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IntroductionThe reporting of approaches facilitating the most efficient and timely recruitment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients into pharmacologic trials is fundamental to much-needed therapeutic progress.MethodsT2 Protect AD (T2), a phase 2 randomized placebo-controlled trial of troriluzole in mild to moderate AD, used multiple recruitment strategies.ResultsT2 exceeded its recruitment target, enrolling 350 participants between July 2018 and December 2019 (randomization rate: 0.87 randomizations/site/month, or 3-fold greater than recent trials of mild to moderate AD). The vast majority (98%) of participants were enrolled during a 10-month window of intense promotion in news media, TV and radio advertisements, and social media. The distribution of primary recruitment sources included: existing patient lists at participating sites (72.3%), news media (12.3%), physician referral (6.0%), word of mouth (3.1%), and paid advertising (2.9%).DiscussionThe rapid recruitment of participants with mild to moderate AD was achieved through a range of approaches with varying success.

IntroductionEffective strategies to recruit older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) into nonpharmacological intervention trials are lacking.MethodsRecruitment for EXERT, a multisite randomized controlled 18-month trial examining the effects of aerobic exercise on cognitive trajectory in adults with amnestic MCI, involved a diverse portfolio of strategies to enroll 296 participants.ResultsRecruitment occurred September 2016 through March 2020 and was initially slow. After mass mailings of 490,323 age- and geo-targeted infographic postcards and brochures, recruitment rates increased substantially, peaking at 16 randomizations/month in early 2020. Mass mailings accounted for 52% of randomized participants, whereas 25% were recruited from memory clinic rosters, electronic health records, and national and local registries. Other sources included news broadcasts, public service announcements (PSA), local advertising, and community presentations.DiscussionAge- and geo-targeted mass mailing of infographic materials was the most effective approach in recruiting older adults with amnestic MCI into an 18-month exercise trial.

Trait polymorphisms can vary across different contexts of selection and be maintained through trade-offs between these contexts. For example, colour polymorphic variants may represent alternative strategies optimizing crypsis or thermoregulation in different populations. Here we use visual modelling to test the conspicuousness of different colour pattern morphs in males and females of an Australian lizard, Lampropholis delicata , to predators and conspecifics. We further assess differences in reflectance, microhabitat selection, and mate preference to determine the functional role of the polymorphism and explain its variable distribution across latitude and the sexes. Plain morphs are more conspicuous than striped morphs in both bird and lizard visual models, suggesting predation selection, and habitat structure varies among sex-morph types, but we find no difference in microhabitat selection or mate preference based on colour. We suggest that a combination of spatially varying selection, habitat preference, and context-specific behaviour may be necessary to explain spatial patterns of colour morph frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The reporting of approaches facilitating the most efficient and timely recruitment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients into pharmacologic trials is fundamental to much-needed therapeutic progress. Methods: T2 Protect AD(T2), a phase 2 randomized placebo-controlled trial of troriluzole in mild to moderate AD, used multiple recruitment strategies. Results: T2 exceeded its recruitment target, enrolling 350 participants between July 2018 and December 2019 (randomization rate: 0.87 randomizations/site/month, or 3-fold greater than recent trials of mild to moderate AD). The vast majority (98%) of participants were enrolled during a 10-month window of intense promotion in news media, TV and radio advertisements, and social media. The distribution of primary recruitment sources included: existing patient lists at participating sites (72.3%), news media (12.3%), physician referral (6.0%), word of mouth (3.1%), and paid advertising (2.9%). Discussion: The rapid recruitment of participants with mild to moderate AD was achieved through a range of approaches with varying success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly unusual Ty1/copia retrotransposon from the yeast Candida albicans, pCal, was isolated and sequenced. pCal, a mobile genetic element, is estimated to produce 50-100 free, linear, dsDNA copies of itself per cell. The results also indicate that the pCal's Pol enzymes are likely to be expressed through the pseudoknot-assisted suppression of an upstream, in-phase stop codon.

Background: EXERT, a multisite 18‐month RCT, is testing the effects of aerobic exercise vs. stretching on cognition and AD biomarkers in sedentary adults with MCI. In the first 12 months, participant exercise 2x/week under the supervision of YMCA trainers, and 2x/week on their own. In months 13‐18, participants continue to exercise 4x/week but without supervision. Here we describe the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on delivery of this support‐intensive intervention that involved many challenges but also opportunities for innovation. Method: In February 2020, EXERT met the recruitment goal with 296 enrolled. In March 2020 when COVID‐19 incidence rates began to climb in the US, study assessments and per‐protocol intervention delivery were paused. During the pause, all YMCAs were closed, and the majority of study‐certified YMCA trainers were furloughed. Result: At the time of the pause (March 23), 153 participants were in the supervised phase of the study, and 65 participants were in the unsupervised phase. To keep participants engaged and encourage adherence to the intervention, sites initiated weekly calls with active participants to provide support, address barriers to exercise and collect self‐report adherence data. By September, 7 of 14 sites resumed study activities. Weekly call completion rates during the pause exceeded 85%, and participants reported completing a mean of 3.3 40‐minute exercise sessions per week. On these calls, participants frequently expressed gratitude for the regular contact. By February 2021, all sites resumed activities despite COVID infection rates that have continued to climb across the US. In response, supervised exercise for the majority of participants was transitioned from in‐person to web‐conferencing. Even with this change that can be challenging for MCI, supervised session adherence rates are 72% for the aerobic group and 79% for the stretching group. Retention has remained high at 87%. Conclusion: The COVID‐19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges, but it also provided unique opportunities to adapt intervention delivery so that a community‐based exercise trial could continue – even during a debilitating global health crisis. EXERT's adaptations may ultimately impact resilience of the intervention to even the most challenging of circumstances that older adults with MCI will face now and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The reporting of approaches facilitating the most efficient and timely recruitment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients into pharmacologic trials is fundamental to much-needed therapeutic progress., Methods: T2 Protect AD (T2), a phase 2 randomized placebo-controlled trial of troriluzole in mild to moderate AD, used multiple recruitment strategies., Results: T2 exceeded its recruitment target, enrolling 350 participants between July 2018 and December 2019 (randomization rate: 0.87 randomizations/site/month, or 3-fold greater than recent trials of mild to moderate AD). The vast majority (98%) of participants were enrolled during a 10-month window of intense promotion in news media, TV and radio advertisements, and social media. The distribution of primary recruitment sources included: existing patient lists at participating sites (72.3%), news media (12.3%), physician referral (6.0%), word of mouth (3.1%), and paid advertising (2.9%)., Discussion: The rapid recruitment of participants with mild to moderate AD was achieved through a range of approaches with varying success., Competing Interests: Stephen Kaplita is employed by the sponsor, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and has stock ownership in the company. Stephen Kaplita reports that Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., paid expenses for travel to an FDA statistics meeting. Lia Donahue is employed by the sponsor, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Irfan A. Qureshi is employed by the sponsor, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and is a shareholder in the company. Howard H. Feldman reports grants to UCSD from Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Annovis (QR Pharma), AC Immune, Vivoryon (Probiodrug), and LuMind. He also reports service agreements through UCSD for consulting with Novo Nordisk, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Samus Therapeutics, Arkuda Therapeutics, Samumed, and Axon Neurosciences. He reports serving on a DMC and DSMB for Roche/Genentech Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Research & Development LLC with service agreements through UCSD, as well as serving on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Tau Consortium. He reports travel expenses to UCSD from World Events Forum (ADDF), Samus, Samumed, Axon, and Novo Nordisk. He reports personal funds received for Detecting and Treating Dementia Serial Number 12/3‐2691 U.S. Patent No. PCT/US2007/07008, Washington DC, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Andrea Z. LaCroix reports receiving grant funding through University of California, San Diego from the National Institute on Aging and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for research studies related to aging; receiving consulting fees from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for working on grants funded by NIH; and receiving a payment for giving a lecture at the University of Utah. She serves on two Data and Safety Monitoring Boards for the National Institute on Aging. Ronald G. Thomas reports receiving a payment for board membership from Syneos Health. Aladdin H. Shadyab, Genevieve Matthews, Daniel Bennett, Alexandre A. Shadyab, Donna Tan, Jennifer Mason, Alex Lopez, Brianna Askew, and Branko Huisa have no conflicts of interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)