Evaluating Greek pharmacists' attitudes and barriers regarding medicines adherence.

Unlabelled: Adherence constitutes an integral aspect of achieving consistently good clinical results. Understanding pharmacists' perceptions and attitudes, along with existing barriers is essential on the roadmap of enhancing patient adherence. This constitutes the goal of this study.

Short-Chained Linear Scorpion Peptides: A Pool for Novel Antimicrobials.

Scorpion venom peptides are generally classified into two main groups: the disulfide bridged peptides (DBPs), which usually target membrane-associated ion channels, and the non-disulfide bridged peptides (NDBPs), a smaller group with multifunctional properties. In the past decade, these peptides have gained interest because most of them display functions that include antimicrobial, anticancer, haemolytic, and anti-inflammatory activities. Our current study focuses on the short (9-19 amino acids) antimicrobial linear scorpion peptides.

An assessment of a biosensor system for the quantification of microcystins in freshwater cyanobacterial blooms.

Microcystin-producing cyanobacterial blooms are a global issue threatening drinking water supplies and recreation on lakes and beaches. Direct measurement of microcystins is the only way to ensure waters have concentrations below guideline concentrations; however, analyzing water for microcystins takes several hours to days to obtain data. We tested LightDeck Diagnostics' bead beater cell lysis and two versions of the quantification system designed to give microcystin concentrations within 20 min and compared it to the standard freeze-thaw cycle lysis method and ELISA quantification.

Exploring public knowledge and perceptions regarding per os OTC pain-relieving medications: the case of paracetamol (acetaminophen).

Background: Over-the-counter medications (OTC) are safe and effective when patients follow the patient's information leaflet (PIL) instructions and/or the instructions given by healthcare professionals (HCPs). However, OTC medications could be harmful and unsafe when individuals do not follow the given instructions and/or when their understanding about the proper use of OTC medications is incorrect. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and perceptions of people regarding paracetamol use in the Republic of Cyprus.

A call for digital inclusion initiatives in mental health services: An integrative review.

Unlabelled: WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Digital tools such as video calls or mobile phone applications (apps) are increasingly used in the provision of mental healthcare. There is evidence that people with mental health problems are more likely to face digital exclusion: that is, they do not have access to devices and/or skills to use technology. This leaves some people unable to use digital mental health services (e.

Chitosan Nanogel with Mixed Food Plants and Its Relation to Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic and Meta-Analysis Review of Observational Studies.

This systematic review with metanalysis evaluated and analyzed the beneficial effects of certain plants food in type 2 diabetes (T2D) when consumed alone or in combination with chitosan. The main objective of the paper was to examine the relation of chitosan nanogel and mixed food plant (MFP) to control T2D. The databases included Medline, Scopus, PubMed, as well as Cochrane available between the month of January 1990 to January 2021.

Effect of supplementation on Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Markers: A Pilot Study.

L. contains compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, but its effects on exercise-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses are unclear. The aim of this study was to examine whether L.

Ligand and Structure-Based Virtual Screening in Combination, to Evaluate Small Organic Molecules as Inhibitors for the XIAP Anti-Apoptotic Protein: The Xanthohumol Hypothesis.

Herein, we propose two chalcone molecules, (E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(p-tolyl) prop-2-en-1-one and (E)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl) prop-2-en-1-one, based on the anticancer bioactive molecule Xanthohumol, which are suitable for further in vitro and in vivo studies. Their ability to create stable complexes with the antiapoptotic X-linked IAP (XIAP) protein makes them promising anticancer agents. The calculations were based on ligand-based and structure-based virtual screening combined with the pharmacophore build.

NGIWY-Amide: A Bioinspired Ultrashort Self-Assembled Peptide Gelator for Local Drug Delivery Applications.

Fibrillar structures derived from plant or animal origin have long been a source of inspiration for the design of new biomaterials. The Asn-Gly-Ile-Trp-Tyr-NH (NGIWY-amide) pentapeptide, isolated from the sea cucumber , which spontaneously self-assembles in water to form hydrogel, pertains to this category. In this study, we evaluated this ultra-short cosmetic bioinspired peptide as vector for local drug delivery applications.

Therapeutic engagement in robot-assisted psychological interventions: A systematic review.

Purpose: Therapeutic engagement is a key component of psychological interventions. Robot-assisted psychological interventions appear to have therapeutic benefits for service users that are challenging to engage. However, engagement with robots in robot-assisted psychological interventions is not well understood.

Clickable decellularized extracellular matrix as a new tool for building hybrid-hydrogels to model chronic fibrotic diseases in vitro.

Fibrotic disorders account for over one third of mortalities worldwide. Despite great efforts to study the cellular and molecular processes underlying fibrosis, there are currently few effective therapies. Dual-stage polymerization reactions are an innovative tool for recreating heterogeneous increases in extracellular matrix (ECM) modulus, a hallmark of fibrotic diseases in vivo.

Optimized and Validated HPLC Analysis of St. John's Wort Extract and Final Products by Simultaneous Determination of Major Ingredients.

Aim of this work was to develop a validated high performance liquid chromatography method for the analysis of extracts and final products of St. John's wort, according to international guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column with a combination of gradient and isocratic steps; the mobile phase composed of ammonium acetate solution (pH 4.

The development and validation of a questionnaire for rotator cuff disorders: The Functional Shoulder Score.

Background: The purpose of the present study was to validate the Functional Shoulder Score (FSS), a new patient-reported outcome score specifically designed to evaluate patients with rotator cuff disorders.

Methods: One hundred and nineteen patients were assessed using two shoulder scoring systems [the FSS and the Constant-Murley Score (CMS)] at 3 weeks pre- and 6 months post-arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery. The reliability, validity, responsiveness and interpretability of the FSS were evaluated.

Ultrasound for the detection of full-thickness rotator cuff tears: the learning curve for an orthopaedic surgeon using a novel training method.

Background: The present study aims to add to the body of evidence delineating the learning curve for a shoulder surgeon to become proficient in focussed ultrasound for the detection of full-thickness rotator cuff tears, as well as to describe a learning method for this skill.

Methods: Consecutive patients who were scheduled to undergo an arthroscopy for rotator cuff disease were scanned immediately before surgery by a senior shoulder surgeon with limited previous experience of shoulder ultrasound. The presence or absence of a full-thickness rotator cuff tear on scan was compared with intra-operative findings as the gold standard.

Prevalence of anti-Neu5Gc antibodies in patients with hypothyroidism.

Background: N-Glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) is a sialic acid synthesized by animals, but not by humans or birds. However, it can be incorporated in human cells and can trigger immune response. In the present study, we detected anti-Neu5Gc antibodies in samples of the general population and of patients suffering from hypothyroidism/Hashimoto's disease, which is known to have autoimmune origin.

Study of the lipidemic profile of diabetic patients. Negative correlation of cholesterol levels of diabetes type I patients with serum amylase concentration.

Diabetes Mellitus type I (DM1) and II (DM2) share the common characteristic of high blood glucose concentration and the health complications resulting from uncontrolled hyperglycemia such as hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular problems, stroke, ketoacidosis, kidney failure and blindness but have different etiology. DM1 is practically an autoimmune disease. Genetic susceptibility together with environmental factors leads to disease development.

Cyprus health system review.

The health system in Cyprus comprises separate public and private systems of similar size. The public system, which is financed by the state budget, is highly centralized and tightly controlled by the Ministry of Health. Entitlement to receive free health services is based on residency and income level.

Serum antioxidant status among young, middle-aged and elderly people before and after antioxidant rich diet.

Background: The influence of factors such as age, sex, life style and smoking on oxidative stress status of the organism remains unclear. There is evidence that dietary intake of antioxidants is thought to enforce the organism ability to counteract free radicals. Administration of synthetic antioxidants as dietary supplements does not seem to have the same beneficial effect as consumption of the same antioxidants as part of food ingredients.

Pleiotrophin expression and role in physiological angiogenesis in vivo: potential involvement of nucleolin.

Background: Pleiotrophin (PTN) is a heparin-binding growth factor with significant role(s) in tumour growth and angiogenesis. Although implication of endogenous PTN has been studied in several in vivo models of tumour angiogenesis, its role in physiological angiogenesis has not been addressed. In the present work, we studied expression and functional significance of endogenous PTN during angiogenesis in the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM).

Outcome differences across transplant centers: comparison of two methods for public reporting.

Background And Objectives: Reporting of standardized patient and graft survival rates by the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) aims to influence transplant centers to improve their performance. The methodology currently used is based on calculating observed-to-expected (OE) ratios for every center. Its accuracy has not been evaluated.

Insights into ectopic estrogen receptor expression, nucleocytoplasmic distribution and interaction with chromatin obtained with new antibodies to estrogen receptors α and β.

Recent reports have indicated that in cells ectopically expressing only ERα or the full-length hormone-binding isoform of ERβ (ERβ1), the receptors interact with chromatin with different efficacies and that antibodies capable of probing such interactions by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) are scarce. We therefore produced nine subtype and isoform-specific antibodies to ERα or ERβ and validated their performance in receptor probing in cell lines and tissue biopsies by various immunochemical methods, including ChIP. We also produced clones of HEK-293 cells stably transfected with an estrogen response element (ERE)-dependent luciferase reporter and ERα or ERβ1, in order to comparatively study their interaction with reporter ERE.