Comparison of the Level of Awareness about the Transmission of Echinococcosis and Toxocariasis between Pet Owners and Non-Pet Owners in Greece

Ζoonotic parasitic diseases that can occur through animal contact pose risks to pets, their owners and to their bond. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge about zoonoses, specifically echinococcosis and toxocariasis, among cat/dog owners and non-pet owners in Greece. Multiple-choice questionnaires were designed to obtain data regarding the knowledge of pet and non-pet owners on echinococcosis and toxocariasis, including signs and symptoms of these zoonoses, ways of transmission and precautions that need to be taken into account in order to avoid it. A total of 185 questionnaires were retrieved and data was expressed as absolute (Ν) and relative frequencies (%). Associations between pet ownership, residence and outcome variables were evaluated using the Fisher exact test and Chi-squared test, respectively. Multifactorial linear regression analysis was used to investigate the cross-sectional association between demographic characteristics and the awareness of helminthic zoonoses. All tests were two-sided and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Our study revealed a disturbing lack of awareness of echinococcosis and toxocariasis (mean zoonotic knowledge score 8.11 ± 3.18) independently of pet ownership. Surprisingly, in some cases the ignorance of pet owners exceeded that of non-pet owners. Given the progressive impact of toxocariasis in public health and the high prevalence of echinococcosis in the Mediterranean region, measures should be taken to inform people about zoonoses and eliminate their putative transmission

EFFECT OF INTERFERONS AND ANTICANCER ANTIBIOTICS ON THE REPAIR MECHANISMS OF MAMMALIAN CELLS: USE OF VIRUS AS PROBES

Η ΣΗΜΑΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΣΥΝΔΥΑΣΜΕΝΗΣ ΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΒΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΩΝ ΡΥΘΜΙΣΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΟΤΟΞΙΚΩΝ Η ΚΥΤΤΑΡΟΣΤΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΦΑΡΜΑΚΩΝ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΝΕΙ ΕΝΑ ΣΥΝΕΧΩΣ ΑΥΞΑΝΟΜΕΝΟ ΕΡΕΥΝΗΤΙΚΟ ΕΝΔΙΑΦΕΡΟΝ. Η ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ ΑΥΤΗ ΑΝΑΦΕΡΕΤΑΙ ΣΤΗ ΔΙΕΡΕΥΝΗΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΙΚΗΣ ΑΝΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΗΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΕΛΕΓΧΟ ΤΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΙΚΩΝ ΑΛΛΗΛΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΕΩΝ. Η ΔΙΕΡΕΥΝΗΣΗ ΣΕ IN VITRO ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΑ ΕΧΕΙ ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΕΙ ΜΙΑ ΠΕΡΙΟΧΗ ΕΝΤΟΝΟΥ ΠΕΙΡΑΜΑΤΙΣΜΟΥ ΓΙΑΤΙ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΠΤΕΙ ΤΟΥΣ ΜΗΧΑΝΙΣΜΟΥΣ ΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΦΑΡΜΑΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙΤΡΕΠΕΙ ΜΙΑ ΠΡΩΤΗ ΠΡΟΣΕΓΓΙΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΗΣΤΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΩΝ. Σ' ΑΥΤΗ ΤΗΝ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ ΕΠΙΛΕΞΑΜΕ ΝΑ ΔΙΕΡΕΥΝΗΣΟΥΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΣΥΝΔΥΑΣΜΕΝΗ ΔΡΑΣΗ IN VITRO IFNS ΚΑΙ BLM ΣΕ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΙΚΟ ΚΑΙ ΜΟΡΙΑΚΟ ΕΠΙΠΕΔΟ. ΓΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΕΛΕΓΧΟ ΤΗΣ ΑΝΤΙΠΟΛΛΑΠΛΑΣΙΑΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ IFNS ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ BLM ΣΧΕΔΙΑΣΤΗΚΕ ΠΡΩΤΟΚΟΛΛΟ ΕΚΘΕΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΩΝ ΣΤΑ ΦΑΡΜΑΚΑ ΣΕ ΔΥΟ ΔΙΑΔΟΧΙΚΑ ΣΤΑΔΙΑ. ΤΟ ΠΡΩΤΟ ΣΤΑΔΙΟ ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΟΠΟΙΕΙΤΑΙ ΣΕ ΜΟΝΟΣΤΟΙΒΕΣ ΚΑΛΛΙΕΡΓΕΙΕΣ, ΠΟΥ ΣΥΝΙΣΤΟΥΝ ΕΝΑ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΟ ΠΛΗΘΥΣΜΙΑΚΟ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑ, ΠΟΥ ΕΠΙΤΡΕΠΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΔΙΕΡΕΥΝΗΣΗ ΦΑΙΝΟΜΕΝΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΙΚΗΣ ΕΠΙΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΑΝΤΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΗΣ, ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΟΥΜΕΝΟ ΑΠΟ ΕΝΑ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΟ ΣΤΑΔΙΟ ΚΑΛΛΙΕΡΓΕΙΑΣ ΑΠΟΙΚΙΩΝ (ΚΛΩΝΩΝ), ΠΟΥ ΑΞΙΟΛΟΓΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΛΑΠΛΑΣΙΑΣΤΙΚΗ ΙΚΑΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΕΠΙΛΕΚΤΙΚΗ ΠΙΕΣΗ (SELECTION PRESSURE), ΠΟΥ ΕΞΑΣΚΕΙ ΤΟ ΑΝΤΙΚΑΡΚΙΝΙΚΟ ΦΑΡΜΑΚΟ ΣΤΟΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΙΚΟ ΠΛΗΘΥΣΜΟ. Η ΣΕΙΡΑ ΑΥΤΗ ΤΩΝ ΠΕΙΡΑΜΑΤΩΝ ΑΠΟΚΑΛΥΨΕ ΤΗΝ ΙΔΙΑΙΤΕΡΗ ΣΗΜΑΣΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΣΕΙΡΑΣΕΚΘΕΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΚΥΤΤΑΡΩΝ ΣΤΑ ΔΥΟ ΦΑΡΜΑΚΑ. ΕΠΕΤΡΕΨΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ ΤΟΝ ΔΙΑΧΩΡΙΣΜΟ ΤΗΣ ΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΥΨΗΛΩΝ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΣΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ BLM (ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΥΨΗΛΗ ΤΟΞΙΚΟΤΗΤΑ, ΠΟΥ ΣΥΝΔΕΕΤΑΙ ΜΕ ΒΛΑΒΕΣ ΣΤΟ DNA ΠΟΥ ΕΠΙΚΡΑΤΟΥΝ Η ΕΠΙΣΚΙΑΖΟΥΝ ΚΑΘΕ ΑΛΛΗ ΔΡΑΣΗ) ΑΠΟ ΤΗΝ (ΠΕΡΙΚΟΠΗ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗΣ)IN RECENT YEARS MUCH INTEREST HAS BEEN FOCUSED IN THE COMBINATION OF BIOLOGICAL RESPONSE MODIFIERS (IFNS, ILS, CSFS ETC) WITH STANDARD CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS AS AN IMPORTANT AND PROMISING CHALLENGE TO CANCER THERAPY. NEVERTHELESS,CONSIDERABLE WORK IS STILL REQUIRED BOTH AT THE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LEVEL TO UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISM OF THEIR COMBINED ACTION. IN THIS WORK WE HAVE CHOSEN IFNS A MOST THOROUGHLY STUDIED FAMILY OF GLYCOPROTEINS FOR THEIR ANTITUMORACTIVITIES AND BLMS, A FAMILY OF WELL KNOWN ANTINEOPLASTIC GLYCOPEPTIDES, TO INVESTIGATE FURHTER THEIR COMBINED MODE OF ACTION IN VITRO BOTH AT THE CELLULAR MOLECULAR LEVEL. A TWO STEPS PROTOCOL OF EXPOSURE TO THE DRUGS WAS DESIGNED INCLUDING A MONOLAYER STAGE (1ST STEP) IMPLICATING CELL TO CELL INTERACTIONSIN RESPONSE TO THE DRUG AND A SUBSEQUENT CLONOGENIC ASSAY (2ND STEP) EVALUATING PROLIFERATING CAPABILITY OF THE EXPOSED CELLS AND/OR SELECTIVE PRESSURE EXERTED BY THE DRUGS. RIFNS - Α WAS ADMINISTERED DURITY THE 1ST STEP TO HELA MONOLAYER COMBINED WITH THE FREE RADICAL - GENERATING ANTIPROLIFERATIVE AGENT BLMIN THE SECOND STEP OF COLONIES DEVELOPMENT. THE DATA SHOWED THAT THE MAIN EFFECT IS ATTRIBUTED TO THE ACTION OF BLM. COMBINATION WITH RIFN - Α; LOW DOSE PRETREATMENT COMBINED WITH LOW BLM - CONCENTRATION (1ΜG/ML) SHOWED A SLIGHT SYNERGISTIC EFFECT ON THE (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED