Design and baseline findings of a large-scale rapid response to an HIV outbreak in people who inject drugs in Athens, Greece: the ARISTOTLE programme

PubMed Central

Hatzakis, Angelos; Sypsa, Vana; Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Nikolopoulos, Georgios; Tsiara, Chrissa; Micha, Katerina; Panopoulos, Anastasios; Malliori, Meni; Psichogiou, Mina; Pharris, Anastasia; Wiessing, Lucas; van de Laar, Marita; Donoghoe, Martin; Heckathorn, Douglas D.; Friedman, Samuel R.; Des Jarlais, Don C.

2016-01-01

Aims To (i) describe an intervention implemented in response to the HIV-1 outbreak among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) in Greece (ARISTOTLE programme), (ii) assess its success in identifying and testing this population and (iii) describe socio-demographic characteristics, risk behaviours and access to treatment/prevention, estimate HIV prevalence and identify risk factors, as assessed at the first participation of PWIDs. Design A ‘seek, test, treat, retain’ intervention employing five rounds of respondent-driven sampling. Setting Athens, Greece (2012–13). Participants A total of 3320 individuals who had injected drugs in the past 12 months. Intervention ARISTOTLE is an intervention that involves reaching out to high-risk, hard-to-reach PWIDs (‘seek’), engaging them in HIV testing and providing information and materials to prevent HIV (‘test’) and initiating and maintaining anti-retroviral and opioid substitution treatment for those testing positive (‘treat’ and ‘retain’). Measurements Blood samples were collected for HIV testing and personal interviews were conducted. Findings ARISTOTLE recruited 3320 PWIDs during the course of 13.5 months. More than half (54%) participated in multiple rounds, resulting in 7113 visits. HIV prevalence was 15.1%. At their first contact with the programme, 12.5% were on opioid substitution treatment programmes and the median number of free syringes they had received in the preceding month was 0. In the multivariable analysis, apart from injection-related variables, homelessness was a risk factor for HIV infection in male PWIDs [odds ratio (OR) yes versus no=1.89, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.41, 2.52]while, in female PWIDS, the number of sexual partners (OR for >5 versus one partner in the past year=4.12, 95% CI=1.93, 8.77) and history of imprisonment (OR yes versus no=2.76, 95% CI=1.43, 5.31) were associated with HIV. Conclusions In Athens, Greece, the ARISTOTLE intervention for identifying HIV

Design and baseline findings of a large-scale rapid response to an HIV outbreak in people who inject drugs in Athens, Greece: the ARISTOTLE programme.

PubMed

Hatzakis, Angelos; Sypsa, Vana; Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Nikolopoulos, Georgios; Tsiara, Chrissa; Micha, Katerina; Panopoulos, Anastasios; Malliori, Meni; Psichogiou, Mina; Pharris, Anastasia; Wiessing, Lucas; van de Laar, Marita; Donoghoe, Martin; Heckathorn, Douglas D; Friedman, Samuel R; Des Jarlais, Don C

2015-09-01

To (i) describe an intervention implemented in response to the HIV-1 outbreak among people who inject drugs (PWIDs) in Greece (ARISTOTLE programme), (ii) assess its success in identifying and testing this population and (iii) describe socio-demographic characteristics, risk behaviours and access to treatment/prevention, estimate HIV prevalence and identify risk factors, as assessed at the first participation of PWIDs. A 'seek, test, treat, retain' intervention employing five rounds of respondent-driven sampling. Athens, Greece (2012-13). A total of 3320 individuals who had injected drugs in the past 12 months. ARISTOTLE is an intervention that involves reaching out to high-risk, hard-to-reach PWIDs ('seek'), engaging them in HIV testing and providing information and materials to prevent HIV ('test') and initiating and maintaining anti-retroviral and opioid substitution treatment for those testing positive ('treat' and 'retain'). Blood samples were collected for HIV testing and personal interviews were conducted. ARISTOTLE recruited 3320 PWIDs during the course of 13.5 months. More than half (54%) participated in multiple rounds, resulting in 7113 visits. HIV prevalence was 15.1%. At their first contact with the programme, 12.5% were on opioid substitution treatment programmes and the median number of free syringes they had received in the preceding month was 0. In the multivariable analysis, apart from injection-related variables, homelessness was a risk factor for HIV infection in male PWIDs [odds ratio (OR) yes versus no = 1.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.41, 2.52] while, in female PWIDS, the number of sexual partners (OR for > 5 versus one partner in the past year = 4.12, 95% CI = 1.93, 8.77) and history of imprisonment (OR yes versus no = 2.76, 95% CI = 1.43, 5.31) were associated with HIV. In Athens, Greece, the ARISTOTLE intervention for identifying HIV-positive people among people who inject drugs (PWID) facilitated rapid

Generation of daylight reference years for two European cities with different climate: Athens, Greece and Bratislava, Slovakia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markou, M. T.; Kambezidis, H. D.; Bartzokas, A.; Darula, S.; Kittler, R.

2007-12-01

In this work, daylight reference years (DRYs), based on daylight and solar radiation measurements, are designed for two European cities, Athens, Greece and Bratislava, Slovakia, by using the Danish method, the Festa-Ratto technique and the Modified Sandia National Laboratories methodology. The data basis consists of 5-minute values of global and diffuse horizontal illuminance, global and diffuse horizontal irradiance, zenith luminance and solar altitude as well as of daily values of sunshine duration for 5 years for Athens and 8 years for Bratislava. Moreover, Linke's turbidity factor, luminous turbidity factor and relative sunshine duration are calculated and utilized. Then, for each DRY, the predominant sky-luminance distributions over Athens and Bratislava are identified, by using the methodology of Kittler et al., who corresponded the main sky conditions to 15 theoretical sky standards in diagrams of the ratio of zenith luminance to diffuse horizontal illuminance against solar altitude. For both cities the three aforementioned methods do not create identical DRYs. Despite the differences, the sky types defined for each of the two places seem not to depend on the choice of DRY. The predominant sky standard, for all of them, is a cloudless, polluted sky with a broad solar corona for Athens and an overcast sky with slight brightening towards the sun as well as very clear sky with low atmospheric turbidity for Bratislava. However, the selection of the DRY, which represents best the daylight conditions, is necessary for studies in saving energy in buildings. The DRY, which is created by the Modified Sandia National Laboratories method, is chosen for most cases, while the one created by the Danish method is also useful on certain occasions.

Indications of correlation between gravity measurements and isoseismal maps. A case study of Athens basin (Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilalos, S.; Alexopoulos, J. D.

2017-05-01

In this paper, we discuss the correlation between isoseismal contour maps and gravity residual anomaly maps and how it might contribute to the characterization of vulnerable areas to earthquake damage, especially in urban areas, where the geophysical data collection is difficult. More specifically, we compare a couple of isoseismal maps that have been produced and published after the catastrophic earthquake of 7th September 1999 (5.9R) in Athens, the metropolis of Greece, with the residual map produced from the processing and data reduction of a gravity survey that has been carried out in the Athens basin recently. The geologic and tectonic regime of the Athens basin is quite complicated and it is still being updated with new elements. Basically it is comprised of four different geotectonic units, one of them considered as the autochthon. During the gravity investigation, 807 gravity stations were collected, based on a grid plan with spacing almost 1 km, covering the entire basin and supported by a newly established gravity base network comprised by thirteen bases. Differential DGPS technique was used for the accurate measurement of all the gravity stations and bases coordinates. After the appropriate data reduction and the construction of the Complete Bouguer Anomaly map, we applied FFT filtering in order to remove the regional component and produce the Residual Anomaly Map. The comparison of the Residual Anomaly Map with the isoseismal contours revealed that the areas with the most damage because of the earthquake were located in the areas with the minimum values of the Residual Anomaly Map.

Lead exposure of the child population in Greece.

PubMed

Maravelias, C; Athanaselis, S; Poulos, L; Alevisopoulos, G; Ewers, U; Koutselinis, A

1994-12-18

Lead exposure of the child population was studied in three different areas in Greece: Kalamata which is a rural area of Southern Greece; Tavros, a district of Athens with a considerable industrial activity; and Lavrion, a small city near Athens where a lead-zinc mining and smelting industrial complex has existed for more than 90 years. The results were evaluated with respect to a number of individual, social and environmental variables (i.e. smelter, occupation of the father) especially those concerning the area of Lavrion which is the most heavily polluted area in Greece. The results of this study can be considered as an index for the extent of the lead pollution problem in the named areas of Greece.

Assessment and prediction of short term hospital admissions: the case of Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kassomenos, P.; Papaloukas, C.; Petrakis, M.; Karakitsios, S.

The contribution of air pollution on hospital admissions due to respiratory and heart diseases is a major issue in the health-environmental perspective. In the present study, an attempt was made to run down the relationships between air pollution levels and meteorological indexes, and corresponding hospital admissions in Athens, Greece. The available data referred to a period of eight years (1992-2000) including the daily number of hospital admissions due to respiratory and heart diseases, hourly mean concentrations of CO, NO 2, SO 2, O 3 and particulates in several monitoring stations, as well as, meteorological data (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed/direction). The relations among the above data were studied through widely used statistical techniques (multivariate stepwise analyses) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Both techniques revealed that elevated particulate concentrations are the dominant parameter related to hospital admissions (an increase of 10 μg m -3 leads to an increase of 10.2% in the number of admissions), followed by O 3 and the rest of the pollutants (CO, NO 2 and SO 2). Meteorological parameters also play a decisive role in the formation of air pollutant levels affecting public health. Consequently, increased/decreased daily hospital admissions are related to specific types of meteorological conditions that favor/do not favor the accumulation of pollutants in an urban complex. In general, the role of meteorological factors seems to be underestimated by stepwise analyses, while ANNs attribute to them a more important role. Comparison of the two models revealed that ANN adaptation in complicate environmental issues presents improved modeling results compared to a regression technique. Furthermore, the ANN technique provides a reliable model for the prediction of the daily hospital admissions based on air quality data and meteorological indices, undoubtedly useful for regulatory purposes.

Readability levels of health pamphlets distributed in hospitals and health centres in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Kondilis, B K; Akrivos, P D; Sardi, T A; Soteriades, E S; Falagas, M E

2010-10-01

Health literacy is important in the medical and social sciences due to its impact on behavioural and health outcomes. Nevertheless, little is known about it in Greece, including patients' level of understanding health brochures and pamphlets distributed in Greek hospitals and clinics. Observational study in the greater metropolitan area of Athens, Greece. Pamphlets and brochures written in the Greek language were collected from 17 hospitals and healthcare centres between the spring and autumn of 2006. Readability of pamphlets using the Flesch-Kincaid, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) and Fog methods was calculated based on a Greek readability software. Out of 70 pamphlets collected from 17 hospitals, 37 pamphlets met the criteria for the study. The average readability level of all scanned pamphlets was ninth to 10th grade, corresponding to a readability level of 'average'. A highly significant difference (P<0.001) was found between private and public hospitals using the Flesch-Kincaid and SMOG readability scales. Pamphlets from private hospitals were one grade more difficult than those from public hospitals. Approximately 43.7% of the Greek population aged ≥20 years would not be able to comprehend the available pamphlets, which were found to have an average readability level of ninth to 10th grade. Further research examining readability levels in the context of health literacy in Greece is warranted. This effort paves the way for additional research in the field of readability levels of health pamphlets in the Greek language, the sources of health information, and the level of understanding of key health messages by the population. Copyright © 2010 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The new open Flexible Emission Inventory for Greece and the Greater Athens Area (FEI-GREGAA): Account of pollutant sources and their importance from 2006 to 2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fameli, Kyriaki-Maria; Assimakopoulos, Vasiliki D.

2016-07-01

Photochemical and particulate pollution problems persist in Athens as they do in various European cities, despite measures taken. Although, for many cities, organized and updated pollutant emissions databases exist, as well as infrastructure for the support of policy implementation, this is not the case for Greece and Athens. So far abstract efforts to create inventories from temporal and spatial annual low resolution data have not lead to the creation of a useful database. The objective of this study was to construct an emission inventory in order to examine the emission trends in Greece and the Greater Athens Area for the period 2006-2012 on a spatial scale of 6 × 6 km2 and 2 × 2 km2, respectively and on a temporal scale of 1 h. Emissions were calculated from stationary combustion sources, transportation (road, navigation and aviation), agriculture and industry obtained from official national and European sources. Moreover, new emission factors were calculated for road transport and aviation. The final database named F.E.I. - GREGAA (Flexible Emission Inventory for GREece and the GAA) is open-structured so as to receive data updates, new pollutants, various emission scenarios and/or different emission factors and be transformed for any grid spacing. Its main purpose is to be used in applications with photochemical models to contribute to the investigation on the type of sources and activities that lead to the configuration of air quality. Results showed a decreasing trend in CO, NOx and VOCs-NMVOCs emissions and an increasing trend from 2011 onwards in PM10 emissions. Road transport and small combustion contribute most to CO emissions, road transport and navigation to NOx and small combustion and industries to PM10. The onset of the economic crisis can be seen from the reduction of emissions from industry and the increase of biomass burning for heating purposes.

Does the presence of desert dust modify the effect of PM10 on mortality in Athens, Greece?

PubMed

Samoli, Evangelia; Kougea, Evgenia; Kassomenos, Pavlos; Analitis, Antonis; Katsouyanni, Klea

2011-05-01

Recent reports investigate whether windblown desert dust may exacerbate the short-term health effects associated with particulate pollution in urban centers. We have tested this hypothesis by using daily air pollution and mortality data for Athens, Greece during the period 2001-2006. We investigated the effects of exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <0μg/m(3) (PM(10)) on total and cause specific mortality, during days with and without windblown desert dust, for all ages, stratified by age groups and by sex. We identified 141 dust days between 2001 and 2006. We used Poisson regression models with penalized splines to control for possible confounding by season, meteorology, day of the week and holiday effect. A 10μg/m(3) increase in PM(10) was associated with a 0.71% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.42% to 0.99%) increase in all deaths. The effects for total and cause specific mortality were greater for those ≥ 75years of age, while for total mortality higher effects were observed among females. The main effect of desert dust days and its interaction with PM(10) concentrations were significant in all cases except for respiratory mortality and cardiovascular mortality among those < 75years. The negative interaction pointed towards lower particle effects on mortality during dust events. We found evidence of modification of the adverse health effects of PM(10) on mortality in Athens, Greece with desert dust events: the particle effects were significantly higher during non-desert dust days. Our analyses indicate that traffic related particles, which prevail on non-desert dust days, have more toxic effects than the ones originating from long-range transport, such as Sahara dust. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adolescent gambling in greater Athens area: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Anagnostopoulos, Dimitris C; Lazaratou, Helen; Paleologou, Mina P; Peppou, Lily E; Economou, Marina; Malliori, Melpomeni; Papadimitriou, George N; Papageorgiou, Charalampos

2017-11-01

Problem gambling in adolescents has recently emerged as a pressing public health concern. In this context and in light of the pervasive financial crisis in Greece, the present study aimed to explore adolescents' gambling involvement in Athens region to estimate the prevalence of its problematic form and to identify its risk/protective factors. A total of 2141 students were recruited from a representative sample of 51 schools located in greater Athens area. The presence of problem gambling was assessed through the use of the DSM-IV-MR-J questionnaire. Data were collected in the form of a self-reported questionnaire during one school hour. Results indicate that 1-year prevalence of high severity problem gambling was found to be 5.6%. Regarding the risk factors for problem gambling; male gender, parental engagement with gambling activities, living without the parents, low grades at school, foreign nationality and the referent absence of availability of food in the household, increased the risk of suffering from the disorder. Gambling behavior among adolescents constitutes a problem in Greece and highlights the need for designing and implementing appropriate preventive interventions, especially amid the ongoing financial crisis.

Development of a road transport emission inventory for Greece and the Greater Athens Area: effects of important parameters.

PubMed

Fameli, K M; Assimakopoulos, V D

2015-02-01

Traffic is considered one of the major polluting sectors and as a consequence a significant cause for the measured exceedances of ambient air quality limit values mainly in urban areas. The Greater Athens Area (located in Attica), the most populated area in Greece, faces severe air pollution problems due to the combination of high road traffic emissions, complex topography and local meteorological conditions. Even though several efforts were made to construct traffic emission inventories for Greece and Attica, still there is not a spatially and temporally resolved one, based on data from relevant authorities and organisations. The present work aims to estimate road emissions in Greece and Attica based on the top down approach. The programme COPERT 4 was used to calculate the annual total emissions from the road transport sector for the period 2006-2010 and an emission inventory for Greece and Attica was developed with high spatial (6 × 6 km(2) for Greece and 2 × 2 km(2) for Attica) and temporal (1-hour) resolutions. The results revealed that about 40% of national CO₂, CO, VOC and NMVOC values and 30% of NOx and particles are emitted in Attica. The fuel consumption and the subsequent reduction of annual mileage driven in combination with the import of new engine anti-pollution technologies affected CO₂, CO, VOC and NMVOC emissions. The major part of CO (56.53%) and CO₂ (66.15%) emissions was due to passenger cars (2010), while heavy duty vehicles (HDVs) were connected with NOx, PM₂.₅ and PM₁₀ emissions with 51.27%, 43.97% and 38.13% respectively (2010). The fleet composition, the penetration of diesel fuelled cars, the increase of urban average speed and the fleet renewal are among the most effective parameters towards the emission reduction strategies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Desert dust outbreaks and respiratory morbidity in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Trianti, Stavroula-Myrto; Samoli, Evangelia; Rodopoulou, Sophia; Katsouyanni, Klea; Papiris, Spyros A; Karakatsani, Anna

2017-07-01

Ambient particulate matter (PM) has an adverse effect on respiratory morbidity. Desert dust outbreaks contribute to increased PM levels but the toxicity of desert dust mixed with anthropogenic pollutants needs clarification. We identified 132 days with desert dust episodes and 177 matched days by day of the week, season, temperature and humidity between 2001 and 2006 in Athens, Greece. We collected data on regulated pollutants and daily emergency outpatient visits and admissions for respiratory causes. We applied Poisson regression models adjusting for confounding effects of seasonality, meteorology, holidays and influenza epidemics. We evaluated the sensitivity of our results to co-pollutant exposures and effect modification by age and sex. A 10 μg/m 3 increase in PM 10 concentration was associated with 1.95% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02%, 3.91%) increase in respiratory emergency room visits. No significant interaction with desert dust episodes was observed. Compared with non-dust days, there was a 47% (95% CI: 29%, 68%) increase in visits in dust days not adjusting for PM 10 . Desert dust days were associated with higher numbers of emergency room visits for asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory infections with increases of 38%, 57% and 60%, respectively (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Analyses of respiratory hospital admissions provided similar results. PM 10 effects decreased when adjusting for desert dust days and were further confounded by co-pollutants. Desert dust episode days are associated with higher respiratory emergency room visits and hospital admissions. This effect is insufficiently explained by increased PM 10 levels.

The epidemiology of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria: data from a general hospital in Athens, Greece, 2007-2013.

PubMed

Panagiotou, Marios; Papaioannou, Andriana I; Kostikas, Konstantinos; Paraskeua, Maria; Velentza, Ekaterini; Kanellopoulou, Maria; Filaditaki, Vasiliki; Karagiannidis, Napoleon

2014-01-01

The epidemiology of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Greece is largely unknown. To determine the incidence and the demographic, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary NTM infection and pulmonary NTM disease. A retrospective review of the demographic, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients with NTM culture-positive respiratory specimens from January 2007 to May 2013. A total of 120 patients were identified with at least one respiratory NTM isolate and 56 patients (46%) fulfilled the microbiological ATS/IDSA criteria for NTM disease. Of patients with adequate data, 16% fulfilled the complete ATS/IDSA criteria for NTM disease. The incidence of pulmonary NTM infection and disease was 18.9 and 8.8 per 100.000 inpatients and outpatients, respectively. The spectrum of NTM species was high (13 species) and predominated by M. avium-intracellulare complex (M. avium (13%), M. intracellulare (10%)), M. gordonae (14%), and M. fortuitum (12%). The ratio of isolation of NTM to M. tuberculosis in all hospitalized patients was 0.59. The first data on the epidemiology of pulmonary NTM in Athens, Greece, are presented. NTM infection is common in patients with chronic respiratory disease. However, only a significantly smaller proportion of patients fulfill the criteria for NTM disease.

Evaluation of the sources of contamination in the suburban area of Koropi-Markopoulo, Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Kaitantzian, Agavni; Kelepertzis, Efstratios; Kelepertsis, Akindynos

2013-07-01

Heavy metal concentrations were monitored in agricultural soils and irrigation groundwaters of Koropi-Markopoulo area, a representative agricultural suburb in Athens, Greece, aiming at the identification of the sources of contaminants. Multivariate analyses of geochemical data demonstrated that agricultural practices and industrial activities considerably affected the quality of both environmental compartments. The levels of Ni, Cr, Co, Mn and Fe in agricultural soils were associated with geological parent materials whereas Pb, Zn and Cu mainly originated from anthropic activities. Referring to groundwaters, individual major anions and cations (K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, Cl⁻) were influenced by various natural and anthropogenic factors whereas Ni, Cr, Cu and Zn were controlled by industrial and agronomic activities. The identification of the sources of contaminants in soil and groundwater environments is a valuable basis for encouraging mitigation strategies preventing further quality degradation.

Greece.

PubMed

1985-04-01

A brief description of the population characteristics, geographical features, history, current political situation, economy, energy supply, foreign relations of Greece is presented. Greece's population of 9.95 million is 98% Greek, and the official language is Greek. 97% of the population is Greek Orthodox, and 2% is Muslim. Schooling is compulsory for 9 years, and the literacy rate is 89% for women and 96% for men. The infant mortality rate is 13.8, and life expectancy is 72 years for males and 75 years for female. Greece is situated on the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula and consists of the mainland, the Peleponnesos, and numerous islands including Crete. Most of the land mass is mountainous, large areas are dry, and only 28% of the land is arable. From the earliest time until recently, emigration from Greece to other countries was a common pattern. Since the 1960s, internal migration to urban areas was the dominant migration trend. Currently, 30% of the population lives in Athens. Despite the growing industrialization and urbanization of the population, the Greeks retain many traditional family and social values. Greece was part of the cradle of civilization, and its history is characterized by the rise of the Minoan culture on Crete, the rise and fall of the Myceneans on the Peleponnesos, the development of the city states of Athens and Sparta, the destruction of Athens during the Peloponnesian War, domination by the Macedonians, the creation of the Hellenistic cilivization, conquest by the Roman Empire, the establishment of the Byzantine Empire, and in 1459 conquest by the Ottoman Empire. In the 1820's Greece fought for and finally won its independence, In World War I Greece fought on the side of the Allies. In World War II, the Greeks successfully resisted an invasion from Italy. In 1941, the country was taken over by the Germans, but the Greek resistance movement continued to fight the Germans until liberation. Between 1944-49, there were 2 unsuccessful

The Epidemiology of Pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacteria: Data from a General Hospital in Athens, Greece, 2007–2013

PubMed Central

Papaioannou, Andriana I.; Paraskeua, Maria; Velentza, Ekaterini; Kanellopoulou, Maria; Filaditaki, Vasiliki; Karagiannidis, Napoleon

2014-01-01

Background. The epidemiology of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Greece is largely unknown. Objectives. To determine the incidence and the demographic, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary NTM infection and pulmonary NTM disease. Methods. A retrospective review of the demographic, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients with NTM culture-positive respiratory specimens from January 2007 to May 2013. Results. A total of 120 patients were identified with at least one respiratory NTM isolate and 56 patients (46%) fulfilled the microbiological ATS/IDSA criteria for NTM disease. Of patients with adequate data, 16% fulfilled the complete ATS/IDSA criteria for NTM disease. The incidence of pulmonary NTM infection and disease was 18.9 and 8.8 per 100.000 inpatients and outpatients, respectively. The spectrum of NTM species was high (13 species) and predominated by M. avium-intracellulare complex (M. avium (13%), M. intracellulare (10%)), M. gordonae (14%), and M. fortuitum (12%). The ratio of isolation of NTM to M. tuberculosis in all hospitalized patients was 0.59. Conclusions. The first data on the epidemiology of pulmonary NTM in Athens, Greece, are presented. NTM infection is common in patients with chronic respiratory disease. However, only a significantly smaller proportion of patients fulfill the criteria for NTM disease. PMID:25132991

Aerosol optical properties variability during biomass burning events observed by the eole-aias depolarization lidars over Athens, Greece (2007-2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mylonaki, Maria; Papayannis, Alexandros; Mamouri, Rodanthi; Argyrouli, Athina; Kokkalis, Panagiotis; Tsaknakis, Georgios; Soupiona, Ourania

2018-04-01

The EOLE multi-wavelength aerosol Ramandepolarization lidar, and the AIAS depolarization lidar, in synergy with a sun photometer (CIMEL), were used, in the period 2007-2016, to provide the vertical profiles of the aerosol optical properties over Athens, Greece. More than 30 biomass burning events (fresh and aged smoke particles) were observed, with smoke layers between 1.5 up to 4-5 km height, while their duration ranged from 1-3 days. Lidar ratio (LR) values ranged from 40-105 sr (at 355 nm) and from 40-100 sr (at 532 nm), while the linear particle depolarization ratio (LPDR) at both 355 and 532 nm, remained <7%. The extinction-related Ångström exponent (AEa) at 355 nm/532 nm) ranged from 0.3 to 2.1. Additionally, a case of a near-range transport of biomass burning aerosols arriving over Athens up to 4 km height, between 27 and 28 June 2016, was studied. For this case, we found LRs of the order of 70±5 sr (355 nm) and 65±15 sr (532 nm) and AEa(355 nm/532 nm) around 1.

Subsidence monitoring within the Athens Basin (Greece) using space radar interferometric techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parcharidis, I.; Lagios, E.; Sakkas, V.; Raucoules, D.; Feurer, D.; Mouelic, S. L.; King, C.; Carnec, C.; Novali, F.; Ferretti, A.; Capes, R.; Cooksley, G.

2006-05-01

The application of conventional SAR Interferometry (InSAR) together with the two techniques of sub-centimeteraccuracy, the Stacking and the Permanent Scatterers (PS) Interferometry, were used to study the ground deformation in the broader area of Athens for the period 1992 to 2002. Using the Stacking interfero-metricmethod, 55 ERS-1&2 SAR scenes, between 1992 and 2002, were acquired producing 264 differential interferograms. Among these only 60 were finally selected as fulfilling certain criteria. The co-seismic deforma-tionassociated with the Athens Earthquake (Mw = 5 9, September 7, 1999) was excluded from the analytical procedure in an attempt to present results of only aseismic character. In total ground subsidence results of about12 mm in the southern suburbs of Athens, but higher value of about 40 mm in the northern ones for the period 1992-2002. Based on the PS technique, a precise average annual deformation rate-map was generated for the period 1992-1999, ending just before the Athens earthquake event. Both circular and elongated-shape areas of subsidence are recognizable especially in the northern part of the Athens Basin (3-4 mm/yr), as well as at its southern part (1-3 mm/yr). In addition, a rate of 2-3 mm/yr is also yielded for some part of the Athens city center. Subsidence rates of 1-2 mm/yr are measured at the western part of the basin over an area of old mining activities, and around the newly built Syntagma Metro Station. The correlation of the observed deformation pat-ternswith respect to the spatial distribution of water pumping, older mining activities, metro line tunneling and other local geological parameters is examined and discussed.

Primary syphilis in HIV-negative patients is on the rise in Greece: epidemiological data for the period 2005-2012 from a tertiary referral centre in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Kanelleas, A; Stefanaki, C; Stefanaki, I; Bezrondii, G; Paparizos, V; Arapaki, A; Kripouri, Z; Antoniou, C; Nicolaidou, E

2015-05-01

Epidemiological data on primary syphilis in Greece are limited. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the trends of the disease in Greece during the last few years and whether they are in accordance with the trends in other European countries and the United States of America. We conducted a retrospective analysis based on records of patients who visited the Sexually Transmitted Infections Unit of 'A. Sygros' Hospital in Athens, Greece, during the period 2005-2012. Our hospital is a tertiary referral centre for sexually transmitted infections covering an area of more than four million people, which is almost half the population of Greece. We documented the total annual number of patients, the male to female ratio, sexual orientation, patients' ethnic origin and education level. We reviewed the records of 1185 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of primary syphilis. The total number of patients with primary syphilis has risen from 111 in 2005 to 158 in 2012, an increase of 42.3%. The mean annual number is 148. The mean male to female ratio is 4.76 : 1, with a peak value of 8.50 : 1 in 2011. The majority of patients are of Greek origin, ranging from 67.4% to 87.2%. Within the male patients group, it seems that the percentage of men having sex with men has risen steadily from 2005 (20.7%) up to 2010 (59.1%) with a decline in 2012 (46.0%). The mean value over 8 years is 45.0%. Primary syphilis in Greece is on the rise. Τhe majority of our patients are Greek, despite immigrant influx. Men clearly outnumber women, representing more than 80% of the total number of patients. Furthermore, there seems to be a trend towards predominance of men having sex with men as the core group among male patients. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

The epidemiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a study in Greece.

PubMed

Signorello, L B; Tzonou, A; Lagiou, P; Samoli, E; Zavitsanos, X; Trichopoulos, D

1999-08-01

To assess the epidemiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a case-control study in greater Athens, Greece. The study comprised 184 patients surgically treated for BPH within one year of its diagnosis (cases) and 246 patients with no symptoms of BPH who were treated in the same hospitals for minor diseases or conditions (controls). All cases and controls were permanent residents of the greater Athens area, Greece. The data were assessed using unconditional logistic regression. After controlling for age and education, cases and controls had similar distributions for height, body mass index, sibship size and birth order in the parental family, marital status, number of offspring and a series of previous medical diagnoses or surgical operations. The sole exception was surgery for haemorrhoids, that appeared to be related to the incidence of BPH, possibly by chance. There was no evidence that vertex baldness, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption or coffee drinking increased the risk for BPH. Men who had spent most of their lives in a rural rather than an urban environment appeared to be at reduced risk for BPH. The lifestyle factors assessed here have no major effect on the aetiology of BPH.

The effect of air temperature and human thermal indices on mortality in Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastos, Panagiotis T.; Matzarakis, Andreas

2012-05-01

This paper investigates whether there is any association between the daily mortality for the wider region of Athens, Greece and the thermal conditions, for the 10-year period 1992-2001. The daily mortality datasets were acquired from the Hellenic Statistical Service and the daily meteorological datasets, concerning daily maximum and minimum air temperature, from the Hellinikon/Athens meteorological station, established at the headquarters of the Greek Meteorological Service. Besides, the daily values of the thermal indices Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) were evaluated in order to interpret the grade of physiological stress. The first step was the application of Pearson's χ 2 test to the compiled contingency tables, resulting in that the probability of independence is zero ( p = 0.000); namely, mortality is in close relation to the air temperature and PET/UTCI. Furthermore, the findings extracted by the generalized linear models showed that, statistically significant relationships ( p < 0.01) between air temperature, PET, UTCI and mortality exist on the same day. More concretely, on one hand during the cold period (October-March), a 10°C decrease in daily maximum air temperature, minimum air temperature, temperature range, PET and UTCI is related with an increase 13%, 15%, 2%, 7% and 6% of the probability having a death, respectively. On the other hand, during the warm period (April-September), a 10°C increase in daily maximum air temperature, minimum air temperature, temperature range, PET and UTCI is related with an increase 3%, 1%, 10%, 3% and 5% of the probability having a death, respectively. Taking into consideration the time lag effect of the examined parameters on mortality, it was found that significant effects of 3-day lag during the cold period appears against 1-day lag during the warm period. In spite of the general aspect that cold conditions seem to be favourable factors for daily mortality

Mapping the Linguistic Landscape of Athens: The Case of Shop Signs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikolaou, Alexander

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the linguistic composition of commercial signs in the linguistic landscape (LL) of Athens, Greece. Previous studies have mainly been carried out in officially multilingual and multi-ethnic areas [Ben-Rafael, E., Shohamy, E., Amara, M. H., & Trumper-Hecht, N. (2006). "Linguistic landscape as symbolic construction of…

Urban soil geochemistry in Athens, Greece: The importance of local geology in controlling the distribution of potentially harmful trace elements.

PubMed

Argyraki, Ariadne; Kelepertzis, Efstratios

2014-06-01

Understanding urban soil geochemistry is a challenging task because of the complicated layering of the urban landscape and the profound impact of large cities on the chemical dispersion of harmful trace elements. A systematic geochemical soil survey was performed across Greater Athens and Piraeus, Greece. Surface soil samples (0-10cm) were collected from 238 sampling sites on a regular 1×1km grid and were digested by a HNO3-HCl-HClO4-HF mixture. A combination of multivariate statistics and Geographical Information System approaches was applied for discriminating natural from anthropogenic sources using 4 major elements, 9 trace metals, and 2 metalloids. Based on these analyses the lack of heavy industry in Athens was demonstrated by the influence of geology on the local soil chemistry with this accounting for 49% of the variability in the major elements, as well as Cr, Ni, Co, and possibly As (median values of 102, 141, 16 and 24mg kg(-1) respectively). The contribution to soil chemistry of classical urban contaminants including Pb, Cu, Zn, Sn, Sb, and Cd (medians of 45, 39, 98, 3.6, 1.7 and 0.3mg kg(-1) respectively) was also observed; significant correlations were identified between concentrations and urbanization indicators, including vehicular traffic, urban land use, population density, and timing of urbanization. Analysis of soil heterogeneity and spatial variability of soil composition in the Greater Athens and Piraeus area provided a representation of the extent of anthropogenic modifications on natural element loadings. The concentrations of Ni, Cr, and As were relatively high compared to those in other cities around the world, and further investigation should characterize and evaluate their geochemical reactivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Female genital mutilation in Greece.

PubMed

Vrachnis, N; Salakos, N; Iavazzo, C; Iliodromiti, Z; Bakalianou, K; Kouiroukidou, P; Creatsas, G

2012-01-01

The number of migrants and refugees with a female genital mutilation (FGM) living in Greece is rising. This study explores the characteristics and psychosexual issues of women with FGM who were examined in the 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens Medical School, Greece during the year 2009. The women were asked to fill out an anonymous questionnaire asking for demographic data, obstetric history, current complaints, and psychosexual problems. The results are presented and discussed, as FGM is a new reality for Greece. Healthcare providers have to familiarize themselves with issues related to FGM and improve their skills in transcultural care, so as to manage and support women with FGM adequately.

Forecasting the discomfort levels within the greater Athens area, Greece using artificial neural networks and multiple criteria analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vouterakos, P. A.; Moustris, K. P.; Bartzokas, A.; Ziomas, I. C.; Nastos, P. T.; Paliatsos, A. G.

2012-12-01

In this work, artificial neural networks (ANNs) were developed and applied in order to forecast the discomfort levels due to the combination of high temperature and air humidity, during the hot season of the year, in eight different regions within the Greater Athens area (GAA), Greece. For the selection of the best type and architecture of ANNs-forecasting models, the multiple criteria analysis (MCA) technique was applied. Three different types of ANNs were developed and tested with the MCA method. Concretely, the multilayer perceptron, the generalized feed forward networks (GFFN), and the time-lag recurrent networks were developed and tested. Results showed that the best ANNs type performance was achieved by using the GFFN model for the prediction of discomfort levels due to high temperature and air humidity within GAA. For the evaluation of the constructed ANNs, appropriate statistical indices were used. The analysis proved that the forecasting ability of the developed ANNs models is very satisfactory at a significant statistical level of p < 0.01.

An integrated assessment of climate change impacts for Athens- relevance to stakeholders and policy makers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannakopoulos, C.; Hatzaki, M.; Kostopoulou, E.; Varotsos, K.

2010-09-01

Analysing climate change and its impact needs a production of relevant elements for policy making that can be very different from the parameters considered by climate experts. In the framework of EU project CIRCE, a more realistic approach to match stakeholders and policy-makers demands is attempted. For this reason, within CIRCE selected case studies have been chosen that will provide assessments that can be integrated in practical decision making. In this work, an integrated assessment of climate change impacts on several sectors for the urban site of Athens in Greece is presented. The Athens urban case study has been chosen since it provides excellent opportunities for using an integrated approach across multiple temporal and spatial scales and sectors. In the spatial dimension, work extends from the inner city boundaries to the surrounding mountains and forests. In the temporal dimension, research ranges from the current observed time period (using available meteorological and sector data) to future time periods using data from several climate change projections. In addition, a multi-sector approach to climate change impacts is adopted. Impacts sectors covered range from direct climate impacts on natural ecosystems (such as flash floods, air pollution and forest fire risk) to indirect impacts resulting from combined climate-social-economic linkages (such as energy demand, tourism and health). Discussion of impact sector risks and adaptation measures are also exploited. Case-study work on impact sector risk to climate change is of particular interest to relevant policy makers and stakeholders, communication with who is ensured through a series of briefing notes and information sheets and through regional workshops.

Knowledge, Normative Beliefs and Attitudes Related to Recent HIV Infection among People who Inject Drugs in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Giannou, Foteini; Nikolopoulos, Georgios K; Pantavou, Katerina; Benetou, Vassiliki; Kantzanou, Maria; Sypsa, Vana; Williams, Leslie D; Friedman, Samuel R; Hatzakis, Angelos

2017-01-01

Despite great improvements in prevention over the last years, much has to be done to reduce new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. Substantial evidence shows that the six-month period of recent HIV infection contributes disproportionately to HIV transmission. This study aims to investigate knowledge, normative beliefs, and attitudes of people who inject drugs (PWID) regarding recent HIV infection. People who inject drugs in Athens, Greece were recruited in the fifth round of a respondent- driven sampling program (ARISTOTLE). The participants were tested for HIV and answered a structured questionnaire, which also included items on knowledge, normative beliefs, and attitudes regarding recent infection to address needs of the social network-based Transmission Reduction Intervention Project. The multivariable analyses included logistic regression models, which produced odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). In total, 1,407 people (mean age: 36.3 ± 7.9 years old; males: 81.9%) took part in the fifth round of ARISTOTLE. Of these, 61.5% knew that HIV-infected people who are not on treatment are more likely to transmit HIV during the first six months of their infection and 58.4% reported that people in their network would react positively towards a recently HIV-infected person. People who inject drugs who were knowledgeable of recent HIV infection were more likely to disagree with statements such as that one should avoid all contact with a person recently infected by HIV (adjusted OR: 1.510, 95% CI: 1.090, 2.091) or more likely to agree with statements such as that an HIV+ person is much less likely to transmit HIV when h/she is on combination antiretroviral treatment (adjusted OR: 2.083, 95% CI: 1.231, 3.523). A considerable proportion of PWID in Athens, Greece, were aware of the high HIV transmission risk of recent HIV infection, although improvement is needed for some population segments. People who inject drugs who were knowledgeable of the

Energy flux parametrization as an opportunity to get Urban Heat Island insights: The case of Athens, Greece (Thermopolis 2009 Campaign).

PubMed

Loupa, G; Rapsomanikis, S; Trepekli, A; Kourtidis, K

2016-01-15

Energy flux parameterization was effected for the city of Athens, Greece, by utilizing two approaches, the Local-Scale Urban Meteorological Parameterization Scheme (LUMPS) and the Bulk Approach (BA). In situ acquired data are used to validate the algorithms of these schemes and derive coefficients applicable to the study area. Model results from these corrected algorithms are compared with literature results for coefficients applicable to other cities and their varying construction materials. Asphalt and concrete surfaces, canyons and anthropogenic heat releases were found to be the key characteristics of the city center that sustain the elevated surface and air temperatures, under hot, sunny and dry weather, during the Mediterranean summer. A relationship between storage heat flux plus anthropogenic energy flux and temperatures (surface and lower atmosphere) is presented, that results in understanding of the interplay between temperatures, anthropogenic energy releases and the city characteristics under the Urban Heat Island conditions.

Aerosol Index Dynamics over Athens and Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christodoulakis, J.; Varotsos, C.; Tzanis, C.; Xue, Y.

2014-11-01

We present the analysis of monthly mean Aerosol Index (AI) values, over Athens, Greece, and Beijing, China, for the period 1979-2012. The aim of the analysis is the identification of time scaling in the AI time series, by using a data analysis technique that would not be affected by the non-stationarity of the data. The appropriate technique satisfying this criterion is the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DF A). For the deseasonalization of time series classic Wiener method was applied filtering out the seasonal - 3 months, semiannual - 6 months and annual - 12 months periods. The data analysis for both Athens and Beijing revealed that the exponents α for both time periods are greater than 0.5 indicating that persistence of the correlations in the fluctuations of the deseasonalized AI values exists for time scales between about 4 months and 3.5 years (for the period 1979-1993) or 4 years (for the period 1996-2012).

Aerosol Index Dynamics over Athens and Beijing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christodoulakis, J.; Varotsos, C.; Tzanis, C.; Xue, Y.

2014-11-01

We present the analysis of monthly mean Aerosol Index (AI) values, over Athens, Greece, and Beijing, China, for the period 1979- 2012. The aim of the analysis is the identification of time scaling in the AI time series, by using a data analysis technique that would not be affected by the non-stationarity of the data. The appropriate technique satisfying this criterion is the Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA). For the deseasonalization of time series classic Wiener method was applied filtering out the seasonal - 3 months, semiannual - 6 months and annual - 12 months periods. The data analysis for both Athens and Beijing revealed that the exponents α for both time periods are greater than 0.5 indicating that persistence of the correlations in the fluctuations of the deseasonalized AI values exists for time scales between about 4 months and 3.5 years (for the period 1979-1993) or 4 years (for the period 1996-2012).

The Determinants of Educational Achievement in Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papas, George; Psacharopoulos, George

1991-01-01

Educational achievement and its relation to college admission were studied for 482 high school seniors in Athens (Greece) in mid-1985, whose grades and college entrance examination scores were reviewed. Consistency in the grading system and social equity in college admission were found. Pedagogical, socioeconomic, and policy implications are…

Planetary boundary layer height variability over athens, greece, based on the synergy of raman lidar and radiosonde data: Application of the kalman filter and other techniques (2011-2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexiou, Dimitrios; Kokkalis, Panagiotis; Papayannis, Alexandros; Rocadenbosch, Francesc; Argyrouli, Athina; Tsaknakis, Georgios; Tzanis, Chris G.

2018-04-01

In this paper we studied the temporal evolution of the Planetary Boundary Layer height (PBLH) over the basin of Athens, Greece during a 5-year period (2011-2016) using data from the EOLE Raman lidar system. The lidar data (range-corrected lidar signals-RCS) were selected around 12:00 UTC and 00:00 UTC for a total of 332 cases: 165 days and 167 nights. Extended Kalman filtering techniques were used for the determination of the PBLH. Moreover, several well established techniques for the PBLH estimation based on lidar data were also tested for a total of 35 cases. Comparisons with the PBLH values derived from radiosonde data were also performed. The mean PBLH over Athens was found to be of the order of 1617±324 m at 12:00 UTC and of 892±130 m at 00:00 UTC, for the period examined. The mean PBLH growth rate was found to be about 170±64 m h-1 and 90±17 m h-1, during daytime and nighttime, respectively.

A comprehensive approach for the simulation of the Urban Heat Island effect with the WRF/SLUCM modeling system: The case of Athens (Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannaros, Christos; Nenes, Athanasios; Giannaros, Theodore M.; Kourtidis, Konstantinos; Melas, Dimitrios

2018-03-01

This study presents a comprehensive modeling approach for simulating the spatiotemporal distribution of urban air temperatures with a modeling system that includes the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the Single-Layer Urban Canopy Model (SLUCM) with a modified treatment of the impervious surface temperature. The model was applied to simulate a 3-day summer heat wave event over the city of Athens, Greece. The simulation, using default SLUCM parameters, is capable of capturing the observed diurnal variation of urban temperatures and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) in the greater Athens Area (GAA), albeit with systematic biases that are prominent during nighttime hours. These biases are particularly evident over low-intensity residential areas, and they are associated with the surface and urban canopy properties representing the urban environment. A series of sensitivity simulations unravels the importance of the sub-grid urban fraction parameter, surface albedo, and street canyon geometry in the overall causation and development of the UHI effect. The sensitivities are then used to determine optimal values of the street canyon geometry, which reproduces the observed temperatures throughout the simulation domain. The optimal parameters, apart from considerably improving model performance (reductions in mean temperature bias from 0.30 °C to 1.58 °C), are also consistent with actual city building characteristics - which gives confidence that the model set-up is robust, and can be used to study the UHI in the GAA in the anticipated warmer conditions in the future.

The History of Teaching Quantum Mechanics in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tampakis, Constantin; Skordoulis, Constantin

2007-01-01

In this work, our goal is to examine the attitude of the Greek scientific community towards Quantum Mechanics and establish the history of teaching of this theory in Greece. We have examined Physics textbooks written by professors of the University of Athens, as well as records of public speeches, university yearbooks from 1923 to 1970, articles…

Design options analysis for a zero energy block of flats in Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soulti, Eleni

Human activities and to a smaller degree other reasons have led to climate change. This is evident in meteorological phenomena and natural procedures which are constantly subject to modifications. Recent studies prove that a great percentage of the CO2 emissions, which are partly responsible for the climate change, are produced by buildings. In fact, a big part of them belongs to the residential sector. Countries like UK are quite aware of this problem, its causes, its consequences, as well as of some remedies that can at least limit the damage. Therefore, they develop the appropriate legislation, in an effort to decrease the problems and limit its causes. Greece, on the other hand, has been quite ineffective until now. Hopefully the new legislation will constrain the causes of the problem, in all sectors, including the building domain. This study involves designing a zero energy block of flats in Athens, with climatic data and environmental parameters taken into consideration from the initial steps of the design procedure. Appropriate software has been used in order to observe the improvement of thermal comfort conditions by changing the building design and using various strategies for passive cooling and heating. The predicted consumption of electricity, heating and cooling loads have been calculated and renewable sources of energy have been used in order to meet those needs. The economical analysis demonstrated that this type of building, is not only energy efficient and thermally comfortable for its occupants, but also economically profitable, especially with regard to the benefit of the occupants and the environment. In fact, it is only 11.2% more expensive to construct such a building, while its energy performance reduces the amount of CO2 emissions. The aim is to widely implement this type of buildings, which can have a significant effect on environmental, economical and social development related issues.

Homelessness and Other Risk Factors for HIV Infection in the Current Outbreak Among Injection Drug Users in Athens, Greece

PubMed Central

Sypsa, Vana; Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Malliori, Meni; Nikolopoulos, Georgios K.; Panopoulos, Anastasios; Kantzanou, Maria; Katsoulidou, Antigoni; Psichogiou, Mina; Fotiou, Anastasios; Pharris, Anastasia; Van De Laar, Marita; Wiessing, Lucas; Jarlais, Don Des; Friedman, Samuel R.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We examined HIV prevalence and risk factors among injection drug users (IDUs) in Athens, Greece, during an HIV outbreak. Methods. We used respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to recruit 1404 IDUs to the Aristotle intervention in August to October 2012. We interviewed participants and tested for HIV. We performed bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results. Estimated HIV prevalence was 19.8% (RDS-weighted prevalence = 14.8%). Odds of infection were 2.3 times as high in homeless as in housed IDUs and 2.1 times as high among IDUs who injected at least once per day as among less frequent injectors (both, P < .001). Six percent of men and 23.5% of women reported transactional sex in the past 12 months, and condom use was low. Intercourse with non-IDUs was common (53.2% of men, 25.6% of women). Among IDUs who had been injecting for 2 years or less the estimated incidence rate was 23.4 new HIV cases per 100 person-years at risk. Conclusions. Efforts to reduce HIV transmission should address homelessness as well as scaling up prevention services, such as needle and syringe distribution and other risk reduction interventions. PMID:24524508

Long-term systematic profiling of dust aerosol optical properties using the EOLE NTUA lidar system over Athens, Greece (2000-2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soupiona, O.; Papayannis, A.; Kokkalis, P.; Mylonaki, M.; Tsaknakis, G.; Argyrouli, A.; Vratolis, S.

2018-06-01

We present a comprehensive analysis of the seasonal variability of the vertical profiles of the optical and geometrical properties of Saharan dust aerosols, observed in the height region between 1000 and 6000 m, over the city of Athens, Greece, from February 2000 to December 2016. These observations were performed by a multi-wavelength (355-387-532-1064 nm) Raman lidar system under cloud-free conditions. The statistical analysis (using aerosol monthly mean values) is based on nighttime vertical Raman measurements of range-resolved aerosol optical properties (backscatter and extinction coefficients, lidar ratio, Ångström exponent) at 355 nm (57 dust events during more than 80 measurement hours). We found that the number of dust events was highest in spring, summer, and early autumn periods and that during spring the dust layers were moved at higher altitudes (∼4500 m) than in other seasons. The number of the forecasted dusty days (on monthly basis) by the BSC-DREAM8b model compared to those of the performed lidar measurements were found to have a quite strong correlation (R2 = 0.81), with a maximum occurrence predicted for the spring season. In the worst case scenario, at least 50% of the model-forecasted dust events can be observed by lidar under cloudless skies over Athens. For the sampled dust plumes we found mean lidar ratios of 52 ± 13 sr at 355 nm in the height range 2000-4000 m a.s.l. Moreover, the dust layers had a mean thickness of 2497 ± 1026 m and a center of mass of 2699 ± 1017 m. An analysis performed regarding the air mass back-trajectories arriving over Athens revealed two main clusters: one pathway from south-west to north-east, with dust emission areas in Tunisia, Algeria and Libya and a second one from south, across the Mediterranean Sea with emission areas over Libya and the remaining part of Algeria and Tunisia. This clustering enabled us to differentiate between the aerosol optical properties between the two clusters, based on their

Assessing the associations of daily respiratory symptoms and lung function in schoolchildren using an Air Quality Index for ozone: Results from the RESPOZE panel study in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Stergiopoulou, Aravella; Katavoutas, George; Samoli, Evangelia; Dimakopoulou, Konstantina; Papageorgiou, Ifigeneia; Karagianni, Pinelopi; Flocas, Helena; Katsouyanni, Klea

2018-08-15

Air Quality indicators or indices (AQIs) are mainly used for communicating the air pollution levels and risk to the general population. However, very few epidemiological studies have used AQIs for characterizing exposure. In the framework of the RESPOZE panel study we evaluated the association of daily ozone AQI levels with the daily occurrence of respiratory symptoms and Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) and compared the effects with those estimated using measurements from fixed outdoor monitoring sites, in the city of Athens, Greece. A panel of 97 children, aged 10-11years, was followed intensively for 35days (5weeks) during the academic year 2013-14. PEF and symptoms were recorded daily by each child. Two ozone AQIs classifying the air quality into 7 categories of increasing severity, were calculated; one characterizing the whole Athens area and one the local area around the child's residence and school. Measurements from fixed sites were also used. Mixed effects models for repeated measurements were applied, adjusting for several confounders. Increasing ozone levels were associated with increased incidence of symptoms, but the strongest and most statistically significant associations were found with the local air quality characterization with the AQI. Specifically, an increase in AQI-local by one category was associated with 34% (95% CI: 9%, 64%) increased odds of stuffy nose. When the AQI categories were "Bad" and "Severe", an increase in the incidence of cough was observed (OR 3.05 (95% CI: 1.29, 7.22) and 6.42 (95% CI: 1.47, 28.03) respectively). We did not observe a statistically significant association between AQI and PEF. Our results show that the use of an AQI based on local conditions may be advantageous over the use of only measurements when investigating the effects of air pollution on health outcomes for improving communication of risk to the public. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The use of Pb isotopes to differentiate between contemporary and ancient sources of pollution in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Åberg, G.; Charalampides, G.; Fosse, G.; Hjelmseth, H.

Stable lead isotopes are used to illustrate the relation source-receptor and to differentiate between sources of pollution in Greece. Air filters collected in the Kozani-Ptolemais lignite mining area, West Macedonia, point to an impact from gasoline lead as well as lead from the combustion of lignite. This is supported by lead isotope data of wheat grown on reclaimed land. Lead isotope analyses of contemporary teeth from the Lavrio sulphide mining area, southeast of Greece, show the imprint of previous mining activities as well as traffic emissions. Moreover, the Lavrio teeth can be distinguished from one tooth from Athens; the Athens tooth show a stronger impact of gasoline lead. Lead data also imply that the Greek top soil is contaminated by air pollution from earlier sulphide mining and smelting since Hellenic and Roman times.

Monitoring the urban expansion of Athens using remote sensing and GIS techniques in the last 35 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolakopoulos, Konstantinos; Pavlopoulos, Kosmas; Chalkias, Christos; Manou, Dora

2005-10-01

During the last thirty-five years the capital of Greece has suffered from an enormous internal immigration. Its population has overpassed the five millions and today almost the half population of Greece is squeezed in Athens metropolitan area. Because of the significant increase of population, the urban expansion in the basin of Athens was also excessive and in some cases catastrophic. Buildings have covered all the free places, new roads have been constructed, the drainage networks have been covered or disappeared and a lot of changes have been occurred to the landforms. The construction of the new airport (Elefterios Venizelos) at the beginning of this decade created a new commercial and urban pole at the eastern part of Athens and the constructive activity has been moved to new areas around the airport. Our aim was to detect and map all the changes that occurred in the urban area, estimate the urban expansion rate and the human interferences in the natural landscape, using GIS and remote sensing techniques. We have used satellite images from three different periods (1973, 1992, 2002) and topographic maps of 1:25.000 scale. The spatial resolution of all the satellite images ranges from 5 to 10 meters and is it acceptable for the monitoring and mapping of the urban growth. Supervised classification and on screen digitizing methods have been used in order to map the changes. Finally the qualitative and quantitative results of this study are presented in this paper.

Literacy in Ancient Greece: The Evidence from History and Archaeology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollis, Karyn

In examining the nature of literacy in ancient Athens, this paper reviews the work of key modern scholars and their positions in the debates concerning the development of literacy in Greece, the oral culture preceeding this, and the technology that enabled it to occur. Following an introduction surveying the viewpoints of Rhys Carpenter, L. H.…

Fault specific GIS based seismic hazard maps for the Attica region, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deligiannakis, G.; Papanikolaou, I. D.; Roberts, G.

2018-04-01

Traditional seismic hazard assessment methods are based on the historical seismic records for the calculation of an annual probability of exceedance for a particular ground motion level. A new fault-specific seismic hazard assessment method is presented, in order to address problems related to the incompleteness and the inhomogeneity of the historical records and to obtain higher spatial resolution of hazard. This method is applied to the region of Attica, which is the most densely populated area in Greece, as nearly half of the country's population lives in Athens and its surrounding suburbs, in the Greater Athens area. The methodology is based on a database of 24 active faults that could cause damage to Attica in case of seismic rupture. This database provides information about the faults slip rates, lengths and expected magnitudes. The final output of the method is four fault-specific seismic hazard maps, showing the recurrence of expected intensities for each locality. These maps offer a high spatial resolution, as they consider the surface geology. Despite the fact that almost half of the Attica region lies on the lowest seismic risk zone according to the official seismic hazard zonation of Greece, different localities have repeatedly experienced strong ground motions during the last 15 kyrs. Moreover, the maximum recurrence for each intensity occurs in different localities across Attica. Highest recurrence for intensity VII (151-156 times over 15 kyrs, or up to a 96 year return period) is observed in the central part of the Athens basin. The maximum intensity VIII recurrence (115 times over 15 kyrs, or up to a 130 year return period) is observed in the western part of Attica, while the maximum intensity IX (73-77/15 kyrs, or a 195 year return period) and X (25-29/15 kyrs, or a 517 year return period) recurrences are observed near the South Alkyonides fault system, which dominates the strong ground motions hazard in the western part of the Attica mainland.

Economic recession and emergence of an HIV-1 outbreak among drug injectors in Athens metropolitan area: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Nikolopoulos, Georgios; Fotiou, Anastasios; Tsiara, Chrissa; Paraskeva, Dimitra; Sypsa, Vana; Lazanas, Marios; Gargalianos, Panagiotis; Psichogiou, Mina; Skoutelis, Athanasios; Wiessing, Lucas; Friedman, Samuel R; Jarlais, Don C D E S; Terzidou, Manina; Kremastinou, Jenny; Malliori, Meni; Hatzakis, Angelos

2013-01-01

During 2011, a dramatic increase (1600%) of reported HIV-1 infections among injecting drug users (IDUs) was noted in Athens, Greece. We herein assess the potential causal pathways associated with this outbreak. Our study employed high resolution HIV-1 phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses. We examined also longitudinal data of ecological variables such as the annual growth of gross domestic product (GDP) of Greece in association with HIV-1 and HCV sentinel prevalence in IDUs, unemployment and homelessness rates and HIV transmission networks in Athens IDUs before and during economic recession (2008-2012). IDU isolates sampled in 2011 and 2012 suggested transmission networks in 94.6% and 92.7% of the cases in striking contrast with the sporadic networking (5%) during 1998-2009. The geographic origin of most HIV-1 isolates was consistent with the recently documented migratory waves in Greece. The decline in GDP was inversely correlated with annual prevalence rates of HIV and HCV and with unemployment and homelessness rates in IDUs (all p<0.001). The slope of anti-HCV prevalence in the sentinel populations of IDUs and in "new" drug injectors was found 120 and 1.9-fold (p = 0.007, p = 0.08 respectively) higher in 2008-2012 (economic recession) compared with 2002-2006. The median (25th, 75th) size of transmission networks were 34 (12, 58) and 2 (2, 2) (p = 0.057) in 2008-2012 and 1998-2007, respectively. The coverage of harm reduction services was low throughout the study period. Scaling-up harm reduction services and addressing social and structural factors related to the current economic crisis should be urgently considered in environments where HIV-1 outbreaks may occur.

A case-control study of hopelessness and suicidal behavior in the city of Athens, Greece. The role of the financial crisis.

PubMed

Christodoulou, Christos; Efstathiou, Vasiliki; Michopoulos, Ioannis; Ferentinos, Panagiotis; Korkoliakou, Panagiota; Gkerekou, Maria; Bouras, Georgios; Papadopoulou, Athanasia; Papageorgiou, Charalabos; Douzenis, Athanassios

2017-08-01

This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) in Greek patients with a recent suicide attempt, the predictive ability of BHS especially in terms of age and the possible effect of the financial crisis on hopelessness as it has been identified as a significant suicide risk factor. The study included a total of 510 individuals, citizens of Athens, Greece. Three hundred and forty individuals (170 attempted suicide patients, and 170 -age and gender- matched healthy individuals used as controls) completed BHS before the financial crisis onset (from 2009 to 2010). A sample of 170 healthy individuals also completed the BHS after the financial crisis onset (from 2013 to 2014), when the impact of the austerity measures was being felt by the Greek society. The Greek BHS version demonstrated good psychometric properties and a sufficient degree of internal consistency. Attempted suicide patients (M = 9) presented higher hopelessness than the controls (M = 3). The patients' age positively correlated with hopelessness (r s  = .35, p < .001), and the ROC curve revealed that the BHS ability to discriminate the individuals with pathological rates of hopelessness from those without, strengthened as age increased. No significant differences were found between the individuals evaluated before (M = 3) and after (M = 3, p > .05) the crisis onset. Nevertheless, regarding the latter group, the women, the younger individuals, the less educated, the unemployed and the participants with low or mediocre self-reported financial status presented increased hopelessness. Our findings suggest that BHS could be a useful instrument especially when screening for suicide risk in people of older age, and that the financial crisis in Greece had a greater impact on subgroups of the population regarding hopelessness.

Cervical dentin hypersensitivity: a cross-sectional investigation in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Rahiotis, C; Polychronopoulou, A; Tsiklakis, K; Kakaboura, A

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of cervical dentin hypersensitivity in a cross-sectional investigation of Greek adults. Seven hundred and sixty-seven subjects were examined. Participants were patients processed for first examination in the Clinic of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Athens. The evaluation of hypersensitivity was performed using two methods: for each tooth, the response to a) tactile stimulus and b) air-blast stimulus was measured. Additional factors such as smoking habits, oral health behaviour, consumption of acidic foods, type of toothbrush, daily use of fluoride solution and of desensitising toothpaste, gingival recession and non-carious cervical lesions were recorded and evaluated as causative factors. Descriptive statistics on the demographics of the study sample, of oral health behaviour characteristics and of oral examination findings were performed. Comparisons of these characteristics in the presence or absence of hypersensitivity were conducted with the chi-square test. Data were further analysed using multiple logistic regression modelling. Among study participants, 21·3% had at least one cervical dentin hypersensitivity reaction to the tactile stimulus, and 38·6%, to the air-blast stimulus. Multivariate analysis detected association of the hypersensitivity in tactile or air-blast stimulus with the non-carious lesions and with the gingival recessions. Additionally, a relation between hypersensitivity and air-blast stimulus with gender (female) was found. There was no association between the hypersensitivity in both of the stimuli and the level of education, smoking, consumption of acidic foods, type of toothbrush and daily use of fluoride solution or desensitising toothpaste. The overall prevalence of cervical dentin hypersensitivity in the adult population in Athens ranged from 21·3% to 38·6% depending on the type of stimuli. Cervical non-carious lesions and gingival

Islet Transplantation without Borders Enabling islet transplantation in Greece with international collaboration and innovative technology

PubMed Central

Papas, Klearchos K; Karatzas, Theodore; Berney, Thierry; Minor, Thomas; Pappas, Paris; Pattou, François; Shaw, James; Toso, Christian; Schuurman, Henk-Jan

2012-01-01

Recently, initiatives have been undertaken to establish an islet transplantation program in Athens, Greece. A major hurtle is the high cost associated with the establishment and maintenance of a clinical-grade islet manufacturing center. A collaboration was established with the University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, to enable remote islet cell manufacturing with an established and validated fully operational team. However, remote islet manufacturing requires shipment of the pancreas from the procurement to the islet manufacturing site (in this case from anywhere in Greece to Geneva) and then shipment of the islets from the manufacturing site to the transplant site (from Geneva to Athens). To address challenges related to cold ischemia time of the pancreas and shipment time of islets, a collaboration was initiated with the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. An international workshop was held in Athens, December 2011, to mark the start of this collaborative project. Experts in the field presented in three main sessions: [1] Islet transplantation: state-of-the-art, and the “network approach”; [2] Technical aspects of clinical islet transplantation and outcomes; and [3] Islet manufacturing – from the donated pancreas to the islet product. This manuscript presents a summary of the workshop. PMID:23330863

Three year study of tropospheric ozone with back trajectories at a metropolitan and a medium scale urban area in Greece.

PubMed

Dimitriou, Konstantinos; Kassomenos, Pavlos

2015-01-01

Three years of hourly O3 concentration measurements from a metropolitan and a medium scale urban area in Greece: Athens and Ioannina respectively, were analyzed in conjunction with hourly wind speed/direction data and air mass trajectories, aiming to reveal local and regional contributions respectively. Conditional Probability Function was used to indicate associations among distinct wind directions and extreme O3 episodes. Backward trajectory clusters were elaborated by Potential Source Contribution Function on a grid of a 0.5°×0.5° resolution, in order to localize potential exogenous sources of O3 and its precursors. In Athens, an increased likelihood of extreme O3 events at the Northern suburbs was associated with the influence of SSW-SW sea breeze from Saronikos Gulf, due to O3 transportation from the city center. In Ioannina, the impacts of O3 conveyance from the city center to the suburban monitoring site were weaker. Potential O3 transboundary sources for Athens were mainly localized over Balkan Peninsula, Greece and the Aegean Sea. Potential Source Contribution Function hotspots were isolated over the industrialized area of Ptolemaida basin and above the region of Thessaloniki. Potential regional O3 sources for Ioannina were indicated across northern Greece and Balkan Peninsula, whereas peak Potential Source Contribution Function values were particularly observed over the urban area of Sofia in Bulgaria. The implemented methods, revealed local and potential transboundary source areas of O3, influencing Athens and Ioannina. Differences among the two cities were highlighted and the role of topography was emerged. These findings can be used in order to reduce the emission of O3 precursors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Health literacy and sources of health education among adolescents in Greece.

PubMed

Vardavas, Constantine I; Kondilis, Barbara K; Patelarou, Evridiki; Akrivos, Patrick D; Falagas, Matthew E

2009-01-01

Knowledge on health and disease prevention and adolescent satisfaction from the health care system are factors that can affect the adolescent's health status. To assess the sources of health information of adolescents in a sample of teenagers from Athens and Crete, Greece. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of 369 adolescents aged 12-18 years from urban areas of Athens and Crete, Greece. Data on health care information sources and overall adolescent health literacy were collected with the use of a questionnaire exploring education on health topics over the past year, sources of health information, and interaction with their physician. More than half the study participants indicated having received information within the past year on oral health, sexually transmitted diseases, physical activity, smoking, and nutrition. The family (71.8%) and the physician (51.5%; boys vs. girls: 44.2% vs. 57.9%, p = .009) are most usually consulted for health information. Girls were found to seek out more sources of health information than boys and to receive more information from their friends (26.9% vs. 11.0%, p < .001), magazines (23.4% vs. 15.1%, p = .046), other health professionals (boys vs. girls: 11.2% vs. 5.8%, p = .068), and pamphlets (boys vs. girls: 21.3% vs. 9.9%, p = .003). A large percentage of adolescents, especially boys, are insufficiently informed on major health issues. Health education programming for youth in Greek schools is imperative to promote healthier lifestyles and to prevent chronic and infectious diseases.

Seasonal variability of dust in the eastern Mediterranean (Athens, Greece), through lidar measurements in the frame of EARLINET (2002-2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkalis, Panos; Papayannis, Alex; Tsaknakis, George; Mamouri, RodElise; Argyrouli, Athina

2013-04-01

Aerosols play an important role in earth's atmospheric radiation balance, which is enhanced in areas where dust is mostly present (e.g. the Mediterranean region), as in the case of the city of Athens. The focus of this paper is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the seasonal variability of optical and geometrical properties, as well as the mass concentration of Saharan dust over the city of Athens, Greece, for a 10-years time period: 2002-2012 based on the laser remote sensing (lidar) technique. More specifically, the aerosol optical properties concern the extinction and the backscatter coefficient, as well as the lidar ratio, while the geometrical properties concern the dust layer thickness and center of mass. The calculations of the aerosol extinction coefficient and of the so-called lidar ratio (defined as the ratio of the aerosol extinction coefficient over the aerosol backscatter coefficient) are made by using the Raman lidar technique, only under cloud-free conditions. The calculation of the dust mass concentration was retrieved by a applying a conversion factor (the so-called dust extinction cross section; mean value of the order of 0.64 m2g-1) and by combining sun photometric measurements and modeled dust loading values. Our data analysis was based on monthly-mean values, and only in time periods under cloud-free conditions and for lidar signals with signal to noise ratios (SNR) greater than 1.5 under dusty conditions. The mean value of the lidar ratio at 355 nm was found to be 62±20sr, while the mean dust mass concentration was of the order of 240 μgm-3. The data analyzed were obtained by systematic aerosol lidar measurements performed by the EOLE Raman lidar system of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), in the frame of the European Aerosol Research Lidar network (EARLINET). EOLE is able to provide the vertical profiles of the aerosol backscatter (at 355, 532, 1064 nm) and extinction coefficients (at 355 and 532 nm), as well as the

Modeling and in situ measurements of biometeorological conditions in microenvironments within the Athens University Campus, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastos, Panagiotis T.; Polychroni, Iliana D.

2016-10-01

The objective of this research is to assess and analyze the biometeorological perception in complex microenvironments in the Athens University Campus (AUC) using urban micromodels, such as RayMan. The human thermal sensation in such a place was considered of great significance due to the great gathering of student body and staff of the University. The quantification of the biometeorological conditions was succeeded by the estimation of the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), which is a biometeorological index based on the human energy balance. We carried out, on one hand, field measurements of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and global solar irradiance for different sites (building atrium, open area, and green atrium) of the examined microurban environment in order to calculate PET during January-July 2013. Additionally, on the other hand, PET modeling was performed using different sky-view factors and was compared to a reference site (meteorological station of Laboratory of Climatology and Atmospheric Environment, University of Athens). The global radiation was transferred to the examined sites with the RayMan model, which considers the sky-view factors for the adaptation of the radiation fluxes to simple and complex environments. The results of this study reveal the crucial importance of the existence of trees and green cover in a complex environment, as a factor that could be the solution to the efforts of stake holders in order to mitigate strong heat stress and improve people's living quality in urban areas.

Modeling and in situ measurements of biometeorological conditions in microenvironments within the Athens University Campus, Greece.

PubMed

Nastos, Panagiotis T; Polychroni, Iliana D

2016-10-01

The objective of this research is to assess and analyze the biometeorological perception in complex microenvironments in the Athens University Campus (AUC) using urban micromodels, such as RayMan. The human thermal sensation in such a place was considered of great significance due to the great gathering of student body and staff of the University. The quantification of the biometeorological conditions was succeeded by the estimation of the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), which is a biometeorological index based on the human energy balance. We carried out, on one hand, field measurements of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and global solar irradiance for different sites (building atrium, open area, and green atrium) of the examined microurban environment in order to calculate PET during January-July 2013. Additionally, on the other hand, PET modeling was performed using different sky-view factors and was compared to a reference site (meteorological station of Laboratory of Climatology and Atmospheric Environment, University of Athens). The global radiation was transferred to the examined sites with the RayMan model, which considers the sky-view factors for the adaptation of the radiation fluxes to simple and complex environments. The results of this study reveal the crucial importance of the existence of trees and green cover in a complex environment, as a factor that could be the solution to the efforts of stake holders in order to mitigate strong heat stress and improve people's living quality in urban areas.

Immunization coverage and predictive factors for complete and age-appropriate vaccination among preschoolers in Athens, Greece: a cross--sectional study.

PubMed

Pavlopoulou, Ioanna D; Michail, Koralia A; Samoli, Evangelia; Tsiftis, George; Tsoumakas, Konstantinos

2013-10-02

In Greece, several new childhood vaccines were introduced recently but were reimbursed gradually and at different time points. The aim of this study was to assess immunization coverage and identify factors influencing complete and age-appropriate vaccination among children attending public nurseries in the municipal district of Athens. A cross-sectional study, using stratified sampling was performed. Immunization history was obtained from vaccination booklets. Demographic and socioeconomic data were obtained from school registries and telephone interviews. Vaccination rates were estimated by sample weighted proportions while associations between complete and age-appropriate immunization and potential determinants by logistic regression analysis. A total of 731 children (mean age: 46, median: 48, range: 10-65 months) were included. Overall immunization coverage with traditional vaccines (DTP, polio, Hib, HBV, 1st dose MMR) was satisfactory, exceeding 90%, but the administration of booster doses was delayed (range: 33.7- 97.4%, at 60 months of age). Complete vaccination rates were lower for new vaccines (Men C, PCV7, varicella, hepatitis A), ranging between 61-92%. In addition, a significant delay in timely administration of Men C, PCV7, as well as HBV was noted (22.9%, 16.0% and 27.7% at 12 months of age, respectively). Child's age was strongly associated with incomplete vaccination with all vaccines (p< 0.001), while as immigrant status was a predictor of incomplete (p=0.034) and delayed vaccination (p<0.001) with traditional vaccines. Increasing household size and higher maternal education were negatively associated with the receipt of all and newly licensed vaccines, respectively (p=0.035). Our findings highlight the need to monitor uptake of new vaccines and improve age- appropriate administration of booster doses as well as early vaccination against hepatitis B. Immigrant status, increased household size and high maternal education may warrant targeted

Immunization coverage and predictive factors for complete and age-appropriate vaccination among preschoolers in Athens, Greece: a cross- sectional study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background In Greece, several new childhood vaccines were introduced recently but were reimbursed gradually and at different time points. The aim of this study was to assess immunization coverage and identify factors influencing complete and age-appropriate vaccination among children attending public nurseries in the municipal district of Athens. Methods A cross-sectional study, using stratified sampling was performed. Immunization history was obtained from vaccination booklets. Demographic and socioeconomic data were obtained from school registries and telephone interviews. Vaccination rates were estimated by sample weighted proportions while associations between complete and age-appropriate immunization and potential determinants by logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 731 children (mean age: 46, median: 48, range: 10–65 months) were included. Overall immunization coverage with traditional vaccines (DTP, polio, Hib, HBV, 1st dose MMR) was satisfactory, exceeding 90%, but the administration of booster doses was delayed (range: 33.7- 97.4%, at 60 months of age). Complete vaccination rates were lower for new vaccines (Men C, PCV7, varicella, hepatitis A), ranging between 61-92%. In addition, a significant delay in timely administration of Men C, PCV7, as well as HBV was noted (22.9%, 16.0% and 27.7% at 12 months of age, respectively). Child’s age was strongly associated with incomplete vaccination with all vaccines (p< 0.001), while as immigrant status was a predictor of incomplete (p=0.034) and delayed vaccination (p<0.001) with traditional vaccines. Increasing household size and higher maternal education were negatively associated with the receipt of all and newly licensed vaccines, respectively (p=0.035). Conclusions Our findings highlight the need to monitor uptake of new vaccines and improve age- appropriate administration of booster doses as well as early vaccination against hepatitis B. Immigrant status, increased household size and high

Data and code for the exploratory data analysis of the electrical energy demand in the time domain in Greece.

PubMed

Tyralis, Hristos; Karakatsanis, Georgios; Tzouka, Katerina; Mamassis, Nikos

2017-08-01

We present data and code for visualizing the electrical energy data and weather-, climate-related and socioeconomic variables in the time domain in Greece. The electrical energy data include hourly demand, weekly-ahead forecasted values of the demand provided by the Greek Independent Power Transmission Operator and pricing values in Greece. We also present the daily temperature in Athens and the Gross Domestic Product of Greece. The code combines the data to a single report, which includes all visualizations with combinations of all variables in multiple time scales. The data and code were used in Tyralis et al. (2017) [1].

International workshop: islet transplantation without borders enabling islet transplantation in Greece with international collaboration and innovative technology.

PubMed

Papas, Klearchos K; Karatzas, Theodore; Berney, Thierry; Minor, Thomas; Pappas, Paris; Pattou, François; Shaw, James; Toso, Christian; Schuurman, Henk-Jan

2013-01-01

Recently, initiatives have been undertaken to establish an islet transplantation program in Athens, Greece. A major hurdle is the high cost associated with the establishment and maintenance of a clinical-grade islet manufacturing center. A collaboration was established with the University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, to enable remote islet cell manufacturing with an established and validated fully operational team. However, remote islet manufacturing requires shipment of the pancreas from the procurement to the islet manufacturing site (in this case from anywhere in Greece to Geneva) and then shipment of the islets from the manufacturing site to the transplant site (from Geneva to Athens). To address challenges related to cold ischemia time of the pancreas and shipment time of islets, a collaboration was initiated with the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA. An international workshop was held in Athens, December 2011, to mark the start of this collaborative project. Experts in the field presented in three main sessions: (i) islet transplantation: state-of-the-art and the "network approach"; (ii) technical aspects of clinical islet transplantation and outcomes; and (iii) islet manufacturing - from the donated pancreas to the islet product. This manuscript presents a summary of the workshop. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Enhanced HIV-1 surveillance using molecular epidemiology to study and monitor HIV-1 outbreaks among intravenous drug users (IDUs) in Athens and Bucharest.

PubMed

Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Paraschiv, Simona; Sypsa, Vana; Nikolopoulos, Georgios; Tsiara, Chryssa; Magiorkinis, Gkikas; Psichogiou, Mina; Flampouris, Andreas; Mardarescu, Mariana; Niculescu, Iulia; Batan, Ionelia; Malliori, Meni; Otelea, Dan; Hatzakis, Angelos

2015-10-01

A significant increase in HIV-1 diagnoses was reported among Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) in the Athens (17-fold) and Bucharest (9-fold) metropolitan areas starting 2011. Molecular analyses were conducted on HIV-1 sequences from IDUs comprising 51% and 20% of the diagnosed cases among IDUs during 2011-2013 for Greece and Romania, respectively. Phylodynamic analyses were performed using the newly developed birth-death serial skyline model which allows estimating of important epidemiological parameters, as implemented in BEAST programme. Most infections (>90%) occurred within four and three IDU local transmission networks in Athens and Bucharest, respectively. For all Romanian clusters, the viral strains originated from local circulating strains, whereas in Athens, the local strains seeded only two of the four sub-outbreaks. Birth-death skyline plots suggest a more explosive nature for sub-outbreaks in Bucharest than in Athens. In Athens, two sub-outbreaks had been controlled (Re<1.0) by 2013 and two appeared to be endemic (Re∼1). In Bucharest one outbreak continued to expand (Re>1.0) and two had been controlled (Re<1.0). The lead times were shorter for the outbreak in Athens than in Bucharest. Enhanced molecular surveillance proved useful to gain information about the origin, causal pathways, dispersal patterns and transmission dynamics of the outbreaks that can be useful in a public health setting. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teachers' Use of Classroom Management Procedures in the United States and Greece: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akin-Little, K. Angeleque; Little, Steven G.; Laniti, Mariana

2007-01-01

A survey was conducted of teachers' classroom management practices in the United States and Greece. The United States sample consisted of 149 teachers in Arizona, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The Greek sample consisted of 97 teachers in Athens and the surrounding area. The survey asked questions regarding teachers' use of…

On the corrosion and soiling effects on materials by air pollution in Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzanis, C.; Varotsos, C.; Christodoulakis, J.; Tidblad, J.; Ferm, M.; Ionescu, A.; Lefevre, R.-A.; Theodorakopoulou, K.; Kreislova, K.

2011-12-01

In the frame of the European project, entitled MULTI-ASSESS, specimens of structural metals, glass, stone and concrete materials were exposed to air pollution at a station, which was installed for this purpose on a building, located in the centre of Athens. The main purpose of this project was to determine the corrosion and soiling effects of air pollution on materials. A set of the specimens was exposed in a position that was sheltered from rain and partly from wind, and another set was exposed in unsheltered positions on the roof of the above said building. In addition, other specimens were exposed at different heights on the same building, in order to investigate for the first time the corrosion and soiling effects on various materials as a function of height. For the determination of these effects, chemical analysis of the specimens was performed and basic parameters as the weight change, the layer thickness and the optical properties were calculated. Finally, the results obtained are discussed and their plausible interpretation is attempted.

On the corrosion and soiling effects on materials by air pollution in Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzanis, C.; Varotsos, C.; Christodoulakis, J.; Tidblad, J.; Ferm, M.; Ionescu, A.; Lefevre, R.-A.; Theodorakopoulou, K.; Kreislova, K.

2010-12-01

In the frame of the European project, entitled MULTI-ASSESS, specimens of structural metals, glass, stone and concrete materials were exposed to air pollution at a station, which was installed for this purpose on a building, located in the centre of Athens. The main purpose of this project was to determine the corrosion and soiling effects of air pollution on materials. A set of the specimens was exposed in a position that was sheltered from rain and partly from wind, and another set was exposed in unsheltered positions on the roof of the above said building. In addition, other specimens were exposed at different heights on the same building, in order to investigate for the first time the corrosion and soiling effects on various materials as a function of height. For the determination of these effects, chemical analysis of the specimens was performed and basic parameters as the weight change, the layer thickness and the optical properties were calculated. Finally, the results obtained are discussed and their plausible interpretation is attempted.

Developmental, Familial and Educational Characteristics of a Sample of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stampoltzis, Aglaia; Papatrecha, Virginia; Polychronopoulou, Stavroula; Mavronas, Dimitris

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe the developmental, familial and educational characteristics of 91 children with a clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), from one educational district of Athens, Greece. Records of the 91 children, aged 4-14 years old, were examined with respect to sex, age of diagnosis, type of ASDs, school…

Health promotion programs related to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic games.

PubMed

Soteriades, Elpidoforos S; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Kremastinou, Jeni; Chelvatzoglou, Fotini C; Minogiannis, Panagiotis S; Falagas, Matthew E

2006-02-24

The Olympic Games constitute a first-class opportunity to promote athleticism and health messages. Little is known, however on the impact of Olympic Games on the development of health-promotion programs for the general population. Our objective was to identify and describe the population-based health-promotion programs implemented in relation to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games. A cross-sectional survey of all stakeholders of the Games, including the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, all ministries of the Greek government, the National School of Public Health, all municipalities hosting Olympic events and all official private sponsors of the Games, was conducted after the conclusion of the Games. A total of 44 agencies were surveyed, 40 responded (91%), and ten (10) health-promotion programs were identified. Two programs were implemented by the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, 2 from the Greek ministries, 2 from the National School of Public Health, 1 from municipalities, and 3 from official private sponsors of the Games. The total cost of the programs was estimated at 943,000 Euros; a relatively small fraction (0.08%) of the overall cost of the Games. Greece has made a small, however, significant step forward, on health promotion, in the context of the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee and the future hosting countries, including China, are encouraged to elaborate on this idea and offer the world a promising future for public health.

Health promotion programs related to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic games

PubMed Central

Soteriades, Elpidoforos S; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Kremastinou, Jeni; Chelvatzoglou, Fotini C; Minogiannis, Panagiotis S; Falagas, Matthew E

2006-01-01

Background The Olympic Games constitute a first-class opportunity to promote athleticism and health messages. Little is known, however on the impact of Olympic Games on the development of health-promotion programs for the general population. Our objective was to identify and describe the population-based health-promotion programs implemented in relation to the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games. Methods A cross-sectional survey of all stakeholders of the Games, including the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, all ministries of the Greek government, the National School of Public Health, all municipalities hosting Olympic events and all official private sponsors of the Games, was conducted after the conclusion of the Games. Results A total of 44 agencies were surveyed, 40 responded (91%), and ten (10) health-promotion programs were identified. Two programs were implemented by the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, 2 from the Greek ministries, 2 from the National School of Public Health, 1 from municipalities, and 3 from official private sponsors of the Games. The total cost of the programs was estimated at 943,000 Euros; a relatively small fraction (0.08%) of the overall cost of the Games. Conclusion Greece has made a small, however, significant step forward, on health promotion, in the context of the Olympic Games. The International Olympic Committee and the future hosting countries, including China, are encouraged to elaborate on this idea and offer the world a promising future for public health. PMID:16504120

Intellectual Assessment of Children and Adolescents: The Case of Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bablekou, Zoe; Kazi, Smaragda

2016-01-01

The article reviews the history of intellectual assessment of children and adolescents in Greece, as well as procedures, current practices, and future directions. Although the history of special education is long in Greece, there has been very sporadic and incoherent legislation and decision making on the subject. Currently, intelligence tests are…

Problems experienced by haemodialysis patients in Greece.

PubMed

Kaba, E; Bellou, P; Iordanou, P; Andrea, S; Kyritsi, E; Gerogianni, G; Zetta, S; Swigart, V

Even though Greece has a disproportionate number of haemodialysis stations for the treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and a rapidly rising number of patients on dialysis, there has been no study of the lived experience of haemodialysis treatment in Greece. ESRD and dialysis drastically impact patients' everyday life, therefore expectations and desires play a major role in adapting to alterations and restrictions. An understanding of these culturally-influenced expectations and desires is essential for the delivery of holistic nursing care. This study aimed to explore how Greek patients receiving long-term haemodialysis perceived their problems and to describe the impact of haemodialysis on their lives. Using a grounded theory approach, 23 patients with ESRD receiving haemodialysis were purposively recruited from two hospital dialysis centres in Athens, Greece. Data were collected during 2006 by personal interviews. Given a distinctive patient experience of haemodialysis, some insight into their common concerns can facilitate provision of healthcare services that adequately meets their needs. By developing an understanding of the experience of renal illness and therapy for a group of people using dialysis, this study was intended as a contribution towards enabling healthcare professionals to provide more effective support to people who are living with this chronic condition.

The extreme heat wave in Athens in July 1987 from the point of view of human biometeorology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matzarakis, Andreas; Mayer, Helmut

At the end of July 1987 a heat wave came over Greece and had as a consequence an increase in the mortality to double the normal values. Predicted mean vote ( PMV), physiologically equivalent temperature ( PET), and for comparison discomfort index ( DI) as thermal indices as well as core temperature, mean skin temperature, and skin wetness as body parameters are calculated for that period based on meteorological data of the Meteorological Institute of the National Observatory in the centre of Athens and of the suburban station New Philadelphia of the Hellenic National Weather Service. The results for the thermal indices and the body parameters indicate a very high thermal stress on people. In addition, the air quality stress index ( AQSI) has been used for characterizing air quality conditions in Athens during the heat wave. The results Combined with the thermal effects of the heat wave the stress on humans due to environmental conditions has been very injurious to health.

Monitoring land use/land cover transformations from 1945 to 2007 in two peri-urban mountainous areas of Athens metropolitan area, Greece.

PubMed

Mallinis, Giorgos; Koutsias, Nikos; Arianoutsou, Margarita

2014-08-15

The aims of this study were to map and analyze land use/land cover transitions and landscape changes in the Parnitha and Penteli mountains, which surround the Athens metropolitan area of Attica, Greece over a period of 62 years. In order to quantify the changes between land categories through time, we computed the transition matrices for three distinct periods (1945-1960, 1960-1996, and 1996-2007), on the basis of available aerial photographs used to create multi-temporal maps. We identified systematic and stationary transitions with multi-level intensity analysis. Forest areas in Parnitha remained the dominant class of land cover throughout the 62 years studied, while transitional woodlands and shrublands were the main classes involved in LULC transitions. Conversely, in Penteli, transitional woodlands, along with shrublands, dominated the study site. The annual rate of change was faster in the first and third time intervals, compared to the second (1960-1996) time interval, in both study areas. The category level analysis results indicated that in both sites annual crops avoided to gain while discontinuous urban fabric avoided to lose areas. At the transition level of analysis, similarities as well as distinct differences existed between the two areas. In both sites the gaining pattern of permanent crops with respect to annual crops and the gain of forest with respect to transitional woodland/shrublands were stationary across the three time intervals. Overall, we identified more systematic transitions and stationary processes in Penteli. We discussed these LULC changes and associated them with human interference (activity) and other major socio-economic developments that were simultaneously occurring in the area. The different patterns of change of the areas, despite their geographical proximity, throughout the period of analysis imply that site-specific studies are needed in order to comprehensively assess the driving forces and develop models of landscape

Vaccination coverage and susceptibility against vaccine-preventable diseases of healthcare students in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Karageorgou, Katerina; Katerelos, Panos; Efstathiou, Andreas; Theodoridou, Maria; Maltezou, Helena C

2014-09-03

Vaccination of healthcare students is important to protect them from acquiring and transmitting vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) to high-risk patients and other healthcare workers (HCWs). The aim of the current study was to estimate the vaccination coverage, the susceptibility against VPDs, the knowledge and attitudes toward vaccinations of healthcare students studying at the Athens Technological Educational Institute. The study was conducted during the academic year 2012-2013 using a standardized questionnaire. The mean knowledge score (correct answers) of healthcare students about the vaccines that are recommended by the Greek Ministry of Health for HCWs was 41%. Completed vaccination rates range from 19.6% for varicella to 80.2% for tetanus-diphtheria. A history of measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or pertussis was reported by 8.2%, 4%, 5.4%, 70.4%, 1.5%, 0%, and 3% of students, respectively. Susceptibility rates were 20.5% against measles, 26.4% against mumps, 13.9% against rubella, 15.7% against varicella, 47.8% against hepatitis A, 17.3% against hepatitis B, and 19.8% against tetanus-diphtheria. Mandatory vaccination of HCWs was supported by 145 (96.7%) students. There are significant immunity gaps against all VPDs among healthcare students in Athens. A system to easily identify non-immune students should be established in association with efficient reminder systems. Education of healthcare students about VPDs and vaccines will improve their attitudes toward vaccinations and their vaccination coverage. Mandatory vaccinations should be considered for HCWs in order to promote safety within healthcare facilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental tobacco smoke in hospitality venues in Greece.

PubMed

Vardavas, Constantine I; Kondilis, Barbara; Travers, Mark J; Petsetaki, Elisabeth; Tountas, Yiannis; Kafatos, Anthony G

2007-10-23

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a major threat to public health. Greece, having the highest smoking prevalence in the European Union is seriously affected by passive smoking. The purpose of this study was to measure environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in the non smoking areas of hospitality venues and offices in Greece and to compare the levels of exposure to levels in the US, UK and Ireland before and after the implementation of a smoking ban. Experimental measurements of particulate matter 2.5 microm (PM2.5), performed during a cross sectional study of 49 hospitality venues and offices in Athens and Crete, Greece during February - March 2006. Levels of ETS ranged from 19 microg/m3 to 612 microg/m3, differing according to the place of measurement. The average exposure in hospitality venues was 268 microg/m3 with ETS levels found to be highest in restaurants with a mean value of 298 microg/m3 followed by bars and cafes with 271 microg/m3. ETS levels were 76% lower in venues in which smoking was not observed compared to all other venues (p < 0.001). ETS levels in Greek designated non-smoking areas are similar to those found in the smoking sections of UK hospitality venues while levels in Ireland with a total smoking ban are 89% lower and smoke-free communities in the US are 91 - 96% lower than levels in Greece. Designated non-smoking areas of hospitality venues in Greece are significantly more polluted with ETS than outdoor air and similar venues in Europe and the United States. The implementation of a total indoor smoking ban in hospitality venues has been shown to have a positive effect on workers and patrons' health. The necessity of such legislation in Greece is thus warranted.

Methods of Hydrographic Surveying Used by Different Countries.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-01

902 Greece 16. Training and Education Division Hellenic Navy General Staff GENIKO EPITELIO NAYTIKOY (GEN) Greece 17. Hellenic Naval Academy SHOLI...Maratos Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service Athens BST 902 Greece 21. Hellenic Army Geographic Service V. GENIKO EPITELIO STRATOU Athens, Greece 22. LT

Water in Athens Then and Now

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christaki, Maria

2015-04-01

The presentation examines the water sources and the water supply projects in Athens in relation to the historical, urban and demographic development since 3500 BC. Athens and the Athens basin were inhabited from the Late Neolithic period (about 5300-4500 BC.). In recent years, after thorough investigations and excavations in the north and south side of the Acropolis, the Agora and the Dipylon, conclusions were drawn regarding the historical construction and residential development of Athens. The findings show that the Athenians had settled permanently on the sides of the Acropolis from Hysteroneolithic or Final Neolithic period (3500-3000 BC.). The water provision was primarily secured by using wells and natural springs, such as the Neolithic wells near the Klepsydra spring. The climate in Attica is dry Mediterranean with sunny and dry summers and wet and mild winters. The annual precipitation in the city of Athens is about 400 mm and long dry periods are been detected in historical times all the way to today. Since prehistoric times, the city of Athens and the wider region of Attica did not contain many natural water sources so aquatic reserves were never adequate to meet the needs of residents, as these changed over time The lack of water in Attica drove its inhabitants to study the flow of rivers and penetration of rain into the earth to discover and extract hidden waters. This enabled Athenians to acquire technical expertise and develop a significant hydrotechnologic culture, as evidenced by their works. As the population of Athens and the need for water increased residents - among others - turned to obtaining water from distant sources and construct aqueducts that brought water into the city using gravity. In the mid of 6th century BC (tyranny of Peisistrateidon) and while the population was 300,000 the Peisistrateio aqueduct built. After the 6th. century BC there were, fountains, cisterns, reservoirs and aqueducts throughout the city. In Roman Athens, the

Characterization of PM2.5 chemical composition at the Demokritos suburban station, in Athens Greece. The influence of Saharan dust.

PubMed

Vasilatou, Vasiliki; Diapouli, Evangelia; Abatzoglou, Dimitrios; Bakeas, Evangelos B; Scoullos, Michael; Eleftheriadis, Konstantinos

2017-04-01

The aim of this work is to study the atmospheric concentrations of selected major and trace elements and ions found in PM 2.5 , at a suburban site in Athens, Greece, and discuss on the impact of the different sources. Special focus is given to the influence of Saharan dust episodes. The seasonal variability in the metal and ion concentrations is also examined. The results show that PM 2.5 mass concentrations are significantly influenced by Saharan dust events; it is observed that when the PM 2.5 concentration is higher than 25 μg/m 3 , five out of six times, the air mass crossed North Africa at an altitude within the boundary layer. Fe is found to be the element with the more significant seasonal variability, displaying much higher concentrations during cold period. The frequent Saharan dust intrusions in the cold period of this dataset may explain this result. Mineral dust and secondary aerosol are the main PM 2.5 components (29 and 34%, respectively). During Saharan dust events, the concentration of mineral dust is increased by 35% compared to the days without dust intrusions, while an increase of 68% of the sea salt is also observed. During event days, PM 2.5 concentrations are also increased by 14%. Anthropogenic components do not decrease during those days, while sulfate displays even a slight increase, suggesting enrichment of mineral dust with secondary sulfates. The results indicate that African dust intrusions add a rather significant PM pollution load even in the PM 2.5 fraction, with implication to population exposure and human health.

Greece's high dentist to population ratio: comparisons, causes, and effects.

PubMed

Koletsi-Kounari, Haroula; Papaioannou, William; Stefaniotis, Theodoros

2011-11-01

Reaching the optimal dentist to population ratio is a common health policy challenge around the world, but while many countries have too few dentists for their populations, Greece is facing the opposite problem. This study was designed to describe and analyze trends in the number and distribution of dentists in Greece over the last thirty years and compare the Greek dentist to population ratio with that of the other twenty-six European Union (EU) countries. Demographic data for Greece were obtained from the Hellenic Dental Association and the National Statistical Service of Greece and were analyzed using nonparametric statistical tests. Data for the other EU countries were derived from various authoritative sources. In Greece, the number of dentists per 10,000 inhabitants increased significantly (p<0.05) from 1982 (7.7) to 2007 (13.0), ranking Greece first (in 2008) among the EU countries. The proportional increase in the number of dentists during the decade 1979-88 (30.4 percent) was significant (p<0.05), compared to the decade 1989-98 (22.3 percent) and the nine-year period 1999-2007 (23.6 percent). In 1982 and 1992, the majority of dentists practiced in the Attica Prefecture (Athens) (55.2 percent and 52.6 percent, respectively), but this situation changed significantly in 2007 (p<0.05) (40.1 percent for Attica). The percentage of female dentists remained almost the same from 1982 until 2007, but female dentists' location of practice changed significantly (p<0.05) between 1992 and 2007. After reporting the data, we examine some of the reasons for and effects of the situation and consider the problem that, even with a high dentist to population ratio, Greece has significant oral health access problems.

Molecular epidemiology of Bordetella pertussis in Greece, 2010-2015.

PubMed

Petridou, Evangelia; Jensen, Christel Barker; Arvanitidis, Athanasios; Giannaki-Psinaki, Maria; Michos, Athanasios; Krogfelt, Karen Angeliki; Petersen, Randi Føns

2018-03-01

To determine the predominant strains of Bordetella pertussis in Greece during 2010-2015. Infants and children (n=1150) (15 days to 14 years) of Greek, Roma and immigrant origin with different vaccination statuses were hospitalized in Athens, Greece with suspected pertussis infection. IS481/IS1001 real-time PCR confirmed Bordetella spp./B. pertussis infection in 300 samples. A subset of samples (n=153) were analysed by multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and (n=25) by sequence-based typing of the toxin promotor region (ptxP) on DNA extracted from clinical specimens.Results/Key findings. A complete MLVA profile was determined in 66 out of 153 samples; the B. pertussis MLVA type 27 (n=55) was the dominant genotype and all tested samples (n=25) expressed the ptxP3 genotype. The vaccine coverage in the Greek population was 90 %; however, the study population expressed complete coverage in 2 out of 264 infants (0-11 months) and in 20 out of 36 children (1-14 years). Roma and immigrant minorities represent 7 % of the Greek population, but make up 50 % of the study population, indicating a low vaccine coverage among these groups. The B. pertussis MT27 and ptxP3 genotype is dominant in Greek, Roma and immigrant infants and children hospitalized in Greece. Thus, the predominant MLVA genotype in Greece is similar to other countries using acellular vaccines.

Trends of NOx, NO2 and O3 concentrations at three different types of air quality monitoring stations in Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavroidis, I.; Ilia, M.

2012-12-01

This work presents a systematic analysis and evaluation of the historic and current levels of atmospheric pollution in the Athens metropolitan region, regarding nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2), ozone (O3) and the NO2/NOx and NO/NO2 concentration ratios. Hourly, daily, monthly, seasonal and annual pollutant variations are examined and compared, using the results of concentration time series from three different stations of the national network for air pollution monitoring, one urban-traffic, one urban-background and one suburban-background. Concentration data are also related to meteorological parameters. The results show that the traffic affected station of Patission Street presents the higher NOx values and the lower concentrations of O3, while it is the station with the highest number of NO2 limit exceedances. The monitoring data suggest, inter alia, that there is a change in the behaviour of the suburban-background station of Liossia at about year 2000, indicating that the exact location of this station may need to be reconsidered. Comparison of NOx concentrations in Athens with concentrations in urban areas of other countries reveal that the Patission urban-traffic station records very high NOx concentrations, while remarkably high is the ratio of NO2 concentrations recorded at the urban-traffic vs. the urban-background station in Athens, indicating the overarching role of vehicles and traffic congestion on NO2 formation. The NO2/NOx ratio in the urban-traffic station appears to be almost constant with time, while it has been increasing in other urban areas, such as London and Seoul, suggesting an increased effect of primary NO2 in these areas. Diesel passenger cars were only recently allowed in Athens and, therefore, NO2 trends should be carefully monitored since a possible increase in primary NO2 may affect compliance with NO2 air quality standards.

Minerva/Athene.

PubMed

Fara, Patricia

2010-03-01

Minerva was the goddess of wisdom and war, the Roman equivalent of the Greek Pallas Athene. Like all mythical figures, she was repeatedly reinterpreted to carry different rhetorical messages. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Influence of the School Hygiene and Paedology Movement on the Early Development of Special Education in Greece, 1900-1940: The Leading Role of Emmanuel Lambadarios

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anastasiou, Dimitris; Iliadou-Tachou, Sophia; Harisi, Antonia

2015-01-01

This study focuses on the contribution of Emmanuel Lambadarios to special education in Greece in the early twentieth century. It examines Lambadarios's involvement in special education, culminating in the establishment of the "Model Special School of Athens" (PESA), the first public special education school for children with intellectual…

Environmental tobacco smoke in hospitality venues in Greece

PubMed Central

Vardavas, Constantine I; Kondilis, Barbara; Travers, Mark J; Petsetaki, Elisabeth; Tountas, Yiannis; Kafatos, Anthony G

2007-01-01

Background Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a major threat to public health. Greece, having the highest smoking prevalence in the European Union is seriously affected by passive smoking. The purpose of this study was to measure environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure in the non smoking areas of hospitality venues and offices in Greece and to compare the levels of exposure to levels in the US, UK and Ireland before and after the implementation of a smoking ban. Methods Experimental measurements of particulate matter 2.5 μm (PM2.5), performed during a cross sectional study of 49 hospitality venues and offices in Athens and Crete, Greece during February – March 2006. Results Levels of ETS ranged from 19 μg/m3 to 612 μg/m3, differing according to the place of measurement. The average exposure in hospitality venues was 268 μg/m3 with ETS levels found to be highest in restaurants with a mean value of 298 μg/m3 followed by bars and cafes with 271 μg/m3. ETS levels were 76% lower in venues in which smoking was not observed compared to all other venues (p < 0.001). ETS levels in Greek designated non-smoking areas are similar to those found in the smoking sections of UK hospitality venues while levels in Ireland with a total smoking ban are 89% lower and smoke-free communities in the US are 91 – 96% lower than levels in Greece. Conclusion Designated non-smoking areas of hospitality venues in Greece are significantly more polluted with ETS than outdoor air and similar venues in Europe and the United States. The implementation of a total indoor smoking ban in hospitality venues has been shown to have a positive effect on workers and patrons' health. The necessity of such legislation in Greece is thus warranted. PMID:17956612

Acute bacterial meningitis cases diagnosed by culture and PCR in a children's hospital throughout a 9-Year period (2000-2008) in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Papavasileiou, Konstantina; Papavasileiou, Eleni; Tzanakaki, Georgina; Voyatzi, Aliki; Kremastinou, Jenny; Chatzipanagiotou, Stylianos

2011-04-01

Acute bacterial meningitis is one of the most severe infectious diseases, affecting mainly infants and, secondarily, older children and adolescents. Diagnosis in the early stages is often difficult and despite treatment with appropriate antibiotic therapy, the case fatality rate remains high. In the present study, the incidence of bacterial meningitis was registered in a general pediatric hospital in Athens, Greece, during a 9-year period (2000-2008), and the use of molecular methods in the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis versus the conventional cultural methods was evaluated. The impact of vaccination against meningitis-causing bacteria on the incidence of bacterial meningitis was also assessed. From a total of 1833 children hospitalized with suspected clinical symptoms and signs of meningitis, all cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples were analyzed by white blood cell (WBC) count, measurement of glucose, protein, and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, as well as by conventional bacteriologic culture methods. If samples showed altered CSF markers that were consistent with meningitis in general, they were further investigated by PCR for bacterial pathogens. Of the 1833 patients, 289 (15.76%) were found to be positive for meningitis after CSF examination, based on white blood cell count and differentiation, glucose, protein, and CRP. Fifty-six of the 289 (19.37%) had confirmed bacterial meningitis, as diagnosed by either culture and/or PCR. Of these 56 cases, 44 (78.6%) were detected only by PCR, and 12 cases (21.4%) were confirmed by PCR and culture. The predominant microorganism was Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (n = 40; 71.4%), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae not typed [NT] (n = 7; 12.5%), Streptococcus spp. (n =4; 7.1%), Haemophilus influenzae NT (n = 2; 3.6%), and S. pneumoniae serotype 3, Streptococcus group B, and S. pneumoniae serotype 18C (each n = 1; 1.8%). In Greece, according to data from the National Meningitis Reference

Cassini Scientist for a Day: an international contest in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomonidou, A.; Moussas, X.; Coustenis, A.; Lebreton, J.-P.; Bampasidis, G.; Kyriakopoulos, K.; Kouloumvakos, A.; Xystouris, G.; Sigala, E.; Patsou, I.

2012-04-01

The international contest 'Cassini Scientist for a Day', organized by the Cassini Outreach team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, provides school students all around the world with the opportunity to get involved in astronomy and astrophysics and planetary sciences in particular. It gives excellent opportunity for outreach and publicity for the Cassini mission and ESA and NASA activities in Greece. For the years 2010 and 2011, the Space Physics Group of the Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics section of the University of Athens in association with external colleagues has been selected as the co-ordinator of NASA for the competition in Greece. This kind of school competition in Greece is particularly important since Astronomy and Astrophysics and Space Sciences, although very popular, are not included in the school curricula and thus students rarely have the opportunity to experience and participate actively in these subjects. Under the guidance of Cassini Outreach team, the members of the Space Physics Group have informed, explained and spread the rules of the competition at primary, secondary and high schools all over Greece. Our members kept open communication with students, teachers and parents throughout the holding of the competition for questions and guidance. In general, the students have the option to choose Cassini monitoring between three targets of the Saturnian system, which will bring the best scientific result. Their arguments should be summarized in an essay of 500 words more or less. They also have the option to do team work through groups of maximum three students. The participation in the contest for 2010 was unexpectedly high and thoroughly satisfied. The winners awarded through a ceremony which was held in the largest amphitheater at the central building of the University of Athens, that was fully packed. A large number of the participants of the 2010 contest are either participating in the new contest of 2011-2012 or -since some of them

Coping with seismic vulnerability: small manufacturing firms in western Athens.

PubMed

Sapountzaki, Kalliopi

2005-06-01

This paper attempts to contribute to international discourse on the responsibility of macro structures (economic and political) and private agencies for the production and distribution of vulnerability. It does so by focusing on an individual economic entity, small manufacturing firms (SMFs), in a specific location, western Athens, Greece. By evaluating the losses that SMFs sustained in the earthquake of 7 September 1999, the paper points to variations in vulnerability levels among such firms and highlights the 'sources' of vulnerability they confront. Furthermore, the SMF recovery cycle is systematically monitored in parallel with relevant public policies and state reactions to private recovery methods. The analysis illustrates processes that externalise recovery costs, alter the relationship between physical and socio-economic vulnerability and shift the vulnerability load from macro structures to individual agencies or vice versa. It is based on two methodological approaches: the division of vulnerability into three constituent components (exposure, resistance and resilience); and the conceptual split between producers and carriers of vulnerability.

Seroprevalence and risk factors for hepatitis A, B, and C among Roma and non-Roma children in a deprived area of Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Michos, A; Terzidis, A; Kalampoki, V; Pantelakis, K; Spanos, Th; Petridou, E Th

2008-05-01

The prevalence and risk factors of hepatitis A, B, and C (HAV, HBV, and HCV) markers were compared in non-Roma and Roma children who lived in a deprived suburb of Athens, Greece. The study included 216 children, 118 Roma and 98 non-Roma of 9 years median age (range 5-15 years). Among Roma children 98.3% had detectable antibodies to HAV, compared with 32.7% among non-Romas (P < 0.0001). Regarding HBV, 22% Roma children were identified with evidence of past infection (anti-HBc(+)), among whom five (4% of the total) were chronic carriers (HBsAg(+)), whereas no past infection was detected among the non-Romas (P < 0.0001). Markers of past HBV vaccination (anti-HBs(+), anti-HBc(-)) were detected in only 14% Roma but 96% non-Roma children (P-value < 0.0001). There was some indication for intrafamilial transmission of HAV and HBV in Roma school children. Unfavorable living conditions, frequent residency change, lack of child insurance and primary healthcare delivery were significantly associated with seroprevalence of HBV infection among Romas. No child in either group was found positive for HCV markers. These findings document high socioeconomic differentials with regards to preventable communicable diseases, such as HAV and HBV and underline the need for enhancing health policy action targeting pockets of minority childhood populations. Whereas, uptake of HBV vaccination is rather optimal in this general population, the high seroprevalence of HAV among Romas, also calls for implementing general vaccination for HAV, early in life.

Pre-travel counselling in Greece for travellers visiting friends and relatives.

PubMed

Pavli, Androula; Katerelos, Panagiotis; Pierroutsakos, Ioannis N; Maltezou, Helen C

2009-09-01

Pre-travel services are underused by travellers visiting friends and relatives (VFRs). The objective of this study was to define the proportion and the profile of VFRs who seek pre-travel counselling in Greece. The study was conducted prospectively, from July, 2005 to December, 2007, in seven Health Departments of the Prefectures in Athens and Attica, where 35.6% of the Greek population resides; migrants account for 17% and 8% of the population in these areas, respectively. 2548 travellers seeking pre-travel advice were studied; 23 (0.9%) were identified as VFRs. Children younger than 15 years accounted for 30.4% of VFRs, compared to 2.3% among non-VFRs. VFRs were younger than non-VFRs (mean ages: 29.9 versus 40.4 years, respectively). A comparison of VFRs with non-VFRs revealed that VFRs travelled for longer periods of time, stayed at local people's home more frequently (87% versus 15.5%), and travelled on an organized trip less frequently (4.3% versus 54.6%). Considering the fact that 36,056 VFRs travelled from Greece to Africa and Asia during 2005-2007, and that only 1 out of 700 VFRs to these destinations pre-travel advice in Greece, communication strategies to access efficiently this group of travellers should be explored urgently.

Urban seismic risk assessment: statistical repair cost data and probable structural losses based on damage scenario—correlation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eleftheriadou, Anastasia K.; Baltzopoulou, Aikaterini D.; Karabinis, Athanasios I.

2016-06-01

The current seismic risk assessment is based on two discrete approaches, actual and probable, validating afterwards the produced results. In the first part of this research, the seismic risk is evaluated from the available data regarding the mean statistical repair/strengthening or replacement cost for the total number of damaged structures (180,427 buildings) after the 7/9/1999 Parnitha (Athens) earthquake. The actual evaluated seismic risk is afterwards compared to the estimated probable structural losses, which is presented in the second part of the paper, based on a damage scenario in the referring earthquake. The applied damage scenario is based on recently developed damage probability matrices (DPMs) from Athens (Greece) damage database. The seismic risk estimation refers to 750,085 buildings situated in the extended urban region of Athens. The building exposure is categorized in five typical structural types and represents 18.80 % of the entire building stock in Greece. The last information is provided by the National Statistics Service of Greece (NSSG) according to the 2000-2001 census. The seismic input is characterized by the ratio, a g/ a o, where a g is the regional peak ground acceleration (PGA) which is evaluated from the earlier estimated research macroseismic intensities, and a o is the PGA according to the hazard map of the 2003 Greek Seismic Code. Finally, the collected investigated financial data derived from different National Services responsible for the post-earthquake crisis management concerning the repair/strengthening or replacement costs or other categories of costs for the rehabilitation of earthquake victims (construction and function of settlements for earthquake homeless, rent supports, demolitions, shorings) are used to determine the final total seismic risk factor.

OC35 - Child Friendly Healthcare Initiative, implementation project in a paediatric department in Greece.

PubMed

Boutopoulou, Barbara; Clarke, Andrew; Christothanopoulou, Ioanna; Douros, Konstantinos; Tsirouda, Maria; Papaevangelou, Vasiliki

2016-05-09

Theme: Accreditation and quality improvement. Child Friendly Healthcare Initiative (CFHI) aims to improve quality of experience and health care given to children and families by improving realisation of children's rights and reducing unnecessary fear, anxiety and suffering during and because of health care. To present results of preliminary CFH assessment. Implementation was initiated in a paediatric department of a University Hospital in Athens, Greece, consisting of a 37-bed ward, Outpatient Clinic and Emergency Department. For the preliminary assessment of the CFHI tool No1, which is for parents-caregiverschildren and health workers, this was translated into Greek. 112 parents-caregivers and six children were interviewed by an independent interviewer. In total, 24 health workers - 5 paediatricians, 11 residents and 8 nurses - responded to the CFHI tool No 1. Issues highlighted were mostly about CFH Standard 3 and Standard 7. Suggestions for improvement in all Standards were suggested. Preliminary assessment revealed the quality of care needs improvement. The next step is the training health workers, planning and making improvements.

A Survey of Removable Partial Denture (RPD) Retentive Elements in Relation to the Type of Edentulism and Abutment Teeth Found in Commercial Laboratories, Athens, Greece

PubMed Central

Sotiriou, Michael; Zissis, Alcibiades

2014-01-01

Objective The aim of this survey was to record removable partial denture (RPD) retentive elements and abutment teeth in partially edentulous patients, identified in commercial laboratories in Athens, Greece. Material and Methods 628 master casts with the corresponding cast metal frameworks used in the construction of RPDs were evaluated. Casts were photographed to identify the number and position of existing teeth, the partial edentulism class and the retentive elements. Prevalence tables and the x2 test were used for the statistical analysis of the collected data (α=.05). Results There were 276 maxillary (43.9%) and 352 (56.1%) mandibular casts. Maxillary edentulism entailed almost a total absence of right third molars in 96.7% and left third molars 96.0% of casts, with lower rates for the first and second molars. Edentulism in the posterior mandible presented a similar pattern. The most profound findings concerning retentive elements were: 91.9% of the retainers used were clasps and the remaining 8.1% were attachments. Of the clasps used, 48.9% were of the Roach Τ type, a finding more common in Kennedy Class I as compared to other Kennedy Classes (p<0.01). The circumferential clasps accounted for 19.3% of the total clasps used, and it was less frequently presented (8.8%) in Kennedy I Classes (p<0.01). Conclusions Roach clasps were used in the majority of cases whereas RPI clasps and attachments were rarely used. PMID:27688367

Molecular epidemiology of Bordetella pertussis in Greece, 2010–2015

PubMed Central

Arvanitidis, Athanasios; Giannaki-Psinaki, Maria; Michos, Athanasios; Krogfelt, Karen Angeliki; Petersen, Randi Føns

2018-01-01

Purpose To determine the predominant strains of Bordetella pertussis in Greece during 2010–2015. Methodology Infants and children (n=1150) (15 days to 14 years) of Greek, Roma and immigrant origin with different vaccination statuses were hospitalized in Athens, Greece with suspected pertussis infection. IS481/IS1001 real-time PCR confirmed Bordetella spp./B. pertussis infection in 300 samples. A subset of samples (n=153) were analysed by multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and (n=25) by sequence-based typing of the toxin promotor region (ptxP) on DNA extracted from clinical specimens. Results/Key findings A complete MLVA profile was determined in 66 out of 153 samples; the B. pertussis MLVA type 27 (n=55) was the dominant genotype and all tested samples (n=25) expressed the ptxP3 genotype. The vaccine coverage in the Greek population was 90 %; however, the study population expressed complete coverage in 2 out of 264 infants (0–11 months) and in 20 out of 36 children (1–14 years). Roma and immigrant minorities represent 7 % of the Greek population, but make up 50 % of the study population, indicating a low vaccine coverage among these groups. Conclusions The B. pertussis MT27 and ptxP3 genotype is dominant in Greek, Roma and immigrant infants and children hospitalized in Greece. Thus, the predominant MLVA genotype in Greece is similar to other countries using acellular vaccines. PMID:29458550

The experiences of families of critically ill patients in Greece: a social constructionist grounded theory study.

PubMed

Plakas, Sotirios; Cant, Bob; Taket, Ann

2009-02-01

The experiences of patients' families in intensive care units (ICUs) are of international concern. In Greece however, adequate attention has not been paid to this issue. To explore the experiences of critical care patients' families in Greece. The intensive care units of 3 general district hospitals in the area of Athens, Greece. The social constructionist version of grounded theory was used. In-depth interviews with 25 relatives of critically ill patients were carried out, and participant and non-participant observation was used to cross-validate the data obtained. Seven major categories were identified, with 32 components across all categories. The experiences of families revolved around the two core categories of "Intense Emotions" and "Vigilant Attendance". The study conceptualised two new categories in this field, "Religiosity" and "Loss of Intimacy" and enhanced the category "Vigilant Attendance". Three further categories were identified, namely "Caring", "Dignity" and "Information". The various interrelationships between the categories were also examined. The study has examined the experience of Greek patients' families from a qualitative perspective and suggests that major changes need to be made in terms of management and support.

Outreach of Astronomy with emphasis to the Solar System by the Space group in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moussas, X.; Dialynas, K.; Babasides, G.; Fasoulopoulos, G.; Dimitropoulou, V.; Prassopoulos, D.; Kouphos, S.; Spandagos, E.; Strikis, J.

We have a long tradition in Space and Solar System outreach at the University of Athens (Space Group). We have contributed with many popular science articles in encyclopaedias (a total of some 200000 words), magazines and newspapers, public lectures around Greece and radio and TV programmes. We contribute in exhibitions for the public on many occasions (e.g. The British Exploration of the Planets, an exhibition organized by the British Council, at Eugenides Foundation and The Planetarium, where I prepared some 15 posters). We are preparing an outreach site of Astrophysics with sections for the planets, the exploration of the solar system and solar terrestrial relations. I am preparing several posters for the planets. We organize with the Hellenic Physical Union a series of Astrophysics Lectures at the University of Athens. Together with the Hellenic Physical Union we are planning to produce a theatrical play and CD or DVD concerning the planets. We have excellent collaboration with the amateur astronomers allover Greece and Cyprus. We organize, together with Physics or mathematics teachers in high schools several events related to astronomical observations (e.g. Venus transit, solar eclipe, astronomy nights). 1 We also organize popular science programmes in TV channels. I brief we consider Astronomy and especially the planetary system as a "Great Attractor" of pupil and the general public to science and we use it on every occasion for the benefit of the pupil and science. 2

Sources of atmospheric aerosol from long-term measurements (5 years) of chemical composition in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Paraskevopoulou, D; Liakakou, E; Gerasopoulos, E; Mihalopoulos, N

2015-09-15

To identify the sources of aerosols in Greater Athens Area (GAA), a total of 1510 daily samples of fine (PM 2.5) and coarse (PM 10-2,5) aerosols were collected at a suburban site (Penteli), during a five year period (May 2008-April 2013) corresponding to the period before and during the financial crisis. In addition, aerosol sampling was also conducted in parallel at an urban site (Thissio), during specific, short-term campaigns during all seasons. In all these samples mass and chemical composition measurements were performed, the latest only at the fine fraction. Particulate organic matter (POM) and ionic masses (IM) are the main contributors of aerosol mass, equally contributing by accounting for about 24% of the fine aerosol mass. In the IM, nss-SO4(-2) is the prevailing specie followed by NO3(-) and NH4(+) and shows a decreasing trend during the 2008-2013 period similar to that observed for PM masses. The contribution of water in fine aerosol is equally significant (21 ± 2%), while during dust transport, the contribution of dust increases from 7 ± 2% to 31 ± 9%. Source apportionment (PCA and PMF) and mass closure exercises identified the presence of six sources of fine aerosols: secondary photochemistry, primary combustion, soil, biomass burning, sea salt and traffic. Finally, from winter 2012 to winter 2013 the contribution of POM to the urban aerosol mass is increased by almost 30%, reflecting the impact of wood combustion (dominant fuel for domestic heating) to air quality in Athens, which massively started in winter 2013. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Food waste prevention in Athens, Greece: The effect of family characteristics.

PubMed

Abeliotis, Konstadinos; Lasaridi, Katia; Chroni, Christina

2016-12-01

Food waste is a stream that becomes increasingly important in terms of its prevention potential. There is a large number of behaviours that can be associated with food waste generation and the efforts towards food waste prevention. A questionnaire study was carried in order to study consumer behaviour related to food provision and wastage in Greece. Proper practices of the respondents that can prevent the generation of food waste were investigated using nine behavioural scales, which were defined on the basis of similar studies in other countries. A structured questionnaire was utilised in order to test those behaviours against the socio-demographic characteristics of respondents. The results of the study indicate that in terms of inferential statistical analysis, among the numerous variables examined, those that enhance food waste prevention are the involvement of the respondent in cooking, the annoyance towards food waste generation and the education level. © The Author(s) 2016.

A case of imported Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus infection and public health response, Greece, April 2014.

PubMed

Tsiodras, S; Baka, A; Mentis, A; Iliopoulos, D; Dedoukou, X; Papamavrou, G; Karadima, S; Emmanouil, M; Kossyvakis, A; Spanakis, N; Pavli, A; Maltezou, H; Karageorgou, A; Spala, G; Pitiriga, V; Kosmas, E; Tsiagklis, S; Gkatzias, S; Koulouris, Ng; Koutsoukou, A; Bakakos, P; Markozanhs, E; Dionellis, G; Pontikis, K; Rovina, N; Kyriakopoulou, M; Efstathiou, P; Papadimitriou, T; Kremastinou, J; Tsakris, A; Saroglou, G

2014-04-24

On 18 April 2014, a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection was laboratory confirmed in Athens, Greece in a patient returning from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Main symptoms upon initial presentation were protracted fever and diarrhoea, during hospitalisation he developed bilateral pneumonia and his condition worsened. During 14 days prior to onset of illness, he had extensive contact with the healthcare environment in Jeddah. Contact tracing revealed 73 contacts, no secondary cases had occurred by 22 April.

Education Policy in Greece: A Preliminary Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing, 2017

2017-01-01

The future of Greece's well-being will depend on improving educational performance to raise employment and social outcomes. The challenges are significant, as public education expenditure in Greece has declined in recent years and learning outcomes are weak. To help the Greek government address these challenges, this report proposes a set of…

Temporal evolution of the planetary boundary layer over Athens, Greece - Statistical analysis based on coincident lidar and radiosonde data in the frame of EARLINET (2002-2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkalis, Panos; Papayannis, Alex; Tsaknakis, George; Mamouri, RodElise

2013-04-01

The focus of this paper is to study the temporal evolution of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) height over the basin of the megacity of Athens, Greece for a 10-years period: 2002-2012. This study is based on a statistical analysis of PBL heights derived from coincident laser remote sensing (lidar) and radiosonde data, obtained in the frame of the European Aerosol Research Lidar network (EARLINET). To this end, the systematically obtained data (in terms of the lidar signals) by the EOLE Raman-elastic lidar system of the Laser Remote Sensing Unit (LRSU) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), in conjunction with the radiosonde data obtained by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS), have been statistically analyzed. The NTUA EOLE lidar system is able to provide the vertical aerosol backscatter (at 355, 532, 1064 nm), aerosol extinction (at 355 and 532 nm), as well as water vapor mixing ratio profiles, from about 700 m up to 10000 m, with high temporal (< 5 min.) and spatial (7.5 m) resolution. The calculation of the first and second derivative of the Range-Corrected Lidar Signal (RCLS) permits the calculation of the PBL height, with a spatial resolution of about 15-30 m, in the range height 700-10000 m, respectively. Radiosonde data are collected daily by HNMS radiosoundings at midnight (00:00 UTC) and midday (12:00 UTC) at the site of Hellenikon, approximately 10 km SW from the NTUA lidar station. The atmospheric parameters calculated from the radiosonde data to provide the PBL height are the potential temperature and the Richardson number. Our data analysis was based on hourly-averaged lidar RCLS measurements, obtained in a time window starting 30 min before and ending 30 minutes after the radiosounding launching time. A good correlation coefficient value (R2 > 0.8) between the aforementioned lidar - radiosonde dataset ensured the accurate derivation of the PBL height. A statistical analysis based on the spatial and temporal variation

Cassini Scientist for a Day: an international contest in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomonidou, Anezina; Moussas, Xenophon; Xystouris, Georgios; Coustenis, Athena; Lebreton, Jean-Pierre; Katsavrias, Christos; Bampasidis, Georgios; Kyriakopoulos, Konstantinos; Kouloumvakos, Athanasios; Patsou, Ioanna

2013-04-01

The Cassini Outreach Team of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is being organizing a brilliant school contest in Astronomy focusing in the Saturnian system. This essay contest provides school students all around the worlds with the opportunity to get involved in astronomy and astrophysics and planetary sciences in particular. From 2010 the 'Cassini Scientist for a Day' contest has being one of the most successful as well as important outreach activities of ESA and NASA in Greece with hundreds of participants all over Greece. The number of participants is growing rapidly every year. This type of school competition in Greece is particularly important since Astronomy and Astrophysics and Space Sciences, although very popular, are not included in the school curricula and thus students rarely have the opportunity to experience and participate actively in these subjects. For the years 2010 and 2011, the Space Physics Group of the Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics section of the University of Athens in association with external colleagues has been selected as the co-ordinator of NASA for the competition in Greece. Under the guidance of Cassini Outreach team, the members of the Space Physics Group have informed, explained and spread the rules of the competition at primary, secondary and high schools all over Greece. In general, the students have the option to choose Cassini monitoring between three targets of the Saturnian system, which the participants show that will bring the best scientific result. Their arguments should be summarized in an essay of 500 words more or less. They also have the option to do team work through groups of maximum three students. The participation in the contest for 2010 was unexpectedly high and thoroughly satisfied. The winners awarded through a ceremony which was held in the largest amphitheater at the central building of the University of Athens, that was fully packed. The following year 2011 the participation increased up to 300% while

Morphological and Molecular Identification of Longidorus euonymus and Helicotylenchus multicinctus from the Rhizosphere of Grapevine and Banana in Greece

PubMed Central

Tzortzakakis, Emmanuel A.; Cantalapiedra-Navarrete, Carolina; Castillo, Pablo; Palomares-Rius, Juan E.; Archidona-Yuste, Antonio

2017-01-01

Plant-parasitic nematodes such as Longidorus euonymus and Helicotylenchus multicintctus are species widely distributed in central Europe as well as in Mediterranean area. In Greece, both species have been previously reported but no morphometrics or molecular data were available for these species. Nematode surveys in the rhizosphere of grapevines in Athens carried out in 2016 and 2017, yielded a Longidorus species identified as Longidorus euonymus. Similarly, a population of Helicotylenchus multicinctus was detected infecting banana roots from an outdoor crop in Tertsa, Crete. For both species, morphometrics and molecular data of Greek populations were provided, resulting in the first integrative identification of both nematode species based on morphometric and molecular markers, confirming the occurrence of these two nematodes in Greece as had been stated in earlier reports. PMID:29062145

Education status determines 10-year (2002-2012) survival from cardiovascular disease in Athens metropolitan area: the ATTICA study, Greece.

PubMed

Panagiotakos, Demosthenes; Georgousopoulou, Ekavi; Notara, Venetia; Pitaraki, Evangelia; Kokkou, Eleni; Chrysohoou, Christina; Skoumas, Yannis; Metaxa, Vassiliki; Pitsavos, Christos; Stefanadis, Christodoulos

2016-05-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and educational level seems to be an important determinant of the disease occurrence. The aim of this work was to investigate the association between education status and 10-year incidence of CVD, controlling for various socio-demographic lifestyle and clinical factors. From May 2001 to December 2002, 1514 men and 1528 women (>18 years) without any clinical evidence of CVD or any other chronic disease, at baseline, living in greater Athens area, Greece, were enrolled. In 2011-2012, the 10-year follow-up was performed in 2583 participants (15% of the participants were lost to follow-up). Incidence of fatal or non-fatal CVD was defined according to WHO-ICD-10 criteria. Education status was measured in years of schooling. The 10-year incidence of CVD was 15.7% [95% confidence intervals (CI) 14.1%-17.4%], 19.7% in men and 11.7% in women (Pgender < 0.001). Age-and gender-adjusted analyses revealed that those with low education (<9 years of schooling) were 1.52 times more likely (95% CI 1.03-2.23%) to have CVD compared with those with high education (>12 years of schooling). People in the low education group had higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemias, were more likely to be smokers and sedentary, had less healthy dietary habits, as compared with those in the high education group. When controlling for participants' medical history, smoking, dietary and lifestyle habits, low education was no longer significantly associated with CVD, illustrating the mediating effect of clinical and behavioural factors in the link between education and disease. It was of interest that low education status interacted with alcohol drinking, enhancing the adverse effect of low education on CVD risk (relative risk 1.44, 95% CI 0.94%-2.20%), after various adjustments made. In this study, it was concluded that low educational level was associated with increased CVD risk. This was

Black carbon measurements during winter 2013-2014 in Athens and intercomparison between different techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liakakou, Eleni; Stravroulas, Jason; Roukounakis, Nikolaos; Paraskevopoulou, Despina; Fourtziou, Luciana; Psiloglou, Vassilis; Gerasopoulos, Evangelos; Sciare, Jean; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos

2014-05-01

Black carbon (BC) is a particulate pollutant species emitted from the combustion of fuels, biomass burning for agricultural purposes and forest fires, with the first two anthropogenic sources being the major contributors to the atmospheric burden of BC. The presence of BC is important due to its direct and indirect physicochemical effects and its use as a tracer of burning and subsequent transport processes. Black carbon measurements took place during winter 2013 -2014 in the frame of a pollution monitoring experiment conducted at the urban site of Thissio, Athens (city center) at the premises of the National Observatory of Athens. The economic crisis in Greece and the resulting turn of Athens inhabitants to wood burning for domestic heating, has led to increased daily concentrations of BC in the range of 2-6 μg m-3, peaking at night time (15-20 μg m-3). Three different optical methods were used for the determination of BC. A Particle Soot Absorption Photometer (PSAP; Radiance Research) commercial instrument was used to monitor the light absorption coefficient (σap) at 565 nm of ambient aerosols, with 1 minute resolution. During parts of the campaign, a portable Aethalometer (AE-42; Magee Scientific) was also used to provide measurement of the aerosol BC content at 7 wavelengths over 5 minutes intervals. Exploiting the measurements at different wavelengths is was feasible to separate wood burning BC from BC related to fossil fuel. Two Multi Angle Absorption Photometers (MAAP; Thermo) were also operated as reference. Finally, aerosol samples were collected on 12-hour basis using a sequential dichotomous sampler for the sampling of PM2.5, PM2.5-10and PM10 fractions of aerosols on quartz filters, and the filters were analyzed for elemental carbon (EC) by a thermal - optical transmission technique. The main objective of the study is the intercomparison of the different BC monitoring techniques under a large range of ambient concentrations achieved due to the special

An overview of the PM10 pollution problem, in the Metropolitan Area of Athens, Greece. Assessment of controlling factors and potential impact of long range transport.

PubMed

Grivas, G; Chaloulakou, A; Kassomenos, P

2008-01-15

The present study analyzes PM(10) concentration data collected by the Greek air quality monitoring network at 8 sites over the Greater Athens Area, for the period of 2001-2004. The primary objectives were to assess the degree of compliance with the EU-legislated air quality standard for PM(10) and also provide an overall statistical examination of the factors controlling the seasonal and spatial variation of concentrations, over the wider urban agglomeration. Daily concentrations, averaged over the whole study period, ranged between 32.3 and 60.9 microg m(-3). The four-year average concentration of PM(10) at five sites exceeded the annual limit value of 40 microg m(-3), while most of the sites surpassed the allowed percentage of exceedances of the daily limit value (50 microg m(-3)), for each of the four years. The seasonal variation of PM(10) levels was not found to be uniform across the eight sites, with average cold-period concentrations being higher at four of them and warm period concentrations being significantly higher at three sites, which also displayed recurring annual variation of monthly concentrations. Concentration levels displayed moderate spatial heterogeneity. Nevertheless significant inter-site correlations were observed (ranging between 0.55 and 085). The determination of the spatial correlation levels relied mainly on site types rather than on inter-site distances. Monitoring sites were classified accordingly using cluster analysis in two groups presenting distinct spatiotemporal variation and affected by different particle formation processes. The group including urban sites was mainly affected by primary, combustion-related processes and especially vehicular traffic, as it was also deduced through the examination of the diurnal distribution of particulate levels and through factor analysis. On the contrary, suburban background sites seemed more affected by particle transport from more polluted neighboring areas and secondary particle formation

CURRENT ENVIRONMENT FOR INTRODUCING HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN GREECE.

PubMed

Kani, Chara; Kourafalos, Vasilios; Litsa, Panagiota

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe the current regulatory environment in Greece to evaluate the potential introduction of health technology assessment (HTA) for medicinal products for human use. Data sources consist of national legislation on pricing and reimbursement of health technologies to identify the potential need of establishing HTA and its relevant structure. The pricing procedure regarding medicinal products for human use is based on an external reference pricing mechanism which considers the average of the three lowest Euorpean Union prices. Currently, a formal HTA procedure has not been applied in Greece, and the only prerequisite used for the reimbursement of medicinal products for human use is their inclusion in the Positive Reimbursement List. To restrict pharmaceutical expenditure, a variety of measures-such as clawback mechanisms, rebates, monthly budget caps per physician, generics penetration targeting-have been imposed, aiming mainly to regulate the price level rather than control the introduction of medicinal products for human use in the Greek pharmaceutical market. Greece has the opportunity to rapidly build capacity, implement, and take advantage of the application of HTA mechanisms by clearly defining the goals, scope, systems, context, stakeholders, and methods that will be involved in the local HTA processes, taking into account the country's established e-prescription system and the recently adapted legislative framework.

THE ATHENS LAB'S ROLE IN EPA'S COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM WITH AN EMPHASIS ON METABOLOMICS AS A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL FOR TOXICOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation gives a brief introduction to EPA's computational toxicology program and the Athens Lab's role in it. The talk also covered a brief introduction to metabolomics; advantages/disadvanage of metabolomics for toxicity assessment; goals of the EPA Athens metabolomics...

Public health services knowledge and utilization among immigrants in Greece: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background During the 90s, Greece has been transformed to a host country for immigrants mostly from the Balkans and Eastern European Countries, who currently constitute approximately 9% of the total population. Despite the increasing number of the immigrants, little is known about their health status and their accessibility to healthcare services. This study aimed to explore the perceived barriers to access and utilization of healthcare services by immigrants in Greece. Methods A pilot cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2012 in Athens, Greece. The study population consisted of 191 immigrants who were living in Greece for less than 10 years. We developed a questionnaire that included information about sociodemographic characteristics, health status, public health services knowledge and utilization and difficulties in health services access. Statistical analysis included Pearson’s ×2 test, ×2 test for trend, Student’s t-test, analysis of variance and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results Only 20.4% of the participants reported that they had a good/very good degree of knowledge about public health services in Greece. A considerable percentage (62.3%) of the participants needed at least once to use health services but they could not afford it, during the last year, while 49.7% used public health services in the last 12 months in Greece. Among the most important problems were long waiting times in hospitals, difficulties in communication with health professionals and high cost of health care. Increased ability to speak Greek was associated with increased health services knowledge (p<0.001). Increased family monthly income was also associated with less difficulties in accessing health services (p<0.001). Conclusions The empowerment and facilitation of health care access for immigrants in Greece is necessary. Depending on the needs of the migrant population, simple measures such as comprehensive information regarding the available

[Attempted suicide during the financial crisis in Athens].

PubMed

Stavrianakos, K; Kontaxakis, V; Moussas, G; Paplos, K; Papaslanis, T; Havaki-Kontaxaki, B; Papadimitriou, Gn

2014-01-01

Suicidal behavior is considered as the result of complex cognitive and emotional processes and it is a timeless, global and multifactorial phenomenon. Periods of financial crises in the past, such as the Great Depression in the USA in 1929 and the economic crises of Asia, Russia and Argentina in the late 1990s, have been associated with impairment of mental health of the economically affected. Unemployment, job insecurity, debts, poverty and social exclusion seems to lead to higher incidence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and increased suicidality. Alcohol and substance use and the reduction of the state budget for health services reinforce the negative effects of the economic recession on mental health. The financial crisis which currently affects many European countries began in 2008 and its impact on the mental health of European citizens is in progress. Greece is probably the most affected country by the European financial crisis. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential impact of the crisis' consequences on the attempted suicide rates in the Athens population and the differentiation of suicide attempters on social, demographic and clinical-psychopathological parameters during the crisis. A retrospective study was conducted. The semi-structured records of 165 attempters who were hospitalized in the Internal Medicine Clinics of the "Sotiria" General Hospital in Athens, after attempted suicide in the years 2007 and 2011, before and during the financial crisis respectively, were studied. Among suicide attempters 95(57.6%) were suffering from mental disorders. Most often diagnoses were these of mood disorders (n=60, 63.2%). Demographic data, current psychiatric disorder, previous suicide attempt and severity of psychopathology at the time of suicide attempt were recorded for each patient. Furthermore, the severity of each suicide attempt was estimated. Suicide attempts were 70 in 2007, before the financial crisis (mean age 36.9 years, 71% women

A laboratory animal science pioneer.

PubMed

Kostomitsopoulos, Nikolaos

2014-11-01

Nikolaos Kostomitsopoulos, DVM, PhD, is Head of Laboratory Animal Facilities and Designated Veterinarian, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens, Greece. Dr. Kostomitsopoulos discusses his successes in implementing laboratory animal science legislation and fostering collaboration among scientists in Greece.

Evolution of air pollution source contributions over one decade, derived by PM10 and PM2.5 source apportionment in two metropolitan urban areas in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diapouli, E.; Manousakas, M.; Vratolis, S.; Vasilatou, V.; Maggos, Th; Saraga, D.; Grigoratos, Th; Argyropoulos, G.; Voutsa, D.; Samara, C.; Eleftheriadis, K.

2017-09-01

Metropolitan Urban areas in Greece have been known to suffer from poor air quality, due to variety of emission sources, topography and climatic conditions favouring the accumulation of pollution. While a number of control measures have been implemented since the 1990s, resulting in reductions of atmospheric pollution and changes in emission source contributions, the financial crisis which started in 2009 has significantly altered this picture. The present study is the first effort to assess the contribution of emission sources to PM10 and PM2.5 concentration levels and their long-term variability (over 5-10 years), in the two largest metropolitan urban areas in Greece (Athens and Thessaloniki). Intensive measurement campaigns were conducted during 2011-2012 at suburban, urban background and urban traffic sites in these two cities. In addition, available datasets from previous measurements in Athens and Thessaloniki were used in order to assess the long-term variability of concentrations and sources. Chemical composition analysis of the 2011-2012 samples showed that carbonaceous matter was the most abundant component for both PM size fractions. Significant increase of carbonaceous particle concentrations and of OC/EC ratio during the cold period, especially in the residential urban background sites, pointed towards domestic heating and more particularly wood (biomass) burning as a significant source. PMF analysis further supported this finding. Biomass burning was the largest contributing source at the two urban background sites (with mean contributions for the two size fractions in the range of 24-46%). Secondary aerosol formation (sulphate, nitrate & organics) was also a major contributing source for both size fractions at the suburban and urban background sites. At the urban traffic site, vehicular traffic (exhaust and non-exhaust emissions) was the source with the highest contributions, accounting for 44% of PM10 and 37% of PM2.5, respectively. The long

75 FR 58428 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Athens County Historical Society and Museum, Athens, OH

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-24

... be Native American, and possibly female. Furthermore, there were no white settlements in the Athens... culturally affiliated with the human remains should contact Heather Reed, Curator/Education Coordinator...

Gravity and isostatic anomaly maps of Greece produced

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagios, E.; Chailas, S.; Hipkin, R. G.

A gravity anomaly map of Greece was first compiled in the early 1970s [Makris and Stavrou, 1984] from all available gravity data collected by different Hellenic institutions. However, to compose this map the data had to be smoothed to the point that many of the smaller-wavelength gravity anomalies were lost. New work begun in 1987 has resulted in the publication of an updated map [Lagios et al., 1994] and an isostatic anomaly map derived from it.The gravity data cover the area between east longitudes 19° and 27° and north latitudes 32° and 42°, organized in files of 100-km squares and grouped in 10-km squares using UTM zone 34 coordinates. Most of the data on land come from the gravity observations of Makris and Stavrou [1984] with additional data from the Institute of Geology and Mining Exploration, the Public Oil Corporation of Greece, and Athens University. These data were checked using techniques similar to those used in compiling the gravity anomaly map of the United States, but the horizontal gradient was used as a check rather than the gravity difference. Marine data were digitized from the maps of Morelli et al. [1975a, 1975b]. All gravity anomaly values are referred to the IGSN-71 system, reduced with the standard Bouger density of 2.67 Mg/m3. We estimate the errors of the anomalies in the continental part of Greece to be ±0.9 mGal; this is expected to be smaller over fairly flat regions. For stations whose height has been determined by leveling, the error is only ±0.3 mGal. For the marine areas, the errors are about ±5 mGal [Morelli, 1990].

Crew Earth Observations (CEO) taken during Expedition 9

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-06-12

ISS009-E-11537 (12 June 2004) --- Athens, Greece is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 9 crewmember on the International Space Station (ISS). This photo includes areas of new construction or renovation for the Olympic Games, such as the Faliro Coastal Zone Olympic Complex and Helliniko Olympic Complex. The image also demonstrates the control of bounding mountain ranges (Mts. Aigeleos and Hymettos) on the western and southern expansion of the Athens urban area. Athens is located in the Central Plains region of Attica in eastern Greece. The large basin in which Athens is located was formed by faulting and has accumulated thick deposits of clays and alluvium.

The combined effect of reduced fossil fuel consumption and increasing biomass combustion on Athens' air quality, as inferred from long term CO measurements.

PubMed

Gratsea, Myrto; Liakakou, Eleni; Mihalopoulos, Nikos; Adamopoulos, Anastasios; Tsilibari, Eirini; Gerasopoulos, Evangelos

2017-08-15

To evaluate the role of biomass burning emissions, and in particular of residential wood heating, as a result of the economic recession in Greece, carbon monoxide (CO) atmospheric concentrations from five (5) stations of the National Air Pollution Monitoring Network in Athens, spanning the period 2000-2015, in conjunction with black carbon (BC) concentrations from the NOA (National Observatory of Athens) station at Thissio were analysed. The contribution of the different sources to the diurnal cycle of these two pollutants is clear, resulting to a morning peak, mainly due to traffic, and a late evening peak attributed both to fossil fuel (traffic plus central heating) and biomass combustion. Calculated morning and evening integrals of CO peaks, for the investigated period, show consistent seasonal modulations, characterised by low summer and high winter values. The summer and winter morning CO peak integrals demonstrate an almost constant decreasing trend of CO concentrations over time (by almost 50% since 2000), attributed to the renewal of passenger car fleet and to reduced anthropogenic activities during the last years. On the other hand, an increase of 23%-78% (depending on the monitoring site) in the winter evening integrals since 2012, provides evidence of the significant contribution of biomass combustion, which has prevailed over fossil fuel for domestic heating. CO emitted by wood burning was found to contribute almost 50% to the total CO emissions during night time (16:00-5:00), suggesting that emissions from biomass combustion have gained an increasing role in atmospheric pollution levels in Athens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hygroscopic properties of atmospheric particles emitted during wintertime biomass burning episodes in Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Psichoudaki, Magda; Nenes, Athanasios; Florou, Kalliopi; Kaltsonoudis, Christos; Pandis, Spyros N.

2018-04-01

This study explores the Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) activity of atmospheric particles during intense biomass burning periods in an urban environment. During a one-month campaign in the center of Athens, Greece, a CCN counter coupled with a Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and a high resolution Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-AMS) were used to measure the size-resolved CCN activity and composition of the atmospheric aerosols. During the day, the organic fraction of the particles was more than 50%, reaching almost 80% at night, when the fireplaces were used. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) analysis revealed 4 factors with biomass burning being the dominant source after 18:00 until the early morning. The CCN-based overall hygroscopicity parameter κ ranged from 0.15 to 0.25. During the night, when the biomass burning organic aerosol (bbOA) dominated, the hygroscopicity parameter for the mixed organic/inorganic particles was on average 0.16. The hygroscopicity of the biomass-burning organic particles was 0.09, while the corresponding average value for all organic particulate matter during the campaign was 0.12.

Science Education and the Emergence of the Specialized Scientist in Nineteenth Century Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tampakis, Konstantinos

2013-04-01

In this paper, I describe the strong and reciprocal relations between the emergence of the specialized expert in the natural sciences and the establishment of science education, in early Modern Greece. Accordingly, I show how science and public education interacted within the Greek state from its inception in the early 1830, to the first decade of the twentieth century, when the University of Athens established an autonomous Mathematics and Physics School. Several factors are taken into account, such as the negotiations of Western educational theories and practices within a local context, the discourses of the science savants of the University of Athens, the role of the influential Greek pedagogues of the era, the state as an agent which imposed restrictions or facilitated certain developments and finally the intellectual and cultural aspirations of the nation itself. Science education is shown to be of fundamental importance for Greek scientists. The inclusion of science within the school system preceded and promoted the appearance of a scientific community and the institution of science courses was instrumental for the emergence of the first trained Greek scientists. Thus, the conventional narrative that would have science appearing in the classrooms as an aftermath of the emergence of a scientific community is problematized.

Contribution of Seismology to the Protection of the Cultural Heritage of Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makropoulos, K.; Voulgaris, N.; Kaviris, G.

2007-12-01

Greece is an earthquake prone country, as evidenced by the fact that almost half the seismic energy in Europe is released in its territory both on land and offshore. Numerous large earthquakes have occurred since the antiquity causing considerable damages. Furthermore, as it is well known, Greece is a country of rich cultural heritage, that incorporates a large number of archeological (more than 50%), Byzantine and recent sites and monuments, as well as a continuously growing number of museums. The Greek Seismic Design Code (NEAK, 2004) which governs building, repairing and retrofitting practices divides the country into three zones corresponding to acceleration values of 0.16g, 0.24g and 0.36g. According to the results obtained from a detailed GIS implementation the majority of Greek monuments lie within the boundaries of the second zone (more than 60%). In addition, their geographical distribution in association with the available geological data reveals that more than 50% are sited on soft soils, in contrast to a 30% on rock formations. The effects of these factors are reflected to earthquake related damages observed (evidenced) or reported at various cultural sites. Therefore, the detailed estimation of the seismic hazard for each monument, microzonation studies in the vicinity of each site and estimation of hazard due to tsunamis, liquefaction and landslides related to earthquakes, should be considered as a necessary step towards retrofitting. Applications that reveal the contribution of seismology to the preservation of Greek monuments will be presented and discussed, such as studies performed in Knossos (Crete) leading to representative design values, the church of Kapnikarea (Athens), where the influence of man-made seismic energy sources was examined and the Cathedral of Athens where it was found that local geological conditions amplify the ground velocity for frequencies close to the dominant frequency, a fact that was taken into account during the

PM10 composition during an intense Saharan dust transport event over Athens (Greece).

PubMed

Remoundaki, E; Bourliva, A; Kokkalis, P; Mamouri, R E; Papayannis, A; Grigoratos, T; Samara, C; Tsezos, M

2011-09-15

The influence of Saharan dust on the air quality of Southern European big cities became a priority during the last decade. The present study reports results on PM(10) monitored at an urban site at 14 m above ground level during an intense Saharan dust transport event. The elemental composition was determined by Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (EDXRF) for 12 elements: Si, Al, Fe, K, Ca, Mg, Ti, S, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mn. PM(10) concentrations exceeded the EU limit (50 μg/m(3)) several times during the sampling period. Simultaneous maxima have been observed for the elements of crustal origin. The concentrations of all the elements presented a common maximum, corresponding to the date where the atmosphere was heavily charged with particulate matter permanently for an interval of about 10h. Sulfur and heavy metal concentrations were also associated to local emissions. Mineral dust represented the largest fraction of PM(10) reaching 79%. Seven days back trajectories have shown that the air masses arriving over Athens, originated from Western Sahara. Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) revealed that particle agglomerates were abundant, most of them having sizes <2 μm. Aluminosilicates were predominant in dust particles also rich in calcium which was distributed between calcite, dolomite, gypsum and Ca-Si particles. These results were consistent with the origin of the dust particles and the elemental composition results. Sulfur and heavy metals were associated to very fine particles <1 μm. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validation of LIRIC aerosol concentration retrievals using airborne measurements during a biomass burning episode over Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkalis, Panagiotis; Amiridis, Vassilis; Allan, James D.; Papayannis, Alexandros; Solomos, Stavros; Binietoglou, Ioannis; Bougiatioti, Aikaterini; Tsekeri, Alexandra; Nenes, Athanasios; Rosenberg, Philip D.; Marenco, Franco; Marinou, Eleni; Vasilescu, Jeni; Nicolae, Doina; Coe, Hugh; Bacak, Asan; Chaikovsky, Anatoli

2017-01-01

In this paper we validate the Lidar-Radiometer Inversion Code (LIRIC) retrievals of the aerosol concentration in the fine mode, using the airborne aerosol chemical composition dataset obtained over the Greater Athens Area (GAA) in Greece, during the ACEMED campaign. The study focuses on the 2nd of September 2011, when a long-range transported smoke layer was observed in the free troposphere over Greece, in the height range from 2 to 3 km. CIMEL sun-photometric measurements revealed high AOD ( 0.4 at 532 nm) and Ångström exponent values ( 1.7 at 440/870 nm), in agreement with coincident ground-based lidar observations. Airborne chemical composition measurements performed over the GAA, revealed increased CO volume concentration ( 110 ppbv), with 57% sulphate dominance in the PM1 fraction. For this case, we compare LIRIC retrievals of the aerosol concentration in the fine mode with the airborne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) and Passive Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer Probe (PCASP) measurements. Our analysis shows that the remote sensing retrievals are in a good agreement with the measured airborne in-situ data from 2 to 4 km. The discrepancies observed between LIRIC and airborne measurements at the lower troposphere (below 2 km), could be explained by the spatial and temporal variability of the aerosol load within the area where the airborne data were averaged along with the different time windows of the retrievals.

Optical, microphysical, mass and geometrical properties of aged volcanic particles observed over Athens, Greece, during the Eyjafjallajökull eruption in April 2010 through synergy of Raman lidar and sunphotometer measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kokkalis, P.; Papayannis, A.; Amiridis, V.; Mamouri, R. E.; Veselovskii, I.; Kolgotin, A.; Tsaknakis, G.; Kristiansen, N. I.; Stohl, A.; Mona, L.

2013-09-01

Vertical profiles of the optical (extinction and backscatter coefficients, lidar ratio and Ångström exponent), microphysical (mean effective radius, mean refractive index, mean number concentration) and geometrical properties as well as the mass concentration of volcanic particles from the Eyjafjallajökull eruption were retrieved at selected heights over Athens, Greece, using multi-wavelength Raman lidar measurements performed during the period 21-24 April 2010. Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) particulate columnar measurements along with inversion schemes were initialized together with lidar observations to deliver the aforementioned products. The well-known FLEXPART (FLEXible PARTicle dispersion model) model used for volcanic dispersion simulations is initiated as well in order to estimate the horizontal and vertical distribution of volcanic particles. Compared with the lidar measurements within the planetary boundary layer over Athens, FLEXPART proved to be a useful tool for determining the state of mixing of ash with other, locally emitted aerosol types. The major findings presented in our work concern the identification of volcanic particles layers in the form of filaments after 7-day transport from the volcanic source (approximately 4000 km away from our site) from the surface and up to 10 km according to the lidar measurements. Mean hourly averaged lidar signals indicated that the layer thickness of volcanic particles ranged between 1.5 and 2.2 km. The corresponding aerosol optical depth was found to vary from 0.01 to 0.18 at 355 nm and from 0.02 up to 0.17 at 532 nm. Furthermore, the corresponding lidar ratios (S) ranged between 60 and 80 sr at 355 nm and 44 and 88 sr at 532 nm. The mean effective radius of the volcanic particles estimated by applying inversion scheme to the lidar data found to vary within the range 0.13-0.38 μm and the refractive index ranged from 1.39+0.009i to 1.48+0.006i. This high variability is most probably attributed to the

European Science Notes Information Bulletin Reports on Current European/ Middle Eastern Science

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

50 m); innovative acoustic, substances laser, and biosensors; fluxes through the seabed, and . Biological processes real - time measurement of seabed...Woodhouse, Lowestoft, U.K. 4 r ESNIB 91-07 Title Coordinator and Partners FAX Number European River Ocean System (EROS 2000): J.M. Martin, tcole Normale...Athens, Greece; F. Voutsinou, Athens, Greece European River Ocean System (EROS 2000) - J.-M. Martin, Icole Normale Superierre, Montrouge, 33 1 46570497

PM1 levels are related to CO concentrations and health impacts in the city Athens Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoropoulos, Konstantinos; Polichetti, Giuliano; Ferentinos, George; Tselentis, Vasilios; Nastos, Panagiotis; Xatzioakeimidis, Konstantinos; Dimas, Konstantinos; Kalabokis, Vasilios; Gialouris, Athanasios

2010-05-01

Senekas, as early as 60 A.D., was the first to refer to air pollution and the possibility of imposing restrictions in Rome. In 1307, during the reign of Edward I, legislation was introduced to prevent the use of sea coal in kilns and limeburners in London. In the 19th century the first problems arising from elevated levels of smoke in cities appear. By 1930, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania suffered from heavy smoke pollution and the 1952 London smog episode stands out as one of the worst pollution disasters given the number of people who died as a result. Mega city pollution has become a serious problem to human health and in an effort to analyze and mitigate this threat, the European and worldwide scientific communities are, at present, placing considerable time, effort and resources in the field. It is well known that vehicle related NOx and CO emissions represent the main public health hazard (cardiovascular and respiratory syndromes) in the main industrialized cities of Europe with high traffic volumes. The objective of this study is to analyze the spatial distribution of PM1, CO and the related health impacts within the greater Athens area (GAA). Several portable and ground based detectors were employed for the PM and CO measurements, capable of detecting CO levels in the ambient environment, up to 1000 ppm. Sampling took place on road sidewalks at a specified hour every morning to coincide with the peak in vehicle traffic. Controls were performed with no traffic and compared to normal traffic days and days with extreme traffic congestion, which included PM and CO concentration measurements. In addition, in order to monitor potentially related health impacts, daily admissions to the Emergency Departments of the Social Security Institute and Regional Hospitals of Athens were recorded. Results demonstrate a significant correlation between both PM1 and CO and particulate matter symptomatology, such as dispnea, fatigue, headache, dacryrrea and dry cough. These findings

Using open source software for the supervision and management of the water resources system of Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozanis, S.; Christofides, A.; Efstratiadis, A.; Koukouvinos, A.; Karavokiros, G.; Mamassis, N.; Koutsoyiannis, D.; Nikolopoulos, D.

2012-04-01

The water supply of Athens, Greece, is implemented through a complex water resource system, extending over an area of around 4 000 km2 and including surface water and groundwater resources. It incorporates four reservoirs, 350 km of main aqueducts, 15 pumping stations, more than 100 boreholes and 5 small hydropower plants. The system is run by the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) Over more than 10 years we have developed, information technology tools such as GIS, database and decision support systems, to assist the management of the system. Among the software components, "Enhydris", a web application for the visualization and management of geographical and hydrometeorological data, and "Hydrognomon", a data analysis and processing tool, are now free software. Enhydris is entirely based on free software technologies such as Python, Django, PostgreSQL, and JQuery. We also created http://openmeteo.org/, a web site hosting our free software products as well as a free database system devoted to the dissemination of free data. In particular, "Enhydris" is used for the management of the hydrometeorological stations and the major hydraulic structures (aqueducts, reservoirs, boreholes, etc.), as well as for the retrieval of time series, online graphs etc. For the specific needs of EYDAP, additional GIS functionality was introduced for the display and monitoring of the water supply network. This functionality is also implemented as free software and can be reused in similar projects. Except for "Hydrognomon" and "Enhydris", we have developed a number of advanced modeling applications, which are also generic-purpose tools that have been used for a long time to provide decision support for the water resource system of Athens. These are "Hydronomeas", which optimizes the operation of complex water resource systems, based on a stochastic simulation framework, "Castalia", which implements the generation of synthetic time series, and "Hydrogeios", which employs

Cloud-to-ground lightning activity over Greece: Spatio-temporal analysis and impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsangouras, I. T.; Nastos, P. T.; Kapsomenakis, J.

2016-03-01

Cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning activity recorded by the Hellenic National Meteorological Service (HNMS) Precision Lightning Network (PLN) is analysed over the wider area of Greece. In addition, the spatial and temporal relationships between TRMM 3B42 (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) datasets and lightning are presented. The analyses concern the period from January 14, 2008 to December 31, 2012. The Laboratory of Climatology and Atmospheric Environment, University of Athens, has established a detailed dataset of lightning impacts over Greece from 1895 to 2013, based on digitized archive editions of newspapers. The mean seasonal variability of CG lightning activity revealed autumn as the most dominant season with 303 LD, while the mean monthly variability of CG indicated October as the most lightning active month and May as the month with a mean of 27 LD. The mean annual spatial distribution of CG lightning per km2, depicted the maximum frequency over Pindus mountain range (> 7 CG/km2). During the autumn season, the northern Ionian Sea experienced a mean frequency of more than 5 CG/km2, compared to the southern Ionian Sea and NW Peloponnesus, where values of more than 7 CG/km2 are depicted. During the summer season, the maximum frequency appeared along Pindus mountain range, around Attica, Thessaly and central Macedonia highlands. The spatial distribution of seasonal correlations between the number of CG flashes/day and gridded (TRMM 3B42) daily rainfall totals for the period 2008-2012 over Greece, indicated that correlations were mainly positive all over the under study area, within all seasons, and especially during summer and autumn. Regarding the lightning impacts in Greece, based on the 1895-2013 study period, more than 343 fatalities and at least 224 injured people have been recorded. The spatial analysis of lightning impacts, showed that the majority of events has been recorded over Greek mainland and only few scattered events have been reported over

Data analysis of the benefits of an electronic registry of information in a neonatal intensive care unit in Greece.

PubMed

Skouroliakou, Maria; Soloupis, George; Gounaris, Antonis; Charitou, Antonia; Papasarantopoulos, Petros; Markantonis, Sophia L; Golna, Christina; Souliotis, Kyriakos

2008-07-28

This study assesses the results of implementation of a software program that allows for input of admission/discharge summary data (including cost) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Greece, based on the establishment of a baseline statistical database for infants treated in a NICU and the statistical analysis of epidemiological and resource utilization data thus collected. A software tool was designed, developed, and implemented between April 2004 and March 2005 in the NICU of the LITO private maternity hospital in Athens, Greece, to allow for the first time for step-by-step collection and management of summary treatment data. Data collected over this period were subsequently analyzed using defined indicators as a basis to extract results related to treatment options, treatment duration, and relative resource utilization. Data for 499 babies were entered in the tool and processed. Information on medical costs (e.g., mean total cost +/- SD of treatment was euro310.44 +/- 249.17 and euro6704.27 +/- 4079.53 for babies weighing more than 2500 g and 1000-1500 g respectively), incidence of complications or disease (e.g., 4.3 percent and 14.3 percent of study babies weighing 1,000 to 1,500 g suffered from cerebral bleeding [grade I] and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, respectively, while overall 6.0 percent had microbial infections), and medical statistics (e.g., perinatal mortality was 6.8 percent) was obtained in a quick and robust manner. The software tool allowed for collection and analysis of data traditionally maintained in paper medical records in the NICU with greater ease and accuracy. Data codification and analysis led to significant findings at the epidemiological, medical resource utilization, and respective hospital cost levels that allowed comparisons with literature findings for the first time in Greece. The tool thus contributed to a clearer understanding of treatment practices in the NICU and set the baseline for the assessment of the impact of

Sex assessment using clavicle measurements: inter- and intra-population comparisons.

PubMed

Králík, Miroslav; Urbanová, Petra; Wagenknechtová, Martina

2014-01-01

We studied sexual dimorphism of the human clavicle in order to describe size variation and create population-specific discriminant tools for morphometric sex assessment. The studied sample consisted of 200 skeletons of adult individuals obtained from the University of Athens Human Skeletal Reference Collection, Athens, Greece. The specimens were well-documented and represented a modern population from cemeteries in the Athens area. Six dimensions typically used for clavicle measurements were recorded. For sexing clavicles, we used both traditional univariate (limiting, demarking and sectioning points) and multivariate discriminant function analysis. The accuracy of the best five classification equations/functions ranged from 91.62% to 92.55% of correctly assigned specimens. By testing new and previously published sexing functions (Greeks, Polynesians, Guatemalans) on four available population samples (English, Indians from Amritsar, Indians from Varanasi, and data from the present study) we found that, for some combinations of tested and reference samples, the accuracy of the sex assessment may decrease even below the probability given by random sex assignment. Therefore, measurements of the clavicle should not be used for sex assessment of individual cases (both forensic and archeological) whose population origin is unknown. However, significant metric differences were also recorded among three different Greek samples (i.e. within a population). As a consequence, application of a sexing method generated from one Greek sample and applied to another Greek sample led to negligible reduction in the success of sex assessment, despite general similarities in ethnic origin (Greeks), generation structure and presumed social background of the samples. Therefore, we believe that future studies should focus on understanding the nature of the differences among within-population reference samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experiencing sexuality in youth living in Greece: contraceptive practices, risk taking, and psychosocial status.

PubMed

Tsitsika, Artemis; Andrie, Elisabeth; Deligeoroglou, Efthymios; Tzavara, Chara; Sakou, Irene; Greydanus, Donald; Papaevangelou, Vassiliki; Tsolia, Mariza; Creatsas, George; Bakoula, Chryssa

2014-08-01

To assess initiation of sexual activity and contraception methods used among Greek adolescents. To determine the association of adolescents' emotional and behavioral status with their sexual activity. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted. The population (N = 1074, age 14-16) consisted of a random sample, stratified according to locality and population density, of 20 public junior high and high schools located in the urban district of Athens, Greece. Anonymous self-reported questionnaires were used to assess sexual activity choices and contraception methods. The Youth Self-Report questionnaire was used to evaluate the psychosocial competencies and difficulties of Greek adolescents. Analyses included frequencies with chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Factors that may influence sexual engagement of Greek adolescents were assessed. Of the adolescents who completed the questionnaire 21.8% reported having experienced sexual intercourse. The male/female ratio was 3/1 (P < .001) and the mean age of sexual debut was 14.5 ± 0.9 years. Condoms were the most preferred contraceptive method (79.9%), followed by withdrawal (38.9%). Emergency contraception was used by 9.6% of participants. Adolescents with separated, divorced or with a deceased parent, and non-Greek nationality have higher possibility of being sexually active. Adolescents who reported sexual intercourse had significantly higher score of thought problems (β = 1.07, SE = 0.35, P = .002), attention difficulties (β = 0.67, SE = 0.29, P = .022), delinquent behavior problems (β = 2.37, SE = 0.34, P < .001), aggressive behavior (β = 1.97, SE = 0.48, P < .001), and externalizing problems (β = 4.18, SE = 0.78, P < .001). Engagement in sexual activities was significantly associated with psychosocial difficulties among adolescents living in Greece. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Friedreich's ataxia and other hereditary ataxias in Greece: an 18-year perspective.

PubMed

Koutsis, Georgios; Kladi, Athina; Karadima, Georgia; Houlden, Henry; Wood, Nicholas W; Christodoulou, Kyproula; Panas, Marios

2014-01-15

Limited data exist on the spectrum of heredoataxias in Greece, including the prevalence and phenotype of Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) and the prevalence and subtypes of dominant spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs). We analyzed clinically and investigated genetically for FRDA and triplet-repeat expansion SCAs a consecutive series of 186 patients with suspected heredoataxia referred to Athens over 18 years. For prevalence estimates we included patients with molecular diagnosis from Cyprus that were absent from the Athens cohort. The minimum prevalence of FRDA was ~0.9/100,000, with clusters of high prevalence in Aegean islands. FRDA was diagnosed in 73 probands. The genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of FRDA was similar to other populations, with one patient compound heterozygote for a known point mutation in FXN (Asn146Lys). Undiagnosed recessive ataxias included FRDA-like and spastic ataxias. The minimum prevalence of dominant SCAs was ~0.7/100,000. SCA1 (4), SCA7 (4), SCA2, SCA6, and SCA17 (1 each) probands were identified. A molecular diagnosis was reached in 31% of dominant cases. Undiagnosed dominant patients included a majority of type III autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxias. FRDA is the commonest heredoataxia in the Greek population with prevalence towards the lower end of other European populations. Dominant SCAs are almost as prevalent. SCA1, SCA2, SCA6, SCA7 and SCA17 patients complete the spectrum of cases with a specific molecular diagnosis. © 2013.

The relationship between acculturation factors and symptoms of depression: a cross-sectional study with immigrants living in Athens.

PubMed

Gonidakis, Fragiskos; Korakakis, Panagiotis; Ploumpidis, Dimitris; Karapavlou, Dafni-Alexandra; Rogakou, Efi; Madianos, Michael G

2011-09-01

The process of acculturation observed in immigrants is part of an adjustment to the values and norms of a new society, and possibly the loss of norms of the society of origin. Acculturation has been linked to stress-related psychological disorders such as depression. The present study investigates the relationship between three acculturation domains (everyday life behaviors, wishful orientation/nostos, and ethnic identity) and symptoms of depression in a sample of foreign immigrants living in Athens, Greece. The sample consisted of 317 immigrants who visited two non-governmental organization polyclinics. All participants were interviewed using the Immigrant Acculturation Scale (IAS) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The results showed that 133 (42%) out of the 317 interviewees were in a depressive state (CES-D > 15). The main finding was that high CES-D scores were related to low scores in the IAS Everyday Life and Wishful Orientation factors, while no relationship was found between depressive symptomatology and the IAS Identity factor. Short duration of stay in Greece, lack of steady job, and lack of residence permit were also related to high CES-D scores. In conclusion, adaptation to mainstream culture daily behaviors as well as the wish to integrate with individuals from the mainstream culture and settle permanently in the new country could be seen as part of an adaptive mechanism that protects the individual from experiencing depressive symptomatology.

Organic contamination of surface sediments in the metropolitan coastal zone of Athens, Greece: sources, degree, and ecological risk.

PubMed

Kapsimalis, V; Panagiotopoulos, I P; Talagani, P; Hatzianestis, I; Kaberi, H; Rousakis, G; Kanellopoulos, T D; Hatiris, G A

2014-03-15

Bottom sediments represent a crucial component of the marine environment, since they constitute a habitat, a trophic resource, and a spawning place for various organisms. Unfortunately, the sediments of urban coastal areas are deeply impacted by anthropogenic activities that degrade their quality. In the Drapetsona-Keratsini metropolitan coastal zone of Athens, current industrial and shipping activities together with the effluents from a sewage outfall, which was in operation in the past, have resulted in one of the most contaminated sedimentary environments, in terms of organic compound loads, in Mediterranean. Exceptionally high concentrations of aliphatic hydrocarbons (up to 4457 μg g⁻¹), carcinogenic PAHs (up to 7284 ng g⁻¹), and organochlorines (up to 544 ng g⁻¹ for PCBs; up to 208 ng g⁻¹ for DDTs) constitute a major threat to the marine life of the associated Saronikos Gulf. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ionospheric anomalies detected by ionosonde and possibly related to crustal earthquakes in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perrone, Loredana; De Santis, Angelo; Abbattista, Cristoforo; Alfonsi, Lucilla; Amoruso, Leonardo; Carbone, Marianna; Cesaroni, Claudio; Cianchini, Gianfranco; De Franceschi, Giorgiana; De Santis, Anna; Di Giovambattista, Rita; Marchetti, Dedalo; Pavòn-Carrasco, Francisco J.; Piscini, Alessandro; Spogli, Luca; Santoro, Francesca

2018-03-01

Ionosonde data and crustal earthquakes with magnitude M ≥ 6.0 observed in Greece during the 2003-2015 period were examined to check if the relationships obtained earlier between precursory ionospheric anomalies and earthquakes in Japan and central Italy are also valid for Greek earthquakes. The ionospheric anomalies are identified on the observed variations of the sporadic E-layer parameters (h'Es, foEs) and foF2 at the ionospheric station of Athens. The corresponding empirical relationships between the seismo-ionospheric disturbances and the earthquake magnitude and the epicentral distance are obtained and found to be similar to those previously published for other case studies. The large lead times found for the ionospheric anomalies occurrence may confirm a rather long earthquake preparation period. The possibility of using the relationships obtained for earthquake prediction is finally discussed.

Compliance with the annual NO 2 air quality standard in Athens. Required NO x levels and expected health implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaloulakou, A.; Mavroidis, I.; Gavriil, I.

Recent risk assessment studies have shown that high outdoor NO 2 levels observed in residential areas contribute to increased respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and mortality. Detailed information on present NO 2 levels as well as predictions of NO 2 concentrations corresponding to reduced NO x levels in urban areas are very useful to decision and policy makers in order to protect the public health. In the present paper, monitoring stations of the Athens network are initially classified into two main groups, traffic affected and urban background, using effectively a criterion based on the ratio of annual mean NO:NO 2 concentrations. Two empirical methodologies are then considered and compared for assessing the effect of different NO x levels on the attainment of the annual NO 2 air quality standard at urban-background locations in the Athens area. An interesting finding is that these two methodologies, one more general and one both year and site dependent, give similar results for the specific study area and can be applied alternatively based on the length of available concentration time series. The results show that in order to meet the EU annual mean NO 2 objective at all the urban-background locations of the Athens area, annual NO x concentrations should be reduced to approximately 60 μg m -3, requiring NO x emission reductions of up to 30%. An analysis of the health implications of the currently observed NO 2 levels is conducted, based on a dose-response relationship, and is coupled with available health-related data for the Athens area. This analysis suggests that if NO 2 concentrations were reduced to the levels of the annual EU air quality standard, then a decrease of hospital admissions of up to 2.6% would be observed, depending on the levels of NO 2 measured at different monitoring sites of the Athens conurbation.

Asylum and community: the Athens Lunatic Asylum in nineteenth-century Ohio.

PubMed

Ziff, Katherine K; Thomas, David O; Beamish, Patricia M

2008-12-01

This paper examines the role of the village of Athens, Ohio, USA, in the founding and operation of the Athens Lunatic Asylum during the nineteenth century. Taking as its sources official, personal and popular culture documents, the paper focuses on the function of this Asylum as a participant in the economy of its surrounding community. The Athens Lunatic Asylum was deeply connected with its community, functioning as a market for local goods and services as well as an employer. Connections between the Asylum and the community were supported by a physical infrastructure of transportation and utilities as well as a political infrastructure that operated locally and at the state level. Implications for mental health care and for community are proposed.

Exploring stress levels, job satisfaction, and quality of life in a sample of police officers in Greece.

PubMed

Alexopoulos, Evangelos C; Palatsidi, Vassiliki; Tigani, Xanthi; Darviri, Christina

2014-12-01

The ongoing economic crisis in Greece has affected both stress and quality of life (QoL) at all socioeconomic levels, including professionals in the police force. The aim of this study was to examine perceived stress, job satisfaction, QoL, and their relationships in a sample of police officers in Greece. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the first trimester of 2011 in 23 police stations in the greater Athens area. A total of 201 police officers agreed to participate (response rate 44.6%). The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) was used to assess general health, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Questionnaire and Perceived Stress Scale-14 (PSS-14) questionnaires were used to assess QoL and perceived stress, respectively. The PSS and GHQ subscales and total scores exhibited strong, positive, and significant correlations coefficients (r): 0.52 for somatic disturbances, 0.56 for stress and insomnia, 0.40 for social dysfunction, and 0.37 for depression, yielding an r equal to 0.57 for the total GHQ score. A higher level of perceived stress was related to a lower likelihood of being satisfied with their job; in this regard, male participants and higher ranked officers reported lower job satisfaction. The PSS and GHQ scores were inversely, consistently, and significantly related to almost all of the QoL aspects, explaining up to 34% of their variability. Parenthood had a positive effect on QoL related to physical health, and women reported lower QoL related to psychological health. Higher levels of stress are related to an increased risk of reporting suboptimal job satisfaction and QoL. The magnitude of these associations varied depending on age, gender, and rank, highlighting the need for stress-management training.

Paleoclimatic change, disaster history and the urbanscape transitions in Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Liang

2017-04-01

Past abrupt climate changes on millennium time scales have received wide attention among natural and social scientists, also because of today's rapid climate changes and their extensive impacts on our society. In the eastern Mediterranean area, coherent patterns and synchronous events in history suggest obvious links between urban development and climate forcing. The city of Athens as the origin of ancient Greek civilization experienced many periods of prosperity and decay. Though the transitions were mostly dominated by wars and power changes between empires, severe climate events and natural disasters may also considerably have shaped the process of Athens' development. Among natural disasters, earthquake, tsunami, flood and wildfire were the main forces that stressed the development of Athens. To recover from and respond to these disaster impacts, the city was thereafter developed in ways that either changed the ever existed city patterns or guided sensitive areas to specific directions, which could have transformed the urbanscape gradually. However, the possibility that these transitions may have been responses/resilience strategies triggered by abrupt climate events has so far hardly been explored. With extensive literature review, existing archaeological records and paleoclimate reconstruction modelling results, this study analyzes the large scale climate variations, related environment changes in mesoscale, aiming at setting into context the local natural disasters in Athens and its surrounding areas during the Holocene period. The study treats a number of important climate events in the area and urban transitions of the city, of which the integration of all these elements and insights from recent analysis throw some new light on understanding the forcing-transition process. Preliminary results indicate unclear link of climate forcing and urban transition over the whole city, but a few signs of possible linkages were recognized at specific blocks of Athens

General Practice as a career choice among undergraduate medical students in Greece

PubMed Central

Mariolis, Anargiros; Mihas, Constantinos; Alevizos, Alevizos; Gizlis, Vasilis; Mariolis, Theodoros; Marayiannis, Konstantinos; Tountas, Yiannis; Stefanadis, Christodoulos; Philalithis, Anastas; Creatsas, George

2007-01-01

Background Although General Practice (GP) was recognized as a medical specialty in Greece in 1986, the number of GPs is insufficient to cover needs and only few medical graduates choose GP as a career option. In the present study we investigated the profile of medical students in terms of their decisions regarding specialization and the possible association of career choices different from GP with the status of undergraduate training regarding GP. Methods The sample consisted of final year students in the Medical School of the University of Athens, Greece. Students filled in a self-reported questionnaire focusing on medical specialization, and GP in particular. Results Response rate was 82.5% with 1021 questionnaires collected, out of 1237 eligible medical students. Only 44 out of the 1021 (4.3%) respondents stated that GP is -or could be- among their choices for specialty. The most popular medical specialty was General Surgery (10.9%), followed by Cardiology (9.6%), Endocrinology (8.7%) and Obstetrics-Gynaecology (8.3%). The most common criterion for choosing GP was the guaranteed employment on completion of the residency (54.6%) while a 56.6% of total respondents were positive to the introduction of GP/FM as a curriculum course during University studies. Conclusion Despite the great needs, GP specialty is currently not a career option among undergraduate students of the greater Medical University in Greece and is still held in low esteem. A university department responsible for undergraduate teaching, promotion and research in GP (where not available) is essential; the status of undergraduate training in general practice/family medicine seems to be one of the most important factors that influence physician career choices regarding primary care specialties. PMID:17543106

Nuclear security and radiological preparedness for the olympic games, athens 2004: lessons learned for organizing major public events.

PubMed

Kamenopoulou, Vassiliki; Dimitriou, Panayiotis; Hourdakis, Constantine J; Maltezos, Antonios; Matikas, Theodore; Potiriadis, Constantinos; Camarinopoulos, Leonidas

2006-10-01

In light of the exceptional circumstances that arose from hosting the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004 and from recent terrorist events internationally, Greece attributes the highest priority to security issues. According to its statutory role, the Greek Atomic Energy Commission is responsible for emergency preparedness and response in case of nuclear and radiological events, and advises the Government on the measures and interventions necessary to protect the public. In this context, the Commission participated in the Nuclear, Radiological, Biological, and Chemical Threat National Emergency Plan, specially developed for the Olympic Games, and coordinated by the Olympic Games Security Division. The objective of this paper is to share the experience gained during the organization of the Olympic Games and to present the nuclear security program implemented prior to, during, and beyond the Games, in order to prevent, detect, assess, and respond to the threat of nuclear terrorism. This program adopted a multi-area coverage of nuclear security, including physical protection of nuclear and radiological facilities, prevention of smuggling of radioactive materials through borders, prevention of dispersion of these materials into the Olympic venues, enhancement of emergency preparedness and response to radiological events, upgrading of the technical infrastructure, establishment of new procedures for assessing the threat and responding to radiological incidents, and training personnel belonging to several organizations involved in the National Emergency Response Plan. Finally, the close cooperation of Greek Authorities with the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, under the coordination of the Greek Atomic Energy Commission, is also discussed.

Dental erosion prevalence and associated risk indicators among preschool children in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Mantonanaki, Magdalini; Koletsi-Kounari, Haroula; Mamai-Homata, Eleni; Papaioannou, William

2013-03-01

The aims of the study were to investigate dental erosion prevalence, distribution and severity in Greek preschool children attending public kindergartens in the prefecture of Attica, Greece and to determine the effect of dental caries, oral hygiene level, socio-economic factors, dental behavior, erosion related medication and chronic illness. A random and stratified sample of 605 Greek preschool children was clinically examined for dental erosion using the Basic Erosive Wear Examination Index (ΒΕWE). Dental caries (dmfs) and Simplified Debris Index were also recorded. The data concerning possible risk indicators were derived by a questionnaire. Zero-inflated Poisson regression was generated to test the predictive effects of the independent variables on dental erosion. The prevalence of dental erosion was 78.8 %, and the mean and SE of BEWE index was 3.64 ± 0.15. High monthly family income was positively related to ΒΕWE cumulative scores [RR = 1.204 (1.016-1.427)], while high maternal education level [RR = 0.872 (0.771-0.986)] and poor oral hygiene level [DI-s, RR = 0.584 (0.450-0.756)] showed a negative association. Dental erosion is a common oral disease in Greek preschool children in Attica, related to oral hygiene and socio-economic factors. Programs aimed at erosion prevention should begin at an early age for all children.

Measuring acculturation and symptoms of depression of foreign immigrants in the Athens area.

PubMed

Madianos, M G; Gonidakis, F; Ploubidis, D; Papadopoulou, E; Rogakou, E

2008-07-01

Acculturation is the phenomenon that results when a group with one culture comes into continuous contact with a host culture and changes occur in the original culture of either one or both groups. Acculturation has also been linked with stress-related psychological disorder and depression. This article investigates the acculturation process and the depressive state of foreign immigrants living in the greater Athens area. All consecutive cases of 157 foreign immigrants who visited a nongovernmental organization (NGO) providing consultative services to immigrants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire including the Immigrant Acculturation Scale (IAS) and the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies - Depression (CES-D) scale. Factor analysis of IAS yielded a three-factor solution and 17 items with loadings ranging from 0.74 to 0.41. This scale was also tested and proven to be reliable. The main finding is that the higher the acculturation level of the immigrant individual, the lower the CES-D scale score; the fewer the depressive symptoms are self-reported. Length of stay, existence of family in Greece, legal status of residence and employment were also found to have an effect on depressive symptomatology. Acculturation could be seen as a beneficial mechanism protecting the individual to be exposed to stressful non-adaptive behaviour.

Athens, GA Lab--Office of Research and Development

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The EPA laboratory in Athens, GA is a recognized leader in advancing and implementing scientific knowledge, and providing scientific and technical support tailored to environmental concerns and issues in the Southeast U.S.

The effect of ethnicity on prescribing practice and treatment outcome in inpatients suffering from schizophrenia in Greece.

PubMed

Douzenis, Athanassios; Apostolopoulos, Athanassios; Seretis, Dionisios; Rizos, Emmanouil N; Christodoulou, Christos; Lykouras, Lefteris

2011-04-20

No studies have been conducted in Greece with the aim of investigating the influence of ethnicity on the prescribing and treatment outcome of voluntarily admitted inpatients. Most studies conducted in the UK and the US, both on inpatients and outpatients, focus on the dosage of antipsychotics for schizophrenic patients and many suffer from significant methodological limitations. Using a simple design, we aimed to assess negative ethnic bias in psychotropic medication prescribing by comparing discrepancies in use between native and non-native psychiatric inpatients. We also aimed to compare differences in treatment outcome between the two groups. In this retrospective study, the prescribing of medication was compared between 90 Greek and 63 non-Greek inpatients which were consecutively admitted into the emergency department of a hospital covering Athens, the capital of Greece. Participants suferred from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Overall, groups were compared with regard to 12 outcomes, six related to prescribing and six related to treatment outcome as assesed by standardised psychometric tools. No difference between the two ethnic groups was found in terms of improvement in treatment as measured by GAF and BPRS-E. Polypharmacy, use of first generation antipsychotics, second generation antipsychotics and use of mood stabilizers were not found to be associated with ethnicity. However, non-Greeks were less likely to receive SSRIs-SNRIs and more likely to receive benzodiazepines. Our study found limited evidence for ethnic bias. The stronger indication for racial bias was found in benzodiazepine prescribing. We discuss alternative explanations and give arguments calling for future research that will focus on disorders other than schizophrenia and studying non-inpatient populations.

The effect of ethnicity on prescribing practice and treatment outcome in inpatients suffering from schizophrenia in Greece

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background No studies have been conducted in Greece with the aim of investigating the influence of ethnicity on the prescribing and treatment outcome of voluntarily admitted inpatients. Most studies conducted in the UK and the US, both on inpatients and outpatients, focus on the dosage of antipsychotics for schizophrenic patients and many suffer from significant methodological limitations. Using a simple design, we aimed to assess negative ethnic bias in psychotropic medication prescribing by comparing discrepancies in use between native and non-native psychiatric inpatients. We also aimed to compare differences in treatment outcome between the two groups. Methods In this retrospective study, the prescribing of medication was compared between 90 Greek and 63 non-Greek inpatients which were consecutively admitted into the emergency department of a hospital covering Athens, the capital of Greece. Participants suferred from schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Overall, groups were compared with regard to 12 outcomes, six related to prescribing and six related to treatment outcome as assesed by standardised psychometric tools. Results No difference between the two ethnic groups was found in terms of improvement in treatment as measured by GAF and BPRS-E. Polypharmacy, use of first generation antipsychotics, second generation antipsychotics and use of mood stabilizers were not found to be associated with ethnicity. However, non-Greeks were less likely to receive SSRIs-SNRIs and more likely to receive benzodiazepines. Conclusions Our study found limited evidence for ethnic bias. The stronger indication for racial bias was found in benzodiazepine prescribing. We discuss alternative explanations and give arguments calling for future research that will focus on disorders other than schizophrenia and studying non-inpatient populations. PMID:21507225

Access to Care for Multiple Sclerosis in Times of Economic Crisis in Greece – the HOPE II Study

PubMed Central

Souliotis, Kyriakos; Alexopoulou, Elena; Papageorgiou, Manto; Politi, Anastasia; Litsa, Panagiota; Contiades, Xenophon

2016-01-01

Background: While there is currently no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), treatment with biologic disease-modifying drugs (bDMDs) can reduce the impact of the condition on the lives of patients. In Greece, the regulatory change in the distribution system of bDMDs, limited their administration through the designated pharmacies of the National Organization for Healthcare Services Provision (EOPYY) or the National Health System (ESY) hospitals, thus potentially impacting access to MS treatment. In this context, the aim of this paper was to assess the barriers to bDMDs, by recording MS patients’ experiences. Methods: A survey research was conducted between January and February 2014 in Athens and 5 other major Greek cities with the methods of personal and telephone interview. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit socio-economic and medical information, information related to obstacles in accessing bDMDs and medical treatment, from MS patients that visited EOPYY pharmacies during the study period. Results: During the last year 69% of 179 participants reported that the distribution system of bDMDs has improved. Thirteen percent of participants encountered problems in accessing their medication, and 16.9% of participants in accessing their physician, with the obstacles being more pronounced for non-Athens residents. Frequent obstacles to bDMDs were the distance from EOPYY pharmacies and difficulties in obtaining a diagnosis from an EOPYY/ESY physician, while obstacles to medical care were delays in appointment booking and travel difficulties. Conclusion: Even though the major weaknesses of the distribution system of bDMDs have improved, further amelioration of the system could be achieved through the home delivery of medicines to patients living in remote areas, and through the development of a national MS registry. PMID:26927393

Integrated flash flood vulnerability assessment: Insights from East Attica, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karagiorgos, Konstantinos; Thaler, Thomas; Heiser, Micha; Hübl, Johannes; Fuchs, Sven

2016-10-01

In the framework of flood risk assessment, vulnerability is a key concept to assess the susceptibility of elements at risk. Besides the increasing amount of studies on flash floods available, in-depth information on vulnerability in Mediterranean countries was missing so far. Moreover, current approaches in vulnerability research are driven by a divide between social scientists who tend to view vulnerability as representing a set of socio-economic factors, and natural scientists who view vulnerability in terms of the degree of loss to an element at risk. Further, vulnerability studies in response to flash flood processes are rarely answered in the literature. In order to close this gap, this paper implemented an integrated vulnerability approach focusing on residential buildings exposed to flash floods in Greece. In general, both physical and social vulnerability was comparable low, which is interpreted as a result from (a) specific building regulations in Greece as well as general design principles leading to less structural susceptibility of elements at risk exposed, and (b) relatively low economic losses leading to less social vulnerability of citizens exposed. The population show high risk awareness and coping capacity to response to natural hazards event and in the same time the impact of the events are quite low, because of the already high use of local protection measures. The low vulnerability score for East Attica can be attributed especially to the low physical vulnerability and the moderate socio-economic well-being of the area. The consequence is to focus risk management strategies mainly in the reduction of the social vulnerability. By analysing both physical and social vulnerability an attempt was made to bridge the gap between scholars from sciences and humanities, and to integrate the results of the analysis into the broader vulnerability context.

Wildfire risk assessment in a typical Mediterranean wildland-urban interface of Greece.

PubMed

Mitsopoulos, Ioannis; Mallinis, Giorgos; Arianoutsou, Margarita

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess spatial wildfire risk in a typical Mediterranean wildland-urban interface (WUI) in Greece and the potential effect of three different burning condition scenarios on the following four major wildfire risk components: burn probability, conditional flame length, fire size, and source-sink ratio. We applied the Minimum Travel Time fire simulation algorithm using the FlamMap and ArcFuels tools to characterize the potential response of the wildfire risk to a range of different burning scenarios. We created site-specific fuel models of the study area by measuring the field fuel parameters in representative natural fuel complexes, and we determined the spatial extent of the different fuel types and residential structures in the study area using photointerpretation procedures of large scale natural color orthophotographs. The results included simulated spatially explicit fire risk components along with wildfire risk exposure analysis and the expected net value change. Statistical significance differences in simulation outputs between the scenarios were obtained using Tukey's significance test. The results of this study provide valuable information for decision support systems for short-term predictions of wildfire risk potential and inform wildland fire management of typical WUI areas in Greece.

Wildfire Risk Assessment in a Typical Mediterranean Wildland-Urban Interface of Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsopoulos, Ioannis; Mallinis, Giorgos; Arianoutsou, Margarita

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to assess spatial wildfire risk in a typical Mediterranean wildland-urban interface (WUI) in Greece and the potential effect of three different burning condition scenarios on the following four major wildfire risk components: burn probability, conditional flame length, fire size, and source-sink ratio. We applied the Minimum Travel Time fire simulation algorithm using the FlamMap and ArcFuels tools to characterize the potential response of the wildfire risk to a range of different burning scenarios. We created site-specific fuel models of the study area by measuring the field fuel parameters in representative natural fuel complexes, and we determined the spatial extent of the different fuel types and residential structures in the study area using photointerpretation procedures of large scale natural color orthophotographs. The results included simulated spatially explicit fire risk components along with wildfire risk exposure analysis and the expected net value change. Statistical significance differences in simulation outputs between the scenarios were obtained using Tukey's significance test. The results of this study provide valuable information for decision support systems for short-term predictions of wildfire risk potential and inform wildland fire management of typical WUI areas in Greece.

Resource utilization and costs for treatment of stroke patients in an acute stroke unit in Greece.

PubMed

Kritikou, Persefoni; Spengos, Konstantinos; Zakopoulos, Nikolaos; Tountas, Yannis; Yfantopoulos, John; Vemmos, Konstantinos

2016-03-01

Stroke comprises the leading cause of death in Greece, and more than 40% of the overall lifetime cost for stroke care, represents the acute phase hospitalization. The aim of the present study was to assess the resource utilization and estimate the costs for treatment of stroke patients in an Acute Stroke Unit (ASU). Patients with first-ever stroke treated in the ASU of an academic hospital in Athens during 2003-2009 were included in the analysis. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were employed to assess the neurological impairment on admission and the handicap at discharge, respectively. The cost categories measured were: diagnostic investigations, medications, medical and nursing staff, and overhead costs. A generalized linear model was used to predict the mean cost per patient, based on the clinical characteristics of the patients on admission, and during their hospitalization. In total, 784 patients were included in the analysis, with mean age of 72.2 (11.2) and mean length of hospital stay of 12.3 (9.5) days. The mean cost per patient was estimated at €2,864 (2,198), and the mean cost per day at €244 (54). The relevant cost for the mildly handicapped patients was €1,573 (625), while for the severely handicapped patients it was €4,136 (2,538). Delayed discharge was associated with a mean cost of €362 (634) per patient, while the cost for the acute phase management of the patients was €2,445 (2,471). The neurological impairment on admission (NIHSS score) and the delayed discharge, were strong predictors of the mean cost per patient. The costs for treatment of stroke patients in an ASU comprise a significant burden in Greece. Further research should be performed to explore the long-term costs for the treatment of the disease at a nation-wide level. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fire risk and air pollution assessment during the 2007 wildfire events in Greece using the COSMO-ART atmospheric model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athanasopoulou, E.; Giannakopoulos, C.; Vogel, H.; Rieger, D.; Knote, C.; Hatzaki, M.; Vogel, B.; Karali, A.

2012-04-01

During 2007, Greece experienced an extreme summer and the worst natural hazard in its modern history. Soil dehydration, following a prolonged dry period in combination with hot temperatures and strong winds, yielded favorable conditions for the ignition and spread of wild fires that burnt approximately 200,000 ha of vegetated land (Founda and Gianakopoulos, 2009; Sifakis et al., 2011). The relationship between meteorology and fire potential can be provided by the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI), which is already found applicable in the fire activity of the Mediterranean region (Carvalho et al., 2008). However, lack of meteorological data or remote fire spots can be sources of uncertainties for fire risk estimation. In addition to the direct fire damage, these fires produced large quantities of gaseous air pollutants and particles (PM10) dispersed over the area of Greece. Indeed, PM10 concentration measurements showed two pollution episodes over Athens during late August and early September, 2007 (Liu et al., 2009). Nevertheless, these measurements neither show the large spatial extent of fire effects nor reveal its important role on atmospheric chemistry. In the current study, the application of the atmospheric model COSMO-ART is used to investigate the issues addressed above. COSMO-ART (Vogel et al. 2009) is a regional chemistry transport model (ART stands for Aerosols and Reactive Trace gases) online-coupled to the COSMO regional numerical weather prediction and climate model (Baldauf et al. 2011). The current simulations are performed between August 15 and September 15 over Greece with a horizontal resolution of 2.8 km and a vertical extend up to 20 km. The initial and boundary meteorological conditions are derived from a coarser COSMO simulation performed by the German Weather Service. Fire emissions are retrieved from the Global Fire Emissions Database version 3 (van der Werf et al., 2010). The anthropogenic emission database used is the TNO/MACC (Kuenen et

Aristeia Leadership: A Catalyst for the i[superscript 2]Flex Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gialamas, Stefanos; Avgerinou, Maria D.

2015-01-01

In response to the global educational reform we have developed a new education paradigm, the Global Morfosis paradigm which has been implemented at the American Community Schools of Athens (ACS Athens) Greece for the past decade. This dynamic paradigm consists of three inseparable, interconnected, and interrelated components: the Educational…

Dental data of the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

PubMed

Vougiouklakis, G; Tzoutzas, J; Farmakis, E-T; Farmakis, E-E; Antoniadou, M; Mitsea, A

2008-11-01

The Athens University, School of Dentistry, accepted the challenge to organize the Dental Health Services in the Athens 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in order to provide the best quality of oral health services to the athletes, coaches, escort members and Olympic Village personnel. Data from the whole activity protocol of the Athens 2004 Games Dental Health Services - the reception, admission and treatment protocols, the facilities and the infrastructure, the number of cases treated per specialty and the experience gained - were recorded. During the Olympic Games, there were more than 1400 dental cases in more than 650 patients, elite athletes, escort members, coaches and staff of the Olympic Village. Among them 313 fillings, 100 root canal therapies, 57 mouthguards and 9 dental trauma cases were treated. During the Paralympic Games, there were more than 240 dental cases in more than 220 patients. Among them 73 fillings, 12 root canal therapies, 21 extractions and 3 dental trauma cases were treated. In such events, highly trained dentists are needed and if possible, specialized in operative dentistry or endodontics. The role of team dentist seems to be of great importance.

Threats to Mediterranean rangelands: a case study based on the views of citizens in the Viotia prefecture, Greece.

PubMed

Kyriazopoulos, Apostolos P; Arabatzis, Garyfallos; Abraham, Eleni M; Parissi, Zoi M

2013-11-15

Rangelands in Greece constitute a very important natural resource as they occupy 40% of the total surface. Not only is their forage production essential for the development of extensive livestock farming, but also they play a key role in outdoor recreational activities, protection from erosion, provision of water supplies and biodiversity conservation. However, land use changes, inappropriate management and wildfires threaten their existence. The research was conducted among the citizens of Viotia prefecture, an area close to Athens, Greece, using personal interviews with a structured questionnaire in 2008. The aim was to record citizens' opinions regarding the threats to rangelands. The results suggest that the main threats as perceived by the respondents, are land use changes especially for urban development, and wildfires. The application of cluster analysis highlighted the differentiation among the respondents in ranking these threats. The more ecologically aware citizens recognised that mismanagement, abandonment and agriculture also threaten rangelands. These threats can have a considerable impact on the lives of the local people. Policy makers and managers should take the opinions of local citizens into consideration, and engage them in decision making so that sustainable management policies could be applied. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early and late hot extremes, and elongation of the warm period over Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Founda, Dimitra; Giannakopoulos, Christos; Pierros, Fragiskos

2017-04-01

The eastern Mediterranean has been assigned as one of the most responsive areas in climate change, mainly with respect to the occurrence of warmer and drier conditions. In Greece in particular, observations suggest prominent increases in the summer air temperature which in some areas amount to approximately 1 0C/decade since the mid 1970s, while Regional Climate Models simulate further increases in the near and distant future. These changes are coupled with simultaneous increase in the occurrence of hot extremes. In addition to changes in the frequency and intensity of hot extrems, timing of occurrence is also of special interest. Early heat waves in particular, have been found to increase thermal risk in humans. The study explores variations and trends in timing, namely the date of first and last occurrence of hot extremes within the year, and subsequently the hot extremes period (season), defined as the time interval (number of days) between first and last hot extremes occurrence, over Greece. A case study for the area of Athens covering a longer than 100-years period (1897-2015) was conducted first, which will be extended to other Greek areas. Several heat related climatic indices were used, based either on predefined temperature thresholds such as 'tropical days' (daily maximum air temperature, Tmax >30 0C), 'tropical nights' (daily minimum air temperature, Tmin >20 0C), 'hot days' (Tmax >35 0C), or on local climate statistics such as days with Tmax (or Tmin) > 95th percentile. The analysis revealed significant changes in the period of hot extremes and specifically elongation of the period, attributed to early rather than late hot extremes occurrence. An earlier shift of the first tropical day and the first tropical night occurrence by approximately 2 days/decade was found over the study period. An overall elongation of the 'hot days' season by 2.6 days/decade was also observed, which is more prominent since the early 1980s. Over the last three decades, earlier

Characteristics of psoriasis in Greece: an epidemiological study of a population in a sunny Mediterranean climate.

PubMed

Rigopoulos, Dimitris; Gregoriou, Stamatis; Katrinaki, Aimilia; Korfitis, Chrysovalantis; Larios, Giorgos; Stamou, Christos; Mourellou, Olympia; Petridis, Athanasios; Rallis, Efstathios; Sotiriadis, Dimitris; Katsambas, Andreas D; Antoniou, Christina

2010-01-01

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with important socioeconomic consequences. Data on psoriasis prevalence in Greece is scarce and circumstantially reported. The aim of this study was the recording of psoriatic patients' demographic data, clinical characteristics of the disease, and exacerbating factors. Seven hundred and eighty four patients were enrolled in 6 centres (4 in Athens and 2 in Thessaloniki) in a multicenter epidemiologic prospective study. The mean age of patients was 43.2 (standard deviation, SD 17.44) years (median 42 years), while the men: women ratio was 1.8:1. Additionally, 35% of patients reported a positive family history of psoriasis. The mean age of patients at the first episode of psoriasis was 31.3 (SD 16.39) years (median 28 years). Psoriasis vulgaris was the most common form of psoriasis in the population participating in this study. Flares of psoriasis occurred 2.6 times per year on average. The patients considered stress as the main cause for psoriasis exacerbation. Most frequent target points of psoriasis included elbows, legs, scalp and knees. The most common symptoms reported were scaling, and itching. On average, patients visited dermatologists 2.4 times per year for issues related to psoriasis. This study provides epidemiological information regarding psoriasis in Greece. Results of this survey could assist in delineation of patient profiles, and improve communication between doctors and patients.

PM(10) episodes in Greece: Local sources versus long-range transport-observations and model simulations.

PubMed

Matthaios, Vasileios N; Triantafyllou, Athanasios G; Koutrakis, Petros

2017-01-01

Periods of abnormally high concentrations of atmospheric pollutants, defined as air pollution episodes, can cause adverse health effects. Southern European countries experience high particulate matter (PM) levels originating from local and distant sources. In this study, we investigated the occurrence and nature of extreme PM 10 (PM with an aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm) pollution episodes in Greece. We examined PM 10 concentration data from 18 monitoring stations located at five sites across the country: (1) an industrial area in northwestern Greece (Western Macedonia Lignite Area, WMLA), which includes sources such as lignite mining operations and lignite power plants that generate a high percentage of the energy in Greece; (2) the greater Athens area, the most populated area of the country; and (3) Thessaloniki, (4) Patra, and (5) Volos, three large cities in Greece. We defined extreme PM 10 pollution episodes (EEs) as days during which PM 10 concentrations at all five sites exceeded the European Union (EU) 24-hr PM 10 standards. For each EE, we identified the corresponding prevailing synoptic and local meteorological conditions, including wind surface data, for the period from January 2009 through December 2011. We also analyzed data from remote sensing and model simulations. We recorded 14 EEs that occurred over 49 days and could be grouped into two categories: (1) Local Source Impact (LSI; 26 days, 53%) and (2) African Dust Impact (ADI; 23 days, 47%). Our analysis suggested that the contribution of local sources to ADI EEs was relatively small. LSI EEs were observed only in the cold season, whereas ADI EEs occurred throughout the year, with a higher frequency during the cold season. The EEs with the highest intensity were recorded during African dust intrusions. ADI episodes were found to contribute more than local sources in Greece, with ADI and LSI fraction contribution ranging from 1.1 to 3.10. The EE contribution during ADI fluctuated from 41 to 83 �

Seasonal differences in thermal sensation in the outdoor urban environment of Mediterranean climates - the example of Athens, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseliou, Areti; Tsiros, Ioannis X.; Nikolopoulou, Marialena

2017-07-01

Outdoor urban areas are very important for cities and microclimate is a critical parameter in the design process, contributing to thermal comfort which is important for urban developments. The research presented in this paper is part of extensive field surveys conducted in Athens aimed at investigating people's thermal sensation in a Mediterranean city. Based on 2313 questionnaires and microclimatic data the current work focuses on the relative frequencies of people's evaluation of the thermal along with the sun and wind sensations between two seasons trying to identify the seasonal differences in thermal sensation. The impact of basic meteorological factors on thermal discomfort with respect to season are also examined, as well as the use of the outdoor environment. Results show that psychological adaptation is an important contributing factor influencing perception of the thermal environment between seasons. In addition, the thermal sensation votes during the cool months show that individuals are satisfied to a great extend with the thermal environment whereas the combination of high air temperature, strong solar radiation and weak wind lead to thermal discomfort during summertime. As far as the appropriate urban design in the Mediterranean climate is concerned, priority should be given to the warm months of the year.

Controversial Higher-Education Reforms Spark Riots in Athens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Labi, Aisha

2007-01-01

This article discusses the Greek Parliament's controversial education bill passed recently that sparked riots and unrest in Athens. The government's controversial education package includes measures that would limit the number of years students can take to complete a university degree and would curtail university asylum laws. A separate proposal…

Recent Research applications at the Athens Neutron Monitor Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavromichalaki, H.; Gerontidou, M.; Paschalis, P.; Papaioannou, A.; Paouris, E.; Papailiou, M.; Souvatzoglou, G.

2015-08-01

The ground based neutron monitor measurements play a key role in the field of space physics, solar-terrestrial relations, and space weather applications. The Athens cosmic ray group has developed several research applications such as an optimized automated Ground Level Enhancement Alert (GLE Alert Plus) and a web interface, providing data from multiple Neutron Monitor stations (Multi-Station tool). These services are actually available via the Space Weather Portal operated by the European Space Agency (http://swe.ssa.esa.int). In addition, two simulation tools, based on Geant4, have also been implemented. The first one is for the simulation of the cosmic ray showers in the atmosphere (DYASTIMA) and the second one is for the simulation of the 6NM-64 neutron monitor. The contribution of the simulation tools to the calculations of the radiation dose received by air crews and passengers within the Earth's atmosphere and to the neutron monitor study is presented as well. Furthermore, the accurate calculation of the barometric coefficient and the primary data processing by filtering algorithms, such as the well known Median Editor and the developed by the Athens group ANN Algorithm and Edge Editor which contribute to the provision of high quality neutron monitor data are also discussed. Finally, a Space Weather Forecasting Center which provides a three day geomagnetic activity report on a daily basis has been set up and has been operating for the last two years at the Athens Neutron Monitor Station.

Assessment of Parkinson’s disease risk loci in Greece

PubMed Central

Kara, Eleanna; Xiromerisiou, Georgia; Spanaki, Cleanthe; Bozi, Maria; Koutsis, Georgios; Panas, Marios; Dardiotis, Efthimios; Ralli, Styliani; Bras, Jose; Letson, Christopher; Edsall, Connor; Pliner, Hannah; Arepali, Sampath; Kalinderi, Kallirhoe; Fidani, Liana; Bostanjopoulou, Sevasti; Keller, Margaux F; Wood, Nicholas W; Hardy, John; Houlden, Henry; Stefanis, Leonidas; Plaitakis, Andreas; Hernandez, Dena; Hadjigeorgiou, Georgios M; Nalls, Mike A; Singleton, Andrew B

2013-01-01

Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have been shown to be a powerful approach to identify risk loci for neurodegenerative diseases. Recent GWAS in Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been successful in identifying numerous risk variants pointing to novel pathways potentially implicated in the pathogenesis of PD. Contributing to these GWAS efforts, we performed genotyping of previously identified risk alleles in PD patients and controls from Greece. We showed that previously published risk profiles for Northern European and American populations are also applicable to the Greek population. In addition, while we were largely underpowered to detect individual associations we replicated 5 of 32 previously published risk variants with nominal p-values <0.05. Genome-wide complex trait analysis (GCTA) revealed that known risk loci explain disease risk in 1.27% of Greek PD patients. Collectively, these results indicate that there is likely a substantial genetic component to PD in Greece similarly to other worldwide populations that remains to be discovered. PMID:24080174

Long-term visibility variation in Athens (1931-2013): a proxy for local and regional atmospheric aerosol loads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Founda, Dimitra; Kazadzis, Stelios; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Gerasopoulos, Evangelos; Lianou, Maria; Raptis, Panagiotis I.

2016-09-01

This study explores the interdecadal variability and trends of surface horizontal visibility at the urban area of Athens from 1931 to 2013, using the historical archives of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA). A prominent deterioration of visibility in the city was detected, with the long-term linear trend amounting to -2.8 km decade-1 (p < 0.001), over the entire study period. This was not accompanied by any significant trend in relative humidity or precipitation over the same period. A slight recovery of visibility levels seems to be established in the recent decade (2004-2013). It was found that very good visibility (> 20 km) occurred at a frequency of 34 % before the 1950s, while this percentage drops to just 2 % during the decade 2004-2013. The rapid impairment of the visual air quality in Athens around the 1950s points to the increased levels of air pollution on a local and/or regional scale, related to high urbanization rates and/or increased anthropogenic emissions on a global scale at that period. Visibility was found to be negatively/positively correlated with relative humidity/wind speed, the correlation being statistically valid at certain periods. Wind regime and mainly wind direction and corresponding air mass origin were found to highly control visibility levels in Athens. The comparison of visibility variation in Athens and at a non-urban reference site on Crete island revealed similar negative trends over the common period of observations. This suggests that apart local sources, visibility in Athens is highly determined by aerosol load of regional origin. AVHRR and MODIS satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals over Athens and surface measurements of PM10 confirmed the relation of visibility to aerosol load.

Barriers to accessing biologic treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in Greece: the unseen impact of the fiscal crisis--the Health Outcomes Patient Environment (HOPE) study.

PubMed

Souliotis, Kyriakos; Papageorgiou, Manto; Politi, Anastasia; Ioakeimidis, Dimitrios; Sidiropoulos, Prodromos

2014-01-01

The latest regulatory change in the distribution system of biologic disease-modifying, antirheumatic drugs limited their sale only through the designated pharmacies of the National Organization for Healthcare Services Provision (EOPYY) or the National Health System (NHS) hospitals, adding to the complexity of access to effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Greece. The aim of this paper was to assess the barriers to access RA treatment, by recording patients', rheumatologists' and EOPYY pharmacists' experiences. One twenty-three patients, 12 rheumatologists and 27 pharmacists from Athens and other urban areas in Greece participated in the study. Three types of standardized questionnaires were used to elicit information from each group of respondents using the method of personal interview for patients and the method of postal survey for doctors and pharmacists. During the last year, 26% of patients encountered problems in accessing their rheumatologist and 49% of patients experienced difficulties in accessing their medication. Ninety-two percent of rheumatologists and 96% of pharmacists confirmed that patients experience difficulties in accessing RA medication. The most commonly reported reasons for reduced access to medical treatment were travel difficulties and long distance from doctor's clinic, as well as delays in booking an appointment. The most frequently reported barriers to access pharmaceutical treatment were difficulties in the prescription process, distance from EOPYY pharmacies and medicine shortages in NHS hospitals. The study showed that RA patients are facing increased barriers to access timely and effective treatment. Redesign of the current system of distribution ensuring the operation of additional points of sale is deemed necessary.

The Impact of Students' Working Status on Academic Progress: Assessing the Implications of Policy Change in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katsikas, Elias

2013-01-01

The study examines whether the reduction in the timeframe for the completion of university studies in Greece will affect students of different socio-economic background disproportionally. To this intent, it assesses the influence of the status of students, defined as working and non-working, on the duration of studies but the relevance of other…

Assessment of swine farms in Greece in relation to the risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella.

PubMed

Theodoropoulos, Georgios; Theodoropoulou, Helen; Skopelitis, Georgios; Benardis, Konstantinos

2009-06-01

Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2075/2005 of 5 December 2005 lays down detailed conditions for Trichinella-free farms. The objectives of the present study were: (1) to assess the current state of swine farms in Greece in relation to the risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella as a first step towards certification of Trichinella-free farms in Greece and (2) to identify a profile and characteristics of swine farms and farmers which can be used to formulate appropriate measures to promote good production practices for reducing risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella. A total of 70 swine farms were inspected using audit components similar to those used by the U.S. Trichinae Certification Programme. Only four farms (6%) complied with all the criteria used for assessing the good production practices for reducing risk of exposure of pigs to Trichinella. A common characteristic of these four farms was that they had a large size (>300 sows) and produced their own feed. The most common issues among the farms that did not meet audit criteria in the present study were related to proper rodent control and accessibility of other animals in the feed storage area and the facility. In addition, the predominant significant differentiating characteristic for the farms not meeting the criteria was their small (<150 sows) size, while for the farmers it was their low educational level. These characteristics, which are linked to poor infrastructure and reluctance for improvements, respectively, will be difficulties that must be dealt with in the promotion of good production practices for Trichinella-free farms in Greece.

Resistant Shigella strains in refugees, August-October 2015, Greece.

PubMed

Georgakopoulou, T; Mandilara, G; Mellou, K; Tryfinopoulou, K; Chrisostomou, A; Lillakou, H; Hadjichristodoulou, C; Vatopoulos, A

2016-08-01

Shigellosis is endemic in most developing countries and thus a known risk in refugees and internally displaced persons. In 2015, a massive influx of refugees into Greece, due to the political crisis in the Middle East, led to the development of appropriate conditions for outbreaks of communicable diseases as shigellosis. We present a cluster of 16 shigellosis cases in refugees, detected by the implementation of a syndromic notification system in one transit centre in Athens, between 20 August and 7 October 2015. Both Shigella flexneri (n = 8) and S. sonnei (n = 8) were identified, distributed in various serotypes. All tested isolates (n = 13) were multidrug resistant; seven were CTX-M-type extended-spectrum β-lactamase producers. Our results indicate lack of a potential common source, although pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing results revealed small clusters in isolates of the same serotype indicating possible limited person-to-person transmission without identifying secondary community cases related to the refugees. To prevent the spread of shigellosis, empirical antibiotic treatment as well as environmental hygiene measures were implemented. The detection of multi-drug resistance is important for determining the appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment for the more severe cases, while at the same time real-time typing is useful for epidemiological investigation and control measures.

Changes in domestic heating fuel use in Greece: effects on atmospheric chemistry and radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athanasopoulou, Eleni; Speyer, Orestis; Brunner, Dominik; Vogel, Heike; Vogel, Bernhard; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Gerasopoulos, Evangelos

2017-09-01

For the past 8 years, Greece has been experiencing a major financial crisis which, among other side effects, has led to a shift in the fuel used for residential heating from fossil fuel towards biofuels, primarily wood. This study simulates the fate of the residential wood burning aerosol plume (RWB smog) and the implications on atmospheric chemistry and radiation, with the support of detailed aerosol characterization from measurements during the winter of 2013-2014 in Athens. The applied model system (TNO-MACC_II emissions and COSMO-ART model) and configuration used reproduces the measured frequent nighttime aerosol spikes (hourly PM10 > 75 µg m-3) and their chemical profile (carbonaceous components and ratios). Updated temporal and chemical RWB emission profiles, derived from measurements, were used, while the level of the model performance was tested for different heating demand (HD) conditions, resulting in better agreement with measurements for Tmin < 9 °C. Half of the aerosol mass over the Athens basin is organic in the submicron range, of which 80 % corresponds to RWB (average values during the smog period). Although organic particles are important light scatterers, the direct radiative cooling of the aerosol plume during wintertime is found low (monthly average forcing of -0.4 W m-2 at the surface), followed by a minor feedback to the concentration levels of aerosol species. The low radiative cooling of a period with such intense air pollution conditions is attributed to the timing of the smog plume appearance, both directly (longwave radiation increases during nighttime) and indirectly (the mild effect of the residual plume on solar radiation during the next day, due to removal and dispersion processes).

Uncovering Frank Yerby: Journey to the Ph.D. Leads One Scholar to Madrid, Spain, to Unravel the Complexities of an Expatriate Best-Selling Novelist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smiles, Robin V.

2004-01-01

While working to finish the first chapter of her dissertation, Robin Smiles was offered the opportunity to travel oversees. As a chaperone for a group of college students to Athens, Greece, she was free to pursue research for the first chapter of her dissertation, once she had successfully accompanied the students to Athens and assisted with their…

Breaking News: Decoding the earliest "computer": The antikythera astrolabe. Science and technology in ancient Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liritzis, I.

Center for History and Palaeography, Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece, X-Tek Systems, and Hewlett-Packard. They applied a powerful microfocus X-ray computer assisted tomography (CAT) using reflectance imaging to enhance surface details. The first results were announced in this week issue of the international scientific journal of Nature and at the same time during the 2-day international conference (30th Nov to 1st Dec.,in Athens) where the present information is retrieved from (Deconding the Antikythera Mechnism, Abstract Book). The results are indeed exciting and enabled new detailed 3D reconstruction of the internal structure of the Antikythera Mechanism using a total of one terabyte of CAT data and the surface polynomial mapping images.

Rabies outbreak in Greece during 2012-2014: use of Geographical Information System for analysis, risk assessment and control.

PubMed

Giannakopoulos, A; Valiakos, G; Papaspyropoulos, K; Dougas, G; Korou, L M; Tasioudi, K E; Fthenakis, G C; Hutchings, M R; Kaimaras, D; Tsokana, C N; Iliadou, P; Spyrou, V; Tzani, M; Birtsas, P; Kostoglou, P; Sokos, C; Doudounakis, S; Yon, L; Hannant, D; Artois, M; Tsiodras, S; Hadjichristodoulou, C; Billinis, C

2016-10-01

The objectives of this work were (i) geographical analysis of the 2012-2014 outbreak of rabies in Greece using GIS and (ii) comparative analysis of animal cases with data of potential human exposure to rabies together with environmental data, in order to provide information for risk assessment, effective monitoring and control. Most animal cases (40/48) involved red foxes, while domestic animals were also diagnosed with rabies. Overall, 80% of the cases were diagnosed in central northern Greece; 75% of the cases were diagnosed in low altitudes (<343·5 m), within a distance of 1 km from human settlements. Median distance from livestock farms was 201·25 m. Most people potentially exposed to rabies (889/1060) presented with dog bite injuries. Maximum entropy analysis revealed that distance from farms contributed the highest percentage in defining environmental niche profiles for rabid foxes. Oral vaccination programmes were implemented in 24 administrative units of the country during 2013 and 2014, covering a total surface area of ~60 000 km2. Rabies re-occurrence in Greece emphasizes the need for ongoing surveillance in cross-border areas and in areas with intense human activity.

Adolescents dealing with sexuality issues: a cross-sectional study in Greece.

PubMed

Tsitsika, Artemis; Greydanus, Donald; Konstantoulaki, Eleftheria; Bountziouka, Vasiliki; Deligiannis, Ioannis; Dimitrakopoulou, Vasiliki; Critselis, Elena; Tounissidou, Despoina; Tsolia, Marisa; Papaevagelou, Vana; Constantopoulos, Andreas; Kafetzis, Dimitrios

2010-10-01

To evaluate the prevalence of sexual activity and contraception methods used by Greek adolescents. To assess the effect of various factors in the decision making on sexual activity. A cross-sectional study design was applied. SETTING-PARTICIPANTS: The population (N = 1538) consisted of a random sample, stratified according to locality and population density, of 20 public junior high and high schools located in the urban district of Athens, Greece. Anonymous self-completed questionnaires were used to assess sexual practices, contraception methods, and factors affecting sexual activity choices. Spearman association calculations and chi-square were used, while regression analysis models were also applied. We examined the sexual practices among Greek adolescents, and indicated the psychosocial factors that may influence adolescents' sexual behavior. 16% of the adolescents have had sexual intercourse, while the boy/girl ratio was 3/1 (P < 0.05). Mean age of sexual debut was 14 +/- 1.5 years. An additional 20% have had any other sexual experience at a mean age 13.5 +/- 1.5 years. Although sexually active adolescents generally use condoms (90.6%), only 32% use them properly (at every and throughout sexual contact). At least half of them do not have adequate protection (no method used or unreliable methods applied), while 8.2% of the girls have used emergency contraception. Adolescents with unstable home environment (divorce, recent death, not living with mother) or sexually experienced peers, as well as those that seek sexual education from siblings or friends have higher possibilities of being sexually active. Greek adolescents can be sexually active at a young age and they need sexual education on safe sex practices. Copyright © 2010 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of leisure-time physical activity in socio-demographic, lifestyle and psychological characteristics of men and women in Greece: the ATTICA Study

PubMed Central

Pitsavos, Christos; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Lentzas, Yannis; Stefanadis, Christodoulos

2005-01-01

Background We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, frequency and type of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among adults in Greece, as well as its relationship with socio-demographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics of these people. Methods From May 2001 to December 2002 we randomly enrolled 1514 men and 1528 women, without any evidence of cardiovascular or any other chronic disease. The sampling was stratified by the age – gender distribution of (census 2001) of the greater area of Athens. Weekly energy expenditure assessed by considering frequency, duration (in minutes) and intensity of sports related physical activity during a usual week. Results 53% of men and 48% of women were classified as physically active. Men were more likely to be active as compared to women (p < 0.05), while the lowest activity rates were observed in 40 to 49 years old participants (p < 0.01). Physically active people had higher occupation skills, were more likely to live in rural areas, to be unmarried, non smokers and they were devoted to a healthier dietary pattern, as compared to sedentary, irrespective of age and sex (all p < 0.05). In addition, the cumulative risk factors score of obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes, was inversely associated with activity status (p < 0.001). Finally, physically active men and women were less likely to report depressive symptoms (p < 0.01), after various adjustments were made. Conclusion Half of the studied population reported physically inactive, indicating that sedentary lifestyle becomes a serious epidemic in Greece. High occupation skills, non-smoking, devotion to a healthier dietary pattern and a better cardiovascular risk factors profile were some of the determinants of physically active people. PMID:15836794

Retrospective characterization of a vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 isolate from sewage in Greece.

PubMed

Dedepsidis, Evaggelos; Kyriakopoulou, Zaharoula; Pliaka, Vaia; Kottaridi, Christine; Bolanaki, Eugenia; Levidiotou-Stefanou, Stamatina; Komiotis, Dimitri; Markoulatos, Panayotis

2007-11-01

Retrospective molecular and phenotypic characterization of a vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) type 1 isolate (7/b/97) isolated from sewage in Athens, Greece, in 1997 is reported. VP1 sequencing of this isolate revealed 1.87% divergence from the VP1 region of reference strain Sabin 1, while further genomic characterization of isolate 7/b/97 revealed a recombination event in the nonstructural part of the genome between a vaccine strain and a nonvaccine strain probably belonging to Enterovirus species C. Amino acid substitutions commonly found in previous studies were identified in the capsid coding region of the isolate, while most of the attenuation and temperature sensitivity determinants were reverted. The ultimate source of isolate 7/b/97 is unknown. The recovery of such a highly divergent derivative of a vaccine strain emphasizes the need for urgent implementation of environmental surveillance as a supportive procedure in the polio surveillance system even in countries with high rates of OPV coverage in order to prevent cases or even outbreaks of poliomyelitis that otherwise would be inevitable.

Medication use by athletes during the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.

PubMed

Tsitsimpikou, C; Jamurtas, A; Fitch, K; Papalexis, P; Tsarouhas, K

2009-12-01

To examine the use of food supplements and pharmaceutical preparations by elite Paralympic athletes. Survey study. Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. Data obtained from two sources: (i) athletes' declaration of intake of drugs/supplements recorded on the Doping Control Official Record during sample collection for doping control; (ii) athletes' application forms for granting of a therapeutic use exemption. Classification of declared food supplements according to the active ingredient and medications according to therapeutic actions and active compounds. 64.2% of the athletes tested for doping control declared use of medications or food supplements, and 81.3% of these athletes declared intake of fewer than four preparations. Non-invasive routes of administration dominated. Food supplements (42.1%) were popular, and drugs used to treat several pathological conditions noted. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents and analgesics were commonly used (9.8% and 5.6%, respectively). The prevalence of inhaled beta2-agonist use (4.8%) was higher than expected and exceeded that at the Athens Olympic Games. This review, the first to examine elite Paralympic athletes, shows a more rational approach to the use of medication and food supplements, but a similar consumption pattern to that of athletes at the Athens Olympic Games. Because of the dearth of such studies, consumption trends among Paralympic athletes remain unclear. The need to counsel athletes with disabilities on their nutritional needs is confirmed, and close monitoring by healthcare professionals is recommended.

PREFACE: First Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity (MCCQG 2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basilakos, Spyros; Cadoni, Mariano; Cavaglia, Marco; Christodoulakis, Theodosios; Vagenas, Elias C.

2010-04-01

The year 2009 signals the birth of a new conference series under the name of Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity (MCCQG). The main purpose of this new series is to bring together physicists working on General Relativity, Field Theory, and related areas to discuss the present status and latest developments in the classical and quantum treatment of gravitational systems, as well as to support and strengthen the scientific communication between the physicists of the wide Mediterranean region, working in the field of Classical and Quantum Gravity. For the latter reason, we plan to organize all future conferences of this series in the Mediterranean region. The First Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity took place at the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC) in Kolymbari (Crete, Greece) from 14-18 September 2009. Physicists from countries all around the world travelled to Kolymbari to discuss hot topics in the classical and quantum treatment of gravitational systems such as string theory and branes, classical gravity and alternative theories, gravitational waves and experiments, quantum gravity, cosmology, and black holes. The program consisted of invited plenary talks and contributed talks in parallel sessions. We were able to give full financial support for accommodation to all invited speakers and partial support to younger people at the beginning of their scientific careers. In particular, help was provided to students and scientists from non-EU countries. The financial support was provided by the Academy of Athens and the Tomalla Foundation. During the MCCQG two social events were organized. The first one was a half-day guided bus excursion to Knossos and the surrounding area which took place on 16 September. The second one was the conference dinner on 18 September at the OAC. Traditional Cretan dishes were served and dancers performing in traditional costumes entertained the participants. These events contributed to create a

Middle Class Education Strategies and Residential Segregation in Athens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maloutas, Thomas

2007-01-01

This paper uses census data to investigate educational inequality in different types of residential areas in Athens, focusing on drop-out rates from secondary education, access to higher education and to particular degrees within it. The unequal socio-spatial distribution of educational attainment is linked to antagonistic middle class education…

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (Leishmania tropica) in a German tourist after travel to Greece.

PubMed

Berens-Riha, Nicole; Fleischmann, Erna; Pratlong, Francine; Bretzel, Gisela; von Sonnenburg, Frank; Löscher, Thomas

2009-01-01

We report on a German tourist returning from vacations in Southern Greece with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) presenting as multiple erythematosquamous lesions caused by Leishmania tropica (zymodeme MON-57). In spite of its endemicity, only few data are available on the incidence and current distribution of CL in Greece, which may allow for an assessment of the risk for travelers.

Pre-travel preparation practices among business travellers to tropical and subtropical destinations: results from the Athens International Airport Survey.

PubMed

Pavli, Androula; Silvestros, Chrysovalantis; Patrinos, Stavros; Lymperi, Ioanna; Maltezou, Helena C

2014-01-01

The number of business travellers from Greece to tropical and subtropical areas has recently increased. The study aimed to assess travel health preparation practices of business travellers departing to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted at Athens International Airport, from 1st of November 2011 to 30th of April 2013. A total of 684 business travellers participated in the study; the majority were men (86.1%), of Greek nationality (95.3%), with tertiary education (90.8%) and employed (98%). Their mean age was 40 years; 62% and 26% of them were 35-49 and 19-34 years of age respectively. 84.8% were travelling alone. Most frequent destinations were the Middle East (46.8%) and sub-Saharan Africa (16%). For 23.5% of the travellers it was their first trip to a tropical or subtropical country. Only 58.8% pursued pre-travel health consultation; vaccination and malaria chemoprophylaxis were administered to 24.7% and 25.7% of the travellers, respectively. Hepatitis A and typhoid vaccination rates were lower than expected (70% and 35%, respectively). Nearly half of the travellers who visited malaria endemic areas did not receive any chemoprophylaxis. Having elementary education level, travelling to the Middle East or North Africa, travelling for less than 1 month duration, and staying in a house or a hotel were associated with a higher probability of not pursuing health consultation. Significant gaps were found in pre-travel health practices of business travellers departing to Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Strategies should be developed in order to improve awareness of business travellers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foot and ankle injuries during the Athens 2004 Olympic Games

PubMed Central

Badekas, Thanos; Papadakis, Stamatios A; Vergados, Nikolaos; Galanakos, Spyros P; Siapkara, Angeliki; Forgrave, Mike; Romansky, Nick; Mirones, Steven; Trnka, Hans-Jeorg; Delmi, Marino

2009-01-01

Background Major, rare and complex incidents can occur at any mass-gathering sporting event and team medical staff should be appropriately prepared for these. One such event, the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, presented a significant sporting and medical challenge. This study concerns an epidemiological analysis of foot and ankle injuries during the Games. Methods An observational, epidemiological survey was used to analyse injuries in all sport tournaments (men's and women's) over the period of the Games. Results A total of 624 injuries (525 soft tissue injuries and 99 bony injuries) were reported. The most frequent diagnoses were contusions, sprains, fractures, dislocations and lacerations. Significantly more injuries in male (58%) versus female athletes (42%) were recorded. The incidence, diagnosis and cause of injuries differed substantially between the team sports. Conclusion Our experience from the Athens Olympic Games will inform the development of public health surveillance systems for future Olympic Games, as well as other similar mass events. PMID:19361341

A study of acculturation in psychotic and non-psychotic immigrants living in Athens.

PubMed

Gonidakis, F; Lembesi, E; Kontaxakis, V P; Havaki-Kontaxaki, B J; Ploumpidis, D; Madianos, M; Papadimitriou, G N

2013-03-01

Acculturation is the phenomenon that results when a group with one culture comes into continuous contact with a host culture. To investigate the correlation between acculturation and psychotic symptomatology in a group of immigrants suffering from psychosis and to explore differences in demographic factors related with the acculturation process between individuals with and without psychosis. Sixty-five patients and 317 non-psychotic immigrants were interviewed using the Immigrant Acculturation Scale (IAS) and a structured questionnaire for demographic data. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) and the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) were also administered to all immigrants suffering from psychosis. Total IAS scores, as well as IAS everyday life scores, were positively correlated with GAF scores. IAS everyday life score in the patient group related with religion, marital status, gender and years in Greece, while in the non-psychosis group it was related with gender and years in Greece. IAS wishful orientation/nostos (the strong desire for one's homeland) related with religion in both groups. The IAS identity in the psychosis group did not show any significant relation with any of the variables, while in the non-patient group, it was related with marital status, gender and years in Greece. Age, duration of residence in Greece and higher adoption of Greek ethnic identity were the variables that differentiated the two groups of immigrants. Acculturation in immigrants suffering from psychosis could be seen as a process that does not correlate strongly with the severity of the symptomatology but is probably influenced by different set of factors.

Biosocial variables and auditory acuity as risk factors for non-fatal childhood injuries in Greece.

PubMed Central

Petridou, E.; Zervos, I.; Christopoulos, G.; Revinthi, K.; Papoutsakis, G.; Trichopoulos, D.

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether biosocial variables and auditory acuity are risk factors for injuries among children. SETTING: Children with injuries who presented at the emergency clinics of one of the two university hospitals for children in Athens, Greece between December 1993 and April 1994. METHODS: 144 children aged 5-14 years, residents of Athens, were brought to the emergency clinics for a moderate to severe injury. For each of these children one hospital control, matched for age and sex, and one classmate control similarly matched were identified. A standard interview form was completed for all 432 children and acouometric and tympanometric examinations were performed in each of them. Analysis was done through conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: The likelihood of an accident was higher in children of younger fathers (odds ratio (OR) = 0.7, p = 0.04), children of mothers with non-professional jobs (OR = 1.9, p = 0.03) as well as in children of higher birth order (OR = 1.7, p = 0.01), in those with predominantly other than parental daily supervision (OR = 2.6, p = 0.001), and those with a history of previous accident (OR = 1.3, p = 0.002). Somatometric factors, school performance, use of corrective eyeglasses and subnormal auditory acuity were not found to be risk factors, but auditory imbalance and abnormal tympanograms were positively related to the risk of childhood injury (OR = 2.6, p = 0.02; and OR = 2.3, p = 0.08 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: the findings of this study underline the importance of attentive supervision and safety training of children living in modern cities; they also suggest that children with auditory imbalance and history of an accident are at higher injury risk and they should be targeted with specific intervention programs. PMID:9346003

Ticks and tick-borne pathogens in wild birds in Greece.

PubMed

Diakou, Anastasia; Norte, Ana Cláudia; Lopes de Carvalho, Isabel; Núncio, Sofia; Nováková, Markéta; Kautman, Matej; Alivizatos, Haralambos; Kazantzidis, Savas; Sychra, Oldřich; Literák, Ivan

2016-05-01

Wild birds are common hosts of ticks and can transport them for long distances, contributing to the spreading of tick-borne pathogens. The information about ticks on birds and tick-borne pathogens in Greece is limited. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and species of ticks infesting wild resident birds (mostly small passerines) in Greece, and to assess Borrelia and Rickettsia infection in the collected ticks. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. was performed by nested PCR targeting the flaB gene. Rickettsia spp. were detected by PCR targeting the gltA and ompA genes. Seven (2 %) out of 403 birds examined in northern Greece in 2013 were infested with 15 ticks, identified as Ixodes frontalis, Ixodes acuminatus, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma aegyptium and Hyalomma sp. All ticks were negative for Borrelia spp. while four of them were positive for rickettsiae (Rickettsia aeschlimannii in H. aegyptium and Rickettsia sp. in I. frontalis, H. aegyptium and H. marginatum). Ixodes acuminatus is reported for the first time in Greece and Sylvia borin is reported as a new host record for I. acuminatus.

Living the Volcano: A First-Year Study Abroad Experience to Santorini, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, L. A.; Miller, M.; Scarnati, B.

2014-12-01

Over the last decade, enrollment in Northern Arizona University's (NAU) Geologic Disasters (GLG112) class has grown to its current 840 students in 7 sections per semester (4% of NAU enrollment). Given this large audience composed of >50% freshmen, the course curriculum was re-designed in 2012 using standards set by NAU's First Year Learning Initiative (FYLI), which seeks to increase academic success early in college. FYLI pedagogical principles include active-learning, frequent feedback, low-stakes assessments, and increased guidance from professors & peer teaching assistants (PTAs). As a result of the successes measured in FYLI courses, we launched a FYLI study abroad experience in 2014. We posed the question, "How can an early-career study abroad experience further develop the attitudes, skills, & behaviors necessary for success?" The pioneering program was NAU in Greece: The Cataclysmic Eruption of Santorini Volcano. Enrollment was limited to freshman & sophomore students who have taken GLG112 (or equivalent). The 3-week program took 9 students, 1 PTA, & 1 faculty member to Santorini (via Athens, 2 days). A detailed itinerary addressed a set of disciplinary & non-disciplinary learning outcomes. Student learning about Santorini volcano and the tectonic setting & hazards of the Aegean Sea occurred on the go - on ferries & private boat trips and during hiking, snorkeling, and swimming. Classroom time was limited to 1 hr/day and frequent assessments were employed. Student products included a geologic field notebook, travel journal, and 3 blog posts pertaining to geologic hazards & life on Santorini. Geologic disasters are ideal topics for early career study abroad experiences because the curriculum is place-based. Student learning benefits immensely from interacting with the land & local populations, whose lives are affected daily by the dangers of living in such geologically hazardous environments. The needs of early career students are unique, however, and must be

December Uprising 2008: Universality and Particularity in Young People's Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pechtelidis, Yannis

2011-01-01

In this text I explore youth's discourse during the protests and riots that took place in Greece in December 2008. These riots occurred after the assassination of a 15-year-old student by a police officer in the centre of Athens. The uproar caused by the event had a major impact not only everywhere in Greece but also all over the world. Young…

An Action Research in Young Children (3-5) with Activities on Solid Waste Management in Greece: An Attempt for Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Apanomeritaki, Olga

This action research project sought to increase the waste management and recycling knowledge among 20 children age 4 and 5 years enrolled in a preschool program in Thessaloniki, Greece. A structured interview was developed to assess the children's pre-intervention knowledge of waste management and recycling. It indicated that most children knew…

Evidence of non-extensivity and complexity in the seismicity observed during 2011-2012 at the Santorini volcanic complex, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vallianatos, F.; Tzanis, A.; Michas, G.; Papadakis, G.

2012-04-01

Since the middle of summer 2011, an increase in the seismicity rates of the volcanic complex system of Santorini Island, Greece, was observed. In the present work, the temporal distribution of seismicity, as well as the magnitude distribution of earthquakes, have been studied using the concept of Non-Extensive Statistical Physics (NESP; Tsallis, 2009) along with the evolution of Shanon entropy H (also called information entropy). The analysis is based on the earthquake catalogue of the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens for the period July 2011-January 2012 (http://www.gein.noa.gr/). Non-Extensive Statistical Physics, which is a generalization of Boltzmann-Gibbs statistical physics, seems a suitable framework for studying complex systems. The observed distributions of seismicity rates at Santorini can be described (fitted) with NESP models to exceptionally well. This implies the inherent complexity of the Santorini volcanic seismicity, the applicability of NESP concepts to volcanic earthquake activity and the usefulness of NESP in investigating phenomena exhibiting multifractality and long-range coupling effects. Acknowledgments. This work was supported in part by the THALES Program of the Ministry of Education of Greece and the European Union in the framework of the project entitled "Integrated understanding of Seismicity, using innovative Methodologies of Fracture mechanics along with Earthquake and non extensive statistical physics - Application to the geodynamic system of the Hellenic Arc. SEISMO FEAR HELLARC". GM and GP wish to acknowledge the partial support of the Greek State Scholarships Foundation (ΙΚΥ).

How the economic situation moderates the influence of available money on compulsive buying of students - A comparative study between Turkey and Greece.

PubMed

Unger, Alexander; Papastamatelou, Julie; Yolbulan Okan, Elif; Aytas, Sinem

2014-09-01

Few studies about compulsive buying consider the economic framing situation. This study is concerned with the impact of different economic environments - the crisis in Greece vs. the boom in Turkey - on compulsive buying tendencies of students, while taking the role of gender and available money into account. Compulsive buying was measured by a Greek and Turkish translation of the German Compulsive Buying Scale (Raab, Neuner, Reisch & Scherhorn, 2005) in Greece and Turkey, which enabled an identification of compulsive and compensatory buyers. The questionnaires were administered to 119 Turkish and 123 Greek students (n = 242) enrolled in several universities in Athens and Istanbul. The data collection was conducted in a controlled and standardized way, namely in group-sessions lasting about 5 minutes, which were conducted and supervised by co-workers of the involved universities. The results have shown that the percentage of compensatory buyers, but not compulsive buyers, within the Greek students sample was significantly smaller than within the Turkish student sample. Further as assumed the moderation of the economic situation could be confirmed: More available money only has a facilitating effect on compulsive buying tendencies under a positive economic environment. Anticipations about the financial situation and the general economic climate are more relevant for compulsive buying tendencies than one's actual available money. Compensatory, but not compulsive buying was significantly smaller under crisis.

Protozoal hepatitis in a western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Franson, J. Christian

2017-01-01

A western burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia hypugaea) found dead in southern California had many light-colored lesions visible grossly on its liver, and histopathology revealed extensive necrosis throughout the hepatic parenchyma. Single-celled organisms were seen in clear spaces within the areas of necrosis. The owl was diagnosed with protozoal hepatitis.

Is aircraft noise exposure associated with cardiovascular disease and hypertension? Results from a cohort study in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Dimakopoulou, Konstantina; Koutentakis, Konstantinos; Papageorgiou, Ifigeneia; Kasdagli, Maria-Iosifina; Haralabidis, Alexandros S; Sourtzi, Panayota; Samoli, Evangelia; Houthuijs, Danny; Swart, Wim; Hansell, Anna L; Katsouyanni, Klea

2017-11-01

We followed up, in 2013, the subjects who lived near the Athens International Airport and had participated in the cross-sectional multicountry HYENA study in 2004-2006. To evaluate the association of exposure to aircraft and road traffic noise with the incidence of hypertension and other cardiovascular outcomes. From the 780 individuals who participated in the cross-sectional study, 537 were still living in the same area and 420 accepted to participate in the follow-up. Aircraft and road traffic noise exposure was based on the estimations conducted in 2004-2006, linking geocoded residential addresses of the participants to noise levels. We applied multiple logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for potential confounders. The incidence of hypertension was significantly associated with higher aircraft noise exposure during the night. Specifically, the OR for hypertension per 10 dB increase in Lnight aircraft noise exposure was 2.63 (95% CI 1.21 to 5.71). Doctor-diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia was significantly associated with Lnight aircraft noise exposure, when prevalent and incident cases were considered with an OR of 2.09 (95% CI 1.07 to 4.08). Stroke risk was also increased with increasing noise exposure but the association was not significant. Twenty-four-hour road traffic noise associations with the outcomes considered were weaker and less consistent. In conclusion, our cohort study suggests that long-term exposure to aircraft noise, particularly during the night, is associated with incident hypertension and possibly, also, cardiovascular effects. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Adult Education in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kokkos, Alexios

2008-01-01

The central aim of this article is to analyse the current situation of adult education in Greece. The article focuses on the following points: (a) the degree of participation in programmes of continuing professional training and general adult education courses, (b) the quality and the outcomes of the adult education provision in Greece, and (c)…

Greece

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-17

... within the total column of the atmosphere are indicated by green, yellow or orange pixels, and clearer skies are indicated by purple and ... Maria Kanakidou and Nikos Mihalopoulos, Department of Chemistry, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. Other formats ...

Monitoring and assessing the effects from Metro networks construction on the urban acoustic environment: The Athens Metro Line 3 Extension.

PubMed

Vogiatzis, Konstantinos; Zafiropoulou, Vassiliki; Mouzakis, Haralampos

2018-10-15

The Line 3 Extension from Aghia Marina to Piraeus constitutes one of the most significant construction projects in full development in Athens Greater area. For the management and abatement of the air borne noise generated from surface, and/or underground construction activities, relevant machinery operation, and trucks movements at open worksites and the tunnel, a continuous monthly noise and vibration monitoring program is enforced in order to assess any potential intrusion of the acoustic environment. On basis of measured 24 hour L eq noise levels, both L den and L night EU indices were assessed along with vibration velocity for every worksite and tunnel construction activity. The existing environmental noise background generated mainly from road traffic was assessed in order to evaluate potential effects on both air borne noise from construction activities. This comprehensive monitoring program aims to protect the inhabitants in the vicinity of worksites and the tunnel surrounding from construction noise and vibration processing and evaluating all necessary mitigation measures. Especially, for the protection of sensitive receptors, this program may serve as a tool ensuring a successful management of both noise and vibration levels emitted from open air construction activities and (Tunnel Boring Machine) TBM or hammer/pilling operation by implementing mitigation measures where necessary. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seismic and Restoration Assessment of Monumental Masonry Structures

PubMed Central

Asteris, Panagiotis G.; Douvika, Maria G.; Apostolopoulou, Maria; Moropoulou, Antonia

2017-01-01

Masonry structures are complex systems that require detailed knowledge and information regarding their response under seismic excitations. Appropriate modelling of a masonry structure is a prerequisite for a reliable earthquake-resistant design and/or assessment. However, modelling a real structure with a robust quantitative (mathematical) representation is a very difficult, complex and computationally-demanding task. The paper herein presents a new stochastic computational framework for earthquake-resistant design of masonry structural systems. The proposed framework is based on the probabilistic behavior of crucial parameters, such as material strength and seismic characteristics, and utilizes fragility analysis based on different failure criteria for the masonry material. The application of the proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a historical and monumental masonry structure, namely the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the Kaisariani Monastery, a byzantine church that was built in Athens, Greece, at the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 12th century. Useful conclusions are drawn regarding the effectiveness of the intervention techniques used for the reduction of the vulnerability of the case-study structure, by means of comparison of the results obtained. PMID:28767073

Seismic and Restoration Assessment of Monumental Masonry Structures.

PubMed

Asteris, Panagiotis G; Douvika, Maria G; Apostolopoulou, Maria; Moropoulou, Antonia

2017-08-02

Masonry structures are complex systems that require detailed knowledge and information regarding their response under seismic excitations. Appropriate modelling of a masonry structure is a prerequisite for a reliable earthquake-resistant design and/or assessment. However, modelling a real structure with a robust quantitative (mathematical) representation is a very difficult, complex and computationally-demanding task. The paper herein presents a new stochastic computational framework for earthquake-resistant design of masonry structural systems. The proposed framework is based on the probabilistic behavior of crucial parameters, such as material strength and seismic characteristics, and utilizes fragility analysis based on different failure criteria for the masonry material. The application of the proposed methodology is illustrated in the case of a historical and monumental masonry structure, namely the assessment of the seismic vulnerability of the Kaisariani Monastery, a byzantine church that was built in Athens, Greece, at the end of the 11th to the beginning of the 12th century. Useful conclusions are drawn regarding the effectiveness of the intervention techniques used for the reduction of the vulnerability of the case-study structure, by means of comparison of the results obtained.

The proposal of Paediatric Virology and its perspectives: An interview with Professor of Paediatrics Maria Theodoridou

PubMed Central

Mammas, Ioannis N.; Spandidos, Demetrios A.

2017-01-01

Professor Maria Theodoridou, Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Athens, is one of the few paediatricians in Greece, who have experienced almost all the infectious diseases of the second half of the 20th century and their severe consequences, prior to the widespread adoption of immunisations. A milestone during her career was the establishment of a specialised National Reference Unit for the care of paediatric patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the ‘Aghia Sophia’ Children's Hospital in Athens, Greece. According to Professor Theodoridou, training on the prevention, management and treatment of neonatal and paediatric viral infections represents a new educational challenge for both community as well as hospital-based paediatric health professionals. The debate of the potential strategically principal role of Paediatric Virology subspecialists in the primary, secondary and tertiary clinical practice is definitely necessary and needs further discussion and evaluation, she adds. She describes the difficulties that Greece, a country under a long-standing financial crisis, faces for the hospital-based management of paediatric viral infections and refers to the future advances, which are expected in the field of diagnosis and treatment of viral infections in neonates and children. In the context of the 3rd Workshop on Paediatric Virology, which will be held in Athens on October 7th, 2017, Professor Theodoridou will focus on the immigration crisis and vaccination policy. PMID:29042916

The proposal of Paediatric Virology and its perspectives: An interview with Professor of Paediatrics Maria Theodoridou.

PubMed

Mammas, Ioannis N; Spandidos, Demetrios A

2017-10-01

Professor Maria Theodoridou, Emeritus Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Athens, is one of the few paediatricians in Greece, who have experienced almost all the infectious diseases of the second half of the 20th century and their severe consequences, prior to the widespread adoption of immunisations. A milestone during her career was the establishment of a specialised National Reference Unit for the care of paediatric patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) at the 'Aghia Sophia' Children's Hospital in Athens, Greece. According to Professor Theodoridou, training on the prevention, management and treatment of neonatal and paediatric viral infections represents a new educational challenge for both community as well as hospital-based paediatric health professionals. The debate of the potential strategically principal role of Paediatric Virology subspecialists in the primary, secondary and tertiary clinical practice is definitely necessary and needs further discussion and evaluation, she adds. She describes the difficulties that Greece, a country under a long-standing financial crisis, faces for the hospital-based management of paediatric viral infections and refers to the future advances, which are expected in the field of diagnosis and treatment of viral infections in neonates and children. In the context of the 3rd Workshop on Paediatric Virology, which will be held in Athens on October 7th, 2017, Professor Theodoridou will focus on the immigration crisis and vaccination policy.

Variability of tropical days over Greece within the second half of the twentieth century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastos, P. T.; Matzarakis, A. P.

2008-06-01

Tropical days (TD) are defined as the days with a maximum air temperature greater than 30.0 °C. It is clear that the study of TD includes also the absolute maximum temperatures, which are of great interest for the description of a region’s climate. These days are considered as very hot, and they particularly are of great importance not only for bioclimatology and applied sciences, but also for the individuals who are sensitive in the heat-stress. The regime of the TD in Greece is the focus of this study. The aim is to demonstrate their changes from decade to decade, for the time period 1960-2000. For this study, the Annual Number of Tropical Days (ANTD) recorded by each of the 26 meteorological stations of National Meteorological Service, which are uniformly distributed in the Hellenic peninsula, was calculated and analysed. In terms of quantifying the conditions in a humanbiometeorological manner, the thermal index Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) and the consecutive days for Athens have been included in this study. The trends of the TD for each station were analysed through the Mann-Kendall technique, while the spatial distribution per decade reveals the regions with change (increase or decrease) in the ANTD during the examined period. Two characteristic periods of change for the ANTD appear in the majority of the meteorological stations in Greece. The first period (1955-1976) is determined by a negative trend, which is statistically significant (c.l. 95%), for adequate stations. In the period between 1976 and 2000, the increase in the ANTD and the maximum temperature exceed the corresponding maximum that appeared in the beginning of the 1950s for several of the examined meteorological stations. The human-biometeorological analysis shows that the consecutive days of PET > 35 °C have had a positive trend in the last two decades of the last century.

An integrated observational site for monitoring pre-earthquake processes in Peloponnese, Greece. Preliminary results.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsinganos, Kanaris; Karastathis, Vassilios K.; Kafatos, Menas; Ouzounov, Dimitar; Tselentis, Gerassimos; Papadopoulos, Gerassimos A.; Voulgaris, Nikolaos; Eleftheriou, Georgios; Mouzakiotis, Evangellos; Liakopoulos, Spyridon; Aspiotis, Theodoros; Gika, Fevronia; E Psiloglou, Basil

2017-04-01

We are presenting the first results of developing a new integrated observational site in Greece to study pre-earthquake processes in Peloponnese, lead by the National Observatory of Athens. We have developed a prototype of multiparameter network approach using an integrated system aimed at monitoring and thorough studies of pre-earthquake processes at the high seismicity area of the Western Hellenic Arc (SW Peloponnese, Greece). The initial prototype of the new observational systems consists of: (1) continuous real-time monitoring of Radon accumulation in the ground through a network of radon sensors, consisting of three gamma radiation detectors [NaI(Tl) scintillators], (2) nine-station seismic array installed to detect and locate events of low magnitude (less than 1.0 R) in the offshore area of the Hellenic arc, (3) real-time weather monitoring systems (air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, pressure) and (4) satellite thermal radiation from AVHRR/NOAA-18 polar orbit sensing. The first few moths of operations revealed a number of pre-seismic radon variation anomalies before several earthquakes (M>3.6). The radon increases systematically before the larger events. For example a radon anomaly was predominant before the event of Sep 28, M 5.0 (36.73°N, 21.87°E), 18 km ESE of Methoni. The seismic array assists in the evaluation of current seismicity and may yield identification of foreshock activity. Thermal anomalies in satellite images are also examined as an additional tool for evaluation and verification of the Radon increase. According to the Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (LAIC) concept, atmospheric thermal anomalies observed before large seismic events are associated with the increase of Radon concentration on the ground. Details about the integrating ground and space observations, overall performance of the observational sites, future plans in advancing the cooperation in observations will be discussed.

Occurrence and availability of ground water in the Athens region, northeastern Georgia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Radtke, D.B.; Cressler, C.W.; Perlman, H.A.; Blanchard, H.E.; McFadden, K.W.; Brooks, Rebekah

1986-01-01

A study was conducted to assess the occurrence and availability of groundwater in the crystalline rocks of the Piedmont area in northeastern Georgia and to determine whether groundwater is a viable alternative or supplemental source for industrial, public and private supplies. The area is underlain by a variety of metamorphic and igneous rocks. The quantity of water that a rock unit can supply to wells is determined by the number, capacity, and interconnection of the secondary openings. Of an estimated 10,000 successful wells drilled in the Athens Region, 972 wells are reported by drilling contractors to supply from 20 to 300 gal/min. Studies of well sites revealed that high yielding wells can be developed only where the water bearing units have undergone significant increases in secondary permeability. This occurs mainly in association with (1) contact zones between rock units of contrasting character, (2) contact zones within multilayered rock units, (3) fault zones, (4) stress-relief fractures, and (5) shear zones. Groundwater may be a viable alternative or supplemental source for industrial, public, and private supplies in much of the Athens Region. In 1980, groundwater made up 38% (18 million gal/day) of the total water used in the area. Yields of 20 to more than 200 gal/min are obtained from wells throughout most of the region, and the water is generally of good chemical quality and is suitable for drinking and many other uses. Concentrations of dissolved constituents are fairly consistent throughout the area. Except for iron, manganese, and fluoride, dissolved constituents rarely exceed drinking water standards. (Lantz-PTT)

Athens 2004 Team Leaders' Attitudes toward the Educational Multimedia Application "Leonidas"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vernadakis, Nikolaos; Giannousi, Maria; Derri, Vassiliki; Kellis, Iraklis; Kioumourtzoglou, Efthimis

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to adapt the questionnaire Multimedia Attitude Survey (MAS; Garcia, 2001) to the Greek population in order to evaluate the educational multimedia application "Leonidas" considering the attitudes of ATHENS 2004 team leaders. In addition, the differences among the sex were also investigated. Participants were…

Similar Mediterranean diet adherence but greater central adiposity is observed among Greek diaspora adolescents living in Istanbul, compared to Athens.

PubMed

Grammatikopoulou, Maria G; Maraki, Maria I; Giannopoulou, Despoina; Poulimeneas, Dimitrios; Sidossis, Labros S; Tsigga, Maria

2018-02-01

The aim of this case-control study was to compare Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence and anthropometry between Greek diaspora adolescents living in Istanbul and Greek adolescents, inhabitants of Athens. A total of 206 adolescents (103 from each site), aged 10.0-19.0 years old, all of Greek origin, were recruited from schools in Athens and minority schools in Istanbul, for the present case-control study. Participants at each site were age and sex-matched. Anthropometric measurements were performed, and diet adherence was assessed with the KIDMED score. Breakfast skipping, decreased dairy and increased commercially baked good/pastries consumption for breakfast, fast-food intake and consumption of several sweets each day was more prevalent in Istanbul, but, on the other hand, students from Athens reported eating fewer fruit, vegetables and nuts. The adoption of unhealthy eating habits in each site was counterbalanced by a more 'healthy' dietary element, resulting in an overall similar MD adherence between both sites. Additionally, although weight status was indifferent between the two cities, higher rates of abdominal obesity were recorded in Istanbul, when the weight-to-height ratio was used for diagnosis. Differences in several domains of the KIDMED score were recorded among cities, possibly as results of food availability and prices. However, MD adherence and weight status appeared similar, indicating that the dietary transition and acculturation experienced by the remnants is actually very slow and minimal during the 93 years since population exchange.

Total and available heavy metal concentrations in soils of the Thriassio plain (Greece) and assessment of soil pollution indexes.

PubMed

Massas, Ioannis; Kalivas, Dionisios; Ehaliotis, Constantions; Gasparatos, Dionisios

2013-08-01

The Thriassio plain is located 25 km west of Athens city, the capital of Greece. Two major towns (Elefsina and Aspropyrgos), heavy industry plants, medium to large-scale manufacturing, logistics plants, and agriculture comprise the main land uses of the studied area. The aim of the present study was to measure the total and available concentrations of Cr, Zn, Ni, Pb, Co, Mn, Ba, Cu, and Fe in the top soils of the plain, and to asses soil contamination by these metals by using the geoaccumulation index (I geo), the enrichment factor (EF), and the availability ratio (AR) as soil pollution indexes. Soil samples were collected from 90 sampling sites, and aqua regia and DTPA extractions were carried out to determine total and available metal forms, respectively. Median total Cr, Zn, Ni, Pb, Co, Mn, Ba, Cu, and Fe concentrations were 78, 155, 81, 112, 24, 321, 834, 38, and 16 × 10(3) mg kg(-1), respectively. The available fractions showed much lower values with medians of 0.4, 5.6, 1.7, 6.9, 0.8, 5.7, 19.8, 2.1, and 2.9 mg kg(-1). Though median total metal concentrations are not considered as particularly high, the I geo and the EF values indicate moderate to heavy soil enrichment. For certain metals such as Cr, Ni, Cu, and Ba, the different distribution patterns between the EFs and the ARs suggest different origin of the total and the available metal forms. The evaluation of the EF and AR data sets for the soils of the two towns further supports the argument that the EFs can well demonstrate the long-term history of soil pollution and that the ARs can adequately portray the recent history of soil pollution.

Greece

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-17

... from north to south and between Greece and western Turkey, are uniquely situated at the intersection of Europe, Asia and Africa. ... Cyclades, Dodecanese and Crete, as well as part of mainland Turkey. Many sites important to ancient and modern history can be found here. ...

The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology.

PubMed

Littman, Robert J

2009-10-01

In 430 BC, a plague struck the city of Athens, which was then under siege by Sparta during the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). In the next 3 years, most of the population was infected, and perhaps as many as 75,000 to 100,000 people, 25% of the city's population, died. The Athenian general and historian Thucydides left an eye-witness account of this plague and a detailed description to allow future generations to identify the disease should it break out again. Because of the importance of Thucydides and Athens in Western history and culture, the Plague of Athens has taken a prominent position in the history of the West for the past 2500 years. Despite Thucydides' careful description, in the past 100 years, scholars and physicians have disagreed about the identification of the disease. Based on clinical symptoms, 2 diagnoses have dominated the modern literature on the Athenian plague: smallpox and typhus. New methodologies, including forensic anthropology, demography, epidemiology, and paleopathogy, including DNA analysis, have shed new light on the problem. Mathematical modeling has allowed the examination of the infection and attack rates and the determination of how long it takes a disease to spread in a city and how long it remains endemic. The highly contagious epidemic exhibited a pustular rash, high fever, and diarrhea. Originating in Ethiopia, it spread throughout the Mediterranean. It spared no segment of the population, including the statesman Pericles. The epidemic broke in early May 430 BC, with another wave in the summer of 428 BC and in the winter of 427-426 BC, and lasted 4.5 to 5 years. Thucydides portrays a virgin soil epidemic with a high attack rate and an unvarying course in persons of different ages, sexes, and nationalities.The epidemiological analysis excludes common source diseases and most respiratory diseases. The plague can be limited to either a reservoir diseases (zoonotic or vector-borne) or one of the respiratory diseases associated

From hygroscopic aerosols to cloud droplets: The HygrA-CD campaign in the Athens basin - An overview.

PubMed

Papayannis, A; Argyrouli, A; Bougiatioti, A; Remoundaki, E; Vratolis, S; Nenes, A; Solomos, S; Komppula, M; Giannakaki, E; Kalogiros, J; Banks, R; Eleftheriadis, K; Mantas, E; Diapouli, E; Tzanis, C G; Kazadzis, S; Binietoglou, I; Labzovskii, L; Vande Hey, J; Zerefos, C S

2017-01-01

The international experimental campaign Hygroscopic Aerosols to Cloud Droplets (HygrA-CD), organized in the Greater Athens Area (GAA), Greece from 15 May to 22 June 2014, aimed to study the physico-chemical properties of aerosols and their impact on the formation of clouds in the convective Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL). We found that under continental (W-NW-N) and Etesian (NE) synoptic wind flow and with a deep moist PBL (~2-2.5km height), mixed hygroscopic (anthropogenic, biomass burning and marine) particles arrive over the GAA, and contribute to the formation of convective non-precipitating PBL clouds (of ~16-20μm mean diameter) with vertical extent up to 500m. Under these conditions, high updraft velocities (1-2ms -1 ) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations (~2000cm -3 at 1% supersaturation), generated clouds with an estimated cloud droplet number of ~600cm -3 . Under Saharan wind flow conditions (S-SW) a shallow PBL (<1-1.2km height) develops, leading to much higher CCN concentrations (~3500-5000cm -3 at 1% supersaturation) near the ground; updraft velocities, however, were significantly lower, with an estimated maximum cloud droplet number of ~200cm -3 and without observed significant PBL cloud formation. The largest contribution to cloud droplet number variance is attributed to the updraft velocity variability, followed by variances in aerosol number concentration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of stochastic methods for wind speed forecasting and wind turbines design at the area of Thessaly, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitriadis, Panayiotis; Lazaros, Lappas; Daskalou, Olympia; Filippidou, Ariadni; Giannakou, Marianna; Gkova, Eleni; Ioannidis, Romanos; Polydera, Angeliki; Polymerou, Eleni; Psarrou, Eleftheria; Vyrini, Alexandra; Papalexiou, Simon; Koutsoyiannis, Demetris

2015-04-01

Several methods exist for estimating the statistical properties of wind speed, most of them being deterministic or probabilistic, disregarding though its long-term behaviour. Here, we focus on the stochastic nature of wind. After analyzing several historical timeseries at the area of interest (AoI) in Thessaly (Greece), we show that a Hurst-Kolmogorov (HK) behaviour is apparent. Thus, disregarding the latter could lead to unrealistic predictions and wind load situations, causing some impact on the energy production and management. Moreover, we construct a stochastic model capable of preserving the HK behaviour and we produce synthetic timeseries using a Monte-Carlo approach to estimate the future wind loads in the AoI. Finally, we identify the appropriate types of wind turbines for the AoI (based on the IEC 61400 standards) and propose several industrial solutions. Acknowledgement: This research is conducted within the frame of the undergraduate course "Stochastic Methods in Water Resources" of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). The School of Civil Engineering of NTUA provided moral support for the participation of the students in the Assembly.

Investigation of PPCPs in wastewater treatment plants in Greece: occurrence, removal and environmental risk assessment.

PubMed

Kosma, Christina I; Lambropoulou, Dimitra A; Albanis, Triantafyllos A

2014-01-01

In the present work, an extensive study on the presence of eighteen pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in eight wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) of Greece has been conducted. The study covered four sampling periods over 1-year, where samples (influents; effluents) from eight WWTPs of various cities in Greece were taken. All WWTPs investigated are equipped with conventional activated sludge treatment. A common pre-concentration step based on SPE was applied, followed by LC-UV/Vis-ESI-MS. Further confirmation of positive findings was accomplished by using LC coupled to a high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometer. The results showed the occurrence of all target compounds in the wastewater samples with concentrations up to 96.65 μg/L. Paracetamol, caffeine, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, carbamazepine, diclofenac and salicylic acid were the dominant compounds, while tolfenamic acid, fenofibrate and simvastatin were the less frequently detected compounds with concentrations in effluents below the LOQ. The removal efficiencies showed that many WWTPs were unable to effectively remove most of the PPCPs investigated. Finally, the study provides an assessment of the environmental risk posed by their presence in wastewaters by means of the risk quotient (RQ). RQs were more than unity for various compounds in the effluents expressing possible threat for the aquatic environment. Triclosan was found to be the most critical compound in terms of contribution and environmental risk, concluding that it should be seriously considered as a candidate for regulatory monitoring and prioritization on a European scale on the basis of realistic PNECs. The results of the extensive monitoring study contributed to a better insight on PPCPs in Greece and their presence in influent and effluent wastewaters. Furthermore, the unequivocal identification of two transformation products of trimethoprim in real wastewaters by using the advantages of the LTQ Orbitrap capabilities

Impact of the 2009 Attica wild fires on the air quality in urban Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiridis, V.; Zerefos, C.; Kazadzis, S.; Gerasopoulos, E.; Eleftheratos, K.; Vrekoussis, M.; Stohl, A.; Mamouri, R. E.; Kokkalis, P.; Papayannis, A.; Eleftheriadis, K.; Diapouli, E.; Keramitsoglou, I.; Kontoes, C.; Kotroni, V.; Lagouvardos, K.; Marinou, E.; Giannakaki, E.; Kostopoulou, E.; Giannakopoulos, C.; Richter, A.; Burrows, J. P.; Mihalopoulos, N.

2012-01-01

At the end of August 2009, wild fires ravaged the north-eastern fringes of Athens destroying invaluable forest wealth of the Greek capital. In this work, the impact of these fires on the air quality of Athens and surface radiation levels is examined. Satellite imagery, smoke dispersion modeling and meteorological data confirm the advection of smoke under cloud-free conditions over the city of Athens. Lidar measurements showed that the smoke plume dispersed in the free troposphere and lofted over the city reaching heights between 2 and 4 km. Ground-based sunphotometric measurements showed extreme aerosol optical depth, reaching nearly 6 in the UV wavelength range, accompanied by a reduction up to 70% of solar irradiance at ground. The intensive aerosol optical properties, namely the Ångström exponent, the lidar ratio, and the single scattering albedo, showed typical values for highly absorbing fresh smoke particles. In-situ air quality measurements revealed the impact of the smoke plume down to the surface with a slight delay on both the particulate and gaseous phase. Surface aerosols increase was encountered mainly in the fine mode with prominent elevation of OC and EC levels. Photochemical processes, studied via NO x titration of O 3, were also shown to be different compared to typical urban photochemistry.

Greece and the European Economic Community.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

economic stability in Greece and then investigates whether Greece’s accession to the European Economic Community (EEC) will provide the economic prerequisites necessary for equilibrium. The study traces Greek economics development through the prejunta period of Karamanlis influence, the seven years of dictatorship by the Colonels and the New Democracy period from July 1974 on. It investigates the existing relationships between Greece and the EEC by the EEC by discussing their historical ties and the advantages, disadvantages and political implications of accession.

Coastal erosion and accretion rates in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foteinis, Spyros; Papadopoulos, Costas; Koutsogiannaki, Irini; Synolakis, Costas

2010-05-01

initiated to protect the coastal zone and educate government and local authorities on sustainable management, several beaches will disappear within the next two decades. References Papadopoulos, C., 2009, Comperative assessment of coastal erosion in the regions of north Amvrakikos gulf, Acheloos delta, Nestos delta, Kos, Limnos, and Kitros, Diploma Thesis, Technical Univerity of Crete, Chanea, Greece, 130 p.( In greek). Synolakis, C.E., Kalligeris, N., Foteinis, S., Voukouvalas, E., 2008, The Plight of the Beaches of Crete, Solutions to Coastal Disasters 2008, Conference Proceedings ASCE, pp. 495-506, (doi 10.1061/40968(312)45)

The critically endangered forest owlet Heteroglaux blewitti is nested within the currently recognized Athene clade: A century-old debate addressed.

PubMed

Koparde, Pankaj; Mehta, Prachi; Reddy, Sushma; Ramakrishnan, Uma; Mukherjee, Shomita; Robin, V V

2018-01-01

Range-restricted species generally have specific niche requirements and may often have unique evolutionary histories. Unfortunately, many of these species severely lack basic research, resulting in poor conservation strategies. The phylogenetic relationship of the Critically Endangered Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti has been the subject of a century-old debate. The current classifications based on non-phylogenetic comparisons of morphology place the small owls of Asia into three genera, namely, Athene, Glaucidium, and Heteroglaux. Based on morphological and anatomical data, H. blewitti has been alternatively hypothesized to belong within Athene, Glaucidium, or its own monotypic genus Heteroglaux. To test these competing hypotheses, we sequenced six loci (~4300 bp data) and performed phylogenetic analyses of owlets. Mitochondrial and nuclear trees were not congruent in their placement of H. blewitti. However, both mitochondrial and nuclear combined datasets showed strong statistical support with high maximum likelihood bootstrap (>/ = 90) and Bayesian posterior probability values (>/ = 0.98) for H. blewitti being nested in the currently recognized Athene group, but not sister to Indian A. brama. The divergence of H. blewitti from its sister taxa was between 4.3 and 5.7 Ma coinciding with a period of drastic climatic changes in the Indian subcontinent. This study presented the first genetic analysis of H. blewitti, a Critically Endangered species, and addressed the long debate on the relationships of the Athene-Heteroglaux-Glaucidium complex. We recommend further studies with more data and complete taxon sampling to understand the biogeography of Indian Athene species.

The critically endangered forest owlet Heteroglaux blewitti is nested within the currently recognized Athene clade: A century-old debate addressed

PubMed Central

Mehta, Prachi; Reddy, Sushma; Ramakrishnan, Uma

2018-01-01

Range-restricted species generally have specific niche requirements and may often have unique evolutionary histories. Unfortunately, many of these species severely lack basic research, resulting in poor conservation strategies. The phylogenetic relationship of the Critically Endangered Forest Owlet Heteroglaux blewitti has been the subject of a century-old debate. The current classifications based on non-phylogenetic comparisons of morphology place the small owls of Asia into three genera, namely, Athene, Glaucidium, and Heteroglaux. Based on morphological and anatomical data, H. blewitti has been alternatively hypothesized to belong within Athene, Glaucidium, or its own monotypic genus Heteroglaux. To test these competing hypotheses, we sequenced six loci (~4300 bp data) and performed phylogenetic analyses of owlets. Mitochondrial and nuclear trees were not congruent in their placement of H. blewitti. However, both mitochondrial and nuclear combined datasets showed strong statistical support with high maximum likelihood bootstrap (>/ = 90) and Bayesian posterior probability values (>/ = 0.98) for H. blewitti being nested in the currently recognized Athene group, but not sister to Indian A. brama. The divergence of H. blewitti from its sister taxa was between 4.3 and 5.7 Ma coinciding with a period of drastic climatic changes in the Indian subcontinent. This study presented the first genetic analysis of H. blewitti, a Critically Endangered species, and addressed the long debate on the relationships of the Athene-Heteroglaux-Glaucidium complex. We recommend further studies with more data and complete taxon sampling to understand the biogeography of Indian Athene species. PMID:29401484

How the economic situation moderates the influence of available money on compulsive buying of students - A comparative study between Turkey and Greece

PubMed Central

UNGER, ALEXANDER; PAPASTAMATELOU, JULIE; YOLBULAN OKAN, ELIF; AYTAS, SINEM

2014-01-01

Abstract Background and aims: Few studies about compulsive buying consider the economic framing situation. This study is concerned with the impact of different economic environments - the crisis in Greece vs. the boom in Turkey - on compulsive buying tendencies of students, while taking the role of gender and available money into account. Methods: Compulsive buying was measured by a Greek and Turkish translation of the German Compulsive Buying Scale (Raab, Neuner, Reisch & Scherhorn, 2005) in Greece and Turkey, which enabled an identification of compulsive and compensatory buyers. The questionnaires were administered to 119 Turkish and 123 Greek students (n = 242) enrolled in several universities in Athens and Istanbul. The data collection was conducted in a controlled and standardized way, namely in group-sessions lasting about 5 minutes, which were conducted and supervised by co-workers of the involved universities. Results: The results have shown that the percentage of compensatory buyers, but not compulsive buyers, within the Greek students sample was significantly smaller than within the Turkish student sample. Further as assumed the moderation of the economic situation could be confirmed: More available money only has a facilitating effect on compulsive buying tendencies under a positive economic environment. Conclusions: Anticipations about the financial situation and the general economic climate are more relevant for compulsive buying tendencies than one’s actual available money. Compensatory, but not compulsive buying was significantly smaller under crisis. PMID:25317341

Monitoring of Air Quality in Passenger Cabins of the Athens Metro

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsairidi, Evangelia; Assimakopoulos, Vasiliki D.; Assimakopoulos, Margarita-Niki; Barbaresos, Nicolaos; Karagiannis, Athanassios

2013-04-01

The air pollution induced by various transportation means combines the emission of pollutants with the simultaneous presence of people. In this respect, the scientific community has focused its efforts in studying both the air quality within busy streets and inside cars, buses and the underground railway network in order to identify the pollutants' sources and levels as well as the human exposure. The impact of the air pollution on commuters of the underground may be more severe because it is a confined space, extended mostly under heavily trafficked urban streets, relies on mechanical ventilation for air renewal and gathers big numbers of passengers. The purpose of the present work is to monitor the air quality of the city of Athens Metro Network cabins and platforms during the unusually hot summer of 2012. For that cause particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1), carbon dioxide (CO2), the number of commuters along with temperature (T) and humidity (RH) were recorded inside the Athens Metro Blue Line trains (covering a route from the centre of Athens (Aigaleo) to the Athens International Airport) and on the platforms of a central (Syntagma) and a suburban-traffic (Doukissis Plakentias) station between June and August. The data collection included six different experiments that took place for 2 consecutive working days each, for a time period of 6 weeks from 6:30 am too 7:00 pm in order to account for different outdoor climatic conditions and for morning and evening rush hours respectively. Measurements were taken in the middle car of the moving trains and the platform end of the selected stations. The results show PM concentrations to be higher (approximately 2 to 5 times) inside the cabins and o the platforms of the underground network as compared to the outdoor levels monitored routinely by the Ministry of Environment. Moreover, PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 average concentrations recorded at the Syntagma Station Platform were almost constantly higher reaching 11 μg m-3 47 �

Prevalence of podiatric conditions seen in Special Olympics athletes: a comparison of USA data to an international population.

PubMed

Jenkins, David W; Cooper, Kimbal; Heigh, Evelyn G

2015-03-01

Persons with intellectual disabilities frequently have podiatric conditions. Limited information exists on their prevalence in international cohorts of Special Olympics (SO) athletes. Findings from multiple United States (US) venues are compared to those from athletes screened at the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens, Greece (ATHENS). Data from Fit Feet screenings from 2096 ATHENS participants was compared to 7192 US participants. Frequently noted in the ATHENS population were motion restriction in both the ankle and the first metatarsal phalangeal joint (1st MTPJ), pes planus, metatarsus adductus, brachymetatarsia, hallux abducto valgus (HAV), onychomycosis, onychocryptosis, and tinea pedis. ATHENS differed from the US cohort as HAV and restricted ankle joint and 1st MTPJ joint motion was less frequent. Significantly more tinea pedis, xerosis, and hyperhidrosis were present in the ATHENS population. SO athletes have a higher prevalence of podiatric structural conditions compared to the general population, and some vary between ATHENS versus US. Less prevalent in ATHENS was HAV, and restricted motion in both the ankle and 1st MTPJ. This may reflect differences due to varied clinical observers. The higher rates of several dermatological conditions in ATHENS may reflect venue seasonal climate, or social factors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Haemoglobinopathies in Greece: prevention programme over the past 35 years.

PubMed

Loukopoulos, Dimitris

2011-10-01

At present, prevention of thalassaemia and sickle cell disease is the only realistic approach to control the birth of new patients in countries having high numbers of carriers. This is fully justified because avoiding the birth of an ever increasing number of patients may allow a more effective use of the available resources in improving the management of the patients surviving today and alleviate the already overloaded public health system from the inevitable tremendous and ever increasing cost. Moreover, prenatal diagnosis may help couples at risk to have non-thalassaemic children. Greece is one of the countries where the mean frequency of carriers is approximately 7.5 per cent (population 11 million) and has set up a nationwide programme for carrier identification in the early seventies; this is provided through a dozen of specific Units attached to the major Blood Transfusion Services of the country, on a voluntary basis and free of charge. Spread of information through mass media, the schools, and other groups has greatly contributed in creating the necessary sensitization; obstetricians and antenatal Clinics are also instrumental to this effect. Prenatal diagnosis is offered centrally (Athens) and covers satisfactorily the estimated needs (500-600 annually); the total number has already exceeded 35,000. According to information obtained from the major paediatric hospitals all over the country, the number of thalassaemia major or SCD admitted for treatment over the last ten years has been around 15 yearly (instead of an estimate of 120-130).

Α Deformation study in Central Greece using 20 years of GPS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinou, Aggeliki; Papazissi, Kaliopi; Mitsakaki, Christiana; Paradissis, Demitris; Papanikolaou, Xanthos; Anastasiou, Demitris

2015-04-01

Central Greece is a region recognized for its intense tectonic activity with the main characterics being the extension in the North-South direction. This extension is revealed mainly in the form of large parallel grabens. Among these rifts is the Corinth Gulf, which is the most active tectonically, the basin between Parnassos and Kallidromo Mt, the Locris basin and the graben of North Evoikos Gulf, while in the south lays the Thebes basin and the South Evoikos Gulf. Since the late eighties the Laboratory of Higher Geodesy and the Dionysos Satellite Observatory of the National Technical University of Athens, in cooperation with several National and International Universities and Institutions have established, in various Greek areas, of high seismic activity, geodetic networks in order to monitor tectonic displacements. These geodetic networks were observed periodically using Satellite Geodesy techniques and in recent years almost entirely GPS. In this study all the available GPS data, referring to the broader area of Evia, Attiki and Viotia, for the years 1989 to 2008, are analyzed. The displacement field and its temporal changes for the area between the two major geological features, the Corinth Gulf and the Evoikos Gulf, are investigated. Αll the kinematic models that were used do not confirm that the area of study is deforming homogeneously, while an indication of a discontinuity has been detected.

Intestinal parasites and vector-borne pathogens in stray and free-roaming cats living in continental and insular Greece

PubMed Central

Diakou, Anastasia; Di Cesare, Angela; Accettura, Paolo Matteo; Barros, Luciano; Iorio, Raffaella; Paoletti, Barbara; Frangipane di Regalbono, Antonio; Halos, Lénaïg; Beugnet, Frederic; Traversa, Donato

2017-01-01

This survey investigated the distribution of various intestinal parasites and vector-borne pathogens in stray and free-roaming cats living in four regions of Greece. A total number of one hundred and fifty cats living in three Islands (Crete, Mykonos and Skopelos) and in Athens municipality was established as a realistic aim to be accomplished in the study areas. All cats were examined with different microscopic, serological and molecular assays aiming at evaluating the occurrence of intestinal parasites, and exposure to or presence of vector-borne infections. A total of 135 cats (90%) was positive for one or more parasites and/or pathogens transmitted by ectoparasites. Forty-four (29.3%) cats were positive for one single infection, while 91 (60.7%) for more than one pathogen. A high number of (n. 53) multiple infections caused by feline intestinal and vector-borne agents including at least one zoonotic pathogen was detected. Among them, the most frequently recorded helminths were roundworms (Toxocara cati, 24%) and Dipylidium caninum (2%), while a high number of examined animals (58.8%) had seroreaction for Bartonella spp., followed by Rickettsia spp. (43.2%) and Leishmania infantum (6.1%). DNA-based assays revealed the zoonotic arthropod-borne organisms Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Rickettsia spp., and L. infantum. These results show that free-ranging cats living in areas of Greece under examination may be exposed to a plethora of internal parasites and vector-borne pathogens, some of them potentially able to infect humans. Therefore, epidemiological vigilance and appropriate control measures are crucial for the prevention and control of these infections and to minimize the risk of infection for people. PMID:28141857

Intestinal parasites and vector-borne pathogens in stray and free-roaming cats living in continental and insular Greece.

PubMed

Diakou, Anastasia; Di Cesare, Angela; Accettura, Paolo Matteo; Barros, Luciano; Iorio, Raffaella; Paoletti, Barbara; Frangipane di Regalbono, Antonio; Halos, Lénaïg; Beugnet, Frederic; Traversa, Donato

2017-01-01

This survey investigated the distribution of various intestinal parasites and vector-borne pathogens in stray and free-roaming cats living in four regions of Greece. A total number of one hundred and fifty cats living in three Islands (Crete, Mykonos and Skopelos) and in Athens municipality was established as a realistic aim to be accomplished in the study areas. All cats were examined with different microscopic, serological and molecular assays aiming at evaluating the occurrence of intestinal parasites, and exposure to or presence of vector-borne infections. A total of 135 cats (90%) was positive for one or more parasites and/or pathogens transmitted by ectoparasites. Forty-four (29.3%) cats were positive for one single infection, while 91 (60.7%) for more than one pathogen. A high number of (n. 53) multiple infections caused by feline intestinal and vector-borne agents including at least one zoonotic pathogen was detected. Among them, the most frequently recorded helminths were roundworms (Toxocara cati, 24%) and Dipylidium caninum (2%), while a high number of examined animals (58.8%) had seroreaction for Bartonella spp., followed by Rickettsia spp. (43.2%) and Leishmania infantum (6.1%). DNA-based assays revealed the zoonotic arthropod-borne organisms Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Rickettsia spp., and L. infantum. These results show that free-ranging cats living in areas of Greece under examination may be exposed to a plethora of internal parasites and vector-borne pathogens, some of them potentially able to infect humans. Therefore, epidemiological vigilance and appropriate control measures are crucial for the prevention and control of these infections and to minimize the risk of infection for people.

Tsunami disaster risk management capabilities in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marios Karagiannis, Georgios; Synolakis, Costas

2015-04-01

System, with the Greek NWTC actively participating as a Candidate Tsunami Watch Provider. In addition, Greece designed and conducted the first tsunami exercise program in the Union Civil Protection Mechanism in 2011, which also considered the attrition of response capabilities by the earthquake generating the tsunami. These exercises have demonstrated the capability of the Greek NWTC to provide early warning to local civil protection authorities, but warning dissemination to the population remains an issue, especially during the summer season. However, there is no earthquake or tsunami national emergency operations plan, and we found that tsunami disaster planning and preparedness activities are rather limited at the local level. We acknowledge partial support by the project ASTARTE (Assessment, STrategy And Risk Reduction for Tsunamis in Europe) FP7-ENV2013 6.4-3, Grant 603839 to the Technical University of Crete.

The cost of blood collection in Greece: an economic analysis.

PubMed

Fragoulakis, Vassilis; Stamoulis, Kostas; Grouzi, Elisabeth; Maniadakis, Nikolaos

2014-07-01

The goal of this study was to estimate the cost of production of 1 unit of blood from a National Health Service perspective in Greece. In agreement with guidelines, the cost of blood production in this study accounted only for the resources expended for collection, processing, laboratory testing, and storage. Hence, the costs associated with donor recruitment, pretransfusion preparation, transfusion administration, follow-up management of adverse events, and other long-term relevant costs were not taken into consideration. The indirect cost of blood donations for donors (productivity loss) was also considered. A questionnaire was used to collect data regarding personnel time, annual blood quantities collected, percentage of wastage, utilization of consumables, institutional overhead, information technology expenditure, medical equipment utilized, nuclear acid tests, and other factors. Data gathered by 53 hospitals across the country were assessed. A model was constructed with economic data collected by the National School of Public Health and the Ministry of Health. All data refer to the year 2013. The weighted mean direct cost of producing 1 unit of blood was estimated at €131.49 (SD, €22.12; minimum/maximum, €94.96-€239.20). The mean total indirect cost was estimated at €34 per unit of blood. The cost distribution was positively skewed (skewness, 1.642 [0.327]). The major cost component was the cost of personnel, accounting for 32.5% of total costs, and the average of blood unit wastage was estimated at 4.90%. There were no differences between the cost of producing 1 unit of blood in Athens compared with the rest of the country (Mann-Whitney test, P = 0.341). This study suggests that the cost of producing 1 unit of blood is not insignificant. These figures need to be complemented with those concerning the cost of transfusion to have a complete picture of producing and using 1 unit of blood locally. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All

Sources of anomalous transient electric signals (ATESs) in the ULF band in the Lamia region (central Greece): electrochemical mechanisms for their generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, V.-N.; Boyer, D.; Chouliaras, G.; Savvaidis, A.; Stavrakakis, G.; Le Mouël, J.-L.

2002-04-01

Anomalous transient electric signals (ATESs) in the ultra low frequency (ULF) band have been often observed during magnetotelluric (MT) investigations [Nature 319 (1986) 310; Phys. Earth Planet. Int. 114 (1999) 141; Geophys. J. Int. 142 (2000) 948], but their origin was unknown until now. They have the same characteristics as the so-called seismic electric signals (SES) claimed to be earthquake precursors by the VAN group (e.g. [Tectonophysics 110 (1984) 73] and later works by this group). Our analysis suggests that the so-called SES could be of anthropic origin. Following the devastating 7 September 1999 Athens earthquake, the VAN group claimed that a SES had been recorded at LAM station (Lamia, central Greece) some days prior to the main shock and that a second SES, which might correspond to an impending even larger earthquake, had been observed after the main shock. In the 2 years after the Athens main shock, no subsequent large earthquakes have occurred near Athens. We conducted a campaign of measurement in the Lamia region in May and June 2001. The results show that ATESs, which look like SES, have several different sources: pump-stations for ground-water, high power electric lines, and factories located to the SE of Lamia city. The ATESs can be generated by two electrochemical mechanisms of metallic electrode polarization: the "galvanic cell" and the "ac electrolytic cell" which are studied by simulated field experiments and discussed in detail in Appendix A. These two mechanisms can occur over a wide range of length scales in the field. Any isolation failure in buried metallic conductors, such as electrical and telecommunication networks, oil, water and gas pipes, railways, high power electric lines, factories and so on, can produce a galvanic cell or an ac electrolytic cell, or both, which could generate, under some circumstances, an "overvoltage", the ATES. Finally, the absence of a magnetic signal has been observed during ATES and does not constitute a

An experimental study of soil temperature regimes associated with solar disinfestation techniques under greenhouse conditions in Greece.

PubMed

Garofalakis, I; Tsiros, I; Frangoudakis, A; Chronopoulos, K; Flouri, F

2006-01-01

This paper deals with an experimental study of various techniques that have been applied for soil disinfestation purposes under greenhouse conditions. Various meteorological parameters and soil temperatures were measured for four different experimental soil segments (three associated with different disinfestation techniques and one as a reference) at depths varying between 0-1 m and with a time interval of 5 min in a greenhouse located in the Agricultural University of Athens Campus, Greece. Results showed that plastic polyethylene films such as covers, metallic conductors or a combination of both were able to enhance heat transfer and temperature increase in greenhouse soil. For typical disinfestation conditions, the depth-averaged temperature values for plastic covers, metallic conductors, and the combination of both were found to be higher than those for the reference of about 5 degrees C, 12 degrees C and 15 micro C, respectively. Moreover, the remained population percentages 50 days after the initiation of the experiment were found to be 19.3%, 25.3%, 37.3% Kcat 94% of the initial population, for the combination of metallic conductors and plastic covers, metallic conductors, plastic cover, and for the reference, respectively.

Modeling Human Supervisory Control in Heterogeneous Unmanned Vehicle Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

events through a queue, nominally due to another queue having reached its capacity limitation (Balsamo, Persone, & Onvural, 2001; Onvural, 1990; Perros ...Communication and Coordination, Athens, Greece. Perros , H. G. (1984). Queuing Networks with Blocking: A Bibliography. ACM Sigmetrics, Performance Evaluation

The Greek Key: Getting Acquainted in Athens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Augeri, Hunter; Efstathiou, Eirene; Michou, Maria; Sanders, Jan Motyka

2011-01-01

Greece conjures up images of idyllic island landscapes, turquoise seas and venerable mythic deeds set among majestic monuments. These notions are, moreover, often associated with a history, religious culture and language that are ancient. Tourist posters and national sentiment aside, today the Hellenic Republic is a country that is as much…

Heliophysics Research at the National Observatory of Athens: Communicating Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malandraki, Olga; Papaioannou, Athanasios; Patsou, Ioanna; Tziotziou, Kostas

2014-05-01

The term heliophysics refers to the physics that controls the system that is being defined by the Sun, the heliosphere and the surrounding planets. Today, we are aware that we people live within the extended atmosphere of a living star, the Sun. Although, the light that the Sun provides creates and sustains life on Earth, its variability gives birth to streams of high energetic particles and radiation which could be harmful for the human life. The magnetic field and the atmosphere of the Earth provide powerful shielding against these threats, making the Earth an oasis within the Universe were life is in place to evolve and grow. We should all keep in mind, however, that the fate of life at Earth is bounded to the way it responds to the variability of the Sun. This united system that is being analyzed through heliophysics demands the understanding of the processes that take place within and at the face of the Sun as well as the interaction of the solar plasma and the emitted radiation with the Earth and the rest of the planets. Research on heliophysics at the National Observatory of Athens focuses at the analysis of the effect of the stormy Sun to the Earth. With this respect we use data from energetic particles, recoded onboard an armada of spacecraft, trying to decode the impact of solar storms. Given the fact that heliophysics is a vital and dynamic part of our everyday life, great care is being devoted to the communication of our research results to the general public in Greece, participating at large public outreach events like the Researcher's Night and with lectures/presentations delivered regularly to a variety of audiences, but also at a worldwide scale as our team acts as the National contact point for the International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI). In this work we present vital facts of our dominant Sun, we illustrate its effect at Earth and we discuss the effectiveness of the communication techniques that have been used in order to promote

Evidence of enzootic circulation of West Nile virus (Nea Santa-Greece-2010, lineage 2), Greece, May to July 2011.

PubMed

Chaskopoulou, A; Dovas, Ci; Chaintoutis, Sc; Bouzalas, I; Ara, G; Papanastassopoulou, M

2011-08-04

A West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance network including sentinel chickens was deployed in Thessaloniki county, Greece, from May to July 2011. For the first time in summer 2011, a chicken WNV isolate from 6 July was molecularly identified. The partial NS3 sequence was identical to that of the Nea Santa-Greece-2010 WNV lineage 2, detected in central Macedonia in 2010. This suggests that WNV is actively circulating in central Macedonia and that it may have overwintered in northern Greece.

The Athenæum Club, the Royal Society and the reform of dentistry in nineteenth-century Britain: A research report

PubMed Central

Bishop, Malcolm G. H.

2017-01-01

In 1978 M. J. Peterson examined the role played by the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) in nineteenth-century dental reform, noting the establishment of its Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) in 1859. In a paper published in Notes and Records in 2010, the present author described the influential role played by Fellows of the Royal Society during the nineteenth-century campaign for dental reform led by Sir John Tomes. Key players in this campaign, including the dentists Samuel Cartwright, Thomas Bell and James Salter, were, as well as being Fellows of the Royal Society, members of the Athenæum Club. The present research report indicates the roles played by those members of the Athenæum Club who were also Fellows of the Royal Society in the scientific and professional reform of nineteenth-century dentistry. Although it does not attempt to document meetings at the Club, it suggests the potential for a symbiotic effect between the Royal Society and the Athenæum. Where the previous paper proposed an active scientific role for the Royal Society in reforming dentistry, this paper presents the Athenæum as a significant extension of the sphere of influence into the cultural realm for those who did enjoy membership of both organizations.

Indoor air quality in a bar/restaurant before and after the smoking ban in Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Konstantopoulou, Sophia S; Behrakis, Panagiotis K; Lazaris, Andreas C; Nicolopoulou-Stamati, Polyxeni

2014-04-01

In this study we compared indoor air pollutant concentrations in a bar/restaurant in Greece before and after the enactment of a smoking ban legislation of 2008. This was done to investigate whether the separation of the venue into smoking and non-smoking areas will have an impact on workers and customers from secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure (null hypothesis). The study was completed within an 8-month period beginning in March 2010 and ending on November 2010. We compared the average of the measured PM0.1 concentrations in the smoking zones between the pre-ban and post-ban periods. Overall reduction in the number of particles was 18% between pre-ban and post-ban periods. The mean of the 36 total CO2 measurements for the pre- and the post-ban period was 611ppm. We calculated the ventilation rates per occupant (Vo in l/s/occ) and found it to be higher in the post-ban period (19.4l/s/occ), thus complying with the ASHARAE standard for Vo of 15l/s/occ at maximum occupancy, than in the pre-ban period (10.7l/s/occ). The mean of the 36 total CO measurements for the pre-ban period was 2 ppm. CO measurements in the post-ban period were less than the detection limit of 1 ppm. Emissions of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde weren't detected in any of the zones. It was observed there was about 50% distribution of pollutants from the smoking zones to the smoke-free zones. The smoking ban effect on the occupancy levels was initially reduced by 16%, but based on other similar studies this transition period will be followed by an increase in the occupancy. Passive smoking and associated risks were significantly reduced but not totally eliminated, indicating the need for stronger enforcement or complete partition between smoking and non-smoking areas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PREFACE: 12th Conference on Recent Developments in Gravity (NEB XII)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christodoulakis, Theodosios; Vagenas, Elias C.

2007-06-01

Continuing the 24 year old tradition, one of the Greek relativistic groups, this time the Relativity Group of the Physics Department of the University of Athens, organized the 12th Conference of the series "Recent Developments in Gravity" (NEB XII). This time NEB took place at Nafplio, Greece, from Thursday 29 June to Sunday 2 July, 2006. The Conference was attended by more than 100 participants, more than 50% of whom were relativists from abroad (both Greek and other nationalities). This signifies a tendency of the last few Conferences to open up the Greek Relativity Conference to the international scientific community. Actually, many notable members of the relativistic community all over the globe showed particular interest in coming to Nafplio, and spend four relaxed days in a nice sunny and historical place, presenting the results of their more recent work and discussing it with colleagues and students from Greece. The NEB XII Conference covered various aspects of gravitational physics: Relativistic Astrophysics, Mathematical Relativity, Quantum Gravity, and Cosmology. Although the program was rather heavy and for the first time we had parallel sessions running in the afternoons, the wonderful weather (apart from the last afternoon when it rained heavily) and the beauty of Nafplio helped the organizers offer the participants a warm, pleasant, and creative time. According to most attendees, their impression was more than good, not only with respect to the hospitable environment, but with respect to the high level of talks as well. We hope the next Conference, which will be organized by the Relativity Group of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the summer of 2008, will raise the standards of the Conference even higher, thus further establishing our Conference as a notable Conference in the Relativistic community all over the world. Finally, we would like to thank the Gravitational Physics Section of the European Physical Society (GPS/EPS), ILIAS

Cyanobacteria of Greece: an annotated checklist

PubMed Central

Ourailidis, Iordanis; Panou, Manthos; Pappas, Nikos

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The checklist of Greek Cyanobacteria was created in the framework of the Greek Taxon Information System (GTIS), an initiative of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) that has resumed efforts to compile a complete checklist of species reported from Greece. This list was created from exhaustive search of the scientific literature of the last 60 years. All records of taxa known to occur in Greece were taxonomically updated. New information The checklist of Greek Cyanobacteria comprises 543 species, classified in 130 genera, 41 families, and 8 orders. The orders Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales have the highest number of species (158 and 153 species, respectively), whereas these two orders along with Nostocales and Chroococcales cover 93% of the known Greek cyanobacteria species. It is worth mentioning that 18 species have been initially described from Greek habitats. The marine epilithic Ammatoidea aegea described from Saronikos Gulf is considered endemic to this area. Our bibliographic review shows that Greece hosts a high diversity of cyanobacteria, suggesting that the Mediterranean area is also a hot spot for microbes. PMID:27956851

Cyanobacteria of Greece: an annotated checklist.

PubMed

Gkelis, Spyros; Ourailidis, Iordanis; Panou, Manthos; Pappas, Nikos

2016-01-01

The checklist of Greek Cyanobacteria was created in the framework of the Greek Taxon Information System (GTIS), an initiative of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) that has resumed efforts to compile a complete checklist of species reported from Greece. This list was created from exhaustive search of the scientific literature of the last 60 years. All records of taxa known to occur in Greece were taxonomically updated. The checklist of Greek Cyanobacteria comprises 543 species, classified in 130 genera, 41 families, and 8 orders. The orders Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales have the highest number of species (158 and 153 species, respectively), whereas these two orders along with Nostocales and Chroococcales cover 93% of the known Greek cyanobacteria species. It is worth mentioning that 18 species have been initially described from Greek habitats. The marine epilithic Ammatoidea aegea described from Saronikos Gulf is considered endemic to this area. Our bibliographic review shows that Greece hosts a high diversity of cyanobacteria, suggesting that the Mediterranean area is also a hot spot for microbes.

78 FR 49769 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Telemanagement Forum

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-15

... the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission disclosing changes in its membership. The...; Innova Bilisim Cozumleri, Maslak, TURKEY; Intelli Solutions S.A., Athens, GREECE; International IT House..., GERMANY; Synopsis S.A., Lima, PERU; Trendium, Boulder, CO; University of Witwatersrand, School of...

Susceptibility of malaria vectors to DDT in Greece

PubMed Central

Livadas, Gregory A.; Thymakis, Kyriacos

1956-01-01

The authors describe an investigation, started in Greece in the autumn of 1953 and continued during the 1954 malaria-transmission season, to determine the variations in the susceptibility to DDT of the anophelines in different localities, with a view to establishing a point of departure which would make it possible to follow any future changes in susceptibility to this insecticide. The degree of susceptibility of the mosquitos to DDT was assessed numerically by both the technique of topical application of microdoses of the insecticide and the technique devised by Busvine & Nash. The villages of Elos and Asterion (Skála area), the Agoulinitsa area, and the Georgioupolis (Crete) area were chosen for the investigation. The findings disclosed considerable differences in the susceptibility to DDT in the above areas, but showed that, on the whole, the tendency for anophelines to acquire resistance to DDT seemed to be continuing in Greece. PMID:13404428

Trees and business district preferences: a case study of Athens, Georgia, U.S.

Treesearch

Kathleen L. Wolf

2004-01-01

As a National Main Street program participant, Athens, Georgia, U.S., has included streetscape tree plantings in economic development efforts. The Main Street program assists downtown merchant groups with physical improvements planning in order to create vital retail environments. If comprehensively managed, the urban forest can be a...

Porifera of Greece: an updated checklist

PubMed Central

Bailly, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Abstract Background The checklist of Porifera of Greece was created in the framework of the Greek Taxon Information System (GTIS), an initiative of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) that has resumed efforts to compile a complete checklist of species recorded from Greece. An updated checklist of Porifera was created on the basis of a list of the Aegean Demospongiae and Homoscleromorpha published one decade ago. All records of species known to occur in Greek waters were taxonomically validated and cross-checked for possible inaccuracies and omissions. Then, all recent publications were reviewed and the species recorded from 2006 to date were added to the list. New information The updated checklist of Porifera of Greece comprises 215 species, classified to 111 genera, 65 families, 24 orders, and 4 classes. In total, 34 new additions were made to the previous species list (8 Calcarea, 17 Demospongiae, 1 Hexactinellida, and 6 Homoscleromorpha) with Calcarea being listed for the first time from the area. The demosponge orders Poecilosclerida, Dictyoceratida, Tetractinellida, Haplosclerida, and Suberitida have the highest number of species covering 62% of the known Greek sponge species richness. It is worth mentioning that 8 species have been first described from Greek waters, 7 of which are considered endemic to this area. Our bibliographic overview also revealed knowledge gaps with regard to specific habitats typically rich in sponge diversity, and marine sectors of Greece. PMID:27932903

Characteristics of farm injuries in Greece.

PubMed

Alexe, D M; Petridou, E; Dessypris, N; Skenderis, N; Trichopoulos, D

2003-08-01

To assess the characteristics of occupational and leisure farm injuries in Greece. During a five-year period (1996-2000), 4,326 unintentional farm injuries have been recorded by the Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System in Greece. Data concerning demographic variables, accident conditions, and injury characteristics were collected by in person interviews. The data were analyzed by simple cross-tabulation and hierarchical cluster analysis. Injuries from falls on the same level are mainly lower-limb fractures and occur during the winter among older women. Falls from higher level concern migrant workers, who also tend to suffer severe multiple injuries, including concussions, particularly during autumn. Injuries resulting from cutting and piercing instruments, as well as from machinery, are generally open wounds in the upper-limbs, suffered by young migrant workers. Head injuries resulting from striking against an object are more generally spread across socio-demographic variables. Overexertion is the dominant mechanism for dislocations and sprains in the lower limbs. Snake and insect bites are common among younger migrant workers during summer, and they affect the upper limbs during manual work close to the ground. Non-traffic injuries from vehicles are frequently severe, involving head concussion of generally young individuals. In Greece, farm injuries are frequently serious and require hospitalization. These injuries show distinct patterns among older women (lower-limb fractures), young individuals (non-traffic vehicle-related injuries) and migrant workers (injuries from cutting and piercing instruments, falls from high level, and bites). Prevention strategies should give priority to these population groups. These prevention strategies should include guidance for poorly educated workers, including migrants, enforcement of safety regulations concerning farming machinery, and discouragement of risky farming activities among elderly individuals, particularly

Clinical and laboratory evaluation of new immigrant and refugee children arriving in Greece.

PubMed

Pavlopoulou, Ioanna D; Tanaka, Marsela; Dikalioti, Stavroula; Samoli, Evangelia; Nisianakis, Pavlos; Boleti, Olga D; Tsoumakas, Konstantinos

2017-05-26

Migrant children are a population at risk for various health problems. Despite the increased inflow of migrants in Greece, data regarding their health assessment are lacking. This study aims to describe the clinical and certain laboratory characteristics and identify possible associations in a group of new immigrant (I) and refugee (R) children, arriving in Athens, Greece. A prospective, cross- sectional study was performed in a migrant outpatient clinic of a tertiary Children's hospital. All immigrant and refugee children, examined to obtain a health certificate, within 3 months of their arrival in the country, were enrolled. Clinical and laboratory information was collected in a pre- designed form. We applied multiple logistic regression models to investigate the association between the child's status (immigrant vs refugee) and health indicators controlling for possible confounding effects, mainly of age and area of origin. From 2010 to 2013, a total of 300 children (I/R:138/162) with a mean age of 7.08 (range 1-14) years were included. Overall, 79.3% presented unknown vaccination status, 21.3% dental and 7.3% additional clinical problems. Latent tuberculosis was identified in 2.7%, while anemia, low serum ferritin and eosinophilia were found in 13.7%, 17.3%, and 22.7% of subjects, respectively. 57.7% had protective antibodies to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs ≥ 10 IU/L) and 30.6% elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs). Immigrants had less likely unknown immunization (OR = 0.25, p < 0.001), but had increased odds of low ferritin (OR = 1.97, p = 0.043), EBLLs (OR = 2.97, p = 0.001) and protective anti-HBs (OR = 1.79, p = 0.03). Age was inversely associated with anemia (OR = 0.0.89, p = 0.017), low ferritin (OR = 0.91, p = 0.027), EBLLs (OR = 0.86, p = 0.001) or positive anti-HBs (OR = 0.92, p = 0.025). Children from Europe or Africa presented decreased probability of EBLLs (OR = 0.31, p = 0.001, and OR = 0.15, p = 0

Assessing groundwater quality in Greece based on spatial and temporal analysis.

PubMed

Dokou, Zoi; Kourgialas, Nektarios N; Karatzas, George P

2015-12-01

The recent industrial growth together with the urban expansion and intensive agriculture in Greece has increased groundwater contamination in many regions of the country. In order to design successful remediation strategies and protect public health, it is very important to identify those areas that are most vulnerable to groundwater contamination. In this work, an extensive contamination database from monitoring wells that cover the entire Greek territory during the last decade (2000-2008) was used in order to study the temporal and spatial distribution of groundwater contamination for the most common and serious anionic and cationic trace element pollutants (heavy metals). Spatial and temporal patterns and trends in the occurrence of groundwater contamination were also identified highlighting the regions where the higher groundwater contamination rates have been detected across the country. As a next step, representative contaminated aquifers in Greece, which were identified by the above analysis, were selected in order to analyze the specific contamination problem in more detail. To this end, geostatistical techniques (various types of kriging, co-kriging, and indicator kriging) were employed in order to map the contaminant values and the probability of exceeding critical thresholds (set as the parametric values of the contaminant of interest in each case). The resulting groundwater contamination maps could be used as a useful tool for water policy makers and water managers in order to assist the decision-making process.

Structuring Expert-leaded Medical Protocols for Tele-Medicine Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-10-25

welfare and health statistics 1991”. Hellenic Republic National Statistical service of Greece, Athens 1994. [3] “ Incentive spirometry pulse...oximetry. O2 therapy in the acute care hospital; spirometry and postural drainage therapy”. Respiratory care 36: 1402-1426, 1991. [4] Economou G.-P

A catalog of aftershock sequences in Greece (1971 1997): Their spatial and temporal characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drakatos, George; Latoussakis, John

A complete catalog of aftershock sequences is provided for main earthquakes with ML 5.0, which occurred in the area of Greece and surrounding regions the last twenty-seven years. The Monthly Bulletins of the Institute of Geodynamics (National Observatory of Athens) have been used as data source. In order to get a homogeneous catalog, several selection criteria have been applied and hence a catalog of 44 aftershock sequences is compiled. The relations between the duration of the sequence, the number of aftershocks, the magnitude of the largest aftershock and its delay time from the main shock as well as the subsurface rupture length versus the magnitude of the main shock are calculated. The results show that linearity exists between the subsurface rupture length and the magnitude of the main shock independent of the slip type, as well as between the magnitude of the main shock (M) and its largest aftershock (Ma). The mean difference M-Ma is almost one unit. In the 40% of the analyzed sequences, the largest aftershock occurred within one day after the main shock.The fact that the aftershock sequences show the same behavior for earthquakes that occur in the same region supports the theory that the spatial and temporal characteristics are strongly related to the stress distribution of the fault area.

An assessment of health related quality of life in a male prison population in Greece associations with health related characteristics and characteristics of detention.

PubMed

Togas, Constantinos; Raikou, Maria; Niakas, Dimitris

2014-01-01

Prisoners constitute a group with increased health and social care needs. Although implementing policies that aim at improving outcomes within this population should be a priority area, studies that attempt to assess health outcomes and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population are limited. To assess HRQoL in a prison population in Greece and to explore the relationship between HRQoL and a set of individual sociodemographic and health related characteristics and characteristics of detention. A cross-sectional study involving 100 male prisoners was conducted in the prison of Corinth in Greece. HRQoL was assessed through the use of the SF-36 and the EQ-5D. The mean physical and mental summary scores of the SF-36 were 55.33 and 46.82, respectively. The EQ-VAS mean score was 76.41%, while the EQ-5D index was 0.72. Multivariate analysis identified a statistical relationship between HRQoL and the conditions of detention, controlling for the effect of sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity, and mental problems. The use of narcotics in particular is significantly associated with lower HRQoL. Implementation of policies that aim at preventing the use of narcotics within the prison environment is expected to contribute to improved HRQoL in this population.

Robust Satellite Techniques analysis of ten years (2004-2013) of MSG/SEVIRI TIR radiances over Greece region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genzano, N.; Eleftheriou, A.; Filizzola, C.; Paciello, R.; Pergola, N.; Vallianatos, F.; Tramutoli, V.

2014-12-01

Space-time fluctuations of Earth's emitted Thermal InfraRed (TIR) radiation have been observed from satellite months to weeks before earthquakes occurrence. Among the different approach proposed to discern transient anomalous signals possibly associated to seismic activity from normal TIR signal fluctuations (i.e. related to the change of natural factor and/or observation conditions), since 2001 the Robust Satellite Techniques (RST) were used to investigate tens of earthquakes with a wide range of magnitudes (from 4.0 to 7.9) occurred in different continents and in various geo-tectonic setting (e.g. Athens earthquake, 7 September 1999; Abruzzo earthquake, 6 April 2009, etc.).The RST approach gives a statistically - based definition of "TIR anomalies" and offers a suitable method for their identification even in very different local (e.g. related to atmosphere and/or surface) and observational (e.g. related to time/season, but also to solar and satellite zenithal angles) conditions. It has been always carried out by using a validation/confutation approach, to verify the presence/absence of anomalous space-time TIR transients in the presence/absence of seismic activity.In this paper, the RST approach is extensively implemented on 10 years of TIR satellite records collected by the geostationary satellite sensor MSG/SEVIRI over the Greece region. The results of the analysis performed to investigate possible correlations (within predefined space-time windows) of anomalous TIR transients with time and place of occurrence of earthquakes with M>4 will be discussed in terms of reliability and effectiveness also in the perspective of a time-Dependent Assessment of Seismic Hazard (t-DASH) system.

Corinth Canal, Greece

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-09-15

The Isthmus of Corinth has played a very important role in the history of Greece. It is the only land bridge between the country north Attica and south Peloponnese. This image was acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft.

Spatially resolved hazard and exposure assessments: an example of lead in soil at Lavrion, Greece.

PubMed

Tristán, E; Demetriades, A; Ramsey, M H; Rosenbaum, M S; Stavrakis, P; Thornton, I; Vassiliades, E; Vergou, K

2000-01-01

Spatially resolved hazard assessment (SRHA) and spatially resolved exposure assessment (SREA) are methodologies that have been devised for assessing child exposure to soil containing environmental pollutants. These are based on either a quantitative or a semiquantitative approach. The feasibility of the methodologies has been demonstrated in a study assessing child exposure to Pb accessible in soil at the town of Lavrion in Greece. Using a quantitative approach, both measured and kriged concentrations of Pb in soil are compared with an "established" statutory threshold value. The probabilistic approach gives a refined classification of the contaminated land, since it takes into consideration the uncertainty in both the actual measurement and estimated kriged values. Two exposure assessment models (i.e., IEUBK and HESP) are used as the basis of the quantitative SREA methodologies. The significant correlation between the blood-Pb predictions, using the IEUBK model, and measured concentrations provides a partial validation of the method, because it allows for the uncertainty in the measurements and the lack of some site-specific measurements. The semiquantitative applications of SRHA and SREA incorporate both qualitative information (e.g., land use and dustiness of waste) and quantitative information (e.g., distance from wastes and distance from industry). The significant correlation between the results of these assessments and the measured blood-Pb levels confirms the robust nature of this approach. Successful application of these methodologies could reduce the cost of the assessment and allow areas to be prioritized for further investigation, remediation, or risk management.

Leishmaniases in Greece

PubMed Central

Ntais, Pantelis; Sifaki-Pistola, Dimitra; Christodoulou, Vasiliki; Messaritakis, Ippokratis; Pratlong, Francine; Poupalos, George; Antoniou, Maria

2013-01-01

During the last 35 years, visceral leishmaniasis has spread in Greece with autochthonous human cases appearing in 41 of the 54 prefectures. The occurrence of the disease was mapped and related to dog seropositivity, environmental and geospatial risk factors. Average dog seropositivity was 22.1% and positive animals were found in 43 of 54 prefectures. Factors like: altitude, presence of water bodies, land use, wind speed, mean land surface temperature, mean relative humidity, and mean annual rainfall were found to affect dog seropositivity. Cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania tropica are also increasing. Phlebotomus similis believed to be the potential vector of L. tropica in Greece, was found in areas where the disease is widespread but also where cases have never been reported implying a danger of introduction of this anthroponotic parasite to new regions. PMID:24062479

Polychaetes of Greece: an updated and annotated checklist

PubMed Central

Simboura, Nomiki; Katsiaras, Nikolaos; Chatzigeorgiou, Giorgos; Arvanitidis, Christos

2017-01-01

Abstract Background The last annotated checklist of marine polychaetes in Greece was published in 2001. Since then, global taxonomic progress, combined with many new species records for Greece, required a thorough review of the taxonomic, nomenclatural and biogeographic status of the national species list. This checklist revises the status of all extant polychaete species reported from the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone since 1832. The work was undertaken as part of the efforts on compiling a national species inventory (Greek Taxon Information System initiative) in the framework of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure. New information This checklist comprises an updated and annotated inventory of polychaete species in Greek waters, compiled from literature reports, online databases, museum collections and unpublished datasets. The list provides information on 836 species-level taxa from Greece, of which 142 are considered questionable. An additional 84 species reported in the past are currently considered absent from Greece; reasons for the exclusion of each species are given. Fourteen species are reported here for the first time from Greek waters. At least 52 species in the present list constitute in fact a complex of cryptic or pseudo-cryptic species. Forty-seven species are considered non-native to the area. In addition to the species-level taxa reported in this checklist, eleven genera have been recorded from Greece with no representatives identified to species level. One replacement name is introduced. For each species, a comprehensive bibliographic list of occurrence records in Greece and the synonyms used in these publications are provided as supplementary material. Where necessary, the taxonomic, nomenclatural or biogeographic status is discussed. Finally, the findings are discussed in the wider context of Mediterranean polychaete biogeography, taxonomic practice and worldwide research progress. PMID:29362552

Comparing flood mortality in Portugal and Greece under a gender and age perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Susana; Diakakis, Michalis; Deligiannakis, Georgios; Luís Zêzere, José

2017-04-01

Flood mortality is analyzed and compared between Portugal and Greece. Flood fatality incidents are explored and compared in terms of their temporal evolution, spatial distribution, deadliest flood types, surrounding environments, gender and age of the victims. A common flood fatalities database for the period 1960-2010 was formed by merging the DISASTER database for Portugal and the Greek database previously built from documental sources. Each entry of the database, corresponding to a flood fatal incident has the following attributes: (i) ID number of the flood case; (ii) the flood type (riverine flood, flash flood, urban flood, or not defined type); (iii) date (day-month-year); (iv) location (x and y coordinates); (v) number of fatalities; (vi) surrounding environment where the flood fatal incident occurred (i.e. outdoors on foot, outdoors inside a vehicle, or inside a building). (vii) gender of the victim (male, female, or gender not reported); (viii) age of the victim (< 15; 15-29; 39-44; 45 - 64; >65 years). Excluding the outlier 1967 flash flood event occurred in the Lisbon metropolitan area that caused 522 fatalities, Portugal recorded 114 flood fatalities (related to 80 flood cases) and Greece registered 189 fatalities (related to 57 flood cases). Results identified decreasing mortality trend in both countries, despite some fluctuations irregularly distributed over time. Since the 1980's the number of flood cases with multiple fatalities has been gradually decreasing. In both Greece and Portugal flash floods were responsible for more than 80% of flood mortality and the main metropolitan areas of each country (Athens and Lisbon) presented a clustering of fatalities, attributed to the higher population density combined with the presence of flood-prone areas. Indoor fatalities have been gradually reducing with time, whereas vehicle-related deaths have been rising in both countries. In both countries the majority of flood victims are males, indicating that males

An Assessment of the Results of European Parliament Elections in Greece and European Union Under the Shadow of Economic Crisis.

PubMed

Fanourgiakis, John; Kanoupakis, Emmanuel

2016-10-01

On January 1, 1981, Greece became the tenth member of the European Economic Community and, 20 years later, on January 1, 2001, joined the euro area. In May of 2010 and February of 2012, Greece signed the first and the second economic adjustment programs and adopted austerity policies throughout the public sector in order to avoid the economic collapse, affecting residents' income and health status. We studied the questionnaires of polls conducted in Greece before the elections of the European Parliament (May 25, 2014) and the "Europeans 2014" Eurobarometer's survey in March of 2014. The responses of Greek voters from the Greek polls were alarming, pointing out their declining personal economic situation and Greece's national economic situation, with a sense that the country was heading in the wrong direction, declaring themselves unsatisfied and insecure. The responses of Greek voters from the "Europeans 2014" survey were even more alarming. Health was the first priority for the voters. As the Greek polls and the Eurobarometer's survey forecasted, but more significantly as the results of the Euro-elections showed, Greek voters preferred to put their hopes in something new. © The Author(s) 2016.

Harmonic analysis of the precipitation in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastos, P. T.; Zerefos, C. S.

2009-04-01

Greece is a country with a big variety of climates due to its geographical position, to the many mountain ranges and also to the multifarious and long coastline. The mountainous volumes are of such orientation that influences the distribution of the precipitation, having as a result, Western Greece to present great differentiations from Central and Eastern Greece. The application of harmonic analysis to the annual variability of precipitation is the goal of this study, so that the components, which compose the annual variability, be elicited. For this purpose, the mean monthly precipitation data from 30 meteorological stations of National Meteorological Service were used for the time period 1950-2000. The initial target is to reduce the number of variables and to detect structure in the relationships between variables. The most commonly used technique for this purpose is the application of Factor Analysis to a table having as columns the meteorological stations-variables and rows the monthly mean precipitation, so that 2 main factors were calculated, which explain the 98% of total variability of precipitation in Greece. Factor 1, representing the so-called uniform field and interpreting the most of the total variance, refers in fact to the Mediterranean depressions, affecting mainly the West of Greece and also the East Aegean and the Asia Minor coasts. In the process, the Fourier Analysis was applied to the factor scores extracted from the Factor Analysis, so that 2 harmonic components are resulted, which explain above the 98% of the total variability of each main factor, and are due to different synoptic and thermodynamic processes associated with Greece's precipitation construction. Finally, the calculation of the time of occurrence of the maximum precipitation, for each harmonic component of each one of the two main factors, gives the spatial distribution of appearance of the maximum precipitation in the Hellenic region.

The History of Adult Education in Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boucouvalas, Marcie

Adult education in Greece dates back to the time of Homer. Poetry and Panhellenic festivals were the earliest forms of adult education in Greece. By classical times, however, an entire learning society of human and material resources had been developed. Greek society experienced periods of high levels of culture and learning only to be conquered…

Routine Analysis of all available GNSS Stations in Greece: Processing Scheme and Dissemination of Products and Data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanikolaou, Xanthos; Anastasiou, Demitris; Marinou, Aggeliki; Zacharis, Vangelis; Paradissis, Demitris

2015-04-01

Dionysos Satellite Observatory and Higher Geodesy Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens, have developed an automated processing scheme to accommodate the daily analysis of all available continuous GNSS stations in Greece. For the moment, a total of approximately 150 regional stations are processed, divided in 4 subnetworks. GNSS data are processed routinely on a daily basis, via Bernese GNSS Software v5.0, developed by AIUB. Each network is solved twice, within a period of 20 days, first using ultra-rapid products (with a latency of ~10 hours) and then using final products (with a latency of ~20 days). Observations are processed using carrier phase, modelled to double differences in the ionosphere-free linear combination. Analysis results, include coordinate estimates, ionospheric corrections (TEC maps) and hourly tropospheric parameters (zenith delay). This processing scheme, has proved helpful in investigating in near real-time abrupt geophysical phenomena, as in the 2011 Santorini inflation episode and the 2014 Kephalonia earthquake events. All analysis results and products are made available via a dedicated webpage. Additionally, most of the GNSS data are hosted in a GSAC web platform, available to all interested parties. Data and results are made available through the laboratory's dedicated website: http://dionysos.survey.ntua.gr/.

[What was the plague of Athens?].

PubMed

Dagnino, Jorge

2011-08-01

In the year 430 B.C., at the beginning of the second year of the Peloponessian War, a terrible epidemic fell upon Athens and the most populous cities in Attica. It would last for just over four years and it would kill 100.000 people, a quarter to a third of the population. We know about it through the masterly description made by Thucydides in his History of the Peloponnesian War. His narrative has withstood twentyfive centuries due to its medical interest and, above all, its great dramatic force. The description of symptoms and signs, their evolution, and the consequences upon persons and moral and social order has captivated physicians, philologists and classical historians ever since. It has inspired literary works and hundreds of medical articles, with no agreement having been reached upon its cause or consequences, or if it is history or tragedy, or even if there is a single answer to these alternatives.

Educating the Adult Educator: Quality Provision and Assessment in Europe. ESREA|ReNAdET e-Book Conference Proceedings (1st, Thessaloniki, Greece, November 6-8, 2009)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papastamatis, Adamantios, Ed; Valkanos, Efthymios, Ed.; Zarifis, Georgios K., Ed.; Panitsidou, Eugenia, Ed.

2009-01-01

This e-book contains the proceedings of the inaugural meeting of the ESREA Network on Adult Educators, Trainers and their Professional Development (ReNAdET): Educating the adult educator - Quality provision and assessment in Europe. The network's first conference meeting was held in Thessaloniki, Greece (6-8 November 2009) at the University of…

No debt for medical students in Greece.

PubMed

Koussidis, George A; Avgerinos, Efthimios; Bellos, Stefanos; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos

2002-07-01

Medical education in Greece is government-funded by constitution. Tuition fees are therefore not payable by students. This investigation aims to identify the sources of income of medical students in Greece. This is a questionnaire-based analysis of a sample of 488 students who were asked to state their sources of income. Mean contributions to total student income are parental financial support (93.2%), part-time employment (2.4%), scholarships (2.5%) and other sources including loans (1.9%). The income of medical students in Greece is mostly dependent on parental contributions. Other sources do not represent popular options. This situation differs to that in other countries, where loans make significant contributions to the total income of medical students.

Greece and NATO: Problems and Prospects.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-06

adept diplomatic maneuvers. Andreas Papandreou, the leader of PASOK (the main opposition party in Greece), maintains that Karamanlis is still pro...at the expense of the center party, was PASOK (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) led by Andreas Papandreou. PASOK polled 25% of the vote, almost double...its 1974 vote. This gave PASOK 93 seats in the Greek parliament. PASOK’s platform advocates the transformation of Greece into a socialist state. It is

Suicide in Greece 1992-2012: A time-series analysis.

PubMed

Papaslanis, Theodoros; Kontaxakis, Vassilis; Christodoulou, Christos; Konstantakopoulos, George; Kontaxaki, Maria-Irini; Papadimitriou, George N

2016-08-01

Since 2008, Greece has entered a long period of economic crisis with adverse effects on various aspects of daily life. In this frame, it is quite important to examine the suicide trends in Greece. Our analysis covered the period 1992-2012. 2012 was the last year for which official suicide data were available. The inclusion of data for pre-crisis period enabled us to assess trends in suicide preceding the economic crisis, starting in 2008. Trends in sex- and age-adjusted standardized suicide rates (SSR) were analyzed using joinpoint regression. Total SSR presented statistically significant annual decrease of 0.89% (95% confidence interval (CI): -1.7, -0.1) during the period 1992-2008. After 2009, the trend in total SSR increased statistically significant annual increase (12.48%; 95% CI: 0.3%, 26.1%). SSR in males presented an initial period of modest annual decrease (-0.84%; 95% CI: -1.6%, -0.1%), during the period 1992-2008. After 2009, an annual increase by 9.25% (95% CI: 2.7%, 16.3%) was revealed. No change in female SSR trend was observed during the studied period. According to the results of this study, there is clear evidence of an increase in the overall SSR and male SSR in Greece during the period of the current financial crisis. © The Author(s) 2016.

Spatiotemporal Variation and Risk Assessment of Pesticides in Water of the Lower Catchment Basin of Acheloos River, Western Greece

PubMed Central

Stamatis, Nikolaos; Hela, Dimitra; Triantafyllidis, Vassilios; Konstantinou, Ioannis

2013-01-01

A three-year monitoring survey (March 2005–February 2008) was conducted to investigate, on monthly basis, the presence of thirty pesticides belonging to various categories and metabolites, in Acheloos River (Western Greece), one of the most important water resources in Greece. Six sampling stations along the river were established. Water analyses were performed using solid-phase extraction combined with gas chromatography with flame thermionic detector and mass spectrometry. Statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA and Duncan's multiple range test (P < 0.05) was used to compare annual mean concentrations of pesticides, seasonal and spatial distribution. In general, the highest mean concentrations of the pesticides were recorded at the three stations downstream. The greatest average concentrations were determined during spring and summer in agreement with the pesticide application period. The observed lower concentrations after 2006 reflect the land-use change because of the elimination of tobacco, the main cultivation of the area for many decades. The compounds most frequently detected were diazinon (78.6%), DEA (69.3%), and fenthion (52.6%). Environmental risk assessment using risk quotient (RQ) approach showed high risk for six insecticides in 2005 and one in 2007. A compliance with the European Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) was observed for the priority pesticides. PMID:24453814

[Stress fractures in disabled athletes' preparation for the paralympic games in Athens, 2004: an assessment].

PubMed

Laboute, E; Druvert, J C; Pailler, D; Piera, J-B

2008-03-01

To identify stress fracture frequency and the associated risk factors in disabled female athletes preparing the Paralympic Games in Athens in 2004. The study is focused on four athletes (including one with a vision impairment) among the 31 women selected to participate in the Paralympic Games. The medical records of selected athletes not having been able to participate in the Games due to a stress fracture were analyzed. One case of stress fracture to the first metatarsal was reported of one below-knee amputee and an additional case to the second metatarsal of one hemiplegic athlete. Two of three athletes with physical disability were unable to participate in the Games because of stress fracture occurring during the preparatory phase. Among four athletes selected to take part in the Paralympic Games. If morphological predispositions are inherent to the sportswomen, the main favouring factor to be retained is their running asymmetry. Training programmes must therefore take this characteristic into account and must not offer heavy-load repetitive exercise (such as endurance or jogging) at the expense of technique. Over-intense training exposes the disabled athlete to this type of pathology and is likely to affect his chances of competing.

National Testing of Pupils in Europe: Objectives, Organisation and Use of Results. Greece 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eurydice, 2009

2009-01-01

Pupil assessment procedures and methods in Greece are set and "standardized" externally by the central authorities as defined in the legislative framework, the National Curriculum guidelines and teachers' manuals, while implementation is internal to the schools. The focus of primary schools is on formative assessment, while the lower…

A Methodology to Validate the InSAR Derived Displacement Field of the September 7th, 1999 Athens Earthquake Using Terrestrial Surveying. Improvement of the Assessed Deformation Field by Interferometric Stacking.

PubMed

Kotsis, Ioannis; Kontoes, Charalabos; Paradissis, Dimitrios; Karamitsos, Spyros; Elias, Panagiotis; Papoutsis, Ioannis

2008-06-10

The primary objective of this paper is the evaluation of the InSAR derived displacement field caused by the 07/09/1999 Athens earthquake, using as reference an external data source provided by terrestrial surveying along the Mornos river open aqueduct. To accomplish this, a processing chain to render comparable the leveling measurements and the interferometric derived measurements has been developed. The distinct steps proposed include a solution for reducing the orbital and atmospheric interferometric fringes and an innovative method to compute the actual InSAR estimated vertical ground subsidence, for direct comparison with the leveling data. Results indicate that the modeled deformation derived from a series of stacked interferograms, falls entirely within the confidence interval assessed for the terrestrial surveying data.

A Methodology to Validate the InSAR Derived Displacement Field of the September 7th, 1999 Athens Earthquake Using Terrestrial Surveying. Improvement of the Assessed Deformation Field by Interferometric Stacking

PubMed Central

Kotsis, Ioannis; Kontoes, Charalabos; Paradissis, Dimitrios; Karamitsos, Spyros; Elias, Panagiotis; Papoutsis, Ioannis

2008-01-01

The primary objective of this paper is the evaluation of the InSAR derived displacement field caused by the 07/09/1999 Athens earthquake, using as reference an external data source provided by terrestrial surveying along the Mornos river open aqueduct. To accomplish this, a processing chain to render comparable the leveling measurements and the interferometric derived measurements has been developed. The distinct steps proposed include a solution for reducing the orbital and atmospheric interferometric fringes and an innovative method to compute the actual InSAR estimated vertical ground subsidence, for direct comparison with the leveling data. Results indicate that the modeled deformation derived from a series of stacked interferograms, falls entirely within the confidence interval assessed for the terrestrial surveying data. PMID:27879926

Environmental ground borne noise and vibration protection of sensitive cultural receptors along the Athens Metro Extension to Piraeus.

PubMed

Vogiatzis, Konstantinos

2012-11-15

Attiko Metro S.A., the state company ensuring the development of the Athens Metro network, has recently initiated a new extension of 7.6 km, has planned for line 3 of Athens Metro from Haidari to Piraeus "Dimotikon Theatre" towards "University of Piraeus" (forestation), connecting the major Piraeus Port with "Eleftherios Venizelos" International Airport. The Piraeus extension consists of a Tunnel Boring Machine, 2 tracks and, tunnel sections, as well as 6 stations and a forestation (New Austrian Tunnelling Method) at the end of the alignment. In order to avoid the degradation of the urban acoustic environment from ground borne noise and vibration during metro operation, the assessment of the required track types and possible noise mitigation measures was executed, and for each section and each sensitive building, the ground borne noise and vibration levels will be numerically predicted. The calculated levels were then compared with ground borne noise and vibration level criteria. The necessary mitigation measures were defined in order to guarantee, in each location along the extension, the allowable ground borne Noise and Vibration max. levels inside nearby sensitive buildings taking into account alternative Transfer Functions for ground borne noise diffusion inside the buildings. Ground borne noise levels were proven to be higher than the criterion where special track work is present and also in the case of the sensitive receptor: "Dimotikon Theatre". In order to reduce the ground borne noise levels to allowable values in these sections, the installation of tracks and special track work on a floating slab was assessed and recommended. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Role of Receptor Sialylation in the Ovarian Tumor Cell Phenotype

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

Chemical Society meeting, Baton Rouge, LA, Nov 2012; (3) 19th World Congress on Advances in Oncology conference, Athens, Greece, scheduled for Oct, 2014...dehydrogenase 1 is a marker for normal and malignant human colonic stem cells (SC) and tracks SC overpopulation during colon tumorigenesis. Cancer Res 2009;69

Knowledge and Perceptions about Nicotine, Nicotine Replacement Therapies and Electronic Cigarettes among Healthcare Professionals in Greece.

PubMed

Moysidou, Anastasia; Farsalinos, Konstantinos E; Voudris, Vassilis; Merakou, Kyriakoula; Kourea, Kallirrhoe; Barbouni, Anastasia

2016-05-20

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of Greek healthcare professionals about nicotine, nicotine replacement therapies and electronic cigarettes. Methods. An online survey was performed, in which physicians and nurses working in private and public healthcare sectors in Athens-Greece were asked to participate through email invitations. A knowledge score was calculated by scoring the correct answers to specific questions with 1 point. Results. A total of 262 healthcare professionals were included to the analysis. Most had daily contact with smokers in their working environment. About half of them considered that nicotine has an extremely or very important contribution to smoking-related disease. More than 30% considered nicotine replacement therapies equally or more addictive than smoking, 76.7% overestimated their smoking cessation efficacy and only 21.0% would recommend them as long-term smoking substitutes. For electronic cigarettes, 45.0% considered them equally or more addictive than smoking and 24.4% equally or more harmful than tobacco cigarettes. Additionally, 35.5% thought they involve combustion while the majority responded that nicotine in electronic cigarettes is synthetically produced. Only 14.5% knew about the pending European regulation, but 33.2% have recommended them to smokers in the past. Still, more than 40% would not recommend electronic cigarettes to smokers unwilling or unable to quit smoking with currently approved medications. Cardiologists and respiratory physicians, who are responsible for smoking cessation therapy in Greece, were even more reluctant to recommend electronic cigarettes to this subpopulation of smokers compared to all other participants. The knowledge score of the whole study sample was 7.7 (SD: 2.4) out of a maximum score of 16. Higher score was associated with specific physician specialties. Conclusions. Greek healthcare professionals appear to overestimate the adverse effects

Lifestyle and self-rated health: a cross-sectional study of 3,601 citizens of Athens, Greece

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Self-rated health (SRH) is a popular health measure determined by multiple factors. International literature is increasingly focusing on health-related behaviors such as smoking, dietary habits, physical activity, even religiosity. However, population-based studies taking into account multiple putative determinants of SRH in Greece are scarce. The aim of this study was to clarify possible determinants of SRH with an emphasis on the relationship between SRH and lifestyle variables in a large sample of urban citizens. Methods In this one-year cross-sectional study, a stratified random sample of 3,601 urban citizens was selected. Data were collected using an interview-based questionnaire about various demographic, socioeconomic, disease- and lifestyle related factors such as smoking, physical activity, dietary habits, sleep quality and religiosity. Multivariate logistic regression was used separately in three age groups [15-29 (N = 1,360), 30-49 (N = 1,122) and 50+ (N = 1,119) years old] in order to identify putative lifestyle and other determinants of SRH. Results Reporting of good SRH decreased with age (97.1%, 91.4% and 74.8%, respectively). Overall, possible confounders of the lifestyle-SRH relationship among age groups were sex, education, hospitalization during the last year, daily physical symptoms and disease status. Poor SRH was associated with less physical activity in the 15-29 years old (OR 2.22, 95%CI 1.14-4.33), with past or heavy smoking, along with no sleep satisfaction in the 30-49 years old (OR 3.23, 95%CI 1.35-7.74, OR 2.56, 95%CI 1.29-5.05, OR 1.79, 95%CI 1.1-2.92, respectively) and with obesity and no sleep satisfaction in the 50+ years old individuals (OR 1.83, 95%CI 1.19-2.81, OR 2.54, 95%CI 1.83-3.54). Sleep dissatisfaction of the 50+ years old was the only variable associated with poor SRH at the 0.001 p level of significance (OR 2.45, 99%CI 1.59 to 3.76). Subgroup analyses of the 15-19 years old individuals also revealed sleep

Lifestyle and self-rated health: a cross-sectional study of 3,601 citizens of Athens, Greece.

PubMed

Darviri, Christina; Artemiadis, Artemios K; Tigani, Xanthi; Alexopoulos, Evangelos C

2011-08-04

Self-rated health (SRH) is a popular health measure determined by multiple factors. International literature is increasingly focusing on health-related behaviors such as smoking, dietary habits, physical activity, even religiosity. However, population-based studies taking into account multiple putative determinants of SRH in Greece are scarce. The aim of this study was to clarify possible determinants of SRH with an emphasis on the relationship between SRH and lifestyle variables in a large sample of urban citizens. In this one-year cross-sectional study, a stratified random sample of 3,601 urban citizens was selected. Data were collected using an interview-based questionnaire about various demographic, socioeconomic, disease- and lifestyle related factors such as smoking, physical activity, dietary habits, sleep quality and religiosity. Multivariate logistic regression was used separately in three age groups [15-29 (N = 1,360), 30-49 (N = 1,122) and 50+ (N = 1,119) years old] in order to identify putative lifestyle and other determinants of SRH. Reporting of good SRH decreased with age (97.1%, 91.4% and 74.8%, respectively). Overall, possible confounders of the lifestyle-SRH relationship among age groups were sex, education, hospitalization during the last year, daily physical symptoms and disease status. Poor SRH was associated with less physical activity in the 15-29 years old (OR 2.22, 95%CI 1.14-4.33), with past or heavy smoking, along with no sleep satisfaction in the 30-49 years old (OR 3.23, 95%CI 1.35-7.74, OR 2.56, 95%CI 1.29-5.05, OR 1.79, 95%CI 1.1-2.92, respectively) and with obesity and no sleep satisfaction in the 50+ years old individuals (OR 1.83, 95%CI 1.19-2.81, OR 2.54, 95%CI 1.83-3.54). Sleep dissatisfaction of the 50+ years old was the only variable associated with poor SRH at the 0.001 p level of significance (OR 2.45, 99%CI 1.59 to 3.76). Subgroup analyses of the 15-19 years old individuals also revealed sleep dissatisfaction as the only

Distribution of nontuberculous mycobacteria in treated patients with pulmonary disease in Greece - relation to microbiological data.

PubMed

Manika, Katerina; Tsikrika, Stamatoula; Tsaroucha, Emilia; Karabela, Simona; Karachaliou, Iris; Bosmi, Ioulia; Kioumis, Ioannis; Papavasileiou, Apostolos

2015-01-01

The aim was to assess the distribution of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in treated patients with pulmonary disease (PD) in Greece. Patients treated for NTM PD at the two largest chest diseases hospitals in Greece, in the period 1990-2013 were investigated. For the years 2005-2013 data on NTM isolation frequency were recorded. M. avium complex (MAC) was the predominant cause of NTM PD disease followed by M. kansasii and rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM). The pathogenicity of RGM was significantly lower than this of MAC and M. kansasii. An increase was observed in the percentage of isolated NTM species that were considered clinically significant over the study period. The increasing number of NTM PD in Greece is a consequence of their isolation being more frequently considered as clinically relevant.

Health literacy among university students in Greece: determinants and association with self-perceived health, health behaviours and health risks

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Health literacy is widely considered as a key determinant of health and a priority in the public health policy agenda. Low health literacy has been associated with poorer health states, broader inequalities and higher health systems’ costs. In the present study we bring into focus the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, researching and assessing mainly their ability to apply basic knowledge in a health context. Methods The study was carried out during the period 15–30 April 2013, among a random sample of 1,526 students of 14 Higher Tertiary Public universities and Technological Educational Institutes in Greece. The objective of the study was to assess the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, adopting the short four-item comprehension test of Bostock and Steptoe. Summary statistics, correlations and regressions were used to assess the determinants of health literacy and the association with self-perceived health, health behaviours and health risks. Results Economic factors, such as family income, demographic factors, such as gender, and health behaviours and risks, namely consumption of alcohol, smoking and physical workout are associated with the level of health literacy and health status of the participant. While the results of the study are consistent with previous work in this area, several findings worth further research. Conclusions Though, health promotion interventions in Greece include health literacy as one of the basic pillars of the public health policy agenda, it is clear, that health literacy needs to become a key policy issue in Greece, mainly focusing in young ages, where healthy (or unhealthy) behaviours are established affecting the health through the life span. PMID:24987522

Health literacy among university students in Greece: determinants and association with self-perceived health, health behaviours and health risks.

PubMed

Vozikis, Athanassios; Drivas, Kyriakos; Milioris, Kostantinos

2014-01-01

Health literacy is widely considered as a key determinant of health and a priority in the public health policy agenda. Low health literacy has been associated with poorer health states, broader inequalities and higher health systems' costs. In the present study we bring into focus the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, researching and assessing mainly their ability to apply basic knowledge in a health context. The study was carried out during the period 15-30 April 2013, among a random sample of 1,526 students of 14 Higher Tertiary Public universities and Technological Educational Institutes in Greece. The objective of the study was to assess the functional health literacy among university students in Greece, adopting the short four-item comprehension test of Bostock and Steptoe. Summary statistics, correlations and regressions were used to assess the determinants of health literacy and the association with self-perceived health, health behaviours and health risks. Economic factors, such as family income, demographic factors, such as gender, and health behaviours and risks, namely consumption of alcohol, smoking and physical workout are associated with the level of health literacy and health status of the participant. While the results of the study are consistent with previous work in this area, several findings worth further research. Though, health promotion interventions in Greece include health literacy as one of the basic pillars of the public health policy agenda, it is clear, that health literacy needs to become a key policy issue in Greece, mainly focusing in young ages, where healthy (or unhealthy) behaviours are established affecting the health through the life span.

Epidemiology of hepatitis C in Greece

PubMed Central

Triantos, Christos; Konstantakis, Christos; Tselekouni, Paraskeui; Kalafateli, Maria; Aggeletopoulou, Ioanna; Manolakopoulos, Spilios

2016-01-01

Hepatitis C is a global health issue and constitutes a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. In this article, a comprehensive literature search was conducted for the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Greece, since data on the HCV prevalence, viremia and genotypes are important for developing strategies to manage or eliminate HCV infection. In addition, the pattern of HCV infection was analyzed according to the geographic region and the risk factors. These differences reflect not only distinct epidemiological characteristics among populations, but also differences on the strategy of data acquisition and quantification. Although there are not enough data, the estimation of the current prevalence of Hepatitis C in Greece ranges from 0.5% to 2%. The most important risk factors for HCV infection include blood product transfusion, intravenous drug use, chronic hemodialysis, organ transplantation, occupational exposure, sexual transmission, and vertical transmission. Because of lack of vaccine or effective post-exposure prophylaxis for HCV, the main focus of prevention is to recognize and control these risk factors. HCV infection in Greece is closely associated with the development of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and primary hepatocellular carcinoma. As far as the genotype distribution is concerned genotype 1 estimated to be 45%-47% and it constitutes the prevalent genotype in Greece, followed by genotype 3. PMID:27688651

An Assessment of Health Related Quality of Life in a Male Prison Population in Greece Associations with Health Related Characteristics and Characteristics of Detention

PubMed Central

Togas, Constantinos

2014-01-01

Background. Prisoners constitute a group with increased health and social care needs. Although implementing policies that aim at improving outcomes within this population should be a priority area, studies that attempt to assess health outcomes and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in this population are limited. Aim. To assess HRQoL in a prison population in Greece and to explore the relationship between HRQoL and a set of individual sociodemographic and health related characteristics and characteristics of detention. Methods. A cross-sectional study involving 100 male prisoners was conducted in the prison of Corinth in Greece. HRQoL was assessed through the use of the SF-36 and the EQ-5D. Results. The mean physical and mental summary scores of the SF-36 were 55.33 and 46.82, respectively. The EQ-VAS mean score was 76.41%, while the EQ-5D index was 0.72. Multivariate analysis identified a statistical relationship between HRQoL and the conditions of detention, controlling for the effect of sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity, and mental problems. The use of narcotics in particular is significantly associated with lower HRQoL. Conclusions. Implementation of policies that aim at preventing the use of narcotics within the prison environment is expected to contribute to improved HRQoL in this population. PMID:25093161

Upper extremity disorders in heavy industry workers in Greece.

PubMed

Tsouvaltzidou, Thomaella; Alexopoulos, Evangelos; Fragkakis, Ioannis; Jelastopulu, Eleni

2017-06-18

To investigate the disability due to musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities in heavy industry workers. The population under study consisted of 802 employees, both white- and blue-collar, working in a shipyard industry in Athens, Greece. Data were collected through the distribution of questionnaires and the recording of individual and job-related characteristics during the period 2006-2009. The questionnaires used were the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QD) Outcome Measure, the Work Ability Index (WAI) and the Short-Form-36 (SF-36) Health Survey. The QD was divided into three parameters - movement restrictions in everyday activities, work and sports/music activities - and the SF-36 into two items, physical and emotional. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed by means of the SPSS v.22 for Windows Statistical Package. The answers given by the participants for the QD did not reveal great discomfort regarding the execution of manual tasks, with the majority of the participants scoring under 5%, meaning no disability. After conducting multiple linear regression, age revealed a positive association with the parameter of restrictions in everyday activities (b = 0.64, P = 0.000). Basic education showed a statistically significant association regarding restrictions during leisure activities, with b = 2.140 ( P = 0.029) for compulsory education graduates. WAI's final score displayed negative charging in the regression analysis of all three parameters, with b = -0.142 ( P = 0.0), b = -0.099 ( P = 0.055) and b = -0.376 ( P = 0.001) respectively, while the physical and emotional components of SF-36 associated with movement restrictions only in daily activities and work. The participants' specialty made no statistically significant associations with any of the three parameters of the QD. Increased musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity are associated with older age, lower basic education and physical and mental/emotional health

Aspects of Quality in Greek Day Care Centres.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melhuish, Edward C.; Petrogiannis, Konstantinos

1996-01-01

Evaluates the quality of the caregiving environment for young infants in day care centers in Athens (Greece) using three global measures: ITERS, PROFILE, and CCFS. Reveals a great similarity among the three measures. Reports a generally low quality for day care, lower than for other countries with similar research. (DSK)

Student Teachers' Perceptions about the Impact of Internet Usage on Their Learning and Jobs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gialamas, Vasilis; Nikolopoulou, Kleopatra; Koutromanos, George

2013-01-01

This study investigated student teachers' perceptions about the impact of internet usage on their learning and future jobs. The sample consisted of 448 student teachers from the Early Childhood and Primary Education Departments at the National University of Athens, in Greece. Student teachers' perceptions regarding the impact of internet usage on…

Teaching Air Pollution in an Authentic Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mandrikas, Achilleas; Stavrou, Dimitrios; Skordoulis, Constantine

2017-01-01

This paper describes a teaching-learning sequence (TLS) about air pollution and the findings resulting from its implementation by pre-service elementary teachers (PET) currently undergraduate students of the Department of Primary Education in the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. The TLS focused on the relation of air…

NATO, Greece and the 2004 Summer Olympics

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

supportive of the Hellenic government, while Greece retained full responsibility for overall security operations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games ...both the Olympic and Paralympic Games with specific NATO support to Greece as follows: • AWACS deployment for airspace surveillance • Maritime...safe conduct of the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games .135 Several more “Factsheets” followed adding to the scope of coordinated NATO and Greek

Application of a Three-Layer Photochemical Box Model in an Athens Street Canyon.

PubMed

Proyou, Athena G; Ziomas, Loannis C; Stathopoulos, Antony

1998-05-01

The aim of this paper is to show that a photochemical box model could describe the air pollution diurnal profiles within a typical street canyon in the city of Athens. As sophisticated three-dimensional dispersion models are computationally expensive and they cannot serve to simulate pollution levels in the scale of an urban street canyon, a suitably modified three-layer photochemical box model was applied. A street canyon of Athens with heavy traffic was chosen to apply the aforementioned model. The model was used to calculate pollutant concentrations during two days with meteorological conditions favoring pollutant accumulation. Road traffic emissions were calculated based on existing traffic load measurements. Meteorological data, as well as various pollutant concentrations, in order to compare with the model results, were provided by available measurements. The calculated concentrations were found to be in good agreement with measured concentration levels and show that, when traffic load and traffic composition data are available, this model can be used to predict pollution episodes. It is noteworthy that high concentrations persisted, even after additional traffic restriction measures were taken on the second day because of the high pollution levels.

Environmental damage costs from airborne pollution of industrial activities in the greater Athens, Greece area and the resulting benefits from the introduction of BAT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mirasgedis, S.; Hontou, V.; Georgopoulou, E.

2008-01-15

Attributing costs to the environmental impacts associated with industrial activities can greatly assist in protecting human health and the natural environment as monetary values are capable of directly influencing technological and policy decisions without changing the rules of the market. This paper attempts to estimate the external cost attributable to the atmospheric pollution from 'medium and high environmental burden' industrial activities located in the greater Athens area and the benefits from Best Available Techniques (BAT) introduction. To this end a number of typical installations were defined to be used in conjunction with the Impact Pathway Approach developed in the contextmore » of the ExternE project to model all industrial sectors/sub-sectors located in the area of interest. Total environmental externalities due to air pollutants emitted by these industrial activities were found to reach 211 M Euro per year, associated mainly with human mortality and morbidity due to PM{sub 10} emissions, as well as with climate change impacts due to CO{sub 2} emissions for which non-metallic minerals and oil processing industries are the main sources. The results obtained can be used as the basis for an integrated evaluation of potential BAT, taking into account not only private costs and benefits but also the environmental externalities, thus leading to policy decisions that maximize social welfare in each industrial sector/sub-sector.« less

The scope of physiotherapy services provided in public ICUs in Greece: A pilot study.

PubMed

Grammatopoulou, Eirini; Charmpas, Theodoros N; Strati, Eftychia G; Nikolaos, Tsamis; Evagelodimou, Afroditi; Vlassia Belimpasaki; Skordilis, Emmanouil K

2017-02-01

The aim of the present study was to determine the scope of physiotherapy services provided in Greek ICUs in Athens. A cross-sectional study was conducted with two postal questionnaires administered separately, one for ICU directors and one for ICU physiotherapists. Responses were received from 19 ICU directors and 103 physiotherapists employed in all the adult public mixed medical and surgical ICUs across Athens. The response rate for the survey completion was 100% for ICU directors and 68.7% for physiotherapists. The results showed a 1:50 to 1:12 range in the ratio of physiotherapists to ICU beds. Among the 19 ICUs, 15 (78.9%) employed physiotherapists on a rotational basis, while four (21.0%) retained them exclusively. On weekdays, all surveyed ICUs were covered by physiotherapists in the morning and 10/19 (52.6%) during the afternoon. On weekends, 12/19 (63.2%) of the surveyed ICUs reported physiotherapy care during the morning and 4/19 (21.0%) during both morning and afternoon. All 103 physiotherapists conducted airway clearance techniques and progressive mobilization, 92/103 (89.3%) were involved in extubating patients, 102/103 (99.0%) in passive and active range of motion exercises, and 61/103 (59.2%) in walking. In conclusion, all Greek ICUs in Athens surveyed had physiotherapy cover. The physiotherapists working in these ICUs in Athens were involved in respiratory care and mobilization.

Cross-cultural validation of the Child Abuse Potential Inventory in Greece: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Diareme, S; Tsiantis, J; Tsitoura, S

1997-11-01

The aim of this study was first, to provide preliminary findings on the reliability and validity of a Greek translation of the CAP Inventory (Milner, 1986), and second, to examine whether there were any differences between Greek and American scores in the CAP Inventory. A convenience sample of 320 Greek parents was recruited from the outpatient unit of a large Children's Hospital in Athens, Greece. Greek scores were compared with American scores taken from the test manual. Internal consistency reliability was high for the Abuse scale (.91), two factor scales (Distress = .93 and Rigidity = .86) and one Validity scale (Inconsistency = .80). The Greek version of the Abuse scale had a similar factorial structure with the American version. Also, 78.1% of Greek parents were classified correctly as nonabusive by the Abuse scale. This rate was increased to 88.6% when invalid questionnaires were excluded from the sample. Comparisons between Greek and American mean scale scores indicated that Greek scores were significantly higher than American scores in all but one scale. Greeks had significantly lower scores than Americans in the Problems with Child and Self scale. Current findings including the high reliability, relatively high correct classification rates and factorial structure of the Greek Abuse scale are promising and support the idea of continuation of research for the development and validation of the Greek CAP Inventory. The difference between Greek and American scores in particular indicates the need for adjustment of cut off scores in the Greek scale.

Rationality, Information Search and Choice in Higher Education: Evidence from Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menon, Maria Eliophotou; Saiti, Anna; Socratous, Michalis

2007-01-01

The paper presents the findings of a study of the decision-making process which precedes the choice of a university in Greece. Specifically, the degree of rationality exhibited by prospective students is assessed in an attempt to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. Information search is used as an…

Counseling in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malikiosi-Loizos, Maria; Ivey, Allen E.

2012-01-01

There is rapid growth in Greece's professional and research activity in counseling, despite the lack of a clear professional identity for the field. It is hoped this will be overcome through the newly started graduate programs. Opportunities, objectives, and strategies for counseling's advancement should be directed toward close and essential…

Education and Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapman, Rosemary

The Greek immigrant student finds adjustment to the American education system difficult and bewildering. This paper reveals the cultural and educational background of the immigrant so teachers may better understand student behavior and thereby help the foreign student through the transition period. In Greece, education is a privilege of the…

GREECE Mission Launching Into Aurora

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-03-04

Caption: A NASA-funded sounding rocket launches into an aurora in the early morning of March 3, 2014, over Venetie, Alaska. The GREECE mission studies how certain structures – classic curls like swirls of cream in coffee -- form in the aurora. Credit: NASA/Christopher Perry More info: On March 3, 2014, at 6:09 a.m. EST, a NASA-funded sounding rocket launched straight into an aurora over Venetie, Alaska. The Ground-to-Rocket Electrodynamics – Electron Correlative Experiment, or GREECE, sounding rocket mission, which launched from Poker Flat Research Range in Poker Flat, Alaska, will study classic curls in the aurora in the night sky. The GREECE instruments travel on a sounding rocket that launches for a ten-minute ride right through the heart of the aurora reaching its zenith over the native village of Venetie, Alaska. To study the curl structures, GREECE consists of two parts: ground-based imagers located in Venetie to track the aurora from the ground and the rocket to take measurements from the middle of the aurora itself. At their simplest, auroras are caused when particles from the sun funnel over to Earth's night side, generate electric currents, and trigger a shower of particles that strike oxygen and nitrogen some 60 to 200 miles up in Earth's atmosphere, releasing a flash of light. But the details are always more complicated, of course. Researchers wish to understand the aurora, and movement of plasma in general, at much smaller scales including such things as how different structures are formed there. This is a piece of information, which in turn, helps paint a picture of the sun-Earth connection and how energy and particles from the sun interact with Earth's own magnetic system, the magnetosphere. GREECE is a collaborative effort between SWRI, which developed particle instruments and the ground-based imaging, and the University of California, Berkeley, measuring the electric and magnetic fields. The launch is supported by a sounding rocket team from

Assessing Fire Weather Index using statistical downscaling and spatial interpolation techniques in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karali, Anna; Giannakopoulos, Christos; Frias, Maria Dolores; Hatzaki, Maria; Roussos, Anargyros; Casanueva, Ana

2013-04-01

Forest fires have always been present in the Mediterranean ecosystems, thus they constitute a major ecological and socio-economic issue. The last few decades though, the number of forest fires has significantly increased, as well as their severity and impact on the environment. Local fire danger projections are often required when dealing with wild fire research. In the present study the application of statistical downscaling and spatial interpolation methods was performed to the Canadian Fire Weather Index (FWI), in order to assess forest fire risk in Greece. The FWI is used worldwide (including the Mediterranean basin) to estimate the fire danger in a generalized fuel type, based solely on weather observations. The meteorological inputs to the FWI System are noon values of dry-bulb temperature, air relative humidity, 10m wind speed and precipitation during the previous 24 hours. The statistical downscaling methods are based on a statistical model that takes into account empirical relationships between large scale variables (used as predictors) and local scale variables. In the framework of the current study the statistical downscaling portal developed by the Santander Meteorology Group (https://www.meteo.unican.es/downscaling) in the framework of the EU project CLIMRUN (www.climrun.eu) was used to downscale non standard parameters related to forest fire risk. In this study, two different approaches were adopted. Firstly, the analogue downscaling technique was directly performed to the FWI index values and secondly the same downscaling technique was performed indirectly through the meteorological inputs of the index. In both cases, the statistical downscaling portal was used considering the ERA-Interim reanalysis as predictands due to the lack of observations at noon. Additionally, a three-dimensional (3D) interpolation method of position and elevation, based on Thin Plate Splines (TPS) was used, to interpolate the ERA-Interim data used to calculate the index

Using Student-Teachers' Reports of Self-Efficacy to Evaluate an Early Childhood Science Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giallousi, Maria; Tselfes, Vasilis; Gialamas, Vasilis

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate teaching effectiveness in an elective science course, in the Early Childhood Education Department of Athens University in Greece. For this, a sequential mixed research design was applied to investigate freshmen beliefs about the effectiveness of their future teaching in kindergarten. An enhancement and a…

Concentrating Solar Power Projects in Greece | Concentrating Solar Power |

Science.gov Websites

;alphabetical by project name. You can browse a project profile by clicking on the project name. MINOS NREL Greece Concentrating solar power (CSP) projects in Greece are listed belowâ€"

ROLE OF VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY AT THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LABORATORY IN ATHENS, GEORGIA

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens GA, is best known by vibrational spectroscopists as the laboratory where much of the pioneering work on the development of a sensitive, real-time gas chromatograph/Fourier transform infrared syste...

Greece and Turkey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Summer is in full swing in this stunning true-color image of the southeastern European countries and Turkey captured by MODIS on June 29, 2002. Clockwise from left, the mountains of Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Turkey are swathed in brilliant greens and shades of golden brown; meanwhile (counterclockwise from left) the Ionian, Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Seas are beautifully blue and green.Running diagonally across the image from the bottom middle to the top right is a gray streak that is caused by the angle of reflection of the sun on the water (called sun glint). The darker areas within this gray swath denote calmer water, and make visible currents that would not otherwise be noticeable.Surprisingly few fires were burning hot enough to be detectable by MODIS when this image was acquired during the height of the summer dry season. A single fire is visible burning in mainland Greece, six are visible in northwestern Turkey, and one burns on the western coast (marked with red outlines). Credit: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC

Evaluation of seasonality on total water intake, water loss and water balance in the general population in Greece.

PubMed

Malisova, O; Bountziouka, V; Panagiotakos, D Β; Zampelas, A; Kapsokefalou, M

2013-07-01

Water balance is achieved when water intake from solid and fluid foods and drinking water meets water losses, mainly in sweat, urine and faeces. Seasonality, particularly in Mediterranean countries that have a hot summer, may affect water loss and consequently water balance. Water balance has not been estimated before on a population level and the effect of seasonality has not been evaluated. The present study aimed to compare water balance, intake and loss in summer and winter in a sample of the general population in Greece. The Water Balance Questionnaire (WBQ) was used to evaluate water balance, estimating water intake and loss in summer (n = 480) and in winter (n = 412) on a stratified sample of the general population in Athens, Greece. In winter, mean (SD) water balance was -63 (1478) mL/day(-1) , mean (SD)water intake was 2892 (987) mL/day(-1) and mean (quartile range) water loss was 2637 (1810-3922) mL/day(-1) . In summer, mean (SD) water balance was -58 (2150) mL/day(-1) , mean (SD) water intake was 3875 (1373) mL/day(-1) and mean (quartile range) water loss was 3635 (2365-5258) mL/day(-1) . Water balance did not differ between summer and winter (P = 0.96); however, the data distribution was different; in summer, approximately 8% more participants were falling in the low and high water balance categories. Differences in water intake from different sources were identified (P < 0.05). Water balance in summer and winter was not different. However, water intake and loss were approximately 40% higher in summer than in winter. More people were falling in the low and high water balance categories in summer when comparing the distribution on water balance in winter. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Characterization of Canine parvovirus 2 variants circulating in Greece.

PubMed

Ntafis, Vasileios; Xylouri, Eftychia; Kalli, Iris; Desario, Costantina; Mari, Viviana; Decaro, Nicola; Buonavoglia, Canio

2010-09-01

The aim of the present study was to characterize Canine parvovirus 2 (CPV-2) variants currently circulating in Greece. Between March 2008 and March 2009, 167 fecal samples were collected from diarrheic dogs from different regions of Greece. Canine parvovirus 2 was detected by standard polymerase chain reaction, whereas minor groove binder probe assays were used to distinguish genetic variants and discriminate between vaccine and field strains. Of 84 CPV-2-positive samples, 81 CPV-2a, 1 CPV-2b, and 2 CPV-2c were detected. Vaccine strains were not detected in any sample. Sequence analysis of the VP2 gene of the 2 CPV-2c viruses revealed up to 100% amino acid identity with the CPV-2c strains previously detected in Europe. The results indicated that, unlike other European countries, CPV-2a remains the most common variant in Greece, and that the CPV-2c variant found in Europe is also present in Greece.

Teachers' Burnout, Depression, Role Ambiguity and Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papastylianou, Antonia; Kaila, Maria; Polychronopoulos, Michael

2009-01-01

The present study investigates issues associated with teachers' burnout in primary education as related to depression and role conflict-ambiguity. At the time of the study the participants (562 teachers) were working in seventy nine (79) Primary Education State Schools in Greece (Athens and two prefectures in the southern part of the country). The…

Primary School Students' Ideas Concerning the Apparent Movement of the Moon

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starakis, John; Halkia, Krystallia

2010-01-01

In the present study, primary school students' ideas concerning the apparent movement of the Moon are investigated. The research was carried out in five primary schools of Athens (Greece) with a sample of forty (40), fifth and sixth grade students. Semistructured interviews were used to gather scientific data and students had the opportunity to…

Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education: Education Policy Advice for Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OECD Publishing (NJ1), 2011

2011-01-01

The future of Greece's well-being will depend on improving educational performance to boost productivity and improve social outcomes. In the current economic context, with the need to get best value for spending, Greece must and can address inefficiencies in its education system. The challenges are significant. For example, Greece lags behind many…

Multi-approach characterization of the Rhodope marbles, Greece used in monuments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotsika, Elissavet; Raco, Brunella; Psomiadis, David; Poutoukis, Dimitrios; Zisi, Nikoleta

2010-05-01

Northern Greece has many archaeological sites featuring buildings and objects entirely or partly constructed from marble whose provenance is doubtful. In Northern Greece, the most probable source of such marble is the Rhodope Mountains. For the purpose of supporting further provenance studies, these marbles are fully scientifically characterized. The sampling took place in several ancient quarries which were on trade routes of Hellenistic, Roman or Byzantine settlements. Trade of marble in N. Greece is proved to have been equally important as in S. Greece, comparing the qualitative marble of Thassos with the best marbles of the south (e.g. Paros, Naxos etc.). The techniques used are petrographic and geochemical (microscope, X-Ray diffraction patterns, Scanning Electron Microscope) methods and stable isotope ratio analysis (δ13C and δ18O). The use of a multi-technique approach with combined parameters allows the best possible discrimination. This scientific investigation both supplements the isotopic database and proves that in N. Greece people used also imported marbles.

Conducting Qualitative Research on Desertification in Western Lesvos, Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iosifides, Theodoros; Politidis, Theodoros

2005-01-01

The main aim of this article is to present some critical methodological strategies employed in a qualitative research study on local socioeconomic development and desertification in western Lesvos, Greece. Through in-depth qualitative interviews with local producers in western Lesvos, Greece, an effort was made to identify and analyze the links…

Elements of Gender-Related Variability in the Selection of School Advisors in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anastasiou, Sophia; Papakonstantinou, Georgios

2011-01-01

Purpose: In many countries, including Greece, women are underrepresented in school management positions. Modern societies recognize sex inequalities in management as a significant social problem and implement human resource policies intended to reduce such problems. The purpose of this paper is to assess the level of gender inequality in the…

"Bullying in Ages 4-7; Teachers & School Environment's Intervention in the Greek Context"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theodotou, Evgenia; Karachaliou, Angela

2012-01-01

This piece of research is a case study that investigates the intervention of teachers and the school's environment as far as bullying is concerned. The children that were observed attend a multicultural school in Athens. A review of the current literature in Greece and in the United Kingdom formed the basis for the offered description and analysis…

Teaching Basic Programming Concepts to Young Primary School Students Using Tablets: Results of a Pilot Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fokides, Emmanuel

2018-01-01

The study presents the results of a project in which tablets and a ready-made application were used for teaching basic programming concepts to young primary school students (ages 7-9). A total of 135 students participated in the study, attending primary schools in Athens, Greece, divided into three groups. The first was taught conventionally. The…

An Allegory of Addiction Recovery: Exploring the Performance of "Eumenides" by Aeschylus, as Adapted by 18 ANO Theatre Group

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zontou, Zoe

2013-01-01

This paper examines the performance of the "Eumenides," as adapted and performed by 18 ANO theatre group. 18 ANO is the theatre group of the Drug dependence treatment unit 18 ANO of Attica's Psychiatric Hospital, which is based in Athens, Greece. Each year 18 ANO organises performances in the wider community with the aim of promoting…

Executive Control at an Early Age: Advance Planning in Solitary Play.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besevegis, Elias; Neimark, Edith D.

Questions concerning the ontogeny of the planning process and its role in the regulation of behavior have been markedly absent from the literature. The present study examines the planning done during solitary play by middle-class children from four public nursery schools in Athens, Greece. One hundred preschool children in five age groups (42, 48,…

Graduation and Attrition of Engineering Students in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caroni, C.

2011-01-01

Greek engineering Schools have a high status and attract good students. However, we show that in the leading institution, the National Technical University of Athens, only 27% of the students admitted in 1992-2003 graduated after the nominal five years study: the median graduation time was 73 months (reaching 93 months in one School) and 12% are…

Medical Informatics Education & Research in Greece.

PubMed

Chouvarda, I; Maglaveras, N

2015-08-13

This paper aims to present an overview of the medical informatics landscape in Greece, to describe the Greek ehealth background and to highlight the main education and research axes in medical informatics, along with activities, achievements and pitfalls. With respect to research and education, formal and informal sources were investigated and information was collected and presented in a qualitative manner, including also quantitative indicators when possible. Greece has adopted and applied medical informatics education in various ways, including undergraduate courses in health sciences schools as well as multidisciplinary postgraduate courses. There is a continuous research effort, and large participation in EU-wide initiatives, in all the spectrum of medical informatics research, with notable scientific contributions, although technology maturation is not without barriers. Wide-scale deployment of eHealth is anticipated in the healthcare system in the near future. While ePrescription deployment has been an important step, ICT for integrated care and telehealth have a lot of room for further deployment. Greece is a valuable contributor in the European medical informatics arena, and has the potential to offer more as long as the barriers of research and innovation fragmentation are addressed and alleviated.

Tsunami Vulnerability Assessment In Greece Using Gis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papathoma, M.; Dominey-Howes, D.; Zong, Y.; Smith, D.

A new methodology is described that uses GIS (Geographical Information System)to determine tsunami vulnerability at different spatial and temporal scales. The method- ology is based on the construction of a GIS database, which may be used by different end-users and under varying hazard scenarios. Primary data are collected for a range of parameters that relate to the natural environment, land use, the built environment, the local economy and services, as well as socio-economic parameters. The methodol- ogy permits interrogation of the primary datasets by several different end-user groups. For example, the GIS may be used: (1) by the emergency services in order to locate large numbers of casualties, to organise the immediate post-tsunami disaster response and to design evacuation routes; (2) by insurance companies in order to set the premi- ums of individual buildings and businesses and (3) by the municipal authorities as a tool for local planning (planning regulations, relocation of buildings). The results of two applications of the methodology in Greece are presented. The first application in Herakleio (Crete) relates to the impact that the 1650AD tsunami would have in the area under the current circumstances. The worse case scenario for the second application is based on the 1963 tsunami, which affected the coastal segment west of Aeghio in Peloponnese. The two case studies provide valuable information for civil protection, disaster management and planning.

West Nile virus--neutralizing antibodies in humans in Greece.

PubMed

Papa, Anna; Perperidou, Parthena; Tzouli, Anisa; Castilletti, Concetta

2010-10-01

Serum samples collected during March-May 2007 from 392 residents of Imathia prefecture, Northern Greece, were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgG antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV). Microneutralization assay was applied in six positive samples. Four (4/392, 1.02%) were found positive for WNV-neutralizing antibodies. None of the positive individuals had a history of travel in endemic area or flavivirus vaccination, suggesting that WNV, or an antigenically related flavivirus, circulates in an endemic sylvatic cycle, at least locally, in rural areas in Greece. Human, animal, and vector surveillance systems have to be implemented to provide an early detection of WNV activity in Greece.

Local Action Plans for Forest Fire Prevention in Greece: Existing situation and a Proposed Template based on the Collaboration of Academics and Public Policy Makers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanikolaou, Dimitrios; Arvanitakis, Spyridon; Papanikolaou, , Ioannis; Lozios, Stylianos; Diakakis, Michalis; Deligiannakis, Georgios; Dimitropoulou, Margarita; Georgiou, Konstantinos

2013-04-01

Wildfires are a major hazard in Greece suffering on average 1,509 wildfires and 36,151 burned hectares of forestlands every year. Since 1998 the Greek Fire Service is responsible for wildfires suppression and response, while prevention and mitigation yearly directives are also being released by the General Secretariat of Civil Protection. The 3013/2002 Act introduced a major transfer of responsibilities from the national to local municipal and regional authorities, which are accompanied by supplementary financial support. Significant new features were established such as the operation of local coordination councils, the foundation of municipality civil protection offices, the establishment of the annually prevention planning for forest fires and the development of local action plans. The University of Athens has developed a Local Action Plan template for municipality administrative levels, integrating scientific techniques and technologies to public government management. The Local Action Plan for Forest Fire Prevention is the main handbook and primary tool of every municipality for reducing the risk of wildfires. Fire prevention and risk analysis are the principal aims of this Plan, which also emphasizes on the important role of the volunteer organizations on forest fire prevention. The 7 chapters of the Action Plan include the legal framework, the risk analysis parameters, the risk analysis using GIS, the prevention planning, the manpower and available equipment of services involved, along with operational planning and evaluation of the previous year's forest fire prevention actions. Multiple information layers, such as vegetation types, road network, power lines and landfills are combined in GIS environment and transformed into qualitative multiparameter as well as quantitative combinational fire hazard maps. These maps are essential in wildfire risk analysis as they display the areas that need the highest attention during the fire season. Moreover, the separate

Building a new space weather facility at the National Observatory of Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontogiannis, Ioannis; Belehaki, Anna; Tsiropoula, Georgia; Tsagouri, Ioanna; Anastasiadis, Anastasios; Papaioannou, Athanasios

2016-01-01

The PROTEAS project has been initiated at the Institute of Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing (IAASARS) of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA). One of its main objectives is to provide observations, processed data and space weather nowcasting and forecasting products, designed to support the space weather research community and operators of commercial and industrial systems. The space weather products to be released by this facility, will be the result of the exploitation of ground-based, as well as space-borne observations and of model results and tools already available or under development by IAASARS researchers. The objective will be achieved through: (a) the operation of a small full-disk solar telescope to conduct regular observations of the Sun in the H-alpha line; (b) the construction of a database with near real-time solar observations which will be available to the community through a web-based facility (HELIOSERVER); (c) the development of a tool for forecasting Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events in relation to observed solar eruptive events; (d) the upgrade of the Athens Digisonde with digital transceivers and the capability of operating in bi-static link mode and (e) the sustainable operation of the European Digital Upper Atmosphere Server (DIAS) upgraded with additional data sets integrated in an interface with the HELIOSERVER and with improved models for the real-time quantification of the effects of solar eruptive events in the ionosphere.

High-burden epidemics in Greece in the era of economic crisis. Early signs of a public health tragedy.

PubMed

Bonovas, S; Nikolopoulos, G

2012-09-01

Economic hardships have unleashed epidemics of infectious diseases in many countries in the past. In the era of the current financial crisis in Greece, it is interesting to assess the preliminary evidence concerning outbreaks of infectious diseases. Description and evaluation of published surveillance data. Greece has been suffering a high burden of different large-scale epidemics during the last three years. These include the increased mortality of influenza during the pandemic and the first post-pandemic seasons, the emergence and spread of West Nile virus, the appearance of clusters of non-imported malaria and the outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection among people who inject drugs. The economic turmoil in Greece seems to impact the infectious disease dynamics. It is essential to safeguard and even bolster budgetary allocations to the public health sector, in order to alleviate the effects of the economic downturn.

Educational Reform in Greece: Central Concepts and a Critique

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gounari, Panayota; Grollios, George

2012-01-01

The case of Greece as the most recent neoliberal experiment can provide valuable insights not only about a generalized attack on the welfare state and the public good, but also about the radical changes in public education that are altering its public mission, vision, and goals. In this paper first we trace the educational landscape in Greece as…

Isolation of Legionella pneumophila from hotels of Greece.

PubMed

Alexiou, S D; Antoniadis, A; Papapaganagiotou, J; Stefanou, T

1989-03-01

Twenty water samples collected from 6 hotels situated in various areas of Greece were examined for the presence of Legionella pneumophila and Legionella-like organisms. Five of the six hotels included in this investigation were associated with cases of legionellosis. Legionella pneumophila serogroups 1 and 8 were isolated from four of six hotels, mainly from the hot water supply system. This is the first isolation and identification of L. pneumophila in Greece.

Impact of space weather on human heart rate during the years 2011-2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galata, E.; Ioannidou, S.; Papailiou, M.; Mavromichalaki, H.; Paravolidakis, K.; Kouremeti, M.; Rentifis, L.; Simantirakis, E.; Trachanas, K.

2017-08-01

During the last years a possible link between different levels of solar and geomagnetic disturbances and human physiological parameters is suggested by several published studies. In this work the examination of the potential association between heart rate variations and specific space weather activities was performed. A total of 482 individuals treated at Hippocratio General Hospital in Athens, the Cardiology clinics of Nikaia General Hospital in Piraeus and the Heraklion University Hospital in Crete, Greece, were assessed from July 2011 to April 2013. The heart rate of the individuals was recorded by a Holter monitor on a n hourly basis, while the hourly variations of the cosmic ray intensity measured by the Neutron Monitor Station of the Athens University and of the geomagnetic index Dst provided by the Kyoto Observatory were used. The ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) and the Multiple Linear Regression analysis were used for analysis of these data. A statistically significant effect of both cosmic rays and geomagnetic activity on heart rate was observed, which may indicate that changes in space weather could be linked to heart rate variations.

Methodological aspects of a GIS-based environmental health inspection program used in the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

PubMed

Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Soteriades, Elpidoforos S; Kolonia, Virginia; Falagas, Matthew E; Pantelopoulos, Efstathios; Panagakos, Georgios; Mouchtouri, Varvara; Kremastinou, Jeni

2005-09-02

The use of geographical information system (GIS) technologies in public health surveillance is gradually gaining momentum around the world and many applications have already been reported in the literature. In this study, GIS technology was used to help county departments of Public Health to implement environmental health surveillance for the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic Games. In order to assess the workload in each Olympic county, 19 registry forms and 17 standardized inspection forms were developed to register and inspect environmental health items requiring inspection (Hotels, restaurants, swimming pools, water supply system etc), respectively. Furthermore, related databases were created using Epi Info 2002 and a geographical information system (GIS) were used to implement an integrated Environmental Health inspection program. The project was conducted in Athens by the Olympic Planning Unit (OPU) of the National School of Public Health, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity and the corresponding departments of Public Health in all municipalities that were scheduled to host events during the Athens 2004 Olympic and Para Olympic games. A total of 44,741 premises of environmental health interest were geocoded into GIS databases and several electronic maps were developed. Using such maps in association with specific criteria, we first identified the maximum workload required to execute environmental health inspections in all premises within the eleven Olympic County Departments of Public Health. Six different scenarios were created for each county, based on devised algorithms in order to design the most effective and realistic inspection program using the available inspectors from each municipality. Furthermore, GIS applications were used to organize the daily inspection program for the Olympic games, provide coloured displays of the inspection results and link those results with the public health surveillance of specific

Process' standardization and change management in higher education. The case of TEI of Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chalaris, Ioannis; Chalaris, Manolis; Gritzalis, Stefanos; Belsis, Petros

2015-02-01

The establishment of mature operational procedures and the effort of standardizing and certifying these procedures is a particularly arduous and demanding task which requires strong commitment from management to the existing objectives, administrative stability and continuity, availability of resources, an adequate implementation team with support from all stakeholders and of course great tolerance until tangible results of the investment are shown. Ensuring these conditions, particularly in times of economic crisis, is an extremely difficult task for large organizations such as TEI of Athens where there is heterogeneity in personnel and changes in the administrative hierarchy arise plethora of additional difficulties and require an effective change management. In this work we depict the path of standardization and certification of administrative functions of TEI of Athens, with emphasis on difficulties encountered and how to address them and in particular issues of change management and the culture related to this effort. The requirement for infrastructure needed to be maintained in processes and tools process & strategic management is embodied, in order to evolve mechanisms for continuous improvement processes and storage / recovery of the resulting knowledge. The work concludes with a general design of a road map of internal audit and continuous improvement processes for a large institution of higher education.

Education For Sustainability - Experiences From Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baronos, Athena

2016-11-01

One of the main issues involved is changing people's attitudes, values, behavior and consumption patterns. University education in Greece aims to educate engineers so that besides acquiring theoretical knowledge, they also learn to show competences and are motivated to act accordingly. Educating for sustainable development also entails the development of critical capacities and the necessary skills to be able to identify and formulate problems. This paper outlines the way in which an approach to teaching sustainability has been embodied in the Industrial Design, West Macedonia Greece. More specifically, it describes a course to develop comprehensive case studies and support material in order to aid, Industrial Design students in understanding the sustainability concepts and how solutions can be developed

Medical Informatics Education & Research in Greece

PubMed Central

Chouvarda, I.

2015-01-01

Summary Objectives This paper aims to present an overview of the medical informatics landscape in Greece, to describe the Greek ehealth background and to highlight the main education and research axes in medical informatics, along with activities, achievements and pitfalls. Methods With respect to research and education, formal and informal sources were investigated and information was collected and presented in a qualitative manner, including also quantitative indicators when possible. Results Greece has adopted and applied medical informatics education in various ways, including undergraduate courses in health sciences schools as well as multidisciplinary postgraduate courses. There is a continuous research effort, and large participation in EU-wide initiatives, in all the spectrum of medical informatics research, with notable scientific contributions, although technology maturation is not without barriers. Wide-scale deployment of eHealth is anticipated in the healthcare system in the near future. While ePrescription deployment has been an important step, ICT for integrated care and telehealth have a lot of room for further deployment. Conclusions Greece is a valuable contributor in the European medical informatics arena, and has the potential to offer more as long as the barriers of research and innovation fragmentation are addressed and alleviated. PMID:26123910

Health, economic crisis, and austerity: A comparison of Greece, Finland and Iceland.

PubMed

Tapia Granados, José A; Rodriguez, Javier M

2015-07-01

Reports have attributed a public health tragedy in Greece to the Great Recession and the subsequent application of austerity programs. It is also claimed that the comparison of Greece with Iceland and Finland-where austerity policies were not applied-reveals the harmful effect of austerity on health and that by protecting spending in health and social budgets, governments can offset the harmful effects of economic crises on health. We use data on life expectancy, mortality rates, incidence of infectious diseases, rates of vaccination, self-reported health and other measures to examine the evolution of population health and health services performance in Greece, Finland and Iceland since 1990-2011 or 2012-the most recent years for which data are available. We find that in the three countries most indicators of population health continued improving after the Great Recession started. In terms of population health and performance of the health care system, in the period after 2007 for which data are available, Greece did as good as Iceland and Finland. The evidence does not support the claim that there is a health crisis in Greece. On the basis of the extant evidence, claims of a public health tragedy in Greece seem overly exaggerated. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in haemodialysis patients from central Greece

PubMed Central

Mina, Paraskevi; Georgiadou, Sarah P; Rizos, Christos; Dalekos, George N; Rigopoulou, Eirini I

2010-01-01

AIM: To assess the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA and the prevalence of occult HBV infection in end-stage renal failure (ESRF) patients from Central Greece. METHODS: Sera from 366 ESRF patients attending five out of six dialysis units from Central Greece were investigated for HBV-DNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Only serum samples with repeatedly detectable HBV-DNA were considered positive. IgG antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) were tested by a third generation enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) were tested by two commercially available ELISAs. RESULTS: HBV-DNA was detected in 15/366 patients (4.1%) and HBsAg in 20/366 (5.5%). The prevalence of occult HBV infection was 0.9% (3/346 HBsAg-negative patients). Occult HBV was not associated with a specific marker of HBV infection or anti-HCV or anti-HEV reactivity. There was no significant difference in HBV-DNA titres, demographic and biochemical features, between patients with occult HBV infection and those with HBsAg-positive chronic HBV infection. CONCLUSION: In central Greece, 4% of ESRF patients had detectable HBV-DNA, though in this setting, the prevalence of occult HBV seems to be very low (0.9%). PMID:20066742

Prevalence of occult hepatitis B virus infection in haemodialysis patients from central Greece.

PubMed

Mina, Paraskevi; Georgiadou, Sarah P; Rizos, Christos; Dalekos, George N; Rigopoulou, Eirini I

2010-01-14

To assess the hepatitis B virus (HBV)-DNA and the prevalence of occult HBV infection in end-stage renal failure (ESRF) patients from Central Greece. Sera from 366 ESRF patients attending five out of six dialysis units from Central Greece were investigated for HBV-DNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Only serum samples with repeatedly detectable HBV-DNA were considered positive. IgG antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) were tested by a third generation enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while IgG antibodies to hepatitis E virus (anti-HEV) were tested by two commercially available ELISAs. HBV-DNA was detected in 15/366 patients (4.1%) and HBsAg in 20/366 (5.5%). The prevalence of occult HBV infection was 0.9% (3/346 HBsAg-negative patients). Occult HBV was not associated with a specific marker of HBV infection or anti-HCV or anti-HEV reactivity. There was no significant difference in HBV-DNA titres, demographic and biochemical features, between patients with occult HBV infection and those with HBsAg-positive chronic HBV infection. In central Greece, 4% of ESRF patients had detectable HBV-DNA, though in this setting, the prevalence of occult HBV seems to be very low (0.9%).

Academic Libraries in Greece: The Present Situation and Future Prospects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keller, Dean H., Ed.

The purpose of this collection of essays is to examine academic libraries in Greece at a time when the potential for changes and advance in librarianship is great. The 15 papers are as follows: "International Interlibrary Cooperation: Exchanging Goals, Values and Culture" (Don L. Tolliver); "Academic Libraries in Greece" (James…

Discovery: The Delian Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Mestre, Neville

2017-01-01

Around 430 BCE it is reported that a typhoid epidemic carried off about a quarter of the population of Athens in ancient Greece. When the gods were asked what could be done to halt this raging epidemic, they apparently replied that the altar in the Temple of Apollo in Delios would have to be doubled in size. After several attempts to double the…

Descriptive epidemiology of chronic hepatitis B by using data from a hepatitis registry in Central Greece.

PubMed

Stefos, Aggelos; Gatselis, Nikolaos; Zachou, Kalliopi; Rigopoulou, Eirini; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Dalekos, George N

2009-01-01

In Greece, there are few data on the epidemiological characteristics of HBV. Our aim was to study the epidemiological patterns of HBV in Central Greece and identify the possible differences in HBV prevalence (clusters) among areas inside this region using data from the hepatitis registry. The study was performed in Thessaly, one out of the thirteen regions of Greece and covers most of the part of Central Greece. A total of 921 HBV patients were registered in the hepatitis registry during the period 1999-2004 while 303 were randomly selected to be studied further using a detailed questionnaire on several epidemiological factors. 187/303 patients (61.7%) classified as chronic inactive HBV carriers, 78/303 (25.7%) had chronic hepatitis B, 29/303 (9.6%) had HBV-related cirrhosis and 9/303 (3%) HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The route of HBV transmission was vertical in 103 (34%), sexual in 46 (15.1%) and intrafamilial in 98 (32.4%). Folk remedies were identified as the predisposing risk factor for contracting HBV infection in 38 (12.5%), previous transfusion in 9 (3%) and unknown mode of transmission in 9 patients (3%). Alcohol abuse was the only independent factor (OR: 2.5; p=0.01) associated with the progression to cirrhosis-HCC. There were specific areas (clusters) inside Thessaly region with increased ratio of HBV infection; Vertical and sexual modes of transmission were more prominent in some of these areas. Vertical, intrafamilial and sexual modes of HBV transmission identified as the major routes of HBV infection in our study. We also identified cluster areas of HBV infection in Central Greece. Alcohol abuse is frequent among HBV patients and is acting as an effect modificator risk factor for the development of HBV-related cirrhosis and HCC. Extended population studies in Greece are needed to assess in detail the epidemiological patterns of HBV and evaluate control programmes.

Application of chemometric methods for assessment and modelling of microbiological quality data concerning coastal bathing water in Greece.

PubMed

Papaioannou, Agelos; Rigas, George; Papastergiou, Panagiotis; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2014-12-02

Worldwide, the aim of managing water is to safeguard human health whilst maintaining sustainable aquatic and associated terrestrial, ecosystems. Because human enteric viruses are the most likely pathogens responsible for waterborne diseases from recreational water use, but detection methods are complex and costly for routine monitoring, it is of great interest to determine the quality of coastal bathing water with a minimum cost and maximum safety. This study handles the assessment and modelling of the microbiological quality data of 2149 seawater bathing areas in Greece over 10-year period (1997-2006) by chemometric methods. Cluster analysis results indicated that the studied bathing beaches are classified in accordance with the seasonality in three groups. Factor analysis was applied to investigate possible determining factors in the groups resulted from the cluster analysis, and also two new parameters were created in each group; VF1 includes E. coli, faecal coliforms and total coliforms and VF2 includes faecal streptococci/enterococci. By applying the cluster analysis in each seasonal group, three new groups of coasts were generated, group A (ultraclean), group B (clean) and group C (contaminated). The above analysis is confirmed by the application of discriminant analysis, and proves that chemometric methods are useful tools for assessment and modeling microbiological quality data of coastal bathing water on a large scale, and thus could attribute to effective and economical monitoring of the quality of coastal bathing water in a country with a big number of bathing coasts, like Greece. Significance for public healthThe microbiological protection of coastal bathing water quality is of great interest for the public health authorities as well as for the economy. The present study proves that this protection can be achieved by monitoring only two microbiological parameters, E. coli and faecal streptococci/enterococci instead four microbiological parameters (the

Mortality of Western Burrowing Owls ( Athene cunicularia hypugaea) Associated with Brodifacoum Exposure.

PubMed

Justice-Allen, Anne; Loyd, Kerrie Anne

2017-01-01

Western Burrowing Owls ( Athene cunicularia hypugaea) frequently occupy periurban areas, where they may be exposed to pest control agents. This short communication describes necropsy findings and detected brodifacoum rodenticide levels for four Western Burrowing Owls in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, US, 2013-15. Levels detected ranged from 0.077 mg/kg to 0.497 mg/kg. Brodifacoum, one of several second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides recently removed from the general consumer market, is still available for use by licensed pesticide applicators. Despite recent regulatory actions, second-generation anticoagulant pesticides continue to threaten predatory species in periurban areas.

Huntington's disease in Greece: the experience of 14 years.

PubMed

Panas, M; Karadima, G; Vassos, E; Kalfakis, N; Kladi, A; Christodoulou, K; Vassilopoulos, D

2011-12-01

A large scale genetic and epidemiological study of Huntington's disease (HD) was carried out in Greece from January 1995 to December 2008. Diagnostic testing was carried out in 461 symptomatic individuals, while 256 were tested for presymptomatic purposes. The diagnosis of HD with a CAG expansion ≥ 36 was confirmed in 278 symptomatic individuals. The prevalence of HD in Greece was estimated at approximately 2.5 to 5.4:100,000, while the mean minimum incidence was estimated at 2.2 to 4.4 per million per year. The molecular diagnosis of HD was confirmed in the majority of patients (84.4%) sent for confirmation. The false-positive cases 15.6% were characterized by the absence of a family history of HD and the presence of an atypical clinical picture. The uptake of predictive testing for HD was 8.6%. A prenatal test was requested in six pregnancies. The findings of our study do not differ significantly from those of similar studies from other European countries despite the relative genetic isolation of Greece. Of interest is the identification of clusters of HD in Greece. The presence or absence of a family history of HD should be interpreted cautiously, during the diagnostic process. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Adult Education in Modern Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boucouvalas, Marcie

1982-01-01

Greece's adult education enterprise is well-organized, well-thought-out, and well-grounded. A sound philosophical, theoretical, and conceptual foundation supports its operational components. A unique feature is its blend of centralization and decentralization: centralized policy and guidance and decentralized decision making and autonomy over…

Greek Immigrants and Greece: An Introduction to the Multi-Media Package on Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mowat, Susanne; Witzel, Anne

This is another of several multi-media packages on ethnic groups in Toronto that attempt to introduce Toronto teachers (especially those who teach English as a second language) to the cultures and societies from which their students came. An introduction to the multi-media package on Greece is given here. Sections included in the document are:…

Public health risk assessment associated with heavy metal and arsenic exposure near an abandoned mine (Kirki, Greece).

PubMed

Nikolaidis, Christos; Orfanidis, Moysis; Hauri, Dimitri; Mylonas, Stratos; Constantinidis, Theodore

2013-12-01

The 'Agios Philippos' lead-zinc mine in the Kirki region (NE Greece) is now closed, but its legacy of heavy metal contamination remains at the site. At present, management of the contaminated land is of major concern. The area is in a reclamation process and requires immediate remediation action, whereas human risks need to be carefully evaluated. In order to assess these risks, samples from around the mine were collected and analyzed and a scenario involving the oral, dermal, and inhaled doses of arsenic and heavy metals was formulated. A Monte Carlo approach was undertaken, in order to model the average daily dose and quantify the corresponding hazard index and cancer risk. A toxicological risk was associated with samples collected in the vicinity of the mine (floatation, mine tailings) and a pronounced carcinogenic risk for arsenic was evident at the broader occupational/environmental setting. These findings urge for immediate rehabilitation actions that will mitigate population exposures and promote long-term environmental safety in the area.

Assessment of General Public Exposure to LTE signals compared to other Cellular Networks Present in Thessaloniki, Greece.

PubMed

Gkonis, Fotios; Boursianis, Achilles; Samaras, Theodoros

2017-07-01

To assess general public exposure to electromagnetic fields from Long Term Evolution (LTE) base stations, measurements at 10 sites in Thessaloniki, Greece were performed. Results are compared with other mobile cellular networks currently in use. All exposure values satisfy the guidelines for general public exposure of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), as well as the reference levels by the Greek legislation at all sites. LTE electric field measurements were recorded up to 0.645 V/m. By applying the ICNIRP guidelines, the exposure ratio for all LTE signals is between 2.9 × 10-5 and 2.8 × 10-2. From the measurements results it is concluded that the average and maximum power density contribution of LTE downlink signals to the overall cellular networks signals are 7.8% and 36.7%, respectively. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Assessment of health care needs and utilization in a mixed public-private system: the case of the Athens area.

PubMed

Pappa, Evelina; Niakas, Dimitris

2006-11-02

Given the public-private mix of the Greek health system, the purpose of this study was to assess whether variations in the utilisation of health services, both primary and inpatient care, were associated with underlying health care needs and/or various socio-economic factors. Data was obtained from a representative sample (N = 1426) residing in the broader Athens area (response rate 70.6%). Perceived health-related quality of life (HRQOL), as measured by the physical and mental summary component scores of the SF-36 Health Survey, was used as a proxy of health care need. Health care utilization was measured by a) last-month visits to public sector physicians, b) last-month visits to private sector physicians, c) last-year visits to hospital emergency departments and d) last-year hospital admissions. Statistical analysis involved the implementation of logistic regression models. Health care need was the factor most strongly associated with all measures of health care utilization, except for visits to public physicians. Women, elderly, less wealthy and individuals of lower physical health status visited physicians contracted to their insurance fund (public sector). Women, well educated and those once again of lower physical health status were more likely to visit private providers. Visits to hospital emergency departments and hospital admissions were related to need and no socio-economic factor was related to the use of those types of care. This study has demonstrated a positive relationship between health care need and utilisation of health services within a mixed public-private health care system. Concurrently, interesting differences are evident in the utilization of various types of services. The results have potential implications in health policy-making and particularly in the proper allocation of scarce health resources.

[Awareness of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Greece].

PubMed

Pehlivanidis, A

2012-06-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopment disorder of childhood that persists into adulthood in the majority of cases. In adults, the clinical picture of ADHD is complex and comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders is the rule. The documentation that the disorder had a childhood onset and the various comorbid symptomatologies present both in childhood and adult life represent the most influential obstacles for the accurate clinical diagnosis of the disorder. In 75% of cases with adult ADHD there is at least one coexisting comorbid disorder, with anxiety and mood disorders as well as substance abuse and impulse control disorders being the most prevalent ones. Adult psychiatrists have limited experience in the diagnosis, treatment and overall management of the disorder. Greece is a member of the European Network Adult ADHD (ENAA), founded in 2003, aiming to increase awareness of the disorder and to improve knowledge and patient care for adults with ADHD across Europe. A clinic where diagnosis as well as treatment recommendations are given after a thorough assessment of adult ADHD patients, is hosted at the First Department of Psychiatry of the Athens National and Kapodistian University. The clinic is in close collaboration with ENAA. The diagnosis of ADHD is given after a detailed evaluation of the patient, based on history taken, self-administered questionnaires and a specific psychiatric interview. The reliable trace of the symptoms' onset back in early childhood, current symptomatology, as well as its impact on at least two major areas of functioning (school, home, work or personal relationships) are pivotal for the assessment procedure. Special attention should be paid in the distinction of symptoms often coexisting with the core symptoms of the ADHD, such as emotional liability, incessant mental activity, avoidance of situations like queuing, especially when there is also frustration, from those indicating a comorbid

Imported Chikungunya fever case in Greece in June 2014 and public health response

PubMed Central

Pervanidou, Danai; Papadopoulou, Elpida; Kavatha, Dimitra; Baka, Agoritsa; Koliopoulos, George; Badieritakis, Evangelos; Michaelakis, Antonios; Gavana, Elpida; Patsoula, Eleni; Tsimpos, Ioannis; Gioksari, Thalia; Kyriazopoulou, Evdoxia; Vakali, Annita; Pavli, Androula; Maltezou, Helena C.; Georgakopoulou, Theano; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Kremastinou, Jenny; Papa, Anna

2016-01-01

We report about the first imported case of Chikungunya fever in Greece in a Greek traveler returning from the Dominican Republic and the associated public health response. We investigated the case and performed focused epidemiological and entomological investigation in all areas the patient visited during the infectious period, to identify the targeted interventions needed. Entomological investigation revealed the occurrence of the competent vector Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) in the environment surrounding the hospital where the patient was admitted and in her workplace. All captured mosquitoes tested negative for Chikungunya virus. We further conducted clinical and laboratory examination of the patient’s co-travelers, gave advice on appropriate personal preventive measures against mosquito bites to the patient and co-travelers and on vector control, and raised awareness among health professionals throughout Greece. The risk of introduction and local transmission of Chikungunya and other arboviruses in Greece and other European countries is present, as the competent vector exists in many parts of Europe. Public health professionals, travel medicine specialists and clinicians should maintain awareness regarding this possibility of importation of arbovirus cases in order to provide the appropriate advice, seek the prompt diagnosis, and implement appropriate interventions. Mobilization of various stakeholders will lead to enhanced epidemiological and entomological surveillance that will allow for improved risk assessment in each area. PMID:27159571

Perceived Effects of an MBA Degree on Employability and Career Advancement: The Case of Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mihail, Dimitrios M.; Elefterie, Kristina Antigoni

2006-01-01

Purpose: Given this rapid expansion in business schools and MBA graduate numbers, the purpose of this paper is to assess whether and how graduate management education offered in Greece makes better managers. Design/methodology/approach: To this purpose an empirical research was conducted, interviewing 68 MBA graduates from a Greek business school,…

PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs in farmed fish produced in Greece: Levels and human population exposure assessment.

PubMed

Costopoulou, Danae; Vassiliadou, Irene; Leondiadis, Leondios

2016-03-01

Fish is among the essential components of Mediterranean diet and has beneficial effects on human health. Farmed fish is an affordable alternative to wild fish and a significant food export product for Greece. Published studies worldwide have reported significant levels of environmental pollutants in fish tissues. Especially for PCDDs/Fs and PCBs, the studies suggest that the most important contribution to human dietary intake is from fish and seafood. In the present study, we investigate the levels of PCDDs/Fs, dioxin-like and non dioxin-like PCBs in the most common farmed fish species produced in Greece i.e. sea bass, sea bream and rainbow trout. These species are widely consumed in Greece and are also exported to many countries worldwide. The mean levels found were WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ: 0.22 pg g(-1) wet weight (w.w.), WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ: 0.88 pg g(-1) w.w. for sea bream, WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ: 0.13 pg g(-1) w.w., WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ: 0.68 pg g(-1) w.w. for sea bass and WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ: 0.10 pg g(-1) w.w., WHO-PCDD/F-PCB-TEQ: 0.43 pg g(-1) w.w. for rainbow trout. For non dioxin-like PCBs, mean sum values found were 8.02 ng g(-1) w.w. for sea bream, 5.24 ng g(-1) w.w. for sea bass and 2.90 ng g(-1) w.w. for rainbow trout. All concentrations found were far below maximum levels set by the European Union and in the same range as wild-caught fish also presented for comparison. Daily intake from the consumption of farmed fish species examined is calculated at 1.3 pg WHO-TEQ kg(-1) b.w., which is at the lowest end of TDI values proposed by the WHO. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variations of Human DNA Polymerase Genes as Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer Progression

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

discovery , cancer genetics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON USAMRMC...variations identified (including all single and double mutant combinations of the Triple mutant), and some POLK mutants • Discovery of a novel...Athens, Greece, 07/10 Makridakis N. Error-prone polymerase mutations and prostate cancer progression, COBRE /Cancer Genetics group seminar, Tulane

Past, present and future of passive homes in solar village 3, Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalogridis, Achilles

Solar village 3 in Pefki, Athens, was part of an ambitious program for the promotion of solar technology, applied to a large scale social housing scheme, designed in mid 80's and firstly inhabited in the early 1990's. Among the aims of the project was the demonstration of the latest of technology in active solar systems and passive techniques, incorporated in a new settlement's layout and houses' building envelop, in order to create an energy saving, comfortable environment. More than fifteen years later, the housing complex remains the largest residential development of bioclimatic "solar" architecture in Athens, with the active and passive solar systems providing space and water heating for about 1750 inhabitants. The study focuses in the passive solar systems that have been applied to a number of the buildings of the settlement. The systems provide space heating with no need of any active mechanism, however with demand of the participation of the end users for their proper operation. The essay reviews various previous studies, monitoring reports and criticisms that have appeared throughout the past years, and identifies how the houses perform today, through a recent survey, sample monitoring and thermal comfort simulation. The report records things that have changed, features which worked well or others that did not and comments on the residents' behaviour. Interesting findings come into question, regarding the passive solar systems, their integration into the building's design, their current condition and their contribution to energy savings and thermal comfort conditions. Finally, current plans concerning the future of the settlement are highlighted, and considerations about the houses sustainability are suggested.

Epidemiology of cardiovascular risk factors in Greece: aims, design and baseline characteristics of the ATTICA study

PubMed Central

Pitsavos, Christos; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Chrysohoou, Christina; Stefanadis, Christodoulos

2003-01-01

Background In an attempt to evaluate the levels of several cardiovascular risk factors in Greece we conducted a population-based health and nutrition survey, the "ATTICA study". In this work we present the design and the methodology of the study, as well as the status of various baseline characteristics of the participants. Methods From May 2001 to December 2002 we randomly enrolled 1514 adult men and 1528 adult women, stratified by age – gender (census 2000), from the greater area of Athens. More than 300 demographic, lifestyle, behavioral, dietary, clinical and biochemical variables have been recorded. Results Regarding the frequency of the classical cardiovascular risk factors we observed that 51% of men and 39% of women reported smokers (p < 0.05), 37% of men and 25% of women were defined as hypertensives (p < 0.05), 46% of men and 40% of women had total serum cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dl (p < 0.05) and 8% of men and 6% of women had history of diabetes mellitus. Moreover, 20% of men and 15% of women were obese (p < 0.05), while men were more physically active as compared to women (42% vs. 39%, p < 0.05). 19% of men and 38% of women had mild to severe depressive symptoms (p < 0.01). Finally, 72 men (5%) and 45 (3%) women reported history of coronary heart disease at entry evaluation. Conclusions The prevalence of the common cardiovascular risk factors in our population seems high. As a consequence a considerable proportion of Greek adults are at "high-risk" for future cardiovascular events. PMID:14567760

Constructing the health care system in Greece: responsibility and powerlessness.

PubMed

Lentza, Vassiliki; Montgomery, Anthony J; Georganta, Katerina; Panagopoulou, Efharis

2014-02-01

Based on health care professionals' (HPs) and patients' interviews about work demands and quality of care in hospitals, the study explores the way that patients and HPs constructed their identities to describe and construct the health care system in Greece. This is a qualitative study using a focus group (FG) design. Seven FGs discussions were conducted: three FGs discussions were conducted for the assessment of job stressors (1 for doctors, 1 for nurses and 1 for residents) and four FGs discussions for the assessment of quality of care (1 for doctors, 1 for nurses, 1 for residents and 1 for patients). The sample consisted of health care professionals working in a teaching hospital in the region of Thessaloniki, Greece, and patients who had at least one experience of any kind in the same hospital. Transcripts of the FGs discussions underwent discourse analysis. The results showed that both HPs and patients construct the health care system based on bipolar constructions of responsibility and powerlessness. In particular, participants use these constructions to allocate the responsibility to different levels of the health care system hierarchy or to the system per se constructing, at the same time, themselves as the 'viewers' of this system. The study allowed a deeper understanding of issues related to quality of care in hospitals providing context-specific information. Identity in health care organizations was inextricably linked to power and responsibility. The need to deconstruct this responsibility/powerlessness ideology is discussed. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

School Building Organisation in Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

PEB Exchange, 2001

2001-01-01

Discusses the past and current organizational structure of Greece's School Building Organisation, a body established to work with government agencies in the design and construction of new buildings and the provisioning of educational equipment. Future planning to incorporate culture and creativity, sports, and laboratory learning in modern school…

Physical and psychological nicotine dependence in Greeks: an epidemiological study.

PubMed

Margaritis, Vasileios; Mamai-Homata, Eleni

2010-01-01

Smoking is the most widespread addictive behaviour in the world, as it causes physical and psychological dependence on nicotine. The objective of the present study was to discern the prevalence and the relative risks of nicotine dependence of adult people in Athens, Greece, as this country holds first place in cigarette consumption in the European Union. A random sample of 202 current smokers (82 men and 120 women) was drawn from residents aged v 18 years in Athens, the capital of Greece. A questionnaire on the physical (Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence) and psychological (American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic criteria of nicotine abuse) nicotine dependence was used. According to the results of the present study, 12.4% of the sample reported null physical nicotine dependence, and 31.7% had low, 25.7% had moderate and 30.2% had high nicotine dependence. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that younger people (aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 34, odds ratio [OR] = 0.047, P < or = 0.033 and OR = 0.096, P < or = 0.038, respectively) were less prone to developing physical dependence. Women tended to be systematically less dependent than men (25% and 37.8% high dependence, respectively). Furthermore, 75.7% of the sample had psychological nicotine dependence. Binary logistic regression analysis and chi-square test revealed that younger people (18- to 24-year-olds, OR = 0.081, P < or = 0.008) and individuals of inferior education (v2 = 7.826, P < or = 0.05) were less prone to develop psychological dependence. In addition, women showed a higher percentage of withdrawal symptoms compared with men (80% and 68%, respectively). The results of the present study provided compelling evidence that physical and, in particular, psychological nicotine dependence of adult people in Athens, Greece, was significant, and this calls for a course of action that should be taken by public health policy-makers to reduce smoke consumption.

A fully automatic processing chain to produce Burn Scar Mapping products, using the full Landsat archive over Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontoes, Charalampos; Papoutsis, Ioannis; Herekakis, Themistoklis; Michail, Dimitrios; Ieronymidi, Emmanuela

2013-04-01

Remote sensing tools for the accurate, robust and timely assessment of the damages inflicted by forest wildfires provide information that is of paramount importance to public environmental agencies and related stakeholders before, during and after the crisis. The Institute for Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Applications and Remote Sensing of the National Observatory of Athens (IAASARS/NOA) has developed a fully automatic single and/or multi date processing chain that takes as input archived Landsat 4, 5 or 7 raw images and produces precise diachronic burnt area polygons and damage assessments over the Greek territory. The methodology consists of three fully automatic stages: 1) the pre-processing stage where the metadata of the raw images are extracted, followed by the application of the LEDAPS software platform for calibration and mask production and the Automated Precise Orthorectification Package, developed by NASA, for image geo-registration and orthorectification, 2) the core-BSM (Burn Scar Mapping) processing stage which incorporates a published classification algorithm based on a series of physical indexes, the application of two filters for noise removal using graph-based techniques and the grouping of pixels classified as burnt to form the appropriate pixels clusters before proceeding to conversion from raster to vector, and 3) the post-processing stage where the products are thematically refined and enriched using auxiliary GIS layers (underlying land cover/use, administrative boundaries, etc.) and human logic/evidence to suppress false alarms and omission errors. The established processing chain has been successfully applied to the entire archive of Landsat imagery over Greece spanning from 1984 to 2012, which has been collected and managed in IAASARS/NOA. The number of full Landsat frames that were subject of process in the framework of the study was 415. These burn scar mapping products are generated for the first time to such a temporal and spatial

Attitude of elderly patients towards cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Greece.

PubMed

Chliara, Daphne; Chalkias, Athanasios; Horopanitis, Evaggelos E; Papadimitriou, Lila; Xanthos, Theodoros

2014-10-01

Although researchers in several countries have investigated patients' points of view regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation, there has been no research investigating this issue in Greece. The present study aimed at identifying the attitude of older Greek patients regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation. One basic questionnaire consisting of 34 questions was used in order to identify patients' opinions regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation in five different hospitals from June to November 2011. In total, 300 questionnaires were collected. Although patients' knowledge regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation was poor, most of them would like to be resuscitated in case they suffered an in-hospital cardiac arrest. Also, they believe that they should have the right to accept or refuse treatment. However, the legal and sociocultural norms in Greece do not support patients' choice for the decision to refuse resuscitation. The influence of several factors, such as their general health status or the underlying pathology, could lead patients to give a "do not attempt resuscitation" order. The attitudes of older Greek patients regarding resuscitation are not different from others', whereas the legal and sociocultural norms in Greece do not support patient choice in end-of-life decisions, namely the decision to refuse resuscitation. We advocate the introduction of advanced directives, as well as the establishment and implementation of specific legislation regarding the ethics of resuscitation in Greece. © 2013 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Spatial and temporal variability of the Aridity Index in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastos, Panagiotis T.; Politi, Nadia; Kapsomenakis, John

2013-01-01

The objective of this paper is to study the spatial and temporal variability of the Aridity Index (AI) in Greece, per decade, during the 50-year period (1951-2000). Besides, the projected changes in ensemble mean AI between the period 1961-1990 (reference period) and the periods 2021-2050 (near future) and 2071-2100 (far future) along with the inter-model standard deviations were presented, based on the simulation results, derived from a number of Regional Climatic Models (RCMs), within the ENSEMBLE European Project. The projection of the future climate was done under SRES A1B. The climatic data used, concern monthly precipitation totals and air temperature from 28 meteorological stations (22 stations from the Hellenic National Meteorological Service and 6 stations from neighboring countries, taken from the Monthly Climatic Data for the World). The estimation of the AI was carried out based on the potential evapotranspiration (PET) defined by Thornthwaite (1948). The data processing was done by the application of the statistical package R-project and the Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The results of the analysis showed that, within the examined period (1951-2000), a progressive shift from the "humid" class, which characterized the wider area of Greece, towards the "sub-humid" and "semi-arid" classes appeared in the eastern Crete Island, the Cyclades complex, the Evia and Attica, that is mainly the eastern Greece. The most significant change appears during the period 1991-2000. The future projections at the end of twentieth century, using ensemble mean simulations from 8 RCMs, show that drier conditions are expected to establish in regions of Greece (Attica, eastern continental Greece, Cyclades, Dodecanese, eastern Crete Island and northern Aegean). The inter-model standard deviation over these regions ranges from 0.02 to 0.05 against high values (0.09-0.15) illustrated in western mountainous continental Greece, during 2021-2050. Higher values of inter

Child Health-Related Quality of Life and Parental Social Capital in Greece: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

El-Dardiry, Giulia; Dimitrakaki, Christine; Tzavara, Chara; Ravens-Sieberer, Ulrike; Tountas, Yannis

2012-01-01

In this paper, we examined dimensions of child health-related quality of life in Greece in relation to parental assessments of neighbourhood social capital and social support networks. For the analysis, two main measures were used: (1) child self-reported health-related quality of life in ten dimensions, as measured by the KIDSCREEN questionnaire;…

Greece's health crisis: from austerity to denialism.

PubMed

Kentikelenis, Alexander; Karanikolos, Marina; Reeves, Aaron; McKee, Martin; Stuckler, David

2014-02-22

Greece's economic crisis has deepened since it was bailed out by the international community in 2010. The country underwent the sixth consecutive year of economic contraction in 2013, with its economy shrinking by 20% between 2008 and 2012, and anaemic or no growth projected for 2014. Unemployment has more than tripled, from 7·7% in 2008 to 24·3% in 2012, and long-term unemployment reached 14·4%. We review the background to the crisis, assess how austerity measures have affected the health of the Greek population and their access to public health services, and examine the political response to the mounting evidence of a Greek public health tragedy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cross-sectional study on awareness and knowledge of torture investigation and documentation among Greek doctors and senior medical students.

PubMed

Orfanou, Christina; Tsiamis, Costas; Karamagioli, Evika; Pikouli, Anastasia; Terzidis, Agis; Pikoulis, Emmanuel

2018-06-05

Doctors in Greece face the possibility of encountering a person that has suffered torture, especially since the high rates of refugees' and migrants' inflows that took place over the last years. In order to assess the awareness and the knowledge of doctors and senior medical students in Greece regarding a manual on effective investigation and documentation of torture such as Istanbul Protocol (official United Nation document since 1999), a cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured anonymous questionnaire. The sample was doctors practicing in public hospitals in Greece, doctors volunteering at a non-governmental organization (NGO) and undergraduate medical students in their final year of studies in the Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23, using descriptive statistics and statistical significance tests.In a total of 289 participants, the mean total score of Istanbul Protocol knowledge was 4.43 ± 1.104 (the maximum possible score was 10) and the mean total score of Istanbul Protocol awareness was 2.04 ± 1.521 (the maximum possible score was 10). The most important conclusion was that among doctors and senior medical students, there seem to be knowledge, awareness, and information deficit about Istanbul Protocol and several issues relating to torture. The overall research outcome highlights the need for the development of a relevant informative/educational program, in order to cover the corresponding existing needs of the population of doctors in Greece.

Awareness and Current Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, and Greece: Findings From 2011–2013 Global Adult Tobacco Surveys

PubMed Central

Palipudi, Krishna Mohan; Mbulo, Lazarous; Morton, Jeremy; Mbulo, Lazarous; Bunnell, Rebecca; Blutcher-Nelson, Glenda; Kosen, Soewarta; Tee, Guat Hiong; Abdalla, Amani Mohamed Elkhatim; Al Mutawa, Kholood Ateeq; Barbouni, Anastasia; Antoniadou, Eleni; Fouad, Heba; Khoury, Rula N.; Rarick, James; Sinha, Dhirendra N.; Asma, Samira

2016-01-01

Introduction Increases in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) awareness and current use have been documented in high income countries but less is known about middle and low income countries. Methods Nationally representative household survey data from the first four Global Adult Tobacco Surveys to assess e-cigarettes were analyzed, including Indonesia (2011), Malaysia (2011), Qatar (2013), and Greece (2013). Correlates of e-cigarette awareness and current use were calculated. Sample sizes for Greece and Qatar allowed for further analysis of e-cigarette users. Results Awareness of e-cigarettes was 10.9% in Indonesia, 21.0% in Malaysia, 49.0% in Qatar, and 88.5% in Greece. In all four countries, awareness was higher among male, younger, more educated, and wealthier respondents. Current e-cigarette use among those aware of e-cigarettes was 3.9% in Malaysia, 2.5% in Indonesia, 2.2% in Greece and 1.8% in Qatar. Across these four countries, an estimated 818 500 people are currently using e-cigarettes. Among current e-cigarette users, 64.4% in Greece and 84.1% in Qatar also smoked cigarettes, and, 10.6% in Greece and 6.0% in Qatar were never-smokers. Conclusions E-cigarette awareness and use was evident in all four countries. Ongoing surveillance and monitoring of awareness and use of e-cigarettes in these and other countries could help inform tobacco control policies and public health interventions. Future surveillance should monitor use of e-cigarettes among current smokers and uptake among never-smokers and relapsing former smokers. PMID:25895951

Clinical undergraduate training and assessment in primary health care: Experiences gained from Crete, Greece

PubMed Central

Belos, George; Lionis, Christos; Fioretos, Michael; Vlachonicolis, John; Philalithis, Anastas

2005-01-01

Background Primary Health Care (PHC) is increasingly being introduced into undergraduate medical education. In Greece, the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Crete was the first to introduce a 4-week long training in primary health care. This paper presents the experiences gained from the initial implementation of the teaching of practice-based primary care in rural Crete and reports on the assessment scale that was developed. Methods 284 students' case write-ups from the 6 primary care units (PCUs) where they were allocated for the period 1990 to 1994 were analysed. The demographic data of the students and patients and the number of home visits were studied. Content analysis of the students' write-ups was carried out, using an assessment scale consisting of 10 dichotomous variables, in order to quantify eight (8) primary qualitative criteria. Results Internal reliability was estimated by the index KR20 = 0.67. Face and content validity was found to conform to the standards set for the course, while logistic linear regression analysis showed that the quality criteria could be used as an assessment scale. The number of home visits carried out varied between the various different PCUs (p < 0.001) and more were reported in the write-ups that fulfilled criteria related to the biopsychosocial approach (p < 0.05). Nine quantitative criteria were fulfilled in more than 90% of case reports, but laboratory investigations were reported only in 69.0% of case reports. Statistically significant differences between the PCUs were observed in the fulfilment of criteria related to the community approach, patient assessment and information related to the patient's perception of the illness, but not to those related to aspects of clinical patient management. Differences in reporting laboratory investigations (p < 0.001) are explained by the lack of such facilities in some PCUs. Demographic characteristics of the patients or the students' do not affect the criteria. Conclusion

Revamping the LIS Curriculum in the Department of Library Science and Information Systems at the TEI of Athens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moniarou-Papaconstantinou, Valentini; Chatzimari, Stella; Tsafou, Stamatina

2008-01-01

In the context of the changes in the information environment, the LIS department of the TEI of Athens developed a curriculum intending to incorporate the changes taking place in the information field's knowledge base, based on a literature review, the comparison of similar curricula in LIS schools worldwide and the demands of the students and the…

Awareness and Current Use of Electronic Cigarettes in Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, and Greece: Findings From 2011-2013 Global Adult Tobacco Surveys.

PubMed

Palipudi, Krishna Mohan; Mbulo, Lazarous; Morton, Jeremy; Mbulo, Lazarous; Bunnell, Rebecca; Blutcher-Nelson, Glenda; Kosen, Soewarta; Tee, Guat Hiong; Abdalla, Amani Mohamed Elkhatim; Mutawa, Kholood Ateeq Al; Barbouni, Anastasia; Antoniadou, Eleni; Fouad, Heba; Khoury, Rula N; Rarick, James; Sinha, Dhirendra N; Asma, Samira

2016-04-01

Increases in electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) awareness and current use have been documented in high income countries but less is known about middle and low income countries. Nationally representative household survey data from the first four Global Adult Tobacco Surveys to assess e-cigarettes were analyzed, including Indonesia (2011), Malaysia (2011), Qatar (2013), and Greece (2013). Correlates of e-cigarette awareness and current use were calculated. Sample sizes for Greece and Qatar allowed for further analysis of e-cigarette users. Awareness of e-cigarettes was 10.9% in Indonesia, 21.0% in Malaysia, 49.0% in Qatar, and 88.5% in Greece. In all four countries, awareness was higher among male, younger, more educated, and wealthier respondents. Current e-cigarette use among those aware of e-cigarettes was 3.9% in Malaysia, 2.5% in Indonesia, 2.2% in Greece and 1.8% in Qatar. Across these four countries, an estimated 818 500 people are currently using e-cigarettes. Among current e-cigarette users, 64.4% in Greece and 84.1% in Qatar also smoked cigarettes, and, 10.6% in Greece and 6.0% in Qatar were never-smokers. E-cigarette awareness and use was evident in all four countries. Ongoing surveillance and monitoring of awareness and use of e-cigarettes in these and other countries could help inform tobacco control policies and public health interventions. Future surveillance should monitor use of e-cigarettes among current smokers and uptake among never-smokers and relapsing former smokers. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Gold and gold working in Late Bronze Age Northern Greece.

PubMed

Vavelidis, M; Andreou, S

2008-04-01

Numerous objects of gold displaying an impressive variety of types and manufacturing techniques are known from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) contexts of Mycenaean Greece, but very little is known about the origin and processing of gold during the second millennium B.C: . Ancient literature and recent research indicate that northern Greece is probably the richest gold-bearing region in Greece, and yet, very little evidence exists regarding the exploitation of its deposits and the production as well as use of gold in the area during prehistory. The unusual find of a group of small stone crucibles at the prehistoric settlement of Thessaloniki Toumba, one with visible traces of gold melting, proves local production and offers a rare opportunity to examine the process of on-site gold working. Furthermore, the comparison of the chemical composition of prehistoric artefacts from two settlements with those of gold deposits in their immediate areas supports the local extraction of gold and opens up the prospect for some of the Mycenaean gold to have originated in northern Greece. The scarcity of gold items in northern Greek LBA contexts may not represent the actual amount of gold produced and consumed, but could be a result of the local social attitudes towards the circulation and deposition of artefacts from precious metals.

Gold and gold working in Late Bronze Age Northern Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vavelidis, M.; Andreou, S.

2008-04-01

Numerous objects of gold displaying an impressive variety of types and manufacturing techniques are known from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) contexts of Mycenaean Greece, but very little is known about the origin and processing of gold during the second millennium b.c. Ancient literature and recent research indicate that northern Greece is probably the richest gold-bearing region in Greece, and yet, very little evidence exists regarding the exploitation of its deposits and the production as well as use of gold in the area during prehistory. The unusual find of a group of small stone crucibles at the prehistoric settlement of Thessaloniki Toumba, one with visible traces of gold melting, proves local production and offers a rare opportunity to examine the process of on-site gold working. Furthermore, the comparison of the chemical composition of prehistoric artefacts from two settlements with those of gold deposits in their immediate areas supports the local extraction of gold and opens up the prospect for some of the Mycenaean gold to have originated in northern Greece. The scarcity of gold items in northern Greek LBA contexts may not represent the actual amount of gold produced and consumed, but could be a result of the local social attitudes towards the circulation and deposition of artefacts from precious metals.

Probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment in Greece for seismic sources along the segmented Hellenic Arc

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novikova, Tatyana; Babeyko, Andrey; Papadopoulos, Gerassimos

2017-04-01

Greece and adjacent coastal areas are characterized by a high population exposure to tsunami hazard. The Hellenic Arc is the most active geotectonic structure for the generation of earthquakes and tsunamis. We performed probabilistic tsunami hazard assessment for selected locations of Greek coastlines which are the forecasting points officially used in the tsunami warning operations by the Hellenic National Tsunami Warning Center and the NEAMTWS/IOC/UNESCO. In our analysis we considered seismic sources for tsunami generation along the western, central and eastern segments of the Hellenic Arc. We first created a synthetic catalog as long as 10,000 years for all the significant earthquakes with magnitudes in the range from 6.0 to 8.5, the real events being included in this catalog. For each event included in the synthetic catalog a tsunami was generated and propagated using Boussinesq model. The probability of occurrence for each event was determined by Gutenberg-Richter magnitude-frequency distribution. The results of our study are expressed as hazard curves and hazard maps. The hazard curves were obtained for the selected sites and present the annual probability of exceedance as a function of pick coastal tsunami amplitude. Hazard maps represent the distribution of peak coastal tsunami amplitudes corresponding to a fixed annual probability. In such forms our results can be easily compared to the ones obtained in other studies and further employed for the development of tsunami risk management plans. This research is a contribution to the EU-FP7 tsunami research project ASTARTE (Assessment, Strategy And Risk Reduction for Tsunamis in Europe), grant agreement no: 603839, 2013-10-30.

Molecular characterization of hepatitis A virus isolates from environmental and clinical samples in Greece

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Hepatitis A virus (HAV) strains detected in environmental and clinical samples were analysed to characterize the genotypes of HAV circulating in Greece. Fifty (50) sewage samples were collected from Patras (South-Western Greece) and Alexandroupolis (North-Eastern Greece) from 2007 until 2009, accordingly. The clinical samples derived from an HAV outbreak involved populations from three neighbouring prefectures of North-Eastern Greece (Xanthi, Rodopi, and Evros). HAV particles were detected by nested RT-PCR, using a previously validated set of primers to amplify a 290-bp fragment encompassing the 5'-NTR. Positive HAV samples were confirmed by sequencing of the PCR product. To determine the relatedness between the different isolated sequences, a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Results Results showed a 100% prevalence of genotype I, and particularly subgenotype IA. The analyzed HAV strains were closely related between them with the percentage of nucleotide identity ranging between 96% and 100%. Conclusions The study revealed the major prevalence of circulating strains of IA genotype in Greece and underlined the usefulness of molecular methods for the detection and typing of viruses in both environmental and clinical samples. The present study is, to our knowledge, the first in Greece to depict the simultaneous molecular characterization of HAV strains isolated from both clinical and environmental samples. PMID:20846383

Western Greece unconventional hydrocarbon potential from oil shale and shale gas reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakitsios, Vasileios; Agiadi, Konstantina

2013-04-01

It is clear that we are gradually running out of new sedimentary basins to explore for conventional oil and gas and that the reserves of conventional oil, which can be produced cheaply, are limited. This is the reason why several major oil companies invest in what are often called unconventional hydrocarbons: mainly oil shales, heavy oil, tar sand and shale gas. In western Greece exist important oil and gas shale reservoirs which must be added to its hydrocarbon potential1,2. Regarding oil shales, Western Greece presents significant underground immature, or close to the early maturation stage, source rocks with black shale composition. These source rock oils may be produced by applying an in-situ conversion process (ICP). A modern technology, yet unproven at a commercial scale, is the thermally conductive in-situ conversion technology, developed by Shell3. Since most of western Greece source rocks are black shales with high organic content, those, which are immature or close to the maturity limit have sufficient thickness and are located below 1500 meters depth, may be converted artificially by in situ pyrolysis. In western Greece, there are several extensive areas with these characteristics, which may be subject of exploitation in the future2. Shale gas reservoirs in Western Greece are quite possibly present in all areas where shales occur below the ground-water level, with significant extent and organic matter content greater than 1%, and during their geological history, were found under conditions corresponding to the gas window (generally at depths over 5,000 to 6,000m). Western Greece contains argillaceous source rocks, found within the gas window, from which shale gas may be produced and consequently these rocks represent exploitable shale gas reservoirs. Considering the inevitable increase in crude oil prices, it is expected that at some point soon Western Greece shales will most probably be targeted. Exploration for conventional petroleum reservoirs

A national scale flood hazard mapping methodology: The case of Greece - Protection and adaptation policy approaches.

PubMed

Kourgialas, Nektarios N; Karatzas, George P

2017-12-01

The present work introduces a national scale flood hazard assessment methodology, using multi-criteria analysis and artificial neural networks (ANNs) techniques in a GIS environment. The proposed methodology was applied in Greece, where flash floods are a relatively frequent phenomenon and it has become more intense over the last decades, causing significant damages in rural and urban sectors. In order the most prone flooding areas to be identified, seven factor-maps (that are directly related to flood generation) were combined in a GIS environment. These factor-maps are: a) the Flow accumulation (F), b) the Land use (L), c) the Altitude (A), b) the Slope (S), e) the soil Erodibility (E), f) the Rainfall intensity (R), and g) the available water Capacity (C). The name to the proposed method is "FLASERC". The flood hazard for each one of these factors is classified into five categories: Very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The above factors are combined and processed using the appropriate ANN algorithm tool. For the ANN training process spatial distribution of historical flooded points in Greece within the five different flood hazard categories of the aforementioned seven factor-maps were combined. In this way, the overall flood hazard map for Greece was determined. The final results are verified using additional historical flood events that have occurred in Greece over the last 100years. In addition, an overview of flood protection measures and adaptation policy approaches were proposed for agricultural and urban areas located at very high flood hazard areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Financial crisis and mental health in Greece].

PubMed

Giotakos, O; Karabelas, D; Kafkas, A

2011-01-01

Several studies indicate an association between economic crises and psychological burden. To investigate the possible impact of the current economic crisis on mental health in Greece, the association between two economic indicators (unemployment and average income) and mental health variables (psychiatric clinic admittance, visits to outpatients' departments and emergency units, suicides, homicides, mortality rates and divorces) was studied. The data were gathered by the Greek Statistical Service and some others were provided by the following hospitals: Eginition Hospital, Psychiatric Hospital of Attica, Athens General Hospital and Evaggelismos Hospital. Simple and multiple regression analyses were performed on the data. There was no significant correlation between the level of unemployment, as well as the average income, and admittance to the psychiatric clinics. A significant correlation was isolated between unemployment and visits to outpatients' department (R2 = 0.40, p = 0.001) and emergency unit (R2 = 0.49, p = 0.0002) of Eginition Hospital. The unemployment rate during the period 1981-2008 was positively associated with the number of homicides (R2 = 0.16, beta = 0.000049, p = 0.03), as well as the number of divorces (R2 = 0.20, beta = 0.005, p = 0.02) during the same period. The average income showed positive association with the visits to both outpatients' department (R2 = 0.55, p < 0.001) and emergency unit (R2 = 0,37, p = 0.004) of Eginition Hospital. However, the data from the 4 hospitals of the study revealed a negative correlation between average income and visits to outpatients' departments (R2 = 0.70, p = 0.02) and emergency units (R2 = 0.90, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant negative correlation between the average income and suicide rates (R2 = 0.37, p = 0.007), as well as a positive correlation between the average income and divorce rates (R2 = 0.73, p < 0.001) were found. The findings show several similarities with previous surveys in

Greece’s Debt Crisis: Overview, Policy Responses, and Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-07

inefficient public administration in Greece, costly pension and healthcare systems, tax evasion , and a general “absence of the will to maintain fiscal...2005 to 24% of GDP in 2050. Weak revenue collection has also contributed to Greece’s budget deficits. Many economists identify tax evasion and...the informal economy in Greece to represent between 25%-30% of GDP.24 Observers offer a variety of explanations for the prevalence of tax evasion in

Reproductive health issues in Greece.

PubMed

Hassan, E; Creatsas, G

1999-06-01

To evaluate reproductive health issues in Greece. Analysis of hospital data and national registry reports. The rate of population growth in Greece is declining and is now 0.99% p.a. The maternal mortality ratio is approximately 3.6 per 100,000 live births, and perinatal and infant mortality are approximately 10/1,000 and 16/1,000 respectively. However, only 28-30% of sexually active women use contraception and approximately 300,000 terminations are performed each year. Sexually transmitted diseases are less common than in 1985: the incidence of syphilis is less than 4 per 100,000 population and that of gonorrhoea is less than 25/100,000. Between 1984 and September 1996, 1,421 cases of AIDS were reported; of these, 1,252 (88.1%) were in men and 169 (11.9%) in women. The incidence of human papilloma virus infection increased and at least 30% of sexually active women are infected. Good reproductive health is of major importance to women and health agencies but there are still significant obstacles to overcome in some regions.

A Marvelous Journey: Calling from Greece to a U.S. Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holman, Lana; Sucich, John

2007-01-01

A unit of study on Ancient Greece is a part of the fourth grade social studies curriculum at Belmont Day School. The students spend 10 weeks exploring Greek history and mythology. This article discusses a new project that the authors conducted, wherein one of them was going to Greece on a study tour, while the other one stays in Belmont Day…

Leptospirosis in Greece.

PubMed

Papa, Anna; Kotrotsiou, Tzimoula

2015-09-01

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with increased public health concern worldwide. The disease occurs more often in temperate and tropical regions. The present study analyzes the demographic, epidemiological and clinical data of 168 leptospirosis cases laboratory diagnosed in northern Greece during 1998-2014. Most patients were males, aged 50-69 years, working in animal husbandry or farming. Cases were observed more frequently in summer and autumn. Severity of the disease was correlated with presence of pulmonary involvement and hemorrhagic manifestations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the intrinsic vulnerability of agricultural land to water and nitrogen losses: case studies in Italy and Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aschonitis, V. G.; Mastrocicco, M.; Colombani, N.; Salemi, E.; Castaldelli, G.

2014-09-01

LOS indices (abbr. of Losses) can be used for the assessment of the intrinsic vulnerability of agricultural land to water and nitrogen losses through percolation and runoff. The indices were applied on the lowland region of Ferrara Province (FP) in Italy and the upland region of Sarigkiol Basin (SB) in Greece. The most vulnerable zones in FP were the coastal areas consisting of high permeability sandy dunes and the areas close to riverbanks and palaeochannels, and in SB were the areas characterized by high slopes and high permeability soils at high altitude and areas belonging to the upper part of the alluvial plain close to the boundaries between agricultural land and mountainous regions. The application of LOS indices highlighted the specific features of both lowland and upland regions that contribute to water and nitrogen losses and showed their ability for use as tools in designing environmental management plans.

West Europe Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-05

Evert on Own Beliefs, Theories , Miltiadis Evert Interview 25 Negative Reaction 30 -a - Papandreou Strategy Seen Favoring Family Succession...14] 12956 CSO: 3617/44.3 24 POLITICAL GREECE MAYOR EVERT SEEN AT ODDS WITH PARTY LEADERSHIP Evert on Own Beliefs, Theories Athens I AVGI in...characteristic of the Spanish business manager." This is a theory which the employers are naturally trying to refute. "We cannot be expected to run

A GIS/Remote Sensing-based methodology for groundwater potentiality assessment in Tirnavos area, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oikonomidis, D.; Dimogianni, S.; Kazakis, N.; Voudouris, K.

2015-06-01

The aim of this paper is to assess the groundwater potentiality combining Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing with data obtained from the field, as an additional tool to the hydrogeological research. The present study was elaborated in the broader area of Tirnavos, covering 419.4 km2. The study area is located in Thessaly (central Greece) and is crossed by two rivers, Pinios and Titarisios. Agriculture is one of the main elements of Thessaly's economy resulting in intense agricultural activity and consequently increased exploitation of groundwater resources. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) were used in order to create a map that depicts the likelihood of existence of groundwater, consisting of five classes, showing the groundwater potentiality and ranging from very high to very low. The extraction of this map is based on the study of input data such as: rainfall, potential recharge, lithology, lineament density, slope, drainage density and depth to groundwater. Weights were assigned to all these factors according to their relevance to groundwater potential and eventually a map based on weighted spatial modeling system was created. Furthermore, a groundwater quality suitability map was illustrated by overlaying the groundwater potentiality map with the map showing the potential zones for drinking groundwater in the study area. The results provide significant information and the maps could be used from local authorities for groundwater exploitation and management.

Mathematics Low Achievement in Greece: A Multilevel Analysis of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karakolidis, Anastasios; Pitsia, Vasiliki; Emvalotis, Anastassios

2016-01-01

The main aim of the present study was to carry out an in-depth examination of mathematics underperformance in Greece. By applying a binary multilevel model to the PISA 2012 data, this study investigated the factors which were linked to low achievement in mathematics. The multilevel analysis revealed that students' gender, immigration status,…

Education and Modernization in Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazamias, Andreas M.

This history of Greek education traces the path of modernization from the emergence of Greece as an independent state in the early 1800's up to the present date. Educational philosophy and content are seen as pawns in the social and political struggles of those years. Detailed coverage of the historical events describes the structure of education…

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning system optimization: a study of the effect of climate, building design, system selection and control strategy on the energy consumption of a typical office building in London and Athens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spasis, Georgios

The increasing demand for air conditioning in commercial buildings imposes a serious threat to Europe's CO2 reduction targets. Architects and engineers are therefore in a key position to help reduce the impact of buildings on the environment by taking appropriate decisions concerning the design of the building and the associated heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The thesis studies the effect of a number of building and HVAC system related design factors on the energy performance of a notional air-conditioned office building employing either a variable air volume (VAV) system with terminal re-heaters, or a four-pipe fan coil unit (FCU) system with fresh air supply from a central plant, using mainly a dynamic simulation tool and the response surface methodology. The evaluation of the energy performance of the HVAC systems is for two types of climate, using typical weather data for London (UK) and Athens (Greece). It has been found that the design variables associated with the solar radiation through the transparent building elements and the internal heat gains should be the main concern of the building designer. On the other hand, the HVAC system engineer should give emphasis to the parameters associated with the plant performance and operation, as well as the temperature control set-points. It has been shown that it is possible to reduce the carbon emissions of the base case scenario by up to 88% depending on the HVAC system and the climate for which it is simulated. The carbon savings, however, are reduced by up to 22% where humidification is provided. This reduction differs depending on the HVAC system and the climatic conditions. The VAV system is more energy efficient than the FCU system, mainly due to the exploitation of the free cooling capacity of the outdoor air. The difference in carbon emissions between the two systems drops when both of them are simulated for the Athens as opposed to the London typical weather conditions. It has

Effects of Early Smoking Habits on Young Adult Female Voices in Greece.

PubMed

Tafiadis, Dionysios; Toki, Eugenia I; Miller, Kevin J; Ziavra, Nausica

2017-11-01

Cigarette use is a preventable cause of mortality and diseases. The World Health Organization states that Europe and especially Greece has the highest occurrence of smoking among adults. The prevalence of smoking among women in Greece was estimated to be over 30% in 2012. Smoking is a risk factor for many diseases. Studies have demonstrated the association between smoking and laryngeal pathologies as well as changes in voice characteristics. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of early smoking habit on young adult female voices and if they perceive any vocal changes using two assessment methods. The Voice Handicap Index and the acoustic analyses of voice measurements were used, with both serving as mini-assessment protocols. Two hundred and ten young females (110 smokers and 100 nonsmokers) attending the Technological Educational Institute of Epirus in the School of Health and Welfare were included. Statistically significant increases for physical and total scores of the Voice Handicap Index were found in the smokers group (P < 0.05). Significant changes were observed for the acoustic parameters between smoker and nonsmoker groups. The results of this study indicated observable signs of change in the voice acoustic characteristics of young adults with early smoking habits. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ecological risk assessment of cheese whey effluents along a medium-sized river in southwest Greece.

PubMed

Karadima, Constantina; Theodoropoulos, Chris; Rouvalis, Angela; Iliopoulou-Georgudaki, Joan

2010-01-01

An ecological risk assessment of cheese whey effluents was applied in three critical sampling sites located in Vouraikos river (southwest Greece), while ecological classification using Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EU criteria allowed a direct comparison of toxicological and ecological data. Two invertebrates (Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus) and the zebra fish Danio rerio were used for toxicological analyses, while the aquatic risk was calculated on the basis of the risk quotient (RQ = PEC/PNEC). Chemical classification of sites was carried out using the Nutrient Classification System, while benthic invertebrates were collected and analyzed for biological classification. Toxicological results revealed the heavy pollution load of the two sites, nearest to the point pollution source, as the PEC/PNEC ratio exceeded 1.0, while unexpectedly, no risk was detected for the most downstream site, due to the consequent interference of the riparian flora. These toxicological results were in agreement with the ecological analysis: the ecological quality of the two heavily impacted sites ranged from moderate to bad, whereas it was found good for the most downstream site. The results of the study indicate major ecological risk for almost 15 km downstream of the point pollution source and the potentiality of the water quality remediation by the riparian vegetation, proving the significance of its maintenance.

Epidemiological Observations on Cryptosporidiosis in Diarrheic Goat Kids in Greece.

PubMed

Giadinis, Nektarios D; Papadopoulos, Elias; Lafi, Shawkat Q; Papanikolopoulou, Vasiliki; Karanikola, Sofia; Diakou, Anastasia; Vergidis, Vergos; Xiao, Lihua; Ioannidou, Evi; Karatzias, Harilaos

2015-01-01

This study aimed at investigating the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in diarrheic goat kids in Greece and the risk factors associated with cryptosporidiosis. Altogether, 292 diarrheic 4-15-day-old goat kids from 54 dairy goat herds of Northern Greece were examined. Oocysts of Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 223 of 292 (76.4%) goat kids and the intensity of infection was scored as "high" in 142 samples, "moderate" in 45 samples, and "low" in 36 samples. Larger herds (>200 animals) had higher infection rates than smaller ones, although this difference was not statistically significant. Significantly higher infection rates were observed in herds during late kidding season (1 January to 30 April) compared to the early one (1 September to 31 December). These results suggest that cryptosporidiosis is very common in diarrheic goat kids in Greece, especially in large herds during the late parturition season.

Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia.

PubMed

Zervoulis, Karyofyllis; Lyons, Evanthia; Dinos, Sokratis

2015-08-01

Aims and method The relationship between homophobia (varying from actual and perceived to internalised) and measures of well-being is well documented. A study in Athens, Greece and London, UK attempted to examine this relationship in two cities with potentially different levels of homophobia. One-hundred and eighty-eight men who have sex with men (MSM) living in London and 173 MSM living in Athens completed a survey investigating their views on their sexuality, perceptions of local homophobia and their identity evaluation in terms of global self-esteem. Results The results confirmed a negative association between homophobia and self-esteem within each city sample. However, Athens MSM, despite perceiving significantly higher levels of local homophobia than London MSM, did not differ on most indicators of internalised homophobia and scored higher on global self-esteem than London MSM. The city context had a significant impact on the relationship. Clinical implications The findings are discussed in relation to the implications they pose for mental health professionals dealing with MSM from communities experiencing variable societal stigmatisation and its effect on a positive sense of self.

Relationship between isoseismal area and magnitude of historical earthquakes in Greece by a hybrid fuzzy neural network method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tselentis, G.-A.; Sokos, E.

2012-01-01

In this paper we suggest the use of diffusion-neural-networks, (neural networks with intrinsic fuzzy logic abilities) to assess the relationship between isoseismal area and earthquake magnitude for the region of Greece. It is of particular importance to study historical earthquakes for which we often have macroseismic information in the form of isoseisms but it is statistically incomplete to assess magnitudes from an isoseismal area or to train conventional artificial neural networks for magnitude estimation. Fuzzy relationships are developed and used to train a feed forward neural network with a back propagation algorithm to obtain the final relationships. Seismic intensity data from 24 earthquakes in Greece have been used. Special attention is being paid to the incompleteness and contradictory patterns in scanty historical earthquake records. The results show that the proposed processing model is very effective, better than applying classical artificial neural networks since the magnitude macroseismic intensity target function has a strong nonlinearity and in most cases the macroseismic datasets are very small.

MIRU-VNTR typing of drug-resistant tuberculosis isolates in Greece.

PubMed

Rovina, Nikoletta; Karabela, Simona; Constantoulakis, Pantelis; Michou, Vassiliki; Konstantinou, Konstantinos; Sgountzos, Vassileios; Roussos, Charis; Poulakis, Nikolaos

2011-08-01

The increasing immigration rate in Greece from countries with a high prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) may have an impact οn the number of MDR-TB cases in Greece. The aim of this study was to genotypically characterize the MTB isolates from patients with pulmonary drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in Greece, and to determine whether there is any association between the prevalent genotypes and drug resistance. Fifty-three drug-resistant MTB strains isolated from culture specimens of clinical material from native Greeks and immigrant patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were genotyped using the mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units-variable number of tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) method. The phylogenetically distinct groups of isolates identified were: the Beijing (34%), the LAM (11%), the Haarlem (24.5%), the Uganda I (9.4%), the Ural (3.8%), the Delhi/CAS (9.4%) and the Cameroon (3.8%) families. Greek patients were more likely to have monoresistant and polyresistant TB with the most prevalent isolates belonging to the Haarlem family. Among foreign-born patients with MDR-TB, the most prevalent genotypes belonged to the Beijing family. MIRU-VNTR rapidly obtained clinically useful genotyping data, by characterizing clonal MTB heterogeneity in the isolated strains. Our results underline the need for more effective antituberculosis control programs in order to control the expansion of DR-TB in Greece.

Chewing lice from wild birds in northern Greece.

PubMed

Diakou, Anastasia; Pedroso Couto Soares, José Bernardo; Alivizatos, Haralambos; Panagiotopoulou, Maria; Kazantzidis, Savas; Literák, Ivan; Sychra, Oldřich

2017-10-01

Greece represents an important area for wild birds due to its geographical position and habitat diversity. Although the bird species in Greece are well recorded, the information about the chewing lice that infest them is practically non-existent. Thus, the aim of the present study was to record the species of lice infesting wild birds in northern Greece and furthermore, to associate the infestation prevalence with factors such as the age, sex, migration and social behaviour of the host as well as the time of the year. In total 729 birds, (belonging to 9 orders, 32 families and 68 species) were examined in 7 localities of northern Greece, during 9 ringing sessions from June 2013 until October 2015. Eighty (11%) of the birds were found to be infested with lice. In 31 different bird species, 560 specimens of lice, belonging to 33 species were recorded. Mixed infestations were recorded in 11 cases where birds were infested with 2-3 different lice species. Four new host-parasite associations were recorded i.e. Menacanthus curuccae from Acrocephalus melanopogon, Menacanthus agilis from Cettia cetti, Myrsidea sp. from Acrocephalus schoenobaenus, and Philopretus citrinellae from Spinus spinus. Moreover, Menacanthus sinuatus was detected on Poecile lugubris, rendering this report the first record of louse infestation in this bird species. The statistical analysis of the data collected showed no association between parasitological parameters (prevalence, mean and median intensity and mean abundance) in two different periods of the year (breeding vs post-breeding season). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of infestation between a) migrating and sedentary passerine birds (7.4% vs 13.2%), b) colonial and territorial birds (54.5% vs 9.6%), and c) female and male birds in breeding period (2.6% vs 15.6%). Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Smoking cessation delivery by general practitioners in Crete, Greece.

PubMed

Girvalaki, Charis; Papadakis, Sophia; Vardavas, Constantine; Petridou, Eleni; Pipe, Andrew; Lionis, Christos

2018-06-01

Tobacco dependence treatment in clinical settings is of prime public health importance, especially in Greece, a country experiencing one of the highest rates of tobacco use in Europe. Our study aimed to examine the characteristics of tobacco users and document rates of tobacco treatment delivery in general practice settings in Crete, Greece. A cross-sectional sample of patients (n = 2, 261) was screened for current tobacco use in 25 general practices in Crete, Greece in 2015/16. Current tobacco users completed a survey following their clinic appointment that collected information on patient characteristics and rates at which the primary care physician delivered tobacco treatment using the evidence-based 4 A's (Ask, Advise, Assist, Arrange) model during their medical appointment and over the previous 12-month period. Multi-level modeling was used to analyze data and examine predictors of 4 A's delivery. Tobacco use prevalence was 38% among all patients screened. A total of 840 tobacco users completed the study survey [mean age 48.0 (SD 14.5) years, 57.6% male]. Approximately, half of the tobacco users reported their general practitioner 'asked' about their tobacco use and 'advised' them to quit smoking. Receiving 'assistance' with quitting (15.7%) and 'arranging' follow-up support (<3%) was infrequent. Patient education, presence of smoking-related illness, a positive screen for anxiety or depression and the type of medical appointment were associated with 4 A's delivery. Given the fundamental importance of addressing tobacco treatment, increasing the rates of 4 A's treatment in primary care settings in Greece is an important target for improving patient care.

Metsovo lung outside Metsovo. Endemic pleural calcifications in the ophiolite belts of Greece

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Constantopoulos, S.H.; Theodoracopoulos, P.; Dascalopoulos, G.

1991-05-01

Endemic PCs and high incidence of malignant mesothelioma from household use of asbestos have been reported in Metsovo in northwestern Greece ('Metsovo lung'). In the present study, we present similar findings in six more areas of Greece. Like Metsovo, all these areas are located within ophiolite belts. Like Metsovo, material similar to 'Metsovo whitewash' has been used for various domestic uses. Asbestos fibers (chrysotile, antigorite and tremolite) were found in three of the six areas. Also, in two, MPM has been diagnosed. These findings suggest that 'Metsovo lung' occurs in several areas of Greece and has similar etiology and epidemiology.

Tuberculosis in Greece: bacteriologically confirmed cases and anti-tuberculosis drug resistance, 1995-2009.

PubMed

Papaventsis, D; Nikolaou, S; Karabela, S; Ioannidis, P; Konstantinidou, E; Marinou, I; Sainti, A; Kanavaki, S

2010-07-15

The Greek National Reference Laboratory for Mycobacteria is a major source of tuberculosis (TB)-related data for Greece, where the TB burden and epidemiology still need to be better defined. We present data regarding newly diagnosed TB cases and resistance to anti-TB drugs during the last 15 years in Greece. Although the total number of newly detected TB cases has declined, cases among immigrants are increasing. Resistance to first-line anti-TB drugs is widely prevalent, although stable or declining. The implementation of an efficient and effective countrywide TB surveillance system in Greece is urgently needed.

Diurnal variation of wind-chill at Thessaloniki, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balafoutis, Ch. J.

1989-12-01

The diurnal variations of wind-chill at Thessaloniki, Greece, are considered using hourly data from January 1960 to December 1977. This is the first attempt in Greece to describe bioclimatic conditions using wind-chill data. The hourly values of wind-chill were calculated by Siple-Passel's formula which still appears to be most widely used. The values of wind-chill are discussed in terms of Terjung's scale. Thessaloniki does not experience “frost-bite” conditions during the coldest months but does experience “warm” conditions during the summer period. A comparison of hourly and daily mean values show that the means do not indicate the real range of wind-chill during the day.

Attitudes towards antimicrobial drugs among general population in Croatia, Fyrom, Greece, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia.

PubMed

Radosević, Nives; Vlahović-Palcevski, Vera; Benko, Ria; Peklar, Jure; Miskulin, Inka; Matuz, Maria; Papaioannidou, Paraskevi; Sabo, Ana; Palcevska-Koceska, Snezana

2009-08-01

A pilot study to assess patients' attitudes towards antimicrobials (ABs) in six European countries (Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Greece, Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia), as a step preceding educational intervention on the importance of patients' compliance with instructions on taking ABs and consequences of their inappropriate use. Patients' knowledge, emotions and behaviour regarding ABs were assessed using a structured questionnaire, constructed by a psychologist and intended for general population in six European countries. Questionnaires were filled out by individuals who visited pharmacies and general practitioners. A total of 838 questionnaires were filled in. Respondents from Slovenia showed the best knowledge about ABs, followed by Croatians. The highest willingness for self-medication reported respondents from FYROM. The most positive emotions about ABs were expressed by respondents in Greece and Hungary, and the most negative in Slovenia. All components of attitudes towards antibiotics were influenced by country and level of education. Behaviour regarding ABs complied with emotions and knowledge in all countries. The results of this study may lay a basis for conducting national public campaigns, as a step forward in education of patients on rational AB use. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Local magnitude calibration of the Hellenic Unified Seismic Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scordilis, E. M.; Kementzetzidou, D.; Papazachos, B. C.

2016-01-01

A new relation is proposed for accurate determination of local magnitudes in Greece. This relation is based on a large number of synthetic Wood-Anderson (SWA) seismograms corresponding to 782 regional shallow earthquakes which occurred during the period 2007-2013 and recorded by 98 digital broad-band stations. These stations are installed and operated by the following: (a) the National Observatory of Athens (HL), (b) the Department of Geophysics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (HT), (c) the Seismological Laboratory of the University of Athens (HA), and (d) the Seismological Laboratory of the Patras University (HP). The seismological networks of the above institutions constitute the recently (2004) established Hellenic Unified Seismic Network (HUSN). These records are used to calculate a refined geometrical spreading factor and an anelastic attenuation coefficient, representative for Greece and surrounding areas, proper for accurate calculation of local magnitudes in this region. Individual station corrections depending on the crustal structure variations in their vicinity and possible inconsistencies in instruments responses are also considered in order to further ameliorate magnitude estimation accuracy. Comparison of such calculated local magnitudes with corresponding original moment magnitudes, based on an independent dataset, revealed that these magnitude scales are equivalent for a wide range of values.

Plasmodium vivax malaria in a Romanian traveller returning from Greece, August 2011.

PubMed

Florescu, S A; Popescu, C P; Calistru, P; Ceausu, E; Nica, M; Toderan, A; Zaharia, M; Parola, P

2011-09-01

In August 2011, a Plasmodium vivax malaria infection was diagnosed in a Romanian traveller returning from Greece. This case together with several reports over the past decade of autochthonous cases in Greece highlight that malaria should be considered as differential diagnosis in symptomatic travellers returning from this country. Travellers may serve as sentinels of emerging vector-borne diseases.

The prevalence of rheumatic diseases in central Greece: a population survey

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Rheumatic diseases are a major health and financial burden for societies. The prevalence of rheumatic diseases may change over time, and therefore, we sought to estimate the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in an adult population of central Greece. Methods In this prospective cross-sectional population survey, a random sample of adult population was drawn from poll catalogues of a region in central Greece. A postal questionnaire was sent to 3,528 people for the presence of any rheumatic disease. All positive cases were further confirmed by clinical examination using the American College of Rheumatoloy criteria. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess risk factors for rheumatic diseases. Results The response rate was 48.3% (1,705 answers). Four hundred and twenty individuals (24.6%) had a rheumatic disease. The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis was 0.58% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32-0.87), of psoriatic arthritis was 0.35% (95% CI, 0.33-1.13), of ankylosing spondylitis was 0.29% (95% CI, 0.28-0.94), of primary Sjögren's syndrome was 0.23% (95% CI, 0.22-0.75) and of systemic lupus erythematosus was 0.11% (95% CI, 0.11-0.37). One individual had systemic sclerosis (prevalence, 0.058%), 1 individual had dermatomyositis (prevalence, 0.058%; 95% CI, 0.05-0.18), 2 individuals had vasculitis (prevalence 0.11%; 95% CI, 0.11-0.37), 81 individuals had gout (prevalence, 4.75%; 95% CI, 4.41-5.13), and 304 individuals had osteoarthritis (OA) (prevalence 17.82%; 95% CI, 16.50-19.34). Gout was associated with male gender, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, and OA was associated with age, female gender, and hypertension. Conclusions Rheumatic diseases are common in central Greece, affecting nearly a quarter of adult population. OA and gout are the most common joint disorders. PMID:20504294

Invisible Barriers: The Career Progress of Women Secondary School Principals in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaparou, Maria; Bush, Tony

2007-01-01

This paper examines the career progress of female principals in Greek secondary schools and the under-representation of women in management positions. Drawing on in-depth interviews with six women principals in Athens, the paper considers the factors affecting women's participation in school management. The findings demonstrate that women are…

Evaluation of a digital food photography atlas used as portion size measurement aid in dietary surveys in Greece.

PubMed

Naska, Androniki; Valanou, Elisavet; Peppa, Eleni; Katsoulis, Michail; Barbouni, Anastasia; Trichopoulou, Antonia

2016-09-01

To evaluate how well respondents perceive digital images of food portions commonly consumed in Greece. The picture series was defined on the basis of usual dietary intakes assessed in earlier large-scale studies in Greece. The evaluation included 2218 pre-weighed actual portions shown to participants, who were subsequently asked to link each portion to a food picture. Mean differences between picture numbers selected and portions actually shown were compared using the Wilcoxon paired signed-rank test. The effect of personal characteristics on participants' selections was evaluated through unpaired t tests (sex and school years) or through Tukey-Kramer pairwise comparisons (age and food groups). Testing of participants' perception of digital food images used in the Greek national nutrition survey. Individuals (n 103, 61 % females) aged 12 years and over, selected on the basis of the target population of the Greek nutrition survey using convenience sampling. Individuals selected the correct or adjacent image in about 90 % of the assessments and tended to overestimate small and underestimate large quantities. Photographs of Greek traditional pies and meat-based pastry dishes led participants to perceive the amounts in the photos larger than they actually were. Adolescents were more prone to underestimating food quantities through the pictures. The digital food atlas appears generally suitable to be used for the estimation of average food intakes in large-scale dietary surveys in Greece. However, individuals who consistently consume only small or only large food portions may have biased perceptions in relation to others.

The economic burden of treating neonates in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Greece

PubMed Central

Geitona, Mary; Hatzikou, Magdalini; Hatzistamatiou, Zoi; Anastasiadou, Aggeliki; Theodoratou, Theodora D

2007-01-01

Background In a period when a public-private mix in Greece is under consideration and hospital budgets become restrained, economic assessment is important for rational decision making. The study aimed to estimate the hospitalization cost of neonates admitted to the ICUs and demonstrate discrepancies with reimbursement. Methods Chosen methodology was based on the selection of medical records of all NICUs and intermediate care admissions within February to April 2004. Neonates (n = 99) were classified according to birthweight and gestational age. Results Mean cost per infant was estimated at €5.485 while reimbursement from social funds arises to €3.952. Costs per birthweight or gestational age show an inverse relationship. Personnel costs accounted for 59.9%, followed by enteral/parenteral feeding (16.14%) and pharmaceuticals expenses (11.10%) of all resources consumed. Sensitivity analysis increases the robustness of the results Conclusion Neonatal intensive care in Greece is associated with significant costs that exceed reimbursement from social funds. Reimbursement should be adjusted to make neonatal intensive care economically viable to private hospitals and thus, increase capacity of the services provided. PMID:17634126

Regional differences in mortality in Greece (1984–2004): The case of Thrace

PubMed Central

Papastergiou, Panagiotis; Rachiotis, George; Polyzou, Konstantina; Zilidis, Christos; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2008-01-01

Background Mortality differences at national level can generate hypothesis on possible causal association that could be further investigated. The aim of the present study was to identify regions with high mortality rates in Greece. Methods Age adjusted specific mortality rates by gender were calculated in each of the 10 regions of Greece during the period 1984–2004. Moreover standardized mortality rates (SMR) were also calculated by using population census data of years 1981, 1991, 2001. The mortality rates were examined in relation to GDP per capita, the ratio of hospital beds, and doctors per population for each region. Results During the study period, the region of Thrace recorded the highest mortality rate at almost all age groups in both sexes among the ten Greek regions. Thrace had one of the lowest GDP per capita (11 123 Euro) and recorded low ratios of Physicians (284) per 100 000 inhabitants in comparison to the national ratios. Moreover the ratio of hospital beds per population was in Thrace very low (268/100 000) in comparison to the national ratio (470/100 000). Thrace is the Greek region with the highest percentage of Muslim population (33%). Multivariate analysis revealed that GDP and doctors/100000 inhabitants were associated with increased mortality in Thrace. Conclusion Thrace is the region with the highest mortality rate in Greece. Further research is needed to assess the contribution of each possible risk factor to the increased mortality rate of Thrace which could have important public health implications. PMID:18721482

The plight of the beaches of Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewing, L.; Foteinis, S.; Kalligeris, N.; Palaiologou, A.; Synolakis, C. E.

2008-12-01

The coastlines of the Greece are rapidly retreating at a rate that has increased substantially in the past decade. We describe here specific examples of rapid erosion and we speculate as to the causes. In some instances, erosion is advancing at a rate of 1m/year. As in other parts of the Mediterranean, the causes are anthropogenic and include sand mining from the beaches and rivers, poor design of coastal structures that create reflection patterns that focus waves on vulnerable areas, removal of sand dunes to build roads, and coastal construction too close to shoreline. The underlying problem is the complete lack of any semblance of coastal zone management in Greece and antiquated legislation. We conclude that unless urgent salvage measures to protect the beaches and end sand mining and dune removal, several beaches will disappear within the next decade.

Observing variable stars at the University of Athens Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gazeas, K.; Manimanis, V. N.; Niarchos, P. G.

In 1999 the University of Athens installed a 0.4-m Cassegrain telescope (CCT-16, by DFM Engineering) on the roof of the Department of Astrophysics, Astronomy and Mechanics, equipped with a ST-8 CCD camera and Bessel UBVRI filters. Although the telescope was built for educational purposes, we found it can be a perfect research instrument, as we can obtain fine quality light curves of bright variable stars, even from a place close to the city center. Light curves of the δ Scuti star V1162 Ori and of the sdB star PG 1336-018 are presented, showing the ability of a 40-cm telescope to detect negligible luminosity fluctuations of relatively bright variable stars. To date, we succeed in making photometry of stars down to 15th magnitude with satisfactory results. We expect to achieve even better results in the future, as our methods still improve, and as the large number of relatively bright stars gives us the chance to study various fields of CCD photometry of variables.

Birthweight, breast-feeding, parental weight and prevalence of obesity in schoolchildren aged 10-12 years, in Greece; the Physical Activity, Nutrition and Allergies in Children Examined in Athens (PANACEA) study.

PubMed

Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Papadimitriou, Anastasios; Anthracopoulos, Michael B; Konstantinidou, Maria; Antonogeorgos, George; Fretzayas, Andrew; Priftis, Kostas N

2008-08-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a sample of Greek children aged 10-12 years, and to evaluate these rates in relation to parental weight and birthweight. During the 2005-2006 school period, 700 schoolchildren (323 boys, 377 girls) were randomly recruited from 18 schools, in Athens. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Cut-off points for BMI defining obesity and overweight for gender and age were calculated in accordance with international standards. Overall, 8.6% of boys and 9.0% of girls were obese, and 33.9% of boys and 22.1% of girls were overweight. Having an obese parent increased the odds of having an overweight or obese child (P < 0.01). Compared to non-breast-fed, boys who were breast-fed for >3 months had 70% lower likelihood of being overweight or obese (P < 0.01) and breast-fed girls had 80% lower odds (P < 0.01). Excessive birthweight (>3500 g) increased by 2.5-fold the likelihood of being overweight or obese only in girls (P < 0.05). Parental weight, lack of breast-feeding and excess birthweight (in girls) were significant predictors of overweight or obesity in Greek children aged 10-12 years.

Mapping seismic intensity using twitter data; A Case study: The February 26th, 2014 M5.9 Kefallinia (Greece) earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arapostathis, Stathis; Parcharidis, Isaak; Kalogeras, Ioannis; Drakatos, George

2015-04-01

In this paper we present an innovative approach for the development of seismic intensity maps in minimum time frame. As case study, a recent earthquake that occurred in Western Greece (Kefallinia Island, on February 26, 2014) is used. The magnitude of the earthquake was M=5.9 (Institute of Geodynamics - National Observatory of Athens). Earthquake's effects comprising damages in property and changes of the physical environment in the area. The innovative part of this research is that we use crowdsourcing as a source to assess macroseismic intensity information, coming out from twitter content. Twitter as a social media service with micro-blogging characteristics, a semantic structure which allows the storage of spatial content, and a high volume production of user generated content is a suitable source to obtain and extract knowledge related to macroseismic intensity in different geographic areas and in short time periods. Moreover the speed in which twitter content is generated affects us to have accurate results only a few hours after the occurrence of the earthquake. The method used in order to extract, evaluate and map the intensity related information is described in brief in this paper. At first, we pick out all the tweets that have been posted within the first 48 hours, including information related to intensity and refer to a geographic location. The geo-referencing of these tweets and their association with an intensity grade according to the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS98) based on the information they contain in text followed. Finally, we apply various spatial statistics and GIS methods, and we interpolate the values to cover all the appropriate geographic areas. The final output contains macroseismic intensity maps for the Lixouri area (Kefallinia Island), produced from twitter data that have been posted in the first six, twelve, twenty four and forty eight hours after the earthquake occurrence. Results are compared with other intensity maps for same

Seminar on Basic Documentation Practices (Les Pratiques de Base en Matiere de Documentation)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-08-01

information might be of high S ...........I................... interest to a competitor because of its commercial value, since its knowledge might save years...Consultant and Exchange Programme ofAGARD presented on" 3rd--4th.September 1992 in Ankara, Turkey, 7th--gth September 1992 in Athen~ s , Greece and lIt...l lth September 1992 in Lisbon, Portugal. S ~NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION Published August 1992 I Ditrbtinand Availability on Back Cover AGARD-R

Quantifying the water-energy nexus in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ziogou, Isidoros; Zachariadis, Theodoros

2017-11-01

In this paper we provide an assessment of the water-energy nexus for Greece. More specifically, the amount of freshwater consumed per unit of energy produced is determined: for both conventional (lignite, diesel and fuel oil-fired) and advanced (combined operation of gas turbine) thermal power plants in the electricity generation sector; for extraction and refining activities in the primary energy production sector; and for the production of biodiesel that is used as a blend in the ultimately delivered automotive diesel fuel. In addition, the amount of electricity consumed for the purposes of water supply and sewerage is presented. In view of the expected effects of climate change in the Mediterranean region, the results of this study highlight the need for authorities to prepare a national strategy that will ensure climate resilience in both energy and water sectors of the country.

Assessing Lead, Nickel, and Zinc Pollution in Topsoil from a Historic Shooting Range Rehabilitated into a Public Urban Park.

PubMed

Urrutia-Goyes, Ricardo; Argyraki, Ariadne; Ornelas-Soto, Nancy

2017-06-30

Soil contamination is a persistent problem in the world. The redevelopment of a site with a historical deposition of metals might conceal the threat of remaining pollution, especially when the site has become a public place. In this study, human health risk assessment is performed after defining the concentrations of Pb, Ni, and Zn in the topsoil of a former shooting range rehabilitated into a public park in the Municipality of Kesariani (Athens, Greece). A methodology that uses inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, 13 samples), another that uses portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) following a dense sample design (91 samples), and a hybrid approach that combines both, were used to obtain the concentrations of the trace elements. The enrichment factor and geoacummulation index were calculated to define the degree of pollution of the site. The hazard quotient and cancer risk indicators were also computed to find the risk to which the population is exposed. The present study reveals high non-carcinogenic health risk due to Pb pollution with ingestion as the main exposure pathway. The carcinogenic risk for Pb is within tolerable limits, but the definition of land use might alter such a statement. Lastly, regarding Ni and Zn, the site is unpolluted and there is insignificant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks.

Assessment of the occupational exposure at a fertiliser industry in the northern part of Greece.

PubMed

Potiriadis, C; Koukouliou, V; Seferlis, S; Kehagia, K

2011-03-01

In the northern part of Greece, close to the city of Kavala, a phosphoric acid production industry has operated since 1965. The raw material used is the phosphate rock imported from the foreign countries. During industrial processes, naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM) deposits exist in many facilities in the industry, causing increased levels of radiation exposure. Additionally, increased levels of NORM concentrations are also detected in the waste material of the production process, the phosphogypsum. According to the Greek Regulations for Radiation Protection (no. 216B, 5/3/2001), which is in accordance with the 96/29/EURATOM 31/5/1996, the action levels concerning the effective dose to workers at workplaces due to natural radiation sources are 1 mSv y(-1). Work activities where the corresponding doses exceed 6 mSv y(-1) are under the control of the Greek Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). The mean yearly radon concentration action level at workplaces is 400 Bq m(-3), while the corresponding concentration limit is 3000 Bq m(-3), respectively. GAEC, according to its constitutional law, is the responsible organisation to enforce and to implement the law by means of in situ surveys and laboratory measurements. The first inspection of the area was performed in 2002 and the first measures were proposed. Periodic inspections were performed every 2 y in order to extend the operation licensing of the industry. In this work a dose assessment of the workers based on in situ and laboratory measurements is presented. In order to assess the doses to the workers the external and the internal doses are estimated.

Pesticides in the surface waters of Lake Vistonis Basin, Greece: Occurrence and environmental risk assessment.

PubMed

Papadakis, Emmanouil-Nikolaos; Tsaboula, Aggeliki; Kotopoulou, Athina; Kintzikoglou, Katerina; Vryzas, Zisis; Papadopoulou-Mourkidou, Euphemia

2015-12-01

A study was undertaken for the evaluation of the pesticide pollution caused by the agricultural activities in the basin of Lake Vistonis, Greece during the years 2010-2012. Water samples were collected from Lake Vistonis, four major rivers and various small streams and agriculture drainage canals. The concentration of 302 compounds was determined after solid-phase extraction of the water samples and subsequent LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS analysis of the extracts. Overall, herbicides were the most frequently detected pesticides (57%), followed by insecticides (28%) and fungicides (14%). In Lake Vistonis 11 pesticides were detected. Specifically, fluometuron was detected in the 75% of the samples (maximum concentration 0.088 μg/L) whereas lambda-cyhalothrin was detected in all the samples of spring 2011 and alphamethrin in all the samples of spring 2012 (maximum concentration 0.041 and 0.168 μg/L, respectively). In the rivers and drainage canals 68 pesticides were detected. Specifically, fluometuron was detected in the 53% of the samples (maximum concentration 317.6 μg/L) followed by chlorpyrifos and prometryn (16 and 13% of the samples respectively). An environmental risk assessment was performed by employing the Risk Quotient (RQ) method. The risk assessment revealed that at least one pesticide concentration led to a RQ>1 in 20% of the samples. In Lake Vistonis, alphamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin concentrations resulted in RQ>1, whereas in the other water bodies this was mainly the result of chlorpyrifos-methyl and alphamethrin exposure. In contrast, herbicide and fungicide concentrations contributed substantially less to environmental risks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mental health problems of Army personnel seen in medical outpatient clinics in Greece.

PubMed

Argyropoulos, Ioannis Th; Samakouri, Maria A; Balascas, Dimitrios K; Dalapascha, Melpomeni; Pallas, Dimitrios P; Livaditis, Miltos D

2005-01-01

The problem of the underdiagnosis and inadequate treatment of mental disorders in people who visit health services has been studied in Greece as well as in other countries. There is not, however, enough research data for military personnel. The purpose of the present study is to assess the psychiatric morbidity of military personnel referred to outpatient clinics for physical problems. Two hundred twenty-two (222) males serving in the Army, aged 21.9 +/- 2.8 years, were examined when they visited the outpatient clinics of a General Military Hospital of a border area of Greece. They gave information concerning demographic data, completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and were assessed by the psychiatric interview M.I.N.I. (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview). Eighty-two out of 222 individuals (36.9%) were classified as GHQ cases. Enlisted men and personnel with chronic physical disabilities were classified more often as cases than were professionals and physically able military men. Those referred for fractures had fewer psychiatric problems than those referred for other reasons. The most common diagnoses were anxiety disorders, major depressive episode, and alcohol abuse. A large number of military personnel present undiagnosed psychological problems despite attempts in the last few years by army services to develop mechanisms of timely diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric cases. Measures for the improvement of this situation are discussed.

Urban wastewater and stormwater technologies in ancient Greece.

PubMed

Angelakis, A N; Koutsoyiannis, D; Tchobanoglous, G

2005-01-01

The status of urban sewerage and stormwater drainage systems in ancient Greece is reviewed, based on the results of archaeological studies of the 20th century. Emphasis is given to the construction, operation, and management of sewerage and stormwater drainage systems during the Minoan period (2nd millennium B.C.). The achievements of this period in dealing with the hygienic and the functional requirements of palaces and cities, were so advanced that they can only be compared to modern urban water systems, developed in Europe and North America in the second half of the 19th century A.D. The advanced Minoan technologies were exported to all parts of Greece in later periods of the Greek civilization, i.e. in Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods.

Development of the Social Capital Questionnaire in Greece.

PubMed

Kritsotakis, George; Koutis, Antonis D; Alegakis, Athanassios K; Philalithis, Anastas E

2008-06-01

The Greek version of the social capital questionnaire (SCQ-G) was evaluated in a sample of 521 adults drawn from three different urban areas in Greece. Exploratory factor analysis followed by multi-trait scaling yielded six factors: Participation in the Community, Feelings of Safety, Family/Friends Connections, Value of Life and Social Agency, Tolerance of Diversity, and Work Connections. The factor solution is similar to the patterns identified originally in Australia and the US. Variations suggest that social capital does not share the same structure in different countries. The SCQ-G is a useful scale to measure individual-level social capital in Greece. Social capital measurement tools should be validated in each cultural or national setting in which they are used.

Economic crisis, austerity and unmet healthcare needs: the case of Greece.

PubMed

Zavras, Dimitris; Zavras, Athanasios I; Kyriopoulos, Ilias-Ioannis; Kyriopoulos, John

2016-07-27

The programme for fiscal consolidation in Greece has led to income decrease and several changes in health policy. In this context, this study aims to assess how economic crisis affected unmet healthcare needs in Greece. Time series analysis was performed for the years 2004 through 2011 using the EU-SILC database. The dependent variable was the percentage of people who had medical needs but did not use healthcare services. Median income, unemployment and time period were used as independent variables. We also compared self-reported unmet healthcare needs drawn from a national survey conducted in pre-crisis 2006 with a similar survey from 2011 (after the onset of the crisis). A common questionnaire was used in both years to assess unmet healthcare needs, including year of survey, gender, age, health status, chronic disease, educational level, income, employment, health insurance status, and prefecture. The outcome of interest was unmet healthcare needs due to financial reasons. Ordinary least squares, as well as logistic regression analysis were conducted to analyze the results. Unmet healthcare needs increased after the enactment of austerity measures, while the year of participation in the survey was significantly associated with unmet healthcare needs. Income, educational level, employment status, and having insurance, private or public, were also significant determinants of unmet healthcare needs due to financial reasons. The adverse economic environment has significantly affected unmet health needs. Therefore health policy actions and social policy measures are essential in order to mitigate the negative impact on access to healthcare services and health status.

Mental Health Nursing in Greece: Nursing Diagnoses and Interventions in Major Depression.

PubMed

Prokofieva, Margarita; Koukia, Evmorfia; Dikeos, Dimitris

2016-08-01

The aim of the study was to assess nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions that were accordingly implemented during the care of inpatients with major depression in Greece. Twelve nurses working in three major psychiatric hospitals were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were used and audio-recorded data indicated that risk for suicide, social isolation, low self-esteem, sleep problems, and imbalanced nutrition are the nursing diagnoses most commonly reported. Establishing trust and rapport is the primary intervention, followed by specific interventions according to each diagnosis and the individualized care plan. The findings of the study also highlight the need for nursing training in order to teach nurses initial assessment procedures and appropriate evidence-based intervention techniques.

The market for reproductive tourism: an analysis with special reference to Greece.

PubMed

Paraskou, Anastasia; George, Babu P

2017-01-01

For many people, the need for parenthood remains unfulfilled due to biological reasons and a remedy for these individuals is assisted reproduction (AR). Because of widely differing and sometimes incompatible legislations around the world related to AR, there is considerable confusion across national borders. Within Europe, Greece seems to be in a comparatively favorable position because of lower restrictions and the availability of decent quality specialized medical facilities. This research is a market study with a business perspective and explores the emerging landscape of reproductive tourism (RT) in Greece. The research adopted mixed methods. First, open-ended questions were used to interview foreign medical tourists and staff in various AR clinics. Based on the insights from these interviews and guided by the extent literature, a survey instrument was prepared and administered among 130 patients. Findings indicate that Greece still lack policies that nurture transparency and dynamic response to technological changes in AR. Also, the travel industry lack specialists who can effectively liaison with clinics, who understand the availability of AR technologies, regulations, and the unique needs of AR tourists. Globally, the need for assisted reproduction has tremendously increased; yet, the supply of facilities is lagging far behind. There is a unique advantage for clinics located in touristic locations in countries that offer cheaper treatment options. Given the shape of its debt-ridden economy, Greece needs foreign exchange inflows and gaining first mover advantage in reproductive tourism is probably an important way to achieve this. This research draws up a reproductive tourism strategy for Greece.

The Emergency Medical System in Greece: Opening Aeolus’ Bag of Winds

PubMed Central

Kotsiou, Ourania S.; Srivastava, David S.; Kotsios, Panagiotis; Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K.; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos I.

2018-01-01

An Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system must encompass a spectrum of care, with dedicated pre-hospital and in-hospital medical facilities. It has to be organised in such a way as to include all necessary services—such as triage accurate initial assessment, prompt resuscitation, efficient management of emergency cases, and transport to definitive care. The global economic downturn has had a direct effect on the health sector and poses additional threats to the healthcare system. Greece is one of the hardest-hit countries. This manuscript aims to present the structure of the Greek EMS system and the impact of the current economic recession on it. Nowadays, primary care suffers major shortages in crucial equipment, unmet health needs, and ineffective central coordination. Patients are also facing economic limitations that lead to difficulties in using healthcare services. The multi-factorial problem of in-hospital EMS overcrowding is also evident and has been linked with potentially poorer clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the ongoing refugee crisis challenges the national EMS. Adoption of a triage scale, expansion of the primary care network, and an effective primary–hospital continuum of care are urgently needed in Greece to provide comprehensive, culturally competent, and high-quality health care. PMID:29652816

The Emergency Medical System in Greece: Opening Aeolus' Bag of Winds.

PubMed

Kotsiou, Ourania S; Srivastava, David S; Kotsios, Panagiotis; Exadaktylos, Aristomenis K; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos I

2018-04-13

An Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system must encompass a spectrum of care, with dedicated pre-hospital and in-hospital medical facilities. It has to be organised in such a way as to include all necessary services—such as triage accurate initial assessment, prompt resuscitation, efficient management of emergency cases, and transport to definitive care. The global economic downturn has had a direct effect on the health sector and poses additional threats to the healthcare system. Greece is one of the hardest-hit countries. This manuscript aims to present the structure of the Greek EMS system and the impact of the current economic recession on it. Nowadays, primary care suffers major shortages in crucial equipment, unmet health needs, and ineffective central coordination. Patients are also facing economic limitations that lead to difficulties in using healthcare services. The multi-factorial problem of in-hospital EMS overcrowding is also evident and has been linked with potentially poorer clinical outcomes. Furthermore, the ongoing refugee crisis challenges the national EMS. Adoption of a triage scale, expansion of the primary care network, and an effective primary–hospital continuum of care are urgently needed in Greece to provide comprehensive, culturally competent, and high-quality health care.

Shame and Anxiety Feelings of a Roma Population in Greece.

PubMed

Gouva, M; Mentis, M; Kotrotsiou, S; Paralikas, Th; Kotrotsiou, E

2015-12-01

Shame is a crucial issue for Roma. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the severity of shame and anxiety feelings in a Roma population living in Greece and assess the differentiation of these feelings between Roma men and women. A quota sample of 194 Roma adult men and women living in Southern Greece was retrieved. The Experiences of Shame Scale (ESS), the Other As Shamer Scale (OAS) and the Spielberg's State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaires were used. Women scored statistically significantly higher than men on ESS, whereas men scored higher on OAS scale (52.27 ± 16.91 vs 45.42 ± 9.98 and 35.93 ± 16.94 vs 30.87 ± 13.72 respectively). Women scored higher than men in both STAI subscales, however significant differences were observed only in State Anxiety scale (48.83 ± 9.26 vs 43.20 ± 9.81). OAS total score was inversely related to state anxiety, whereas ESS total score was positive related to trait anxiety, all correlations being significant at p < 0.05 level. Roma men and women exhibit high levels of shame and anxiety. Cultural, social and minority issues contribute to feelings of inferiority and anxiety experience.

Hepatitis E in transfusion-dependent thalassaemia patients, in Greece: a single centre experience.

PubMed

Klonizakis, P; Gioula, G; Exindari, M; Apostolou, C; Kotsiafti, A; Vlachaki, E

2017-10-01

Hepatitis E is considered an emerging disease that may be a threat in both developing and industrialized countries all over the world. The risk of chronic hepatitis E virus infection is higher among immunocompromised patients. This study aimed to assess the status of hepatitis E infection in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia from a single centre, in Greece. Our results suggest that the prevalence of hepatitis E infection in this group of patients is low. © 2017 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

The Small Rural Schools in Greece: A New Role in a Changing Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tressou-Milona, Evangelia

In Greece, "small schools" usually means those with less than 50, and perhaps, as few as 3 children. The isolation and inaccessibility of many regions, due to Greece's many mountain ranges and islands, have resulted in many small "schools of necessity." Even with the demographic shift to urban regions since World War II, 24…

Rickettsia species in human-parasitizing ticks in Greece.

PubMed

Papa, Anna; Xanthopoulou, Kyriaki; Kotriotsiou, Tzimoula; Papaioakim, Miltiadis; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Chaligiannis, Ilias; Maltezos, Efstratios

2016-05-01

Ticks serve as vectors and reservoirs for a variety of bacterial, viral and protozoan pathogens affecting humans and animals. Unusual increased tick aggressiveness was observed in 2008-2009 in northeastern Greece. The aim of the study was to check ticks removed from persons during 2009 for infection with Rickettsia species. A total of 159 ticks were removed from 147 persons who sought medical advice in a hospital. Tick identification was performed morphologically using taxonomic keys. DNA was extracted from each individual tick and a PCR assay targeting the rickettsial outer membrane protein A gene of Rickettsia spp. was applied. Most of the adult ticks (132/153, 86.3%) were Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Rickettsiae were detected in 23 of the 153 (15.0%) adult ticks. Five Rickettsiae species were identified: R. aeschlimannii, R. africae (n=6), R. massilae (4), R. monacensis (1), and Candidatus R. barbariae (1). To our knowledge, this is the first report of R. africae, R. monacensis, and Candidatus R. barbariae in Greece. Several Rickettsia species were identified in ticks removed from humans in Greece, including those that are prevalent in northern and southern latitudes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Generics market in Greece: the pharmaceutical industry's beliefs.

PubMed

Geitona, Mary; Zavras, Dimitrios; Hatzikou, Magda; Kyriopoulos, John

2006-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the beliefs and perspectives of the pharmaceutical industry on generic medication in Greece. Questionnaires were mailed to all 58 members of the Hellenic Association of Pharmaceutical Companies from November 2002 to February 2003. The response rate was 52%, namely 30 questionnaires were completed and returned. The questionnaire requested information on companies' involvement in generics, their opinion on generics' characteristics and on public policies affecting the demand and supply of generic medication. A descriptive analysis of the outcomes, that is percentage comparison through binomial tests and Fisher tests, was performed. According to our findings, 43% of the respondents were involved in the production and distribution of generics and the mean period of their involvement was 12 years. The majority of the respondents were in favor of their companies' involvement in generics, despite the relatively small market share of generics in Greece; 9.7% of total pharmaceutical market in 2003. Bearing in mind that in Greece the promotion of generics is not encouraged, pharmaceutical companies believe that the mandatory introduction of bioequivalence studies is an indirect promotional strategy towards generics. Additionally, the majority declared that their main competitive advantages are their safety, efficacy and effectiveness as well as their economic benefit to the society. Finally, the respondents expressed their preference for the introduction of pharmacoeconomic submissions for drugs' reimbursement by social insurance funds.

Incidence of ulcerative colitis in Central Greece: A prospective study

PubMed Central

Ladas, Spiros D.; Mallas, Elias; Giorgiotis, Konstantinos; Karamanolis, Georgios; Trigonis, Dimitrios; Markadas, Apostolos; Sipsa, Vana; Raptis, Sotirios A.

2005-01-01

AIM: To study the incidence of ulcerative colitis UC in the prefecture of Trikala, Central Greece. METHODS: A prospective and population based epidemiological study of UC from 1990 to the end of 1994 was conducted. Trikala is a semirural prefecture of Central Greece with a population of 138946 (census 1991). Three gastroenterologists (one hospital based, two private doctors) of the prefecture participated in this study. RESULTS: During the study period, 66 new histologically verified cases of UC were recorded. The mean annual incidence of the disease in 1990-1994 was 11.2 per 105 inhabitants (95%CI: 8.7-14.3). There was no difference between men and women (annual incidence: 10.5 and 12.0 per 105 inhabitants respectively), either among urban, semirural or rural populations (annual incidence: 11.7, 17.1 and 9.9 per 105 inhabitants respectively). The majority (56%) of the patients never smoked and a quarter were ex-smokers. About a half of all cases had proctitis. CONCLUSION: UC is common in Central Greece and its incidence is similar to that in North-Western European countries. PMID:15793864

"Otherness" as Threat: Social and Educational Exclusion of Roma People in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parthenis, Christos; Fragoulis, George

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on aspects of the social and educational exclusion that Roma people face in the Greek context. It argues that diversity has been constructed as a threat for the security, the social cohesion, and the well-being of western societies. Drawing from two case studies of primary schools conducted in a highly deprived suburb of Athens,…

Nutrient dynamics in shallow lakes of Northern Greece.

PubMed

Petaloti, Christina; Voutsa, Dimitra; Samara, Constantini; Sofoniou, Mihalis; Stratis, Ioannis; Kouimtzis, Themistocles

2004-01-01

GOAL, SCOPE, BACKGROUND: Shallow lakes display a number of features that set them apart from the more frequently studied deeper systems. The majority of lakes in Northern Greece are small to moderate in size with a relatively low depth and are considered as sites of high value of the wetland habitat. However, the water quality of these lakes has only been evaluated segmentally and occasionally. The objectives of this study were to thoroughly investigate nitrogen and phosphorus speciation in lakes of a high ecological significance located in N. Greece, in order to evaluate their eutrophication status and possible nutrient limitation factors, and to investigate the main factors/sources that affect the water quality of these systems. An extensive survey was carried out during the period from 1998-1999. Water samples were collected on a monthly basis from lakes Koronia, Volvi, Doirani, Mikri Prespa and Megali Prespa located in N. Greece. Water quality parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and conductivity), organic indices (COD, BOD5), and N- and P-species (NO3(-), NO2(-), NH4(+), and PO4(3-), Kieldahl nitrogen and acid-hydrolysable phosphorus) were determined according to standard methods for surface water. Statistical treatment of the data was employed. The physicochemical parameters determined in the lakes studied revealed a high temporal variation. The trophic state of the lakes ranged from meso- to hypertrophic. The nutrient limiting factor varied among lakes suggesting either P-limitation conditions or mixed conditions changing from P- to N-limitation throughout the year. Urban/industrial activities and agricultural runoff are the major factors affecting all lakes, although with a varying contribution. This lake-specific research offers valuable information about water quality and nutrient dynamics in lakes of significant ecological value located in N. Greece that can be useful for an effective pollution control/management of these systems. Due to the

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Greece

PubMed Central

Sidira, Persefoni; Larichev, Victor; Gavrilova, Ludmila; Kuzmina, Ksenia; Mousavi-Jazi, Mehrdad; Mirazimi, Ali; Ströher, Ute; Nichol, Stuart

2014-01-01

Seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) is high in some regions of Greece, but only 1 case of disease has been reported. We used 4 methods to test 118 serum samples that were positive for CCHFV IgG by commercial ELISA and confirmed the positive results. A nonpathogenic or low-pathogenicity strain may be circulating. PMID:24447877

The Communist Army of Greece, 1947-1949: A Study of Its Failure

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-06-11

concerns throughout Greece. The total population categorized as urban dwellers ranged from 18 to 22 percent. In contrast to pure Marxist Doctrine, the...in this study. .. ^. 25 resistance fighters, a mass movement finally evolved . During the build-up there was no change in the higher levels of...2~. Stalin* Joseph. Marxism and the National Question. New York: International Publlshers7 T914-2. Stavrianos, L.S. Greece: American Dilema and

Assessing and enhancing the utility of low-cost activity and location sensors for exposure studies.

PubMed

Asimina, Stamatelopoulou; Chapizanis, D; Karakitsios, S; Kontoroupis, P; Asimakopoulos, D N; Maggos, T; Sarigiannis, D

2018-02-20

Nowadays, the advancement of mobile technology in conjunction with the introduction of the concept of exposome has provided new dynamics to the exposure studies. Since the addressing of health outcomes related to environmental stressors is crucial, the improvement of exposure assessment methodology is of paramount importance. Towards this aim, a pilot study was carried out in the two major cities of Greece (Athens, Thessaloniki), investigating the applicability of commercially available fitness monitors and the Moves App for tracking people's location and activities, as well as for predicting the type of the encountered location, using advanced modeling techniques. Within the frame of the study, 21 individuals were using the Fitbit Flex activity tracker, a temperature logger, and the application Moves App on their smartphones. For the validation of the above equipment, participants were also carrying an Actigraph (activity sensor) and a GPS device. The data collected from Fitbit Flex, the temperature logger, and the GPS (speed) were used as input parameters in an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model for predicting the type of location. Analysis of the data showed that the Moves App tends to underestimate the daily steps counts in comparison with Fitbit Flex and Actigraph, respectively, while Moves App predicted the movement trajectory of an individual with reasonable accuracy, compared to a dedicated GPS. Finally, the encountered location was successfully predicted by the ANN in most of the cases.

Segmentation of the Hellenides recorded by Pliocene initiation of clockwise block rotation in Central Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradley, Kyle E.; Vassilakis, Emmanuel; Hosa, Aleksandra; Weiss, Benjamin P.

2013-01-01

New paleomagnetic data from Early Miocene to Pliocene terrestrial sedimentary and volcanic rocks in Central Greece constrain the history of vertical-axis rotation along the central part of the western limb of the Aegean arc. The present-day pattern of rapid block rotation within a broad zone of distributed deformation linking the right-lateral North Anatolian and Kephalonia continental transform faults initiated after Early Pliocene time, resulting in a uniform clockwise rotation of 24.3±6.5° over a region >250 km long and >150 km wide encompassing Central Greece and the western Cycladic archipelago. Because the published paleomagnetic dataset requires clockwise rotations of >50° in Western Greece after ˜17 Ma, while our measurements resolve no vertical-axis rotation of Central Greece between ˜15 Ma and post-Early Pliocene time, a large part of the clockwise rotation of Western Greece must have occurred during the main period of contraction within the external thrust belt of the Ionian Zone between ˜17 and ˜15 Ma. Pliocene initiation of rapid clockwise rotation in Central and Western Greece reflects the development of the North Anatolia-Kephalonia Fault system within the previously extended Aegean Sea region, possibly in response to entry of dense oceanic lithosphere of the Ionian Sea into the Hellenic subduction zone and consequent accelerated slab rollback. The development of the Aegean geometric arc therefore occurred in two short-duration pulses characterized by rapid rotation and strong regional deformation.

Serological markers of Hepatitis B and C among juvenile immigrants from Albania settled in Greece.

PubMed

Milionis, Charalampos

2010-12-01

Greece is a place of settlement for a large number of immigrants, particularly from Albania, which constitute special community groups for public health policies. This study was designed to assess the seroprevalence of serological markers for Hepatitis B and C among juvenile immigrants from Albania settled in Greece. The study population included 504 subjects, 418 males and 86 females, aged 10-23 years old who have emigrated from Albania to Pogoniani-Greece and participated voluntarily in vaccination programmes against Hepatitis B. The serum samples were examined with enzyme immune assays for the immunological markers HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs and anti-HCV. HBsAg positive samples were further tested for IgM anti-HBc, HBeAg and anti-HBe. Among the examined subjects, 40.5% were found positive for anti-HBc, indicating an HBV contamination. Specifically, 11.7% were carriers of HBsAg, whereas 28.8% were negative for HBsAg but positive for anti-HBc. Only 6.5% was positive exclusively for anti-HBs. The rest (53.0%) presented no positive serological markers. Among the HBsAg positive patients, 8.5% were found positive for HBeAg, while 5.1% was positive for IgM anti-HBc. Finally, only 0.6% of the sample presented antibodies against HCV. The examined migratory population is described by a high prevalence of Hepatitis B. Therefore, specific public health measures are necessary. However, no data was found that indicate potential public health dangers regarding hepatitis C.

Evaluating Renewable Groundwater Stress with GRACE data in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshmi, V.; Gemitzi, A.

2016-12-01

Groundwater is a resilient water source and its importance as a fundamental resource is even greater in times of drought where groundwater stress conditions are greatest for areas like Mediterranean and adverse climate change effects are expected. The present study evaluates Renewable Groundwater Stress (RGS) as the ratio of groundwater use to groundwater availability, quantifying use as the trend in GRACE-derived subsurface anomalies (ΔGWtrend) and renewable groundwater availability as mean annual recharge. Estimates for mean annual recharge were used from groundwater studies conducted for the various regions in Greece, mainly in the form of numerical models. Our results highlighted two RGS regimes in Greece out of the four characteristic stress regimes, i.e. Overstressed, Variable Stress, Human-Dominated Stress and Unstressed, defined as a function of the sign of use and the sign of groundwater availability (positive or negative). Variable Stress areas are found in central Greece (Thessaly region), where intense agricultural activities take place, with negative ΔGWtrend values combined with positive mean annual recharge rates. RGS values range from -0.05 - 0, indicating however a low impact area. Within this region, adverse effects of groundwater overexploitation are already evident, based on the negative GRACE anomalies, recharge however still remains positive, amending the adverse over pumping impacts. The rest of Greek aquifers fall within the unstressed category, with RGS values from 0.02 - 0.05, indicating that the rate of use is less than the natural recharge rate. The highest Unstressed RGS values are observed in Crete Island and in Northeastern Greece. However, the case of Crete is highly uncertain, as precipitation and recharge in this area demonstrate exceptionally high variability and the coarse resolution of GRACE results does not allow for reliable estimates.

Current status of stroke epidemiology in Greece: a panorama.

PubMed

Vasiliadis, Angelo V; Zikić, Milorad

2014-01-01

Although strokes have been documented since about 3 millennia, they remain today as one of the leading causes of mortality, as well as of subsequent serious long-term physical and mental morbidity, among patients in many different countries all over the world. Greece presents an increase in mortality rates according to World Health Organization, and this fact underlines the need for early diagnosis and treatment, as well as, the need to implement effective prevention strategies for strokes. This review makes an effort to describe the current status of stroke epidemiological features, as well as to present the risk factors prevalent in Greece. The incidence rate is 261-319/100,000 based on the recent population based registry. Stroke appears to be more prevalent in men than in women, and the mean age of stroke onset in Greece is at 70 years of age. Hypertension, atrial fibrillation, dyslipidaemia and diabetes mellitus are the major risk factors of stroke in the Greek population, while smoking is the most commonly documented modifiable risk factor in young adults with ischemic stroke. Similar to other parts of the world, ischemic stroke is the most common stroke type. The 28-day case fatality rate for men and women was 26.5%. The mean in-hospital cost per stroke patient was 3624.9 € and the mean rehabilitation cost of outpatients with stroke was 5553.3 €, while the cost proportion of hemorrhagic stroke is higher when compared to ischemic stroke. Stroke is a devastating condition with recognized challenges in identifying effective prevention programs. In Greece, limited data exists regarding the epidemiology of strokes. As a result, the need to conduct new studies and researches across the country is well documented. Copyright © 2014 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

A knowledge brokerage approach for assessing the impacts of the setting up young farmers policy measure in Greece

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bournaris, Th.; Moulogianni, Ch.; Arampatzis, S.

This study explores Knowledge Brokerage (KB) aspects of an ex-post Impact Assessment (IA) for the Rural Development Programme (RDP) measure of setting up young farmers, under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), at the regional level in Northern Greece. The measure supports the entry of young farmers in agriculture by moving land from older to younger farmers. The aim of the study was to test a set of KB tools for improving the interaction between researchers and policy makers. Our analysis mainly focused on a suite of IA Support Modules to guide practitioners, and on a technical tool kit, a web-basedmore » contextualisation platform, to support the IA of the specific test case. Offering a structured approach towards IA, both the Support Modules and LIAISE-KIT allow framing the context, organisation, scheduling and method selection in the light of KB objectives. The evaluation of how IA Support Modules influence the Science Policy Interface (SPI), in the case of the ex-post assessment, demonstrated the high relevance of KB activities for facilitating the interaction between researchers and regional policy makers. The assessment bridges the gap between knowledge producers developing scientific output to be applied in a specific context, and knowledge users, who want clear messages regarding the policy challenges they face. Other conclusions include the need for specific guidelines and training for knowledge users, especially with regard to the use of tools. According to our findings, a consequent application of KB activities is a crucial pre-condition for successfully implementing IAs in future RDP measures.« less

Rates of childhood trauma in a sample of university students in Greece: The Greek version of the Early Trauma Inventory-Self Report.

PubMed

Antonopoulou, Z; Konstantakopoulos, G; Τzinieri-Coccosis, M; Sinodinou, C

2017-01-01

The self-report Early Trauma Inventory (ETI-SR-SF) was developed by Bremner et al in 2007 and has been proven a valid tool for the assessment of childhood trauma. The inventory covers four types of traumatic experiences: general trauma, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse. The primary aim of the present study was to assess the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity and factor structure of the Greek version of the ETI-SR-SF. The study sample consisted of 605 individuals (402 women), undergraduate and postgraduate students of Athens universities with a mean age of 24.3 years. All participants completed a questionnaire on demographic characteristics, the Greek version of the ETI-SR-SF and the Greek version of the Trauma Symptoms Checklist (TSC-40). Both ETI-SR-SF and TSC-40 were re-administered to 56 participants after three to four weeks. ETI-SR-SF was found to display high levels of internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.91) and test-retest reliability (ICC=0.93). In addition, the internal structure of every subscale was examined by the means of factor analysis, which revealed that the items in every subscale contribute to a single factor explaining a great proportion of the variance. The correlation between total scores of ETI-SR-SF and TSC-40 was significantly strong (r=0.42, p<0.001), indicating satisfactory convergent validity. The most frequently reported type of childhood trauma was corporal punishment, at a rate of 89.9%, followed by emotional abuse (67.2%) and sexual abuse (27%). These rates are higher than those found in the international literature indicating that the various types of early traumatic experience are very common phenomena in the Greek student population. This finding should alert the experts and requires replication and further investigation by studies with larger samples. The findings of the present study suggest that the Greek version of the self-report Early Trauma Inventory (ETI-SR-SF) is a valid

Virtual reality-based assessment of basic laparoscopic skills using the Leap Motion controller.

PubMed

Lahanas, Vasileios; Loukas, Constantinos; Georgiou, Konstantinos; Lababidi, Hani; Al-Jaroudi, Dania

2017-12-01

The majority of the current surgical simulators employ specialized sensory equipment for instrument tracking. The Leap Motion controller is a new device able to track linear objects with sub-millimeter accuracy. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of a virtual reality (VR) simulator for assessment of basic laparoscopic skills, based on the low-cost Leap Motion controller. A simple interface was constructed to simulate the insertion point of the instruments into the abdominal cavity. The controller provided information about the position and orientation of the instruments. Custom tools were constructed to simulate the laparoscopic setup. Three basic VR tasks were developed: camera navigation (CN), instrument navigation (IN), and bimanual operation (BO). The experiments were carried out in two simulation centers: MPLSC (Athens, Greece) and CRESENT (Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). Two groups of surgeons (28 experts and 21 novices) participated in the study by performing the VR tasks. Skills assessment metrics included time, pathlength, and two task-specific errors. The face validity of the training scenarios was also investigated via a questionnaire completed by the participants. Expert surgeons significantly outperformed novices in all assessment metrics for IN and BO (p < 0.05). For CN, a significant difference was found in one error metric (p < 0.05). The greatest difference between the performances of the two groups occurred for BO. Qualitative analysis of the instrument trajectory revealed that experts performed more delicate movements compared to novices. Subjects' ratings on the feedback questionnaire highlighted the training value of the system. This study provides evidence regarding the potential use of the Leap Motion controller for assessment of basic laparoscopic skills. The proposed system allowed the evaluation of dexterity of the hand movements. Future work will involve comparison studies with validated simulators and

Photovoltaic energy production map of Greece based on simulated and measured data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vokas, Georgios A.; Lagogiannis, Konstantinos V.; Papageorgas, Panagiotis; Salame, Takla

2017-02-01

The aim of this research is in one hand to reveal the real energy production of a medium scale Photovoltaic (PV) plant located at different sites in Greece and on the other to compare measured data to the predicted ones resulted from one well-known, PV simulation software. During the last ten years a capacity of more than 2,5 GWp of PV systems has been installed in Greece. Almost 37% of the installations are ranged from 10 to 100 kWp due to favorable Feed-in-Tariff policy pricing, according to the Greek regulation. Previous investigations proved a remarkable difference between measured and predicted energy production in Greece regarding all PV systems technologies. For the purposes of this study more than 250 medium scale PV plants have been measured and more than 850 annually energy production data series for those parks have been collected. Those data constitute a great sample that has been compared to more than 225 simulations data resulted by a well-known web software for PV systems energy yield calculations with improved solar radiation database. Additionally, in order to have a visual feeling concerning the real PV energy yield footprint in Greece, an updated map has been developed and illustrated, providing a useful tool for both business and academic purposes.

Working with Students with Special Educational Needs in Greece: Teachers' Stressors and Coping Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antoniou, Alexander-Stamatios; Polychroni, Fotini; Kotroni, Christina

2009-01-01

Few studies explore the specific sources of stress, and the coping strategies applied by teachers of children with special educational needs, particularly in small countries such as Greece. The present study investigated the specific work-related stressors affecting special educational needs teachers in Greece and the coping strategies applied by…

Comparative assessment of municipal sewage sludge incineration, gasification and pyrolysis for a sustainable sludge-to-energy management in Greece

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Samolada, M.C.; Zabaniotou, A.A., E-mail: azampani@auth.gr

2014-02-15

Highlights: • The high output of MSS highlights the need for alternative routes of valorization. • Evaluation of 3 sludge-to-energy valorisation methods through SWOT analysis. • Pyrolysis is an energy and material recovery process resulting to ‘zero waste’. • Identification of challenges and barriers for MSS pyrolysis in Greece was investigated. • Adopters of pyrolysis systems face the challenge of finding new product markets. - Abstract: For a sustainable municipal sewage sludge management, not only the available technology, but also other parameters, such as policy regulations and socio-economic issues should be taken in account. In this study, the current statusmore » of both European and Greek Legislation on waste management, with a special insight in municipal sewage sludge, is presented. A SWOT analysis was further developed for comparison of pyrolysis with incineration and gasification and results are presented. Pyrolysis seems to be the optimal thermochemical treatment option compared to incineration and gasification. Sewage sludge pyrolysis is favorable for energy savings, material recovery and high added materials production, providing a ‘zero waste’ solution. Finally, identification of challenges and barriers for sewage sludge pyrolysis deployment in Greece was investigated.« less

Testing the structure of earthquake networks from multivariate time series of successive main shocks in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chorozoglou, D.; Kugiumtzis, D.; Papadimitriou, E.

2018-06-01

The seismic hazard assessment in the area of Greece is attempted by studying the earthquake network structure, such as small-world and random. In this network, a node represents a seismic zone in the study area and a connection between two nodes is given by the correlation of the seismic activity of two zones. To investigate the network structure, and particularly the small-world property, the earthquake correlation network is compared with randomized ones. Simulations on multivariate time series of different length and number of variables show that for the construction of randomized networks the method randomizing the time series performs better than methods randomizing directly the original network connections. Based on the appropriate randomization method, the network approach is applied to time series of earthquakes that occurred between main shocks in the territory of Greece spanning the period 1999-2015. The characterization of networks on sliding time windows revealed that small-world structure emerges in the last time interval, shortly before the main shock.

Assessing the socio-economic and demographic impact on health-related quality of life: evidence from Greece.

PubMed

Pappa, Evelina; Kontodimopoulos, Nick; Papadopoulos, Angelos A; Niakas, Dimitris

2009-01-01

The impact of socioeconomic status on health has been extensively studied and studies have shown that low socio-economic status is related to lower values of various health and quality-of-health measures. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of demographic and socio-economic factors on health- related quality of life (HRQoL). A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2003 using a representative sample of a Greek general population (n = 1007, 18+ years old), living in Athens area. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the influence of socio-demographic and economic variables on HRQoL, measured by eight scales of the SF-36. Interaction effects between socioeconomic status (SES) and demographic variables were also performed. Females and elderly people were associated with impaired HRQoL in all SF-36 scales. Disadvantaged SES i. e. primary education and low total household income was related to important decline in HRQoL and a similar relation was identified among men and women. Only the interaction effects between age and SES was statistically significant for some SF-36 scales. Multiple regression analyses produced models explaining significant portions of the variance in SF-36 scales, especially physical functioning. The analysis presented here gives evidence of a relationship existing between SES and HRQoL similar to what has been found elsewhere. In order to protect people from the damaging effects of poverty in health it is important to formulate health promotion educational programs or to direct policies to empower the disposable income etc. Helping people in disadvantaged SES to achieve the good health that people in more advantaged SES attained would help to prevent the widening of health inequalities.

Awareness of diagnosis, and information-seeking behavior of hospitalized cancer patients in Greece.

PubMed

Brokalaki, Eirini I; Sotiropoulos, Georgios C; Tsaras, Konstantinos; Brokalaki, Hero

2005-11-01

The goal of our study was to evaluate the extent of disease-related knowledge and the need for further information of cancer patients in Greece. We evaluated 203 mentally competent adult cancer patients hospitalized in general and oncological hospitals in the city of Athens and its suburbs. Data were collected by means of semistructured interviews. Patients were evaluated as to whether they had awareness of their diagnosis. Those who did so (n = 83) were further questioned about additional disease-related information. The majority of patients (59%) claimed to have no knowledge of their diagnosis. Women (p = 0.004) as well as high school and university graduates (p = 0.024) showed significantly superior levels of information when compared to men and graduates of elementary schools, respectively. Age was also a factor that influenced the level of the awareness of the diagnosis and the request for additional information: patients who were informed about the diagnosis and patients who asked for more information were significantly younger than their counterparts who ignored the diagnosis (p < 0.001) and those who didn't ask for further information, respectively (p = 0.03). Hospital specialization (oncological versus general, p < 0.001) and department specialization (medical versus surgical, p = 0.004) were associated with significantly increased levels of information. The patient's educational level was associated with increased request for additional information (p = 0.006). Most patients with knowledge of their diagnosis requested detailed information about severity of their disease and prognosis. Only 13% of those in the informed group claimed they would have benefited psychologically by having been unaware of their diagnosis. Although Greek patients with diagnoses of malignancies want and need to be adequately informed, the amount of information they receive is inadequate. Over half of those patients evaluated were not aware of their diagnosis. Attitudes of health

Online Communities: The Case of Immigrants in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panaretou, Ioannis; Karousos, Nikos; Kostopoulos, Ioannis; Foteinou, Georgia-Barbara; Pavlidis, Giorgos

Immigrants in Greece are an increasing population, very often threatened by poverty and social exclusion. At the same time Greek government has no formal policy concerning their assimilation in Greek society and this situation generates multiple problems in both immigrants and native population. In this work we suggest that new technology can alleviate these effects and we present specific tools and methodologies adopted by ANCE, in order to support online communities and specifically immigrant communities in Greece. This approach has the potential to support immigrant communities' in terms of the organization of personal data, communication, and provision of a working space for dedicated use. The Information System's operational features are also presented, along with other characteristics and state-of-the-art features in order to propose a general direction to the design of online communities' mechanisms.

A heuristic expert system for forest fire guidance in Greece.

PubMed

Iliadis, Lazaros S; Papastavrou, Anastasios K; Lefakis, Panagiotis D

2002-07-01

Forests and forestlands are common inheritance for all Greeks and a piece of the national wealth that must be handed over to the next generations in the best possible condition. After 1974, Greece faces a severe forest fire problem and forest fire forecasting is the process that will enable the Greek ministry of Agriculture to reduce the destruction. This paper describes the basic design principles of an Expert System that performs forest fire forecasting (for the following fire season) and classification of the prefectures of Greece into forest fire risk zones. The Expert system handles uncertainty and uses heuristics in order to produce scenarios based on the presence or absence of various qualitative factors. The initial research focused on the construction of a mathematical model which attempted to describe the annual number of forest fires and burnt area in Greece based on historical data. However this has proven to be impossible using regression analysis and time series. A closer analysis of the fire data revealed that two qualitative factors dramatically affect the number of forest fires and the hectares of burnt areas annually. The first is political stability and national elections and the other is drought cycles. Heuristics were constructed that use political stability and drought cycles, to provide forest fire guidance. Fuzzy logic was applied to produce a fuzzy expected interval for each prefecture of Greece. A fuzzy expected interval is a narrow interval of values that best describes the situation in the country or a part of the country for a certain time period. A successful classification of the prefectures of Greece in forest fire risk zones was done by the system, by comparing the fuzzy expected intervals to each other. The system was tested for the years 1994 and 1995. The testing has clearly shown that the system can predict accurately, the number of forest fires for each prefecture for the following year. The average accuracy was as high as 85

Genetic characterisation of Taenia multiceps cysts from ruminants in Greece.

PubMed

Al-Riyami, Shumoos; Ioannidou, Evi; Koehler, Anson V; Hussain, Muhammad H; Al-Rawahi, Abdulmajeed H; Giadinis, Nektarios D; Lafi, Shawkat Q; Papadopoulos, Elias; Jabbar, Abdul

2016-03-01

This study was designed to genetically characterise the larval stage (coenurus) of Taenia multiceps from ruminants in Greece, utilising DNA regions within the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (partial cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase 1 (pnad1) mitochondrial (mt) genes, respectively. A molecular-phylogenetic approach was used to analyse the pcox1 and pnad1 amplicons derived from genomic DNA samples from individual cysts (n=105) from cattle (n=3), goats (n=5) and sheep (n=97). Results revealed five and six distinct electrophoretic profiles for pcox1 and pnad1, respectively, using single-strand conformation polymorphism. Direct sequencing of selected amplicons representing each of these profiles defined five haplotypes each for pcox1 and pnad1, among all 105 isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of individual sequence data for each locus, including a range of well-defined reference sequences, inferred that all isolates of T. multiceps cysts from ruminants in Greece clustered with previously published sequences from different continents. The present study provides a foundation for future large-scale studies on the epidemiology of T. multiceps in ruminants as well as dogs in Greece. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Education on Economic Growth in Greece over the 1960-2000 Period

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsamadias, Constantinos; Prontzas, Panagiotis

2012-01-01

This paper examines the impact of education on economic growth in Greece over the period 1960-2000 by applying the model introduced by Mankiw, Romer, and Weil. The findings of the empirical analysis reveal that education had a positive and statistically significant effect on economic growth in Greece over the period 1960-2000. The econometric…

Manpower Policy and Problems in Greece. Reviews of Manpower and Social Policies No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France).

A full solution of the employment problems of countries in the stage of development now existing in Greece, to a great extent depends upon the possibilities of achieving the accumulation of capital necessary for the establishment of new industries and other investment. It is important for Greece to promote economic progress in the different…

Stigma and self-esteem across societies: avoiding blanket psychological responses to gay men experiencing homophobia

PubMed Central

Zervoulis, Karyofyllis; Lyons, Evanthia; Dinos, Sokratis

2015-01-01

Aims and method The relationship between homophobia (varying from actual and perceived to internalised) and measures of well-being is well documented. A study in Athens, Greece and London, UK attempted to examine this relationship in two cities with potentially different levels of homophobia. One-hundred and eighty-eight men who have sex with men (MSM) living in London and 173 MSM living in Athens completed a survey investigating their views on their sexuality, perceptions of local homophobia and their identity evaluation in terms of global self-esteem. Results The results confirmed a negative association between homophobia and self-esteem within each city sample. However, Athens MSM, despite perceiving significantly higher levels of local homophobia than London MSM, did not differ on most indicators of internalised homophobia and scored higher on global self-esteem than London MSM. The city context had a significant impact on the relationship. Clinical implications The findings are discussed in relation to the implications they pose for mental health professionals dealing with MSM from communities experiencing variable societal stigmatisation and its effect on a positive sense of self. PMID:26755948

The Preparation of School Psychologists in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatzichristou, Chryse; Polychroni, Fotini

2014-01-01

The paper describes the preparation of school psychologists in Greece. It discusses the social and cultural contexts that have influenced the evolution of the discipline of psychology, the beginning of training programs in school psychology, and the current status of school psychological services. The structure of the Graduate Program of School…

Mapping Environmental Suitability for Malaria Transmission, Greece

PubMed Central

Sudre, Bertrand; Rossi, Massimiliano; Van Bortel, Wim; Danis, Kostas; Baka, Agoritsa; Vakalis, Nikos

2013-01-01

During 2009–2012, Greece experienced a resurgence of domestic malaria transmission. To help guide malaria response efforts, we used spatial modeling to characterize environmental signatures of areas suitable for transmission. Nonlinear discriminant analysis indicated that sea-level altitude and land-surface temperature parameters are predictive in this regard. PMID:23697370

Sludge utilisation in agriculture: possibilities and prospects in Greece.

PubMed

Andreadakis, A D; Mamals, D; Gavalaki, E; Kampylafka, S

2002-01-01

The paper presents the prospects for agricultural utilisation of the sludge produced from wastewater treatment plants in Greece and more specifically focuses on a critical review of the legislatory framework, determination of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the produced sludges, examination of possible sludge treatment methods and evaluation of the possibilities and prospects of sludge utilisation on the basis of the above considerations. Landfilling is practically the only route to sludge disposal in Greece. However, in view of the anticipated future restrictions for landfilling within the European Union, this method is clearly a short-term solution and alternative options, including agricultural reuse, must be implemented. The results of a recent survey are presented and discussed in relation to this need.

Assessment of wastewater effluent quality in Thessaly region, Greece, for determining its irrigation reuse potential.

PubMed

Bakopoulou, S; Emmanouil, C; Kungolos, A

2011-02-01

The objective of the present study is to assess wastewater effluent quality in Thessaly region, Greece, in relation to its physicochemical and microbiological burden as well as its toxic potential on a number of organisms. Wastewater may be used for agricultural as well as for landscape irrigation purposes; therefore, its toxicity potential is quite important. Thessaly region has been chosen since this region suffers from a distinct water shortage in summer period necessitating alternative water resources. During our research, treated effluents from four wastewater treatment plants operating in the region (Larissa, Volos, Karditsa, and Tirnavos) were tested for specific physicochemical and microbiological parameters [biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(5)), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), pH, electrical conductivity, selected metals presence (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, As), and fecal coliforms' (FC) number]. The effluents were also tested for their toxicity using two different bioassays (Daphnia magna immobilization test and Phytotoxkit microbiotest). The findings were compared to relative regulations and guidelines regarding wastewater reuse for irrigation. The results overall show that secondary effluents in Thessaly region are generally acceptable for reuse for irrigation purposes according to limits set by legislation, if effective advanced treatment methods are applied prior to reuse. However, their potential toxicity should be closely monitored, since it was found that it may vary significantly in relation to season and location, when indicator plant and zooplankton organisms are used. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring the needs of mental health patients in Greece: reliability and validity of the Greek version of the Camberwell assessment of need.

PubMed

Stefanatou, Pentagiotissa; Giannouli, Eleni; Konstantakopoulos, George; Vitoratou, Silia; Mavreas, Venetsanos

2014-11-01

Evaluation of mental health services based on patients' needs assessments has never taken place in Greece, although it is a crucial factor for the efficient use of their limited resources. To examine the inter-rater and test-retest reliability and the concurrent/convergent validity of the Greek research version of the Camberwell Assessment of Need-Research (CAN-R). A total of 53 schizophrenic patient-staff pairs were interviewed twice to test the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of the Greek version of the CAN-R. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Form (WHOQOL-BREF) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule-2.0 (WHODAS-2.0) were administered to the patients to examine concurrent validity. The inter-rater and test-retest reliability of patient and staff interviews for the 22 individual items and the eight summary scores of the instrument's four sections were good to excellent. Significant correlations emerged between CAN scores and the WHOQOL-BREF and WHODAS-2.0 domains for both patient and staff ratings, indicating good concurrent validity. Our results suggest that the Greek version of the CAN-R is a reliable instrument for assessing mental health patients' needs. Moreover, it is the first CAN-R validity study with satisfactory results using WHOQOL-BREF and WHODAS-2.0 as criterion variables. © The Author(s) 2013.

Influence of trees on residential property values in Athens, Gerogia (U.S.A.): a survey based on actual sales prices

Treesearch

L.M. Anderson; H.K. Cordell

1988-01-01

survey of the sales of 844 single family residential properties in Athens, Georgia, U.S.A., indicated that landscaping with trees was associated with 3.5%-4.5% increase in sales prices. During the 1978-I 980 study period, the average house sold for about $38 100 (in I978 constant dollars) and had five trees in its front yard. The average sales price increase due to...

Flow status of three transboundary rivers in Northern Greece as a tool for hydro-diplomacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatzigiannakis, Eyaggelos; Hatzispiroglou, Ioannis; Arampatzis, Georgios; Ilia, Andreas; Pantelakis, Dimitrios; Filintas, Agathos; Panagopoulos, Andreas

2015-04-01

The aim of this paper is to examine how the river flow monitoring consists a tool for hydro-diplomacy. Management of transboundary catchments and the demand of common water resources, often comprise the cause of conflicts and tension threatening the peaceful coexistence of nations. The Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EU sets a base for water management contributing to common approaches, common goals, common principles as well as providing new definitions and measures for Europe's water resources. In northern Greece the main renewable resources are "imported" (over 25% of its water reserves) and for this reason the implementation of continuous flow measurements throughout the year is necessary, even though difficult to achieve. This paper focuses on the three largest transboundary rivers in Northern Greece. Axios and Strymonas river flow across the region of Central Macedonia in Northern Greece. Axios flows from FYROM to Greece, and Strymonas from Bulgaria to Greece. Nestos river flows from Bulgaria to Greece. The Greek part is in the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Northern Greece. Significant productive agricultural areas around these rivers are irrigated from them so they are very important for the local society. Measurements of the river flow velocity and the flow depth have been made at bridges. The frequency of the measurements is roughly monthly, because it is expected a significant change in the depth flow and discharge. A series of continuously flow measure-ments were performed during 2013 and 2014 using flowmeters (Valeport and OTT type). The cross-section characteristics, the river flow velocity of segments and the mean water flow velocity and discharge total profile were measured and calculated re-spectively. Measurements are conducted in the framework of the national water resources monitoring network, which is realised in compliance to the Water Framework Directive under the supervision and coordination of the Hellenic Ministry for the

Assessing the impact of hazardous waste on children's health: The exposome paradigm.

PubMed

Sarigiannis, D A

2017-10-01

Assessment of the health impacts related to hazardous waste is a major scientific challenge with multiple societal implications. Most studies related to associations between hazardous waste and public health do not provide established of mechanistic links between environmental exposure and disease burden, resulting in ineffective waste management options. The exposome concept comes to overhaul the nature vs. nurture paradigm and embraces a world of dynamic interactions between environmental exposures, endogenous exposures and genetic expression in humans. In this context, the exposome paradigm provides a novel tool for holistic hazardous waste management. Waste streams and the related contamination of environmental media are not viewed in isolation, but rather as components of the expotype, the vector of exposures an individual is exposed to over time. Thus, a multi-route and multi-pathway exposure estimation can be performed setting a realistic basis for integrated health risk assessment. Waste management practices are thus assessed not only regarding their technological edge and efficacy but also their effects on human health at the individual and community level, considering intra-subject variability in the affected population. The effectiveness of the exposome approach is demonstrated in the case of Athens, the capital of Greece, where the health effects associated to long term and short term exposure to two major waste management facilities (landfill and plastic recycling) are presented. Using the exposome analysis tools, we confirmed that proximity to a landfill is critical for children neurodevelopment. However, this effect is significantly modified by parameters such as parental education level, socioeconomic status and nutrition. Proximity to a plastics recycling plant does not pose significant threats under normal operating conditions; yet, in the case of an accidental fire, release of persistent carcinogenic compounds (dioxins and furans) even for a

Comparing oil based ointment versus standard practice for the treatment of moderate burns in Greece: a trial based cost effectiveness evaluation

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The local treatment of burn wounds has long been a subject of debate. The objective of this study was to compare the cost and the effectiveness of Moist Exposed Burn Ointment -MEBO versus a combination of povidone iodine plus bepanthenol cream for partial thickness burns. Methods The study was carried out in the Burn Center of a state hospital in Athens, Greece. 211 patients needing conservative therapy were prospectively selected according to the depth of the burn wound. The treatment was allocated according to the Stratified Randomization Design. The outcomes measured were mean cost of in-hospital stay, rate of complications, time of 50% wound healing, pain scores, in hospital stay diminution. We have adopted a societal perspective. Results In the total groups MEBO presented lower cost, (although not significantly different: p = 0.10) and better effectiveness. The data suggest that MEBO is the dominant therapy for superficial partial burn wound with significantly lower costs and significantly higher effectiveness due to a lesser time of recovery and consequently lower time of hospitalization and follow-up. MEBO presented similar percentages of complications with the comparator, lower pain levels and smaller time of no healthy appearance of the burn limits for superficial partial thickness burns. Conclusions The data suggested that topical application of MEBO may be considered for further investigation as a potential first-line treatment modality for superficial partial thickness burns. Trial registration The trial has been registered on the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (ISRCTN) and given the registration number ISRCTN74058791. PMID:22132709

Comparing oil based ointment versus standard practice for the treatment of moderate burns in Greece: a trial based cost effectiveness evaluation.

PubMed

Carayanni, Vilelmine J; Tsati, Evangelia G; Spyropoulou, Georgia C H; Antonopoulou, Fotini N; Ioannovich, John D

2011-12-01

The local treatment of burn wounds has long been a subject of debate. The objective of this study was to compare the cost and the effectiveness of Moist Exposed Burn Ointment -MEBO versus a combination of povidone iodine plus bepanthenol cream for partial thickness burns. The study was carried out in the Burn Center of a state hospital in Athens, Greece. 211 patients needing conservative therapy were prospectively selected according to the depth of the burn wound. The treatment was allocated according to the Stratified Randomization Design. The outcomes measured were mean cost of in-hospital stay, rate of complications, time of 50% wound healing, pain scores, in hospital stay diminution. We have adopted a societal perspective. In the total groups MEBO presented lower cost, (although not significantly different: p = 0.10) and better effectiveness. The data suggest that MEBO is the dominant therapy for superficial partial burn wound with significantly lower costs and significantly higher effectiveness due to a lesser time of recovery and consequently lower time of hospitalization and follow-up. MEBO presented similar percentages of complications with the comparator, lower pain levels and smaller time of no healthy appearance of the burn limits for superficial partial thickness burns. The data suggested that topical application of MEBO may be considered for further investigation as a potential first-line treatment modality for superficial partial thickness burns. The trial has been registered on the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register (ISRCTN) and given the registration number ISRCTN74058791.

Post Fire Vegetation Recovery in Greece after the large Drought event of 2007

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouveia, Célia M.; Bastos, Ana; DaCamara, Carlos; Trigo, Ricardo

2013-04-01

Fire is a natural factor of Mediterranean ecosystems. However, fire regimes in the European Mediterranean areas have been changing in the last decades, mainly due to land-use changes and climate driven factors possibly associated with climatic warming (e.g. decline of precipitation, increasing temperatures but also higher frequency of heatwaves). In Greece, the fire season of 2007 was particularly devastating, achieving the new all-time record of estimated burnt area (225 734 ha), since 1980. Additionally, we must stress that prior to the summer fire season in 2007, Greece suffered an exceptional drought event. This severe drought had a strong negative impact in vegetation dynamics. Since water availability is a crucial factor in post-fire vegetation recovery, it is desirable to assess the impact that such water-stress conditions had on fire sensitivity and post-fire vegetation recovery. Based on monthly values of NDVI, at the 1km×1km spatial scale, as obtained from the VEGETATION-SPOT5 instrument, from 1999 to 2010, large burnt scars are identified in Greece, during 2007 fire season. Vegetation recovery is then assessed based on a mono parametric regression model originally developed by Gouveia et al. (2010) to identify large burnt scars in Portugal during the 2003 fire season and after applied to 2005 fire season (Bastos et al., 2012). Some large burnt areas are selected and the respective NDVI behaviour is monitored throughout the pre and the post fire period. The vegetation dynamics during the pre-fire period is analysed and related to the extreme climatic events that characterised the considered period. An analysis is made of the dependence of recovery rates on land cover types and fire damage. Finally results are compared to results already obtained for Portugal (Gouveia et al. 2010). This work emphasises the use of a simple methodology, when applied to low resolution satellite imagery in order to monitor vegetation recovery after large fires events over

Women of Ancient Greece: Participating in Sport?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Brett D.

Based on evidence obtained from Greek literature and artifacts, this paper examines the extent to which women in ancient Greece participated in physical activity, sports, and games. Homer's "Odyssey" describes women playing ball and driving chariots; vases dating back to 700-675 B.C. portray women driving light chariots in a procession;…

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Natura 2000 Network for Wolf Conservation: A Case-Study in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Votsi, Nefta-Eleftheria P.; Zomeni, Maria S.; Pantis, J. D.

2016-02-01

The wolf ( Canis lupus) is used as a case study to rate Natura 2000 sites in Greece based on preferred wolf habitat characteristics and test whether the network is suitable for their conservation. Road density, agricultural area, site area, connectivity, food availability (i.e., presence of natural prey), and elevation in 237 sites are combined in a logistic regression model. The occurrence of the wolf's natural prey was the most prevalent factor determining wolf presence, followed by agricultural cover. Considering the current status of these features at N2K site level, most sites currently hosting wolves (85.7 %) have good or excellent prospects for the long-term presence of the wolf. On the contrary, 11 sites which now have wolves are predicted to be ineffective in keeping them in the future due to the absence of wild ungulates and their high agricultural coverage. Four sites with no wolf presence currently have excellent prospects to host wolves in the future. Roadless sites are a priority for protection and retaining their current condition is strongly suggested. The proposed approach aims to detect gaps in protection for the wolf and identify priority sites in need of mitigation actions. It can also assist the assessment of conservation policies in Greece and elsewhere toward accomplishing set goals in protected areas. By focusing on wolf protection, we hope to increase agencies' attention to deal with conservation effectiveness, especially in cases like Greece, where a number of sites are insufficiently known and protected and management measures are not properly implemented.

State-space based analysis and forecasting of macroscopic road safety trends in Greece.

PubMed

Antoniou, Constantinos; Yannis, George

2013-11-01

In this paper, macroscopic road safety trends in Greece are analyzed using state-space models and data for 52 years (1960-2011). Seemingly unrelated time series equations (SUTSE) models are developed first, followed by richer latent risk time-series (LRT) models. As reliable estimates of vehicle-kilometers are not available for Greece, the number of vehicles in circulation is used as a proxy to the exposure. Alternative considered models are presented and discussed, including diagnostics for the assessment of their model quality and recommendations for further enrichment of this model. Important interventions were incorporated in the models developed (1986 financial crisis, 1991 old-car exchange scheme, 1996 new road fatality definition) and found statistically significant. Furthermore, the forecasting results using data up to 2008 were compared with final actual data (2009-2011) indicating that the models perform properly, even in unusual situations, like the current strong financial crisis in Greece. Forecasting results up to 2020 are also presented and compared with the forecasts of a model that explicitly considers the currently on-going recession. Modeling the recession, and assuming that it will end by 2013, results in more reasonable estimates of risk and vehicle-kilometers for the 2020 horizon. This research demonstrates the benefits of using advanced state-space modeling techniques for modeling macroscopic road safety trends, such as allowing the explicit modeling of interventions. The challenges associated with the application of such state-of-the-art models for macroscopic phenomena, such as traffic fatalities in a region or country, are also highlighted. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that it is possible to apply such complex models using the relatively short time-series that are available in macroscopic road safety analysis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adoption and use of e-invoicing in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marinagi, C.; Trivellas, P.; Reklitis, Panagiotis; Skourlas, C.

2015-02-01

This paper investigates the adoption and use of electronic invoices (e-invoices) in Greek organizations. The study attempts to evaluate current practices applied in implementing e-invoicing. A field research has been conducted, which is based on a structured questionnaire. The target sample consisted of 42 Greek enterprises. The main issues of the investigation include the existing invoice processing practices, the barriers that prevent the extended adoption and use of e-invoicing, the observed benefits from e-invoicing implementation, and the strategic drivers for transition to e-invoicing. Currently, the use of e-invoicing in Greece is low. However, the research results testify that the adoption of e-invoicing in Greece is promising. Even though, a number of enterprises state that benefits of e-invoicing are not clear yet, the majority of enterprises agree that there are crucial financial priorities that e-invoicing is expected to support.

Helminths of foxes and other wild carnivores from rural areas in Greece.

PubMed

Papdopoulos, H; Himonas, C; Papazahariadou, M; Antoniadou-Sotiriadou, K

1997-09-01

Twenty species of helminth parasites were identified from fox, wolf, jackal and wild cat material collected in Greece. Of the 314 foxes (Vulpes vulpes) examined, 18 helminth species were recovered comprising one trematode, eight cestodes, seven nematodes and two acanthocephalans, with the cestode species Mesocestoides sp. (73.2%), Joyeuxiella echinorhynchoides (24.5%) and the nematode species Uncinaria stenocephala (43.9%), and Toxara canis (28.6%) being the most prevalent. Five cestode and three nematode species were reported from six wolves (CaniS lupus), together with one trematode, three cestode and four nematode species from five jackals (Canis aureus) and two cestode and three nematode species from four wild cats (Felis silvestris) examined. The species J. echinorhynchoides, Taenia crassiceps and Onicola canis and the genera Spirometra, Rictularia and Pachysentis are reported here for the first time in Greece. The results are discussed in the light of the feeding characteristics of wild carnivores in rural areas of Greece.

Solidarity outpatient clinics in Greece: a survey of a massive social movement.

PubMed

Evlampidou, Iro; Kogevinas, Manolis

2018-03-06

Until 2016, around 3 million persons had limited access to health care in Greece due to the economic crisis. We describe a massive solidarity movement of community clinics and pharmacies in Greece. We conducted a survey in 2014-15 and describe the characteristics of community clinics and pharmacies spontaneously established all over Greece after 2008. A characteristic of the 92 active solidarity clinics is autonomous collective functioning, free services, and funding from non-governmental sources. The largest clinics examined more than 500 uninsured or partly insured patients per month. Clinics covered a wide range of clinical and preventive services. Funding, availability of drugs, vaccines, medical material and their legal status were the main problems identified. The solidarity movement involved thousands of health professionals covering essential population needs. The community outpatient clinics were an outstanding example of solidarity and temporarily alleviated the health needs of a large part of the population. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Spatial and temporal variability of Aridity Index in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastos, Panagiotis; Politi, Nadia; Douvis, Kostas

2010-05-01

Drought events have deteriorated in most European regions during the last decades in frequency, duration, or intensity. Besides, increased drying associated with higher temperatures and decreased precipitation have contributed to changes in drought. Drought-affected areas are projected to increase in extent, with the potential for adverse impacts on multiple sectors, e.g. agriculture, water supply, energy production and health, according to IPCC. The objective of this study is the spatial and temporal variability of the Aridity Index (AI) per decade, in Greece during the period 1951-2000, as far as the projections of AI for the period 2051-2100, based on simulations of ensemble regional climate models (RCMs), for A1B SRES scenario. The climatic data used for the analysis concern monthly values of precipitation and air temperature from 28 meteorological stations; 22 stations from the National Hellenic Meteorological Service and 6 stations from neighboring countries. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), AI is defined as P/PET, where P is the average annual precipitation and PET is the potential evapotranspiration, estimated by the Thornthwaite method; PET and P must be expressed in same units, e.g., in milimetres. All the meteorological data processing was carried out by the application of Geographical Information System (GIS). The results of the analysis showed that within the examined period a clear shift from "humid" class that characterized the greater area of Greece in 1950's to "sub-humid" and "semi-dry" classes appeared in mainly the eastern regions of Greece, such as eastern Crete Island, Cyclades Islands, Evia and Attica in 1990's. The future projections derived by the simulations of ensemble RCMs indicated that drier conditions are very likely to appear in Greece associated with significant socio-economic consequences. The decreasing precipitation along with the high rates of evapotranspiration, because of increase in the air

Higher Education in Greece Compared to Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miliotis, Helen

2014-01-01

This paper compares and contrasts higher education in Canada and Greece. An overview of the systems in place is followed by an analysis centred on the triad of funding, access and quality. Similarities and differences are highlighted, and the current challenges and issues faced by both nations will be examined, especially in terms of world…

Stirring the Waters: University INSET in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mattheoudakis, Marina; Nicolaidis, Katerina

2005-01-01

In view of the increasing demand for in-service training in Greece, the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki launched English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher training courses, offered for the first time by a Greek state university. This paper discusses issues regarding the design and running of the courses as well as briefly presenting trainee…

Breeding-season food habits of burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) in southwestern Dominican Republic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiley, J.W.

1998-01-01

Diet data from 20 Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) nests were collected in southwestern Dominican Republic in 1976, 1982, and 1996. Invertebrates (53.3%) comprised the most numerous prey items (N = 396) delivered to nests by adult owls, but vertebrates (46.7%) were much better represented than in other studies of Burrowing Owl diet. Among vertebrates, birds (28.3% of all items) and reptiles (14.9%) were most important, whereas mammals (1.0%) and amphibians (2.5%) were less commonly delivered to nests. Vertebrates, however, comprised more than twice (69.2%) of the total biomass as invertebrates (30.8%), with birds (50.4%) and reptiles (12.8%) the most important of the vertebrate prey classes. A positive relationship was observed between bird species abundance and number of individuals taken as prey by Burrowing Owls.

Constructed wetlands for wastewater and activated sludge treatment in north Greece: a review.

PubMed

Tsihrintzis, V A; Gikas, G D

2010-01-01

Constructed wetlands used for the treatment of urban, industrial and agricultural wastewater have become very popular treatment systems all over the world. In Greece, these systems are not very common, although the climate is favourable for their use. During recent years, there have been several attempts for the implementation of these systems in Greece, which include, among others, pilot-scale systems used for research, and full-scale systems designed and/or constructed to serve settlements or families. The purpose of this paper is the presentation of systems operating in Northern Greece, which have been studied by the Laboratory of Ecological Engineering and Technology of Democritus University of Thrace and others. A comparison is made of different system types, and the effect of various design and operational parameters is presented. Current research shows the good and continuous performance of these systems.

Spatio-temporal distribution of absorbing and non-absorbing aerosols derived from Aura-OMI Aerosol Index over Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaskaoutis, D. G.; Nastos, P. T.; Kosmopoulos, P. G.; Kambezidis, H. D.; Kharol, S. K.; Badarinath, K. V. S.

2009-04-01

The Aerosol Index (AI) observations derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on board the Dutch-Finnish Aura satellite are analyzed over Greece covering the whole period of the OMI available data, from September 2004 to August 2008. The objective of this study was to analyze the spatial, seasonal and inter-annual variability of AI over Greece, detected by OMI during 2004-2008, with an evaluation of potential contributing factors, including precipitation and long-range transport (Sahara dust and European pollution). The AI data cover the whole Greek territory (34o-42oN, 20o-28oE) with a spatial resolution of 0.25o x 0.25o (13 km x 24 km at nadir). The results show significant spatial and temporal variability of the seasonal and monthly mean AI, with higher values at the southern parts and lower values over northern Greece. On the other hand, the AI values do not show significant differences between the western and eastern parts and, therefore, the longitude-averaged AI values can be utilized to reveal the strong south-to-north gradient. This gradient significantly changes from season to season being more intense in spring and summer, while it is minimized in winter. Another significant remark is the dominance of negative AI values over northern Greece in the summer months, indicating the presence of non-UV absorbing aerosols, such as sulfate and sea-salt particles. The great geographical extent of the negative AI values in the summer months is indicative of long-range transport of such aerosols. In contrast, the high positive AI values over south Greece, mainly in spring, clearly reveal the UV-absorbing nature of desert-dust particles affecting the area during Saharan dust events. Synoptically, the spatial distribution in OMI-AI values was related to the Saharan dust events mainly over southern Greece and to the trans-boundary-pollution transport, consisting mainly of sulfate particles, in northern Greece. The annual variation of spatial-averaged AI values

COPD patients' medical care and support in Greece during financial crisis.

PubMed

Mitonas, George; Juvana, Alexia; Daniil, Zoe; Hatzoglou, Chryssa; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos

2016-01-01

The need to follow a multidisciplinary strategy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management and rehabilitation in community settings in Greece raises significant questions, given the severe austerity measures being imposed at present. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical profile of patients with COPD along with the care provided in rural community settings in Greece. Two primary health care centers and 200 newly diagnosed patients over a 12-month period were involved in the study. A self-assessment questionnaire, including questions about smoking habits, the presence of comorbidities and chronic respiratory symptoms, as well as the COPD Assessment Test were used. Spirometry was performed with a dry spirometer. Obstructive spirometry was defined as forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio <0.7, according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines. Males comprised 70% of the sample, with cough and sputum being the prominent signs. Regarding COPD staging, 68.5% were classified in stages I/II. Arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease were the most common comorbidities. Current smokers accounted for 88.5%, while 88% were heavy drinkers. A general practitioner made the diagnosis in 68.5% of the cases, among which offspring and spouses provided home care in 38% and 8% of the cases, respectively, while an informal caregiver other than a relative was reported in 34% of the cases. No caregiver (self-care) was reported in 20% of the cases. All patients of stage III and IV had a COPD Assessment Test score >10. Patients with COPD dwelling in the community exhibit an overall mild-to-moderate type of COPD. General practitioner is in charge of COPD management. Informal caregiving is the major type of home care, with nonfamily members playing a significant role. The patients' profile permits limited optimism about their future perspective and urges for immediate action at primary care level.

An overview of solar energy applications in buildings in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papamanolis, Nikos

2016-09-01

This work classifies and describes the main fields of solar energy exploitation in buildings in Greece, a country with high solar energy capacities. The study focuses on systems and technologies that apply to residential and commercial buildings following the prevailing design and construction practices (conventional buildings) and investigates the effects of the architectural and constructional characteristics of these buildings on the respective applications. In addition, it examines relevant applications in other building categories and in buildings with increased ecological sensitivity in their design and construction (green buildings). Through its findings, the study seeks to improve the efficiency and broaden the scope of solar energy applications in buildings in Greece to the benefit of their energy and environmental performance.

Survey of medico-legal investigation of homicide in the region of Epirus (Northwest Greece).

PubMed

Fragkouli, Kleio; Boumba, Vassiliki; Vougiouklakis, Theodore

2016-01-01

This study analyzed the forensic features of homicides in North-West Greece (Epirus) from 1998 to 2013, a borderland area between Greece and Albania. Although Greece is critically influenced by both the increasing flow of refugees and the current socioeconomic crisis, very little information has been published regarding the patterns of homicide in the country. Fifty-eight autopsied victims (36 males; 22 females) were investigated. The median age was 37 years old. The average annual homicide rate was 0.85 per 100,000 inhabitants and showed remarkable fluctuation, with largest increase during Greek financial downturn. Sixteen victims were not Greek citizens. The most common method of commitment was the use of firearm (40%). The main motives were economical causes (26%) and passion (14%). Four cases were categorized as matricide (7%), 3 as homicide-suicide (5%), 2 as patricide (3%) and 1 as infanticide (2%). Toxicological analysis proved negative for ethanol and other psychotropic substances in the majority of the victims (50%). There is an urgent need for public actions both in Epirus and in Greece, with the application of effective strategies against criminality. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Trends in the epidemiology of childhood tuberculosis in Greece.

PubMed

Syridou, G; Mavrikou, M; Amanatidou, V; Spyridis, N; Prasad, P; Papaventsis, D; Kanavaki, S; Zaoutis, Th; Tsolia, M N

2012-06-01

A hospital referral center for childhood tuberculosis (TB). To evaluate the epidemiological and clinical features of childhood TB in the Greater Athens area in the last decade. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients aged <14 years treated for active TB between January 2000 and December 2009 at our pediatric TB clinic and compared the results with the patient turnover during the previous decade (1990-1999). Data concerning demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed. A total of 321 children (median age 5.57 years, 157 males) with active TB were identified. About one third originated from areas where TB was previously recognized to be highly endemic. Twenty-three children (7%) had extra-pulmonary TB, and 61% of them originated from TB-endemic areas. Bacteriological confirmation was obtained in 40% of patients from whom specimens were obtained: 1 of 26 (3.8%) strains was multidrug-resistant. Most cases with drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis were noted among immigrant children. The average annual TB incidence was estimated at 5.37 per 100 000 for children aged <14 years in the Greater Athens area. Time trend analysis for the 20-year period revealed a significant reduction in the total number of TB cases (P = 0.002) and in TB among children from low-incidence countries (P < 0.0001). In our settings, active TB is decreasing among children of Greek origin; disease epidemiology and drug resistance is influenced by the increasing influx of immigrants from areas where the disease is highly prevalent.

Historical and Contemporary Aspects of the Relationship between the State and Adult Education in Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boucouvalas, Marcie

An outgrowth of earlier research on historical and contemporary adult education in Greece, this paper provides highlights of the relationship between the state and adult education in that country. The highlights are organized by the following historical periods: prehistory (c. 3000-1100 B.C.); early and archaic Greece (c. 1100-700 B.C.);…

Assessing Lead, Nickel, and Zinc Pollution in Topsoil from a Historic Shooting Range Rehabilitated into a Public Urban Park

PubMed Central

Argyraki, Ariadne; Ornelas-Soto, Nancy

2017-01-01

Soil contamination is a persistent problem in the world. The redevelopment of a site with a historical deposition of metals might conceal the threat of remaining pollution, especially when the site has become a public place. In this study, human health risk assessment is performed after defining the concentrations of Pb, Ni, and Zn in the topsoil of a former shooting range rehabilitated into a public park in the Municipality of Kesariani (Athens, Greece). A methodology that uses inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS, 13 samples), another that uses portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) following a dense sample design (91 samples), and a hybrid approach that combines both, were used to obtain the concentrations of the trace elements. The enrichment factor and geoacummulation index were calculated to define the degree of pollution of the site. The hazard quotient and cancer risk indicators were also computed to find the risk to which the population is exposed. The present study reveals high non-carcinogenic health risk due to Pb pollution with ingestion as the main exposure pathway. The carcinogenic risk for Pb is within tolerable limits, but the definition of land use might alter such a statement. Lastly, regarding Ni and Zn, the site is unpolluted and there is insignificant carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks. PMID:28665307

Syndromic Surveillance Models Using Web Data: The Case of Influenza in Greece and Italy Using Google Trends.

PubMed

Samaras, Loukas; García-Barriocanal, Elena; Sicilia, Miguel-Angel

2017-11-20

An extended discussion and research has been performed in recent years using data collected through search queries submitted via the Internet. It has been shown that the overall activity on the Internet is related to the number of cases of an infectious disease outbreak. The aim of the study was to define a similar correlation between data from Google Trends and data collected by the official authorities of Greece and Europe by examining the development and the spread of seasonal influenza in Greece and Italy. We used multiple regressions of the terms submitted in the Google search engine related to influenza for the period from 2011 to 2012 in Greece and Italy (sample data for 104 weeks for each country). We then used the autoregressive integrated moving average statistical model to determine the correlation between the Google search data and the real influenza cases confirmed by the aforementioned authorities. Two methods were used: (1) a flu score was created for the case of Greece and (2) comparison of data from a neighboring country of Greece, which is Italy. The results showed that there is a significant correlation that can help the prediction of the spread and the peak of the seasonal influenza using data from Google searches. The correlation for Greece for 2011 and 2012 was .909 and .831, respectively, and correlation for Italy for 2011 and 2012 was .979 and .933, respectively. The prediction of the peak was quite precise, providing a forecast before it arrives to population. We can create an Internet surveillance system based on Google searches to track influenza in Greece and Italy. ©Loukas Samaras, Elena García-Barriocanal, Miguel-Angel Sicilia. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 20.11.2017.

The impact of economic austerity and prosperity events on suicide in Greece: a 30-year interrupted time-series analysis

PubMed Central

Branas, Charles C; Kastanaki, Anastasia E; Michalodimitrakis, Manolis; Tzougas, John; Kranioti, Elena F; Theodorakis, Pavlos N; Carr, Brendan G; Wiebe, Douglas J

2015-01-01

Objectives To complete a 30-year interrupted time-series analysis of the impact of austerity-related and prosperity-related events on the occurrence of suicide across Greece. Setting Greece from 1 January 1983 to 31 December 2012. Participants A total of 11 505 suicides, 9079 by men and 2426 by women, occurring in Greece over the study period. Primary and secondary outcomes National data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority assembled as 360 monthly counts of: all suicides, male suicides, female suicides and all suicides plus potentially misclassified suicides. Results In 30 years, the highest months of suicide in Greece occurred in 2012. The passage of new austerity measures in June 2011 marked the beginning of significant, abrupt and sustained increases in total suicides (+35.7%, p<0.001) and male suicides (+18.5%, p<0.01). Sensitivity analyses that figured in undercounting of suicides also found a significant, abrupt and sustained increase in June 2011 (+20.5%, p<0.001). Suicides by men in Greece also underwent a significant, abrupt and sustained increase in October 2008 when the Greek recession began (+13.1%, p<0.01), and an abrupt but temporary increase in April 2012 following a public suicide committed in response to austerity conditions (+29.7%, p<0.05). Suicides by women in Greece also underwent an abrupt and sustained increase in May 2011 following austerity-related events (+35.8%, p<0.05). One prosperity-related event, the January 2002 launch of the Euro in Greece, marked an abrupt but temporary decrease in male suicides (−27.1%, p<0.05). Conclusions This is the first multidecade, national analysis of suicide in Greece using monthly data. Select austerity-related events in Greece corresponded to statistically significant increases for suicides overall, as well as for suicides among men and women. The consideration of future austerity measures should give greater weight to the unintended mental health consequences that may follow and the public

Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece

PubMed Central

Vasiliadis, Elias S; Grivas, Theodoros B; Kaspiris, Angelos

2009-01-01

Little is known about the history of spinal deformities in ancient Greece. The present study summarizes what we know today for diagnosis and management of spinal deformities in ancient Greece, mainly from the medical treatises of Hippocrates and Galen. Hippocrates, through accurate observation and logical reasoning was led to accurate conclusions firstly for the structure of the spine and secondly for its diseases. He introduced the terms kyphosis and scoliosis and wrote in depth about diagnosis and treatment of kyphosis and less about scoliosis. The innovation of the board, the application of axial traction and even the principle of trans-abdominal correction for correction of spinal deformities have their origin in Hippocrates. Galen, who lived nearly five centuries later impressively described scoliosis, lordosis and kyphosis, provided aetiologic implications and used the same principles with Hippocrates for their management, while his studies influenced medical practice on spinal deformities for more than 1500 years. PMID:19243609

Adoption and use of e-invoicing in Greece

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marinagi, C., E-mail: marinagi@teihal.gr, E-mail: ptrivel@yahoo.com, E-mail: preklitis@yahoo.com; Trivellas, P., E-mail: marinagi@teihal.gr, E-mail: ptrivel@yahoo.com, E-mail: preklitis@yahoo.com; Reklitis, Panagiotis, E-mail: marinagi@teihal.gr, E-mail: ptrivel@yahoo.com, E-mail: preklitis@yahoo.com

2015-02-09

This paper investigates the adoption and use of electronic invoices (e-invoices) in Greek organizations. The study attempts to evaluate current practices applied in implementing e-invoicing. A field research has been conducted, which is based on a structured questionnaire. The target sample consisted of 42 Greek enterprises. The main issues of the investigation include the existing invoice processing practices, the barriers that prevent the extended adoption and use of e-invoicing, the observed benefits from e-invoicing implementation, and the strategic drivers for transition to e-invoicing. Currently, the use of e-invoicing in Greece is low. However, the research results testify that the adoptionmore » of e-invoicing in Greece is promising. Even though, a number of enterprises state that benefits of e-invoicing are not clear yet, the majority of enterprises agree that there are crucial financial priorities that e-invoicing is expected to support.« less

Legal capacity of the elderly in Greece.

PubMed

Giannouli, Vaitsa; Tsolaki, Magda

2014-01-01

Legal capacity of the elderly people in Greece is of great legal, medical and social importance, but has received little attention till now from medical literature. This paper aims to study whether elderly people with dementia are able to participate in legal contracts like sales, purchases, loans, leases, donations and testaments. We tried to introduce a new test for the above legal-financial contracts and show some preliminary findings. The test consists of six examined relevant domains concerning basic monetary skills, cash transactions, bank statement management, financial conceptual knowledge, knowledge of potential heirs (beneficiaries) and assets/estate and finally the decision making process for different dilemmas on sales, purchases, loans, leases, donations and testaments. We studied 203 people. Eighty three people were healthy, 64 with Alzheimer's disease (AD) (10 with severe AD, 22 with moderate, and 32 with mild AD), 10 with Parkinson's disease (PD), and 46 with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI). Individuals were included in the study only if they were aged 60 and over and only if they had a partner or a guardian who could give information on the individual's daily living. The exclusion criteria were predefined as follows: history of any other mental health disease and/or any other serious somatic health disease except for their official diagnosis of dementia. Results showed statistically significant differences with all three groups of patients characterized as incapable for legal-financial actions. Patients with severe AD (P<0.001), patients with moderate AD (P<0.001), patients with mild AD (P<0.001), patients with PD (P<0.001) and aMCI patients (P<0.001) differed significantly from healthy controls. Further research should include more extensive sampling of elderly patients with varying demographic characteristics in Greece, to confirm and expand our initial findings. In conclusion, our new test which is based on Marson's theoretical model

Epidemiology and genetic diversity of criniviruses associated with tomato yellows disease in Greece.

PubMed

Orfanidou, C G; Dimitriou, C; Papayiannis, L C; Maliogka, V I; Katis, N I

2014-06-24

Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) and Tomato infectious chlorosis virus (TICV) are two whitefly transmitted viruses which are classified in the genus Crinivirus of the family Closteroviridae. Both induce similar yellowing symptoms in tomato and are responsible for severe economic losses. ToCV is transmitted by Bemisia tabaci Gennadious, Trialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood and Trialeurodes abutilonea Haldeman, whereas TICV is transmitted only by T. vaporariorum. An extensive study was conducted during 2009-2012 in order to identify the virus species involved in tomato yellowing disease in Greece. Samples from tomato, other crops and weeds belonging to 44 species from 26 families were collected and analyzed using molecular methods. In addition, adult whiteflies were collected and analyzed using morphological characters and DNA markers. Results showed that TICV prevailed in tomato crops (62.5%), while ToCV incidence was lower (20.5%) and confined in southern Greece. ToCV was also detected in lettuce plants showing mild yellowing symptoms for the first time in Greece. Approximately 13% of the tested weeds were found to be infected, with TICV being the predominant virus with an incidence of 10.8%, whereas ToCV was detected only in 2.2% of the analyzed samples. These results indicate that the host range of TICV and ToCV in Greece is far more extensive than previously believed. T. vaporariorum was the most widespread whitefly species in Greece (80%), followed by B. tabaci (biotypes B and Q) (20%). Sequence analysis of the CP and CPm genes from Greek tomato and weed isolates of ToCV and TICV showed that even though both viruses have very wide host ranges their populations show very low molecular divergence. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

'Allowing the right' and its currency in managing drug stigma in Greece.

PubMed

Fotopoulou, Maria; Munro, Alison; Taylor, Avril

2015-08-01

Evidence suggests that problem drug users are still subject to high levels of stigmatization. In countries, like Greece, where families occupy a central position and honour is collectively attained, secondary drug stigma is also highly prevalent. However, little is known about how drug users and their families manage drug stigma in the specific cultural milieu that makes up Greece. This article presents findings from a qualitative study exploring how drug stigma both manifests itself and is managed by drug users and parents in the context of Greek familial culture. The study was conducted in two state drug agencies in Thessaloniki - Greece and involved the participation of 40 problem drug users (PDU) (23 male/17 female) and 8 parents of PDU. Qualitative, in-depth, interviews were used to collect narrative accounts about experiences of managing addiction, drug stigma and secondary stigma in the Greek parental home. 'Allowing the right' - broadly understood as referring to passing to others information which might devalue a person and consequently that person's family - is discussed in terms of drug stigma management in Greece. We highlight how this culturally specific notion can be viewed as an active strategy adopted by both individual drug users and parents of PDU to manage stigmatization by illustrating the various way in which not 'allowing the right' was described by participants, including drug problem discovery or disclosure and subsequent management of drug using careers and drug stigma within the Greek family context. Given the significance of the cultural notion of 'allowing the right' in the trajectory of drug use amongst PDU and more particularly in stigma management and secondary stigma management, the paper highlights the need for further research into the field in Greece. The need for targeted culturally specific and culturally relevant interventions aimed at reducing drug stigma is also highlighted in relation to both policy and practice. Copyright �

Symposium on General Linear Model Approach to the Analysis of Experimental Data in Educational Research (Athens, Georgia, June 29-July 1, 1967). Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bashaw, W. L., Ed.; Findley, Warren G., Ed.

This volume contains the five major addresses and subsequent discussion from the Symposium on the General Linear Models Approach to the Analysis of Experimental Data in Educational Research, which was held in 1967 in Athens, Georgia. The symposium was designed to produce systematic information, including new methodology, for dissemination to the…

An Enlightened Use of Educational Monitoring for Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korilaki, Panayota

2006-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to discuss the issues surrounding educational monitoring systems. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is a general review of the situation in Greece. Findings: This paper suggests that a superior educational monitoring system aiming to alleviate educational and social inequalities as well as discrepancies between…

Operating results and reinjection of Milos field in Greece

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hibara, Y.; Tahara, M.; Sakanashi, H.

1989-01-01

The Milos geothermal prospect located on one of the Cycladean islands of Greece represents a high temperature (320{sup 0}C), high silica content (1150 ppm) modified sea water resource. The program of development under taken by the Public Power Corporation (PPC) of Greece started with the drilling of a number of wells and has progressed to the installation of a pilot-style 2MW(e) condensing power plant which went on-line in December 1986. This plant has been provided by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) under a contract with PPC. Geothermal South Pacific (GEOSPAC) was sub-contracted to MHI to provide technical and scientific assistance inmore » connection with reservoir related matters. The authors present the various studies and modification that were done to establish an acceptable method of plant operation and waste disposal.« less

PREFACE: Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perivolaropoulos, Leandros; Kanti, Panagiota

2011-03-01

black holes and other massive astrophysical objects, cosmological perturbation spectra, modeling of astrophysical and cosmological observables via alternative theories, attempts to build a consistent quantum gravity theory. We chose to place the emphasis in this meeting on subjects related to Observational and Theoretical Cosmology due to the rapid recent development of these research areas. Our goal was to provide a stimulating environment for the presentation and discussion of the most recent cutting-edge research results in cosmology and classical and quantum gravity. We believe that this goal was achieved and we hope that the next meeting that will take place at Chania (Crete) in 2012 (NEB-15) will further raise the standards of this series. Special thanks are due to the invited and keynote speakers for providing exciting talks and to all the participants for presenting interesting contributions and initiating fruitful discussions. We would also like to thank the Organizing Committee and the Scientific Committee for their valuable contributions to the organization of the meeting. Finally we would like to thank our main sponsors - the University of Ioannina, the Academy of Athens, the National Bank of Greece and the 'Prokos' Bookstore - for providing financial support and making this meeting possible. Last but not least, we are grateful to the European Research and Training Network "UniverseNet" (MRTN-CT-2006035863-1) for providing the funds for the publication of the proceedings of our meeting. The EditorsLeandros PerivolaropoulosPanagiota Kanti The Organizing Committee:L Perivolaropoulos (Ioannina) (Chair)P Kanti (Ioannina) (Co-Chair)C Kolasis (Ioannina)N Stergioulas (Thessaloniki)K Kokkotas (Thessaloniki, Tuebingen)D Papadopoulos (Thessaloniki)M Plionis (Athens)S Basilakos (Athens)E Vagenas (Athens)S Nesseris (Niels Bohr)N Pappas (Ioannina) The Scientific Committee:A Ashtekar (Penn-State)N Batakis (Ioannina)D Christodoulou (ETH)G Contopoulos (Academy of Athens

Rodents new to the diet of the western burrowing owl(athene CUNICULARIA HYPUGAEA )

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiluford, D.L.; Woodin, M.C.; Skoruppa, M.K.; Hickman, G.C.

2009-01-01

The northern pygmy mouse (Baiomys taylori), fulvous harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens), and Merriam's pocket mouse (Pemgnathus merriami) are new to the diet of the western burrowing owl (Athene cuniculana hypugaed). All three species were identified from remains in regurgitated pellets collected from roost sites of burrowing owls in southern Texas over a period of 4 winters. Together, northern pygmy mice and fulvous harvest mice represented 58% of mammals identified in 182 pellets regurgitated by western burrowing owls. Merriam's pocket mouse accounted for only 4% of identified mammalian prey. Frequency of occurrence in pellets was 16% for northern pygmv mice, 11% for fulvous harvest mice, and 3% for Merriam's pocket mice. The primary reason for absence of these species in previous studies of foods of western burrowing owls is that most were conducted in latitudes north of these southern-distributed species of mammals.

Development of vibrational spectroscopic methods to rapidly and non-destructively assess quality of chicken breast meat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Development of Vibrational Spectroscopic Methods to Rapidly and Non-Destructively Assess Quality of Chicken Breast Meat H. Zhuang1, M. Sohn2, S. Trabelsi1 and K. Lawrence1 1Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit, ARS-USDA, 950 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605 2University of Georgia, De...

Family Language Policies among Albanian Immigrants in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chatzidaki, Aspassia; Maligkoudi, Christina

2013-01-01

This article reports on an investigation of family language policies among 37 Albanian immigrant families in Northern Greece within the framework of Spolsky's language policy model. Data collection was based on semi-directed interviews with parents which were analysed using both content and discourse analysis. According to our findings, three…

School Psychology in Greece: A System of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theodore, Lea A.; Bray, Melissa A.; Kehle, Thomas J.; Dioguardi, Richard J.

2002-01-01

Discusses origin of school psychology in Greece which emerged with services for mentally disabled in 1937. Explains how laws were instituted with the growing demand for educational services for students with social and emotional needs. Includes discussions on diverse roles of school psychologists, present status of special education, and influence…

The differential impact of the financial crisis on Health in Ireland and Greece: A quasi-experimental approach

PubMed Central

Hessel, P; Vandoros, S; Avendano, M

2015-01-01

Objectives Greece and Ireland suffered an economic recession of similar magnitude, but whether their health has deteriorated as a result has not yet been well established. Study design Based on five waves (2006-2010) of the European Union Statistics of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) survey we implemented a difference-in-differences (DID) approach that compared trends in self-rated health in Greece and Ireland before and after the crisis with trends in a control population (Poland) that did not experience a recession and had health trends comparable to both countries before the crisis. Methods Logistic regression using a difference-in-differences (DID) approach. Results A simple examination of trends suggests that there was no significant change in health in Greece or Ireland following the onset of the financial crisis. However, DID estimates that incorporated a control population suggest an increase in the prevalence of poor-self rated health in Greece (OR=1.216; CI=1.11 - 1.32). Effects were most pronounced for older individuals and those living in high-density areas, but effects in Greece were overwhelmingly consistent in different population sub-groups. In contrast, DID estimates revealed no effect of the financial crisis in Ireland (OR=0.97; CI=0.81-1.16). Conclusions Contradicting results from a simple comparison of single-country trends, DID estimates suggest that the financial crisis has led to deterioration of population health trends in Greece but not in Ireland, where policies may have prevented a worsening of health as a result of the recent economic crisis. PMID:25369355

Coastal Vulnerability and risk assessment of infrastructures, natural and cultural heritage sites in Greece.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexandrakis, George; Kampanis, Nikolaos

2016-04-01

The majority of human activities are concentrated around coastal areas, making coastline retreat, a significant threat to coastal infrastructure, thus increasing protection cost and investment revenue losses. In this study the management of coastal areas in terms of protecting coastal infrastructures, cultural and environmental heritage sites, through risk assessment analysis is been made. The scope is to provide data for spatial planning for future developments in the coastal zone and the protection of existing ones. Also to determine the impact of coastal changes related to the loss of natural resources, agricultural land and beaches. The analysis is based on a multidisciplinary approach, combining environmental, spatial and economic data. This can be implemented by integrating the assessment of vulnerability of coasts, the spatial distribution and structural elements of coastal infrastructure (transport, tourism, and energy) and financial data by region, in a spatial database. The approach is based on coastal vulnerability estimations, considering sea level rise, land loss, extreme events, safety, adaptability and resilience of infrastructure and natural sites. It is based on coupling of environmental indicators and econometric models to determine the socio-economic impact in coastal infrastructure, cultural and environmental heritage sites. The indicators include variables like the coastal geomorphology; coastal slope; relative sea-level rise rate; shoreline erosion/accretion rate; mean tidal range and mean wave height. The anthropogenic factors include variables like settlements, sites of cultural heritage, transport networks, land uses, significance of infrastructure (e.g. military, power plans) and economic activities. The analysis in performed by a GIS application. The forcing variables are determined with the use of sub-indices related to coastal geomorphology, climate and wave variables and the socioeconomics of the coastal zone. The Greek coastline in

Big Events in Greece and HIV Infection Among People Who Inject Drugs

PubMed Central

Nikolopoulos, Georgios K.; Sypsa, Vana; Bonovas, Stefanos; Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Malliori-Minerva, Melpomeni; Hatzakis, Angelos; Friedman, Samuel R.

2015-01-01

Big Events are processes like macroeconomic transitions that have lowered social well-being in various settings in the past. Greece has been hit by the global crisis and experienced an HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs. Since the crisis began (2008), Greece has seen population displacement, inter-communal violence, cuts in governmental expenditures, and social movements. These may have affected normative regulation, networks, and behaviors. However, most pathways to risk remain unknown or unmeasured. We use what is known and unknown about the Greek HIV outbreak to suggest modifications in Big Events models and the need for additional research. PMID:25723309

New records and updated checklist of Cicadomorpha (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) species from Greece.

PubMed

Thanou, Zoi N; Afentoulis, Dimitrios G; Koufopoulou, Panagiota; Ampatzi, Argyro P; Lekkou, Sofia D; Koutsogiannopoulou, Αikaterini; Bravou, Anastasia A; Stamatakou, Georgia D; Voulgaraki, Konstantina N; Piperkas, Anastasios; Chaldaiou, Aikaterini; Kalaitzaki, Argyro P; Tsagkarakis, Antonios E

2018-04-20

Seventeen auchenorrhynchan species of the family Cicadellidae are recorded from Greece for the first time: Euscelidius variegatus (Kirschbaum 1858), Euscelis ohausi (Wagner 1939), Psammotettix notatus (Melichar 1896), Psammotettix striatus (Linnaeus 1758), Psammotettix sabulicola (Curtis 1837), Anzygina honiloa (Kirkaldy 1906), Arboridia versuta (Melichar 1897), Edwardsiana ishidae (Matsumura 1932), Edwardsiana tersa (Edwards 1914), Eupteryx decemnotata (Rey 1891), Eupteryx curtisii (Flor 1861), Eupteryx rostrata (Ribaut 1936), Frutioidia sanguinosa (Rey 1891), Zygina rosea (Flor 1861), Zygina suavis (Rey 1891), Zygina tiliae (Fallen 1806), Anaceratagallia frisia (Wagner 1939). Faunistic and distributional data notes are given for each species and a complete, updated species checklist for Greece is provided.

Prevalence and sociodemographic associations of common mental disorders in a nationally representative sample of the general population of Greece

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background No study in Greece has assessed so far the full range of common mental disorders using a representative sample of the population from both mainland and insular regions of the country. The aim of the present paper was to present the results of the first such study. Methods The study was carried out between 2009–2010 in a nationally representative sample of 4894 individuals living in private households in Greece. Common mental disorders in the past week were assessed with the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R). We also assessed alcohol use disorders (using AUDIT), smoking and cannabis use. Results 14% of the population (Male: 11%, Female: 17%) was found to have clinically significant psychiatric morbidity according to the scores on the CIS-R. The prevalence (past seven days) of specific common mental disorders was as follows: Generalized Anxiety Disorder: 4.10% (95% CI: 3.54, 4.65); Depression: 2.90% (2.43, 3.37); Panic Disorder: 1.88% (1.50, 2.26); Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: 1.69% (1.33, 2.05); All Phobias: 2.79% (2.33, 3.26); Mixed anxiety-depression: 2.67% (2.22, 3.12). Harmful alcohol use was reported by 12.69% of the population (11.75, 13.62). Regular smoking was reported by 39.60% of the population (38.22, 40.97) while cannabis use (at least once during the past month) by 2.06% (1.66, 2.46). Clinically significant psychiatric morbidity was positively associated with the following variables: female gender, divorced or widowed family status, low educational status and unemployment. Use of all substances was more common in men compared to women. Common mental disorders were often comorbid, undertreated, and associated with a lower quality of life. Conclusions The findings of the present study can help in the better planning and development of mental health services in Greece, especially in a time of mental health budget restrictions. PMID:23734578

Prevalence and sociodemographic associations of common mental disorders in a nationally representative sample of the general population of Greece.

PubMed

Skapinakis, Petros; Bellos, Stefanos; Koupidis, Sotirios; Grammatikopoulos, Ilias; Theodorakis, Pavlos N; Mavreas, Venetsanos

2013-06-04

No study in Greece has assessed so far the full range of common mental disorders using a representative sample of the population from both mainland and insular regions of the country. The aim of the present paper was to present the results of the first such study. The study was carried out between 2009-2010 in a nationally representative sample of 4894 individuals living in private households in Greece. Common mental disorders in the past week were assessed with the revised Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R). We also assessed alcohol use disorders (using AUDIT), smoking and cannabis use. 14% of the population (Male: 11%, Female: 17%) was found to have clinically significant psychiatric morbidity according to the scores on the CIS-R. The prevalence (past seven days) of specific common mental disorders was as follows: Generalized Anxiety Disorder: 4.10% (95% CI: 3.54, 4.65); Depression: 2.90% (2.43, 3.37); Panic Disorder: 1.88% (1.50, 2.26); Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: 1.69% (1.33, 2.05); All Phobias: 2.79% (2.33, 3.26); Mixed anxiety-depression: 2.67% (2.22, 3.12). Harmful alcohol use was reported by 12.69% of the population (11.75, 13.62). Regular smoking was reported by 39.60% of the population (38.22, 40.97) while cannabis use (at least once during the past month) by 2.06% (1.66, 2.46). Clinically significant psychiatric morbidity was positively associated with the following variables: female gender, divorced or widowed family status, low educational status and unemployment. Use of all substances was more common in men compared to women. Common mental disorders were often comorbid, undertreated, and associated with a lower quality of life. The findings of the present study can help in the better planning and development of mental health services in Greece, especially in a time of mental health budget restrictions.

Assessing and optimising flood control options along the Arachthos river floodplain (Epirus, Greece)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drosou, Athina; Dimitriadis, Panayiotis; Lykou, Archontia; Kossieris, Panagiotis; Tsoukalas, Ioannis; Efstratiadis, Andreas; Mamassis, Nikos

2015-04-01

We present a multi-criteria simulation-optimization framework for the optimal design and setting of flood protection structures along river banks. The methodology is tested in the lower course of the Arachthos River (Epirus, Greece), downstream of the hydroelectric dam of Pournari. The entire study area is very sensitive, particularly because the river crosses the urban area of Arta, which is located just after the dam. Moreover, extended agricultural areas that are crucial for the local economy are prone to floods. In the proposed methodology we investigate two conflicting criteria, i.e. the minimization of flood hazards (due to damages to urban infrastructures, crops, etc.) and the minimization of construction costs of the essential hydraulic structures (e.g. dikes). For the hydraulic simulation we examine two flood routing models, named 1D HEC-RAS and quasi-2D LISFLOOD, whereas the optimization is carried out through the Surrogate-Enhanced Evolutionary Annealing-Simplex (SE-EAS) algorithm that couples the strengths of surrogate modeling with the effectiveness and efficiency of the EAS method.

Academic Entrepreneurship, Innovation Policies and Politics in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arapostathis, Stathis

2010-01-01

This paper explores the process of the emergence in Greece of the "Triple Helix", and the nature of the "Helix" in the context of the concurrent changes occurring in Greek socio-political affairs. The influence of politics and innovation policies on the relationships between academia and government and industry is considered.…

Knowledge, Attitudes and Proposals of Medical Students Concerning Transplantations in Greece

PubMed Central

Dardavessis, Theodore; Xenophontos, Pantelis; Haidich, Anna-Bettina; Kiritsi, Maria; Vayionas, Malamatenia Arvanitidou

2011-01-01

Objectives: In Greece, there is limited research on issues related to organ donation. We aimed to study the attitudes, knowledge, and actions of local medical students regard to organ donation and transplantations of tissues and organs in Greece. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire based survey was done in Laboratory of Hygiene and Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece on medical students in years 1 to 6. In a sample of 600 medical students, a special anonymous questionnaire, which included data as sex, age, and semester of studies, as well as questions regarding certain aspects of transplantation, was distributed. 558 valid questionnaires were completed (men 52.3% and women 47.7%). Results: The vast majority of the sample (93.6%) were in favor of transplantations whereas 32 (5.7%) of the students claimed to be organ donors. 78.9% claimed ignorance of the existing legislation concerning transplantations and organ donation in our country. 81.2% believed that the voting of law, which would consider all Greek organ donors after death will cause strong reactions. As the main causes, responsible for the shortage of transplants in our country were stated to be the inadequate public information, Greek mentality, and the lack of organized transplant centers. Public information through Media, a lifelong free health check-up for organ donors and activation of voluntary organizations that promote organ donation were proposed as the most important actions that could increase organ donation and transplantations in Greece. Conclusions: The need for further informative actions stressing the importance of organ donations appears to be the only way to increase transplantations in our country and towards this direction medical students could also be activated. A new medical curriculum should increase medical students′ awareness of the organ shortage problem. Public education is recommended to correct misconceptions. PMID:21811659

The impact of economic austerity and prosperity events on suicide in Greece: a 30-year interrupted time-series analysis.

PubMed

Branas, Charles C; Kastanaki, Anastasia E; Michalodimitrakis, Manolis; Tzougas, John; Kranioti, Elena F; Theodorakis, Pavlos N; Carr, Brendan G; Wiebe, Douglas J

2015-02-02

To complete a 30-year interrupted time-series analysis of the impact of austerity-related and prosperity-related events on the occurrence of suicide across Greece. Greece from 1 January 1983 to 31 December 2012. A total of 11 505 suicides, 9079 by men and 2426 by women, occurring in Greece over the study period. National data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority assembled as 360 monthly counts of: all suicides, male suicides, female suicides and all suicides plus potentially misclassified suicides. In 30 years, the highest months of suicide in Greece occurred in 2012. The passage of new austerity measures in June 2011 marked the beginning of significant, abrupt and sustained increases in total suicides (+35.7%, p<0.001) and male suicides (+18.5%, p<0.01). Sensitivity analyses that figured in undercounting of suicides also found a significant, abrupt and sustained increase in June 2011 (+20.5%, p<0.001). Suicides by men in Greece also underwent a significant, abrupt and sustained increase in October 2008 when the Greek recession began (+13.1%, p<0.01), and an abrupt but temporary increase in April 2012 following a public suicide committed in response to austerity conditions (+29.7%, p<0.05). Suicides by women in Greece also underwent an abrupt and sustained increase in May 2011 following austerity-related events (+35.8%, p<0.05). One prosperity-related event, the January 2002 launch of the Euro in Greece, marked an abrupt but temporary decrease in male suicides (-27.1%, p<0.05). This is the first multidecade, national analysis of suicide in Greece using monthly data. Select austerity-related events in Greece corresponded to statistically significant increases for suicides overall, as well as for suicides among men and women. The consideration of future austerity measures should give greater weight to the unintended mental health consequences that may follow and the public messaging of these policies and related events. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group

Dementia and depression: two frequent disorders of the aged in primary health care in Greece.

PubMed

Argyriadou, S; Melissopoulou, H; Krania, E; Karagiannidou, A; Vlachonicolis, I; Lionis, C

2001-02-01

Dementia and depression are very common disorders among elderly people and their presence decreases the well-being of the aged. The purpose of this study was to assess the magnitude of dementia and depression among elderly people living in different settings in the catchment area of the Chrisoupolis health centre (HCCh) in northern Greece. A total of 536 patients aged 65 years and over, including 48 subjects living in an old people's home, 75 subjects who were taking part in the activities of the open centre for the elderly and 413 subjects randomly selected from those visiting the HCCh, were interviewed by the primary health care team of the HCCh. Medical and family history data were recorded, while cognitive and mood disorders were assessed by using the Mini Mental State Examination and Geriatric Depression Screening Scale. At the time of the examination, 37.6% of the men and 41.6% of the women showed various degrees of cognitive impairment, while 29.9% of the women and 19.6% of the men showed mild to moderate depression. Diabetes mellitus and hypertension frequently were found to co-exist with depression and dementia. The results reaffirm that there is a high prevalence of the studied mental disorders in older patients in the out-patient setting in Greece. A set of recommendations to Greek GPs has now been formulated, with specific emphasis on the use of different screening tools and the appropriate treatment of the most frequently co-existing chronic diseases.

The development of the Athens Emotional States Inventory (AESI): collection, validation and automatic processing of emotionally loaded sentences.

PubMed

Chaspari, Theodora; Soldatos, Constantin; Maragos, Petros

2015-01-01

The development of ecologically valid procedures for collecting reliable and unbiased emotional data towards computer interfaces with social and affective intelligence targeting patients with mental disorders. Following its development, presented with, the Athens Emotional States Inventory (AESI) proposes the design, recording and validation of an audiovisual database for five emotional states: anger, fear, joy, sadness and neutral. The items of the AESI consist of sentences each having content indicative of the corresponding emotion. Emotional content was assessed through a survey of 40 young participants with a questionnaire following the Latin square design. The emotional sentences that were correctly identified by 85% of the participants were recorded in a soundproof room with microphones and cameras. A preliminary validation of AESI is performed through automatic emotion recognition experiments from speech. The resulting database contains 696 recorded utterances in Greek language by 20 native speakers and has a total duration of approximately 28 min. Speech classification results yield accuracy up to 75.15% for automatically recognizing the emotions in AESI. These results indicate the usefulness of our approach for collecting emotional data with reliable content, balanced across classes and with reduced environmental variability.