Dementia and risks of temperature-related mortality and hospitalizations in Germany.

Background: Extreme temperatures are associated with negative health outcomes, in particular for older adults with pre-existing conditions. While climate change is expected to increase exposure to temperature levels that are detrimental for health, little is known about how dementia shapes vulnerability to extreme temperatures.

Methods: We leveraged repeated quarterly individual-level health claims from 2004 to 2019 on 250,000 individuals in Germany aged 50 years and above with information on key neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.

Colonoscopy and Subsequent Risk of Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is caused by the misfolding and aggregation of α-synuclein in neurons into toxic oligomers and fibrils that have prion-like properties allowing them to infect healthy neurons and to be transmitted to animal models of PD by injection or oral exposure. Given α-synuclein fibrils' potential transmission on the gut-brain axis, α-synuclein may be transmitted through colonoscopy procedures.

Objective: This study examines a possible association between colonoscopy and PD.

Growing the Next Generation of Nurse Leaders: A Report of the Process and Outcomes of the Midwest Nursing Research Society Leadership Academy.

Background: Leadership development, career advancement, and collaboration among scholars are essential to nurturing nursing research excellence and sustainability. The Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) has incorporated several strategies to advance nursing science and to increase the pool of future nurse leaders. In this article, we describe the process, activities, and outcomes of the Leadership Academy (LA), an innovative initiative from MNRS developed to identify, engage, and nurture future generations of leaders.

Physical Activity After Heart Surgery: Associations With Psychosocial and Sleep Factors.

Background: Heart surgery is an effective intervention for managing heart disease, the leading cause of death globally. After surgery, physical activity is key to improving patients' quality of life and decreasing mortality, but patients are frequently physically inactive after heart surgery.

Objective: This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to examine how psychosocial and sleep factors influenced physical activity in patients after heart surgery.

Shift Work Sleep Disorder and Mental Health: An Integrative Review of Neurobiological, Sociological, and Psychological Perspectives With Public Policy Implications.

Shift workers support critical 24-hr operations; their health can be impaired by disrupted circadian rhythms and dysfunctional sleep. Shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) is a prevalent condition with significant psychological consequences. Nurse leaders have not yet implemented effective policies to prevent SWSD and optimize shift workers' mental health.

Effects of daily sleep on physical activity after cardiac surgery.

Background: Maintaining physical activity is challenging after cardiac surgery. Postsurgical cardiac patients often experience sleep problems showing a reciprocal interaction with physical activity. As sleep and physical activity show day-to-day variations, their daily relationships need to be assessed.

Cloud-Integrated Smart Nanomembrane Wearables for Remote Wireless Continuous Health Monitoring of Postpartum Women.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCD), such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, are defining healthcare challenges of the 21st century. Medical infrastructure, which for decades sought to reduce the incidence and severity of communicable diseases, has proven insufficient in meeting the intensive, long-term monitoring needs of many NCD disease patient groups. In addition, existing portable devices with rigid electronics are still limited in clinical use due to unreliable data, limited functionality, and lack of continuous measurement ability.

Associations Between Gut Microbial Features and Sickness Symptoms in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Purpose: The study investigated the relationship of gut microbiome features and sickness symptoms in kidney transplant recipients.

Methods: Employing a prospective, longitudinal design, we collected data from 19 participants who had undergone living-donor kidney transplant at three timepoints (pre-transplant and 1 week and 3 months post-transplant). Sickness symptom data and fecal specimens were collected at each timepoint.

A qualitative exploration of young adults' perceptions of a new intervention for alcohol use disorder.

Background: Due to the rising prevalence of alcohol use disorders among young adults, the need for effective and accessible interventions has become increasingly imperative. In acknowledgment of this issue, we developed a novel intervention known as contingency management plus problem solving therapy (CM-PST). The aim of the current study was to gain insight into the perspectives on the effectiveness of the newly developed CM-PST using focus group discussion among young adults who consume alcohol regularly.

Dementia in Germany: epidemiology, trends and challenges.

Background: Dementia poses a growing challenge for individuals, healthcare, social support, and society amidst the ongoing ageing of populations. To evaluate the care requirements and social implications of dementia in Germany, reliable statistics regarding its current and future occurrence are necessary.

Methods: Using existing data sources and recent research results, this paper compiles and analyses relevant statistics on the occurrence of dementia in Germany, presents protective and risk factors, and options for care provision.

The Impact of Sex-Specific Survival on the Incidence of Dementia in Parkinson's Disease.

Objective: The aim of our study is to analyze sex-specific patterns of Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) incidence. We are investigating the extent to which sex differences in survival after initial Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis influence differences in PDD risk among PD patients.

Methods: We used a random sample of German longitudinal health claims data of persons ages 50+ (2004-2019; n = 250,000) and identified new PD cases ages 65+ who were followed-up for a PDD diagnosis or death between 2006 and 2017.

Amisulpride as a potential disease-modifying drug in the treatment of tauopathies.

Introduction: Hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau cause the development of tauopathies, such as Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). We recently uncovered a causal link between constitutive serotonin receptor 7 (5-HT7R) activity and pathological tau aggregation. Here, we evaluated 5-HT7R inverse agonists as novel drugs in the treatment of tauopathies.

Sporadic Use of Antibiotics in Older Adults and the Risk of Dementia: A Nested Case-Control Study Based on German Health Claims Data.

Background: Antibiotics for systemic use may increase the risk of neurodegeneration, yet antibiotic therapy may be able to halt or mitigate an episode of neurodegenerative decline.

Objective: To investigate the association of sporadic use of antibiotics and subsequent dementia risk (including Alzheimer's disease).

Methods: We used data from the largest public health insurance fund in Germany, the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (AOK).

Socratic Inquiry, Syllogism, Schematic Cases, and Symbolism: Critical Thinking Strategies for Nursing Education.

Background: Critical thinking is an essential nursing competency. Faculty can teach students how to think critically by emphasizing the connections between their philosophy and nursing curricula to ensure that students recognize the cognitive processes they use to make complex decisions.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the definitions, history, and utility of philosophical perspectives that inform critical thinking.

Resilience in Family Caregivers of Asian Older Adults With Dementia: A Concept Analysis.

Asian family caregivers of older adults with dementia have stressful caregiving situations over long periods; they must become resilient to recover from adversity. A conceptual definition of resilience specific to Asian family caregivers is important for understanding their caregiving phenomena and the relationships with mental health and psychological well-being. The purpose of this concept analysis was to define resilience in family caregivers of Asian older adults with dementia using Walker and Avant's method.

An Analysis and Evaluation of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model for Antiretroviral Therapy.

We use Fawcett and DeSanto-Madeya's framework to critique Fisher and Fisher's information-motivation-behavioral skills model and determine its usefulness and applicability for nursing. Our analysis and evaluation show that the model is a parsimonious and useful situation-specific theory for guiding nursing research and practice because it shows good fit with the nursing context, has social and theoretical significance, and exhibits empirical and pragmatic adequacy. More consistency in using terms referring to each concept would help to improve the model's internal consistency.

Validation of PiezoSleep Scoring Against EEG/EMG Sleep Scoring in Rats.

Introduction: Current methods of sleep research in rodents involve invasive surgical procedures of EEG and EMG electrodes implantation. Recently, a new method of measuring sleep, PiezoSleep, has been validated against implanted electrodes in mice and rats. PiezoSleep uses a piezoelectric film transducer to detect the rodent's movements and respiration and employs an algorithm to automatically score sleep.

Sleep, time, and space-fatigue and performance deficits in pilots, commercial truck drivers, and astronauts.

Sleep is essential for preventing fatigue in occupations that require sustained vigilance. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize knowledge about sleep, fatigue, and performance in pilots, commercial truck drivers, and astronauts. We found 28 studies where researchers objectively or subjectively measured sleep, fatigue, and performance.

A concept analysis of nurses in conflicts after World War II.

Aim: We analysed nurses' experiences during military conflicts since World War II.

Background: Nurses have successfully reduced morbidity and mortality in populations affected by wars; despite centuries of nurses' global involvement in wars, there is limited knowledge about their experiences.

Method: We used Rodger's evolutionary concept analysis methodology to understand the antecedents, attributes, consequences, context and implications of nurses' war-related experiences.

Cardiovascular diseases and sleep disorders in South Asians: A scoping review.

Background: South Asians comprise 20% of the world population. There is a high prevalence of cardiovascular diseases among South Asians, and sleep disorders may be a key risk factor.

Objective: The review examined literature about cardiovascular and sleep disorders in South Asian countries and in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the Netherlands.

Potential of prevention strategies for the modifiable risk factor type 2 diabetes with relation to the future number of dementia patients in Germany- a multi-state projection through 2040.

Background: We assess the impact of prevention strategies regarding type 2 diabetes as a modifiable risk factor for dementia and its consequences for the future number of dementia patients in Germany.

Methods: We used a random sample of health claims data (N = 250,000) of insured persons aged 50+ drawn in 2014, and data on population size and death rates in 2015 from the Human Mortality Database. Using exponential hazard models, we calculated age- and sex-specific transition probabilities and death rates between the states (no diabetes/no dementia, diabetes/no dementia, no diabetes/dementia, diabetes/dementia).