Neuro-11:a new questionnaire for the assessment of somatic symptom disorder in general hospitals

Background Somatic symptom disorder(SSD)commonly presents in general hospital settings,posing challenges for healthcare professionals lacking specialised psychiatric training.The Neuro-11 Neurosis Scale(Neuro-11)offers promise in screening and evaluating psychosomatic symptoms,comprising 11 concise items across three dimensions:somatic symptoms,negative emotions and adverse events.Prior research has validated the scale’s reliability,validity and theoretical framework in somatoform disorders,indicating its potential as a valuable tool for SSD screening in general hospitals.Aims This study aimed to establish the reliability,validity and threshold of the Neuro-11 by comparing it with standard questionnaires commonly used in general hospitals for assessing SSD.Through this comparative analysis,we aimed to validate the effectiveness and precision of the Neuro-11,enhancing its utility in clinical settings.Methods Between November 2020 and December 2021,data were collected from 731 patients receiving outpatient and inpatient care at Shenzhen People’s Hospital in China for various physical discomforts.The patients completed multiple questionnaires,including the Neuro-11,Short Form 36 Health Survey,Patient Health Questionnaire 15 items,Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Hamilton Depression Scale.Psychiatry-trained clinicians conducted structured interviews and clinical examinations to establish a gold standard diagnosis of SSD.Results The Neuro-11 demonstrated strong content reliability and structural consistency,correlating significantly with internationally recognised and widely used questionnaires.Despite its brevity,the Neuro-11 exhibited significant correlations with other questionnaires.A test-retest analysis yielded a correlation coefficient of 1.00,Spearman-Brown coefficient of 0.64 and Cronbach’sαcoefficient of 0.72,indicating robust content reliability and internal consistency.Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the validity of the three-dimensional structure(p<0.001,comparative fit index=0.94,Tucker-Lewis index=0.92,root mean square error of approximation=0.06,standardised root mean square residual=0.04).The threshold of the Neuro-11 is set at 10 points based on the maximum Youden’s index from the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.In terms of diagnostic efficacy,the Neuro-11 has an area under the curve of 0.67.

Preliminary Study on Effects of Anthraquinone Extract of Polygonum cuspidatum on KHV

[Objectives]To study the toxic effect and antiviral activity of anthraquinone extract of Polygonum cuspidatum on infection of Koi herpes virus(KHV).[Methods]The MTT method and CPE microscopy were used to detect the common carp brain(CCB)cytotoxicity of the P.cuspidatum anthraquinone extract in 48 h.Eight groups of different concentrations of the P.cuspidatum anthraquinone extract 1.96,3.91,7.28,15.63,31.25,62.5,125,250μg/mL experimental groups and a control group without drug effect were set up.After determining the maximum non-toxic range of the P.cuspidatum anthraquinone extract,the viral replication inhibition test was carried out.[Results]The concentration of the P.cuspidatum anthraquinone extract 31.25μg/mL was recognized as the maximum non-toxic concentration.The survival rate of CCB cells was higher than 80%,and the toxic dose(CC50)of the drug for 50%cell death was(72.67±2.12)μg/mL.The maximum inhibition rate of the P.cuspidatum anthraquinone extract was 78.63%±5.47%at a concentration of 31.25μg/mL,and the 50%effective drug dose(IC50)for inhibiting the virus was(13.67±0.47)μg/mL,and the therapeutic index(TI)was 5.48±0.49.In the direct virus killing test,the highest virus inhibition rate was 32.21%.[Conclusions]Under the experimental conditions,it can be concluded that the P.cuspidatum anthraquinone extract has high anti-KHV activity,and at the same time.It is expected to lay a theoretical foundation for the research of P.cuspidatum anthraquinone extract against KHV.