Understanding Capacity and Optimizing Meaningful Engagement among Persons Living with Dementia.

Meaningful engagement is a key dimension of quality of life among persons living with dementia, yet little is known about how to best to promote it. Guided by grounded theory methods, we present analysis of data collected over a 1-year period in four diverse assisted living (AL) communities as part of the study, "Meaningful Engagement and Quality of Life among Assisted Living Residents with Dementia." Our aims are to: (a) learn how meaningful engagement is negotiated among AL residents with dementia and their care partners; and (b) identify how to create these positive encounters.

Rostral anterior cingulate connectivity in older adults with subthreshold depressive symptoms: A preliminary study.

Subthreshold depressive symptoms are highly prevalent among older adults and are associated with numerous health risks including cognitive decline and decreased physical health. One brain region central to neuroanatomical models of depressive disorders is the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The rostral portion of the ACC-comprised of the pregenual ACC and subgenual ACC-is implicated in emotion control and reward processing.

Chinese expert consensus on prevention and control interventions for older adults with physical functional impairment (2022).

Older adults are at high risk for functional impairment, which is closely related to sarcopenia, falls, and frailty. This seriously affects their quality of life and health, and places a heavy burden on society and families. Although domestic and foreign sports recommendations and prevention and control guidelines/expert consensus have been issued for healthy older adults and functional impairment-related diseases, there is no guidance on prevention and control interventions for older adults with physical functional impairment.

Professional Fulfillment, Burnout, and Turnover Intention Among US Dialysis Patient Care Technicians: A National Survey.

Rationale & Objective: High professional fulfillment and low burnout and staff turnover are necessary for a stable dialysis workforce. We explored professional fulfillment, burnout, and turnover intention among US dialysis patient care technicians (PCTs).

Study Design: Cross-sectional national survey.

Elevated frequency and everyday functioning implications of vascular depression in persons with HIV disease.

Depression and cardiovascular disease are common and associated with one another in HIV disease. This study aimed to determine the frequency and everyday functioning implications of the clinical syndrome of vascular depression among people living with HIV (PLWH). Participants in this cross-sectional study included 536 PLWH and 272 seronegative individuals who completed a biomedical and psychiatric research evaluation.

What do Family Caregivers Want? Payment for Providing Care.

Although the primary goal of self-directed programs providing long term services and supports (LTSS) is to maximize choice and control for service recipients, such programs may also benefit family caregivers by compensating them for providing supportive services. This study draws on qualitative data from research supporting the RAISE Family Caregiver Advisory Council, finding that family caregivers themselves see the expansion of self-directed programs as a policy priority due to their need for financial security. The request for compensation was the strongest finding, with respondents highlighting the incompatibility of work with caregiving and their inability to rely on the existing paid workforce due to supply and quality issues; the consequences of this loss of earned income were reported as severe.

The standard for healthy Chinese older adults (2022).

Healthy older adults refer to the elderly aged 60 and above who can take care of themselves or basically take care of themselves.

Vitamin D3 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG/p40 Synergize to Protect Mice From Colitis by Promoting Vitamin D Receptor Expression and Epithelial Proliferation.

Background: While vitamin D (VitD) levels are negatively correlated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) activity, VitD supplementation does not reduce IBD severity. The probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), which secretes p40, can upregulate colonic VitD receptor (VDR) expression. We therefore evaluated synergy between VitD3 and LGG/p40 in the treatment of mouse colitis.

Identification of Probable sarcopenia based on SARC-F and SARC-CalF in older adults from a low-resource setting.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the frequency of probable sarcopenia and to compare the performance of SARC-F and SARC-CalF for detecting this condition in outpatient older adults from a low-resource setting.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional study in outpatient older adults aged ≥60 years attending a hospital in Peru, between August 2019 and February 2020. Probable sarcopenia was defined as low handgrip strength (<27 kg in men and <16 in women).

Focusing on the Positive: Home Health Aides' Desire for Autonomy and Control.

Home Health Aides (HHAs) are one of the fastest growing workforces in the country, yet the industry struggles to recruit and retain workers. This study explored HHAs' experiences with the level of control, autonomy, and decision-making authority in their work. Six focus groups with 37 HHAs were conducted in Massachusetts.

Validation of a Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing Assay for Lower Respiratory Pathogen Detection.

Lower respiratory infection (LRI) is the most fatal communicable disease, with only a few pathogens identified. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), as an unbiased, hypothesis-free, and culture-independent method, theoretically enables the detection of all pathogens in a single test. In this study, we developed and validated a DNA-based mNGS method for the diagnosis of LRIs from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF).

[Diagnostic values of cyclin D1 immunocytochemistry and molecular testing in preoperative fine needle aspiration of undeterminate thyroid nodules].

To assess the value of cyclin D1 immunocytochemistry combined with a small panel molecular analysis in indeterminate cytological diagnosis of Bethesda category Ⅲ-Ⅴ. A consecutive cohort of 96 thyroid FNA specimens with indeterminate diagnosis (TBSRTC category Ⅲ-Ⅴ) and available histopathologic follow-up data were collected between December 2018 and December 2021 in Department of Pathology, Beijing Hospital. The cases were evaluated by cyclin D1 immunocytochemistry and molecular testing of BRAF or a small panel of markers (BRAF, N-RAS, H-RAS, K-RAS and TERT) in the FNA specimens.

[Global guidelines of colorectal cancer screening in high-risk population with family history of colorectal cancer: a systematic review].

To systematically summarize and evaluate the development of update and detailed recommendations of the existing global screening guidelines in high-risk population with a family history of colorectal cancer. The words "colorectal cancer", "screening", "guideline", "consensus", "recommendations" and "family history" in Chinese and English were used as MESH terms for literature retrieval, as well as entry terms. The retrieval was performed based on China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science, as well as official websites.

Policies to Sustain Employment Among Family Caregivers: The Family Caregiver Perspective.

The work of caregiving can make it difficult to sustain employment. This study aimed to clarify what family caregivers themselves think is important in remaining employed, as part of work mandated under the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act of 2018. Data came from a Request for Information promulgated by the Administration for Community Living, resulting in 1147 family caregiver responses, and 12 focus groups.

Racial/Ethnic Variation in Family Support: African Americans, Black Caribbeans and Non-Latino Whites.

Objective: This study examined racial and ethnic differences in the receipt and provision of instrumental family support.

Background: Extended families provide significant levels of emotional and instrumental support across the life course. Despite their importance, extended family relationships and the assistance they provide are largely neglected in the literature.

Characterizing the molecular heterogeneity of clear cell renal cell carcinoma subgroups classified by miRNA expression profile.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a heterogeneous disease that is associated with poor prognosis. Recent works have revealed the significant roles of miRNA in ccRCC initiation and progression. Comprehensive characterization of ccRCC based on the prognostic miRNAs would contribute to clinicians' early detection and targeted treatment.

A humanized 4-1BB-targeting agonistic antibody exerts potent antitumor activity in colorectal cancer without systemic toxicity.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies and the patient survival rate remains unacceptably low. The anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody-based immune checkpoint inhibitors have been added to CRC treatment regimens, however, only a fraction of patients benefits. As an important co-stimulatory molecule, 4-1BB/CD137 is mainly expressed on the surface of immune cells including T and natural killer (NK) cells.

Dysregulation of NK and CD8T Cells by the Microbiota Promotes the Progression of Lung Cancer.

The commensal microbiota is involved in maintaining local pulmonary immune homeostasis under physiological conditions. Alterations in the amount and dominant species of the microbiota can reshape the immune response of the body and lead to a variety of lung diseases, including cancer. The precise mechanisms by which microbiota regulate immune cells during the progression of lung cancer remain obscure.

Pituitary hormone α-MSH promotes tumor-induced myelopoiesis and immunosuppression.

The hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) unit can produce various hormones to regulate immune responses, and some of its downstream hormones or effectors are elevated in cancer patients. We show that the HP unit can promote myelopoiesis and immunosuppression to accelerate tumor growth. Subcutaneous implantation of tumors induced hypothalamus activation and pituitary α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) production in mice.

Depressive Symptoms and Cognitive Decline Among Chinese Rural Elderly Individuals: A Longitudinal Study With 2-Year Follow-Up.

Background: Depressive symptoms and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are highly prevalent in rural China. The study aimed to investigate the longitudinal associations between changes in depressive symptoms and cognitive decline and MCI incidence among Chinese rural elderly individuals.

Methods: A 2-year follow-up study was conducted among 1,477 participants from the Anhui Healthy Longevity Survey (AHLS).

A Comparative Analysis of State Implementation of the Community First Choice Program.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act included Community First Choice (CFC), a new optional Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) state plan benefit which states could adopt. Through the CFC program, states can provide expanded home and community-based attendant services and supports to older adults and persons with disabilities. A benefit of CFC is that states receive a higher federal match rate than other HCBS programs.

Cross-Sectional Associations between Living and Built Environments and Depression Symptoms among Chinese Older Adults.

In this study, we explored the cross-sectional associations between living and built environments and depression among older Chinese adults. Data from 5822 participants were obtained. Depression symptoms were evaluated through the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with a score higher than 4 categorized as having depression symptoms.