Byzantine wall paintings from Kastoria, northern Greece: spectroscopic study of pigments and efflorescing salts.

This study concerns the investigation of pigments and efflorescence phenomena on the wall paintings of Kastoria, a rural, non-metropolitan Byzantine town. A large number of representative samples were collected from the murals of three churches, dated to post-Byzantine era (14th-17th c. AD).

Which are the most important discriminatory items for subclassifying non-specific low back pain? A Delphi study among Greek health professionals.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Developing homogenous low back pain (LBP) classification groups is recommended for enhancing clinical outcomes. However, an important step towards the development of specific subgroups is the selection and consensus agreement among health professionals on the discriminatory clinical items (sings and symptoms) that should be included in the classification process. Thus, this study's objective was to develop a list of clinical features for the assessment of LBP by health care providers within Greece, which are believed to be discriminatory in identifying LBP subgroups.

Exploring the effects of lifestyle, sleep factors and driving behaviors on sleep-related road risk: a study of Greek drivers.

Purpose: The present study explored the effect of various lifestyle patterns and sleep-related factors on the sleep-related road risk. Sleep-related factors included daytime sleepiness, drowsy driving and quality/quantify of sleep.

Methods: A sample of 1366 non-professional drivers aged 19-65 was selected from the broader Athens area of Greece, using stratified random sampling.

Distribution and correlation of the natural radionuclides in a coal mine of the West Macedonia Lignite Center (Greece).

The distribution and correlation of six natural nuclides in the West Macedonia Lignite Center, Northern Greece were studied. Fifty-five samples of lignite, aged from 1.8 to 5 million years, and corresponding steriles, beds of marls, clays and sands alternating with the lignite, were collected perpendicular to the mine benches and measured spectroscopically.

Reverse engineering techniques for cranioplasty: a case study.

This paper presents rapid prototyping and reverse engineering techniques applied to create an implant for the surgical reconstruction of a large cranial defect. A series of computed tomography (CT) images was obtained and purpose built software was used to extract the cranial geometry in a point cloud. The point cloud produced was used for: (a) the creation of a stereolithographic (STL) physical model for direct assessment of the cranial defect; and (b) the creation of a 3D mould model for the fabrication of the patient-specific implant.

Subclassification of low back pain: a cross-country comparison.

Various health professionals have attempted to classify low back pain (LBP) subgroups and have developed several LBP classification systems. Knowing that culture has an effect on LBP symptomatology, assessment findings and clinical decision making, the aim of this review is to perform a cross-country comparative review amongst the published classification systems, addressing each country's similarities and differences as well as exploring whether cultural factors have been incorporated into the subclassification process. A systematic search of databases limited to human adults was undertaken by Medline, Cinahl, AMED and PEDro databases between January 1980 and October 2005.

Assessment of the health status of Greek centenarians.

The present study aims at describing the health status of a sample of relatively functional and healthy Greek centenarians and at exploring the potential gender differences in health in this sample. Its objectives are to add to the accumulation of knowledge about the health status of centenarians and therefore to contribute to the exploration of the mechanisms of healthy longevity. The study employs a non-representative community sample of Greek centenarians of both sexes (N=47).

Predicting human cloning acceptability: a national Greek survey on the beliefs of the public.

Background: In the era of human genome research, there is a large theoretical debate among scientists and authorities on the ethical dimension based on the moral liberty of the individuals and the scientific and economic dimension based on the freedom and the independence of the scientific and technological activities. Meanwhile, the understanding of beliefs on human cloning (HC) and its acceptability are important for the development of evidence-based policy making. However, previous research in the field of public beliefs towards human genetics is limited.

Identifying the public's knowledge and intention to use human cloning in Greek urban areas.

Purpose: The understanding of the public's knowledge on human cloning (HC) and its acceptability are considered important for the development of evidence-based policy making. The aim of this research study was to investigate the demographic and socioeconomic variables that affect the public's knowledge and intention to use HC in urban areas of Greece. Additionally, the possible association of religiousness with the knowledge and the intention to use HC were also investigated.

Freight transport and non-driving work duties as predictors of falling asleep at the wheel in urban areas of Crete.

Background: This study investigated the impact of subjective reports of drowsy driving and non-driving duties on the falling asleep responses and road crash involvement of professional drivers in Crete. An attempt was also made to elucidate other driving parameters, such as freight transportation, which could be potential predictors of risky driving, after controlling for lifestyle patterns.

Method: A sample of 317 professional drivers was studied through personal interviews.

Using attitudinal indicators to explain the public's intention to have recourse to gamete donation and surrogacy.

Background: Although the donation and receipt of gametes has become an integral part of infertility management, previous research in the field of social attitudes and intention to use medical technologies is limited. This study aimed to investigate attitudinal indicators and their potential relationship with the public's intention to have recourse to gamete donation and surrogacy.

Methods: A total of 365 individuals of reproductive age (49.

A relationship between traditionally motivated patterns and gamete donation and surrogacy in urban areas of Greece.

Background: Although gamete receipt or donation has become an integral part of infertility management, previous research in the field of social attitudes and intention to use medical technologies is limited. The aim of this paper was to investigate people's intentions to receive or donate sperm, oocyte or uterus (surrogacy) and to identify possible motivational patterns explaining this intention.

Methods: Personal interviews were conducted with 365 men and women of reproductive age (18-45 years).

Perceptions of body image, happiness and satisfaction in adolescents wearing a Boston brace for scoliosis treatment.

Aims: To explore the impact of bracing on the perceptions of body image, happiness and satisfaction of adolescents with scoliosis.

Design: The study was designed as compare of 134 girls and 16 boys who wore a Boston type brace for scoliosis treatment and a control group of 99 healthy girls and 51 healthy boys. All them were secondary school pupils living in Athens Greece and were interviewed.

Characterization of Moringa oleifera variety Mbololo seed oil of Kenya.

The oil from Moringa oleifera variety Mbololo seeds from Kenya was extracted using three different procedures including cold press (CP), extraction with n-hexane (H), and extraction with a mixture of chloroform/methanol (50:50) (CM). The oil concentration ranged from 25.8% (CP) to 31.

Post traumatic paraplegics living in Athens: the impact of pressure sores and UTIs on everyday life activities.

This paper contains the findings of a scientific research which was done on post-traumatic paraplegics who live in the area of Athens. Greece, and measured the impact of pressure sores and UTIs on their everyday life activities. The target population was 127 individuals out of which 98 were observed and interviewed.

New role of a medical documentation system.

Architecture of a new medical documentation system (MDS) is proposed. First, we studied the traditional MDS in terms of organizational structure, main functions, means (resources) and personnel. Special emphasis is given to the information retrieval (IR) system which is the kernel of a MDS.

Medical data protection: a proposal for a deontology code.

In this paper, a proposal for a Medical Data Protection Deontology Code in Greece is presented. Undoubtedly, this code should also be of interest to other countries. The whole effort for the composition of this code is based on what holds internationally, particularly in the EC countries, on recent data acquired from Greek sources and on the experience resulting from what is acceptable in Greece.