Chara Spiliopoulou | National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (original) (raw)

Papers by Chara Spiliopoulou

Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research, 2015

Macedonian Pharmaceutical Bulletin

Toxicologie Analytique et Clinique

Archives of Toxicology, 2020

Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important essential nutrients of great public health significance. I... more Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important essential nutrients of great public health significance. It is involved in numerous biological functions and it is considered as a multipurpose trace element, due to its capacity to bind to more than 300 enzymes and more than 2000 transcriptional factors. Its role in biochemical pathways and cellular functions, such as the response to oxidative stress, homeostasis, immune responses, DNA replication, DNA damage repair, cell cycle progression, apoptosis and aging is significant. Zn is required for the synthesis of protein and collagen, thus contributing to wound healing and a healthy skin. Metallothioneins are metal-binding proteins and they are potent scavengers of heavy metals, including Zn, and protect the organism against stress. Zn deficiency is observed almost in 17% of the global population and affects many organ systems, leading to dysfunction of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity, thus increasing the susceptibility to infection. This review gives a thorough insight into the most recent evidence on the association between Zn biochemistry and human pathologies, epigenetic processes, gut microbial composition, drug targets and nanomedicine.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 2019

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances increases the risk of sever... more Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances increases the risk of severe, even fatal motor vehicle accidents. The aim of this descriptive study was to present the impact of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances on fatal road traffic accidents (RTAs) during the period 2011-2017. For this purpose, the toxicological investigation reports from the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the University of Athens were used. In total, 1,841 (32.2%) of the autopsies conducted by the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens over a 7-year period (2011-2017) were victims of fatal RTAs. Blood and urine samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of alcohol and psychoactive substances. The results were classified according to sex, age, victim (car driver, motorcyclist, pedestrian, or passenger) and the date the accident occurred (day, month and year). In total, 40.7% of the RTA-related fatalities were associated with alcohol consumption, among which 20.3% were car drivers. Of these, 87.3% were male victims. A higher frequency of RTA-related fatalities associated with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) >110 mg/dl was encountered in younger compared with older age groups. Psychoactive substances were detected in 348 (18.9%) of the victims (cannabis in 46.6% of these, benzodiazepines in 25.9%, opiates in 16.4% and cocaine in 11.1% of these). The percentage of the RTA-related victims that had consumed alcohol in combination with other psychoactive substances was 4.5%. On the whole, the findings of this study suggest that alcohol and psychoactive substances are probably risk factors for RTA-related fatalities.

The West Indian medical journal, 2010

Sperm detection can be an important factor in confirming sexual assault in cases of rape. A large... more Sperm detection can be an important factor in confirming sexual assault in cases of rape. A large number of cases received in a forensic laboratory involve sexual offenses, making it necessary to examine exhibits for the presence of seminal stains. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the most important methods and tests used in the identification of spermatozoa or constituents of seminal fluid during the investigation of alleged sexual assault cases in forensic medical practice. Furthermore, this paper focusses on the basic knowledge that is necessary to the graduate students who wish to specialize in forensic sciences.

Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 2009

At present, no official criteria exist for drug identification using single quadrupole mass spect... more At present, no official criteria exist for drug identification using single quadrupole mass spectrometers although the European Union (EU) criteria for compound identification have been adopted. These criteria are evaluated with respect to the confirmation of cocaine and its metabolites by single quadrupole liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and problems are highlighted. Spiked samples, proficiency testing samples, certified reference materials and samples from real cases that had screened positive for cocaine derivatives by immunoassay were subjected to confirmation by LC/MS using single ion monitoring with in-source fragmentation. The EU criteria for compound identification were applied for the confirmation of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester. The use of the identification point (IP) system in spiked, proficiency testing samples and certified reference materials provided acceptable results in all cases while in some cases real positive samples did not provide acceptable results. Failure to meet the EU criteria was attributed to low fragmentation at the lower concentrations and the ion suppression effect while both factors affected compliance with the IP system. The identification of cocaine and its metabolites was considerably improved by using a combination of ammonium formate and formic acid as the LC mobile phase. It appears that poor in-source fragmentation in single quadrupole LC/MS and ion suppression may constitute a problem with drug identification when implementing the IP system in real samples, resulting in false negative results. Further investigation is needed for the use of such IP systems to be suitable for use in LC/MS methods.

Forensic Toxicology, 2019

The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2012

A large number of plants, seeds, and berries have been used for medicinal, psychotropic, or aphro... more A large number of plants, seeds, and berries have been used for medicinal, psychotropic, or aphrodisiac purposes for a thousand years. Mandragora officinarum belongs to the family of Solanaceae and is traditionally known as an aphrodisiac and is closely associated with witchcraft. In this study we report a case of an accidental poisoning after ingestion of some "aphrodisiac" berries and the contribution of the toxicological analysis in the case investigation. A 35-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with clinical signs and symptoms of an anticholinergic syndrome. The diagnosis of the poisoning was made by the toxicological analysis of the patient's urine. The cause of the poisoning was revealed by his girlfriend's disclosure that the patient had intentionally consumed some "aphrodisiac" berries to enhance his sexual performance. Subsequently, berries similar to the ones consumed were sent to the laboratory. The analysis of the urine and the berries revealed the presence of hyoscyamine and scopolamine; the berries were identified as Mandragora officinarum berries. Decontamination and symptomatic treatment were proven effective for the control of this poisoning. The patient recovered completely after hospitalization for 4 days. This case report indicates the importance of analytical toxicology in diagnosis of intoxications after the consumption of unknown plants or plant products and presents the clinical aspects of Mandragora intoxication.

Forensic Toxicology, 2011

We present a validated gas chromatographymass spectrometry method for the determination of D 9-te... more We present a validated gas chromatographymass spectrometry method for the determination of D 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and 11-nor-D 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9carboxylic acid in bile samples. The method includes protein precipitation with acetonitrile after enzymatic hydrolysis, and solid-phase extraction followed by silylation using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide with 1% trimethylchlorosilane. The limit of detection was 0.30 ng/ml and the limit of quantitation was 1.00 ng/ml. The calibration curves were linear within the dynamic range of 1.00-500 ng/ml (R 2 C 0.993) and the absolute recovery for both analytes was higher than 87.5%. Accuracy and precision were less than 8.8% and 8.2%, respectively. The developed method was applied for the analysis of bile samples obtained from 21 forensic cases.

Toxicology Letters, 2008

S239 of distal femoral trabecular architecture at 6 months of age, as measured by micro-computed ... more S239 of distal femoral trabecular architecture at 6 months of age, as measured by micro-computed tomographic image analysis. Collectively, these data suggest that offspring of dams who consume HFD during pregnancy are at increased risk of permanent skeletal malformation and adult-onset fragility fractures, as well as metabolic dysfunction.

The Museum of Criminology is located within the premises of the Department of Forensic Medicine a... more The Museum of Criminology is located within the premises of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the Medical School of Athens University. This museum provides a concise picture of the criminal actions committed during the late 19 and the early 20 century in Greece. Its collections consist of items that testify specific violent activities that took place in the provinces of Athens, in the countryside of Greece, as well as in various prisons and often determine the perpetrators’ personality,

Hormones, 2021

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT), an inflammatory disorder of the thyroid gland, is often self-limiting... more Subacute thyroiditis (SAT), an inflammatory disorder of the thyroid gland, is often self-limiting [1]. There are only a few cases in literature in which SAT is related to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination [2]. Herein, we report the cases of two sisters presenting with SAT a few days after receiving the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, and summarize the relevant data reported in the literature.

Cureus

Introduction: The close association of dogs with humans may explain the fact that dog bites are p... more Introduction: The close association of dogs with humans may explain the fact that dog bites are possibly the most common animal bites recorded. The relevant data concerning Greece is scarce. We aimed to study this phenomenon by describing its characteristics. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of cases concerning dog attack victims, examined our Department, between 2011 and 2019. Recorded variables included sex, age, nationality, occupation, marital status, medical history, ownership status of the dog, injury anatomic location, incident time, the timing of clinical forensic examination, incapacitation time, and medical care provided. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata/MP 13 (Stata Corp., College Station, TX) and IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Statistical significance was defined as a two-sided p value of <0.05. Results: Most incidents involved male victims (54.2%). The victim’s mean age was 44.9 years. The dog involved was unowned in 19.8% of cases. The most frequent anatomical site of injury was the legs (48.1%). Older victims suffered injuries in more sensitive areas of the body (head and neck), when compared to younger adults. Only 1.9% of victims required hospitalization. The mean incapacitation time was estimated at 5.39 days. Conclusions: Per our results, males tend more often to be victims of dog attacks. Typically, victims are of increased age and are attacked by a dog already known to them. Most incidents take place during late winter and spring, more specifically during February and during May. The most frequently affected anatomical sites were the legs. Older people suffered injuries in more sensitive areas of the body.

Romanian Journal of Legal Medicine

Introduction. Ground-level falls have emerged as one of the major causes of unintentional fatal i... more Introduction. Ground-level falls have emerged as one of the major causes of unintentional fatal injury in several developed countries. As older age is accompanied by deterioration on various systems and abilities of the human body, the elderly are known to be particularly vulnerable to fatal ground-level falls. Methods. Forty-three cases of fatal accidental ground-level falls, which occurred in the region of East Attica, were assigned to our Department during the years 2011-2015. Epidemiological data of the victims, the circumstances of the falls and the type/characteristics of the injuries were recorded. Results. Forty-three cases of fatal ground-level falls involving 24 male victims (55.8%) and 19 female victims (44.2%). Their ages ranged between 45 and 96 years old with the vast majority (38 cases-88.4%) of the victims being >65 years old. Almost half of the fatal ground-level fall cases (21 cases) took place inside or near the victims' residence, 11 occurred in public places, 1 in another residence, 1 in the victim's workplace and in 6 cases the place of the fall was unknown. Twenty-two of the fallers (57.9%) died within the first 24h after the fall while the rest died 2-45 days post-injury. Fatal injuries involved mainly the head with (14 cases) or without (15 cases) cranial bone fracture. In some cases, head trauma was accompanied with severe neck (3 cases), thoracolumbar spine (1 case) or pelvic (1 case) trauma. Notably, 5 people died due to post-traumatic complications during their hospitalization. Conclusion. Elderly people seem to be prone to fatal accidental ground-level falls occurring mostly inside their residence or in the surroundings. Head and neck are highlighted as the main body regions seriously injured after a ground-level fall.

Analytical Methods

Antihistamines are used widely in clinical practice to alleviate symptoms associated with allergi... more Antihistamines are used widely in clinical practice to alleviate symptoms associated with allergic reactions, or to treat insomnia and motion sickness.

Forensic Science and Criminology

Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 2016

Background: Inflammatory mechanisms are key to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Functional po... more Background: Inflammatory mechanisms are key to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Functional polymorphisms of TLR-4, Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile, CD14 promoter area C260T polymorphism and plasma levels of soluble CD14 are studied in subjects with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Methods: DNA was obtained from 100 human paraffin-embedded aortic specimens, from cadavers with known coronary atheromatosis (Group A) and 100 blood samples from patients with CAD, as detected by cardiac Multi-Detector-row-Computed-Tomography (MDCT) (Group B). Our control group consisted of 100 healthy individuals (Group C). Genotyping was performed by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RFLP-PCR). Plasma levels of sCD14 were measured with ELISA. Results: For TLR-4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms, no statistically significant differences were observed. Regarding the C260T polymorphism, frequencies of T allele were significantly higher in the control group compared to the case group (p = 0.05). The Odds Ratio (OR) showed statistically significant association of TT genotype with healthy individuals (OR 0.25, 95% Confidence Interval CI 0.10-0.62, p = 0.0017). Plasma levels of sCD14 in patients with CAD (mean value = 1.35 µg/mL) were reduced when compared to reference value. Conclusions: The studied polymorphisms ofTLR-4 showed no association with CAD. Conversely, the functional polymorphism of CD14 has a statistically significant difference in expression between healthy and affected by CAD individuals.

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2015

In wound ballistics research there is a relationship between the data that characterize a bullet ... more In wound ballistics research there is a relationship between the data that characterize a bullet and the injury resulted after shooting when it perforates the human body. The bullet path in the human body following skin perforation as well as the damaging effect cannot always be predictable as they depend on various factors such as the bullet's characteristics (velocity, distance, type of firearm and so on) and the tissue types that the bullet passes through. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the contribution of Computed Tomography (CT) in wound ballistics research. Using CT technology and studying virtual "slices" of specific areas on scanned human bodies, allows the evaluation of density and thickness of the skin, the subcutaneous tissue, the muscles, the vital organs and the bones. Density data taken from Hounsfield units can be converted in g/ml by using the appropriate software. By evaluating the results of this study, the anatomy of the human body utilizing ballistic gel will be reproduced in order to simulate the path that a bullet follows. The biophysical analysis in wound ballistics provides another application of CT technology, which is commonly used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in various medical disciplines.

Molecular and Cellular Probes, 1995

The use of hypervariable tandem repeat loci for population genetic studies, genetic analysis of i... more The use of hypervariable tandem repeat loci for population genetic studies, genetic analysis of inherited disease and individual identification purposes requires establishment of a genetic database for each reference population. In the present study we have analysed variability at five tandem repeat loci (D1S80, D17S5, 3'-HVR/apoB, F8vWF and D6S89) in a representative sample (88 to 156 individuals of Greek ancestry), using polymerase chain reaction amplification. Between nine and 19 alleles were resolved throughout the five polymorphic loci. Heterozygosity indices for these loci in the Greek population ranged from 0-68 to 0.85. Allele frequencies follow a bimodal or more complex distribution pattern which was also observed in other populations. Power of discrimination (PD) and allelic diversity (h) values ranged from 0.84 to 0.94 and 0.85 to 0.91, respectively, and indicated that these loci are highly informative and can be used for population studies, forensic purposes and parentage and family testing. Comparison of observed and expected genotype frequencies by the conventional chi-square test indicated conformity to Hardy-Weinberg predictions.

Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research, 2015

Macedonian Pharmaceutical Bulletin

Toxicologie Analytique et Clinique

Archives of Toxicology, 2020

Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important essential nutrients of great public health significance. I... more Zinc (Zn) is one of the most important essential nutrients of great public health significance. It is involved in numerous biological functions and it is considered as a multipurpose trace element, due to its capacity to bind to more than 300 enzymes and more than 2000 transcriptional factors. Its role in biochemical pathways and cellular functions, such as the response to oxidative stress, homeostasis, immune responses, DNA replication, DNA damage repair, cell cycle progression, apoptosis and aging is significant. Zn is required for the synthesis of protein and collagen, thus contributing to wound healing and a healthy skin. Metallothioneins are metal-binding proteins and they are potent scavengers of heavy metals, including Zn, and protect the organism against stress. Zn deficiency is observed almost in 17% of the global population and affects many organ systems, leading to dysfunction of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity, thus increasing the susceptibility to infection. This review gives a thorough insight into the most recent evidence on the association between Zn biochemistry and human pathologies, epigenetic processes, gut microbial composition, drug targets and nanomedicine.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine, 2019

Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances increases the risk of sever... more Driving under the influence of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances increases the risk of severe, even fatal motor vehicle accidents. The aim of this descriptive study was to present the impact of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances on fatal road traffic accidents (RTAs) during the period 2011-2017. For this purpose, the toxicological investigation reports from the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the University of Athens were used. In total, 1,841 (32.2%) of the autopsies conducted by the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens over a 7-year period (2011-2017) were victims of fatal RTAs. Blood and urine samples were collected and analyzed for the presence of alcohol and psychoactive substances. The results were classified according to sex, age, victim (car driver, motorcyclist, pedestrian, or passenger) and the date the accident occurred (day, month and year). In total, 40.7% of the RTA-related fatalities were associated with alcohol consumption, among which 20.3% were car drivers. Of these, 87.3% were male victims. A higher frequency of RTA-related fatalities associated with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) >110 mg/dl was encountered in younger compared with older age groups. Psychoactive substances were detected in 348 (18.9%) of the victims (cannabis in 46.6% of these, benzodiazepines in 25.9%, opiates in 16.4% and cocaine in 11.1% of these). The percentage of the RTA-related victims that had consumed alcohol in combination with other psychoactive substances was 4.5%. On the whole, the findings of this study suggest that alcohol and psychoactive substances are probably risk factors for RTA-related fatalities.

The West Indian medical journal, 2010

Sperm detection can be an important factor in confirming sexual assault in cases of rape. A large... more Sperm detection can be an important factor in confirming sexual assault in cases of rape. A large number of cases received in a forensic laboratory involve sexual offenses, making it necessary to examine exhibits for the presence of seminal stains. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the most important methods and tests used in the identification of spermatozoa or constituents of seminal fluid during the investigation of alleged sexual assault cases in forensic medical practice. Furthermore, this paper focusses on the basic knowledge that is necessary to the graduate students who wish to specialize in forensic sciences.

Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 2009

At present, no official criteria exist for drug identification using single quadrupole mass spect... more At present, no official criteria exist for drug identification using single quadrupole mass spectrometers although the European Union (EU) criteria for compound identification have been adopted. These criteria are evaluated with respect to the confirmation of cocaine and its metabolites by single quadrupole liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and problems are highlighted. Spiked samples, proficiency testing samples, certified reference materials and samples from real cases that had screened positive for cocaine derivatives by immunoassay were subjected to confirmation by LC/MS using single ion monitoring with in-source fragmentation. The EU criteria for compound identification were applied for the confirmation of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester. The use of the identification point (IP) system in spiked, proficiency testing samples and certified reference materials provided acceptable results in all cases while in some cases real positive samples did not provide acceptable results. Failure to meet the EU criteria was attributed to low fragmentation at the lower concentrations and the ion suppression effect while both factors affected compliance with the IP system. The identification of cocaine and its metabolites was considerably improved by using a combination of ammonium formate and formic acid as the LC mobile phase. It appears that poor in-source fragmentation in single quadrupole LC/MS and ion suppression may constitute a problem with drug identification when implementing the IP system in real samples, resulting in false negative results. Further investigation is needed for the use of such IP systems to be suitable for use in LC/MS methods.

Forensic Toxicology, 2019

The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2012

A large number of plants, seeds, and berries have been used for medicinal, psychotropic, or aphro... more A large number of plants, seeds, and berries have been used for medicinal, psychotropic, or aphrodisiac purposes for a thousand years. Mandragora officinarum belongs to the family of Solanaceae and is traditionally known as an aphrodisiac and is closely associated with witchcraft. In this study we report a case of an accidental poisoning after ingestion of some "aphrodisiac" berries and the contribution of the toxicological analysis in the case investigation. A 35-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with clinical signs and symptoms of an anticholinergic syndrome. The diagnosis of the poisoning was made by the toxicological analysis of the patient's urine. The cause of the poisoning was revealed by his girlfriend's disclosure that the patient had intentionally consumed some "aphrodisiac" berries to enhance his sexual performance. Subsequently, berries similar to the ones consumed were sent to the laboratory. The analysis of the urine and the berries revealed the presence of hyoscyamine and scopolamine; the berries were identified as Mandragora officinarum berries. Decontamination and symptomatic treatment were proven effective for the control of this poisoning. The patient recovered completely after hospitalization for 4 days. This case report indicates the importance of analytical toxicology in diagnosis of intoxications after the consumption of unknown plants or plant products and presents the clinical aspects of Mandragora intoxication.

Forensic Toxicology, 2011

We present a validated gas chromatographymass spectrometry method for the determination of D 9-te... more We present a validated gas chromatographymass spectrometry method for the determination of D 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and 11-nor-D 9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9carboxylic acid in bile samples. The method includes protein precipitation with acetonitrile after enzymatic hydrolysis, and solid-phase extraction followed by silylation using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide with 1% trimethylchlorosilane. The limit of detection was 0.30 ng/ml and the limit of quantitation was 1.00 ng/ml. The calibration curves were linear within the dynamic range of 1.00-500 ng/ml (R 2 C 0.993) and the absolute recovery for both analytes was higher than 87.5%. Accuracy and precision were less than 8.8% and 8.2%, respectively. The developed method was applied for the analysis of bile samples obtained from 21 forensic cases.

Toxicology Letters, 2008

S239 of distal femoral trabecular architecture at 6 months of age, as measured by micro-computed ... more S239 of distal femoral trabecular architecture at 6 months of age, as measured by micro-computed tomographic image analysis. Collectively, these data suggest that offspring of dams who consume HFD during pregnancy are at increased risk of permanent skeletal malformation and adult-onset fragility fractures, as well as metabolic dysfunction.

The Museum of Criminology is located within the premises of the Department of Forensic Medicine a... more The Museum of Criminology is located within the premises of the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of the Medical School of Athens University. This museum provides a concise picture of the criminal actions committed during the late 19 and the early 20 century in Greece. Its collections consist of items that testify specific violent activities that took place in the provinces of Athens, in the countryside of Greece, as well as in various prisons and often determine the perpetrators’ personality,

Hormones, 2021

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT), an inflammatory disorder of the thyroid gland, is often self-limiting... more Subacute thyroiditis (SAT), an inflammatory disorder of the thyroid gland, is often self-limiting [1]. There are only a few cases in literature in which SAT is related to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination [2]. Herein, we report the cases of two sisters presenting with SAT a few days after receiving the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, and summarize the relevant data reported in the literature.

Cureus

Introduction: The close association of dogs with humans may explain the fact that dog bites are p... more Introduction: The close association of dogs with humans may explain the fact that dog bites are possibly the most common animal bites recorded. The relevant data concerning Greece is scarce. We aimed to study this phenomenon by describing its characteristics. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of cases concerning dog attack victims, examined our Department, between 2011 and 2019. Recorded variables included sex, age, nationality, occupation, marital status, medical history, ownership status of the dog, injury anatomic location, incident time, the timing of clinical forensic examination, incapacitation time, and medical care provided. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata/MP 13 (Stata Corp., College Station, TX) and IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20 (IBM, Armonk, NY). Statistical significance was defined as a two-sided p value of <0.05. Results: Most incidents involved male victims (54.2%). The victim’s mean age was 44.9 years. The dog involved was unowned in 19.8% of cases. The most frequent anatomical site of injury was the legs (48.1%). Older victims suffered injuries in more sensitive areas of the body (head and neck), when compared to younger adults. Only 1.9% of victims required hospitalization. The mean incapacitation time was estimated at 5.39 days. Conclusions: Per our results, males tend more often to be victims of dog attacks. Typically, victims are of increased age and are attacked by a dog already known to them. Most incidents take place during late winter and spring, more specifically during February and during May. The most frequently affected anatomical sites were the legs. Older people suffered injuries in more sensitive areas of the body.

Romanian Journal of Legal Medicine

Introduction. Ground-level falls have emerged as one of the major causes of unintentional fatal i... more Introduction. Ground-level falls have emerged as one of the major causes of unintentional fatal injury in several developed countries. As older age is accompanied by deterioration on various systems and abilities of the human body, the elderly are known to be particularly vulnerable to fatal ground-level falls. Methods. Forty-three cases of fatal accidental ground-level falls, which occurred in the region of East Attica, were assigned to our Department during the years 2011-2015. Epidemiological data of the victims, the circumstances of the falls and the type/characteristics of the injuries were recorded. Results. Forty-three cases of fatal ground-level falls involving 24 male victims (55.8%) and 19 female victims (44.2%). Their ages ranged between 45 and 96 years old with the vast majority (38 cases-88.4%) of the victims being >65 years old. Almost half of the fatal ground-level fall cases (21 cases) took place inside or near the victims' residence, 11 occurred in public places, 1 in another residence, 1 in the victim's workplace and in 6 cases the place of the fall was unknown. Twenty-two of the fallers (57.9%) died within the first 24h after the fall while the rest died 2-45 days post-injury. Fatal injuries involved mainly the head with (14 cases) or without (15 cases) cranial bone fracture. In some cases, head trauma was accompanied with severe neck (3 cases), thoracolumbar spine (1 case) or pelvic (1 case) trauma. Notably, 5 people died due to post-traumatic complications during their hospitalization. Conclusion. Elderly people seem to be prone to fatal accidental ground-level falls occurring mostly inside their residence or in the surroundings. Head and neck are highlighted as the main body regions seriously injured after a ground-level fall.

Analytical Methods

Antihistamines are used widely in clinical practice to alleviate symptoms associated with allergi... more Antihistamines are used widely in clinical practice to alleviate symptoms associated with allergic reactions, or to treat insomnia and motion sickness.

Forensic Science and Criminology

Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 2016

Background: Inflammatory mechanisms are key to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Functional po... more Background: Inflammatory mechanisms are key to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Functional polymorphisms of TLR-4, Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile, CD14 promoter area C260T polymorphism and plasma levels of soluble CD14 are studied in subjects with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Methods: DNA was obtained from 100 human paraffin-embedded aortic specimens, from cadavers with known coronary atheromatosis (Group A) and 100 blood samples from patients with CAD, as detected by cardiac Multi-Detector-row-Computed-Tomography (MDCT) (Group B). Our control group consisted of 100 healthy individuals (Group C). Genotyping was performed by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RFLP-PCR). Plasma levels of sCD14 were measured with ELISA. Results: For TLR-4 Asp299Gly and Thr399Ile polymorphisms, no statistically significant differences were observed. Regarding the C260T polymorphism, frequencies of T allele were significantly higher in the control group compared to the case group (p = 0.05). The Odds Ratio (OR) showed statistically significant association of TT genotype with healthy individuals (OR 0.25, 95% Confidence Interval CI 0.10-0.62, p = 0.0017). Plasma levels of sCD14 in patients with CAD (mean value = 1.35 µg/mL) were reduced when compared to reference value. Conclusions: The studied polymorphisms ofTLR-4 showed no association with CAD. Conversely, the functional polymorphism of CD14 has a statistically significant difference in expression between healthy and affected by CAD individuals.

Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2015

In wound ballistics research there is a relationship between the data that characterize a bullet ... more In wound ballistics research there is a relationship between the data that characterize a bullet and the injury resulted after shooting when it perforates the human body. The bullet path in the human body following skin perforation as well as the damaging effect cannot always be predictable as they depend on various factors such as the bullet's characteristics (velocity, distance, type of firearm and so on) and the tissue types that the bullet passes through. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight the contribution of Computed Tomography (CT) in wound ballistics research. Using CT technology and studying virtual "slices" of specific areas on scanned human bodies, allows the evaluation of density and thickness of the skin, the subcutaneous tissue, the muscles, the vital organs and the bones. Density data taken from Hounsfield units can be converted in g/ml by using the appropriate software. By evaluating the results of this study, the anatomy of the human body utilizing ballistic gel will be reproduced in order to simulate the path that a bullet follows. The biophysical analysis in wound ballistics provides another application of CT technology, which is commonly used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in various medical disciplines.

Molecular and Cellular Probes, 1995

The use of hypervariable tandem repeat loci for population genetic studies, genetic analysis of i... more The use of hypervariable tandem repeat loci for population genetic studies, genetic analysis of inherited disease and individual identification purposes requires establishment of a genetic database for each reference population. In the present study we have analysed variability at five tandem repeat loci (D1S80, D17S5, 3'-HVR/apoB, F8vWF and D6S89) in a representative sample (88 to 156 individuals of Greek ancestry), using polymerase chain reaction amplification. Between nine and 19 alleles were resolved throughout the five polymorphic loci. Heterozygosity indices for these loci in the Greek population ranged from 0-68 to 0.85. Allele frequencies follow a bimodal or more complex distribution pattern which was also observed in other populations. Power of discrimination (PD) and allelic diversity (h) values ranged from 0.84 to 0.94 and 0.85 to 0.91, respectively, and indicated that these loci are highly informative and can be used for population studies, forensic purposes and parentage and family testing. Comparison of observed and expected genotype frequencies by the conventional chi-square test indicated conformity to Hardy-Weinberg predictions.