Stress remains a critical barrier to psychological wellbeing and academic functioning among university students, particularly in cognitively demanding distance learning contexts. These students often experience role conflict, social isolation, and increased mental load, which can hinder effective learning. This study examined whether a targeted web-based mindfulness intervention-focused on self-compassion and gratitude-produces more sustainable psychological benefits than a comprehensive mindfulness program.

This randomized controlled trial included 167 university students who were randomized to one of two intervention arms; the final analytic sample comprised 98 participants after pre-specified, arm-blind outlier handling and exclusions due to missingness. Both interventions were delivered over 28 days using daily digital exercises. Measures of mindfulness, self-compassion, and perceived stress were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at a three-month follow-up.

Both intervention groups showed significant short-term improvements in mindfulness and perceived stress (p < 0.001). However, only participants in the targeted intervention group sustained reductions in perceived stress at the three-month follow-up (p < 0.01), with T3 maintenance assessed within arms.

The targeted program was intentionally structured using cognitive learning theories-specifically Cognitive Load Theory to reduce extraneous processing and Spaced Repetition Theory to support memory consolidation-by emphasizing repetition of two core practices. The findings suggest that simplified, theory-informed mindfulness interventions may improve psychological resilience in cognitively burdened learners by facilitating deeper internalization and emotional regulation. This study contributes to educational psychology by demonstrating how instructional design grounded in cognitive theory can enhance mental health and support learners' capacity to manage stress in demanding academic contexts.

Adolescence is a critical period for personality development and a high-risk phase for psychological conflicts. With the increasing severity of mental health issues among adolescents, this study investigates the mechanisms underlying the relationship between internet addiction (IA) and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents, focusing on the mediating roles of social anxiety and depression and the moderating effect of trait meta-mood. The aim of this study is to uncover the psychological motivations behind NSSI and provide a theoretical basis for identifying potential risks to adolescent mental health, ultimately contributing to the prevention of psychological crises.

A total of 692 high school students from Heilongjiang Province, China, completed the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI), the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS). Structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediating and moderating effects among the variables.

(1) A significant positive correlation was found between internet addiction and NSSI (r = 0.278, p < 0.01). (2) Social anxiety (indirect effect = 0.042) and depression (indirect effect = 0.019) formed a chain mediation pathway, explaining 26% of the total effect. (3) Trait meta-mood moderated the first half of the mediation pathway (R ² = 0.161, p < 0.001), with the mediating effect of internet addiction being stronger at high levels of trait meta-mood (0.08) than at low levels (0.036).

Internet addiction exacerbates the risk of NSSI in adolescents through a progressive pathway of "social anxiety → depression." trait meta-mood plays a crucial role in moderating this process, highlighting the importance of emotional regulation in mitigating the adverse effects of internet addiction on adolescent mental health.

Individuals with subthreshold depression (StD), a potentially preclinical stage of major depression, may habitually employ maladaptive expression suppression strategies in emotion regulation. However, the effect of emotional suppression (EES) and underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear.

Data came from two samples (Sample 1: 55 StD, 60 healthy controls (HC); Sample 2: 23 StD, 20 HC). Both samples completed expression suppression tasks. Using drift diffusion modeling, we decomposed performance on the emotional assessment process into separate processing components, particularly the speed of information update (drift rate), to examine how depression and emotional suppression affect decision-making. To further reveal the potential mechanism, we conducted fMRI scanning in Sample 2 and characterized latent neurocircuit driving emotion suppression and drift rate using dynamic causal modeling (DCM).

The EES negatively correlated with drift rate. StD showed reduced efficacy of EES and faster drift rates of negative preference. Greater activation was observed in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and amygdala in StD during suppression. DCM analysis revealed that inefficient EES might be explained by the stronger connection from the right dlPFC to the right amygdala, while the faster drift rate might be attributed to a stronger connection from the left amygdala to the right dlPFC.

Our study uncovered novel latent behavioral and neurocircuit mechanisms of early risk for depression. Ineffective emotional suppression in StD is associated with faster accumulation of negative evidence. The underlying neural mechanism may involve aberrant regulation between the dlPFC and amygdala in negative contexts.

A group of conditions affecting the upper gastrointestinal tract, known as dyspepsia syndrome, includes epigastric pain, discomfort, bloating, frequent belching, nausea, and vomiting. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) data in 2015, dyspepsia was found to affect 13-40% of the population annually and is listed as one of the top 10 non-communicable diseases in Indonesia that can increase morbidity.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary habits and the prevalence of dyspepsia syndrome among preclinical medical students at the Christian University of Indonesia in the 2023 class. The methodology employed was a descriptive-analytical study, utilizing a cross-sectional approach and a sequential sampling strategy, with 108 participants. This study employed univariate and bivariate analysis as its analytical methods.

The findings of the univariate study revealed that most participants were 18 years old, and 76 women (70.4%) of the total respondents reported experiencing dyspepsia syndrome, accounting for 61.1% of the sample. In this study, bivariate analysis using the Chi-square test revealed a strong correlation (p-value < 0.001) between the incidence of dyspepsia syndrome and diet.

This study concluded that there is a relationship between diet and the development of dyspepsia syndrome.

eHealth literacy is important for older adults to be able to seek and evaluate online health information. However, there is a scarcity of large-scale data on their eHealth literacy levels, particularly among the oldest older individuals (aged >75 years) in unique, high-income Asian regions such as Hong Kong. A comprehensive understanding of how eHealth literacy is associated with specific health behaviors, mental well-being, and physical health outcomes in this population is lacking.

This study aims to assess the level of eHealth literacy and its associations with health behaviors and health-related outcomes among older adults in Hong Kong.

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Generations Connect Project. This is an ongoing large-scale community-based project, where we trained university students to conduct home visits and assess the health status of older adults (N=6704) in Hong Kong. eHealth literacy was measured using the eHealth Literacy Scale (eHEALS; score: 8-40). Health behavior measurements included physical activity levels (metabolic equivalent of task minutes per week) and smoking, drinking, and eating habits. Mental well-being was measured using the World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (percentage score: 0-100) and UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale (score: 3-9). Physical health was assessed on the basis of self-reported medical diagnosis of noncommunicable diseases (yes/no), including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. Adjusted unstandardized coefficients (b) and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to determine the associations between variables.

Among the 6704 participants (mean age 77.8, SD 7.0 years), the mean eHEALS score was 18.2 (SD 10.2), and 44.1% (2897/6566) of the participants had inadequate eHealth literacy (score: 8-15.99). Increasing age (adjusted b -0.32, 95% CI -0.35 to -0.28; P<.001), support from the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance Scheme (adjusted b -1.49, 95% CI -2.04 to -0.95; P<.001), and living in public housing (adjusted b -1.60, 95% CI -2.69 to -0.50; P=.004) were associated with a lower eHEALS score. Participants with moderate eHealth literacy (score: 24-31.99) were less likely to be current smokers (adjusted OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.38-0.95; P=.04), more physically active (adjusted b 39.83, 95% CI 2.04-77.62; P=.04), more likely to be community health center members (adjusted OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30-1.77; P<.001) and to have healthy diets (adjusted b 0.034, 95% CI 0.006-0.063; P=.04), and less likely to have a medical diagnosis of diabetes (adjusted OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.85; P<.001). Moreover, they had a higher score on the World Health Organization-Five Well-being Index (adjusted b 2.89, 95% CI 1.42-4.36; P<.001) and a lower score on the UCLA 3-item Loneliness Scale (adjusted b -0.26, 95% CI -0.37 to -0.15; P<.001).

The level of eHealth literacy was low among older adults in Hong Kong. eHealth literacy was associated with positive health behaviors and health-related outcomes. Interventions are warranted to boost their eHealth literacy in the future.

Palliative care (PC) is crucial for children with cancer to alleviate suffering and enhance quality of life. However, continuity of pediatric palliative care (PPC) can be disrupted by factors such as lack of knowledge, stigma, bureaucratic hurdles, inadequate referral systems, and staffing shortages. There is limited data on the prevalence and factors associated with non-continuity of PPC in Uganda. This study explores the prevalence and factors contributing to non-continuity of PC among children with cancer in Uganda with Busoga Region in Eastern Uganda as a case study.This cross-sectional mixed-methods study was conducted at three facilities; two specialized tertiary facilities managing pediatric cancer and one Hospice Centre. Data were extracted from online databases for 307 children treated from 2019 to 2023, of whom 80 were alive during the study. A semi structured questionnaire was administered to caregivers of 77 children while nine key informant interviews were done with health workers from the three study sites. Descriptive statistics summarized data as proportions or percentages, and bivariate analysis used crude odds ratios to identify significant associations. Key informant interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically using the socio-ecological model. The prevalence of non-continuity of PC was 96.1% (95% CI: 88.4-98.0). All children who did not continue with PPC had received no referral to their nearest PPC provider. Barriers identified included: individual-level gaps in caregiver knowledge; relationship-level issues such as inappropriate cultural beliefs; health system-level challenges like limited human resources, inadequate training and funding, poor coordination and referral pathways, and service access issues; and policy-level concerns, including the lack of a national palliative care policy. The high prevalence of non-continuity of PC for children with cancer in Busoga highlights significant deficiencies in integrating palliative care into pediatric oncology services in Uganda. Addressing these challenges requires urgent government action to enhance palliative care funding and resources.

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) significantly contribute to global mortality and diminished quality of life, placing a growing burden on healthcare systems. The World Health Organization has developed cost-effective strategies to manage these diseases, entitled "best buys", by addressing major risk factors for NCDs, such as smoking, alcohol use, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity. Pharmacies, as accessible healthcare facilities, are well-positioned to support preventive care and behaviour change, including tobacco and alcohol cessation, dietary modifications, and physical activity promotion. Legislation in some countries, like Portugal, empowers pharmacies to deliver health promotion services to the communities they serve. Strengthening collaboration between pharmacies, other healthcare services, and public health authorities can amplify the impact of these initiatives, improving population health outcomes.

CD26 (DPP4) is shown in literature to be implicated in multiple tumors and antitumor immunity, yet its pan-cancer and context-dependent roles remain imprecisely defined. This study comprehensively characterizes the clinical relevance of CD26 and its association with invasion-related features and immunotherapy-relevant immune infiltration and response-associated biomarkers, and to validate key findings in breast cancer cells.

The integrated pan-cancer analysis of CD26 was performed using public databases, assessing its expression patterns, associations with cancer staging and prognostic value. Co-expression and protein-interaction data were used for GO/KEGG enrichment to infer potential biological pathways. Correlations between CD26 and immune cell infiltration, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), immune checkpoints, tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and neoantigen load were systematically evaluated. R software and online bioinformatics tools were employed. Additionally, qPCR, western blot and other in-vitro experiments compared CD26 expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and MCF-10A normal breast epithelial cells, and examined the effects of pharmacologic CD26 inhibition (alogliptin) on proliferation, invasion, and MMP9 expression in vitro.

CD26 exhibited broad but low tissue specificity and was significantly upregulated in multiple malignancies compared with normal tissues, particularly in highly aggressive tumors (P < 0.01). Higher CD26 expression was associated with advanced pathological stage and adverse prognosis in several tumor types (p < 0.01), including breast cancer, while exhibiting a favorable prognostic association in a subset of tumors, indicating context-dependent relationships. Functional enrichment suggested involvement of CD26-related networks in chemokine signaling and EMT-related processes. CD26 expression correlated with estimated immune infiltration in 34 of 38 tumor types, including CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells and CAFs, and was associated with multiple immune checkpoints, as well as TMB, MSI and neoantigens in selected cancers. In vitro, CD26 was elevated in MCF-7 versus MCF-10A cells (p < 0.05), and alogliptin treatment reduced MCF-7 cell proliferation and invasion (p < 0.05), accompanied by decreased MMP9 expression (p < 0.05).

This study presents an integrative pan-cancer framework linking CD26 expression to immune infiltration, together with in vitro observations in breast cancer cells, offering a comprehensive pan-cancer and experimental characterization of CD26. CD26 might be a novel prognostic biomarker candidate and therapeutic target to counteract tumor development in highly aggressive cancer.

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) are associated with significant physical and economic burdens on individuals and healthcare systems. Research has shown that several molecular and cellular interactions significantly contribute to SCI progression. The initiation and development of SCI are strongly linked to cellular stress mechanisms, notably those associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which gives rise to the unfolded protein response (UPR). This systematic review discusses the molecular pathways involved in ER stress, particularly the role of the activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6)-mediated apoptosis pathway and the role of CCAAT/enhancer-binding homologous protein (CHOP) in SCI pathogenesis. Prolonged ER stress exacerbates neuronal degeneration and apoptosis, making it a key factor in SCI. Efforts to inhibit this pathway via genetic or pharmacological interventions have shown potential in addressing cellular dysfunction and preventing SCI-related degeneration. Moreover, pharmacological approaches that mitigate ER stress, for example, by promoting protein folding, are promising for enhancing neuronal survival and reducing damage after SCI. Complementary strategies, such as maintaining metabolic health and engaging in physical activity, could also help fortify the spinal cord against ER stress-related damage. These preventive and therapeutic approaches underscore the importance of targeting ER stress to minimize SCI onset and progression, offering valuable insights for improved care and recovery.

Tobacco use poses a major public health challenge in the World Health Organization's South-East Asia Region, where it contributes to approximately 2.3 million deaths each year. In 2020 alone, tobacco smoking was responsible for around 1.6 million of these deaths. The region faces a dual burden of high prevalence of both smoking and smokeless tobacco use, underscoring the urgent need for strengthened tobacco control measures. The toxic substances found in the emissions of smoked tobacco products are inadequately researched. This study presents primary scientific information on levels of nicotine, water, and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in mainstream smoke deliveries from popular cigarettes from India and Myanmar, and bidis from India; additionally, flavours and humectants were tested in fillers. Globally accepted methods from the World Health Organization's Tobacco Laboratory Network (TobLabNet), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco (CORESTA) were used. When comparing Indian and Myanmar cigarettes, we discovered that nicotine and carbon monoxide (CO) levels in Myanmar cigarettes were slightly higher than those in Indian ones, though the difference was not statistically significant. Water, tar, and total particulate matter (TPM) also exhibited no statistically significant variations. Significantly higher (p = 0.008) concentrations of BaP, ranging from 8.02 to 14.90 ng/cigarette (median, 9.95 ng/cigarette), were observed in Myanmar-origin cigarettes, indicating increased exposure risks for users. Among humectants, only propylene glycol showed significant variation (p = 0.023). Compared with Indian cigarettes, bidis showed significantly higher nicotine and CO (p = 0.023), as well as water and TPM (p = 0.008). When bidis were compared with cigarettes from both countries, nicotine (p = 0.041), water, and TPM differed significantly (both p < 0.001). The intended flavours were not detected in the mainstream smoke of the cigarettes and bidis examined. The findings of this study can be leveraged to enhance public health by identifying harmful chemicals that exceed established limits and potentially motivating manufacturers to produce less harmful products by conforming to toxicant emission standards.