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Health-related information can often be overwhelming for consumers resulting in difficulty in interpretation and application. Historically, art and narratives have played key roles in communication within diverse populations however collectively have received little recognition as a means to enable health literacy. This study aims to investigate patient/caregiver narratives and visual art as a modality to improve knowledge translation and health literacy in the wider community. Nine recently discharged patients and 1 caregiver from a regional hospital were paired with 10 tertiary visual arts students for interview. Each narrative was transformed into visual art and exhibited at a community art gallery and to high school art students. Self-reported questionnaires generated data in subjective experience and learning outcomes. Health literacy was evaluated via voluntary gallery viewer and school student response surveys post-exhibition exposure. Exhibition surveys revealed 96.9% of gallery observers had learnt something new about illness or injury. High school students found the activity had improved (42%) or somewhat improved (38%) their understanding of illness and injury. Our findings suggest patient/caregiver narratives and visual art are equitable and effectual modalities for health service organizations to facilitate, affective and experiential learning, and improve health literacy within the community.

How mitochondria reconcile roles in functionally divergent cell death pathways of apoptosis and NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis remains elusive, as is their precise role in NLRP3 activation and the evolutionarily conserved physiological function of NLRP3. Here, we have shown that when cells were challenged simultaneously, apoptosis was inhibited and NLRP3 activation prevailed. Apoptosis inhibition by structurally diverse NLRP3 activators, including nigericin, imiquimod, extracellular ATP, particles, and viruses, was not a consequence of inflammasome activation but rather of their effects on mitochondria. NLRP3 activators turned out as oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibitors, which we found to disrupt mitochondrial cristae architecture, leading to trapping of cytochrome c. Although this effect was alone not sufficient for NLRP3 activation, OXPHOS inhibitors became triggers of NLRP3 when combined with resiquimod or Yoda-1, suggesting that NLRP3 activation requires two simultaneous cellular signals, one of mitochondrial origin. Therefore, OXPHOS and apoptosis inhibition by NLRP3 activators provide stringency in cell death decisions., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests E.N. and O. Groß are coinventors on patent applications for immunomodulators and co-founders of EMUNO Therapeutics, a company developing drugs that control immunity to address unmet clinical needs. None of the drug candidates in patenting or development were used in this study., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Issue Addressed: Health-related information can often be overwhelming for consumers, frequently infused with complex medical terminology that is difficult to understand and apply. Historically empathic connection, art and narratives have played key roles in communicating with diverse populations however collectively have received little recognition as a modality to improve health literacy. This study aimed to investigate the empathetic connection between art and patient narratives with a view to improve health literacy in the wider community., Methods: Nine recently discharged patients and one carer from a regional hospital were paired with 10 tertiary visual arts students for interview. Each narrative was transformed into visual art and exhibited at a community art gallery. The Empathy Quotient (EQ), Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and self-completed questionnaires assessed empathy and functional well-being. Health literacy was evaluated through community response surveys post-exhibition exposure., Results: Student artist participants' EQ Cognitive Empathy (EQ-CE) scores were associated with 'Emotional Reactivity' (EQ-ER) (p = .038). SF-36 scores revealed that role limitations due to physical health and emotional problems had the greatest impact on patient/carer participant's life at the time. The SF-36 General Health domain was associated with the EQ-ER total score (p = .044). Exhibition surveys revealed that 96.9% of observers had learnt something new about illness or injury. SO WHAT?: Although a relatively small study, our findings suggest patient/carer narratives and visual art is a simple yet effective modality for health service organisations to facilitate affective learning and improve health literacy when engaging with consumers., (© 2024 The Author(s). Health Promotion Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Health Promotion Association.)