New data on the valvatiform-shelled Hydrobiidae (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) from southern Greece

The minute valvatiform-shelled Hydrobiidae are less studied than other hydrobiid gastropods. In this paper, new data on these snails are presented, which have been collected at twelve springs in southern Greece: one in Boeotia, one on Evvoia Island, and ten on the Peloponnese Peninsula. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and nuclear histone (H3) have been used to confirm the determinations and infer the relationships of the studied gastropods. They represent the genera Daphniola, Graecoarganiella and Isimerope. New localities, expanding the known geographic ranges, have been presented for Daphniola hadei and Daphniola louisi. A species of Daphniola found at two localities has been identified as a species new to science, and its description, including the shell, penis, and female reproductive organs is given. Possible relationships between Graecoarganiella and Isimerope are discussed; their representatives are possibly new species. At one locality a single specimen likely represents a new genus: it was found to be most closely related with Islamia, but genetically (p-distance) too distant to be congeneric with Islamia.

King of Macedon

I begin by reconstructing the operations in the northern Aegean that enabled Antigonus to keep Antiochus of Asia at bay while he attempted to recover Macedon. At first, he was defeated by Ptolemy Ceraunus, but he returned. It took several attempts, but he did eventually succeed. In this he was aided by the peace accord reached with Antiochus, and by a stroke of luck: he came upon a band of marauding Celts, and by defeating them in the battle of Lysimachea could represent himself as the savior of Macedon. Once he had eliminated a few pretenders, the throne was his. He married Phila, the daughter of Antiochus. I discuss his elevation of the god Pan to major status. But his seat on the throne was not yet stable, and Pyrrhus of Epirus took back most of the country for a couple of years, before Antigonus was able to eliminate him in southern Greece. I then turn to how Antigonus stabilized his country and his reign by a program of reform, by which he devolved some of the power of the throne to high-ranking individuals and to the towns and cities of Macedon. I end with some speculations on Antigonus’s finances.

Optimizing the Knowledge on Residential Heating Characteristics in Greece via Crowd-Sourcing Approach

Households have been pointed out as a significant source of air pollution and climate change. In Europe, the 60% of energy used by households is for space heating. The present work focuses on improving the knowledge on residential heating characteristics in Greece. The full causal chain, from the appliances used to the pollutants emitted, is examined at thelocal scale. A crowdsourcing approach was followed for the collection of the necessary data for performing the emissions calculations. With the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS), dynamic maps were produced for each Greek region, providing the information produced in this study in gridded form. In terms of energy demands, it was found that Greece relies mainly on oil and biomass and secondarily on gas and electricity. The use of biomass burning as a main heating fuel is quite high inthe colder and rural areas, while it is popular as a secondary heating fuel inthe urban areas. The residential heating period in Greece lasts from October to April and it is even shorter in southern Greece. In terms of emissions, CO and PM10 had the highest values since they are related to biomass burning. NOx emissions are mainly emitted by the oil burned in boilers.

Holocene environmental evolution and climate variability inferred from multi-proxy coastal sediment records of southern Greece

This thesis presents a multi-proxy reconstruction from 5 different coastal wetlands of southern Greece spanning in the Holocene period and an in-depth review and application of non-destructive systems (CT scanning, X-ray Fluorescence) in paleoenvironmental research. During this thesis, the acquired dataset used consisted of a) X-ray Fluorescence scanning (XRF), b) Computed Tomography (CT) scanning, c) Stable isotopes δ18O and δ13C, d) micropaleontology (foraminifera, ostracods, diatoms, pollen), e) mineralogical analysis, and f) standard sedimentological techniques (grain size, magnetic susceptibility (MS), Total Organic Carbon (TOC), carbonates content). The chronological framework for the sediment cores was established through 14C radiocarbon dating. The wetlands studied are Aliki salt pond (NE Gulf of Corinth), Klisova lagoon (SW Greece), lake Vouliagmeni (E Gulf of Corinth), Agoulinitsa marsh field (W Peloponnese) and Pappas lagoon (NW Peloponnese). The sites form an E-W transect of southern Greece, an area with high climatic and environmental spatial variability, whereas human occupancy on all areas is recorded from antiquity. Non-destructive, high-resolution techniques used in this thesis have been established as standard in the last decades and have been a great asset in geosciences. Computed Tomography (CT) was conducted in lake Vouliagmeni, Agoulinitsa marsh and Pappas lagoon cores. In contrast, XRF was performed on all core sections except for Pappas lagoon core, where the high assemblage of bivalve shells could lead to bias of Ca. The fundamental parameter behind CT analysis is the Hounsfield units that reflect relative density variations in the sediment. Correlation between HU values and heavy elements like Zr has been detected in all cores, whereas distinct sedimentological facies were recorded according to HU variations. In Agoulinitsa and Pappas lagoon, microstructural characteristics like shells/sediment ratio and root remnants were examined through 3D sections, in which HU boundaries were set accordingly. Lake Vouliagmeni sediment core was characterized by extreme stratigraphic variations with lamination structures alternating with homogenous deposits and event layers. Laminae thickness and boundaries were recorded through 3D rendered volumes with HU boundaries. Micro CT scanning and thin section analysis was also performed to cross-check possible variations. Event sedimentation layers were distinguished through the combined use of CT scanning, XRF and MS, with layers responding to increased HU, MS and Mn values. Statistical assessment of elemental distribution and HU revealed 3 different clusters. Cluster A responded to sedimentation during enhanced evaporation in the area, Cluster B emulated sedimentation during increased chemical weathering in the catchment, and Cluster C reflected the homogenous deposits. Aliki salt pond is located in a highly tectonic region, at the northeast part of the Gulf of Corinth in Greece. Beachrock deposits that form a barrier between the salt pond and the marine environment play an essential role in the evolution of the area. The chronological framework was set at ca. 3100 cal BP by four 14C radiocarbon dates and the established evolutionary model indicate four different changes taking place during this period in the study area. From around 3100 to 1600 cal BP, a transition from a closed to an open lagoonal environment, was identified, interrupted by a terrestrial fluvial deposit at ca. 2500 cal BP. A shift toward a closed lagoonal system at around 1600 cal BP and the establishment of a salt pond environment seem to correlate with tectonic activity. The study provides important information about the evolution of the coastal landscape in such an active tectonic region and points the interaction between regional human activity and climatic changes during the late-Holocene period.Klisova lagoon is located in the eastern part of Messolonghi-Etoliko wetland, the biggest lagoonal complex of Greece and an area of great environmental interest. For the last 4700 cal BP, the freshwater influx, the progradation of the Evinos river delta and related geomorphological changes control the environmental conditions (e.g. depth and salinity) in the lagoon system. Considering the centennial temporal resolution of our analyses, small offsets of c.a. 50 years due to the lack of regional reservoir correction do not impact the reported radiocarbon ages considerably. Prior to 4000 cal BP, a relatively shallow water depth, significant terrestrial/freshwater input and increased weathering in the lagoon area are inferred. Elemental proxies and increased dinoflagellate and foraminifera abundances, which indicate marine conditions with prominent freshwater influxes, point to the gradual deepening of the lagoon recorded at the drilling site up to 2000 cal BP. The marine and freshwater conditions equilibrium sets at 1300 cal BP, and the lagoonal system seems to reach its present state. Maxima of anthropogenic pollen indicators during the Mycenaean (3200 cal BP), Hellenistic (2200 cal BP) and Late Byzantine (800 cal BP) periods suggest intervals of increased anthropogenic activities in the study area. Lake Vouliagmeni is subjected to intense climatically and tectonic forces, causing stratigraphic variations, with laminated sediments frequently interrupted by homogenous and event sedimentation deposits. Lamination couplets consist of aragonite layers alternating with detrital and organic residues and form during periods of seawater intrusion and stratification of the lake water. The discontinuous occurrence of laminated deposits excludes a varve based chronology from being established but still highlights the susceptibility of the lake to record environmental and climatically driven changes. Our synthesis model for regional climatic reconstruction and local environmental changes derives from δ18O and δ13C data from the laminated and homogenous sediments studied separately depending on the dominant carbonate mineral. This is further strengthened by high-resolution geochemical proxies, diatom and sedimentological data. Regional climatic trajectories from key sites and possible links to the lake Vouliagmeni record are explored in response to atmospheric circulation patterns variations. Phases of overall humid conditions are recorded by the increased inflow of siliciclastic material in the lake and negative δ18Obulk values. In contrast, periods of marine intrusion and enhanced evaporation are recorded by aragonite precipitation, increased δ18OAr values and laminations. The driving mechanism behind laminae formation seems to be marine intrusions, leading to pycnocline stabilization and increased evaporation of lake surface waters during summer months. Climatic oscillations recorded during the Holocene, apart from their duration, do not exceed events of the last millennia.

Antimicrobial resistance and molecular epidemiology of Campylobacter spp. isolated from broiler flocks in southern Greece

Μια διατμηματική μελέτη πραγματοποιήθηκε για να υπολογιστεί ο επιπολασμός και οι παράγοντες επικινδυνότητας της μόλυνσης των σμηνών κρεοπαραγωγής και των σφαγίων τους με Campylobacter spp. στα πτηνοσφαγεία της Ελλάδας. Επιπλέον, ελέγχθηκε η αντιμικροβιακή αντοχή των απομονωθέντων στελεχών Campylobacter από το περιεχόμενο των τυφλών εντέρων και του δέρματος του λαιμού σε 7 αντιμικροβιακούς παράγοντες (ναλιδιξικό οξύ, σιπροφλοξασίνη, ερυθρομυκίνη, τετρακυκλίνη, γενταμυκίνη, στρεπτομυκίνη και αμπικιλλίνη). Τέλος, πραγματοποιήθηκε αλληλούχιση του γoνιδίου flaA για την υποτυποποίηση 62 στελεχών C. jejuni και 58 στελεχών C. coli και κατασκευάστηκαν φυλογενετικά δέντρα χρησιμοποιώντας τη μέθοδο σύνδεσης γειτόνων για να μελετηθούν οι εξελικτικές τους σχέσεις.Για μια περίοδο 14 μηνών, πραγματοποιήθηκε σειρά δειγματοληψιών 10 τυφλών εντέρων και 5 δερμάτων λαιμού από σφάγια ορνιθίων κρεοπαραγωγής για κάθε μία από τις 142 παρτίδες που σφάχτηκαν σε 3 διαφορετικά σφαγεία. Ακολούθησε συλλογή πληροφοριών σχετικά με τους πιθανούς παράγοντες επικινδυνότητας για τη μόλυνση των ορνιθίων κρεοπαραγωγής με Campylobacter ύστερα από συνέντευξη που έλαβε χώρα στις πτηνοτροφικές μονάδες από τις οποίες προέρχονταν τα πουλερικά με τη χρήση ειδικά σχεδιασμένου ερωτηματολογίου, και αυτά τα δεδομένα συσχετίστηκαν με την παρουσία Campylobacter στα σμήνη κρεοπαραγωγής και τις διαφορές στα χαρακτηριστικά των εκτροφών και τις διαχειριστικές πρακτικές που ακολουθούνταν.Aπομονώθηκαν Campylobacter spp. από το 73.94% των τυφλών (95% ΔΕ 65.92-80.94) και το 70.42% των δερμάτων λαιμού (95% ΔΕ 62.19-77.78), αντίστοιχα. Βρέθηκε στατιστικώς σημαντική συσχέτιση (p < 0.001) μεταξύ της παρουσίας των Campylobacter spp. στα τυφλά και τη μόλυνση του δέρματος των σφαγίων, υποδεικνύοντας τη διάδοση του μικροοργανισμού στο δέρμα των σφαγίων κατά τη διαδικασία της σφαγής. Δύο διαφορετικά είδη Campylobacter (C. jejuni, C. coli) ανακτήθηκαν, ενώ το C. coli ήταν το επικρατέστερο είδος που εντοπίστηκε τόσο στα τυφλά όσο και στα δείγματα δέρματος λαιμού.Μια πολλαπλή ανάλυση παλινδρόμησης έδειξε ότι η απολύμανση των υποστατικών από μη εξειδικευμένο προσωπικό (OR 1⁄4 = 3.983) αποτελεί στατιστικώς σημαντικό παράγοντα επικινδυνότητας (p < 0.05) , ενώ η χρήση αχύρου ως στρωμνή (OR 1⁄4 = 0.170) και το κλείσιμο των παραθύρων κατά τη διάρκεια του υγειονομικού κενού μεταξύ των παραγωγικών κύκλων (OR 1⁄4 = 0.396) αποτελούν στατιστικώς σημαντικούς προστατευτικούς παράγοντες (p < 0.05) για τη μόλυνση των σμηνών κρεοπαραγωγής με Campylobacter.Συνολικά 98.5% των απομονωθέντων στελεχών βρέθηκαν ανθεκτικοί σε τουλάχιστον έναν αντιμικροβιακό παράγοντα. Όσον αφορά την πολυανθεκτικότητα, 11.7% των στελεχών βρέθηκαν ανθεκτικά σε τρεις ή περισσότερες ομάδες αντιμικροβιακών. Ανιχνεύθηκε εξαιρετικά υψηλή αντοχή στις φλουοροκινολόνες (89%), πολύ υψηλή αντοχή στην τετρακυκλίνη (69%) και χαμηλή αντοχή στα μακρολίδια (7%).Δεν παρατηρήθηκε επικράτηση συγκεκριμένου τύπου flaA, γεγονός που υποδεικνύει τη γενετική ποικιλομορφία των απομονωθέντων στελεχών, ενώ ορισμένοι τύποι flaA βρέθηκαν να παρουσιάζουν παρόμοιο προφίλ αντιμικροβιακής αντοχής. Επτά ομάδες (clusters) στο φυλογενετικό δέντρο των C. jejuni και τρεις ομάδες στο δέντρο των C. coli θεωρήθηκαν στατιστικώς σημαντικές με τιμές bootstrap > 75%. Ορισμένα στελέχη που ομαδοποιήθηκαν μαζί βρέθηκε ότι προέρχονταν από την ίδια ή παρακείμενες εκτροφές, γεγονός που υποδεικνύει μετάδοση μέσω του εργατικού προσωπικού της εκτροφής ή του κοινόχρηστου εξοπλισμού. Τα αποτελέσματα αυτά είναι σημαντικά και βοηθούν στην περαιτέρω κατανόηση της μοριακής επιδημιολογίας και της αντιμικροβιακής αντοχής των Campylobacter spp. που προέρχονται από την πτηνοτροφία στην Ελλάδα.

Characterization of fungi associated with olive fruit rot and olive oil degradation in Crete, southern Greece

In November 2019, a severe outbreak of fruit rot was observed in olive orchards in Crete, southern Greece. Symptoms appeared primarily on fruits and stalks, resembling those caused by anthracnose. Typical symptoms were fruit rot, shrinkage and mummification, associated commonly with stalk discoloration and fruit drop. Disease incidence was estimated up to 100% in some cases and an unprecedented increase in olive oil acidity reaching up to 8% (percentage of oleic acid) in severely affected olive groves was recorded. Thirty-two olive groves were then surveyed, and samples of fruit, stalk, leaf and shoot were collected. Visual, stereoscopic and microscopic observations revealed several fungi belonging to the genera Alternaria, Botryosphaeria, Capnodium, Colletotrichum, Fusarium and Pseudocercospora. Fungal infection in fruits was commonly associated with concomitant infestation by the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae along with increased air temperature and relative humidity conditions that prevailed in October-November 2019. Twenty representative fungal strains isolated from symptomatic fruits and stalks were characterized by morphological, physiological and molecular analyses. By rDNA-ITS region and EF1-α gene sequencing analysis, these isolates were identified as Alternaria spp., A. infectoria, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Colletotrichum boninense sensu lato, Fusarium lateritium, F. solani species complex and Stemphylium amaranthi. Pathogenicity tests on punctured fruits revealed that all isolates were pathogenic; however F. solani isolates along with B. dothidea were the most virulent and wounds were necessary for efficient fungal infection. Moreover, as little as 10 spores of F. solani were sufficient of causing significant infection in punctured fruits. Fusarium solani was also capable of infecting olive fruits in the presence of B. oleae, with no additional wounding, in artificial inoculation experiments. Moreover, it was capable of colonizing and affecting olive blossoms. Further analyses in olive oil extracted from fruits artificially inoculated with F. solani indicated a significant increase in oil acidity, K232, K270 and peroxide value, whereas total phenols content was significantly decreased. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Fusarium solani associated with olive fruit rot and olive oil degradation worldwide.

Temporal trends in stroke incidence and case-fatality rates in Arcadia, Greece: A sequential, prospective, population-based study

Background Stroke incidence and case-fatality are reported to decline in high-income countries during the last decades. Epidemiological studies are important for health services to organize prevention and treatment strategies. Aims The aim of this population-based study was to determine temporal trends of stroke incidence and case-fatality rates of first-ever stroke in Arcadia, a prefecture in southern Greece. Methods All first-ever stroke cases in the Arcadia prefecture were ascertained using the same standard criteria and multiple overlapping sources in three study periods: from November 1993 to October 1995; 2004; and 2015–2016. Crude and age-adjusted to European population incidence rates were compared using Poisson regression. Twenty-eight days case fatality rates were estimated and compared using the same method. Results In total, 1315 patients with first-ever stroke were identified. The age-standardized incidence to the European population was 252 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 231–239) in 1993/1995, 252 (95% CI 223–286) in 2004, and 211 (192–232) in 2015/2016. The overall age- and sex-adjusted incidence rates fell by 16% (incidence rates ratio 0.84, 95% CI: 0.72–0.97). Similarly, 28-day case-fatality rate decreased by 28% (case fatality rate ratio = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.58–0.90). Conclusions This population-based study reports a significant decline in stroke incidence and mortality rates in southern Greece between 1993 and 2016.

SUBMARINE TECTONIC GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE PLINY AND HELLENIC TRENCHES REFLECTING THE GEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF SOUTHERN GREECE

Mapping seafloor geomorphology is a complex task requiring the integration of advanced cartographic technologies and high-resolution spatial data. This paper provides a comparative geomorphological analysis of the Hellenic Trench (HT) and the Pliny Trench (PT) located in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, southern Greece. These trenches were formed as a result of the tectonic plate subduction in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: the northward motion of the African and Arabian plates, complicated by the regional geological settings, such as active faults and earthquakes, which resulted in their different geomorphological forms and bathymetric shapes. Technically, this paper presents an example of the advanced scripting mapping by scripting the cartographic toolset of Generic Mapping Tools (GMT), which performs mapping through shell scripts. The maps are based on the high-quality topographic, geological and geophysical data: GEBCO, EGM96, geoid, and marine free-air gravity fields. The GMT builds upon the modules used for data processing. The region was subsetted by ‘grdcut’, analysed by the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) (gdalinfo utility), and visualized by ‘grdimage’. Two segments of the trenches formed in a condition of varying geological and geophysical settings, have been modelled, visualized and compared, as representative cross-sections. As a result of the automated digitizing, spatial interpolation and sequential aggregating of GMT codes, the segments of the cross-sections were represented. The HT (Ionian segment) has an asymmetric one-sided shape; a steepness of 56.8° on the NE side and 7° on the SW flank. The PT has a more symmetric view; a steepness of 42.14° on its NW flank and 26.66° on its SE flank. The PT has a clear peak of the depths at -2600 to -2800 m and the most representative data range at -5000 to -6000 m. The HT has a bimodal data distribution with two peaks. The most frequent data for HT is -3200 m to -3400 m. Compared to PT, the HT is deeper. The histogram shows the peak of data for HT in the interval between -3200 to -3400 m (135 samples) while the PT shows the peak of data in the interval at -2600 to -2800 m (310 samples). Besides, 105 samples of the HT have depths exceeding 4000 m, while only 20 samples were recorded for PT in the same interval. This paper contributes to the geomorphological studies of the general Eastern Mediterranean Sea region, particularly relating to regional seafloor mapping of the Hellenic and Pliny trenches.