Vaccination Coverage and Associated Factors of COVID-19 Uptake in Adult Primary Health Care Users in Greece.

In our study, attitudes and perceptions of adult primary health care users regarding COVID-19 vaccination were evaluated. A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted during a 1-year period (March 2021-March 2022) in a rural area in Crete, Greece. A sample of 626 self-reported questionnaires was collected at the end of the study period.

Elevated CO mitigates the impact of drought stress by upregulating glucosinolate metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Elevated CO (eCO ) reduces the impact of drought, but the mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. Therefore, we used a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the interaction of drought and eCO in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. Transcriptome and subsequent metabolite analyses identified a strong induction of the aliphatic glucosinolate (GL) biosynthesis as a main effect of eCO in drought-stressed leaves.

Paracentral Acute Middle Maculopathy Associated With Cilioretinal Artery Insufficiency Following COVID-19 Vaccination in a Young Patient.

We aim to present a unique case of unilateral paracentral acute middle maculopathy (PAMM) associated with cilioretinal artery insufficiency following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. A 28-year-old male complained of a sudden blurring of vision in his left eye 40 days after receiving the second dose of COVID-19 immunization. The optical coherence tomography revealed a diffuse paracentral area of hyper-reflective change in the inner plexiform layer and an increase in the inner nuclear layer volume, consistent with PAMM along the course of the cilioretinal artery.

Spontaneous Visual Acuity Recovery After Cilioretinal Artery Occlusion Combined With Central Retinal Vein Occlusion in a Young Patient.

This work illustrates the case of cilioretinal artery occlusion (CilRAO) combined with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in a young patient that resolved spontaneously. A 17-year-old male with an unremarkable medical history presented with acute painless loss of vision unilaterally. Upon ophthalmologic examination, retinal hemorrhages in all four quadrants and edema extending from the optic disc to the macula were reported.

Vitamin D levels in primary care patients: correlations with clinical, seasonal, and quality-of-life parameters.

Background: The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency varies across countries and few data exist in the adult population in Greece.

Objectives: To assess vitamin D levels in unselected patients from primary care and to investigate possible correlations with clinical, seasonal, and quality-of-life parameters.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 389 consecutive patients were included.

Vitamin D deficiency in patients evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea: is it associated with disease severity?

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess vitamin D levels in a large cohort of OSA patients and to investigate possible correlations with clinical and polysomnographic parameters.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 685 consecutive patients underwent type 1 polysomnography (PSG) for OSA diagnosis. They were grouped according to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) as mild, moderate, and severe.

The Proline-Rich Family Protein EXTENSIN33 Is Required for Etiolated Arabidopsis thaliana Hypocotyl Growth.

Growth of etiolated Arabidopsis hypocotyls is biphasic. During the first phase, cells elongate slowly and synchronously. At 48 h after imbibition, cells at the hypocotyl base accelerate their growth.

Osmotic stress inhibits leaf growth of Arabidopsis thaliana by enhancing ARF-mediated auxin responses.

We investigated the interaction between osmotic stress and auxin signaling in leaf growth regulation. Therefore, we grew Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings on agar media supplemented with mannitol to impose osmotic stress and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), a synthetic auxin. We performed kinematic analysis and flow-cytometry to quantify the effects on cell division and expansion in the first leaf pair, determined the effects on auxin homeostasis and response (DR5::β-glucuronidase), performed a next-generation sequencing transcriptome analysis and investigated the response of auxin-related mutants.

Cardiovascular Effect and Symptom Profile of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Does Sex Matter?

Study Objectives: To evaluate the influence of sex on obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)-related symptoms and prevalent cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a large clinical population of patients.

Methods: A total of 6,716 patients (mean age 52 years, 24% women) had undergone diagnostic polysomnography and completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Athens Insomnia Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory. We investigated the predictive value of sex on associated symptoms and prevalent cardiovascular disease, after adjustment for relevant confounding factors including age, obesity, and comorbidities.

The Microbiome: A Life Science Opportunity for Our Society and Our Planet.

Microbiome research and innovation (R&I) promises solutions to a broad range of business and societal challenges. To bridge the gap between today's potential and the moment at which concrete applications start generating societal impact, critical-scale efforts offering visible progress on topics of public interest will be essential.

The use of Indocyanine green in endocrine surgery of the neck: A systematic review.

Background: The insufficient reliability of preoperative imaging technology and limited convenience of intraoperative visualizing techniques have been associated with difficulty in surgical navigation in neck endocrine surgery. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging has stood out as the real-time intraoperative guide amidst research for novel modalities, with an emerging use in endocrine surgery.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of the PubMed, Scopus and Embase databases, to identify published studies on parathyroid and thyroid operations employing ICG.

Multiple mechanisms explain how reduced KRP expression increases leaf size of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Although cell number generally correlates with organ size, the role of cell cycle control in growth regulation is still largely unsolved. We studied kip related protein (krp) 4, 6 and 7 single, double and triple mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana to understand the role of cell cycle inhibitory proteins in leaf development. We performed leaf growth and seed size analysis, kinematic analysis, flow cytometery, transcriptome analysis and mathematical modeling of G1/S and G2/M checkpoint progression of the mitotic and endoreplication cycle.

Perturbation of Auxin Homeostasis and Signaling by Overexpression Induces Stress Responses in Arabidopsis.

Under normal and stress conditions plant growth require a complex interplay between phytohormones and reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, details of the nature of this crosstalk remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that PINOID (PID), a serine threonine kinase of the AGC kinase family, perturbs auxin homeostasis, which in turn modulates rosette growth and induces stress responses in Arabidopsis plants.

Alteration in Auxin Homeostasis and Signaling by Overexpression Of PINOID Kinase Causes Leaf Growth Defects in .

In plants many developmental processes are regulated by auxin and its directional transport. PINOID (PID) kinase helps to regulate this transport by influencing polar recruitment of PIN efflux proteins on the cellular membranes. We investigated how altered auxin levels affect leaf growth in .

UV-B Inhibits Leaf Growth through Changes in Growth Regulating Factors and Gibberellin Levels.

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation affects leaf growth in a wide range of species. In this work, we demonstrate that UV-B levels present in solar radiation inhibit maize () leaf growth without causing any other visible stress symptoms, including the accumulation of DNA damage. We conducted kinematic analyses of cell division and expansion to understand the impact of UV-B radiation on these cellular processes.

Semi-synthetic sapogenin exerts neuroprotective effects by skewing the brain ischemia reperfusion transcriptome towards inflammatory resolution.

Stroke represents one of the first causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of a novel semi-synthetic spirosteroid sapogenin derivative "S15" in a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) focal ischemia model in rat. S15-treated rats had significantly reduced infarct volumes and improved neurological functions at 24h post-reperfusion, compared with ischemia.

A large insertion in intron 2 of the TYRP1 gene associated with American Palomino phenotype in American mink.

A number of American mink phenotypes display a range of brownish colours. One of these phenotypes, namely American Palomino (b (P) b (P) ) (AP) has been found to be associated with the tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP1) gene by genotyping microsatellite markers in one sire family. Trials for amplifying the genomic DNA and cDNA at the beginning of intron 2 of AP TYRP1 revealed the presence of a large insertion of approximately eight kb.

Comparison of American mink embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cell transcriptomes.

Background: Recently fibroblasts of many mammalian species have been reprogrammed to pluripotent state using overexpression of several transcription factors. This technology allows production of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells with properties similar to embryonic stem (ES) cells. The completeness of reprogramming process is well studied in such species as mouse and human but there is not enough data on other species.

Over-expression of AtEXLA2 alters etiolated arabidopsis hypocotyl growth.

Background And Aims: Plant stature and shape are largely determined by cell elongation, a process that is strongly controlled at the level of the cell wall. This is associated with the presence of many cell wall proteins implicated in the elongation process. Several proteins and enzyme families have been suggested to be involved in the controlled weakening of the cell wall, and these include xyloglucan endotransglucosylases/hydrolases (XTHs), yieldins, lipid transfer proteins and expansins.

Characterization of a small auxin-up RNA (SAUR)-like gene involved in Arabidopsis thaliana development.

The root of Arabidopsis thaliana is used as a model system to unravel the molecular nature of cell elongation and its arrest. From a micro-array performed on roots that were treated with aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the precursor of ethylene, a Small auxin-up RNA (SAUR)-like gene was found to be up regulated. As it appeared as the 76th gene in the family, it was named SAUR76.

New insights into the melanophilin (MLPH) gene controlling coat color phenotypes in American mink.

The mutation causing the Silverblue color type (pp) is one of the most used recessive mutations within American mink (Neovison vison) fur farming, since it is involved in some of the popular color types such as Violet and Saphire which originate from a combination of recessive mutations. In the present study, the genomic and mRNA sequences of the melanophilin (MLPH) gene were studied in Violet, Silverblue and wild-type (wt) mink animals. Although breeding schemes and previous literature indicates that the Violet (aammpp) phenotype is a triple recessive color type involving the same locus as the Silverblue (pp) color type, our findings indicate different genotypes at the MLPH locus.

Identification of genes involved in the ACC-mediated control of root cell elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Background: Along the root axis of Arabidopsis thaliana, cells pass through different developmental stages. In the apical meristem repeated cycles of division increase the numbers of cells. Upon leaving the meristem, these cells pass the transition zone where they are physiologically and mechanically prepared to undergo subsequent rapid elongation.

A re-assigned American mink (Neovison vison) map optimal for genome-wide studies.

Our previously published second generation genetic map for the American mink (Neovison vison) has been used and redesigned in its best for genome-wide studies with maximum of efficiency. A number of 114 selected markers, including 33 newly developed microsatellite markers from the CHORI-231 mink Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) library, have been genotyped in a two generation population composed of 1200 individuals. The outcome reassigns the position of some markers on the chromosomes and it produces a more reliable map with a convenient distance between markers.