Cities as selective land predators? A lesson on urban growth, deregulated planning and sprawl containment.

The present study investigates changes in the use of land caused by the expansion of an informal city in the Mediterranean region (Athens, Greece) and it proposes a simplified methodology to assess selective land take at the scale of municipalities. The amount of land take over twenty years (1987-2007) for cropland, sparsely vegetated areas and natural land was compared with the surface area of the respective class at the beginning of the study period (1987). Indicators of selective land take by class were correlated with socioeconomic indicators at the scale of municipalities to verify the influence of the local context and the impact of urban planning on land take processes.

Electrocardiographic changes after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Aim: To determine whether ECG changes observed after laparoscopic cholecystectomy could be correlated with procedure characteristics. MATERIAL AND METHODS. We studied prospectively 500 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for documented gallstones and prior history of cardiovascular disease, volume of carbon dioxide insufflated in the peritoneal cavity, duration of the procedure and intra-abdominal pressure created.

Sport related plantar fasciitis. Current diagnostic and therapeutic advances.

Unlabelled: Plantar fasciitis is the most common diagnosis for pain in the inferior aspect of the heel among runners, accounting for 10% of injuries that occur in connection with running. The etiology of pain is multifactorial. The aim of the present study is to report our experience in the treatment of plantar fasciitis in athletes and compare our diagnostic strategy and treatment modalities with the current practice.

Low back pain in physical education teachers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors related to occupational low back pain (LBP) occurring in male physical education teachers (PET). The location was set in Athens and we used questionnaires to collect information. Analysis revealed that the prevalence of LBP during the survey was 63%.

The obturator hernia: difficult to diagnose, easy to repair.

Background: The aim of this paper is to present a simple method for obturator hernia repair in two cases with strangulated obturator hernia.

Methods: The authors report on two cases of mechanical bowel obstruction due to incarcerated obturator hernia in elderly, thin women. Both patients presented with clinical and radiological signs of small bowel obstruction.