Transethnic analysis identifies SORL1 variants and haplotypes protective against Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: The SORL1 locus exhibits protective effects against Alzheimer's disease (AD) across ancestries, yet systematic studies in diverse populations are sparse.

Methods: Logistic regression identified AD-associated SORL1 haplotypes in East Asian (N = 5249) and European (N = 8588) populations. Association analysis between SORL1 haplotypes and AD-associated traits or plasma biomarkers was conducted.

Attribute ranging as a coordinated strategy between drug substance and drug product to accelerate commercial process nomination.

To make investigational drug candidates available to patients sooner, timelines for drug development are becoming shorter. Synthesis route scouting for active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and drug product development often must occur simultaneously, requiring formulators to make decisions regarding drug product process selection before commercial API route finalization. Alternatively, the formulation strategy may be locked, thereby constraining drug substance processes with strict API attribute requirements.

Gaze-based detection of mind wandering during audio-guided panorama viewing.

Unlike classic audio guides, intelligent audio guides can detect users' level of attention and help them regain focus. In this paper, we investigate the detection of mind wandering (MW) from eye movements in a use case with a long focus distance. We present a novel MW annotation method for combined audio-visual stimuli and collect annotated MW data for the use case of audio-guided city panorama viewing.

Validation of the Chinese Version of Quality of Life Instrument (QUALIDEM-C) for People With Dementia in Long-Term Care Home.

Objectives: To validate and examine the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of QUALIDEM (QUALIDEM-C).

Methods: The psychometric properties of the Chinese QUALIDEM were tested in a sample of 150 residents in long-term care homes. Concurrent validity, internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability and factor structure were determined.

The observation that older men suffer from hip fracture at DXA T-scores higher than older women and a proposal of a new low BMD category, osteofrailia, for predicting fracture risk in older men.

The clinical significance of osteoporosis lies in the occurrence of fragility fractures (FFx), and the most relevant fracture site is the hip. The T-score is defined as follows: (BMD-BMD)/SDy, where BMD is bone mineral density and SD is the standard deviation. When the femoral neck (FN) is measured in adult Caucasian women, a cutpoint value of patient BMD of 2.

Cigarette Smoking Is Associated With Lower Chance of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Seroclearance and Altered Host Immunity.

Cigarette smoking is associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, but the effects on hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroclearance are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of active smoking on HBsAg seroclearance (SC) and its impact on peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with CHB infection. Longitudinal follow-up data was retrieved in 7833 antiviral-treated CHB subjects identified from a centralised electronic patient record database (Part 1).

The effects of a facilitator-enabled online multicomponent iSupport for dementia programme: A multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Multicomponent interventions with carers of people with dementia demonstrate positive effects on the health and quality of life for carers and care recipients. The World Health Organization's iSupport for Dementia is an evidence-based online psychoeducation programme for carers. However, the programme was mainly implemented as a self-learning tool which might have limited its positive effects on carers and care recipients.

Uncovering the factors underlying collaboration outcomes in interprofessional education: A preliminary investigation involving healthcare students.

Background: Interprofessional education (IPE) incorporates healthcare students from various disciplines to learn with, about, and from one another, aiming to foster effective collaboration. However, the factors that promote these collaboration outcomes remain elusive. Recognizing this knowledge gap, this study utilizes self-determination theory applied in a ten-day IPE programme.

Dietary inflammatory index, mediating biomarkers and incident frailty in Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

Objectives: Diet can modulate systemic inflammation, while inflammation is a critical contributory factor of frailty. However, longitudinal data on the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and frailty are limited, and the intermediate mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between DII and incident frailty and the potential mediating roles of frailty-related biomarkers.

UCP1 expression in human brown adipose tissue is inversely associated with cardiometabolic risk factors.

Objective: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a therapeutic target for obesity. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) is commonly used to quantify human BAT mass and activity. Detectable 18F-FDG uptake by BAT is associated with reduced prevalence of cardiometabolic disease.

Prevalence of autism in first-episode psychosis in two Hong Kong teaching hospitals.

Autistic features are commonly observed in children and adolescents with first-episode psychosis, but they are sometimes overlooked by clinicians and caregivers. By comprehensively examining the clinical profiles of 103 children and adolescents (below 18 years old) with first-episode psychosis and conducting the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (the 'gold standard' autism diagnostic tool) with their primary caregivers, we showed that around 28% of patients with first-episode psychosis had a comorbid autism diagnosis, and boys were 3.57 times more likely to have first-episode psychosis-autism spectrum disorder comorbidity than girls.

Bioinformatics analysis of the potential biomarkers of Multiple Sclerosis and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Recent research emphasizes the intricate interplay of genetics and epigenetics in neurological disorders, notably Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), both of which exhibit cardiovascular dysregulation, with GBS often featuring serious bradyarrhythmias requiring prompt recognition and treatment. While cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in MS is typically less severe, orthostatic intolerance affects around half of MS patients. Their distinction lies in their autoimmune responses, MS is an autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system, causes demyelination and axon damage, leading to cognitive, ocular, and musculoskeletal dysfunction.

Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation for Learning Fundamental Nursing Skills: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: Literature showed that learners' perceived usability and perspective toward a technology application affected their learning experience. Fewer studies have investigated immersive virtual reality (IVR) simulation learning of fundamental nursing skills learning (FNSL).

Purpose: The aim of the study was to explore the perceived usability of IVR simulations for FNSL among first-year nursing students and their perspectives toward this learning modality.

Adherence and Treat-to-Target Benchmarks in Older Adults With Gout Initiating Urate-Lowering Therapy in Ontario, Canada: A Population-Based Study.

Objective: We sought to evaluate urate-lowering therapy (ULT) adherence and treatment-to-target (T2T) serum uric acid (SUA) levels among older adults with gout starting ULT.

Methods: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada in patients with gout aged ≥66 years newly dispensed ULT between 2010 and 2019. We defined successful T2T as patients having SUA levels <360 μmol/L (6 mg/dL) within 12 months after ULT dispensation.

The Association between Bone Mineral Density and Risk of Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study of 233,397 Taiwanese.

Purpose: Osteoporosis is an important public health challenge given its high prevalence in western populations and the prevalence has shown an upward trend in recent decades in Asia. However, epidemiological evidence on the association between bone mineral density (BMD) and mortality risk in the Asian population is sparse.

Methods: The Cox proportional hazards model and cause-specific hazard models were used to investigate the association of BMD with the risk of all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality.

A Novel Bilateral Underactuated Upper Limb Exoskeleton for Post-Stroke Bimanual ADL Training.

This paper introduces a lightweight bilateral underactuated upper limb exoskeleton (UULE) designed to assist chronic stroke patients with distal joint (Elbow-Wrist) impairments during bimanual activities of daily living (ADL). The UULE aims to assist patients in shoulder flexion/extension, elbow flexion/extension, forearm pronation/supination, and wrist flexion/extension. Notable features include (i) a cable-driven mechanism maintaining a lightweight structure (1.

Identification of Genes Crucial for Biological Processes in Breast Cancer Liver Metastasis Relapse.

Breast cancer, when advancing to a metastatic stage, involves the liver, impacting over 50% of cases and significantly diminishing survival rates. Presently, a lack of tailored therapeutic protocols for breast cancer liver metastasis (BCLM) underscores the need for a deeper understanding of molecular patterns governing this complication. Therefore, by analyzing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between primary breast tumors and BCLM lesions, we aimed to shed light on the diversities of this process.

Efficacy of a theory-based and setting-based intervention in promoting strength training among older adults in Hong Kong: A clustered randomized controlled trial.

The present study aimed to examine the efficacy of an intervention, based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and social support, in promoting strength training (ST) among older adults. A two-arm clustered randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted among 235 older adults from eight elderly centers in Hong Kong. The intervention group engaged in a 6-month intervention comprising ST sessions, exercise consultations, social gatherings, and a buddy program, while the control group participated in social gatherings.

The effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability of non-pharmacological interventions for chronic pain management in older adults in mainland China: A systematic review.

Objectives: This systematic review aims to assess the effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability of non-pharmacological pain management interventions for older adults in mainland China.

Materials And Methods: Articles searching was conducted across six databases, including MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WanFangdata. Quality appraisal was performed using the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool.

Proteome-based molecular subtyping and therapeutic target prediction in gastric cancer.

Different molecular classifications for gastric cancer (GC) have been proposed based on multi-omics platforms with the long-term goal of improved precision treatment. However, the GC (phospho)proteome remains incompletely characterized, particularly at the level of tyrosine phosphorylation. In addition, previous multiomics-based stratification of patient cohorts has lacked identification of corresponding cell line models and comprehensive validation of broad or subgroup-selective therapeutic targets.