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Background: Men’s health issues often receive less attention in public health discussions than women’s health. This study examines how older men’s demographic characteristics influence their attitudes toward aging and health literacy. Methods: A cross-sectional study assessed 157 older men (mean age = 75.57, SD (Standard Deviation) = 7.10) from Tier-C stations. Participants completed the Health Literacy Questionnaire for Older Adults (HLQ-QA) and the Taiwan Attitude Toward Aging Questionnaire. T-tests compared aging perceptions and health literacy abilities, while regression analyses assessed the influence of attitudes on health literacy. Results: Mean positive and negative aging perception scores were 31.45 (SD = 4.18) and 18.23 (SD = 4.45), respectively. The average HLQ-QA score was 47.84 (SD = 6.59), with competency scores ranked as: appraising (M (mean) = 12.12, SD = 1.73), understanding (M = 12.03, SD = 1.91), accessing (M = 11.90, SD = 1.84), and applying (M = 11.80, SD = 2.04). Regression analyses showed that positive perceptions significantly improved health literacy (β = 0.197, p = 0.013), while negative perceptions reduced it (β = −0.227, p = 0.005). Conclusions: Positive attitudes toward aging enhance older men’s health literacy, whereas negative perceptions hinder their ability to process health information. Community programs should focus on men with lower education levels, those living alone, and those without Internet access. Promoting positive attitudes and combating ageism are critical for improving health literacy and achieving healthy aging.

Abstract Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is a prevalent malignancy that afflicts the head and neck area and presents a high incidence of metastasis and invasion. Accurate diagnosis and effective treatment are essential for enhancing the quality of life and the survival rates of TSCC patients. The current treatment modalities for TSCC frequently suffer from a lack of specificity and efficacy. Nanoparticles with diagnostic and photothermal therapeutic properties may offer a new approach for the targeted therapy of TSCC. However, inadequate accumulation of photosensitizers at the tumor site diminishes the efficacy of photothermal therapy (PTT). This study modified gold nanodots (AuNDs) with the TSCC-targeting peptide HN-1 to improve the selectivity and therapeutic effects of PTT. The Au-HN-1 nanosystem effectively targeted the TSCC cells and was rapidly delivered to the tumor tissues compared to the AuNDs. The enhanced accumulation of photosensitizing agents at tumor sites achieved significant PTT effects in a mouse model of TSCC. Moreover, owing to its stable long-term fluorescence and high X-ray attenuation coefficient, the Au-HN-1 nanosystem can be used for fluorescence and computed tomography imaging of TSCC, rendering it useful for early tumor detection and accurate delineation of surgical margins. In conclusion, Au-HN-1 represents a promising nanomedicine for imaging-based diagnosis and targeted PTT of TSCC.

Abstract Background Colleges and universities are currently facing the major public health issue of poor sleep quality. Sleep quality must be taken seriously to maintain the students’ emotional and physical well-being. Thus, this study sought to determine how university students’ levels of physical activity related to the quality of their sleep, as well as to explore the mechanisms via which physical activity affects sleep and provide suggestions for improving it. Methods A total of 883 university students from Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China participated in the study. Their physical activity, sleep quality, ruminative thinking levels, and depression were assessed using various questionnaires. Results Through the mediating effects of rumination and depression as well as the chain-mediated effects of these two factors, physical exercise changed the quality of sleep. Conclusion University students’ sleep quality can be improved by increasing their physical activity and decreasing ruminative thinking and depression levels.

Abstract Background With the rapid development of society, teenagers have more access to individuals with perfect bodies and are becoming more concerned about their body image. Currently, few studies assess body image and eating disorders comprehensively in China. Given the seriousness of these issues, there is an urgent need to understand the current state of body image and eating behaviors among Chinese people and formulate preventive strategies. Methods In this study, 1711 college students between 17 and 23 years old in southern China completed relevant anthropometric measurements, essential information and three questionnaires. Multiple linear regression was used to screen the variables, and sex invariant analysis was used to determine whether to separate men and women to fit the structural equation model. Finally, the path diagram of the structural equation model was used to explore the complex relationship between body dissatisfaction and overeating. Results Our results found that 69.4% of participants with a body mass index (BMI) within the normal range were dissatisfied with their weight. Further, body dissatisfaction directly or indirectly leads to overeating. Additionally, exercise played a mediating role in the body dissatisfaction and overeating of college students. Conclusions If BMI directs body dissatisfaction, it may lead to overeating. As a mediating factor in structural equation modelling, exercise may provide strategies to reduce body dissatisfaction and prevent overeating.

In response to the registration error problem caused by different degrees of local distortion in different positions of drone orthophoto images during two periods, this article proposes a block-based registration strategy suitable for drone orthophoto images, which is first global and then local. This strategy first uses the Fourier Merlin transform to perform overall registration on the drone orthophoto image, then divides the overall registration result into blocks and uses the scale invariant feature transform (SIFT)-GMS algorithm for local registration. Finally, the Poisson fusion algorithm is used to concatenate the segmented images to obtain the final registration result. The experimental results show that the proposed strategy effectively reduces registration errors caused by local distortions, and is superior to polynomial registration methods and spline function registration methods in terms of registration accuracy and automation.

Quantifying the urban heat island (UHI) effect and its impact on summer heat-related risk is important for both urban environment and human well-being. Existing studies frequently adopt the static (fixed) urban boundary to define urban/rural area in UHI measurement, overlooking the exacerbation of the urbanization-induced warming during long-term urban expansion and the consequent increase in urban heat risks. Here we measured the global surface UHI (SUHI) intensity up to 7,554 urban patches during 2000–2015 using every five-year dynamic urban boundary, followed by a two-stage analysis based on a Distributed Lag Non-linear Model (DLNM) to quantify the additional heat-related risks caused by the urbanization-induced warming. Our results show that the global average SUHI intensity increased by approximately 10 % in 15 years with distinct seasonal and diurnal variations. The global urban expansion from 2000 to 2015 resulted in an average increase of 0.61℃ (95 % CI = 0.56℃-0.66℃) in summer UHI intensity for newly built-up areas. This urbanization-induced warming further leads to a 20 % (95 % CI = 14.8 %-25.2 %) increase in summer heat relative risk (RR) on average, which implied an average increase of 20 % (95 % CI = 14.8 %-25.2 %) in annual heat-related mortality for the newly built-up areas. Furthermore, over 2.3 % of the world population would experience an RR increase greater than 10 %. This study highlights the importance of dynamic urban boundary for long-time span UHI measurements, providing a deeper understanding of the role of urbanization-induced warming on urban heat risk.

Due to the significant disparities in feature spaces of multi-source images, change detection (CD) of heterogeneous remote sensing images (HRSIs) remains a highly challenging problem. Currently, CD methods based on domain transfer networks (DTNs) have garnered significant attention. However, the computer scientists underutilize knowledge in the field of CD during DTNs design, and the existing CD methods do not fully utilize the heterogeneous complementary features contained in HRSIs. Therefore, this study proposes a novel CD method based on multiple pseudo-homogeneous image pairs. First, a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network with knowledge constraints (named as KCGAN) was designed for obtaining good pseudo-homogeneous images. In detail, both the domain knowledge that there are land cover changes in multi-temporal images and that the objects in an image can be described from different scales were well integrated into the design of KCGAN. Then, a multi-modal difference Siamese fusion network (named as MDSiamF) was proposed to extract change information from the multiple pseudo-homogeneous image pairs generated with KCGAN. Experiments conducted on three datasets showed that: 1) compared to existing domain transfer methods, the unchanged areas in the pseudo-homogeneous images obtained by KCGAN exhibit better feature consistency (with a peak signal-to-noise ratio higher than 20.85 and a PHash value higher than 0.9); 2) compared to state-of-the-art methods for CD of HRSIs, the proposed method shows stable and good CD performance (with an overall accuracy higher than 0.98 and a F1 Score higher than 0.78).

Tannic acid, as a polyphenol, is widely present in dicotyledonous plants and angiosperms. The study found that tannins could affect the ovarian development of Brandt's voles. However, the specific effects of tannic acid on reproduction and its underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. Therefore, this study explored the effects of tannic acid on the reproduction of Brandt's voles. We treated female Brandt's voles from four weeks postpartum with varying tannic acid doses (0 (control), 0.3% (low dose) or 0.6% (high dose) tannic acids) until 8 weeks (puberty) and 13 weeks (sexual maturity)). Ovarian specimens were collected for immunohistochemical analysis and RT-PCR. The treated Brandt's voles were mated with male Brandt's voles of the same age and we recorded the number of embryos, litters and the male to female ratio of the offspring. We found that the female Brandt's voles in the low-dose tannic acid group had enhanced reproductive abilities, characterized by reduced follicular atresia and increased numbers of embryos and litters of offspring. The different doses of tannic acid altered the female-male ratio of the Brandt's voles' offspring. While the low-dose of tannic acid enhanced the level of ovarian autophagy by significantly increasing the expression of Beclin1 and LC3 proteins in the ovaries of the Brandt's voles during sexual maturity. In short, tannic acid can promote the reproduction of Brandt's voles by affecting the level of ovarian autophagy and improving the development of follicles. Tannins can boost the reproduction of Brandt's voles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nuclear receptor corepressor 1(NCOR1) is reported to play crucial roles in cardiovascular diseases, but its function in the kidney has remained obscure. Objective: We aim to elucidate the role of collecting duct NCOR1 in blood pressure (BP) regulation. Methods and Results: Collecting duct NCOR1 knockout (KO) mice manifested increased BP and aggravated vascular and renal injury in an angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertensive model. KO mice also showed significantly higher BP than littermate control (LC) mice in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt model. Further study showed that collecting duct NCOR1 deficiency aggravated volume and sodium retention after saline challenge. Among the sodium transporter in the collecting duct, the expression of the three epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) subunits was markedly increased in the renal medulla of KO mice. Consistently, BP in Ang II-infused KO mice decreased significantly to the similar level as those in LC mice after amiloride treatment. ChIP analysis revealed that NCOR1 deficiency increased the enrichment of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) on the promoters of the three ENaC genes in primary inner medulla collecting duct (IMCD) cells. Co-IP results showed interaction between NCOR1 and MR, and luciferase reporter results demonstrated that NCOR1 inhibited the transcriptional activity of MR. Knockdown of MR eliminated the increased ENaC expression in primary IMCD cells isolated from KO mice. Finally, BP was significantly decreased in Ang II-infused KO mice after treatment of MR antagonist spironolactone and the difference between LC and KO mice was abolished. Conclusions: NCOR1 interacts with MR to control ENaC activity in the collecting duct and to regulate sodium reabsorption and ultimately BP. Targeting NCOR1 might be a promising tactic to interrupt the volume and sodium retention of the collecting duct in hypertension.

Background: Guidelines for treating ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (ATAA) are largely based on single-center studies. To understand factors influencing patient selection for surgery versus surveillance, patient and aneurysm characteristics were compared for subjects in the randomized and registry arms of a large prospective, multi-center, multi-national trial., Methods: TITAN: SvS (Treatment in Thoracic Aortic aNeurysm: Surgery versus Surveillance) is the largest prospective multi-center study of patients with ATAA between 5.0-5.4 cm, randomizing patients 1:1 to initial surgery versus surveillance. Non-randomized patients are enrolled into a Registry where results of operative or surveillance strategy can be followed prospectively. Between 2018 and 2023, 615 patients were enrolled at 22 sites in USA and Canada. Demographic and aneurysm characteristics were compared between randomized and registry arms., Results: Compared to randomized and operative registry groups, patients in the surveillance registry were older with more co-morbidities. No significant differences were observed in maximal ascending aortic diameter [(5.1 (5.0, 5.2) vs 5.1 (4.9, 5.2) cm, p=0.2] or other aneurysm characteristics. Despite similar numbers of enrolling centers in the USA (n=11) and Canada (n=12), Canadian patients were more likely to be randomized (58% vs. 7%, p<0.01), and less likely to be enrolled in the operative (9% vs. 42%, p <0.01) or surveillance registry (34% vs. 51%)., Conclusions: Enrollment data TITAN:SvS suggests that patient and geographic characteristics, rather than aortic size, influence decision-making regarding the initial treatment strategy for ATAAs. These findings highlight the need for caution when generalizing outcomes from operative registries, as sicker patients may be excluded., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background Context: Conventional open-door laminoplasty is commonly used to treat multilevel cervical disorders but often leads to complications such as loss of cervical lordosis, limited neck motion, and axial symptoms. These issues stem from the extensive disruption of musculature and structural alterations involved in conventional methods. To address these shortcomings, the modified open-door laminoplasty with C3 laminectomy technique has been developed as a modification of conventional open-door laminoplasty, with the aims to preserve the semispinalis cervicis muscle attached to the C2 spinous process, potentially improving postoperative outcomes by maintaining muscle integrity and stability of the cervical spine., Purpose: This study seeks to evaluate the clinical benefits of modified open-door laminoplasty with C3 laminectomy in comparison to conventional open-door laminoplasty approaches., Study Design/setting: Patient Sample: patients undergoing open-door laminoplasty OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome measures assessed were categoried into self-report Measure including pain indices, physiologic measures including complications, and functional measures including operative time, Neck Disability Index (NDI), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, length of hospital stay, and cervical range of motion (ROM)., Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and case-control studies that compare the clinical outcomes of conventional open-door laminoplasty and modified open-door laminoplasty with C3 laminectomy. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan software to evaluate the differences between the two surgical techniques., Results: Our analysis included 11 studies encompassing 873 participants. The meta-analysis revealed no significant differences between patients undergoing conventional open-door laminoplasty and modified open-door laminoplasty with C3 laminectomy regarding operation time (mean difference, MD: 5.08, 95% confidence interval, CI: -3.04 to 13.21), length of hospital stay (MD: -0.33, 95% CI: -1.43 to 0.77), JOA scores (MD: 0.18, 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.40), NDI scores (MD: -0.14, 95% CI: -4.00 to 3.72), and complication rates (risk difference, RD: 0.01, 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.04). However, participants in the group that underwent modified open-door laminoplasty with C3 laminectomy exhibited a significantly greater range of motion (MD: 4.13, 95% CI: 0.07 to 7.20) and lower postoperative pain scores (standard mean difference, SMD: -0.57, 95% CI: -1.05 to -0.10)., Conclusions: Our study suggests that modified open-door laminoplasty with C3 laminectomy improves range of motion and reduces pain compared to conventional open-door laminoplasty, with no differences in other clinical outcomes. Further studies are needed to confirm these results., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Financial, commercial, or other relationships were absent in this research. There was no conflict of interest in this research., (Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Mitochondrial DNA G-quadruplexes (mtG4s) are thought to play crucial roles in mitochondrial metabolism and may also represent a potential target for anticancer drugs. However, mtG4s remain understudied, necessitating the development of more promising fluorescent ligands specifically targeted to them. In this study, we designed and synthesized a targeted library of diphenylaminothiophen (DPAT)-derived compounds, and subsequently evaluated their optical properties and binding affinities towards mtG4s. From this library, we identified SF3 as the most promising ligand for further investigation. Our findings revealed that SF3 was an exceptional mtG4-targeted near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent ligand, of which the fluorescence could be switched on through the G4-mediated disassembly of its H-aggregates into monomers with restricted conformation, featuring DBIE mechanism. Notably, SF3 significantly inhibited the transcription and replication of mtDNA, disrupted mitochondrial metabolism, induced cell cycle arrest, triggered apoptosis, and demonstrated robust anticancer activity against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) either in vitro or in vivo. Collectively, SF3 can serve as a practical chemical tool for investigating mtG4s and holds potential for further development into an innovative anticancer agent., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a widely used assisted reproductive technology to achieve a successful pregnancy. However, the acquisition of oxidative stress in embryo in vitro culture impairs its competence. Here, we demonstrated that a nuclear coding gene, methyltransferase-like protein 7A (METTL7A), improves the developmental potential of bovine embryos. We found that exogenous METTL7A modulates expression of genes involved in embryonic cell mitochondrial pathways and promotes trophectoderm development. Surprisingly, we discovered that METTL7A alleviates mitochondrial stress and DNA damage and promotes cell cycle progression during embryo cleavage. In summary, we have identified a novel mitochondria stress eliminating mechanism regulated by METTL7A that occurs during the acquisition of oxidative stress in embryo in vitro culture. This discovery lays the groundwork for the development of METTL7A as a promising therapeutic target for IVF embryo competence., (© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aggregates of α-synuclein (αS) are hallmarks of synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). We have recently shown that αS lysine acetylation in the soluble monomer pool varies between healthy controls, PD, and MSA patients. To study the effects of lysine acetylation at all disease-relevant sites of αS, we first compared production of acetylated αS through either native chemical ligation or non-canonical amino acid (ncAA) mutagenesis. Since yields were comparable, ncAA mutagenesis was deemed superior for scanning many acetylation sites. We expressed and purified 12 disease-relevant variants and studied their binding to membranes as well as their aggregation propensities, and found that acetylation of lysine 12, 43, and 80 had particularly strong effects. To understand the implications for acetylation of monomeric αS found in healthy cells, we performed NMR experiments to study protein conformation and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy experiments to quantify lipid binding. We also investigated the effects of acetylation at lysine 12, 43, and 80 on fibril seeding in neurons. Collectively, our biochemical and cell biological investigations indicated that acetylation of K 80 could inhibit aggregation without conferring negative effects on monomer function in healthy cells. Therefore, we studied the structures of fibrils with K 80 acetylation through cryo-electron microscopy to uncover the structural basis for these effects. Finally, we identified inhibition of HDAC8 as a way of potentially increasing acetylation at K 80 and other inhibitory sites for therapeutic benefit.