The Effect of Ocimum basilicum L. and Its Main Ingredients on Respiratory Disorders: An Experimental, Preclinical, and Clinical Review

While lung cancer has been the leading cause of cancer-related deaths for many years in the United States, incidence and mortality statistics – among other measures – vary widely worldwide. The aim of this study was to review the evidence on lung cancer epidemiology, including data of international scope with comparisons of economically, socially, and biologically different patient groups. In industrialized nations, evolving social and cultural smoking patterns have led to rising or plateauing rates of lung cancer in women, lagging the long-declining smoking and cancer incidence rates in men. In contrast, emerging economies vary widely in smoking practices and cancer incidence but commonly also harbor risks from environmental exposures, particularly widespread air pollution. Recent research has also revealed clinical, radiologic, and pathologic correlates, leading to greater knowledge in molecular profiling and targeted therapeutics, as well as an emphasis on the rising incidence of adenocarcinoma histology. Furthermore, emergent evidence about the benefits of lung cancer screening has led to efforts to identify high-risk smokers and development of prediction tools. This review also includes a discussion on the epidemiologic characteristics of special groups including women and nonsmokers. Varying trends in smoking largely dictate international patterns in lung cancer incidence and mortality. With declining smoking rates in developed countries and knowledge gains made through molecular profiling of tumors, the emergence of new risk factors and disease features will lead to changes in the landscape of lung cancer epidemiology.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continues to be an important cause of morbidity, mortality, and health-care costs worldwide. It is a global health issue, with cigarette smoking being an important risk factor universally; other factors, such as exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution, occupational hazards, and infections, are also important. As the global population ages, the burden of COPD will increase in years to come. Prevalence estimates of the disorder show considerable variability across populations, suggesting that risk factors can affect populations differently. Other advances in our understanding of COPD are increased recognition of the importance of comorbid disease, identification of different COPD phenotypes, and understanding how factors other than lung function affect outcome in our patients. The challenge we will all face in the next few years will be implementation of cost-effective prevention and management strategies to stem the tide of this disease and its cost.

To determine the effect of exercise on the physical function, activities of daily living (ADLs), and quality of life (QOL) of the frail older adults. Relevant articles published between 2001 and June 2010 were searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Chinese Electronic Periodical Service, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases. The participants were selected based on the predetermined frailty criteria and randomly assigned to either an exercise or control group. The intervention for the exercise group was a single or comprehensive exercise training program, whereas usual care was provided to the control group. The characteristics and outcome measures of the included studies were identified independently by 2 investigators. The effect sizes of physical function assessed by the timed up and go test, gait speed, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the ADL questionnaires, and QOL measured by the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey were calculated, using a weighted mean difference (WMD) and a 95% confidence interval (CI) to represent the results. Compared with the control group, the exercise group increased their gait speed by .07 m/s (95% CI .02-.11), increased their BBS score (WMD=1.69; 95% CI .56-2.82), and improved their performance in ADLs (WMD=5.33; 95% CI 1.01-9.64). The exercise intervention had no significant effects on the Timed Up & Go test performance and the QOL between the groups. Exercise is beneficial to increase gait speed, improve balance, and improve performance in ADLs in the frail older adults. Copyright © 2012 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.