In March 2011, a migrant health project became operational that aimed to provide medical and psychosocial support to migrants at the Greek-Turkish border. The aim of this study is to describe common syndromes, the communicable disease profile and vaccination patterns in newly arrived migrants through a surveillance system that was based on medical records data as well as screening procedures. Data were collected prospectively using one standardized form per patient including demographic information, civil status, and medical and vaccination history. A tuberculin screening test (TST) and serological testing for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C were performed after obtaining informed consent. A total of 6899 migrants were screened, the majority of whom were male (91%) and 18-31 years old (85%), with a mean age of 25.3 years. Of all patients, 2.5% received secondary care. Common complaints and diagnoses included respiratory infections (23%) and myalgia (18%). The tuberculin screening test (TST) was positive in 7.8% out of 1132 patients tested. Out of 632 migrants, 0.3%, 3.2% and 0.8% tested positive for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C, respectively. Overall, 22.3% of adults were vaccinated against poliomyelitis. Irregular migrants that enter Greek borders are generally in good health. Nevertheless, the risk of spreading communicable diseases is an important issue to consider among migrants at the holding level due to severe overcrowding conditions. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen surveillance and implement harmonized screening procedures with the aim of providing sustainable and good quality services that are focused on prevention and early treatment.

Conyza spp. are among the most common weeds found in perennial crops, and resistance to several herbicides has already occurred worldwide. In the present study, pot and laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate differences in glyphosate and triclopyr susceptibility between different biotypes of Conyza spp. Plant material was obtained from seeds collected in perennial crops in Greece. Seeds of four Conyza spp. biotypes were sown in separate pots and treated with glyphosate at the rosette stage, while seeds of six different Conyza spp. biotypes were sown and treated with triclopyr. Twenty-four hours after the herbicide treatment, the aboveground part of the weeds was manually collected and plant samples were prepared to determine the analytes with LC-MS/MS. In two C. bonariensis biotypes, the glyphosate concentration was 50% to 52% lower than for other biotypes; therefore, they could be considered as potentially resistant to glyphosate because the resistant biotype had a stronger and faster metabolism than the sensitive biotype, transforming glyphosate into non-toxic metabolites. The higher glyphosate concentration was detected in C. canadensis biotypes, which proved to be potentially susceptible to glyphosate. Three C. bonariensis biotypes and one C. albida biotype were less susceptible to triclopyr because analytes were detected in 63% to 82% higher concentrations than the two C. canadensis biotypesthat were susceptible to triclopyr. These results reveal significant differences between the three species, confirm the problem of herbicide resistance, and suggest that glyphosate and triclopyr efficacy in Conyza spp. is merely due to herbicide metabolism to other compounds.

Environmental concerns and several adverse effects of reliance on and improper use of pesticides make necessary the use of alternative methods. Allelopathy has a rather unexploited potential in integrated weed management and ought to be further studied. The allelopathic effects of velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. var. utilis) on seedling emergence and first growth of the important weed rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum L.) were evaluated in a pot experiment conducted at Agricultural University of Athens. Leaf residues of velvet bean were used to determine their inhibitory potential on seedling emergence and growth parameters including height, leaf number, tillering and fresh and dry weight of rigid ryegrass. Moreover, the allelopathic potential of inflorescence residues of chia (Salvia hispanica L.) on rigid ryegrass was also evaluated. Our results revealed a significant weed suppressive ability of the studied plants. The plant residues incorporated into the soil significantly reduced the seedling emergence and growth parameters of rigid ryegrass as compared to the control. In particular, velvet bean's residues also reduced height, leaf number and biomass of rigid ryegrass up to 26, 51 and 62%, respectively. The indicated allelopathic activity of velvet bean and chia could be further exploited in future studies, by using either allelochemicals as models for future herbicides or the plants as useful cover crops or mulches in terms of integrated weed management.

Pericarditis is an uncommon extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which may occur at any time during its natural course. Moreover, it may be associated with the medications used to treat IBD, especially mesalamine. We report on two patients with acute pericarditis who were subsequently diagnosed with Crohn's disease. It is likely that mild, longstanding, virtually asymptomatic intestinal disease preceded the onset of pericarditis in both cases.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of sourdough related parameters on the growth and plantaricin activity of six Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains against a mixture of 5 Listeria monocytogenes strains and to analyze the transcriptomic response of their pln genes. Parameters included 3 substrates (MRS broth, mMRS broth, WFE), 3 temperatures (20, 30, 37 °C), 2 initial pH values (5.0, 6.0), 2 NaCl concentrations (0.0, 1.8%) and 12 time points (ranging from 0 to 33 h). The transcriptomic response of the plantaricin genes to the aforementioned parameters was assessed after 21 h of growth. In general, plantaricin activity was strain dependent with that of Lp. plantarum strains LQC 2422, 2441, 2485 and 2516, harboring four pln genes, namely, pln423 (plαA), plαΒ, plαC and plαD, reaching 2560 AU/mL. However, strains LQC 2320 and 2520, in which 18 pln genes were detected, namely, plNC8a, plNC8b, plNC8c, plnL, plnR, plnJ, plnK, plnE, plnF, plnH, plnS, plnY, plNC8-IF, plNC8-HK, plnD, plnI, plnM and plnG, exhibited plantaricin activity barely reaching 160 AU/mL. Substrate, temperature, initial pH value and strains significantly affected plantaricin activity, while NaCl had only a marginal effect. Similarly, growth substrate and temperature had a more pronounced effect than initial pH value on gene transcription. A strong correlation between the transcription of the genes belonging to the same locus was observed; however, only a weak correlation, if any, was observed between plantaricin activity and the transcription of the genes assessed.