Divergent lineage trajectories and genetic landscapes in human gastric intestinal metaplasia organoids associated with early neoplastic progression.

Background: Gastric intestinal metaplasia (IM) is a precancerous stage spanning a morphological spectrum that is poorly represented by human cell line models.

Objective: We aim to establish and characterise human IM cell models to better understand IM progression along the cancer spectrum.

Design: A large human gastric IM organoid (IMO) cohort (n=28), their clonal derivatives and normal gastric organoids (n=42) for comparison were established.

The association between satisfaction with life and anxiety symptoms among Chinese elderly: a moderated mediation analysis.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that certain personal psychological variables (e.g., life satisfaction and cognitive function) and physical variables (e.

A Health App for Post-Pandemic Years (HAPPY) for people with physiological and psychosocial distress during the post-pandemic era: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This article describes a protocol for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of a three-level Health App for Post-Pandemic Years (HAPPY) on alleviating post-pandemic physiological and psychosocial distress.

Methods: Convenience and snowball sampling methods will be used to recruit 814 people aged 18+ with physiological and/or psychosocial distress. The experimental group will receive a 24-week intervention consisting of an 8-week regular supervision phase and a 16-week self-help phase.

Organoid models of breathing disorders reveal patterning defect of hindbrain neurons caused by PHOX2B-PARMs.

Retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN) neurons in the brainstem regulate the ventilatory response to hypercarbia. It is unclear how PHOX2B-polyalanine repeat mutations (PHOX2B-PARMs) alter the function of PHOX2B and perturb the formation of RTN neurons. Here, we generated human brainstem organoids (HBSOs) with RTN-like neurons from human pluripotent stem cells.

Organoid cultures for cancer modeling.

Organoids derived from adult stem cells (ASCs) and pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) are important preclinical models for studying cancer and developing therapies. Here, we review primary tissue-derived and PSC-derived cancer organoid models and detail how they have the potential to inform personalized medical approaches in different organ contexts and contribute to the understanding of early carcinogenic steps, cancer genomes, and biology. We also compare the differences between ASC- and PSC-based cancer organoid systems, discuss their limitations, and highlight recent improvements to organoid culture approaches that have helped to make them an even better representation of human tumors.

Transcriptomics of Hirschsprung disease patient-derived enteric neural crest cells reveals a role for oxidative phosphorylation.

Hirschsprung disease is characterized by the absence of enteric neurons caused by the defects of enteric neural crest cells, leading to intestinal obstruction. Here, using induced pluripotent stem cell-based models of Hirschsprung and single-cell transcriptomic analysis, we identify a gene set of 118 genes commonly dysregulated in all patient enteric neural crest cells, and suggest HDAC1 may be a key regulator of these genes. Furthermore, upregulation of RNA splicing mediators and enhanced alternative splicing events are associated with severe form of Hirschsprung.

Intraocular inflammation following COVID-19 vaccination: the clinical presentations.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to describe the cases of intraocular inflammation following COVID-19 vaccination (Comirnaty mRNA vaccine and CoronaVac vaccine) in Hong Kong.

Methods: This was a retrospective case series.

Results: This series includes 16 eyes among 10 female patients, with a mean age of 49.

The effect of virtual reality on executive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This review aimed to summarize the currently available premium evidence to determine the effect of virtual reality (VR) on executive function (EF) in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to detect what level of immersive VR would be the most beneficial.

Method: Five electronic databases, namely, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library were searched. Our research team screened the studies and extracted data according to our inclusion criteria.

Information Communication Technology as Instrumental Activities of Daily Living for Aging-in-Place in Chinese Older Adults With and Without Cognitive Impairment: The Validation Study of Advanced Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale.

Background: The capability in applying information communication technology (ICT) is crucial to the functional independence of older peoples of community living nowadays. The proper assessment of individuals' capability of ICT application is the corner stone for the future development of telemedicine in our aging population.

Methods: With the recruitment of 300 participants of different functional and social background in home-living, hostel-living, and care-and-attention home living; and through assessing the ability of individuals in instrumental activities of daily living and cognitive assessments, this study aimed at capturing the content validity and construct validity of the Advanced Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (AIADL scale).

Effects of non-invasive brain stimulation in multiple sclerosis: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The objective of this meta-analysis was to summarize evidence on the therapeutic effects of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) on core symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). Specifically, findings from studies deploying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) protocols were summarized in this review.

Methods: We systematically searched articles published in four databases, until 31 May 2021, which compared the effects of active tDCS or rTMS with sham intervention in MS patients.

Mindfulness Awareness Is Associated With a Lower Risk of Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Older Adults With Neurocognitive Disorders.

Apart from depressive disorders, there are great interests in adopting mindfulness based interventions (MBIs) for other mental health conditions. Depression and anxiety are common in people with neurocognitive disorders (NCD). The potential of MBIs as an adjuvant treatment in this cognitively at-risk group should be further explored.

The Contemporary Role of Photodynamic Therapy in the Treatment of Pachychoroid Diseases.

Recent advances in retinal imaging technology have improved our understanding in the pathogenesis and evolvement of various chorioretinal diseases. Central serous chorioretinopathy and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy are now recognized to belong to the same spectrum of disorders known as pachychoroid diseases. Pachychoroid diseases have similar pathogenesis pathway and common characteristics of thickened choroid, dilated outer choroidal vessels, and thinning of choriocapillaris.

Ciliary protein Kif7 regulates Gli and Ezh2 for initiating the neuronal differentiation of enteric neural crest cells during development.

Gastrointestinal motility disorders occur frequently in patients with ciliopathy, but the underlying genetic link is unclear. The ciliary protein Kif7 can positively or negatively regulate Hedgehog signaling in different cellular contexts. Mice with neural crest cell (NCC)–specific deficiency show a marked reduction of enteric NOS inhibitory neurons.

Effects of Experiential Learning Programmes on Adolescent Prosocial Behaviour, Empathy, and Subjective Well-being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Effective adolescent learning programmes can positively influence adolescent development and curb risky behaviour. By immersing learners in an experience, experiential learning motivates learners to reflect on the experience to transform and create new skills, attitudes and ways of thinking. However, evidence of its effectiveness in learning programs facilitating positive youth development is still lacking.

Applications of Multimodal Imaging in Central Serous Chorioretinopathy Evaluation.

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is a macular disease characterized by serous retinal detachment commonly involving the macular region. CSCR has a wide spectrum of clinical presentations. Although a significant proportion of CSCR cases are self-limiting, patients can suffer from persistent or recurrent disease, sometimes complicated with choroidal neovascularization, resulting in permanent visual loss.

Fundus Autofluorescence and Optical Coherence Tomography Characteristics in Different Stages of Central Serous Chorioretinopathy.

Objective: To describe the morphological changes on fundus autofluorescence (FAF) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) imaging at different chronicity of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Methods: This cross-sectional study included patients with CSC of different chronicity. Changes in FAF scans and morphological changes on SD-OCT were evaluated and compared at different stages of CSC.

Comparison of two-year treatment outcomes between subthreshold micropulse (577 nm) laser and aflibercept for diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: To compare two-year treatment outcomes of subthreshold micropulse (577 nm) laser and aflibercept for diabetic macular edema (DME).

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Methods: A total 164 eyes in 164 DME patients treated with either micropulse laser (86 eyes) or intravitreal aflibercept monotherapy (78 eyes) were recruited.

Effects of traditional Cantonese opera songs on Cantonese-speaking, community-dwelling older adults' cognitive and psychological function, well-being, and health.

Experiencing multi-sensory cognitive stimulation through the enjoyment of Cantonese opera songs, with their lively rhythms, familiar folk tales, meaningful lyrics and pleasant scenarios, has the potential to increase neuroplasticity and prevent cognitive decline. This prospective pre- and post-test quasi-experimental randomised controlled trial design study aimed to explore the social benefits of older adults' active participation in practising Cantonese opera songs as compared with passive participation (as an audience) and a non-interventional control group on cognitive function psychological function, functional independence, well-being and health. By recruiting a group of older adults who were receiving day activities social service in Hong Kong.

Endoscopic vitreoretinal surgery: Review of current applications and future trends.

Endoscopy provides unique optical properties to circumvent anterior segment opacities and visualize difficult-to-access anatomical regions, including retroirideal, retrolental, ciliary body, and anterior retinal structures. We summarize the basic principles and utilization of endoscopic vitreoretinal surgery, along with recent technological advances in the field base on a structured literature search in Pubmed, Embase, and Google Scholar database up to February, 2020. Endoscopy has been used in the management of retinal detachment, ischemic retinopathies with neovascular glaucoma, severe ocular trauma, endophthalmitis, lens-related disorders in the posterior segment, pediatric vitreoretinal diseases, and implantation of retinal prostheses.

Whole-genome analysis of noncoding genetic variations identifies multiscale regulatory element perturbations associated with Hirschsprung disease.

It is widely recognized that noncoding genetic variants play important roles in many human diseases, but there are multiple challenges that hinder the identification of functional disease-associated noncoding variants. The number of noncoding variants can be many times that of coding variants; many of them are not functional but in linkage disequilibrium with the functional ones; different variants can have epistatic effects; different variants can affect the same genes or pathways in different individuals; and some variants are related to each other not by affecting the same gene but by affecting the binding of the same upstream regulator. To overcome these difficulties, we propose a novel analysis framework that considers convergent impacts of different genetic variants on protein binding, which provides multiscale information about disease-associated perturbations of regulatory elements, genes, and pathways.

The Protective Impact of Telemedicine on Persons With Dementia and Their Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: Social distancing under the COVID-19 pandemic has restricted access to community services for older adults with neurocognitive disorder (NCD) and their caregivers. Telehealth is a viable alternative to face-to-face service delivery. Telephone calls alone, however, may be insufficient.

A randomized control trial of activity scheduling for caring for older adults with dementia and its impact on their spouse care-givers.

Introduction: Participating in meaningful activities is important for any individual's wellbeing. Activity scheduling enables older adults with dementia and their spouse caregivers to structure their activities in accordance with the things they value.

Methods: In examining the effectiveness of activity scheduling, this report details the results of a 12-week single-blinded randomized control trial using a parallel group experimental design.

Analysis of choriocapillaris perfusion and choroidal layer changes in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy randomised to micropulse laser or photodynamic therapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the signal changes in choriocapillaris flow deficits and choroidal thickness changes using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) following different treatments.

Design: A double-blind, randomised controlled trial.

Methods: Patients with unilateral chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) were randomised to receive subthreshold micropulse laser therapy (MLT) or half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT).