Publications

Given globalization and other social phenomena, controlling the spread of infectious diseases has become an imperative public health priority. A plethora of interventions that in theory can mitigate the spread of pathogens have been proposed and applied. Evaluating the effectiveness of such interventions is costly and in many circumstances unrealistic. Most important, the community effect (i.e., the ability of the intervention to minimize the spread of the pathogen from people who received the intervention to other community members) can rarely be evaluated. Here we propose a study design that can build and evaluate evidence in support of the community effect of an intervention. The approach exploits molecular evolutionary dynamics of pathogens in order to track new infections as having arisen from either a control or an intervention group. It enables us to evaluate whether an intervention reduces the number and length of new transmission chains in comparison with a control condition, and thus lets us estimate the relative decrease in new infections in the community due to the intervention. We provide as an example one working scenario of a way the approach can be applied with a simulation study and associated power calculations.

Inspired by the work of Molino, we show that the integrability obstruction for transitive Lie algebroids can be made to vanish by adding extra dimensions. In particular, we prove that the Weinstein groupoid of a non-integrable transitive and abelian Lie algebroid is the quotient of a finite-dimensional Lie groupoid. Two constructions as such are given: First, explaining the counterexample to integrability given by Almeida and Molino, we see that it can be generalized to the construction of an “Almeida–Molino” integrable lift when the base manifold is simply connected. On the other hand, we notice that the classical de Rham isomorphism provides a universal integrable algebroid. Using it we construct a “de Rham” integrable lift for any given transitive Abelian Lie algebroid.

During evolution, cells have developed a wide spectrum of stress response modules to ensure homeostasis. The genome and proteome damage response pathways constitute the pillars of this interwoven ‘defensive' network. Consequently, the deregulation of these pathways correlates with ageing and various pathophysiological states, including cancer. In the present review, we highlight: (1) the structure of the genome and proteome damage response pathways; (2) their functional crosstalk; and (3) the conditions under which they predispose to cancer. Within this context, we emphasize the role of oncogene-induced DNA damage as a driving force that shapes the cellular landscape for the emergence of the various hallmarks of cancer. We also discuss potential means to exploit key cancer-related alterations of the genome and proteome damage response pathways in order to develop novel efficient therapeutic modalities. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley {&} Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Muscle fascicle length and muscle fibre conduction velocity are thought to be important parameters for power performance. It might be expected that faster muscle fibre conduction velocities would compensate for longer fascicle lengths to increase the speed of action potential propagation along the elongated fibres. However, the relationship between muscle fascicle length and muscle fibre conduction velocity (MFCV) remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between average vastus lateralis MFCV and average fascicle length. In seventeen moderately-trained healthy male physical education students (age 23.4 ± 3.1 years, body height 178 ± 5.5 cm, body mass 82.7 ± 6.9 kg, BMI 24.6 ± 1.5 kg∙m-2) resting MFCV was measured with intramuscular microelectrodes while muscle architecture was evaluated with ultrasonography. Fascicle length was highly correlated with total MFCV (r: 0.923, p = 0.000), maximum MFCV (r: 0.949, p = 0.000), and MFCV of the fastest (r: 0.709, p = 0.001), but not of the slowest fibres (r: 0.131, p = 0.616). No significant correlations were also found between vastus lateralis thickness or fascicle angle with any of MFCV parameters (r: 0.145 - 0.430; R2 < 0.130; p > 0.05). These data indicate that average MFCV is associated with average fascicle length in vastus lateralis muscle in different individuals. It seems that participants with longer fascicle lengths have also higher muscle fibre conduction velocities.

Long period pulsars (P> 1000 s) constitute a sub-population ofhigh-mass X-ray binaries. To date, only a few of these rare systems,which occupy the tail of the spin period distribution of X-ray pulsars,have been discovered. Nevertheless, their study offers unique insightsinto evolutionary scenarios of the high-mass X-ray binary population. Wepropose four XMM-Newton observations aiming at improving our understandingof long period pulsars. The proposed observations will be performedto two systems located in the LMC with known spin periods for studyingtheir spin evolution, and two new candidate long period pulsars in orderto increase the number of known systems.

Accurate sexing methods are of great importance in forensic anthropology since sex assessment is among the principal tasks when examining human skeletal remains. The present study explores a novel approach in assessing the most accurate metric traits of the human cranium for sex estimation based on 80 ectocranial landmarks from 176 modern individuals of known age and sex from the Athens Collection. The purpose of the study is to identify those distance and angle measurements that can be most effectively used in sex assessment. Three-dimensional landmark coordinates were digitized with a Microscribe 3DX and analyzed in GNU Octave. An iterative linear discriminant analysis of all possible combinations of landmarks was performed for each unique set of the 3160 distances and 246,480 angles. Cross-validated correct classification as well as multivariate DFA on top performing variables reported 13 craniometric distances with over 85% classification accuracy, 7 angles over 78%, as well as certain multivariate combinations yielding over 95%. Linear regression of these variables with the centroid size was used to assess their relation to the size of the cranium. In contrast to the use of generalized procrustes analysis (GPA) and principal component analysis (PCA), which constitute the common analytical work flow for such data, our method, although computational intensive, produced easily applicable discriminant functions of high accuracy, while at the same time explored the maximum of cranial variability.

On July 20, 2017 22:31 UTC, a strong Mw = 6.6 earthquake occurred at shallow depth between Kos (Greece) and Bodrum (Turkey).We derive a co-seismic fault model from joint inversion of geodetic data (GNSS and InSAR).We assume that the earthquake can be modelled by the slip on a rectangular fault buried in an elastic and homogenous half-space. The GNSS observations constrain well most of the model parameters but do not permit to discriminate between south- and north-dipping planes. The interferograms, produced from C-band ESA Sentinel 1 syntheticaperture radar data, give a clear preference to the north-dipping plane. The orientation of the GNSS vectors and the absence of InSAR fringes onshore Kos constrain the fault’s length. We also mapped surface motion away from thesatellite along the Turkish coast (from Bodrum towards east) which reached about 20 cm onshore islet Karaada. The best-fit model was obtained with a 37 deg. north-dipping normal fault, in agreement with the published moment tensor solutions. The slip vector is dominantly normal in a ESE-WNW direction with a component of left-lateral motion (5 deg.). The surface projection of the seismic fault outcrops in the Gökova ridge area, a well-developed bathymetric feature inside the western Gulf of Gökova (SE Aegean Sea). The seismic fault plane extends 14 km along strike by12.5 km wide. Our geodetic model is in agreement with relocated seismicity distribution (about 1160 events) from regional networks, which indicates an aftershock occurrence towards both ends of the rupture.

Intimement liée aux divers projets, créations et réformes relatives à l’organisation d’une formation initiale, l’évolution des programmes de formation culturelle des francisants grecs au XXe siècle doit être étudiée dans une double optique. Celle, tout d’abord, que proposent les voies originales qu’emprunta le processus de disciplinarisation des études françaises en Grèce. Cette approche est, par ailleurs, inséparable d’une autre, plus politique : fruits d’une collaboration franco-hellénique étroite autant qu’ambiguë, les programmes d’enseignement des structures projetées ou mises en place entre 1914 et 1976 constituent, d’une certaine manière, le reflet des fluctuations des relations diplomatiques et culturelles entre les deux pays.Intimately linked with the various projects, creations and reforms related to the organization of an initial training, the development of the cultural curricula of the Greek Teachers of French in the twentieth century must be studied in a dual perspective. Primarily the one that is proposed by the original ways that borrow the process of disciplinarization of French studies in Greece. This approach is, moreover, inseparable from another, more political: fruits of close as well as ambiguous French-Hellenic cooperation, the educational programs of the structures designed or created between 1914 and 1976 are, in some way, the reflection of the fluctuations of diplomatic and cultural relations between the two countries.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma associated with an anal fistula is a rare oncologic entity which may pose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for Surgeons and Medical Oncologists. Few reported cases without definite therapeutic guidelines exist. It represents 2-3% of all gastrointestinal malignancies and arises from chronic anal fistulas, ischiorectal or perianal abscesses. We report a case of perianal mucinous adenocarcinoma in a 65-year-old male initially surgically treated multiple times for a recurrent fistula in ano of 5 years duration. He presented with an ischiorectal and a perianal fistula. Incisional biopsy from fistulotomy revealed mucinous adenocarcinoma. Contrast enhanced computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging showed a localized perianal growth of a tumor which was further evaluated with colonoscopy. With no evidence of metastasis, we performed a laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (APR). Two years follow-up after APR and without adjuvant chemotherapy there is not any evidence of recurrence or distant metastasis.

Although there is rich evidence for human occupation of Paros’ coastline, there is a dearth of data with regards to the evolution of the island's seaboard palaeoenvironments. In this paper, we use sedimentological and palaeontological proxies of late Holocene coastal deposits from lagoonal environment to reconstruct the evolution of coastal landscapes in Paroikia Bay (Paros Island, Greece). A semi-enclosed lagoon existed in the northeastern part of Paroikia from at least 2915–2551 BC, which was gradually infilled after around 780–436 BC. Although it was not possible to chronologically constrain the timing of the infill, it is most likely relatively young, indicating anthropogenic effects. A correlation of our chronostratigraphic data with archaeological remains and tidal notches in the study area suggests that the subsidence observed on Paros Island is linked to long-term subsidence in combination with vertical seismic displacements.

INTRODUCTION: Lung ischemia-reperfusion injury after thoracoabdominal aortic occlusion represents a major complication, which increases morbidity and mortality. In the present study we hypothesized that lazaroid U-74389G intravenous administration protects from lung ischemia-reperfusion injury through lipid peroxidation inhibition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 24 pigs were randomized in three groups. Group I (n=8) underwent sham operation, group II (n=8) underwent thoracoabdominal aortic occlusion for 45min and received placebo and group III (n=8) received 3 doses of lazaroid (3mg/kg) 60 and 30min before thoracoabdominal aortic occlusion and at 30min during thoracoabdominal aortic occlusion (duration 45min). Aortic occlusion was performed with aortic balloon-catheters under fluoroscopic guidance. All animals were sacrificed at the 7th postoperative day and lung specimens were harvested for molecular analysis. RESULTS: mRNA levels of leukotrienes LB4 (LTB4R2), LC4 (LTC4S) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms including iNOS, nNOS and eNOS were determined with real-time RT-qPCR. Nitric oxide can either induce (iNOS) or inhibit (nNOS and eNOS) lipid peroxidation based on its specific isoform origin. Group III showed significantly reduced mRNA levels of LTB4R2 (-63.7%), LTC4S (-35.9%) and iNOS (-60.2%) when compared with group II (P < 0.05, for all). The mRNA levels of nNOS was significantly increased (+37.4%), while eNOS was slightly increased (+2.1%) in group III when compared with group II (P < 0.05 and P = 0.467 respectively). CONCLUSION: Lazaroid U-74389G may represent an effective pharmacologic intervention in reducing lung ischemia-reperfusion injury following thoracoabdominal aortic occlusion

The present study focuses on adult trainees’ reflection upon their personal course of action and development on completing the five-year long post graduate program: “Adult Education” at the Hellenic Open University. Reflecting back, students where asked to evaluate their experience. It seems that learning within the research context is positively experienced. The positive aspects are relevant to how participants in this study managed to communicate with others when they were asked to express their own assumptions and reflect feelings and thoughts in a context of critical thinking and open dialogue.

ABSTRACTWe exploit macroseismic observations and instrumental data aiming at explaining the effects of the 17th November 2015 Mw=6.5 earthquake, occurred beneath the southwestern peninsula of Lefkas Island (Ionian Sea) causing two casualties, major geo-environmental and slight-to-moderate structural effects. The spatial distribution of the structural damage of the local building stock is well correlated with the deformation pattern deduced from satellite geodesy, it appears though considerably low with respect to the ground deformation. Comparison with the previous strong earthquake on 14.8.2003 with Mw=6.2 occurred about 20 km to the north, shows that structural damage was significantly lower during the recent quake and also manifests good behaviour of the local buildings. This is partly explained by the characteristics of the ground motion and primarily explained by the unique concepts applied to the non-engineered buildings of Lefkas to resist ground motions.

n Volleyball a team’s performance in skills is connected to the game result and to the team’s success in a championship. In order to identify the determinant parameters for the success in male volleyball, performance data for all teams of 12 Greek Volleyball championships from 2005-06 until 2016-17 (n=143) was used. The effectiveness of fourteen (14) parameters from 5 basic volleyball skills: serve, attack after passing, attack after defence, block and reception was examined. The findings lead to the conclusion that the best predictors of a team’s success in final ranking are serve aces, passing errors, precise pass and attack after pas sing or after defence. The relevant discriminant function has classified correctly 77.6% of the teams in positions 1-4, 5-8 and 9-12. Furthermore, among teams in positions 1-2 and 3-4 (n=48) the variables attack win and attack error, after reception and de fence have significantly higher scores and are able to discriminate correctly 83,3% of the original cases.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer (BlCa) heterogeneity and the lack of personalised prognosis lead to patients' highly variable treatment outcomes. Here, we have analysed the utility of the GAS5 tumour-suppressor lncRNA in improving BlCa prognosis. METHODS: GAS5 was quantified in a screening cohort of 176 patients. Hedegaard et al. (2016) (n = 476) and TCGA provisional (n = 413) were used as validation cohorts. Survival analysis was performed using recurrence and progression for NMIBC, or death for MIBC. Internal validation was performed by bootstrap analysis, and decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the clinical benefit on disease prognosis. RESULTS: GAS5 levels were significantly downregulated in BlCa and associated with invasive high-grade tumours, and high EORTC-risk NMIBC patients. GAS5 loss was strongly and independently correlated with higher risk for NMIBC early relapse (HR = 2.680, p = 0.011) and progression (HR = 6.362, p = 0.035). Hedegaard et al. and TCGA validation cohorts' analysis clearly confirmed the association of GAS5 loss with NMIBC worse prognosis. Finally, multivariate models incorporating GAS5 with disease established markers resulted in higher clinical benefit for NMIBC prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: GAS5 loss is associated with adverse outcome of NMIBC and results in improved positive prediction of NMIBC patients at higher risk for short-term relapse and progression, supporting personalised prognosis and treatment decisions.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Heart failure remains a major contributor to this mortality. Despite major therapeutic advances over the past decades, a better understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms of CVD as well as improved therapeutic strategies for the management or treatment of heart failure are increasingly needed. Loss of myocardium is a major driver of heart failure. An attractive approach that appears to provide promising results in reducing cardiac degeneration is stem cell therapy (SCT). In this review, we describe different types of stem cells, including embryonic and adult stem cells, and we provide a detailed discussion of the properties of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We also present and critically discuss the key methods used for converting somatic cells to pluripotent cells and iPSCs to cardiomyocytes (CMs), along with their advantages and limitations. Integrating and non-integrating reprogramming methods as well as characterization of iPSCs and iPSC-derived CMs are discussed. Furthermore, we critically present various methods of differentiating iPSCs to CMs. The value of iPSC-CMs in regenerative medicine as well as myocardial disease modeling and cardiac regeneration are emphasized.

We analyzed the massive star population of the Virgo Cluster galaxy NGC 4535 using archival Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images in filters F555W and F814W, equivalent to Johnson V and Kron-Cousins I. We performed high precision point spread function fitting photometry of 24353 sources including 3762 candidate blue supergiants, 841 candidate yellow supergiants and 370 candidate red supergiants. We estimated the ratio of blue to red supergiants as a decreasing function of galactocentric radius. Using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics isochrones at solar metallicity, we defined the luminosity function and estimated the star formation history of the galaxy over the last 60 Myrs. We conducted a variability search in the V and I filters using three variability indexes: the median absolute deviation, the interquartile range and the inverse von-Neumann ratio. This analysis yielded 120 new variable candidates with absolute magnitudes ranging from M$_{V}$ = $-$4 to $-$11 mag. We used the MESA evolutionary tracks at solar metallicity, to classify the variables based on their absolute magnitude and their position on the color-magnitude diagram. Among the new candidate variable sources are eight candidate variable red supergiants, three candidate variable yellow supergiants and one candidate luminous blue variable, which we suggest for follow-up observations.

We analyzed the massive star population of the Virgo Cluster galaxy NGC 4535 using archival Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 images in filters F555W and F814W, equivalent to Johnson V and Kron-Cousins I. We performed high precision point spread function fitting photometry of 24353 sources including 3762 candidate blue supergiants, 841 candidate yellow supergiants, and 370 candidate red supergiants. We estimated the ratio of blue to red supergiants as a decreasing function of galactocentric radius. Using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) isochrones at solar metallicity, we defined the luminosity function and estimated the star formation history of the galaxy over the last 60 Myr. We conducted a variability search in the V and I filters using three variability indexes: the median absolute deviation, the interquartile range, and the inverse von-Neumann ratio. This analysis yielded 120 new variable candidates with absolute magnitudes ranging from MV = -4 to -11 mag. We used the MESA evolutionary tracks at solar metallicity to classify the variables based on their absolute magnitude and their position on the color-magnitude diagram. Among the new candidate variable sources are eight candidate variable red supergiants, three candidate variable yellow supergiants and one candidate luminous blue variable, which we suggest for follow-up observations. Full Table A.1 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/618/A185

Mitophagy is an evolutionarily conserved cellular process to remove dysfunctional or superfluous mitochondria, thus fine-tuning mitochondrial number and preserving energy metabolism. In this Review, we survey recent advances towards elucidating the molecular mechanisms that mediate mitochondrial elimination and the signalling pathways that govern mitophagy. We consider the contributions of mitophagy in physiological and pathological contexts and discuss emerging findings, highlighting the potential value of mitophagy modulation in therapeutic intervention.

We report on the optical response of a nonreciprocal bianisotropic metamaterial, consisting of spherical, metal-coated magnetic nanoparticles embedded in an optically active medium, thus combining gyrotropy, plasmonic resonances, and chirality in a versatile design. The corresponding effective medium is deduced by an appropriate two-step generalized Maxwell-Garnett homogenization scheme. The associated photonic band structure and transmission spectra are obtained through a six-vector formulation of Maxwell equations, which provides an efficient framework for general bianisotropic structures going beyond existing approaches that involve cumbersome nonlinear eigenvalue problems. Our results, analyzed and discussed in the light of group theory, provide evidence that the proposed metamaterial exhibits some remarkable frequency-tunable properties, such as strong, plasmon-enhanced nonreciprocal polarization azimuth rotation and magnetochiral dichroism.

Right or subtotal colectomy either open or laparoscopic may be a challenging operation owing to technical difficulties. One of these, is to identify a safe and adequate dissection plane, ligating and dissecting lymph nodes around middle colic vessels. The purpose of this study was to depict a rare anatomic variation of middle colic vein (MCV) draining to splenic vein. We report the case of a 55-year-old male patient, who was subjected to a right hemicolectomy for an adenocarcinoma in the ascending colon. During dissecting the transverse mesocolon from the greater omentum, for complete mesocolic excision (CME), we encountered that the MCV drained in the splenic vein. With respect of this rare anatomic variability, CME was completed without hemorrhage. Our aim is to depict that deep knowledge of MCV anatomy and its variations is of paramount importance to achieve CME and to avoid dangerous or massive bleeding.

Clinical heterogeneity of bladder cancer prognosis requires the identification of bladder tumors' molecular profile to improve the prediction value of the established and clinically used markers. In this study, we have analyzed miR-221/222 cluster expression in bladder tumors and its clinical significance for patients' prognosis and disease outcome. The study included 387 tissue specimens. Following extraction, total RNA was polyadenylated at 3'-end and reversed transcribed. SYBR-Green based qPCR assays were performed for the quantification of miR-221/222 expression. Extensive statistical analysis was completed for the evaluation of miR-221/222 cluster's clinical significance. The expression of miR-221/222 is significantly downregulated in tumors compared to normal urothelium, while ROC curve and logistic regression analysis highlighted cluster's discriminatory ability. However, miR-222 levels were increased in muscle-invasive (T2-T4) compared to superficial tumors (TaT1), and in high compared to low-grade tumors. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis revealed the stronger risk of TaT1 patients overexpressing miR-222 for disease short-term relapse and progression following treatment. Moreover, multivariate Cox models highlighted the independent prognostic value of miR-222 overexpression for TaT1 patients' poor prognosis. Finally, the analysis of miR-222 expression improved significantly the positive prediction strength of the clinically used prognostic markers of tumor stage, grade, EORTC risk-stratification and recurrence at the first follow-up cystoscopy for TaT1 patients' outcome, and resulted to higher clinical net benefit following decision curve analysis. In conclusion, the expression of miR-221/222 cluster is deregulated in bladder tumors and miR-222 overexpression results to a superior positive prediction of TaT1 patients' short-term relapse and progression.

INTRODUCTION: The elucidation of tumor molecular hallmarks and the identification of novel molecular markers are of first translational priority in breast and ovarian cancer research, aiming to support personalized disease treatment and monitoring decisions. Recent high-throughput studies have revealed that ~ 80% of the genome is transcribed into RNAs without protein-coding potential, namely non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), challenging the concept of 'junk DNA'. Undoubtedly, microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent the best-studied family classes, emerging as the most powerful gene-expression regulators at epigenetic, transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Areas covered: Cancer research has highlighted the active implication of ncRNAs, most notably of miRNAs and lncRNAs, in almost every aspect of the cancer cells' biology as well as their deregulated expression in both breast and ovarian tumors. In the present manuscript we discuss the existing knowledge regarding the involvement of miRNAs and lncRNAs in the molecular background of breast and ovarian malignancies, to highlight their clinical utility in improving disease management. Expert commentary: miRNAs and lncRNAs represent central mediators of cancer cells' phenotype, and promising molecular markers and therapeutic targets to support precision medicine in breast and ovarian cancers.

The mixed sandwich U(III) complex {U[η8-C8H6(1,4-Si(iPr)3)2](Cp*)(THF)} reacts with the organic azides RN3 (R = SiMe3, 1-Ad, BMes2) to afford the corresponding, structurally characterised U(V) imido complexes {U[η8-C8H6(1,4-Si(iPr)3)2](Cp*)(NR)}. In the case of R = SiMe3, the reducing power of the U(III) complex leads to reductive coupling as a parallel minor reaction pathway, forming R-R and the U(IV) azide-bridged complex{[U]}2(μ-N3)2, along with the expected [U] = NR complex. All three [U] = NR complexes show a quasi-reversible one electron reduction between −1.6 and −1.75 V, and for R = SiMe3, chemical reduction using K/Hg affords the anionic U(IV) complex K+{U[η8-C8H6(1,4-Si(iPr)3)2](Cp*) = NSiMe3}-. The molecular structure of the latter shows an extended structure in the solid state in which the K counter cations are successively sandwiched between the Cp* ligand of one [U] anion and the COTtips2 ligand of the next.

Disorders of neuronal mispositioning during brain development are phenotypically heterogeneous and their genetic causes remain largely unknown. Here, we report biallelic variants in a Hippo signaling factor-MOB2-in a patient with one such disorder, periventricular nodular heterotopia (PH). Genetic and cellular analysis of both variants confirmed them to be loss-of-function with enhanced sensitivity to transcript degradation via nonsense mediated decay (NMD) or increased protein turnover via the proteasome. Knockdown of Mob2 within the developing mouse cortex demonstrated its role in neuronal positioning. Cilia positioning and number within migrating neurons was also impaired with comparable defects detected following a reduction in levels of an upstream modulator of Mob2 function, Dchs1, a previously identified locus associated with PH. Moreover, reduced Mob2 expression increased phosphorylation of Filamin A, an actin cross-linking protein frequently mutated in cases of this disorder. These results reveal a key role for Mob2 in correct neuronal positioning within the developing cortex and outline a new candidate locus for PH development.

This research deals with the flood risk in the island of Naxos (Cyclades, Greece). In the stream called Peritsi or Paratrexos, the geomorphology, geology, the land uses and the relief of its drainage basin were studied in detail. These results allowed the estimation of flood risk in the area of Naxos, as well as the security measures that need to be applied. The main aim is the investigation between the relation of rainfall and the outflow with the use of hydrographs. Thus an evaluation of the flood risk of this basin has been studied. In order to produce results of high accuracy the basin was divided into 13 smaller sub-basins which were interpreted separately. For the optimum application of method Clark, there were two tools used: a) water level recorder, b) Meteorological station. Based on the processes mentioned above, individual hydrographs were produced for each of the 13 sub-basins. Once again, the main goal of this project is to compare the rain and outflow parameters in order to identify the areas of the highest risk. Additionally, a flood map has been developed which visualizes the risk scale in a color coded image.

Background: The Transmission Reduction Intervention Project (TRIP) is a network-based intervention that aims at decreasing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) spread. We herein explore associations between transmission links as estimated by phylogenetic analyses, and social network-based ties among persons who inject drugs (PWID) recruited in TRIP. Methods: Phylogenetic trees were inferred from HIV-1 sequences of TRIP participants. Highly supported phylogenetic clusters (transmission clusters) were those fulfilling 3 different phylogenetic confidence criteria. Social network-based ties (injecting or sexual partners, same venue engagement) were determined based on personal interviews, recruitment links, and field observation. Results: TRIP recruited 356 individuals (90.2% PWID) including HIV-negative controls; recently HIV-infected seeds; long-term HIV-infected seeds; and their social network members. Of the 150 HIV-infected participants, 118 (78.7%) were phylogenetically analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses suggested the existence of 13 transmission clusters with 32 sequences. Seven of these clusters included 14 individuals (14/32 [43.8%]) who also had social ties with at least 1 member of their cluster. This proportion was significantly higher than what was expected by chance. Conclusions: Molecular methods can identify HIV-infected people socially linked with another person in about half of the phylogenetic clusters. This could help public health efforts to locate individuals in networks with high transmission rates.

BACKGROUND: The Transmission Reduction Intervention Project (TRIP) is a network-based intervention that aims at decreasing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) spread. We herein explore associations between transmission links as estimated by phylogenetic analyses, and social network-based ties among persons who inject drugs (PWID) recruited in TRIP. METHODS: Phylogenetic trees were inferred from HIV-1 sequences of TRIP participants. Highly supported phylogenetic clusters (transmission clusters) were those fulfilling 3 different phylogenetic confidence criteria. Social network-based ties (injecting or sexual partners, same venue engagement) were determined based on personal interviews, recruitment links, and field observation. RESULTS: TRIP recruited 356 individuals (90.2% PWID) including HIV-negative controls; recently HIV-infected seeds; long-term HIV-infected seeds; and their social network members. Of the 150 HIV-infected participants, 118 (78.7%) were phylogenetically analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses suggested the existence of 13 transmission clusters with 32 sequences. Seven of these clusters included 14 individuals (14/32 [43.8%]) who also had social ties with at least 1 member of their cluster. This proportion was significantly higher than what was expected by chance. CONCLUSIONS: Molecular methods can identify HIV-infected people socially linked with another person in about half of the phylogenetic clusters. This could help public health efforts to locate individuals in networks with high transmission rates.

BACKGROUND: Current chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) include oxaliplatin, irinotecan, and fluorouracil along with leucovorin. Cytotoxicity involves the induction of programmed cell death. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the molecular effects of doxorubicin (a 14-OH derivative of the natural product daunorubicin) and common chemotherapeutic drugs (used in the clinical practice to treat CRC) on the expression of the most prominent members of the BCL2 family, namely BCL2, BAX, BCLX, and MCL1. Moreover, we sought to define the role of BCL2L12, another member of the BCL2 family, the apoptotic role of which is ambiguous. METHODS: The MTT cell proliferation assay was used to determine the IC50 of each chemotherapeutic drug at 72 hours of treatment of Caco-2 and DLD-1 colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines. Real-time PCR was used to quantify the antiapoptotic BCL2-alpha, BLCX-L, and MCL1-L transcripts, the proapoptotic BAX, BLCX-S, BLCX-ES, MCL1-S, and MCL1-ES transcripts, and BCL2L12 expression in relation to GAPDH mRNA levels. RESULTS: We constructed growth curves of Caco-2 and DLD-1 cells and determined the IC50 of each drug at 72 hours of treatment. Significant alterations in the expression levels of the studied BCL2 family genes and/or particular transcripts were observed. CONCLUSION: The intrinsic apoptotic pathway is activated during treatment of CRC cells with common chemotherapeutic drugs. Moreover, BCL2L12 mRNA expression increases progressively during treatment, similarly to the expression of other BCL2 family genes favoring apoptosis and/or particular proapoptotic transcripts, thus suggesting a proapoptotic role for BCL2L12 in chemotherapy-treated CRC cells.

Ukraine has one of the largest HIV epidemics in Europe, historically driven by people who inject drugs (PWID). The epidemic showed signs of stabilization in 2012, but the recent war in eastern Ukraine may be reigniting virus spread. We investigated the movement of HIV-infected people within Ukraine before and during the conflict. We analyzed HIV-1 subtype-Anucleotide sequences sampled during 2012-2015 from 427 patients of 24 regional AIDS centers and used phylogeographic analysis to reconstruct virus movement among different locations in Ukraine. We then tested for correlations between reported PWID behaviors and reconstructed patterns of virus spread. Our analyses suggest that Donetsk and Lugansk, two cities not controlled by the Ukrainian government in eastern Ukraine, were significant exporters of the virus to the rest of the country. Additional analyses showed that viral dissemination within the country changed after 2013. Spearman correlation analysis showed that incoming virus flow was correlated with the number of HIV-infected internally displaced people. Additionally, there was a correlation between more intensive virus movement and locations with a higher proportion of PWID practicing risky sexual behaviors. Our findings suggest that effective prevention responses should involve internally displaced people and people who frequently travel to war-affected regions. Scale-up of harm reduction services for PWID will be an important factor in preventing new local HIV outbreaks in Ukraine.

New diagnoses of HIV-1 infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) rocketed in Athens, Greece between 2011 and 2014 (HIV-1 outbreak). Our aim was to identify, during that period, potential cross-group transmissions between the within-Greece PWID and other risk or national groups using molecular methods. Sequences from 33 PWID were outside the PWID-outbreak networks in Greece (PWID-imported transmissions). Phylogenetic analyses on 28 of these sequences (subtypes A and B) showed that 11 subtype B infections originated from Greece, whereas 8 and 7 subtype A strains were from former Soviet Union countries (A(FSU)) and Greece, respectively. The putative source in half of the PWID-imported transmissions with Greek origin was an individual who acquired HIV via sexual contact. During four years of an HIV-1 outbreak among PWID in Athens, Greece, 33 individuals in this group (4.6% of all diagnoses with phylogenetic analyses) are likely to represent infections, sexually or injection-acquired, outside the within-Greece-PWID-outbreak networks. Combined molecular and traditional HIV surveillance to monitor introductions of new strains, and interventions that aim at reducing the rate of both injection and sexual risky practices are needed during drug injection-related HIV outbreaks.

New diagnoses of HIV-1 infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) rocketed in Athens, Greece between 2011 and 2014 (HIV-1 outbreak). Our aim was to identify, during that period, potential cross-group transmissions between the within-Greece PWID and other risk or national groups using molecular methods. Sequences from 33 PWID were outside the PWID-outbreak networks in Greece (PWID-imported transmissions). Phylogenetic analyses on 28 of these sequences (subtypes A and B) showed that 11 subtype B infections originated from Greece, whereas 8 and 7 subtype A strains were from former Soviet Union countries (AFSU) and Greece, respectively. The putative source in half of the PWID-imported transmissions with Greek origin was an individual who acquired HIV via sexual contact. During four years of an HIV-1 outbreak among PWID in Athens, Greece, 33 individuals in this group (4.6% of all diagnoses with phylogenetic analyses) are likely to represent infections, sexually or injection-acquired, outside the within-Greece-PWID-outbreak networks. Combined molecular and traditional HIV surveillance to monitor introductions of new strains, and interventions that aim at reducing the rate of both injection and sexual risky practices are needed during drug injection-related HIV outbreaks.

Proteasome is central to proteostasis network functionality and its overactivation represents a hallmark of advanced tumors; thus, its selective inhibition provides a strategy for the development of novel antitumor therapies. In support, proteasome inhibitors, e.g. Bortezomib or Carfilzomib have demonstrated clinical efficacy against hematological cancers. Herein, we studied proteasome regulation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and erythrocytes isolated from healthy donors or from Multiple Myeloma patients treated with Bortezomib or Carfilzomib. In healthy donors we found that peripheral blood mononuclear cells express higher, as compared to erythrocytes, basal proteasome activities, as well as that proteasome activities decline during aging. Studies in cells isolated from Multiple Myeloma patients treated with proteasome inhibitors revealed that in most (but, interestingly enough, not all) patients, proteasome activities decline in both cell types during therapy. In peripheral blood mononuclear cells, most proteostatic genes expression patterns showed a positive correlation during therapy indicating that proteostasis network modules likely respond to proteasome inhibition as a functional unit. Finally, the expression levels of antioxidant, chaperone and aggresomes removal/autophagy genes were found to inversely associate with patients' survival. Our studies will support a more personalized therapeutic approach in hematological malignancies treated with proteasome inhibitors.

Monitoring the evolution and benefits of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) in Europe has been a three-and-a-half year-long endeavour in terms of conceptual thinking, data challenges, pragmatic solutions, critical reflections and last but not least substantial findings. The study programme started with an initial scoping of the RRI dimensions (Gender equality, Public engagement, Science literacy and science education, Open access, Ethics, and as overarching dimension Governance). A heavy data collection exercise - including the collection of existing data and the launch of different surveys - was complemented by 蠰ڌ糰ڈtoring the Evolution and Benefits of Responsible Research and Innovation (MoRRI) was a project tasked with implementing a monitoring system for responsible research and innovation (RRI) across its five dimensions (gender equality, science literacy and science education, public engagement, ethics, open access/open data), and governance. In addition to identifying indicators for the evolution of RRI, it identified social, democratic, economic and scientific benefits of RRI, and also conducted preliminary work to lay out routes towards implementing impact indicators. This is the final report of the MoRRI project. It provides details of all aspects of the work carried out, analysis of the data collected, and insights and reflections obtained during the course of the project.

A multidisciplinary analysis comprising neotectonic mapping, morphotectonic indices, applied geophysics and remote sensing techniques was applied in the area affected by the 2008 NW Peloponnese (Western Greece) in order to map the recently-recognized E-W striking Pineios River normal fault zone with a high degree of accuracy, and to better understand its contribution to the evolution of the ancient region of Elis during Holocene time.Quantitative constraints on deformation caused by the faulting were applied through the application of morphometric and morphotectonic indices including drainage network asymmetry, longitudinal river profiles and valley floor slope changes, the river sinuosity index (SI) of modern channels as well as mountain front indices including mountain front sinuosity (Smf) and percentage of faceting along mountain front (F%). All of the aforementioned indicated that the Pineios fault zone is a highly active structure.The study area consists mainly of a succession of Pliocene to Holocene sediments. Already published 230Th/238U dating of corals from the upper layers of the sequence indicates a Tyrrhenian age for samples spanning three complete sections from the footwall of the Pineios fault zone. The deposition ages were determined to be 103 ka for the Psari section (at an elevation of 40-45 m above a.s.l.), 118 ka for the Neapolis section (at an elevation of 60–65 m a.s.l.) and 209 ka for the Aletreika section (at an elevation of 140–145 m a.s.l.). The sampling sites that are located north of Pineios fault zone should be located on a single fault block because there is no sign of tectonic disruption between them. The ages of these dated samples correspond to oxygen isotope stages 5.3, 5.5 and 7.3. These stages represent high sea-level stands for the Mediterranean Sea and especially for the western coast of Peloponnese. In particular, at 103 ka sea-level was ~13 m below present sea-level, at 118 ka it was ~1 m below present sea-level and at 209 ka it was ~7 m below present sea-level. From the age of each sample and the sea-level change that has occurred since deposition, uplift rates for the footwall of the Pineios fault zone were calculated as ~0.26 mm/yr for the Psari area, ~0.50 mm/yr for the Neapoli area and ~0.64 mm/yr for the Aletreika area. The maximum uplift rate of 0.64 mm/yr occurs in close proximity to the fault zone. The areas with lower uplift rates are located much further to the north. Because all sample locations are inferred to be within the same fault block, this implies back tilting of the fault block toward north, in full agreement with the rotational block-faulting inferred from structural studies based on fieldwork in the surrounding area.

Detection of the IceCube-170922A neutrino coincident with the flaring blazar TXS 0506+056, the first and only ∼3σ high-energy neutrino source association to date, offers a potential breakthrough in our understanding of high-energy cosmic particles and blazar physics. We present a comprehensive analysis of TXS 0506+056 during its flaring state, using newly collected Swift, NuSTAR, and X-shooter data with Fermi observations and numerical models to constrain the blazar’s particle acceleration processes and multimessenger (electromagnetic (EM) and high-energy neutrino) emissions. Accounting properly for EM cascades in the emission region, we find a physically consistent picture only within a hybrid leptonic scenario, with γ-rays produced by external inverse-Compton processes and high-energy neutrinos via a radiatively subdominant hadronic component. We derive robust constraints on the blazar’s neutrino and cosmic-ray emissions and demonstrate that, because of cascade effects, the 0.1-100 keV emissions of TXS 0506+056 serve as a better probe of its hadronic acceleration and high-energy neutrino production processes than its GeV-TeV emissions. If the IceCube neutrino association holds, physical conditions in the TXS 0506+056 jet must be close to optimal for high-energy neutrino production, and are not favorable for ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray acceleration. Alternatively, the challenges we identify in generating a significant rate of IceCube neutrino detections from TXS 0506+056 may disfavor single-zone models, in which γ-rays and high-energy neutrinos are produced in a single emission region. In concert with continued operations of the high-energy neutrino observatories, we advocate regular X-ray monitoring of TXS 0506+056 and other blazars in order to test single-zone blazar emission models, clarify the nature and extent of their hadronic acceleration processes, and carry out the most sensitive possible search for additional multimessenger sources.

Detection of the IceCube-170922A neutrino coincident with the flaring blazar TXS 0506+056, the first and only ∼3σ high-energy neutrino source association to date, offers a potential breakthrough in our understanding of high-energy cosmic particles and blazar physics. We present a comprehensive analysis of TXS 0506+056 during its flaring state, using newly collected Swift, NuSTAR, and X-shooter data with Fermi observations and numerical models to constrain the blazar’s particle acceleration processes and multimessenger (electromagnetic (EM) and high-energy neutrino) emissions. Accounting properly for EM cascades in the emission region, we find a physically consistent picture only within a hybrid leptonic scenario, with γ-rays produced by external inverse-Compton processes and high-energy neutrinos via a radiatively subdominant hadronic component. We derive robust constraints on the blazar’s neutrino and cosmic-ray emissions and demonstrate that, because of cascade effects, the 0.1-100 keV emissions of TXS 0506+056 serve as a better probe of its hadronic acceleration and high-energy neutrino production processes than its GeV-TeV emissions. If the IceCube neutrino association holds, physical conditions in the TXS 0506+056 jet must be close to optimal for high-energy neutrino production, and are not favorable for ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray acceleration. Alternatively, the challenges we identify in generating a significant rate of IceCube neutrino detections from TXS 0506+056 may disfavor single-zone models, in which γ-rays and high-energy neutrinos are produced in a single emission region. In concert with continued operations of the high-energy neutrino observatories, we advocate regular X-ray monitoring of TXS 0506+056 and other blazars in order to test single-zone blazar emission models, clarify the nature and extent of their hadronic acceleration processes, and carry out the most sensitive possible search for additional multimessenger sources.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a short-term fast eccentric and ballistic complex training program on muscle power, rate of force development (RFD), muscle fiber composition, and cross-sectional area (CSA). METHODS: Sixteen male physical education students were randomly assigned to either a training group (TG, n = 8) or a control group (n = 8). The TG followed a 6-wk low volume training program, including fast eccentric squat training with an individually optimized load of 74% ± 7% of maximal half-squat strength (1RM) twice per week and a ballistic training session with loaded (30% 1RM) and unloaded jump squats, once per week, all combined with unloaded plyometric jumps. RESULTS: Half squat 1RM was increased in the TG from 1.87 ± 0.28 to 2.14 ± 0.31 kg per kilogram body mass (14.4% ± 9.3%, P = 0.01). The percentage of types I, IIA, and IIX fibers were similar in the two groups at pretesting and did not change after the intervention period (P = 0.53-0.89). Muscle fiber CSA increased in all fiber types by 8.3% to 11.6% (P = 0.02 to 0.001) in TG only. Countermovement jump height and peak power measured at five different external loads (0%-65% of 1RM) only increased in the TG by approximately 20% to 36% (P < 0.01) and approximately 16% to 22% (P < 0.01), respectively. Peak ground reaction force during jump squats remained unchanged in both groups, whereas RFD increased in the TG only (40%-107%, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A combination of low-volume fast eccentric and ballistic jump squat training with plyometric jumps in a strength-power potentiation complex format, induced substantial increases in peak leg muscle power, RFD, and maximal strength, accompanied by gains in CSA of all muscle fiber types, without a reduction in fast twitch fiber composition.

Ten years after the occurrence of the Andravida earthquake (2008) several aspects were investigated, including its connection to neighboring spatiotemporal clusters in the following years. On 8 June 2008 at 12:25 GMT a large earthquake (Mw=6.4) occurred NE of Andravida (Greece) in an area characterized by relatively low seismicity. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that this major event was successfully predicted by a previous study, taking into account decelerating accelerating seismicity. Data recorded by the Unified Hellenic Seismological Network (HUSN)were analyzed to study the aftershock sequence and local velocity structure. The modeling of teleseismic P, SV and SH waves provided well-constrained focal mechanism solutions of the mainshock and its major aftershocks with magnitude M > 3.4. The constrained fault plane solutions represent dextral strike slip type faulting. The spatial distribution of the aftershocks, as well as the calculation of the slip distribution and Local Earthquake Tomography (LET), provided evidence that the rupture plane is the one with NE-SW direction. Surface breaks were observed inseveral sites but in most cases their direction was perpendicular to the rupture plane and can be characterized as secondary effects. The source process was characterized by unilateral rupture propagation towards the city of Patras, to the NE, where a seismic sequence was initiated after the Mw=3.9 event of the 27th December 2012 along the ENE-WSW Agia Triada normal fault.

Chirality plays an essential role in life, providing unique functionalities to a wide range of biomolecules, chemicals, and drugs, which makes chiral sensing and analysis critically important. The wider application of chiral sensing continues to be constrained by the involved chiral signals being inherently weak. To remedy this, plasmonic and dielectric nanostructures have recently been shown to offer a viable route for enhancing weak circular dichroism (CD) effects, but most relevant studies have thus far been ad hoc, not guided by a rigorous analytical methodology. Here, we report the first analytical treatment of CD enhancement and extraction from a chiral biolayer placed on top of a nanostructured substrate. We derive closed-form expressions of the CD and its functional dependence on the background-chiroptical response, substrate thickness and chirality, as well as on the optical chirality and intensity enhancement provided by the structure. Our results provide key insights into the trade-offs that are to be accommodated in the design and conception of optimal nanophotonic structures for enhancing CD effects for chiral molecule detection. Based on our analysis, we also introduce a practical, dielectric platform for chiral sensing featuring large CD enhancements while exhibiting vanishing chiroptical background noise. © 2018 American Chemical Society.

Recently, four different operative techniques, referring to the primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, were described. These are the dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS) with Ligamys™, the Bridge-enhanced repair (BEAR), the use of internal brace, and the refixation with suture anchors. The purpose of this study was to assess the already-published, clinical, and pre-clinical results of those techniques. A literature review was conducted and implemented by three independent researchers. Inclusion criteria were clinical or cadaveric or animal studies about patients suffering from ACL rupture, who were treated with one of those four different arthroscopic techniques of primary ACL repair. There were 10 clinical trials dealing with the different techniques of primary ACL repair and 12 cadaveric or animal studies. The majority of the published clinical trials investigated the dynamic intraligamentary stabilization (DIS), while only four studies referred to the three other surgical techniques. Most of the clinical trials suggested that primary ACL repair should be done during the first 14-21 days after a proximal ACL rupture and not later. Further clinical evidence is needed for the techniques of bridge-enhanced ACL repair, internal brace, and suture anchors ACL refixation in order to support the animal and cadaveric biomechanical studies. Till now, the existing clinical trials were not enough to establish the use of those techniques in the ACL-ruptured patients. On the contrary, the Dynamic intraligamentary stabilization with Ligamys™ device demonstrated very promising results in different types of clinical studies.

BACKGROUND: TRIP (Transmission Reduction Intervention Project) was a network-based, contact tracing approach to locate and link to care, mostly people who inject drugs (PWID) with recent HIV infection. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether sequences from HIV-infected participants with high viral load cluster together more frequently than what is expected by chance. METHODS: Paired end reads were generated for 104 samples using Illumina MiSeq next-generation sequencing. RESULTS: 63 sequences belonged to previously identified local transmission networks of PWID (LTNs) of an HIV outbreak in Athens, Greece. For two HIV-RNA cut-offs (105 and 106 IU/mL), HIV transmissions were more likely between PWID with similar levels of HIV-RNA (p<0.001). 10 of the 14 sequences (71.4%) from PWID with HIV-RNA >106 IU/mL were clustered in 5 pairs. For 4 of these clusters (80%), there was in each one of them at least one sequence from a recently HIVinfected PWID. CONCLUSION: We showed that transmissions are more likely among PWID with high viremia.

PURPOSE: This paper presents an overview of different kinds of risk and social network methods and the kinds of research questions each can address. RECENT FINDINGS: It also reviews what network research has discovered about how network characteristics are associated with HIV and other infections, risk behaviors, preventive behaviors, and care, and discusses some ways in which network-based public health interventions have been conducted. Based on this, risk and social network research and interventions seem both feasible and valuable for addressing the many public health and social problems raised by the widespread use of opioids in the US South.

Background: The thyroid gland has a special relationship with oxidative stress. While generation of oxidative substances is part of normal iodide metabolism during thyroid hormone synthesis, the gland must also defend itself against excessive oxidation in order to maintain normal function. Antioxidant and detoxification enzymes aid thyroid cells to maintain homeostasis by ameliorating oxidative insults, including during exposure to excess iodide, but the factors that coordinate their expression with the cellular redox status are not known. The antioxidant response system comprising the ubiquitously expressed NFE2-related transcription factor 2 (Nrf2) and its redox-sensitive cytoplasmic inhibitor Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) defends tissues against oxidative stress, thereby protecting against pathologies that relate to DNA, protein, and/or lipid oxidative damage. Thus, it was hypothesized that Nrf2 should also have important roles in maintaining thyroid homeostasis. Methods: Ubiquitous and thyroid-specific male C57BL6J Nrf2 knockout (Nrf2-KO) mice were studied. Plasma and thyroids were harvested for evaluation of thyroid function tests by radioimmunoassays and of gene and protein expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, respectively. Nrf2-KO and Keap1-KO clones of the PCCL3 rat thyroid follicular cell line were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and were used for gene and protein expression studies. Software-predicted Nrf2 binding sites on the thyroglobulin enhancer were validated by site-directed in vitro mutagenesis and chromatin immunoprecipitation. Results: The study shows that Nrf2 mediates antioxidant transcriptional responses in thyroid cells and protects the thyroid from oxidation induced by iodide overload. Surprisingly, it was also found that Nrf2 has a dramatic impact on both the basal abundance and the thyrotropin-inducible intrathyroidal abundance of thyroglobulin (Tg), the precursor protein of thyroid hormones. This effect is mediated by cell-autonomous regulation of Tg gene expression by Nrf2 via its direct binding to two evolutionarily conserved antioxidant response elements in an upstream enhancer. Yet, despite upregulating Tg levels, Nrf2 limits Tg iodination both under basal conditions and in response to excess iodide. Conclusions: Nrf2 exerts pleiotropic roles in the thyroid gland to couple cell stress defense mechanisms to iodide metabolism and the thyroid hormone synthesis machinery, both under basal conditions and in response to excess iodide.

NGC 300 ULX1 is a newly identified ultra-luminous X-ray pulsar. The system is associated with the supernova impostor SN 2010da that was later classified as a possible supergiant Be X-ray binary. In this work we report on the spin period evolution of the neutron star based on all the currently available X-ray observations of the system. We argue that the X-ray luminosity of the system has remained almost constant since 2010, at a level above ten times the Eddington limit. Moreover, we find evidence that the spin period of the neutron star evolved from ∼126 s down to ∼18 s within a period of about 4 years. We explain this unprecedented spin evolution in terms of the standard accretion torque theory. An intriguing consequence for NGC 300 ULX1 is that a neutron star spin reversal should have occurred a few years after the SN 2010da event.

NICER observed the new transient Swift J005139.2-721704 located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), and discovered on 2018 Nov. 9 (ATel #12209). The source position identified using Swift XRT as RA=00:51:39.2 and DEC=-72:17:03.6 (with an uncertainty of 1.4 & Prime;, ATel #12209).

Context. High-resolution radio imaging of active galactic nuclei (AGN) has revealed that the jets of some sources present superluminal knots and transverse stratification. Recent observational projects, such as ALMA and γ-ray telescopes, such as HESS and HESS2 have provided new observational constraints on the central regions of rotating black holes in AGN, suggesting that there is an inner- or spine-jet surrounded by a disk wind. This relativistic spine-jet is likely to be composed of electron-positron pairs extracting energy from the black hole and will be explored by the future γ-ray telescope CTA. Aims: In this article we present an extension to and generalization of relativistic jets in Kerr metric of the Newtonian meridional self-similar mechanism. We aim at modeling the inner spine-jet of AGN as a relativistic light outflow emerging from a spherical corona surrounding a Kerr black hole and its inner accretion disk. Methods: The model is built by expanding the metric and the forces with colatitude to first order in the magnetic flux function. As a result of the expansion, all colatitudinal variations of the physical quantities are quantified by a unique parameter. Unlike previous models, effects of the light cylinder are not neglected. Results: Solutions with high Lorentz factors are obtained and provide spine-jet models up to the polar axis. As in previous publications, we calculate the magnetic collimation efficiency parameter, which measures the variation of the available energy across the field lines. This collimation efficiency is an integral part of the model, generalizing the classical magnetic rotator efficiency criterion to Kerr metric. We study the variation of the magnetic efficiency and acceleration with the spin of the black hole and show their high sensitivity to this integral. Conclusions: These new solutions model collimated or radial, relativistic or ultra-relativistic outflows in AGN or γ-ray bursts. In particular, we discuss the relevance of our solutions to modeling the M 87 spine-jet. We study the efficiency of the central black hole spin to collimate a spine-jet and show that the jet power is of the same order as that determined by numerical simulations.

In the 1973 November 17 the (Greek) Polytechnic University students did revolt. Comparing to other students’ revolts across Europe and elsewhere this rebellion was delayed due to the military junta outburst in Greece in 1967 (which, apparently, restricted and restrained any political movements). Apart from the literature that either emphasizes on the political and ideological meanings of this uprising or on the negation of it, it seems interesting to search for its imprint in social attitude, given the 2010-2018 Greek multi-crisis and the many riots outburst, whereas the 62% "NO" in the "2015 bailout referendum"can be considered as a milestone of this social attitudeand of the crisis as well. This presentation aims to search the connections between (a) the "myth" behind the youth (and people’s) resistance, which can be briefly mentioned as "resistance culture" along with the educational myths that cultivated this culture, and (b) the "anti-...(anything)" movement and the following riots which devastated institutions and cities across Greece, particularly during this period of multi-crisis.An historiographical and genealogical method will be used in order to reveal the roots of the societal attitude towards this "resistance culture". The Press and other Media as well as the school history curriculum could be considered as the historical data to proof these connections. The highly ideologized perception of the past (which includes the "1973 November 17 th " students’ uprising) on behalf of certain political parties (or groups) and the social legitimization of this perception through school is expected to be emerged as a conclusion.

Aging is a complex biological process affecting almost all living organisms. Although its detrimental effects on animals' physiology have been extensively documented, several aspects of the biology of aging are insufficiently understood. Mitochondria, the central energy producers of the cell, play vital roles in a wide range of cellular processes, including regulation of bioenergetics, calcium signaling, metabolic responses, and cell death, among others. Thus, proper mitochondrial function is a prerequisite for the maintenance of cellular and organismal homeostasis. Several mitochondrial quality control mechanisms have evolved to allow adaptation to different metabolic conditions, thereby preserving cellular homeostasis and survival. A tight coordination between mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial selective autophagy, known as mitophagy, is a common characteristic of healthy biological systems. The balanced interplay between these two opposing cellular processes dictates stress resistance, healthspan, and lifespan extension. Mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy efficiency decline with age, leading to progressive accumulation of damaged and/or unwanted mitochondria, deterioration of cellular function, and ultimately death. Several regulatory factors that contribute to energy homeostasis have been implicated in the development and progression of many pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders, among others. Therefore, mitophagy modulation may serve as a novel potential therapeutic approach to tackle age-associated pathologies. Here, we review the molecular signaling pathways that regulate and coordinate mitophagy with mitochondrial biogenesis, highlighting critical factors that hold promise for the development of pharmacological interventions toward enhancing human health and quality of life throughout aging.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with well-integrated multimodality imaging properties have generated increasing research interest in the past decade, especially when it comes to the targeted imaging of tumors. Bevacizumab (BCZM) on the other hand is a well-known and widely applied monoclonal antibody recognizing VEGF-A, which is overexpressed in angiogenesis. The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to develop a dual-modality nanoplatform for in vivo targeted single photon computed emission tomography (SPECT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of tumor vascularization. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been coated with dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), for consequent functionalization with the monoclonal antibody BCZM radiolabeled with Tc-99m, via well-developed surface engineering. The IONPs were characterized based on their size distribution, hydrodynamic diameter and magnetic properties. In vitro cytotoxicity studies showed that our nanoconstruct does not cause toxic effects in normal and cancer cells. Fe3O4-DMSA-SMCC-BCZM-Tc-99m were successfully prepared at high radiochemical purity (> 92%) and their stability in human serum and in PBS were demonstrated. In vitro cell binding studies showed the ability of the Fe3O4-DMSA-SMCC-BCZM-Tc-99m to bind to the VEGF-165 isoform overexpressed on M-165 tumor cells. The ex vivo biodistribution studies in M165 tumor-bearing SCID mice showed high uptake in liver, spleen, kidney and lungs. The Fe3O4-DMSA-SMCC-BCZM-Tc-99m demonstrated quick tumor accumulation starting at 8.9 +/- 1.88% ID/g at 2 h p.i., slightly increasing at 4 h p.i. (16.21 +/- 2.56% ID/g) and then decreasing at 24 h p.i. (6.01 +/- 1.69% ID/g). The tumor-to-blood ratio reached a maximum at 24 h p.i. (similar to 7), which is also the case for the tumor-to- muscle ratio (similar to 18). Initial pilot imaging studies on an experimental gamma-camera and a clinical MR camera prove our hypothesis and demonstrate the potential of Fe3O4-DMSA-SMCC-BCZM-Tc-99m for targeted dual-modality imaging. Our findings indicate that Fe3O4-DMSA-SMCC-BCZM-Tc-99m IONPs could serve as an important diagnostic tool for biomedical imaging as well as a promising candidate for future theranostic applications in cancer.

The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) are connected in a reciprocal manner: whereas the hippocampus projects directly to the PFC, a polysynaptic pathway that passes through the nucleus reuniens (RE) of the thalamus relays inputs from the PFC to the hippocampus. The present study demonstrates that lesioning and/or inactivation of the RE reduces coherence in the PFC-hippocampal pathway, provokes an antidepressant-like behavioral response in the forced swim test and prevents, but does not ameliorate, anhedonia in the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression. Additionally, RE lesioning before CMS abrogates the well-known neuromorphological and endocrine correlates of CMS. In summary, this work highlights the importance of the reciprocal connectivity between the hippocampus and PFC in the establishment of stress-induced brain pathology and suggests a role for the RE in promoting resilience to depressive illness.

The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) are connected in a reciprocal manner: whereas the hippocampus projects directly to the PFC, a polysynaptic pathway that passes through the nucleus reuniens (RE) of the thalamus relays inputs from the PFC to the hippocampus. The present study demonstrates that lesioning and/or inactivation of the RE reduces coherence in the PFC-hippocampal pathway, provokes an antidepressant-like behavioral response in the forced swim test and prevents, but does not ameliorate, anhedonia in the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression. Additionally, RE lesioning before CMS abrogates the well-known neuromorphological and endocrine correlates of CMS. In summary, this work highlights the importance of the reciprocal connectivity between the hippocampus and PFC in the establishment of stress-induced brain pathology and suggests a role for the RE in promoting resilience to depressive illness.

Continuously rising trends in obesity-related malignancies render this disease spectrum a public health priority. Worldwide, the burden of cancer attributable to obesity, expressed as population attributable fraction, is 11.9% in men and 13.1% in women. There is convincing evidence that excess body weight is associated with an increased risk for cancer of at least 13 anatomic sites, including endometrial, esophageal, renal and pancreatic adenocarcinomas; hepatocellular carcinoma; gastric cardia cancer; meningioma; multiple myeloma; colorectal, postmenopausal breast, ovarian, gallbladder and thyroid cancers. We first synopsize current epidemiologic evidence; the obesity paradox in cancer risk and mortality; the role of weight gain and weight loss in the modulation of cancer risk; reliable somatometric indicators for obesity and cancer research; and gender differences in obesity related cancers. We critically summarize emerging biological mechanisms linking obesity to cancer encompassing insulin resistance and abnormalities of the IGF-I system and signaling; sex hormones biosynthesis and pathway; subclinical chronic low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress; alterations in adipokine pathophysiology; factors deriving from ectopic fat deposition; microenvironment and cellular perturbations including vascular perturbations, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, endoplasmic reticulum stress and migrating adipose progenitor cells; disruption of circadian rhythms; dietary nutrients; factors with potential significance such as the altered intestinal microbiome; and mechanic factors in obesity and cancer. Future perspectives regarding prevention, diagnosis and therapeutics are discussed. The aim of this review is to investigate how the interplay of these main potential mechanisms and risk factors, exerts their effects on target tissues provoking them to acquire a cancerous phenotype.

The X-ray source 1RXS J051439.2-021615 (RA 05h14m39.20s, Dec -02d16m15.00, J2000.0) showed an optical V-band flare, during the night of 25/26 January 2018 (JD=2458114).

Βιβλίο Περιλήψεων του 6ου Συνεδρίου της ΕΚΕ- Δημοσίευση περίληψης: http://www.hellenicsociology.gr/el/content/175, σελ. 36. Ο ψηφιακός εγγραμματισμός λειτουργεί ως εξαιρετικό μέσον για την ισόνομη μεταχείριση και πλήρη ενσωμάτωση κοινωνικά αποκλεισμένων ομάδων στην κοινωνία της πληροφορίας. Προβαίνοντας σε μια ανάλυση των πρόσφατων ερευνών και συζητήσεων για το ψηφιακό χάσμα, τις απαιτούμενες σήμερα ψηφιακές δεξιότητες και τη μελλοντική ζήτηση, αυτή η μελέτη επικεντρώνεται στην έμφυλη διάσταση. Ερευνητικά δεδομένα επιβεβαιώνουν ότι δεκαετίες προτάσεων και παρεμβάσεων—ερευνητικών, πολιτικών, κοινωνικών, νομοθετικών—δεν αύξησαν τη γυναικεία συμμετοχή σε κλάδους STEM (Φυσικές Επιστήμες, Τεχνολογία, Επιστήμη των Μηχανικών, Μαθηματικά) και ΤΠΕ (Τεχνολογίες της Πληροφορίας και Επικοινωνίας). Οι γυναίκες αποτελούν αόρατη μειονότητα σε αυτούς τους τομείς, παρά τις ενέργειες του κινήματος για την κοινωνική ενσωμάτωση/ένταξη των γυναικών και κοριτσιών στις ΤΠΕ και την ευρεία αναγνώριση της σημαντικότητας των ψηφιακών δεξιοτήτων που απαιτούνται σήμερα στους χώρους εργασίας της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Τα αποτελέσματα εμπειρικών ερευνών αναδεικνύουν τη ζωτική σημασία αναμόρφωσης της εκπαίδευσης STEM ώστε να συμπεριλάβει την έμφυλη διάσταση, δεδομένου ότι οι κοινωνικές προκαταλήψεις ξεκινούν από μικρή ηλικία. Επισημαίνεται, επίσης και η αναγκαιότητα να καθορισθούν και να καταγραφούν από τους βιομηχανικούς θεσμούς οι πραγματικές ανάγκες, οι συγκεκριμένες απαιτήσεις και ψηφιακές δεξιότητες που απαιτούνται σήμερα. Η μελέτη αυτή ολοκληρώνεται με τις αφηγήσεις ζωής και πολύτιμες συμβουλές διακεκριμένων γυναικών στην κοινωνία της πληροφορίας και των ΤΠΕ.      -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. 1.      Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη. (2018). Ψηφιακές δεξιότητες και ψηφιακό χάσμα: Εισάγοντας τη διάσταση του φύλου. Εισήγηση στο 6ο ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΗΣ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑΣ «Η κοινωνιολογία και ο δημόσιος ρόλος της στην εποχή της μεταμόρφωσης του κόσμου», εισήγηση 30 Μαρτίου στο Χαροκόπειο Πανεπιστήμιο, Σχολή Περιβάλλοντος, Γεωγραφίας & Εφαρμοσμένων Οικονομικών, Αθήνα: Ελληνική Κοινωνιολογική Εταιρείας (ΕΚΕ)- Hellenic Sociological Society (HSS). Publisher's VersionAbstract sociology_in_times_of_crisis_certificate.pdf digitalskillsanddigitalexclusionarticle.pp_.202-210.pdf Βιβλίο Περιλήψεων 6ου Συνεδρίου της ΕΚΕ http://www.hellenicsociology.gr/el/content/175, σελ. 36.

PROMOTING A GENDER NEUTRAL-INCLUSIVE MILITARY SOCIETY THROUGH COED SPORTS...... Abstract This study examines women’s inclusion in the Armed Forces in Greece, a traditionally male-dominated social space. It discusses women’s participation in all three sectors of the Armed Forces— administrative and institutional posts—as opposed to their past engagement in secondary, subordinate or unofficial roles, i.e. war nurses and volunteers. Despite women’s entry—in the last three decades—research indicates they experience gender discrimination in many areas of the male-centric and hierarchal structures of the Armed Forces. This pilot study shows that participation in sport activities with men reduces social discrimination related to gender. It explores how coed sports (joint sport participation) in the education programs of the Hellenic Armed Forces contributes to changing gender stereotypes and promoting "gender neutrality" (Kamberidou 2012), namely "a gender-neutral inclusive" military society (Kamberidou & Patsantaras 2005), consequently reducing gender discrimination and encouraging respect for diversity. The findings also show that the coed sport programs and activities promote women’s acceptance by their male colleagues, including trust, team effectiveness, team spirit, collaboration, empathy, problem-solving skills, and self-esteem.  Key words: Gender Neutrality, Women, Sport, Armed Forces ΠΡΟΩΘΩΝΤΑΣ ΤΗΝ ΕΜΦΥΛΗ ΟΥΔΕΤΕΡΟΤΗΤΑ ΣΤΙΣ ΕΝΟΠΛΕΣ ΔΥΝΑΜΕΙΣ ΔΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΝΗΣ ΣΥΜΜΕΤΟΧΗΣ ΑΝΔΡΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΓΥΝΑΙΚΩΝ ΣΕ ΑΘΛΗΤΙΚΕΣ ΔΡΑΣΤΗΡΙΟΤΗΤΕΣ ......ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗΟι δυνατότητες πρόσβασης των γυναικών στις Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις στην ελληνική επικράτεια, υπό την έννοια ανάληψης διοικητικής ή άλλης μορφής θεσμικής ευθύνης,  είναι ένα φαινόμενο των τριών τελευταίων δεκαετιών. Ο χώρος των Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων παραδοσιακά χαρακτηρίζονταν ως ένας ανδροκεντρικός χώρος, με τον οποίο οι γυναίκες σχετίζονταν μόνο επικουρικά, αναλαμβάνοντας βοηθητικούς ρόλους, κυρίως σε περιόδους πολεμικών συρράξεων. Σήμερα όμως  πολλές γυναίκες στελεχώνουν και τους τρεις κλάδους των Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων: Στρατό Ξηράς, Πολεμική Αεροπορία και Πολεμικό ναυτικό. Ωστόσο σε έρευνες επισημαίνεται ότι πολλές φορές οι γυναίκες δεν απολαμβάνουν ισόνομη μεταχείριση και  υφίστανται ποικίλες διακρίσεις  σε αυτές τις κοινωνικές περιοχές. Ερευνητικά δεδομένα επίσης υποστηρίζουν, ότι η συμμετοχή ανδρών και γυναικών σε κοινές αθλητικές δραστηριότητες, λειτουργεί καταλυτικά στην άμβλυνση αρνητικών παραδοσιακών στερεοτύπων που συνδέονται γενικά με την δραστηριοποίηση της γυναίκας σε χώρους που παραδοσιακά θεωρούνταν ανδροκεντρικοί. Η μελέτη αυτή είναι μια πιλοτική μελέτη περίπτωσης,  η οποία λαμβάνοντας υπ’ όψιν τη σχετική με τα ζητήματα αυτά βιβλιογραφία, διερευνά κατά πόσον η κοινή συμμετοχή σε αθλητικές δραστηριότητες που συντελούνται στα προγράμματα εκπαίδευσης των Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων, μπορεί να συντελέσει στην προώθηση αντιλήψεων και στάσεων οι οποίες μπορούν να προάγουν και να ενεργοποιήσουν μια έμφυλη ουδετερότητα (Kamberidou, 2011, Καμπερίδου 2012). Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι η συμμετοχή των γυναικών σε κοινά αθλητικά προγράμματα των Ενόπλων Δυνάμεων, προάγει την αυτό-εκτίμηση τους, την αποδοχή τους από τους άνδρες συναδέλφους, αλλά και την ομαδική αποτελεσματικότητα και την παγίωση κλίματος εμπιστοσύνης μεταξύ των φύλων.         

Ο ψηφιακός εγγραμματισμός λειτουργεί ως εξαιρετικό μέσον για την ισόνομη μεταχείριση και πλήρη ενσωμάτωση κοινωνικά αποκλεισμένων ομάδων στην κοινωνία της πληροφορίας. Προβαίνοντας σε μια ανάλυση των πρόσφατων ερευνών και συζητήσεων για το ψηφιακό χάσμα, τις απαιτούμενες σήμερα ψηφιακές δεξιότητες και τη μελλοντική ζήτηση, αυτή η μελέτη επικεντρώνεται στην έμφυλη διάσταση. Ερευνητικά δεδομένα επιβεβαιώνουν ότι δεκαετίες προτάσεων και παρεμβάσεων—ερευνητικών, πολιτικών, κοινωνικών, νομοθετικών—δεν αύξησαν τη γυναικεία συμμετοχή στους κλάδους των STEM (επιστήμη, τεχνολογία,  μηχανική, μαθηματικά) και τις Τεχνολογίες της Πληροφορίας και Επικοινωνίας (ΤΠΕ). Οι γυναίκες αποτελούν αόρατη μειονότητα σε αυτούς τους τομείς, παρά τις ενέργειες του κινήματος για την κοινωνική ενσωμάτωση/ένταξη των γυναικών και κοριτσιών στις ΤΠΕ και την ευρεία αναγνώριση της σημαντικότητας των ψηφιακών δεξιοτήτων που απαιτούνται σήμερα στους χώρους εργασίας της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Τα αποτελέσματα εμπειρικών ερευνών αναδεικνύουν τη ζωτική σημασία αναμόρφωσης της εκπαίδευσης STEM ώστε να συμπεριλάβει την έμφυλη διάσταση, δεδομένου ότι οι κοινωνικές προκαταλήψεις ξεκινούν από μικρή ηλικία. Επισημαίνεται, επίσης και η  αναγκαιότητα να καθορισθούν και να καταγραφούν από τους βιομηχανικούς θεσμούς οι πραγματικές ανάγκες, οι συγκεκριμένες απαιτήσεις και οι ψηφιακές δεξιότητες που απαιτούνται σήμερα. Η μελέτη αυτή ολοκληρώνεται με μια συνοπτική αναφορά στις  πολύτιμες συμβουλές διακεκριμένων γυναικών στην κοινωνία της πληροφορίας και των ΤΠΕ: Nancy Pascall, Όλγα Σταυροπούλου, Rosalie Zobel, και Elizabeth Pollitzer.   Λέξεις κλειδιά: ψηφιακό χάσμα, φύλο, έμφυλη υποτίμηση (gender devaluation), ψηφιακές δεξιότητες, ψηφιακός εγγραμματισμός μαθητών/τριών, πληροφορικός γραμματισμός (information literacy)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------cite as:Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2018). Ψηφιακές δεξιότητες και ψηφιακός αποκλεισμός: Γεφυρώνοντας το έμφυλο ψηφιακό χάσμα (Digital skills and digital exclusion: Bridging the gender digital divide), σελ. 202-210 Βιβλίο Πρακτικών του 6ου Συνεδρίου της ΕΚΕ | ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑ, Επιμέλεια: Απόστολος Γ. Παπαδόπουλος, Αθήνα (Συνέδριο “H Κοινωνιολογία και ο Δημόσιος Ρόλος της στην Εποχή της Μεταμόρφωσης του Κόσμου”, 29-31.3.2018), Χαροκόπειο Πανεπιστήμιο, Σχολή Περιβάλλοντος, Γεωγραφίας & Εφαρμοσμένων Οικονομικών. © Ελληνική Κοινωνιολογική Εταιρεία, 2018 ISBN: 9789609596046:

Remote sensing techniques offer the opportunity to study fire effects and vegetation recovery dynamics across large areas, providing essential information for effective management strategies development over fire-prone landscapes. Chios, the fifth largest of the Greek islands, has experienced recurring forest fires during the recent years, resulting to significant risk of environmental degradation. During the summer of 2016, the island experienced two severe wildfires, with the biggest one recorded in the southern part of the island. The affected area was mostly covered by maquis and phrygana (formations of low shrubs) (40.9%), while pine forests (Pinus brutia) represented 15.5% of the burned area. The aim of this study was to estimate and analyze the state of post-fire vegetation recovery in the island of Chios following major fire events occurred during the summer of 2016. A post-fire 8-band WorldView-2 image was used for burned area mapping by employing a geographic object-based classification approach, followed by field campaign for assessing post fire vegetation recovery, which was conducted during summer 2017 by establishing reference plots in the main pre-fire vegetation types (maquis, shrublands and pine forest areas) within the fire-affected area. A series of single and multi-temporal spectral indices including Normalized Burn Ratio, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Enhanced Vegetation Index and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index, were derived from multi-temporal Sentinel-2 images. A random forest modelling procedure was performed for estimating post fire vegetation recovery within the burned area, as well as the areas of high risk erosion. We identified dNDVI, EVI and the second red edge band of Sentinel-2 as the most important spectral variables for predicting vegetation recovery within pre-fire areas. In the case of pre-fire areas with maquis, post-fire NBR, EVI and NDVI were selected as best predictors. Finally, the results revealed that vegetation recovery is more pronounced within the pre-fire pine forest areas, while topographic and geological sub-strata factors were also found significant in defining post-fire vegetation recovery.

Cultural Organization Branding Heritage (BH)-Προσκεκλημένη (ως Branding Heritage Expert) στο Διήμερο Συμπόσιο Πολιτισμού Contemporary Minoans “Μινωικός Πολιτισμός Εμπνέει Σύγχρονες Δημιουργίες", 12-13 Μαίου 2018, Κρήτη (υπό την Αιγίδα του Υπουργείου Πολιτισμού και Αθλητισμού, του Υπουργείο Πολιτισμού, την Περιφέρεια Κρήτης, British School at Athens,  κ.ά.):

• Επισυνάπτεται  (1) Πρόγραμμα,  
• (2) επισυνάπτεται επίσης αρθρογραφία της Ειρήνης Καμπερίδου (Irene Kamberidou) για τον ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟ ΤΟΥ ΣΩΜΑΤΟΣ ΚΑΙ Ο ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΦΑΓΗΤΟΥ-Η ΜΑΓΕΙΡΙΚΗ ΤΕΧΝΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΑ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ (ΜΟΔΑ, ΕΝΔΥΣΗ, ΥΠΟΔΗΜΑΤΑ, ΑΡΩΜΑΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΑΡΧΑΙΩΝ ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ [Fashions (what they wore and how), footwear (sandals, boots),  Cosmetics, aromas/Perfumes/scents, Hairstyles and in Ancient Greece].

Dissemination report - Over 3, 450 reached to date that can be counted, in addition to those we have not counted or estimated, such as the uploads in over 10 websites, social media, networks, databases and homepages accessed, reached or visited by thousands, e.g. https://en.uoa.gr, as well as faculty emails and discussion folders/conversation pages (DEP and SOC), open access e-classes and project partners Facebook shares, to name a few. This report also includes a sample photo of our students linking into GeoLudens (See: Creating a tech tool to promote European Traditional Sports and Games from an intergenerational and inclusive perspective, ERASMUS PLUS Small Collaborative Partnership-GEO-LUDENS) © Kamberidou, I; Karteroliotis, K.; Venetsanou, F. (8/6/2018). Dissemination by Greek Team - Thousands Reached. School of Physical Education and Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). Dissemination report following GEO-LUDENS (579689-EPP-1-2016-1-ES-SPO-SSCP) five working sessions in Athens, Greece, May 30/31-June 1, 2018.

The perennial geophyte sea daffodil, sea lily or sand lily (Pancratium maritimum L.) is a flowering species during the dry summer, widely distributed along Mediterranean seashores and grown in a wild stage. Populations of sea daffodil are exposed to sea breeze, salt spray, water shortage, strong solar radiation, elevated temperatures, substrate instability and moving sand. Also, it is expected that excessive tourism and human-induced activities will constrain the development of populations of P. maritimum, which have resulted from a long-term evolutionary process. P. maritimum exhibits large white flowers of a great aesthetic value during dry and hot summer weather conditions, when simultaneously flowering plant taxa are scarce. The buds remain protected below the soil surface on the underground perennial organ and the growth period alternates with a period of dormancy. The above-ground organs and tissues are exposed to harsh, ambient conditions and the large inflorescences of remarkable beauty and fragrance carry particular ornamental worth and thus economic value.

In Volleyball, complex 1 consists of pass-set-attack skills in this specified order. This sequence is a stable pattern to win a point. Furthermore, it is important for teams' success. Taking into account that this pattern is a first-order Markov chain, the creation of a probability transition matrix is feasible. Assuming multinomial likelihood with a Dirichlet prior on the transition probabilities a Markovian transition matrix can be constructed, and the calculation of conditional success probabilities is, thus, achievable. Data from the performance analysis of the winning team from recent world championships in three age categories (U19, U21, Men) of male Volleyball is used. Evaluation of the pass through a six-level ordinal scale is possible after the validation of the entire scale. The findings lead to redefining target pass area and to shrinking the evaluation scale at least for the teams under study. Moreover, pass accuracy is necessary because it must give at least two options for attack, but not sufficient condition for the success of attack in all age categories for male Volleyball. In U19 age category, there is a lack of stabilization in the complex 1 sequence after pass against jump spin serve.

A unique and often overlooked property of a source loaded with relativistic protons is that it can become supercritical, i.e. it can undergo an abrupt transition from a radiatively inefficient to a radiatively efficient state once its proton energy density exceeds a certain threshold. In this paper, we investigate the temporal variability of hadronic systems in this hardly explored regime. We show that there exists a range of proton densities that prevent the system from reaching a steady state, but drive it instead in a quasi-periodic mode. The escaping radiation then exhibits limit cycles, even if all physical parameters are held constant in time. We extend our analysis to cases where the proton injection rate varies with time and explore the variability patterns of escaping radiation as the system moves in and out from the supercritical regime. We examine the relevance of our results to the variability of the prompt gamma-ray burst emission and show that, at least on a phenomenological level, some interesting analogies exist.

A unique and often overlooked property of a source loaded with relativistic protons is that it can become supercritical, i.e. it can undergo an abrupt transition from a radiatively inefficient to a radiatively efficient state once its proton energy density exceeds a certain threshold. In this paper, we investigate the temporal variability of hadronic systems in this hardly explored regime. We show that there exists a range of proton densities that prevent the system from reaching a steady state, but drive it instead in a quasi-periodic mode. The escaping radiation then exhibits limit cycles, even if all physical parameters are held constant in time. We extend our analysis to cases where the proton injection rate varies with time and explore the variability patterns of escaping radiation as the system moves in and out from the supercritical regime. We examine the relevance of our results to the variability of the prompt gamma-ray burst emission and show that, at least on a phenomenological level, some interesting analogies exist.

Christopher Marlowe's The Massacre at Paris, a play which probably dates from 1592 but has reached posterity in a mangled form, enacts the incorporation of religious and state politics in the theatre. Through a sequence of short scenes characterized by senseless brutality and black humor, Marlowe revisits one of the darkest episodes of French history, the Saint Bartholomew‘s Day Massacre, which took place on the 24th and 25thAugust 1572. Dramatizing the slaughter of thousands of Protestants by Catholics, the play not only reflects on the significance of massacre as a political term for an increasingly absolutist Renaissance Europe but also translates the violence of massacre into aesthetic form. Itself alien within the body of Marlowe’s dramatic works, The Massacre at Paris has rarely been performed after its Elizabethan successful performances at the Rose; this is not surprising given the state of the extant text and its dismissal by many critics as crude anti-Catholic propaganda. Yet, the Massacre's corrupt and incomplete form, political ambiguities and emphasis on theatrical violence have inspired two contemporary artists, the French director Guillaume Delaveau and the Austrian composer Wolfgang Mitterer, to rethink and revive it. Both Delaveau's Massacre à Paris, first performed at Toulouse in 2007 and Mitterer's experimental opera Massacre, composed in 2003 and performed in 2008 and 2010 in France, refer to recent wars and atrocities and rejoice in the irony of the play. This paper seeks to investigate the play's ability to convey political thought and provoke contemporary audiences by reading it together with Delaveau and Mitterer's adaptations. The challenge of reworking the Massacre for our age involves the question of the theatre's potential to expose the audience to the horror of history.

Maternal affective disorders are frequently treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications (SSRIs); with up to 10% of women being prescribed these medications during pregnancy. Infant development depends on the early serotonergic environment, which is altered by perinatal SSRIs, raising concern about how these medications affect neural outcomes. While clinical and preclinical research suggests an impact of SSRIs on the developing brain, more research is needed to determine the effects on neuroplasticity, the serotonergic system, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in neural regions mediating behavior. The current work investigated the effects of the SSRI, fluoxetine, on the serotonergic system in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during pre-adolescence, and changes to synaptic markers and glucocorticoid receptor density in the cingulate cortex (medial PFC) of pre-adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley male and female rats. To model aspects of Perinatal Depression and maternal anxiety, pre-gestational maternal stress was used resulting in male and female offspring from 4 groups: 1) control, 2) perinatal fluoxetine exposed, 3) pre-gestational maternal stress exposed, and 4) pre-gestational maternal stress + fluoxetine. Perinatal fluoxetine prevented the effects of maternal stress on 5-HT levels and 5-HT turnover ratio in the PFC of pre-adolescent offspring, particularly in females. However, pre-gestational stress reduced synaptophysin and PSD-95 densities in the cingulate cortex, effects that were more pronounced in males. Interestingly, perinatal fluoxetine exposure reduced GR density in adult males in this same brain area. Together, results show differential effects of perinatal SSRIs and pre-gestational maternal stress on neurodevelopment in the PFC of males and females.

Maternal affective disorders are frequently treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor medications (SSRIs); with up to 10% of women being prescribed these medications during pregnancy. Infant development depends on the early serotonergic environment, which is altered by perinatal SSRIs, raising concern about how these medications affect neural outcomes. While clinical and preclinical research suggests an impact of SSRIs on the developing brain, more research is needed to determine the effects on neuroplasticity, the serotonergic system, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in neural regions mediating behavior. The current work investigated the effects of the SSRI, fluoxetine, on the serotonergic system in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during pre-adolescence, and changes to synaptic markers and glucocorticoid receptor density in the cingulate cortex (medial PFC) of pre-adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley male and female rats. To model aspects of Perinatal Depression and maternal anxiety, pre-gestational maternal stress was used resulting in male and female offspring from 4 groups: 1) control, 2) perinatal fluoxetine exposed, 3) pre-gestational maternal stress exposed, and 4) pre-gestational maternal stress + fluoxetine. Perinatal fluoxetine prevented the effects of maternal stress on 5-HT levels and 5-HT turnover ratio in the PFC of pre-adolescent offspring, particularly in females. However, pre-gestational stress reduced synaptophysin and PSD-95 densities in the cingulate cortex, effects that were more pronounced in males. Interestingly, perinatal fluoxetine exposure reduced GR density in adult males in this same brain area. Together, results show differential effects of perinatal SSRIs and pre-gestational maternal stress on neurodevelopment in the PFC of males and females.

We study the energy structure and the transfer of an extra electron or hole along periodic polymers made of N monomers, with a repetition unit made of P monomers, using a tight-binding wire model, where a site is a monomer (e.g., in DNA, a base pair), for P even, and deal with two categories of such polymers: made of the same monomer (GC…, GGCC…, etc.) and made of different monomers (GA…, GGAA…, etc.). We calculate the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) eigenspectra, density of states, and HOMO-LUMO gap and find some limiting properties these categories possess, as P increases. We further examine the properties of the mean over time probability to find the carrier at each monomer. We introduce the weighted mean frequency of each monomer and the total weighted mean frequency of the whole polymer, as a measure of the overall transfer frequency content. We study the pure mean transfer rates. These rates can be increased by many orders of magnitude with appropriate sequence choice. Generally, homopolymers display the most efficient charge transfer. Finally, we compare the pure mean transfer rates with experimental transfer rates obtained by time-resolved spectroscopy.

BACKGROUND: Firefighters participate in activities with intense physical and psychological stress and are constantly at risk to develop various psychopathological reactions. AIMS: To investigate psychological reactions in firefighters one month after devastating wildfires in Greece, during August 2007, which lead to the devastation of large areas and the death of 43 people among whom three were firefighters. METHODS: One month after the wildfires, a joint task force of mental health clinicians was organized in order to provide psychological support and to investigate the psychological consequences of wildfires to firefighters. One hundred and two firefighters, living within the fire-devastated area, who were on duty for the whole period of wildfires were interviewed and assessed with the use of several questionnaires and inventories. RESULTS: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was detected in 18.6% of firefighters. Multiple logistic regression found that existence of fear of dying during firefighting, insomnia and increased scores in neuroticism, as well as in depression subscale of the SCL-90, were significantly associated with greater likelihood for having PTSD. Additionally those firefighters who worked permanently had 70% lower probability of having PTSD vs. those seasonally employed. CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia, depressive symptoms, as well as personality characteristics as neuroticism and the perception of fear of imminent death during firefighting operations may precipitate the development of PTSD in firefighters. Within this context, mental health clinicians should be aware that the early detection of these predisposing factors may facilitate the prevention and mitigation of PTSD in firefighters particularly those who are seasonally employed.

Dry powder inhalers containing the budesonide/formoterol combination have currently a well-established position among other inhaled products. Even though their efficacy mainly depends on the local concentrations of the drug they deliver within the lungs, their safety profile is directly related to their total systemic exposure. The aim of the present investigation was to explore the absorption and disposition kinetics of the budesonide/formoterol combination delivered via two different dry powder inhalers in asthma patients. Plasma concentration time data were obtained from a single-dose, crossover bioequivalence study in asthma patients. Non compartmental and population compartmental approaches were applied to the available datasets. The non compartmental analysis allowed for an initial characterization of the primary pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of the two inhaled drugs and subsequently the bioequivalence assessment of the two different dry powder inhalers. The population pharmacokinetic analysis further explored the complex absorption and disposition characteristics of the two drugs. In case of inhaled FOR, a five-compartment PK model including an enterohepatic re-circulation process was developed. For inhaled BUD, the incorporation of two parallel first-order absorption rate constants (fast and slow) for lung absorption in a two-compartment PK model emphasized the importance of pulmonary anatomical features and underlying physiological processes during model development. The role of potential covariates on the variability of the PK parameters was also investigated.

During the 2014-2015 mutual events season, the Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Éphémérides (IMCCE), Paris, France, and the Sternberg Astronomical Institute (SAI), Moscow, Russia, led an international observation campaign to record ground-based photometric observations of Galilean moon mutual occultations and eclipses. We focused on processing the complete photometric observations data base to compute new accurate astrometric positions. We used our method to derive astrometric positions from the light curves of the events. We developed an accurate photometric model of mutual occultations and eclipses, while correcting for the satellite albedos, Hapke's light scattering law, the phase effect, and the limb darkening. We processed 609 light curves, and we compared the observed positions of the satellites with the theoretical positions from IMCCE NOE-5-2010-GAL satellite ephemerides and INPOP13c planetary ephemeris. The standard deviation after fitting the light curve in equatorial positions is ±24 mas, or 75 km at Jupiter. The rms (O-C) in equatorial positions is ±50 mas, or 150 km at Jupiter.

Photonic crystals have been established as unique periodic structures to promote photon capture and control over light-matter interactions. Their application in semiconductor, mainly TiO2, photocatalysis has emerged as a promising structural modification to boost light harvesting of photocatalytic materials by means of slow photons i.e. light propagation at reduced group velocity near the edges of the photonic band gap (PBG). In this review, the latest advances in the development of TiO2 photonic crystal photocatalysts are highlighted, targeting primarily on the design, fabrication, structure-activity and performance evaluation of visible light activated (VLA) TiO2 inverse opals in the degradation of water and air pollutants as well as water splitting. Up to date work demonstrating the amplification effect of PBG engineered photonic crystals on the photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical performance under UV excitation is accordingly presented. Recent developments on the combination of enhanced light trapping, mainly via slow photons, mass transport and adsorption of macro/mesoporous inverse opals with targeted compositional and electronic modifications currently pursued to promote charge separation and visible light activation, i.e. dye sensitization, non-metal and self-doping, coupling with metallic nanoparticles and plasmonic effects, heterostructuring with narrow band gap semiconductors, quantum dots and graphene as well as the use of alternative metal oxide photocatalysts beyond TiO2 are thoroughly reviewed with respect to their potential for key improvements of the photocatalytic efficiency under visible light. Pertinent challenges and future prospects in photonic crystal-assisted VLA photocatalysts are addressed aimed at advanced photon management routes that could step up photocatalytic applications. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.

The geological, geomorphic conditions of a mountainous environment along with precipitation and human activities influence landslide occurrences. In many cases, their relation to landslide events is not well defined. The scope of the present study is to identify the influence of physical and anthropogenic factors in landslide activity. The study area is a mountainous part of the northern Peloponnesus in southern Greece. The existing landslides, lithology, slope angle, rainfall, two types of road network (highway-provincial roads and rural roads) along with land use of the study area are taken into consideration. Each physical and anthropogenic factor is further divided into sub-categories. Statistical analysis of landslide frequency and density, as well as frequency and density ratios, are applied and combined with a geographic information system (GIS) to evaluate the collected data and determine the relationship between physical and anthropogenic factors and landslide activity. The results prove that Plio-Pleistocene fine-grained sediments and flysch, relatively steep slopes (15°-30°) and a rise in the amount of rainfall increase landslide frequency and density. Additionally, Plio-Pleistocene fine-grained sediments and flysch, as well as schist chert formations, moderate (5°-15°) and relatively steep slopes (15°-30°), along with the amount of rainfall of > 700 mm are strongly associated with landslide occurrences. The frequency and magnitude of landslides increase in close proximity to roads. Their maximum values are observed within the 50 m buffer zone. This corresponds to a 100 m wide zone along with any type of road corridors, increasing landslide occurrences. In addition, a buffer zone of 75 m or 150 m wide zone along highway and provincial roads, as well as a buffer zone of 100 m or 200 m wide zones along rural roads, are strongly correlated with landslide events. The extensive cultivated land of the study area is strongly related to landslide activity. By contrast, urban areas are poorly related to landslides, because most of them are located in the northern coastal part of the study area where landslides are limited. The results provide information on physical and anthropogenic factors characterizing landslide events in the study area. The applied methodology rapidly estimates areas prone to landslides and it may be utilized for landslide hazard assessment mapping as well as for new and existing land use planning projects.

 

Wild or semi-wild edible greens (chórta) are an integral part of the traditional Greek Mediterranean diet due to their nutritional value, containing various phytonutrients beneficial to human health. Water-based decoctions of chórta are widely consumed in Greek alternative medicine as health promoting agents. This study examined the chemical profile of the decoctions of eight edible plants, Cichorium intybus, C. endivia, C. spinosum, Crepis sancta, Sonchus asper, Carthamus lanatus, Centaurea raphanina, and Amaranthus blitum, by UPLC-ESI-HRMS and HRMS/MS analysis, to determine possibly bioactive constituents. The profiles of the plants from the Asteraceae family are dominated by the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoid derivatives, whereas the A. blitum decoction is rich in triterpene saponins. Interestingly, the Centaurea raphanina decoction was found to be extremely rich in flavanones, particularly in the aglycone pinocembrin. Further phytochemical investigation and fractionation of this extract resulted in the isolation and identification of five compounds: phlorin (1), syringin (2), pinocembrin (3), pinocembroside (4), and pinocembrin-7-O-neohesperidoside (5). The extracts were also tested for their antioxidant and differential cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. C. raphanina was found to be differentially toxic against metastatic tumor cells. In conclusion, we found that Greek edible greens are a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites and their consumption could contribute to the maintenance of overall health.

Mankind has an inherent desire to explore the planets, which is closely connected with the nature and curios- ity of human beings. Unfortunately, the actual explo- ration is a privilege of only a few people, at least in the near future. The presented project, entitled "Planets In Your Hand" (PIYH) gives everyone the chance to see, touch and feel the differences of each planetary sur- face in our Solar System and learn about the world we all live in. The PIYH project consists of a portable ex- hibition of planetary surface models in square frames. It is carefully designed and addressed to both young and elder people, families, students, educational insti- tutions and especially to visually impaired individuals, giving them a unique opportunity to meet and get fa- miliar with planetary science.

Plasma treatment is an environmentally friendly solution for modifying or nanostructuring the surface of several materials including photoactive polymers. The detailed characterization of the effect of plasma treatment on chemical and optoelectronic properties of photoactive polymers is, therefore, of specific interest. Herein, the effect of the exposure of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin films to plasma created in three different gases (oxygen, argon and hydrogen) was studied. A range of spectroscopic techniques, such as x-ray (XPS) and ultraviolet (UPS) photoelectron spectroscopy in conjunction with UV–vis absorption, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies, are employed to quantify the extent of chemical modification occurring in each particular case. It is shown that oxygen plasma treatment leads to the disruption of the π-conjugation via the direct oxidation of the sulfur atom of the thiophene ring while the aliphatic side chain remains nearly unaffected. An oxidation mechanism is proposed according to which the sulfur atom of the thiophene ring is oxidized into sulfoxides and sulfones, which subsequently degraded into sulfonates or sulfonic acids in a relatively small degree. For argon and hydrogen plasma treatments some oxidation products are detected only at the polymer surface. In all cases the polymer surface Fermi level is shifted closer to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy after plasma treatment indicating p-type doping arising from surface oxidation. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

Plasmoids, overdense blobs of plasma containing magnetic fields and high-energy particles, are a self-consistent outcome of the reconnection process in the relativistic regime. Recent two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations have shown that plasmoids can undergo a variety of processes (e.g. mergers, bulk acceleration, growth, and advection) within the reconnection layer. We developed a Monte Carlo code, benchmarked with the recent PIC simulations, to examine the effects of these processes on the steady-state size and momentum distributions of the plasmoid chain. The differential plasmoid size distribution is shown to be a power law, ranging from a few plasma skin depths to ∼0.1 of the reconnection layer's length. The power-law slope is shown to be linearly dependent upon the ratio of the plasmoid acceleration and growth rates, which slightly decreases with increasing plasma magnetization. We perform a detailed comparison of our results with those of recent PIC simulations and briefly discuss the astrophysical implications of our findings through the representative case of flaring events from blazar jets.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate whether and to what extent a single injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP), under ultrasound guidance, can improve the clinical symptoms of patients with a mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We conducted a prospective, randomized, clinical study including 50 patients suffering from mild to moderate CTS for a minimum duration of 3 months. Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: Group A (26 patients) received an ultrasound-guided PRP injection into the carpal tunnel, whereas Group B (24 patients) was injected with placebo (0.9% normal saline). The short- and mid-term outcomes were determined with the use of the Q-DASH questionnaire and the pain scale VAS administered at 0, 4, and 12 weeks follow-up. The success ratio was determined by the difference in the Q-DASH obtained pre-injection minus the final Q-DASH obtained after 12 weeks follow-up. Success was defined as a difference more than 25%. Group A patients demonstrated a 76.9% success as determined by the difference Q-DASH, whereas Group B patients demonstrated 33.3% success, which was significantly less than Group A (Χ , p = .011). The findings of this study suggest that a single PRP ultrasound-guided injection has positive effects in patients with CTS.

Various systematic reviews have recently shown that intra-articular platelet-rich plasma (IA-PRP) can lead to symptomatic relief of knee osteoarthritis for up to 12 months. There exist limited data on its use in small joints, such as the trapeziometacarpal joint (TMJ) or carpometacarpal joint (CMCJ) of the thumb. A prospective, randomized, blind, controlled, clinical trial of 33 patients with clinical and radiographic osteoarthritis of the TMJ (grades: I-III according to the Eaton and Littler classification) was conducted. Group A patients (16 patients) received 2 ultrasound-guided IA-PRP injections, while group B patients (17 patients) received 2 ultrasound-guided intra-articular methylprednisolone and lidocaine injections at a 2-week interval. Patients were evaluated prior to and at 3 and 12 months after the second injection using the visual analogue scale (VAS) 100/100, shortened Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Questionnaire (Q-DASH), and patient's subjective satisfaction. No significant differences between the baseline clinical and demographic characteristics of the 2 groups were identified. After 12 months' follow-up, the IA-PRP treatment has yielded significantly better results in comparison with the corticosteroids, in terms of VAS score ( P = 0.015), Q-DASH score ( P = 0.025), and patients' satisfaction ( P = 0.002). Corticosteroids offer short-term relief of symptoms, but IA-PRP might achieve a lasting effect of up to 12 months in the treatment of early to moderate symptomatic TMJ arthritis.

As part of a network study of HIV infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) and their contacts, we discovered a connected subcomponent of 29 uninfected PWID. In the context of a just-declining large epidemic outbreak, this raised a question: What explains the existence of large pockets of uninfected people? Possible explanations include "firewall effects" (Friedman et al., 2000; Dombrowski et al., 2017) wherein the only HIV+ people that the uninfected take risks with have low viral loads; "bottleneck effects" wherein few network paths into the pocket of non-infection exist; low levels of risk behavior; and an impending outbreak. We considered each of these. Participants provided information on their enhanced sexual and injection networks and assisted us in recruiting network members. The largest connected component had 241 members. Data on risk behaviors in the last 6 months were collected at the individual level. Recent infection was determined by LAg (Sedia(TM) Biosciences Corporation), data on recent seronegative tests, and viral load. HIV RNA was quantified using Artus HI Virus-1 RG RT-PCR (Qiagen). The 29 members of the connected subcomponent of uninfected participants were connected (network distance = 1) to 17 recently-infected and 24 long-term infected participants. Fourteen (48%) of these 29 uninfected were classified as "extremely high risk" because they self-reported syringe sharing and had at least one injection partner with viral load >100,000 copies/mL who also reported syringe sharing. Seventeen of the 29 uninfected were re-interviewed after 6 months, but none had seroconverted. These findings show the power of network research in discovering infection patterns that standard individual-level studies cannot. Theoretical development and exploratory network research studies may be needed to understand these findings and deepen our understanding of how HIV does and does not spread through communities. Finally, the methods developed here provide practical tools to study "bottleneck" and "firewall" network hypotheses in practice.

Aim: To evaluate the biomization technique for reconstructing past vegetation in the Eastern Mediterranean–Black Sea–Caspian-Corridor using an extensive modern pollen data set and comparing reconstructions to potential vegetation and observed land cover data. Location: The region between 28–48°N and 22–62°E. Methods: We apply the biomization technique to 1,387 modern pollen samples, representing 1,107 entities, to reconstruct the distribution of 13 broad vegetation categories (biomes). We assess the results using estimates of potential natural vegetation from the European Vegetation Map and the Physico-Geographic Atlas of the World. We test whether anthropogenic disturbance affects reconstruction quality using land use information from the Global Land Cover data set. Results: The biomization scheme successfully predicts the broadscale patterns of vegetation across the region, including changes with elevation. The technique discriminates deserts from shrublands, the prevalence of woodlands in moister lowland sites, and the presence of temperate and mixed forests at higher elevations. Quantitative assessment of the reconstructions is less satisfactory: the biome is predicted correctly at 44% of the sites in Europe and 33% of the sites overall. The low success rate is not a reflection of anthropogenic impacts: only 33% of the samples are correctly assigned after the removal of sites in anthropogenically altered environments. Open vegetation is less successfully predicted (33%) than forest types (73%), reflecting the under-representation of herbaceous taxa in pollen assemblages and the impact of long-distance pollen transport into open environments. Samples from small basins ( < 1 km 2 ) are more likely to be reconstructed accurately, with 58% of the sites in Europe and 66% of all sites correctly predicted, probably because they sample an appropriate pollen source area to reflect regional vegetation patterns in relatively heterogeneous landscapes. While methodological biases exist, the low confidence of the quantitative comparisons should not be over-emphasized because the target maps themselves are not accurate representations of vegetation patterns in this region. Main Conclusions: The biomization scheme yields reasonable reconstructions of the broadscale vegetation patterns in the Eastern Mediterranean–Black Sea–Caspian-Corridor, particularly if appropriate-sized sampling sites are used. Our results indicate biomization could be used to reconstruct changing patterns of vegetation in response to past climate changes in this region.

n July 25 and August 26 2016 wildfires broke out in the southwestern and central-western part of Chios Island(NE Aegean Sea, Greece), respectively. The first affected an area of approximately 47km2 and burned throughalmost 90% of olive groves and mastic trees, while the second broke out in a forested area and affected approximately6.6km2 of forest and farmland.A research aiming at the post-fire landslide susceptibility (LS) mapping of both areas was conducted. Morphologicaldata (slope, aspect, curvature, drainage network) derived from a 5m-DEM model of the areas was used.Lithological and geological data (lithology, tectonic structures) were digitized from previous field work maps.Land cover was derived from Worldview-2 satellite images before and after the fire events. Soil thickness was derivedfrom field survey observations within the fire-affected areas, road network from OpenStreetMap and rainfalldata resulted from related measurements derived from Chios meteorological station. Post-fire landslide inventorywas created after an extensive field survey of both areas before the beginning of the rainfall period (October 2016)and before the end of winter season (February 2017).Data classification of each factor according to their estimated LS followed, by using the reverse ranking method,where 1 is the least susceptible and 10 is the most one. Each category was normalized to 100% and the final rasterthematic maps of landslide controlling factors were produced. Finally, using numerical weight for each factor,which was assigned by the Analytic Hierarchy Process using Pairwise Comparison Method and according to theweighted linear combination, a map was generated where each cell has a certain post-fire LS index (LSI) value.The higher the LSI value, the higher the LS, whereas lower LSI value means lower LS.This procedure was repeated twice, first using pre-fire land cover and secondly using the severity of the fire events.The resulted maps, classified with natural breaks method, constitute the final pre- and post-fire LS maps of theaffected areas with five LS categories: very low, low, moderate, high and very high.Comparison of these two final maps showed, more or less, the same LS areas, but with LSI value enhanced. Thevalidated results showed good agreement between post-fire landslide occurrence and the produced post-fire LS maps.

© 2018 Bentham Science Publishers. Background: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a newly recognized diagnostic entity in the DSM-5, characterized by intense mood and cognitive fluctuations accompanied by distressing physical symptoms. PMDD symptoms typically arise after ovulation and gradually resolve after the onset of menstruation. With an estimated prevalence of 3-8% in the general female population, PMDD is a chronic and impairing disorder that affects significantly women's quality of life and everyday functioning. Objective: The aim of this article is to review the existing literature on biological, genetic and psychological etiological factors in PMDD and to discuss corresponding treatment considerations. Results: Fluctuations in the functions of sex hormones, serotonin and GABA neurotransmitters, as well as personality traits related to stress and vulnerability to negative effect are implicated in the development of PMDD. Available evidence-based treatments include a number of hormonal therapies and antidepressant medications, while there is accumulating evidence for the clinical utility of psychotherapeutic interventions. Controversies in the diagnostic validity of PMDD mainly concern the asserted social constructiveness of the disorder and the difficulty to validly distinguish PMDD from other mood disorders with similar symptomatology. Conclusion: Controversies pertaining to the clinical nature and taxonomy of PMDD are highlighted and recommendations are offered, focusing on the need to identify biomarkers for PMDD and to investigate possible efficacy of non-pharmacological, psychotherapeutic interventions to address PMDD.

The synthesis and characterisation of a new anionic flexible scorpionate ligand, methyl(bis-7-azaindolyl)borohydride [MeBai]- is reported herein. The ligand was coordinated to a series of group nine transition metal centres forming the complexes, [Ir(MeBai)(COD)] (1), [Rh(MeBai)(COD)] (2), [Rh(MeBai)(CODMe)] (2-Me) and [Rh(MeBai)(NBD)] (3), where COD = 1,5-cyclooctadiene, CODMe = 3-methyl-1,5-cyclooctadiene and NBD = 2,5-norbornadiene. In all cases, the boron based ligand was found to bind to the metal centres via a κ3-N,N,H coordination mode. The ligand and complexes were fully characterised by spectroscopic and analytical methods. The structures of the ligand and three of the complexes were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The potential for migration of the "hydride" or "methyl" units from boron to the metal centre was also explored. During these studies an unusual transformation, involving the oxidation of the rhodium centre, was observed in complex 2. In this case, the η4-COD unit transformed into a η1,η3-C8H12 unit where the ring was bound via one sigma bond and one allyl unit. This is the first time such a transformation has been observed at a rhodium centre.

The mammalian neocortex has undergone remarkable changes through evolution. A consequence of such rapid evolutionary events could be a trade-off that has rendered the brain susceptible to certain neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions. We analyzed the exomes of 65 patients with the structural brain malformation periventricular nodular heterotopia (PH). De novo coding variants were observed in excess in genes defining a transcriptomic signature of basal radial glia, a cell type linked to brain evolution. In addition, we located two variants in human isoforms of two genes that have no ortholog in mice. Modulating the levels of one of these isoforms for the gene PLEKHG6 demonstrated its role in regulating neuroprogenitor differentiation and neuronal migration via RhoA, with phenotypic recapitulation of PH in human cerebral organoids. This suggests that this PLEKHG6 isoform is an example of a primate-specific genomic element supporting brain development.

The liar and kindred paradoxes show that we can derive contradictions if our language possesses sentences lending themselves to paradox and we reason classically from schema (T) about truth: S is true iff p, where the letter p is to be replaced with a sentence and the letter S with a name of that sentence. This article presents a theory of truth that keeps (T) at the expense of classical logic. The theory is couched in a language that possesses paradoxical sentences. It incorporates all the instances of the analogue of (T) for that language and also includes other platitudes about truth. The theory avoids contradiction because its logical framework is an appropriately constructed nonclassical propositional logic. The logic and the theory are different from others that have been proposed for keeping (T), and the methods used in the main proofs are novel.

This paper aims to analyze the structure and quality of prospective mathematics teachers’ (PMTs)’ argumentation when identifying and interpreting critical incidents from their initial field experiences. We use Toulmin’s model and recent elaborations of it to analyze the discussions that took place at the university where PMTs reflected on their recent classroom experiences. Our aim is to identify the structure of the argumentation and characterize the emerging warrants, backings, and rebuttals. Results indicate different argumentation structures and types of warrants, backings, and rebuttals in the process of PMTs’ interpretations of students’ mathematical activity. We discuss these findings from the perspective of noticing to identify shifts at the level of PMTs’ interpretations.

Background: Senescence is a fundamental biological process implicated in various pathologies, including cancer. Regarding carcinogenesis, senescence signifies, at least in its initial phases, an anti-tumor response that needs to be circumvented for cancer to progress. Micro-RNAs, a subclass of regulatory, non-coding RNAs, participate in senescence regulation. At the subcellular level micro-RNAs, similar to proteins, have been shown to traffic between organelles influencing cellular behavior. The differential function of micro-RNAs relative to their subcellular localization and their role in senescence biology raises concurrent in situ analysis of coding and non-coding gene products in senescent cells as a necessity. However, technical challenges have rendered in situ co-detection unfeasible until now. Methods: In the present report we describe a methodology that bypasses these technical limitations achieving for the first time simultaneous detection of both a micro-RNA and a protein in the biological context of cellular senescence, utilizing the new commercially available SenTraGorTM compound. The method was applied in a prototypical human non-malignant epithelial model of oncogene-induced senescence that we generated for the purposes of the study. For the characterization of this novel system, we applied a wide range of cellular and molecular techniques, as well as high-throughput analysis of the transcriptome and micro-RNAs. Results: This experimental setting has three advantages that are presented and discussed: i) it covers a "gap" in the molecular carcinogenesis field, as almost all corresponding in vitro models are fibroblast-based, even though the majority of neoplasms have epithelial origin, ii) it recapitulates the precancerous and cancerous phases of epithelial tumorigenesis within a short time frame under the light of natural selection and iii) it uses as an oncogenic signal, the replication licensing factor CDC6, implicated in both DNA replication and transcription when over-expressed, a characteristic that can be exploited to monitor RNA dynamics. Conclusions: Consequently, we demonstrate that our model is optimal for studying the molecular basis of epithelial carcinogenesis shedding light on the tumor-initiating events. The latter may reveal novel molecular targets with clinical benefit. Besides, since this method can be incorporated in a wide range of low, medium or high-throughput image-based approaches, we expect it to be broadly applicable.

Το βιβλίο των Holton και Brush "Εισαγωγή στις έννοιες και τις θεωρίες της Φυσικής Επιστήμης" αποτέλεσε το βασικό εγχειρίδιο για τη διδασκαλία της Φυσικής του Harvard Project Physics Course. Από το 1952, που γράφτηκε για πρώτη φορά, γνώρισε αλλεπάλληλες εκδόσεις και αναθεωρήσεις μέχρι το 1985, οπότε και έλαβε την τελική μορφή του στην οποία βασίστηκε η ελληνική έκδοση. Η παρούσα έκδοση καινοτομεί ενσωματώνοντας τον Οδηγό Διδακτικής Αξιοποίησης, ο οποίος απευθύνεται ειδικά στους υποψήφιους και εν ενεργεία εκπαιδευτικούς των φυσικών επιστημών, προσφέροντας ένα διδακτικό παράδειγμα για τη Φυσική βασισμένο στην ιστορία της. Η διαχρονική του πρωτοτυπία οφείλεται στο ότι συνδυάζει τη διδασκαλία της Φυσικής με απαντήσεις στα ερωτήματα για το τι είναι η Φυσική, ποια η μέθοδός της και πώς συγκροτείται ιστορικά ως επιστήμη.

Self-organized criticality emerges in dynamical complex systems driven out of equilibrium and characterizes a wide range of classical phenomena in physics, geology, and biology. We report on a quantum coherence-controlled selforganized critical transition observed in the light localization behavior of a coherence-driven nanophotonic configuration. Our system is composed of a gain-enhanced plasmonic heterostructure controlled by a coherent drive, in which photons close to the stopped-light regime interact in the presence of the active nonlinearities, eventually synchronizing their dynamics. In this system, on the basis of analytical and corroborating full-wave Maxwell-Bloch computations, we observe quantum coherence-controlled self-organized criticality in the emergence of light localization arising from the synchronization of the photons. It is associated with two first-order phase transitions: one pertaining to the synchronization of the dynamics of the photons and the second pertaining to an inversionless lasing transition by the coherent drive. The so-Attained light localization, which is robust to dissipation, fluctuations, and many-body interactions, exhibits scale-invariant power laws and absence of finely tuned control parameters. We also found that, in this nonequilibrium dynamical system, the effective critical "temperature" of the system drops to zero, whereupon one enters the quantum self-organized critical regime. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved.

The aim of this work is to develop a gastrointestinal (GI) drug absorption model based on a reaction limited model of dissolution and consider its impact on the biopharmaceutic classification of drugs. Estimates for the fraction of dose absorbed as a function of dose, solubility, reaction/dissolution rate constant and the stoichiometry of drug-GI fluids reaction/dissolution were derived by numerical solution of the model equations. The undissolved drug dose and the reaction/dissolution rate constant drive the dissolution rate and determine the extent of absorption when high-constant drug permeability throughout the gastrointestinal tract is assumed. Dose is an important element of drug-GI fluids reaction/dissolution while solubility exclusively acts as an upper limit for drug concentrations in the lumen. The 3D plots of fraction of dose absorbed as a function of dose and reaction/dissolution rate constant for highly soluble and low soluble drugs for different ``stoichiometries{''} (0.7, 1.0, 2.0) of the drug-reaction/dissolution with the GI fluids revealed that high extent of absorption was found assuming high drug-reaction/dissolution rate constant and high drug solubility. The model equations were used to simulate in vivo supersaturation and precipitation phenomena. The model developed provides the theoretical basis for the interpretation of the extent of drug's absorption on the basis of the parameters associated with the drug-GI fluids reaction/dissolution. A new paradigm emerges for the biopharmaceutic classification of drugs, namely, a model independent biopharmaceutic classification scheme of four drug categories based on either the fulfillment or not of the current dissolution criteria and the high or low % drug metabolism.

Advanced nanostructures of titanium dioxide are intensively investigated for environmental protection. The latest developments in the field pay special attention to innovative and highly performing titania materials (anatase/rutile mixed-phase nanocomposites, anion-doped core-shell nanostructures, self-organized nanotubes, photonic crystals and their modifications with graphene oxide and metal nanoparticles) with original functionalities and tailored properties (visible light activated photocatalysts-VLA), the elucidation of the corresponding mechanisms involving interaction of light with matter at the nanoscale and resulting photoinduced electron transfer reactions. These materials are also considered as key components for the design and fabrication of devices (photocatalytic reactors) for efficient degradation and/or transformation of emerging environmental contaminants. The presence of a TiO2 photocatalyst on the asymmetric membrane surface and pores insures simultaneous pollutant retention and photodegradation, permitting continuous long-term device operation without fouling, practical absence of concentrated retentate and cost effective production of clean water. Focusing on recent investigations of our group concerning the use of innovative titania nanostructured photocatalysts, the present work attempts to explore novel trends and present perspectives of TiO2 photocatalysis inside and outside the well-established frame of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), expanding the field borders by including advanced reduction processes (ARPs) and relating technological applications (ARTs). © 2018 Elsevier Ltd.

Objective: Previous findings indicate that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) report significant day-to-day fluctuations in subjective energy and sleep. Herein, we examined whether daily variation in the satisfaction and frustration of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness would contribute to daily variation in subjective energy and quality and quantity of sleep. In addition, we examined whether daily variation in sleep would contribute to daily need-based experiences through (i.e., mediated by) daily fluctuations in subjective energy. Method: CFS patients (N = 120; 92% female; Mage = 42.10 years, SD = 10.46) completed a diary for 14 days which assessed their need-based experiences and subjective energy every evening and sleep every morning. Results: Results indicated that subjective energy, sleep, and need experiences fluctuated significantly from day to day. Daily need satisfaction related to less daily fatigue and more daily vitality, while the opposite pattern was observed for daily need frustration. Daily need frustration was also uniquely related to poorer daily sleep quality. Lastly, better daily sleep quality was also uniquely related to more daily need satisfaction and less daily need frustration via (i.e., mediated by) daily variation in subjective energy. These reciprocal within-day associations remained significant after controlling for the previous day's level of each outcome, with the exception of the relation between need frustration and sleep quality. Conclusion: The present findings underscore the reciprocal day-to-day association between need-based experiences and subjective energy in CFS. © 2018 American Psychological Association.

There is a wide range of alternative approaches to study erosion processes. In this paper the construction of a model based in the interaction of Geographical Information System (GIS) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) is described. Theneural model uses supervised competitive learning process. The whole procedure starts with the digitization of collected data and the definition of the input variables, such as slope form and gradient, susceptibility to erosion and protective cover. The input variables are transformed into the erosion risk output variable using the neural model. The last stage concerns the development of an erosion risk zones map.

Vegetation patterns during the 1st millennium AD in the central Mediterranean, exhibit a great variability, due to the richness of these habitats and the continuous shaping of the environment by human societies. Variations in land use, witnessed in the pollen record, reflect the role that local vegetation and environmental conditions played in the choices made by local societies. The interdisciplinary study of off-site cores remains the key evidence for palaeoenvironmental transformations mirroring the ‘semi-natural’ vegetation, and revealing temporal fluctuations and the amount of human impact on a regional scale.

HSPB6/Hsp20 (heat shock protein family B [small] member 6) has emerged as a novel cardioprotector against stress-induced injury. We identified a human mutant of HSPB6 (HSPB6(S10F)) exclusively present in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients. Cardiac expression of this mutant in mouse hearts resulted in remodeling and dysfunction, which progressed to heart failure and early death. These detrimental effects were associated with reduced interaction of mutant HSPB6(S10F) with BECN1/Beclin 1, leading to BECN1 ubiquitination and its proteosomal degradation. As a result, autophagy flux was substantially inhibited and apoptosis was increased in HSPB6(S10F)-mutant hearts. In contrast, overexpression of wild-type HSPB6 (HSPB6 WT) not only increased BECN1 levels, but also competitively suppressed binding of BECN1 to BCL2, resulting in stimulated autophagy. Indeed, preinhibition of autophagy attenuated the cardioprotective effects of HSPB6 WT. Taken together, these findings reveal a new regulatory mechanism of HSPB6 in cell survival through its interaction with BECN1. Furthermore, Ser10 appears to be crucial for the protective effects of HSPB6 and transversion of this amino acid to Phe contributes to cardiomyopathy.

Characterization of the least number of muscle fibers analyzed for a quick and reliable, evaluation of intramuscular fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) is of importance for sport scientists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of vastus lateralis' intramuscular MFCV measuring either 25 or 50 different muscle fibers per participant, as well as to compare intramuscular MFCV measured in 25 (C ), 50 (C ), or 140 (C ) muscle fibers. Resting vastus lateralis' MFCV was measured in 21 young healthy males (age 22.1±2.4 years) using intramuscular microelectrodes in different days. Test-retest reliability of MFCV's parameters was calculated for C and C , while MFCV was compared among C , C , and C . Significant differences of MFCV parameters were observed between C condition and those of C and C . The differences in MFCV values between conditions C and C were non-significant. A close correlation was found for MFCV between C and C (r=0.884-0.988, P=.000). All reliability measures of MFCV measured with 50 fibers were high (eg, ICC=0.813-0.980, P=.000), in contrast to C (eg, ICC=0.023-0.580 P>.05). In conclusion, an average of 50 different fibers per subject is sufficient to provide a quick and reliable intramuscular evaluation of vastus lateralis MFCV.

BACKGROUND: Radiographic fracture classification helps with research on prognosis and treatment. AO/OTA classification into fracture type has shown to be reliable, but further classification of fractures into subgroups reduces the interobserver agreement and takes a considerable amount of practice and experience in order to master. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We assessed: (1) differences between more and less experienced trauma surgeons based on hip fractures treated per year, years of experience, and the percentage of their time dedicated to trauma, (2) differences in the interobserver agreement between classification into fracture type, group, and subgroup, and (3) differences in the interobserver agreement when assessing fracture stability compared to classifying fractures into type, group and subgroup. METHODS: This study used the Science of Variation Group to measure factors associated with variation in interobserver agreement on classification of proximal femur fractures according to the AO/OTA classification on radiographs. We selected 30 anteroposterior radiographs from 1061 patients aged 55 years or older with an isolated fracture of the proximal femur, with a spectrum of fracture types proportional to the full database. To measure the interobserver agreement the Fleiss' kappa was determined and bootstrapping (resamples = 1000) was used to calculate the standard error, z statistic, and 95% confidence intervals. We compared the Kappa values of surgeons with more experience to less experienced surgeons. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the Kappa values on each classification level (type, group, subgroup) between more and less experienced surgeons. When all surgeons were combined into one group, the interobserver reliability was the greatest for classifying the fractures into type (kappa, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.97; p < 0.001), reflecting almost perfect agreement. When comparing the kappa values between classes (type, group, subgroup), we found statistically significant differences between each class. Substantial agreement was found in the clinically relevant groups stable/unstable trochanteric, displaced/non-displaced femoral neck, and femoral head fractures (kappa, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.67, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to a growing body of evidence that relatively simple distinctions are more reliable and that this is independent of surgeon experience.

© 2018 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology Background: Bone marrow transplantation is a lifesaving procedure for a range of serious benign or malignant hematological conditions. A proportion of patients, however, will develop graft vs host disease (GVHD), acute or chronic, with serious long-term sequalae. Cases: We present 2 cases of hematocolpos that developed in adolescence because of vaginal synechiae due to GVHD. The condition was initially asymptomatic, resolved spontaneously at first and recurred. In 1 girl blunt lysis of the adhesions was performed with the patient under general anesthesia, followed thereafter by local hydrocortisone and estriol treatment. Summary and Conclusion: Genital symptoms might not be readily reported by adolescents after bone marrow transplantation. Physicians should be aware of possible late effects of GVHD on genitalia, inquire about symptoms, and be acquainted with addressing complications, such as vaginal obstruction.

B[e] supergiants are luminous evolved massive stars. The mass-loss during this phase creates a complex circumstellar environment with atomic, molecular, and dusty regions usually found in rings or disc-like structures. For a better comprehension of the mechanisms behind the formation of these rings, detailed knowledge about their structure and dynamics is essential. To address that, we obtained high-resolution optical and near-infrared (near-IR) spectra for eight selected Galactic B[e] supergiants, for which CO emission has been detected. Assuming Keplerian rotation for the disc, we combine the kinematics obtained from the CO bands in the near-IR with those obtained by fitting the forbidden emission [O I] λ5577, [O I] λλ6300,6363, and [Ca II] λλ7291,7323 lines in the optical to probe the disc structure. We find that the emission originates from multiple ring structures around all B[e] supergiants, with each one of them displaying a unique combination of rings regardless of whether the object is part of a binary system. The confirmed binaries display spectroscopic variations of their line intensities and profiles as well as photometric variability, whereas the ring structures around the single stars are stable.

This work describes the derivation of the tectonic stress from the inversion of focal mechanisms of double-couple earthquakes. The presented material is based, in large part, on several review papers, lecture notes and practices on the matter, developed by the authors during the last years.

The firsthand accounts of 252 European and American women travelers of the 17th to early 20th centuries in Asia Minor, Cyprus, Syria, Egypt, Greece and other Ottoman occupied territories confirm that thousands of women travelled and witnessed historic events. Women from Great Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and America explored, visited, resided as permanent residents, worked or served as volunteers, missionaries, educators, nurses, artists, governesses, ladies in waiting and servants of the western or eastern elite in different regions of the Ottoman Empire. This paper begins with a brief discussion on women travelers, subsequently focusing on 19th Century accounts regarding women’s contributions in times of conflict, exclusively from archival sources: the narratives of women volunteers, nurses, care givers and morale builders during the Crimean War (1853-1856), when the colonial experience encouraged female engagement. The accounts of English, French and German women who cared for the soldiers in the military hospitals of Constantinople and its environs reveal that women played key roles in social care, public health and hospital management, showing initiative and innovation in crisis management. The female accounts describe the British military and naval hospitals; the nurses duties and hardships (1,500 patients per 3 women: two lady volunteers and one nurse); the hundreds of women who followed their husbands to war; the demoralizing barrack system; the degrading social status and abuse of the English soldier’s wife and babies; the elevated status and protection enjoyed by the French soldier’s wife; the French military system. The female narratives argue that the French soldiers, as opposed to the English, are educated, industrious, productive and creative, adding to the general good. They spotlight the superiority of the French soldiers as regards their manners, morals, courtesy, organizational skills, patriotism and especially their respect and treatment of women.

Abstract Research increasingly demonstrates the detrimental effects of psychologically controlling parenting on children's adjustment. An important and practically relevant question is whether some children are more vulnerable for the effects of psychologically controlling parenting. In the current diary study, we investigated whether daily psychologically controlling parenting relates to children's daily externalizing and internalizing problems and whether these associations depend on child personality. A total of 206 children (M age = 9.93 years; 46.6% female) along with their mothers and fathers (M age = 40.30 and 42.40 years) participated in this multi-informant diary study. All three family members filled out a diary each day for seven days. Multilevel analyses indicated that daily maternal and paternal psychological control were positively related to daily externalizing and internalizing problems, a pattern that was fairly consistent across informants. Out of the 35 interactions tested, only three turned out to be significant. Overall, the limited number of interactions suggests that psychologically controlling parenting is generally detrimental to children's daily functioning. Still, children differ somewhat in their susceptibility to the effect of psychologically controlling parenting. © 2018 European Association of Personality Psychology

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl-transferase (Nampt) or pre-B cell colony-enhancing factor or visfatin represents a pleiotropic molecule acting as an enzyme, a cytokine and a growth factor. Intracellular Nampt plays an important role in cellular bioenergetics and metabolism, particularly NAD biosynthesis. NAD biosynthesis is critical in DNA repair, oncogenic signal transduction, transcription, genomic integrity and apoptosis. Although its insulin-mimetic function remains a controversial issue, extracellular Nampt presents proliferative, anti-apoptotic, pro-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic and metastatic properties. Nampt is upregulated in many malignancies, including obesity-associated cancers, and is associated with worse prognosis. Serum Nampt may be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in cancer. Pharmacologic agents that neutralize Nampt or medications that decrease Nampt levels or downregulate signaling pathways downstream of Nampt may prove to be useful anti-cancer treatments. In particular, Nampt inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination therapy have displayed anti-cancer activity in vivo and in vitro. The aim of this review is to explore the role of Nampt in cancer pathophysiology as well as to synopsize the mechanisms underlying the association between extracellular and intracellular Nampt, and malignancy. Exploring the interplay of cellular bioenergetics, inflammation and adiposopathy is expected to be of importance in the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies against cancer.

Mitochondria are cellular organelles essential for multiple biological processes, including energy production, metabolites biosynthesis, cell death, and immunological responses among others. Recent advances in the field of immunology research reveal the pivotal role of energy metabolism in innate immune cells fate and function. Therefore, the maintenance of mitochondrial network integrity and activity is a prerequisite for immune system homeostasis. Mitochondrial selective autophagy, known as mitophagy, surveils mitochondrial population eliminating superfluous and/or impaired organelles and mediating cellular survival and viability in response to injury/trauma and infection. Defective removal of damaged mitochondria leads to hyperactivation of inflammatory signaling pathways and subsequently to chronic systemic inflammation and development of inflammatory diseases. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms of mitophagy and highlight its critical role in the innate immune system homeostasis.

Although forest fires are an integral part of Mediterranean forest ecosystems, they constitute one of the most devastating natural hazards in the region. Apart from the direct consequences, fires induce well-documented longer term effects in the geomorphological and hydrological processes, influencing environmental factors that in turn can affect the occurrence of other natural hazards, such as floods and mass movement phenomena.This work focuses on the forest fire of 2007 in Peloponnese, Greece that burnt 1773 km2, causing 78 fatalities and very significant damages in property and infrastructure and went down as the largest fire in the country’s record. It examines the occurrence of flood and mass movement phenomena, before and after this mega-fire and studies different influencing factors to investigate the degree to which the 2007 fire and/or other parameters have affected their frequency.Observational evidence based on several data sources collected during the period 1989-2016 show that the 2007 fire has contributed to an increase of average flood and mass movement events frequency by approximately 3.3 and 5.6 times respectively.Fire affected areas record a substantial increase in the occurrence of both phenomena, presenting a noticeably stronger increase compared to neighbouring areas that have not been affected. Examination of the monthly occurrence of events showed an increase even in months of the year were rainfall intensity presented decreasing trends.Although no major land use changes has been identified and chlorophyll is shown to recover 2 years after the fire incident, differences on the type of vegetation as tall forest has been substituted with lower vegetation are considered significant drivers for the observed changes in hydrogeomorphic response of the fire affected basins.The findings of this work are strong indications that future climatic change, with more frequent and severe droughts and storms will be a disastrous combination for the Mediterranean region.

A seismic risk model on a building block scale is presented for the earthquake prone city of Aigion (W. Corinth Gulf) by combining deterministic seismic hazard with Risk-UE LM1 structural vulnerability, assessed per building, taking into account site conditions approximated by Horizontal-to-Vertical-Spectral-Ratios (HVSR) from ambient noise. The stochastic finite-fault method has been applied to simulate strong ground motion from two close earthquake scenarios, capable of occurring within the seismotectonic frame of the area: (a) a repetition of the 1995, June 15 (Mw=6.4) devastating earthquake and (b) a repetition of the 1861, December 26 earthquake of Mw=6.7 on the East Heliki Fault (EHF). The applied methodology provided comparable pattern with the real damage distribution of the 1995 earthquake, highlighting outlooks toward earthquake preparedness and riskmitigation purposes.

The AP-1 complex is essential for membrane protein traffic via its role in the pinching-off and sorting of secretory vesicles from the trans-Golgi and/or endosomes. While its essentiality is undisputed in metazoa, its role in simpler eukaryotes seems less clear. Here we dissect the role of AP-1 in the filamentous fungus and show that it is absolutely essential for growth due to its role in clathrin-dependent maintenance of polar traffic of specific membrane cargoes towards the apex of growing hyphae. We provide evidence that AP-1 is involved in both anterograde sorting of RabE-labeled secretory vesicles and RabA/B-dependent endosome recycling. Additionally, AP-1 is shown to be critical for microtubule and septin organization, further rationalizing its essentiality in cells that face the challenge of cytoskeleton-dependent polarized cargo traffic. This work also opens a novel issue on how non-polar cargoes, such as transporters, are sorted to the eukaryotic plasma membrane.

A large amount of new and existing data was applied, aiming at delineating structural seismic risk in the earthquake prone modern city of Kalamata (SW Peloponnese) that was largely reconstructed after the devastating Mw=5.8 earthquake of September 13, 1986. Synthetic site-specifc ground motion parameters derived from the nearest known shallow hazardous seismogenic sources were combined with EMS-98 structural vulnerability estimates of the city’s building stock and four structural and economic loss models have been developed on a building-block scale. Assuming absence of non-linear, nearsource effects, the building stock of Kalamata is anticipated to present sufficient seismic behaviour, due to the large number of new and innovative constructions replacing the demolished ones after the 1986 earthquake.

Natural products are characterized by extreme structural diversity and thus they offer a unique source for the identification of novel anti-tumor agents. Herein, we report that the herbal substance acteoside being isolated by advanced phytochemical methods from Lippia citriodora leaves showed enhanced cytotoxicity against metastatic tumor cells; acted in synergy with various cytotoxic agents and it sensitized chemoresistant cancer cells. Acteoside was not toxic in physiological cellular contexts, while it increased oxidative load, affected the activity of proteostatic modules and suppressed matrix metalloproteinases in tumor cell lines. Intraperitoneal or oral (via drinking water) administration of acteoside in a melanoma mouse model upregulated antioxidant responses in the tumors; yet, only intraperitoneal delivery suppressed tumor growth and induced anti-tumor-reactive immune responses. Mass-spectrometry identification/quantitation analyses revealed that intraperitoneal delivery of acteoside resulted in significantly higher, vs. oral administration, concentration of the compound in the plasma and tumors of treated mice, suggesting that its in vivo anti-tumor effect depends on the route of administration and the achieved concentration in the tumor. Finally, molecular modeling studies and enzymatic activity assays showed that acteoside inhibits protein kinase C. Conclusively, acteoside holds promise as a chemical scaffold for the development of novel anti-tumor agents.

Aromatase inhibitors, which are widely used for the treatment of estrogen-dependent cancers, have been associated with psychiatric side effects ranging from mania to depression. In the present study, we investigated sex differences in the behavioral and neurochemical effects of aromatase inhibition on male and female, sham-operated or gonadectomized adult rats. Three weeks after surgery, rats received chronic treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole or vehicle and were then subjected to the open field test, which assesses general activity. Half of the subjects were subsequently exposed to the stressful procedure of the forced swim test (FST), which is also a test of antidepressant activity. Aromatase activity was analyzed in the hypothalamus and testosterone and corticosterone were assayed in the blood serum of all rats. The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were analyzed for monoamine (noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin), as well as amino acid (GABA, glutamate, glycine, taurine, alanine and histidine) levels. The observed decrease in hypothalamic aromatase activity confirmed the efficacy of letrozole treatment in both sexes. Moreover, letrozole enhanced testosterone levels in sham-operated females. In the open field test, females were overall more active and explorative than males and gonadectomy eliminated this sex difference. In the FST, females exhibited overall higher immobility than males and gonadectomy further enhanced this passive behavior in both sexes. However, sustained aromatase inhibition had no effect on open field and FST behaviors. Head shakes during FST, which were fewer in females than in males, were reduced by castration in males and by letrozole treatment in ovariectomized females, suggesting a role of testosterone and extra-gonadal estrogens in the expression of this behavior. Sustained aromatase inhibition also decreased noradrenaline and the dopaminergic turnover rates [DOPAC/DA, HVA/DA] in the hippocampus and PFC of male and female rats, irrespectively of gonadectomy. Moreover, letrozole treatment enhanced the serotonergic turnover [5HIAA/5HT] rate in the hippocampus of males and females, irrespectively of gonadectomy. Amino acid levels were not influenced by letrozole, but sex differences were demonstrated with higher levels in the PFC of females vs. males. Present findings suggest that the neuropsychiatric effects of aromatase inhibition can be attributed to the inhibition of extragonadal estrogen synthesis, presumably in the brain, and could be further associated with serotonergic and catecholaminergic changes in brain regions involved in mood and cognition. Importantly, present data could be linked with the neurobiology of affective side-effects in post-menopausal women receiving aromatase inhibitors.

Aromatase inhibitors, which are widely used for the treatment of estrogen-dependent cancers, have been associated with psychiatric side effects ranging from mania to depression. In the present study, we investigated sex differences in the behavioral and neurochemical effects of aromatase inhibition on male and female, sham-operated or gonadectomized adult rats. Three weeks after surgery, rats received chronic treatment with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole or vehicle and were then subjected to the open field test, which assesses general activity. Half of the subjects were subsequently exposed to the stressful procedure of the forced swim test (FST), which is also a test of antidepressant activity. Aromatase activity was analyzed in the hypothalamus and testosterone and corticosterone were assayed in the blood serum of all rats. The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were analyzed for monoamine (noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin), as well as amino acid (GABA, glutamate, glycine, taurine, alanine and histidine) levels. The observed decrease in hypothalamic aromatase activity confirmed the efficacy of letrozole treatment in both sexes. Moreover, letrozole enhanced testosterone levels in sham-operated females. In the open field test, females were overall more active and explorative than males and gonadectomy eliminated this sex difference. In the FST, females exhibited overall higher immobility than males and gonadectomy further enhanced this passive behavior in both sexes. However, sustained aromatase inhibition had no effect on open field and FST behaviors. Head shakes during FST, which were fewer in females than in males, were reduced by castration in males and by letrozole treatment in ovariectomized females, suggesting a role of testosterone and extra-gonadal estrogens in the expression of this behavior. Sustained aromatase inhibition also decreased noradrenaline and the dopaminergic turnover rates [DOPAC/DA, HVA/DA] in the hippocampus and PFC of male and female rats, irrespectively of gonadectomy. Moreover, letrozole treatment enhanced the serotonergic turnover [5HIAA/5HT] rate in the hippocampus of males and females, irrespectively of gonadectomy. Amino acid levels were not influenced by letrozole, but sex differences were demonstrated with higher levels in the PFC of females vs. males. Present findings suggest that the neuropsychiatric effects of aromatase inhibition can be attributed to the inhibition of extragonadal estrogen synthesis, presumably in the brain, and could be further associated with serotonergic and catecholaminergic changes in brain regions involved in mood and cognition. Importantly, present data could be linked with the neurobiology of affective side-effects in post-menopausal women receiving aromatase inhibitors.

Combining high efficiency and long lifetime under ambient conditions still poses a major challenge towards commercialization of polymer solar cells. Here we report a facile strategy that can simultaneously enhance the efficiency and temporal stability of inverted photovoltaic architectures. Inclusion of a silanol-functionalized organic-inorganic hybrid polyoxometalate derived from a PW9O34 lacunary phosphotungstate anion, namely (nBu4N)3[PW9O34(tBuSiOH)3], significantly increases the effectiveness of the electron collecting interface, which consists of a metal oxide such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, and leads to a high efficiency of 6.51% for single-junction structures based on poly(3-hexylthiophene):indene-C60 bisadduct (P3HT:IC60BA) blends. The above favourable outcome stems from a large decrease in the work function, an effective surface passivation and a decrease in the surface energy of metal oxides which synergistically result in the outstanding electron transfer mediating capability of the functionalized polyoxometalate. In addition, the insertion of a silanol-functionalized polyoxometalate layer significantly enhances the ambient stability of unencapsulated devices which retain nearly 90% of their original efficiencies (T90) after 1000 hours. © 2018 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

The chapter focuses on the challenges and opportunities raised by the growing awareness of the role that English as a lingua franca (ELF) can play in Expanding Circle contexts, namely, contexts where English does not have a historical or statutory role of any kind. The context under review is Greece, where English is taught as a foreign language (EFL). I present an account of the English language teaching, learning and use situation in Greece and reflect on the impact ELF can have for domains like language instruction, materials design, selection and evaluation and teacher education. I argue that ELF research can inform EFL contexts in a number of ways: It can be used to empower non-native speakers of English by broadening their perspective of communicating on a global scale in the 21st century. It can also be used as a means of teacher development. The essential element that underpins this perspective is that, for Expanding Circle contexts like the Greek one, English is not a foreign language (in the way that other major languages like French and German are), but a language with which learners have some degree of familiarity.

This volume examines the role of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) in education in Europe. Following the implementation of the Bologna process, English has assumed a central role in European education offering institutions the opportunity to cater to the needs of an internationalized student body and increase their competitiveness. On the other hand, the increased use of ELF has become an issue of concern, often perceived as a threat to other languages, tilting the scale towards linguistic inequality and stressing the urgent need for the development of new language policies. Both aspects of ELF are at the center of discussion in the proposed volume, which consists of a variety of papers examining ELF in different parts of Europe (Eastern, Central and Western) and different levels of education. The volume makes a substantial contribution to the lively and controversial debate about what is recognized as a central topical concern of language education policy in Europe and beyond.

In this chapter, we will provide a review of the major aspects related to teacherawareness, with special reference to non- native teachers’ awareness of English as an International Lingua Franca (ELF), and will then provide an account of a hands on practical approach aimed at introducing teachers in Expanding Circle countries (Kachru, 1985 ) to the challenges and implications of teaching a global language, thus transforming them into ELF- aware teachers who will be ready to convey such awareness among their students. We will focus on non- native English- speaking teachers’ (NNESTs’) awareness of the global properties of ELF. In order to support our suggestions in the light of a new model of transformative teacher education (Sifakis, 2007, 2014), we provide evidence from an on- going project on ELF- aware language teaching, and we report NNESTs’ perspectives on what they consider to be an ELF- aware lesson, as well as teachers’ observations of how successful they were in raising their students’ awareness towards ELF (Bayyurt and Sifakis, 2015a , 2015b; Sifakis, 2014 ; Sifakis and Bayyurt, 2015).

Η παρούσα ανακοίνωση αναδεικνύει τη ζωή και το έργο τριών Επτανήσιων μουσουργών, οι οποίοι έζησαν και έδρασαν στις Η.Π.Α. κατά το πρώτο μισό του 20ού αι. Α) Ο Κερκυραίος Λορέντζος Καμιλιέρης (1877-1956), συνθέτης, διευθυντής ορχήστρας και χορωδίας διακρίθηκε στη Νέα Υόρκη με την ίδρυση και λειτουργία της μακροβιότερης χορωδίας στις ΗΠΑ, της People’s Chorus. B) O επίσης Κερκυραίος Σπύρος Μπεκατώρος (1862-1938), συνθέτης, διευθυντής ορχήστρας και καθηγητής μουσικής, εγκαταστάθηκε στο Σικάγο και στη Νέα Υόρκη, όπου για τριάντα χρόνια υπηρέτησε τις ελληνοαμερικανικές ορχήστρες. Γ) Ο Κεφαλλονίτης Ιωάννης Βεργωτής (1875-;) συνθέτης, λιμπρετίστας και διευθυντής ορχήστρας ίδρυσε στη Νέα Υόρκη ελληνοαμερικανικό οπερετικό θίασο, όπου παρουσίαζε προσωπικά του έργα.

Στο απόηχο της Ρωσικής Επανάστασης, το 1918 ιδρύθηκε στις ΗΠΑ η ελληνική κομμουνιστική εφημερίδα «Η Φωνή του Εργάτου» με στόχο να συσπειρώσει τον ελληνικό εργατικό κόσμο. Στους κόλπους της εφημερίδας γεννήθηκε ο πρώτος γηγενής σοσιαλιστικός θίασος στη Νέα Υόρκη, ο «Θεατρικός Εργατικός Όμιλος». Ο «Θεατρικός Εργατικός Όμιλος», αυστηρά προσανατολισμένος στις κομμουνιστικές αρχές, συμμετείχε σε γιορτές συλλόγων, σε χοροεσπερίδες με αφορμή την επέτειο της Ρωσικής Επανάστασης ή υπέρ της εφημερίδας «Η Φωνή του Εργάτου», η οποία το 1923 μετονομάστηκε σε «Εμπρός». Απ’ τους κόλπους του «Θεατρικού Εργατικού Ομίλου» γεννήθηκαν πολυάριθμοι σοσιαλιστικοί ερασιτεχνικοί όμιλοι (π.χ. ο «Σπάρτακος» και ο «Λόκαλ 70» των Γουναροεργατών).Ταυτόχρονα προέκυψε ένας πυρήνας θεατρικών συγγραφέων, προερχόμενοι από τους σοσιαλιστικούς θιάσους, οι οποίοι συνέγραψαν έργα επαναστατικά νατουραλιστικά, τα οποία αναδεικνύουν τις κοινωνικές αδικίες, την εκμετάλλευση των εργατών, την ανισότητα, το ρατσισμό και γενικότερα όλη την κοινωνική παθογένεια της Αμερικής. Το παρόν επιστημονικό άρθρο αναδεικνύει το σοσιαλιστικό ρεπερτόριο, τη δραματουργία των στρατευμένων συγγραφέων και τις δράσεις των σοσιαλιστικών θιάσων στις ΗΠΑ από το 1918 έως τη δεκαετία του 1940.

Νομοκανονικά Ἀνάλεκτα 11