Role of mineral nutrients other than iron in pregnancy: under recognized opportunities to improve maternal/fetal outcomes: a literature review.

BACKGROUND: Anemia during pregnancy is an important global health concern, affecting 40% of women worldwide, and iron deficiency shares a significant proportion of the burden. From conception to birth, pregnancy is a period when women undergo metabolic and physiological changes. The nutritional needs are higher during pregnancy; thus, adequate nutrition is essential to maintain fetal growth and development. However, adverse effects due to deficiency in nutrition during pregnancy can result in maternal, fetal and neonatal complications. Despite the multifactorial etiology of anemia, iron deficiency is assumed as the primary cause of anemia during pregnancy and hence, mitigation strategy pivots around it for anemia management. Therefore, excluding other contributors, a single-micronutrient approach with iron supplements remains a myopic approach and this can exacerbate iron deficiency anemia. Micronutrient deficiencies are of particular concern as they may pose a silent threat to the survival and well-being of reproductive-age women and their infants. AIM: Micronutrients, especially trace minerals, play a myriad of roles in pregnancy, and the lack of each one causes adverse complications to both the mother and the fetus. In this review paper, we attempt to piece together available information regarding the adverse effects of abnormal trace mineral levels along with iron deficiency on the mother and the fetus. METHOD: A non-systematic literature search in PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane databases, for publications on minerals and vitamins during pregnancy and the possible influence of supplements on pregnancy outcomes. CONCLUSION: Micronutrient deficiency exacerbates the pregnancy-induced anemia and other adverse birth outcomes. Micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy can combat anemia as well as reduce a number of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a comprehensive manner.

Technological Interventions Enhancing Curcumin Bioavailability in Wound-Healing Therapeutics.

Wound healing has been a challenge in the medical field. Tremendous research has been carried out to expedite wound healing by fabricating various formulations, some of which are now commercially available. However, owing to their natural source, people have been attracted to advanced formulations with herbal components. Among various herbs, curcumin has been the center of attraction from ancient times for its healing properties due to its multiple therapeutic effects, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, neuroprotective, and radioprotective properties. However, curcumin has a low water solubility and rapidly degrades into inactive metabolites, which limits its therapeutic efficacy. Henceforth, a carrier system is needed to carry curcumin, guard it against degradation, and keep its bioavailability and effectiveness. Different formulations with curcumin have been synthesized, and exist in the form of various synthetic and natural materials, including nanoparticles, hydrogels, scaffolds, films, fibers, and nanoemulgels, improving its bioavailability dramatically. This review discusses the advances in different types of curcumin-based formulations used in wound healing in recent times, concentrating on its mechanisms of action and discussing the updates on its application at several stages of the wound healing process. Impact statement Curcumin is a herbal compound extracted from turmeric root and has been used since time immemorial for its health benefits including wound healing. In clinical formulations, curcumin shows low bioavailability, which mainly stems from the way it is delivered in the body. Henceforth, a carrier system is needed to carry curcumin, guard it against degradation, while maintaining its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. This review offers an overview of the advanced technological interventions through tissue engineering approaches to efficiently utilize curcumin in different types of wound healing applications.

Potential Role of Yoga Intervention in the Management of Chronic Non-malignant Pain.

Pain is an unpleasant and upsetting experience. Persistent pain has an impact on an individual's quality of life which causes stress and mood disorders. There are currently no pain-relieving techniques available that can eliminate pain and offer relief without causing any adverse effects. These factors draw attention to traditional treatments like yoga and meditation, which can reduce biological stress and hence increase immunity, as well as alleviate the psychological and emotional suffering produced by pain. Yoga reduces the stress response and the pain cascade via the downregulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and vagal stimulation. Yoga is a cost-effective growing health practice that, unlike pharmaceuticals, has no side effects and can help patients stay in remission for longer periods of time with fewer relapses. Yoga not only reduces stress and depression severity but also improves functional status and reduces pain perception. This article highlights the impact of yoga on pain management and on a malfunctioning immune system, which leads to improved health, pain reduction, disease management, and improvement in overall quality of life.

miRNAs and the Hippo pathway in cancer: Exploring the therapeutic potential (Review).

Cancer is recognized as the leading cause of death worldwide. The hippo signaling pathway regulates organ size by balancing cell proliferation and cell death; hence dysregulation of the hippo pathway promotes cancer­like conditions. miRNAs are a type of non­coding RNA that have been shown to regulate gene expression. miRNA levels are altered in various classes of cancer. Researchers have also uncovered a crosslinking between miRNAs and the hippo pathway, which has been linked to cancer. The components of the hippo pathway regulate miRNA synthesis, and various miRNAs regulate the components of the hippo pathway both positively and negatively, which can lead to cancer­like conditions. In the present review article, the mechanism behind the hippo signaling pathway and miRNAs biogenesis and crosslinks between miRNAs and the hippo pathway, which result in cancer, shall be discussed. Furthermore, the article will cover miRNA­related therapeutics and provide an overview of the development of resistance to anticancer drugs. Understanding the underlying processes would improve the chances of developing effective cancer treatment therapies.