Publications

HBV DNA quantitation is used extensively for the monitoring of treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The aim of this study was to develop a highly sensitive and reproducible real-time PCR (RTD-PCR) assay for the quantitation of HBV DNA using the LightCycler system. The performance of this assay was assessed by analyzing serial dilutions of HBV genomic DNA of known concentration and the lower limit of detection was found to be 1 DNA copy/reaction. By using serial dilutions of plasmid standard, RTD-PCR was determined to quantify HBV DNA in a 10-log10 dynamic range. RTD-PCR was found to be more sensitive than the commercially available tests such as the Quantiplex HBV DNA and the AMPLICOR HBV MONITOR assays. The median coefficient of variation of interexperimental variability was 3.2%. The HBV DNA values obtained with RTD-PCR were highly correlated with assays available commercially. These findings suggest that our RTD-PCR assay combines high sensitivity and reproducibility for HBV DNA quantitation in an incomparable high dynamic range of quantitation.

Scanning force microscopy in the dynamic contact mode with resonance enhanced domain contrast is applied to study in situ pattern formation and relaxation kinetics of ferroelectric domains on the cleavage surface of triglycine sulfate subjected to successive annealing-cooling cycles. Substantial differences in the domain morphology and kinetics are disclosed upon cooling at temperatures close to Tc. Convolution of stripe domains with residual domain nuclei and random pinning forces due to intrinsic defects are suggested to account for variations in the domain structure and slowing down of domain kinetics.

Purpose. (i) Evaluate the predictive performance of the fractal volume of drug distribution, v(f), (Pharm. Res.18, 1056, 2001), (ii) develop the concept of the fractal clearance, CLf, which is the clearance analogue of v(f), (iii) examine the utility of CLf in allometric studies, (iv) develop allometric relationships for the elimination half-life, t(1/2), and (v) evaluate the use of v(f) and CLf in predicting the volume of drug distribution, V-ap, clearance, CL, and elimination half-life, t(1/2). Methods. Estimates for v(f) of various drugs were obtained and correlated with body mass using data only from animal species. A comparison was made between the predicted and actual v(f) values for humans. For a variety of animal species CLf values were estimated from the equation: CLf = v(f)/V-ap CL The allometric equations developed using CLf were compared with other allometric approaches. Allometric equations were also developed for t(1)/2 utilizing the allometric relationships of v(f) and CLf. Results. The predicted estimates of v(f) were very close to the actual values and the correlation exhibited favorable statistical properties. The values of the allometric exponents for CLf were found to be close to 0.75. The predictive performance for CL using the allometric equations for CLf in conjuction with the rule of exponents was found to be better than the currently considered most accurate allometric approaches. The values of the allometric exponents for t(1)/2 were found to be close to 0.25. Conclusion. The predictive ability of v(f) is high; predictions for V(a)p based on v(f) values are better than the current approaches. CLf expressed a good behavior both in prospective and retrospective analysis. The allometric exponents, 0.75, 0.25 for CLf and t(1/2), respectively, agree with the theoretical expected values.

We consider the problem of dynamic admission control in a Markovian loss queueing system with two classes of jobs with different service rates and random revenues. We establish the existence of an optimal monotone policy. We also show that under certain conditions there exist preferred jobs from either class.

This chapter focused on some of the key issues of Health and Nursing Informatics Education. First an historical overview of Health and Nursing Informatics Education is presented. We also describe briefly the activities in the domain of Nursing Informatics Education across Europe. The Special Projects for Health and Nursing Informatics in Europe are presented. Because of the variety of educational systems, the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) felt the need to develop international recommendations in health and medical informatics education. From a nursing informatics perspective, the IMIA recommendations in Nursing Informatics Education are discussed.

The magnetic properties of the rare earth molecular compounds with hydrazone ligands containing Nd3+ Gd3+ and Yb3+ have been investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and magnetization measurements. For the Gd-compound, partially resolved fine structure due to Gd and exchange narrowing effects at low temperatures are observed in the EPR spectra, suggesting, consistent with the EPR and dc magnetic susceptibility, weak antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. Paramagnetic behavior sustained down to low temperatures is derived for Yb3+ ions, whereas substantial ferromagnetic exchange coupling is inferred for the lighter Nd3+ ions, indicating significant variations of the exchange integrals along the lanthanide series.

A comparative study of powder and bulk specimens of (formula presented) by electron spin resonance (ESR) verifies the presence of intense conduction electron spin resonance (CESR) in the normal state. A low concentration paramagnetic center stemmimg from the initial amoprhous boron powder along with traces of (formula presented) impurities are identified in the ESR spectra. Intense microwave absorption, that distorts CESR below (formula presented) is observed in fine powders implying enhanced microwave dissipation due to the viscous flux motion. © 2002 The American Physical Society.

A comparative study of powder and bulk specimens of MgB2 by electron spin resonance (ESR) verifies the presence of intense conduction electron spin resonance (CESR) in the normal state. A low concentration paramagnetic center stemmimg from the initial amoprhous boron powder along with traces of Fe3+ impurities are identified in the ESR spectra. Intense microwave absorption, that distorts CESR below Tc, is observed in fine powders implying enhanced microwave dissipation due to the viscous flux motion.

The chapter covers the electronic health record and electronic health record system that facilitates the use of EHR. The EHR is compared with the traditional handwritten health care record. Definition of Electronic Health Records and its association with the terminology, classification and coding is presented. The architecture of the Electronic Health Record is of strong significance as well as its attributes. Strategic approaches of designing systems supporting the use of electronic health records are depicted. A short presentation of current state of implementation and the obstacles for further implementation are given in the final part of the chapter.

This paper is a preliminary study of an extensive project that will take place at Corfu island (Northern island of Ionian Sea), involving the municipality of Esperion and the Remote Sensing Laboratory (University of Athens). The project’s purpose is to estimate the erosion progress at Sidari bay’s (North part of Corfu island) coastal zone, due to wave activity. Sidari area consists of Neogene formations, which are extremely vulnerable. Moreover, wave impact is also of high energy, causing subsidence of the coastal line. Through this project, our team is developing a GIS database that holds information, deriving from existing maps, bibliographical references, and climatological logs, related to geology, geomorphology and environmental parameters. Apart from those data, aerial photography stereo observation and extensive D-GPS fieldwork resulted to continual coastline monitoring and GIS database updating, for a period of 26 and 5 years, respectively.Project’s conclusions are based on quantitative and spatial analysis through GIS, giving answers on the erosion’s rate, the erosion’s impact on human activities and structures, and finally an estimation on Sidari’s coastal zone future morphology.

A retrospective survey of the isolation rate of Enterococcus avium during the period March 1994-February 2000 conducted in Laikon General Hospital using the WHONET software, revealed a peak in the isolation rates of this species during March 1995-February 1996. The ten strains isolated during this time were studied further. No glycopeptide resistance was detected but resistance to ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin (high-level) and streptomycin (high-level) was present in nine, ten, nine, three and seven of the isolates, respectively. The genes aac(6')-Ie+aph(2")-Ia and ant(6)-I, encoding for high-level gentamicin and streptomycin resistance, respectively, were detected only in the isolates with the corresponding phenotypes. Beta-lactamase production and haemolysis were not detected. There was evidence of ward-, floor- and building-specific distribution among the different aminoglycoside resistance phenotypes. DNA fingerprinting by PFGE grouped six of the ten isolates in a single cluster with 83% similarity, even though they expressed various resistance phenotypes. These results suggest dissemination of resistance genes among both genetically related and unrelated strains.

In this paper the erosional process of northeastern coastal Attica is studied. The alpine formation, usually Mesozoic limestones and the post-alpine deposits such as conglomerates, sandstones and marl-limestones characterize the geology of this area. This area has dramatically changed in the last decade as a result of a rapid urbanization. In June 2001 this coastal area experienced a severe fire event with enormous effect of the vegetation cover. Apart from this damage the outcropping of post -alpine vulnerable formations might accelerate erosion during possible intense rainfall. All these taken under consideration turned us to the construction of an erosion risk map based on web-GIS and soft computing technology. Such approach can be very useful for regional planning and environmental management. Indeed since our first abstract (September, 2001) heavy precipitation has been occurred (November, 2001) and a vast quantity of the weathering material has been mobilized. This fact and the new data sets have strongly proved the usefulness of this study.

Estimated natural head position, or natural head orientation (NHO), has been proposed as a preferred reference position for assessing facial morphology. However, because this position is subjectively defined by the orthodontist, it could be influenced by facial form, which would be an undesirable attribute. The aim of this study was to assess whether NHO is influenced by facial morphology. Lateral photographs of 14 patients were used. Each was warped to produce 2 new images, with the chin positioned backwards or forwards relative to the original (+/-2 degrees change of the soft tissue N-Pg line). All 42 images were placed in circular frames and shown to 7 experienced orthodontists, who were asked to orient them to NHO. Image orientation between the 3 chin positions was measured and compared. The results showed that NHO depended on chin position. Images with protrusive chins were positioned with the head rotated more downwards (Frankfort plane 3.10 degrees relative to horizontal) than were images with retrusive chins (Frankfort plane 4.98 degrees ). The difference in head orientation measurements was half of the difference in chin position (1.88 degrees for a chin change of 4 degrees ). These findings call into question the validity of NHO for diagnosis because it depends on the same factor it aims to assess. Use of NHO would result in underestimating the true skeletal relationships.

Naxos is the largest island (430km2) οf Cyclades complex. The relief of the island is mountainous, with a central mountain chain crossing it from the north to the south.The geology of Naxos is characterized by a migmatite irruption, metamorphic rocks (schist, gneiss, marble), and sedimentary rocks (Neogenic and Quaternary deposits). Erosion is a complex procedure, which takes place after the forming ofweathered surface material. In this study, an erosion risk map was created, with the use of GIS technology. For this purpose, the maps and fieldwork data concerning the geology of the island, as well as the topography and the geomorphology (of the area) were imported into the GIS. Subsequently, the input data of the final thematicmap were modified with the use of fuzzy logic rules, which was considered to benecessary because of the nature of the studied variables.

Gli sviluppi, dopo la demistificazione del sogno marxista che si è verificata con la caduta del muro di Berlino, lo scioglimento dell’impero sovietico e la rinascità dei nazionalismi regionali, esigono da parte della Comunità Internazionale e dei suoi apparati decisionali un’analisi precisa ed attenta del nuovo paesaggio geopolitico.

The g factors of 21+, 41+, and 22+ states in the stable 130,132,134,136Xe isotopes have been measured via projectile Coulomb excitation in inverse kinematics in combination with the transient field technique. The results show a steady decrease in g(21+) as the number of neutron holes increases in the lighter nuclei below the closed N = 82 neutron shell. The g factors of the 41+ states in 132,134Xe are consistently larger than the g factors of the 21+ states, a characteristic of proton excitation. The g factors of the 21+, 41+, and 22+ states in 130Xe are approximately equal as would be expected for vibrational excitations.

An experimental campaign was carried out on a small Greek island that is characterized by complex terrain: its aim was to study the local characteristics of the vertical structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). The instrumentation was installed close to the shoreline and consisted of a 13-m-high meteorological mast instrumented at three levels, and a high-range vertical monostatic sodar. Tethered balloon flights were carried out for 3 days under different atmospheric conditions. The analysis of the available data revealed interesting features of the vertical structure of the atmosphere over the island, with the development of a convective internal boundary layer (IBL) within the first 150 m above the ground, while the marine boundary layer (MBL) formed at higher altitudes, up to 450 m. Buoyant oscillations appear within the MBL in the form of gravity waves with frequencies of 7 min. Theoretical calculations of the IBL height verified the experimental results. During the night, a complex wind flow forms in the lower 250-300 m, resulting from the development of katabatic flows and topographic channeling.

Waldenström's macroglobulinemia is a low-grade lymphoplasmacytoid lymphoma characterized by CD20 expression on malignant cells. Several studies have indicated that the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab has activity against this disease. Thus, we performed a prospective study in which 17 previously untreated patients with symptomatic macroglobulinemia were treated with rituximab 375 mg/m2 intravenously for 4 weeks. Three months after completion of rituximab, patients without evidence of progressive disease received repeat 4-week courses of this agent. Six patients (35%) achieved a partial response after extended treatment with rituximab. Median time to response was 3 months. The median time to progression (TTP) for all patients was 13 months. One of 6 responding patients has progressed at 10 months, while the other 5 patients remain progression free with a follow-up range of > 22-40 months. Eight patients (47%) were rated as stable disease, and their median TTP was 9 months. Treatment with rituximab was well tolerated and was not associated with myelosuppression; one third of the patients experienced infusion-related toxicity, usually fever and chills of mild degree. Our prospective trial of extended rituximab therapy for previously untreated patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinemia indicates that this agent is active, well tolerated, and might be associated with a long period without the need for further treatment. Studies that will combine rituximab with chemotherapy or with other monoclonal antibodies might be of interest.

We report on time-series photometric observations in the earliest stages of superoutbursts of the extreme dwarf novae, AL Com and WZ Sge, which started on 2001 May after the 6 years quiescence and on 2001 July after the 23 years quiescence, respectively. We detected the growth of ``early superhumps'' during the each rising stage. Our observations reject the mass transfer instability for the trigger of the superoutburst of WZ Sge stars, and show the existence of some relations between the ``early superhumps'' and the spiral structure, which gives a hint of the origin of the ``early superhumps.''

We report on the occurrence of absolute elastic band gaps in three-dimensional binary systems made up of steel spheres in polyester, and examine how the width of such gaps depends on the geometry of the structure.

The primary cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a mutation in the dystrophin gene leading to the absence of the corresponding RNA transcript and protein. Absence of dystrophin leads to disruption of the dystrophin-associated protein complex and substantial changes in skeletal muscle pathology. Although the histological pathology of dystrophic tissue has been well documented, the underlying molecular pathways remain poorly understood. To examine the pathogenic pathways and identify new or modifying factors involved in muscular dystrophy, expression microarrays were used to compare individual gene expression profiles of skeletal muscle biopsies from 12 DMD patients and 12 unaffected control patients. Two separate statistical analysis methods were used to interpret the resulting data: t test analysis to determine the statistical significance of differential expression and geometric fold change analysis to determine the extent of differential expression. These analyses identified 105 genes that differ significantly in expression level between unaffected and DMD muscle. Many of the differentially expressed genes reflect changes in histological pathology. For instance, immune response signals and extracellular matrix genes are overexpressed in DMD muscle, an indication of the infiltration of inflammatory cells and connective tissue. Significantly more genes are overexpressed than are underexpressed in dystrophic muscle, with dystrophin underexpressed, whereas other genes encoding muscle structure and regeneration processes are overexpressed, reflecting the regenerative nature of the disease.

In this study we examined the geomorphological and environmental characteristics of south Attika coastal zone (from Voula area to Lagonisi), a region in which man-made influence is very intense. This paper includes the detection of features of the coastal zone, that are in danger of alteration, because of their exposure to human intervention; it results to the study of the above characteristics and their mapping, with a purpose of using the final thematic maps in future study of the area, after the oncoming changes, because of the Olympic games of 2004. For this purpose we developed a database with geographical, geological, geomorphological and environmental characteristics in GIS and we created the corresponding thematic maps. Data collection took place through photointerpretation of corresponding aerial photos and fieldwork of the coastal zone (from inland and offshore) with the use of GPS.

The flat terrestrial part of the coastal zone of the Paros Island (slope <2,5% forelevations 0-50 m), represents only the 19% of the total area of the island (193 km2). More than 75% of the coastal zone consists of high and lower cliffs, whilst relatively flat and sandy (and/or pebble) beaches do not exceed the 17% of the coastline. The island receives a considerable amount of wave energy; this has its highest values (>1500 W/m) at the NE part of the island and its lowest at the SE “protected” and shallower area. Touristic (sandy/pebble) beaches have been developed along those parts of the coastline that characterized by vulnerable lithology associated with moderate wave activity.

In this paper we study Samaria gorge through recognition, recording and visualization of geomorphological characteristics. Geomorphological characteristics collected through Remote Sensing techniques, are compared with those collected through stereoscopic observation of aerial photos and fieldwork. At the first phase, the aerial photos of the studied area were scanned and through selected digital image processing algorithms, the geomorphological characteristics were stressed and recorded. At the second phase a geomorphological map was created based on data derived from stereoscopic observation of the area aerial photos and fieldwork. During fieldwork a GPS was used, which was connected with the GIS in order toimmediately record and test the measured characteristic position. Finally the combination of two methods took place in order to develop a geomorphological map.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes were screened for loss-of-function mutations in a series of 85 patients having at least one first- or second-degree relative affected by breast and/or ovarian cancer. All BRCA1 exons and BRCA2 exons 10 and 11 were screened with a combination of methods including SSCP, PTT and direct sequencing. We have found disease-associated mutations in 14 families (16.5%), eleven in BRCA1 and three in BRCA2. The known founder mutation 5382insC of BRCA1 was identified in seven unrelated families. The other mutations identified include the non-sense R1751X, the splice junction variant 5586G>A of BRCA1 and three frameshifts, 2024del5, 3034del4, and 6631del5, of BRCA2. Nine out of these 14 families had a family history of three or more breast/ovarian cancer cases. A large number of polymorphic or unclassified variants is also reported. Combined with our previously published data 5382insC was found in nine out of 20 families (45%), suggesting that this mutation may represent a common founder mutation in the Greek population

Thera, along with the islands of Therasia, Aspronisi, Palaea and Nea Kameni, form avast roundly shaped caldera, of 8x10 km. Because of the intense volcanic activity, The shape and morphology of Thera has repeatedly changed through the years. This characteristic makes Thera, from a geological point of view, a very interesting island. Paleo-environmental and volcanic evolution is quite impressive, moreover if it is expressed through modern technology, such as GIS and modern visualization tools. As far as archaeological findings are concerned, Thera is already famous for the existence of the Minoan civilization. Volcanic activity is highly linked to both thepreservation of the archaeological findings and the destruction of the Minoan civilization over Thera Island. In this study with the use of Geographical Information Systems we propose a wide cultural park, combining all physical, geological, geomorphological and cultural characteristics, and through that the connection between volcanic activity and Minoan civilization evolution.

Un corretto approccio al concetto di Globalizzaziotie esige in via pregiudiziale una definizione, onde evitare false interpretazioni e malintesi che porterebbero a monologhi tra soldi. Si tratta di un fenomeno geografico, osservato su scala internazionale e che riguarda processi di omogeneizzazione su due piani di integrazione: a) sul piano dell’economia internazionalizzata (e non internazionale); b) sul piano della cultura. Suoi meccanismi generartivi e peculiari sono la produzione, la disseminazione ed il controllo (e non la manipolazione) dell’informazione nello spazio geografico internazionale. In uno spazio che si intende quale sintesi dei risultati dialettici remoti della interazione tra lo spazio naturale elementare e lo spazio umano elementare.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that an abnormal proinflammatory cytokine expression and apoptotic process contribute to adverse left ventricular remodeling and progress of chronic heart failure. This study investigates the effects of growth hormone (GH) administration on serum levels of representative proinflammatory cytokines and soluble apoptosis mediators in patients with chronic heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). METHODS: Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), its soluble receptors (sTNF-RI, sTNF-RII), interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), soluble Fas (sFas) and soluble Fas Ligand (sFasL) were determined (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method) in 10 patients with IDC (New York Heart Association class III, ejection fraction 24% +/- 2%) before and after a 3-month subcutaneous administration of 4 IU GH every other day (randomized crossover design). Peak oxygen consumption (Vo(2)max) was also used to evaluate the functional status of patients with IDC. RESULTS: Treatment with GH produced a significant reduction in serum levels of TNF-alpha (8.2 +/- 1.2 vs 5.7 +/- 1.1 pg/mL, P <.05), sTNF-RI (3.9 +/- 0.4 vs 3.2 +/- 0.3 ng/mL, P <.05), sTNF-RII (2.6 +/- 0.3 vs 2.2 +/- 0.2 ng/mL, P <.05), IL-6 (5.5 +/- 0.6 vs 4.4 +/- 0.4 pg/mL, P =.05), sIL-6R (32.7 +/- 3.0 vs 28.2 +/- 3.0 ng/mL, P <.05), sFas (4.4 +/- 0.8 vs 3.1 +/- 0.6 ng/mL, P <.05), and sFasL (34.2 +/- 11.7 vs 18.8 +/- 7.3 pg/mL, P <.01). A significant improvement was also observed in VO2max after the completion of 3 months' treatment with GH (15.0 +/- 0.8 vs 17.2 +/- 1.0 mL/kg/min, P <.05). Good correlations were found between GH-induced reduction in TNF-alpha levels and increase in VO2max (r = -0.64, P <.05) as well as between GH-induced reduction in sFasL and increase in VO2max (r = -0.56, P =.08). CONCLUSIONS: GH administration reduces serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines and soluble Fas/FasL system in patients with IDC. These immunomodulatory effects may be associated with improvement in clinical performance and exercise capacity of patients with IDC

In this paper we examine one of the areas where there is a marked difference between Civil and Common contract law, that of the enforcement of liquidated damages and more particularly of penalty clauses. Common law judges are quite reluctant to enforce liquidated damages, especially if they believe that they include penalty clauses which are not enforceable. On the contrary, in almost all European contract laws liquidated damages are readily enforced, as are penalty clauses when they are not manifestly excessive. Although most law & economics scholars have criticized Common law courts for the non-enforcement of penalty clauses, there is a sizable minority of scholars who have defended the Common law non-enforcement policy on the ground that penalty clauses are inefficient because they hinder efficient breach. However, and despite the merits of the arguments advanced by advocates of the non-enforcement of penalty clauses, we believe that Common law's rejection of penalty clauses is inefficient. We further show that the Civil law solution to the problem is not only comparatively more efficient, but that it can also appease the worries of those scholars who are afraid that efficient breaches will be deterred. The solution that Civil law systems give to the problem manages to enforce the parties' wishes and to avoid deterring efficient breaches. However, we point out that in order for the Civil law systems to take advantage of this superiority, the interpretation of their Civil Codes should be guided by economic analysis and the respect to the wishes of the contracting parties.

Water samples were collected for coccolithophore analysis in August 2001, from 8 stations along a transect in the gulf of Korthi (Andros Island, Aegean sea). Samples were collected from 0-120m water-depth to determine the spatial and vertical distribution of individual holococcolithophore species in coastal environments. Holococcolithophore absolute abundances usually range between 7.29x103 and 0.06x103 cells/l. The distribution patternsi ndicate that holococcolithophores may constitute a significant part of the summer flora in the upper photic zone of the coastal waters of Andros island, providing evidence of vertical distribution in the water column and showing affinities to shallower environments and rather normal nutrification conditions.

Water samples were collected for coccolithophore analysis in August 2001, from 8 stations along a transect in the gulf of Korthi (Andros Island, Aegean sea). Samples were collected from 0-120m water-depth to determine the spatial and vertical distribution of individual holococcolithophore species in coastal environments. Holococcolithophore absolute abundances usually range between 7.29x103 and 0.06x103 cells/l. The distribution patternsi ndicate that holococcolithophores may constitute a significant part of the summer flora in the upper photic zone of the coastal waters of Andros island, providing evidence of vertical distribution in the water column and showing affinities to shallower environments and rather normal nutrification conditions.

BACKGROUND: Prolactin represents a stimulatory link between the neuroendocrine and immune systems, but its involvement in the neurohumoral adaptations to heart failure (HF) has not been explored. METHODS: We prospectively studied 55 patients (45 males, 10 females, age 48 +/- 7 years) with NYHA Class II/III HF due either to dilated cardiomyopathy (CMP) (n = 33) or ischemic heart disease (IHD) (n = 22). Serum prolactin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay, soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) levels by enzyme-linked immunoassay and HLA-DQ genotyping with PCR. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and end-diastolic diameter (LVEDd) were assessed echocardiographically. RESULTS: Hyperprolactinaemia (17.3 +/- 4 ng mL-1 [Group I] vs. 4.64 +/- 2 ng mL-1 [Group II], P < 0.01) was found in 14 patients (8 with IHD, 6 with CMP). The distribution of HLA-DQB1 alleles was compared in the two groups and showed a significant increase in the frequency of *0301 (86% in Group I vs. 45% in Group II, P < 0.05). Histidine at position 30 of the HLA-DQB1 gene was found in 22% of Group II but in none of Group I patients. Furthermore, there was an inverse correlation between the presence of histidine at position 30 and the levels of serum prolactin. Both sIL-2R levels, a marker of T-cell activation, and concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation were lower in Group I patients (561 +/- 106 vs. 804 +/- 109 pg mL-1 and 20.8 +/- 4 vs. 37.3 +/- 5 cpmX103 [3H] thymidine, respectively). LVEF was significantly higher (32 +/- 5%) and LVEDd smaller (62.0 +/- 6 mm) in Group I compared to Group II (25 +/- 4% and 68.0 +/- 5 mm, respectively, P < 0.01) patients. CONCLUSION: Hyperprolactinaemia presents in 25% of patients with HF and may reflect decreased activation of T-lymphocytes associated with relatively preserved LV systolic function which is under immune-genetic control at the HLA-DQ locus

By means of local Hall probe ac and dc permeability measurements, we investigate the phase diagram of vortex matter for the HgBa2CuO4+delta superconductor in the regime near critical temperature. The second peak line H-sp, in contrast to what is usually assumed, does not terminate at the critical temperature. Our local ac permeability measurements reveal a pronounced hysteretic behavior and thermomagnetic history effects near the onset of the second peak, giving evidence of a phase transition of vortex matter from an ordered qausilattice state to a disordered glass.

To determine the effect of interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b) on the long-term suppression of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in patients with persistently normal or near normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, 76 previously untreated patients with serum HCV RNA and ALT levels <1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were randomized to receive either interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b) 5 MU three times a week for 24 weeks (n = 37) or no treatment (n = 39). HCV RNA testing was performed at the end of treatment and after a 6-month follow-up period. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that HCV RNA was detected significantly less frequently in treated than in untreated patients, at the end of both treatment and follow-up (43.2% vs. 7.7%, p < 0.001, and 21.6% vs. 5.1%, p = 0.033, respectively). Among treated patients, sustained virologic response was significantly higher in non-1 than in genotype 1 patients (8 of 26 or 30.8% vs. 0 of 11, p = 0.038). According to multiple logistic regression, untreated patients had a 13.5 times greater risk to be HCV RNA-positive compared with treated patients (p = 0.040). ALT levels flared up in 3 treated and 9 untreated patients (p = 0.07), suggesting that these flare-ups are related to the natural course of chronic HCV infection rather than to IFN-alpha2b. Thus, such patients could benefit from an IFN-alpha2b in combination with ribavirin regimen.

The paper aims at understanding the tunneling process in epitaxial magnetic tunnel junctions. Firstly, we stress the importance of the complex band structure of the insulator for the tunneling of the metal electrons. For large insulator thicknesses the tunneling current is carried by very few states, i.e., those states in the gap of the semiconductor having the smallest imaginary component of the k-vector. In the case of GaAs, ZnSe and MgO these are Delta(1)-states at the Gamma-point. Secondly, we discuss the role of resonant interface states for tunneling. Based on simple model calculations and ab initio results we demonstrate that for symmetrical barriers the minority conductance can be dominated in an intermediate thickness range by few `hot spots' in the surface Brillouin zone, arising from resonant interface states. In these hot spots full transmission can still be obtained, when all other states are already strongly attenuated, so that the usual exponential decay can be considerably delayed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

The computational approach is one of the newest and fastest developing techniques in pharmacokinetics, ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) evaluation, drug discovery and toxicity. However, to date, the software packages devoted to ADME prediction, especially of metabolism, have not yet been adequately validated and still require improvements to be effective. Most are `open' systems, under constant evolution and able to incorporate rapidly, and often easily, new information from user or developer databases. Quantitative in silico predictions are now possible for several pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, particularly absorption and distribution. The emerging consensus is that the predictions are no worse than those made using in vitro tests, with the decisive advantage that much less investment in technology, resources and time is needed. In addition, and of critical importance, it is possible to screen virtual compounds. Some packages are able to handle thousands of molecules in a few hours. However, common experience shows that, in part at least for essentially irrational reasons, there is currently a lack of confidence in these approaches. An effort should be made by the software producers towards more transparency, in order to improve the confidence of their consumers. It seems highly probable that in silico approaches will evolve rapidly, as did in vitro methods during the last decade. Past experience with the latter should be helpful in avoiding repetition of similar errors and in taking the necessary steps to ensure effective implementation. A general concern is the lack of access to the large amounts of data on compounds no longer in development, but still kept secret by the pharmaceutical industry. Controlled access to these data could be particularly helpful in validating new in silico approaches. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a relatively common condition among individuals older than 70 years. The actuarial risk of MGUS progression to an overt plasma cell malignancy (PCM) after 20 years of follow-up has been reported to be as high as 30%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and evolution of MGUS in a Greek population: 1564 consecutive patients older than 50 years who were admitted to the Department of Clinical Therapeutics at the University of Athens School of Medicine for various reasons over a 26-month period were evaluated with serum protein electrophoresis. In cases in which a monoclonal protein was detected, a panel of tests was performed to rule out an underlying plasma cell malignancy (PCM). Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-6-soluble receptor (IL-6SR), IL-1 beta, and transforming growth factor beta 1 were also measured in the MGUS cases. Patients with MGUS were monitored at regular intervals for evidence of multiple myeloma or other PCMs. The incidence of MGUS was 4% and there was a positive correlation with increasing age. The median value of serum M peak was only 5.3 g/l. After a median follow-up of 71 months, only two patients developed multiple myeloma (60 and 75 months after initial diagnosis). Our data are consistent with those of other epidemiological studies regarding the incidence of MGUS, but the monoclonal protein levels and the probability of evolution to a malignant plasma cell disorder appeared to be lower in our study than in other series. Our data support the hypothesis that individuals with low M peak values require only regular annual follow-up examinations.

The paper discusses several first-order modal logics that extend the classical predicate calculus. The model theory involves possible worlds with world-variable domains. The logics rely on the philosophical tenet known as serious actualism in that within modal contexts they allow existential generalization from atomic formulas. The language may or may not have a sign of identity, includes no primitive existence predicate, and has individual constants. Some logics correspond to various standard constraints on the accessibility relation, whereas others correspond to various constraints on the domains of the worlds. Soundness and strong completeness are proved in every case; a novel method is used for proving completeness.

Comincerò la mia trattazione determinando l’ambito scientifico della Geografia e del suo metodo analitico, quello della Geopolitica, in conformità ai dati contemporanei; terminerò con il problema della definizione della geopolitica contemporanea in quanto ambito scientifico specifico che si inserisce nel quadro delle sue fonti scientifiche geografiche. Il testo che segue è il frutto di una rilettura e di un approccio critico dei dati della Geografia/Geopolitica classica avente come obiettivo quello di definire le nuove grandezze geopolitiche e la loro formazione, di chiarire i metodi geografici e la loro elaborazione, e di tentare di porre nuove basi di una Geografia e di una Geopolitica al servizio della comunità internazionale (affinchè sia possibile che essa in futuro si fondi sul rispetto delle particolarità i culturali e dei diritti politici ed umani). In breve, la mia finalità è la seguente: porre le basi di ciò che mi sembra essere “il compito della Geografia/Geopolitica moderna”.

Cephalonia belongs to Ionian islands and consists of two alpine zones, the pro-apoulia and the Ionian one, and pleiocene and quaternary deposits. In this paper we are developing a land use / land cover map of Cephalonia island and an urban map of Argostoli town, the capital of Cephalonia, using GIS techniques and photointerpretation.

L’atto terroristico dell’11 settembre ha segnato l’inizio di una reazione a catena di avventimenti i quali hanno costituito il casus per l’intervento degli USA in Afghanistan e il colpo ad obiettivi strategici dei Taliban sui suoi territori. In questo processo sono stati coinvolti in maggior misura attori internazionali come la Gran Bretagna e la Francia e in misura minore la Germania e gli altri stati-membri della NATO con l’appoggio morale della Comunità internazionale e sicuramente quello dell’ONU. Riteniamo che il grande vuoto geopolitico di potere venutosi a creare in Medio Oriente e in Asia Centrale in seguito alla caduta del muro di Berlino verrà colmato in questa occasione da un intreccio di influenze, che si compensano fra loro vicendevolmente, di USA, Russia, Gran Bretagna, e in seconda posizione di alcuni stati europei come la Francia, l’Italia e la Germania. Riteniamo, inoltre, che questioni come il problema dei Curdi, quello idrico che riguarda la Siria e la Turchia, ma anche le relazioni siro-israeliane che concernono il problema delle Alture del Golan ed inoltre la graduale instaurazione di rapporti di normalità dell’Occidente, e più in particolare degli USA, con Teheran, entreranno in corso di soluzione. Stimiamo che in questa catena degli asssestamenti occupi un poste importante anche la soluzione del problema Palestinese nonché la sistemazione dell’ammisssione di Cipro nell’Unione Europea, la quale tuttavia verrà giudicata anche in base alla decisa posizione della Grecia di fronte a pressioni provenienti dall’esterno. In conclusione, a nostro parere, tutto questo ciclo di fermenti e di appianamenti delle relazioni tra Stati nella regione favorisce anche la Grecia che può assumere un ruolo positivo in questo divenire e trarne vantaggi considerevoli. Presupposto di ciò, cerò, che la Grecia dimostri una posizione decisa in politica estera e nelle questioni concernenti la sua sovranità nazionale. In assenza di una posizione di questo tipo (oppure nel caso contrario) il nuovo assetto nel Mediterraneo Sud/Orientale sarà catastrofico per gli interessi nazionali di questo Paese, con tutti i riflessi negativi che ne deriverebbero per gli equilibri dell’Unione Europea medesima.

Le but de ce présent ouvrage est d’analyser les rapports entre la Turquie, la Syrie et l’Irak, au moment où ils évoluent sous la pression du problème le plus crucial du Moyen Orient: à savoir le partage entre eux des eaux du Tigre et de l’Euphrate. Après avoir présenté les caractéristiques qualitatives et potentielles des eaux de surface de cette région, nous continuerons par une interprétation du futur rôle géopolitique de la Turquie en tant que pays situé en amont. Le programme GAP de la Turquie est aussi analysé en détail. S’y trouve aussi analysés les multiples formes de chantage diplomatique pratiqué par la Turquie ou qu’elle pratiquera dans un avenir proche sur ses pays voisins, la Syrie et l’Irak, compromettant ainsi la paix dans la région. Le traitement diplomatique du partage des eaux entre ces trois pays très impliqués sera présenté par rapport aux trois composantes: le problème kurde, le problème du pétrole et le problème du Hatay.

Notre article traite de l’oeuvre du peintre Jacques Carrey (1649-1726) et plus particulièrement de ses dessins orientalistes. Après avoir étudié ses dessins conservés au Musée du Louvre, qui n’ont pas encore été analysés par les chercheurs, nous lui attribuons une série de dessins anonymes conservés à la Bibliothèque Gennadius représentant le défilé du Sultan, les officiers et les militaires ottomans. Dans notre étude nous présentons également les artistes du marquis de Nointel et leur production durant son tour en Orient méditerranéen. La comparaison des dessins orientalistes de Jacques Carrey avec ceux qui représentent le Parthénon et les antiquités d’Athènes réalisés durant l’ambassade du marquis de Nointel, nous permet de déduire que leur attribution à Jacques Carrey est problématique. Ensuite nous traitons de la thématique et de la qualité artistique des dessins orientalistes de Carrey, qui sont conservés à la Bibliothèque Gennadius.  Commentés à l’aide des extraits de La Croix, ses dessins mettent en scène le pouvoir de l’armée ottomane. De plus, nous nous référons aux tableaux exécutés par Carrey pour le marquis de Nointel et nous présentons les éléments orientalistes de sa série de peintures relatant la vie de Saint-Pantaléon, qui sont conservés à Troyes. Finalement après avoir comparé deux des dessins de Carrey, conservés au musée du Louvre à des tableaux attribués à  Cornelis de Wael (Drout, 1996), nous contestons leur attribution.

We observed EX Draconis in BV I colours for 40 nights, covering 3 outburst events, with the aim to study the disc evolution. Here, we present a preliminary eclipse-mapping study of some of the B band light curves obtained during the outburst in August 2000.

Recent studies suggest that leptin, the product of the obese gene, is produced by the placenta during pregnancy. The present study addressed the question whether second trimester maternal serum leptin could be altered by fetal Down syndrome or Edwards syndrome. Maternal serum leptin concentrations were measured in 18 pregnancies complicated with Down syndrome, six pregnancies complicated with Edwards syndrome and 183 uncomplicated pregnancies during the second trimester of pregnancy. The present results demonstrate that leptin concentrations in uncomplicated pregnancies slightly decrease from the 16th week of pregnancy, reaching a minimum of 18.8 ng/ml around the 20th week, and then rapidly increase to 28.2 ng/ml by the 24th week. Leptin correlation with maternal body weight decreases from r=0.695 at 16-17 week of gestation to r=0.544 at < 22 weeks of gestation. There was no significant difference between the mean MoMs of Down syndrome- (0.926) or Edwards syndrome- (0.960) affected pregnancies and normal pregnancies (1.002). A weak correlation (r=0.18, p<0.02) was observed between corrected leptin MoMs and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) MoMs in normal pregnancies. It is assumed that around the 20th week of pregnancy placental leptin production is activated or at least is accelerated and it is added to the amount of leptin produced by maternal adipose tissue. Fetal Down syndrome or Edwards syndrome does not seem to alter maternal leptin concentration and therefore leptin cannot be used as a marker for these chromosomal abnormalities in the early second trimester of pregnancy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bergeles, Nikos;  Haziharistos, Dimitris and Kamperidou, Rena (Irene).  The Meaning of the Term ‘Team’ (Omada) in the Epic Cycle. Proceedings of the 7th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science. Editors Maria Koskolou, Nickos Geladas, Vassilis Klissouras, Volume 2, Athens, 24-28 July, 2002, (0736/ p. 658).

During the last decade multiwavelength observations of blazars have revealed many interesting patterns in their emission across the EM spectrum. In the present article we will review the time-dependent one-zone models and the models which advocate an acceleration and a radiation zone, and we will make some comparisons between them, especially in light of recent observations of the so-called TeV blazars.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of large-scale gene expression profiles to distinguish broad categories of myopathy and subtypes of inflammatory myopathies (IM) and to provide insight into the pathogenesis of inclusion body myositis (IBM), polymyositis, and dermatomyositis. METHODS: Using Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays, the authors measured the simultaneous expression of approximately 10,000 genes in muscle specimens from 45 patients in four major disease categories (dystrophy, congenital myopathy, inflammatory myopathy, and normal). The authors separately analyzed gene expression in 14 patients limited to the three major subtypes of IM. Bioinformatics techniques were used to classify specimens with similar expression profiles based on global patterns of gene expression and to identify genes with significant differential gene expression compared with normal. RESULTS: Ten of 11 patients with IM, all normals and nemaline myopathies, and 10 of 12 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy were correctly classified by this approach. The various subtypes of inflammatory myopathies have distinct gene expression signatures. Specific sets of immune-related genes allow for molecular classification of patients with IBM, polymyositis, and dermatomyositis. Analysis of differential gene expression identifies as relevant to disease pathogenesis previously reported cytokines, major histocompatibility complex class I and II molecules, granzymes, and adhesion molecules, as well as newly identified members of these categories. Increased expression of actin cytoskeleton genes is also identified. CONCLUSIONS: The molecular profiles of muscle tissue in patients with inflammatory myopathies are distinct and represent molecular signatures from which diagnostic insight may follow. Large numbers of differentially expressed genes are rapidly identified.

We analyse 37 RXTE observations of the type 2 Seyfert galaxy Mrk 348 obtained over a period of 14 months. We confirm the spectral variability previously reported by Smith, Georgantopoulos & Warwick, in the sense that the column density decreases by a factor of ~3 as the count rate increases. Column density variations could possibly originate either from the random drift of clouds within the absorption screen, or from photoionization processes. Our modelling of the observed variations implies that the first scenario is more likely. These clouds should lie within a distance of >2 light-years from the source, having a diameter of a few light-days and a density of >107 cm-3 , hence probably residing outside the broad-line region.

The morphotectonic structure of the North Aegean Basin is studied on the basis of a new detailed swath bathymetric survey. The resulting bathymetric map is presented in reduction with 20-m isobaths. The slope analysis gives an accurate scheme of the geometry of the basin and distinction of several sub-basins (approximately 20). The overall basin geometry is a rectangular tetrahedron shaped by the major slope discontinuity separating the continental platform from the continental slope. The area distribution with depth shows a maximum at depths between 300 and 450 m along the sub-horizontal edge of the continental platform and at depths between 1000 and 1200 m at the basinal areas of the sub-basins. The separation of the western part of the North Aegean Basin from the eastern part (Saros Bay) is very clear in the area between Limnos and Thasos, with a maximum depth of 490 m. The 3.2% of the basin area is characterized by slope values >20%, which correspond to active fault zones. Their trend is NE-SW (N46o) and NW-SE (N136o). Some secondary E-W faults are also present within the basin with morphological expression only on the orientation of slopes <1%, reflecting deformation of the flat-lying deep parts of the basin’s interior. The overall geometry and inferred kinematics of the basin show an increase of both the vertical and horizontal components of the movement at the SW corner of the basin, where an opening of 40 km and a subsidence of 1600 m are contrasted to an opening of 20 km and a subsidence of 1000 m at the NE margin. The GPS data of the area showing an opening of 30 mm/yr are compatible with the above cumulative deformation for a neotectonic period of 4-5 Ma.

Objective: To evaluate postpartum MCH changes in the early postpartum period, and to examine whether neonatal MCA is related to that in maternal serum (MS) or milk. Study design: MCA was measured by EIA on the second and fifth postpartum day in serum and BM from 30 lactating women and their single term neonates. Sera from 20 healthy women (controls), were also analyzed. Results: All neonatal antigen concentrations were below the cut-off level for MCA (11ng/ml). MS MCA was significantly increased compared with that in controls (P<0.00001), while antigen values in BM were highly elevated (P<0.00001), with a significant increase (P<0.0003) from the second to the fifth postpartum day. A strong correlation was found between the second and fifth day postpartum samples in MS, neonatal serum and BM MCA concentrations (rs=0.94, P<0.00001; rs=0.75, P<0.00001 and rs=0.69, P<0.0001, respectively). A significant correlation was also found in MCA values on the fifth postpartum day between neonatal serum and BM (rs=0.54, P<0.02). Conclusions: From these findings one may speculate on some ripening process in milk production and a possible transition of MCA from the neonatal gastro-intestinal tract into circulation. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Purpose. To explore the quantitative structure pharmacokinetic relationships of the disposition parameters: clearance (CL), apparent volume of drug distribution (V-ap), fractal clearance (CLf), and fractal volume (v(f)) for 272 structurally unrelated drugs used in therapeutics. Methods. Literature data were used for CL and V-ap whereas CLf and v(f) were estimated as described previously (Pharm. Res. 18, 1056, 2001 and 19, 697, 2002). A variety of molecular descriptors expressing lipophilicity, ionization, molecular size and hydrogen bonding capacity were estimated using computer packages. The data were analyzed using multivariate statistics. For each disposition parameter (CL, V-ap, CLf, v(f)) PCA (principal component analysis) and PLS (projection to latent structures) were applied to the total set of data as well as to subsets of data. Results. Drugs were divided into two classes (I and II) according to their v(f) /V-ap ratio. Class I comprises 131 drugs with v(f) /V-ap >1, whereas class II 141 drugs with v(f) /V-ap < 1. After initial PLS analysis, class I was subdivided in subclusters I-a (30 drugs) and I-b (101 drugs). It was found that Ia included mostly acidic drugs with high protein binding, whereas class II comprises mainly basic, lipophilic compounds. No correlation was found between CL, V-ap, CLf and the used descriptors. Adequate PLS models were derived for v(f) considering subclusters I-a, I-b and class II separately. The low v(f) values of class I-a drugs were affected negatively from molecular size descriptors and non- polar surface area. For class I-b drugs with intermediate v(f) values, apparent lipophilicity contributed positively, although molecular size descriptors and polarity were inhibitory factors. The high v(f) values of class II drugs were positively dependent on intrinsic lipophilicity and increased basicity, whereas polarity entered with negative contribution. Conclusions. The parameters V-ap, CL, and CLf fail to reflect the physicochemical properties of drugs. The transformation of V-ap values to v(f) is the underlying cause for the valid models for v(f). These models allow a global consideration of molecular properties (lipophilicity, ionization, molecular size, polar surface area) which govern the distribution of drugs in the human body. The present study provides additional evidence for the physiologically sound concept of v(f)

On 7 September 1999 at 11:56 GMT a destructive earthquake (Mw = 6.0) occurred close to Athens (Greece). The rupture process is examined using data from the Cornet local permanent network, as well as teleseismic recordings. Data recorded by a temporary seismological network were analyzed to study the aftershock sequence. The mainshock was relocated at 38.105°N, 23.565°E, about 20 km northwest of Athens. Four foreshocks were also relocated close to the mainshock. The modeling of teleseismic P and SH waves provides a well-constrained focal mechanism of the mainshock (strike = 105°, dip = 55° and rake = -80°) at a depth of 8 km and a seismic moment M0 = 1.01025 dyn·cm. The obtained fault plane solution represents normal faulting indicating an almost north-south extension. More than 3500 aftershocks were located, 1813 of which present RMS < 0.1 s and ERH, ERZ < 1.0 km. Two main clusters were distinguished, while the depth distribution is concentrated between 2 and 11 km. Over 1000 fault plane solutions of aftershocks were constrained, the majority of which also correspond to N–S extension. No surface breaks were observed but the fault plane solution of the mainshock is in agreement with the tectonics of the area and with the focal mechanisms obtained by aftershocks. The hypocenter of the mainshock is located on the deep western edge of the fault plane. The relocated epicenter coincides with the fringe that represents the highest deformation observed on the differential interferometric image. The calculated source duration is 5 sec, while the estimated dimensions of the fault are 15 km length and 10 km width. The source process is characterized by unilateral eastward rupture propagation, towards the city of Athens. An evident stop phase observed in the recordings of the Cornet local stations is interpreted as a barrier caused by the Aegaleo Mountain.

Arbitrary null-subject constructions are a common property of null- subject languages. Their semantic and syntactic properties have been studied in the Principles and Parameters framework and have been attributed to the assignment of an arbitrary index at the Logical Form as a consequence of their licensing by the interaction of theta and case theory at the level of Deep Structure. In this paper we review the semantic and syntactic properties of arbitrary null-subjects in Greek and we try to analyse these properties in terms of the more general licensing principles of null-subjects and indefiniteness.

Nursing Information System (NIS) is a part of a health care information system that deals with nursing aspects, particularly the maintenance of the nursing record. The several objectives that a Nursing Information system should meet in order to succeed its aims, cover the users' needs and operate properly are described. The functions of such systems, which combine with the basic tasks of the nursing care process, are examined. As Nursing Information System is part of the health care and hospital information system, the different strategies and approaches for designing and developing Hospital Information Systems followed from the decade of 1970 until the recent decade of 1990, are presented. The three main approaches followed were the "centralized approach", the "departmental approach", and the "distributed approach". The advantages and drawbacks of each different approach are examined. For the implementation or upgrade of Nursing Information System a NIS committee comprised by different health care professionals, is necessary to be formed. The implementation and upgrade of a Nursing Information System follows some specific phases. These steps, include planning phase, analysis phase, design phase, development phase, implementation phase, and upgrade phase. A paragraph at the end of this chapter summarizes the future trends of Nursing Information Systems.

After the unexpected superoutburst of WZ Sge on July 23, 2001, the light curve was dominated by the orbital variability with a switch to dominating superhumps after August 5. The time series analysis of our data has shown, that the superhumps have started at the early stage of the superoutburst.

A series of 99mTcO[SN(R)S][S] complexes carrying the 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine moiety on the tridentate ligand [SN(R)S] was synthesized. For structural characterization and for in vitro binding assays the analogous oxorhenium complexes were prepared. As demonstrated by appropriate competition binding tests in rat hippocampal preparations, all oxorhenium analogues showed affinity for the 5-HT(1A) receptor binding sites with IC(50) values at the nanomolar range (IC(50)= 5.8-103 nM). All 99mTcO[SN(R)S]/[S] complexes showed significant brain uptake in rats at 2 min p.i. (0.24-1.31% ID). However, a clear correlation between distribution of radioactivity in the brain and distribution of 5-HT(1A) receptors could not be established.

Among the most important aspects of the atmospheric pollution problem are the anthropogenic impacts on the stratospheric ozone layer, the related trends of the total ozone content drop and the solar ultraviolet radiation enhancement at the Earth’s surface level. During September 2002, the ozone hole over the Antarctic was much smaller than in the previous six years. It has split into two separate holes, due to the appearance of sudden stratospheric warming that has never been observed before in the southern hemisphere.The analysis of this unprecedented event is attempted, regarding both the meteorological and photochemical aspects, in terms of the unusual thermal field patterns and the induced polar vortex disturbances.

The 88th Canon of  the Synod in Tullo (Trullo 88), punishing the crime of importing animal at church, remained for centuries at the backstage of canonical research, undermined, forgotten and misunderstood. This survey, brings the canon to the forefront, and spotlights its content as a most singnificant disclosure of the structure and theory of Church Criminal Law. The book is a manual of the General Part of Church Criminal Law: The action, the hypostasis of the crime, reasons of  lifting the unjust, external terms of criminality, criminal liabilty  are investigated in this "byzantine" canon. Last but not least:  a) we analyse how  the General Principle of  placing the Rights  Human Life and Health at the top of the Pyramid of Canonical Protection is provided by the Trullo 88 and is introduced to the whole Canon Law, b) we notice  the fact that the Canon introduces the Evangelic speech about the Sabbath into the field of Church Law, with serious consequences in the "philosophy" (=theology) of Orthodox Canon Law.

Purpose: We conducted this randomized study comparing the activity and toxicity of paclitaxel and gemcitabine (PG) and paclitaxel and carboplatin (PC) combinations for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients and Methods: Chemotherapy-naive patients were randomized to paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 on day 1 plus either carboplatin at an area under the concentration-time curve of 6 on day 1 (group A) or gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 (group B) every 3 weeks. A retrospective cost analysis was conducted using Student's t test to compare independent samples between groups. Results: A total of 509 patients (group A, 252 patients; group B, 257 patients) were enrolled; all characteristics were well balanced. The median survival time was 10.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.8 to 12 months) for group A and 9.8 months (95% CI, 8.0 to 11.7 months) for group B (P = .32). Respective 1-year survival rates were 41.7% and 41.4%. The response rate for group A was 28.0% (2% complete response [CR], 26% partial response [PR] [95% CI, 22% to 34%]), and the response rate for group B was 35.0% (5% CR, 30% PR) [95% CI, 29% to 41%]) (P = .12). Toxicity was mild. Grades 3/4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia for groups A and B were seen in 15% and 15%, 2% and 1%, and 5% and 2%, respectively. The mean total cost (outpatient clinic visits plus chemotherapy drug fee) for group A (€ 7,612.64) versus group B (€ 7,484.77) was not statistically significant (P < .66). Conclusion: The PG combination is as equally active and well tolerated as the PC combination in patients with advanced NSCLC. © 2002 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

We conducted a phase III study in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma (ACC). The total number of patients randomized from October 1993 until July 1998 was 192, whereas therapy was started on 179 and 158 (82.3%) have been evaluable. The treatment schedules consisted of weekly bolus administration for 6 weeks of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 600 mg/m2 (arm I) versus 5-FU (500 mg/m2) intravenous bolus and interferon-α, 5 MU subcutaneously, three times a week (arm II) versus leucovorin 200 mg/m2 in 2-hour infusion and 5-FU 500 mg/m2 intravenous bolus at the midtime of leucovorin infusion (arm III) followed by a 2-week rest period. Treatment was continued for six cycles or until progression. This study failed to show any superiority of the modulated 5-FU versus single administration of 5-FU. There were no significant differences between the three arms in the overall response rate (10.3% versus 11.3% versus 12.9%, p = 0.95), the time to tumor progression (median, 3.9 versus 3.8 versus 6.0 months, p = 0.59), or survival duration (median, 14.7 versus 12.4 versus 16.3 months, p = 0.71). The incidence of severe (grades III and IV) toxicity was significantly higher in patients in arm II and III (24.5% and 18.6%) versus arm I (6.0%) (p = 0.01). Because modulated 5-FU failed to show superiority versus 5-FU, new agents and new strategies are needed for the treatment of advanced colorectal carcinoma.

Three iron oxide pigments: Hematite, goethite and magnetite, have been synthesized from the copperas by-product produced as a waste material in large quantities in the titanium dioxide plant in Chemical Works "Police," Poland. These pigments have been characterized by X-ray diffractometry and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy and it has been found that they are mono-phase systems with only a small addition of other spurious phases. The electrical resistivity measurements reveals that the ion oxide samples are semiconductor materials. Conductivity of magnetite at room temperature is over six orders of magnitude greater than that of the other two materials. Photoacoustic (PA) spectra of hematite and goethite in the visual region of the electromagnetic radiation shows a single intense absorption peak centred at 558 and 480nm, respectively, while for the magnetite a continuous spectrum of increasing amplitude with increasing wavelength of the measurement is obtained. EPR spectra for the iron(III) complexes have been registered at room temperature which indicate hematite and goethite have only one similar EPR line centred at g ∼ 2 with different linewidths, while magnetite has two very intense overlapping and broad EPR lines centred at low and high magnetic resonance fields. Additional EPR line of Mn2+ ions has been also recorded for the hematite sample. Application of these pigments is discussed in terms of economic and environmental advantages. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate the effects of physical training on circulating proinflammatory cytokines and the soluble apoptosis mediators Fas (sFas) and Fas ligand (sFasL) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). BACKGROUND: Recent investigations have shown an overexpression of circulating proinflammatory cytokines and soluble apoptosis mediators in patients with CHF, which may be related to their exercise intolerance and clinical deterioration. METHODS: Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble TNF receptors I and II (sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII, respectively), interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R), sFas and sFasL were measured in 24 patients with stable CHF (New York Heart Association functional class II/III; left ventricular ejection fraction 23.2 +/- 1.3%) and in 20 normal control subjects before and after a 12-week program of physical training in a randomized, crossover design. Functional status of patients with CHF was evaluated by using a cardiorespiratory exercise test to measure peak oxygen consumption (VO2max). RESULTS: Physical training produced a significant reduction in plasma levels of TNF-alpha (7.5 +/- 1.0 pg/ml vs. 4.6 +/- 0.7 pg/ml, p < 0.001), sTNF-RI (3.3 +/- 0.2 ng/ml vs. 2.7 +/- 0.2 ng/ml, p < 0.005), sTNF-RII (2.6 +/- 0.2 ng/ml vs. 2.3 +/- 0.2 ng/ml, p = 0.06), IL-6 (8.3 +/- 1.2 pg/ml vs. 5.9 +/- 0.8 pg/ml, p < 0.005), sIL-6R (34.0 +/- 3.0 ng/ml vs. 29.2 +/- 3.0 ng/ml, p < 0.01), sFas (5.5 +/- 0.7 ng/ml vs. 4.5 +/- 0.8 ng/ml, p = 0.05) and sFasL (34.9 +/- 5.0 pg/ml vs. 25.2 +/- 4.0 pg/ml, p < 0.05), as well as a significant increase in VO2max (16.3 +/- 0.7 ml/kg per min vs. 18.7 +/- 0.8 ml/kg per min, p < 0.001). Good correlations were found between a training-induced increase in VO2max and a training-induced reduction in levels of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha (r = -0.54, p < 0.01) and the apoptosis inducer sFasL (r = -0.57, p < 0.005) in patients with CHF. In contrast, no significant difference in circulating cytokines and apoptotic markers was found with physical training in normal subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Physical training reduces plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines and the sFas/sFasL system in patients with CHF. These immunomodulatory effects may be related to the training-induced improvement in functional status of patients with CHF

The development of new hydrogen selective neutral carriers based on 3-hydroxypicolinic acid derivatives, and its application to pH selective liquid membrane ISE based on these compounds is described. The optimization of the sensor has been based on the use of different plasticizers, additives, and mole ratios of the picolinate derivatives. Based on these results it is shown that the membrane composition can be adjusted for the measurement of pH at very low pH values (down to pH -0.5) and up to at least pH 10. The ability of the presented carriers to measure hydrogen activities up to 3N gives new directions in the use of these sensors for a variety of critical applications.

We report on the second peak line H-sp and the possible phases of vortex matter near T-c for a detwinned underdoped YBa2Cu3O7-delta single crystal. Our local ac and dc permeability measurements revealed that the second peak line H-sp does not terminate either at the critical temperature or on the irreversibility line H-irr. Pronounced hysteretic behavior is observed in the regime below the second peak line H-sp. Below (above) a characteristic field the end point of the second peak differs from (coincides with) the irreversibility point, H(end point)not equalH(irr) (H(end point)equivalent toH(irr)). A possible reentrance of a dynamically ordered solid phase in the high-temperature regime near the irreversibility line is discussed.

Several famous athletes have been affected by ALS, and some epidemiologic studies have indicated that vigorous physical activity (heavy labor or athletics) is a risk factor for the disease. In a case-control study of 279 patients with motor neuron diseases and 152 with other neurologic diseases, the authors found that subjects with motor neuron diseases were more likely than controls to report they had always been slim or they had been varsity athletes. For slimness, the odds ratio (OR) was 2.21; 95% CI, 1.40 to 3.47. For varsity athletics, the OR was 1.70; CI, 1.04 to 2.76.

Water samples for coccolithophorid analysis were collected in August 2001, from 8 stations along a transect in the gulf of Korthi (Andros Island, Aegean sea). Samples were collected from 0-120m water-depth. Holococcolithophorid absolute abundances usually range between 7.29x103 and 0.06x103 cells/l. The derived distribution patterns indicate that holococcolithophorids bearing holococcoliths with convex cover above the tube, may constitute a significant part of the summer flora in the uppermost photic zone of the coastal waters of Andros island, showing affinities to shallower environments. 

Water samples for coccolithophorid analysis were collected in August 2001, from 8 stations along a transect in the gulf of Korthi (Andros Island, Aegean sea). Samples were collected from 0-120m water-depth. Holococcolithophorid absolute abundances usually range between 7.29x103 and 0.06x103 cells/l. The derived distribution patterns indicate that holococcolithophorids bearing holococcoliths with convex cover above the tube, may constitute a significant part of the summer flora in the uppermost photic zone of the coastal waters of Andros island, showing affinities to shallower environments. 

Micro-Raman measurements under hydrostatic pressures up to 6GPa have been carried out on high-quality La2-xSrxCuO4 polycrystalline compounds with Sr concentration up to x=0.45. The zz scattering polarization has been investigated, where two strong modes due to La/Sr and the apex oxygen, and (in the low Sr concentrations) the soft mode at ≃100cm-1 are observed. The frequency of the strong modes increases almost linearly with pressure for the Sr concentrations studied. Modifications in the increment rate dω/dp and the phonon width have been detected depending on the amount of doping. For x=0.45 a considerable increase in the width of both strong phonons with pressure was found, which must reflect a separation into phases, since this concentration is close to the solubility limit. The relative intensity of the strong phonons was investigated in connection with its correlation to the transition temperature.

The case is described of a 36 year-old man who presented with progressive proximal muscle weakness and weight loss. His serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) levels were markedly elevated. The muscle biopsy showed lipid storage myopathy. The muscle carnitine concentration was extremely low (5.6% of normal levels), establishing the diagnosis of myopathic carnitine deficiency. The disorder was considered as primary because there were no indications of any other identifiable condition which could result in a secondary carnitine deficiency. The patient was treated with oral L-carnitine (2 g per day) and showed rapid improvement. Primary myopathic carnitine deficiency is a curable disorder and therefore it should always be considered as a potential diagnosis in cases of myopathy in young adults.

The treatment of patients with recurrent low-grade lymphoma with the combination of fludarabine, mitoxantrone and dexamethasone has been associated with significant activity but has also caused frequent infectious complications. We designed a phase II study for previously untreated patients with the combination of fludarabine and mitoxantrone but without steroids. Our aim was to assess the activity of this combination as primary treatment for low-grade lymphoma and to avoid the additional immunosuppression induced by dexamethasone. Twenty seven patients with low-grade lymphoma received fludarabine 25 mg/m2/day IV on days 1-3 and mitoxantrone 10 mg/m2 IV on day 1. The treatment was repeated every 28 days for a maximum of six cycles. Twenty patients (74%) achieved an objective response including 12(44%) complete and 8(30%) partial responses. The main toxicity was grade III or IV neutropenia, which occurred in 40% of patients but there were no severe opportunistic infections. The median time to progression for all patients was 32 months. With a median follow-up of 33.4 months, six patients have died and the probability of survival at 3 years is 75%. We conclude that the fludarabine and mitoxantrone regimen is safe and effective for newly diagnosed patients with low-grade lymphoma who require treatment. Prospective randomized trials are needed in order to assess the impact of this treatment on patients' survival.

We consider the problem of predicting a risk index of an event on the base of several predictors. The specificity of the problem lies in the fact, that there are no training data; instead we have a set of logical rules describing in a fuzzy way several classes of the risk (’very low’, ’low’, ’medium’, ’high’ and ’very high’ risk). We present several problems and doubts we had met when trying to construct a predictor. After considering several alternatives we stated that a simple neural network architecture (with one perceptron) calculating logistic regression has given the best agreement with expert opinion. Thus,based on the rules, we are able to mimic the expert opinion by a neural network model.

BACKGROUND. Adverse effects of paclitaxel and carboplatin have been well described; however, pulmonary toxicity after patients receive this regimen has not been investigated extensively. METHODS. To clarify this issue, 33 consecutive patients who were treated with paclitaxel and carboplatin underwent prospective evaluation of respiratory function, which included pulmonary symptoms, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), arterial blood gas levels, and radiographic studies. Assessment was performed before and after completion of chemotherapy in all patients. Patients with substantial declines in PFTs, defined as a decline ≥ 20 percent in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), total lung capacity (TLC), or diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), were reassessed 5 months later. RESULTS. After chemotherapy, there were no significant changes in forced vital capacity (FVC; 111% ± 21% of the predicted value before chemotherapy vs. 111 ± 20% of the predicted value after chemotherapy), FEV1 (108% ± 24% of the predicted value before chemotherapy vs. 107% ± 22% of the predicted value after chemotherapy), FEV1/FVC ratio (79% ± 8% before chemotherapy vs. 78% ± 6% after chemotherapy), alveolar volume (VA; 95% ± 14% of the predicted value before chemotherapy vs. 96% ± 14% of the predicted value after chemotherapy), or TLC (96% ± 14% of the predicted value before chemotherapy vs. 97% ± 13% of the predicted value after chemotherapy). In contrast, there was a significant decline in DLCO (101% ± 20% of the predicted value before chemotherapy vs. 96 ± 21% of the predicted value after chemotherapy; P < 0.05). Arterial blood gas levels did not change after treatment. No patient had decreased FEV1 or TLC levels by ≥ 20%, whereas 4 of 33 patients (12%) exhibited a substantial decline (≥ 20%) in DLCO that persisted 5 months after treatment (DLCO at baseline, immediately after chemotherapy, and 5 months after the completion of chemotherapy, respectively: 99% ± 36% of the predicted value vs. 75% ± 28% of the predicted value vs. 74% ± 31% of the predicted value; P < 0.05). None of the 33 patients developed respiratory symptoms or had radiologic signs suggestive of lung toxicity. Among the various risk factors examined, baseline DLCO and FEV1 levels were associated with changes in DLCO post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS. This prospective analysis showed that the combination of paclitaxel with carboplatin induced an isolated decrease in DLCO level in the absence of clinical or radiologic evidence of toxicity. Further studies are needed to clarify whether this reduction in DLCO is predictive of subsequent pulmonary impairment. © 2002 American Cancer Society.

1. Introduction 2. Superlumminal Motion 3. Doppler Boosting 4. Photon-Photon Pair Binding 5. Synchrotron Radiation 6. Inverse Compton Scattering 6.1. Thomson Scattering 6.2. Klein-Nishina Limit 7. Synchro Self-Compton Radiation 8. Continuity Equation 9. Coda References

We analyse the fine structure of the type IV radio burst, during the main phase of the 14th July 2000 major event recorded by the radiospectrograph ARTEMIS-IV, in the 110-650 MHz (10 Hz sampling rate) and the 270-450 MHz (100 Hz rate) range. In this report we focus on variations in frequency drift rate and repetition rate of fibers bursts. A pronounced asymmetry between the number of bursts with positive and negative frequency drift is noted at certain time periods. These variations follow closely the evolution of the magnetic structure associated with the major solar event and the onset of the corresponding CME.

Rhinoviruses are the major cause of common colds and of asthma exacerbations. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) has a central role in airway inflammation and is the receptor for 90% of rhinoviruses. Rhinovirus infection of airway epithelium induces ICAM-1. Because redox state is directly implicated in inflammatory responses via molecular signaling mechanisms, here we studied the effects of reducing agents on rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 expression, mRNA up-regulation, promoter activation, and nuclear factor activation. To investigate the effects of rhinovirus infection on the intracellular redox balance, we also studied whether rhinovirus infection triggers the production of reactive oxygen species. We found that reduced (GSH) but not oxidized (GSSG) glutathione (1-100 microM) inhibited in a dose-dependent manner rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 up-regulation and mRNA induction in primary bronchial and A549 respiratory epithelial cells. GSH but not GSSG also inhibited rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 promoter activation and rhinovirus-induced NF-kB activation. In parallel, we found that rhinovirus infection induced a rapid increase of intracellular superoxide anion that was maximal at the time of NF-kB activation. This oxidant generation was completely inhibited by GSH. We conclude that redox-mediated intracellular pathways represent an important target for the therapeutic control of rhinovirus-induced diseases.

The large-scale dynamical processes associated with an exceptionally dry and warm autumn during 1993 in Greece were studied. On the regional scale, it was found that low-frequency eddies prevailed over Europe in the form of a block with large-scale descending motion persisting throughout the whole troposphere. Moreover, the subtropical jet was unusually positioned much farther north over the Balkan peninsula and oscillated between this position and one over the central mainland of Greece where it interacted with the southern part of the polar front jet. On the global scale, it was found that this type of atmospheric circulation over Europe was closely related with a region of latent heat release in convective clouds over the tropics between the longitudes 100° and 120°E, and the formation of a steady divergence system at 150 hPa over the same region, strongly affecting the global rotational flow. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Andros is the 2nd biggest island in Cyclades. Its morphology is intense and derives from the lithological and tectonical characteristics of the island. In this paper we studied Andro’s island environmental characteristics using Remote Sensing and GIS techniques. A GIS database was developed including all the corresponding geographical, geological, geomorphological and environmental characteristics. Moreover, an environmental map was developed at a 1:50.000 scale that elaborates all the above data. Remote Sensing techniques were also used in combination to the traditional cartographical methods, in order to locate with maximum accuracy all these data and input them in the GIS.

In response to the Israeli-Turkish strategic partnership of the 1990s Greece was driven closer than ever before to Israel. By the end of the 1990s it was clear that Athens had reached a turning point in its policy towards Israel. The PASOK government wished to maintain Greece's traditionally good relations with the Arabs. Nevertheless, it was ready to risk upsetting them in the pursuit of a good relationship with Israel. The promotion of relations with Jerusalem (underdeveloped for over 40 years), was understood to serve national policy goals. It was viewed as part of Greece's strategy towards Turkey (Greece's perennial adversary), as well as of its policy of full alignment with the US and its EU partners. Developments in the regional environment and the ability of the Greek government to respond to opportunities will determine whether Greek-Israeli relations could grow in substance.

Rhinovirus (RV) infection is the commonest trigger of acute asthma exacerbations; however, the immune response to these viruses and any potential implications in the mechanisms leading to asthma exacerbations are not well understood.|To assess the effects of in vitro RV infection on the phenotype and expression of costimulatory molecules on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from normal and atopic asthmatic subjects, as a model for RV antigen presentation.|PBMC from seven normal and seven asthmatic subjects were exposed to one infectious unit/cell of RV16 for 48 h. Surface expression of CD25, CD28, CD40, CD54, CD80, CD86 and CTLA-4 was evaluated on CD3, CD4, CD8, CD14 and CD19 PBMC subpopulations by three-colour flow cytometry.|No changes in the percentage of CD3, CD4, CD8 or CD19 were observed. CD14 was significantly reduced by the infection and this was more pronounced in normal subjects. On Th cells CTLA-4 was increased after RV infection only in the asthmatic group. Levels of CD80 and CD86 in the control cultures were lower in the asthmatic group. RV infection induced a significant increase of CD80 on monocytes and of CD86 on B cells, which occurred in both groups but were less marked in atopic asthmatic subjects.|Exposure of PBMC to RV is able to activate the antigen presentation machinery. Differences between normal and atopic asthmatic individuals are compatible with the hypothesis that an aberrant immune response to RV may be involved in the development of acute exacerbations in atopic asthmatic subjects.

OBJECTIVE: The etiology of most cases of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) has not been elucidated. We have undertaken an investigation in Greece to determine the risk profile of adult de-novo MDS. METHODS: A case-control investigation was conducted in a large Veterans' hospital over a five-year period, covering 84 MDS cases and 84 age- and gender-matched controls with minor non-neoplastic non-infectious conditions from the same study base. Cases and controls reported to the medically trained principal investigator lifestyle characteristics and medical histories, with emphasis on autoimmune disorders and allergic conditions. RESULTS: Alcohol intake and tobacco smoking jointly increased significantly the risk of MDS (odd ratio contrasting ever smokers and regular drinkers of at least one glass per day to never smokers and drinkers of less than one glass per day: 9.54. 95% CI 3.52-25.82) whereas each of these factors alone had limited effect. There was also evidence that autoimmune conditions, but not allergic disorders, were positively associated with MDS risk, irrespective of their occurrence during the recent (less than ten years) or the remote (more than ten years) past (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.15-9.74; OR 3.50, 95% CI 1.19-10.26, respectively). CONCLUSION: We found evidence that both exogenous and endogenous factors may play a role in the etiology of the so-called "de novo" myelodysplastic syndromes, but these findings need further confirmation.

We consider the effect of different approximations to the dielectric function of a silver sphere on the absorption of light by two-dimensional and three-dimensional periodic and non-periodic arrays of non-overlapping silver spheres in a host dielectric medium. We also present some results on the band structure and the absorption coefficient of light by photonic crystals consisting of non-overlapping silver-coated spheres in a dielectric medium.

Using the multiple-scattering formalism we developed in a previous work, and extended here, we analyze available experimental data on the transmission of longitudinal waves in the system: water-slab of polyester-water, the slab of polyester having a plane of glass or lead or steel spheres in the middle. The theoretical results reproduce accurately the measured spectra and provide a transparent physical picture of the underlying processes. In particular, the dips in the observed spectra are attributed to multiple wave scattering between the spheres, and are related to hybridization-induced gaps in the frequency band structure of the longitudinal elastic modes of a corresponding infinite crystal.

Immunomediators seem to have a central role in the immune system of both human milk and newborn infants. CD31/PECAM-1 is an adhesion molecule, member of Ig gene superfamily, mediating cell-cell adhesion in both homophilic and heterophilic ways. Levels of the soluble form of PECAM-1 (sPECAM-1) were evaluated on the 2nd and 5th day postpartum in breast milk and serum paired samples from 20 lactating women as well as in time-matched serum from their single, term, healthy neonates. Concentrations of sPECAM-1 in breast milk (median, range) on both the 2nd (2.05 ng/ml, 0.0-7.2) and 5th day postpartum (0.89 ng/ml, 0.0-3.6) were about 10 and 20 times lower than those (mean ± SD) in controls (healthy adults) (19.83 ± 5.17, p < 7 × 10-8), showing a significant fall from the 2nd to the 5th day postpartum (p < 0.0005). Maternal serum sPECAM-1 values (mean ± SD) were significantly lower on the 2nd day postpartum (14.21 ± 5.15 ng/ml) than those in controls (p < 0.002), but reached control values on the 5th day postpartum after a significant rise (p < 0.0075). Neonatal serum sPECAM-1 values with no significant difference between the 2nd (14.4 ± 4.11 ng/ml) and 5th day of life (14.54 ± 4.99 ng/ml) were significantly lower than those in controls (p < 0.002). Values of sPECAM-1 in milk and sera of lactating mothers and their neonates on the 2nd day postpartum depended on the mode of delivery, being significantly lower after caesarean section (p < 0.034, p < 0.0075 and p < 0.035, respectively). In conclusion, our findings in the early postpartum period demonstrate that: (a) sPECAM-1 is present in human milk in low and decreasing concentrations; (b) the shedding of sPECAM-1 is an established component of the neonatal immune system from birth, though in lower concentrations than in adults, possibly reflecting its immaturity; and (c) the mode of delivery has a significant effect on sPECAM-1 values in milk and sera of lactating mothers and their neonates; the lower values after caesarean section may reveal a deranged endothelial homeostasis. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solitary bone and extramedullary plasmacytomas are rare plasma cell proliferative disorders. Their diagnosis is based on histologic confirmation of monoclonal plasma cell infiltration of a single disease site and on the exclusion of systemic myeloma. For both entities, the treatment of choice is localized radiotherapy. With modern radiotherapy and with a total dose of at least 4000 cGy, the risk for local recurrence is less than 5%. There is no role for systemic chemotherapy in the management of these disorders. Approximately 30% of patients with solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) remain disease-free for several years; some of these patients may be cured. Patients with the best prognosis are those in whom the monoclonal protein disappears by 1 year after radiotherapy. The prognosis of patients with solitary extramedullary plasmacytoma (SEP) appears to be better than for patients with SBP because approximately 70% of patients with SEP remain disease-free at 10 years. With more sensitive staging procedures, the diagnosis of SBP and SEP may become less common, but the number of patients with prolonged stability and cure may increase.

The purpose of this chapter is to present a conceptual framework that applies to almost all statistical procedures discussed so far in this text. We also describe briefly, using a conceptual framework only, some of the more advanced techniques used in medicine.

Stomata of various sizes are produced on the primary root of Ceratonia siliqua L. Most are generated during embryogenesis, prior to seed desiccation. They can be detected on the dry embryo in a wide zone just above the root tip. Initially, large stomata are formed. These have the ability to induce divisions of their neighbouring cells, creating particular cell patterns around them. Later, small perigenous stomata are generated. As the root grows following seed germination, the stomatal zone overlaps with that of the root hairs. Although root stomata of C. siliqua undergo a structural differentiation that seems almost identical to that of the elliptical stomata formed on leaves, they are unable to move and remain permanently open. Polarizing microscopy of fully differentiated stomata and young stomata at the stage of stomatal pore formation revealed deposition of radial cellulose microfibril systems on their periclinal walls. However, these systems were less developed than those on leaf stomata, a feature that might he responsible for their inactivity. Besides, plastids of the root guard cells (GCs) do not differentiate into chloroplasts but function solely as amyloplasts. Root stomata have a short life span. During rapid and intense root growth, GCs cannot keep pace with the elongation of their neighbouring rhizodermal cells. They therefore split in their mid-region, transversely to the stoma axis. The two parts of the transversely torn stoma are dragged apart and a large opening is formed on the root surface, just above the substomatal cavity. The root stomata, together with these openings, may facilitate increased gaseous exchange during respiration and/or an increased transfer of some nutrients and water in the rapidly growing primary root. © 2002 Annals of Botany Company.

In this paper we study the coastal zone in the region of Acheloos’ river mouth and delta. In recent years, this region has been subjected to a series of environmental changes, primarily due to intense human activity concerning large hydroelectricdams. These dams created between 1960 and 1986 are responsible for important changes of the river’s flow. The purpose of this study is to record the changes that have occurred between those years and present time; to define and analyze their possible consequences on the coastal geomorphology of the region. For this reason we used topographical and geological maps (scale 1:50.000), aerial photos (scale 1:33.000) and finally satellite photos. A geographical database has been created in a GIS with environmental, geological, geomorphological and anthropogenic features of the studied area. All digital data were analyzed spatially and quantitative in order to describe the change of delta shape, size and finally the occupied land use. Finally different thematic maps were created showing the geomorphological and environmental changes during those years.

We propose that the internal energy of the gamma-ray burst (GRB) blast waves, thought to be stored in the form of relativistic protons comoving with the blast wave, is converted explosively (i.e., on light crossing timescales) into relativistic electrons of the same Lorentz factor, which are responsible for the production of observed prompt γ-ray emission of the burst. This conversion is the result of the combined effects of the reflection of photons produced within the flow by upstream located matter, their reinterception by the blast wave, and their eventual conversion into e+e- pairs in interactions with the relativistic protons of the blast wave (via the pγ-->pe+e- reaction). This entire procedure is contingent on two conditions on the relativistic protons: a kinematic one imposed by the threshold of the pγ-->pe+e- reaction and a dynamic one related to the column density of the postshock matter to the same process. This latter condition is in essence identical to that of the criticality of a nuclear pile, hence the terminology. It is argued that the properties of relativistic blast waves operating under these conditions are consistent with GRB phenomenology, including the recently found correlation between quiescence periods and subsequent flare fluence. Furthermore, it is shown that, when operating near threshold, the resulting GRB spectrum produces its peak luminosity at an energy (in the lab frame) E~=mec2, thereby providing an answer to this outstanding question of GRBs.

An efficient route for the synthesis of enantiopure unnatural α-amino acids and 2-amino alcohols was developed. The synthesis is based on the Wittig-type olefination of 3-benzyloxy-2-(tertbutoxycarbonylamino)propanal with various ylides.

An efficient synthesis of (S)-α-amino oleic acid was developed. The fully protected FA derivative was obtained in four steps starting from methyl (2S)-2-[bis(tert-butoxycar-bonyl)amino]-5-oxopentanoate. These steps are (i) olefination of the starting aldehyde with the appropriate phosphonate anion, (ii) hydrogenation of the double bonds, (iii) controlled reduction of ω-ethyl ester to an aldehyde in the presence of α-methyl ester, and (iv) a Wittig reaction of the latter aldehyde with the suitable ylide. Free α-amino oleic acid was prepared after deprotection of the amino group followed by saponification in a total yield of 24%. N-tert-Butoxycarbonyl-protected amino oleic acid and the corresponding amino alcohol were prepared in high yield. The structures of the products have been established by various spectroscopic techniques.

We present a systematic method for constructing two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with compressible flow in Cartesian geometry. This systematic method has already been developed in spherical geometry and applied in modelling solar and stellar winds and outflows (Vlahakis & Tsinganos \cite{Vlahakis98}) but is derived here in Cartesian geometry in the context of the solar atmosphere for the first time. Using the method we find several new classes of solutions, some of which generalise known solutions, including the Kippenhahn & Schlüter (\cite{Kippenhahn57}) and Hood & Anzer (\cite{Hood90}) solar prominence models and the Tsinganos et al. (\cite{Tsinganos93}) coronal loop model with flow, and some of which are completely new. Having developed the method in full and summarised the several classes of solutions, we explore in a some detail one of the classes to illustrate the general construction method. From one of the new classes of solutions we calculate two loop-like solutions, one of which is the first exact two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium with trans-Alfvénic flow.

We present a systematic method for constructing two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with compressible flow in Cartesian geometry. This systematic method has already been developed in spherical geometry and applied in modelling solar and stellar winds and outflows (Vlahakis & Tsinganos \cite{Vlahakis98}) but is derived here in Cartesian geometry in the context of the solar atmosphere for the first time. Using the method we find several new classes of solutions, some of which generalise known solutions, including the Kippenhahn & Schlüter (\cite{Kippenhahn57}) and Hood & Anzer (\cite{Hood90}) solar prominence models and the Tsinganos et al. (\cite{Tsinganos93}) coronal loop model with flow, and some of which are completely new. Having developed the method in full and summarised the several classes of solutions, we explore in a some detail one of the classes to illustrate the general construction method. From one of the new classes of solutions we calculate two loop-like solutions, one of which is the first exact two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium with trans-Alfvénic flow.

Objective: To study the effect of 17β-estradiol+norethisterone acetate and raloxifene on the endometrium and uterine volume in postmenopausal women. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to 17β-estradiol 2 mg+norethisterone acetate 1mg (E2+NETA) daily (n=90) or raloxifene HCl 60 mg (Evista) daily (n=43). Transvaginal sonography was done at baseline and at 6, 12 and 18 months, and at 6 and 12 months in-patients treated with E2+NETA and EVISTA respectively. Patients were asked to record bleeding-spotting episodes. Whenever required patients were referred for hysteroscopy±biopsy of the endometrium. Results: Patients under E2+NETA had a higher bleeding-spotting incidence (48.6%) compared with EVISTA (7.7%). Endometrial thickness increased significantly under E2+NETA as compared with baseline; however, at end point thickness reverted to baseline values. Evista had a non-stimulatory effect on the endometrium. Changes in uterine volume were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Both treatment regimens provided comparable uterine safety. However, raloxifene exhibited a more favorable safety profile on the uterus as expressed in the bleeding-spotting incidence and the effect on endometrial thickness and uterine volume. Transvaginal sonography appears to be a dependable method for monitoring the effect of treatment on the uterus. © 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction: During the last few years epirubicin (E) and mitoxantrone (M) (Novantrone) have been used in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), because of their favorable principal profile. In particular, M has less severe non-hematological toxicity. Patients and methods: A randomized multicenter phase III study was conducted in order to compare the efficacy and toxicity of CEOP and CNOP in intermediate- and high-grade NHL. CEOP (arm A) consisted of cyclophosphamide 1000 mg m-2, vincristine 2 mg, E 70 mg m-2 on day 1 and prednisone 60 mg on days 1-7. The CNOP regimen (arm B) was identical to CEOP except for replacement of E by M at a dose of 12 mg m-2. Randomization was stratified according to stages I-IV. From September 1993 to March 1999, 249 patients registered for the trial. Patient characteristics were equally distributed in the two arms, except for age and International Prognostic Index (IPI) groups. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups in the rates of complete (CR) and partial response (PR). The overall response rate was 78% in arm A (57% CR, 21% PR) and 82% in arm B (60% CR, 22% PR). With a median follow-up time of 47.3 months, the median survival was not reached in arm A, while it was 39.5 months in arm B (P=0.09). Three-year survival rates were 62.5% for CEOP and 51.5% for CNOP. There was no significant difference regarding the time to progression between the two groups (29.7 vs. 18.5 months); furthermore the median duration of CRs was 71.6 and 49 months for CEOP and CNOP, respectively (P=0.07). The therapeutic efficacies of both regimens were equivalent among the four IPI groups. More alopecia was observed in arm A. WHO grade >2 neutropenia was more frequent in arm B. Supportive treatment with G-CSF was given to 22 and 24 patients, respectively. Conclusion: There were no significant differences in terms of overall response rates, overall survival and time to progression between CEOP and CNOP in the treatment of intermediate- and high-grade NHL. Patients with low or low intermediate IPI risk treated with either CEOP or CNOP showed significantly better survival, response rates and time to progression than those with high intermediate or high IPI risk. Therefore, new improved therapeutic approaches should be developed for the treatment of high IPI risk patients.

Purpose: Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) is a low-grade lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma in which CD20 is usually expressed on tumor cells. There is evidence that patients with WM may benefit from treatment with the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab. We performed a prospective phase II study to clearly define the activity of rituximab in patients with this disease. Patients and Methods: Twenty-seven patients with WM were treated with rituximab 375 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) for 4 weeks. Three months after completion of rituximab, patients without evidence of progressive disease received repeat 4-week courses of this agent. All patients were symptomatic, their median age was 72 years, and 15 patients were previously untreated. Results: Twelve patients (44%; 95% confidence interval, 25.5% to 64.7%) achieved a partial response after treatment with rituximab. Median time to response was 3.3 months (range, 2.2 to 7.1 months). Responses occurred in six (40%) of 15 previously untreated patients and in six (50%) of 12 pretreated patients. Patients with a serum immunoglobulin M less than 40 g/L had a significantly higher response rate. The median time to progression for all patients was 16 months, and with a median follow-up of 15.7 months, nine of 12 responding patients remain free of progression. Treatment with rituximab was well tolerated, with approximately one fourth of patients experiencing some mild form of infusion-related toxicity, usually fever and chills. Conclusion: Our prospective data indicate that rituximab is well tolerated and active in patients with WM. Previously untreated and pretreated patients seem to benefit equally. Repeat 4-week courses of rituximab may prolong the duration of response of the disease, but this observation requires confirmation in prospective, randomized trials. Furthermore, studies that will combine rituximab with chemotherapy may be relevant. © 2002 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Background: The usefulness of tumor volumetry in ovarian epithelial cancer has never been intensively investigated. The aim of the present study was to determine the value of quantitative analysis of tumor volume as a predictive method for response to treatment and as a prognostic method for disease outcome. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five women with advanced ovarian cancer who presented with measurable disease on CT scan prior to chemotherapy were retrospectively studied. The patients were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. The median follow-up was 113.36 weeks. An independent radiologist identified and delineated tumor contours in each slice of sequential CT scans before and after therapy. Volumetry was measured with a three-dimensional approach by utilizing a digitizer and a specific algorithm on a software computed program. Results: Data were analyzed according to initial and to residual tumor volumes. Patients with low initial volume of <52 cm3 exhibited higher responses (p<0.01), while patients with medium (52-165 cm3) or high (> 165 CM3) initial tumor volume had a shorter time to progression (p<0.01). Patients without or with low residual volume of <35 cm3 were found to have a longer time to progression (p<0.05) and longer survival (p<0.01 and p<0.05). In addition, serum CA 125 levels followed precisely tumor volumetry for both initial and residual disease. Conclusion: Tumor volumetry in advanced ovarian cancer was found to have predictive value for response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Initial tumor volume has prognostic significance only for the time to progression, whereas residual tumor volume has for both time to progression and survival.

We study the spin-dependent transport in expitaxial Ferromagnet/Insulator/Ferromagnet junctions. Firstly we show that the tunneling through the insulator can be described by the complex band structure of the insulator in the gap region, i.e. by the metal-induced gap states. Since the imaginary part of the Bloch vector describes the decay of the wave function, we calculate the spectrum of the decay parameters K for several semiconductors. For large thicknesses the state with the smallest K-value dominates the current. In the second part we present the results of ground state calculation for Fe/ZnSe/Fe(001) and related junctions. We obtain a rather localized charge transfer from the interface Fe layer to the neighbouring semiconductor layer, which is largest for the low-valent termination. Moreover we find that the local moments at the interface depend sensitively on the lattice parameter chosen. Finally, we show that in the minority band at E(F) an Fe interface state exists, which deeply penetrates into the barrier.

Our effort in this text aims to identify the possibilities for mutual cultural understanding between civilizations of the Eastern- and Western- type (e.g. Turkey and Greece), on the one hand, and to suggest, on the other, that more challenges exist -from a geopolitical point of view- which could be exploited by future Turkish actors of power, whose intentions are not always clear. As will be clarified throughout this text, it is our belief that everything depends on the intentions of those who control these political tools. Indeed, only their democratic management may lead to the result which the peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean long for, i.e. peace, international justice and respect for the human rights and political freedoms of their nations and national groups. Nevertheless, any special reference to the Turkish Islamic internalized -as well as comparative- Sufi fraternities should be superseded by an overview of the Islamic and the Sufi syncretic Fraternities, their place in history, as well as by their examination in terms of ideology, in the framework of modern Islam and of the modern Turkish society. It is through this course of examination that we shall be able to draw conclusions on the correlation of these Fraternities with political activity, and to determine the forms, the levels and the qualities of this activity -which is placed well beyond the strict orthodox limits of the official Sunnite Islam of the state and viewed with mixed emotions by the governmental Directorate of Religious Affairs, the Diyanettleri Başkanhi. First of all, we should acknowledge the social necessity of this concept, i.e. the internalized and ideologically, eschatologically, and ethically “charged” Islam, as contrasted to the “dehydrated” legalistic Islam -whose only concern are the Five Fundamental Religious Duties and the observance of the Shari’a. This “internalized Islam”, an Islam so complex and unknown and not susceptible of generalizations, an Islam which in the final analysis is an “Islam of veneer”, consists essentially of a part of the widespread network of the Orders that have been present and operating in the Muslim world for around eight centuries. These Orders must be examined from this -geopolitical- perspective and clearly classified as Islamic, of Islamic origin or Islamic-like Orders. The aim of this text is to set a basis for this research and classification, to the extent permitted by its scope. This continuous phenomenon revives and settles, based on the conjuncture. It remains, however, dark and inaccessible, for the most part, because the Fraternities do not operate legally in all cases and are rather internalizing organizations which do not reveal their affairs to the “profane” society.

Whether or not political islam constitutes a threat for the regime of Turkey -secular by inference- remains an either sincere or hypocritical, yet always invariable, question for the western decision-making and international political influence centres.

Pour aborder ce problème à multiples facettes, il est nécessaire de traiter d’abord des trois questions qui suivent, vues toujours par rapport à la question de la volonté américaine d’exercer une hégémonie politique et militaire sur l’espace eurasiatique et sur son complément maritime, la Méditerranée.

Per poter trattare adeguatamente questo problema dai molteplici aspetti, dobbiamo dapprima affrontare le seguenti tre questioni, di concerto nondimeno con l’ulteriore questione che riguarda la volontà americana di esercitare la propria egemonia politico-militare nell’area eurasiatica e nel suo complemento marittimo, il Mediterraneo.

The average pressure distribution at mean sea level and the vertical structure of synoptic scale surface cyclones (with central pressure less than 1000 hPa) that occur in the Mediterranean region is studied for a 40 year period (1958-1997) on a seasonal and daily basis. The cyclonic occurrences are studied in three regions of enhanced cyclonic activity: gulf of Genoa, Southern Italy and Cyprus. The cyclones are identified with the aid of an objective method based on grid point values, available every 6 hours. The analysis revealed different characteristics of the cyclones that occur in the three regions, reflecting the different mechanisms that are responsible for their occurrence in each region. For the Genoa region the cyclone pressure minimum is located over the gulf, associated with orographic forcing, while surface dynamics occur further south. Over Southern Italy, the pressure minimum covers a wide area, whilst the surface dynamics are found to act in the same region, becoming more important in winter and spring. The pressure minimum of cyclones over Cyprus is located over the land during winter and spring and is influenced by surface dynamics and orography.

Background: The aim of this study is firstly to determine the response rates and toxicity of two regimens containing vinblastine (VBL) in combination with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and secondly to evaluate the additional efficacy of 13-cis retinoic acid (13-CRA) in RCC. Methods: Twenty-nine patients were included in the first trial (Trial 1) and 40 in the second one (Trial 2). The therapy given in Trial 1 consisted of VBL 0.15 mg/kg i.v. every 2 weeks and IFN-γ 100 μg s.c. 3 times weekly. In Trial 2, the therapy consisted of the same two drugs, in the same doses, plus oral 13-CRA 40 mg/day. Results: In Trial 1 there were 3 (10.3%) patients with complete response, 3 (10.3%) patients with partial response, 8 (27.6%) patients with stable disease and 15 (51.7%) patients with progressive disease. In Trial 2, there was no complete response, however, 3 (7.5%) patients had partial response. Additionally, 15 (37.5%) patients maintained stable disease and 14 (35%) patients had progressive disease. In Trial 1, the median survival was 12.56 months (95% CI, 6.8-18.3, range 0.59-42.49) and the median time to progression was 3.21 months (95% CI, 1.7-4.7, range 0.03-42.49). In Trial 2, the median survival was 9.54 months (95% CI, 5.9-13.1, range 0.43-24.1) and the median time to progression was 3.9 months (95% CI, 0.8-7, range 0.26-24.1). In Trial 1, granulocytopenia grade 3 and 4 appeared in 5 (17.2%) patients and anaemia grade 3 in 1 (3.4%) patient. In Trial 2, there were grade 3 toxicities, as granulocytopenia in 5 (12.5%) patients, anemia in 4 (10.0%) patients, stomatitis in 3 (7.5%) patients, fatigue/ malaise in 3 (7.5%) patients and 1 (2.5%) had diarrhea. No toxic deaths occurred in both studies. Conclusion: The use of IFN-γ does not enhance the low response of VBL-based chemotherapy. The additional administration of 13-CRA with the combination of VBL and IFN-γ does not add to the efficacy of this combination in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. New active agents are needed to treat patients with this disease. Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel.

We develop a two-stage multiple-scattering formalism for the calculation of photonic bands generated by chains of defects in photonic crystals consisting of nonoverlapping spheres, and for the calculation of the transmission of light through straight and bent waveguides of such chains. We apply the method to a specific example which demonstrates that transmission through a bent waveguide occurs with the same efficiency as for a straight waveguide.

The wreath with which the victors in the Olympic Games are crowned today is neither a contemporary custom nor a tradition that simply accompanies a formal ritual. On the contrary, this tradition can be traced back into the distant past, with its roots in very old customs, back when truth and reason were sweetly mixed with imagination and myth. This paper follows the importance of the crowning of the victor in athletic competitions, or games, linking this event with its multiple manifestations in various events of modern-day cultural reality. The wreath of the competition winners has, as such, different moral symbolisms, some of which have been lost with the passage of time while others survived and have been passed on to the present. These symbolisms trace back to the age of mythology, back to when every natural phenomenon took on metaphysical dimensions. These magical interpretations are the remnants of tree worship, then when the non-civilized man believed in the theory of "animism". Later, these theories of the beneficial effects of the sacred branch or protection from bad influences were concealed under an agricultural nature of the economy and corresponding beliefs were incorporated. Later, animism evolved into poly-theism, giving religious content to these perceptions, such as that of forgiveness, an idea that does not belong to the field of magic, but religion. Other important values are those of chastity, of catharsis, and the symbol of world peace, that survive to our days, despite their tough competition from the financial value that athletic victories mean today. In general, however, the symbolisms and above interpretations of the competition victor’s crowning wreath confirm the theory that athletics is a “microcosm”, and a mirror of social development that reflects the course of society.

____ Πανεπιστημιακές σημειώσεις μαθήματος ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ «ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΥ» ΧΟΡΟΥ», ως διδάκτορας Ιστορικής Κοινωνιολογίας Ζωγράφου, Μάγδα, Κουτσούμπα, Μαρία, & Ειρήνη, Καμπερίδου (2002). «ΕΝΑ ΥΠΕΡΟΧΟ ΓΥΜΝΑΣΤΙΚΟ ΚΑΤΟΡΘΩΜΑ». Ο ΧΟΡΟΣ ΚΑΙ Η ΦΥΣΙΚΗ ΚΙΝΗΣΗ ΩΣ ΣΥΜΒΟΛΑ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗΣ ΚΑΤΩΤΕΡΟΤΗΤΑΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΟΘΩΜΑΝΙΚΗ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ, σελ. 1-16. Κύκλος Σπουδών Ελληνικού Παραδοσιακού Χορού. Πανεπιστημιακές Σημειώσεις για το μάθημα της ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ ΤΟΥ "ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΥ" ΧΟΡΟΥ, ΤΕΦΑΑ (ΕΚΠΑ) Εκδόσεις  ART WORK, Αθήνα.Abstract istoria_toy_ellinikoy_horoy_2002.pdf  

Το άρθρο αναφέρεται στα κυριότερα σημεία του  ομότιτλου συνεδρίου που έλαβε χώρα στο Νταβός της Ελβετίας τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2001. Περιγράφονται με συντομία οι απόψεις των εισηγητών, σημαντικών επιστημόνων που ασχολούνται με βιοηθικά θέματα σ’ όλο τον κόσμο. Τέλος, αναφέρονται  τα πορίσματα του συνεδρίου.

Το θέμα του βιβλίου είναι επίκαιρο εν όψει της μεταρρυθμίσεως του συστήματος κοινωνικών ασφαλίσεων στην Ελλάδα και εν όψει του κοινοτικού ενδιαφέροντος για την επικουρική κοινωνική ασφάλιση. Για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση το κύριο ερώτημα είναι με ποιο τρόπο οι φορείς της επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως και οι ασφαλισμένοι θα επωφεληθούν από τις ελευθερίες που κατοχυρώνει η ενιαία αγορά. Τα ειδικότερα θέματα που απασχολούν σε σχέση με την επικουρική κοινωνική ασφάλιση είναι η  διευκόλυνση της ελεύθερης κυκλοφορίας των προσώπων και κεφαλαίων, η θέσπιση ενιαίων κανόνων εποπτείας για τους φορείς επικουρικής κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως και η επίδραση της φορολογίας. Το Δικαστήριο των Ευρωπαϊκών Κοινοτήτων με σειρά αποφάσεών του, από το 1993, ασχολήθηκε με τη σχέση μεταξύ των καθεστώτων επικουρικής κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως και της εφαρμογής των κανόνων του ευρωπαϊκού κοινοτικού δικαίου για τον ανταγωνισμό. Το θέμα αυτό είναι σημαντικό, διότι η άποψη ότι πρόκειται για επιχειρήσεις διευκολύνει την ελεύθερη διακίνηση των υπηρεσιών και τον έλεγχο των επενδύσεών τους κατά το υπόδειγμα των φορέων της ιδιωτικής ασφαλίσεως. Και ενώ αρχικά φάνηκε να επικρατεί η άποψη ότι οι φορείς της επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως δεν νοείται να είναι επιχειρήσεις, αργότερα το Δικαστήριο των Ευρωπαϊκών Κοινοτήτων δέχθηκε ότι κάτι τέτοιο μπορεί κάλλιστα να συμβαίνει, εφόσον βέβαια συντρέχουν ορισμένες προϋποθέσεις.    Το πρώτο μέρος του βιβλίου εξετάζει την έννοια της επικουρικής κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως και διαπιστώνεται ότι, ενώ η διάκριση μεταξύ της κύριας κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως και της ιδιωτικής έχει από παλιά απασχολήσει την επιστήμη, αντιθέτως η διάκριση της επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως από την κοινωνική και από την ιδιωτική δεν  έχει αποτελέσει αντικείμενο αντίστοιχου ενδιαφέροντος. Τίθεται το ερώτημα, αν τα εννοιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά της επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως είναι ικανά να την καταστήσουν ιδιαίτερη νομική κατηγορία σε σχέση με την κύρια κοινωνική ασφάλιση και με την ιδιωτική. Με άλλα λόγια, αν η διάκριση της παρεχόμενης κοινωνικής προστασίας σε τρεις πυλώνες ανταποκρίνεται όντως σε εννοιολογικές κατηγορίες σαφώς οριοθετημένες. Αναλύονται τα στοιχεία της έννοιας της επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως στην ημεδαπή και αλλοδαπή θεωρία καθώς και στο ευρωπαϊκό κοινοτικό δίκαιο και διαπιστώνεται ότι δεν είναι επαρκή για να την διακρίνουν από την κύρια κοινωνική και από την ιδιωτική ασφάλιση. Υποστηρίζεται ότι στην πραγματικότητα η επικουρική κοινωνική ασφάλιση δεν αποτελεί αυτόνομη κατηγορία σε σχέση με την κοινωνική και την ιδιωτική ασφάλιση και ότι τα  νομοθετικά καθεστώτα επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως συγκεντρώνουν όλα τα εννοιολογικά στοιχεία της κύριας κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως και συγκεκριμένα το γενικόν και αφηρημένον των ρυθμίσεων, την υποχρεωτικότητα, την καθολικότητα και τη διευρυμένη κοινωνική αλληλεγγύη, η οποία συνεπάγεται και τη δυνατότητα εφαρμογής του διανεμητικού συστήματος για την οικονομική κάλυψη των δαπανών . Αντίθετα, τα συμβατικής προελεύσεως καθεστώτα επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως συγκεντρώνουν όλα τα εννοιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά της ιδιωτικής ασφαλίσεως και συγκεκριμένα την προαιρετικότητα, το εξατομικευμένον των ρυθμίσεων, την περιορισμένη κοινωνική αλληλεγγύη.    Το κριτήριο της προελεύσεως, και επομένως των εφαρμοστέων κανόνων δικαίου και του τρόπου οργανώσεως, επιτρέπει να υπαχθούν στις ρυθμίσεις της κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως τα καθεστώτα που έχουν τα ίδια με αυτήν εννοιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά ως αποτέλεσμα της νομοθετικής τους προελεύσεως καθώς και στις ρυθμίσεις της ιδιωτικής ασφαλίσεως τα καθεστώτα που έχουν τα ίδια με την ιδιωτική ασφάλιση εννοιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά ως  αποτέλεσμα της συμβατικής τους προελεύσεως. Συνεπώς, από τη νομοθετική ή συμβατική προέλευση των καθεστώτων επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως συνάγεται τεκμήριο, και μάλιστα μαχητό, που επιτρέπει να χαρακτηρίζονται ή όχι ως επιχειρήσεις και να εφαρμόζεται σε αυτά το ευρωπαϊκό κοινοτικό δίκαιο  περί ανταγωνισμού επιχειρήσεων.    Με βάση τις διαπιστώσεις αυτές, η μελέτη καταλήγει σε κριτική της διακρίσεως της κοινωνικής προστασίας σε τρεις πυλώνες. Υποστηρίζεται ότι υπάρχουν δύο μόνο πυλώνες κοινωνικής προστασίας και οι φορείς επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως εντάσσονται σε αυτούς ανάλογα με τη νομοθετική ή συμβατική προέλευσή τους. Για να εκλογικευθεί και απλοποιηθεί το σύστημα κοινωνικής προστασίας προτείνεται η διάσπαση του δεύτερου πυλώνα σε νομοθετικά και συμβατικά καθεστώτα και η απορρόφηση των μεν νομοθετικών καθεστώτων από τον πρώτο πυλώνα, των δε συμβατικών από τον δεύτερο. Κριτήριο της εντάξεως των καθεστώτων επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως στους δύο πυλώνες είναι η νομοθετική ή συμβατική ίδρυσή τους.    Στο δεύτερο μέρος του βιβλίου αναλύεται η νομολογία του Δ.Ε.Κ. και επιβεβαιώνεται τεκμήριο σύμφωνα με το οποίο οι νομοθετικής προελεύσεως φορείς επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως δεν είναι επιχειρήσεις, ενώ αντιθέτως οι συμβατικής προελεύσεως φορείς κατά τεκμήριο είναι επιχειρήσεις. Ήδη το Δ.Ε.Κ. έχει δεχθεί ότι τα συμβατικής προελεύσεως καθεστώτα επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως μπορεί να είναι επιχειρήσεις, οπότε εφαρμόζεται σε αυτά το κοινοτικό δίκαιο περί ανταγωνισμού επιχειρήσεων. Η νομολογία αυτή, χωρίς να αναλύει σε βάθος τη νομική φύση της επικουρικής κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως, προβαίνει σε χαρακτηρισμό σταθμίζοντας δέσμη ενδείξεων για τον χαρακτήρα του καθεστώτος που κρίνεται κάθε φορά. Κατά κανόνα εξετάζει την κοινωνική αλληλεγγύη (η οποία άλλοτε νοείται ως οργανωτική συνέπεια και άλλοτε ως σκοπός), την αναδιανομή εισοδημάτων, το υποχρεωτικό της υπαγωγής, την έκταση της αυτονομίας του φορέα, την εφαρμογή του διανεμητικού ή του κεφαλαιοποιητικού συστήματος κ.λπ. Όλα αυτά τα κριτήρια αποτελούν απόρροια της νομοθετικής ή συμβατικής προελεύσεως του καθεστώτος. Ειδικότερα, ως προς τα συμβατικά καθεστώτα, διακρίνονται τα προαιρετικά καθεστώτα επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως από τα καθεστώτα που ιδρύθηκαν με Συλλογική Σύμβαση Εργασίας και στη συνέχεια έγιναν υποχρεωτικά με νόμο. Ο κοινωνικός διάλογος, οι συλλογικές διαπραγματεύσεις και συμβάσεις κατοχυρώνονται ρητά από τη Σ.Ε.Κ. και θεωρούνται το πλέον πρόσφορο μέσο για την οικονομική και κοινωνική ενοποίηση. Η νομολογία του Δ.Ε.Κ. γι’ αυτά τα καθεστώτα αναφέρεται σε παροχές γήρατος και ασθένειας μισθωτών και σε παροχές γήρατος αυτοτελώς απασχολουμένων. Απο την εξέταση της σχετικής νομολογίας προκύπτει ότι, ακόμη κι αν επεκταθεί το πεδίο εφαρμογής τους με ουσιαστικό νόμο, δεν ανατρέπεται ο κανόνας ότι κατά το κοινοτικό δίκαιο οι φορείς επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως αποτελούν επιχειρήσεις και σε αυτούς εφαρμόζεται το δίκαιο του ανταγωνισμού. Από την ανάλυση της θεωρίας και της νομολογίας η μελέτη καταλήγει στο ότι ένα νομοθετικό καθεστώς επικουρικής ασφαλίσεως, επειδή έχει τα ίδια εννοιολογικά χαρακτηριστικά με τα καθεστώτα της κύριας ασφαλίσεως, κατά τεκμήριο δεν είναι επιχείρηση και δεν διέπεται από το κοινοτικό δίκαιο περί ανταγωνισμού επιχειρήσεων. Αντιθέτως, ένα συμβατικής προελεύσεως καθεστώς, επειδή έχει όλα τα εννοιολογικά γνωρίσματα της ιδιωτικής ασφαλίσεως, κατά τεκμήριο είναι  επιχείρηση. Το προτεινόμενο τεκμήριο είναι μαχητό και επιβεβαιώνεται από την υποχρεωτικότητα ή προαιρετικότητα του καθεστώτος που κρίνεται, την έκταση της κοινωνικής αλληλεγγύης ή της ανταποδοτικότητας και την εφαρμογή του διανεμητικού ή του κεφαλαιοποιητικού συστήματο για την κάλυψη των παροχών. Το τεκμήριο χρησιμεύει στην απλοποίηση του χαρακτηρισμού, την ασφάλεια δικαίου και στη συστηματική θεώρηση της νομικής φύσεως της επικουρικής κοινωνικής ασφαλίσεως.  

THE WOMEN BEHIND THE VEIL - Οι γυναίκες «πίσω από το πέπλο»Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2002). Η Ταύτιση των Περιηγητριών με το «Άλλο» στην Οθωμανική Κοινωνία. Οι γυναίκες «πίσω από το πέπλο».  ΜΑΚΕΔΝΟΝ, Περιοδική Επιστημονική Έκδοση της Παιδαγωγικής Σχολής Φλώρινας του Α.Π.Θ., Δέκατο Τεύχος, Καλοκαίρι 2002: 149-160.  [IN GREEK],  [O. in APELLA]      ****Kamberidou, Irene (2002). Lady Travellers Identify with the “the Other” in Ottoman Society: the Women "behind the veil". MAKEDNON, a scientific publication of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, (1), 149-160.  [O. in APELLA]

Το άρθρο αποτελεί τη δημοσίευση της εισήγησης που έγινε στη διημερίδα για την κλωνοποίηση στην Κύπρο, τον Ιούλιο του 2002. Η αναπαραγωγική κλωνοποίηση καταδικάζεται απερίφραστα, ενώ η θεραπευτική κλωνοποίηση, αν και βασίζεται στο δικαίωμα του ενήλικα ασθενούς να θεραπευτεί, δεν θα πρέπει να συνεπάγεται την καταστροφή των εμβρύων. Η ισορροπία στα δύο αυτά δικαιώματα στη ζωή του ενήλικα ασθενούς και του πρώιμου εμβρύου, είναι ευαίσθητη και είναι προτιμότερο να προβληθούν άλλοι θεραπευτικοί τρόποι που δεν θα χρησιμοποιούν έμβρυα.

Η εργασία διερευνά το αθλητικό φαινόμενο ως κοινωνικό μόρφωμα, υπό τους όρους του κερδώου προσώπου που στο σύγχρονο κόσμο τείνει να υπονομεύσει όχι μόνο αυτό καθεαυτό το αθλητικό πνεύμα, αλλά και το σύστημα αξιών της κοινωνίας γενικότερα. Τα ερωτήματα που τίθενται είναι: σε τι συνίσταται ο κερδώος χαρακτήρας του σύγχρονου αθλητισμού, ποια είναι τα αίτια του φαινομένου αγοραπωλησίας της αθλητικής νίκης και, τελικά, εάν υπάρχουν και ποιοι είναι οι τρόποι αντιμετώπισης του προβλήματος αυτού. Με βάση τα σύγχρονα δεδομένα στην εργασία εκτιμάται ότι υπάρχει δυνατότης να αναιρεθεί το κερδώο πρόσωπο του αθλητισμού και να προσλάβει ο αθλητισμός το αυθεντικό περιεχόμενό του. Απαραίτητη προϋπόθεση προς τούτο, όμως, είναι η ριζική αναδόμηση της κοινωνικής δομής και του αξιακού συστήματος της κοινωνίας, με την ταυτόχρονη ριζική μεταρρύθμιση της παιδείας, προκειμένου η παιδεία από θεραπαινίς του συστήματος που είναι σήμερα να καταστεί δημιουργός νέων αξιών.  

• (2002). Γογγάκη, Κωνσταντίνα. Σημειώσεις Φιλοσοφίας του Αθλητισμού. Οι αθλητικοί αγώνες στην αρχαία ελληνική διανόηση, έκδοση Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών

Η ολυμπιακή νίκη κατά την αρχαιότητα συνιστά μία αξία ηθική. Ο νικητής εθεωρείτο ‘μακάριος’ και ‘όλβιος’, επίθετα τα οποία έχουν θρησκευτικό περιεχόμενο και τον ταυτίζουν με την ευτυχία. Η νίκη στους ιερούς αγώνες ήταν η απόδειξη ότι διαθέτει τη θεϊκή ευλογία, επισημαίνει ο Πίνδαρος, ο οποίος αποτυπώνει στην ποίησή του το αθλητικό ιδεώδες. Εξάλλου, ο ίδιος υποστηρίζει πως ο νικητής αποδεικνύει την αξία της πόλης του, του γένους και της φυάς του. Ο ολυμπιακός αθλητής δεν αποτελούσε, επομένως, μια μονοσήμαντη προσωπικότητα, αλλά αντίθετα, ήταν μέτοχος ενός σύνθετου πολιτισμού. Στον πολυσήμαντο χώρο της αρχαίας Ολυμπίας οι Έλληνες συγκεντρώνονταν για να διαμορφώσουν δειλά τα σπέρματα του «έθνους» που θα αποκρυστάλλωνε η Ελλάδα πολύ αργότερα. Σύμμαχοι προς την κατάκτηση αυτή υπήρξαν κυρίως δύο παράγοντες, οι οποίοι καθόρισαν, άλλωστε, την ταυτότητα και την ποιότητα των αρχαίων αγώνων: 1) Ο πολιτικός, μιας και η δημιουργία των αγώνων ως θεσμού συμπίπτει με την ίδρυση της πόλης-κράτους, και 2) Ο θρησκευτικός, μιας και η ίδρυση του θεσμού των αγώνων συμπίπτει με την ολοκλήρωση της διαμόρφωσης του πανθέου του Ολύμπου. Η συνισταμένη, όμως, επάνω στην οποία ισορρόπησαν οι αγώνες προκειμένου να διασωθούν ως θεσμός επί δώδεκα αιώνες, ήταν αδιαμφισβήτητα η εκεχειρία. Η εκεχειρία προέκυψε ως ανθός, μέσα από την σκληρή εμπειρία του πολέμου μεταξύ των πόλεων-κρατών. Και έδωσε τη δυνατότητα στους Έλληνες της εποχής εκείνης να συνειδητοποιήσουν την πολύτιμη συμβολή της ειρήνης στην ανθρώπινη πρόοδο και τον πολιτισμό.

The aim of the present study was to investigate a) which kinds of the infant's behaviour kindergarten teachers identify most often as problem behaviour, and b) which kinds of interventions teachers implement to deal with the problem behaviours. Although there is a large body of research on this issue concerning elementary and high-school teachers, this is not the case for kindergarten teachers. The sample consisted of 131 kindergarten teachers from a post-training program at the University of Athens. They were asked to describe in written form a recent problem behaviour of an infant in their school and the interventions they tried. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the written descriptions revealed the most common problem behaviours of the infants from the teacher’s viewpoint, and the corresponding interventions. The way kindergarten teachers describe the infant’s problem behaviour, the way they organize their interventions, the quality of the interventions, the teachers’ attitudes toward the effectiveness of their interventions, as well as their overall attitudes toward the problem behaviour are discussed and interpreted in light of their implications for teacher education and counseling programs.

A climatological study of the spatial and temporal distribution of mean relative geostrophic vorticity over the Mediterranean region is examined for a period of 40 years (1958-1997). Two major cyclonic vorticity maxima are found in the Mediterranean at low levels, one covers the Gulf of Genoa and south Italy and the second is located over the southeastern Aegean Sea with different diurnal and seasonal characteristics, controlling cyclone formation. At upper levels, a large scale cyclonic vorticity zone covers the whole Mediterranean region with notably increased values at 300 hPa, being associated with jet stream dynamics, especially in the eastern Mediterranean. The seasonal changes of the horizontal vorticity distribution substantially reduce with height while the diurnal changes become unimportant at upper levels. Furthermore, the investigation of the vertical structure separately for the main cyclonic centres in the Mediterranean implies the different mechanisms that are reponsible for cyclone formation in the western and eastern basin. Copyright © 2001 Royal Meteorological Society.

The dwarf nova EX Draconis shows deep and wide eclipses, in addition to its frequent outburst activity (every 2-3 weeks), which makes it the ideal target for monitoring a complete outburst cycle. We observed EX Draconis in BVI colours with the 1.2m telescope at Kryonerion Korinthias (Greece) between 1 July-20 August 2000 covering 3 outburst events (1-5 July, 20-30 July and 6-12 August). Here, we present a preliminary eclipse mapping study of the light curves obtained in August 2000.

Advances in computer vision have started to infiltrate the specialty of orthodontics. During the past few years, a number of new products have appeared that are capable of extracting the 3-dimensional (3-D) structure of an object just by "looking." Examples include laser scanners for creating 3-D models of the face, and hand-held scanners for creating virtual models of the teeth. Such noninvasive methods will surely evolve rapidly and be applied to a multitude of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, changing the way we think and practice. This article introduces the basic principles behind such technology so that we can better appreciate its advantages, limitations and possibilities. From the large number of methods for acquiring 3-D shapes from images, 4 were selected and are described below. For more comprehensive coverage, see the book by Klette et al (1).

We consider the problem of dynamic admission control in a Markovian loss queueing system with two classes of customers with different service rates and revenues. We show that under certain conditions, customers of one class, which we call a preferred class, are always admitted to the system. Moreover, the optimal policy is of threshold type, and we establish that the thresholds are monotone under very restrictive conditions. Copyright © 2001 by Marcel Dekker, Inc.

A brief introduction of the layer-Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method for calculations of the frequency band structure of photonic crystals and of the transmission and reflection coefficients of light incident on slabs of such crystals is followed by two applications of the method. The first relates to the frequency band structure of metallodi-electric composites and demonstrates the essential difference between cermet and network topology of such composites at low frequencies. The second application is an analysis of recent measurements of the reflection of light from a slab of a colloidal system consisting of latex spheres in air.

We investigated the short-term effects of synoptic and mesoscale atmospheric circulation types on mortality in Athens, Greece. The synoptic patterns in the lower troposphere were classified in 8 a priori defined categories. The mesoscale weather types were classified into 11 categories, using meteorologic parameters from the Athens area surface monitoring network; the daily number of deaths was available for 1987-1991. We applied generalized additive models (GAM), extending Poisson regression, using a LOESS smoother to control for the confounding effects of seasonal patterns. We adjusted for long-term trends, day of the week, ambient particle concentrations, and additional temperature effects. Both classifications, synoptic and mesoscale, explain the daily variation of mortality to a statistically significant degree. The highest daily mortality was observed on days characterized by southeasterly flow [increase 10%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 6.1-13.9% compared to the high-low pressure system), followed by zonal flow (5.8%; 95% CI, 1.8-10%). The high-low pressure system and the northwesterly flow are associated with the lowest mortality. The seasonal patterns are consistent with the annual pattern. For mesoscale categories, in the cold period the highest mortality is observed during days characterized by the easterly flow category (increase 9.4%; 95% CI, 1.0-18.5% compared to flow without the main component). In the warm period, the highest mortality occurs during the strong southerly flow category (8.5% increase; 95% CI, 2.0-15.4% compared again to flow without the main component). Adjusting for ambient particle levels leaves the estimated associations unchanged for the synoptic categories and slightly increases the effects of mesoscale categories. In conclusion, synoptic and mesoscale weather classification is a useful tool for studying the weather-health associations in a warm Mediterranean climate situation.

We developed a multiple scattering method for the calculation of the frequency band structure of a phononic crystal consisting of non-overlapping elastic spheres arranged periodically in a host medium of different elastic properties. Using a variation of the same method we can also calculate, with the same ease and accuracy, the coefficients of transmission, reflection and absorption of elastic waves incident on a slab of the material of finite thickness. The elastic coefficients of the spheres and/or the host medium can be complex and frequency dependent. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the method by applying it to specific examples.

Statistical estimates of earthquake magnitudes are unreliable when based on very few historical data. Additional sources of information, such as geological data, are then necessary to update estimates of seismicity parameters. The Bayesian probability theory is a tool to combine prior information of seismicity obtained from geological data with historical observations. This theory is tested in the case of the Inner Messiniakos fault zone, southern Greece, for the estimation of the probability of occurrence of strong earthquakes. Prior estimates of seismicity are developed from slip rate measurements, obtained from offsets of geological formations, on the basis of both onshore and offshore neotectonic data. The analysis emphasizes the importance of the input seismicity parameters, particularly the significance of the upper bound magnitude in the estimation of the seismic potential of active faults

Background: To better understand the molecular background of B-cell overactivity characterizing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we examined the expression of the CD22 co-receptor and of kinase Lyn, which are involved in signaling inhibitory pathways, in B cells from patients with SLE. Methods: Two-color flow cytometry was used to study the expression of surface antigens on freshly isolated peripheral B cells from patients with SLE, disease-control patients, and healthy volunteers. Intracellular kinases Lyn and Syk were analyzed using Western immunoblots, and differences at the messenger RNA (mRNA) level were evaluated using semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: Expression of B-cell surface CD22 was intact in patients with SLE, but expression of the B-cell kinase Lyn was significantly decreased in resting, as well as in anti-sIgM-stimulated B-cell-enriched cell lysates obtained from 66% of patients with SLE. Lyn deficiency was disease-specific and unrelated to disease activity. Expression of B-cell kinase Syk was similar in all study groups. Semiquantitative PCR revealed that Lyn mRNA was significantly decreased in lupus patients with decreased Lyn protein expression, suggesting that Lyn deficiency may be caused at least in part by defects at the transcription level. Conclusions: Decreased expression of Lyn in some patients with SLE represents a B-cell defect that may enhance our understanding of SLE molecular pathogenesis by providing rational therapeutic targets.

By including Klein-Nishina effects, we generalize previous calculations of the beaming pattern of photons produced by inverse Compton scattering. For an isotropic distribution of soft photons upscattered by nonthermal electrons with a power-law density distribution n(γ)~γ-p, embedded in a plasma moving with relativistic bulk speed, we show that the observed radiation intensity is proportional to D3+p, where D is the Doppler boosting factor. This agrees with previous computations performed in the Thomson limit, where the observed spectral index is α=(p-1)/2 and the beaming pattern is D4+2α. Independent of D, Klein-Nishina effects limit the location of the peak energy ∊peakmec2 of the observed spectral energy distribution such that ∊peak<~1/∊0, where ∊0 is the energy of the seed photons in units of mec2. Assuming that the seed photons originate in the broad-line region, we demonstrate that the GeV emission of blazars is significantly modified by Klein-Nishina effects, the spectrum being softer than that calculated in the Thomson limit. We further show that the change in the spectral index of the inverse Compton emission across ∊peak can exceed the value of 0.5 predicted by computations performed in the Thomson limit. The model spectra agree with OSSE and COMPTEL limits on this break without invoking the effects of differential absorption at the edge of a gamma-ray photosphere.

In this article, we will present the ‘Cadastre Grid Software’ (version 3) and its new enchanced functions and capabilities. This new version has already been used on a variety of applications, including archaeology (investigations on cadastre detection), geology (analysis on tectonic fault directions) and geomorphology (drainage system analysis). Moreover, we will describe the use of ‘Cadastre Grid Software’ in combination with MapInfo GIS, in order to extract primary data from maps (topographic, pedological, etc.), aerial photos and satellite images. Cadastre lines and grids extracted using the ‘Cadastre Grid Software’, are then processed with MapInfo GIS, enabling comparisons among different models or study areas, e.g. Bezier’s and Patra’s cadastres.

In this paper I address some of the problems that the historical development of science poses for a realist and discuss whether a realist construal of scientific activity is conducive to historiographical practice. First, I discuss, by means of historical examples, Ian Hacking's defense of entity realism. Second, I try to show, drawing on Kuhn's recent work on incommensurability, that the realism problem is relevant to historiography and that a realist position entails a particular historiographical strategy, which faces problems. Finally, I suggest that for historiographical purposes an agnostic attitude with respect to scientific theories and unobservable entities is the most appropriate.

This paper suggests that there is no universal model we can use to quantify the impact of R&D on growth and competitiveness. The design and effectiveness of policies are crucial in this relationship and their effects may be anything from a spectacular success to total misallocation of resources. Selected variables are suggested for benchmarking, such as business R&D, a good share of new-technology based (small) firms and bigger companies, the education and mobility of the labour force and the creation of effective intermediaries that facilitate interaction, as well as a process of restructuring. However, dangers are also associated with such a benchmarking approach, if recommendations neglect path dependencies and apparently best practices are transferred without adaptation.

Levels of circulating interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, and IL-10, measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, were significantly higher in patients with cat scratch disease (CSD) than in healthy control subjects; no induction of IL-12 was observed, and levels of interferon-gamma and IL-4 were generally not detectable. This is the first report showing increased circulating cytokine levels in patients with CSD. The induction of these mediators can partly explain some clinical and pathological features of the disease.

The term nemaline myopathy (NM) encompasses a heterogeneous group of disorders of primary skeletal muscle weakness characterized by the presence of nemaline rods in muscles of affected individuals. Disease severity is variable and unpredictable, with prognosis ranging from neonatal death to almost normal motor function. Recent advances in the identification of NM disease genes demonstrate that NM is a disease of the skeletal muscle sarcomere and, in particular, of the thin filaments. These findings are starting to alter the approach that neurologists and geneticists take to diagnosing and counseling patients with NM, and could lead to insights into specific directed therapies in the future.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of an air-circulating cooling blanket for reducing body temperature in febrile neuro-ICU patients treated with acetaminophen. METHODS: Two-hundred twenty consecutively admitted neuro-ICU patients whose tympanic membrane temperature reached or exceeded 101 degrees F (38.3 degrees C) were randomly assigned to receive acetaminophen (650 mg every 4 hours) alone (n = 107) or acetaminophen plus air blanket therapy (n = 113). After 24 hours of treatment, the authors compared the proportion of subjects who attained treatment success (T < or = 99 degrees F) or treatment failure (T > or = 101 degrees F for 2 consecutive hours) using the chi(2) test and the time to reach these endpoints using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. MAIN RESULTS: Air blanket therapy resulted in a small increase in the proportion of subjects with treatment success (44% versus 36%, chi(2) p = 0.19, log rank p = 0.10) and a similar small reduction in the proportion of patients with treatment failure (42% versus 53%, chi(2) p = 0.11, log-rank p = 0.21), compared with treatment with acetaminophen alone. Approximately one third of patients in both groups remained febrile after randomization and "failed" after the first 2 hours of treatment. Twelve percent of patients assigned to air blanket therapy refused or were unable to tolerate treatment, compared with 2% of patients treated with acetaminophen alone (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with an air-circulating cooling blanket did not effectively reduce body temperature in febrile neuro-ICU patients treated with acetaminophen. More effective interventions are needed to maintain normothermia in patients at risk for fever-related brain damage.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of gemcitabine and ifosfamide as a second-line treatment for advanced urothelial cancer. Patients and methods: Thirty-four patients with metastatic urothelial cancer previously treated with cisplatin (CDDP)/ carboplatin (CBDCA) and/or taxanes-based chemotherapy were studied. Gemcitabine was administered at a dose of 800 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 and ifosfamide at a dose of 2 g/m2 on days 1 and 8 with adequate amount of Mesna, every three weeks. Hematopoietic growth factors were given between days 3 to 5 and 12 to 16 to maintain the treatment schedule. Results: On an intent to treat basis, there was one complete response (CR) (3%) (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0% to 10%) and six partial responses (PR) (18%) (95% CI: 7% to 34%), inducing an objective respo̊nse rate (RR) of 21% (95% CI: 9% to 38%); 12 (35%) patients achieved a stable disease (SD) and 15 (44%) a progressive disease (PD). The median time to tumor progression (TTP) was four months (range, 0.52 to 21.6 months) and the median survival nine months (range 0.52 to 28 months). This regimen also provided the opportunity for symptomatic improvement of pain, dysuria, haematuria and leg oedema. Grade 3-4 neutropenia was experienced by 9 (27%) patients, grade 3-4 anemia by 6 (18%) and grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia by 4 (12%). Six patients were hospitalized due to febrile neutropenia. Despite the prophylactic use of hematopoietic growth factors, 8 (23.5%) patients required dose reduction due to myelosuppression. Grade 3 alopecia occurred in 14 (41%) patients, grade 3-4 nausea in 1 (3%), grade 2 fever in 3 (9%), grade 2-3 diarrhea in 2 (6%) and grade 2 allergic reaction in 1 (3%). Conclusion: We conclude that the combination of gemcitabine and ifosfamide is an active salvage regimen for the treatment of urothelial cancer and that the treatment also has a tolerable toxicity profile; it warrants further investigation in combination with CDDP in chemotherapy-naïve patients.

Multi-state models defined in terms of CD4 counts are useful for modelling HIV disease progression. A Markov model with six progressive CD4-based states and an absorbing state (AIDS) was used to estimate the cumulative probability of progressing to AIDS in 158 HIV-1 infected haemophiliacs with known seroconversion (SC) dates. A problem arising in such analysis is how to define CD4-based states, since this marker is subject to measurement error and short timescale variability. Four approaches were used: no smoothing, ad hoc smoothing (to move to a later/previous state two consecutive measurements to later/previous states are needed), kernel smoothing and random effects (RE) models. The estimates were compared with the Kaplan-Meier estimate based solely on data concerning time to AIDS. There was an apparent lack of agreement between the Kaplan-Meier and the "no smoothing" estimate. With the exception of the "no smoothing" method, "ad hoc", kernel and RE estimates fell within the range of the 95 per cent CIs of the Kaplan-Meier curve. Simulations demonstrated that the use of raw CD4 counts provides overestimated transition intensities. Compared to the kernel method, ad hoc is easier to implement and overcomes the problem of the choice of bandwidth. The RE approach leads to simple models, since it usually results in very few transitions to previous states, and can handle individuals with sparse data by smoothing their predictions towards the population mean. Ad hoc was the method that performed better, in terms of bias, than the other smoothing approaches.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to evaluate, in a selected group of myeloma patients with favorable prognosis, the effect, on response and survival, of polychymotherapy compared with melphalan-prednisone, plus interferon in both arms. Methods: Eighty-nine previously untreated patients with multiple myeloma and prognostic factors indicating a good prognosis were randomized to either oral melphalan plus prednisone (MP) in combination with recombinant interferon-α (rIFN-α) or combination chemotherapy with vincristine, carmustine, melphalan, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone (VBMCP) alternating with rIFN-α. The two treatment groups were comparable in terms of pretreatment characteristics. Results: The overall response rate was 67.4% (2.3% complete remission, 65.1% partial response) in the MP/IFN-α group and 69.1% (14.3% complete remission, 54.8% partial response) in the VBMCP/IFN-α group (p = 0.59). There were no differences also in response duration and overall survival between the two treatment groups. The median response duration was 39.1 months in the MP/IFN-α group and was not reached in the VBMCP/IFN-α group (p = 0.6). Overall survival was long in both treatment groups. The estimated 5-yr survival was 66% and 62% in the MP/IFN-α and VBMCP/IFN-α group, respectively (p = 0.8). Toxicity was modest and treatments were well tolerated. Neutropenia (WHO grade 3 or 4) was higher, but not statistically significant, in the VBMCP/IFN-α group. Conclusions: The results of the study show that in myeloma patients with good prognosis, combination chemotherapy alternating with interferon-α has no advantage over conventional MP plus interferon-α, in regard to response rate, response duration, and overall survival of patients. © Munksgaard 2001.

Objective: To determine the concentration of angiogenic factors (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF], basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF], and angiogenin) in the follicular fluid (FF) and oocyte-cumulus complex culture medium (CM) of women undergoing IVF and to investigate the association of the concentrations with the maturity and fertilization of the oocyte. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Academic tertiary-care institution. Patient(s): IVF patients with unexplained or tubal factor infertility.Intervention(s): Analysis of VEGF, bFGF, and angiogenin FF and CM concentrations. Main Outcome Measure(s): Oocyte maturity and fertilization and FF and CM angiogenic factor concentrations.Result(s): VEGF, bFGF, and angiogenin were determined in FF and CM. FF angiogenin concentrations were significantly higher when the oocyte was mature versus immature. CM VEGF concentrations were significantly higher when the oocyte was nonfertilized versus fertilized. Positive correlations were observed between angiogenic factors in CM. Conclusion(s): VEGF, bFGF, and angiogenin (determined for the first time) are secreted in the FF and CM. Elevated CM VEGF concentrations, probably implying oocyte-cumulus complex hypoxia, are negatively associated with oocyte fertilization. Elevated FF angiogenin concentrations are positively associated with oocyte maturity, possibly indicating angiogenin's biological role beyond neovascularization. Copyright © 2001 American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

During the last years, a number of assays have been developed aiming at predicting the most effective chemotherapy regimen for each individual, avoiding possible toxicity of ineffective drugs. In the present study we have used an in vitro chemosensitivity/chemoresistance assay in order to evaluate cytotoxic treatment in ovarian and breast cancer patients. The assay was applied in 77 ovarian and breast cancer samples and the observed in vitro responses to various chemotherapeutic drugs or combinations of drugs were then correlated to the in vivo responses and the overall clinical data of the examined patients. Direct comparison was possible for 25 cases. The overall positive predictive value of the assay was 50% and the negative predictive value was 57%. However, it was observed that the positive predictive value for ovarian patients was 69% and that the negative predictive value for breast patients was 100%. Therefore this study indicates that although in vitro chemosensitivity/chemoresistance is a valuable assay, further analysis and implications of other factors are required for a general evaluation of cytotoxic treatment for patients with ovarian and breast cancer.

In this case study, we describe the symptoms, neuropsychological testing, and brain pathology of a retired mason's assistant with cortical basal ganglionic degeneration (CBGD). CBGD is an extremely rare neurodegenerative disease that is categorized under both Parkinsonian syndromes and frontal lobe dementias. It affects men and women nearly equally, and the age of onset is usually in the sixth decade of life. CBGD is characterized by Parkinson's-like motor symptoms and by deficits of movement and cognition, indicating focal brain pathology. Neuronal cell loss is ultimately responsible for the neurological symptoms.

We present the results of a wide-aperture seismic onshore–offshore study (Crete Seismic Experiment) in the Cretan region as part of the Hellenic arc compressional system. Three seismic lines were carried out on and around the island of Crete in order to investigate the crustal structure of the region. Up to 119 three-component recording stations were deployed on each profile that observed seismic energy generated by a 48-l airgun array and eight 20-kg landshots. A total of 6208 shots were fired. Upon completing the fieldwork, the vertical components of all stations were evaluated; 300 Common-Receiver-Gather (CRG) sections of the ocean bottom seismographs (OBS) and land stations as well as 100 Common-Source-Gather (CSG) sections of the land shots and selected airgun shots were compiled and modeled in order to generate a 2D P-wave velocity–depth model for each profile. The accuracy of the model depends on the depth and position along the profiles and does not exceed 5% for both depth and P-wave velocity. We identified strong lateral variations in crustal and sedimentary thickness mainly in a north–south direction but also along strike (east–west). The crust is continental and has a maximum thickness of 32.5 km below northern central Crete. Its subdivision in an upper (vp = 5.8–6.3 km/s, locally up to 6.5 km/s) and a lower (vp = 6.4–6.9 km/s) part is justified by a first-order discontinuity with vp-velocity a contrast of up to 0.6 km/s. The eastern part of Crete shows a significantly thinner crust of 24 to 26 km. To the North, the crustal thickness decreases to 15 km below the central Cretan Sea. The prominent decrease of the Moho depth north of central Crete is interpreted to represent the northern end of a microcontinent that was subducted in Oligocene times and later surfaced by ‘buoyant escape’ (Sto¨ckhert et al., 1999; Thompson et al., 1999). The P–T–t–D history of the high-pressure rocks of Crete, Greece: denudation by buoyant escape. In: Exhumation Processes: Normal Faulting, Ductile Flow and Erosion. Ring, U., Lister, G.,Willet, S., Brandon, M. (Eds.), Spec. Publ. of the Geol. Soc. of London,p. 154]. To the south and southwest of the island, the continental crust gradually thins to a minimum of 17 km and atapproximately 100 km off the southern coast of Crete, it is in contact with oceanic crust below the Mediterranean Ridge. Upper mantle velocities were determined to be 7.7 km/s below the Cretan Sea and 8.0 km/s south of Crete. Below the continental Cretan crust, a 6- to 7-km-thick layer with vp-velocities between 6.6 and 7.1 km/s was identified on each line and could be followed by reflections to a depth of 42 km. It is decoupled from the overlying continental crust at central Crete and is interpreted as oceanic crust presently under subduction towards the NNE below the Aegean Sea.

Local Hall probe ac permeability and global dc SQUID magnetization measurements were used to construct the phase diagram of the vortex matter for two HgBa2CuO4+delta single crystals with different amounts of disorder. Emphasis was given near T-c and for low magnetic fields H-dc < 1 kOe. For the nearly optimally doped crystal with T-c = 94.8 K, the second peak line H-sp and the respective onset line H-min of the magnetization loops end at (T*, H*) = (88 K, 2 kOe) on the irreversibility line, while for the crystal of lower T-c (= 89.9 K) decreases monotonically and terminates just below T-c In addition, for the crystal with T-c = 89.9 K the local permeability measurements (as a function of temperature or dc magnetic field) revealed a peak in the screening current just below the onset of the diamagnetic screening. The possible sublimation character of the melting transition, the two-stage melting scenario and a Bragg to vortex glass transition are discussed. The different behaviours observed between the two crystals is attributed to the different amount of disorder.

The rapid development of information technology and the multiple usage of Information Systems make indisputable their appliance in all the sectors including the Nursing Service area. Information Systems that have been developed for the Nursing Service Administration are extremely useful in the processing and the categorisation of a large number of information, providing significant advantages such as information storage, information availability, information precision and reliability. In addition, the appliance of Information Systems provides important advantages in the administration of the nursing personnel's data, contributing to the improvement of the operating effectiveness of the Nursing Service. This paper describes the development and the evaluation of an Information System for the Nursing Service Administration that classifies all the information related to the nursing personnel and helps the administration to handle the appropriate nursing data. The method of Life Cycle Model was decided as the most appropriate for the development of the System, because of the important advantages that it offers. For the evaluation of our own designed system we based on the standards, which are used for evaluating Information Systems in general. The evaluation of this Information System is carried out by a survey among the undergraduate and the postgraduate students of the Nursing Department of the University of Athens and the Nursing Personnel of a number of Hospitals. Useful conclusions have been derived concerning those characteristics, which should be fulfilled by the system. Important conclusions have been also drown out concerning the dependencies of the variables under study, the future readjustments of the system, and the general perception of the newcomers in health profession towards the application of the information technology.

Το άρθρο εντάσσεται στη θεώρηση της Ιστορίας της Νεοελληνικής Λογοτεχνίας που συνέταξε και κατά κύριο λόγο συνέγραψε η κ. Εύη Πετροπούλου (συμπεριλαμβάνονται κείμενα των: Στυλιανός Αλεξίου, Αναστασία Αντωνοπούλου, Willi Benning, Klaus Betzen, Δημήτρης Δημηρούλης και Κατερίνα Μητραλέξη). Tο βιβλίο συντάχθηκε εξαρχής με γνώμονα το γερμανόφωνο αναγνωστικό κοινό και παρουσιάζει σε δώδεκα ενότητες σημαντικούς συγγραφείς και ρεύματα της νεότερης νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας από τις αρχές του 19ου έως τον 20ό αιώνα (δεκαετία του 70) με έμφαση στη συγκριτολογική διάσταση της κριτικής. Αναδεικνύονται ιδιαίτερα οι σχέσεις της ελληνικής με τη γερμανική γραμματεία όπου αυτές υπάρχουν. Το συγκεκριμένο άρθρο αναφέρεται στην Επτανησιακή Σχολή και αποτελεί υποκεφάλαιο της τρίτης ενότητας που είναι αφιερωμένη στον Ελληνικό Ρομαντισμό. Σε αυτό γίνεται αρχικά αναφορά στις ιδιαίτερες κοινωνικές, πολιτικές και πνευματικές συνθήκες που επικρατούν στα Ιόνια Νησιά κατά το19ο αιώνα και που τα καθιστούν πύλη και δίοδο προς τη Δύση του ελληνικού πνευματικού χώρου. Ο ευρωπαϊκός ρομαντισμός βρίσκει εδώ πολύ μεγαλύτερη απήχηση και γόνιμο έδαφος αναφοράς απ΄ ότι στον ρομαντισμό της Αθηναϊκής Σχολής, ενώ η έντονη μεταφραστική δραστηριότητα των Επτανησίων συμβάλλει στην αδιάλειπτη επαφή με τις πνευματικές εξελίξεις στον ευρωπαϊκό χώρο. Ο στοχασμός γύρω από τη συνέχεια και την εξέλιξη της νεοελληνικής λογοτεχνίας δεν υπακούει σε συγκεκριμένες προγραμματικές δεσμεύσεις και αναπτύσσεται στο χώρο του δοκιμίου και της φιλολογικής κριτικής, ενώ το λογοτεχνικό είδος που κυρίως καλλιεργείται είναι η λυρική ποίηση και πολύ λιγότερο η δραματική ή ο πεζός λόγος. Το άρθρο στοχεύει στην ανάδειξη αυτής της πολυσχιδούς πνευματικής δραστηριότητας των Επτανησίων λογίων και ποιητών και παρουσιάζει σε σύντομες κριτικές θεωρήσεις το έργο του Αντωνίου Μάτεση, του Γεωργίου Τερτσέτη, του Ανδρέα Λασκαράτου, του Ιουλίου Τυπάλδου, του Σπυρίδωνα Ζαμπελίου, του Ιάκωβου Πολυλά, του Γεωργίου Καλοσγούρου, του Γεράσιμου Μαρκορά και του Αριστοτέλη Βαλαωρίτη.

Dose-dense sequential chemotherapy appears to be a promising approach in the management of patients with operable breast cancer. We evaluated the tolerability of such a novel chemotherapeutic regimen in high-risk patients. From February 1995 until September 1997, 49 women with histologically confirmed breast cancer and ≥10 involved axillary nodes were treated postoperatively with three cycles of epirubicin (110 mg/m2) followed by three cycles of paclitaxel (250 mg/m2 in a 3-hour infusion) followed by three cycles of 'intensified' CMF (cyclophosphamide 840 mg/m2, methotrexate 57 mg/m2, fluorouracil 840 mg/m2; E-T-CMF). All cycles were repeated every 2 weeks with G-CSF support. Ovarian ablation with monthly injections of triptorelin for 1 year was performed in premenopausal patients and tamoxifen was prescribed for 5 years to all women with positive receptor status after the completion of chemotherapy. A total of 456 cycles of chemotherapy were administered, 363 (80%) of them at full dose. Forty-seven (96%) patients received all 9 cycles of chemotherapy. Relative dose intensity of epirubicin was 0.98, of paclitaxel 0.97, of cyclophosphamide 0.99, of methotrexate 0.98 and of fluorouracil 0.99. Grade 3-4 toxicities included anemia (8%), leukopenia (8%), peripheral neuropathy (6%), neutropenia (4%), thrombocytopenia (4%), stomatitis (2%), diarrhea (2%), fatigue (2%) and hypersensitivity reaction (2%). Febrile neutropenia occurred in 2 patients. Alopecia was universal. After a median follow-up of 3 years, 11 women (22%) relapsed and 4 (8%) died. The 3-year actuarial disease-free survival rate was 72% and the 3-year overall survival rate 90%. The E-T-CMF regimen is well tolerated, as adjuvant treatment, in patients with operable breast cancer with promising activity and deserves further evaluation in phase III studies. Copyright © 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activity and toxicity profile of dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with epirubicin (EPI) and paclitaxel in advanced breast cancer (ABC). From January to September 1997, 41 patients with recurrent or metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer were enrolled in the study. Their median age was 57 (range, 33-77) years and median performance status 0 (range, 0-2). Twenty patients had received adjuvant chemotherapy. The chemotherapeutic regimen consisted of 4 cycles of EPI 110 mg/m2 every 2 weeks followed by 4 cycles of paclitaxel, 225 mg/m2 over 3 hours every 2 weeks. G-CSF was administered prophylactically on days 2-10 of each cycle. 34 (83.0%)patients completed all 8 cycles of chemotherapy. A total of 304 cycles were administered, 259 (85.0%) of them at full dose. Thirty (10.0%) cycles were delivered with a delay. The relative median dose intensities of EPI and paclitaxel were 0.95. Most common grade 3-4 side effects were anemia (15.0%) neutropenia (12.0%), thrombocytopenia (5.0%), nausea/vomiting (10.0%), febrile neutropenia (7.5%), and alopecia (90.0%). Overall, 8 (19.5%) patients achieved a complete and 15 (36.5%) a partial response. Median duration of response was 8.4 (range, 3.1-15.5+) months. After a median follow-up of 18.5 months, median time to progression was 8.7 (range, 0.5-21+) months; median survival has not been reached yet. Dose-dense sequential chemotherapy with EPI and paclitaxel shows promising activity as first-line treatment in ABC. Randomized studies comparing this type of chemotherapy with the classical administration of the two drugs together every 3 weeks are ongoing.

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of two different schedules of epirubicin and paclitaxel, as first-line chemotherapy, in patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC). Patients and Methods: From October 1997 until May 1999, 183 eligible patients with ABC entered the study. Chemotherapy in group A (93 patients) consisted of four cycles of epirubicin at a dose of 110 mg/m2 followed by four cycles of paclitaxel at a dose of 225 mg/m2 in a 3-hour infusion. All cycles were repeated every 2 weeks with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support. The therapeutic regimen in group B (90 patients) consisted of epirubicin (80 mg/m2) immediately followed by paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 in a 3-hour infusion) every 3 weeks for six cycles. Results: In total, 79 patients (85%) in group A and 72 patients (80%) in group B completed treatment. The median relative dose-intensity of epirubicin was 0.96 in both groups, and that of paclitaxel was 0.96 and 0.97 in groups A and B, respectively. The complete response rate was higher in group A (21.5% v 9% P = .02). Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in the overall response rate between the two groups (55% v 42%, P = .10). Severe neutropenia was more frequently observed with concurrent treatment. After a median follow-up of 16.5 months, median time to progression was 10 months in group A and 8.5 months in group B (P = .27), and median survival was 21.5 and 20 months, respectively (P = .17). Conclusion: The present study failed to demonstrate a significant difference in overall response rate between dose-dense sequential administration of epirubicin and paclitaxel compared with the combination of the two drugs given on the same day, even though the sequential treatment resulted in a significantly higher complete response rate. © 2001 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Time series analysis of 6 nights of CCD observations of WZ Sge after it's unexpected superoutburst on July 23, 2001 has shown highly asymmetric periodic variations with a period 0.0566513(22)deg, full amplitude 0.218(4)m and a very high asymmetry M-m=0.670(9), a secondary minimum 0.38P after the main one. The initial epochs are Tmax=BJD 2452118.7483(3) and Tmin=BJD 52118.7670(2). The characteristics of the phase light curve are listed. In addition, we have found superhumps with a semi-amplitude of 0.021(2)m and an ephemeris Tmax,sh=BJD 2452117.6830(8)+0.057435(45)d E. Other peaks at 21 and 25 minutes possibly correspond to quasi-periodic oscillations with an effective semi-amplitude of 0.014m.

Rhinoviruses have been recently associated with the majority of asthma exacerbations for which current therapy is inadequate. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) has a central role in airway inflammation in asthma, and it is the receptor for 90% of rhinoviruses. Rhinovirus infection of airway epithelium induces ICAM-1. Desloratadine and loratadine are compounds belonging to the new class of H(1)-receptor blockers. Anti-inflammatory properties of antihistamines have been recently documented, although the underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely defined.|We have investigated the effects of desloratadine and loratadine on rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 expression, mRNA upregulation, and promoter activation.|Cultured primary bronchial or transformed (A549) respiratory epithelial cells were pretreated with desloratadine and loratadine for 16 hours and infected with rhinovirus type 16 for 8 hours. ICAM-1 surface expression was evaluated with flow cytometry, and ICAM-1 mRNA was evaluated with specific RT-PCR. In A549 cells promoter activation was evaluated with a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay, and binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B in nuclear extracts was evaluated with an electrophoretic mobility shift assay.|Desloratadine and loratadine (0.1-10 micromol/L) inhibited rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 upregulation in both primary bronchial or transformed (A549) respiratory epithelial cells. In A549 cells the 2 compounds showed a dose-dependent inhibition with similar efficacy (inhibitory concentration of 50%, 1 micromol/L). Desloratadine and loratadine also inhibited ICAM-1 mRNA induction caused by rhinovirus infection in a dose-dependent manner, and they completely inhibited rhinovirus-induced ICAM-1 promoter activation. Desloratadine also inhibited rhinovirus-induced nuclear factor kappa B activation. Desloratadine and loratadine had no direct effect on rhinovirus infectivity and replication in cultured epithelial cells.|These effects are unlikely to be mediated by H(1)-receptor antagonism and suggest a novel mechanism of action that may be important for the therapeutic control of virus-induced asthma exacerbations.

Using a coherent-potential approximation, in conjunction with the on-shell method we developed for the study of photonic crystals, we study the effect of moderate disorder on light absorption by composite materials consisting of plasma spheres embedded in a host dielectric medium. We analyze our results by reference to the properties of a single sphere and to those of an infinite crystal. We find, in particular, that the absorption of light by a thin slab (a two-dimensional array of plasma spheres) is affected more strongly by disorder, in comparison to the absorbance of thick slabs consisting of many layers of spheres.

Stacking faults appear to be the most common type of defect in inverted opals which are good candidates for photonic crystals with absolute gaps in the visible range of light. In this Letter we present for the first time a systematic study of the effect of stacking faults on the optical properties of self-assembled photonic crystals, by means of large-scale transmittance calculations for macroscopic slabs of inverted opals with randomly distributed stacking faults. We show that frequency gaps, as seen in optical transmission experiments, will in general appear wider in the presence of stacking faults. We attribute the above to Anderson localization of light due to disorder.