1.Xueguan Ruanhua Pills improve atherosclerosis by inhibiting ferroptosis through the Nrf2/xCT/GPX4 pathway
Mengyan SUN ; Hewei QIN ; Yanjie LI ; Mengnan WANG ; Dandan LIU ; Yang GAO
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;47(3):383-393
Objective We investigated the effects of Xueguan Ruanhua Pills(XGRHW) on ferroptosis in ApoE-/- atherosclerotic mice through the nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2)/xCT/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) signaling pathway.Methods Ten male C57BL/6J mice in the normal group were fed normal chow. Additionally, 50 ApoE-/- mice were fed high-fat chow for 12 weeks, and were divided into the following five groups (10 mice per group): the model group, the XGRHW low-dose (2.34g/kg) group, the XGRHW high-dose (4.68 g/kg) group, the XGRHW high-dose combined with the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 (0.03 g/kg) group, and the ferrostatin-1 (1 mg/kg) group. Drugs were administered for 6 weeks. The blood levels of four types of lipids were detected by an automatic lipid analyzer, lipid deposition in the aorta was observed by Oil Red O staining, histomorphological changes in the aortic sinus were observed by HE staining, the serum levels of Fe2+, MDA, GSH, and SOD were determined by colorimetric assays, and the expression levels of FTH1 and FTL in the aortic sinus were observed by immunofluorescence. The protein levels of Nrf2, xCT, and GPX4 in mouse aortic tissues were detected by Western blotting. The ultrastructural changes of aortic mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscopy.Results Compared with the normal group, mice in the model group showed obvious lipid plaque deposition in the aorta, severely calcified lesions in the aortic sinus, elevated serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, Fe2+, and MDA, decreased levels of HDL-C, SOD, and GSH (P<0.01), and decreased protein expressions of aortic Nrf2, xCT, and GPX4 as well as the iron storage proteins FTH1 and FTL (P<0.01), and serve damage to mitochondrial structure and morphology. Compared with the model group, the relative aortic plaque area was decreased, calcified lesions in the aortic sinus were decreased, serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, Fe2+, and MDA were decreased, and HDL-C, SOD, and GSH levels were increased in the XGRHW low-dose and high-dose and ferrostatin-1 groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and Nrf2, xCT, GPX4, and the iron storage proteins FTH1 and FTL were upregulated in aortic tissues (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and mitochondrial structure approaching normal. In the XGRHW high-dose+ML385 group, compared with the XGRHW high-dose group, the levels of blood lipids and lipid peroxidation were increased and the protein levels of Nrf2, xCT, and GPX4 in aortic tissue and the iron storage proteins FTH1 and FTL were decreased (P<0.01), and mitochondrial structure was damaged indicating that ML385 could inhibit the therapeutic effect of the XGRHW in atherosclerotic mice.Conclusion The XGRHW can improve blood lipid levels and reduce the degree of arterial plaque lesions in atherosclerotic mice, and its mechanism of action may be related to activation of the Nrf2/xCT/GPX4 pathway to inhibit ferroptosis.
2.Application of cognitive interview in the compilation of Family Resilience Scale for Schizophrenic Patients
Jiaxin REN ; Yu WANG ; Mengnan QIN ; Yuqiu ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2024;30(29):3945-3950
Objective:To assess the understanding level of Family Resilience Scale for Schizophrenic Patients among respondents using cognitive interviews and revise the items accordingly.Methods:Using the purposive sampling method, two cognitive interviews were conducted on schizophrenia patients admitted to Chifeng An Ding Hospital from April to June 2023. A Question Appraisal System (QAS-99) was used to encode the interview data to find the problems existing in the scale structure, and at the same time, the scale items were revised based on expert opinions.Results:The first round of cognitive interviews showed ten questions, mainly focusing on "clarification"questions. The results of the second round of cognitive interviews showed that all respondents could correctly understand the scale items revised by the first round of lognitive interviews, and no further revision was required. The final Family Resilience Scale for Schizophrenic Patients included 24 items.Conclusions:Cognitive interviews can help to find and solve the differences in the understanding of items between researchers and interviewees in the compilation of the Family Resilience Scale for Schizophrenic Patients so as to improve the accuracy and reliability of the scale.
3.Construction and application of the standard process of thirst management for patients undergoing endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas
Xuelian JIANG ; Ping LIU ; Siyi QIN ; Yuping GUO ; Mengnan LI
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2023;29(1):57-61
Objective:To explore the construction and application of the standard process of thirst management for patients undergoing endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas.Methods:From June 2020 to October 2021, 160 patients with endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas who were admitted to the Neurosurgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (Anhui Provincial Hospital) were selected by convenience sampling. The patients were randomly divided into test group and control group, 80 cases in each group. The control group implemented routine nursing to prevent postoperative thirst, while the test group established a standard process of thirst management and implemented thirst prevention and interventions according to the process. The thirst intensity, thirst pain and resting salivary flow rate between the two groups was compared.Results:The thirst intensity scores of patients in the test group at 2, 6 and 24 hours after operation were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-8.696, -10.008, -4.305; P<0.01) . The score of thirst pain in the test group was lower than that in the control group, and the resting salivary flow rate at 6 and 24 hours after operation were higher than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences ( Z=-9.488, -4.124, -2.631; P<0.01) . Conclusions:The standard process of thirst management can reduce the postoperative thirst intensity of patients with pituitary adenomas surgery and improve their thirst feeling, which is worthy of clinical promotion.
4.A qualitative study of perception of risk of relapse in patients with schizophrenia
Hong YU ; Yuqiu ZHOU ; Yujing SUN ; Guohua LI ; Dongyu HOU ; Mengnan QIN ; Jiaxin REN ; Weimiao ZHANG
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2024;38(5):388-393
Objective:To elucidate the primary elements pertaining to the perception of relapse risk and to in-vestigate the characteristics and alterations of perception of the risk of recurrence in patients with schizophrenia.Methods:By using the method of phenomenological study,semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted among schizophrenic patients with first onset,first recurrence and multiple recurrences.Twenty-three 23 outpatient and inpatient cases that met the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,Fifth Edition(DSM-5)were included,and all patients had PANSS scores below 60.The interview data were collated and analyzed according to Colaizzi analysis.Results:The perception of recurrence risk in patients with schizophrenia en-compassed 4 major themes and 11 sub-themes,namely susceptibility(limited overall understanding,transition from optimism to objectivity),detection of early warning symptoms(dynamic escalation,assistance from family mem-bers in identification),understanding risk factors(lack of understanding,the relationship between psychosocial fac-tors and relapse,dynamic understanding of medication-relapse relationship),and apprehension of the consequences of recurrence(care burden and financial constraints,impaired social functioning and maladjustment,impact on pub-lic safety,personal health risks).Conclusion:The content of risk perception of recurrence in patients with schizo-phrenia is relatively substantial.The overall level of risk perception of recurrence in patients with schizophrenia is low.
5.Establishment of the data capture and management platform for case-control study on precocious puberty based on REDCap system
Yujie QIN ; Linhao WANG ; Hongyang DENG ; Mengnan LU ; Baibing MI ; Yanfeng XIAO ; Jing ZHOU
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2023;44(1):115-120
【Objective】 To conduct a case-control study on precocious puberty as an example to introduce the establishment and design of the electronic Data capture and management platform using Research Electronic data Capture (REDCap) system and support the development of clinical research. 【Methods】 Based on the clinical REDCap system, the case-control research project of precocious puberty was created, the case report forms were designed, the user rights were set, and the data quality control rules were formulated. 【Results】 We established the electronic data capture and management platform for our research, which had 15 case report forms, to collect the data of the participants, including sociodemographic information, time for rest and activities, diet, exposure to environmental internal-secretion interfering-substances, physical examination and biochemical indicators. We conducted project management by setting up features such as user permissions and workgroups, and added data quality verification rules to control data quality. The data could be exported in various file formats for analysis and sharing. 【Conclusion】 The application of REDCap to establish the data capture and management platform of precocious puberty case-control study has promoted the efficient implementation of clinical research, which can be further popularized and applied to clinical researches in other fields.
6.Research progress of the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of athero-sclerosis based on miRNA regulation of vascular endothelial cell injury
Dandan LIU ; Hewei QIN ; Yang GAO ; Mengyan SUN ; Mengnan WANG ; Yuqing NIU ; Xuemei SONG
China Pharmacy 2023;34(12):1524-1528
The injury of vascular endothelial cells is not only the initial condition to promote the occurrence of early atherosclerosis (AS) plaques, but also an important link in the pathogenesis of AS. The microRNA (miRNA), as an important medium of intercellular communication and gene regulatory factor, can affect vascular endothelial function and participate in the development of AS. The molecular mechanism of miRNA’s multi-target intervention in vascular endothelial cell injury has become a hot topic in the research of cardiovascular diseases. Monomers of traditional Chinese medicines such as ginsenoside Rb2 and paeonol, as well as traditional Chinese medicine for resolving phlegm and removing blood stasis could regulate miRNA to improve endothelial cell inflammation; astragaloside Ⅳ, dihydromyricetin and notoginsenoside could target miRNA and inhibit vascular endothelial oxidative stress; Danhong injection, Jianpi qutan and huayu prescription and paeonol could affect endothelial autophagy through miRNA; resveratrol, Bushen huoxue formula and Bushen tongmai formula could inhibit vascular endothelial aging by miRNA; dendrobine played an active role in regulating miRNA and improving endoplasmic reticulum stress. In the future, more in- depth research is needed on the effectiveness, mechanism of action, diagnosis and treatment plans, and safety of targeted regulation of miRNA for AS therapy by traditional Chinese medicine.
7.Bibliometric Study on Health Utility Value Obtained by Mapping Method in Pharmacoeconomic Evaluation
Mengnan LI ; Hongyan WU ; Qin GOU ; Yifan CAI ; Yi XIAO ; Tangqin ZHANG ; Shenchao SONG ; Yan HUANG ; Zhuojun XIE ; Xiao LIN
China Pharmacy 2020;31(11):1358-1364
OBJECTIVE:To know about the research status of health utility value obtained by mapping method in pharmacoeconomic evaluation ,and to provide reference for bibliometric study in pharmacoeconomic evaluation . METHODS : Using“Mapping method ”“Health utility value ”“Cost-utility”“Utility point system ”as Chinese and English keywords ,retrieved from CNKI ,Wanfang database ,PubMed,Medline,Ebsco,Ovid and Wiley database ,empirical journal documents published from the inception to Dec. 31st,2018 about using mapping method to obtain health utility value were collected. The bibliometrics was used to statistically analyze basic information of included literature ,the construction and test of the model ,the type of the best model and so on. RESULTS :The 124 included documents were all published in English journal. In the construction and testing of the mapping model ,the most frequently used econometric methods ,performance evaluation indicators and model testing methods were ordinary least squares (OLS),mean absolute error (MAE)and residual normality test ,application frequency of which were 97 times(31.60%),89 times(24.93%)and 62 times(21.09%). There are 117 articles that define the best mapping model ,of which 101 articles(86.32%)have the best direct mapping effect. Most of the non-utility measurement scales adopted specific scales (92 articles,77.97%),and a few literatures adopted the universal scale (26 articles,22.03%). The most utility measurement scales were 3-level European 5-dimensional health scale (79 articles,66.95%). CONCLUSIONS :The domestic empirical researches that use the mapping method to obtain health utility values need to be developed yet. A series of mapping models successfully developed by foreign scholars not only provide the feasibility of using non-utility measurement scales for cost-utility analysis ,but also provide more ideas for China to choose the corresponding econometric methods ,evaluation indicators and mapping methods in the empirical research of the mapping method in the future.