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PubMed2005

Diet, lifestyle factors and hypercholesterolemia in elderly men and women from Cyprus.

BACKGROUND: We sought to investigate the single and combined effect of Mediterranean diet, being physically active, moderate alcohol use, and non-smoking on clinical status of 150 elderly people from Cyprus. METHODS: The study comprises individuals enrolled in surveys from Greece and Cyprus. This work includes 53 apparently men and 97 women, aged 65 to 100 years, from various areas of Cyprus. The cohort study was conducted between 2004 and 2005. A diet score that assesses the inherent characteristics of the Mediterranean diet was developed (range 0-55) and then a healthy index was calculated that evaluated four lifestyle habits (range 0-4), i.e. non-smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (i.e. above the median of the score). RESULTS: 65% participants had hypercholesterolemia (total serum cholesterol > 200 mg/dl or use of lipid lowering agents). Moreover, 32% of the participants reported physically active, 5% reported smoking habits and 4% that they have stopped smoking during the past decade, while 8% reported alcohol drinking. A positive association was observed between prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and smoking habits (odds ratio = 4.3, p = 0.03), while an inverse association was observed between hypercholesterolemia, alcohol drinking (odds ratio = 0.3, p = 0.04) and adherence to a Mediterranean diet (odds ratio = 0.77, p = 0.02), controlled for age, sex, and other factors. CONCLUSION: Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and healthful lifestyle is associated with reduced odds of having hypercholesterolemia among elderly people.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Surveillance and control of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1 in foodstuffs in the Republic of Cyprus: 1992-1996.

Aflatoxins (AFs) B1, B2, G1, and G2 in locally produced and imported foodstuffs (nuts, cereals, oily seeds, pulses, etc.) were monitored and controlled systematically and effectively from 1992-1996. Samples (peanuts, pistachios, etc.) with total AFs above the Cyprus maximum level (ML) of 10 micrograms/kg fluctuated between 0.7 and 6.9%. The results indicate the effectiveness of monitoring, as well as the need for constant surveillance and control, especially at critical control points (sites of import, primary storage, etc.), to prevent unfit products from entering the Cyprus market. The control included sampling, retainment, analysis, and destruction of foodstuff lots with AF levels above MLs. The highest incidence of aflatoxin contamination was observed in peanut butter (56.7%) and the highest level of AF B1 was found in peanuts (700 micrograms/kg). Levels of AF M1 in raw and pasteurized milk analyzed in 1993, 1995, and 1996 were within both the Cyprus ML (0.5 microgram/L) and the lower ML (0.05 microgram/L) of some European countries. Only 12% of samples had detectable levels of AF M1. Analyses were performed by immunochemical methods. When recoveries were lower than 80%, the AF levels were corrected for recovery.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed2000

Health for all in Cyprus: current situation, progress and prospects.

This report describes the health situation in Cyprus with particular reference to the attainment of health for all. The current health situation in Cyprus is outlined and the system of health provision described. The efforts made to upgrade the health services, to strengthen health promotion and disease prevention and sustain the environment to safeguard quality of life and health are all described. The prospects for health for all in Cyprus are discussed.

Cyprus↗
PubMed1993

[Population statistics in Cyprus: in the mist of statistics].

The authors examine issues concerning population statistics in Cyprus since the Turkish invasion of 1974 and the political division of the island, particularly how political considerations affect population data. "The article follows two objectives: First, to uncover the motives, strategies and techniques of statistical and argumentative manipulation. Second, the authors try to draw a realistic picture of recent demographic developments in Cyprus by using all available data as objectively as possible." Particular attention is given to population trends in the Turkish-controlled part of the island. The authors conclude that "the demographic question until today represents one of the major obstacles in the search for a political solution of the Cyprus problem." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Asia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The need for quality management in primary health care in Cyprus: results from a medical audit for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the quality of clinical management regarding metabolic and blood pressure control in a cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes in the primary health care setting of Cyprus. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Medical care, received by 296 patients with type 2 diabetes from 4 primary care health centers in Cyprus, was assessed for 1 year. Data were collected retrospectively using chart review and a telephone survey. Most recent values of HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid values were used to assess attainment to internationally accepted treatment targets. RESULTS: Mean age was 70 years, 75% of patients being older than 65. Average diabetes duration was 13 years. Almost 90% of patients had visited a general practitioner during 1 year, on average 8.3 times. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia were present in 67% and 32% of patients, respectively. Overall, diabetes care provided by the 4 primary care health centers appeared to be suboptimal with regard to frequency of metabolic and blood pressure measurements as well as targets reached. Only 10.5% of all patients had at least 1 HbA1c value recorded, and 77.4% of them had HbA1c levels of 8% or more. Of the patients who had a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol measurement during the examined year (29.4%), only 20.7% had a value less than 100 mg/dL. Only 34.5% of patients used lipid-lowering agents, and only 15.9% were receiving aspirin. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the management of type 2 diabetes is suboptimal in the primary health care setting of Cyprus. A multifaceted intervention, already in progress in 2 health centers, is expected to improve the quality of diabetes care.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Geographical clustering of low density lipoprotein receptor gene mutations (C292X; Q363X; D365E & C660X) in Cyprus.

In Cyprus, no data are yet available on the frequencies of clinically diagnosed FH patients. Further, until now, familial hypercholesterolaemia in Cyprus had not been studied at the molecular level to determine the nature or frequency of LDLR gene mutations. Being a relatively homogeneous population, we anticipated that a few founder mutations would predominate on the island. In the present study, three previously identified LDLR gene mutations were found to cosegregate with high LDL cholesterol levels in 23 unrelated, clinically diagnosed families with FH. Geographical clustering of each of these LDLR gene mutations was indicated, a phenomenon arising from low migration rates and high inbreeding. The latter cultural practices account for the discovery of a homozygous FH sib pair whose parents are carriers of the same mutation. Microsatellite and intragenic haplotype analysis in this FH population, suggested that the families which shared the same LDLR gene mutation have a common origin. This is supported by their relative geographical distribution. Thirty young FH individuals were also offered presymptomatic diagnosis which should facilitate the prevention of premature coronary artery disease. Finally, results from this study support the suggestion that the formation of tendon xanthomata in FH patients may be under environmental influence. Hum Mutat 15:380, 2000.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Comparison of foliar and stem bioaccumulation of heavy metals by Corsican pines in the Mount Olympus area of Cyprus.

Early anthropogenic metalliferous activity on the island of Cyprus is outlined. Samples of Corsican pines, obtained from both a largely uncontaminated (control) and a metalliferous part of the Mount Olympus area of Cyprus, were analyzed by means of X-ray microanalysis. A total of 21 ions were recorded from the samples; in the contaminated site manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, silver, and tin were bioaccumulated by the needles, while copper, zinc, and gold were bioaccumulated by the stems. Some elements, e.g., copper, were more positively bioaccumulated than others. Some implications of the findings are discussed.

Cyprus↗
PubMed1988

Epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis B virus infection in Cyprus.

The prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Cyprus was estimated in a sample of 795 blood donors, 388 armed forces recruits, 1872 hospital staff, 135 haemodialysis patients, 559 thalassaemic patients, 722 institutionalised adults, 98 mentally retarded children and 323 family contacts of HBsAg carriers. Commercially available radioimmunoassays were used for screening. Merck Sharpe and Dohme hepatitis B vaccine was used for a vaccination pilot program. Our results showed that the carrier rate of HBsAg in the blood donor and army recruit samples ranged between 0.77% and 1.01% and the prevalence of past infection between 11.1% and 13.6%. Among high risk groups the highest carrier rate was found in family contacts of HBsAg carriers (18.27%), in mentally retarded children (6.12%) and in institutionalized adult patients (5.40%). The frequency of immunes was found 28.5%, 12.2% and 33.2% respectively. The highest frequency of immunes was found in thalassaemic (82.9%) and haemodialysis (43.7%) patients. The carrier rate (2.94%) and the prevalence of immunes (22.5%) in hospital personnel was higher than in general population. Vaccination studies in a limited number of thalassaemic children and hospital personnel showed excellent acceptance of vaccination and excellent immunogenicity. We infer that HBV infection should be consider as a major public health problem in Cyprus. A National Vaccination program has to be implemented for containing its spread.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Neutralising antibodies to Akabane virus in ruminants in Cyprus.

Neutralising antibodies to Akabane virus, a cause of arthrogryposis and hydranencephaly, were demonstrated in serum samples from 33 sheep, 3 goats and 1 bovine among 285 serum samples collected in south-eastern Cyprus from December 1970 onwards. Twenty-four of the 29 sheep having positive antibodies came from one farm in Liopetri. No positive sera came from animals born after 1969, no association with abortions or stillbirths was noted and no arthrogryposis or hydranencephaly was observed in Cypriot animals in 1969 or before. It is suggested tht Akabane virus was carried to Cyprus from the eastern Mediterranean mainland by infected midges on the wind in 1969 and possibly also in 1968, but that no disease was observed since infection took place after 50 days of gestation when damage to the foetus was unlikely.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Iodine status and thyroid volumes of school age children from Northern Cyprus.

In an epidemiological study carried out in eight different inland and coastal areas from northern part of Cyprus Island 625 School Age Children (SAC) aged 9 and 10 years, underwent thyroid ultrasonography for determination of thyroid volume (TV). Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) was measured from morning urine samples taken from all of the children. Mean TV was 3.2+/-1.0 ml, 3.3+/-0.8 ml and 3.8+/-1.1 ml, 3.7+/-1.1 ml for 9- and 10-year-old girls and boys respectively. None of the SAC had TV exceeding recommended upper limits for their age and gender. Median UIC of the whole group was 120 microg/l (11-900 microg/l) and only 12.6% of the SAC had UIC below 50 microg/l indicating adequate iodine intake. In this first epidemiological survey conducted in the northern part of the Cyprus Island, iodine status was found to be satisfactory and goiter does not pose a public health problem at the time of the study. Periodical surveys are required especially for the regions which have marginally adequate values and for a coastal region with a significantly higher median value of UIC compared to the others (ie 458 microg/l) (p<0.001).

Child↗
PubMed2005

Allozyme variability and phylogenetic relationships in honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis mellifera) populations from Greece and Cyprus.

Ten gene enzymic systems (alpha-GPDH, AO, MDH, ADH, LAP, SOD, ALP, ACPH, ME, and EST), corresponding to 12 genetic loci, were assayed from five Greek populations representing three subspecies of Apis mellifera, A. m. cecropia (Pthiotida, Kythira), A. m. macedonica (Macedonia), and the "Aegean race" of A. mellifera, which is supposed to be very similar to A. m. adami (Ikaria, Kasos), as well as a population from Cypus (A. m. cypria). ADH( *)-1, ADH( *)-2, and LAP( *) electrophoretic patterns discriminate the Cyprus population from the Greek populations. MDH( *)-1, EST( *)-3, SOD( *), ALP( *), and ME( *) loci were found to be polymorphic in almost all populations. The observed heterozygosity was found to range from 0.066 to 0.251. Allele frequencies of all loci were used to estimate Nei's genetic distance, which was found to range between 0.011 and 0.413 among the populations studied. UPGMA and neighbor-joining phylogenetic trees obtained by genetic distance matrix methods, as well as a Wagner tree based on the discrete character parsimony method, support the hypothesis that the most distant population is that from Cyprus. Our allozymic data support A. m. cypria as a distinct subspecies, but there was no allozymic support for the distinction of the other subspecies existing in Greece.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Development and application of software tools for monitoring, assessment and reporting of data concerning the operation of urban wastewater treatment plants in Cyprus.

This work focuses on the development and application of appropriate software tools for recording, assessing and reporting data related to the operation of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Plants (UWTPs) in Cyprus. An appropriate Internet-Based Management System was designed, developed and installed at the premises of the UWTPs and of the Cypriot Competent Authority (Water Development Department - WDD) in order to coordinate and disseminate tasks and related information for monitoring the operation of UWTPs. In addition, a client Geographical Information System database was compiled to be used for obtaining and analyzing spatial information. The software tools are based on common procedures and state-of-the-art technology for the recording and transmission of data and information and they provide an integrated view related to the operation and the efficiency of wastewater treatment systems. Moreover, continuous control and systematic monitoring of the UWTPs by the operators as well as continuous and direct supervision of the UWTPs environmental performance is achieved by the personnel of the Competent Authority. Furthermore, direct and unobstructed provision of data to the Competent Authority of Cyprus is accomplished by the operators of the UWTPs, while the Competent Authority is supported to compose full and representative reports to the European Commission and other International Organizations. The developed tools enable the direct recording of data obtained through measurements and analyses, permit the comparison of data with existing legislation and provide an integrated picture of the operation of the wastewater treatment plants as well as the option to focus and assess each individual treatment stage.

Cities↗
PubMedDate not supplied

First report of sheep pulmonary adenomatosis in Cyprus.

The first recorded cases of sheep pulmonary adenomatosis in Cyprus are described. The diagnosis was based on histopathological examination of lung material obtained from sheep showing clinical signs of respiratory distress. Three flocks in three different locations of Cyprus were involved.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Comparative study on essential oil of some Teucrium species from Cyprus.

A comparative study on the essential oil of Teucrium cyprium ssp. cyprium, T. micropodioides, T. divaricatum ssp. canescens and T. kotschyanum has been carried out. The four specimens are found in Cyprus and were used in the traditional medicine of the island. The first three are endemic to Cyprus. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation of the dried flowers, leaves and stems and analyzed by GLC and GC-MS. The percentage of the essential oil obtained varies in the different parts of the plants from 0.07 to 1.3%. Forty-eight components have been identified. Some of them were present in all the species which have been investigated, others were characteristic of one species only.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed2006

A new amino-acid substitution in acetylcholinesterase 1 confers insecticide resistance to Culex pipiens mosquitoes from Cyprus.

In insects, selection of insecticide-insensitive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a very common resistance mechanism. Mosquitoes possess both AChE1 and AChE2 enzymes and insensitivity is conferred by single amino-acid changes located near the active site of the synaptic AChE1. Only two positions have been reported so far to be involved in resistance, suggesting a very high structural constraint of the AChE1 enzyme. In particular, the G119S substitution was selected in several mosquitoes' species and is now largely spread worldwide. Yet, a different type of AChE1 insensitivity was described 10 years ago in a Culex pipiens population collected in Cyprus in 1987 and fixed thereafter as the ACE-R strain. We report here the complete amino-acid sequence of the ACE-R AChE1 and show that resistance is associated with a single Phe-to-Val substitution of residue 290, which also lines the active site. Comparison of AChE1 activities of the recombinant F290V protein and ACE-R mosquito extracts confirmed the causal role of the substitution in insensitivity. Biochemical characteristics of the mutated protein indicated that the resistance level varies with the insecticide used. A molecular diagnosis test was designed to detect this mutation and was used to show that it is still present in Cyprus Island.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed2006

The botanical materia medica of the Iatrosophikon--a collection of prescriptions from a monastery in Cyprus.

This article analyses the botanical material that is contained in the Iatrosophikon, a collection of prescriptions from a monastery in Cyprus written down during the island's Ottoman period (1571-1878). A total of 494 herbal prescriptions were detected in the record and 231 plants belonging to 70 different botanical families, as well as 21 various substances of botanical or mixed origin were identified. The distribution of the plants, the plant part used, the use of the material, and the mode of application are discussed. Parallels with other medical writings of the Greek-speaking Ottoman world suggest a local popular as well as a classical Greek and Byzantine influence. The latter is particularly supported by the relationship of the majority of the plants described to plants mentioned by Dioscorides. Additionally the question of what other sources might have contributed to this herbal knowledge is discussed. The results also show that most of the plants described originated from the island itself, only a minority of the botanical material presumably had to be imported. All the mentioned plants of local origin are also cited in modern ethnopharmacological studies on Cyprus, the Iatrosophikon demonstrates their use at a time from which no other written source of comparable detail exists.

Cyprus↗
PubMed1997

Multiple sclerosis in the Turkish- and Greek-speaking communities of Cyprus. A United Nations (UNHCR) Bicommunal Project.

A United Nations (UNHCR)-sponsored study has been undertaken, involving neurologists from the Turkish-speaking northern and Greek-speaking southern communities of Cyprus, to ascertain the prevalence of multiple sclerosis (MS) and to bring the medical personnel of the two communities to work together. The Turkish community includes both Turkish Cypriots and, since 1974, a big influx of immigrants from Turkey. The prevalence of MS among Turkish Cypriot men was significantly higher than in Turkish Cypriot women and was as high as has been found in men in recent studies in Northern Europe. It was also significantly higher than among Greek Cypriot men. The prevalence in Turkish Cypriot women was not significantly different to that found in Greek Cypriot women. Among the immigrants from mainland Turkey MS prevalence was significantly less for both men and women than among the Turkish Cypriots. In the Greek-speaking metropolitan area of Nicosia the prevalence of MS was 51 per 100,000, (males 43, females 59). The overall MS prevalence in four areas studied in Greek-speaking Cyprus, including three previously studied, was 42 per 100,000, (males 39, females 46 per 100,000).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Radon levels in Cyprus.

Radon levels in atmospheric and aquatic systems in Cyprus have recently been measured using the radon monitor Alpha Guard. Indoor and outdoor radon levels were obtained in situ, whereas analysis of radon concentrations in water was performed using tap and ground water samples collected from several areas of the island. The average value for outdoor and indoor radon concentration is 11+/-10 and 7+/-6 Bq m(-3), respectively, and for tap and ground water 0.4 Bq l(-1) and 1.4 Bq l(-1), respectively. From these data the annual dose equivalent of airborne radon to the Cypriot population is about 0.19 mSv y(-1), which is quite low compared to the total dose equivalent of natural and man-made ionising radiation in Cyprus. Radon levels in aquatic systems are relatively low due to an exhaustive utilisation of ground water resources and also to the increased input of desalinated sea water in the water distribution network and eventually into the ground water reservoirs.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗