Implementation suggestions for shared decision-making: results from a comparative study of inpatients and outpatients experience surveys.

Background: Shared decision-making (SDM) is crucial in patient-centered healthcare services, but its integration into routine medical care remains limited. This study aimed to investigate patients' experience with SDM in both outpatient and inpatient settings, exploring how the quality of care provided by doctors and patient's trust in doctors influence SDM across different contexts.

Methods: This study utilized data from the regional cross-sectional surveys, including the 2019 Inpatient Experience and the 2021 Specialist Outpatient Experience survey in Hong Kong.

Prophylactic antibiotic use is associated with better clinical outcomes in gastric cancer patients receiving immunotherapy.

Background: The relationship between antibiotic treatment and immunotherapy efficacy is complex.

Methods: This study was a single-center study. History of antibiotic use in gastric cancer (GC) patients within 1 or 3 months prior to immunotherapy was collected.

Single Cell RNA-sequencing of BCG naïve and recurrent non-muscle invasive bladder cancer reveals a CD6/ALCAM-mediated immune-suppressive pathway.

Unlabelled: Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) represents 70-80% patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer, and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) remains a cornerstone treatment for intermediate-and high-risk NMIBC to prevent disease recurrence and progression. However, many patients experience recurrence after induction BCG, posing significant challenges in the management of the disease. We conducted single cell RNA sequencing on freshly collected NMIBC samples, distinguishing between those naïve to BCG treatment and those that recurred post-BCG treatment.

Quantitative Change of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Leading to Final Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Loss in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis B Receiving Nucleos(t)ide Analogs in China.

Introduction: Loss of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) is the pivotal component of functional cure in patients suffering from chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The predictive value of quantitative HBsAg (qHBsAg) in HBsAg loss among those undergoing nucleos(t)ide analog (NAs) therapy is an area of ongoing investigation.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study using electronic medical records was performed.

Cold temperature-related attributable risk for emergency circulatory hospitalizations, length of stay, and healthcare costs in Hong Kong.

Background: The association of ambient temperature with the length of hospital stays and healthcare costs has not been well-explored. We aimed to examine the association of temperature with emergency hospital admission (EHA) count and length of stay (LOS) for total and cause-specific circulatory diseases and evaluate the temperature-related attributable risk and healthcare costs.

Methods: This ecologic time series analysis linked the daily circulatory EHA count and LOS from the Hong Kong Hospital Authority with the environmental exposures from the fixed monitoring stations from 2004 to 2019.

Association of ambient temperature with social isolation among the community-dwelling Chinese older adults: A cross-sectional study in Hong Kong.

Background: The adverse health impacts of ambient temperature have been well-documented, encompassing not only the mortality and morbidity burden but also mood and mental health disorders. However, the relationship between temperature and social isolation remains unexplored. The objective of the current study was to investigate the potential associations between ambient temperature and social isolation among the aging population.

Initial Treatment Modalities in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Primary Lung Cancer in Japan.

Treatment for lung cancer continues to rapidly evolve. Here, we describe trends in the initial treatment of adults with newly diagnosed primary non-small-cell lung cancer in Japan. This retrospective cohort study used data from JMDC Inc.

Persistence of advanced therapies in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: retrospective cohort study using a large healthcare claims database in Japan.

Background/aims: There are few studies that comprehensively report real-world persistence for first-line advanced therapies used to treat inflammatory bowel disease. We aimed to describe persistence of first-line advanced therapies among incident biologic or Janus kinase inhibitor users with inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study using the Japan Medical Data Center database from January 1, 2010, until September 30, 2022.

Adaptive expert fusion model for online wind power prediction.

Wind power prediction is a challenging task due to the high variability and uncertainty of wind generation and weather conditions. Accurate and timely wind power prediction is essential for optimal power system operation and planning. In this paper, we propose a novel Adaptive Expert Fusion Model (EFM+) for online wind power prediction.

Development of a High-Speed Precision Ultrasonic-Assisted Spindle for Ultra-Precision Optical Mold Machining.

Ultrasonic vibration-assisted grinding is a critical method for machining ultra-hard optical molds. However, current ultrasonic-assisted grinding spindles, as essential foundational equipment, face limitations in maintaining ultra-high rotational speed, high precision, and a compact structure during ultrasonic operation. This study presents a novel ultra-precision ultrasonic-assisted high-speed aerostatic spindle for grinding ultra-hard optical molds, developed through theoretical calculations, FEM, and CFD simulations.

[Analysis of risk factors for onset of acquired Serratia marcescens infection in neonatal intensive care unit].

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics of critically ill neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) who acquired Serratia marcescens infection for onset or colonization, and to explore the risk factors contributing to the onset of Serratia marcescens infection.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted by collecting clinical data from NICU neonates at the Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University between January 2017 and December 2023. Forty-four neonates with clinical signs and/or symptoms consistent with Serratia marcescens infection, and with Serratia marcescens isolated from specimens, would be enrolled as the infection onset group, while 45 neonates who tested positive for Serratia marcescens in rectal and/or pharyngeal cultures during the same period, but had no clinical signs or infection symptoms, were enrolled as the colonization control group.

Transcriptome analysis of the moso bamboo pest, Hippotiscus dorsalis, reveals differentially expressed unigenes across various tissues.

Hippotiscus dorsalis (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a common pest that feeds on the stems of Moso bamboo. Therefore, investigating the molecular processes related to its fundamental physiology is important. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was employed to compare gene expression in different tissues of male and female adults.

Notch1 blockade by a novel, selective anti-Notch1 neutralizing antibody improves immunotherapy efficacy in melanoma by promoting an inflamed TME.

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have dramatically improved the life expectancy of patients with metastatic melanoma. However, about half of the patient population still present resistance to these treatments. We have previously shown Notch1 contributes to a non-inflamed TME in melanoma that reduces the response to ICI.

Cancer cell-extrinsic STING shapes immune-active microenvironment and predicts clinical outcome in gastric cancer.

Purpose: The activation of cGAS-STING pathway can be triggered by cytosolic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) in tumor and non-tumor compartments. We aim to assess the constitutive expression of dsDNA-cGAS-STING axis in different cellular contexts and compare their relative contribution to clinical outcomes.

Methods: A cohort of 154 cases of patients with newly diagnosed gastric cancer were enrolled in this study to evaluate the histo-score of cytosolic dsDNA, cGAS, and STING via immunohistochemistry as well as the types and densities of tumor-infiltrating immune cells.

RUNX1-MUC13 Interaction Activates Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Implications for Colorectal Cancer Metastasis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health challenge, often characterized by late-stage metastasis and poor prognosis. The Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) plays a dual role as both an oncogene and a tumor suppressor in various cancers, including CRC. However, the specific regulatory mechanisms of RUNX1 in CRC, particularly its direct roles, are not fully understood.

The risk of hospitalization associated with hot nights and excess nighttime heat in a subtropical metropolis: a time-series study in Hong Kong, 2000-2019.

Background: Recent studies showed increased mortality risks after hot nights, but their effect on hospitalizations, especially in vulnerable populations, remains under-studied.

Methods: Daily hospitalization, meteorological (including hourly), and air pollution data were collected for the hot seasons (May-October) of 2000-19 in Hong Kong. We derived three hot-night metrics: HNday, daily minimum temperature ≥28 °C, the governmental definition of hot nights; HNe, hot night excess calculated by summing heat excess of hourly temperatures above 28 °C at night; and HNday, hot nights classified using the 90th percentile HNe (17.

Patient experience and satisfaction with shared decision-making: A cross-sectional study among outpatients.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate how doctor-patient communication, trust in doctors impacted patients' experience and satisfaction in shared decision-making (SDM).

Methods: This study is based on the data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 12,401) conducted in 27 public specialist outpatient clinics in Hong Kong.

Results: The multivariable regression models revealed that doctors' better communication skills were associated with lower decision-making involvement (odd ratio, 0.

The influence of written medication reminder on patient experience among older adult patients: a repeat cross-sectional study.

Background: Older adult patients are particularly vulnerable to medication-related issues during the discharge process. To enhance medication discharge education and patient experience, a written medication reminder, incorporating crucial medication side effects and warning signs, was implemented in medicine wards. This study aimed to examine the influence of this reminder on patient experience and medication-taking behaviors among older adults in public healthcare settings.

Phospholipid biosynthesis modulates nucleotide metabolism and reductive capacity.

Phospholipid and nucleotide syntheses are fundamental metabolic processes in eukaryotic organisms, with their dysregulation implicated in various disease states. Despite their importance, the interplay between these pathways remains poorly understood. Using genetic and metabolic analyses in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we elucidate how cytidine triphosphate usage in the Kennedy pathway for phospholipid synthesis influences nucleotide metabolism and redox balance.