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Objective To evaluate the value of different combinations of alpha-fetoprotein （AFP）， alpha-fetoprotein-L3 isoform ratio （AFP-L3%） and des-γ-carboxyprothrombin （DCP） for early diagnosis of hepatitis B virus （HBV）-related hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC）. Methods A total of 167 patients were enrolled in this study， including 100 patients with HCC and 67 patients with infection-related liver cirrhosis （LC）. The levels of serum AFP， AFP-L3% and DCP were detected by chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was delineated for subsequent analysis. Results The levels of AFP， AFP-L3% and DCP in HCC patients were significantly higher than those in LC patients （all P < 0.05）. There was no significant difference in AFP and AFP-L3% levels between stage 0 and stage A patients in HCC group （both P > 0.05）. DCP levels in stage 0 patients were significantly lower than those in stage A patients in HCC group （P < 0.05）. The sensitivity and specificity of AFP， AFP-L3% and DCP in the diagnosis of early HCC were 51.5%， 92.5%， 28.3%， and 95.5%， 60.0%， 84.7%， respectively. Analysis of the area under the ROC curve （AUC） results showed that the AUC values of AFP， AFP-L3% and DCP for the diagnosis of early HCC were 0.760， 0.619 and 0.749， respectively. The AUC value of combined detection of AFP and DCP was 0.810， which yielded the highest diagnostic efficiency. Conclusion AFP has important diagnostic value in the diagnosis of early HCC. The combination of AFP and DCP can improve the diagnostic efficiency of HBV-related early HCC.

Simple Summary: The daily activity rhythms of herbivores have significant ecological and conservation implications. Most studies have focused on predators and their prey, as well as sympatric carnivores or herbivores, with little attention given to ungulates in predator-free ecosystems. Using camera traps, we systematically studied the activity patterns and grouping characteristics of goitered gazelles in the Helan Mountains. Our findings reveal that goitered gazelles are crepuscular-like, with activity peaks occurring after dawn and before dusk. Their daily activity patterns and grouping characteristics vary across seasons, likely influenced by climatic conditions and resource availability. This research provides essential ecological insights for the restoration and conservation of goitered gazelle populations and underscores the importance of further behavioral studies on ecologically significant rare species in isolated habitats. Wildlife activity patterns, which reveal the daily allocation of time and energy, are crucial for understanding survival pressures, adaptive strategies, and behavioral characteristics in different environments. Among ungulates, grouping behavior is a prevalent adaptive trait that reflects the population structure, mating systems, and life history strategies formed over long-term evolutionary processes. This study aimed to elucidate the daily activity patterns and grouping characteristics of the rare goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) in the Helan Mountains of western China from 2022 to 2023 using camera trap monitoring. With a total of 3869 camera days of effective trapping, we recorded 442 independent detections of goitered gazelles. The results revealed the following: (1) Goitered gazelle is primarily active during the day, showing an activity pattern similar to crepuscular animals, with two activity peaks occurring after dawn and before dusk. (2) Daily activity patterns showed both seasonal and sex differences. In the warm season, morning activity peaks occurred earlier, and afternoon peaks occurred later compared to the cold season. The overlap in daily activity patterns between females and males in the warm season was lower than that in the cold season, and this trend persisted throughout the year. (3) The number of times different types of groups were observed varied significantly, with single males and single females accounting for a larger proportion of all observed groups. There was no significant difference in group size across seasons, with groups typically consisting of 1–2 individuals. Our study provides detailed insights into the temporal ecology and population structure of goitered gazelles in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. This information will guide the identification of future conservation priorities and the development of management plans for the reserve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]