The association of the self-reported experience of the 10 steps to successful breastfeeding and sociodemographic characteristics with breastfeeding self-efficacy.

Background: The effect of Breastfeeding Self-efficacy (BFSE) and the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative's (BFHI) 10 Steps on breastfeeding initiation, continuation and exclusivity, is well established. However, direct evidence about the association between the experience of the 10 steps and self-efficacy is limited.

Objective: To assess the association between adherence to the 'Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding', sociodemographic factors and other predictors with breastfeeding self-efficacy (BFSE) at 48 h and at one month postpartum.

Marketing Management and Policymaking for Medical Cannabis: Overcoming Barriers and Shaping Strategies.

Objective: Medical cannabis has emerged as a promising therapeutic option, but its market acceptance faces significant regulatory, societal, and scientific challenges. This study explores pharmaceutical business managers' perspectives on marketing strategies, brand architecture, and the value proposition of medical cannabis, aiming to identify approaches to overcome these barriers and guide policymaking.

Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 pharmaceutical managers to explore key challenges and strategies.

Selenium-coated chitosan nanoparticles (CTS-Se NPs) improve grapevine (Vitis vinifera cv. Sultana) performance grown under lead (Pb) toxicity.

Background: Selenium-coated chitosan nanoparticles (CTS-Se NPs) have been proposed as innovative engineered nanoparticles with the potential to alleviate various abiotic stresses, thereby enhancing plant growth and productivity. However, evidence of their efficacy remains limited. In this study, the effects of CTS-Se NPs (10 and 20 mg L⁻¹), along with CTS NPs (0.

Extraction and analysis of cannabinoids: A decade of progress, challenges and future directions.

Cannabis is the most widely consumed illicit drug worldwide and its rapid expansion into medical and recreational markets has highlighted the need for effective analytical techniques. The analysis of major cannabinoids and their metabolites in different matrices has recently gained considerable attention in fields such as forensics, healthcare, environmental monitoring, and the cannabis food industry. However, the complexity of these matrices, ranging from biological samples to cannabis-infused products, raises significant challenges that require selective and effective extraction methods prior to chromatographic analysis.

Mapping and Assessing Existing Digital Skills Training Programs for Health Care Professionals and Health Managers in Europe: Expert-Based Survey for Investigating the Landscape, Accessibility, and Effectiveness of Training Initiatives.

Background: Digital skills training in health is crucial to ensure that the health care workforce is equipped to leverage the potential of digital technologies in delivering efficient and effective care. Identifying existing training programs can be valuable to describe gaps and opportunities for acceleration in the digital age.

Objective: This study aimed to map and assess existing continuous education and professional development training options in digital skills in health.

Alleviation of the effect of salinity on pomegranate seedlings by priming foliar spray of chitosan-silicon nanoparticles (CTS-SiO NPs).

Background: Today, improving the nutritional status of plants using external supplements, particularly based on nanotechnology, is of great importance to compensate for the damage caused by abiotic stresses. Salinity is one of the chief environmental stresses limiting the growth and yield of crops by reducing the osmotic potential and disrupting the absorption of water and nutrients. The present study was conducted to compare the priming effect of foliar spraying the following treatments: silicon nanoparticles (SiO NPs; 50 mg L), chitosan nanoparticles (CTS NPs; 0.

Seed Coatings with Melatonin-Embedded Hydrogel Biopolymers as Green Tools to Mitigate Salinity Stress in Tomato Plants.

Improving plant tolerance against abiotic stress factors is important for sustaining global food security. Plants show prolonged, increased tolerance upon exposure to suboptimal environmental conditions when treated at the seed stage with certain chemical agents of natural or synthetic origin, resulting in higher crop yields. Polymers such as naturally derived hydrogels (HYDR) provide a smart delivery system for phytohormones.

Performance of the Prevalence of Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis Risk Score in the cohort of the Cyprus Epidemiological Study on Atherosclerosis.

Background: There has been a continuous debate on the value of screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis (CAS) because of the low prevalence in the general population as well as the risk of complications associated with surgical intervention. The aim of the study was to determine the association between the Prevalence of Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis (PACAS) risk score and (a) the prevalence of asymptomatic CAS ≥50%, ≥70%, <50%, and the prevalence of two or more bifurcations with plaque (carotid or common femoral), (b) the risk of stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and (c) the effect of two or more bifurcations (carotid or common femoral) with plaque (BWP) in up classifying subjects into higher risk in the cohort of the Cyprus Epidemiological Study on Atherosclerosis (CESA).

Methods: CESA is a prospective study in the Republic of Cyprus with 1102 subjects aged 40-89 at baseline of which 1000 were free of ASCVD at recruitment.

Explainable artificial intelligence in the prediction of high-risk asymptomatic carotid plaques based on ultrasonic image features.

Background: The addition of ultrasonic plaque texture features to clinical features in patients with asymptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis (ACS) improved the ability of a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model to identify plaques that are likely to produce stroke. However, SVM like many Artificial Intelligence (AI) black-box models lack transparency, limiting their adoption in critical settings. Explainable AI (XAI) techniques offer potential solutions by making model decision more interpretable.

Phantom-based assessment of focused ultrasound thermal effects with conventional magnetic resonance imaging.

Background And Objective: This study presents key findings from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-guided Focused Ultrasound (FUS) sonication experiments in a specialized gel phantom, aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of using conventional T1-Weighted (T1-W) and T2-Weighted (T2-W) Turbo Spin Echo (TSE) sequences to assess FUS thermal effects and related system performance.

Methods: Three custom-manufactured, single-element spherically focused ultrasonic transducers were utilized in this study. The temporal regression of lesions induced by high-power FUS in the phantom model was investigated within a 3T MRI scanner for both employed sequences.

Pilot-scale production of high-purity struvite fertilizer from livestock waste: Outcomes of the RE-LIVE WASTE project in Cyprus.

Decarbonizing fertilizer production necessitates the development of innovative practices for producing waste-derived fertilizers, that will mitigate environmental degradation from waste disposal. Struvite crystallization (SC) is a well-known practice for nutrient recovery from waste by producing struvite (MgNHPO·6HO) fertilizers. However, research on SC upgrading from livestock waste is limited.

Accelerated vascular ageing after COVID-19 infection: the CARTESIAN study.

Background And Aims: Increasing evidence suggests that COVID-19 survivors experience long-term cardiovascular complications possibly through development of vascular damage. The study aimed to investigate whether accelerated vascular ageing occurs after COVID-19 infection, and if so, identify its determinants.

Methods: This prospective, multicentric, cohort study, included 34 centres in 16 countries worldwide, in 4 groups of participants-COVID-19-negative controls (ⅰ) and three groups of individuals with recent (6 ± 3 months) exposure to SARS-CoV-2: not hospitalized (ⅱ), hospitalized in general wards (ⅲ), and hospitalized in intensive care units (ⅳ).

"What You Leave…Will Leave You": A Qualitative Study of Perceptions of Midwifery's Intangible Heritage and Professional Identity Among Midwives and Student Midwives in Cyprus.

Background: Midwifery's Intangible Heritage was officially recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on 6 December 2023, highlighting that elements of midwifery knowledge and practice, shaped over generations, constitute cultural heritage worth safeguarding. While previous studies have investigated midwives' perceptions of professional identity, none have done so within the explicit framework of MIH.

Objective: this study explored how midwives and student midwives in Cyprus perceive the intangible heritage of their profession and how it relates to their shared professional identity.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging monitoring of histotripsy effects in agar phantom.

Background: While the technical aspects of histotripsy have seen significant advancements, research on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) monitoring remains limited.

Purpose: This preliminary study explored the use of conventional T2-Weighted (T2-W) Turbo Spin Echo (TSE) imaging to monitor histotripsy lesions in a pure agar gel, as a potential research tool for MRI-guided histotripsy (MRgHt).

Methods: Histotripsy experiments were conducted in a 3T MRI scanner using a 2% weight per volume agar solution in water.

Leadership and job satisfaction among physicians in the Cyprus public healthcare system.

Introduction: Leadership and job satisfaction constitute important characteristics of health professionals' employment status. We evaluated the association between physicians' leadership and job satisfaction among health professionals in the public health sector of Cyprus.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey with self-administered questionnaires was implemented among all physicians from the public health sector of Cyprus (Ministry of Health, administration offices, public hospitals and healthcare centers).

The Contribution of Basil Essential Oil and Ascorbic Acid Application to the Preservation of Fresh Basil During Shelf Life.

Fresh basil is a widely used herb with distinct attributes (aroma and taste); however, it has a quite limited shelf life. The investigation and use of natural products to preserve fresh commodities is gradually increasing over the years. The current work aimed to investigate the impacts of basil essential oils (EOs) and ascorbic acid (AA) (at varying concentrations and times of submersion) on the quality characteristics of fresh basil stored for 6 days at 4°C.

An exposomics analysis of 125 biomarkers of exposure to food contaminants and biomarkers of oxidative stress: a randomized cross-over chrononutrition trial of healthy adults.

Background: Contaminants in food counteract the beneficial effects of nutrients by interfering with their absorption/distribution/metabolism/excretion characteristics and implicated in chronic disease pathogenesis. The CIRCA CHEM chrononutrition trial was used to expand and replicate its earlier results from two biomarkers of exposure to pesticides to 125 biomarkers of exposure to food contaminants/xenobiotics, using exposomics.

Objectives: We determined i) the effect of time restricted eating (TRE) consumption of fruits and vegetables either in light or dark phases of the 24-h period (five-a-day portions for 14 days), within ad libitum diet on 125 biomarkers of exposure to food-associated contaminants in healthy adults, ii) the chrono-metabolism patterns in biomarker concentrations across/within treatment phases (light vs dark); and iii) the contaminants associated with oxidative stress, including 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal mercapturic acid (HNEMA) and 8-iso prostaglandin F2α (F2A8IP).

Perceptions of health professionals on the health impacts of climate change: a nationwide cross-sectional survey in Greece.

Climate change threatens human health, yet healthcare professionals' knowledge, views, and advocacy roles remain largely underexplored. This study aimed to assess, for the first time in Greece, healthcare professionals' views on climate change's health impacts and their advocacy role in environmental mitigation. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 29-item online questionnaire, distributed nationwide to healthcare professionals in public healthcare facilities.

Novel Whey Fermented Beverage Enriched with a Mixture of Juice Concentrates: Evaluation of Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitory (ACE) Activities Before and After Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestion.

This study explored the development of a novel whey-based fermented beverage enriched with juice concentrates and health-promoting ingredients, emphasizing its bioactive properties. The formulation included whey protein isolate (5%), juice concentrates (10% apple, raspberry, and cranberry), and inulin (4%). Fermentation was carried out with the following strains: (LGG), (431), and (R0052) at 2%.

Efficiency of Electronic Health Record users in the General Health System of Cyprus.

In 2019, Cyprus implemented on a country-wide basis the Electronic Health Record (EHR) system as part of its General Health System (GHS). This study aims to assess the efficiency levels of EHR users within the GHS. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2022 using an electronic self-reported questionnaire.

Experiences and perceptions of pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus: A qualitative study.

Problem: The current antenatal care for women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus in Cyprus does not adequately address their informational and emotional needs, resulting in significant gaps in support and overall care quality.

Background: Pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus are classified as high-risk, with studies highlighting both diabetes-related distress and significant impacts on maternal and fetal health.

Aim: To explore the experiences and perceptions of women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus in Cyprus to identify areas for improvement.

How exposomic tools complement and enrich genomic research.

Because genetics and the environment interact to drive gene expression, we propose that exposomics must now be incorporated into the multi-omics paradigm to complete the overall biological pathway. Exposomics' groundbreaking tools and life-course framework holistically characterize non-genetic (environment) components of chronic diseases and integrate with multi-omics. This work brings forward the importance of the human exposome as a major driver of gene/protein expression across the life course.

Dual role of citric acid: facilitate the bioconversion of CO to CH and enhance bioavailability of zero-valent iron.

Studies on the bioconversion of CO to CH using Fe have reported that a fraction of CO is converted to FeCO, forming a passivation layer on the Fe surface, which reduces its reactivity and limits process efficiency. To mitigate FeCO precipitation and enhance CO-to-CH conversion using Fe, this study evaluates the role of citric acid (CA) as a ligand to Fe, which helps maintain iron in a soluble form and prevents its rapid conversion to insoluble iron carbonate (FeCO). Batch experiments with 30 mM Fe, anaerobic granular sludge (AGS), and NaHCO with CA as a ligand showed that citrate biodegraded into acetic acid and CO gas.

Exogenously applied putrescine and chitosan-putrescine nanocomposite alleviate the negative effects of chilling stress on iceberg lettuce seedlings.

Climate change-induced stressors such as extreme temperatures negatively affect plant growth and development. Therefore, methods are needed to improve plant tolerance to abiotic stresses. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the foliar application of putrescine (Put) and a chitosan-putrescine nanocomposite (Ch-Put) can modulate the antioxidant response and membrane properties of lettuce under chilling stress.

Transfer learning with class activation maps in compositions driving plaque classification in carotid ultrasound.

Introduction: Carotid B-mode ultrasound (U/S) imaging provides more than the degree of stenosis in stroke risk assessment. Plaque morphology and texture have been extensively investigated in U/S images, revealing plaque components, such as juxtaluminal black areas close to lumen (JBAs), whose size is linearly related to the risk of stroke. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have joined the battle for the identification of high-risk plaques, although the ways they perceive asymptomatic (ASY) and symptomatic (SY) plaque features need further investigation.