The pursual of novel anticancer molecules from natural sources has gained worthwhile appreciation, and a significant fraction of conceptual knowledge has revolutionized our understanding about heterogeneous nature of cancer. Betulinic acid has fascinated interdisciplinary researchers due to its tremendous pharmacological properties. Ground-breaking discoveries have unraveled previously unprecedented empirical proof-of-concept about momentous chemopreventive role of betulinic acid against carcinogenesis and metastasis. Deregulation of cell signaling pathways has been reported to play a linchpin role in cancer progression and colonization of metastatically competent cancer cells to the distant organs for the development of secondary tumors. Importantly, betulinic acid has demonstrated unique properties to mechanistically modulate oncogenic transduction cascades. In this mini-review, we have attempted to provide a sophisticated compendium of regulatory role of betulinic acid in cancer chemoprevention. We have partitioned this multi-component review into different sections in which we summarized landmark research-works which highlighted betulinic acid mediated regulation of JAK/STAT, VEGF, EGF/EGFR, TRAIL/TRAIL-R, AKT/mTOR and ubiquitination pathways in the inhibition of cancer. In parallel, betulinic acid mediated regulation of signaling cascades and non-coding RNAs will be critically analyzed in cell culture and animal model studies. Better comprehension of the pharmaceutical features of betulinic acid and mapping of the existing knowledge gaps will be valuable in the translatability of preclinical studies into rationally designed clinical trials.

The renaissance of research into natural products has unequivocally and paradigmatically shifted our knowledge about the significant role of natural products in cancer chemoprevention. Bufalin is a pharmacologically active molecule isolated from the skin of the toad Bufo gargarizans or Bufo melanostictus. Bufalin has characteristically unique properties to regulate multiple molecular targets and can be used to harness multi-targeted therapeutic regimes against different cancers. There is burgeoning evidence related to functional roles of signaling cascades in carcinogenesis and metastasis. Bufalin has been reported to regulate pleiotropically a myriad of signal transduction cascades in various cancers. Importantly, bufalin mechanistically regulated JAK/STAT, Wnt/β-Catenin, mTOR, TRAIL/TRAIL-R, EGFR, and c-MET pathways. Furthermore, bufalin-mediated modulation of non-coding RNAs in different cancers has also started to gain tremendous momentum. Similarly, bufalin-mediated targeting of tumor microenvironments and tumor macrophages is an area of exciting research and we have only started to scratch the surface of the complicated nature of molecular oncology. Cell culture studies and animal models provide proof-of-concept for the impetus role of bufalin in the inhibition of carcinogenesis and metastasis. Bufalin-related clinical studies are insufficient and interdisciplinary researchers require detailed analysis of the existing knowledge gaps.

BACKGROUND: Low availability of medical care and low level of comfort living in rural areas, underdeveloped infrastructure, and difficult working conditions lead to the deterioration of health of rural residents. Rural areas are characterized by less comfortable living conditions than in the city, which can affect health-related quality of life. AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess the satisfaction of the population with the quality of life in rural areas as well as to study the quality of life of the rural population of the Republic of Kazakhstan related to health. METHODS: This study was a one-stage cross-sectional study. Online questionnaire was asked by 411 local residents, of which only 302 were suitable for processing. RESULTS: The results showed that almost a third of the respondents are unemployed (27.2%). In the course of the survey, respondents could subjectively assess their own health, for example, almost a third of respondents (35.76%) assess their health as “poor” and “below average.” At the same time, 18.21% of respondents are not satisfied with the quality of medical services provided in rural areas. The coefficients of correlation between the desire to move to the city and age, income level, family composition, marital status, and type of housing were established. The universal social functioning-36 index was 0.6 (±0.02) for women and 0.55 (±0.033) for men CONCLUSIONS: We can say that the quality of life of the rural population remains quite low. This is evidenced by low income, high unemployment, and the problem of drinking water. Quarantine measures related to COVID-19 also had an impact on the increase in unemployment, however, during the quarantine, there is a deterioration in mental health indicators among men compared to women. The results of the study confirmed that the issue of accessibility of medical services remains very urgent for rural residents.

Background: Following its independence, Kazakhstan implemented several reforms, including the adoption of the Entrepreneurial Code in 2008. This study aims to evaluate the impact of these reforms on the number and per capita rates of epidemiologists, nurse epidemiologists, epidemiological surveillance centers, and infectious morbidity from 1998 to 2022. Such an evaluation is critical for informing policy decisions regarding the future of epidemiological services in Kazakhstan. Methods: An interrupted time series analysis using a best-fit epidemiological model was conducted to assess the impact of key interventions—specifically, the adoption of the Entrepreneurial Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan and subsequent legislation—on the number and per capita rates of epidemiologists, nurse epidemiologists, and epidemiological surveillance facilities with infectious morbidity across the country. Results: Infectious morbidity per million individuals ranged from 4698.14 to 2263.79, with a consistent downward trend observed throughout the study period. Over the study period, the per capita rates of urban epidemiologists exhibited a downward trend, whereas the rates of rural epidemiologists showed an upward trajectory. The per capita rate of epidemiological surveillance centers declined from 26.89 to 15.24 over the study period. Substantial disparities were observed between urban and rural areas, with the epidemiology workforce in urban settings being 3–4 times larger than that in rural areas. Conclusions: This evaluation is important for informing policy decisions regarding the future of epidemiological surveillance services in Kazakhstan.

One of the features of COVID-19 infection is a long recovery process and development of the long-term health effects of COVID-19. Therefore, the interest of scholars in ensuring patients' quality of life after treatment of COVID-19 is increasing and puts a long-term health assessment on the agenda. However, there have been limited studies examining subjective evaluation of physical and mental health of patients who have undergone COVID-19 in Kazakhstan. The study aims to examine the subjective health assessment of patients who suffered from COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 in Nur-Sultan city using the SF-36 tool. These patients were included and observed in the research with confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases as well as their close contacts. Material and methods: The study employed questionnaires of respondents through direct interviews, including common questions SF-36. The scoring was done in Microsoft Excel. Statistical analysis of data was performed using the SPSS program, version 23. Results: Questionnaires were administered among 64 out of 172 patients, 52 (81%) were women and 12 (19%) were men. The majority of respondents were over 40 (41%) and 31 (31%) years old. Nearly half of participants (46%) responded that their health condition was about the same as a year ago, 27% rated their health somewhat worse than a year ago, and 2%, that is, 1 participant, rated their condition as much worse than before COVID-19. Men considered themselves significantly healthier than women (p>0.05). Conclusion: There is a need for additional research on

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