Physical activity and mental health in caregivers of mental ill patients in Greece

The present study is one of the first attempts to examine the connection of physical activity with the mental health of people that care for family members with mental illness. Caregiving is a load with negative effects on well-being but caring for a family member with mental illness results to a higher psychological burden, due to other factors involved (i.e. stigma). Physical activity and exercise have been found to be variables that lead to better quality of life for caregivers in many chronic illnesses. The participants of the study were 300 caregivers of patients with mental illness – family members (96 men, 204 women) of a mean age 60.64 (±10.08) years old. They were administered the Leisure Time Physical Activity questionnaire and according to their responses, they were divided in two groups: physically active and sedentary. Mental health was assessed using the DASS 21 questionnaire, with three subscales: depression, anxiety and stress. According to the results of the one-way MANOVA, physically active caregivers had a better score than their sedentary counterparts on all three DASS 21 subscales: anxiety (p < .001), stress (p < .01), depressive symptoms (p < .001). According to the results, physical activity and exercise of even low intensity, seems to play an important role on caregivers’ mental health by leading to reduced stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Although more research is needed in this area, it seems that physical activity interventions should be considered as an additional type of support offered to caregivers of mental ill patients

Benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma in a postmenopausal woman complicated with an ovarian cyst: a case report

Benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare cystic neoplasm, characterized by subtle symptoms, that occurs predominantly in reproductive-aged women. The pathogenesis and etiology of the disease are yet to be determined. We herein present a 71-year-old woman presented to our clinic with persistent low back pain. The clinical examination showed a palpable mass in the abdominal area. The magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple cystic lesions that occupy the largest part of the pelvis, posterior to the uterus. The patient underwent cyst excision, total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy and lymph node dissection. Postoperative course was uneventful and histopathology of the specimen revealed a benign multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma. Complete tumor resection is considered the optimal therapeutic approach of peritoneal mesothelioma. Histopathological analysis is required to confirm the diagnosis of multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma

Acute cholangitis due to afferent loop syndrome after a Whipple procedure: a case report

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

Wound dehiscence: is still a problem in the 21th century: a retrospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of wound dehiscence and determine which of them can be reverted.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively analyzed 3500 laparotomies. Age over 75 years, diagnosis of cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, malnutrition, sepsis, obesity, anemia, diabetes, use of steroids, tobacco use and previous administration of chemotherapy or radiotherapy were identified as risk factors</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fifteen of these patients developed wound dehiscence. Emergency laparotomy was performed in 9 of these patients. Patients who had more than 7 risk factors died.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is important for the surgeon to know that wound healing demands oxygen consumption, normoglycemia and absence of toxic or septic factors, which reduces collagen synthesis and oxidative killing mechanisms of neutrophils. Also the type of abdominal closure may plays an important role. The tension free closure is recommended and a continuous closure is preferable. Preoperative assessment so as to identify and remove, if possible, these risk factors is essential, in order to minimize the incidence of wound dehiscence, which has a high death rate.</p

Familial hypercholesterolaemia in children and adolescents from 48 countries: a cross-sectional study

Background: Approximately 450 000 children are born with familial hypercholesterolaemia worldwide every year, yet only 2·1% of adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia were diagnosed before age 18 years via current diagnostic approaches, which are derived from observations in adults. We aimed to characterise children and adolescents with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HeFH) and understand current approaches to the identification and management of familial hypercholesterolaemia to inform future public health strategies. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, we assessed children and adolescents younger than 18 years with a clinical or genetic diagnosis of HeFH at the time of entry into the Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Studies Collaboration (FHSC) registry between Oct 1, 2015, and Jan 31, 2021. Data in the registry were collected from 55 regional or national registries in 48 countries. Diagnoses relying on self-reported history of familial hypercholesterolaemia and suspected secondary hypercholesterolaemia were excluded from the registry; people with untreated LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) of at least 13·0 mmol/L were excluded from this study. Data were assessed overall and by WHO region, World Bank country income status, age, diagnostic criteria, and index-case status. The main outcome of this study was to assess current identification and management of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia. Findings: Of 63 093 individuals in the FHSC registry, 11 848 (18·8%) were children or adolescents younger than 18 years with HeFH and were included in this study; 5756 (50·2%) of 11 476 included individuals were female and 5720 (49·8%) were male. Sex data were missing for 372 (3·1%) of 11 848 individuals. Median age at registry entry was 9·6 years (IQR 5·8-13·2). 10 099 (89·9%) of 11 235 included individuals had a final genetically confirmed diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia and 1136 (10·1%) had a clinical diagnosis. Genetically confirmed diagnosis data or clinical diagnosis data were missing for 613 (5·2%) of 11 848 individuals. Genetic diagnosis was more common in children and adolescents from high-income countries (9427 [92·4%] of 10 202) than in children and adolescents from non-high-income countries (199 [48·0%] of 415). 3414 (31·6%) of 10 804 children or adolescents were index cases. Familial-hypercholesterolaemia-related physical signs, cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiovascular disease were uncommon, but were more common in non-high-income countries. 7557 (72·4%) of 10 428 included children or adolescents were not taking lipid-lowering medication (LLM) and had a median LDL-C of 5·00 mmol/L (IQR 4·05-6·08). Compared with genetic diagnosis, the use of unadapted clinical criteria intended for use in adults and reliant on more extreme phenotypes could result in 50-75% of children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia not being identified. Interpretation: Clinical characteristics observed in adults with familial hypercholesterolaemia are uncommon in children and adolescents with familial hypercholesterolaemia, hence detection in this age group relies on measurement of LDL-C and genetic confirmation. Where genetic testing is unavailable, increased availability and use of LDL-C measurements in the first few years of life could help reduce the current gap between prevalence and detection, enabling increased use of combination LLM to reach recommended LDL-C targets early in life

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Αναζήτηση των λεπτοκουάρκ σωματιδίων της δεύτερης γενιάς στο πείραμα ATLAS / LHC

In the present thesis the data analysis of ATLAS/LHC detector for the search for second generation pair of scalar leptoquarks (LQ) is been described. The data have been acquired during Run 1 and Run 2 periods. LQs are hypothetical bosons arising naturally in many beyond Standard Model (BSM) theories, e.g. Super Symmetric (SUSY) models and Grand Unified Theories (GUTs). The pair of second generation scalar LQs decay to a charged lepton (muon) and a jet of second generation coming from the first LQ and to a neutral lepton (muon neutrino) and a jetof second generation coming from the second LQ. Second generation jets come from charm and strange quarks through hadronisation procedure. Given that ATLAS detector is not in a positionto detect neutrinos, their in direct detection is feasible through missing transverse energy. The first analysis was based on data acquired by ATLAS during 2012 with a total center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV and an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb -1 , while the second was based on data acquired by ATLAS during 2015 – 2016 with a total center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb -1. Quality criteria for the objects and events selection have been applied. Simulated MC samples for the comparison with data have been used and a full statistical evaluation for the confidence limits extraction of the final results has been performed. There has not been any indication of a potential signal excess, while an extension of the known limits of LQ cross-section production with respect to LQ mass has been taken place. Finally, the work done with CSC sub-detectors of ATLAS Muon Spectrometer as my qualification task is been presented.Στην παρούσα διδακτορική διατριβή περιγράφεται η ανάλυση των δεδομένων του ανιχνευτή ATLAS/LHC για την ανίχνευση του βαθμωτού ζεύγους των υποθετικών σωματιδίων λεπτοκουάρκ δεύτερης γενιάς κατά τη διάρκεια της Περιόδου 1 και της Περιόδου 2 λήψης δεδομένων. Τα λεπτοκουάρκ είναι υποθετικά μποζόνια τα οποία αναδύονται φυσικά σε αρκετές θεωρίες πέρα από το Καθιερωμένο Πρότυπο, όπως π.χ. υπερσυμμετρικά μοντέλα και μεγαλοενοποιημένες θεωρίες. Το ζεύγος βαθμωτών λεπτοκουάρκ δεύτερης γενιάς το οποίο αναζητείται δίνει ως προϊόντα διάσπασης ένα φορτισμένο λεπτόνιο (μιόνιο) και ένα τζετ δεύτερης γενιάς από τη διάσπαση του πρώτου μποζονίου και ένα αφόρτιστο λεπτόνιο (νετρίνο μιονίου) και ένα τζετ δεύτερης γενιάς από τη διάσπαση του δεύτερου. Τα τζετ δεύτερης γενιάς προέρχονται από τα κουάρκ charm και strange μέσω της διαδικασίας της αδρονοποίησης. Δεδομένου ότι ο ανιχνευτής ATLAS δε μπορεί να ανιχνεύσει νετρίνα, αυτά ανιχνεύονται έμμεσα ως εγκάρσια ελλείπουσα ενέργεια. Η πρώτη ανάλυση βασίστηκε στα γεγονότα που συγκέντρωσε ο ανιχνευτής κατά το έτος 2012 σε συνολική ενέργεια κέντρου μάζας 8 TeV και συνολική φωτεινότητα 20.3 fb -1 , ενώ η δεύτερη στα γεγονότα που συγκεντρώθηκαν κατά τα έτη 2015 – 2016 σε συνολική ενέργεια κέντρου μάζας 13 TeV και συνολική φωτεινότητα 36.1 fb -1. Εφαρμόστηκαν ποιοτικά κριτήρια επιλογής γεγονότων και αντικειμένων, χρησιμοποιήθηκαν προσομοιωμένα αρχεία MC για τη σύγκριση και έγινε πλήρης στατιστική ανάλυση για την εκτίμηση των επιπέδων εμπιστοσύνης των τελικών αποτελεσμάτων. Τα αποτελέσματα δεν έδειξαν κάποια πιθανή ύπαρξη πλεονάσματος πιθανού σήματος, ενώ έγινε επέκταση των γνωστών ορίων της ενεργού διατομής παραγωγής του ζεύγους λεπτοκουάρκ σε συνάρτηση με τη μάζα του λεπτοκουάρκ. Τέλος, παρουσίαζεται η εργασία που έγινε στους υπο-ανιχνευτές CSC του Μιονικού Φασματόμετρου του ATLAS στο πλαίσιο του qualification task