Objective To explore the correlation between nutritional status and frailty in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), and to provide suggestions for the prevention of frailty occurrence in elderly patients with CVD. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 357 elderly CVD patients who were admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu Medical College from May 2024 to July 2024. These patients were divided into a frailty group and a non-frailty group based on the presence or absence of frailty. Data on the patients' nutritional status indicators [body mass index (BMI), weight loss, calf circumference, albumin, and grip strength], general demographic and clinical data, laboratory and physiological indicators, and functional and activity indicators were collected. The influencing factors of frailty and the correlation between nutritional status indicators and frailty were analyzed. Results Among the 357 patients, 69 cases (19.33%) were detected with frailty, while 288 (80.67%) were without frailty. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age (OR=1.120, 95% CI: 1.023–1.225) and weight loss (OR=2.776, 95% CI: 1.145–6.732) were risk factors influencing the occurrence of frailty in elderly CVD patients (P<0.05), while grip strength (OR=0.902, 95% CI: 0.831–0.980), albumin level (OR=0.892, 95% CI: 0.806–0.988), and calf circumference (OR=0.900, 95% CI: 0.829–0.978) were protective factors of frailty occurrence in elderly CVD patients (P<0.05). Conclusion The incidence rate of frailty is relatively high in elderly patients with CVD. Age and weight loss are independent risk factors for frailty, while high grip strength level, high albumin level, and large calf circumference are independent protective factors of frailty.

This paper summarizes Professor WANG Yaoxian's experience in treating diabetic kidney disease （DKD） from the perspective of spleen and stomach based on the "internal heat leading to concretions" theory. It is considered that internal heat leading to concretions constitutes the core pathogenesis of DKD， with the spleen and stomach serving as the source of internal heat； therefore， treatment should be based on regulating the spleen and stomach. In the early stage of DKD， dysfunction of the spleen and stomach leads to the initial generation of internal heat. Common syndrome patterns include gastrointestinal heat accumulation and constrained heat in the liver and stomach， for which modified Gegen Qinlian Decoction （葛根芩连汤） can be used to clear heat bind while modified Dachaihu Decoction （大柴胡汤） is used to clear stomach and soothe liver， respectively. In the middle stage of DKD， weakness of the spleen and stomach results in the initial formation of concretions and conglomerations. Common patterns include spleen deficiency with prevalence of dampness and deficiency of both the spleen and kidney. Treatment emphasizes strengthening the spleen and resolving dampness， raising yang and boosting the stomach with modified Shengyang Yiwei Decoction （升阳益胃汤）， or supplementing spleen and boosting kidney， dissipating bind and dispe-ring concretions with modified Shenqi Dihuang Decoction （参芪地黄汤）， respectively. In the late stage of DKD， it is characterized by spleen and stomach depletion， and rampant accumulation of turbidity and toxin， and the common syndrome patterns are damp-turbidity obstruction in the middle jiao （焦） and spleen-kidney yang deficiency. Treatment aims to remove turbidity and harmonize the stomach， or to warm the kidney and strengthen the spleen while elimina-ting turbidity， using modified Dahuang Gancao Decoction（大黄甘草汤） and Jupi Zhuru Decoction （橘皮竹茹汤） or modified Baoyuan Decoction （保元汤） and Lizhong Decoction （理中汤）， respectively. In clinical practice， appropriate formulas and medications are flexibly selected according to specific syndromes.

Acute pancreatitis(AP)is a frequently encountered acute abdominal syndrome in clinical settings,and the integrated model of traditional Chinese and Western medicine(TCM-WM)has demonstrated notable advantages in the diagnosis and treatment of AP.To systematize and standardize clinical practices related to develop clinical pathway for integrated TCM-WM diagnosis and treatment of AP,which enhances the efficiency and quality of patient care.This pathway focuses on AP,a common acute and life-threatening disease within the digestive system,and outlines that the central pathological mechanism involves pancreatic injury and localized inflammation resulting from the abnormal activation of pancreatic enzymes.It has the characteristics of rapid onset,multiple causes,and complex manifestations.Severe cases can be life-threatening.At present,conventional treatments encompass a diverse range of modalities.Moreover,traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)holds distinct advantages in alleviating relevant symptoms,and TCM-WM is gaining increasing prevalence.To enhance the standardization and consistency of diagnostic and therapeutic practices,this clinical pathway clearly delineates the target patient population,which includes individuals diagnosed with abdominal pain disorder according to TCM and with AP in accordance with WM criteria,as well as the corresponding inclusion standards.The diagnostic framework integrates both TCM and WM guidelines,and further incorporates disease staging,severity grading,and syndrome differentiation to support a comprehensive and integrated diagnostic strategy.The treatment integrates approaches from both TCM and WM.Within the WM framework,interventions consist of basic supportive care,infection control,nutritional support,and the management of complications.In the context of TCM,the protocol includes syndrome differentiation and corresponding therapeutic strategies(Distinct syndrome patterns are identified and managed during the acute and convalescent phases),such as acupuncture and retention enema.This clinical pathway addresses multiple key components,including preventive strategies,post-treatment follow-up,criteria for evaluating therapeutic efficacy,admission and discharge,admission examination protocols,discharge criteria,and the rationale for deviations or withdrawal from the pathway.It is designed to provide a systematic and standardized reference framework for relevant clinical practices.

BACKGROUND: The contraction behaviors of cardiomyocytes (CMs), especially contraction synchrony, are crucial factors reflecting their maturity and response to drugs. A wider field of view helps to observe more pronounced synchrony differences, but the accompanied greater computational load, requiring more computing power or longer computational time. METHODS: We proposed a method that directly correlates variations in optical field brightness with cardiac tissue contraction status (CVB method), based on principles from physics and photometry, for rapid video analysis in wide field of view to obtain contraction parameters, such as period and contraction propagation direction and speed. RESULTS: Through video analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived CMs labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) cultured on aligned and random nanofiber scaffolds, the CVB method was demonstrated to obtain contraction parameters and quantify the direction and speed of contraction within regions of interest (ROIs) in wide field of view. The CVB method required less computation time compared to one of the contour tracking methods, the LucasKanade (LK) optical flow method, and provided better stability and accuracy in the results. CONCLUSION This method has a smaller computational load, is less affected by motion blur and out-of-focus conditions, and provides a potential tool for accurate and rapid analysis of cardiac tissue contraction synchrony in wide field of view without the need for more powerful hardware.

BACKGROUND: The contraction behaviors of cardiomyocytes (CMs), especially contraction synchrony, are crucial factors reflecting their maturity and response to drugs. A wider field of view helps to observe more pronounced synchrony differences, but the accompanied greater computational load, requiring more computing power or longer computational time. METHODS: We proposed a method that directly correlates variations in optical field brightness with cardiac tissue contraction status (CVB method), based on principles from physics and photometry, for rapid video analysis in wide field of view to obtain contraction parameters, such as period and contraction propagation direction and speed. RESULTS: Through video analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived CMs labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) cultured on aligned and random nanofiber scaffolds, the CVB method was demonstrated to obtain contraction parameters and quantify the direction and speed of contraction within regions of interest (ROIs) in wide field of view. The CVB method required less computation time compared to one of the contour tracking methods, the LucasKanade (LK) optical flow method, and provided better stability and accuracy in the results. CONCLUSION This method has a smaller computational load, is less affected by motion blur and out-of-focus conditions, and provides a potential tool for accurate and rapid analysis of cardiac tissue contraction synchrony in wide field of view without the need for more powerful hardware.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the predominant cause of subfertility in reproductive-aged women; however, its pathophysiology remains unknown. Neurotensin (NTS) is a member of the gut-brain peptide family and is involved in ovulation; its relationship with PCOS is unclear. Here, we found that NTS expression in ovarian granulosa cells and follicular fluids was markedly decreased in patients with PCOS. In the in vitro culture of cumulus-oocyte complexes, the neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1) antagonist SR48692 blocked cumulus expansion and oocyte meiotic maturation by inhibiting metabolic cooperation and damaging the mitochondrial structure in oocytes and surrounding cumulus cells. Furthermore, the ERK1/2-early growth response 1 pathway was found to be a key downstream mediator of NTS/NTSR1 in the ovulatory process. Animal studies showed that in vivo injection of SR48692 in mice reduced ovulation efficiency and contributed to irregular estrus cycles and polycystic ovary morphology. By contrast, NTS partially ameliorated the ovarian abnormalities in mice with dehydroepiandrosterone-induced PCOS. Our findings highlighted the critical role of NTS reduction and consequent abnormal NTSR1 signaling in the ovulatory dysfunction of PCOS, suggesting a potential strategy for PCOS treatment.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/physiopathology* ; Female ; Animals ; Neurotensin/metabolism* ; Receptors, Neurotensin/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Mice ; Ovulation/drug effects* ; Humans ; Granulosa Cells/metabolism* ; Adult ; Oocytes/metabolism* ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Signal Transduction ; Follicular Fluid/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/analogs & derivatives*

BACKGROUND: The contraction behaviors of cardiomyocytes (CMs), especially contraction synchrony, are crucial factors reflecting their maturity and response to drugs. A wider field of view helps to observe more pronounced synchrony differences, but the accompanied greater computational load, requiring more computing power or longer computational time. METHODS: We proposed a method that directly correlates variations in optical field brightness with cardiac tissue contraction status (CVB method), based on principles from physics and photometry, for rapid video analysis in wide field of view to obtain contraction parameters, such as period and contraction propagation direction and speed. RESULTS: Through video analysis of human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived CMs labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) cultured on aligned and random nanofiber scaffolds, the CVB method was demonstrated to obtain contraction parameters and quantify the direction and speed of contraction within regions of interest (ROIs) in wide field of view. The CVB method required less computation time compared to one of the contour tracking methods, the LucasKanade (LK) optical flow method, and provided better stability and accuracy in the results. CONCLUSION This method has a smaller computational load, is less affected by motion blur and out-of-focus conditions, and provides a potential tool for accurate and rapid analysis of cardiac tissue contraction synchrony in wide field of view without the need for more powerful hardware.

Objective To investigate necroptosis-related diagnostic biomarkers of bronchopulmo-nary dysplasia(BPD)and their relationships with the immune microenvironment through the analysis of necroptosis-related genes(NRGs)in BPD.Methods The dataset GSE32472 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database,and NRGs were obtained from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway and Gene Cards databases.Differentially expressed necroptosis-related genes(DE-NRGs)were screened,and their biological functions and pathways were explored through functional enrichment analysis.Machine learning algorithms,inclu-ding least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination(SVM-RFE),were applied to screen feature genes.The Cell-type Ⅰdentification By Estimating Relative Subsets of RNA Transcripts(CIBERSORT)algorithm and the Estimation of Stromal and Immune Cells in Malignant Tumor Tissues using Expression Data(ESTIMATE)algo-rithm were used to explore the immune infiltration characteristics of BPD.Spearman correlation anal-ysis between feature genes and immune cells was performed using the"corrplot"package in R lan-guage.Results A total of 19 DE-NRGs were identified.The main biological functions and path-ways of DE-NRGs included the regulation of necroptosis and inflammatory responses.Three feature genes,namely flotillin-2(FLOT2),CASP8 and FADD-like apoptosis regulators(CFLAR),and charged multivesicular body protein 7(CHMP7),were further screened to construct a nomogram.In the validation sets GSE8586 and GSE188944,the area under the curve(AUC)values were all greater than 0.7.CIBERSORT analysis revealed that BPD group presented a higher proportion of naive B cells,neutrophils,eosinophils and resting mast cells compared to control group(P＜0.05).Meanwhile,the proportion of CD8+T cells,CD4+naive T cells,CD4+resting memory T cells,regulatory T cells,resting natural killer(NK)cells,M0 macrophages,M2 macrophages and activated dendritic cells was lower than that in the control group(P＜0.05).ESTIMATE analysis showed that the stromal score in the BPD group was higher than that in the control group,while the immune score was lower,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).Correlation analysis between the three feature genes and ESTIMATE scores indicated that FLOT2 and CFLAR were posi-tively correlated with the stromal score and negatively correlated with the immune score,whereas CHMP7 was positively correlated with the immune score and negatively correlated with the stromal score.Conclusion The three necroptosis-related feature genes can serve as diagnostic biomarkers for BPD-related necroptosis,with high diagnostic efficacy.They may play an important roles through immune mechanisms,providing new insights and theoretical references for the early diagnosis and immune intervention of BPD.

Objective To investigate the correlations of interleukin-1 β(IL-1β)level and per-centage of CD16+CD56+natural killer(NK)cells in peripheral blood with severity of disease in pa-tients with pulmonary tuberculosis.Methods A total of 150 patients with active pulmonary tubercu-losis(APTB)in the Suqian First People's Hospital from January 1,2021 to September 1,2023 were selected as APTB group,and 150 patients with inactive pulmonary tuberculosis(IPTB)in the same period were selected as IPTB group.Level of IL-1 β and percentage of CD16+CD56+NK cells in pe-ripheral blood of patients with different disease severities were compared,and their correlations with severity of disease were analyzed.Results In the APTB group,level of IL-1 β in the peripheral blood was significantly higher than that in the IPTB group,while the percentage of CD16+CD56+NK cells was significantly lower(P＜0.001).In the mild,moderate,and severe groups,level of IL-1 βshowed a significant gradual increasing trend in peripheral blood,while the percentage of CD16+CD56+NK cells showed a significant gradual decreasing trend(P＜0.001).After treatment,the level of IL-1β in the peripheral blood decreased significantly,while the percentage of CD16+CD56+NK cells increased significantly in the APTB group(P＜0.001).Correlation analysis revealed that level of IL-1β in the peripheral blood of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis was positively correlated with severity of disease(r=0.732,P＜0.001),while the percentage of CD16+CD56+NK cells was negatively correlated with severity of disease(r=-0.612,P＜0.001).Conclusion Level of IL-1β in the peripheral blood is elevated while the percentage of CD16+CD56+NK cells is de-creased in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis,which is closely related to the severity of APTB.

The Huangdi Neijing proposes the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory to guide clinical prescription and formulation of herbal remedies based on the physiological characteristics and functions of the five zang viscera, along with the properties and flavors of medicinal herbs. This study explored diabetic kidney disease pathogenesis and treatment based on the " using bitter herbs to nourish or purge" theory. Kidney dryness is a key pathological factor in diabetic kidney disease, and the disharmony of kidney dryness is an essential aspect of its pathogenesis. Strengthening is the primary therapeutic principle, and kidney dryness is a persistent factor throughout the occurrence and progression of diabetic kidney disease. In the early stage, the pathogenesis involves heat-consuming qi and injuring yin, leading to kidney dryness. In the middle stage, the pathogenesis manifests as qi deficiency and blood stasis in the collaterals, resulting in turbidity owing to kidney dryness. In the late stage, the pathogenesis involves yin and yang deficiency, with kidney dryness and disharmony. This study proposes the staging-based treatment based on the " need for firmness" characteristic of the kidney. The aim is to provide new insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine by rationally using pungent, bitter, and salty medicinal herbs to nourish and moisturize the kidney. This approach seeks to promote precise syndrome differentiation and personalized treatment for different stages of diabetic kidney disease, thereby enhancing clinical efficacy.