Publications

Depression emerges as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and it is thought that successful antidepressant treatment may reduce such a risk. Therefore, antidepressant treatment embodies a potential preventive measure to reduce cardiovascular events in patients with depression. Accumulating evidence indicates that antidepressants have off-target effects on vascular dysfunction and in the early stages of atherosclerosis, which form the basis for cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis. In this context, we performed a thorough review of the evidence pertaining to the effects of different classes of antidepressant medications on hemodynamic and early atherosclerosis markers. The preclinical and clinical evidence reviewed revealed a preponderance of studies assessing selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), whereas other classes of antidepressants are less well-studied. Sufficient evidence supports a beneficial effect of SSRIs on vascular inflammation, endothelial function, arterial stiffening, and possibly delaying carotid atherosclerosis. In clinical studies, dissecting the hypothesized direct beneficial antidepressant effect of SSRIs on endothelial health from the global improvement upon remission of depression has proven to be difficult. However, preclinical studies armed with appropriate control groups provide evidence of molecular mechanisms linked to endothelial function that are indeed modulated by antidepressants. This suggests at least a partial direct action on vascular integrity. Further research on endothelial markers should focus on the effect of antidepressants on treatment responders versus non-responders in order to better ascertain the possible beneficial vascular effects of antidepressants, irrespective of the underlying course of depression.

In this chapter several psychoanalytic views on the origins of beneficial solitude, its developmental course during the first years of life, and its implications for later development are discussed, evaluated, and organized around three dimensions: the solitary self, the ability to be alone, and the necessity of being alone, as well as the companionable nature of solitude. These views belong to different psychoanalytic models, such as the Freudian drive/structure and the object relations model. Conclusions are drawn and future directions are described, concerning the paradox of solitude, which is argued to be evident from the beginning of life.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) remain the cornerstone of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (chALL) therapy, exerting their cytotoxic effects through binding and activating of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). GAS5 lncRNA acts as a potent riborepressor of GR transcriptional activity, and thus targeting GAS5 in GC-treated chALL could provide further insights into GC resistance and support personalized treatment decisions. Herein, to study the clinical utility of GAS5 in chALL prognosis and chemotherapy response, GAS5 expression was quantified by RT-qPCR in bone marrow samples of chB-ALL patients at diagnosis (n = 164) and at end-of-induction (n = 109), treated with ALL-BFM protocol. Patients' relapse and death were used as clinical end-points for survival analysis. Bootstrap analysis was performed for internal validation, and decision curve analysis assessed the clinical net benefit for chALL prognosis. Our findings demonstrated the elevated GAS5 levels in blasts of chALL patients compared to controls and the significantly higher risk for short-term relapse and poor treatment outcome of patients overexpressing GAS5, independently of their clinicopathological data. The unfavorable prognostic value of GAS5 overexpression was strongly validated in the high-risk/stem-cell transplantation subgroup. Finally, multivariate models incorporating GAS5 levels resulted in superior risk stratification and clinical benefit for chALL prognostication, supporting personalized prognosis and precision medicine decisions in chALL.

The paper examines how the environment and climate change issues were gradually upgraded within the policy-making framework of the Common Agricultural Policy and contributed to the formulation of the green architecture for European agriculture. The analysis is based on theories of policy change -mainly neo-institutionalism and historical institutionalism- within the multilevel governance framework. Also, the United Nation’s development goal for climate action (SDG-13) is presented to show the change in the policymaking at the international level, to adapt to the climate change challenge. From the analysis, it is recognized that policy change seems to be redefining the historical path of the previous period within the EU and the global context. KEY WORDS: CAP, UN, climate change, policy change, green architecture

This article proposes and describes an educational scenario for 4th, 7th and 10th grade school history. The main goal of this scenario is to help students understand the historical dimension of the phenomenon of the pandemic and to develop critical thinking towards it, in order to enhance their mental resilience. The main historical character of this scenario is Myrtis. The use of drama game techniques is proposed as the main teaching method for the scenario's implementation. The title of the educational scenario is the following: «Travelling with Myrtis from the plague of Ancient Athens to the pandemic of covid-19». In the scenario, students travel to the plague of Ancient Athens through an imaginary journey to the past with Myrtis. After traveling through the pandemics of different historical periods (plague, smallpox, cholera), they arrive at their experience of the pandemic in the present. The design was based on the theories of the educational scenario and theatre pedagogy.

The study of environmental changes in coastal areas provide useful information for past conditions and constitute a powerful tool for accurate palaeogeographic reconstructions. Several coastal landforms are present on the coastal zone, with different response to environmental change. Coastal wetlands and lagoons are particularly sensitive to local paleoenvironmental changes and provide an excellent opportunity to reconstruct the evolution of the coastal zone evolution and the sea level changes. In this context, the aim of this work is to elucidate the coastal evolution of Psatha bay, Alkyonides Gulf, Greece, through coastal drillings and geomorphological sea level markers. The study area is located at the eastern end of Corinth Gulf, in the Gulf of Alkyonides. Psatha is bounded by active neotectonic structures, which have been a determining factor in its development. In this work we adopt a multiproxy approach through the study of coastal drillings and beachrocks. We coupled detailed beachrock mapping, microstratigraphic analysis and luminescence dating to study beachrock outcrops found up to 1 m above the present sea-level. For the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, multiproxy analyses were undertaken, which included sedimentological analysis of the core, paleontological analysis of macrofauna and microfauna and radiocarbon dating. The results of this work will contribute to the better understanding of a coastal site in a tectonically active area and the relative sea level changes.

The study of environmental changes in coastal areas provide useful information for past conditions and constitute a powerful tool for accurate palaeogeographic reconstructions. Several coastal landforms are present on the coastal zone, with different response to environmental change. Coastal wetlands and lagoons are particularly sensitive to local paleoenvironmental changes and provide an excellent opportunity to reconstruct the evolution of the coastal zone evolution and the sea level changes. In this context, the aim of this work is to elucidate the coastal evolution of Psatha bay, Alkyonides Gulf, Greece, through coastal drillings and geomorphological sea level markers. The study area is located at the eastern end of Corinth Gulf, in the Gulf of Alkyonides. Psatha is bounded by active neotectonic structures, which have been a determining factor in its development. In this work we adopt a multiproxy approach through the study of coastal drillings and beachrocks. We coupled detailed beachrock mapping, microstratigraphic analysis and luminescence dating to study beachrock outcrops found up to 1 m above the present sea-level. For the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction, multiproxy analyses were undertaken, which included sedimentological analysis of the core, paleontological analysis of macrofauna and microfauna and radiocarbon dating. The results of this work will contribute to the better understanding of a coastal site in a tectonically active area and the relative sea level changes.

Thorough faunal (benthic foraminifera, ostracods, molluscs) and palynomorph analyses as well as magnetic susceptibility measurements performed on the Piraeus coastal plain sedimentary sequences have shed light on the paleoenvironmental evolution of the area since ca. 9000 cal BP. Benthic and palynomorph assemblages along with magnetic susceptibility suggest a typical lagoonal environment with significant freshwater inputs at the eastern part of the plain after 8700 cal BP. Between 7500 and 5400 cal BP, microfaunal assemblages, mollusc fauna and magnetic susceptibility suggest a shallow marine paleoenvironment, with Piraeus forming a tied island in the center of the bay. Since ca. 4800 cal BP a closed oligohaline lagoon is evidenced in the western part of the Piraeus plain further developed to a marsh after 2800 cal BP, while a coastal environment associated with the fluvio-deltaic system of Kifissos and Korydallos Rivers is continually developing to the west. Signs of cultivation and grazing activities in the area are evidenced since the Early Bronze Age, culminating during the Classical Period. A comparison with a well-dated marine record, recovered from the nearby shallow Elefsis Bay, provides a reasonable estimation of  5 mm/yr for the absolute sea level rise rate in the inner Saronikos Gulf during the Mid-Holocene.

Laboratory workflows and preclinical models have become increasingly diverse and complex. Confronted with the dilemma of a multitude of information with ambiguous relevance for their specific experiments, scientists run the risk of overlooking critical factors that can influence the planning, conduct and results of studies and that should have been considered a priori. To address this problem, we developed "PEERS" (Platform for the Exchange of Experimental Research Standards), an open-access online platform that is built to aid scientists in determining which experimental factors and variables are most likely to affect the outcome of a specific test, model or assay and therefore ought to be considered during the design, execution and reporting stages. The PEERS database is categorized into in vivo and in vitro experiments and provides lists of factors derived from scientific literature that have been deemed critical for experimentation. The platform is based on a structured and transparent system for rating the strength of evidence related to each identified factor and its relevance for a specific method/model. In this context, the rating procedure will not solely be limited to the PEERS working group but will also allow for a community-based grading of evidence. We here describe a working prototype using the Open Field paradigm in rodents and present the selection of factors specific to each experimental setup and the rating system. PEERS not only offers users the possibility to search for information to facilitate experimental rigor, but also draws on the engagement of the scientific community to actively expand the information contained within the platform. Collectively, by helping scientists search for specific factors relevant to their experiments, and to share experimental knowledge in a standardized manner, PEERS will serve as a collaborative exchange and analysis tool to enhance data validity and robustness as well as the reproducibility of preclinical research. PEERS offers a vetted, independent tool by which to judge the quality of information available on a certain test or model, identifies knowledge gaps and provides guidance on the key methodological considerations that should be prioritized to ensure that preclinical research is conducted to the highest standards and best practice.

The present study aimed to analyze the attack effectiveness of top-level outside hitters regarding spatiotem- poral parameters, such as the volleyball complex, the position of the setter, the type of opponent block, the tempo and the zone of attack. A three-member team of experienced coaches recorded and assessed 1968 attacks of male (N=800) and female (N=1168) outside hitters from 20 volleyball matches (M=10; W=10) of the six top-ranked teams in Men and Women 2018 World Championships. The assessment was based on a five-level ordinal tactical scale. The test of independence for categorical variables was carried out using χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test. A follow- up correspondence analysis was applied to visualize the entries in the table of relative frequencies. The analysis revealed that male outside hitters were more effective than female in a) the complexes I and II, b) the offensive actions from zones 4 and 6, c) the 2nd fast attack tempo, d) either the setter was in the offensive or defensive line, e) when facing single or double block. Nevertheless, female outside hitters performed fewer unforced errors than male in a) the complex I, b) spikes from zone 4, c) 3rd attack tempo, d) when the setter was on the defensive line and d) the offensive actions facing double block. Finally, the male outside hitters who played according to line-up positions either near the setter (OH1), neither the away from the setter (OH2) were more effective than the female outside hitters but OH1 performed more frequent unforced errors. These findings can lead volleyball coaches to develop specified training plans to improve the performance of outside hitters of both genders.

The lack of utter efficacy and fast action of commonly used antidepressants that selectively target the monoaminergic neurotransmission has led to the exploration of ketamine's actions. Ketamine's antidepressant effect was firstly described in 1973 and nowadays its therapeutic value as a fast- and long- lasting antidepressant has been extensively established. Ketamine is an antagonist of the N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and its main mechanism of action via NMDAR inhibition expressed in GABAergic (gamma-Aminobutyric acid, GABA) interneurons may be relayed to its antidepressant effects. This review aims to describe the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of ketamine when used for treatment-resistant depression. Moreover, ketamine is a racemic mixture consisting of two enantiomers, R- and S- ketamine. We describe the pharmacology of esketamine, along with the guidelines for effective and safe intranasal administration of esketamine. Lastly, this review presents sex differences in preclinical and clinical studies of ketamine and esketamine administration.

This paper presents the results of a combined spectroscopic and photometric study of 20 contact binary systems: HV Aqr, OO Aql, FI Boo, TX Cnc, OT Cnc, EE Cet, RW Com, KR Com, V401 Cyg, V345 Gem, AK Her, V502 Oph, V566 Oph, V2612 Oph, V1363 Ori, V351 Peg, V357 Peg, Y Sex, V1123 Tau, and W UMa, which was conducted in the frame of the W UMa Project. Together with 51 already covered by the project and an additional 67 in the existing literature, these systems bring the total number of contact binaries with known combined spectroscopic and photometric solutions to 138. It was found that mass, radius, and luminosity of the components follow certain relations along the MS and new empirical power relations are extracted. We found that 30 per cent of the systems in the current sample show extreme values in their parameters, expressed in their mass ratio or fill-out factor. This study shows that, among the contact binary systems studied, some have an extremely low mass ratio (q < 0.1) or an ultrashort orbital period (Porb < 0.25 d), which are expected to show evidence of mass transfer progress. The evolutionary status of these components is discussed with the aid of correlation diagrams and their physical and orbital parameters compared to those in the entire sample of known contact binaries. The existence of very short orbital periods confirms the very slow nature of the merging process, which seems to explain why their components still exist as MS stars in contact configurations even after several Gyr of evolution.

Trans-Neptunian Objects (TNOs) have had an increasing interest since the discovery of (15760) Albion in 1992. These objects are considered remnants of the Solar System formation, and can thus provide clues about its origin and evolution. One of the best techniques to study TNOs from ground-based telescopes are stellar occultations which, if combined with photometric data, permit to obtain physical properties of the TNO such as its size, shape, and albedo. With this in mind, we predicted, observed, and analyzed the stellar occultation of the Gaia source 3444789965847631104 caused by the cubewano (19521) Chaos on the 20th of November 2020. The prediction was part of the searching program carried out by the Lucky Star project collaboration. We observed the object with the 1.23-m telescope at Calar Alto Observatory (Almería, Spain) two days before the event to update the prediction. The occultation observing campaign involved 19 observing stations, both professional and amateur, and resulted in three positive detections and 11 negative detections. Five teams could not observe due to bad weather. We fitted the positive chords' extremities to an ellipse to derive Chaos' projected size and shape and determine its geometric albedo. The preliminary area-equivalent diameter obtained is slightly smaller than the one derived with Herschel thermal data. However, we are still analyzing photometric data to complement and improve these results.

This paper employs econometric techniques in order to examine the role of political risk on the capital structure decisions of European listed SMEs, during a period which fully captures the Euro zone debt crisis and aspects of political risk due to the recession and its over-indebtedness. We find that political risk decreases significantly SMEs leverage via different and significant transmission channels. Very small (micro) enterprises are decreasing more significantly their leverage at times of political risk. The strength of the creditor’s rights act as a proxy for the possible effects of the political risk. Political risk combined with corruption has a positive effect on firm leverage.

Minimizing portfolio insurance (PI) costs is an investment strategy of great importance. In this chapter, by converting the classical minimum-cost PI (MCPI) problem to a multi-period MCPI (MPMCPI) problem, we define and investigate the MPMCPI under transaction costs (MPMCPITC) problem as a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem. The problem of MCPI gets more genuine in this way. Given the fact that such NLP problems are widely handled by intelligent algorithms, we are introducing a well-tuned approach that can solve the challenging MPMCPITC problem. In our portfolios’ applications, we use real-world data and, along with some of the best memetic meta-heuristic and commercial methods, we provide a solution to the MPMCPITC problem, and we compare their solutions to each other.

The results of structure from motion photogrammetry and SAR interferometry as complementary techniques for measuring ground deformation induced by the massive open-pit landslide in Amyntaio, Greece (June 10, 2017), is presented in this paper. This unexpected slide damaged the entire westernmost marginal area of the pit, significant number of buildings, and infrastructures of the nearby village of Anargiri. The described methodology includes the generation of a multi-temporal dataset (from Sept. 2017 to Sept. 2018) of very high-resolution surface topography (at 10 cm), based on the analysis of imagery collected by Remotely Piloted Airborne Systems (RPASs). Satellite observations involved interferometric processing of TerraSAR-X data for a complementary estimation of ground displacement rates. Height differences from consecutive aerial photography campaigns as well as space-borne measurements provided valuable information on the evolution of the deformation and its spatial characteristics during the post-event period, an important aspect for future hazard and risk considerations.

{Effectiveness in the volleyball players' ability to control their postural sway during the game's actions involving contact with the floor (i.e. passing, digging) contributes to the final score. The purpose of this study was to investigate the postural stability performance of female veteran volleyball players (VVP). Sixty nine top-level female VVP were assigned to an active (N=29) and a non-active group (N=40). Due to the age range (43.7-66.7 years) of participants, they were further assigned to a younger (<51 years) and older (≥51 years) age group (Active: Younger=14

We investigate solutions to the system of linear equations (SoLE) in both the time-varying and time-invariant cases, using both gradient neural network (GNN) and Zhang neural network (ZNN) designs. Two major limitations should be overcome. The first limitation is the inapplicability of GNN models in time-varying environment, while the second constraint is the possibility of using the ZNN design only under the presence of invertible coefficient matrix. In this paper, by overcoming the possible limitations, we suggest, in all possible cases, a suitable solution for a consistent or inconsistent linear system. Convergence properties are investigated as well as exact solutions.

European Union (EU) Directive 2013/55/EC (The Recognition of Professional Qualifications) allows Member States to decide on a common set of minimum knowledge, skills and competences that are needed to pursue a given profession through a Common Training Framework. To be adopted the framework must combine the knowledge, skills and competences of at least one third of the Member States. Professionals who have gained their qualifications under a Common Training Framework will be able to have these recognised automatically within the Union. The backbone of the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine's (EFLM) proposed Common Training Framework for non-medical Specialists in Laboratory Medicine is outlined here. It is based on an Equivalence of Standards in education, training, qualifications, knowledge, skills, competences and the professional conduct associated with specialist practice. In proposing the recognition of specialist practice EFLM has identified 15 EU Member States able to meet Equivalence and in whom the profession and/or its training is regulated (an additional EU Commission requirement). The framework supports and contributes to the Directive's enabling goals for increasing professional mobility, safeguarding consumers and ensuring a more equitable distribution of skills and expertise across the Member States. It represents EFLM's position statement and provides a template for professional societies and/or competent authorities to engage with the EU Commission

The article explores the reception of 1821 in Victorian popular culture, focusing on the representation of Greek women in stories published in contemporary periodicals. The two dominant tropes of Greek womanhood that emerge in popular fiction and poetry published from the 1830s to the 1890s the captive harem slave and the intrepid warrior arouse sympathy for the enslaved women but also evoke liberal ideas on womens national and social roles. These texts foreground the position of Greek women within a nineteenth-century social context and imbue in them virtues and conflicts such as radicalism, the enfranchisement of women and middle-class domesticity that concerned Britain as much as Greece. Greek women, as represented in these stories, construct a Victorian narrative of 1821 and of the Greek nation that oscillates between familiarity and strangeness, freedom and enslavement, real and imaginary. These largely neglected texts challenge traditional definitions of philhellenism, which depended on the legacy of ancient Greece as justification for the cause of the countrys liberation, and instead construct new myths about Greece, participating in the discursive production of its national fantasy. They also provide the opportunity of reconsidering the cultural position of Modern Greece in the Victorian period beyond the division between Hellenism and Orientalism.

This study investigated the problem of QR decomposition for time-varying matrices. We transform the original QR decomposition problem into an equation system using its constraints. Then, we propose a continuous-time QR decomposition (CTQRD) model by applying zeroing neural network method, equivalent transformations, Kronecker product, and vectorization techniques. Subsequently, a high-precision ten-instant Zhang et al discretization (ZeaD) formula is proposed. A ten-instant discrete-time QR decomposition model is also proposed by using the ten-instant ZeaD formula to discretize the CTQRD model. Moreover, three discrete-time QR decomposition models are proposed by applying three other ZeaD formulas, and three examples of QR decomposition are presented. The experimental results confirm the effectiveness and correctness of the proposed models for the QR decomposition of time-varying matrices.

In this paper recent advances in vascular ultrasound imaging technology are discussed, including three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS), contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and strain- (SE) and shear-wave-elastography (SWE). 3DUS imaging allows visualisation of the actual 3D anatomy and more recently of flow, and assessment of geometrical, morphological and mechanical features in the carotid artery and the aorta. CEUS involves the use of microbubble contrast agents to estimate sensitive blood flow and neovascularisation (formation of new microvessels). Recent developments include the implementation of computerised tools for automated analysis and quantification of CEUS images, and the possibility to measure blood flow velocity in the aorta. SE, which yields anatomical maps of tissue strain, is increasingly being used to investigate the vulnerability of the carotid plaque, but is also promising for the coronary artery and the aorta. SWE relies on the generation of a shear wave by remote acoustic palpation and its acquisition by ultrafast imaging, and is useful for measuring arterial stiffness. Such advances in vascular ultrasound technology, with appropriate validation in clinical trials, could positively change current management of patients with vascular disease, and improve stratification of cardiovascular risk.

The multi-proxy investigation of the deep-marine Kottafi Hill section (KHS), a part of the carbonate system of the Miocene Pakhna Formation, Cyprus, involved such proxies as calcareous nannofossil analysis, measurements of the oxygen and carbon isotope composition of the planktonic foraminifer Orbulina universa, and determination of the pollen and palynomorph contents, revealed the importance of these sedimentary sequences in the assessment of the impact of major global events during the middle Miocene on the regional scale. The KHS spans the 20.89–11.6 Ma time interval, during which eighteen OC-rich siltstone intercalated laminae have been deposited under warm and humid climate at 15.5–11.6 Ma. These layers can be possibly considered as the precursors of sapropelic layers mostly developed in the eastern Mediterranean Basin during Pliocene–Holocene. The global glacial events Mi3a–Mi5, traced by δ18O planktonic foraminifera records in the KHS, represent the stepwise cooling phase during the middle Miocene Climate Transition.

On 30th October 2020, the eastern Aegean Sea was shaken by a Mw = 7.0 earthquake. The epicenter was located near the northern coasts of Samos island. This tectonic event produced an uplift of the whole island as well as several cases of infrastructure damage, while a small tsunami followed the mainshock. Underwater and coastal geological, geomorphological, biological observations and measurements were performed at the entire coast revealing a complex character for the uplift. At the northwestern part of the island, maximum vertical displacements of +35 ± 5 cm were recorded at the northwestern tip, at Agios Isidoros. Conversely, the southeastern part was known for its subsidence through submerged archaeological remains and former sea level standstills. The 2020 underwater survey unveiled uplifted but still drowned sea level indicators. The vertical displacement at the south and southeastern part ranges between +23 ± 5 and +8 ± 5 cm suggesting a gradual fading of the uplift towards the east. The crucial value of tidal notches, as markers of co-seismic events, was validated from the outcome of this study. The co-seismic response of Samos coastal zone to the 30th October earthquake provides a basis for understanding the complex tectonics of this area.

Purpose o explore the application of the parameters of the physiologically based finite time pharmacokinetic (PBFTPK) models subdivided in first-order (PBFTPK)(1) and zero-order (PBFTPK)(0) models to bioavailability and bioequivalence. To develop a methodology for the estimation of absolute bioavailability, F, from oral data exclusively. Methods Simulated concentration time data were generated from the Bateman equation and compared with data generated from the (PBFTPK)(1) and (PBFTPK)(0) models. The blood concentration C-b(tau) at the end of the absorption process tau, was compared to C-max; the utility of AUC(0)(tau) and (AUC)(t)(infinity) in bioequivalence assessment was also explored. Equations for the calculation of F from oral data were derived for the (PBFTPK)(1) and (PBFTPK)(0) models. An estimate for F was also derived from an areas proportionality using oral data exclusively. Results The simulated data of the (PBFTPK)(0) models exhibit rich dynamics encountered in complex drug absorption phenomena. Both (PBFTPK)(1) and (PBFTPK)(0) models result either in C-max = C-b(tau) or C-max > C-b(tau) for rapidly- and not rapidly-absorbed drugs, respectively; in the latter case, C-b(tau) and tau are meaningful parameters for drug's rate of exposure. For both (PBFTPK)(1) and (PBFTPK)(0) models, (AUC)(0)(tau) or portions of it cannot be used as early exposure rate indicators. (AUC)(tau)(infinity) is a useful parameter for the assessment of extent of absorption for very rapidly absorbed drugs. An estimate for F for theophylline formulations was found close to unity. Conclusion The (PBFTPK)(1) and (PBFTPK)(0) models are more akin to in vivo conditions. Estimates for F can be derived from oral data exclusively.

We show that any generalised smooth distribution on a smooth manifold, possibly of non-constant rank, admits a Riemannian metric. Using such a metric, we attach a Laplace operator to any smooth distribution as such. When the underlying manifold is compact, we show that it is essentially self-adjoint. Viewing this Laplacian in the longitudinal pseudodifferential calculus of the smallest singular foliation which includes the distribution, we prove hypoellipticity.

We report the results of eROSITA and NICER observations of the 2020 June outburst of the Be/X-ray binary pulsar RX J0529.8-6556 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, along with the analysis of archival X-ray and optical data from this source. We find two anomalous features in the system's behaviour. First, the pulse profile observed by NICER during maximum luminosity is similar to that observed by XMM-Newton in 2000, despite the fact that the X-ray luminosity was different by two orders of magnitude. In contrast, a modest decrease in luminosity in the 2020 observations generated a significant change in pulse profile. Secondly, we find that the historical optical outbursts are not strictly periodic, as would be expected if the outbursts were triggered by periastron passage, as is generally assumed. The optical peaks are also not coincident with the X-ray outbursts. We suggest that this behaviour may result from a misalignment of the Be star disc and the orbital plane, which might cause changes in the timing of the passage of the neutron star through the disc as it precesses. We conclude that the orbital period of the source remains unclear.

Plasmoids—magnetized quasi-circular structures formed self-consistently in reconnecting current sheets—were previously considered to be the graveyards of energetic particles. In this paper, we demonstrate the important role of plasmoids in shaping the particle energy spectrum in relativistic reconnection (i.e., with upstream magnetization σup ≫ 1). Using 2D particle-in-cell simulations in pair plasmas with σup = 10 and 100, we study a secondary particle energization process that takes place inside compressing plasmoids. We demonstrate that plasmoids grow in time, while their interiors compress, amplifying the internal magnetic field. The magnetic field felt by particles injected in an isolated plasmoid increases linearly with time, which leads to particle energization as a result of magnetic moment conservation. For particles injected with a power-law distribution function, this energization process acts in such a way that the shape of the injected power law is conserved, while producing an additional nonthermal tail f(E) ∝ E-3 at higher energies, followed by an exponential cutoff. The cutoff energy, which increases with time as ${E}_{\mathrm{cut}}\propto \sqrt{t}$ , can greatly exceed σupmec2. We analytically predict the secondary acceleration timescale and the shape of the emerging particle energy spectrum, which can be of major importance in certain astrophysical systems, such as blazar jets.

The purpose of the proposed research is the application of suitable indicators, which measure the state of democracy, to the university field. Initially, an in-depth analysis of the features presented in six international organizations measuring democracy worldwide was performed. This revealed a sizeable set of significant and complementary indicators that constructed a conceptual framework for democratic institutions. Then, a model of the ‘democratic’ university was established with respect to its mission, operations and interactions, comprising a set of democratic characteristics. Interviews with academics from several European countries helped select those primary democracy indicators that can be best associated with the university characteristics. Interviews were analyzed using a Text Network Analysis algorithm, which represents texts as network graphs. Results show that monitoring these associations can reveal discrepancies and flaws that may degrade the university’s democratic operation and, also, helps to resolve conflicting demands when interacting with societal actors and the state. The size and variety of the examined datasets overcomes data bias, and the novelty of our approach lies in the fact that the graphical representations of the texts does not impose external semantic structures, thus avoiding subjectivity. This can have significant implications in assisting the complex policy formation processes within the university.

BACKGROUND: Vaginal agenesis, most commonly referred as Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome, is mostly diagnosed as primary amenorrhea in teenage girls; although there is plenty of literature concerning the formation of a neovagina, limited research has focused on the psychological burden of this diagnosis to the girls. AIM: To enlighten health providers into the finer aspects of sexuality through the own words and experiences of girls with MRKH under our care. METHODS: Women currently undergoing vaginal dilation or who had completed vaginal dilation within the past year were recruited from February 2019 to January 2020. A gynecologist with training in Sexual Medicine conducted a semistructured interview, which was recorded and then transcribed to identify common themes among interviewees. OUTCOMES: The main outcome explored was the narrative experiences of women with MRKH. RESULTS: 7 women participated, with a mean age of 19.7 (range 17-22 years). None of the girls felt stigmatized, however one reported significant distress at diagnosis, stemming from the attitude of health care professionals and exacerbated by an earlier age at disclosure. All girls accepted that VDT was successful, when it was initiated after they had felt sexual interest and arousal. Exact quantification of the vaginal length at onset, worried 4 as they felt pressurized to achieve a specific length. A few girls reported anxiety over sharing the diagnosis with an intimate partner. All of them pretended at some point to have menses. Childbearing was an important issue for most of the interviewees, but it did not concern them for the time being. All girls had supporting families. However, 5 did not want to share information about VDT with them. One girl reported that openness in discussing genital anatomy, VDT and sexuality, helped her both in completing treatment and adapting in a sexual relationship. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A multidisciplinary team should aim for age-appropriate disclosure and consultation and guide women through VDT and their sexual relations. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This is a thorough account of women's perceptions regarding VDT and sexuality in MRKH. However, our conclusions may be limited by the small number of participants. CONCLUSION: Gradual provision of information at disclosure and adjusted timing at VDT may reduce stress in girls with MRKH. Tsitoura A, Michala L. The Sexuality of Adolescents and Young Women With MRKH Syndrome: A Qualitative Study. J Sex Med 2021;18:2012-2019.

Die Programmschrift Sola Scriptura Ökumenisch ist weltweit der erste Versuch, Ökumene konsequent aus dem gemeinsamen Bezug auf die Bibel als wegweisender Richtschnur für individuellen Glauben und institutionelle Gestaltung von Kirchen im Kontext offener gesellschaftlicher Konflikte der Gegenwart zu denken. Erstmals werden 10 Thesen zum Verständnis und zur Funktion einer Schriftauffassung im Zeichen von Sola Scriptura publiziert, die gemeinsam von einem evangelischen, einem römisch-katholischen und einem orthodoxen Bibelwissenschaftler formuliert wurden. Sie sind sich darin einig, dass allein die Schrift richtig verstanden eine frohe Botschaft für alle bezeugt und nur die gemeinsame, erwartungsvolle wie kritische Hinwendung zur Schrift tragfähige Ökumene ermöglicht. Diese ist die Basis dafür, biblische Einsichten in die Ermöglichungsbedingungen gemeinschaftlichen Lebens in die globalen und lokalen kirchlichen und gesellschaftlichen Konflikte der Gegenwart einzubringen.

Based on the results of a previous terrestrial gravity survey that was carried out in Athens basin (Greece) some indications of correlation between terrestrial gravity data and isoseismal maps of Athens earthquake (7/9/1999) had been revealed. In this paper, we will present a research for the same area based on a new approach, which investigates the possible correlation of the same isoseismal maps with only satellite gravity data from GOCE and GRACE but also with a combined gravity model of updated terrestrial, marine and satellite data. The combined gravity model of Greece was constructed based on the least-squares collocation. The previous correlation of isoseismal maps with the older terrestrial gravity data was quite obvious and clear since the areas with the lower gravity values were simultaneously the ones with the greatest damage distribution. On the other hand, from the satellite gravity data and the combined gravity model we could not identify a clear and obvious correlation, as was expected, due to the smaller resolution spacing of the satellite data.

This article explores aspects of the quotidian history of space in the Greek Revolution of 1821, using as a case study the transitional events of the siege of the Acropolis by the Ottoman army in 1826 and the recapturing of the city of Athens. Through a thorough study of space as embodied knowledge grounded in the dynamic interaction between humans and material culture, it identifies the shifts in the Athenian landscape during this period. Its findings are based on primary textual and visual sources pertaining to warfare, which are juxtaposed to the Greek and Ottoman emerging official perceptions of the significance of the city of Athens as a political and imaginary objective. The article deploys a phenomenological analysis of space that foregrounds the everyday experiential dimensions and is highly relevant in understanding the ideological and political complexities and implications of the shifting spatialities of the revolutionary period.

he testimony of the French diplomat Félix de Beaujour in the late 18th century regarding the Turkish name of the celebrated Incantadas triggered a series of creative interpretations of the phrase sureth maleh. Besides the issue of the meaning of this name, the relation of the city’s Muslim community with the particular antiquities and their stories remains relatively unknown and understudied. Using as starting point the work of the poet Ahmet Meşhûrî (1783-1857), this study attempts a preliminary reading of 19th century Ottoman literary and historiographical sources about Thessaloniki. It aims to map the broader conceptual framework within which the perception and the way the Muslim community related to remnants of the past and to this particular monument can be placed. This corpus of texts is historically situated at the threshold of Ottoman modernity, which, among other factors, is defined by the construction of a primary archaeological conscience by the Ottoman state, but also of the conceptualization of the city’s heritage. The aim of this critical read- ing is to highlight the contradictions and ambiguities of this process.

Το άρθρο παρουσιάζει μέρος των πορισμάτων της ολοκληρωμένης έρευνας όπου εκπονήθηκε στο Τμήμα Θεατρικών Σπουδών του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών έπειτα από τη λήψη της υποτροφίας του Ι.Κ.Υ. για Μεταδιδακτορική Έρευνα στην Ελλάδα για το έτος 2009-2010. Παρουσιάζει την καλλιτεχνική πορεία ορισμένων Ελλήνων μεταναστών επαγγελματιών ηθοποιών οι οποίοι έδρασαν από το 1900 έως το 1922 σε εστίες του Ελληνισμού της Διασποράς. Το θέατρο αποτέλεσε ίσως τη σημαντικότερη καλλιτεχνική και κοινωνική έκφανση των εθνικών πνευματικών κέντρων όσο και των μεταναστευτικών κοινοτήτων του Ελληνισμού. Κάθε ελληνική κοινότητα του εξωτερικού διαμόρφωσε έναν «αυτόνομο» θεατρικό χαρακτήρα, αφού οι διαφορετικές κοινωνικές, πολιτικές και γεωγραφικές συνθήκες διαφοροποίησαν από τόπο σε τόπο τη γηγενή δραματουργία, το είδος των θιάσων καθώς και το ρεπερτόριο. Είναι παρακινδυνευμένο λοιπόν, να εξετάζεται το θέατρο της Διασποράς ως ένα ενιαίο θεατρικό είδος που εκτείνεται από τις ιστορικές παροικίες της Ανατολής έως τις μεταναστευτικές κοινότητες της Δύσης.

In this paper we investigate a specific case of face verification: Given some confirmed photos and video frames of Leonidas Arniotis, a Greek artist of late 1800’ and early 1900’s, we have examined two photos, of very low resolution, of an unknown person that could be Leonidas Arniotis. The widespread of deep learning and the availability of ResNet50 model, which was trained on VGGFace2 dataset, allowed us to apply transfer learning for face verification purposes. At the same time an alternative technique which is based on facial points matching was applied. The main aim of the paper is to show that despite the progress made in the fields of face recognition and face verification, actual systems that can be used by non-experts for examining real world cases, like the one we deal in the current paper, remain impractical. In the framework of the current work, we also examine and discuss, in a critical way, the effectiveness of transfer learning for real face verification cases through specific examples.

Η Δημόσια Βιβλιοθήκη για τις Παραστατικές Τέχνες της Νέας Υόρκης διαθέτει σπάνιες αρχειακές συλλογές στον τομέα του Ελληνικού Θεάτρου, οι οποίες αφορούν το αρχαίο θέατρο και την πρόσληψή του, τη δραματουργία της Ελληνικής Διασποράς στις ΗΠΑ, τη θεατρική πρακτική των Ελλήνων μεταναστών και την πορεία των υπερατλαντικών θεατρικών περιοδειών. Πέρα από τα βιβλία, υπάρχει η τεράστια no-book συλλογή, η οποία περιλαμβάνει χειρόγραφα, προγράμματα, παρτιτούρες, σπάνιες ηχογραφήσεις, αποκόμματα, αποδελτιωμένες κριτικές, αφίσες, φωτογραφίες κ.α. Παρουσιάζονται τα σπουδαιότερα τεκμήρια, δίνοντας προτεραιότητα σε εκείνα που δεν είναι ψηφιοποιημένα.

Τα «θεατρικά παιχνίδια» (theatre ή drama games) είναι διαδικασία ή και μέθοδος εκπαίδευσης των ηθοποιών κατά τη διάρκεια της πρόβας, τρόπος φυσικής προθέρμανσης, μέσο ανάπτυξης αυτοσχεδιασμών, προεργασία δημιουργίας σκηνικών δράσεων στην πρωτογενή τους μορφή, αλλά και θεραπεία του άγχους πριν την παράσταση. Στη νεοελληνική θεατρική πρακτική τα «theatre games» συγκέντρωσης, προθέρμανσης, αυτοσχεδιασμού, αφήγησης, ρόλων, δυναμικής ομάδας κ.ά. ενθαρρύνουν τη δημιουργικότητα και αξιοποιούνται από τους Έλληνες σκηνοθέτες ωφελώντας τόσο τους ηθοποιούς όσο και την παράσταση, δηλαδή το κοινό κατ’ επέκταση. Το παρόν ερευνητικό άρθρο μελετά τη λειτουργία των theatre games στο σύγχρονο ελληνικό θέατρο με έμφαση στη διαδικασία της πρόβας. Το υπό εξέταση θέμα υπήρξε terra incognita για τη μελέτη της πρακτικής του ελληνικού θεάτρου. Συλλέχθηκε πρωτογενές υλικό με τη σύμπραξη είκοσι πέντε (25) Ελλήνων σκηνοθετών. Τα theatre games ενεργοποιούν όλους τους «νευροδιαβιβαστές της ευτυχίας» και συμβάλλουν θετικά στη διεξαγωγή της πρόβας, προσφέροντας τα εξής οφέλη: α) χαρά, β) εξάλειψη του άγχους, γ) ενεργοποίηση της φαντασίας, δ) ενδυνάμωση του σώματος, ε) σύνδεση της ομάδας, στ) προσαρμογή, ζ) επίτευξη στόχου, η) ενίσχυση συμμετοχής. Στη δομημένη ρουτίνα της επαγγελματικής πρόβας κανείς από τους ερωτηθέντες σκηνοθέτες δεν απέρριψε τα theatre games ως ανώριμη ή μη παραγωγική διαδικασία. Τα theatre games αλλά και οι σκηνοθέτες καλούνται συχνά να εμψυχώσουν ομάδες εκτός του πλαισίου των παραστατικών τεχνών, και τα applied theatre games λειτουργούν αποτελεσματικά σε επιχειρήσεις ως τρόπος ενδυνάμωσης σχέσεων, βελτίωσης δεξιοτήτων επικοινωνίας, απόκτησης ικανοτήτων επίλυσης προβλημάτων. Επίσης, πολλοί σκηνοθέτες χρησιμοποιούν τα theatre games και στη διδασκαλία της υποκριτικής. Τέλος, αναφέρονται οι επιρροές των σκηνοθετών και οι διαδικασίες επινόησης - μετεξέλιξης νέων theatre games.

Η αιχμάλωτη Ελληνοπούλα ή Η άλωση της Αθήνας, το τρίπρακτο θεατρικό έργο του Αμερικανοεβραίου Μόρντεκαϊ Μανουέλ Νόε, γράφτηκε και παρουσιάστηκε στη Νέα Υόρκη μόλις το 1822. Ο συγγραφέας είχε προλογίσει τη νεοϋορκέζικη έκδοση του 1822: «Εμείς, οι πολίτες μιας ελεύθερης χώρας, δεν μπορούμε να παρακολουθούμε με αδιαφορία τον τρέχοντα αγώνα για ελευθερία στην Ελλάδα. Αν και μας χωρίζουν θάλασσες και ωκεανοί, είμαστε πολύ εξοικειωμένοι με το ιστορικό παρελθόν αυτής της χώρας, με εκείνα τα λαμπρά γεγονότα τα οποία σημάδεψαν τις σελίδες της ιστορίας της. Κατά συνέπεια, αισθανόμαστε βαθύ ενδιαφέρον για την επιτυχία αυτού του λαού και για την υπόθεση της ελευθερίας γενικότερα». Διακόσια χρόνια μετά τη συγγραφή και παγκόσμια θεατρική πρώτη, το έργο μεταφράζεται από την Κατερίνα Διακουμοπούλου (Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Θεατρικών Σπουδών, ΕΚΠΑ) και παρουσιάζεται στο ελληνικό κοινό συνοδευόμενο από την εισαγωγή της. Την έκδοση συμπληρώνουν το προλογικό σημείωμα της Μαρίας Γεωργοπούλου (Διευθύντριας της Γενναδείου Βιβλιοθήκης) και το επίμετρο της Ευγενίας (Τζένης) Αρσένη (Σκηνοθέτιδας-Θεατρολόγου).

Hole transfer along the axis of duplex DNA has been the focus of physical chemistry research for decades, with implications in diversefields, from nanotechnology to cell oxidative damage. Computational approaches are particularly amenable for this problem,to complement experimental data for interpretation of transfer mechanisms. To be predictive, computational results need to account for the inherent mobility of biological molecules during the time frame of experimental measurements. Here, we address the structural variability of B-DNA and its effects on hole transfer in a combined molecular dynamics (MD) and real-time time-dependent density functional theory (RT-TDDFT) study. Our results show that quantities that characterize the charge transfer process, such as the time-dependent dipole moment and hole population at a specific site, are sensitive to structural changes that occur on the nanosecond time scale. We extend the range of physical properties for which such a correlation has been observed, further establishing the fact that quantitative computational data on charge transfer properties should include statistical averages.Furthermore, we use the RT-TDDFT results to assess an efficient tight-binding method suitable for high-throughput predictions. We demonstrate that charge transfer, although affected by structural variability, on average, remains strong in AA and GG dimers.

George Gissing's novel Sleeping Fires (1895) presents a late nineteenth-century Athens that is divided between its ancient and modern identities. As a reflection on the significance of Hellenism in Victorian culture, the novel narrates the random encounter between Edmund Langley, a self-exile with a classical education, and Louis Reed, a passionate and radical young man, who is revealed to be Langley's lost and unknown son. In the context of Gissing's diaries and letters recording his visit to Athens, Sleeping Fires portrays the city as an ambivalent space, both inspirational and deceptive. Gissing's juxtaposition of the ancient monuments' beauty with the bleakness of their modern surroundings emphasizes the distance between antiquity and modernity as well as Victorians' misinterpretations of Greece, revealing the period's conflicting discourses about Hellenism.

An optical analogue of magic-angle twisted graphene bilayer gives rise to rigorously stopped light, which coupled with gain allows for a new type of a nanolaser with remarkable figures of merit.

This volume acknowledges the centrality of comic invective in a range of oratorical institutions (especially forensic and symbouleutic), and aspires to enhance the knowledge and understanding of how this technique is used in such con-texts of both Greek and Roman oratory. Despite the important scholarly work that has been done in discussing the patterns of using invective in Greek and Roman texts and contexts, there are still notable gaps in our knowledge of the issue. The introduction to, and the twelve chapters of, this volume address some understudied multi-genre and interdisciplinary topics: first, the ways in which comic invective in oratory draws on, or has implications for, comedy and other genres, or how these literary genres are influenced by oratorical theory and practice, and by contemporary socio-political circumstances, in articulating comic invective and targeting prominent individuals; second, how comic invective sustains relationships and promotes persuasion through unity and division; third, how it connects with sexuality, the human body and male/female physiology; fourth, what impact generic dichotomies, as, for example, public-private and defence-prosecution, may have upon using comic invective; and fifth, what the limitations in its use are, depending on the codes of honour and decency in ancient Greece and Rome.

In the light of recent scholarly work on tragic patterns and allusions inFlavian epic, the publication of a volume exclusively dedicated to therelationship between Flavian epic and tragedy is timely. The volume,concentrating on the poetic works of Silius Italicus, Statius and ValeriusFlaccus, consists of eight original contributions, two by the editorsthemselves and a further six by experts on Flavian epic. The volume ispreceded by an introduction by the editors and it concludes with an‘Afterword’ by Carole E. Newlands.Among key themes analysed are narrative patterns, strategies or type-scenesthat appear to derive from tragedy, the Aristotelian notions of hamartia andanagnorisis, human and divine causation, the ‘transfer’ of individualcharacters from tragedy to epic, as well as instances of tragic language andimagery.The volume at hand showcases an array of methodological approaches to thequestion of the presence of tragic elements in epic. Hence, it will be ofinterest to scholars and students in the area of Classics or Literary Studiesfocusing on such intergeneric and intertextual connections; it will be also ofinterest to scholars working on Flavian epic or on the ancient reception ofGreek and Roman tragedy.

Naturally occurring point mutations in apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), the major protein component of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), may affect plasma HDL-cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk. Here, we evaluated the effect of human apoA-I mutations L144R (associated with low HDL-cholesterol), L178P (associated with low HDL-cholesterol and increased cardiovascular risk) and A164S (associated with increased cardiovascular risk and mortality without low HDL-cholesterol) on the structural integrity and functions of lipid-free and lipoprotein-associated apoA-I in an effort to explain the phenotypes of subjects carrying these mutations. All three mutants, in lipid-free form, presented structural and thermodynamic aberrations, with apoA-I[L178P] presenting the greatest thermodynamic destabilization. Additionally, apoA-I[L178P] displayed reduced ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity. When in reconstituted HDL (rHDL), apoA-I[L144R] and apoA-I[L178P] were more thermodynamically destabilized compared to wild-type apoA-I, both displayed reduced SR-BI-mediated cholesterol efflux capacity and apoA-I[L144R] showed severe LCAT activation defect. ApoA-I[A164S] was thermodynamically unaffected when in rHDL, but exhibited a series of functional defects. Specifically, it had reduced ABCG1-mediated cholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol efflux capacity, failed to reduce ROS formation in endothelial cells and had reduced capacity to induce endothelial cell migration. Mechanistically, the latter was due to decreased capacity of rHDL-apoA-I[A164S] to activate Akt kinase possibly by interacting with endothelial LOX-1 receptor. The impaired capacity of rHDL-apoA-I[A164S] to preserve endothelial function may be related to the increased cardiovascular risk for this mutation. Overall, our structure-function analysis of L144R, A164S and L178P apoA-I mutants provides insights on how HDL-cholesterol levels and/or atheroprotective properties of apoA-I/HDL are impaired in carriers of these mutations.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy are often hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases such as autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) caused by mutations in the key mitochondrial dynamics protein optic atrophy 1 (Opa1). However, the second messengers linking mitochondrial dysfunction to initiation of mitophagy remain poorly characterized. Here, we show in mammalian and nematode neurons that Opa1 mutations trigger Ca(2+)-dependent mitophagy. Deletion or expression of mutated Opa1 in mouse retinal ganglion cells and Caenorhabditis elegans motor neurons lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, increased cytosolic Ca(2+) levels, and decreased axonal mitochondrial density. Chelation of Ca(2+) restores mitochondrial density in neuronal processes, neuronal function, and viability. Mechanistically, sustained Ca(2+) levels activate calcineurin and AMPK, placed in the same genetic pathway regulating axonal mitochondrial density. Our data reveal that mitophagy in ADOA depends on Ca(2+)-calcineurin-AMPK signaling cascade.

A series of hybrid uranocenes consisting of uranium(iv) sandwiched between cyclobutadienyl (Cb) and cyclo-octatetraenyl (COT) ligands has been synthesized, structurally characterized and studied computationally. The dimetallic species [(η4-Cb′′′′)(η8-COT)U(μ:η2:η8-COT)U(THF)(η4-Cb′′′′)] (1) forms concomitantly with, and can be separated from, monometallic [(η4-Cb′′′′)U(THF)(η8-COT)] (2) (Cb′′′′ = 1,2,3,4-tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)cyclobutadienyl, COT = cyclo-octatetraenyl). In toluene solution at room temperature,1dissociates into2and the unsolvated uranocene [(η4-Cb′′′′)U(η8-COT)] (3). By applying a high vacuum, both1and2can be converted directly into3. Using bulky silyl substituents on the COT ligand allowed isolation of base-free [(η4-Cb′′′′)U{η8-1,4-(iPr3Si)2C8H6}] (4), with compounds3and4being new members of the bis(annulene) family of actinocenes and the first to contain a cyclobutadienyl ligand. Computational studies show that the bonding in the hybrid uranocenes3and4has non-negligible covalency. New insight into actinocene bonding is provided by the complementary interactions of the different ligands with uranium, whereby the 6d orbitals interact most strongly with the cyclobutadienyl ligand and the 5f orbitals do so with the COT ligands. The redox-neutral activation of diethyl ether by [(η4-Cb′′′′)U(η8-C8H8)] is also described and represents a uranium-cyclobutadienyl cooperative process, potentially forming the basis of further small-molecule activation chemistry.

This chapter first summarizes the fundamentals of classical electrodynamics in continuous media, placing emphasis on the optical response of gyrotropic materials. It, subsequently, develops in a concise but rigorous manner the scattering- and transfer-matrix methods for general stratified photonic media, based on a versatile six-vector formulation of Maxwell equations. Applications are reported for periodic and defect one-dimensional (1D) magnetophotonic structures in different configurations. A consistent interpretation of some remarkable phenomena, such as occurrence of photonic gaps and localized defect modes, enhanced magnetooptical effects, non-reciprocal optical response, etc., is provided through a thorough analysis of relevant dispersion diagrams in conjunction with transmission/reflection spectra. Finally, the concept of a dual optomagnonic cavity, formed in judiciously designed stratified magnetophotonic structures, for strong photon–magnon interaction is introduced. Methods for its theoretical description, namely the Green’s function-based perturbation expansion, the quasi-static adiabatic approximation, and a fully dynamic time-Floquet approach, are developed, and their accuracy and limits of validity are assessed. Proof-of-concept demonstrations are presented for enhanced interaction of light, trapped in optical defect modes, with perpendicular standing spin waves, in a dielectric magnetic film sandwiched between two dielectric Bragg mirrors.

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of FTD (Frontotemporal Degeneration) cases can be attributed to mutations in major genes such as GRN, MAPT and C9orf72. Our previous report on a Greek FTD cohort revealed the presence of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) p.I383V (rs80356740) in the TARDBP gene in three unrelated patients. Our objective was to develop a novel, fast and accurate method for the detection of this particular SNP and evaluate the assay in a larger cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: A real-time qPCR-melting curve analysis method was developed, validated and tested in 142 FTD patients and 111 healthy control subjects. The SNP was detected in another two patients raising its yield in FTD patients to 3.5% (5 out of 142 patients) while one in 111 healthy controls was found to be a carrier. However, its frequency in the general population has been reported extremely low in international SNP databases (0.002%). CONCLUSION: This fact along with the indicated pathogenicity of this SNP in some bioinformatics tools, suggest that TARDBP p.I383V is recurrent and likely pathogenic for the Greek FTD population. Our high-throughput method could be used for genotyping in other larger patient cohorts and in other populations. Additionally, functional in vitro studies are required for the final adjudication of this TARDBP alteration as a pathogenic alteration

This study explores teacher educators’ (TEs’) activity as they support mathematics and science teacher collaboration in co-designing and jointly implementing tasks. We view TEs’ activity through the lens of Activity Theory and expansive learning and draw evidence from data generated within the mascil project that linked mathematics and science teaching with workplace situations through inquiry-based teaching. We focus on five TEs’ actions and goals, use data from their professional development sessions with teachers and from the TEs’ interactions during their own meetings, and highlight the illuminating case of one teacher educator. We trace evidence indicating paths of actions followed by each Teacher Educator and look for indications of their professional learning. Our analysis reveals generic and content-focused actions. All TEs faced different kinds of contradictions and had difficulties handling them. In terms of professional learning, all TEs adapted their prior teacher education practices and appreciated the critical role of epistemological differences between the two disciplines.

The purpose of this article is to present the results of an environmental education program on “Storm-Tossed Sea Rocks in Pelion Seaside” designed for junior high school students and implemented as a synchronous online educational approach and with a main goal to empower students to the values of geoheritage. In order to examine the effectiveness of the program and in particular the achievement of the objectives that encourage the development of values, the research question was identified as to whether the implementation of the environmental program achieved the empowerment of students in geoheritage values. In order to answer this question, we implemented a rather unusual technique to evaluate the educational procedure, which was based on the qualitative research technique of thematic analysis. This technique was selected as the most appropriate in order to “mine” conceptual patterns, the analysis of which would, in a valid, reliable, and simultaneously easy to use and quick way, inform the teachers that the values of geoheritage were disseminated to the students through the program. Thus, four-question interviews were conducted with randomly selected students who participated in the program. The data were examined and conceptual patterns were identified which were classified in eighteen codes. The codes were divided into five categories, the analysis of which led to the answer to the research question. Thus, it was found that the implementation of the environmental program achieved the empowerment of students in geocultural heritage values. The development of feelings of environmental sensitivity has also been seen, which suggests further investigation is needed. It was concluded that for the students, the given educational approach was necessary as well as cognitively, pedagogically, and emotionally beneficial; therefore, the need to enrich the curricula of environmental education/education for sustainable development with issues of geodiversity and geocultural heritage is justified. Finally, what was ascertained is that the thematic-analysis-based evaluation technique of the educational procedure, which was implemented, provided the teachers with the requested information, and it is recommended as an evaluation technique of educational procedures which aim at empowering students on values—even for daily use in school.

We present the first analysis of Cepheid stars observed by the TESS space mission in Sectors 1-5. Our sample consists of 25 pulsators: ten fundamental mode, three overtone and two double-mode classical Cepheids, plus three type II and seven anomalous Cepheids. The targets were chosen from fields with different stellar densities, both from the Galactic field and from the Magellanic System. Three targets have 2 minutes cadence light curves available by the TESS Science Processing Operations Center: for the rest, we prepared custom light curves from the full-frame images with our own differential photometric FITSH pipeline. Our main goal was to explore the potential and the limitations of TESS concerning the various subtypes of Cepheids. We detected many low-amplitude features: weak modulation, period jitter, and timing variations due to light-time effect. We also report signs of nonradial modes and the first discovery of such a mode in an anomalous Cepheid, the overtone star XZ Cet, which we then confirmed with ground-based multicolor photometric measurements. We prepared a custom photometric solution to minimize saturation effects in the bright fundamental-mode classical Cepheid, β Dor with the lightkurve software, and we revealed strong evidence of cycle-to-cycle variations in the star. In several cases, however, fluctuations in the pulsation could not be distinguished from instrumental effects, such as contamination from nearby sources, which also varies between sectors. Finally, we discuss how precise light-curve shapes will be crucial not only for classification purposes but also to determine physical properties of these stars.

"That the physical virtues are also tools of the mental": The phenotypic distinction of physical and mental virtues in the context of Orthodox spirituality", in the Honorary Volume of the Theological School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens for the thirty-year ministry of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaiou A´, Alter Ego SME SA, Athens 2021, p. 363-372

We report that the fundamental three-dimensional (3-D) scattering single-channel limit can be exceeded in magneto-optical assisted systems by inducing non-degenerate magnetoplasmonic modes. In addition, we propose a 3-D active (magnetically assisted) forward-superscattering to invisibility switch, functioning at the same operational wavelength. Our structure is composed of a high-index dielectric core coated by indium antimonide (InSb), a semiconductor whose permittivity tensorial elements may be actively manipulated by an external magnetic bias B0. In the absence of B0, InSb exhibits isotropic epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) and plasmonic behavior above and below its plasma frequency, respectively, a frequency band which can be utilized for attaining invisibility using cloaks with permittivity less than that of free space. With realistic B0 magnitudes as high as 0.17 T, the gyroelectric properties of InSb enable the lift of mode degeneracy, and the induction of Zeeman-split type magnetoplasmonic modes that beat the fundamental single-channel limit. Moreover, we show that chains of such particles, where each one operates in its superscattering regime, enable giant off-to-on enhancement in scattering efficiency, as well as unprecedentedly high forward scattering. These all-in-one designs allow for the implementation of functional and readily tunable optical devices.

We present the Hubble Catalog of Variables, the first, homogeneous catalog of variable sources created from the highly diverse, archival HST data. It is currently the deepest catalog of variables available and includes variable stars in our Galaxy and nearby galaxies, as well as transients and variable active galactic nuclei. The catalog is a valuable resource for time domain science. Possible uses include searches for new variable objects of a particular type for population analysis, detection of unique objects worthy of follow-up studies, identification of sources observed at other wavelengths, and photometric characterization of candidate progenitors of supernovae and other transients in nearby galaxies. Examples of such cases will be presented. The Hubble Catalog of Variables (HCV) is based on version 3 of the Hubble Source Catalog (HSC), which relies on publicly available images obtained with the WFPC2, ACS, and WFC3 instruments onboard the HST. It includes 84,428 candidate variable sources (out of 3.7 million HSC sources that were searched for variability) with V <= 27 mag; for 11,115 of them the variability is detected in more than one filter. The data points in the light curves of the variables in the HCV catalog range from five to 120 points (typically having less than ten points); the time baseline ranges from under a day to over 15 years; while ∼8% of all variables have amplitudes in excess of 1 mag. Visual inspection performed on a subset of the candidate variables suggests that at least 80% of the candidate variables that passed our automated quality control are true variable sources rather than spurious detections resulting from blending, residual cosmic rays, and calibration errors. The catalog is available to the community from the ESA Hubble Science Archive (eHST) at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) and the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes (MAST) at Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI).

The Black–Litterman model is a very important analytical tool for active portfolio management because it allows investment analysts to incorporate investor’s views into market equilibrium returns. In this paper, we define and study the time-varying Black–Litterman portfolio optimization under nonlinear constraints (TV-BLPONC) problem as a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem. More precisely, the nonlinear constraints refer to transaction costs and cardinality constraints. Furthermore, a speedy weights-and-structure-determination (WASD) algorithm for the power-activation feed-forward neuronet (PFN) is presented to solve time-series modeling and forecasting problems. Inhere, the investor’s views in the TV-BLPONC problem are considered as a forecasting problem and, thus, they are produced by the WASD-based PFN. In addition, using the beetle antennae search (BAS) algorithm a computational method is introduced to solve the TV-BLPONC problem. For all we know, this is an innovative approach that integrates modern neural network and meta-heuristic optimization methods to provide a solution to the TV-BLPONC problem in large portfolios. Our approach is tested on portfolios of up to 90 stocks with real-world data, and the results show that it is more than 30 times faster than other methods. Our technique’s speed and precision are verified in this way, showing that it is an outstanding alternative to ordinary methods. In order to support and promote the findings of this work, we have constructed two complete MATLAB packages for the interested user, which are freely available through GitHub.

The Markowitz mean-variance portfolio selection is widely acclaimed as a very important investment strategy. A popular option to solve the static mean-variance portfolio selection (MVPS) problem is based on the use of quadratic programming (QP) methods. On the other hand, the static portfolio selection under transaction costs (PSTC) problem is usually approached with nonlinear programming (NLP) methods. In this article, we define and study the time-varying mean-variance portfolio selection under transaction costs and cardinality constraint (TV-MVPSTC-CC) problem as a time-varying nonlinear programming (TVNLP) problem. The TV-MVPSTC-CC also comprises the properties of a moving average. These properties make the TV-MVPSTC-CC an even greater analysis tool suitable to evaluate investments and identify trading opportunities across a continuous-time period. Using the Beetle Antennae Search (BAS) algorithm, we also provide an online solution to the static NLP problem. To the best of our knowledge, this is an innovative approach that incorporates modern meta-heuristic optimization techniques to provide an online, thus more realistic, solution to the TV-MVPSTC-CC problem. In this way, we present an online solution to a time-varying financial problem while eliminating the restrictions of static methods. Our approach is also verified by numerical experiments and computer simulations as an excellent alternative to traditional approaches.

Topologically protected transport has recently emerged as an effective means to address a recurring problem hampering the field of slow light for the past two decades: its keen sensitivity to disorders and structural imperfections. With it, there has been renewed interest in efforts to overcome the delay-time-bandwidth limitation usually characterizing slow-light devices, on occasion thought to be a fundamental limit. What exactly is this limit, and what does it imply? Can it be overcome? If yes, how could topological slow light help, and in what systems? What applications might be expected by overcoming the limit? Our Perspective here attempts addressing these and other related questions while pointing to important new functionalities both for classical and quantum devices that overcoming the limit can enable.

In two diary studies, we examined the reciprocal daily association between the satisfaction and frustration of adolescents’ basic psychological needs and sleep, and the role of stress and fatigue in these associations. In Study 1 (N = 211; 52% female; Mage = 15.86 years, SD = 1.18 years), daily need experiences were unrelated to daily fluctuations in subjective sleep outcomes. However, shorter daily sleep quantity was related to higher daily fatigue, which in turn related to more daily need frustration and less need satisfaction. Study 2 (N = 51; 49% female; Mage = 15.88 years, SD = 2.88 years) extended these findings by demonstrating that daily need frustration related to shorter objective sleep quantity and longer wake after sleep onset, indirectly through higher symptoms of stress. Poor sleep quality also related to worse need experiences via higher daily fatigue. These findings underscore the dynamic interplay between daily need experiences and adolescent sleep.

The current scoping study conducted in Greece aimed to explore the training needs and attitudes held by educationalists on inclusive education for pupils with autism. Whilst educational policies and practice advocate for inclusive education for children with autism, actual provision is segregated between mainstream, special schools and multi-disciplinary therapy centers. These centers operate under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and are certified by the Ministry of Education. They collaborate with schools to ensure the seamless inclusion of children with autism into school. Whilst Greek educationalists believe on principle that inclusion is essential in the quest to foster community presence and integration for children with autism, in practice there are barriers to inclusive education; primarily these include the current financial crisis and budget cuts in Education as well as an anxiety on the part of teachers on how best to practice inclusive education, whilst protecting and maintaining the safety of autistic children. This ambivalence stems from insufficient knowledge, skills and experience and has significant implications for children with special needs, their families and for society as a whole. The current study aimed to address this ambivalence by, as an initial step, ensuring that all teachers are granted appropriate training and professional support so that children with autism are given the opportunity to flourish within inclusive educational settings.

Elevator-type transporters are a group of proteins translocating nutrients and metabolites across cell membranes. Despite structural and functional differences, elevator-type transporters use a common mechanism of substrate translocation via reversible movements of a mobile core domain (the elevator), which includes the substrate binding site, along a rigid scaffold domain, stably anchored in the plasma membrane. How substrate specificity is determined in elevator transporters remains elusive. Here, I discuss how a recent report on the sliding elevator mechanism, seen under the context of genetic analysis of a prototype fungal transporter, sheds light on how specificity might be genetically modified. I propose that flexible specificity alterations might occur by 'loosening' of the sliding mechanism from tight coupling to substrate binding.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains a highly-lethal gynecological malignancy, characterized by frequent recurrence, chemotherapy resistance and poor 5-year survival. Identifying novel predictive molecular markers remains an overdue challenge in the disease's clinical management. Herein, in silico analysis of TCGA-OV highlighted the tRNA-derived internal fragment (i-tRF-GlyGCC) among the most abundant tRFs in ovarian tumors, while target prediction and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis predicted its implication in key biological processes. Thereafter, i-tRF-GlyGCC levels were quantified in a screening EOC (n = 98) and an institutionally-independent serous ovarian cancer (SOC) validation cohort (n = 100, OVCAD multicenter study). Disease progression and patient death were used as clinical endpoints for the survival analysis. Internal validation was performed by bootstrap analysis and the clinical net benefit was estimated by decision curve analysis. The analysis highlighted the significant association of i-tRF-GlyGCC with advanced FIGO stages, suboptimal debulking and most importantly, with early progression and poor overall survival of EOC patients. The OVCAD validation cohort corroborated the unfavorable predictive value of i-tRF-GlyGCC in EOC. Ultimately, evaluation of i-tRF-GlyGCC with the established/clinically used prognostic markers offered superior patient risk-stratification and enhanced clinical benefit in EOC prognosis. In conclusion, i-tRF-GlyGCC assessment could aid towards personalized prognosis and support precision medicine decisions in EOC.

A variety of multidispersive, localized, or extended in frequency, bands, induced by inductance-based external electric circuits in piezoelectric phononic plates, is studied both theoretically and experimentally in this work. Their origin, tightly related to an equivalent LC-circuit behavior, is analyzed in detail and their interaction with the Lamb-like guided modes of the plate is also discussed. These bands, easily tuned by the choice of the parameters of the external electric circuitry, lead to a non-destructive, real-time control of the dispersion characteristics of these structures. Our device and analysis can find application in the improvement of surface acoustic wave components by offering additional degrees of freedom.

Turkey’s cooperation with the organization of Muslim Brothers has its own strong foundations, representing at the same time the frontline of the Turkish geostrategy towards the leadership of the Ummah and the Muslim World. This is a decade-long proven reality, while it is not visible which part is leading and which is following the other’s strategic behavior. In any case and except for any “metaphysical ideas” of the current Turkish elite, a certain strategic image is produced for Erdoğan and it is related with the profound Islamist-oriented strategy, aiming to Turkey’s upgrade into a regional hegemon absolutely antagonist at a world-wide level. On this line of thought, the current study aims to describe Turkey’s engagement in Libya under the cloak of Ankara’s relation with the Muslim Brotherhood between 2020 and 2021. Comparatively to Turkey’s ambiguent strategy in the case of Gaza escalation of May 2021, general conclusions are reached with regard to the consequences of Neoottoman policies in Maghreb and the Greater Middle East for regional stability and peace.

We report on two-step current-induced effects on the electrical, optical, and structural properties of VO2 films around the Metal–Insulator Transition (MIT) in synergy with ambient temperature (T). Simultaneous electrical resistance and transmittance measurements of VO2 semitransparent thin films as a function of T show that the electric current modifies the MIT that takes place in two steps: an abrupt change that increases upon increasing current, implying the formation of larger metallic domains within the current path, accompanied by a smoother change that follows the temperature change. Resistance measurements of thicker bulk-like VO2 films have been also investigated exhibiting similar two-step behavior. By monitoring the specimen temperature (To) during resistance measurements, we show that the abrupt resistance step, accompanied by instantaneous heating/cooling events, occurs at temperatures lower than TMIT and is attributed to current-induced Joule heating effects. Moreover, by monitoring To during current–voltage measurements, the role of T in the formation of two-step current modified MIT is highlighted. X-ray diffraction with in situ resistance measurements performed for various currents at room temperature as a function of To has shown that the current can cause partially MIT and structural phase transition, leading to an abrupt step of MIT. The formation of a rutile metallic phase of VO2 under high applied currents is clearly demonstrated by micro-Raman measurements. By controlling current in synergy with T below TMIT, the VO2 film can be driven to a two-step current-induced MIT as gradually a larger part of the film is transformed into a rutile metallic phase.. © 2021 Author(s).

The time-bandwidth limit is a mathematical tenet that affects all reciprocal resonators, stating that the product of the spectral bandwidth that can couple into a resonant system and its characteristic energy decay time is always equal to 1. Here, we develop an analytical and numerical model to show that introducing nonreciprocal coupling to a generalized resonator changes the power balance between the reflected and intracavity fields, which consequently overcomes the time-bandwidth limit of the resonant system. By performing a full evaluation of the time-bandwidth product (TBP) of the modeled resonator, we show that it represents a measure of the increased delay imparted to a light wave, with respect to what the bandwidth of the reciprocal resonant structure would allow to the same amount of in-coupled power. No longer restricted to the value 1, we show that the TBP can instead be used as a figure of merit of the improvement in intracavity power enhancement due to the nonreciprocal coupling. © 2021 American Physical Society.

We present unexpected optical and X-ray results that challenge established models of Be/X-ray binary accretion and system geometry. Be/X-ray binaries generally consist of a neutron star in a wide, eccentric orbit around a Be star. At periastron, magnetospheric accretion from the Be disk onto the neutron star magnetic poles yields X-ray pulses with increased luminosity by orders of magnitude. These periodic X-ray outbursts often coincide with optical flares. Characterizing X-ray and optical data from these systems informs our understanding of magnetospheric accretion onto objects with extreme magnetic fields (~1012 G) as well as the resulting feedback between the high-mass star and the orbiting pulsar. In June 2020, eROSITA detected Be/X-ray binary LXP 69.5 as the brightest transient in the Large Magellanic Cloud. We followed up with NICER to analyze the spectral and temporal properties of the neutron star over the course of the outburst. Pulse profile morphology is expected to change with accretion regime, which in turn is governed by system luminosity. However, we found the pulse profile from the peak of the outburst to be consistent with XMM-Newton observations from 2000, taken when the source was two orders of magnitude fainter. During the decay of the outburst, when the luminosity decreased by a third, the profile secondary peak became more prominent and the hardness increased. We also analyzed long-term optical data from OGLE, which spanned from March 2010 to March 2020. The orbital period of the system remains unknown, since no single period can describe the optical flares. Our best model suggests that the optical light curve can be split into three epochs with different periods (149, 171, and 200 days). Swift archival observations and our modeling of the I band quasi-periodicity suggest that the X-ray outbursts often occur near optical minimum. Such behavior is out of the ordinary for systems that host a face-on Be disk.

Sources containing descriptive information on earthquake effects in Greece from the period 1800–1899 are analysed and EMS-98 macroseismic intensities are assigned, aiming at the enrichment of the number of macroseismic datapoints contained in the Hellenic Macroseismic Database (HMDB.UoA). Based on the information provided by the analysis, intensities were re-assigned for all events reported in the sources. Compared to the MDPs presented in the Hellenic Macroseismic database, the total number of MDPs from the present study is more than double. Similar procedure was applied to the 19th century Samos and surrounding areas earthquakes including all macroseismic intensity degrees. For the case study of Samos, two macroseismic intensity data sets are presented: the damaging (IEMS98 > 6) and the non-damaging ones. The macroseismic parameters of one new earthquake were determined and the seismic history of the island showed that two earthquakes, probably similar to the 30 October 2020 Samos event, occurred in the 19th century. New earthquakes improve the seismic history and increased MDPs number allow for more accurate parameters assessment.

This paper studies the effects of U.S. unconventional monetary policy announcements on the implied volatility of three major currency pairs, Dollar/Euro, Dollar/British Pound and Dollar/Yen by using panel data analysis along with several model specifications and robustness tests. Monetary policy announcements not only have an effect on the realized behavior of asset prices, but also influence market participants’ expectations regarding future volatility. Our empirical findings show that Federal Reserve’s unconventional monetary policy announcements significantly reduce the market expectations about future realized volatility of exchange rates, suggesting that lax monetary policy leads to elevated risk-tolerance in currency markets. Furthermore, our findings indicate that market participants’ expectations respond differently to the different rounds of U.S. quantitative easing.

In volleyball, the opposite player is the most requested hitter since she/he is the player with a higher probability of successfully carrying out attacks. The main objective of this study was to analyze variables that predicted attack effectiveness, in top-level teams depending on gender. Inferential analysis and multinomial logistic regression were applied to analyze 1512 attacks of men and women opposite players from 79 sets of the six top-ranked teams in the Men and Women 2018 World Championships. The analysis revealed that in female volleyball to increase the odds for a winning attack from the opposite player, teams have to pass the ball more accurately, setters have to set in a faster tempo and opposites avoid off-speed attack and spike in a diagonal direction from position 2. On the contrary, in male volleyball the odds for a winning attack from the opposite player are increased when male setters set accurate to the pre-agreement point on the net independent of the quality of the previous pass, opposite players hit in parallel and volleyball coaches select proper line-up and process tactical substitutions to increase the number of rotations with an opposite player in the offensive zone.

Field trips are an essential part for geoscience students, as the field is intrinsic for understanding what they are taught in the classroom. Yet, distance learning has never been more necessary than today. Despite their significance in the students’ education, field trips cannot be performed under the present conditions with the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators are called to find, use and evolve various tools in order to offer students quality education, with an effort to eliminate the drawbacks of the lack of physical contact and “live” field work. Virtual field trips are one such tool through which one can virtually see any place on the globe by means of a computer, tablet, or even mobile phone, without physically visiting it. In this paper, we present the results of a virtual field trip developed for students following the Geomorphology course of the Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; it can, however, be used from other universities with similar courses not only in Greece but also in other countries as well. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of virtual field trips, both as an alternative to and/or substitute for in situ field work and as a means of preparation for live field trips, by taking into consideration the students’ views through an anonymous questionnaire. Our findings suggest that virtual field trips are useful for geoscience students, and they provide a good alternative during restriction periods, and although they can under no circumstances substitute real field trips, they can be a valuable additional tool when preparing for a live field trip.

Tailoring metal oxide photocatalysts in the form of heterostructured photonic crystals has spurred particular interest as an advanced route to simultaneously improve harnessing of solar light and charge separation relying on the combined effect of light trapping by macroporous periodic structures and compositional materials’ modifications. In this work, surface deposition of FeOx nanoclusters on TiO2 photonic crystals is investigated to explore the interplay of slow-photon amplification, visible light absorption, and charge separation in FeOx–TiO2 photocatalytic films. Photonic bandgap engineered TiO2 inverse opals deposited by the convective evaporation-induced coassembly method were surface modified by successive chemisorption-calcination cycles using Fe(III) acetylacetonate, which allowed the controlled variation of FeOx loading on the photonic films. Low amounts of FeOx nanoclusters on the TiO2 inverse opals resulted in diameter-selective improvements of photocatalytic performance on salicylic acid degradation and photocurrent density under visible light, surpassing similarly modified P25 films. The observed enhancement was related to the combination of optimal light trapping and charge separation induced by the FeOx–TiO2 interfacial coupling. However, an increase of the FeOx loading resulted in severe performance deterioration, particularly prominent under UV-Vis light, attributed to persistent surface recombination via diverse defect d-states. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

The NASA Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) observations consist of ~27 day long measurements with constant pointing to a 24°x96° field of view, called a "sector". In this paper, we present the first results on Cepheid stars observed with TESS, covering the first five out of 26 sectors of its primary 2yr near all-sky mission (2018-2019). (3 data files).

The observed light curves of V1241 Tau and GQ Dra in BVRI filters are given. Times of minimum light of V1241 Tau and GQ Dra as derived from our observations and TESS light curves are also listed. (2 data files).

VO2 thin films were fabricated by thermal evaporation of V2O5 on quartz and glass and subsequent reduction in nitrogen (N2). This Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) method resulted in high-quality single phase VO2(M1) films with sharp changes in resistance (3–4 orders of magnitude) and transmittance (40–45%) at λ= 1550 nm accompanied by narrow hysteresis loops (  4–5 K) around the Semiconductor-to-Metal Transition (SMT). © 2021 Elsevier B.V.

The beetle antennae search (BAS) algorithm is a memetic meta-heuristic optimization algorithm capable of solving combinatorial optimization problems. In this paper, the binary version of BAS (BBAS) is modified by adding a V-shaped transfer function. In this way, we introduce the V-shaped transfer function-based binary BAS (VSBAS) algorithm, which is a more effective and efficient version of BBAS in the case of large input data. Applications using real-world data sets on a binary Markowitz-based portfolio selection (BMPS) problem validate the excellent performance of VSBAS on large input data and demonstrate that it is a marvelous alternative against other ordinary memetic meta-heuristic optimization algorithms. Note that, because the meta-heuristic algorithms compared in this paper are directly applicable only to unconstrained optimization, the penalty function method was used to keep their solutions in the feasible district. In order to support and promote the findings of this work, we have constructed a complete MATLAB package for the interested user, which is freely available through GitHub.

Καμπερίδου, Ειρ., Πατσαντάρας Ν., Κουτσούμπα, Μ. (2021). ΚΙΝΗΤΙΚΟΣ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΣ, ΑΘΛΗΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΤΗΤΑ. 2o webinar αφιερωμένο στα 200 χρόνια από την Ελληνική Επανάσταση. Σπουδαστήριο Κοινωνιολογίας, Τομέας Θεωρητικών Επιστημών. Σχολή Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής και Αθλητισμού, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ), 17/12/2021: YouTube του ΕΚΠΑ   https://youtu.be/54LEIAaPEg4  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------      Το Σπουδαστήριο της Κοινωνιολογίας,  Τομέας Θεωρητικών Επιστημών της Σχολής Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής και Αθλητισμού (ΣΕΦΑΑ) του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ), διοργανώνει το 2ο webinar  αφιερωμένο στα 200 χρόνια της Ελληνικής Επανάστασης, με θέμα: «Κινητικός Πολιτισμός, Αθλητισμός και Ελληνικότητα», Παρασκευή 17 Δεκεμβρίου 2021, (18.00-20.30): YouTube/ΕΚΠΑ https://youtu.be/54LEIAaPEg4 Στο πλαίσιο της εξωστρέφειας και της διεπιστημονικότητας, το Σπουδαστήριο της Κοινωνιολογίας και ο Τομέας Θεωρητικών Επιστημών της ΣΕΦΑΑ, ΕΚΠΑ πραγματοποίησε το 1ο  webinar στις 26 Νοεμβρίου 2021— σε συνεργασία με το Τμήμα της Ιστορίας και το Ελληνικό Πρόγραμμα Σπουδών (Hellenic Studies Program and Hellenic Studies Center) του California State University (CSUS) Sacramento, California—με θέμα "THE GLOBAL CONTEXT OF THE GREEK REVOLUTION: WOMEN AS AGENTS OF CHANGE :  https://youtu.be/1p19Px3Nb6w-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------     Επίσης, βλέπε: ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΕΣ ΠΕΡΙΗΓΗΤΡΙΩΝ ΓΙΑ ΤΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΔΕΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΩΜΑΝΙΚΗΣ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΙΑΣ  της ΕΙΡΗΝΗΣ ΚΑΜΠΕΡΙΔΟΥ https://geonews.gr/history-%ce%bc%ce%b1%cf%81%cf%84%cf%85%cf%81%ce%af%ce%b5%cf%82-%ce%be%ce%ad%ce%bd%cf%89%ce%bd-%cf%80%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%b9%ce%b7%ce%b3%ce%b7%cf%84%cf%81%ce%b9%cf%8e%ce%bd-%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%b1-%cf%84%ce%b9/   Ξένες περιηγήτριες που επισκέφτηκαν διάφορες περιοχές της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας που κατοικούνταν από Έλληνες τον 17ο, 18ο και 19ο αιώνα αποτύπωσαν τις εντυπώσεις που σχημάτισαν για τις Ελληνίδες εκείνης της εποχής. «Αν κάθε Τούρκος πασάς … Πηγή: Ελληνισμός, Υποδούλωση, Τρομοκρατία και Δουλεία: Αφηγήσεις Δυτικών Περιηγητριών   Ειρήνη Καμπερίδου, Καθηγήτρια Κοινωνιολογίας    Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ)  Από το σύγγραμμα:  Επιτέλους Αναπνέω Ελεύθερη: Γυναικείες μαρτυρίες, «Γυναίκες θαμμένες ζωντανές στον θεσμό της διαφθοράς και της ίντριγκας». Εκδοτικός Όμιλος ΙΩΝ.

In order to extend and unify the definitions of W-weighted DMP, W-weighted MPD, W-weighted CMP and composite outer inverses, we present the weighted composite outer inverses. Precisely, the notions of MNOMP, MPMNO and MPMNOMP inverses are introduced as appropriate expressions involving the (M,N)-weighted (B,C)-inverse and Moore–Penrose inverse. Basic properties and a number of characterizations for the MNOMP, MPMNO or MPMNOMP inverse are discovered. Various representations and characterizations of weighted composite outer inverses are studied. General solutions for certain systems of linear equations are given in terms of weighted composite outer inverses. Numerical examples are presented on randomly generated matrices of various orders.

Sr isotopes have been applied as a provenance tracer in archaeology for over three decades providing unprecedented insights into past human mobility at an individual level. However, their successful application requires a comparison to the bioavailable Sr isotopic composition characteristic for the areas where finds were unearthed or are suspected to originate from (referred to as baseline). Due to financial reasons or other limitations many studies only take a few baseline samples within or in close proximity to the archaeological site for reference purposes. This can introduce large uncertainties to the interpretation of human 87Sr/86Sr data especially in geologically complex areas. Here, we present Sr concentrations and isotopic data of modern environmental proxies (plants, soils and water) sampled at 52 sites across the Peloponnese, Greece, and compare them to previously published 87Sr/86Sr data to evaluate the need for extensive regional baselines. The bioavailable Sr isotopic composition of the Peloponnese is characterised by a wide range in 87Sr/86Sr values (0.7077 – 0.7237). The distribution of the 87Sr/86Sr data corresponds well with the surface lithology, suggesting a dominance of Sr derived from the bedrocks. The 87Sr/86Sr baselines defined by the environmental samples taken from areas characterised by clastic and chemical surface sediments are calculated as comparatively unradiogenic, narrow 87Sr/86Sr ranges of 0.70832 ± 0.00053 (x̅ ± 2σ) and 0.70835 ± 0.00089 (x̅ ± 2σ), respectively. In contrast, the areas characterised by metamorphic outcrops are characterised by more radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr signals with wider 87Sr/86Sr baseline ranges of 0.70906 ± 0.00116 (x̅ ± 2σ) and 0.71429 ± 0.01133 (x̅ ± 2σ) for marbles and schists, respectively. These significantly extend the bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr baseline data of the Peloponnese compared to previously published data (0.70841 ± 0.00092; x̅ ± 2σ). This emphasises the importance of regionally extensive sampling in geologically complex areas, such as the Peloponnese, to reduce uncertainties in the application of Sr isotopes as a tracer for past human mobility.

The present study aimed to evaluate xanthotoxin's influence on male and female Swiss mice's depression-like behaviors and investigate the potential mechanism of this effect. Naturally derived furanocoumarin (the Apiaceae family), xanthotoxin, administered acutely (12.5 mg/kg), diminished the immobility level in the forced swim test only in males. The immobility level was lower in females than males, which may be associated with a higher serotonin level in the female prefrontal cortex. A dose-dependent increase of serotonin and noradrenaline was reported in the reverse-phase ion-pair liquid chromatography in the female prefrontal cortex but not in the hippocampus. We suggest that xanthotoxin may exert antidepressant properties and affect males and females differently. The increasing level of serotonin in the male and female prefrontal cortex may underlie this effect.

We report the discovery of a new high-mass X-ray binary pulsar, XMMU J050722.1-684758, possibly associated with the supernova remnant (SNR) MCSNR J0507-6847 in the Large Magellanic Cloud, using XMM-NewtonX-ray observations. Pulsations with a periodicity of 570 s are discovered from the Be X-ray binary XMMU J050722.1-684758 confirming its nature as a HMXB pulsar. The HMXB is located near the geometric centre of the SNR MCSNR J0507-6847(0.9 arcmin from the centre) which supports the XRB-SNR association. The estimated age of the SNR is 43-63 kyr years which points to a middle aged to old SNR. The large diameter of the SNR combined with the lack of distinctive shell counterparts in optical and radio indicates that the SNR is expanding into the tenuous environment of the superbubble N103. The estimated magnetic field strength of the neutron star is B ≳ 1014 G assuming a spin equilibrium condition which is expected from the estimated age of the parent remnant and assuming that the measured mass-accretion rate remained constant throughout.

ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΡΩΜΙΟΣΥΝΗ ΣΤΑ ΛΙΑΝΟΤΡΑΓΟΥΔΑ                                   Μία βιωματική αναδρομή στην πορεία των ανθρώπων της μετεμφυλιακής γενιάς με αφορμή τραγούδια του Μ. Θεοδωράκη   Το βιβλίο φιλοδοξεί να αποτελέσει μία συνέχεια του προηγούμενου βιβλίου του συγγραφέα με τίτλο «Υιός Συμμορίτου», το οποίο θεωρείται πλέον βιβλίο αναφοράς σε ότι αφορά στα βιώματα της γενιάς των επιγόνων του Ελληνικού Εμφυλίου. Με πρόσχημα 20 τραγούδια του Μίκη Θεοδωράκη που χρησιμεύουν ως σημεία αναφοράς ή αναδρομής, περιγράφονται 20 διαφορετικά περιστατικά, από τη ζωή του συγγραφέα. Τα περιστατικά αυτά, καλύπτουν πέντε σημαντικές περιόδους που βίωσε η γενιά αυτή, ξεκινώντας από τα πρώτα μετεμφυλιακά χρόνια: Παιδικά και χρόνια της εφηβείας. Φοιτητικά χρόνια. Δικτατορία και χρόνια του στρατού. Περίοδος της μετανάστευσης. Επιστροφή στην Ελλάδα- πρώτα χρόνια της Μεταπολίτευσης.

 ΠΕΡΙΕΧΟΜΕΝΑ (7 άρθρα), σελ. 1-105:

• Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2016). Φύλο και Ηγετικές Δεξιότητες: Το Αθλητικό Επιχειρείν. ΓΥΝΑΙΚΑ & ΑΘΛΗΣΗ, Τόμος  Χ,  2015/2016.  σελ.  52-60. Έκδοση της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης για την Προώθηση των Γυναικών στον Αθλητισμό και τα Σπορ (ΠΕΠΓΑΣ).https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2933780

 

• Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2010). Κοινωνικό φύλο - βιολογικό φύλο: το φύλο στον αθλητισμό και η ιστορικότητα του γυναικείου αποκλεισμού. Γυναίκα και Άθληση, τόμος VII, 2009/2010, σελ. 7-24. Έκδοση της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης για την Προώθηση των Γυναικών στον Αθλητισμό και τα Σπορ (ΠΕΠΓΑΣ).    http://www.tinyurl.com/y49squbt

 

• Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη &  Al zyoud, Khaled (2010). Γυναίκα και Αθλητισμός στην Ιορδανία και στην «Κορανική Κοινωνία». Γυναίκα & Άθληση, VII, σελ. 54-72. Έκδοση της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης για την Προώθηση των Γυναικών στον Αθλητισμό και τα Σπορ (ΠΕΠΓΑΣ)     women_and_sports_in_jordan_and_in_koranic_society_2010.pdf

 

• Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη, & Παπαδοπούλου, Σοφία. (2015). Κοινωνικό Κεφάλαιο, Φύλο και Αθλητισμός. Γυναίκα & Άθληση., 9(2013/2014), 7-14. Έκδοση της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης για τον Αθλητισμό και τα Σπορ (ΠΕΠΓΑΣ).  http://www.tinyurl.com/jtygu3y

 

• Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2005). Η Αθλήτρια ως Κοινωνικό Είδωλο στα ΜΜΕ: Ένα Καινούργιο Αρχέτυπο της Αμερικανικής κουλτούρας. Γυναίκα & Άθληση. Τόμος ΙV, τεύχος 1, Δεκ. 2005 11-22. Έκδοση της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης για την Προώθηση των Γυναικών στον Αθλητισμό και τα Σπόρ (ΠΕΠΓΑΣ).  http://www.tinyurl.com/jj5w2xm

 

• Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2003). Οι Χοροί των εξισλαμισμένων σκλάβων στην Οθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία: Ο Χορός και η Φυσική Κίνηση ως σύμβολα κοινωνικής κατωτερότητας. Γυναίκα & Άθληση, II (2), σ. 153-164. Έκδοση της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης για την Προώθηση των Γυναικών στον Αθλητισμό και τα Σπορ (ΠΕΠΓΑΣ) http://www.tinyurl.com/juff587
• ΕΠΙΣΗΣ, ΒΛ.

• Χαραχούσου, Υβόννη (2005). ΦΥΛΟ ΚΑΙ ΕΘΝΟΤΗΤΑ: ΕΝΑΣ ΚΡΙΣΙΜΟΣ ΣΥΝΔΥΑΣΜΟΣ ΓΙΑ ΔΙΚΑΙΗ ΚΑΙ ΙΣΟΤΙΜΗ ΦΥΣΙΚΗ ΑΓΩΓΗ. Γυναίκα & Άθληση. Τόμος ΙV, τεύχος 1, Δεκ. 2005 23-32. Έκδοση της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης για την Προώθηση των Γυναικών στον Αθλητισμό και τα Σπόρ (ΠΕΠΓΑΣ).  

Το επικαιροποιημένο Εθνικό Σχέδιο Δράσης για την Ισότητα των Φύλων (ΕΣΔΙΦ) 2016-2020 (1) συμπεριλαμβάνει τον Αθλητισμό ως εργαλείο ενσωμάτωσης και κοινωνικής δικαιοσύνης. Οι στρατηγικοί στόχοι που τέθηκαν περιλαμβάνουν την «προώθηση της ισότητας στην εκπαίδευση, τον πολιτισμό, τα μέσα ενημέρωσης και τον αθλητισμό». Το ΕΣΔΙΦ θέτει έξι στρατηγικούς στόχους με σκοπό να ενισχυθεί η διάσταση του φύλου στους κοινωνικούς, πολιτικούς, εκπαιδευτικούς και αθλητικούς φορείς, με την εφαρμογή ειδικών μέτρων για την πρόληψη και εξάλειψη των έμφυλων ανισοτήτων. Ερευνητικά δεδομένα δείχνουν ότι η συμμετοχή των γυναικών στην αθλητική δραστηριότητα μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε αμφισβήτηση/αναθεώρηση των περί φύλου κοινωνικών στερεότυπων (2). Σκοπός της παρούσης μελέτης είναι, να διευκρινιστεί κατά πόσο υλοποιήθηκε ο στόχος του ΕΣΔΙΦ, που αφορά στην ισότιμη μεταχείριση των γυναικών στα Ανώτατα Στρατιωτικά Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα (Α.Σ.Ε.Ι), δίνοντας ιδιαίτερη βαρύτητα στην αθλητική-στρατιωτική εκπαίδευση των σπουδαστών και των σπουδαστριών.  Επιλέχθηκαν και αναλύθηκαν οι οδηγοί σπουδών των πέντε Ανώτατων Στρατιωτικών Εκπαιδευτικών Ιδρυμάτων (Στρατιωτική Σχολή Ευελπίδων, Σχολή Ναυτικών Δοκίμων, Σχολή Ικάρων, Σχολή Αξιωματικών Νοσηλευτικής, Σχολή Αξιωματικών Σωμάτων), με έμφαση στα αθλητικά-στρατιωτικά προγράμματα. Αναλύθηκαν και οι συνεντεύξεις δώδεκα εν ενεργεία γυναικών αξιωματικών. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας έδειξαν ότι και στα πέντε Α.Σ.Ε.Ι.: τα αθλητικά στρατιωτικά προγράμματα είναι ισόνομα, χωρίς έμφυλες διακρίσεις (στηριζόμενα και στη δράση του ΕΣΔΙΦ), όπως επιβεβαιώθηκαν και από τις συνεντεύξεις των  12 εν ενεργεία γυναικών αξιωματικών (Σχήμα 1, 2 και 3).  ΣΥΜΠΕΡΑΣΜΑΤΑ: 1) Προωθείται το ομαδικό έργο (η ομαδικότητα, η συνεργασία, η συνοχή, η αποδοχή), 2) Διευκολύνεται η αλλαγή των έμφυλων στερεότυπων, 3) Καλλιεργούνται οι  κοινωνικές σχέσεις, 4) Προωθείται η ενσωμάτωση του φύλου (έμφυλη ισότητα), και ειδικά η γυναικεία ενσωμάτωση, διατηρώντας την ιεραρχία μέσα στην ομάδα.-----------------------------------------------------------ΛΕΞΕΙΣ ΚΛΕΙΔΙΑ: Φύλο, γυναίκα, στρατός, Ανώτατα Στρατιωτικά Εκπαιδευτικά Ιδρύματα (Α.Σ.Ε.Ι), έμφυλη ισότητα, γυναικεία ενσωμάτωση, αθλητικά προγράμματα

Social exclusion is a complex process. Tackling social exclusion through Lifelong learning is often an unattainable goal. Lifting the conditions of exclusion through Lifelong learning programmes, requires an understanding of the special features and characteristics that each group holds. The current paper focuses on the people who abuse drugs and explores the possibilities of reconnecting them with education, through Lifelong learning programmes. School dropout is related with early onset of substance use and social exclusion. For those who seek drug free treatment, reconnecting with education and learning is plausible. However, it requires experiential learning methods, a facilitating environment, and the development of a trusting relationship between trainers and trainees. In this way, it is possible to increase participation in Lifelong learning programmes, to create meaning in education and to achieve UNESCO’s goal of Lifelong learning as a new human right.

Το σύντομο άρθρο (περιορισμός 1000 λέξεων) γράφτηκε μετά από παράκληση της συντακτικής του πόρταλ HEALTH4U , λόγω της επικαιρότητας του θέματος για τη χρήση των κυτταρικών σειρών από εκτρωθέντα έμβρυα στα εμβόλια για τη νόσο COVID-19. Η άμεση τοποθέτηση και δημοσίευση στο πόρταλ προτιμήθηκε από τη δημοσίευση σε επιστημονικό περιοδικό, το οποίο θα απαιτούσε χρόνο, αλλά όμως θα είχε αναλυτικότερη δομή. Αν και υπήρχε έτοιμο υλικό για το θέμα, προτιμήθηκε η συμπερίληψη των έγκριτων απόψεων του ιατρού Δημ. Αποστολίδη στο άρθρο.

Από τη λήξη του Ψυχρού Πολέμου και μέχρι σήμερα η Ελλάδα έχει βρεθεί αντιμέτωπη με έναν αυξανόμενο αριθμό προκλήσεων και διλημμάτων εξωτερικής πολιτικής τόσο παραδοσιακών, όπως η σχέση με την Τουρκία ή το περιεχόμενο της συνεργασίας με τις ΗΠΑ, όσο και νέων, όπως θέματα ενέργειας, το μεταναστευτικό- προσφυγικό και η συνεργασία με την Κίνα. Με ποιον τρόπο και με ποιο βαθμό επιτυχίας οι ελληνικές κυβερνήσεις και η ελληνική κοινωνία έχουν αντιδράσει στο πλαίσιο ενός ραγδαία μεταβαλλόμενου διεθνούς και εσωτερικού περιβάλλοντος; Ο παρόν τόμος επιχειρεί, πρώτον, να απαντήσει στο παραπάνω ερώτημα και, δεύτερον, να εξετάσει τις βασικές επιλογές και προσδοκίες της ελληνικής εξωτερικής πολιτικής στον 21ο αιώνα. Τα επί μέρους κεφάλαια αναδεικνύουν τον χαρακτήρα και τη δυναμική της εξωτερικής πολιτικής της Ελλάδας μέσα από μια ευρύτητα προοπτικής και προσφέρουν μια κριτική θεώρηση παραδοσιακών και εναλλακτικών θεάσεων της ελληνικής εξωτερικής πολιτικής και στρατηγικής. Έτσι, ο αναγνώστης δύναται να αντιληφθεί τις εξελίξεις στις πραγματικές διαστάσεις τους και να στοχασθεί για τα σημαντικότερα ζητήματα που απασχολούν την ελληνική εξωτερική πολιτική. Ο συλλογικός αυτός τόμος καλύπτει το κενό που υπάρχει στην υπάρχουσα βιβλιογραφία της ελληνικής εξωτερικής πολιτικής από την έναρξη της νέας χιλιετίας και μέχρι σήμερα, με ενδιάμεσο σταθμό, ως χρονικό ορόσημο, το ξέσπασμα της οικονομικής κρίσης στην Ελλάδα το 2010.

Το άρθρο παρουσιάζει απογραφική έρευνα στους θεολόγους εκπαιδευτικούς επιτυχόντες των γραπτών διαγωνισμών τους ΑΣΕΠ 1998-2008. Συγκεκριμένα επιχειρεί να διερευνήσει την αποτελεσματικότητα των Παιδαγωγικών Σπουδών των τεσσάρων τμημάτων θεολογικών σπουδών (Ε.Κ.Π.Α. και Α.Π.Θ.), που εξασφαλίζουν διορισμό στη Δευτεροβάθμια Εκπαίδευση, με βάση την επιτυχία και τις επιδόσεις τους στους γραπτούς διαγωνισμούς του Α.Σ.Ε.Π. 1998-2008. Η ιστορική μελέτη των Προγραμμάτων Σπουδών των Τμημάτων των Θεολογικών Σχολών κατέδειξε ότι στο Τμήμα Θεολογίας στη Θεσσαλονίκη αναπτύσσεται μία δυναμική Παιδαγωγικών Σπουδών, η οποία οφείλεται τόσο στους διδάσκοντες των Παιδαγωγικών Μαθημάτων,όσο και σε ένα γενικότερο πλαίσιο ενδιαφέροντος από τους Καθηγητές του Τμήματοςγια το Μάθημα των Θρησκευτικών. Τόσο η περιγραφική, όσο και η συσχετιστικήανάλυση των δεδομένων επιβεβαιώνουν τη σχέση Τμήματος αποφοίτησης καιαπόδοσης στους διαγωνισμούς του Α.Σ.Ε.Π. και αναδεικνύουν ένα σαφές προβάδισμα του Τμήματος Θεολογίας του Α.Π.Θ. στις επιδόσεις των επιτυχόντων, ιδιαίτερα για τους τρεις πρώτους διαγωνισμούς.

Επτά ερωτικές ιστορίες ή επτά ιστορίες έρωτα με άμεσες και έμμεσες, βραχυχρόνιες αλλά και μακροχρόνιες επιπτώσεις στην πορεία του Βυζαντίου. Σε καθεμία από αυτές οι πρωταγωνιστές, αυτοκράτορες ή ανώτατοι αξιωματούχοι (Θεοδόσιος Β΄, μάγιστρος Παυλίνος, Ιουστινιανός, Ηράκλειος, Κωνσταντίνος ΣΤ΄, Λέων Δ΄, Μιχαήλ Δ΄, Ρωμανός Δ Διογένης) και αυγούστες (Αθηναΐς-Ευδοκία, Θεοδώρα, Μαρτίνα, Θεοδότη, Ζωή Ζαούτζη, Ζωή Πορφυρογέννητη, Ευδοκία Μακρεμβολίτισσα) έδρασαν επηρεασμένοι από αισθήματα αγάπης και συναισθήματα που πυροδότησαν οι ερωτικοί σύντροφοί τους. Σημαντικοί τομείς του κράτους, όπως η διοίκηση και η νομοθεσία, αλλά και θεσμοί, με προεξάρχοντα τον αυτοκρατορικό, δέχθηκαν τις συνέπειες επιλογών των διοικούντων. Σε όσα εξιστορούνται και αναλύονται με αφορμή έρωτες, γάμους και διαζύγια στο περιβάλλον του Ιερού Παλατίου είναι εναργής η συμβολή αποφάσεων για θέματα προσωπικού χαρακτήρα των ηγετικών μορφών στην εξέλιξη της αυτοκρατορίας. Οι συντελεστές της φυσιογνωμίας και της ιστορίας του Βυζαντίου, δηλαδή οι πολιτειακές ρωμαϊκές καταβολές του, το πνεύμα της ελληνικής και ελληνιστικής αρχαιότητας, σε συνδυασμό με τη νέα θρησκεία, τον χριστιανισμό, συγκρότησαν ένα περιβάλλον μέσα στο οποίο, έως τα τέλη του ενδέκατου αιώνα, η άνοδος στον θρόνο δεν ήταν μόνον αποτέλεσμα πολιτικών σχεδιασμών και δυναστικών γαμήλιων στρατηγικών. Για τους μονάρχες και των δύο φύλων υπήρχε περιθώριο έκφρασης προτιμήσεων και ευαισθησιών αναφορικά με τους συντρόφους τους και επακόλουθα των πράξεών τους εισέφεραν ουσιωδώς στη διαμόρφωση χαρακτηριστικών της αυτοκρατορίας. Τα ερωτικά αισθήματα και συναισθήματά τους επέδρασαν σε πολιτειακούς θεσμούς, όπως την «κληρονομική» διαδοχή και τη γυναικεία εξουσία, στις πολιτικές εξελίξεις, στις θρησκευτικές και εκκλησιαστικές κατευθύνσεις, οδήγησαν σε νομοθετικές παρεμβάσεις, και προκάλεσαν ανατροπές πολιτικών ομάδων και συσχετισμών, έως και ανασχεδιασμό της εξωτερικής πολιτικής του κράτους.

  Σε παγκόσμιο επίπεδο, ένας σημαντικός αριθμός ερευνών έχει δείξει ότι οι έφηβες συμμετέχουν σε σημαντικά λιγότερη φυσική δραστηριότητα σε σχέση με τους έφηβους. Παράλληλα, έχει τεκμηριωθεί η μικρότερη συμμετοχή των έφηβων μαθητριών στο μάθημα της Φυσικής Αγωγής σε σχέση με τους έφηβους μαθητές (1) και η μείωση αυτή παρατηρείται ήδη με την έναρξη της εφηβείας. Σκοπός της παρούσας εργασίας είναι να εντοπίσει και να αναδείξει τους παράγοντες εκείνους που περιορίζουν ή ακόμη και αναστέλλουν καθώς επίσης, και τους παράγοντες που διευκολύνουν τη συμμετοχή των μαθητριών Γυμνασίου και Λυκείου στο μάθημα της Φυσικής Αγωγής και στην άσκηση/φυσική δραστηριότητα. Μέθοδος: Για την παρούσα βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση αναζητήθηκε αγγλόφωνη και ελληνόφωνη βιβλιογραφία (μετά το 2004) μέσα από τις μηχανές αναζήτησης Google Scholar, Pubmed, Research Gate & Science Direct, καθώς και από τις βιβλιογραφικές αναφορές δημοσιευμένων εργασιών. Επιλέχθηκαν οι 16 πιο πρόσφατες έρευνες που πληρούσαν τα κριτήρια αναζήτησης και στις οποίες υπήρχε πρόσβαση μέσω ΕΚΠΑ. Αποτελέσματα: Οι παράγοντες που περιορίζουν ή αναστέλλουν τη συμμετοχή των έφηβων κοριτσιών μπορεί να είναι ατομικοί (μεταβολή προτεραιοτήτων, έλλειψη δεξιοτήτων, ανταγωνιστικό κλίμα, εικόνα σώματος), κοινωνικοί [οικογένεια, φίλοι, συνομήλικοι/επικρατούσες αντιλήψεις περί φύλου (2)] ή περιβαλλοντικοί (είδος δραστηριοτήτων, αθλητικές εγκαταστάσεις, εκπαιδευτική πολιτική). Ως υποστηρικτικοί παράγοντες θεωρούνται (μεταξύ άλλων) η ποικιλία δραστηριοτήτων, η άσκηση με φίλους και η απουσία ανταγωνισμού. Συζήτηση/Συμπεράσματα: Καθίσταται επιτακτική η ανάγκη προώθησης ενός θετικού και συμπεριληπτικού περιβάλλοντος για την άσκηση και τη φυσική δραστηριότητα των έφηβων κοριτσιών, εντός και εκτός σχολείου. Με αυτό τον τρόπο βελτιώνεται η υγεία και η ποιότητα ζωής των κοριτσιών και, παράλληλα, ενισχύεται η προοπτική της δια βίου άσκησης. Βιβλιογραφία

1. Wallace L, Buchan D, Sculthorpe N. A comparison of activity levels of girls in single-gender and mixed-gender physical education. Eur Phy Educ Rev. 2020; 26(1):231– 40. 2.
2. Καμπερίδου Ε. Κοινωνικό φύλο, κοινωνικό κεφάλαιο, πολυπολιτισμικότητα και αθλητισμός, Τελέθριο, Αθήνα, 2012.

  Μόνιμη διεύθυνση (Πέργαμος) https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2956090   ΛΕΞΕΙΣ ΚΛΕΙΔΙΑ: Φύλο, άσκηση, εφηβεία, έμφυλα στερεότυπα, φυσική δραστηριότητα, συμμετοχή των έφηβων κοριτσιών, η προοπτική της δια βίου άσκησης  

YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mSd-jE00mLgΒλ. εισήγηση/παρουσίαση της Ειρήνης Καμπερίδου στο συνέδριο, με διαφάνειες, στο YOUTUBE , προς το τέλος.YouTube 2η Συνεδρία: "Η θέση της Ελληνίδας κατά την περίοδο της Τουρκοκρατίας"  Cite as: Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2021). Η Απομυθοποίηση του Χαρεμιού: Η Πολυεθνική Δουλεία του Οθωμανικού Χαρεμιού και το Γυναικείο Παρακράτος. Εισήγηση στο Συνέδριο: «Ο ρόλος της Ελληνίδας στην Επανάσταση του 1821», 2η Συνεδρία: “Η θέση της Ελληνίδας κατά την περίοδο της Τουρκοκρατίας”,  25/9/2021. Διοργάνωση: Σύνδεσμος Ελληνίδων Επιστημόνων (ΣΕΕ) http://www.see1924.gr/ . Υπό δημοσίευση στα Πρακτικά του συνεδρίου. Pergamos: Ψηφιακή Βιβλιοθήκη του ΕΚΠΑ  "Πέργαμο": Digital Library of the University of Athens (UoA) “Pergamos” https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2961377

Οι αποφάσεις των διεθνών δικαιοδοτικών οργάνων αποτελούν στοιχεία ιδιαιτέρως κρίσιμα για τη Συστημική Γεωπολιτική Ανάλυση διότι δυνητικώς, μπορούν να προκαλέσουν μεγάλη ανακατανομή της ισχύος σε συστημικό, υποσυστημικό και υπερσυστημικό επίπεδο. Η UNCLOSΙΙΙ, παρέχει ένα επίσημο νομικό πλαίσιο για τους Ωκεανούς και οι χώρες που την έχουν υπογράψει δεσμεύονται από αυτό. Εντούτοις και τα κράτη που δεν έχουν υπογράψει, δεσμεύονται στο μέτρο που ορισμένες ρυθμίσεις της Σύμβασης έχουν εθιμικό χαρακτήρα, σύμφωνα με τη νομολογία του Διεθνούς Δικαστηρίου της Χάγης (εφεξής: ΔΔΧ).Η προβολή της αμυντικής ισχύος σε θέματα διεκδικήσεων υφαλοκρηπίδας ως υποφώσκον και άδηλο πολιτικό μέσο επηρεασμού των αποφάσεων συναντάται πολύ συχνά. Τα κράτη, κατά τις πλείστες των περιπτώσεων, επιδιώκουν την κατοχύρωση που τους προσφέρει η διεθνής νομιμότητα.Ωστόσο, υπάρχουν και περιπτώσεις, όπου μια ισχυρώς αμυντικά χώρα διαφωνεί με το αποτέλεσμα της αποφάσεως των Διεθνών Δικαιϊκών Οργάνων και ισχυρίζεται ότι δεν αναγνωρίζει την διαδικασία λήψεως της αποφάσεως, ούτε και τη ληφθείσα απόφαση. Μία τέτοια υπόθεση είναι αυτή της διαιτησίας στη Νότια Σινική Θάλασσα ανάμεσα στις Φιλιππίνες και την Κίνα, όπως παλαιότερα της απόφασης του ΔΔΧ επί της διαφοράς ανάμεσα στη Νικαράγουα και τις ΗΠΑ. Η ενδεδειγμένη από το διεθνές δίκαιο λύση μιας διαφοράς και τα όρια που τίθενται από αυτό, επιδρούν στην ανακατανομή της ισχύος στο γεωπολιτικώς αναλυόμενο Σύμπλοκο/Σύστημα. Συνεπώς, δεν θα πρέπει να παραλειφθεί το γεγονός ότι η δικανική κρίση επί συγκεκριμένης διακρατικής διαφοράς παραμένει ένα πολύ σημαντικό στοιχείο για την ενίσχυση της εγκυρότητας του γεωπολιτικού υποδείγματος τάσεων ανακατανομής της ισχύος. Στον Αρκτικό Ωκεανό τα παράκτια κράτη προβάλουν αμυντική ισχύ. Αξιοσημείωτο είναι το γεγονός ότι στα πλαίσια της «Expedition Arktika 2007», η Ρωσία πραγματοποίησε την πρώτη κάθοδο στον πυθμένα του Αρκτικού Ωκεανού. Η αποστολή τοποθέτησε σημαία από τιτάνιο στο βυθό του Αρκτικού ωκεανού, 4 χλμ. κάτω από το Βόρειο Πόλο, ακολούθησαν έντονες αντιδράσεις και έγινε πρώτη αναφορά στο ζήτημα της υφαλοκρηπίδας στην περιοχή.Συνεπώς, η παρούσα μελέτη περιλαμβάνει το νομικό μέρος, στο οποίο αναλύονται οι διατάξεις της UNCLOS σχετικά με την οριοθέτηση της υφαλοκρηπίδας και ειδικότερα, την Επιτροπή για τα Όρια της Υφαλοκρηπίδας, η σχετική νομολογία και η διαδικασία οριοθέτησης μέχρι και τις σημερινές εξελίξεις. Κατόπιν, η νομική ανάλυση θα τοποθετηθεί μέσα στο πλαίσιο της συστημικής γεωπολιτικής ανάλυσης, με προσδοκώμενο στόχο την κατασκευή γεωπολιτικού υποδείγματος τάσεων ανακατανομής της ισχύος.

Καμπερίδου, Ειρήνη (2021). Η ΕΚΓΥΜΝΑΣΗ,  Ο ΧΟΡΟΣ  ΚΑΙ  ΤΟ ΒΑΔΙΣΜΑ ΣΥΜΒΟΛΑ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΚΗΣ ΚΑΤΩΤΕΡΟΤΗΤΑΣ  ΣΤΗΝ  ΟΘΩΜΑΝΙΚΗ  ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ. Εισήγηση στο 2Ο  webinar αφιερωμένο στα 200 χρόνια από την Ελληνική Επανάσταση (1821-2021) με θέμα Κινητικός Πολιτισμός, Αθλητισμός και Ελληνικότητα. Διοργάνωση: Σπουδαστήριο της Κοινωνιολογίας, Τομέας Θεωρητικών Επιστημών της Σχολής Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής και Αθλητισμού, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ), 17/12/2021: YouTube του ΕΚΠΑ   https://youtu.be/54LEIAaPEg4------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ΛΕΞΕΙΣ ΚΛΕΙΔΙΑ: κινητική κουλτούρα, πολιτισμός του σώματος, η εκγύμναση, χορός, δυτικές περιηγήτριες, φιλελληνίδες, γυναικείες μαρτυρίες, εξισλαμισμένες σκλάβες, ο χορός στο χαρέμι, οι χοροί των Ελλήνων, οπτική περιηγητριών για τη μουσική και το χορό των εξισλαμισμένων σκλάβων--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Επίσης, βλέπε: ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΕΣ ΠΕΡΙΗΓΗΤΡΙΩΝ ΓΙΑ ΤΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΔΕΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΩΜΑΝΙΚΗΣ ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΙΑΣ  της ΕΙΡΗΝΗΣ ΚΑΜΠΕΡΙΔΟΥ https://geonews.gr/history-%ce%bc%ce%b1%cf%81%cf%84%cf%85%cf%81%ce%af%ce%b5%cf%82-%ce%be%ce%ad%ce%bd%cf%89%ce%bd-%cf%80%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%b9%ce%b7%ce%b3%ce%b7%cf%84%cf%81%ce%b9%cf%8e%ce%bd-%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%b1-%cf%84%ce%b9/   Ξένες περιηγήτριες που επισκέφτηκαν διάφορες περιοχές της Οθωμανικής Αυτοκρατορίας που κατοικούνταν από Έλληνες τον 17ο, 18ο και 19ο αιώνα αποτύπωσαν τις εντυπώσεις που σχημάτισαν για τις Ελληνίδες εκείνης της εποχής. «Αν κάθε Τούρκος πασάς … Πηγή: Ελληνισμός, Υποδούλωση, Τρομοκρατία και Δουλεία: Αφηγήσεις Δυτικών Περιηγητριών  Ειρήνη Καμπερίδου, Καθηγήτρια Κοινωνιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ). ©       Από το σύγγραμμα:  Επιτέλους Αναπνέω Ελεύθερη: Γυναικείες μαρτυρίες, «Γυναίκες θαμμένες ζωντανές στον θεσμό της διαφθοράς και της ίντριγκας». Εκδοτικός Όμιλος ΙΩΝ.      

"The theological reading of the Patristic eulogies for Saint George", in Memory of Fr. Georgios D. Metallinos, ed. I. Bougatsos, ed. Lourideon Foundation - "Memories of the City", Athens 2021, p. 329-339

Η συμβολή στον Τόμο αναφέρεται στο επίκαιρο και πολύπλοκο βιοηθικό θέμα της ευθανασίας και συγκεκριμένα στη διερεύνηση από θρησκειολογική σκοπιά της  επιλογής του ασθενούς να τερματίσει τη ζωή του, επιζητώντας ιατρική βοήθεια.

Εξετάζεται η πολιτική και στρατηγική της Αθήνας προς την Τουρκία, μετά τα τέλη της μεταψυχροπολεμικής δεκαετίας και μέχρι το 2019, θέτοντας στο επίκεντρο του προβληματισμού την κατανόηση της σημασίας μιας εσωτερικής παραμέτρου, της συναίνεσης, η οποία είναι μάλλον αγνοημένη στο πλαίσιο της μελέτης των ελληνοτουρκικών σχέσεων. Συγκεκριμένα διαπιστώνεται ότι, ενώ επί μία εικοσαετία έχει υπάρξει σταθερή πολιτική συναίνεση όσον αφορά την πολιτική βελτίωσης των ελληνοτουρκικών σχέσεων, δεν έχει υπάρξει συναίνεση όσον αφορά την αναγκαιότητα υποστήριξης αυτής της πολιτικής από μια στρατηγική η οποία δύναται να οδηγήσει σε συνεννόηση με την Τουρκία όσον αφορά την κύρια διμερή διαφορά, δηλαδή την οριοθέτηση της υφαλοκρηπίδας αλλά και τη συνολικότερη οριοθέτηση των θαλασσίων ζωνών. Παράλληλα, επιδιώκεται να αναδειχθεί ότι η διαιώνιση μιας μονολιθικής και απλουστευτικής ‘εικόνας’ για τις ελληνοτουρκικές σχέσεις και την Τουρκία αποτελεί παράγοντα που έχει συμβάλει αποφασιστικά στην αδυναμία οικοδόμησης μιας τέτοιας συναίνεσης.

Abstract CHRISTOS KARAKOLIS: The Preexistence of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel from an Old Testament Perspective Despite the fact that the Gospel of Mark does not clearly refer to the pre-existence of Jesus Christ, there are significant indications that it is both implied and presupposed. Among the various theories relevant to this issue one can discern the interpretation of Mark 1:2-3 as a passage referring to a heavenly dialogue between God and His Son prior to the beginning of John the Baptist’s preaching in the world, the preaching that will prepare the course of the Son of God in the world. Following the interpretation of Mark 1:1-3 a translational deficit is highlighted that comes from the non-clarification of the identity of these two heavenly discussants. Although, some translations highlight the fact that in v.2 the conversing subject is indeed God, there is no translation that names the other conversant. This is, indeed, a necessary aspect that should be presented in a dynamic translation so that the reader will be able to un- derstand from the onset the Christological teaching of the Gospel of Mark.

The study attempts to trace the route followed by the Byzantine Empire, on both thepolitical and the constitutional plane, from the seventh to the eleventh century, whichultimately led, at the end of the period in question, to Alexios I issuing a chrysobull thatgranted a woman, namely his mother Anna Dalassene, full rights to rule in his name,while he left the capital to face the Norman invasion.In order for the phenomenon of women exercising power in Byzantium to be understood,the study is prefaced by a relatively brief reference to women –every single oneof them an Augusta– who exercised power as part of their constitutional role, from Martina,widow of Heraclius, to Eudokia Makrembolitissa, widow of Constantine X Doukas.The main part of the paper focuses on the case of the ‘purple-born’ sisters Zoe and Theodora,since their reign and the way contemporary historians treated the sisters’ rise tothe throne and how the two of them exercised power illustrate the changes that hadtransformed the institution of co-rulership/regency, as well as ‘hereditary’ successionand how it impacted on the collective mentality of the Byzantines, even when it pavedthe way for a woman to find herself alone at the helm of the state.Through a comparison of the narratives of Michael Psellos, John Skylitzes and MichaelAttaleiates, the study proposes a new view of the ‘reign’ of Zoe Porhpyrogenita andbrings to life a personage that was far more sensible and active than the one we usuallycome across in modern historiography.

Η παρούσα μελέτη επικεντρώνεται στο θέμα της μάταιης θεραπείας (futile treatment) και προσεγγίζεται από την ιατρική και θεολογική άποψη, αποτελώντας πρωτότυπο εγχείρημα. Η δυσκολία της αντικειμενικοποίησης των κριτηρίων, τα οποία καθιστούν μια θεραπεία ως μάταιη εγείρει σημαντικά διλήμματα για την ιατρική ηθική και δεοντολογία, καθώς και για την εξέταση του θέματος από βιοηθική σκοπιά. Ταυτόχρονα στη συζήτηση εμφανίζονται και θεολογικές απόψεις, οι οποίες αφορούν την ασθένεια, τη διακοπή ή μη της θεραπείας, αλλά και τον επικείμενο θάνατο του ασθενούς. Η παρούσα δημοσίευση αποσκοπεί να συμβάλλει στο διάλογο και να αποτελέσει αφορμή για συζήτηση στον Ελλαδικό χώρο.

Based on the historical data of the centuries before the emergence of Christianity in the Mediterranean (1st-3rd century AD), we try to present the stages of the influence of a pandemic on religiocity and the spread of Christianity, as well as to examine the contemporary consequences, based on a statistical assessment (gallop), that we conducted on students of Social Theology and the Study of Religions, as soon as the measures of “social exclusion” had been removed.  

Ο πόλεμος είναι το τελευταίο κυριολεκτικά σημείο, στο οποίο θα ανέμενε κανείς να συναντήσει τη γυναίκα σε μια ανδροκρατούμενη, γεμάτη στερεότυπα κοινωνία όπως αυτή του Βυζαντίου. Ωστόσο, η σχέση των γυναικών με το σύνθετο φαινόμενο του πολέμου ήταν στενή, και οι βυζαντινοί συγγραφείς ανέδειξαν τις ένοπλες συρράξεις ως υπόθεση τόσο ανδρική όσο και γυναικεία. Οι Βυζαντινές δεν αποτέλεσαν ποτέ μάχιμο τμήμα των εκστρατευτικών σωμάτων, δεν γυμνάστηκαν κατάλληλα, δεν οπλίστηκαν από το συμβατικό οπλοστάσιο της εποχής τους και δεν βρέθηκαν στην πρώτη γραμμή. Συνόδευσαν όμως τους συζύγους τους στην εκστρατεία όποτε κρίθηκε απαραίτητο, συνέδραμαν δυναμικά στο έργο αξιωματούχων και στρατιωτών ή τροποποίησαν επιτελικούς σχεδιασμούς. Υπερασπίστηκαν τις πόλεις ή τα κάστρα τους επιδεικνύοντας εξαιρετικά προσόντα και δεξιότητες και ως λεία των νικητών υπέστησαν τα δεινά επακόλουθα της ήττας. Στα μετόπισθεν ανέλαβαν υπέρμετρες ευθύνες μένοντας εκτεθειμένες σε ποικίλους κινδύνους. Τα έμφυλα χαρακτηριστικά τους προβλήθηκαν άλλοτε με θετικό και άλλοτε με αρνητικό πρόσημο εκ μέρους των συγχρόνων τους, οι οποίοι σε αρκετές ιστορίες πολέμου ανέδειξαν τον έρωτα ως ρυθμιστή των εξελίξεων. Όταν οι Βυζαντινοί γνώρισαν τις γυναίκες των αντιπάλων τους είτε ως μάχιμες στα στρατόπεδα είτε ως επικεφαλής των κρατών τους αναμετρήθηκαν ή συμμάχησαν μαζί τους. Εκείνοι που κατέγραψαν αυτές τις «συναντήσεις» δεν μπόρεσαν να κρύψουν την έκπληξή τους και επέτρεψαν να διαφανεί η απαρέσκειά τους. Παρόλο που ιστορικοί και χρονογράφοι της εποχής δεν τοποθέτησαν πάντοτε τις Βυζαντινές εκεί όπου έδρασαν και συχνά αποσιώπησαν την παρουσία τους, αποδεικνύεται ότι οι γυναίκες εμπλέκονταν σχεδόν σε όλες τις εκφάνσεις του πολέμου, στο μέτρο που αναλογούσε στο φύλο τους και όπως συνέβαινε σε κάθε τομέα δραστηριότητας στις μεσαιωνικές κοινωνίες.

Η συγγραφή του άρθρου για τον Τόμο έγινε την εποχή της συζήτησης για τα κριτήρια  και την προτεραιότητα στον εμβολιασμό για τη νόσο COVID-19, ένα σχεδόν μήνα πριν τον πρώτο εμβολιασμό στην Ελλάδα (Δεκέμβριος 2020). Η μελέτη του άρθρου θα πρέπει να να λάβει υπόψη αυτό το χρονικό σημείο, καθώς οι εξελίξεις σχετικά με την απροθυμία μέρους του πληθυσμού στον εμβολιασμό δεν επιβεβαίωσαν την αρχική άποψη ότι αυτός θα γινόταν μαζικά και συνεπώς θα έπρεπε να μπουν κριτήρια για την προτεραιότητα της χορήγησης εμβολίου.

1o Webinar «Παρενόχληση, Φύλο και Αθλητισμός». Παρασκευή 5 Μαρτίου 18:00 - 20:00 -Αφιερωμένο στην αείμνηστη Καθηγήτρια Υβόννη Χαραχούσου**Παρακολουθείστε στο YouTube  https://youtu.be/LtNeMaGAs64 Μετά τις αποκαλύψεις αθλητριών περί κατάχρησης εξουσίας, αλλά και αντίστοιχες καταγγελίες ανθρώπων από το ευρύτερο κοινωνικό πεδίο, το Σπουδαστήριο της Κοινωνιολογίας της Σχολής Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής και Αθλητισμού (ΣΕΦΑΑ) του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστήμιου Αθηνών (ΕΚΠΑ), διοργανώνει δύο webinars με θέμα «Παρενόχληση, Φύλο και Αθλητισμός», ευελπιστώντας ότι θα εμπνεύσουν και θα συνεχιστούν ... 

  ©       Καμπερίδου, Ε. (2021). Παρενόχληση, φύλο και αθλητισμός: Η σημαντικότητα της πρόληψης. E-book επιστημονική σειρά σεμιναρίων, προτάσεις και συμπεράσματα. Σπουδαστήριο Κοινωνιολογίας, Τομέας Θεωρητικών Επιστημών, Σχολή Επιστήμης Φυσικής Αγωγής και Αθλητισμούς του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών. Pergamos.lib.uoa.gr: theFile (uoa.gr) Παρενόχληση, Φύλο και Αθλητισμός (pdf),  Πέργαμος: https://pergamos.lib.uoa.gr/uoa/dl/object/2956099 , UoA Scholar: http://www.tinyurl.com/ygoz2ojl  DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.27431.27046 ©     Βλ. επίσης Flipbook: Harassment, gender and sport.flipbook.August.3..2021_ (yumpu.com) Flipbook:  c470625207  

«Οι γυναίκες θα αποτελούν την πλειονότητα του πληθυσμού των ηλικιωμένων στο μέλλον» (Καμπερίδου, 2021)

In November 2019, MAXI detected an X-ray outburst from the known Be X-ray binary system RX J0209.6-7427 located in the outer wing of the Small Magellanic Cloud. We followed the outburst of the system with NICER which led to the discovery of X-ray pulsations with a period of 9.3 s. We analyzed simultaneous X-ray data obtained with NuSTAR and NICER allowing us to characterize the spectrum and provide an accurate estimate of its bolometric luminosity. During the outburst the maximum broadband X-ray luminosity of the system reached 1-2×1039 erg/s, thus exceeding by about one order of magnitude the Eddington limit for a typical 1.4 M⊙ mass neutron star (NS). Monitoring observations with Fermi/GBM and NICER allowed us to study the spin evolution of the NS and compare it with standard accretion torque models. We found that the NS magnetic field should be of the order of 3×1012 G. We conclude that RX J0209.6-7427 exhibited one of the brightest outbursts observed from a Be X-ray binary pulsar in the Magellanic Clouds, reaching similar luminosity level to the 2016 outburst of SMC X-3. Despite the super-Eddington luminosity of RX J0209.6-7427, the NS appears to have only a moderate magnetic field strength.

In 2019 November, MAXI detected an X-ray outburst from the known Be X-ray binary system RX J0209.6-7427 located in the outer wing of the Small Magellanic Cloud. We followed the outburst of the system with NICER, which led to the discovery of X-ray pulsations with a period of 9.3 s. We analysed simultaneous X-ray data obtained with NuSTAR and NICER, allowing us to characterize the spectrum and provide an accurate estimate of its bolometric luminosity. During the outburst, the maximum broad-band X-ray luminosity of the system reached (1-2) × 1039 erg s-1, thus exceeding by about one order of magnitude the Eddington limit for a typical 1.4 M⊙ mass neutron star (NS). Monitoring observations with Fermi/GBM and NICER allowed us to study the spin evolution of the NS and compare it with standard accretion torque models. We found that the NS magnetic field should be of the order of 3 × 1012 G. We conclude that RX J0209.6-7427 exhibited one of the brightest outbursts observed from a Be X-ray binary pulsar in the Magellanic Clouds, reaching similar luminosity level to the 2016 outburst of SMC X-3. Despite the super-Eddington luminosity of RX J0209.6-7427, the NS appears to have only a moderate magnetic field strength.

Review of J. Losee, The Golden Age of Philosophy of Science 1945 to 2000 (London: Bloomsbury, 2019).

The quasiparticle interference (QPI) technique is a powerful tool that allows to uncover the structure and properties of electronic structure of a material combined with scattering properties of defects at surfaces. Recently, this technique has been pivotal in proving the unique properties of the surface state of topological insulators which manifests itself in the absence of backscattering. Herein, a Green function-based formalism is derived for the ab initio computation of Fourier-transformed QPI images. The efficiency of the new implementation is shown at the examples of QPI that forms around magnetic and nonmagnetic defects at the Bi2Te3 surface. This method allows a deepened understanding of the scattering properties of topologically protected electrons off defects and is a useful tool in the study of quantum materials in the future.

This paper addresses the issue of the relationship holding between abstract and morphological case by examining differential case marking in Asia Mi- nor Greek. Asia Minor Greek dialects have nominative–accusative case systems with overt case exponents; significantly, in these dialects definiteness affects the case marking of the argument either by forcing it to appear in a default case or by marking the relevant definiteness specification by means of a certain (mor- phologically overt) case. I argue that these phenomena do not derive from functional factors, such as the typicality of subject/object, distinctiveness or iconicity, and I present evidence that the relevant abstract Case is always licensed on DP-arguments in these dialects, even in differential case marking situations, and that the surface morphological case is conditioned by morphological factors. Based on this evidence, I claim that differential case marking in such systems is morphological in nature and derives from postsyntactic impoverishment rules at Morphological Structure that affect the feature constitution of the case terminal node resulting in its differentiating exponence and the non-isomorphism between abstract and morphological case.

 

Genital dissatisfaction in healthy young women is on the rise. Pubic hair removal reveals genital tissue previously hidden, while social trends promote the absence of any protruding genital tissue as the feminine ideal. Information with regard to the natural diversity of external genitalia anatomy, and lifestyle changes to improve physical symptoms related to labial tissue may suffice to reassure a distressed adolescent. Female genital cosmetic surgery is rarely supported, before attaining genital maturity. However, genital dissatisfaction may lead to significant embarrassment and anxiety, requiring formal psychological counselling. Sexual education needs to counterbalance perceived normal anatomy, portrayed in pornography or female genital cosmetic surgery advertisements.

PURPOSE: To ascertain the role of deranged eating behaviours (DEBs) in the development of functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea (FHA) and the reciprocal role of psychopathological traits on both disorders. METHODS: A prospective case-control study was conducted spanning the period January 2016 to April 2018. Forty-one consecutive FHA females and 86 healthy controls were recruited. We assessed the DEBs and other FHA predisposing factors via self-reported questionnaires. Possible correlations amongst the variables were examined using the Spearman's correlation coefficient (rho), whilst multivariate logistic regression was carried out to identify independent predictors of DEBs. RESULTS: Mean scores on Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26) were significantly higher in females with FHA (p {\textless} 0.0001). Women with FHA were characterised by significantly higher scores at the sub-scale items of dieting (p = 0.03) and bulimia and food preoccupation (p {\textless} 0.001) compared to healthy controls. Significant difference was also observed between the mean scores of the two groups in all other questionnaires: State-Trait-Anxiety-Inventory (STAI) (p {\textless} 0.0001), Multidimensional Body-Self-Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) (p {\textless} 0.0001) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (p = 0.004). EAT-26 scores were positively correlated with scores on STAI ($\rho$ = 0.26, p = 0.04), MBSRQ ($\rho$ = 0.79, p {\textless} 0.0001) and IPAQ ($\rho$ = 0.35, p = 0.03). High scores on IPAQ and STAI were correlated with a 12.2-fold (p = 0.008) and 4.3-fold (p = 0.04) increased risk for high scores on EAT-26 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: DEBs may occur in FHA populations at a higher frequency compared to the general population. Anxiety and overweight preoccupation may underlie and independently contribute to development and maintenance of both DEBs and FHA. This evidence may have future implications for both screening and interventions that target DEBs and other psychological factors.

Semiconductor photocatalysts have attracted a great amount of multidiscipline research due to their distinctive potential for solar-to-chemical-energy conversion applications, ranging from water and air purification to hydrogen and chemical fuel production. This unique diversity of photoinduced applications has spurred major research efforts on the rational design and development of photocatalytic materials with tailored structural, morphological, and optoelectronic properties in order to promote solar light harvesting and alleviate photogenerated electron-hole recombination and the concomitant low quantum efficiency. This book presents a collection of original research articles on advanced photocatalytic materials synthesized by novel fabrication approaches and/or appropriate modifications that improve their performance for target photocatalytic applications such as water (cyanobacterial toxins, antibiotics, phenols, and dyes) and air (NOx and volatile organic compounds) pollutant degradation, hydrogen evolution, and hydrogen peroxide production by photoelectrochemical cells. © 2020 by the authors.

This paper reviews state-of-the-art research solutions across the spectrum of medical imaging informatics, discusses clinical translation, and provides future directions for advancing clinical practice. More specifically, it summarizes advances in medical imaging acquisition technologies for different modalities, highlighting the necessity for efficient medical data management strategies in the context of AI in big healthcare data analytics. It then provides a synopsis of contemporary and emerging algorithmic methods for disease classification and organ/ tissue segmentation, focusing on AI and deep learning architectures that have already become the de facto approach. The clinical benefits of in-silico modelling advances linked with evolving 3D reconstruction and visualization applications are further documented. Concluding, integrative analytics approaches driven by associate research branches highlighted in this study promise to revolutionize imaging informatics as known today across the healthcare continuum for both radiology and digital pathology applications. The latter, is projected to enable informed, more accurate diagnosis, timely prognosis, and effective treatment planning, underpinning precision medicine.

Background & aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic hepatitis. In this international collaboration, we sought to develop a global universal HCC risk score to predict the HCC development for patients with chronic hepatitis. Methods: A total of 17,374 patients, comprising 10,578 treated Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), 2,510 treated Caucasian patients with CHB, 3,566 treated patients with hepatitis C virus (including 2,489 patients with cirrhosis achieving a sustained virological response) and 720 patients with non-viral hepatitis (NVH) from 11 international prospective observational cohorts or randomised controlled trials, were divided into a training cohort (3,688 Asian patients with CHB) and 9 validation cohorts with different aetiologies and ethnicities (n = 13,686). Results: We developed an HCC risk score, called the aMAP score (ranging from 0 to 100), that involves only age, male, albumin-bilirubin and platelets. This metric performed excellently in assessing HCC risk not only in patients with hepatitis of different aetiologies, but also in those with different ethnicities (C-index: 0.82-0.87). Cut-off values of 50 and 60 were best for discriminating HCC risk. The 3- or 5-year cumulative incidences of HCC were 0-0.8%, 1.5-4.8%, and 8.1-19.9% in the low- (n = 7,413, 43.6%), medium- (n = 6,529, 38.4%), and high-risk (n = 3,044, 17.9%) groups, respectively. The cut-off value of 50 was associated with a sensitivity of 85.7-100% and a negative predictive value of 99.3-100%. The cut-off value of 60 resulted in a specificity of 56.6-95.8% and a positive predictive value of 6.6-15.7%. Conclusions: This objective, simple, reliable risk score based on 5 common parameters accurately predicted HCC development, regardless of aetiology and ethnicity, which could help to establish a risk score-guided HCC surveillance strategy worldwide. Lay summary: In this international collaboration, we developed and externally validated a simple, objective and accurate prognostic tool (called the aMAP score), that involves only age, male, albumin-bilirubin and platelets. The aMAP score (ranged from 0 to 100) satisfactorily predicted the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development among over 17,000 patients with viral and non-viral hepatitis from 11 global prospective studies. Our findings show that the aMAP score had excellent discrimination and calibration in assessing the 5-year HCC risk among all the cohorts irrespective of aetiology and ethnicity.

In March 2020 the World Health Organization announced a pandemic outbreak. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative pathogen for the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The authorities worldwide use clinical science to identify infected people, but this approach is not able to track all symptomatic and asymptomatic cases due to limited sampling capacity of the testing laboratories. This drawback is eliminated by the Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) approach. In this review, we summarized the peer-reviewed published literature (available as of 28(th) September 2020), in the field of WBE. The commonly used steps (sampling, storage, concentration, isolation, detection) of the analytical protocols were identified. The potential limitations of each stage of the protocols and good practices were discussed. Finally, new methods for the efficient detection of SARS-CoV-2 were proposed.

INTRODUCTION: Greece is a country with limited spread of SARS-CoV-2 and cumulative infection attack rate of 0.12% (95% CI 0.06-0.26). Health care workers (HCWs) are a well-recognized risk group for COVID-19. The study aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in a nosocomial setting and assess potential risk factors. METHODS: HCWs from two hospitals participated in the study. Hospital-1 was a tertiary university affiliated center, involved in the care of COVID-19 patients while hospital-2 was a tertiary specialized cardiac surgery center not involved in the care of these patients. A validated, CE, rapid, IgM/IgG antibody point-of-care test was used. Comparative performance with a reference globally available assay was assessed. RESULTS: 1,495 individuals consented to participate (response rate 77%). The anti-SARS-CoV-2 weighted prevalence was 1.26% (95% CI 0.43, 3.26) overall and 0.53% (95% CI 0.06, 2.78) and 2.70% (95% CI 0.57, 9.19) in hospital-1 and hospital-2, respectively although the study was underpowered to detect statistically significant differences. The overall, hospital-1, and hospital-2 seroprevalence was 10, 4 and 22 times higher than the estimated infection attack rate in general population, respectively. Suboptimal use of personal protective equipment was noted in both hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: These data have implications for the preparedness of a second wave of COVID-19 epidemic, given the low burden of SARS-CoV-2 infection rate, in concordance with national projections.

Most present-day resonant systems, throughout physics and engineering, are characterized by a strict time-reversal symmetry between the rates of energy coupled in and out of the system, which leads to a trade-off between how long a wave can be stored in the system and the system’s bandwidth. Any attempt to reduce the losses of the resonant system, and hence store a (mechanical, acoustic, electronic, optical, or of any other nature) wave for more time, will inevitably also reduce the bandwidth of the system. Until recently, this time-bandwidth limit has been considered fundamental, arising from basic Fourier reciprocity. In this work, using a simple macroscopic, fiber-optic resonator where the nonreciprocity is induced by breaking its time-invariance, we report, in full agreement with accompanying numerical simulations, a time-bandwidth product (TBP) exceeding the ‘fundamental’ limit of ordinary resonant systems by a factor of 30. We show that, although in practice experimental constraints limit our scheme, the TBP can be arbitrarily large, simply dictated by the finesse of the cavity. Our results open the path for designing resonant systems, ubiquitous in physics and engineering, that can simultaneously be broadband and possessing long storage times, thereby offering a potential for new functionalities in wave-matter interactions. © 2020, The Author(s).

Existentialism about propositions is the view that a proposition expressed in a sentence containing a nonempty name or indexical depends ontologically on the referent of the name or indexical: the proposition could not exist if the referent did not. The paper focuses on names. It discusses some arguments for existentialism and then presents a novel one. That argument does not presuppose that propositions have constituents, and it could be accepted by those who hold broadly Fregean views about names. It shows that, for example, if Aristotle had not existed, no sentence could have meant that Aristotle is a philosopher. The paper also touches on the consequences of existentialism.

 

Maintaining a healthy proteome is essential for cell and organismal homeostasis. Perturbation of the balance between protein translational control and degradation instigates a multitude of age-related diseases. Decline of proteostasis quality control mechanisms is a hallmark of ageing. Biochemical methods to detect de novo protein synthesis are still limited, have several disadvantages and cannot be performed in live cells or animals. Caenorhabditis elegans, being transparent and easily genetically modified, is an excellent model to monitor protein synthesis rates by using imaging techniques. Here, we introduce and describe a method to measure de novo protein synthesis in vivo utilizing fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Transgenic animals expressing fluorescent proteins in specific cells or tissues are irradiated by a powerful light source resulting in fluorescence photobleaching. In turn, assessment of fluorescence recovery signifies new protein synthesis in cells and/or tissues of interest. Hence, the combination of transgenic nematodes, genetic and/or pharmacological interventions together with live imaging of protein synthesis rates can shed light on mechanisms mediating age-dependent proteostasis collapse.

 

The aim of this study was to determine the cognitive and behavioral effects of extra virgin olive oil total phenolic content (TPC) and Sideritis (SID) extracts in female mice, and identify the associated neurochemical changes in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. All animals received intraperitoneal low or high doses of TPC, SID or vehicle treatment for 7 days and were subjected to the Open Field (OF), Novel Object Recognition (NOR) and Tail Suspension Test (TST). The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were dissected for analysis of neurotransmitters and aminoacids with high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED). Both TPC doses enhanced vertical activity and center entries in the OF, which could indicate an anxiolytic-like effect. In addition, TPC enhanced non-spatial working memory and, in high doses, exerted antidepressant effects. On the other hand, high SID doses remarkably decreased the animals' overall activity. Locomotor and exploratory activities were closely associated with cortical increases in serotonin turnover induced by both treatments. Cognitive performance was linked to glutamate level changes. Furthermore, TPC reduced cortical taurine levels, while SID reduced cortical aspartate levels. TPC seems to have promising cognitive, anxiolytic and antidepressant effects, whereas SID has sedative effects in high doses. Both extracts act in the brain, but their specific actions and properties merit further exploration.

Big Data and Data Analytics affect almost all aspects of modern organisations’ decision-making and business strategies. Big Data and Data Analytics create opportunities, challenges, and implications for the external auditing procedure. The purpose of this article is to reveal essential aspects of the impact of Big Data and Data Analytics on external auditing. It seems that Big Data Analytics is a critical tool for organisations, as well as auditors, that contributes to the enhancement of the auditing process. Also, legislative implications must be taken under consideration, since existing standards may need to change. Last, auditors need to develop new skills and competence, and educational organisations need to change their educational programs in order to be able to correspond to new market needs.

AIM: Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in insulin-signaling and the development of type-2 diabetes (T2D). Their deregulated expression is mostly described in the pancreas, liver, skeletal muscle, or adipose tissue of diabetic animals. Relevant studies in humans are limited due to difficulties in accessing tissue-biopsies. Though, circulating miRNAs are indicators of organ-specific pathophysiological events and could potentially serve as disease biomarkers. We explored the profile of 84 T2D-related miRNAs in peripheral blood of subjects with or without the disease. METHODS: An RT-qPCR array screening 84 T2D-related miRNAs was applied in samples of T2D (n = 6) versus non-T2D (n = 6) subjects. The deregulated miRNAs were thereafter analyzed in peripheral blood samples of a validation cohort of 40 T2D and 37 non-T2D individuals [16 controls and 21 subjects with metabolic syndrome (Met-S) and/or T2D risk factors (T2D-RF)], using specific RT-qPCR assays. Correlations with clinicopathological parameters and risk factors were evaluated. RESULTS: Subjects with the disease displayed decreased levels of miR-214-3p, miR-24-3p and let-7f-5p, compared to those without. MiRNA levels correlated with serum insulin and HbA1c levels in individuals with T2D or Met-S/T2D-RF, and with higher BMI, dyslipidemia and family history in controls. CONCLUSIONS: Blood levels of miR-214-3p, miR-24-3p and let-7f-5p are down-regulated in T2D- and Met-S/T2D-RF subjects. Future studies are needed to evaluate their potential as disease biomarkers and elucidate the associated tissue-specific pathogenetic mechanisms.

From the onset of the so-called “Greek crisis” (a sovereign-debt default in late 2009 and the subsequent, and ongoing, attempts on behalf of successive Greek governments at securing adequate bailout aid from the EU and the IMF), a new breed of biopolitics seems to have been in place. Classical antiquity has always played a crucial part in the forging of modern Greek social and cultural identities; in the framework of the “Greek crisis”, however, classical heritage and its visual output has been used both as an emancipatory tool against the country’s debtors as well as a disciplinary device on behalf of its critics. In this paper, a number of earlier and more recent Athenian graffiti will be discussed, directly or indirectly incorporating themes from Greek art in order to express their makers’ sentiments – as well as the frustrations of their public at large. Contrasting unauthorized examples of Athenian street art with some centrally-sponsored recent examples also employing classicizing imageries, the paper will explore the ways in which classical heritage finds itself entangled with the neoliberal biopolitics at work in Greece since 2009.

Photonic crystal structuring has emerged as a promising approach to improve the utilization of solar energy by metal oxide semiconductor photocatalysts based on the combination of slow-light{,} pore interconnectivity and high surface accessibility of macroporous periodic structures with judicious compositional modifications of the materials’ properties. In this work{,} surface modification of photonic band gap engineered TiO2 inverse opals fabricated by the convective evaporation-induced co-assembly technique was performed with nanoscale Co oxides using the chemisorption–calcination-cycle method in order to explore the interplay of metal oxide heterostructuring and photonic amplification for the development of visible light-activated photonic catalysts. Fine tuning of the films’ photonic and electronic properties by controlling the inverse opal macropore size and Co oxides’ loading and composition resulted in significant enhancement of the photocatalytic activity for organics decomposition under visible light{,} exceeding that of benchmark mesoporous TiO2 films subjected to the same treatment. The underlying mechanism was related to the slow-photon-assisted light harvesting by low amounts of Co oxide nanoclusters that exert minimal effects on the inverse opal periodicity and texture{,} while enabling visible light electronic absorption and promoting charge separation via strong interfacial coupling on the nanocrystalline titania skeleton of the photonic crystals.

Cyprus has a long record of tsunami waves, as noted by archaeological and geological records. Large boulder deposits have been noted in the southeastern and western part of the Island. At Cape Greco (southeastern Cyprus) large boulders have been noted, however, no detailed geomorphological research has taken place so far and the related high energy event remains undated. Our research focuses at Cape Greco Peninsula in order to record in detail and interpret the large boulders deposits. The boulders, located at 3 m amsl, are fragments of a layer of an upper Pleistocene aeolianite, which is overlaying unconformly a lower Pleistocene calcarenite. Dimensions and spatial distribution of 272 small, medium and large boulders were documented, while their precise distance from the coastline was recorded by field mapping and remote sensing, using GNSS, drone and GIS technics. Several large boulders weighting more than ~30 metric tons were found up to 60m inland. Geomorphologic mapping and morphometric measurements, along with the presence of marine organisms suggests that some of the boulders were removed from their original intertidal zone and were transported inland by the force of large waves. In this work, we attempt to determine the extreme event that caused their transport inland. We further attempt a correlation of the event with already known tsunami events from Eastern Mediterranean, based on the estimated wave heights and the radiocarbon dating of marine gastropods (Vermetus sp.).

The actin cytoskeleton, a dynamic network of actin filaments and associated F-actin-binding proteins, is fundamentally important in eukaryotes. alpha-Actinins are major F-actin bundlers that are inhibited by Ca(2+) in nonmuscle cells. Here we report the mechanism of Ca(2+)-mediated regulation of Entamoeba histolytica alpha-actinin-2 (EhActn2) with features expected for the common ancestor of Entamoeba and higher eukaryotic alpha-actinins. Crystal structures of Ca(2+)-free and Ca(2+)-bound EhActn2 reveal a calmodulin-like domain (CaMD) uniquely inserted within the rod domain. Integrative studies reveal an exceptionally high affinity of the EhActn2 CaMD for Ca(2+), binding of which can only be regulated in the presence of physiological concentrations of Mg(2+) Ca(2+) binding triggers an increase in protein multidomain rigidity, reducing conformational flexibility of F-actin-binding domains via interdomain cross-talk and consequently inhibiting F-actin bundling. In vivo studies uncover that EhActn2 plays an important role in phagocytic cup formation and might constitute a new drug target for amoebic dysentery.

This article investigates the capital structure dynamics of European SMEs by assessing the impact of firm-specific, institutional, and macroeconomic factors over the period 2005–2015, including the European Sovereign Debt Crisis (ESDC). In this setup, we perform a dynamic panel data analysis, along with several model specifications and robustness tests on listed SMEs of EU-28, dividing them into firm categories (micro, small, and medium) and country groups (core, periphery, high technology, and new EU member countries). We find that the effect of capital structure determinants do not differ significantly across size and country groups. The results suggest that profitability, asset structure, and size have been the driving forces of listed SME’s leverage, regardless of the size of the companies and the country group. At a macroeconomic and institutional level, taxation is the most significant variable for all the subgroups. Finally, the ESDC seems to increase the leverage of the listed SMEs in the periphery and the new member states countries, leaving the core countries practically unaffected.

The cytoskeleton has a primary role in cardiomyocyte function, including the response to mechanical stimuli and injury. The small heat shock protein 20 (Hsp20) conveys protective effects in cardiac muscle that are linked to serine-16 (Ser16) Hsp20 phosphorylation by stress-induced PKA, but the link between Hsp20 and the cytoskeleton remains poorly understood. Herein, we demonstrate a physical and functional interaction of Hsp20 with the cytoskeletal protein 14-3-3. We show that, upon phosphorylation at Ser16, Hsp20 translocates from the cytosol to the cytoskeleton where it binds to 14-3-3. This leads to dissociation of 14-3-3 from the F-actin depolymerization regulator cofilin-2 (CFL2) and enhanced F-actin depolymerization. Importantly, we demonstrate that the P20L Hsp20 mutation associated with dilated cardiomyopathy exhibits reduced physical interaction with 14-3-3 due to diminished Ser16 phosphorylation, with subsequent failure to translocate to the cytoskeleton and inability to disassemble the 14-3-3/CFL2 complex. The topological sequestration of Hsp20 P20L ultimately results in impaired regulation of F-actin dynamics, an effect implicated in loss of cytoskeletal integrity and amelioration of the cardioprotective functions of Hsp20. These findings underscore the significance of Hsp20 phosphorylation in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton dynamics, with important implications in cardiac muscle physiology and pathophysiology.

Motion extracted from the carotid artery wall provides unique information for vascular health evaluation. Carotid artery longitudinal wall motion corresponds to the multiphasic arterial wall excursion in the direction parallel to blood flow during the cardiac cycle. While this motion phenomenon has been well characterized, there is a general lack of awareness regarding its implications for vascular health assessment or even basic vascular physiology. In the last decade, novel estimation strategies and clinical investigations have greatly advanced our understanding of the bi-axial behavior of the carotid artery, necessitating an up-to-date review to summarize and classify the published literature in collaboration with technical and clinical experts in the field. Within this review, the state-of-the art methodologies for carotid wall motion estimation are described, and the observed relationships between longitudinal-motion-derived indices and vascular health are reported. The vast number of studies describing the longitudinal motion pattern in plaque-free arteries, with its putative application to cardiovascular disease prediction, point to the need for characterizing the added value and applicability of longitudinal motion beyond established biomarkers. To this aim, the main purpose of this review is to provide a strong base of theoretical knowledge, together with a curated set of practical guidelines and recommendations for longitudinal motion estimation in patients, to foster future discoveries in the field, toward the integration of longitudinal motion in basic science as well as clinical practice.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a common cause of acute flaccid paralysis, is characterized by a rapidly progressive, usually symmetric weakness of the extremities. Headache and intracranial hypertension (ICHT) are very rare complications of GBS. Herein we report our current case of an obese girl with typical signs of GBS associated with autonomic dysfunction, cranial nerve deficits and increased intracranial pressure (ICP). We also perform a systematic study presenting and discussing previous case reports of GBS associated with ICHT, papilledema or hydrocephalus, highlighting the differences of the current case compared to previous studies. Although intracranial hypertension is a rare complication of pediatric GBS, clinicians should promptly detect it. Obesity may be a predisposing factor, given the strong association between idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and weight gain. Neurological evaluation, fundus examination and low threshold for intracranial imaging should be an integral part of medical practice in case of obesity, headache or visual changes in GBS patients.

Based on a qualitative research (2012–15) this paper is concerned with the identification of concepts and constructs of knowledge in RE. It is based on participative enquiry and educational action-research methodology. Over a three-year period, the researcher, teachers and the students of a High School in one of the most difficult social, economic and pedagogic environments in Greece collaborated and the resulting data were analysed by a team of independent researchers using quantitative and qualitative techniques. Findings point to the consideration of knowledge in education as an experience in which the content (what) of education is as important as the process (how). RE teaches an additional invaluable language with different religious meanings of concepts, which facilitates students’ communication with self and others, and offers an interpretation of the world. Such religious literacy is essentially provided at school in the framework of multi-literacies and is a result of an intersubjective process of the interconnection between thinking, reflection and action on what the curriculum positions on the top of the didactic triangle (content, teacher, student). In that process, to ‘know what I know’ and to provide ‘events with meaning’ based on experiential learning and its principles, is of inestimable value.

OBJECTIVE: Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurologic disorders, causing serious psychological problems and reducing quality of life. Although 20 different antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 30% of patients have drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Considering the role of miR-146a and miR-134 in neuroinflammation and dendritic functionality, respectively, the aim of this study was the clinical evaluation of circulating miR-146a and miR-134 as novel noninvasive molecular markers for the prognosis of refractory epilepsy. METHODS: The study included 162 patients with focal impaired awareness seizures. Total RNA was extracted from serum samples spiked with synthetic cel-miR-39-3p for normalization purposes. First-strand complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis was performed using microRNA-specific stem-loop primers, and hsa-miR-134/146a levels were quantified by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). DRE was used as clinical end point event. Internal validation was performed by bootstrap analysis, and decision curve analysis was used to evaluate the clinical benefit on disease prognosis. RESULTS: The circulating levels of both miR-134 and miR-146a were elevated in patients with drug-resistant seizures. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analysis demonstrated that patients with increased circulating miR-134/146a levels are at significantly higher risk for developing DRE, independently of temporal lobe sclerosis, epilepsy duration, familial history, age at first seizure, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking behavior, and gender. Finally, decision curve analysis highlighted that the evaluation of circulating miR-134/146a led to superior clinical benefit for DRE prognosis and patients' risk stratification. SIGNIFICANCE: Elevated serum miR-134/146a levels are associated with a higher risk for AED-resistant epilepsy and could constitute novel noninvasive molecular markers to improve disease early prognosis and support precision medicine.

The liar and kindred paradoxes show that we can derive contradictions when we reason in accordance with classical logic from the schema (T) about truth: S is true iff p, where ‘p’ is to be replaced with a sentence and ‘S’ with a name of that sentence. The paper presents two arguments to the effect that the blame lies not with (T) but with classical logic. The arguments derive contradictions using classical logic, but instead of appealing to (T), they invoke semantic claims that seem even harder to reject. The first argument relies on two standard semantic principles that are not disquotational and on the claim that if there is such a thing as the property of being true, then ‘true’ expresses that property. The second argument relies on a schema about meaning: S means that p, where ‘S’ and ‘p’ are to be replaced as before.

During the transitional period between the end of the Second World War and the beginning of the 1950s London and Ankara left behind the coolness that had crept into their relations as a result of Turkey’s neutrality during the war and reaffirmed their pre-war alliance. However, the strategic interests the two countries shared did not result in a closer political bilateral relationship. Moreover, before long the British government had succeeded by various ill-thought actions in causing the resentment of their Turkish ally. The respective attitudes of the British and the Turks towards each other were informed by the interplay between material interests and ideational factors against the backdrop of the perceived Soviet threat, Britain’s ebbing power and the rising power of the United States. This study narrates a brief but interesting chapter in the course of Turkish-British relations. It also offers interesting insights into the dynamics of great power/small state interaction.

Greek exhibits dialectal and diachronic variation in the cliticization pattern of weak pronouns. In Standard Modern Greek, clitics are strictly preverbal with finite non- imperative verb forms, whereas in the southeastern dialects, as well as in Byzantine and Medieval Greek, clitics seem to obey a second position requirement, since they are preverbal when a function word precedes the verb and postverbal otherwise. A comparison with the adverbal Romance cliticization system and the second position cliticization system of Slavic languages reveals that Greek clitics are neither C- nor v*-related elements and cliticization involves clitic movement to the T-layer. We further argue that the attested variation results from the ways PF (Phonetic Form) processes the syntactic output of this movement. Finally, we show that the two systems are diachronically related to each other by means of a prosodic reanalysis that resulted in the evolution of the non-second position system of Standard Modern Greek from the second position system of Medieval Greek.

Cyprus has a long history of tsunami events, as noted by archaeological and geological records. At Cape Greco (southeastern Cyprus) large boulders have been noted, however, no detailed geomorphological research has taken place so far and the related high energy event was undated until now. Our research aims to record in detail and interpret these large boulders deposits. The boulders, located between ≈3 and 4.5 m a.m.s.l., are fragments of an upper Pleistocene aeolianite, which is overlaying unconformly a lower Pleistocene calcarenite. Dimensions and spatial distribution of 272 small, medium, and large boulders were documented, while their precise distance from the coastline was recorded by field mapping and remote sensing, using Differential GPS (DGPS), drone, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technics. Field data were subsequently combined with hydrodynamic equations, in order to determine the extreme event(s) that caused their transport inland, and radiocarbon dating was accomplished on three samples of Vermetus sp. to determine the chronological context. Our findings appear to broadly correlate with the 1303 AD tsunami, which has displaced at least part of the studied boulders, and one other undocumented event at AD 1512-1824. The large number of boulders and sizes in our study area further indicate that their dislocation is most likely owed to multiple events from various sources.

The general understanding of the major tectonic structures that are traced on Crete Island is of great importance to decipher the geodynamic regime of the leading edge of the overriding Aegean microplate and consequently Eurasia’s southernmost active margin. The aim of this multidisciplinary methodology is to provide useful information for more reliable mapping of buried structures, which in turn supplement the dynamic and kinematic model of this key area of high interest. Several indicators for the existence of oblique fault block displacement were identified with the use of earth observation data, as strike slip faulting expressions on the surface are more efficiently identified by vertical observations. Tectonic structures which are usually created along lateral displacements require different working scales. Hence, earth observation data (satellite images, aerial photographs) with various spatial characteristics need to be included. Therefore, the methodology presented in this paper involves high spatial resolution digital elevation models and several remote sensing multispectral datasets, in many cases merged with higher spatial resolution panchromatic aerial photographs. The co-registration and orthorectification of all datasets proved to be a very significant part of this work in order to produce high resolution coloured 3D scenes at selected sites in central Crete, where the observed N-S trending strike slip fault zones crosscut arc parallel low angle normal faults and higher angle fault scarps. Additionally, deep seismic reflection datasets along the major geomorphic structure of Messara basin were combined and highlighted the strike slip mechanism, since the continuation of the subvertical structures in depth has become clearer after the exact positioning of the sections and further interpretation.

The general understanding of the major tectonic structures that are traced on Crete Island is of great importance to decipher the geodynamic regime of the leading edge of the overriding Aegean microplate and consequently Eurasia’s southernmost active margin. The aim of this multi-disciplinary methodology is to provide useful information for more reliable mapping of buried structures, which in turn supplement the dynamic and kinematic model of this key area of high interest. Several indicators for the existence of oblique fault block displacement were identified with the use of earth observation data, as strike slip faulting expressions on the surface are more efficiently identified by vertical observations. Tectonic structures which are usually created along lateral displacements require different working scales. Hence, earth observation data (satellite images, aerial photographs) with various spatial characteristics need to be included. Therefore, the methodology presented in this paper involves high spatial resolution digital elevation models and several remote sensing multispectral datasets, in many cases merged with higher spatial resolution panchromatic aerial photographs. The co-registration and ortho-rectification of all datasets proved to be a very significant part of this work in order to produce high resolution coloured 3D scenes at selected sites in central Crete, where the observed N-S trending strike slip fault zones crosscut arc parallel low angle normal faults and higher angle fault scarps. Additionally, deep seismic reflection datasets along the major geomorphic structure of Messara basin were combined and highlighted the strike slip mechanism, since the continuation of the sub-vertical structures in depth has become clearer after the exact positioning of the sections and further interpretation.

Relevance. In this paper the feeding mechanism of springs distributed around the broader area of Delfini at NE side of Chios Island is explored, in an effort to locate possible fresh water paths inland before they are discharged to the sea. The drilling of hydro wells for more production is of vital importance to cover the drinking and irrigation needs of the broader area. Aim. Although Chios has been extensively drilled in the past years the demand for further investigations comes from an increased water consumption during summer time in one hand and the inefficiency of alternative water resources (e.g. construction of dams, desalination units, etc) on the other hand. Methods. Geophysical methods were used (VLF and resistivity) to explore in detail water potential areas, like the broader area of Delfini, where during winter time huge quantities of fresh water discharge through springs to sea level. Results and its discussion. The presence of a confined aquifer composed mainly of limestones, which are overlain by clastic impermeable deposits, together with the existence of water potential bearing fracture zones determine the hydrogeological regime of the nearby area. It is also explained the presence of brackish waters at positive elevations found during summer time at nearby springs. It seems that the lateral extent of impermeable clastic deposits plays a crucial role in allowing the inland flow of seawater during summer time and combined with the presence of the confined aquifer of fresh water produce an upward mixing flow of fresh and seawater at springs of positive elevations. During winter time the huge amount of fresh water discharges do not allow the inland flow of seawater

The purpose of this paper is to determine calibration constants of instrumental Greek earthquakes in order to calculate the basic seismic parameters of historical earthquakes (magnitude, epicenter, focal depth) via macroseismic data. Two different approaches are adopted for calibration procedure. The first implements the macroseismic estimation of earthquake parameters (MEEP procedure) and is based on macroseismic data points (MDPs). The second approach calculates macroseismic magnitude based on isoseismal areas, using both linear and multiple regression techniques. The datasets used for analysis comprise of 121 instrumental earthquakes with 7247 MDPs and 123 isoseismal maps. Validation of the results is performed using six instrumental earthquakes in order to verify the calibration parameters. Finally, calibration constants are successfully applied for parameters calculation of eight eighteenth century events. Thus, the application of the results to historical earthquakes contributes to the improvement of the seismic picture of Greece.

In volleyball, the opposite player is the most requested hitter since she/he is the player with a higher probability of successfully carrying out attacks. Thus, the main objective of this study was to analyze and compare the spatiotemporal parameters and the effectiveness of attack for opposite players in top-level teams depending on gender. Inferential analysis was applied to analyze 1523 attacks coming from the opposite player (W=910and M=613) from 79 sets (W=42 and M=37) of the top-ranked teams in Women and Men 2018 World Championships. The analysis revealed that in complexes I and II male opposite players attacked more often from zone 1, using 2nd fast attack tempo, against a single or triple block, more effectively in complex I but with more errors in complex II than women. In female volleyball, opposites attacked more often from zones 2 and 6, in 2nd slow and 3rd tempo of attack while they faced up more often than men double or open block. In complex III women opposite players attacked from zone 2, using 2nd slow and 3rd tempo against double block more frequently than men who attacked from zone 1, in 2nd fast tempo against a single or triple block.

3HSP J095507.9+355101 is an extreme blazar that has been possibly associated with a high-energy neutrino (IceCube-200107A) detected 1 day before the blazar was found to undergo a hard X-ray flare. We perform a comprehensive study of the predicted multimessenger emission from 3HSP J095507.9+355101 during its recent X-ray flare, but also in the long term. We focus on one-zone leptohadronic models, but we also explore alternative scenarios: (i) a blazar-core model, which considers neutrino production in the inner jet, close to the supermassive black hole; (ii) a hidden external-photon model, which considers neutrino production in the jet through interactions with photons from a weak broad line region; (iii) a proton-synchrotron model, where high-energy protons in the jet produce γ-rays via synchrotron; and (iv) an intergalactic cascade scenario, where neutrinos are produced in the intergalactic medium by interactions of a high-energy cosmic-ray beam escaping the jet. The Poisson probability to detect a single muon neutrino in 10 years from 3HSP J095507.9+355101 with the real-time IceCube alert analysis is ∼1% (3%) for the most optimistic one-zone leptohadronic model (the multi-zone blazar-core model). Meanwhile, detection of a single neutrino during the 44-day-long high X-ray flux-state period following the neutrino detection is 0.06%, according to our most optimistic leptohadronic model. The most promising scenarios for neutrino production also predict strong intrasource γ-ray attenuation above ∼100 GeV. If the association is real, then IceCube-Gen2 and other future detectors should be able to provide additional evidence for neutrino production in 3HSP J095507.9+355101 and other extreme blazars.

3HSP J095507.9+355101 is an extreme blazar that has been possibly associated with a high-energy neutrino (IceCube-200107A) detected 1 day before the blazar was found to undergo a hard X-ray flare. We perform a comprehensive study of the predicted multimessenger emission from 3HSP J095507.9+355101 during its recent X-ray flare, but also in the long term. We focus on one-zone leptohadronic models, but we also explore alternative scenarios: (i) a blazar-core model, which considers neutrino production in the inner jet, close to the supermassive black hole; (ii) a hidden external-photon model, which considers neutrino production in the jet through interactions with photons from a weak broad line region; (iii) a proton-synchrotron model, where high-energy protons in the jet produce γ-rays via synchrotron; and (iv) an intergalactic cascade scenario, where neutrinos are produced in the intergalactic medium by interactions of a high-energy cosmic-ray beam escaping the jet. The Poisson probability to detect a single muon neutrino in 10 years from 3HSP J095507.9+355101 with the real-time IceCube alert analysis is ∼1% (3%) for the most optimistic one-zone leptohadronic model (the multi-zone blazar-core model). Meanwhile, detection of a single neutrino during the 44-day-long high X-ray flux-state period following the neutrino detection is 0.06%, according to our most optimistic leptohadronic model. The most promising scenarios for neutrino production also predict strong intrasource γ-ray attenuation above ∼100 GeV. If the association is real, then IceCube-Gen2 and other future detectors should be able to provide additional evidence for neutrino production in 3HSP J095507.9+355101 and other extreme blazars.

We present new photometric and spectroscopic observations and analyses for the eclipsing binary systems V1241 Tau and GQ Dra. Our photometric light and radial velocity curve analyses combined with the TESS light curves show that both are conventional semi-detached binary systems. Their absolute parameters are also derived. We present the O-C analyses of the systems and we propose the most possible orbital period modulating mechanisms. Furthermore, Fourier analyses are applied to the photometric residual data of the systems to check for the pulsational behavior of the components. We conclude that the primary component of the system GQ Dra is a δ Sct type pulsator with a dominant pulsation frequency of 18.58 d-1 based on our B filter residual light curve although it can not be justified by 30-minute cadence TESS data. No satisfactory evidence of pulsational behavior for V1241 Tau was verified. Finally, the evolutionary tracks of the components of both systems are calculated. Their locations within evolutionary diagrams are compared with other Algol-type systems

This review study attempts to highlight the impact of various non-economic, mainly behavioural and institutional factors on the level of tax evasion specifying the significance of the accounting rules and the contribution of forensic accounting to the detection and the prevention of financial statements. This analysis takes into account tax auditing parameters in order to determine whether and to what extent they affect taxpayer’s behaviour to tax evade or not. Some useful conclusions are drawn regarding the determining factors of tax evasion pay attention to the role of accounting rules to the manipulation of financial statements. The contribution of forensic accounting against tax fraud emerges increasingly. The considerable increase in the cases of financial and tax fraud due to the weaknesses of the statutory audit to detect fraudulent activities impose the need for forensic accountants to deal with financial accounting and tax rules infringements. These conclusions may be essential and useful for tax policymakers to adopt restrictive measures against tax evasion.

BACKGROUND: Carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CP-Kp) has been established as important nosocomial pathogen in most tertiary care hospitals in Greece. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of an enhanced infection control program on the containment of CP-Kp in a haematology unit where the incidence of CP-Kp infections was high. METHODS: The study was conducted from June 2011 to December 2014 in a haematology unit of a tertiary-care 500-bed hospital located in Athens, Greece. A bundled intervention (active surveillance cultures, separation of carriers from non-carriers, assignment of dedicated nursing staff, contact precautions, environmental cleaning, and promotion of hand hygiene) was tested whether would reduce colonization and infection caused by CP-Kp. RESULTS: A total of 2507 rectal swabs were obtained; 1199 upon admission from June 2011 to June 2013 and 1307 during hospitalization from June 2011 to December 2012. During intervention the admission prevalence of CP-Kp colonization (p < 0.001 for linear trend), the hospitalization prevalence (p = 0.001 for linear trend) and the incidence rate of CP-Kp colonization (p = 0.072 for linear trend) were declining. Application of segmented linear regression revealed that both the change in the level of CP-Kp BSI incidence rates (p = 0.001) as well as the difference between pre- and post-intervention slopes were statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A bundled intervention including active surveillance cultures on admission can attain maximum containment of CP-Kp colonization and infection in endemic acute healthcare settings.

An urban gravity survey with more than 1120 measurements was carried out in order to adumbrate the deeper subsurface of Athens city basin. The aim was to gather quantitative information of the subsurface structure derived from the acquisition of gravity measurements. At first, a gravity base network has been established for the data collection. The standard data reduction has been carried out along with an additional Building Correction that has been calculated due to the urban characteristics. Subsequently, the residual anomaly was isolated with the contribution of the Fourier filters. The Euler deconvolution has been applied, with two different techniques, providing depth solutions for the residual maps. Based on these maps, we managed to retrieve quantitative information for the depths of anomalous sources, ranging between 500 and 3760 m. Moreover, unconstrained three-dimensional density models of the area have been constructed in order to obtain a good image of the subsurface, up to depths of 4500 m. For each three-dimensional density model, we provide a couple of images; one illustrating only the structures of lower densities and one other only with the structures of higher densities, in an effort to delineate better the tectonic structures. Finally, two geophysical-geological profiles (2.75D) have been constructed, along which the geotectonic regime of the subsurface seems to be adumbrated in a better way. Major known tectonic structures of Athens basin have been identified beneath the surface.

The aim of the present study was to identify volleyball skills that best discriminate between winning and losing in a set with the minimum score difference of men’s and women’s volleyball. The data have been collected for men from 140 and for women from 98 teams’ performances in all sets finished with 2 points difference between the top four teams in the final ranking during the men’s and women’s Greek Volleyball League for five seasons (2013–2014 until 2017–2018). The primary recorded and evaluated skills from 119 sets for men and women respectively are: 3422 and 2419 serves, 2916 and 2120 passes, 2566 and 1656 attacks after serve’s pass, 1518 and 1804 counter-attacks (after defense) and 1595 and 818 blocks. For the evaluation scale of each skill, a six-level ordinal scale was employed, with the value of “one” indicating a poorly executed skill and the value of “six” an excellent executed skill. The analysis revealed significant multivariate differences in gender and in the type of result and not in their interaction. A follow-up discriminant analysis showed that attack 1 is the most important performance indicator for male teams. Meanwhile, for female teams, the most important performance indicators are winning attack after serve’s pass but also counter-attack. The discriminant function classified correctly 67% and 58%, for men and women respectively, allowing space for further improving the critical performance indicators for both genders.

This paper aims to explore whether and how specific corporate governance and internal audit determinants affect the profitability of businesses in the countries internationally called P.I.G.S. (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain, respectively). The sample consists of listed companies of the Southern European countries P.I.G.S. The survey data covers the period 2011-2016. Statistical analysis was based on a panel data regression model. In contrast to many research studies, this paper finds that internal managers are more suitable to perform the duties of the audit committee effectively, that there is a positive effect in profitability by increasing the Board Size with new members and that frequent meetings of the boards entail additional costs that outweigh any benefits. In addition, there is evidence that firms’ profitability may behave differently in countries with similar macroeconomic and cultural characteristics and for specific examined periods.

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) feature a rigid porous structure where the interplay of pore merits and wall functionality, determined by the different imidazolate functional groups, results in superior CO2 capture ability. In this work, the vibrational properties of ZIF-68 and ZIF-69, two characteristic complex gmelinite (GME) type ZIFs comprising of benzimidazolate (bIm) and chloro-benzimidazolate (cbIm) linkers, respectively, were investigated by micro-Raman spectroscopy as a function of CO2 pressure and temperature, in combination with macroscopic adsorption experiments and extended molecular simulations, in order to explore the underlying host-guest interactions and particularly the variation of the framework lattice dynamics and flexibility to CO2 loading. The CO2 isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst) was quantitatively determined by the temperature dependence of the CO2 Fermi dyad intensity at constant pressure. ZIF-69 was consistently found to present higher Qst than ZIF-68 due to the cbIm polar functionality, in close agreement with macroscopic CO2 adsorption experiments and Monte Carlo analysis. More importantly, high CO2 uptake was found to cause significant blue shifts and enhancement of the frequency shift temperature gradients of several low-frequency Raman modes, which according to detailed polarization analysis of ZIF microcrystals, arise from free breathing vibrations of the functionalized ligands in the large ZIF pores. Low-frequency micro-Raman spectroscopy may accordingly constitute a sensitive spectroscopic tool for unveiling lattice dynamics upon CO2 sorption in ZIFs. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.

We present the results of cross-correlation analysis between the Fermi-LAT gamma-ray and SMARTS optical/infrared light curves of bright 8 blazars monitored in 2008-2017. For the temporal correlation analysis of unevenly sampled variability data, we use the Discrete Correlation Function (DCF), and created an empirical bootstrapping method to assess the significance of the DCF amplitude for each blazar. The DCFs between gamma-ray and optical/infrared light curves with one week binning time scale suggest that 6 of the 8 blazars show a significant peak at zero lag at or above 3 sigma level. That is consistent with the leptonic model in which optical/infrared photons are produced by synchrotron radiation of relativistic electrons and gamma rays are produced by inverse Compton scattering of ambient photons by the synchrotron-emitting electrons. However, the DCFs with one day binning time scale suggest that among 8 blazars, only one blazar — 3C 454.3 — still has a significant peak at zero lag. The other 7 blazars tend to show much smaller peaks than those with a weekly time bin. In addition, for a given blazar, strong changes of the DCFs from one epoch to the next are shown by the analyses of time periods of one or two years. These results complicate the simplest understanding of blazar emission mechanisms. We discuss possible physical explanations.

We present a GIS-based crowdsourcing application that was launched soon after the first COVID-19 cases had been recorded in Greece, motivated by the need for fast, location-wise data acquisition regarding COVID-19 disease spread during spring 2020, due to limited testing. A single question was posted through a web App, to which the anonymous participants subjectively answered whether or not they had experienced any COVID-19 disease symptoms. Our main goal was to locate geographical areas with increased number of people feeling the symptoms and to determine any temporal changes in the statistics of the survey entries. It was found that the application was rapidly disseminated to the entire Greek territory via social media, having, thus, a great public reception. The higher percentages of participants experiencing symptoms coincided geographically with the highly populated urban areas, having also increased numbers of confirmed cases, while temporal variations were detected that accorded with the restrictions of activities. This application demonstrates that health systems can use crowdsourcing applications that assure anonymity, as an alternative to tracing apps, to identify possible hot spots and to reach and warn the public within a short time interval, increasing at the same time their situational awareness. However, a continuous reminder for participation should be scheduled.

{The aim of this study was to investigate the current trends of the serve skill for each one of the in-game roles of the players for both genders in high-level volleyball. The serve actions of male (M) and female (F) elite players from 20 volleyball games (M = 10

On 5 January 2019, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople signed the ‘Tome of Autocephaly’(constitutional charter) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In the preceding months, the Patriarchates of Moscow and Constantinople initiated a series of debates and diplomatic missions reaffirming their views on their respective jurisdictional claims over Ukraine, with the Moscow Patriarchate unilaterally breaking communion with Constantinople and the issue of autocephaly resulting in a regrettable schism. Scaffolds of the Church could not be a timelier publication since it introduces the reader to the historical and canonical background necessary to understand the tension, its reasons and its outcome. Though the book’s scope is much broader, discussing eastern Orthodox ecclesiology from a socio-cultural perspective, the ‘case of Ukraine’is a substantial part of the fourth chapter of the book and an …

Progressive myoclonus epilepsy (PME) of Unverricht-Lundborg type (EPM1) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder with the highest incidence of PME worldwide. Mutations in the gene encoding cystatin B (CSTB) are the primary genetic cause of EPM1. Here, we investigate the role of CSTB during neurogenesis in vivo in the developing mouse brain and in vitro in human cerebral organoids (hCOs) derived from EPM1 patients. We find that CSTB (but not one of its pathological variants) is secreted into the mouse cerebral spinal fluid and the conditioned media from hCOs. In embryonic mouse brain, we find that functional CSTB influences progenitors' proliferation and modulates neuronal distribution by attracting interneurons to the site of secretion via cell-non-autonomous mechanisms. Similarly, in patient-derived hCOs, low levels of functional CSTB result in an alteration of progenitor's proliferation, premature differentiation, and changes in interneurons migration. Secretion and extracellular matrix organization are the biological processes particularly affected as suggested by a proteomic analysis in patients' hCOs. Overall, our study sheds new light on the cellular mechanisms underlying the development of EPM1.

We report the discovery of the relatively bright (V = 10.5 mag), doubly eclipsing 2+2 quadruple system CzeV1731. This is the third known system of its kind, in which the masses are determined for all four stars and both the inner and outer orbits are characterized. The inner eclipsing binaries are well-detached systems moving on circular orbits: pair A with period PA = 4.10843 d and pair B with PB = 4.67552 d. The inner binaries contain very similar components (q ≈ 1.0), making the whole system a so-called double twin. The stars in pair B have slightly larger luminosities and masses and pair A shows deeper eclipses. All four components are main-sequence stars of F/G spectral type. The mutual orbit of the two pairs around the system barycenter has a period of about 34 yr and an eccentricity of about 0.38. However, further observations are needed to reveal the overall architecture of the whole system, including the mutual inclinations of all orbits. This is a promising target for interferometry to detect the double at about 59 mas and ΔMbol < 1 mag. The RV and ETV data, and the light curves are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/642/A63

Darwin's Day has been celebrated, worldwide, a few weeks ago. This communication does not intend to address Darwin's scientific views, but aims to focus on his religious beliefs and, above all, on the reasons why Darwin was led to reject religion. Which, in the opinion of the writer, it is not related to his scientific views, i.e. the Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection but, mainly, with reasons that go back to the field of Ethics in the broad sense, and to logical considerations, as well.

 Darwin's Day has been celebrated, worldwide, a few weeks ago. Indeed, Darwin was born on February 12, 1809 and died on April 19, 1882. Darwin's work and contribution to world thinking have been written and will continue to be written, since his contribution to global way of thinking and culture is incalculable. As he has changed the human perspective on the nature of creation and the driving force behind it. This article does not intend to address Darwin's scientific views, but aims to focus on his religious beliefs and, above all, on the reasons why Darwin was led to reject religion. Which, in the opinion of the writer, it is not related to his scientific views, i.e. the Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection but, mainly, with reasons that go back to the field of Ethics in the broad sense, and to logical considerations, as well. 

The central engine in long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is thought to be a compact object produced by the core collapse of massive stars, but its exact nature (black hole or millisecond magnetar) is still debatable. Although the central engine of GRB collapsars is hidden to direct observation, its properties may be imprinted on the accompanying electromagnetic signals. We aim to decipher the generic properties of central engines that are consistent with prompt observations of long GRBs detected by the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Adopting a generic model for the central engine, in which the engine power and activity time-scale are independent of each other, we perform Monte Carlo simulations of long GRBs produced by jets that successfully breakout from the star. Our simulations consider the dependence of the jet breakout time-scale on the engine luminosity and the effects of the detector's flux threshold. The two-dimensional (2D) distribution of simulated detectable bursts in the gamma-ray luminosity versus gamma-ray duration plane is consistent with the observed one for a range of parameter values describing the central engine. The intrinsic 2D distribution of simulated collapsar GRBs peaks at lower gamma-ray luminosities and longer durations than the observed one, a prediction that can be tested in the future with more sensitive detectors. Black hole accretors, whose power and activity time are set by the large-scale magnetic flux through the progenitor star and stellar structure, respectively, are compatible with the properties of the central engine inferred by our model.

Sentiment analysis is a vigorous research area, with many application domains. In this work, aspect-based sentiment prediction is examined as a component of a larger architecture that crawls, indexes and stores documents from a wide variety of online sources, including the most popular social networks. The textual part of the collected information is processed by a hybrid bi-directional long short-term memory architecture, coupled with convolutional layers along with an attention mechanism. The extracted textual features are then combined with other characteristics, such as the number of repetitions, the type and frequency of emoji ideograms in a fully-connected, feed-forward artificial neural network that performs the final prediction task. The obtained results, especially for the negative sentiment class, which is of particular importance in certain cases, are encouraging, underlying the robustness of the proposed approach.

{This research provides new constraints on the intermediate depth upper-mantle structure of the Hellenic lithosphere using a three-step Rayleigh-wave tomography. Broadband waveforms of about 1000 teleseismic events, recorded by ∼200 permanent broadband stations between 2010 and 2018 were acquired and processed. Through a multichannel cross-correlation technique, the fundamental mode Rayleigh-wave phase-velocity dispersion curves in the period range 30 to 90 s were derived. The phase-velocities were inverted and a 3-D shear velocity model was obtained down to the depth of 140 km. The applied method has provided 3-D constraints on large-scale characteristics of the lithosphere and the upper mantle of the Hellenic region. Highlighted resolved features include the continental and oceanic subducting slabs in the region, the result of convergence between Adria and Africa plates with the Aegean. The boundary between the oceanic and continental subduction is suggested to exist along a trench-perpendicular line that connects NW Peloponnese with N. Euboea, bridging the Hellenic Trench with the North Aegean Trough. No clear evidence for trench-perpendicular vertical slab tearing was resolved along the western part of Hellenic Subduction Zone; however, subcrustal seismicity observed along the inferred continental-oceanic subduction boundary indicates that such an implication should not be excluded. The 3-D shear velocity model supports an N-S vertical slab tear beneath SW Anatolia that justifies deepening, increase of dip and change of dip direction of the Wadati-Benioff Zone. Low velocities found at depths \< 50 km beneath the island and the back-arc, interrelated with recent/remnant volcanism in the Aegean and W. Anatolia, are explained by convection from a shallow asthenosphere.}

Aims: We use new deep XMM-Newton observations of the northern disc of M31 to trace the hot interstellar medium (ISM) in unprecedented detail and to characterise the physical properties of the X-ray emitting plasmas. Methods: We used all XMM-Newton data up to and including our new observations to produce the most detailed image yet of the hot ISM plasma in a grand design spiral galaxy such as our own. We compared the X-ray morphology to multi-wavelength studies in the literature to set it in the context of the multi-phase ISM. We performed spectral analyses on the extended emission using our new observations as they offer sufficient depth and count statistics to constrain the plasma properties. Data from the Panchromatic Hubble Andromeda Treasury were used to estimate the energy injected by massive stars and their supernovae. We compared these results to the hot gas properties. Results: The brightest emission regions were found to be correlated with populations of massive stars, notably in the 10 kpc star-forming ring. The plasma temperatures in the ring regions are ~0.2 up to ~0.6 keV. We suggest this emission is hot ISM heated in massive stellar clusters and superbubbles. We derived X-ray luminosities, densities, and pressures for the gas in each region. We also found large extended emission filling low density gaps in the dust morphology of the northern disc, notably between the 5 and 10 kpc star-forming rings. We propose that the hot gas was heated and expelled into the gaps by the populations of massive stars in the rings. Conclusions: It is clear that the massive stellar populations are responsible for heating the ISM to X-ray emitting temperatures, filling their surroundings, and possibly driving the hot gas into the low density regions. Overall, the morphology and spectra of the hot gas in the northern disc of M31 is similar to other galaxy discs. FITS files for Figs. 1 and 2 are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/637/A12 Based on observations obtained with XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA.

BACKGROUND: Although infectious diseases are globally on the decline, they remain a major global public health problem. Among them, the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV infection are of primary interest. Valid prevalence data on these infections are sparse in Greece, especially for vulnerable populations. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to present the design and methods of Hprolipsis, an integrated viral hepatitis and HIV screening program administered to adults (>/=18 years) from the general, Greek Roma, and migrant populations. Its aims were to estimate the prevalence of HBV, HCV, and HIV; assess infectious disease knowledge level; design, implement, and assess population-specific awareness actions; and offer individual counseling and referral when indicated and HBV vaccination to susceptible Roma and migrants. METHODS: Multistage, stratified, random sampling based on the 2011 Census was applied to select the general population sample, and nonprobability multistage quota sampling was used for Roma and migrant sample selection. Trained personnel made home (general population) or community (Roma and migrants) visits. Collected blood samples were tested for Hepatitis B surface Antigen, Hepatitis B core Antibody, Hepatitis B surface Antibody, Hepatitis C Antibody, and HIV 1,2 Antibody. The surveys were conducted during May 2013 and June 2016. To estimate an HCV prevalence of 1.5% with 0.3 precision, the required general population sample size was estimated to be 6000. As migrants constitute 10% of the whole Greek population, the migrant sample size was set to 600. A feasible sample size of 500 Greek Roma was set. RESULTS: In total, 6006 individuals from the general population (response rate 72%), 534 Greek Roma, and 612 migrants were recruited. Blood test results are available for 4245 individuals from the general population, 523 Roma, and 537 migrants. CONCLUSIONS: Hprolipsis is the first nationwide survey on HBV, HCV, and HIV. Its results will enhance our understanding of the health needs and disease burden of these diseases in the 3 studied populations. Its implementation provided useful recommendations for future studies, particularly in vulnerable populations. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/13578.