Virtual reality interventions and their effects on the cognition of individuals with Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurocognitive disorder in the world and impacts the individual's cognitive functions and functionality in the early stages of the condition. Virtual reality (VR) interventions can assist in non-pharmacological treatment in a more ecological way, positively impacting cognitive abilities. However, there are few studies on VR exclusively involving people with AD in randomized controlled trials.

Pharmacological Prescription at the End of Life: Quality Assessment in the Transition of Care to a Community Palliative Care Support Team.

Appropriate pharmacological management is a cornerstone of quality in palliative care (PC), focusing on comfort and quality of life. Therapeutic review is crucial in PC, aiming to optimize symptom relief, reduce adverse effects, and manage drug interactions. This study aims to delve into the real-world pharmacological prescription practices within a Community Palliative Care Support Team (CPCST) in the northern region of Portugal, comparing practices at admission and at the last consultation before death.

The Relationship Between Decision-Making Capacity and Awareness in People with Young-Onset Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Young-onset AD (YOAD) typically occurs before the age of 65 and affects less than 6% of all people diagnosed with AD. There is a lack of research on differences between decision-making capacity and awareness according to age at onset of dementia.

Objective: We investigated the relationship between decision-making capacity and awareness domains in people with young- (YOAD) and late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD).

Prevalence of syphilis in transgender women and travestis in Brazil: results from a national cross-sectional study.

Objective: The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of acquired syphilis and associated factors in a national survey.

Methods: TransOdara was a cross-sectional study comprising transgender women and travestis (TGW) in five major cities in Brazil during December of 2019 and July of 2021. The sample was recruited using the respondent-driven sampling (RDS) method.

TransOdara study: the challenge of integrating methods, settings and procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Objective: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) disproportionately affect transgender women and travestis (TGW), who often lack access to healthcare due to stigma and discrimination. We describe the approach and methodology of a study investigating the prevalence of syphilis, HIV, hepatitis A, B, and C, Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), and human papillomavirus (HPV) among TGW, as well as their knowledge and perceptions regarding syphilis, to better inform policies to curb STIs among this vulnerable population.

Methods: TransOdara was a multicentric, cross-sectional study conducted among TGW in five capital cities from major Brazilian regions between December 2019 and July 2021.

Primate cerebrospinal fluid CHI3L1 reflects brain TREM2 agonism.

Introduction: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) agonists are being clinically evaluated as disease-modifying therapeutics for Alzheimer's disease. Clinically translatable pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarkers are needed to confirm drug activity and select the appropriate therapeutic dose in clinical trials.

Methods: We conducted multi-omic analyses on paired non-human primate brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and stimulation of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia cultures after TREM2 agonist treatment, followed by validation of candidate fluid PD biomarkers using immunoassays.

Practical but Inaccurate? A-Mode Ultrasound and Bioelectrical Impedance Underestimate Body Fat Percentage Compared to Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry in Male College Students.

Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and ultrasound (US) have become popular for estimating body fat percentage (BF%) due to their low cost and clinical convenience. However, the agreement of these devices with the gold-standard method still requires investigation. The aim was to analyze the agreement between a gold-standard %BF assessment method with BIA and US devices.

Corrigendum to "WCN24-1675 ACUTE NECROTIZING ULCERATIVE GENGIVITIS IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION: A CASE REPORT" [ Volume 9, Issue 4, Supplement, April 2024, Page S473].

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.

Measures of Awareness in Alzheimer's Disease and Clinical Differences Between Groups with Preserved, Impaired, and Absent Awareness.

Background: Awareness is a heterogeneous construct that requires accurate assessment. There is no consensus on the best methodology for capturing the phenomenon, thus leading to inconsistent results in this area.

Objective: We aim to evaluate the reliability of clinicians' ratings and a discrepancy assessment method, examining groups of people with Alzheimer's disease (PwAD) according to their degree of awareness and demographic and clinical aspects.

Ensemble-imbalance-based classification for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis prognostic prediction: identifying short-survival patients at diagnosis.

Prognosticating Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) presents a formidable challenge due to patients exhibiting different onset sites, progression rates, and survival times. In this study, we have developed and evaluated Machine Learning (ML) algorithms that integrate Ensemble and Imbalance Learning techniques to classify patients into Short and Non-Short survival groups based on data collected during diagnosis. We aimed to identify individuals at high risk of mortality within 24 months of symptom onset through analysis of patient data commonly encountered in daily clinical practice.

"Clock dial pattern", a radiologic clue to neuro-chikungunya diagnosis: a case series.

Background:  Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and can lead to neurological complications in severe cases.

Objective:  This study examined neuroimaging patterns in chikungunya cases during two outbreaks in Brazil to identify specific patterns for diagnosis and treatment of neuro-chikungunya.

Methods:  Eight patients with confirmed chikungunya and neurological involvement were included.

The relationship between burden and caregiver's sleep disturbances in dementia: a systematic review.

Unlabelled: Caregivers of people living with dementia (PLwD) have a high burden degree that leads to health issues, including sleep.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the impacts of the caregiving burden on caregiver's sleep disturbances.

Methods: This systematic review involved a qualitative analysis of publications on Web of Science and Pubmed/Medline databases published between February 2018 and August 2022.

Affective theory of mind in people with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease.

Objective: This study compared the affective theory of mind (ToM) of people with mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy older adults and also investigated the relationship between affective ToM and cognitive and clinical functioning in AD people.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 156 older adults with AD and 40 healthy older adults. We used an experimental task involving reasoning processes in different contextual situations.

"Sexual activity for me is something else. It's the same as always: Sex aside and our love for each other." Changes in sexual activity in dementia from the view of spouse-carers'.

The study aimed to explore the impact of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on spouse-carer's lives and the ways it affects their marital relationship and sexual activity. Data were obtained from qualitative interviews conducted with 11 spouse-carers of people with AD. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), three themes emerged: psychological and emotional impact, social impact, and sexual impact.

Transcriptome and Secretome Analyses of Endophyte and Pathogen Interacting Show Nutrient Competition.

is the causal agent of several plant diseases affecting fruit and nut crops. strain SR1.6/6 was isolated from and shown to promote plant growth by producing phytohormones, providing nutrients, inhibiting , and preventing Citrus Variegated Chlorosis.

Home care for the elderly with dementia: a systematic review.

Objetive: With the global population aging, there is a growing need for home-based care to meet the health needs of the elderly. However, the quality of care provided to the aged population is now arguably a significant challenge for most healthcare systems worldwide.

Methods: The present review included 13 original studies on home care and its effects on dementia patients, describing how patient care and adequate treatment can be collaborative for their improvement, for case management, and optimizing pain control and specificities.

A Longitudinal Evaluation of the Pattern of Social Cognition Impairment in Brazilians With Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Social cognition (SC) impairments contribute to the dependence of people with Alzheimer disease (AD), influencing their functional disability and the burden on family members and caregivers. Our objective was to longitudinally investigate the relationship between SC and cognitive and clinical variables in persons with AD and their caregivers. We also evaluated the different SC predictors from 3 perspectives: people with AD, caregivers of people with AD, and discrepancy analysis.

Pediatric Drug Development: Reviewing Challenges and Opportunities by Tracking Innovative Therapies.

The paradigm of pediatric drug development has been evolving in a "carrot-and-stick"-based tactic to address population-specific issues. However, the off-label prescription of adult medicines to pediatric patients remains a feature of clinical practice, which may compromise the age-appropriate evaluation of treatments. Therefore, the United States and the European Pediatric Formulation Initiative have recommended applying nanotechnology-based delivery systems to tackle some of these challenges, particularly applying inorganic, polymeric, and lipid-based nanoparticles.

Definitions, phenomenology, diagnosis, and management of the disorders of laughter and crying in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): Consensus from ALS and Motor Neuron Disease Scientific Department of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology.

The spectrum of neuropsychiatric phenomena observed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is wide and not fully understood. Disorders of laughter and crying stand among the most common manifestations. The aim of this study is to report the results of an educational consensus organized by the Brazilian Academy of Neurology to evaluate the definitions, phenomenology, diagnosis, and management of the disorders of laughter and crying in ALS patients.

Awareness of Disease and Its Domains in Young-onset and Late-onset Dementia: The Role of Executive Function.

Introduction: Executive function (EF) involves a general cognitive process linked to strategic organization and control of complex goal-oriented tasks. In young-onset dementia (YOD), especially Alzheimer's disease, the symptoms that stand out in the initial stage are deficits in attention, visual-spatial function, praxis, and language. The present study aims to investigate what components of EF differ in young and late-onset dementia (LOD) and its impact on awareness and its domains.

Living with young-onset dementia in the family - a mixed method study.

Studies on disease-related obstructions experienced in everyday life of younger people with dementia (YOD ≤ 65 years) and their families are encouraged. To explore how the family carers experience six predefined topics that influence the everyday life and needs of persons with YOD. A quantitative and a qualitative study including family carers of persons with young-onset Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).