Systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by a distinct peripheral T helper cell profile.

Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by multiple clinical manifestations. Vasculopathy is a main disease hallmark and ranges in severity from an exacerbated Raynaud phenomenon to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The potential involvement of the immune system in SSc-associated vascular abnormalities is not clear.

CD7 activation regulates cytotoxicity-driven pathology in systemic sclerosis, yielding a target for selective cell depletion.

Objectives: Cytotoxic T cells and natural killer (NK) cells are central effector cells in cancer and infections. Their effector response is regulated by activating and inhibitory receptors. The regulation of these cells in systemic autoimmune diseases such as systemic sclerosis (SSc) is less defined.

Microbiota and Cyanotoxin Content of Retail Spirulina Supplements and Spirulina Supplemented Foods.

Cyanobacterial biomass such as spirulina ( spp.) is widely available as a food supplement and can also be added to foods as a nutritionally beneficial ingredient. Spirulina is often produced in open ponds, which are vulnerable to contamination by various microorganisms, including some toxin-producing cyanobacteria.

Forecasting Hospital Readmissions with Machine Learning.

Hospital readmissions are regarded as a compounding economic factor for healthcare systems. In fact, the readmission rate is used in many countries as an indicator of the quality of services provided by a health institution. The ability to forecast patients' readmissions allows for timely intervention and better post-discharge strategies, preventing future life-threatening events, and reducing medical costs to either the patient or the healthcare system.

Therapeutic Options for Systemic Sclerosis: Current and Future Perspectives in Tackling Immune-Mediated Fibrosis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a severe auto-immune, rheumatic disease, characterized by excessive fibrosis of the skin and visceral organs. SSc is accompanied by high morbidity and mortality rates, and unfortunately, few disease-modifying therapies are currently available. Inflammation, vasculopathy, and fibrosis are the key hallmarks of SSc pathology.

Spray irrigation with microcystins-rich water affects plant performance from the microscopic to the functional level and food safety of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.).

Irrigation water coming from freshwater bodies that suffer toxic cyanobacterial blooms causes adverse effects on crop productivity and quality and raises concerns regarding food contamination and human exposure to toxins. The common agricultural practice of spray irrigation is an important exposure route to cyanotoxins, yet its impact on crops has received little attention. In the present study we attempted an integrated approach at the macro- and microscopic level to investigate whether spray or drip irrigation with microcystins (MCs)-rich water differently affect spinach performance.

Irrigation of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) with microcystin-enriched water holds low risk for plants and their associated rhizopheric and epiphytic microbiome.

Microcystins (MCs) are toxins produced during cyanobacterial blooms. They reach soil and translocated to plants through irrigation of agricultural land with water from MC-impacted freshwater systems. To date we have good understanding of MC effects on plants, but not for their effects on plant-associated microbiota.

Implementation of the Water Framework Directive: Lessons Learned and Future Perspectives for an Ecologically Meaningful Classification Based on Phytoplankton of the Status of Greek Lakes, Mediterranean Region.

The enactment of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) initiated scientific efforts to develop reliable methods for comparing prevailing lake conditions against reference (or nonimpaired) states, using the state of a set biological elements. Drawing a distinction between impaired and natural conditions can be a challenging exercise. Another important aspect is to ensure that water quality assessment is comparable among the different Member States.

Cyanotoxins as the "common suspects" for the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) deaths in a Mediterranean reconstructed reservoir.

Toxic cyanobacterial blooms have been implicated for their negative consequences on many terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Water birds belong to the most common members of the freshwater food chains and are most likely to be affected by the consumption of toxic cyanobacteria as food. However, the contribution of cyanotoxins in bird mortalities is under-studied.

Lettuce facing microcystins-rich irrigation water at different developmental stages: Effects on plant performance and microcystins bioaccumulation.

This study investigated the microcystins (MCs)-rich irrigation water effect on lettuce of different developmental stages, i.e. during a two months period, covering the whole period from seed germination to harvest at marketable size of the plant.

Using HO treatments for the degradation of cyanobacteria and microcystins in a shallow hypertrophic reservoir.

Toxins produced by cyanobacteria in freshwater ecosystems constitute a serious health risk worldwide for humans that may use the affected water bodies for recreation, drinking water, and/or irrigation. Cyanotoxins have also been deemed responsible for loss of animal life in many places around the world. This paper explores the effect of HO treatments on cyanobacteria and microcystins in natural samples from a hypertrophic reservoir in microcosm experiments.

Artificially-born "killer" lake: phytoplankton based water quality and microcystin affected fish in a reconstructed lake.

Lake Karla (Greece) is an example of a lake ecosystem which was dried in 1960's and now is restored, facing various anthropogenic pressures, whereas it is also listed in the network of Greek protected areas in terms of its conservation value. The objective of the present study was to determine the presence of microcystins (MCYST) in the lake water and their accumulation in tissues of the commercial fish species Cyprinus carpio, along with the highlighting of phytoplankton community and general limnological features of Lake Karla, a newly reconstructed lake, the first year of its refilling. MCYST concentrations in water and fish tissues were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Oxidative stress in Cyprinus carpio to analyze microcystin impact in eutrophic shallow lakes: a preliminary study.

Microcystins (MCYSTs) are toxins produced by cyanobacteria in aquatic environment and are of high potential risk to aquatic organisms. The physiological responses and pathobiological developments that they elicit in fish have been extensively studied, mainly through acute toxicity experiments. This study was designed to examine the seasonal fluctuation of biochemical markers of oxidative stress in different tissues of a natural population of Cyprinus carpio inhabiting a shallow Mediterranean lake, along with the respective MCYSTs concentrations in blood and tissues at environmentally relevant MCYSTs values.

Outbreak investigation of brucellosis in Thassos, Greece, 2008.

In spring 2008, the Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention was notified about human brucellosis cases in Thassos, a Greek island that had been up to that point under a brucellosis eradication programme. Following the verification of the outbreak a 1:1 case– control study was conducted in the island. The study revealed that consumption of locally produced raw cheese was a risk factor for Brucella melitensis infection (odds ratio (OR): 15.

Assessment of microcystin distribution and biomagnification in tissues of aquatic food web compartments from a shallow lake and evaluation of potential risks to public health.

The objectives of this study were: (1) to examine the distribution and bioaccumulation of microcystins in the main components of the food web (phytoplankton, zooplankton, crayfish, shrimp, mussel, snail, fish, frog) of Lake Pamvotis (NW Greece), (2) to investigate the possibility of microcystin biomagnification and (3) to evaluate the potential threat of the contaminated aquatic organisms to human health. Significant microcystin concentrations were detected in all the aquatic organisms during two different periods, with the higher concentrations observed in phytoplankton and the lower in fish species and frogs. This is the first study reporting microcystin accumulation in the body of the freshwater shrimp Atyaephyra desmsaresti, in the brain of the fish species common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and in the skin of the frog Rana epirotica.

Detection of microcystins in Pamvotis lake water and assessment of cyanobacterial bloom toxicity.

Lake Pamvotis is a shallow, eutrophic Mediterranean lake with ecological significance. This paper deals with the evaluation of cyanobacterial toxicity in Lake Pamvotis. ELISA and HPLC revealed the presence of significant amounts of MCYST-LR.

Accumulation of microcystins in water and fish tissues: an estimation of risks associated with microcystins in most of the Greek Lakes.

Toxin-producing cyanobacteria in lakes and reservoirs form a threat to humans as well as various forms of aquatic life. This study is an investigation into the occurrence and distribution of Microcystins (MCYST) in 13 Greek Lakes. The distribution of MCYST in water and surface scum and toxin bioaccumulations in the omnivorous fish species Carassius gibelio were surveyed in all lakes.

Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreak among healthcare workers in a long-term care facility.

Background: We investigated an outbreak of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections that occurred among healthcare workers (HCWs) but not among residents of a long-term care facility (LTCF).

Methods: Cases of S. aureus infection were sought by reviewing the medical records of residents and HCWs.

Evaluation of a rapid antigen detection test in the diagnosis of streptococcal pharyngitis in children and its impact on antibiotic prescription.

Objectives: To study the performance of the Becton-Dickinson Link 2 Strep A Rapid Test, a rapid antigen detection test (RADT) for diagnosing streptococcal pharyngitis in children presenting to private offices and to the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic of a university hospital, in relation to clinical criteria (fever, tender anterior cervical lymph nodes, tonsillar exudate and absence of cough), and its impact on antibiotic prescription.

Methods: Children were enrolled in Group A (enrolment by private-practice paediatricians; diagnosis by clinical picture only), Group B (enrolment by private-practice paediatricians; diagnosis by RADT and culture) or Group C (enrolment by hospital-affiliated paediatricians in the Pediatric Outpatient Clinic; diagnosis by RADT and culture).

Results: During a 2 year period, 820 children were enrolled [369 (45%) in Group A, 270 (33%) in Group B and 181 (22%) in Group C].

Influenza vaccination acceptance among health-care workers: a nationwide survey.

We conducted a nationwide survey to investigate reasons for influenza vaccine uptake or refusal among health-care workers (HCWs) in Greece. Vaccination rates increased with increasing age, and among HCWs working in Northern Greece, in direct contact with patients, and with influenza vaccination in the past. Self-protection was the main reason for vaccination (89.

Strategies to increase influenza vaccine uptake among health care workers in Greece.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the contribution of various strategies to increase influenza vaccine uptake among health care workers (HCWs) working in hospitals in Greece during the 2005-2006 season. A total of 132 Greek public hospitals participated in the study. The mean HCWs vaccination rate against influenza during 2005-2006 was 16.

Assessment of microcystins in lake water and the omnivorous fish (Carassius gibelio, Bloch) in Lake Pamvotis (Greece) containing dense cyanobacterial bloom.

Toxin-producing cyanobacteria in lakes and reservoirs form a threat to humans as well as various forms of aquatic life. This study examined the occurrence and distribution of Microcystins (MCYST) in the shallow eutrophic lake Pamvotis (Greece). MCYST concentrations in the tissues (liver, kidneys, intestine, gonads, brain and muscle) of the fish species Carassius gibelio were also examined.