Liver vessel density can be evaluated by an imaging biomarker diffusion-derived vessel density (DDVD) DDVD/area(b0b2) = Sb0/ROIarea0 - Sb2/ROIarea2, where Sb0 and Sb2 refer to the liver signal when b is 0 or 2 (s/mm2); ROIarea0 and ROIarea2 refer to the region of interest (ROI) on b = 0 or 2 images; and Sb2 may be replaced by Sb15 (b = 15). This concept was validated in this study. Liver diffusion images were acquired at 1.5 T. For a scan-rescan repeatability study of six subjects, b values of 0 and 2 were used. The validation study was composed of 26 healthy volunteers and 19 consecutive suspected chronic viral hepatitis B patients, and diffusion images with b values of 0, 2, 15, 20, 30, 45, 50, 60, 80, 100, 200, 300, 600, and 800 were acquired. Four patients did not have liver fibrosis, and the rest were four stage 1, three stage 2, four stage 3, and one stage 4 patients, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient for repeatability was 0.994 for DDVD/area(Sb0Sb2) and 0.978 for DDVD/area(Sb0Sb15). In the validation study, DDVD/area(Sb0Sb2) and area(Sb0Sb15) were 14.80 ± 3.06 and 26.58 ± 3.97 for healthy volunteers, 10.51 ± 1.51 and 20.15 ± 2.21 for stage 1-2 fibrosis patients, and 9.42 ± 0.87 and 19.42 ± 1.89 for stage 3-4 fibrosis patients. For 16 patients where IVIM analysis was performed, a combination of DDVD/area, PF, and Dfast achieved the best differentiation for nonfibrotic livers and fibrotic livers. DDVD/area were weakly correlated with PF or Dfast. Both DDVD/area(Sb0Sb2) and area(Sb0Sb15) are useful imaging biomarkers to separate fibrotic and nonfibrotic livers, with fibrotic livers having lower measurements.Curcumin is known as an effective anticancer herbal medicine but unfortunately, its bioavailability is poor which necessitate efforts for developing more efficient and specific delivery systems. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER 2) due to its overexpression in various types of cancers, is demonstrated to be a good candidate as a target for anticancer therapy. In this study, cytotoxicity of curcumin encapsulated in ZHER2342 Affibody-decorated liposome was investigated against SKBR3 and MCF-7 cancerous cell lines. Curcumin-containing liposomes were prepared from soybeans lecetin and cholesterol by thin-film hydration method. Affibody ZHER2342 molecules via C-terminal cysteine residue were conjugated covalently to the prepared liposomes. Particle size analysis was performed using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Curcumin loading was measured using UV-Vis spectrophotometry and cytotoxic activity of curcumin formulations against cancerous cell lines was investigated by MTT assay. Induction of apoptosis was investigated using flow cytometry through Annexin V staining. Particle analysis showed the formation of spherical liposomes with a mean diameter of about 150 nm. Cytotoxic activity of curcumin was improved by its encapsulation in both liposomes and affibody-decorated liposomes. The Annexin V staining indicated the induction of apoptosis by affibody-decorated liposomes in both MCF-7 and SKBR3 cells. Decoration of curcumin-loaded liposomes with affibody ZHER2342 may improve curcumin apoptotic function independently of HER2 expression level.Apraxia occurs frequently in patients with dementia. Buccofacial apraxia (BFA) characteristics have been less investigated than limb or speech apraxia. An association between BFA and oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) in old patients with dementia has not yet been explored. We aimed to assess the prevalence of BFA in patients with dementia and evaluate the relationship between BFA, OD, and dementia. We have prospectively included 117 outpatients with dementia referred to a geriatric consultation. Oropharyngeal dysphagia was diagnosed using the volume viscosity swallowing test (V-VST). Buccofacial apraxia was evaluated by miming 7 meaningless gestures. A complementary geriatric assessment of 6-domains completed the evaluation. Buccofacial apraxia was present in 54 (48.6%) patients. Proxies reported OD more frequently in the group of patients with BFA compared to the group without (P = .04). Prevalence of OD assessed with the V-VST was similar between patients with and without apraxia (P = .9). Patients with BFA had a significant lower Mini-Mental State Examination suggesting a more severe cognitive decline (18.1 ± 4.5 vs 15.8 ± 5, P = .01), a lower activities of daily living relative to disabilities (5 ± 0.8 vs 4.3 ± 1.3, P = .001), and had a lower gait speed that indicated frailty (P = .03).In conclusion, our results indicate a relationship between BFA and severity of dementia, disability, and frailty with no significant association between BFA and OD.Objective Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4), also known as CD26, is a transmembrane glycoprotein with peptidase activity expressed on epithelial cells and some immune cells. It also occurs as a soluble form. Studies have revealed that the expression level of lymphocyte sCD26/sDPP4 was elevated in the asthmatic patients. Airway remodeling increases in asthma severity and these structural changes include, amongst others, the loss of epithelial integrity because of cell shedding, goblet cell hyperplasia, destruction of ciliated cells, and EMT. So we try to find whether sCD26/sDPP4 has a role in pathological/dysregulated transition from bronchial epithelial cells into fibroblasts cells in response to TGFβ1 exposure in vitro. Therefore, our purpose in the present work was to identify the role of sCD26/sDPP4 in airway EMT regulation. Methods The EMT cell model was established based on human 16HBE cells. The effects of sCD26/sDPP4 and its inhibitors on airway EMT and that of sCD26/sDPP4 on Th17/IL-17 and its role in airway EMT were investigated in vitro. Results The mRNA and protein level of E-Cadherin decreased after the treatment of TGF-β1 in 16HBE cells, while α-SMA was up-regulated. The level of E-Cadherin was significantly down-regulated after the sCD26/sDPP4 stimulation, and that of α-SMA was dramatically elevated. DPP4 inhibitors promoted the level of E-cadherin and inhibited that of α-SMA. Additionally, in the DPP4-treated IL-17 cells group, E-Cadherin was markedly down-regulated at the mRNA and protein level, while α-SMA was reversely up-regulated.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/1-azakenpaullone.html  Conclusion The TGF-β1-induced EMT of human bronchial epithelial cells could be promoted by sCD26/sDPP4. The suppression of EMT in human bronchial epithelial cells was achieved by DPP4 inhibitor, and the TGF-β1-mediated EMT of human airway cells was promoted by the synergy of IL-17 and sCD26/sDPP4 in vitro.