Walking Interventions and Sleep Quality of Persons Living With Dementia and Their Family Caregivers: Effects of Different Walking Companions.

Purpose: To examine the effect of walking interventions on sleep quality of persons with dementia (PWD) and their caregivers (dyads), and how different companions affect results.

Method: Forty-five dyads were divided into three groups: a control group and two experimental groups (one with a care attendant, one with a family caregiver). The two experimental groups engaged in 120 minutes of walking per week for 24 weeks.

Effects of Advance Care Planning on End-of-Life Indicators for Nursing Home Residents-An Experimental Study with a Retrospective Chart Review.

Advance care planning (ACP) has the potential to improve the outcomes of end-of-life care for residents in nursing homes. The aim of this study was to determine whether an ACP program was beneficial for nursing home residents by assessing end-of-life indicators. An experimental study with a retrospective chart review was conducted.

Comparing the effect of assessment-simulation-animation-based against traditional education on nursing students' anxiety and self-efficacy in maternity clinical practicum.

Background: The clinical practicum is the practical course that causes the most anxiety in nursing undergraduates. Although high-fidelity simulation education has been demonstrated to boost nursing students' self-efficacy and decrease anxiety in patient care, it is also associated with excessive psychological stress. Assessment-simulation-animation-based (ASA-based) education has been developed to solve the drawbacks of simulation-based education while preserving positive learning outcomes.

Effects of an integrated ambulatory care program on healthcare utilization and costs in older patients with multimorbidity: a propensity score-matched cohort study.

Background: Population aging has increased the prevalence of multimorbidity, jeopardizing the sustainability and efficiency of healthcare systems. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an integrated ambulatory care program (IACP) on healthcare utilization and costs among older patients with multimorbidity while accounting for the confounding effects of frailty.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study using propensity matching including patients aged 65 or older with two or more chronic conditions attending the outpatient clinic at our hospital between June 1 and December 31, 2019, was conducted.

A Feasibility Evaluation of the Need-Centered Watch-Assess-Need Intervention-Think Education and Training Program for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia.

Background: Despite the high prevalence of dementia among residents living in long-term care facilities in Taiwan, most care providers in these facilities have not received adequate training to deal with the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). An original care and management model for BPSD has been developed, and model-based recommendations for an education and training program have been made. However, empirical testing has not yet been conducted to determine the efficacy of this program.

BAG3 promotes autophagy and suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Neuroinflammation mediated by microglia plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), and our previous studies showed this was significantly inhibited by enhanced autophagy. In the autophagy pathway, Bcl2-associated athanogene (BAG)3 is a prominent co-chaperone, and we have shown BAG3 can regulate autophagy to clear the PD pathogenic protein α-synuclein. However, the connection between BAG3 and microglia mediated neuroinflammation is not clear.

Quantitative Transcranial Sonography Evaluation of Substantia Nigra Hyperechogenicity Is Useful for Predicting Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia in Parkinson Disease.

Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) is a common motor complication in Parkinson disease (PD). Abnormal substantia nigra hyperechogenicity (SN+), detected by transcranial sonography (TCS), plays an important role in the differential diagnosis of PD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive performance of quantitative SN+ evaluations for LID.

Pramipexole inhibits astrocytic NLRP3 inflammasome activation via Drd3-dependent autophagy in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Inflammation is one of the pathogenic processes in Parkinson's disease (PD). Dopamine receptor agonist pramipexole (PPX) is extensively used for PD treatment in clinics. A number of studies show that PPX exerts neuroprotection on dopaminergic (DA) neurons, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of PPX on DA neurons are not fully elucidated.

Cognitive Performance is Associated with Altered Cerebral Hemodynamics Assessed by Transcranial Ultrasound in Parkinson's Disease.

Purpose: Cognitive impairment (CI) is a common but debilitating non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Although cerebrovascular functions are related to cognitive performance in healthy individuals, such a relation in PD remains elusive. This study aims to assess the association between cerebrovascular function and cognitive performance in PD individuals.

α-synuclein suppresses microglial autophagy and promotes neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

The cell-to-cell transfer of α-synuclein (α-Syn) greatly contributes to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis and underlies the spread of α-Syn pathology. During this process, extracellular α-Syn can activate microglia and neuroinflammation, which plays an important role in PD. However, the effect of extracellular α-Syn on microglia autophagy is poorly understood.

AMPK S-sulfuration contributes to HS donors-induced AMPK phosphorylation and autophagy activation in dopaminergic cells.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) serves as a neuromodulator and regulator of neuroinflammation. It is reported to be therapeutic for Parkinson's disease (PD) animal and cellular models. However, whether it affects α-synuclein accumulation in dopaminergic cells, the key pathological feature in PD, is poorly understood.

and Genes Produce Monoterpenes for Floral Scent.

Orchids are the most species-rich plants and highly interactive with pollinators via visual or olfactory cues. Biosynthesis and emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the atmosphere facilitate the olfactory cues and ensure successful pollination. is a scented orchid with monoterpenes as major VOCs, comprising linalool, geraniol, and their derivatives.

Effects of resistance bands exercise for frail older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies.

Aims And Objectives: Research examining the effectiveness of resistance band exercises for improving physical and psychological dimensions among frail older adults has been inconsistent. We aimed to examine the effects of resistance band exercises for improving outcomes in frail older adults.

Background: To provide robust evidence regarding the effectiveness of resistance band exercises and explore other potential outcomes in frail older adults, a systematic review of RCTs remains necessary.

Chemical Autophagy Regulators.

Autophagy is a catabolic process that removes aggregated proteins and damaged organelles via lysosomal degradation. Increasing evidence suggests that dysfunction of autophagy is associated with a variety of human pathologies, including aging, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, heart diseases, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. Current research suggests that the regulation of autophagy may be a novel target for the treatment of these diseases.

Thermal Effect and Mechanism Analysis of Flame-Retardant Modified Polymer Electrolyte for Lithium-Ion Battery.

In recent years, the prosperous electric vehicle industry has contributed to the rapid development of lithium-ion batteries. However, the increase in the energy density of lithium-ion batteries has also created more pressing safety concerns. The emergence of a new flame-retardant material with the additive ethoxy (pentafluoro) cyclotriphosphazene can ameliorate the performance of lithium-ion batteries while ensuring their safety.

Thermal Stability Analysis of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolytes Based on Lithium Bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide-Lithium Difluoro(oxalato)Borate Dual-Salt.

Lithium-ion batteries with conventional LiPF carbonate electrolytes are prone to failure at high temperature. In this work, the thermal stability of a dual-salt electrolyte of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) and lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate (LiODFB) in carbonate solvents was analyzed by accelerated rate calorimetry (ARC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). LiTFSI-LiODFB dual-salt carbonate electrolyte decomposed when the temperature exceeded 138.

Sensitivity and Specificity of the Saint Louis University Mental Status Examination to Detect Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Chinese Population.

Introduction: The Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) examination is a common screening instrument to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Western countries. However, further work is needed to identify optimal SLUMS cutoff scores for screening MCI and dementia in Chinese populations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility and diagnostic accuracy of the SLUMS examination in the diagnosis of dementia and MCI in Chinese population.

Substantia nigra echogenicity is associated with serum ferritin, gender and iron-related genes in Parkinson's disease.

Substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity is present in most Parkinson's disease (PD) cases but is occasionally absent in some. To date, age, gender, disease severity, and other factors have been reported to be associated with SN hyperechogenicity in PD. Previous studies have discovered that excess iron deposition in the SN underlies its hyperechogenicity in PD, which may also indicate the involvement of genes associated with iron metabolism in hyperechogenicity.

Erratum to: Catalpol ameliorates LPS-induced endometritis by inhibiting inflammation and TLR4/NF-κB signaling.

Erratum to: J Zhejiang Univ-Sci B (Biomed & Biotechnol) 2019 2019 20(10):816-827. https://doi.org/10.

Catalpol ameliorates LPS-induced endometritis by inhibiting inflammation and TLR4/NF-κB signaling.

Catalpol is the main active ingredient of an extract from Radix rehmanniae, which in a previous study showed a protective effect against various types of tissue injury. However, a protective effect of catalpol on uterine inflammation has not been reported. In this study, to investigate the protective mechanism of catalpol on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced bovine endometrial epithelial cells (bEECs) and mouse endometritis, in vitro and in vivo inflammation models were established.