Greek Studies Research Articles

P0882 Quality of care in Inflammatory Bowel Disease from Patient’s perspective with QUOTE-IBD: a Greek multicenter prospective study

Abstract Background High quality of care (QoC) in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) has been associated with better disease outcomes. Most of the existing instruments assessing QoC are based on the perception of healthcare provider that may be different from that of healthcare user. The aim of the present study is a) to measure QoC. Through the Patient’s Eyes using the questionnaire GR QUOTE-IBD in IBD clinics in Crete and investigate any associations with patient’s demographics, disease characteristics, current or previous treatments and b) to compare QoC in Crete from IBD patient’s perspective with previous studies. Methods GR QUOTE-IBD questionnaire was completed by 150 consecutive IBD patients followed at 3 outpatient IBD clinics (93 NC), mean age (±SD) 47.36 ± 15.54 years, median disease duration 10years (0.6-43), 8.67% with IBD related surgery, 60% on biologics or small molecules. Study protocol was approved by Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Heraklion and the Institutional Review Board of the three participating hospitals. All patients provided written informed consent prior to study enrollment. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS (version 29, SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL, USA). Results The Quality Index (QI) for total care was >9 in all hospitals in Crete. The lowest dimensional QI scores were related to accessibility for the University Hospital of Heraklion (QI= 8.94 ± 1.17) similarly to the previous Greek study, and for the General Hospital of Chania (QI= 8.73 ± 1.48). Autonomy in decision making was rated as the less important dimension of QoC from patients’ perspective, similarly to the previous study in Crete. Crohn’s disease (p=0.013) and steroid treatment over two times lifetime (p=0.019) were significantly associated with QI scores for total care in IBD patients in Crete. Conclusion Total QoC from the patients’ perspective is high in all IBD clinics in Crete. Crohn’s disease and disease severity seem to affect patients’ perceptions for IBD care in Crete. Gastroenterologists in Crete should improve accessibility in IBD care, empower participation and patient’s involvement in shared decision-making, in order to achieve better compliance and improved therapeutic outcomes for their patients.

Patterns and mechanisms of visceral and rectal hypersensitivity in patients with ulcerative colitis in remission

Abstract Background and aims Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting the colorectum, with a disease course characterized by periods of flare and remission. Despite the progression of medical therapy and although the clinical and laboratory findings of UC improve during remission, chronic abdominal pain and changes in the frequency and the consistency of stool are frequently observed. It has been reported that abdominal pain occurs in 20-50% of IBD patients even when clinical and endoscopic remission is achieved. Previous studies have suggested that this may reflect visceral hypersensitivity in these patients, with lower thresholds for pain sensation. The aim of this study is to provide a granular classification of symptom patterns and physiological abnormalities in distinct cohorts among patients with UC in remission, and to dissect the underlying mechanisms. Methods The aim of this study is to provide a granular classification of symptom patterns and physiological abnormalities in distinct cohorts among patients with UC in remission, and to dissect the underlying mechanisms. The project will build on an ongoing Greek study (for which the applicant is also the lead investigator). Using validated symptom questionnaires and high resolution anorectal manometry, the Greek cohort will identify clusters of symptomatology and associated physiological changes. Then, as part of this proposal, we will use the same questionnaires in a cohort of patients in Cambridge, UK to validate clusters of symptoms observed. We will use biopsies< from these patients to confirm the presence of a pro-nociceptive bowel environment in patients with pain in remission and investigated how this can be targeted with specific drugs. Anticipated impact The result will be a more detailed understanding of the patterns of functional symptoms experienced by patients with UC in remission, along with the functional correlates and putative nociceptive mediators. This will provide immediate insight into how to support patients with these symptoms as well as supporting future studies using therapeutic agents to alleviate symptoms in subgroups of patients.

Πίστις—‮פסטס‬‎

Abstract The term pistis, in its legal context, refers to various forms of trusts, loans, securities, credits, guarantees, and means of inheritance. One of its uses in Greek Egyptian papyri was interpreted as referring to title-transfer security or to fictitious ownership. This paper adds rabbinic sources from Greco-Roman Palestine to the discussion on pistis. The comparison sheds light on the rabbinic sources, as well as expands our understanding of the use and spread of a Greek legal term and concept in the eastern Roman Empire. It therefore serves as a test case for the importance of rabbinic literature as a source in the study of Greek and Roman legal traditions, supplying new evidence for using this term as referring to fictitious ownership and for its use as referring to title-transfer security. This use of the term pistis changes in the Babylonian Talmud, preserving only echoes of its original meaning.

The Role of Aspect During Deverbal Word Processing in Greek

Deverbal formations in Greek, e.g. miˈrazo ‘to distribute’ < ˈmirazma ‘distributing’ are considered morphologically complex lexical items. Previous psycholinguistic studies in Greek and English already highlighted the importance of lexical category and argument structure of the base verb in the processing of deverbal pseudowords violating constraints pertaining to these properties. A similar study in Slovenian brought into light the role of aspectual properties of the base verb during deverbal word processing. The present study revisits the role of aspect in morphological processing of deverbal word formations by looking at Greek. To this end, an offline acceptability judgement task and an online lexical decision task were conducted using different types of pseudowords, violating derivational rules. Results provide evidence that aspect affects deverbal pseudoword processing in Greek. Aspectual rules have a distinct role in relation to categorial and argument structure ones for the suffix that creates formations with unambiguous, eventive readings and which has clear event implications but not for other suffixes. The current study extends the literature to include the role of this feature in the processing of deverbal formations.

The Arithmetica of Diophantus: A Complete Translation and Commentary by Jean Christianidis and Jeffrey Oaks

This book is not only an excellent translation and study of the extant Greek and Arabic sources for Diophantus’ Arithmetica, it is also an important piece of scholarship in the history of premodern mathematics. The historiographic significance of this book comes from both its argument for the place of the Arithmetica in our understanding of the history of algebra and from the methodologies that the authors employ in order to make their case.

Computational valency lexica and Homeric formularity

Abstract The wider availability of large-scale datasets and reproducible algorithms has boosted the application of NLP to living languages. On the other hand, dead languages benefit from the availability of curated resources both to offset the sparseness of available data and to make data accessible to researchers. We present here AGVaLex, a computational valency lexicon automatically extracted from the Ancient Greek Dependency Treebank. It contains quantitative corpus-driven morphological, syntactic and lexical information about verbs and their direct and indirect arguments and has a wide range of applications for the study of Ancient Greek. To illustrate these applications, we offer a case study that compares the semantic flexibility of transitive verb formulae in archaic Greek epic to a non-formulaic corpus, with the goal of detecting unique patterns of variation. We also illustrate the possibilities afforded by AGVaLex to scholars with a less extensive background in computational corpus-based research.

Historical aspects of the use of goat’s milk as a food product for young children: a review

Goat milk (GM) has been a valuable food product for children and adults all over the world for thousands of years and has been used as an important element of healthy nutrition and healing. The article provides information confirming the importance of GM, which is described in the studies of ancient greek and roman scientists (Hippocrates, Galen), in traditional chinese and arabic medicine (the works of Li Shizheng and Avicenna). The works of domestic and foreign scientists also show the possibility of using GM not only as an alternative to breast milk, but also as a highly effective means for strengthening health. The functional composition of GM makes it possible to create mixtures as close as possible to breast milk, which can be used as a source of nutrition for children in the absence of breastfeeding.

Tracing the Roots of Social Contract Theories: A Comparative Study of Ancient Greek and Indian Perspectives

ABSTRACT This article explores and compares the social contract theories of ancient Greece and India. In Greek thought, contractual theories of the origins of social order can be found in the works of Herodotus, Plato, and Polybius. Corresponding Indian perspectives emerge from texts such as the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, the Dīgha Nikāya, and the Mahābhārata. Through interpretations of these texts, the present analysis will show that both Greek and Indian theories largely rely on the concept of monarchy in the early stages of societal development. Beyond this commonality, there are primarily two other key similarities between the Greek and Indian texts: 1. An original unwritten contract or pact between the people and their leader(s), and 2. A transition from a pre-social existence to a structured social life. The main difference, again, lies in the Indian texts’ suggestion of a gradual, yet distinct, transition to monarchy, while the Greek texts remain ambiguous about this transition and entertain the possibility of a more egalitarian basis for social rule.

Evaluating the interactions of Medical Doctors with chatbots based on large language models: Insights from a nationwide study in the Greek healthcare sector using ChatGPT

In this AI-focused era, researchers are delving into AI applications in healthcare, with ChatGPT being a primary focus. This Greek study involved 182 doctors from various regions, utilizing a custom web application connected to ChatGPT 4.0. Doctors from diverse departments and experience levels engaged with ChatGPT, which provided tailored responses. Over a month, data was collected using a form with a 1-to-5 rating scale. The results showed varying satisfaction levels across four criteria: clarity, response time, accuracy, and overall satisfaction. ChatGPT's response speed received high ratings (3.85/5.0), whereas clarity of information was moderately rated (3.43/5.0). A significant observation was the correlation between a doctor's experience and their satisfaction with ChatGPT. More experienced doctors (over 21 years) reported lower satisfaction (2.80–3.74/5.0) compared to their less experienced counterparts (3.43–4.20/5.0). At the medical field level, Internal Medicine showed higher satisfaction in evaluation criteria (ranging from 3.56 to 3.88), compared to other fields, while Psychiatry scored higher overall, with ratings from 3.63 to 5.00. The study also compared two departments: Urology and Internal Medicine, with the latter being more satisfied with the accuracy, and clarity of provided information, response time, and overall compared to Urology. These findings illuminate the specific needs of the health sector and highlight both the potential and areas for improvement in ChatGPT's provision of specialized medical information. Despite current limitations, ChatGPT, in its present version, offers a valuable resource to the medical community, signaling further advancements and potential integration into healthcare practices.

Surgical instruments for plastic surgery operations in Ancient Greek and Byzantine times

Background-Objective: Even though the term “plastic surgery” was first introduced in the 19th century, the study of ancient Greek and Byzantine medical manuscripts reveals a significant number of plastic surgery operations performed during these periods. The aim of this work is to present the surgical instruments that were used to conduct such operations.Material-Method: The original manuscripts of ancient Greek and Byzantine physicians, including Hippocrates, Galen, Oribasius, Aetius, Paul of Aegina and Alexander of Tralles, were studied and analysed. The references concerning plastic surgery instruments were marked and are presented.Results-Discussion: Ancient Greek and Byzantine physicians performed several plastic surgery procedures, i.e. reconstructions of defects in the nose, ears, eyelids, lips, cheeks, and forehead, while surgical restoration of female breasts, hypospadias, elderly loose jawbone, penile tumours, syndactyly, and polydactyly was also described in detail. Several surgical instruments with various functions were used for these procedures, such as tools for tissue cutting (scalpels, chisels), for tissue grasping (forceps), tissue preparation, haemostasis (cauteries), as well as tissue suturing. Many of these tools had a wide range of uses, while others appear to have been specifically designed for plastic surgery procedures.Conclusion: Ancient Greek and Byzantine physicians possessed a comprehensive set of surgical instruments that effectively supported a wide range of plastic surgery procedures.

Evaluation of Polygenic Risk Scores for Prediction of Coronary Artery Disease in a Greek Case-Control Study.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) stands as the most predominant type of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Polygenic risk scores (PRSs) have become essential tools for quantifying genetic susceptibility, and researchers endeavor to improve their predictive precision. The aim of the present work is to assess the performance and the relative contribution of PRSs developed for CVD or CAD within a Greek population. The sample under study comprised 924 Greek individuals (390 cases with CAD and 534 controls) from the THISEAS study. Nine PRSs drawn from the PGS catalog were replicated and tested for CAD risk prediction. PRSs computations were performed in the R language, and snpStats was used to process genotypic data. Descriptive characteristics of the study were analyzed using the statistical software IBM SPSS Statistics v21.0. The effectiveness of each PRS was assessed using the PRS R2 metric provided by PRSice2. Among nine PRSs, PGS000747 greatly increased the predictive value of primary CAD risk factors by 21.6% (p-value = 2.63 × 10-25). PGS000012 was associated with a modest increase in CAD risk by 2.2% (p-value = 9.58 × 10-4). The remarkable risk discrimination capability of PGS000747 stands out as the most noteworthy outcome of our study.

Conspiring simplification strategies of [Obstruent+Liquid] clusters in a case study of child Greek: emergence of the marked

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the idiosyncratic cluster simplification patterns observed in a child with disordered phonological development, who is acquiring Greek. The child has mastered word-internal and word-final codas and clusters of reversed sonority. However, the child does not realise the target well-formed tautosyllabic [Obstruent+Liquid] clusters with rising sonority. The child’s system requires a single onset with maximum sonority dispersion between the onset and the syllable nucleus. As a result, cluster simplification occurs, via reduction to the less sonorous Obstruent – the most prevalent reduction pattern cross-linguistically. However, at the same time, the grammar requires faithful realisation of the target segment number. This requirement is fulfiled through two distinct conspiring metathesis patterns, distributed complementarily, resulting in the realisation of marked structures. The patterns depend on the position of the cluster within the target word. In word internal position, a compensatory metathesis of the Liquid takes place in the preceding syllable coda. In word initial position, the Manner of Articulation of the metathesised Liquid is delinked, while its Coronal Place of Articulation is faithfully preserved, and is realised by default as a Coronal Sibilant [s]. The latter Sibilant is attached as an appendix to the syllable node at the word left-edge. We argue that, in the grammar of this child, there is a-synchronisation between the development of the prosodic word layer and the development of syllable layer. Specifically, a-synchronisation is evident in the development of the (branching) onset syllabic subconstituent.

Charactonym Analysis on First Name Characters in Rowling’s Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone Novel

Charactonym is proper name that is used to name the characters in literary work Characteristics of literary characters in a story leads to their identity role and personality trait. Related to this case, this research is aimed to discover charactonym contribution to the character information based on the first name meaning regarding with the name function. This research uses descriptive qualitative method. The data used in this research are collected by document analysis method. This research applies the content analysis to analyze the data. The result of data analysis discovers 39 data analyzed in this research. The 17 names function as individualization, 10 names as identification, and 12 names as establishment. It can be concluded that J.K. Rowling‟s mastering of some languages, French, German, Classics with Greek and Roman studies influence her unique character‟s names. She considers the name for her characters to convey a message to the reader. J.K. Rowling tends to give the key of what her character is like and how her characters treat themselves and others. There are 56% names that reveal the character information, and 44% names are a label so far. The name function depends on what important role of each character has in the story.

The frequency of selective functional foods consumption is related to improved anthropometric obesity indices: A cross-sectional study in Greek and Cyprian adults

Background: Obesity remains a public health problem. Recent, novel strategies suggest thefrequent inclusion of functional foods for better management of adiposity markers and obesityprevention. Numerous epidemiological and clinical studies demonstrate specific naturalfunctional foods of the Mediterranean Diet and innovative processed foods, enhanced withbioactive compounds, that they may present a possible beneficial role on this approach. Methods: In this cross-sectional epidemiological study, 319 Greeks and Cyprians, aged 18-75years were voluntary recruited in personal interviews. A validated Functional Food Frequency ofConsumption (FFFQ) was filled out, recording the frequency of selective functional foodsconsumption, following by anthropometric and body composition evaluations. Data collectionand statistical analysis were conducted, to assess the possible association of functional foodsfrequency of consumption with adiposity markers. Results: Olive oil is a main part of the daily diet of the representative sample of Greek andCyprian population and its frequency of intake was inversely related to body weight, taking intoaccount the lifestyle pattern and social parameters. Considering general habits andsociodemographic characteristics, Body Mass Index (BMI) was directly associated with thefrequency of consumption of split peas, turmeric, cinnamon, honey, whole wheat- and gluten-free pasta, as well as of gluten-free and enhanced bakeries. These functional food groups areconsumed by majority in a monthly basis, except of honey which is weekly consumed by themajority of the study population. Conclusion: The results suggest that the daily intake of olive oil, as the main characteristic ofMediterranean Diet, may be effective on body weight management. The frequency rise ofspecific spices, honey, functional pasta and bakeries consumption, may lead to increases inmarkers of adiposity. Further research is needed to safely conclude to these claims and theimplementation of nutritional treatment programs with functional foods may prove effective inthe prevention and management of obesity. Keywords: epidemiological study; functional foods; frequency of consumption; obesity;adiposity association; Greeks; Cyprians

The agronomist to trust as my advisor: a Greek case study

ABSTRACT Purpose Given the absence of (structured) advisory services in Greece and the CAP requirements, we aim at exploring which would be the characteristics of agronomists whom farmers might trust as advisors. Design/Methodology/Approach The field research addressed professional farmers who are in contact with agronomist(s)-as-advisors. Based on an aide memoire, 51 farmers were interviewed following a snowball technique in each of the 5 municipalities of Ioannina Prefecture, North-Western Greece, which comprised our research area. Findings The antecedents of trust (ability, benevolence and integrity) were systematically addressed and analysed thus leading to the identifications of the characteristics of an agronomist-as-advisor that shape the farmer’s determination to trust him/her. Additionally, mediators related to the antecedents were identified. Practical Implications This piece of work allows for a better understanding of the degree farmers trust various actors-as-advisors and thus of their role(s) in farmers’ micro-AKIS. Theoretical Implications This piece of work is a contribution towards as well as an effort to trigger a more systematic and nuanced approach on the topic of trust in advisory relationships through farmer-centric research. Originality/Value Τhe paper points to the characteristic of actors, notably agronomists, with whom farmers would prefer to build advisory relationships.

Texts, Bodies, Images, Movement

Abstract The international symposium Imprints of Ancient Greek and Roman Dance: Texts, Bodies, Images, Movement took place in Madrid in September 2022. As the final component of a research project funded by the Spanish Society of Classical Studies and the BBVA Foundation, this event aimed to scrutinize a series of concepts that have proven significant to the transhistorical and transcultural study of dance. The eight scholars tasked with examining these concepts presented interesting case studies of ancient Greek and Roman dancing between the Archaic period and late Antiquity, drawing upon a variety of media and sources.

Sign-inferences in Greek and Buddhist Logic

The Yogācāra school of logic developed a theory of sign-inferences that has many features of the Stoic and Epicurean logical teachings with small inclusions of Aristotelian ideas. In the Nyāyabindu of Dharmakīrti, we can find the following schemes of formal reasoning: modus Barbara (Figure I) and modus Camenes (Figure IV) of the Aristotelian syllogistic, and all the inference rules of the Stoic logic: modus ponens, modus tollens, modus ponendo tollens, modus tollendo ponens I, modus tollendo ponens II. The three premises of Yogācāra inference (if p, then q; there is an example that p and q occur together; p; then q) corresponds to the Epicurean doctrine of three premises with a necessary exemplification. Thus, the paper is a comparative study of Greek and Buddhist theory of sign-inferences, showing a deep similarity between them.

Educating a Society of Perceivers: Practical Wisdom and Perception in Nicomachean Ethics and Deuteronomy*

ABSTRACT A renewed interest in reading the Hebrew Bible as a work of philosophy has reasserted the value of pursuing comparative studies of Greek and Hebrew literature within their common intellectual environment in the Eastern Mediterranean. This study will contribute to a retrieval of Hebraic philosophy in its ancient context through a comparison of Aristotelian practical wisdom and perception as seen in Nicomachean Ethics with commensurate conceptions of wisdom and perception in Deuteronomy. This comparison will advance an appreciation of Deuteronomy as a work of philosophy in its own right, which is distinct yet comparable to Nicomachean Ethics in educating what Martha Nussbaum calls a “society of perceivers” who are skilled at making wise and discerning decisions to attain the Deuteronomic vision of the good.

I think learning ancient Greek via video game is…’: An online survey to understand perceptions of Digital Game-Based Learning for ancient Greek

AbstractPlaying is connected at a deep level to how we learn, participate in and create culture, as it is dynamic, complex and even unpredictable just as learning is (Reinhardt, 2019). Even Plato in his Theaetetus recognises the importance of such a component in experiencing culture and knowledge. Could playing (or gaming) therefore be a useful didactical approach in promoting the study of ancient Greek around the world? From 10th May 2023 at 1 pm. until 1st June 2023 at 1 pm., an internet survey was conducted online by the researcher Irene Di Gioia through the use of Google Forms questionnaires. This questionnaire was distributed via different social networks and communication tools. The survey aimed to understand if people around the world are interested in the idea of learning ancient Greek via a video game and if so, which video gaming activities learners prefer. The goal of the survey was therefore to understand if a ludic pedagogical approach using Digital Game-Based Learning could theoretically represent an interest experience for learners or potential learners, and furthermore to investigate their feelings, prejudices, and motivations regarding the study of ancient Greek. From the analysed data the researcher will therefore develop a video game to teach ancient Greek language and culture, which comprises the focus of her ongoing PhD dissertation at Georg-August University of Göttingen (Germany) and Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna (Italy).

Only in Good Company: On Generosity and Pedagogy in Ancient Greek and Roman Studies

Only in Good Company: On Generosity and Pedagogy in Ancient Greek and Roman Studies