Palatal shape covariation in extraction versus nonextraction borderline patients: A geometric morphometric study

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to evaluate changes in palatal shape after orthodontic treatment from a borderline sample of extraction and nonextraction patients with a Class I relationship. METHODS A borderline sample regarding premolar extractions was obtained through discriminant analysis and comprised 30 nonextraction and 23 extraction patients. The digital dental casts of these patients were digitized with 3 curves and 239 landmarks placed on the hard palate. Procrustes superimposition and principal component analysis were implemented to assess group shape variability patterns. RESULTS The success of the discriminant analysis in identifying a borderline sample regarding the extraction modality was validated using geometric morphometrics. Concerning palatal shape, no sexual dimorphism was found (P = 0.78). The first 6 principal components that were statistically significant accounted for 79.2% of the total shape variance. Palatal changes were 61% more pronounced in the extraction group, which exhibited a decrease in palatal length (P = 0.02; 10,000 permutations). In contrast, the nonextraction group showed an increase in the palatal width (P <0.001; 10,000 permutations). Intergroup comparisons indicated that the nonextraction group exhibited longer palates, whereas the extraction group exhibited higher palates (P = 0.02; 10,000 permutations). CONCLUSIONS Considerable changes in palatal shape were seen for the nonextraction and extraction treatment group, with the latter exhibiting more pronounced changes, mainly in terms of palatal length. Further investigations are needed to clarify the clinical significance of the palatal shape changes in borderline patients after extraction and nonextraction treatment

Alcohol Use and Mental Health Status Among University Students in Greece

Alcohol abuse is a common incident in college student’s communities. The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the rates of alcohol use among university students in Greece and to search if there is a relation between alcohol use disorders and mental health status (depression, anxiety, stress)

Emotional Intelligence and Caring Behaviors of Mental Health Nurses in Greece

The purpose of this descriptive study of correlation of the synchronic type is to investigate the level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and Caring Behaviors exhibited by nurses in mental health, as well as the relationship with their individual characteristics

Assessment of psychological distress in university students: A Quantitative study

Introduction: Psychological health is the expression of harmonic expression ofhuman’s personality and is often disrupted by multiple factors. Especially duringacademic years human has to confront various stressful situations that endanger hisPsychological health.Purpose: This study aims to assess psychological distress in university students and toexamine possible factors that are associated with it.Material and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in which 206 universitystudents were participated. Data were collected by the Hospital Anxiety and DepressionScale, HADS and a sheet contain information regarding demographic, social andacademic background special design for the purpose of the study. Spss v. 21 was usedfor analyzing data and the signicant level was set in p?0,05.Results: From the total of 206 students 76,2% were women (n=157) and 23,8% weremen with a mean age 30.1 ±7.15. Anxiety symptoms were negative associated withcohabitation and marital status (p=.019 and p=.001 respectively). While place ofresidence was also negative associated (p=.000).While monthly income and duration ofwere associated with the experience of anxiety symptoms. One the other handdepression was associated with sex (p=.004) place of residence and origins of students(p=.038 and p=.058 respectively). Finally the number of uncompleted courses andsexual preferences were associated with depression to (p=.009).Conclusions: Within the context of student life that is characterized by anxiety, crises ofinterpersonal relationships and uncertainty maintaining student’s mental health andwellbeing must be a top propriety among university services

Calprotectin in lung diseases

Calprotectin (CLP) is a heterodimer formed by two S-100 calcium-binding cytosolic proteins, S100A8 and S100A9. It is a multifunctional protein expressed mainly by neutrophils and released extracellularly by activated or damaged cells mediating a broad range of physiological and pathological responses. It has been more than 20 years since the implication of S100A8/A9 in the inflammatory process was shown; however, the evaluation of its role in the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases or its usefulness as a biomarker for the appropriate diagnosis and prognosis of lung diseases have only gained attention in recent years. This review aimed to provide current knowledge regarding the potential role of CLP in the pathophysiology of lung diseases and describe how this knowledge is, up until now, translated into daily clinical practice. CLP is involved in numerous cellular processes in lung health and disease. In addition to its anti-microbial functions, CLP also serves as a molecule with pro- and anti-tumor properties related to cell survival and growth, angiogenesis, DNA damage response, and the remodeling of the extracellular matrix. The findings of this review potentially introduce CLP in daily clinical practice within the spectrum of respiratory diseases

Work place and prevalence of COVID-19 in a rural population in Greece

Introduction: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic, giving rise to a serious global health threat. Many countries including Greece have seen a two-wave pattern of reported cases, with a first wave in spring and a second in autumn of 2020. Methods: A cross-sectional seroprevalence study was designed to measure the prevalence of IgG antibodies with a quantitative SARS-CoV-2 IgG lab-based serology test, chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay, against novel coronavirus in rural areas in Greece after the second pandemic wave. The study was conducted on 29 January 2021 in a rural semi-closed area, the municipality of Deskati, prefecture of western Macedonia in Greece after the second pandemic wave. Results: Sixty-nine participants were included in this study. The present study demonstrated a high prevalence of COVID-19 infection (31 of 69 total participants; 45%) and those who were working in the public sector were at higher risk of COVID-19 infection in comparison to their counterparts in private sector (p=0.05364), (relative risk 2.64; 95% confidence interval 1.001-7.086). Conclusion: The study presents data showing a high prevalence of herd immunity for COVID-19 in a semi-closed area in Greece. These findings might help to understand the characteristics of this second wave, the behaviour and danger of SARS-CoV-2 in rural areas in Greece and Europe generally

Greek Nurses' Perception of Hospital Ethical Climate: A Cross-Sectional Study

The present study aimed to examine Greek nurses’ perceptions about hospital ethical climate and to investigate the possible difference of those perceptions regarding their demographic and work-related characteristics. The cross-sectional study design was employed in this study in which 286 nurses and nurse assistants participated. Data were collected by a sheet containing demographic and work-related characteristics and the Greek version of Oslons’ Hospital Ethical Climate Scale. IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences 25 was used in data analysis. Frequencies, means, percentages, and standard deviations summarized the data. For the statistical differences, parametric tests were performed. Independent Samples t and Pearson correlation analysis were used to determine the relationship between the ethical climate of the hospital and the nurses’ characteristics. The p-values 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The mean age of the nurses was 44 years (SD: 8.5 years; range 24–66 years). The majority of them were women (77.3%). A percent of 57.7% of the sample was married. Most positive perceptions were concerning managers (4.01) following by peers (3.82), patients (3.69), hospital (3.29) while the least positive perceptions of the ethical climate were concerning the physicians (3.16). The factors associated with hospital ethical perception were: working experience and responsible position. The highest score of ethical climate reported to Managers subscale, while the minimum score was related to Physicians. In general, Greek nurses reported positive perceptions regarding hospital ethical climate. The positive ethical climate is associated with a better working environment, fewer nurses’ experience of moral distress, fewer chances for nursing turnover, high quality of nursing care, and fewer errors in nursing practice

Vertical skeletal changes after extraction and non-extraction treatment in matched class I patients identified by a discriminant analysis: cephalometric appraisal and Procrustes superimposition

BACKGROUND: In the long-lasting debate of extraction versus non-extraction treatment, the impact of extractions on the skeletal vertical dimension remains rather unclear. The aim of this retrospective research study was to obtain a bias-free sample of morphologically similar borderline patients treated with or without extraction of the four first premolars and to retrospectively evaluate the vertical changes that occurred. METHODS: A borderline sample of 83 patients, 41 treated with four first premolar extractions and 42 treated without, was obtained by means of discriminant analysis applied to a previously investigated parent sample of 542 class I patients. The pretreatment and posttreatment cephalometric radiographs were analyzed digitally, and seven measurements were assessed for vertical skeletal changes. Also, average tracings between the two treatment groups were evaluated using the Procrustes superimposition method. RESULTS: The variables of SN to Go-Gn and Y-axis showed adjusted intergroup differences of - 0.91° and - 1.11° (P = 0.04). Comparing the mean intra-group differences of all the variables simultaneously, a significant difference was found between the two treatment groups (overall P value = 0.04). In the extraction group, only the gonial angle showed a significant decrease (P = 0.01) while the overall P value evaluating the intra-group differences between pre- and posttreatment was significant (overall P value < 0.01). In the non-extraction group, the variable of N-ANS/N-Me showed a significant decrease (P = 0.02) and the overall P value evaluating the intra-group differences between pre- and posttreatment was also significant (overall P value < 0.01). Differences in treatment duration were assessed using a log-normal model and showed that extraction treatment lasted significantly longer than non-extraction treatment (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The borderline group of patients identified by the discriminant analysis exhibited similar morphological characteristics at treatment's onset; therefore, the posttreatment changes could safely be attributed to the choice of extraction or non-extraction treatment and not to pre-existing differences. Treatment choice had an impact on the patients' vertical skeletal dimensions. Patients treated with four first premolar extractions showed a slight decrease in the vertical skeletal measurements, whereas non-extraction patient treatment showed a slight increase. The treatment time was also significantly higher in the extraction group

Vaccination epidemiological studies on health professionals and pilot application development integrated system peripheral File vaccinations, under Configuration peripheral public health policy

The aim of the research was the organization of the epidemiological studies in order to record the immunization coverage in Health Care Professions students about vaccines recommended as compulsory vaccination by the National Immunization Program of the Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity of Greece. The other aim of the research was to create an integrated information system in order to create an infant immunization coverage log for the vaccines recommended by the National Immunization Program in infancy, expandable up to adolescence. After having studied the immunization coverage for HPV vaccine during the academic year 2011-2012, while having the experience and facing the difficulties arisen by the questionnaire, the next academic year 2012-2013, a study was designed to record the immunization coverage for Hepatitis–Β in Health Professions Schools. Both studies were performed using questionnaires.Σκοπός της έρευνας ήταν η οργάνωση επιδημιολογικών μελετών με σκοπό την καταγραφή της εμβολιαστικής κάλυψης σε φοιτητές επαγγελμάτων υγείας πρόνοιας σχετικά με εμβόλια που συστήνονται ως υποχρεωτικός εμβολιασμός από το Εθνικό Πρόγραμμα Εμβολιασμού του Υπουργείου Υγείας και Κοινωνικής Αλληλεγγύης. Ο έτερος στόχος της έρευνας, ήταν η δημιουργία ενός ολοκληρωμένου πληροφοριακού συστήματος με σκοπό τη δημιουργία αρχείου καταγραφής της εμβολιαστικής κάλυψης των βρεφών για τα εμβόλια που συστήνει το Εθνικό Πρόγραμμα Εμβολιασμού στην πρώιμη βρεφική ηλικία και με δυνατότητα επέκτασης μέχρι και την εφηβική ηλικία. Αφού μελετήσαμε την εμβολιαστική κάλυψη για τον HPV εμβόλιο το φοιτητικό έτος 2011-2012 και έχοντας την εμπειρία και τις δυσκολίες του ερωτηματολογίου, τον επόμενο χρόνο 2012-2013 σχεδιάστηκε μελέτη με σκοπό την καταγραφή της εμβολιαστικής κάλυψης για την Ηπατίτιδα -Β σε Σχολές Επαγγελμάτων Υγείας. Αμφότερες οι μελέτες έγιναν με χρήση ερωτηματολογίων