Immature granulocytes: Innovative biomarker for SARS‑CoV‑2 infection.

Immature granulocytes (IGs) include metamyelocytes, myelocytes and promyelocytes, and are the precursors of neutrophils. Increased IG counts found in peripheral blood indicate an enhanced bone marrow activity. In addition, IGs have been evaluated in numerous clinical conditions, such as severe acute pancreatitis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome and infectious complications following open‑heart surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass.

Investigation of the health effects on workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica during outdoor and underground construction projects.

Chronic exposure of workers to powder containing crystalline silica (Silicon dioxide; SiO) can lead to chronic lung diseases (lung cancer, silicosis, etc.). Aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure of Greek construction workers to SiO and describe their pulmonary function.

Emergency inguinal hernioplasties in a tertiary public Hospital in Athens Greece, during the economic crisis.

Background: Although the effect of the recent Greek economic crisis and austerity on the population's health and the health system effectiveness have been discussed a lot recently, data on common surgical conditions affecting large part of the population are missing. Using inguinal hernia as a model we investigated possible changes of citizens' attitude regarding the time of referral, the perioperative details and the intraoperative findings of the emergency hernioplasties.

Methods: The present retrospective study was conducted by a Department of Surgery in a tertiary public hospital of the Greek capital.