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Introduction: This paper aims to analyze the role of diffusion-weighted MR imaging and ADC map in the differential diagnosis of liver metastases and hemangiomas in patients with liver lesions. Methods: From April 2017 to September 2018, 30 patients (21 females and 9 males) aged 32–81 years old (mean age of 53.01±13.01) with 43 lesions were diagnosed with lesions classified as either metastases or hepatic hemangiomas in the abdominal area by ultrasound or CT scan. They were then referred to an MRI department for further diagnosis. Moreover, the DWI sequence was performed with respiratory gating with b-values of 50, 500, 1000, and 1500 s/mm2 . The research group was divided into two subgroups: atypical haemangiomas and hypo- and hypervascular metastases. The mean values of ADC, ADCR, SIR, and SI were calculated. Similarly, cut-off values, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated with ROC curve analysis. Results: There was a significant difference between hemangioma and metastatic lesions in terms of mean ADC (P<0.01), mean ADCR (P<0.01), SIR at a b-value of 50 s/mm2 (P<0.01), SI at b-values of 50 and 500 s/mm2 (P<0.05), and SIR at a b-value of 500 s/mm2 (P<0.05). There was also a clear distinction between the two groups of hypo- and hypervascular metastases in terms of SIR at a b-value of 1500 s/mm2 (P<0.01) and SIR at b-values of 50, 500, and 1000 s/mm2 (P<0.05). Conclusion: DWI-MRI and ADC map can be used to reliably differentiate between hemangiomas and metastases in the liver with higher accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Consuming a high-fat diet causes obesity, which is one of the hallmarks of metabolic syndrome. The present study aimed to assess the effect of aerobic training and capsaicin supplementation on the expression of lipogenic genes SREBP-1c and FASN in the liver tissue of obese rats Material & Methods: For this experimental research, 40 eight-week-old male Wistar rats weighing 181.5±2.3 grams were selected as samples. Thereafter, eight rats were fed a normal diet (ND), and 32 rats were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and randomly assigned to five groups: normal diet, high-fat diet, high-fat diet-training, high-fat dietcapsaicin, and high-fat diet-training-capsaicin. The exercise groups performed an incremental aerobic exercise program (15-25 m/min, 30-60 min/day, five days/week) on a treadmill for eight weeks. Capsaicin (4 mg/kg/day) was taken orally by gavage once a day. Results: Induction of obesity was associated with increased expression of SREBP-1C (P=0.001) and FASN (P=0.001). It was also revealed that aerobic exercise with capsaicin supplementation significantly decreased SREBP-1C and FASN gene expression in the experimental groups compared to the obese group. Finally, this reduction trend was significant in the combined group compared to the supplement group. Discussion & Conclusion: It is possible that the use of capsaicin, along with aerobic physical activity, is an effective strategy to neutralize the markers of hepatic lipogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) is a mushroom that has been used in Asian countries for many years as a culinary-medicinal mushroom to treat a variety of diseases. Objective This study aims to review the studies conducted on the anti-aging effects of Reishi. Methods This is a review study. A search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, Google Scholar, SID, and MagIran databases for articles published from 1989 to 2023 using the following keywords: Reishi mushroom, G. lucidium, anti-aging, antioxidant activities, free radicals, Results The studies showed that the extracts of Reishi have measurable anti-aging properties, especially in the heart, liver and brain tissues. The anti-aging activity of Reishi is mainly due to its ability to modulate the immune system, scavenge free radicals, inhibit oxidative stress, increase mitochondrial dehydrogenases, strengthen the electron transport chain, and prevent neurodegenerative diseases caused by oxidative stress. Bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides and triterpenes, have been suggested to be involved in the anti-aging activity of Reishi. Conclusion Reishi is a suitable candidate for preparing extracts or compounds with anti-aging properties. However, more in-vivo studies are needed to gain deeper insight into the mechanisms underlying the anti-aging effects of Reishi. In addition, there is a lack of clinical trials in the field of anti-aging effects of Reishi extracts, especially in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Contrary to its weak role in angiogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor beta (VEGF-β) plays a role in lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of exercise and atorvastatin on the expression of the VEGF-β gene in the liver tissue of diabetic rats. Subjects and Methods In this study, 25 rats were divided into control, diabetes, diabetes + exercise, diabetes + atorvastatin, and diabetes + atorvastatin + exercise groups. The interventions included eight weeks of aerobic exercise, running on a treadmill, and taking 10 mg of atorvastatin by gavage. After the interventions, the rats were sacrificed, and the liver tissue was analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way analysis of variance and LSD post hoc test. Results The results showed that the induction of diabetes led to a significant decrease in hepatic VEGF-β gene expression and an increase in serum glucose and total cholesterol levels compared to the healthy control group. In the diabetes + exercise and diabetes + atorvastatin + exercise groups, the increase of VEGF-β and the decrease of glucose and cholesterol were significant compared to the control, diabetes, and diabetes + atorvastatin groups. Conclusion According to the results, it can be argued that continuous aerobic exercise can prevent diabetes-induced liver complications by increasing the expression of VEGF-β gene. However, despite the positive effects of atorvastatin on serum glucose and total cholesterol levels, it does not have any significant effect on hepatic VEGF-β gene expression in diabetic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The effect of liver ultrastructure and changes of liver enzymes with hydrazone derivative 2-phenylthiobenzoic acid as a new anti-inflammatory and its comparison with mefenamic acid was investigated in three spotted gourami fish. Materials and Methods: 120 pieces of Trichogaster trichopterus female fish with an average weight of 1.93 ± 0.43 g were purchased from from ornamental fish farm and divided into eight groups of 15 including the intact control group, DMSO solvent control, six treatment groups receiving mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative with a dose of 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg. Data analysis was done using SPSS26 software with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test at P≥0.05. Results: The results showed that in the highest dose of mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative, the hepatosomatic index decreased significantly compared to the control treatments (P<0.05). ALP and ALT increased significantly in all mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative treatments compared to control treatments (P<0.05). The highest ALT was measured in medium dose of mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative and the highest AST was measured in low dose of mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative (P<0.05). Liver histology with optical microscope showed that in the control treatments, liver sinusoids had a normal shape and a normal trend, while in the treatments of mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative, expansion and disorder of the sinusoids occurred. In the examination of the electron microscope, dissociation was observed in the cell membrane and cytoplasm in the treatments of mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative. Conclusion: both Mefenamic acid and hydrazone derivative cause liver damage. In all three doses, mefenamic acid has more tissue and cell damage than the hydrazone derivative, and the hydrazone derivative is more favorable in terms of toxic profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) and iron nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) on histopathology of the liver in the beluga juvenile, Huso huso. A total of 135 beluga juveniles (with initial weight of 276.4 ± 32.3 g and initial length of 40.0 ± 2.0 cm) were randomly distributed in 27 fiberglass tanks at 9 different treatments with three replicates. Treatments included T1 (control, no added NPs); T2 (1 mg/kg Se-NPs); T3 (2 mg/kg Se-NPs); T4 (100 mg/kg Fe-NPs); T5 (100 mg/kg Fe-NPs + 1 mg/kg Se-NPs); T6 (100 mg/kg Fe-NPs +2 mg/kg Se-NPs); T7 (200 mg/kg Fe-NPs); T8 (200 mg/kg Fe-NPs +1 mg/kg Se-NPs); T9 (200 mg/kg Fe-NPs +2 mg/kg Se-NPs). Before starting the experiment, the fish were adapted to the rearing conditions for one week. The amount of feeding during the rearing period was 2-3% based on the weight and water temperature, and the fish were fed three times a day (8:00, 15:00 and 21:00) for 8 weeks. In order to find the histopathological changes, the livers of six fish from each group (two fish of each replicate) were sampled at the end of the experiment. Samples were dehydrated by routine methods and embedded in paraffin wax. They were sectioned by microtome and stained with H & E. Vacuolar degeneration, necrosis, inflammation, irregular hepatocytes and hemorrhage were the tissue lesions observed in the liver. Given that, T5 (100 mg/kg Fe-NPs + 1 mg/kg Se-NPs) had the lowest liver tissue damage, using 1 mg selenium nanoparticles with 100 mg iron nanoparticles in the diet of farmed beluga is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim This study aimed to investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of hydatid cyst disease in patients admitted to Imam Reza, Imam Hossein, and Bisotoon hospitals in Kermanshah City, Iran, from 2014 to 2018. Methods & Materials In this descriptive study, we studied and analyzed the medical records of 350 patients with hydatid cysts who were hospitalized and underwent surgical treatment in Kermanshah hospitals from 2014 to 2018. Also, the demographic characteristics of patients, including gender, age, occupation, place of residence, and affected organs, were extracted and recorded. Ethical Considerations The Ethics Committee of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences approved this study (Code: IR.KUMS.REC.1398.366). Results In total, 350 patients with a Mean±SD age of 43.2±19.7 in women and 43.3±20.7 in men were admitted with a diagnosis of hydatid cyst. The highest and lowest prevalence of hydatid cysts were in the age groups of 41-50 (16.5%) years and 1-10 (4.8%) years, respectively. The prevalence was 181 (51.7%) in women and 169 (48.2%) in men. The organs mostly infected with hydatid cysts were the liver, lung, and brain, with 241 cases (68.8%), 55 (15.7%), and 24 (6.8%), respectively. Conclusion This study shows that hydatid cyst disease is an important disease, especially in rural areas of Kermanshah Province, Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Carbon tetrachloride (CCI4) is used as a chemical intermediate in industries. It can be converted into toxic reactive products of trichloromethyl radical under the influence of cytochrome P450 enzymes, and cause tissue damage, including liver damage, through oxidative stress. Liver transplantation is an effective treatment for liver failure but is limited due to the shortage of organ donors. Objective This study aims to evaluate the effect of human mesenchymal stem cell-conditioned medium (hMSC-CM) on the oxidative stress induced by CCI4 in rats. Methods Twenty-one adult male Wistar rats matched for weight were randomly allocated into three groups of 7: control, treatment A (receiving CCI4), and treatment B (receiving CCI4+hMSC-CM). A single dose of normal saline was injected into the rats in the control group. Treatment group A and B received intraperitoneal injection of CCI4 along with olive oil with a ratio of 1:1. Twenty-four hours after CCI4 injection, the rats in group B were treated by injection of hMSC-CM for three consecutive days. Fortyeight hours after the injection of hMSC-CM, blood samples were collected from all rats. Oxidative stress markers including total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured and the data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance in SPSS software, version 25. Results There was no statistically significant difference in TAC and MDA levels between different groups (P>0.05). The highest levels of TAC was observed in treatment group B, and the highest level of MDA was observed in treatment group A. Conclusion The hMSC-CM has no significant effect on the oxidative stress in the liver. It is possible to achieve significant results by increasing the duration of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aging is associated with metabolic disorders. Although the beneficial effects of exercise and resveratrol consumption in the health of the elderly has been reported, the combined effect of intermittent swimming and resveratrol consumption on the antioxidant system in liver tissue is not clear yet. Objective This study aims to investigate the combined effect of intermittent swimming and resveratrol consumption on the expression of superoxide dismutases (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and Malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver tissue of older rats. Methods In this experimental study, 32 elder rats were divided into four groups: control, swimming, resveratrol and swimming+resveratrol. The resveratrol (100 mg) dissolved in 1% methylcellulose was administrated daily by gavage. The swimming was performed at three sessions per week. The GPx and SOD expression levels were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction method, and the MDA level was measured by ELISA method. Results The GPx level in the swimming+resveratrol group were significantly higher than in the control (P=0.001), resveratrol (P=0.04) and swimming (P=0.002) groups. MDA levels in the resveratrol (P=0.001), swimming (P=0.001) and swimming+resveratrol (P=0.001) groups were significantly lower than in the control group; in the swimming+resveratrol group, it was significantly lower than the resveratrol (P=0.001) and swimming (P=0.009) groups. Conclusion It seems that intermittent swimming and resveratrol consumption have favorable effects on improving the antioxidant defense system and lipid peroxidation in liver tissue. Therefore, it is recommended to use intermittent swimming and resveratrol to prevent liver damage in the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]