A Lactobacillus Combination Ameliorates Lung Inflammation in an Elastase/LPS-induced Mouse Model of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the world's leading lung disease and lacks effective and specific clinical strategies. Probiotics are increasingly used to support the improvement of the course of inflammatory diseases. In this study, we evaluated the potential of a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) combination containing Limosilactobacillus reuteri GMNL-89 and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei GMNL-133 to decrease lung inflammation and emphysema in a COPD mouse model. This model was induced by intranasal stimulation with elastase and LPS for 4 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of oral LAB administration. The results showed that the LAB combination decreased lung emphysema and reduced inflammatory cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α) in the lung tissue of COPD mice. Microbiome analysis revealed that Bifidobacterium and Akkermansia muciniphila, reduced in the gut of COPD mice, could be restored after LAB treatment. Microbial α-diversity in the lungs decreased in COPD mice but was reversed after LAB administration, which also increased the relative abundance of Candidatus arthromitus in the gut and decreased Burkholderia in the lungs. Furthermore, LAB-treated COPD mice exhibited increased levels of short-chain fatty acids, specifically acetic acid and propionic acid, in the cecum. Additionally, pulmonary emphysema and inflammation negatively correlated with C. arthromitus and Adlercreutzia levels. In conclusion, the combination of L. reuteri GMNL-89 and L. paracasei GMNL-133 demonstrates beneficial effects on pulmonary emphysema and inflammation in experimental COPD mice, correlating with changes in gut and lung microbiota, and providing a potential strategy for future adjuvant therapy.

Brain Gene Regulatory Networks Coordinate Nest Construction in Birds.

Nest building is a vital behavior exhibited during breeding in birds, and is possibly induced by environmental and social cues. Although such behavioral plasticity has been hypothesized to be controlled by adult neuronal plasticity, empirical evidence, especially at the neurogenomic level, remains limited. Here, we aim to uncover the gene regulatory networks that govern avian nest construction and examine whether they are associated with circuit rewiring. We designed an experiment to dissect this complex behavior into components in response to pair bonding and nest material acquisition by manipulating the presence of mates and nest materials in 30 pairs of zebra finches. Whole-transcriptome analysis of 300 samples from five brain regions linked to avian nesting behaviors revealed nesting-associated gene expression enriched with neural rewiring functions, including neurogenesis and neuron projection. The enriched expression was observed in the motor/sensorimotor and social behavior networks of female finches, and in the dopaminergic reward system of males. Female birds exhibited predominant neurotranscriptomic changes to initiate the nesting stage, while males showed major changes after entering this stage, underscoring sex-specific roles in nesting behavior. Notably, major neurotranscriptomic changes occurred during pair bonding, with minor changes during nest material acquisition, emphasizing social interactions in nest construction. We also revealed gene expression associated with reproductive behaviors and tactile sensing for nesting behavior. This study presents novel neurogenomic evidence supporting the hypothesis of adult neural plasticity underlying avian nest-construction behavior. By uncovering the genetic toolkits involved, we offer novel insights into the evolution of animals' innate ability to construct nests.

Identification of Early Events in Serrated Pathway Colorectal Tumorigenesis by Using Digital Spatial Profiling.

INTRODUCTION: The colorectal serrated pathway involves precursor lesions known as sessile serrated lesions (SSL) and traditional serrated adenomas (TSA). Mutations in BRAF or KRAS are crucial early events in this pathway. Additional genetic and epigenetic changes contribute to the progression of these lesions into high-grade lesions and, eventually, invasive carcinoma. METHODS: We employed digital spatial profiling to investigate the transcriptional changes associated with SSL and TSA. The genes identified are confirmed by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. Colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines with CEACAM6 overexpression and knockdown were established to study the roles of CEACAM6 on tumorigenesis of CRC. RESULTS: Ten genes were upregulated in SSL and TSA, and seven were upregulated in both types of lesions. IHC staining confirmed overexpression of CEACAM6, LCN2, KRT19, and lysozyme in SSL and TSA. CEACAM6 expression is an early event in the serrated pathway but a late event in the conventional pathway. Using cell line models, we confirmed that CEACAM6 promotes CRC cells' proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. CONCLUSION: These results highlight that the transcriptional changes in the early stages of tumorigenesis exhibit relative uniformity. Identifying these early events may hold significant promise in elucidating the mechanisms behind tumor initiation.

A global database of bird nest traits.

The reproductive success of birds is closely tied to the characteristics of their nests. It is crucial to understand the distribution of nest traits across phylogenetic and geographic dimensions to gain insight into bird evolution and adaptation. Despite the extensive historical documentation on breeding behavior, a structured dataset describing bird nest characteristics has been lacking. To address this gap, we have compiled a comprehensive dataset that characterizes three ecologically and evolutionarily significant nest traits-site, structure, and attachment-for 9,248 bird species, representing all 36 orders and 241 out of the 244 families. By defining seven sites, seven structures, and four attachment types, we have systematically classified the nests of each species using information from text descriptions, photos, and videos sourced from online databases and literature. This nest traits dataset serves as a valuable addition to the existing body of morphological and ecological trait data for bird species, providing a useful resource for a wide range of avian macroecological and macroevolutionary research.

Neuroimmunomodulation of vagus nerve stimulation and the therapeutic implications.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a technology that provides electrical stimulation to the cervical vagus nerve and can be applied in the treatment of a wide variety of neuropsychiatric and systemic diseases. VNS exerts its effect by stimulating vagal afferent and efferent fibers, which project upward to the brainstem nuclei and the relayed circuits and downward to the internal organs to influence the autonomic, neuroendocrine, and neuroimmunology systems. The neuroimmunomodulation effect of VNS is mediated through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway that regulates immune cells and decreases pro-inflammatory cytokines. Traditional and non-invasive VNS have Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications for patients with drug-refractory epilepsy, treatment-refractory major depressive disorders, and headaches. The number of clinical trials and translational studies that explore the therapeutic potentials and mechanisms of VNS is increasing. In this review, we first introduced the anatomical and physiological bases of the vagus nerve and the immunomodulating functions of VNS. We covered studies that investigated the mechanisms of VNS and its therapeutic implications for a spectrum of brain disorders and systemic diseases in the context of neuroimmunomodulation.

Dancers with non-specific low back pain have less lumbar movement smoothness than healthy dancers.

BACKGROUND: Ballet is a highly technical and physically demanding dance form involving extensive end-range lumbar movements and emphasizing movement smoothness and gracefulness. A high prevalence of non-specific low back pain (LBP) is found in ballet dancers, which may lead to poor controlled movement and possible pain occurrence and reoccurrence. The power spectral entropy of time-series acceleration is a useful indicator of random uncertainty information, and a lower value indicates a greater smoothness or regularity. The current study thus applied a power spectral entropy method to analyze the movement smoothness in lumbar flexion and extension in healthy dancers and dancers with LBP, respectively. METHOD: A total of 40 female ballet dancers (23 in the LBP group and 17 in the control group) were recruited in the study. Repetitive end-range lumbar flexion and extension tasks were performed and the kinematic data were collected using a motion capture system. The power spectral entropy of the time-series acceleration of the lumbar movements was calculated in the anterior-posterior (AP), medial-lateral (ML), vertical (VT), and three-directional (3D) vectors. The entropy data were then used to conduct receiver operating characteristic curve analyses to evaluate the overall distinguishing performance and thus cutoff value, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. RESULTS: The power spectral entropy was significantly higher in the LBP group than the control group in the 3D vector in both lumbar flexion and lumber extension (flexion: p = 0.005; extension: p < 0.001). In lumbar extension, the AUC in the 3D vector was 0.807. In other words, the entropy provides an 80.7% probability of distinguishing between the two groups (i.e., LBP and control) correctly. The optimal cutoff entropy value was 0.5806 and yielded a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 73.3%. In lumbar flexion, the AUC in the 3D vector was 0.777, and hence the entropy provided a probability of 77.7% of distinguishing between the two groups correctly. The optimal cutoff value was 0.5649 and yielded a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 73.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The LBP group showed significantly lower lumbar movement smoothness than the control group. The lumbar movement smoothness in the 3D vector had a high AUC and thus provided a high differentiating capacity between the two groups. It may therefore be potentially applied in clinical contexts to screen dancers with a high risk of LBP.

Heat-killed Lacticaseibacillus paracasei GMNL-653 ameliorates human scalp health by regulating scalp microbiome.

BACKGROUND: The equilibrium of the scalp microbiome is important for maintaining healthy scalp conditions, including sebum secretion, dandruff, and hair growth. Many different strategies to improve scalp health have been reported; however, the effect of postbiotics, such as heat-killed probiotics, on scalp health remains unclear. We examined the beneficial effects of heat-killed probiotics consisting of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, GMNL-653, on scalp health. RESULTS: Heat-killed GMNL-653 could co-aggregate with scalp commensal fungi, Malassezia furfur, in vitro, and the GMNL-653-derived lipoteichoic acid inhibited the biofilm formation of M. furfur on Hs68 fibroblast cells. The mRNA of hair follicle growth factors, including insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R), vascular endothelial growth factor, IGF-1, and keratinocyte growth factor was up-regulated in skin-related human cell lines Hs68 and HaCaT after treatment with heat-killed GMNL-653. For clinical observations, we recruited 22 volunteer participants to use the shampoo containing the heat-killed GMNL-653 for 5 months and subsequently measured their scalp conditions, including sebum secretion, dandruff formation, and hair growth. We applied polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the scalp microbiota of M. restricta, M. globosa, Cutibacterium acnes, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. A decrease in dandruff and oil secretion and an increase in hair growth in the human scalp were observed after the use of heat-killed GMNL-653-containing shampoo. The increased abundance of M. globosa and the decreased abundance of M. restricta and C. acnes were also observed. We further found that accumulated L. paracasei abundance was positively correlated with M. globosa abundance and negatively correlated with C. acnes abundance. S. epidermidis and C. acnes abundance was negatively correlated with M. globosa abundance and positively correlated with M. restricta. Meanwhile, M. globosa and M. restricta abundances were negatively associated with each other. C. acnes and S. epidermidis abundances were statistically positively correlated with sebum secretion and dandruff, respectively, in our shampoo clinical trial. CONCLUSION: Our study provides a new strategy for human scalp health care using the heat-killed probiotics GMNL-653-containing shampoo. The mechanism may be correlated with the microbiota shift.

Factors associated with mortality in patients with super-refractory status epilepticus.

Super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) is a critical condition in which seizures persist despite anesthetic use for 24 h or longer. High mortality has been reported in patients with SRSE, but the cause of death remains unclear. We investigated the factors associated with mortality, including clinical characteristics, SE etiologies and severities, treatments, and responses in patients with SRSE in a 13-year tertiary hospital-based retrospective cohort study comparing these parameters between deceased and surviving patients. SRSE accounted for 14.2% of patients with status epilepticus, and 28.6% of SRSE patients died. Deceased patients were mostly young or middle-aged without known systemic diseases or epilepsy. All deceased patients experienced generalized convulsive status epilepticus and failure of anesthetic tapering-off, significantly higher than survivors. An increased number of second-line anesthetics besides midazolam was observed in the deceased (median, 3, interquartile range 2-3) compared to surviving (1, 1-1; p = 0.0006) patients with prolonged use durations (p = 0.047). For mortality, the cut-off number of second-line anesthetics was 1.5 (AUC = 0.906, p = 0.004). Deceased patients had significantly higher renal and cardiac complications and metabolic acidosis than survivors. In SRSE management, multi-anesthetic use should be carefully controlled to avoid systemic complications and mortality.

Study on Cecropin B2 Production via Construct Bearing Intein Oligopeptide Cleavage Variants.

In this study, genetic engineering was applied to the overexpression of the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) cecropin B2 (cecB2). pTWIN1 vector with a chitin-binding domain (CBD) and an auto-cleavage Ssp DnaB intein (INT) was coupled to the cecB2 to form a fusion protein construct and expressed via Escherichia coli ER2566. The cecB2 was obtained via the INT cleavage reaction, which was highly related to its adjacent amino acids. Three oligopeptide cleavage variants (OCVs), i.e., GRA, CRA, and SRA, were used as the inserts located at the C-terminus of the INT to facilitate the cleavage reaction. SRA showed the most efficient performance in accelerating the INT self-cleavage reaction. In addition, in order to treat the INT as a biocatalyst, a first-order rate equation was applied to fit the INT cleavage reaction. A possible inference was proposed for the INT cleavage promotion with varied OCVs using a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The production and purification via the CBD-INT-SRA-cecB2 fusion protein resulted in a cecB2 yield of 58.7 mg/L with antimicrobial activity.

Generating brain matrices for zebra finch brain sectioning using three-dimensional printing technology.

BACKGROUND: The demand to sample brain regions in non-model species is increasing as more studies are integrating neurological data into behavioural, ecological or evolutionary analysis. However, the sampling operation is difficult for researchers without neuroscience background. It is also a challenge to collect neuroanatomical regions from animals in the field. NEW METHOD: Here we developed a new brain matrix for guiding researchers to section zebra finches' (Taeniopygia guttata) brains more steadily than by freehand trimming. Based on the 3D printing technology, we produced the zebra finch brain matrix from scratch. We also provided a step-by-step protocol to make brain matrices for any species with a brain size between that of shrews and dogs. RESULTS: The brain matrix could guide us to find the zebra finch's neuroanatomical landmarks, such as the hypothalamus, optic chiasm and occulomotor nerve. The matrix's channels near these landmarks could be used to section brains steadily and rapidly. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Standardized brain sectioning often requires expensive machines that may not be available in most laboratories or in the field, such as microtomes. In addition, machine-based trimming is time-consuming. Although commercial brain matrices can overcome these problems, they are only available for rats and mice. The brain matrices we developed are affordable to most laboratories and can be customised for non-model species in both lab and field experiments. CONCLUSIONS: The matrix-guided approach requires a relatively short training period and can allow researchers to properly and quickly sample brains, and thus will facilitate neuroscience-based interdisciplinary research.

Enhanced cecropin B2 production via chitin-binding domain and intein self-cleavage system.

In this study, various constructs and hosts were used to produce high levels of cecropin B2 (cecB2). To mitigate cecB2's toxic inhibition of host cells, various cecB2 constructs were built. Results showed that the combination of a chitin-binding domain and an intein self-cleavage motif in front of cecropin B2, without a His-tag, was best for cecB2 expression. E. coli ER2566 was the best host, and 2YT was the best medium for cultivation. Under these conditions, a cecB2 yield of 98.2 mg/L could be obtained after purification. The purified cecB2 expressed a wide antimicrobial effect on most Gram-negative strains, including multidrug-resistant Acinetobactor baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus. This study provides a systematic approach to the efficient production of the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) cecB2 via the recombinant E. coli process, which is expected to be an efficient way for the production of other AMPs.

Asynchronous evolution of interdependent nest characters across the avian phylogeny.

Nest building is a widespread behavior among birds that reflects their adaptation to the environment and evolutionary history. However, it remains unclear how nests evolve and how their evolution relates to the bird phylogeny. Here, by examining the evolution of three nest characters-structure, site, and attachment-across all bird families, we reveal that nest characters did not change synchronically across the avian phylogeny but had disparate evolutionary trajectories. Nest structure shows stronger phylogenetic signal than nest site, while nest attachment has little variation. Nevertheless, the three characters evolved interdependently. For example, the ability of birds to explore new nest sites might depend on the emergence of novel nest structure and/or attachment. Our results also reveal labile nest characters in passerines compared with other birds. This study provides important insights into avian nest evolution and suggests potential associations between nest diversification and the adaptive radiations that generated modern bird lineages.

Exophagy of annexin A2 via RAB11, RAB8A and RAB27A in IFN-γ-stimulated lung epithelial cells.

Annexin A2 (ANXA2), a phospholipid-binding protein, has multiple biological functions depending on its cellular localization. We previously demonstrated that IFN-γ-triggered ANXA2 secretion is associated with exosomal release. Here, we show that IFN-γ-induced autophagy is essential for the extracellular secretion of ANXA2 in lung epithelial cells. We observed colocalization of ANXA2-containing autophagosomes with multivesicular bodies (MVBs) after IFN-γ stimulation, followed by exosomal release. IFN-γ-induced exophagic release of ANXA2 could not be observed in ATG5-silenced or mutant RAB11-expressing cells. Furthermore, knockdown of RAB8A and RAB27A, but not RAB27B, reduced IFN-γ-triggered ANXA2 secretion. Surface translocation of ANXA2 enhanced efferocytosis by epithelial cells, and inhibition of different exophagic steps, including autophagosome formation, fusion of autophagosomes with MVBs, and fusion of amphisomes with plasma membrane, reduced ANXA2-mediated efferocytosis. Our data reveal a novel route of IFN-γ-induced exophagy of ANXA2.

Influences of Flap Shape and Hinge Angle on Opaque Bubble Layer Formation in Femtosecond Laser-Assisted LASIK Surgery.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of different flap shapes and hinge angles on opaque bubble layer (OBL) formation using a femtosecond laser for flap creation in LASIK surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study evaluated 138 eyes of 73 patients who underwent femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK with a 150-kHz IntraLase femtosecond laser (Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., Santa Ana, CA) for myopic astigmatism and compared differences between different flap shapes and hinge angles on OBL formation. The surgical procedures were videotaped, and the patterns and sizes of the OBLs seen during surgery were analyzed. Preoperative and postoperative data including patient demographics, refractive status, keratometry, central corneal thickness, and intraoperative data (flap size and pocket parameters) were recorded. The eyes were divided into four groups based on the corneal flap shape (elliptical versus round) and hinge angle (50° versus 60°). RESULTS: The preoperative demographic data, mean spherical errors, cylindrical power, and central corneal thickness were not significantly different among the groups. Of the 138 eyes, 107 (77%) developed an OBL covering a mean area of 13.8% ± 12.6% in each case. This area was significantly smaller in the elliptical flap with 60° hinge angle group (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: An oval-shaped flap with a larger hinge angle tended to result in less OBL formation in femtosecond laser-assisted LASIK. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(3):178-182.].

A comparison of three different corneal marking methods used to determine cyclotorsion in the horizontal meridian.

During toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, surgeons must take particular care to ensure that inaccurate preoperative measurement and intraoperative misalignment do not cause unexpected postoperative residual astigmatism. This retrospective, comparative case series study aimed to analyze the rotational deviation, or cyclotorsion, of three corneal marking methods: VERION digital marker (VDM; reference), horizontal slit beam marking (HSBM), and subjective direct visual marking (SDVM) on the table (using a bevel knife tip). Subjects included 81 eyes of 61 patients (mean age: 65.70±13.14 years; range: 32-91 years) undergoing scheduled cataract surgery. A preoperative reference image was taken of each eye. Subsequently, a slit lamp with the light beam turned to the horizontal meridian was used to align the seated patient's head, and two reference marks were placed at the 3- and 9-o'clock positions of the corneal limbus using a 27-gauge needle and marking pen (HSBM). Upon transfer to the surgical table, the VDM was used to display a real-time dial scale on the patient's eye, with the entrance of the temporal clear corneal incision (CCI) at 0° (horizontal meridian). Simultaneously, a bevel knife tip was used to create a marker based on the surgeon's visual determination of the temporal 0° point (SDVM). We used the VDM to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of axis alignment via deviation from the horizontal reference meridian. Compared with the reference meridian, the SDVM (-3.46°±7.32°, range: -18° to 13°) exhibited greater average relative cyclotorsion versus the HSBM (0.41°±4.92°, range: -10° to 10°). Furthermore, the mean average misalignment was significantly less in the HSBM group versus the SDVM group (t=4.179, P<0.001). The VDM is likely a reliable marking method, similar to the HSBM. In contrast, the SDVM is not entirely reliable. The VDM usage may prevent inaccurate preoperative manual marking during toric IOL implantation.

S100A10 Regulates ULK1 Localization to ER-Mitochondria Contact Sites in IFN-γ-Triggered Autophagy.

During the process of autophagy, the autophagy-related proteins are translocated to autophagosome formation sites. Here, we demonstrate that S100A10 is required for ULK1 localization to autophagosome formation sites. Silencing of S100A10 reduces IFN-γ-induced autophagosome formation. We also determined the role of annexin A2 (ANXA2), a binding partner of S100A10, which has been reported to promote phagophore assembly. Silencing of ANXA2 reduced S100A10 expression. However, overexpression of S100A10 in ANXA2-silenced cells was still able to enhance autophagosome formation, suggesting that ANXA2 regulates IFN-γ-induced autophagy through S100A10. We also observed that S100A10 interacted with ULK1 after IFN-γ stimulation, and S100A10 knockdown prevented ULK1 localization to autophagosome formation sites. Finally, the release of high mobility group protein B1, one of the functions mediated by IFN-γ-induced autophagy, was inhibited in S100A10 knockdown cells. These results elucidate the importance of S100A10 in autophagosome formation and reveal the relationship between S100A10 and ULK1 in IFN-γ-induced autophagy.

Autophagy facilitates antibody-enhanced dengue virus infection in human pre-basophil/mast cells.

BACKGROUND: Dengue virus (DENV) infection can cause severe hemorrhagic disease in humans. Although the pathogenic mechanisms underlying severe DENV disease remain unclear, one of the possible contributing factors is antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) which occurs when sub-neutralizing antibodies derived from a previous DENV infection enhance viral infection through interaction between virus-antibody complexes and FcR-bearing cells, such as macrophages and basophil/mast cells. Although recent reports showed that DENV induces autophagy, the relationship between antibody-enhanced DENV infection and autophagy is not clear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We showed that sub-neutralizing antibodies derived from dengue patient sera enhanced DENV infection and autophagy in the KU812 pre-basophil-like cell line as well as the HMC-1 immature mast cell line. Antibody-enhanced DENV infection of KU812 cells increased the number of autophagosome vesicles, LC3 punctation, LC3-II accumulation, and p62 degradation over that seen in cells infected with DENV alone. The percentages of DENV envelope (E) protein-positive cells and LC3 puncta following antibody-enhanced DENV infection of KU812 cells were reduced by the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. Antibody-enhanced DENV infection of HMC-1 cells showed co-localization of DENV E protein and dsRNA with autophagosomes, which was inhibited by 3-MA treatment. Furthermore, DENV infection and replication were reduced when KU812 cells were transfected with the autophagy-inhibiting Atg4BC74A mutant. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate a significant induction of autophagy in antibody-enhanced DENV infection of pre-basophil-like KU812 and immature mast cell-like HMC-1 cells. Also, autophagy plays an important role in DENV infection and replication in these cells. Given the importance of ADE and FcR-bearing cells such as monocytes, macrophages and basophil/mast cells in dengue disease, the results provide insights into dengue pathogenesis and therapeutic means of control.

Determinants of long-term care services among the elderly: a population-based study in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate determinants of long-term care use and to clarify the differing characteristics of home/community-based and institution-based services users. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, population-based study. SETTING: Utilizing data from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey conducted in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: A national sample of 2,608 people (1,312 men, 1,296 women) aged 65 and older. MEASUREMENTS: The utilization of long-term care services (both home/community- and institution-based services) was measured. A χ(2) analysis tested differences in baseline characteristics between home/community-based and institution-based long-term care users. The multiple-logistic model was adopted with a hierarchical approach adding the Andersen model's predisposing, enabling, and need factors sequentially. Multiple logistic models further stratified data by gender and age. RESULTS: Compared with users of home/community-based care, those using institution-based care had less education (p = 0.019), greater likelihood of being single (p = 0.001), fewer family members (p = 0.002), higher prevalence of stool incontinence (p = 0.011) and dementia (P = .025), and greater disability (p = 0.016). After adjustment, age (compared with 65-69 years; 75-79 years, odds ratio [OR] = 2.08, p = 0.044; age ≥80, OR = 3.30, p = 0.002), being single (OR = 2.16, p = 0.006), urban living (OR = 1.68, p = 0.037), stroke (OR = 2.08, p = 0.015), dementia (OR = 2.32, p = 0.007), 1-3 items of activities of daily living (ADL) disability (OR = 5.56, p<0.001), and 4-6 items of ADL disability (OR = 21.57, p<0.001) were significantly associated with long-term care use. CONCLUSION: Age, single marital status, stroke, dementia, and ADL disability are predictive factors for long-term care use. The utilization was directly proportional to the level of disability.

Fecal incontinence epidemiology and help seeking among older people in Taiwan.

AIMS: This study assesses the prevalence, comorbidity, and risk factors of fecal incontinence (FI), and explores help seeking patterns among older FI people. METHODS: The data were obtained from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey, in which 1,345 men and 1,370 women aged above 65 years responded to questions concerning FI occurrence, and 218 FI-affected elderly people responded to the question about FI help seeking. The chi-square test, Student's t-test, and multiple logistic regression were used. RESULTS: The weighted FI prevalence of older Taiwanese people was 6.9% for men and 9.3% for women. Urinary incontinence, diabetes mellitus, dementia, and asthma significantly increased the risk of FI among old men, but being overweight appeared to be FI-protective (OR 0.37, 95% CI = 0.17-0.80). In women, urinary incontinence, stroke, transit ischemia attack, dementia, chronic hepatitis, being underweight (BMI < 18.5), and greater parity were significant FI risk factors. Of those with FI, 49.1% had sought medical help. Using Andersen's model, data analysis showed that living in an urban area (OR 2.36, CI = 1.19-4.68), mucous stool incontinence (OR 3.56, 95% CI = 1.35-8.32), and one or more of the following FI-related problems, namely, anxiety, families interaction, social life, work life, and sexual life, significantly predicted FI sufferers seeking medical attention. CONCLUSION: Self-reported FI is a prevalent condition with various etiologies among older people in Taiwan. Understanding the epidemiology and comorbidity of FI, and investigating the factors associated with help seeking, is beneficial in devising and implementing prevention and management strategies.