Chryssi Hatzoglou

Effect of adrenaline on transmesothelial resistance of isolated sheep pleura.

The effect of adrenaline on the transmesothelial resistance (RTM) of sheeps visceral and parietal pleura was studied using the Ussing chamber technique. Basal transmesothelial resistance of visceral pleura was found to be 20.71 +/- 0.31 Omega cm2, whereas that of parietal pleura was found to be 19.53 +/- 0.34 Omega cm2. Immediately after the addition of adrenaline (10(-7) M) both apically and basolaterally on the visceral and parietal pleura, these values were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Addition of the nonselective beta-receptor blocker, propranolol (10(-5) M), suppressed this effect in both visceral and parietal pleura, while addition of the nonselective alpha-receptor blocker, phentolamine (10(-5) M), partly suppressed the above-mentioned increase in the parietal pleura. In conclusion, our results show that adrenaline has a rapid effect on both pleurae. This rapid effect is mediated by the stimulation of beta-adrenergic receptors in the case of visceral pleura, while in the case of parietal pleura this effect seems to be due to a stimulation of alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors. On the visceral pleura the effect of adrenaline vanishes after some minutes and on the parietal this effect is more permanent than the viscerals one, suggesting differences in the distribution of the adrenergic receptors between the visceral and parietal pleura.

Juvenile (age 13–18) smoking incidence determinants in Greece

Smoking is a form of medical addiction, usually adopted during adolescence. The aim was to determine the prevalence of smoking in adolescents, aged 13–18 years old, to investigate their attitudes towards smoking and determine the contribution of social influences to onset and continuation of smoking. An anonymous self-report questionnaire was filled in by 873 high school students of Central Greece. Smoking incidence was 19.2%, with a 13.7% of regular smokers. The presence of a smoker in the family and a smoker friend were correlated with increased smoking rates. School grades were correlated negatively with smoking attitude and positively with allowance. Age was correlated negatively with social influence. Social influence appears stronger on younger ages and is a main determinant of smoking behavior. A more susceptible attitude towards smoking is formed during late adolescence. Certain social predictive factors for attitude towards smoking are proposed.Smoking is a form of medical addiction, usually adopted during adolescence. The aim was to determine the prevalence of smoking in adolescents, aged 13-18 years old, to investigate their attitudes towards smoking and determine the contribution of social influences to onset and continuation of smoking. An anonymous self-report questionnaire was filled in by 873 high school students of Central Greece. Smoking incidence was 19.2%, with a 13.7% of regular smokers. The presence of a smoker in the family and a smoker friend were correlated with increased smoking rates. School grades were correlated negatively with smoking attitude and positively with allowance. Age was correlated negatively with social influence. Social influence appears stronger on younger ages and is a main determinant of smoking behavior. A more susceptible attitude towards smoking is formed during late adolescence. Certain social predictive factors for attitude towards smoking are proposed.

Assessment of Health Level and Socio-Economic Characteristics of People Working in the Shipbuilding Industry: A Control Group Study

Introduction: The health level of the population and the way people perceive it has been associated with their physical and mental health, as well as with their social and occupational characteristics. Purpose: The comparative assessment of mental and health level in shipbuilding industry workers and general population and its relationship to social and economic parameters. Methods: A group of one hundred men working in the shipbuilding industry aged 51.8±8.2 years old and a control group of one hundred men of the general population aged 51.1±6.4 were studied. All participants completed the General Health Questionnaire – 28 and Fagerstrom test and a form with demographic, occupational and economic status characteristics. The statistical software SPSS 17.0 was used for data analysis. Results: Twenty–six percent of the general population and 47% of men working in the shipbuilding industry assessed their health as moderate/poor. Higher median values of anxiety and depressive symptomatology were observed in individuals characterizing their health as moderate/poor (p<0.001), their work as physically too demanding and in individuals with high dependency on smoking (p<0.05). With regard to the parameter of physical complaints, people working in the shipbuilding industry, non-active employees and those with comorbidities were found more burdened in relation to the general population (p<0.05). Depressive disorders were more common in those stating that their economic situation had been significantly deteriorated and in individuals with chronic diseases, which also showed reduced social functioning (p<0.05). Conclusions: Health level and its individual dimensions are both associated with health self-assessment and occupational and economic status. The coexistence of chronic diseases and smoking dependence affects emotion and social functioning of individuals.

Telemetric Detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Investigation of Quality of Life for People Working in Shipbuilding Industry

ABSTRACT Introduction: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has a significant impact on quality of life-related health. Aim: It was the detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by using telemetric methods and the investigation of the quality of life for people working in Shipbuilding Industry compared with a control group. Methods: A group of one hundred men working in the shipbuilding industry aged 51.8 ± 8.2 years old and a control group of one hundred men of the general population aged 51.1 ± 6.4 years were studied. All participants completed the General Health Questionnaire – 28, the Fagerstrom test and a form with demographic characteristics. Pulmonary function test results were electronically sent to a specialist for evaluation. Results: People working in the shipbuilding zone had significantly lower values (p<0.001) in FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC compared with the general population participants. Worse social functionality was exhibited by workers in the shipbuilding zone, people with elementary education, unemployed and by those suffering from comorbidities (p <0.001). Conclusions: Health level and its individual dimensions are both associated with health self-assessment and occupational and economic status. The coexistence of chronic diseases and smoking dependence affects emotion and social functioning of individuals.

1192 – Investigation of psychological characteristics of greek doctors specializing in general-family medicine and in internal medicine

Introduction The relatively recent propagation of the specialty of Family Medicine in Greece has created a new reality in the Greek society. This resulted in the “co-inhabitation” of the Family Medicine specialists and the Internal Medicine specialists in various Primary Care units of the country. Objectives To investigate the internal and external shame of the residents in Family Medicine and Internal Medicine and the comparison of both groups. Aims To demonstrate the distinct role that Family doctors must have in Primary Care. Methods 102 Greek resident doctors, 52 specializing in Family Medicine and 50 specializing in Internal Medicine participated in the study. The scientific tools used were: a)the Other As Shamer Scale, b) the Experience of Shame Scale, c) the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire, d) The Symptom Checklist-90-R, e) Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. Results Comparing the two groups using the T-Test, it was observed that the residents of Family Medicine showed a statistically significant higher mean value compared to the residents Internal Medicine in the subscales of: characterological shame, behavioral shame, bodily shame, total shame, emptiness, criticism of others, self-criticism, guilt, intropunitiveness, total hostility, neuroticism and an statistically lower mean value compared to the residents of Internal Medicine in the subscales of: mistakes, Anxiety, Phobic Anxiety and Psychotism. Conclusion The results of the study are supporting the common belief that the specialty of Family Medicine has not yet obtained a specific and distinct role and furthermore has not yet gained the necessary recognition by the Greek society.

1197 – Social-psychological differences between men and women greek doctors

Introduction Many studies have concluded that doctors -irrelevant of their specialties- have higher levels of hostility and psychological problems compared to these observed in the general population. Objectives The investigation of psychological characteristics of Greek male and female resident doctors. Aims To demonstrate the high hostility rates among physicians. Materials and methods 102 Greek resident doctors in the field of Internal Medicine, 45 male and 57 female, participated in the present study. The scientific tools used were: a) the Other As Shamer Scale (OAS), b) the Experience of Shame Scale (ESS), c) the Hostility and Direction of Hostility Questionnaire (HDHQ), d) The Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), e) a questionnaire concerning socio-demographic information. Results The 52% of the sample(73,3% of male and 33,5% of female) are single with mean age 33,9 and 34,2 correspondingly. In their comparison using the T-Test it was observed that the male resident doctors showed a statistically higher mean value in the subscales of: behavioral shame (P=0,045), criticism of others (P=0,031), extrapunitiveness (P=0,048). No other significant differences were demonstrated between the two groups. Conclusion There were not demonstrated significant differences between male and female doctors. Both male as well as female resident doctors of the sample showed high levels of hostility, a result that is supported by many other international studies. Concerning the socio-demographic results of the study it must be stressed that the medical doctors used in the sample are married at a higher age compared to the general Greek population of their coevals.

1615 – Internal shame: differences between men and women greek roma

Introduction International and Greek literature on Roma psychological features remains exceptionally limited. Objective This study examined the internal shame on Greek Roma. Aim Present study evaluated internal shame in a Roma population living in Greece and assess the differentiation of these feelings between Roma men and women. Materials and methods 361 individuals (125 male and 236 female with mean age 33.96 SD=12.77), residents of the general area of Greece, participated in the present study. The measuring tools used were: a) the Experience of Shame Scale (ESS), b) a questionnaire concerning socio-demographic information. Results The mean of the internal shame (ESS total) was 39.68 ± 10.67 (men), 49.06 ± 14.20 (women) (p= .000). The mean of the behavioral shame was 18.00 ± 5.61 (men), 20.69 ± 6.12 (women) (p= .000). The analysis of variance between age groups showed that age and Educational level did not affect the internal shame in Greek Roma. Marital status had a significant effect on internal shame of Greek Roma where the application of the Bonferonni criterion found that divorced participants demonstrated a statistical significant difference from those with different marital status (p =.009), the latter had lower levels of internal shame. Conclusion Levels of internal shame in the group of Roma women is very high and higher than Roma men and the influence of marital status on the internal shame is important for Greek Roma.