological architecture of the liver. Treatment with DATS or colchicine improved the liver fibrosis by sirius red staining and immunofluorescence. In addition, immunohistochemistry, western blot, and RT-PCR analyses indicated that DATS inhibited HSC activation. Furthermore, DATS attenuated oxidative stress by increasing glutathione and reducing lipid peroxides and malondialdehyde. These findings suggest that the protective effect of DATS on CCl4-caused liver injury and liver fibrogenesis was, at least partially, attributed to its antioxidant activity.

Keywords: liver fibrogenesis, liver injury, oxidative stress, DATS

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Authors: G. Shiha, S. Seif, W. Samir, K. Zalata

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Prospective Validation of the FibroTest Score in assessing Liver Fibrosis in Hepatitis C Infection with Genotype 4 FibroTest (FT) is non-invasive score of liver fibrosis that combines the quantitative results of 5 serum biochemical markers (alpha-2-macroglobulin, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein A1, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and bilirubin) and adjusted with the patient's age and sex in a patented algorithm to generate a measure of fibrosis. FT has been validated in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) (Halfon et al., Gastroenterol. Clin Biol.( 2008), 32 6suppl 1, 22-39). The validation of fibro test ( FT) in genotype IV is not well studied. Our aim was to evaluate the performance of FibroTest in an independent prospective cohort of hepatitis C patients with genotype 4. Subject was 122 patients with CHC. All liver biopsies were scored using METAVIR system. Our fibrosis score(FT) were measured, and the performance of the cut-off score were done using ROC curve. Among patients with advanced fibrosis, the FT was identically matched with the liver biopsy in 18.6%, overestimated the stage of fibrosis in 44.2% and underestimated the stage of fibrosis in 37.7% of cases. Also in patients with no/mild fibrosis, identical matching was detected in 39.2% of cases with overestimation in 48.1% and underestimation in 12.7%. So, the overall results of the test were identical matching, overestimation and underestimation in 32%, 46.7% and 21.3% respectively. Using ROC curve it was found that (FT) at the cut-off point of 0.555 could discriminate early from advanced stages of fibrosis with an area under ROC curve (AUC) of 0.72, sensitivity of 65%, specificity of 69%, PPV of 68%, NPV of 66% and accuracy of 67%. As FibroTest Score overestimates the stage of advanced fibrosis, it should not be considered as a reliable surrogate for liver biopsy in hepatitis C infection with genotype 4.

Keywords: fibrotest, chronic Hepatitis C, genotype 4, liver biopsy

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Authors: S. Buloyan, V. Mamikonyan, H. Hakobyan, H. Harutyunyan, H. Gasparyan

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The liver is the strongest regenerating organ of the organism, and even with 2/3 surgically removed, it can regenerate completely. Hence, liver cirrhosis may only develop when the regenerating system is off. We present the results of a comparative study of structural and functional characteristics of rat liver tissue under the conditions of toxic liver cirrhosis development, induced by carbon tetrachloride, and its prevention/treatment by natural compounds with antioxidant and immune stimulating action. Studies were made on Wister rats, weighing 120~140 g. Grape seeds extracts, separately and in combination with well known anticirrhotic drug ursodeoxycholic acid (ursodiol) have demonstrated effectiveness in prevention of liver cirrhosis development and its treatment.

Keywords: carbon tetrachloride, GSE, liver cirrhosis, prevention, treatment

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Authors: Dina F. Mansour, Dalia O. Saleh, Rasha E. Mostafa

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Cyclophosphamide (CP), the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agent, was reported to cause many side effects including urotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, gonadotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity; this limits its clinical practice. In the present study, the protective effect of genistein (GEN), the major phytoestrogen in soy products that possesses various pharmacological activities, has been investigated against CP-induced acute liver damage in rats. Forty adult Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated into five groups. The first group received the vehicles and act as normal control. In the other groups, rats were injected with a single dose of CP (200 mg/kg, i.p). The last three groups were pretreated with subcutaneous GEN at doses of 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/kg/day, respectively, for 15 consecutive days prior CP injection. Forty-eight hours following CP injection, rats of all groups were investigated for the serum levels of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase, as well as the liver contents of reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde, nitrite, interleukin-1β, and myeloperoxidase. Histopathological examination of liver tissues was also conducted. CP resulted in acute liver damage in rats as evidenced by alteration of liver function biomarkers, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers; that was confirmed by the histopathological outcomes. Pretreatment of rats with GEN significantly protected against CP-induced deterioration of liver function and showed marked anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that were demonstrated by the biochemical and histopathological findings. In conclusion, the present findings demonstrated the protective effects of GEN against CP-induced liver damage and suggested role of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.

Keywords: cyclophosphamide, genistein, inflammation, interleukin-1β, liver, myeloperoxidase, oxidative stress

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Authors: Shukla Ila, Azmi Lubna, S. S. Gupta, Ch. V. Rao

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Oxidative stress has been increasingly associated with the induction and progression of liver damage. The current study was conducted to record the effect of combination of Lactobacillus and Lichen rangiferinus extract (LRE + Lac) on the severity of injury in experimental alcoholic liver disease and how it affects plasma levels of prostaglandin E2, endotoxin, thromboxane B2, and leukotriene B4. Male Wistar rats were grouped into five comprising six animals in each group. Group 1 served as negative control. Groups 2-5 were administered 10% ethanol for six weeks. Group 3 was administered with extract (200 mg/kg), group 4 received the diet containing 10% ethanol plus a bolus of lactobacilli GG (1010 CFU), and group 5 animals were given silymarin along with alcohol and it served as positive control. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total protein content, γ-glutamyltransferase, glutathione S-transferase, oxidative stress markers, glutathione, malondialdehyde and glutathione reductase were determined using standard diagnostic kits. Histopathological analysis of liver tissue was also made. A positive relation was found between plasma endotoxin levels and degree of liver injury. The pathology records were also related positively with leukotriene B4 and thromboxane B2. But a negative correlation was obtained with PgE2 levels. This study led us to hypothesize that the increased endotoxin levels modulate liver metabolism of eicosanoid, which gradually leads to liver injury. Endotoxemia increases leukotriene and thromboxane levels in plasma.

Keywords: lactobacillus, Lichen rangiferinus, endotoxemia, silymarin

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Authors: Mohamed Amine Aiche, Elkhansa Yahia, Leila Mallem, Mohamed Salah Boulakoud

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Exposure to endocrine disrupting (ED) during life may cause long-term health effects, the population is exposed to chemicals present in air, water, food and in a variety of consumer and personal care products. Previous research indicates that a wide range of pesticides may act as endocrine disrupters. The azole fungicides propiconazole and propineb have been shown to react through several endocrine disrupting mechanisms, and to induce various endocrine disrupting effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of two fungicides; propiconazole and propineb tested separately and in combination, on liver function. The experimental was applied on male Wistar rats dosed orally with Propiconazole 60 mg/kg/day, Propineb 100 mg/kg/day and their mixture 30 mg Propiconazole/kg/day + 50 mg Propineb /kg/day for 4 weeks, for result, a significant increase in liver weights in both treated groups with propineb, propiconazole and their mixture by reference with controls group. Also, highly significant mean values of markers of liver function such as transaminases (ALT/AST) and the activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in all treated groups. The antioxidant activity showed a significant decrease in the hepatic glutathione content (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in all treated groups.

Keywords: endocrine disrupting, pesticide mixture, propineb, propiconazole, liver, oxidative stress

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Authors: Youssef. K. A. Abdalhafid, Ezaldin A. M. Mohammed, Masoud M. M. Zatout

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This study described the changes in the liver of Uromastyx acanthinura (Bell, 1825) males and females during hibernation and activity seasons. The results revealed that, hibernation causes increase fatty liver and pigment cells with abundant damage, comparing with nearly normal structure and less fatty liver after the hibernation with almost normal pattern. Genomic DNA showed apparent separation during hibernation. Also, caspase 3 and caspase 7 activity reached a high level in the liver tissue during hibernation comparing with activity season.

Keywords: histological liver, DNA fragmentation, hibernation, caspase 3 and caspase 7

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Authors: Sohair Hassan, Olfat Hammam, Sahar Hussein, Wessam Magdi

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Objective: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a clinical condition with an unclear history of pathophysiology, making it a challenging task for scientists to reverse the disease in its initial phase and to help the liver re-function customary: this study aimed to estimate the hepatoprotective effects of Punica granatum Lpeel and Pistacia atlantica leaves as a multi-rich antioxidants ingredients either in their normal and/or in their nanoforms against thioacetamide induced acute liver failure in a rodent model. Method: Male Wistar rats (n=60) were divided into six equal groups, the first group employed as a control; The second group administered a dose of 350 mg /Kg/ b.w of thioacetamide (TAA)-IP, from the third to the sixth group received TAA + [2mls / 100 g b.w/d] of aqueous extracts of Punica granatum L and Pistacia atlantica either in their normal and/or Nano forms consecutively for (14 days) Results: Recorded significant elevation in liver enzymes, lipid profiles, LPO (p= 0.05) and NO with a marked significant decrease in GSH and SOD accompanied by an elevation in inflammatory cytokine (IL6, TNF-α, and AFP) in addition to a noticeable increase in HSP70 level & degradation in DNA respectively in TAA challenged group. However significant and subsequent amelioration of most of the impaired markers was observed with ip nano treatment of both extracts. Conclusion: The current results highlighted the high performance of both plant nano extracts and their hepatoprotective impact and their possible therapeutic role in the amelioration of TAA induced acute liver failure in experimental animals.

Keywords: acute liver failure HPLC, IL6, nano extracts, thioacetamide, TNF-α

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Authors: Thieu-Thi Tra My

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Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL), a rare malignant mesenchymal tumor, is commonly seen in children. The symptoms and imaging were not specific, so it could be mimicked with other tumors or liver abscesses. The tumor often appears as a large heterogeneous echoic solid mass with small cystic areas while showing a cyst-like appearance on CT and MRI. The histopathological manifestation of the UESL consisted of stellate-shaped and spindle cells scattered on a myxoid background with high mitotic count. Cells with multiple or bizarre nuclear were also observed. Here, we aimed to describe a 9-year-old male diagnosed with UESL focused on imaging and histopathological characteristics.

Keywords: undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of liver, UESL, liver sarcoma, liver tumor, children

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Authors: Monisha Isaac

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Use of molecular markers for selecting plants with desired traits has been started long back. Due to their heritable characteristics, they are useful for identification and characterization of specific genotypes. The study involves various types of molecular markers used to select multiple desired characters in plants, their properties, and advantages to improve crop productivity in adverse climatological conditions for the purpose of providing food security to fast-growing global population. The study shows that genetic similarities obtained from molecular markers provide more accurate information and the genetic diversity can be better estimated from the genetic relationship obtained from the dendrogram. The information obtained from markers assisted characterization is more suitable for the crops of economic importance like sugarcane.

Keywords: molecular markers, crop productivity, genetic diversity, genotype

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Authors: Tugba Sevinc Gamsiz, Emine Koroglu, Ozcan Keskin

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Aim: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the most common chronic liver disease in the general population. The higher mortality and morbidity among NAFLD patients and lack of symptoms makes early detection and management important. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between noninvasive imaging and biochemical markers in diabetic and nondiabetic patients diagnosed with NAFLD. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted from (September 2017) to (December 2017) on adults admitted to Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology outpatient clinics with hepatic steatosis reported on ultrasound or transient elastography within the last six months that exclude patients with other liver diseases or alcohol abuse. The data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Number cruncher statistical system (NCSS) 2007 program was used for statistical analysis. Results: 116 patients were included in this study. Diabetic patients compared to nondiabetics had significantly higher Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP), Liver Stiffness Measurement (LSM) and fibrosis values. Also, hypertension, hepatomegaly, high BMI, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia, high A1c, and hyperuricemia were found to be risk factors for NAFLD progression to fibrosis. Advanced fibrosis (F3, F4) was present in 18,6 % of all our patients; 35,8 % of diabetic and 5,7 % of nondiabetic patients diagnosed with hepatic steatosis. Conclusion: Transient elastography is now used in daily clinical practice as an accurate noninvasive tool during follow-up of patients with fatty liver. Early diagnosis of the stage of liver fibrosis improves the monitoring and management of patients, especially in those with metabolic syndrome criteria.

Keywords: diabetes, elastography, fatty liver, fibrosis, metabolic syndrome

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Authors: Maomao Cao

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Objective: To test the performance of ctDNA methylation for the detection of liver cancer. Methods: A total of 1233 individuals have been recruited in 2017. 15 male and 15 female samples (including 10 cases of liver cancer) were randomly selected in the present study. CfDNA was extracted by MagPure Circulating DNA Maxi Kit. The concentration of cfDNA was obtained by Qubit™ dsDNA HS Assay Kit. A pre-constructed predictive model was used to analyze methylation data and to give a predictive score for each cfDNA sample. Individuals with a predictive score greater than or equal to 80 were classified as having liver cancer. CT tests were considered the gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) for the diagnosis of liver cancer were calculated. Results: 9 patients were diagnosed with liver cancer according to the prediction model (with high sensitivity and threshold of 80 points), with scores of 99.2, 91.9, 96.6, 92.4, 91.3, 92.5, 96.8, 91.1, and 92.2, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ctDNA methylation for the diagnosis of liver cancer were 0.70, 0.90, 0.78, and 0.86, respectively. Conclusions: ctDNA methylation could be an acceptable diagnostic modality for the detection of liver cancer.

Keywords: liver cancer, ctDNA methylation, detection, diagnostic performance

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Authors: Zhenzhong Yang

Abstract:

Herbal medicines are important supplements to chemical drugs and usually consist of a complex mixture of constituents. The current quality control strategy of herbal medicines is mainly based on chemical markers, which largely failed to owe to the markers, not reflecting the herbal medicines’ multiple mechanisms of action. Herein, a bioactive chemical markers based strategy was proposed and applied to the quality assessment and control of herbal medicines. This strategy mainly includes the comprehensive chemical characterization of herbal medicines, bioactive chemical markers identification, and related quantitative analysis methods development. As a proof-of-concept, this strategy was applied to a Panax notoginseng derived herbal medicine. The bioactive chemical markers based strategy offers a rational approach for quality assessment and control of herbal medicines.

Keywords: bioactive chemical markers, herbal medicines, quality assessment, quality control

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Authors: H. M. Imam, H. M. Rezk, A. F. Tohamy

Abstract:

Background: Human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) is considered as a unique source for stem cells. HUCB contain different types of progenitor cells which could differentiate into hepatocytes. Aims: To investigate the potential of rat's liver damage repair using human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs). We investigated the feasibility for hUCMSCs in recovery from liver damage. Moreover, investigating fibrotic liver repair and using the CCl4-induced model for liver damage in the rat. Methods: Rats were injected with 0.5 ml/kg CCl4 to induce liver damage and progressive liver fibrosis. hUCMSCs were injected into the rats through the tail vein; Stem cells were transplanted at a dose of 1×106 cells/rat after 72 hours of CCl4 injection without receiving any immunosuppressant. After (6 and 8 weeks) of transplantation, blood samples were collected to assess liver functions (ALT, AST, GGT and ALB) and level of Procollagen III as a liver fibrosis marker. In addition, hepatic tissue regeneration was assessed histopathologically and immunohistochemically using antihuman monoclonal antibodies against CD34, CK19 and albumin. Results: Biochemical and histopathological analysis showed significantly increased recovery from liver damage in the transplanted group. In addition, HUCB stem cells transdifferentiated into functional hepatocytes in rats with hepatic injury which results in improving liver structure and function. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that transplantation of hUCMSCs may be a novel therapeutic approach for treating liver fibrosis. Therefore, hUCMSCs are a potential option for treatment of liver cirrhosis.

Keywords: carbon tetra chloride, liver fibrosis, mesenchymal stem cells, rat

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Authors: Farman Ali, Asif Mahmood

Abstract:

The utilization of genetic markers in prostate cancer management represents a significant advance in personalized medicine, offering the potential for more precise diagnosis and tailored treatment strategies. This paper explores the pivotal role of genetic markers in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, emphasizing their contribution to the identification of individual risk profiles, tumor aggressiveness, and response to therapy. By integrating current research findings, we discuss the application of genetic markers in developing targeted therapies and the implications for patient outcomes. Despite the promising advancements, challenges such as accessibility, cost, and the need for further validation in diverse populations remain. The paper concludes with an outlook on future directions, underscoring the importance of genetic markers in revolutionizing prostate cancer care.

Keywords: prostate cancer, genetic markers, personalized medicine, BRCA1 and BRCA2

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Authors: Abdelsabour G. A. Khaled, Galal A.R. El-Sherbeny, Ahmed M. Hassanein, Gameel M. G. Aly

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Classical methods of identification, based on agronomical characterization, are not always the most accurate way due to the instability of these characteristics under the influence of the different environments. In order to estimate the genetic diversity, molecular markers provided excellent tools. In this study, Genetic variation of nine Egyptian jojoba shrubs was tested using ISSR (inter simple sequences repeats), RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) markers and based on the morphological characterization. The average of the percentage of polymorphism (%P) ranged between 58.17% and 74.07% for ISSR and RAPD markers, respectively. The range of genetic similarity percents among shrubs based on ISSR and RAPD markers were from 82.9 to 97.9% and from 85.5 to 97.8%, respectively. The average of PIC (polymorphism information content) values were 0.19 (ISSR) and 0.24 (RAPD). In the present study, RAPD markers were more efficient than the ISSR markers. Where the RAPD technique exhibited higher marker index (MI) average (1.26) compared to ISSR one (1.11). There was an insignificant correlation between the ISSR and RAPD data (0.076, P > 0.05). The dendrogram constructed by the combined RAPD and ISSR data gave a relatively different clustering pattern.

Keywords: correlation, molecular markers, polymorphism, marker index

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Authors: Gamal Shiha, Seham Seif, Shahera Etreby, Khaled Zalata, Waleed Samir

Abstract:

Background: Transient Elastography (TE; FibroScan®) is a non-invasive technique to assess liver fibrosis. Aim: To compare TE and liver biopsy in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients, genotype IV and evaluate the effect of steatosis and schistosomiasis on FibroScan. Methods: The fibrosis stage (METAVIR Score) TE, was assessed in 519 patients. The diagnostic performance of FibroScan is assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs). Results: The cut-off value of ≥ F2 was 8.55 kPa, ≥ F3 was 10.2 kPa and cirrhosis = F4 was 16.3 kPa. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 70.1% and 81.7% for the diagnosis of ≥ F2, 62.6% and 96.22% for F ≥ 3, and 27.7% and 100% for F4. No significant difference between schistosomiasis, steatosis degree and FibroScan measurements. Conclusion: Fibroscan could accurately predict liver fibrosis.

Keywords: chronic hepatitis C, FibroScan, liver biopsy, liver fibrosis

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Authors: Hosein Alimadadi, Fatemeh Farahmand, Ali Jafarian, Nasir Fakhar, Mohammad Hassan Sohouli, Neda Raeesi

Abstract:

Backgroundsː Regarding the important role of liver transplantation as the only treatment in many cases of end-stage liver disease in children, the aim of this study is to investigate the complications of liver transplantation and their management in children referred to the Children's Medical Center. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study on pediatric patients who have undergone liver transplants in the years 2016 to 2021. The indication for liver transplantation in this population was confirmed by a pediatric gastroenterologist, and a liver transplant was performed by a transplant surgeon. Finally, information about the patient before and after the transplantation was collected and recorded. Results: A total of 53 patients participated in this study, including 25 (47.2%) boys and 28 (52.8%) girls. The most common causes of liver transplantation were cholestatic and metabolic diseases. The most common early complication of liver transplantation in children was acute cellular rejection (ACR) and anastomotic biliary stricture. The most common late complication in these patients was an infection which was observed in 56.6% of patients. Among the drug side effects, neurotoxicity (convulsions) was seen more in patients, and 15.1% of the transplanted patients died. Conclusion: In this study, the most common early complication of liver transplantation in children was ACR and biliary stricture, and the most common late complication was infection. Neurotoxicity (convulsions) was the most common side effect of drugs.

Keywords: liver transplantation, complication, infection, survival rate

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Authors: Soumya Sajjan

Abstract:

Liver cancer is the most common cancer disease worldwide in men and women, and is one of the few cancers still on the rise. Liver disease is the 4th leading cause of death. According to new NHS (National Health Service) figures, deaths from liver diseases have reached record levels, rising by 25% in less than a decade; heavy drinking, obesity, and hepatitis are believed to be behind the rise. In this study, we focus on Development of Diagnostic Classifier for Ultrasound liver lesion. Ultrasound (US) Sonography is an easy-to-use and widely popular imaging modality because of its ability to visualize many human soft tissues/organs without any harmful effect. This paper will provide an overview of underlying concepts, along with algorithms for processing of liver ultrasound images Naturaly, Ultrasound liver lesion images are having more spackle noise. Developing classifier for ultrasound liver lesion image is a challenging task. We approach fully automatic machine learning system for developing this classifier. First, we segment the liver image by calculating the textural features from co-occurrence matrix and run length method. For classification, Support Vector Machine is used based on the risk bounds of statistical learning theory. The textural features for different features methods are given as input to the SVM individually. Performance analysis train and test datasets carried out separately using SVM Model. Whenever an ultrasonic liver lesion image is given to the SVM classifier system, the features are calculated, classified, as normal and diseased liver lesion. We hope the result will be helpful to the physician to identify the liver cancer in non-invasive method.

Keywords: segmentation, Support Vector Machine, ultrasound liver lesion, co-occurance Matrix

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Authors: Oktanika Wahyu Nurjanah, Anggun Fitriana Dewi

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An undergraduate thesis is one of the academic writings which should fulfill some characteristics, one of them is coherency. Moreover, a coherence of a text depends on the usage of discourse markers. In other word, discourse markers take an essential role in writing. Therefore, the researchers aim to know the awareness of the discourse markers usage in writing the under-graduate thesis of an English Education student at Sebelas Maret University. This research uses a qualitative case study in order to obtain a deep analysis. The sample of this research is an under-graduate thesis of English Education student in Sebelas Maret University which chosen based on some criteria. Additionally, the researchers were guided by some literature attempted to group the discourse markers based on their functions. Afterward, the analysis was held based on it. From the analysis, it found that the awareness of discourse markers usage is moderate. The last point, the researcher suggest undergraduate students to familiarize themselves with discourse markers, especially for those who want to write thesis.

Keywords: discourse markers, English education, thesis writing, undergraduate student

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