Bridge the gap caused by public health crises: medical humanization and communication skills build a psychological bond that satisfies patients.

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is an important outcome domain of patient-centered care. Medical humanization follows the patient-centered principle and provides a more holistic view to treat patients. The COVID-19 pandemic posed significant barriers to maintaining medical humanization. However, empirical study on the relationship between medical humanization and patient satisfaction is clearly absent. OBJECTIVES: We examined the mediation effects of communication on the relationship between medical humanization and patient satisfaction when faced with a huge public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic, and the moderation effect of medical institutional trust on the mediation models. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was performed. A final sample size of 1445 patients was surveyed on medical humanization, communication, patient satisfaction and medical institutional trust. RESULTS: All correlations were significantly positive across the main variables (r = 0.35-0.67, p < 0.001 for all) except for medical institutional trust, which was negatively correlated with the medical humanization (r=-0.14, p < 0.001). Moderated mediation analysis showed that the indirect effect of medical humanization on patient satisfaction through communication was significant (b = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.18 ~ 0.25). Medical institutional trust significantly moderated the effect of medical humanization on patient satisfaction (b=-0.09, p < 0.001) and the effect of medical humanization on communication (b= -0.14, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Medical humanization positively influence patient satisfaction, communication mediated the association between medical humanization and patient satisfaction, and medical institutional trust negatively moderated the effects of medical humanization on patient satisfaction and communication. These findings suggest that humanistic communication contributes to patient satisfaction in the face of a huge public health crisis, and patients' evaluation of satisfaction is also regulated by rational cognition.

Chuanxiong improves angiogenesis via the PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway based on network pharmacology and DESI-MSI metabolomics.

Introduction: Chuanxiong, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been proved to treat a variety of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by promoting angiogenesis. However, the mechanisms of Chuanxiong's pro-angiogenesis is currently unknown. This study aimed to uncover the effect and mechanisms of Chuanxiong promoting angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Methods: First, potential targets were predicted by network pharmacology analysis, and PPI network was established and the pathways were enriched. Then, the chorioallantoic membrane test on quails was applied to assess the proangiogenic effects in vivo. As well, to evaluate the effects in vitro, real-time PCR, western blot analysis, the scratch test, and the tube formation experiment were used. Subsequently, the major metabolic pathways were analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics. Results: As a result of network pharmacological analysis, 51 collective targets of Chuanxiong and angiogenesis were identified, which are mainly associated with PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway. And the biological verification results showed that Chuanxiong could increase the vessel numbers and vessel area in qCAM models. Meanwhile, Chuanxiong contributed to HUVEC proliferation, tube formation, migration, by encouraging scratch healing rates and boosting tube branch points. In addition, the levels of VEGFR2, MAPK and PI3K were elevated compared to the control group. The western blot analysis also confirmed Chuanxiong could promote an increase in AKT, FOXO1 and Ras. Furtheremore, metabolomic results showed that the proangiogenic effect of Chuanxiong is associated with glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Discussion: In conclusion, this study clarified that Chuanxiong could promote angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro via regulating PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway.

Systems pharmacology and GC-MS metabolomics reveal the efficacy and mechanisms of zedoary oil on acute liver injury induced by oxidative stress.

BACKGROUND: Zedoray oil (ZO) is the main component of Curcuma zedoaria, one traditional herb used for dispersing stasis clinically in China. Previously, the potential of ZO was discovered against lethal and acute liver injury (ALI) mice with little impact on the immune, which deserved further study. METHODS: An approach combined systems pharmacology with GC-MS metabolomics was applied for predicting pathways affected by ZO. Subsequently, H2O2 and tertbutyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) were respectively applied to induce the ALI model in vitro for validation. RESULTS: First, systems pharmacology and intracellular metabolites suggested that ZO might regulate oxidative stress via PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 pathway, TCA cycle, pantothenate, and CoA biosynthesis, beta-alanine metabolism, and propanoate metabolism. Further, levels of ALT, AST, ROS, T-AOC, MDA, GR, ΔΨm, and related proteins affected by ZO had been detected to validate the above mechanisms using dual cell models. CONCLUSION: ZO could protect the L02 cells against ALI by regulating the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 pathway, as well as restore the function of mitochondria and redox imbalance damaged by toxicants. This work has uncovered the nonimmune mechanisms of ZO against ALI to provide the basis for relevant research and disease treatment.