1.Spinal cord plasticity and the effect of step training on functional recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury
Chaoqun YE ; Tiansheng SUN ; Yanhua CAI ; Feng YUE ; Congcong QIN
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2010;32(9):645-648
Objective To explore neural plasticity around an injured region of the spinal cord and the effects of step training on functional recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 24) were induced with spinal cord contusion at T10 and divided into a step training group and a control group ( 12 rats in each). Training started from the 7th day post-injury and lasted for (20 ± 10)min per day, 5 days per week, for 9 weeks. Treadmill speeds were 3 m/min at the beginning, and adjusted daily according to each rat's tolerance up to 11 m/min or more. The functional recovery was measured weekly with the open-field locomotor rating scale of Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB score). The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament protein (NF) and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) in the spinal cord around the injured region were detected. Results After 70 days of step training, the average BBB score of the step training group reached ( 12.86 ± 0.94 ), significantly higher than that of the control group ( 10.71 ± 0.95 ). The expression of NF and GAP-43 around the injured region increased significantly more in the step training group than among the controls. Conclusions Step training can promote functional recovery and neural plasticity in rats after incomplete SCI.
2.Application of time series model in prediction of nosocomial infection for cancer patients
Congcong XIA ; Lijuan WANG ; Lixia CAI ; Shujing ZHANG ; Yuan WANG ; Yan ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Infectious Diseases 2021;39(4):199-203
Objective:To investigate the applicability of time series model in predicting incidence of nosocomial infection in a cancer center in Shanghai, and to provide the references for early warning and prevention.Methods:The nosocomial infection data of inpatients of a tertiary oncology hospital in Shanghai from 2013 to 2018 were collected. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and the exponential smoothing model were established by SPSS 22.0 expert modeler. The fitting predictions were compared between these two time series models to select the optimal one. The nosocomial infection data from January 2019 to June 2019 were used to test the predictive effect of the model.Results:A total of 379 477 cancer inpatients were studied, 3 170 of which acquired nosocomial infection and the incidence was 0.84% from 2013 to 2018. Additive Holt-Winters method exponential smoothing model was the better model with R2of 0.82. Using this model, the predicted value fitted well with observed value from January 2019 to June 2019, and the mean relative percentage error was 15.22%. Conclusion:Additive Holt-Winters method exponential smoothing model could be used to fit and predict the tendency of nosocomial infection among cancer patients, which can provide reference for surveillance of nosocomial infection in oncology hospitals.
3.Correlates of self-reported disability in patients with low back pain: the role of fear-avoidance beliefs.
Congcong CAI ; Yong Hao PUA ; Kian Chong LIM
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore 2007;36(12):1013-1020
INTRODUCTIONThe purpose of the study was to examine the determinants of self-reported disability - MODQ (Modified Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire) in patients with low back pain (LBP); and to examine the level of FABQ (Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaires) scores in an ambulatory clinical population referred to physiotherapy management. We believe that identifying potentially modifiable determinants of disability in patients with LBP provides an opportunity to broaden the strategies to reduce its socioeconomic burden.
MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective study was designed to be conducted in the physiotherapy department of a local hospital. The data were taken from standard examination of patients [n = 162, female 15.4%, male 84.6%, age mean = 30.6 years [standard deviation (SD), 11.4; range, 17 to 68)] presenting to the department with acute or chronic LBP. The data included physical examination of back, self-reported disability by MODQ, fear-avoidance beliefs by FABQ, pain intensity and demographic information.
RESULTSThe final model generated by hierarchical regression analysis revealed that MODQ scores included self-reported symptom aggravation with all movements, pain medication usage, average straight leg raise (SLR), pain intensity, and Fear-Avoidance Belief Questionnaire-Work (FABQ-W). Overall, these variables account for approximately 40% of variance. The mediational analysis indicated that the relationship between the FABQ-W and MODQ scores may be partially mediated by pain intensity, average SLR values and pain medication usage.
CONCLUSIONIn this correlational study of physical impairments, psychosocial factors and self-reported disability, disability was driven primarily by measures of pain and fear-avoidance beliefs. Because the FABQ is a simple and useful clinical tool, we suggest that physicians and physiotherapists alike should make it a routine attempt to characterise the fear-avoidance beliefs of patients with LBP.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Disability Evaluation ; Fear ; psychology ; Female ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Health Status Indicators ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain Measurement ; Retrospective Studies ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Work Capacity Evaluation
4.Clinical and genetic analysis of a family with low alkaline phosphatase
Weicheng LU ; Congcong SHI ; Dong CAI ; Xu ZHENG ; Hu HAO ; Xin XIAO
Journal of Clinical Pediatrics 2017;35(9):682-686
Objective To investigate the role of TNSALP gene detection in prenatal diagnosis of HPP. Method The clinical data and the results of complete exon sequencing of TNSALP gene in one neonate with low alkaline phosphatase (HPP) were analyzed retrospectively. Peripheral bloods from his family members were collected. The amniotic fluid cell in fetuses at 17 weeks was tested for candidate gene mutations by Sanger sequencing. Results Mainly manifestations in 6-day-old baby were multiple fractures, limb shortening and bending and dyspnea. He died of respiratory failure 9 days after birth. The serum alkaline phosphatase was decreased and serum calcium was decreased slightly; serum phosphorus, serum 25 hydroxyvitamin-D and parathyroid hormone were normal. X-ray showed that the whole body bone was very poorly mineralized, and the long diaphysis was enlarged with shape of a cup at the end and multiple fractures existed. Gene sequencing revealed a complex heterozygous missense mutation in the TNSALP gene, including the heterozygous missense mutation c.542C>T in exon sixth causing 181st amino acids changed from serine to leucine (p.S181L), and tenth exon heterozygous missense mutation in c.1016G>A causing 339th amino acid changed from glycine to glutamic acid (p.G339E). The parental phenotypes were normal. The c.542C>T mutation is inherited from his father and the c.1016G>A mutation is inherited from his mother. These two mutations were not detected in the fetus. Conclusion TNSALP gene analysis can be applied to the diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis of HPP.
5.The study on the relationship among negative physical self,fear of negative evaluation, physical appearance perfectionism and social appearance anxiety in female patients with psoriasis
Yujing ZHU ; Ping HUANG ; Congcong CAI ; Xiaoxia WANG ; Min ZHANG ; Bin LI
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2021;37(33):2577-2583
Objective:To analyze the relationship between physical appearance perfectionism, negative body self, fear of negative evaluation and social appearance anxiety in female patients with psoriasis.Methods:A total of 251 female patients with psoriasis in Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Shanghai Jiaotong University from June 2019 to June 2020 were selected as the subjects. Physical Appearance Perfectionism Scale (PPAS), Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS), Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNES) and Negetive Physical Self Scale (Npss) were used in the survey. The correlation of negative body self and negative evaluation fear between the appearance perfectionism and social appearance anxiety of female psoriasis patients was analyzed.Results:The score of physical appearance perfectionism was 49.42±5.32, the score of social appearance anxiety was 58.72±6.24, the score of fear of negative evaluation was 30.59±7.21 and the score of negative physical self was 29.21±6.24. Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation among physical appearance perfectionism, social appearance anxiety, fear of negative evaluation and negative physical self ( r value was 0.402-0.488, P<0.01). The mediating effect of negative physical self between physical appearance perfectionism and social appearance anxiety was 0.164 (95% CI 0.082-0.227), the mediating effect of negative body self between physical appearance perfectionism and social appearance anxiety was 0.152 (95% CI 0.079-0.214) and the chain mediating effect of fear of negative evaluation and negative physical self was 0.067 (95% CI 0.025-0.108). Conclusions:Female patients with psoriasis have a high level of physical appearance perfectionism, which can directly affect their social anxiety, while fear of negative evaluation and negative physical self indirectly affect the correlation between appearance perfectionism and social appearance anxiety. Psychological intervention measures should be taken to reduce their psychological burden on their own appearance defects and carry out social anxiety and fear.
6.Application of gene screening technology in screening common newborn genetic diseases
Hu HAO ; Wei ZHOU ; Congcong SHI ; Sitao LI ; Yanmei MA ; Xia GU ; Hui XIONG ; Bingqing LIU ; Yao CAI ; Guo-Sheng LIU ; Zhichun FENG ; Xin XIAO
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2020;35(22):1712-1717
Objective:To detect the genes of common genetic diseases in newborns with the high-throughput sequencing technology based on target gene capture, to study the incidence rate of such diseases, the carrying rate and variant types of pathogenic mutations related to such diseases, and to explore the application value of the high-throughput sequencing technology in screening genetic diseases of newborns.Methods:The heel blood of 1 793 newborns born in Guangdong province from June 2019 to April 2020 were collected, and the exon regions of 138 common genetic disease-related genes in neonates were detected using the high-throughput sequencing technology based on target gene capture.The pathogenicity of the mutations was interpreted according to the " Classification Criteria and Guidelines for Genetic Variation(2017)" , in which known disease and probable disease were considered as positive mutations.The positive mutations were verified by Sanger sequencing technology, and the test results were analyzed with statistical methods.Results:Among the 1 793 newborns, 978 were male and 815 were female.A total of 158 positive cases were screened(8.81%), and 11 positive diseases were detected.Among the positive diseases, there were 41 cases(2.29%)of autosomal recessive deafness type 1A, 40 cases(2.23%)of Gilbert syndrome or Crigler-Najjar syndrome, and 33 cases(1.84%)of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency(1.84%), 19 cases(1.06%)of familial hypercho-lesterolemia, 18 cases(1.00%) of sodium taurocholate cotransporter peptide deficiency disease, 2 cases(0.11%)of mitochondrial non-syndromic deafness, 2 cases(0.11%)of Citrin deficiency, 1 case(0.06%)of holocarboxylase synthase deficiency, 1 case(0.06%)of β-thalassemia and 1 case(0.06%)of metachromatic leukodystrophies.Of all studied cases, 972 carried one or more positive mutations, involving 85 kinds of diseases in total.The diseases with a high carrying rate were Gilbert syndrome or Crigler-Najjar syndrome(359 cases, 20.02%), autosomal recessive deafness type 1A(302 cases, 16.84%), and sodium taurocholate cotransport peptide deficiency disease(291 cases, 16.22%). The high-frequency mutation sites were UGT1A1 gene c. 211G> A, GJB2 gene c .109G> A and SLC10A1 gene c. 800C> T. Conclusions:The common genetic diseases detected in neonates from Guangdong province are autosomal recessive deafness type 1A, Gilbert syndrome or Crigler-Najjar syndrome, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, familial hypercholesterolemia, and sodium taurocholate cotransport peptide deficiency.There are high-frequency carrying mutation sites in the population.Preliminary genetic screening of common neonatal genetic diseases can accumulate data and experience for the development of newborn genetic screening.
7.Potential Mechanism of Taraxaci Herba Against Bladder Cancer: A Review
Mingshun ZUO ; Zhicheng DONG ; Yu ZUO ; Hongchuan CHEN ; Hongjia CAI ; Congcong WU ; Xiaoyu AI ; Neng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(7):290-298
Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary system, and its incidence is increasing year by year. At present, for all patients with resectable non-metastatic muscle-invasive BCa, radical cystectomy + bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection is strongly recommended, but they still face the risk of recurrence, metastasis and death. In recent years, the proportion of patients with advanced and metastatic BCa is increasing among patients with newly diagnosed BCa. Although current treatment models are diverse, they often struggle to achieve significant efficacy due to their low effectiveness and adverse effects, resulting in low survival rates for patients with advanced and metastatic BCa. Therefore, the treatment of BCa still faces great challenges, and there is an urgent need to discover an effective new antitumor drug. With the improvement of medical standards, traditional Chinese medicine has shown great advantages in the treatment of BCa. Traditional Chinese medicine is mild and easy to accept, and can inhibit tumor progression through a multi-pathway, multi-way and multi-target manner, so as to exert its anticancer effect. Taraxaci Herba is a medicinal and food homologous plant, which has many biological activities, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, protecting liver and gallbladder, reducing blood sugar and enhancing immunity, and it has shown a clear anticancer effect in breast cancer, liver cancer, gastric cancer, tongue cancer and lung cancer. By reviewing previous studies worldwide, this article summarizes the mechanism of Taraxaci Herba extract in inducing autophagy and apoptosis, inhibiting cell migration and invasion, regulating cell cycle and proliferation, regulating cell metabolism, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, combining the effects of chemotherapeutic drugs, and regulating the transduction of related signal pathways. On this basis, this study systematically elaborates on the potential mechanism of Taraxaci Herba against BCa, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the research and treatment of BCa.