Pneumococcal Vaccination Lowers the Risk of Alzheimer's Disease: A Study Utilizing Data from the IBM® MarketScan® Database.

Previous studies demonstrated an association between influenza vaccination and the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease. This study was aimed at assessing whether pneumococcal vaccinations are associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease based on analysis of data from the IBM® MarketScan® Database. Vaccinated and unvaccinated matched cohorts were generated using propensity-score matching with the greedy nearest-neighbor matching algorithm.

Exercise Exertion Level Prediction Using Data from Wearable Physiologic Monitors.

This study aims to develop machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict exercise exertion levels using physiological parameters collected from wearable devices. Real-time ECG, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and revolutions per minute (RPM) data were collected at three intensity levels during a 16-minute cycling exercise. Parallel to this, throughout each exercise session, the study subjects' ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were gathered once per minute.

The Efficacy of Long-Term Hydroxychloroquine Use in the Prevention of COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 remains controversial due to the insufficient supporting evidence and clinical studies indicating that it does not reduce COVID-19 mortality. Its potential protective effects against SARS-CoV-2 are still unclear. Big data resources, such as MarketScan database containing over 30 million insured participants annually, have not been used systematically to assess the association between long-term HCQ use and the risk of COVID-19.

Exercise Exertion Levels Prediction Based on Real-Time Wearable Physiological Signal Monitoring.

The real-time revolutions per minute (RPM) data, ECG signal, pulse rate, and oxygen saturation levels were collected during 16-minute cycling exercises. In parallel, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were collected each minute from the study participants. A 2-minute moving window, with one minute shift, was applied to each 16-minute exercise session to divide it into a total of fifteen 2-minute windows.

Using Big Data to Uncover Association Between Sildenafil Use and Reduced Risk of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease with multiple pathogenesis pathways. Sildenafil, one of the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, was proven to have effective benefits in transgenic Alzheimer's disease mice. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between sildenafil use and the risk of Alzheimer's disease based on the IBM® MarketScan® Database covering over 30 million employees and family members per year.

Effect of Hydroxychloroquine on Influenza Prevention.

The aim of this study was to assess whether long-term administration of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is protective from influenza in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. Using a propensity score-matched design, patients who were prescribed HCQ for more than 10 months were matched with patients of the same gender, age group, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score who did not receive HCQ. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between the HCQ exposure and influenza after adjusting for covariates.

Exploring Determinants of Longevity of Biomedical Databases.

The maintenance of biomedical databases requires ongoing and systematic efforts in keeping them up-to-date which may affect long-term sustainability. Since research has become more reliant on publicly available biomedical data collections, it is important to understand factors affecting their longevity. The aim of this article was to explore potential determinants of biomedical database longevity.

The Efficacy of an Ultrasound-Guided Improved Puncture Path Technique of Nerve Block/Pulsed Radiofrequency for Pudendal Neuralgia: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: To investigate the efficacy and safety of an improved ultrasound-guided pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and nerve block (NB) for patients with pudendal neuralgia (PN). Methods: This retrospective analysis included 88 adults with PN treated in the Pain Department of Southwest Hospital from November 2011 to June 2021, with treatment including NB (n = 40) and PRF (n = 48). The primary outcome variable was pain severity, measured by a standardized visual analog scale (VAS).

Usability Inspection of a Mobile Cancer Telerehabilitation System.

Cancer rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to address physical impairments and progressive disablement experienced by patients with cancer. Access to CR is limited by multiple barriers. Previous studies demonstrated that telemedicine approaches may facilitate access to rehabilitation services however usability and acceptance of cancer telerehabilitation has not been systematically evaluated.

Perioperative therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer: Pattern of use and survival outcomes.

Background: Multimodality therapy of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is currently considered the standard of care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of perioperative therapy on surgical resection in mCRC.

Methods: The National Cancer Database was analyzed for affected patients between 2004 and 2013.

Mutant selection window of clarithromycin for clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Clarithromycin-resistance is becoming a global health concern in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). The mutant prevention concentration (MPC) represent the propensities of antimicrobial agents to select resistant mutants.