Aim:In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the histological fibrosis stage of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and serum connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) to determine the usefulness of this relationship in clinical practice.Methods:Serum samples were collected from 51 patients with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 28 healthy controls, and serum levels of CTGF were assayed by ELISA.Results:Levels of CTGF were significantly higher in patients with NAFLD compared with controls (P= 0.001). The serum CTGF levels were significantly increased, that correlated with histological fibrosis stage, in patients with NAFLD [in patients with no fibrosis (stage 0) 308.2 ± 142.9, with mild fibrosis (stage 1–2) 519.9±375.2 and with advanced fibrosis (stage 3–4) 1353.2 ± 610 ng/l,P< 0.001]. Also serum level of CTGF was found as an independent predictor of histological fibrosis stage in patients with NAFLD (β= 0.662,t= 5.6,P< 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was estimated 0.931 to separate patients with severe fibrosis from patients with other fibrotic stages.Conclusion:Serum levels of CTGF may be a clinical utility for distinguishing NAFLD patients with and without advanced fibrosis.

This study aimed to examine the mediator role of self-compassion in the relationship between self-concept and communication skills of emerging adults, using a correlational research survey method to survey the impressions of 206 university students from various institutions across Turkey. The respondents were asked to fill out Social Comparison Scale, Self-Compassion Scale, and Communication Skills Scale to reveal that self-compassion partially mediated the relationship between self-concept and communication skills. Bootstrapping also showed that the indirect effect of self-concept on communication skills through self-compassion was significant. Individuals between adulthood and adolescence were found to perform the tasks expected of adolescence and ensure quality and satisfaction in life after graduation.The results revealed the connection between strong communication skills and positive self-concept and the fact that this connection can be addressed through self-compassion. Given that the most common reasons for university students to apply for psychological counseling concern problems around self-concept and communication/socialization, the inclusion of psycho-educational content in the concept of self-compassion in programs related to communication skills, using methods such as self-compassion awareness exercises can make a significant contribution in practice.