Hypothalamic volume is associated with age, sex and cognitive function across lifespan: a comparative analysis of two large population-based cohort studies.

Background: Emerging findings indicate that the hypothalamus, the body's principal homeostatic centre, plays a crucial role in modulating cognition, but comprehensive population-based studies are lacking.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data from the Rhineland Study (N = 5812, 55.2 ± 13.

The impact of proton pump inhibitors on brain health based on cross-sectional findings from the Rhineland Study.

Reports linking proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) with cognition and dementia show conflicting results, with limited evidence on underlying biological mechanisms. However, existing studies did not investigate brain microstructure, which could provide valuable insights into early structural changes indicative of cognitive decline. Analyses were based on cross-sectional baseline data from the Rhineland Study (n = 7,465; mean age 55.

Versatile MRI acquisition and processing protocol for population-based neuroimaging.

Neuroimaging has an essential role in studies of brain health and of cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, requiring the availability of versatile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisition and processing protocols. We designed and developed a multipurpose high-resolution MRI protocol for large-scale and long-term population neuroimaging studies that includes structural, diffusion-weighted and functional MRI modalities. This modular protocol takes almost 1 h of scan time and is, apart from a concluding abdominal scan, entirely dedicated to the brain.

FastSurfer-HypVINN: Automated sub-segmentation of the hypothalamus and adjacent structures on high-resolutional brain MRI.

The hypothalamus plays a crucial role in the regulation of a broad range of physiological, behavioral, and cognitive functions. However, despite its importance, only a few small-scale neuroimaging studies have investigated its substructures, likely due to the lack of fully automated segmentation tools to address scalability and reproducibility issues of manual segmentation. While the only previous attempt to automatically sub-segment the hypothalamus with a neural network showed promise for 1.

Blood-derived microRNAs are related to cognitive domains in the general population.

Introduction: Blood-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) are potential candidates for detecting and preventing subclinical cognitive dysfunction. However, replication of previous findings and identification of novel miRNAs associated with cognitive domains, including their relation to brain structure and the pathways they regulate, are still lacking.

Methods: We examined blood-derived miRNAs and miRNA co-expression clusters in relation to cognitive domains, structural magnetic resonance imaging measures, target gene expression, and genetic variants in 2869 participants of a population-based cohort.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Its Genetic Risk: A Population-based Study.

Purpose: Specific genetic factors might serve as markers for risk stratification of AMD progression, but their association with key features of AMD has not been fully elucidated. Thus, we investigated the association between overall and pathway-specific genetic risk scores (GRS) and lead loci () with AMD stages and features of high-risk nonlate AMD, including reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) and large drusen area (LDA).

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Rhineland Study, a population-based study in Bonn, Germany.

Peripheral whole blood microRNA expression in relation to vascular function: a population-based study.

Background: As key regulators of gene expression, microRNAs affect many cardiovascular mechanisms and have been associated with several cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relation of whole blood microRNAs with several quantitative measurements of vascular function, and explore their biological role through an integrative microRNA-gene expression analysis.

Methods: Peripheral whole blood microRNA expression was assessed through RNA-Seq in 2606 participants (45.

Rapid submillimeter QSM and R* mapping using interleaved multishot 3D-EPI at 7 and 3 Tesla.

Purpose: To explore the high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) efficiency of interleaved multishot 3D-EPI with standard image reconstruction for fast and robust high-resolution whole-brain quantitative susceptibility (QSM) and mapping at 7 and 3T.

Methods: Single- and multi-TE segmented 3D-EPI is combined with conventional CAIPIRINHA undersampling for up to 72-fold effective gradient echo (GRE) imaging acceleration. Across multiple averages, scan parameters are varied (e.

Designing a Virtual Hospital-at-Home Intervention for Patients with Infectious Diseases: A Data-Driven Approach.

Background: Virtual hospital-at-home care might be an alternative to standard hospital care for patients with infectious diseases. In this study, we explore the potential for virtual hospital-at-home care and a potential design for this population.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of internal medicine patients suspected of infectious diseases, admitted between 1 January and 31 December 2019.

Surveillance of high-risk early postsurgical patients for real-time detection of complications using wireless monitoring (SHEPHERD study): results of a randomized multicenter stepped wedge cluster trial.

Background: Vital signs measurements on the ward are performed intermittently. This could lead to failure to rapidly detect patients with deteriorating vital signs and worsens long-term outcome. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that continuous wireless monitoring of vital signs on the postsurgical ward improves patient outcome.

Identification of circulating proteins associated with general cognitive function among middle-aged and older adults.

Identifying circulating proteins associated with cognitive function may point to biomarkers and molecular process of cognitive impairment. Few studies have investigated the association between circulating proteins and cognitive function. We identify 246 protein measures quantified by the SomaScan assay as associated with cognitive function (p < 4.

Associations of measured and genetically predicted leukocyte telomere length with vascular phenotypes: a population-based study.

Shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with cardiovascular dysfunction. Whether this association differs between measured and genetically predicted LTL is still unclear. Moreover, the molecular processes underlying the association remain largely unknown.

Over- and Undertreatment With Levothyroxine.

Background: Levothyroxine is a very commonly prescribed drug, and treatment with it is often insufficient or excessive. Nonetheless, there have been only a few reports on the determinants of inadequate levothyroxine treatment.

Methods: Data from 2938 participants in the population-based Rhineland Study were analyzed.

The lipidomic correlates of epigenetic aging across the adult lifespan: A population-based study.

Lipid signaling is involved in longevity regulation, but which specific lipid molecular species affect human biological aging remains largely unknown. We investigated the relation between complex lipids and DNA methylation-based metrics of biological aging among 4181 participants (mean age 55.1 years (range 30.

Interpretation of continuously measured vital signs data of COVID-19 patients by nurses and physicians at the general ward: A mixed methods study.

Background: Continuous monitoring of vital signs is introduced at general hospital wards to detect patient deterioration. Interpretation and response currently rely on experience and expert opinion. This study aims to determine whether consensus exist among hospital professionals regarding the interpretation of vital signs of COVID-19 patients.

Quantifying MR head motion in the Rhineland Study - A robust method for population cohorts.

Head motion during MR acquisition reduces image quality and has been shown to bias neuromorphometric analysis. The quantification of head motion, therefore, has both neuroscientific as well as clinical applications, for example, to control for motion in statistical analyses of brain morphology, or as a variable of interest in neurological studies. The accuracy of markerless optical head tracking, however, is largely unexplored.

Physical activity is associated with slower epigenetic ageing-Findings from the Rhineland study.

Epigenetic ageing, i.e., age-associated changes in DNA methylation patterns, is a sensitive marker of biological ageing, a major determinant of morbidity and functional decline.

Visual impairment and retinal and brain neurodegeneration: A population-based study.

Visual impairment and retinal neurodegeneration are intrinsically connected and both have been associated with cognitive impairment and brain atrophy, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To investigate whether transneuronal degeneration is implicated, we systematically assessed the relation between visual function and retinal, visual pathway, hippocampal and brain degeneration. We analyzed baseline data from 3316 eligible Rhineland Study participants with visual acuity (VA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data available.