Search

Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the relative effectiveness of exercise combined with cognitive training (E&CT) in improving cognitive function compared to exercise alone. Method: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SPORTDiscus, and OpenGrey were systematically searched. Additional screenings were performed by reviewing citations of relevant articles. Studies were included if they met inclusion criteria. Both pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed using a random effects model in Stata 15.0. Results: Totally, 46 trials from 54 literature (n = 2846) were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The network meta-analysis indicated that exercise alone was more efficacious than E&CT in improving global cognition and multicomponent exercise exhibited the highest likelihood (SUCRA value= 89.0%) of being the most effective type. Regarding memory function, E&CT presented greater potential than exercise alone, with the interactive modality ranking first (SUCRA value = 88.4%). Multicomponent exercise was identified as the top intervention for enhancing executive function. The overall quality of the included studies was rated as moderate, and the certainty of evidence ranged from low to high. Conclusion: Multicomponent exercise emerged as the optimal intervention for improving global cognition and executive function. Nevertheless, for memory function, the interactive modality of E&CT demonstrated the highest probability of being the most effective choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reliable blood biomarkers are crucial for early detection and treatment evaluation of cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Objective: To examine whether plasma biomarkers and their combination are different between older people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and cognitively normal individuals, and to explore their relations with cognitive performance. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 250 older adults, including 124 participants with MCI, and 126 cognitively normal participants. Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), irisin and clusterin were measured, and BDNF/irisin ratio was calculated. Global cognition was evaluated by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Results: Plasma irisin levels, but not BDNF, were significantly different between MCI group and cognitively normal group. Higher irisin concentration was associated with an increased probability for MCI both before and after controlling covariates. By contrast, plasma BDNF concentration, but not irisin, was linearly correlated with cognitive performance after adjusting for covariates. Higher BDNF/irisin ratios were not only correlated with better cognitive performance, but also associated with lower risks of MCI, no matter whether we adjusted for covariates. Plasma BDNF and irisin concentrations increased with aging, whereas BDNF/irisin ratios remained stable. No significant results of clusterin were observed. Conclusions: Plasma BDNF/irisin ratio may be a reliable indicator which not only reflects the odds of the presence of MCI but also directly associates with cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrocatalytic mechanisms of CO2 reduction catalyzed by pyridine-oxazoline (pyrox)-based Mn catalysts were investigated by DFT calculations. In-depth comparative analyses of pyrox-based and bipyridine-based Mn complexes were carried out. C–OH cleavage is the rate-determining step for both the protonation-first path and the reduction-first path. The free energy of CO2 activation (ΔG1) and the electrons donated by CO ligands in this step are effective descriptors in regulating the C–OH cleavage barrier. The reduction of carboxylate complex 6 (E6) is the potential-determining step for the reduction-first path. Meanwhile, for the protonation-first path, the initial generation (E2) or the regeneration (E8) of active catalyst might be potential-determining. Hirshfeld charge and orbital contribution analysis indicate that E6 is definitely based on the heterocyclic ligand and E2 is related to both the heterocyclic ligand and three CO ligands. Therefore, replacement of the CO ligand by a stronger electron donating ligand can effectively boost the catalytic activity of CO2 reduction without increasing the overpotential in the reduction-first path. This hypothesis is supported by the mechanism calculations of the Mn complex in which the axial CO ligand is replaced by a pyridine or PMe3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study's aims were to translate the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire to Chinese and examine its psychometric properties. Adapting it for use in China involved forward translation, synthesis, back translation, expert review, and pretesting. A convenience sample of 201 Chinese older adults completed the Chinese version (CHAMPS-C) to evaluate its construct validity index and associations with physiological, psychosocial, and energy expenditure measures. The construct validity index of the CHAMPS-C was 0.95, and it had fair to moderate associations with physiological and psychosocial measures, other scales of physical activity, and accelerometer measurements. Our structured, stepwise process of cross-cultural adaptation produced a scale (i.e., CHAMPS-C), with items equivalent in meaning to the English version, for use with Chinese older adults. The findings of this study indicate that the CHAMPS-C has acceptable reliability and validity to assess the physical activity of older Chinese adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter ABCG2 is a significant urate transporter with a high capacity, and it plays a crucial role in the development of hyperuricemia and gout. Therefore, it has the potential to be targeted for therapeutic interventions. Cortex Fraxini, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been found to possess anti-hyperuricemia properties. However, the specific constituents of Cortex Fraxini responsible for this effect are still unknown, particularly the compound that is responsible for reducing uric acid levels in vivo. In this study, we propose a target screening protocol utilizing bio-affinity ultrafiltration mass spectrometry (BA-UF-MS) to expediently ascertain ABCG2 ligands from the plasma of rats administered with Cortex Fraxini. Our screening protocol successfully identified fraxin as a potential ligand that interacts with ABCG2 when it functions as the target protein. Subsequent investigations substantiated fraxin as an activated ligand of ABCG2. These findings imply that fraxin exhibits promise as a drug candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia. Furthermore, the utilization of BA-UF-MS demonstrates its efficacy as a valuable methodology for identifying hit compounds that exhibit binding affinity towards ABCG2 within TCMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: The aim was to identify latent trajectories in physical activity (PA) and their determinants in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) based on the socio‐ecological model. Background: PA has been linked to poor long‐term outcomes in patients with COPD. However, few studies have explored their PA trajectories and their predictors. Design: Cohort study. Methods: We used data from a national cohort and included 215 participants. PA was quantified using a short PA questionnaire, and group‐based trajectory modelling was used to explore the PA trajectories. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to identify the predictors of PA trajectories. Generalised linear mixed models were used to elucidate the associations between predictors and PA during follow‐up. A STROBE checklist was used to guide the reporting of this study. Results: Three PA trajectory patterns were identified among 215 COPD participants with an average age of 60.51 ± 8.87: stable inactive group (66.7%), sharp decline group (25.7%) and stable active group (7.5%). The logistic regression showed that age, sex, income, peak expiratory flow, upper limb capacity, depressive symptoms, the frequency of contact with children were PA predictors. Upper limb capacity weakness and depressive symptoms were found to be associated with a sharp decline in PA during follow‐up. Conclusions: This study revealed three PA trajectories among patients with COPD. In addition to strengthening the physical functions and mental health of patients, support from the family, community and society also play a crucial role in promoting PA of patients with COPD. Relevance to Clinical Practice: It is essential to identify distinct PA trajectories in patients with COPD to develop future interventions that promote PA. No Patient or Public Contribution: A national cohort study was used and no patients or the public were involved in the design and implementation of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare and rank the relative effectiveness of different modes for exercise combined cognitive training (ECT) in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SPORTDiscus, PsycInfo, and OpenGrey systematically from inception to May 2020. Studies were included that met the inclusion criteria: randomized controlled trials, involving people with MCI or dementia, performing ECT without other interventions, and assessing global cognitive function, memory function, and executive function. Pairwise and network meta-analyses were performed using a random effects model. We included 20 articles from 16 studies with 1180 participants. For global cognition, separate modality had the highest probability of being the optimal approach (the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) value = 77.5%). For memory function, the interactive mode had the greatest probability of being the best choice (SUCRA = 84.7%). Concerning executive function, the dual-task modality and separate modality had similar SUCRA values. Subgroup analysis revealed no differences for the relative effectiveness of ECT among people with MCI or among all participants. Separate and interactive combination modality had the highest probability of being the most effective mode for overall cognition and memory performance. However, the evidence is insufficient to reveal the best combination mode for executive function. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2022.2026879. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To systematically review and compare the efficacy of different exercise interventions on bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm2) in patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Background: It is vitally important to prevent and treat bone loss in patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia. Exercise can effectively increase bone density and slow down bone loss in middle‐aged and older people. However, it is still unclear which type of exercise intervention is the most effective on bone mineral density. Design: Systematic review and network meta‐analysis (NMA) according to PRISMA. Methods: Randomised controlled trials of different exercise treatments for osteopenia and primary osteoporosis were included. A Frequentist network meta‐analysis was conducted to appraise the efficacy of different types of exercise. The outcome was bone mineral density of different parts of the body. Results: Ninety‐seven studies were included. The network meta‐analysis showed that combined exercise, resistance exercise, aerobic exercise and mind‐body exercise had a significant effect in improving the bone density of lumbar spine. The surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) values for mind‐body exercise was 0.99 and ranked first. For BMD of the femoral neck, all kinds of exercise interventions increased the bone density significantly compared with no exercise and the optimal type was mind‐body exercise (SUCRA = 0.99). In terms of the total hip bone mineral density, aerobic exercise and resistance exercise could improve hip bone density, with the resistance exercise (SUCRA = 0.95) ranking as first. Conclusions: This NMA demonstrated the mind–body exercise might be the optimal exercise type to increase the BMD of the lumbar spine and femoral neck and resistance exercise is the most promising type for total hip BMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia is prevalent in worldwide, and increases the care burden and potential costs. Physical activity (PA) has been increasingly shown to be beneficial for them. This was a cross-sectional observational study aiming to investigate the status of PA among community-dwelling older adults with dementia in Beijing or Hangzhou, China, and verify the relationships between neuropsychiatric symptoms, activities of daily living (ADL), caregivers' fear of patients' falling and their PA using a path analysis approach. The level of PA among 216 included people with dementia was low. PA was related to the neuropsychiatric symptoms, with ADL and caregivers' fear of patients' falling have mediation roles. The findings indicated that person-centered strategies related to the management of these symptoms might be helpful to improve ADL, relieve caregivers' concerns about them falling and consequently foster positive participation in PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyse net effects of self‐rated workload and nurse staffing (nurse‐to‐patient ratio and staff skill mix) on work engagement among clinical nurses. Background: Improving nurses' engagement is necessary to enhance patient outcomes, so factors that influence engagement should be explored. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 1,428 registered nurses from 145 units of 11 hospitals. A hierarchical linear model was used to analyse the data. Results: Self‐rated workload had a negative effect on engagement (β = −0.353, p <.001, effect size (f2) = 14.20%), while only one index of skill mix (percentage of nurses with ≤ 5 work years) had a significant effect on engagement, which was positive (β = 0.258, p <.05, f2 = 8.50%). These two variables explained 22.7% of the variance of engagement at the unit level (R2between = 22.7%, p <.05). No significant effect of staffing on self‐rated workload was found. Conclusions: Self‐rated workload had more effect on engagement than did staffing, and factors that influence self‐rated workload need to be explored. Implications for nursing management: Balancing the mix of experience levels in nursing teams may improve work engagement. Managers should pay attention to multiple strategies to motivate nurses to engage in work in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What is known on the subject?: The shortage of psychiatric nurses has become a focus problem attracting widespread concern. And the continuous improvement of quality of psychiatric care has always been a priority in psychiatric units.Previous studies about nurses from general hospitals indicated nursing work environment was a key factor affecting work‐related outcomes, but little attention was paid to psychiatric nurses and few studies focused on the five specific dimensions of nursing work environment. What the paper adds to existing knowledge?: Nurse participation in hospital affairs was the dimension with the highest proportion of participants dissatisfied.Nursing work environment and all its five dimensions had significant effects on work‐related outcomes, which were partly mediated by work engagement.For nurse‐perceived quality of care, collegial nurse‐physician relations showed the largest effect; while for turnover intention, the two dimensions of nurse participation in hospital affairs and nursing foundations for quality of care showed larger effects. What are the implications for practice?: Corresponding measures should be taken to improve nursing work environment, especially in the aspect of nurse participation in hospital affairs by promoting nurses' ability to participate, arousing their motivation to participate and offering them more opportunities to participate.Harmonious collegial relationship should be built by creating an atmosphere of equality, respect and collaboration, and enhancing the communication between doctors and nurses.Nursing foundations for quality of care need to be further improved through setting appropriate rules and regulations to ensure the quality of care and offering more opportunities to support nursing staff's growth and development. Introduction: With the increasing demand for high‐quality psychiatric care, it is imperative to improve psychiatric nurses' work engagement and work‐related outcomes. Nursing work environment has been identified as a protective factor in non‐psychiatric nurses, but little was known about psychiatric nurses. Aims: To identify the situation of nursing work environment, work engagement, nurse‐perceived quality of care and turnover intention among psychiatric nurses, and examine the relationship among them. Methods: A cross‐sectional design was adopted. Questionnaire investigation was implemented among psychiatric nurses from 43 clinical units. Structural equation modelling and path analysis were used to examine the causal relationship among variables. Results: The results showed 19.06% of participants were not satisfied with the overall work environment and 24.34% were not satisfied with the dimension of nurse participation in hospital affairs. Hypothesis testing results indicated that nursing work environment and its five dimensions had positive effects on nurse‐perceived quality of care and negative effects on turnover intention, which were both partly mediated by work engagement. Discussion: Supportive nursing work environment could improve nurses' work engagement, enhance nurse‐perceived quality of care and reduce nurses' turnover intention. Implications for Practice: Continuous efforts should be paid to the improvement of nursing work environment in psychiatric hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate which type of exercise is the most effective for people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia. Backg round : Exercise is recommended as a promising intervention for people with cognitive impairment. However, which type of exercise is the most beneficial for people with MCI or dementia seems still unclear. The objective of this article is to assess the relative effectiveness of different types of exercise on cognitive function in people with MCI or dementia using network meta‐analysis. Design: Systematic review, meta‐analysis, and network meta‐analysis. Methods: We will systematically search electronic databases including PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO. To avoid missing the eligible literature, we will examine the reference lists of systematic reviews publication since 2017. WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov will also be retrieved to identify eligible trials. Two independent researchers will identify the eligible trials according to selection criteria and extract data. The risk of bias for included studies will be assessed by two pairs of reviewers based on the modified Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Discrepancies or disagreement will be discussed and resolved. Data will be analysed using pairwise meta‐analysis and network meta‐analysis. Discussion: This study will compare the relative effectiveness of different types of exercise and identify which type of exercise is the most effective for people with MCI or dementia. Impact: The results of this review will provide evidence on which domains of cognitive function are more responsive to what type of exercise. It will also help guide nursing clinical practice to optimize exercise therapy in people with MCI or dementia. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020160620. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyse the effect of nurse staffing (number of nurses and staff structure) on patient‐safety outcomes in hospitals in China. Background: The number of nurses has been shown to have a significant effect on patient‐safety outcomes, but the structure of the nursing staff has received little attention. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was conducted in 211 units of 13 hospitals. Data on four patient‐safety outcomes and numerical and structural indices of nurse staffing were collected from seven types of hospital units. Results: Nurse staffing had inconsistent effects on units' rates of fall and hospital‐acquired pressure ulcers. The nurse‐to‐patient ratio and rate of nurses with work experience ≤5 years predicted fall rates, and rate of hospital‐acquired pressure ulcers was positively correlated to the level of nurse staffing (low nurse‐to‐patient ratio and high bed‐to‐nurse number). Conclusions: The number and structure of nurses are both important to patient safety, and the rate of nurses with work experience ≤5 years might be a protective factor against adverse events. Implications for Nursing Management: Patient outcomes correlated with the number and structure of the nursing staff. Methods to balance the structure of nursing staff might be a topic worthy of examination in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To investigate turnover intention among newly licensed registered nurses and to clarify the impact pathways of organisational justice, work engagement and nurses' perception of care quality on turnover intention. Background: Nurse shortage is an ongoing and urgent issue worldwide, in which nurse turnover could exacerbate the situation. Newly licensed registered nurses will become the main nursing workforce in the future; however, previous studies have not revealed the specific reasons underlying their turnover intentions. Design: A descriptive cross‐sectional design. Methods: A total of 569 newly licensed registered nurses undertaking direct care were recruited from thirteen hospitals from October to November 2018 across Beijing, China. Based on the job demands–resources model, we advanced a hypothetical model, linking the paths between organisational justice, work engagement, nurses' perception of care quality and turnover intention. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the hypothetical model. The study adhered to the STROBE statement for observational studies. Results: In total, 22.3% of newly licensed registered nurses had a high turnover intention. The final model had an acceptable fit and could explain 58% of the variance in turnover intention. The organisational justice was directly related to high work engagement, great nurses' perception of care quality and low turnover intention. Additionally, organisational justice also had indirect effects on great nurses' perception of care quality and low turnover intention, which were partially mediated by work engagement. However, the effect of nurses' perception of care quality on turnover intention was not significant. Conclusion: The improvement of organisational justice could enhance work engagement, and nurses' perception of care quality, and reduce turnover intention, which is crucial to improving care quality and addressing the shortage of nurses. Relevance to clinical practice: This study provides evidence for policymakers and hospital administrators to take targeted measures to enhance work engagement, foster high‐quality care and create better defences against losing nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyse the structural associations among job characteristics, organizational justice, work engagement and nursing care quality in Chinese nurses. Background: Nursing care quality helps ensure patient safety, which are core concerns. The explicit relationships among the study's variables from a management perspective can help hospital managers to implement effective strategies to improve nursing care quality. Methods: This cross‐sectional study was conducted to investigate the relationships among the variables in 1,615 nurses in eight Chinese tertiary hospitals. Structural equation modelling was used to test a proposed model of these relationships. Results: The scores of job characteristics, organizational justice, work engagement and nursing care quality were 3.55 ± 0.41, 3.84 ± 0.77, 4.67 ± 1.30 and 3.42 ± 0.70. Job characteristics and organizational justice had direct effects on nursing care quality. Work engagement mediated the relationship of nursing care quality with job characteristics and organizational justice. The final model explained 24% of nursing care quality. Conclusion: The results provide a better understanding of the associations between the study's variables. Perceived job characteristics and organizational justice can improve nursing care quality through work engagement. Implications for Nursing Management: Reconfiguring work design to strengthen nurses' positive perceptions of job characteristics and organizational justice can enhance nursing care quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To clarify the specific impact paths among physical activity, activity of daily living, depression and quality of life among dementia patients. Design: A descriptive, cross‐sectional design. Methods: Dementia patients and their caregivers from five tertiary general hospitals and one dementia patients' club were recruited. A total of 216 valid questionnaires were collected from November 2018 ‐ March 2019. Path analysis was performed by Mplus 7.0 to test the casual relationship among physical activity, activity of daily living, depression and quality of life. Results: Most patients with dementia presented a low level of physical activity and suffered from impaired quality of life. The modified model presented a good model fit and revealed that physical activity had indirect positive effects on quality of life mediated by activity of daily living and depression. Conclusion: The results showed that physical activity was a promising non‐pharmacological method to improve the performance of activity of daily living and reduce depressive symptoms and then enhance the quality of life among dementia patients. Impact: The findings were beneficial to elevate the awareness of physical activity among patients and professionals. This study was helpful to understand how physical activity exerted effects on life quality of dementia patients. This study provided a new perspective for researchers to elucidate the causal relationship of variables among dementia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To identify the situation of organisational justice, organisational support, work engagement and turnover intention among community nurses and clarify the relationship among them. Background: Nurse shortage has become a worldwide issue, and the shortage of community nurses is more serious. Nurse turnover is one important factor for this situation. While previous studies about turnover intention mostly focused on hospital nurses, few involved community nurses. Design: A descriptive, cross‐sectional design was adopted. Methods: Questionnaire investigation was implemented among 410 community nurses to collect data about organisational justice, organisational support, work engagement and turnover intention. Structural equation modelling was applied to test the hypothesised model. The STROBE statement for observational studies was followed. Results: Results showed the average score of turnover intention was 2.50 ± 0.75. The final model indicated: (a) work engagement had a direct negative effect on turnover intention; (b) organisational support had both direct and indirect effects on turnover intention, and the indirect effect was mediated by work engagement; and (c) organisational justice had an indirect effect on turnover intention mediated by organisational support. Conclusion: Turnover intention could be reduced directly or indirectly by improving work engagement, organisational support and organisational justice. Relevance to clinical practice: This study provides evidence for community health centre managers and policymakers to improve the level of nurses' engagement and to retain more nurses in primary healthcare service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To summarize the biomarkers for evaluating the effects of exercise interventions in patients with cognitive impairment associated with aging, as well as their responses to exercise interventions. A systematic review and meta-analysis We systematically searched different electronic database, including PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus up to April 2020. Clinical controlled trials with exercise interventions in patients with cognitive impairment were included. The main outcomes included all the biomarkers used to evaluate the effects of exercise interventions. If data for certain biomarkers was enough (more than 2 studies), meta-analyses would be performed to estimate the effect sizes by calculating the standard mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Finally, we included 33 articles from 26 trials. The biomarkers included neurotrophic factors, inflammatory factors, oxidative stress markers, neuropathological hallmarks, metabolic biomarkers and genotypes. The meta-analyses indicated that exercise significantly decreased the levels of IL-6 (SMD = −0.45; 95% CI: −0.72, −0.18) and low-density lipoprotein (SMD = −0.26; 95% CI: −0.50, −0.01). Subgroup analyses showed that aerobic exercise also could decrease the levels of TNF-α (SMD = −1.21; 95% CI: −2.29, −0.14). There were some important cognition-related biomarkers which were rarely measured, such as Aβ, tau and IGF-1. Regular exercise showed positive effects on reducing inflammation and regulating lipid metabolism. But the available evidence is limited and more studies with different exercise interventions should be conducted to test the effects of exercise on other important cognition-related biomarkers in patients with cognitive dysfunction. • This study summarized the changes of biomarkers induced by exercise in patients with MCI and dementia. • Exercise significantly decreased the levels of IL-6 and low-density lipoprotein. • Aerobic exercise could decrease the levels of TNF-α. • The evidence for some important cognition-related biomarkers was limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Cholesterol and copper significantly increase amyloid deposit in AD mouse brain. • Cholesterol and copper dramatically change biochemical factors in the blood. • Copper-feeding mice lose major abilities of learning and memory. • Zinc and Fluvastatin protect the AD mice from cholesterol and copper. • Zinc homeostasis is critical in the pathogenesis of AD. Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the severe chronic diseases characterized with amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregation and formation of senile-plaque (SP) like structures. Numerous risk factors including trace metals and cholesterol in diet have been identified as potential players for the onset of Aβ aggregation. To further illustrate the effects of copper and cholesterol in AD pathology, we employed an AD model mouse strain (Tg2567) and examined the histological and biochemical changes in the mouse brains and blood. When supplied with 0.1 mg/L copper in drinking water and 2% cholesterol in the food, the mice showed significant deposit of amyloid beta (Aβ) and SP plaque formation in hippocampus and temporal cortex regions in their brains. These mice also showed elevated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and increased ceruloplasmin (CP) concentration, and reduced glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) activity in the blood. The physiological function tests indicated these mice were significantly impeded on learning and memory. We further examined the counteracting effects of 0.1 mg/L zinc and 1.0 mg/L fluvastatin (Cholesterol-lowering drug). The combination of zinc and fluvastatin effectively reversed the copper/cholesterol caused memory loss, anatomic amyloid deposits and the biochemical changes in the blood. This work provides more evidence of high-level cholesterol and copper as risk factors to trigger amyloid aggregation and mental dementia; zinc and reduction of food cholesterol levels can protect the animals from amyloid accumulation and learning impairment. The beneficial outcomes of zinc and fluvastatin could hint some potential usages in preventive measures for high-risk AD individuals, but further rigorous test are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of 1,25(OH)2D3 on the polarization of LPS-stimulated macrophages and the underlying regulatory mechanisms., Methods: Primary macrophages were isolated and identified using immunofluorescence assays to detect macrophage biomarker expression levels. RT-PCR was employed to measure the expression of Arginase 1 (Arg-1), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in macrophages treated with various strategies. Western blotting assessed the protein expression levels of AKT1, p-AKT1, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, STAT3, and p-STAT3 in LPS-stimulated macrophages exposed to different concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3., Results: As the LPS concentration increased from 0 to 0.5 mg/L, Arg-1, IL-10, iNOS, and TNF-α expression levels significantly increased. However, at LPS concentrations ranging from 1 mg/L to 10 mg/L, the expression of Arg-1, IL-10, iNOS, and TNF-α displayed a trend from increase to decline. The highest M2 polarization (Arg-1 and IL-10) was observed in macrophages stimulated with 0.5 mg/L LPS among the lower concentrations, while the highest M1 polarization (iNOS and TNF-α) was observed in macrophages stimulated with 5 mg/L LPS among the higher concentrations. Subsequent experiments utilized 0.5 mg/L and 5 mg/L LPS as incubation concentrations. Under LPS stimulation, iNOS was significantly upregulated, surpassing the expression level of IL-10, a marker of M2 macrophages. The introduction of 1,25(OH)2D3 facilitated M2 polarization, with 50 nM as the incubation concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3. Furthermore, 1,25(OH)2D3 reversed the elevated expression of p-AKT1, p-NF-κB p65, and p-STAT3 in macrophages stimulated with 5 mg/L LPS., Conclusions: 1,25(OH)2D3 effectively regulates the M1/M2 polarization in LPS-stimulated macrophages.

Background: Sleep problems are very prevalent in older adults, especially in those at risk for dementia. But the relationships between sleep parameters and subjective or objective cognitive decline are still inconclusive., Aim: The study aimed to investigate the self-reported and objectively measured sleep characteristics in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD)., Methods: This study adopted a cross-sectional design. We included older adults with SCD or MCI. Sleep quality was measured separately by the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) and ActiGraph. Participants with SCD were divided into low, moderate, and high levels of SCD groups. Independent samples T-tests, one-way ANOVA, or nonparametric tests were used to compare the sleep parameters across groups. Covariance analyses were also performed to control the covariates., Results: Around half of the participants (45.9%) reported poor sleep quality (PSQI＜7), and 71.3% of participants slept less than 7 hours per night, as measured by ActiGraph. Participants with MCI showed shorter time in bed (TIB) (p＜0.05), a tendency of shorter total sleep time (TST) at night (p = 0.074) and for each 24-hour cycle (p = 0.069), compared to those with SCD. The high SCD group reported the highest PSQI total score and longest sleep latency than all the other three groups (p＜0.05). Both the MCI and high SCD groups had shorter TIB and TST for each 24-hour cycle than the low or moderate SCD groups. Besides, participants with multiple-domain SCD reported poorer sleep quality than those with single-domain SCD (p＜0.05)., Conclusion: Sleep dysregulation is prevalent in older adults with a risk for dementia. Our findings revealed that objectively measured sleep duration might be an early sign of MCI. Individuals with high levels of SCD demonstrated poorerself-perceived sleep quality and deserved more attention. Improving sleep quality might be a potential target to prevent cognitive decline for people with a risk for dementia., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

The quality of Chinese cardiovascular disease medication apps was evaluated and compared to those in the Google Play Store. Only 21% of 257 CVD medication apps covered medication issues, but the quality is in question. The quality of top 10 CVD medication apps from China was inferior to international apps. An app quality assurance mechanism is needed to ensure patient safety.