Integrated Bioinformatics-Based Identification of Ferroptosis-Related Genes in Carotid Atherosclerosis.

Background: Ferroptosis, a type of cell death caused by phospholipid peroxidation, has lately been linked to the onset and development of numerous illnesses. Numerous investigations have demonstrated the close relationship between lipid peroxidation and carotid atherosclerosis. In order to get new knowledge for targeted therapy, bioinformatics analysis was employed in this study to discover the probable ferroptosis-related genes of carotid atherosclerosis. Methods: The GSE43292 gene expression dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes were screened by R software and then analyzed by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, differential gene correlation analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) pathway, and Gene Ontology (GO) terminology enrichment analysis to explore the functional role. Result: In samples of atherosclerosis, we found 33 ferroptosis genes that were differentially expressed, including 21 upregulated genes and 12 downregulated genes. These differentially elevated genes were mainly connected to the ferroptosis and glutathione metabolism pathways, according to GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. We also discovered 10 hub genes and 2 important modules through the analysis of the PPI network and the creation of key modules. Conclusion: The current findings imply that the carotid atherosclerosis phenomenon involves ferroptosis, and 10 important genes associated to ferroptosis may play a role in the development of carotid atherosclerosis. This study offered a novel approach to future research on the carotid atherosclerosis pathogenic processes and treatment targets.

Associations of frailty, loneliness and the quality of life of empty nesters: A cross-sectional study in rural areas.

AIMS: To explore loneliness, in association with frailty, in explaining the quality of life (QOL) of empty-nest older adults in rural China. DESIGN: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted. METHODS: Data collection was performed from June to August 2017 in Changchun, the capital city of Jilin province, which consists of seven districts and three counties. In total, 304 older adults aged 60 years and above participated. The characteristics of older adults were evaluated in terms of frailty status, loneliness and the QOL. One-way and two-way analyses of covariance and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves were used to explore the relationships of frailty, loneliness and the QOL. RESULTS: The one-way ANCOVA showed a significant difference among robust, prefrail and frail participants for loneliness. Moreover, an interaction effect of frailty with loneliness in determining the QOL was found. The receiver operating characteristic curves showed that loneliness and QOL could distinguish frail older adults, and the best cutoffs were 34.5 and 67.4, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a close relationship between frailty and loneliness, suggesting the need to simultaneously consider the two with regard to the QOL of empty-nest older adults in rural China.

Theory-Based Interventions to Promote Fluid Intake Adherence Among Dialysis Patients: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dialysis involves a complex regimen including diet, fluid, medication, and treatment. Therapeutic regimen adherence determines the therapeutic success, quality of life, and survival of patients on dialysis. Complying with fluid management is the most difficult among the therapeutic regimen. Several theory-based interventions have been designed to promote fluid intake compliance in patients receiving dialysis. This review has two aims. One is to explore the effectiveness of theory-based interventions. The other is to examine the extent of the combination of theory and interventions in improving adherence to fluid intake among dialysis patients. METHODS: A literature review was performed using PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library to acquire associated studies. Data were extracted independently by two researchers. The degree of theory application was accessed using a theory coding scheme (TCS). RESULTS: Eight studies were identified as eligible for inclusion, and five theories were cited as basis (health belief model, social cognitive theory, self-regulation model, transtheoretical model). According to the TCS, adherence outcomes and the extent of theory use were not optimal. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Combining theory with patient health education might be beneficial in improving fluid intake adherence of dialysis patients. The framework and TCS could be considered to guide theory utilization and promote nursing education in improving the quality of renal nursing care.

Knowledge, attitudes, practices and information demand in relation to haze in China: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Information on the effects of haze on health and corresponding knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) will improve self-care ability against the ill effects of haze pollution and make environmental health policies more targeted and effective. In this study, we aim to determine the KAP and information demand in the context of haze and its effects on health. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Changchun, China, between October and November 2016. A purposive sample comprising four groups (college students, occupational population, traffic police, and elderly population) were investigated. Personal information and questions pertaining to KAP and information demand on haze pollution and health were collected through questionnaire. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 888 residents. The awareness rate was 57.7% and varied significantly with education, exercise, and population group (p < 0.05). Among the four groups, college students scored the lowest in attitudes and practices, whereas traffic police scored the highest. Concerning the source of information demand, the elderly and traffic police preferred traditional information access (i.e., television and newspaper), whereas college students and the occupational population preferred new social media (i.e., mobile newspaper and social media sites). Regarding the most trusted department that releases information, all residents relied on the haze information released by the environmental protection department and meteorological department. The latest air quality was the most desired information of the residents. CONCLUSIONS: Changchun residents have a relatively high knowledge awareness rate. The elderly and less-educated residents are the targetable population for haze education. Education should be disseminated in such manner as to meet the needs of different people.

Effects of cognitive behavioral therapy on people living with HIV and depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of this review is to examine the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) on people living with HIV (PLWH) and depression. A literature search from five electronic databases was conducted, and articles published until July 2017 were collected. The inclusion criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of CBT that were conducted among PLWH with clinically relevant depression. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis 2 was used to obtain pooled results. Seven RCTs, with a total sample size of 388 participants, met the inclusion criteria. Compared with the control group, the CBT group had statistically significant, short-term improvements in depression (g = -0.486, 95% CI [-0.969 to -0.003], P = 0.048). A significant reduction in viral load was also observed at the long-term follow-up (g = -0.306, 95% CI [-0.573 to -0.040], P = 0.024), but no improvements were found in CD4. Results of this meta-analysis showed that CBT is effective in reducing depression symptoms in PLWH with comorbid depression for a short period of time. However, the findings of this review may not be generalized in the clinical field due to the small number of involved studies and the limited study sample. Thus, more robust and adequately powered studies are needed to further explore CBT interventions in PLWH with depression.

Correlates of affiliate stigma among family caregivers of people with mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: A growing body of qualitative and quantitative research has investigated the experiences of affiliated stigma for family members of PWMI. Some findings are contradictory and have not been considered systematically. WHAT DOES THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Family caregivers of PWMI may encounter affiliate stigma, but no systematic review or meta-analysis has been conducted to evaluate affiliate stigma among them. We identified eight variables significantly related to affiliate stigma among caregivers of PWMI. The findings can be used to help clinical practice to develop health promotion and prevention strategies. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Affiliate stigma was prevalent among the family caregivers of PWMI and is important for clinicians to consider. Health-focused interventions for family caregivers can mediate the impact of affiliated stigma through provision of social support by practitioners, such as respite care based on the "Senses Framework," self-help groups and online support program. And the caregivers of PWMI might benefit from further support (e.g., psychoeducation) to improve their knowledge about mental illness. ABSTRACT: Introduction Many studies have investigated the correlates of affiliate stigma among family caregivers of people with mental illness (PWMI). Thus far, no systematic review or meta-analysis has been conducted to synthesize these results. Aims/Question This review aims to identify the correlates of affiliate stigma among family caregivers of PWMI. Method We searched four databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Web of Science for studies that investigated the association of affiliate sigma with socio-demographic, psychosocial and disease-related factors. Results Twenty-two studies including 3,381 participants met the inclusion criteria. Eighteen variables were included for the meta-analysis. For disease-related characteristics, only "disease attribution" and "care time/day" were associated with affiliate stigma. For psychosocial characteristics, "support from others," "burden," "depression," "stress," "distress" and "face concern" were related to affiliate stigma. Discussion This review is the first to assess the association of affiliate stigma with other characteristics of interest. However, the findings are limited due to a very small number of studies. Researchers should conduct in-depth study in this area and improve the quality of the literature. Implications for practice Health-focused interventions for family caregivers such as respite care, self-help groups, online support program and psychosocial education can mediate the impact of affiliated stigma.

Napping on night-shifts among nursing staff: A mixed-methods systematic review.

AIMS: To synthesize research on the influence of night-shift napping on nurses. BACKGROUND: Shift work is common for hospital nurses. Various studies corroborate that shift work causes adverse health consequences for nurses. Night-shift napping is a countermeasure to address the adverse outcomes of shift work. DESIGN: A mixed-methods systematic review. DATA SOURCES: The literature search included the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library electronic databases from inception to December 2017. Reference lists were hand searched. Only English articles were chosen. REVIEW METHODS: A sequential explanatory design and Cochrane's methods for integrating qualitative and implementation evidence in intervention effectiveness reviews. The Mixed Methods Assessment Tool and Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool were applied to assess the methodological quality of included studies. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies met our inclusion criteria. Many nurses experienced napping during their night-shift although no clear policy emerged. Napping is beneficial to the well-being of nurses and could improve their psychomotor vigilance and performance. However, the related studies are limited. The evidence on reducing sleepiness and fatigue was also insufficient and napping in nursing still faces challenges. CONCLUSION: Although research on this topic has just started, napping during night-shift is beneficial to nurses' health and performance. Research should further explore the long-term impact on of night-shift napping on nurses, people and organization using sound methodological designs. Managers should actively develop strategies to address night-shift napping barriers.

The effectiveness of aromatherapy and massage on stress management in nurses: A systematic review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of aromatherapy and massage on relieving stress in nurses. BACKGROUND: Nurses face uncommon levels of stress in medical settings. Stress has a negative impact on nurses' well-being and the organisation where they work. Aromatherapy and massage are important strategies for stress reduction. However, the effectiveness of aromatherapy and massage on relieving stress in nurses currently lacks understanding. DESIGN: Systematic review. METHOD: We performed a quantitative systematic review using Cochrane methods. We searched existing literature in the following databases: PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library, to examine any experimental design studies published from the earliest date available to August 2017 in English. Risk of bias per outcome was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 10 articles met the inclusion criteria, including aromatherapy (n = 4), massage (n = 4) and aromatherapy massage (n = 2). Most studies reported that aromatherapy and massage exert a beneficial effect on the stress of nurses. One study showed that the aromatherapy massage with music interventions has no effect on the stress of nurses. However, the number of the studies is limited and has high or unclear risk of bias. CONCLUSION: This review revealed that the evidence does not sufficiently prove that aromatherapy, massage and aromatherapy massage are effective for reducing job-related stress of nurses. We need to conduct high-quality studies to verify the effects of these interventions on nurses' stress levels in the future. Moreover, we need to integrate outcome measures of stress levels for developing more appropriate tools than the ones used as present. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurses' stress has a negative impact on their own and organisation where they work. All available opportunities should be taken to reduce nurses' stress. It will be beneficial for nurse shortage.

Factors influencing patient delay in individuals with haemorrhoids: A study based on theory of planned behavior and common sense model.

AIMS: This study aimed to describe the status of patient delay and examine related factors affecting patient delay in individuals with haemorrhoids in mainland China, based on theory of planned behaviour and common sense model. BACKGROUND: Studies on patient delay have mainly focused on cancer, tuberculosis and myocardial infarction, but studies on patient delay in individuals with haemorrhoids have yet to be conducted. Compared with other diseases, haemorrhoids are initially considered benign. However, if patients with haemorrhoids seek delayed medical assistance, they pay a large cost for worse symptoms because they fail to seek timely treatments compared with those who receive appropriate treatments at early stages. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design was used. METHODS: The current study was performed on 306 patients with haemorrhoids from June - October 2017. Data were collected via a self-administered pencil-and-paper survey that consisted of a multi-item questionnaire. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the factors of patient delay. RESULTS: Middle-aged participants were more than twice more likely to report patient delay than participants in other age groups. A high level of perceived self-efficacy, a high level of illness perceptions and perceived social impact were associated with prolonged delay. CONCLUSION: This study showed that patient delay is common among patients with haemorrhoids in China. The influencing factors of patient delay were middle-aged, illness perceptions, perceived self-efficacy, and perceived social impact.

Effect of multicomponent interventions on competence of family caregivers of people with dementia: A systematic review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This review aims to summarise and evaluate multicomponent interventions focused on improving the competence of family members of people with dementia (PwD) who undertake the caregiving tasks. BACKGROUND: Caregiver competence is essential for family members of PwD acting as caregivers. Competence affects the physical and mental health of both PwD and caregivers. Many kinds of multicomponent interventions are used to improve caregiver competence. DESIGN: A systematic review. METHODS: A literature search from six databases was conducted. Articles published until January 2017 were screened. Intervention studies that measured caregiver competence of family members of PwD as an outcome were included. The Oxford Center Evidence-based Medicine criteria and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions were used for quality assessment. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included, and number of participants was 1096. The characteristics of the included studies and key findings were analysed. Multicomponent interventions may improve the family caregivers' competence. Caregivers in the intervention group were confident and skilful in managing their role. CONCLUSION: The intervention design, treatment content and length and intensity of the intervention varied in the included studies. Given that heterogeneity was high, combining these results via narrative synthesis is more appropriate than a meta-analysis. The current study provides recommendations regarding the formulation and implementation of interventions based on relevant literature. In view of existing research, researchers should conduct an in-depth study in this area and provide evidence-based interventions to support family members caring for PwD. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The competence of family caregivers is essential for the life quality of PwD. To promote the health of the family caregiver and PwD, multicomponent interventions may be appropriate for nurses to practice.

Relationship between nurse psychological empowerment and job satisfaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize and analyse studies that explored the relationship between the psychological empowerment and job satisfaction of nurses. BACKGROUND: Nurse turnover is an important cause of staff shortage. Job satisfaction is a major predictor of nurse turnover and is connected to the psychological empowerment of nurses. DESIGN: This systematic review and meta-analysis is based on the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. DATA SOURCES: A total of 1,572 articles on psychological empowerment and job satisfaction were retrieved from PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Web of Science. The articles were written in English and published before or by April 2017. METHODS: Studies on the relationship between psychological empowerment and job satisfaction were summarized. RESULTS: The majority of the included studies revealed that psychological empowerment and job satisfaction are significantly correlated. Only two studies showed that the two factors are not significantly correlated. The result of this meta-analysis is consistent with the results of most studies. One study reported that psychological empowerment partially mediates the structural empowerment and job satisfaction of school health nurses. Two studies, however, did not find that the mediating role of psychological empowerment between structural empowerment and job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The results of this review provided evidence for the importance of psychological empowerment for the job satisfaction of among nurses. Exploring the correlation between psychological empowerment and job satisfaction can provide guidelines and recommendation for the development of strategies to promote nurse retention and alleviate nursing shortage.

Health-related life satisfaction and its influencing factors: A cross-sectional study in China.

AIM: With the rapid development of science and technology, the pace of life has accelerated. Health and life satisfaction issues of persons are gaining more attention. China, Japan, Malaysia, and Taiwan conducted international cooperative research on health of four regional populations. This research was a part of the study in mainland China, which aimed to explore health-related life satisfaction and its influencing factors on large samples in mainland China. METHODS: A random group of 1404 persons from universities, factories, companies, and elderly centers in Changchun completed a structured questionnaire. This study centered on life satisfaction indicators, which included the current whole life, income, family relationships, peer relationships, relationships with the neighbors, living environment, personal health, family health, spare time, and housework share. Other collected data included the Body Mass Index, blood pressure, self-rated health, Breslow's seven health practices, medical treatment within the past 6 months, physical examinations, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12 Scale, social activities, networking relationships with persons around the community, social support, and sociodemographic variables. Associations between life satisfaction, demographics, and health-related variables were analyzed through a multiway ANOVA. RESULTS: The living environment and income of Chinese persons were related to their low life satisfaction. The multiway ANOVA showed that the independent relationship of self-rated health, regular physical examinations, GHQ-12 Scale, trust in the community, communication with the neighbors, education, and age related with life satisfaction accounting for 20.3% of the variance. Education and age showed interactive effects on life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: This study identified seven factors that influenced the life satisfaction of persons in mainland China. Life satisfaction can be enhanced through interventions to improve self-rated health, regular physical examinations, mental health, trust in the community, communication with the neighbors, education, and improvement in the health service.

Impacts of parathyroidectomy on renal anemia and nutritional status of hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of parathyroidectomy (PTX) towards the renal anemia and nutritional status of hemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). 32 patients, enrolled into the blood purification center of our hospital for the hemodialysis treatment, were collected and divided into the PTX group and the non-PTX group, with 16 patients in each group. The changes of relevant indicators such as immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH), anemia and nutrition were observed before, 1-, 3-, 6-month after the treatment. The contents of iPTH, Ca, P and Ca × P of the PTX group decreased rapidly 1 month after the surgery; while Hb and Hct increased significantly from the 1st postoperative month; the dosage of EPO was significantly reduced 3-month after the surgery; the content of Alb gradually increased from the 3(rd) postoperative month; the content of TG decreased significantly from the 6(th) postoperative month; while the contents of BMI and TSF increased significantly from the 6(th) postoperative month, which exhibited the statistically significant differences when compared with the preoperative and the non-PTX group (P < 0.05). PTX could quickly reduce the iPTH level and significantly improve the renal anemia and nutritional status; SHPT was the important factor that would affect the renal anemia and malnutrition; PTX could reduce the amount of EPO, and reduce the economic burden of patients.