Greece Research Articles

The ethical and legal dilemmas of Telepsychiatry

This paper was written in the framework of my internship at the National Commission for Bioethics and Technoethics of the Hellenic Republic. It constitutes an attempt at exploring the ethical and legal dilemmas of the medical practice of telepsychiatry. Telepsychiatry, as well as other forms of telemedicine, has become a prevalent way through which patients gain access to healthcare and with many research papers reporting on its effectiveness and advantages, telepsychiatry has gained a lot of proponents in the scientific and healthcare community. However, several questions regarding the ethical and legal nature of the practice remain unanswered and this can put patients and other users of telemental health services under risk for basic rights violations. In this paper, at first the scientific data supporting the use of telepsychiatry will be cited. In addition to that, there will be discussion of several ethical dilemmas that have been reported concerning the use of telemedicine in psychiatry during the past few years and there will be reference to the medical code of ethics. Following that, there will be reference to the existing legislation for telepsychiatry in Greece and the legal issues that can arise will be analyzed. In spite of the fact that the advantages and ethical pitfalls of telepsychiatry are common in many countries, the focus of this paper will be on Greece’s code of medical ethics and legislation due to the lack of relevant bibliography on the matter, even though telepsychiatry is widely used by Greek patients. Finally some suggestions will be made on what ought to be ameliorated in regards to the current conditions, so as to make sure telepsychiatry is in line with the basic principles of bioethics.

Compositional, volatile, and structural features of Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly) flours: The effect of population and life stages

The scope of the present study was to study the effect of different populations of Hermetia illucens, commonly known as black soldier fly (BSF), on the major components and volatile composition of the derived freeze-dried flours. Potential differences in the composition of different life cycle stages of BSF, i.e., larvae and pupae, were also investigated. The flours obtained from larvae of two BSF populations from Greece (GR) and Portugal (PO) (L-GR and L-PO, respectively) demonstrated similar major chemical compositions. Pupae (Pu-PO) were richer in chitin compared to larvae. Differences were spotted in their fatty acid profiles and volatile fractions. The saturated/unsaturated lipid fraction ratio was 1.5 in L-GR, higher in L-PO (2.5), and even higher in the case of Pu-PO (4.0). Seventeen (17) compounds were detected in the volatile fraction of the Pu-PO samples and 24 in the volatile fraction of the L-GR and L-PO samples. Notably, dodecanoic acid ethyl ester was the predominant volatile compound in all samples. The proteins of both larvae and pupae were dominated by β-sheet structures. The present study's findings are valuable for designing food or feed products based on BSF components and could be important for applying suitable manufacturing and processing procedures.

Prospects for Introducing Professional Income Tax in the Hellenic Republic

Prospects for Introducing Professional Income Tax in the Hellenic Republic

Corruption and political interventions in public health authorities–Hellenic Republic Region of Attica: Conceptual analysis study

The national public health services and the organizations carried out over the practice of policy interventions and changes in the functioning of government, public policy, and public health sector administration. This conceptual study analyses the public health services and anti-corruption management organizations have direct links with political intervention. They have a negative impact on society and partially effective responses, also in times of pandemic, with affected epidemiological factors in the protection of public health. Leadership in the services plays a key role in ensuring smooth functioning and transparency, and the influence on them of the government and administrative machinery in Greece by the government.<br /> A phenomenon and practice, where the laws are completely renewed every time the government changes with the introduction of a specific policy. It is necessary that the structure and functioning of the state, public officials, and personnel be outlined in the context of the implementation of minimizing corruption. The primary purpose for integrity, a particular problem with the appointments of supervisors in these departments by direct assignment to the posts of directors, without considering the relevant legislation and without merit-based procedures and review by the special service councils that appoint directors based on criteria and legislation governing the evaluation of employees. Digital health services and e-government is also determining factor with a positive impact, universally, also and in times of pandemics will give benefits in relation to the anti-corruption actions. In this study give necessary methodology, systematic literature reviews and principles to anti-corruption.

Спогодбата между Република България и Република Гърция за използването на водите на река Места (1996 г.)

The article deals with the conclusion of the Agreement between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Hellenic Republic on the use of the waters of the Mesta River (1996). Attention is paid to the parliamentary debates arising from President Zhelyu Zhelev’s veto of the Law on Ratification of the Agreement. An analysis is carried out of Greece’s policy on both the specific issue, which is also interrelated with the opening of new border checkpoints, and the role Bulgaria’s southern neighbour plays as a member of NATO and the EU. It has been noted that Greece saw the need to support the development of democratic mechanisms and institutions that would lay the foundations for Bulgaria’s future EU membership and real commitment.

Cross-country risk quantification of extreme wildfires in Mediterranean Europe.

We estimate the country-level risk of extreme wildfires defined by burned area (BA) for Mediterranean Europe and carry out a cross-country comparison. To this end, we avail of the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) geospatial data from 2006 to 2019 to perform an extreme value analysis. More specifically, we apply a point process characterization of wildfire extremes using maximum likelihood estimation. By modeling covariates, we also evaluate potential trends and correlations with commonly known factors that drive or affect wildfire occurrence, such as the Fire Weather Index as a proxy for meteorological conditions, population density, land cover type, and seasonality. We find that the highest risk of extreme wildfires is in Portugal (PT), followed by Greece (GR), Spain (ES), and Italy (IT) with a 10-year BA return level of 50'338 ha, 33'242 ha, 25'165 ha, and 8'966 ha, respectively. Coupling our results with existing estimates of the monetary impact of large wildfires suggests expected losses of 162-439 million € (PT), 81-219 million € (ES), 41-290 million € (GR), and 18-78 million € (IT) for such 10-year return period events. SUMMARY: We model the risk of extreme wildfires for Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Spain in form of burned area return levels, compare them, and estimate expectedlosses.

RF10 | PMON217 Replication of PCOS Reproductive and Metabolic Subtypes in Diverse Cohorts – Towards a Rationale Approach to PCOS Classification

Abstract PCOS diagnosed by NIH or non-NIH Rotterdam criteria or by self-report is generally genetically similar. Using Hierarchical Clustering (HC), we have previously identified discrete, stable PCOS subtypes, which we designated reproductive (higher LH, FSH, SHBG) and metabolic (higher BMI, insulin, glucose), in a United States (US) cohort of ∼900 PCOS diagnosed by NIH criteria (Dapas et al. PLoS Med, 2020). The subtypes appeared to capture biologically meaningful differences because they were associated with distinct and novel genome-wide significant loci. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the subtypes are a common feature of PCOS in regionally and ethnically diverse cohorts. All PCOS cases were ages 13-45 years, at least 2-years postmenarche and fulfilled NIH diagnostic criteria: 1) US European ancestry (EA), 1449; 2) Netherlands (NL) EA, 1067; 3) Greece (GR) EA, 568; 4) South Korea (KR) East Asian ancestry, 418. BMI, testosterone, SHBG, DHEAS, LH, FSH, fasting insulin, and fasting glucose levels were used for clustering. Trait Z-scores were compared among the cohorts. HC was adjusted for age and assay method. Both median BMI and BMI categories (nonobese, overweight, obese) defined by ancestry-specific cut points for EA and Asians differed (US>NL>GR>KR, all P<0.01). The prevalence of Class 2 (35.0-39.9) and Class 3 (≥ 40.0) was highest in US (P<0.001). The remaining traits were similar between cohorts prior to HC. Reproductive and metabolic subtypes were present in the 4 cohorts with similar Jaccard coefficients indicating cluster stability. The percent of cases was: reproductive subtype US 26%; NL 19%; GR, 62%; KR 20%; metabolic subtype US 53%; NL 61%; GR 22%; KR 31%. These differences were significant, except for the reproductive subtype in NL and KR. There was a 3-fold higher prevalence of the reproductive subtype in GR. BMI could not completely account for the metabolic subtype differences since KR had a higher prevalence of the metabolic subtype than GR, despite being significantly less obese. Remaining cases in each cohort who did not have a distinct pattern of trait distribution were designated "indeterminate" (US 21%; NL 20%; GR 16%; KR 49%). Reproductive and metabolic subtypes of PCOS diagnosed by NIH criteria are present in both regionally (US, Northern and Southern Europe) and ethnically (European and East Asian) diverse cohorts. Despite similar trait values, except for BMI, the prevalence of these subtypes varied among cohorts. Compared to other European and East Asian ancestry cohorts, the GR cohort had a strikingly higher prevalence of the reproductive and lower prevalence of the metabolic subtype. The reasons for these differences are being investigated but may reflect population-specific genetic variation. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that clustering algorithms capture biologically discrete subtypes in diverse PCOS populations diagnosed by NIH criteria. Presentation: Saturday, June 11, 2022 1:54 p.m. - 1:59 p.m., Monday, June 13, 2022 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

REFLECTIONS OF THE CYPRUS PEACE OPERATION TO THE LOCAL PRESS: THE CASE OF MUŞ ŞARK TELGRAF (Orient Telegraph) NEWSPAPER

Türkiye, Zürih ve Londra Antlaşmaları ile Kıbrıs’ta garantör devlet olurken bu durum Türkiye’ye Kıbrıs’taki gelişmeleri daha yakından izleme fırsatı vermiş hatta 1963 ve 1967 yıllarında Rumların Türklere yönelik katliamlarını engellemek için askerî harekât düzenlemek istemiştir. Ancak başta ABD ve BM’nin engellemesi ile karşılaşmıştır. 15 Temmuz 1974’te Kıbrıs’ta Nikos Sampson darbesi sonrası Kıbrıs Helen Cumhuriyeti’ni ilan edilmiştir. Türkiye, Kıbrıs’ta meydana gelen bu oldubitti karşısında garantör devlet olarak 20 Temmuz 1974’te askerî harekât düzenlemiştir. Kıbrıs’taki gelişmeler ulusal basında olduğu gibi yerel basınında da en önemli haber konusu olmuş ve o yıllarda Muş’un tek yerel gazetesi olan Şark Telgraf gazetesi konuyu geniş bir şekilde sütunlarına taşımıştır. Bu çalışmada Şark Telgraf gazetesinin I. ve II. Kıbrıs Barış Harekâtını, Cenevre görüşmelerini ve sonrasındaki gelişmeleri Muş kamuoyuna nasıl yansıttığı ve olaylar karşısındaki tutumunu ortaya koymak amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaçla gazetenin 15 Temmuz - 15 Eylül 1974 arasındaki nüshaları taranmış, gazete temel veri kaynağı olarak alınmış ve incelenmiştir.

Assessing the causal role of epigenetic clocks in the development of multiple cancers: a Mendelian randomization study.

Epigenetic clocks have been associated with cancer risk in several observational studies. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether they play a causal role in cancer risk or if they act as a non-causal biomarker. We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to examine the genetically predicted effects of epigenetic age acceleration as measured by HannumAge (nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)), Horvath Intrinsic Age (24 SNPs), PhenoAge (11 SNPs), and GrimAge (4 SNPs) on multiple cancers (i.e. breast, prostate, colorectal, ovarian and lung cancer). We obtained genome-wide association data for biological ageing from a meta-analysis (N = 34,710), and for cancer from the UK Biobank (N cases = 2671-13,879; N controls = 173,493-372,016), FinnGen (N cases = 719-8401; N controls = 74,685-174,006) and several international cancer genetic consortia (N cases = 11,348-122,977; N controls = 15,861-105,974). Main analyses were performed using multiplicative random effects inverse variance weighted (IVW) MR. Individual study estimates were pooled using fixed effect meta-analysis. Sensitivity analyses included MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode and Causal Analysis using Summary Effect Estimates (CAUSE) methods, which are robust to some of the assumptions of the IVW approach. Meta-analysed IVW MR findings suggested that higher GrimAge acceleration increased the risk of colorectal cancer (OR = 1.12 per year increase in GrimAge acceleration, 95% CI 1.04-1.20, p = 0.002). The direction of the genetically predicted effects was consistent across main and sensitivity MR analyses. Among subtypes, the genetically predicted effect of GrimAge acceleration was greater for colon cancer (IVW OR = 1.15, 95% CI 1.09-1.21, p = 0.006), than rectal cancer (IVW OR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.97-1.13, p = 0.24). Results were less consistent for associations between other epigenetic clocks and cancers. GrimAge acceleration may increase the risk of colorectal cancer. Findings for other clocks and cancers were inconsistent. Further work is required to investigate the potential mechanisms underlying the results. FMB was supported by a Wellcome Trust PhD studentship in Molecular, Genetic and Lifecourse Epidemiology (224982/Z/22/Z which is part of grant 218495/Z/19/Z). KKT was supported by a Cancer Research UK (C18281/A29019) programme grant (the Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme) and by the Hellenic Republic's Operational Programme 'Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship & Innovation' (OΠΣ 5047228). PH was supported by Cancer Research UK (C18281/A29019). RMM was supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol and by a Cancer Research UK (C18281/A29019) programme grant (the Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme). RMM is a National Institute for Health Research Senior Investigator (NIHR202411). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. GDS and CLR were supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00011/1 and MC_UU_00011/5, respectively) and by a Cancer Research UK (C18281/A29019) programme grant (the Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Programme). REM was supported by an Alzheimer's Society project grant (AS-PG-19b-010) and NIH grant (U01 AG-18-018, PI: Steve Horvath). RCR is a de Pass Vice Chancellor's Research Fellow at the University of Bristol.

Estimating Potential for Drug Budget Reallocation Following Expiration of Exclusivity of Pharmaceutical Products.

Background: The prioritization of public funds in an equitable and ethically sound manner along with efficient budget allocation are key challenges for governments and budget holders. Following the introduction of generics/biosimilars, the potential total budget made available for reallocation resulting from the loss of exclusivity (LOE) in a given market has not been estimated.Objectives: This study investigated the impact of generic/biosimilar entry on drug budget in 4 countries.Methods: Pharmaceutical sales data, drug costs and LOE dates were modeled and forecast using an analytical framework (Affordability by ReallocaTing Funds model [ART]) to estimate future incremental budget availability using scenario analyses in Greece (GR), the Netherlands (NL), Norway (NO) and Sweden (SW).Results: During 2020-2022, 166 (GR), 222 (NL), 145 (NO) and 93 (SW) products facing LOE were identified. This equated to release of an estimated cumulative budget during 2020-2024 of €218 million (GR), €1319 million (NL), €340 million (NO) and €876 million (SW). The estimated average budget released per year during 2020-2024 was 1.8% (GR), 4.6% (NL), 3.4% (NO) and 3.9% (SW) of each country’s total annual drug budget.Discussion: These analyses showed that LOE for pharmaceutical products between 2020 and 2022 can result in significant increase in budget availability. LOE in the retail channel was the main driver of budget availability in GR and SW, compared to LOE in the hospital channel in the NL and NO.Conclusion: Estimation of future release of budget capacity using the Affordability by ReallocaTing Funds model supports discussion on resource allocation to fund innovation and may help inform policy changes.

Public Health Services and Organisations Anti-Corruption Management from Political Interventions- Hellenic Republic

Public Health Services and Organisations Anti-Corruption Management from Political Interventions- Hellenic Republic

De recentioris aetatis epigrammate Coi asservato

The article examines an unpublished inscription conserved in the Nerantzia Castle of Kos (Greece). It consists of four elegiac couplets that Coan scholar Stamatios K. Pantelidis (Παντελίδης) composed some time before 1879. It was supposed to be located in the facade of the school founded the year indicated in the inscription. Seemingly, after the earthquake which devastated Kos in the year 1933, it was relocated in the warehouse of the Nerantzia Castle in northern Kos along with many other inscriptions. On the one hand, it provides the possibility of knowing how stonegravers work, to what extent Greeks knew their very own language in its ancient form and the way they dealt when it came to use (then and now) unusual forms of the language. On the other hand, the inscription is relevant to the cultural history of Greece in the last years of Ottoman rule and in the years after it, as Kos was part of the Ottoman Empire until 1912, date in which it passed under Italian rule until 1947, when the isle was incorporated into the Hellenic Republic. Therefore the purpose is to clarify the historical and real circumstances of the inscription, as well as to analyze the compositional process of this dedicatory epigram from the metrical point of view (it contains many deviations from to the classical precepts), style and classical tradition. The inscription has not been previously studied due to its peculiar characteristics. Indeed, it is an epigram written in modern times but in an archaizing Greek (i. e. roughly respecting the rules of classical grammar), so it is not studied by neohellenists given the ancient character of its language, nor by classicists because it was composed in recent times.

Proporcjonalność a ograniczenia wolności przemieszczania się i wyznania w czasie pandemii koronawirusa – kazus Grecji

Proportionality versus Restrictions on Freedom of Movement and Religion During a Coronavirus Pandemic: The Case of Greece The text discusses selected legal solutions used to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on freedom of movement and religion in the Hellenic Republic introduced on their basis. The restrictions introduced in the initial phase of the pandemic, in the period between March and July 2020, were analyzed in terms of compliance with the proportionality principle. The main legal instrument used to deal with the pandemic were the ordinances of the President of the Republic. These are normative acts issued by the President of the Republic at the request of the Council of Ministers. Based on these regulations, the Council of Ministers reacted relatively quickly to the changing conditions caused by the pandemic, in particular the increase in the number of infections. The greatest limitations of constitutional freedoms and rights concerned freedom of movement. Greek citizens had to obtain a pass in the form of an SMS message each time. The pass system was met with reluctance by the Greek public. In particular, the rules for the collection and processing of personal data were not defined as a legal act. The rulers issued only soft law document. There were also doubts about the unlimited storage time of data of patients suffering from coronavirus and the method of anonymizing data obtained from passes. Regarding freedom of religion, Greece has generally banned religious practice in temples by persons other than those directly celebrating. The disease statistics show that the measures chosen by Greece during the period under review have been successful. The state handled the pandemic relatively well. Whereas, the courts recognized the compliance of the adopted restrictions with the Constitution.

Федерація грецьких товариств України: історія становлення та діяльність

The purpose of the study is to analyze the history of the Federation of Greek Societies of Ukraine and its activities. Th e research methodology is based on the scientifi c principles of historicism and objectivity with the use of general scientifi c method of analysis and synthesis and a number of specifi c scientifi c methods such as historical-genetic, historical-systemic, ideographic, etc. The scientifi c novelty is determined primarily by the fact that the stated topic has not yet been the subject of a separate scientifi c study. Conclusions. Th e Federation of Greek Societies of Ukraine is a leading public institution of the Greek community of Ukraine, formed to protect the national and cultural interests of its members. Now it unites more than 90 Greek societies. Th e achievements and problems of this organizational structure on the way to the realization of the goals and tasks declared by its Statute are analyzed. In particular, the activity of the organization in the following directions is revealed: popularization of history and culture, as well as a revival of national traditions of the Greek people, honouring the memory of its prominent personalities, charity, etc. Th e eff orts of the organization aimed at encouraging the representatives of the Greek community of Ukraine to study the native languages of the Nadazov Greeks – Urum and Rumei, as well as modern Greek as the language of the metropolis (the Hellenic Republic) are refl ected. It has been found that the direct participation of the independent Ukrainian state in the process of material support of national and cultural needs of the Greek community, especially in comparison with the number of funds received from government and public structures of the Hellenic Republic, is insignifi cant. Finally, the role of the Federation of Greek Societies of Ukraine in the interconnected processes of formation of the national-cultural movement of Ukrainian Greeks and the revival of “Hellenism” in Ukraine has been determined. In this context, the concept of “Hellenism” should not be equated with the Hellenistic era but interpreted in terms of “cultural heritage of the Greek people”; Th is is how it is used in their records by the organizational structures of the Greek community in Ukraine, the Greek diaspora, and others.

Differences in psychiatric symptoms between the UK and Greece prior to and during COVID-19: The roles of subclinical narcissism and mental toughness

At the onset of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, countries reported elevated rates of psychiatric symptoms. Previous research indicates that subclinical narcissism may reduce depression and stress through mental toughness. The researchers collected data from the United Kingdom (UK) and Greece (GR) on self-reported depression, anxiety, stress, COVID-19 related worry, subclinical narcissism, and mental toughness. Two samples, one cross-sectional (N = 1846) and one semi-longitudinal (N = 184), were used to compare rates of psychiatric symptoms pre and during COVID-19 across the UK and GR, and to test a path model in which subclinical narcissism reduced psychiatric symptoms through mental toughness. From pre to during COVID-19, UK participants exhibited increased depression, lower anxiety, and no change in stress, whereas GR participants showed a decrease in anxiety and stress and consistently low symptoms of depression. Subclinical narcissism exerted a negative indirect effect on psychiatric symptoms through mental toughness in both samples, but a negative total effect on anxiety and stress only in the UK sample. Findings indicate that exploring links between narcissism and prosocial traits can provide novel insights into differences in the adaptive use of personality traits in relation to mental health.

Greek Debt Restructuring Case

Two complainants brought a constitutional complaint before the German Constitutional Court. The complaint was directed against a judgement of the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) that dismissed their action because the Hellenic Republic enjoyed state immunity before the German courts. in February 2012, Greece restructured its debts through a bond exchange in response to its major debt crisis. In this exchange, Greece offered its bondholders new bonds with a 53.5% percent reduction in the nominal value compared to the old bonds. The bond exchange was conditional on bondholders representing 2/3 of the aggregate principal voting in favour of the exchange, and subject to a quorum of 50% of bondholders. The complainants brought claims against the Hellenic Republic before the Regional Court of Osnabruck for the repayment of the funds that they originally paid to acquire the bonds, or alternatively, for the loss in value suffered due to deliberate immoral damage, unlawful expropriation, or unlawful interference equivalent to expropriation. In their constitutional complaints, the complainants invoked breaches of their right to a lawful judge based on Article 101(1) 1 Sentence 2, Article 100(2) and Article 25, first Sentence 1 of the German Basic Law. They also argued that the Federal Court of Justice unlawfully ruled on the scope of state immunity and failed to consult the Federal Constitution Court through the norm verification procedure. The German Constitutional Court did not accept the constitutional complaint for decision.

Greece

Greece

Authority and Identity in Emerging Christianities in Asia Minor and Greece, edited by Cilliers Breytenbach and Julien M. Ogereau

Authority and Identity in Emerging Christianities in Asia Minor and Greece, edited by Cilliers Breytenbach and Julien M. Ogereau

“Real World” Data on the Efficacy and Safety of Ixazomib in Combination with Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A Combined Study from the Greek, Czech and UK Databases

“Real World” Data on the Efficacy and Safety of Ixazomib in Combination with Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone in Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma: A Combined Study from the Greek, Czech and UK Databases

Greece

Greece