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Albumin-fused long-acting FGF21 analogue for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Get PDFNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) currently affects about 25% of the world's population, and the numbers continue to rise as the number of obese patients increases. However, there are currently no approved treatments for NAFLD. This study reports on the evaluation of the therapeutic effect of a recombinant human serum albumin-fibroblast growth factor 21 analogue fusion protein (HSA-FGF21) on the pathology of NAFLD that was induced by using two high-fat diets (HFD), HFD-60 and STHD-01. The HFD-60-induced NAFLD model mice with obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hepatic lipid accumulation were treated with HSA-FGF21 three times per week for 4 weeks starting at 12 weeks after the HFD-60 feeding. The administration of HSA-FGF21 suppressed the increased body weight, improved hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and showed a decreased accumulation of plasma lipid and hepatic lipid levels. The elevation of C16:0, C18:0 and C18:1 fatty acids in the liver that were observed in the HFD-60 group was recovered by the HSA-FGF21 administration. The increased expression levels of the hepatic fatty acid uptake receptor (CD36) and fatty acid synthase (SREBP-1c, FAS, SCD-1, Elovl6) were also suppressed. In adipose tissue, HSA-FGF21 caused an improved adipocyte hypertrophy, a decrease in the levels of inflammatory cytokines and induced the expression of adiponectin and thermogenic factors. The administration of HSA-FGF21 to the STHD-01-induced NAFLD model mice resulted in suppressed plasma ALT and AST levels, oxidative stress, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis. Together, HSA-FGF21 has some potential for use as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of NAFLD.journal articl
Outlining zircon growth in a granitic pluton using 3D cathodoluminescence patterns, U–Pb age, titanium concentration, and Th/U: Implications for the magma chamber process of Okueyama granite, Kyushu, Japan
Get PDFIn this study, we propose a new method for elucidating zircon growth in granitic plutons, based on the variations in three-dimensional (3D) cathodoluminescence (CL) patterns, U–Pb age, titanium concentration, and Th/U. We focused on the zircon growth in the Okueyama granite (OKG) in central Kyushu, Japan, to obtain interpretations of magma chamber processes that result in the formation of granitic plutons. Three lithofacies of the OKG were sampled: biotite granite, hornblende granite, and hornblende granodiorite. To determine the 3D internal structure and growth pattern of zircon, we performed CL observations for multiple crystals that were sectioned in depth intervals of 5–10 μm. The zircon U–Pb ages and Ti concentrations for the center sections of the crystals were simultaneously determined. The 3D distribution of the internal structure of zircon crystals comprises the following five textures: 1) oscillatory zoned (OZ), 2) porous, 3) chaotic, 4) locally disturbed, and 5) crystals with inherited cores. The 3D distribution of the OZ can be used to approximate the location of zircon nucleation. The simultaneous determination of zircon U–Pb ages and Ti concentrations of the granite samples indicates the time–temperature (t–T) history of granitic magma before its solidification. The three lithofacies record similar cooling histories among the temperatures of zircon crystallization. The magma chamber cooled from 900 °C to 650 °C at approximately 13 Ma and then cooled to the biotite K–Ar closure temperature. The simultaneous determination of zircon U–Pb age and Ti concentration in the granite also enabled us to correlate the Th/U with apparent temperature. A decrease in zircon Th/U with decreasing temperature indicates progressive fractional crystallization during the cooling of the magma chamber. This decrease in zircon Th/U with decreasing temperature may be related to the co-crystallization of accessory monazite and zircon. The relationship between Th/U and temperature indicates that fractional crystallization in the magma chamber at temperatures above 770 °C was more progressive than that at temperatures below 770 °C. The three lithofacies demonstrate common tendencies in the relationship between Th/U and temperature, which indicate the same path of fractional crystallization among the three lithofacies in the cooling magma chamber.journal articl
Noise power spectrum properties of deep learning–based reconstruction and iterative reconstruction algorithms: Phantom and clinical study
No full texthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/am/pii/S0720048X23002280journal articl
Identification of reactive oxygen species that induce spoptosis, a novel and distinctive mode of regulated cell death
No full texthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/am/pii/S0014482723002616journal articl
Pathology of human organic mercury poisoning: Lessons from an autopsy case
No full texthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/am/pii/S0022510X23022633journal articl
Generation of Nano/Microplastics for Immunological Assessments
No full texthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/am/pii/S2352573823000021journal articl