Stroke-associated sarcopenia is a serious post-stroke complication that can have a significant impact on patient’s functional recovery. However， currently available assessment tools for sarcopenia require specialized equipment and personnel， which are difficult to access in resource-limited settings. This article presents the role of biomarkers as an objective method in the pathogenesis， prevention， diagnosis， and prognostic assessment of stroke-associated sarcopenia， with the focus on neuromuscular， inflammatory， metabolic， and nutritional indicators.
Stroke ; Sarcopenia ; Biomarkers

Diarrhea-irritable bowel syndrome （IBS-D） is one of the common functional bowel diseases in clinical practice. Since it pathogenesis is complex and has not been fully elucidated， effective treatment methods remains to be developed for this disease. Establishing the animal models of IBS-D in accordance with the clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and Western medicine helps to reveal the pathogenesis of this disease and improve the treatment plan. The fitting degree of an animal model with clinical characteristics is an indicator to evaluate the effectiveness of the animal model in simulating the disease characteristics of Western medicine and the syndromes of TCM based on the latest diagnostic standards. By reviewing the relevant articles about the animal models of IBS-D， we discovered that rats were the preferred animals for modeling， and the models were mainly induced by single factors， double factors， or the combination of multiple factors. The established animal models mainly present symptoms or signs associated with visceral hypersensitivity or/and gastrointestinal motility abnormalities. The single factor-induced rat models of IBS-D had high fitting degrees with the clinical characteristics of Western medicine but low fitting degrees with the TCM syndromes. The animal models induced by two or more factors had high but varied fitting degrees with the clinical characteristics of Western medicine. In addition， the animal models of IBS-D considering TCM syndromes mainly focuses on the syndrome of liver depression and spleen deficiency， and few models were established for the syndromes of spleen-kidney Yang deficiency， spleen-stomach dampness-heat， spleen deficiency and dampness excess， and cold and heat in complexity. Therefore， it is essential to improve the existing or develop new animal models of IBS-D in the future， so as to provide more tools for deciphering the mechanisms of TCM and Western medicine and developing treatment methods for this disease.

AIM:The objective of this study is to examine the expression of profilin 1(PFN1)in mice with di-abetic nephropathy and determine its association with immune cell infiltration.METHODS:This study presents an analy-sis of PFN1 expression and immune cell infiltration in patients with diabetic nephropathy,utilizing transcriptome expres-sion data from kidney tissue microarray.Additionally,the findings were validated in a diabetic nephropathy mouse model.Sixteen C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into two groups,namely the normal group and the model group,in an equal manner.The model group underwent the establishment of the diabetic nephropathy model through intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin.Subsequently,the expression levels of CD11b,F4/80,CC chemokine receptor 4(CCR4),interleukin-1 receptor type I(IL-1R1),B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax)and caspase-3 in kidney tissue were assessed upon successful establishment of the diabetic nephropathy model.Furthermore,the overexpression of PFN1 was observed in a cellular model of diabetic nephropathy,and the protein expression levels of monocyte chemotactic pro-tein-1(MCP-1)and caspase-3 were assessed.RESULTS:The expression of PFN1 was found to be significantly in-creased in the GSE30122 dataset of transcriptome expression in kidney tissues affected by diabetic nephropathy(P＜0.01).This increase in PFN1 expression was found to be correlated with the presence of macrophages and T cells.Fur-thermore,the renal tissue of the diabetic nephropathy model group exhibited significant pathological changes.In this mod-el group,the expression levels of PFN1,CD11b,F4/80,CCR4,IL-1R1,Bax,Bcl-2,and caspase-3 were all significant-ly increased(P＜0.01).Overexpression of PFN1 could enhance the expression of MCP-1 and caspase-3 proteins.CON-CLUSION:Macrophages and Th17 cells were identified within the renal tissue of mice with diabetic nephropathy,con-comitant with an up-regulation in the expression of PFN1.This up-regulation was observed to facilitate the induction of apoptosis in the context of diabetic nephropathy.

Objective To investigate the causal association of liver function and lipid metabolism levels with sleep disorders based on the Mendelian randomization analysis.Methods The analysis was conducted using the data from genome-wide association studies,with the exposure factors of liver function and lipid metabolism levels(alanine aminotransferase[ALT],aspartate aminotransferase[AST],gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase[GGT],albumin[Alb],serum total protein[TP],total bilirubin[TBil],alkaline phosphatase[ALP],triglyceride[TG],triglyceride-to-glycerol-3-phosphate[TG/G3P]ratio,total cholesterol[TC],high-density lipoprotein cholesterol[HDL-C],low-density lipoprotein cholesterol[LDL-C],poly-unsaturated fatty acids[PUFA],total fatty acids[TFA],PUFA/TFA ratio)and the outcome factor of sleep disorders(nonorganic).The regression models including inverse variance weighted,MR-Egger,Simple mode,weighted median,and Weighted mode were used to perform the Mendelian randomization analysis.Results Serum Alb(odds ratio[OR]=0.728,95%confidence interval[CI]:0.535-0.989,P＜0.05),HDL-C(OR=0.879,95%CI:0.784-0.986,P＜0.05),and PUFA/TFA ratio(OR=0.800,95%CI:0.642-0.998,P＜0.05)were negatively associated with sleep disorders,while TG/G3P ratio(OR=1.222,95%CI:1.044-1.431,P＜0.05)was positively associated with sleep disorders.The results of Mendelian randomization did not show a causal association of ALT,AST,GGT,TP,TBil,ALP,TG,TC,LDL-C,PUFA,and TFA with sleep disorders(all P＞0.05).The results of the MR-Egger intercept test showed no pleiotropy(P＞0.05),and Mendelian randomization was a valid method for causal inference in this study.Conclusion According to the results of the Mendelian randomization analysis,liver function and lipid metabolism show significant association with sleep disorders.Liver function and lipid metabolism can be used as indicators for predicting the risk of sleep disorders and performing intervention.

Mechanical circulatory support(MCS)devices have been widely used in the treatment of heart failure(HF)patients,but the infection problems caused by percutaneous cables for power transfer severely reduces the long-term survival rate of patients.The application of wireless power transfer(WPT)technology to MCS devices,and the realization of wireless power supply and full implantation of the devices is an effective means to reduce infection.WPT technology eliminates the need for percutaneous cables to transmit power,eliminates the infection problem caused by percutaneous cables,and improves the quality of life for patients,which is a more ideal power transmission method for MCS devices.The research progress of four WPT technologies,including transcutaneous energy transfer(TET),free-range resonant electrical energy delivery(FREE-D),coplanar energy transfer(CET)and ultrasound transcutaneous energy transmission(UTET),and the application of WPT technologies in 18 MCS devices were reviewed.The advantages and disadvantages of the existing WPT technologies and the bottlenecks in the application to MCS devices were discussed,and the future development direction was prospected,so as to provide a reference for the subsequent research on WPT for MCS devices.

Syndrome of dampness-heat of spleen and stomach is one of the complex syndromes of the spleen and stomach,which is difficult to differentiate and treat in TCM.According to the theoretical connotation of"attacking it according to its combination",it is suggested that the syndrome of dampness-heat of spleen and stomach should be comprehensively differentiated and treated from five aspects,including"attacking the visible pathogens combined with the invisible ones"(removing dampness and warming yang),"treating the fu-organs sharing interior-exterior relationship with zang-organs"(clearing away damp-heat pathogens of stomach with drugs of bitter taste and cold property),"formulating the treatment according to the likes and dislikes of the five internal organs"(developing a life adjustment plan favored by the spleen and stomach),"administrating drug according to the five organs"(medications according to the spleen and stomach),"weighing the severity and applying the treatment"(pay attention to the details,and treating according to syndrome differentiation).A clinical case is exampled,with the purpose to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of syndrome of dampness-heat of spleen and stomach.

Objective:To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:This study employed a single-center, cross-sectional design combined with online Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. A total of 16 187 pieces of lung function data for COPD screening from the “Happy Breathing” project in the Jingzhou area between September 2021 and October 2023 were initially collected. Cases with missing questionnaire information, failed quality control, or isolated restrictive or small airway dysfunction were excluded, resulting in a final dataset of 3 999 cases, comprising 2 330 non-COPD and 1 669 COPD cases. Binary COPD status was set as the outcome variable, with BMI as the exposure variable. A smooth curve plot was used to depict the relationship between BMI and COPD prevalence; if non-linearity was observed, a two-piece linear regression model was employed to calculate threshold effects, adjusting for potential confounders such as age, sex, smoking history, biomass fuel exposure, and COPD awareness. Subsequently, online genome-wide association study (GWAS) data were utilized for MR analysis to explore any potential causal link between high BMI and COPD development.Results:Analysis of the “Happy Breathing” COPD screening data from the Jingzhou area revealed a nonlinear relationship between BMI and COPD risk. For BMI values <23.7 kg/m2, each 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with an 18% decrease in COPD risk ( OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.79-0.85). However, for BMI >23.7 kg/m2, no significant association was found between increasing BMI and COPD risk ( OR=1.00, 95% CI: 0.96-1.05). MR analysis using online GWAS data suggested no potential causal relationship between high BMI and COPD occurrence, with both heterogeneity and pleiotropy tests yielding P>0.05. Conclusion:There may be a nonlinear relationship between BMI and the risk of COPD, with no apparent association between BMI and COPD risk for values above 23.7 kg/m2.

Background and objective Both of lung cancer incidence and mortality rank first among all cancers in China.Previous lung cancer screening trials were mostly selective screening for high-risk groups such as smokers.Non-smoking women accounted for a considerable proportion of lung cancer cases in Asia.This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of community-based mass screening in Guangzhou and identify the high-risk factors for lung cancer.Methods Residents aged 40-74 years in Guangzhou were screened with low-dose computed tomography(LDCT)for lung cancer and the pulmonary nodules were classified and managed according to China National Lung Cancer Screening Guideline with Low-dose Computed Tomography(2018 version).The detection rate of positive nodules was calculated.Before the LDCT examination,residents were required to complete a"lung cancer risk factors questionnaire".The risk factors of the questionnaire were analyzed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)penalized Logistic regression analysis.Results A total of 6256 residents were included in this study.1228 positive nodules(19.63％)and 117 lung cancers were confirmed,including 6 cases of Tis,103 cases of stage Ⅰ(accounting for 88.03％of lung cancer).The results of LASSO penalized Logistic regression analysis indicated that age ≥50 yr(OR=1.07,95％CI:1.06-1.07),history of cancer(OR=3.29,95％CI:3.22-3.37),textile industry(OR=1.10,95％CI:1.08-1.13),use coal for cooking in childhood(OR=1.14,95％CI:1.13-1.16)and food al-lergy(OR=1.10,95％CI:1.07-1.13)were risk factors of lung cancer for female in this district.Conclusion This study highlighted that numerous early stages of lung cancer cases were detected by LDCT,which could be applied to screen-ing of lung cancer in women.Besides,age ≥50 yr,personal history of cancer,textile industry and use coal for cooking in childhood are risk factors for women in this district,which suggested that it's high time to raise the awareness of early lung cancer screening in this group.

Background::Breast cancer (BC) risk-stratification tools for Asian women that are highly accurate and can provide improved interpretation ability are lacking. We aimed to develop risk-stratification models to predict long- and short-term BC risk among Chinese women and to simultaneously rank potential non-experimental risk factors.Methods::The Breast Cancer Cohort Study in Chinese Women, a large ongoing prospective dynamic cohort study, includes 122,058 women aged 25-70 years old from the eastern part of China. We developed multiple machine-learning risk prediction models using parametric models (penalized logistic regression, bootstrap, and ensemble learning), which were the short-term ensemble penalized logistic regression (EPLR) risk prediction model and the ensemble penalized long-term (EPLT) risk prediction model to estimate BC risk. The models were assessed based on calibration and discrimination, and following this assessment, they were externally validated in new study participants from 2017 to 2020.Results::The AUC values of the short-term EPLR risk prediction model were 0.800 for the internal validation and 0.751 for the external validation set. For the long-term EPLT risk prediction model, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.692 and 0.760 in internal and external validations, respectively. The net reclassification improvement index of the EPLT relative to the Gail and the Han Chinese Breast Cancer Prediction Model (HCBCP) models for external validation was 0.193 and 0.233, respectively, indicating that the EPLT model has higher classification accuracy.Conclusions::We developed the EPLR and EPLT models to screen populations with a high risk of developing BC. These can serve as useful tools to aid in risk-stratified screening and BC prevention.

Objective To provide a reference for the selection of frailty assessment tools for stroke patients by conducting a literature review of existing frailty assessment tools for stroke patients. Methods Systematic searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, EMbase, SinoMed, Wanfang, VIP, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) databases from their inception to May 2023. The literature that met the research purpose and question were screened, and the basic information of each article, including the first author, publication year, country of publication, type of research design, name of the assessment tool, dimensions of scale, the number of items, and assessment time, was extracted. Results A total of 1, 729 articles were retrieved in this study. After multiple screenings, 22 articles (including 8 frailty assessment tools) were ultimately included. The analysis results showed that the evaluation indicators, evaluation time, and evaluation methods of the 8 frailty assessment tools were different and had their own advantages and disadvantages. Among them, the frailty index was the most commonly used frailty assessment tool for stroke patients. The selection of effective frailty assessment tools for stroke patients is essential for strengthening prestroke risk stratification and improving poststroke outcomes. Conclusion There are significant differences among different frailty assessment tools, and existing assessment tools have limitations in measuring frailty in stroke patients. Comprehensive assessments should be conducted in combination with clinicians' experience and judgment. New frailty assessment tools are needed in future research to better guide the rehabilitation treatment and management of stroke patients.