Extraction Optimization and Qualitative/Quantitative Determination of Bioactive Abietane-Type Diterpenes from Three Salvia Species (Common Sage, Greek Sage and Rosemary) by 1H-qNMR.

The objective of this study was the optimization of the extraction process and the qualitative and quantitative determination of the bioactive metabolites: 12-O-methylcarnosic acid (12MCA), carnosic acid (CA), carnosol (CS), 7-O-methyl-epi-rosmanol (7MER) and rosmanol (RO) in infusions, decoctions, turbulent flow extracts, tinctures and oleolites from three Salvia species: Salvia officinalis L. (common sage, SO), Salvia fruticosa Mill. (Greek sage, SF) and Salvia rosmarinus Spenn (syn Rosmarinus officinalis L.) (rosemary, SR), using Quantitative Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-qNMR). Regarding the aqueous extracts, decoctions appeared to be richer sources of the studied metabolites than infusions among the three plants. For SR, the turbulent flow extraction under heating was the most efficient one. The optimum time for the preparation of decoctions was found to be 5 min for SF and SO and 15 min for SR. It is noteworthy that SR tinctures were not stable in time due to decomposition of the abietane-type diterpenes CA and CS because of the polar solvent used for their preparation. Contrary to this finding, the oleolites of SR appeared to be very stable. Olive oil as a solvent for extraction was very protective for the contained abietane-type diterpenes. A preliminary stability study on the effect of the storage time of the SF on the abietane-type diterpenes content showed that the total quantity of abietanes decreased by 16.51% and 40.79% after 12 and 36 months, respectively. The results of this investigation also demonstrated that 1H-qNMR is very useful for the analysis of sensitive metabolites, like abietane-type diterpenes, that can be influenced by solvents used in chromatographic analysis.

The Bioactivity of a Hydroxytyrosol-Enriched Extract Originated after Direct Hydrolysis of Olive Leaves from Greek Cultivars.

Nowadays, olive leaf polyphenols have been at the center of scientific interest due to their beneficial effects on human health. The most abundant polyphenol in olive leaves is oleuropein. The biological properties of oleuropein are mainly due to the hydroxytyrosol moiety, a drastic catechol group, whose biological activity has been mentioned many times in the literature. Hence, in recent years, many nutritional supplements, food products, and cosmetics enriched in hydroxytyrosol have been developed and marketed, with unexpectedly positive results. However, the concentration levels of hydroxytyrosol in olive leaves are low, as it depends on several agricultural factors. In this study, a rapid and easy methodology for the production of hydroxytyrosol-enriched extracts from olive leaves was described. The proposed method is based on the direct acidic hydrolysis of olive leaves, where the extraction procedure and the hydrolysis of oleuropein are carried out in one step. Furthermore, we tested the in vitro bioactivity of this extract using cell-free and cell-based methods, evaluating its antioxidant and DNA-protective properties. Our results showed that the hydroxytyrosol-enriched extract produced after direct hydrolysis of olive leaves exerted significant in vitro antioxidant and geno-protective activity, and potentially these extracts could have various applications in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries.

Efficacy of a conservative physical treatment regimen on psychological status and quality of life in Greek patients with chronic low back pain.

Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) is a very common health problem that has a great negative impact on the quality of life and the psychological well-being of backache patients. Literature findings have shown that a conventional physiotherapeutic approach is a beneficial choice for CLBP management. The aim of this study was to examine the short-term effects of a conservative physical treatment on depression, anxiety, somatic symptom disorders (SSD), quality of life, pain and disability in Greek individuals suffering from CLBP. Seventy-five CLBP patients were recruited using random systematic sampling. All subjects received ultrasound, low-level laser, massage, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ΤENS) and alongside an exercise program (sum of 10 sessions, 5 times per week). The intervention was assessed by comparing pre and post outcome measurements based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8), EuroQol 5-dimension 5-level (EQ-5D-5L), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and Pain Numerical Rating Scale (PNRS) instruments. The mean age of the sample was 60.8 years (±14.4) and nearly one out of four (25.3%) was obese. After the end of the treatment, there were improvements in EQ-5D-5L indices and decreases in HADS, SSS-8, RMDQ and PNRS scores, which were found to be statistically significant. Greater effect size was found in PNRS (d=0.75), followed by EQ-5D-5L index value scale (d=0.42), SSS-8 (d=0.38), EQ-5D-5L VAS (d=0.36), RMDQ (d=0.29), HADS-A (d=0.16) and HADS-D (d=0.14). Men and women had similar changes in all under-study scales after the treatment, while besides pain scale, the pre-intervention scores as well as the degree of change in all scores were similar across all Body Mass Index (BMI) levels. In conclusion, convectional physical treatment was found to be an effective option in improving considerably the psychological status and quality of life, while also decreasing functional disability and pain in CLBP patients in the short run.

Occurrence of Luteolin in the Greek Flora, Isolation of Luteolin and Its Action for the Treatment of Periodontal Diseases.

Higher plants possess the ability to synthesize a great number of compounds with many different functions, known as secondary metabolites. Polyphenols, a class of flavonoids, are secondary metabolites that play a crucial role in plant adaptation to both biotic and abiotic environments, including UV radiation, high light intensity, low/high temperatures, and attacks from pathogens, among others. One of the compounds that has received great attention over the last few years is luteolin. The objective of the current paper is to review the extraction and detection methods of luteolin in plants of the Greek flora, as well as their luteolin content. Furthermore, plant species, crop management and environmental factors can affect luteolin content and/or its derivatives. Luteolin exhibits various biological activities, such as cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial ones. As a result, luteolin has been employed as a bioactive molecule in numerous applications within the food industry and the biomedical field. Among the different available options for managing periodontitis, dental care products containing herbal compounds have been in the spotlight owing to the beneficial pharmacological properties of the bioactive ingredients. In this context, luteolin's anti-inflammatory activity has been harnessed to combat periodontal disease and promote the restoration of damaged bone tissue.

Consumption of herbal infusions/decoctions and tea in Greece: a Planeterranean perspective on the results of Hydria survey.

BACKGROUND: The consumption of various herbal infusions was and is common in the traditional Mediterranean diet, and apparently are used in many other regions of the world outside of the Mediterranean region. The present study aimed to investigate the consumption of herbal infusions/decoctions and tea in a nationally representative sample of Greece, considering also their Planetary use. METHODS: 3951 adult participants of the HYDRIA Survey (2013-2014) were included from the 13 regions of Greece. The diet of participants was assessed by two 24-h dietary recalls (24-HDR) and the Food Propensity Questionnaire (FPQ). All food items were analyzed through the HYDRIA Food Composition Tables. Information on socio-demographics, lifestyle, and health characteristics during the baseline was also provided. RESULTS: 26.9% of herbal infusions and decoctions consumers are ≥ 75 years old, pensioners with a low level of education, and residents of urban areas. However, 22.2% of tea consumers belong to the 18-34-year age group, being employed with an intermediate level of education and living in an urban area. Elderly men and women use more herbal infusions/decoctions (55.4%; 40.6%) compared to tea (41.8%; 25.2%). According to FPQ, 7.1% of men and 9.7% of women use herbal infusions and decoctions four times or more per week, while 7.1 and 10.9% of men and women, respectively, consume tea at the same frequency. Green tea, mountain tea (Sideritis spp.), and black tea are reported most frequently. In addition, mountain tea (61.2%), black tea (60.3%), mixed herbal infusions/decoctions (58.4%), and sage (59.4%) are consumed mostly at breakfast, while chamomile was reported mainly at dinner or during the night (42.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Based on the FPQ results, the moderate and high consumption of herbal infusions/decoctions and tea is low in Greece, especially among adults (18-64 years). Thus, our results indicate the existence of a generation gap to the attachment to the traditional Med Diet and the consumption of herbal infusions. The present study could encourage future research to focus on herbal infusions and decoctions consumption by other populations for cross-cultural comparison, as well as on emphasizing the value of consuming locally available herbs in a Planeterranean perspective.

Phytochemical screening and biological evaluation of Greek sage (Salvia fruticosa Mill.) extracts.

This study explores the influence of extraction solvents on the composition and bioactivity of Salvia fruticosa extracts. Ultrasound-assisted extraction with water, ethanol and their mixtures in variable proportions was used to produce four different extracts. An untargeted UPLC/MS­based metabolomics was performed to discover metabolites profile variation between the extracts. In the analyzed samples, 2704 features had been detected, of which 95 were tentatively identified. The concentrations of the important metabolites, namely, caffeic acid, carnosic acid, carnosol, rosmarinic acid, salvianolic acid B and scutellarin, were determined, using UPLC-PDA methods. Rosmarinic acid was the dominant metabolite and antioxidant in all tested extracts, except the aqueous extract, in which scutellarin was the most abundant compound. The extracts and standards were examined for antioxidant activity and xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory activity. The most diverse in terms of chemical composition and rich in antioxidant compounds was 70% ethanolic extract and the strongest antioxidant was caffeic acid. All analyzed extracts showed the ability to inhibit XO activity, but the highest value was recorded for 30% ethanolic extract. Among tested standards, the most potent XO inhibitor was caffeic acid. The results suggest that the leaves of Greek sage are a source of natural XO inhibitors and may be an alternative to drugs produced by chemical synthesis.

The Effect of Probiotic Supplements on Metabolic Parameters of People with Type 2 Diabetes in Greece-A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

The role of probiotic supplementation in type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment is controversial. The present study aimed to assess the effects of a multi-strain probiotic supplement (LactoLevureR (containing Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Saccharomyces boulardii)) over 6 months, primarily on glycemic control as well as on lipid levels and alterations in the gut microbiome, among individuals with T2D residing in Greece. A total of 91 adults with T2D (mean age [±SD] 65.12 ± 10.92 years, 62.6% males) were randomized to receive the probiotic supplement or a matching placebo capsule, once daily, for 6 months. Blood chemistries and anthropometric parameters were conducted every 3 months, and stool samples were collected at baseline and at 6 months. Significant reductions in HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, and total cholesterol were observed in participants treated with the probiotic supplement (n = 46) compared to the controls (n = 45), even after adjustment for a greater decrease in adiposity (waist circumference). Although there were no statistically significant differences in the diversity of the gut microbiome (α and ß diversity), the administration of probiotics did influence several genera, metabolites, and key enzymes associated with diabetes. Overall, the administration of the multi-strain probiotic LactoLevureR over a 6-month period in individuals with T2D was well-tolerated and had a positive impact on metabolic parameters, alongside improvements in indices of adiposity.

Mindful eating and eating behaviours in Greece: exploring the validity and reliability of two mindful eating scales and other eating behaviours for Greek-speaking populations.

BACKGROUND: Mindful eating has seen an increase in clinical and non-clinical practices of changing health outcomes. Meanwhile, the restriction of not having validated scales in other languages proposes a barrier to exploring the impact of mindful eating cross-culturally, and specific to the present project, across Greek-speaking populations, limiting the potential of exploring the association with Mediterranean dieting. METHODS: In the present research, volunteers (n = 706) completed online the Mindful Eating Behaviour Scale and the Mindful Eating Scale. A forward-backwards translation, leading to face validity, and was assessed for internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha) and followed up by an assessment of the factorial structure of the scales. Divergent and convergent validity was explored using motivations to eat palatable foods, grazing, craving, Dusseldorf orthorexia, Salzburg emotional eating, and the Salzburg stress eating scales. RESULTS: Results indicated that both scales displayed good internal consistency, and the assessment of the factorial structure of the scales was equally good and semi-consistent with the English versions, with parallel analyses and item loadings proposing problems that have been shown in critical review literature. Associations of mindful eating scales to other eating behaviours were replicated to previously established findings with English-speaking populations. CONCLUSIONS: Findings that deviated from the expected outcomes are central to the discussion on the measurement of mindful eating, and further direction highlights the way forward for researchers and clinicians. LEVEL V: Descriptive studies.

HEALTH REFORM INITIATIVES IN THE INTERWAR ERA: THE CASE OF GREECE AND THE ROLE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS HEALTH ORGANISATION

During the Interwar period (1918-1939), financial aid and technical assistance were given to countries worldwide by the League of Nations Health Organisation (LNHO) in an attempt to reform public health systems, address population health problems, and control infectious diseases. Greece was one of the countries that received this aid, and in 1928 cooperation with the LNHO was initiated. The aim of this alliance was an integrated health reform plan entitled "Collaboration with the Greek government for the sanitary reorganization of Greece" and had a dual purpose: a) the reorganisation of the health services and b) the establishment of a unified public health system that provided comprehensive healthcare for all citizens. The current article discusses the collaboration between Greece and the LNHO and their endeavour to reorganise the health system during the Interwar period. More specifically, it investigates the significant legislative and policy initiatives and their impact on the health system's evolution. In addition, it aims to explore the factors that affected the outcome of LNHO's reform plan. It is also argued that the proposed health reform plan was not fully implemented due to intense political and social conflicts that resulted from the institutional measures taken to address public health problems as well as financial and technical constraints.

The Effect of Pythagorean Self-Awareness Intervention on Stress and Mental Health Characteristics of Civil Servants in Crete, Greece.

Evidence is limited regarding the effects of holistic programs on work-related stress, anxiety, and depressive symptomatology. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the Pythagorean Self-Awareness Intervention (PSAI) on stress and mental health characteristics of civil servants in Crete, Greece. This was a single arm interventional study with PSAI outcome evaluation. Validated, self-reported scales were used to assess stress and mental health characteristics (PSS, DASS, UCLA, RSE, and STAXI). Hair samples were obtained to measure cortisol concentrations as a biological stress marker. Paired-samples t-test or Wilcoxon tests were used to evaluate pre- and post-intervention measures. Overall, 48 civil servants (56.3% women, mean age 51 years) participated in the study. Statistically significant reductions were observed in all self-reported stress scales (p < 0.05). Although hair cortisol decreased, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.109). Statistically significant improvements were also observed on depressive symptomatology (p < 0.001), self-esteem (p < 0.001), loneliness (p < 0.001), self-efficacy (p = 0.002), and anger (p = 0.017). The PSAI appeared beneficial with respect to all self-reported outcomes. Larger studies including control groups and further follow-up evaluations are needed to ascertain these findings.

Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Spiritual Coping Strategies Scale (SCSS) for Greece.

INTRODUCTION: Spirituality constitutes a central element of all health and social care professions. The Spiritual Coping Strategies Scale (SCSS) measures both spiritual and religious coping strategiesAim: The aim of this study was to provide evidence for the reliability and validity of SCSS for Greece. METHODS: A total of 301 nurses were selected by convenience sampling and required to complete the SCSS and the FACIT-Spiritual Well-Being Scale-12 non-illness scale. Forward-translations and back-translations were conducted by two bilingual translators (English-Greek) grown up in English-speaking countries (USA, Australia) while cross-cultural adaptation followed strictly the recent WHO guidelines. The reliability and validity of the scale were evaluated by correlation analysis, t-test, and exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS: Convergent validity was investigated in comparison to FACIT-Sp-12. Meaning, peace, faith, and total spirituality were positively correlated to SCSS as expected (r = 0.22 for Meaning, r = 0.34 for Peace, r = 0.70 for Faith, and r = 0.66 for Total Spirituality), implying sufficient convergent validity. The Cronbach's α coefficients of the two subscales were 0.91 and 0.78, respectively. Additionally, the Pearson correlation r for both spiritual and religious strategies showed strong correlations between the two measurements (p < 0.001), first administration and three weeks after. CONCLUSION: SCSS has good reliability and validity among nurses in Greece.

Better Understand to Better Predict Subjective Well-Being Among Older Greeks in COVID-19 Era: Depression, Anxiety, Attitudes Towards eHealth, Religiousness, Spiritual Experience, and Cognition.

Despite similarities with previous pandemics, the potential physical and psychosocial impact of COVID-19 on older adults is still little investigated in Greece. This study examines the intercorrelations between subjective well-being/life satisfaction, depression, state anxiety, global cognitive function, attitudes towards eHealth, religiousness and spiritual experience in older adults during COVID-19. Results revealed that statistically significant negative correlations exist between subjective life satisfaction and depressive symptomatology as well as with religiousness, a finding that can be explained by the COVID-19 externally imposed religious practice restrictions. Subjective life satisfaction was positively correlated with overall cognition as measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). MMSE was also negatively correlated with state anxiety, depression, and attitudes towards eHealth use. The best predictors of subjective well-being is global cognition (as measured by MMSE) and depressive symptomatology (measured by GDS). The conclusions of this study underscore the need to examine in more detail psychological variables during COVID-19 and quality of life in older adults.

Bitter Is Better: Wild Greens Used in the Blue Zone of Ikaria, Greece.

The current study reports an ethnobotanical field investigation of traditionally gathered and consumed wild greens (Chorta) in one of the five so-called Blue Zones in the world: Ikaria Isle, Greece. Through 31 semi-structured interviews, a total of 56 wild green plants were documented along with their culinary uses, linguistic labels, and locally perceived tastes. Most of the gathered greens were described as bitter and associated with members of Asteraceae and Brassicaceae botanical families (31%), while among the top-quoted wild greens, species belonging to these two plant families accounted for 50% of the wild vegetables, which were consumed mostly cooked. Cross-cultural comparison with foraging in other areas of the central-eastern Mediterranean and the Near East demonstrated a remarkable overlapping of Ikarian greens with Cretan and Sicilian, as well as in the prevalence of bitter-tasting botanical genera. Important differences with other wild greens-related food heritage were found, most notably with the Armenian and Kurdish ones, which do not commonly feature many bitter greens. The proven role of extra-oral bitter taste receptors in the modulation of gastric emptying, glucose absorption and crosstalk with microbiota opens new ways of looking at these differences, in particular with regard to possible health implications. The present study is also an important attempt to preserve and document the bio-cultural gastronomic heritage of Chorta as a quintessential part of the Mediterranean diet. The study recommends that nutritionists, food scientists, and historians, as well as policymakers and practitioners, pay the required attention to traditional rural dietary systems as models of sustainable health.

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oils of Three Popular Sideritis Species Cultivated in Greece Using GC-MS Analysis.

(1) Background: The essential oils (EOs) of Sideritis L. have attracted great interest due to their pharmacological activities and potential applications in the cosmetic and perfume industries. The aim of this work was to study the EO chemical composition of three of the most popular, in Greece, mountain tea species: namely, these include Sideritis scardica, Sideritis raeseri, and Sideritis syriaca. (2) Methods: The EOs were obtained from the aerial parts of three Sideritis species that were cultivated in various regions of Greece by hydrodistillation, and the chemical composition was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. (3) Results: The EOs of the Sideritis species-S. scardica (SSC1, SSC2, SSC3), S. raeseri (SR1, SR2, SR3), and S. syriaca (SS1, SS2, SS3)-were analyzed by GC-MS, and they showed both qualitatively and quantitatively high variation in their chemical composition. (4) Conclusions: The EOs of S. scardica and S. raeseri from three different regions of Greece, and the S. syriaca from three different localities of Crete Island in Southern Greece, showed high chemical variability. Although 165 different components were found to be present in the nine samples through GC-MS analysis, only 7 (1-octen-3-ol, linalool, trans-pinocarveol, p-mentha-1,5-dien-8-ol, α-terpineol, myrtenol, and verbenone) were common components in the nine EOs, which were identified to be highly variable in different percentages among the samples. Even the EOs of SS1 and SS2, which were cultivated nearby, showed different GC profiles. The composition variation observed might be attributed to differentiations in the soil and climatic conditions.

Diet Quality and Nutritional Risk Based on the FIGO Nutrition Checklist among Greek Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Routine Antenatal Care Study.

The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) nutrition checklist is a tool for everyday antenatal clinical practice, easy to use by most healthcare professionals, aiming to initiate a conversation regarding gestational weight gain (GWG) and nutrition and identify women who might require further assessment. The present cross-sectional study aimed to apply the FIGO nutrition checklist to pregnant women attending routine antenatal care and identify nutritional risk factors. Pregnant women (n = 200) were recruited from the outpatient pregnancy clinics of two hospitals in Thessaloniki and completed the checklist. The FIGO-diet quality score and the FIGO-nutritional risk score (NRS) were calculated. The results revealed that 99% of the women exhibited at least one nutritional risk factor based on the checklist. The median FIGO diet quality score of the sample was 4.0 (3.0-5.0), with 95% of the participants responding negatively to at least one question, indicating the need for improving diet quality. Improved diet quality was noted in cases of hyperemesis gravidarum and among those receiving vitamin D supplements. A large percentage of the participants (36%) exhibited five or more nutritional risk factors, as indicated by a total FIGO-NRS below 5. Women with low middle-upper arm circumference, indicative of protein-energy malnutrition (20.6% of the sample), exhibited more nutritional risk factors compared with the rest. On the other hand, being in the third trimester of pregnancy was associated with lower nutritional risk and, subsequently, better diet quality.

Chemical Warfare in Ancient Greek Ionia: Mass Intoxication With Hecate's Deleterium.

The rich land of Erythrae in the coast of Asia Minor attracted the attention of the Ionian king Codrus. An oracle demanded the presence of the murky deity Hecate for him to conquer the city. Priestess Chrysame was sent by Thessalians to set the strategy of the clash. The young sorceress poisoned a sacred bull who turned mad, later to be released toward the camp of Erythraeans. The beast was captured and sacrificed. In the feast that followed, all ate a piece of his flesh and went crazy, stimulated by the poison, an easy prey for the army of Codrus. The deleterium used by Chrysame is unknown, but her strategy shaped the origin of biowarfare.

Toad zoonyms mirror the linguistic and demographic history of Greece.

The common toad (Bufo bufo) has been the subject of many folk tales and superstitions in Western Europe, and as a result, it is characterised by numerous common names (zoonyms). However, the zoonyms of the toad and its associated traditions have remained unexplored in the Balkans, one of Europe's linguistic hotspots. In the present study, it was attempted to fill this knowledge gap by focusing on Greece, where more than 7.700 individuals were interviewed both in the field and through online platforms, in order to document toad zoonyms from all varieties and dialects of Greek, as well as local non-Greek languages such as Arvanitika, South Slavic dialects, and Vlach. It was found that the academically unattested zoonyms of the toad provide an unmatched and previously unexplored linguistic and ethnographic tool, as they reflect the linguistic, demographic, and historical processes that shaped modern Greece. This is particularly pertinent in the 21st century, when a majority of the country's dialects and languages are in danger of imminent extinction-and some have already gone silent. Overall, the present study shows the significance of recording zoonyms of indigenous and threatened languages as excellent linguistic and ethnographic tools that safeguard our planet's ethnolinguistic diversity and enhance our understanding on how pre-industrial communities interacted with their local fauna. Furthermore, in contrast to all other European countries, which only possess one or only a few zoonyms for the toad, the Greek world boasts an unmatched 37 zoonyms, which attest to its role as a linguistic hotspot.

Radiofrequency Exposure Levels in Greece.

Medical Physics Department (Medical School, University of Thessaly) participated in a Greek National EMF research program (EDBM34) with the scope to measure and evaluate radiofrequency (RF) exposure (27-3000 MHz) in areas of sensitive land use. A thousand (1000) measurements were carried out at two "metropolitan locations" (Athens and Thessaloniki: 624 points) and several rest urban/rural locations (376 points). SRM 3006 spectrum analyzer manufactured by Narda Safety Test Solutions was used. The broadband mean electric field in metropolitan areas was 0.41 V/m, while in the rest of Greece was 0.36 V/m. In metropolitan areas, the predominant RF source was the TV and Radio FM signals (36.2% mean contribution to the total RF exposure level). In the rest areas, the predominant source was the systems of the meteorological and military/defensive service (31.1%). The mobile sector contributed 14.9% in metropolitan areas versus 12.2% in the rest of Greece. The predominant mobile source was 900 MHz in both cases (4.5% in metropolitan areas vs. 3.3% in the rest of Greece). The total exposure from all RF sources complied with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) 2020 safety guidelines [ICNIRP, 2020]. The maximum exposure level was 0.129% of the limit for the metropolitan areas vs. 0.110% for the rest of Greece. Nonremarkable differences between metropolitan areas' exposure and the rest of Greece. In most cases, new 5 G antennas will be added to the existing base stations. Thus, the total exposure may be increased, leading to higher safety distances. © 2023 Bioelectromagnetics Society.

From Ancient Patterns of Hand-to-Hand Combat to a Unique Therapy of the Future.

The purpose of this publication is to provide generalized knowledge of the area of changes that took place over past centuries in relation to health, social and cultural conditions. In Greek mythology, it was necessary to nurture both body and spirit to be a perfect human being. This link between the concepts of physical beauty and goodness can be also found in later works dedicated to ancient Greek history. Particularly in Greek myths, and in Greek education in general, it was believed that both physical and spiritual excellence were necessary to raise men to achieve their true form. Some of the main forms of implementing this idea were hand-to-hand combat exercises (wrestling, boxing and pankration). Ideas characteristic of the world of ancient Greece, in a general sense, can be observed in the culture of the Far East. The main difference is the fact that these principles did not survive in Western culture as a result of transformation into a consumer society focused on the rejection of moral principles. The brutalisation of the forms of the Roman Games meant that the ideals of the ancient world were forgotten for more than 1500 years. The modern Olympic Games were resurrected in the 19th century. Inspired by the ancient Greek cult of health of body and spirit, they gave rise to a movement known as Olympism. In the Olympic Charter written by Coubertin, Olympism was called "a philosophy of life exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind". The combat sports disciplines have had their place there since the beginning of the modern Olympic Games. The evolution of hand-to-hand combat disciplines, including numerous scientific studies indicating a very broad impact in the area of health, led to this type of physical activity being reached for as an essential element in supporting the health-promoting behaviour of society. Nowadays, physical activity in the area of exercise with elements of hand-to-hand combat, combat sports, or martial arts is an indissoluble link in the prevention and treatment of 21st century diseases. For Parkinson's disease patients, drug treatment is an essential resource for continuing to function in society, but it will not be completely effective without supporting the treatment with appropriate and attractive physical activity (e.g., "Rock Steady Boxing"). Of similar importance is the prevention of dangerous falls, which are common in this population as well as among the elderly or those affected by other diseases of civilisation. Implementing the principles and techniques of safe falling in the teaching of the young population significantly increases the likelihood of applying appropriate responses to these individuals in adulthood and old age. Actions that should be taken now for prevention can be implemented through social programmes, such as "Active today for a healthy future".

The influence of weather types over northern Greece on respiratory and cardio-vascular mortality.

Extreme ambient temperatures are well-known for their adverse impact on public health, in the form of increased mortality and morbidity due to respiratory and cardio-vascular diseases. However, to capture the total impact of weather on cause-specific mortality/morbidity, the synoptic atmospheric conditions over the region under study need to be taken into account. The objective of this work is to identify weather types over Thessaloniki, Greece, statistically associated with mortality from circulatory and respiratory diseases, in an attempt to holistically determine the impact of weather on cause-specific mortality in the region. For this purpose, we employed datasets from the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis comprising intrinsic daily data, gridded at a resolution of 2.5°×2.5° and covering a 41-year period (1980-2020). The first set used contains data of 500 hPa and 1,000 hPa geopotential heights for the main geographical domain of the Mediterranean region (30°N-45°N, 10°Ε-35°E). The second set comprises meteorological variables (2 m temperature, specific humidity, 2 m zonal and 2 m meridional wind and total cloud cover) for a geographical domain of north Greece (40.95°Ν, 22.50°Ε-26.25°E). We applied a combination of principal components analysis (PCA) as a dimensionality reduction tool and k-means cluster analysis (CA) in order to group days with homogeneous synoptic meteorological parameters. The derived weather types were statistically correlated with respiratory and mortality data for the time-period 1999-2018. It was concluded that the most fatal conditions for public health in Thessaloniki were associated with weather types bringing low/extremely low ambient temperature over north Greece.