Adverse birth and obstetric outcomes in the offspring of male adolescent and young adult cancer survivors: A nationwide population-based study.

Background The growing population of male adolescent and young adult (AYA, 15-40 years old) cancer survivors has heightened interest in their reproductive health. However, studies have reported conflicting findings on the potential risks of cancer and its treatments on birth and obstetric outcomes. Methods We utilized encrypted identification numbers for both fathers and mothers to link three nationwide Taiwan datasets from 2004 to 2019, identifying 3,785 births with a paternal history of AYA cancer.

Effect of Co Irradiation on Boehmite Dissolution in Caustic Solutions.

Here, we examine how radiation impacts the dissolution behavior of boehmite by subjecting dry nanoparticles of different sizes to Co γ radiation and subsequently analyzing their dissolution behavior in caustic solutions as a function of temperature. The measured kinetics show that irradiation with an amount 228.24 Mrad significantly slows the dissolution rate, particularly for smaller sizes at lower temperatures.

The addition of 5-aminolevulinic acid to HBSS protects testis grafts during hypothermic transportation: a novel preservation strategy.

The aim of this investigation was to determine the optimal storage medium for testicular hypothermic transportation and identify the ideal concentration for the application of the protective agent 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Furthermore, this study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the protective effects of 5-ALA. First, we collected and stored mouse testicular fragments in different media, including Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS; n = 5), Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Nutrient Mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12; n = 5), and alpha-minimum essential medium (αMEM; n = 5).

Practical Application of the COuGH RefluX Score for Patients With Laryngopharyngeal Symptoms: Real-World Assessment in Predicting Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Proton-Pump Inhibitor Response.

Introduction: The COuGH RefluX score has been validated to predict likelihood of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients with laryngopharyngeal symptoms (LPS) using parameters of cough, overweight, globus, hiatal hernia, regurgitation, and male sex. The aim of this study was to assess the real-world value of the COuGH RefluX score in predicting proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) response in patients with LPS.

Methods: Patients with LPS for > 3 months were prospectively enrolled and assessed using the Reflux Symptom Index and 24-hour impedance-pH monitoring.

Hierarchical individual variation and socioeconomic impact on personalized functional network topography in children.

Background: The spatial layout of large-scale functional brain networks exhibits considerable inter-individual variability, especially in the association cortex. Research has demonstrated a link between early socioeconomic status (SES) and variations in both brain structure and function, which are further associated with cognitive and mental health outcomes. However, the extent to which SES is associated with individual differences in personalized functional network topography during childhood remains largely unexplored.

2024 Guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology on the Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease --- Part II.

For the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), the recommended treatment target for each modifiable risk factor is as follows: reducing body weight by 5-10%; blood pressure < 130/80 mmHg (systolic pressure < 120 mmHg in high-risk individuals); low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) < 100 mg/dL in high-risk individuals, LDL-C < 115 mg/dL in moderate-risk individuals, LDL-C < 130 mg/dL in low-risk individuals, and LDL-C < 160 mg/dL in those with a minimal; complete and persistent abstinence from cigarette smoking; hemoglobin A1C < 7.0%; fulfilling recommended amounts of the six food groups according to the Taiwan food guide; and moderate-intensity physical activity 150 min/wk or vigorous physical activity 75 min/wk. For the primary prevention of ASCVD by pharmacological treatment in individuals with modifiable risk factors/clinical conditions, statins are the first-line therapy for reducing LDL-C levels; some specific anti-diabetic drugs proven to be effective in randomized controlled trials for the primary prevention of ASCVD are recommended in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus; pharmacological treatment is recommended to assist in weight management for obese patients with a body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m (or 27 kg/m who also have at least one ASCVD risk factor or obesity-related comorbidity); an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, a sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, and finerenone can be used in diabetic patients with chronic kidney disease for the primary prevention of ASCVD.

Autonomic function and change in functional capacity in older adults: a longitudinal investigation.

Functional capacity is an important objective health metric, and relies on the maintenance of physiological homeostasis. Autonomic nervous system is known to coordinates the maintenance of multi-organ homeostasis. The objective of this study was to examine the association of autonomic nervous system function with functional capacity in adults aged 55 years and older.

Role of vitamin A on the ocular surface.

Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that cannot be endogenously synthesized by the human body. Retinoic acid (RA) is the biologically active form of vitamin A. Utilizing both nuclear and non-nuclear receptor-mediated pathways, RA plays a crucial role in regulating various biological processes, including apoptosis, differentiation, and anti-inflammatory properties within the cornea and conjunctiva.

D30 Alleviates β2-Microglobulin-Facilitated Neurotoxic Microglial Responses in Isoflurane/Surgery-Induced Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged Mice.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication with no effective treatment in elderly patients. POCD, Alzheimer disease (AD), and many other cognitive diseases mostly involve neurotoxic microglia response, and recently, β2-microglobulin (B2M) has been suggested to play a pivotal role. A novel pyromeconic acid-styrene hybrid compound D30 was synthesized by our team and shown to be safe and effective in some neurodegenerative mouse models.

Enhancing indoor air quality and cardiopulmonary health in patients with asthma by photocatalytic oxidation and filters air cleaner.

Background: Air purifiers can enhance indoor air quality and health outcomes, and studies have primarily focused on filters and particulate matter (PM) in households. Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is a promising technique for eliminating gaseous pollutants and bioaerosols. However, no field study was conducted in household.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition during the growth and involution of the prostate gland in wild ground squirrels (Spermophilus dauricus).

The prostate glands of wild ground squirrels display enlarged volume during the breeding season and shrunk size during the nonbreeding season, which enables the wild ground squirrel to be an ideal animal model for studying the mechanisms of prostate growth and involution. To clarify the possible mechanism underlying seasonal morphological changes of the prostate in wild ground squirrels, epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMT) were focused, and the expression of EMT-related genes was investigated in the current study. Histological results showed that the epithelial lumen enlarged in the breeding season, and the stromal cells expanded during the non-breeding season.

In-situ synthesis of 2D nanozymes-coated cellulose nanofibers on paper-based chips for portable detection of biothiols.

Background: Simple, fast and low-cost paper-based analytical devices (PADs) have a good application prospect for point-of-care detection of GSH. However, effective immobilization of functional nanomaterials onto cellulose, as a critical factor in the construction of PADs, presents numerous difficulties and challenges.

Results: In this study, we have developed an exceptionally straightforward and environmentally friendly synthetic approach by using ovalbumin (OVA) as a bio-mineralization template for the preparation of MnO nanosheets.

Hepatitis B small surface protein hijacking Bip is initial and essential to promote lipid synthesis.

To date, the molecular pathogenic mechanisms between HBsAg and liver metabolic disorders have not been fully understood. To explore the overall effects of HBsAg on liver tissues from HBV transgenic mice, proteome, interactome, and signal pathway analysis were employed to uncover the underlying mechanisms. Bioinformatics analysis of 191 differentially expressed proteins suggested that HBV upregulated the expression of multiple enzymes involved in lipid synthesis, and small HBs (SHBs) caused lipid accumulation in cells.

Endoscopic Occipital Transtentorial Approach for Dorsal Midbrain Cavernous Malformation: Technical Notes With Illustrative Case.

Background: The dorsal midbrain, an anatomically intricate region, presents significant challenges for traditional surgical interventions due to the heightened risk of vascular and neurological injury, and the necessity of brain tissue retraction.

Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the case of a 29-year-old male diagnosed with a cavernous malformation located in the dorsal aspect of the left midbrain. The patient underwent resection via the endoscopic occipital transtentorial approach (EOTA) in July 2024.

Soft-lithographically defined template for arbitrarily patterned acoustic bioassembly.

Acoustic bioassembly is recently regarded as a highly efficient biofabrication tool to generate functional tissue mimics. Despite their capacity of directly patterning live cells with close intercellular proximity, most acoustic bioassembly techniques are currently limited to generate some specific simple types of periodic and symmetric patterns, which represents an urgent challenge to emulate geometrically complex cytoarchitecture in human tissue. To address this challenge, we herein demonstrate a soft-lithographically defined acoustic bioassembly (SLAB) technique that enables to assemble live cells into geometrically defined arbitrary multicellular structures.