Physical activity and quality of life in breast cancer survivors.

OBJECTIVES: We reviewed the literature on breast cancer patients' physical activity and quality of life. This paper should urge health services and breast cancer survivors to continue appropriate physical activity and assess its advantages. DESIGN: A systematic review was conducted. DATA SOURCES: This systematic review used online databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. A search from the beginning of 2018-2024 was conducted. REVIEW METHOD: Medical Subject Headings (MESH) were used for keyword selection along with other target keywords, such as "Quality of life", "Breast cancer", "Chemotherapy", "Treatment side effects", "Patient experience", "Psychosocial well-being", "Physical functioning", "Emotional distress", and "Supportive care". We reviewed and included all English-language publications. A narrative synthesis was conducted to present the results of the studies. RESULTS: The search using the keywords yielded a total of 135 studies. Each result was filtered again according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in a final total of 15 studies to be included in the systematic review. CONCLUSION: The evidence supports the benefits of physical activity in enhancing the quality of life for breast cancer survivors, indicating that further prospective and intervention studies are needed.

The quality of life assessment of breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: Research investigating the quality of life (QOL) of breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy has yielded useful knowledge regarding the effects of cancer treatment on the quality of life of patients. This study reviews the assessment of the quality of life for those diagnosed with breast cancer. DESIGN: A systematic review was conducted. DATA SOURCES: This systematic review utilized online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. A search ranging from 2018 to 2024 was carried out. REVIEW METHOD: Medical Subject Headings (MESH) were used for keyword selection along with other target keywords, such as "Quality of life", "Breast cancer", "Chemotherapy", "Treatment side effects", "Patient experience", "Psychosocial well-being", "Physical functioning", "Emotional distress", and "Supportive care". We reviewed and included all English-language publications. A narrative synthesis was conducted to present the results of the studies. RESULTS: A total of 300 studies were obtained from the search using the specified keywords. Each result underwent another filtering round after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. This process led to a final selection of 20 papers that met the requirements and were included in the systematic review. CONCLUSION: The use of instruments to measure the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer patients is crucial in understanding the impact of breast cancer on patients' lives, from physical and mental health to social aspects.

Contraceptive use with breast cancer incidence in Indonesia.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and is a significant threat to public health. This study aims to conduct a systematic review of the relationship between hormonal contraceptive use and breast cancer incidence. METHODS: The search was conducted using Google Scholar, Proquest, Pubmed and one Indonesian database, Garuda, using English and Indonesian keywords. The inclusion criteria in this study were the publication year of the last five years, namely 2019-2023, English and Indonesian language, case-control observational research, using the Indonesian population, and full-text access. RESULTS: A total of 165 studies were obtained from the Google Scholar database, including 104 studies. The overall multivariate analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant association of hormonal contraception with the incidence of breast cancer with OR values in the range of 2-6. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this systematic study suggest that the use of hormones can contribute to hormonal imbalances that further increase breast cell proliferation and disrupt gene expression, resulting in uncontrolled cell development/cancer. In addition, the findings recommend increasing the number of studies on this topic to obtain more adequate and possibly more diverse information.

Massage on the prevention of breast cancer through stress reduction and enhancing immune system.

INTRODUCTION: Housewives are a population at high risk of breast cancer due to repeated or chronic exposure to stress. Prevention in a simple yet evidence-based manner is needed. METHODS: This study is a narrative review of the potential of massage as breast cancer prevention through stress and immune system mechanisms. RESULTS: Massage is able to prevent chronic stress through improved sleep and fatigue and lower stress levels. Prevention of chronic stress will maximize the function of cells that eliminate cancer cells, such as B cells, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells, and improve the balance of Foxp3 Tregulator cells. Partnered delivery massage will bring effective benefits for stress reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Massage can provide indirect prevention of breast cancer, and partnered delivery massage can be a good choice to reduce stress.

Influence of variables on breast self-examination: Potential barrier or enhancement of breast cancer prevention.

INTRODUCTION: Breast self-examination (BSE) is an important tool for early detection of breast cancer and can contribute to increased awareness and familiarity with breast tissue. This study aimed to review factors that influenced BSE in preventing breast cancer. METHODS: In the initial stage of searching for journal articles, 186 journals were obtained, then screening was carried out within a time span of 2019-2024 and using Indonesian and English 54 journals. Of the 12 journals reviewed, the results showed that 4 journals reviewed had conducted pre and post-BSE practices, and 8 journal reviews conducted BSE practices conducted by students and health workers. RESULTS: Several factors play an important role in implementing BSE, namely age, knowledge, history of exposure to information, family history, ethnicity, and attitude. Overall, the study shows that the need to create awareness and educate women, especially rural women, on the importance of BSE as a preventive measure for breast cancer is paramount. CONCLUSIONS: Factors influencing the implementation of BSE can be a barrier or an enhancement in breast cancer prevention.

Early detection of self-breast examination using smartphone breast application.

INTRODUCTION: Breast self-examination (BSE) is a screening method that can help empower, raise awareness, and detect breast abnormalities in women. The use of smartphone applications for breast cancer early detection is able to overcome some of these barriers. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of the effect of using smartphone application-based technology on breast cancer. METHODS: Google Scholar, PubMed, Proquest, and ScienceDirect were searched for "breast self-examination" and "smartphone application" literature. This literature's study designs were quasi-experimental, prospective cohort, qualitative, and systematic review. The study contained five unique research projects with 828 varied participants. RESULTS: The use of smartphones was seen to have advantages in terms of increased knowledge, perceived vulnerability, barriers to breast self-examination (BSE), self-efficacy, health motivation, and BSE practices. CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of smartphone apps related to BSE is shown through the availability, accessibility, and focus of information and is in line with the Health Belief Model (HBM).

Biodiesel production and characteristics from waste frying oils: sources, challenges, and circular economic perspective.

Biodiesel serves as a viable alternative to traditional diesel due to its non-toxicity, biodegradability, and lower environmental footprint. Among the diverse edible and inedible feedstocks, waste frying oil emerges as a promising and affordable feedstock for biodiesel production. Commonly waste frying oils include those derived from palm, corn, sunflower, soybean, rapeseed, and canola. The primary challenge related to biodiesel production technologies is the high production cost, which poses a significant barrier to its widespread adoption. Thus, refining the production techniques is essential to enhance yield, reduce capital expenditure, and curtail raw material expenses. An examination of the research focusing on feedstock availability, production, hurdles, operational expenditures, and future potential is pivotal for identifying the most economically and technically viable solutions. This paper critically reviews such research by exploring feedstock availability, production techniques, challenges, and costs intrinsic to biodiesel synthesis. It also underscores the economic feasibility of biodiesel production, shedding light on the pivotal factors that influence profitability, especially when leveraging waste frying oils. Through an in-depth understanding of these considerations, optimal production and feedstock choices for biodiesel production can be identified. Addressing cost and production bottlenecks could potentially enhance the economic viability of waste frying oil-based biodiesel, thus fostering both environmental sustainability and more extensive adoption of biodiesel as an environmental-friendly fuel in the future.

Integration of chemical health risk assessment (CHRA) and indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment: from a Malaysian perspective.

In Malaysia, chemical management in workplaces is managed under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994. Hence, the introduction of the Occupational Safety and Health (Use and Standards of Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000 has strengthened the chemical management level in workplaces, including higher academic institutions. The introduction of chemical health risk assessment through the regulation required management to conduct the assessment at workplaces. Poor levels of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in chemical laboratories may also cause discomfort among workers when there is sick building syndrome in laboratories. IAQ is managed through the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality 2010. Although both are different in method and approach, both are meant to ensure the workers' safety and comfort. This study is aimed to investigate the need to integrate both chemical health risk assessment and IAQ assessment in laboratories to ensure optimum safety levels among workers.

The positive effects and mechanisms of honey against breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a malignancy that occurs in cells in the breast tissue where cells in the breast divide and grow out of control, invade surrounding tissues, or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. METHOD: This review was systematically carried out through PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar websites in English and Indonesian using the keyword content of the article, obtaining 21 selected articles. This review demonstrates honey's promising mechanism of combined synergistic effect for breast cancer management. CONCLUSION: Antioxidants in honey intercept free radicals of phenolic compounds which are the main factors responsible for the antioxidant activity of honey. The antimicrobial activity in most honey is due to the enzymatic production of hydrogen peroxide, and its anti-cancer properties are discussed in this section.

Ginger potency on the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is a type of disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that can destroy body tissues. The use of traditional medicine naturally uses plants from ginger with the maceration method. The ginger plant is a herbaceous flowering plant with the Zingiberaceacea group. METHODS: This study uses the literature review method by reviewing 50 articles from journals and databases. RESULTS: A review of several articles, namely ginger has bioactive components such as gingerol. Ginger is used as a treatment in complementary therapies using plants. Ginger is a strategy with many benefits and functions as a nutritional complement to the body. This benefit has shown the effect of anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer against nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy in breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Anticancer in ginger is shown by polyphenols associated with anti-metastatic, anti-proliferative, antiangiogenic, anti-inflammatory, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy. Therefore, consuming ginger regularly affects natural herbal therapy with the prevention and treatment of breast cancer and serves as a prevention against the effects of chemotherapy.

Nanostructured Bioaerogels as a Potential Solution for Particulate Matter Pollution.

Particulate matter (PM) pollution is a significant environmental and public health issue globally. Exposure to high levels of PM, especially fine particles, can have severe health consequences. These particles can come from a variety of sources, including natural events like dust storms and wildfires, as well as human activities such as industrial processes and transportation. Although an extensive development in air filtration techniques has been made in the past few years, fine particulate matter still poses a serios and dangerous threat to human health and to our environment. Conventional air filters are fabricated from non-biodegradable and non-ecofriendly materials which can cause further environmental pollution as a result of their excessive use. Nanostructured biopolymer aerogels have shown great promise in the field of particulate matter removal. Their unique properties, renewable nature, and potential for customization make them attractive materials for air pollution control. In the present review, we discuss the meaning, properties, and advantages of nanostructured aerogels and their potential in particulate matter removal. Particulate matter pollution, types and sources of particulate matter, health effect, environmental effect, and the challenges facing scientists in particulate matter removal are also discussed in the present review. Finally, we present the most recent advances in using nanostructured bioaerogels in the removal of different types of particulate matter and discuss the challenges that we face in these applications.

FOXP3 regulatory T cells on prognosis of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: FOXP3 Tregs have been found in breast cancer patients, both humoral and tumor. Survival or prognosis of breast cancer patients seems to correlate with the increase and decrease in FOXP3 Treg. OBJECTIVES: This review aims to provide insights regarding the FOXP3 Tregs involved and their mechanisms in breast cancer prognosis. METHODS: The literature study method is used from primary and secondary libraries. The library search used online-based search instruments such as NCBI-PubMed, Google Scholar, and Elsevier. The data obtained were then arranged according to the framework, data on the relationship between FOXP3 Regulatory T Cells and breast cancer, and writing a journal review was carried out according to the given format. Regulators (Tregs) can inhibit anti-tumor immunity and promote tumor growth. Tregs also play a role in inhibiting cytotoxic T lymphocyte cells by inhibiting the release of granules from CD8+, where CD8+ is important in killing tumor cells. FOXP3 is a Treg-specific biomarker and plays an important role in the development and function of Tregs. RESULTS: Studies on the presence of FOXP3+ Tregs in tumors have shown controversial results. Studies in some tumors reported the presence of FOXP3+, indicating a poor prognosis, whereas studies in other tumors found that FOXP3+ correlated with a good prognosis. CONCLUSION: Regulatory T lymphocytes and TILs in invasive breast carcinoma are still not established. Therefore, further research on the Effect of FOXP3 expression of regulatory T lymphocytes on breast cancer is still important.

Recent Advances in Nanocellulose Aerogels for Efficient Heavy Metal and Dye Removal.

Water pollution is a significant environmental issue that has emerged because of industrial and economic growth. Human activities such as industrial, agricultural, and technological practices have increased the levels of pollutants in the environment, causing harm to both the environment and public health. Dyes and heavy metals are major contributors to water pollution. Organic dyes are a major concern because of their stability in water and their potential to absorb sunlight, increasing the temperature and disrupting the ecological balance. The presence of heavy metals in the production of textile dyes adds to the toxicity of the wastewater. Heavy metals are a global issue that can harm both human health and the environment and are mainly caused by urbanization and industrialization. To address this issue, researchers have focused on developing effective water treatment procedures, including adsorption, precipitation, and filtration. Among these methods, adsorption is a simple, efficient, and cheap method for removing organic dyes from water. Aerogels have shown potential as a promising adsorbent material because of their low density, high porosity, high surface area, low thermal and electrical conductivity, and ability to respond to external stimuli. Biomaterials such as cellulose, starch, chitosan, chitin, carrageenan, and graphene have been extensively studied for the production of sustainable aerogels for water treatment. Cellulose, which is abundant in nature, has received significant attention in recent years. This review highlights the potential of cellulose-based aerogels as a sustainable and efficient material for removing dyes and heavy metals from water during the treatment process.

Utilization of Polymeric Materials toward Sustainable Biodiesel Industry: A Recent Review.

The biodiesel industry is expanding rapidly in accordance with the high energy demand and environmental deterioration related to the combustion of fossil fuel. However, poor physicochemical properties and the malperformance of biodiesel fuel still concern the researchers. In this flow, polymers were introduced in biodiesel industry to overcome such drawbacks. This paper reviewed the current utilizations of polymers in biodiesel industry. Hence, four utilizing approaches were discussed, namely polymeric biodiesel, polymeric catalysts, cold-flow improvers (CFIs), and stabilized exposure materials. Hydroxyalkanoates methyl ester (HAME) and hydroxybutyrate methyl ester (HBME) are known as polymeric biodiesel sourced from carbon-enriched polymers with the help of microbial activity. Based on the literature, the highest HBME yield was 70.7% obtained at 10% H2SO4 ratio in methanol, 67 °C, and 50 h. With increasing time to 60 h, HAME highest yield was reported as 68%. In addition, polymers offer wide range of esterification/transesterification catalysts. Based on the source, this review classified polymeric catalysts as chemically, naturally, and waste derived polymeric catalysts. Those catalysts proved efficiency, non-toxicity, economic feasibility, and reusability till the 10th cycle for some polymeric composites. Besides catalysis, polymers proved efficiency to enhance the biodiesel flow-properties. The best effect reported in this review was an 11 °C reduction for the pour point (PP) of canola biodiesel at 1 wt% of ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers and cold filter plugging point (CFPP) of B20 waste oil biodiesel at 0.08 wt% of EVA copolymer. Polymeric CFIs have the capability to modify biodiesel agglomeration and facilitate flowing. Lastly, polymers are utilized for storage tanks and auto parts products in direct contact with biodiesel. This approach is completely exclusive for polymers that showed stability toward biodiesel exposure, such as polyoxymethylene (POM) that showed insignificant change during static immersion test for 98 days at 55 °C. Indeed, the introduction of polymers has expanded in the biodiesel industry to promote green chemistry.

Biodiesel production from candlenut oil using a non-catalytic supercritical methanol transesterification process: optimization, kinetics, and thermodynamic studies.

The present study was conducted to determine the feasibility of biodiesel production from candlenut oil using supercritical methanol (scMeOH) as a non-catalytic transesterification process. The influence of the scMeOH transesterification process was determined with varying pressure (85-145 bar), temperature (260-300 °C), methanol to oil (M : O) ratio (15 : 1-35 : 1), and reaction time (15-25 min). The experimental conditions of the scMeOH transesterification process were designed using central composite design (CCD) of experiments, and the process was optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). It was found that scMeOH temperature, pressure, M : O ratio, and reaction time substantially influenced the transesterification process. The maximum biodiesel yield of 96.35% was obtained at an optimized scMeOH transesterification process at the pressure of 115 bar, the temperature of 285 °C, M : O ratio of 30 : 1, and reaction time of 22 min. A second-order kinetics model and Eyring equations were utilized to determine the kinetics and thermodynamics of biodiesel production from candlenut oil. The activation energy value was determined to be 28.35 KJ mol-1. Analyses of the thermodynamic properties of biodiesel revealed that the transesterification process was non-spontaneous and endothermic. The physicochemical properties of produced candlenut biodiesel via scMeOH complied with most of the biodiesel properties as per ASTM D6751 and EN14214, thereby referring to good quality biodiesel production. The findings of the present study reveal that the scMeOH is an effective non-catalytic transesterification process for biodiesel production from candlenut oil.

Effectiveness of turmeric (Curcuma Longa Linn) Gel Extract (GE) on wound healing: Pre-clinical test.

OBJECTIVE: This research was basic research to identify the effect of turmeric extract tested by the in vivo method. The purpose of this study was to identify differences in the length of the wound at each concentration of gel preparations on days 3, 7, and 14, as well as differences in wound healing time at each concentration of gel preparations and, identify the most effective gel preparations for wound healing. METHOD: This study is an experimental laboratory study with experimental animals using post-test only with control groups, the type of research used is a pre-clinical test (pre-clinical trial) on female rabbits. The sample size in this study was 12 rabbits grouped randomly. The length of each group's wounds was measured and observed on days 3, 7, and 14. Gel application was carried out twice a day in the morning and evening for 14 days. In this study, the experimental data were tested using Kruskal Wallis. RESULTS: There were differences in wound length in each group treated with turmeric extract gel and base gel. Based on the mean wound length of each group, they experienced a reduction in wound length on days 3, 7, and 14. There were also differences in wound healing time in each group. In each group, wherein this case, the treatment group that was given 5% turmeric extract gel experienced a faster healing time <14 days than the other groups. CONCLUSION: In general, turmeric extract gel at each concentration is effective against wound healing. Turmeric extract gel concentration is the most effective gel with a concentration of 5%, then followed by concentrations of 10% and 15%.

The effectiveness of 7% table salt concentration test to increase collagen in the healing process of wound.

OBJECTIVE: Table salt (sodium chloride) is an ionic compound consisting of positive ions (cations) and negative ions (anions) to form neutral compounds that can provide a healing effect on wounds. This study's purpose of seeing and test the impact of soaking 7% sodium chloride concentration on people's salt toward the wound healing process. METHOD: This study was an experimental laboratory using the One-Way ANOVA test and the Mann Whitney test conducted in the animal enclosure of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Hasanuddin University, Makassar. The study was conducted from July to August 2019. Samples of 20 mice (Mus Musculus) female swiss webster strains were sliced on the abdominal skin then divided into two groups: the treatment group (n=15) and the control group (n=5). The wound area was observed from the first day to the seventh day to see the wound closure process. RESULTS: The research shows that soaking 7% of table salt concentration can significantly accelerate the wound healing process compared to the control group, with a decrease in wound diameter on the 3rd day and completely heal on the 7th day. CONCLUSION: 7% concentration of table Salt Soaking can increase the effectiveness of wound healing.

Effectiveness of Augmented Reality (AR) based learning media on increasing the physical examination system of pregnant women urinary system.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of learning media based on Augmented Reality (AR) on improving the physical examination skills of the urinary system of pregnant women. METHOD: This type of research is an experimental study with a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design conducted in January-February 2020 at the Midwifery Polytechnic Laboratory of the Ministry of Health Gorontalo. A sample of 92 students was selected by purposive sampling and met the inclusion criteria. Then the sample was divided into two groups: a control group that was given material through lecture and demonstration methods totaling 30 respondents and an intervention group that was given material through AR learning media and a method of demonstration totaling 62 respondents. Data collection was performed using a checklist to assess student skills improvement. Data were analyzed using the Cochran test to determine differences in skills over time. RESULTS: There was an increase in skills in the control and intervention groups with a statistically significant P<0.001 (P<0.05). However, the results showed that the mean improvement in skills in the week I of the study in the intervention group who were given AR learning media was higher in the percentage of skill improvement (72.6%) when compared to the control group who were given the lecture method and the demonstration method (36.7%). Likewise, the mean increase in skills in week II of the study in the intervention group was higher in the percentage of skill improvement (91.9%) compared to the control group given the lecture and demonstration method (66.7%), although in the third week all respondents in the control group and group the intervention becomes skilled at carrying out a physical examination of the urinary system of pregnant women. CONCLUSION: AR media is more effective in improving student skills.