Cautionary lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: Healthcare systems grappled with the dual responsibility of delivering COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 care.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals were challenged to provide both COVID-19 and non-COVID treatment. A survey questionnaire was designed and distributed via email to hospitals empanelled under the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(AB-PMJAY), the world's largest National Health Insurance Scheme. Telephonic follow-ups were used to ensure participation in places with inadequate internet.

Differences in SARS-COV-2 seroprevalence in the population of Cusco, Peru.

Background: The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Peru has been reported at the regional level, few studies have evaluated its spread at the provincial level, in which the mechanisms could be different.

Methods: We conducted an analytical, cross-sectional, multistage observational population study to assess the seroprevalence of SARS-COV-2 at the provincial and urban/rural levels in a high-altitude setting. The sampling unit was the household, including a randomly selected family member.

Effect of stabilizer content in different solvents on the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles using the chemical precipitation method.

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized by a simple chemical precipitation method. The effect of monoethanolamine (MEA) content in different solvents on ZnO NPs synthesis and their structural properties has been investigated. The NPs synthesized by using isopropanol (IPA) with 15 ml MEA as a stabilizer under the most favorable conditions (deposition time, t = 120 min, temperature = 60 °C) showed good structural properties.

First assessment of microplastics in offshore sediments along the Lebanese coast, South-Eastern Mediterranean.

Few studies on microplastics (MPs) in the marine environment have been conducted along the Eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and even fewer along the Lebanese coast. This study aims to determine MPs contamination for the first-time in coastal and continental shelf sediments collected along the Lebanese shores, South-Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Sediments were collected as transects in 10 sites with a total of 23 samples between 2 and 120 m depth and suspected MPs were assessed by moving farther from land-based sources.

Prenatal Ultrasound Screening and Women's Expectations: an Original Study.

Background: Prenatal screening offers crucial information about the pregnancy, although sometimes brings forth ethical issues and potentially difficult decisions for pregnant women. Ultrasound screening during pregnancy is both of particular importance and a great challenge.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess women's knowledge and expectations regarding prenatal ultrasound screening in Greece.

Noninvasive prenatal testing of beta-thalassemia for common Pakistani mutations: a comparative study using cell-free fetal DNA from maternal plasma and chorionic villus sampling.

Background: The discovery of circulating cell-free fetal DNA (cff-DNA) in maternal plasma has inspired the noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) approaches for various genetic fetal screening including rhesus D typing, sex determination, aneuploidies, and single-gene disorders.

Objective: Noninvasive determination of paternally inherited beta-thalassemia mutations in maternal total cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) by using allele-specific amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) real-time PCR (RT-PCR) in concordance with the conventional invasive method.

Methods: An observational study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Blood Transfusion in collaboration with the genetics resource center from March 2021 to August 2021.

Impact of Acquisition Protocols on Accuracy of Dose Calculation Based on XVI Cone Beam Computed Tomography.

Purpose: The objective of this work is to study the impact of acquisition protocols on the accuracy of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based dose calculation and to determinate its limits from image characteristics such as image quality, Hounsfield numbers consistency, and restrictive sizes of volume acquisition, compared to the CT imaging for the different anatomy localizations: head and neck (H&N), thorax, and pelvis.

Materials And Methods: In this work, we used a routine on-board imaging CBCT of the XVI system (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden). Dosimetric calculations performed on CT images require the knowledge of the Hounsfield unit-relative electron density (HU-ReD) calibration curve, which is determined for each imaging technology and must be adapted to the imaging acquisition parameters (filter/field of view).

Evaluation of a novel nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite powder and a solid hydroxyapatite/Chitosan-Gelatin bioceramic for scaffold preparation used as a bone substitute material.

Artificially fabricated hydroxyapatite (HAP) shows excellent biocompatibility with various kinds of cells and tissues which makes it an ideal candidate for a bone substitute material. In this study, hydroxyapatite nanoparticles have been prepared by using the wet chemical precipitation method using calcium nitrate tetra-hydrate [Ca(NO).4HO] and di-ammonium hydrogen phosphate [(NH) HPO] as precursors.

Fostering Prevention of Cervical Cancer by a Correct Diagnosis of Precursors: A Structured Case-Based Colposcopy Course in Finland, Norway and UK.

High-quality colposcopy is essential in cervical cancer prevention. We performed a multicentre prospective interventional pilot-study, evaluating the effect of a six-hour case-based colposcopy course on short- and long-term learning of colposcopy-related knowledge, diagnostic accuracy levels and confidence. We recruited 213 colposcopists participating in three European Federation of Colposcopy (EFC) basic colposcopy courses (Finland, Norway, UK).

Depression Among Elderly Users of Open and Closed Care Facilities in a Rural Region of Greece: an Important Public Health Issue.

Introduction: It is estimated that 5.7% of the total Greek population suffers from depressive disorders. Elderly may be particularly prone to depression compared to younger people.

Sexual homicide attempt: A case report and a short review of the literature.

Sexuální násilí je předmětem nepřetržitého výzkumu v oblasti forenzních i právních věd při určování profilů pachatelů a obětí a rozpoznávání okolností, které v daném okamžiku částečně odpovídají za vyjádření základních pobídek a podnětů. Široká škála sexuálních zločinů a násilí se týká například sexuálního útoku, znásilnění a sexuálního zabití, které sice sdílejí některé podobné rysy, ale z právních důvodů jsou považovány za samostatné trestné činy. Znásilnění a sexuální zabití jsou některými odborníky vnímány jako různé úrovně sexuálního násilí.

Efficacy of Dabrafenib for three children with brainstem BRAF positive ganglioglioma.

Purpose: Children with unresectable brainstem-infiltrated ganglioglioma have poor progression-free survival when treated with conventional chemotherapy and radiation regimens. The BRAF mutation occurs in a large number of gangliogliomas, making them amenable for targeted therapy using mutation-specific kinase inhibitors. However, limited data exists on the effectiveness and best treatment duration of these inhibitors in this tumor setting.

Implementation of tunneled versus not tunneled peripherally inserted central catheters.

Tunneled peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) offer several advantages such as an exit site at the green zone no matter where the puncture point is and a long subcutaneous route, which is considered a shield against infections and provides comfort to the patient. Clinicians could choose the proper exact exit site so as to avoid blood leakage from the exit point. The aim of the study was to assess the value of the tunneled PICCs versus normal PICCs with no long subcutaneous route.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among schoolchildren in Cyprus: a cross-sectional descriptive correlational study.

Background: Depressive symptoms in the young constitute a public health issue. The current study aims to estimate: (a) the frequency of depressive symptoms in a sample of final grade elementary-school children in Cyprus, (b) the association among frequency of depressive symptoms, gender and nationality and, (c) the metric properties of the Greek-Cypriot version of the children's depression inventory (CDI).

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study with internal comparison was performed.

The Effectiveness of a Mobile Clinic in Improving Follow-up Eye Care for At-Risk Children.

Purpose: To investigate the potential of a mobile ophthalmic unit in the schoolyard to improve the follow-up rate for children who have failed an optometric in-school screening program. Previously, the optometric program made referrals to the center and only 53% of students attended the desired ophthalmology consultation.

Methods: This was a cohort study of students conducted in elementary school lots in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

Urinary angiotensin converting enzyme 2 is strongly related to urinary nephrin in type 2 diabetes patients.

Purpose: Podocyte lesion is recently recognized as an early event in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and is reflected by urinary (u) nephrin (Neph) shedding. Angiotensin II plays an important role in podocyte dysfunction of diabetes. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the main ACE variant in podocytes and counteracts deleterious angiotensin II effects.

Analytical phenolic composition and sensory assessment of selected rare Greek cultivars after extended bottle ageing.

Background: The Hellenic vineyard embraces a large number of native cultivars, which are mostly unexploited for their ageing potential. Therefore, it was thought that analyzing some quality parameters of 14 red wines produced by rare native varieties would be of great importance in obtaining a general picture of their potential for commercial use. Various analytical methods were applied to the selected wines, at bottling and after 8 years of ageing, in an attempt to provide reliable answers to this issue.

Bisphenol A differently inhibits CaV3.1, Ca V3.2 and Ca V3.3 calcium channels.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a widespread environmental contaminant detected in urine of 93 % of investigated US population. Recent epidemiological studies found correlation between BPA exposure and diseases including cardiovascular and neuronal disorders. BPA targets include hormone receptors and voltage-dependent ion channels.

Frequency Distribution of COMT Polymorphisms in Greek Patients with Schizophrenia and Controls: A Study of SNPs rs737865, rs4680, and rs165599.

Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric condition, is characterized by disturbances of cognition, emotion, and social functioning. The disease affects almost 1% of world population. Recent studies evaluating the role of catechol-O-methyltransferase enzyme (COMT) polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia have resulted in ambiguous findings.

Application of neuron networks in the diagnostics of endometrial pathologies.

Aim: The aim of the study was to construct neuron networks utilizing selected risk factors and ultrasonographic (USG) examination parameters in a two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) presentation in relation to endometrial pathologies.

Materials And Methods: The following risk factors were statistically analyzed: age and menopausal status, parity using hormonal replacement therapy (HRT), BMI, 2D USG of the endometrium (thickness, uterine artery blood flow indices) and 3D USG (volume, vascularization indices) in relation to the result of histopathological examination of the endometrial tissue in 421 women, aged 22-87 years, with abnormal bleeding from the uterus. The changes of the sensitivity and specificity in the applied models corresponding to changes of the limit value, were presented in the form of receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) and the comparison of the values of the area under the curve (AUC).

Diagnosis and endoscopic treatment of esophago-bronchial fistula due to gastric heterotopy.

Heterotopic gastric mucosa patches are congenital gastrointestinal abnormalities and have been reported to occur anywhere along the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus. Complications of heterotopic gastric mucosa include dysphagia, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, upper esophageal ring stricture, adenocarcinoma and fistula formation. In this case report we describe the diagnosis and treatment of the first case of esophago-bronchial fistula due to heterotopic gastric mucosa in mid esophagus.

Synthesis and anti-inflammatory activity of chalcones and related Mannich bases.

Chalcones and Mannich bases have been reported to present antiinflammatory activities as well as inhibitory activities on several factors implicated in inflammation disorders. A series of chalcones and some related Mannich bases were prepared by Claisen-Schmidt condensation of appropriate acetophenones with appropriate aromatic aldehyde. Mannich bases were derived from chalcones, with formaldehyde and the corresponding amine.