Urban-rural differences in the prevalence and correlates of mild cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan: The EMCIT study.

BACKGROUND: Taiwan is a rapidly aging society. The elderly with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have increased risk of dementia, and this is a population-based report using standard neuropsychological tests and expert consensus diagnosis to assess the MCI prevalence and its associated factors in Taiwan. METHOD: The Epidemiology of Mild Cognitive Impairment study in Taiwan (EMCIT) is a community-based, prospective cohort study. Independently-living individuals aged ≧60 years in a rural area (n = 122) and in an urban area (n = 348) of New Taipei City, Taiwan, completed detailed neuropsychological tests at the cohort baseline. Diagnosis of MCI was ascertained through expert consensus based on 2011 NIA-AA criteria. RESULTS: Of 470 participants recruited between 2017 and 2019 (mean age 71.2 ± 5.4 years), the prevalence of MCI was higher in the rural area than in the urban area (25.1% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.001) after standardized for age, gender, and level of education. Having lower education and having depression symptoms were consistently associated with increased risk of MCI in both urban and rural areas (p < 0.05). Being male and diabetes were additionally associated with MCI prevalence in urban areas. CONCLUSION: In this community-based prospective cohort study in Taiwan, the prevalence of MCI in the rural community was much higher than that in the urban community. Different strategies may be needed to targeted different types of communities.

Clinical validation and utility of Chinese Eppendorf Itch Questionnaire in adults with chronic pruritus symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Pruritus, or itch, is a prevalent symptom causing profound health burden in many dermatological and non-dermatological disorders. Several itch questionnaires have been created to assess itch. Particularly, Eppendorf Itch Questionnaire (EIQ) is widely accepted since it encompasses various aspects of itch, including intensity, affects, coping behavior, and motivation to scratch. METHODS: In a cross-sectional survey, we examined the validity, reliability and clinical utility of Traditional Chinese EIQ. RESULTS: We administered the consensus version to 128 adults (median: 48.5 years, interquartile range [IQR]: 39-63) with active itch for more than 6 weeks at the Outpatient Clinics of three medical centers in Taiwan. Clinical diagnoses included psoriasis (N = 82), xerosis (N = 34), or other dermatitis (N = 12). Cronbach's alpha for each EIQ scale ranged 0.82-0.98, suggesting good to excellent internal consistency and reliability. Three EIQ scales significantly correlated with visual analogue scale (VAS) for itch intensity (P ≤ 0.001 for median test), supporting for its concurrent validity. None of EIQ scale was statistically correlated with Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores in psoriasis patients, confirming its discriminant validity. Moreover, patients of different diagnoses had distinct responses to the multi-scale EIQ index, affording it a better clinical test (area-under-the-ROC curve [AUC]: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63-0.90) than VAS alone (AUC: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.24-0.59) in distinguishing dermatitis/eczema-related itch from psoriasis or xerosis-related itch. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated the reliability and validity of Chinese EIQ in adult patients with chronic itch at the outpatient setting. The study also revealed the diversified aspects of itch across patients with various dermatoses.

Association between serum uric acid and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the US population.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Studies conducted in Eastern Asia suggest that serum uric acid (SUA) level is highly related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, limited information is available in the USA. Our objective was to determine the association between NAFLD and SUA levels in the USA and to determine if this is independent of age, sex, and components of metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: We analyzed 5370 men and women aged 20-74 years from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) (1988-1994) in the USA. We calculated the prevalence and odds ratio (OR) of NAFLD and elevated liver enzymes by SUA and sex-specific quintiles of SUA, adjusting for multiple factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of NAFLD was higher in participants with higher SUA levels (10.9%, 9.6%, 15.9%, 21.8% and 33.1%, respectively, from the second to the fifth sex-specific quintile of uric acid). After adjustment, individuals with hyperuricemia were more likely to have NAFLD (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.9). Similarly, the adjusted odds of NAFLD were increasingly higher from the second to the fifth quintile of SUA (ORs: 0.8, 1.2, 1.5 and 1.7, respectively; p < 0.01) as compared to the lowest quintile. Finally, individuals with hyperuricemia were more likely to have elevated liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase or alanine aminotransferase) (adjusted OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-2.7). CONCLUSION: NAFLD and SUA levels were strongly and independently associated in this nationally representative sample of men and women after adjustment for multiple factors.

Effects of adequate dietary protein with whey protein, leucine, and vitamin D supplementation on sarcopenia in older adults: An open-label, parallel-group study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Sarcopenia is defined as a syndrome characterized by declines in skeletal muscle mass and strength or an alteration in physical function. Although some studies showed nutritional supplementation alone might have health benefits for older sarcopenic patients, their results were inconsistent and remain controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate if a diet with high protein supplementation (Supp) can lead to better improvement than additional protein intake via dietary counseling (Diet) in maintaining the muscle mass and strength among sarcopenic elders. METHODS: This was an open-label, parallel-group (Supp vs. Diet) trial. In total, 56 sarcopenic elders completed this study. All subjects were advised to achieve adequate protein intake (1.2-1.5 g/kg body weight/day). This amount of protein is recommended for the elderly and is thought to prevent or retard muscle loss due to aging. The diet group (n = 28) was recommended to consume an ordinary protein-rich diet via counselling whereas the Supp group (n = 28) received a vitamin D- and leucine-enriched whey protein supplement for 12 weeks. The appendicular muscle mass index (AMMI), handgrip strength, gait speed, and calorie and macronutrients intake were evaluated after 4 and 12 weeks of the diet intervention. RESULTS: Total energy and protein intake increased in both groups. The Supp group had higher intake than the Diet group. The AMMI increased in both groups, and handgrip strength improved in the Diet group. However, no significant differences in AMMI or handgrip strength were found between the two groups. Compared to the Diet group, the Supp group had better improvement in gait speed after 12 weeks of the supplement intervention especially in subjects younger than 75 years. CONCLUSIONS: The AMMI can be improved as long as sufficient protein is consumed (1.2-1.5 g/kg body weight/day) in sarcopenic elders. Nutritional supplement allows the sarcopenic elderly to more conveniently meet their protein requirements. Supplementation with whey protein and vitamin D can further improve gait speed in elderly sarcopenic subjects, especially in the "younger" age group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03860194.

T-shaped plasmonic array as a narrow-band thermal emitter or biosensor.

A T-shaped plasmonic array is proposed for application as an effective thermal emitter or biosensor. The reflection and thermal radiation properties of a T-shaped array are investigated theoretically. The angular dependent reflectance spectrum shows a clear resonant dip at 0.36 eV for full polar angles. No other significant localized resonant mode is found in the investigated spectral range from 0.12 eV to 0.64 eV. According to the Kirchhoff's law, the thermal radiation of the proposed structure can lead to a sharp peak at 3.5 microm with low sideband emission. We have also found that the T-shaped structure filled with organic material such as PMMA with different thicknesses (10 nm -50 nm) can lead to significant shift of the resonance wavelength. Thus, the T-shaped structure can also be used as a good sensor for organic materials.

Oral contraceptive pill use is associated with reduced odds of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in menstruating women: results from NHANES III.

BACKGROUND: Higher prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in men and postmenopausal women than in premenopausal women has suggested a potential role of sex hormones in the pathogenesis of the disease. We sought to evaluate the association between oral contraceptive pills (OCP) and NAFLD and to determine whether adiposity mediates any effect. METHODS: We included 4338 women aged 20-60 years who were enrolled in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988 to 1994 in a population-based cross-sectional study. We defined NAFLD as moderate-severe steatosis on ultrasonography in women without excessive alcohol use or other identifiable causes. OCP use was based on self-report and was categorized as never, former or current use. RESULTS: The overall weighted prevalence of NAFLD was 11.6 % but lower in current (6.7 %) than in former (12.0 %) or never users (15.6 %, P = 0.016). In the multivariable model, current OCP users experienced a 50 % lower odds of NAFLD than never users (adjusted odds ratio 0.50; 95 % confidence interval 0.26, 0.98) after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, smoking status, history of diabetes or hypertension and education. Further adjustment for body mass index or waist circumference significantly attenuated the OCP-NAFLD relationship. CONCLUSIONS: In this large US-representative population, OCP use was associated with reduced odds of NAFLD. However, this association could be mediated or confounded by adiposity. Prospective studies are needed to further clarify the causal role of sex hormone.