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Electromagnetic radiation can be classified into two major types depending on its ability to detach electrons from atoms: ionising and non-ionising. The aforementioned categorization is significant due to the effects of ionising radiation on human tissue (e.g. carcinogenesis). However, many students around the globe cannot distinguish these two types of electromagnetic radiation and as a result significant misconceptions arise regarding this topic (for example radiation emitted by mobile phones is considered by many students as ionising). Hence, in this paper a teaching approach specifically designed and implemented for the secondary education level is presented, based on the absorbed energy distribution by atoms/molecules in each radiation type. More specifically, the number of atoms/molecules that absorb equal doses of energy per unit mass can be used in order to explain the difference in the effects caused by the two abovementioned radiation types. Also, two analogies from classical mechanics are presented to provide a full insight into the energy distribution concept from a teaching perspective.

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a very common cause of mortality and morbidity. The distinction between infected and non-infected DFU remains a very challenging task for clinicians in everyday practice. Even when infection is documented, the spectrum of diabetic foot infection is wide, ranging from cellulitis and soft tissue infection to osteomyelitis. Procalcitonin (PCT), a well-established sepsis biomarker, has been used in the diagnosis of several infections including osteomyelitis in patients with diabetes mellitus. This review gathers and presents all the relevant data, up until now, regarding the use of PCT as an assessment tool in diabetic patients with foot infection. Current evidence suggests that PCT levels could aid clinicians in distinguishing infected from non-infected DFUs as well as in the distinction between soft tissue infection and bone involvement, but further and larger studies are warranted to confirm these findings.

Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) constitute a diverse superfamily of NAD(P) + -dependent enzymes pivotal in oxidizing endogenous and exogenous aldehydes to carboxylic acids. Beyond metabolic roles, ALDHs participate in essential biological processes, including differentiation, embryogenesis and the DNA damage response, while also serving as markers for cancer stem cells (CSCs). Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1B1 (ALDH1B1) is a mitochondrial enzyme involved in the detoxification of lipid peroxidation by-products and metabolism of various aldehyde substrates. This study examines the potential role of ALDH1B1 in human lung adenocarcinoma and its association with the CSC phenotype. To this end, we utilized the lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549, engineered to stably express the human ALDH1B1 protein tagged with green fluorescent protein (GFP). Overexpression of ALDH1B1 led to notable changes in cell morphology, proliferation rate and clonogenic efficiency. Furthermore, ALDH1B1-overexpressing A549 cells exhibited enhanced resistance to the chemotherapeutic agents etoposide and cisplatin. Additionally, ALDH1B1 overexpression correlated with increased migratory potential and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), mediated by the upregulation of transcription factors such as SNAI2 , ZEB2 and TWIST1 , alongside the downregulation of E-cadherin . Moreover, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient analysis using data from 507 publicly available lung adenocarcinoma clinical samples revealed a significant correlation between ALDH1B1 and various molecules implicated in CSC-related signaling pathways, including Wnt, Notch, hypoxia, Hedgehog, retinoic acid, Hippo, NF-κΒ, TGF-β, PI3K/PTEN-AKT and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. These findings provide insights into the role of ALDH1B1 in lung tumor progression and its relation to the lung CSC phenotype, thereby offering potential therapeutic targets in the clinical management of lung adenocarcinoma.

This study assesses the prevalence of hepatitis D virus (HDV) in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) in Greece. Given the compounding effects of HDV and hepatitis B (HBV) on liver disease progression, as well as the emergence of new therapeutic options such as bulevirtide, understanding regional disparities and the epidemiological impact of such co-infections is vital. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted utilizing 696 serum samples from PLWHIV attending five major university hospitals. The methodology included HDV antibody detection by ELISA and HDV RNA confirmation. Of the 30 HBsAg-positive samples analyzed, the study population was primarily male (93%), with a median age of 54 years. Participants had been on antiretroviral therapy for a median of 10 years, and the median CD4 count was 738 (539-1006) copies/mL. Additional serological findings revealed a 7% prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) IgG antibodies and a 55% prevalence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) IgG antibodies. Seroreactivity for syphilis (RPR/VDRL/TPHA positive) was identified in 33% of the participants. The results indicated a low HDV prevalence, with only one individual (3%) testing positive for anti-HDV IgG antibodies and none for HDV RNA. This indicates a lower prevalence of HDV among PLWHIV with chronic HBV in Greece compared to global data.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) poses significant health concerns worldwide, particularly among people living with HIV (PLWHIV), due to an increased risk of chronic infection and progression to cirrhosis in individuals with low CD4 cell counts. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, chronicity potential, and risk factors of HEV infection among PLWHIV in Greece, where data are currently absent. A synchronic multicentric study encompassing five major Greek university hospitals was executed over 24 months, recruiting 696 PLWHIV participants. The prevalence of HEV IgG antibodies was 16.5%, with 8.6% showing evidence of acute HEV infection (HEV IgM). Active viral replication (HEV RNA) was present in 2.3% of the study population. Longitudinal analysis revealed that of the 25 initially anti-HEV IgM-positive individuals, only 3 seroconverted to IgG positivity, and among those with prior HEV RNA positivity (16), none showed evidence of active replication in subsequent tests. Comparative subgroup analysis highlighted the lack of significant differences in HIV-related parameters between HEV seropositive and seronegative individuals. Laboratory evaluations generally showed no significant disparities across most parameters; however, a higher seropositivity for Hepatitis A was observed in the HEV-positive subgroup. Our findings highlight a considerable prevalence of HEV among PLWHIV in Greece, with no observed cases of chronicity.