Pre-treatment subjective sleep quality as a predictive biomarker of tDCS effects in preclinical Alzheimer's disease patients: Secondary analysis of a randomised clinical trial.

Background: Despite transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated encouraging potential for modulating the circadian rhythm, little is known about how well and sustainably tDCS might improve the subjective sleep quality in older adults. This study sought to determine how tDCS affected sleep quality and cognition, as well as how well pre-treatment sleep quality predicted tDCS effects on domain-specific cognitive functions in patients with mild neurocognitive disorder due to Alzheimer's disease (NCD-AD).

Methods: This clinical trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of tDCS and cognitive training in mild NCD-AD patients (n =  201).

Enhanced Cognition and Modulation of Brain Connectivity in Mild Neurocognitive Disorder: The Promise of Transcranial Pulse Stimulation.

Existing pharmacological treatments for mild neurocognitive disorder (NCD) offer limited effectiveness and adverse side effects. Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) utilizing ultrashort ultrasound pulses reaches deep brain regions and may circumvent conductivity issues associated with brain stimulation. This study addresses the gap in TPS research for mild NCD during a critical intervention period before irreversible cognitive degradation.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of cefotaxime-resistant strains recovered from retail meat samples in Shenzhen, China, during 2014-2017.

In this work, we collected foodborne strains in Shenzhen, China, during 2014-2017 and investigated the genetic profile of all cefotaxime-resistant isolates in the collection. The strains were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests, whole-genome sequencing, bioinformatics analysis, and conjugation studies. A total of 79 cefotaxime-resistant were identified and found to exhibit multidrug resistance.

Using the health belief model to understand the factors influencing the perceptions of people of Chinese ancestry about reducing salt consumption for hypertension prevention: A cross-sectional study.

Background: High-salt diets are linked to hypertension. Chinese people in Australia, are at increased risk of hypertension due to the combination of routine addition of high quantities of salt to food during cooking and high salt levels in processed western foods. There is a scarcity of salt-related behavioural studies on this population group.

Validity and reliability of an Emotional Thermometer tool: an exploratory cross-sectional study.

Introduction: There are a few screening tools to detect psychological symptoms among people with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) in China.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of a translated version of the Emotional Thermometer (ET) tool.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study consisted of two phases: (1) translation and content validity testing; and (2) assessment of psychometric properties, including internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity.

The effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention on health outcomes of patients undergoing haemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial.

Aim: The aim of this work is to examine the effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention on self-efficacy (primary outcome), anxiety, depression, treatment adherence, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients undergoing haemodialysis.

Methods: A two-group randomized controlled trial of 124 patients (65 and 59 patients in the intervention and control groups, respectively) recruited from a tertiary hospital in Singapore was conducted. Data were collected from January 2015 to June 2016.

The effects of an integrated mindfulness-based tai chi chuan programme on sleep disturbance among community-dwelling elderly people: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Many elderly individuals who experience sleep disturbances would consider complementary and alternative medicine as an alternative therapeutic option in light of the limitations of traditional treatments. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) are two alternative forms of complementary and alternative medicine. They both share the common feature of a focus on breathing but represent distinct approaches with different mechanisms and philosophical orientations.

Inequalities in Psychiatric Morbidity in Hong Kong and Strategies for Mitigation.

This study explores the social gradient of psychiatric morbidity. The Hong Kong Mental Morbidity Survey (HKMMS), consisting of 5719 Chinese adults aged 16 to 75 years, was used. The Chinese version of the Revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R) was employed for psychiatric assessment of common mental disorders (CMD).

Specific Amino Acid Substitutions in OXA-51-Type -Lactamase Enhance Catalytic Activity to a Level Comparable to Carbapenemase OXA-23 and OXA-24/40.

The chromosomal -type gene encodes carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamases (CHDLs), specific variants shown to mediate carbapenem resistance in the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen . This study aims to characterize the effect of key amino acid substitutions in OXA-51 variants of carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamases (CHDLs) on substrate catalysis. Mutational and structural analyses indicated that each of the L167V, W222G, or I129L substitutions contributed to an increase in catalytic activity.

Depression, Anxiety and Stress on Caregivers of Persons with Dementia (CGPWD) in Hong Kong amid COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) contributed to increasing prevalence of depressive symptoms and other psychological repercussions, particularly in the disease population in Hong Kong. Nonetheless, the caregiver burden of caregivers of persons with dementia (CGPWD), has been under-investigated.

Aims: This study examined the psychological impact and its correlates on the CGPWD in Hong Kong amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Genetically Determined TSH Level Within Reference Range Is Inversely Associated With Alzheimer Disease.

Context: Contradictory findings were reported in observational studies on the association of thyroid function (thyrotropin [TSH] and free thyroxine [FT4] levels) with Alzheimer disease (AD).

Objective: This work aims to determine whether genetically determined TSH/FT4 levels within reference range are causally associated with AD.

Methods: A bidirectional, 2-sample mendelian randomization (MR) study was conducted.

Predicting dementia diagnosis from cognitive footprints in electronic health records: a case-control study protocol.

Introduction: Dementia is a group of disabling disorders that can be devastating for persons living with it and for their families. Data-informed decision-making strategies to identify individuals at high risk of dementia are essential to facilitate large-scale prevention and early intervention. This population-based case-control study aims to develop and validate a clinical algorithm for predicting dementia diagnosis, based on the cognitive footprint in personal and medical history.

Urban-rural differences in mental health among Chinese patients with multiple chronic conditions.

Mental health is impacted by social, economic, and environmental influences related to where people live. Mental health problems commonly co-occur with long-term physical conditions and impact individuals' health synergistically. Multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) including mental health problems are becoming a public health challenge globally.

A conjugative plasmid that augments virulence in Klebsiella pneumoniae.

A virulence-encoding plasmid, p15WZ-82_Vir, which formed as a result of the integration of a 100-kb fragment of the hypervirulence plasmid pLVPK into a conjugative IncFIB plasmid, was recovered from a clinical Klebsiella variicola strain. Such a plasmid could be conjugated to carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella strains, enabling them to simultaneously express the carbapenem resistance- and hypervirulence-associated phenotypes. Unlike the non-conjugative pLVPK plasmid, emergence of p15WZ-82_Vir may promote rapid dissemination of virulence-encoding elements among Gram-negative bacterial pathogens.

Expert by Experience Involvement in Mental Health Nursing Education: Nursing Students' Perspectives on Potential Improvements.

Expert by experience involvement in mental health education for health professional programmes has increased in recent decades. The related literature has articulated the benefits, and changes in attitudes have been measured in some studies. Less attention has been devoted to ways this learning approach could be improved.

Web-based versus home-based postnatal psychoeducational interventions for first-time mothers: A randomised controlled trial.

Background: Besides physical and mental changes from childbirth, first-time mothers are also confronted with challenges associated with the demands of adapting to their roles as new parents. While positive effects of home-based psychoeducation intervention for mothers have been demonstrated, limited studies have developed and examined more accessible and cost-effective web-based psychoeducational interventions for mothers.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of web-based and home-based postnatal psychoeducational interventions for first-time mothers during the early postpartum period.

Screening Of Pulmonary Hypertension in Methamphetamine Abusers (SOPHMA): rationale and design of a multicentre, cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Methamphetamine misuse is classified as a 'likely' risk factor for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Nevertheless, the actual prevalence of and a screening strategy for PAH in methamphetamine users have not been established. We plan to study the prevalence of PAH and identify its independent risk factors among methamphetamine users.

Genetic Characterization of -Bearing Plasmids Harbored by Food-Borne Cephalosporin-Resistant Strains in China.

This study aims to investigate and compare the complete nucleotide sequences of the multidrug resistance plasmids pVb0267 and pVb0499, which were recovered from foodborne isolates, and analyze the genetic environment of to provide insight into the dissemination mechanisms of this resistance element. Analysis of the sequences of plasmids pVb0267 (166,467 bp) and pVb0499 (192,739 bp) revealed that the backbones of these two plasmids exhibited a high degree of similarity with pR148, a recognized type 1a IncC plasmid recovered from (99% identity). The resistance genes, found in both plasmids, included (A), and , which were mostly arranged in a specific region designated ARI-A.

Relationship between Cortical Thickness and Neuropsychological Performance in Normal Older Adults and Those with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been extensively investigated in recent decades to identify groups with a high risk of dementia and to establish effective prevention methods during this period. Neuropsychological performance and cortical thickness are two important biomarkers used to predict progression from MCI to dementia. This study compares the cortical thickness and neuropsychological performance in people with MCI and cognitively healthy older adults.

Electroacupuncture for tapering off long-term benzodiazepine use: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of using electroacupuncture as an adjunct treatment in enhancing the benzodiazepine cessation rate in long-term benzodiazepine users.

Methods: This was a randomized, assessor- and subject-blinded, controlled trial. One hundred and forty-four long-term benzodiazepine users were randomly assigned to receive either electroacupuncture or placebo acupuncture (a sham itervention using non-invasive placebo needles) combined with a gradual benzodiazepine tapering schedule for 4 weeks.

Identification and Characterization of Conjugative Plasmids That Encode Ciprofloxacin Resistance in Salmonella.

This study aimed to characterize novel conjugative plasmids that encode transferable ciprofloxacin resistance in In this study, 157 nonduplicated isolates were recovered from food products, of which 55 were found to be resistant to ciprofloxacin. Interestingly, 37 of the 55 Cip isolates (67%) did not harbor any mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDR). Six isolates were shown to carry two novel types of conjugative plasmids that could transfer the ciprofloxacin resistance phenotype to J53 (azithromycin resistant [Azi]).

Effects of postoperative pain management educational interventions on the outcomes of parents and their children who underwent an inpatient elective surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Aim: To examine the effects of a postoperative pain management educational intervention on the outcomes of parents and their children who underwent inpatient elective surgery.

Background: Equipping parents with knowledge and skills to manage their children's postoperative pains is essential. Very limited studies have examined the effects of educational interventions on parents' knowledge, attitudes and use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain relief methods.

Distinct mechanisms of acquisition of mcr-1 -bearing plasmid by Salmonella strains recovered from animals and food samples.

Since the report of its discovery in E. coli in late 2015, the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene, mcr-1, has been detected in various bacterial species in clinical setting and various environmental niches. However, the transmission mechanisms of this gene in Salmonella is less defined.