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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most common malignant cancers worldwide, and its development is influenced by inflammation, nutrition, and the immune status. Therefore, we combined C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, and lymphocyte, which could reflect above status, to be the CRPalbumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index, and evaluated its association with overall survival (OS) in patients with CRC. Methods: The clinicopathological and laboratory characteristics of 1260 patients with CRC were collected from the Investigation on Nutrition Status and Clinical Outcome of Common Cancers (INSCOC) study. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the CALLY index and OS. A nomogram including sex, age, the CALLY index and TNM stage was constructed. The Concordance Index (C-index) was utilized to evaluate the prognostic value of the CALLY index and classical CRC prognostic factors, such as modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), neutrocyte to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune inflammation index (SII), and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), as well as to assess the prognostic value of the nomogram and TNM stage. Results: Multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that the CALLY index was independently associated with OS in patients with CRC [Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.87-0.95, P<0.001]. The CALLY index showed the highest prognostic value (C-index = 0.666, 95% CI = 0.638-0.694, P<0.001), followed by mGPS, NLR, SII, and PLR. The nomogram demonstrated higher prognostic value (C-index = 0.784, 95% CI = 0.762-0.807, P<0.001) than the TNM stage. Conclusion: The CALLY index was independently associated with OS in patients with CRC and showed higher prognostic value than classical CRC prognostic factors. The nomogram could provide more accurate prognostic prediction than TNM stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Central obesity is closely related to comorbidity, while the relationship between fat accumulation pattern and abnormal distribution in different parts of the central region of obese people and comorbidity is not clear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between fat distribution in central region and comorbidity among obese participants. Methods: We used observational data of NHANES 2011–2018 to identify 12 obesity-related comorbidities in 7 categories based on questionnaire responses from participants. Fat distribution is expressed by fat ratio, including Android, Gynoid, visceral, subcutaneous, visceral/subcutaneous (V/S), and total abdominal fat ratio. Logistic regression analysis were utilized to elucidate the association between fat distribution and comorbidity. Results: The comorbidity rate was about 54.1% among 4899 obese participants (weighted 60,180,984, 41.35 ± 11.16 years, 57.5% female). There were differences in fat distribution across the sexes and ages. Among men, Android fat ratio (OR, 4.21, 95% CI, 1.54–11.50, Ptrend=0.007), visceral fat ratio (OR, 2.16, 95% CI, 1.42– 3.29, Ptrend<0.001) and V/S (OR, 2.07, 95% CI, 1.43–2.99, Ptrend<0.001) were independent risk factors for comorbidity. Among these, there was a “J” shape correlation between Android fat ratio and comorbidity risk, while visceral fat ratio and V/S exhibited linear relationships with comorbidity risk. The Gynoid fat ratio (OR, 0.87, 95%CI, 0.80–0.95, Ptrend=0.001) and subcutaneous fat ratio (OR, 0.81, 95%CI, 0.67–0.98, Ptrend=0.016) both performed a protective role in the risk of comorbidity. In women, Android fat ratio (OR, 4.65, 95% CI, 2.11–10.24, Ptrend=0.020), visceral fat ratio (OR, 1.83, 95% CI, 1.31–2.56, Ptrend=0.001), and V/ S (OR, 1.80, 95% CI, 1.32–2.45, Ptrend=0.020) were also independent risk factors for comorbidity, with a dose-response relationship similar to that of men. Only the Gynoid fat ratio (OR, 0.93, 95% CI, 0.87–0.99, Ptrend=0.016) had a protective effect on female comorbidity. This association was also seen in obese participants of different age groups, comorbidity numbers, and comorbidity types, although it was more statistically significant in older, complex comorbidity, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and metabolic diseases. Conclusions: In the obese population, there were strong correlation between fat distribution in central region and comorbidity, which was affected by sex, age, number of comorbidities, and type of comorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-inducible protein, mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) has been proven to protect dopaminergic neurons and nondopaminergic cells. Our previous studies had shown that MANF protected against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Here, we developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to dynamically evaluate the therapeutic effects of MANF on ischemia/reperfusion injury. We established a rat focal ischemic model by using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). MRI was performed to investigate the dynamics of lesion formation. MANF protein was injected into the right lateral ventricle at 3 h after reperfusion following MCAO for 90 min, when the obvious lesion firstly appeared according to MRI investigation. T2-weighted imaging for evaluating the therapeutic effects of MANF protein was performed in ischemia/reperfusion injury rats on Days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 post-reperfusion combined with histology methods. The results indicated that the administration of MANF protein at the early stage after ischemia/reperfusion injury decreased the mortality, improved the neurological function, reduced the cerebral infarct volume, and alleviated the brain tissue injury. The findings collected from MRI are consistent with the morphological and pathological changes, which suggest that MRI is a useful technology for evaluating the therapeutic effects of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]