Potential of nanoemulsions for accelerated wound healing: innovative strategies

Wounds represent various significant health concerns for patients and also contribute major costs to healthcare systems. Wound healing comprises of overlapped and various coordinated steps such as homeostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. In response to the failure of many strategies in delivering intended results including wound closure, fluid loss control, and exhibiting properties such as durability, targeted delivery, accelerated action, along with histocompatibility, numerous nanotechnological advances have been introduced. To understand the magnitude of wound therapy, this systematic and updated review discussing the effectiveness of nanoemulsions has been undertaken. This review portrays mechanisms associated with wound healing, factors for delayed wound healing, and various technologies utilized to treat wounds effectively. While many strategies are available, nanoemulsions have attracted the tremendous attention of scientists globally for the research in wound therapy due to their long-term thermodynamic stability and bioavailability. Nanoemulsions not only aid in tissue repair, but are also considered as an excellent delivery system for various synthetic and natural actives. Nanotechnology provides several pivotal benefits in wound healing, including improved skin permeation, controlled release, and stimulation of fibroblast cell proliferation. The significant role of nanoemulsions in improved wound healing along with their preparation techniques has also been highlighted with special emphasis on mechanistic insights. This article illustrates recent research advancements for the utilization of nanoemulsions in wound treatment. An adequate literature search has been conducted using the keywords 'Nanoemulsions in wound healing', 'Wound therapy and nanoemulsions', 'Herbal actives in wound therapy', 'Natural oils and wounds treatment' etc., from PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases. Referred and original publications in the English language accessed till April 2022 has been included, whereas nonEnglish language papers, unpublished data, and nonoriginal papers were excluded from the study.

Recent Insights into Osimertinib Analogues against EGFR Positive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is a highly lethal malignancy with a poor prognosis and the leading cause of mortality worldwide. The development of mutations makes lung cancer treatment more challenging and expensive. Successful identification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations led to the discovery of various third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Osimertinib is one of the promising and efficacious third-generation EGFR inhibitors and is mainly employed in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Despite the initial effective response, osimertinib causes resistance in most of the patients after around 10 months of therapy, resulting in disease progression. To mitigate the effect of developed resistance, different osimertinib derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated by numerous research groups across the globe.

METHODS

Present article illustrates recent research advancements for the utilization of osimertinib and its derivatives in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Last seven years literature search has been conducted from PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases, etc. Result: The present review emphasizes the recent advancements of osimertinib analogues that lead to enhanced antitumor potential and safety profile against non-small cell lung cancer. This manuscript also summarizes the different synthetic schemes involved in the synthesis of osimertinib analogues against EGFR reported by different research groups.

CONCLUSION

Anticancer mechanistic insights, analytical prospects, drug interactions, pharmacokinetic considerations, and resistance profile of osimertinib are highlighted in the current manuscript.

Disease-free and overall survival outcomes for localized RCC patients by disease stage

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Background: Real world evidence (RWE) on patient outcomes among early-stage non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients (pts) of different risk groups are limited. This RWE study evaluated disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) patterns and risk of OS among pts with non-metastatic RCC in the US. Methods: This retrospective analysis identified pts, age ≥18 years, with non-metastatic RCC diagnosis between 01/01/2012-12/31/2015, and surgical treatment for RCC prior to metastatic diagnosis. Pts were identified from the ConcertAI Oncology Dataset which draws electronic medical records from 100 community oncology clinics in the US and followed until 08/19/2021. Pts were stratified into intermediate (int)-high (pT2N0 high grade, pT3N0) or high risk (pT4N0, pTanyN1) RCC. Time to event outcomes (DFS, OS) were examined using Kaplan-Meier methods, and association of recurrence and 5yr OS was examined using Cox proportional hazard model, controlling for baseline and clinical characteristics. DFS was defined as time from initial nephrectomy to first recurrence or death, whichever occurred first. OS was defined as time from initial nephrectomy to death. Results: The study included 274 pts (87% int-high risk, N = 239; 13% high risk, N = 35). Overall, pts were 63.5 yrs (median age), 66% male, 78% White, and 73% had clear cell RCC. Median follow-up was 49.5 months (mths). 54% int-high and 69% high risk pts had recurrence. As seen in the table, median DFS ranged from 14.6-64.8 mths and 5yr DFS rates ranged from 10-61% across risk groups. Median OS was 83.4 mths for int-high and 78.4 mths for high risk pts; 5yr OS rate was 69% for int-high and 58% for high risk. Compared to patients without recurrence, pts with recurrence had shorter median OS (93.8 vs 69.6 mths) and lower 5yr OS rate (85% vs 57%). In pts with recurrence, 5yr OS rate was similar between int-high and high risk groups (58% and 57%). Pts with recurrence were 2.4 times (HR = 2.4; 95% CI = 1.5, 3.9) more likely to die 5 yrs post initial nephrectomy compared to pts without recurrence. Conclusions: This study confirms findings from our previous research with SEER data that pts with recurrence had an increased risk of death, compared to pts without. The DFS and OS rates observed in this RWE study are supportive of DFS and OS rates observed in the placebo arm of the KEYNOTE-564 trial. Additionally, poor DFS rates were observed within subgroups of int-high risk pts. The study results indicate the high real-world unmet need in post-nephrectomy int-high or high risk localized RCC pts, highlight the need for effective adjuvant treatments, and inform the design of future interventional trials in non-metastatic RCC pts.[Table: see text]

Disparities in timely treatment among lung cancer patients

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Background: NSCLC is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US. There are no federal standardized guidelines regarding timely treatment (TT) of NSCLC care and little is known regarding the sociodemographic differences in TT of anticancer therapies among NSCLC patients. This is particularly notable among Black Americans, who are less likely to receive lung cancer screening, more likely to be diagnosed with advanced or metastatic NSCLCL, and less likely to receive NCCN-concordant targeted therapy relative to their white counterparts. The objective of this retrospective study is to assess racial differences in TT and related outcomes among patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC (aNSCLC). Methods: We identified 3,603 patients from ConcertAI’s Real-world data (RWD) sources, including CancerLinQ Electronic Medical Records. Patient demographics included: a) aged 18 to 64 years; b) confirmed diagnosis of aNSCLC between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019; and c) self-identify as White or African American. For this study the primary endpoint was receipt of TT, defined as start of systemic therapy within 30 days after diagnosis of aNSCLC. Logistic regression was leveraged to obtain adjusted odds ratios of comparisons between White and Black American populations on receipt of TT, controlling for demographic and baseline characteristics such as type of setting, ECOG score and smoking status. Results: Descriptive analyses revealed 79.1% of Black aNSCLC patients did not receive TT, as compared to 71.4% of White aNSCLC patients. When controlling for associated confounding factors, Black aNSCLC patients had a 21.4% less chance of receiving TT as compared to White patients, and the same was evident from the predicted probabilities of TT for Black vs. White aNSCLC patients. When evaluating institutional setting type, 76.1% of community hospitals provided TT vs. 61.3% of academic centers. Conclusions: This real-world study shows Black aNSCLC patients were associated with treatment delay. While present findings suggest improving access to effective screening and timely access to NCCN-concordant targeted therapies may be used as a means through which to lessen NSCLC disparities, further investigation is required to assess how it may improve overall outcomes for minorities. [Table: see text]

Palliative care education and its effectiveness: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Palliative care education (PCE) is an important public health approach to palliative care and is crucial to improving its utilisation. The present study aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of PCE and its effectiveness.

METHOD

A systematic review approach, including narrative synthesis, was used to review qualitative and quantitative studies published in the English language between January 1969 and January 2019, focussing on PCE programs.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine research studies were included in the systematic review. The target audience of the included studies were mostly healthcare professionals, followed by family caregivers. Definitions of death and palliative care, symptom management and communication were leading themes in the reviewed PCE programs. The educational resources used in PCE programs were mainly self-developed teaching materials, with some programs utilising eLearning resources. The included PCE programs were effective in improving knowledge, attitude and confidence in palliative care and the satisfaction of participant learning experience.

CONCLUSION

PCE is a useful tool to improve knowledge of, confidence in and attitudes towards palliative care amongst healthcare professionals and carers. To make palliative care a public health issue, PCE should be expanded to the public and policy-makers.

Acute simultaneous bilateral avulsion fractures of the tibial tubercles in a 15-year-old male hurler: case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Avulsion fractures of the tibial tubercle are an unusual injury pattern generally occurring in the adolescent male during sporting activities. Bilateral simultaneous fractures are extremely rare. They are often associated with other underlying orthopaedic pathology.

AIMS

We present a case of bilateral tibial tubercle avulsions occurring in a 15 year-old male hurler. We describe the management and necessary investigations required for this type of trauma and present a literature review on this rarely encountered injury.

CONCLUSION

Although this type of atypical fracture pattern is associated with high energy trauma and other underlying pathology, we have shown that once treated, the patient can expect to make a prompt return to sporting activities with no significant long-term functional deficit.

Histamine and tryptase modulate asthmatic airway smooth muscle GM-CSF and RANTES release

Degranulating mast cells are increased in the airway smooth muscle (ASM) of asthmatics, where they may influence ASM function. The aim of the present study was to determine whether histamine and tryptase modulate ASM cell granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) release and also to examine which receptors are involved in this release. Confluent, quiescent ASM cells from asthmatic and nonasthmatic donors were treated with histamine (1 microM-100 microM) with and without histamine receptor antagonist pre-treatment, or the protease-activated receptor (PAR)-2 agonists tryptase (0.5-5 nM) and SLIGKV (100 and 400 microM). The cells were then stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1beta and/or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (10 ng.mL(-1)) or left unstimulated for 24 h. Release of GM-CSF and RANTES was determined by ELISA and prostaglandin (PG)E(2) measured by enzyme immunoassay. Neither histamine nor tryptase induced ASM GM-CSF or RANTES secretion. However, histamine increased IL-1beta-induced GM-CSF release and markedly reduced TNF-alpha-induced RANTES release by both asthmatic and nonasthmatic cells to a similar extent, but did not modulate PGE(2) release. All changes involved activation of the histamine H1 receptor as they were partially or fully blocked by chlorpheniramine, but not ranitidine. Tryptase, via its proteolytic activity, also potentiated GM-CSF, but not RANTES, release from asthmatic and nonasthmatic ASM cells induced by both cytokines. PAR-2 involvement in the tryptase potentiation was unlikely because SLIGKV had no effect. In conclusion, mast cells, through histamine and tryptase, may locally modulate airway smooth muscle-induced inflammation in asthma.

Post-lesion lateralisation shifts in a computational model of single-word reading

The mechanisms underlying lateralisation of language are incompletely understood. Existing data is inconclusive, for example, in determining which underlying asymmetries in hemispheric anatomy/physiology lead to lateralisation, the precise role of interhemispheric connections in this process, and exactly how and why lateralisation can shift following focal brain damage. Although these issues will ultimately be settled by experimentation, it is likely that computational modelling can be used to suggest, focus, and even interpret such empirical work. We have recently studied the emergence of lateralisation in an artificial neural network model having paired cerebral hemispheric regions, as the model learned to generate the correct pronunciation for simple words. In this paper we extend this previous work by examining the immediate and longer-term changes in lateralisation that occur following simulated acute hemispheric lesions. Among other things, the results demonstrate that the extent to which the non-lesioned model hemispheric region contributes to recovery is a function of lesion size, prelesion lateralisation, and assumptions about the excitatory/inhibitory influences of the corpus callosum. The relevance of these results to the currently controversial suggestion that language lateralisation shifts following focal damage to language areas, and that the unlesioned hemisphere contributes to recovery from stroke-induced aphasia in adults, is discussed.