Socio- Demographic, Clinical and Lifestyle Determinants of Low Response Rate on a Self- Reported Psychological Multi-Item Instrument Assessing the Adults’ Hostility and its Direction: ATTICA Epidemiological Study (2002-2012)

Background: Missing data constitutes a common phenomenon, especially, in questionnaire-based, population surveys or epidemiological studies, with the statistical power, the efficiency and the validity of the conducted analyses being significantly affected by the missing information. The aim of the present work was to investigate the socio-demographic, lifestyle and clinical determinants of low response rate in a self- rating multi-item scale, estimating the individuals’ hostility and direction of hostility.Methods: 3042 apparently healthy volunteers residing in the Athens metropolitan area participated in the ATTICA epidemiological study [1514 (49.8%) were men [46 years old (SD= 13 years)] and 1528 (50.2%) were women [45 years old (SD= 14 years)]]. Hostility and Direction of Hostility was assessed with the Hostility and Direction of Hostility (HDHQ) scale. Binary logistic regression with backward model selection was used in order to identify the key demographic, clinical and lifestyle determinants of higher non-response rate in the HDHQ scale.Results: The vast majority of the participants (87.0%) had missing information in the HDHQ scale. Older age, lower educational level, poorer health status and unhealthy dietary habits, were found to be significant determinants of high nonresponse rate, while female participants were found to be more likely to have missing data in the items of the HDHQ scale.Conclusions: The present work augments prior evidence that higher non-response to health surveys is significantly affected by responders’ background characteristics, while it gives rise to research towards unrevealed paths behind this claim

Olive oil intake is inversely related to cancer prevalence: a systematic review and a meta-analysis of 13800 patients and 23340 controls in 19 observational studies

Dietary fat, both in terms of quantity and quality, has been implicated to cancer development, either positively or negatively. The aim of this work was to evaluate whether olive oil or monounsaturated fat intake was associated with the development of cancer. A systematic search of relevant studies, published in English, between 1990 and March 1, 2011, was performed through a computer-assisted literature tool (i.e., Pubmed). In total 38 studies were initially allocated; of them 19 case-control studies were finally studied (13800 cancer patients and 23340 controls were included). Random effects meta-analysis was applied in order to evaluate the research hypothesis. It was found that compared with the lowest, the highest category of olive oil consumption was associated with lower odds of having any type of cancer (log odds ratio = -0.41, 95%CI -0.53, -0.29, Cohran's Q = 47.52, p = 0.0002, I-sq = 62%); the latter was irrespective of the country of origin (Mediterranean or non-Mediterranean). Moreover, olive oil consumption was associated with lower odds of developing breast cancer (logOR = -0,45 95%CI -0.78 to -0.12), and a cancer of the digestive system (logOR = -0,36 95%CI -0.50 to -0.21), compared with the lowest intake. The strength and consistency of the findings states a hypothesis about the protective role of olive oil intake on cancer risk. However, it is still unclear whether olive oil's monounsaturated fatty acid content or its antioxidant components are responsible for its beneficial effects

The approach of music therapy in the support of people with psychological trauma

Τα τελευταία χρόνια οι μουσικοθεραπευτές δουλεύουν με ποικίλους τύπους ψυχολογικού τραύματος σε ένα ευρύ φάσμα πληθυσμών, όπως πρόσφυγες (Orth, 2005), επιζώντες πολέμου (Bensimon,Amir, & Wolf 2008) και σεξουαλικώς κακοποιημένα παιδιά (Strehlow, 2009). Στόχος της παρούσας ποιοτικής έρευνας είναι να διερευνηθεί η προσέγγιση της μουσικοθεραπείας στη στήριξη ατομων με ψυχολογικό τραύμα. Για το λόγο αυτό 6 πτυχιούχες μουσικοθεραπεύτριες αφηγήθηκαν την κλινική τους εμπειρία με τραυματισμένα άτομα μέσα από ημι-δομημένες συνεντεύξεις, οι οποίες αναλύθηκαν με τη θεματική ανάλυση των Braun και Clarke (2006). Από τα αποτελέσματα φαίνεται ότι το τραυματισμένο άτομο έχει χάσει τη δυνατότητα να συνδέεται αρμονικά με τον εαυτό του και τους άλλους. Στη μουσικοθεραπεία, μέσω της μουσικής δημιουργίας και της σύνδεσης με το θεραπευτή παρέχεται ένα ασφαλές περιβάλλον, ώστε το άτομο να έρθει σε επαφή με τα συναισθήματα και τις ανάγκες του, να επεξεργαστεί αυτό που του συνέβη και να επικοινωνήσει με τους γύρω του. Κατά συνέπεια, μπορεί να γίνει ξανά υποκείμενο στην προσωπική του ιστορία, αποκτώντας δυνατότητα ελέγχου και προσωπικής επιλογής.Recently, music therapists have been working intensively with a range of populations with different types of psychological trauma, such as refugees (Orth, 2005), war survivors (Bensimon, Amir, & Wolf 2008) and sexually abused children (Strehlow, 2009). The present qualitative analysis aims to investigate the approach of music therapy in supporting traumatized individuals. For that purpose, 6 certified music therapists described their clinical experience through semi-structured interviews and the thematic analysis by Braun and Clarke (2006) was used. The results indicated that traumatized individuals have lost their ability to connect with themselves as well as with others. Music therapy provides a safe environment through musical creation and therapeutic relationship, in order for traumatized people to genuinely connect with their feelings and needs, process the traumatic event and communicate with others. In this way, they become subjects of their own stories by gaining a sense of control and personal choice

Circulating Tissue Inhibitor of Matrix Metalloproteinase-4 (TIMP-4) in Systemic Sclerosis Patients with Elevated Pulmonary Arterial Pressure

Decreased levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) or excess levels of their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) may contribute to dysregulation of extracellular matrix turnover in systemic sclerosis (SSc). In a cross-sectional study of 106 SSc patients, we measured serum levels of TIMP-4 which is preferentially expressed in cardiovascular structures and searched for correlations with simultaneously performed echocardiography measurements of pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), myocardial performance, and pulmonary function tests. TIMP-4, but not MMP-9, levels were significantly raised in patients with SSc than controls. However, in the subgroup of patients with PASP measurements lower to 40 mmHg (n = 69), TIMP-4 levels were comparable to controls irrespective of the presence of diffuse or limited skin involvement, or lung fibrosis. Individual PASP measurements suggestive of pulmonary hypertension were associated with increased TIMP-4 serum levels (P = .03), independently of age, extent of skin sclerosis, or lung fibrosis, suggesting a cardiopulmonary vasculature-specific role of TIMP-4 activation in SSc

Sexually Transmitted Infections in a Cohort of 15,921 Refugees (1926-1940) in the Region of Imathia, Northern Greece

This historical epidemiological study evaluates sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among Greek refugees during the Interwar period in the region of Imathia, Central Macedonia, Greece, as a part of the effort against sexually transmitted infections in Greece (1910-1940). We examined the archives of the Refugee Hospital of Veroia – the capital of the regional unit of Imathia (March 5, 1926 to October 27, 1940). This is a report of previously unpublished primary material comprising a cohort of 15,921 cases, among whom 41 patients were hospitalized on account of syphilis and 19 on account of gonococcal infection. Descriptive statistics were estimated. Primary (n=4), secondary (n=2), tertiary (n=13), congenital (n=7), and not further specified (n=15) cases of syphilis were identified, whereas a variety of differential diagnosis problems arose. Syphilis and gonococcal infection/gonorrhea seemed to affect various social groups, as evidenced by the variety of professions involved. Refugee patients originated from various areas such as Caucasus, Thrace, Constantinople, Bithynia, and Pontus. Lack of information and poor healthcare led to spreading of STIs in Greece. Law 3032/1922 was crucial for the Greek effort against sexually transmitted infection

Sexually Transmitted Infections in a Cohort of 15,921 Refugees (1926-1940) in the Region of Imathia, Northern Greece

This historical epidemiological study evaluates sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among Greek refugees during the Interwar period in the region of Imathia, Central Macedonia, Greece, as a part of the effort against sexually transmitted infections in Greece (1910-1940). We examined the archives of the Refugee Hospital of Veroia – the capital of the regional unit of Imathia (March 5, 1926 to October 27, 1940). This is a report of previously unpublished primary material comprising a cohort of 15,921 cases, among whom 41 patients were hospitalized on account of syphilis and 19 on account of gonococcal infection. Descriptive statistics were estimated. Primary (n=4), secondary (n=2), tertiary (n=13), congenital (n=7), and not further specified (n=15) cases of syphilis were identified, whereas a variety of differential diagnosis problems arose. Syphilis and gonococcal infection/gonorrhea seemed to affect various social groups, as evidenced by the variety of professions involved. Refugee patients originated from various areas such as Caucasus, Thrace, Constantinople, Bithynia, and Pontus. Lack of information and poor healthcare led to spreading of STIs in Greece. Law 3032/1922 was crucial for the Greek effort against sexually transmitted infection

Effect of the NU-AGE Diet on Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Findings from animal and epidemiological research support the potential neuroprotective benefits from healthy diets. However, to establish diet-neuroprotective causal relations, evidence from dietary intervention studies is needed. NU-AGE is the first multicenter intervention assessing whether a diet targeting health in aging can counteract the age-related physiological changes in different organs, including the brain. In this study, we specifically investigated the effects of NU-AGE's dietary intervention on age-related cognitive decline. Materials and Methods: NU-AGE randomized trial (NCT01754012, clinicaltrials.gov) included 1279 relatively healthy older-adults, aged 65–79 years, from five European centers. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups: “control” (n = 638), following a habitual diet; and, “intervention” (n = 641), given individually tailored dietary advice (NU-AGE diet). Adherence to the NU-AGE diet was measured over follow-up, and categorized into tertiles (low, moderate, high). Cognitive function was ascertained at baseline and at 1-year follow-up with the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD)-Neuropsychological Battery and five additional domain-specific single cognitive tests. The raw scores from the CERAD subtests [excluding the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)] and the single tests were standardized into Z-scores. Global cognition (measured with MMSE and CERAD-total score), and five cognitive domains (perceptual speed, executive function, episodic memory, verbal abilities, and constructional praxis) were created. Cognitive changes as a function of the intervention were analyzed with multivariable mixed-effects models. Results: After the 1-year follow-up, 571 (89.1%) controls and 573 (89.8%) from the intervention group participated in the post-intervention assessment. Both control and intervention groups showed improvements in global cognition and in all cognitive domains after 1 year, but differences in cognitive changes between the two groups were not statistically significant. However, participants with higher adherence to the NU-AGE diet showed statistically significant improvements in global cognition [β 0.20 (95%CI 0.004, 0.39), p-value = 0.046] and episodic memory [β 0.15 (95%CI 0.02, 0.28), p-value = 0.025] after 1 year, compared to those adults with lower adherence. Discussion: High adherence to the culturally adapted, individually tailored, NU-AGE diet could slow down age-related cognitive decline, helping to prevent cognitive impairment and dementia

Diet, exercise and dementia: The potential impact of a Mediterranean diet pattern and physical activity on cognitive health in a UK population

Diet and physical activity play key roles in maintaining health and preventing or delaying disease. The global prevalence of dementia, an umbrella term describing a set of symptoms which affect cognitive function, is set to rise dramatically by 2050, with current drug treatments inadequate. Diet and physical activity are modifiable factors in dementia, influencing both disease risk and pathophysiology. It has been known since the 1950s that a Mediterranean diet has positive health benefits. Over the past 25 years, a causal link has been shown between consumption of a Mediterranean diet and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly in Mediterranean countries. There have also been indications that a Mediterranean diet and increased physical activity can improve cognitive health and delay the onset of dementia. However, causative demonstrations of these effects, as well as the feasibility of implementing such lifestyle changes in a non‐Mediterranean population, are lacking. The new MedEx‐UK programme will attempt to address both these points

Fish Consumption Moderates Depressive Symptomatology in Elderly Men and Women from the IKARIA Study

Background. The aim was to examine the association of depressive symptoms with fish eating habits, in elderly individuals. Methods. From June to October of 2009, we studied 330 men and 343 women, aged 65 to 100 years, permanent inhabitants of Ikaria Island. Among several characteristics, depression was assessed with the Geriatric Depression scale (GDS range 0–15), while dietary habits through a valid semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Results. Women had significantly higher values of the GDS compared to men (4.8 ± 3.5 versus 3.3 ± 3.1, P = .001). Participants in the upper tertile of depression scale ate less frequent fish and consumed higher quantities of alcohol, compared to those in the lowest tertile (all P < .05). Regarding fish consumption, 50% of the individuals reported consuming 1-2 times weekly, 32% 3 to 5 times weekly, 11% 2-3 times monthly, while the rest reported rare (4.5%) and everyday (1.2%) consumption. Logistic regression showed that increased fish consumption (>3 times/week versus never/rare) was inversely associated with the odds of having GDS greater the median value (i.e., 4) (odds  ratio = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.61), after controlling for several cofounders. Conclusion. Frequent fish consumption in elderly seems to moderate depression mood