A new generation of smart nanocarriers offers excellent safety, efficiency, and targeted drug delivery for cancer immunotherapy. Conventional cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy, are often associated with severe systemic toxicity and extensive collateral damage to healthy tissues. In contrast, the enhanced permeability and retention effect and active targeting mechanisms of certain nanocarriers, such as liposomes, dendrimers, polymeric nanoparticles, and lipid-based systems, enable precise drug delivery. Therapeutic agents can be encapsulated within nanoscale delivery systems, protected from early degradation, and released in response to specific signals within the tumor microenvironment, such as changes in pH or enzyme concentrations. Targeting accuracy is further improved through surface modifications, including ligands, antibodies, or aptamers, which facilitate intracellular uptake and mitigate off-target effects. Additionally, the wide variety of nanocarrier structures available—from polymersomes and micelles to nanospheres and nanocapsules—allows customized applications tailored to different cancer types and stages. Current research highlights the potential for immunomodulatory drugs loaded into nanocarriers to enhance antitumor immunity and overcome mechanisms of immunoresistance. This review discusses the classification, processes, and biological applications of smart nanocarriers, with particular emphasis on how they can advance cancer immunotherapy by addressing challenges related to drug loading, targeted delivery, and biocompatibility.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) on the quality of life of women during postpartum period. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was used. The participants consisted of primiparous women who had experienced a vaginal birth in the obstetrics department of a hospital. Thirty women in the intervention group and 30 women in the control group were included. Data were collected using the Maternal Postpartum Quality of Life Questionnaire (MAPP-QoL) between June 2016 and April 2017. PMR was applied to the intervention group. PMR was performed as contracting a muscle group and then relaxing it, moving (or progressing) from one muscle group to another. RESULTS: The mean pretest and posttest scores of the MAPP-QoL in the intervention group were 24.43 ± 4.58 and 26.07 ± 4.58, respectively (t = −2.73, p < .05). The mean pretest and posttest scores of the MAPP-QoL in the control group were 23.29 ± 4.37 and 21.99 ± 5.58, respectively (t = 2.23, p < .05). The difference between the mean scores of the women in the intervention and control groups before PMR was not statistically significant (t = 0.99, p > .05), whereas the difference between the groups after PMR was found to be statistically significant (t = 3.09, p < .05). CONCLUSION: Postpartum quality of life of women was increased after PMR. It is recommended that PMR be taught to women who are admitted to obstetrics and outpatient clinics and home visits be completed to expand the use of PMR.
Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Autogenic Training* ; Female ; House Calls ; Humans ; Muscle Relaxation ; Obstetrics ; Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital ; Parturition ; Postpartum Period* ; Quality of Life*

Objective To report presence of Leishmania major in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan, where cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is endemic and was thought to be caused by Leishmania tropica only. Methods Biopsy samples from 432 CL suspected patients were collected from 3 southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during years 2011–2016. Microscopy on Giemsa stained slides were done followed by amplification of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 gene. Results Leishmania amastigotes were detected by microscopy in 308 of 432 samples (71.3%) while 374 out of 432 samples (86.6%) were positive by ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 1 PCR. Subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism confirmed L. tropica in 351 and L. major in 6 biopsy samples. Conclusions This study is the first molecular characterization of Leishmania species in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It confirmed the previous assumptions that anthroponotic CL is the major CL form present in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Furthermore, this is the first report of L. major from a classical anthroponotic CL endemic focus identified in rural areas of Kohat district in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

PURPOSE: Disability is a significant problem and is accepted globally as a health priority in childhood. Like nonvisually impaired children, visually impaired children also need to use health services during childhood. The purpose of this study was to determine the health problems of visually impaired children. METHODS: A descriptive design was used. The subjects were 74 children with visual impairment attending primary school (aged 5e14 years), who agreed to participate and whose parents gave permission. Data were collected via physical examination including questionnaires and a physical assessment form. The health screening included physical measurements for height, weight, blood pressure, dental health, hearing, and scoliosis. RESULTS: The mean age of children was 10.43 +/- 2.9 years. When the health screening results of children were examined, it was found that 25.7% of the children were overweight or obese, 35.1% of them had dental problems, 27.0% had hearing problems, and 39.2% had scoliosis risk. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were normal in 91.8% and 93.2% of the children, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings showed the important role of school health nurses in performing health screenings directed at visually impaired children who constitute a special group for school health services. Health screening for height, weight, dental health, hearing, and scoliosis is suggested for visually impaired children.
Adolescent ; Blood Pressure ; Body Height ; Body Weight ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; *Disabled Persons ; Female ; Hearing ; Humans ; Male ; Mass Screening/*methods ; Oral Health ; School Health Services/*organization & administration ; Scoliosis/*diagnosis ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Turkey ; *Visually Impaired Persons