Greek medical professionals approaches and understanding of health literacy: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Health literacy holds significant importance for medical professionals, as it is widely acknowledged as a key element in enhancing health promotion and overall well-being. The primary objective of this study is to explore Greek physicians' comprehension of health literacy, the significance they attribute to it, their strategies for addressing patients with low health literacy, and the potential barriers they face while striving to enhance a patient's health literacy. In this context, we examine the communication methods employed by physicians as an integral part of their approach to improving a patient's health literacy. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted between April 29, 2021, and February 17, 2022, utilizing in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 30 Greek medical professionals, of whom 15 were university professors. The research sample selection methodology employed in this study was purposive sampling. Data analysis was conducted using inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: The majority of physicians were not familiar with the concept of health literacy. The most significant barriers to the development of health literacy among physicians are a lack of time, issues within the healthcare system, and interference from third parties, although they acknowledge that a significant portion of the responsibility lies with them. Effective communication with patients is important for all physicians, as it plays a crucial role in the therapeutic process. When they realize that their patients are not understanding them, they employ communication methods such as using plain language, providing numerous examples, incorporating visuals like pictures and even using drawings. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study underscore the importance of implementing targeted initiatives to promote health literacy within the Greek medical and academic community. Integrating health literacy training for physicians into the educational and training curriculum is essential. To accomplish this goal, it is imperative to first address the shortcomings within the healthcare system and improve the working conditions for physicians.

Medical Doctors Approaches and Understanding of Health Literacy: A Systematic Literature Review.

A physician's role is critical in fostering patient health literacy (HL) and influencing various aspects, including patient-physician communication and treatment effectiveness. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to analyze physicians' perspectives, comprehension, and management of HL. The focus of this review is on physicians' views, opinions, experiences, and strategies related to HL. We conducted comprehensive searches across seven databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Science Direct, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Original research articles published between January 1, 2009, and July 31, 2020, were considered for inclusion. This literature review incorporates qualitative studies and mixed-methods studies, with a focus on extracting qualitative data. Among the 22 articles included in our review, we employed the method of inductive thematic analysis for data analysis. A detailed description of the review methodology can be found in a previously published protocol available through PROSPERO (CRD42020212599). The themes that emerged from the thematic analysis include: (a) physicians' perception and management of HL; and (b) barriers. The results of the systematic review reveal that healthcare professionals exhibit varying perceptions of patients' HL levels and ascribe different meanings to it. However, none of them employ a specific measuring tool. While there appears to be no uniform approach to managing patients with low HL, some prioritize certain communication strategies, such as repetition, simplified language, and providing written instructions, among others. Most physicians cited multiple barriers that impede the development of patients' HL, including dysfunctions within the healthcare system, staff shortages, managing a large number of patients, limited time, work-related stress, cultural and socio-economic barriers, medical jargon, and language barriers. Considering the pivotal role of physicians in fostering patient HL, it is crucial to enhance medical education in addressing and managing HL, both within academic curricula and through continuing education seminars. Furthermore, there is a pressing need to improve healthcare professionals' working conditions, ensuring that each physician can allocate the necessary time to each patient based on their individual needs, without being hindered by stress-inducing work environments.

Microvesicle-Mediated Tissue Regeneration Mitigates the Effects of Cellular Ageing.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), comprising microvesicles (MVs) and exosomes (Exos), are membranous vesicles secreted by cells which mediate the repair of cellular and tissue damage via paracrine mechanisms. The action of EVs under normative and morbid conditions in the context of ageing remains largely unexplored. We demonstrate that MVs, but not Exos, from Pathfinder cells (PCs), a putative stem cell regulatory cell type, enhance the repair of human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) co-cultures, following both mechanical and genotoxic stress. Critically, this effect was found to be both cellular age and stress specific. Notably, MV treatment was unable to repair mechanical injury in older co-cultures but remained therapeutic following genotoxic stress. These observations were further confirmed in human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) co-cultures of increasing cellular age. In a model of comorbidity comprising co-cultures of HDFs and highly senescent abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) VSMCs, MV administration appeared to be senotherapeutic, following both mechanical and genotoxic stress. Our data provide insights into EVs and the specific roles they play during tissue repair and ageing. These data will potentiate the development of novel cell-free therapeutic interventions capable of attenuating age-associated morbidities and avoiding undesired effects.

Advancing athletic assessment by integrating conventional methods with cutting-edge biomedical technologies for comprehensive performance, wellness, and longevity insights.

In modern athlete assessment, the integration of conventional biochemical and ergophysiologic monitoring with innovative methods like telomere analysis, genotyping/phenotypic profiling, and metabolomics has the potential to offer a comprehensive understanding of athletes' performance and potential longevity. Telomeres provide insights into cellular functioning, aging, and adaptation and elucidate the effects of training on cellular health. Genotype/phenotype analysis explores genetic variations associated with athletic performance, injury predisposition, and recovery needs, enabling personalization of training plans and interventions. Metabolomics especially focusing on low-molecular weight metabolites, reveal metabolic pathways and responses to exercise. Biochemical tests assess key biomarkers related to energy metabolism, inflammation, and recovery. Essential elements depict the micronutrient status of the individual, which is critical for optimal performance. Echocardiography provides detailed monitoring of cardiac structure and function, while burnout testing evaluates psychological stress, fatigue, and readiness for optimal performance. By integrating this scientific testing battery, a multidimensional understanding of athlete health status can be achieved, leading to personalized interventions in training, nutrition, supplementation, injury prevention, and mental wellness support. This scientifically rigorous approach hereby presented holds significant potential for improving athletic performance and longevity through evidence-based, individualized interventions, contributing to advances in the field of sports performance optimization.

Cardiotoxicity of Non-Anthracycline Cancer Chemotherapy Agents.

Throughout the last decades, newly developed chemotherapeutic agents and immunotherapies that target signaling pathways have provided patients with better prognoses, improved their quality of life and increased survival rates, thus converting cancer to a stable chronic disease. However, non-anthracycline cancer chemotherapy agents and immunotherapies including human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) inhibitors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors, Bcr-Abl tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKI), proteasome inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T cells) may cause cardiovascular toxicity events and complications that usually interrupt the continuation of an appropriate treatment regimen, which induces life-threatening risks or leads to long-term morbidity. Heart failure, cardiac arrythmias and cardiomyopathies are the most common cardiovascular events related to cardiotoxicity due to chemotherapy. Each patient should be carefully assessed and monitored before, during and after the administration of chemotherapy, to address any predisposing risk factors and the new onset of cardiotoxicity manifestations early and treat them appropriately. The development of novel anticancer agents that cause minimal cardiovascular toxicity events or novel agents that ameliorate the adverse effects of the existing anticancer agents could drastically change the field of cardio-oncology. The aim of this narrative review is to demonstrate new knowledge regarding the screening and diagnosis of non-anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and to propose protective measures that could be performed in order to achieve the delivery of optimal care.

Identifying Differing Intracellular Cargo Release Mechanisms by Monitoring In Vitro Drug Delivery from MOFs in Real Time.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been proposed as biocompatible candidates for the targeted intracellular delivery of chemotherapeutic payloads, but the site of drug loading and subsequent effect on intracellular release is often overlooked. Here, we analyze doxorubicin delivery to cancer cells by MIL-101(Cr) and UiO-66 in real time. Having experimentally and computationally verified that doxorubicin is pore loaded in MIL-101(Cr) and surface loaded on UiO-66, different time-dependent cytotoxicity profiles are observed by real-time cell analysis and confocal microscopy. The attenuated release of aggregated doxorubicin from the surface of Dox@UiO-66 results in a 12 to 16 h induction of cytotoxicity, while rapid release of pore-dispersed doxorubicin from Dox@MIL-101(Cr) leads to significantly higher intranuclear localization and rapid cell death. In verifying real-time cell analysis as a versatile tool to assess biocompatibility and drug delivery, we show that the localization of drugs in (or on) MOF nanoparticles controls delivery profiles and is key to understanding in vitro modes of action.

Extracellular Vesicles, Ageing, and Therapeutic Interventions.

A more comprehensive understanding of the human ageing process is required to help mitigate the increasing burden of age-related morbidities in a rapidly growing global demographic of elderly individuals. One exciting novel strategy that has emerged to intervene involves the use of extracellular vesicles to engender tissue regeneration. Specifically, this employs their molecular payloads to confer changes in the epigenetic landscape of ageing cells and ameliorate the loss of functional capacity. Understanding the biology of extracellular vesicles and the specific roles they play during normative ageing will allow for the development of novel cell-free therapeutic interventions. Hence, the purpose of this review is to summarise the current understanding of the mechanisms that drive ageing, critically explore how extracellular vesicles affect ageing processes and discuss their therapeutic potential to mitigate the effects of age-associated morbidities and improve the human health span.

Microvesicles as Vehicles for Tissue Regeneration: Changing of the Guards.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Microvesicles (MVs) have been recognised as mediators of stem cell function, enabling and guiding their regenerative effects. RECENT FINDINGS: MVs constitute one unique size class of extracellular vesicles (EVs) directly shed from the cell plasma membrane. They facilitate cell-to-cell communication via intercellular transfer of proteins, mRNA and microRNA (miRNA). MVs derived from stem cells, or stem cell regulatory cell types, have proven roles in tissue regeneration and repair processes. Their role in the maintenance of healthy tissue function throughout the life course and thus in age related health span remains to be elucidated. SUMMARY: Understanding the biogenesis and mechanisms of action of MVs may enable the development of cell-free therapeutics capable of assisting in tissue maintenance and repair for a variety of age-related degenerative diseases. This review critically evaluates recent work published in this area and highlights important new findings demonstrating the use of MVs in tissue regeneration.

Investigation of functional properties and color changes of corn extrudates enriched with broccoli or olive paste.

Following the tendency of replacing common food snacks with healthier food products, extruded snacks with corn flour and broccoli (4-10%) or olive paste (4-8%) were investigated in this study. The effect of material characteristics, including feed moisture content (14-19%), and broccoli or olive paste concentration, and extrusion conditions, including screw speed (150-250 r/min), and extrusion temperature (140-180 ℃), on the functional properties (water absorption index, water solubility index, and oil absorption index), as well as color change (ΔE) of the extruded snacks was studied. Regression analysis showed that screw speed did not significantly influence (p > 0.05) the properties. After mathematical modelling it was found that broccoli and olive paste concentration, as well as temperature increment, caused a decrease in water absorption index (minimum of 5.6 and 6.4 g/g sample, respectively) and an increase in water solubility index (maximum of 18.7 and 10.9 g/100 g sample, respectively), while feed moisture presented opposite tendency. Higher extrusion temperature led to an increment of oil absorption index (approximately to 1.2 and 1 mL/g sample) and decrement of color changes. Finally, feed moisture and broccoli concentration lowered oil absorption index and color of corn/broccoli extrudates, while olive paste concentration caused their increment.

Forces driving change in medical diagnostics.

This article reviews the external forces that affect and shape the future of medical diagnostics. A PESTELI model is retrospectively used to highlight the factors that drive change at an operational and management level. The author describes the future picture of clinical laboratory diagnostics and proposes ways to overcome current and pending challenges on clinical laboratories and university curriculum. An international committee with broad expertise in clinical laboratory diagnostics is proposed to examine these changes and provide guidance.

What does the future hold for pathology? An educational approach.

This article offers a review of the current status quo for biomedical science, from an educational and professional perspective. The author provides suggestions as to how we can create a new training program for biomedical science, in line with the recently published consultation paper Modernising Scientific Careers.