Global burden of enteric infections related foodborne diseases, 1990-2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: Understanding the global burden of enteric infections is crucial for prioritizing control strategies for foodborne and waterborne diseases. This study aimed to assess the global burden of enteric infections in 2021 and identify risk factors from One Health aspects.

Methods: Leveraging the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database, the incidence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and deaths of enteric infections and the subtypes were estimated, including diarrheal diseases, typhoid and paratyphoid fever, invasive non-typhoidal (iNTS) infections, and other intestinal infectious diseases.

Developing implementation strategies for promoting integrative oncology outpatient service delivery and utilisation: a qualitative study in Hong Kong.

Purpose: Current evidence supports the use of integrative oncology (IO) interventions in cancer supportive care. The demand for outpatient IO services in Hong Kong is expected to soar following the surge in cancer incidence due to population ageing. This study identified the factors influencing the delivery and utilisation of outpatient IO from local stakeholders' perspectives and developed corresponding implementation strategies.

Associations of smoking status with carotid atherosclerosis: Mediated role of blood indexes and blood pressure.

Background And Aims: We aimed to assess the relationship between smoking status and carotid atherosclerosis (CA) with different manifestations and to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Methods And Results: A total of 60,655 middle-aged and elderly participants were recruited. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association of smoking, various blood indexes [i.

The impact of solid fuel use on major depression and the buffering effect of outdoor time in the UK adults: A 12-year cohort study.

Background: This study aims to investigate age- and gender-specific effects of household solid fuels for heating on major depression and buffering effects of outdoor time in a high-income country.

Methods: Data were obtained from the UK Biobank. Participants with complete information on our studied variables and no prior diagnosis of major depression at baseline were included.

Indirubin induces tolerogenic dendritic cells via aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation and ameliorates allergic asthma in a murine model by expanding Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells.

Background: Allergic asthma is a chronic bronchial inflammatory disease closely associated with abnormal immune responses of dendritic cells (DCs) and allergen-specific type 2 T helper (Th2) cells. Indirubin (IR), a natural aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligand, exerts anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to clarify whether IR exhibits immunomodulatory action on DCs via AhR activation and investigated the antiallergic effects of IR in a mouse model of allergic asthma.

Effectiveness of a Parent-Based eHealth Intervention for Physical Activity, Dietary Behavior, and Sleep Among Preschoolers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Preschoolers' lifestyles have become physically inactive and sedentary, their eating habits have become unhealthy, and their sleep routines have become increasingly disturbed. Parent-based interventions have shown promise to improve physical activity (PA), improve dietary behavior (DB), and reduce sleep problems among preschoolers. However, because of the recognized obstacles of face-to-face approaches (eg, travel costs and time commitment), easy access and lower costs make eHealth interventions appealing.

Automatic retinal image analysis methods using colour fundus images for screening glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

Objectives: Train an automatic retinal image analysis (ARIA) method to screen glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) on non-mydriatic retinal images labelled with the additional results of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and assess different models for the GON classification.

Methods: All the images were obtained from the hospital for training and 10-fold cross-validation. Two methods were used to improve the classification performance: (1) using images labelled with the additional results of OCT as the reference standard and (2) generating models using retinal features from the entire images, the region of interest (ROI) of the optic disc, and the ROI of the macula, and the combination of all the features.

Comparing the Efficacy of 2 WeChat Mini Programs in Reducing Nonmarital Heterosexual Contact by Male Factory Workers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Male factory workers in China are vulnerable to HIV transmission. Commercial and nonmarital noncommercial contacts are the driving forces of heterosexual HIV transmission among male factory workers in China. There is a lack of effective HIV interventions for male factory workers in China.

Comparison of macular thickness in diabetic patients acquired from optical coherence tomography mode and optical coherence tomography angiography mode in Cirrus HD-OCT 5000.

Purpose: To compare macular thickness obtained using two different modes of image acquisitions with Cirrus HD-OCT 5000.

Methods: Patients with diabetes were recruited and macular thickness were obtained using optical coherence tomography (OCT) mode and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) mode. The OCT mode involved a Macular Cube (512×128 pixels) centred on the fovea covering a 6 × 6 mm macular region.

Perceived discrimination and mental health among female migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong: A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study.

Objectives: Female migrant domestic workers (MDW), often unemployed in their home country, are household workers that migrate abroad for better wages. Although poor employment conditions have shown detrimental effects on MDWs health, the mental health effect of perceived discrimination remains understudied among MDWs. This mixed-methods study seeks to (a) assess the association between perceived discrimination and mental health among female MDWs and (b) explore in-depth the common ways MDWs experience discrimination.

Changes in the Pneumococcal Vaccination Uptake and Its Determinants before, during, and after the COVID-19 Pandemic among Community-Living Older Adults in Hong Kong, China: Repeated Random Telephone Surveys.

Pneumococcal vaccination (PV) is effective in preventing vaccine-type pneumococcal diseases. This study investigated the changes in PV uptake and its determinants before, during, and after the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among community-living older adults aged ≥65 years in Hong Kong, China. Three rounds of random telephone surveys were conducted every two years from May 2019 to October 2023.

Framework Development for Reducing Attrition in Digital Dietary Interventions: Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis.

Background: Dietary behaviors significantly influence health outcomes across populations. Unhealthy diets are linked to serious diseases and substantial economic burdens, contributing to approximately 11 million deaths and significant disability-adjusted life years annually. Digital dietary interventions offer accessible solutions to improve dietary behaviors.

Patterns of the Health and Economic Burden of 33 Rare Diseases in China: Nationwide Web-Based Study.

Background: Rare diseases (RDs) affect millions of individuals collectively worldwide, contributing to significant burdens on patients and families in various aspects. However, there is a lack of evidence on the underlying patterns of burdens among diverse RDs for informing targeted social and health policies to address the unmet needs of this vulnerable population.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the underlying patterns of the health and economic burden of 33 different RDs in China and identify the potential determinants.

Management of chronic kidney disease: a Hong Kong consensus recommendation.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) imposes a significant burden on healthcare systems worldwide, and diabetes is a major risk factor for CKD. There is currently no consensus in Hong Kong regarding the prioritisation of early identification and intervention for CKD. A comprehensive and Hong Kong-specific diabetes and CKD treatment guideline is also lacking.

Efforts made, challenges faced, and recommendations provided by stakeholders involved in mpox prevention and control in China: a qualitative study.

Objectives: Mpox continues to spread in China, and stakeholders' experiences may help inform prevention and control strategies.

Study Design: Qualitative study.

Methods: A qualitative study across 14 Chinese cities recruited stakeholders from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and hospitals involved in curbing mpox.

Risk Factors Associated With General and Abdominal Obesity Among South Asian Minorities in Hong Kong.

South Asians have become a sizable ethnic minority in Hong Kong with unique health and social needs often being overlooked. Elevated obesity risk among South Asians has been highlighted in high-income Western settings; however, relevant local evidence is scarce. This cross-sectional study aims to explore the obesity prevalence and related risk factors among South Asians in Hong Kong.

Integrating Doppler LiDAR and machine learning into land-use regression model for assessing contribution of vertical atmospheric processes to urban PM pollution.

Air pollution has been recognized as a global issue, through adverse effects on environment and health. While vertical atmospheric processes substantially affect urban air pollution, traditional epidemiological research using Land-use regression (LUR) modeling usually focused on ground-level attributes without considering upper-level atmospheric conditions. This study aimed to integrate Doppler LiDAR and machine learning techniques into LUR models (LURF-LiDAR) to comprehensively evaluate urban air pollution in Hong Kong, and to assess complex interactions between vertical atmospheric processes and urban air pollution from long-term (i.

Immersive and Nonimmersive Virtual Reality-Assisted Active Training in Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) in different immersive conditions has been increasingly used as a nonpharmacological method for managing chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Objective: We aimed to assess the effectiveness of VR-assisted active training versus conventional exercise or physiotherapy in chronic musculoskeletal pain and to analyze the effects of immersive versus nonimmersive VR on pain outcomes.

Methods: This systematic review of randomized control trials (RCTs) searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception to June 9, 2024.

Impact of 25 Years of Mobile Health Tools for Pain Management in Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Systematic Review.

Background: Mobile technologies are increasingly being used in health care and public health practice for patient communication, monitoring, and education. Mobile health (mHealth) tools have also been used to facilitate adherence to chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) management, which is critical to achieving improved pain outcomes, quality of life, and cost-effective health care.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the 25-year trend of the literature on the adherence, usability, feasibility, and acceptability of mHealth interventions in CMP management among patients and health care providers.

The relationship between dietary sugar consumption and anxiety disorders: A systematic review.

High-sugar intake is a risk factor for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, but less is known about its role in anxiety disorders. This systematic review aimed to systematically synthesise and assess the existing evidence regarding the association between dietary sugars intake and anxiety disorders. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, APA PsycArticles and APA PsycINFO was conducted up to 19th August 2022.