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• Taxifolin can effectively reverse the damage caused by CCl4. • Taxifolin was able to restore lipidomic changes in rat liver and serum caused by CCl4. • CerG1, phSM, PE, and PMe in serum, and Cer, dMePE, PG, PS, So, TG, and MGDG in liver were positively correlated with liver injury; and TG, DG in serum, and Co, LPS, PC in liver were negatively correlated with liver injury. • Lipid molecules were altered by taxifolin treatment, mainly including glycerophosphoglycerols, glycerophosphocholines, glycerophosphoethanolamines, and linoleic acids and derivatives. Currently, the hepatoprotective activity of taxifolin, a flavonoid isolated from Pseudotsuga taxifolia , has been reported in many animal models. However, whether the protective effect of taxifolin on the liver is related to its effect on lipidomics is unclear. Based on the significant therapeutic effect of taxifolin on CCl 4 induced subacute hepatic injury, we observed the intervention of taxifolin by lipidomics. The results demonstrate that taxifolin can effectively reverse the damage caused by CCl 4 , which including hepatocyte vacuolization and necrosis. Lipomic profiling based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that taxifolin was able to restore lipidomic changes caused by CCl 4 , including the levels of lysophosphatidylserine (LPS), phosphatidylcholine (PC), coenzyme (Co), phosphatidylglyceride (PG), phosphatidylserine (PS), dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine (dMePE), ceramide (Cer), sphingosine (So), triglycerides (TG), and monogalactosyl diacylglycerol (MGDG) in the rat liver, and phosphatidylcarbinol (PMe) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), plant sphingosine (phSM), glucose ceramide (CerG1), TG, and diglycerides (DG) in serum. Spearman's correlation analysis showed that CerG1, phSM, PE, and PMe in serum, and Cer, dMePE, PG, PS, So, TG, and MGDG in liver were positively correlated with serum levels of aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, and liver index; while TG, DG in serum, and Co, LPS, PC in liver were negatively correlated with the parameters. In total, 43 and 34 lipid molecules were altered by taxifolin treatment in the liver and serum, respectively, mainly including glycerophosphoglycerols, glycerophosphocholines, glycerophosphoethanolamines, and linoleic acids and derivatives. Our findings help to provide novel insights into the mechanism of the hepatoprotective effect of taxifolin from a lipidomics approach. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This manuscript is based on the description of the genome of Pteronotus mexicanus , highlighting its major genomic components. • Our results show a conserved consistency in the different elements of the genomic DNA, consistent with previously reported for other bats. We describe here the first characterization of the genome of the bat Pteronotus mexicanus , an endemic species of Mexico, as part of the Mexican Bat Genome Project which focuses on the characterization and assembly of the genomes of endemic bats in Mexico. The genome was assembled from a liver tissue sample of an adult male from Jalisco, Mexico provided by the Texas Tech University Museum tissue collection. The assembled genome size was 1.9 Gb. The assembly of the genome was fitted in a framework of 110,533 scaffolds and 1,659,535 contigs. The ecological importance of bats such as P. mexicanus , and their diverse ecological roles, underscores the value of having complete genomes in addressing information gaps and facing challenges regarding their function in ecosystems and their conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala , BSB) is one of important freshwater fish of value in China, but it has poor tolerance to hypoxia environment. To improve this disadvantage, we cultivate an improved blunt snout bream (BTBB) from a hybrid lineage of Megalobrama amblycephala (♀) × Culter alburnus (♂). In this study, we found that the BTBB had higher tolerance hypoxia than BSB. Moreover, in order to take a deep insight into the molecular mechanisms of higher hypoxia tolerance in BTBB, we analyzed the liver transcriptomes of BTBB and BSB under normoxic and hypoxia conditions comparatively and found out several differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Among the GO functional categories, negative regulation of response to stimulus (GO: 0048585), oxidation-reduction process (GO: 0055114), and response to oxidative stress (GO: 0006979) in biological processes were observed. In addition, according to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, the results indicated that many DEGs participated in FoxO signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway and p53 signaling pathway, and other processes. This study provides important clues about the potential molecular mechanisms explaining the higher hypoxia tolerance in BTBB. It also presents further evidence for the enhanced ability to resist hypoxia in BTBB, which is significant for fish genetic breeding. • The BTBB had higher tolerance hypoxia than BSB. • KEGG pathway analysis showed that many DEGs were enriched in the hypoxia response pathway. • The molecular mechanism of hypoxia tolerance of BTBB was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is currently no consensus on which tissues are optimal for assessing specific diet-derived fatty acids (FAs) as biomarkers for long-term dietary studies.Objectives: This study measured the content of unique diet-derived FAs from dairy, echium, and fish in tissues (adipose, muscle, liver, erythrocyte membranes, and plasma phospholipids, cholesterol esters, triglycerides, and free fatty acids) after long-term feeding in CD-1 mice.Methods: Beginning at weaning, mice (n = 10-11/sex/diet) were fed 1 of 4 diets (40% kcal/total energy) that only differed in FA composition: control fat blend (CON), reflecting the FA profile of the average US American diet, or CON supplemented with 30% of fish oil (FO), dairy fat (DF), or echium oil (EO). After 13 mo, tissues were collected to determine FAs via gas-liquid chromatography. Tissue FAs were analyzed via 2-factor ANOVA, and relationships between FA intake and tissue content were assessed with Spearman correlations.Results: As anticipated, 20:5n-3 (ω-3) tissue content was ≤32-fold greater in FO- compared with CON-fed mice (P < 0.05). In addition, 20:5n-3 intake strongly correlated with its content in all tissues (ρ = 0.67-0.76; P < 0.05). Echium oil intake also influenced tissue FA content in mice as expected. For example, 18:3n-6 was ≤25-fold greater in adipose, muscle, and liver tissues of EO-fed compared with CON-fed mice (P < 0.05). Tissue content of FAs typically considered biomarkers of dairy fat intake (15:0, 16:1 t9, and 17:0) was often not greater in mice fed DF than other diet groups, although 18:2 c9, t11 content was ≤6-fold greater in tissues from DF-fed compared with CON-fed mice (P < 0.05). The content of dairy-derived FAs in blood fractions of females was up to 2-fold greater compared with males, whereas docosapentaenoic acid content was up to 1-fold greater in all blood fractions and in liver tissue of males compared with females (P < 0.05). In adipose, muscle, and liver tissue, the content of γ-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid was less than 1-fold greater in females than in males (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Our study indicates that the distribution of dietary FAs is tissue and sex dependent in aged CD-1 mice. Research using FA biomarkers should assess a combination of FA biomarkers to accurately validate patterns of FA intake and source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a major public health. • Type 2 Diabetes mellitus is associated with a high risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. • Mitochondrial dysfunction is common in the type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. • TallyHo mice are a polygenic mouse model for type 2 diabetes. • SS31 is a mitochondria-targeted small molecule that enhance mitochondrial biogenesis. • SS31 treatment reduces mitochondrial abnormalities in diabetic TH mice. Type 2 Diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a major public health issue associated with a high risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the molecular events that occur in the LOAD pathophysiology. The present study was planned to investigate the molecular alterations induced by hyperglycemia in the mitochondria of diabetic mice and further explore the possible ameliorative role of the mitochondria-targeted small peptide, SS31 in diabetic mice. For this purpose, we used a polygenic mouse model of type 2 diabetes, TALLYHO/JngJ (TH), and nondiabetic, SWR/J mice strains. The diabetic status in TH mice was confirmed at 8 weeks of age. The 24 weeks old experimental animals were segregated into three groups: Non-diabetic controls (SWR/J mice), diabetic (TH mice) and, SS31 treated diabetic TH mice. The mRNA and protein expression levels of mitochondrial proteins were investigated in all the study groups in the liver tissues using qPCR and immunoblot analysis. Also, the mitochondrial functions including H2O2 production, ATP generation, and lipid peroxidation were assessed in all the groups. Mitochondrial dysfunction was observed in TH mice as evident by significantly elevated H2O2 production, lipid peroxidation, and reduced ATP production. The mRNA expression and Western blot analysis of mitochondrial dynamics (Drp1 and Fis1 – fission; Mfn1, Mfn2, and Opa1 -fusion), and biogenesis (PGC-1α, Nrf1, Nrf2, and TFAM) genes were significantly altered in diabetic TH mice. Furthermore, SS31 treatment significantly reduced the mitochondrial abnormalities and restore mitochondrial functions in diabetic TH mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A validation of a microwave thermal ablation simulation in ex vivo pig liver. • The simulation model used different flow coefficients. • The results showed a significant agreement with a flow coefficient of 90,000 W/(K*m3). Abstract The purpose of the study was to validate the simulation model for a microwave thermal ablation in ex vivo liver tissue. The study aims to show that heat transfer due to the flow of tissue water during ablation in ex vivo tissue is not negligible. Ablation experiments were performed in ex vivo porcine liver with microwave powers of 60 W to 100 W. During the procedure, the temperature was recorded in the liver sample at different distances to the applicator using a fiber-optic thermometer. The position of the probes was identified by CT imaging and transferred to the simulation. The simulation of the heat distribution in the liver tissue was carried out with the software CST Studio Suite. The results of the simulation with different flow coefficients were compared with the results of the ablation experiments using the Bland–Altman analysis. The analysis showed that the flow coefficient of 90,000 W/(K*m3) can be considered as the most suitable value for clinically used powers. The presented simulation model can be used to calculate the temperature distribution for microwave ablation in ex vivo liver tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical characterization of hydrogels and ultra-soft tissues is a challenging task both from an experimental and material parameter estimation perspective because they are much softer than many biological materials, ceramics, or polymers. The elastic modulus of such materials is within the 1 - 100 kPa range, behaving as a hyperelastic solid with strain hardening capability at large strains. In the current study, indentation experiments have been performed on agarose hydrogels, bovine liver, and bovine lymph node specimens. This work reports on the reliable determination of the elastic modulus by indentation experiments carried out at the macro-scale (mm) using a spherical indenter. However, parameter identification of the hyperelastic material properties usually requires an inverse finite element analysis due to the lack of an analytical contact model of the indentation test. Hence a comprehensive study on the spherical indentation of hyperelastic soft materials is carried out through robust computational analysis. Neo-Hookean and first-order Ogden hyperelastic material models were found to be most suitable. A case study on known anisotropic hyperelastic material showed the inability of the inverse finite element method to uniquely identify the whole material parameter set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed the concentrations of 15 (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, V, Zn) toxicologically important trace elements in the livers of 110 green turtles stranded in two areas of the Brazilian coast. These areas are essential for the refuge, feeding, and reproduction of the species, and the information obtained is intended to support the development of conservation strategies. Higher concentrations were observed in the Região dos Lagos, RJ in almost all elements, except for Al, Mo, Pb, and V. This location showed statistically higher differences in the concentrations of Cd (4.66 ± 2.33 μg.g−1), Fe (846.62 ± 583.06 μg.g−1), and Zn (27.17 ± 10.90 μg.g−1). The differences in trace element concentration patterns between the two study areas are likely influenced by multiple factors, including the bioavailability of trace elements, oceanic upwelling events, anthropogenic activities, habitat characteristics, and organism-specific metabolic processes. • Trace elements are mainly controlled by upwelling in the Brazilian coast. • As, Ba, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Se and Zn had highest levels in the upwelling area. • Al, Cr, Mo, Pb had highest levels in area impacted by mine tailings. • Al, As, Cd, Cu, Fe and Zn showed highest levels in both study areas. • Ba, Cr, Ni and Pb were not detected (45 % of liver samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) persistence results from inefficiencies of both innate and adaptive immune responses to eradicate the infection. A functional impairment of circulating Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells was described but few data are available on Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells in the liver that, however, represents the battlefield in the HCV/host interaction. Aim of this work was to compare circulating and intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells in chronic HCV-infected patients (HCV pos ) and in HCV-negative (HCV neg ) subjects. Phenotypic and functional analysis was performed by flow cytometry. Anti-HCV activity was analyzed by using an in vitro autologous liver culture system. Independently from HCV infection, the liver was enriched of Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells expressing an effector/activated phenotype. In contrast, an enrichment of PD-1 expressing Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells was observed both in the peripheral blood and in the liver of HCV pos patients, probably due to a persistent antigenic stimulation. Moreover, a lower frequency of IFN-γ producing Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells was observed in the liver of HCV pos patients, suggesting a functional impairment in the cytokine production in HCV pos liver. Despite this hypo-responsiveness, intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells are able to exert an anti-HCV activity after specific stimulation. Altogether, our data show that HCV infection induced a dysregulation of intrahepatic Vγ9Vδ2 T cells that maintain their anti-HCV activity after specific stimulation. A study aimed to evaluate the mechanisms of the antiviral activity may be useful to identify new pathways able to improve Vγ9Vδ2 T-cells intrahepatic function during HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fiber optic sensor is proposed for the identification of healthy and cancerous liver tissues through determination of their corresponding refractive index values. Existing experimental results describing variation of complex refractive index of liver tissues in near infrared (NIR) spectral region are considered for theoretical calculations. The intensity interrogation method with chalcogenide fiber is considered. The sensor’s performance is closely analyzed in terms of its sensitivity at multiple operating wavelengths falling in NIR region. Operating at shorter NIR wavelengths leads to greater sensitivity. The effect of design parameters (sensing region length and fiber core diameter), different launching conditions, and fiber glass materials on sensor’s performance is examined. The proposed sensor has the potential to provide high sensitivity of liver tissue detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife contraceptives are an emerging tool for minimizing human-wildlife conflicts. One promising avian contraceptive compound, 20,25-diazacholesterol (DAC), reduces fertility by inhibiting cholesterol synthesis. A reliable analytical method for DAC was required in support of its registration for use as a reproductive control agent in pest bird species. A liquid chromatographic method employing tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was developed for the analysis of tissue extracts following solid phase extraction clean-up. Tissues analyzed were whole body samples from crows, monk parakeets, and quails and liver samples from crows and quails. Excellent sensitivity and selectivity was afforded by tandem mass spectrometry. The method accuracy of DAC from various tissue samples fortified at parts-per-million (ppm) and parts-per-billion (ppb) concentrations was high (>90%) with excellent precision (<10% relative standard deviation). Lower limits of detection were excellent in all tissues types, ranging from 1 to 11 ppb in whole body matrices and 9.9–34 ppb in liver matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous results from genome wide association studies (GWASs) in chickens divergently selected for abdominal fat content of Northeast Agricultural University (NEAUHLF) showed that many single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants were associated with abdominal fat content. Of them, six top significant SNPs at the genome level were located within SRD5A3 , SGCZ , DLC1 , GBE1 , GALNT9 and DNAJB6 genes. Here, expression levels of these six candidate genes were investigated in abdominal fat and liver tissue between fat and lean broilers from the 14th generation population of NEAUHLF. The results showed that expression levels of SRD5A3 , SGCZ and DNAJB6 in the abdominal fat and SRD5A3 , DLC1 , GALNT9 , DNAJB6 and GBE1 in the liver tissue differed significantly between the fat and lean birds, and were correlated with abdominal fat traits. The findings will provide important references for further function investigation of the six candidate genes involved in abdominal fat deposition in chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactation performance of dairy cattle is susceptible to heat stress. The liver is one of the most crucial organs affected by high temperature in dairy cows. However, the physiological adaption by the liver to hot summer conditions has not been well elucidated in lactating dairy cows. In the present study, proteomic analysis of the liver in dairy cows in spring and hot summer was performed using a label-free method. In total, 127 differentially expressed proteins were identified; most of the upregulated proteins were involved in protein metabolic processes and responses to stimuli, whereas most of the downregulated proteins were related to oxidation–reduction. Pathway analysis indicated that 3 upregulated heat stress proteins (HSP90α, HSP90β, and endoplasmin) were enriched in the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, whereas several downregulated NADH dehydrogenase proteins were involved in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. The protein–protein interaction network indicated that several upregulated HSPs (HSP90α, HSP90β, and GRP78) were involved in more interactions than other proteins and were thus considered as central hub nodes. Our findings provide novel insights into the physiological adaption of liver function in lactating dairy cows to natural high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) was used on Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats to clarify more details of the mechanism in the therapy of T2DM. D-chiro-inositol (DCI) was administrated to the diabetic rats as two doses [30, 60 mg/(kg·body weight·day)]. The biochemical indices revealed that DCI had a positive effect on hypoglycemic activity and promoted the glycogen synthesis. The rats in DCI high-dosage group had a blood glucose reduction rate of 21.5% after 5 weeks of treatment, and had insulin content in serum about 15.3 ± 2.37 mIU/L which was significantly decreased than diabetes control group. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results revealed that DCI gave a positive regulation on glycogen synthase (GS) and protein glucose transporter-4 (Glut4). Western blotting suggested that DCI could up-regulated the expression of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) p85, PI3Kp110, GS as well as the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) both in the liver and the skeletal muscle. The results also revealed that DCI enhanced the Glut4 expression on skeletal muscle. Above all, DCI played a positive role in regulating insulin-mediated glucose uptake through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in T2DM rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the literature has reported a widespread occurrence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in marine biota, very limited studies have been dedicated to the southern hemisphere. Hepatic concentrations of nine PFAAs were analysed in 49 stranded stingrays from eastern Australia using liquid chromatograph coupled with tandem mass spectrometry and relationships with biological parameters (i.e. body size, age and sex) were investigated. Perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) were the predominant compounds quantified, with hepatic concentrations varying from 2 to 117 and from 0.2 to 19 ng·g − 1 w.w., respectively. A negative correlation between the concentration of PFASs in the livers of 32 blue-spotted stingrays and the body size/age was found. This relationship was independent of the animal's sex. We postulate that the dependence on body size is related to differing uptake kinetics of the chemicals, after the sting rays were exposed to an increased level of the contaminants in their environment. Such a pollution event could be related to a severe flood event that occurred at this location a few months before the samples' collection. Our results indicate that the influence of the body size/age should be taken into account when estimating bioaccumulation parameters from environmental measurements or exposure levels of biota to PFASs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The level of glycogen and triglycerides and cholesterol esters increased and the in the aquacultured samples. [•] The level of unsaturation indicated elevated lipid peroxidation in the aquacultured samples. [•] Structural/organisational changes were observed in the nucleic acids in the aquacultured samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects nearly 3% of the population worldwide and is a major cause of acute and chronic infections leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current laboratory diagnosis of HCV is based on specific antibody detection (anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV)) in serum. As HCV replicates in the liver cells, detection and localization of HCV RNA in liver tissue are vital for diagnosis. Methods: Ten biopsy samples diagnosed for cryptogenic liver cirrhosis, negative for the presence of anti-HCV and serum HCV RNA, were studied for analyzing presence of viral nucleic acid in liver tissues. Qualitative screening for HCV was done through ELISA while the nucleic acid analysis was performed through COBAS Amplicor. Detection of HCV RNA in liver tissue biopsies was performed following standard protocol of HCV detection kit (Shenzhen PG Biotech) with modifications using Light Cycler 2.0 (minimum detection limit 10 copies/ml). Result: Quantitative detection in liver biopsies following the modified method showed the presence of HCV RNA in three samples out of the ten studied. Conclusion: The results indicate that using Light Cycler 2.0, following the modified technique described, constitutes a reliable method of quantitative detection and localization of HCV in tissue in 'serosilent' HCV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Many drugs may affect the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP), which is a major source of adverse drug interactions (ADR). Phenobarbital (PB) is the typical inducer of cytochrome P450. The aim of our study was to determine the changes in the cytosolic proteins expression in rat liver at a protein level following induction of cytochrome P450. Firstly, we made a phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P450 rat model. The total cytosolic proteins were then extracted from rat liver tissue and separated by 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Differentially expressed spots were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF tandem mass spectrometry followed by database searching. Eight differentially expressed proteins were identified and these proteins were found to be involved in protein degradation, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, biotransformation, and the synthesis of quinolinic acid (QUIN). These findings should provide useful information for research into the regulation of cytochrome P450 gene expression, drug metabolism and drug interaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Microwave ablation (MWA) is a process that uses the heat from microwave energy to kill cancer cells. MWA is able to focus radiation on the desired areas without damaging the surrounding tissue, entail a control of heating power for appropriate temperature distribution. Slot coaxial antennas are the most popular antennas in MWA because of their small dimensions and low cost to manufacture. To effectively treat liver cancer, these antennas can be used to produce a highly localized specific absorption rate (SAR) and temperature distribution pattern. In this work, the interstitial MWA in liver by single and double slot antennas is carried out. This paper focuses on the influence of antenna type on microwave power absorbed, SAR and temperature distribution. The results show that the maximum SAR and temperature appears in the liver tissue in case of single slot antenna which are higher than those of double slot antenna. However, no clear difference between these two microwave coaxial antenna (MCA) models has been shown, due to the low microwave power input from the MCA during MWA process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Monte Carlo Simulation for light propagation in liver tissues of human and animal was done using Monte Carlo simulation. During the simulation we recorded the photon reflectance, transmittance and absorption of human, rabbit and rat liver tissues. Then their comparative studies were done. Average values of total diffuse reflectance, transmittance and absorption were calculated by the 10 simulations of 100,000 photons for these tissues at 633nm. We found that diffuse reflectance increases as μ s increases or g decreases and diffuse transmittance increases as μ a or μ s decreases, or as g increases. It is also concluded that the radially resolved diffuse reflectance of the tissues decays exponentially of second order. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The protective effect of berberine against antioxidant, antilipid peroxidation in serum and liver tissue, and positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) expression in liver tissue of type 2 diabetic rats was investigated. Overnight fasted rats were intraperitoneally injected 35mg/kg streptozotocin. Diabetic rats were admitted after 2weeks and given a high-carbohydrate/high-fat diet to induce hyperlipidemias. From week 16, diabetic rats were treated with 75, 150, 300mg/kg berberine, 100mg/kg fenofibrate or 4mg/kg rosiglitazone for another 16weeks. P-TEFb (composed of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 and cyclin T1) mRNA and protein expression in liver tissue were detected by real time PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Berberine significantly up-regulated the declined cyclin-dependent kinase 9, cyclin T1 mRNA and protein expression in diabetic rat liver. Berberine obviously decreased malondialdehyde level and increased catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione activities in liver tissue and serum of diabetic rats. These results suggest that the effects of berberine on up-regulation of P-TEFb expression, antioxidant and antilipid peroxidation may be related to its protective potential on diabetes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study aims to experimentally determine the strain rate effects on the compressive stress–strain behavior of bovine liver tissues. Fresh liver tissues were used to make specimens for mechanical loading. Experiments at quasi-static strain rates were conducted at 0.01 and 0.1 s−1. Intermediate-rate experiments were performed at 1, 10, and 100 s−1. High strain rate (1000, 2000, and 3000 s−1) experiments were conducted using a Kolsky bar modified for soft material characterization. A hollow transmission bar with semi-conductor strain gages was used to sense the weak forces from the soft specimens. Quartz-crystal force transducers were used to monitor valid testing conditions on the tissue specimens. The experiment results show that the compressive stress–strain response of the liver tissue is non-linear and highly rate-sensitive, especially when the strain rate is in the Kolsky bar range. The tissue stiffens significantly with increasing strain rate. The responses from liver tissues along and perpendicular to the liver surface were consistent, indicating isotropic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, we present a tissue metabonomic method with an optimized extraction procedure followed by instrumental analysis with gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOFMS) and spectral data analysis with multivariate statistics. Metabolite extractions were carried out using three solvents: chloroform, methanol, and water, with design of experiment (DOE) theory and multivariate statistical analysis. A two-step metabolite extraction procedure was optimized using a mixed solvent of chloroform–methanol–water (1:2:1, v/v/v) and then followed by methanol alone. This approach was subsequently validated using standard compounds and liver tissues. Calibration curves were obtained in the range of 0.50–125.0μg/mL for standards and 0.02–0.25g/mL acceptable for liver tissue samples. For most of the metabolites investigated, relative standard deviations (RSD) were below 10% within a day (reproducibility) and below 15% within a week (stability). Rat liver tissues of carbon tetrachloride-induced acute liver injury models (n =10) and healthy control rats (n =10) were analyzed which demonstrated the applicability of the developed procedure for the tissue metabonomic study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents several experimental techniques and concepts in the process of measuring mechanical properties of very soft tissue in an ex vivo tensile test. Gravitational body force on very soft tissue causes pre-compression and results in a non-uniform initial deformation. The global digital image correlation technique is used to measure the full-field deformation behavior of liver tissue in uniaxial tension testing. A maximum stretching band is observed in the incremental strain field when a region of tissue passes from compression and enters a state of tension. A new method for estimating the zero-strain state is proposed: the zero strain position is close to, but ahead of the position of the maximum stretching band, or in other words, the tangent of a nominal stress–stretch curve reaches minimum at . The approach, to identify zero strain by using maximum incremental strain, can be implemented in other types of image-based soft tissue analysis. The experimental results of 10 samples from seven porcine livers are presented and material parameters for the Ogden model fit are obtained. The finite element simulation based on the fitted model confirms the effect of gravity on the deformation of very soft tissue and validates our approach. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hepatitis E is chronic in immunocompromised patients with HIV infection, organ transplant, or radiation and chemotherapy. General cases are not chronic. Fifty-five cases were collected and followed up for 4–14 years. It was found that chronic hepatitis E is more common in males, but a high degree of inflammatory activity and fibrosis was not evident. After 4–14 years of follow-up observation, cirrhosis or liver cancer did not appear. This is significantly different from the hepatitis B and C viruses. We speculated that the chronic mechanism in the general patients with hepatitis E might be different from that of immunocompromised cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The process of liver tissue carbonization with LA is hypothesized and validated. • Four stages of liver tissue carbonization with LA are recognized in the study. • Dynamic heat source model is developed for liver tissue carbonization with LA. • The model is validated by an ex vivo porcine liver tissue experiment with LA. The purpose of this study was to model the process of liver tissue carbonization with laser ablation (LA). A dynamic heat source model was proposed and combined with the light distribution model as well as bioheat transfer model to predict the development of tissue carbonization with laser ablation (LA) using an ex vivo porcine liver tissue model. An ex vivo laser ablation experiment with porcine liver tissues using a custom-made 1064 nm bare fiber was then used to verify the simulation results at 3, 5, and 7 W laser administrations for 5 min. The spatiotemporal temperature distribution was monitored by measuring the temperature changes at three points close the fiber during LA. Both the experiment and simulation of the temperature, tissue carbonization zone, and ablation zone were then compared. Four stages were recognized in the development of liver tissue carbonization during LA. The growth of the carbonization zone along the fiber axial and radial directions were different in the four stages. The carbonization zone along the fiber axial direction (L2) grew in the four stages with a sharp increase in the initial period and a minor increase in Stage 4. However, the change in the carbonization zone along the fiber radial direction (D2) increased dramatically (Stage 1) to a long-time plateau (Stages 2 and 3) followed by a slow growth in Stage 4. An acceptable agreement between the computer simulation and ex vivo experiment in the temperature changes at the three points was found at all three testing laser administrations. A similar result was also obtained for the dimensions of coagulation zone and ablation zone between the computer simulation and ex vivo experiment (carbonization zone: 2.99± 0.10 vs. 2.78 mm2, 67.39± 0.09 vs. 63.53 mm2, and 90.53± 0.11 vs. 85.15 mm2; ablation zone: 68.95± 0.28 vs. 65.29 mm2, 182.11± 0.24 vs. 213.81 mm2, and 244.80± 0.06 vs. 251.79 mm2 at 3, 5, and 7 W, respectively). This study demonstrates that the proposed dynamic heat source model combined with the light distribution model as well as bioheat transfer model can predict the development of liver tissue carbonization with an acceptable accuracy. This study contributes to an improved understanding of the LA process in the treatment of liver tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work studied the periodicity of in vitro healthy and pathologic liver tissue, using backscattered ultrasound (US) signals. It utilized the mean scatterer spacing (MSS) as a parameter of tissue characterization, estimated by three methods: the spectral autocorrelation (SAC), the singular spectrum analysis (SSA) and the quadratic transformation method (SIMON). The liver samples were classified in terms of tissue status using the METAVIR scoring system. Twenty tissue samples were classified in four groups: F0, F1, F3 and F4 (five samples for each). The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (applied on group pairs) resulted as nonsignificant (p > 0.05) for two pairs only: F1/F3 (for SSA) and F3/F4 (for SAC). A discriminant analysis was applied using as parameters the MSS mean (MSS) and standard deviation (σMSS), the estimates histogram mode (mMSS), and the speed of US (mcfoie ) in the medium, to evaluate the degree of discrimination among healthy and pathologic tissues. The better accuracy (Ac) with SAC (80%) was with parameter group (MSS, σMSS, mcfoie ), achieving a sensitivity (Ss) of 92.3% and a specificity (Sp) of 57.1%. For SSA, the group with all four parameters showed an Ac of 75%, an Ss of 78.6% and an Sp of 66.70%. SIMON obtained the best Ac of all (85%) with group (MSS, mMSS, mcfoie ), an Ss of 100%, but with an Sp of 50%. (E-mail: wagner@peb.ufrj.br) [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Steroidal hormones produced by humans and animals are constantly being excreted into the environment. It has been demonstrated that sewage effluent discharged to surface water contains natural estrogens and synthetic estrogenic chemicals. As estrogen levels continuously increase in the aquatic environment, it is very important to have a detailed understanding of estrogens’ effects on fish. In the present study, juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were exposed to 17β-estradiol (E2) for 3 weeks and the effects of E2 on rainbow trout livers were investigated at the molecular level using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results revealed that E2 induced significant alterations in the liver tissues. A decrease in glycogen levels and protein concentration, and an increase in both the population of hepatic lipids, especially triglycerides, as well as the relative content of nucleic acids was observed in the E2 treated liver. In addition, a decrease in the membrane fluidity and an increase in lipid order were found in the cells of treated samples. In order to compare the effect of E2 with that of NP at molecular level, the fish were also treated with an estrogenic compound, nonylphenol (NP). The NP-treated fish liver spectra were found to be quite similar to those of E2-treated fish confirming that NP mimics the effect of E2 in immature rainbow trout. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We measured the specific heat of liver tissue in vitro by uniformly heating liver samples between two electrodes. We insulated the samples by expanded polystyrene, and corrected for heat loss and water loss. The specific heat of the liver is temperature-dependent, and increases by 17% at 83.5°C (p <0.05), compared to temperatures below 65°C. The average specific heat was 3411Jkg−1 K−1 at 25°C, and 4187Jkg−1 K−1 at 83.5°C. Water loss from the samples was significant above 70°C, with ∼20% of reduction in sample mass at 90°C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Presents abstracts of several studies on goat species. "Influence of Diet and Gut Fill on Blood Metabolites and Fecal Shedding of E. coli in Sheep and Goats," by V. R. Gutta, G. Kannan, B. Kouakou, K. M. Gadiyaram, W. R. Getz, G. W. McCommon and Y. Lan; "Assay of Antibiotic Residues in Goat Milk," by M. Bsharat and R. Attaie; "The Use of Crawfish Meal Waste as a Protein Source for Feeding Goats," by S. Gebrelul, C. R. Walker, A. Harris and A. Dantzler.

Presents abstracts of several studies on goat species. "Influence of Diet and Gut Fill on Blood Metabolites and Fecal Shedding of E. coli in Sheep and Goats," by V. R. Gutta, G. Kannan, B. Kouakou, K. M. Gadiyaram, W. R. Getz, G. W. McCommon and Y. Lan; "Assay of Antibiotic Residues in Goat Milk," by M. Bsharat and R. Attaie; "The Use of Crawfish Meal Waste as a Protein Source for Feeding Goats," by S. Gebrelul, C. R. Walker, A. Harris and A. Dantzler.

[Display omitted] • Preparation of magnetic molecular imprinted mag-MIP, using glutathione (GSH) as a template. • MIP pre-concentrates GSH in higher quantity, compared to non-imprinted polymer. • The detection limit for GSH is 7 nmol/L. • The proposed method was applied for the detection of GSH in mice's liver samples. • Mag-MIP is selective for the determination of GSH, in comparison to other thiols. The present work aims to develop electroanalytical strategies for separating and quantifying one of the most important biothiols, the reduced glutathione (GSH), based on developing and applying a new and selective magnetic molecular imprinted polymer (mag-MIP). This magnetic-supported polymer was synthesized by precipitation, using GSH as a template, having acrylamide as the functional monomer and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as a cross-linking agent. These materials' morphological and physical characteristics were investigated by scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared, and vibrating sample magnetometry. Physicochemical parameters, such as adsorption capacity, were obtained and compared with the respective mag-NIP, which are control polymers without the selective cavity. After all characterizations, mag-MIP and mag-NIP were evaluated on magnetic graphite-epoxy composite (m-GEC) electrodes. The characteristics of the obtained sensors were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. After optimizing experimental and operational conditions, a linear response for the concentration of GSH, in the range of 1–1400 μmol/L, with low detection and quantification limits of 7 and 20 nmol/L, respectively, were obtained. The GSH levels in mice liver samples were measured by electrochemical and spectrophotometric techniques to compare the method's effectiveness. A high correlation between them and a low relative error of 1.06 % were obtained, indicating the good functionality of the proposed sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) are highly vascularized neoplasms with poor prognosis. Nanomedicine possesses great potential to deliver therapeutics and diagnostics. The new aspect of this study is that we have monitored, for the first time, the Raman responses to microtubule targeted vascular disrupting agents (MTVDA), MTVDA encapsulated non-targeted, and targeted cetuximab polymeric nanocomplexes delivery of combinatorial therapeutics in HCC tumor tissues of mice. Biochemical differences majorly demarcated apoptotic lipid bodies, and characteristic amide-I features. HCC tumor and healthy liver tissues could be stratified. Raman spectroscopy served as an excellent, rapid, sensitive and cost-effective approach for anticancer nanomedicine distinct stratification of MTVDA encapsulated targeted cetuximab polymeric nanocomplex combinatorials, a significant potential for HCC therapeutic monitoring. Rapid, high-throughput Raman spectroscopy exhibited complete discrimination of healthy liver and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumor tissues, and distinct stratification of anticancer nanomedicine in HCC treated tissues of mice. The unique Raman molecular signatures generated are useful for the rapid detection and evaluation of healthy and HCC tissues, and provide a new insight for HCC therapeutic drug monitoring. [Display omitted] • Raman spectroscopy completely discriminated healthy liver and HCC tumor tissues. • Depicts distinct stratification of anticancer nanomedicine treatment in HCC tissue. • Signifies significant advancement in HCC therapeutic intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BChE-NBD has been successfully applied to the detection and imaging of BChE in mitochondria in a variety of cells. • Imaging study of the distribution of the BChE in mice was performed first time. • BChE-NBD was successfully applied to the detection and evaluation of BChE activity in vitro and in vivo. • Screening and characterization experiments of BChE inhibitors were successfully performed. • BChE-NBD shows remarkable properties including high specificity and sensitivity, low detection limit, low cytotoxicity. A long-emitting (λ ex = 580 nm, λ em = 628 nm) mitochondrial targeting butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) selective fluorescent chemosensor (BChE - NBD) has been synthesized. A prominent fluorescence enhancement only for BChE was found in aqueous solution. BChE-NBD has low biological toxicity and has been successfully applied to the detection and imaging of BChE in mitochondria in a variety of cells and not interfered by other analytes (especially acetylcholinesterase). More importantly, imaging study of the distribution of the BChE in mice was performed first time, which confirmed the widespread existence of the enzyme in liver tissue. This making the probe BChE - NBD hopeful to be an effective tool for investigates liver diseases in basic medicine and clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metal pollution has become an important issue threatening human health and the liver is a very important metabolic organ. Here, we use label-free Raman confocal imaging to study the alterations of the liver tissue after cadmium pollution. Raman imaging has been performed on 100μmx100μm liver tissues to study the distribution of important macromolecules and the average Raman spectrum of the entire region has been used to characterize and quantize the change of biochemical compositions in liver tissue. The poisoned livers displayed a significant decrease in the intensity of 748 cm−1, 1128 cm−1 and 1585 cm−1 bands of cytochrome C, in comparison to the control. The collagen peak at 1082 cm−1 is significantly higher than that of control, suggesting the increasing fibrosis of Cd liver tissues. To confirm the results, we selected a 30μmx15μm liver cell area for high-resolution Raman imaging. We observed a substantial increase of lipids and proteins at specific points of hepatocytes. The confocal Raman imaging of liver tissues provided a unique tool to better understand disease-induced changes in the biochemical phenotype of primary liver tissues. Our study provides valuable references as in vitro models for studying Cd accumulation and toxicity in human liver. We use label-free Raman confocal imaging to study the alterations of the liver tissue after cadmium pollution. The average Raman spectrum of 100μmx100μm liver tissues has been used to characterize and quantize changes of the biochemical composition of liver tissue. The poisoned livers displayed a significant decrease in the intensity of 748 cm−1, 1128 cm−1 and 1585 cm−1 bands of cytochrome C, in comparison to the control. The collagen peak at 1082 cm−1 is significantly higher than that of control, suggesting the increasing fibrosis of Cd liver tissues. Unlabelled Image • Label-free Raman imaging for characterization of the biochemical composition changes of liver tissue after cadmium pollution. • Characterization and quantization changes of the biochemical composition of liver tissue. • The poisoned livers displayed a significant change in the intensity of 748cm-1, 1082cm-1 1128cm-1 and 1585cm-1 bands of cytochrome C, in comparison to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhalation from ambient air and cigarette smoke is a common route of human exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Little information is available regarding hepatotoxicities of inhaled PAHs so for. In this study, we evaluated the toxic effects of intratracheally instilled benzo[ a ]pyrene (B[ a ]P) on hepatic lipid metabolism of C57BL/6 mice at relevant environmental exposure levels by using two different mass-based lipidomics approaches. The results of mass spectrometry imaging analysis showed that both the abundance and spatial distribution of several lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) in the liver section were different and changed after inhalation exposure to B[ a ]P. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry-based lipidomics analysis and multivariate statistical analysis found that B[ a ]P exposure markedly altered glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids, and fatty acid metabolism in the mouse liver, with increasing of triacylglycerol (TG), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and PC, and decreasing of LysoPCs phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LysoPEs), free fatty acids (FFAs) and eicosanoids. B[ a ]P-induced lipid metabolic disorders showed a time-dependent effect, which generated three response trajectories with different change trends. Consequently, B[ a ]P exposure induced alteration of hepatic lipids by promoting the uptake from blood or the biosynthesis and transformation in the liver, might contribute to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatocyte membrane injury, inflammation, and signal system disturbance. Unlabelled Image • Assessing hepatic lipid metabolism disorders induced by PAHs inhalation exposure. • Integrating LC-MS and MALDI-IMS approach to analyze lipids in C57BL/6 mice liver. • B[ a ]P exposure changed the components and distribution of lipids in liver section. • B[ a ]P dysregulated glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids and fatty acid metabolism. • B[ a ]P-induced lipid metabolic disorders showed a time-dependent effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals such as (Cd) have been one of the most fundamental causes of soil and water pollution over the last three decades in industrial and early developed countries. We studied the impact of Cd on theliver metabolism of the frog Rana ridibunda by measuring the hepaticlevels of glycogen, lactate, total fat, protein, and glucose. Liver is one of the primary target organs of Cd accumulation. Frogs were exposed for 4, 10, and 30 days in 200 mg/liter of Cd (in the form CdCl2) dissolved in water. The level of glycogen in the liver increased until Day 10, with a slight decrease at Day 30. Lactate concentration was constant until Day 10 but then increased at Day 30. Liver fat content decreased from Day 10 to Day 30. Protein concentrationwas elevated at Day 10 but decreased to Day 30. Cd did not affect glucose concentration during the experiment. The frog appeared to face a metabolic stress over the first 10 days of Cd exposure. At the 30thday of Cd exposure, liver metabolism appeared to return to normal conditions, most probably due to activation of the defensive mechanismsof the organism against Cd toxicity. (c) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the relationship between hepatocytological changes and EROD activities in the demersal fish Solea ovato up to 7 days following intraperitoneal injection of 0.1, 0.5, 1, 5 and mg/kg benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). At 1 and 5 mg/kg of B[a]P, observable cytological alterations involved increase in abundance of lipofuscin granules, peroxisomes, mitochondria, lipid droplets and lysosomes, slight proliferation of the ER system, and glycogen depletion. At a higher dose (10 mg/kg) of B[a]P, condensation of cytoplasmic content was observed. Stereological analysis also showed apparent changes in hepatic lipofuscin granules, peroxisomes, mitochondria and lipids in response to B[a]P exposure. Experimental results demonstrated good dose-response relationship between exposure to B[a]P and changes in EROD activities. Numerical densities of hepatic lipofuscin granules and peroxisomes were significantly correlated with EROD activities (r = 0.84, 0.75, respectively, P< 0.1). The possible relationship between EROD induction, increases of lipofuscin granules and peroxisomes as a result of B[a]P exposure in S. ovata is discussed. The observed link between EROD induction and hepatocytological changes in response to toxicant exposure provides a more meaningful interpretation of EROD induction in ecotoxicological studies. (c) 1999 sevier Science Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]