Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 86 in total

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  1. Fan JY, Dama G, Liu YL, Guo WY, Lin JT
    Mol Biol (Mosk), 2023;57(4):668-670.
    PMID: 37528786
    In an in vitro culture system, primary hepatocytes usually display a low proliferation capacity, accompanied with a decrease of viability and a loss of hepatocyte-specific functions. Previous studies have demonstrated that the combination introductions of certain hepatocyte-specific transcription factors are able to convert fibroblasts into functional hepatocyte-like cells. However, such combinational usage of transcription factors in primary hepatocytes culture has not yet sufficiently studied. The forkhead box protein A3 (FoxA3) and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (Hnf4α) are liver-enriched transcription factors that play vital roles in the differentiation, and maintenance of hepatocytes. Thus, we simultaneously overexpressed the two genes, Foxa3 and Hnf4α, in rat hepatocytes and observed that the combinational augmentation of these two transcription factors have enhanced the proliferation and stabilized the hepatocyte-specific functions of primary hepatocytes over a long-term culture period.
  2. Zhang L, Yang G, Hasan HA, Fan J, Ji B
    Environ Res, 2023 Dec 15;239(Pt 1):117244.
    PMID: 37783330 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117244
    Microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) has attached attention for sustainable wastewater treatment, but it remains elusive whether it can adapt to outdoor light-limited conditions. This paper investigated the biological adaptation mechanisms of MBGS to outdoor light-limited diel conditions using real municipal wastewater. The results indicated that MBGS still had excellent pollutants removal performance, and that both the extracellular polymeric substances and glycogen content of MBGS increased significantly. The main functional microalgae and bacteria were revealed to be Leptolyngbyaceae and Rhodanobacteria, respectively. Further analyses indicated that the abundance of genes encoding PsbA, PsbD, PsbE, PsbJ, PsbP, Psb27, Psb28-2, PsaC, PsaE, PsaL, PsbX, PetB, PetA, and PetE increased in photosystem. Meanwhile, the abundance of gene encoding Rubisco decreased but the gene abundance regarding to crassulacean acid metabolism cycle increased. These suggested that MBGS could adjust the photosynthetic pathway to ensure the completion of photosynthesis. This study is anticipated to add fundamental insights for the MBGS process operated under outdoor light-limited conditions.
  3. Khoo S, Wong VW, Goh GB, Fan J, Chan WK, Seto WK, et al.
    J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2020 Feb;35(2):320-325.
    PMID: 31336392 DOI: 10.1111/jgh.14794
    BACKGROUND AND AIM: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients often have dyslipidemia, and optimal treatment of dyslipidemia lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Our aim was to study the prescription of statin and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol treatment targets in NAFLD patients.

    METHODS: Consecutive NAFLD patients attending five clinics in Asia were included in this study. The 10-year cardiovascular disease risk was calculated based on the Framingham Heart Study, and patients were categorized as moderate, high, or very high risk for cardiovascular disease on the basis of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist 2017 Guidelines. The low-density lipoprotein cholesterol treatment goal for each of the risk groups was 2.6, 2.6, and 1.8 mmol/L, respectively.

    RESULTS: The data for 428 patients were analyzed (mean age 54.4 ± 11.1 years, 52.1% male). Dyslipidemia was seen in 60.5% (259/428), but only 43.2% (185/428) were on a statin. The percentage of patients who were at moderate, high, and very high risk for cardiovascular disease was 36.7% (157/428), 27.3% (117/428), and 36.0% (154/428), respectively. Among patients who were on a statin, 58.9% (109/185) did not achieve the treatment target. Among patients who were not on a statin, 74.1% (180/243) should be receiving statin therapy. The percentage of patients who were not treated to target or who should be on statin was highest among patients at very high risk for cardiovascular disease at 79.6% (78/98) or 94.6% (53/56), respectively.

    CONCLUSION: This study highlights the suboptimal treatment of dyslipidemia and calls for action to improve the treatment of dyslipidemia in NAFLD patients.

  4. Fan S, Ji B, Abu Hasan H, Fan J, Guo S, Wang J, et al.
    Bioprocess Biosyst Eng, 2021 Aug;44(8):1733-1739.
    PMID: 33772637 DOI: 10.1007/s00449-021-02556-0
    Microalgal-bacterial granular sludge (MBGS) process has become a focal point in treating municipal wastewater. However, it remains elusive whether the emerging process can be applied for the treatment of aquaculture wastewater, which contains considerable concentrations of nitrate and nitrite. This study evaluated the feasibility of MBGS process for aquaculture wastewater treatment. Result showed that the MBGS process was competent to remove respective 64.8%, 84.9%, 70.8%, 50.0% and 84.2% of chemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus under non-aerated conditions within 8 h. The dominant microalgae and bacteria were identified to be Coelastrella and Rhodobacteraceae, respectively. Further metagenomics analysis implied that microbial assimilation was the main contributor in organics, nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Specifically, considerable nitrate and nitrite removals were also obtained with the synergy between microalgae and bacteria. Consequently, this work demonstrated that the MBGS process showed a prospect of becoming an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative in aquaculture wastewater treatment.
  5. Chan WK, Treeprasertsuk S, Imajo K, Nakajima A, Seki Y, Kasama K, et al.
    Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2018 Mar;47(6):816-825.
    PMID: 29333610 DOI: 10.1111/apt.14506
    BACKGROUND: The Gut and Obesity Asia (GO ASIA) workgroup was formed to study the relationships between obesity and gastrointestinal diseases in the Asia Pacific region.

    AIM: To study factors associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and advanced fibrosis, and medical treatment of biopsy-proven nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) patients.

    METHODS: Retrospective study of biopsy-proven NAFLD patients from centres in the GO ASIA Workgroup. Independent factors associated with NASH and with advanced fibrosis on binary logistic regression analyses in a training cohort were used for the development of their corresponding risk score, which were validated in a validation cohort.

    RESULTS: We included 1008 patients from nine centres across eight countries (NASH 62.9%, advanced fibrosis 17.2%). Independent predictors of NASH were body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 , diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, alanine aminotransferase ≥88 U/L and aspartate aminotransferase ≥38 U/L, constituting the Asia Pacific NASH risk score. A high score has a positive predictive value of 80%-83% for NASH. Independent predictors of advanced fibrosis were age ≥55 years, diabetes mellitus and platelet count <150 × 109 /L, constituting the Asia-Pacific NAFLD advanced fibrosis risk score. A low score has a negative predictive value of 95%-96% for advanced fibrosis. Only 1.7% of patients were referred for structured lifestyle program, 4.2% were on vitamin E, and 2.4% were on pioglitazone.

    CONCLUSIONS: More severe liver disease can be suspected or ruled out based on factors identified in this study. Utilisation of structured lifestyle program, vitamin E and pioglitazone was limited despite this being a cohort of biopsy-proven NAFLD patients with majority of patients having NASH.

  6. Karlas T, Petroff D, Sasso M, Fan JG, Mi YQ, de Lédinghen V, et al.
    Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2018 Apr;47(7):989-1000.
    PMID: 29446106 DOI: 10.1111/apt.14529
    BACKGROUND: Liver fibrosis is often accompanied by steatosis, particularly in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and its non-invasive characterisation is of utmost importance. Vibration-controlled transient elastography is the non-invasive method of choice; however, recent research suggests that steatosis may influence its diagnostic performance. Controlled Attenuation Parameter (CAP) added to transient elastography enables simultaneous assessment of steatosis and fibrosis.

    AIM: To determine how to use CAP in interpreting liver stiffness measurements.

    METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from an individual patient data meta-analysis on CAP. The main exclusion criteria for the current analysis were unknown aetiology, unreliable elastography measurement and data already used for the same research question. Aetiology-specific liver stiffness measurement cut-offs were determined and used to estimate positive and negative predictive values (PPV/NPV) with logistic regression as functions of CAP.

    RESULTS: Two thousand and fifty eight patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria (37% women, 18% NAFLD/NASH, 42% HBV, 40% HCV, 51% significant fibrosis ≥ F2). Youden optimised cut-offs were only sufficient for ruling out cirrhosis (NPV of 98%). With sensitivity and specificity-optimised cut-offs, NPV for ruling out significant fibrosis was moderate (70%) and could be improved slightly through consideration of CAP. PPV for significant fibrosis and cirrhosis were 68% and 55% respectively, despite specificity-optimised cut-offs for cirrhosis.

    CONCLUSIONS: Liver stiffness measurement values below aetiology-specific cut-offs are very useful for ruling out cirrhosis, and to a lesser extent for ruling out significant fibrosis. In the case of the latter, Controlled Attenuation Parameter can improve interpretation slightly. Even if cut-offs are very high, liver stiffness measurements are not very reliable for ruling in fibrosis or cirrhosis.

  7. Zhang H, Rios RS, Boursier J, Anty R, Chan WK, George J, et al.
    Chin Med J (Engl), 2023 Feb 05;136(3):341-350.
    PMID: 36848175 DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000002603
    BACKGROUND: Liver biopsy for the diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is limited by its inherent invasiveness and possible sampling errors. Some studies have shown that cytokeratin-18 (CK-18) concentrations may be useful in diagnosing NASH, but results across studies have been inconsistent. We aimed to identify the utility of CK-18 M30 concentrations as an alternative to liver biopsy for non-invasive identification of NASH.

    METHODS: Individual data were collected from 14 registry centers on patients with biopsy-proven non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and in all patients, circulating CK-18 M30 levels were measured. Individuals with a NAFLD activity score (NAS) ≥5 with a score of ≥1 for each of steatosis, ballooning, and lobular inflammation were diagnosed as having definite NASH; individuals with a NAS ≤2 and no fibrosis were diagnosed as having non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL).

    RESULTS: A total of 2571 participants were screened, and 1008 (153 with NAFL and 855 with NASH) were finally enrolled. Median CK-18 M30 levels were higher in patients with NASH than in those with NAFL (mean difference 177 U/L; standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.87 [0.69-1.04]). There was an interaction between CK-18 M30 levels and serum alanine aminotransferase, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension ( P  

  8. Zheng X, Ratnasekera D, Fan J, Henry RJ, Song BK, Olsen KM, et al.
    Mol Plant, 2024 Mar 05.
    PMID: 38444157 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2024.03.001
  9. Mózes FE, Lee JA, Selvaraj EA, Jayaswal ANA, Trauner M, Boursier J, et al.
    Gut, 2021 May 17.
    PMID: 34001645 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-324243
    OBJECTIVE: Liver biopsy is still needed for fibrosis staging in many patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The aims of this study were to evaluate the individual diagnostic performance of liver stiffness measurement by vibration controlled transient elastography (LSM-VCTE), Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4) and NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) Fibrosis Score (NFS) and to derive diagnostic strategies that could reduce the need for liver biopsies.

    DESIGN: Individual patient data meta-analysis of studies evaluating LSM-VCTE against liver histology was conducted. FIB-4 and NFS were computed where possible. Sensitivity, specificity and area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) were calculated. Biomarkers were assessed individually and in sequential combinations.

    RESULTS: Data were included from 37 primary studies (n=5735; 45% women; median age: 54 years; median body mass index: 30 kg/m2; 33% had type 2 diabetes; 30% had advanced fibrosis). AUROCs of individual LSM-VCTE, FIB-4 and NFS for advanced fibrosis were 0.85, 0.76 and 0.73. Sequential combination of FIB-4 cut-offs (<1.3; ≥2.67) followed by LSM-VCTE cut-offs (<8.0; ≥10.0 kPa) to rule-in or rule-out advanced fibrosis had sensitivity and specificity (95% CI) of 66% (63-68) and 86% (84-87) with 33% needing a biopsy to establish a final diagnosis. FIB-4 cut-offs (<1.3; ≥3.48) followed by LSM cut-offs (<8.0; ≥20.0 kPa) to rule out advanced fibrosis or rule in cirrhosis had a sensitivity of 38% (37-39) and specificity of 90% (89-91) with 19% needing biopsy.

    CONCLUSION: Sequential combinations of markers with a lower cut-off to rule-out advanced fibrosis and a higher cut-off to rule-in cirrhosis can reduce the need for liver biopsies.

  10. Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, Dragicevic M, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2015 Feb 13;114(6):061801.
    PMID: 25723204
    A search for new long-lived particles decaying to leptons is presented using proton-proton collisions produced by the LHC at √[s]=8  TeV. Data used for the analysis were collected by the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7  fb(-1). Events are selected with an electron and muon with opposite charges that both have transverse impact parameter values between 0.02 and 2 cm. The search has been designed to be sensitive to a wide range of models with nonprompt e-μ final states. Limits are set on the "displaced supersymmetry" model, with pair production of top squarks decaying into an e-μ final state via R-parity-violating interactions. The results are the most restrictive to date on this model, with the most stringent limit being obtained for a top squark lifetime corresponding to cτ=2  cm, excluding masses below 790 GeV at 95% confidence level.
  11. Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, Dragicevic M, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2015 Feb 6;114(5):051801.
    PMID: 25699433
    A study of vector boson scattering in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.4  fb(-1) collected with the CMS detector. Candidate events are selected with exactly two leptons of the same charge, two jets with large rapidity separation and high dijet mass, and moderate missing transverse energy. The signal region is expected to be dominated by electroweak same-sign W-boson pair production. The observation agrees with the standard model prediction. The observed significance is 2.0 standard deviations, where a significance of 3.1 standard deviations is expected based on the standard model. Cross section measurements for W(±)W(±) and WZ processes in the fiducial region are reported. Bounds on the structure of quartic vector-boson interactions are given in the framework of dimension-eight effective field theory operators, as well as limits on the production of doubly charged Higgs bosons.
  12. Chatrchyan S, Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2014 Apr 25;112(16):161802.
    PMID: 24815637
    Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top quark (the top squark) and the Higgs boson (Higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7  fb-1 of proton-proton collision data at s=8  TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the top squark mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the Higgsino mass.
  13. CMS Collaboration, Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, et al.
    Eur Phys J C Part Fields, 2014 09 26;74(9):3036.
    PMID: 25814912
    Searches for the direct electroweak production of supersymmetric charginos, neutralinos, and sleptons in a variety of signatures with leptons and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and Higgs bosons are presented. Results are based on a sample of proton-proton collision data collected at center-of-mass energy [Formula: see text] with the CMS detector in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 [Formula: see text]. The observed event rates are in agreement with expectations from the standard model. These results probe charginos and neutralinos with masses up to 720 [Formula: see text], and sleptons up to 260 [Formula: see text], depending on the model details.
  14. Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, Dragicevic M, et al.
    Eur Phys J C Part Fields, 2014 10 15;74(10):3076.
    PMID: 25814871
    Observation of the diphoton decay mode of the recently discovered Higgs boson and measurement of some of its properties are reported. The analysis uses the entire dataset collected by the CMS experiment in proton-proton collisions during the 2011 and 2012 LHC running periods. The data samples correspond to integrated luminosities of 5.1[Formula: see text]at [Formula: see text] and 19.7[Formula: see text]at 8[Formula: see text] . A clear signal is observed in the diphoton channel at a mass close to 125[Formula: see text] with a local significance of [Formula: see text], where a significance of [Formula: see text] is expected for the standard model Higgs boson. The mass is measured to be [Formula: see text] , and the best-fit signal strength relative to the standard model prediction is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]. Additional measurements include the signal strength modifiers associated with different production mechanisms, and hypothesis tests between spin-0 and spin-2 models.
  15. Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Asilar E, Bergauer T, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2016 Feb 19;116(7):071801.
    PMID: 26943527 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.071801
    A search for narrow resonances in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV is presented. The invariant mass distribution of the two leading jets is measured with the CMS detector using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.4  fb^{-1}. The highest observed dijet mass is 6.1 TeV. The distribution is smooth and no evidence for resonant particles is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the production cross section for narrow resonances with masses above 1.5 TeV. When interpreted in the context of specific models, the limits exclude string resonances with masses below 7.0 TeV, scalar diquarks below 6.0 TeV, axigluons and colorons below 5.1 TeV, excited quarks below 5.0 TeV, color-octet scalars below 3.1 TeV, and W^{'} bosons below 2.6 TeV. These results significantly extend previously published limits.
  16. Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Asilar E, Bergauer T, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2016 Jan 22;116(3):032301.
    PMID: 26849587 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.032301
    The production cross sections of the B^{+}, B^{0}, and B_{s}^{0} mesons, and of their charge conjugates, are measured via exclusive hadronic decays in p+Pb collisions at the center-of-mass energy sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The data set used for this analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 34.6  nb^{-1}. The production cross sections are measured in the transverse momentum range between 10 and 60  GeV/c. No significant modification is observed compared to proton-proton perturbative QCD calculations scaled by the number of incoherent nucleon-nucleon collisions. These results provide a baseline for the study of in-medium b quark energy loss in Pb+Pb collisions.
  17. Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, Dragicevic M, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2015 Mar 13;114(10):101801.
    PMID: 25815923
    Results are presented from a search for new decaying massive particles whose presence is inferred from an imbalance in transverse momentum and which are produced in association with a single top quark that decays into a bottom quark and two light quarks. The measurement is performed using 19.7  fb^{-1} of data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. No deviations from the standard model predictions are observed and lower limits are set on the masses of new invisible bosons. In particular, scalar and vector particles, with masses below 330 and 650 GeV, respectively, are excluded at 95% confidence level, thereby substantially extending a previous limit published by the CDF Collaboration.
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