• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.25-33
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• 2023

The liver, a multifunctional organ, plays a vital role in maintaining overall health and well-being by regulating metabolism, detoxification, nutrient storage, hormone balance, and immune function. Liver diseases, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, fatty liver disease, and liver cancer, have significant clinical implications and remain a global health concern. This article reviews the therapeutic potential of silkworm larvae (Bombyx mori) and explores their underlying molecular mechanisms in protecting against liver diseases. Silkworm larvae are rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, and n-3 fatty acids, making them a promising candidate for therapeutic applications. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of silkworm larvae involve modulating the production of cytokine such as TNF-α and interleukins, inflammatory enzymes including cyclooxygenase-2 and macrophage polarization, thereby attenuating liver inflammation. Silkworm larvae also exhibit anti-oxidative effects by scavenging free radicals, reducing intracellular reactive oxygen species and enhancing the liver's antioxidant defense system. Moreover, silkworms have been reported to decrease the serum alcohol concentration and lipid accumulation. Understanding the therapeutic properties of silkworm larvae contributes to the development of innovative strategies for liver injury prevention and treatment. Further research is warranted to elucidate the precise signaling pathways involved in the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects of silkworm larvae, paving the way for potential therapeutic interventions in liver diseases.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2017

The first case of liver infection caused by Sphingomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. in a wild rodent is reported. A captured wild rodent, Apodemus agrarius (A. agrarius), presented with multiple liver abscess-like nodules (diameter 0.7~2.4 mm) in which Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacilli were detected simultaneously. These were grown in aerobic and anaerobic cultures, respectively, and were identified as Sphingomonas sp. and Bacillus sp., respectively, according to 16S rRNA sequencing.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2008

The induction of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) by UV radiation provides a protective defence against oxidative stress, and has been well demonstrated in skin irradiated with UVA, but not UVB. In this study, we show that the induction of cutaneous HO-l can be attributed to UVB radiation. The expression of HO-1 mRNA was assessed in vivo by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, and HO-1 enzyme activity was measured in microsomal preparation from irradiated mice. The mRNA level of HO-1 increases in liver and skin from 1d to 3d after UVB $(3KJ/m^2)$ exposure. The results of gene expression were same pattern of HO-1 enzyme activity in skin, but not in liver. HO-1 mRNA in liver resulted in a progressive increase to 4d after UVB exposure, but HO-1 activity in liver increased to 2d. This finding indicates that UVB radiation is an important inducer of HO-1 and increases in HO activity may protect tissue directly or indirectly from oxidative stress.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1097-1102
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• 2016

Background: Liver fluke infection with Opisthorchis viverrini and its associated cholangiocarcinoma constitute a serious problem in Thailand. Healthy behavior can decrease infection, therefore, the investigation of knowledge, attitude, and practice is need required in high risk areas. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the behavior and perceptions regarding liver fluke. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Chum Phuang district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand during July to November 2015. A total 80 participants who had screened with verbal screening test, stool examination, and ultrasonography, were purposive selected and completed a pre-designed questionnaire (Kruder-Richardon-20=0.80, Cronbach's alpha coefficient=0.82 and 0.79). T-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation test were used for analyzed data. Results: The results reveal that O. viverrini infection was 1.25%, and 3 patients had a dilated bile ducts. The participants had a high knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding liver fluke. The education, occupation, and income, were statistical significant to attitude regarding liver fluke. Nurses and television were the main sources of information regarding liver fluke, with statistical significance(p-value <0.05). Knowledge was significantly associated with attitude and practice (p-value<0.05). Conclusions: Participants had good behavior regarding liver fluke. Improvement of knowledge and attitude is influenced to practical change regarding this carcinogenic fluke. In addition, nurse and television are the main information resources for key success in increasing people perception for disease prevention and control in this area.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.577-589
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Four high-genetic barrier nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) for chronic hepatitis B (CHB), namely entecavir (ETV), tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF), tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), and besifovir dipivoxil maleate (BSV), have been established. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of four high-genetic barrier NAs using a network meta-analysis of randomized trials and propensity score-matched cohorts. Methods: Systematic search was performed using PubMed, Cochrane library, and EMBASE and included randomized controlled trials and cohort studies that used propensity score matching. Studies on treatment-naïve CHB patients treated with ETV, TDF, TAF, or BSV were included. Outcomes included alanine aminotransferase normalization and hepatitis B e antigen seroclearance at week 48 and undetectable hepatitis B virus DNA at weeks 48 and 96. Network meta-analysis was performed to synthesize the results. Results: In total, 15,000 patients from 16 studies were included. In terms of 48- and 96-week virologic response (VR), TDF outperformed ETV with statistical significance (48 weeks: odds ratio [OR], 1.38; p < 0.001; 96 weeks: OR, 1.57; p = 0.004). ETV was ranked first for 48-week biochemical response (BR) and outperformed TDF (OR, 0.76; p = 0.028). In the sensitivity analyses, 48-week VR from randomized-controlled trials were compiled, and the same trend toward the superiority of TDF over ETV was found (OR, 1.51; p = 0.030). Conclusions: Four high-genetic barrier NAs were compared, and TDF was more likely to achieve a VR after 48 weeks, while ETV provided a superior BR after 48 weeks.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.75-84
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• 2003

To evaluate the influence of hepatic oxygen free radical systems on liver injury by topical p-phenylenediamine (PPD) application on rat skin, PPD (25 mg/16.5 $\textrm{cm}^2$) was topically applied to the abdominal region 5 times every other day and sacrificed. By PPD treatment, increasing rate of liver weight/body weight (%), serum activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and decreasing rate of microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase activity were higher in the rats fed tungstate supplemented diet than those fed a standard diet. These findings indicate that group fed tungstate supplemented diet have more severe liver injury compared with group fed standard diet on topical PPD application. However, the activities of oxygen free radical generating enzymes such as xanthine oxidase (XO) and cytochrome P450 dependent aniline hydroxylase and those of oxygen free radical scavenging enzymes were not found to be different between these two animal groups. In the present study, a novel monitoring method to detect the generating of oxygen free radicals in liver extract was devised. Throughout this method, the oxidized PPD produced by oxygen free radicals was determined colorimetrically. The increasing rate of PPD oxidation by liver homogenate was higher in tungstate fed animals than in standard diet fed ones. Among the fractionations of liver extract, the mitochondrial and postmitochondrial fractions in the liver extract of tungstate fed animals led to a higher availability of PPD oxidation by PPD treatment compared with standard diet fed ones. In conclusion, these results suggest that an enhanced liver injury in tungstate fed animals treated with PPD may be due to oxygen free radicals produced in other systems except oxygen free radicals generating from cytosolic XO system. Especially, oxidative availability by PPD can be used for oxygen free radical detection in some tissue.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 1991

To clarify a cause of increased serum level of acid phosphatase in CCl$_{4}$-treated rats, the acid phosphatase activity of liver was compared with that serum. Concomitantly, the serum and liver acid phosphatase activity of CCl$_{4}$-treated rats were compared with that of CCl$_{4}$-treated rats pretreated with prednisolone or actinomycin D. In CCl$_{4}$-treated rats, the activity of serum acid phosphatase was significiantly increased whereas that of liver acid phosphatase was rather slightly decreased. the pretreatment of prednisolone led to the decreased activity of serum and liver acid phosphatase in CCl$_{4}$-treated rats. But the pretreatment of actinomycin D rather increased the activity of liver and serum enzyme. In conclusion, it is likely the increased activity of serum acid phosphatase is based on the excess leaking of acid phosphatase into blood by the increased membrane permeability of both liver cell and lysosome in it.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.47-56
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• 1998

When rats are exposed to cadmium in their diet, the cadmium accumulates in the liver. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of chitin, chitosan and dithiocarbamate chitosan on the cadmium accumulation in liver of rats. For this experiment, 10 male Sprague-Dawley were used. The experimental groups were divided into four independent groups which were one control group and three experimental groups by cadmium alone treatment or chitin, chitosan and dithiocarbamate chitosan with cadmium. In order to investigate the eliminative effect of chitin, chitosan and dithiocarbamate chitosan on the cadmium accumulation in liver of rats, the cadmium concentration, the metallothionein level and the enzyme activitys were measured. The results obtained revealed the eliminative effect of cadmium in liver of rats by chitin, chitosan and dithiocarbamate chitosan. The effect of chitin on the cadmium elimination was less than that of chitosan and dithiocarbamate chitosan. Also it shows that the eliminative effect of cadmium by dithiocarbamate chitosan was the highest.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.63-70
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• 2001

To identify and evaluate the benzidine-DNA adducts in liver and bladder, we exposed the 80 ppm benzidine to 40 sprague-dawley rats by drinking water for 4 weeks(6.2 mg/kg body wt./day). Only one benzidine-DNA adduct was found at the same site of thin layer chromatogram of $^{32}$ P-postlabeling method in the liver and bladder of exposed rats. So we know the DNA adduct formed at liver and bladder were similar to each other, which was N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-N'-acetylbenzidine. Relative adduct labeling(RAL) of DNA adduct was similar to each other for 1 and 2 weeks, but that in liver was significantly higher than in bladder for 3 and 4 weeks. RAL$\times$10$^{9}$ of DNA adduct were 84.45$\pm$11.31 and 152.8$\pm$5.53 in liver, and were 24.76$\pm$7.06 and 38.00$\pm$10.57 in bladder for 3 and 4 weeks, respectively. Regression equation between liver and bladder was Y=-3.801+2.507 X(r=0.6036, p<0.01). In conclusion, benzidine-DNA adduct formed in liver was significantly higher than that in bladder, with the similar compound structure in sparague-dewley rates treated benzidine in drinking water.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 1993

In the present study, the comparison of liver damage in carbon tetrachloride (CCl$_4$)-treated rats with that those pretreated with ethanol and an effect of liver injury on the serum and liver xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity were evaluated. The increasing rate of liver weight per body wt., the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, and the decreasing rate of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity and the protein contents in the liver cell were higher in carbon tetrachloride-treated animals pretreated with ethanol than the carbon tetrachloride-treated group. Especially, the histopathological findings also showed more severe liver damage in the ethanol-pretreated rats than the rats treated with carbon tetrachloride only. In such a experimental condition the xanthine oxidase activity of serum and liver both of carbon tetrachloride-treated rats and those pretreated with ethanol were higher than that of each control group. And the increasing rate of xanthine oxidase enzyme activity to the control group was higher in carbon tetrachloride-treated group pretreated with ethanol than those treated with CCl$_4$. In addition, the heptic uricase activity and the serum levels of uric acid were more increased in carbon tetrachloride-treated group pretreated with ethanol than those in the CCl$_4$-treated rats. On the other hand, there were no statistical differences in hepatic catalase and glutathione S-transferase activities between the CCl$_4$-treated rats and those pretreated with ethanol. In conclusion, it is assumed that the more severe liver damage in ethanol pretreated rats would be due to oxygen free radical produced by the xanthine oxidase system.