Sexual Health Issues in the Male Cancer Patient Population: The Role of Radiation Therapists in Supportive and Technical Care

Nutraceuticals have been around for quite some time. As the nomenclature suggests, they are placed somewhere between food (nutra-) and medicine (-ceuticals) in terms of their impact on human health. Researches have focused on the impact of various types of nutraceuticals on health, their efficacy in health promotion and disease prevention, and often on suitable uses of certain categories of nutraceuticals for specific health issues. However, we are still far from utilizing the immense potential of nutraceuticals for benefiting human health in a substantial manner. We review the available scholarly literature regarding the role of nutraceuticals in health promotion, their efficacy in disease prevention and the perception of nutraceuticals' health benefits by consumers. Thereafter we analyze the need for regulation of nutraceuticals and various provisions regarding the same.

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The Effects of Herbal Medicines on Women Sexual Dysfunction: A Systematic Review

Current Drug Discovery Technologies ◽

10.2174/1570163817666201019130139 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 ◽

Author(s):

Tahereh Molkara ◽

Maliheh Motavasselian ◽

Farideh Akhlaghi ◽

Mohammad Arash Ramezani ◽

Hamideh Naghedi Baghdar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sexual Dysfunction ◽

Herbal Medicine ◽

Sexual Health ◽

Sexual Function ◽

Psychological Health ◽

Health Management ◽

Herbal Medicines ◽

Physical And Psychological Health ◽

Female Sexual Response

: Sexual health plays an important role in the women’s health and quality of life. Sexual health management is a prerequisite for physical and psychological health of women. Sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm are three factors of female sexual response. So far many different methods has been known for the treatment of female sexual dysfunction, however none of them are not an efficacious therapy. Generally, use of herbal medicine is a safe and effective therapeutic method in the treatment of women with sexual dysfunction. The role of herbal and nutritional supplementation in female sexual function has attracted researchers’ interest in recent years. This study aimed to the evaluation of the studies focusing on the herbal medicine on women sexual function and the assessment of its effectiveness.

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Typhoon eye effect versus ripple effect: the role of family size on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pakistan

Globalization and Health ◽

10.1186/s12992-021-00685-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tooba Lateef ◽

Jiyao Chen ◽

Muhammad Tahir ◽

Teba Abdul Lateef ◽

Bryan Z. Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Anxiety Disorders ◽

Family Size ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Ripple Effect ◽

Health Issues ◽

Care Providers ◽

Populous Country

Abstract Background The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted adversely upon the mental health of millions of people worldwide. Impacts on the mental health conditions and the associated predictors relating to adults in Pakistan, the fifth most populous country in the world, during the COVID-19 remain understudied. Our aim was to investigate distress, anxiety, and overall mental health and their associated predictors among Pakistani adults in this pandemic. We specifically examine mental health issues based on the distance from the epicenter, (a predictor that has revealed opposing evidence in other countries) based on the theories of typhoon eye effect and ripple effect. The sample consisted of 601 adults who were surveyed online about 2.5 months into the outbreak across Pakistan with varying distances from the epicenter of COVID-19 of Karachi. Results The results showed that 9.2 and 19.0% of the participants surpassed the cut-off criteria for distress and anxiety disorders, respectively. Overall, the distance from the epicenter positively predicted the mental health of adults in Pakistan, and family size negatively moderated this effect. The distance from the epicenter negatively predicted distress and anxiety disorders for adults in large families, which are quite common in Pakistan. Conclusion The evidence of the study interestingly finds that the prediction of the mental health of people by their distance from the epicenter depends on family size. The evidence of this study can help to provide initial indicators for mental health care providers to screen vulnerable groups in Pakistan, a populous country that continues struggling to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Health Issues in International Tourism: The Role of Health Behavior, Stress and Adaptation

Psychological Aspects of Geographical Moves ◽

10.1017/9789048504169.014 ◽

2006 ◽

pp. 197-212

Author(s):

A. Vingerhoets ◽

N. Sanders ◽

W. Kuper

Keyword(s):

Health Behavior ◽

International Tourism ◽

Health Issues

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669 Increased Nightmares During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring the Role of Resilience and Emotions

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.667 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A261-A262

Author(s):

Jérémie Potvin ◽

Laura Ramos Socarras ◽

Geneviève Forest

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Protective Factor ◽

Negative Emotions ◽

Unique Contribution ◽

Health Issues ◽

Resilience Scale ◽

And Gender ◽

The Impact ◽

Tremendous Impact

Abstract Introduction COVID-19 had a tremendous impact on many aspects of our lives and has caused an increase in stress and mental health issues in many people. We have recently found that there was an increase in nightmares during the pandemic in young adults. Since emotions have been associated with both resilience and nightmares, the objective of this study was to investigate the role of resilience and emotional changes in the increase in nightmares observed during the pandemic, in a group of young adults. Methods Resilience, emotions and nightmares were assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10, the Differential Emotions Scale-IV and an adapted version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Measures were administered to 209 young adults (18–25 years old, 76.1% females). Hierarchical multiple regression models were computed to examine the unique contribution of changes in positive and negative emotions during the pandemic to the increase in nightmares during the pandemic. Analyses were controlled for nightmares and emotions prior to COVID-19, and for gender. The sample was separated in two groups: resilient and less resilient young adults. Results Results show that in less resilient young adults, nightmares prior to COVID-19 (β=.79, p<.001) and increase in negative emotions (β=.21, p=.033) significantly predicted nightmares during the pandemic and explained 67.0% of their variance. In resilient young adults, nightmares prior to COVID-19 (β=.56, p<.001) and gender (β=-.15, p=.04) significantly predicted nightmares during the pandemic and explained 52.0% of the variance. Conclusion Our results show that increase in negative emotions during the pandemic is associated with an increase in nightmares in less resilient young adults, but not in resilient young adults. Furthermore, our results show that in resilient young adults, being a woman is associated with an increase in nightmares during the pandemic. These results suggest that resilience may be a protective factor in managing the impact of negative emotions on nightmares, but only in men. Support (if any):

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The microbiome’s relationship with congenital heart disease: more than a gut feeling

Journal of Congenital Cardiology ◽

10.1186/s40949-021-00060-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dan Feng ◽

Jason T. Christensen ◽

Anji T. Yetman ◽

Merry L. Lindsey ◽

Amar B. Singh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Congenital Heart Disease ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Patient Population ◽

Congenital Heart ◽

Basic Research ◽

Intestinal Epithelial ◽

Barrier Dysfunction ◽

Intestinal Dysbiosis ◽

Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction

AbstractPatients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk for developing intestinal dysbiosis and intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction due to abnormal gut perfusion or hypoxemia in the context of low cardiac output or cyanosis. Intestinal dysbiosis may contribute to systemic inflammation thereby worsening clinical outcomes in this patient population. Despite significant advances in the management and survival of patients with CHD, morbidity remains significant and questions have arisen as to the role of the microbiome in the inflammatory process. Intestinal dysbiosis and barrier dysfunction experienced in this patient population are increasingly implicated in critical illness. This review highlights possible CHD-microbiome interactions, illustrates underlying signaling mechanisms, and discusses future directions and therapeutic translation of the basic research.

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Perceptual salience influences food choices independently of health and taste preferences

Cognitive Research Principles and Implications ◽

10.1186/s41235-019-0203-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jane Dai ◽

Jeremy Cone ◽

Jeff Moher

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Load ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Food Choice ◽

Time Pressure ◽

Taste Preference ◽

Food Choices ◽

Health Issues ◽

Perceptual Salience ◽

Choice Tests

Abstract Background Making decisions about food is a critical part of everyday life and a principal concern for a number of public health issues. Yet, the mechanisms involved in how people decide what to eat are not yet fully understood. Here, we examined the role of visual attention in healthy eating intentions and choices. We conducted two-alternative forced choice tests of competing food stimuli that paired healthy and unhealthy foods that varied in taste preference. We manipulated their perceptual salience such that, in some cases, one food item was more perceptually salient than the other. In addition, we manipulated the cognitive load and time pressure to test the generalizability of the salience effect. Results Manipulating salience had a powerful effect on choice in all situations; even when an unhealthy but tastier food was presented as an alternative, healthy food options were selected more often when they were perceptually salient. Moreover, in a second experiment, food choices on one trial impacted food choices on subsequent trials; when a participant chose the healthy option, they were more likely to choose a healthy option again on the next trial. Furthermore, robust effects of salience on food choice were observed across situations of high cognitive load and time pressure. Conclusions These results have implications both for understanding the mechanisms of food-related decision-making and for implementing interventions that might make it easier for people to make healthy eating choices.

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Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacogenetics of Cyclophosphamide in a Neonate and Infant Childhood Cancer Patient Population

Pharmaceuticals ◽

10.3390/ph14030272 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 272

Author(s):

Shelby Barnett ◽

Julie Errington ◽

Julieann Sludden ◽

David Jamieson ◽

Vianney Poinsignon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cancer Patient ◽

Childhood Cancer ◽

Patient Population ◽

Population Pharmacokinetic Model ◽

Pharmacokinetic Model ◽

Drug Clearance ◽

Current Data ◽

Population Pharmacokinetic ◽

Older Children ◽

Patient Groups

Infants and young children represent an important but much understudied childhood cancer patient population. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacogenetics of the widely used anticancer prodrug cyclophosphamide were investigated in children <2 years of age. Concentrations of cyclophosphamide and selected metabolites were determined in patients administered cyclophosphamide at doses ranging from 100–1500 mg/m2 (5–75 mg/kg), with various infusion times as determined by the standard treatment regimen that each patient was receiving. Polymorphisms in genes including CYP2B6 and CYP2C19 were investigated. Data generated for cyclophosphamide were analysed using a previously published population pharmacokinetic model. Cyclophosphamide pharmacokinetics was assessed in 111 samples obtained from 25 patients ranging from 4–23 months of age. The average cyclophosphamide clearance for the patients was 46.6 mL/min/m2 (ranging from 9.4–153 mL/min/m2), with marked inter-patient variability observed (CV 41%). No significant differences in cyclophosphamide clearance or exposure (AUC) were observed between patient groups as separated by age or body weight. However, marked differences in drug clearance and metabolism were noted between the current data in children <2 years of age and recently published results from a comparable study conducted by our group in older children, which reported significantly lower cyclophosphamide clearance values and metabolite exposures using the same population pharmacokinetic model for analysis. Whilst this study demonstrates no significant differences in cyclophosphamide clearance in patients <2 years, it highlights large differences in dosing protocols across tumour types. Furthermore, the study suggests marked differences in cyclophosphamide clearance in children less than two years of age as compared to older patients.

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