During liver injury, early pathological changes may go unnoticed, delaying the diagnosis until the disease has advanced to stages such as fibrosis, cirrhosis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatic fibrosis is a sign of long-term liver injury that leads toward permanent liver damage. It involves the buildup of too much extracellular matrix (ECM) and is activated by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). The transforming growth factor-β1...

Taiwan, located at the northernmost extent of Huxley’s Line, marks the furthest point along this biogeographic boundary where exchanges of flora and fauna occur. The genus Piper , a globally distributed and taxonomically complex group of both economic and evolutionary importance, has a convoluted taxonomic history in this transitional zone that requires comprehensive study. Here, we integrate morphological, molecular, and dist...