Health-related quality of life, psychological issues and concerns among sarcoma survivors: a mixed method study.

Purpose: We aimed to explore the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), psychological issues and concerns among sarcoma survivors in India and assess their satisfaction with nursing care. Methods: This study employed a sequential mixed-methods design, enrolling 100 sarcoma survivors from July to December 2021, with data collected using standardised questionnaires for HRQoL, depression, anxiety, stress, cognitive impairment and self-structured satisfaction with nursing care. Qualitative data were gathered through focused group discussions. Results: The mean global health score among sarcoma survivors was 79.48 ± 16.26. A significant number of survivors had symptoms of mild-to-moderate depression (30%), severe anxiety (12%), stress (16%) and mild cognitive impairment (5%). Significant mean rank differences were observed between anxiety and financial difficulty (p < 0.05), emotional functioning (p < 0.001), cognitive functioning (p < 0.001), pain (<0.05), insomnia (p < 0.001), fatigue (p < 0.001), anorexia (p < 0.05) and nausea/vomiting (p < 0.001). Educational qualification had a significant association with depression and anxiety while family history of cancer emerged as a significant factor associated with anxiety and stress among survivors. Qualitative analysis revealed themes related to body image, societal discrimination, socio-economic impact, marriage concerns and fertility issues. Survivor satisfaction with nursing care was good. Conclusion: A substantial number of sarcoma survivors had an average HRQoL and experienced depression, anxiety and stress. Our study emphasizes the importance of holistic survivorship care, involving nurses in post-treatment support, and addressing societal discrimination and psychosocial concerns to enhance their quality of life. Implications for cancer survivors: Our study calls for a holistic approach to sarcoma survivor care and emphasizes the importance of personalised survivorship care plans led by nurses to address the diverse needs of sarcoma survivors in India. Such plans should encompass strategies for managing depression, anxiety and stress, along with addressing body image concerns and social support.

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.

Advanced drug delivery systems containing herbal components for wound healing.

Management of chronic wound has an immense impact on social and economic conditions in the world. Healthcare costs, aging population, physical trauma, and comorbidities of diabetes and obesity seem to be the major factors of this increasing incidence of chronic wounds. Conditions of chronic wound could not restore functional epidermis; thus, delaying the closure of the wound opening in an expected manner. Failures in restoration of skin integrity delay healing due to changes in skin pathology, such as chronic ulceration or nonhealing. The role of different traditional medicines has been explored for use in the healing of cutaneous wounds, where several phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, tannins are known to provide potential wound healing properties. However, the delivery of plant-based therapeutics could be improved by the novel platform of nanotechnology. Thus, the objectives of novel delivery strategies of principal bioactive from plant sources are to accelerate the wound healing process, avoid wound complications and enhance patient compliance. Therefore, the opportunities of nanotechnology-based drug delivery of natural wound healing therapeutics have been included in the present discussion with special emphasis on nanofibers, vesicular structures, nanoparticles, nanoemulsion, and nanogels.

The effect of conservative oxygen therapy on systemic biomarkers of oxidative stress in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Supplemental oxygen is delivered to critically ill patients who require mechanical ventilation. Oxidative stress is a potential complication of oxygen therapy, resulting in damage to essential biomolecules such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Whether plasma levels of oxidative stress biomarkers vary based on how liberally oxygen therapy is applied during mechanical ventilation is unknown. METHODS: We carried out an oxidative stress substudy nested within a large multi-centre randomized controlled trial in which critically ill adults were randomized to receive either conservative oxygen therapy or standard oxygen therapy. Blood samples were collected at enrolment, and daily thereafter for up to three days. The antioxidant ascorbate (vitamin C) was assessed using HPLC with electrochemical detection and protein oxidation using a sensitive protein carbonyl ELISA. We also assessed whether critically ill patients with different disease states exhibited varying levels of oxidative stress biomarkers. RESULTS: A total of 125 patients were included. Mean ascorbate concentrations decreased over time (from 25 ± 9 µmol/L to 14 ± 2 µmol/L, p < 0.001), however, there was no significant difference between the conservative oxygen group and standard care (p = 0.2), despite a significantly lower partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) in the conservative oxygen group (p = 0.03). Protein carbonyl concentrations increased over time (from 208 ± 30 µmol/L to 249 ± 29 µmol/L; p = 0.016), however, there was no significant difference between the conservative and standard oxygen groups (p = 0.3). Patients with sepsis had significantly higher protein carbonyl concentrations than the other critically ill patients (293 ± 92 µmol/L vs 184 ± 24 µmol/L, p = 0.03). Within the septic subgroup, there were no significant differences in protein carbonyl concentrations between the two interventions (p = 0.4). CONCLUSIONS: Conservative oxygen therapy does not alter systemic markers of oxidative stress in critically ill ventilated patients compared with standard oxygen therapy. Patients with sepsis exhibited elevated protein carbonyls compared with the other critically ill patients implying increased oxidative stress in this patient subgroup.