Impact of Financial Toxicity on the Health-Related Quality of Life and Financial Well-Being of Cancer Patients and Survivors: A Comparative Study of the United Kingdom and United States.

Background: This study investigated and compared the impact of financial toxicity (FT) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and financial well-being of cancer patients and survivors in the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US).

Methods: UK & US participants (n = 600) completed an online questionnaire that consisted of a validated FT instrument (COmprehensive Score for financial Toxicity-COST), a standardised HRQoL instrument (EQ-5D-5L) and questions related to their financial well-being. Tobit regression models and descriptive statistics plus χ tests were used to analyse the association between FT and (i) HRQoL whilst controlling for sociodemographic characteristics; and (ii) financial well-being.

Synthesis of magnetic activated carbons derived from Artocarpus heterophyllus peel with different magnetization methods: comparative characterizations and hexavalent chromium adsorption study.

Magnetic activated carbon has been proved its separation ability to overcome a main drawback of activated carbon powder. However, effect of magnetization method on characterizations and Chromium (VI) adsorption of this adsorbent from Artocarpus Heterophyllus Peel (jackfruit peel) has not been investigated yet. This study magnetized jackfruit peel activated carbon using thermochemical and co-precipitation methods.

Health-related quality of life of people with depression: pre-post intervention compared with age-matched general population in Vietnam.

Background: In Vietnam, there is a paucity of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) research on people with depression as well as a lack of evidence on supported self-management (SSM) intervention for depression on HRQoL. This study aimed to compare the HRQoL of people with depression and age-matched people in the Vietnamese population, evaluate the effects of Tele-SSM intervention on HRQoL, and examine the association between the changes in HRQoL score and mental health well-being (depression, anxiety, and stress).

Methods: This study was a pre- and post-study involving Vietnamese adults aged 18-64 who had depression symptoms (score ≥ 5 points in the PHQ-9).

Interoceptive brain network mechanisms of mindfulness-based training in healthy adolescents.

Introduction: This study evaluated changes in the white matter of the brain and psychological health variables, resulting from a neuroscience-based mindfulness intervention, the Training for Awareness, Resilience, and Action (TARA), in a population of healthy adolescents.

Methods: A total of 100 healthy adolescents (57 female, age ranges 14-18 years) were randomized into the 12-week TARA intervention or a waitlist-control group. All participants were imaged with diffusion MRI to quantify white matter connectivity between brain regions.

RDH12 allows cone photoreceptors to regenerate opsin visual pigments from a chromophore precursor to escape competition with rods.

Capture of a photon by an opsin visual pigment isomerizes its 11-cis-retinaldehyde (11cRAL) chromophore to all-trans-retinaldehyde (atRAL), which subsequently dissociates. To restore light sensitivity, the unliganded apo-opsin combines with another 11cRAL to make a new visual pigment. Two enzyme pathways supply chromophore to photoreceptors.

Effects of virtual reality on anxiety and pain in adult patients undergoing wound-closure procedures: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background: In emergency departments, suturing is a typical procedure for closing lacerated wounds but is invasive and often causes anxiety and pain. Virtual reality (VR) intervention has been reported as a relaxing measure.

Objective: The study aims to examine the effects of VR intervention on anxiety, pain, physiological parameters, local anesthesia requirements and satisfaction in Chinese adult patients undergoing wound closure in emergency departments in Hong Kong.

A General Iron-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Oxygenation of Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids.

We report an iron-catalyzed decarboxylative C(sp)-O bond-forming reaction under mild, base-free conditions with visible light irradiation. The transformation uses readily available and structurally diverse carboxylic acids, iron photocatalyst, and 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine 1-oxyl (TEMPO) derivatives as oxygenation reagents. The process exhibits a broad scope in acids possessing a wide range of stereoelectronic properties and functional groups.

Financial toxicity among cancer patients, survivors and their families in the United Kingdom: a scoping review.

Background: The aim of this scoping review was to identify key research gaps and priorities in order to advance policy and practice for people living with cancer in the UK.

Methods: The review adhered to PRISMA guidelines for scoping review. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar on 16 July 2022.

Potential from synergistic effect of quercetin and paclitaxel co-encapsulated in the targeted folic-gelatin-pluronic P123 nanogels for chemotherapy.

Dual-drug delivery systems for anticancer therapy have recently attracted substantial attention due to their potency to overcome limitations of conventional anti-cancer drugs, tackle drug resistance problems, as well as improve the therapeutic efficacy. In this study, we introduced a novel nanogel based on folic acid-gelatin-pluronic P123 (FA-GP-P123) conjugate to simultaneously deliver quercetin (QU) and paclitaxel (PTX) to the targeted tumor. The results indicated that the drug loading capacity of FA-GP-P123 nanogels was significantly higher than that of P123 micelles.

Green and Facile Synthesis of Porous SiO@C Adsorbents from Rice Husk: Preparation, Characterization, and Their Application in Removal of Reactive Red 120 in Aqueous Solution.

In this work, a green, novel, fast, and facile approach for synthesizing a SiO/C nanocomposite series from rice husk (RH) through quenching and grinding techniques has been reported along with its application for the adsorptive removal of Reactive Red 120 (RR120) dye from an aqueous solution. The effect of carbonization temperature on the textural and interfacial features of RH was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while the structure and elemental composition of the as-synthesized RH were investigated via XRD, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), FT-IR, Raman, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The RH had a high surface area (521.

Budget impact analysis of a home-based colorectal cancer screening programme in Malaysia.

Objectives: The 2020-2022 research project 'Colorectal Cancer Screening Intervention for Malaysia' (CRC-SIM) evaluated the implementation of a home-based CRC screening pilot in Segamat District. This budget impact analysis (BIA) assessed the expected changes in health expenditure of the Malaysian Ministry of Health budget in the scenario where the pilot programme was implemented nationwide vs current opportunistic screening.

Design: Budget impact analysis.

Review of antibiotic prescriptions as part of antimicrobial stewardship programmes: results from a pilot implementation at two provincial-level hospitals in Viet Nam.

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of retrospective prescription-based review and to describe the antibiotic prescribing patterns to provide information for an antimicrobial stewardship programme in Viet Nam.

Methods: This study was conducted in two provincial-level hospitals between February and April 2020. Reviews were done by a clinical team consisting of leaders/senior doctors of each ward to assess the optimal level (optimal/adequate/suboptimal/inadequate/not assessable) of antibiotic prescriptions.

Cost-effectiveness of clinical breast examination screening programme among HER2-positive breast cancer patients: a modelling study.

Purpose: For many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), breast cancer (BC) screening based on mammography is not a viable option. Clinical breast examination (CBE) may represent a pragmatic and cost-effective alternative. This paper examines the cost-effectiveness of CBE screening programme among a patient group for whom its cost-effectiveness is likely to be least evident (HER2-positive patients) and discuss the wider implications for BC screening in LMICs.

Breast cancer screening practices among Vietnamese women and factors associated with clinical breast examination uptake.

Background: This study examined current breast cancer (BC) screening practices among Vietnamese women and the factors associated with the uptake of clinical breast examination (CBE).

Methods: A total of 508 women aged 30-74 years in Hanoi completed a knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP) survey in 2019 including validated measures of breast cancer awareness (Breast-CAM) and health beliefs (Champion's Health Belief Model Scale). Descriptive statistics, χ2, and ANOVA tests were used to analyse KAP responses across groups with different sociodemographic characteristics.

Costs of breast cancer treatment incurred by women in Vietnam.

Background: There is a paucity of research on the cost of breast cancer (BC) treatment from the patient's perspective in Vietnam.

Methods: Individual-level data about out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures on use of services were collected from women treated for BC (n = 202) using an online survey and a face-to-face interview at two tertiary hospitals in 2019. Total expenditures on diagnosis and initial BC treatment were presented in terms of the mean, standard deviation, and range for each type of service use.

Assessing feasibility of establishing antimicrobial stewardship programmes in two provincial-level hospitals in Vietnam: an implementation research study.

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of establishing hospital-based antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes comprising action-planning, educational interventions and data feedback in two provincial-level hospitals in Viet Nam.

Design And Setting: This was an implementation research using participatory action process and existing resources from the Duke Antimicrobial Stewardship Outreach Network with local adjustments. A national stakeholder meeting and Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis were conducted to identify gaps and potential interventions.

Health-related quality of life among breast cancer patients compared to cancer survivors and age-matched women in the general population in Vietnam.

Purpose: This study compared the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of breast cancer (BC) patients, survivors, and age-matched women from the general population in Vietnam to address the paucity of HRQoL research and contribute to the robust assessment of BC screening and care in Vietnam.

Methods: The standardised EQ-5D-5L instrument was incorporated in an online survey and a hospital-based face-to-face survey, and together with data from the Vietnam EQ-5D-5L norms study. χ tests assessed EQ-5D health profile associations and a Tobit regression model investigated the association between overall health status (EQ-VAS/utility scores) and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Financial toxicity due to breast cancer treatment in low- and middle-income countries: evidence from Vietnam.

Background: This study examined the financial toxicity faced by breast cancer (BC) patients in Vietnam and the factors associated with the risk and degree of that toxicity.

Methods: A total of 309 BC patients/survivors completed an online survey (n=209) or a face-to-face interview (n=100) at two tertiary hospitals. Descriptive statistics and χ tests were used to identify and analyse the forms and degree of financial toxicity faced by BC patients/survivors.