Publications

One of the most significant challenges implementing colloidal magnetic nanoparticles in medicine is the efficient heating of microliter quantities by applying a low frequency alternating magnetic field. The ultimate goal is to accomplish nonsurgically the treatment of millimeter size tumors. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis, characterization, and the in vitro as well as in vivo efficiency of a dextran coated maghemite (gamma-Fe(2)O(3)) ferrofluid with an exceptional response to magnetic heating. The difference to previous synthetic attempts is the high charge of the dextran coating, which according to our study maintains the colloidal stability and good dispersion of the ferrofluid during the magnetic heating stage. Specifically, in vitro 2 mu l of the ferrofluid gives an outstanding temperature rise of 33 degrees C within 10 min, while in vivo treatment, by infusing 150 mu l of the ferrofluid in animal model (rat) glioma tumors, causes an impressive cancer tissue dissolution. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3449089]

When a magnetically dominated superfast-magnetosonic long/soft gamma-ray burst (GRB) jet leaves the progenitor star, the external pressure support will drop and the jet may enter the regime of ballistic expansion, during which additional magnetic acceleration becomes ineffective. However, recent numerical simulations by Tchekhovskoy et al. have suggested that the transition to this regime is accompanied by a spurt of acceleration. We confirm this finding numerically and attribute the acceleration to a sideways expansion of the jet, associated with a strong magnetosonic rarefaction wave that is driven into the jet when it loses pressure support, which induces a conversion of magnetic energy into kinetic energy of bulk motion. This mechanism, which we dub rarefaction acceleration, can only operate in a relativistic outflow because in this case the total energy can still be dominated by the magnetic component even in the superfast-magnetosonic regime. We analyse this process using the equations of relativistic magnetohydrodynamics and demonstrate that it is more efficient at converting internal energy into kinetic energy when the flow is magnetized than in a purely hydrodynamic outflow, as was found numerically by Mizuno et al. We show that, just as in the case of the magnetic acceleration of a collimating jet that is confined by an external pressure distribution - the collimation-acceleration mechanism - the rarefaction-acceleration process in a magnetized jet is a consequence of the fact that the separation between neighbouring magnetic flux surfaces increases faster than their cylindrical radius. However, whereas in the case of effective collimation-acceleration the product of the jet opening angle and its Lorentz factor does not exceed ~1, the addition of the rarefaction-acceleration mechanism makes it possible for this product to become >>1, in agreement with the inference from late-time panchromatic breaks in the afterglow light curves of long/soft GRBs.

When a magnetically dominated superfast-magnetosonic long/soft gamma-ray burst (GRB) jet leaves the progenitor star, the external pressure support will drop and the jet may enter the regime of ballistic expansion, during which additional magnetic acceleration becomes ineffective. However, recent numerical simulations by Tchekhovskoy et al. have suggested that the transition to this regime is accompanied by a spurt of acceleration. We confirm this finding numerically and attribute the acceleration to a sideways expansion of the jet, associated with a strong magnetosonic rarefaction wave that is driven into the jet when it loses pressure support, which induces a conversion of magnetic energy into kinetic energy of bulk motion. This mechanism, which we dub rarefaction acceleration, can only operate in a relativistic outflow because in this case the total energy can still be dominated by the magnetic component even in the superfast-magnetosonic regime. We analyse this process using the equations of relativistic magnetohydrodynamics and demonstrate that it is more efficient at converting internal energy into kinetic energy when the flow is magnetized than in a purely hydrodynamic outflow, as was found numerically by Mizuno et al. We show that, just as in the case of the magnetic acceleration of a collimating jet that is confined by an external pressure distribution - the collimation-acceleration mechanism - the rarefaction-acceleration process in a magnetized jet is a consequence of the fact that the separation between neighbouring magnetic flux surfaces increases faster than their cylindrical radius. However, whereas in the case of effective collimation-acceleration the product of the jet opening angle and its Lorentz factor does not exceed ~1, the addition of the rarefaction-acceleration mechanism makes it possible for this product to become >>1, in agreement with the inference from late-time panchromatic breaks in the afterglow light curves of long/soft GRBs.

We review recent theoretical and experimental breakthroughs in the realm of slow and stopped light in structured photonic media featuring negative electromagnetic parameters (permittivity/permeability and/or refractive index). We explain how and why these structures can enable complete stopping of light even in the presence of disorder and, simultaneously, dissipative losses. Using full-wave numerical simulations we show that the incorporation of thin layers made of an active medium adjacently to the core layer of a negative-refractive- index waveguide can completely remove dissipative losses - in a slow-light regime where the effective index of the guided wave is negative. We, also, review and compare several 'trapped rainbow' schemes that have recently been proposed for slowing and stopping light. © 2010 Copyright SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering.

Classical novae (CNe) have recently been reported to represent the major class of supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) in the central area of our neighbouring galaxy M 31. This paper presents a review of results from recent X-ray observations of M 31 with XMM-Newton and Chandra. We carried out a dedicated optical and X-ray monitoring program of CNe and SSSs in the central area of M 31. We discovered the first SSSs in M 31 globular clusters (GCs) and their connection to the very first discovered CN in a M 31 GC. This result may have an impact on the CN rate in GCs. Furthermore, in our optical and X-ray monitoring data we discovered the CN M31N 2007-11a, which shows a very short SSS phase of 29-52 days. Short SSS states (durations ≤ 100 days) of CNe indicate massive white dwarfs (WDs) that are candidate progenitors of supernovae type Ia. In the case of M31N 2007-11a, the optical and X-ray light curves suggest a binary containing a WD with M_WD > 1.0 M\sun. Finally, we present the discovery of the SSS counterpart of the CN M31N 2006-04a k. The X-ray light curve of M31N 2006-04a shows short-time variability, which might indicate an orbital period of about 2 hours. Partly based on observations with \xmmk, an ESA Science Mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA.

Objective: The International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA) agreed on revising the existing international recommendations in health informatics/medical informatics education. These should help to establish courses, course tracks or even complete programs in this field, to further develop existing educational activities in the various nations and to support international initiatives concerning education in biomedical and health informatics (BMHI), particularly international activities in educating BMHI specialists and the sharing of courseware. Method: An IMIA task force, nominated in 2006, worked on updating the recommendations' first version. These updates have been broadly discussed and refined by members of IMIA's National Member Societies, IMIA's Academic Institutional Members and by members of IMIA's Working Group on Health and Medical Informatics Education. Results and Conclusions: The IMIA recommendations center on educational needs for health care professionals to acquire knowledge and skills in information processing and information and communication technology. The educational needs are described as a three-dimensional framework. The dimensions are: 1) professionals in health care (e.g. physicians, nurses, BMHI professionals), 2) type of specialization in BMHI (IT users, BMHI specialists), and 3) stage of career progression (bachelor, master, doctorate). Learning outcomes are defined in terms of knowledge and practical skills for health care professionals in their role a) as IT user and b) as BMHI specialist. Recommendations are given for courses/course tracks in BMHI as part of educational programs in medicine, nursing, health care management, dentistry, pharmacy, public health, health record administration, and informatics/computer science as well as for dedicated programs in BMHI (with bachelor, master or doctor degree). To support education in BMHI, IMIA offers to award a certificate for high-quality BMHI education. It supports information exchange on programs and courses in BMHI through its Working Group on Health and Medical Informatics Education.

This paper is an attempt to reconstruct the Holocene geomorphological evolution of the Kambos coastal - alluvial plain, situated in the southern part of the island of Samos between the ancient city of Samos (contemporary city of Pythagorio) and the temple of Hera (Heraion). The present morphology of the site area is shaped by the fluvial action of Mavratza Torrent forming an extensive alluvial fan in the northern part of the plain, while further southwards a drained freshwater marsh close to the sea exists. Heraion is located about 6km westwards of the ancient city. The habitation of the site area started approximately in the 11th century BC and has been constant to this day. Samos city enjoyed its greatest prosperity in the 6th century BC, under the leadership of the tyrant Polycrates. To reconstruct the geomorphological changes of the plain’s area, a detailed geomorphological survey in combination with stratigraphical and palaeontological techniques took place. In addition, a drilling project of two vibracores was carried out. The chronostratigraphy of the cores was determined by two C14-AMS radiocarbon datings undertaken on in situ bivalves. The evaluation of the data gives rise to the following time-scenario concerning the geomorphological evolution of the area. Long before 2700 BC, the area was covered by fluvial sediments originating from the nearby torrents to the north. Predominance of sandy fraction and a low percentage of silty-clayey material may indicate a process that removed the fine material. Absence also of coarse clastics (pebbles, cobbles) indicates restricted fluvial transportation and subsequently a low gradual relief. By ~2700 BC the area had already been flooded by sea-level rise and a shallow lagoon with a sandy bottom was formed. The lagoon continued to exist for a further ~2000 years, progressively becoming muddy; it was restricted and gradually transformed into a marsh. This marsh endured until the final decades of the previous century before it was drained. The aforementioned results strongly encourage the idea that the paved road connecting the ancient city to the temple in the 6th century BC must have been situated more inland, avoiding the coastal lagoon.

In order to explain the absence of hysteresis in ferromagnetic p-type (Cd,Mn)Te quantum wells (QWs), spin dynamics was previously investigated by Monte Carlo simulations combining the Metropolis algorithm with the determination of hole eigenfunctions at each Monte Carlo sweep. Short-range antiferromagnetic superexchange interactions between Mn spins—which compete with the hole-mediated long-range ferromagnetic coupling—were found to accelerate magnetization dynamics if the layer containing Mn spins is wider than the vertical range of the hole wave function. Employing this approach it is shown here that appreciate magnitudes of remanence and coercivity can be obtained if Mn ions are introduced to the quantum well in a delta-like fashion.

The aim of the present study was the determination of the levels of osteoprotegerin and soluble RANKL in blood serum and in gingival crevicular fluid relative to the degree of orthodontic root resorption in a rat model. Blood samples and gingival crevicular fluid were collected from fourteen 6-month-old male Wistar rats weighing 350-500 g. A 25-g closed orthodontic coil spring was inserted between each upper right first molar and the upper incisors. After 21 days of loading, both upper first molars (treated and control) were extracted and studied under microcomputed tomography scanning. Statistical analysis demonstrated a positive linear correlation between the initial concentration of RANKL in blood serum and the degree of root resorption. The ratio of the initial concentrations of osteoprotegerin to RANKL in blood serum proved to be an independent prognostic factor of the degree of root resorption. The initial concentration of RANKL in gingival crevicular fluid showed a negative correlation to the initial concentration of RANKL in blood serum and for a finite range of initial concentrations of osteoprotegerin in gingival crevicular fluid, the dental root seemed protected against extreme external root resorption. Finally, the concentration of osteoprotegerin in blood serum decreased significantly in cases of severe root resorption.

The relationship of prolonged dry spells in Eastern Mediterranean with large-scale surface and upper circulation is investigated on seasonal basis with the aid of the Singular-Value Decomposition Analysis (SVDA) for the period 1958-2000. The study was based on daily precipitation data of 56 stations, evenly distributed over Eastern Mediterranean region. Extreme dry spells are defined using the CDD index (maximum number of consecutive dry days). It was found that teleconnection patterns centered over Northern Atlantic and northern Europe seem to affect the duration of the longest dry spells over the Eastern Mediterranean, while surface synoptic scale systems in Northern Africa play a substantial role. The SVDA results compare well with the corresponding results of Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA), mainly for the surface circulation during winter and summer. © Springer-Verlag 2009.

The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship of orography over Greece with prolonged dry spells, as represented by the maximum number consecutive dry days (CDD index) during an extremely dry summer. For this purpose a simulation experiment was conducted with the aid of the regional climate model RegCM3.1 using a spatial resolution of 10 km. It was shown that a significant precipitation regime formed over the mountainous areas of continental Greece and Crete during this dry summer, due to orographically forced precipitation, consequently influencing the length of dry spells. Furthermore, the CDD appears spatial variations over the maritime areas, despite the zero or insignificant precipitation. The sensitivity test that was performed with the elimination of orography demonstrated the important role that orography plays in the distribution of CDD, since significant lengthening of extreme dry spells was found over the mountainous areas. © Author(s) 2010.

We study semi-analytical time-dependent solutions of the relativistic MHD equations for the fields and the fluid emerging from a spherical source. We assume uniform expansion of the field and the fluid and a polytropic relation between the density and the pressure of the fluid. The expansion velocity is small near the base but approaches the speed of light at the light sphere where the flux terminates. We find self-consistent solutions for the density and the magnetic flux. The details of the solution depend on the ratio of the toroidal and the poloidal magnetic field, the ratio of the energy carried by the fluid and the electromagnetic field and the maximum velocity it reaches.

We study semi-analytical time-dependent solutions of the relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations for the fields and the fluid emerging from a spherical source. We assume uniform expansion of the field and the fluid and a polytropic relation between the density and the pressure of the fluid. The expansion velocity is small near the base but approaches the speed of light at the light sphere where the flux terminates. We find self-consistent solutions for the density and the magnetic flux. The details of the solution depend on the ratio of the toroidal and the poloidal magnetic field, the ratio of the energy carried by the fluid and the electromagnetic field and the maximum velocity it reaches.

Renal impairment is a common complication of multiple myeloma (MM). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula is the recommended method for the assessment of renal function in patients with MM with stabilized serum creatinine. In acute renal injury, the RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss and end-stage kidney disease) and Acute Renal Injury Network criteria seem to be appropriate to define the severity of renal impairment. Novel criteria based on eGFR measurements are recommended for the definition of the reversibility of renal impairment. Rapid intervention to reverse renal dysfunction is critical for the management of these patients, especially for those with light chain cast nephropathy. Bortezomib with high-dose dexamethasone is considered as the treatment of choice for such patients. There is limited experience with thalidomide in patients with myeloma with renal impairment. Thus, thalidomide can be carefully administered, mainly in the context of well-designed clinical trials, to evaluate if it can improve the rapidity and probability of response that is produced by the combination with bortezomib and high-dose dexamethasone. Lenalidomide is effective in this setting and can reverse renal insufficiency in a significant subset of patients, when it is given at reduced doses, according to renal function. The role of plasma exchange in patients with suspected light chain cast nephropathy and renal impairment is controversial. High-dose melphalan (140 mg/m2) and autologous stem-cell transplantation should be limited to younger patients with chemosensitive disease. © 2010 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Renal impairment is a common complication of multiple myeloma. Chronic renal failure is classified according to glomerular filtration rate as estimated by the MDRD (modification of diet in renal disease) formula, while RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss and end-stage renal disease) and AKIN (acute renal injury network) criteria may be used for the definition of the severity of acute renal injury. Novel criteria based on estimated glomerular filtration rate measurements are proposed for the definition of the reversibility of renal impairment. Renal complete response (CRrenal) is defined as sustained (i.e., lasting at least 2 months) improvement of creatinine clearance (CRCL) from under 50 mL/min at baseline to 60 mL/min or above. Renal partial response (PRrenal) is defined as sustained improvement of CRCL from under 15 mL/min at baseline to 30 to 59 mL/min. Renal minor response (MRrenal) is defined as sustained improvement of the baseline CRCL of under 15 mL/min to 15 to 29 mL/min or, if baseline CRCL was 15 to 29 mL/min, improvement to 30 to 59 mL/min. Bortezomib with high-dose dexamethasone is considered the treatment of choice for myeloma patients with renal impairment and improves renal function in most patients. Although there is limited experience with thalidomide, this agent can be administered at the standard dosage to patients with renal failure. Lenalidomide, when administered at reduced doses according to renal function, is effective and can reverse renal impairment in a subset of myeloma patients.

The resolution of 2-amino alcohols protected by urethane-type groups either via porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL) hydrolysis of the corresponding racemic acetates or via PPL catalyzed transesterification of racemic alcohols was studied. In both cases, Boc protecting group led to better chemical yields and enantiopurities than Z and Fmoc protecting groups. Furthermore, a simple and efficient method for the synthesis of the medicinally interesting optically pure (R)-2-aminohexadecanol was developed. 

We propose a method for calculating average local effective permittivity and permeability tensors for anisotropic photonic crystals through least-squares fits of sets of data points, obtained by rigorous, systematic complex-band-structure, and reflection calculations for all propagation directions, to appropriate analytic expressions. The proposed methodology is applied on a specific example of a tetragonal structure of metallic nanoshells, which is a uniaxial photonic crystal of resonant units. Our results demonstrate the efficiency of the method at low and moderate frequencies and, at the same time, reveal the inability to define local effective constitutive parameters in regions of resonance gaps.

The purpose of this analysis was to assess the effect of novel agent-based regimens on the improvement of renal impairment (RI) in newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma. Ninety-six consecutive patients with RI received conventional chemotherapy (CC)-based regimens (n= 32), IMiDs-based regimens (n= 47) or bortezomib-based regimens (n= 17) as frontline therapy. Improvement of RI was more frequent in patients treated with novel agents (79% in IMiD- and 94% in bortezomib-treated groups versus 59% in CC-treated group; p= 0.02). Bortezomib-based regimens and CrCl > 30 ml/min at baseline independently correlated with a higher probability of at least renal partial response (PRrenal) and with a shorter time to PRrenal or better. Thus bortezomib-based regimens may be the preferred treatment for newly diagnosed myeloma patients with RI. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

The ensemble of forces that stabilize protein structure and facilitate biological function are intimately linked with the ubiquitous aqueous environment of living systems. As a consequence, biomolecular activity is highly sensitive to the interplay of solventĝ€"protein interactions, and deviation from the native conditions, for example by exposure to increased thermal energy or severe dehydration, results in denaturation and subsequent loss of function. Although certain enzymes can be extracted into non-aqueous solvents without significant loss of activity, there are no known examples of solvent-less (molten) liquids of functional metalloproteins. Here we describe the synthesis and properties of room-temperature solvent-free myoglobin liquids with near-native structure and reversible dioxygen binding ability equivalent to the haem protein under physiological conditions. The realization of room-temperature solvent-free myoglobin liquids with retained function presents novel challenges to existing theories on the role of solvent molecules in structural biology, and should offer new opportunities in protein-based nanoscience and bionanotechnology. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

We have used a new ApoA-I transgenic mouse model to identify by global gene expression profiling, candidate genes that affect lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in response to fenofibrate treatment. Multilevel bioinformatical analysis and stringent selection criteria (2-fold change, 0% false discovery rate) identified 267 significantly changed genes involved in several molecular pathways. The fenofibrate-treated group did not have significantly altered levels of hepatic human APOA-I mRNA and plasma ApoA-I compared with the control group. However, the treatment increased cholesterol levels to 1.95-fold mainly due to the increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. The observed changes in HDL are associated with the upregulation of genes involved in phospholipid biosynthesis and lipid hydrolysis, as well as phospholipid transfer protein. Significant upregulation was observed in genes involved in fatty acid transport and beta-oxidation, but not in those of fatty acid and cholesterol biosynthesis, Krebs cycle and gluconeogenesis. Fenofibrate changed significantly the expression of seven transcription factors. The estrogen receptor-related gamma gene was upregulated 2.36-fold and had a significant positive correlation with genes of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and mitochondrial functions, indicating an important role of this orphan receptor in mediating the fenofibrate-induced activation of a specific subset of its target genes.

Testicular cancer is a highly curable neoplasm, even in the case of extragonadal disease. Nevertheless, patients with adverse prognostic features or relapsing after first-line cisplatin-based chemotherapy have a worse prognosis with a death rate greater than 50%. High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) has long been used in this group of patients. The introduction of stem cells, instead of bone marrow, as the source of hemopoietic cells and the use of leukocyte growth factors have substantially reduced the mortality and morbidity of this procedure although the role of HDC is not well defined. This review summarizes the available data, focusing on published randomized studies. The problems associated with the design of these studies and the interpretation of data are discussed. Currently this HDC approach is mainly used in patients who relapse after first-line chemotherapy. Nevertheless, selection of patients likely to benefit from this treatment remains an issue of intense clinical research. © 2010 Karadimou et al.

It is well-known that natural and anthropogenic emissions of ambient pollutants affect air quality, and as a consequence the public health. Air pollution indices are commonly used to indicate the level of severity of air pollution to the public. The objective of this study is the assessment of the air quality levels in the urban environment of Athens, Greece using the Air Quality Index (AQI), which presents advantages as an administrative tool for early warning in the context of public health protection. The AQI is a complex index and calculated by compounding appropriately the concentrations of surface ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO) and particles with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 μm (PM 10). For this purpose, available hourly data of the above ambient pollutants recorded by the Athens air pollution monitoring network, during the period 2001-2006, were analyzed for the development of the proposed index. The temporal and spatial distribution of the mean annual AQI values within greater Athens area (GAA) is examined, and the results are analyzed in terms of the meteorological conditions. The effect of wind speed and direction on AQI levels is found to be significant, among the other meteorological parameters such as air temperature, relative humidity, sunshine and total solar radiation. The analysis revealed that the higher values of AQI, during the warm period of the year, are strongly associated with sea breeze than with northern wind flow. The knowledge of the sea breeze characteristics over GAA contributes to the comprehension of the local air quality formation levels. Β© by PSP.

This paper evaluates the role of meteorological factors on the configuration of the complex aerosol’s character at a suburban area of Athens, Greece. To this effort, 4-month period measurements of hourly PM2.5 aerosol samples were employed, being collected with the aid of a conventional R&P TEOM (model 1400a) at Aghia Paraskevi. The simultaneous daily PM10 and PM2.5.10 concentrations are also discussed. Then, the entire daily data set was divided in 5 different classes at similar proportion by one decimal point for each one of assessed meteorological parameter, temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. The present study discusses not only the variations of the recorded levels of the three PM fractions and their seasonality but also the inter-fraction relationship for all possible matching of the aerosol’s pairs and the PM ratios in connection with the differentiation of the meteorological parameters’ values. PM10 and PM2.5-10 appeared to have the same character as in all the cases they proved to be strongly correlated. It was found that temperature enhanced the concentrations of the PM fractions and especially those with bigger diameter while relative humidity seemed to favour the formation of fine particles. Wind direction appeared to play a key role on the recorded PM profile. The transportation from the ’polluted’ Athens center proved to be the major mechanism which deters the ’clean atmosphere’ of the suburban area. © by PSP.

The palaeo relative sea-level indicators are the most important type of data as far as the Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) related to the Last Glacial Maximum is concerned. The geomorphological and archaeological indicators have recorded the long-term sea-level variation that accompanied and followed the melting of the Late Pleistocene ice sheets. This bathymetry change stems for the combined effects of the eustatic sea-level change, the gravitational interactions between the geoid and the ice sheets and the deformation of the solid Earth. Since these three factors are fully described by the sea level equation in a self-consistent manner, the comparison of relative sea-level (rsl) data and predicted Holocene curves provides fundamental constraints on the GIA models. While the rsl data from the formerly glaciated area may provide constraints on both the extent and thickness with time of the ice sheets and the local shallow Earth structure and rheology, the palaeo sea-levels from the Mediterranean Sea may constrain the volumes of melt water that has been globally released through time and also the lower mantle rheological parameters. In this work we combine archaeological and geomorphological rsl indicators with GIA-model predictions to investigate the Holocene sea level changes in Tunisia and Cyclades islands (Central Aegean). While the former area has been proven to be vertically stable on the long timescale, the Central Aegean could be affected by local tectonics that would result in vertical deformations. We therefore compare at first the available rsl data from Tunisia with GIA predictions based on a suite of available late Pleistocene ice chronologies and Earth rheological models. We find the best combination of ice and earth models to explain the rsl data from Tunisia and finally apply those to investigate the vertical stability at the Cyclades islands and to quantify the tectonics-related rates of vertical crustal deformation.

A seasonal morphological variability is observed in Emiliania huxleyi var. huxleyi specimens, collected from discrete water samples in the Aegean Sea. Biometric analyses reveal a consistent pattern of increase in the size of coccoliths and coccospheres, including the thickness of the inner tube elements (INT), in winter/spring time low sea surface temperature and moderate productivity samples when compared with summer time high temperature–low productivity samples. The small range of salinity change in the Aegean Sea and the absence of seasonal  pattern in nutrient content do not support any association with the observed increase in E. huxleyi coccolith size. A relatively increased [HCO3-] content is observed during spring-time interval related with the increase in the coccolith size, however it remains unclear which parameter of the carbonate system causes the observed effects.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in injecting drug users (IDUs) from Greece to assess the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) and to identify potentially associated risk factors. A total of 288 IDUs were tested for K8.1 antibodies to HHV-8 lytic antigen. Associations between HHV-8 serostatus and potential risk factors were examined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Seroprevalence of HHV-8 was 24.3% (95% CI 19.5-29.7), increasing with age from 19.4% in those aged <30 years to 52.9% in those aged 40 years (P for trend=0.003). No statistically significant associations between HHV-8-positive status and gender, educational level, age at first drug injection, needle sharing, number of imprisonments, complications from drug overdose, HIV and HCV were observed. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, older age (40 vs. <40 years, OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.14-9.56) and report of septicaemia/abscess (yes vs. no, OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.01-3.18) were each independently associated with higher HHV-8 seroprevalence. HHV-8 is highly prevalent in the IDU population in Greece. The independent association between HHV-8 and reported abscess or septicaemia supports the hypothesis that poor hygiene conditions in the setting of drug injection may contribute to HHV-8 transmission.

Many stress-related mental disorders, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder occur more often in women than in men. While social and cultural factors certainly contribute to these differences, neurobiological sex differences seem to also play an important role. A rapidly burgeoning literature from basic and clinical research documents sex differences in brain anatomy, chemistry and function, as well as in stress and drug responses. For example, some clinical studies have reported that women may have a better outcome when treated with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, in comparison to tricyclic antidepressants. Furthermore, relatively limited basic research has been devoted to developing animal models and consequently describing drug treatments which are sensitive to sex differences. In this MiniReview, we discuss sex differences in behavioural aspects, as well as neurochemical, neurobiological and pharmacological findings that we have collected from several different animal models and tests of depression. These are the forced swim test, the chronic mild stress and the learned helplessness models, the Flinders sensitive line rats, which is a genetic model of depression and the lipopolysaccharide-induced sickness behaviour, a putative inflammatory model of depression. Collectively, our data have shown that in all animal models assayed, serotonergic neurochemical responses were differently affected in males and females, ultimately producing sex-dependent behavioural effects. In addition, Flinders sensitive line rats exhibited a sexually dimorphic response to chronic antidepressant treatment. These sex-differentiated neurochemical and behavioural alterations lend support to a major role of serotonin in the mediation of sexually dimorphic responses.

Many stress-related mental disorders, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder occur more often in women than in men. While social and cultural factors certainly contribute to these differences, neurobiological sex differences seem to also play an important role. A rapidly burgeoning literature from basic and clinical research documents sex differences in brain anatomy, chemistry and function, as well as in stress and drug responses. For example, some clinical studies have reported that women may have a better outcome when treated with selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, in comparison to tricyclic antidepressants. Furthermore, relatively limited basic research has been devoted to developing animal models and consequently describing drug treatments which are sensitive to sex differences. In this MiniReview, we discuss sex differences in behavioural aspects, as well as neurochemical, neurobiological and pharmacological findings that we have collected from several different animal models and tests of depression. These are the forced swim test, the chronic mild stress and the learned helplessness models, the Flinders sensitive line rats, which is a genetic model of depression and the lipopolysaccharide-induced sickness behaviour, a putative inflammatory model of depression. Collectively, our data have shown that in all animal models assayed, serotonergic neurochemical responses were differently affected in males and females, ultimately producing sex-dependent behavioural effects. In addition, Flinders sensitive line rats exhibited a sexually dimorphic response to chronic antidepressant treatment. These sex-differentiated neurochemical and behavioural alterations lend support to a major role of serotonin in the mediation of sexually dimorphic responses.

Using Chandra, XMM-Newton and optical photometric catalogs we study the young XRB populations of the SMC. We find that the Be-XRBs are observed in regions with star formation (SF) rate bursts ˜25-60 Myr ago. The similarity of this age with the age of maximum occurrence of the Be phenomenon (˜40 Myr) indicates that the presence of a circumstellar decretion disk plays a significant role in the number of observed XRBs in the 10-100 Myr age range. We also find that regions with strong but more recent SF (e.g. the Wing) are deficient in Be-XRBs. By correlating the number of observed Be-XRBs with the formation rate of their parent populations, we measure a Be-XRB production rate of ˜1 system per 10-6 Msun/yr. Finally, we use the strong localization of the Be-XRB systems in order to set limits on the kicks imparted on the neutron star during the supernova explosion.

We derive metal abundances ([Fe/H]) of 472 RR-Lyrae variables of RRab type in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), based on extended and merged data provided by the OGLE II and OGLE III projects. Fourier decomposition of the 11-year V-band light curves of the variables and Monte Carlo simulations have been used to derive Fourier parameters which are related to [Fe/H]. We examine possible correlations between [Fe/H] and projected distance from the dynamical center (DC) of the SMC. We also derive the distance along the line of sight of the RR-Lyrae variables which represent the old populations in the SMC. (Kapakos et al., in prep.)

Purpose: To provide an overview on smoldering (asymptomatic) multiple myeloma (SMM) including current diagnostic criteria, predictors of progression, pattern of progression, and outcome. Design: A comprehensive review of the literature on risk factors for progression, treatment attempts to delay progression and outcome in patients with SMM. Results: The risk factors for progression of SMM include: plasma cell mass including M-protein size and percentage of bone marrow clonal plasma cells (BMPC), abnormal free light chain ratio, proportion of phenotypically abnormal BMPC, immunoparesis, evolution pattern (evolving v nonevolving), and pattern of magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities. Most patients with SMM progress with anemia and/or skeletal involvement. Immediate therapy with cytotoxic agents, such as melphalan/prednisone has not resulted in improved outcome. Patients should not be treated until progressive disease with end-organ damage occurs. Increasing anemia is the most reliable indicator of progression. Conclusion: These recently recognized predictors of outcome may be helpful for better disease monitoring and for investigation of new treatment approaches. Thus, recommendations for follow-up every to 3 to 6 months depending on the risk of progression are suggested, and clinical trials with new noncytotoxic biologically derived agents to delay progression, particularly in high-risk patients, are ongoing. © 2009 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

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.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι να διερευνηθούν οι αιτίες που οδήγησαν στη σημερινή υπό-εκπροσώπηση των γυναικών όσον αφορά θέσεις διοικητικής ευθύνης στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς και να προταθούν στρατηγικές ενσωμάτωσης. Στην πρώτη ενότητα αναφέρονται οι θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις για το φύλο (κοινωνικό φύλο – βιολογικό φύλο). Εξετάζετε το έμφυλο υποκείμενο (gender subject) καθώς και η έμφυλη ταυτότητα ως αποτέλεσμα συσχετισμού της βιολογικής διαφοράς με πολύπλοκες κοινωνικές διεργασίες. Το ενδιαφέρον επικεντρώνετε στην έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, που αφορά στην πρόσβαση και ενσωμάτωση του υποκειμένου επιμέρους κοινωνικές περιοχές όπως της πολιτικής, του αθλητισμού κ.τ.λ. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι ιδιαίτερα στο υψηλό αθλητισμό, σε αντίθεση με άλλες κοινωνικές περιοχές, δεν συναντάται ως δομικό συστατικό  μια έμφυλη ουδετερότητα. Στην δεύτερη ενότητα διερευνήθηκαν οι παράγοντες υπό-εκπροσώπησης στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό και στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς.    Λέξεις κλειδιά: κοινωνικό φύλο, βιολογικό φύλο, έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, αθλητισμός, κοινωνική χειραφέτηση, εκδημοκρατισμός, αθλητικοί θεσμοί------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Women have come a long way since the 1952 Helsinki Games, where they represented only 10 percent of the Olympic athletes. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing women represented approximately 43 percent of the total athlete delegation, up from 41 percent in the Athens 2004 Olympics. This does not mean that their biological make-up has changed. What has changed however are the socio-cultural perceptions pertaining to gender. On the other hand, women constitute an invisible minority in sport governing bodies today. This paper focuses on women’s underrepresentation in sport governing bodies and proposes strategies-practices of gender inclusion, including the democratization of sport institutions. The first part of thestudy examines current discussions on gender, gender neutrality, the gender subject and gender identity. In the new theoretical framework gender is being transformed from a static biological perception into a dynamic social category, affecting and changing identity, gender relations and the expectations of the social environment. Namely, in today’s postmodernist reality discussions on gender no longer focus exclusively on the biological gender (sex) as an analytical category, but on the social gender which formulates, defines and redefines identity, according to evolving socio-cultural interpretations. Although the biological gender is losing its primacy as an analytical category in most social spaces (i.e. there is no regulated gender classification system in the political arena, in sports, etc.), it is enforced by rules and regulations in competitive sports, and not only. It seems to extend into sport governing bodies as well. The second part of the study explores the interrelation of outdated social theories, ‘biologistic’ approaches and anachronistic gender- based ideologies that established gender stereotypes, hierarchies in sports that continue to apply today. Women are still under-reprsented in executive bodies of national and international sport organizations, federations and institutions, such as the IOC: there are only 14 women who represent 14.1% of the total of 113 IOC members. Consequently, a critical issue which needs to be addressed extensively, among others, is the democratization of the IOC structures since exclusions based on genetic characteristics are a contradiction to the value system of sport. Keywords: gender identity, gender neutrality, democratization of the IOC.  ............................................ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗ - Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι να διερευνηθούν οι αιτίες που οδήγησαν στη σημερινή υπό-εκπροσώπηση των γυναικών όσον αφορά θέσεις διοικητικής ευθύνης στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς και να προταθούν στρατηγικές ενσωμάτωσης. Στην πρώτη ενότητα αναφέρονται οι θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις για το φύλο (κοινωνικό φύλο – βιολογικό φύλο). Εξετάζετε το έμφυλο υποκείμενο (gender subject) καθώς και η έμφυλη ταυτότητα ως αποτέλεσμα συσχετισμού της βιολογικής διαφοράς με πολύπλοκες κοινωνικές διεργασίες. Το ενδιαφέρον επικεντρώνετε στην έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, που αφορά στην πρόσβαση και ενσωμάτωση του υποκειμένου επιμέρους κοινωνικές περιοχές όπως της πολιτικής, του αθλητισμού κ.τ.λ. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι ιδιαίτερα στο υψηλό αθλητισμό, σε αντίθεση με άλλες κοινωνικές περιοχές, δεν συναντάται ως δομικό συστατικό  μια έμφυλη ουδετερότητα. Στην δεύτερη ενότητα διερευνήθηκαν οι παράγοντες υπό-εκπροσώπησης στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό και στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς.     Λέξεις κλειδιά: κοινωνικό φύλο, βιολογικό φύλο, έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, αθλητισμός, κοινωνική χειραφέτηση, εκδημοκρατισμός, αθλητικοί θεσμοί  

In this study, the spatial and temporal variability of the mean annual rain intensity in Greece are examined during a 41-year period (1962-2002). The meteorological datasets concern monthly rain amounts (mm) and the respective monthly durations (h) recorded at thirty two meteorological stations of the Hellenic National Meteorological Service, which are uniformly distributed on Greek territory, in order to calculate the mean monthly rain intensity. All the rain time series used in the analysis were tested by the application of the short-cut Bartlett test of homogeneity. The spatial distribution of the mean annual rain intensity is studied using the Kriging interpolation method, while the temporal variability, concerning the mean annual rain intensity trends along with their significance (Mann-Kendall test), is analysed. The findings of the analysis show that statistically significant negative trends (95% confidence level) appear mainly in the west sub-regions of Greece, while statistically significant positive trends (95% confidence level) appear in the wider area of Athens and the complex of Cyclades Islands. Further analysis concerning the seasonal rain intensity is needed, because there are different seasonal patterns, taking into account that, convective rain in Greece occurs mainly within the summer season. Β© 2010 Author(s).

BACKGROUND: The Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) is a norm-referenced test that assesses the spontaneous motor performance of infants from birth through independent walking (0-18 months). This scale has been utilized for clinical and research purposes in various countries, however, whether the initial standardization in Canadian infants is also representative of other countries’ populations has been questioned. AIM: To assess whether the AIMS needs new reference values for Greek infants. METHODS: A cohort of 424 healthy full-term infants (250 boys and 174 girls), aged between 7 days and 18 months, derived from various areas of the Prefecture of Attica and from all socio-economic classes to ensure a true representation, was studied. The AIMS-scores of Greek infants were compared with the norm-referenced values of the original Canadian population reported by Piper and Darrah. RESULTS: The mean AIMS-scores did not differ significantly between Greek and Canadian infants at any age level from birth to 18 months, except for the 2-<3 month of age when higher scores were observed in Greek infants (p=0.02). There was no significant difference in AIMS-values corresponding to the 5th and 90th percentile between Greek and Canadian infants. Inter-rater reliability was excellent in our study population [ICC: 0.99 (95% CI: 0.99-0.99)]. CONCLUSION: In healthy full-term Greek infants, gross motor maturity assessed by the AIMS during the first 18 months of age, seems to follow a similar course to that of Canadian infants.

Using Chandra, XMM-Newton, and optical photometric catalogs we study the young X-ray binary (XRB) populations of the Small Magellanic Cloud. We find that the Be/X-ray binaries (Be-XRBs) are observed in regions with star formation rate bursts ~25-60 Myr ago. The similarity of this age with the age of maximum occurrence of the Be phenomenon (~40 Myr) indicates that the presence of a circumstellar decretion disk plays a significant role in the number of observed XRBs in the 10-100 Myr age range. We also find that regions with strong but more recent star formation (e.g., the Wing) are deficient in Be-XRBs. By correlating the number of observed Be-XRBs with the formation rate of their parent populations, we measure a Be-XRB production rate of ~1 system per 3 × 10-3 M sun yr-1. Finally, we use the strong localization of the Be-XRB systems in order to set limits on the kicks imparted on the neutron star during the supernova explosion.

Encouraging more women and girls to take up ICT, retaining them in the sector and reproducing female participation requires working together to support an “Education-Engagement-Retention Action Plan”  (Kamberidou 2008) that entails: (1) Support of multicultural interdisciplinary gender research networks and collaborative actions that address the three major gender gaps:(a) the gender participation/engagement gap, (b) the pay gap and the (c) advancement-leadership gap. (2) Support of multicultural interdisciplinary gender research to influences mainstream developments in science and technology from a gender perspective, including a better balance of gendered content to change attitudes, perceptions and stereotypes. (3) Interdisciplinarity in education and research in order to formulate new pedagogical methods and approaches that incorporate the gender dimension. Education-training and engagement for teachers and children means extra-curricula approaches, new classroom examples and best practice models. (3) Educating the educators, re-training the trainers: learning, continued training and re-training. (4) Participation in areas of planning, management, assessment and organization. (5) Family support programmes, flexi-hours, a family-friendly working environment, child care facilities, namely an inclusive work culture. (6) The establishment of an attractive open labour market that recruits and retains women. (7) Gender networking, alliances with women, sharing, mentoring and supporting younger female colleagues in order to eliminate “gender fatigue” (Kamberidou 2010) and encourage women to take a more active role (agency), to keep up with developments, to share information, etc. (8) Social mobility in the structure, i.e. learning the system and how to use it in order to make changes. (9) Best-practice models and mentoring projects: the involvement of professional women (Leaders) already employed in science and technology, the academia, research sectors. (10)  Raising the profile of our role models and female leaders as well as the diversity of careers available. We need to inspire women into technology with innovative and different approaches such as the European Commission’s shadowing activities (http://ec.europa.eu/itgirls, mentoring programs and so forth. We need to all join forces and work together to accomplish this. For example, the ECWT (www.womenandtechnology.eu) and the EUD www.ictwomendirectory.eu)  provide such a platform for collaborations.

• Disseminated to 5.000 readers in five languages (translated from English), Greek translation G.3.1 in Apella.
• Κυκλοφόρησε αρχικά σε e-Newsletter το οποίο μεταφράστηκε σε πέντε (5) γλώσσες και διανεμήθηκε ηλεκτρονικά σε 5.000 αναγνώστες (Fostering Gender Mainstreaming in the ICT Sector, E-Newsletter, Nov. 19, 2010, pp. 1-5)
•  Η προαναφερόμενη εισήγηση δημοσιεύτηκε ηλεκτρονικά μετά το συνέδριο (στο πλαίσιο του Ευρωπαϊκού συνεδρίου:  “Women Choosing ICT careers: Influencing Policy from Practice.” Που πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Hellenic American Union, Athens Greece, 26 Οκτ. 2010. (ζωντανή μετάδοση του συνεδρίου at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/gender-it-conference.

Αναδημοσίευση του προαναφερόμενου άρθρου στις ιστοσελίδες των e-news  του ECWT-European Centre for Women and Technology (www.womenandtechnology.eu) και στο   http://www.ictwomendirectory.eu/digitalcity/projects/eudir/eudir_news-

(Στην αμερικάνικη ιστοσελίδα ηθικού και βιοηθικού επιστημονικού ενδιαφέροντος http://ethicshare.org/files/user_files/5759/Fanaras,%20EAP%20Article%202010%20pp.%201-14Copy.pdf ) Η παρούσα πρωτότυπη εργασία δημοσιεύθηκε στα αγγλικά και περιλαμβάνει θέσεις και απόψεις για την έρευνα στα βλαστοκύτταρα από την ορθόδοξη χριστιανική  ηθική άποψη.

 

In this study, immobilized nitrogen and fluorine co-doped TiO2 (NF-TiO2) was synthesized employing a fluorosurfactant-based sol-gel method to tailor-design the nanoparticulate, structural and photocatalytic properties of the catalyst. Besides the co-doping of nitrogen and fluorine observed for visible light photoresponse, the nanostructure of the dip-coated films was effectively controlled by modifying the molar ratio of the fluorosurfactant. The synthesized films were evaluated for the destruction of two emerging contaminants, hepatotoxin microcystin LR (MC-LR) and herbicice Amitrole. NF-TiO2 films showed high photocatalytic activity for the degradation of both MC-LR and Amitrole compared to control experiments under both visible and solar light irradiation. Moreover, NF-TiO2 nanostructured films also exhibited high mechanical stability and no irreversible changes were observed during photocatalysis after 3 cycles under visible light. These results are promising for further development of sustainable remediation technologies for the treatment of water contaminated with MC-LR and other persistent micropollutants, based on advanced oxidation processes driven by solar light as a renewable source of energy.

In this study, the mean rain intensity (mm/h) in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece, is examined during the period 1930-2007. The daily meteorological data were acquired from the meteorological stations of the National Observatory of Athens (Thissio) and the University Campus of Thessaloniki. These stations have recorded the longest and reliable daily rain time series in Greece. The trends of the annual and seasonal mean, as well as the maximum rain intensity, are analyzed. On the one hand, all of the time series in Athens present higher figures of mean rain intensity during the period 1990-2007 compared to the period 1930-1990. On the other hand, regarding the time series in Thessaloniki, the mean rain intensity remains in lower level than the respective one in Athens without significant trend at the Confidence Level (CL) 95%. As far as the annual and seasonal maximum rain intensity is concerned, similar patterns appear. However, the summer maximum rain intensity in Thessaloniki remains at higher levels till 1970's. The atmospheric circulation patterns for the extreme rain intensities show intense negative anomalies centred over Greece and positive anomalies to the north, with centre over Scandinavia.

The PMTs of the CMS Hadron Forward calorimeter were found to generate a large size signal when their windows were traversed by energetic charged particles. This signal, which is due to Čerenkov light production at the PMT window, could interfere with the calorimeter signal and mislead the measurements. In order to find a viable solution to this problem, the response of four different types of PMTs to muons traversing their windows at different orientations is measured at the H2 beam-line at CERN. Certain kinds of PMTs with thinner windows show significantly lower response to direct muon incidence. For the four anode PMT, a simple and powerful algorithm to identify such events and recover the PMT signal using the signals of the quadrants without window hits is also presented. For the measurement of PMT responses to Čerenkov light, the Hadron Forward calorimeter signal was mimicked by two different setups in electron beams and the PMT performances were compared with each other. Superior performance of particular PMTs was observed.

The phase 3 Velcade as Initial Standard Therapy in Multiple Myeloma: Assessment with Melphalan and Prednisone study in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients ineligible for high-dose therapy demonstrated that bortezomib-melphalan-prednisone (VMP) was superior to melphalan-prednisone across all efficacy end points. We assessed the prognostic impact of response on time-to-event parameters in the intent-to-treat population. Patients received nine 6-week cycles of treatment. Time to progression, time to next therapy, and treatment-free interval were associated with quality of response. When European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation criteria were used, complete response (CR) was associated with significantly longer time to progression (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.45, P = .004), time to next therapy (HR = 0.46, P = .0004), and treatment-free interval (HR = 0.38, P < .0001) versus partial response, but there was no significant difference in overall survival (HR = 0.87, P = .54); similar differences were seen with CR versus very good partial response by uniform criteria. Quality of response improved with prolonged VMP treatment, with 28% of CRs achieved during cycles 5-9. CR duration appeared similar among patients with "early" (cycles 1-4) and "late" CRs (cycles 5-9) and among patients receiving 9 versus < 9 cycles of bortezomib within VMP. These results highlight that CR is an important treatment goal and support prolonged VMP therapy to achieve maximal response. This study is registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00111319. © 2010 by The American Society of Hematology.

To investigate the transient nature of supersoft sources (SSSs) in M 31, we compared SSS candidates of the XMM-Newton Deep Survey, ROSAT PSPC surveys and the Chandra catalogues in the same field. We found 40 SSSs in the XMM-Newton observations. While 12 of the XMM-Newton sources were brighter than the limiting flux of the ROSAT PSPC survey, only two were detected with ROSAT ˜10 yr earlier. Five correlate with recent optical novae which explains why they were not detected by ROSAT. The remaining 28 XMM-Newton SSSs have fluxes below the ROSAT detection threshold. Nevertheless we found one correlation with a ROSAT source, which had significantly larger fluxes than during the XMM-Newton observations. Ten of the XMM-Newton SSSs were detected by Chandra with <1- ˜6 yr between the observations. Five were also classified as SSSs by Chandra. Of the 30 ROSAT SSSs three were confirmed with XMM-Newton, while for 11 sources other classifications are suggested. Of the remaining 16 sources one correlates with an optical nova. Of the 42 Chandra very-soft sources five are classified as XMM-Newton SSSs, while for 22 we suggest other classifications. Of the remaining 15 sources, nine are classified as transient by Chandra, one of them correlates with an optical nova. These findings underlined the high variability of the sources of this class and the connection between SSSs and optical novae. Only three sources, were detected by all three missions as SSSs. Thus they are visible for more than a decade, despite their variability. Based on observations obtained with XMM-Newton, an ESA science mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA.

Purpose: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the survival effect of venous thromboembolism (VTE) development in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Methods: Two identically designed, multicenter, double-blind, phase III clinical trials (MM-009 and MM-010) were conducted in Europe and the United States to assess the effect of lenalidomide in combination with dexamethasone versus dexamethasone plus placebo in patients with relapsed or refractory MM, after failing at least one prior line of treatment. In this retrospective analysis, we evaluated incidence and survival effect of thromboembolism in 353 patients randomly assigned to receive 25 mg of lenalidomide on days 1 through 21 of a 28-day cycle, plus 40 mg of oral dexamethasone on days 1 through 4, 9 through 12, and 17 through 20 for the first four cycles; after the fourth cycle, 40 mg of dexamethasone was administered on days 1 through 4 only. Results: Seventeen percent of patients experienced a thromboembolic episode. The development of VTE did not significantly affect overall survival (P = .90) or time to progression (P = .34). No significant survival impact was observed in a subgroup of patients who received prophylactic anticoagulation (overall survival P = .7, time to progression P = .1). Conclusion: Patients with MM treated with lenalidomide and high-dose dexamethasone who developed a VTE did not experience shorter overall survival or time to progression. © 2009 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

We report the detection of a nova candidate in M 31 using observations with the UltraViolet/Optical Telescope (UVOT) on board the Swift satellite. The object was serendipitously detected in the UVW1 filter (181-321nm) UVOT observation 00031255018 with 4333 s exposure starting on 2010-06-24.02 UT with a magnitude of 19.5+-0.2. The position for the nova candidate is RA = 00h42m55s.56, Dec = +41d19'25".5 (J2000, accuracy of 1.0"), which is 127" east and 197" north of the core of M 31.

The reaction of [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2]2 with 2.0 mol equivalents of C(CH2SMe)4, C(CH 2SeMe)4, 1,2,4,5-C6H2(CH 2SMe)4 or 1,2,4,5-C6H2(CH 2SeMe)4 (L4) and [NH4][PF 6] in ethanol solution forms the [RuCl(η6-p-cymene) {κ2-L4}][PF6] complexes. Similar Os(II) complexes are obtained starting with [Os(η6-p-cymene)Cl 2]2. Treatment of [RuCl(η6-p-cymene) {κ2-L4}][PF6] with a further 0.5 mol equivalents of [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2]2 or reaction of [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl2]2 directly with 1.0 mol equivalent of L4 forms the homobimetalllic [{RuCl(η6-p-cymene)}2{κ2κ ′2-L4}][PF6]2. Reaction of [OsCl(η6-p-cymene)-{κ2-C(CH2SeMe) 4}][PF6] with [Ru(η6-p-cymene)Cl 2]2 or [PtCl2(MeCN)2] affords the heterobimetallic [{OsCl(η6-p-cymene)}{RuCl(η6-p- cymene)}{κ2κ′2-C(CH2SeMe) 4}][PF6]2 and [{OsCl(η6-p- cymene)}{PtCl2}{κ2κ′2- C(CH2SeMe)4}][PF6] respectively. The complexes have been characterised by multinuclear NMR and IR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The synthesis and properties of homomonometallic and homo-and hetero- bimetallic complexes based upon tetrathio-or tetraselenoether ligands with {(arene)MCl]+ units are described, and crystal structures reported for representative examples. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is a promising molecular target for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. The design of potential inhibitors for the catalytic site of the enzyme is based on the high affinity for -D-glucopyranose and the pres- ence of a -cavity that extends from the sugar anomeric position forming a 15 x 7.5 x 10 Å available space. This review is focused on our efforts towards the design and synthesis of various families of potential inhibitors, including N--D- glucopyranosyl oxamic acid esters and oxamides, N--D-glucopyranosylaminocarbonyl L-aminoacids and peptides, as well as glucose-derived purine and pyrimidine nucleosides, spiro- and other bicyclic derivatives. Kinetic and crystallo- graphic study of the interactions of these inhibitors with GP has increased our understanding of the importance of the various functional groups within the catalytic site and has pointed the way towards the in silico prediction and design of potent inhibitors, which are both synthetically viable and pharmacologically relevant.

This study reports on the synthesis, characterization and environmental application of immobilized nitrogen and fluorine co-doped TiO2 (NF-TiO2) photocatalyst. A fluorosurfactant-based sol-gel approach was employed to enhance the physicochemical properties and photocatalytic activity of NF-TiO2 under visible and UV light for the degradation of the hepatotoxin microcystin-LR (MC-LR). The films were characterized by XRD, environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM), TEM, AFM, EPR, micro-Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), UV-vis spectroscopy and porosimeter analysis. The results revealed that by modifying the molar ratio of the fluorosurfactant, we could effectively control the physicochemical properties and obtain films with high BET surface area and porosity, small crystallite size and narrow pore size distribution. UV-vis spectroscopy showed an increase in the absorption capacity of NF-TiO2 in the visible light range compared to reference films. The existence of interstitial nitrogen and substitutional fluorine in the titanium dioxide (TiO2) lattice was determined by XPS. Comparative EPR measurements between the co-doped and reference samples identified distinct N spin species in NF-TiO2, with a high sensitivity to visible light irradiation. The abundance of these paramagnetic centers verifies the formation of localized intra-gap states in TiO2 and implies synergistic effects between fluorine and nitrogen dopants. Micro-Raman spectroscopy showed the growth of small amounts of brookite concomitantly with the major anatase TiO2 phase, which could promote the system's photocatalytic activity through the formation of anatase/brookite heterojunctions. Analysis of the lower frequency Eg anatase Raman mode indicated the occurrence of size effects reflecting phonon confinement in the anatase nanocrystallites as well as deviations from stoichiometry due to structural defects in the co-doped sample. NF-TiO2 films effectively degraded MC-LR under visible and UV light compared to reference film. Similar MC-LR degradation rates under visible light after three cycles revealed high mechanical stability and no irreversible changes of the film during photocatalysis. This process has the potential of providing environmentally benign routes for drinking water treatment with solar powered photocatalytic systems. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.

We have developed a quantum-mechanical theory for the interaction of light and electron-hole excitations in semiconductor quantum dots. Our theoretical analysis results in an expression for the photoluminescence intensity in the non-linear regime. The validity of the theoretical results is tested analyzing experimental data reported for the temperature dependence of the emission spectra of an individual lens-shaped In0.4Ga0.6As self-assembled quantum dot in a wide temperature range up to 300 K. Our theoretical predictions for the redshift of the emission peak with increasing temperature, in the range 2–300 K, agree with the experiment.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines propose different reperfusion strategies for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) depending on the time delay from pain onset, the availability of a catheterization laboratory and the patient's characteristics. In order to implement national strategies to improve reperfusion rates the existing situation must be first analysed. The aim of this report is to provide a description of where and when STEMI patients present in a countrywide registry. METHODS: The Hellenic Infarction Observation Study (HELIOS) was a countrywide registry that enrolled 1096 patients with STEMI from 31 hospitals with a proportional representation of all types of hospitals from all geographical areas. We recorded the proportion of patients that fits within each category of treatment algorithms. RESULTS: The following percentages of the total STEMI population were recorded: a) admitted in invasive hospitals within 12 h 28.7% (with 26% of those not reperfused) and after 12 h 5.9% and b) admitted in non-invasive hospitals within 3 h 34.9% (with 30% of those not reperfused), 3-12 h 19.3% and after 12 h 11%. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of STEMI patients are admitted either in an invasive hospital within 12 h or in a non-invasive one within 3 h from pain onset and therefore can be treated locally according to the guidelines. A relatively small percentage of patients are late presenters in non-invasive centres and are candidates for immediate transfer for primary PCI. These data could be useful in planning reperfusion strategies at countrywide level since not all patients may require immediate transfer for primary PCI.

The goal of this work is the analysis of air quality levels in the area of Volos, a city of average size on the eastern seaboard of Central Greece. For this purpose, concentration measurements of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and nitrogen dioxide, for a 4-year period (2001-2004) are analyzed. Air pollution data were obtained by a monitoring station, fully automated, which was established by the Hellenic Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning, and Public Works, in order to measure air pollution levels in Volos, a medium-sized city, which faces the effects of industrialization. The main conclusions from the statistical analysis of the 4-year measurements of hourly SO2, NO2, and NO concentrations in the city of Volos, showed that the mean seasonal variation of the examined air pollutant concentration presents a minimum during the warm period of the year and a maximum during the cold period. Although the local geomorphology and meteorology encourage particularly the accumulation of air pollutants, the analysis shows that the SO2 and NO2 concentration levels remain lower than corresponding thresholds for human health protection set by the European Union, in this urban measuring site, during the examined period. The application of harmonic analysis revealed the difference between the annual variation of the SO2 and NO x concentrations. Regarding NO x, the variation is mainly due to the first harmonic term (anthropogenic factor), while the SO2 variation is interpreted by the two harmonic terms, which represent the anthropogenic and meteorological factors, respectively. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

The revised tectono-stratigraphy of Crete and especially of the "Phyllites-Quartzites" complex demonstrated the distinction of the probable Paleozoic low-medium grade metamorphic rocks of the Arna unit from the underlying Permo-Triassic phyllites and associated carbonate sediments (Trypali facies) of Western Crete unit as well as the overlying Permo-Triassic phyllites and associated sediments of the Tyros/Ravdoucha Beds at the base of the Tripolis unit. The pre-existing mixture of the above tectono-stratigaphic units in a single complex created a number of misinterpretations as far as stratigraphy, metamorphism and interpretation of low angle faults as thrusts or detachments. Especially in cases where the inferred tectonic contact concerns the transition between the Tyros Beds and the base of the Tripolis carbonate platform there is no structural omission and therefore the contact represents a minor disharmonic sliding surface and not a detachment. Based on the revised tectono-stratigraphic analysis the determination of the structural omission for each tectonic contact was possible and several detachments were described for the first time. Footwall rocks of the detachments comprised several tectonic units usually from the lower nappes and hanging wall rocks comprised several tectonic units usually from the upper nappes. The detachment may separate not only metamorphosed units in the footwall (Mani, Western Crete, Arna) from non metamorphosed units in the hanging wall (Tripolis, Pindos and higher nappes) but also all other possible combinations from the Cretan nappe pile. Extension in Crete started in the Middle-Late Miocene with the formation of extensional detachment faults. The reported extensional structures of Oligocene to Early Miocene age do not correspond to crustal extension of Crete but to localized shear zones related to nappe stacking and the exhumation of metamorphic rocks. Extensional detachments in Crete form a tectonic horst through two oppositely dipping E-W-trending zones; one dipping north, related to the opening of the Cretan basin, and the other dipping south, related to the formation of the Messara supra-detachment basin. The deformation history of units within Crete can be summarized as: (i) compressional deformation producing arc-parallel east-west-trending south-directed thrust faults in Oligocene to Early Miocene time; (ii) extensional deformation along arc-parallel, east-west-trending detachment faults in Middle Miocene time, with hanging wall motion to the north and south; and (iii) Late Miocene-Quaternary transtensional deformation along high-angle normal and oblique normal faults that disrupt the older arc-parallel structures.

Purpose: To identify if thymidine phosphorylase (TP), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), and ratio TP/DPD levels in tumor tissues are potential predictive factors for response to combined preoperative chemoradiation with capecitabine, in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Methods And Patients: Between 2004 and 2006, 28 patients with LARC (cT2-T4, N0-N2) were treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Total radiation dose was 50.4 Gy and daily dose was 1.8 Gy in 5.5 weeks. Capecitabine was administrated 1,650 mg/m2/day, 7 days/week. Preoperative staging was based on combined computer tomography and endorectal ultrasound. Tissue samples, both neoplastic and normal ones, were endoscopically taken before treatment for TP and DPD measurement with ELISA. Levels of total proteins were calculated by the Bradford method. Results: Median TP, DPD, ratio TP/DPD levels in the primary tumors were 32.85 U/mg, 18.73 U/mg, and 1.64 respectively. Median ratio TP/DPD of patients with proven pathological "response" (downstaging of the disease) was higher than the "no response" group, 4.40 and 1.42, respectively (P = 0.0001). Levels of TP and DPD in tumor tissue did not reveal any statistically important difference between the two groups. Conclusions: TP/DPD ratio is a possible predictive factor for tumor response after concomitant preoperative chemoradiation with capecitabine in LARC. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Background: Postpartum mood disturbances are very common with postpartum blues being as high as 44.5% among Greek women. This study aimed to investigate whether thyroid function within the normal range affects the incidence of postpartum mood disturbances. Methods: In a cross-sectional study in the maternity ward of Aretaieion Hospital, 57 Greek women were evaluated for postpartum mood swings by the Maternity Blues Questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on the first and sixth week postpartum. Serum Free T4, Free T3 and TSH concentrations as well as thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase antibodies were measured on admission for delivery and daily until the fourth postpartum day. We examined the association between hormone and antibody levels, and scores in the two scales evaluating postpartum mood disturbances. Results: Prepartum serum FT3 and FT4 correlated negatively with blues scores in the first week postpartum (blues on day 4: with FT3, rho = - 0.44, p ≤ 0.01; with FT4 rho = - 0.36, p ≤ 0.01). Women with lower FT3 and FT4 levels belonged to the high scoring group (high scoring group: FT3 = 1.22 pg/ml, FT4 = 0.66 ng/dl; low scoring group: FT3 = 1.64 pg/ml, FT4 = 0.73 ng/dl). Serum FT3 showed a negative independent correlation with postpartum blues scores in the first postpartum days. No association was found between thyroid antibody levels and mood scores. Conclusion: Our findings indicate an association between the occurrence of postpartum mood disorders and antenatal thyroid function. Within normal limits, lower levels of serum FT3 and FT4 are associated with increased incidence of mood disturbances in the first postpartum week. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tornado activity is associated with extreme convective weather which can cause extended damage and even in some cases the loss of life. The complex inland terrain of Greece along with the Ionian Sea at the west and the Aegean Sea at the east appear to be a favorable area for fury phenomena such as tornadoes, waterspouts and funnel clouds. In this study, the spatial and temporal variability of tornado activity in Greece for the period 1900g-1999 are presented. The spatial distribution of tornadoes, waterspouts and funnel clouds reveals the vulnerability of specific geographical areas, such as the west Greece and the south Aegean Sea. As far as the intra annual variability is concerned, the maximum of tornado activity dominates within the cold period of the year (Octoberg-March) while according to the daily distribution, tornadoes happen frequently during the warm hours of the day. It is remarkable to mention that in Greece, within the 20th century, the tornado activity caused the loss of 4 lifes, the injury of 40 people and numerous damages on human constructions and cultivations. © 2010 Author(s).

As a result of the variability survey in χ Persei and NGC 6910, the number of β Cep stars that are members of these two open clusters is increased to twenty stars, nine in NGC 6910 and eleven in χ Persei. We compare pulsational properties, in particular the frequency spectra, of β Cep stars in both clusters and explain the differences in terms of the global parameters of the clusters. We also indicate that the more complicated pattern of the variability among B-type stars in χ Persei is very likely caused by higher rotational velocities of stars in this cluster. We conclude that the sample of pulsating stars in the two open clusters constitutes a very good starting point for the ensemble asteroseismology of β Cep-type stars and maybe also for other B-type pulsators.

In this work we unmask a novel downregulation mechanism of the uric acid/xanthine transporter UapA, the prototype member of the ubiquitous Nucleobase-Ascorbate Transporter family, directly related to its function. In the presence of substrates, UapA is endocytosed, sorted into the multivesicular body pathway and degraded in vacuoles. Substrate-induced endocytosis, unlike ammonium-induced turnover, is absolutely dependent on UapA activity and several lines of evidence showed that the signal for increased endocytosis is the actual translocation of substrates through the UapA protein. The use of several UapA functional mutants with altered kinetics and specificity has further shown that transport-dependent UapA endocytosis occurs through a mechanism, which senses subtle conformational changes associated with the transport cycle. We also show that distinct mechanisms of UapA endocytosis necessitate ubiquitination of a single Lys residue (K572) by HulA(Rsp5). Finally, we demonstrate that in the presence of substrates, non-functional UapA versions can be endocytosed in trans if expressed in the simultaneous presence of active UapA versions, even if the latter cannot be endocytosed themselves.

The recent breakthrough discoveries of transport systems assigned with atypical functions provide evidence for complexity in membrane transport biochemistry. Some channels are far from being simple pores creating hydrophilic passages for solutes and can, unexpectedly, act as enzymes, or mediate high-affinity uptake, and some transporters are surprisingly able to function as sensors, channels or even enzymes. Furthermore, numerous transport studies have demonstrated complex multiphasic uptake kinetics for organic and mineral nutrients. The biphasic kinetics of glucose uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a result of several genetically distinct uptake systems operating simultaneously, is a classical example that is a subject of continuous debate. In contrast, some transporters display biphasic kinetics, being bona fidae dual-affinity transporters, their kinetic properties often modulated by post-translational regulation. Also, aquaporins have recently been reported to exhibit diverse transport properties and can behave as highly adapted, multifunctional channels, transporting solutes such as CO(2), hydrogen peroxide, urea, ammonia, glycerol, polyols, carbamides, purines and pyrimidines, metalloids, glycine, and lactic acid, rather than being simple water pores. The present review provides an overview on some atypical functions displayed by transporter proteins and discusses how this novel knowledge on cellular uptake systems may be related to complex multiphasic uptake kinetics often seen in a wide variety of living organisms and the intriguing diffusive uptake of sugars and other solutes.

We review recent theoretical and experimental in progress in the realisation of slow and stopped light by the 'trapped rainbow' principle in optical metamaterials featuring negative electromagnetic parameters (permittivity/permeability and/or refractive index). We explain how and why these structures can enable complete stopping of light even in the presence of disorder and, simultaneously, dissipative losses. Using full-wave numerical simulations we show that the incorporation of thin layers made of an active medium adjacently to the core layer of a negative-refractive-index waveguide can completely remove dissipative losses - in a slow-light regime where the effective index of the guided wave is negative. © 2010 SPIE.

We prospectively studied the impact of several cytogenetic abnormalities (CAs) in patients with relapsed/refractory myeloma who received lenalidomide and dexamethasone (RD) with or without the addition of bortezomib (V). On the basis of the presence of previous neuropathy, 50 patients were treated with RD and 49, without preexisting neuropathy, with VRD. The overall response rate was 63%, similar for RD and VRD. Poor risk cytogenetics were associated with lower response rates in RD (P=0.01), but not in VRD (P=0.219). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was similar for RD (9 months) and VRD (7 months). The median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 16 months, with no differences between RD or VRD regimens. Poor risk cytogenetics, especially del17p, resistance to previous thalidomide, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and presence of extramedullary disease were associated with inferior response to therapy and shorter PFS and OS. The impact of other CAs on OS was more pronounced in RD. In conclusion, the presence of CAs is an important adverse prognostic factor for patients with relapsed/refractory myeloma, but resistance to previous thalidomide, elevated LDH and presence of extramedullary disease remain of major prognostic importance. The outcome of patients with del17p remains extremely poor even with VRD combination. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved.

Introduction of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and the immunomodulatory drugs thalidomide and lenalidomide has substantially improved outcomes for patients with multiple myeloma. As a result, these drugs have become cornerstones of current antimyeloma treatment regimens. However, after several years of clinical experience it has become apparent that peripheral neuropathy is the most common and potentially disabling non-haematological side-effect associated with thalidomide and bortezomib. Maximising treatment benefit while preserving quality of life therefore requires a careful balance between achieving optimum activity and minimising toxicity, including neuropathy, to further enhance efficacy. In this review, we discuss all aspects of drug-induced peripheral neuropathy in myeloma, with a particular focus on thalidomide and bortezomib. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Using Chandra, XMM-Newton and optical data we study the young (?Myr) X-ray binary (XRB) populations of the Magellanic Clouds. We find that the Be-XRBs of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) are observed in regions with star formation (SF) rate bursts ˜25-60 Myr ago. The similarity of this age with the age of maximum occurrence of the Be phenomenon (˜40 Myr) indicates that the presence of a circumstellar decretion disk plays a significant role in the number of observed XRBs in the 10-100 Myr age range. We also find that regions with strong but more recent SF (e.g. the Wing) are deficient in Be-XRBs. By correlating the number of observed Be-XRBs with the formation rate of their parent populations, we measure a Be-XRB production rate of ˜1 system per 10^{-6} M⊙/yr. Finally, we use the strong localization of the Be-XRB systems in order to set limits on the kicks imparted on the neutron star during the supernova explosion. Understanding of the populations of compact objects and their connection with star-formation (SF) will allow us to investigate channels of XRB formation in a variety of environments and therefore help in studies of the X-ray source populations of star-forming galaxies outside our Local Group, and even enable their use as a SF diagnostic. This work was supported from NASA LTSA grant NAG5-13056, and NASA grant GO2-3117X.

The first structurally characterised zerovalent platinum complex to contain a tridentate pincer-type coordination mode (κ3-SBS) is presented, raising further questions concerning the geometries and trans influence of Z-type ligands. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2010.

We report on the effective optical response of a uniaxial crystal of metal–dielectric–metal nanosandwiches, which exhibits artificial optical magnetism, through full-electrodynamic simulations by the extended layer-multiple-scattering method. Using a recently developed all-angle homogenization procedure, which is based on rigorous results of complex-band-structure and reflection-coefficient calculations, we deduce local effective permittivity and permeability tensors, appropriate for this crystal. We show that the effective-medium description breaks down as we approach the region of the magnetic resonance. In a frequency region close to the resonance the retrieved effective parameters, though doubtful, indicate that the crystal under consideration may exhibit negative refraction. This behaviour is demonstrated by rigorous calculation of the isofrequency surfaces of the actual crystal and determination of the relevant group velocities.

Lytic bone disease is a frequent complication of multiple myeloma (MM). Lytic lesions rarely heal and X-rays are of limited value in monitoring bone destruction during anti-myeloma or anti-resorptive treatment. Biochemical markers of bone resorption (amino- and carboxy-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX and CTX, respectively) or CTX generated by matrix metalloproteinases (ICTP)) and bone formation provide information on bone dynamics and reflect disease activity in bone. These markers have been investigated as tools for evaluating the extent of bone disease, risk of skeletal morbidity and response to anti-resorptive treatment in MM. Urinary NTX, serum CTX and serum ICTP are elevated in myeloma patients with osteolytic lesions and correlate with advanced disease stage. Furthermore, urinary NTX and serum ICTP correlate with risk for skeletal complications, disease progression and overall survival. Bone markers have also been used for the early diagnosis of bone lesions. This International Myeloma Working Group report summarizes the existing data for the role of bone markers in assessing the extent of MM bone disease and in monitoring bone turnover during anti-myeloma therapies and provides information on novel markers that may be of particular interest in the near future. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved.

The recently proposed, ISSWM staging system for symptomatic patients with WM was based on patients treated with alkylating agents and nucleoside analogs and has not been externally validated nor has been validated for cause-specific survival (CSS). We independently validated ISSWM both for overall survival (OS) and for CSS and assessed whether addition of elevated serum LDH may add to the strength of ISSWM in 335 patients treated upfront mainly with alkylating agents (43%), and rituximab-based therapies (47%). ISSWM could discriminate three groups with significantly different OS and CSS (p< 0.01 for both). High serum LDH was predictive of shorter OS and CSS (p< 0.01). The combination of high risk according to ISSWM and elevated serum LDH identified a subset of patients for whom innovative treatment approaches are needed. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

OJ 287 is a BL Lac object at redshift z = 0.306 that has shown double-peaked bursts at regular intervals of ~12yr during the last ~40yr. We analyse optical photopolarimetric monitoring data from 2005 to 2009, during which the latest double-peaked outburst occurred. The aim of this study is twofold: firstly, we aim to analyse variability patterns and statistical properties of the optical polarization light curve. We find a strong preferred position angle in optical polarization. The preferred position angle can be explained by separating the jet emission into two components: an optical polarization core and chaotic jet emission. The optical polarization core is stable on time-scales of years and can be explained as emission from an underlying quiescent jet component. The chaotic jet emission sometimes exhibits a circular movement in the Stokes plane. We find six such events, all on the time-scales of 10-20d. We interpret these events as a shock front moving forwards and backwards in the jet, swiping through a helical magnetic field. Secondly, we use our data to assess different binary black hole models proposed to explain the regularly appearing double-peaked bursts in OJ 287. We compose a list of requirements a model has to fulfil to explain the mysterious behaviour observed in OJ 287. The list includes not only characteristics of the light curve but also other properties of OJ 287, such as the black hole mass and restrictions on accretion flow properties. We rate all existing models using this list and conclude that none of the models is able to explain all observations. We discuss possible new explanations and propose a new approach to understanding OJ 287. We suggest that both the double-peaked bursts and the evolution of the optical polarization position angle could be explained as a sign of resonant accretion of magnetic field lines, a `magnetic breathing' of the disc.

Hb Agrinio [α29(B10)Leu→Pro] is a highly unstable variant, classified as a nondeletional α-thalassemia (α-thal) mutation. To date it has only been described in individuals of Greek and Cypriot origin. Evaluation of the phenotypic presentation of 12 Hb Agrinio homozygotes or compound heterozygotes, diagnosed in a single center in Greece during a 15-year period, found a wide clinical expression, ranging from thalassemia intermedia (with or without transfusion requirement) to Hb H hydrops fetalis, with some phenotype-to-genotype correlation. The often severe clinical presentation of Hb Agrinio homozygotes or Hb Agrinio compound heterozygotes, coinheriting severe α-thal determinants, indicates that molecular identification of carriers of the Hb Agrinio mutation should be considered within the context of screening programs involving individuals of Greek and Cypriot origin. Selective molecular investigation of candidate carriers is facilitated by the observation that all heterozygotes for the Hb Agrinio mutation present with at least one hematological parameter implicating an α-thal carrier state.

Young stellar object jets are supersonic and highly collimated plasma outflows that propagate for large distances. Although their association to star formation is a well established fact, there are still open questions such as whether the outflow is of disk or stellar origin, how the jet’s time variable structure is produced and why there is an asymmetry between the opposite bipolar flows. The increasing angular resolution of modern telescopes gradually provides the clues to clarify and understand such issues. An emerging picture is that of a two-component protostellar jet, where a high mass loss rate disk wind surrounds a hot stellar outflow. In this context, our group has carried out numerical simulations of several two-component magnetohydrodynamic jet models, setting as initial conditions a combination of two well studied analytical solutions. We investigated the dynamics and the steady state features of many interesting cases as a function of the mixing parameters and the enforced time variability. A highly significant result was the morphological reproduction of the large scale knot-like structure of many young stellar objects jets. Moreover, with the assumption of a quadrupolar disk field we found asymmetric velocities between the bipolar outflows suggesting a possible explanation for this observational fact. In this article we summarize the results on the dynamics and the velocity profiles of a few interesting two-component jet scenarios.

Paraneoplastic syndromes represent a group of clinical manifestations widely separated from the primary site of malignancy, which are not caused by local infiltration of the tumor or its metastases. Alterations of hemostasis and vascular abnormalities commonly accompany the progression of malignant disease. Hypercoagulability, changes in coagulation factors, anticoagulant proteins, circulating anticoagulants or platelets, and vascular responses have been noted during the disease process. The purpose of this review is to illustrate and present the current state of knowledge surrounding vascular paraneoplastic manifestations in gynecologic oncology. Since they may constitute the presenting feature of an undiagnosed gynecologic cancer, it is important to seek to identify such malignancies in women presenting with clinical thrombotic or bleeding syndromes. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Inquiries into the relationships between viral respiratory tract illnesses and the inception and exacerbation of asthma are being facilitated by recent advances in research approaches and technology. In this article we identify important knowledge gaps and future research questions, and we discuss how new investigational tools, including improved respiratory tract virus detection techniques, will permit current and future researchers to define these relationships and the host, virus, developmental, and environmental mechanisms that regulate them. A better understanding of these processes should facilitate the development of improved strategies for the prevention and treatment of virus-induced wheezing illnesses and asthma exacerbations and, possibly, the ultimate goal of discovering effective approaches for the primary prevention of asthma.

aspects on the interactive masks createdby the composer Georgia Spiropoulosfor the needs of the opera LesBacchantes (Ircam, 2010). Bacchae isan opera for a single performer, tapeand live electronics where the voice ofthe performer interprets four differentroles with the interactive environmentin Max/Msp. The virtual masks as ametaphor of Euripide’s dramaticpersonae and masks1 of the same actor.Are used as virtual scores whichregister the vocal trace of the performerand give further vocal agility,extensibility, mutation, multiplicationand augmented vocality.

alpha-Lactalbumin (alpha-La) is a major cow's milk (CM) allergen responsible for allergic reactions in infants.|We performed molecular, structural, and immunologic characterization of alpha-La.|Recombinant alpha-lactalbumin (ralpha-La) was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified to homogeneity, and characterized by means of mass spectrometry and circular dichroism, and its allergenic activity was studied by using microarray technology, as well as in a basophil histamine release assay. IgE epitope mapping was performed with synthetic peptides.|According to circular dichroism analysis, ralpha-La represented a folded protein with a high thermal stability and refolding capacity. ralpha-La reacted with IgE antibodies from 57.6% of patients with CM allergy (n = 66) and induced the strongest basophil degranulation with sera from patients with CM allergy who had exhibited gastrointestinal symptoms or severe systemic reactions on CM exposure. ralpha-La contained sequential and conformational IgE epitopes. Superposition of IgE-reactive peptides onto the 3-dimensional structure of alpha-La revealed a close vicinity of the N- and C-terminal peptides within a surface-exposed patch.|ralpha-La can be used for the diagnosis of patients with severe allergic reactions to CM and serves as a paradigmatic tool for the development of therapeutic strategies for CM allergy.

These files present the observational data of the paper. There are 7 files : 6 for photometry (BVRIri) and one for polarimetry. Details of the reduction procedures and the telescopes involved can be found in the paper. (7 data files).

Historical buildings are important structures and their preservation and restoration is a vital issue worldwide. A crucial step before interventions is the definition of potential hazards and the monument’s vulnerability estimation. The Kapnikarea chapel is one of the most important and popular Byzantine monuments in Athens and dates back to the 11th century. In 1994, construction of the Athens underground Metro system began, with the tunnels passing underneath Kapnikarea foundations. During excavations, sounds of the approaching underground activities (heavy drilling and hydraulic hammer equipment) were heard in the interior of the chapel, and several failures were observed inside the church. Additional reasons reduced the structure’s rigidity are deterioration in time and past severe earthquakes. Towards the restoration planning of the monument, the University of Athens together with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Tourism, assigned to our research group the task to investigate the fundamental frequencies of the monument and of its soil foundation in order to determine resonance phenomena capable of compromising building stability during an earthquake. For this purpose, we conducted a microtremor survey. Ambient noise measurements were taken for 87 points located both on the ground and the chapel. Using the HVSR technique we determined the response of the ground, the monument’s predominant frequency and the spatial variations of the peak frequencies on the monument. Based on the experimental observations we discuss the possibility that differentiations are due to the structural members’ particularity and/or health.

The performance of QuantiFERON-tuberculosis (TB) Gold-In-Tube assay was compared with the tuberculin skin test for the diagnosis of TB among children. It was shown that among non-Bacille Calmette Guèrin immunized children, agreement between tests was excellent both in those with TB disease and in TB contacts. Among Bacille Calmette Guèrin-immunized children, agreement was fair in those with active disease and poor among TB contacts. It is concluded that QuantiFERON-TB Gold-In-Tube compares with the tuberculin skin test in the diagnosis of TB disease and latent tuberculosis infection in TB contacts among children and has enhanced specificity.

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)    Abstract women_and_sports_in_jordan_and_in_koranic_society_2010.pdf-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής ήταν να εξετάσει τους λόγους που απομακρύνουν ή αποκλείουν τη γυναίκα της Ιορδανίας από την αθλητική δραστηριότητα. Χρησιμοποιώντας τα εργαλεία των κοινωνικών επιστημών και την κοινωνιολογική προσέγγιση, στην πρώτη ενότητα μελετήθηκαν η θέση της γυναίκας στο Ισλάμ και την Ιορδανία, καθώς και ο αθλητισμός από ισλαμική σκοπιά (Najy, 1995; Mansour, 2000; Alkakei, 2001; Υοnes, 2001; Mouner, 2003; Yones & Ibrahem, 2003; El-Azhary, 2005; Αλζιούντ, 2008). Στόχος της δεύτερης ενότητας ήταν να διερευνηθούν οι επιπτώσεις των ηθών και εθίμων στην αθλητική δραστηριότητα των μαθητριών της Ιορδανικής κοινωνίας-τόσο στην περιφέρεια όσο και την πόλη-και ο βαθμός παρέμβασης των  κηδεμόνων/γονέων τους. Τα ερωτηματολόγια διανεμήθηκαν συνολικά σε 2.000 μαθήτριες και κηδεμόνες/γονείς: 1000 μαθήτριες της Ιορδανίας, ηλικίας 14-16 ετών, εκ των οποίων οι 580 εκπροσωπούσαν την αστική κοινωνία και οι 420 την αγροτική και αντίστοιχα ο ίδιος αριθμός ερωτηματολογίων μοιράστηκε στους κηδεμόνες/γονείς τους. Ως κηδεμόνας, των εν λόγω μαθητριών ορίζεται ο πατέρας ή ο μεγαλύτερος αδελφός. Η ιορδανική νομοθεσία δεν αναγνωρίζει τη μητέρα ως κηδεμόνα της κόρης της.  Συμπεράσματα: Αναδεικνύεται  ότι τα ήθη και έθιμα της αραβικής κοινωνίας, η θρησκεία, η εθνικο-θρησκευτικές και κρατικές δομές, ο αναλφαβητισμός, ο ενδυματολογικός κώδικας του Ισλάμ, οι κοινωνικές προκαταλήψεις, η έλλειψη αθλητικών χώρων αποκλειστικά για γυναίκες, η ανεπάρκεια «κατάλληλης» αθλητικής ενδυμασίας για τη μουσουλμάνα, καθώς και η έλλειψη αθλητικής κουλτούρας στην Ιορδανία, αποτελούν σοβαρά εμπόδια για τη συμμετοχή των κοριτσιών και των γυναικών στο μάθημα της φυσικής αγωγής και στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό.   Λέξεις κλειδιά: αθλητισμός από ισλαμική σκοπιά, εμπόδια στην αθλητική δραστηριότητα, ήθη και έθιμα, κοινωνικο-θρησκευτικοί περιορισμοί, «κατάλληλη» αθλητική ενδυμασία. --------------------------------------This study examines the participation of Muslim girls and women in physical education classes and competitive sports in Jordanian society. The first part of the study, using a sociological approach, focuses on international dialogue on the position of “Women in a Qur’ anic Society” (Al-Faruqi, 1984), namely in Islamic cultures, including Jordanian society, and subsequently examines sport from an Islamic perspective (Najy, 1995; Mansour, 2000; Alkakei, 2001; ÀÔnes, 2001; Mouner, 2003; Yones & Ibrahem, 2003; El-Azhary, 2005; Αλζιούντ, 2008). The second part examines socio-cultural attitudes concerning Jordanian girls’ and women’s participation in sports. Questionnaires were distributed to 1.000 female high school students in Jordan between the ages of 14-16 – 580 from urban areas and 420 from agricultural. An equivalent number (1.000 questionnaires) was also distributed to their male parents or legal guardians. According to Jordanian legislation (law 34:1973) a female (the mother) is not recognized as a legal gal guardian. The results of the study indicate that the reasons that Jordanian girls and women are discouraged or forbidden from participating in sport activities –although there are exceptions to the rule– are due to cultural perspectives, socio-religious barriers and perceptions concerning women’s bodies as well as the lack of “appropriate sport attire”, social prejudices and attitudes, the scarcity of exclusively female sport spaces/installations and so forth. In Jordanian society girls and women still confront many obstacles to sport participation.   Key-words: sport from an Islamic perspective, women’s bodies, socio-religious barriers, Muslim women in sports, “appropriate” sport attire.  

This paper argues for the support of women entrepreneurs and policies encouraging entrepreneurship regardless of gender in order to stimulate growth  as Europe does not have enough entrepreneurs. Surveys conducted by the National Foundation of Women Business Owners (NFWBO) show that women-owned firms compete in the global market, stimulate growth, have greater revenues and are more focused on business expansion than firms that are domestically oriented.1 Women entrepreneurs have a significant impact on the economy, not only in their ability to create jobs for themselves but also in creating jobs for others. However, they constitute only 34.4% of the EU's self-employed workforce and only 39.4% women choose to be self-employed compared to 50.2% men  Research also confirms that women entrepreneurs are highly educated and use more high technology systems than their male counterparts.  Additionally, studies show that women create smaller but relatively more viable enterprises, are more cautious than men and possess better awareness regarding the risk of failure.  Consequently, it is vital for women to learn how to play the international trade game and raise the visibility of women’s entrepreneurship...............................................................

1. Kamberidou, Irene (2010). Women Entrepreneurs, an Emerging Economic Force. Submitted Paper for the “SMEs and Entrepreneurship: European Actions for Women Entrepreneurs” Round Table on Women Entrepreneurship organized by the Transnational Consortium of the European project women@business and the Hellenic Association of Young Entrepreneurs, 14th December 2010, Hellenic European Parliament Office, 8 Amalias street, Athens, Greece. European Commission Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme 2007-2013. (info@militos.org). Published in EUD Community http://www.ictwomendirectory.eu (December 18, 2010 11:40 AM); in  ECWT www.womenandtechnology.eu (December 18, 2010 11:18 AM Dec. 2010). Also disseminated in women@business website (www.womenatbusiness.eu)  and in Home page: http://www.womenatbusiness.eu/ViewShopStaticPage.aspx?ValueId=2901. G.4 in Apella                Also published/disseminated in:
   1.  Global Women News: http://www.hajduszoboszlo.hu.com/digitalcity/entity/entityNews.jsp?dom=AAAATCEI&prt=AAAAYFWY&egd=AAABEAOW&hir=BAAFKBUE
   2.  European Network of Women Resource Centres, Dec. 18, 2010 (http://www.szocialispartnerek.hu/digitalcity/entity/entityNews.jsp?ktg=AAAABCOX&dom=AAAABIVV&prt=AAAAUSFE&egd=AAABEAOW
   3. Also disseminated/pulbished in: EUD Community  http://www.ictwomendirectory.eu (December 18, 2010 11:40 AM)  και στο ECWT www.womenandtechnology.eu (December 18, 2010 11:18 AM  Dec. 2010). 

Also disseminated in women@business (www.womenatbusiness.eu and http://www.womenatbusiness.eu/Files/files/Dr.pdf   

As one of the initiatives undertaken to promote Astronomy in Greece, particularly in view of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, the Hellenic Astronomical Society (Hel.A.S.), in collaboration with the Hellenic Association of the Laboratory Centers of Physical Sciences, organized a special workshop, under the umbrella of the 9th Hellenic Astronomical Conference, addressed to school teachers. The aim was to develop and promote teaching of Astronomy, which is currently an optional subject, offered during the second year of senior high school (Lyceum).

Context. Classical novae (CNe) have recently been reported to represent the major class of supersoft X-ray sources (SSSs) in the central region of our neighbour galaxy M 31. Aims: We carried out a dedicated monitoring of the M 31 central region with XMM-Newton and Chandra in order to find SSS counterparts of CNe, determine the duration of their SSS phase and derive physical outburst parameters. Methods: We systematically searched our data for X-ray counterparts of CNe and determined their X-ray light curves and spectral properties. Additionally, we determined luminosity upper limits for all novae from previous studies which are not detected anymore and for all CNe in our field of view with optical outbursts between May 2005 and March 2007. Results: We detected eight X-ray counterparts of CNe in M 31, four of which were not previously known. Seven sources can be classified as SSSs, one is a candidate SSS. Two SSSs are still visible more than nine years after the nova outburst, whereas two other nova counterparts show a short SSS phase of less than 150 days. Of the latter sources, M31N 2006-04a exhibits a short-time variable X-ray light curve with an apparent period of (1.6±0.3) h. This periodicity could indicate the binary period of the system. There is no X-ray detection for 23 out of 25 CNe which were within the field of view of our observations and had their outburst from about one year before the start of the monitoring until its end. From the 14 SSS nova counterparts known from previous studies, ten are not detected anymore. Additionally, we found four SSSs in our XMM-Newton data without a nova counterpart, one of which is a new source. Conclusions: Out of eleven SSSs detected in our monitoring, seven are counterparts of CNe. We therefore confirm the earlier finding that CNe are the major class of SSSs in the central region of M 31. We use the measured SSS turn-on and turn-off times to estimate the mass ejected in the nova outburst and the mass burned on the white dwarf. Classical novae with short SSS phases seem to be an important contributor to the overall population. Partly based on observations with XMM-Newton, an ESA Science Mission with instruments and contributions directly funded by ESA Member States and NASA.

The Saint Georgios coastal zone, located at the W coast of Naxos, the largest island of the Central Aegean Sea, was investigated in order to determine the palaeo-geography, sea level changes and their effect to the palaeo-environment of western Naxos island and to human activity. Detailed geomorphological mapping, study of micropaleontological and sedimentological characteristics and dating analyses of the Late Holocene of St. Georgios coastal zone were conducted.To obtain information about the Holocene stratigraphy under the recent alluvial cover, three boreholes followed the detailed geomorphological mapping. Microfaunal analysis took place and five samples of plants, shells, peat and charred material were also collected from several layers of the sedimentary sequence and were dated using AMS and conventional radiocarbon techniques providing temporal control of the sediments. The sea-land interactions during Upper Holocene, in relation to the eustatic sea level oscillations, as well as the geomorphologic observations and analysis on deposited sediments, aims to reveal the palaeo-geographic evolution of the landscape and its impact on the archaeological sites. Sea level rise along with sea-land interactions to the landscape evolution and the transgression of sea in 6144 BP have been verified.

(2010). Αθλητισμός και καπιταλισμός. Η κατά τον Jean-Marie Brohm δομική τους αναλογία. Σύμφωνα με τον Jean-Marie Brohm, τον μεγαλύτερο υποστηρικτή της ριζοσπαστικής κριτικής του αθλητισμού στη Γαλλία, η ανάπτυξη του αθλητισμού συνδέεται στενά με εκείνην της καπιταλιστικής βιομηχανικής εκμηχάνισης. Ο σύγχρονος αθλητισμός θα μπορούσε μάλιστα να θεωρηθεί ως η τυπική σωματική δραστηριότητα μιας βιομηχανικής κοινωνίας, καθώς αντανακλά τα θεμελιώδη γνωρίσματά της, τα οποία είναι: α). Ο εμπορευματικός αθλητισμός. β). Η εκλεκτική κατάταξη. γ). Το αθλητικό ‘προϊόν’ ως κριτήριο της παραγωγής. δ). Η ελιτίστικη επιλογή των αθλητών. ε). Η επίδοση ως αποτέλεσμα της ‘τεχνικοποίησης’ του αθλητικού έργου. στ). Η αύξηση της σωματικής αποδοτικότητας ως αποτέλεσμα της τεχνικής αποδοτικότητας. ζ). Η ‘εκμηχάνιση’ της ανθρώπινης προσωπικότητας. η). Η δέσμευση και αλλοτρίωση του προσωπικού χρόνου. θ). Ο κατακερματισμός της ανθρώπινης ολότητας. ι). Η εξωτερίκευση των αθλητικών ικανοτήτων. κ). Η αλλοτρίωση του σύγχρονου πρωταθλητή και η μηχανιστική ηθική των προτύπων επιτυχίας. Η αλλοτρίωση ή αποξένωση του ανθρώπου βρίσκει τέλεια εφαρμογή στην περίπτωση του σύγχρονου αθλητή και του έργου του. Πίσω από το μυϊκό έργο, πλέον, έχει κατασκευασθεί μια μηχανή, ανθρώπινη, αλλά, πάντως, μηχανή. Όλα λειτουργούν όπως ένα ρολόι ακριβείας, ενώ ο αθλητής έχει μετατραπεί σε εξάρτημα μιας ολόκληρης βιομηχανίας, η οποία στήνεται δίπλα του για να χρησιμοποιήσει το δικό του έργο και να κερδίσει από αυτό. Αυτό που μετράει για την κοινωνική καταξίωση είναι το σελοφάν της επιτυχίας. Τα πρότυπα που δημιουργεί το συγκεκριμένο σύστημα αξιών μπορεί προσωρινά να προκαλούν κάποια ικανοποίηση, αλλά, στην ηθική τους βάση πάσχουν, και αποπροσανατολίζουν την κοινωνία. Η αλλοίωση της πραγματικότητας που βιώνει η κοινή γνώμη, ανάγει τα ασήμαντα γεγονότα που συνιστούν οι αθλητικές συναντήσεις σε ζητήματα μείζονος σημασία, και τον μισθοφόρο-αθλητή σε επί μηχανής θεό. Οι αληθινές αξίες δεν επιβεβαιώνονται, ωστόσο, μέσω της υπερβολής και της προβολής, αλλά μπορεί να είναι σιωπηλές, μακροπρόθεσμες και πολύπλευρες. Η ενασχόληση που διαθέτει χαρακτηριστικά εξαναγκασμού και ανελευθερίας, ακόμη κι αν οδηγεί σε οποιοδήποτε ‘επιτυχές’ αποτέλεσμα, δεν μπορεί να συνιστά κοινωνικό πρότυπο, καθώς πρόκειται για αλλοίωση της ανθρώπινης φύσης. Η κοινωνία που δημιουργεί και αποδέχεται τέτοια πρότυπα, θα πρέπει, επομένως, ν’ αποκτήσει επίγνωση του εαυτού της, αναζητώντας βαθύτερα τους ιδεολογικούς παράγοντες που προξενούν τη νοσηρότητά της.  

Η λέξη ‘έρις’ απαντάται πρώτη φορά στον ελληνικό γραπτό λόγο στον Όμηρο και μετέπειτα στον Ησίοδο. Από την εποχή των πρώτων αναφορών της μέχρι σήμερα το περιεχόμενό της φαίνεται να μην έχει αλλοιωθεί, καθιστώντας τη διαχρονικότητα της λέξης αξιοσημείωτη. Ο Νίτσε, μάλιστα, με αφορμή την έριδα (αγώνα) μεταξύ του Ομήρου και του Ησιόδου υποστηρίζει τη θεωρία του ότι η φύση του ανθρώπου είναι άρρηκτα συνδεδεμένη με τη διαμάχη. Η ετυμολογία της λέξης τη συνδέει με πολλές ερμηνείες, με επικρατέστερη αυτή της φιλονικίας, της προστριβής ή ακόμη και της ερινύος, της τύψης, της οργής και της κατάρας. Ο Ησίοδος ειδικά διαχωρίζει την έριδα σε καλή και σε κακή. Εξ αυτών η πρώτη οδηγεί τους ανθρώπους στα αγαθά έργα, ενώ η δεύτερη τους κατευθύνει σε βιαιότητες και σε πολέμους. Η κακή Έριδα, χαιρέκακη ούσα, συνδέεται με τη φιλονεικία (την αγάπη του νείκους=διχόνοιας) και την καταστροφή, ενώ αντίθετα η καλή με τη φιλονικία (την αγάπη της νίκης), τη δημιουργία, τον Έρωτα της ζωής, τη δικαιοσύνη και την Πανδώρα, που φέρει όλα τα δώρα. Η καλή Έριδα οδηγεί στην ευγενή άμιλλα, τον υγιή ανταγωνισμό και τον δίκαιο αγώνα, σε αντίθεση με την κακή, που στον αθλητισμό, και γενικότερα στις εκφάνσεις του πολιτισμού προκαλεί την έχθρα και το μίσος. Η έριδα θεωρείται κάτι εγγενές του ανθρώπινου είδους, η επίγνωση, όμως, των δεινών που προκαλεί ο κακός ανταγωνισμός μπορεί να συμβάλλει στη σύλληψη από τον άνθρωπο του τρόπου με τον οποίο ο ίδιος θα ελέγξει την επιθετικότητά του, προκειμένου να ωφεληθεί από το ίδιο του το μειονέκτημα. Ο άνθρωπος έχει τη δύναμη, έλλογα, να μετατρέψει την κακή έριδα, τη φιλονεικία και τον πόλεμο σε φιλονικία με νόμο, ευγενή άμιλλα και αγώνα, εξασφαλίζοντας τη συνέχεια και την εξέλιξή του. Η χαλιναγώγηση της κατώτερης φύσης του ανθρώπου συνιστά συνειδητή στάση απέναντι στο υπό διαρκείς προκλήσεις φαινόμενο της ζωής, το οποίο δεν είναι μια συνεχής άμυνα απέναντι σε εχθρικές επιθέσεις, αλλά μια απόπειρα κατανόησης του άλλου. Η εξέλιξη του ανθρώπου βασίζεται, εν τέλει, στην αξιοποίηση της δυνατότητάς του ανθρώπου αφενός να εκλογικεύει και αφετέρου να εξανθρωπίζει τα ίδια τα ένστικτά του. 

(2009). Η συμβολή της ‘Ολυμπιακής Παιδείας’ στην αντιμετώπιση της παραβατικότητας των νέων. Η νεολαία, διαχρονικά, δεν είναι μόνο αντικείμενο διαπαιδαγώγησης, αλλά και υποκείμενο δράσης, με ιδιαίτερες επιδιώξεις και επιθυμίες. Η καθημερινότητα και ο δυτικός πολιτισμός αποδεικνύουν, μάλιστα, πως η σύγχρονη νεολαία είναι εκτεθειμένη σε μια πληθώρα ατομικών και κοινωνικών προβλημάτων, τα οποία κάθε νέος αντιμετωπίζει με εντελώς διαφορετικό τρόπο. Ο τρόπος με τον οποίο αντιμετωπίζει ο νεολαίος τα προβλήματα της πολιτισμικής κρίσης, εξαρτάται κυρίως από δύο παράγοντες: α) από την προσωπικότητα του ιδίου, και β) από το σύστημα αξιών της κοινωνίας. Ο πρώτος παράγοντας είναι αποτέλεσμα κυρίως της σχέσης του νέου με τους γονείς του, καθώς με την αποδοχή ή την απόρριψή τους αποτελούν το θετικό ή το διαλυτικό μοτίβο επάνω στο οποίο βασίζεται ολόκληρος ο ψυχισμός του. Το δεύτερο, το σύστημα αξιών, συνιστά το σύνολο των ηθικών αρχών που διέπει την κοινωνία. Εάν η τελευταία λειτουργεί με τις αρχές του σεβασμού της προσωπικότητας και της απόδοσης δικαιοσύνης, αυτές αντανακλώνται στην παιδεία της, και από εκεί στην ομάδα και το άτομο. Δια της παιδείας, επομένως, οι αξίες της κοινωνίας εξακτινώνονται σε κάθε τομέα της κοινωνικής ζωής. Ποιός είναι, όμως, ο ορισμός της ‘παραβατικότητας’; Ποια είναι τα χαρακτηριστικά ειδικά της ‘εφηβικής παραβατικότητας’ και ποια φαινόμενα την επηρεάζουν; Πώς λειτουργεί το γονεϊκό πρότυπο, την ανάγκη αποκήρυξης του οποίου έχει ο νέος, προκειμένου να επιδιώξει την αυτονομία του; Πόσο έντονη είναι η δραματοποίηση (acting-out) στον έφηβο, από ποια συναισθήματα και ανάγκες κατακλύζεται, και πιο ρόλο ελέγχου μπορεί να διαδραματίσει το εφηβικό «εγώ»; (Georges Mauco (1948), De l'inconscient à l'âme enfantine: La psychologie de l'enfant dans ses rapports avec la psychologie de l'inconscientReliure inconnue). Εξάλλου, πώς επιδρά στη διαμόρφωση παραβατικών συμπεριφορών η ενδοοικογενειακή βία, η εντεινόμενη αβεβαιότητα του μέλλοντος, τα κοινωνικά αδιέξοδα που αποτυπώνονται στις αυταρχικές δομές του συστήματος, το απαιτητικό σχολικό πρόγραμμα, η ελαχιστοποίηση του προσωπικού χρόνου του μαθητή, και η αντικατάσταση των άμεσων ανθρώπινων σχέσεων με την τεχνολογία; Μήπως περιορίζουν τη δυνατότητα κοινωνικοποίησης του νέου, ενώ τον εξασκούν στην αναζήτηση ατομικών λύσεων σε συλλογικά προβλήματα; Γενικά, πάντως, οι έφηβοι που εμφανίζουν απόκλιση από μία ‘αποδεκτή’ συμπεριφορά, είναι εγκλωβισμένοι οι ίδιοι στις αλυσίδες της παιδικής τους ηλικίας, όπου βίωσαν εγκατάλειψη, διακρίσεις, περιφρόνηση και κακή χρήση της εξουσίας, τα οποία και διαιωνίζουν από τη μια γενιά στην άλλη. Όταν τα παιδιά αυτά μπορέσουν να βιώσουν συνειδητά την αδυναμία και την οργή των πρώτων χρόνων της ζωής τους, δεν θα χρειάζονται πια να κρατούν σε απόσταση αυτά τα συναισθήματα και ταυτόχρονα να ασκούν εξουσία σε άλλους (Alice Miller, Das Drama des begabten Kindes, 1979, Neufassung 1994). Η παιδεία και ειδικότερα η ολυμπιακή παιδεία μπορεί να προσφέρει ένα χώρο επούλωσης της σκληρότητας και της κακομεταχείρισης των νέων αυτών, υπό τον όρο οτι δεν λειτουργεί με αυταρχισμό και διακρίσεις, αλλά με ανθρωπισμό. Το ίδιο ισχύει και για τις αθλητικές δραστηριότητες, υπό τον όρο οτι δεν αναπαράγουν ένα αυστηρό σύστημα επιλογής και κατάταξης, αλλά εκεί αναγνωρίζεται κάθε είδους προσφορά. Η εφαρμογή της ολυμπιακής παιδείας, προϋποθέτει, εν προκειμένω, την υιοθέτηση εκ μέρους της πολιτείας μιας νέας αθλητικής ιδεολογίας, η οποία μεταξύ άλλων σημαίνει: Την αναγνώριση της μοναδικότητας του ατόμου. Την αξιοποίηση του ψυχαγωγικού και παιγνιώδους χαρακτήρα του αθλητισμού. Τον περιορισμό του κατακερματισμού του χρόνου των μαθητών. Τη βελτίωση των αθλητικών υποδομών, ώστε να μπορεί να δημιουργηθεί η αίσθηση της ομαδικότητας και της κοινότητας. Κυρίως, όμως, την αλλαγή νοοτροπίας, ώστε ν’ απαλλαγεί ο αθλητισμός από τον ψυχαναγκασμό της πρωτιάς ή την περιφρόνηση του ηττημένου, στοχεύοντας στην αποκατάσταση μιας επαφής με τη φύση, το σώμα του και την ομάδα. Οι ανταγωνιστικές και συγκρουσιακές τάσεις που αναζωπυρώνονται στις σύγχρονες κοινωνίες, ειδικά των μεγαλουπόλεων, έχει δυσμενείς έως και δραματικές επιπτώσεις στην ομαλή λειτουργία της ίδιας της κοινωνίας. * http://www.olympic.org.cy/media/Synodoi_EOAK/21st__Session_EOAK_2009_F.pdf

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.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι να διερευνηθούν οι αιτίες που οδήγησαν στη σημερινή υπό-εκπροσώπηση των γυναικών όσον αφορά θέσεις διοικητικής ευθύνης στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς και να προταθούν στρατηγικές ενσωμάτωσης. Στην πρώτη ενότητα αναφέρονται οι θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις για το φύλο (κοινωνικό φύλο – βιολογικό φύλο). Εξετάζετε το έμφυλο υποκείμενο (gender subject) καθώς και η έμφυλη ταυτότητα ως αποτέλεσμα συσχετισμού της βιολογικής διαφοράς με πολύπλοκες κοινωνικές διεργασίες. Το ενδιαφέρον επικεντρώνετε στην έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, που αφορά στην πρόσβαση και ενσωμάτωση του υποκειμένου επιμέρους κοινωνικές περιοχές όπως της πολιτικής, του αθλητισμού κ.τ.λ. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι ιδιαίτερα στο υψηλό αθλητισμό, σε αντίθεση με άλλες κοινωνικές περιοχές, δεν συναντάται ως δομικό συστατικό  μια έμφυλη ουδετερότητα. Στην δεύτερη ενότητα διερευνήθηκαν οι παράγοντες υπό-εκπροσώπησης στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό και στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς.    Λέξεις κλειδιά: κοινωνικό φύλο, βιολογικό φύλο, έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, αθλητισμός, κοινωνική χειραφέτηση, εκδημοκρατισμός, αθλητικοί θεσμοί------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT: Women have come a long way since the 1952 Helsinki Games, where they represented only 10 percent of the Olympic athletes. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing women represented approximately 43 percent of the total athlete delegation, up from 41 percent in the Athens 2004 Olympics. This does not mean that their biological make-up has changed. What has changed however are the socio-cultural perceptions pertaining to gender. On the other hand, women constitute an invisible minority in sport governing bodies today. This paper focuses on women’s underrepresentation in sport governing bodies and proposes strategies-practices of gender inclusion, including the democratization of sport institutions. The first part of thestudy examines current discussions on gender, gender neutrality, the gender subject and gender identity. In the new theoretical framework gender is being transformed from a static biological perception into a dynamic social category, affecting and changing identity, gender relations and the expectations of the social environment. Namely, in today’s postmodernist reality discussions on gender no longer focus exclusively on the biological gender (sex) as an analytical category, but on the social gender which formulates, defines and redefines identity, according to evolving socio-cultural interpretations. Although the biological gender is losing its primacy as an analytical category in most social spaces (i.e. there is no regulated gender classification system in the political arena, in sports, etc.), it is enforced by rules and regulations in competitive sports, and not only. It seems to extend into sport governing bodies as well. The second part of the study explores the interrelation of outdated social theories, ‘biologistic’ approaches and anachronistic gender- based ideologies that established gender stereotypes, hierarchies in sports that continue to apply today. Women are still under-reprsented in executive bodies of national and international sport organizations, federations and institutions, such as the IOC: there are only 14 women who represent 14.1% of the total of 113 IOC members. Consequently, a critical issue which needs to be addressed extensively, among others, is the democratization of the IOC structures since exclusions based on genetic characteristics are a contradiction to the value system of sport. Keywords: gender identity, gender neutrality, gender neutral, democratization of the IOC structures.  ............................................

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.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι να διερευνηθούν οι αιτίες που οδήγησαν στη σημερινή υπό-εκπροσώπηση των γυναικών όσον αφορά θέσεις διοικητικής ευθύνης στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς και να προταθούν στρατηγικές ενσωμάτωσης. Στην πρώτη ενότητα αναφέρονται οι θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις για το φύλο (κοινωνικό φύλο – βιολογικό φύλο). Εξετάζετε το έμφυλο υποκείμενο (gender subject) καθώς και η έμφυλη ταυτότητα ως αποτέλεσμα συσχετισμού της βιολογικής διαφοράς με πολύπλοκες κοινωνικές διεργασίες. Το ενδιαφέρον επικεντρώνετε στην έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, που αφορά στην πρόσβαση και ενσωμάτωση του υποκειμένου επιμέρους κοινωνικές περιοχές όπως της πολιτικής, του αθλητισμού κ.τ.λ. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι ιδιαίτερα στο υψηλό αθλητισμό, σε αντίθεση με άλλες κοινωνικές περιοχές, δεν συναντάται ως δομικό συστατικό  μια έμφυλη ουδετερότητα. Στην δεύτερη ενότητα διερευνήθηκαν οι παράγοντες υπό-εκπροσώπησης στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό και στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς.    Λέξεις κλειδιά: κοινωνικό φύλο, βιολογικό φύλο, έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, αθλητισμός, κοινωνική χειραφέτηση, εκδημοκρατισμός, αθλητικοί θεσμοί------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT: Women have come a long way since the 1952 Helsinki Games, where they represented only 10 percent of the Olympic athletes. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing women represented approximately 43 percent of the total athlete delegation, up from 41 percent in the Athens 2004 Olympics. This does not mean that their biological make-up has changed. What has changed however are the socio-cultural perceptions pertaining to gender. On the other hand, women constitute an invisible minority in sport governing bodies today. This paper focuses on women’s underrepresentation in sport governing bodies and proposes strategies-practices of gender inclusion, including the democratization of sport institutions. The first part of thestudy examines current discussions on gender, gender neutrality, the gender subject and gender identity. In the new theoretical framework gender is being transformed from a static biological perception into a dynamic social category, affecting and changing identity, gender relations and the expectations of the social environment. Namely, in today’s postmodernist reality discussions on gender no longer focus exclusively on the biological gender (sex) as an analytical category, but on the social gender which formulates, defines and redefines identity, according to evolving socio-cultural interpretations. Although the biological gender is losing its primacy as an analytical category in most social spaces (i.e. there is no regulated gender classification system in the political arena, in sports, etc.), it is enforced by rules and regulations in competitive sports, and not only. It seems to extend into sport governing bodies as well. The second part of the study explores the interrelation of outdated social theories, ‘biologistic’ approaches and anachronistic gender- based ideologies that established gender stereotypes, hierarchies in sports that continue to apply today. Women are still under-reprsented in executive bodies of national and international sport organizations, federations and institutions, such as the IOC: there are only 14 women who represent 14.1% of the total of 113 IOC members. Consequently, a critical issue which needs to be addressed extensively, among others, is the democratization of the IOC structures since exclusions based on genetic characteristics are a contradiction to the value system of sport. Keywords: gender identity, gender neutrality, gender neutral, democratization of the IOC structures.  ............................................

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.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι να διερευνηθούν οι αιτίες που οδήγησαν στη σημερινή υπό-εκπροσώπηση των γυναικών όσον αφορά θέσεις διοικητικής ευθύνης στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς και να προταθούν στρατηγικές ενσωμάτωσης. Στην πρώτη ενότητα αναφέρονται οι θεωρητικές προσεγγίσεις για το φύλο (κοινωνικό φύλο – βιολογικό φύλο). Εξετάζετε το έμφυλο υποκείμενο (gender subject) καθώς και η έμφυλη ταυτότητα ως αποτέλεσμα συσχετισμού της βιολογικής διαφοράς με πολύπλοκες κοινωνικές διεργασίες. Το ενδιαφέρον επικεντρώνετε στην έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, που αφορά στην πρόσβαση και ενσωμάτωση του υποκειμένου επιμέρους κοινωνικές περιοχές όπως της πολιτικής, του αθλητισμού κ.τ.λ. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι ιδιαίτερα στο υψηλό αθλητισμό, σε αντίθεση με άλλες κοινωνικές περιοχές, δεν συναντάται ως δομικό συστατικό  μια έμφυλη ουδετερότητα. Στην δεύτερη ενότητα διερευνήθηκαν οι παράγοντες υπό-εκπροσώπησης στον αγωνιστικό αθλητισμό και στους αθλητικούς θεσμούς.    Λέξεις κλειδιά: κοινωνικό φύλο, βιολογικό φύλο, έμφυλη ουδετερότητα, αθλητισμός, κοινωνική χειραφέτηση, εκδημοκρατισμός, αθλητικοί θεσμοί------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ABSTRACT: Women have come a long way since the 1952 Helsinki Games, where they represented only 10 percent of the Olympic athletes. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing women represented approximately 43 percent of the total athlete delegation, up from 41 percent in the Athens 2004 Olympics. This does not mean that their biological make-up has changed. What has changed however are the socio-cultural perceptions pertaining to gender. On the other hand, women constitute an invisible minority in sport governing bodies today. This paper focuses on women’s underrepresentation in sport governing bodies and proposes strategies-practices of gender inclusion, including the democratization of sport institutions. The first part of thestudy examines current discussions on gender, gender neutrality, the gender subject and gender identity. In the new theoretical framework gender is being transformed from a static biological perception into a dynamic social category, affecting and changing identity, gender relations and the expectations of the social environment. Namely, in today’s postmodernist reality discussions on gender no longer focus exclusively on the biological gender (sex) as an analytical category, but on the social gender which formulates, defines and redefines identity, according to evolving socio-cultural interpretations. Although the biological gender is losing its primacy as an analytical category in most social spaces (i.e. there is no regulated gender classification system in the political arena, in sports, etc.), it is enforced by rules and regulations in competitive sports, and not only. It seems to extend into sport governing bodies as well. The second part of the study explores the interrelation of outdated social theories, ‘biologistic’ approaches and anachronistic gender- based ideologies that established gender stereotypes, hierarchies in sports that continue to apply today. Women are still under-reprsented in executive bodies of national and international sport organizations, federations and institutions, such as the IOC: there are only 14 women who represent 14.1% of the total of 113 IOC members. Consequently, a critical issue which needs to be addressed extensively, among others, is the democratization of the IOC structures since exclusions based on genetic characteristics are a contradiction to the value system of sport. Keywords: gender identity, gender neutrality, gender neutral, democratization of the IOC structures.  ............................................

Το κείμενο εξετάζει την περίπτωσι τῆς 28ης Οκτωβρίου 1940, ως εφαρμογή της γεωπολιτικής αναλύσεως. Ο συγγραφέας αποδεικνύει ότι ἡ παγκόσμια περιπέτεια τοῦ Β΄ Μεγάλου Πολέμου ἀναγιγνώσκεται μὲ ὅρους ψυχρῆς λογικῆς, ἐμπεριέχει μιὰ ἀδυσώπητη ἐντελέχεια, ἀποτελεῖ κατηγορητήριο σκληρὸ τοῦ οὐτοπισμοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἰδεαλισμοῦ στὸν τομέα τῶν διεθνῶν σχέσεων καὶ μπορεῖ νὰ μᾶς διδάξει πολλά, ἰδιαιτέρως εἰς τὴν παροῦσα συγκυρία, ἐφ' ὅσον ὅλα τὰ διεθνῶς συμβαίνοντα στὸ ἐπαναδιαμορφούμενο διεθνὲς σύστημα, ὑπακούουν εἰς τὴν ἰδία γεωπολιτικὴ συνάρτηση, μὲ νέα ἁπλῶς δεδομένα.

Κεντρική θέση της διατριβής είναι ότι το διεθνές περιβάλλον (και ιδιαίτερα οι διεθνείς σχηματισμοί / οργανισμοί των οποίων ένα κράτος είναι ή επιδιώκει να γίνει μέλος) επιδρά στην επιλογή, τη διαμόρφωση και την εφαρμογή εκπαιδευτικών πολιτικών σε μια χώρα, όχι κατά τρόπο ενιαίο αλλά σε συνδυασμό με την εγχώρια πολιτική, οικονομική, κοινωνική και πολιτισμική πραγματικότητα. Η μελέτη των επιδράσεων αυτών έχει ιδιαίτερη σημασία για την κατανόηση του εκπαιδευτικού γίγνεσθαι μιας χώρας, ιδιαίτερα όταν αφορά επιδράσεις από διεθνείς δομές, οι οποίες επιβάλλουν πολύ περιορισμένες θεσμικές ή άλλες δεσμεύσεις στις συνδεμένες χώρες και τα κράτη μέλη στον τομέα της εκπαίδευσης, αλλά διατυπώνουν ισχυρό πολιτικο-οικονομικό λόγο, όπως συνέβαινε με την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα την εξεταζόμενη από τη διδακτορική διατριβή περίοδο.Στο πλαίσιο αυτό η κεντρική ερευνητική υπόθεση είναι ότι: ο Ευρωπαϊκός προσανατολισμός της Ελλάδας, όπως εκφράζεται από τα τέλη της δεκαετίας του 1950, με το (κατ’ αρχήν ευοδωθέν) εγχείρημα της Σύνδεσης της χώρας με την Ευρωπαϊκή Οικονομική Κοινότητα, και επαναβεβαιώνεται μετά την αποκατάσταση της δημοκρατίας (1974) με την αποτελεσματική προσπάθεια πλήρους Ένταξης της χώρας στην Κοινοτική διαδικασία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ολοκλήρωσης, επιδρά με ουσιαστικό τρόπο, τόσο σε επίπεδο ρηματικού λόγου όσο και σε επίπεδο πραγματικών εκπαιδευτικών πολιτικών επιλογών, στις τελέσφορες ή ατελέσφορες εκπαιδευτικές πρωτοβουλίες, προσπάθειες αλλαγής και μεταρρυθμίσεις καθ’ όλη την περίοδο 1959-1981. Η διερεύνηση των επιδράσεων αυτών συμβάλλει στην πληρέστερη κατανόηση των εκπαιδευτικών πολιτικών και των παιδαγωγικών επιλογών, την επαρκέστερη διαπραγμάτευση της εκπαιδευτικής και παιδαγωγικής ιστορίας και την περισσότερο ολοκληρωμένη ιστορική συγκριτική ανάλυση των μεταρρυθμιστικών «επεισοδίων» της εξεταζόμενης περιόδου.Για να διερευνήσει το θέμα, η διατριβή αντλεί, θεωρητικά και μεθοδολογικά, από δύο διαφορετικά επιστημονικά πεδία: Αφενός από την ιστορική – συγκριτική μελέτη της εκπαίδευσης και της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής, και αφετέρου από το πεδίο των Ευρωπαϊκών σπουδών και ιδιαίτερα από τον τομέα που αφορά στις μελέτες αλληλεπίδρασης ανάμεσα στον εγχώριο και τον Ευρωπαϊκό λόγο και τις αντίστοιχες πολιτικές. Συνδυάζοντας θεωρητικές και μεθοδολογικές προσεγγίσεις και από τα δύο πεδία, για τη διερεύνηση του εκπαιδευτικού λόγου και των πολιτικών της εκπαίδευσης στο ευρύτερο συγκείμενο που δημιουργούν οι εθνικές (Ελληνικές) και οι Ευρωπαϊκές συνθήκες/ εξελίξεις, επιχειρείται μια «υβριδική» «ανάγνωση» της Ελληνικής εκπαίδευσης, του παιδαγωγικού κανόνα και της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής της εξεταζόμενης περιόδου, η οποία λαμβάνει ισχυρά υπόψη τη θέση της χώρας στο διεθνές σύστημα και την επιδίωξή της, καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια της εξεταζόμενης περιόδου, να αποτελέσει μέρος του Ευρωπαϊκού γίγνεσθαι, συμμετέχοντας ισότιμα στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ολοκλήρωση. Συνδυάζονται, κατ’ αυτόν τον τρόπο, στη μελέτη της εκπαίδευσης, το «ενδογενές» συγκείμενο, που διαμορφώνουν οι εσωτερικές / εθνικές πολιτικές, οικονομικές, κοινωνικές και πολιτισμικές συνθήκες με το «εξωγενές» συγκείμενο, που αναφέρεται στις συνθήκες που επικρατούν στο διεθνές περιβάλλον της χώρας, και ιδιαίτερα στη διαδικασία της Ευρωπαϊκής ενοποίησης.Μέσα από την ολοκληρωμένη διερεύνηση της κεντρικής υπόθεσης και την εμπεριστατωμένη διεκπεραίωση των επιμέρους στόχων της, η διατριβή επιδιώκει:

• Να συνεισφέρει μια διαφορετική ανάγνωση της Ελληνικής εκπαιδευτικής ιστορίας της περιόδου.
• Να προτείνει και να εφαρμόσει μια σύνθετη («υβριδική») μέθοδο ιστορικής συγκριτικής ανάλυσης του παιδαγωγικού κανόνα και της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής τόσο των εθνικών κρατών όσο και των διεθνών οργανισμών.
• Να αποτελέσει ουσιαστική συμβολή στα επιστημονικά πεδία της συγκριτικής εκπαίδευσης / παιδαγωγικής, της παιδαγωγικής και της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής, των διεθνών σπουδών στην εκπαίδευση και της ιστορίας της εκπαίδευσης.

Πέρα από την Εισαγωγή, όπου παρουσιάζονται το σκεπτικό, η κεντρική θέση, το αντικείμενο, τα ερευνητικά ερωτήματα, και, με συνοπτικό τρόπο, η θεωρία και η μέθοδος καθώς και η διάρθρωση της μελέτης, η διατριβή αυτή αποτελείται από τρία μέρη:Το Πρώτο Μέρος περιλαμβάνει τα δύο πρώτα κεφάλαιά της τα οποία έχουν ως αντικείμενο τις θεωρητικές καταβολές και τις μεθοδολογικές προσεγγίσεις της έρευνας, της ανάλυσης και της ερμηνείας του αντικειμένου της διατριβής.Το Πρώτο Κεφάλαιο «Θεωρία και μέθοδος: Συγκριτική – Ιστορική Ανάλυση, Φουκωϊκή Επιστημολογία και Κριτική Ανάλυση της Εκπαιδευτικής Πολιτικής» διαπραγματεύεται αναλυτικά τις θεωρητικές και μεθοδολογικές προσεγγίσεις της διατριβής που χρησιμοποιούνται για την θεωρητική θεμελίωση της μελέτης, τη μεθοδολογική οριοθέτηση της έρευνας και την ανάλυση και την ερμηνεία των ερευνητικών δεδομένων. Στην πρώτη ενότητα του κεφαλαίου γίνεται εκτενής αναφορά στο επιστημολογικό «μωσαϊκό» της συγκριτικής παιδαγωγικής με ιδιαίτερη αναφορά στη Συγκριτική – Ιστορική Ανάλυση η οποία αποτελεί την κύρια συγκριτική μεθοδολογική επιλογή της διατριβής. Η Συγκριτική – Ιστορική Ανάλυση επικαιροποιείται με την ένταξη σ’ αυτήν στοιχείων από την ιστορική κοινωνιολογία, την ιστοριογραφία των Annales και τη διαπραγμάτευση ζητημάτων περιοδολόγησης στη δεύτερη ενότητα του Κεφαλαίου. Η τρίτη ενότητα εξετάζει τις δύο πιο προβεβλημένες φουκωϊκές «επιστημολογίες» διερεύνησης, ανάλυσης και ερμηνείας ζητημάτων «εξουσίας / γνώσης» και «αλήθειας» , την «αρχαιολογία» και τη «γενεαλογία», ως μορφές Συγκριτικής – Ιστορικής Ανάλυσης και κριτικής της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής ως «ιστορίας-προβλήματος». Η τέταρτη ενότητα αφορά στη θεωρητική και μεθοδολογική θεμελίωση της κριτικής ανάλυσης της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής, ως «κειμένου» και «λόγου» στο πλαίσιο μιας ιστορικά ευαίσθητης πλουραλιστικής προσέγγισης. Αυτό το πρώτο Κεφάλαιο επιχειρεί να καταδείξει αναλυτικά την «εκλεκτική» προσέγγιση της διατριβής στα ζητήματα συγκριτικής ανάλυσης της εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής.Το Δεύτερο Κεφάλαιο συμπληρώνει τη θεωρία και τη μέθοδο της μελέτης, παρουσιάζοντας μια «Γενεαλογία των θεωριών για την Ευρωπαϊκή Ολοκλήρωση και εννοιολόγηση του Εξευρωπαϊσμού». Οι τρεις πρώτες ενότητες του Κεφαλαίου εξετάζουν τρείς διαδοχικές γενεές θεωριών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ολοκλήρωσης με στόχο (α) να εξηγήσουν τις διαφορετικές μεθοδολογικές και ερμηνευτικές προσεγγίσεις του Ευρωπαϊκού εγχειρήματος και (β) να αιτιολογήσουν την κατά κύριο λόγο Ιστορική – Κοινωνική Θεσμική προσέγγιση της διαπραγμάτευσης της Ενοποίησης στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας μελέτης. Η τέταρτη ενότητα αφορά στην εννοιολόγηση του Εξευρωπαϊσμού ως μιας από τις κύριες παραμέτρους της προσέγγισης της διατριβής στο ζήτημα των Ευρωπαϊκών επιδράσεων στις υποψήφιες χώρες και τις χώρες μέλη της Κοινότητας.Το Δεύτερο Μέρος περιλαμβάνει τα τρία ερευνητικά κεφάλαια, τα οποία αναφέρονται στις τρεις «εποχές» της χρονικής περιόδου που εξετάζει η διατριβή, 1959 – 1981. Για λόγους συνοχής, τα δύο πρώτα κεφάλαια (Τρίτο και Τέταρτο της Διατριβής) κατηγοριοποιούνται κάτω από τον τίτλο «Η Εποχή της Σύνδεσης», ενώ το επόμενο (Πέμπτο Κεφάλαιο), συνιστά την «Εποχή της Προσχώρησης». Τα κεφάλαια έχουν σχετικά ενιαία διάρθρωση, ώστε να είναι δυνατή η σύγκριση των διαφορετικών «εποχών», αλλά ταυτόχρονα να δίνεται η δυνατότητα στον αναγνώστη να παρακολουθήσει διαχρονικά τις εξελίξεις σε κάθε έναν από τους τομείς που διαπραγματεύεται η έρευνα. Διαπραγματεύονται διαδοχικά το «εξωγενές» και το «ενδογενές» συγκείμενο της εκπαίδευσης στην Ελλάδα για κάθε «εποχή» που εξετάζεται και ολοκληρώνονται με την συμπερασματική καταγραφή των επιδράσεων που μπορούν σε κάθε περίπτωση να ανιχνευθούν στην Ελληνική εκπαίδευση από την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα αλλά και πέρα απ’ αυτή, σε μια προσπάθεια να μην απομονωθεί αυθαίρετα το Ευρωπαϊκό από το παγκόσμιο πλαίσιο στην ιστορική του πορεία.Το πρώτο κεφάλαιο του Δεύτερου Μέρους (Τρίτο Κεφάλαιο) έχει τίτλο «Η Περίοδος της Προσέγγισης, 1959 – 1967». Στο κεφάλαιο καταγράφεται: το «εξωγενές συγκείμενο» της εκπαίδευσης, οι παράμετροι που διαμόρφωναν το διεθνές περιβάλλον στο τέλος της δεκαετίας του 1950 και οι εξελίξεις στην Ευρώπη και στις Ευρωπαϊκές Κοινότητες, σε μια περίοδο που χαρακτηρίζεται από τον αυξημένο ρόλο των διεθνών οργανισμών, της ενίσχυσης της αλληλεξάρτησης μεταξύ των κρατών και την παγίωση των δύο διεθνών συνασπισμών μέσω του Ψυχρού Πολέμου· το «ενδογενές συγκείμενο» που συνιστούσαν οι εγχώριες πολιτικές, οικονομικές και κοινωνικές εξελίξεις στην Ελλάδα, η οποία προσπαθούσε να βρει το βηματισμό της μετά τον Εμφύλιο πόλεμο και να μπει σε αναπτυξιακή τροχιά· ο πολιτικός, οικονομικός και κοινωνικο-πολιτισμικός λόγος που αναπτύχθηκε στην Ελλάδα ενόψει της Σύνδεσης με την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα από τους υπέρμαχους και τους πολέμιους της Ευρωπαϊκής προοπτικής· οι εκπαιδευτικές εξελίξεις στην Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα αλλά και στον ευρύτερο Ευρωπαϊκό χώρο· οι εκπαιδευτικές εξελίξεις στην Ελλάδα και κυρίως τα «μεταρρυθμιστικά επεισόδια» του 1959 και του 1964· οι επιδράσεις της Ευρωπαϊκής προοπτικής της χώρας στον εκπαιδευτικό λόγο, τις πολιτικές της εκπαίδευσης και τον παιδαγωγικό κανόνα. Το Κεφάλαιο ολοκληρώνεται με τη συνολική αποτίμηση της εκπαίδευσης κατά την περίοδο 1959-1967 υπό το πρίσμα της προσέγγισης με την Ευρώπη και ιδιαίτερα με την Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα.Το επόμενο κεφάλαιο (Τέταρτο) έχει τίτλο «Η Περίοδος της Αποδρομής, 1967 – 1974» και αναφέρεται στην περίοδο της δικτατορίας, κατά τη διάρκεια της οποίας η εφαρμογή της Συμφωνία Σύνδεσης είχε ανασταλεί από τα Κοινοτικά όργανα, και εφαρμοζόταν μόνο σε «τρέχουσες υποθέσεις» δευτερεύουσας σημασίας. Ακολουθώντας τα ίδια βήματα με το προηγούμενο Κεφάλαιο για την εξέταση του «ενδογενούς» και του «εξωγενούς» συγκειμένου της εκπαίδευσης, τις «πανοπτικές» εκπαιδευτικές πολιτικές και πρακτικές της δικτατορίας και τις σημαντικές εξελίξεις στην κατεύθυνση της διαμόρφωσης μιας εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής της Ευρωπαϊκής Κοινότητας, διαπιστώνεται η ελαχιστοποίηση των επιδράσεων του Ευρωπαϊκού συγκειμένου στην Ελληνική εκπαίδευση. Στη συνολική αποτίμηση της περιόδου τονίζεται η αποδόμηση πολλών από τις μεταρρυθμίσεις της προηγούμενης περιόδου και η ενίσχυση της εσωστρέφειας του Ελληνικού εκπαιδευτικού συστήματος.Το Πέμπτο Κεφάλαιο έχει τίτλο «Η Εποχή της Προσχώρησης, 1974 - 1981» και αναφέρεται στην πρώτη περίοδο της «μεταπολίτευσης», η οποία συμπίπτει με την περίοδο των διαπραγματεύσεων για την Προσχώρηση της Ελλάδας στην Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα και την Ένταξη της, ως δέκατου μέλους, στην Κοινότητα το 1981. Όπως και στα δύο προηγούμενα Κεφάλαια, καταγράφονται οι εξελίξεις στην Ευρωπαϊκή Κοινότητα και το διεθνές περιβάλλον, όπου έχει ήδη τελειώσει η «χρυσή εποχή» της μεταπολεμικής ανάπτυξης και κυριαρχεί η ύφεση, και το νέο εγχώριο πολιτικό οικονομικό και κοινωνικό σκηνικό που έφερε η μεταπολίτευση, καθώς και ο λόγος που αναπτύσσεται ενόψει της ένταξης και οι αντίστοιχες θεσμικές διαδικασίες. Αναφορικά με την εκπαίδευση, εξετάζονται οι σημαντικές εκπαιδευτικές εξελίξεις στην Κοινότητα, οι οποίες συνιστούν «οπισθοχώρηση» σε σχέση με την ανάπτυξη μιας Κοινοτικής εκπαιδευτικής πολιτικής αλλά ταυτόχρονα σημαίνουν την προώθηση σημαντικών κοινών εκπαιδευτικών δράσεων των κρατών-μελών, αλλά και οι εξελίξεις στην Ελληνική εκπαίδευση, όπου δεσπόζει το «μεταρρυθμιστικό επεισόδιο» 1976-1977 και οι έντονες διεργασίες στην Ανώτατη Εκπαίδευση. Στη συνέχεια παρουσιάζονται οι επιδράσεις της πορείας προς την Ένταξη στον εκπαιδευτικό λόγο, τις εκπαιδευτικές πολιτικές και το θεσμικό πλαίσιο της εκπαίδευσης και γενικότερα στον παιδαγωγικό κανόνα την Ελληνικής εκπαίδευσης. Το Κεφάλαιο ολοκληρώνεται με τη συνολική αποτίμηση των διεργασιών της περιόδου για την Ελληνική εκπαίδευση.Το Τρίτο Μέρος περιλαμβάνει το Έκτο και τελικό Κεφάλαιο, όπου παρουσιάζονται προτάσεις για την περαιτέρω χρονική και εννοιολογική διερεύνηση του ζητήματος των επιδράσεων της Ευρωπαϊκής Οικονομικής Κοινότητας / Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης στην Ελληνικό εκπαιδευτικό λόγο, τις πολιτικές και τις πρακτικές μετά την Ένταξη της Ελλάδας στην Κοινότητα καθώς και τα συγκριτικά συμπεράσματα από τον έλεγχο των υποθέσεων της έρευνας και της μελέτης. Στα συμπεράσματα τονίζεται ότι η Ευρωπαϊκή πορεία της Ελλάδας επέδρασε στη διαμόρφωση των εκπαιδευτικών και παιδαγωγικών της επιλογών, πολιτικών και πρακτικών, τόσο στο επίπεδο του λόγου όσο και (κατά την περίοδο 1974-1981) σε θεσμικό επίπεδο, ενώ ανακεφαλαιώνονται και ερμηνεύονται συγκριτικά, με βάση το θεωρητικό πλαίσιο της διατριβής οι συγκεκριμένες επιδράσεις.Στο τέλος της διδακτορικής διατριβής παρατίθεται ο πλήρης κατάλογος των πρωτογενών και δευτερογενών, νομοθετικών και αρχειακών πηγών που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν καθώς και ο πλήρης κατάλογος των ξενόγλωσσων και ελληνόγλωσσων βιβλιογραφικών αναφορών.

Στὸ ἐξαιρετικῶς καλὰ τεκμηριωμένο ὅσο καὶ ἐπιστημονικῶς κριτικόν του πόνημα ὁ Ἐφραὶμ Ἴνμπαρ μᾶς παρουσιάζει μιὰν ἀπὸ τὶς μεγαλύτερες πολιτικὲς μορφὲς τοῦ ἰσραηλινοῦ κράτους ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγωνιστοῦ τῆς εἰρήνης (βραβεῖο Νόμπελ Εἰρήνης μαζὶ μὲ τοὺς Σιμὸν Πέρες καὶ Γιάσερ Ἁραφάτ), τὸν Γιτζχὰκ Ράμπιν, ἕνα ὁραματιστὴ πού, ὅπως συμβαίνει μὲ τοὺς πραγματικοὺς ὁραματιστάς, ἐπλήρωσε τοὺς ἀγῶνές του μὲ τὴν ζωήν του ἐνῷ ὡμιλοῦσε γιὰ τὴν εἰρήνη στὴν Πλατεῖα τῆς Εἰρήνης στὸ Τὲλ Ἀβίβ, στίς 4 Νοεμβρίου 1995, ἀπὸ τὶς σφαῖρες ἑνὸς ὑπερορθοδόξου Ἑβραίου, Ἰσραηλινοῦ φοιτητοῦ τοῦ Πανεπιστημίου τοῦ Μπὰρ Ἰλάν, τοῦ νεαροῦ Γιγκὰλ Ἀμίρ. Το παρόν κείμενο αποτελεί πρόλογο του Καθηγητή Ι. Θ. Μάζη, στο πόνημα του Ἐφραὶμ Ἴνμπαρ.

Με τον όρο «κοινωνικά συστήματα προστασίας της υγείας»  εννοούνται τα συστήματα στα οποία η υποβάθμιση της υγείας του ανθρώπου θεωρείται κοινωνικός κίνδυνος. Οι συμπράξεις στα  κοινωνικά συστήματα προστασίας της υγείας εγείρουν δύο βασικά ερωτήματα στα οποία εστιάζεται η μελέτη: Πρώτον, εάν η ιδιαίτερη φύση της υγειοπροστατευτικής δραστηριότητας επιβάλλει τη θέσπιση ιδιαίτερου νομοθετικού καθεστώτος σε σχέση με το γενικό καθεστώς που ισχύει για τις συμπράξεις στους υπόλοιπους τομείς της διοικητικής δράσεως. Δεύτερον, ποιες επιπτώσεις επιφέρει ο χαρακτηρισμός των ταμείων κοινωνικής ασφάλισης και των δημόσιων οργανισμών παροχής υπηρεσιών υγείας ως επιχειρήσεων, κατά την εφαρμογή του ευρωπαϊκού δικαίου για την εσωτερική αγορά, τις κρατικές ενισχύσεις και τον ανταγωνισμό, στη νομική φύση των συμπράξεων. Τα τελευταία χρόνια η κοινωνική ασφάλιση και οι κοινωνικές υπηρεσίες αποτελούν το αντικείμενο συζητήσεων και προβληματισμού, κυρίως επειδή η επιδίωξη μεγαλύτερης συμμετοχής του ιδιωτικού τομέα εντείνει τις δυσκολίες στην εφαρμογή των κανόνων για την εσωτερική αγορά, τον ανταγωνισμό και τις κρατικές ενισχύσεις και δημόσιες συμβάσεις.  Από την ανάλυση της νομοθεσίας και της νομολογίας του ΔΕΚ προκύπτουν τα εξής:  Στα κοινωνικά συστήματα προστασίας της υγείας η καθολική πρόσβαση, δηλαδή η αλληλεγγύη δεν έχει σχέση αυτό καθεαυτό με την παροχή των ιατρικών υπηρεσιών, αλλά με την ασφαλιστική ή φορολογική κάλυψη του κινδύνου. Επομένως, θα πρέπει να διαχωρίζεται η ασφαλιστική δραστηριότητα από την υγειοπροστατευτική. Η ασφαλιστική δραστηριότητα κινείται εκτός του ευρωπαϊκού δικαίου για την εσωτερική αγορά και τον ανταγωνισμό, εφόσον προέχει η κοινωνική αλληλεγγύη και ο κρατικός έλεγχος. Οι ιατρικές υπηρεσίες μπορεί να παρέχονται και από τον δημόσιο και από τον ιδιωτικό τομέα. Στην περίπτωση αυτή η τυχόν προνομιακή μεταχείριση του δημόσιου τομέα ή των ιδιωτικών φορέων που διαχειρίζονται το σύστημα για λογαριασμό του στο μέτρο που δεν δικαιολογείται με βάση το άρθρο 86 παρ. 2 ΣΕΚ θίγει τον ανταγωνισμό. Υποστηρίζω ότι η φύση της υγειοπροστατευτικής δραστηριότητας και ο σκοπός της παροχής υψηλής ποιότητας υπηρεσιών υγείας με ανεκτό δημοσιονομικά κόστος επιβάλλουν την επεξεργασία και εισαγωγή ιδιαίτερου θεσμικού πλαισίου για τις συμπράξεις του δημόσιου, του κοινωνικού και του ιδιωτικού τομέα των υπηρεσιών υγείας.   

Le présent travail, qui s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une recherche plus vaste consacrée à l’étude des représentations sexuées véhiculées par les manuels scolaires d’histoire, se situe au croisement de l’histoire de l’éducation et de celle du genre. Il porte sur la visibilité des sexes dans les manuels d’histoire de deux pays, la Grèce et la France, à travers l’étude comparée d’une unité thématique, la Révolution française. Le choix de cette unité n’est pas arbitraire : étant donné que cette période marque une rupture profonde dans l’histoire du monde occidental, une place, plus ou moins importante, est consacrée à son étude dans les manuels d’histoire de tous les degrés d’enseignement. De surcroît, c’est pendant la Révolution française qu'un débat est ouvert en France, pour la première fois, sur la question de la participation des femmes au politique.Dans un premier temps, ce travail examine plus précisément, par le biais d’une analyse quantitative des notations sexuées, le partage de l’espace historique entre les sexes dans la partie textuelle et documentaire de neuf ouvrages français et de six manuels grecs enseignés entre 2000 et 2008 à l’école primaire, au collège et au lycée. Les résultats de cette enquête furent décevants. La place réservée à l’histoire du sexe féminin est extrêmement réduite ; en outre l’organisation des ouvrages étudiés favorise la présence fragmentaire des femmes dans le récit historique. La deuxième partie de l’étude est consacrée à un travail de marquage des présences et des absences des femmes prenant appui sur l’historiographie relative au sujet. Ce travail vise à inscrire le récit proposé dans un engagement politique pour une réécriture « genrée » de l’histoire enseignée à l’école.

Στόχος της εργασίας αυτής είναι να συνοψίσει και να παρουσιάσει τα ευρήματα των πιο πρόσφατων μετα-αναλύσεων και ανασκοπήσεων για την αποτελεσματικότητα των προληπτικών και παρεμβατικών προγραμμάτων κατά του σχολικού εκφοβισμού. Γίνονται αναφορές στα ερευνητικά σχέδια με τα οποία έχει αξιολογηθεί η αποτελεσματικότητα των προγραμμάτων, καθώς και στους τρόπους αξιολόγησης του εκφοβισμού και της θυματοποίησης στα προγράμματα αυτά. Με δεδομένη την ελάχιστη έως μέτρια επιτυχία των περισσότερων παρεμβάσεων, διατυπώνονται ερμηνείες για την περιορισμένη αυτή αποτελεσματικότητα. Η ερευνητικά τεκμηριωμένη γνώση των αρχών, των συστατικών και των επιπέδων παρέμβασης που επιφέρουν τη μεγαλύτερη μείωση του σχολικού εκφοβισμού είναι απολύτως απαραίτητη για τη διαμόρφωση της αντι-εκφοβιστικής πολιτικής και στην Ελλάδα.

Η μεγάλη οικονομική και κοινωνική κρίση που πλήττει τον δυτικό κόσμο σήμερα, επηρεάζει και την Ελλάδα, αναδεικνύοντας τις αδυναμίες και τις ελλείψεις του πολιτικού της συστήματος. Η χώρα καλείται να διαμορφώσει πολιτικές, ικανές να την συγκρατήσουν πρώτα, και στη συνέχεια να την σταθεροποιήσουν και να την αναπτύξουν. Ο στόχος, επομένως, μιας ανάκαμψης, η οποία θα αρχίσει ενδεχομένως να εξακτινώνεται στην κοινωνική ζωή και τις δραστηριότητές της -μία εκ των οποίων είναι και ο αθλητισμός- δεν είναι ακόμη ούτε ορατός ούτε και σαφής. Ειδικότερα, ο  αθλητισμός, ως επιγέννημα του τεχνολογικού συστήματος, επηρεάζεται καθοριστικά από την οικονομική κρίση, καθώς ως προτεραιότητα δεν συνιστά μία από τις πρώτες επιλογές στην κατάταξη των κοινωνικών αναγκών. Είναι λογικό, κοινωνίες που αντιμετωπίζουν ένα ευρύ φάσμα προβλημάτων, να αξιολογούν ως άμεση ανάγκη την επιβίωσή τους, περιθωριοποιώντας αντίστοιχα άλλες δράσεις οι οποίες δεν συνδέονται άμεσα με αυτήν.  Ο αθλητισμός αντικειμενικά δεν συνιστά μία από τις μεγάλες προτεραιότητες του συστήματος, με αποτέλεσμα αυτός να τίθεται σε δεύτερη ή και τρίτη μοίρα, και να μην ενισχύεται οικονομικά. Ωστόσο, καθένας γνωρίζει ότι η εφαρμογή και η αποτελεσματικότητα του αθλητισμού προϋποθέτει υλικοτεχνικές υποδομές. Ο αθλητισμός, όπως ακριβώς ο τουρισμός και η ναυτιλία, συνδέονται και εξαρτώνται από τις υποδομές, χωρίς τις οποίες οι δράσεις αυτές ατονούν και συρρικνώνονται. Γεννιούνται, επομένως, σχετικά με το παρόν και το μέλλον του ελληνικού αθλητισμού, ορισμένα θεμελιώδη ζητήματα, τα οποία η πολιτεία πρώτα και οι αρμόδιοι φορείς ύστερα, καλούνται να αποσαφηνίσουν. Σε ποια θέση της κλίμακας προτεραιοτήτων τοποθετείται ο αθλητισμός; Τι επακριβώς ορίζεται από την πολιτεία και την κοινωνία ως «ελληνικός» αθλητισμός; Υπάρχει κάποια ιεράρχηση από την πολιτεία των μορφών του αθλητισμού, και βάσει ποιών ποιοτικών κριτηρίων γίνεται αυτή; Υπάρχει κάποιο εκφρασμένο από το παρελθόν ενδιαφέρον της πολιτείας για τον αθλητισμό και μια στοιχειώδης υποδομή, που θα μπορούσαν σε αυτή τη φάση να αποτελέσουν στήριγμά του, ή, μήπως, αποκαλύπτεται ένα γυμνό αθλητικό τοπίο; Μήπως το γυμνό τοπίο του αθλητισμού στην Ελλάδα του 2010, δεν είναι μόνο αποτέλεσμα της υπάρχουσας οικονομικής κρίσης, αλλά, κυρίως, της έλλειψης φιλοσοφικού στόχου της πολιτείας για τον αθλητισμό; Συνιστά, εν προκειμένω, για την πολιτεία ο αθλητισμός μια ανάγκη και μια αξία, ή μήπως συνιστά μια απαξία; Και, τέλος, κατά πόσο επηρεάζεται ο αθλητισμός, ως κοινωνική έκφανση, από το υπάρχον σύστημα αξιών της κοινωνίας;  

We present the clinical and radiographic outcomes of the cementless low-contact-stress (LCS) rotating-platform total knee arthroplasty. Overall, 423 prostheses were implanted in 393 consecutive patients (30 patients had bilateral total knee replacement) for primary varus gonarthrosis (381 patients) and rheumatoid arthritis (12 patients). There were 81 men and 312 women with a mean age of 73 years (range, 58-85 years). Patella replacement was not performed in any case. Clinical and radiographic evaluation was performed using the Knee Society Score (KSS) and the Knee Society Assessment Form, respectively. The mean follow-up was 10 years (range, 5-15 years). Three patients were lost to follow-up. Survival of the prostheses was 98% at 10 years; three prostheses required revision for deep infection, bearing dislocation, and periprosthetic fracture. The mean KSS improved significantly, from 42 and 44 points preoperatively to 90 and 79 points, respectively, at the latest evaluation (P < 0.001); results were excellent in 278 cases, good in 106, fair in 27, and poor in nine. Radiolucent lines were observed in 80 cases; revision arthroplasty was not performed in any of these cases. Complications included deep infection in one patient, bearing dislocation in one, skin necrosis in four, and a supracondylar fracture in one. The cementless LCS rotating-platform total knee arthroplasty is associated with excellent mid- and long-term results for patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the knee.

A series of 2-oxoamides based on dipeptides and pseudodipeptides were synthesized and their activities towards two human intracellular phospholipases A2 (GIVA cPLA2 and GVIA iPLA2) and one human secretory phospholipase A2 (GV sPLA2) were evaluated. Derivatives containing a free carboxyl group are selective GIVA cPLA2 inhibitors. A derivative based on the ethyl ester of an ether pseudodipeptide is the first 2-oxoamide, which preferentially inhibits GVIA iPLA2. The effect of 2-oxoamides on the generation of arachidonic acid from RAW 264.7 macrophages was also studied and it was found that selective GIVA cPLA2 inhibitors preferentially inhibited cellular arachidonic acid release; one pseudodipeptide gave an IC50 value of 2 μM.

Ozellikle soğuk savas doneminde etkili olan Anglosakson jeostratejik yaklasım, cok onemli iki Anglosakson coğrafyacı ve jeopolitik uzmanı Sir Halford Mackinder (1861-1947) ve Nicholas Spykman (18931943) tarafından dile getirilmistir. Bu jeopolitik modellerden, Ege takım adalarını ve onun devamı Girit ile Kıbrıs’ ı iceren dikey coğrafi alanın, Rimland’ ın stratejik bolumunu olusturduğunu ve aynı zamanda bu alanın NATO’ nun Guneydoğu kanadı icin bir istikrarsızlık noktası olduğu ortaya cıkıyor. Bu alanın stratejik kontrol altında tutulması icin Anglosaksonların ilgisi, 20’nci yuzyıl boyunca devamlı ve buyuk olmus, Soğuk Savas doneminde ise doruğa varmıstır. 50li ve 60lı yıllar arasında kalan donem, Soğuk Savasın tırmandığı ve iki buyuk rakip arasındaki tehlikeli olayların arttığı bir donemdir. Bizim analizimize gore Anglosakson “Ozel İliskisi”, yani Londra – Vasington jeostratejik iliskisi her zaman Batı olarak anılan tarafı, nitelendirmistir.

The aim of this study was to examine differences in intrinsic motivation and perceived academic competence as well as in their association between 5th- and 6th-grade students with learning disabilities (LD) (n = 40) and their typically achieving peers. Participants were 980 Greek elementary students from the metropolitan area of Athens. As predicted, students with LD showed lower intrinsic motivation and perceived academic competence than students without LD almost across all subscales. Exceptions were noticed in intrinsic motivation concerning curiosity/interest and history subscales as well as perceptions of academic competence in the subjects of history and science. Support was found that among typically achieving students intrinsic motivation was positively and significantly related at a moderate level to perceived academic competence across all subscales, as opposed to students with LD, for whom few correlations were found.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the acute effect of drop jumping on throwing performance. Eight men and 8 women, moderately trained subjects with basic shot put skills, performed 3 squat underhand front shot throws after a short standard warm-up. Three minutes later they performed 5 maximal consecutive drop jumps from 40 cm. Immediately after the drop jumps, they repeated the squat underhand front shot throws. On another day, their 6 repetition maximum (RM) muscular strength in leg press was assessed. Muscle biopsies were also obtained from vastus lateralis for the determination of fiber-type composition and fiber cross-sectional area. Throwing performance was significantly increased after drop jumping (8.25 +/- 1.1 m vs. 8.63 +/- 1.3 m, p < 0.01). The percentage of type II muscle fiber area was significantly related to the increase in throwing performance after drop jumping (r = 0.76, p < 0.01). The increase in throwing performance was significant in men (8.94 +/- 1 m vs. 9.60 +/- 0.9 m, p < 0.01) but not in women (7.56 +/- 1 m vs. 7.67 +/- 0.9 m, ns). Of note, the percentage of type II fiber area was higher in men than in women (M: 66.4 +/- 13%, F: 50.2 +/- 15%, p < 0.01). Leg press strength (6RM) was moderately related to the increase in throwing performance after drop jumping (r = 0.50, p < 0.05). These results suggest that drop jumping just before a throwing action induces an increase in performance in subjects with a high percentage of type II muscle fiber area and (to a lesser degree) in subjects with enhanced muscular strength.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of vasomotor and mood symptoms on insomnia in postmenopausal women. METHODS: One hundred sixty-three postmenopausal women, not receiving hormone therapy, attending a menopause clinic at the University of Athens, Greece, were included in this cross-sectional study. Climacteric symptoms were assessed by Greene's scale, whereas psychological morbidity was measured by Zung Self-Assessment Depression Scale, Symptom Checklist-90-R, and Athens Insomnia Scale. RESULTS: Vasomotor symptoms were significantly associated with insomnia (P = 0.001). When depressive symptomatology was added to the logistic regression analysis, the predictive ability of the model was significantly improved as defined by the increase in the log likelihood (P < 0.001) and the increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia in postmenopausal women attending a menopause clinic is related both to the effects of vasomotor symptoms and depressive symptomatology. Mood symptoms seem to affect sleep independently of vasomotor symptoms, suggesting that depression should be carefully assessed and treated in postmenopausal women with insomnia. © 2009 The North American Menopause Society.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of vasomotor and mood symptoms on insomnia in postmenopausal women. METHODS: One hundred sixty-three postmenopausal women, not receiving hormone therapy, attending a menopause clinic at the University of Athens, Greece, were included in this cross-sectional study. Climacteric symptoms were assessed by Greene's scale, whereas psychological morbidity was measured by Zung Self-Assessment Depression Scale, Symptom Checklist-90-R, and Athens Insomnia Scale. RESULTS: Vasomotor symptoms were significantly associated with insomnia (P = 0.001). When depressive symptomatology was added to the logistic regression analysis, the predictive ability of the model was significantly improved as defined by the increase in the log likelihood (P < 0.001) and the increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia in postmenopausal women attending a menopause clinic is related both to the effects of vasomotor symptoms and depressive symptomatology. Mood symptoms seem to affect sleep independently of vasomotor symptoms, suggesting that depression should be carefully assessed and treated in postmenopausal women with insomnia.

CONTEXT: Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet is linked to lower risk for mortality and chronic diseases, but its association with cognitive decline is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of a Mediterranean diet with change in cognitive performance and risk for dementia in elderly French persons. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Prospective cohort study of 1410 adults (> or = 65 years) from Bordeaux, France, included in the Three-City cohort in 2001-2002 and reexamined at least once over 5 years. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet (scored as 0 to 9) was computed from a food frequency questionnaire and 24-hour recall. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cognitive performance was assessed on 4 neuropsychological tests: the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Isaacs Set Test (IST), Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT), and Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT). Incident cases of dementia (n = 99) were validated by an independent expert committee of neurologists. RESULTS: Adjusting for age, sex, education, marital status, energy intake, physical activity, depressive symptomatology, taking 5 medications/d or more, apolipoprotein E genotype, cardiovascular risk factors, and stroke, higher Mediterranean diet score was associated with fewer MMSE errors (beta = -0.006; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.01 to -0.0003; P = .04 for 1 point of the Mediterranean diet score). Performance on the IST, BVRT, or FCSRT over time was not significantly associated with Mediterranean diet adherence. Greater adherence as a categorical variable (score 6-9) was not significantly associated with fewer MMSE errors and better FCSRT scores in the entire cohort, but among individuals who remained free from dementia over 5 years, the association for the highest compared with the lowest group was significant (adjusted for all factors, for MMSE: beta = -0.03; 95% CI, -0.05 to -0.001; P = .04; for FCSRT: beta = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.008 to 0.41; P =.04). Mediterranean diet adherence was not associated with the risk for incident dementia (fully adjusted model: hazard ratio, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.60 to 2.10; P = .72), although power to detect a difference was limited. CONCLUSIONS: Higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with slower MMSE cognitive decline but not consistently with other cognitive tests. Higher adherence was not associated with risk for incident dementia.

Extant pharmacological options for motor conversion disorder include mainly antidepressants and benzodiazepines. We report on the case of a 42-year-old female patient with frequent daily episodes of almost complete paralysis for the last 6 months resistant to an escitalopram-lorazepam combination at adequate doses. By contrast, the adjunctive administration of low-dose amisulpride at 200 mg/d to the patient's regimen resulted in her substantial and durable improvement. We hypothesize that low-dose amisulpride, acting as a selective antagonist of D2 and D3 dopamine autoreceptors, might reverse the decreased activity of frontal and subcortical dopaminergic circuits presumably involved in motor control during hysterical paralysis.

The new Environmental Seismic Intensity scale (ESI 2007), introduced by INQUA, incorporates the advances and achievements of palaeoseismology and earthquake geology and evaluates earthquake size and epicentre solely from the earthquake environmental effects (EEE). This scale is tested and compared with traditional existing scales for the 1981 Alkyonides earthquake sequence in the Corinth Gulf (Ms=6.7, Ms=6.4, Ms=6.3), the 1993 Pyrgos event (Ms=5.5) and the 2006 Kythira event (Mw=6.7). These earthquakes were of different magnitudes, focal mechanisms and focal depths and produced well-documented environmental effects. The ESI 2007 intensity values and the isoseismal pattern for the 1993 Pyrgos and the 2006 Kythira events are similar to those resulting from the traditional scales, demonstrating that for moderate intensity levels (VII and VIII) the ESI 2007 and the traditional scales comply well. In contrast, the 1981 Alkyonides earthquake sequence shows that there is an inconsistency between the ESI 2007 and the traditional scales both in the epicentral area, where higher ESI 2007 intensity values have been assigned, and for the far-field effects. The ESI 2007 scale offers higher objectivity in the process of assessing macroseismic intensities, particularly in the epicentral area, than traditional intensity scales that are influenced by human parameters. The ESI 2007 scale follows the same criteria-environmental effects for all events and can compare not only events from different settings, but also contemporary and future earthquakes with historical events. A reappraisal of historical earthquakes so as to constrain the ESI 2007 scale may prove beneficial for seismic hazard assessment by reducing the uncertainty implied in the attenuation laws, which constitute one of the most important seismic hazard parameters.

1. Kamberidou, I. (2009). "The Anachronistic Gender-Sport Imbalance:  the Glass Escalator or, Beyond the Glass Escalator".  Proceedings (pp. 97-100, Abstract ID2332) of the 16th IAPESGW World Congress: Practice and Research in Physical Education and Sport in the spirit of Ubuntu, Stellenbosch, South Africa 16-19 July. Department of Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences, University of Pretoria, with patronage by ICSSPE. the_anachronistic_sport.gender_imbalance._south_africa.pdf world_congress_programme.pdf proceedings._congress.july_2009.pdf, page 97, Abstract ID 332.    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We've come a long way since the 1952 Helsinki Games, where women represented only 10 percent of the Olympic athletes. At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing women represented approximately 43 percent of the total athlete delegation, up from 41 percent in the Athens 2004 Olympics. However, the "glass escalator " (Kamberidou 2009; Williams 1992, 1995) is not yet gender inclusive since women are exceedingly under-represented in all sport governing bodies (SGBs), primarily in the executive bodies of national and international sport organizations and institutions, such as the IOC. Researchers argue that men ride up the " glass escalator " when they enter predominantly female professions, as opposed to women who confront the glass ceiling and the " sticky floor " (Kimmel 2004) when they enter predominantly male professions. Taking their gender privilege with them, men experience positive discrimination (the glass escalator) when they enter female dominated social spheres, in other words they are socialized, encouraged, supported and promoted up the ladder even faster than their female counterparts. The first part of this study examines to what extent gender personification, the structurally secured and enforced gender segregation system continues-extends beyond the competitive sport expression, defeating the advocated values of social equity. In exploring the interrelation of social theories, anachronistic biologistic approaches and gender-based ideologies that established gender stereotypes and gender segregation in competitive sports, this paper renegotiates sport identity and corporeality in ways that reflect the processes of change in the construction of new sport identities: e.g. gender fluidity, men's participation in women's sports, respect for diversity, normalizing bodies and identities, bionic athletes, 'naturality' versus artificiality, emerging technologies used to enhance performance in competitive sports. (Miah 2005, et al.) Current discussions on the gender subject, no longer focus exclusively on the biological gender (sex), as an analytical category, but on the social gender (Kimmel 2004, McNay 2000) which formulates, defines and redefines identity, according to evolving socio-cultural interpretations. In the new theoretical framework, gender identity and corporeality are being rediscovered and are under reconstruction, namely viewed as linguistic conceptions, socio-cultural manifestations, transformable meanings and evolving elements of change. Such an example is men's participation in rhythmic gymnastics (Tsopani et al. 2006, Kamberidou, Tsopani, Dallas, Patsantaras 2009), despite gender stereotypes that depict the sport as unacceptable for the image of masculinity, including the male body aesthetic. In light of the growing participation of men in the competitive sport of rhythmic gymnastics—on national and international levels— in Japan, Australia, Canada, the US, Russia, Greece and Italy,

Thirty New Zealand white rabbits underwent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in their right knees; 15 animals underwent a double-bundle anatomic ACL reconstruction using the medial third of the patellar tendon and the semitendinosus tendon. Additionally, 15 animals underwent ACL reconstruction, using a single-bundle semitendinosus tendon autograft. The knees of both groups were evaluated with a device similar to the KT1000 arthrometer onto which a dial indicator was attached (Mitutoyo dial indicator 2050) in 30 degrees and 90 degrees of flexion, preoperatively, after ACL resection and 3 months postoperatively. Statistical analysis of the results revealed that for 90 degrees of knee flexion, the mean estimated anterior shift for the double-bundle technique was 1.92 mm lesser than that of the single-bundle technique (P = 0.006). For 30 degrees of knee flexion, the mean anterior shift was again lesser than that of the single-bundle technique by 0.66 mm, but this difference was not statistically significant. The described double-bundle ACL reconstruction technique resulted in a more stable knee as far as the anterior tibial shift was concerned as compared to a single-bundle ACL reconstruction. This animal model may be potentially useful in the future for the study of other parameters influencing the outcome of the double-bundle ACL reconstruction.

Angiogenesis represents an essential step of disease progression in several hematological malignancies. In Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM) the bone marrow microvessel density is increased in 30%-40% of patients but seems to have no impact on survival. Angiogenic cytokines, such as angiogenin, vascular endothelial growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor are increased in the serum of WM or IgM-MGUS patients, while the ratio of angiopoietin-1/ angiopoietin-2 is reduced in WM but not in IgM-monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Angiogenin and angiopoietin-1/angiopoietin-2 ratio correlates with disease activity and clinical features of WM. Macrophage and mast-cell chemoattractants, such as macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha are also elevated in the serum of patients with WM, while both macrophages and mast cells that are increased in the WM microenvironment have angiogenic properties and participate in the angiogenesis process in several malignancies. This review summarizes all data available by November 2008 (end of literature search) for the role of angiogenesis in the biology of WM and its correlation with clinical and laboratory features of the disease.

Cardiac contractility is regulated through the activity of various key Ca(2+)-handling proteins. The sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) transport ATPase (SERCA2a) and its inhibitor phospholamban (PLN) control the uptake of Ca(2+) by SR membranes during relaxation. Recently, the antiapoptotic HS-1-associated protein X-1 (HAX-1) was identified as a binding partner of PLN, and this interaction was postulated to regulate cell apoptosis. In the current study, we determined that HAX-1 can also bind to SERCA2. Deletion mapping analysis demonstrated that amino acid residues 575-594 of SERCA2's nucleotide binding domain are required for its interaction with the C-terminal domain of HAX-1, containing amino acids 203-245. In transiently cotransfected human embryonic kidney 293 cells, recombinant SERCA2 was specifically targeted to the ER, whereas HAX-1 selectively concentrated at mitochondria. On triple transfections with PLN, however, HAX-1 massively translocated to the ER membranes, where it codistributed with PLN and SERCA2. Overexpression of SERCA2 abrogated the protective effects of HAX-1 on cell survival, after hypoxia/reoxygenation or thapsigargin treatment. Importantly, HAX-1 overexpression was associated with down-regulation of SERCA2 expression levels, resulting in significant reduction of apparent ER Ca(2+) levels. These findings suggest that HAX-1 may promote cell survival through modulation of SERCA2 protein levels and thus ER Ca(2+) stores.

Growing evidence suggests the involvement of glutamate in mood disorders and in the response to antidepressants. However, there is no information regarding a hypothesized sex-dependent glutamatergic modulation following treatment in animal models of depression. We comparatively assayed in male and female Flinders and control Sprague-Dawley rats glutamate and aspartate tissue levels in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and nucleus accumbens following 14-day treatment with either 10mg/kg clomipramine or mirtazapine, intraperitoneally. Clomipramine increased cortical glutamate in both sexes and hippocampal glutamate only in female Flinders rodents. Mirtazapine had no effect on cortical glutamate content but increased hippocampal glutamate in both Flinders sexes. Neither mirtazapine nor clomipramine altered glutamate levels in the nucleus accumbens. There were no any significant differences in aspartate levels. However, in control male SD rats clomipramine and mirtazapine significantly decreased cortical aspartate levels. Our results indicate that two different types of established antidepressants induce a brain region-specific effect on glutamate content. This effect is also characterized by sex-dependent differences mainly in the hippocampus, highlighting a differentiated response of glutamate to distinct antidepressants.

Ovarian cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death among women. Disease relapse occurs in a high number of cases and treatment currently involves the use of chemotherapy with the use of paclitaxel and platinum-based agents. Resistance to the disease occurs in more than 70% of the cases. The immune system is increasingly becoming a target for intense research in order to study the host's immune response against ovarian cancer. T cell populations, including NK T cells and Tregs, have been associated with disease outcome indicating their increasing clinical significance, having been associated with positive prognosis and as markers of disease progress, respectively. Cytokines may also be associated with positive prognosis and they can have a direct or indirect effect in mobilizing relevant T cells, thus eliciting an immune response. Harnessing the immune system capacity in order to induce anti-tumor response is a major challenge. This is achieved via the use of antibodies that can elicit an immune response or via the use of direct administration of cytotoxic T cell populations (e.g., CD8+). This review examines the recent developments in our understanding of the mechanisms of development of the immune response in ovarian cancer as well as its prognostic significance and the existing experience in clinical studies using factors associated with immune response, such as monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, vaccines and activated or expanded relevant autologous populations from peripheral blood. © 2009 Springer-Verlag.

Objective Autoimmune thyroiditis and overt or subclinical hypothyroidism have been associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Design Cross-sectional investigation of the association between gene polymorphisms related to CVD with thyroid function and autoimmunity. Patients In total 84 healthy postmenopausal women aged 49-69 years. Measurements FT3, FT4, anti-TPO and anti-TG were assessed in the sera of participants. The following polymorphisms were assessed from peripheral lymphocyte DNA: Apolipoprotein E E2/E3/E4, paraoxonase 1 A/B, Glycoprotein IIIa leu33pro, MTHFR ala222val, ApoBarg3500gln, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 4G/5G, cholesterol 7-α hydroxylase A204C and cholesterol ester transfer protein B1/B2. Results A statistically significant correlation was found between Apolipoprotein E and paraoxonase1 polymorphisms and serum thyroid hormones: carriers of the E2 or E4 allele of the ApoE gene had lower levels of FT4 (P = 0·0005) than women with the E3/E3 genotype. Carriers of the B allele of paraoxonase 1 gene had lower levels of FT3 compared to women with the wild-type genotype (P = 0·047). A statistically significant positive association (P = 0·049) was also observed between anti-TG antibodies and the presence of the E2 allele of the Apolipoprotein E gene. Conclusions Polymorphisms of apolipoprotein E and paraoxonase 1 are associated with different levels of thyroid hormone and anti-Tg antibody levels in the study population in this pilot study. The mechanism underlying this association remains to be elucidated. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia and will become increasingly prevalent with the growing elderly population. Despite established clinical diagnostic tools, the workup for dementia among primary caregivers can be complicated and specialist referral may not be readily available. A host of AD diagnostic tests has been proposed to aid in diagnosis, including functional neuroimaging such as positron emission tomography (PET). We review the basis for FDG-PET and PiB-PET, as well as available operating statistics. From this we advise scenarios for use of PET in primary settings and referral centers, approach to its interpretation, and outline a clinical prediction model based on findings.

Background: The introduction of mAbs has changed the clinical approach to patients with lymphoma and leukemia. Objective: To summarize the most significant applications of mAb-based regimens in the treatment of hematological malignancies and explore their possible role in the future management of these patients. Results: Rituximab (anti-CD20) was the first mAb developed for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas. Several randomized studies have demonstrated its efficacy in lymphomas and low toxicity profile; rituximab also has significant activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Alemtuzumab (anti-CD52) has shown efficacy in previously untreated or refractory CLL patients, while gemtuzumab ozogamicin (anti-CD33) appears to have significant activity in acute myeloid leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes. Conclusions: In the next few years, investigations will be concentrated on the improvement of the older mAbs, and the development of new mAbs, targeting molecules important for malignant cell cycle and survival in an attempt to further improve patient survival. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved.

Introduction: The adoption of e-learning platforms can offer a number of benefits including greater learning flexibility in several arenas including healthcare. The present study aims to explore the perceptions of healthcare postgraduate students regarding the adaptability of e-learning and Web-based courses. Methods: The research was based on the four dimensions of the Technology Acceptance Model, i.e. Perceived usefulness, Perceived ease of use, Attitude towards use and Behavioural intention. A questionnaire covering these 4 dimensions was created, uploaded on a website and the 39 MSc students enrolled in the Healthcare Management and Health Informatics at the Faculty of Nursing, University of Athens, Greece, invited to complete it. Completed questionnaires were analysed using Partial Least Squares and other statistical techniques. Results: A total of 20 questionnaires were fully completed. Analysis of the results demonstrated that postgraduate students appreciate and perceive usefulness and ease of use as key factors towards using e-learning platforms and online courses. Conclusion: The study has a number of limitations including the small sample size. For that reason, we conducted a downsized modeling scenario in order to produce observations and compare results, in terms of validity. Nevertheless despite these limitations, the current study can be useful in helping to guide the development and implementation of e-learning initiatives. © The Journal on Information Technology in Healthcare 2009.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of academic research performance is nowadays a priority issue. Bibliometric indicators such as the number of publications, total citation counts and h-index are an indispensable tool in this task but their inherent association with the size of the research output may result in rewarding high production when evaluating institutions of disparate sizes. The aim of this study is to propose an indicator that may facilitate the comparison of institutions of disparate sizes. METHODS: The Modified Impact Index (MII) was defined as the ratio of the observed h-index (h) of an institution over the h-index anticipated for that institution on average, given the number of publications (N) it produces i.e. MII = h/10alphaNbeta (alpha and beta denote the intercept and the slope, respectively, of the line describing the dependence of the h-index on the number of publications in log10 scale). MII values higher than 1 indicate that an institution performs better than the average, in terms of its h-index. Data on scientific papers published during 2002-2006 and within 36 medical fields for 219 Academic Medical Institutions from 16 European countries were used to estimate alpha and beta and to calculate the MII of their total and field-specific production. RESULTS: From our biomedical research data, the slope beta governing the dependence of h-index on the number of publications in biomedical research was found to be similar to that estimated in other disciplines ( approximately 0.4). The MII was positively associated with the average number of citations/publication (r = 0.653, p < 0.001), the h-index (r = 0.213, p = 0.002), the number of publications with > or = 100 citations (r = 0.211, p = 0.004) but not with the number of publications (r = -0.020, p = 0.765). It was the most highly associated indicator with the share of country-specific government budget appropriations or outlays for research and development as % of GDP in 2004 (r = 0.229) followed by the average number of citations/publication (r = 0.153) whereas the corresponding correlation coefficient for the h-index was close to 0 (r = 0.029). MII was calculated for first 10 top-ranked European universities in life sciences and biomedicine, as provided by Times Higher Education ranking system, and their total and field-specific performance was compared. CONCLUSION: The MII should complement the use of h-index when comparing the research output of institutions of disparate sizes. It has a conceptual interpretation and, with the data provided here, can be computed for the total research output as well as for field-specific publication sets of institutions in biomedicine.

The repair of melphalan-induced N-alkylpurine monoadducts and interstrand cross-links was examined in different repair backgrounds, focusing on four genes (β-actin, p53, N-ras, and δ-globin) with dissimilar transcription activities. Adducts were found to be substrates for both global genome repair (GGR) and transcription-coupled repair (TCR), with TCR being less efficient than GGR. In nucleotide excision repair-deficient cells, adducts accumulated to similar levels in all four genes. The repair efficiency in different gene loci varied in a qualitatively and quantitatively similar way in both GGR-deficient and TCR-deficient backgrounds and correlated with transcriptional activity and local chromatin condensation. No strand-specific repair was found in GGR +/TCR+ cells, implying that GGR dominated. Adducts were lost over two sharply demarcated phases: a rapid phase resulting in the removal within 1 hour of up to ∼80% of the adducts, and a subsequent phase with t1/2 ∼36 to 48 hours. Following pretreatment of cells with α-amanitin, the rate of transcription, the state of chromatin condensation, and the repair efficiencies (both TCR and GGR) of the transcribed β-actin, p53, and N-ras genes became similar to those of the nontranscribed δ-globin gene. In conclusion, a continuous, parallel variation of the state of transcription and local chromatin condensation, on one hand, and the rates of both GGR and TCR, on the other hand, have been shown. ©2009 American Association for Cancer Research.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a significant risk factor for the presence and increased severity of asthma- and allergy-related symptoms in children. Smoking during pregnancy has detrimental effects on asthma-associated outcomes in childhood. Whether passive exposure of pregnant women to ETS may also lead to asthma in their offspring, is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of passive exposure of pregnant women to ETS and asthma- and/or allergy-related symptoms in Preschool children. Cross-sectional data were collected with questionnaires from 2374 Preschool children, recruited from public and private nurseries and day-care centers. Parental smoking was significantly associated with wheezing symptoms in their children. Mother's active smoking during pregnancy significantly increased the risk for occurrence of asthma symptoms and/or medically diagnosed asthma in Preschool children in a dose-dependent manner. Passive exposure to ETS, mainly during the third trimester of pregnancy, was significantly associated with asthma- and allergy-related symptoms after adjusting for several confounders in a multivariate analysis (current wheeze: OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.06-1.91, pruritic rash ever: OR= 1.45, 95% CI = 1.01-2.08). Passive exposure of pregnant women to ETS during the third trimester is positively associated with asthma- and allergy-related symptoms in their Preschool age children. Public health policies should be oriented not only towards smoking cessation, but also reinforce elimination of ETS exposure of pregnant women.

Objectives: Based on the Achievement Goal perspective [Dweck, C. S., Leggett, E. L (1988). A social-cognitive approach to motivation and personality. Psychological Review, 95, 256-273; Nicholls, J.G. (1984). Achievement motivation: conceptions of ability, subjective experience, task choice, and performance. Psychological Review, 91, 328-346] and on Pekrun et al.'s [(2004). Beyond test anxiety: development and validation of the test emotions questionnaire (TEQ). Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 17, 287-316] model of discrete class-related emotions, this study investigated the relation of achievement goals to discrete emotions in the Physical Education (PE) class. Design: Cross-sectional. Method: Participants were 319 Greek upper elementary school students who responded to a set of questionnaires assessing their achievement goal orientation, perceived competence, and the class-related emotions they experienced in the PE classes. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses showed that, after controlling for perceived competence and gender differences, task goals were positively related to positive activating emotions and negatively related to negative emotions. Ego goals exhibited a mixed picture as they were positively associated with pride and all the negative emotions. Furthermore, the relations between ego goals and emotions were qualified by an ego by task goal and by an ego by perceived competence interaction suggesting that ego goals were especially linked to emotional maladjustment when task goals were low and when competence perceptions were high rather than low. Conclusion: Unique associations between task and ego goals and specific emotions were found, rendering insightful the disentanglement of positive and negative emotions into its components. The pursuit of task goals might help to counteract the emotional burden associated with ego goal pursuit whereas feeling competent to outperform when one endorses ego goals might perhaps put extra pressure on the pupils and, hence, have negative implications for their emotional adjustment. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iron oxide Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles (FNs) such as magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (gamma-Fe2O3) are currently employed in biomedical applications owing to their relatively high biocompatibility. Recently, we have introduced a novel application of Fe3O4 FNs in the so-called Magnetically Assisted Haemodialysis (MAHD), a promising concept that can be employed for the treatment of End-Stage Renal Disease. The key characteristic of MAHD is the selective removal of toxins that cannot be removed by current low-and high-flux dialysers that are extendedly used during conventional Haemodialysis (HD). In addition, MAHD could enable the more efficient removal of all toxins when compared to conventional HD so that the duration of dialysis session could be decreased. This is an important benefit that could significantly improve the quality of life of patient. The present work focuses on the in vitro evaluation of the biocompatibility of both bare Fe3O4 FNs and Fe3O4-Bovine Serum Albumin Conjugates (Fe3O4-BSA Cs) with blood cells, namely Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs) and Platelets (Plts). Their solubility in whole human blood medium is also carefully evaluated. Both issues are fundamental for the MAHD application since the latter is based on the intravenous injection of FN Cs into the bloodstream of the patient. Atomic force microscopy and optical microscopy were employed for the investigation of both surface characteristics and overall morphology of blood cells, respectively. Samples of donated blood, where bare Fe3O4 FNs or Fe3O4-BSA Cs were added, were maturated under mild incubation for durations up to 120 min. We investigated two representative temperatures, T=20 degrees C owing to easy experimental realization, and T=37 degrees C trying to simulate human body conditions. We did not observe noticeable interference of either bare Fe3O4 FNs or Fe3O4-BSA Cs with RBCs, WBCs and Plts. More importantly we did not observe any degradation of the surface of RBCs and WBCs that were maturated under the presence of bare FNs or Cs in concentrations that strongly exceed the ones used for the treatment of iron-deficiency anaemia. Incidents where either bare FNs or Cs were bound onto the surface of RBCs or internalised by WBCs were very rare. Our observations suggest high biocompatibility of both bare Fe3O4 FNs and Fe3O4-BSA Cs with blood cells, while the solubility depends on the BSA content of the Fe3O4-BSA Cs.

AIM: While clinical endpoints provide important information on the efficacy of treatment in controlled conditions, they often are not relevant to decision makers trying to gauge the potential economic impact or value of new treatments. Therefore, it is often necessary to translate changes in cognition, function or behavior into changes in cost or other measures, which can be problematic if not conducted in a transparent manner. The Dependence Scale (DS), which measures the level of assistance a patient requires due to AD-related deficits, may provide a useful measure of the impact of AD progression in a way that is relevant to patients, providers and payers, by linking clinical endpoints to estimates of cost effectiveness or value. The aim of this analysis was to test the association of the DS to clinical endpoints and AD-related costs. METHOD: The relationship between DS score and other endpoints was explored using the Predictors Study, a large, multi-center cohort of patients with probable AD followed annually for four years. Enrollment required a modified Mini-Mental State Examination (mMMS) score >or= 30, equivalent to a score of approximately >or= 16 on the MMSE. DS summated scores (range: 0- 15) were compared to measures of cognition (MMSE), function (Blessed Dementia Rating Scale, BDRS, 0-17), behavior, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), and psychotic symptoms (illusions, delusions or hallucinations). Also, estimates for total cost (sum of direct medical cost, direct non-medical cost, and cost of informal caregivers' time) were compared to DS scores. RESULTS: For the 172 patients in the analysis, mean baseline scores were: DS: 5.2 (SD: 2.0), MMSE: 23.0 (SD: 3.5), BDRS: 2.9 (SD: 1.3), EPS: 10.8%, behavior: 28.9% psychotic symptoms: 21.1%. After 4 years, mean scores were: DS: 8.9 (SD: 2.9), MMSE: 17.2 (SD: 4.7), BDRS: 5.2 (SD: 1.4), EPS: 37.5%, behavior: 60.0%, psychotic symptoms: 46.7%. At baseline, DS scores were significantly correlated with MMSE (r=-0.299, p < 0.01), BDRS (r=0.610, p < 0.01), behavior (r=.2633, p=0.0005), EPS (r=0.1910, p=0.0137) and psychotic symptoms (r=0.253, p < 0.01); and at 4-year follow-up, DS scores were significantly correlated with MMSE (r=-0.3705, p=0.017), BDRS (r=0.6982, p < 0.001). Correlations between DS and behavior (-0.0085, p=0.96), EPS (r=0.3824, p=0.0794), psychotic symptoms (r=0.130, ns) were not statistically significant at follow-up. DS scores were also significantly correlated with total costs at baseline (r=0.2615, p=0.0003) and follow-up (r=0.3359, p=0.0318). DISCUSSION: AD is associated with deficits in cognition, function and behavior, thus it is imperative that these constructs are assessed in trials of AD treatment. However, assessing multiple endpoints can lead to confusion for decision makers if treatments do not impact all endpoints similarly, especially if the measures are not used typically in practice. One potential method for translating these deficits into a more meaningful outcome would be to identify a separate construct, one that takes a broader view of the overall impact of the disease. Patient dependence, as measured by the DS, would appear to be a reasonable choice - it is associated with the three clinical endpoints, as well as measures of cost (medical and informal), thereby providing a bridge between measures of clinical efficacy and value in a single, transparent measure.

This paper presents some of the most important known evidence up to this day, proving the defining British interference in the case of the Pogrom in Istanbul-Constantinople (Events of September 1955) and how these tragic events completely destroyed Hellenism of Constantinople are connected to the British colonial interests in Middle East. The theoretical methodological is based on the geopolitical analysis and, in particular, on the model proposed by the Anglo-Saxon Geographers - Geopoliticians Sir Halford Mackinder (1861-1947, School of Geography-London School of Economics) and especially in its elaborated form presented in 1944 by the American Professor of Yale, Nicolas Spykman (1893-1943, Yale Institute for International Studies, Yale University - USA). Therefore, this paper supports the theoretical hypothesis of the desire to preserve Rimland on the part of Britain and explains, based on the same theoretical model, the final approach of the USA towards the British stances. Naturally, the aforementioned model explains the role of Turkey. The presence of the secret paramilitary networks “Stay Behind”, known as Gladio also validates and fully supports the writer’s hypothesis.

Rhinoviruses (RVs) are responsible for the majority of acute asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. RVs infect the lower airways and induce the production of pro-inflammatory and remodelling-associated mediators. Budesonide (BUD) and formoterol (FORM) synergize in controlling asthma and COPD exacerbations; however, their effects on virus-induced inflammation and remodelling are less known.|We investigated whether BUD and FORM synergize in suppressing RV-induced inflammation and remodelling in the airways.|In vitro models of RV infection of BEAS-2B and primary normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells were used. We assessed the effects of individual and combined drugs administered post-infection, at a clinically relevant concentration range (10(-6)-10(-10) m), on the production of CCL5, CXCL10, CXCL8, IL-6 and the remodelling-associated VEGF and bFGF, using ELISA and RT-PCR.|BUD effectively suppressed RV-mediated induction of all mediators studied, in a concentration-dependent manner. FORM alone suppressed the production of CXCL8 and bFGF. The combination of BUD and FORM had concentration-dependent, additive or synergistic effects in the suppression of RV-induced CCL5, CXCL8 and CXCL10 in both cell types as well as VEGF in NHBE only. Combination treatment also resulted in an enhanced suppression of RV-induced IL-6, and CCL5 at the mRNA level as compared with BUD or FORM alone.|BUD and FORM suppress RV-induced chemokines and growth factors in bronchial epithelial cells in a concentration-dependent, synergistic or additive manner. These data further support the combined use of BUD and FORM in asthma and COPD and intensification of this therapy during exacerbations.

Purpose - The paper aims to define the mission, characteristics, objectives and evaluation processes concerning a specific training seminar entitled "Business administration for public sector executives". Furthermore, the research intends to underline the evaluation criteria, set by trainees and training officers as necessary in order to maximize the seminar's overall impact on all those involved.Design/methodology/approach - The seminar was organized by the University of Athens, Greece, in order to contribute to the continuing education of public sector executives in the field of business administration. The educational methodology was based on adult education principles and the evaluation included the preparation, development, and delivery phases. The seminar's effectiveness was assessed based on predetermined criteria and parameters using methods such as questionnaires, comments, observation and team discussions. Finding - Through this process the seminar's strengths and weaknesses were revealed by making use of quantitative analysis methodological tools, such as statistics and econometric prototypes. The trainees' overall response to the seminar was "measured" and the results proved the high-calibre structure and content of the seminar sessions. The trainees stated that the seminar offered key essential knowledge and aided in skill development; furthermore, they expressed their willingness to attend further lifelong-learning seminars. Practical implications - The criteria set forth by trainees and training officers alike could pave the way for a new approach to lifelong learning/training seminar design, implementation, and evaluation in the short-term future. Originality/value - The paper highlights the assessment criteria that offer meaningful insight into the participants' perceived level of seminar-related satisfaction and can potentially be utilised for the design of future seminars. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

A new catalog of visual double systems containing eclipsing binaries as one component is presented. The main purpose of this catalog is to compile a complete list of all known multiples of this variety, both for current analysis and to highlight those in need of additional observations. All available photometric and astrometric data were analyzed, resulting in new orbits for eight systems and new times of minimum light for a number of the eclipsing binaries. Some of the systems in the catalog have acceptable solutions for their visual orbits, although in most cases their orbital periods are too long for simultaneous analysis. Also included, however, are a number of systems which currently lack an orbital solution but which may be suitable for simultaneous analysis in the future.

Inland sand dune activities that set an interesting example in terms of wind erosion and accummulation in the Aegean Region under the conditions of the Mediterranean climate, and that appear on lands where the annual rainfall is about 600 mm, exist on the Akselendi Plain, Manisa. Until today, some studies have been conducted on the Akselendi Plain, which has become famous worldwide for that matter. Besides, there is an ongoing Bilateral Project with GREECE, supported by TUBITAK, some results of which will be explained in this paper. Besides the erosive winds blowing on the Akselendi Plain, the existence of mostly coarse textured alluvial deposits, the first of which is the large bed of Kum Çayı, moreover, the misuse of agricultural and non-agricultural areas have caused wind erosion, and they also caused the sediments, moving from the bed of Kum Çayı by deflation, to give great damages along with the sand dune invasion in the south of the bed. This activity has especially increased in the last fifty years. The views that we reached on the subject of wind erosion on this area and the causes, evolution and effects of sand dunes will be reported in the paper. Moreover, information will be given on the problems and on the status and efficiency of the precautions that have been taken, besides on the precautions that will need to be taken in the short term and long term. Again, the continued sand plunder because of the incorrect applications, and the effects of that on the sand dune formation will be explained. Also, some interesting formations that we determined in the last studies we conducted and that can set an example in this scientific area will be submitted to the world of science.

We present the most likely optical counterparts of 113 X-ray sources detected in our Chandra survey of the central region of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) based on the OGLE-II and Magellanic Clouds Photometric Survey catalogs. We estimate that the foreground contamination and chance coincidence probability are minimal for the bright optical counterparts (corresponding to OB type stars; 35 in total). We propose here for the first time 13 high-mass X-ray binaries, of which four are Be/X-ray binaries (Be-XRBs), and we confirm the previous classification of 18 Be-XRBs. We estimate that the new candidate Be-XRBs have an age of ~15-85 Myr, consistent with the age of Be stars. We also examine the "overabundance" of Be-XRBs in the SMC fields covered by Chandra, in comparison with the Galaxy. In luminosities down to ~1034 erg s-1, we find that SMC Be-XRBs are ~1.5 times more common when compared to the Milky Way even after taking into account the difference in the formation rates of OB stars. This residual excess can be attributed to the lower metallicity of the SMC. Finally, we find that the mixing of Be-XRBs with other than their natal stellar population is not an issue in our comparisons of Be-XRBs and stellar populations in the SMC. Instead, we find indication for variation of the SMC XRB populations on kiloparsec scales, related to local variations of the formation rate of OB stars and slight variation of their age, which results in different relative numbers of Be stars and therefore XRBs.

Muscular adaptation which occurs following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage has been associated with changes in the mechanical properties of muscle manifested as a shift in the length-tension relationship towards longer muscle lengths. However, it is not clear whether this shift is a long term adaptation to eccentric exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate functional adaptations to skeletal muscle damage in humans, tracking such responses several days into muscle recovery. Ten healthy young men performed an eccentric exercise protocol involving the quadriceps muscle and functional measurements were performed before and on days 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 16 post-exercise. Blood samples were also withdrawn before and at 6 h, and 2 days, 5 days and 16 days post-exercise. The exercise protocol resulted in muscle damage, indicated by changes in clinical markers including increased serum creatine kinase activity and muscle soreness compared to pre-exercise levels (p<0.05-0.001). An acute, but not sustained shift in the quadriceps isokinetic and isometric angle-torque curves towards longer muscle lengths was observed post-exercise (p<0.05). It was speculated that the functional adaptations following eccentric exercise might be affected by the short resting and functional length of the quadriceps muscle, relative to its optimum. More studies are needed to confirm the hypothesis that a sustained shift in the muscle's length-tension relationship, as an adaptation after lengthening contraction-induced damage, is muscle specific.

Muscular adaptation which occurs following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage has been associated with changes in the mechanical properties of muscle manifested as a shift in the length-tension relationship towards longer muscle lengths. However, it is not clear whether this shift is a long term adaptation to eccentric exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate functional adaptations to skeletal muscle damage in humans, tracking such responses several days into muscle recovery. Ten healthy young men performed an eccentric exercise protocol involving the quadriceps muscle and functional measurements were performed before and on days 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 16 post-exercise. Blood samples were also withdrawn before and at 6 h, and 2 days, 5 days and 16 days post-exercise. The exercise protocol resulted in muscle damage, indicated by changes in clinical markers including increased serum creatine kinase activity and muscle soreness compared to pre-exercise levels (p<0.05-0.001). An acute, but not sustained shift in the quadriceps isokinetic and isometric angle-torque curves towards longer muscle lengths was observed post-exercise (p<0.05). It was speculated that the functional adaptations following eccentric exercise might be affected by the short resting and functional length of the quadriceps muscle, relative to its optimum. More studies are needed to confirm the hypothesis that a sustained shift in the muscle's length-tension relationship, as an adaptation after lengthening contraction-induced damage, is muscle specific.

Muscular adaptation which occurs following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage has been associated with changes in the mechanical properties of muscle manifested as a shift in the length-tension relationship towards longer muscle lengths. However, it is not clear whether this shift is a long term adaptation to eccentric exercise. The purpose of this study was to investigate functional adaptations to skeletal muscle damage in humans, tracking such responses several days into muscle recovery. Ten healthy young men performed an eccentric exercise protocol involving the quadriceps muscle and functional measurements were performed before and on days 1, 2, 5, 8, 12 and 16 post-exercise. Blood samples were also withdrawn before and at 6 h, and 2 days, 5 days and 16 days post-exercise. The exercise protocol resulted in muscle damage, indicated by changes in clinical markers including increased serum creatine kinase activity and muscle soreness compared to pre-exercise levels (p<0.05-0.001). An acute, but not sustained shift in the quadriceps isokinetic and isometric angle-torque curves towards longer muscle lengths was observed post-exercise (p<0.05). It was speculated that the functional adaptations following eccentric exercise might be affected by the short resting and functional length of the quadriceps muscle, relative to its optimum. More studies are needed to confirm the hypothesis that a sustained shift in the muscle's length-tension relationship, as an adaptation after lengthening contraction-induced damage, is muscle specific.

Clusterin/Apolipoprotein J (CLU) gene is expressed in most human tissues and encodes for two protein isoforms; a conventional heterodimeric secreted glycoprotein and a truncated nuclear form. CLU has been functionally implicated in several physiological processes as well as in many pathological conditions including ageing, diabetes, atherosclerosis, degenerative diseases, and tumorigenesis. A major link of all these, otherwise unrelated, diseases is that they are characterized by increased oxidative injury due to impaired balance between production and disposal of reactive oxygen or nitrogen species. Besides the aforementioned diseases, CLU gene is differentially regulated by a wide variety of stimuli which may also promote the production of reactive species including cytokines, interleukins, growth factors, heat shock, radiation, oxidants, and chemotherapeutic drugs. Although at low concentration reactive species may contribute to normal cell signaling and homeostasis, at increased amounts they promote genomic instability, chronic inflammation, lipid oxidation, and amorphous aggregation of target proteins predisposing thus cells for carcinogenesis or other age-related disorders. CLU seems to intervene to these processes due to its small heat-shock protein-like chaperone activity being demonstrated by its property to inhibit protein aggregation and precipitation, a main feature of oxidant injury. The combined presence of many potential regulatory elements in the CLU gene promoter, including a Heat-Shock Transcription Factor-1 and an Activator Protein-1 element, indicates that CLU gene is an extremely sensitive cellular biosensor of even minute alterations in the cellular oxidative load. This review focuses on CLU regulation by oxidative injury that is the common molecular link of most, if not all, pathological conditions where CLU has been functionally implicated. © 2009 Elsevier Inc.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to estimate circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) levels in postmenopausal women and evaluate their association with obesity and smoking status. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study included 135 postmenopausal women aged 52-75 years. Forty of them were overweight (BMI 32.4+/-6.4) and non-smokers (Group A), 40 non-overweight (BMI 22.6+/-1.8) and smokers (Group B) and 55 non-overweight (BMI 23.5+/-1.4) and non-smokers (Group C). oxLDL and antibodies against them (anti-oxLDL) were measured using ELISA. Serum total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides were measured in an automated analyzer. RESULTS: Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and oxLDL serum levels were significantly elevated in Group A as compared to Group B or C, as well as oxLDL in Group B in comparison to Group C (p<0.001). Triglycerides and anti-oxLDL were increased in Group A in comparison to Group C (p=0.043 and 0.023). Total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and anti-oxLDL did not differ between Groups B and C, while HDL was decreased in Group B as compared to Group C (p<0.001). A significant positive correlation was found between oxLDL and LDL in Group A (r=0.53, p<0.001) as well as in Group C (r=0.955, p

BACKGROUND: Oxaliplatin has become one of the major cytotoxic agents for the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. As a result, several cases of the so-called oxaliplatin-associated hypersensitivity reaction have been documented. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We have retrospectively evaluated and characterized these reactions in our patient group by reviewing the files of 1,224 patients exposed to an oxaliplatin-containing regimen in order to provide useful clinical information for diagnosis and management. RESULTS: Three hundred and eight (308) patients who have never been exposed to platinum compounds developed symptoms compatible with a reaction to oxaliplatin that was verified by manifestation of at least similar symptoms on rechallenging. The reactions occurred after the first 5 courses, with a median course number of 9 (range 1-24). These reactions could be distinguished as (1) mild reactions occurring in 195 (63%) patients manifesting with itching and small area erythema either during treatment or within the next hours, and (2) severe reactions occurring in 113 (37%) patients within minutes of drug infusion manifesting with diffuse erythroderma, facial swelling, chest tightness, bronchospasm and changes in blood pressure. Oxaliplatin withdrawal was not required in patients with a mild reaction. Forty-eight (42%) patients having a severe reaction with appropriate premedication and prolongation of the infusion duration could tolerate 2-4 subsequent courses. For the remaining 65 (58%) patients, oxaliplatin withdrawal was inevitable because of the very severe reactions occurring on rechallenging. In addition, 3 patients presented with thrombocytopenia and 3 others with hemolytic anemia, all reversible upon oxaliplatin discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Hypersensitivity reactions to oxaliplatin are underestimated. Although the reactions are not frequent during first courses, in extensively pretreated patients, they may become a serious problem. In the majority of patients, drug discontinuation might not be necessary. In patients manifesting a severe reaction, re-exposure to oxaliplatin should be considered only if the patient can tolerate the reaction and there has been clinical benefit from this therapy. Physicians and nursing staff should be aware of the risk and be well prepared.

Purpose of investigation: Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) is a rare malignancy with only few data existing on the impact of prognostic factors. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 26 patients. Tissue blocks were reviewed and sections were stained for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 (MMP-2, MMP-9), tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (TIMP-1, TIMP-2), c-erbB-2, estrogen (ER), and progesterone receptors (PgR). Results: Reactivity for VEGF, ER, PgR, MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, TIMP-2 and c-erbB-2 was observed in 85%, 46%, 27%, 11.5%, 58%, 0%, 23% and 8% of specimens, respectively. None of the markers studied displayed prognostic significance. Regarding clinical prognostic factors, the hazard ratio (HR) for progression and death for patients with tumor residuum > 2 cm was 5.24 (p < 0.01) and 11.19 (p < 0.005), respectively. Patients with advanced stage disease had a HR of 12.55 (p < 0.05) for progression, while the HR for death was not found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: None of the biomarkers studied seems to influence survival. Early-stage disease and optimal debulking are associated with improved outcome.

The European Union Network for Patient Safety (EUNetPaS) is a project funded and supported by the European Commission within the 2007 Public Health Programme and aims to encourage and enhance the collaboration of participating EU countries in the field of Patient Safety. One of its major objectives is to promote Patient Safety (PS) education and training in Member States, through building a platform for mutual exchange of experience and knowledge on methods of planning and implementing sustainable learning activities. Towards this direction, a methodology has been applied, based on a three axes schema, which describes the roles, the awareness level and the competences of the PS Education and Training Activities. Based on this scheme, a questionnaire has been developed and distributed across EU organizations though National Contact Points, as a tool for information collection. Looking to the above structure, a web-based resource has been developed aiming to facilitate the information collection and sharing, in a truly networking environment.

Star clusters are valuable tools for theoretical and observational astronomy across a wide range of disciplines from cosmology to stellar spectroscopy. For example, properties of globular clusters are used to constrain stellar evolutionary models, nucleosynthesis and chemical evolution, as well as the star formation and assembly histories of galaxies and the distribution of dark matter in present-day galaxies. Open clusters are widely used as stellar laboratories for the study of specific stellar phenomena (e.g., various emission-line stars, pulsating pre-MS stars, magnetic massive stars, binarity, stellar rotation, etc.). They also provide observational constraints on models of massive star evolution and of Galactic disk formation and chemical evolution.

The relative contribution of the main mechanisms that control indoor air quality in residential flats was examined. Indoor and outdoor concentration measurements of different type pollutants (black carbon, SO 2, O 3, NO, NO 2,) were monitored in three naturally ventilated residential flats in Athens, Greece. At each apartment, experiments were conducted during the cold as well as during the warm period of the year. The controlling parameters of transport and deposition mechanisms were calculated from the experimental data. Deposition rates of the same pollutant differ according to the site (different construction characteristics) and to the measuring period for the same site (variations in relative humidity and differences in furnishing). Differences in the black carbon deposition rates were attributed to different black carbon size distributions. The highest deposition rates were observed for O 3 in the residential flats with the older construction and the highest humidity levels. The calculated parameters as well as the measured outdoor concentrations were used as input data of a one-compartment indoor air quality model, and the indoor concentrations, the production, and loss rates of the different pollutants were calculated. The model calculated concentrations are in good agreement with the measured values. Model simulations revealed that the mechanism that mainly affected the change rate of indoor black carbon concentrations was the transport from the outdoor environment, while the removal due to deposition was insignificant. During model simulations, it was also established that that the change rate of SO 2 concentrations was governed by the interaction between the transport and the deposition mechanisms while NO X concentrations were mainly controlled through photochemical reactions and the transport from outdoors. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and patient discomfort between four techniques for obtaining nasal secretions. Nasal secretions from 58 patients with symptoms of a common cold, from three clinical centers (Amsterdam, Lodz, Oslo), were obtained by four different methods: swab, aspirate, brush, and wash. In each patient all four sampling procedures were performed and patient discomfort was evaluated by a visual discomfort scale (scale 1-5) after each procedure. Single pathogen RT-PCRs for Rhinovirus (RV), Influenza virus and Adenovirus, and multiplex real-time PCR for RV, Enterovirus, Influenza virus, Adenovirus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), Parainfluenza virus, Coronavirus, Metapneumovirus, Bocavirus and Parechovirus were performed in all samples. A specific viral cause of respiratory tract infection was determined in 48 patients (83%). In these, the detection rate for any virus was 88% (wash), 79% (aspirate), 77% (swab) and 74% (brush). The degree of discomfort reported was 2.54 for swabs, 2.63 for washes, 2.68 for aspirates and 3.61 for brushings. Nasal washes yielded the highest rate of viral detection without excessive patient discomfort. In contrast, nasal brushes produced the lowest detection rates and demonstrated the highest level of discomfort.

8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxo-G) is the major lesion of oxidatively generated DNA damage. Despite two decades of intense study, several fundamental properties remain to be defined. Its isoelectronic 8-aminoguanine (8-NH 2-G) has also received considerable attention from a biological point of view, although its chemistry involving redox processes remains to be discovered. We investigated the one-electron oxidation and one-electron reduction reactions of 8-oxo-G and 8-NH2-G derivatives. The reactions of hydrated electrons (eaq-) and azide radicals (N 3•) with both derivatives were studied by pulse radiolysis techniques, and the transient absorption spectra were assigned to specific tautomers computationally by means of time-dependent DFT (TD-B3LYP/6-311G**//B1B95/6-31+G**) calculations. The protonated electron adducts of 8-NH2-G and 8-oxo-G showed a substantial difference in their absorption spectra, the unpaired electron being mainly delocalized in the imidazolyl ring and in the six-membered ring, respectively. On the other hand, the deprotonated forms of one-electron oxidation of 8-NH2-G and 8-oxo-G showed quite similar spectral characteristics. In a parallel study, the one-electron reduction of 8-azidoguanine (8-N3-G) afforded the same transient of one-electron oxidation of 8-NH2-G, which represents another example of generation of one-electron oxidized guanine derivatives under reducing conditions. Moreover, the fate of transient species was investigated by radiolytic methods coupled with product studies and allowed self- and cross-termination rate constants associated with these reactions to be estimated. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxo-G) is the major lesion of oxidatively generated DNA damage. Despite two decades of intense study, several fundamental properties remain to be defined. Its isoelectronic 8-aminoguanine (8-NH2-G) has also received considerable attention from a biological point of view, although its chemistry involving redox processes remains to be discovered. We investigated the one-electron oxidation and one-electron reduction reactions of 8-oxo-G and 8-NH2-G derivatives. The reactions of hydrated electrons (eaq−) and azide radicals (N3•) with both derivatives were studied by pulse radiolysis techniques, and the transient absorption spectra were assigned to specific tautomers computationally by means of time-dependent DFT (TD-B3LYP/6-311G**//B1B95/6-31+G**) calculations. The protonated electron adducts of 8-NH2-G and 8-oxo-G showed a substantial difference in their absorption spectra, the unpaired electron being mainly delocalized in the imidazolyl ring and in the six-membered ring, respectively. On the other hand, the deprotonated forms of one-electron oxidation of 8-NH2-G and 8-oxo-G showed quite similar spectral characteristics. In a parallel study, the one-electron reduction of 8-azidoguanine (8-N3-G) afforded the same transient of one-electron oxidation of 8-NH2-G, which represents another example of generation of one-electron oxidized guanine derivatives under reducing conditions. Moreover, the fate of transient species was investigated by radiolytic methods coupled with product studies and allowed self- and cross-termination rate constants associated with these reactions to be estimated.

To compare the performance of the reference scaled average bioequivalence(scABE(R)) method proposed by FDA scientists {[}Haidar et al., 2008. Pharm. Res. 25,237-241] with other approaches focusing on the human exposure expressed as the product sample size x periods of drug administration. Simulated bioequivalence studies were generated assuming the partial replicate 3-way crossover design and the classic (2 x 2) crossover design. Intrasubject variability (CV(W)) values ranged from 15% to 60% and sample sizes from 16 to 54. The procedures examined include: the scABER method. the classic 0.80-1.25 approach, a levelling-off scaled BE limit (BELscW), and some other scaled bioequivalence lit-nits. To assess the performance of the aforementioned approaches, the typical as well as novel three-dimensional modified power curves were constructed. A new index, termed %Mean Relative Difference (MRD%). was introduced in order to quantitatively compare the performance of the bioequivalence limits. The recently proposed scABER approach showed the lowest producer risk in particular for highly variable drugs. When exposure was taken into account scABER resulted in a desired behaviour when CV(W) was low. For high CV(W) values the overall performance diminished when geometric mean ratio (GMR) substantially deviated from unity. Application of the MRD% index clearly revealed that the effect of lowering the producer risk at GMR = I was totally Counterbalanced by the rise of consumer risk at high GMR values. The classic 0.80-1.25 limits were favoured at low intrasubject variability and high exposure, whereas the levelling-off limits demonstrated a preferred overall performance when variability was high and exposure was limited. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive theoretical study of the optical properties and switching competence of double-shell photonic crystals (DSPC) and doubleinverse-opal photonic crystals (DIOPC) is presented. Our analysis reveals that a DIOPC structure with a silicon (Si) background exhibits a complete photonic bandgap (PBG), which can be completely switched on and off by moving the core spheres inside the air pores of the inverse opal. We show that the size of this switchable PBG assumes a value of 3.78% upon judicious structural optimization, while its existence is almost independent of the radii of the interconnecting cylinders, whose sizes are difficult to control during the fabrication process. The Si-based DIOPC may thus offer a novel and practical route to complete PBG switching and optical functionality.

Zymomonas mobilis is an ethanol-producing alphaproteobacterium currently considered a major candidate organism for bioethanol production. Here we report the finished and annotated genome sequence of Z. mobilis subsp. mobilis strain NCIMB 11163, a British ale-infecting isolate. This is the first Z. mobilis strain whose genome, chromosomal and plasmid, is presented in its entirety.

Using Chandra, XMM-Newton and optical photometric catalogs we study the young X-ray binary (XRB) populations of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). We find that the Be/X-ray binaries (Be-XRBs) are observed in regions with star-formation (SF) rate bursts ~30-70 Myr ago, which coincides with the age of maximum Be-star formation, while regions with strong but more recent SF (e.g., the Wing) are deficient in Be-XRBs. Using the 2dF spectrograph of the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) we have obtained optical spectra of 20 High-Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) in the SMC. All of these sources were proved to be Be-XRBs. Similar spectral-type distributions of Be-XRBs and Be field stars in the SMC have been found. On the other hand, the Be-XRBs in the Galaxy follow a different distribution than the isolated Be stars in the Galaxy, in agreement with previous studies.

In this study, we aimed to explore the factors related to acceptance of evolutionary theory among students/preservice preschool education teachers using conceptual ecology for biological evolution as a theoretical frame. We aimed to look into the acceptance and the understanding of evolutionary theory, and also to look into the relationship of the acceptance with understanding of evolutionary theory, parents’ educational level and frequency of church attendance as independent variables. Students’ restricted understanding of evolutionary theory is positively correlated with moderate acceptance of evolutionary theory but we did not find any significant positive correlation between parents’ educational level, religiosity and acceptance of evolution. Our findings indicate that studying a controversial issue such as the acceptance of evolutionary theory in a multivariate fashion, using conceptual ecology as a theoretical lens to interpret the findings, is informative. They also, indicate the differences that exist from society to society and how sociological factors as part of the conceptual ecology influence acceptance of evolution and have strong influence on Evolution education. And how useful is the enrichment of the Conceptual Ecology with other factors, i.e. thinking dispositions or making students familiar with the scientific method.

We confirm a nova candidate in M 31 reported to us by K. Nishiyama and F. Kabashima and present a pre-discovery detection that allows us to tightly constrain the time of outburst for this object. The nova candidate was discovered by Nishiyama and Kabashima (Miyaki-Argenteus observatory, Japan) on 2009 September 3.752 UT, with no object visible at its position on September 1.566 UT (private communication).

BACKGROUND: Vascular factors including medical history (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and hypertension), smoking, and prediagnosis blood lipid measurements (cholesterol: total, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein [LDL-C], and triglyceride concentrations) may be predictors for progression of Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prediagnosis vascular risk factors are associated with progression of AD. DESIGN: Inception cohort followed up longitudinally for a mean of 3.5 (up to 10.2) years. SETTING: Washington Heights/Inwood Columbia Aging Project, New York, New York. Patients One hundred fifty-six patients with incident AD (mean age at diagnosis, 83 years). Main Outcome Measure Change in a composite score of cognitive ability from diagnosis onward. RESULTS: In generalized estimating equation models (adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, and years of education), higher cholesterol (total cholesterol and LDL-C) concentrations and history of diabetes were associated with faster cognitive decline. Each 10-U increase in cholesterol and LDL-C was associated with a 0.10-SD decrease in cognitive score per year of follow-up (P < .001 for total cholesterol; P = .001 for LDL-C). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were not associated with rate of decline. A history of diabetes was associated with an additional 0.05-SD decrease in cognitive score per year (P = .05). History of heart disease and stroke were associated with cognitive decline only in carriers of the apolipoprotein E epsilon4 (APOE-epsilon4) gene. In a final generalized estimating equation model that included high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and LDL-C concentrations and history of diabetes, only higher LDL-C was independently associated with faster cognitive decline. CONCLUSION: Higher prediagnosis total cholesterol and LDL-C concentrations and history of diabetes were associated with faster cognitive decline in patients with incident AD, which provides further evidence for the role of vascular risk factors in the course of AD.

The overall performance of a Volleyball team depends on many factors, from which decisive are considered to be the execution of skills that lead immediately to winning or losing the rally. These are lost serves, aces, kill- attacks, attack errors and kill-blocks. The analysis of these skills in relation to team performance, as expressed by the ratio of sets won to the total number of sets, lead to the formation of two new correlates. These are the serving efficiency ratio (SER), defined as the ratio of lost serves to aces, and the attack efficiency ratio (AER), defined as the number of kill attacks divided by the sum of attack errors and kill-blocks. Analysis of the data collected from all the matches of the male A1 volleyball professional league of 2005-2006 in Greece proved that the two efficiency ratios were better predictors of the teams overall performance than the five original variables. The findings lead to clear-cut definitions of norms both for the serving and attack efficiency ratio. The leading teams had a SER of around two and an AER of around three. These criteria are valuable tools especially for Volleyball coaches in deciding for the appropriate tactics of their teams.

CoPt and FePt compound films with L1(0) ordered structure have been intensively studied,due to their extremely high uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy which makes them suitable for application in ultra high density magnetic recording media. A basic requirement in these type of media is the development of strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. The role of Ag underlayers in promoting strong (001) crystallographic texture and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in post-annealed Ag/CoPt and Ag/FePt bilayers (BLs) has already been reported, along with a possible correlation between L1(0) formation and development of (001) crystallographic texture. In this work we present new data, which provide further evidence that there is indeed such a correlation during the annealing process of Ag/CoPt BLs. The most obvious manifestation of this correlation is the fact that the X-ray intensity ratios I-001/I-002 (used as a measure of the degree of L1(0)-ordering) and I-002/I-111 (used as a measure of the crystallographic texture) and the coercivity H-c and relative remnant magnetization m(r) (for field H normal to the surface of the films) exhibit the same kind of dependence from the thickness of the Ag underlayer. Comparison with respective crystallographic data from post-annealed Ag/CoPt nanocomposites (NCs) shows that in the case of NCs the (001) texture starts to degrade for lower total film thickness, compared to the case of BLs. This difference can be attributed to the structural incoherence in the growth of the CoPt grains imposed by the presence of Ag inside the Ag/CoPt NCs, while in BLs Ag is only used as an underlayer. Based on the above data and on detailed Heavy Ion Elastic Rutherford Back Scattering (HIRBS) measurements, performed on post-annealed Ag/CoPt NCs, we propose a possible mechanism for the interpretation of the observed correlation. The proposed mechanism is based on the reduction of total strain (residual strain of as-deposited film and transformation strain due to deformation of the unit cell as L1(0)-CoPt is formed) throughout the annealing process.

The parameter of health economics in the use of any contemporary medical module plays a dominant role in decision making. A prospective nonrandomised comparative study of the direct medical costs on the first attempt of treating aseptic nonunions of tibial fractures, with either autologous-iliac-crest-bone-graft (ICBG) or bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7), is presented. Twenty-seven consecutive patients, who were successfully treated for fracture nonunions, were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n = 12) received ICBG and group 2 (n = 15) received BMP-7. All patients healed their nonunions, and the financial analysis presented represents a best-case scenario. Three out of 12 of the ICBG group required revision surgery while just one out of 15 required it in the BMP-7 group. Average hospital stay was 10.66 vs. 8.66 days, time-to-union 6.9 vs. 5.5 months, hospitals costs pound2,133.6 vs. pound1,733.33, and theatre costs were pound2,413.3 vs. pound906.67 for the ICBG and BMP-7 groups, respectively. The BMP-7 cost was pound3002.2. Fixation-implant was pound696.4 vs. pound592.3, radiology pound570 vs. pound270, outpatient pound495.8 vs. pound223.33, and other costs were pound451.6 vs. pound566.27 for the ICBG and BMP-7 groups, respectively. The average cost of treatment with BMP-7 was 6.78% higher (P = 0.1) than with ICBG, and most of this (41.1%) was related to the actual price of the BMP-7. In addition to the satisfactory efficacy and safety of BMP-7 in comparison to the gold standard of ICBG, as documented in multiple studies, its cost effectiveness is advocated favourably in this analysis.

The sensitivity of regional air quality modeling simulations to boundary conditions over Greece is investigated, for various synoptic conditions. For this purpose, a global to mesoscale model-chain is developed and applied, coupling the individual models’ simulations. The global chemical transport model GEOS-CHEM, applied in a one-way nested procedure, is used to drive the regional UAM-V chemical dispersion model with time-varying lateral and top boundary conditions. The results of the coupling procedure are compared with the MINOS campaign measurements at Finokalia (Southern Greece) during the period from 1 to 16 August 2001 which is mainly characterized by an interchange of two synoptic types, High-Low and Long Wave trough. The comparison between the simulation results and the measurements reveals that the coupling procedure captures satisfactorily the range of observed CO concentrations at the southern part of Greece. The most severe deviations are observed under strongly variable atmospheric circulation, when no distinct synoptic circulation is allowed to be established in the area. Regarding O3, the highest, though underestimated, surface concentrations are simulated under Long Wave trough conditions due to the influence of the ozone inflow predicted by GEOS-CHEM at the western boundary of the innermost domain and/or under enhanced NOy emissions arriving at Finokalia from urban and ships plumes. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

We began with discussions on what is gender, including a presentation of international dialogue on gender and the role of sport in addressing gender issues. Topics/lectures include: Doping and Gender, agency, the under-representation of women in competitive sports and in sport governing bodies (SGBs), the social gender and sport identity, the sport-gender imbalance, Women athletes in the mass media, genderless athletes, Olympism or peace education, underdevelopment of sport in developing countries, racism and xenophobia in sport, child exploitation and child protection in sport, gender and leadership skills, and so on. Gender refers to the socially-constructed roles of and relationships between men and women. Gender concerns men and women, including conceptions of both femininity and masculinity. The difference between ‘gender’ and ‘sex’ is that the latter refers only to biological differences as an analytical category. Gender does not mean focusing solely on women or females, but rather on the inequalities regarding both genders, and should not be confused with feminism or women’s studies. However, analyses of gender differences often show a socially disadvantaged and weaker position of women and girls in social, political, economic, legal, educational and sport issues. This is why there is a tendency for gender discussions and interventions to focus on correcting these imbalances by specifically targeting women and girls. More analytically with regard to the course content see links]............................................... _________________________________________________________________________________________-Initially, discussions on what is gender, presentation of international dialogue on gender and the role of sport in addressing gender issues. Topics/lectures include: Doping and Gender, agency, the under-representation of women in competitive sports and in sport governing bodies (SGBs), the social gender and sport identity, the sport-gender imbalance, Women athletes in the mass media, genderless athletes, Olympism or peace education, underdevelopment of sport in developing countries, racism and xenophobia in sport, child exploitation and child protection in sport, gender and leadership skills, and so on.   More analytically with regard to the course content see attachment........................................when citing: Kamberidou, I., & Karteroliotis, K. (2009). “Course Proposal for Postgraduate Interdisciplinary Education of Women”. Presentation at the international workshop of the project “Estia-Earth to Sustain Women’s Careers as Academics, Researchers and Professionals in Engineering, Computer and the. In “Estia-Earth to Sustain Women’s Careers as Academics, Researchers and Professionals in Engineering, Computer and the Sciences, Lifelong Learning Erasmus Network” (partner: Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science, Athens Greece). "1st Expert Meeting “Development of MSc Programs” & Jointly the 3rd International steering Committee Meeting ESTIA-EARTH", Venue: Polytechnic University of Bucharest, Nov. 20-21, 2009. (www.estia.net).  DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3256.0489V    

Background Renal impairment is a common complication of multiple myeloma. Cystatin-C is considered an accurate marker of glomerular filtration rate in several renal disorders. Microarray analysis has revealed that cystatin-C is one of the most highly up-regulated genes in multiple myeloma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of cystatin-C in myeloma patients, explore possible correlations with clinical data, including survival, and assess the effect of bortezomib on cystatin-C in relapsed multiple myeloma. Results We measured serum cystatin-C in 157 newly diagnosed, previously untreated myeloma patients, in 28 patients with relapsed disease pre- and post-bortezomib therapy and in 52 healthy controls, using a latex particle-enhanced nephelometric immunoassay. Results In newly diagnosed patients, cystatin-C was elevated and showed strong correlations with advanced ISS stage, extensive bone disease, high ffc-microglobulin, high serum creatinine, and low creatinine clearance. Multivariate analysis revealed that only cystatin-C and lactate dehydrogenase had an independent prognostic impact on patients' survival. The combination of cystatin-C and lactate dehydrogenase revealed three prognostic groups of patients: a high-risk group (both elevated cystatin-C and lactate dehydrogenase) with a median survival of 24 months, an intermediate-risk group (elevated cystatin-C or elevated lactate dehydrogenase) with a median survival of 48 months and a low-risk group (both low cystatin-C and lactate dehydrogenase) in which median survival has not yet been reached (p<0.001). Cystatin-C could also identify a subset of ISS-II patients with worse outcome. Relapsed patients had higher cystatin-C levels even compared to newly diagnosed patients. Treatment with bortezomib produced a significant reduction of cystatin- C, mainly in responders. Conclusions Serum cystatin-C is not only a sensitive marker of renal impairment but also reflects tumor burden and is of prognostic value in myeloma. Its reduction after treatment with bortezomib reflects bortezomib's anti-myeloma activity and possibly bortezomib's direct effect on renal function. © 2009 Ferrata Storti Foundation.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are major antigen-presenting cells that constitute a link between innate and adaptive immune responses, and are critical in the processes of control and elimination of viral infections. On the other hand, there is a large body of data strongly implicating respiratory viruses in morbidity during infancy through the induction of lower respiratory tract infections, such as bronchiolitis, and later on in childhood and adult life, mainly due to their association with asthma exacerbations. Little is known, however, about the precise role of DCs in human respiratory tract infections. This review focuses on current data, both from in vivo and in vitro studies, that highlight the interplay between DCs and the viral causes of bronchiolitis.

One of the most common cancer types among women is breast cancer. Regular mammographic examinations increase the possibility for early diagnosis and treatment and significantly improve the chance of survival for patients with breast cancer. Keeping an informed and complete patient record is of great importance as the doctor needs this information for every patient examination. The proposed implementation is a patient record system that includes 'smart' algorithms in order to automatically use data from the patient's record to calculate well established epidemiological breast cancer models. A computer-aided diagnosis system is also used in order to analyze each mammogram and obtain a certain risk percentage concerning whether the patient has to undergo biopsy or not. The aforementioned system has been implemented to support a large set of patient data (1,178 patients) which included detailed personal patient data, medical history and examination details per date and is used in the daily clinical practice of a breast cancer diagnostic center facilitating patient record retrieval, storage and supporting the doctor's decisions.

Previous studies showed that high levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) DNA are associated with a faster progression to AIDS, an increased risk of death, and a higher risk of HIV RNA rebound in patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy. Our objective was to develop and assess a highly sensitive real-time multiplex PCR assay for the quantification of HIV-1 DNA (RTMP-HIV) based on molecular beacons. HIV-1 DNA quantification was carried out by RTMP in a LightCycler 2.0 apparatus. HIV-1 DNA was quantified in parallel with CCR5 as a reference gene, and reported values are numbers of HIV-1 DNA copies/10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The clinical sensitivity of the assay was assessed for 115 newly diagnosed HIV-1-infected individuals. The analytical sensitivity was estimated to be 12.5 copies of HIV-1 DNA per 10(6) PBMCs, while the clinical sensitivity was 100%, with levels ranging from 1.23 to 4.25 log(10) HIV-1 DNA copies/10(6) PBMCs. In conclusion, we developed and assessed a new RTMP-HIV assay based on molecular beacons, using a LightCycler 2.0 instrument. This multiplex assay has comparable sensitivity, reproducibility, and accuracy to single real-time PCR assays.

OBJECTIVE: The FcgammaRIIa receptor is responsible for the activation of platelets by antibodies in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). The c.497G>A polymorphism in the corresponding FCG2RA gene (H131R) has been implicated in the HIT syndrome and we aimed at its rapid and reliable determination. DESIGN AND METHODS: We designed a novel asymmetric real-time PCR method in the LightCycler that uses two hybridization probes and is followed by melting curve analysis. Seventy-one post-cardiac-surgery HIT Greek patients well ascertained by clinical data, immunological and functional tests (PAT, CD62P-selectin and microparticle flow cytometric detection) were studied, along with a clinically relevant group of 49 thrombocytopenic control patients and 119 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The developed method has excellent analytical characteristics (linear and efficient amplification, precision), has wide DeltaT(m) between the two alleles H and R (11.53 degrees C), and is in 100% concordance with validated controls and another commonly used screening method. The RR percentage increased from 10% in the control populations to 24% in the HIT patient group. CONCLUSION: The described method is technically simple, robust, fast, and accurate. A statistically significant difference was found in the comparison between the groups of HIT patients and healthy subjects [RR vs. RH+ HH, chi(2) test, p=0.01, OR (95% C.I.) 2.81 (1.21-4.68)]. The RR frequency in the Greek population was found to be the lowest among Caucasians

Hypertension may complicate treatment with antiangiogenic agents, leading to dose reductions and treatment delays. To prospectively evaluate the frequency and management of hypertension in 10 patients with advanced kidney cancer receiving sunitinib, we used 24-h blood pressure monitoring (BPM) and home BPM and homogenously treated hypertension according to guidelines of the European Society of Hypertension. Normal BP was ensured prior to sunitinib initiation with the successive use of hydrochlorothiazide + irbesartan, nebivolol, amlodipine. During treatment, additional antihypertensive therapy was introduced, if necessary. Sunitinib dose was modified only if BP was not controlled with four anti-hypertensive agents. Four patients had baseline hypertension, while 5 of 6 normotensive patients required antihypertensive treatment during sunitinib administration. One patient permanently discontinued sunitinib due to hypertensive crisis but 9 patients received full dose. Sunitinib-associated hypertension is more frequent than previously reported. Aggressive BP monitoring and treatment of hypertension may achieve uninterrupted, full-dose therapy in most patients treated with sunitinib. The application of such protocols instead of commonly used toxicity criteria should be further validated. © E.S.I.F.T. srl.

Bone disease remains a major problem in the management of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and is characterized by the presence of lytic lesions due to increased osteoclastic activity and reduced osteoblast function. Wingless-type and integrase 1 (Wnt)/β-catenin signaling is a central pathway for bone development and homeostasis. Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1) is a soluble inhibitor of Wnt, which disrupts osteoblast differentiation and action. Dkk-1 is produced by myeloma cells and overexpressed in myeloma microenvironment of patients with extensive bone disease. In addition to its direct inhibitory effect of Dkk-1 on osteoblasts, Dkk-1 disrupts the Wnt3a-regulated osteoprotegerin and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) expression in osteoblasts and thus it indirectly enhances osteoclast function in MM. Dkk-1 serum and bone marrow plasma levels are increased in MM patients and correlated with advanced International Staging System stage and presence of osteolytic lesions. Preclinical studies in mouse myeloma models showed that targeting Dkk-1 with neutralizing anti-Dkk-1 antibodies resulted in increased numbers of osteoblasts, reduced numbers of multinucleated osteoclasts and increased bone volume. The bone anabolic effect of anti-Dkk-1 may also be associated with reduced myeloma burden. These data show that Dkk-1 has a pivotal role in bone health and disease and is a novel target for the management of myeloma patients with lytic bone disease. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data concerning the efficacy of PEG-IFN alpha 2a plus ribavirin treatment in treatment-naive, genotype 4-infected chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients from Europe are limited. Hence the aim of this study was to investigate the viral kinetics as well as the sustained virological response (SVR) rates and their predictors, in these patients. One hundred and twenty-three patients were retrospectively analysed. Early (EVR) and late virological response (LVR) was confirmed by undetectable (<50 IU/mL) serum HCV-RNA at week 12 and week 24 of treatment, respectively. SVR was confirmed by undetectable serum HCV-RNA at the end of treatment as well as 6 months later. Overall, 43.5% of patients exhibited SVR, 42.6% were nonresponders and 13.9% were relapsers. EVR was observed in 40.74% and LVR in 59.25% of them. The positive predictive values of EVR and LVR were 72.97% and 86.27% whereas their negative predictive values were 64.29% and 92.85%, respectively. EVR independently predicted SVR in Caucasian patients (P < 0.001) but not in Egyptian patients (P = 0.613), in whom the only independent predictor of SVR was the absence of cirrhosis (P = 0.004). LVR seems to be a better predictor of SVR than EVR in the vast majority of genotype 4-infected CHC patients, irrespective of ethnicity and all the other baseline parameters.

The phospholipase A2 (PLA2) superfamily hydrolyzes phospholipids to release free fatty acids and lysophospholipids, some of which can mediate inflammation and demyelination, hallmarks of the CNS autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis. The expression of two of the intracellular PLA2s (cPLA2 GIVA and iPLA2 GVIA) and two of the secreted PLA2s (sPLA2 GIIA and sPLA2 GV) are increased in different stages of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of multiple sclerosis. We show using small molecule inhibitors, that cPLA2 GIVA plays a role in the onset, and iPLA2 GVIA in the onset and progression of EAE. We also show a potential role for sPLA2 in the later remission phase. These studies demonstrate that selective inhibition of iPLA2 can ameliorate disease progression when treatment is started before or after the onset of symptoms. The effects of these inhibitors on lesion burden, chemokine and cytokine expression as well as on the lipid profile provide insights into their potential modes of action. iPLA2 is also expressed by macrophages and other immune cells in multiple sclerosis lesions. Our results therefore suggest that iPLA2 might be an excellent target to block for the treatment of CNS autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.

AIMS: To study circulating levels and distribution of adiponectin multimers [low molecular weight (LMW)-, medium molecular weight (MMW)- and high molecular weight (HMW)-adiponectin] in preterm and full-term infants. METHODS: Total serum adiponectin and its multimers were measured in 40 healthy infants at the age of one month and associations with anthropometric parameters [body weight and length, body mass index (BMI)], weight gain and metabolic indices (glucose, insulin) were examined. Twenty of the infants were born preterm (gestational age 33.2+/-1.6 weeks). RESULTS: LMW-adiponectin level and its fractional ratio to total adiponectin were significantly higher in full-term than in preterm infants (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively), whereas, MMW-adiponectin level and its ratio were significantly lower (P=0.03 and P=0.01, respectively). HMW-adiponectin did not differ significantly between full-term and preterm infants and accounted for almost 60% of total adiponectin levels in both groups. HMW-adiponectin, but not MMW adiponectin or LMW adiponectin, correlated significantly with anthropometric measurements, similarly to total adiponectin; in addition, HMW adiponectin correlated significantly with weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: HMW adiponectin is the most prevalent form in infants. Circulating levels and distribution of MMW- and LMW-adiponectin differ between full-term and preterm infants, but the role of these adiponectin multimers needs to be studied further.

Division VII gathers astronomers studying the diffuse matter in space between stars, ranging from primordial intergalactic clouds, via dust and neutral and ionized gas in galaxies, to the densest molecular clouds and the processes by which stars are formed.

Self-organized porous TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) were prepared on conductive glass by galvanostatic anodizing of sputtered titanium in an NH 4F /glycerol electrolyte. DC magnetron sputtering at an elevated substrate temperature (500 °C) was used to deposit 650nm thick titanium films. After anodizing, NTs, 830nm long, with an average external diameter of 92nm, were grown; this gave a high conversion rate of oxide from titanium (1.9), with a 220nm thick layer of titanium, which was not oxidized, located at the base of the tubes. The NTs revealed a mainly amorphous structure, which transformed mostly to anatase upon thermal treatment in air at 450 °C. The tubes were sensitized by the N719 complex and the resultant photoelectrodes were incorporated into liquid dye solar cells (DSCs) and further tested under back-side illumination. High values of Voc (714mV) were obtained under 1 sun (AM 1.5), assigned to low dark current magnitude and large recombination resistance and electron lifetime. In addition, typical values of fill factors (of the order of 0.62) were attained, in agreement with the estimated ohmic resistance of the cells in combination with low electron transfer resistance at the platinum/electrolyte interface. The overall moderate power conversion efficiency (of the order of 0.3%) was mainly due to the low short-circuit photocurrents (Jsc = 0.68mAcm-2), which was confirmed further by the corresponding IPCE values (5.2% at 510nm). The magnitude of Jsc was attributed to absorbed light losses due to back-side illumination of the cells, the low dye loading (due to the limited thickness of anodic titania) and the high charge transfer resistance at the TiO2 /conductive substrate due to the presence of barrier layer(s) underneath the tubes. These preliminary results encourage the DSC community to explore further the galvanostatic anodizing of titanium in order to produce highly efficient porous TiO2 NTs directly on conductive glass. Current work is focusing on achieving complete anodizing of the metal substrate and full transparency for the photoelectrode in order to increase and optimize the resultant cell efficiencies. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Current approaches to syntactic derivation capitalize on the notion of syntactic cycles either in the sense of phases (Chomsky 2000) or derivational cascades (Uriagereka 1999). Such models raise some interesting issues regarding the way in which phonology processes the syntactic output. In this paper we propose that the derivational status of syntactic material is reflected on the way PF organizes the output of syntax into phonological phrases. More specifically, based on evidence from the prosodification of clitic-doubled DP-objects in Greek, we argue that elements which exhibit derivational islandhood form independent phonological phrases and, significantly, are impervious to PF restructuring mechanisms. We further explore the limits of this isomorphism by investigating the derivational and prosodic status of preverbal Greek subjects and conclude that their syntactic non-islandhood is matched by an analogous behavior at the PF since they are subject to restructuring. This particular type of isomorphism provides empirical justification for drawing a distinction between two different implementations of Spell-Out, as originally proposed in Uriagereka (1999).

A simple, safe and cost-effective treatment protocol in ovarian stimulation is of great importance in IVF practice, especially in the case of previous unsuccessful attempts. hCG has been used as a substitute of LH because of the degree of homology between the two hormones. The main aim of this prospective randomized study was to determine, for the first time, whether low dose hCG added to rFSH for ovarian stimulation could produce better results compared to the addition of rLH in women entering IVF-ET, especially in those women that had previous IVF failures. An additional aim was to find an indicator that would allow us to follow-up ovarian stimulation and, possibly, modify it in order to achieve a better IVF outcome; and that indicator may be the cDNA copies of the LH/hCG receptor. Group A patients (n = 58) were administered hCG and Group B rLH (n = 56) in addition to rFSH in the first days of ovarian stimulation. The number of follicles and oocytes and, most importantly, implantation and pregnancy rates were shown to be statistically significantly higher in the hCG group. This study has also determined, for the first time to our best knowledge, m-RNA for LH/hCG receptors in the lymphocytes of peripheral blood 40 h before ovum pick-up. cDNA levels of the hCG receptor after ovarian stimulation were significantly higher among women receiving hCG compared to those receiving LH. In addition, higher levels were encountered among women with pregnancy compared to those without, although this was not statistically significant due to the small number of pregnancies. It seems that hCG permits a highly effective and more stable occupancy of rLH/hCG receptors and gives more follicles and more oocytes. The determination of cDNA copies could be, in the future, a marker during ovulation induction protocols and of course a predictor for the outcome of ART in the special subgroup of patients with previous failures.

We describe a patient in whom an initially intact sciatic nerve became rapidly encased in heterotopic bone formed in the abductor compartment after reconstruction of the posterior wall of the acetabulum following fracture. Prompt excision and neural release followed by irradiation and administration of indometacin resulted in a full neurological recovery and no recurrence 27 months later.

Hip resurfacing has recently been offered as an attractive alternative to conventional total hip arthroplasty. This report evaluated the short-term functional outcome and longevity of a newer generation resurfacing device and includes the results of 228 consecutive hip resurfacing in 209 patients at a minimum of two-year follow-up. All resurfacing were performed by a single surgeon using a posterior approach. Excluding infections, there were only three failures (1.3%). The overall survival at 4.6 years was 96.9%. The survival of resurfacing in this study was comparable to that of other published studies of hip resurfacing. Surface hip arthroplasty appears to be an effective alternative to conventional total hip arthroplasty in patients suffering from osteoarthritis.

A commercially available powder of MgB2 is used as starting material for the examination of the influence of the annealing temperature on the properties of this intermediate-T-c superconductor. We performed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Hall ac-susceptibility measurements as a function of temperature and ac-field amplitude on samples annealed at 650, 750, 850 and 950 degrees C. The imaginary part of ac-susceptibility measurements is used to calculate both the inter-granular critical current density, J(c)(T-p) and density of pinning force, alpha(j)(0). It was observed that all T-c, J(c)(T-p) and alpha(j)(0) exhibit a non-monotonic behavior on the annealing temperature range studied in this work. T-c is measured to be 39.85 +/- 0.02 K and J(c)(T-p) is estimated to be as high as 60 A/cm(2) at 39.2 K for the sample annealed at 850 degrees C. The peak temperature, T-p, in the imaginary part of the ac-susceptibility curves shifts to lower temperatures with both decreasing the annealing temperature and increasing the amplitude of the ac-magnetic fields. A comparison of the experimental ac-susceptibility data with theoretical critical-state models that are currently available is performed. SEM investigations showed that the grain size increases, and the grain connectivity improves when the annealing temperature increases up to 850 degrees C. The possible reasons for the observed changes in transport, microstructure and magnetic properties due to annealing temperature are discussed. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Praziquantel (PZQ), the primary drug of choice in the treatment of schistosomiasis, is a highly lipophilic drug that possesses high permeability and low aqueous solubility and is, therefore, classified as a Class II drug according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS). In this work, beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) were used in order to determine whether increasing the aqueous solubility of a drug by complexation with CDs, a BCS-Class II compound like PZQ could behave as BCS-Class I (highly soluble/highly permeable) drug. Phase solubility and the kneading and lyophilization techniques were used for inclusion complex preparation; solubility was determined by UV spectroscopy. The ability of the water soluble polymer polyvinylpyrolidone (PVP) to increase the complexation and solubilization efficiency of beta-CD and HP-beta-CD for PZQ was examined. Results showed significant improvement of PZQ solubility in the presence of both cyclodextrins but no additional effect in the presence of PVP. The solubility/dose ratios values of PZQ-cyclodextrin complexes calculated considering the low (150 mg) and the high dose (600 mg) of PZQ, used in practice, indicate that PZQ complexation with CDs may result in drug dosage forms that would behave as a BCS-Class I depending on the administered dose.