Detection and characterisation of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (H5N1/H5N8) clade 2.3.4.4b, Hong Kong SAR, China, 2021 to 2024.

We isolated three genotypes of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) clade 2.3.4.

Effect of pre-conception serum vitamin D level on pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization with fresh embryo transfer: a retrospective analysis.

Background: This study aims to investigate the association of pre-conception vitamin D levels on adverse pregnancy outcomes in women undergoing in vitro fertilization with fresh embryo transfer.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using archived serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D measured in the pre-conception period before ovarian stimulation in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization with fresh autologous embryo transfer. A total of 306 women were included and adverse pregnancy outcomes in their resulting pregnancy were recorded.

Impact of RSVpreF vaccination on reducing the burden of respiratory syncytial virus in infants and older adults.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes a substantial health burden among infants and older adults. Prefusion F protein-based vaccines have shown high efficacy against RSV disease in clinical trials, offering promise for mitigating this burden through maternal and older adult immunization. Employing an individual-based model, we evaluated the impact of RSV vaccination on hospitalizations and deaths in 13 high-income countries, assuming that the vaccine does not prevent infection or transmission.

Development of a predictive model for loss of functional and cognitive abilities in long-term care home residents: a protocol.

Introduction: Long-term care (LTC) residents require extensive assistance with daily activities due to physical and cognitive impairments. Medical treatment for LTC residents, when not aligned with residents' wishes, can cause discomfort without providing substantial benefits. Predictive models can equip providers with tools to guide treatment recommendations that support person-centred medical decision-making.

Intelligent Thermochromic Heating E-Textile for Personalized Temperature Control in Healthcare.

Heating electronic textiles (e-textiles) are widely used for thermal comfort and energy conservation, but prolonged heating raises concerns about heat-related illnesses, especially in the elderly. Despite advancements, achieving universal user satisfaction remains difficult due to diverse thermal needs. This paper introduces an intelligent thermochromic heating e-textile with an artificial intelligence (AI)-based temperature control system for optimized personal comfort and color indicators for elderly caregivers.

Intestinal TM6SF2 protects against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis through the gut-liver axis.

Transmembrane-6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2) regulates hepatic fat metabolism and is associated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). TM6SF2 genetic variants are associated with steatotic liver disease. The pathogenesis of MASH involves genetic factors and gut microbiota alteration, yet the role of host-microbe interactions in MASH development remains unclear.

Pervasive RNA-binding protein enrichment on TAD boundaries regulates TAD organization.

Mammalian genome is hierarchically organized by CTCF and cohesin through loop extrusion mechanism to facilitate the organization of topologically associating domains (TADs). Mounting evidence suggests additional factors/mechanisms exist to orchestrate TAD formation and maintenance. In this study, we investigate the potential role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in TAD organization.

The valuation of older adult homecare services under a joint medical-social budgetary perspective.

Background: Homecare, a cornerstone of public health, is essential for health systems to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of universal health coverage while maintaining its own sustainability. Notwithstanding homecare's system-level significance, there is a lack of economic evaluations of homecare services in terms of their system-wide cost-savings. Specifically, decisions informed by a joint medical-social budgetary perspective can maximize the allocative efficiency of assigning a diverse service mix to address the complex needs of the older adult population.

Predictors of hepatic flares after nucleos(t)ide analogue cessation - Results of a global cohort study (RETRACT-B study).

Background & Aims: Flares after nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) cessation are common and potentially harmful. Predictors of flares are required for risk stratification and to guide off-treatment follow-up.

Method: This multicenter cohort study included virally suppressed patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who were hepatitis B e antigen negative at NA cessation.

Selenium Nanoparticles Suppressed Oxidative Stress and Promoted Tenocyte Marker Expression in Tendon-Derived Stem/Progenitor Cells.

Traumatic tendon injuries generate reactive oxygen species and inflammation, which may account for slow or poor healing outcomes. Selenium is an essential trace element presented in selenoproteins, many of which are strong antioxidant enzymes. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) have been reported to promote tissue repair due to their anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and differentiation-modulating properties.

Nurses' Reports of Inhaler Use Errors in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Hong Kong.

Background: Persistently high rates of inhaler errors and poor adherence among Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients contribute to ineffective symptomatic control, high care burdens, and increased healthcare resource utilization.

Objective: This study aimed to report (i) nurses-identified common problems and errors of inhaler use in COPD patients, (ii) nurses' attitudes, practices, training needs and required support in inhaler education.

Methods: An online questionnaire survey was conducted with nurses working in Hong Kong from May to June 2023 using an exponential, non-discriminative snowball sampling strategy.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of endovascular treatment of carotid blowout syndrome.

Unlabelled: Carotid Blowout Syndrome (CBS) is a rare and life-threatening condition that necessitates prompt intervention to prevent fatal hemorrhage. This study compares the outcomes of two primary endovascular approaches: reconstructive interventions, which aim to preserve carotid artery function using stents or balloon angioplasty, and deconstructive interventions, which involve vessel occlusion to halt bleeding. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed by searching multiple databases for relevant studies published from January 2000 to August 2023.

Latent profiles and determinants of postoperative sleep quality in elective surgery patients.

It is crucial to determine the potential subgroups of sleep disturbances in patients undergoing elective surgery based on the importance of symptom clusters and individual characteristics in order to develop targeted symptom management plans. This study explored the potential categories of postoperative sleep disturbances in patients undergoing elective surgery through latent profile analysis, and explored the influencing factors of each category. A total of 400 eligible elective surgery patients were included in the analysis, and three potential subgroups were identified: mild sleep disturbance group (c1 = 140,35.

Novel antimalarial 3-substituted quinolones isosteres with improved pharmacokinetic properties.

Aryl quinolone derivatives can target the cytochrome bc complex of Plasmodium falciparum, exhibiting excellent in vitro and in vivo antimalarial activity. However, their clinical development has been hindered due to their poor aqueous solubility profiles. In this study, a series of bioisosteres containing saturated heterocycles fused to a 4-pyridone ring were designed to replace the inherently poorly soluble quinolone core in antimalarial quinolones with the aim to reduce π-π stacking interactions in the crystal packing solid state, and a synthetic route was developed to prepare these alternative core derivatives.

Longitudinal Associations Between Youth Information Management With Mothers and Self-Esteem: The Role of a Sense of Control.

Introduction: Adolescents' information management behaviors involve calibrating interactions between the self and parents, which could serve as either risk or protective factors for self-esteem. Since a sense of control over life outcomes is a protective factor for overall well-being, it might account for links between youth information management and self-esteem. This longitudinal study examined whether youth's sense of control mediated associations between concealment and voluntary disclosure and their self-esteem, at both the between- and within-person levels.

Oxaliplatin induces pyroptosis in hepatoma cells and enhances antitumor immunity against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Pyroptosis is closely associated with chemotherapeutic drugs and immune response. Here, we investigated whether oxaliplatin, a key drug in FOLFOX-hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy (FOLFOX-HAIC), induces pyroptosis in hepatoma cells and enhances antitumor immunity after tumor cell death.

Methods: Hepatoma cells were treated with oxaliplatin.

Human respiratory organoids sustained reproducible propagation of human rhinovirus C and elucidation of virus-host interaction.

The lack of a robust system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, a family of viruses refractory to cultivation in standard cell lines, has substantially hindered our understanding of this common respiratory pathogen. We sought to develop an organoid-based system to reproducibly propagate HRV-C, and characterize virus-host interaction using respiratory organoids. We demonstrate that airway organoids sustain serial virus passage with the aid of CYT387-mediated immunosuppression, whereas nasal organoids that more closely simulate the upper airway achieve this without any intervention.

Deep Learning-Based Ion Channel Kinetics Analysis for Automated Patch Clamp Recording.

The patch clamp technique is a fundamental tool for investigating ion channel dynamics and electrophysiological properties. This study proposes the first artificial intelligence framework for characterizing multiple ion channel kinetics of whole-cell recordings. The framework integrates machine learning for anomaly detection and deep learning for multi-class classification.

(1, 3)-beta-D-Glucan in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid: a useful biomarker in diagnosis of invasive pulmonary infection caused by Hormographiella aspergillata?

Hormographiella aspergillata is a rare hyaline mold causing invasive fungal infection in humans, until the frequent use of antifungal prophylaxis in immunocompromised hosts. Due to the high mortality of H. aspergillata infection, early recognition and treatment are crucial.

Bacterial Cytochrome P450 Catalyzed Macrocyclization of Ribosomal Peptides.

Macrocyclization is a vital process in the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), significantly enhancing their structural diversity and biological activity. Universally found in living organisms, cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) are versatile catalysts that facilitate a wide array of chemical transformations and have recently been discovered to contribute to the expansion and complexity of the chemical spectrum of RiPPs. Particularly, P450-catalyzed biaryl-bridged RiPPs, characterized by highly modified structures, represent an intriguing but underexplored class of natural products, as demonstrated by the recent discovery of tryptorubin A, biarylitide and cittilin.

Risk of mortality between warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants: population-based cohort studies.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been reported to be associated with a higher risk of mortality compared with an older alternative, warfarin using primary care data in the United Kingdom (UK). However, other studies observed contradictory findings. We therefore aimed to investigate the association between mortality and warfarin, compared with DOACs.

Promoting hand hygiene in a chemotherapy day center: the role of a robot.

Background: Hand hygiene is a critical component of infection prevention in healthcare settings. Innovative strategies are required to enhance hand hygiene practices among patients and healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods: This study was conducted at the Chemotherapy Day Center of Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.

Development of a territory-wide household-based composite index for measuring relative distribution of households by economic status in individual small areas throughout Hong Kong.

Background: Many countries have developed their country/nation-wide multidimensional area-based index on deprivation or socioeconomic status for resource allocation, service planning and research. However, whether each geographical unit proxied by a single index is sufficiently small to contain a relatively homogeneous population remains questionable. Globally, this is the first study that presents the distribution of domestic households by the territory-wide economic status index decile groups within each of the 2,252 small subunit groups (SSUGs) throughout Hong Kong, with a median study population of 1,300 and a median area of 42,400 m.