Publications

The propagation of elastic waves in macroscopically periodic composites consisting of core-shell spherical scatterers in a homogeneous host medium is studied by means of numerical calculations using the layer-multiple-scattering method. By an appropriate choice of the constituent materials, these crystals exhibit wide absolute frequency gaps, over which no elastic wave can propagate in the composite medium, whatever the direction of its propagation. We analyze the detailed structure of transmission spectra of finite slabs of such crystals in conjunction with the corresponding complex-band-structure and density-of-states diagrams, and emphasize aspects of the underlying physics which have not been discussed previously.

There are limited reports of young patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who presented with multiple lytic bone lesions but without intervening infiltration of bone marrow, a pattern consisting of macrofocal MM. In order to clearly define the clinical and laboratory features and outcome of such patients, a retrospective analysis was performed of symptomatic patients with MM ≤40 years of age at diagnosis who received primary treatment over a 20-year period. Ten of 51 patients fulfilled the criteria of macrofocal MM. When compared to patients with typical MM, patients with macrofocal pattern were less anemic, none had hypercalcemia, renal impairment, elevated serum LDH or stage 3 according to the International Staging System (ISS). Patients with macrofocal MM usually had preserved the uninvolved immunoglobulins. An objective response to primary treatment was noted in 55% of patients with macrofocal MM and in 50% of patients without this pattern. The median survival of patients with typical MM was 57 months and is projected to exceed 8 years in patients with macrofocal MM (p = 0.087). With macrofocal MM despite multiple lytic bone lesions, patients have features of low tumor burden and improved survival when compared with young patients with typical MM.

Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) has been applied to study the variation of magnetic anisotropy and phase separation tendencies in the ferromagnetic insulating state of stoichiometric hole-doped La1-x Cax Mn O3 (0.125≤x≤0.19). A strongly anisotropic ferromagnetic phase is identified in the ferromagnetic insulating regime. The magnetic anisotropy evolves from positive uniaxial at x=0.125 and 0.15 to negative cubiclike at x=0.175 with increasing magnitude, whereas it decreases appreciably at x=0.19, which is close to the ferromagnetic metallic phase boundary. Minor contributions from ferromagnetic inhomogeneities characterized by weaker magnetic anisotropy are traced at low temperatures for x=0.125 and 0.15, while their temperature dependence implies coupling with the major anisotropic phase. A growing tendency towards the formation of spatially separate ferromagnetic regions in the paramagnetic regime is observed at x≥0.175, as the ferromagnetic metallic phase is approached. Persistent anomalies in the temperature dependence of the FMR parameters are traced concurrently with the structural transformation at 60-70 K. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

Jets in active galactic nuclei are collimated, relativistic flows that emanate from accretion disks around supermassive black holes. Electromagnetic stresses are the most plausible candidate for extracting energy at the source and converting it into outflow kinetic energy. Questions that need to be answered in order for these processes to be well understood are: Can we explain parsec-scale accelerations that the observations infer? How the conditions near the disk are related to the terminal Lorentz factor of the jet and what is the asymptotic value of the Poynting-to-matter energy flux ratio? Can we model the apparent kinematics of the observed jet components? I present solutions of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations that help to shed light on these questions.

Jets in active galactic nuclei are collimated, relativistic flows that emanate from accretion disks around supermassive black holes. Electromagnetic stresses are the most plausible candidate for extracting energy at the source and converting it into outflow kinetic energy. Questions that need to be answered in order for these processes to be well understood are: Can we explain parsec-scale accelerations that the observations infer? How the conditions near the disk are related to the terminal Lorentz factor of the jet and what is the asymptotic value of the Poynting-to-matter energy flux ratio? Can we model the apparent kinematics of the observed jet components? I present solutions of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations that help to shed light on these questions.

The magnetic properties of the Mg2FeV3O11-x ternary vanadate, characterized by disorder between diamagnetic Mg2+ and high-spin Fe3+ ions, are studied using dc magnetization and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The dc susceptibility shows antiferromagnetic interactions between Fe3+ spins with a Curie-Weiss temperature of Θ = -50(1) K, followed by spin-glass-like freezing at Tf ≈ 2.8 K, suggesting significant spin frustration. Temperature-dependent EPR measurements confirm the antiferromagnetic coupling of Fe3+ spins at high temperatures, while a distinct divergence is observed at T ≈ 50 K. This behavior is associated with the formation of spin clusters providing two different energy scales for the magnetic interactions. The magnetic response of Mg2FeV3O11-x is similar to that of the Zn-analogue compound, though the observed differences of the implicated energy scales indicate that magnetic inhomogeneity depends on the extent of cation disorder.

In the present work we study experimentally the influence that the domain structure of a ferromagnet (FM) has on the properties of a superconductor (SC) in bilayers and multilayers of La0.60Ca0.40MnO3/Nb and FePt/Nb proximity hybrids. Specific experimental protocols that were employed in the performed magnetization measurements enabled us to directly uncover a generic property of FM/SC hybrids: In the absence of an external magnetic field, the multidomain structure of the FM promotes the nucleation of superconductivity, while its monodomain state strongly suppresses it. Our experimental findings support recent theoretical studies [A. I. Buzdin and A. S. Mel'nikov, Phys. Rev. B 67, 020503(R) (2003); T. Champel and M. Eschrig, Phys. Rev. B 71, 220506(R) (2005)] that suggest the formation of the so-called domain-wall superconductivity and propose that when an inhomogeneous exchange field is offered by the FM to the SC the superconducting pairs are not susceptible to pairbreaking. In contrast, when magnetic homogeneity is restored in the FM the SC's properties are strongly suppressed.

Results are presented on component masses and system angular momenta for over 100 low-temperature contact binaries. It is found that the secondary components in close binary systems are very similar in mass. Our observational evidence strongly supports the argument that the evolutionary process goes from near-contact binaries to A-type contact binaries, without any need of mass loss from the system. Furthermore, the evolutionary direction of A-type into W-type systems with a simultaneous mass and angular momentum loss is also discussed. The opposite direction of evolution seems to be unlikely, since it requires an increase of the total mass and the angular momentum of the system.

The magnetic properties of γ- Fe2 O3 ferrimagnetic nanoparticles embedded in a multiblock poly(ether-ester) copolymer have been investigated by static magnetization and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements at two different dispersion states. Significant variation of the magnetic response is identified below T≈120 K, most pronounced in the marked resonance field shift of the FMR spectra, independently of the dispersion state of the nanocomposites. This behavior correlates favorably with the dynamic relaxation of the copolymer, indicating a matrix freezing effect that is attributed to the magnetoelastic coupling of the oxide nanoparticles with the surrounding polymer. At low temperatures, the dc magnetization and FMR measurements vary considerably for the two nanocomposites, indicating essential differences in their ground state, related to the different morphology of the samples and the concomitant variation of interparticle interactions. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.

OBJECTIVES: The development of an ICNP web-based nursing documentation system, and its evaluation for its usability, and its user acceptance. METHODS: A web-based nursing documentation system was designed and implemented by using the Greek translation of ICNP beta 2 version nursing terminology. The system integrates the steps of nursing process for providing and documenting nursing care, while ICNP terminology is used for the description of nursing concepts. The system was evaluated by nurses in a computer laboratory. We measured the user interaction satisfaction mainly by using questionnaires and scenarios. RESULTS: The nurses who evaluated the system possessed adequate basic computer skills; but low-to-moderate experience in clinical or hospital information systems; and insufficient experience with nursing vocabularies, and especially ICNP. Overall, they were satisfied enough with the system's usability and usefulness, while the acceptance level increased as the level of their training in computers, nursing process and ICNP was also increased. The integration and use in the system of predefined, or standardized, nursing concepts and care plans seems to increase the acceptance of the documentation system and also the ICNP. CONCLUSION: The subjective satisfaction and response of the users towards the system is specified. The described system was evaluated under "laboratory conditions" and revealed some of its strong and weak points and some of the factors that influenced its success and acceptance by its users.

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we have explored the mechanical strength of the titin Z1Z2-telethonin complex, namely, its ability to bear strong forces such as those encountered during passive muscle stretch. Our results show that not only does this complex resist considerable mechanical force through beta strand crosslinking, suggesting that telethonin is an important component of the N-terminal titin anchor, but also that telethonin distributes these forces between its two joined titin Z2 domains to protect the proximal Z1 domains from bearing too much stress. Our simulations also reveal that without telethonin, apo-titin Z1Z2 exhibits significantly decreased resistance to mechanical stress, and that the N-terminal segment of telethonin (residues 1-89) does not exhibit a stable fold conformation when it is unbound from titin Z1Z2. Consequently, our study sheds light on a key but little studied architectural feature of biological cells-the existence of strong mechanical links that glue separate proteins together.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) and Alzheimer disease (AD) in a different AD population and to investigate possible mediation by vascular pathways. Design, Setting, Patients, and MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A case-control study nested within a community-based cohort in New York, NY. Adherence to the MeDi (0- to 9-point scale with higher scores indicating higher adherence) was the main predictor of AD status (194 patients with AD vs 1790 nondemented subjects) in logistic regression models that were adjusted for cohort, age, sex, ethnicity, education, apolipoprotein E genotype, caloric intake, smoking, medical comorbidity index, and body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared). We investigated whether there was attenuation of the association between MeDi and AD when vascular variables (stroke, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disease, lipid levels) were simultaneously introduced in the models (which would constitute evidence of mediation). RESULTS: Higher adherence to the MeDi was associated with lower risk for AD (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.67-0.87; P<.001). Compared with subjects in the lowest MeDi tertile, subjects in the middle MeDi tertile had an odds ratio of 0.47 (95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.76) and those at the highest tertile an odds ratio of 0.32 (95% confidence interval, 0.17-0.59) for AD (P for trend <.001). Introduction of the vascular variables in the model did not change the magnitude of the association. CONCLUSIONS: We note once more that higher adherence to the MeDi is associated with a reduced risk for AD. The association does not seem to be mediated by vascular comorbidity. This could be the result of either other biological mechanisms (oxidative or inflammatory) being implicated or measurement error of the vascular variables.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has focused on individual dietary components. There is converging evidence that composite dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) is related to lower risk for cardiovascular disease, several forms of cancer, and overall mortality. We sought to investigate the association between MeDi and risk for AD. METHODS: A total of 2,258 community-based nondemented individuals in New York were prospectively evaluated every 1.5 years. Adherence to the MeDi (zero- to nine-point scale with higher scores indicating higher adherence) was the main predictor in models that were adjusted for cohort, age, sex, ethnicity, education, apolipoprotein E genotype, caloric intake, smoking, medical comorbidity index, and body mass index. RESULTS: There were 262 incident AD cases during the course of 4 (+/-3.0; range, 0.2-13.9) years of follow-up. Higher adherence to the MeDi was associated with lower risk for AD (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.83-0.98; p=0.015). Compared with subjects in the lowest MeDi tertile, subjects in the middle MeDi tertile had a hazard ratio of 0.85 (95% confidence interval, 0.63-1.16) and those at the highest tertile had a hazard ratio of 0.60 (95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.87) for AD (p for trend=0.007). INTERPRETATION: We conclude that higher adherence to the MeDi is associated with a reduction in risk for AD.

Individuals with melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene variants have been shown to carry an increased risk for the development of melanoma. In this study, we investigated the relationship of MC1R gene variants and the risk of melanoma in 123 melanoma patients and 155 control subjects from Greece. The entire MC1R gene was sequenced for polymorphisms and the results were correlated with host factors and pigmentary characteristics. MC1R polymorphisms were present in 59.4% of melanoma patients compared to 37.5% of controls, yielding an odds ratio (OR) of 2.43 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.50-3.96, P < 0.001) for melanoma among MC1R carriers. The risk of melanoma was enhanced in individuals carrying multiple variant alleles (OR = 6.97; 95% CI = 1.86-26.12, P = 0.004). Only the Val60Leu, Arg142His, and Arg151Cys variants were significantly associated with melanoma risk. In stratified analysis, the risk of melanoma among MC1R carriers was not influenced by skin phototype, skin color, or hair color. No association was found between MC1R genotype and the age of onset of melanoma, the tumor location, or the tumor thickness. In conclusion, MC1R polymorphisms are a predisposing factor of melanoma in a southern European population with a relatively low incidence of the disease.

In this study, the synoptic scale atmospheric circulation prevailing during 1989-2004 air pollution episodes in the greater area of Thessaloniki (GTA) was examined. The episodes are defined on the basis of the main pollutants measured (SO2, PM10, black smoke, CO, NO2 and O 3) on an hourly basis, at five monitoring stations of the Municipal Air Quality Network of Thessaloniki. During this period, 95 air pollution episodes, which lasted 258 days in total, were detected. The results demonstrate that the air quality in Thessaloniki can be characterized as acute, with respect mainly to photochemical pollutants and suspended particulates (PM 10). It was found that air quality conditions are significantly associated with specific synoptic scale features that contribute to the formation of the local wind field. The high air pollution concentrations are mainly associated with anticyclonic conditions that appear at the highest frequency throughout the whole year and/or advection of warm air masses. These findings can help to understand the association of large scale with local scale flow over GTA that greatly promotes the occurrence of air pollution episodes. © by PSP 2006.

During November 2004 – June 2005 a digital seismological network was deployed in the eastern part of central Greek mainland, in an area seismically active in the 20th century, particularly in the decade of fifties. The strongest earthquake (M=7.0) occurred in 1954, while the last strong one in 1980 (M=6.5). In total 18 Reftek digital loggers (both 72A–07 and R–130) were installed assembled with fifteen guralp CMG40T broadband and three Le_1Hz seismometers. The average spacing between stations was of the order of 20 km to ensure earthquake depth accuracy. Local earthquakes with P– and S– arrivals at four or more stations were located using HYPOINVERSE computer program. Data analysis using the Double Difference technique did not changeconsiderably the spatial distribution of the earthquake foci. The best–recorded earthquakes were used to define a reasonable crustal structure. Lateral variations of the crustal model taken into account, calculating time delays for each station. By this way, earthquakes inside the network or close to its boundaries were located with high accuracy in both the epicenter and focal depth. In addition, focal mechanisms of earthquakes with proper azimuthal coverage were computed. Seismicity covers most of the area and is distributed mainly in clusters along active structures. A magnitude M=3.9 earthquake, was the largest local one recorded by this network (5 December 2004, 17:58 UTC), close to the focal area of the 1980 strong earthquake. Several cross sectionsstriking normal to the trend of the clusters of the epicenters reveal the geometry of the active structures as well as the width of the seismogenic layer. Most of the focal mechanisms exhibit normal faulting and were used along with the microseismicity foci in the cross sections for the definition of the properties of the faults that activated during the experiment.

The complete sequence of the apiculate wine yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum mtDNA has been determined and analysed. It is an extremely compact linear molecule containing the shortest functional region ever found in fungi (11 094 bp long), flanked by Type 2 telomeric inverted repeats. The latter contained a 2704-bp-long subterminal region and tandem repeats of 839-bp units. In consequence, a population of mtDNA molecules that differed at the number of their telomeric reiterations was detected. The functional region of the mitochondrial genome coded for 32 genes, which included seven subunits of respiratory complexes and ATP synthase (the genes encoding for NADH oxidoreductase subunits were absent), two rRNAs and 23 tRNA genes which recognized codons for all amino acids. A single intron interrupted the cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene. A number of reasons contributed towards its strikingly small size, namely: (1) the remarkable size reduction (by >40%) of the rns and rnl genes; (2) that most tRNA genes and five of the seven protein-coding genes were the shortest among known yeast homologs; and (3) that the noncoding regions were restricted to 5.1% of the genome. In addition, the genome showed multiple changes in the orientation of transcription and the gene order differed drastically from other yeasts. When all protein coding gene sequences were considered as one unit and were compared with the corresponding molecules from all other complete mtDNAs of yeasts, the phylogenetic trees constructed robustly supported its placement basal to the yeast species of the 'Saccharomyces complex', demonstrating the advantage of this approach over single-gene or multigene approaches of unlinked genes.

Time-series CCD photometry of the contact system V839 Oph on May, June and July 2004 showed a continuous brightening of the system in all phases of the light curve. A possible explanation of this brightening could be enhanced (magnetic) activity of the system, also noticed in the past. Mass transfer and/or energy exchange between the two components can explain the observed increase of brightness. All possible cases, concerning the location and shape of the spotted area, are discussed and the most probable model is presented.

Development of accurate and efficient models on erosion risk mapping are difficult to be applied on different environmental parameters, mainly due to the complexity of the integrated parameters. In this study the developed GIS model is based on the theory of Boolean logic. The rules integrate the main parameters for erosion, e.g. vulnerability, slope, drainage density, although it is easy for more parameters to be added. As case study area Penteli mountain (North-East Attiki) was selected, that suffers from intense erosion, mainly due to the last severe fire events. With the aim of restraining erosional processes, combinatory strategies, such as assignment of tree trunks parallel to contours, have been applied. The results of this study include a model for erosion, deposition and material transfer. Complementary, a GIS based model was developed so as to define the movement of eroded material within the different drainage basins of the area. The model defines the erosional and depositional sites and the results are confirmed by the measurements on the tree trunks.

The photochemistry of N-hydroxypyridine-2(1H)-thione (NHPT), inserted as a photolabile modifier at the 6-position of 2′-deoxyguanosine or guanosine, has been evaluated. In particular, 6-[(1-oxidopyridin-2-yl)sulfanyl]- (1a) and 6-[(pyridin-2-yl)sulfanyl]-2′,6-dideoxyguanosine (2a), novel photolabile derivatives of the natural nucleosides, were synthesized and characterized. The observed photolysis products of 1a in organic solvents could only be rationalized by assuming a rapid equilibrium with the corresponding 6-[(2-thioxopyridin-1(2H)-yl)oxy] analogue 3a (Scheme 5). Transient spectroscopy of 1a indicated a strong triplet-excited state suitable for triplet → triplet energy transfer or singlet-oxygen generation. The NHPT function was stable enough for (slightly modified) automated solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. The utility of the above compounds is discussed, as well as their potential use in photosensitization of reactive oxygen species in DNA. © 2006 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG.

In this work we study the modulation of superconductivity in combinatorial films (CFs) that are constructed by anisotropic CoPt ferromagnetic particles (FPs) randomly embedded in high-quality Nb layers of thickness 200 nm. In the constructed CFs the FPs are embedded in only half of the Nb layers. In this way we studied the modulation of superconductivity directly by performing transport measurements on the hybrid and pure superconducting areas of the CFs simultaneously under the application of the same dc current. Modulation of superconductivity and magnetic memory effects appeared only at the hybrid part of the CFs. This proves that superconductivity can be noticeably controlled under the action of the dipolar fields of FPs. The enhancement of the superconducting regime on the H-T operational diagram suggests that such hybrids can be attractive for current-carrying applications. In addition, magnetoresistive elemental superconducting devices could be based on our CFs. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This study aimed to estimate the overall HCV genotype distribution and to reconstruct the HCV genotype-specific incidence in Greece during the recent decades. It also focused at the identification of genotype 4 subtype variability in Greek isolates. A total of 1686 chronically infected HCV patients with detectable serum HCV RNA by RT-PCR, belonging to different risk groups were studied. Amplified products from the 5'-noncoding region were typed using a commercially available assay based on the reverse hybridization principle. The HCV genotype-specific incidence was estimated using a previously described back calculation method. HCV genotype 1 was the most prevalent (46.9%) followed by genotype 3 (28.1%), 4 (13.2%), 2 (6.9%) and 5 (0.4%). A high prevalence of genotype 1 (66.3%) in haemophilia patients was recorded whereas HCV genotype 3 was found mainly among patients infected by I.V. drug use (58.2%). Data on the temporal patterns of HCV genotype-specific incidence in Greece revealed a moderate increase (1.3-1.6 times) for genotypes 1 and 4, and a decrease (1.5 times) for genotype 2 from 1970 to 1990, whereas there was a sharp (13-fold) increase for genotype 3. The molecular characterization of 41 genotype 4 HCV isolates belonging to various risk groups revealed that, subtype 4a was the most frequently detected (78%). Phylogenetic comparison of the Greek 4a isolates with all HCV-4a isolates reported worldwide so far revealed a topology which does not discriminate Greek isolates from the others. HCV-4 does not represent a recent introduction in Greece.

The morphological characteristics of a coastal reef that is observed along the Ammoudara beach (6 km to the west of the city of Heraklion, Crete) are investigated in relation to the sedimentology and modern evolution of the adjacent beach zone. The reef has a length close to 4 km, a mean width close to 35m and is located at a distance of 60 m from the shoreline at an average water depth of 2.6m, while the seaward water depth exceeds 3m. Its height above the seafloor, exceeds 80 cm, reaching in places less than 0.5 m from the sea surface. It has two layers; the lower one which consists of fine grained (sandy) material and is approximately 40 cm thick and the upper layer, around 30 cm thick, consisting of relatively coarse,grained material (gravel and sand). Moreover, on the surface of the upper layer, runnels are observed, whilst distinguished cross bedding, similar to that observed in aeolian deposits, exists within the bottom layer. The reef is not present in front of the active mouths of the rivers Gazanos and Xiropotamos which debouch in the coastal area of Ammoudara. The western end of this submerged reef is attached to the beach face, exhibiting the characteristics of a typical beach,rock formation. On the basis of the above, it is concluded that the reef under investigation it is a submerged beach rock which indicates the position of a former coastline that is now submerged due to a relative sea level rise of approximately 0,5m.

We studied by Mossbauer spectroscopy the Na0.82CoO2 compound using 1% 57 Fe as a local probe which substitutes for the Co ions. Mossbauer spectra at T = 300 K revealed two sites which correspond to Fe3+ and Fe4+. The existence of two distinct values of the quadrupole splitting instead of a continuous distribution should be related with the charge ordering of Co+3, Co+4 ions and ion ordering of Na(1) and Na(2). Below T = 10 K part of the spectrum area, corresponding to Fe4+ and all of Fe3+, displays broad magnetically split spectra arising either from short-range magnetic correlations or from slow electronic spin relaxation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

We investigate the effect of an external magnetic field of variable orientation and magnitude (up to 20T) on the linear near-field optical absorption spectra of single and coupled III-V semiconductor quantum dots. We focus on the spatial as well as on the magnetic confinement, varying the dimensions of the quantum dots and the magnetic field. We show that the ground-state exciton binding energy can be manipulated utilizing the spatial and magnetic confinement. The effect of the magnetic field on the absorption spectra, increasing the near-field illumination spot, is also investigated. The zero-magnetic-field “structural” symmetry can be destroyed varying the magnetic field orientation and this affects the near-field spectra. The asymmetry induced (except for specific orientations along symmetry axes) by the magnetic field can be revealed in the near-field but not in the far-field spectra. We predict that near-field magnetoabsorption experiments, of realistic spatial resolution, will be in the position to bring to light the quantum dot symmetry. This exceptional symmetry-resolving power of the near-field magnetoabsorption is lost in the far field. The influence of the Coulomb interactions on the absorption spectra is also discussed. Finally, we show that certain modifications of the magnetoexcitonic structure can be uncovered using a realistically acute near-field probe of ≈20nm.

We report on the electrical and magnetotransport properties of the contact formed between n -type degenerate InSb (100) substrates and polycrystalline NiMnSb thin films grown using pulsed laser deposition. Negative giant magnetoresistance is observed when the external magnetic field is oriented parallel to the in-plane current direction. We attribute the observed phenomenon to magnetic precipitates that are formed during the magnetic film deposition and are confined to a thin layer at the interface. The evidence for the formation of a thin interfacial layer is obtained through x-ray reflectivity measurements. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

The central nervous system is often affected in patients with congenital toxoplasmosis. However, hypothalamo-pituitary dysfunction has rarely been reported in children with congenital toxoplasmosis, and no case with prolonged fever of central origin has been documented so far. We describe a newborn with congenital toxoplasmosis who presented with fever due to hypothalamo-pituitary dysregulation and combined hypothalamo-pituitary deficiencies consisting of central diabetes insipidus, hypothyroidism and ACTH deficiency.

We report on the results of a series of photometric observations of the low-amplitude δ Scuti star GSC 4778:0324, in the course of a multi-site campaign aiming at monitoring V1162 Ori. The two dominant frequencies, found in the previous analyses based on the 2000-2002 data, are confirmed and their amplitudes are found to be stable on a time-scale of a few years.

Primary lymphoma of the upper urinary tract is an extremely rare entity without specific clinical or laboratory findings. Thus, this particular diagnosis is rarely anticipated and might well be reached only after nephroureterectomy. We describe a patient with primary follicular and diffuse follicle center lymphoma arising in the renal pelvis that was treated with surgery and postoperative immunochemotherapy. Furthermore, we review the literature regarding the treatment and outcome of this rare disease.

Steady axisymmetric outflows originating at the hot coronal magnetosphere of a Schwarzschild black hole and surrounding accretion disk are studied in the framework of general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD). The assumption of meridional self-similarity is adopted for the construction of semi-analytical solutions of the GRMHD equations describing outflows close to the polar axis. In addition, it is assumed that relativistic effects related to the rotation of the black hole and the plasma are negligible compared to the gravitational and other energetic terms. The constructed model allows us to extend previous MHD studies for coronal winds from young stars to spine jets from Active Galactic Nuclei surrounded by disk-driven outflows. The outflows are thermally driven and magnetically or thermally collimated. The collimation depends critically on an energetic integral measuring the efficiency of the magnetic rotator, similarly to the non relativistic case. It is also shown that relativistic effects quantitatively affect the depth of the gravitational well and the coronal temperature distribution in the launching region of the outflow. Similarly to previous analytical and numerical studies, relativistic effects tend to increase the efficiency of the thermal driving but reduce the effect of magnetic self-collimation.

Purpose: (1) To develop novel scaled bioequivalence (BE) limits with levelling-off properties based solely on variability considerations and (2) to evaluate their performance in comparison to the classic unscaled BE limits 0.80-1.25, the expanded BE limits 0.75-1.33 and the recently proposed Geometric Mean Ratio (GMR)-dependent scaled BE limits BELscW (Karalis et al., Eur. J. Pharm. Sci., 26:54-61, 2005). Materials and Methods: Two model functions were used to ensure the gradual change of the BE limits from a starting value towards a predefined plateau value. Plots of the new BE limits and extreme GMR values ensuring BE as a function of the coefficient of variation (CV) were constructed. Two-period crossover BE studies with 12, 24, or 36 subjects were simulated assuming CV values from 10 to 60%. Power curves were constructed by recording the percentage of accepted BE studies as the true GMR was raised from 1.00 to 1.50. The percentage of the true GMR within the simulated BE limits vs. true GMR was used to evaluate the estimation accuracy of the scaled methods. Results: Depending on the parameters' values of the model functions, the scaled BE limits exhibit different performance. Four new scaled BE limits, showing favourable performance for the evaluation of average BE are presented. At low variability levels two of the novel BE limits show similar performance to the 0.80-1.25 criterion, while the other two (as expected from their design) appear to be less permissive. At high CV values (30, 40%) all new BE limits exhibit much higher statistical power than the 0.80-1.25 criterion. They show almost identical behavior with the expanded 0.75-1.33 limits and appear to be less permissive than BELscW. Finally, the percentage of the true GMR within the simulated BE limits vs. true GMR shows a sharp decline. Due to the absence of the GMR factor in the model functions a more accurate estimation of the new scaled BE limits, compared to BELscW, is observed. Conclusions: The new scaled BE limits appear to be highly effective at all levels of variation investigated and present satisfactory estimation accuracy.

We present a functional analysis of the last alpha-helical transmembrane segment (TMS12) of UapA, a uric acid-xanthine/H+ symporter in Aspergillus nidulans and member of the nucleobase-ascorbate transporter (NAT) family. First, we performed a systematic mutational analysis of residue F528, located in the middle of TMS12, which was known to be critical for UapA specificity. Substitution of F528 with non-aromatic amino acid residues (Ala, Thr, Ser, Gln, Asn) did not affect significantly the kinetics of UapA for its physiological substrates, but allowed high-capacity transport of several novel purines and pyrimidines. Allele-specific combinations of F528 substitutions with mutations in Q408, a residue involved in purine binding, led to an array of UapA molecules with different kinetic and specificity profiles. We propose that F528 plays the role of a novel-type selectivity filter, which, in conjunction with a distinct purine-binding site, control UapA-mediated substrate translocation. We further studied the role of TMS12 by analysing the effect of its precise deletion and chimeric molecules in which TMS12 was substituted with analogous domains from other NATs. The presence of any of the TMS12 tested was necessary for ER-exit while their specific amino acid composition affected the kinetics of chimeras.

The nuclear magnetic moment of the ground state of Cu57(I?=3/2-,T1/2= 196.3ms) has been measured to be |?(Cu57)|=(2.00±0.05)?N using the ?-NMR technique. Together with the known magnetic moment of the mirror partner Ni57, the spin expectation value was extracted as ??z =-0.78±0.13. This is the heaviest isospin T=1/2 mirror pair above the Ca40 region for which both ground state magnetic moments have been determined. The discrepancy between the present results and shell-model calculations in the full fp shell giving ?(Cu57)?2.4?N and ??z ?0.5 implies significant shell breaking at Ni56 with the neutron number N=28. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

Composite materials with periodic variations of density and/or sound velocities, so-called phononic crystals, can exhibit bandgaps where propagation of acoustic waves is forbidden. Phononic crystals are the elastic analogue of the well-established photonic crystals and show potential for manipulating the flow of elastic energy. So far, the experimental realization of phononic crystals has been restricted to macroscopic systems with sonic or ultrasonic bandgaps in the sub-MHz frequency range. In this work, using high-resolution Brillouin spectroscopy we report the first observation of a hypersonic bandgap in face-centred-cubic colloidal crystals formed by self-assembly of polystyrene nanoparticles with subsequent fluid infiltration. Depending on the particle size and the sound velocity in the infiltrated fluid, the frequency and the width of the gap can be tuned. Promising technological applications of hypersonic crystals, ranging from tunable filters and heat management to acousto-optical devices, are anticipated.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment is increasingly recognized in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Clinical and pathologic features overlap in frontotemporal lobar dementia and ALS. Demographics, respiratory status, bulbar site of onset, and disease severity are potential risk factors for cognitive impairment in ALS. OBJECTIVES: To further delineate the frequency, nature, and implications of cognitive impairment in ALS and to assess previously identified risk factors. DESIGN: Case-control and retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Academic referral center. PARTICIPANTS: Forty consecutive patients with ALS underwent baseline neurologic and neuropsychologic examinations. Cognitive test performance was compared in patients with ALS and matched controls. An exploratory analysis of the relationship between cognitive performance and ALS survival was performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neuropsychologic test performance, ALS severity, and survival. RESULTS: Twelve patients (30%) showed evidence of cognitive impairment, including 9 (23%) who met the neuropsychologic criteria for dementia. No statistically significant differences were found between demented and nondemented ALS groups regarding demographics, family history, site of onset, bulbar dysfunction, or ALS severity. Only 1 patient with dementia had bulbar-onset disease. An association was observed between increasing ALS severity and declining verbal fluency performance. Demented patients with ALS showed predominant impairment in free recall, executive function, and naming, with relative preservation of attention, psychomotor speed, and visuospatial function. No association was observed between cognition and survival, controlling for ALS severity. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly a third of the patients with ALS showed evidence of cognitive impairment in a pattern consistent with frontotemporal lobar dementia. Cognitive performance was not related to site of onset or survival.

Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) has been associated with the use of pamidronate and zoledronic acid. ONJ was assessed prospectively since July 2003 in 202 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) who received bisphosphonates since April 1995. Fifteen patients (7.4%) developed ONJ. The median time of exposure to bisphosphonates was 39 months for patients with ONJ compared to 28 months (p=0.048) for patients with no ONJ. The cumulative hazard of developing ONJ was significantly higher in patients treated with zoledronic acid alone than in those treated with pamidronate alone/pamidronate+zoledronic acid/zoledronic acid+ibandronate sequentially (1% at 1 year and 15% at 4 years vs. 0% and 5%, p=0.003). In conclusion, the risk of ONJ is increased with time of exposure and probably with the use of zoledronic acid. ©2006 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Background: There is limited information about the benefit from systemic chemotherapy in non-pure Transitional Cell Carcinomas (TCCs) of the urothelial tract. In this study the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with pure squamous or mixed carcinomas was retrospectively analysed and compared with that in pure TCCs. Patients and Methods: Analysis included 446 consecutive patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer. There were 389 (87%) patients with pure TCC, 15 (3.5%) with pure Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) and 42 (9.5%) patients had mixed histology (TCC+SCC) tumors. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics (gender, PS, haemoglobin, sites of metastases) although disease in the pelvis was more frequent in mixed tumors than in pure TCCs (46% vs. 30%, p=0.034). Median survival for patients with TCC histology was 11.3 months, for SCC patients 13.6 months and 10.4 months for patients with mixed histology (p=0.720). Response rates were 44% for patients with TCC, 27% for patients with SCC and 34% for mixed histology patients (p=0.210). Multivariate analysis showed that presence of visceral metastases and poor performance status, were associated with worse prognosis in mixed histology tumors. Conclusion: Non-transitional histology does not predict for an inferior survival after platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma. Well-known prognostic factors in transitional cell carcinomas were also associated with prognosis in mixed carcinomas.

Au XVIIIe siècle, les savants français se sont intéressés à la flore et à la faune de l’Orient. L’État français a subventionné des expéditions et des voyages scientifiques, qui avaient comme objectif de décrire et d’étudier les richesses naturelles de l’Orient méditerranén. Souvent, les voyageurs, parmi lesquels figurent des médécins et des botanistes célébres essayaient d’identifier les plantes médicinales, qui étaient citées par les auteurs anciens et byzantins. De plus, ils cherchaient à découvrir des plantes médicinales rares, afin de s’en servir pour la fabrication de médicaments nouveaux. Menée essentiellement dans les archives du Muséum d’histoire naturelle de Paris, notre étude, qui s’appuie sur des récits et des traités des voyageurs et des savants, cherche à mettre en lumière la présence de l’histoire naturelle dans la littérature viatique et sa contribution au progrès et à l’avancement de la science. Notons que les auteurs des traités scientifiques, se sont servis du matériel réuni lors des voyages et expéditions scientifiques, qu’ils n’avaient pas été inclus dans leurs récits viatiques. La présente étude vise à situer les recherches sur la flore et la faune de l’Empire ottoman dans le cadre général de la circulation des idées du siècle des Lumières.

The Z-disk of striated and cardiac muscle sarcomeres is one of the most densely packed cellular structures in eukaryotic cells. It provides the architectural framework for assembling and anchoring the largest known muscle filament systems by an extensive network of protein-protein interactions, requiring an extraordinary level of mechanical stability. Here we show, using X-ray crystallography, how the amino terminus of the longest filament component, the giant muscle protein titin, is assembled into an antiparallel (2:1) sandwich complex by the Z-disk ligand telethonin. The pseudosymmetric structure of telethonin mediates a unique palindromic arrangement of two titin filaments, a type of molecular assembly previously found only in protein-DNA complexes. We have confirmed its unique architecture in vivo by protein complementation assays, and in vitro by experiments using fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The model proposed may provide a molecular paradigm of how major sarcomeric filaments are crosslinked, anchored and aligned within complex cytoskeletal networks.

Pancreatic tuberculosis is a rare clinical setting manifesting in various ways. Most often, enlarged peripancreatic lymph nodes or growing tuberculomas compress adjacent organs, leading to biliary tract or gastrointestinal obstruction. Clinical examination, laboratory data, and imaging are all unspecific. Diagnosis is frequently misguided toward neoplasia requiring surgical intervention. However, the role of surgery in pancreatic tuberculosis ends in tissue sampling, abscess drainage, and bypassing obstruction. We present three cases of pancreatic tuberculosis: two caused by obstructive jaundice and the third caused by gastric outlet obstruction. All patients were operated on. Whipple's procedure was performed in one patient, and biliary and duodenal bypassing in the remaining patients. Diagnosis was decided by histopathology in all three cases. Medical treatment was effective in all patients. Although pancreatic tuberculosis is a medical disease, surgery is frequently used. Maintaining a high level of suspicion can assist in avoiding unnecessary laparotomies and solving this medical dilemma.

Temporoparietal and posterior cingulate metabolism deficits characterize patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). A H(2)(15)O resting PET scan covariance pattern, derived by using multivariate techniques, was previously shown to discriminate 17 mild AD patients from 16 healthy controls. This AD covariance pattern revealed hypoperfusion in bilateral inferior parietal lobule and cingulate; and left middle frontal, inferior frontal, precentral, and supramarginal gyri. The AD pattern also revealed hyperperfusion in bilateral insula, lingual gyri, and cuneus; left fusiform and superior occipital gyri; and right parahippocampal gyrus and pulvinar. In an independent sample of 23 outpatients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) followed at 6-month intervals, the AD pattern score was evaluated as a predictor of cognitive decline. In this MCI sample, an H2(15)O resting PET scan was carried out at baseline. Mean duration of follow-up was 48.8 (SD 15.5) months, during which time six of 23 MCI patients converted to AD. In generalized estimating equations (GEE) analyses, controlling for age, sex, education, and baseline neuropsychological scores, increased AD pattern score was associated with greater decline in each neuropsychological test score over time (Mini Mental State Exam, Selective Reminding Test delayed recall, Animal Naming, WAIS-R digit symbol; Ps<0.01-0.001). In summary, a resting PET covariance pattern previously reported to discriminate AD patients from control subjects was applied prospectively to an independent sample of MCI patients and found to predict cognitive decline. Independent replication in larger samples is needed before clinical application can be considered.

The first complete CCD light curves of the eclipsing binary systems AX Virginis and V1034 Cygni have been obtained in the B, V, R, I and V, R, I filters, respectively, during the spring and summer of 2004 with the 40-cm telescope of the University of Athens Observatory. The light curves were analyzed with the W-D program in order to determine the geometrical and physical parameters of the systems.

The extensive long-term CCD and photoelectric photometric observations of the classical symbiotic star YY Her covering the period of its post-outburst activity (JD 2 451 823 -- 2 452 996) are presented. We explain the periodic variations of the brightness of YY Her by the eclipses of the components in the symbiotic system. The model with a deformed (non-homogeneous) envelope, surrounding the white dwarf is discussed. In addition, we observed a flare in about JD 2 452 440, during the primary minimum, that was later followed by an energetic outburst in JD 2 452 700.

Tsopani, D., Dallas, G., Patsantaras, N., Kamberidou, I., Tinto, A., & Louka, A. (2006). "Physical Appearance in Rhythmic Gymnastics: code of point and current perceptions". Announcement in Proceedings of the Convegno Internazionale Ginnastia Ritmica: Identita e propelmatiche di questo sport, (1st international Rhythmic Gymnastics Congress), 6-7 April 2006, Torino Italy.  DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1482.4161  Physical Appearance in Rhythmic Gymnastics, April 2006, Torino Italy.pdf     [K.6 in Apella]

New high-quality CCD photometric light curves for the W UMa-type systems V410 Aur, CK Boo, FP Boo, V921 Her, ET Leo, XZ Leo, V839 Oph, V2357 Oph, AQ Psc and VY Sex are presented. The new multicolor light curves, combined with the spectroscopic data recently obtained at David Dunlap Observatory, are analyzed with the Wilson-Devinney code to yield the physical parameters (masses, radii and luminosities) of the components. Our models for all ten systems resulted in a contact configuration. Four binaries (V921 Her, XZ Leo, V2357 Oph and VY Sex) have low, while two (V410 Aur and CK Boo) have high fill-out factors. FP Boo, ET Leo, V839 Oph and AQ Psc have medium values of the fill-out factor. Three of the systems (FP Boo, V921 Her and XZ Leo) have very bright primaries as a result of their high temperatures and large radii.

We report the discovery of a possible nova in M31 on an R filter CCD image (2006 September 17.03741, 17.1 mag) obtained at the 1.3m Ritchey Chretien f/7.5 Telescope at Skinakas Observatory, Crete, Greece using the Roper CCD Camera (with a SITE 1k x 1k chip with 24um sq. pixels). The position obtained for the nova candidate is RA(2000) = 00h 42m 41.45s, Dec(2000) = +41° 14' 44.55" with an accuracy of 0.11".

To investigate the molecular mechanisms of action of the nitrogen mustard melphalan in patients treated for multiple myeloma, the in vivo induction and repair of melphalan-induced DNA damage was measured in genes with different transcriptional activity (b-actin > p53 > N-ras > d-globin) from leukocytes of 20 multiple myeloma patients following chemotherapeutic administration of high-dose melphalan (200 mg/m2) and autologous blood stem cell transplantation. Heterogeneous repair was found among the studied genes. The extent of repair was always in the order: b-actin > p53 > N-ras > d-globin, correlating with the gene transcriptional state. Similar findings were obtained using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy volunteers following in vitro treatment with melphalan, indicating that these results are not malignant disease-specific. Following in vitro treatment of PBMC from healthy volunteers with α-amanitin, an inhibitor of RNA polymerase II that can also induce condensation of chromatin structure, a significant inhibition of the removal of melphalan-induced damage in the three active genes but not in the silent d-globin gene was found, suggesting that transcription and/or chromatin structure may play important roles in the preferential DNA repair. When the in vivo DNA damage formation and repair in multiple myeloma patients following chemotherapeutic administration of melphalan was measured in the two strands of the active genes, no strand bias was found, indicating that the global genome repair subpathway of nucleotide excision repair may play a crucial role in the repair of these adducts. These results were also confirmed in PBMC from healthy volunteers following in vitro treatment with melphalan. Using micrococcal nuclease digestion of nuclei isolated from PBMC of multiple myeloma patients before the chemotherapeutic treatment, as well as from PBMC of healthy volunteers, we probed the chromatin structure in each gene and found that the "looseness" of the chromatin structure correlated with the levels of the gene-specific repair, being again in the order: b-actin > p53 > N-ras > d-globin. To conclude, the in vivo gene-specific repair of melphalan-induced damage in humans is greatly affected by the local chromatin structure. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in breast cancer tissues. DESIGN AND METHODS: Four different PCR methods for detection and verification of genital HPVs were applied in frozen breast cancer specimens. Tumors were also evaluated for various histopathological parameters. RESULTS: Seventeen samples out of 107 tested positive (15.9%). HPV RFLP typing identified a total of 21 high-risk viruses: fourteen HPV 16 (67% of all detected HPV types), three HPV 59, two HPV 58, one HPV 73 and one HPV 82 (one sample with double infection and two samples with triple infection). Breast cancer patients harboring high-risk HPV DNA sequences in their tumor were younger than the rest of the patients. Furthermore, they were less estrogen-receptor-positive and more proliferative as observed in the corresponding indices: Ki-67 staining, S-phase/proliferative fractions and percentage of cells with DNA content over 5C. CONCLUSION: The presence of high-risk HPV DNA sequences in the breast cancer tissues studied was verified, and a possible association with acceleration of malignancy was examined

The aim of this retrospective study was to illustrate the clinicopathologic data and the treatment results in patients with primary gastrointestinal tract non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (GI NHL). Among 810 patients with NHL, 128 cases (15.8%) were diagnosed as primary GI tract NHL. There were 79 males and 49 females with median age of 62 years. The most common primary site was the stomach (68%). Overall, 67.2% of the patients were in stages I-II, and 32.8% in stages III-IV. Simultaneous involvement of the GI tract and other extranodal sites was observed in 26 patients (20%). Extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZBL) (i.e., low-grade lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue type) accounted for 48.4% of lymphomas. Aggressive lymphomas (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [DLBL]) accounted for 44.5%. Eighty-three patients (67.5%) achieved complete response (CR), either by surgery (43/ 43 patients, 17 with DLBL and 25 with MZBL) or by primary chemotherapy (40/64 patients, 22 with DLBL and 17 with MZBL). Sixty-two patients remain in CR; 33/43 after surgical resection (13/17 with DLBL and 20/25 patients with MZBL), and 29/40 after only chemotherapy (18/22 with DLBL and 10/17 with MZBL). The major prognostic factor for outcome in the present study was the stage of the disease. Patients with localized lymphoma (stage I and II) had significantly longer DFS and OS (DFS and OS at 3-year: 83% and 87%, respectively) than patients with extended disease (stage III and IV) (DFS and OS at 3-year: 46% and 60%, respectively) (P < 0.0001). The International Prognostic Index (IPI) for patients with aggressive lymphomas was prognostic only for DFS (79% for low-risk patients [IPI score 0-1] vs 49% for higher risk groups [IPI score 0-1] at 3-year, P = 0.0131).

Fifty patients with multiple myeloma ≥75 years of age received primary treatment with melphalan (M) 8 mg/m2 on days 1-4, dexamethasone (D) 12 mg/m2 on days 1-4 and 17-20 and thalidomide (T) 300 mg at bedtime on days 1-4 and 17-20. This regimen was repeated every 5 weeks for three courses. Patients without evidence of disease progression received nine additional courses of MDT, but without DT on days 17-20, every 5 weeks. Sixty-two percent of patients achieved a partial response and 10% a complete response. The median time to response was 2 months. The median time to progression for all patients was 21.2 months. Deep venous thrombosis and peripheral neuropathy each occurred in 9% of patients. ©2006 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Thin films of Ag(111) with two-dimensional crystallinity of large lateral coherence grow on Ge(111), free of in-plane registry with the underlying substrate. Ag s-p electrons forming two-dimensional quantum well states scatter coherently at the buried interface potential, resulting in an unexpected set of new quasiparticle states, as observed by angle-resolved photoemission. These new features originate from interactions among Ag quantum well bands, gaining a momentum equivalent to a reciprocal vector of the substrate lattice.

The shell structure underlying shape changes in neutron-rich nuclei near N=28 has been investigated by a novel application of the transient-field technique to measure the first-excited-state g factors in S38 and S40 produced as fast radioactive beams. There is a fine balance between proton and neutron contributions to the magnetic moments in both nuclei. The g factor of deformed S40 does not resemble that of a conventional collective nucleus because spin contributions are more important than usual. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

Purpose: Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) is a lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma characterized by a relatively indolent course with median survival ranging from 5 years to 10 years in different series. Several clinical and laboratory variables have been associated with inferior survival, such as advanced age, hyperviscosity, presence of cytopenia, and hypoalbuminemia. Recent data indicate that serum β2-microglobulin (β2M) might also be significant. The purpose of our study was to assess possible correlations of β2M with clinical and laboratory variables and to further evaluate its association with cause-specific and overall survival (OS) of patients with WM requiring treatment. Patients and Methods: We analyzed 124 patients with WM with an available pretreatment value of β2M. Median age was 70 years (range, 28-89 years), and median survival was 105 months. Multiple clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated for their possible correlation with OS. Results: Patients with older age, anemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoalbuminemia, and higher creatinine levels had significantly greater serum β2M levels. This variable was associated with impaired cause-specific survival and OS in the whole group of patients and in patients aged ≤ 70 years. More specifically, OS for all patients according to serum β2M > 4 mg/dL versus ≤ 4 mg/dL was 79 months versus 115 months (P = 0.01). Conclusion: Our data provide further evidence that high β2M levels are an important parameter associated with inferior OS and cause-specific survival of patients with WM requiring treatment. This parameter may be used to stratify patients involved in prospective clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Although dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) may be one of most common forms of dementia, relatively little is known about its cognitive and functional course. OBJECTIVE: To compare change over time in general cognitive status, memory test performance, psychiatric symptoms, neurological signs, and functional abilities in patients with probable DLB and probable Alzheimer disease (AD). DESIGN: Twenty-eight patients who met diagnostic criteria for DLB were recruited into the study from 3 sites. Patients with AD (n = 55) were selected from a larger cohort and matched 2 to 1 to the patients with DLB on age and baseline global cognitive status. Patients were followed up at 6-month intervals for an average of 6.2 visits and assessed at each visit with tests of global cognitive functioning and verbal learning and memory and measures of psychiatric, neurological, and functional status. RESULTS: At the baseline evaluation, patients with DLB performed more poorly on a measure of constructional praxis and all measures of functional status. They also had more severe psychiatric symptoms and neurological signs than the AD group. Despite these initial differences, generalized estimating equations applied to regression analyses with repeated measures determined that the only difference between the 2 groups in change in cognitive test performance was on a measure of recognition memory; patients with AD declined, while patients with DLB remained relatively stable. Patients with DLB had relatively stable behavioral symptoms and visual illusions, whereas patients with AD had a significant increase in these symptoms over time. Neurological and functional changes over time were similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both baseline and longitudinal differences between patients with DLB and patients with AD were noted; these have implications for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

A new sample of contact systems, consisting of more than 100 stars, was created for binaries for which the physical parameters have been determined using both photometric light curves and radial velocity measurements of both components. Properties of components are discussed including their evolutionary status.

The influence of the structural quality of a normal metal-superconductor interface on the strength of the proximity effect is studied for the cylindrical geometry of bulk Cu-Nb multifilamentary composite samples. In as-drawn Cu-Nb samples the superconducting properties induced to the Cu matrix due to its proximity with Nb filaments are manifested in the magnetization measurements through a pronounced peak positioned in the low-field regime. By systematic annealing in an extended temperature regime for various durations we changed the structural quality of the Cu-Nb interfaces and as a result their transparency to the superconducting carrier. The direct comparison of scanning electron microscopy images with magnetization data revealed that the distortion of the Cu-Nb interfaces is responsible for the suppression of the proximity effect. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ο παρών συλλογικός τόμος αποτελεί προϊόν των εργασιών του Οικολογικού Εργαστηρίου που έλαβε χώρα στα Σεμινάρια της Ερμούπολης τον Ιούλιο του 2005, σε ένα διήμερο αφιερωμένο στη μνήμη του Νίκου Καίσαρη, με θέμα: «Η Πολιτική Οικολογία στην Ελλάδα». Το σεμινάριο συνδιοργανώθηκε από τα οικολογικά περιοδικά "Οικοτοπία" & "Δαίμων της Οικολογίας" και τις εργασίες προετοίμασαν και συντόνισαν οι Σάκης Κουρουζίδης, Λεωνίδας Λουλούδης, Γιάννης Σακιώτης και Γιάννης Σχίζας.Η Ευώνυμος Οικολογική Βιβλιοθήκη αποφάσισε την έκδοση των στοχασμών και προβληματισμών που ανέπτυξαν στο γόνιμο πνευματικά περιβάλλον των Σεμιναρίων της Ερμούπολης οι συγγραφείς του τόμου, αφενός για να τιμήσει τον αξέχαστο φίλο και συνεργάτη Νίκο Καίσαρη, πρωτεργάτη της πολιτικής οικολογίας στην Ελλάδα, αφετέρου πιστεύοντας ότι συμβάλλει στην καλλιέργεια ενός συστηματικού δημόσιου διαλόγου για την πορεία και τις προοπτικές της πολιτικής οικολογίας στη χώρα μας.

Background: The pulmonary side-effects induced by novel antineoplastic agents have not been well characterized. Methods: To further investigate this topic, relevant English and non-English language studies were identified through Medline. For our search we used the generic names of novel cytotoxic or non-cytotoxic antineoplastic agents and the key phrases pulmonary/lung toxicity, dyspnea, pneumonitis, acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome and alveolar damage. The references from the articles identified were reviewed for additional sources. Abstracts from International Meetings were also included. Furthermore, information was obtained from the Pneumotox® website, which provides updated knowledge on drug-induced respiratory disease as well as from pharmaceutical websites. Results: Most novel antineoplastic drugs may induce pulmonary toxicity, which involves mainly the parenchyma, and less frequently the airways, pleura or the pulmonary circulation. Furthermore, a subset of these agents impairs pulmonary function tests. The exact incidence of lung toxicity remains unclear. The most common patterns consist of dyspnea without further details and infiltrative lung disease (ILD), denoting changes in the interstitium or alveoli. The diagnosis is one of exclusion. ILD is usually benign and responds to appropriate treatment; however, fatalities have been reported. Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware of the potential of most novel antineoplastic agents to cause lung toxicity. A high index of suspicion is required if these are combined with other cytotoxic drugs or radiation. © 2005 European Society for Medical Oncology.

Background and Objectives. Pure infradiaphragmatic Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) is a rare disease. The prognostic impact of a purely infradiaphragmatic localization of this lymphoma is controversial. We aimed to evaluate the baseline clinicopathologic features, prognostic factors and outcome of a large series of consecutive patients with pure infradiaphragmatic HL. Design and Methods. We analyzed 131 patients with clinical stage I/II infradiaphragmatic HL treated with ABVD or equivalent regimens with or without radiotherapy, and compared 54 of them with 444 patients with pure supradiaphragmatic disease, who were treated at the same center. Results. Older age, clinical stage II (borderline), involvement of ≥3 sites, lymphocyte predominant histology, elevated serum β2-microglobulin and higher International Prognostic Score were more frequent in patients with infradiaphragmatic disease than in those with supradiaphragmatic disease, while nodular sclerosis was less frequent. The complete remission rate was 100%, 97% and 82% for stages I, IIA and IB, respectively. Only B-symptoms independently predicted for inferior failure-free survival, while inferior overall survival was independently associated with the involvement of ≥3 sites. At 10 years failure-free survival was 82±6% (vs. 85±2% for patients with supradiaphragmatic disease, p=0.45), overall survival was 74±8% (vs. 91±2%, p=0.0006), and disease-specific survival 87±5% (vs. 94±1%, p=0.04). In multivariate analysis the differences between infradiaphragmatic and supradiaphragmatic disease were obscured by older age and B-symptoms. Interpretation and Conclusions. Pure infradiaphragmatic HL presents with distinct clinicopathologic characteristics. The previously reported poorer outcome may be explained by the unfavorable profile of the patients rather than the infradiaphragmatic presentation per se. Patients with stage IIB disease should probably be classified as having advanced HL because of the unacceptable rate of primary refractory disease. ©2006 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

The aim of this study is to describe an alternative technique, using radio frequency energy to perform pericystectomy for hepatic echinococcosis. We present 3 patients with hepatic echinococcosis who were treated with radio frequency ablation (RFA)-assisted pericystectomy. A Radionics Cooltip Radio Frequency System (Tyco, Greece, Radionics) with a single shaft 15 cm long needle electrode and a 2 cm exposure tip, was used. The needle electrode was inserted in consecutive sites into the "healthy" hepatic parenchyma close to the cyst wall, so that a tissue zone around the cystic cavity was gradually ablated. The complete ablation of a site was followed by sharp division of the parenchyma. The operation completed successfully in all patients. Minor bleeding and/or bile leakage were successfully controlled with RFA coagulation. No other hemostatic method was used. The postoperative course was uneventful. No evidence of recurrent disease, or any other cause of morbidity, has been demonstrated at follow up (2 y). RFA-assisted pericystectomy for hepatic hydatid disease in experienced hands, might be useful to perform a "sterile" resection, eradicating single or multiple cysts and preventing local recurrence, with minimal morbidity.

This paper we report on an interdisciplinary project for modelingGreek chant with real-time vocal synthesis. Building on previousresearch, we employ a hybrid musical instrument: Phonodeon(Georgaki et al. 2005), consisting of a MIDI-accordeon coupled toa real-time algorithmic interaction and vocal synthesis engine.The synthesis is based on data provided by the AOIDOS programdeveloped in the Department of the Computer science of theUniversity of Athens, investigating Greek liturgical chantcompared to bel canto singing. Phonodeon controls expressivevocal synthesis models based on formant synthesis andconcatenated filtered samples. Its bellows serve as hardwarecontrol device that is physically analogous to the human breathingmechanism [georgaki, 1998a], while the buttons of the right handcan serve multiple functions. This paper focuses on a particularaspect of control, namely that of playing in the traditional nontemperedand flexible interval structure of Greek modes (ήχοι:echoi) while using the 12-semitone piano-type keyboard of theleft hand. This enables the musical exploration of the relationshipbetween the spectral structure of the vocal timbre of Greek chantand characteristic intervals occuring in the modal structure of thechant. To implement that, we developed techniques forsuperimposing interval patterns of the modes on the keyboard ofthe phonodeon. The work is the first comprehensive interactivemodel of antique, medieval and modern near-eastern tunings. Thetechniques developed can be combined with techniques for othercontrol aspects, such as timbre and vocal expression control,phoneme or (expressive/ornamental/melodic pattern, inflection)sequence recall and combination, data record on/off, or others,which form part of the phonodeon project. This research can findapplications in many computer music fields such asalgorithmically controlled improvisation, microtonal music, musictheory and notation of (algorithmic/computerized) real-timeperformance, and computer modeling of experimental or nonwesternmusical styles.

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. The neural model uses supervised competitive learning process. The whole procedure starts with the digitization of the data and the definition of the input variables: such as slope form and gradient, lithology and vegetation - landuse. The neural modeltransforms the input variables into the erosion risk output variable. Thus, the last stage regarded the creation of an erosion risk zones map. For case study was chosen the island of Corfu (Greece). The island consists of lithologies very vulnerable to erosion and receives considerable amounts of rainfall, especially if compared to the rest of the Greek territory. Finally, the whole model was tested and the proper function of the model was confirmed by field data observations.

This study examined the effect of recovery time on the maintenance of power output and the heart rate response during repeated maximal rowing exercise. Nine male, junior rowers (age: 16 ± 1 years; body mass: 74.0 ± 9.1 kg; height: 1.78 ± 0.03 m) performed two consecutive all-out 1000 m bouts on a rowing ergometer on three separate occasions. The rest interval between the two bouts was 1.5 (INT1.5), 3 (INT3) and 6 min (INT6), allocated in random order. Power output was averaged for each 1000 m bout and for the first and last 500 m of each bout. Heart rate kinetics were determined using a two-component exponential model. Performance time and mean power output for the first bout was 209 ± 3 s and 313 ± 10 W respectively. Recovery of mean power output was incomplete even after 6 min (78 ± 2, 81 ± 2 and 84 ± 2% for INT1.5, INT3 and INT6 respectively). Mean power output after INT6 was higher (p < 0.01) only compared with INT1.5. Power output during the first 500 m of bout 2 after INT6 was 10% higher compared with the second 500 m. During INT1.5 and INT3 power output during the first and the second 500 m of bout 2 was similar. Peak heart rate (∼197 b·min-1) and the HR time constant (∼13 s) were unaffected by prior exercise and recovery time. However, when the recovery was short (INT1.5), HR during the first 50 s of bout 2 was significantly higher compared with corresponding values during bout 1. The present study has shown that in order to maintain similar power outputs during repeated maximal rowing exercise, the recovery interval must be greater than 6 min. The influence of a longer recovery time (INT6) on maintenance of power output was only evident during the first half of the second 1000 m bout. ©Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

This study examined the effect of recovery time on the maintenance of power output and the heart rate response during repeated maximal rowing exercise. Nine male, junior rowers (age: 16 ± 1 years; body mass: 74.0 ± 9.1 kg; height: 1.78 ± 0.03 m) performed two consecutive all-out 1000 m bouts on a rowing ergometer on three separate occasions. The rest interval between the two bouts was 1.5 (INT1.5), 3 (INT3) and 6 min (INT6), allocated in random order. Power output was averaged for each 1000 m bout and for the first and last 500 m of each bout. Heart rate kinetics were determined using a two-component exponential model. Performance time and mean power output for the first bout was 209 ± 3 s and 313 ± 10 W respectively. Recovery of mean power output was incomplete even after 6 min (78 ± 2, 81 ± 2 and 84 ± 2% for INT1.5, INT3 and INT6 respectively). Mean power output after INT6 was higher (p < 0.01) only compared with INT1.5. Power output during the first 500 m of bout 2 after INT6 was 10% higher compared with the second 500 m. During INT1.5 and INT3 power output during the first and the second 500 m of bout 2 was similar. Peak heart rate (∼197 b·min-1) and the HR time constant (∼13 s) were unaffected by prior exercise and recovery time. However, when the recovery was short (INT1.5), HR during the first 50 s of bout 2 was significantly higher compared with corresponding values during bout 1. The present study has shown that in order to maintain similar power outputs during repeated maximal rowing exercise, the recovery interval must be greater than 6 min. The influence of a longer recovery time (INT6) on maintenance of power output was only evident during the first half of the second 1000 m bout. ©Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

This study examined the effect of recovery time on the maintenance of power output and the heart rate response during repeated maximal rowing exercise. Nine male, junior rowers (age: 16 ± 1 years; body mass: 74.0 ± 9.1 kg; height: 1.78 ± 0.03 m) performed two consecutive all-out 1000 m bouts on a rowing ergometer on three separate occasions. The rest interval between the two bouts was 1.5 (INT1.5), 3 (INT3) and 6 min (INT6), allocated in random order. Power output was averaged for each 1000 m bout and for the first and last 500 m of each bout. Heart rate kinetics were determined using a two-component exponential model. Performance time and mean power output for the first bout was 209 ± 3 s and 313 ± 10 W respectively. Recovery of mean power output was incomplete even after 6 min (78 ± 2, 81 ± 2 and 84 ± 2% for INT1.5, INT3 and INT6 respectively). Mean power output after INT6 was higher (p < 0.01) only compared with INT1.5. Power output during the first 500 m of bout 2 after INT6 was 10% higher compared with the second 500 m. During INT1.5 and INT3 power output during the first and the second 500 m of bout 2 was similar. Peak heart rate (∼197 b·min-1) and the HR time constant (∼13 s) were unaffected by prior exercise and recovery time. However, when the recovery was short (INT1.5), HR during the first 50 s of bout 2 was significantly higher compared with corresponding values during bout 1. The present study has shown that in order to maintain similar power outputs during repeated maximal rowing exercise, the recovery interval must be greater than 6 min. The influence of a longer recovery time (INT6) on maintenance of power output was only evident during the first half of the second 1000 m bout. ©Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

Background. Lipoprotein(a), Lp(a), has been recognized as an atherogenic and thrombogenic lipoprotein in the general population and in hemodialysis (HD) patients. In addition, fibrinogen and fibronectin may promote atherothrombosis. The aim of this study was to investigate any possible relationship between Lp(a) and thrombogenic coagulation proteins in non-diabetic HD patients. Patients and Methods. Serum Lp(a) and plasma fibrinogen, plasminogen, and fibronectin levels were measured pre-HD in 60 uremic patients (30 male, 30 female) aged 58.6 ± 8.0 years who had been receiving HD treatment for 61.3 ± 50.7 months. The control group comprised 20 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. All patients were receiving erythropoietin treatment. Results. The mean serum Lp(a) (33.88 ± 34.12 mg/dL) and plasma fibrinogen (329.45 ± 80.62 mg/dL) levels were significantly higher in the HD patients compared with those in the controls (16.70 ± 10.36 and 254.00 ± 43.34 mg/dL, respectively; p < .05 and p < .001, respectively). Plasminogen levels did not differ between the HD patients (11.64 ± 3.22 mg/dL) and the control group (10.67 ± 1.41 mg/dL, p>.05). Fibronectin levels were slightly increased in the HD patients (33.96 ± 5.49 mg/dL) versus in the control group (30.9 ± 5.80 mg/dL, p < .05). There was a significant positive correlation between Lp(a) and fibrinogen levels (r = 0.305, p < .02), as well as between Lp(a) and fibronectin levels (r = 0.360, p < .01). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between fibrinogen and fibronectin levels (r = 0.587, p < .0001). Conclusions. According to our results, in non-diabetic HD patients, abnormal serum Lp(a) levels significantly correlated with abnormal levels of fibrinogen and fibronectin. There is a concern that the relationship between these atherogenic and thrombogenic acute-phase proteins may contribute to the increased incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in this patient population.

Jets in active galactic nuclei are collimated, relativistic flows that emanate from accretion disks around supermassive black holes. Electromagnetic stress- es are the most plausible candidate for extracting energy from the source and converting it into outflow kinetic energy. Questions that need to be answered in order for these processes to be well understood are: Can we explain parsec-scale accelerations that the observations infer? How the conditions near the disk are related to the terminal Lorentz factor of the jet and what is the asymptotic value of the Poynting-to-matter energy flux ratio? Can we model the apparent kinematics of the observed jet components? I present solutions of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations that help to shed light on these questions.

AGN are associated with relativistic winds and jets. We discuss the application of meridionally self-similar models to winds and jets from hot relativistic coronae, in particular in the central region of accretion disks. We try to understand the respective role of the disk and the central super massive black hole in the source of the jet as well as the classification of those jets. If the orientation of the jet respectively to the observer is one of the key to understand the standard classification, another parameter is the energy distribution of the magnetic rotator which efficiency should increase between jets from Seyferts and jets from Fanaroff Riley (FR) objects. Moreover the thermal confinement in FRI jets may turn out to be more important than in the magnetically confined FRII jets whose environment is clearly poorer. This scenario deduced from analytical modeling needs further investigation trough numerical simulations.

AGN are associated with relativistic winds and jets. We discuss the application of meridionally self-similar models to winds and jets from hot relativistic coronae, in particular in the central region of accretion disks. We try to understand the respective role of the disk and the central super massive black hole in the source of the jet as well as the classification of those jets. If the orientation of the jet respectively to the observer is one of the key to understand the standard classification, another parameter is the energy distribution of the magnetic rotator which efficiency should increase between jets from Seyferts and jets from Fanaroff Riley (FR) objects. Moreover the thermal confinement in FRI jets may turn out to be more important than in the magnetically confined FRII jets whose environment is clearly poorer. This scenario deduced from analytical modeling needs further investigation trough numerical simulations.

We present the results of extensive time-series photometry of the pulsating subdwarf B star KPD 2109 + 4401. Our data set consists of 29 data runs with a total length of 182.6h over 31d, collected at five observatories in 2004. These data comprised high signal-to-noise ratio observations acquired with larger telescopes and wider time-coverage observations obtained with smaller telescopes. They are sufficient to resolve the pulsation structure to 0.4 μHz and are the most extensive data set for this star to date. With these data, we identify eight pulsation frequencies extending from 4701 to 5481μHz, corresponding to periods of 182-213s. The pulsation frequencies and their amplitudes are examined over several time-scales with some frequencies showing amplitude variability.

Monoclonal IgM-related neuropathies constitute a heterogeneous group of disorders, which are generally poorly responsive to treatment. Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against the CD20 molecule, has been used with success in patients with neuropathy and monoclonal IgM with anti-MAG or anti-GM1 ganglioside activity. Based on this observation, four patients were treated with IgM-related neuropathy with rituximab. Between January 1999 - December 2000, four patients with IgM-related neuropathy (one with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) and three with sensorimotor demyelinating neuropathy) were treated with rituximab. Rituximab was administered at a standard dose of 375 mg m-2 iv weekly for a consecutive 4 weeks; 3 months later, four additional weekly courses were administered to patients who did not experience deterioration of their neuropathy symptoms. Neurological evaluation was performed before each rituximab infusion and at 1 week and 2 months after last infusion and every 6 months the following years; including motor (MRC in six muscle groups, 9-hole peg test, 10m walk, hand grip strength), sensory neuropathy (vibration threshold and sensory subjective score) assessment. Neurophysiological parameters were also assessed (MNCV, SNCV, CMAP, SNAP). Strength improved in three of four patients; including the patient with CIDP. This patient developed a significant worsening of her weakness 3 weeks after the initiation of rituximab. This phenomenon coincided with a serum monoclonal IgM flare and resolved spontaneously 1 week later. Her improvement is ongoing for more than 5 years. Considering neurophysiological parameters, two patients showed a slight improved regarding conduction velocities and CMAP (10%) and the patient with IgM flare had a transient worsening of conduction velocities followed by improvement. In conclusion, rituximab is a safe and well-tolerated treatment which may be effective in some patients with IgM-related neuropathy. © 2006 Taylor & Francis.

A first approach on the reconstruction of the climate history of SE Aegean Sea during the last 18kyrs is recorded in the 400cm-long high sedimentation NS14 core collected in the vicinity of Nisyros Island. The results concerning the sea surface conditions during late Pleistocene-Holocene are acquainted through multi-proxy analyses of algal and organic biomarkers and comparison with pollen assemblages, defining eight paleoenvironmental units that imply their response to climatic changes.

The role of respiratory viral infection in the development of asthma remains unclear. A number of factors play crucial roles, including the type of virus, the severity of the disease, the time of the infection, and, most important, the host predisposition. On the other hand, there is little doubt that a strong association exists between viral respiratory infections and induction of wheezing illnesses and asthma exacerbations. The underlying mechanisms, although not fully clarified, are likely to be multifactorial, involving inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, which interacts under certain circumstances with allergic inflammation. In addition, repetitive infections play an important role in perpetuating inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness, especially in the presence of atopy, leading from childhood asthma to a more persistent asthma phenotype.

In this paper, an attempt is made to investigate the synoptic-scale atmospheric conditions and dynamic processes leading to the rejuvenation of depressions or cyclogenesis over the Eastern Mediterranean during the cold period of the year. A case study analysis is carried out when the Polar Front Jet (PFJ) is positioned to the south of its normal seasonal position and interacts with the Subtropical Jet Stream (SJS), which is positioned to the north of its normal seasonal position. It was found that the vigorous rejuvenation of a northeastwards moving Atlas mountains depression on 15 March 1998 over Cyprus region is associated with an increase of the hydrodynamic instability due to the juxtaposition of a polar front jet streak to the subtropical jet stream. Furthermore, the rejuvenation is related to the combined effect of the direct and indirect cross vertical circulations appearing on the right side of the entrance of a polar jet streak and the left side of a subtropical jet streak exit, respectively. © Springer-Verlag 2005.

We present a first-principles Study of the unreconstructed (001) surfaces of the half-metallic ferromagnet NiMnSb. Both terminations (MnSb and Ni) are considered. We find that half-metallicity is lost at the surfaces. After a discussion of the geometric relaxations and the spin-polarized surface band structure, we focus on topography images which are expected to be found with spin-polarized scanning tunnelling microscopy. For the MnSb-terrninated surface we find that only the Sb atoms are visible, reflecting a geometric buckling caused by relaxations. For the Ni-terminated surface we find a strong contrast between the images of forward and reverse tip-sample-bias of 0.5 eV, as well as a stripe-like image for reverse bias. We interpret these findings in terms of highly directional Surface states which are formed in the spin-down gap region.

99mTc-2-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (99mTc-MIBI) scintigraphy has been suggested in multiple myeloma (MM) patients. According to the International Staging System (ISS), serum b2-microglobulin (Sβ2M) and serum albumin (SA) are dominant predictive factors and different cut-off values of these factors can separate patients into various stages of the disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between ISS staging, by Sβ2M and SA, and the 99mTc-MIBI scan findings. Twenty-five MM patients have been studied. Eighteen patients were at stage I, three at stage II and four at stage III of MM. 99mTc-MIBI scans were obtained and scored according to intensity (I) and extent (E) of the radiotracer uptake. A summed score (S) for the 99mTc-MIBI scan was calculated for each patient. A statistically significant negative correlation between E, I and S uptake scores versus the SA levels (P=0.004, 0.049 and 0.018 respectively), as well as a statistically significant positive correlation between E and S scores and the Sβ2M levels (P=0.012 and 0.032) were detected. A statistically significant difference between the E and S uptake scores among the MM patients examined for every stage separately was also found (P=0.007 and 0.024 respectively). The gradual increase of the E and S scores across the three stages of MM was also significant (P=0.003 and 0.021 respectively), despite the relatively small number of patients in stages II and III. In seven patients who died at the end of the follow-up period all three scores were significantly increased as compared to the scores of the patients who remained alive at that time. In conclusion, this study provides additional evidence that 99mTc-MIBI scan not only reflects myeloma disease activity in bone marrow but it is also well correlated with the Sβ2M and SA levels according to ISS.

We report a case of septic arthritis due to Roseomonas mucosa in a rheumatoid arthritis patient receiving infliximab therapy. This is the first report of septic arthritis due to R. mucosa, and infliximab therapy might be a predisposing factor because this infection was never reported in the pre-anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy period.

Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) protein, a soluble inhibitor of Wnt signalling, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of myeloma bone disease through the suppression of osteoblast differentiation. In this study, serum concentrations of DKK-1 were measured in 50 myeloma patients (32 at diagnosis and 18 before and after autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), 18 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and 22 healthy controls. Serum DKK-1 levels were increased in MM at diagnosis compared with MGUS (mean ± SD: 67 ± 54 ng/mL vs. 38 ± 13 ng/mL; p = 0.006) and controls (31 ± 11 ng/mL; p = 0.02), while there was no difference between MGUS patients and controls. Although patients with stage 2 and 3 myeloma had higher DKK-1 values than stage 1 patients (79 ± 63 vs. 40 ± 13; p = 0.005), no significant correlation between serum DKK-1 and myeloma bone disease was observed. Myeloma patients before ASCT also had increased levels of DKK-1 (63 ± 77 ng/mL; p = 0.03) compared with controls, supporting the notion that DKK-1 may be responsible for the suppressed osteoblast activity even in patients with low tumor burden. After ASCT, there was a sustained decrease in DKK-1 levels over time, while bone formation markers elevated, suggesting that the reduction of DKK-1 levels after ASCT may correlate with the normalization of osteoblast function. These results could provide the basis for developing agents that block DKK-1, thus restoring osteoblast function and counteracting the increased osteoclastogenesis observed in myeloma. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the alterations of serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels in patients with chronic hepatitis C during pegylated interferon-alpha (PEG-IFNa) plus ribavirin (RIB) treatment and to correlate them with clinical and virological outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty-two consecutive patients (29 males, age=41.2+/-14.7 years) with chronic HCV-related liver disease (six cirrhotics) were evaluated for PCT levels at baseline and during the treatment course (at week 12, 24, 48 and 72) with PEG-IFNa plus RIB. Sustained virological response (SVR) was confirmed by undetectable serum HCV-RNA at the end of treatment and again 6 months after completion of treatment. RESULTS: Two patients exhibited culture-proved bacterial infections during the treatment course. Thirty-six patients (69.2%) exhibit SVR and 16 (30.8%) were non-responders. Serum PCT levels remained within normal limits (0.1-0.5 ng/mL) in all treated patients throughout the follow-up period except those two who exhibited bacterial infections during the treatment course. Virological responders exhibited significant decline of serum PCT levels over time compared to non-responders (p<0.001), even when adjusted for multiple baseline parameters (p=0.037). CONCLUSION: Serum PCT levels decline in chronic hepatitis C patients during PEG-IFNa plus RIB treatment, especially in the sustained virological responder group, while they elevate only when bacterial infections complicate the treatment course.

The shell structure underlying shape changes in neutron-rich nuclei between N=20 and N=28 has been investigated by a novel application of the transient field technique to measure the first-excited state g factors in S38 and S40 produced as fast radioactive beams. Details of the new methodology are presented. In both S38 and S40 there is a fine balance between the proton and neutron contributions to the magnetic moments. Shell-model calculations that describe the level schemes and quadrupole properties of these nuclei also give a satisfactory explanation of the g factors. In S38 the g factor is extremely sensitive to the occupation of the neutron p3/2 orbit above the N=28 shell gap as occupation of this orbit strongly affects the proton configuration. The g factor of deformed S40 does not resemble that of a conventional collective nucleus because spin contributions are more important than usual. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

We tested the hypothesis that age-related time production deficits are dopamine-mediated. The experiment was conducted double-blind, and with random assignment of 32 healthy aged and 32 healthy young participants to either inert placebo or levodopa (200 mg) groups. The procedure included training participants to produce two target time intervals (6 and 17 sec) in separate blocks, drug/placebo administration, a 1-hr delay, and then delayed free-recall time production retesting without feedback. Participants also performed a speeded choice reaction time (RT) task, as a control for potential dopaminergic and aging effects on attention and psychomotor speed. Results indicate that during retesting, aged participants show duration-dependent timing errors that are larger than those shown by the young participants. Levodopa administration yielded lengthened time production of both target intervals. The aging and levodopa effects did not interact. Also, aging slowed RT and increased RT variability, but levodopa had no effect on the RT. These results suggest that at this dosage and under these specific conditions, timing is dopamine-mediated but the effect of aging on time production is not. Moreover, the levodopa timing effect cannot be attributed to the effects of dopaminergic function on psychomotor speed.

The authors present an exact, analytic study of oscillatory modes guided by generalized asymmetric two-dimensional planar heterostructures with negative refractive index in either the core or the cladding. It is shown that, in sharp contrast to normal dielectric configurations, these waveguides always possess a frequency region where the second-order oscillatory mode may exist alone and allow for attaining zero group velocity under weak guidance conditions. In addition the mode has a field distribution that renders it excitable with an end-fire approach, making such structures attractive for applications requiring slow light. Advantages compared to previous methods of slowing or stopping light are discussed. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.

The occupational health and safety management constitutes a field of increasing interest. Institutions in cooperation with enterprises make synchronized efforts to initiate quality management systems to this field. Computer networks can offer such services via TCP/IP which is a reliable protocol for workflow management between enterprises and institutions. A design of such network is based on several factors in order to achieve defined criteria and connectivity with other networks. The network will be consisted of certain nodes responsible to inform executive persons on Occupational Health and Safety. A web database has been planned for inserting and searching documents, for answering and processing questionnaires. The submission of files to a server and the answers to questionnaires through the web help the experts to make corrections and improvements on their activities. Based on the requirements of enterprises we have constructed a web file server. We submit files in purpose users could retrieve the files which need. The access is limited to authorized users and digital watermarks authenticate and protect digital objects. The Health and Safety Management System follows ISO 18001. The implementation of it, through the web site is an aim. The all application is developed and implemented on a pilot basis for the health services sector. It is all ready installed within a hospital, supporting health and safety management among different departments of the hospital and allowing communication through WEB with other hospitals.

We report on the influence of the microstructure on the AC and DC magnetic properties of Cu-3.5% Nb nanofilamentary wires. Samples obtained from a single Cu-3.5% Nb wire were subsequently submitted to different plastic strain levels via drawing so that their microstructure was altered. Noticeable differences are observed in their isothermal DC magnetization curves that present a double-peak structure. The first peak, which occurs at low magnetic fields, is attributed to superconductivity induced in the Cu matrix due to the proximity effect. It is argued that the second peak is related exclusively to niobium. The dependence of these two distinct peaks on the characteristic nanometre length scales of the samples, i.e. dimension of the Nb filaments and interfilamentary spacing, are discussed.

Nemaline myopathy (NM), the most common non-dystrophic congenital myopathy, is a variably severe neuromuscular disorder for which no effective treatment is available. Although a number of genes have been identified in which mutations can cause NM, the pathogenetic mechanisms leading to the phenotypes are poorly understood. To address this question, we examined gene expression patterns in an NM mouse model carrying the human Met9Arg mutation of alpha-tropomyosin slow (Tpm3). We assessed five different skeletal muscles from affected mice, which are representative of muscles with differing fiber-type compositions, different physiological specializations and variable degrees of pathology. Although these same muscles in non-affected mice showed marked variation in patterns of gene expression, with diaphragm being the most dissimilar, the presence of the mutant protein in nemaline muscles resulted in a more similar pattern of gene expression among the muscles. This result suggests a common process or mechanism operating in nemaline muscles independent of the variable degrees of pathology. Transcriptional and protein expression data indicate the presence of a repair process and possibly delayed maturation in nemaline muscles. Markers indicative of satellite cell number, activated satellite cells and immature fibers including M-Cadherin, MyoD, desmin, Pax7 and Myf6 were elevated by western-blot analysis or immunohistochemistry. Evidence suggesting elevated focal repair was observed in nemaline muscle in electron micrographs. This analysis reveals that NM is characterized by a novel repair feature operating in multiple different muscles.

We discuss a small polaron hopping model, in order to explain the intense temperature (T) dependence of the electrical conductivity (σ) observed at high temperatures along the DNA molecules. The model takes into account the one-dimensional character of the system as well as the presence of disorder in the DNA double helix. Theoretical considerations based on percolation lead to analytical expressions for the high temperature multiphonon-assisted small polaron hopping conductivity, the maximum hopping distance and their temperature dependence. For example, experimental data for the lambda-phage DNA, the poly(dA)-poly(dT) DNA, and the native wet-spun calf thymus Li-DNA, follow nicely the theoretically predicted behavior, EQUATION, over wide high-T ranges. In contrast to some previously presented theoretical suggestions, our model leads to realistic values for the maximum hopping distances, supporting the idea of multiphonon-assisted hopping of small polarons between next nearest neighbors of the DNA molecular “wire”. We also examine the low temperature case.

In the present work a detailed seismotectonic study of the broader area of the Mygdonia basin (N. Greece) is performed. Digital data for earthquakes which occurred in the broader Mygdonia basin and were recorded by the permanent telemetric network of the Geophysical Laboratory of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki during the period 1989-1999 were collected and fault plane solutions for 50 earthquakes which occurred in the study area were calculated with a modified first motions approach which incorporates amplitude and radiation pattern information. Fault plane solutions for the 3 main shocks of Volvi (23/05/78, MW = 5.8 and 20/06/78, MW = 6.5) and Arnaia (04/05/95, MW = 5.8) events and the 1978 aftershock sequence were additionally used. Moreover, data from two local networks established in the Mygdonia basin were also incorporated in the final dataset. Determination of the stress field was realized by the use of the method of Gephart and Forsyth [Gephart, J.W., Forsyth, D.W., 1984. An improved method for determining the regional stress tensor using earthquake focal mechanism data: application to the San Fernando earthquake sequence: Jour. Geophys. Res., v.89, no. B11, p. 9305-9320] for the stress tensor inversion and the results were compared with independent estimates based on the calculation of the average moment tensor [Papazachos, C.B.,Kiratzi, A.A., 1992. A formulation for reliable estimation of active crustal deformation and its application to central Greece. Geophys. J. Int. 111, 424-432]. The obtained stress results show a relatively good agreement between the two approaches, with differences in the azimuth of the dominant extension axis of the order of 10°. Furthermore, comparison with independent information for the mean stress axes provided by the study of kinematics on neotectonic faults [Mountrakis, D., Kilias, A., Tranos, M., Thomaidou, E., Papazachos, C., Karakaisis, G., Scordilis, E., Chatzidimitriou, P., Papadimitriou, E., Vargemezis, G., Aidona, E., Karagianni, E., Vamvakaris, D. Skarlatoudis, A. 2003. Determination of the settings and the seismotectonic behavior of the main seismic-active faults of Northern Greece area using neotectonic and seismological data. Earthquake Planning and Protection Organisation (OASP) (in Greek)] shows a similar agreement with typical misfit of the order 10°. The stress inversion method was modified in order to select one or both nodal planes of the focal mechanism which corresponds to the "true" fault plane of the occurred earthquakes and was able to select a single fault plane in the majority of examined cases. Using this approach, the obtained fault plane rose diagrams are in agreement with results from various neotectonic studies. Moreover, several secondary active fault branches were identified, which are still not clearly observed in the field.

When citing: Kamberidou, Irene & Patsantaras, Nikolaos (2006). "Social Capital and Gender Equity in Sports”. Presentation at the international conference Social Capital and Sport Governance in Europe: Trust and the Use of Social Ties, 4-5/12/2006, organized by the Universitat Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and IPAS- Institute of Public Administration and Health Care Management ‘Carlo Masini’, in collaboration with the European Commission, Milano Italy. © Irene Kamberidou presenting paper at Bocconi University, Milano 2006, at conference entitled  Social Capital and Gender Equity in Sports.  

Kamberidou, I., & Patsantaras, N. (2006). "Social Capital and Gender Equity in Sports". Presentation at the International Conference on Social Capital and Sport Governance in Europe: Trust and the Use of Social Ties, 4-5/12/2006, Universitat. International Conference on Social Capital and Sport Governance in Europe: Trust and the Use of Social Ties, 4-5/12/2006, Milano, Italy. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3468.4642  K.3 in Apella ***Conference organized by the Universitat Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and IPAS-Institute of Public Administration and Health. Universitat Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and IPAS-Institute of Public Administration and Health Care Management ‘Carlo Masini’ in collaboration with the European Commission, Milano Italy.

Presented by Irene Kamberidou  5/12/2006:Patsantaras, N., & Kamberidou, I. (2006). "Social Capital Dimensions and Civil Society: Inclusive vs. Exclusionary Social Capital in Sport Governance". Presentation at the international conference “Social Capital and Sport Governance in Europe: Trust and the Use of Social Ties”,4-5/12/2006, organized by the Universitat Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and IPAS-Institute of Public Administration and Health. Universitat Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and IPAS-Institute of Public Administration and Health Care Management ‘Carlo Masini’ in collaboration with the European Commission, Milano Italy.  DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.2700.4644 [ K.5 in Apella  and  K.5.1 in Apella ]

Kamberidou, I. (2006). "The Social Gender and Sport Identity- SOCIO-CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION: a bio-socio-cultural interpretation". Presentation at the XIth International CESH Congress, Sport and the Construction of Identities. Session 18: National Comparisons and Globalisation, Sept. 18, 2006. 17-20 September 2006 ,Vienna Austria.  CESH Congress Sport and the Construction of Identities, Vienna. Organized by the European Committee for Sports History (CESH) . sport_identity-powerpoint_22.11.2006.ppt  K4 in Apella    

The study focuses on the application of computing elements in the field of geoarchaeology. Emphasis is placed on the meaningful combination of geomorphological and environmental data along with archaeological features within Geographic Information Systems. Principal objective was the identification and the modeling of possible Roman cadastres in the area of Béziers, in southern France. For this purpose numerous technologies have been applied; GIS, GPS, Remote Sensing techniques and Digital Image Processing methods were used for the collection, storage, digitization and analysis of geoarchaeological data. Geographical Information System (G.I.S.) was used for the processing of primary data, the production of secondary information layers, the development of the digital elevation model and its derivative files and, in essence, for the spatial and the quantitative analysis of the data. The research concluded at 3 potential Roman cadastre grids establishing orientation and distance of axes as main criteria. Further processing of the data concluded in one final Roman cadastre grid for the area of Biterrois in France.

Στο νερό άρχισε η ζωή. Διαμέσου του νερού και το πέρασμα στην άλλη όχθη... Διφυές και δισυπόστατο το νερό, έχει τη δύναμη του δωρητή και του τιμωρού (άμεσα ή έμμεσα), ρυθμίζει την επικοινωνία και το χωρισμό, τη σωτηρία και την απώλεια, σηματοδοτεί την αναγέννηση, διευθετεί την κάθαρση και τον εξαγνισμό, και μετακινείται υπακούοντας σε υδατικές σχέσεις. Το νερό προστατεύεται από παρουσίες θηλυκές κι η σχέση του με τη γη βρίσκει γονιμοποιό έκφραση στη βλάστηση (...). Στο βιβλίο αυτό περιγράφονται σχέσεις που άπτονται της μοίρας που αναλογεί στο νερό. Σχέσεις φόβου, επιθυμίας, εξαγνισμού. Υδατικές σχέσεις μυστικές, κρυφές, που απευθύνονται σε μύστες. Σχέσεις που διέπουν την κίνηση του νερού από τα υπόγεια ως τα υπέργεια τμήματα των φυτών, προμηνύοντας την αόρατη ροή του. Εποχικές σχέσεις του νερού που κρύβεται σε φυλλώματα θαλερά, σε άνθη έγχρωμα και σε ρίζες ανθεκτικές. Σχέσεις της ζωής του νερού». Στο πολυπρισματικό αυτό μελέτημα επιτάσσεται πλούσια βιβλιογραφία που κατατοπίζει τον αναγνώστη για τις πηγές της συγγραφέως, ενώ ταυτόχρονα του παρέχει τη δυνατότητα να ανατρέξει σε εξειδικευμένες μελέτες για επιμέρους θέματα [από "το Καποδιστριακό", 01/07/2007]

Context.Recent surveys of the Local Group spiral Galaxies M 31 and M 33 with XMM-Newton yielded a large number of X-ray sources. Aims.As part of the effort to identify and classify the objects responsible for this X-ray emission, we have obtained optical spectra of the brightest optical counterparts of the identified X-ray sources, using the 1.3 m Skinakas Telescope. Most of these objects are foreground star candidates. The purpose of the present study is to confirm this identification and to explore the compatibility between the optical spectral classification and the observed X-ray properties of the sources. Methods.We have obtained optical spectra for the 14 brightest optical counterparts of X-ray sources identified by XMM-Newton in the direction of M 31 and for 21 optical counterparts in the direction of M 33, using the 1.3 m Skinakas telescope in Crete, Greece. Results.All of the M 31 sources and all but one of the M 33 sources were confirmed to be foreground stars, of spectral types between A and M. One of the stars is a late M dwarf with Hα emission, a flare star, also displaying strong X-ray variability. One of the M 33 sources (lying within the D25 ellipse) corresponds to a previously known background galaxy, LEDA 5899.

We report on the microstructure evolution in Cu-15% Nb multifilamentary wires upon annealing and the corresponding effects on their electrical and magnetic properties. During annealing at temperatures higher than 800 degrees C thermal instability mechanisms take place in the microstructure of the Cu-15%Nb composite, leading to spheroidization, followed by coarsening of niobium filaments. Such microstructural changes exert considerable influence on the magnitude of the normal electrical resistivity for the Cu-Nb composite. In addition, the annealing process leads to a double-peak structure in the isothermal DC magnetization curves of the composite, which is strongly dependent on the annealing time. This behavior suggests that the spheroidization kinetics can be obtained from M(H) curves.

This retrospective study aimed to estimate the value of spiral Computerized Tomography (sCT) in patients with suspected appendicitis who remained undiagnosed after 48 hours of expectant management. We assessed a cohort of 150 patients by focused unenhanced sCT. According to the clinical scenario we occasionally employed contrast media and extended the scanned area. The major radiological signs were appendiceal enlargement and inflammatory changes of periappendiceal tissue and mesenteric fat. Regarding acute appendicitis the examination was 95.8% sensitive, 97.4% specific, had a positive predictive value of 97.18%, a negative predictive value of 96.2% and an accuracy of 96.7%. It also provided alternative diagnoses in 55 patients leading correctly 31 of them to the theatre for a variety of abdominal surgical diseases. For abdominal surgical pathology in general, sCT was 97.1% sensitive, 95.7% specific, had a positive predictive value of 98% and a negative predictive value of 93.8%. The importance of good communication between the clinicians and radiologists was pointed out by the correct alternative diagnoses set by imaging in the 55 patients after modifying the sCT protocol and was highlighted by the unnecessary appendectomy of three patients with negative imaging. Our results verify the accuracy and value of unenhanced sCT in patients with a clinical picture which remains inconclusive after an initial period of expectant management.

The vortex-matter phase diagram of Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8+x single crystal superconductor has been studied, using bulk and local magnetization measurements. We observed a second magnetization peak in the temperature interval 20 K < T < 40 K. At 40 K the second peak splits into two peaks, termed the upper and lower second magnetization peaks (USP and LSP), respectively. In the magnetic field interval [H-LCP,H-UCP] we observed the clear signature of a first-order melting transition of the vortex lattice. This particular behavior is similar to a situation with two critical endpoints of the first-order melting line and one coexistence point, where the topological transition line ends on the first-order melting line.

A case of spontaneous peritonitis caused by Leminorella grimontii in a 63-year-old man with cirrhosis is reported. To our knowledge, L. grimontii has never been reported as a cause of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. The patient responded to antimicrobial therapy. Clinical and therapeutic implications are discussed.

The first BVRI CCD photometric observations of PY Lyrae were obtained at the Kryoneri Observatory in the summer of 2004. Five new times of minima and a new ephemeris were calculated. The light curves were analyzed with the Wilson-Devinney program, in order to derive the geometric and photometric elements of the system. A spot model was assumed in order to explain the pronounced O'Connell effect.

Malignant transformation of a mature ovarian cystic teratoma is the most serious complication of this relatively common neoplastic lesion. While any constituent tissue of the teratoma can undergo malignant transformation, squamous cell carcinoma represents approximately 80% of those malignancies. Furthermore, the synchronous occurrence of a second malignancy in that setting is extremely rare. Preoperative diagnosis of malignant transformation within a mature cystic teratoma is extremely difficult and poses a great challenge to current clinical surgical practice. The particularly aggressive behavior of this rare tumor, also poses significant surgical managing dilemmas. We present a case report of a premenopausal woman with an invasive squamous cell carcinoma arising in a mature cystic teratoma and a synchronous invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast.

Aims.We analyse the influence of the stochastic particle acceleration for the evolution of the electron spectrum. We assume that all investigated spectra are generated inside a spherical, homogeneous source and also analyse the synchrotron and inverse Compton emission generated by such an object. Methods: .The stochastic acceleration is treated as the diffusion of the particle momentum and is described by the momentum-diffusion equation. We investigate the stationary and time dependent solutions of the equation for several different evolutionary scenarios. The scenarios are divided into two general classes. First, we analyse a few cases without injection or escape of the particles during the evolution. Then we investigate the scenarios where we assume continuous injection and simultaneous escape of the particles. Results: .In the case of no injection and escape the acceleration process, competing with the radiative cooling, only modifies the initial particle spectrum. The competition leads to a thermal or quasi-thermal distribution of the particle energy. In the case of the injection and simultaneous escape the resulting spectra depend mostly on the energy distribution of the injected particles. In the simplest case, where the particles are injected at the lowest possible energies, the competition between the acceleration and the escape forms a power-law energy distribution. We apply our modeling to the high energy activity of the blazar Mrk 501 observed in April 1997. Calculating the evolution of the electron spectrum self-consistently we can reproduce the observed spectra well with a number of free parameters that is comparable to or less than in the "classic stationary" one-zone synchrotron self-Compton scenario.

We show that, with judicious choice of opto-geometrical parameters, oscillatory waves guided by generalized left-handed slab waveguides can attain zero group velocity. Advantages compared to previous methods of slowing or stopping light are concisely discussed. © 2006 Optical Society of America.

Η εργασία επιδιώκει νε καλύψει την παρουσίαση της ιστορίας με την έκθεση των τά­σεων και των εκφραστών τους που εμφανίστηκαν στη θεολογική επιστήμη και συγκε­κριμένα στο αντικείμενο της Χριστιανικής Ηθικής από την Απελευθέρωση μέχρι τις μέ­ρες μας. Τα ερευνητικά όρια της μελέτης είναι εκτεταμένα και ως εκ τούτου μια τέτοια προσπάθεια δεν αρκεί για να καλύψει το σύνολο του αρχικού προβληματισμού. Η εργασία χωρίζεται σε δύο μέρη. Στο πρώτο εξετάζεται ο ηθικός προβληματισμός στη θεολογία από την Απελευθέρωση μέχρι τα χρόνια του Μεσοπολέμου (1925-1942). Στο σημείο αυτό διευκρινίζουμε ότι θέτουμε ως αφετηριακό χρονικό σημείο το έτος 1837, δηλαδή την ίδρυση της Θεολογικής Σχολής του Οθώνειου Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών και ως τέλος το έτος 1942, που ταυτίζεται με την ίδρυση της Θεολογικής Σχολής Θεσσαλο­νίκης. Στην πραγμάτευση του θέματος κρίθηκε σωστό να γίνει σύντομη αναφορά στο θέμα της λειτουργίας των Πανεπιστημίων στην Ευρώπη και την Ελλάδα, στην παρουσίαση της Ηθικής ως επιστήμης και στη σχέση της με τα άλλα θεολογικά αντικείμενα, καθώς επίσης και στις συνήθεις τάσεις που εμφανίζονται στην ορθόδοξη Θεολογία. Επίσης, πα­ρουσιάζονται τρείς λόγιοι, οι οποίοι επηρέασαν την περίοδο την οποία εξετάζουμε για διαφορετι­κούς λόγους ο καθένας. Αυτοί είναι ο Αδαμάντιος Κοραής(1748-1833), ο Θεόφιλος Κάϊρης (1784-1853) και ο Κωνσταντίνος Οικονόμος ο έξ Οικονόμων (1780-1857). Ο πρώτος θα επηρεάσει την σκέψη των δια­νοητών της εποχής της Απελευθέρωσης, ο δεύτερος θά προβληματίσει για τη «νέα πί­στη» που εισήγαγε και ο τρίτος θα αντισταθεί στον ακαδημαϊκό Θεόκλητο Φαρμακίδη για το ζήτημα του Αυτοκεφάλου της Ελλαδικής Εκκλησίας. Στη συνέχεια παρουσιάζονται οι διδάσκοντες το αντικείμενο της Χριστιανικής Η­θικής στη Θεολογική Σχολή της Αθήνας, ενώ γίνεται σύντομη αναφορά στις σχολές της Χάλκης, του Τιμίου Σταυρού Ιεροσολύμων και της Ριζαρείου σε σχέση πάντοτε με τη διδασκαλία του μαθήματος της Χριστιανικής Ηθικής. Θεολογικά φαινόμενα με την εισαγωγή νέων απόψεων, όπως του Απόστολου Μακράκη, η γένεση και δημιουργία των εκκλησιαστικών οργανώσεων, αλλά και ακαδημαϊκοί θεολόγοι που στιγμάτισαν το τε­λευταίο τέταρτο του 19ου και τις αρχές του 20ου αιώνα, απασχολούν στη συνέχεια την εργασία μας. Επιπρόσθετα, η Ρωσική Θεολογία που εμφανίστηκε την εποχή του Με­σοπολέμου μετά τη Ρωσική Επανάσταση του 1917 και εκφράστηκε από τους Ρώσους εμιγκρέδες διανοητές σε Ευρώπη και ΗΠΑ δεν περνά απαρατήρητη ως θεολογική τά­ση. Το δεύτερο μέρος ξεκινά με χρονικό σημείο το 1942 και φτάνει ως τις μέρες μας. Πα­ρουσιάζονται οι διδάσκοντες την Χριστιανική Ηθική στή Θεολογική Σχολή Θεσσαλο­νίκης και της αντίστοιχης του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών. Ακολουθεί σύντομη αναφορά στη Θεολογική αναγέννηση του '60, παραθέτοντας τις δύο κυρίαρχες τάσεις, της προ­βολής της Θεολογίας του προσώπου και της ευχαριστιακής Θεολογίας ως κέντρου της ορθόδοξης λατρείας, αλλά και της δυναμικής Θεολογίας που εκφράζεται από τον Νίκο Ματσούκα. Επίσης τονίζεται η αναλογική μέθοδος στην εξέταση των σύγχρονων ηθικών προβλημάτων. Επιπλέον, αναφέρεται η τάση που προήλθε από τη θεολογία της  Απελευθέρωσης και οδήγησε στην ενασχόληση με τα κοινωνικά ζητήματα, στην οικολογική ηθική, στην επα­νάσταση της γενετικής, στην εμφάνιση της βιοηθικής και στις προοπτικές του νέου αιώ­να στην Ενωμένη Εύρώπη. Τέλος, η εργασία κλείνει με τα συμπεράσματα, την παράθεση της βιβλιογραφίας και ενός σύντομου παραρτήματος με τους διδάξαντες καθηγητές το αντικείμενο της Χρι­στιανικής Ηθικής στις δύο Θεολογικές Σχολές Αθηνών και Θεσσαλονίκης (έως και τις αρχές του 2006). Επίκειται αναθεωρημένη έκδοση, στην οποία προβλέπονται να γίνουν οι αναγκαίες προσθήκες και οι επικαιροποιήσεις για τους διδάσκοντες το μάθημα της Ηθικής-Βιοηθικής μέχρι σήμερα σε Αθήνα και Θεσσαλονίκη (π.χ. Απόστολος Νικολαϊδης, Νικ. Γεωργοπούλου, Νίκη Παπαγεωργίου, Χρήστος Τσιρώνης), καθώς και οι διορθώσεις οι οποίες  επισημάνθηκαν για εμφανή λάθη, όπως για παράδειγμα στη σελίδα 29 για την προφανώς λανθασμένη συμπερίληψη του Ευγένιου Βούλγαρη στους εκπροσώπους της Φιλοκαλικής αναγέννησης του 18ου αιώνα, ο οποίος όμως ορθά σημειώνεται ότι ακολουθεί τον χωρισμό δογματικής και ηθικής. Καλόπιστες κριτικές, παρατηρήσεις και προσθήκες θα συμπεριληφθούν για τη βελτίωση του δημοσιευμένου έργου. ISBN 960- 7814-26-6.

The structure of the 2[4Fe-4S] ferredoxin (PaFd) from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which belongs to the Allochromatium vinosum (Alvin) subfamily, has been determined by X-ray crystallography at 1.32-A resolution, which is the highest up to now for a member of this subfamily of Fds. The main structural features of PaFd are similar to those of AlvinFd. However, the significantly higher resolution of the PaFd structure makes possible a reliable comparison with available high-resolution structures of [4Fe-4S]-containing Fds, in an effort to rationalize the unusual electrochemical properties of Alvin-like Fds. Three major factors contributing to the reduction potential values of [4Fe-4S]2+/+ clusters of Fds, namely, the surface accessibility of the clusters, the N-H...S hydrogen-bonding network, and the volume of the cavities hosting the clusters, are extensively discussed. The volume of the cavities is introduced in the present work for the first time, and can in part explain the very negative potential of cluster I of Alvin-like Fds.

Tsopani, D., Patsantaras, N., Dallas, G., & Kamberidou, I. (2006). "Stuctural Trends and Prospects of Male Participation in Rhythmic Gymnastics". Proceedings of the 1st International Congress in Rhythmic Gymnastics, Convegno Internazionale Ginnastica Ritmica CSAM, Torino Italy, 6-7 April, pp. 35–39. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.4529.8405   K.8 in Apella

Rhythmic Gymnastics has been established as an exclusively female sport. Current issues and questions repeatedly arise concerning women´s participation in all sports, namely access into all traditionally male dominated sports, whereas they have not been developed in reference to the participation of men in rhythmic gymnastics. The purpose of this study is to explore and investigate these gender issues and present the views and perceptions of rhythmic gymnastics´ internal environment (structural elements: scoring of evaluations codes, judges, etc) as well those of the external environment (audiences, journalists, etc) concerning a) the imminent participation on men in rhythmic gymnastics, b) rules and regulations pertaining to the female gymnast's appearance. In this study 299 individuals from around the world, representing different social groups (journalists, trainers/coaches, parents, etc), responded to a closed questionnaire during an international championship. The results showed that the overwhelming majority (76.5%) of the responds favor the participation of men in rhythmic gymnastics. Additionally, the results reveal the necessity for redefinition, in other words that the restrictive character of the regulations concerning the appearance of female gymnasts must be redefined, as well as the possibility, prospect or opportunity for access to men, particularly in the framework of recent issues concerning gender in sports.

The aim at this paper is to study the historical allouviation of the area ofThessaloniki using mainly archeological data. Such data has been found in manyplaces in this area. These findings (buildings, castles, road traces, fortifications) dateback from Neolithic up to Ottoman period. We have approached this problem bystudying the geomorphologic processes of this area and by mapping in detail theallouviation of the ancient monuments. A spatial database has been created attributing geological, geomorphological, hydrological, other environmental and archaeological data along with all the measurements undertaken during fieldwork. Apart from contemporary data, older topographical maps of the area have also been input and analysed in the GIS together with the rest datasets. A specific methodology was applied in view of recording and studying the erosion-deposition rates. The derivative results have indicated that deposition rates vary within diverse temporal and spatial conditions. This is due to the topography, the lithology and the climate changes of this area. The study, also, reported that in some places vertical depositions rates at about 0, 5 cm/year. The applied model tracing erosional processes and deposition rates can be implemented in any other location irrespective of the environmental, spatial, or archaeological data characterizing the area.

Subcutaneous fat necrosis (SFN) of the newborn is an uncommon disorder of the adipose tissue, mostly affecting full-term or post-term newborns who experience perinatal distress. The lesions of SFN typically occur during the first six weeks of life; they are usually self-limited and no specific therapy is required. The disorder may be rarely complicated with hypercalcaemia. We present the case of a neonate with perinatal asphyxia who manifested SFN followed by hypocalcaemia instead of hypercalcaemia and a biochemical profile of pseudohypoparathyroidism four weeks after the eruption of skin lesions. The infant was treated with alfacalcidiol. Blood biochemistry was normalized within one week and serum parathyroid hormone levels declined to normal over the next two months. It is suggested that perinatal asphyxia was the common etiopathogenetic factor for the development of both SFN and pseudohypoparathyroidism.

In the present work we study extensively the manipulation of superconductivity through ferromagnetism in a new category of hybrids. The studied hybrids consist of antiferromagnetic/ ferromagnetic (AF/FM) [La0.33Ca0.67MnO3/La0.60Ca0.40MnO3](15) multilayers (MLs) in contact with a low-T-c Nb superconductor (SC). In these hybrids a relatively thick FM buffer layer was used as a reservoir for the generation of stray fields that influence the SC intensively. Our results show that in the parallel field configuration the SC becomes ferromagnetically coupled to the ML when field-cooled through its T-c(SC). Thus, although the SC should behave diamagnetically in respect to the externally applied magnetic field, its bulk magnetization behaves ferromagnetically and switches together with the magnetization of the ML when its coercive field is exceeded (switching effect). By employing specific experiments, where the ML was selectively exchange biased or not, we clearly demonstrate that the ML structure, separating the FM buffer and the SC layers, inflicts its magnetic properties on the whole hybrid. Thus, in such ML/SC hybrids the exchange bias mechanism can be used for regulating the switching of the SC magnetization. By employing specific experimental protocols for our magnetization measurements we directly uncover that the multidomain magnetic state of the ML strongly suppresses both the transition's height and the critical temperature of the SC. Simple FM/SC bilayers have also been studied. In these samples the switching effect is observed only for zero external field, while it is absent when a magnetic field is applied. This indicates that the ML structure is an essential ingredient for the generic observation of the switching effect. Our experimental results support recent theoretical studies referring to the mutual proximity effect (Kharitonov et al 2006 Phys. Rev. B 73 054511), to the possible formation of spin-triplet superconductivity (Bergeret et al 2001 Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 4096), and to the influence of an FM domain state on the properties of an SC (Buzdin and Mel'nikov 2003 Phys. Rev. B 67 020503( R)) in relevant hybrids. Apart from their importance for theory, our results are valuable for the design of spin-valve devices that recently have attracted great interest.

We present the spectral and temporal radiative signatures expected within the ``supercritical pile'' model of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). This model is motivated by the need for a process that provides the dissipation necessary in GRBs and presents a well-defined scheme for converting the energy stored in the relativistic protons of the relativistic blast waves (RBWs) associated with GRBs into radiation; at the same time, it leads to spectra that exhibit a peak in the burst νFν distribution at an energy Epeak~=1 MeV in the observer's frame, in agreement with observations and largely independent of the Lorentz factor Γ of the associated relativistic outflow. Furthermore, this scheme does not require (but does not preclude) acceleration of particles at the shock other than that provided by the isotropization of the flow bulk kinetic energy in the RBW frame. In the present paper we model in detail the evolution of protons, electrons, and photons from a RBW to produce detailed spectra of the prompt GRB phase as a function of time from across a very broad range in frequency, spanning roughly 4logΓ decades. The model spectra are in general agreement with observations and provide a means for delineating the model parameters through direct comparison with trends observed in GRB properties.

We report a detailed study of surface and interface properties of pulsed-laser-deposited NiMnSb films on a Si(100) substrate as a function of film thickness. As the thickness of films is reduced below 35 nm, formation of a porous layer is observed. Porosity in this layer increases with decrease in NiMnSb film thickness. These morphological changes of the ultrathin films are reflected in the interesting transport and magnetic properties of these films. Compositional anomaly and surface and interface roughness are not the source of magnetic and transport properties of the films. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

We present a detailed analytical study of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in generalized asymmetric slab waveguides with a core of negative permittivity and permeability. Profiting from the duality principle, we confine ourselves to the analysis of p -polarized (TM) SPP eigenmodes, which also occur in thin metallic films. It is shown that the left-handed (LH) structures considered here support a richer variety of SPPs when compared to their metallic counterparts. Depending on the refractive index distribution, the permittivity of each medium and the thickness of the core, a total of 30 solutions to the involved characteristic equation are identified in a unified manner and classified systematically. In order to identify conclusively all SPPs, we follow an analytical methodology based directly on the solution constraints inherent in the associated transcendental equation. This treatment reveals striking features of the formed SPP eigenmodes, such as the existence of "supermodes" when no SPP is supported at one of the slab interfaces. Moreover, our study reveals the opening of gaps in the SPP dispersion diagrams, occurrence of monomodal propagation for specific choices of the material parameters, presence of SPPs with no cutoff thickness and coexistence of three eigenmodes, with double mode-degeneracy points occurring twice. The eigenmodes with negative energy flux that give rise to negative group velocity are identified via a closed-form expression for the time-averaged power flow P in the guide. For each eigenmode, we examine the variation of P with the reduced slab thickness and discuss key features of the effective index geometric dispersion diagram, most of which are unique to the generalized structures studied herein. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

When surface-state electrons scatter at perturbations, such as magnetic or nonmagnetic adatoms or clusters on surfaces, an electronic resonance, localized at the adatom site, can develop below the bottom of the surface-state band for both spin channels. In the case of adatoms, these states have been found very recently in scanning tunneling spectroscopy experiments for the Cu(111) and Ag(111) surfaces. Motivated by these experiments, we carried out a systematic theoretical investigation of the electronic structure of these surface states in the presence of magnetic and nonmagnetic atoms on Cu(111). We found that Ca and all 3d adatoms lead to a split-off state at the bottom of the surface band which is, however, not seen for the sp elements Ga and Ge. The situation is completely reversed if the impurities are embedded in the surface: Ga and Ge are able to produce a split-off state whereas the 3d impurities are not. The resonance arises from the s state of the impurities and is explained in terms of strength and the interaction nature (attraction or repulsion) of the perturbing potential.

Introduction: Glycodelin and survivin are key polypeptide regulators of cellular proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis. In view of contradictory reports on their functional role in tumors, we studied their transcriptional levels in localized breast cancer. Patients and methods: Glycodelin and survivin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was isolated and amplified by quantitative reverse-trancription PCR from paraffin-embedded breast carcinomas of 275 women. A normalized score was calculated by the use of GAPDH, RPL37A reference genes and was correlated with clinicopathologic/molecular parameters and patient outcome. Results: A total of 272 patients were eligible, most harbored stage III node-positive breast carcinomas larger than 2 cm. Glycodelin mRNA was expressed in 68 patients (25%), more frequently in premenopausal women (P = 0.01) and those with HER2 mRNA-positive tumors (P = 0.02). Survivin mRNA was present in 263 tumors (97%) and its levels correlated significantly with high nuclear grade, VEGF mRNA and p53 mRNA presence (P < 0.05). At a median follow-up of 64 months, neither glycodelin nor survivin mRNA expression demonstrated prognostic utility for overall or disease-free survival at univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Glycodelin and survivin transcriptional activity are associated with adverse clinicopathologic and molecular characteristics of node-positive primary breast cancer but do not predict patient outcome. Further study is needed for illumination of their functional roles in tumorigenesis. © 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

The long-term CCD and photoelectric observations of YY Her covering the period of its post-outburst activity (JD 2 451 823 -- 2 452 996) are presented. We explain the periodic variations of the brightness of YY Her by the eclipses of the components in the system. The model with a deformed (non-homogeneous) envelope, surrounding the white dwarf is discussed. In addition, we observed a flare in about JD 2 452 440, during the primary minimum, that was later followed by an energetic outburst in JD 2 452 700.

Rhinoviruses (RV), the major trigger of acute asthma exacerbations, are able to infect bronchial epithelium and induce production of pro-inflammatory, but also angiogenic and pro-fibrotic mediators. Fluticasone propionate (FP) and salmeterol (S) are clinically effective and act synergistically in controlling persistent asthma; however, their effect on virus-associated asthma is less clear.|The aim of this study was to assess the individual and combined effects of FP and S on RV-induced epithelial production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2).|Bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) were exposed in vitro to RV and were subsequently treated with FP and S, at physiologically relevant concentrations, alone or in combination. VEGF and FGF-2 were measured in the supernatants of these cultures using ELISA.|FP was able to reduce RV-induced VEGF production in a dose-dependent manner. S also induced a smaller reduction; addition of both factors inhibited VEGF synergistically. FGF-2 production was not inhibited by either FP or S alone, but was significantly reduced when both substances were present in the culture.|This study demonstrates that FP and S may synergistically inhibit the production of angiogenic and/or pro-fibrotic factors that are induced after RV infection of BEAS-2B and are implicated in airway remodelling, suggesting that this combination may represent an important therapeutic option on virus-induced asthma.

Nucleophilic substitutions of the reactive chlorine atoms in cyanuric chloride by the bridging 4,4'-bipyridine in refluxing toluene lead to quaternarization of the latter and the subsequent formation of a pi-conjugate, covalent layered network. The network is composed of central 1,3,5-triazine units with 4,4'-bipyridinium rings covalently attached and balanced by the released chloride ions. Due to the extremely high electron deficiency of the triazine rings, the material undergoes partial reduction by its compensated chloride ions resulting in a radical concentration of 1 X 1020 spin g(-1), according to EPR quantitative analysis. In this instance, the radicals provide stability to the organic network by minimizing its electron deficiency. The material exhibits thermal and electrochemical stability, as evidenced by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and cyclic voltammetry techniques. As such, the pi-conjugate organic material displays low band gaps and electrical conductivity in the range of 10(-4)-10(-5) S cm(-1) at room temperature. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PLA2 is an important signaling enzyme that generates multiple downstream effectors, such as arachidonic acid and PAF, which are key mediators of inflammation as well as other pathophysiological conditions. Inhibition of PLA2 is potentially an effective therapy for several inflammatory diseases. In this review, we discuss the various classes of synthetic inhibitors of Group IVA and Group VIA phospholipase A2. 

Urothelial cancer is a common malignancy. The management of patients with recurrent disease after cystectomy or initially metastatic or unresectable disease represents a therapeutic challenge. Systemic chemotherapy prolongs survival but long-term survival remains infrequent. During recent years there has been improvement due to the use of novel chemotherapeutic agents, mainly gemcitabine and the taxanes. The long-considered-standard MVAC has been challenged by combinations showing more favourable toxicity profiles and equal (gemcitabine-cisplatin) or even improved (dose-dense, G-CSF-supported MVAC) efficacy. Specific interest has also been generated in specific groups of patients (elderly patients, patients with renal function impairment or comorbidities), who are not fit for the standard cisplatin-based chemotherapy but can derive significant benefit from carboplatin- or taxane-based treatment. Retrospective analyses have enabled the identification of groups of patients with different prognoses, who possibly require different therapeutic approaches. Modern chemotherapy offers a chance of long-term survival in patients without visceral metastases, possibly in combination with definitive local treatment. Finally, the progress of targeted therapies in other neoplasms seems to be reflected in advanced bladder cancer by recent studies indicating that biological agents can be combined with modern chemotherapy. The true role of such therapies is currently being evaluated. © 2006 Oxford University Press.

Despite a few decades of intense study, a full description of tautomers of one-electron-oxidized guanine remains to be achieved. Here we show that two of these tautomers are produced by the protonation of an 8-haloguanine electron adduct. The rate constants for the reactions of hydrated electrons (e aq-) with a variety of 8-substituted guanine derivatives have been measured by a pulse radiolysis technique and correlated with both inductive and resonance components of the substituents. The fate of electron adducts was investigated by radiolytic methods coupled with product studies and addressed computationally by means of time-dependent DFT (TD-B3LYP/6- 311G**//B1B95/6-31+G**) calculations. The reaction of eaq- with 8-haloguanosine or 8-halo-2′- deoxyguanosine produces the first observable transient species that decay unimolecularly (k = 1 × 105 s-1 at 22 °C) to give the one-electron oxidized guanosine or 2′-deoxyguanosine. Theory suggests that the electron adducts of 8-bromoguanine derivatives protonated at C8 form a $π$-complex, with the Br atom situated above the molecular plane, that is prompt to eject Br. The two short-lived intermediates, which show a substantial difference in their absorption spectra, are recognized to be the two purine tautomers (i.e., iminic 7 and aminic 3 forms). The spin density distributions of the two tautomers are quite different at the O6 and N10 positions, whereas they are very similar at the N3, C5, and C8 positions. The resonance structures of the two tautomers are discussed in some detail. B1B95/6-31+G** calculations show also that the tautomerization from the iminic (7) to the aminic (3) arrangement is a water-assisted process. © 2006 American Chemical Society.

Despite a few decades of intense study, a full description of tautomers of one-electron-oxidized guanine remains to be achieved. Here we show that two of these tautomers are produced by the protonation of an 8-haloguanine electron adduct. The rate constants for the reactions of hydrated electrons (e(aq)(-)) with a variety of 8-substituted guanine derivatives have been measured by a pulse radiolysis technique and correlated with both inductive and resonance components of the substituents. The fate of electron adducts was investigated by radiolytic methods coupled with product studies and addressed computationally by means of time-dependent DFT (TD-B3LYP/6-311G**//B1B95/6-31+G**) calculations. The reaction of e(aq)(-) with 8-haloguanosine or 8-halo-2'-deoxyguanosine produces the first observable transient species that decay unimolecularly (k = 1 x 10(5) s(-1) at 22 degrees C) to give the one-electron oxidized guanosine or 2'-deoxyguanosine. Theory suggests that the electron adducts of 8-bromoguanine derivatives protonated at C8 form a pi-complex, with the Br atom situated above the molecular plane, that is prompt to eject Br-. The two short- lived intermediates, which show a substantial difference in their absorption spectra, are recognized to be the two purine tautomers (i.e., iminic 7 and aminic 3 forms). The spin density distributions of the two tautomers are quite different at the O6 and N10 positions, whereas they are very similar at the N3, C5, and C8 positions. The resonance structures of the two tautomers are discussed in some detail. B1B95/6-31+G** calculations show also that the tautomerization from the iminic (7) to the aminic (3) arrangement is a water-assisted process.

We present a test-study of the ``seeing'' at the Kryonerion Station of the National Observatory of Athens. We used a Differential Image Motion Monitor (DIMM) during July and October 2002 and found a median ``seeing'' of 0.68 arcseconds and 1.42 arcseconds, respectively. We also compared the technique against the Hartmann-version of the ESO-type DIMM method and found similar results within 0.05 arcseconds. For some reason, which is under investigation by international teams, the measurements of our ESO-type DIMM are underestimated by ~ 10% compared to ESO-standard DIMM measurements. Simultaneous ESO-type DIMM measurements and standard gauss-fitting-technique measurements, taken with the Kryonerion 1.2m telescope (inside the dome) indicate that the ``seeing'', as measured by the telescope is by 1 arcsecond larger. The above tests were performed in order to calibrate, test and make a brief sampling of the ``seeing'' at the Kryonerion Station with the aim to move eventually the equipment to the Emilios Harlaftis Astronomical Station the site of the new 2.3m ARISTARCHOS telescope - for a long-term ``seeing'' monitoring. As a by-product of this project, a new DIMM Station became operational at Mt. Holomon, in the premises of the University of Thessaloniki, in 2004.

We propose two novel approaches to study the temperature dependence of the magnetization and the spin polarization at the Fermi level in magnetic compounds, and apply them to half-metallic ferromagnets. We reveal a new mechanism, where the hybridization of states forming the half-metallic gap depends on thermal spin fluctuations and the polarization can drop abruptly at temperatures much lower than the Curie point. We verify this for NiMnSb by ab initio calculations. The thermal properties are studied by mapping ab initio results to an extended Heisenberg model which includes longitudinal fluctuations and is solved by a Monte Carlo method.

Background: Intrauterine fetal development is characterized by increased rates of proliferation and apoptosis, while both these processes may be attenuated post-natally. Aim: Tissue polypeptide specific antigen and sFas serum concentrations were determined during pregnancy and post-natally, in order to evaluate their alterations during these crucial periods. Materials and Methods: Forty-seven healthy pregnant women, their full-term newborns and 35 healthy adults (controls) were included in the study. Markers were measured: a) in maternal serum (MS), during the 1st, 2nd, 3rd trimester and at the 1st stage of labor; b) in the umbilical cord (UC), during the 2nd stage of labor; c) in neonatal serum in the 1st (1N) and 5th (5N) day after birth; and d) in controls. Results: The serum TPS concentrations in MS increased significantly with gestational age, being higher in the 3rd trimester and labor, than those in controls (p<0.001). TPS values were significantly lower in the UC, compared to those in MS (p<0.001), while they were markedly elevated in 1N, compared to MS and UC (p<0.001), and subsequently decreased in 5N (p<0.001), remaining higher, than those in the controls (p<0.001). Serum sFas concentrations in the MS depended significantly on gestational age (p<0.001), being significantly lower in the first trimester, than those in the second (p<0.003), the third (p<0.03), in labor and controls (p<0.005). sFas concentrations in the UC were significantly lower than in MS and controls (p<0.001), while they increased significantly in 5 N samples (p<0.01). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate: a) a higher apoptosis rate in the first trimester of pregnancy, possibly affecting maternal immuno-tolerance, followed by a down-regulation during the post-natal period; b) a progressively increased proliferation from the first trimester to parturition, reflecting the fetal and placental growth and development, that seems to be thereafter moderated.

The creation of “the bodiless society”– a gender-neutral society of services that is gradually replacing industrial society– is the result of accelerated technological developments in combination with the globalization of the economy. The products of this technological revolution are in reality services, a factor that has foundational consequences on society. The creation of thousands of specialized employment positions in the distribution and use of new technologies, whose hard nucleus is made up of specific knowledge and technological know-how is currently denied to the less-privileged gender subjects, the citizens who have particular difficulties in adapting and comprehending this transitional stage of the postmodernist period. Will our future society be a globalized technological ‘paradise’ of an abundance of information, products and services, achieved through the marginalization of the vulnerable gender subject, specifically that of non-mainstream social groups, and women in particular? The paper argues that policy measures at EU level, are needed to maintain a high level of gender-inclusion in the Information Society. In this context, the EU is examining the present state of affairs – mainstreaming and promoting equality — working towards establishing an action plan for a better integration of women and non-mainstream social groups in the Information Society. The crucial issue of equality in Information Society must be dealt with and confronted, not only as a question of how to increase the number of consumers or the production of goods and services, but rather as an opportunity for all citizens to become active agents or active members in society, regardless of gender, race, colour, religion, etc. To fight digital illiteracy and future social exclusions the paper suggests three areas of action: Firstly, educational reforms, notably, the institutionalization of mandatory ‘techno-education’: compulsory technological training as an integral part of the curricula of EU public schools, beginning from kindergarten and extending to vocational training. Secondly, international, inter-cultural interdisciplinary research must be progressively and systematically promoted. The new realities of a technological society must be clearly defined and described through interdisciplinary collaborations. We need to look into the present state of affairs before working towards establishing strategies and an action plan for the better integration of women and other vulnerable groups into Information Society. And thirdly, a techno-ethical code to ensure that Europe’s achievements in past are transposed into the Information Society and the virtual environment. Keywords: “the bodiless society”, digital illiteracy and technophobia, gender-inclusion in the Information Society, action plan, a techno-ethical code (technoethos)

The ligands o-C6H4(CH2EMe)2(E = S or Se) have been prepared and characterised spectroscopically. A systematic study of the coordination chemistry of these, together with the telluroether analogue, o-C6H4(CH2TeMe)2, with late transition metal centers has been undertaken. The planar complexes [MCl2(o-C6H4(CH2SMe)2)] and [M(o-C6H4(CH2EMe)2)2](PF6)2(M = Pd or Pt; E = S or Se), the distorted octahedral [RhCl2(o-C6H4(CH2EMe)2)2]Y (E = S or Se: Y = PF6; E = Te: Y = Cl) and [RuCl2(o-C6H4(CH2EMe)2)2] (E = S, Se or Te), the dithioether-bridged binuclear [(RuCl2(p-cymene))2(μ-o-C6H4(CH2SMe)2)] and the tetrahedral [M′(o-C6H4(CH2EMe)2)2]BF4(M′ = Cu or Ag; E = S, Se or Te) have been obtained and characterised by IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy (1H,63Cu,77Se(1H),125Te(1H) and195Pt), electrospray MS and microanalyses. Crystal structures of the parent o-C6H4(CH2SMe)2and seven complexes are described, which show three different stereoisomeric forms for the chelated ligands, as well as the first example of a bridging coordination mode in [(RuCl2(p-cymene))2(μ-o-C6H4(CH2SMe)2)]. These studies reveal the consequences of the sterically demanding o-xylyl backbone, which typically leads to unusually obtuse E–M–E chelate angles of ∼100°. © 2006 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

The widespread use of the GIS tools, besides the simple mapping of areas also enabled the visualization of various spatially referenced parameters for earth sciences. Parameters such as the slope or the drainage density of an area can be calculated with the GIS tools and can be depicted in maps. In many environmental problems though, the involved variables present inexact knowledge and spatial uncertainty. This is a problem appear also when we treat erosional processes, where a number of the system input variables are of fuzzy nature, such as the erodibility, the topography’s gradient, the drainage density and the vegetation - land use. The fuzzy nature of these physical parameters, if it is to be approached by mapping tools, requires the use of special methods that will assure that the geographicaldistribution of the results will be accurate. Dealing with such uncertainties and the visualization methodologies that should follow them, is the ultimate aim of this paper. In the approach that is described here, MapInfo GIS software and Matlab are used in combination to study the erosional processes on a volcanic landscape, such us Thira Island, Greece. Mapinfo software was used for the creation of the input parameters. The management of the database was created during the digitization and the creation of the input parameters and finally for the rendering of the geographical output of the study in the form of thematic maps. Matlab software wasused for the calculations within the different parameters and the gradient leveling that were applied to the logical results. The transformation of the input variables to the output ones (erosion risk) was achieved by formulating a number of fuzzy logical rules. The final step of these processes is the development of the thematic maps.Thira Island has been chosen for this case study, because its volcanic landscape and its susceptibility to erosional phenomena appeals great scientific interest and requires the introduction of different approaches for the solution of the natural problems. Besides, the output of this study can constitute an important tool for the local authorities of the island.

Bacteroides fragilis group strains are still considered susceptible to most antimicrobial agents used for the treatment of infections caused by anaerobic organisms. We describe two cases of infections due to isolates simultaneously resistant to clindamycin, tetracycline, cefoxitin, piperacillin-tazobactam, and imipenem and, in one of the two cases, to metronidazole. Such infections, although still rare, do exist and tend to complicate treatment.

BACKGROUND: In order to reduce abdominal trauma and operative costs we have adopted a two-trocar laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy for patients with acute appendicitis. In the current study, the proposed technique is prospectively evaluated against conventional laparoscopic appendectomy with respect to feasibility, safety, and postoperative outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between July 2001 and July 2003, 83 consecutive patients were admitted with clinically diagnosed acute appendicitis and were randomly assigned to two-trocar laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (n = 40, 48.2%) or conventional laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 43, 51.8%). RESULTS: Two-trocar laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy was successfully completed in 30 patients (80.1%). Four patients initially scheduled for two-trocar laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy (10.8%) were converted to laparotomy due to excessive body weight (BMI > or = 40), while an additional 5-mm infraumbilical trocar was inserted in another 3 patients (8.1%). The procedure was associated with decreased operative time and more rapid return to normal activity compared to laparoscopic appendectomy (P < 0.001 and P = 0.038, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference regarding the duration of hospitalization or the morbidity rate between the two groups. Conversion of the initial procedure was associated with increased wound infection rate and higher morbidity (P = 0.032 and P = 0.018, respectively). CONCLUSION: Two-trocar laparoscopic-assisted appendectomy represents a promising minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of acute appendicitis. It is fast and easy to perform, and it is expected to decrease the overall cost of laparoscopic appendectomy. Its only contraindication is excessive body weight; it remains to be evaluated in the setting of perforated appendicitis and retrocecally located appendices.

This report by an international consensus panel updates current recommendations for defining clinical response in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). The previously published response criteria incorporated parameters for monoclonal protein reduction and/or improvement of marrow and nodal involvement, and included definitions of complete and partial remissions. The criteria have been updated to include minor response and stable disease categories. In addition, the criteria now recognize that delayed responses after treatment with nucleoside analogues and biologic agents and the time point for assessing response in patients with WM should be considered so as to not miss or miscategorize a response. The new criteria should therefore help in better delineating responses to therapy in patients with WM, particularly with the wide use of nucleoside analogues and biologically based agents for this disease.

Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) is a B-cell disorder characterized by the infiltration of lymphoplasmacytic cells into bone marrow and the presence of an IgM monoclonal gammopathy. As part of the Third International Workshop on WM, held October 7 to 10, 2004 in Paris, France, a consensus panel charged with providing treatment recommendations for WM updated its recommendations on both frontline and salvage therapies. The panel considered encouraging results from recent studies that addressed the use of extended-dose rituximab as well as other treatment options: therapy with either nucleoside analogs and alkylator agents, rituximab in combination with nucleoside analogs, nucleoside analogs plus alkylator agents, or combination chemotherapies, such as CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) or cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone. The panel determined that these were reasonable treatment options for WM patients and such therapeutic approaches were likely to yield results that are at least as good as if not better than the currently recommended use of single-agent alkylator, nucleoside analog, or standard-dose rituximab therapy. Such approaches were deemed to be reasonable treatment for WM patients in both the upfront and salvage settings, though randomized studies addressing the efficacy and toxicity of such novel approaches over previously established standard of care options are needed. © 2006 by The American Society of Hematology.

This study aimed at evaluating whether addition of extensive upper body training in well-trained cross country skiers induces an adaptation of the triceps brachii (TB) muscle and whether this affects performance. Muscle biopsies were obtained from TB muscle in six male elite cross country skiers before and after 20 weeks of increased upper body training. The cross-sectional area of type I and IIA fibers increased by 11.3% and 24.0%, respectively, and so did the number of capillaries per fiber (2.3-3.2) (all P<0.05). SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis revealed in single fibers that the number of fibers expressing myosin heavy chain (MHC) type I isoform decreased from 68.7% to 60.9% (P<0.05), MHC I/IIA isoform was unaltered, while MHC IIA fibers increased from 21.6% to 35.7% and the 4.8% MHC IIA/IIX disappeared with the training (both P<0.05). Citrate synthase and 3-hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase activities increased by 23.3% and 15.4%, respectively, and double poling 10 km time-trial by 10.4% (all P<0.05). The values for TB are similar to what has been demonstrated for leg muscles after exercise training. The subjects who demonstrated the largest improvement in performance exhibited the largest muscle adaptation, which, in turn, was related to the pre-maximal oxygen uptake.

We sought to study the presence of the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) and its ligands, advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), S100/calgranulins and amphoterin (high mobility group box 1 protein; HMGB1), in the vitreous cavity and epiretinal membranes (ERMs) of eyes of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Undiluted vitreous specimens were collected from 30 eyes of 30 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy for repair of retinal detachment (RD) secondary to PDR (n = 15) or PVR (n = 15). The vitreous samples obtained from 10 eyes undergoing macular hole repair were used as controls. Epiretinal membranes were obtained from eight eyes with PDR and from 10 eyes with PVR. The levels of AGEs in the vitreous were measured using ELISA. The vitreous levels of soluble RAGE (sRAGE), S100/calgranulins and amphoterin were measured using Western blot analyses. The localization of RAGE and its ligands in ERMs was determined with immunohistochemistry. The vitreous levels of sRAGE were significantly increased in both PDR and PVR (p < or = 0.05) compared to control vitreous. In both PDR and PVR, the vitreous levels of AGEs (p < or = 0.01), S100/calgranulins (p < or = 0.05), and amphoterin (p < or = 0.01) were also elevated compared to control eyes. Expression of RAGE was detected in six of eight ERMs from eyes with PDR and eight of 10 ERMs from eyes with PVR. Many cells expressing RAGE also expressed vimentin, suggesting a glial cell origin. Ligands for RAGE were also detected in ERMs, with AGEs detected in five eyes with PDR and eight eyes with PVR. Similarly, S100 and amphoterin ERM expression was observed in six eyes with PDR; these ligands were also expressed in ERMs from eyes with PVR (8 and 7 cases, respectively). We conclude that RAGE and its ligands are increased in the vitreous cavity of eyes with PDR and PVR and are present in ERMs of eyes with these proliferative retinal disorders. These findings suggest a role for the proinflammatory RAGE axis in the pathogenesis of proliferative retinal diseases.

Previous findings from our group based on Monte Carlo simulations indicated that Fickian drug release from Euclidian or fractal matrices can be described with the Weibull function. In this study, the entire drug release kinetics of various published data and experimental data from commercial or prepared controlled release formulations of diltiazem and diclofenac are analyzed using the Weibull function. The exponent of time b of the Weibull function is linearly related to the exponent n of the power law derived from the analysis of the first 60% of the release curves. The value of the exponent b is an indicator of the mechanism of transport of a drug through the polymer matrix. Estimates for b < 0.75 indicate Fickian diffusion in either fractal or Euclidian spaces while a combined mechanism (Fickian diffusion and Case 11 transport) is associated with b values in the range 0.75 < b < 1. For values of b higher than 1, the drug transport follows a complex release mechanism. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human rhinoviruses, major precipitants of asthma exacerbations, infect the lower airway epithelium inducing inflammation. The possibility that viral infection may mediate angiogenesis, thus contributing to airway remodeling, has not been evaluated.|To investigate whether epithelial infection with rhinovirus mediates angiogenesis in vitro, evaluate possible modulation by an atopic environment, and confirm angiogenic factor induction after in vivo rhinovirus infection.|Bronchial epithelial cells were infected with rhinovirus and levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and angiopoietins were measured. The angiogenic effect of epithelial products was assessed in in vitro models of angiogenesis. PBMCs, obtained from patients with atopic asthma and normal controls, were exposed to rhinovirus; the ability of supernatants from these cultures differentially to affect rhinovirus-mediated epithelial VEGF production was evaluated. VEGF levels were measured in respiratory secretions from patients with asthma, before and during rhinovirus-induced exacerbations.|Epithelial infection with rhinovirus specifically stimulated mRNA expression and release of VEGF, but not angiopoietins, in a time-dependent and dose-dependent manner. Supernatants from these cultures were able to induce angiogenesis in vitro, significantly inhibited by a neutralizing anti-VEGF antibody. When bronchial cells were exposed to supernatants of rhinovirus-infected mononuclear cells from normal subjects or atopic patients with asthma, VEGF induction was significantly higher under the influence of the atopic environment. VEGF was elevated during rhinovirus-associated asthma exacerbations.|Rhinovirus infection, a frequent event, induces VEGF production in bronchial epithelial cells and human airways, an effect enhanced in an atopic environment. Rhinovirus-associated, VEGF-mediated angiogenesis may contribute to airway remodeling in asthma.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the predictive value of neuropsychologic profiles, at diagnosis, for mortality in incident Alzheimer disease (AD). BACKGROUND: Rate of AD progression varies significantly across individuals for reasons that are not well understood. Several studies have linked rapid decline with disproportionately impaired executive functioning, presumably reflecting greater impairment of frontal networks. To the extent that differential neuropsychologic profiles reflect various neuropathologic presentations of AD, such profiles may inform survival estimates early in the disease. METHODS: Five neuropsychologic indices were used to characterize performance in 161 individuals at diagnosis of AD during a 15-year, longitudinal, primarily community-based study. RESULTS: Fifty-two percent of participants reached the mortality end point with a median survival of 5.52 years (95% confidence interval, 4.41-6.63). Cox proportional hazards analyses indicated that older age at diagnosis was associated with higher risk of mortality (risk ratios, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.12) whereas Hispanic ethnicity predicted lower mortality [0.22 (0.09-0.55)]. Controlling for these 2 demographic variables, higher verbal fluency scores at diagnosis predicted lower mortality [0.69 (0.49-0.96)]. CONCLUSIONS: Disproportionate impairment of both category and letter fluency at the earliest stages of AD predicts mortality. The prognostic value of these tests may derive from their general psychometric properties, or may reflect the measures' sensitivity to an early or critical level of compromise to frontal networks.

Kernel discriminants are greatly appreciated because 1) they may express nonlinear boundaries between classes and 2) they permit to visualize graphically the data points belonging to di®erent classes. One such method is called GDA (Generalized Discriminant Analysis), however it operates on a kernel matrix of size NxN and is for large N prohibitive. We illustrate how this method works in a real situation when dealing with relatively large data. We consider a set of predictors of erosion risk in the Kefallinia island categorized into 5 classes of erosion risk (together N=3422 data items). We argue that a proper preparation of appropriate learning samples can greatly speed up the evaluations and result in good generalization properties. Our concern is to ¯nd appropriate data for learning. This is done by a kind of sieve algorithm.

Using a given data set (the Kefallinia erosion data) with only 3 dimensions and with fractal correlation dimension rGP ¼ 1:60, we wanted to see, what really by the kernel methods is provided.We have used Gaussian kernels with various kernel width ¾. In particular we wanted to ¯nd out, whether the GDA (Generalized Discrimination Analysis) as proposed by Baudat and Anouar (2000), permits to distinguish better the high, medium and low erosion classes as compared to theclassical Fisherian discriminant analysis. The general result is that the GDA yields discriminant variates permitting for better differentiation among groups, however the calculations are more lengthy.

The optical observations used in this study were carried out during three observing runs, on September 6, 2003, on October 18-22, 2003 and on October 10-11, 2004, using the 1.3-m Ritchey-Cretien telescope at Skinakas Observatory, located on the island of Crete (Greece). (3 data files).

The vortex matter phase diagram for H parallel to c of the thallium-based cuprate with formula Tl2Ba2CaCu2O8 (Tl-2212) has been studied using magnetization measurements. We observed a second magnetization peak monotonically decreasing with temperature in the temperature interval 20 K < T < 40 K. At 40 K the second peak splits into two peaks. The field location of the lower part of the second peak decreases with temperature and for 80 K <= T <= T-c it is transformed to a sudden drop. The corresponding upper part of the second peak forms a broad maximum and subsequently develops a negative curvature as it approaches the melting line. In the magnetic field interval [H-LCP,H-UCP] we observed a first-order melting transition (FOT) of the vortex lattice. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We present the results of a statistical investigation of the period-color and period-bolometric magnitude relations using a carefully selected sample of 120 contact systems with known physical parameters.

In this study the contribution of meteorological parameters to the total variability of respiratory infections (RI) is analysed. For this purpose, data on the daily numbers of general practitioner (GP) consultations for RI during the year 2002 were used. This dataset has been compiled by the Local Health Service in the surroundings of Athens, Greece (Acharnes city). The meteorological data obtained by the Meteorological Station of the National Observatory of Athens comprise daily values of mean, maximum, and minimum air temperature, air temperature range, relative humidity, absolute humidity, sunshine, surface atmospheric pressure, wind speed, as well as day-to-day changes of these parameters. Furthermore, the following biometeorological parameters and thermal indices were also evaluated: mean radiant temperature (T mrt), predicted mean vote (PMV), physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) and standard effective temperature (SET*) as well as their day-to-day changes. First, the relationship between every meteorological-biometeorological parameter and consultations for RI was examined by applying the Pearson Chi-Square Test (χ 2) to the data of the 25 compiled contingency tables. In the second stage, the application of generalised linear models (GLM) with Poisson distribution to the data revealed how much the weather variability leads to statistically important changes in consultations for RI. The results of this study contribute to the evidence that there is an association between weather conditions and the number of GP consultations for RI. More specifically, the influence of air temperature and absolute humidity on consultations on the same day is weaker than the lag effect (∼2 weeks) related to cold existence and absolute humidity, while a strong wind during the preceding 3days drives a peak in GP consultations. © ISB 2006.

Πρόκειται για το επεξεργασμένο κείμενο ανακοίνωσης στο Διεθνές Συνέδριο της Stiftung für Romantikforschung τον Οκτώβριο του 2003 (Ungleichzeitigkeiten der europäischen Romantik / Ασυγχρονίες του Ευρωπαϊκού Ρομαντισμού) , στην οποία τίθεται και διερευνάται το ερώτημα κατά πόσον το κίνημα του Ρομαντισμού έδωσε ώθηση στη λογοτεχνική έκφραση των γυναικών συγγραφέων στην Ελλάδα όπως συνέβη σε αντίστοιχες συνθήκες στις άλλες ευρωπαϊκές λογοτεχνίες και ιδιαίτερα στον Γερμανικό Ρομαντισμό. Όμως στην Ελλάδα του 19ου αιώνα ο Ρομαντισμός δεν εκδηλώθηκε με τον ίδιο τρόπο και στην ίδια χρονική συγκυρία όπως στην υπόλοιπη Ευρώπη, ενώ η παρουσία των γυναικών συγγραφέων στον λογοτεχνικό κανόνα ουσιαστικά τεκμηριώνεται μόνο μετά το 1930. Εν τούτοις είναι δυνατόν να εντοπισθούν και να μελετηθούν αξιόλογα κείμενα γυναικών που αρθρώνουν το δικό τους λόγο εν μέσω των ραγδαίων εξελίξεων κατά τη διαδικασία προετοιμασίας, ίδρυσης και εδραίωσης του νέου Ελληνικού κράτους, που συμπίπτουν μεν στα πρώτα στάδια χρονικά με την αποκορύφωση του Ευρωπαϊκού Ρομαντισμού, αλλά οδηγούν στην εκδήλωση του Ελληνικού Ρομαντισμού όταν στην Ευρώπη ο Ρομαντισμός αποτελεί ήδη παρελθόν. Γίνεται κατ΄ αρχήν αναφορά στις ιδιαίτερες συνθήκες που επικρατούν στην Ελλάδα κατά τον 19ο αιώνα και στο γεγονός ότι ο ελληνικός χώρος του πνεύματος και του πολιτισμού είναι κατά πολύ μεγαλύτερος του γεωγραφικού: αναφέρονται τα δύο κυριότερα πνευματικά κέντρα του Ελληνισμού, τα Επτάνησα και το Φανάρι, η σημαντική πολιτιστική δραστηριότητα των Ελλήνων της διασποράς, όπως και η σταδιακή ανάδυση μετά το 1834 του νέου πνευματικού κέντρου, της Αθήνας, όπου η λογοτεχνία καλείται να υπακούσει σε συγκεκριμένες προγραμματικές επιταγές και να συμβάλει στην σφυρηλάτηση μιας νέας εθνικής και πολιτιστικής ταυτότητας. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό γυναικείος λόγος μοιάζει να μην υφίσταται. Στις ελληνικές ιστορίες της νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας,  στα κεφάλαια για το χρονικό διάστημα του Ελληνικού Ρομαντισμού (1830-1880), αναφέρονται μόνον η Ευανθία Καϊρη (1799-1866) και η Ελισάβετ Μουτζάν-Μαρτινέγκου (1801-1832), των οποίων το έργο έχει τύχει αναγνώρισης από τη λογοτεχνική κριτική και στις οποίες γίνεται επίσης εκτενής αναφορά στο παρόν άρθρο. Στο δεύτερο μέρος του άρθρου και με βάση νεότερες έρευνες για την ύπαρξη και το ρόλο των λογίων γυναικών στην προεπαναστατική και την επαναστατική Ελλάδα (Δημαράς, Κιτρομηλίδης, Ντενίση, Πούχνερ, Στιβανάκη) παρουσιάζονται οι γυναίκες εκπρόσωποι του Διαφωτισμού και το μεταφραστικό, δοκιμιακό ή λογοτεχνικό έργο τους: όπως η πριγκίπισσα Ραλλού Σούτσου, η Αικατερίνη Σούτσου-Βαλέτα και η Μητιώ Σακελλαρίου, οι οποίες κυρίως μεταφράζουν, προτείνοντας με τις επιλογές τους (εγχειρίδια με παιδαγωγικό προσανατολισμό και συμβουλές για την ορθή μόρφωση των γυναικών, ηθικά μυθιστορήματα) πρότυπα γυναικείου ήθους και κοινωνικής συνείδησης στο πνεύμα του Διαφωτισμού. Ίσως δεν είναι τυχαίο ότι οι γυναίκες αυτές που δημοσιεύουν τις μεταφράσεις τους  και συμμετέχουν έτσι στο δημόσιο λόγο, προέρχονται από τις οικογένειες εκείνες από τις οποίες προήλθαν και οι πρώτοι εκπρόσωποι του Ρομαντισμού στην Ελλάδα: οι αδελφοί Σούτσοι, Αλέξανδρος και Παναγιώτης, και ο Γεώργιος Σακελλάριος, ο εισηγητής της ποίησης του Γιουνγκ και της οσσιανικής ποίησης στη νεοελληνική λογοτεχνία. Ιδιαίτερη μνεία γίνεται στη συνέχεια στο πατριωτικό-επαναστατικό δράμα Νικήρατος (1826) της αδελφής του Θεόφιλου Καϊρη, Ευανθίας, το οποίο γράφεται μεσούσης της Επαναστάσεως και χαρακτηρίζεται από έκρηξη συναισθημάτων και τρόπο γραφής που θα μπορούσε να θεωρηθεί ρομαντικός, ενώ αξιοσημείωτο είναι επίσης το δοκιμιακό και μεταφραστικό έργο της Ευανθίας Καϊρη. Στο τρίτο μέρος του άρθρου παρουσιάζεται εκτενώς η προσωπικότητα και το συγγραφικό έργο της Ελισάβετ Μουτζάν-Μαρτινέγκου, ιδιαίτερα η Αυτοβιογραφία της, η οποία αποτελεί και ως πρώιμο δείγμα γυναικείας γραφής και ως αυτοβιογραφία κείμενο πρωτοποριακό. Η αυτοβιογραφία είναι – σε αντίθεση με το μυθιστόρημα – αρχικά «ανδρικό» είδος κειμένου: στην Ελλάδα του 19ου αιώνα  τα πρώτα αυτοβιογραφικά κείμενα είναι τα απομνημονεύματα των αγωνιστών της Επανάστασης. Η Ελισάβετ Μουτζάν-Μαρτινέγκου αυτοβιογραφείται αναφερόμενη με επικριτικό τρόπο στην προδιαγεγραμμένη μοίρα της ως γυναίκα της αριστοκρατίας της Ζακύνθου, περιορισμένη στο σπίτι και στα δεσμά ενός ανεπιθύμητου γάμου, αυτό όμως που κυρίως την απασχολεί είναι η πνευματική της καλλιέργεια και η συγγραφή των έργων της. Γράφοντας δεν απευθύνεται σε ένα αποκλειστικά γυναικείο κοινό, όπως οι γυναίκες συγγραφείς της εποχής του Διαφωτισμού, ούτε στοχεύει στην διαπαιδαγώγηση του κοινού της. Η γραφή της χαρακτηρίζεται από υψηλή ευαισθησία, υποκειμενικότητα, αμεσότητα και λυρισμό και οδήγησε στον χαρακτηρισμό της Αυτοβιογραφίας ως κείμενο ρομαντικό ή προρομαντικό. Στο τέταρτο και τελευταίο μέρος του άρθρου σκιαγραφείται και αξιολογείται η παρουσία των γυναικών συγγραφέων στα ελληνικά γράμματα του τέλους του 19ου και των αρχών του 20ού αιώνα: Πηνελόπη Δέλτα, Καλλιρρόη Παρρέν, Αλεξάνδρα Παπαδοπούλου, Μαρία Πολυδούρη. Ο ταραχώδης, ανεξάρτητος βίος της ποιήτριας Μαρίας Πολυδούρη, η αντίθεσή της προς τους αστικούς περιορισμούς, η ανάγκη της να εκφρασθεί λογοτεχνικά και η λυρική της παραγωγή σε μια εποχή όπου οι γυναίκες συγγραφείς δοκιμάζονται κυρίως στον πεζό λόγο, την καθιστούν την πρώτη (νέο)ρομαντική ποιήτρια της νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας.

1. Καμπερίδου, Ε., (2006). Οι περί Ελληνισμού Αντιλήψεις και Περιγραφές περιηγητριών του 17ου, 18ου και 19ου και η γυναικεία περιήγηση. ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΙΑ & ΠΑΙΔΕΙΑ, 38, 14-18.  K.9.2. στο Apella  

• Kamberidou, I. (2006). Lady Travellers of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries: Discourse on Orientalism and the Greek Element. Philosophy & Education (EKDEF), 38, August 2006, 14-18. K.9.2. in Apella

Using 24 overlapping XMM-Newton observations of the Local Group spiral galaxy M 33, we have detected 447 sources in each individual pointing and in deep combined images. A total of 61 sources exhibit significant flux variations by a factor of up to 144, on time scales of hours to months or years. The detected variability, together with the hardness ratio (HR) method and optical identification (when available), is used to classify the sources as X-ray binaries (XRBs), supernova remnants (SNRs) and super-soft sources (SSS) in M 33, as well as background AGN and foreground stars in the field of view. The majority of sources can only be classified as ‘hard’, according to their HRs. We find that the luminosity distribution of the detected SNRs and SNR candidates in M 33 is similar to M 31, and slightly steeper than that of the LMC.

We present an analysis of the individual observations of a deep XMM-Newton survey of the Local Group spiral galaxy M 33. We detected a total of 350 sources with fluxes (in the 0.2-4.5 keV energy band) in the range 6.7 × 10-16-1.5 × 10-11 erg s-1. This comprehensive study considers flux variability, spectral characteristics, and classification of the detected objects. Thirty-nine objects in our catalogue are new sources, while 311 were already detected in a previous analysis of most of the same data using combined images. We present improved positions of these sources and the X-ray parameters of each source in each individual observation that covers the source. We then used these parameters to systematically search for flux variability on time scales of hours to months or years. The long-term light-curves were generated for the 61 sources showing a significant variability of the (0.2-4.5) keV flux, by a factor of 1.2 to 144. The detected variability was then used to classify 8 new X-ray binary candidates in M 33. Together with the hardness ratio method and cross-correlation with optical, infrared, and radio data, we also classify or confirm previous classification of 25 supernova remnants and candidates, 2 X-ray binaries, and 11 super-soft source candidates (7 of which are new SSS candidates). In addition, we classify 13 active galactic nuclei and background galaxies, 6 stars, and 23 foreground star candidates in the direction of M 33. Further 206 objects are classified as "hard", approximately half of which are sources intrinsic to M 33. The relative contribution of the classified XRB and SSS in M 33 is now comparable to M 31. The luminosity distribution of SNRs in both spiral galaxies is almost the same, although the number of the detected SNRs in M 33 remains much higher.

As shown in our first poster, in a recent survey of M33 with XMM-Newton we detected the X-ray source population of this nearby spiral galaxy down to the (0.2-4.5) keV luminosity of 1035 erg s-1, a factor of 10 deeper than in previous observations. The majority of the detected sources was classified using, in many cases, only their X-ray properties. In particular, 8 new X-ray binary (XRB) candidates were selected, based on their long-term X-ray light curves. We also classified supernova remnants (SNRs), super-soft sources (SSS), AGN, foreground stars and a population of ‘hard’ sources using the hardness ratio (HR) method. A detailed spectral and timing analysis of the brightest sources is in progress. We present a few examples of spectra for particular source classes. We find that bright ‘hard’ sources can be divided into two broad families: one best modelled by a powerlaw with photon index in the range of 1.0-2.0, and the other displaying disk blackbody spectra with kT of 0.8 to 1.5 keV.

Background: Young age has been reported to be a favorable prognostic factor in ovarian cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of ovarian cancer presenting in patients aged ≤40 and assess the prognostic significance of young age. Methods: Data from 591 consecutive ovarian cancer patients, including 37 subjects (6.3%) aged ≤40, who were treated postoperatively with platinum-based chemotherapy in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Results: In our series, age ≤40 did not show an independent association with overall (p = 0.542) or progression-free survival (p = 0.334). Nonetheless, it was correlated with low tumor grade (p = 0.009) and small volume of residual disease after primary surgery (p = 0.020), while there was a nonsignificant trend for correlation with performance status 0 (p = 0.052). Stratified analysis showed that age ≤40 was associated with improved overall survival in the subgroups of serous histology and stage IIC-IV disease; however, multivariate analyses failed to identify age as an independent predictor of survival within either subgroup (p = 0.079 and p = 0.585, respectively). Conclusions: Age ≤40 was not an independent prognostic factor in our analysis.The survival advantage of young patients may be attributed to the association with low tumor grade, more complete surgical debulking and better performance status. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG.

The aim of this study was to examine whether the only existing, to date. model for the explanation of children's understanding and experience of loneliness - a model proposed by Hymel, Tarulli, Hayden Thomson, and Terrell-Deutsch (1999), and documented in Greece by Besevegis and Galanaki (2003) and Galanaki (2004a. 2004b) - is supported through the use of the retrospective method and, more specifically, through memories of childhood loneliness. The participants were 203 students from the University of Athens (Greece), who were asked to write down a memory of childhood loneliness (6-12 years). Results showed that the above model fits, with some differentiations, the loneliness memories. The individual differences In the experience of childhood loneliness, the stability of loneliness across time and situations, the relevant attributions, and the issue of beneficial aloneness are also discussed.

«… Εγώ όμως είδα ο ίδιος το έργο των χεριών ενός ζωγράφου, τα μάτια μου καταγοητεύτηκαν από το θέαμα και πραγματικά θαύμασα τη δεξιοτεχνία αυτού του ανθρώπου. Σκέφτηκα, λοιπόν, ότι μόνο ένας εχθρός του ωραίου θα μπορούσε να καλύψει με τη σιωπή ένα τέτοιο καλλιτέχνημα και να αρκεστεί μόνο στο θαυμασμό του δημιουργήματος. Γι αυτό κι εγώ του χαρίζω την ομιλία και το παρουσιάζω, όσο μου είναι δυνατό, μπροστά στα μάτια όσων δεν το έχουν δει… »Με αυτά τα λόγια, ο Κωνσταντίνος Μανασσής (12ος αιώνας) εισάγει την εκτενή περιγραφή ενός ψηφιδωτού στα αυτοκρατορικά ανάκτορα της Κωνσταντινούπολης, σκιαγραφώντας ταυτόχρονα την ιδιάζουσα σχέση που διέπει την εικόνα και τον λόγο εντός του λογοτεχνικού έργου. Η παρούσα ανθολογία στόχο έχει να παρουσιάσει μέσα από έξι βυζαντινές εκφράσεις, δηλαδή, περιγραφές έργων τέχνης, τον τρόπο με τον οποίο οι λογοτέχνες στο Βυζάντιο συνδιαλέγονται και συναγωνίζονται με τις εικαστικές τέχνες ή, πάλι, αποτυπώνουν ανθρώπους και τοπία ωσάν αυτά να ήταν έργα τέχνης.Τα έξι κείμενα –τρία πεζά και τρία ποιητικά– προέρχονται από τη μεσοβυζαντινή και την υστεροβυζαντινή περίοδο (10ος -15ος αιώνας). Πρόκειται για ζωντανά λογοτεχνικά έργα που αντανακλούν συγκεκριμένες πολιτισμικές και αισθητικές ανάγκες της βυζαντινής κοινωνίας. Κανένα από τα έξι κείμενα δεν έχει μεταφραστεί στα νέα ελληνικά. Το βιβλίο, πέρα από ένα εισαγωγικό δοκίμιο για την έκφραση στην αρχαία και τη βυζαντινή λογοτεχνία, περιλαμβάνει σύντομη εισαγωγή για κάθε συγγραφέα, το κείμενο στο πρωτότυπο αντικριστά με την απόδοσή του, όπως επίσης και ένα παράρτημα με αναλυτικά σχολιασμένη βιβλιογραφία.

Καμπερίδου Ει, Πατσαντάρας Ν. (2006). Η ΕΜΦΥΛΗ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ: ΤΟ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΟ ΦΥΛΟ ΚΑΙ ΑΘΛΗΤΙΣΜΟΣ. Προφορική Ανακοίνωση, Παρασκευή 19 Μαΐου 2006, στο 14o Διεθνές Συνέδριο Φυσικής Αγωγής και Αθλητισμού, Τμήμα Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής & Αθλητισμού, Δημοκρίτειο Πανεπιστήμιο Θράκης.  http://www.phyed.duth.gr/undergraduate/images/files/congress/2006/Friday.pdf   Kamberidou, N. Patsantaras (2006). THE GENDERED SOCIETY: GENDER AND SPORTS. Presentation (May 19, 2006) at the 14th International Sport Science Conference of the Faculty of Physical Education & Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, Greece [Congress room 2: Prefecture Hall] http://www.phyed.duth.gr/undergraduate/images/files/congress/2006/Friday.pdf

Cette étude s’inscrit au croisement des sciences sociales et des sciences du langage. Elle aborde la question de l’adaptation du système de la langue aux exigences qu’a fait surgir l’entrée des femmes dans la sphère publique et notamment dans la vie politique. Elle adopte une optique comparatiste : y sont confrontés le cas de la Grèce et celui de la France.L’étude est centrée sur les axes suivants : en premier lieu sont recensés les problèmes grammaticaux suscités par la nécessité de féminiser le langage, notamment les noms de titre et de fonction ; cette première partie tente de répertorier les attitudes et les propositions des linguistes, grammairiens et lexicographes. Ensuite sont présentées les politiques adoptées par les pouvoirs publics en matière de langue (cf. création de commissions spécialisées de terminologie en France, publication de circulaires encourageant l’utilisation des formes féminines des noms de métier, de grade et de fonction, financement de projets de recherche) ainsi que les réactions d’institutions officielles (par exemple, de l’Académie Française) face à cette politique linguistique. Le troisième axe de cette recherche concerne l’implantation de la féminisation des noms de titre et de fonction et l’évolution des usages dans le secteur des médias. Dans tous les domaines examinés, il semble bien que la France a fait davantage de progrès que la Grèce. La recherche effectuée conduit à la conclusion que les résistances face à la parité linguistique ne font que miroiter les obstacles à l’accès des femmes à une égalité politique visible et reconnue.

Τα ερωτήματα τα οποία εξετάζει η εργασία, προκειμένου να καταλήξει σε προτάσεις για την πληρέστερη αξιοποίηση της μερικής απασχολήσεως με βάση τις ρυθμίσεις του ασφαλιστικού δικαίου, είναι τα εξής: Πρώτον, πώς μπορεί η ασφαλιστική νομοθεσία για τη μερική απασχόληση να συμβάλλει στην επίτευξη άλλων κοινωνικοοικονομικών στόχων; Υποστηρίζεται ότι υπάρχουν περιθώρια για τη θέσπιση ασφαλιστικών ρυθμίσεων, οι οποίες θα επιτρέψουν την εξυπηρέτηση διαφόρων στόχων της κοινωνικής προστασίας και της οικονομικής ανάπτυξης, όπως π.χ. η ασφάλιση της μερικής απασχολήσεως  σε συνδυασμό με την τμηματική σύνταξη και τη χρονικά περιορισμένη επιδότηση των εισφορών. Δεύτερον, συνάδουν οι ρυθμίσεις για την ασφάλιση της μερικής απασχόλησης με τις  αρχές της ισότητας και της αναλογικότητας και τις επιταγές του ευρωπαϊκού κοινοτικού δικαίου; Διαπιστώνεται διαφορετική μεταχείριση εργαζομένων που παρέχουν τον ίδιο αριθμό ωρών εργασίας επειδή η βάση υπολογισμού της σύνταξης είναι η ημέρα εργασίας στην ασφάλιση, κατ’ αντιγραφή αυτού που συμβαίνει στην πλήρη απασχόληση. Η διακριτική αυτή μεταχείριση αντίκειται στην αρχή της ισότητας και στην αρχή της αναλογικότητας καθώς και στις επιταγές της Οδηγίας 97/81 Ε.Κ. του Συμβουλίου της 15ης Δεκεμβρίου 1997 σχετικά με τη συμφωνία πλαίσιο για την εργασία μερικής απασχόλησης, η οποία αναγνωρίζει μεν ότι τα θέματα που αφορούν την υποχρεωτική κοινωνική ασφάλιση των μερικώς εργαζομένων υπάγονται στην αρμοδιότητα των κρατών μελών, αλλά παράλληλα προτρέπει τα κράτη μέλη να θεσπίσουν ασφαλιστικά συστήματα που θα παρέχουν την κατάλληλη προστασία στα άτομα που απασχολούνται με τις άτυπες μορφές εργασίας. Τρίτον, ερωτάται μήπως η περιορισμένη ανάπτυξη της μερικής απασχόλησης στην Ελλάδα οφείλεται στην προτίμηση για τις συμβάσεις μισθώσεως έργου και ανεξαρτήτων υπηρεσιών; Διαπιστώνεται ότι η δυσμενής κοινωνικοασφαλιστική μεταχείριση σημαντικής μερίδας των μερικώς απασχολουμένων μισθωτών είναι ένας από τους λόγους που εμποδίζουν την ανάπτυξή της. Ήδη, η Επιτροπή της Ε.Ε.  έχει συστήσει στη χώρα μας τη λήψη μέτρων για την προώθηση της μερικής απασχόλησης. Τέτοια μέτρα είναι η αντικατάσταση της ημέρας εργασίας στην ασφάλιση με την ώρα εργασίας, η κατάργηση των εμποδίων για την προαιρετική συνέχιση της ασφάλισης και, γενικότερα, η επανεξέταση των χρονικών και λοιπών προϋποθέσεων για την απονομή των παροχών στους μερικώς απασχολούμενους καθώς και η αντικατάσταση των δύσκαμπτων και αυστηρών διαδικασιών για την υπαγωγή στην ασφάλιση. Η εργασία καταλήγει ότι τα τεκμήρια υπαγωγής στην ασφάλιση και οι διακρίσεις μεταξύ εξαρτημένης και ανεξάρτητης εργασίας στο ασφαλιστικό δίκαιο δεν έχουν και τόσο μεγάλη σημασία. Σκοπός είναι η ασφαλιστική κάλυψη. Αυτό που ενδιαφέρει είναι η επαρκής κάλυψη των ασφαλισμένων και των συνταξιούχων από τους γνωστούς και τους νέους κοινωνικούς κινδύνους διαμέσου της λειτουργίας ενός δίκαιου και βιώσιμου ασφαλιστικού συστήματος.

The aim of this study was to collect, present, and discuss Anna Freud's references to the phenomenon of aloneness and loneliness among children-victims of World War II. Those references are included in Anna Freud's observations of parentless children, children who had lived in concentration camps, children who were separated from their parents due to the evacuation of London, etc. All these children were living in the residences founded by Anna Freud and her collaborators in London (Freud & Burlingham, 1944, 1973; Freud & Dann, 1951). Unfortunately, Anna Freud did not utilize those observations for the interpretation of severe early trauma and for the formulation of her developmental theory. Among Anna Freud's observations, various themes on traumatized children's experience of aloneness and loneliness are identified and discussed, the following: type of attachments; separation anxiety in the relationships with parents, siblings, and peers; fear of loneliness; nature of loneliness; inability to be alone; inability to use aloneness constructively; disturbed and non disturbed ways of mastering the fear of loneliness (e.g., attachment, playing, fantasies, defense mechanisms). The discussion points out that aloneness and loneliness among children with such severe early traumas (war, death of parents, separation from parents, hospitalization) constitute extremely painful and deviant experiences, warranting psychotherapeutic intervention. Anna Freud's observations are discussed in the framework of the classic psychoanalytic approaches, as well as some recent empirical investigations on children's experience of aloneness and loneliness.

  Παρατηρείται μία ιδιαίτέρη ευαισθητοποίηση στις γυναικείες μαρτυρίες, όσον αφορά το θέμα της υποδούλωσης και του εξανδραποδισμού, από τον Τουρκικό ζυγό, αυτών που αποκαλούσαν απογόνους των αρχαίων Ελλήνων, που συμβάλλει στην επικέντρωση του γυναικείου λόγου στο Ελληνικό στοιχείο, συγκριτικά με τις περιγραφές τους για άλλους υπόδουλους λαούς και υποτελείς υπηκόους των Οθωμανικών επικρατειών. Εν ολίγοις, οι λόγοι που ώθησαν τις περιηγήτριες να επικεντρώσουν μεγαλύτερη προσοχή ή να παρέχουν περισσότερο υλικό, στα έργα τους για το «Ελληνικό στοιχείο», συγκριτικά με άλλους υπόδουλους λαούς, αναζητούνται στον ευρύτερο ρόλο που έπαιζε στις κοινωνίες, ο απόηχος του αρχαίου Ελληνικού πολιτισμού. Οι περιηγήτριες, και ιδιαίτερα εκείνες του 19ου αιώνα, όπως και οι περιηγητές, ήταν επηρεασμένες από τον «Ελληνικό Πυρετό» (Larrabee 1957), δηλαδή το μεγάλο φιλελληνικό πνεύμα και ρεύμα της εποχής τους- τον ρομαντισμό και την εξιδανίκευση για την Ελλάδα, που, κατά την εκτίμησή τους, υπήρξε η κοιτίδα του πολιτισμού και της δημοκρατίας, η Ελλάδα των αρχαίων φιλοσόφων, του Ομήρου, των απογόνων των αρχαίων, οι οποίοι είχαν καταφέρει μετά από 400 χρόνια δουλείας να διατηρήσουν την εθνική τους συνείδηση, αλλά και να εξεγερθούν—παρόλο που και άλλοι λαοί αγωνίσθηκαν και εκείνοι σκληρά για την εθνική τους ανεξαρτησία. Έτσι ευαισθητοποιημένοι, οι δυτικοί, πέραν της αποστολής μη-κυβερνητικής Αγγλικής, Γαλλικής και Αμερικάνικής οικονομικής βοήθειας στον υπόδουλο Ελληνισμό, κατά την διάρκεια του Ελληνικού εθνικο-απελευθερωτικού αγώνα (της Ελληνικής Επανάστασης) και των εξεγέρσεων που ακολούθησαν, έφταναν και οι ίδιοι, γυναίκες και άνδρες, σε μεγάλους αριθμούς, για να βοηθήσουν και να συμμετάσχουν στον εθνικο-απελευθερωτικό αγώνα του Ελληνισμού κατά του Τουρκικού ζυγού. Οι γυναικείες μαρτυρίες που ακολουθούν, αποτελούν αντιπροσωπευτικά δείγματα αυτού του φιλελληνικού ρεύματος, αυτού του «Ελληνικού Πυρετού» και αυτής της ιδιαίτερης ευαισθητοποίησης για εκείνους που εθεωρούσαν απογόνους των αρχαίων Ελλήνων.

Η σχολιαζόμενη απόφαση  δέχεται ότι ο νομοθέτης μπορεί να καθιερώσει σύστημα διοικητικής εποπτείας και να συστήσει θέση κυβερνητικού επιτρόπου στους οργανισμούς κοινωνικής ασφάλισης. Το ΣτΕ με την απόφαση αυτή αποσαφηνίζει το ελάχιστο περιεχόμενο του πυρήνα του θεσμού της κοινωνικής ασφάλισης, όσον αφορά στη διοίκηση των ασφαλιστικών οργανισμών. 

Οι νομοθετικές παλινδρομήσεις κατέστησαν εν τοις πράγμασι κενή περιεχομένου την υποχρέωση σύνταξης αναλογιστικών μελετών και συνέβαλαν αποφασιστικά στην κακή οικονομική τους κατάσταση και στην ανάγκη τακτικής και έκτακτης χρηματοδότησής τους από τον κρατικό προϋπολογισμό για να ανταποκρίνονται ασφαλιστικές τους υποχρεώσεις.  Η συμβολή του ΣτΕ στη διασφάλιση της βιωσιμότητας των οργανισμών κοινωνικής ασφάλισης είναι καθοριστική, διότι εντάσσει στο περιεχόμενο του πυρήνα του θεσμού της κοινωνικής ασφάλισης την ασφαλιστική τεχνική και τις αναλογιστικές μελέτες, με αποτέλεσμα ο κοινός νομοθέτης να μην μπορεί να αποφύγει τη σύνταξή τους κατά τον καθορισμό – τροποποίηση των παροχών και του τρόπου χρηματοδοτήσεως. Το Δικαστήριο δέχεται ότι η σύνταξη αναλογιστικών μελετών θέτει σε υγιείς βάσεις τη σχέση παροχών και χρηματοδοτήσεως του οργανισμού, διασφαλίζει τη λειτουργία βιώσιμων ασφαλιστικών οργανισμών και συνακόλουθα διασφαλίζει τον ίδιο τον θεσμό της κοινωνικής ασφάλισης, τον οποίο εγγυάται το Κράτος, σύμφωνα με το άρθρο 22 παρ. 5 του Συντάγματος. Το σχόλιο καταλήγει με την παρατήρηση ότι παρά τα όσα το ΣτΕ και η θεωρία δέχονται ο νομοθέτης και η διοίκηση δεν έχουν εμπεδώσει την αξία και την αναγκαιότητα της συντάξεως αναλογιστικών μελετών. 

We have undertaken the study of 6Li breakup on a 28Si target near the Coulomb barrier through an angular distribution measurement. Alpha particles were recorded in coincidence with deuterons in order to determine exclusively the breakup of lithium. The results are analysed and are discussed, in a continuum discretized coupled channel framework (CDCC).

The pyridine functionalised N-heterocyclic carbene complexes [M(κ2-NCDIPP)(COD)]+A-, NCDIPP=3-(2,6-Pr2iC6H3)-1-[2-(3-picolyl)]-imidazol-2-ylidene, A-=[Ar4FB]-, [{3,5-(CF3)2C6H2}4B] -, M = Rh, 1b, Ir, 4, have been prepared in two steps by reaction of the [M(COD)Cl]2 with the isolated NCDIPP to [Rh(κ1-NCDIPP)(COD)Cl], 2, and [Ir(κ 2-NCDIPP)(COD)Cl], 3, followed by anion exchange with Na+A-. The phosphine functionalised N-heterocyclic carbene complex [Rh(PCH2Cmes)2]Br, 6, PCH 2Cmes = 1-(diphenylphosphino-methyl)-3-(2,4,6-Me 3C6H2)-imidazol-2-ylidene, was prepared by the reaction of the [Rh(COD)Cl]2 with the corresponding N-heterocyclic carbene generated in situ. Monomeric [Rh(PCH2CH2C DIPP)(acac)], 7 was prepared by an analogous reactions from [Rh(COE)2(acac)]. In contrast, phosphine functionalised N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of iridium (I) were not easily accessible. However, the reaction of [Ir(COD)(μ-Cl)2(μ-H)]2 with PCH 2CH2Cmes gave complex [Ir(COD)(PCH 2CH2Cmes)Br], 8, in which the carbene is coordinated to the metal in an 'abnormal' mode. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fundamental mode Rayleigh waves generated by 380 teleseismic events were analyzed over the period range 10-100 s, in order to study the structure of the lithosphere and upper mantle of the Aegean region. Using the two-station method, 255 reliable phase velocity dispersion curves were calculated over 35 profiles and further inverted to obtain a new model of S-wave velocity with depth. S-wave velocities are resolved to a depth of 180 km. Important features are defined, such as a not completely amphitheatric geometry for the western (≈25° dipping angle) and eastern segments (≈35° dipping angle) of the subducted slab. In north Aegean, high velocities associate with the North Aegean Trough, which westernmost tip correlates with a high velocity anomaly in eastern continental Greece. This zone of high velocity contrast is extended in depth, dips southwards with an angle ≈350 and intersects with the subducted slab at an area where the direction of major tectonic axes changes from ENE-WSW to NNW-SSE towards the continental massif. In Central and North Aegean, where back arc extension and crustal thinning occur, the predominant low velocities observed could be interpreted by upper mantle high thermal flow and partial melting.

Visceral involvement in acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) seldom precedes hematological manifestation. We report on a patient with M4 - ANLL presenting with acute abdomen without any evidence of blood disorder. Laparotomy revealed only ileal wall oedema. Postoperative clinical deterioration led to a second-look operation combined with intraoperative endoscopy. Biopsied tissues were diffusely infiltrated by blasts characterised as HLA-DR (+), PGM1 (50% +), MPO (50% +) and CD 34 (-). Bone marrow reconfirmed these findings and showed positivity for CD4 (44%), CD11b (50%), CD11c (42%), CD13 (33%), CD34 (32%), and CD56 (54%). Chemotherapy achieved a complete but short remission. Relapse occurred 7 months later. Immediately after consolidation chemotherapy the profoundly immunosuppressed patient passed away after a lower respiratory tract infection. We discuss the contrast between histology and short disease duration, the unusual presentation and the bad prognosis, and attempt to correlate the clinical course with the coexpression of markers.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This prospective study aimed to review the trustworthiness of the initial clinical assessment in acute appendicitis without employment of imaging modalities, laparoscopy or any other adjunct diagnostic test. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 717 patients were operated on for appendicitis by six different surgeons. Initial clinical and laboratory examination were evaluated in relation to the intraoperative and the pathological appreciation of the appendiceal inflammation. RESULTS: 598 patients were found to have appendicitis, 34 a different condition, 41 had both appendicitis and an additional condition and 44 no pathology. 6% of the laparotomies and 11% of the appendectomies were unnecessary. The severity of the inflammation correlated significantly with periumbilical pain, pain migrating to right lower quadrant, loss of appetite, fever, rebound tenderness, local rigidity, polymorphonuclear predominance on deferential, polymorhonucleosis and leukocytosis. Leukocytosis was less frequent in aged patients. All the six surgeons were found to be equally reliable, although they all underestimated the setting compared to the pathologists. Patients with a long duration of symptoms had milder forms of inflammation and increased percentage of unanticipated abdominal conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Appendicitis can be reliably diagnosed clinically without employment of adjunct tests. These can be reserved for equivocal cases.

Purpose of investigation: Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) and uterine clear cell carcinoma (UCCC) represent more aggressive tumors than the more common endometroid cancers, exhibiting a propensity for distant metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the activity and safety of paclitaxel/carboplatin chemotherapy as the only adjuvant treatment in patients with surgically resected UPSC and UCCC. Methods: Fifteen patients with Stage IB-IV UPSC or UCCC were treated with a mean of six courses of paclitaxel 175 mg/m3 plus carboplatin AUC 5 at three-week intervals, three to six weeks after undergoing surgery with curative intent. No patient had residual disease after surgery and none underwent pre- or post-chemotherapy irradiation. Results: With a median follow-up of 29.4 months, six patients (40%) relapsed and two (13%) died of disease. Mean time to recurrence was 16.9 months. Recurrence rate per Stage was 17% for Stage IB/C, 57% for Stage IIIA/C and 50% for Stage IV. Projected 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival was 79.7% and 55.7%, respectively. All relapses were abdominopelvic whereas in one case pelvic recurrence was accompanied by lung metastasis. The most frequent grade 3-4 toxicity was neutropenia. Conclusion: Chemotherapy with paclitaxel plus carboplatin is feasible and possibly prevents distant metastasis when used as adjuvant in UPSC and UCCC.

Objective. Mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer (mEOC) representing about 10% of all EOC are known to be possibly resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy and bear a poorer prognosis with respect to other subtypes of EOC. This study was undertaken to compare response and survival to platinum-based chemotherapy between patients with advanced stages III and IV mEOC and serous EOC (sEOC). Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed in 47 patients with advanced stage of mEOC treated with first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in the context of several study protocols of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) between 6/7/1983 and 25/2/2003. The outcome was compared to that of 94 patients with sEOC treated with the same protocols during the same study period (ratio mucinous: serous 1:2). Results. One hundred forty-one patients (47 stages III and IV mEOC, 94 stages III and IV sEOC) treated with platinum-based chemotherapy were analyzed. The overall response rate for mEOC was 38.5% (complete remission 18%) (95% CI 23.4-55.4%) and 70% (complete remission 47%) (95% CI 58.5-80.3%) for sEOC (P = 0.001). After a median follow-up of 77.8 months, median survival and time to tumor progression (TTP) were not significantly different between the two groups (33.2 months [95% CI 23.3-43.1 months] vs. 38.0 months [95% CI 26.8-49.2 months], P = 0.46, 11.8 months [95% CI 7.2-16.4 months] vs. 20.0 months [95% CI 15.7-24.2 months], P = 0.18, respectively). Conclusion. Patients with mEOC have significantly lower response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy compared to patients with sEOC. This low response to platinum-based chemotherapy was not translated in inferior TTP or survival. Our data indicate that a new strategy for chemotherapy in mEOC should be adopted, one that focuses on new agents without cross-resistance to platinum agents. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Background: The potential role of the adult thymus in T-cell homeostasis subsequent to lymphopenia remains the subject of debate. We examined whether thymic activity contributes to reconstitution of the peripheral T-cell pool, a critical process for patients recovering from antineoplastic therapy. Methods: In selected patients with various neoplastic diseases we assessed peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets by flow-cytometry, including thymus-derived, CD4+ T cells expressing the CD45RA molecule, and thymic size rebound by CT scan before, and 3, 6 and 12 months after completion of cytotoxic therapy. Results: Adult patients (n = 21, mean age of 30 years, range 18-49) had higher baseline numbers of B and lower numbers of NK cells than elderly patients (n = 15, mean age of 79 years, range 70-91), while total T-cell numbers did not differ. Despite the reduction of lymphocyte counts being comparable in the adult (mean of 45%) and elderly (mean of 49%) groups, occurring at, or near, completion of treatment, an enlargement of the previously atrophic thymus was evident in 63% of the adult, but in none of the elderly, subjects. In 22 patients who remained active disease-free during the following year, B cells and NK cells recovered to pretreatment levels as soon as at 3 months, whereas overall T-cell recovery occurred at 6 months post-treatment. Thymic rebound, observed in 11 of 22 patients who were of younger age, correlated significantly with a faster and more complete recovery of CD45RA+ CD4+ (mainly helper-naïve) T cells. Conclusion: The adult thymus appears capable of regeneration, at least up to middle age, contributing significantly to the reconstitution of the peripheral T-cell pool following chemotherapy-induced lymphopenia. In advanced age, however, although peripheral homeostatic pathways appear intact, regeneration of the naïve repertoire is incomplete. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

In this paper I investigate the relation between agreement checking and case licensing. I consider two constructions from Greek: (a) obligatory case agreement between the nominal predicate and the DP of which it is predicated in small clause structures, (b) nominative case assignment to subjects. Both constructions share the property of involving multiple case-assignment with two nominal elements that agree in case. I draw a distinction between case assignment and case agreement and show that case licensing is possible even in agreement pairs that do not involve a case assigning head. Therefore, I propose that case is not the by-product of agreement checking, but a feature subject to checking theory in the same way other phi-features are.

A decadal-scale trend in the tropical radiative energy budget has been observed recently by satellites, which however is not reproduced by climate models. In the present study, we have computed the outgoing shortwave radiation (OSR) at the top of atmosphere (TOA) at 2.5° longitude-latitude resolution and on a mean monthly basis for the 17-year period 1984-2000, by using a deterministic solar radiative transfer model and cloud climatological data from the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) D2 database. Anomaly time series for the mean monthly pixel-level OSR fluxes, as well as for the key physical parameters, were constructed. A significant decreasing trend in OSR anomalies, starting mainly from the late 1980s, was found in tropical and subtropical regions (30° S-30° N), indicating a decadal increase in solar planetary heating equal to 1.9±0.3Wm-2/decade, reproducing well the features recorded by satellite observations, in contrast to climate model results. This increase in solar planetary heating, however, is accompanied by a similar increase in planetary cooling, due to increased outgoing longwave radiation, so that there is no change in net radiation. The model computed OSR trend is in good agreement with the corresponding linear decadal decrease of 2.5±0.4Wm-2/decade in tropical mean OSR anomalies derived from ERBE S-10N non-scanner data (edition 2). An attempt was made to identify the physical processes responsible for the decreasing trend in tropical mean OSR. A detailed correlation analysis using pixel-level anomalies of model computed OSR flux and ISCCP cloud cover over the entire tropical and subtropical region (30° S-30° N), gave a correlation coefficient of 0.79, indicating that decreasing cloud cover is the main reason for the tropical OSR trend. According to the ISCCP-D2 data derived from the combined visible/infrared (VIS/IR) analysis, the tropical cloud cover has decreased by 6.6±0.2% per decade, in relative terms. A detailed analysis of the inter-annual and long-term variability of the various parameters determining the OSR at TOA, has shown that the most important contribution to the observed OSR trend comes from a decrease in low-level cloud cover over the period 1984-2000, followed by decreases in middle and high-level cloud cover. Note, however, that there still remain some uncertainties associated with the existence and magnitude of trends in ISCCP-D2 cloud amounts. Opposite but small trends are introduced by increases in cloud scattering optical depth of low and middle clouds.

BACKGROUND: Associations between the APOE genotype and various medical conditions have been documented at a very young age. The association between the APOE genotype and cognitive performance varies at different ages. APOE related changes in brain activation have been recently reported for middle aged and elderly subjects. OBJECTIVE: To explore APOE related alterations during cognitive activation in a population of young adults. METHODS: Using H2(15)O positron emission tomography (PET), imaging was carried out in 20 healthy young adults (age 19 to 28 years; four epsilon4 carriers and 16 non-epsilon4 carriers) during a non-verbal memory task. Voxel-wise multiple regression analyses were undertaken, with the activation difference PET counts as the dependent variable and the APOE genotype as the independent variable. RESULTS: Brain regions were identified where epsilon4 carriers showed significantly lower or higher activation than non-carriers. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that APOE dependent modulation of cerebral flow may be present even at a young age. This may reflect an APOE related physiological heterogeneity which may or may not predispose to brain disease in the ensuing decades or, less likely, the effect of very early Alzheimer's disease related pathological changes.

Our understanding of the cardiovascular system has evolved through the years by extensive studies emphasizing the identification of the molecular and physiological mechanisms involved in its normal function and disease pathogenesis. Major discoveries have been made along the way. However, the majority of this work has focused on specific genes or pathways rather than integrative approaches. In cardiomyopathies alone, over 30 different loci have shown mutations with varying inheritance patterns, yet mostly coding for structural proteins. The emergence of microarrays in the early 1990s paved the way to a new era of cardiovascular research. Microarrays dramatically accelerated the rhythm of discoveries by giving us the ability to simultaneously study thousands of genes in a single experiment. In the field of cardiovascular research, microarrays are having a significant contribution, with the majority of work focusing on end-stage cardiomyopathies that lead to heart failure. Novel molecular mechanisms have been identified, known pathways are seen under new light, disease subgroups begin to emerge, and the effects of various drugs are molecularly dissected. This cross-study data comparison concludes that consistent energy metabolism gene expression changes occur across dilated, hypertrophic, and ischemic cardiomyopathies, while Ca2+ homeostasis changes are prominent in the first two cardiomyopathies, and structural gene expression changes accompany mostly the dilated form. Gene expression changes are further correlated to disease genetics. The future of microarrays in the cardiomyopathy field is discussed with an emphasis on optimum experimental design and on applications in diagnosis, prognosis, and drug discovery.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to correlate bcl-2 protein expression and DNA-ploidy status with established prognostic parameters in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to examine their impact on disease progression and patient survival. Methods: Both parameters were prospectively measured in 50 consecutive radical nephrectomy specimens using flow cytometry. They were correlated with the tumor grade, stage and histological type. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for all parameters was performed. Results: Bcl-2 protein expression was higher in RCC compared to normal renal tissue (P < 0.0001). Aneuploid tumors had higher bcl-2 expression compared to diploid tumors (P = 0.015). Bcl-2 expression and DNA content were not correlated with tumor histological types (P = 0.277/ P = 0.419), grades (P = 0.690/P = 0.449), T categories (P = 0.637/P = 0.585) or stages (P = 0.726/ P = 0.800). Median follow-up time was 46 months (range, 5-84) with a mean overall survival of 61.8 months (95% confidence interval, 53.7-69.9). Tumor stage was the only statistically important prognostic factor (P = 0.0045). Conclusion: Although Bcl-2 expression was correlated with tumor DNA content, the prognostic value of these two parameters following radical nephrectomy was not established.

{The pharmacokinetics of tobramycin was studied in adult patients (N = 151) admitted either for initial suspicion of Gram-negative infection or for prophylaxis. In addition to age, weight, height and creatinine clearance (CrCL), a range of other covariates were also analysed, including type of pathology, co-medication, fever, sex and ethnicity (Basque or not). All patients received 100 mg tobramycin every 8 h and samples were collected at three time points after the first dose and at two time points after the fourth dose and assayed with a fluorescence polarisation immunoassay. The population mixed effects bicompartmental parameters were obtained from 725 concentration measurements using NONMEM, FOCE method, and were: systemic clearance

Background: Brain metastases from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are rare. A retrospective study of all patients diagnosed with brain metastases from EOC over the last 20 years, according to the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group (HeCOG) tumor registry, was conducted. Patients and Methods: A total of 1450 patients with EOC were treated within various HeCOG protocols from 1983 to 2004. Seventeen (1.17%) of them developed brain metastases. Results: The median age at diagnosis of brain metastases was 58 years (range, 24 to 77). At initial diagnosis, 2 patients had stage II, 12 had stage III and 3 had stage IV disease. Serous papillary adenocarcinoma was the most common histological subtype [12 patients (71%)]. All patients had received initial cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The median time from initial diagnosis to central nervous system (CNS) relapse was 15.9 months (range, 1.4 to 70.8). The CNS was the only site of disease in 13 (76.5%) patients, whereas 4 (23.5%) patients had additional extracranial disease. Two (12%) patients with isolated single brain lesions underwent surgical excision of the metastases, followed by whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) and chemotherapy. Four (24%) patients were treated with WBRT alone, 6 (35%) patients with WBRT plus chemotherapy and 2 (12%) had only supportive care, while 3 (18%) patients decided not to have any further treatment after the diagnosis of brain metastases. The median survival time from diagnosis of CNS relapse was 5.7 months (range, 0.2 to 22.6) and the median survival time from diagnosis of EOC was 27.4 months (range, 3.0 to 71.4). In patients with CNS recurrence as the only site of disease, the median survival time from diagnosis of CNS relapse was 5.3 months (range, 0.6 to 22.6) and in those with both CNS and extracranial disease, the median survival time was 3.9 months (range, 0.2 to 11.9) (p=0.5597). There was a statistically significant difference in survival for those treated with WBRT plus chemotherapy (10.0 months) versus those treated with WBRT alone (1.5 months) and those who had only supportive care (0.2 months) (p=0.0003). Conclusion: The incidence of cerebral metastases in our patients with EOC was 1.17%, which is consistent with the mean value of all series reported in the literature. The prognosis of patients with brain metastases from EOC is poor. Patients who had WBRT and chemotherapy fared better than those who received WBRT alone.

In order to understand the brain networks that mediate cognitive reserve, we explored the relationship between subjects' network expression during the performance of a memory test and an index of cognitive reserve. Using H2(15)O positron emission tomography, we imaged 17 healthy older subjects and 20 young adults while they performed a serial recognition memory task for nonsense shapes under two conditions: low demand, with a unique shape presented in each study trial; and titrated demand, with a study list size adjusted so that each subject recognized shapes at 75% accuracy. A factor score that summarized years of education, and scores on the NART and the WAIS-R Vocabulary subtest was used as an index of cognitive reserve. The scaled subprofile model was used to identify a set of functionally connected regions (or topography) that changed in expression across the two task conditions and was differentially expressed by the young and elderly subjects. The regions most active in this topography consisted of right hippocampus, posterior insula, thalamus, and right and left operculum; we found concomitant deactivation in right lingual gyrus, inferior parietal lobe and association cortex, left posterior cingulate, and right and left calcarine cortex. Young subjects with higher cognitive reserve showed increased expression of the topography across the two task conditions. Because this topography, which is responsive to increased task demands, was differentially expressed as a function of reserve level, it may represent a neural manifestation of innate or acquired reserve. In contrast, older subjects with higher cognitive reserve showed decreased expression of the topography across tasks. This suggests some functional reorganization of the network used by the young subjects. Thus, for the old subjects this topography may represent an altered, compensatory network that is used to maintain function in the face of age-related physiological changes.

Laparoscopy has emerged as an important staging procedure for determining resectability of pancreatic cancer. However, a small fraction of patients with pancreatic cancer benefit from its use and therefore the routine application of laparoscopy remains controversial. We hypothesized that serum CA 19-9 levels may identify patients who will or will not benefit by laparoscopy. We retrospectively reviewed our database of 63 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma who underwent staging laparoscopy and correlated findings with CA 19-9 levels. Overall, laparoscopy identified metastatic disease in 12 patients (19%). None of those required any further operation. The resectability rate (patients who underwent resection after laparoscopy) was 73.5%. There was one false-negative laparoscopy (1.6%). Patients with higher CA 19-9 levels had significant higher odds of having metastasis identified by laparoscopy (odds ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-3.24; P = .04). There was no patient with CA 19-9 levels below 100 U/ml in whom metastatic disease was identified during laparoscopy: 18 patients (28.6%) with CA 19-9 levels below this cutoff point had negative laparoscopy and could have avoided the procedure had this cutoff been used for screening. This would have increased the laparoscopy yield to 26.7%. In patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, low CA 19-9 levels predict low probability of metastatic disease; in those patients, laparoscopy can be spared. On the contrary, patients with elevated CA 19-9 have an increased probability of metastatic disease, and these patients may benefit from diagnostic laparoscopy.

Carboplatin-related hypersensitivity reactions, frequently encountered in the heavily pretreated subpopulation of patients with gynecologic malignancies, can be severe and even potentially lethal - precluding these patients from an effective salvage treatment. We describe our experience in the management of such reactions and the application of a pretreatment protocol with corticosteroids, antihistamines and a slow infusion rate in order to safely re-administer carboplatin to the above patients. From 1998 to 2004, twenty patients developed an allergic reaction to carboplatin. Sixteen of them (80%) suffered from ovarian cancer. Upon resolution of the acute reaction, thirteen patients were pretreated according to our protocol and were re-exposed to carboplatin. Fifteen patients experienced the reaction during second-line carboplatin-based treatment and 5 patients after 3 or more regimens. Fifteen of the reactions (75%) were severe. Thirteen patients were re-treated with carboplatin after the application of our protocol, all of them successfully, even though 10 patients (77%) experienced minor symptoms during subsequent courses. On the contrary, only one of the 6 patients who were re-treated without the application of the protocol was able to receive further platinum-based treatment. In conclusion, pretreatment with corticosteroids, antihistamines and a slower infusion rate may make re-treatment possible in patients having experienced hypersensitivity to carboplatin. © E.S.I.F.T. srl - Firenze.

We present a case of systemic sarcoidosis with ovarian and peritoneal involvement. The atypical clinical presentation of the disease has lead to a problem of the differential diagnosis with ovarian cancer. A 72-year-old female was admitted because of low grade fever, fatigue and dilatation of the abdomen. Clinical and laboratory evaluation of the patient revealed moderate right pleural effusion, ascites, diffuse ovarian infiltration, presence of enlarged intraabdominal lymph nodes and a substantially high value of serum CA 125. Histological examination after laparotomy was indicative of ovarian sarcoidosis.

New BVRI light curves of the eclipsing binary system V1363 Ori, based on CCD observations made at the University of Athens Observatory, are analyzed using the Wilson-Devinney light curve synthesis code and new geometric and photometric elements are derived. These elements are used together with the available spectroscopic data to compute the absolute elements of the system. The evolutionary status of the system is also discussed.

New ground-based BV RI CCD observations of the eclipsing binary systems NN Vir and YY CrB are analyzed and illustrated. New times of minima are given and new ephemerides are proposed. The light curves are analyzed with the Wilson-Devinney light curve synthesis code and new geometric and photometric elements are derived. These elements are used together with the available spectroscopic data to compute absolute elements. The evolutionary status of each system is studied by means of mass-radius diagrams. The systems NN Vir and YY CrB are found to be A-type and W-type W UMa systems, respectively.

In this work, the characteristics of the long-term precipitation time series in Athens area (1891-2000). Statistical analysis shows that higher values of annual precipitation observed in the 1930s, while the lowest values were observed in the 1890s and 1980s. There is no significant trend in the annual precipitation time series. Moreover, the annual number of days with high precipitation (ANDHP) remains constant, during the investigated period. Spectral analysis by the Blackman-Tukey method that applied to the time series of ANDHP, showed in most cases peaks at frequencies corresponding to the following time periods: about 2.6 and 4.0 years. Β© by PSP.