Aspartate Aminotransferase Research Articles

Pemeriksaan Dampak Mengkonsumsi Minuman Beralkohol Terhadap Kadar Enzim Aspartat Aminotransferase (AST) dan Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)

Aspartat aminotransferase (ast) and alanine aminotransferase (Alt) or which is the enzyme transaminase used liver function tests. When alcohol enters the body, a metabolism in the liver is carried out with an end result of acetydehid when an excessive dose causes liver damage. The purpose of research to determine whether or not there is a correlation between the consumption of alcohol and its blast of bank. this study is a non-experiment of quantitative experimentation with a sampling technique. The respondents in this study are 24 alcohol drinkers of NTT students in the unfortunate city. And sample analysis methods of the kinetic ifcc and the chemical analyzer clinic - the mindray analyzer. On 24 of the respondents of all sexs-men will be analyzed based on long consumption, high consumption of alcohol, and heavy drink-alcohol consumption. The research data obtained will be done in a statistical test using the Pearson correlation test. Studies conducted on alcohol drinkers for a normal ast result are 18 respondents and abnormal results of 6. Studies on alcohol drinkers for normal test levels included 19 individuals and abnormal results for 5. The Pearson correlation test between the amount of consumption between the ast consumption is 0,184 and p-value 0.05, and the high consumption of alcohol is 0.508 and the value of p-value 0.05, and the amount of drinking is an e-0.405 and p-value 0.05. Studies between consumption length and Alt levels have found a very weak link of 0,033 and p-value 0.05, the high consumption of alcohol is 0,426 and the value of p-value 0.05, and the high drinking relationship of weak value are = 0.315 and p-value 0.05. The study has had a negative impact on excessive consumption of alcohol, raising levels of ast and Alt especially on high-alcohol drinkers and excessive drinking frequency.

The primary cause of markedly elevated aminotransferases in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis in ischemic hepatitis.

Marked elevation in aminotransferases (≥1000 IU/l) is typically associated with acute liver injury. Here, we hypothesized that the cause of elevation in aminotransferases ≥1000 in patients with cirrhosis is likely due to a limited number of disorders and may be associated with poor outcomes. We aimed to investigate the most common etiologies of acute elevations in aminotransferases in patients with cirrhosis, and to examine their associated outcomes. From May 2012 to December 2022, all hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and an aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase ≥ 1000 IU/l were identified through Medical University of South Carolina's Clinical Data Warehouse. Complete clinical data were abstracted for each patient, and in-hospital mortality was examined. The cohort was made up of 152 patients, who were 57 ± 12 years old, with 51 (34%) women. Underlying liver disease included mainly hepatitis C cirrhosis, alcohol-related cirrhosis, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis cirrhosis, autoimmune cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis cirrhosis, and cryptogenic cirrhosis. The most common cause of marked elevation in aminotransferases in cirrhotic patients was ischemic hepatitis (71%), followed by chemoembolization (7%), autoimmune hepatitis (6%), drug-induced liver injury (3%), post-transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement (3%), rhabdomyolysis (3%), and hepatitis C (2%). During hospitalization and over a 1-month follow-up period, the mortality rate in patients with ischemic hepatitis was 73% (79/108), while that for other causes of liver injury was 20% (9/44). Ischemic hepatitis is the leading cause of marked elevation of aminotransferases in patients with cirrhosis, with distinctive clinical characteristics than other etiologies, and significantly poorer outcomes.

Multivariable models of outcomes with [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617: analysis of the phase 3 VISION trial

[177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (177Lu-PSMA-617) prolonged life in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in VISION (NCT03511664). However, distinguishing between patients likely and unlikely to respond remains a clinical challenge. We present the first multivariable models of outcomes with 177Lu-PSMA-617 built using data from VISION, a large prospective phase 3 clinical trial powered for overall survival. Adults with progressive post androgen receptor pathway inhibitor and taxane prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-positive mCRPC received 177Lu-PSMA-617 plus protocol-permitted standard of care (SoC) or SoC alone. In this post hoc analysis, multivariable Cox proportional hazards models of overall survival (OS) and radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), and a logistic regression model of prostate-specific antigen response (≥50% decline; PSA50) were constructed and evaluated using C-index or receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses with bootstrapping validation. Nomograms were constructed for visualisation. Patients were randomised between June 2018 and October 2019. Data from all 551 patients in the 177Lu-PSMA-617 arm were analysed in multivariable modelling. The OS nomogram (C-index, 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-0.76) included whole-body maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax), time since diagnosis, opioid analgesic use, aspartate aminotransferase, haemoglobin, lymphocyte count, presence of PSMA-positive lesions in lymph nodes, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and neutrophil count. The rPFS nomogram (C-index, 0.68; 0.65-0.72) included SUVmax, time since diagnosis, opioid analgesic use, lymphocyte count, presence of liver metastases by computed tomography, LDH, and ALP. The PSA50 nomogram (area under ROC curve, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.68-0.77) included SUVmax, lymphocyte count and ALP. Performances of the OS and rPFS models were maintained when they were reconstructed excluding SUVmax. These models of outcomes with 177Lu-PSMA-617 are the first built using prospective phase 3 data. They show that a combination of pretreatment laboratory, clinical, and imaging parameters, reflecting both patient and tumour status, influences outcomes. These models are important for aiding treatment selection, patient management, and clinical trial design. Novartis.

Age-dependent haemogram and sex-dependent serum biochemistry values in semi-feral Konik horses.

Semi-feral, free-roaming Konik polski horses are used in some European countries for preserving semi-open pasture landscapes. The estimation of their health status is still limited by insufficient data on various blood parameters. Therefore, our study aimed at the sex- and age-dependent analysis of haemogram and selected biochemistry parameters in healthy, semi-feral Koniks. In order to reach this aim, we took blood samples from 53 female and 18 male (8 uncastrated, 10 castrated) Koniks living in two Middle German nature reserves. They were of different age (9-266 months) and without signs of illness. Blood samples were analysed by an accredited laboratory. We identified age- but not sex-dependent changes in the white blood cell count (WBC). Higher age mainly caused a decrease in lymphocytes. Therefore, WBC correlated negatively and granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio positively with increasing age. Serum values of selected biochemical parameters did not depend on age but showed some sex-related differences. In this regard, serum total protein, triglyceride and the enzymatic activities of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate transaminase and g-glutamyltransferase were higher in males than females. However, the sex dependency of these enzymatic activities was restricted to uncastrated males. They also showed higher serum values for calcium and selenium than castrated males or all females. As far as the respective group sizes permitted, we then calculated age- or sex-dependent reference interval values for all parameters analysed. These values improve now the estimation of the health status of semi-feral, free-roaming Konik horses and provide a stable basis for future studies.

Protective Effect and Mechanism of L-Theanine on Acute Alcoholic Liver Injury in Mice.

Acute alcoholic liver injury (AALI), a global health concern, is exacerbated by excessive episodic drinking. L-theanine (LTA), a compound found in tea leaves, mitigates the AALI-induced liver oxidative stress and inflammation. However, its relationship with alcohol metabolism and its liver-protective mechanism remains unexplored. This study investigates the protective mechanisms of LTA against AALI in mice. The results demonstrate that LTA mitigates liver tissue damage and reduces the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and liver levels of triglycerides, malondialdehyde, reactive oxygen species (ROS), tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β. However, LTA enhances the activity of ethanol-metabolizing enzymes and decreases ethanol and acetaldehyde serum levels. Mechanistically, LTA accelerates alcohol metabolism by upregulating the hepatic expression of ADH6, ALDH1B1, ALDH2, CAT, and ACSS1 mRNA and protein in AALI mice, LTA downregulates the expression of CYP2E1 mRNA and protein and promoting antioxidative activities thus reducing the accumulation of ROS. This attenuated inflammation by inhibiting the phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B inhibitor alpha (IκBα) and downregulating the hepatic expression of NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 mRNA, and protein. LTA is a beneficial dietary supplement that protects against AALI by modulating alcohol metabolism and the TNF-α/NF-κB pathway.

Both fibrosis-4 index and fibrosis-5 index can predict the prognosis of patients after percutaneous coronary intervention

Abstract Backgrounds: The Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index and Fibrosis-5 (FIB-5) index are non-invasive indicators reflecting liver fibrosis. Previous studies show their association with acute heart failure and myocardial infarction prognosis. However, there are few reports on the relationship between the two indices and the prognosis of patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Purpose This study aims to explore and compare the predictive value of both indices for PCI patient prognosis. Method Data for this study were obtained from a retrospective cohort comprising patients admitted to and discharge d from 72 secondary and tertiary hospitals between 2010 and 2023. Inclusion criteria comprised patients undergoing PCI during hospitalization. The initial test results of these patients after admission were collected, and the FIB-4 (FIB-4 = age (years) × aspartate aminotransferase (AST [U/L]) / (platelets [10^9/L] × alanine aminotransferase [ALT {U/L}]½) and FIB-5 (FIB-5 = [albumin (g/L) × 0.3 + platelet count (10^9/L) × 0.05] - [alkaline phosphatase (U/L) × 0.014 + AST/ALT ratio × 6 + 14]) indices were calculated. Patients were divided into low (N = 83082), medium (N = 16618), and high (N = 7932) FIB-4 groups, as well as low (N = 18642), medium (N = 12106), and high (N = 76884) FIB-5 groups based on predefined cutoff values. The primary endpoint was one-year cardiovascular mortality, with secondary endpoints including one-year all-cause mortality and one-year recurrent myocardial infarction. Results The study included 107,632 patients after PCI whose FIB-4 index and FIB-5 index could be simultaneously calculated during hospitalization. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that compared to the low FIB-4 group, both the high FIB-4 group (aHR 1.935; 95%CI 1.592-2.353) and the medium FIB-4 group (aHR 1.487; 95%CI 1.251-1.768) had an increased risk of one-year cardiovascular death (P0.05). Conclusions The present study indicated that both FIB-4 and FIB-5 could be used to predict the prognosis of patients after PCI. High FIB-4 index and low FIB-5 index were predictive factors for 1-year cardiovascular death, 1-year all-cause death, and 1-year recurrent myocardial infarction in patients after PCI, with no statistical difference in predictive value between the two.

The expression of sICAM-1 influenced by Clonorchis sinensis co-infection in CHB patients.

Soluble Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1) has emerged as an inflammatory biomarker of many essential functions. We investigated the level of sICAM-1 influenced by Clonorchis sinensis (C. sinensis) co-infection in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients to explore the degree of liver tissue inflammation and liver function damage after co-infection. The study included data from patients with C. sinensis mono-infection (n=27), hepatitis B virus (HBV) mono-infection (n=32), C. sinensis and HBV co-infection (n=24), post-hepatitis B liver cirrhosis (n=18), post-hepatitis B liver cirrhosis co-infected with C. sinensis (n=16), and healthy controls (n=39). The level of sICAM-1 was measured with specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Compared to the healthy control group, all the experimental groups had significantly higher serum sICAM-1 levels. The levels of sICAM-1 in co-infected groups were significantly higher compared to the mono-infection groups and were positively correlated with the levels of glutamate aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Our research findings confirmed that co-infection could exacerbate liver tissue inflammation and liver function damage in patients, could raise the sICAM-1 level, and may lead to the chronicity of HBV infection. These results provide clues for pathological mechanism study and formulating treatment plans.

Investigating the Relationship Between Demographic and Laboratory Factors with the Incidence of PTE in COVID-19

Background: In 2019, after the first case was discovered in Wuhan, China, the COVID-19 virus began to spread rapidly across the world, leading the WHO to declare the disease a public health emergency. Objectives: Thromboembolism refers to the formation of a clot in a vein, which then travels through the vascular system, potentially blocking blood flow in another location. Methods: This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the risk factors for pulmonary embolism in COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Firoozabadi Hospital from May to the end of December 2020. After extracting the required information, the data was entered into SPSS version 26 software for analysis. Results: In total, data from 283 COVID-19 patients admitted to Firouzabadi Hospital in Tehran in 2020 were collected. The average age of the patients was 58.8 ± 15.9 years. Among the 283 patients, 162 (57.6%) were male, 79 patients (27.9%) had pulmonary embolism, 102 patients (36%) were smokers, and 107 patients (37.8%) had a history of hypertension. A significant relationship was observed between the occurrence of pulmonary embolism and elevated levels of, white blood cells (WBC) (P = 0.0001), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (P = 0.0001), D-dimer (P = 0.0001), polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) (P = 0.020), lymphocytes (P = 0.013), alkaline phosphatase (Alk.P) (P = 0.025), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P = 0.019), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P = 0.017). Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, the incidence of pulmonary embolism in hospitalized COVID-19 patients who underwent CT angiography due to clinical suspicion of thrombosis was 27.9%. Additionally, factors such as smoking, a previous history of pulmonary thromboembolism, high WBC, elevated liver function tests (LFT), and elevated LDH levels were identified as risk factors for the occurrence of pulmonary embolism in these patients.

Cardiovascular related polypharmacy and its association with liver and kidney impairment amongst individuals on lipid-lowering therapy: a cross-sectional study using primary care data

Abstract Background Individuals with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) frequently require concurrent treatment with various medications, a phenomenon known as polypharmacy. This study aimed to investigate the association between CVD-related polypharmacy and the presence of liver and kidney impairment amongst patients receiving lipid-lowering therapy within the Australian primary care setting. Methods This study utilised electronic medical records from general practices retrieved between January 2013 and December 2023. Multivariate logistic regression identified independent risk factors associated with CVD-related polypharmacy, defined as the concurrent use of five or more CVD protective medications. The analysis included individuals on lipid lowering therapy who are at risk for CVD. The relationship between CVD-related polypharmacy and the presence of liver and kidney dysfunction was further assessed, defined by exceeding established reference ranges for relevant biomarkers (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], bilirubin, creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR]) as per Australian guidelines. Results A total of 13,568 participants (median age: 63 years [IQR 54-72], 54% males) were included. Independent factors associated with CVD-related polypharmacy included diabetes (OR=5.40, 95% CI: 4.96-5.93), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR=2.39, 95% CI: 2.00-2.86), hypertension (OR=1.91, 95% CI: 1.75-2.07), and smoking (OR=1.05, 95% CI: 0.97-1.14). Compared to the 18-35 age group, individuals aged ≥80 years displayed a significantly higher likelihood of CVD-related polypharmacy (OR=8.17, 95% CI: 5.47-12.21). While no significant association was observed between CVD-related polypharmacy and liver impairment (OR=1.19, 95% CI: 0.59-2.37), an independent positive association was identified with kidney impairment (OR=1.38, 95% CI: 1.24-1.54), adjusted for established CVD risk factors including age, sex, smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, and CKD. Conclusion This study suggests a positive association between CVD-related polypharmacy and increased risk of kidney impairment in Australian primary care. Further research is warranted to explore potential causal mechanisms and evaluate the efficacy of medication review strategies, enhanced kidney function monitoring, and potential medication deprescribing in managing patients at risk of CVD who are on multiple medications.

Prognostic value of albumin-bilirubin score in patients with chronic heart failure

Abstract Background Liver dysfunction is one of the common comorbidities, and associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Recently, the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) score has been developed as an effective and convenient scoring system for assessing liver function. However, the prognostic significance of the ALBI score in patients with CHF remained to be clarified. Purpose We sought to investigate the clinical significance of ALBI score on outcome prediction in patients with CHF. Methods We prospectively examined 1567 symptomatic CHF patients (median age 74, inter quartile range [IQR] 64-82 years, mean left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] 49 ± 15.9 %, median N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide [NT-pro BNP] 801 [IQR 372-1820] pg/ml) in a multicentre registry with 27 Japanese sites between January 2020 and December 2023. The ALBI score was calculated according to the following formula: log10 total bilirubin (mg/dl) × 0.06 + albumin (g/dL) × 10 × (-0.085). Studied patients were divided into three groups according to the ALBI grade; ALBI score ≤ -2.60 (Grade1, n = 691), -2.60 < ALBI score ≤ -1.39 (Grade 2, n = 864), ALBI score > -1.39 (Grade3, n = 12). Primary outcome of interest was a composite of all-cause death and hospitalisation due to worsening heart failure. Results Patient with higher ALBI grade had higher age, New York Heart Association functional class, NT-pro BNP level, prevalence of atrial fibrillation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lower body mass index, systolic blood pressure, haemoglobin level, serum albumin level and estimated glomerular filtration rate compared to those with lower ALBI grade. LVEF was comparable between the groups. During a median follow-up period of 537 (IQR 285-701) days, the primary outcome occurred in 267 patients (17%). Higher ALBI grade were significantly related to increased incidence of the primary outcome (P for trend < 0.001) (Figure 1). Multivariable Cox regressions showed that a higher ALBI score was independently associated with higher risk of the primary outcome (hazard ratio 2.8, 95% confidential interval (CI) 2.08-3.77, P < 0.001), even after adjustment for the MAGGIC score as an established risk prediction model, NT-pro BNP, aspartate aminotransferase, and platelet counts. Furthermore, addition of the ALBI score to the MAGGIC score significantly increased c-index from 0.70 (95% CI 0.66-0.74) to 0.73 (95% CI 0.69-0.76) (P < 0.001) (Figure 2). The net reclassification improvement afforded by the ALBI score was 26% for the primary outcome (P<0.001). Conclusions Liver dysfunction assessed by the ALBI score was independently associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients with CHF. Moreover, addition of the score to the existing risk prediction model significantly increased the ability of outcome prediction, suggesting beneficial clinical application of the ALBI score in patients with CHF.

Effects of Dietary Ferroporphyrin Supplementation on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Response, and Oxygen-Carrying Capacity in Gibel Carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)

An eight-week experiment was conducted to study the effects of dietary ferroporphyrin (FPR) supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, immune response, and oxygen-carrying capacity in gibel carp. The results demonstrated that the addition of FPR increased the moisture content of the whole fish body. Supplementation with 0.01% FPR significantly increased the plasma albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), and total cholesterol (TC) contents. The addition of 0.03% and 0.04% FPR significantly increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, respectively, while the glucose (GLU), TC, and total triglyceride (TG) levels showed opposite trends. In terms of antioxidant capacity, the 0.03% and 0.04% dietary FPR supplementation increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) exhibited an opposite trend to MDA levels. The supplementation of 0.03% of FPR resulted in a notable reduction in mRNA expression levels of nrf2, keap1, cat, and gpx. Regarding immunity, 0.01% FPR supplementation down-regulated the expression levels of il-1β mRNA, while 0.02% FPR down-regulated il-6 and nf-κb expression levels. Furthermore, 0.02% FPR supplementation significantly up-regulated the il-10 mRNA expression levels. In terms of oxygen-carrying capacity, high levels of FPR (0.03% and 0.04%) were found to influence the epo and vegf mRNA expression. In conclusion, the incorporation of dietary 0.01–0.02% FPR improved the immune system of gibel carp without affecting their antioxidant and oxygen-carrying capacity. However, supplementation with higher levels of FPR (0.03–0.04%) led to decreased antioxidant and oxygen-carrying capacity.

Early detection of liver fibrosis in patients with Fontan circulation using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract Introduction Fontan procedure (FP), serving as the palliative intervention for complex congenital heart diseases characterized by single-ventricle physiology, precipitates a spectrum of late-stage complications. Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD) encompassing liver fibrosis (LF) which may progress to liver cirrhosis (LC) and thereby hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the most serious. Despite its importance, optimal surveillance of FALD remains undefined. Multiparametric Liver Multiscan (LMS) with corrected T1 (cT1) value emerges as a novel magnetic resonance (MRI) based non-invasive quantitative tool for liver inflammation and fibrosis evaluation. Aim of this study was to ascertain prevalence and severity of LF utilizing LMS, alongside identifying contributory risk factors for LF in adults post-FP. Material and methods Our cohort included 29 adult patients after FP who underwent LMS. Median age was 25y (20-43y) 54% were females. Liver morphology was assessed by ultrasound (USG) and MRI-based LMS protocol. Hepatic scoring systems, including the Aspartate Aminotransferase to Platelet Ratio Index (APRI), Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index, and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), were computed. Additionally, presence of fenestrations in the Fontan circulation, hemoglobin levels (Hb), and blood oxygen saturation both at rest and during exercise (SatO2%) were evaluated. Results Median cT1 was 914 (±207) ms, in 87% exceeding normal threshold . In those with elevated cT1, LF was undetected by USG in 38%. LC was identified in 27% of the cohort by USG. LC group exhibited significantly higher cT1 values (P<0.001) compared to non-LC group. cT1 value >933ms was associated with a sensitivity of 89% and a specificity of 80% for diagnosing LC (AUC 0.92). Significant correlation was found between cT1 values and Hb (P=0.01) and desaturation (SatO2 <90%/ interventional closure of fenestration, P=0.004). Conventional liver tests and hepatic scoring systems (APRI/FIB-4/MELD) did not predict cT1 nor LC. Conclusion Our study confirmed that LF is almost widely prevalentamong adult patients with single-chamber circulation. Risk factors for LF are systemic desaturation (SatO2 <90% or interventional closure of fenestration) and polyglobulia. However, reliable FALD surveillance remains challenging. Conventional liver assessments and scoring algorithms fall short in delineating the full scope of LF or LC. Consequently, the integration of non-invasive LMS into routine follow-up regimens is advocated, given its pronounced sensitivity for detecting subclinical FALD manifestations and predicting LC. The LMS-derived cT1 value >933ms is a critical predictor for LC, underscoring its importance in guiding further patient monitoring, treatment, and facilitating early HCC detection.

Clinical utility of fibrosis-4 index in predicting increased right atrial pressure

Abstract Introduction Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, derived from serum aspartate transaminase, alanine aminotransferase, platelet count and age, is an easily measurable marker reflecting hepatic fibrosis. Recently, FIB-4 index has been reported to be associated with cardiac events in heart failure (HF) patients. We examined whether FIB-4 index was useful in predicting elevated right atrial pressure (RAP) in comparison with directly measured RAP. Methods We studied consecutive 293 HF patients who underwent right heart catheter (RHC) examinations at our institution between Sep 2021 and May 2023. The exclusion criteria were as follows: viral or metabolic chronic hepatic diseases, thrombocytopenia. The subjects received RHC examination and blood test on the same day, and echocardiography within 3 days from the RHC examination. On top of FIB-4 index, diameter of inferior vena cava (IVC) and its respiratory changes were measured as a conventional method to estimate RAP. Results A total of 252 patients (mean 64.7 years of age, 52.8% men) were eligible for this study. FIB-4 index was significantly correlated with mean RAP (r = 0.39, p < 0.001). ROC curve analysis revealed that 1.80 was the optimal cutoff value of FIB-4 index to predict increased RAP > 10mmHg (AUC 0.74, p < 0.001, sensitivity 76.1%, specificity 74.0%). As shown in Figure, the diagnostic accuracy increased when FIB-4 index was combined with IVC diameter (AUC 0.77), which was significantly higher than the combination (AUC 0.71) of IVC diameter alone (AUC 0.71, p < 0.001, cutoff 17mm, sensitivity 67.6%, specificity 71.8%) and IVC respiratory changes alone (AUC 0.61, p = 0.005, cutoff 53%, sensitivity 77.5%, specificity 44.2%). Conclusions FIB-4 index was clinically useful in predicting increased RAP, especially when it was combined with IVC diameter.

External Validation of the fullPIERS Risk Prediction Model in a U.S. Cohort of Individuals with Preeclampsia.

To externally validate the fullPIERS risk prediction model in a cohort of pregnant individuals with preeclampsia in the United States. This was a retrospective study of individuals with preeclampsia who delivered at 22 weeks or greater from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2020. The primary outcome was a composite of maternal mortality or other serious complications of preeclampsia occurring within 48 hours of admission. We calculated the probability of the composite outcome using the fullPIERS prediction model based on data available within 12 hours of admission including, gestational age, chest pain or dyspnea, serum creatinine levels, platelet count, aspartate transaminase levels, and oxygen saturation. We assessed the model performance using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve. The optimal cutoff point was determined using Liu's method. A calibration plot was used to evaluate the model's goodness-of-fit. Among 1,510 individuals with preeclampsia, 82 (5.4%) experienced the composite outcome within 48 hours. The fullPIERS model achieved an AUC of 0.80 (95% confidence interval: 0.75-0.86). The predicted probability for individuals with the composite outcome (median: 18.8%; interquartile range: 2.9-59.1) was significantly higher than those without the outcome (median: 0.9%; interquartile range: 0.4-2.7). The optimal cutoff point of 5.5% yielded a sensitivity of 70.7% (95% CI: 59.6-80.3), a specificity of 85% (95% CI: 82.7-86.5), a positive likelihood ratio of 4.6 (95% CI: 3.8-5.5), and an odds ratio of 13.3 (95% CI: 8.1-21.8). The calibration plot indicated that the model underestimated risk when the predicted probability was below 1% and overestimated risk when the predicted probability exceeded 5%. The fullPIERS model demonstrated good discrimination in this U.S. cohort of individuals with preeclampsia, suggesting it may be a useful tool for healthcare providers to identify individuals at risk for severe complications.

Pre-diagnostic trajectory of pediatric hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis: observations from hematological and hepatic parameters.

Understanding the early features and characteristics of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is essential for identifying high-risk individuals and also providing valuable pathological insights. This study aims to investigate the characteristics and trends of blood and hepatic parameters before an HLH diagnosis was established. Longitudinal hematological and hepatic test results from pediatric patients with HLH and an age- and sex-matched control group were analyzed. According to the length of time between hospital admission and the establishment of the HLH diagnosis, the HLH cases were divided into early-onset (≤ 7 days) and late-onset (> 7days) groups. Among the 229 pediatric HLH patients, the length of time between hospital admission and the establishment of an HLH diagnosis ranged from 0 to 41 days (median = 4 days). Over 80% of pediatric HLH patients presented abnormal laboratory results for aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglycerides, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and hemoglobin at admission. The abnormal rates in the initial platelet count, neutrophil count, and fibrinogen tests were 67.3%, 48.3%, and 52.2%, respectively. The initial test results for AST, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), LDH, serum sodium, and albumin showed AUCs > 80% for discriminating early-onset HLH. For the discrimination of late-onset HLH, the performance of initial test results was poor. To conclude, abnormalities in AST, triglycerides, LDH, and hemoglobin are early presentations of pediatric HLH; platelet, neutrophil, and fibrinogen levels may become abnormal at a relatively late stage of the HLH disease trajectory; and the initial test results for AST, ALT, LDH, serum sodium, and albumin can be used to identify suspected early-onset HLH.

Effects of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Oil on Growth Performance, Blood Biochemical Parameters, Carcass Quality, and Metabolomics Profile of Breast Muscle of Thai Native Chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the replacement of rice bran oil (RBO) with black soldier fly larvae oil (BSFLO) on growth performance, blood biochemicals, carcass quality, and metabolomics profile of breast muscle of Thai native chickens. A total of 192 1-day-old, mixed-sex, Pradu Hang Dam (Mor Kor 55) chickens were randomly allocated to one of three dietary groups. Each treatment had four replicates with 16 chicks per replicate (8 males and 8 females). Three dietary treatments were used: (T1) the control group, based on a corn–soybean meal with RBO, and two treatment groups that replaced 50% (T2) and 75% (T3) of RBO in the basal diet with BSFLO, respectively. Results showed that BSFLO inclusion at 50% and 75% did not adversely affect the productive performance of Thai native chickens (p > 0.05). Regarding blood profiles, on day 28, chickens fed 75% BSFLO exhibited significant increases in hemoglobin, hematocrit, and MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) with lower eosinophil percentages compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, BSFLO supplementation raised glucose levels but decreased globulin and total protein levels (p < 0.05). On day 63, BSFLO inclusion primarily affected MCV (mean corpuscular volume), with higher values in the 50% BSFLO group (p < 0.05). It also increased globulin and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) levels while lowering AST (aspartate transaminase) concentrations (p < 0.05). For carcass and meat quality, BSFLO supplementation did not affect dressing percentage or edible meat yield (p > 0.05). However, it influenced meat pH and shear force (p < 0.05), with a higher pH at 24 h post-mortem in BSFLO-fed chickens. Metabolomics showed that arginine biosynthesis; phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; arginine and proline metabolism; and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism were the most differentially abundant. These findings suggest that BSFLO can be used for a partial replacement (50 to 75%) for RBO in Thai native chicken diets, potentially offering benefits for animal health and meat quality without compromising growth performance.

Enzymological Effects of Lead Acetate Exposure in Various Organs of Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters 1852)

The various enzymological effects of heavy metal Lead acetate (Pb(C2H3O2)2) exposed to fingerlings of Oreochromis mossambicus was analyzed in this study. The 30 days old fingerlings of O. mossambicus were exposed to sub lethal dose 3.80ppm of 96 hrs. LC50 of Pb(C2H3O2)2 for 21 and 28 days, various organs (liver, gill, kidney and muscle tissue) were removed from control and treated fishes and were used for various enzymological effect: Succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Acid phosphatase (ACP) and Alkaline phosphatase ALP). The observed data were subjected into various statistical analysis by using IBM-SPSS version 26. Among the two different exposure periods 21 and 28 days which compared with control fingerlings organs, the various enzymological effects were drastically suffered (Treated fish enzymological levels were inversely proportionate towards the control groups of fish species) by 28 days of exposure periods. Pb(C2H3O2)2 exposed to fingerlings which tested on various organs at 28 days interval periods for assessing of SDH, LDH, AST, ALT, ACP and ALP of various organs of treated fish: Liver: 12.02, 55.75, 58.24, 125.27,12.26, 11.82 µ moles of phenol liberated/ mg of protein; Gill: 10.80, 33.75, 28.73, 28.11, 7.80, 8.63 µ moles of phenol liberated/ mg of protein; Kidney: 12.18, 46.33, 44.78, 75.40, 6.27, 10.38 µ moles of phenol liberated/ mg of protein and Muscle: 11.72, 32.44, 32.76, 44.20, 3.72, 7.20 µ moles of phenol liberated/ mg of protein were recorded on tissue of treated fish. The enzymological effect of Pb(C2H3O2)2 exposed towards O. mossambicus which observed various health defects on organism exposed to a particular toxicant. It may give sufficient information about heavy metal contamination on aquatic organism and would help us to propose policies to protect the ecosystem.

Acupuncture ameliorates liver injury induced by platinum treatment through the Notch signaling pathway

AbstractThis work aims to investigate whether acupuncture can ameliorate liver injury caused by platinum-based therapy and relevant mechanism. The liver indices of patients receiving and not receiving acupuncture were analyzed based on the clinical statistics, and it was found that after acupuncture treatment, the aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin (ALB), and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase of the patients were significantly improved. Then, the animal experiments were conducted for verification. After treatment with cisplatin (DDP) modeling and acupuncture, the HE and Masson staining results of the livers of mice showed that the liver injuries were reduced, and the indexes of platelets, AST and ALT became normal after acupuncture treatment. The gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis indicated that acupuncture may ameliorates liver injury through the Notch signaling pathway. Under the effect of blocker γ-secretase inhibitor (DAPT) for the Notch signaling pathway, the expressions of inflammatory factors and the genes and proteins related to the Notch signaling pathway were all up-regulated, while the alleviation of liver injury by acupuncture was inhibited. These results suggest that acupuncture can ameliorate platinum treatment-induced liver injury through the Notch signaling pathway.

Growth performances of Clarias gariepinus juveniles fed with Jatropha curcas seed meal

Jatropha curcas is an oil producing seed with high nutritional qualities for consumption. However, due to inherent anti-nutritional factors, appropriate processing is necessary to improve its nutrients utilization. This study was aimed at processing J. curcas using solvent-extraction method and evaluating its inclusion effects in the diet for Clarias gariepinus on its growth status. J. curcas meal was extracted using 80 % methanol to remove phorbol esters and other anti-nutrients. Thereafter, five iso-nitrogenous diets (40 % crude protein) were formulated containing J. curcas meal replacements of soybeans meal at 0 % (TRT0), 25 % (TRT25), 50 % (TRT50), 75 % (TRT75) and 100 % (TRT100) and fed to C. gariepinus for 70 days. Results showed that TRT25 fish had the highest mean weight gain and specific growth. The serum alkaline phosphate, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase levels began to rise significantly (p ≤ 0.05) at 50 % replacement. Likewise, the assessment of gut ecology and morphology indicated that TRT25 had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) the highest gut bacteria colony forming unit (2.60 ×104±0.02cfu/g) and most favorable area of absorption (0.16±0.01 cm2). The histopathological observation of the fish intestine, liver and gills indicated no visible deformity in TRT0 and TRT25 fish. However, various degrees of degenerations were observed in the fish fed with 50 % and higher inclusion of J. curcas. This study showed that methanol-extracted J. curcas meal can be effectively utilized for C. gariepinus at 25 % of replacement.

Twenty-Week Dietary Supplementation with Beeswax Alcohol (BWA; Raydel®) Ameliorates High-Cholesterol-Induced Long-Term Dyslipidemia and Organ Damage in Hyperlipidemic Zebrafish in a Dose-Dependent Manner: A Comparative Analysis Between BWA and Coenzyme Q10

Background/Objectives: Beeswax alcohol (BWA; Raydel®) is a blend of six long-chain aliphatic alcohols extracted from honeybee wax and is well known for its diverse functionality and health benefits. Herein, the efficacy of a BWA dietary intervention for 20 weeks was assessed to ameliorate high-cholesterol diet (HCD)-induced dyslipidemia and adverse effects on the vital organs of adult zebrafish. Methods: Adult zebrafish were fed different high-cholesterol diets (HCDs; final concentration of 4%, w/w) supplemented with BWA (final concentrations of 0.1%, 0.5% and 1.0%, w/w) or CoQ10 (final concentration of 1.0%). Following 20 weeks of supplementation, blood and different organs (liver, kidney, testes and ovaries) were collected, and biochemical, histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed. Results: The results demonstrate a dose-dependent effect of BWA of mitigating HCD-induced mortality in zebrafish over the 20-week supplementation period, which was noticeably better than the effect exerted by coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Consistently, a dose-dependent effect of BWA consumption of curtailing HCD-induced total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels and increasing high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels was noticed. Compared with CoQ10 (final concentration of 1.0%, w/w), BWA (final concentration of 1.0%, w/w) displayed a significantly better effect of mitigating HCD-induced dyslipidemia, as evidenced by 1.2-fold (p < 0.05) and 2.0-fold (p < 0.05) lower TC and TG levels and 2.4-fold (p < 0.01) higher HDL-C levels. The histological analysis revealed substantial prevention of fatty liver changes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, cellular senescence and interleukin (IL)-6 production in the hepatic tissue of BWA zebrafish, which was significantly better than the effect exerted by CoQ10. Consistently, compared with CoQ10, significant 25% (p < 0.05) and 35% (p < 0.01) reductions in the HCD-induced elevated levels of the hepatic function biomarkers aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase was observed in the BWA group. Likewise, BWA consumption efficiently ameliorated HCD-induced kidney, ovary and testis damage by inhibiting ROS generation, cellular senescence and lipid accumulation. Conclusion: Supplementation with BWA demonstrated higher therapeutic potential than that with CoQ10 to prevent dyslipidemia and organ damage associated with long-term consumption of HCDs.