A Distinct Inhibitory Function for miR-18a in Th17 Cell Differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Montoya, Misty M; Maul, Julia; Singh, Priti B; Pua, Heather H; Dahlström, Frank; Wu, Nanyan; Huang, Xiaozhu; Ansel, K Mark; Baumjohann, Dirk

2017-07-15

Th17 cell responses orchestrate immunity against extracellular pathogens but also underlie autoimmune disease pathogenesis. In this study, we uncovered a distinct and critical role for miR-18a in limiting Th17 cell differentiation. miR-18a was the most dynamically upregulated microRNA of the miR-17-92 cluster in activated T cells. miR-18a deficiency enhanced CCR6 + RAR-related orphan receptor (ROR)γt + Th17 cell differentiation in vitro and increased the number of tissue Th17 cells expressing CCR6, RORγt, and IL-17A in airway inflammation models in vivo. Sequence-specific miR-18 inhibitors increased CCR6 and RORγt expression in mouse and human CD4 + T cells, revealing functional conservation. miR-18a directly targeted Smad4 , Hif1a , and Rora , all key transcription factors in the Th17 cell gene-expression program. These findings indicate that activating signals influence the outcome of Th cell differentiation via differential regulation of mature microRNAs within a common cluster. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

49 CFR 1242.33 - Other expenses and casualties and insurance (accounts XX-17-99, XX-18-99, XX-19-99, 50-17-00, 50...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... (accounts XX-17-99, XX-18-99, XX-19-99, 50-17-00, 50-18-00, and 50-19-00). 1242.33 Section 1242.33....33 Other expenses and casualties and insurance (accounts XX-17-99, XX-18-99, XX-19-99, 50-17-00, 50... separation of administrative—other (account XX-19-06). Operating Expenses—Equipment locomotives ...

Pyrolysis of forestry biomass by-products in Greece

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zabaniotou, A.A. [Aristotle Univ. of Thessaloniki (Greece). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

1999-06-01

This article summarizes the technical characteristics of a biomass pyrolysis pilot plant recently constructed in central Greece. It highlights the considerations involved in achieving successful pyrolysis technology and environmental and developmental goals, by reviewing technical and nontechnical barriers associated with biomass treatment technology in Greece. Data from the start-up phase of the plant operation are presented and some aspects of the process are outlined. The capacity of the plant is 1200--1450 kg/hr, based on wet biomass (Arbutus Unedo) and the pyrolysis temperature is approximately 400 C. Char yield is 14--18% weight on dry basis and is of good quality consisting of 76% C with heat content 6760 kcal/kg. Bio-oil includes 64% C and its heat content is 6250 kcal/kg.

Insulin Resistance and Serum Levels of Interleukin-17 and Interleukin-18 in Normal Pregnancy

OpenAIRE

Jahromi, Abdolreza Sotoodeh; Shojaei, Mohammad; Ghobadifar, Mohamed Amin

2014-01-01

We performed this study to evaluate the role of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) and Interleukin-18 (IL-18) in insulin resistance during normal pregnancy. This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out on 97 healthy pregnant women including 32, 25, and 40 individuals in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively, and on 28 healthy non pregnant women between the autumn of 2012 and the spring of 2013. We analyzed the serum concentrations of IL-17 and IL-18 by using the enzyme linked im...

18 CFR 2.17 - Price discrimination and anticompetitive effect (price squeeze issue).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... INTERPRETATIONS Statements of General Policy and Interpretations Under the Federal Power Act § 2.17 Price... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Price discrimination and anticompetitive effect (price squeeze issue). 2.17 Section 2.17 Conservation of Power and Water...

Angular distribution of elastic scattering of 17F and 18Ne on proton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Zhaohui; Wu Heyu; Hu Rongjiang; Zhu Yongtai; Zhang Baoguo; Li Zuyu; Wei Zhiyong; Duan Liming; Wang Hongwei; Xiao Zhigang; Wang Sufang; Jin Genming; Guo Zhongyan; Xiao Guoqing; Zhu Haidong; Liu Yongying; Chen Keliang; Chen Tao; Li Xiangqing; Li Zhihuan

2002-01-01

Under reverse kinematics, elastic scattering of 17 F and 18 Ne on proton is studied. The experimental differential cross sections were measured. A kind of global optical potential with the CH89 parameters is used to describe the radioactive nucleus as an initial optical potential parameters. The experimental differential cross section data are analyzed by using the theoretical calculation code DWUCK4 with the distorted-wave Born approximation and parameter search subroutine ABOD which automatically searches the suitable parameters. Then the optical potential parameters of scattering 17 F and 18 Ne on proton are obtained. From the analyses of the optimized parameters, the real central potential mean-square radii of 17 F and 18 Ne, 3.239 fm and 3.317 fm are deduced, respectively

Radon measurements in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgiou, E.; Ntalles, K.; Molfetas, M.; Athanassiadis, A.; Proukakis, C.

1988-01-01

Studies of radon concentration in greek spas, in a cave, in constituents of the greek cement, in building materials in Greece and in greek mines have been published. Some preliminary studies of radon concentration in greek dwellings have been published. In order to get an idea of the problem in Greece we decided to carry out a national survey. Two different sites were selected: Athens, where domicile about 40% of the greek population and Domatia, a small village in northern Greece 600Km from Athens, located in an area known to have soil with increased uranium concentrations

Redundant roles of Sox17 and Sox18 in early cardiovascular development of mouse embryos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakamoto, Youhei; Hara, Kenshiro; Kanai-Azuma, Masami; Matsui, Toshiyasu; Miura, Yutaroh; Tsunekawa, Naoki; Kurohmaru, Masamichi; Saijoh, Yukio; Koopman, Peter; Kanai, Yoshiakira

2007-01-01

Sox7, -17 and -18 constitute the Sox subgroup F (SoxF) of HMG box transcription factor genes, which all are co-expressed in developing vascular endothelial cells in mice. Here we characterized cardiovascular phenotypes of Sox17/Sox18-double and Sox17-single null embryos during early-somite stages. Whole-mount PECAM staining demonstrated the aberrant heart looping, enlarged cardinal vein and mild defects in anterior dorsal aorta formation in Sox17 single-null embryos. The Sox17/Sox18 double-null embryos showed more severe defects in formation of anterior dorsal aorta and head/cervical microvasculature, and in some cases, aberrant differentiation of endocardial cells and defective fusion of the endocardial tube. However, the posterior dorsal aorta and allantoic microvasculature was properly formed in all of the Sox17/Sox18 double-null embryos. The anomalies in both anterior dorsal aorta and head/cervical vasculature corresponded with the weak Sox7 expression sites. This suggests the region-specific redundant activities of three SoxF members along the anteroposterior axis of embryonic vascular network

Insulin resistance and serum levels of interleukin-17 and interleukin-18 in normal pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahromi, Abdolreza Sotoodeh; Shojaei, Mohammad; Ghobadifar, Mohamed Amin

2014-06-01

We performed this study to evaluate the role of Interleukin-17 (IL-17) and Interleukin-18 (IL-18) in insulin resistance during normal pregnancy. This descriptive cross sectional study was carried out on 97 healthy pregnant women including 32, 25, and 40 individuals in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively, and on 28 healthy non pregnant women between the autumn of 2012 and the spring of 2013. We analyzed the serum concentrations of IL-17 and IL-18 by using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Insulin resistance was measured by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance equation. No significant differences between the demographic data of the pregnant and non pregnant groups were observed. Insulin resistant in pregnant women was significantly higher than the controls (p=0.006). Serum IL-17 concentration was significantly different in non pregnant women and pregnant women in all gestational ages (ppregnant women (pinsulin resistance (r=0.08, p=0.34 vs. r=0.01, p=0.91, respectively). Our data suggested that IL-17 and IL-18 do not appear to attribute greatly to pregnancy deduced insulin resistance during normal pregnancy.

17 CFR 18.05 - Maintenance of books and records.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Maintenance of books and... REPORTS BY TRADERS § 18.05 Maintenance of books and records. (a) Every trader who holds or controls a reportable futures or option position shall keep books and records showing all details concerning all...

Hydraulic Conductivity Measurements with HTU at Eurajoki, Olkiluoto, Boreholes OL-KR16, 16B, 17, 17B, 18 and 18B, Year 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haemaelaeinen, H.

2005-07-01

As a part of the site investigations for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel, hydraulic con- ductivity measurements were carried out in boreholes OL-KR16, 16B, 17, 17 B, 18 and 18B at Eurajoki, Olkiluoto. The objective was to investigate the distribution of the hydraulic conductivity in the surrounding bedrock volume. Measurements were carried out during spring-summer 2004. The total lengths of the boreholes are: OL-KR16 170,20 m, OL-KR17 157,13 m and OL-KR18 125,49 m. Corresponding B-holes are around 45 m deep, parallel and adjacent to their 'parent' holes so representing the cased sections of them. The conbined measurable length of the holes is about 453,57 m, of which 429,15 m was covered with 217 standard tests at 2 m packer separation as specified in the research plan. 246 tests were initiated, but some had to be cancelled due to errors or unsuitable control parameters. Double-packer constant-head method was used throughout with nominal 200 kPa overpressure. Injection stage lasted normally 20 minutes and fall-off stage 10 minutes. The tests were often shortened if there were clear indications that the hydraulic conductivity is below the measuring range of the system. The pressure in the test section was let to stabilise at least 5 min before injection. In some test sections the stabilisation, injection or fall-off stage lasted several hours. Two transient (Horner and 1/Q) interpretations and one stationary-state (Moye) interpretation were made in-situ immediately after the test. The Hydraulic Testing Unit (HTU-system) is owned by Posiva Oy and it was operated by Geopros Oy. (orig.)

A Greek physician's portrait in Windsor Castle.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartsocas, Christos S

2017-01-01

To the visitor to Windsor Castle, the Thomas Lawrence portraits in the Waterloo Chamber represent the most important contributors to the military defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, by British, Prussian, Russian and Austrian forces at the Battle of Waterloo. Nevertheless, only few individuals realise that a Greek physician, Count Ioannis Capodistrias, a native of the island of Corfu, stands among these leading personalities as a diplomat, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, who contributed remarkably to European unity in the early nineteenth century and as a statesman ('Governor' of Greece) with a tragic end to his life, after establishing a Greek State practically from ruins.

Poor stroke risk perception despite moderate public stroke awareness: insight from a cross-sectional national survey in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Ntaios, George; Melikoki, Vasiliki; Perifanos, George; Perlepe, Kalliopi; Gioulekas, Fotios; Karagiannaki, Anastasia; Tsantzali, Ioanna; Lazarou, Chrysanthi; Beradze, Nikolaos; Poulianiti, Evdoxia; Poulikakou, Matina; Palantzas, Theofanis; Kaditi, Stavrina; Perlepe, Fay; Sidiropoulos, George; Papageorgiou, Kyriaki; Papavasileiou, Vasileios; Vemmos, Konstantinos; Makaritsis, Konstantinos; Dalekos, George N

2015-04-01

Although stroke is the fourth cause of death in Western societies, public stroke awareness remains suboptimal. The aim of this study was to estimate stroke risk perception and stroke awareness in Greece through a cross-sectional telephone survey. A trained interview team conducted this cross-sectional telephone survey between February and April 2014 using an online structured questionnaire. Participants were selected using random digit dialing of landline and mobile telephone numbers with quota sampling weighted for geographical region based on the most recent General Population Census (2011). Between February and April 2014, 723 individuals (418 women [58%], 47.4 ± 17.8 years) agreed to respond. Among all respondents, 642 (88.8%) were able to provide at least 1 stroke risk factor; 673 respondents (93.08%) were able to provide correctly at least 1 stroke symptom or sign. When asked what would they do in case of acute onset of stroke symptoms, 497 (68.7%) responded that they would either call the ambulance or visit the closest emergency department. Only 35.3%, 18.9%, 17.2%, 20.7%, and 15.0% of respondents with atrial fibrillation, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and current smoking, respectively, considered themselves as being in high risk for stroke. Stroke risk perception in Greece is low despite moderate public stroke awareness. Copyright © 2015 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A mechanistic study of Toxoplasma gondii ROP18 inhibiting differentiation of C17.2 neural stem cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xian Zhang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Congenital infection of Toxoplasma gondii is an important factor causing birth defects. The neural stem cells (NSCs are found to be one of the target cells for the parasite during development of the brain. As a key virulence factor of the parasite that hijacks host cellular functions, ROP18 has been demonstrated to mediate the inhibition of host innate and adaptive immune responses through specific binding different host immunity related molecules. However, its pathogenic actions in NSCs remain elusive. Results In the present study, ROP18 recombinant adenovirus (Ad-ROP18 was constructed and used to infect C17.2 NSCs. After 3d- or 5d–culture in differentiation medium, the differentiation of C17.2 NSCs and the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were detected. The results showed that the protein level of βIII-tubulin, a marker of neurons, in the Ad-ROP18-transfected C17.2 NSCs was significantly decreased, indicating that the differentiation of C17.2 NSCs was inhibited by the ROP18. The β-catenin level in the Ad-ROP18-transfected C17.2 NSCs was found to be lower than that in the Ad group. Also, neurogenin1 (Ngn1 and neurogenin2 (Ngn2 were downregulated significantly (P < 0.05 in the Ad-ROP18-transfected C17.2 NSCs compared to the Ad group. Accordingly, the TOP flash/FOP flash dual-luciferase report system showed that the transfection of Ad-ROP18 decreased the Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity in the C17.2 NSCs. Conclusions The inhibition effect of the ROP18 from T. gondii (TgROP18 on the neuronal differentiation of C17.2 NSCs was at least partly mediated through inhibiting the activity of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, eventually resulting in the downregulation of Ngn1 and Ngn2. The findings help to better understand potential mechanisms of brain pathology induced by TgROP18.

Carbonatitic dykes during Pangaea transtension (Pelagonian Zone, Greece)

Science.gov (United States)

Schenker, Filippo Luca; Burg, Jean-Pierre; Kostopoulos, Dimitrios; Baumgartner, Lukas P.; Bouvier, Anne-Sophie

2018-03-01

Carbonatitic dykes surrounded by K-Na-fenites were discovered in the Pelagonian Zone in Greece. Their carbonate portions have an isotopic mantle signature of δ13C and δ18O ranging from -5.18 to -5.56 (‰ vs. VPDB) and from 10.68 to 11.59 (‰ vs. VSMOW) respectively, whereas their mafic silicate portions have high Nb, Ta and ɛNd values, typical of alkaline basalts. Textural relationships hint at a cogenetic intrusion of silicate and carbonate liquids that according to antithetic REE profiles segregated at shallow depths (Pangaea dextral transform fault that signalled the forthcoming penetrating breakoff of the supercontinent, manifested in the Permo-Triassic.

Measurement of δ18O, δ17O, and 17O-excess in Water by Off-Axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, Elena S.F.; Levin, Naomi E.; Landais, Amaelle; Li, Shuning; Owano, Thomas

2013-01-01

Stable isotopes of water have long been used to improve understanding of the hydrological cycle, catchment hydrology, and polar climate. Recently, there has been increasing interest in measurement and use of the less-abundant 17O isotope in addition to 2H and 18O. Off-axis integrated cavity output spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) is demonstrated for accurate and precise measurements δ18O, δ17O, and 17O-excess in liquid water. OA-ICOS involves no sample conversion and has a small footprint, allowing measurements to be made by researchers collecting the samples. Repeated (514) high-throughput measurements of the international isotopic reference water standard GISP demonstrate the precision and accuracy of OA-ICOS: δ18OVSMOW-SLAP =−24.74 ± 0.07 ‰ (1σ) and δ17OVSMOW-SLAP = −13.12 ± 0.05 ‰ (1σ). For comparison, the IAEA value for δ18OVSMOW-SLAP is −24.76 ± 0.09 ‰ (1σ) and an average of previously reported values for δ17OVSMOW-SLAP is −13.12 ± 0.06 ‰ (1σ). Multiple (26) high-precision measurements of GISP provide a 17O-excessVSMOW-SLAP of 23 ± 10 per meg (1σ); an average of previously reported values for 17O-excessVSMOW-SLAP is 22 ± 11 per meg (1σ). For all these OA-ICOS measurements, precision can be further enhanced by additional averaging. OA-ICOS measurements were compared with two independent isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) laboratories and shown to have comparable accuracy and precision as the current fluorination-IRMS techniques in δ18O, δ17O, and 17O-excess. The ability to measure accurately δ18O, δ17O, and 17O-excess in liquid water inexpensively and without sample conversion is expected to increase vastly the application of δ17O and 17O-excess measurements for scientific understanding of the water cycle, atmospheric convection, and climate modeling among others. PMID:24032448

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Indian National Conference on Hemoglobinopathies, 17-18 May 2013, Bangalore - India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Editors: Karuna Rameshkumar

2013-08-01

Full Text Available This abstract book contains some abstracts presented at the Indian National Conference on Hemoglobinopathies, 17-18 May 2013, Bangalore - IndiaOrganized by Departments of Clinical Pathology, Paediatrics & Haematology St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences Bangalore - India

The practice of electroconvulsive therapy in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaliora, Styliani C; Braga, Raphael J; Petrides, Georgios; Chatzimanolis, John; Papadimitriou, George N; Zervas, Iannis M

2013-09-01

To describe the practice of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Greece. A survey was conducted during the academic year 2008-2009. Electroconvulsive therapy use was investigated for 2007. All civilian institutions providing inpatient care were included. Centers that provided ECT completed a 57-item questionnaire. Centers that did not offer ECT completed a 13-item questionnaire. Fifty-five (82.1%) of 67 institutions responded. Electroconvulsive therapy was offered in 18 hospitals. Only 2 of 10 university hospitals offered ECT. Overall, 137 patients were treated with 1271 sessions in 2007. Only 1.47% discontinued treatment owing to adverse events. There were no deaths. Schizophrenia was the most common diagnosis (41.3%) among those receiving ECT, followed by major depression (28.9%), bipolar depression (9.1%), catatonia (4.1%), suicidal ideation (3.3%), and schizoaffective disorder (2.5%). Physicians considered major depression (93.8%), catatonia (86.5%), schizophrenia (56.3%), and mania (50%) the most appropriate indications. Written informed consent was required in 77.8% of the institutions, whereas the rest required verbal consent. Bilateral ECT was the preferred electrode placement (88.9%). Modified ECT was used exclusively. Propofol was the preferred anesthetic (44.4%), followed by thiopental (38.9%). Seven (38.9%) of 18 hospitals used a fixed stimulus dose at first treatment. Five (27.8%) of 18 hospitals used the half-age method. Continuation/maintenance ECT was used in 33.3% of the hospitals. Outpatient ECT was seldom used. Lack of training, difficult access to anesthesiology, billing issues, and stigma were cited as the main impediments to the practice of ECT. Electroconvulsive therapy is practiced in moderate numbers in Greece and almost exclusively on an inpatient basis. Lack of training and lack of availability of anesthesiologists were cited as the most common obstacles to providing ECT.

Factors Associated with Exposure to Passive Smoking among 12-18 year-old Students in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas S Lappas

2015-11-01

Passive-smoking exposure is prevalent among the student population in Greece, despite the New Anti-Smoking Legislation that came into effect in July 2009. Our findings indicate that enforcement of the law and additional public health initiatives must be implemented.

The Presence of Ancient Greece in Modern Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Anton, John P.

1977-01-01

The author relates the ways in which a present day visitor to Greece will be reminded of ancient Greek history. The legendary hospitality, Greek statues, the landscape, Greek dances, gestures, and customs are some of the topics discussed. (Author/RM)

Inflammation in the CNS and Th17 Responses Are Inhibited by IFN-{gamma}-Induced IL-18 Binding Protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Millward, Jason M; Pedersen, Morten Løbner; Wheeler, Rachel D

2010-01-01

Inflammatory responses are essential for immune protection but may also cause pathology and must be regulated. Both Th1 and Th17 cells are implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune inflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. We show in this study that IL-18-binding protein (IL-18bp......), the endogenous inhibitor of the Th1-promoting cytokine IL-18, is upregulated by IFN-gamma in resident microglial cells in the CNS during multiple sclerosis-like disease in mice. Test of function by overexpression of IL-18bp in the CNS using a viral vector led to marked reduction in Th17 responses and robust...... inhibition of incidence, severity, and histopathology of disease, independently of IFN-gamma. The disease-limiting action of IL-18bp included suppression of APC-derived Th17-polarizing cytokines. IL-18bp thus acts as a sensor for IFN-gamma and can regulate both Th1 and Th17 responses in the CNS....

Electricity sector reform in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iliadou, Ekaterini N.

2009-01-01

This paper provides an outlook of the electricity market reform in Greece which started in 2001 and is still developing slowly. This is related to the persisting dominance of the incumbent company and the specificities of the electricity sector of Greece which is heavily dependent on indigenous lignite firing generation, while being located in the periphery of the EU internal electricity and gas markets. Competition through enhancing electricity trade in the region is limited to date, as the establishment of an internal market in South East Europe also progresses slowly. Development of competition through gas-firing generation by new entrants has been the priority adopted by State and Regulator's policies. However, the gas supply market in Greece and in the region still lags behind. (author)

Väärimaalid Eesti luteri kirikus 17.-18. sajandil / Pia Ehasalu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Ehasalu, Pia, 1964-

2005-01-01

Vääride pildiprogramm (Tallinna Niguliste, Karksi ja Kolga-Jaani kirik). Tallinna Püha Vaimu kiriku väärid (Elert Thiele). Tahvelmaal luterlikus kogudusekirikus 17.-18. sajandil. Tallinna Püha Vaimu kiriku "galerii" (Albrecht von Hembsen). Vara kiriku maal "Usutunnistus" (Magnus Reinfeld, 1756). Bilbiograafia lk. 458

The coarse painter and his position in 17th- and 18th-century Dutch decorative painting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakker, P.; van Eikema Hommes, M.H.; Keune, K.; Evans, H.; Muir, K.

2015-01-01

In modern studies of Dutch art, the makers of decorative paintings in the 17th and 18th centuries are usually referred to as ‘decorative painters’ or ‘interior painters’, as if this was a profession in its own right. However, neither name existed at the time. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the

Valladolid, a Festival Town (17th-18th Centuries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lourdes AMIGO VÁZQUEZ

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The festival was a great sociocultural event whose dimensions reached their maximum evolution in Early Modern Spain, especially in the 17th and 18th centuries and in its urban centres. This was the «festive society» par excellence, because of the frequency of the celebrations and the multiplicity of meanings, implications and consequences. Society and power, ultimately, were represented at the festival. In this context, the specific case of Valladolid demonstrates both its character as a germane model, applicable to any other town, and its uniqueness. Significantly, in the early 17th century it was once again the seat of the Court and yet even after being abandoned by Philip III in 1606, it continued to be one of the most important towns of Castile, the seat of the Royal Chancellery.

Automatic synthesis of 16α-[18F]fluoro-17β-estradiol using a cassette-type [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose synthesizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Tetsuya; Kasamatsu, Shingo; Mosdzianowski, Christoph; Welch, Michael J.; Yonekura, Yoshiharu; Fujibayashi, Yasuhisa

2006-01-01

16α-[ 18 F]fluoro-17β-estradiol ([ 18 F]FES) is a radiotracer for imaging estrogen receptors by positron emission tomography. We developed a clinically applicable automatic preparation system for [ 18 F]FES by modifying a cassette-type [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose synthesizer. Two milligrams of 3-O-methoxymethyl-16,17-O-sulfuryl-16-epiestriol in acetonitrile was heated at 105 o C for 10 min with dried [ 18 F]fluoride. The resultant solution was evaporated and hydrolyzed with 0.2 N HCl in 90% acetonitrile/water at 95 o C for 10 min under pressurized condition. The neutralization was carried out with 2.8% NaHCO 3 , and then the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) purification was performed. The desired radioactive fraction was collected and the solvent was replaced by 10 ml of saline, and then passed through a 0.22-μm filter into a pyrogen-free vial as the final product. The HPLC purification data demonstrated that [ 18 F]FES was synthesized with a yield of 76.4±1.9% (n=5). The yield as the final product for clinical use was 42.4±3.2% (n=5, decay corrected). The total preparation time was 88.2±6.4 min, including the HPLC purification and the solvent replacement process. The radiochemical purity of the final product was >99%, and the specific activity was more than 111 GBq/μmol. The final product was stable for more than 6 h in saline containing sodium ascorbate. This new preparation system enables us to produce [ 18 F]FES safe for clinical use with high and reproducible yield

EXPANSINA17 up-regulated by LBD18/ASL20 promotes lateral root formation during the auxin response.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Han Woo; Kim, Jungmook

2013-10-01

Expansins are non-hydrolytic cell wall-loosening proteins involved in a variety of plant developmental processes during which cell wall modification occurs. Cell wall remodeling proteins including expansins have been suggested to be involved in cell separation to facilitate the emergence of lateral roots (LRs) through the overlaying tissues of the primary root. LBD18/ASL20 activates EXPANSINA14 (EXPA14) expression by directly binding to the EXPA14 promoter to enhance LR emergence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we show that EXPA17 is another target gene regulated by LBD18 to promote LR formation in Arabidopsis. We showed that nuclear translocation of the LBD18:GR fusion protein expressed under the Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter or under the LBD18 promoter by dexamethasone treatment results in an increase in EXPA17 transcript levels. β-Glucuronidase (GUS) expression under the EXPA17 promoter, which is detected only in the roots of the wild type, was reduced in the LR primordium and overlaying tissues in an lbd18 mutant background. The number of emerged LRs of the EXPA17 RNAi (RNA interference) Arabidopsis lines was significantly lower than that of the wild type. Overexpression of EXPA17 in Arabidopsis increased the density of emerged LRs in the presence of auxin compared with the wild type. LR induction experiments with a gravitropic stimulus showed that LR emergence is delayed in the EXPA17 RNAi plants compared with the wild type. In addition, EXPA4 expression was also detected in overlaying tissues of the LR primordium and was inducible by LBD18. Taken together, these results support the notion that LBD18 up-regulates a subset of EXP genes to enhance cell separation to promote LR emergence in Arabidopsis.

Lignite As Contributory Factor to Regional Development of Greece

OpenAIRE

Ilias Kordas

2006-01-01

Lignite (brown coal) is Greece's most important energy mineral raw material. Lignite exploitation has made a highly significant contribution to the development of energy sector of Greece on past 50 years, and will, according to estimations, continue to supply energy for another 40 years. Greece is very rich in Lignite resources. The two main basins - from where Lignite is extracted by opencast mining - are a) in Western Macedonia (northen Greece) where is generated the 70% of the whole electr...

Preparation of 16α[18F] fluoro-17β-fluoroestradiol on domestic synthesis module

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Chuanjin; Zhu Hong; Fang Keyuan

2012-01-01

To investigate the synthesis method of 16α-[ 18 F] fluoro-17β-fluoroestradiol on domestic synthesizing module, the automated synthesis was carried out through the reaction of 3-O-(methoxymethyl) -16,17-O-sulfuryl-16-epiestriol (MMSE, 1 mg) as precursor with 18 F- at 105 ℃ for 15 min in sealed system on domestic synthesizer, then 0.8 mL 1 mol/L HC1 dissolved in 7.2 mL acetonetrile was added in three parts to the reaction vessel for hydrolysis and hydrolysis reaction was performed at 105 ℃ for 6 min. The final reaction solution was purified by HPLC to give 18 F-FES. Preparation of 18 F-FES on domestic synthesis module was in the uncorrected synthesis yield of 8.2% (corrected synthesis yield 12.8%). Total synthesis time was about 70 min and radiochemical purity was higher than 98%. The product had good stability at room temperature. 18 F-FES injection can be prepared on domes- tic synthesis module and the quality can meet the requirements of radiopharmaceuticals for clinical use, (authors)

First evidence of Leishmania infection in European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Greece: GIS analysis and phylogenetic position within the Leishmania spp.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsokana, C N; Sokos, C; Giannakopoulos, A; Mamuris, Z; Birtsas, P; Papaspyropoulos, K; Valiakos, G; Spyrou, V; Lefkaditis, M; Chatzopoulos, D C; Kantere, M; Manolakou, K; Touloudi, A; Burriel, A Rodi; Ferroglio, E; Hadjichristodoulou, C; Billinis, C

2016-01-01

Although the existence of a sylvatic transmission cycle of Leishmania spp., independent from the domestic cycle, has been proposed, data are scarce on Leishmania infection in wild mammals in Greece. In this study, we aimed to investigate the presence of Leishmania infection in the European brown hare in Greece, to infer the phylogenetic position of the Leishmania parasites detected in hares in Greece, and to identify any possible correlation between Leishmania infection in hares with environmental parameters, using the geographical information system (GIS). Spleen samples from 166 hares were tested by internal transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1)-nested PCR for the detection of Leishmania DNA. Phylogenetic analysis was performed on Leishmania sequences from hares in Greece in conjunction with Leishmania sequences from dogs in Greece and 46 Leishmania sequences retrieved from GenBank. The Leishmania DNA prevalence in hares was found to be 23.49 % (95 % confidence interval (CI) 17.27-30.69). The phylogenetic analysis confirmed that the Leishmania sequences from hares in Greece belong in the Leishmania donovani complex. The widespread Leishmania infection in hares should be taken into consideration because under specific circumstances, this species can act as a reservoir host. This study suggests that the role of wild animals, including hares, in the epidemiology of Leishmania spp. in Greece deserves further elucidation.

Feedback from visual cortical area 7 to areas 17 and 18 in cats: How neural web is woven during feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, X; Ding, H; Lu, J

2016-01-15

To investigate the feedback effect from area 7 to areas 17 and 18, intrinsic signal optical imaging combined with pharmacological, morphological methods and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was employed. A spatial frequency-dependent decrease in response amplitude of orientation maps was observed in areas 17 and 18 when area 7 was inactivated by a local injection of GABA, or by a lesion induced by liquid nitrogen freezing. The pattern of orientation maps of areas 17 and 18 after the inactivation of area 7, if they were not totally blurred, paralleled the normal one. In morphological experiments, after one point at the shallow layers within the center of the cat's orientation column of area 17 was injected electrophoretically with HRP (horseradish peroxidase), three sequential patches in layers 1, 2 and 3 of area 7 were observed. Employing fMRI it was found that area 7 feedbacks mainly to areas 17 and 18 on ipsilateral hemisphere. Therefore, our conclusions are: (1) feedback from area 7 to areas 17 and 18 is spatial frequency modulated; (2) feedback from area 7 to areas 17 and 18 occurs mainly ipsilaterally; (3) histological feedback pattern from area 7 to area 17 is weblike. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Indoor radon measurements in Athens, Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Proukakis, C.; Molfetas, M.; Ntalles, K.; Georgiou, E.; Serefoglou, A.

1987-01-01

A pilot study was carried out in order to measure air concentrations of radon 222 and 220 isotopes in Athenian houses, as a first step of a national survey in Greece. In this paper the authors deal with radon concentration in air and water and will rely on measurements conducted in Greece. (author)

Comparison of NBG-18, NBG-17, IG-110 and IG-11 oxidation kinetics in air

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jo Jo; Ghosh, Tushar K.; Loyalka, Sudarshan K.

2018-03-01

The oxidation rates of several nuclear-grade graphites, NBG-18, NBG-17, IG-110 and IG-11, were measured in air using thermogravimetry. Kinetic parameters and oxidation behavior for each grade were compared by coke type, filler grain size and microstructure. The thickness of the oxidized layer for each grade was determined by layer peeling and direct density measurements. The results for NBG-17 and IG-11 were compared with those available in the literature and our recently reported results for NBG-18 and IG-110 oxidation in air. The finer-grained graphites IG-110 and IG-11 were more oxidized than medium-grained NBG-18 and NBG-17 because of deeper oxidant penetration, higher porosity and higher probability of available active sites. Variation in experimental conditions also had a marked effect on the reported kinetic parameters by several studies. Kinetic parameters such as activation energy and transition temperature were sensitive to air flow rates as well as sample size and geometry.

Gender Wage Differentials in Greece

OpenAIRE

Evangelia Papapetrou

2004-01-01

The paper studies the existence of wage differentials between male and female employees in Greece employing quantile regession analysis techniques and applying a variant of the selection-adjusted Oaxaca and Ransom (1994) decomposition method to explain the components of the wage differentials. The results suggest that, in Greece, differences in wages between men and women can be identified. Decomposing the wage gap between genders, the results show that the difference in wages is attributed m...

New Mediterranean Marine biodiversity records (December, 2013

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M. BILECENOGLU

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Based on recent biodiversity studies carried out in different parts of the Mediterranean, the following 19 species are included as new records on the floral or faunal lists of the relevant ecosystems: the green algae Penicillus capitatus (Maltese waters; the nemertean Amphiporus allucens (Iberian Peninsula, Spain; the salp Salpa maxima (Syria; the opistobranchs Felimida britoi and Berghia coerulescens (Aegean Sea, Greece; the dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus (central-west Mediterranean and Ionian Sea, Italy; Randall’s threadfin bream Nemipterus randalli, the broadbanded cardinalfish Apogon fasciatus and the goby Gobius kolombatovici (Aegean Sea, Turkey; the reticulated leatherjack Stephanolepis diaspros and the halacarid Agaue chevreuxi (Sea of Marmara, Turkey; the slimy liagora Ganonema farinosum, the yellowstripe barracuda Sphyraena chrysotaenia, the rayed pearl oyster Pinctada imbricata radiata and the Persian conch Conomurex persicus (south-eastern Crete, Greece; the blenny Microlipophrys dalmatinus and the bastard grunt Pomadasys incisus (Ionian Sea, Italy; the brown shrimp Farfantepenaeus aztecus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey; the blue-crab Callinectes sapidus (Corfu, Ionian Sea, Greece. In addition, the findings of the following rare species improve currently available biogeographical knowledge: the oceanic pufferfish Lagocephalus lagocephalus (Malta; the yellow sea chub Kyphosus incisor (Almuñécar coast of Spain; the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus and the shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus (north-eastern Levant, Turkey.

Soundscape design guidelines through noise mapping methodologies: An application to medium urban agglomerations

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Vogiatzis Konstantinos

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In the framework of the European Directive 2002/49/EC, from 2012 to 2016, several cities in Greece have completed noise strategic maps with noise action plans that usually define the main strategies to reduce the noise residents are exposed to and introduce and preserve “quiet zones”. Several medium urban agglomerations in Greece (Volos, Larissa, Chania, Heraklion, Corfu, Agrinio, Thessaloniki have been chosen to also analyse the sound qualities of the soundscapes of specific urban neighbourhoods in order to generate recommendations for the urban design of the soundscapes of these agglomerations in a manner that complements conventional noise mitigation measures. The general principle of this approach is to relate quantitative data (e.g., from measurements, acoustic simulations, urban forms, topography, and traffic model with qualitative data (e.g., from type of sources, interviews, reports on environmental noise perception by creating quantitative and qualitative maps. The aim of this study is to propose possible action tools to the relevant authorities aiming at diminishing noise levels in affected areas and also to provide solutions towards a sustainable sound environment both in space and time. This paper presents the main current methodology, selected important results proposed for the urban agglomerations of a typical Southeast Mediterranean country such as Greece.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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 (PPamphlets 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.

Lead exposure of the child population in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Radioiodine and radiocesium in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece due to the Fukushima nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manolopoulou, M.; Vagena, E.; Stoulos, S.; Ioannidou, A.; Papastefanou, C.

2011-01-01

Radioiodine ( 131 I) in air and rainwater as high as 497 μBq m -3 and 0.7 Bq L -1 , respectively, as well as 137 Cs and 134 Cs in air as high as 145 μBq m -3 and 126 μBq m -3 , respectively were recorded in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece (40 o 38'N, 22 o 58'E) from March 24, 2011 through April 09, 2011, after a nuclear accident occurred at Fukushima, Japan (37 o 45'N, 140 o 28'E) on March 11, 2011. - Highlights: → Radioiodine ( 131 I) in air and rainwater as high as 365 μBq m -3 and 0.7 Bq L -1 , respectively, as well as 137 Cs and 134 Cs in air as high as 18 μBq m -3 and 12 μBq m -3 , respectively were recorded in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece (40 o 38'N, 22 o 58'E) from March 24, 2011 through April 01, 2011, very early after a nuclear accident occurred at Fukushima, Japan (37 o 45'N, 140 o 28'E) on March 11, 2011. → The presence of more than one peaks of 131 I and 137+134 Cs indicates that 131 I and 137+134 Cs were continuously transferred from Fukushima, Japan to Greece till April 9, 2011. → The ratio of 131 I/ 137 Cs in air in Thessaloniki, Greece was first 18.4 on March 26, 2011 and then declined to 3.4 on April 04, 2011 indicating that the radioactive cloud was first more rich in 131 I, as iodine is a more volatile element than cesium. → The ratio of 137 Cs/ 134 Cs in air in Thessaloniki was first 1.5 on March 26, 2011 and then declined to almost 1.0, as was expected and observed in Fukushima when escaped from nuclear reactors, resulting from dilution of 134 Cs from Fukushima with older 137 Cs from resuspension across the globe.

ETHICAL CONSUMERS IN GREECE: WHO ARE THEY?

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Antonia Delistavrou

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Presents a segmentation on the basis of the overall ethical consumption concept for the first time in Greece. Four segments were identified: Ethical Consumers (18.09%, Boycotters (20.48%, Ecological Consumers (27.86% and Conventional Consumers (33.57%. The Ethical Consumers’ segment consists of well educated citizens, who adopt all ethical behaviours more frequently. These consumers were found to be more confident they can control politics, less materialists, most attracted by post-materialist goals as well as less sceptical towards ethical products and less indifferent about ethical consumption issues. This segment may be considered as attractive enough to be targeted by business and non for profit organisations.

49 CFR 1242.29 - Fringe benefits (accounts 12-17-00, 12-18-00, and 12-19-00).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Fringe benefits (accounts 12-17-00, 12-18-00, and... RAILROADS 1 Operating Expenses-Way and Structures § 1242.29 Fringe benefits (accounts 12-17-00, 12-18-00, and 12-19-00). Separate common expenses in the running subactivity in the same proportion as the...

'Allowing the right' and its currency in managing drug stigma in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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 �

Environmental radioactivity monitoring in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maltezos, A.; Potiriadis, C.; Aravantinos, A.

1997-01-01

Greek Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is the national organization responsible for the environmental radioactivity measurements in Greece. In order to monitor the radioactivity, 12 stations were placed all over Greece. Each station is equipped with NaI detector, measuring daily the total gamma dose rates. After the Chernobyl experience many countries have installed dense automatic networks, for measuring environmental radioactivity and serving as an early warning systems. In Greece a small telemetric network of two stations was installed in Athens area as a pilot project. Each station consists of two GM detectors (for low and high dose rate respectively). Data are collected for every ten minutes sampling time. Regration time of one hour is obtained. In case of level one and level two alarm states, the sampling time intervals are ten and one minutes respectively. The measurements are obtained by the above stations using the lines of the telephone network, and stored in the central station. Financial support to upgrade the existing telemetric system was assured by the addition of 25 new telemetric stations which will cover madly the northern part bordering to other states with nuclear power plants.In order to complete the network, we plan to add more stations to measure the gamma dose rates spread all over Greece, and also monitor river water. (authors)

17 CFR 240.15c1-8 - Sales at the market.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sales at the market. 240.15c1... Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Rules Relating to Over-The-Counter Markets § 240.15c1-8 Sales at the market... securities exchange that such security is being offered to such customer “at the market” or at a price...

Endoparasites of Wild Mammals Sheltered in Wildlife Hospitals and Rehabilitation Centres in Greece

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Theophanes K. Liatis

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Wildlife parasitic diseases represent an important field of investigation as they may have a significant impact on wild animals’ health and fitness, and may also have zoonotic implications. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of endoparasites in wild mammals admitted to wildlife hospitals and rehabilitation centres in Greece. Sixty-five animals belonging to 17 species and originated from various areas of continental and insular Greece were included in the survey. The most numerous animal species examined were hedgehogs (n = 19, red foxes (n = 16, and European roe deer (n = 6. Faecal samples were collected individually and examined by floatation and sedimentation method. Parasites were found in 46 (70.7% of the animals. Most parasites found in canids, felids, and ruminants are of great relevance to the domestic animals’ health and some of them are also of zoonotic importance. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first report of endoparasites in hedgehogs, roe deers, fallow deers, badgers, and bats, and the first report of the pulmonary nematode Troglostrongylus brevior in a wild cat in Greece. The significance of the parasites found in each animal species in regard to their health and their relevance to domestic animals and human health is discussed.

Periodontal Reasons for Tooth Extraction in Adult Population in Greece

OpenAIRE

Chrysanthakopoulos, Nikolaos A.

2010-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of permanent teeth extracted due to periodontal disease and its relation to several aspects such as age, gender and type of extracted teeth due to periodontal and non-periodontal reasons, among patients attending a private practice. Material and Methods: Study population consisted of 600 patients, 270 males and 330 females, aged 18 to 74 years from a private practice in Greece. The reasons for extractions of teeth in the sample for ...

Secular trends of blood isolates in patients from a rural area population hospitalized in a tertiary center in a small city in Greece

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Holevas Pierros V

2006-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most of the studies evaluating the secular trends of blood isolates come from tertiary hospitals in urban areas. We sought to study the trends of the antimicrobial resistance of blood isolates in patients from a rural population hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in a small city in Greece. Methods We retrospectively collected and analysed data for the first positive blood culture obtained for each admission for each patient hospitalized in General Hospital of Tripolis, Tripolis, Peloponnesus, Greece during a 5 year period (16/05/2000 – 15/05/2005. Results Sixty-seven thousand and seventy patients were hospitalized during the study period from whom 3,206 blood cultures were obtained. A higher increase of the number of obtained blood cultures than the number of admissions was noted during the study period (p Escherichia coli (29%, and Staphylococcus aureus (18.2% were the most commonly isolated pathogens. Among the Staphylococcus aureus isolates, the proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA was 17.2% (5/29. The proportion of Escherichia coli resistant to trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin and cefuroxime was 29.6% (32/108, 25.0% (27/108, and 8.3% (9/108 respectively. Imipenem-resistance was noted in 3.4% (1/29 of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. There were only 6 (1.6% Acinetobacter baummanii blood isolates during the study period. Conclusion The antimicrobial resistance of isolates from patients receiving care at the studied tertiary hospital in a small city in Greece is considerably less compared to that noted in tertiary hospitals in larger cities of the country.

Education Policy in Greece: A Preliminary Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

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…

Moldovan Perception of Greece as a Tourism Destination

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Stela Cazacu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This research study analyzes Moldovans' intentions to visit Greece, and their perceptions of Greece's image as a tourism destination, according to the following dimensions: (1 environmental beauty and convenience, (2 country's citizens, (3 place and architectural structure, (4 shopping and tourist accommodation and (5 similarity of the local culture and cuisine with the Moldovan one. The goal is split into four objectives. Design/methodology/approach: For attaining the goal, a self-administered questionnaire was delivered. The empirical study was conducted in the capital of Moldova. The findings are based upon a sample of 139 respondents. Findings: The findings reveal that, overall, Greece's image as a tourist destination among Moldovan consumers is partially positive. The perceptions of the tourism dimensions were evaluated in the descending order as follows: place and architectural structure, shopping and tourist accommodation, environmental beauty and convenience, country's citizens and similarity of the local culture and cuisine with the Moldovan one. Research limitations/implications: As it was undertaken only in the capital of Republic of Moldova and because most respondents are young people and females, the findings of this investigation do not absolutely reflect the perceptions of all Moldovans. Also, because the number of respondents is small, it is not representative of the whole Moldovan population. Hence, the results might not be very realistic and accurate. Originality/value: This study provides insightful theoretical implications and practical recommendations in creating marketing strategies that would help in managing and improving Greece's image as a destination among Moldovan tourists. Also, no study, at least to the researcher's knowledge, has evaluated Greece's image as a destination among Moldovan consumers. Finally, due to the increasing number of Moldovan tourists in Greece, it is important that Greece grasps this

49 CFR 1242.20 - Highway grade crossings (accounts XX-17-22 and XX-18-22).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Highway grade crossings (accounts XX-17-22 and XX... RAILROADS 1 Operating Expenses-Way and Structures § 1242.20 Highway grade crossings (accounts XX-17-22 and XX-18-22). Separate running and switching common expenses according to distribution of the running...

Harmonic analysis of the precipitation in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Science.gov (United States)

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…

The Ancient Greece's roots of Olimpism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bubka Sergej Nazarovich

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The paper focused on the phenomena of sport in Ancient Greece along with history, traditions, religion, education, culture and art. Economic and political conditions are analysed which promote or hamper development of Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. Exceptional stability of Ancient Olympic games during more than eleven centuries are noted as well as their influence on the life of Greek polices of those days. Hellenistic period needs of individual consideration.

Greece and NATO: Problems and Prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

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

The consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-07-01

In this report the radioactive fallout on Greece from the Chernobyl nuclear accident is described. The flow pattern to Greece of the radioactive materials released, the measurements performed on environmental samples and samples of the food chain, as well as some estimations of the population doses and of the expected consequences of the accident are presented. The analysis has shown that the radiological impact of the accident in Greece can be considered minor. (J.K.)

Health economic evaluation in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Rovithis, Dimitrios

2006-01-01

There is a growing volume of literature on health economic evaluation, with this form of analysis becoming increasingly influential at the decision-making level worldwide. The purpose of this study was to review the current state of health economic evaluation in Greece, with a view to uncovering reasons why its use in this country is limited. A search of the NHS Economic Evaluation Database was undertaken. The search included cost, cost-of-illness, cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, cost-consequences, cost-utility, and cost-benefit analyses and was narrowed only to Greek authors undertaking solo or joint health economic evaluation in Greece. The search revealed that, in Greece, very little health economic evaluation has been undertaken. The main reason for the lack of interest is that the current chaotic healthcare system structure and financing does not provide the appropriate incentives to stimulate a powerful interest in this type of research. This condition is a result of the lack of a long-term national health policy and the hesitation of the present and past Greek governments to date to proceed to large-scale reforms because of political considerations. The Greek governments have also been content with the good health indicators being achieved. Even if it is accepted that good health prevails in Greece, slower economic growth rates, an ageing population, and the continuous immigration will place increasing pressure on healthcare resources and will necessitate a more rational use of these resources. Health economic evaluation, by weighing benefits against costs, therefore, has an important role to play.

The first report of a 5-year period cancer registry in Greece (2009-2013): a pathology-based cancer registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Patsea, Eleni; Kaklamanis, Loukas; Batistatou, Anna

2018-04-01

Cancer registries are essential in health care, since they allow more accurate planning of necessary health services and evaluation of programs for cancer prevention and control. The Hellenic Society of Pathology (HSP) having recognized the lack of such information in Greece has undertaken the task of a 5-year pathology-based cancer registry in Greece (2009-2013). In this study, > 95% of all pathology laboratories in the national health system hospitals and 100% of pathology laboratories in private hospitals, as well as > 80% of private pathology laboratories have contributed their data. The most common cancer types overall were as follows: breast cancer (18.26%), colorectal cancer (15.49%), prostate cancer (13.49%), and lung cancer (10.24% of all registered cancers). In men, the most common neoplasms were as follows: prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and gastric cancer. In women, the most common neoplasms were as follows: breast cancer, colorectal cancer, thyroid cancer, and lung cancer. The data on cancer burden in Greece, presented herein, fill the void of cancer information in Greece that affects health care not only nationally but Europe-wise.

Consumption of antibiotics by children in Greece: a cross-sectional study

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Helena C. Maltezou, MD, PhD

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Greece is among the European countries with the highest consumption of antibiotics. Objectives: To study the rates and characteristics of consumption of antibiotics in the community by children in Greece. Methods: Questionnaire-based study of parents of hospitalized children. Results: A total of 549 children were studied; 247 (45% received at least one course of antibiotics the previous year (mean number of antibiotic courses the past year: 1.9, including 427 (91.8% following examination by a pediatrician, 6 (1.3% following phone consultation, 2 (0.4% following suggestion by a pharmacist and 2 (0.4% as self-medication. Prevalent reasons for antibiotic consumption were acute otitis media (AOM (27.3%, pharyngotonsillitiss (25.4%, and bronchitis (17.8%. Amoxicillin-clavulanate was the prevalent antibiotic for pharyngotonsillitis, urinary tract infection (UTI and skin infection (30.5%, 35.7% and 36.4% of cases, respectively, amoxicillin for AOM and pneumonia (32.3% and 36.4% of cases, respectively, and clarithromycin for bronchitis (27.7%. We found 84.3%, 81.9%, 64.3%, 63.7%, and 50% of parents reporting treatment consisted with the national guidelines for AOM, pneumonia, UTI, skin infection, and pharyngotonsillitis, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, an age of 1–5 years and asthma were significantly associated with a higher probability for antibiotic consumption. Conclusions: Antibiotic consumption of children in Greece is mainly driven by pediatricians. Continuing medical education is expected to further improve antibiotic prescription practices by pediatricians. Keywords: Antibiotics, Consumption, Children, Community, Pediatrics

[7α-18F]fluoro-17α-methyl-5α-dihydrotestosterone: a ligand for androgen receptor-mediated imaging of prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garg, Pradeep K.; Labaree, David C.; Hoyte, Robert M.; Hochberg, Richard B.

2001-01-01

We have synthesized a 18 F-labeled androgen, [7α- 18 F]fluoro-17α-methyl-5α-dihydrotestosterone, in a no-carrier-added radiosynthesis by exchange of 18 F- (tetrabutylammonium fluoride) with the 7β-tosyloxy of 17α-methyl-5α-dihydrotestosterone. The nonradioactive steroid binds with high affinity and specificity to the androgen receptor and binds poorly, if at all, to other steroid receptors and plasma sex hormone binding globulin. The 7α- 18 F-androgen concentrates markedly in the prostate of rats by an androgen receptor-dependent mechanism. It is likely that [7α- 18 F]fluoro-17α-methyl-5α-dihydrotestosterone will be an excellent positron emission tomography imaging agent for prostate cancer

Greece is the future of Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Douzinas, Costas; Risager, Bjarke Skærlund

2014-01-01

Austerity and popular resistance are essential to a political diagnosis for contemporary Europe. Political developments in Greece will show whether the future of Europe is one of neoliberal restructuring or one of a democratic socialist alternative. An interview with Costas Douzinas.......Austerity and popular resistance are essential to a political diagnosis for contemporary Europe. Political developments in Greece will show whether the future of Europe is one of neoliberal restructuring or one of a democratic socialist alternative. An interview with Costas Douzinas....

Why has Greece not defaulted, yet? - A macroeconomic and historical institutionalist perspective on why Greece has not followed in Argentine footsteps and defaulted.

OpenAIRE

Afranie, Lenny Matthew; Rauff Hansen, Tina; Dalgaard Steffensen, Ida

2012-01-01

This projects sets out to explore the reasons why Greece, in the light of the current sovereign debt crisis, has not done as Argentina did in 2001 and defaulted. It uses a historical institutionalist framework, drawing on path dependency and critical junctures in the analysis of 1. how the European Union (EU) imposes restrictions on Greece, and 2. how Greece's and Argentina's situations correspond and differ. The project concludes that the main difference lies in the restrictions imposed on G...

Environmental tobacco smoke in hospitality venues in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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 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.

{sup 18}F-FDG metabolism in a rat model of chronic infarction. A 17-sector semiquantitative analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penuelas, I. [Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona (Spain). Dept. of Nuclear Medicine; MicroPET Research Unit CIMA-CUN, Pamplona (Spain); Abizanda, G.; Mazo, M.; Prosper, F. [Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona (Spain). Hematology and Cell Therapy Service; Navarra Univ., Pamplona (Spain). Foundation for Applied Medical Research; Garcia-Velloso, M.J.; Marti-Climent, J.M.; Richter, J.A. [Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona (Spain). Dept. of Nuclear Medicine; Gavira, J.J.; Barba, J. [Clinica Universitaria de Navarra, Pamplona (Spain). Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery; Ecay, M.; Collantes, M. [MicroPET Research Unit CIMA-CUN, Pamplona (Spain); Garcia de Jalon, J.A.; Garcia-Rodriguez, A. [Zaragoza Univ. (Spain). Dept. of Animal Pathology

2007-07-01

Strategies to establish the functional benefit of cell therapy in cardiac regeneration and the potential mechanism are needed. Aims: Development of a semi-quantitative method for non invasive assessment of cardiac viability and function in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI) based on the use of microPET. Animals, methods: Ten rats were subjected to myocardial imaging 2, 7, 14, 30, 60 and 90 days after left coronary artery ligation. Intravenous {sup 18}F-fluoro-2-deoxy-2-D-glucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) was administered and regional {sup 18}F activity concentrations per unit area were measured in 17 regions of interest (ROIs) drawn on cardiac polar maps. By comparing the differences in {sup 18}F uptake between baseline and each of the follow up time points, parametric polar maps of statistical significance (PPMSS) were calculated. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was blindly assessed echocardiographically. All animals were sacrificed for histopathological analysis after 90 days. Results: The diagnostic quality of {sup 18}F-FDG microPET images was excellent. PPMSS demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in {sup 18}F concentrations as early as 48 hours after MI in 4 of the 17 ROIs (segments 7, 13, 16 and 17; p <0.05) that persisted throughout the study. Semi-quantitative analysis of {sup 18}F-FDG uptake correlated with echocardiographic decrease in LVEF (p <0.001). Conclusion: The use of PPMSS based on 18F-FDG-microPET provides valuable semi-quantitative information of heart glucose metabolism allowing for non-invasive follow up thus representing a useful strategy for assessment of novel therapies in cardiac regeneration. (orig.)

Mapping of carbonic anhydrase and estrone sulphatase in rat brain using 16-α-[18F]fluoroestradiol-3,17-β-disulphamate ([18F]FESDS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodig, H.; Brust, P.; Bergmann, R.; Roemer, J.; Fuechtner, F.; Steinbach, J.; Kasch, H.

2002-01-01

16α-[ 18 F]Fluoroestradiol-3,17β-disulphamate ([ 18 F]FESDS) was recently found to display affinities to carbonic anhydrase (CA) and estrone sulphatase (ES), enzymes which are expressed in the CNS and probably play a regulatory role in various brain diseases. In this study the radioligand was used to provide quantitative data on the regional distribution of these enzymes in the rat brain. (orig.)

Radon concentration measurements in waters in Greece and Cyprus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louizi, A.; Nikolopoulos, D.; Tzortzi, A.; Thanassas, D.; Serefoglou, A.; Georgiou, E.; Vogiannis, E.; Koukouliou, V.

2004-01-01

A total of 35 measurements in Greece and 15 in Cyprus were performed. Radon concentrations in drinking water in Greece were from (1.1±0.5) to (410±50) Bq/L. The corresponding concentrations in underground potable waters in Cyprus ranged between (0.4±0.3) Bq/L and (15±4) Bq/L. High concentrations, viz. (120±20), (320±40) and (410±50) Bq/L, were observed in three samples collected from the city of Arnea Chalkidekis in northern Greece. One water sample from Lesvos Island (north-eastern part of Greece) exhibited a radon concentration of (140±20) Bq/L. Six samples of hot spring water from the city of Loutraki (Attica prefecture), characterized as 'medicinal drinking water', contained concentrations of radon between (220±10) and (340±20) Bq/L. Radon concentrations in potable and non-potable underground water in Greece and Cyprus ranged between (0.4±0.3) and (15±4) Bq/L, whereas in surface water the range was from (2.7±0.8) to (24±6) Bq/L. (P.A.)

Tot Graeci Tot Sententiae: Astronomical Perspective Multiplicity in Ancient Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, O.

2011-06-01

Ancient Greece was made of a multiplicity of thinking heads, in an atmosphere of (relative) freedom of opinions, in every field of knowledge. then we should not wonder if many astronomical and cosmological theories, survived until our 17th century, had already been formulated by different philosophers and in different regions, cities and periods of Greek history. Geocentric and heliocentric theories, as well as an atomistic theory of an infinite universe (with infinite worlds), could survive without crashing with one another. In the same time, religious opinions regarding the planets and Sun as a series of gods were present, however not on a scientific ground.

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF FOREIGN DEBT IN GREECE

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Olga Korol

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose. The impact of foreign debt growth on the social and economic performance of Greece was shown. The parameters of GDP, consumption, interest rates, unemployment and government spendings were analyzed. Methodology. Data obtained for 2001-2014 was used for regression analysis, vector autoregression and as well as Kalman filter. Results. A multi-faced analysis of the debt for EU-member states and Greece in particular was performed. The events and decisions of Greek authorities leading to the crisis were summarized in structural and logical scheme. The recommendations for the economic policy of Greece, based on the performed analysis were suggested. The practical applications. Establishment of all weaknesses and empirical testing of the necessary indicators in this study was the basis for the justification of measures to stabilize the economic situation in Ukraine and Greece. Value/originality. The Mandel-Fleming model and the model of balance of savings-investments was used for the first time for the theoretical interpretation of the nature of the debt crisis in Greece, that under the influence of capital inflows caused by the deterioration of the current account balance and interest rate cuts. The increase in foreign borrowings has led to an increase in the budget deficit and reduction in savings. Also for the first time performed regression-correlation analysis, in particular the Kalman filter is used to study the effect of debt on macroeconomic performance of the Greek economy.

Historical earthquake investigations in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Makropoulos

2004-06-01

Full Text Available The active tectonics of the area of Greece and its seismic activity have always been present in the country?s history. Many researchers, tempted to work on Greek historical earthquakes, have realized that this is a task not easily fulfilled. The existing catalogues of strong historical earthquakes are useful tools to perform general SHA studies. However, a variety of supporting datasets, non-uniformly distributed in space and time, need to be further investigated. In the present paper, a review of historical earthquake studies in Greece is attempted. The seismic history of the country is divided into four main periods. In each one of them, characteristic examples, studies and approaches are presented.

Germline mutation of RET proto-oncogene’s exons 17 and 18 in Iranian medullary thyroid carcinoma patients

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Marjan Zarif Yeganeh

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Thyroid carcinoma is the most common endocrine malignancy. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC approximately accounts for 5-10% of all thyroid carcinoma. Nowadays, it is obviously, the mutations in REarranged during transfection (RET proto-oncogene, especially, mutations in exons 10, 11 and 16 are associated with MTC pathogenesis and occurrence. Thus, early diagnosis of MTC by mutation detection in RET proto-oncogene allows to identify patients who do not have any developed symptoms. The aim of this study was to screening of germline mutations in RET proto-oncogene exons 17 and 18 in MTC patients and their first degree relatives in Iranian population. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, three hundred eleven participates (190 patients, 121 their relatives were referred to endocrine research center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science during September 2013 until September 2015. The inclusion criteria were pathological and clinical diagnosis. After whole blood sampling, genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leucocytes using the standard Salting Out/Proteinase K method. Nucleotide change detection in exons 17 and 18 was performed using PCR and direct DNA sequencing methods. Results: In this study, twenty missense mutations [CGC>TGC, c.2944C>T, p.Arg982Cys (rs17158558] which included 16 heterozygote and 4 homozygote mutations were found in codon 982 (exon 18. In the present study, 154 G>A (rs2742236 and 4 C>T (rs370072408 nucleotide changes were detected in exons 18 and intron 17 respectively. There was no mutation in exon 17. Conclusion: It seems that because of arginine to cysteine substitutions in RET tyrosine kinase protein structure and its polyphen score (0.955 and SIFT score (0.01 the mutation in codon 982 (exon 18 could be have pathogenic effects. On the other hands, the mentioned mutation frequency was 6.4% among MTC patients, so this mutation of exon 18 could be checked in genetic screening tests of RET

Characterization of Canine parvovirus 2 variants circulating in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

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

Science.gov (United States)

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 programming for youth in Greek schools is imperative to promote healthier lifestyles and to prevent chronic and infectious diseases.

Conducting Qualitative Research on Desertification in Western Lesvos, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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…

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

The binding activity of Mel-18 at the Il17a promoter is regulated by the integrated signals of the TCR and polarizing cytokines.

Science.gov (United States)

Hod-Dvorai, Reut; Jacob, Eyal; Boyko, Yulia; Avni, Orly

2011-08-01

We have previously shown that in differentiated T-helper (Th)1 and Th2 cells, polycomb group (PcG) proteins are associated differentially with the promoters of the signature cytokine genes. The correlation of the binding activity of PcG proteins with gene expression is unusual, since they are well known as epigenetic regulators that maintain transcriptional silencing. Here we show that in Th17 cells, the more phenotypically flexible Th lineage, the PcG proteins Mel-18 and less strikingly Ezh2 are associated differentially with the Il17a promoter. Using the RNAi approach, we found that Mel-18 and Ezh2 positively regulate the expression of Il17a and Il17f. The inducible binding of Mel-18 and Ezh2 at the Il17a promoter was dependent on signaling pathways downstream of the TCR. However, a continuous presence of TGF-β, the cytokine that is necessary to maintain Il17a expression, was required to preserve the binding activity of Mel-18, but not of Ezh2, following restimulation. The binding of Mel-18 at the Il17a promoter was correlated with the recruitment of the lineage-specifying transcription factor RORγt. Altogether, our results suggest that in Th17 cells the TCR and polarizing cytokines synergize to modulate the binding activity of Mel-18 at the Il17a promoter, and consequently to facilitate Il17a expression. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Greece Experience of International Tourism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beslan V. Labzhaniya

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Tourism offers a real opportunity to invite investments, decline unemployment and increase production, which will help to overcome crisis and come to sustainable development, badly needed for Greece now.

Medical Informatics Education & Research in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Moldovan Perception of Greece as a Tourism Destination

OpenAIRE

Stela Cazacu

2017-01-01

Purpose: This research study analyzes Moldovans' intentions to visit Greece, and their perceptions of Greece's image as a tourism destination, according to the following dimensions: (1) environmental beauty and convenience, (2) country's citizens, (3) place and architectural structure, (4) shopping and tourist accommodation and (5) similarity of the local culture and cuisine with the Moldovan one. The goal is split into four objectives. Design/methodology/approach: For attaining the goal,...

Ceramic analysis in Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hilditch, J.

2016-01-01

Scientific, analytical or ‘archaeometric’ techniques for investigating ceramic material have been used within archaeology for over 50 years and now constitute an indispensable tool for archaeologists in the Aegean world (see Jones 1986 for a detailed summary of early work in Greece and Italy) and

Coastal erosion and accretion rates in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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

2010-05-01

Erosion threatens many coastal regions of Greece. Anthropogenic changes of landforms such as coastal roads built on even narrow beaches, sand mining for construction, poor design of coastal structures that interfere with sediment, and dams without sediment bypasses have significantly reduced beach widths. We present erosion rates for different beaches, some of which are in sensitive ecosystems, otherwise "protected" by local and EU ordinances. By comparing inferences of beach widths in varying intervals from 1933 to 2006, we infer that the construction of dams in Acheloos river in western Greece, built in a faraonic attempt to partially divert its flows to eastern Greece, this is responsible for up to 20m/year erosion rates observed in certain locales in the Acheloos delta. More characteristic erosion rates in the region are ~ 2m/year. By contrast, there appears rapid accretion of up to 4m/year in the beaches around the Nestos delta in northern Greece (Papadopoulos, 2009). In beaches that are not near large river deltas, erosion rates range from 0.5m/year to 1m/year. While we have not done comprehensive comparisons among coastlines with different levels of coastal development, it does appear that rapid coastal development correlates well with erosion rates. The underlying problem is the complete lack of any semblance of coastal zone management in Greece and substandard design of coastal structures, which are often sited without any measurements of waves and currents offshore (Synolakis et al, 2008). Beach maintenance remains an exotic concept for most local authorities, who invariably prefer to build hard coastal structures to "protect" versus nourish, siting lack of experience with nourishment and "environmental" concerns. In certain cases, choices are dictated by costs, the larger the cost the easier the project gets approved by regulatory authorities, hence the preference for concrete or rubble structures. We conclude that, unless urgent salvage measures are

Energy performance of buildings—EPBD in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dascalaki, E.G.; Balaras, C.A.; Gaglia, A.G.; Droutsa, K.G.; Kontoyiannidis, S.

2012-01-01

Transposition of the European Directive on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD) in Greece was enacted in 2008 by a national law. A follow-up regulation on the energy performance in the building sector—KENAK released in 2010, outlines the overall approach in accordance to European standards and EPBD mandates. All necessary technical specifications and detailed information for the implementation of KENAK are included in four new technical guidelines prepared in 2010, which are supported by an official national software. Issues related to the energy experts are handled by presidential decrees published in 2010; over 5400 temporary energy inspectors are already in place, while permanent accreditation is in progress. Energy performance design study of new buildings for obtaining a building permit is in place since October 2010 and issuing energy performance certificates as of January 2011. This paper presents an overview of the development and current EPBD stage of implementation in Greece, along with a first assessment of the lessons learned and experiences gained. - Highlights: ► EPBD transposition in Greece is a reality. ► KENAK is the main legislative instrument for improving building energy efficiency in Greece. ► Four new technical guidelines have been published to support KENAK. ► A national software was also prepared to support implementation of KENAK. ► Temporary accreditation of 5300 energy inspectors. ► Over 20,000 energy performance certificates issued in the first five months of implementation.

Environmental tobacco smoke in hospitality venues in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tountas Yiannis

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract 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 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.

Duality of roles and corporate governance in Greece

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Themistokles Lazarides

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Duality of the role of President of the Board of Directors (BoD and CEO has been regarded as a good practice of corporate governance. These two roles are the ones with the most power an authority within the corporation. The paper depicts the formulating factors of duality of roles in Greece. Literature has linked duality with performance, organizational stability, ownership concentration and balance of power and control within the firm. The paper, using a Probit regression analysis, examines whether these relationships are valid in Greece. Statistical – econometric analysis has shown that financial performance is not related with concentration of power and control. The same conclusion is can be drawn for ownership concentration. There is a trend of change but this trend hasn’t the same dynamic or driving factors as the ones that are reported by Kirkbride and Letza (2002 and Muth and Donaldson (1998. The hypothesis posed by Heracleous (2001 and Baliga, 6oyer and Rao (1996 are more likely to be true in the case of Greece. Overall, duality in Greece is affected by the historical development of the firm, its organizational scheme and even more by the balance of power and control within the firm.

Chernobyl radioactivity in grain produced in Greece in 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominici, G.; Malvicini, A.; Panetsos, F.

1988-01-01

The Chernobyl radioactive cloud reached Greece in the first days of May 1986. During this period, the gain was in maximum growth; therefore, in absorbing the radionuclides it has become an excellent indicator of the deposited radioactivity. Measurements carried out in grain samples which were obtained from Greece are reported and some conclusions regarding population doses are presented

Ants of the Peloponnese, Greece (Hymenoptera: Formicidae

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Borowiec Lech

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper relates to material obtained during two field trips to the Peloponnese in 2013 and 2016. With the inclusion of some hitherto unpublished ant material, it gives new records from a total of 92 sampling localities. 129 species (including morphospecies not attributed to any known taxon of ants have been recorded from the Peloponnese (southern Greece, 27 of which have been recorded from this region for the first time. Lasius reginae and 5 other morphospecies attributed only to species complexes are new to Greece.

Isolation of Legionella pneumophila from hotels of Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Annual biologic treatment cost for new and existing patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fragoulakis V

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Vassilis Fragoulakis,1 Efklidis Raptis,2 Elli Vitsou,2 Nikolaos Maniadakis1 1Health Services Organization and Management, National School of Public Health, 2Pfizer Hellas, Athens, Greece Aim: The aim of the present study was to estimate the annual per-patient cost of treatment with adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, and ustekinumab by response status for new and existing patients with moderate to severe psoriasis in Greece. Methods: An economic analysis was developed from a national health care perspective to estimate the direct cost of treatment alternatives for new and existing patients within a 1-year time horizon. The model included drug acquisition and administration costs for responders and nonresponders. Real-world treatment pattern and resource use data were extracted through nationwide field research using telephone-based interviews with a representative sample of dermatologists. Unit costs were collected from official sources in the public domain. Results: The mean annual cost of treatment for new patients who responded (or did not respond to treatment was as follows: adalimumab €10,686 (€3,821, etanercept €10,415 (€3,224, infliximab €14,738 (€7,582, and ustekinumab €17,155 (€9,806. For existing patients the mean annual cost was €9,916, €9,462, €12,949, and €17,149, respectively. Results did not change significantly under several one-way sensitivity and scenario analyses. Conclusion: Under the base-case scenario, the cost of treatment with etanercept is lower than that of the other biological agents licensed for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in Greece, for both new and existing patients, irrespective of response status. Keywords: adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, ustekinumab, economic evaluation, biologics

Study of the pollution exchange between Bulgaria and Northern Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zerefos, C.; Vasaras, A.; Syrakov, D.; Ganev, K.

2000-01-01

The present work aims at a detailed study and explanation of the pollution transport in the air basin over South-Western Bulgaria and Northern Greece and assessment of the air pollution exchange between Bulgaria and Greece. Some well known specific climatic air pollution effects were studied and explained. Calculations were made of the S0 2 pollution of the Balkan peninsula from both Greek and Bulgarian sources for 1995 and the country to country pollution budget diagrams were build. Days with extreme mean concentration for Bulgaria and Northern Greece were picked out and some further specification of the contribution of the different sources in both the countries to these cases of extreme pollution was made. Some preliminary studies of possible mesoscale effects on the pollution exchange between Bulgaria and northern Greece were carried out. A three-layer pollution transport model with more complex chemistry block was introduced and some preliminary simulations of Sulfur and Nitrogen compounds transport were performed. (author)

17 CFR 31.18 - Margin calls.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... transaction merchant is unable to effect personal contact with a leverage customer, a telegram sent to the....18 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION LEVERAGE TRANSACTIONS § 31.18 Margin calls. (a) No leverage transaction merchant shall liquidate a leverage contract because of...

An annotated checklist of earthworms of Greece (Clitellata: Megadrili).

Science.gov (United States)

Szederjesi, Tímea; Vavoulidou, Evangelia; Chalkia, Christina; Dányi, László; Csuzdi, Csaba

2017-05-26

The earthworm fauna of Greece is reviewed. According to the up-to-date checklist, the earthworm fauna of Greece consists of 67 species and subspecies, of which 59 taxa belong to the family Lumbricidae, three to Megascolecidae, two to Acanthodrilidae and to Ocnerodrilidae and one taxon to the family Criodrilidae. Three species are recorded for the first time from the country: Allolobophora kosowensis kosowensis Karaman, 1968, Amynthas gracilis (Kinberg, 1867) and Eukerria saltensis (Beddard, 1895). Eisenia spelaea var. athenica Černosvitov, 1938 is proposed to be a synonym of Aporrectodea rosea (Savigny, 1826). The earthworm fauna of Greece is characterized by a large number of strict endemic species belonging to the family Lumbricidae (9 taxa), together with the occurrence of another 10 Balkanic endemic species.

[Brodmann Areas 17, 18, and 19 in the Human Brain: An Overview].

Science.gov (United States)

Kawachi, Juro

2017-04-01

Brodmann areas 17, 18, and 19 in the human brain are visual cortices of the occipital lobe. Each area has its own retinotopic representations, particulary area 19, which has many small retinotopic areas representing half or all of the contralateral visual field, several functional areas, and nine cytoarchitectonic areas. Several fasciculi are known as occipital fiber connections, but their precise endpoints are not clear. Lesions in the visual cortices cause several visual disorders including visual field defect, visual hallucinations, metamorphopsia, and different kinds of visual agnosia.

Electrifying Greece with solar and wind energy

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Mentis Dimitris

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Ensuring energy security, reducing GHG emissions and boosting the competitiveness of a country’s economy by attracting investments and technical knowhow are of paramount importance considering the targets of “20-20-20” set by the European community. Being the cradle of civilization, Greece appears today as a country caught in a prolonged hard economic and social crisis, the way out of which its citizens are looking forward as well as the entire European Union. Establishment of the leading renewable energy sources like solar and wind in Greece will not only increase the independence of its own electrification but will also provide with a foundation for developing the market of international trade of “green” energy. This paper initially highlights the current status of photovoltaics and wind turbines in Greece. Furthermore, this study evaluates whether a higher penetration of the above mentioned green energy sources would have positive impact in the economy of the country or not and in what extent they could decline the CO2 emissions until 2020, comparing to the corresponding levels in 2010.

Self-medication with antibiotics in rural population in Greece: a cross-sectional multicenter study

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Skliros Eystathios

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Self-medication is an important driver of antimicrobial overuse as well as a worldwide problem. The aim of the present study was to estimate the use of antibiotics, without medical prescription, in a sample of rural population presenting in primary care in southern Greece. Methods The study included data from 1,139 randomly selected adults (545 men/594 women, mean age ± SD: 56.2 ± 19.8 years, who visited the 6 rural Health Centres of southern Greece, between November 2009 and January 2010. The eligible participants were sought out on a one-to-one basis and asked to answer an anonymous questionnaire. Results Use of antibiotics within the past 12 months was reported by 888 participants (77.9%. 508 individuals (44.6% reported that they had received antibiotics without medical prescription at least one time. The major source of self-medication was the pharmacy without prescription (76.2%. The antibiotics most frequently used for self-medication were amoxicillin (18.3%, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (15.4%, cefaclor (9.7%, cefuroxim (7.9%, cefprozil (4.7% and ciprofloxacin (2.3%. Fever (41.2%, common cold (32.0% and sore throat (20.6% were the most frequent indications for the use of self-medicated antibiotics. Conclusion In Greece, despite the open and rapid access to primary care services, it appears that a high proportion of rural adult population use antibiotics without medical prescription preferably for fever and common cold.

Self-medication with antibiotics in rural population in Greece: a cross-sectional multicenter study

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Self-medication is an important driver of antimicrobial overuse as well as a worldwide problem. The aim of the present study was to estimate the use of antibiotics, without medical prescription, in a sample of rural population presenting in primary care in southern Greece. Methods The study included data from 1,139 randomly selected adults (545 men/594 women, mean age ± SD: 56.2 ± 19.8 years), who visited the 6 rural Health Centres of southern Greece, between November 2009 and January 2010. The eligible participants were sought out on a one-to-one basis and asked to answer an anonymous questionnaire. Results Use of antibiotics within the past 12 months was reported by 888 participants (77.9%). 508 individuals (44.6%) reported that they had received antibiotics without medical prescription at least one time. The major source of self-medication was the pharmacy without prescription (76.2%). The antibiotics most frequently used for self-medication were amoxicillin (18.3%), amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (15.4%), cefaclor (9.7%), cefuroxim (7.9%), cefprozil (4.7%) and ciprofloxacin (2.3%). Fever (41.2%), common cold (32.0%) and sore throat (20.6%) were the most frequent indications for the use of self-medicated antibiotics. Conclusion In Greece, despite the open and rapid access to primary care services, it appears that a high proportion of rural adult population use antibiotics without medical prescription preferably for fever and common cold. PMID:20691111

The incomplete trajectory of Albanian migration in Greece

OpenAIRE

GEMI, Eda

2015-01-01

Proceedings from the conference "Governing Irregular Migration : States, Actors and Intermediaries", Athens 8-9 July 2015 The study addresses the irregular migration of Albanians to Greece. In particular, it analyses the key findings of the fieldwork with 87 Albanian migrants, the dynamic of irregular migration from Albania to Greece, the factors and the actors who affect them as well as the success or failure of the relevant migration policies. The report shows that the expanding possibil...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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…

Spatial analysis of the electrical energy demand in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyralis, Hristos; Mamassis, Nikos; Photis, Yorgos N.

2017-01-01

The Electrical Energy Demand (EED) of the agricultural, commercial and industrial sector in Greece, as well as its use for domestic activities, public and municipal authorities and street lighting are analysed spatially using Geographical Information System and spatial statistical methods. The analysis is performed on data which span from 2008 to 2012 and have annual temporal resolution and spatial resolution down to the NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) level 3. The aim is to identify spatial patterns of the EED and its transformations such as the ratios of the EED to socioeconomic variables, i.e. the population, the total area, the population density and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Based on the analysis, Greece is divided in five regions, each one with a different development model, i.e. Attica and Thessaloniki which are two heavily populated major poles, Thessaly and Central Greece which form a connected geographical region with important agricultural and industrial sector, the islands and some coastal areas which are characterized by an important commercial sector and the rest Greek areas. The spatial patterns can provide additional information for policy decision about the electrical energy management and better representation of the regional socioeconomic conditions. - Highlights: • We visualize spatially the Electrical Energy Demand (EED) in Greece. • We apply spatial analysis methods to the EED data. • Spatial patterns of the EED are identified. • Greece is classified in five distinct groups, based on the analysis. • The results can be used for optimal planning of the electric system.

The electricity consumption and economic growth nexus: Evidence from Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polemis, Michael L.; Dagoumas, Athanasios S.

2013-01-01

This paper attempts to cast light into the relationship between electricity consumption and economic growth in Greece in a multivariate framework. For this purpose we used cointegration techniques and the vector error correction model in order to capture short-run and long-run dynamics over the sample period 1970–2011. The empirical results reveal that in the long-run electricity demand appears to be price inelastic and income elastic, while in the short-run the relevant elasticities are below unity. We also argue that the causal relationship between electricity consumption and economic growth in Greece is bi-directional. Our results strengthen the notion that Greece is an energy dependent country and well directed energy conservation policies could even boost economic growth. Furthermore, the implementation of renewable energy sources should provide significant benefits ensuring sufficient security of supply in the Greek energy system. This evidence can provide a new basis for discussion on the appropriate design and implementation of environmental and energy policies for Greece and other medium sized economies with similar characteristics. -- Highlights: •We examine the causality between electricity consumption and economic growth. •We used cointegration techniques to capture short-run and long-run dynamics. •The relationship between electricity consumption and GDP is bi-directional. •Residential energy switching in Greece is still limited. •The implementation of renewable energy sources should ensure security of supply

MLEP-Fail calibration for 1/8 inch thick cast plate of 17-4 steel.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Corona, Edmundo [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2018-02-01

The purpose of the work presented in this memo was to calibrate the Sierra material model Multilinear Elastic-Plastic Hardening Model with Failure (MLEP-Fail) for 1/8 inch thick cast plate of 17-4 steel. The calibration approach is essentially the same as that recently used in a previous memo using data from smooth and notched tensile specimens. The notched specimens were manufactured with three notch radii R = 1=8, 1/32 and 1/64 inches. The dimensions of the smooth and notched specimens are given in the prints in Appendix A. Two cast plates, Plate 3 and Plate 4, with nominally identical properties were considered.

Tsunami disaster risk management capabilities in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Marios Karagiannis, Georgios; Synolakis, Costas

2015-04-01

Greece is vulnerable to tsunamis, due to the length of the coastline, its islands and its geographical proximity to the Hellenic Arc, an active subduction zone. Historically, about 10% of all world tsunamis occur in the Mediterranean region. Here we review existing tsunami disaster risk management capabilities in Greece. We analyze capabilities across the disaster management continuum, including prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. Specifically, we focus on issues like legal requirements, stakeholders, hazard mitigation practices, emergency operations plans, public awareness and education, community-based approaches and early-warning systems. Our research is based on a review of existing literature and official documentation, on previous projects, as well as on interviews with civil protection officials in Greece. In terms of tsunami disaster prevention and hazard mitigation, the lack of tsunami inundation maps, except for some areas in Crete, makes it quite difficult to get public support for hazard mitigation practices. Urban and spatial planning tools in Greece allow the planner to take into account hazards and establish buffer zones near hazard areas. However, the application of such ordinances at the local and regional levels is often difficult. Eminent domain is not supported by law and there are no regulatory provisions regarding tax abatement as a disaster prevention tool. Building codes require buildings and other structures to withstand lateral dynamic earthquake loads, but there are no provisions for resistance to impact loading from water born debris Public education about tsunamis has increased during the last half-decade but remains sporadic. In terms of disaster preparedness, Greece does have a National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) and is a Member of UNESCO's Tsunami Program for North-eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and connected seas (NEAM) region. Several exercises have been organized in the framework of the NEAM Tsunami Warning

Radon concentration measurements in waters in Greece and Cyprus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Louizi, A.; Nikolopoulos, D.; Tzortzi, A.; Thanassas, D.; Serefoglou, A.; Georgiou, E.; Vogiannis, E.; Koukouliou, V.

2004-01-01

The radon content of drinking water samples was determined with Alpha Guard Pro equipped with an appropriate unit (Aqua Kit). The samples were collected from water taps in dwellings located at various cities in Greece and Cyprus. In addition, surface water samples from rivers, lakes and seas as well as potable underground and hot spring water samples from Greece and Cyprus were also collected. For a precise determination of radon concentration in water samples, special procedures were followed both for sampling and transportation, as well as for measurement. Intercomparison experiments were designed and implemented before and during the study. Radon concentrations in drinking water samples in Greece ranged between 1.1 ± 0.5 Bq/L and 410±50 Bq/L. The corresponding concentrations in Cyprus ranged between 1.3 ± 0.8 Bq/L and 15±4 Bq/L. Three samples collected from the city of Arnea Chalkidikis (Northern Greece) exhibited high concentrations of 120±20 Bq/L, 320±40 Bq/L and 410±50 Bq/L. This city is identified as a high radon potential area. One water sample located in Lesvos Island (North-East part of Greece) exhibited radon concentration 140±20 Bq/L. Additional six samples displayed high concentrations in potable hot spring water samples. These samples which were collected from the city of Loutraki (Peloponnesus) ranged between 220-230 Bq/L. In addition, two samples characterized as 'medicinal drinking water' gave concentrations between 320 Bq/L and 340 Bq/L. For underground water samples the radon concentrations ranged between 1.2±0.7 Bq/L and 15±4 Bq/L, while for surface water samples the range was 2.7±0.8 Bq/L to 24±6 Bq/L. The observed concentrations of radon gas in potable water samples in Greece were found to be largely low. In Cyprus, they were all well below 15 Bq/L

Characteristics of low-enthalpy geothermal applications in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andritsos, N.; Dalabakis, P.; Karydakis, G.; Kolios, N.; Fytikas, M.

2011-01-01

The paper offers a brief overview of the current direct geothermal uses in Greece and discusses their characteristics, with emphasis to the economical and technical problems encountered. Greece holds a prominent place in Europe regarding the existence of promising geothermal resources (both high and low-enthalpy), which can be economically exploited. Currently, no geothermal electricity is produced in Greece. The installed capacity of direct uses at the end of 2009 is estimated at about 155 MW t , exhibiting an increase of more than 100% compared to the figures reported at the World Geothermal Congress 2005. The main uses, in decreasing share, are geothermal heat pumps, swimming and balneology, greenhouse heating and soil warming. Earth-coupled and groundwater (or seawater) heat pumps have shown a drastic expansion during the past 2-3 years, mainly due to high oil prices two years ago and easing of the license requirements for drilling shallow wells. (author)

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

Science.gov (United States)

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…

Greece welcomes CERN Accelerator School

CERN Multimedia

CAS School

2011-01-01

The CERN Accelerator School (CAS) and the University of the Aegean jointly organised a course on intermediate-level Accelerator Physics in Chios, Greece, from 19 to 30 September, 2011.   CAS Students pose for a group photo in Chios, Greece. This course followed the established format of the intermediate school, with lectures in the mornings and specialised courses in the afternoons. The latter provided “hands-on” education and experience in three topics: “RF Measurement Techniques”, “Beam Instrumentation and Diagnostics” and “Optics Design and Correction”.  Participants selected one of the three courses and followed the chosen topic throughout the school. Guided studies and tutorials on core subjects, seminars and a poster session completed the programme. An excursion included a visit to the Nea Moni monastery, a guided tour of two medieval villages, Pyrgi and Mesta, and finished with a typical Greek me...

First results on video meteors from Crete, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Maravelias, G.

2012-01-01

This work presents the first systematic video meteor observations from a, forthcoming permanent, station in Crete, Greece, operating as the first official node within the International Meteor Organization's Video Network. It consists of a Watec 902 H2 Ultimate camera equipped with a Panasonic WV-LA1208 (focal length 12mm, f/0.8) lens running MetRec. The system operated for 42 nights during 2011 (August 19-December 30, 2011) recording 1905 meteors. It is significantly more performant than a previous system used by the author during the Perseids 2010 (DMK camera 21AF04.AS by The Imaging Source, CCTV lens of focal length 2.8 mm, UFO Capture v2.22), which operated for 17 nights (August 4-22, 2010) recording 32 meteors. Differences - according to the author's experience - between the two softwares (MetRec, UFO Capture) are discussed along with a small guide to video meteor hardware.

Global evolution of storm-time effects in the-F region during 17-18 December 1971

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alamelu, V.; Mukunda Rao, M.; Sethuraman, R.

1982-01-01

The latitudinal variation of the effect of the great storm of 17 Dec. 71 is investigated by choosing stations of varying latitudes but of approximately the same longitude. In addition, three stations, one each in the American, African and Indian zone, are chosen to find the longitudinal changes produced during this storm. It is seen that the storm is mainly a negative one in the southern hemisphere of this longitude sector. The noon biteout is enhanced on the major storm day, viz., 17 Dec. 71, at the American equator, with large evening peaks on both 17th and 18th. The northern hemisphere does not exhibit any large change in the critical frequency of the F layer. The reported changes in TEC measurements are not reflected in the parameter f 0 F 2 at Lindau

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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:…

Pension Systems in Europe. Case of Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jarosław Poteraj

2007-09-01

Full Text Available The article presents an insight into the old age pension system in Greece. The introduction is followed by four topic paragraphs: 1. the general information about the country, 2. the historical development of its pension system, 3. the present situation, and 4. challenges and foreseen changes. There, the authorís goal was to present both past and present solutions employed by the Greeceís pension system, in search for ideas worth consideration in international comparisons. In the summary, the author highlights as a particular Greek approach, on the background of other countries, the fact of existing in the Greek reality The National Actuary.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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 �

The structure of residential energy demand in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rapanos, Vassilis T.; Polemis, Michael L.

2006-01-01

This paper attempts to shed light on the determinants of residential energy demand in Greece, and to compare it with some other OECD countries. From the estimates of the short-run and long-run elasticities of energy demand for the period 1965-1999, we find that residential energy demand appears to be price inelastic. Also, we do not find evidence of a structural change probably because of the low efficiency of the energy sector. We find, however, that the magnitude of the income elasticity varies substantially between Greece and other OECD countries

The Greek Crisis – How the 1980s created Greece of today

OpenAIRE

Lauridsen, Ida Møller

2013-01-01

The economic crisis of 2008 is often taken to be a very special event when it comes to Greece. The Greeks are being blamed for their overconsumption and Greece is often described as one of the epicenters of the financial crisis. That Greece alone should be able to shake the global economy seems to be an exaggeration with the regard to Greece’s relatively small contribution to the European economy. The explanation for the Greek debt should be sought not only internally, but as a combination be...

Study on an intense dust storm over Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Kaskaoutis, D. G.; Kambezidis, H. D.; Nastos, P. T.; Kosmopoulos, P. G.

Springtime constitutes the most favorable period for Sahara dust outbreaks and transport over Eastern Mediterranean. This study investigates the aerosol properties during April 2005 using remote-sensing and ground-based measurements. Three dust events with high aerosol optical depth (AOD) values have been observed during the measuring period, with duration of two days, i.e. 11-12, 16-17 and 25-26 April 2005. In this paper we mainly focus on the intense dust event of 16-17 April 2005, when a thick dust layer transported from Libya affected the whole Greek territory. Very high AOD values obtained from Aqua-MODIS sensor were observed over Greece (mean 2.42 ± 1.25) on 17 April, while the respective mean April value was 0.31 ± 0.09. The AOD at 550 nm (AOD 550) values over Crete were even larger, reaching ˜4.0. As a consequence, the PM 10 concentrations over Athens dramatically increased reaching up to 200 μg m -3. On the other hand, the fine-mode fraction values obtained from Terra-MODIS showed a substantial decrease in the whole Greek area on 17 April with values below 0.2 in the Southern regions. The intense dust layer showed a complex behavior concerning its spatial and temporal evolution and allowed us to study the changes in the optical properties of the desert dust particles along their transport routes due to the mixing processes with other aerosol types. The results from different measurements (ground-based and remote-sensing) did not contradict each other and, therefore, are adequate for monitoring of dust load over the Eastern Mediterranean.

Smoking among adolescents in Northern Greece: a large cross-sectional study about risk and preventive factors

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Spyratos Dionisios G

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of the present study was to investigate epidemiological data about cigarette smoking in relation with risk and preventive factors among Greek adolescents. Methods We randomly selected 10% of the whole number of schools in Northern Greece (133 schools, 18,904 participants were included. Two anonymous questionnaires (smoker's and non-smoker's were both distributed to all students so they selected and filled in only one. A parental signed informed consent was obtained using an informative leaflet about adolescent smoking. Results The main findings of the study were: a 14.2% of the adolescents (mean age+/−SD: 15.3+/−1.7 years reported regular smoking (24.1% in the age group 16–18 years, b 84.2% of the current smokers reported daily use, c students who live in urban and semirural areas smoke more frequently than those in rural areas, d students in technically oriented schools smoke twice as frequent compared to those in general education, e risk factors for smoking: male gender, low educational level of parents, friends who smoke (OR: 10.01, 95%CI: 8.53-11.74, p Conclusions Even though prevalence of cigarette smoking is not too high among Greek adolescents, frequency of everyday cigarette use is alarming. We identified many social and lifestyle risk and preventive factors that should be incorporated in a national smoking prevention program among Greek adolescents.

Analysis of Student and School Level Variables Related to Mathematics Self-Efficacy Level Based on PISA 2012 Results for China-Shanghai, Turkey, and Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Usta, H. Gonca

2016-01-01

This study aims to analyze the student and school level variables that affect students' self-efficacy levels in mathematics in China-Shanghai, Turkey, and Greece based on PISA 2012 results. In line with this purpose, the hierarchical linear regression model (HLM) was employed. The interschool variability is estimated at approximately 17% in…

Heterosexual transmission of HIV in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Roumelioutou-Karayannis, A; Nestoridou, K; Mandalaki, T; Stefanou, T; Papaevangelou, G

1988-06-01

To provide further evidence for the heterosexual transmission of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Greece we examined 53 Greek female steady heterosexual partners of 53 anti-HIV-positive men. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission was estimated by the detection of anti-HIV antibodies. Our results showed that 27.8% (5 of 18) of the female partners of bisexuals, 33.3% (2 of 6) of intravenous drug abusers (IVDA), and 100% (4 of 4) of those who had lived for a long time in Africa were found anti-HIV positive. In contrast, only 4% (1 of 25) of the studied sexual partners of hemophiliac carriers were found to be HIV seropositive. The use of condoms seemed to be the most important factor in reducing HIV transmission. According to our results the duration of sexual relationships and the practice of anal intercourse did not increase the possibility of seroconversion. These results confirm the heterosexual transmission of HIV. However, further studies should be conducted to evaluate the relative role of various risk factors and the overall importance of heterosexual spread of HIV infections.

Spatial frequency-dependent feedback of visual cortical area 21a modulating functional orientation column maps in areas 17 and 18 of the cat.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Luoxiu; Chen, Xin; Shou, Tiande

2004-02-20

The feedback effect of activity of area 21a on orientation maps of areas 17 and 18 was investigated in cats using intrinsic signal optical imaging. A spatial frequency-dependent decrease in response amplitude of orientation maps to grating stimuli was observed in areas 17 and 18 when area 21a was inactivated by local injection of GABA, or by a lesion induced by liquid nitrogen freezing. The decrease in response amplitude of orientation maps of areas 17 and 18 after the area 21a inactivation paralleled the normal response without the inactivation. Application in area 21a of bicuculline, a GABAa receptor antagonist caused an increase in response amplitude of orientation maps of area 17. The results indicate a positive feedback from high-order visual cortical area 21a to lower-order areas underlying a spatial frequency-dependent mechanism.

Current Trends in the Transhumant Cattle Sector in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Athanasios Ragkos

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Bovine transhumance is characterized by the seasonal movement of livestock between winter and summer pastures. The system is well-known for Mediterranean countries, including Greece, where its role is multifunctional, because of its complex interactions with the environments and local societies. Unlike the dairy farming sector in Greece, whose salient features are the emergence of large-sized farms which are heavily dependent on fixed capital endowments and the provision of feedstuff, the transhumant system is much more flexible, by taking advantage of excessive family labor and by reducing feeding costs through grazing. The total number of transhumant farms in Greece has diminished during the last decades this farming system remains an essential activity in less favored areas of the country; the bovine cattle transhumant system, in particular, provides an efficient alternative to the capital-intensive dairy farming system. The purpose of this study is to provide a presentation of the current condition of the transhumant bovine cattle farming system in Greece. Through a survey of all relevant public services, data concerning the number of transhumant farms and animals as well as their movements in 2011 are presented. The survey reveals that the larger amount of transhumant farms is present in the lowlands of Thessaly and of East Macedonia-Thrace and move towards the mountainous rangelands of less favored areas, particularly those of West Macedonia. The mean transhumant bovine farm size does not exceed 100 animals, as nearly 76.1%, of the total rear less than 100 cattle. Thessaly is the region which accommodates the major part of transhumant farming in Greece; this is also the case for transhumant cattle, as 51.4% of all transhumant farms in the country have their winter domiciles in Thessaly.

Assessing the PV business opportunities in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patlitzianas, Konstantinos D.; Skylogiannis, Georgios K.; Papastefanakis, Dimitrios

2013-01-01

Highlights: • An approach of qualitative judgments for the PV opportunities through the assessing of the licenses’ value in Greece. • It can be supplied in other countries by applying different weights to the criteria. • It can be used by everyone in order to find a suitable PV investment without the need of experts in the field. - Abstract: Greece, as a member of the European Union (EU), has undertaken the obligation to meet the expected goals for the penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the national energy balance in compliance with “20–20–20” goals (20% of the Gross Energy Consumption and 40% of the Gross Electricity Consumption should be covered by RES). Although the development of RES, and particularly of Photovoltaic (PV), in Greece during the last years has presented a satisfactory growth, the country is still far away from the above goals. The main reason for this delay is that – except the financial crisis – many licenses are inactive and waiting funding in order to be utilized. Additionally, the latest law (L.4152/2013) has forbidden the interconnection of new PV power Plants to the grid until the end of 2013. The above fact determines the significance of the existing PV Licenses in achieving the national goals. The aim of this paper is to present an integrated approach of qualitative judgments for the PV business opportunities through the assessing of the licenses’ value in Greece. The approach, which is based on a Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) theory of quantifying multiple qualitative judgments, takes into account the real factors which can affect the expected production and cost of the PV installation and therefore the RoI (Return of Investment)

School Building Organisation in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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…

The triviality of abortion in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Naziri, D

1991-09-01

In Greece modern contraceptive methods are used only in a very limited manner and abortion is the primary form of birth control. There are several social and psychological issues that are considered to be responsible. A 1985 study done for the Family Planning Center of Thessaloniki found that the ratio of live births is 1.3 and the ratio of abortion is 1.8/woman. 88% of women in the study had had an abortion while practicing coitus interruptus. 90% of the women never bought condoms. In a 1989 study only 6% of women had a positive attitude about condoms. Abortion is used as the primary method of birth control regardless of a woman's socioeconomic status. Further it was found that abortion did not correlate with other modern attitudes or the emancipation of women. The decision to abort was related to difficulties and constraints inherent in bring up a child. However positive attitudes toward contraception were related to educational and occupational levels. To complicate matters the information concerning contraceptives was problematic and related to the women's own lack of initiative to find out, and a lack of correct information offered from gynecologists. A 1990 study on knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices in relation to HIV infection indicated that the most favored method of contraception was condoms, but 60.8% of the men reported use versus 33.7% of the women. However these figures are not very representative because the survey was given in the context of HIV prevention and no attempt was made to distinguish between regular and irregular use patterns. Abortions is not a moral issue in Greece. It was legalized in 1986 only because it came to the attention of the government that the previous prohibition was being completely ignored. Abortion is strongly affected by social and psychological factors that are complex and result from cultural view points about fertility, maternal value, and life itself that are unique to the Greek culture.

Acute viral infections of the central nervous system, 2014-2016, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Papa, Anna; Papadopoulou, Elpida

2018-04-01

In order to investigate the viral etiology of acute infections of central nervous system (CNS), multiplex and single PCRs combined with serology for arboviruses were applied on samples from 132 hospitalized patients in Greece during May 2014-December 2016. A viral pathogen was detected in 52 of 132 (39.4%) cases with acute CNS infection. Enteroviruses predominated (15/52, 28.8%), followed by West Nile virus (9/52, 17.3%). Phleboviruses, varicella-zoster virus, and Epstein-Barr virus accounted for 15.4%, 13.5%, and 11.5% of the cases, respectively. The study gives an insight into the etiology of viral CNS infections in a Mediterranean country, where arboviruses should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute CNS infections. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genotyping Plasmodium vivax isolates from the 2011 outbreak in Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spanakos, Gregory; Alifrangis, Michael; Schousboe, Mette L

2013-01-01

Plasmodium vivax malaria was common in Greece until the 1950s with epidemics involving thousands of cases every year. Greece was declared free of malaria by the World Health Organization in 1974. From 1974 to 2010, an average of 39 cases per year were reported, which were mainly imported. However...... during 2011 is described, to elucidate the possible origin and spread of the disease....

Attitude of elderly patients towards cardiopulmonary resuscitation in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

Energy policies of IEA countries: Greece 2006 review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-07-01

The report provides an in-depth assessment of the energy policies of Greece and makes recommendations on future policy. Lignite, the main domestic fossil fuel resource of Greece, will continue to play a major role in the country's fuel mix in the future. The government and the regulator should consider introducing more advanced generation technology through retrofits or into new lignite power stations. It may be an option to construct a power station using lignite from unopened deposits, for the exploitation of which a new bidding procedure is currently open. Since the previous review in 2002, Greece has also made significant progress in setting the course for reforming its electricity and gas markets. Energy diversification has improved, with natural gas becoming increasingly important. Significant challenges, however, remain. The market power of the incumbent energy suppliers continues to restrict competition. Unless this issue is addressed, a fully competitive energy market is inconceivable. Of particular concern are the arrangements for ownership of the electricity and gas transmission systems. The review suggests various options to overcome these obstacles. Greece is getting close to missing its target set under the Kyoto Protocol and the government is urged to closely monitor the situation. The supply and demand situation is addressed.. Recommendations are made on how to reduce the country's high oil dependence and advice offered to policy makers on steps to develop a long-term energy efficiency policy with measurable targets that tackle the demand side of the Greek energy sector.

Problems experienced by haemodialysis patients in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Greece - energy situation 1986/87

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The energy situation of Greece is reviewed on the basis of relevant data. Data on the country's national and international energy policy are followed by an outline of trends in energy sources and electric power generation. Key figures are presented on the country's external trade and balance of payments. (UA) [de

Exploring for geothermal resources in Greece

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendrinos, Dimitrios; Choropanitis, Ioannis; Polyzou, Olympia; Karytsas, Constantine [Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving (CRES), 19th km Marathon Avenue, 19009 Pikermi (Greece)

2010-03-15

In Greece the geothermal areas are located in regions of Quaternary or Miocene volcanism and in continental basins of high heat flow. The existence of high-temperature (>200 C) resources has been proven by deep drilling on the islands of Milos and Nisyros and inferred on the island of Santorini by its active volcanism. Elsewhere, geological investigations, geochemical analyses of thermal springs and shallow drilling have identified many low-temperature (<100 C) reservoirs, utilized for spas and greenhouse/soil heating. Ternary K-Na-Mg geothermometer data suggest deep, medium-temperature resources (100-200 C) in Sousaki, the islands of Samothraki, Chios and Lesvos, in the basins of Nestos River Delta and Alexandroupolis and in the graben of Sperchios River. In the basins of northern Greece these resources are also inferred from deep oil exploration well data. (author)

Biosynthesis of a hypermodified nucleotide in Saccharomyces carlsbergensis 17S and HeLa-cell 18S ribosomal ribonucleic acid.

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, R C; Klootwijk, J; Planta, R J; Maden, B E

1978-01-01

The biosynthesis of a hypermodified nucleotide, similar to or identical with 3-(3-amino-3-carboxypropyl)-1-methylpseudouridine monophosphate, present in Saccharomyces carlsbergensis 17S and HeLa-cell 18S rRNA, was investigated with respect to the sequence of reactions required for synthesis and their timing in ribosome maturation. In both yeast and HeLa cells methylation precedes attachment of the 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl group. In yeast the methylated precursor nucleotide was tentatively characterized as 1-methylpseudouridine. This precursor nucleotide was demonstrated in both 37S and most of the cytoplasmic 18S pre-rRNA (rRNA precursor) molecules. The synthesis of the hypermodified nucleotide is completed just before the final cleavage of 18S pre-rRNA to give 17S rRNA, so that the final addition of the 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl group is a cytoplasmic event. Comparable experiments with HeLa cells indicated that formation of 1-methylpseudouridine occurs at the level of 45S RNA and addition of the 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl group occurs in the cytoplasm on newly synthesized 18S RNA.

Developing Youth Football Academies in Greece: Managing Issues and Challenges

OpenAIRE

Chris Trikalis; Zisis Papanikolaou; Sofia Trikali

2014-01-01

Present study firstly investigated the goals and objectives of youth football academies in Greece, according to the different sector that they operate (public, private, voluntary) and secondly created proposals for future youth football academies development. Research was conducted in Greece, at the period of 2010-2011. Fourteen youth football academies participated in this study and divided into three categories (five academies in commercial sector, four academies in public sector, and five ...

Mitochondrial DNA regionalism and historical demography in the extant populations of Chirocephalus kerkyrensis (Branchiopoda: Anostraca).

Science.gov (United States)

Ketmaier, Valerio; Marrone, Federico; Alfonso, Giuseppe; Paulus, Kirsten; Wiemann, Annika; Tiedemann, Ralph; Mura, Graziella

2012-01-01

Mediterranean temporary water bodies are important reservoirs of biodiversity and host a unique assemblage of diapausing aquatic invertebrates. These environments are currently vanishing because of increasing human pressure. Chirocephalus kerkyrensis is a fairy shrimp typical of temporary water bodies in Mediterranean plain forests and has undergone a substantial decline in number of populations in recent years due to habitat loss. We assessed patterns of genetic connectivity and phylogeographic history in the seven extant populations of the species from Albania, Corfu Is. (Greece), Southern and Central Italy. We analyzed sequence variation at two mitochondrial DNA genes (Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16s rRNA) in all the known populations of C. kerkyrensis. We used multiple phylogenetic, phylogeographic and coalescence-based approaches to assess connectivity and historical demography across the whole distribution range of the species. C. kerkyrensis is genetically subdivided into three main mitochondrial lineages; two of them are geographically localized (Corfu Is. and Central Italy) and one encompasses a wide geographic area (Albania and Southern Italy). Most of the detected genetic variation (≈81%) is apportioned among the aforementioned lineages. Multiple analyses of mismatch distributions consistently supported both past demographic and spatial expansions with the former predating the latter; demographic expansions were consistently placed during interglacial warm phases of the Pleistocene while spatial expansions were restricted to cold periods. Coalescence methods revealed a scenario of past isolation with low levels of gene flow in line with what is already known for other co-distributed fairy shrimps and suggest drift as the prevailing force in promoting local divergence. We recommend that these evolutionary trajectories should be taken in proper consideration in any effort aimed at protecting Mediterranean temporary water bodies.

Gender and migration in Greece: the position and status of Albanian women in Patras

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitra Charalampopoulu

2004-06-01

Full Text Available Greece has experienced major changes in its migration patterns.After a century or so of emigration, it has now become a country of immigration. Much academic research has concentrated on the impact this change has on Greek society. However, there is a tendency to ignore the role that gender plays in the migration process. This article addresses the issue of Albanian immigration to Greece, focusing on the aspect of gender. It presents the living and working conditions of Albanian women who migrate to Greece, especially to one of its cities, Patras. It examines the new migration process through the eyes of women migrants. It is centred on their narration about their journey to Greece, their decision to migrate, the problems that they face, their experiences and plans for the future: in short, their life stories. Finally, the article draws attention to the need for further research on issues concerning migrant women in Greece.

On some Chiroptera from Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Laar, van Vincent; Daan, Serge

1964-01-01

On a trip to Greece between the 25th April and the 25th July 1963, the authors collected (on the mainland and some islands in the Aegean) insects, amphibians and reptiles as well as 194 mammals. Among the mammals, mainly rodents and insectivores, there were also 27 bats, belonging to five species.

2018-04-17T18:13:28Z https://www.ajol.info/index.php/index/oai oai ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

-17T18:13:28Z ajpsy:ART Psychiatric symptoms and disorders in HIV infected mine workers in South Africa A retrospective descriptive study of acute first admissions Säll, L Salamon, E Allgulander, C Owe-Larsson, B AIDS; Dementia; Delirium; ...

An Experimental Study on What Controls the Ratios of 18O/16O and 17O/16O of O2 During Microbial Respiration

Science.gov (United States)

Stolper, D. A.; Ward, B. B.; Fischer, W. W.; Bender, M. L.

2015-12-01

18O/16O and 17O/16O ratios of atmospheric and dissolved oceanic O2 are key biogeochemical tracers of total photosynthesis and respiration on global to local length scales and glacial/interglacial time scales (Luz et al., 1999). Critical to the use of these ratios as biogeochemical tracers is knowledge of how they are affected by production, consumption, and transport of O2. We present new measurements of O2 respiration by E. coli and N. oceanus, an ammonia oxidizing bacterium, to test three assumptions of isotopically enabled models of the O2 cycle: (i) laboratory-measured respiratory 18O/16O isotope effects (18α) of microorganisms are constant under all experimental and natural conditions (e.g., temperature and growth rate); (ii) the respiratory 'mass law' relationship between 18O/16O and 17O/16O [17α = (18α)β] is universal; and (iii) 18α and β for aerobic ammonia and organic carbon oxidation are identical. For E. coli, we find that both 18α and β are variable. From 37°C to 15°C, 18α varies linearly with temperature from 17 to 14‰, and β varies linearly from 0.513 to 0.508. 18α and β do not appear to vary with growth rate (as tested using different carbon sources). Both 18α and β are lower than previous observations for bacteria: 18α = 17-20‰ (Kiddon et al., 1993) and β = 0.515 (Luz and Barkan, 2005). We were able to simulate the observed temperature dependence of 18α and β using a model of respiration with two isotopically discriminating steps: O2 binding to cytochrome bo oxidase (the respiratory enzyme) and reduction of O2 to H2O. Finally, initial results on N. oceanus suggest it has similar values for 18α and β as previously studied aerobic bacteria that consume organic carbon, providing the first support for assumption (iii). Based on these results, isotopically constrained biogeochemical models of O2 cycling may need to consider a temperature dependence for 18α and β for microbial respiration. For example, these results may

Gold and gold working in Late Bronze Age Northern Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Christomimésis. Habsburkové jako Kristovi následovníci v 17. a 18. století

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hrbek, Jiří

2016-01-01

Roč. 114, č. 1 (2016), s. 32-63 ISSN 0862-6111 Institutional support: RVO:67985963 Keywords : Coronation * Easter ceremonials * the Hapsburgs * 17th and 18th centuries * royal piety Subject RIV: AB - History

Growing out of the Crisis: Hidden Assets to Greece's Transition to an Innovation Economy

OpenAIRE

Herrmann, Benedikt; Kritikos, Alexander S.

2013-01-01

Greece's currently planned institutional reforms will help to get the country going with limited economic growth. With an economy based primarily on tourism, trade, and agriculture, Greece lacks an established competitive industry and an innovation-friendly environment, resulting in a low export ratio given the small size of the country and its long-time EU-membership. Instead, Greece exports only its nation's talent, with low returns. To become prosperous, the country must better capitalize ...

Breastfeeding duration and cognitive, language and motor development at 18 months of age: Rhea mother-child cohort in Crete, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Leventakou, Vasiliki; Roumeliotaki, Theano; Koutra, Katerina; Vassilaki, Maria; Mantzouranis, Evangelia; Bitsios, Panos; Kogevinas, Manolis; Chatzi, Leda

2015-03-01

Breast feeding duration has been associated with improved cognitive development in children. However, few population-based prospective studies have evaluated dose-response relationships of breastfeeding duration with language and motor development at early ages, and results are discrepant. The study uses data from the prospective mother-child cohort ('Rhea' study) in Crete, Greece. 540 mother-child pairs were included in the present analysis. Information about parental and child characteristics and breastfeeding practices was obtained by interview-administered questionnaires. Trained psychologists assessed cognitive, language and motor development by using the Bayley Scales of Infant Toddler Development (3rd edition) at the age of 18 months. Duration of breast feeding was linearly positively associated with all the Bayley scales, except of gross motor. The association persisted after adjustment for potential confounders with an increase of 0.28 points in the scale of cognitive development (β=0.28; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.55), 0.29 points in the scale of receptive communication (β=0.29; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.54), 0.30 points in the scale of expressive communication (β=0.30; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.57) and 0.29 points in the scale of fine motor development (β=0.29; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.56) per accumulated month of breast feeding. Children who were breast fed longer than 6 months had a 4.44-point increase in the scale of fine motor development (β=4.44; 95% CI 0.06 to 8.82) compared with those never breast fed. Longer duration of breast feeding was associated with increased scores in cognitive, language and motor development at 18 months of age, independently from a wide range of parental and infant characteristics. Additional longitudinal studies and trials are needed to confirm these results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Mass chest radiography in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papavasiliou, C.

1987-01-01

In Greece mass chest radiography has been performed regularly on various population groups as a measure to control tuberculosis. Routine chest radiography is performed in most Greek hospitals on admission. In this report available data-admittedly inadequate-directly or indirectly addressing the problem of benefit versus the risk or cost associated with this examination is presented

The epidemiology of Brucellosis in Greece, 2007-2012: a 'One Health' approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Fouskis, Ioannis; Sandalakis, Vassilios; Christidou, Athanasia; Tsatsaris, Andreas; Tzanakis, Nikos; Tselentis, Yannis; Psaroulaki, Anna

2018-04-26

Brucellosis remains a disease that is very difficult to control and eradicate in Greece. Information exchange between the responsible authorities is crucial in order to support public health infrastructure in the sense of the 'One-Health' strategy model. The data for 2007-2012 were retrieved from the notifiable diseases system and analysed statistically for correlations between human brucellosis cases and the disease in small ruminants. Disease-related risk factors were also estimated with parallel exploitation mapping software. In Greece the dominant strain for brucellosis is Brucella melitensis. The average incidence in Greece was estimated to be 1.43/100,000. The majority of human cases were males (67.60%). The age distribution of brucellosis patients differs significantly between men and women. Brucellosis in male patients was related to high risk jobs and animal contact, while brucellosis in females was related to recent consumption of dairy products. Seasonality of the disease was different in relation to the European countries an observation attributed to the traditional customs. There was a statistically significant difference in human brucellosis incidence between the eradication and vaccination zones. The updated information on brucellosis in Greece revealed differences in seasonality and transmission patterns. A more active cooperation between the involved public health-related sectors should be followed in order to effectively fight brucellosis as there are still foci of brucellosis in Greece.

"In allen guten Buchhandlungen ist zu haben". Buchwerbung in Deutschland im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert

OpenAIRE

Hauke, Marie-Kristin

2005-01-01

Der Buchhandel entwickelte im Laufe des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts zahlreiche Hilfsmittel zur Absatzförderung, auf die er als Produzent des „Massenartikels“ Buch angewiesen war und die ihn zum Vorreiter der modernen Wirtschaftswerbung machten. Ausgangsbasis dafür waren die im 16. Jahrhundert entstandenen Werbemittel Buchtitel, Titelblatt und Katalog, die durch die Buchanzeigen in verschiedenen Werbeträgern (Zeitung, Zeitschrift, Intelligenzblatt, Buch) sowie einige kleinere Formen (Handzettel, ...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Ship emissions and their externalities for Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Tzannatos, Ernestos

2010-06-01

The existing and emerging international and European policy framework for the reduction of ship exhaust emissions dictates the need to produce reliable national, regional and global inventories in order to monitor emission trends and consequently provide the necessary support for future policy making. Furthermore, the inventories of ship exhaust emissions constitute the basis upon which their external costs are estimated in an attempt to highlight the economic burden they impose upon the society and facilitate the cost-benefit analysis of the proposed emission abatement technologies, operational measures and market-based instruments prior to their implementation. The case of Greece is of particular interest mainly because the dense ship traffic within the Greek seas directly imposes the impact of its exhaust emission pollutants (NO x, SO 2 and PM) upon the highly populated, physically sensitive and culturally precious Greek coastline, as well as upon the land and seas of Greece in general, whereas the contribution of Greece in the global CO 2 inventory at a time of climatic change awareness cannot be ignored. In this context, this paper presents the contribution of Greece in ship exhaust emissions of CO 2, NO x, SO 2 and PM from domestic and international shipping over the last 25 years (1984-2008), utilizing the fuel-based (fuel sales) emission methodology. Furthermore, the ship exhaust emissions generated within the Greek seas and their externalities are estimated for the year 2008, through utilizing the fuel-based (fuel sales) approach for domestic shipping and the activity-based (ship traffic) approach for international shipping. On this basis, it was found that during the 1984 to 2008 period the fuel-based (fuel sales) ship emission inventory for Greece increased at an average annual rate of 2.85%. In 2008, the CO 2, NO x, SO 2 and PM emissions reached 12.9 million tons (of which 12.4 million tons of CO 2) and their externalities were found to be around 3

COMPDYN 2011 Conference

CERN Document Server

Fragiadakis, Michalis; Plevris, Vagelis; Computational Methods in Earthquake Engineering v.2

2013-01-01

This book provides an insight on advanced methods and concepts for the design and analysis of structures against earthquake loading. This second volume is a collection of 28 chapters written by leading experts in the field of structural analysis and earthquake engineering. Emphasis is given on current state-of-the-art methods and concepts in computing methods and their application in engineering practice. The book content is suitable for both practicing engineers and academics, covering a wide variety of topics in an effort to assist the timely dissemination of research findings for the mitigation of seismic risk. Due to the devastating socioeconomic consequences of seismic events, the topic is of great scientific interest and is expected to be of valuable help to scientists and engineers. The chapters of this volume are extended versions of selected papers presented at the COMPDYN 2011 conference, held in the island of Corfu, Greece, under the auspices of the European Community on Computational Methods in Ap...

Cross-national diagnostic analysis of patient empowerment in England and Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graham Lister

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Different NHS patient empowerment policies have been adopted in England and Greece; the voluntary sector development and its influence also differ. Although various aspects of patient empowerment have been explored in England, the patient empowerment systems’ application is under-researched. In Greece, the few relevant attempts looking at patients’ experiences focus on patient satisfaction, with only one study exploring the public hospitals managers’ perspectives on user involvement. However, patient empowerment questions may be similar in both countries.Aims and Objectives:The study aimed to explore and compare the general patient empowerment settings in the two countries, with main objectives to:a. identify and explore the relationships of national voluntary and governmental organisations,b. explore the cross-national challenges and facilitators, and make cross-national recommendations.Methodology: This is a cross-national comparative research study. A ‘diagnostic analysis’ approach, an assessment of potential and actual barriers and facilitators, including the context and potential change, was chosen. The methods used were:a. a network analysis of national voluntary and governmental organisations;b. semi-structured interviews with key representatives of these, andc. documentary analysis.Results: The network analysis revealed the potential of English organisations to influence more people, withextensive memberships and stronger interrelationship between them than the Greek organisations. Different levels of awareness, knowledge and perceptions of application of the national patient empowerment policies, systems and mechanisms were identified; being generally good in England, limited in Greece. Variable generalinformation provision, with good verbal information in England, and limited, written and verbal, information in Greece was also identified. Although the commonest cross-national perceived challenges were

MIRU-VNTR typing of drug-resistant tuberculosis isolates in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

His Excellency Mr Alexandros Alexandris Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland and Officials from the East Macedonia and Thrace Region Greece

CERN Multimedia

Jean-Claude Gadmer

2013-01-01

His Excellency Mr Alexandros Alexandris Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Greece to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland and Officials from the East Macedonia and Thrace Region Greece

Smoking cessation delivery by general practitioners in Crete, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Wastewater Recycling in Greece: The Case of Thessaloniki

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Andreas Ilias

2014-05-01

Full Text Available In Greece, and particularly in many southeastern and island areas, there is severe pressure on water resources, further exacerbated by the high demand of water for tourism and irrigation in summertime. The integration of treated wastewater into water resources management is of paramount importance to meet future demands. Despite this need, only a few projects of effluent reuse have been implemented, most of them being pilot projects of crop or landscape irrigation. The most important projects which are currently in practice are those of Thessaloniki, Chalkida, Malia, Livadia, Amfisa, Kalikratia, and Chersonissos. In Thessaloniki, at the most important wastewater reuse site, the secondary effluent of the city’s Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP (165,000 m3/day is used for agricultural irrigation after mixing with freshwater at a 1:5 ratio. The main crops irrigated are rice, corn, alfalfa and cotton. A few other projects are under planning, such as that at Iraklion, Agios Nikolaos and several island regions. Finally, it should be mentioned that there are several cases of indirect reuse, especially in central Greece. However, the reuse potential in Greece is limited, since effluent from Athens’s WWTP, serving approximately half of the country’s population, is not economically feasible due to the location of the plant.

17 CFR 270.18f-2 - Fair and equitable treatment for holders of each class or series of stock of series investment...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Fair and equitable treatment for holders of each class or series of stock of series investment companies. 270.18f-2 Section 270.18f... or series of stock of series investment companies. (a) For purposes of this § 270.18f-2 a series...

Environmental radioactivity measurements in greece following the Fukushima Daichi nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potiriadis, C.; Kolovou, M.; Clouvas, A.; Xanthos, S.

2008-01-01

Since the double disaster of the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that affected hundreds of thousands of people and seriously damaged the Fukushima Daichi power plant in Japan on 11 March 2011, traces of radioactive emissions from Fukushima have spread across the entire northern hemisphere. The radioactive isotope of iodine 131 I that was generated by the nuclear accident in Fukushima arrived in Greece on 24 March 2011. Radioactive iodine is present in the air either as gas or bound to particles (aerosols). The maximum 131 I concentrations were measured between 3 and 5 April 2011. In aerosols the maximum 131 I values measured in Southern Greece (Athens) and Northern Greece (Thessaloniki) were 585±70 and 408±61 μBq m -3 , respectively 131 I concentrations in gas were about 3.5 times higher than in aerosols. Since 29 April 2011, the 131 I concentration has been below detection limits. Traces of 137 Cs and 134 Cs were also measured in the air filters with an activity ratio of 137 Cs/ 134 Cs equal to 1 and 131 I/ 137 Cs activity ratio of about 3. Since 16 May 2011, the 137 Cs concentration in air has been determined to be about the same as before the Fukushima accident. Traces of 131 I were also measured in grass and milk. The maximum measured activity of 131 I in sheep milk was about 2 Bq l -1 which is 5000 times less than that measured in Greece immediately after the Chernobyl accident. The measured activity concentrations of artificial radionuclides in Greece due to the Fukushima release, have been very low, with no impact on human health. (authors)

The conundrum of Greece and the Eurozone: Puzzles, paradoxes and contradictions

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Kitromilides Yiannis

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines three questions regarding the controversial relationship between Greece and the eurozone during the current crisis. First, why was Greece “bailed-out” in 2010? Second, why the Greek economy collapsed despite the largest “bail-out” in global financial history? Third, was the electoral mandate of the Syriza government for ending austerity while remaining in the eurozone contradictory? There are conflicting answers to all three questions and the paper compares the answers of the so called “dominant narrative” to those provided by the “counter-narrative” of the eurozone crisis. The paper reaches the following conclusions. First, the primary motivation for the “bail-out” of Greece was the maintenance of European and global financial stability. Second, although programme implementation was less successful in Greece than in other “programme” countries the catastrophic collapse of the Greek economy had more to do with the programme itself than its implementation. Third, the meaning of democratic decision-making in the Euro-group needs re-appraisal and must go beyond seeing the Greek demand of a policy reversal in the eurozone as simply a clash of democratic mandates in a 19 member monetary union. Political unity will not only improve efficiency but also democracy and accountability in eurozone policymaking.

Aid for the victims of the forest fires in Greece

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

To support the victims of the fires which devastated the Peloponnese at the end of August, the Permanent Mission of Greece in Geneva has informed us that the Greek government has opened an account into which donations may be paid. The funds collected will be used to assist the many victims of these fires. Bank of Greece Account name: Logariasmos Arogis Pyropathon (Hellenic Republic) (account reserved for aid for the victims of the forest fires) SWIFT : BNGRGRAA IBAN : GR 98 0100 0230 0000 0234 1103 053

The plight of the beaches of Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Kejayaan Kesultanan Buton Abad Ke-17 & 18 dalam Tinjauan Arkeologi Ekologi

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Muhammad Al Mujabuddawat

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Buton Sultanate is a prosperous maritime sultanate in its heyday. Buton Sultanate land is not very fertile and does not produce a lot of commodities, but it is quite well known because of its location in the commercial lines, so that it becomes a stopover place for passing ships. This paper provides an overview of ecological archaeology towards the triumph case of Buton Sultanate in the 17th-18th century. The research method used in this paper is literature study and review of a theory through an observation of cultural ecology and environmental determinism. The results show that the ecological aspects affect the heyday of the Buton Sultanate. Buton Sultanate does not produce a lot of major commodities, but it is successfully adapt to environmental conditions and maximize the benefits derived from the ecological aspects by applying it to the structure of Sultanate society, a commercial network, and material culture. The profits are also applied to maintain its legitimacy in the great power of hegemony in the region. Success in 'conquering' the environment makes the Buton Sultanate victorious, even the identity of 'kebutonan' still embedded in Buton society until this day. Kesultanan Buton merupakan kesultanan bercorak maritim yang cukup besar pada masa jayanya. Daratan Kesultanan Buton tidak begitu subur dan tidak banyak menghasilkan komoditi namun cukup terkenal karena lokasinya terletak di jalur niaga, sehingga menjadi lokasi singgah bagi kapal-kapal yang melintas. Penelitian ini berisi tinjauan arkeologi ekologi terhadap kasus kejayaan kesultanan Buton abad ke-17-18. Metode penelitian menggunakan studi pustaka dan tinjauan teori melalui tinjauan model cultural ecology dan environmental determinism. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa aspek-aspek ekologi berpengaruh terhadap kejayaan Kesultanan Buton. Kesultanan Buton tidak banyak menghasilkan komoditi utama, namun berhasil menyesuaikan diri dengan kondisi lingkungannya dan sukses

The Role of Civilians in Maintaining Military Equipment. Volume 2,

Science.gov (United States)

1985-12-01

Construcciones Aeronauticas. commonly referred to CASA, provides nearly $17.7 million in support of F-4 aircraft. (Note that although the F-4 was shown...COMPANY PREDOMINANT COSTLOCATION WORK ($000) British Aerospace U.K. F-111 18.619 Construcciones Spain F-4 17,697 Aeronauticas Hellenic Aerospace Greece J79

Cointegration analysis of wine export prices for France, Greece and Turkey

OpenAIRE

Mencet, M. Nisa; Firat, M. Ziya; Sayin, Cengiz

2006-01-01

Mediterranean countries have noticeable affect on the world wine exportation. Among these countries France, Greece and Turkey are selected for this study because of different wine market, trade systems and wine policies they have. In this study, cointegration analysis was conducted for real wine export prices and real exchange rates for France, Greece and Turkey. The long term relationships between real exchange rates and real wine export values were explored by using cointegration analysis. ...

Tracking the vector of Onchocerca lupi in a rural area of Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Otranto, Domenico; Dantas-Torres, Filipe; Papadopoulos, Elias; Petrić, Dušan; Ćupina, Aleksandra Ignjatović; Bain, Odile

2012-07-01

During a hot Mediterranean summer, an expedition brought parasitologists from Brazil, France, Greece, Italy, and Serbia to a wooded area near Xanthi, Thrace, northeastern Greece, near the Turkish border, on the track of the vector of the little-known nematode Onchocerca lupi. The scientific purposes of the expedition blended then with stories of humans, animals, and parasites in this rural area.

Government Debt Reduction in the USA and Greece: A Comparative VECM Analysis

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Gisele MAH

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to estimate comparative debt reduction models for the USA and Greece using Vector Error Correction Model analysis and Granger causality test. The study provides an empirical framework that could assist in policy formulation for countries with high debt rates as well as those experiencing debt crises. The US model revealed a negative and significant relationship between general government debt and inflation as well as negative significance with primary balance. In Greece, the relationship between general government debts with primary balance is found to be positive and significant while negative and significant with net transfer from abroad. Granger causality is from general government debts to inflation in the USA and from primary balance to general government debts in Greece.

Greece: Too Strategic To Fail

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-16

institutions? According to American sociologist Fred Block, in a capitalist society, business--hoping to maximize profits--acts as a source of inertia for...Dream of the European Union.” 36 Note: The rationale for bringing Greece into the EEC is noteworthy. As the self -appointed “protector of democracy...have historically defined … the ‘Orient’ or ‘East’ … whether as a geographic entity, a 96

17 CFR 18.03 - Delegation of authority to the Director of the Division of Market and Oversight.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Delegation of authority to the... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION REPORTS BY TRADERS § 18.03 Delegation of authority to the Director of... such other employee or employees of the Director as may be designated from time to time by the Director...

Urban wastewater and stormwater technologies in ancient Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Bioenergy in Greece: Policies, diffusion framework and stakeholder interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panoutsou, Calliope

2008-01-01

The paper provides a high-level scene setting analysis to understand the policy context in which the diffusion of bioenergy takes place in Greece and analysis of the perceptions of the key stakeholders at local and national levels. It is divided into six sections. Firstly the framework conditions for biomass heat and electricity generation in Greece are presented. In the second section, the policy context is set in order to identify the key support mechanisms for bioenergy in the country. The third section presents an outline of the diffusion of bioenergy in terms of key groups involved as well as key factors affecting the planning and implementation of a bioenergy scheme at local/regional and national levels. The fourth section reviews the perception of key stakeholders towards bioenergy/biofuels schemes at national level based on national networks. The fifth section focuses on a case study region (Rodopi, northern Greece) and provides an in-depth analysis for the perception of the main local actors (farmers and end users) based on structured questionnaire interviews. The final section provides the main conclusions from the surveys and draws a set of recommendations for the integration of bioenergy schemes into the Greek energy system

Characteristics of prevalent and new COPD cases in Greece: the GOLDEN study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitsiki E

2015-07-01

diagnosed COPD cases was estimated to be 18.2% (95% confidence interval: 14.9–22.3 per pulmonologist/3 months. Of those newly diagnosed, the majority of patients had mild or moderate airflow limitation (78.2%.Conclusion: The Greek Obstructive Lung Disease Epidemiology and health ecoNomics study reflected the real-life profile of COPD patients and provided evidence on the profile of new COPD cases in Greece. Various demographic factors were delineated, which can assist in designing more effective diagnostic and management strategies for COPD in Greece. Keywords: COPD, characteristics, newly diagnosed, epidemiology, prevalent cases, new cases, health care system, health care management, nationwide sampling 

The urban roots of anti-neoliberal social movements: the case of Athens, Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arampatzi, A.; Nicholls, W.J.

2012-01-01

The recent rounds of anti-neoliberal mobilizations in Europe have shown to be rooted in cities. Whereas Madrid has become a central hub in Spain’s social movement, Athens has assumed a central and centralizing role in Greece. Through a case study on Athens, Greece, this paper aims to show how cities

The market for reproductive tourism: an analysis with special reference to Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Consumption of antibiotics by children in Greece: a cross-sectional study

OpenAIRE

Helena C. Maltezou, MD, PhD; Xanthi Dedoukou, MD; Hara Asimaki, MD; Ioanna Kontou, MD; Loukia Ioannidou, MD; Konstantina Mitromara, MD; Kalliopi Theodoridou, MD, PhD; Panos Katerelos, Msc; Maria Theodoridou, MD, PhD

2017-01-01

Background: Greece is among the European countries with the highest consumption of antibiotics. Objectives: To study the rates and characteristics of consumption of antibiotics in the community by children in Greece. Methods: Questionnaire-based study of parents of hospitalized children. Results: A total of 549 children were studied; 247 (45%) received at least one course of antibiotics the previous year (mean number of antibiotic courses the past year: 1.9), including 427 (91.8%) following e...

Competitiveness in the Southern Euro Area; France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain

OpenAIRE

Bogdan Lissovolik; Julio Escolano; Stefania Fabrizio; Werner Schule; Herman Z Bennett; Stephen Tokarick; Yuan Xiao; Marialuz Moreno Badia; Eva Gutierrez; Iryna V. Ivaschenko

2008-01-01

This collection of studies analyzes developments in nonprice external competitiveness of France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. While France, Italy, and Portugal have experienced substantial export market share losses, Greece and Spain performed relatively well. Export market share losses appear associated with rigidities in resource allocation (sectoral, geographical, technological) relative to peers and lower productivity gains in high value-added sectors. Disaggregated analysis of goo...

Rickettsia species in human-parasitizing ticks in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Penetration of Photovoltaics in Greece

OpenAIRE

Eugenia Giannini; Antonia Moropoulou; Zacharias Maroulis; Glykeria Siouti

2015-01-01

Recently, an interesting experiment was completed in Greece concerning photovoltaic penetration into the electricity production sector. Based on the relevant laws and in accordance to the related European directives, an explosive penetration process was completed in less than three years, resulting in a 7% share of photovoltaics in electricity production instead of the previous negligible share. The legislation was based on licensing simplification and generous feed-in-tariffs. This approach ...

Political determinants of social expenditures in Greece: an empirical analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebru Canikalp

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A view prominently expounded is that the interaction between the composition and the volume of public expenditures is directly affected by political, institutional, psephological and ideological indicators. A crucial component of public expenditures, social expenditures play an important role in the economy as they directly and indirectly affect the distribution of income and wealth. Social expenditures aim at reallocating income and wealth unequal distribution. These expenditures comprise cash benefits, direct in-kind provision of goods and services, and tax breaks with social purposes.The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between political structure, i.e. government fragmentation, ideological composition, elections and so on, and the social expenditures in Greece. Employing data from the Comparative Political Dataset (CPDS and the OECD Social Expenditure Database (SOCX, a time series analysis was conducted for Greece for the 1980-2014 period. The findings of the study indicate that voter turnout, spending on the elderly population and the number of government changes have positive and statistically significant effects on social expenditures in Greece while debt stock and cabinet composition have negative effects.

The consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear accident in Greece - Report No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-12-01

In this report a realistic estimate of the radioactive fallout on Greece from the Chernobyl nuclear accident is described. The measurements performed on environmental samples and samples of the food chain, as well as some realistic estimations for the population doses and the expected consequences of the accident are presented. The analysis has shown that the radiological impact of the accident in Greece can be considered minor. (J.K.)

Pyrolysis of forestry biomass by-products in Greece

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zabaniotou, A.A.

1999-06-01

This article summarizes the technical characteristics of a biomass pyrolysis pilot plant recently constructed in central Greece. It highlights the considerations involved in achieving successful pyrolysis technology and environmental and developmental goals, by reviewing technical and nontechnical barriers associated with biomass treatment technology in Greece. Data from the start-up phase of the plant operation are presented and some aspects of the process are outlined. The capacity of the plant is 1200 1450 kg hr, based on wet biomass (Arbutus Unedo) and the pyrolysis temperature is approximately 400{sup o}C. Char yield is 1418 % weight on dry basis and is of good quality consisting of 76{sup o}C with heat content 6760 kcal kg. Bio-oil includes 63% C and its heat content is 6250 kcal kg. (author)

Evaluating Renewable Groundwater Stress with GRACE data in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Lignite industry in Greece within a world context: Mining, energy supply and environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavouridis, Konstantinos

2008-01-01

Today coal covers 38% of global production and roughly 30% of the EU-25 power output. In 2005 domestic lignite with a share of 60.5% in power generation and accounting about 30% of primary energy consumption is currently the most important indigenous fuel of Greece. Greece, mining 70 Mt annually, is the second lignite producer in the EU and fourth in the world. Approximately 97% of the lignite used to supply the existing lignite-fired power plants of Greece is mined by Public Power Corporation S.A. (PPC). Lignite as the base load fuel gives a competitive strength in PPC's and Greece's fuel mix. Due to lignite consumer prices in Greece are significantly below those in other comparable markets in EU-15. Extraction of lignite has a very long tradition. Significant achievements and large experience which has been gained during many years of mining operations place Greek lignite-mining industry in the leading position in Europe. The paper presents current state of Greek lignite industry, including operating mines, volume of production and other important production indicators as well as improvements in labor productivity and good results in industrial safety. The future of coal and specifically of Greek lignite will be crucially determined by environmentally compatible, i.e. low-CO 2 generation of electricity. Investment in modernization and renewal of the power plant fleet are the key to securing electricity supply and progress in preventing climate change

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Overweight and Obesity among Adolescents and Their Parents in Central Greece (FETA Project).

Science.gov (United States)

Patsopoulou, Anna; Tsimtsiou, Zoi; Katsioulis, Antonios; Rachiotis, George; Malissiova, Eleni; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2015-12-26

The increasing obesity trend in adolescence is a public health concern. The initial phase of Feeding Exercise Trial in Adolescents (FETA) aimed in investigating the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents and their parents and in identifying associated factors among parents' and adolescents' demographics, eating habits, and parental style. The sample consisted of 816 adolescents, aged 12-18 years old, and their parents from 17 middle and high schools in Larissa, central Greece. During school visits, anthropometric measurements were performed along with examination of blood pressure. The students completed the study tool that comprised of demographics and the modified versions of Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ), the Parent-Initiated Motivational Climate Questionnaire-2 (PIMCQ-2) and the Family Eating and Activity Habits Questionnaire (FEAHQ). Their parents completed a questionnaire with demographics, anthropometrics and FEAHQ. Normal Body Mass Index was found in 75.2% of the adolescents, 2.6% of the adolescents were underweight, 18% overweight and 4.2% obese. Regarding the parents, 76.3% of the fathers and 39.2% of the mothers were overweight or obese. The logistic regression analysis revealed that, overweight or obesity in adolescence was associated with gender (boy), maternal overweight or obesity, lower maternal educational level, eating without feeling hungry, eating in rooms other than kitchen and having a father that motivates by worrying about failing. A significant proportion of adolescents and their parents are overweight or obese. Future interventions should focus both on the parents and children, taking into account the role of parental authority style, in preventing adolescents' obesity.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Overweight and Obesity among Adolescents and Their Parents in Central Greece (FETA Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Patsopoulou

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The increasing obesity trend in adolescence is a public health concern. The initial phase of Feeding Exercise Trial in Adolescents (FETA aimed in investigating the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents and their parents and in identifying associated factors among parents’ and adolescents’ demographics, eating habits, and parental style. The sample consisted of 816 adolescents, aged 12–18 years old, and their parents from 17 middle and high schools in Larissa, central Greece. During school visits, anthropometric measurements were performed along with examination of blood pressure. The students completed the study tool that comprised of demographics and the modified versions of Parental Authority Questionnaire (PAQ, the Parent-Initiated Motivational Climate Questionnaire-2 (PIMCQ-2 and the Family Eating and Activity Habits Questionnaire (FEAHQ. Their parents completed a questionnaire with demographics, anthropometrics and FEAHQ. Normal Body Mass Index was found in 75.2% of the adolescents, 2.6% of the adolescents were underweight, 18% overweight and 4.2% obese. Regarding the parents, 76.3% of the fathers and 39.2% of the mothers were overweight or obese. The logistic regression analysis revealed that, overweight or obesity in adolescence was associated with gender (boy, maternal overweight or obesity, lower maternal educational level, eating without feeling hungry, eating in rooms other than kitchen and having a father that motivates by worrying about failing. A significant proportion of adolescents and their parents are overweight or obese. Future interventions should focus both on the parents and children, taking into account the role of parental authority style, in preventing adolescents’ obesity.

Top Income Shares in Greece: 1957-2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kostas Chrissis

2013-11-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the evolution of top income shares in Greece for the period 1957 to 2010 following Piketty (2001 methodology. We present the 10%, 5%, 2.5%, 2%, 1.5%, 1%, 0.5% and 0.1% income shares estimates which are based on tax statistics. The empirical results indicate that the behavior of the alternative estimated top income shares is quite similar. A ‘flat’ Ushaped pattern for most cases seems to exist. This common pattern is more apparent for the 2.5-0.1% top income shares. The top 10% and 5% income shares seem to be more volatile, accompanied with an increasing trend by the end of the period. This paper is an attempt to extend the existing research in southern Europe by presenting the relevant Greek experience. For the whole period, country comparisons show that the 1% top income share in Greece is in lower levels than that of USA and the other European countries (Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany.

Carbon Footprint Analysis of Municipalities – Evidence from Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Angelakoglou

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The economical crisis that hit Greece after 2009, significantly affected its energy consumption profile due to the increased price of domestic heating oil and gasoline. The specific study aims at the quantification of the carbon dioxide emissions in municipal level due to energy and fuel consumption. Three different municipalities in North Greece (Kavala, Alexandroupolis and Drama were assessed with the application of three different carbon footprint estimation approaches in each one of them, including two life cycle assessment methods. Results ranged from 511,799 to 571,000, 435,250 to 489,000 and 355,207 to 398,000 tons CO2 and tons CO2-eq. for Kavala, Alexandroupolis and Drama respectively. The analysis per energy type indicated the electrical energy consumption as the key factor affecting the results due to the relatively high CO2 emission coefficient of the electricity produced in Greece. The analysis per sector indicated that a percentage of nearly 75% of the total carbon footprint is assigned to the building sector whereas the private and commercial transport is accountable for the rest. Municipal activities (buildings, facilities, lighting and fleet contributed to a small percentage to the total carbon footprint (approx. 3-8%.

Inlandse tabak : expansie en contractie van een handelsgewas in de 17e en 18e eeuw in Nederland

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roessingh, H.K.

1976-01-01

This study deals with the introduction and economic development of tobacco growing in the 17th and 18th Centuries in the Netherlands. It tries to explain how and why tobacco became firmly established as a cash crop among small peasants in the Dutch provinces of Utrecht and Guelderland. The aim is

The Trojan Horse Method as a tool to investigate low-energy resonances: the 18O(p, α)15N and 17O(p, α)14N cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

La Cognata, M.; Sergi, M. L.; Spitaleri, C.; Cherubini, S.; Gulino, M.; Kiss, G.; Lamia, L.; Pizzone, R. G.; Romano, S.; Mukhamedzhanov, A.; Goldberg, V.; Tribble, R.; Coc, A.; Hammache, F.; Sereville, N. de; Irgaziev, B.; Tumino, A.

2010-01-01

The 18 O(p, α) 15 N and 17 O(p, α) 14 N reactions are of primary importance in several as-trophysical scenarios, including nucleosynthesis inside Asymptotic Giant Branch stars and oxygen and nitrogen isotopic ratios in meteorite grains. They are also key reactions to understand exotic systems such as R-Coronae Borealis stars and novae. Thus, the measurement of their cross sections in the low energy region can be crucial to reduce the nuclear uncertainty on theoretical predictions, because the resonance parameters are poorly determined. The Trojan Horse Method, in its newly developed form particularly suited to investigate low-energy resonances, has been applied to the 2 H( 18 O, α 15 N)n and 2 H( 17 O, α 14 N)n reactions to deduce the 18 O(p, α) 15 N and 17 O(p, α) 14 N cross sections at low energies. Resonances in the 18 O(p, α) 15 N and 17 O(p, α) 14 N excitation functions have been studied and the resonance parameters deduced.

Residency Training: Determinants of burnout of neurology trainees in Attica, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Zis, Panagiotis; Artemiadis, Artemios K; Lykouri, Maria; Xirou, Sophia; Roussopoulou, Andromachi; Papageorgiou, Ermioni; Bakola, Eleni; Anagnostopoulos, Fotios

2015-09-15

The purpose of our cross-sectional study was to estimate the rate of burnout and identify its determinants among neurology residents in Attica, Greece. In total, 131 placements for neurology training over 18 hospitals were available. All residents were approached and were asked to participate in the study by anonymously completing a questionnaire. Job demands and resources (JD-R) were examined via a 31-item questionnaire assessing 8 factors based on the JD-R model. Burnout was measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The emotional exhaustion + 1 criterion was used to distinguish respondents with and without burnout. A total of 116 residents participated in the study (response rate 88.5%). In total, 18.1% of the participants were experiencing burnout. Multivariate analysis showed that each increased point in the total score of the factor regarding opportunities for professional development was associated with lowering the odds of burnout by 28.7%. Burnout among neurology residents is associated with decreased professional development. Educators and program directors need to identify those residents at high risk of burnout and design interventions to promote residents' resilience and mental health. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Covenant of Mayors initiative—Public perception issues and barriers in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christoforidis, Georgios C.; Chatzisavvas, Konstantinos Ch.; Lazarou, Stavros; Parisses, Costantinos

2013-01-01

The Covenant of Mayors (COM) initiative invites cities to commit themselves to reduce voluntarily the greenhouse gas emissions within their territories. This manuscript presents the COM initiative and analyzes its mechanisms. In order to better quantify the penetration of the initiative, the authors introduce suitable “participation factors”. Moreover, a study and a survey are presented concerning the COM initiative in Greece. Certain barriers are identified preventing the realization of the initiative's full potential in Greece. Results from the public survey indicate lack of proper information and communication about the COM initiative and the obligations arising from its signing towards the citizens itself. Nevertheless, once the citizens are informed properly, the public acceptance of the initiative and its commitments is considerable, to the extent that its success would influence the vote of a substantial percentage of citizens. The positive role of supporting structures is evaluated and may be demonstrated through the survey's results and discussion. Recommendations are provided for future or existing signatories based on the findings of this work. - Highlights: • Factors are defined to evaluate the penetration of the Covenant of Mayors initiative. • Barriers are identified preventing the initiative reaching its full potential in Greece. • A survey conducted in Greece shows poor dissemination of the initiative to citizens. • Significant public acceptance is observed once targets and commitments are explained to citizens. • The positive role of Supporting Structures in aiding signatories is appraised

Synthesis of NCA 11,17β-dihydroxy-6-methyl-17α-(3-[18F]fluoroprop-1-ynyl)androsta-1,4,6-trien-3-one as a potential glucocorticoid receptor ligand for neuro-PET studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DaSilva, J.N.; Crouzel, C.

1990-01-01

Glucocorticoids appear to exert physiologic, biochemical and behavioral effects on the central nervous system (1). The presence of glucocorticoid binding sites have been demonstrated in human brain by autoradiographic studies (2). In order to visualize the brain glucocorticoid binding sites by PET, the authors have synthesized n.c.a. 11,17β-dihydroxy-6-methyl-17α-(3-[ 18 F]fluoroprop-1-ynyl)androsta-1,4,6-trien-3-one, a fluorine-18 analog of the selective type II glucocorticoid receptor agonist RU 28362 (3). Biodistribution studies in mature male rats and in vivo distribution of 2 by PET on a baboon are in progress

Online Communities: The Case of Immigrants in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Spatial variability and trends of the rain intensity over Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Kambezidis, H. D.; Larissi, I. K.; Nastos, P. T.; Paliatsos, A. G.

2010-07-01

In this study, the spatial and temporal variability of the mean annual rain intensity in Greece are examined during a 41-year period (1962-2002). The meteorological datasets concern monthly rain amounts (mm) and the respective monthly durations (h) recorded at thirty two meteorological stations of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, which are uniformly distributed on Greek territory, in order to calculate the mean monthly rain intensity. All the rain time series used in the analysis were tested by the application of the short-cut Bartlett test of homogeneity. The spatial distribution of the mean annual rain intensity is studied using the Kriging interpolation method, while the temporal variability, concerning the mean annual rain intensity trends along with their significance (Mann-Kendall test), is analysed. The findings of the analysis show that statistically significant negative trends (95% confidence level) appear mainly in the west sub-regions of Greece, while statistically significant positive trends (95% confidence level) appear in the wider area of Athens and the complex of Cyclades Islands. Further analysis concerning the seasonal rain intensity is needed, because there are different seasonal patterns, taking into account that, convective rain in Greece occurs mainly within the summer season.

The Effect of Education on Economic Growth in Greece over the 1960-2000 Period

Science.gov (United States)

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…

Coupled-channel calculation for cross section of fusion and barrier distribution of {}^{16,17,18}O + {}^{16}O reactions

Science.gov (United States)

Fereidonnejad, R.; Sadeghi, H.; Ghambari, M.

2018-03-01

In this work, the effect of multi-phonon excitation on heavy-ion fusion reactions has been studied and fusion barrier distributions of energy intervals near and below the Coulomb barrier have been studied for 16,17,18O + 16O reactions. The structure and deformation of nuclear projectiles have been studied. Given the adaptation of computations to experimental data, our calculations predict the behavior of reactions in intervals of energy in which experimental measurements are not available. In addition the S-factor for these reactions has been calculated. The results showed that the structure and deformation of a nuclear projectile are important factors. The S-factor, obtained in the coupled-channel calculations for the {}^{16}O + {}^{16}O, {}^{17}O +{}^{16}O and {}^{18}O +{}^{16}O reactions, showed good agreement with the experimental data and had a maximum value at an energy near 5, 4.5 and 4 MeV, respectively.

(Digital) Activism at the Interstices: Anarchist and Self-Organizing Movements in Greece

OpenAIRE

Eugenia Siapera; Michael Theodosiadis

2017-01-01

The paper traces the history and evolution of the anarchist and self-organising movements in Greece, paying attention to their communicative practices and their implications for political praxis. After years of repression, and following the hegemony of the social democratic Pasok, and subsequently Syriza, the movements are currently coming to their own. Beginning with a brief history of the movements and more broadly of the left in Greece, the paper focuses on the current moment, determined b...

The Preparation of School Psychologists in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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…

Epidemiology of dermatophytoses in Crete, Greece between 2004 and 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Maraki, S

2012-06-01

The present work was undertaken in order to study the epidemiology of dermatophytoses in the island of Crete, Greece, over a 7-year period (2004-2010) and to compare the results with those reported earlier from this region and from other parts of the world. A total of 3236 clinical specimens obtained from 2674 patients with signs of dermatomycoses were examined by direct micropscopy and culture. Overall, 392 specimens (12.1%) were proved mycologically positive for dermatophytes. The age of the patients ranged from 2 to 90 years (mean age, 41 years). Onychomycosis was the predominant clinical type of infection, followed by tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, tinea manuum and tinea cruris. Among dermatophytes, nine species were isolated: Trichophyton rubrum (51%), Microsporum canis (18.9%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (18.4%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes (5.1%), Epidermophyton floccosum (3.6%), Microsporum gypseum (1.5%), Trichophyton violaceum (0.8%), Trichophyton verrucosum (0.5%) and Trichophyton tonsurans (0.2%). In our area, the most common dermatophyte was T. rubrum followed by M. canis. Epidemiological studies regarding the current prevalence of dermatophytes in a certain region are needed for the appropriate management of these infections and implementation of effective prevention and control measures.

Sludge utilisation in agriculture: possibilities and prospects in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Radiolabeling and in vitro and in vivo characterization of [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP as a PET imaging agent for tumor overexpressed VIP receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Dengfeng; Yin, Duanzhi; Li, Gucai; Wang, Mingwei; Li, Shiqiang; Zheng, Mingqiang; Cai, Hancheng; Wang, Yongxian

2006-12-01

In an effort to develop a peptide-based radiopharmaceutical for the detection of tumors overexpressed vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors with positron emission tomography, we have prepared a novel [R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP peptide for 18F-labeling. This peptide inhibited 125I-VIP binding to rats lung membranes with high affinity [half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 0.12 nm]. Additionally, [R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP showed higher stability than native vasoactive intestinal peptide in vivo of mice. With N-succinimidyl 4-[18F] fluorobenzoate as labeling prosthetic group, [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP was obtained in >99% radiochemical purity within 100 min in decay-for-corrected radiochemical yield of 33.6 +/- 3% (n = 5) and a specific radioactivity 255 GBq/micromol at the end of synthesis. Stability of [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP in vitro and in vivo were investigated. Biodistribution of this trace was carried out in mice with induced C26 colorectal tumor. Fast clearance of [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP from non-target tissues and specific uptakes by tumors realized higher tumor-to-muscle ratio (3.55) and tumor-to-blood ratio (2.37) 60 min postinjection. Clear difference was observed between the blocking and unblocking experiments in biodistribution and whole body radioautography. [18F]FB-[R(8,15,21), L17]-VIP has demonstrated its potential for diagnosing tumors overexpressed vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors both in vitro and in vivo.

Flow status of three transboundary rivers in Northern Greece as a tool for hydro-diplomacy

Science.gov (United States)

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

Country policy profile - Greece. December 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-12-01

In Greece, electricity from renewable sources is promoted through a feed-in tariff, subsidies a tax exemption and a net metering scheme. Renewable energy sources for heating purposes profit from a tax exemption and a subsidy scheme. The main incentive for renewable energy use in transport is a quota system (RES-Legal Europe, 2014). The Greek progress report was released by the EC in March 2014

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Accurate experimental determination of the isotope effects on the triple point temperature of water. II. Combined dependence on the 18O and 17O abundances

Science.gov (United States)

Faghihi, V.; Kozicki, M.; Aerts-Bijma, A. T.; Jansen, H. G.; Spriensma, J. J.; Peruzzi, A.; Meijer, H. A. J.

2015-12-01

This paper is the second of two articles on the quantification of isotope effects on the triple point temperature of water. In this second article, we address the combined effects of 18O and 17O isotopes. We manufactured five triple point cells with waters with 18O and 17O abundances exceeding widely the natural abundance range while maintaining their natural 18O/17O relationship. The 2H isotopic abundance was kept close to that of VSMOW (Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water). These cells realized triple point temperatures ranging between  -220 μK to 1420 μK with respect to the temperature realized by a triple point cell filled with VSMOW. Our experiment allowed us to determine an accurate and reliable value for the newly defined combined 18, 17O correction parameter of AO  =  630 μK with a combined uncertainty of 10 μK. To apply this correction, only the 18O abundance of the TPW needs to be known (and the water needs to be of natural origin). Using the results of our two articles, we recommend a correction equation along with the coefficient values for isotopic compositions differing from that of VSMOW and compare the effect of this new equation on a number of triple point cells from the literature and from our own institute. Using our correction equation, the uncertainty in the isotope correction for triple point cell waters used around the world will be  <1 μK.

Carbonate stable isotope constraints on sources of arsenic contamination in Neogene tufas and travertines of Attica, Greece

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Kampouroglou, Evdokia E.; Tsikos, Harilaos; Economou-Eliopoulos, Maria

2017-11-01

We presented new C and O isotope data of rockforming calcite in terrestrial carbonate deposits from Neogene basins of Attica (Greece), coupled with standard mineralogical and bulk geochemical results. Whereas both isotope datasets [δ18O from -8.99 to -3.20‰(VPDB); δ13C from -8.17 to +1.40‰(VPDB)] could be interpreted in principle as indicative of a meteoric origin, the clear lack of a statistical correlation between them suggests diverse sources for the isotopic variation of the two elements. On the basis of broad correlations between lower carbon isotope data with increasing Fe and bulk organic carbon, we interpreted the light carbon isotope signatures and As enrichments as both derived mainly from a depositional process involving increased supply of metals and organic carbon to the original basins. Periodically augmented biological production and aerobic cycling of organic matter in the ambient lake waters, would have led to the precipitation of isotopically light calcite in concert with elevated fluxes of As-bearing iron oxy-hydroxide and organic matter to the initial terrestrial carbonate sediment. The terrestrial carbonate deposits of Attica therefore represented effective secondary storage reservoirs of elevated As from the adjacent mineralized hinterland; hence these and similar deposits in the region ought to be regarded as key geological candidates for anomalous supply of As to local soils, groundwater and related human activities.

Application of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI in Greece

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Christos A. Karavitis

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The main premise of the current effort is that the use of a drought index, such as Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI, may lead to a more appropriate understanding of drought duration, magnitude and spatial extent in semi-arid areas like Greece. The importance of the Index may be marked in its simplicity and its ability to identify the beginning and end of a drought event. Thus, it may point towards drought contingency planning and through it to drought alert mechanisms. In this context, Greece, as it very often faces the hazardous impacts of droughts, presents an almost ideal case for the SPI application. The present approach examines the SPI drought index application for all of Greece and it is evaluated accordingly by historical precipitation data. Different time series of data from 46 precipitation stations, covering the period 1947–2004, and for time scales of 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, were used. The computation of the index was achieved by the appropriate usage of a pertinent software tool. Then, spatial representation of the SPI values was carried out with geo-statistical methods using the SURFER 9 software package. The results underline the potential that the SPI usage exhibits in a drought alert and forecasting effort as part of a drought contingency planning posture.

CURRENT ENVIRONMENT FOR INTRODUCING HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT IN GREECE.

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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.

Adoption and use of e-invoicing in Greece

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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 [Technological Educational Institute of Sterea Ellada, Department of Logistics Management, 1st km of Old National Roal Thiva-Elefsis-32200, Thiva (Greece); Skourlas, C., E-mail: cskourlas@teiath.gr [Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Department of Informatics, Ag. Spyridonos, Aigaleo-12210, Athens (Greece)

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 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.

Adoption and use of e-invoicing in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marinagi, C.; Trivellas, P.; Reklitis, Panagiotis; Skourlas, C.

2015-01-01

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

Implementation of the e-Bug Project in Greece.

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Gennimata, Dimitra; Merakou, Kyriakoula; Barbouni, Anastasia; Kremastinou, Jenny

2011-06-01

The e-Bug pack and web site educational material has been translated and adapted to the Greek language and educational background, and implemented throughout Greece as a supplementary educational resource in elementary and junior high schools. Elementary and junior high school teachers in Greece have actively participated in the development of the e-Bug educational resource and supported the implementation of all e-Bug activities. Dissemination to all key national stakeholders has been undertaken, and endorsement has been obtained from educational and medical associations, societies and institutions. Independent evaluation has been carried out, as part of dissertation thesis projects, for postgraduate studies. The e-Bug educational resource provides all the essentials for the dissemination of good health behaviours in hygiene, monitoring the spread of infection and the prudent use of antibiotics, to the youth of this country. Its contribution is expected to be evident in the next adult generation.

Economic Growth and Defense Spending in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus: Evidence from Cointegrated Panel Analysis

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Stylianou Tasos

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the nexus between economic growth and defense spending for three adjacent countries, namely Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Greece and Cyprus, members-countries of European Union spend much more money than other member countries of EU relatively to their GDP. Turkey is in accession negotiations with EU and is among the top 15 countries with the highest military expenditure. These three countries are particularly interesting case studies because of their high military burdens and the bad relations between them (Greece and Cyprus opposite Turkey. The empirical analysis is based on panel data analysis of data over the period 1960 – 2006.

Solidarity outpatient clinics in Greece: a survey of a massive social movement.

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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.

Detection of Dirofilaria immitis in a brown bear (Ursus arctos in Greece

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Papadopoulos E.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Dirofilaria immitis (canine heartworm is a filarial nematode found in the pulmonary circulation and the heart of susceptible hosts. It represents an important zoonotic vector-borne disease of domestic dogs and several wildlife species. Herein we report for the first time, the finding of Dirofilaria immitis worms in a brown bear killed in a vehicle collision in Northern Greece. The worms were morphologically identified; molecular examination, based on the analysis of the mitochondrial genes 12S (433 bp and CO1 (610 bp, verified the identification by demonstrating 100% similarity to D. immitis specimens deposited in GenBank. Brown bears in Greece occupy habitats that are shared with the potential wild and domestic hosts and the vectors of D. immitis and thus may be particularly susceptible to this parasite. This report contributes to the knowledge of dirofilariosis spread in Europe and on the epidemiological threats that may affect the survival of the endangered brown bear in Greece.

Spatial and temporal variability of Aridity Index in Greece

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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

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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…

Motivating Public Sector Employees: Evidence from Greece

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Koronios, K.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The object of this research is to investigate work motivating factors in the public sector in Greece, as well as to study demographic attributes, placing emphasis on age and gender as determinants of employee motives. Design/methodology/approach: To answer our research questions, a questionnaire was distributed at the beginning of 2015 to a public - sector organization in central Greece. A total of 318 anonymous survey responses were collected and analysed with SPSS. Findings: In the public organization under survey, the leading employee motives are an increase in salaries, opportunities for hierarchical advancement in the organization, as well as the development of personal skills. Moreover, motivational differences are noted among Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. Research limitations/implications: As the present study has been conducted on a single public organization, awareness should be raised as far as the generalizability of the results providing useful insights for further exploration. Originality/value: Limited research has been conducted in the Greek public sector comparing motives among generations.

Investigation of orography impact on extreme dry spells over Greece

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Oikonomou, C.; Flocas, H.; Manola, I.; Hatzaki, M.; Asimakopoulos, D. N.

2009-04-01

Precipitation regime over Greece is controlled by the atmospheric circulation, orography sea surface temperature distribution and land/sea interaction. Previous studies have shown that the precipitation amounts are increased in Western Greece, which is located in the upstream side of the largest mountain range of the central mainland. Furthermore, the longest dry spells were identified in south eastern part of Greece during summer and in northern Greek area during winter. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of topography on prolonged dry periods over Greece, using the third generation hydrostatic Regional Climate Model RegCM3, which shows a noticeable improvement in the representation of the surface hydrological cycle in mountainous regions. More specifically, an attempt is made to study the distribution of prolonged dry spells during two seasons, summer of 1993 and winter of 1989, over the Greek area, under two different simulation scenarios: the first employs the real orography of the Greek area while in the second one the orography is eliminated, by transforming the models terrain code. Both simulation experiments were conducted with the high spatial resolution of 10 Km, while the MIT-Emanuel Convective Precipitation Scheme was selected for the computation of convective precipitation, as it offers more physical representation of convection compared to the other oldest schemes of RegCM. The model was firstly validated through comparisons of the model outputs with observed precipitation amount data, employing 20 stations over Greece for the two selected seasons. The validation demonstrated that the model can simulate precipitation amount quite well over the Greek area, except for the south Dodecanese Islands, where precipitation is underestimated, and the eastern continental Greece, where the daily precipitation is overestimated. For the identification of the extreme dry spells, the climatic index CDD (Maximum number of consecutive dry days

How the economic crisis in Greece affected the steps in applying e-government at the first degree self government of Greece

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Dimitrios S. Goulas

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Greece, in the frame of appliance of e-Government, the last years has made significant steps which have changed the way its public services work and especially the local self government, which is represented by municipalities. Many countries, not only in the European Union but also throughout the world, are adopting decentralization reforms in order to empower local communities. In Greece specially, the economic crisis that started from 2009, gave one extra motivation to use decentralization to make local self government more efficient. Decentralization is the process of transferring authority, responsibility and accountability from central to local governments. To accomplish this, Greek government applied the Law 3852 «Kallikratis plan», instituted in 2010, reforming the local self administration and its duties. The purpose of this paper is to present the consequences of this change to the e-government steps that were done before «Kallikratis plan».

Spatio-temporal distribution of absorbing and non-absorbing aerosols derived from Aura-OMI Aerosol Index over Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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

From Asia Minor to Greece: History, Memory and Migration

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Emine Yeşim Bedlek

2017-08-01

Full Text Available History and memory studies are among the most controversial topics of our era. While the official history is made up of state discourse, personal history reaches the reader through the memories of the individuals. The events that leave traces in memory are passed on to future generations by oral history studies. The pasts of individuals whose individual experiences are unpacked by the oral historians give us more detailed information about the traumas individuals. Yiannis Karatzoglou also documents his past in order to pass the traumas of migration due to the Lausanne Convention signed in 1923 between Greece and Turkey. This study examines the impact of the social, cultural and political decisions of Turkey and Greece on individuals through the life story of Yiannis in the light of history and memory.

An overview of solar energy applications in buildings in Greece

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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.

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

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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.

Thelazia callipaeda (Spirurida: Thelaziidae): first report in Greece and a case of canine infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Diakou, Anastasia; Di Cesare, Angela; Tzimoulia, Stavroula; Tzimoulias, Ioannis; Traversa, Donato

2015-07-01

The eyeworm Thelazia callipaeda has been reported in different European countries, i.e. Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Romania. The present article describes the first autochthonous case of ocular thelaziosis in a dog from Greece, thus revealing a new spot of infection in Europe. The dog in this case report, most likely infected at the northern borders of Greece, was referred to a private veterinary practice with conjunctivitis, oedema, keratitis, epiphora and mucoid discharge in both eyes. Seventy-seven nematodes were removed from both eyes, and the dog was treated with two subcutaneous injections of ivermectin 14 days apart, in combination with a topical antimicrobial medication. The parasites were morphologically and molecularly identified as T. callipaeda. Although in Greece there is no information about the presence and distribution of the fruit fly Phortica variegata, i.e. the intermediate host of T. callipaeda, the location where the dog was infected is environmentally suitable for its development. The present report of this zoonotic parasitosis indicates that in Greece, along with endemic areas in Spain and Italy, T. callipaeda is currently reaching its southernmost distribution limit in Europe.

Survey of medico-legal investigation of homicide in the region of Epirus (Northwest Greece).

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Screening the Medicines for Malaria Venture "Malaria Box" against the Plasmodium falciparum aminopeptidases, M1, M17 and M18.

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Alessandro Paiardini

Full Text Available Malaria is a parasitic disease that remains a global health burden. The ability of the parasite to rapidly develop resistance to therapeutics drives an urgent need for the delivery of new drugs. The Medicines for Malaria Venture have compounds known for their antimalarial activity, but not necessarily the molecular targets. In this study, we assess the ability of the "MMV 400" compounds to inhibit the activity of three metalloaminopeptidases from Plasmodium falciparum, PfA-M1, PfA-M17 and PfM18 AAP. We have developed a multiplex assay system to allow rapid primary screening of compounds against all three metalloaminopeptidases, followed by detailed analysis of promising compounds. Our results show that there were no PfM18AAP inhibitors, whereas two moderate inhibitors of the neutral aminopeptidases PfA-M1 and PfA-M17 were identified. Further investigation through structure-activity relationship studies and molecular docking suggest that these compounds are competitive inhibitors with novel binding mechanisms, acting through either non-classical zinc coordination or independently of zinc binding altogether. Although it is unlikely that inhibition of PfA-M1 and/or PfA-M17 is the primary mechanism responsible for the antiplasmodial activity reported for these compounds, their detailed characterization, as presented in this work, pave the way for their further optimization as a novel class of dual PfA-M1/PfA-M17 inhibitors utilising non-classical zinc binding groups.

Historical and Contemporary Aspects of the Relationship between the State and Adult Education in Greece.

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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.);…

Syndromic Surveillance Models Using Web Data: The Case of Influenza in Greece and Italy Using Google Trends.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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

Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece

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Kaspiris Angelos

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract 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.

The outstanding synergy between drought, heatwaves and fuel on the 2007 Southern Greece exceptional fire season

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gouveia, Célia M.; Bistinas, Ioannis; Liberato, Margarida L.R.; Bastos, Ana; Koutsias, Nikos; Trigo, Ricardo

2016-01-01

The fire season of 2007 was particularly devastating for Greece, achieving the new all-time record of estimated burnt area (225,734. ha) since 1980. The season was remarkably severe in Peloponnese Peninsula, in southern continental Greece, being considered the most extreme natural disaster in the

Recycling of spent lead/acid batteries. The case of Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zabaniotou, A.; Kouskoumvekaki, E.; Sanopoulos, D.

1999-01-01

In this study, the application of modern recycling technologies in accordance with the European and Greek legislation, aiming at the recovery of lead, polypropylene and sulfuric acid from spent lead (Pb)/acid batteries, is presented. The present state of their disposal and exploitation is also depicted. The international situation is reviewed, the general trends are marked and the main technologies related to lead/acid battery treatment are reported. General recommendations are given regarding the collection of spent batteries and the installation of a recycling plant in Greece. A sensitivity analysis is carried out in order to define the most significant parameters affecting the viability of a recycling scheme. The present study proves that a possible installation of a Pb/acid batteries recycling process unit, treating 17 000 t/year (estimated total quantity) and situated in the industrial area of the greater Athens region, seems to be economically profitable. The already existing operation of small-scale battery recycling plants, common in small countries, should be discouraged as they demonstrate a rather not environmentally acceptable recycling operation

The relationship between local and moment magnitude in Greece during the period 2008-2016

Science.gov (United States)

Konstantinou, K. I.; Melis, N. S.

2018-03-01

We perform a systematic comparison between local and moment magnitudes in Greece for the period 2008-2016 when both magnitudes have been determined using waveform data recorded by the Hellenic Unified Seismic Network (HUSN). Differences between the two magnitudes scales on average do not exceed ± 0.2 units as has been found in other regions worldwide. A recalculation of local magnitude using magnitude residuals for each HUSN station shows that station site conditions have very little influence on the difference between local and moment magnitude. It is therefore more likely that wave propagation effects and in rare cases, anomalous source properties are dominant factors in shaping this difference. General orthogonal regression is applied to the whole dataset and also to subsets covering different areas of Greece or different time period to calibrate the one magnitude scale against the other using a linear model. The resulting relationships differ very little, suggesting that there is no significant regional/temporal variation between local and moment magnitudes. While these relationships predict that local magnitude is very close to moment magnitude if both are determined using HUSN data, the comparison with Global CMT moment magnitude (with M w in the range 4.5-6.2) shows that it is larger than local magnitude by 0.18 units. These results are particularly important for converting local magnitudes to equivalent moment magnitudes and thus homogenize the Greek earthquake catalog.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

From mild ataxia to huntington disease phenocopy: the multiple faces of spinocerebellar ataxia 17.

Science.gov (United States)

Koutsis, Georgios; Panas, Marios; Paraskevas, George P; Bougea, Anastasia M; Kladi, Athina; Karadima, Georgia; Kapaki, Elisabeth

2014-01-01

Introduction. Spinocerebellar ataxia 17 (SCA 17) is a rare autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (ADCA) caused by a CAG/CAA expansion in the TBP gene, reported from a limited number of countries. It is a very heterogeneous ADCA characterized by ataxia, cognitive decline, psychiatric symptoms, and involuntary movements, with some patients presenting with Huntington disease (HD) phenocopies. The SCA 17 expansion is stable during parent-child transmission and intrafamilial phenotypic homogeneity has been reported. However, significant phenotypic variability within families has also been observed. Report of the Family. We presently report a Greek family with a pathological expansion of 54 repeats at the SCA 17 locus that displayed remarkable phenotypic variability. Among 3 affected members, one presented with HD phenocopy; one with progressive ataxia, dementia, chorea, dystonia, and seizures, and one with mild slowly progressive ataxia with minor cognitive and affective symptoms. Conclusions. This is the first family with SCA 17 identified in Greece and highlights the multiple faces of this rare disorder, even within the same family.

Foreign Guests in Ancient Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zora Žbontar

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Xenía was a special relationship between a foreign guest and his host in Ancient Greece. The ritual of hosting a foreigner included an exchange of objects, feasting, and the establishment of friendship between people from different social backgrounds. This relationship implied trust, loyalty, friendship, and mutual aid between the people involved. Goods and services were also exchanged without any form of payment. There were no formal laws governing xenía – it was based entirely on a moral appeal. Mutual appreciation between the host and the guest was established during the ritual, but the host did retain a certain level of superiority over the guest. Xenía was one of the most important institutions in Ancient Greece. It had a lot of features and obligations similar to kinship and marriage. In literary sources the word xénos varies in meaning from “enemy stranger”, “friendly stranger”, “foreigner”, “guest”, “host” to “ritual friend”, and it is often hard to tell which usage is appropriate in a given passage. The paper describes the emphasis on hospitality towards foreigners. It presents an example of a depiction indicating xenía is presented, as well as several objects which were traded during the ritual. The paper also addresses the importance of hospitality in Greek drama in general, especially with examples of violations of the hospitality code.

Radon Survey in Kalamata (Greece)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geranios, A.; Kakoulidou, M.; Mavroidi, Ph.; Moschou, M.; Fisher, S.; Burian, I.; Holecek, J.

2001-01-01

A national radon survey is still lacking for Greece. Some groups have carried out several more or less local or extended radon surveys and valuable experience has been gained. After the first preliminary survey carried out by our group, where 500 Kodak LR-115 etched track detectors were placed in Greek schools and dwellings for one year, indoor radon measurements were continued by placing the same number of detectors in a restricted area, covering the city of Kalamata (a medium size city with 60,000 inhabitants), situated in the south of Peloponnese. Although Kalamata was not of special radon interest, the local authorities insisted on knowing for their citizens' sake the level of this natural radiation. At first, the intention was to use a different method of organisation and distribution of the etched-track detectors from the previous one, attempting mainly to acquire more reliable results and to collect as many detectors as possible. Secondly, it was of great importance to test the statistics of the indoor radon concentrations for a rather small area, and thirdly, to estimate independently the annual absorbed dose by children, taking into account radon concentrations measured both in their home and at school. The set of detectors' readings (about 370), revealed, in general, lower values for Kalamata, compared to the ones found in the preliminary radon survey in Greece and almost all concentrations were found to be below the NRPB action level (200 Bq.m -3 ) (author)

The hazard of Sea Level Rise (SLR) in Greece: from scientific knowledge towards risk awareness of main actors

Science.gov (United States)

Dandoulaki, Miranda; Karymbalis, Efthimios; Yorgos, Melissourgos; Skordili, Sophia; Valkanou, Kanella

2014-05-01

A natural hazard that is expected to affect coastal areas in the near future is Sea-Level Rise (SLR) due to climate change. According to recent reports the eustatic sea-level rise caused by global warming will reach approximately 18-59 cm by the year 2100. Potential impacts of future sea-level rise include coastal erosion, frequent and intensified cyclonic activity and associated storm surge flooding that may affect the coastal zones, saltwater intrusion into groundwater aquifers, the inundation of ecologically significant wetlands, and threats to cultural and historical resources, as well as to infrastructure. The identification of sensitive sections of coasts and the assessment of potential impacts of SLR on these is therefore a fundamental, yet initial, step towards their protection. Greece has the most extensive coastline among all Mediterranean countries with most of the socio-economic activities concentrated along the coastal zone. Almost all big urban centres are coastal ones and the same stands for a great part of infrastructure (ports, airports, roads, electricity and telecommunications network etc). As a result, the impacts of a potential rise of the sea level are expected to seriously affect the entire country. The paper examines the vulnerability to SLR of coastal zones in Greece; however its main focus is how knowledge can lead to policy making and the protection of coastal areas. The main actors in respect to protection from SLR in Greece are identified and there is an attempt to pin point how the knowledge is communicated and shared between them. Barriers, bridges and gaps are detected as regards how information and knowledge lead to risk awareness and finally to the implementation of protection policies. A main finding of the paper is that SLR risk is far from becoming a policy priority in Greece, although steps are taken for addressing impacts attributed to SLR such as coastal erosion. In order to address this risk, there are many potential

Tax wedge in Croatia, Austria, Hungary, Poland and Greece

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Marin Onorato

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to compare the tax burden on labour income in Croatia, Austria, Greece, Hungary and Poland in 2013. The Taxing Wages methodology has been applied to hypothetical units across a range of gross wages in order to calculate net average tax wedge, net average tax rate, as well as other relevant indicators. When it comes to single workers without children, the smallest tax wedge for workers earning less than the average gross wage was found in Croatia, while Poland had the smallest tax wedge for above-average wages. Due to a progressive PIT system, the tax wedge for a single worker in Croatia reaches 50% at 400% of the average gross wage, equalling that of Austria, Greece and Hungary. Tax wedges for couples with two children show a similar trend.

Predictors of cadmium and lead concentrations in the blood of residents from the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakellari, Aikaterini; Karavoltsos, Sotirios; Kalogeropoulos, Nick; Theodorou, Dimitrios; Dedoussis, George; Chrysohoou, Christina; Dassenakis, Manos; Scoullos, Michael

2016-01-01

The Cd and Pb blood contents of healthy adult subjects who are non-occupationally exposed and living in the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece) have not been assessed thus far. Additionally, Greeks rank first among EU27 in terms of smoking habits. To fill the existing gap, we aimed to evaluate the predictors and propose reference values (RVs) of the Cd (CdB) and Pb (PbB) blood concentrations in residents of the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece). Age, sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, educational status and nutritional habits were used as variables, with an emphasis on smoking. CdB and PbB determinations were performed directly by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) following the appropriate dilution of the samples with Triton-X-100. The RVs of CdB and PbB proposed for the general adult population of the Metropolitan area of Athens, Greece (upper limit of the 95% CI of the 95th percentile of the distribution of values), were 2.3 and 88 μg L"− "1 (P95: 1.8 and 77 μg L"− "1; 95% CI (P95): 1.5–2.3 and 70–88 μg L"− "1), respectively. Males had a higher median CdB (0.69 μg L"− "1) than females (0.55 μg L"− "1). Subjects aged < 40 years had a lower median CdB (0.51 μg L"− "1) than the elderly (≥ 60 years; 0.60 μg L"− "1). The CdB in smokers (1.2 μg L"− "1) was almost threefold higher than in non-smokers (0.46 μg L"− "1). The PbB levels were higher in males (31 μg L"− "1) than females (20 μg L"− "1). Subjects aged < 40 years had a lower median PbB (17 μg L"− "1) than the elderly (≥ 60 years; 32 μg L"− "1). A multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the predictor variables for the CdB levels were the standardized beta weight, smoking, age, alcohol consumption, and intake of leafy vegetables, whereas for the PbB levels they were sex and age. - Highlights: • Data on toxic metals levels in blood of Athens population are limited • Reference values for Cd and Pb in whole blood were 2.3 and 88 �

Predictors of cadmium and lead concentrations in the blood of residents from the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakellari, Aikaterini, E-mail: esakel@chem.uoa.gr [National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Division III, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Zografou, Panepistimiopolis, 157 84 Athens (Greece); Karavoltsos, Sotirios [National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Division III, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Zografou, Panepistimiopolis, 157 84 Athens (Greece); Kalogeropoulos, Nick [Harokopio University, Department of Nutrition Science and Dietetics, Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry-Physical Chemistry of Foods, 176 71 Athens (Greece); Theodorou, Dimitrios [School of Chemical Engineering, Laboratory of Fuels and Lubricants Technology, National Technical University of Athens, Iroon Polytechneiou 9, Athens 15780 (Greece); Dedoussis, George [Harokopio University, Department of Nutrition Science and Dietetics, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, 176 71 Athens (Greece); Chrysohoou, Christina [First Cardiology Clinic, Hippokration Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens (Greece); Dassenakis, Manos; Scoullos, Michael [National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Division III, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Zografou, Panepistimiopolis, 157 84 Athens (Greece)

2016-10-15

The Cd and Pb blood contents of healthy adult subjects who are non-occupationally exposed and living in the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece) have not been assessed thus far. Additionally, Greeks rank first among EU27 in terms of smoking habits. To fill the existing gap, we aimed to evaluate the predictors and propose reference values (RVs) of the Cd (CdB) and Pb (PbB) blood concentrations in residents of the metropolitan area of Athens (Greece). Age, sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, educational status and nutritional habits were used as variables, with an emphasis on smoking. CdB and PbB determinations were performed directly by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) following the appropriate dilution of the samples with Triton-X-100. The RVs of CdB and PbB proposed for the general adult population of the Metropolitan area of Athens, Greece (upper limit of the 95% CI of the 95th percentile of the distribution of values), were 2.3 and 88 μg L{sup −} {sup 1} (P95: 1.8 and 77 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}; 95% CI (P95): 1.5–2.3 and 70–88 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}), respectively. Males had a higher median CdB (0.69 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}) than females (0.55 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}). Subjects aged < 40 years had a lower median CdB (0.51 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}) than the elderly (≥ 60 years; 0.60 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}). The CdB in smokers (1.2 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}) was almost threefold higher than in non-smokers (0.46 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}). The PbB levels were higher in males (31 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}) than females (20 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}). Subjects aged < 40 years had a lower median PbB (17 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}) than the elderly (≥ 60 years; 32 μg L{sup −} {sup 1}). A multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the predictor variables for the CdB levels were the standardized beta weight, smoking, age, alcohol consumption, and intake of leafy vegetables, whereas for the PbB levels they were sex and age. - Highlights: • Data on

The endemic flora of Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Kit

2007-01-01

The Balkan Peninsula has a rich endemic flora estimated as between 2600 and 2700 taxa; c. 750 are restricted to Greece. Conservationists consider the endemic flora of a country needs protection for all time; there is a tendency to paint an alarming picture. However, unless one knows something or ...... have been mapped and it is already possible to recognize the hot-spots of biodiversity as these are linked to the centres of endemism. Determining the centres of diversity is an important and significant contribution to further conservation measures at the global level....

Critical evaluation of the hydropower applications in Greece

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaldellis, J.K. [Laboratory of Soft Energy Applications and Environmental Protection, TEI Piraeus, P.O. Box 41046, Athens 12201 (Greece)

2008-01-15

Hydropower is a proven technology for electricity generation, contributing with almost 20% to the fulfilment of the planet electricity demand. Hydropower is also renewable because it draws its essential energy from the sun and particularly from the hydrological cycle. Greece and more precisely the west and north part of the mainland possesses significant hydropower potential that is up to now partially exploited. In the present survey, one investigates the existing situation concerning the applications of hydropower plants in Greece, while the results obtained are compared with the corresponding international and European situation. Subsequently, emphasis is laid on estimating the electricity-generation utilization degree of the existing large hydropower stations, using 25-year long official data. The results obtained underline the fact that the electricity generation is not a priority for the national water management policy and most Greek hydropower stations are used mainly to meet the corresponding peak load demand. On the other hand, increased interest to create numerous new small hydropower plants throughout Greece has been expressed during the last 5 years. According to the information gathered and analyzed, one may state that the available local hydropower potential is quite promising and can substantially contribute to the accomplishment of the national-EU target to cover the 21% of the corresponding electricity consumption from renewable resources. For this purpose one should first define an approved and rational water resources management plan and secondly support the increased utilization of large and small hydropower plants for electricity generation. In this case, properly designed hydropower plants should lead to considerable profits, contributing also in the country's independency from imported oil and accomplishing the Kyoto protocol obligations. (author)

The Cost of Living in Ancient Greece

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Roberto Morales Harley

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on the most relevant economic aspects of Ancient Greece, more specifically, 5th century BC Athens. It explores the Greek notion of economy, the monetary system, the financial administration and the labor market, in order to contextualize the cost of living. The examples on this matter take into account the products’ costs and the people’s wages.

The Gender Wage Gap as a Function of Educational Degree Choices in Greece

OpenAIRE

Pouliakas, Konstantinos; Livanos, Ilias

2008-01-01

This study investigates the extent to which differences in the subject of degree studied by male and female university graduates contributes to the gender pay gap in Greece. The case of Greece is interesting as it is an EU country with historically large gender discrepancies in earnings and one of the highest levels of occupational gender segregation among OECD economies. Using micro-data from the most recently available waves (2000-2003) of the Greek Labour Force Survey (LFS), the returns ...

Regeneration of Abies cephalonica Loudon after a Large Fire in Central Greece

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Yannis Raftoyannis

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Abies cephalonica Loudon (Greek fir is a dominant tree species of the mountainous Greece that forms productive forests. Wildfires in fir forests were not considered a major threat but in recent decades, fir ecosystems in Greece have experienced large crown fires with subsequent ecological and economical losses. Materials and Methods: This study was designed to aid our understanding of Greek fir recovery after fire. In Central Greece, 12 years after a large fire, fir regeneration and site factors were studied in 143 sampling plots located in 10 transects. Results: Fir regeneration density decreased abruptly with distance from the remnant stands and followed the negative exponential curve with decreasing regeneration abundance from the border of the unburned zone. Abiotic factors such as elevation, aspect, slope steepness and ground cover type could not significantly explain any variability in fir regeneration density. Conclusions: Our results showed that distance from a seed source was the most important variable in explaining fir regeneration. Moreover, the density of fir regeneration seemed adequate to provide stocking for a future fir forest.

Molecular investigation of HIV-1 cross-group transmissions during an outbreak among people who inject drugs (2011-2014) in Athens, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Paraskevis, Dimitrios; Νikolopoulos, Georgios K; Sypsa, Vana; Psichogiou, Mina; Pantavou, Katerina; Kostaki, Evangelia; Karamitros, Timokratis; Paraskeva, Dimitra; Schneider, John; Malliori, Melpomeni; Friedman, Samuel R; Des Jarlais, Don C; Daikos, Georgios L; Hatzakis, Angelos

2018-04-10

New diagnoses of HIV-1 infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) rocketed in Athens, Greece between 2011 and 2014 (HIV-1 outbreak). Our aim was to identify, during that period, potential cross-group transmissions between the within-Greece PWID and other risk or national groups using molecular methods. Sequences from 33 PWID were outside the PWID-outbreak networks in Greece (PWID-imported transmissions). Phylogenetic analyses on 28 of these sequences (subtypes A and B) showed that 11 subtype B infections originated from Greece, whereas 8 and 7 subtype A strains were from former Soviet Union countries (A FSU ) and Greece, respectively. The putative source in half of the PWID-imported transmissions with Greek origin was an individual who acquired HIV via sexual contact. During four years of an HIV-1 outbreak among PWID in Athens, Greece, 33 individuals in this group (4.6% of all diagnoses with phylogenetic analyses) are likely to represent infections, sexually or injection-acquired, outside the within-Greece-PWID-outbreak networks. Combined molecular and traditional HIV surveillance to monitor introductions of new strains, and interventions that aim at reducing the rate of both injection and sexual risky practices are needed during drug injection-related HIV outbreaks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Augustan Greece in Strabo’s Geography: A Short Survey

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Marjeta Šašel Kos

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Strabo dedicated books 8 and 9 of his Geography to Greece, which he describes in great detail. While the greater part of his narrative reads like the description of an earlier Greece, he does include some interesting notes on his own period. His descriptions largely refer to passages in Homer, whom he considers the ultimate authority, since the Iliad and Odyssey formed an important part of the then school curriculum. A recurring observation is that a number of Greek settlements, once densely populated, were in his day deserted. There is no doubt that much of Greece was left waste in the Hellenistic period, especially in the period from Polybius (2nd century B.C. to Strabo (the beginning of the Christian era. While the information from Strabo’s own time represents a very small portion of the two books, it is often of great historical interest. He mentions, for example, the rule of Gaius Iulius Eurycles in Sparta; Eurycles came into conflict with Rome because he allegedly abused his friendship with Augustus, appropriating the island of Cythera and tyrannically extending his power through Laconia. Certainly one of the most influential personages in the Greece of his day, he had inscriptions set up in his honour throughout Laconia and elsewhere in the Peloponnese.  Somewhat more attention is devoted by Strabo to Corinth, which he visited personally. According to him, the city’s affluence was due to trade: lying on the Isthmus, it controlled two ports, Cenchreae, from which ships sailed for Asia, and Lechaeum, which was its link to Greece. Strabo describes the dramatic fall of Corinth: in 146 B.C. it was burnt down by the Roman consul, Lucius Mummius, and robbed of practically all its art works, which were then used to adorn the temples in Rome, in other Italian towns and elsewhere in the Mediterranean, since many were sold as war booty. Strabo mentions that Polybius, who was in Corinth at the time, was particularly saddened by the Roman

School Psychology in Greece: A System of Change.

Science.gov (United States)

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…

When Will Greece Get its Money back from Germany? Reflections on Yanis Varoufakis’ New Book

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Christian Fuchs

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This article reviews Yanis Varoufakis’ (2016 book “And the Weak Suffer what They Must? Europe, Austerity and the Threat to Global Stability”. It argues that the question “When will the creditors get ‘their money’ back from Greece?” must be dialectically reversed: When will Greece get its money back from Germany? When will Germany pay its debts?

HIGH-PRECISION C17O, C18O, AND C16O MEASUREMENTS IN YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS: ANALOGUES FOR CO SELF-SHIELDING IN THE EARLY SOLAR SYSTEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Rachel L.; Young, Edward D.; Pontoppidan, Klaus M.; Morris, Mark R.; Van Dishoeck, Ewine F.

2009-01-01

Using very high resolution (λ/Δλ ∼ 95 000) 4.7 μm fundamental and 2.3 μm overtone rovibrational CO absorption spectra obtained with the Cryogenic Infrared Echelle Spectrograph infrared spectrometer on the Very Large Telescope (VLT), we report detections of four CO isotopologues-C 16 O, 13 CO, C 18 O, and the rare species, C 17 O-in the circumstellar environment of two young protostars: VV CrA, a binary T Tauri star in the Corona Australis molecular cloud, and Reipurth 50, an intermediate-mass FU Ori star in the Orion Molecular Cloud. We argue that the observed CO absorption lines probe a protoplanetary disk in VV CrA, and a protostellar envelope in Reipurth 50. All CO line profiles are spectrally resolved, with intrinsic line widths of ∼3-4 km s -1 (FWHM), permitting direct calculation of CO oxygen isotopologue ratios with 5%-10% accuracy. The rovibrational level populations for all species can be reproduced by assuming that CO absorption arises in two temperature regimes. In the higher temperature regime, in which the column densities are best determined, the derived oxygen isotope ratios in VV CrA are: [C 16 O]/[C 18 O] =690 ± 30; [C 16 O]/[C 17 O] =2800 ± 300, and [C 18 O]/[C 17 O]=4.1 ± 0.4. For Reipurth 50, we find [C 16 O]/[C 18 O] =490 ± 30; [C 16 O]/[C 17 O] =2200 ± 150, [C 18 O]/[C 17 O] = 4.4 ± 0.2. For both objects, 12 C/ 13 C are on the order of 100, nearly twice the expected interstellar medium (ISM) ratio. The derived oxygen abundance ratios for the VV CrA disk show a significant mass-independent deficit of C 17 O and C 18 O relative to C 16 O compared to ISM baseline abundances. The Reipurth 50 envelope shows no clear differences in oxygen CO isotopologue ratios compared with the local ISM. A mass-independent fractionation can be interpreted as being due to selective photodissociation of CO in the disk surface due to self-shielding. The deficits in C 17 O and C 18 O in the VV CrA protoplanetary disk are consistent with an analogous

The Impact of Social Media on Press Freedom in Greece: Benefits, Challenges and Limitations

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Katerina SERAFEIM

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the essay is to put light on the expansion of social media in news broadcasting in Greece, highlighting their impact on press freedom and freedom of expression. Taken for granted that the media in Greece (television, radio and print press have created, except from their “traditional version”, social media profiles (facebook profile, twitter etc. in order to disseminate the news, the essay investigates the interconnection between the aforementioned use of social media and press freedom. In addition, special focus is given to the challenges that appear from the emergence of social media as news platforms and to the debate that has occurred “for” and “against” this new role of them. Moreover, the essay puts light to some crucial questions that arise:Do social media in Greece, as news platforms, extend freedom of expression and how do they accomplish that? Does the fact that social media empower journalists to provide journalism in more ways than one through tweets, postings, and video and photo uploads, enhance journalists’ freedom of expression and, in a wider sense, the freedom of the press? Has the invasion of social media in the news flow and coverage changed the media landscape in Greece?

Subjective social status, social network and health disparities: empirical evidence from Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Charonis, Antonios; Kyriopoulos, Ilias-Ioannis; Spanakis, Manos; Zavras, Dimitris; Athanasakis, Kostas; Pavi, Elpida; Kyriopoulos, John

2017-02-27

Several studies suggest that socioeconomic status affects (SES) affects self-rated health (SRH), both in Greece and internationally. However, prior research mainly uses objective measures of SES, instead of subjective evaluations of individuals' social status. Based on this, this paper aims to examine (a) the impact of the economic dowturn on SRH in Greece and (b) the relationship between subjective social status (SSS), social network and SRH. The descriptive analysis is based on four cross-sectional surveys conducted by the National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece (2002, 2006, 2011, 2015), while the data for the empirical investigation were derived from the 2015 survey (Health + Welfare Survey GR). The empirical strategy is based on an ordinal logistic regression model, aiming to examine how several variables affect SRH. Size of social network and SSS are among the independent variables employed for the empirical analysis RESULTS: According to our findings, average SRH has deteriorated, and the percentage of the population that reports very good/good SRH has also decreased. Moreover, our empirical analysis suggests that age, existence of a chronic disease, size of social network and SSS affect SRH in Greece. Our findings are consistent with the existing literature and confirm a social gradient in health. According to our analysis, health disparities can be largely attributed to socioeconomic inequalities. The adverse economic climate has impact on socioeconomic differences which in turn affect health disparities. Based on these, policy initiatives are necessasy in order to mitigate the negative impact on health and the disparities caused by economic dowturn and the occuring socioeconomic inequalities.

Agriculture and Regional Development in Greece

OpenAIRE

Kyrkilis, Dimitrios; Semasis, Simeon

2012-01-01

This paper attempts to explore the effects of post-war war economic development model followed in Greece. The model is characterized by both the neglect of Greek agriculture and the emphasis on industrialization, mainly around the two major cities, Athens and Thessaloniki. The model has to develop a strong industrial sector but to inflate services and it devastated agriculture. At the regional level the uneven growth path that has been adopted perpetuated between urban and tourist areas on th...

Synthesis and evaluation of radioiodinated (E)-18-iodo-17-octadecenoic acid as a model iodoalkenyl fatty acid for myocardial imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knapp, F.F. Jr.; Goodman, M.M.; Kabalka, G.W.; Sastry, K.A.

1984-01-01

125 I-labeled (E)-18-iodo-17-octadecenoic acid (13) has been prepared and evaluated in rats to determine the myocardial uptake and retention and degree of in vivo deiodination of this model iodovinyl-substituted fatty acid, which contains no structural perturbation to inhibit metabolism. This new agent was prepared by NaI-chloramine-T treatment of (17-carbomethoxyheptadec-1-en-1-yl)boronic acid (11) prepared by catecholborane treatment of methyl 17-octadecynoate (10), followed by basic hydrolysis to the free acid (13). The pivotal substrate, 17-octadecynoic acid (9), was prepared by two new routes. The 125 I-labeled acid 13 showed high myocardial uptake (1 h, 1.90-2.28% dose/g) with 45% washout after 2 h but lower heart/blood ratios in comparison to analogues containing the tellurium heteroatom. Deiodination was low for the first 2 h after injection (2 h, 61% dose/g). Excellent myocardial images were obtained in a dog with the 123 I-labeled agent

New records and updated checklist of Cicadomorpha (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha) species from Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Paronychia manfrediana (Caryophyllaceae), a new species from northeast Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Kit; Strid, Arne

2008-01-01

Paronychia manfrediana (Caryophyllaceae) is decribed as a species new to science based on material collected near the Turkish border in northeastern Greece; it is illustrated by a photograph. Although belonging to Paronychia sect. Heterosepalae it bears a strong resemblance to P.macedonica (Paron...

The development of the Ptolemais lignite deposit, present situation and future perspective of the electrical energy market (Greece)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavourides, Kostas

1997-01-01

PPC is by far the major producer of solid fuels in Greece. Currently the known exploitable reserves of solid fuels, are 4,0 billions tones of lignite and 4 billion cubic meters of peat. Mining of Lignite in Greece started in 1951 at the Aliveri underground mine and was continued at the open cast mines at Ptolemais (1955) and Megalopolis (1919). For more than 45 years. PPC has successfully exploited the Greece Lignite deposit for the production of electricity in order to satisfy the demand in Greece. Today PPC produces 60 million tons of lignite and handles approximately 275 million cubic meters of masses (overburden, lignite and interculated) per year. Lignite is the main energy resource in Greece and its combustion provides 75-80% of the electrical energy consumed in Greece.The Lignite Center of Ptolemais - Amyndeon (LCP-A) operated by the Greece PPC is located in northern Greece, about 110 km west of the city of Thessaloniki. The lignite deposits under exploitation cover an area. of 120 km 2 including 4000 Mt of proven geological reserves and 2700 Mt of exploitable lignite under current economic and technological criteria. Today LCP-A manages six active mines which in 1997 have a rate of handling 245 mil cubic meter of material and producing approx. 48 mil for of lignite. The continuous mining method which employs BWES, conveyors and strackers is the principal mining method used in all the lignite mines at the Ptolemais-Amyndeon Lignite Center. The implementation of selective mining procedures as well as discontinuous and /or combined mining methods differentiates the mining technology at the LCP-A from the respective technology applied in Germany lignite mines. The quality properties suggest that the lignite deposits in Greece are among the world's worst quality deposits exploited for energy production, where approximately 2 kg of lignite are consumed per I kWh of generated power. The main advantages of PPC'S coal orientated development program are the following

Laser Spectroscopy Monitoring of 13C18O16O and 12C17O16O of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

Science.gov (United States)

Shorter, J. H.; Nelson, D. D.; Ono, S.; McManus, J. B.; Zahniser, M. S.

2017-12-01

One of the main challenges to making accurate predictions of future changes in CO2 concentration is the capability to determine what fraction of human produced CO2 remains in the atmosphere. We present our progress in the application of Tunable Infrared Laser Direct Absorption Spectroscopy (TILDAS) to the measurement of the primary clumped (13C18O16O) as well as 17O (12C17O16O) isotopologues of atmospheric CO2, as a tracer of its sources and sinks. We expect unique isotopologue signals in CO2 from high-temperature combustion sources, plants, soils, and air-sea exchange processes. High sampling frequency (a few minutes for each sample vs. reference cycle) achieved by a TILDAS instrument is expected to enable us to document local heterogeneous sources and temporal variations. The TILDAS is equipped with a newly developed 400-meter absorption cell. We designed a dual pressure measurement technique in which the clumped isotopologue, 13C18O16O, and 13C16O16O are first measured at 30 torr cell pressure. This is followed by measurement of 12C17O16O, 12C18O16O and 12C16O16O at lower ( 5 torr) cell pressure. Isotopologue ratios are compared between reference and sample gases. Preliminary tests demonstrated a precision approaching 0.03 ‰ for the ratio 13C18O16O/13C16O16O and 0.08‰ for Δ13C18O16O value (1σ repeatability for 4 min sample vs. reference cycle). Sample size for a single analysis is approximately 100 mL of air (1.6μmol of CO2). Given the previously observed range of variations for Δ13C18O16O and Δ17O values as large as 0.6 to 0.3 ‰, respectively, TILDAS offers a novel approach for real time monitoring of atmospheric CO2 isotopologues. It was found that achieving better than 0.1‰ requires careful matching of CO2 mixing ratios between reference and sample air. A primary cause of pressure and mixing ratio dependence is inaccurate baseline fitting (analogous to abundance sensitivity or pressure baseline for IRMS). Given that mixing ratios of atmospheric

17 CFR 200.18 - Director of Division of Corporation Finance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Corporation Finance. 200.18 Section 200.18 Commodity and Securities Exchanges SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE... General Organization § 200.18 Director of Division of Corporation Finance. The Director of the Division of Corporation Finance is responsible to the Commission for the administration of all matters (except those...

A critical analysis of national policies, systems, and structures of patient empowerment in England and Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Boudioni, Markella; McLaren, Susan; Lister, Graham

2017-01-01

Comparison of patient empowerment (PE) policies in European countries can provide evidence for improvement and reform across different health systems. It may also influence patient and public involvement, patient experience, preference, and adherence. The objective of this study was to compare PE within national policies, systems, and structures in England and Greece for achieving integrated people-centered health services. We performed a critical search and review of policy and legislation papers in English and Greek languages. This included 1) general health policy and systems papers, 2) PE, patient and/or public involvement or patients' rights policy and legislation (1990-2015), and 3) comparative or discussion papers for England and/or Greece. A total of 102 papers on PE policies, systems, and structures were identified initially; 80 papers were included, in which 46 were policy, legislative, and discussion papers about England, 21 were policy, legislation, and discussion papers about Greece, and 13 were comparative or discussion papers including both the countries. In England, National Health Service policies emphasized patient-centered services, involvement, and empowerment, with recent focus on patients' rights; while in Greece, they emphasized patients' rights and quality of services, with recent mentions on empowerment. The health ombudsman is a very important organization across countries; however, it may be more powerful in Greece, because of the nonexistence of local mediating bodies. Micro-structures at trusts/hospitals are comparable, but legislation gives more power to the local structures in Greece. PE policies and systems have been developed and expressed differently in these countries. However, PE similarities, comparable dimensions and mechanisms, were identified. For both the countries, comparative research and these findings could be beneficial in building connections and relationships, contributing to wider European and international

Laser spectrometry applied to the simultaneous determination of the δ2H, δ17O, and δ18O isotope abundances in water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerstel, E.R.T.; Trigt, R. van; Dam, N.; Reuss, J.; Meijer, H.A.J.

2001-01-01

We demonstrate the first successful application of infrared laser spectrometry to the accurate, simultaneous determination of the relative 2 H/ 1 H, 17 O/ 16 O, and 18 O/ 16 O isotope abundance ratios in natural water. The method uses a narrow line width color center laser to record the direct absorption spectrum of low-pressure gas-phase water samples (presently 10 μl liquid) in the 3μm spectral region. The precision of the spectroscopic technique is shown to be 0.7 per mille for δ 2 H and 0.5 per mille for δ 17 O and δ 18 O, while the calibrated accuracy for natural waters amounts to about 3 per mille and 1 per mille, respectively. (author)

A Review of the Library and Information Services In Greece: Current Developments that Shape LIS Education

Science.gov (United States)

Garoufallou, Emmanouel; Siatri, Rania; Hartley, R. J.

2008-01-01

This paper sets the context for this special issue on LIS education in Greece by explaining the Greek higher education system both in organisational terms and in the approaches to teaching and learning. In addition it briefly outlines the current state of development in libraries in Greece. Taken together they provide the background to the…

Comparison of one and two-neutron transfer near the Coulomb barrier for the 27Al(18O, 16O)29Al, 27Al(18O, 17O)28Al and 27Al(13C, 12C)28Al reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiller, S.A.; Eck, J.S.

1975-01-01

Total reaction cross sections for the transfer reactions 27 Al( 18 O, 16 O) 29 Al, 27 Al( 18 O, 17 O) 28 Al and 27 Al( 13 C, 12 C) 28 Al are reported for center-of-mass energies between 13 and 20 MeV for 18 O projectiles and between 11 and 17.5 MeV for 13 C projectiles. The reaction products, 29 Al, and 28 Al, beta decay to 29 Si and 28 Si, respectively, and the subsequent γ decays of 29 Si and 28 Si were measured. Due to the relatively long beta decay half lives, data were taken in a beam-off mode, resulting in very clean spectra. Total cross sections were calculated and compared with a theoretical model for barrier penetration proposed by C.Y. Wong. Differences between 18 O induced one and two-neutron total transfer reaction cross sections are discussed. (orig.) [de

Equivalency testing of TTC Tergitol 7 agar (ISO 9308-1:2000) with five culture media for the detection of E. coli in water samples in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Mavridou, A; Smeti, E; Mandilara, G; Mandilara, G; Boufa, P; Vagiona-Arvanitidou, M; Vantarakis, A; Vassilandonopoulou, G; Pappa, O; Roussia, V; Tzouanopoulos, A; Livadara, M; Aisopou, I; Maraka, V; Nikolaou, E; Mandilara, G

2010-01-01

In this study ten laboratories in Greece compared the performance of reference method TTC Tergitol 7 Agar (with the additional test of beta-glucuronidase production) with five alternative methods, to detect E. coli in water, in line with European Water Directive recommendations. The samples were prepared by spiking drinking water with sewage effluent following a standard protocol. Chlorinated and non-chlorinated samples were used. The statistical analysis was based on the mean relative difference of confirmed counts and was performed in line with ISO 17994. The results showed that in total, three of the alternative methods (Chromocult Coliform agar, Membrane Lauryl Sulfate agar and Trypton Bilex-glucuronidase medium) were not different from TTC Tergitol 7 agar (TTC Tergitol 7 agar vs Chromocult Coliform agar, 294 samples, mean RD% 5.55; vs MLSA, 302 samples, mean RD% 1; vs TBX, 297 samples, mean RD% -2.78). The other two alternative methods (Membrane Faecal coliform medium and Colilert 18/ Quantitray) gave significantly higher counts than TTC Tergitol 7 agar (TTC Tergitol 7 agar vs MFc, 303 samples, mean RD% 8.81; vs Colilert-18/Quantitray, 76 samples, mean RD% 18.91). In other words, the alternative methods generated performance that was as reliable as, or even better than, the reference method. This study will help laboratories in Greece overcome culture and counting problems deriving from the EU reference method for E. coli counts in water samples.

Reform trajectories in Southeastern Europe: Greece and Romania in comparative perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela Creţu

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The paper employs an institutional approach in order to analyze the role of administrative traditions in understanding the trajectories of reforms in two Southeast European countries which are members of the European Union, namely Greece and Romania. The research employs the case study method, in comparative perspective. It is a dynamic approach to politico-administrative systems that emphasizes an evolutionary context form the perspective of historical institutionalism. Both Greece and Romania have undergone dictatorial regimes followed by transition to democracy. These countries share peculiar societal and state features which are representative for Southeastern Europe, such as: centralism, strong national accents, clientelism. The results confirm that past legacies influence the reform outcomes in the analyzed countries.

The medical social centres in support of Roma in Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andrioti, Despena; Kotrotsou, Christina; Tsakatara, Vanta

2013-01-01

. Medical social centres operate in 33 Roma settlements all over the country. These centres provide vaccination, health promotion, disease prevention and health education services, as well as support in issuing documents and making appointments with health and social services. We recommend that the National......Roma people form the largest ethnic-minority group in Europe. They account for around 10 to 12 million people, and they face racism, discrimination and social exclusion in most countries. The Roma population of Greece currently numbers around 250 000 individuals. They have Greek nationality...... and enjoy the same rights, privileges and responsibilities as any other Greek citizens. Nevertheless, Roma in Greece face multiple inequalities and social exclusion in terms of housing, employment, education, and health and social services. In this report we present the outcome of a bestpractice initiative...

EBI2, GPR18 and GPR17--three structurally related, but biologically distinct 7TM receptors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørregaard, Kristine; Benned-Jensen, Tau; Rosenkilde, Mette Marie

2011-01-01

7TM receptors constitute one of the largest superfamilies of proteins in the human genome. They are involved in a large number of physiological and pathological processes in the human body and thus represent major and important drug targets for the pharmaceutical industry. Although the majority...... have been deorphanized, many remain orphan, and these orphan receptors constitute a large pool of potential drug targets. This review focuses on one of these orphan targets, the Epstein-Barr Virus-induced receptor 2, EBI2 (or GPR183), together with two structurally related receptors, GPR17 and GPR18...

Gravity and isostatic anomaly maps of Greece produced

Science.gov (United States)

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].

Notions of "Rhetoric as Epistemic" in Ancient Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, William L.

The notion that rhetoric (and to a lesser extent, argument) is epistemic is an increasingly popular one today, although it can be traced to ancient Greece. The notion holds that rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, creates and shapes knowledge. Two ancient authors--Aristophanes and Plato--provide evidence that others had notions of rhetoric as…

Company Engagement in Apprenticeships in Crisis-Hit Greece: A Critical Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varvara Lalioti

2018-06-01

Full Text Available In contrast to the relatively limited attention given in the past to apprenticeships and apprenticeship-related issues in Greece, the crisis has triggered a definite interest in this area. This is largely due to the serious implications of the crisis, in conjunction with the idea that apprenticeships could be an alternative educational pathway for boosting labour market integration, an idea also promoted by EU institutions. Against this backdrop, the present article is, essentially, the first effort made to highlight, in a succinct and critical way, the crucial dimensions of an under-researched key aspect of the apprenticeships in Greece: company engagement. Drawing on the findings of a large-scale, mostly qualitative, research project (December 2015–March 2017 that reviewed apprenticeship programmes in this country, and during which, inter alia, 150 stakeholders were surveyed and an online survey was conducted with 828 employers, the article highlights the strengths characterizing company involvement in apprenticeships, but also severe shortcomings which overshadow the strengths. It is argued that there is an urgent need for restructuring. Otherwise, the potential of apprenticeships in Greece to be an alternative educational pathway to boost employment at a time of extremely high unemployment, especially for young people, will be undermined.

Characterisation of 17th-18th centuries damask and gilt leathers by ATR-FTIR

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Lina Falcão

2018-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper it is presented the characterisation of tannins used in the vegetable tanning of two types of European historic and decorative leathers from Portuguese collections, damask leathers and gilt leathers, dated from the 17th and 18th centuries. Extracts prepared from collected leather fibres were analysed by attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Results were compared with data collected from different reference vegetable tanning materials which, according to historic and technical literature, were used in Europe during the Modern Age. This study allowed, in most cases, the characterisation of the tannins used to produce the studied decorative vegetable tanned leathers and, at the same time, the detection of chemical deterioration of leathers, particularly collagen hydrolysis, which was not visually perceived.

The number and its symbolism in ancient Greece

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Doc. dr Milena Bogdanović

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The symbols are of particular importance. They are the heart of the creative life; rather they are its core. They reveal the secrets of the unconscious mind open to the unknown and the infinite. While talking or gestures while express, we use the symbols, noting it or not. All spiritual science, all art and all art techniques encounter on their way symbols. History confirms that the symbols of each object can be obtained symbolic value, whether natural (rocks, trees, animals, planets, fire, lightning, etc... or abstract (geometrical shape, number, pace, ideas, etc.... The use of numbers as symbols is as old as language itself, but one that precedes writing, which symbolize numbers (that is, where the reality behind the external characters. The sheer numbers and their symbolism in ancient Greece and is closely associated with the philosophy and mathematics (namely arithmetic. They summarize their view of the world and everything around them. This paper draws attention to the symbolism of the numbers that were in ancient Greece.

Preliminary study on the flow field over Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pissimanis, D; Karras, G; Notaridou, V; Bartzis, J.G.

1989-02-01

Full text: For radiation risk assessment from long distance sources, the knowledge of the synoptic air flow field patterns over the territory under consideration is required. In the present study a first representation of the air flow field in the atmospheric boundary layer over Greece is attempted. For this purpose, synoptic weather maps at 850mb available for a ten-years period, as well as sounding data from six meteorological stations were utilized, while the Greek territory was divided into four parts, i.e. NW, NE, SW, SE, with a number of stations in each sector. It was shown that the prevailing wind directions of the upper flow are either of the W/SW sector (winter, spring) or the northern sector (summer, autumn). In the SE sector a stronger tendency towards winds from the nothern sector was shown, due to the thermal low near Cyprus. The main characteristics of the surface flow is the strong influence by topographical features. Typical examples are the strong NW winds in Northern Greece due to the Vardar Valley, and the sea breeze circulations at coastal environments. (author)

Payments and quality of care in private for-profit and public hospitals in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondilis, Elias; Gavana, Magda; Giannakopoulos, Stathis; Smyrnakis, Emmanouil; Dombros, Nikolaos; Benos, Alexis

2011-09-23

Empirical evidence on how ownership type affects the quality and cost of medical care is growing, and debate on these topics is ongoing. Despite the fact that the private sector is a major provider of hospital services in Greece, little comparative information on private versus public sector hospitals is available. The aim of the present study was to describe and compare the operation and performance of private for-profit (PFP) and public hospitals in Greece, focusing on differences in nurse staffing rates, average lengths of stay (ALoS), and Social Health Insurance (SHI) payments for hospital care per patient discharged. Five different datasets were prepared and analyzed, two of which were derived from information provided by the National Statistical Service (NSS) of Greece and the other three from data held by the three largest SHI schemes in the country. All data referred to the 3-year period from 2001 to 2003. PFP hospitals in Greece are smaller than public hospitals, with lower patient occupancy, and have lower staffing rates of all types of nurses and highly qualified nurses compared with public hospitals. Calculation of ALoS using NSS data yielded mixed results, whereas calculations of ALoS and SHI payments using SHI data gave results clearly favoring the public hospital sector in terms of cost-efficiency; in all years examined, over all specialties and all SHI schemes included in our study, unweighted ALoS and SHI payments for hospital care per discharge were higher for PFP facilities. In a mixed healthcare system, such as that in Greece, significant performance differences were observed between PFP and public hospitals. Close monitoring of healthcare provision by hospital ownership type will be essential to permit evidence-based decisions on the future of the public/private mix in terms of healthcare provision.

Red Blood Cell Transfusions in Greece: Results of a Survey of Red Blood Cell Use in 2013

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Serena Valsami

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Greece is ranked as the second highest consumer of blood components in Europe. For an effective transfusion system and in order to reduce variability of transfusion practice by implementing evidence-based transfusion guidelines it is necessary to study and monitor blood management strategies. Our study was conducted in order to evaluate the use of red blood cell units (RBC-U in nationwide scale mapping parameters that contribute to their proper management in Greece. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted by the Working Committee of Transfusion Medicine&Apheresis of the Hellenic Society of Hematology from January to December 2013. The collected data included the number, ABO/D blood group, patients’ department, and storage age of RBC-U transfused. Results: The number of RBC-U evaluated was 103,702 (17.77% out of 583,457 RBC-U transfused in Greece in 2013. RBC-U transfused by hospital department (mean percentage was as follows: Surgery 29.34%, Internal Medicine 29.48%, Oncology/Hematology 14.65%, Thalassemia 8.87%, Intensive Care Unit 6.55%, Nephrology 1.78%, Obstetrics/Gynecology 1.46%, Neonatal&Pediatric 0.31%, Private Hospitals 8.57%. RBC-U distribution according to ABO/D blood group was: A: 39.02%, B: 12.41%, AB: 5.16%, O: 43.41%, D+: 87.99%, D-: 12.01%. The majority of RBC-U (62.46% was transfused in the first 15 days of storage, 25.24% at 16 to 28 days, and 12.28% at 29-42 days. Conclusion: Despite a high intercenter variability in RBC transfusions, surgical and internal medicine patients were the most common groups of patients transfused with an increasing rate for internal medicine patients. The majority of RBC-U were transfused within the first 15 days of storage, which is possibly the consequence of blood supply insufficiency leading to the direct use of fresh blood. Benchmarking transfusion activity may help to decrease the inappropriate use of blood products, reduce the cost of care, and optimize the use of the

Transfrontier consequences to the population of Greece of large scale nuclear accidents: a preliminary assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kollas, J.G.; Catsaros, Nicolas.

1985-06-01

In this report the consequences to the population of Greece from hypothetical large scale nuclear accidents at the Kozlodui (Bulgaria) nuclear power station are estimated under some simplifying assumptions. Three different hypothetical accident scenarios - the most serious for pressurized water reactors - are examined. The analysis is performed by the current Greek version of code CRAC2 and includes health and economic consequences to the population of Greece. (author)

The History of Teaching Quantum Mechanics in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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…

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis: Data from a region in western Greece

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Ioannis Asproudis

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Ioannis Asproudis1, Felekis Taxiarchis1, Elena Tsanou2, Spiridon Gorezis2, Eikaterini Karali3, Sapfo Alfantaki3, Antigoni Siamopoulou-Mauridou3, Miltiadis Aspiotis11University Eye Clinic of Ioannina, Greece; 2Epirus Vision Center, Ioannina, Greece; 3Department of Child Health, University of Ioannina, GreeceObjective: To evaluate the characteristics and visual prognosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis (JIA.Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 56 patients who met the criteria for JIA to identify those with uveitis and related complications. Patients were referred to and were examined in the Pediatric Department of the University Hospital of Ioannina, between 1995 and 2007.Results: The prevalence of JIA-associated uveitis was high. Despite this and the related complications, the final visual outcome was satisfactory in the majority of the cases. Authors did not observe any correlation between prognosis and sex, age at the onset of uveitis or arthritis, pattern of arthritis, or positivity for antinuclear antibodies (ANA.Conclusion: We found a remarkably high prevalence of uveitis and related ocular complications in 7 (28% of the patients, and the rate of poor visual outcome was 12%.Keywords: idiopathic arthritis, uveitis, visual complications, autoimmune disease

Developments in the utilisation of wind energy in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papadopoulos, A.M.; Glinou, G.L.; Papachristos, D.

2008-01-01

The utilisation of renewable energy sources, and wind energy in particular, can be described in Greece as a story of high expectations, intense initial entrepreneurial interest, delays in the start-up phase of projects and, some times, disappointments during the implementation procedure. Still, the current situation gives reasons for some optimism. This paper provides a review of the present technological background in wind generators, as found in the Greek market, as well as a detailed analysis of the legislative framework. Moreover, it aims to analyse the development of the process of granting investment and production permissions and their implementation since 1999. Thus, it is possible to identify the main reasons for the problems that occurred since the liberalisation of the electricity market and to account for the interest in wind energy. Finally, comments and proposals are formulated concerning the hidden barriers, the pertinent problems and the promising perspectives of the use of wind energy in Greece. (author)

Tourism in the European economic crisis: Mediatised worldmaking and new tourist imaginaries in Greece

OpenAIRE

Tzanelli, R; Korstanje, M

2016-01-01

The paper interrogates the rationale and origins of changing imaginaries of tourism in Greece in the context of the current economic crisis. We detect a radical change in the ‘picture’ of the country that circulates in global media conduits (YouTube, Facebook, official press websites and personal blogs). We enact a journey into past media representations of Greece as an idyllic peasant and working-class site, but proceed to highlight that such representations are being recycled today by Greek...

Contributions from the Department of Meteorology and Wind Energy to the EWEC'94 conference in Thessaloniki, Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, G.C.

1995-01-01

The 5'th European Wind Energy Association Conference and Exhibition - EWEC'94 - was held in Thessaloniki, Greece during the period 10-14 October 1994. 461 delegates, mainly from Europe but also from other parts of the world, attended the conference. The conference contributions included 235 oral presentations and 143 posters. The Department of Meteorology and Wind Energy contributed with 18 oral presentations and 3 poster with members of the department as authors or co-authors. The present report contains the full set of these papers, covering a wide spectrum of subjects including wind resources, reliability and load assessment, grid connection, wind-diesel systems, and marked aspects. (au) (36 tabs., 163 ills., 150 refs.)

Contributions from the Department of Meteorology and Wind Energy to the EWEC`94 conference in Thessaloniki, Greece

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, G C [ed.

1995-01-01

The 5`th European Wind Energy Association Conference and Exhibition - EWEC`94 - was held in Thessaloniki, Greece during the period 10-14 October 1994. 461 delegates, mainly from Europe but also from other parts of the world, attended the conference. The conference contributions included 235 oral presentations and 143 posters. The Department of Meteorology and Wind Energy contributed with 18 oral presentations and 3 poster with members of the department as authors or co-authors. The present report contains the full set of these papers, covering a wide spectrum of subjects including wind resources, reliability and load assessment, grid connection, wind-diesel systems, and marked aspects. (au) (36 tabs., 163 ills., 150 refs.)

First confirmed record of Elodea canadensis Michx. (Hydrocharitaceae in Greece

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Poulis Georgios

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper confirms the presence of Elodea canadensis Michx. in Greece and outlines the history of contradictory relevant reports. This is also the first report of the species′ presence in the transboundary lake Great Prespa.

Constructing Work and Subjectivities in Precarious Conditions: Psycho-Discursive Practices in Young People’s Interviews in Greece

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Georgios Kesisoglou

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Precarity is becoming the paradigmatic description of young people’s work conditions in crisis-ridden Greece, but also in other European countries. Focusing on interview data on the work experiences of young adults (18-26 years old, in urban centres of Greece, this study attempts to explore the ways in which informants account for working in precarious conditions and construct agency and subjectivity within these ways of accounting. The analysis drawing on insights from critical discursive social psychology indicates that participants construct precarious work conditions as widespread and banal a by treating precarious work as a sine qua non condition of youth employment, b by considering precarious work as an inherent trait of the Greek job-market, c by considering precarious work as a necessary step on a (biographical path leading to the desired and/or appropriate job, or d by adopting a “there is no other alternative” accounting, representing precarious job conditions as the only alternative to unemployment. The analysis also points out the ways in which participants orient themselves to a dilemma of stake and accountability, being concerned to position themselves as effortful subjects, while they are rhetorically constructing the banal regime of precarious labour. The discussion considers the need to bring into the scope of social and political psychology the specific nuances of precarious labour.

Anciet marble quarries in Lesvos island Greece

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Mataragkas, M.; Mataragkas, D.

2009-04-01

ANCIENT MARBLE QUARRIES IN LESBOS ISLAND, GREECE Varti- Matarangas M.1 & Matarangas D. 1 Institute of Geological and Mining Exploration (IGME), Olympic Village, Entrance C, ACHARNAE 13677, GREECE myrsini@igme.gr , myrsini@otenet.g r A B S T R A C T Ten ancient marble quarries of Lesbos Island, most of them previously unknown, have been studied, in the frame of the research study on the ancient marble quarries in the Aegean Sea. In the present paper the geological, petrological and morphological features of the aforementioned quarries are examined. Concerning the six ancient quarries located in the areas of Tarti, Agia Paraskevi (Tsaf), Mageiras, Loutra, Latomi (Plomari) and Thermi, the authochthonous neopaleozoic unit constitutes their geological formation, while their hosting lithological formations are the included crystalline limestone lens like beds. In two ancient quarries in the areas Moria and Alyfanta, the geological formation is the authochthonous upper Triassic series and the hosting lithological formation the upper Triassic carbonate sequence, while in the areas of Akrasi-Abeliko and Karyni, the geological formation is the thrust Triassic unit and the lithological hosting formations are the included strongly deformed or not crystalline limestone lenticular beds. Furthermore, the petrographic features were also determined permitting the identification of the building stones that have been used.

Community structure of spiders in coastal habitats of a Mediterranean delta region (Nestos Delta, NE Greece

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S. Buchholz

2009-01-01

Full Text Available (pp 101-115Habitat zonation and ecology of spider assemblages have been poorly studied in Mediterranean ecosystems. A first analysis of spider assemblages in coastal habitats in the east Mediterranean area is presented. The study area is the 250 km² Nestos Delta, located in East Macedonia in the North-East of Greece. Spiders were caught in pitfall traps at 17 sites from the beginning of April to the end of June 2004. Nonparametric estimators were used to determine species richness and alpha diversity. Ordination analysis (redundancy analysis indicated four clearly separable spider species groups (salt meadows, dunes, mea-dows and floodplain forests, along a soil salinity and moisture gradient. Based on these results we discuss the habitat preferences of these spiders and include the first ecological data on several species.

From Mild Ataxia to Huntington Disease Phenocopy: The Multiple Faces of Spinocerebellar Ataxia 17

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Georgios Koutsis

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Spinocerebellar ataxia 17 (SCA 17 is a rare autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (ADCA caused by a CAG/CAA expansion in the TBP gene, reported from a limited number of countries. It is a very heterogeneous ADCA characterized by ataxia, cognitive decline, psychiatric symptoms, and involuntary movements, with some patients presenting with Huntington disease (HD phenocopies. The SCA 17 expansion is stable during parent-child transmission and intrafamilial phenotypic homogeneity has been reported. However, significant phenotypic variability within families has also been observed. Report of the Family. We presently report a Greek family with a pathological expansion of 54 repeats at the SCA 17 locus that displayed remarkable phenotypic variability. Among 3 affected members, one presented with HD phenocopy; one with progressive ataxia, dementia, chorea, dystonia, and seizures, and one with mild slowly progressive ataxia with minor cognitive and affective symptoms. Conclusions. This is the first family with SCA 17 identified in Greece and highlights the multiple faces of this rare disorder, even within the same family.

Estimating a corporate governance index for companies in Greece

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Ramona Iulia Țarțavulea (Dieaconescu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available European countries have gone through serious efforts to overcome the financial crisis and special measures had to be taken in order to limit the negative impact on businesses and stabilize a healthy economic environment for the single market. The specific governmental policies aimed to keep under control the effects of the crisis and relaunch the economic growth, but they were unpopular among a part of the European citizens. The economic situation forced most managers of private companies to rethink the business strategy and restructure the activity. Lately, Greece has been going through a difficult period, as the crisis worsened the economic situation of the country. The population did not welcome the drastic economic measures which were proposed by IMF and institutional creditors and this conflict almost lead to national insolvency. The problems of Greece are deeply rooted in the business models and economic philosophy. This paper has the purpose of analyzing the corporate governance regulation and practices in Greece and to determine whether it is possible to enhance business profitability and stability by enforcing a better legal framework in the area of corporate governance. The research focuses on the calculation of a corporate governance index for a selection of Greek companies form different sectors of activity (oil &gas, telecommunications, beverages and the analysis of the results may lead to the identification of weaknesses in this domain. Improvements in the corporate governance practices are considered to lead to enhancing business stability and sustainability. The methodology for calculating the corporate governance index is adapted for Greek companies and is in accordance with the provisions of the Hellenic Corporate Governance Code.

The first description of snow algae on Mount Olympus (Greece).

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Cepák, Vladislav; Kvíderová, Jana; Lukavský, Jaromír

2016-01-01

Roč. 103, 3-4 (2016), s. 457-473 ISSN 0029-5035 R&D Projects: GA TA ČR TE01020080 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : cryoseston * Olymp Mt. * Greece Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.941, year: 2016

Painting with gold: gilders in Northern Alentejo in the 17th and 18th centuries

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Patrícia Alexandra Rodrigues Monteiro

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article will demonstrate that the artistic context in the North Alentejo region, very dynamic in the 16th century and enriched by the presence of both national and international artists, evolved slowly during the late 17th and 18th centuries to a reality marked mainly by the activity of local painters, most of them unknown, which became increasingly versatile, working in oil painting, fresco and also gildings. To better characterize this reality, some examples will be presented of artists who worked in various techniques as proved by documentary evidences. The materials now presented were a relevant contribution for the project "Gilt Teller: an interdisciplinary multi-scale study of gilding techniques and materials in Portugal, 1500-1800".

Pesticide exposure and lymphohaematopoietic cancers: a case-control study in an agricultural region (Larissa, Thessaly, Greece).

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Kokouva, Maria; Bitsolas, Nikolaos; Hadjigeorgiou, Georgios M; Rachiotis, George; Papadoulis, Nikolaos; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2011-01-04

The causality of lymphohaematopoietic cancers (LHC) is multifactorial and studies investigating the association between chemical exposure and LHC have produced variable results. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between exposure to pesticides and LHC in an agricultural region of Greece. A structured questionnaire was employed in a hospital-based case control study to gather information on demographics, occupation, exposure to pesticides, agricultural practices, family and medical history and smoking. To control for confounders, backward conditional and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used. To assess the dose-response relationship between exposure and disease, the chi-square test for trend was used. Three hundred and fifty-four (354) histologically confirmed LHC cases diagnosed from 2004 to 2006 and 455 sex- and age-matched controls were included in the study. Pesticide exposure was associated with total LHC cases (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.05-2.04), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.00-3.51) and leukaemia (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.09-4.20). A dose-response pattern was observed for total LHC cases (P = 0.004), MDS (P = 0.024) and leukaemia (P = 0.002). Pesticide exposure was independently associated with total LHC cases (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.00 - 2.00) and leukaemia (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.02-4.12) after controlling for age, smoking and family history (cancers, LHC and immunological disorders). Smoking during application of pesticides was strongly associated with total LHC cases (OR 3.29, 95% CI 1.81-5.98), MDS (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.18-12.11), leukaemia (OR 10.15, 95% CI 2.15-65.69) and lymphoma (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.02-8.00). This association was even stronger for total LHC cases (OR 18.18, 95% CI 2.38-381.17) when eating simultaneously with pesticide application. Lymphohaematopoietic cancers were associated with pesticide exposure after controlling for confounders. Smoking and eating during pesticide application were identified as

Simultaneous analysis of 17O/16O, 18O/16O and 2H/1H of gypsum hydration water by cavity ring‐down laser spectroscopy

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Mather, Ian; Rolfe, James; Evans, Nicholas P.; Herwartz, Daniel; Staubwasser, Michael; Hodell, David A.

2015-01-01

Rationale The recent development of cavity ring‐down laser spectroscopy (CRDS) instruments capable of measuring 17O‐excess in water has created new opportunities for studying the hydrologic cycle. Here we apply this new method to studying the triple oxygen (17O/16O, 18O/16O) and hydrogen (2H/1H) isotope ratios of gypsum hydration water (GHW), which can provide information about the conditions under which the mineral formed and subsequent post‐depositional interaction with other fluids. Methods We developed a semi‐automated procedure for extracting GHW by slowly heating the sample to 400°C in vacuo and cryogenically trapping the evolved water. The isotopic composition (δ17O, δ18O and δ2H values) of the GHW is subsequently measured by CRDS. The extraction apparatus allows the dehydration of five samples and one standard simultaneously, thereby increasing the long‐term precision and sample throughput compared with previous methods. The apparatus is also useful for distilling brines prior to isotopic analysis. A direct comparison is made between results of 17O‐excess in GHW obtained by CRDS and fluorination followed by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) of O2. Results The long‐term analytical precision of our method of extraction and isotopic analysis of GHW by CRDS is ±0.07‰ for δ17O values, ±0.13‰ for δ18O values and ±0.49‰ for δ2H values (all ±1SD), and ±1.1‰ and ±8 per meg for the deuterium‐excess and 17O‐excess, respectively. Accurate measurement of the 17O‐excess values of GHW, of both synthetic and natural samples, requires the use of a micro‐combustion module (MCM). This accessory removes contaminants (VOCs, H2S, etc.) from the water vapour stream that interfere with the wavelengths used for spectroscopic measurement of water isotopologues. CRDS/MCM and IRMS methods yield similar isotopic results for the analysis of both synthetic and natural gypsum samples within analytical error of the two methods. Conclusions We

Contraceptive behaviour of Christian and Muslim teenagers at the time of abortion and post-abortion in Thrace, Greece.

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Tsikouras, Panagiotis; Koukouli, Zacharoula; Psarros, Nikolaos; Manav, Bachar; Tsagias, Nikolaos; Galazios, Georgios

2016-12-01

The aims of the study were to compare the contraceptive behaviour of Christian and Muslim adolescents who had an abortion in Thrace, Greece, and to examine whether extensive contraceptive counselling at the time of abortion modified their subsequent contraceptive practices. Adolescents, aged 14-19 years, who had undergone an elective abortion in our department, were included in a prospective 12-year study. Extensive contraceptive counselling was offered before discharge from the hospital. Attitudes to contraception were assessed by means of a simple questionnaire at the time of abortion and at 1-year follow-up. The study population comprised of 95 Christian Orthodox adolescents (Group A) and 79 Muslim adolescents (Group B). At the time of abortion, contraceptive behaviour differed significantly between the two groups (p = .004). Contraceptive methods used in Group A in comparison with Group B were as follows: oral contraceptives (27.4% vs. 12.7%), condoms (22.1% vs. 38.0%), interrupted coitus (18.9% vs. 20.3%), periodic abstinence (16.8% vs. 25.3%) and emergency contraception (14.7% vs. 3.8%). The commonest source of information on contraception in Group A was the gynaecologist (17.9%) and family planning clinic (15.8%), whereas in Group B it was the individual's partner (25.3%) and parents (16.4%). Contraceptive behaviour was significantly modified in both groups at post-abortion follow-up (both p Cultural differences significantly affect the contraceptive behaviour. Nevertheless, interventions that promote contraception can still be successful in different populations.

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

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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.

Molecular epidemiology of penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae among children in Greece

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D. Bogaert (Debby); G.A. Syrogiannopoulos; I.N. Grivea; R. de Groot (Ronald); N.G. Beratis; P.W.M. Hermans (Peter)

2000-01-01

textabstractA total of 145 penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae strains were isolated from young carriers in Greece and analyzed by antibiotic susceptibility testing, serotyping, restriction fragment end labeling (RFEL), and penicillin-binding protein

Chemical and Oxygen Isotopic Composition of Roman and Late Antique Glass from Northern Greece

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Alberta Silvestri

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The present paper emphasizes the importance of measuring the oxygen isotopic and chemical compositions of ancient glass, in order to constrain some features such as age, raw materials, and production technologies and to identify the “fingerprint” of local productions. In this context, thirty-nine Roman and late Antique glass samples and eight chert samples from northern Greece were selected and analysed for their oxygen isotopic and chemical compositions. Results show that the majority of glass samples are produced using natron as flux and have δ18O values of about 15.5‰, plus or minus a few tenths of one per mil, suggesting that raw materials probably come from Levantine area. Four samples are heavily enriched in 18O, and their chemical composition clearly shows that they were made with soda plant ash as flux. Isotopic and chemical data of Greek chert samples support the hypothesis of local production of the above samples. About half of the glass samples have chemical compositions, which allow their age to be constrained to the late Antique period. For the remaining glass, similarities with literature compositional groups are reported and discussed.

Renewable Energy Policy Fact sheet - Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-07-01

The EurObserv'ER policy profiles give a snapshot of the renewable energy policy in the EU Member States. In Greece, electricity from renewable sources is promoted through feed-in premiums, granted through tenders (as from 2017), feed-in tariffs for limited cases, a preferential tax regime (since 2016) and a net metering scheme. Heating and cooling from renewable energy sources is incentivised by way of a preferential tax regime and an investment subsidy scheme. The main instrument for renewable energy use in transport is a bio-fuels quota scheme

Knowledge and attitude towards smoking of pregnant women in Greece

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Athina Diamanti

2017-05-01

Having not being informed and helped adequately, a significant percentage of pregnant women continued to smoke throughout their pregnancy. The failure in imposing the clean indoor air law in public places in Greece has also contributed to the increased passive smoking exposure.

Decadal changes in extreme daily precipitation in Greece

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P. T. Nastos

2008-04-01

Full Text Available The changes in daily precipitation totals in Greece, during the 45-year period (1957–2001 are examined. The precipitation datasets concern daily totals recorded at 21 surface meteorological stations of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, which are uniformly distributed over the Greek region. First and foremost, the application of Factor Analysis resulted in grouping the meteorological stations with similar variation in time. The main sub groups represent the northern, southern, western, eastern and central regions of Greece with common precipitation characteristics. For representative stations of the extracted sub groups we estimated the trends and the time variability for the number of days (% exceeding 30 mm (equal to the 95% percentile of daily precipitation for eastern and western regions and equal to the 97.5% percentile for the rest of the country and 50 mm which is the threshold for very extreme and rare events. Furthermore, the scale and shape parameters of the well fitted gamma distribution to the daily precipitation data with respect to the whole examined period and to the 10-year sub periods reveal the changes in the intensity of the precipitation.

Ground source heat pumps (GSHP) for heating and cooling in Greece

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Dimera, Nikoletta

This report presents the results of a theoretical study about the feasibility of closed loop Ground Source Heat Pumps (GSHP) for heating and cooling in Greece in terms of their impact on the capital and running costs of the building services systems of the buildings. The main aim of carrying out this study was to investigate if the heating and cooling potential of the ground could be utilized cost efficiently to serve the buildings energy demand in the Greek region. At first, an existing implementation of a closed loop GSHP system in Greece is presented and its efficiency is discussed. The aim of doing so was to understand the way of sizing such systems and the efficiency of this technology in Greek climatic and ground conditions. In a separate part of this report, the impact of different user behaviour and of various ways of sizing a GSHP system is investigated in terms of the cost impact of the examined different options as well as of their effect on the internal health and comfort conditions. After the building simulation under different scenarios, it was concluded that the user behavior - the operation of windows mostly - can result in great savings on the annual energy bills. The conclusions of this first part of the report about the user behaviour and the way of sizing GSHP systems were utilized in the next part of it, where a GSHP system is proposed for a building currently under construction in central Greece. A simple 30-year cost analysis was used in order to estimate the performance of the proposed GSHP system in economic terms and to compare it with the conventional HVAC system commonly used in Greece. According to the results of the analysis, the capital cost of installing a GSHP system for heating and cooling in buildings in Greece appears higher than the cost of conventional HVAC systems. More specifically, the capital cost of an installation for heating including gas boilers and a cooling system based on air conditioning split units is about the

A Report on Educational Developments in 1975-1976. Greece.

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Ministry of National Education and Religion, Athens (Greece).

Examining the educational system of Greece, this publication discusses the reorientation of policy, organization, and curriculum after overthrow of the military regime in July 1974. In accordance with the broader democratic principles set forth in the Greek Constitution of 1975, education is now compulsory for six years, free to everyone on all…

Epidemiology of Dermatophytoses in Crete, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Maraki, Sofia; Mavromanolaki, Viktoria Eirini

2016-01-01

Dermatophytoses are among the most frequently diagnosed skin infections worldwide. However, the distribution of pathogenic species and the predominating anatomical sites of infection vary with geographical location and change over time. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiological and aetiological factors of dermatophytoses in Crete, Greece over the last 5-year period (2011-2015) and their incidence in relation to the gender and the age of the patients. We compared our findings with those previously reported from the same area and from other parts of the world. A total of 2,910 clinical specimens (skin scrapings, nail clippings, and hair specimens) obtained from 2,751 patients with signs of dermatomycoses were examined using direct microscopy and culture. Overall, 294 specimens (10.1%) were proved mycologically positive for dermatophytes. The age of the patients ranged from 2 to 86 years (mean age, 37 years). Tinea corporis was the predominant clinical type of infection, followed by tinea unguium, tinea pedis, tinea capitis, tinea faciei, tinea cruris and tinea manuum. Among dermatophytes, eight species were isolated: Microsporum canis (35.8%), Trichophyton rubrum (35.1%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (23.3%), Epidermophyton floccosum (2.5%), Microsporum gypseum (1.8%), Trichophyton violaceum (0.7%), Trichophyton verrucosum (0.4%), and Trichophyton tonsurans (0.4%). In our area, the most common dermatophyte was M. canis followed by T. rubrum. Increased migration, mass tourism, and climate changes will contribute to further changes in the epidemiology of dermatophytoses in our area. Continuing studies are necessary for determining the new epidemiological trends and to implement the appropriate control measures.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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].

Adolescent Perceptions of Parenting Styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An Exploratory Study

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Maria Giulia Olivari

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Comparative research on parenting styles among Nordic and Mediterranean countries is still missing, despite the increasing number of studies on parenting styles in adolescence. This study explores similarities and differences in adolescents’ retrospective perceptions of parenting styles, for both parents, in Sweden, Italy and Greece, using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. In particular, it examines the relation between parental role, adolescent gender, country of origin, SES and these perceptions. Swedish, Italian and Greek adolescents (N = 702; 30.9% Swedish, 39.6% Italian and 29.5% Greek participated in the study. To test the principal effects three mixed 2(parent; mother and father*2(gender; girl and boy*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece*3(SES; low, medium and high ANOVAs were conducted separately for each parenting style. To verify the interaction effects, a mixed 2(parent; mother and father*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece*3(SES; low, medium and high ANOVA was tested on authoritative style. Regarding authoritarian and permissive two mixed 2(parent; mother and father*2(gender; girl and boy*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece ANOVAs were tested. Mothers, as compared to fathers, were perceived as more authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. Moreover, boys perceived their parents as more authoritarian and more permissive than girls. Swedish parents were perceived as significantly less authoritarian than Italian and Greek parents and more permissive than Italian parents; Greek parents were perceived as less authoritarian and more permissive than Italian parents. The study provides an interesting contribution to parenting styles literature, showing how country legislation concerning family matters and SES are related the perception of parenting behaviours.

Critical evaluation of financial supporting schemes for wind-based projects: Case study Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaldellis, J.K.

2011-01-01

After a long stagnating period during the second half of the 1990s, the market of wind energy in Greece was described by remarkable but unstable growth rates that resulted in the operation of 1 GW of wind power by the end of 2009. Still though, penetration of wind energy is not the one anticipated. On the other hand, national targets regarding the Renewable Energy Sources' (RES) contribution and existence of excellent wind potential areas across Greece challenge new wind energy investments. Acknowledging the unsteady development rates of wind power in Greece, efficiency of the State support mechanisms is currently investigated. Based on an analytical evaluation model, the investigation undertaken is extended to provide a detailed cost-benefit analysis of several wind energy case studies, including mainland and island applications as well as comparison with both conventional power stations and photovoltaic plants. For this purpose, the financial support provided by the State is directly compared with benefits accruing from the operation of wind parks, considering also the avoidance of social costs deriving from thermal power stations. Based on the results obtained, the beneficial characteristics of wind energy applications for the Greek society are clearly demonstrated, especially in the case of non-interconnected island grids. - Research highlights: → Since the mid-1990s, growth of wind power capacity in Greece has been unstable. → As a result, integration of wind energy is not the one anticipated. → Considering the situation, efficiency of State support mechanisms is evaluated. → An analytical cost-benefit model is developed and applied to various case studies. → Benefits from wind energy, especially in island regions, are designated.

Adolescent Perceptions of Parenting Styles in Sweden, Italy and Greece: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Olivari, Maria Giulia; Hertfelt Wahn, Elisabeth; Maridaki-Kassotaki, Katerina; Antonopoulou, Katerina; Confalonieri, Emanuela

2015-05-01

Comparative research on parenting styles among Nordic and Mediterranean countries is still missing, despite the increasing number of studies on parenting styles in adolescence. This study explores similarities and differences in adolescents' retrospective perceptions of parenting styles, for both parents, in Sweden, Italy and Greece, using the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire. In particular, it examines the relation between parental role, adolescent gender, country of origin, SES and these perceptions. Swedish, Italian and Greek adolescents (N = 702; 30.9% Swedish, 39.6% Italian and 29.5% Greek) participated in the study. To test the principal effects three mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVAs were conducted separately for each parenting style. To verify the interaction effects, a mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece)*3(SES; low, medium and high) ANOVA was tested on authoritative style. Regarding authoritarian and permissive two mixed 2(parent; mother and father)*2(gender; girl and boy)*3(countries; Sweden, Italy and Greece) ANOVAs were tested. Mothers, as compared to fathers, were perceived as more authoritative, authoritarian and permissive. Moreover, boys perceived their parents as more authoritarian and more permissive than girls. Swedish parents were perceived as significantly less authoritarian than Italian and Greek parents and more permissive than Italian parents; Greek parents were perceived as less authoritarian and more permissive than Italian parents. The study provides an interesting contribution to parenting styles literature, showing how country legislation concerning family matters and SES are related the perception of parenting behaviours.

[Venereal diseases in a "general practice" in the 17th and early 18th centuries].

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, F; Winckelmann, H J

2018-01-31

The diary of the town physician Johannes Franc (1649-1725), handwritten in Latin, gives-among other diseases-an overview of sexually transmitted infections affecting citizens in Ulm such as syphilis and gonorrhea. Franc reported on his own experiences in the diary and also included many theoretical details on the causes of the diseases and the corresponding therapies, including ethical considerations. Even in ancient times, there are indications of venereal diseases. However, at the latest with the outbreak of syphilis around the year 1495, the treatment and control of the spread of venereal diseases became an important task of medicine. Before gonococci were detected by Neisser in 1879, sexually transmitted diseases were generally seen as a single disease. However, at the beginning of the 18 th century, there were several doctors who treated syphilis and gonorrhea as separate entities. Franc was one of them. Examining the milestones in the history of syphilis and gonorrhea, the present article reviews the existing theories that tried to explain the origins of these diseases. Franc's treatment patterns are illustrated. Franc's case reports indicate a fundamental change in the perception of STIs at the end of the 17 th /beginning of the 18 th century.

Factors associated with adolescent cigarette smoking in Greece: results from a cross sectional study (GYTS Study).

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Rachiotis, George; Muula, Adamson S; Rudatsikira, Emmanuel; Siziya, Seter; Kyrlesi, Athina; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2008-09-15

Data about the predictors of smoking among adolescents in Greece are sparse. We tried to identify factors associated with current cigarette smoking among in-school adolescents in Greece in the context of GYTS study. A secondary analysis of data from a questionnaire study using the Global Youth Tobacco Survey methodology was conducted to identify factors associated with smoking among adolescents in Greece. Data were collected in 2004-2005. The outcome variable was cigarette smoking within the past 30 days preceding the survey while independent variables included age, gender, parental educational status, parental smoking, perception of harmfulness of smoking, and the amount of pocket money at the adolescent's disposal. 6141 adolescents (51.5% males and 48.5% females) participated in the study. In multivariate analysis, cigarette smoking was associated with male gender (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1, 08-3.08), parental smoking (OR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.45-5.89), and having pocket money > or = 16 Euros (OR: 2.64; 95% CI: 1.19-5.98). Male gender, parental smoking, and having pocket-money > or = 16 Euros were independently associated with current smoking among Greek students. These findings could be taken into account in order to formulate a comprehensive anti-smoking strategy in Greece.

VERBA DICENDI, SENTIENDI ET SCIENDI JA NEID SISALDAVAD KONSTRUKTSIOONID 17. SAJANDI JA 18. SAJANDI ALGUSE KIRJAKEELES

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Kristiina Ross

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Eesti kirjakeele morfosüntaksi kujunemisel mängisid olulist osa 16.–18. sajandi vaimulikud tõlked, mille loomise käigus kohandati seni suulisena funktsioneerinud rahvakeel kirjalike kristlike tekstide nõuetele. Artiklis vaadeldakse ühe väikese morfosüntaktilise rühma arenguid sel perioodil. Analüüsitakse konstruktsioone, milles ütlemist, tajumist ja teadmist väljendavaid verbe laiendab infiniitne vorm. Kirjeldatakse niisuguseid konstruktsioone rahvalaulukeeles, eeskujukeeltes ja varases kirjakeeles ning jõutakse järeldusele, et vastavad rahvakeelsed mallid võeti kirjakeeles suhteliselt vara kasutusele tänu sellele, et eeskujukeeled pakkusid nende rakendamiseks soodsaid võimalusi. 17. sajandi alguse põhjaeesti kirjakeeles tarvitati neis konstruktsioonides läbisegi partitsiipi ja infinitiivi, sest eri murded pakkusidki eri võimalusi (tüdruk kuulis poissi laulVAT /laulMA. Partitsiipsete konstruktsioonide kirjakeelne kasutus põhjaeesti tekstides erines alguses rahvakeelsest ning selles võib oletada klassikaliste keelte eeskuju. 17. sajandi lõpus loobuti põhjaeesti kirjakeeles infinitiivsetest konstruktsioonidest partitsiipsete kasuks. Niisuguses valikus võib näha lõunaeesti mõju, aga ka soovi vältida võimalikke germanisme, millega infinitiivseid konstruktsioone võidi siduda.

An Integrated Monitoring System of Pre-earthquake Processes in Peloponnese, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Karastathis, V. K.; Tsinganos, K.; Kafatos, M.; Eleftheriou, G.; Ouzounov, D.; Mouzakiotis, E.; Papadopoulos, G. A.; Voulgaris, N.; Bocchini, G. M.; Liakopoulos, S.; Aspiotis, T.; Gika, F.; Tselentis, A.; Moshou, A.; Psiloglou, B.

2017-12-01

One of the controversial issues in the contemporary seismology is the ability of radon accumulation monitoring to provide reliable earthquake forecasting. Although there are many examples in the literature showing radon increase before earthquakes, skepticism arises from instability of the measurements, false alarms, difficulties in interpretation caused by the weather influence (eg. rainfall) and difficulties on the consideration an irrefutable theoretical background of the phenomenon.We have developed and extensively tested a multi parameter network aimed for studying of the pre-earthquake processes and operating as a part of integrated monitoring system in the high seismicity area of the Western Hellenic Arc (SW Peloponnese, Greece). The prototype consists of four components: A real-time monitoring system of Radon accumulation. It consists of three gamma radiation detectors [NaI(Tl) scintillators] A nine-station seismic array to monitor the microseismicity in the offshore area of the Hellenic arc. The processing of the data is based on F-K and beam-forming techniques. Real-time weather monitoring systems for air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and pressure. Thermal radiation emission from AVHRR/NOAA-18 polar orbit satellite observation. The project revolved around the idea of jointly studying the emission of Radon that has been proven in many cases as a reliable indicator of the possible time of an event, with the accurate location of the foreshock activity detected by the seismic array that can be a more reliable indicator of the possible position of an event. In parallel a satellite thermal anomaly detection technique has been used for monitoring of larger magnitude events (possible indicator for strong events M ≥5.0.). The first year of operations revealed a number of pre-seismic radon variation anomalies before several local earthquakes (M>3.6). The Radon increases systematically before the larger events.Details about the overall performance

Criminality in Greece during the years of financial crisis: 2008-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsouvelas, G; Konstantakopoulos, G; Vakirtzis, A; Giotakos, O; Papaslanis, T; Kontaxakis, V

2018-01-01

The link between poverty, unemployment and economic downturns and increases in crime rates has long been the subject of social science study. However, the relationships between these phenomena has not been studied sufficiently and through time in most European countries that suffered, or, like Greece, are still suffering the recent financial crisis. We examined if the recent financial crisis in Greece has coincided with an increase in crime, analyzing crime rates since the start of the financial crisis and over an extensive time period (7 years). Crime statistics were taken from the Greek Police. Repeated measures analyses of variance were performed to reveal potential differences in criminality for the years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014. There was a significant increase in global criminality rate per 100,000 residents (Wilks' Lambda=0.32, F (3,11)=7.93, p=0.004). There was a significant increase in illegal gun possession (Wilks' Lambda=0.16, F (3,11)=18.68, p=0.001), fraud (Wilks' Lambda=0.10, F (3,11)=32.35, p=0.001), extortion (Wilks' Lambda=0.38, F (3,11)=4.45, p=0.040), and beggary (Wilks' Lambda=0.33, F (3,11)=6.22, p=0.014). A reversed U shape was found for homicides, thefts and robberies, with rates peaking in 2010 and 2012 before dropping off in 2014. Narcotics and sexual exploitation crime rates remained unchanged. Surprisingly, the incidence of rape decreased (Wilks' Lambda=0.42, F (3,11)=5.14, p=0.018). Our results are in agreement with the results of previous broader studies as well as with criminological theories according to which in times of economic stress an increase in both property crimes and violent crimes is expected. As predicted, an increase in financial crime was observed (e.g. fraud and extortions) as well as petty crime related to financial hardship like beggary. Concerns regarding the escalation of white-collar crimes in times of economic downturns that have been raised in the literature warrant further investigation.

Factors affecting accident severity inside and outside urban areas in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Theofilatos, Athanasios; Graham, Daniel; Yannis, George

2012-09-01

This research aims to identify and analyze the factors affecting accident severity through a macroscopic analysis, with a focus on the comparison between inside and outside urban areas. Disaggregate road accident data for Greece for the year 2008 were used. Two models were developed, one for inside and one for outside urban areas. Because the dependent variable had 2 categories, killed/severely injured (KSI) and slightly injured (SI), the binary logistic regression analysis was selected. Furthermore, this research aims to estimate the probability of fatality/severe injury versus slight injury as well as to calculate the odds ratios (relative probabilities) for various road accident configurations. The Hosmer and Lemeshow statistic and other diagnostic tests were conducted in order to assess the goodness-of-fit of the model. From the application of the models, it appears that inside urban areas 3 types of collisions (sideswipe, rear-end, with fixed object/parked car), as well as involvement of motorcycles, bicycles, buses, 2 age groups (18-30 and older than 60 years old), time of accident, and location of the accident, seem to affect accident severity. Outside urban areas, 4 types of collisions (head-on, rear-end, side, sideswipe), weather conditions, time of accident, one age group (older than 60 years old), and involvement of motorcycles and buses were found to be significant. Factors affecting road accident severity only inside urban areas include young driver age, bicycles, intersections, and collision with fixed objects, whereas factors affecting severity only outside urban areas are weather conditions and head-on and side collisions, demonstrating the particular road users and traffic situations that should be focused on for road safety interventions for the 2 different types of networks (inside and outside urban areas). The methodology and the results of this research may provide a promising tool to prioritize programs and measures to improve road safety in

The solar thermal market in Greece - review and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Argiriou, A.A.; Mirasgedis, S.

2003-01-01

The Hellenic solar thermal market is actually one of the most developed worldwide. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of this market since its start in the mid-1970s until today. The reasons for its success are discussed in detail: the role of the manufacturers, the quality assurance practices applied and the incentives on the demand and supply sides. The role of economic instruments towards the development of the Hellenic solar thermal market is investigated using a cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Although commercially successful, solar thermal applications today in Greece still cover a very limited percentage of their potential applications. The perspectives and potential barriers for their future development are presented, analysed by a CBA and discussed. This information is useful for all parties related to this market, manufacturers, potential users, policy makers, etc. Countries having a solar energy potential similar to that of Greece but a less developed solar market may also identify in this work parameters that will contribute to the development of their national market. (author)

The Bauhaus movement and its influence in graphic design, visual communication and architecture in Greece

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Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to present the elements defining the philosophical approach, the characteristics and the style of the Bauhaus movement. More specific it presents the social background of the period during which this school was established and the vision of its main representatives. It analyzes the way it influenced graphic design, visual communication and architecture in Greece. A comparison has been made between typical Bauhaus works and works of contemporary graphics aiming to find how they were influenced by the Bauhaus movement. Especially, it presents the projects (posters and buildings and the artists who worked according to the Bauhaus rules. This is a small research of how the Bauhaus school influenced modern graphic art and visual communication design in Greece until today. The conclusion of this research is that the Bauhaus movement which was the first to combine art with technology to obtain clarity and functionality rather than aesthetics, still has a crucial affect on modern design, graphic arts and visual communication in Greece

The Bauhaus movement and its influence in graphic design, visual communication and architecture in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Kyriakopoulos

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This paper attempts to present the elements defining the philosophical approach, the characteristics and the style of the Bauhaus movement. More specific it presents the social background of the period during which this school was established and the vision of its main representatives. It analyzes the way it influenced graphic design, visual communication and architecture in Greece. A comparison has been made between typical Bauhaus works and works of contemporary graphics aiming to find how they were influenced by the Bauhaus movement. Especially, it presents the projects (posters and buildings and the artists who worked according to the Bauhaus rules. This is a small research of how the Bauhaus school influenced modern graphic art and visual communication design in Greece until today. The conclusion of this research is that the Bauhaus movement which was the first to combine art with technology to obtain clarity and functionality rather than aesthetics, still has a crucial affect on modern design, graphic arts and visual communication in Greece.

Germany and Greece in the Eurozone Crisis from the Viewpoint of the Neo-Neo Debate

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André Hedlund

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study looks to analyse to what extent the neorealism versus neoliberalism debate contributes to understanding the complexity of the European Union's institutionalization, focusing on the impacts of the 2008 financial crisis and the asymmetries between Germany and Greece. How far can Greece be considered guilty for its situation and how far is Germany involved both in the cause and in the resolution of this crisis? To answer these questions, a brief analysis of the European Union's formation and of both countries' macroeconomic indicators and competitiveness is presented. The article also discusses the increasing institutionalization of the International System and the complex interdependence created within the European Union. It argues that increased European cooperation has deep-lying neorealist motivations and that the world financial regime's pandemic dynamics makes evident the asymmetrical interdependence between Germany and Greece. Economic disparities between the two nations are determinant factors in their respective behaviours prior to the 2008 crisis.

THE RGB AND AGB STAR NUCLEOSYNTHESIS IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT {sup 17}O(p, {alpha}){sup 14}N AND {sup 18}O(p, {alpha}){sup 15}N REACTION-RATE DETERMINATIONS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palmerini, S.; Sergi, M. L.; La Cognata, M.; Pizzone, R. G.; Spitaleri, C. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, Catania (Italy); Lamia, L. [Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Universita di Catania, Catania (Italy)

2013-02-20

In recent years, the Trojan Horse Method (THM) has been used to investigate the low-energy cross sections of proton-induced reactions on A = 17 and A = 18 oxygen isotopes, overcoming extrapolation procedures and enhancement effects due to electron screening. In particular, the strengths of the 20 keV and 65 keV resonances in the {sup 18}O(p, {alpha}){sup 15}N and {sup 17}O(p, {alpha}){sup 14}N reactions, respectively, have been extracted, as well as the contribution of the tail of the broad 656 keV resonance in the {sup 18}O(p, {alpha}){sup 15}N reaction inside the Gamow window. The strength of the 65 keV resonance in the {sup 17}O(p, {alpha}){sup 14}N reaction, measured by means of the THM, has been used to renormalize the corresponding resonance strength in the {sup 17}O + p radiative capture channel. As a result, more accurate reaction rates for the {sup 18}O(p, {alpha}){sup 15}N, {sup 17}O(p, {alpha}){sup 14}N, and {sup 17}O(p, {gamma}){sup 18}F processes have been deduced, devoid of systematic errors due to extrapolation or the electron screening effect. Such rates have been introduced into state-of-the-art red giant branch and asymptotic giant branch (AGB) models for proton-capture nucleosynthesis coupled with extra-mixing episodes. The predicted abundances have been compared with isotopic compositions provided by geochemical analysis of presolar grains. As a result, an improved agreement is found between the models and the isotopic mix of oxide grains of AGB origins, whose composition is the signature of low-temperature proton-capture nucleosynthesis. The low {sup 14}N/{sup 15}N found in SiC grains cannot be explained by the revised nuclear reaction rates and remains a serious problem that has not been satisfactorily addressed.

The need for the implementation of an Ecosystem Services assessment in Greece: drafting the national agenda

OpenAIRE

Dimopoulos,Panayotis; Drakou,Evangelia; Kokkoris,Ioannis; Katsanevakis,Stelios; Kallimanis,Athanasios; Tsiafouli,Maria; Bormpoudakis,Dimitrios; Kormas,Konstantinos; Arends,Jeroen

2017-01-01

This paper presents the establishment and the first outcomes of the Hellenic Ecosystem Services Partnership (HESP), a scientific-technical committee aiming at the guidance and coordination of the Ecosystem Services (ES) assessment in Greece. HESP consists of experts from different disciplines (ecology, marine biology, socio-ecological system science) and aims to: i) coordinate ES assessment efforts under a shared framework; ii) promote the ES approach in Greece; iii) support the European impl...

Gender Equality in Employment Utilizing Female Social Entrepreneurship in Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Argyrou, A.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/407629459; Charitakis, Stelios

2017-01-01

Greek women are severely affected by the on-going financial crisis. They deal with the effects of unemployment and they experience a marginalised position in the Greek labour market due to deep-rooted stereotypes which result in inequality of employment opportunities. Greece has ratified the CEDAW

Scanning the Business External Environment for Information: Evidence from Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Kourteli, Liana

2005-01-01

Introduction: This paper examines the business external environment scanning theory for information in the context of Greece. Method. A questionnaire was developed to explore the relationships between general and task business environment, perceived uncertainty, scanning strategy, and sources of information with respect to type of environment,…

Health technology assessment of medicines in Greece: pharmaceutical industry executives' views.

Science.gov (United States)

Armataki, Eleni; Karampli, Eleftheria; Kyriopoulos, John; Pavi, Elpida

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate originator pharmaceutical companies' practices in relation to health technology assessment (HTA) and the views and perceptions of their executives on the importance of HTA in pricing and reimbursement of medicines in Greece. A qualitative study was performed, using individual semi-structured interviews based on an interview schedule with open-ended questions. The target population was market access departments' executives of originator pharmaceutical companies. Our target sample consisted of sixteen executives, of whom ten agreed to participate. Saturation point was reached after eight interviews. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis. Participants considered HTA as a very important complementary tool for decision making in health policy, particularly in the field of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. They believed that, in Greece, HTA could be institutionalized for the reimbursement mechanism of medicines under certain conditions relating to current health policy-making attitudes and conditions pertaining in the country. They considered that there are many constraints which must be overcome as well as opportunities to be exploited. Decisions in pharmaceutical policy should be scientifically substantiated and HTA should be institutionalized primarily for reimbursement decisions. Development of guidelines for conducting pharmaco-economic evaluation, change in health policy goals, recording of cost and epidemiological data, and broader participation of all stakeholders in HTA decision-making processes are suggested as prerequisites for a successful implementation of HTA in Greece.

Energy consumption and economic growth: A causality analysis for Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsani, Stela Z.

2010-01-01

This paper investigates the causal relationship between aggregated and disaggregated levels of energy consumption and economic growth for Greece for the period 1960-2006 through the application of a later development in the methodology of time series proposed by Toda and Yamamoto (1995). At aggregated levels of energy consumption empirical findings suggest the presence of a uni-directional causal relationship running from total energy consumption to real GDP. At disaggregated levels empirical evidence suggests that there is a bi-directional causal relationship between industrial and residential energy consumption to real GDP but this is not the case for the transport energy consumption with causal relationship being identified in neither direction. The importance of these findings lies on their policy implications and their adoption on structural policies affecting energy consumption in Greece suggesting that in order to address energy import dependence and environmental concerns without hindering economic growth emphasis should be put on the demand side and energy efficiency improvements.

Plato and Play: Taking Education Seriously in Ancient Greece

Science.gov (United States)

D'Angour, Armand

2013-01-01

In this article, the author outlines Plato's notions of play in ancient Greek culture and shows how the philosopher's views on play can be best appreciated against the background of shifting meanings and evaluations of play in classical Greece. Play--in various forms such as word play, ritual, and music--proved central to the development of…

Isolation of Dobrava Virus from Apodemus flavicollis in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Papa, Anna; Nemirov, Kirill; Henttonen, Heikki; Niemimaa, Jukka; Antoniadis, Antonis; Vaheri, Antti; Plyusnin, Alexander; Vapalahti, Olli

2001-01-01

Dobrava virus (DOBV) carried by Apodemus flavicollis is the causative agent of severe hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). DOBV was isolated from an A. flavicollis mouse trapped in northeastern Greece. This is the third DOBV cell culture isolate in the world, clustering together with other Greek DOBV sequences from HFRS patients and rodents. PMID:11376073

Birth of Olympic flame: Ancient Greece and European identity (II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malešević Miroslava

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The anti-Chinese protests that were organized throughout European cities fol­lowing the route of the Olympic torch from Athens to Beijing, and the conflicts that erupted with strong emotions on both sides between the protestors and the Chinese citizens, will without a doubt remain a lasting memory of the 2008 Olympic games. Regardless of these protests' justified motives, there is a visible paradoxical role-switch in the scenes that circled the globe for months: the Olympic torch and Olympic idea, were being defended by China as a highest value and the source of their own past and identity, and attacked by the people (Europeans on whose land that very idea had been created and nurtured for over a hundred years. How should these contradictory images be understood? How did it come to this that the Chinese view themselves as the keepers of the Olympic tradition, that the pride of the Chinese nation, focused in that flame, gets hurt in attempts of European protestors to put it out? The modern Olympic Games, founded in 1896, were one of the echoes of a centuries' long Western European fascination with the Antique. This phenomenon of the Antique admiration has brought about a redefining of the European civilization's past, the abandoning the biblical narrative and the gradual creation of a secular story that we call modern history, in which Greece and Rome have become the main references of origin. The same process influenced the formation of national states that perceive, apart from their own histories, a collective cultural origin in Ancient Greece. Of course, the Galls, Francs or Germans had little in common with ancient Greeks; but modern European nations unite this fictional image of the Antique with the firm belief that it is the source of their cultural identity. For instance, not only did the 18th century French and English believe that they originated from ancient Greece but they managed to successfully 'sell' that story to modern Greeks

Prevalence and sociodemographic associations of common mental disorders in a nationally representative sample of the general population of Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Evaluation of the EIA system performance in Greece, using quality indicators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Androulidakis, Ioannis; Karakassis, Ioannis

2006-01-01

Greece was among the last countries in the European Union to adopt the EU Directives on Environmental Impact Assessment, upgrading the previously existing legislative framework. The aim of the present paper was to appraise the quality of a randomly selected sample of EISs using non-obligatory but quality-related indicators and to evaluate the overall quality of these studies produced in Greece during the last decade (1993-2003). It was found that the majority of these EISs performed rather poorly in respect of most indicators used and there was little evidence of improvement with time. It is concluded that the authorities in charge still have little experience in coping with the increasing bulk of project submissions and are primarily interested in conformity with formal requirements rather than in reliable predictions and in overall quality of the EIA procedure

Cassini Scientist for a Day: an international contest in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

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

The contribution of small hydro power stations to the electricity generation in Greece: Technical and economic considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaldellis, J.K.

2007-01-01

Hydropower is the most widely used renewable energy source worldwide, contributing almost with 18.5% to the fulfillment of the planet electricity generation. However, most locations in Europe appropriate for the installation of large hydro power stations have already been exploited. Furthermore, there is a significant local communities' opposition towards new large power stations; hence, small hydro power stations remain one of the most attractive opportunities for further utilization of the available hydro potential. Greece and more precisely the country's mainland possesses a significant hydro-power potential which is up to now only partially exploited. In parallel, a large number of private investors have officially expressed their interest in creating small hydro power stations throughout the country, encouraged by the significant Greek State subsidy opportunities for renewable energy applications. However, up to now a relatively small number of projects have been realized, mainly due to decision-making problems, like the administrative bureaucracy, the absence of a rational national water resources management plan and the over-sizing of the proposed installations. Certainly, if the above problems are suitably treated, small hydro-power plants can be proved considerably profitable investments, contributing also remarkably to the national electricity balance and replacing heavy polluting lignite and imported oil. In the context of the above interesting issues, the present study reviews in detail the existing situation of small hydropower plants in Greece and investigates their future prospects as far as the energy, economic and environmental contribution are concerned

Climate change induced lanslide hazard mapping over Greece- A case study in Pelion Mountain (SE Thessaly, Central Greece)

Science.gov (United States)

Angelitsa, Varvara; Loupasakis, Constantinos; Anagnwstopoulou, Christina

2015-04-01

Landslides, as a major type of geological hazard, represent one of the natural events that occur most frequently worldwide after hydro-meteorological events. Landslides occur when the stability of a slope changes due to a number of factors, such as the steep terrain and prolonged precipitation. Identification of landslides and compilation of landslide susceptibility, hazard and risk maps are very important issues for the public authorities providing substantial information regarding, the strategic planning and management of the land-use. Although landslides cannot be predicted accurately, many attempts have been made to compile these maps. Important factors for the the compilation of reliable maps are the quality and the amount of available data and the selection of the best method for the analysis. Numerous studies and publications providing landslide susceptibility,hazard and risk maps, for different regions of Greece, have completed up to now. Their common characteristic is that they are static, taking into account parameters like geology, mean annual precipitaion, slope, aspect, distance from roads, faults and drainage network, soil capability, land use etc., without introducing the dimension of time. The current study focuses on the Pelion Mountain, which is located at the southeastern part of Thessaly in Central Greece; aiming to compile "dynamic" susceptibility and hazard maps depending on climate changes. For this purpose, past and future precipipation data from regional climate models (RCMs) datasets are introduced as input parameters for the compilation of "dynamic" landslide hazard maps. Moreover, land motion mapping data produced by Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) are used for the validation of the landslide occurrence during the period from June 1992 to December 2003 and as a result for the calibration of the mapping procedure. The PSI data can be applied at a regional scale as support for land motion mapping and at local scale for the

Exergy analysis of the energy use in Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koroneos, C.J.; Nanaki, E.A.; Xydis, George

2011-01-01

In this work, an analysis is being done on the concept of energy and exergy utilization and an application to the residential and industrial sector of Greece. The energy and exergy flows over the period from 1990 to 2004 were taken into consideration. This period was chosen based on the data...... of the energy use in various economy sectors. These standards could be utilized by energy policy makers....

Computational Modeling on Concrete, Masonry and Fiber-reinforced Composites : Proceedings of the Workshop on 17 – 18 June 2009, Delft, The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendriks, M.A.N.; Billington, S.L.

2009-01-01

This booklet comprises the extended abstracts to be presented at the Ma(gni)FiCo workshop held in Delft, The Netherlands, on 17-18 June 2009. The spirit of this workshop is to have a small gathering with ample time for lively conversation and interaction among the student and faculty researchers. As

Magnetic Prospecting On Ancient Towns In Turkey and Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Smekalova, T.; Smekalov, S.

Magnetic prospecting on ancient towns in Turkey and Greece. Tatyana Smekalova, Sergey Smekalov. Saint-Petersburg In 2001 archaeophysical group of Saint-Petersburg State University participated in archaeological investigation of ancient town Pisidian Antioch in Turkey (near mod- ern town Yalvach) and ancient town Kalydon in Greece (not far from modern town Mesolongy). Both sites have a big size (more than kilometer in perimeter) and com- plicated hilly relief (especially Kalydon). The mine idea of the magnetic survey on the sites was to try the method of magnetic prospecting in conditions of the sites, to estimate the possibilities and limitations of the method and to reveal ancient structures on several different parts of the site. Magnetic survey on the Pisidian Antioch carried out in four areas of the site showed that much could be recovered by this non-invasive technique. Most significantly, sur- vey of the area previously thought to contain a palestra shows instead the plan of a Christian basilica. Other areas included houses, streets, important elements in the water system and industrial establishments. The work was supported by Columbia University, USA On the Ancient Kalydon, the whole area of the site was investigated by method of Sfree searchT that is walking with magnetometers and measuring without a grid. Five ´ different areas have been chosen for detail investigation with regular grid. The most interesting result is in one of the the areas, where it seems to be an SindustrialT quar- & cedil;ter of the site. There are several workshops, revealed on this place. The work was supported by Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Denmark. During the work on both sites we used GPS equipment to put the survey areas on the maps. Simultaneously with magnetic survey archaeological teams made a usual topographical survey of the sites (team of Calgary University in Turkey, Canada and team of Greece topographers, working together with Danish archaeologist in Greece). Thanks to that

The Saami drums and the religious encounter in the 17th and 18th centuries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Håkan Rydving

1991-01-01

Full Text Available From the end of the 17th to the middle of the 18th century much of the confrontation between indigenous Saami religion and Christianity was focused on the drums. The Saamis of both Denmark—Norway and Sweden—Finland had been christianized for decade. The main problem for the Church authorities turned out to be that of making the Saamis abandon their indigenous religious customs. From the end of the 17th century, an intense period of propaganda and coercion began to make the Saamis abandon these non Christian elements in their religion. For the Saamis, the drums represented their threatened culture, the resistance against the Christian claim to exclusiveness, and a striving to preserve traditional values. The drums had a twofold role to play in the religious encounter. They were both foci of the confrontation and sources documenting and structuring it. The fight between old and new beliefs is to some extent possible to follow in the records from the district and county courts. These records give us access to Saami arguments and views of the importance of the drums in Saami society. The function of the drums as instruments for a Saami description of the encounter is, however, difficult to make out. The drum figures are difficult to interpret and there are a number of alternative ways of understanding their meaning.

Pedagogical Beliefs and Attitudes of Computer Science Teachers in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Fessakis, Georgios; Karakiza, Tsampika

2011-01-01

Pedagogical beliefs and attitudes significantly determine the professional skills and practice of teachers. Many professional development programs for teachers aim to the elaboration of the pedagogical knowledge in order to improve teaching quality. This paper presents the study of pedagogical beliefs of computer science teachers in Greece. The…

Private expenditure and the role of private health insurance in Greece: status quo and future trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Siskou, Olga; Kaitelidou, Daphne; Economou, Charalampos; Kostagiolas, Peter; Liaropoulos, Lycourgos

2009-10-01

The health care system in Greece is financed in almost equal proportions by public and private sources. Private expenditure, consists mostly of out-of-pocket and under-the-table payments. Such payments strongly suggest dissatisfaction with the public system, due to under financing during the last 25 years. This gap has been filled rapidly by the private sector. From this point of view, one might suggest that the flourishing development of private provision may lead in turn to a corresponding growth in private health insurance (PHI). This paper aims to examine the role of PHI in Greece, to identify the factors influencing its development, and to make some suggestions about future policies and trends. In the decade of 1985-1995 PHI show increasing activity, reflecting the intention of some citizens to seek health insurance solutions in the form of supplementary cover in order to ensure faster access, better quality of services, and increased consumer choice. The benefits include programs covering hospital expenses, cash benefits, outpatient care expenses, disability income insurance, as well as limited managed care programs. However, despite recent interest, PHI coverage remains low in Greece compared to other EU countries. Economic, social and cultural factors such as low average household income, high unemployment, obligatory and full coverage by social insurance, lead to reluctance to pay for second-tier insurance. Instead, there is a preference to pay a doctor or hospital directly even in the form of under-the-table payments (which are remarkably high in Greece), when the need arises. There are also factors endogenous to the PHI industry, related to market policies, low organisational capacity, cream skimming, and the absence of insurance products meeting consumer requirements, which explain the relatively low state of development of PHI in Greece.

First Case of Glufosinate-Resistant Rigid Ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud. in Greece

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Ilias S. Travlos

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Repeated applications of the same herbicide(s, which are characterized by the same mode of action, increase selection pressure, which in turn favours the evolution of herbicide-resistant weeds. Glufosinate is a broad-spectrum non-selective herbicide being used for weed control for many years around the world. Rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud. is an economically important grass weed in Greece. Recent complaints by growers about control failure of rigid ryegrass with glufosinate require further investigation and have been the basis of this study. The objectives of this study were to confirm the existence of glufosinate-resistant L. rigidum in Greece and evaluate the effect of L. rigidum growth stage on glufosinate efficacy. Twenty populations of rigid ryegrass from Greece were sampled from five regions, and whole plant dose–response studies were conducted for five populations under controlled conditions with eight rates of glufosinate (0.0, 0.098, 0.187, 0.375, 0.75, 1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 kg a.i. ha−1. Glufosinate resistance was confirmed in three out of five populations with the level of resistance ranging from three-to seven-fold compared with the susceptible populations based on above-ground biomass reduction. Results also revealed that the level of glufosinate-resistance of rigid ryegrass was dependent on the growth stage at which it was applied.

17 CFR 248.18 - Effective date; transition rule.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Safeguarding Personal Information Relation to Other Laws; Effective Date § 248.18 Effective date; transition... customers on the compliance date. By July 1, 2001, you must have provided an initial notice, as required by § 248.4, to consumers who are your customers on July 1, 2001. (2) Example. You provide an initial notice...

Factors associated with adolescent cigarette smoking in Greece: Results from a cross sectional study (GYTS Study

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Gourgoulianis Konstantinos

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Data about the predictors of smoking among adolescents in Greece are sparse. We tried to identify factors associated with current cigarette smoking among in-school adolescents in Greece in the context of GYTS study. Methods A secondary analysis of data from a questionnaire study using the Global Youth Tobacco Survey methodology was conducted to identify factors associated with smoking among adolescents in Greece. Data were collected in 2004–2005. The outcome variable was cigarette smoking within the past 30 days preceding the survey while independent variables included age, gender, parental educational status, parental smoking, perception of harmfulness of smoking, and the amount of pocket money at the adolescent's disposal. Results 6141 adolescents (51.5% males and 48.5% females participated in the study. In multivariate analysis, cigarette smoking was associated with male gender (OR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1, 08–3.08, parental smoking (OR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.45–5.89, and having pocket money ≥ 16 Euros (OR: 2.64; 95% CI: 1.19–5.98. Conclusion Male gender, parental smoking, and having pocket-money ≥ 16 Euros were independently associated with current smoking among Greek students. These findings could be taken into account in order to formulate a comprehensive anti-smoking strategy in Greece.

Vocational Training in the Textiles and Clothing Industries in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Drimousis, I.; Zisimopoulos, A.

This document examines the circumstances under which vocational training in Greece is provided for jobs in the textile and clothing industries. Its objective is to identify guidelines for vocational training for a skilled work force at regional and national levels and to contribute to job mobility between industries. Statistical data,…

COPD patients' medical care and support in Greece during financial crisis

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Mitonas G

2016-11-01

Full Text Available George Mitonas,1 Alexia Juvana,2 Zoe Daniil,3 Chryssa Hatzoglou,4 Konstantinos Gourgoulianis3 1Diavata Health Center, Gennimatas General Hospital, 2Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, 3Pulmonary Medicine Department, University Hospital of Larissa, 4Physiology Department, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece Background: 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.Methods: 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.Results: 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

Impact of the financial crisis on COPD burden: Greece as a case study

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Ourania S. Kotsiou

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Poverty and low socioeconomic status have been associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. The current financial crisis has forced millions back into poverty. Greece is one of the countries hit the hardest, and is in the middle of a deep ongoing collapse. There have been early reports stating the apparent effects of the Greek downturn on respiratory health. This review summarises the overall impact of the financial crisis on COPD burden throughout the period of economic downturn by analysing the case study of Greece. In all levels of the healthcare system, current economic restrictions have reduced the capacity to prevent, diagnose and treat COPD in parallel with current higher detection rates of COPD. Remarkably, expenditure on healthcare has been reduced by >25%, resulting in major healthcare equipment shortages. Lower wages (by up to 20% and higher co-payments of up to 25% of a drug's purchase price have led to patients struggling to afford inhaled medications. Treatment nonadherence has been reported, resulting in 11.5% more exacerbations and 14.1% more hospitalisations annually, while the mean cost per severe COPD exacerbation has been approximated as €2600. Greece is a noteworthy example illustrating how COPD burden, quality of care and patients' outcome can be affected by economic crisis.

Economic Sustainability of Organic Aloe Vera Farming in Greece under Risk and Uncertainty

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Angelos Liontakis

2016-04-01

Full Text Available During the last decade, an encouraging environment for the restructuring and modernization of the agricultural sector has formed in Greece. The diversification into higher-value crops can be a promising option for small and average-sized farms, particularly during the current economic crisis. One of the most promising alternative crops that have been recently established in Greece is the organic Aloe vera crop. The main advantage of this crop is that it can utilize poor farmlands and, therefore, can facilitate rural development in marginal areas. This study explores the economic sustainability of the Aloe vera crop, considering the embedded risk and uncertainty. The results indicate that organic aloe farming is a promising alternative to “traditional” crops in Greece, particularly for family farms in rural areas. In contrast, this activity is not advisable to the most entrepreneurial type of farmers, unless their crop size allows economies of scales. Finally, the Stochastic Efficiency with Respect to a Function (SERF analysis associates farmers’ risk attitude with their willingness to be involved in organic Aloe vera farming. SERF analysis highlights the crucial role of farmers’ risk aversion and concludes that, above a certain level of risk aversion, farmers have no incentive to adopt this economic activity.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

Project work Is the Legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome really the Cradle of European Civilization?

OpenAIRE

Hvastija, Darka; Kos, Jasna

2012-01-01

In this paper the project for 15-year-old students with the title Ancient Greece and Rome and the sub-title Is the Legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome really the Cradle of European Civilization? is introduced. It shows how to connect mathematics with art, history, physics, geography and philosophy by studying ancient Greek scientists and their achievements. Collaborative teaching is introduced. The major aim of the project was to show mathematics as a part of human civilization and to follow...

A new species of Iris (Iridaceae) from the northern Peloponnese (Greece)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mermygkas, Dionysios; Tan, Kit; Yannitsaros, Artemios

2010-01-01

Iris hellenica (Iridaceae) is described as a new endemic species from the northern Peloponnese, Greece. It resembles the widely distributed I. germanica but differs by its lower stature, smaller leaves, bracts, bracteoles and flowers, including a different coloration to the perianth, particularly...

Capital mobility and macroeconomic volatility: evidence from Greece

OpenAIRE

Anastasios, Pappas

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on the impact of full capital account liberalization on macroeconomic volatility in Greece. According to the standard neoclassical model, such liberalization is to be desired because, among other advantages, it may reduce macroeconomic volatility. The link between macroeconomic volatility and capital account openness in the Greek economy is investigated by applying a simple three-month rolling standard deviation of real GDP growth and real final (total) consumption growth c...

John C. Carapanayiotis (1909-1999): the Greek radiologist and pioneer of physiatry in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Baltas, Christos S; Balanika, Alexia P; Carapanayiotis, Olga J; Hesketh, Graeme; Sgantzos, Markos N

2017-12-01

John C. Carapanayiotis was specialized in physical medicine and rehabilitation in the USA in 1948, at a time when the medical world in post-war Greece was ignorant of this specific medical specialty, and the political, economic and social backdrop was incapable of accepting and understanding the wealth of scientific knowledge that he was trying to introduce. At this point it should be noted that the specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation was established in Greece in 1973. John C. Carapanayiotis was a member of the American Congress of Physical Medicine during the 1950's. In the same period, he expressed interest, on behalf of the New York University, in the establishment of a Physical Therapy Clinic in Greece, which would be granted unlimited funding by the Marshal Plan. His efforts clashed constantly with the backward mentality of his time, with the entrenched conservatism and with the bureaucratic red tape. Unfortunately, he was far ahead of his time and was condemned to the same fate as all other visionaries and pioneers in the way that his knowledge and scientific background were not put into practice for decades to come.

Site Effects Study In Athens (greece) Using The 7th September 1999 Earthquake Aftershock Sequence

Science.gov (United States)

Serpetsidaki, A.; Sokos, E.

On 7 September 1999 at 11:56:50 GMT, an earthquake of Mw=5.9 occurred at Athens capital of Greece. The epicenter was located in the Northwest area of Parnitha Moun- tain at 18km distance from the city centre. This earthquake was one of the most de- structive in Greece during the modern times. The intensity of the earthquake reached IX in the Northwest territories of the city and caused the death of 143 people and seri- ous structural damage in many buildings. On the 13th of September the Seismological Laboratory of Patras University, installed a seismic network of 30 stations in order to observe the evolution of the aftershock sequence. This temporary seismic network remained in the area of Attika for 50 days and recorded a significant part of the af- tershock sequence. In this paper we use the high quality recordings of this network to investigate the influence of the surface geology to the seismic motion, on sites within the epicentral area, which suffered the most during this earthquake. We applied the horizontal-to-vertical (H/V) spectral ratio method on noise and on earthquake records and the obtained results exhibit very good agreement. Finally we compare the results with the geological conditions of the study area and the damage distribution. Most of the obtained amplification levels were low with an exemption in the site of Ano Liosia were a significant amount of damage was observed and the results indicate that the earthquake motion was amplified four times. Based on the above we conclude that the damages in the city of Athens were due to source effects rather than site effects.

Home health nursing care services in Greece during an economic crisis.

Science.gov (United States)

Adamakidou, T; Kalokerinou-Anagnostopoulou, A

2017-03-01

The purpose of this review was to describe public home healthcare nursing services in Greece. The effectiveness and the efficiency of home healthcare nursing are well documented in the international literature. In Greece, during the current financial crisis, the development of home healthcare nursing services is the focus and interest of policymakers and academics because of its contribution to the viability of the healthcare system. A review was conducted of the existing legislation, the printed and electronic bibliography related to the legal framework, the structures that provide home health care, the funding of the services, the human resources and the services provided. The review of the literature revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the existing system of home health care and its opportunities and threats, which are summarized in a SWOT analysis. There is no Greek nursing literature on this topic. The development of home health nursing care requires multidimensional concurrent and combined changes and adjustments that would support and strengthen healthcare professionals in their practices. Academic and nursing professionals should provide guidelines and regulations and develop special competencies for the best nursing practice in home health care. At present, in Greece, which is in an economic crisis and undergoing reforms in public administration, there is an undeniable effort being made to give primary health care the position it deserves within the health system. There is an urgent need at central and academic levels to develop home healthcare services to improve the quality and efficiency of the services provided. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Formation of Nitrogen-13, Fluorine-17, and Fluorine-18 in Reactor-Irradiated H{sub 2}O and D{sub 2}O and Applications to Activation Analysis and Fas Neutron Flux Monitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hammar, L; Forsen, S

1964-12-15

The equivalent macroscopic U{sup 235} -fission neutron cross-sections with respect to formation of the following nuclei were measured and found to be: N{sup 13} in H{sub 2}O, 13.5 {+-} 2; N{sup 13} in D{sub 2}O, 0.24 {+-} 0.05; F{sup 17} in D{sub 2}O, 3500 {+-} 700; F{sup 18} in H{sub 2}O 5.6 {+-} 0.9; and F{sup 18} in D{sub 2}O 4.1 {+-} 0.6 units of 10{sup -10}/cm. The yield of N{sup 13} in D{sub 2}O refers to D{sub 2}O containing no H, and the yield of F{sup 18} in D{sub 2}O to an O{sup 17}/O{sup 16} ratio of 0.0391 {+-} 0.0007. Good agreement was obtained in comparing the measured yields of N{sup 13} and F{sup 18} in H{sub 2}O with estimates based on calculations of the neutron induced flux of knock-on protons and on published cross-section data for the reactions O{sup 16} (p, {alpha} ) N{sup 13} and O{sup 18} (p, n) F{sup 18}. The similarly calculated yield of F{sup 17} in D{sub 2}O due to the reaction O{sup 16} (d, n) F{sup 17} was 6 times less than the observed yield. This discrepancy could not be eliminated by taking into account the anisotropy of the neutron-scattering by deuterons. The formation of F{sup 18} in D{sub 2}O was attributed to the reaction O{sup 17} (d, n) F{sup 18}. This reaction may be utilized for the determination of the O{sup 17}/O{sup 16} ratio in heavy water by neutron activation analysis, e.g. as a means of differentiating between heavy water qualities, obtained by different techniques of enrichment. The formation of N{sup 13} in D{sub 2}O, that cannot be attributed to the O{sup 16} (p, {alpha}) N{sup 13} reaction due to residual H content, is suggested to be caused by the reaction O{sup 16} (d, n{alpha}) N{sup 13}, not previously reported. The cross-section of this reaction per knock-on deuteron at energies above the estimated reaction threshold (8.4 MeV), corresponding to the yield of N{sup 13} is 8 {+-} 2 mb. Application of the O{sup 16} (p, {alpha}) N{sup 13} reaction for neutron activation analysis of H in D{sub 2}O is possible, in

The Role of Music in the Education of Young Male Workers in Nineteenth-Century Greece: The Case of Charity Institutions

Science.gov (United States)

Barbaki, Maria

2015-01-01

This paper presents music teaching in nineteenth-century Greece orphanages and schools of destitute children, which were the main schools for vocational training of the working class in that period. Five representative institutions were selected. Music education for young male workers in nineteenth-century Greece was both in accord with and…

Carrier-added and no-carrier-added syntheses of [18F]spiroperidol and [18F]haloperidol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kilbourn, M.R.; Welch, M.J.; Dence, C.S.; Tewson, T.J.; Saji, H.; Maeda, M.

1984-01-01

Syntheses of [ 18 F]haloperidol and [ 18 F]spiroperidol in both no-carrier-added and carrier-added forms have been accomplished. The no-carrier-added [ 18 F]butyrophenone neuroleptics were prepared in low ( 18 F-neuroleptics were prepared in better (5-17%) yields by 18 F-for- 19 F nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The preparation of all synthetic precursors, and procedures for radiolabeling are fully described. (author)

Food Group and Micronutrient Intake Adequacy among Children, Adults and Elderly Women in Greece

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Yannis Manios

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to record the percentage of children, adults and elderly women in Greece meeting food and micronutrient intake recommendations. Additionally, the present study was aiming to identify the main food contributors of micronutrient intakes and assess the degree up to which meeting food intake recommendations also ensures micronutrient intake adequacy. Dietary intake data from three studies conducted in Greece (on 9–13-year-old children; 40–60-year-old adults; and 50–75-year-old women were used to estimate mean intakes, the percentages of subjects meeting food and nutrient intake recommendations and the contribution of six core food groups to nutrient intake adequacy. The present study showed that more than 50% of children, adults and elderly women were failing to consume the recommended portions of vegetables, dairy and grains. Furthermore, children and adults consuming the recommended portions of individual core food groups had significantly lower percentages of inadequate micronutrient intakes compared to their counterparts not meeting food intake recommendations (p < 0.05. Nevertheless, even among those consuming the recommended portions from a specific core food group, the recommended intake of the corresponding micronutrient (for which this food group is the main contributor was not always met. Indicatively, 18.2%–44.1% and 4.2%–7.0% of the populations under study were not meeting calcium and vitamin C intake recommendations, although they were consuming the recommended portions of dairy and fruits, respectively. In conclusion, these findings highlight the importance for public health policy makers to take all necessary initiatives to support the population in achieving the recommended intakes from all core food groups, but also emphasize on food variety to ensure adequate intake for all micronutrients.

Vanadium(V-Substitution Reactions of Wells–Dawson-Type Polyoxometalates: From [X2M18O62]6− (X = P, As; M = Mo, W to [X2VM17O62]7−

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Tadaharu Ueda

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The formation processes of V(V-substituted polyoxometalates with the Wells–Dawson-type structure were studied by cyclic voltammetry and by 31P NMR and Raman spectroscopy. Generally, the vanadium-substituted heteropolytungstates, [P2VW17O62]7− and [As2VW17O62]7−, were prepared by mixing equimolar amounts of the corresponding lacunary species—[P2W17O61]10− and [As2W17O61]10−—and vanadate. According to the results of various measurements in the present study, the tungsten site in the framework of [P2W18O62]6− and [As2W18O62]6− without defect sites could be substituted with V(V to form the [P2VW17O62]7− and [As2VW17O62]7−, respectively. The order in which the reagents were mixed was observed to be the key factor for the formation of Dawson-type V(V-substituted polyoxometalates. Even when the concentration of each reagent was identical, the final products differed depending on the order of their addition to the reaction mixture. Unlike Wells–Dawson-type heteropolytungstates, the molybdenum sites in the framework of [P2Mo18O62]6− and [As2Mo18O62]6− were substituted with V(V, but formed Keggin-type [PVMo11O40]4− and [AsVMo11O40]4− instead of [P2VMo17O62]7− and [As2VMo17O62]7−, respectively, even though a variety of reaction conditions were used. The formation constant of the [PVMo11O40]4− and [AsVMo11O40]4− was hypothesized to be substantially greater than that of the [P2VMo17O62]7− and [As2VMo17O62]7−.

Kinetics of 16-α-[18]fluoroestradiol-3,17-β-disulphatemate ([18F]FESDS) in piglet blood and brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brust, P.; Roemer, J.; Fuechtner, F.; Kasch, H.; Steinbach, J.

2002-01-01

The suitability of [ 18 F]FESDS as PET tracer was investigated. After i.v. injection [ 18 F]FESDS was immediately trapped by the erythrocytes. The PET images did not allow the differentiation of brain regions because of the very high amounts retained in the blood. [ 18 F]FESDS is therefore not recommended for brain imaging with PET. (orig.)

Notes on epilithic and epigeic lichens from granite and gneiss outcrops in mountains of Makedonia, Greece, with emphasis on northern species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Steen

2014-01-01

The epilithic and epigeic lichen flora of eight localities with granite and gneiss outcrops in the mountains of Makedonia, N Greece has been investigated. Of the 46 taxa reported, seven species are new to Greece, viz.: Brodoa oroarcti­ca, Candelariella coralliza, Cetraria ericetorum, Lecanora...

A novel dic (17;18 (p13.1;q11.2 with loss of TP53 and BCR/ABL rearrangement in an Imatinib resistant chronic myeloid leukemia

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Al-achkar Walid

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The so-called Philadelphia (Ph chromosome is present in more than 90% of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML cases. It results in juxtaposition of the 5′ part of the BCR gene on chromosome 22 to the 3′ part of the ABL gene on chromosome 9. Since the majority of CML cases are currently treated with Imatinib, variant rearrangements in general have no specific prognostic significance, although the mechanisms involved in resistance to therapy have yet to be investigated. The T315I mutation within the abl-gene is the most frequent one associated with resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Results This study evaluated a Ph chromosome positive CML case resistant to imatinib mesylate. A dic(17;18, loss of TP53 gene, co-expression of b2a2 and b3a2 fusions transcript and a T315I mutation were found. Conclusions We reported here a novel case of a Ph chromosome positive CML with a secondary abnormality [dic(17;18], resulting to Glivec resistance but good response to nilotinib. The dic(17;18 might be a marker for poor prognosis in CML. Our finding indicated for an aggressive progression of the disease. The patient died under the treatment due to unknown reasons.

GPS phase scintillation at high latitudes during the geomagnetic storm of 17-18 March 2015

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prikryl, P.; Ghoddousi-Fard, R.; Weygand, J. M.

2016-01-01

The geomagnetic storm of 17–18 March 2015 was caused by the impacts of a coronal mass ejection and a high-speed plasma stream from a coronal hole. The high-latitude ionosphere dynamics is studied using arrays of ground-based instruments including GPS receivers, HF radars, ionosondes, riometers......, and magnetometers. The phase scintillation index is computed for signals sampled at a rate of up to 100 Hz by specialized GPS scintillation receivers supplemented by the phase scintillation proxy index obtained from geodetic-quality GPS data sampled at 1 Hz. In the context of solar wind coupling...... to the magnetosphere-ionosphere system, it is shown that GPS phase scintillation is primarily enhanced in the cusp, the tongue of ionization that is broken into patches drawn into the polar cap from the dayside storm-enhanced plasma density, and in the auroral oval. In this paper we examine the relation between...

Validating Westinghouse atom 16 x 16 and 18 x 18 PWR fuel performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersson, S.; Gustafson, J.; Jourdain, P.; Lindstroem, L.; Hallstadius, L.; Hofling, C.G.

2001-01-01

Westinghouse Atom designs and fabricates PWR fuel for all major European fuel types: 17 x 17 standard (12 ft) and 17 x 17 XL (14 ft) for Westinghouse type PWRs, and 16 x 16 and 18 x 18 fuel for Siemens type PWRs. The W Atom PWR fuel designs are based on the extensive Westinghouse CE PWR fuel experience from combustion engineering type PWRs. The W atom designs utilise basic design features from the W CE fuel tradition, such as all-Zircaloy mid grids and the proven ( 6 rod years) Guardian TM debris catcher, which is integrated in the bottom Inconel grid. Several new features have been developed to meet with stringent European requirements originating from requirements on very high burnup, in combination with low-leakage core operating strategies and high coolant temperatures. The overall reliability of the Westinghouse Atom PWR fuel is very high; no fuel failure has been detected since 1997. (orig.)

TOURISM IN PROTECTED AREAS: THE CASE OF THE NATIONAL MARINE PARK OF ALONISSOS-NORTHERN SPORADES IN GREECE

OpenAIRE

Stefanos Paraskevopoulos

2017-01-01

The tourist development of Greece began in the '50s to become one of the main sources of income, both nationally and locally, since many areas are the main source of tourism revenue. The concepts of sustainability and viability of this product and its operation, is being strongly marked recent decades in many conferences, notices, and scientific research. Greece established 30 Management Bodies to integrated management of protected areas belonging to this network. One of the main problems fac...

Dendrochronological Investigations of Valonia Oak Trees in Western Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Papadopoulos

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Valonia oak (Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis (Kotschy Hedge & Yalt. is an east Mediterranean endemic, xerothermic and deciduous tree of particular interest in forestry. There has been a growing demand lately to include the species in reforestations in Greece which also increased the interest to investigate its response to climate change. The main purpose of this research is to study valonia oak from a dendrochronological – dendroclimatological point of view within its Mediterranean distribution range. Materials and Methods: Sampling took place in characteristic valonia oak stands where cross sections or tree-cores were taken from 40 trees. The cross sections and the tree-cores were prepared and cross-dated using standard dendrochronological methods and tree-ring widths were measured to the nearest 0.001 mm using the Windendro software program. The ARSTAN program was used to standardize the tree-ring data and to calculate dendrochronological statistical parameters. The inter-annual variability of tree-ring width and the radial growth trend were examined. Finally, tree-ring widths to climate relationships were calculated by orthogonal regression in combination with the bootstrap procedure using master residual chronology and monthly precipitation, temperature data and scPDSI drought index, from October of the n-1 year up to November of the n year. Results: The master chronology of valonia oak trees in Western Greece reaches 365 years, with an average ring width of 0.89 mm and with mean sensitivity being 0.21. The variation of the tree-ring widths indicates the influence of climate and human intervention in the past. Tree-ring to climate relationships show that valonia oak growth is positively affected by precipitations in January and March and by drought reduction during June and July. Conclusions: Valonia oak in Western Greece is a species of great interest for dendrochronological and dendroclimatological studies

The Mw6.5 17 November 2015 Lefkada (Greece) Earthquake: Structural Interpretation by Means of the Aftershock Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Papadimitriou, E.; Karakostas, V.; Mesimeri, M.; Chouliaras, G.; Kourouklas, Ch.

2017-10-01

The 2015 Mw6.5 Lefkada main shock occurred at the south western part of Lefkada Island (Greece), less than 2 years after the occurrence of a doublet along the western part of the nearby Kefalonia Island, Paliki peninsula (on 25/01/2014, with Mw6.1 and 03/02/2014 with Mw6.0) and 12 years after the 2003 Mw6.2 main shock that struck the northwestern part of Lefkada Island. The four failed dextral strike slip fault segments belong to the Kefalonia transform fault zone (KTFZ), the major active boundary that bounds from the west the area of central Ionian Islands, namely Lefkada and Kefalonia. It is associated with several known historical earthquakes and is considered the most hazardous area in the Greek territory. The KTFZ fault segments are characterized by high slip rates (of the order of tens of millimeters per year), with maximum earthquake magnitudes up to 6.7 for Lefkada and 7.2 for Kefalonia fault zone, respectively. The double difference location technique was employed for relocating the aftershocks revealing a seismogenic layer extending from 3 to 16 km depth and multiple activation on well-defined fault planes, with strikes that differ than the main rupture and dips either to east or to west. This implies that strain energy was not solely released on a main fault only, but on secondary and adjacent fault segments as well. The reliable definition of their geometry forms the basis for the structural interpretation of the local fault network. The aftershock spatial distribution indicates three main clusters of the seismic activity, along with activation of smaller faults to an extent of more than 50 km. A northeasterly striking cluster is observed to the north of the main shock epicenter, with a remarkable aftershock density. The central cluster is less dense than the previous one with an epicentral alignment in full accordance with the strike provided by the main shock centroid moment tensor solution, and is considered as the main rupture with a length of 17 km

"Compensatory Legitimation" in Greek Educational Policy: An Explanation for the Abortive Educational Reforms in Greece in Comparison with Those in France.

Science.gov (United States)

Persianis, Panayiotis

1998-01-01

Examines the political dynamics of planning and implementing educational reforms in Greece, with comparisons to France. Argues that, as in France, the state's concern for "compensatory legitimation" provides a better tool than those advanced by sociologists or historians for explaining Greece's many failed educational reforms. Compares…

Marine research in Greece and the additional Greek marine research centres: Progress and present situation

Science.gov (United States)

Haritonidis, S.

1995-03-01

Greece, as is known, has a coastline of 17 000 km, and over 2000 small and large islands. As expected, the quest of humankind for new sources of matter and energy has been focussed on the sea, with fishery being its primary interest. A number of philosophers and scientists have been involved in the study of this vast ecosystem since ancient times (Aristotle). The political, social and geographical upheavals witnessed in the Greek area, have, however resulted in bringing all these activities to a halt. The first contemporary research work commenced at the end of the 18th century/beginning of the 19th — with marine flora and fauna as its starting point. The first investigations had, of course, been limited to random collections of marine material done in the frame of international exploratory expeditions. Studies became more systematic by the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, with priority being given to the animal kingdom (fish, molluscs, etc.). Investigation of the marine phytobenthos (macrophyceae, phytoplankton) was to follow. The past 40 years research has been more extensive, not limited only to biogeographical evaluations, but also having expanded to physiological and ecological levels. The relevant institutes of Greek universities have all the while watched and contributed to this effort. Today, this kind of research is being supported by the N.M.R.C., the Center of Marine Research, University of Crete, and two research boats which sail the Greek seas. In the ever-changing world, the study of marine flora and fauna has certainly made great progress; however, there are still two big problems to be faced. The first deals with increasing pollution of the seas, the second, with the difficulties in finding and affording adequate financial resources that would enable a more detailed and complete execution of this research work.

Discharge experiences of speech-language pathologists working in Cyprus and Greece.

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Kambanaros, Maria

2010-08-01

Post-termination relationships are complex because the client may need additional services and it may be difficult to determine when the speech-language pathologist-client relationship is truly terminated. In my contribution to this scientific forum, discharge experiences from speech-language pathologists working in Cyprus and Greece will be explored in search of commonalities and differences in the way in which pathologists end therapy from different cultural perspectives. Within this context the personal impact on speech-language pathologists of the discharge process will be highlighted. Inherent in this process is how speech-language pathologists learn to hold their feelings, anxieties and reactions when communicating discharge to clients. Overall speech-language pathologists working in Cyprus and Greece experience similar emotional responses to positive and negative therapy endings as speech-language pathologists working in Australia. The major difference is that Cypriot and Greek therapists face serious limitations in moving their clients on after therapy has ended.

Růže chuti přerozkošné. Antologie moravských rukopisných kancionálů 17. a 18. století

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Frolcová, Věra

2016-01-01

Roč. 26, č. 2 (2016), s. 169-170 ISSN 0862-8351 Institutional support: RVO:68378076 Keywords : Moravia * hymn book * manuscript * anthology * 17th century * 18th century Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

Distribution of organotin compounds in the bivalves of the Aegean Sea, Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chandrinou, S.; Pappas, K.; Nikolaou, A.; Stasinakis, A.S.; Wegener, J.W.M.; Alexandropoulos, Th.; Thomaidis, N.S.

2007-01-01

Five bivalve species - Mytilus galloprovinciallis (Mediterranean mussels), Venus gallina (stripped venus), Modiola barbatus L. (bearded horse mussels), Pecten jacobeus (scallops) and Callista chione (hard clams) - were collected from seven areas in Aegean Sea, Greece, between August 2001 and January

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.…

Detection and zoonotic potential of Trichinella spp. from free-range pig farming in Greece.

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Papatsiros, V G; Boutsini, S; Ntousi, D; Stougiou, D; Mintza, D; Bisias, A

2012-06-01

Trichinellosis is a serious parasitic zoonosis, which is widely distributed around the world. Pork meat is still the predominant source of outbreaks of human trichinellosis in many countries. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of Trichinella spp. as an important risk factor on the free-range pig farming sector in Greece. In 2009, during routine testing for the detection of Trichinella larvae at slaughterhouses and the National Reference Laboratory for Parasites (NRL), a total of 826,426 pigs were tested with the magnetic stirrer method for Trichinella spp. at slaughterhouses, including 2,892 samples from free-range pigs. Two positive samples were detected: one positive for Trichinella britovi and one positive for Trichinella spp. (unspecified) in the samples from wild farmed free-range pigs. It is alarming that one of these cases was connected with clinical signs of trichinellosis in five persons of the same family in northeastern Greece, who consumed undercooked pork meat from a free-range pig farm. During 2010, a total number of 1,295,034 pigs were tested with same method, including 4,159 samples from free-range pig farms. Five positive samples for Trichinella spp. (unspecified) were detected from 4,159 free-range pigs tested by the Greek NRL. Moreover, 363 serum samples from free-range pigs were serologically tested with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Moreover, 363 serum samples from farmed free-range pigs were serologically tested with ELISA, and 15 samples were found positive. Finally, the present study is the first report of detection of T. britovi in Greece. In conclusion, based on the results of the present study, Trichinella spp. is a high-risk factor for the free-range pig farming in Greece.

Serological prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in dairy goats and ewes diagnosed with adverse pregnancy outcomes in Greece.

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Filioussis, George; Theodoridis, Alexandros; Papadopoulos, Dimitrios; Gelasakis, Athanasios I; Vouraki, Sotiria; Bramis, George; Arsenos, Georgios

2017-12-23

Coxiella burnetii is an obligatory intracellular bacterial pathogen causing the zoonotic disease Q fever. The most common reservoirs of C. burnetii are wild mammals, birds and ticks. Pregnant domestic ruminants infected with this bacterium are also a major source of human infection. The serological prevalence of C. burnetii in goats and sheep diagnosed with adverse pregnancy outcomes was assessed by undertaking a survey on 800 dairy goats and 800 dairy ewes reared in four different regions of Greece (Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly, and Peloponnese). A stratified sampling was carried out, taking also as a criterion the age of the animals. Serum antibodies were analyzed by a commercial ELISA according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Generally, there was a statistically significantly higher serological prevalence of C. burnetii (14.4%) in goats compared to sheep (8%). Serological prevalence was higher in adults (15.5% in goats and 8.5% in sheep) compared to yearlings (7.4% in goats and 4.6% in sheep). The prevalence increased significantly with age only in goats. Finally, all animals reared in Peloponnese had a prevalence significantly higher (21% in goats and 18% in sheep) than animals reared in the other three regions. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report that associates C. burnetii with reproductive disturbances of domestic ruminants in Greece. However, considering the importance of coxiellosis for public health, further investigations are required on its epidemiology regarding abortion, premature delivery, stillbirth and weak offspring in small ruminants, as well as in other domestic and wild animal species.

Stable isotope (2H, 17O, 18O) and hydro chemical patterns of precipitation collected in weekly resolution at Hannover, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Koeniger, Paul; Himmelsbach, Thomas

2016-04-01

Long-term observations of stable isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) in precipitation were initiated in May 2008 at the Federal Institute of Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) in Hannover, Germany. In 2014 all precipitation samples were re-analyzed because a purchase of a new laser spectrometer (Picarro L2140-i) now allowed measurements of δ17O and a calculation of the 17O-excess parameter. Starting in October 2015 a routine analysis of hydro chemical parameters was added whenever enough sample aliquot was available (major ions, trace elements). A discussion of the stable isotope data of the seven year series of weekly precipitation samples (n = 370) will be presented. Beneath general patterns (seasonality and trends) we also focus on importance of amount weighing procedures, corrections for minor rain amounts, aspects of sample storage and re-analyzes, as well as impacts through changes in analytical equipment (IRMS, CRD spectroscopy) which is visible from the data. For stable isotopes a Thermo Fisher delta plus IRMS (Gasbench and H-Device) was used until 2011 and from 2012 on a Picarro L2120-i water vapor analyzer with long-term accuracies for quality check samples better than 0.2‰ and 0.8‰ for δ18O and δ2H, respectively.

Double-bouquet cells in the monkey and human cerebral cortex with special reference to areas 17 and 18.

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DeFelipe, Javier; Ballesteros-Yáñez, Inmaculada; Inda, Maria Carmen; Muñoz, Alberto

2006-01-01

The detailed microanatomical study of the human cerebral cortex began in 1899 with the experiments of Santiago Ramón y Cajal, who applied the Golgi method to define the structure of the visual, motor, auditory and olfactory cortex. In the first article of this series, he described a special type of interneuron in the visual cortex capable of exerting its influence in the vertical dimension. These neurons are now more commonly referred to as double-bouquet cells (DBCs). The DBCs are readily distinguished owing to their characteristic axons that give rise to tightly interwoven bundles of long, vertically oriented axonal collaterals resembling a horsetail (DBC horsetail). Nevertheless, the most striking characteristic of these neurons is that they are so numerous and regularly distributed that the DBC horsetails form a microcolumnar structure. In addition, DBCs establish hundreds of inhibitory synapses within a very narrow column of cortical tissue. These features have generated considerable interest in DBCs over recent years, principally among those researchers interested in the analysis of cortical circuits. In the present chapter, we shall discuss the morphology, synaptic connections and neurochemical features of DBCs that have been defined through the study of these cells in different cortical areas and species. We will mainly consider the immunocytochemical studies of DBCs that have been carried out in the visual cortex (areas 17 and 18) of human and macaque monkey. We will see that there are important differences in the morphology, number and distribution of DBC horsetails between areas 17 and 18 in the primate. This suggests important differences in the microcolumnar organization between these areas, the functional significance of which awaits detailed correlative physiological and microanatomical studies.

Reflections on the number of athletic competitions in pre-Hellenistic Greece

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Thomas Heine

2016-01-01

This paper presents some brief reflections on the cultural rôle played by athletics in Prehellenistic Greece, and it does so by considering the contexts in which athletic competitions took place and by attempting to estimate, in a very rough way, how many religious festivals included athletic com...

Two new infraspecific taxa of Verbascum delphicum (Scrophulariaceae, Scrophularieae) from mainland Greece and the island of Evvia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zografidis, Aris

2016-01-01

Verbascum delphicum Boiss. & Heldr. subsp. cervi Zografidis (Scrophulariaceae, Scrophularieae) is described as a subspecies new to science and illustrated. It is narrowly distributed in the Greek National Park of Mt Parnitha (Attica, Greece) with a very small population size. The new subspecies is a seldom-collected taxon, previously overlooked and misidentified as consubspecific with the autonymous subspecies, an endemic of the island of Evvia (Greece). Also described in this study is a new variety of subsp. delphicum from Mt Ochi of southern Evvia.

[Matrimonial radius and anthropologic differentiation of the population of the Peloponnese, Greece].

Science.gov (United States)

Pitsios, T K

1983-09-01

Mean matrimonial radius (MMR) and mean breeding radius (MBR) were studied in the population of the Peloponnese (Greece). The historical and geographical causes of these important genetical variables are discussed considering, too, their effects on the anthropological differentiation of this population.

High voltage direct current (HVDC) link between the power networks of Italy and Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carcano, C.; Oliva, P.; Voyatzakis, J.

1996-01-01

Interconnection between the power networks of Italy and Greece has long been declared of European interest. The link, which will directly connect Greece with the power network of UCPTE, is perfectly in line with the targets of the European Union in terms of trans-European power networks. The interconnection, which benefits of a financial contribution of the EU, will rely on a 400 kV d.c. transmission system with one submarine cable between the Italian and Greek coasts, overhead lines on land, d.c./a.c. conversion stations, return of current to sea via marine electrodes. The main technical features of the project are described, highlighting its most significant design concepts. (author)

Adverse effect of the financial crisis in Greece on perinatal factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zografaki, Irini; Papamichail, Dimitris; Panagiotopoulos, Takis

2018-05-16

Starting in 2008 recession affected many European countries and especially Greece. Previous studies have reported increases in low birth weight, preterm birth and stillbirth rates in Greece during early crisis. In our study we used data on births from 1980 to 2014 that allowed us to distinguish recent changes, which could possibly be attributed to the financial crisis, from long term trends, and controlled for maternal age and country of origin as potential confounders. Our study covered a longer period (up to 2014) than what has been studied before and looked separately at the effect of early and established crisis. We used national vital statistics data from 1980 to 2014. We performed age standardization and calculated age standardized rates and standardized rate ratios (SRRs) for perinatal factors for three time periods (pre-crisis, early crisis and established crisis) for Greek and non-Greek women. We found an increase in low birth weight deliveries independent of maternal age and origin and an increased stillbirth rate in Greek women younger than 25 in early (RR = 1.42 95%CI: 1.12-1.80) and established crisis periods (RR = 1.36 95%CI: 1.07-1.72) compared with pre-crisis. Non-Greek women have also been affected, with their advantage regarding birth outcomes becoming less profound in the established crisis period (low birth weight: established crisis SRR = 0.84 95%CI: 0.82-0.87, pre-crisis SRR = 0.79 95% CI: 0.76- 0.81). The financial crisis has possibly adversely affected perinatal factors in Greece. Our results highlight the need of appropriate public health interventions and family support policies, especially for younger people, unemployed and immigrants.

[The health of migrants at the Greece-Macedonia border].

Science.gov (United States)

Moutamalle, Raphaël

2016-01-01

At the border between Greece and Macedonia, a transit camp for refugees is turning into a permanent camp. The management of the health emergency is assured by international teams from several humanitarian organisations, including the French Red Cross. The organisation of the care team, the cultural differences and the lack of resources are just some of the factors to be considered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Texts of the Instruments concerning the Agency's Assistance to Greece for the continuation of a Research Reactor Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1972-01-01

The texts of the Title Transfer Agreement between the Agency and the Governments of Greece and the United States of America, and of the Project Agreement between the Agency and the Government of Greece concerning the Agency's assistance to that Government for the continuation of a research reactor project, are reproduced herein for the information of all Members. Both Agreements entered into force on 1 March 1972

Anthelmintic resistance and multidrug resistance in sheep gastro-intestinal nematodes in France, Greece and Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Geurden, Thomas; Hoste, Herve; Jacquiet, Philippe; Traversa, Donato; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Frangipane di Regalbono, Antonio; Tzanidakis, Nikolaos; Kostopoulou, Despoina; Gaillac, Christie; Privat, Simon; Giangaspero, Annunziata; Zanardello, Claudia; Noé, Laura; Vanimisetti, Bindu; Bartram, David

2014-03-17

Anthelmintic resistance (AR) in ovine gastro-intestinal nematodes has been reported to affect the health and productivity of sheep globally. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of commonly used oral drenches in sheep in France, Greece and Italy. In each country, 10 farms were selected. On each farm, 50 animals were blocked based on the pre-treatment faecal egg count (FEC). Within each block, animals were randomly allocated to one of 5 treatment groups. In addition to an untreated control group, there were 4 groups treated per oral route: moxidectin (MOX) and ivermectin (IVM), both at 0.2mg/kg bodyweight, levamisole (LEV; at 7.5mg/kg bodyweight) and a benzimidazole (BZ; at 3.75-5mg/kg bodyweight). In France, animals were not treated with LEV, but with netobimin (NET; at 7.5mg/kg bodyweight). The FEC was monitored using a modified McMaster technique. Two weeks after treatment, individual faecal samples were taken from all animals and efficacy was calculated as the difference between arithmetic mean FEC of the control group versus each respective treatment group. The results of the present study indicate the high efficacy of treatment with oral formulations of MOX (99-100%) and IVM (98-100%) on all farms, except on 1 farm in Greece. On this farm, multi drug resistance (MDR) was identified involving 4 anthelmintics (efficacy MOX: 91%; IVM: 0%; BZ: 58% and LEV: 87%). In Greece and Italy, AR against LEV and BZ was observed on some farms, with MDR involving both anthelmintics on 3 farms in Greece and on 2 farms in Italy. In France, AR against BZ and NET was observed on all 10 farms included. In all countries, Teladorsagia sp. was the most common nematode larva identified after treatment, followed by Haemonchus sp. and Trichostrongylus sp., with differences among farms and treatments. The current study confirms the high efficacy of oral treatments with MOX and IVM, even on farms with worm populations resistant to BZ, LEV or NET. This study also

Temporary agency work, migration and the crisis in Greece: labour market segmentation intensified.

Science.gov (United States)

Maroukis, Thanos

2016-05-01

This article focuses on the under-researched temporary agency employment in Greece. It shows that the development of the temporary employment agency sector has gone hand in hand with the flow of undocumented and exploitable migrant labour in Greece over the past 25 years, reflecting the segmentation of the Greek labour market along ethnic lines. Using empirical research evidence on the operation of temporary employment agencies in the Greek hospitality and health care sectors, the article highlights the precarious or even illicit nature of agency employment in a context in which labour outsourcing and flexible employment are promoted by policy-makers. Last but not least, it suggests that the segmented landscape of the Greek labour market has become more complex during the economic crisis, with more and more Greeks drawn to agency-mediated precarious employment.

A telehealth integrated asthma-COPD service for primary care: a proposal for a pilot feasibility study in Crete, Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tzanakis Nikolaos E

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD and asthma are considered underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed chronic diseases. In The Netherlands, a COPD-asthma telemedicine service has been developed to increase GPs' ability to diagnose and manage COPD and asthma. A telemedicine COPD-asthma service may benefit Greece as it is a country, partly due to its geography, that does not have easy access to pulmonologists. Findings Therefore, a pilot feasibility study has been designed in Greece in order to establish this telemedicine service. Ten rural practices, in the island of Crete, with an average population of 2000 patients per practice will pilot the project supported by three pulmonologists. This paper presents the translated interfaces, the flowcharts and the steps that are considered as necessary for this feasibility study in Crete, Greece.

Suicide by pesticide poisoning: findings from the island of Crete, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Kastanaki, Anastasia E; Kraniotis, Christos F; Kranioti, Elena F; Nathena, Despoina; Theodorakis, Pavlos N; Michalodimitrakis, Manolis

2010-01-01

The role of pesticides in suicidal acts has not yet received adequate attention in Greece despite an evident rise of 39% in pesticide use over the period 1990-1992 to 2002-2004. To investigate the epidemiology of pesticide suicide on the Greek island of Crete, a largely rural agricultural area, and by further exploring the victim profiles, as well as patterns and trends of pesticide ingestion, to suggest probable preventive measures. Self-poisoning suicides between 1999 and 2007 were reviewed and information gathered was entered into a computerized database. The overall incidence of intentional pesticide poisoning was 1.7 per 100,000, representing the second most frequently used suicide method after hanging. The victim profile was composed of the following features: middle aged male, rural habitant, who carried out a suicidal act by consuming primarily methomyl or paraquat (WHO toxicity class Ib and class II, respectively). As to the place of death, the vast majority was found dead in the place of intoxication. Pesticide self-poisoning accounts for a quarter of the suicides in Crete. More detailed research is required to identify aspects of these deaths amenable to prevention, but measures such as bans on the most toxic pesticides and changes in storage practice would appear to be sensible initial approaches.

Public Management Reform in Napoleonic states: france, greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain

OpenAIRE

E. Ongaro

2008-01-01

The special issue fills a gap in literature by providing systematic and comparative analysis of public management reform in five under-investigated countries in the Napoleonic administrative tradition: France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain. It thus provides an important contribution to the widening of the comparative research agenda in public management

(2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-Octaethylporphyrinato-κ4Ncobalt(II–2-nitrobenzaldehyde (1/2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anissa Mansour

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Co(C36H44N4]·2C7H5NO3, is composed of one half of the complex, arranged about an inversion center, and a complete 2-nitrobenzaldehyde (NBA molecule. The structure consists of columns that contain interleaved molecules of NBA and [CoII(OEP] (OEP is 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octaethylporphyrin, which are stacked along the a axis. The CoII atom is involved in a π interaction with the ring of the NBA molecule with a centroid–metal distance of 3.508 (6 Å. There is an intramolecular C—H...O hydrogen bond in the NBA molecule.

Highlights from the first ecancer-Liga Colombiana contra el Cancer conference, 17-18 November 2016, Bogota, Colombia.

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Carlos

2017-01-01

The first oncology conference organised by e cancer and the Liga Colombiana contra el Cancer took place on 17-18 November 2016 in Bogota. It was a highly successful event owing to the number of participants, the quality of the speakers, and the academic programme. Around 48 professors from 8 different countries came and shared their knowledge and experience of cancer management. They also talked about the most recent developments noted or achieved in this area. The keynote speech from Dr Nubia Muñoz was of great interest which was related to the safety of a HPV vaccine and the implications of a mass vaccination programme in developing countries. Geriatric oncology and palliative care were also topics that sparked great interest during the event.

Country policy profile - Greece. August 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-08-01

In Greece, electricity from renewable sources is promoted through a feed-in tariff, subsidies a tax exemption and a net metering scheme. Renewable energy sources for heating purposes profit from a tax exemption and a subsidy scheme. The main incentive for renewable energy use in transport is a quota system (RES-Legal Europe, 2014). The Greek progress report was released by the EC in March 2014. This EurObserv'ER report reports on a new Greek law: 'Measures for the support and development of Greek economy within the scope of application of Law 4046/2012 and other provisions', published in the Government Gazette on 7 April 2014, introducing various new elements in the Greek RES policy

A national scale flood hazard mapping methodology: The case of Greece - Protection and adaptation policy approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Incidence and other epidemiological characteristics of sudden cardiac death in northwest Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Goudevenos, J A; Papadimitriou, E D; Papathanasiou, A; Makis, A C; Pappas, K; Sideris, D A

1995-03-24

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) has not been investigated separately in Greece. The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological characteristics of people dying suddenly out of hospital in an area of Greece. In 1990, a population based study was started to detect the cases of people dying suddenly out of hospital (Greece (Ioannina area: 160,000 inhabitants). During a 3.5 year period, 283 potential cases aged 30-70 years were identified by monitoring the mortality in the emergency rooms of the two hospitals of the area, the coroner's office and the death certificates from the Government Department of Statistics. The diagnosis of SCD was established in 223 (183 men, 40 women; mean ages 59 and 61 years respectively) after visiting and interviewing the relatives and/or the family doctors within 12 days (range 1-28) after the death. SCD in the study accounts for 50% of all cardiovascular deaths and is the most common cause of death after neoplasia. The most common place of death was home (151 cases, 68%), and in 174 cases (78%) deaths occurred while the patients were relaxing or during routine activities. Prodromal symptoms were reported in 57 cases (26%). The time of day of death showed a circadian variation, with a peak in the late morning from 9:00 to 12:00. Ninety four (42%) had a prior history of heart disease. One hundred and ninety one cases (86%) occurred in the subgroup of age 50-70 years.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Data on the scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) fauna of Greece, with description of two new species.

Science.gov (United States)

Szita, Éva; Fetykó, Kinga Gabriela; Benedicty, Zsuzsanna Konczné; Kozár, Ferenc; Partsinevelos, Georgios; Milonas, Panagiotis; Kaydan, Mehmet Bora

2017-10-09

Surveys of the scale insect (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) fauna of Greece were carried out in 2013 and 2014. Altogether 93 scale insect species were collected, belonging to 11 families. Thirty-eight species (41%) proved to be new to the Greek fauna, including two species new to science (Anophococcus hellenicus Kaydan & Szita sp. n. (Acanthococcidae) and Iberococcus attikus Szita & Fetykó sp. n. (Pseudococcidae)), and two introduced invasive species (Phenacoccus graminicola Leonardi and Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana), both Pseudococcidae). The rest of the species seem to be native to the Greek fauna. The total number of scale insect species recorded from Greece is increased to 253.

Incubation as a form of psychotherapy in the care of patients in ancient and modern Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Papageorgiou, M G

1975-01-01

Incubation or temple sleep in sanctuaries of Aesculapius, Amphiaraos, Trophonios, etc., for the care of patients was practised even in the older times of ancient Greece and may be viewed as a form of psychotherapy and especially as 'dream-psychotherapy'. In Greek antiquity, as it is known, dreams were considered as a way of communication between gods and men. Survival of the custom of incubation exists even in our times in modern Greece, but are disappearing slowly. An attempt is made to find an explanation, if any, of those miraculous cures in accordance with the scientific thought of today.

Burial customs, the afterlife and pollution of death in ancient Greece

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Funerary practices in ancient Greece were influenced by contemporary views on the afterlife and by concepts of pollution, but also by a desire to limit costs and a need to prevent the process of burial from causing inconvenience to the community or providing an opportunity for exploitation by those with ulterior political ...

The Development of Vocational Education Policy in Greece: A Critical Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Patiniotis, Nikitas; Stavroulakis, Dimitris

1997-01-01

Vocational education in Greece has been slow to develop due to a labor market favoring low-skilled labor and a culture encouraging university education. Lack of continuity in national policy and low state financing have resulted in a system unable to deal with such crucial issues as unemployment and new technologies. (SK)

Laypersons' expectation of the sequelae of whiplash injury: a cross-cultural comparative study between Canada and Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrari, Robert; Constantoyannis, Constantine; Papadakis, Nikolas

2003-03-01

The objective of the present study is to compare the frequency and nature of expected 'whiplash' symptoms in Greece [a country where the chronic whiplash syndrome is rare or unknown] with that in Canada. A symptom checklist was administered to 2 subject groups selected from local companies in Patras Greece, and Edmonton, Canada, respectively. Subjects were asked to imagine having suffered a neck sprain [whiplash injury] with no loss of consciousness in a motor vehicle collision, and to check which, of a variety of symptoms, they would expect might arise from the injury. For symptoms they anticipated, they were asked to select the period of time they expected those symptoms to persist. In both the Greek and Edmontonian groups, the pattern of symptoms anticipated closely resembled the acute symptoms commonly reported by accident victims with acute neck sprain, but while up to 50% of Edmontonians also anticipated symptoms to last months or years, very few Greek subjects selected any symptoms as likely to persist. In Greece, despite the documented occurrence of neck sprain symptoms in individuals following motor vehicle collisions, there is a very low rate of expectation of any sequelae from this injury. What current or previous aspects of society that underlie this remain uncertain. This lack of expectation of chronicity in Greece may, in part, determine the low prevalence of the chronic whiplash syndrome there. Further studies of symptom expectation as an etiologic factor in the chronic whiplash syndrome are needed.

Risk-based estimate of effect of foodborne diseases on public health, Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gkogka, E.; Reij, M.W.; Havelaar, A.H.; Zwietering, M.H.; Gorris, L.G.M.

2011-01-01

The public health effects of illness caused by foodborne pathogens in Greece during 1996–2006 was quantified by using publicly available surveillance data, hospital statistics, and literature. Results were expressed as the incidence of different disease outcomes and as disability-adjusted life years

On a new Petasites species from the southern Pindos (Greece)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Kit; Zielinski, Jerzy; Vladimirov, Vladimir

2010-01-01

Petasites anapetrovianus (Asteraceae) is described as a new species endemic to Mt Peristeri in S Pindos, Greece. It resembles P. paradoxus from the Pyrenees, Alps and Eastern Carpathians with southward extensions to Slovenia, Croatia (Velebit Mts) and Central Bosnia (Mt Vlasic) but can be easily...

[Secular trends of height among Chinese students aged 17 in 18 ethnic minorities from 1985 to 2010].

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yi; Hu, Pei-jin; Zhang, Bing; Ma, Jun

2015-06-18

To analyze the secular trends of height among Chinese students aged 17 in different ethnic minorities from 1985 to 2010. A total of 18 Chinese ethnic minorities' students, including Mongolian, Hui, Uygur, Zhuang, Korean, Tibetan, Miao, Buyi, Dong, Bai, Tujia, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Wa, Nakhi, Tu and Qiang as subjects were sampled from the 1985, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010 Chinese National Surveys on Students' Constitution and Health. The heights of 17 years old people by gender in various ethnic minorities were analyzed and compared. From 1985 to 2010, the increments of adult heights increased significantly in many ethnic minorities' boys. In 2010, the average height of boys aged 17 years in each minority group was higher than 162 cm and was higher than 170 cm among boys from Hui, Mongolian and Korean groups. The ethnics with height growth rates of more than 2 cm per decade in boys were Hui (2.64 cm/decade) and Dong (2.05 cm/decade) and the ethnics with height growth rates of more than 1 cm per decade were Korean (1.99 cm/decade), Tibetan (1.90 cm/decade), Hani (1.80 cm/decade) and the other 9 minority groups. The average height of girls aged 17 years in each minority group was higher than 150 cm in 2010. The heights showed an upward trend in 15 minority groups, but with different degrees. The ethnics with height growth rates of more than 1 cm per decade were Hui (1.56 cm/decade) and Korean (1.29 cm/decade). The increments that were significant between 1985 and 2010 were Hui (3.89 cm), Korean (3.23 cm), Dong (2.35 cm) and the other 6 minority groups (Pminority groups during the past 25 years, but there was an obvious disequilibrium among various ethnic minorities. We should pay more attention to the minority groups with poor growth and give them more help. Meanwhile, we should also pay attention to the negative effects of the secular growth trend on those minority groups with fast increasing adult height.

State Policy of Russia in the Field of Science and Education (The end of 17th-early 18th Centuries

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Veroniсa E. Matveenko

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The process of education and science intensive development in Russia at the end of the 17th - the beginning of the 18th centuries is completely related with the personality of Emperor Peter I (Great, who understood the grandiose importance of public education for Russia. The reforms of Peter I in the field of science and education became the most important foundation in the history of pedagogy and military affairs development in Russia, as well as in the history of the Russian state national security strengthening. The result of Peter I reforms in education was the creation of domestic regular Armed Forces of Russia and the provision of the Russian state with the experts of different profiles: military people, engineers, technicians and diplomats. The authors of the article carried out a comprehensive analysis of the materials available in Russia about the Peter schools in order to systematize and preserve these data for pedagogical science and history. The work studied the documents (decrees and letters of Peter the Great reflecting the reforms in the field of science and education of Russia at the end of the 17th - early 18th centuries. With the support of historical documents, the establishment chronology of the first schools in Russia, the conditions for schoolchildren teaching, the structure and the content of training programs were described, and the teaching aids used in Peter schools were listed.

Pollen Foraging by Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera L. in Greece: Botanical and Geographical Origin

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Dimou Maria

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Pollen is very important for honey bee colony development and nutrition. It is also a valuable product for human consumption, considered to have high nutritional value. In this study, we performed melissopalynological analysis of 285 pollen load samples collected from 44 apiaries throughout Greece. The analysis revealed 229 plant taxa represented in total. The abundance of each pollen type varied among the geographical areas from which the samples were collected. We also observed variation among samples collected from the same geographical region. The most frequently found families were Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Rosaceae. The most frequently observed taxa were Brassicaceae, Carduus type, Cistus and Papaver rhoeas. Statistical analysis showed that the geographical classification of pollen samples among northern, central and southern Greece is possible.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Future prospects for the management of radioactive waste in greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savidou, A.

2015-01-01

In Greece, there isn.t yet any decision for construction of a disposal facility. Since the predisposal management of radioactive waste should be aligned with the disposal solutions, the determination of the disposal options is essential for the selection of the technology needed for treatment and conditioning of the wastes. The scope of the present study is the investigation of the disposal options for Greece. Firstly, the study deals with the preliminary inventory as well as the classification of the existing radioactive waste and the prediction of the expected waste from decommissioning of the open pool type at 5 MW Greek Research Reactor (GRR-1). The existing radioactive waste includes the institutional waste from the operation of GRR-1 and associated facilities as well as orphan sources and other radioactive items collected in the frame of emergency by the Greek Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) and kept at the interim storage of the National Centre for Scientific Research ''Demokritos'' NCSR ''D''. Based on the present inventory of radioactive waste, the establishment of a small scale and LILW geological repository seems to be the appropriate and most acceptable by the public disposal solution. (authors)

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Greece Financial Crises and Sukuk Markets: Experience From Gulf Countries

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Aldrin Herwany

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Many studies have been carried out to investigate the impact of recent European financial crises on the performance of financial instruments in other regions. Nevertheless, there have been insufficient studies explaining such impact on Islamic financial instrument. In particular, whether Greece Financial crises have affected performance of Sukuk traded in Gulf Markets needs to be answered. This study is aimed at empirically investigating the causality of credit and liquidity risk on Sukuk Markets in Gulf economies in the period of Greece Financial Crises. We analyzed the Sukuk data by employing Granger casuality test, with all the associated vector autoregression model procedures. Our findings show that Bahrain sukuk market is cointegrated with those of Qatar and UAE in the full period observation. Meanwhile, during the crisis, Qatar Sukuk market is cointegrated with those of UAE Bahrain. We also find that Bahrain Sukuk triggers market shock in both Qatar and UAE Sukuk markets. Bahrain consistently causes changes in price and spread of UAE Sukuk, both in the context of the full period and the during-crisis period.DOI: 10.15408/aiq.v9i1.3733

Probabilistic analysis of drought spatiotemporal characteristics inThessaly region, Greece

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A. Loukas

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The temporal and spatial characteristics of meteorological drought are investigated to provide a framework for sustainable water resources management in the region of Thessaly, Greece. Thessaly is the most intensely cultivated and productive agricultural plain region in Greece. Thessaly's total area is about 13700 km2 and it is surrounded by mountains and traversed by Pinios River. Using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI as an indicator of drought severity, the characteristics of droughts are examined. Thessaly was divided into 212 grid-cells of 8 x 8 km and monthly precipitation data for the period 1960–1993 from 50 meteorological stations were used for global interpolation of precipitation using spatial co-ordinates and elevation data. Drought severity was assessed from the estimated gridded SPI values at multiple time scales. Firstly, the temporal and spatial characteristics of droughts were analyzed and then, Drought Severity – Areal extent – Frequency (SAF annual and monthly curves were developed. The analysis indicated that moderate and severe droughts are common in Thessaly region. Using the SAF curves, the return period of selected severe drought events was assessed.

Aquatic dance flies (Diptera, Empididae, Clinocerinae and Hemerodromiinae of Greece: species richness, distribution and description of five new species

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Marija Ivković

2017-12-01

Full Text Available All records of aquatic dance flies (37 species in subfamily Clinocerinae and 10 species in subfamily Hemerodromiinae from the territory of Greece are summarized, including previously unpublished data and data on five newly described species (Chelifera horvati Ivković & Sinclair, sp. n., Wiedemannia iphigeniae Ivković & Sinclair, sp. n., W. ljerkae Ivković & Sinclair, sp. n., W. nebulosa Ivković & Sinclair, sp. n. and W. pseudoberthelemyi Ivković & Sinclair, sp. n.. The new species are described and illustrated, the male terminalia of Clinocera megalatlantica (Vaillant are illustrated and the distributions of all species within Greece are listed. The aquatic Empididae fauna of Greece consists of 47 species, with the following described species reported for the first time: Chelifera angusta Collin, Hemerodromia melangyna Collin, Clinocera megalatlantica, Kowarzia plectrum (Mik, Phaeobalia dimidiata (Loew, W. (Chamaedipsia beckeri (Mik, W. (Philolutra angelieri Vaillant and W. (P. chvali Joost. A key to species of aquatic Empididae of Greece is provided for the first time. Information related to the European Ecoregions in which species were found is given. Compared to the other studied countries in the Balkans, the Greek species assemblage is most similar to that of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Organ donation knowledge and attitudes among health science students in Greece: emerging interprofessional needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Symvoulakis, Emmanouil K; Rachiotis, George; Papagiannis, Dimitrios; Markaki, Adelais; Dimitroglou, Yiannis; Morgan, Myfanwy; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos; Jones, Roger

2014-01-01

The impact of presumed consent on donation rates has been widely debated. In June 2013 Greece adopted a 'soft' presumed consent law for organ and tissue donation, where relatives' approval is sought prior to organ removal. To report on the knowledge, attitudes and concerns of undergraduate students, enrolled in three health science disciplines, in regards to organ donation and presumed consent. Undergraduate junior and senior health science students [medical (MS), nursing (NS) and medical laboratory students (MLS)] were recruited from higher education settings in Thessaly, Greece. Dichotomous questions, previously used, were adopted to assess knowledge, attitudes and concerns towards organ donation, together with questions regarding the recent presumed consent legislation. Three hundred seventy-one out of 510 students participated in the study (response rate: 72.7%). Only 3.6% of NS, 8.7% of MS and 3.2% of MLS carried a donor card. Although over 78% in all groups knew that it was possible to leave kidneys for transplant after death, only 10% to 39% considered themselves well-informed. NS were more likely to consider opting-out (21.5%), followed by MLS (17.9%) and MS (10.9%). Respondents were more likely to refuse organ removal upon death when expressing one of the following views: a) opposing a system making it lawful to take kidneys from an adult who has just died, unless forbidden while alive [Odds ratio (OR) 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 2.96 (1.48-5.93), p=0.002], b) worrying about their kidneys being removed after death [OR, 95% CI: 3.37 (1.75-6.49), p=students, soon to become healthcare professionals, demonstrated limited awareness in regards to the newly reformed organ donation system. Identified knowledge deficits and concerns could have far-reaching implications in terms of conveying a clear message and shaping the public's stand. The feasibility and effectiveness of a joint inter-professional curriculum on organ and tissue donation issues across all three

Temporary agency work, migration and the crisis in Greece: labour market segmentation intensified

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

This article focuses on the under-researched temporary agency employment in Greece. It shows that the development of the temporary employment agency sector has gone hand in hand with the flow of undocumented and exploitable migrant labour in Greece over the past 25 years, reflecting the segmentation of the Greek labour market along ethnic lines. Using empirical research evidence on the operation of temporary employment agencies in the Greek hospitality and health care sectors, the article highlights the precarious or even illicit nature of agency employment in a context in which labour outsourcing and flexible employment are promoted by policy-makers. Last but not least, it suggests that the segmented landscape of the Greek labour market has become more complex during the economic crisis, with more and more Greeks drawn to agency-mediated precarious employment. PMID:27499601

Composition and production rate of pharmaceutical and chemical waste from Xanthi General Hospital in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Voudrias, Evangelos; Goudakou, Lambrini; Kermenidou, Marianthi; Softa, Aikaterini

2012-07-01

The objective of this work was to determine the composition and production rates of pharmaceutical and chemical waste produced by Xanthi General Hospital in Greece (XGH). This information is important to design and cost management systems for pharmaceutical and chemical waste, for safety and health considerations and for assessing environmental impact. A total of 233 kg pharmaceutical and 110 kg chemical waste was collected, manually separated and weighed over a period of five working weeks. The total production of pharmaceutical waste comprised 3.9% w/w of the total hazardous medical waste produced by the hospital. Total pharmaceutical waste was classified in three categories, vial waste comprising 51.1%, syringe waste with 11.4% and intravenous therapy (IV) waste with 37.5% w/w of the total. Vial pharmaceutical waste only was further classified in six major categories: antibiotics, digestive system drugs, analgesics, hormones, circulatory system drugs and "other". Production data below are presented as average (standard deviation in parenthesis). The unit production rates for total pharmaceutical waste for the hospital were 12.4 (3.90) g/patient/d and 24.6 (7.48) g/bed/d. The respective unit production rates were: (1) for vial waste 6.4 (1.6) g/patient/d and 13 (2.6) g/bed/d, (2) for syringe waste 1.4 (0.4) g/patient/d and 2.8 (0.8) g/bed/d and (3) for IV waste 4.6 (3.0) g/patient/d and 9.2 (5.9) g/bed/d. Total chemical waste was classified in four categories, chemical reagents comprising 18.2%, solvents with 52.3%, dyes and tracers with 18.2% and solid waste with 11.4% w/w of the total. The total production of chemical waste comprised 1.8% w/w of the total hazardous medical waste produced by the hospital. Thus, the sum of pharmaceutical and chemical waste was 5.7% w/w of the total hazardous medical waste produced by the hospital. The unit production rates for total chemical waste for the hospital were 5.8 (2.2) g/patient/d and 1.1 (0.4) g/exam/d. The respective

Support of local entrepreneurship: An empirical investigation for Serres-Greece

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Balomenou Chrysanthi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper is divided into two parts, one theoretical and one empirical. The research deals with entrepreneurs that received loans from National Fund for Entrepreneurship and Development (ETEAN in Greek language. ETEAN provided enterprises with non interest or low interest loans based on state guarantees. The main objective of this research is to examine the project\\'s effectiveness and its contribution into local development on Regional Unity of Serres, Central Macedonia, Greece. The first part is divided into two sections. A comparative analysis of guarantees to small and medium enterprises (SME’s is presented in the first part referring to the European Union and in the second part to Greece. Particularly, in the first section of our paper presented data concerning guarantees provided in the EU. At the second section presented data which indicate the role of ETEAN’s programs into the contribution of local development in Greece and the moral hazards due to state provided guarantees. Furthermore, obstacles that entrepreneurs face when they applied for guarantee loans are analyzed in this part. Our data were extracted during the last three years by the extensive use of web links on the internet. Most data were taken from the websites of above mentioned ETEAN, the Pan-European Gateway to Business and Innovation Financing, the Gateway to European Research and Development and B.I.S. At the second part presented the results of our research based on 200 entrepreneurs in Serres who receive loans from ETEAN. The results analyzed with the use of descriptive statistical methods and correlations. It is noticeable that businessmen’s answers are similar to those deduced from the results of the researches that have been referred to in bibliography. In the final part of this paper the main conclusion is pointed out and that is that those programs which provide enterprises low interest or non interest loans support local development.

Household consumption, associated fossil fuel demand and carbon dioxide emissions: The case of Greece between 1990 and 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papathanasopoulou, Eleni

2010-01-01

This paper explores how Greece's household consumption has changed between 1990 and 2006 and its environmental implications in terms of fossil fuel demand and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. The results show that the 44% increase in Greece's household expenditure between 1990 and 2006 was accompanied by a 67% increase in fossil fuel demand. Of this total, indirect demand accounted for approximately 60% throughout the 16-year period, increasing by 56% overall, whereas direct fossil fuel demand grew by 80%. The results also show that associated CO 2 emissions increased by 60%, resulting in a 'relative decoupling' from energy demand. This relative decoupling is shown to be due to fossil fuel mix changes from the supply side rather than action from consumers. These insights highlight the opportunities for demand-side policies to further reduce fossil fuel demand and CO 2 emissions, allowing Greece to set more proactive and ambitious post-Kyoto targets.

Serbian schools and teaching of Serbian language in Greece in the 20th century

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Blagojević Gordana

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The topic of this work is Serbian schools and the teaching of Serbian language in Greece in the 20th century. During the first half of the 20th century the existence of Serbian people in Turkey (later in Greece was acknowledged through school and church. Thanks to the Serbian schools, Serbs as an invisible minority became a visible one. In the second half of the 20th century there is primarily a teaching of Serbian language as a foreign language. During this period, Serbian was accepted primarily by Greeks at courses and private classes. At the beginning of the nineties in the 20th century because of the war in the territory of Yugoslavia, a large number of refugees went to Greece. Teaching of Serbian as a native language was organized only ten years later (at the beginning of 21st century. In some places, the schools are located in consular sections and have the assistance of the country of origin (Thessalonica, Katerini while in Hani (Crete immigrants organized them-selves without the assistance from the country of origin. By studying Serbian schools and the teaching of Serbian language, this work considers relation towards language as a symbol of ethnic identity - at the individual level, at the level of receiving country and at the level of country of origin.

Educational segregation and the gender wage gap in Greece

OpenAIRE

Livanos, Ilias; Pouliakas, Konstantinos

2012-01-01

Purpose\\ud To investigate the extent to which differences in the subject of degree studied by male and female university graduates contributes to the gender pay gap in Greece, an EU country with historically large gender discrepancies in earnings and occupational segregation. In addition, to explore the reasons underlying the distinct educational choices of men and women, with particular emphasis on the role of wage uncertainty.\\ud \\ud Design/methodology/approach\\ud Using micro-data from the ...

Possible Rickettsia massiliae Infection in Greece: an Imported Case.

Science.gov (United States)

Chochlakis, Dimosthenis; Bongiorni, Christine; Partalis, Nikolaos; Tselentis, Yannis; Psaroulaki, Anna

2016-07-22

Tick-borne rickettsioses are endemic in Greece; however, until recently, only Rickettsia typhi and R. conorii were tested routinely in human samples arriving at the National Reference Center. During the last few years, the identification of different rickettsia species in ticks led to the introduction of other spotted fever group rickettsiae in routine analysis. Under the new scheme, R. massiliae is now tested routinely in human samples; herein, we describe a human case of this infection.

Twins in Ancient Greece: a synopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Malamitsi-Puchner, Ariadne

2016-01-01

This brief outline associates twins with several aspects of life in Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology twins caused ambivalent reactions and were believed to have ambivalent feelings for each other. Very often, they were viewed as the representatives of the dualistic nature of the universe. Heteropaternal superfecundation, which dominates in ancient myths, explains on one hand, the god-like qualities and, on the other hand, the mortal nature of many twins. An assumption is presented that legends referring to twins might reflect the territorial expansions of Ancient Greeks in Northern Mediterranean, around the Black Sea, in Asia Minor, as well as North East Africa. In conclusion, in Greek antiquity, twins have been used as transitional figures between myth and reality.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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…

A qualitative study on discrimination and ethical implications in stroke care in contemporary Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Theofanidis, Dimitrios

2015-12-01

Contemporary stroke care is diverse, contributing to complex ethical dilemmas and controversies. In Greece, continuing austerity measures and an ageing population are expected to increase the burden of stroke on health care delivery. We sought to explore ethical views and stances of health care professionals caring for stroke patients in Greece. Forms of discrimination against elderly hospitalized patients were also addressed. A qualitative design was adopted whereby an informal focus group interview and follow-up, face-to-face individual interviews were undertaken. The sample consisted of 12 nurses working in clinical areas with stroke patients. Their mean age was 31 years with a mean work experience of 10 years. Individual discussions were audio taped after subject consent and were transcribed verbatim subsequently for keywords-in-context analysis. Analysis of the focus interview revealed several recurring themes, namely, ward destination, admission policies, the concepts of age as related to stroke. Individual interviews highlighted several other topics, such as preferences for specific types of patients, communication capacity of the patient's condition, and his or her individual characteristics as a favoring or limiting factors, and challenges to age-related criteria for treatment. There is an age-related criteria of 65 years for ward destination after stroke as set by a ministerial decree, which is still practiced. Moreover, younger stroke patients may be offered more thorough assessments and clinical tests and therapies. Discrepancies in the level of care pose an ethical concern regarding levels of care for older stroke patients in Greece. A longstanding, age-related national policy in Greece regarding hospital admission criteria is shown to be a detrimental influence on ward admission for stroke patients. This policy, coupled with prehospital care protocols, was shown to promote ageism against this patient group. The age-related agenda in the Greek health

Estimating the disease burden of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1 from surveillance and household surveys in Greece.

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Vana Sypsa

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to assess the disease burden of the 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1 in Greece.Data on influenza-like illness (ILI, collected through cross-sectional nationwide telephone surveys of 1,000 households in Greece repeated for 25 consecutive weeks, were combined with data from H1N1 virologic surveillance to estimate the incidence and the clinical attack rate (CAR of influenza A(H1N1. Alternative definitions of ILI (cough or sore throat and fever>38°C [ILI-38] or fever 37.1-38°C [ILI-37] were used to estimate the number of symptomatic infections. The infection attack rate (IAR was approximated using estimates from published studies on the frequency of fever in infected individuals. Data on H1N1 morbidity and mortality were used to estimate ICU admission and case fatality (CFR rates. The epidemic peaked on week 48/2009 with approximately 750-1,500 new cases/100,000 population per week, depending on ILI-38 or ILI-37 case definition, respectively. By week 6/2010, 7.1%-15.6% of the population in Greece was estimated to be symptomatically infected with H1N1. Children 5-19 years represented the most affected population group (CAR:27%-54%, whereas individuals older than 64 years were the least affected (CAR:0.6%-2.2%. The IAR (95% CI of influenza A(H1N1 was estimated to be 19.7% (13.3%, 26.1%. Per 1,000 symptomatic cases, based on ILI-38 case definition, 416 attended health services, 108 visited hospital emergency departments and 15 were admitted to hospitals. ICU admission rate and CFR were 37 and 17.5 per 100,000 symptomatic cases or 13.4 and 6.3 per 100,000 infections, respectively.Influenza A(H1N1 infected one fifth and caused symptomatic infection in up to 15% of the Greek population. Although individuals older than 65 years were the least affected age group in terms of attack rate, they had 55 and 185 times higher risk of ICU admission and CFR, respectively.

Hilarionite, Fe{2/3+}(SO4)(AsO4)(OH) · 6H2O, a new supergene mineral from Lavrion, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Pekov, I. V.; Chukanov, N. V.; Yapaskurt, V. O.; Rusakov, V. S.; Belakovsky, D. I.; Turchkova, A. G.; Voudouris, P.; Magganas, A.; Katerinopoulos, A.

2014-12-01

A new mineral, hilarionite, ideally Fe{2/3+} (SO4)(AsO4)(OH) · 6H2O, has been found in the Hilarion Mine, Agios Konstantinos, Kamariza, Lavrion district, Attiki Prefecture, Greece. It was formed in the oxidation zone of a sulfide-rich orebody in association with goethite, gypsum, bukovskyite, jarosite, melanterite, chalcanthite, allophane, and azurite. Hilarionite occurs as light green (typically with an olive or grayish tint) to light yellowish green spherulites (up to 1 mm in size) and bunches of prismatic to acicular "individuals" up to 0.5 mm long that are in fact near-parallel or divergent aggregates of very thin, curved fibers up to 0.3 mm long and usually lesser than 2 μm thick. The luster is silky to vitreous. The Mohs' hardness is ca. 2. Hilarionite is ductile, its "individuals" are flexible and inelastic; fracture is uneven or splintery. D(meas) = 2.40(5), D(calc) = 2.486 g/cm3. IR spectrum shows the presence of arsenate and sulfate groups and H2O molecules in significant amounts. The Mössbauer spectrum indicates the presence of Fe3+ at two six-fold coordinated sites and the absence of Fe2+. Hilarionite is optically biaxial (+), α = 1.575(2), γ = 1.64(2), 2 V is large. The chemical composition (electron microprobe, average of 7 point analyses; H2O determined by modified Penfield method) is as follows, wt %: 0.03 MnO, 0.18 CuO, 0.17 ZnO, 33.83 Fe2O3, 0.22 P2O5, 18.92 As2O5, 22.19 SO3, 26.3 H2O, total is 101.82%. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 15 O is: (Fe{1.90/3+}Cu0.01Zn0.01)Σ1.92[(SO4)1.24(AsO4)0.74(PO4)0.01]Σ1.99(OH)1.01 · 6.03H2O. The X-ray powder diffraction data show close structural relationship of hilarionite and kaňkite, Fe{2/3+}(AsO4)2 · 7H2O. Hilarionite is monoclinic, space group C2/ m, Cm or C2, a = 18.53(4), b = 17.43(3), c = 7.56(1) Å, β = 94.06(15)°, V = 2436(3) Å3, Z = 8. The strongest reflections in the X-ray powder diffraction pattern ( d, Å- I[ hkl]) are: 12.66-100[110], , 5.00-10[22l], , 4

"These Things Don't Happen in Greece": A Qualitative Study of Greek Young People's Attitudes to Smoking, Secondhand Smoke and the Smokefree Legislation

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Tamvakas, Ioannis; Amos, Amanda

2010-01-01

Greece has the highest smoking prevalence in the European Union, with adolescents having high levels of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS). In July 2009, national smokefree legislation was implemented in Greece. This study explored Greek young people's attitudes to smoking, SHS and the impending legislation. Semi-structured qualitative interviews…

HERSCHEL/HIFI SEARCH FOR H{sub 2}{sup 17}O AND H{sub 2}{sup 18}O IN IRC+10216: CONSTRAINTS ON MODELS FOR THE ORIGIN OF WATER VAPOR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neufeld, David A. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Tolls, Volker; Melnick, Gary J. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Agundez, Marcelino [LAB, Universite de Bordeaux, UMR 5804, F-33270 Floirac (France); Gonzalez-Alfonso, Eduardo [Universidad de Alcala de Henares, Departamento de Fisica y Matematicas, Campus Universitario, E-28871 Alcala de Henares, Madrid (Spain); Decin, Leen [Instituut voor Sterrenkunde, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, 3001 Leuven (Belgium); Daniel, Fabien; Cernicharo, Jose [Departamento de Astrofisica, Centro de Astrobiologia, CSIC-INTA, Ctra. de Torrejon a Ajalvir km 4, E-28850 Madrid (Spain); Schmidt, Miroslaw; Szczerba, Ryszard [Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rabianska 8, 87-100 Torun (Poland)

2013-04-10

We report the results of a sensitive search for the minor isotopologues of water, H{sub 2}{sup 17}O and H{sub 2}{sup 18}O, toward the carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch star IRC+10216 (a.k.a. CW Leonis) using the HIFI instrument on the Herschel Space Observatory. This search was motivated by the fact that any detection of isotopic enhancement in the H{sub 2}{sup 17}O and H{sub 2}{sup 18}O abundances would have strongly implicated CO photodissociation as the source of the atomic oxygen needed to produce water in a carbon-rich circumstellar envelope. Our observations place an upper limit of 1/470 on the H{sub 2}{sup 17}O/H{sub 2}{sup 16}O abundance ratio. Given the isotopic {sup 17}O/{sup 16}O ratio of 1/840 inferred previously for the photosphere of IRC+10216, this result places an upper limit of a factor 1.8 on the extent of any isotope-selective enhancement of H{sub 2}{sup 17}O in the circumstellar material, and provides an important constraint on any model that invokes CO photodissociation as the source of O for H{sub 2}O production. In the context of the clumpy photodissociation model proposed previously for the origin of water in IRC+10216, our limit implies that {sup 12}C{sup 16}O (not {sup 13}C{sup 16}O or SiO) must be the dominant source of {sup 16}O for H{sub 2}O production, and that the effects of self-shielding can only have reduced the {sup 12}C{sup 16}O photodissociation rate by at most a factor {approx}2.

Update of indicators for climate change mitigation in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dimitroulopoulou, C.; Ziomas, I.

2011-01-01

This paper analyses the factors affecting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Greece, (i.e. the drivers of pressures on climate change), using environmental indicators related to energy, demographics and economic growth. The analysis is based on the data of 2008 and considers types of fuel and sectors. The Kaya identity is used to identify the relationship between drivers and pressures, using annual time series data of National GHG emissions, population, energy consumption and gross domestic product. The analysis shows that over the period 2000-2008, GHG emissions show a slight variation, but they are almost stabilised, with a total increase of 1.6%. Despite the economic growth over that period, this stabilisation may be considered as a combination of reductions in the energy intensity of GDP and the carbon intensity of energy, which are affected by improvements in energy efficiency and introduction of 'cleaner' fuels, such as natural gas and renewables in the energy mixture of the country. - Highlights: → We analyse drivers affecting GHG emissions (pressures on climate) in Greece, using indicators. → Indicators relate to energy, demographics and economic growth. → Kaya identity identifies the relationship between drivers and pressures. → GHG emissions are almost stable due to reductions in energy intensity and carbon intensity of energy. → Improvements in energy efficiency and introduction of clean fuels in energy mix reduce emissions.

A Late Glacial to Holocene record of environmental change from Lake Dojran (Macedonia, Greece

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A. Francke

2013-02-01

Full Text Available A Late Glacial to Holocene sediment sequence (Co1260, 717 cm from Lake Dojran, located at the boarder of the F.Y.R. of Macedonia and Greece, has been investigated to provide information on climate variability in the Balkan region. A robust age-model was established from 13 radiocarbon ages, and indicates that the base of the sequence was deposited at ca. 12 500 cal yr BP, when the lake-level was low. Variations in sedimentological (H2O, TOC, CaCO3, TS, TOC/TN, TOC/TS, grain-size, XRF, δ18Ocarb, δ13Ccarb, δ13Corg data were linked to hydro-acoustic data and indicate that warmer and more humid climate conditions characterised the remaining period of the Younger Dryas until the beginning of the Holocene. The Holocene exhibits significant environmental variations, including the 8.2 and 4.2 ka cooling events, the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age. Human induced erosion processes in the catchment of Lake Dojran intensified after 2800 cal yr BP.

Radiological and hydrochemical study of thermal and fresh groundwater samples of northern Euboea and Sperchios areas, Greece: insights into groundwater natural radioactivity and geology.

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Kanellopoulos, C; Mitropoulos, P; Argyraki, A

2018-04-04

A radiological and hydrochemical study has been conducted on thermal and fresh groundwater samples of northern Euboea Island and eastern central Greece. Both areas are characterized by complex geology and are renowned since antiquity for their hot springs, that are exploited for therapeutic spa purposes until today. The aim of the study was to combine radiological and hydrochemical data in order to achieve a holistic water quality assessment with insights into the geology of the study areas. All samples were characterized with respect to their major and trace ion and element composition, as well as activity concentrations of 222 Rn, 226 Ra, 228 Ra, 228 Th, and 40 K. The samples demonstrated elevated natural radioactivity and U concentrations, especially in some locations of the Kamena Vourla area, reaching 179 Bq/L 222 Rn, 2.2 Bq/L 226 Ra, 2.9 Bq/L 228 Ra, and 17 μg/L U. The estimated circulation depth of thermal groundwater ranges between 250 m in central Greece and 1240 m in north Euboea study area, whereas the calculated water residence times range between 27 and 555 years. Our data suggest the possible presence of an unknown until know U-rich plutonic rock formation in Kamena Vourla area and immiscibility of the fresh and thermal groundwaters in the studied areas.

Greece, Milos Island Geothermal Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delliou, E.E.

1990-01-01

On Milos island (Aegean Sea) a high enthalpy, water dominated geothermal field of high salinity exists. At 1985, a 2MW geothermoelectric pilot plant was installed on the island. This plant has been provided by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan under a contract with Public Power Corporation of Greece. Due to high salinity of the geothermal fluid, unforeseen problems (scaling mainly) arisen in both steam and brine cycles. As a consequence, the operation (trial mainly) of the power plant have been interrupted several times for long periods, in order to identify the arisen, each time, problems and find the most appropriate technical solution. The above fact, as well as, some unfortunate coincidences described in this paper, led Milos people to react against geothermal development in their island. The sequence of the events, technical and non-technical, their approach and the relevant conclusions are reported in this presentation

Penetration of Photovoltaics in Greece

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Eugenia Giannini

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Recently, an interesting experiment was completed in Greece concerning photovoltaic penetration into the electricity production sector. Based on the relevant laws and in accordance to the related European directives, an explosive penetration process was completed in less than three years, resulting in a 7% share of photovoltaics in electricity production instead of the previous negligible share. The legislation was based on licensing simplification and generous feed-in-tariffs. This approach transformed photovoltaic technology from a prohibitively expensive to a competitive one. This work aims to summarize the relevant legislation and illustrate its effect on the resulting penetration. A sigmoid-shape penetration was observed which was explained by a pulse-type driving force. The return on investment indicator was proposed as an appropriate driving force, which incorporates feed-in-tariffs and turnkey-cost. Furthermore, the resulting surcharge on the electricity price due to photovoltaic penetration was also analyzed.

Measuring the burden of herpes zoster and post herpetic neuralgia within primary care in rural Crete, Greece

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Lionis Christos D

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Research has indicated that general practitioners (GPs have good clinical judgment in regards to diagnosing and managing herpes zoster (HZ within clinical practice in a country with limited resources for primary care and general practice. The objective of the current study was to assess the burden of HZ and post herpetic neuralgia (PHN within rural general practices in Crete, Greece. Methods The current study took place within a rural setting in Crete, Greece during the period of November 2007 to November 2009 within the catchment area in which the Cretan Rural Practice-based Research Network is operating. In total 19 GP's from 14 health care units in rural Crete were invited to participate, covering a total turnover patient population of approximately 25, 000 subjects. For the purpose of this study an electronic record database was constructed and used as the main tool for monitoring HZ and PHN incidence. Stress related data was also collected with the use of the Short Anxiety Screening Test (SAST. Results The crude incidence rate of HZ was 1.4/1000 patients/year throughout the entire network of health centers and satellite practices, while among satellite practices alone it was calculated at 1.3/1000 patients/year. Additionally, the standardised incidence density within satellite practices was calculated at 1.6/1000 patients/year. In regards to the stress associated with HZ and PHN, the latter were found to have lower levels of anxiety, as assessed through the SAST score (17.4 ± 3.9 vs. 21.1 ± 5.7; p = 0.029. Conclusions The implementation of an electronic surveillance system was feasible so as to measure the burden of HZ and PHN within the rural general practice setting in Crete.

Sun-Protection Habits of Primary Students in a Coastal Area of Greece

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M. Saridi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The aim of the present study was to record habits and attitudes of primary school students in Greece regarding sun-protection measures. Materials and Methods. 2,163 students with an average age of 9.9 (±1.1 years, studying in 14 schools of a Greek region, constituted our sample. The SPSS 17.0 software was used for the statistical analysis and significance level was set to P≤0.05. Results. Our sample had an equal gender distribution. 16% of the students belonged to the high-risk group, 70.2% of the participants lived 0–5 km away from the sea (urban area, 84.2% of the students were Greek, and 15.8% had non-Greek nationality. Half of the participants said they wear a hat when under the sun and 72% of them said they use sunscreen. 33.1% of the students said they had a sunburn last summer. Greek students as well as those who lived near the sea had better behaviour patterns regarding sun protection. Finally, children who did not use a sunscreen systematically had suffered sunburns more often than the rest. Conclusions. Health education programmes are necessary for students and parents/teachers alike, in order to raise awareness about everyday sun protection.

Sun-Protection Habits of Primary Students in a Coastal Area of Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saridi, M.; Toska, A.; Rekleiti, M.; Liachopoulou, A.; Wozniak, G.; Kalokairinou, A.; Birbas, K.; Souliotis, K.

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to record habits and attitudes of primary school students in Greece regarding sun-protection measures. Materials and Methods. 2,163 students with an average age of 9.9 (±1.1) years, studying in 14 schools of a Greek region, constituted our sample. The SPSS 17.0 software was used for the statistical analysis and significance level was set toρ≤0.05. Results. Our sample had an equal gender distribution. 16% of the students belonged to the high-risk group, 70.2% of the participants lived 0-5 km away from the sea (urban area), 84.2% of the students were Greek, and 15.8% had non-Greek nationality. Half of the participants said they wear a hat when under the sun and 72% of them said they use sunscreen. 33.1% of the students said they had a sunburn last summer. Greek students as well as those who lived near the sea had better behaviour patterns regarding sun protection. Finally, children who did not use a sunscreen systematically had suffered sunburns more often than the rest. Conclusions. Health education programmes are necessary for students and parents/teachers alike, in order to raise awareness about everyday sun protection.

Greece – in the centre of sovereign debt crisis. Consequences on the evolution of Euro Zone economies

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Cristina Bâlgăr

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present the evolution of economic and financial crisis in Greece. We will examine the effect of Hellenic crisis on deepening the sovereign debt crisis in Euro zone and the possible consequences across the entire European economy. The research also aims to present possible scenarios of evolution for the Greek crisis and their potential consequences for the stability and economic growth perspectives in European Union. Our research concludes by highlighting the consequences of economic measures imposed to Greece by the European Union for the consolidation and fiscal stabilization of Hellenic economy.

Metamorphism on Ios and the geological history of the Southern Cyclades, Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maar, P.A. van der

1981-01-01

The geology and petrology of the island of los, Greece are outlined in chapter I. The geology is determined by a mantled gneiss dome which forms the basement, on top of which a marble-schist series is emplaced. The various rocks of the island are described petrologically and their mineral

Metamorphism on Ios and the geological history of the Southern Cyclades, Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Maar, P.A.

1981-01-01

The geology and petrology of the island of los, Greece are outlined in chapter I. The geology is determined by a mantled gneiss dome which forms the basement, on top of which a marble-schist series is emplaced. The various rocks of the island are described petrologically and their mineral contents

Policy and Curriculum Development in Greece. the Case of Secondary School Curriculum

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Ifanti, Amalia A.

2007-01-01

This paper examines the politics and values of the secondary school curriculum in Greece and attempts to find out the influences of cultural tradition and centralized control on curriculum development. In particular, it studies the decision-making process and the politics of educational control, employing some theoretical elements from centralist…

The Texts of the Instruments concerning the Agency's Assistance to Greece for the Continuation of a Research Reactor Project. A Second Title Transfer Agreement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1974-01-01

As a sequel to the assistance which the Agency has provided to the Government of Greece in connection with a research reactor project, a Second Title Transfer Agreement has been concluded between the Agency and the Governments of Greece and the United States of America

Drug-resistant tuberculosis in two children in Greece: report of the first extensively drug-resistant case.

Science.gov (United States)

Katragkou, Aspasia; Antachopoulos, Charalampos; Hatziagorou, Elpis; Sdougka, Maria; Roilides, Emmanuel; Tsanakas, John

2013-04-01

Extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) represents a serious and growing problem in both endemic and non-endemic countries. We describe a 2.5-year-old girl with XDR-pulmonary TB and an 18-month-old boy with pre-XDR-central nervous system TB. Patients received individualized treatment with second-line anti-TB agents based on genotypic and phenotypic drug susceptibility testing results. Both children achieved culture conversion 3 months and 1 month after treatment initiation, respectively. The child with XDR-pulmonary TB showed evidence of cure while treatment adverse events were managed without treatment interruption. The child with pre-XDR-central nervous system TB after 6-month hospitalization with multiple infectious complications had a dismal end due to hepatic insufficiency possibly related to anti-TB treatment. This is the first report of children with pre-XDR and XDR TB in Greece, emphasizing the public health dimensions and management complexity of XDR TB.

Vaccination against human papillomavirus among 865 female students from the health professions in central Greece: a questionnaire- based cross-sectional study

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Papagiannis D

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Dimitrios Papagiannis,1 George Rachiotis,1 Emmanouil K Symvoulakis,2 Alexandros Daponte,3 Ioanna N Grivea,4 George A Syrogiannopoulos,4 Christos Hadjichristodoulou11Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Thessalia, 2Private Family Practice Unit, Heraklion, Crete, 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Thessalia Medical School, Thessalia, 4Department of Paediatrics, University of Thessaly, School of Medicine, General University Hospital of Larissa, Thessalia, GreeceBackground: There are still sparse data on vaccination coverage against human papillomavirus (HPV among students in the health professions. The aim of this study was to investigate HPV vaccination coverage in female students from the health professions in Greece.Methods: A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was distributed to second-year and third-year female students pursuing degrees in medicine, nursing, and paramedical health disciplines in central Greece.Results: Overall vaccination coverage was 44.3%. The major reason for lack of vaccination was fear about safety of the vaccine. Participants who had received information about safety of the vaccine from the mass media and paramedical students had lower vaccination coverage in comparison with students who had received information about vaccine safety from alternative sources.Conclusion: Further quantitative and qualitative research is needed to design educational activities targeting female students in the health professions in order to create a positive domino effect and improve HPV vaccination coverage levels in Greece.Keywords: human papillomavirus, vaccination, coverage, students, health professions, mass media, Greece

CONFIRMATION OF OCCURRENCE OF THE NARROW-CLAWED CRAYFISH ? STACUS LEPTODACTYLUS ESCHSCHOLTZ, 1823 IN THE RIVER EVROS IN GREECE

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PERDIKARIS C.

2007-04-01

Full Text Available The narrow-clawed crayfish Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz, 1823, is widely distributed in eastern European and western Asian countries. However, species presence in Greece was documented only by limited museum conserved specimens dating back to 1893. Recently (May 2005 several crayfish were captured in the Evros River (close to city of Didimotiho and these were identified as A. leptodactylus. The present work confirms the presence of A. leptodactylus in the Evros River still hundred and twelve years later and introduces the possibility of A. leptodactylus being indigenous to Greece.

Incidence Patterns and Occupational Risk Factors of Human Brucellosis in Greece, 2004-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Lytras, T; Danis, K; Dounias, G

2016-10-01

Brucellosis is the most common bacterial zoonosis worldwide. Greece has the highest reported incidence among EU countries. However, occupational risk factors have not been well described. To determine the incidence patterns and exposure risk factors of brucellosis in Greece. We used national-level surveillance and occupational denominator data to estimate the incidence patterns and exposure risk factors of brucellosis in Greece, with particular emphasis on occupation. Between November 2003 and December 2015 a total of 2159 human brucellosis cases was reported. The mean incidence rate was 1.62 per 100 000 population per year. A large majority of cases (77.1%) reported consumption of unpasteurized milk or contact with livestock animals. Most cases occured in farmers and livestock breeders (1079 [87.7%] of 1231 cases reporting their occupation), corresponding to an annual incidence of 7.1 per 100 000. However, there were other occupations with a similar or higher risk: butchers and abattoir workers (12.7 per 100 000), laboratory personnel (3.1 per 100 000), while the highest risk was for veterinarians (53.2 per 100 000). Brucellosis incidence in specific occupational groups was much higher than in the general population. These results underline the importance of collecting information on occupation, both during the diagnostic process and in the surveillance system. Besides efforts to control brucellosis in animals, organized prevention efforts are needed within an occupational health framework, especially for the most vulnerable workers.

Prevalence of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat seafood marketed in Thessaloniki (Northern Greece

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N. Soultos

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Aim: In the current study, a contribution to the knowledge on the prevalence and level of contamination of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE seafood marketed in Thessaloniki (Northern Greece was provided; the serovar identity of the L. monocytogenes isolates was also determined. Materials and Methods: A total of 132 RTE seafood samples consisting of 74 smoked fish products, 18 salted fish products, 16 dried fish products, 9 raw marinated fish products, 10 cooked marinated cephalopods and 5 surimi crab stick products were analyzed. L. monocytogenes were isolated and enumerated based on ISO 11290-1/A1 and ISO 11290-2/A1 protocols, respectively, and identified using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR system utilizing genus and species specific primers. For the identification of serotypes a second multiplex PCR assay was used which clusters L. monocytogenes strains into four major serogroups. Results: Of the samples examined, 11 (8.3% proved positive for Listeria spp. with 8 (6.1% yielding L. monocytogenes. Only in one sample of smoked mackerel the level of L. monocytogenes exceeded the legal safety limit of 100 cfu/g set out in Commission Regulation (EC No. 1441/2007. Serotyping showed higher percentages of isolates belonging to PCR serogroup 3:1/2b, 3b, 7 (46.7% and serogroup 1:1/2a, 3a (40% followed by serogroup 4:4b, 4d, 4e (13.3%. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that L. monocytogenes can be isolated from processed RTE seafood products at retail in Thessaloniki (Northern Greece in low concentrations. However, the presence of this human pathogen in RTE seafood should not be overlooked, but it should be considered as having significance public health implications, particularly among the persons who are at greater risk. Therefore, RTE seafood should be produced under appropriate hygienic and technological conditions since the product does not undergo any treatment before consumption.

Learning from the experiences of others: the development of energy regulation in UK and Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metcalf, R.; Rose, N.

2002-01-01

In this paper I have described how regulation of the energy sector has developed in two member states of the European Union. I have taken as my examples the UK and Greece. As the first country in the EU to advance to full market liberalisation the UK has already been through many phases of development in the energy sector and the process of regulation has had to adapt to deal with changing circumstances. Greece finds itself at a much earlier stage of development and regulation is a much newer factor in its energy market. It is hoped that by choosing two countries at different stages of developing their energy markets valuable examples can be found for challenges which are now being met in Croatia.(author)

Influence of non-dietary factors on the prevalence of abdominal obesity as a major component of the metabolic syndrome among 17-18-year-old youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Piotrowska, Ewa; Broniecka, Anna; Biernat, Jadwiga; Wyka, Joanna; Bronkowska, Monika

2015-01-01

Youth nutrition and their nutritional status are conditioned by many factors, some of the main ones being: economic, social, climatic, cultural, and psychological factors as well as nutritional knowledge. With the growing problem of overweight and obesity among children and young people, the incidence of the metabolic syndrome is also increasing. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of demographic, sociological and psychological factors on the incidence of obesity among 17-18-year-old adolescents from Wroclaw and vicinity as a major risk factor for the development of the metabolic syndrome. The study was conducted in three upper-secondary schools in Wroclaw, Poland. In the surveyed group (17-18 years old, n = 269) girls accounted for 59.5% and boys constituted 40.5%. Majority of young people were Wroclaw citizens (72.9%). Centile charts elaborated by the Children's Memorial Health Institute were adopted for the evaluation of anthropometric parameters. Evaluation of the impact of non-dietary factors on the manner of nutrition was carried out using own questionnaire. Based on the tests, abdominal obesity was determined among 34.5% of adolescents aged 17 years and among 65.5% of these aged 18 years. Obesity was more common in girls carrying genetic burden of the disease. Youth with the largest waist circumference most often declared to use slimming diets - 6.7%, and the lowest hunger sensation in stress - 3.4%. In addition, 30.5% of the adolescents with the smallest waist circumference and 11.5% with the largest waist circumference declared to be non-smoking. Occasional alcohol consumption was declared by 30.1% of young people with the smallest waist circumference, and 13.4% with the largest waist circumference. Youth with abdominal obesity significantly more likely than those with normal waist circumference applied slimming diets. Significant impact on the formation of abdominal obesity among girls had inherited disease burden.

Skarn and ore formation at Seriphos, Greece as a consequence of granodiorite intrusion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salemink, J.

1985-01-01

On the island of Seriphos, Greece, the shallow intrusion of a granodiorite pluton into a series of previously regionally metamorphosed gneisses, marbles and marble-bearing schists produced a contact metamorphic aureole and extensive deposits of Ca-Fe-Mg skarns and Fe-ores. Structural and

Organ transplantation in Greece: the need for mediation.

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Zanni, A

2014-11-01

Organ transplants are not regarded as an exclusively medical process, because they involve financial, religious, philosophic, and bioethical parameters. It becomes clear that if they are to achieve their purpose, which we believe extends well beyond the medical dimension, the creation of a comprehensive framework of communication between the involved parties is of paramount importance. The aim of this paper is to present an outline and a number of considerations regarding the communicational, bioethical, and legal issues that arise from a rather dramatic state of affairs in Greece today: In 2012 the rate of organ transplants stood at only 7 per 1 million of the population. The outdated legal framework and the lack of trust on the part of patients and the public have led to a highly inefficient system that is lagging behind in many respects. The proposition made in this paper is that there is a need for a new system of communication between doctors, patients, relatives of patients, and hospitals: bioethical mediation. This is a system that has played a vital role and has produced astounding results in other countries. There is also every indication that the introduction of such a system is crucial for Greece, especially as the symptoms of the acute financial crisis are become fully visible and tangible. Mediation aims to identify solutions that are oriented toward the interests and wishes of patients, are acknowledged and accepted by all parties involved, and are in tune with the values and the principles of medical practice.

International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) national favourability studies: Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-10-01

Greece, with an area of 131,944 km 2 , has been actively explored since 1971 under a programme of co-operation with UNDP and IAEA on which close to US $1 million have been spent so far. The programme is focused on the Rhodope Precambrian massif, which is the most attractive structural unit from the geological point of view. The indications available at present, and which have been known for a long time, are also to be found in this unit. They are associated either with Tertiary continental volcanism or with detritic sediments in basins covering this massif. So far there is no evidence of their being of any economic value. The paucity of data available on the basement of the Rhodope precludes any prediction as to the possibility of its containing Pre-cambrian uranium mineralizations. One might perhaps think in terms of mineralizations of the alaskite or alkaline complex type, or also of vein-type deposits. But it is primarily in the deposits associated with tertiary trachy-rhyolitic volcanism that we have most confidence, especially in the Rhodope massif and the Vardar region but possibly elsewhere in the Hellenides as well. All things considered, we place Greece in Group 2 of the IUREP classification. (author)

Service quality perceptions in primary health care centres in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Papanikolaou, Vicky; Zygiaris, Sotiris

2012-01-01

Abstract Context  The paper refers to the increased competition between health care providers and the need for patient‐centred services in Greece. Using service quality methodology, this paper investigates service quality perceptions of patients in Greek public primary health centres. Objective  To test the internal consistency and applicability of SERVQUAL in primary health care centres in Greece. Strategy  SERVQUAL was used to examine whether patients have different expectations from health care providers and whether different groups of patients may consider some dimensions of care more important than others. Results  The analysis showed that there were gaps in all dimensions measured by SERVQUAL. The largest gap was detected in empathy. Further analysis showed that there were also differences depending on gender, age and education levels. A separate analysis of expectations and perceptions revealed that this gap was because of differences in patients’ perceptions rather than expectations. Discussion and conclusions  This paper raises a number of issues that concern the applicability of SERVQUAL in health care services and could enhance current discussions about SERVQUAL improvement. Quality of health care needs to be redefined by encompassing multiple dimensions. Beyond a simple expectations–perceptions gap, people may hold different understandings of health care that, in turn, influence their perception of the quality of services. PMID:22296402

Shame and Anxiety Feelings of a Roma Population in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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 Cultural, social and minority issues contribute to feelings of inferiority and anxiety experience.

Service quality perceptions in primary health care centres in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Papanikolaou, Vicky; Zygiaris, Sotiris

2014-04-01

The paper refers to the increased competition between health care providers and the need for patient-centred services in Greece. Using service quality methodology, this paper investigates service quality perceptions of patients in Greek public primary health centres. To test the internal consistency and applicability of SERVQUAL in primary health care centres in Greece. SERVQUAL was used to examine whether patients have different expectations from health care providers and whether different groups of patients may consider some dimensions of care more important than others. The analysis showed that there were gaps in all dimensions measured by SERVQUAL. The largest gap was detected in empathy. Further analysis showed that there were also differences depending on gender, age and education levels. A separate analysis of expectations and perceptions revealed that this gap was because of differences in patients' perceptions rather than expectations. THIS paper raises a number of issues that concern the applicability of SERVQUAL in health care services and could enhance current discussions about SERVQUAL improvement. Quality of health care needs to be redefined by encompassing multiple dimensions. Beyond a simple expectations-perceptions gap, people may hold different understandings of health care that, in turn, influence their perception of the quality of services. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Burn injuries related to motorcycle exhaust pipes: a study in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Matzavakis, Ioannis; Frangakis, Constantine E; Charalampopoulou, Ava; Petridou, Eleni

2005-05-01

To identify measures that should reduce the incidence of burn injuries resulting from motorcycle exhaust pipes through epidemiological analysis of such injuries. During a 5-year period, 251 persons who suffered burn injuries related to motorcycle exhaust pipes have contacted four major hospitals belonging to the Emergency Department Injury Surveillance System (EDISS) operating since 1996 in Greece. These burn injuries were studied in relation to person, environment and vehicle characteristics. The estimated countrywide incidence of burns from motorcycle exhaust pipes was 17 per 100,000 person-years (208 per 100,000 motorcycle-years). The incidence was two times higher for children than for older persons and among the latter it was 60% higher among females than among males. Most of burn injuries (70.5%) concerned motorcycle passengers, mainly when getting on or off motorcycle, with peak incidence during summer. The most frequent location of burn wounds was below the knee and particularly the right leg. It was estimated that the risk of motorcycle exhaust pipe burns when wearing shorts could be reduced by 46% through wearing long pants. Among the victims 65.3% experienced second degree burns. Motorcycle exhaust burns could be substantially reduced by systematically wearing long pants, by incorporating in the design of motorcycles external thermo resistant shields with adequate distance to the exhaust pipe, and by avoiding riding with children on motorcycles.

Carrier-added and no-carrier-added syntheses of (/sup 18/F)spiroperidol and (/sub 18/F)haloperidol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kilbourn, M R; Welch, M J; Dence, C S; Tewson, T J; Saji, H; Maeda, M

1984-07-01

Syntheses of (18F)haloperidol and (18F)spiroperidol in both no-carrier-added and carrier-added forms have been accomplished. The no-carrier-added (18F)butyrophenone neuroleptics were prepared in low (less than 2%) yield by acid decomposition of aryl piperidine triazenes. Carrier-added 18F-neuroleptics were prepared in better (5-17%) yields by 18F-for-19F nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The preparation of all synthetic precursors, and procedures for radiolabeling are fully described.

Complete Measurement of Stable Isotopes in N2O (δ15N, δ15Nα, δ15Nβ, δ18O, δ17O) Using Off-Axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS)

Science.gov (United States)

Leen, J. B.; Gupta, M.

2014-12-01

Nitrate contamination in water is a worldwide environmental problem and source apportionment is critical to managing nitrate pollution. Fractionation caused by physical, chemical and biological processes alters the isotope ratios of nitrates (15N/14N, 18O/16O and 17O/16O) and biochemical nitrification and denitrification impart different intramolecular site preference (15N14NO vs. 14N15NO). Additionally, atmospheric nitrate is anomalously enriched in 17O compared to other nitrate sources. The anomaly (Δ17O) is conserved during fractionation processes, providing a tracer of atmospheric nitrate. All of these effects can be used to apportion nitrate in soil. Current technology for measuring nitrate isotopes is complicated and costly - it involves conversion of nitrate to nitrous oxide (N2O), purification, preconcentration and measurement by isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS). Site specific measurements require a custom IRMS. There is a pressing need to make this measurement simpler and more accessible. Los Gatos Research has developed a next generation mid-infrared Off-Axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) analyzer to quantify all stable isotope ratios of N2O (δ15N, δ15Nα, δ15Nβ, δ18O, δ17O). We present the latest performance data demonstrating the precision and accuracy of the OA-ICOS based measurement. At an N2O concentration of 322 ppb, the analyzer quantifies [N2O], δ15N, δ15Na, δ15Nb, and δ18O with a precision of ±0.05 ppb, ±0.4 ‰, ±0.45 ‰, and ±0.6 ‰, and ±0.8 ‰ respectively (1σ, 100s; 1σ, 1000s for δ18O). Measurements of gas standards demonstrate accuracy better than ±1 ‰ for isotope ratios over a wide dynamic range (200 - 100,000 ppb). The measurement of δ17O requires a higher concentration (1 - 50 ppm), easily obtainable through conversion of nitrates in water. For 10 ppm of N2O, the instrument achieves a δ17O precision of ±0.05 ‰ (1σ, 1000s). This performance is sufficient to quantify atmospheric

Traditional costume as a migration phenomenon on the part of the Adriatic coast in the 17th and 18th century

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Radojičić Dragana S.

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Migrations from Herzegovina and Montenegro to the Herceg Novi region, during the period from the end of the 17th and beginning of the 18th centuries, were the reasons for investigation (thanks to the preserved archive material of female "traditional costumes" involved in these migrations. Clothing retained the influence of Balkan, Slav, Oriental and Mediterranean cultures. The function of clothing (for work and ceremonial occasions was studied, as well as changes within the generation, regardless of whether the individual items were in constant use or only used on one occasion.

Virtual Crop Water Export Analysis: The Case of Greece at River Basin District Level

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Nikolaos Mellios

2018-05-01

Full Text Available An analysis of virtual crop water export through international trade is conducted for Greece, downscaled to the River Basin District (RBD level, in order to identify critical “hotspots” of localized water shortage in the country. A computable general equilibrium model (MAGNET was used to obtain the export shares of crops and associated irrigation water was calculated for all major crops in Greece. A distinction between virtual crop water locally consumed and traded internationally was made for all Greek RBDs. Cotton was identified as a large water consumer and virtual water exporter, while GR08 and GR10 were identified as the RBDs mostly impacted. The value of virtual water exported was calculated for all crop types and fruits and vegetables were identified as the crop most beneficial, since they consume the least water for the obtained value.

The interdependence of major european stock markets: evidence for Greece

OpenAIRE

Καινούργιος, Δημήτριος Φ.; Σαμίτας, Αριστείδης Γ.

2003-01-01

This paper provides new evidence on the relationship between the Greek "blue chip" stock market and the six relative European markets by applying cointegration tests. The time period examined is 1998 to 2000, which marks the entry of Greece to the European Exchange Rates Mechanism II. The empirical results indicate that the Athens Stock Exchange has no considerable links, except for one case, with any other European developed markets examined. These findings have some significa...

Mining engineers, industrial modernisation and politics in Greece, 1870-1940

OpenAIRE

Papastefanaki, Leda

2017-01-01

The engineers who studied in Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and who returned to Greece to work have been seen as bearers of scientific knowledge and the modernising effort. Actually, they were active historical agents contributing with their multiple scientific activities to the process of appropriation of science and technology and industrial modernisation in the specific historical environment. This article aims, through the study of a particular professional group of engi...

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in cases of terminal cancer: the opinions of physicians and nurses in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Parpa, Efi; Mystakidou, Kyriaki; Tsilika, Eleni; Sakkas, Pavlos; Patiraki, Elisabeth; Pistevou-Gombaki, Kyriaki; Govina, Ourania; Vlahos, Lambros

2008-10-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the opinions of physicians and nurses on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in advanced cancer patients in Greece. Two hundred and fifteen physicians and 250 nurses from various hospitals in Greece completed a questionnaire concerning issues on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. More physicians (43.3%) than nurses (3.2%, p < 0.0005) reported that in the case of a cardiac or respiratory arrest, they would not attempt to revive a terminally ill cancer patient. Only 1.9% of physicians and 3.6% of nurses agreed on physician-assisted suicide. Forty-seven per cent of physicians and 45.2% of nurses would prefer the legalization of a terminally ill patient's hastened death; in the case of such a request, 64.2% of physicians and 55.2% of nurses (p = 0.06) would consider it if it was legal. The majority of the participants tended to disagree with euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide in terminally ill cancer patients, probably due to the fact that these acts in Greece are illegal.

ELNAIS meets EASIN: distribution of marine alien species in Greece using EASIN mapping services and ELNAIS spatial data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. KATSANEVAKIS

2013-03-01

Full Text Available The European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN was created with the aim to provide easy access to accurate information on alien species in Europe. EASIN allows the retrieval of spatial information from existing online data providers in order to produce integrated georeferenced distribution maps of alien species in Europe. In November 2012, a new data provider, the Ellenic Network on Aquatic Invasive Species (ELNAIS, joined EASIN; this has significantly increased the available georeferenced information on marine/estuarine alien species in Greek waters. Here, we use maps created by EASIN to show differences in patterns of distribution in Greece for the most abundant Phyla of marine alien species - Mollusca, Arthropoda, Chordata and Annelida. We also show that the two main pathways of introduction of marine alien species (Lessepsian migration and Shipping are related to different patterns of species spatial distribution in Greece. Overall, the tools provided by EASIN can greatly aid scientists and policy makers in obtaining high quality information on marine alien species in Greece, especially after the association with ELNAIS.

Development of a Coastal Inventory in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Karditsa, Aikaterini; Poulos, Serafim; Velegrakis, Adonis; Ghionis, George; Petrakis, Stelios; Alexandrakis, George; Andreadis, Olympos; Monioudi, Isavella

2015-04-01

Greek coastline that accounts more than 16.000 km hosts hundreds of beaches, which constitute a great touristic destination. However, no gathered information exists relative to its qualitative and quantitative characteristics (e.g. physicogeographical characteristics, artificial structures, nearby land use). Therefore, the development of a coastal database that would successfully concentrate all relative data, in the form of a National Inventory, could be a valuable tool for the management and the sustainable use and exploitation of beaches and the coastal zone. This work presents an example of the development of a beach inventory in the case of the beach zones of Heraklion and Lassithi counties in the Island of Crete, which is one of the most touristic areas in Greece. Data were initially abstracted from satellite images and combined with in situ observations carried out along 98 beaches with shoreline length >100 m. The collected data included geomorphological, topographic and bathymetric mapping, sediment sampling from the subaerial and underwater part and recording of artificial structures. The initial mapping showed that beaches represent only the 18%, with 74% of the total coastline to be rocky while 8% of the coastline host some kind of artificial intervention. The combination of satellite and in situ mapping led to the development of a coastal geomorphological map. Beach widths were found to be limited with the majority of beaches (59%) to have maximum widths less than 25 m, 35% to range between 25 and 50m and about 6% with maximum widths >50m. Concerning beach length, the threshold of 1000 m is overcome only by the 46% of the beaches. Beaches with very smooth slopes (Entrepreneurship" co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Ministry of Education and Relegious Affairs.

The Emergency Medical System in Greece: Opening Aeolus' Bag of Winds.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

The cultural dimension of tightness-looseness: An analysis of situational constraint in Estonia and Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Realo, Anu; Linnamägi, Karmen; Gelfand, Michele J

2015-06-01

The importance of tightness-looseness as a dimension that explains a considerable amount of variance between cultures was demonstrated by Gelfand et al. (2011). Tight nations have many strong norms and a low tolerance of deviant behaviour, whereas loose nations have weak social norms and a high tolerance of deviant behaviour. The main aim of the current studies was to examine situational constraint in Estonia and Greece: that is, how the cultural dimension of tightness-looseness is manifested in everyday situations in those two countries. The findings of a questionnaire study (Study 1) suggested that, in general, there is higher constraint across everyday situations in Greece than in Estonia, but situational constraint in Greece is especially strong in school and organisational settings where people have hierarchically structured roles. The results of an observational study (Study 2) revealed a relatively high agreement between appropriateness of certain behaviours as judged by the respondents in Study 1 and the frequencies of observed behaviours in the two countries. Our findings suggest that the strength of situations may substantially vary both within and across cultures, and that the attitudes of the members about situational strength in their respective cultures are in concordance with observations of situations by neutral observers in how people in general behave in their culture. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

Flow characterization temporary streams : using the model SIMGRO for the Evrotas basin, Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vernooij, M.G.M.; Querner, E.P.; Jacobs, C.; Froebrich, J.

2011-01-01

Tools were developed to quantify space–time development of different flow phases on a river basin scale. Such information is needed for the WFD. The spatial development of temporary streams was investigated in the Evrotas basin, Greece. We used the regional hydrological model SIMGRO in a GIS

Cultural impact on regional development: application of a PLS-PM model to Greece

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tubadji, A.; Nijkamp, P.

2015-01-01

This paper seeks to find evidence for the impact of local culture—living culture and cultural heritage—on regional socio-economic development in Greece. The main aim of the paper is to operationalize the culture-based development hypothesis for the existence of a cumulative causation process of

Life Cycle Assessment of the MBT plant in Ano Liossia, Athens, Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abeliotis, Konstadinos; Kalogeropoulos, Alexandros; Lasaridi, Katia

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We model the operation of an MBT plant in Greece based on LCA. ► We compare four different MBT operating scenarios (among them and with landfilling). ► Even the current operation of the MBT plant is preferable to landfilling. ► Utilization of the MBT compost and metals generates the most environmental gains. ► Thermal exploitation of RDF improves further the environmental performance of the plant. - Abstract: The aim of this paper is the application of Life Cycle Assessment to the operation of the MBT facility of Ano Liossia in the region of Attica in Greece. The region of Attica is home to almost half the population of Greece and the management of its waste is a major issue. In order to explicitly analyze the operation of the MBT plant, five scenarios were generated. Actual operation data of the MBT plant for the year 2008 were provided by the region of Attica and the LCA modeling was performed via the SimaPro 5.1 software while impact assessment was performed utilizing the Eco-indicator’99 method. The results of our analysis indicate that even the current operation of the MBT plant is preferable to landfilling. Among the scenarios of MBT operation, the one with complete utilization of the MBT outputs, i.e. compost, RDF, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, is the one that generates the most environmental gains. Our analysis indicates that the exploitation of RDF via incineration is the key factor towards improving the environmental performance of the MBT plant. Our findings provide a quantitative understanding of the MBT plant. Interpretation of results showed that proper operation of the modern waste management systems can lead to substantial reduction of environmental impacts and savings of resources.

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

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Stefanadis Christodoulos

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract 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.

IL-17A, IL-17RC polymorphisms and IL17 plasma levels in Tunisian patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Chahbi, Mayssa; Haouami, Youssra; Sfar, Imen; Abdelmoula, Leila; Ben Abdallah, Taieb; Gorgi, Yousr

2018-01-01

Background Interleukin-17 (IL-17), a cytokine mainly secreted by Th17 cells, seems to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Functional genetic polymorphisms in IL-17 and its receptor genes can influence either qualitatively or quantitatively their functions. Therefore, we aimed to study the impact of IL17-A and IL17RC polymorphisms on plasma level of IL-17 and RA susceptibility and severity. Methods In this context, IL-17A*rs2275913 and IL-17RC*rs708567 polymorphisms were investigated together with the quantification of IL17 plasma level in 115 RA patients and 91 healthy control subjects matched in age, sex and ethnic origin. Results There were no statistically significant associations between IL-17A and IL-17RC studied polymorphisms and RA susceptibility. In contrast, IL-17A plasma levels were significantly higher in patients (55.07 pg/ml) comparatively to controls (4.75 pg/ml), p<10E-12. A ROC curve was used to evaluate the performance of plasma IL-17 in detecting RA. Given 100% specificity, the highest sensitivity of plasma IL-17A was 61.7% at a cut-off value of 18.25 pg/ml; p < 10E-21, CI = [0.849–0.939]. Analytic results showed that the IgM-rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies were significantly less frequent in patients with the IL-17RC*A/A genotype than those carrying *G/G and *G/A genotypes; p = 0.013 and p = 0.015, respectively. Otherwise, IL-17 plasma levels’ analysis showed a significant association with the activity of RA (DAS28≥5.1 = 74.71 pg/ml vs. DAS28<5.1 = 11.96 pg/ml), p<10E-6. Conclusion IL-17A*rs2275913 (G/A) and IL-17RC*rs708567 (G/A) polymorphisms did not seem to influence RA susceptibility in Tunisian population. This result agrees with those reported previously. Plasma IL-17A level seems to be predictive of severe RA occurrence. PMID:29584788

MARKETING POLICIES THROUGH THE INTERNET: THE CASE OF SKIING CENTERS IN GREECE

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Panagiotis LEFAKIS

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Lately, Internet constitutes a major tool for transactions in every aspect and supports innovative marketing policies. Broadband Internet has become “the key to success” for businesses, as it offers various advantages and benefits through Internet marketing (e-marketing policies. In Greece, mountainous areas are usually covered with snow during winter months; so, skiing centers have become an important asset for winter tourism. The Internet evolution and the development of network infrastructure enhance marketing policies for winter tourism activities. This paper studies the use of marketing policies in Greek skiing centers through the Internet, such as promotional activities, website interactivity, accommodation & entertainment information, online weather forecast, guest book, etc Therefore, the paper aims to optimize and evaluate skiing centers in Greece, qualitatively and quantitatively according to e-marketing policies used as criteria, based on the multicriteria method of PROMETHEE II and further to classify them in groups. Finally we identify and describe the optimum group of skiing centers to be used as a model with enhanced customer communication services.

Effects of Early Smoking Habits on Young Adult Female Voices in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

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 smoking habits. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

(Digital Activism at the Interstices: Anarchist and Self-Organizing Movements in Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugenia Siapera

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The paper traces the history and evolution of the anarchist and self-organising movements in Greece, paying attention to their communicative practices and their implications for political praxis. After years of repression, and following the hegemony of the social democratic Pasok, and subsequently Syriza, the movements are currently coming to their own. Beginning with a brief history of the movements and more broadly of the left in Greece, the paper focuses on the current moment, determined by three events: the revolt of 2008, the movement of the squares in 2011, and the rise and u-turn of Syriza in 2015. Examining the critiques, discourses and communicative practices of the antagonistic movement as a whole, the paper argues that these constitute an alternative path to organizing beyond populist hegemony. Equally, the antagonistc movement tries to eschew the problems associated with the so-called folk politics, by paying attention to the growth of the movement through combining affect and experience, new learning and action, and through ultimately contributing to fundamental shifts in political subjectivities.

18th International Conference on Electronic Publishing

CERN Document Server

Dobreva, Milena

2014-01-01

The ways in which research data is used and handled continue to capture public attention and are the focus of increasing interest. Electronic publishing is intrinsic to digital data management, and relevant to the fields of data mining, digital publishing and social networks, with their implications for scholarly communication, information services, e-learning, e-business and the cultural heritage sector. This book presents the proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Electronic Publishing (ELPUB), held in Thessaloniki, Greece, in June 2014. The conference brings together researchers and practitioners to discuss the many aspects of electronic publishing, and the theme this year is 'Let's put data to use: digital scholarship for the next generation'. As well as examining the role of cultural heritage and service organisations in the creation, accessibility, duration and long-term preservation of data, it provides a discussion forum for the appraisal, citation and licensing of research data and the n...

Synthesis of 6-[18F] and 4-[18F]fluoro-L-m-tyrosines via regioselective radiofluorodestannylation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Namavari, Mohammad; Satyamurthy, N.; Phelps, M.E.; Barrio, J.R.; California Univ., Los Angeles, CA

1993-01-01

The regioselective radiofluorodestannylation of 6-trimethylstannyl-L-m-tyrosine derivative with [ 18 F]F 2 and [ 18 F]acetyl hypofluorite afforded, after acid hydrolysis, 6-[ 18 F]fluoro-L-m-tyrosine in radiochemical yields of 23 and 17%, respectively. Similarly, 4-[ 18 F]fluoro-L-m-tyrosine was synthesized in 11% radiochemical yield from the corresponding 4-trimethylstannyl-L-m-tyrosine derivative using [ 18 F]F 2 . The structural analyses of precursors, intermediates, and the final products (after 18 F decay), were carried out by 1 H, 13 C, 19 F, 119 Sn-NMR and high resolution mass spectroscopy. (author)

Carrier-added and no-carrier-added syntheses of (/sup 18/F)spiroperidol and (/sup 18/F)haloperidol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kilbourn, M R; Welch, M J; Dence, C S; Tewson, T J; Saji, H; Maeda, M [Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (USA). Edward Mallinckrodt Inst. of Radiology

1984-07-01

Syntheses of (/sup 18/F)haloperidol and (/sup 18/F)spiroperidol in both no-carrier-added and carrier-added forms have been accomplished. The no-carrier-added (/sup 18/F)butyrophenone neuroleptics were prepared in low (<2%) yield by acid decomposition of aryl piperidine triazenes. Carrier-added /sup 18/F-neuroleptics were prepared in better (5-17%) yields by /sup 18/F-for-/sup 19/F nucleophilic aromatic substitution. The preparation of all synthetic precursors, and procedures for radiolabeling are fully described.

Oil price shocks, stock market, economic activity and employment in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papapetrou, E.

2001-01-01

Using a multivariate vector-autoregression (VAR) approach, this paper attempts to shed light into the dynamic relationship among oil prices, real stock prices, interest rates, real economic activity and employment for Greece. The empirical evidence suggests that oil price changes affect real economic activity and employment. Oil prices are important in explaining stock price movements. Stock returns do not lead to changes in real activity and employment

A Proposal of a Mass Appraisal System in Greece with CAMA System: Evaluating GWR and MRA techniques in Thessaloniki Municipality

Science.gov (United States)

Dimopoulos, Thomas; Moulas, Alexandros

2017-01-01

Property tax in Greece is levied since 1985 not on Market Values but on the "objective value" of the properties as it is defined by the Ministry of Economics. It forms a non-flexible system, with market-irrelevant and unrealistic values, inducing land-policy practices and potential political cost to each periodical update. Furthermore, instead of adjusting taxation levels to the current economic reality, the real estate market is experiencing further burdening through approximately 40 different property taxes and levies, leading to further shrinking and depreciation. The authors believe that a fairer taxation system could significantly assist the property sector in Greece. Thus, through this paper and by studying and analyzing best practices from other countries, they propose models that can be applied with the use of existing data in Greece. This work aims to identify the critical parameters that affecting property values in Thessaloniki to create a Market Value forecasting tool for a fairer taxation system, to highlight the importance of a GIS system for this purpose and to compare the results of MRA with the use of SPSS with those of GWR in ArcGIS environment. For the purposes of this study, the Municipality of Thessaloniki was chosen due to its very well organized portal with significant and well organized geographical data and because authors manage to access some data from the Central Bank of Greece, regarding property valuations.

A Proposal of a Mass Appraisal System in Greece with CAMA System: Evaluating GWR and MRA techniques in Thessaloniki Municipality

Science.gov (United States)

Dimopoulos, Thomas; Moulas, Alexandros

2016-01-01

Property tax in Greece is levied since 1985 not on Market Values but on the "objective value" of the properties as it is defined by the Ministry of Economics. It forms a non-flexible system, with market-irrelevant and unrealistic values, inducing land-policy practices and potential political cost to each periodical update. Furthermore, instead of adjusting taxation levels to the current economic reality, the real estate market is experiencing further burdening through approximately 40 different property taxes and levies, leading to further shrinking and depreciation. The authors believe that a fairer taxation system could significantly assist the property sector in Greece. Thus, through this paper and by studying and analyzing best practices from other countries, they propose models that can be applied with the use of existing data in Greece. This work aims to identify the critical parameters that affecting property values in Thessaloniki to create a Market Value forecasting tool for a fairer taxation system, to highlight the importance of a GIS system for this purpose and to compare the results of MRA with the use of SPSS with those of GWR in ArcGIS environment. For the purposes of this study, the Municipality of Thessaloniki was chosen due to its very well organized portal with significant and well organized geographical data and because authors manage to access some data from the Central Bank of Greece, regarding property valuations.

Comparison of morbidity of elderly patients in August and November in Attica, Greece: a prospective study.

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Theocharis, G; Mavros, M N; Vouloumanou, E K; Peppas, G; Barbas, S G; Spiropoulos, T; Falagas, M E

2012-01-01

In our clinical practice, we have experienced a consistent increase in the morbidity of elderly in Greece during August. We prospectively analysed and compared the morbidity of elderly patients (≥ 75 years old) between August and November of the same year (2010), using data from the SOS Doctors (a network of physicians performing house call visits). We analysed data on 739 and 738 elderly patient house-calls in August and November, respectively. Overall, the most common diagnoses were cardiovascular (17.6%), musculoskeletal (10.7%), gastrointestinal (9.5%), respiratory (8.5%), renal/genitourinary (8.1%), and neurologic/psychiatric (7.9%). In August, patients were older (p elderly visited in August was significantly higher compared to November (5% vs. 2%, p bedridden status [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 5.59, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 2.83-11.06, p bedridden status [OR = 1.45 (1.07, 1.97), p elderly patients was significantly higher in August compared with November, substantiating the informal term 'Augustitis' for the Greek elderly. Large, prospective population-based studies are warranted to further enlighten this field. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Economic evaluation of therapies for patients suffering from relapsed-refractory multiple myeloma in Greece

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Fragoulakis V

2013-04-01

Full Text Available V Fragoulakis,1 E Kastritis,2 T Psaltopoulou,3 N Maniadakis1 1National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece; 2Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece; 3Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece Background: Multiple myeloma is a hematologic malignancy that incurs a substantial economic burden in care management. Since most patients with multiple myeloma eventually relapse or become refractory to current therapies (rrMM, the aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of the combination of lenalidomide–dexamethasone, relative to bortezomib alone, in patients suffering from rrMM in Greece. Methods: An international discrete event simulation model was locally adapted to estimate differences in overall survival and treatment costs associated with the two alternative treatment options. The efficacy data utilized came from three international trials (MM-009, MM-010, APEX. Quality of life data were extracted from the published literature. Data on resource use and prices came from relevant local sources and referred to 2012. The perspective of the analysis was that of public providers. Total costs for monitoring and administration of therapy to patients, management of adverse events, and cost of medication were captured. A 3.5% discount rate was used for costs and health outcomes. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate probabilistic results with 95% uncertainty intervals (UI and a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. Results: The mean number of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs was 3.01 (95% UI 2.81–3.20 and 2.22 (95% UI 2.02–2.41 for lenalidomide–dexamethasone and bortezomib, respectively, giving an incremental gain of 0.79 (95% UI 0.49–1.06 QALYs in favor of lenalidomide–dexamethasone. The mean cost of therapy per patient was estimated at €77,670 (95% UI €76,509�

A new species of Berinda (Araneae, Gnaphosidae from the eastern Aegean Islands, Greece

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Lissner, Jørgen

2016-04-01

Full Text Available A new ground spider, Berinda idae Lissner spec. nov. is described from material collected in Kalymnos and Nisyros of the Dodecanese Islands, as well as Santorini and Christiani of the Thira island complex, Cyclades, Greece. The affinity of this species to ist congeners is briefly discussed.

Tectonic origin of serpentinites on Syros, Greece: Geochemical signatures of abyssal origin preserved in a HP/LT subduction complex

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Cooperdock, Emily H. G.; Raia, Natalie H.; Barnes, Jaime D.; Stockli, Daniel F.; Schwarzenbach, Esther M.

2018-01-01

This study combines whole rock trace and major element geochemistry, and stable isotope (δD and δ18O) analyses with petrographic observations to deduce the origin and tectonic setting of serpentinization of ultramafic blocks from the exhumed HP/LT Aegean subduction complex on Syros, Greece. Samples are completely serpentinized and are characterized by mineral assemblages that consist of variable amounts of serpentine, talc, chlorite, and magnetite. δD and δ18O values of bulk rock serpentinite powders and chips (δD = - 64 to - 33‰ and δ18O = + 5.2 to + 9.0‰) reflect hydration by seawater at temperatures serpentinization by seawater, followed by secondary fluid-rock interactions with a sedimentary source pre- or syn-subduction. Whole rock major element, trace element, and REE analyses record limited melt extraction, exhibit flat REE patterns, and do not show pronounced Eu anomalies. The geochemical signatures preserved in these serpentinites argue against a mantle wedge source, as has been previously speculated for ultramafic rocks on Syros. Rather, the data are consistent with derivation from abyssal peridotites in a hyper-extended margin setting or mid-ocean ridge and fracture zone environment. In either case, the data suggest an extensional and/or oceanic origin associated with the Cretaceous opening of the Pindos Ocean and not a subduction-related derivation from the mantle wedge.

Estimating the long-term effects of in vitro fertilization in Greece: an analysis based on a lifetime-investment model

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Fragoulakis V

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Vassilis Fragoulakis, Nikolaos ManiadakisNational School of Public Health, Department of Health Services Management, Athens, GreeceObjective: To quantify the economic effects of a child conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF in terms of net tax revenue from the state's perspective in Greece.Methods: Based on previous international experience, a mathematical model was developed to assess the lifetime productivity of a single individual and his/her lifetime transactions with governmental agencies. The model distinguished among three periods in the economic life cycle of an individual: (1 early life, when the government primarily contributes resources through child tax credits, health care, and educational expenses; (2 employment, when individuals begin returning resources through taxes; and (3 retirement, when the government expends additional resources on pensions and health care. The cost of a live birth with IVF was based on the modification of a previously published model developed by the authors. All outcomes were discounted at a 3% discount rate. The data inputs – namely, the economic or demographic variables – were derived from the National Statistical Secretariat of Greece and other relevant sources. To deal with uncertainty, bias-corrected uncertainty intervals (UIs were calculated based on 5000 Monte Carlo simulations. In addition, to examine the robustness of our results, other one-way sensitivity analyses were also employed.Results: The cost of IVF per birth was estimated at €17,015 (95% UI: €13,932–€20,200. The average projected income generated by an individual throughout his/her productive life was €258,070 (95% UI: €185,376–€339,831. In addition, his/her life tax contribution was estimated at €133,947 (95% UI: €100,126–€177,375, while the discounted governmental expenses for elderly and underage individuals were €67,624 (95% UI: €55,211–€83,930. Hence, the net present value of IVF was €60

Childhood obesity and elevated blood pressure in a rural population of northern Greece.

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Mavrakanas, Thomas A; Konsoula, Georgia; Patsonis, Ioannis; Merkouris, Bodossakis P

2009-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of childhood obesity and elevated blood pressure (BP) in a rural population of northern Greece. In total, 572 schoolchildren between the age of 4 and 10 years were examined. Obesity was defined using three different standards: (1) body mass index (BMI) charts of the French society of Paediatrics (FR), selected because of the low cardiovascular risk profile and low prevalence of obesity in France; (2) United States BMI CDC charts (US), selected because of the high prevalence of childhood obesity in the USA; and the reference curves of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Children with elevated BP were defined as BP > or = 95th percentile for age, gender and height, according to the Greek national charts. The prevalence of obesity for boys was 13.6% (IOTF), 23.7% (US) and 31.7% (FR); for girls 14.4% (IOTF), 21.1% (US) and 35.1% (FR). The prevalence of elevated BP was 7.9% (45 children). It was 5 to 6 times more common for obese than non-obese children to have elevated BP (relative risk of 5.2 to 6.2 and odds ratio 6.3 to 7.7). The results confirm the high prevalence of childhood obesity in Greece, in this study found to be more prevalent in rural than urban Greece. The IOTF criteria tend to underestimate obesity and may not be optimal for use in a primary clinical care setting where the approach is for health education and patient treatment, rather than purely epidemiological. The study also confirms a strong relationship between high BP and increased BMI.

The significance of fibroblast growth factors 8, 17, and 18 and the fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 for malignant behaviour of hepatocarcinoma cells

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Gauglhofer, C. L.

2010-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the most frequent type of primary liver cancer and is the fifth most common cancer type worldwide. Effective therapeutic options are still limited to early cancer stages, resulting in a high mortality. Etiological factors for this disease are well known and it is widely accepted that most of the HCCs develop on the base of a chronic inflammatory liver disease. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of HCC are still incompletely understood. Aberrant fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-mediated signaling plays an important part in growth autonomy and tumor progression in a wide variety of cancer types. Thus far, the role of FGFs in HCC has only been studied in part. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of the members of the FGF8-subfamily (FGF8, FGF17, and FGF18) and the FGF receptor 4 (FGFR4) to the malignant behaviour of hepatocarcinoma cell lines. In this study one or more FGF8-subfamily members were found to be upregulated in the tissue of the majority (20/34) of human HCC cases studied. Endogenous mRNA levels of FGF8, FGF17, and FGF18 in hepatocarcinoma cell lines were increased further when cells had been subjected to serum withdrawal or hypoxia. Furthermore, addition of recombinant FGF8, FGF17, or FGF18 suppressed the elevated apoptotic activity of starved cells and activated the MAPK pathway. These findings suggest that FGF8-family members may act as survival factors in liver tumors suffering from insufficient blood supply due to rapid growth. Accordingly, knock-down of endogenous FGF18 expression reduced the viability and the clone formation capacity of the cell lines. In addition, FGF8, FGF17, and/or FGF18 enhanced growth in tumor-associated myofibroblasts and induced DNA replication of hepatic endothelial cells. This points towards a role of FGF8-family members in the epithelial-mesenchymal interplay between the various cell types of HCC. FGFR4, which is expressed