1.Development and validation of a multidisciplinary risk assessment scale for immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated myocarditis
Yanan DAI ; Yuan LIU ; Yuchen XU ; Qingqing CAI ; Yan WANG ; Yuhong ZHOU ; Leilei CHENG ; Junbo GE
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(4):561-567
Objective To develop a risk assessment scale for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-associated myocarditis based on multidisciplinary collaboration, and to evaluate its diagnostic performance. Methods Based on multidisciplinary cooperation, integrating clinical experience from oncology and cardiology, literature data, and patient conditions, a risk assessment scale for ICI-associated myocarditis was developed. A total of 101 patients with malignancies who received immunotherapy at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from October 2020 to October 2024 were included as the validation cohort. Patients were stratified into low-risk (0-1 point), medium-risk (2-4 points), and high-risk (≥5 points) groups based on their scale scores. The association between pretictive risk stratifications and actual assessment results was assessed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. The predictive value of the scale for ICI-associated myocarditis was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Agreement between the scale scores and actual assessment results was assessed using Cohen’s Kappa coefficient. Results Based on the scale pretictive results, 28(27.7%), 8(7.9%), 65(64.4%) patients were at low risk, medium risk, and high risk for ICI-related myocarditis, respectively; however, 46(45.5%), 8(7.9%), 47(46.5%) were at low risk, medium risk, and high risk actually. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the cumulative incidence of ICI-related myocarditis in the high-risk group was significantly higher than that in the medium- and low-risk groups (P<0.05). In the multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards model, the ICI-related myocarditis risk in high-risk group was about 4 times that in the low-risk group. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the average area under the curve (AUC) for predicting ICI-related myocarditis was 0.81, with an accuracy of 0.74. The Cohen’s Kappa coefficient was 0.55, indicating moderate agreement. In the actual high-risk group, no patient was predicted to be at low risk; in the actual low-risk group, 16 patients were predicted to be at high risk. Conclusions This risk assessment scale for ICI-associated myocarditis shows high predictive performance. It provides oncologists with a simple yet effective multidisciplinary diagnostic reference tool, potentially enhancing early identification of ICI-associated myocarditis.
2.Characteristics of first-time callers with suicidal ideation to psychological assistance hotline in Henan Province
Kunya LIU ; Xiaoniu LI ; Qingqing ZHANG ; Lei ZHANG ; Huiping CHENG ; Shiyun WANG ; Yunsheng HOU ; Ying XU ; Ruiling ZHANG
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2025;39(5):398-404
Objective:To examine the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of first-time callers with suicidal ideation and risk factors related to suicidal ideation in a psychological assistance hotline in Henan Province.Methods:The computerised counselling operating system of the Henan Provincial Psychological Assis-tance Hotline was used to extract data from 31 401 callers who called the hotline between January 2020 and October 2023.A circular distribution and kernel density analysis were employed to investigate the spatial and temporal distri-bution of first-time callers with suicidal ideation.Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate the risk factors for suicidal ideation.Results:A total of 5 494 first-time callers were included in the study,of whom 1 697(30.9%)reported suicidal ideation in the previous two weeks.The temporal distribution of suicidal ideation calls indicated a peak between 12:36 and 01:08.The weekly distribution further revealed that the majority of calls occurred on Fridays.In terms of spatial distribution,the primary hotspots for callers with suicidal ideation were clus-tered around Zhengzhou and Xinxiang.Meanwhile,the secondary hotspots exhibited a dispersed distribution across multiple centers within the province.Logistic regression analysis revealed that being under 20 years old(OR=11.85),being unemployed(OR=1.78),having psychological issues(OR=5.03),experiencing family relation-ship problems(OR=3.67),and facing economic hardships(OR=7.08)were risk factors for suicidal ideation.Conclusion:The time distribution of calls from individuals with suicidal ideation to the psychological as-sistance hotline in Henan Province exhibits a centralized trend,while the spatial distribution of calls demonstrates an imbalance.When receiving initial calls from individuals with suicidal ideation,particular attention should be paid to those aged 20 years old or younger,those who are unemployed,and those experiencing psychiatric,psychological,familial,and economic difficulties.
3.Analysis of clinical and radiological characteristics of osteofibrous dysplasia
Xiangya ZHANG ; Guoyin CHENG ; Yuke LIU ; Wei CHEN ; Qingqing HOU
Journal of Practical Radiology 2025;41(9):1533-1536
Objective To investigate the clinical and radiological features of osteofibrous dysplasia(OFD),and to improve the diagnostic accuracy of OFD and reduce the misdiagnosis rate.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and radiological data of 21 patients with OFD confirmed by surgical pathology.Results Among the 21 patients,the imaging manifestations showed that the lesions were mainly located within the anterior cortex of the tibia,presenting as cystic expansile bone destruction with corti-cal expansion and thinning,protruding into the medullary cavity.Within the lesions,unequal thickness linear bony septations were visible,resembling soap-bubble changes,along with patchy ground-glass density shadow.A sclerotic rim was observed surrounding the lesions,with a clear boundary from normal tissue.No obvious soft tissue mass or periosteal reaction was noted in all cases.On MRI,the majority of the lesions exhibited prolonged T,and T2 signals,with linear hypointense separations observed within the lesions.No significant edema was noted in the surrounding bone and soft tissues,although a minor degree of bone marrow edema was present.All patients underwent surgical treatment.Fifteen patients were followed up for review,ranging from 3 to 38 months postoperatively.Among them,9 patients had no recurrence,while 6 patients experienced recurrence,manifesting as new lytic bone destruction in the surgical area.Conclusion The radiological manifestations of OFD are characteristic,and an accurate diagnosis can be made for typical cases in combination with the patient's age,location of the lesion and clinical presentation.Due to the high recurrence rate after OFD sur-gery,regular follow-up is recommended.
4.Application of ultrasound-guided injection of carbon nanoparticle in cervical lymph node dissection for thyroid cancer reoperation
Yue ZHOU ; Gang WANG ; Fang YU ; Hao XU ; Zhenyu CHENG ; Ziyi FAN ; Xianjiao CAO ; Zhonghui LI ; Qingqing HE
Chinese Journal of Endocrine Surgery 2025;19(1):30-34
Objective:To investigate the efficacy of preoperative ultrasound-guided injection of carbon nanoparticle suspension in cervical lymph node dissection for thyroid cancer reoperation.Methods:Ninety-four patients undergoing reoperation for thyroid cancer admitted by the same physician team of the Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery of the Ninety-sixty Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from Jan. 2019 to Sep. 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different scope of the initial surgery, they were divided into the re-specification clearance group, the regional lymph node clearance group, and the metastatic lymph node dissection group, and the groups were subdivided into the carbon nanoparticle group and the control group according to whether they were injected with carbon nanoparticle before the surgery or not. The t-test, χ2-test, and non-parametric test were used to compare the age, gender, surgical method, duration of surgery, total number of lymph nodes detected, and positive lymph node detection rate between the nano-charcoal group and the control group in the three groups. Results:There was no statistically significant difference between the three groups in terms of age, gender, surgical methods, or the total number of lymph nodes detected (all P>0.05) , and the difference between the surgical time of the carbon nanoparticle group in the re-regulation clearance group and the control group was not statistically significant ( P>0.05) ; the surgical time of the carbon nanoparticle group was shorter than that of the control group in both the regional lymph node clearance and the metastatic lymph node dissection groups, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05) ; the positive detection rate of lymph nodes in the carbon nanoparticle group was higher than that in the control group among the three groups, and the difference was statistically significant (all P<0.05) . Conclusion:In the operation of cervical lymph node dissection for papillary thyroid cancer, preoperative ultrasound-guided injection of carbon nanoparticle can accurately localize the lymph nodes, increase the positive detection rate of lymph nodes, reduce the difficulty of surgical operation, and shorten the operation time.
5.The parallel mediating effects of anxiety and depression states between life events and behavior problems in adolescents
Zihao YANG ; Qingqing ZHANG ; Dan WANG ; Lei ZHANG ; Hua ZHENG ; Lijing SHI ; Nana WANG ; Yihan ZHANG ; Zhenyi LI ; Min SUN ; Huimin CHEN ; Huiping CHENG ; Ruiling ZHANG ; Chuansheng WANG
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(3):259-265
Objective:To explore the relationship between life events, anxiety, depression, and behavior problems in adolescents.Methods:From September to October 2022, the cluster sampling method was used to select 5 341 adolescents from 4 middle schools in Xinxiang urban area.The subjects and their parents were investigated by the adolescent self-rating life events check list (ASLEC), generalized anxiety disorder scale (GAD-7), patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), and child behavior checklist (CBCL). SPSS 27.0 software was used for Spearman correlation analysis, and AMOS 28.0 software was used to construct the structural equation model.Results:The scores of anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems were 1 (0, 4), 1 (0, 4), and 3 (0, 10). The total score of life events was 5 (1, 13), and the dimensions scored as follows: interpersonal conflict 1 (0, 4), academic pressure 2 (0, 5), punishment 0 (0, 2), loss 0 (0, 0), health and adaptation problem 0 (0, 1), and others 0 (0, 2). There were positive correlations between life events and its dimensions, depression, anxiety and behavioral problems ( r=0.28-0.69, all P<0.01). In the overall population, anxiety and depression played parallel mediating roles in the impact of life events on behavior problems. Life events could positively predict anxiety ( β=0.68, P<0.01), and anxiety could positively predict behavior problems ( β=0.04, P=0.02). Life events could positively predict depression ( β=0.77, P<0.01), and depression could positively predict behavior problems ( β=0.18, P<0.01). The standardized total effect size of the impact of life events on behavioral problems was 0.622 (95% CI=0.564-0.675). The standardized direct effect size and indirect effect size were 0.460 (95% CI=0.374-0.539) and 0.162 (95% CI=0.108-0.218), accounting for 74.0% and 26.0%of the total effect, respectively. After stratification by gender, the results for male adolescents were consistent with the overall population, while the mediating effect of anxiety was not significant in the female adolescents. Conclusion:Life events can lead to anxiety and depression in adolescents, thereby increasing the risk of behavior problems.
6.The chain mediation effect between D-type personality,empowerment ability,self-management behavior,and glycated hemoglobin
Yetong WANG ; Wenjun WANG ; Fangli TANG ; Xiaodan YUAN ; Rijing LI ; Yongqiao FANG ; Dan CHENG ; Jiaohong LUO ; Qingqing LOU
Chinese Journal of Diabetes 2025;33(3):178-183
Objective To explore the mediating effect of empowerment ability between type D personality and self-management behavior of patients with diabetes mellitus(DM).Methods A total of 738 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)hospitalized in the Department of Endocrinology of three tertiary hospitals in Hainan Province from December 2022 to May 2023 were selected and divided into Type D personality(Type D,n=104)group and T2DM group(n=634).The general data,biochemical indexes,scores of negative emotion(NA),social inhibition(SI),empowerment ability,and scale of DM self-management activities(SDSCA)were compared between the two groups,and the correlation between type D personality,empowerment ability and self-management ability was analyzed.The mediating effect model was used to analyze the mediating effect of empowerment ability on the four self-management behaviors of patients with type D personality,and the chain mediating effect model was used to analyze the relationship between type D personality,empowerment ability,self-management behaviors and HbA1c.Results Compared with the T2DM group,HbA1c,proportion of rural residence,proportion of complications≥3,proportion of education level of junior high school or above,proportion of monthly income<3000 yuan,and NA and SI scores were significantly higher in the Type D group(P<0.05).The empowerment ability and scores of healthy diet,regular exercise,blood glucose monitoring and medication compliance were lower in the Type D group than in the T2DM group(P<0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that the empowerment ability score was positively correlated with the scores of healthy diet,regular exercise,blood glucose monitoring and medication compliance(P<0.05).NA and SI scores were negatively correlated with empowerment ability score,healthy diet,regular exercise,blood glucose monitoring and medication compliance(P<0.05).The results of model analysis with empowerment ability as the mediating variable showed that type D personality had direct,indirect and total effects on regular exercise,blood glucose monitoring,medication compliance and SDSCA total score(P<0.05),and indirect and total effects on regular diet score(P<0.05).The mediating effect of empowerment ability was significant(Bootstrap CI did not include 0).The chain mediating effect analysis showed that type D personality could indirectly affect HbA1c through empowerment ability,healthy diet(γ=0.389,95%CI 0.206~0.591),and medication compliance(γ=0.149,95%CI 0.040~0.265),and the effect proportion was 39.4%and 14.1%,respectively.Conclusions Type D personality can indirectly influence self-management behavior through the mediating effect of empowerment,and simultaneously affecting HbA1c through the chain effect of empowerment,diet,and medication behavior.
7.Correlation among diabetes-related distress, self-management behavior, empowerment, and glycated hemoglobin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Yongqiao FANG ; Fangli TANG ; Danyu ZHANG ; Jiaohong LUO ; Wenjun WANG ; Yetong WANG ; Dan CHENG ; Rijing LI ; Qingqing LOU
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(23):3155-3160
Objective:To investigate the correlations among diabetes-related distress, self-management behavior, empowerment, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) .Methods:A convenience sampling method was used to recruit a total of 1 927 hospitalized patients with T2DM from the Endocrinology Departments of five tertiary general hospitals in Hainan, Jiangsu, and Henan Provinces between December 2022 and December 2023. General demographic and clinical data were collected. The Problem Areas in Diabetes 5 (PAID-5), the Summary of Diabetes Self Care Activities (SDSCA), and the Diabetes Empowerment Scale-Short Form (DES-SF) were used to evaluate patients' psychological distress, self-management behaviors, and empowerment levels. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationships among diabetes-related distress, empowerment, self-management behaviors, and HbA1c levels.Results:Pearson correlation analysis showed that diabetes-related distress was negatively correlated with empowerment ( r=-0.119, P<0.001) and the total score of self-management behavior ( r=-0.106, P<0.001), and positively correlated with HbA1c levels ( r=0.103, P<0.001). Empowerment was positively correlated with self-management behavior ( r=0.538, P<0.001) and negatively correlated with HbA1c levels ( r=-0.170, P<0.001). Self-management behavior was negatively correlated with HbA1c levels ( r=-0.165, P<0.001) . Conclusions:Diabetes-related distress, empowerment, and self-management behavior are all associated with glycemic control. Future research and interventions should focus on enhancing patients' self-management abilities, strengthening empowerment, and providing psychological support in order to improve glycemic outcomes and offer a more comprehensive and effective management approach for patients with T2DM.
8.Relationship between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and aggressivity in patients with first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia
Ying'ao CUI ; Cheng YANG ; Yinghan TIAN ; Qingqing SHEN ; Huanzhong LIU
Sichuan Mental Health 2025;38(1):28-33
BackgroundAggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients could result in legal disputes and public safety concerns. In patients with illness episodes of different numbers, there may exist differences in the association between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and aggressivity. ObjectiveTo investigate the differences in the correlation between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and aggressivity in patients with first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia, in order to search for inflammatory biomarkers to assess aggression level in schizophrenic patients. MethodsA total of 168 schizophrenic patients were selected as subjects, who were hospitalized for acute disease onset in Chaohu Hospital of Anhui Medical University from October 2022 to April 2024 as well as met the diagnostic criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). Patients were divided into first-episode group (n=58) and recurrent group (n=110). Meanwhile, 110 healthy controls from community who matched in age and gender with the patient group were recruited. All patients were evaluated with Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). All subjects went through examination of the levels of novel inflammatory indicators, including neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil/high-density lipoprotein ratio (NHR), monocyte/high-density lipoprotein ratio (MHR) and platelet/high-density lipoprotein ratio (PHR). Spearman correlation analysis was adopted to investigate the correlation between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and the total score of MOAS in patients with first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia. ResultsThe levels of NLR, MLR, PLR, NHR, MHR and PHR in first-episode group were higher than those in control group (adjusted P<0.01). The levels of NLR, MLR, NHR, MHR and PHR in recurrent group were higher than those in control group (adjusted P<0.01). No significant difference was observed in the comparison in the levels of six novel inflammatory indicators between first-episode group and recurrent group (adjusted P>0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed, the MOAS total score of recurrent group was positively correlated with the levels of NLR, MLR and PLR (r=0.234, 0.192, 0.243, P<0.05). There was no statistical significance in the correlation between MOAS total score and levels of six novel inflammatory indicators in first-episode group (P>0.05). ConclusionAmong patients with first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia, the correlation between levels of novel inflammatory indicators and aggressivity could differ. NLR, MLR and PLR might be the biomarkers for assessing aggression level in recurrent schizophrenic patients. [Funded by Anhui Provincial Natural Science Foundation (number, 2108085MH275)]
9.Establishment of the EMT model of CoCl2 -induced NRK-52E cells
Lei Ni ; Qingqing Sun ; Jiangrui Cheng ; Wei Wei ; Chun Wang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(10):1879-1886
Objective:
To establish an in vitro cell model of Cobalt dichloride(CoCl2)-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT) in rat renal tubular epithelial cells(NRK-52E).
Methods:
NRK-52E cells were cultured in vitro and randomly divided into a blank control group(NC group) and a CoCl2 treatment group. The CoCl2 treatment group underwent 1, 2, 3, and 4 cycles of treatment, with each cycle consisting of CoCl2 treatment for 9 h followed by recovery in CoCl_2-free medium for 3 h. The optimal concentration and time of CoCl_2-induced EMT were screened using the CCK-8 assay. Morphological changes in cells were observed using light microscopy and phalloidin staining. The expression levels of EMT marker proteins were detected by Western blot and immunofluorescence.
Results:
Compared with the NC group , stimulation by 100 μmol/L CoCl2 for 48 h significantly induced apoptosis (P < 0. 01) , meeting the requirements for subsequent experiments. Western blot results showed that the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α ) and α-smooth muscle actin ( α-SMA) significantly increased in the 3-cycle group treated with 100 μmol/L CoCl2 for 9 h followed by recovery for 3 h ( P < 0. 001) , indicating the most pronounced fibrotic response. Observations under light microscopy and rhodamine-labeled phalloidin staining revealed that the morphological changes and cytoskeletal rearrangement of NRK-52E cells were most significant in the 3-cycle group treated with 100 μmol/L CoCl2 for 9 h followed by recovery for 3 h , demonstrating the best model stability. Immunofluorescence results showed that compared with the NC group , the fluorescence intensity of the fibrous matrix protein Collagen I significantly increased in the 3-cycle group treated with 100 μmol/L CoCl2 for 9 h followed by recovery for 3 h ( P < 0. 001) .
Conclusion
The protocol involves treating NRK-52E cells with 100 μmol/L CoCl2 for 9 h , following 3 h of recovery in CoCl2 -free medium. Repeating this cycle three times can establish an in vitro EMT model.
10.Effects of chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acid exposure on intrauterine development in fetal rats and mechanism of placental vascular injury
Caixia CHENG ; Qingqing ZHU ; Qing YANG ; Yunhui ZHANG ; Yue ZHAO
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(11):1371-1380
Background Prenatal exposure to chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acid (Cl-PFESA, commercially known as F-53B) during pregnancy has been associated with fetal growth restriction and adverse birth outcomes. These effects may be mediated by structural and functional impairments of the placenta, potentially resulting from disrupted placental angiogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Objective To explore the impact of prenatal F-53B exposure on fetal development, placental pathology, and the expression of genes involved in angiogenesis by establishing an F-53B exposure animal model. Methods A total of 48 sexually mature female SD rats aged 8 weeks were selected, along with 24 proven male breeders. The rats were acclimatized for one week before mating. Pregnant rats were assigned to four groups: control (0 mg·kg−1), low-dose (0.1 mg·kg−1), medium-dose (1 mg·kg−1), and high-dose (5 mg·kg−1). Half of the pregnant rats in each group were administered the test substance by oral gavage once daily from gestational day (GD) 5.5 to GD17.5. The fetuses and placentas were dissected and weighed, and placental efficiency was calculated as the ratio of fetal weight to placental weight, reflecting the placenta’s capacity to supply nutrients to the fetus. Placental histopathological alterations were assessed after hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was conducted to assess the mRNA expression levels of angiogenesis-related genes, including hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and its receptor (VEGFR2), as well as downstream genes in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. To evaluate the potential impact of prenatal F-53B exposure on birth outcomes, including birth weight and gestational age, the remaining half of the pregnant rats in each group were continuously exposed to the test substance until delivery. Results F-53B exposure significantly reduced fetal weight across all exposure groups (P<0.05) and markedly increased the incidence of intrauterine growth restriction (P<0.01). Although placental weights did not differ significantly among groups, placental efficiency was significantly decreased in the high-dose group (P<0.05). The histological analysis after HE staining revealed disorganized trophoblast cell structure and a significant reduction in labyrinthine blood sinus area in the medium- and high-dose groups. The qPCR analysis showed that HIF-1α expression was significantly upregulated in the low-dose group (P<0.001), while VEGFA (P<0.01), PI3K (P<0.001), and AKT (P<0.05) expression levels were significantly downregulated in the medium- and high-dose groups. Conclusion Maternal exposure to F-53B during pregnancy may impair placental angiogenesis via VEGFA and its downstream PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, leading to placental pathological damage and increasing the risk of intrauterine growth restriction and reduced birth weight in fetuses.


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