1.Development of a novel quantitative real-time assay using self-reporting duplex mutation primers for detection of HCV
Qianfeng XIA ; Yangan WEN ; Jinbo LIU ; Pu LI ; Zhiguang TU
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2011;34(8):735-738
Objective To establish a novel real-time PCR method to detect HCV RNA using Selfreporting duplex mutation primers.Methods The recombinant vector pMD18-T-HCV 5′-NCR was used as the calibrator.The Self-reporting duplex mutation primers were designed according to the gene sequence.And then the PCR reaction system was optimized and evaluated.The specificity,sensitivity and reproducibility of real-time PCR were estimated,The serum specimens from 90 cases(30 cases of HCV,30 cases of other viral hepatitis and 30 healthy volunteers) were tested with this real-time PCR; Results were compared with those obtained using a commercial TaqMan kit.Results The assay was established.It showed linearity over a wide range from 20 - 109 IU/ml.Intra-experimental coefficients of variation(CVs) were 1.37% -4.59%,and inter-experimental CVs were 1.58% -4.81%,respectively.There was no significant difference of HCV genome number tested by the two methods(R2 = 0.95) in 30 hepatitis C patients; HCV DNA was not detected in any serum samples of 30 healthy volunteers by the two methods.The specificity was 100%(60/60).All the samples in patients with clinically confirmed HCV infections showed HCV RNA positive.There wass good correlation between the quantitaive results and results obtained using the commercial TaqMan kit.Conclusions It is demonstrated that real-time PCR is a reliable,accurate and feasible assay for HCV.The establishment of this assay provided alternative technology for clinical diagnosis or therapeutic drug monitoring in the field of HCV infection and epidemiologic survey.
2.Epidemiological characteristics of 500 cases of first-aid injuries outside hospital
Yangan LI ; Kehui HU ; Ming WANG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2023;34(6):85-88
Objective To analyze the distribution spectrum and epidemiological characteristics of 500 patients with accidental injury, and to provide a theoretical basis for targeted preventive measures. Methods Data of 500 pre-hospital emergency patients with accidental injuries were selected from the first aid station in Suining area of Sichuan Province from January 1 to December 31, 2021. The consequences and external causes of accidental injuries were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The gender, age, time to call for help and disease spectrum of patients were collected as investigation elements. Results Among the 500 cases of accidental injury patients, 48.80% were mainly from 18 to 40 years old. There were significant differences in the proportion of male and female accidental injury patients in different age groups (P<0.05). The distribution spectrum of accidental injury was traffic accident injury, fall injury/collision injury, fight injury, and fall from height injury. Accidental injuries occurred mainly in the brain, limbs and face, and the distribution of brain injuries in different age groups had statistical significance (P<0.05). The occurrence of accidents in different seasons was summer, winter, spring and autumn in sequence. Accidental injuries mainly occurred from 18:00 to 23:59 and from 6:00 to 11:59. Conclusion The main cause of accidental injuries in Suining area of Sichuan Province is traffic accidents, especially during the evening rush hours. The majority of patients are 18 - 40 years old. Safety and health education should be actively strengthened, and the occurrence of traffic accidents should be reduced through all-round and multi-means joint efforts.
3.The effects of activating the reticulospinal tract on anticipatory postural adjustments in fine motor movements of the upper extremities
Nan XIA ; Chang HE ; Yangan LI ; Xiaohua HAN ; Jiang XU ; Xiaolin HUANG
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2023;45(1):35-41
Objective:To observe any dependence of anticipatory postural adjustment (APA) on the difficulty of fine upper limb tasks and to document any effect of reticulospinal tract (RST) facilitation on APAs during such tasks.Methods:The study′s bivariate mixed design involved 4 different tasks and 3 different priming states. Thirteen healthy, male, right-handed subjects were recruited. They were asked to complete the 4 tasks of reaching, grasping a cup, pinching a card using the thumb or using the little finger, respectively for 10 times 1 in response to two different starting cues delivered through an earphone. Half of the trials with each task were initiated with 114dB white noise to startle and activate the reticulospinal tract (RST), while the others were activated with 80dB beeps as a control. Electromyographic signals were recorded from the bilateral sternocleidomastoid (SCM), lower trapezius (LT), latissimus dorsi (LD), lumbar erector spinae and right anterior deltoid muscles and also from the right flexor and extensor carpi radialis muscles (ECR/FCR). In the subsequent processing the electromyographic time domain and frequency domain indicators were converted into a pre-motor reaction time, a time to muscle peak contraction, an activation latency, and APA or compensatory postural adjustment (CPA) amplitude of the tested muscles. These were compared among the different tasks and stimuli. In addition, the 114dB test tasks were classified as two different priming status as SCM + and SCM - according to whether the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) was activated in advance. Results:After RST activation the pre-motor reaction time and the time to peak contraction of all of the muscles were significantly shortened in all of the tasks. The deltoid muscle reaction times in the SCM + , SCM - and control states were (106.89±43.78)ms, (136.78±48.74)ms and (168.60±73.17)ms, respectively, and those differences are significant. The APA amplitudes of the contralateral LT and ipsilateral LD were significantly greater than normal, but the timing of muscle activation onset and the APA/CPA amplitudes of the ECR/FCR were not affected. The latency in the anticipatory muscle activation of the ECR in the little finger grip task was significantly shorter than that in reaching. Conclusions:The extensor carpi radialis show task-specific early activation in fine tasks of the upper limbs with different difficulties. RST activation can lead to early starting of expected actions, accelerate muscle contraction and increase APA amplitude of some trunk muscles, but it has no significant effect on APA/CPA amplitudes in the forearm muscles.
4.Training in a wearable exoskeleton improves the lower limb motor recovery of stroke survivors
Yangan LI ; Zejian CHEN ; Nan XIA ; Minghui GU ; Jiang XU ; Xiaoyu XIE ; Xiaolin HUANG
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2023;45(2):109-113
Objective:To explore any differential effect of training wearing a unilateral exoskeleton on the lower-limb motor function of stroke survivors.Methods:Forty stroke survivors were randomly divided into an exoskeleton group ( n=20) and a control group ( n=20). The control group performed conventional lower extremity exercise training while the exoskeleton group received exoskeleton-assisted lower-limb physical therapy. Each participant received eighteen 40-minute training sessions over three weeks. Before and after the intervention, the walking ability, lower-limb function, balance and ability in the activities of daily living of both groups were evaluated. Integrated electromyography (iEMG) of the rectus femoris and tibialis anterior of both legs was also recorded during sit-to-stand transitions to assess the activation of the affected muscles and the symmetry of bilateral muscle activation. Results:After the three weeks, significant improvement was observed in all of the measurements in both groups, but with the exoskeleton group scoring significantly better on average in functional ambulation category grading (1.63±0.72). Both groups′ iEMGs had also improved significantly compared with before treatment, but the exoskeleton group′s average result was by that time significantly better than the control group′s average.Conclusions:A wearable exoskeleton can effectively improve the rehabilitation of walking, lower limb movement, balance and skill in the activities of daily living of persons with subacute stroke. It better activates the affected lower limb muscles and improves the symmetry of bilateral lower limb muscle activation.