Publications by authors named "Min Weng"
Diagnostic Criteria for Cancer-Associated Cachexia: Insights from a Multicentre Cohort Study.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
February 2025
Background: To explore the association between cachexia, as defined by different diagnostic criteria, and the risk of mortality in individuals with cancer. We also examined which diagnostic criteria are more feasible and appropriate for cancer-associated cachexia in clinical practice.
Methods: A multicentre cohort study was conducted, which involved 5769 participants with cancer.
Background: Comorbidities may complicate medical situations and have an impact on the treatment decisions and poor survival of cancer patients. How comorbidities cluster together and ultimately affect patients' outcomes in gastrointestinal tract cancer (GTC) is a poorly understood area.
Methods: In a multicenter prospective observational study from 2012 to 2021, we grouped the comorbidities of patients with GTC by latent class analysis, obtaining two comorbidity classes.
Malnutrition substantially contributes to adverse clinical outcomes. However, no national survey has been conducted to characterize its epidemiology in hospital settings in China. We conducted the China Nutrition Fundamental Data 2020 project among a multistage stratified cluster sample of adult inpatients from 291 study sites across 30 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities (except for Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Province, and the Xizang Autonomous Region, please see MATERIALS AND METHODS for details of the causes) of China to generate reliable data on the prevalence of malnutrition and explore the associated risk factors.
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- Smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer, and nicotine metabolism-related genes (NRGs) are linked to its progression, but their specific roles in bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) are not fully understood.
- Researchers identified NRGs and used various machine learning techniques to create a four-gene signature that accurately predicts prognosis and response to immunotherapy in bladder cancer patients.
- The study highlights MKRN1's role in influencing bladder cancer cell behavior, suggesting that targeting this gene may improve treatment outcomes and provide insights for clinical strategies.
Article Synopsis
- - The study evaluated the combined prognostic value of calf circumference (CC) and serum albumin to predict mortality in cancer cachexia patients aged 65 and older, utilizing a new index called the calf circumference-albumin (CCA) index.
- - Involving 5322 older patients, results showed that the CCA index was more effective at predicting mortality compared to using CC or albumin alone, with better differentiating power indicated by a C index of 0.639.
- - The CCA index, especially in patients with higher scores, significantly correlated with lower mortality rates, suggesting its potential for improved clinical management of older cancer patients experiencing cachexia.
Unlocking Semantic Information Representation in Bar Graph Design.
IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph
July 2024
Bar graphs are routinely used in academic works, official reports, and mass media. Prior studies have focused on the comprehension of numerical information in bar graph design but have largely ignored the semantic information representation. Actually, along with the escalating need to convey semantic information beyond numerical data, unconventional bar graphs emerge and catch increasing eyes, highlighting the necessity of unlocking semantic information representation in bar graph design.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a globally increasing health epidemic. Lifestyle intervention is recommended as the main therapy for NAFLD. However, the optimal approach is still unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Body weight and its changes have been associated with cancer outcomes. However, the associations of short-term peridiagnosis weight dynamics in standardized, clinically operational time frames with cancer survival remain largely unknown. This study aimed to screen for and evaluate the optimal indicator of short-term peridiagnosis weight dynamics to predict overall survival (OS) in patients with cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground & Aims: The key step of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) is nutritional risk screening, while the most appropriate screening tool for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is yet unknown. The GLIM diagnosis relies on weight loss information, and bias or even failure to recall patients' historical weight can cause misestimates of malnutrition. We aimed to compare the suitability of several screening tools in GLIM diagnosis, and establish machine learning (ML) models to predict malnutrition in CRC patients without weight loss information.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Systemic inflammation and skeletal muscle strength play crucial roles in the development and progression of cancer cachexia. In this study we aimed to evaluate the combined prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and handgrip strength (HGS) for survival in patients with cancer cachexia.
Methods: This multicenter cohort study involved 1826 patients with cancer cachexia.
Background: Although the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) is a reference standard used to assess a patient's nutrition status, it is cumbersome to administer. The aim of the present study was to estimate the value of a simpler and easier-to-use modified PG-SGA (mPG-SGA) to evaluate the nutrition status and need for intervention in patients with malignant tumors present in at least two organs.
Methods: A total of 591 patients (343 male and 248 female) were included from the INSCOC study.
Article Synopsis
- C-type lectin (CTL) from T. spiralis facilitates parasite invasion by binding to syndecan-1 (SDC-1) on intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which alters tight junction protein expression and promotes larval invasion.
- The study demonstrates that this binding activates the STAT3 signaling pathway, leading to a decrease in gut barrier integrity by reducing expression of key tight junction proteins like occludin.
- Results indicate that inhibiting SDC-1 synthesis or the STAT3 pathway can block CTL's effects on gut epithelial cells, suggesting a potential vaccine target against T. spiralis infections.
Background: A novel serine proteinase of Trichinells spiralis (TsSPc) has been identified in the excretion/secretion (ES) antigens, but its role in larval invasion is unclear. The aim of this study was to clone and express TsSPc, identify its biological and biochemical characteristics, and investigate its role on larval invasion of gut epithelium during T. spiralis infection.
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- The study assessed sarcopenia (muscle loss) in a large group of cancer patients and its impact on prognosis, finding that 33% of 13,761 patients had sarcopenia.
- Age was identified as the most significant risk factor for sarcopenia, with those affected experiencing worse nutritional status and quality of life.
- Sarcopenia was linked to higher mortality rates in cancer patients, suggesting it is a critical consideration in managing cancer care.
Background & Aims: The present study aimed to compare the ability of the GLIM criteria, PG-SGA and mPG-SGA to diagnose malnutrition and predict survival among Chinese lung cancer (LC) patients.
Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a multicenter, prospective, nationwide cohort study, 6697 LC inpatients were enrolled between July 2013 and June 2020. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), area under the curve (AUC), and quadratic weighted Kappa coefficients were calculated to compare the ability to diagnose malnutrition.
Malnutrition is a common comorbidity among patients with cancer. However, no nutrition-screening tool has been recognized in this population. A quick and easy screening tool for nutrition with high sensitivity and easy-to-use is needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Changes in body composition and systemic inflammation are important characteristics of cancer cachexia. This multi-centre retrospective study aimed to explore the prognostic value of the combination of body composition and systemic inflammation in patients with cancer cachexia.
Methods: The modified advanced lung cancer inflammation index (mALI), which combines body composition and systemic inflammation, was defined as appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) × serum albumin/neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio.
Triceps skinfold-albumin index significantly predicts the prognosis of cancer cachexia: A multicentre cohort study.
J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle
February 2023
Background: The fat mass and nutritional status play important roles in the onset and progression of cancer cachexia. The present study evaluated the joint prognostic value of the fat mass, as indicated by the triceps skinfold thickness (TSF), and the serum albumin level, for mortality in patients with cancer cachexia.
Methods: We performed a multicentre cohort study including 5134 patients with cancer cachexia from January 2013 to April 2019.
Article Synopsis
- Trichinella spiralis is a dangerous foodborne parasite, and developing a vaccine targeting it is crucial for ensuring meat safety in food animals.
- The study focused on a protein called Tsgal found on the parasite, which was used to create a vaccine using Lactobacillus plantarum to elicit immune responses in mice.
- Results showed that the vaccine successfully triggered specific immune responses and significantly reduced the number of adult worms in the intestines of vaccinated mice, showcasing its potential as a protective measure against Trichinella infections.
Since Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) method was proposed, few studies have applied these new criteria to hematological tumors. In this study, we explored the prevalence of malnutrition according to the GLIM criteria and scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (sPG-SGA) and their association with 1-year, 3-year and 5-year mortality among patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Malnutrition of all patients were assessed by GLIM criteria and sPG-SGA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: A short instrument would enhance the viability of a study. Therefore, we aimed to shorten the specific module (SPD-10) of the Quality of Life Instrument for Chronic Diseases - Chronic Renal Failure (QLICD-CRF) for assessing the quality of life of patients with chronic renal failure.
Methods: The 10-item SPD-10 was self-administered to 164 patients with chronic renal failure.
Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effect of sophocarpine on the progression of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and the underlying molecular mechanism.
Methods: DU145 and PC3 cells (two CRPC cell lines), incubated with different concentrations of sophocarpine, were used. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, real-time cellular analysis, and colony formation assay were conducted to evaluate the proliferation of CRPC cells.